The longitudinal BMI pattern and body composition of patients with anorexia nervosa who require urgent hospitalization: A case control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawai, Keisuke; Yamashita, Sakino; Yamanaka, Takeharu; Gondo, Motoharu; Morita, Chihiro; Nozaki, Takehiro; Takakura, Shu; Hata, Tomokazu; Yamada, Yu; Matsubayashi, Sunao; Takii, Masato; Kubo, Chiharu; Sudo, Nobuyuki

2011-12-05

The prevention of serious physical complications in anorexia nervosa (AN) patients is important. The purpose of this study is to clarify which physical and social factors are related to the necessity for urgent hospitalization of anorexia nervosa (AN) patients in a long-term starvation state. We hypothesized that the change of longitudinal BMI, body composition and social background would be useful as an index of the necessity for urgent hospitalization. AN patients were classified into; urgent hospitalization, due to disturbance of consciousness or difficulty walking(n = 17); planned admission (n = 96); and outpatient treatment only groups (n = 136). The longitudinal BMI pattern and the clinical features of these groups were examined. In the hospitalization groups, comparison was done of body composition variation and the social background, including the educational level and advice from family members. After adjusting for age and duration of illness, the BMI of the urgent hospitalization group was lower than that of the other groups at one year before hospitalization (P < 0.01) and decreased more rapidly (P < 0.01). Urgent hospitalization was associated with the fat free mass (FFM) (P < 0.01). Between the groups, no considerable difference in social factors was found. The longitudinal pattern of BMI and FFM may be useful for understanding the severity in AN from the viewpoint of failure of the homeostasis system.

77 FR 6815 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Country of Origin Marking Requirements for Containers...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-09

... Activities: Country of Origin Marking Requirements for Containers or Holders AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border... information collection requirement concerning Country of Origin Marking Requirements for Containers or Holders...: Title: Country of Origin Marking Requirements for Containers or Holders. OMB Number: 1651-0057. Form...

Global occupational health: current challenges and the need for urgent action.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucchini, Roberto G; London, Leslie

2014-01-01

Global occupational health and safety (OHS) is strictly linked to the dynamics of economic globalization. As the global market is increasing, the gap between developed and underdeveloped countries, occupational diseases, and injuries affect a vast number of workers worldwide. Global OHS issues also become local in developed countries due to many factors, including untrained migrant workers in the informal sector, construction, and agriculture. To identify the current status and challenges of global occupational health and safety and the needs for preventive action. Absence of OHS infrastructure amplifies the devastating consequences of infectious outbreaks like the Ebola pandemic and tuberculosis. Interventions in global OHS are urgently needed at various levels: 1. Increased governmental funding is needed for international organizations like the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization to face the increasing demand for policies, guidance, and training. 2. Regulations to ban and control dangerous products are needed to avoid the transfer of hazardous production to developing countries. 3. The OHS community must address global OHS issues through advocacy, position papers, public statements, technical and ethical guidelines, and by encouraging access of OHS professionals from the developing countries to leadership positions in professional and academic societies. 4. Research, education, and training of OHS professionals, workers, unions and employers are needed to address global OHS issues and their local impact. 5. Consumers also can influence significantly the adoption of OHS practices by demanding the protection of workers who are producing he goods that are sold in the global market. Following the equation of maximized profits prompted by the inhibition of OHS is an old practice that has proven to cause significant costs to societies in the developed world. It is now an urgent priority to stop this process and promote a harmonized global

The longitudinal BMI pattern and body composition of patients with anorexia nervosa who require urgent hospitalization: A case control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kawai Keisuke

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The prevention of serious physical complications in anorexia nervosa (AN patients is important. The purpose of this study is to clarify which physical and social factors are related to the necessity for urgent hospitalization of anorexia nervosa (AN patients in a long-term starvation state. We hypothesized that the change of longitudinal BMI, body composition and social background would be useful as an index of the necessity for urgent hospitalization. Methods AN patients were classified into; urgent hospitalization, due to disturbance of consciousness or difficulty walking(n = 17; planned admission (n = 96; and outpatient treatment only groups (n = 136. The longitudinal BMI pattern and the clinical features of these groups were examined. In the hospitalization groups, comparison was done of body composition variation and the social background, including the educational level and advice from family members. Results After adjusting for age and duration of illness, the BMI of the urgent hospitalization group was lower than that of the other groups at one year before hospitalization (P Conclusions The longitudinal pattern of BMI and FFM may be useful for understanding the severity in AN from the viewpoint of failure of the homeostasis system.

The greenhouse effect: is it urgent to wait?; Effet de serre est-il urgent d'attendre?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zentelin, J.L. [Universite d' Evry Val d' Essonne, 91 - Evry (France)

2005-01-01

The greenhouse effect and the depletion of oil reserves are 2 urgent matters, one imminent and the other latent. The handling of these 2 related issues requires reconciling the advocates of precaution and the supporters of progress, technology and ethics. This is not at all easy, particularly as the delay in the climatic catastrophe tends to hide the issue. It appears that there are much more reasons to act than to wait: -) the climate thread is underestimated because of the slow evolution of the consequences of climatic change, -) the possible improvement of current technologies will have a low impact, -) technological breakthroughs are too rare to rely on them, -) the capacity of new technologies to take over is always underestimated, -) the changes in the way of consuming energy requires time to involve large part of the population, and -) international mechanisms lacks efficiency and adequacy. (A.C.)

What drives energy consumption in developing countries? The experience of selected African countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keho, Yaya

2016-01-01

This study investigates the drivers of energy consumption in Sub-Saharan African countries. It applies the bounds testing approach to cointegration to time series data at individual country levels over the period from 1970 to 2011. The study finds that energy consumption is cointegrated with real GDP per capita, industrial output, imports, foreign direct investment, credit to private sector, urbanization and population. Furthermore, the sign and magnitude of long-run estimates vary significantly for a single country and across countries depending on the energy consumption variable used. Overall, the findings confirm the leading role of economic growth, industrial output, population and urbanization. Economic growth, industrial output and population have positive effects on energy consumption in the majority of countries. Given the urgent need to address climate change, African countries should adopt policies to improve energy efficiency and accelerate transition toward renewable energy. The African Renewable Energy Initiative launched at the 21st session of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP21) is an opportunity for African countries to provide and maintain widespread access to reliable and affordable environmentally cleaner energy to meet the requirements of rapid economic growth and improved living standards. - Highlights: •Key drivers of energy use in 12 African countries are examined. •Economic growth, industrial GDP, population and urbanization play a leading role in explaining energy use. •Urbanization has a positive effect on energy use in six countries and a negative effect in four countries. •The results obtained have useful policy implications.

The ED use and non-urgent visits of elderly patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Umut Gulacti

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the use of the emergency department (ED by elderly patients, their non-urgent visits and the prevalence of main disease for ED visits. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients aged 65 years and over who visited the ED of a tertiary care university hospital in Turkey between January 2015 and January 2016 retrospectively. Results: A total of 36,369 elderly patients who visited the ED were included in the study. The rate of ED visits by elderly patients was higher than their representation within the general population (p < 0.001. While the rate of elderly patients visiting polyclinics was 15.8%, the rate of elderly patients visiting the ED was 24.3% (p < 0.001. For both genders, the rates of ED visits for patients between 65 and 74 years old was higher than for other elderly age groups (p < 0.001. The prevalence of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI was the highest within the elderly population (17.5%, CI: 17.1–17.9. The proportion of ED visits for non-urgent conditions was 23.4%. Most of the ED visits were during the non-business hours (51.1%, and they were highest in the winter season (25.9% and in January (10.2%. The hospitalization rate was 9.4%, and 37.9% of hospitalized patients were admitted to intensive care units. Conclusion: The proportion of ED visits by elderly patients was higher than their representation within the general population. Elderly patients often visited the ED instead of a polyclinic. The rate of inappropriate ED use by elderly patients in this hospital was higher than in other countries. Keywords: Non-urgent, Prevalence, Visit, Main disease, Elderly patient, Emergency department

Quality assurance requirements for the reliability of nuclear power plants in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhutta, S.M.

1978-01-01

Quality Assurance (QA) has not been taken very seriously in developing countries despite their having significant nuclear power programmes. This may affect plant reliability and demands that urgent and serious attention be given to the development and implementation of Quality Assurance programmes according to local conditions. Confusion has been created by the differences in definitions and interpretations of terminologies of Quality Assurance and Control. Problems have been aggravated by the lack of clearly defined responsibilities and accountabilities during the projects execution phases of site selection, data collection, design, equipment fabrication and construction, etc. Therefore, reliability of nuclear power plants in developing countries is relatively low. But whenever some programme of QA has been implemented it has helped to improve the plant performance. This is highlighted in this paper by the practical examples for the experience of Karachi Nuclear Power Plant whose forced outages have been reduced by over a half within a period of 3 years. In view of the benefits, a QA programme for Chashma Nuclear Power Project has also been initiated. In this paper urgency is emphasized for the establishment and implementation of a formal QA programme in the developing countries if the reactor suppliers and purchasers both want to ensure higher reliability of their plants. The best way that management can play its role effectively is by setting up a strong QA organization with local personnel, thus helping to attain self-reliance and higher reliability during plant operation. (author)

A Conceptual Model for Urgent Acquisition Programs

Science.gov (United States)

2017-04-06

traditional acquisition to get things done quicker remaining a constant. “Recognizing this reality is the first step in building an acquisition system...an Operational Needs Statement or Joint Urgent Operational Needs Statement. Urgent acquisition policy focuses on getting capability to the field...typically funded for the equipping effort, which does not include funding for things like Service-wide production, training, or sustainment. In an AROC

Perceptions of psychosocial hazards, work-related stress and workplace priority risks in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kortum, Evelyn; Leka, Stavroula; Cox, Tom

2011-01-01

During the last few decades, major global developments in the world of work include an international trend to shift production to developing countries, with wide variations in working conditions and exposure to traditional and emerging occupational risks, such as psychosocial risks. The latter have rarely been addressed or explored in developing and economically-emerging country contexts while we find an abundant body of research from industrialized countries. The research presented, which is part of a larger study, explored the perception of multi-disciplinary experts from different regions, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), of the nature of psychosocial hazards, and work-related stress, as well as their views on workplace priorities that require urgent attention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 experts from developing countries which were subjected to thematic analysis. A two-tiered Delphi survey was completed by 74 experts in the first round with 53 of these experts completing the survey in the second round. Psychosocial hazards and work-related stress were mostly seen as interchangeable in terms of source and effect and all participants perceived them as concern to their workforce. Through the interviews and the Delphi surveys they allude to our contemporary understanding of psychosocial risks. Workplace risks of priority differed by region but primarily work-related stress, injury and accident prevention, and substance abuse and risk behaviors were reported to require urgent attention. The current lack of awareness and research in the area of psychosocial risks and work-related stress hampers action in developing countries. International experts should support the exchange of information and the development of interventions in workplaces in developing countries with a view to integrating these emerging risks into comprehensive occupational health and safety policy frameworks to make such approaches more effective.

Urgent tracheostomy: four-year experience in a tertiary hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Liliana; Matos, Ricardo; Júlio, Sara; Vales, Fernando; Santos, Margarida

2016-01-01

Urgent airway management is one of the most important responsibilities of otolaryngologists, often requiring a multidisciplinary approach. Urgent surgical airway intervention is indicated when an acute airway obstruction occurs or there are intubation difficulties. In these situations, surgical tracheostomy becomes extremely important. We retrospectively studied the patients who underwent surgical tracheostomy from 2011 to 2014 by an otolaryngologist team at the operating theater of the emergency department of a tertiary hospital. Indications, complications and clinical evolution of the patients were reviewed. The study included 56 patients (44 men and 12 women) with a median age of 55 years. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia in 21.4% of the patients. Two (3.6%) patients were subjected to conversion from cricothyrostomy to tracheostomy. Head and neck neoplasm was indicated in 44.6% of the patients, deep neck infection in 19.6%, and bilateral vocal fold paralysis in 10.7%. Stridor was the most frequent signal (51.8%). Of the 56 patients, 15 were transferred to another hospital. Among the other 41 patients, 21 were decannulated (average time: 4 months), and none of them were cancer patients. Complications occurred in 5 (12.2%) patients: hemorrhage in 3, surgical wound infection in 1, and cervico-thoracic subcutaneous emphysema in 1. No death was related to the procedure. Urgent tracheostomy is a life-saving procedure for patients with acute airway obstruction or with difficult intubation. It is a safe and effective procedure, with a low complication rate, and should be performed before the patient's clinical status turns into a surgical emergency situation.

Feasibility of Urgent-Start Peritoneal Dialysis in Older Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease: A Single-Center Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Haijiao; Ni, Zhaohui; Mou, Shan; Lu, Renhua; Fang, Wei; Huang, Jiaying; Hu, Chunhua; Zhang, Haifen; Yan, Hao; Li, Zhenyuan; Yu, Zanzhe

2018-01-01

Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) frequently require urgent-start dialysis. Recent evidence suggests that peritoneal dialysis (PD) might be a feasible alternative to hemodialysis (HD) in these patients, including in older patients. This retrospective study enrolled patients aged > 65 years with ESRD who underwent urgent dialysis without functional vascular access or PD catheter at a single center, from January 2011 to December 2014. Patients were grouped based on their dialysis modality (PD or HD). Patients unable to tolerate PD catheter insertion or wait for PD were excluded. Each patient was followed for at least 30 days after catheter insertion. Short-term (30-day) dialysis-related complications and patient survival were compared between the 2 groups. A total of 94 patients were enrolled, including 53 (56.4%) who underwent PD. The incidence of dialysis-related complications during the first 30 days was significantly lower in PD compared with HD patients (3 [5.7%] vs 10 [24.4%], p = 0.009). Logistic regression identified urgent-start HD as an independent risk factor for dialysis-related complications compared with urgent-start PD (odds ratio 4.760 [1.183 - 19.147], p = 0.028). The 6-, 12-, 24-, and 36-month survival rates in the PD and HD groups were 92.3% vs 94.6%, 82.4% vs 81.3%, 75.7% vs 74.2%, and 69.5% vs 60.6%, respectively, with no significant differences between the groups (log-rank = 0.011, p = 0.915). Urgent-start PD was associated with fewer short-term dialysis-related complications and similar survival to urgent-start HD in older patients with ESRD. Peritoneal dialysis may thus be a safe and effective dialysis modality for older ESRD patients requiring urgent dialysis. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis.

The ED use and non-urgent visits of elderly patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Gulacti, Umut; Lok, Ugur; Celik, Murat; Aktas, Nurettin; Polat, Haci

2016-12-01

To evaluate the use of the emergency department (ED) by elderly patients, their non-urgent visits and the prevalence of main disease for ED visits. This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients aged 65 years and over who visited the ED of a tertiary care university hospital in Turkey between January 2015 and January 2016 retrospectively. A total of 36,369 elderly patients who visited the ED were included in the study. The rate of ED visits by elderly patients was higher than their representation within the general population (p elderly patients visiting polyclinics was 15.8%, the rate of elderly patients visiting the ED was 24.3% (p elderly age groups (p elderly population (17.5%, CI: 17.1-17.9). The proportion of ED visits for non-urgent conditions was 23.4%. Most of the ED visits were during the non-business hours (51.1%), and they were highest in the winter season (25.9%) and in January (10.2%). The hospitalization rate was 9.4%, and 37.9% of hospitalized patients were admitted to intensive care units. The proportion of ED visits by elderly patients was higher than their representation within the general population. Elderly patients often visited the ED instead of a polyclinic. The rate of inappropriate ED use by elderly patients in this hospital was higher than in other countries.

Use of a voice and video internet technology as an alternative to in-person urgent care clinic visits.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunett, Patrick H; DiPiero, Albert; Flores, Christine; Choi, Dongseok; Kum, Hayley; Girard, Donald E

2015-06-01

This study aimed to determine the feasibility of patient-initiated online Internet urgent care visits, and to describe patient characteristics, scope of care, provider adherence to protocols, and diagnostic and therapeutic utilization. A total of 456 unique patients were seen via Internet-based technology during the study period, generating 478 consecutive total patient visits. Of the 82 patients referred for an in-person evaluation, 75 patients (91.5%) reported to the clinic as instructed. None of the 82 patients recommended for in-person evaluation required an emergency department referral, hospital admission or urgent consultative referral. We conclude that real-time online primary and urgent care visits are feasible, safe and potentially beneficial in increasing convenient access to urgent and primary care. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Characterising non-urgent users of the emergency department (ED): A retrospective analysis of routine ED data.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Keeffe, Colin; Mason, Suzanne; Jacques, Richard; Nicholl, Jon

2018-01-01

The pressures of patient demand on emergency departments (EDs) continue to be reported worldwide, with an associated negative impact on ED crowding and waiting times. It has also been reported that a proportion of attendances to EDs in different international systems could be managed in settings such as primary care. This study used routine ED data to define, measure and profile non-urgent ED attendances that were suitable for management in alternative, non-emergency settings. We undertook a retrospective analysis of three years of Hospital Episode and Statistics Accident Emergency (HES A&E) data for one large region in England, United Kingdom (April 1st 2011 to March 31st 2014). Data was collected on all adult (>16 years) ED attendances from each of the 19 EDs in the region. A validated process based definition of non-urgent attendance was refined for this study and applied to the data. Using summary statistics non-urgent attenders were examined by variables hypothesised to influence them as follows: age at arrival, time of day and day of week and mode of arrival. Odds ratios were calculated to compare non-urgent attenders between groups. There were 3,667,601 first time attendances to EDs, of which 554,564 were defined as non-urgent (15.1%). Non-urgent attendances were significantly more likely to present out of hours than in hours (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.18 to 1.20, Paged 16-44) compared to those aged 45-64 (odds ratio: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.41 to 1.43, Puse the ED to obtain healthcare that could be provided in a less urgent setting and also more likely to do this out of hours. Alternative services are required to manage non-urgent demand, currently being borne by the ED and the ambulance service, particularly in out of hours.

Predictors of Urgent Findings on Abdominopelvic CT in Patients with Crohn's Disease Presenting to the Emergency Department.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Yoon Suk; Park, Dong Il; Hong, Sung Noh; Kim, Eun Ran; Kim, Young Ho; Cheon, Jae Hee; Eun, Chang Soo; Han, Dong Soo; Lee, Chang Kyun; Kim, Jae Hak; Huh, Kyu Chan; Yoon, Soon Man; Song, Hyun Joo; Shin, Jeong Eun; Jeon, Seong Ran

2015-04-01

Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are frequently exposed to diagnostic radiation, mainly as a result of abdominopelvic computed tomography (APCT) examinations. However, there are limited data on the impact of APCT on clinical management in this population. To investigate clinical predictors of urgent findings on APCT in patients with CD who presented to the emergency department (ED). A retrospective study was performed among patients with CD presenting to 11 EDs with a gastrointestinal complaint. The primary outcome, OPAN (obstruction, perforation, abscess, or non-CD-related urgent findings), included new or worsening CD-related urgent findings or non-CD-related urgent findings that required urgent or emergency treatment. Variables with P 100 beats/min (OR 2.33, 95 % CI 1.10-4.93), leukocyte count >10,000/mm(3) (OR 4.38, 95 % CI 2.10-9.13), and CRP >2.5 mg/dL (OR 3.11, 95 % CI 1.23-7.86) were identified as the independent predictors of OPAN, whereas biologic agent use (OR 0.37; 95 % CI 0.15-0.90) was identified as the negative predictor in patients with CD. Only 39 % of the APCTs performed in the ED among patients with CD showed urgent findings. Stricturing or penetrating disease, tachycardia, leukocytosis, and high CRP level were predictors of urgent CT findings, while biologic agent use was a negative predictor. To reduce unnecessary radiation exposure, the selection process for CD patients referred for APCT must be improved.

Funding for tuberculosis research—an urgent crisis of political will, human rights, and global solidarity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mike Frick

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Tuberculosis (TB killed more people in 2015 than any other single infectious agent, but funding for research to develop better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment methods for TB declined to its lowest level in 7 years. TB research and development (R&D is woefully underfunded, a situation best viewed as a crisis of political will and a failure on the part of governments to see unmet innovation needs in the TB response as a human rights issue requiring immediate action. Over 60% of available money for TB R&D comes from public sources, and 67% of public money comes from a single country: the USA. The election of Donald Trump to the US presidency in November 2016 has introduced great uncertainty into the support that science generally, and TB research in particular, will receive in the coming years. Advocacy on the part of all actors—from civil society to TB-affected communities to scientists themselves—is urgently needed to increase US government support for TB research moving forward.

Funding for tuberculosis research-an urgent crisis of political will, human rights, and global solidarity.

Science.gov (United States)

Frick, Mike

2017-03-01

Tuberculosis (TB) killed more people in 2015 than any other single infectious agent, but funding for research to develop better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment methods for TB declined to its lowest level in 7 years. TB research and development (R&D) is woefully underfunded, a situation best viewed as a crisis of political will and a failure on the part of governments to see unmet innovation needs in the TB response as a human rights issue requiring immediate action. Over 60% of available money for TB R&D comes from public sources, and 67% of public money comes from a single country: the USA. The election of Donald Trump to the US presidency in November 2016 has introduced great uncertainty into the support that science generally, and TB research in particular, will receive in the coming years. Advocacy on the part of all actors-from civil society to TB-affected communities to scientists themselves-is urgently needed to increase US government support for TB research moving forward. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Quantitative comparison of measurements of urgent care service quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Hong; Prybutok, Victor; Prybutok, Gayle

2016-01-01

Service quality and patient satisfaction are essential to health care organization success. Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry introduced SERVQUAL, a prominent service quality measure not yet applied to urgent care. We develop an instrument to measure perceived service quality and identify the determinants of patient satisfaction/ behavioral intentions. We examine the relationships among perceived service quality, patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions, and demonstrate that urgent care service quality is not equivalent using measures of perceptions only, differences of expectations minus perceptions, ratio of perceptions to expectations, and the log of the ratio. Perceptions provide the best measure of urgent care service quality.

76 FR 80907 - TRICARE Prime Urgent Care Demonstration Project

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-27

... care including minor illness or injury for Active Duty Family Members enrolled in TRICARE Prime or.... Current data indicates that the ADFMs frequently need urgent care while traveling to new duty stations for... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary TRICARE Prime Urgent Care Demonstration Project...

WEO-2006 Fact Sheet: Energy for Cooking in Developing Countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-07-01

Bringing modern energy to the world's poor is an urgent necessity. Although steady progress is made in expanding the use of modern household energy services in developing countries, in both scenarios many people still depend on traditional biomass in 2030. Action to encourage more efficient and sustainable use of traditional biomass and help people switch to modern cooking fuels and technologies is therefore urgent.

The effect of health and dental insurance on US children's dental care utilization for urgent and non-urgent dental problems - 2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Naavaal, Shillpa; Barker, Laurie K; Griffin, Susan O

2017-12-01

We examined the association between utilization of care for a dental problem (utilization-DP) and parent-reported dental problem (DP) urgency among children with DP by type of health care insurance coverage. We used weighted 2008 National Health Interview Survey data from 2,834 children, aged 2-17 years with at least one DP within the 6 months preceding survey. Explanatory variables were selected based on Andersen's model of healthcare utilization. Need was considered urgent if DP included toothache, bleeding gums, broken or missing teeth, broken or missing filling, or decayed teeth and otherwise as non-urgent. The primary enabling variable, insurance, had four categories: none, private health no dental coverage (PHND), private health and dental (PHD), or Medicaid/State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Predisposing variables included sociodemographic characteristics. We used bivariate and multivariate analyses to identify explanatory variables' association with utilization-DP. Using logistic regression, we obtained adjusted estimates of utilization-DP by urgency for each insurance category. In bivariate analyses, utilization-DP was associated with both insurance and urgency. In multivariate analyses, the difference in percent utilizing care for an urgent versus non-urgent DP among children covered by Medicaid/SCHIP was 32 percentage points; PHD, 25 percentage points; PHND, 12 percentage points; and no insurance, 14 percentage points. The difference in utilization by DP urgency was higher for children with Medicaid/SCHIP compared with either PHND or uninsured children. Expansion of Medicaid/SCHIP may permit children to receive care for urgent DPs who otherwise may not, due to lack of dental insurance. © 2016 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Urgent reconstruction and re-equipping of coking plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kvitkin, I.A.; Martynenko, V.M.; Rozenfel' d, M.S.; Svyatogorov, A.A.; Shvartsman, I.G.

1986-03-01

This paper discusses the various options involved: complete or partial reconstruction of existing buildings and equipment or new construction with new equipment and new underground and surface communications. It explains that reconstruction work is divided into three phases: initial phase (clearance, dismantling, closing down coking batteries); basic phase (fitting heat-resistant materials, prestart-up assembly work); final phase (drying out, heating up, adjustments, start-up). A structured scheme for a typical initial phase is described and a method of calculating the durations of the various phases is discussed. Conclusion is that there is an urgent requirement for a document to be produced for the control of reconstruction work; it should contain standard durations and could serve as a standard for coking plant reconstruction work.

HESS Opinions "Urgent water challenges are not sufficiently researched"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. P. Darvis

2009-06-01

Full Text Available In this opinion paper we submit that water experts conduct comparatively little research on the more urgent challenges facing the global community. Five specific biases are identified. First, research in the field of water and sanitation is heavily biased against sanitation. Second, research on food security is biased in favour of conventional irrigation and fails to address the problems and opportunities of rainfed agriculture. Third, insufficient water research is dedicated to developmental compared to environmental issues. Fourth, too little research is conducted on adaptation to climate change by developing countries. And finally, research on water governance has a fascination for conflict but too little eye for cooperation and meeting basic needs. This paper illustrates these biases with bibliometric indicators extracted from the ISI Web of Science. There is a stark mismatch between the global demand for knowledge and the supply of it. This mismatch is identified here as a problem that we water scientists must confront and resolve. We still lack a full understanding why this divergence between demand and supply occurs and persists; an understanding that is required to guide us towards aligning our research priorities to societal demands. The paper, however, makes some inferences. On the one hand, we should promote the global South to create its own research biases and allow it to develop alternative solutions. Simultaneously we would benefit from critical examination of our own research practice. Although this paper addresses a critical challenge it does not aim to be exhaustive or definitive. We merely identify the persistence of intransigent water problems as a valid research object in itself.

Characterising non-urgent users of the emergency department (ED: A retrospective analysis of routine ED data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colin O'Keeffe

.12, 95% CI: 2.09 to 2.15, P<0.001.Younger adults are significantly more likely as older counterparts to use the ED to obtain healthcare that could be provided in a less urgent setting and also more likely to do this out of hours. Alternative services are required to manage non-urgent demand, currently being borne by the ED and the ambulance service, particularly in out of hours.

Does peritoneal dialysis have a role in urgent-start end-stage kidney disease?

Science.gov (United States)

McQuillan, Rory F; Lok, Charmaine E

2018-04-19

Despite its many positive attributes, peritoneal dialysis remains underutilized, particularly in the United States. Urgent-start peritoneal dialysis (PD) has been proposed as a method of increasing PD prevalence. Urgent-start PD has been shown to be safe, feasible, and effective. However, urgent-start PD is also accompanied by several multidimensional challenges. This article is intended to equip the reader with a practical sense of whether an urgent-start PD program would be appropriate in his or her own clinical context and if appropriate, what factors would be necessary for such a program to flourish. As such, we summarize latent factors, which are necessary to consider before instituting an urgent-start PD. Then, using a series of clinical vignettes, highlight the component parts of a successful urgent-start PD program and the patient population who stand to benefit most from this strategy. The discussion is then balanced by presenting limitations to consider in the urgent-start PD approach. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Developed-developing country partnerships: Benefits to developed countries?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syed Shamsuzzoha B

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Developing countries can generate effective solutions for today’s global health challenges. This paper reviews relevant literature to construct the case for international cooperation, and in particular, developed-developing country partnerships. Standard database and web-based searches were conducted for publications in English between 1990 and 2010. Studies containing full or partial data relating to international cooperation between developed and developing countries were retained for further analysis. Of 227 articles retained through initial screening, 65 were included in the final analysis. The results were two-fold: some articles pointed to intangible benefits accrued by developed country partners, but the majority of information pointed to developing country innovations that can potentially inform health systems in developed countries. This information spanned all six WHO health system components. Ten key health areas where developed countries have the most to learn from the developing world were identified and include, rural health service delivery; skills substitution; decentralisation of management; creative problem-solving; education in communicable disease control; innovation in mobile phone use; low technology simulation training; local product manufacture; health financing; and social entrepreneurship. While there are no guarantees that innovations from developing country experiences can effectively transfer to developed countries, combined developed-developing country learning processes can potentially generate effective solutions for global health systems. However, the global pool of knowledge in this area is virgin and further work needs to be undertaken to advance understanding of health innovation diffusion. Even more urgently, a standardized method for reporting partnership benefits is needed—this is perhaps the single most immediate need in planning for, and realizing, the full potential of international

Developed-developing country partnerships: benefits to developed countries?

Science.gov (United States)

Syed, Shamsuzzoha B; Dadwal, Viva; Rutter, Paul; Storr, Julie; Hightower, Joyce D; Gooden, Rachel; Carlet, Jean; Bagheri Nejad, Sepideh; Kelley, Edward T; Donaldson, Liam; Pittet, Didier

2012-06-18

Developing countries can generate effective solutions for today's global health challenges. This paper reviews relevant literature to construct the case for international cooperation, and in particular, developed-developing country partnerships. Standard database and web-based searches were conducted for publications in English between 1990 and 2010. Studies containing full or partial data relating to international cooperation between developed and developing countries were retained for further analysis. Of 227 articles retained through initial screening, 65 were included in the final analysis. The results were two-fold: some articles pointed to intangible benefits accrued by developed country partners, but the majority of information pointed to developing country innovations that can potentially inform health systems in developed countries. This information spanned all six WHO health system components. Ten key health areas where developed countries have the most to learn from the developing world were identified and include, rural health service delivery; skills substitution; decentralisation of management; creative problem-solving; education in communicable disease control; innovation in mobile phone use; low technology simulation training; local product manufacture; health financing; and social entrepreneurship. While there are no guarantees that innovations from developing country experiences can effectively transfer to developed countries, combined developed-developing country learning processes can potentially generate effective solutions for global health systems. However, the global pool of knowledge in this area is virgin and further work needs to be undertaken to advance understanding of health innovation diffusion. Even more urgently, a standardized method for reporting partnership benefits is needed--this is perhaps the single most immediate need in planning for, and realizing, the full potential of international cooperation between developed and

Cerebral oxygenation monitoring in patients with bilateral carotid stenosis undergoing urgent cardiac surgery: Observational case series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dincer Aktuerk

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Patients with significant bilateral carotid artery stenosis requiring urgent cardiac surgery have an increased risk of stroke and death. The optimal management strategy remains inconclusive, and the available evidence does not support the superiority of one strategy over another. Materials and Methods: A number of noninvasive strategies have been developed for minimizing perioperative stroke including continuous real-time monitoring of cerebral oxygenation with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS. The number of patients presenting with this combination (bilateral significant carotid stenosis requiring urgent cardiac surgery in any single institution will be small and hence there is a lack of large randomized studies. Results: This case series describes our early experience with NIRS in a select group of patients with significant bilateral carotid stenosis undergoing urgent cardiac surgery (n = 8. In contrast to other studies, this series is a single surgeon, single center study, where the entire surgery (both distal ends and proximal ends was performed during single aortic clamp technique, which effectively removes several confounding variables. NIRS monitoring led to the early recognition of decreased cerebral oxygenation, and corrective steps (increased cardiopulmonary bypass flow, increased pCO 2 , etc., were taken. Conclusion: The study shows good clinical outcome with the use of NIRS. This is our "work in progress," and we aim to conduct a larger study.

77 FR 23490 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Country of Origin Marking Requirements for Containers...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-19

... Activities: Country of Origin Marking Requirements for Containers or Holders AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border... of Origin Marking Requirements for Containers or Holders. This is a proposed extension of an... Requirements for Containers or Holders. [[Page 23491

Development of safety-related regulatory requirements for nuclear power in developing countries. Key issue paper no. 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, K.I.

2000-01-01

In implementing a national nuclear power program, balanced regulatory requirements are necessary to ensure nuclear safety and cost competitive nuclear power, and to help gain public acceptance. However, this is difficult due to the technology-intensive nature of the nuclear regulatory requirements, the need to reflect evolving technology and the need for cooperation among multidisciplinary technical groups. This paper suggests approaches to development of balanced nuclear regulatory requirements in developing countries related to nuclear power plant safety, radiation protection and radioactive waste management along with key technical regulatory issues. It does not deal with economic or market regulation of electric utilities using nuclear power. It suggests that national regulatory requirements be developed using IAEA safety recommendations as guidelines and safety requirements of the supplier country as a main reference after careful planning, manpower buildup and thorough study of international and supplier country's regulations. Regulation making is not recommended before experienced manpower has been accumulated. With an option that the supplier country's regulations may be used in the interim, the lack of complete national regulatory requirements should not deter introduction of nuclear power in developing countries. (author)

Régimen constitucional del internamiento involuntario y urgente por trastorno mental = Constitucional framework on involuntary and urgent confinement due to mental disorder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Francisco Sánchez Barrilao

2013-05-01

Full Text Available El presente trabajo aborda el régimen constitucional de los internamientos involuntarios y urgentes por trastorno mental como un supuesto de limitación de derechos fundamentales (especialmente, libertad personal; y, en particular, a la vista de la doctrina contenida en la Sentencia del Tribunal Constitucional 141/2012, dictada en resolución de un recurso de amparo al respecto. En tal sentido, se analiza el marco normativo de dichos internamientos (distinguiendo entre el estrictamente constitucional, el internacional y el meramente legal, su naturaleza (en relación al internamiento como tal, como respecto a la intervención judicial que ha de autorizarlo, sus concretas garantías (en especial, a la vista de la STC 141/2012, así como diversas cuestiones abiertas por la anterior Sentencia, no obstante, y que requieren de oportuna respuesta legal. The following piece of paper deals with the constitutional rule of the involuntary and urgent confinements due to mental disorder as restricting fundamental rights (especially, personal liberty according to the principles established in the judgement of the Spanish Constitutional Court 141/2012. Accordingly, the legal frameworkof a such confinements is analysed (making a distinction among constitutional, international and legal rules, its nature (ref. both confinements itself, as the role of judge who must authorize, its specific guarantees (in accordance with the judgement STC 141/2012, as well as a variety of issues requiring a timely legal response.

Globe report on energy in Central and Easter Europe and the CIS: An urgent need for international cooperation on energy efficiency improvement for sustainable development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laponche, B.; Baguenier, H.

1998-01-01

In comparison with European Union countries, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Confederation of Independent States are characterized by a very high energy intensity i.e. ratio of energy consumption to gross domestic product. The paper deals with most important factors influencing this high energy intensity; variety of situations in different countries affecting the power supplies; an urgent need for energy efficiency policy and cooperation related to sustainable development; the necessary tools for energy efficiency implementation. Main energy data and global indicators are shown in the appendix

The hydrogen economy urgently needs environmentally sustainable hydroelectricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodland, R.

1995-01-01

Only two sources of energy were said to have the capacity to bridge the transition to fully sustainable and renewable energy, namely natural gas and hydro. The argument was made that because of this advantage, both forms will have to be promoted fast, since the transition to sustainable energy is urgent. In so far as natural gas supplies are concerned, it was estimated that they will last for perhaps the next 50 years, whereas hydroelectric potential is practically unlimited. Developing nations could vastly accelerate their development, reduce poverty and approach sustainability by exporting hydro to industrial countries. Similarly, industrial nations switching from fossil fuels to hydrogen could move up the environmental ranking, and significantly help alleviating global pollution and climate risks. Environmental ranking of new energy sources, world reservoirs of hydroelectric power, environmental and social ranking of hydro sites, the environmental impacts of hydro projects, and the concept of environmental sustainability in hydro reservoirs, were summarized. Greater acceptance of the need for sustainable development by the hydro industry was urged, along with more care in selecting hydro development sites with sustainability as a prime objective. 23 refs., 6 figs

Urgent-Start Peritoneal Dialysis Complications: Prevalence and Risk Factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Damin; Liu, Tianjiao; Dong, Jie

2017-07-01

Mechanical complications are of particular concern in urgent-start peritoneal dialysis (PD) because of the shorter break-in period. However, risk factors have been reported inconsistently and data in urgent-start PD populations are limited. Observational cohort study. All patients treated with urgent-start PD, defined as PD therapy initiated within 1 week after catheter insertion, January 2003 to May 2013. Age, sex, abdominal surgery history, body mass index, hemoglobin level, albumin level, C-reactive protein level, break-in period (period between catheter insertion and PD therapy initiation), dialysate exchange volume, and use of overnight dwell. The presence of mechanical complications related to abdominal wall or catheter, including hernia, hydrothorax, hydrocele, subcutaneous leak, pericatheter leak, catheter malposition, omental wrap, and obstruction. 922 patients on urgent-start PD therapy were enrolled (mean age, 59.1±15.0 [SD] years). Prevalences of abdominal wall and catheter complications were 4.8% and 9.5%, respectively. The most common abdominal wall complication was hernia (55%), followed by hydrothorax (25%). On adjustment, male sex (HR, 5.41; 95% CI, 2.15-13.59; Pstart PD and conventional PD. Urgent-start PD is a safe and practicable approach. Male sex and history of abdominal surgery could contribute to the development of abdominal wall complications. Copyright © 2017 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MODERN REQUIREMENTS TO THE GENERAL EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS LEADERS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES (FOREIGN EXPERIENCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Malitskaya

2010-08-01

Full Text Available As a result of ICT integration into the school educational and administrative process, ICT competence is being included in normative educational documents and standards. In the article it has been considered modern requirements to the school leaders in foreign countries (The USA, Lithuania, European countries, it is presented the National educational technological standards (NETS•A. Performance indicators for administrators developed by International society for technology in education ISTE, which is used for development of their own standards in different foreign countries.

Practical Secondary Education: Planning for Cost-Effectiveness in Less Developed Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Chisman, Dennis

Public pressure for expansion of secondary and higher education has forced governments of several developing countries to urgently seek ways to meet this demand. Many of these countries have been hard hit by debt and high world interest rates. At their 1984 conference, Commonwealth Ministers of Education requested the Secretariat to examine ways…

Urgent Protection versus Chronic Need: Clarifying the Dual Mandate of Child Welfare Services across Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nico Trocmé

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This study analyzed data from the 1998, 2003 and 2008 Canadian Incidence Study of reported child abuse and neglect (CIS and compared the profile of children who were reported for an urgent protection investigation versus any other investigation or assessment. As a proportion of all investigations, urgent protection cases have dropped from 28% of all investigations in 1998, to 19% in 2003, to 15% in 2008. Results from the CIS-2008 analysis revealed that 7% of cases involved neglect of a child under four, 4% of cases involved sexual abuse, 2% of cases involved physical abuse of a child under four and 1% of cases involved children who had sustained severe enough physical harm that medical treatment was required. The other 85% of cases of investigated maltreatment involved situations where concerns appear to focus less on immediate safety and more on the long-term effects of a range of family related problems. These findings underscore the importance of considering the dual mandate of child welfare mandates across Canada: intervening to assure the urgent protection and safety of the child versus intervening to promote the development and well-being of the child.

Urgent Aeromedical Evacuation Network Capacity Planning

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

What if AMC had one strategically positioned AC for the Urgent / Priority AE mission and the redistribution needs they encounter? This idea stems ...KtMI~rAFB _~...,_ Po~AFB ;------------~ Service Tirr~e Estimates I CO\\" CLl "SIO\\" • C-378 performs bestfrom a cost perspective • Contracted

Is Urgent Evoke a Digital Ba?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wichmand, Mette

2018-01-01

of such a platform, the World Bank’s online game Urgent Evoke, which has been designed with the pur- pose of engaging citizens in developing innovative solutions for sociopolitical problems like poverty. The analysis is based on Nonaka’s concept of Ba, which means “place” and is described as a platform for advancing...

The impact of an early-morning radiologist work shift on the timeliness of communicating urgent imaging findings on portable chest radiography.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaewlai, Rathachai; Greene, Reginald E; Asrani, Ashwin V; Abujudeh, Hani H

2010-09-01

The aim of this study was to assess the potential impact of staggered radiologist work shifts on the timeliness of communicating urgent imaging findings that are detected on portable overnight chest radiography of hospitalized patients. The authors conducted a retrospective study that compared the interval between the acquisition and communication of urgent findings on portable overnight critical care chest radiography detected by an early-morning shift for radiologists (3 am to 11 am) with historical experience with a standard daytime shift (8 am to 5 pm) in the detection and communication of urgent findings in a similar patient population a year earlier. During a 4-month period, 6,448 portable chest radiographic studies were interpreted on the early-morning radiologist shift. Urgent findings requiring immediate communication were detected in 308 (4.8%) studies. The early-morning shift of radiologists, on average, communicated these findings 2 hours earlier compared with the historical control group (P chest radiography of hospitalized patients. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Energy problems in developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tasugi, Hirosaburo [Japan Industrial Tech. Association, Tokyo, Japan

1989-06-20

In order to rid the people's living of poverty in developing countries, first, the production of food has been planned to increase. And then, resource development and industrialization have been tried to improve with efforts. Because of such development and an increase in population, energy consumption has been increasing. Advanced countries have supported these countries in many ways, however, there is much difference in their assistance depend on various situations such as racial, religious, and political ones. Moreover, a gap between cities and farm villages has widen since infrastructure has not been fully equipped in developing countries. The electrification ratio is used as an index to show the degree of development in developing countries. It is low in the countries where development is lagging, particularly in farm villages. This gap is an urgent problem that faces developing countries. In order to cope with the actual conditions, advanced countries including Japan should be plan to reinforce their technological and economic assistance more suitable for farm villages. Furthermore, they should also improve the assistance system which includes a measure for environmental pollution control, considering the spot directly. 3 figs., 14 tabs.

Household expenditure for dental care in low and middle income countries.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Masood

Full Text Available This study assessed the extent of household catastrophic expenditure in dental health care and its possible determinants in 41 low and middle income countries. Data from 182,007 respondents aged 18 years and over (69,315 in 18 low income countries, 59,645 in 15 lower middle income countries and 53,047 in 8 upper middle income countries who participated in the WHO World Health Survey (WHS were analyzed. Expenditure in dental health care was defined as catastrophic if it was equal to or higher than 40% of the household capacity to pay. A number of individual and country-level factors were assessed as potential determinants of catastrophic dental health expenditure (CDHE in multilevel logistic regression with individuals nested within countries. Up to 7% of households in low and middle income countries faced CDHE in the last 4 weeks. This proportion rose up to 35% among households that incurred some dental health expenditure within the same period. The multilevel model showed that wealthier, urban and larger households and more economically developed countries had higher odds of facing CDHE. The results of this study show that payments for dental health care can be a considerable burden on households, to the extent of preventing expenditure on basic necessities. They also help characterize households more likely to incur catastrophic expenditure on dental health care. Alternative health care financing strategies and policies targeted to improve fairness in financial contribution are urgently required in low and middle income countries.

[Towards universal nomenclature for urgent surgical care].

Science.gov (United States)

Liakhovs'kyĭ, V I; Dem'ianiuk, D H; Kravtsiv, M I; Borkunov, A L; Sapun, L V

2013-06-01

In a modern professional literature the diseases, which undoubtedly threaten the patient's health and life, are called an urgent, special, emergent, fixed-date, etc. Not rare these terms are used simultaneously. Such a plurality of names of a quite dangerous state causes sometimes in these conditions uncertainty to seek help of a specialists and loss of a time. Modern dictionaries of a foreign languages words, of a foreign languages words in Ukrainian language, medical, big explanatory dictionary of a modern Ukrainian language definitely explains, that these terms are synonyms. All of them mean unconditional, timing. And every expression may be used in this context. The above mentioned suggestions and thoughts do not promote a secure fixing in the citizens consciousness the undoubtedness, the disease consequences danger, a threat to health and life. To deposit this in their awareness it is possible not by amorphous depiction, but using a singular, brief, firm term - an urgent.

Urgent Safety Measures in Japan after Great East Japan Earthquake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taniura, Wataru; Otani, Hiroyasu

2012-01-01

Due to tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake, the operating and refueling reactor facilities at Fukushima Dai-ichi and Dai-ni Nuclear Power Plants caused a nuclear hazard. Given the fact, Japanese electric power companies voluntarily began to compile various urgent measures against tsunami. And then the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) ordered the licensees to put into practice the voluntarily compiled urgent safety measures, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the means for recovering cooling functions along with avoiding the release of radioactive substances to the possible minimum, even if a huge tsunami following a severe earthquake hits nuclear power plants. The following describes the state and the effect of the urgent safety measures implemented for 44 reactors (under operation) and 1 reactor (under construction) in Japan and also describes the measures to be implemented by the licensees of reactor operation in the future.

Institutional effectiveness of REDD+ MRV: Countries progress in implementing technical guidelines and good governance requirements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ochieng, R.M.; Visseren-Hamakers, Ingrid; Arts, B.; Brockhaus, M.; Herold, M.

2016-01-01

The UNFCCC requires REDD+ countries wishing to receive results-based payments to measure, report and verify (MRV) REDD+ impacts; and outlines technical guidelines and good governance requirements for MRV. This article examines institutional effectiveness of REDD+ MRV by assessing countries’ progress

76 FR 5250 - List of Countries Requiring Cooperation With an International Boycott

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-28

... in, or cooperation with, an international boycott (within the meaning of section 999(b)(3) of the... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of the Secretary List of Countries Requiring Cooperation With an International Boycott In accordance with section 999(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Department...

The development of the world's population as a factor determining future energy requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vossebrecker, H.; Henssen, H.

1988-01-01

Urgently desired economic developments improving the conditions of living in the developing countries and, in the long term, introducing a stabilization of the world's population, result in a considerable rise in world energy requirement. This, in turn, causes conflicts and raises major ecological dangers because of the accelerated depletion of fossil sources of energy it entails. The severity of the CO 2 problem emerges clearly only when seen in connection with the population growth of the developing countries. Undoubtedly, therefore, the fossil sources of energy will have to give up their present leading role in world energy supply because of the intolerable environmental pollution they produce and because of the dwindling oil and gas reserves. The only hope remaining for the present is the possibility of nuclear power and renewable energies pointly being able to meet requirements, while all economically reasonable conservation potentials are being exploited. (orig./UA) [de

[Budget impact analysis of idarucizumab for the management of patients treated with dabigatran in emergency / urgent situations in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Belisari

2016-06-01

CONCLUSION: Idarucizumab for the management of patients treated with dabigatran in emergency / urgent situations has the potential for substantial savings, compared to treatments currently available. This preliminary assessment will require further confirmatory evidence when the product will become available in Italian healthcare setting. [Article in Italian

77 FR 42947 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-20

... unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of the Bureau of Population...

Challenges for the registration of vaccines in emerging countries: Differences in dossier requirements, application and evaluation processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dellepiane, Nora; Pagliusi, Sonia

2018-06-07

The divergence of regulatory requirements and processes in developing and emerging countries contributes to hamper vaccines' registration, and therefore delay access to high-quality, safe and efficacious vaccines for their respective populations. This report focuses on providing insights on the heterogeneity of registration requirements in terms of numbering structure and overall content of dossiers for marketing authorisation applications for vaccines in different areas of the world. While it also illustrates the divergence of regulatory processes in general, as well as the need to avoid redundant reviews, it does not claim to provide a comprehensive view of all processes nor existing facilitating mechanisms, nor is it intended to touch upon the differences in assessments made by different regulatory authorities. This report describes the work analysed by regulatory experts from vaccine manufacturing companies during a meeting held in Geneva in May 2017, in identifying and quantifying differences in the requirements for vaccine registration in three aspects for comparison: the dossier numbering structure and contents, the application forms, and the evaluation procedures, in different countries and regions. The Module 1 of the Common Technical Document (CTD) of 10 countries were compared. Modules 2-5 of the CTDs of two regions and three countries were compared to the CTD of the US FDA. The application forms of eight countries were compared and the registration procedures of 134 importing countries were compared as well. The analysis indicates a high degree of divergence in numbering structure and content requirements. Possible interventions that would lead to significant improvements in registration efficiency include alignment in CTD numbering structure, a standardised model-application form, and better convergence of evaluation procedures. Copyright © 2018.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFICIENT TRADE MATRIX AND GOLD RESERVE REQUIREMENT FOR COMMODITY TRADE AMONG ASEAN COUNTRIES

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nurul anisak

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objective - This study attempts to implement the efficient trade matrix among five selected ASEAN countries and its settlement by the gold reserve requirements through Multi-Bilateral Payments Arrangement (MBPA.Methods – The study is a qualitative research with analytic description. The purpose of this qualitative-descriptive study is to simulate the implementation of gold in the Multi-Bilateral Payment Arrangement among ASEAN countries using the current trade data.Results – This paper argues that the Southeast Asian countries can solve the problem through their internal coordination, particularly in terms of trade. One of the efforts is to reduce even eliminate the market risk by using the efficient payment arrangement.Conclusions – The study implied that the quantity amount of gold required to settle the trade balance will be reduced from the early gross payment. However, the ASEAN countries need to strengthen the cooperation among them through maximizing the trade relationship.

SCINTIGRAPHY IN URGENT CONDITIONS AND COMPLICATIONS OF ACUTE DISEASES AND TRAUMAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Ye. Kudryashova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT. The data generalized in the review characterize radionuclide method as a high informative technique in diagnosis of the row of acute diseases and traumas and complications of them. It was shown that each radionuclide technique decides the concrete clinical tests and has a strictly definite place in the diagnostic algorithm. Urgent radionuclide techniques give the important information for the choice of the treatment’s policy or operation’s volume in such acute diseases as tromboembolism, arterial occlusions, small bowel obstruction, acute cholecystitis and cholelithiasis, acute myocardial infarct, rhabdomyolysis, differentiation of acute urological and acute abdominal surgical diseases and so on. The main aim of the work of our radionuclide department is to perfect, modificate of urgent radionuclide techniques and to correct the place of them in urgent conditions’s diagnostic algorithm for increasing of the quality and the rapidity in diagnosis. 

“Urgent water challenges are not sufficiently researched”

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van der Zaag, P.; Gupta, J.; Darvis, L.P.

2009-01-01

In this opinion paper we submit that water experts conduct comparatively little research on the more urgent challenges facing the global community. Five specific biases are identified. First, research in the field of water and sanitation is heavily biased against sanitation. Second, research on food

The role of advanced nuclear power technologies in developing countries: Criteria and design requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-02-01

The document includes the papers presented at the following two technical committee meetings organized by the IAEA: Technical Committee Meeting and Workshop on Criteria for the Introduction of Advanced Nuclear Power Technologies for Specific Applications in Developing Countries, Vienna, 27-30 June 1988 (14 papers) and Technical Committee Meeting and Workshop on Design Requirements for the Application of Advanced Concepts in Developing Countries, Vienna, 6-9 December 1988 (16 papers). A separate abstract was prepared for each of these papers

Clinical outcome of acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding after hours: the role of urgent endoscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Dong-Won; Park, Young Soo; Lee, Sang Hyub; Shin, Cheol Min; Hwang, Jin-Hyeok; Kim, Jin-Wook; Jeong, Sook-Hyang; Kim, Nayoung; Lee, Dong Ho

2016-05-01

This study was performed to investigate the clinical role of urgent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for acute nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding (ANVUGIB) performed by experienced endoscopists after hours. A retrospective analysis was performed for consecutively collected data of patients with ANVUGIB between January 2009 and December 2010. A total of 158 patients visited the emergency unit for ANVUGIB after hours. Among them, 60 underwent urgent EGD (within 8 hours) and 98 underwent early EGD (8 to 24 hours) by experienced endoscopists. The frequencies of hemodynamic instability, fresh blood aspirate on the nasogastric tube, and high-risk endoscopic findings were significantly higher in the urgent EGD group. Primary hemostasis was achieved in all except two patients. There were nine cases of recurrent bleeding, and 30-day mortality occurred in three patients. There were no significant differences between the two groups in primary hemostasis, recurrent bleeding, and 30-day mortality. In a multiple linear regression analysis, urgent EGD significantly reduced the hospital stay compared with early EGD. In patients with a high clinical Rockall score (more than 3), urgent EGD tended to decrease the hospital stay, although this was not statistically significant (7.7 days vs. 12.0 days, p > 0.05). Urgent EGD after hours by experienced endoscopists had an excellent endoscopic success rate. However, clinical outcomes were not significantly different between the urgent and early EGD groups.

Study on treatment of postpartum hemorrhage with urgent interventional embolization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xi Jiayuan; Ren Shuping; Lu Liang; Jiao Cunxian; Liu Yunxia; Yang Yu; Deng Gang; Li Jikang; Cao Xinhua; Mi Lan

2002-01-01

Objective: To evaluate urgent selective arterial embolization to treat massive postpartum hemorrhage. Methods: Twenty-seven patients with ages of 21-53 years undergoing severe postpartum hemorrhage, were due to central placental previa, uterine atony, birth canal trauma, placenta accretio, cervical pregnancy etc. All of the patients had lost a volume of blood about 1000 ml to 5000 ml while the hemorrhage could not be controlled with vaginal packing and administration of uterotonic drugs. Urgent hemostatic embolization was performed for them. After angiography, super selective catheterization was performed for bilateral anterior division of internal iliac branch of uterine arteries and embolized with Gelfoam particles. Results: Catheterization success rate was 96.3%. Angiography showed ectopic uterine artery in one case. Immediate block of hemorrhage took place in 22 cases and gradual hemostasis appeared in 4 cases, the efficacy rate was 96.3%. The one with ectopic uterine artery was operated upon to ablate the uterus. 11 patients with (bleeding) shock and 8 patients with DIC were all saved. Conclusions: Urgent arterial embolization is an ideal method for treating life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage. The procedure saves the maternal uterus and is also effective for postpartum DIC

Urgent Safety Measures in Japan after Great East Japan Earthquake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taniura, W.; Otani, H.

2012-01-01

Due to tsunami triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, the operating and refueling reactor facilities at Fukushima Dai-ichi and Dai-ni Nuclear Power Plants of Tokyo Electric Power Co. caused a nuclear hazard. Japanese electric power companies voluntarily began to compile various urgent measures against tsunami within the week the hazard was caused. As for the urgent safety measures of each licensee, it is clarified that effective measures have been appropriately implemented as a result of the inspection of the national government, the verification based on the guideline of the Japan Society of Maintenology and the stress test. (author)

Mapping health research capacity in 17 countries of the former Soviet Union and south-eastern Europe: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Santoro, Alessio; Glonti, Ketevan; Bertollini, Roberto; Ricciardi, Walter; McKee, Martin

2016-04-01

Policies to improve health status, tackle disease and ensure equitable access to healthcare should be informed by evidence derived from high-quality research. However, health research capacity is unevenly distributed across countries, as revealed by mapping exercises that have been undertaken to provide a basis for concerted action to strengthen capacity. This study systematically describes capacity to undertake health research in the countries of the former Soviet Union and south-eastern Europe and identifies the elements required to create a national health research system. The mapping exercise comprised two elements: a survey of key informants in the respective countries and a bibliometric analysis of scientific publications in the field of public health. Our results confirm that health research remains a low priority in some countries of the WHO European Region. In these countries, most of the literature was produced by researchers outside the country, often to inform international donors. This study provides important information for countries seeking to initiate action to strengthen their research capacity. There is a need for a comprehensive strategy with sustained investment in training and career development of researchers. There is also a need to create new funding systems to provide financial support to those undertaking policy-relevant research. International collaboration and investment in mechanisms to bridge the gap between research and policy are urgently required. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Developing countries: small technology with big effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McRobie, G.; Carr, M.

1978-01-01

As far the poor countries of the world are concerned, during the past twenty years they have had access only to the technologies developed by the rich to suit the rich. It is now beyond question that some of the most daunting problems confronting the majority of the worlds populations stem directly from the kind of technology transferred to them under current aid and development programs. That the technology of the rich is generally inappropriate to meet the needs and resources of the poor countries is becoming more widley recognized both by aid-givers and aid-receivers. Yet it is this technology that continues to be almost exclusively and most powerfully promoted in the developing countries. To meet their needs a new technology must be discovered or devised: one that lies between the sickle and the combine harvester and is small, simple and cheap enough to harmonise withlocal human and material resources and lends itself to widespread reproduction with the minimum of outside help. What we now need most urgently is a new set of technologies, designed, by people who are informed by the need to develop capital-saving technologies capable of being decentralized to the maximum extend. The technology gap is not only wide, but the knowledge an resources required to fill is, although they exist in the industrialized countries, have not been mobilized to provide the right kind of knowledge and to make it available to those who need it. It was to do this that the Intermediate Technology Development Group was set up ten years ago. (orig.) 891 HP 892 EKI [de

Acoustic design of open-plan offices and comparison of requirements in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Claus Møller; Rasmussen, Birgit

2018-01-01

In the Nordic countries, most office buildings include open-plan offices. However, to optimize working conditions, such spaces require special acoustic design to obtain reasonable sound attenuation between groups and satisfactory speech intelligibility internally in groups, although optimal worki...

Liver diseases: A major, neglected global public health problem requiring urgent actions and large-scale screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcellin, Patrick; Kutala, Blaise K

2018-02-01

CLDs represent an important, and certainly underestimated, global public health problem. CLDs are highly prevalent and silent, related to different, sometimes associated causes. The distribution of the causes of these diseases is slowly changing, and within the next decade, the proportion of virus-induced CLDs will certainly decrease significantly while the proportion of NASH will increase. There is an urgent need for effective global actions including education, prevention and early diagnosis to manage and treat CLDs, thus preventing cirrhosis-related morbidity and mortality. Our role is to increase the awareness of the public, healthcare professionals and public health authorities to encourage active policies for early management that will decrease the short- and long-term public health burden of these diseases. Because necroinflammation is the key mechanism in the progression of CLDs, it should be detected early. Thus, large-scale screening for CLDs is needed. ALT levels are an easy and inexpensive marker of liver necroinflammation and could be the first-line tool in this process. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Energy performance requirements for new buildings in 11 countries from Central Europe. Exemplary comparison of three buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loga, Tobias; Knissel, Jens; Diefenbach, Nikolaus

2008-12-05

The objective of the present comparison study is to show which energy efficiency require-ments have to be complied in different European countries when a new building is going to be constructed. For this purpose three Model Buildings were defined: a single-family house, a multi-family house and a school building. For each involved country (or region) the energy quality of the thermal envelope was determined which is necessary in order to just comply with the building code. Due to requirements on the overall energy performance the requested envelope quality usually depends also on the type of heat supply system or energy carrier. Therefore the systems were varied in a parameter study. The main result for each of the three Model Buildings is a comparison table which shows the heat transfer coefficient by transmission (a sort of mean U-value) for the different countries differenti-ated by supply system types. In a final step the primary energy demand according to the German regulation (EnEV 2007) was calculated for every envelope/system combination of the different countries. This allows a comparison of buildings with different supply systems. The study was performed by experts from 11 European member states: Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, UK, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. (orig.)

Risks associated with managing asthma without a preventer: urgent healthcare, poor asthma control and over-the-counter reliever use in a cross-sectional population survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddel, Helen K; Ampon, Rosario D; Sawyer, Susan M; Peters, Matthew J

2017-09-25

Overuse of asthma relievers, particularly without anti-inflammatory preventers, increases asthma risks. This study aimed to identify how many reliever-only users have urgent healthcare, explore their attitudes and beliefs about asthma and its treatment, and investigate whether purchasing over-the-counter relievers was associated with worse asthma outcomes than by prescription. Cross-sectional population-based Internet survey in Australia. Of 2686 participants ≥16 years with current asthma randomly drawn from a web-based panel, 1038 (50.7% male) used only reliever medication. Urgent asthma-related healthcare; Asthma Control Test (ACT); patient attitudes about asthma and medications; reliever purchase (with/without prescription). Of 1038 reliever-only participants, 23.3% had required urgent healthcare for asthma in the previous year, and only 36.0% had a non-urgent asthma review. Those needing urgent healthcare were more likely than those without such events to be male (56.5% vs 49.0%, p=0.003) and current smokers (29.4% vs 23.3%, p=0.009). Only 30.6% had well-controlled asthma (ACT ≥20) compared with 71.0% of those with no urgent healthcare (pasthma symptoms (vs 5.5% of those without urgent healthcare). Those with urgent healthcare were more frustrated by their asthma and less happy with how they managed it, and they were less confident about their ability to manage worsening asthma, but just as likely as those without urgent healthcare to manage worsening asthma themselves rather than visit a doctor. Reliever-only users purchasing over-the-counter relievers were no more likely than those purchasing relievers by prescription to have uncontrolled asthma (35.9% vs 40.6%, p=0.23) but were less likely to have had a non-urgent asthma review. One-quarter of the reliever-only population had needed urgent asthma healthcare in the previous year, demonstrating the importance of identifying such patients. Their attitudes and beliefs suggest opportunities for targeting this

A review of countries' pharmacist-patient communication legal requirements on prescription medications and alignment with practice: Comparison of Nordic countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Svensberg, Karin; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark; Björnsdottir, Ingunn

2015-01-01

Pharmacist-patient communication around prescription medications can optimize treatment outcomes. Society's expectations of pharmacist-patient communication around medications can be expressed in legislation, economic incentives, and authority control. In this study, the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden provide the legislative examples and can be used as a platform to discuss how society's expectations, professional visions, and practice are aligning. The overall aim of this study was to describe society's expectations of pharmacist-patient communication around medications as expressed by the state in Nordic legislation, economic incentives and authority control. Additionally, this study describes how the states govern Nordic pharmacists in different pharmacy systems. A legal review was performed using online legislative databases. Regulating authorities were contacted to gather supplementary information. Thereafter, a qualitative document analysis was conducted. The Nordic countries regulate staff-patient communication by using broad laws. The legislation's main focus during dispensing is information on the use of medications, but also generic substitution and pricing. Pharmacies should have internal routines for this in place. Pharmacists' obligation to keep a journal on advice given during dispensing is ambiguously regulated. The economic incentives for communication on prescription medication during dispensing are included in the general pharmacy mark-up. Today's authority control focuses on the pharmacy management and appears to primarily evaluate structure indicators of communication, for example, if there is a routine method of counseling available. Various countries throughout the world differ in their requirements for pharmacy staff to communicate on the use of medicines during dispensing. The Nordic countries all require such communication, which aligns with professional visions. Regardless of the pharmacy system, the

Prospects for Vascular Access Education in Developing Countries: Current Situation in Cambodia.

Science.gov (United States)

Naganuma, Toshihide; Takemoto, Yoshiaki

2017-01-01

We report our activities training doctors on vascular access procedures at International University (IU) Hospital in Cambodia through a program facilitated by Ubiquitous Blood Purification International, a nonprofit organization that provides medical support to developing countries in the field of dialysis medicine. Six doctors from Japan have been involved in the education of medical personnel at IU, and we have collectively visited Cambodia about 15 times from 2010 to 2016. In these visits, we have performed many operations, including 42 for arteriovenous fistula, 1 arteriovenous graft, and 1 percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Stable development and management of vascular access is increasingly required in Cambodia due to increased use of dialysis therapy, and training of doctors in this technique is urgently required. However, we have encountered several difficulties that need to be addressed, including (1) the situation of personnel receiving this training, (2) problems with facilities, including medical equipment and drugs, (3) financial limitations, and (4) problems with management of vascular access. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Financial and Economic Crisis and Developing Countries

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Bruno Gurtner

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Developing countries were hit hard by the financial and economic crisis, although the impact was somewhat delayed. Every country had different challenges to master. The closer the developing countries are interconnected with the world economy, the crasser the effects. And the incipient recovery that is becoming noticeable is, for the time being, restricted to only a few countries and regions.The crisis was transmitted primarily by trade and financial flows forcing millions back into poverty. Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals is seriously jeopardised in many countries. Many developing countries did not and do not have the resources to stimulate the economy and protect their socially disadvantaged populations to the same extent as the industrialised countries. However, many countries have made considerable efforts to mitigate the effects. Developing countries have also increased their cooperation with one another and are urgently demanding a greater voice in global economic affairs.The industrialised countries are for the most part more concerned with their own problems. Their readiness to provide more extensive aid is limited. They are under pressure from the international institutions to relax their previous dominance in favour of the increasingly strong emerging countries. A shift in power and influence that was already noticeable before the financial crisis is deepening.

Area Handbook Series. Albania: A Country Study

Science.gov (United States)

1992-04-01

inadequa prenal cue, tbe proportion of preature births increse •d from 7 to 11 perent between 197 amd early 1992. Hospits lacked es- sen"h mecidmund erp...were urgently needed to deal with the multiplying number of privately owned cars. Albanian entrepreneurs also 151 Albania: A Country Study imported... entrepreneurs from the reta marketplace. At first, peasants began setting up road- side fruit and vegetables stands or carrying their produce to mar- kets in

Urgent surgical management for embolized occluder devices in childhood: single center experience

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Gokaslan Gokhan

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In this study, we sought to analyze our experience in urgent surgical management for embolized cardiac septal and ductal occluder devices resulting from trans-catheter closure of atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus in childhood patient group. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 9 patients (aged 2–15 years who underwent urgent surgery due to cardiac septal and ductal occluder embolization between January 2007 and December 2010. Congenital defects were atrial septal defect (n = 6, ventricular septal defect (n = 1, and patent ductus arteriosus (n = 2. Risk factors for device embolization and urgent surgical management techniques for embolized device removal were discussed. Results Removal of embolized devices in all cases and repair of damaged tricuspid valve in 2 patients were performed. Inevitably, all congenital defects were closed or ligated up to the primary defect. Total circulator arrest necessitated in 1 patient with ascending aortic device embolization. All operations were completed successfully and no hospital mortality or morbidity was encountered. Conclusions Although closure of left to right shunting defects by percutaneous occluder devices has a lot of advantages, device embolization is still a major complication. If embolized device retrieval fails with percutaneous intervention attempts, surgical management is the only method to remove embolized devices. In this circumstance, to provide an uneventful perioperative course, urgent management strategies should be well planned.

Adolescent Literacy in Europe--An Urgent Call for Action

Science.gov (United States)

Sulkunen, Sari

2013-01-01

This article focuses on the literacy of the adolescents who, in most European countries, are about to leave or have recently left basic education with the assumption that they have the command of functional literacy as required in and for further studies, citizenship, work life and a fulfilling life as individuals. First, the overall performance…

The Lived Experiences of Persons Hospitalized for Construction of an Urgent Fecal Ostomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Herlufsen, Per; Brødsgaard, Anne

The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of hospital stays for patients undergoing urgent ostomy surgery. Qualitative, descriptive, phenomenological study. Six persons undergoing acute hospital admission and urgent ileostomy or colostomy surgery (either permanent or temporary) participated in the study. Participants were of Danish ethnicity and between the ages of 48 and 75 years. The research setting was the surgical department at a university hospital in the Capital Region of Denmark. Data collection and analyses were guided by a Reflective Lifeworld Research approach; this approach is based on phenomenological philosophy. Data were collected during in-depth interviews using a semistructured interview guide. Their average length was 50 minutes (range, 30-65 minutes). Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. Transcriptions were analyzed in 4 phases according to the principles of Reflective Lifeworld Research. The phenomenon we labeled "lived experiences of acute hospitalization with construction of an urgent unplanned fecal ostomy" comprised 4 constituents: (1) undergoing unexpected bodily changes, (2) partnership with professional caregivers, (3) experience of vulnerability, and (4) a lack of continuity. These constituents can be described as a number of challenges due to both hospitalization and ostomy creation. We found that individuals experience a number of challenges due to acute hospitalization and urgent construction of a fecal ostomy. These challenges are due to the unexpected bodily changes and interpersonal and organizational conditions. Nurses should be aware of not only the physical implications of urgent creation of a fecal ostomy but also the individual and psychological implications of this event.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFICIENT TRADE MATRIX AND GOLD RESERVE REQUIREMENT FOR COMMODITY TRADE AMONG ASEAN COUNTRIES

OpenAIRE

nurul anisak

2017-01-01

Objective - This study attempts to implement the efficient trade matrix among five selected ASEAN countries and its settlement by the gold reserve requirements through Multi-Bilateral Payments Arrangement (MBPA).Methods – The study is a qualitative research with analytic description. The purpose of this qualitative-descriptive study is to simulate the implementation of gold in the Multi-Bilateral Payment Arrangement among ASEAN countries using the current trade data.Results – This paper argue...

Improving the transport of urgent specimens to an off-site laboratory using a novel sticker-tracker.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepahzad, Afsoon; Ejiofor, Florence; Giles, Susan; Klaber, Robert

2013-01-01

Obtaining results for urgent microbiology specimens in an efficient manner is imperative to ensure that patients receive appropriate antibiotic therapy. A previous audit carried out in the Paediatric department of a central teaching hospital and a number of clinical incidents, highlighted a delay in transport of specimens (exceeding eight hours) and 'missing' specimens. This results in empirical antibiotic treatment of infection, with delay in confirming microbiology result and unnecessary, distressing repeat investigation. As an initial step we sought staff opinion to further explore the problem. A sticker was designed for the microbiology specimen bag to assign accountability, track each step in the transport process and to raise awareness of the problem. The sticker required the member of staff responsible at each stage of the process to time, date and sign it, to allow tracking of potential delays. The new sticker tracking system was promoted and launched in the Paediatric department. Initial challenges included lack of awareness of the protocol and lack of pods for sending urgent specimens. The team met regularly and completed stickers were analysed weekly to identify on-going issues and to devise solutions. Consequently total transport time was reduced to an average of 69 minutes by September (within four hr target). Our intervention improved the efficiency and reliability of urgent specimen transport. This is likely to result in safer antibiotic use and avoid the need for repeat investigation. The system is now also used in the Neonatal department and has lead to the development of a new 'Central Specimens Reception'.

Radioimmunoassay of hormones for clinical trials of fertility regulating agents in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

The need for accurate hormonal assay is emphasized, and becomes more urgent as hormones, in addition to their conventional medical use are being increasinly used for family planning purposes, particularly in developing countries. Readily available facilities and laboratories for the assay of hormone strength are therefore required, and also for the standardization of methods and techniques for such assays. Radioimmunology appears and excellent tool for this. Analytical techniques in actual use and techniques of potential future use are considered. Techniques for assessing hormone strength, potenty and doses are outlined. Criteria are developed, required for establishing a calibration and standardization laboratory for hormone strength. These criteria include a discussion of the necessary staff, location of such a facility and the material and equipment needed. Help from consultants, staff training, and the growth in sample analysis and corresponding financial aspects are discussed. Finally, the problems are reviewed of creating national laboratories which can be developed as services available for certain geographical regions

29 CFR 516.14 - Country elevator employees exempt from overtime pay requirements under section 13(b)(14) of the Act.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Country elevator employees exempt from overtime pay....14 Country elevator employees exempt from overtime pay requirements under section 13(b)(14) of the... names and occupations of all persons employed in the country elevator, whether or not covered by the Act...

THE COUNTRY BRAND AS A FORM OF THE STATE ADMINISTRATION

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Serhii Romaniuk

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Resolving urgent social and economic problems in Ukraine requires a special approach, choosing large-scale integration instruments of government measures implementation that can reproduce and guide the development of the country in the right direction, which include territory branding. The subject of the study is a system of management of the set of brands of the national economy, its subjects, objects and public connections between them. The purpose of the article is to define the architecture of a national brand with appropriate levels of a hierarchy and justification of the impact vector of the management system of brands at each level of the hierarchy. Research methodology. During the research, systematic general principles of communication and development are used, which allowed disclosing the dialectic relationship between management methods at every level of the hierarchy. To achieve the goal, there are used: a synergetic approach to the integrated use of commercial, noncommercial brands and regional brands of the country; management approach to the country brand management process in specific market conditions; situational approach to the consideration of a brand as a tool for solving complex social, economic, environmental and political problems of the country. The object of the research is Ukraine. Conclusions of the research. The success of the establishment and functioning of a brand-oriented national economy and corresponding management system depends primarily on the joint efforts of government, private business and a wide public; the integrated approach to the management process organization, as well as consideration of the current situation in the country and its potential. Practical implications. The implementation of a brand-oriented model of the national economy is able to overcome the current socio-economic problems of the country, ensure its economic and political security, greatly improve the welfare of citizens through the

3 CFR - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Gaza

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of Bureau of Population, Refugees, and...

A strategic-interaction analysis of an urgent appeal system and its outcomes for garment workers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

den Hond, F; Stolwijk, S.; Merk, J.

2014-01-01

Within the global garment industry the term "urgent appeal" is used to describe a request for action to Western activist groups for support in a specific case of labor rights violations. The urgent appeal system has become an important strategy for the transnational antisweatshop movement. It is

77 FR 21389 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-10

... April 3, 2012 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Memorandum for the Secretary of State By the... 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the ``Act''), as amended, (22 U.S.C... United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, for the purpose of meeting unexpected and...

Use of the emergency department for less-urgent care among type 2 diabetics under a disease management program

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Myers Leann

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study analyzed the likelihood of less-urgent emergency department (ED visits among type 2 diabetic patients receiving care under a diabetes disease management (DM program offered by the Louisiana State University Health Care Services Division (LSU HCSD. Methods All ED and outpatient clinic visits made by 6,412 type 2 diabetic patients from 1999 to 2006 were extracted from the LSU HCSD Disease Management (DM Evaluation Database. Patient ED visits were classified as either urgent or less-urgent, and the likelihood of a less-urgent ED visit was compared with outpatient clinic visits using the Generalized Estimating Equation methodology for binary response to time-dependent variables. Results Patients who adhered to regular clinic visit schedules dictated by the DM program were less likely to use the ED for less urgent care with odds ratio of 0.1585. Insured patients had 1.13 to 1.70 greater odds of a less-urgent ED visit than those who were uninsured. Patients with better-managed glycated hemoglobin (A1c or HbA1c levels were 82 times less likely to use less-urgent ED visits. Furthermore, being older, Caucasian, or a longer participant in the DM program had a modestly lower likelihood of less-urgent ED visits. The patient's Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI, gender, prior hospitalization, and the admitting facility showed no effect. Conclusion Patients adhering to the DM visit guidelines were less likely to use the ED for less-urgent problems. Maintaining normal A1c levels for their diabetes also has the positive impact to reduce less-urgent ED usages. It suggests that successful DM programs may reduce inappropriate ED use. In contrast to expectations, uninsured patients were less likely to use the ED for less-urgent care. Patients in the DM program with Medicaid coverage were 1.3 times more likely to seek care in the ED for non-emergencies while commercially insured patients were nearly 1.7 times more likely to do so. Further

Total hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures as an urgent procedure

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Radoičić Dragan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Total hip arthroplasty (THA is one of the most widely accepted operative methods for femoral neck fracture (FNF in elderly. However, the data on the early THA for FNF are very limited. The aim of this study to determine if there were differences in postoperative complications and functional outcomes between an urgent and delayed THA following FNF. Methods. This prospective study included a total of 244 patients who had THA following FNF from January 2010 to January 2013. In the first group 41 FNF patients were treated with THA within less than 12 hours of admission. A total of 203 FNF patients were operated in delayed settings, of whom 162 required prolonged preoperative processing and comorbidities correction. The group II consisted of 41 FNF patients who were fit for the early surgery at admission, but the operation was delayed due to institution related reasons. Main outcome measurements included mortality, functional outcome assessement, cardiological and pulmonary complications, pressure ulcers, dislocations, infections, length of hospitalization and revisions. Results. There were no differences in terms of age, gender, type of implants, neither in mortality, nor complications. There were differences in hospital length of stay [t (51.72 = -10.25, p < 0.001]. The patients operated within less than 12 hours of admission, had significantly better scores at all three time points of functional outcome assessment: at discharge t (80 = 2.556, p < 0.012; one month t (80 = 4.731, p < 0.001; three months t (80 = 5.908, p < 0.001. Conclusion. THA for FNF as an urgent procedure is not a widely accepted concept. Our findings indicate that the early operative treatment, does not worsen clinical outcomes, and our results give an advantage to the policy of the early THA for FNF.

Italy-Greece cooperation for transplantation of medically urgent Greek patients: is it an effective, efficient model?

Science.gov (United States)

Peritore, D; Pretagostini, R; Di Ciaccio, P; Fiaschetti, P; Gabbrielli, F; Oliveti, A; Stabile, D; Ricci, A; Vaia, F; Nanni Costa, A

2012-09-01

In 2005 the Italian National Transplant Centre (CNT) signed a cooperation agreement with the Hellenic Transplant Organization (HTO) fostering the transfer and transplantation of urgent Greek liver patients at Italian transplantation centers. So as to not reduce access to transplantation for Italian patients, the agreement provided compensation for organs allocated to Greek transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to analyze the flow of patients from Greece to Italy and the number of received livers to consider the possibility to extend this kind of agreement to other countries, so that this should not penalize Italian recipients. The agreement provides the possibility for Greek patients affected by acute disease to be transferred to Italian transplantation centers participating in the agreement. Until 2008 livers transplanted into Greek recipients were returned through a preferential offer of surplus Greek organs, whereas from 2009 an obligation of payback was introduced. During the reviewed period requests for transfer, transferred patients, and number of patients who later underwent transplantation in Italy were 56, 26, and 23, respectively. Livers offered by the Greek organization that were accepted, transferred, and transplanted in Italy have been 82, 50, and 44, respectively. According to our analysis, the cooperation has had as positive impact for both Greece, which has difficulties transplanting urgent recipient because of the low number of donors, and for Italy, which is not penalized by the use of an organ in a Greek recipients, but is also rewarded for helpfulness. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Actual Problems of Conclusion and Discharge of Urgent Labour Contracts

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Shevelyova A. A.

2013-05-01

Full Text Available This article is devoted to the consideration of the questions connected with the conclusion and the termination of the urgent labour contract. The author, analyzing judicial practice, allocates the problems of separate regulation of the RF labour legislation enforcement.

Comparison of usefulness of each of five predictors of mortality and urgent transplantation in patients with advanced heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Sachdeva, Amit; Horwich, Tamara B; Fonarow, Gregg C

2010-09-15

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), peak oxygen consumption (VO(2)), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure are all established predictors of mortality or urgent transplantation in patients with advanced heart failure (HF). However, their comparative predictive ability in estimating prognosis has not been well studied. We analyzed 1,215 patients with advanced systolic HF referred to a university center from 1999 to 2009. BUN, BNP, VO(2), SBP, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were measured as a part of the initial evaluation. The patients were divided into groups according to the best cutoffs for predicting both 1- and 2-year mortality from the analysis of the receiver operating characteristic curves (BNP > or =579 pg/ml, peak VO(2) or =53 mg/dl, SBP or =21 mm Hg). During a 2-year follow-up, 234 patients (19%) died, and 208 (17%) required urgent transplantation. BNP (odds ratio 4.3, 95% confidence interval 3.3 to 5.5) and peak VO(2) (odds ratio 4.5, 95% confidence interval 2.6 to 7.8) were the strongest predictors for death or urgent transplantation. On multivariate analyses, BNP and peak VO(2) were the strongest predictors for both death or urgent transplantation and all-cause mortality. The c-statistic was 0.756 for BNP, 0.701 for VO(2), 0.659 for BUN, 0.638 for SBP, and 0.650 for pulmonary capillary wedge pressure. In conclusion, of the 5 established predictors of outcomes in advanced HF, BNP was the most robust discriminator of risk and thus could be useful, along with other more traditional prognostic variables, in patient counseling regarding prognosis and determining the timing for heart transplantation. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MEDICAL SERVICE - URGENT CALLS

CERN Multimedia

Service Médical

2000-01-01

IN URGENT NEED OF A DOCTOR GENEVA: EMERGENCY SERVICES GENEVA AND VAUD 144 FIRE BRIGADE 118 POLICE 117 CERN FIREMEN 767-44-44 ANTI-POISONS CENTRE Open 24h/24h 01-251-51-51 Patient not fit to be moved, call family doctor, or: GP AT HOME: Open 24h/24h 748-49-50 AMG- Association Of Geneva Doctors: Emergency Doctors at home 07h-23h 322 20 20 Patient fit to be moved: HOPITAL CANTONAL CENTRAL 24 Micheli-du-Crest 372-33-11 ou 382-33-11 EMERGENCIES 382-33-11 ou 372-33-11 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL 6 rue Willy-Donzé 372-33-11 MATERNITY 32 bvd.de la Cluse 382-68-16 ou 382-33-11 OPHTHALMOLOGY 22 Alcide Jentzer 382-33-11 ou 372-33-11 MEDICAL CENTRE CORNAVIN 1-3 rue du Jura 345 45 50 HOPITAL DE LA TOUR Meyrin 719-61-11 EMERGENCIES 719-61-11 CHILDREN'S EMERGENCIES 719-61-00 LA TOUR MEDICAL CENTRE 719-74-00 European Emergency Call 112   FRANCE: EMERGENCY SERVICES 15 FIRE BRIGADE 18 POLICE 17 CERN FIREMEN AT HOME 00-41-22-767-44-44 ...

Problems and Approaches for Blood Transfusion in the Developing Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, David J; Field, Stephen; Delaney, Meghan; Bates, Imelda

2016-04-01

A safe supply of blood and the knowledge, skill, and resources for the appropriate use of blood are essential for medical services. Many problems are faced in the development of transfusion services in low- or medium-income countries (LMICs). Unfortunately, in many countries, providing safe blood is made more difficult by a lack of blood donors and the high frequency of transfusion-transmissible infections. The problems are compounded by the frequent need for urgent life-saving transfusions. This article examines the problems in supply, safety, and use of blood and how they are being addressed in LMICs, predominantly focusing on sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Unexpected plateauing of childhood obesity rates in developed countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Wabitsch, Martin; Moss, Anja; Kromeyer-Hauschild, Katrin

2014-01-31

Surveys performed in the past 10 to 15 years show a yet unexplained stabilization or decline in prevalence rates of childhood obesity in developed countries. The projected continuous increase in obesity prevalence throughout future decades seems not to occur at present. Apparently, saturation has been reached, which might be related to societal adjustments. Hence, we postulate a cumulative effect of public health programs for obesity prevention resulting, for example, in an increase in physical activity, and a decline in television viewing and in the consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks by children. Effective public health programs are urgently needed for developing countries, where obesity rates in children still continued to increase during the past decade.

Saline Agriculture in the 21st Century: Using Salt Contaminated Resources to Cope Food Requirements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno Ladeiro

2012-01-01

Full Text Available With the continue increase of the world population the requirements for food, freshwater, and fuel are bigger every day. This way an urgent necessity to develop, create, and practice a new type of agriculture, which has to be environmentally sustainable and adequate to the soils, is arising. Among the stresses in plant agriculture worldwide, the increase of soil salinity is considered the major stress. This is particularly emerging in developing countries that present the highest population growth rates, and often the high rates of soil degradation. Therefore, salt-tolerant plants provide a sensible alternative for many developing countries. These plants have the capacity to grow using land and water unsuitable for conventional crops producing food, fuel, fodder, fibber, resin, essential oils, and pharmaceutical products. In addition to their production capabilities they can be used simultaneously for landscape reintegration and soil rehabilitation. This review will cover important subjects concerning saline agriculture and the crop potential of halophytes to use salt-contaminated resources to manage food requirements.

The Double Burden of Malnutrition in Countries Passing through the Economic Transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Prentice, Andrew M

2018-01-01

Undernutrition in both its acute and chronic forms (wasting and stunting) is strongly inversely correlated with the wealth of nations. Consequently, as many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) achieve economic advancement and pass through the so-called "nutrition transition," their rates of undernutrition decline. Many countries successfully achieved the Millennium Development Goal of halving undernutrition and whole continents have been transformed in recent decades. The exception is Africa where the slower rates of decline in the prevalence of undernutrition has been overtaken by population growth so that the absolute number of stunted children is rising. In many regions, economic transition is causing a rapid increase in the number of overweight and obese people. The rapidity of this rise is such that many nations bear the simultaneous burdens of under- and overnutrition; termed the "double burden" of malnutrition. This double burden, accompanied as it is by the unfinished agenda of high levels of infectious diseases, is crippling the health systems of many LMICs and thus requires urgent attention. Although the prognosis looks threatening for many poor countries, they have the advantage of being able to learn from the mistakes made by other nations that have passed through the transition before them. Concerted action across many arms of government would achieve huge future dividends in health and wealth for any nations that can grasp the challenge. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Coal in sub-Saharan-African countries undergoing desertification

Science.gov (United States)

Weaver, J.N.; Brownfield, M.E.; Bergin, M.J.

1990-01-01

Coal has been reported in 11 of the 16 sub-Saharan countries discussed in this appraisal: Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia. No coal occurrences have been reported in Gambia, Togo, Burkina, Chad, and Djibouti but coal may be present within these countries because neighboring countries do contain coal-bearing rocks. Most of these countries are undergoing desertification or will in the near future. Wood, directly or in the form of charcoal, constitutes two-thirds of the fuel used in Africa. Destruction of forest and shrub lands for fuel is occurring at an increasing rate because of desertification and increasing energy demands. The decline in biological productivity, coupled with concentration of population in areas where water is available and crops may be grown, leads to increasing shortages of wood for fuel. Part of the present and future energy needs of the sub-Saharan region could be met by use of indigenous coal and peat. Nine sedimentary basins, completely or partially within the sub-Saharan region, have the potential of either coal and/or peat deposits of economic value: 1- Senegal Basin, 2- Taoudeni Basin and Gao Trough, 3- Niger Basin, 4- Chad Basin, 5- Chari Basin, 6- Benue Trough (Depression), 7- Sudan Trough, 8- Plateau and Rift Belt, and 9- Somali Basin. Niger and Nigeria are the only countries in sub-Saharan Africa in which coal is presently being mined as a fuel source for powerplants and domestic use. Peat occurs in the deltas, lower river, and interdunal basin areas of Senegal, Mauritania, and Sudan. Peat can be used as an alternate fuel source and is currently being tested as a soil amendment in the agricultural sector. Coal and peat exploration and development studies are urgently required and should be initiated so the coal and peat utilization potential of each country can be determined. The overall objective of these studies is to establish, within the sub

78 FR 9569 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Relating to Syria

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-08

... urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and...

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome in developing countries: focus on South Asians.

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Anoop; Bhardwaj, Swati

2014-01-01

With improvement in the economic situation, an increasing prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome is seen in developing countries in South Asia. Particularly vulnerable population groups include women and children, and intra-country and inter-country migrants. The main causes are increasing urbanization, nutrition transition, reduced physical activity, and genetic predisposition. Some evidence suggests that widely prevalent perinatal undernutrition and childhood 'catch-up' obesity may play a role in adult-onset metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Data show that atherogenic dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, thrombotic tendency, subclinical inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction are higher in South Asians than white Caucasians. Many of these manifestations are more severe even at an early age in South Asians than white Caucasians. Metabolic and cardiovascular risks in South Asians are also heightened by their higher body fat, truncal subcutaneous fat, intra-abdominal fat, and ectopic fat deposition (liver fat, muscle fat, etc.). Further, cardiovascular risk cluster manifests at a lower level of adiposity and abdominal obesity. The cutoffs of body mass index and waist circumference for defining obesity and abdominal obesity, respectively, have been lowered for Asians, and same has been endorsed for South Asians in the UK. The economic cost of obesity and related diseases in developing countries, having meager health budget, is enormous. Increasing awareness of these noncommunicable diseases and how to prevent them should be focus of population-wide prevention strategies in South Asian developing countries. Community intervention programs focusing on increased physical activity and healthier food options for schoolchildren are urgently required. Data from such a major intervention program conducted by us on adolescent urban schoolchildren in north India (project MARG) have shown encouraging results and could serve as a model for initiating such

Sustainable energy issues in developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Munasinghe, M [Environmental Policy Division, The World Bank, Washington D.C. (US)

1991-07-01

Increased energy use is a vital pre-requisite for economic development, and less developing countries (LDCs) are struggeling to meet energy needs at acceptable costs. LDC decision-makers share the worldwide environmental concerns, but also face other urgent issues like poverty. The industrialised countries can afford to substitute environmental protection for further material growth, but the LDCs will need concessional funding to participate in addressing global environmental problems. Global financing issues may be analysed and resolved through tradeoffs among several criteria including affordability/additionality, fairness/equity, and economic efficiency. The short-term LDC response to sustainable energy issues will be limited mainly to conventional technologies in efficiency improvements, conservation and resource development. The industrialised nations should provide financial resources to LDCs and develop the technology to be used in the 21st century. Pilot international funds like the Global Environmental Facility and the Ozone Fund will help LDCs participate in the effort to solve global environmental issues. (author) 16 refs.

Comparison and cost analysis of drinking water quality monitoring requirements versus practice in seven developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Crocker, Jonny; Bartram, Jamie

2014-07-18

Drinking water quality monitoring programs aim to support provision of safe drinking water by informing water quality management. Little evidence or guidance exists on best monitoring practices for low resource settings. Lack of financial, human, and technological resources reduce a country's ability to monitor water supply. Monitoring activities were characterized in Cambodia, Colombia, India (three states), Jordan, Peru, South Africa, and Uganda according to water sector responsibilities, monitoring approaches, and marginal cost. The seven study countries were selected to represent a range of low resource settings. The focus was on monitoring of microbiological parameters, such as E. coli, coliforms, and H2S-producing microorganisms. Data collection involved qualitative and quantitative methods. Across seven study countries, few distinct approaches to monitoring were observed, and in all but one country all monitoring relied on fixed laboratories for sample analysis. Compliance with monitoring requirements was highest for operational monitoring of large water supplies in urban areas. Sample transport and labor for sample collection and analysis together constitute approximately 75% of marginal costs, which exclude capital costs. There is potential for substantive optimization of monitoring programs by considering field-based testing and by fundamentally reconsidering monitoring approaches for non-piped supplies. This is the first study to look quantitatively at water quality monitoring practices in multiple developing countries.

Integrating community children’s nursing in urgent and emergency care: a qualitative comparison of two teams in North West England

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyle Richard G

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite the policy principle that “children are best cared for at home whenever possible” children continue to have high rates of emergency department (ED attendance and emergency hospital admission. Community Children’s Nursing Teams (CCNTs can care for acutely ill children at home but their potential to provide an alternative to ED attendance and hospitalisation depends on effective integration with other services in the urgent care system, such as EDs and Observation and Assessment Units (OAUs. Although challenges of integrating CCNTs have been identified, there has been no comparative assessment of the factors that facilitate or hinder integration of care of acutely ill children by CCNTs with the urgent care system. The aim of this study was to identify enablers and barriers to integration of CCNTs with urgent and emergency care. Methods Comparative case studies were conducted of two CCNTs serving Primary Care Trusts in North West England. Twenty-two health professionals including CCNT managers and staff; paediatricians; nurses; children’s ward, ED and OAU staff; commissioners of children’s services; GPs and primary care staff were interviewed between June 2009 and February 2010. Qualitative data were analysed thematically using the Framework approach. Results Barriers to integration included paediatricians’ perceived lack of ownership of the CCNT, poor communication between consultants and community children’s nurses (CCNs, and weak personal relationships. This prevented early referral to the CCNT as an alternative to hospital care. Enablers of integration included co-location and rotation of CCNs through urgent care settings including OAUs and EDs. This enabled nurses to develop skills, make decisions about referral to home care and gain the confidence of referring clinicians. Conclusions Integration of CCNTs at multiple points in the urgent care system is required in order to provide an alternative to

77 FR 58404 - Announcing the Award of Two Urgent Single-Source Grants To Support Unaccompanied Alien Children...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-20

...] Announcing the Award of Two Urgent Single-Source Grants To Support Unaccompanied Alien Children Program...) announces the award of two urgent single-source grants from the Unaccompanied Alien Children's Program to... providing services under the Unaccompanied Alien Children's program. Award Grantee organization Location...

Causal chains, policy trade offs and sustainability: Analysing land (mis)use in seven countries in the South

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nesheim, I.; Reidsma, P.; Bezlepkina, I.; Verburg, R.W.; Abdeladhim, M.A.; Bursztyn, M.; Chen, L.; Cissé, Y.; Feng, S.; Gicheru, P.; König, H.J.; Novira, N.; Purushothaman, S.; Rodrigues-Filho, S.; Sghaier, M.

2014-01-01

The need to enhance sustainable development of land use is more urgent than ever; specifically in developing countries where poverty and land degradation are often interlinked. To promote a common understanding of land use problems by experts, stakeholders and decision makers, it is essential to

Current challenges for radiographers and following changes in the education and the qualification requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taneva, E.; Gagova, E.

2006-01-01

Full text: The communication is intended to present the new requisites for the activity of the X-ray laboratory assistant, laying changes in the educational background and the qualification of the respective medical specialists. The need of new knowledge and skills lead to changes in the competence of the X-ray laboratory assistants and call for urgent measures for updating the curriculum, programmes and exercises. The implementation of new technologies in the profession requires an education of new quality that complies with the needs of the health care in the country and harmonizing it with the requirements of the European Union. Having made an analysis of the education so far and comparing its condition with that of the leading European countries we came to the conclusion that not only the contents of the education should be changed, but also the teaching hours and the qualification of the X-ray laboratory assistants. Knowing the new realities and challenges in the health care system, the professors of the medical colleges and the health specialists are aware of the need to introduce changes in the medical practice and work together for its implementation

Healthcare waste management practice in the West Black Sea Region, Turkey: A comparative analysis with the developed and developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ciplak, Nesli; Kaskun, Songul

2015-12-01

The need for proper healthcare waste management has been a crucial issue in many developing countries as it is in Turkey. The regulation regarding healthcare wastes in Turkey was updated in 2005 in accordance with the European Union (EU) waste directives, but it still falls behind meeting the requirements of current waste treatment technologies. Therefore, this study aims to reveal deficiencies, inconsistencies, and improper applications of healthcare waste management in the western part of the Turkish Black Sea Region. In this study, it was revealed that nearly 1 million people live in the region, resulting in 5 million hospital admissions annually. All the healthcare waste produced (1000 tons yr(-1)) is treated in an autoclave plant. However, treating some categories of healthcare wastes in autoclave units mismatches with the EU waste regulations, as alternative treatment technologies are not technically able to treat all types of healthcare wastes. A proper waste management system, therefore, requires an internal segregation scheme to divert these wastes from the main healthcare waste stream. The existing malpractice in the region could cause serious health problems if no measure is taken urgently. It is expected that healthcare waste management in the region and then all across Turkey will be improved with the significant deficiencies and inconsistencies pointed out in this research. In developed countries, specific rules and regulations have already been implemented along with the recommendations for handling of healthcare waste. However, in Turkey, these wastes are treated in autoclave units, which mismatches with the European Union waste regulations, as alternative treatment technologies are not technically capable to treat all types of healthcare wastes. The existing malpractice could cause serious health problems if no measure is taken urgently. The authors demonstrated the existing status of Turkish waste management and revealed deficiencies

The on-line European Community urgent radiological information exchange (ECURIE) information system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Cort, M.; Breitenbach, L.; De Vries, G.

1998-01-01

Immediately after the accident at the Chernobyl NPP, both the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) set up a system to meet the requirements for early warning and exchange of information. The Environment Institute of the CEC JRC-Ispra provides technical assistance for the European community Urgent Radiological Information Exchange system (ECURIE). By this system, Member State contact points can exchange information in a coded format. In order to facilitate the use and to assure the data quality, a Coding-Decoding Software (CDS) was developed in collaboration with the I.A.E.A. A new version, called CoDecS, is under development. An ECURIE data bank is under construction, which will automatically recognize and store incoming ECURIE messages. Further on, query and reporting software will be developed. The background objectives and the conceptual basis for the structure of the on-line information system is described. (author)

Urgent Carotid Surgery: Is It Still out of Debate?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Battocchio

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Patients with symptomatic tight carotid stenosis have an increased short-time risk of stroke and an increased long-term risk of ischaemic vascular events compared with the general population. The aim of this study is to assess the safety, efficacy, and limitations of urgent CEA or CAS, in patients with carotid stenosis greater than 70% and clinically characterized by recurrent TIA or brain damage following a stroke (<2.5 cm. This study involved 28 patients divided into two groups. Group A consisted of sixteen patients who had undergone CEA, and group B consisted of twelve patients who had undergone CAS. Primary endpoints were mortality, neurological morbidity (by NIHSS and postoperative hemorrhagic cerebral conversion, at 30 days. Ten patients (62.5% of group A experienced an improvement in their initial neurological deficit while in 4 cases (26% the deficit remained stable. Two cases of neurologic mortality are presented. At 1 month, 9 patients (75% of group B experienced an improvement in their initial neurological deficit while 3 patients (25% had a neurological impairment. Urgent or deferred surgical or endovascular treatment have a satisfactory outcome considering the profile in very high-risk patient population. Otherwise in selected patients CEA seems to be preferred to CAS.

Evaluating the efficiency of nuclear energy policies: an empirical examination for 26 countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Gozgor, Giray; Demir, Ender

2017-08-01

The decarbonization of the global economy is an urgent concern. As a potential solution, it can be important to understand the efficiency of nuclear energy policies. For this purpose, the paper analyzes whether there is a unit root in nuclear energy consumption in 26 countries and it uses the unit root tests with two endogenous (unknown) structural breaks. The paper finds that nuclear energy consumption is stationary around a level and the time trend in 25 of 26 countries and nuclear energy consumption contains a unit root only in France. The paper also discusses the potential implications of the findings.

CDM Country Guides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Under the Integrated Capacity Strengthening for the Clean Development Mechanism (ICS-CDM) programme, IGES presents the CDM Country Guides, a series of manuals on CDM project development for Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. These guidebooks aim at facilitating CDM project developments in Asia by providing essential information to both project developers and potential investors. Chapter 1, Introduction, is a summary of issues that developers and investors in CDM projects should be aware of. Includes tips for readers to effectively use the guidebook to find specific information. Chapter 2, Country Profile, comprises a profile that provides a broad picture of the country, including social, economic, and political information, as well as an overview of the country's energy situation, which is important for project development and investment. Chapter 3, The CDM Project Cycle, gives an explanation of the general CDM project cycle, which includes identifying a project, issuance of carbon credits, requirements, and stakeholders for each process. Chapter 4, Possible CDM Projects in the Country, is an overview of the country's potential resources and sectoral or project type categories that hold potential for CDM projects. Chapter 5, Government Authorities, gives a comprehensive picture of the CDM-related institutional framework and its inter-organisational relationships. Chapter 6, CDM Project Approval Procedures and Requirements Steps, informs about obtaining project approval and its requirements (e.g., country-specific provisions on additionality, sustainable development criteria, and environmental impact assessment) in the host country. Chapter 7, Laws and Regulations, is an overview of basic investment-related laws, environmental and property law, and sector-specific regulations relevant to CDM project activities. Chapter 8, Fiscal and Financing Issues, gives practical information on the financial market in the host country (both

Religious Diversity and Freedom of Conscience in the Arabic Countries Facing Globalization and Migration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raoudha Elguédri

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Muslim societies are facing the new challenges of cultural and religious diversity. They are experiencing migratory phenomena, or because they are countries of immigration (such as in the Persian Gulf monarchies and emirates or countries that are becoming a new destination of migrants (such as Morocco and other North African nations. These challenges are increasingly urgent due to the effects of other globalization vectors such as new communication technologies that cross all boundaries and foster unprecedented conversions. The purpose of this contribution is limited to the religious aspect of the new forms of diversification faced by Muslim countries. The goal is to analyze to what extent this process biases traditional ways of managing religious diversity.

Strategy to combat obesity and to promote physical activity in Arab countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Musaiger, Abdulrahman O; Al Hazzaa, Hazzaa M; Al-Qahtani, Aayed; Elati, Jalila; Ramadan, Jasem; Aboulella, Nebal A; Mokhtar, Najat; Kilani, Hashem A

2011-01-01

Obesity has become a major public health problem in the Arab countries, creating a health and economic burden on these countries' government services. There is an urgent need to develop a strategy for prevention and control of obesity. The third Arab Conference on Obesity and Physical Activity was held in Bahrain in January 2010, and proposed the Strategy to Combat Obesity and Promote Physical Activity in Arab Countries. This strategy provides useful guidelines for each Arab country to prepare its own strategy or plan of action to prevent and control obesity. The strategy focused on expected outcomes, objectives, indicators to measure the objectives, and action needs for 9 target areas: child-care centers for preschool children, schools, primary health care, secondary care, food companies, food preparation institutes, media, public benefit organizations, and the workplace. Follow-up and future developments of this strategy were also included.

National adaptation funding: ways forward for the poorest countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdullah, Amjad; Jallow, Bubu; Konate, Mama; Muyungi, Richard; Reazudding, Mohammed

2009-04-15

Rising sea levels, shifting rainfall and other impacts of climate change present a huge risk to some of the world's poorest countries. Faced with such challenges, many LDCs or Least Developed Countries have found themselves juggling the need to adapt to climate impacts with other essential concerns. In 2001, LDCs began to develop National Adaptation Programmes of Action or NAPAs to identify their most urgent and immediate adaptation needs. Since then, 39 of them have gone through this rigorous process, but only a handful of the projects they identified have been submitted for funding. Even fewer have been accepted for implementation. To avoid wasting the massive investment in NAPAs so far, it is key for richer nations to give NAPAs the fiscal and institutional support they need.

Impact on Quality When Pediatric Urgent Care Centers Are Staffed With Radiology Technologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Kan, J Herman; Orth, Robert C; Yen, Terry A; Schallert, Erica K; Zhang, Wei; Donnelly, Lane F

2018-02-02

The proliferation of pediatric urgent care centers has increased the need for diagnostic imaging support, but the impact of employing radiology technologists at these centers is not known. The purpose of this study was to evaluate radiographic impact and quality at urgent care centers with and without radiology technologists. A retrospective case-control study was conducted comparing 235 radiographic examinations (study) performed without and 83 examinations (control) performed with a radiology technologist at the authors' pediatric urgent care centers. Studies were evaluated for quality using a five-point, Likert-type scale (1 = poor, 5 = best) regarding field of view, presentation, and orthogonal view orientation. Studies were also evaluated for the incidence of positive results, need for repeat imaging, and discrepancies between initial study and follow-up. Imaging quality comparisons between study and control groups were statistically different for field of view (3.98 versus 4.29, P = .014), presentation (4.39 versus 4.51, P = .045), and orthogonal view orientation (4.45 versus 4.69, P = .033). The incidence of repeat imaging was similar (4.7% versus 2.4%, P = 0.526), as well as the discrepancy rates (3.4 versus 2.4%, P = 1.00). The incidence of abnormal radiographic findings for the study and control groups was similar (40.9% versus 34.9%, P = .363). Radiography is an important triage tool at pediatric urgent care centers. It is imperative to have optimal radiographic imaging for accurate diagnosis, and imaging quality is improved when radiology technologists are available. If not feasible or cost prohibitive, it is important that physicians be given training opportunities to bridge the quality gap when using radiographic equipment and exposing children to radiation. Copyright © 2018 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Market prospects of modular HTR in EEC countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albisu, F.; Garribba, S.F.; Lefevre, J.C.; Leuchs, D.; Vivante, C.

1991-01-01

The energy outlook for the early 21st century is very uncertain. Low-cost oil and natural gas reserves will become seriously depleted and nonfossil energy resources may be urgently required because of environmental reasons. In this framework, small- and medium-size nuclear reactors (SMSNRs), particularly the Modular High-Temperature Reactor (HTR) would allow extension of uses of nuclear energy while being adopted to produce power and/or steam or heat, where heat can be at low or high temperature. For policy making and planning purposes it is meaningful to appraise the market potential of Modular HTR during the next 20 or 30 years. The paper presents the outcomes of country studies on the subject conducted for a sample of EC Member nations, including France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, and Spain. Among the goals of the studies are the definition of market segments, and identification of the principal obstacles which will affect future adoption of SMSNRs. Opportunities offered by the different contexts and energy end-uses seem promising. Numerous difficulties and constraints emerge, however, some of which might be eased by actions that national governments or more often the European Community may wish to take. (author)

Impact of air pollution on the burden of chronic respiratory diseases in China: time for urgent action.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Wei-Jie; Zheng, Xue-Yan; Chung, Kian Fan; Zhong, Nan-Shan

2016-10-15

In China, where air pollution has become a major threat to public health, public awareness of the detrimental effects of air pollution on respiratory health is increasing-particularly in relation to haze days. Air pollutant emission levels in China remain substantially higher than are those in developed countries. Moreover, industry, traffic, and household biomass combustion have become major sources of air pollutant emissions, with substantial spatial and temporal variations. In this Review, we focus on the major constituents of air pollutants and their impacts on chronic respiratory diseases. We highlight targets for interventions and recommendations for pollution reduction through industrial upgrading, vehicle and fuel renovation, improvements in public transportation, lowering of personal exposure, mitigation of the direct effects of air pollution through healthy city development, intervention at population-based level (systematic health education, intensive and individualised intervention, pre-emptive measures, and rehabilitation), and improvement in air quality. The implementation of a national environmental protection policy has become urgent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Audit of radiology communication systems for critical, urgent, and unexpected significant findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, K A; Drinkwater, K J; Dugar, N; Howlett, D C

2016-03-01

To determine the compliance of UK radiology departments and trusts/healthcare organisations with National Patient Safety Agency and Royal College of Radiologist's published guidance on the communication of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings. A questionnaire was sent to all UK radiology department audit leads asking for details of their current departmental policy regarding the issuing of alerts; use of automated electronic alert systems; methods of notification of clinicians of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings; monitoring of results receipt; and examples of the more common types of serious pathologies for which alerts were issued. One hundred and fifty-four of 229 departments (67%) responded. Eighty-eight percent indicated that they had a policy in place for the communication of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings. Only 34% had an automated electronic alert system in place and only 17% had a facility for service-wide electronic tracking of radiology reports. In only 11 departments with an electronic acknowledgement system was someone regularly monitoring the read rate. There is wide variation in practice across the UK with regard to the communication and monitoring of reports with many departments/trusts not fully compliant with published UK guidance. Despite the widespread use of electronic systems, only a minority of departments/trusts have and use electronic tracking to ensure reports have been read and acted upon. Copyright © 2015 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Idarucizumab in Three Patients Needing Urgent Surgical Intervention and One Case of Intravenous Thrombolysis in Ischaemic Stroke

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fredrik Andreas von Wowern

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: To describe the benefits of reversal of the anticoagulation effects of dabigatran etexilate in patients requiring urgent surgery or thrombolysis for ischaemic stroke. Materials and methods: Four patients, treated with dabigatran etexilate and presenting with cholecystitis, tibial fracture, lower limb ischaemia and ischaemic stroke, respectively. Results: Administration of idarucizumab normalized bleeding parameters and provided safe conditions for surgery and, in one case, successful thrombolysis of an ischaemic stroke. Conclusion: The introduction of an effective reversal agent for dabigatran etexilate allows physicians perform surgery under conditions of normal coagulation and permits thrombolysis in patients with ischaemic stroke despite being treated with dabigatran etexilate.

Imbalances in the knowledge about infant mental health in rich and poor countries: too little progress in bridging the gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomlinson, Mark; Bornstein, Marc H; Marlow, Marguerite; Swartz, Leslie

2014-01-01

The vast majority of infants are born in poor countries, but most of our knowledge about infants and children has emerged from high-income countries. In 2003, M. Tomlinson and L. Swartz conducted a survey of articles on infancy between 1996 and 2001 from major international journals, reporting that a meager 5% of articles emanated from parts of the world other than North America, Europe, or Australasia. In this article, we conducted a similar review of articles on infancy published between 2002 and 2012 to assess whether the status of cross-national research has changed in the subsequent decade. Results indicate that despite slight improvements in research output from the rest of world, only 2.3% of articles published in 11 years included data from low- and middle-income countries--where 90% of the world's infants live. These discrepancies are indicative of the progress still needed to bridge the so-called 10/90 gap (S. Saxena, G. Paraje, P. Sharan, G. Karam, & R. Sadana,) in infant mental health research. Cross-national collaboration is urgently required to ensure expansion of research production in low-resource settings. © 2014 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

COUNTRY IMAGE VS. COUNTRY BRAND: DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denisa Adriana COTÎRLEA

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This article was written in order to provide an overview regarding the differences and similarities regarding two congruent, yet different concepts: country brand and country image. The geopolitical context and, implicitly, the current global context require a redefinition – or a more complex circumscription – of the “country image” and “country branding” concepts. In this paper, the author aimed to highlight the characteristics and particularities of the approached concepts in order to shape a framework of the context within these two operate; a brief analysis of the literature is presented, trying to emphasize the slight difference between the approached concepts

Non-urgent accident and emergency department use as a socially shared custom: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Keizer Beache, Simone; Guell, Cornelia

2016-01-01

We explored attitudes of non-urgent accident and emergency department (AED) patients in the middle-income healthcare setting Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in the Caribbean to understand how and why they decide to seek emergency care and resist using primary care facilities. In 2013, we conducted 12 semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of non-urgent AED users from a variety of social backgrounds. Verbatim transcripts were analysed with a grounded theory approach. In this study, we found, first, that participants automatically chose to visit the AED and described this as a locally shared custom. Second, the healthcare system in SVG reinforced this habitual use of the AED, for example, by health professionals routinely referring non-urgent cases to the AED. Third, there was also some deliberate use; patients took convenience and the systemic encouragement into account to determine that the AED was the most appropriate choice for healthcare. We conclude that the attitudes and habits of the Vincentian non-urgent patient are major determinants of their AED use and are intricately linked to local, socially shared practices of AED use. Findings show that health services research should reconsider rational choice behaviour models and further explore customs of health-seeking. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Anoop; Khurana, Lokesh

2008-11-01

Prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome is rapidly increasing in developing countries, leading to increased morbidity and mortality due to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. Literature search was carried out using the terms obesity, insulin resistance, the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, dyslipidemia, nutrition, physical activity, and developing countries, from PubMed from 1966 to June 2008 and from web sites and published documents of the World Health Organization and Food and Agricultural Organization. With improvement in economic situation in developing countries, increasing prevalence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome is seen in adults and particularly in children. The main causes are increasing urbanization, nutrition transition, and reduced physical activity. Furthermore, aggressive community nutrition intervention programs for undernourished children may increase obesity. Some evidence suggests that widely prevalent perinatal undernutrition and childhood catch-up obesity may play a role in adult-onset metabolic syndrome and T2DM. The economic cost of obesity and related diseases in developing countries, having meager health budgets is enormous. To prevent increasing morbidity and mortality due to obesity-related T2DM and cardiovascular disease in developing countries, there is an urgent need to initiate large-scale community intervention programs focusing on increased physical activity and healthier food options, particularly for children. International health agencies and respective government should intensively focus on primordial and primary prevention programs for obesity and the metabolic syndrome in developing countries.

[The current situation of acupuncture definition in international organizations and legislation of some countries].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yujie; Liu, Baoyan; He, Liyun; Wu, Xiaodong; Liu, Jia

2017-12-12

Acupuncture is developing rapidly in the world, and more attention is paid on acupuncture in various countries. Because of the cultural differences, there are different views on acupuncture between China and the west, which has brought influence and challenge to the development of acupuncture in the world. Acupuncture-related research is becoming increasingly extensive and complex, but the definition of acupuncture is lack of unified standards. The definition of acupuncture is in urgent need. Based on the analysis of acupuncture definition in the 201 international organizations of 48 countries on five continents and legislation of representative countries, this paper summarized the development status of acupuncture in foreign countries, and put forward that the definition of acupuncture should adopt the model of small connotation and large extension, integrate discipline superiority, expand the scope of acupuncture, and focus on the overall situation.

Building Health Promotion Capacity in Developing Countries: Strategies from 60 Years of Experience in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Howze, Elizabeth H.; Auld, M. Elaine; Woodhouse, Lynn D.; Gershick, Jessica; Livingood, William C.

2009-01-01

The Galway Consensus Conference articulated key definitions, principles, values, and core domains of practice as the foundation for the diffusion of health promotion across the globe. The conference occurred in the context of an urgent need for large numbers of trained health workers in developing countries, which face multiple severe threats to…

The urgent neurological consultation in the population of the province of Ferrara, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Govoni, Vittorio; Della Coletta, Elena; Fallica, Elisa; Cesnik, Edward

2018-05-01

In the province of Ferrara, Italy, the urgent neurological consultation (UNC) cases in the population correspond to the resident outpatients who undergo a UNC in the ER of the university hospital of Ferrara (UHFe). Thanks to this health organization a retrospective survey identified 612 UNC cases (range of age 7-102 years, median 67,5 years) in the study period giving a period prevalence rate of 173 per 100,000 (95% CI 159.3-187.3) which increased with age (χ 2 for trend = 178.4 p  0.70). The prevalence rate decreased with the distance between the patients' residence and the UHFe (χ 2 for trend = 82.9, p < 0.001). The commonest clinical conditions requiring UNCs were acute cerebrovascular disorders (28%), headache (14%), and vertigo (9%). The hospital admission rate was 32.5% which increased with age (χ 2 for trend = 35.8, p < 0.001). The commonest discharge diagnoses of the admitted cases were ischemic stroke (57.3%), epilepsy (7%), TIA (6%), and intraparenchymal hemorrhage (5.5%). Acute cerebrovascular disease accounted for 69% of the discharge diagnoses. The survey showed that the UNCs' demand was higher than previous Italian data confirming that acute cerebrovascular disease is the most frequent acute neurological condition requiring attention in the ER. It also suggested that the UNCs could be poorly appropriate. These findings would require the healthcare administrators attention.

Comparative Characteristics of Technology Transfer in Developed Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia Palii

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The research into innovation transfer in the global economy is a very urgent issue under the modern conditions of development of any country. Comparative characteristics of technology transfer in such countries and regions as the USA, EU, Asia, presented in the article, permit us to detect certain patterns of this process inherent both in developed and developing countries. The analysis made in the article can be useful for developing technology transfer processes in the Danube countries’ economy. The analytical method used in this research allowed us to determine the factor that is crucial for the growth of the world market of high-technology products and services. The analysis was conducted on several criteria such as the level of expenditure on R&D in the whole global economy, as well as in individual countries and regions. Besides, there were taken into account the added value of high-tech industries and the share of expenditure on R&D in total production costs. The conclusions regarding the effectiveness of funds allocated for scientific research and experimental development in the U.S. can be drawn on the basis of data presented in the paper on the amount of added value of the U.S. high-tech industries.

The burden of non communicable diseases in developing countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boutayeb Abdesslam

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background By the dawn of the third millennium, non communicable diseases are sweeping the entire globe, with an increasing trend in developing countries where, the transition imposes more constraints to deal with the double burden of infective and non-infective diseases in a poor environment characterised by ill-health systems. By 2020, it is predicted that these diseases will be causing seven out of every 10 deaths in developing countries. Many of the non communicable diseases can be prevented by tackling associated risk factors. Methods Data from national registries and international organisms are collected, compared and analyzed. The focus is made on the growing burden of non communicable diseases in developing countries. Results Among non communicable diseases, special attention is devoted to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic pulmonary diseases. Their burden is affecting countries worldwide but with a growing trend in developing countries. Preventive strategies must take into account the growing trend of risk factors correlated to these diseases. Conclusion Non communicable diseases are more and more prevalent in developing countries where they double the burden of infective diseases. If the present trend is maintained, the health systems in low-and middle-income countries will be unable to support the burden of disease. Prominent causes for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and pulmonary diseases can be prevented but urgent (preventive actions are needed and efficient strategies should deal seriously with risk factors like smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity and western diet.

Rapid Fishery Assessment by Market Survey (RFAMS--an improved rapid-assessment approach to characterising fish landings in developing countries.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William T White

Full Text Available The complex multi-gear, multi-species tropical fisheries in developing countries are poorly understood and characterising the landings from these fisheries is often impossible using conventional approaches. A rapid assessment method for characterising landings at fish markets, using an index of abundance and estimated weight within taxonomic groups, is described. This approach was developed for contexts where there are no detailed data collection protocols, and where consistent data collection across a wide range of fisheries types and geographic areas is required, regardless of the size of the site and scale of the landings. This methodology, which was demonstrated at seven fish landing sites/fish markets in southern Indonesia between July 2008 and January 2011, provides a rapid assessment of the abundance and diversity in the wild catch over a wide variety of taxonomic groups. The approach has wider application for species-rich fisheries in developing countries where there is an urgent need for better data collection protocols, monitoring future changes in market demographics, and evaluating health of fisheries.

Urgent Optic Nerve Decompression via an Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Approach for Craniopharyngioma in a 12-Month-Old Infant: A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Shibata, Teishiki; Tanikawa, Motoki; Sakata, Tomohiro; Mase, Mitsuhito

2018-01-01

Craniopharyngiomas are benign tumors and account for approximately 5.6-13% of all intracranial tumors in children. Diagnosis of pediatric craniopharyngioma is often delayed until the tumor becomes relatively large and manifests severe visual and/or endocrine disturbance. Endoscopic endonasal approaches have recently been introduced to surgery for craniopharyngioma. These techniques, however, have rarely been utilized in patients affected with craniopharyngioma as young as 1 year old. This report documents a 12-month-old male infant with sellar craniopharyngioma who presented with acute total vision loss. To increase the chances of visual recovery, an endoscopic endonasal optic nerve decompression was performed as an urgent procedure. After decompression, which resulted in improvement of his visual disturbance, gross total resection of the tumor was undertaken through an anterior interhemispheric approach at a later date. Tumor mass reduction through an endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach followed by secondary radical total resection under craniotomy was considered to be useful in cases such as this when urgent optic nerve decompression is required. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

URGENT NEED OF A DOCTOR

CERN Multimedia

Medical Service

2001-01-01

IN URGENT NEED OF A DOCTOR GENEVA EMERGENCY SERVICES GENEVA AND VAUD 144 FIRE BRIGAD 118 POLICE 117 CERN FIREMEN 767-44-44 ANTI-POISONS CENTRE Open 24h/24h 01-251-51-51 Patient not fit to be moved, call family doctor, or: GP AT HOME, open 24h/24h 748-49-50 Association Of Geneva Doctors Emergency Doctors at home 07h-23h 322 20 20 Patient fit to be moved: HOPITAL CANTONAL CENTRAL 24 Micheli-du-Crest 372-33-11 ou 382-33-11 EMERGENCIES 382-33-11 ou 372-33-11 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL 6 rue Willy-Donzé 372-33-11 MATERNITY 32 bvd.de la Cluse 382-68-16 ou 382-33-11 OPHTHALMOLOGY 22 Alcide Jentzer 382-33-11 ou 372-33-11 MEDICAL CENTRE CORNAVIN 1-3 rue du Jura 345 45 50 HOPITAL DE LA TOUR Meyrin EMERGENCIES 719-61-11 URGENCES PEDIATRIQUES 719-61-00 LA TOUR MEDICAL CENTRE 719-74-00 European EmergencyCall 112 FRANCE EMERGENCY SERVICES 15 FIRE BRIGADE 18 POLICE 17 CERN FIREMEN AT HOME 00-41-22-767-44-44 ANTI-POISONS CENTRE Open 24h/24h 04-72-11-69-11 All doctors will...

Comparison and Cost Analysis of Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Requirements versus Practice in Seven Developing Countries

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Jonny Crocker

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Drinking water quality monitoring programs aim to support provision of safe drinking water by informing water quality management. Little evidence or guidance exists on best monitoring practices for low resource settings. Lack of financial, human, and technological resources reduce a country’s ability to monitor water supply. Monitoring activities were characterized in Cambodia, Colombia, India (three states, Jordan, Peru, South Africa, and Uganda according to water sector responsibilities, monitoring approaches, and marginal cost. The seven study countries were selected to represent a range of low resource settings. The focus was on monitoring of microbiological parameters, such as E. coli, coliforms, and H2S-producing microorganisms. Data collection involved qualitative and quantitative methods. Across seven study countries, few distinct approaches to monitoring were observed, and in all but one country all monitoring relied on fixed laboratories for sample analysis. Compliance with monitoring requirements was highest for operational monitoring of large water supplies in urban areas. Sample transport and labor for sample collection and analysis together constitute approximately 75% of marginal costs, which exclude capital costs. There is potential for substantive optimization of monitoring programs by considering field-based testing and by fundamentally reconsidering monitoring approaches for non-piped supplies. This is the first study to look quantitatively at water quality monitoring practices in multiple developing countries.

Emergency Department Referrals for Adolescent Urgent Psychiatric Consultation: Comparison of Clinical Characteristics of Repeat-presentations and Single-presentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Nasreen; Nesdole, Robert; Hu, Tina

2018-01-01

a) to examine the demographic and clinical characteristics of repeat-presentations to an adolescent urgent psychiatric clinic, and b) to compare them with single-time presentation. This 18-month retrospective study compared repeat-presenters to age and gender matched single-time presenters. Demographic variables included age gender and ethnicity. Clinical variables included reason for referral, family history, diagnosis, recommendations and compliance. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, McNemar's Chi-square tests for matched pairs, and conditional logistic regression. Of 624 assessments 24% (N=151) were repeat-presentations. Compared with single-presentation, repeat-presentation group had a higher proportion of Aboriginal youth (X2 (1) = 108.28 p presentation group had higher odds of past hospital admission (OR: 3.50, p presentations for urgent psychiatric consultation constitute a quarter of referrals to the urgent psychiatric clinic. Identifying and addressing factors that contribute to repeat-presentations may, assist in improving treatment compliance by ensuring focused interventions and service delivery for these youth. In turn, this will improve access to the limited urgent services for other youth.

Space nonweaponization. An urgent task for arms control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du Xiangwan; Pan Jusheng; Zhang Xinwei; Du Shuhua; Xu Changgen

1990-05-01

The authors attempt to expound the basic points of veiw and put forward a proposal on the space nonweaponization. The authors analyse the nature of space weaponry and its impact on arms race and point out that the space nonweaponization is an urgent task for arms control. The relations between prohibition of space and ASAT weapons, between prohibition of space weapons and reduction of nuclear weapons and between space weapon and nuclear test are all analysed. The inadequacy of the existing space treaties is made clear based on the evaluation. It is hoped that a verifiable treaty on the prohibition of space weapons should be made and international cooperation on peaceful use of outer space is necessary

76 FR 14271 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-16

... March 7, 2011 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya Memorandum for the... States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the ``Act''), as... million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, for the purpose of meeting...

Audit of radiology communication systems for critical, urgent, and unexpected significant findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duncan, K.A.; Drinkwater, K.J.; Dugar, N.; Howlett, D.C.

2016-01-01

Aim: To determine the compliance of UK radiology departments and trusts/healthcare organisations with National Patient Safety Agency and Royal College of Radiologist's published guidance on the communication of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings. Materials and methods: A questionnaire was sent to all UK radiology department audit leads asking for details of their current departmental policy regarding the issuing of alerts; use of automated electronic alert systems; methods of notification of clinicians of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings; monitoring of results receipt; and examples of the more common types of serious pathologies for which alerts were issued. Results: One hundred and fifty-four of 229 departments (67%) responded. Eighty-eight percent indicated that they had a policy in place for the communication of critical, urgent, and unexpected significant radiological findings. Only 34% had an automated electronic alert system in place and only 17% had a facility for service-wide electronic tracking of radiology reports. In only 11 departments with an electronic acknowledgement system was someone regularly monitoring the read rate. Conclusion: There is wide variation in practice across the UK with regard to the communication and monitoring of reports with many departments/trusts not fully compliant with published UK guidance. Despite the widespread use of electronic systems, only a minority of departments/trusts have and use electronic tracking to ensure reports have been read and acted upon. - Highlights: • UK wide audit of communication of significant radiology results. • 88% of departments have a communication policy in place. • 34% of departments have an automated electronic alert system. • 17% of Trusts have facility for service wide electronic tracking of radiology reports.

75 FR 67015 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee And Migration Needs Resulting From Flooding InPakistan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

... September 3, 2010 Unexpected Urgent Refugee And Migration Needs Resulting From Flooding InPakistan... humanitarian needs resulting from recent devastating flooding in Pakistan. You are authorized and directed to...

Rural energy and poverty in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fall, L.M.

2000-01-01

The study from which this article is drawn was carried out under the auspices of the World Energy Council, in collaboration with the FAO, and under the supervision of a steering committee made up of experts in which the author played an active role. The article begins with an in-depth analysis of the energy crisis in rural areas of developing countries and their economic implications, which contribute to increasing poverty among rural populations. It then assesses the limits and problems related to intervention and the solutions attempted in the past, with the aim of drawing lessons from the various experiments undertaken. From these, we see an edifying and worrying factor emerging as despite a great deal of well-intentioned effort, rural energy poverty still remains at an unacceptable level today in the so-called modern world of the third millennium. Indeed 2 billion people (accounting for a third of the world population and almost all living in developing countries) do not have access to modern forms of energy and still depend on firewood, leftovers from the harvest and animal waste in order to meet their energy needs. It therefore appears necessary and urgent if we intend to take up the challenge of meeting energy requirements in rural areas, to fundamentally change the attitudes and mentalities of decision-makers at a political and other levels (planners, consultants, donors etc). It also means changing direction in research to find solutions. The author then presents a range of 'solutions' advices and recommendations aimed at ensuring that future energy provision in rural areas is more stable and sustainable, enabling rural populations to live the decent life that they should be entitled to expect today. (author)

Emergency Department Non-Urgent Visits and Hospital Readmissions Are Associated with Different Socio-Economic Variables in Italy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pamela Barbadoro

Full Text Available The aim of this paper was to evaluate socio-economic factors associated to poor primary care utilization by studying two specific subjects: the hospital readmission rate, and the use of the Emergency Department (ED for non-urgent visits.The study was carried out by the analysis of administrative database for hospital readmission and with a specific survey for non-urgent ED use.Among the 416,698 sampled admissions, 6.39% (95% CI, 6.32-6.47 of re-admissions have been registered; the distribution shows a high frequency of events in the age 65-84 years group, and in the intermediate care hospitals (51.97%; 95%CI 51.37-52.57. The regression model has shown the significant role played by age, type of structure (geriatric acute care, and deprivation index of the area of residence on the readmission, however, after adjusting for the intensity of primary care, the role of deprivation was no more significant. Non-urgent ED visits accounted for the 12.10%, (95%CI 9.38-15.27 of the total number of respondents to the questionnaire (N = 504. The likelihood of performing a non-urgent ED visit was higher among patients aged <65 years (OR 3.2, 95%CI 1.3-7.8 p = 0.008, while it was lower among those perceiving as urgent their health problem (OR 0.50, 95%CI 0.30-0.90.In the Italian context repeated readmissions and ED utilization are linked to different trajectories, besides the increasing age and comorbidity of patients are the factors that are related to repeated admissions, the self-perceived trust in diagnostic technologies is an important risk factor in determining ED visits. Better use of public national health care service is mandatory, since its correct utilization is associated to increasing equity and better health care utilization.

The RADCAT-3 system for closing the loop on important non-urgent radiology findings: a multidisciplinary system-wide approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Dibble, Elizabeth H; Swenson, David W; Cobb, Cynthia; Paul, Timothy J; Karn, Andrew E; Portelli, David C; Movson, Jonathan S

2017-04-01

The goal of this project was to create a system that was easy for radiologists to use and that could reliably identify, communicate, and track communication of important but non-urgent radiology findings to providers and patients. Prior to 2012, our workflow for communicating important non-urgent diagnostic imaging results was cumbersome, rarely used by our radiologists, and resulted in delays in report turnaround time. In 2012, we developed a new system to communicate important non-urgent findings (the RADiology CATegorization 3 (RADCAT-3) system) that was easy for radiologists to use and documented communication of results in the electronic medical record. To evaluate the performance of the new system, we reviewed our radiology reports before (June 2011-June 2012) and after (June 2012-June 2014) the implementation of the new system to compare utilization by the radiologists and success in communicating these findings. During the 12 months prior to implementation, 250 radiology reports (0.06 % of all reports) entered our workflow for communicating important non-urgent findings. One-hundred percent were successfully communicated. During the 24 months after implementation, 13,158 radiology reports (1.4 % of all reports) entered our new RADCAT-3 workflow (3995 (0.8 % of all reports) during year 1 and 9163 (1.9 % of all reports) during year 2). 99.7 % of those reports were successfully communicated. We created a reliable system to ensure communication of important but non-urgent findings with providers and/or patients and to document that communication in the electronic medical record. The rapid adoption of the new system by radiologists suggests that they found it easy to use and had confidence in its integrity. This system has the potential to improve patient care by improving the likelihood of appropriate follow-up for important non-urgent findings that could become life threatening.

Cancer control in developing countries: using health data and health services research to measure and improve access, quality and efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kangolle Alfred CT

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cancer is a rapidly increasing problem in developing countries. Access, quality and efficiency of cancer services in developing countries must be understood to advance effective cancer control programs. Health services research can provide insights into these areas. Discussion This article provides an overview of oncology health services in developing countries. We use selected examples from peer-reviewed literature in health services research and relevant publicly available documents. In spite of significant limitations in the available data, it is clear there are substantial barriers to access to cancer control in developing countries. This includes prevention, early detection, diagnosis/treatment and palliation. There are also substantial limitations in the quality of cancer control and a great need to improve economic efficiency. We describe how the application of health data may assist in optimizing (1 Structure: strengthening planning, collaboration, transparency, research development, education and capacity building. (2 Process: enabling follow-up, knowledge translation, patient safety and quality assurance. (3 Outcome: facilitating evaluation, monitoring and improvement of national cancer control efforts. There is currently limited data and capacity to use this data in developing countries for these purposes. Summary There is an urgent need to improve health services for cancer control in developing countries. Current resources and much-needed investments must be optimally managed. To achieve this, we would recommend investment in four key priorities: (1 Capacity building in oncology health services research, policy and planning relevant to developing countries. (2 Development of high-quality health data sources. (3 More oncology-related economic evaluations in developing countries. (4 Exploration of high-quality models of cancer control in developing countries. Meeting these needs will require national, regional and

Cancer control in developing countries: using health data and health services research to measure and improve access, quality and efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanna, Timothy P; Kangolle, Alfred C T

2010-10-13

Cancer is a rapidly increasing problem in developing countries. Access, quality and efficiency of cancer services in developing countries must be understood to advance effective cancer control programs. Health services research can provide insights into these areas. This article provides an overview of oncology health services in developing countries. We use selected examples from peer-reviewed literature in health services research and relevant publicly available documents. In spite of significant limitations in the available data, it is clear there are substantial barriers to access to cancer control in developing countries. This includes prevention, early detection, diagnosis/treatment and palliation. There are also substantial limitations in the quality of cancer control and a great need to improve economic efficiency. We describe how the application of health data may assist in optimizing (1) Structure: strengthening planning, collaboration, transparency, research development, education and capacity building. (2) PROCESS: enabling follow-up, knowledge translation, patient safety and quality assurance. (3) OUTCOME: facilitating evaluation, monitoring and improvement of national cancer control efforts. There is currently limited data and capacity to use this data in developing countries for these purposes. There is an urgent need to improve health services for cancer control in developing countries. Current resources and much-needed investments must be optimally managed. To achieve this, we would recommend investment in four key priorities: (1) Capacity building in oncology health services research, policy and planning relevant to developing countries. (2) Development of high-quality health data sources. (3) More oncology-related economic evaluations in developing countries. (4) Exploration of high-quality models of cancer control in developing countries. Meeting these needs will require national, regional and international collaboration as well as political

Mapping ergonomics application to improve SMEs working condition in industrially developing countries: a critical review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermawati, Setia; Lawson, Glyn; Sutarto, Auditya Purwandini

2014-01-01

In industrially developing countries (IDC), small and medium enterprises (SMEs) account for the highest proprotion of employment. Unfortunately, the working conditions in SMEs are often very poor and expose employees to a potentially wide range of health and safety risks. This paper presents a comprehensive review of 161 articles related to ergonomics application in SMEs, using Indonesia as a case study. The aim of this paper is to investigate the extent of ergonomics application and identify areas that can be improved to promote effective ergonomics for SMEs in IDC. The most urgent issue found is the need for adopting participatory approach in contrast to the commonly implemented top-down approach. Some good practices in ergonomics application were also revealed from the review, e.g. a multidisciplinary approach, unsophisticated and low-cost solutions, and recognising the importance of productivity. The review also found that more work is still required to achieve appropriate cross-cultural adaptation of ergonomics application.

Decreasing delays in urgent and expedited surgery in a university teaching hospital through audit and communication between peri-operative and surgical directorates.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosgrove, J F; Gaughan, M; Snowden, C P; Lees, T

2008-06-01

National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death guidelines for urgent surgery recommend a fully staffed emergency operating theatre and restriction of 'after-midnight' operating to immediate life-, limb- or organ-threatening conditions. Audit performed in our institution demonstrated significant decreases in waiting times for urgent surgery and an increased seniority of medical care associated with overnight pre-operative assessment of patients by anaesthetic trainees. Nevertheless, urgent cases continued to be delayed unnecessarily. A classification of delays was developed from existing guidelines and their incidence was audited. The results were disseminated to involved directorates. A repeat of the audit demonstrated a significant decrease in delays (p = 0.001), a significant increase in the availability of surgeons (p = 0.001) and a significant decrease in the median waiting time for urgent surgery compared to the first audit cycle and a previous standard (p auditing delays and disseminating the results of the audit significantly decreases delays and median waiting times for urgent surgery because of improved surgical availability.

The ED use and non-urgent visits of elderly patients

OpenAIRE

Gulacti, Umut; Lok, Ugur; Celik, Murat; Aktas, Nurettin; Polat, Haci

2016-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the use of the emergency department (ED) by elderly patients, their non-urgent visits and the prevalence of main disease for ED visits. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients aged 65 years and over who visited the ED of a tertiary care university hospital in Turkey between January 2015 and January 2016 retrospectively. Results: A total of 36,369 elderly patients who visited the ED were included in the study. The rate of ED visits by elderly patien...

How problems of storing waste nuclear fuel are handled in some countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langhe, R.

1983-01-01

This report is a survey of the situation in a number of European countries, in the United States and the Soviet Union as well. In all democratic countries, the nuclear power issue is controversial. Everywhere it has met with opposition and criticism, even in countries where nuclear power is officially promoted. Which of the elements comprised in the nuclear power issue is regarded as most controversial varies from country to country. In some countries, final storage and handling of waste nuclear fuel are referred to this category, in others nuclear power plant safety is claimed to be of greater importance. In the last few months, some public opinion has been coupling the peaceful use of nuclear power with nuclear weapons, thereby deeming the greatest danger to be the risk of unwanted distribution of nuclear weapons. Technical difficulties as well as public opinion have indefinitely adjourned the final solution of the disposal of waste nuclear fuel. This problem is of such magnitude that a final solution is urgently needed. Apart from opinions, the existence of waste nuclear power fuel emitting dangerous radiation for over 40 generations to come, makes it a moral obligation to find a way to spare future generations that heritage. (author)

Childhood obesity in developing countries: epidemiology, determinants, and prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Nidhi; Goel, Kashish; Shah, Priyali; Misra, Anoop

2012-02-01

Rapidly changing dietary practices and a sedentary lifestyle have led to increasing prevalence of childhood obesity (5-19 yr) in developing countries recently: 41.8% in Mexico, 22.1% in Brazil, 22.0% in India, and 19.3% in Argentina. Moreover, secular trends indicate increasing prevalence rates in these countries: 4.1 to 13.9% in Brazil during 1974-1997, 12.2 to 15.6% in Thailand during 1991-1993, and 9.8 to 11.7% in India during 2006-2009. Important determinants of childhood obesity include high socioeconomic status, residence in metropolitan cities, female gender, unawareness and false beliefs about nutrition, marketing by transnational food companies, increasing academic stress, and poor facilities for physical activity. Childhood obesity has been associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the early-onset metabolic syndrome, subclinical inflammation, dyslipidemia, coronary artery diseases, and adulthood obesity. Therapeutic lifestyle changes and maintenance of regular physical activity through parental initiative and social support interventions are the most important strategies in managing childhood obesity. Also, high-risk screening and effective health educational programs are urgently needed in developing countries. Copyright © 2012 by The Endocrine Society

Emergency Department Non-Urgent Visits and Hospital Readmissions Are Associated with Different Socio-Economic Variables in Italy

OpenAIRE

Barbadoro, Pamela; Di Tondo, Elena; Menditto, Vincenzo Giannicola; Pennacchietti, Lucia; Regnicoli, Februa; Di Stanislao, Francesco; D?Errico, Marcello Mario; Prospero, Emilia

2015-01-01

Objective The aim of this paper was to evaluate socio-economic factors associated to poor primary care utilization by studying two specific subjects: the hospital readmission rate, and the use of the Emergency Department (ED) for non-urgent visits. Methods The study was carried out by the analysis of administrative database for hospital readmission and with a specific survey for non-urgent ED use. Results Among the 416,698 sampled admissions, 6.39% (95% CI, 6.32?6.47) of re-admissions have be...

Developing countries` energy requirements; Besoins energetiques des pays en developpement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arques, P. [Ecole Centrale Lyonnaise, 69 - Ecully (France)

1995-03-01

The amount of electric power and bacteriologically clean water produced in developing countries today is insufficient for the people`s needs. In order to develop successfully, these countries must necessarily achieve a threshold which, for the whole planet, will come to 1 000 000 MW of electricity. One way this can be done is by building several hundred power plants, with all the concomitant pollution problems. Another solution is Stirling motors, which use the power of sunlight to pump and pasteurize water and to generate electricity for one or more families, or for developmental home industries. (author). 4 refs., 6 figs.

Preventing preterm births: trends and potential reductions with current interventionsin 39 very high human development index countries

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Hannah H.; Larson, Jim; Blencowe, Hannah; Spong, Catherine Y.; Howson, Christopher P.; Cairns-Smith, Sarah; Lackritz, Eve M.; Lee, Shoo K.; Mason, Elizabeth; Serazin, Andrew C.; Walani, Salimah; Simpson, Joe Leigh; Lawn, Joy E.

2013-01-01

Summary Background Each year,1.1 million babies die from prematurity, andmany survivors are disabled. Worldwide, 15 million babies are preterm(10,000 births, country-by-country analyses were performed based on target population, incremental coverage increase,and intervention efficacy. Cost savings were estimated based on reported costs for preterm care in the USAadjusted usingWorld Bank purchasing power parity. Findings From 2010, even if all VHHDI countries achieved annual preterm birth rate reductions of the best performers, (Sweden and Netherlands), 2000-2010 or 2005-2010(Lithuania, Estonia)), rates would experience a relative reduction of<5% by 2015 on average across the 39 countries.Our analysis of preterm birth rise 1998-2004 in USA suggests half the change is unexplained, but important drivers includeinductions/cesareandelivery and ART.For all 39 VHHDI countries, five interventionsmodeling at high coveragepredicted 5%preterm birth rate relative reduction from 9.59 to 9.07% of live births:smoking cessation (0.01 rate reduction), decreasing multiple embryo transfers during assisted reproductive technologies (0.06), cervical cerclage (0.15), progesterone supplementation (0.01), and reduction of non-medically indicated labour induction or caesarean delivery (0.29).These translate to 58,000 preterm births averted and total annual economic cost savings of ~US$ 3 billion. Interpretation Even with optimal coverage of current interventions, many being complex to implement, the estimated potential reduction in preterm birth is tiny. Hence we recommenda conservative target of 5% preterm birth rate relative reductionby 2015. Our findings highlight the urgent need for discovery research into underlying mechanisms of preterm birth, and developmentof innovative interventions. Furthermore, the highest preterm birth rates occur in low-income settings where the causes of prematurity may differand have simpler solutions, such as birth spacing and treatment of infections in

Guyana - How Do You Know Where to Get the Information You Need? Determining Ethics Approval Requirements in a Developing Country

OpenAIRE

Gloria Song

2018-01-01

Determining the process for obtaining local research ethics approval, or whether such a requirement even exists, may not always be straightforward in the context of some developing countries where such information may not be easily accessible to overseas researchers. How far do a researcher's ethical obligations extend in determining whether there is a requirement for local research ethics approval, and what form this would take (e.g., institutional or centralised ethics review)? In other wor...

Urgent request on avian influenza

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

More, Simon J.; Bicout, Dominique; Bøtner, Anette

2016-01-01

HPAI H5N8 is currently causing an epizootic in Europe, infecting many poultry holdings as well as captive and wild bird species in more than ten countries. Given the clear clinical manifestation, passive surveillance is considered the most effective means of detecting infected wild and domestic b...

An audit of urgent referrals by the Procurator Fiscal to the Tayside Forensic Psychiatric Service.

Science.gov (United States)

White, T; Rutherford, H

2005-10-01

This study describes the demographic, offence and diagnostic characteristics of subjects referred by the Procurators Fiscal operating from three courts in Tayside, Scotland. A comparison is made of referrals made between 1988 to 1995 and 1997 to 1998. There was an increased rate of referral on an urgent basis over time, primarily involving patients already in contact with the psychiatric services, 37% of whom were detained and admitted to hospital. This urgent assessment ensured that mentally-disordered offenders were not remanded in custody simply for the preparation of a report, and it allowed an early assessment to be made regarding the suitability for diversion from prosecution. This outcome is compatible with guidelines issued by the Home Office in 1990 (Home Office, 1990).

New world balance and emerging countries - democracy, energy, technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coulom, Steve

2011-01-01

The serious economic crisis which rages since 2008 has been the result of a troubled era which started years before and contributed to aggravate the phenomenon. Energy crisis, biodiversity loss, global warming and its effects, markets deregulation have added up to economic recession. We are today the witnesses of a new deal of the cards illustrated by the social revolts of several Arab countries around the Mediterranean Sea. In this changing world, the declining occident cannot impose its economical or political leadership and the main emerging countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa: BRICS) play a more and more important role. With 30% of population increase expected in 2050, the emerging countries represent the driver of the world growth and have become the keys of development questions. In front of this irreversible movement, urgent and worldwide changes have to be done. First of all, huge technological efforts and changes of the existing international institutions (IMF, UNO, WTO) and of their governance are necessary to build up a sustainable economy and energy policy with emerging countries. Such a transformation will be painful for the Occident as it will change its vision of growth based on political domination and search of financial wealth, energy and resources. It is this effort that the author aims to present in this book in a practical and visionary way, where technological progress occupies an important place

Contraceptive issues of youth and adolescents in developing countries: highlights from the Philippines and other Asian countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Alesna-Llanto, Emma; Raymundo, Corazon M

2005-10-01

This article highlights contraceptive issues in Asia, home to some 700 million adolescents. It starts with a description of the socio-cultural milieu of adolescents in South and Southeast Asia, their knowledge and use of contraceptives, the myriad barriers to access, and the many innovative programs to broaden contraceptive availability. The reproductive health needs of adolescents in poor countries cannot be solved by merely supplying them with contraceptives--these needs can only be fully addressed in the context of gender equality, poverty alleviation and the conviction that investing in the reproductive health of adolescents is a most urgent priority. Investing in the reproductive health of adolescents will have an impact not only on birth and abortion rates, maternal health, and the spread of STI/HIV but also on the demographics and economic development of the region--and beyond.

Urgent Biophilia: Human-Nature Interactions and Biological Attractions in Disaster Resilience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keith G. Tidball

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This contribution builds upon contemporary work on principles of biological attraction as well as earlier work on biophilia while synthesizing literatures on restorative environments, community-based ecological restoration, and both community and social-ecological disaster resilience. It suggests that when humans, faced with a disaster, as individuals and as communities and populations, seek engagement with nature to further their efforts to summon and demonstrate resilience in the face of a crisis, they exemplify an urgent biophilia. This urgent biophilia represents an important set of human-nature interactions in SES characterized by hazard, disaster, or vulnerability, often appearing in the 'backloop' of the adaptive cycle. The relationships that human-nature interactions have to other components within interdependent systems at many different scales may be one critical source of resilience in disaster and related contexts. In other words, the affinity we humans have for the rest of nature, the process of remembering that attraction, and the urge to express it through creation of restorative environments, which may also restore or increase ecological function, may confer resilience across multiple scales. In making this argument, the paper also represents a novel contribution to further theorizing alternatives to anthropocentric understandings of human-nature relations, and strongly makes the case for humans as part of, not separate from, ecosystems.

[Problems of demographic data collecting in Arab countries of the Middle East].

Science.gov (United States)

Chasteland, J C

1970-06-01

12 Middle Eastern Arab countries can be divided into 5 northern countries with demographic data from census or survey and 7 southern countries primarily in the Arabian peninsula (Bahrien excepted) with no data. Obstacles include lack of information on tribes, migrations, and even nomadic status, large areas with sparse population, low socioeconom ic and literacy levels, and cumbersome registration systems. The author computed the index of regularity of age and sex, age distribution by sex, and crude birth-, death, and infant mortality rates to estimate the validity of existing data in each country. These estimates showed that for birthrates registration was about 100% complete for Kuwait and Jordan, 80% for Libya, 60% for Syria, 40% for Iraq. For mortality the registration was so poor that it is only about 30%-40% complete, even in Kuwait and Libya. Data on infant mortality are also poor and have apparently worsened in the 1960s compared with the 1950s. Bias probably exists in birth place, marital status, education, and profession. The author suggested that in southern countries a census should proceed over several years in steps: 1) lists of towns and tribes, 2) simple head count, and 3) complete census. valid vital statistics are urgently needed for national economic planning.

IN URGENT NEED OF A DOCTOR

CERN Multimedia

Medical Service

2001-01-01

IN URGENT NEED OF A DOCTOR GENEVA EMERGENCY SERVICES GENEVA AND VAUD 144 FIRE BRIGADE 118 POLICE 117 CERN FIREMEN 767-44-44 ANTI-POISONS CENTRE Open 24h/24h 01-251-51-51 Patient not fit to be moved, call family doctor, or: GP AT HOME, open 24h/24h 748-49-50 Association Of Geneva Doctors Emergency Doctors at home 07h-23h 322 20 20 Patient fit to be moved: HOPITAL CANTONAL CENTRAL 24 Micheli-du-Crest 372-33-11 ou 382-33-11 EMERGENCIES 382-33-11 ou 372-33-11 CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL 6 rue Willy-Donzé 372-33-11 MATERNITY 32 bvd.de la Cluse 382-68-16 ou 382-33-11 OPHTHALMOLOGY 22 Alcide Jentzer 382-33-11 ou 372-33-11 MEDICAL CENTRE CORNAVIN 1-3 rue du Jura 345 45 50 HOPITAL DE LA TOUR Meyrin EMERGENCIES 719-61-11 URGENCES PEDIATRIQUES 719-61-00 LA TOUR MEDICAL CENTRE 719-74-00 European Emergency Call 112 FRANCE EMERGENCY SERVICES 15 FIRE BRIGADE 18 POLICE 17 CERN FIREMEN AT HOME 00-41-22-767-44-44 ANTI-POISONS CENTRE Open 24h/24h 04-72-11-69-11 All doctors ...

Market prospects of modular HTR in EEC countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albisu, F.; Garribba, S.F.; Lefevre, J.C.; Leuchs, D.; Vivante, C.

1992-01-01

The energy outlook for the early 21st century is very uncertain. Low-cost oil and natural gas reserves will become seriously depleted and non-fossil energy resources may be urgently required because of environmental reasons. In this framework, the European Economic Community should be able to rely upon nuclear energy as an economic, safe and readily deployable resource for its future. Small and medium-size nuclear reactors (SMSNRs), particularly modular high-temperature reactor (HTR) would allow extension of uses of nuclear energy while being adopted to produce power and/or steam or heat, where heat can be at low or high temperature. For policy making and planning purposes it appears meaningful to appraise the market potential of modular HTR during the next twenty or thirty years. Thus the paper presents the outcomes of country studies on the subject conducted for a sample of Member nations to the European Economic Community including France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy and Spain. Amongst the goals of the studies are definition of market segments, identification of the principal obstacles which would affect future adoption of SMSNRs. Opportunities offered by the different contexts and energy end-uses seem promising. Numerous difficulties and constraints emerge however, some of which might be eased by actions that national governments or more often the European Economic Community, may wish to take. (orig.)

Is operational research delivering the goods? The journey to success in low-income countries

OpenAIRE

Zachariah, R; Ford, N; Maher, D; Bissell, K; Van den Bergh, R; van den Boogaard, W; Reid, T; Castro, K G; Draguez, B; von Schreeb, J; Chakaya, J; Atun, R; Lienhardt, C; Enarson, D A; Harries, A D

2012-01-01

Operational research in low-income countries has a key role in filling the gap between what we know from research and what we do with that knowledge-the so-called know-do gap, or implementation gap. Planned research that does not tangibly affect policies and practices is ineffective and wasteful, especially in settings where resources are scarce and disease burden is high. Clear parameters are urgently needed to measure and judge the success of operational research. We define operational rese...

Urgent embolization for the treatment of serious epistaxis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Jun; Ni Caifang; Liu Yizhi; Jing Yonghai; Zhu Xiaoli; Zou Jianwei

2009-01-01

Objective: To discuss the clinical effect and safety of urgent embolization with arterial catheterization in the treatment of serious epistaxis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy. Methods: Fifteen patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma occurred serious epistaxis after radiotherapy. Because of failure to respond to the treatment of nasal packing and medication, embolization of the bleeding arteries with gelfoam or steel coils was carried out within 1-4 hours after the bleeding. The target arteries were judged by the internal and external carotid angiographic findings. Results: The embolization procedure was successfully completed, in all of 15 patients within 1.5 hours with the technical successful rate of 100%. The bleeding ceased in all 15 patients with the effective rate of 100%. Mild facial palsy occurred in 2 cases, and facial pain of the affected side in one case. All above symptoms were relived and disappeared in about one week after the procedure, leaving no serious complications. Conclusion: Urgent arterial embolization is an effective, safe and simple method for controlling the serious epistaxis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy. (authors)

Impact of Marijuana Legalization in Colorado on Adolescent Emergency and Urgent Care Visits.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, George Sam; Davies, Sara Deakyne; Halmo, Laurie Seidel; Sass, Amy; Mistry, Rakesh D

2018-03-30

Approximately 6%-8% of U.S. adolescents are daily/past-month users of marijuana. However, survey data may not reliably reflect the impact of legalization on adolescents. The objective was to evaluate the impact of marijuana legalization on adolescent emergency department and urgent cares visits to a children's hospital in Colorado, a state that has allowed both medical and recreational marijuana. Retrospective review of marijuana-related visits by International Classification of Diseases codes and urine drug screens, from 2005 through 2015, for patients ≥ 13 and marijuana-related visits were identified. Behavioral health evaluation was obtained for 2,813 (67%); a psychiatric diagnosis was made for the majority (71%) of these visits. Coingestants were common; the most common was ethanol (12%). Marijuana-related visits increased from 1.8 per 1,000 visits in 2009 to 4.9 in 2015. (p = marijuana use, our data demonstrate a significant increase in adolescent marijuana-associated emergency department and urgent cares visits in Colorado. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modelling energy systems for developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urban, F.; Benders, R.M.J.; Moll, H.C.

2007-01-01

Developing countries' energy use is rapidly increasing, which affects global climate change and global and regional energy settings. Energy models are helpful for exploring the future of developing and industrialised countries. However, energy systems of developing countries differ from those of industrialised countries, which has consequences for energy modelling. New requirements need to be met by present-day energy models to adequately explore the future of developing countries' energy systems. This paper aims to assess if the main characteristics of developing countries are adequately incorporated in present-day energy models. We first discuss these main characteristics, focusing particularly on developing Asia, and then present a model comparison of 12 selected energy models to test their suitability for developing countries. We conclude that many models are biased towards industrialised countries, neglecting main characteristics of developing countries, e.g. the informal economy, supply shortages, poor performance of the power sector, structural economic change, electrification, traditional bio-fuels, urban-rural divide. To more adequately address the energy systems of developing countries, energy models have to be adjusted and new models have to be built. We therefore indicate how to improve energy models for increasing their suitability for developing countries and give advice on modelling techniques and data requirements

Urgent recommendation. Interim report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakano, Masayuki [International Affairs and Safeguards Division, Atomic Energy Bureau, Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo (Japan)

2000-12-01

The Investigation Committee for Critical Accident at Uranium Processing Plant was founded immediately after the accident to investigate the cause of the accident and to establish measures to prevent the similar accident. On September 30, 1999 around 10:35, the Japan's first criticality accident occurred at JCO Co. Ltd. Uranium processing plant (auxiliary conversion plant) located at Tokai-mura Ibaraki-ken. The criticality continued on and off for approximately 20 hours after the first instantaneous criticality. The accident led the recommendation of tentative evacuation and sheltering indoors for residents living in the neighborhood. The serious exposure to neutrons happened to three workers. The dominant effect is dose due to neutrons and gamma rays from the precipitation tank. When the accident took place, three workers dissolved sequentially about 2.4 kg uranium powder with 18.8 % enrichment in the 10-litter bucket with nitric acid. The procedure of homogenization of uranium nitrate was supposed to be controlled using the shape-limited narrow storage column. Actually, however, the thick and large precipitation tank was used. As a result, about 16.6 kg of uranium was fed into the tank, which presumably caused criticality. The first notification by JCO was delayed and the following communication was not smooth. This led to the delay of correct understanding of the situation and made the initial proper response difficult, then followed by insufficient communication between the nation, prefecture, and local authority. Urgent recommendations were made on the following items; (1) Safety measures to be taken at the accident site, (2) health cares for residents and others, (3) Comprehensive safety securing at nuclear operators such as Establishment of the effective audit system, Safety education for employees and Qualification and licensing system, Safety related documents, etc. (4) Reconstruction of the government's safety regulations such as How safety

Urgent recommendation. Interim report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakano, Masayuki

2000-01-01

The Investigation Committee for Critical Accident at Uranium Processing Plant was founded immediately after the accident to investigate the cause of the accident and to establish measures to prevent the similar accident. On September 30, 1999 around 10:35, the Japan's first criticality accident occurred at JCO Co. Ltd. Uranium processing plant (auxiliary conversion plant) located at Tokai-mura Ibaraki-ken. The criticality continued on and off for approximately 20 hours after the first instantaneous criticality. The accident led the recommendation of tentative evacuation and sheltering indoors for residents living in the neighborhood. The serious exposure to neutrons happened to three workers. The dominant effect is dose due to neutrons and gamma rays from the precipitation tank. When the accident took place, three workers dissolved sequentially about 2.4 kg uranium powder with 18.8 % enrichment in the 10-litter bucket with nitric acid. The procedure of homogenization of uranium nitrate was supposed to be controlled using the shape-limited narrow storage column. Actually, however, the thick and large precipitation tank was used. As a result, about 16.6 kg of uranium was fed into the tank, which presumably caused criticality. The first notification by JCO was delayed and the following communication was not smooth. This led to the delay of correct understanding of the situation and made the initial proper response difficult, then followed by insufficient communication between the nation, prefecture, and local authority. Urgent recommendations were made on the following items; (1) Safety measures to be taken at the accident site, (2) health cares for residents and others, (3) Comprehensive safety securing at nuclear operators such as Establishment of the effective audit system, Safety education for employees and Qualification and licensing system, Safety related documents, etc. (4) Reconstruction of the government's safety regulations such as How safety regulation

Human rights conflicts experienced by nurses migrating between developed countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Palese, Alvisa; Dobrowolska, Beata; Squin, Anna; Lupieri, Giulia; Bulfone, Giampiera; Vecchiato, Sara

2017-11-01

Some developed countries have recently changed their role in the context of international recruitment, becoming donors due to socio-economical and political factors such as recessions. This is also the case in Italy, where there has been a flow of immigrant nurses out of the country that has been documented over the past several years. In a short time, it has become a donor country to other developed European countries, such as the United Kingdom. To advance knowledge in the context of human rights conflicts and ethical implications of the decision-making process of nurses who migrate between developed countries, such as from Italy to the United Kingdom, during times of recession. A case study based on the descriptive phenomenological approach was undertaken in 2014. Participants and research context: A total of 26 Italian newly graduated nurses finding a job in the United Kingdom were interviewed via Skype and telephone. Ethical considerations: The Internal Review Board of the University approved the project. In accordance with the descriptive phenomenological approach undertaken, three main themes emerged: (1) escaping from the feeling of being refused/rejected in order to be desired, (2) perceiving themselves respected, as a person and as a nurse, in a growth project and (3) returning if the country changes its strategy regarding nurses. Ethical implications in the context of human rights, such as autonomy of the decision, social justice and reciprocal obligation, non-maleficence and double effect, have been discussed. The call for investing in nurses and nurses' care in developed countries facing recession is urgent. Investing in nurses means respecting individuals and citizens who are at risk of developing health problems during the recession.

Alcohol consumption and psychological distress in adolescents: a multi-country study.

Science.gov (United States)

Balogun, Olukunmi; Koyanagi, Ai; Stickley, Andrew; Gilmour, Stuart; Shibuya, Kenji

2014-02-01

To examine the association between alcohol use and psychological distress among adolescents in a range of developing countries. Secondary data analysis of the Global School-Based Student Health Survey was conducted using nationally representative data from 12 developing countries: Botswana, Grenada, Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, the Philippines, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Seychelles, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda. The surveys were conducted between 2003 and 2008 and involved 32,001 adolescents primarily aged 13-15 years. We used multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine the association between alcohol use and psychological distress. The prevalence of past 30-day alcohol use and lifetime drunkenness varied widely across countries, as did the occurrence of psychological distress (anxiety-induced sleeplessness and/or depression). The risk of psychological distress was significantly higher among adolescents when using alcohol in all countries except Myanmar. In nine of the 12 countries, past 30-day alcohol use was associated with psychological distress, while students who had been drunk at least once in their lifetime had an increased risk of experiencing psychological distress in 11 of the study countries. The high prevalence of alcohol use among adolescents and the strength of the association with psychological distress present a major public health challenge in developing countries. The urgent need to reduce adolescent alcohol use necessitates the implementation of context- and culture-specific strategies that reduce the physical availability of alcohol. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Derivation and validation of a diagnostic score based on case-mix groups to predict 30-day death or urgent readmission.

Science.gov (United States)

van Walraven, Carl; Wong, Jenna; Forster, Alan J

2012-01-01

Between 5% and 10% of patients die or are urgently readmitted within 30 days of discharge from hospital. Readmission risk indexes have either excluded acute diagnoses or modelled them as multiple distinct variables. In this study, we derived and validated a score summarizing the influence of acute hospital diagnoses and procedures on death or urgent readmission within 30 days. From population-based hospital abstracts in Ontario, we randomly sampled 200 000 discharges between April 2003 and March 2009 and determined who had been readmitted urgently or died within 30 days of discharge. We used generalized estimating equation modelling, with a sample of 100 000 patients, to measure the adjusted association of various case-mix groups (CMGs-homogenous groups of acute care inpatients with similar clinical and resource-utilization characteristics) with 30-day death or urgent readmission. This final model was transformed into a scoring system that was validated in the remaining 100 000 patients. Patients in the derivation set belonged to 1 of 506 CMGs and had a 6.8% risk of 30-day death or urgent readmission. Forty-seven CMG codes (more than half of which were directly related to chronic diseases) were independently associated with this outcome, which led to a CMG score that ranged from -6 to 7 points. The CMG score was significantly associated with 30-day death or urgent readmission (unadjusted odds ratio for a 1-point increase in CMG score 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49-1.56). Alone, the CMG score was only moderately discriminative (C statistic 0.650, 95% CI 0.644-0.656). However, when the CMG score was added to a validated risk index for death or readmission, the C statistic increased to 0.759 (95% CI 0.753-0.765). The CMG score was well calibrated for 30-day death or readmission. In this study, we developed a scoring system for acute hospital diagnoses and procedures that could be used as part of a risk-adjustment methodology for analyses of postdischarge

Effect of marital status on the outcome of patients undergoing elective or urgent coronary revascularization.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbash, Israel M; Gaglia, Michael A; Torguson, Rebecca; Minha, Sa'ar; Satler, Lowell F; Pichard, Augusto D; Waksman, Ron

2013-10-01

Marriage confers various health advantages in the general population. However, the added value of marriage among patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) beyond the standard cardiovascular risk factors is not clear. This study aimed to assess the effects of marital status on outcomes of patients undergoing elective or urgent PCI. Clinical observational analysis of consecutive patients undergoing elective or urgent PCI from 1993 to 2011 was performed. Patients were stratified by marital status, comparing married to unmarried patients. Clinical outcome up to 12 months was obtained by telephone contact or office visit. A total of 11,216 patients were included in the present analysis; 55% were married and 45% unmarried. Significant differences in baseline characteristics were noted, including a lower prevalence of hypertension (86% vs 88%), diabetes (34% vs 38%), and smoking (19% vs 25%) among married vs unmarried patients, respectively (P married patients had a higher prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and family history of coronary artery disease. Early and late major adverse cardiac event rates were significantly lower for married vs unmarried patients up to 1 year (13.3% vs 8.2%, P Married status was independently associated with improved outcome in multivariable analysis (hazard ratio 0.7, 95% CI 0.6-0.9). Married patients who undergo urgent or elective PCI have superior short- and long-term outcomes up to 1 year when compared with unmarried patients. These benefits persist after adjustment for multiple traditional cardiovascular risk factors. © 2013.

Is food allergen analysis flawed? Health and supply chain risks and a proposed framework to address urgent analytical needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, M J; Burns, D T; Elliott, C T; Gowland, M H; Mills, E N Clare

2016-01-07

Food allergy is an increasing problem for those affected, their families or carers, the food industry and for regulators. The food supply chain is highly vulnerable to fraud involving food allergens, risking fatalities and severe reputational damage to the food industry. Many facets are being pursued to ameliorate the difficulties including better food labelling and the concept of thresholds of elicitation of allergy symptoms as risk management tools. These efforts depend to a high degree on the ability reliably to detect and quantify food allergens; yet all current analytical approaches exhibit severe deficiencies that jeopardise accurate results being produced particularly in terms of the risks of false positive and false negative reporting. If we fail to realise the promise of current risk assessment and risk management of food allergens through lack of the ability to measure food allergens reproducibly and with traceability to an international unit of measurement, the analytical community will have failed a significant societal challenge. Three distinct but interrelated areas of analytical work are urgently needed to address the substantial gaps identified: (a) a coordinated international programme for the production of properly characterised clinically relevant reference materials and calibrants for food allergen analysis; (b) an international programme to widen the scope of proteomics and genomics bioinformatics for the genera containing the major allergens to address problems in ELISA, MS and DNA methods; (c) the initiation of a coordinated international programme leading to reference methods for allergen proteins that provide results traceable to the SI. This article describes in more detail food allergy, the risks of inapplicable or flawed allergen analyses with examples and a proposed framework, including clinically relevant incurred allergen concentrations, to address the currently unmet and urgently required analytical requirements. Support for the

75 FR 67013 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Resulting from Violence in Kyrgyzstan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

... August 26, 2010 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Resulting from Violence in Kyrgyzstan... laws of the United States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of... amount not to exceed $9.5 million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund...

If climate action becomes urgent: The importance of response times for various climate strategies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Vuuren, D.P.; Stehfest, E.

2013-01-01

Most deliberations on climate policy are based on a mitigation response that assumes a gradually increasing reduction over time. However, situations may occur where a more urgent response is needed. A key question for climate policy in general, but even more in the case a rapid response is needed,

Patient Reasons for Non-Urgent Utilization of the Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center Emergency Department

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Sizemore, Charles J

2004-01-01

.... A review of the present body of literature revealed common themes why non-urgent patients typically present at emergency departments, the impacts to hospitals, and possible initiatives that could be...

Syncope: Assessment of risk and an approach to evaluation in the emergency department and urgent care clinic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baris Akdemir

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Syncope is among the most frequent forms of transient loss of consciousness (TLOC, and is characterized by a relatively brief and self-limited loss of consciousness that by definition is triggered by transient cerebral hypoperfusion. Most often, syncope is caused by a temporary drop of systemic arterial pressure below that required to maintain cerebral function, but brief enough not to cause permanent structural brain injury. Currently, approximately one-third of syncope/collapse patients seen in the emergency department (ED or urgent care clinic are admitted to hospital for evaluation. The primary objective of developing syncope/TLOC risk stratification schemes is to provide guidance regarding the immediate prognostic risk of syncope patients presenting to the ED or clinic; thereafter, based on that risk assessment physicians may be better equipped to determine which patients can be safely evaluated as outpatients, and which require hospital care. In general, the need for hospitalization is determined by several key issues: i the patient's immediate (usually considered 1 week to 1 month mortality risk and risk for physical injury (e.g., falls risk, ii the patient's ability to care for him/herself, and iii whether certain treatments inherently require in-hospital initiation (e.g., pacemaker implantation. However, at present no single risk assessment protocol appears to be satisfactory for universal application, and development of a consensus recommendation is an essential next step.

Zambia mental health country profile.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayeya, John; Chazulwa, Roy; Mayeya, Petronella Ntambo; Mbewe, Edward; Magolo, Lonia Mwape; Kasisi, Friday; Bowa, Annel Chishimba

2004-01-01

traditionally the duty and responsibility of the extended family to look after the aged. Gender based violence (GBV) is another issue. Women, who are totally dependent on their spouses economically, are forced by circumstances to continue living in abusive relationships to the detriment of their mental well-being. In Zambia, the family is considered sacrosanct and the affairs of the family members, private. It is within this context that GBV is regarded as a family affair and therefore a private affair, yet spouse beating has led to depression and in some cases death. In terms of psychiatric services, there are close to 560 beds for psychiatric patients across the country. Common mental disorders found in Zambia are acute psychotic episodes, schizophrenia, affective disorders, alcohol related problems and organic brain syndromes. About 70-80% of people with mental health problems consult traditional health practitioners before they seek help from conventional health practitioners. Over time the number of frontline mental health workers and professional staff has been declining. This is due to the 'brain drain', retirement, death and low output from training institutions. For practicing psychiatrists, only one is available for the whole country. Other key mental health workers such as psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists are also in short supply. All in all, the mental health services situation in Zambia could be described as critical, requiring urgent attention.

Health Economic Data Requirements and Availability in the European Union: Results of a Survey Among 10 European Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Skoupá, Jana; Annemans, Lieven; Hájek, Petr

2014-09-01

To compare data requirements and their availability for health economic (HE) evaluations in five countries in Central/Eastern Europe (CEE) (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania) and five countries in Western Europe (WE) (the United Kingdom, France, Germany, The Netherlands, and Sweden). A questionnaire was developed and distributed to market access personnel from Pfizer who were asked to complete the questionnaire either from their own knowledge or with support of external experts. The questionnaire focused on the obligation to conduct HE assessment for reimbursement submissions, local HE guidelines, applied discount rates for future costs and effects, willingness-to-pay thresholds, and available data sources. HE is mandatory in all CEE and three WE participating countries for reimbursement applications of innovative drugs. Usually, cost-effectiveness analysis and budget-impact analyses are required. The preferred outcome of cost-effectiveness analysis is quality-adjusted-life years. In Romania, France, and the Czech Republic, guidelines could not be identified at the time of the survey. The applicant usually prepares HE evaluations; in Sweden, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Poland, unlocked models have to be presented for scrutiny. Discount rates vary from 1.5% to 5%, and, usually, is the same for costs and outcomes (except in The Netherlands and Poland). Only the United Kingdom, Poland, and Slovakia have an explicit willingness-to-pay threshold. In Poland, it is based on the gross domestic product per capita, and in Slovakia, it is based on multiples of average monthly salary. Differences were found on data availability. In WE, data can be acquired easier than in CEE. Health insurance funds do not provide their data unless they were published. Patient registries are either not available in CEE or difficult to access, so applicants mostly rely on retrospective medical chart data, hospital information systems, or expert panels. We

Mauritius country study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manraj, D D [Central Statistical Office (Mauritius)

1998-10-01

Mauritius has no known oil, gas or coal reserves but is only endowed with limited renewable energy resources namely hydropower and bagasse. Bagasse represents about one third of the country`s energy requirements and meets almost all of the sugar industries energy demand. Projects identified for mitigation options are: Energy Sector - Renewable Sources (Solar, Wind, Biomass); Transport Sector - Fuel switching and Mass transit transport; Manufacturing Sector - Increase efficiency of energy use in the manufacturing process. (EG)

75 FR 34617 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Somalia and Food Pipeline Breaks for...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-18

... unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of the Bureau of Population...

"Why Is This Patient Being Sent Here?": Communication from Urgent Care to the Emergency Department.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Rebekah; Choo, Esther K; Gravenstein, Stefan; Baier, Rosa R

2016-03-01

Despite patients' increasing use of urgent care centers (UCC), little is known about how urgent care clinicians communicate with the emergency department (ED). To assess ED clinicians' perceptions of the quality and consistency of communication when patients are referred from UCCs to EDs. Emergency medicine department chairs distributed a brief, electronic survey to a statewide sample of ED clinicians via e-mail. The survey included multiple-choice and free-text questions focused on types of communication desired and received from UCCs, types of test results available on transfer, and suggestions for improvement. Of 199 ED clinicians, 102 (51.3%) responded. More than four out of five respondents "somewhat" or "strongly agreed" that each of the following would be helpful: a telephone call, the reason for referral, specific concern, a copy of the chart, and UCC contact information. However, ED clinicians reported not consistently receiving these: only a fifth (21.6%) of clinicians reported receiving the specific concern for their last 5 patients transferred from a UCC, and 34.3% recalled receiving a copy of the chart. Overall, 54.9% reported receiving laboratory test results "often or almost always," 49.0% electrocardiograms, and 44.1% imaging reports. Qualitative analysis revealed several themes: incomplete data when patients are referred; barriers to discussion between ED and urgent care clinicians; and possible solutions to improve communication. Our findings highlight variation in communication from UCCs to EDs, indicating a need to improve communication standards and practices. We identify several potential ways to improve this clinical information hand-off. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

3 CFR - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to the Continuing Conflict in Pakistan

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to the Continuing Conflict in Pakistan Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents... to the Continuing Conflict in Pakistan Memorandum for the Secretary of State By the authority vested...

Availability, accessibility, and affordability of neurodiagnostic tests in 37 countries.

Science.gov (United States)

McLane, Hannah C; Berkowitz, Aaron L; Patenaude, Bryan N; McKenzie, Erica D; Wolper, Emma; Wahlster, Sarah; Fink, Günther; Mateen, Farrah J

2015-11-03

To determine the availability, accessibility, and affordability of EEG, EMG, CSF analysis, head CT, and brain MRI for neurologic disorders across countries. An online, 60-question survey was distributed to neurology practitioners in 2014 to assess the presence, wait time, and cost of each test in private and public health sectors. Data were stratified by World Bank country income group. Affordability was calculated with reference to the World Health Organization's definition of catastrophic health expenditure as health-related out-of-pocket expenditure of >40% of disposable household income, and assessment of providers' perceptions of affordability to the patient. Availability of EEG and EMG is correlated with higher World Bank income group (correlation coefficient 0.38, test for trend p = 0.046; 0.376, p = 0.043); CSF, CT, and MRI did not show statistically significant associations with income groups. Patients in public systems wait longer for neurodiagnostic tests, especially MRI, EEG, and urgent CT (p private sector (US $55.25 vs $214.62, p income group is associated with a 29% decrease in the estimated share of the population who can afford a given test (95% confidence interval -33.4, 25.2; p income countries surveyed, only the top 10% or 20% of the population was able to afford tests below catastrophic levels. In surveyed lower-middle-income countries, >40% of the population, on average, could not afford neurodiagnostic tests. Neurodiagnostic tests are least affordable in the lowest income settings. Closing this "diagnostic gap" for countries with the lowest incomes is essential. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Diabetes research in Middle East countries; a scientometrics study from 1990 to 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niloofar Peykari

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Diabetes burden is a serious warning for urgent action plan across the world. Knowledge production in this context could provide evidences for more efficient interventions. Aimed to that, we quantify the trend of diabetes research outputs of Middle East countries focusing on the scientific publication numbers, citations, and international collaboration. Materials and Methods: This scientometrics study was performed based on the systematic analysis through three international databases; ISI, PubMed, and Scopus from 1990 to 2012. International collaboration of Middle East countries and citations was analyzed based on Scopus. Diabetes′ publications in Iran specifically were assessed, and frequent used terms were mapped by VOSviewer software. Results: Over 23-year period, the number of diabetes publications and related citations in Middle East countries had increasing trend. The number of articles on diabetes in ISI, PubMed, and Scopus were respectively; 13,994, 11,336, and 20,707. Turkey, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt have devoted the five top competition positions. In addition, Israel, Turkey, and Iran were leading countries in citation analysis. The most collaborative country with Middle East countries was USA and within the region, the most collaborative country was Saudi Arabia. Iran in all databases stands on third position and produced 12.7% of diabetes publications within region. Regarding diabetes researches, the frequent used terms in Iranian articles were "effect," "woman," and "metabolic syndrome." Conclusion: Ascending trend of diabetes research outputs in Middle East countries is appreciated but encouraging to strategic planning for maintaining this trend, and more collaboration between researchers is needed to regional health promotion.

Lack of school requirements and clinician recommendations for human papillomavirus vaccination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linda M. Niccolai

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background: A strong recommendation from a clinician is one of the best predictors of human papillomavirus (HPV vaccination among adolescents, yet many clinicians do not provide effective recommendations. The objective of this study was to understand how the lack of school entry requirements for HPV vaccination influences clinicians’ recommendations. Design and Methods: Semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 32 clinicians were conducted in 2015 in Connecticut USA. Data were analysed using an iterative thematic approach in 2016-2017. Results: Many clinicians described presenting HPV vaccination as optional or non-urgent because it is not required for school entry. This was noted to be different from how other required vaccines were discussed. Even strong recommendations were often qualified by statements about the lack of requirements. Furthermore, lack of requirements was often raised initially by clinicians and not by parents. Many clinicians agreed that requirements would simplify the recommendation, but that parents may not agree with requirements. Personal opinions about school entry requirements were mixed. Conclusions: The current lack of school entry requirements for HPV vaccination is an important influence on clinicians’ recommendations that are often framed as optional or non-urgent. Efforts are needed to strengthen the quality of clinicians’ recommendations in a way that remains strong and focused on disease prevention yet uncoupled from the lack of requirements that may encourage delays. Additionally, greater support for requirements among clinicians may be needed to successfully enact requirements in the future.

[Are urgent imaging tests indicated in the management of acute pancreatitis?].

Science.gov (United States)

Fornell Pérez, R; Lozano Rodríguez, A

2016-01-01

Acute pancreatitis is a common emergency within abdominal disease. It is accepted that two of three conditions must be fulfilled for its diagnosis: characteristic clinical presentation, characteristic laboratory findings, and/or characteristic diagnostic imaging findings. The first two conditions are the most often used, probably for reasons of efficiency and frequency. Nevertheless, the need for imaging studies is sometimes a source of conflict. For this reason, we decided to review the current evidence regarding the indication of urgent imaging tests in the management of acute pancreatitis. Copyright © 2015 SERAM. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Perspective of patients, patients' families, and healthcare providers towards designing and delivering hospice care services in a middle income Country.

Science.gov (United States)

Azami-Aghdash, Saber; Ghojazadeh, Morteza; Aghaei, Mir Hossein; Naghavi-Behzad, Mohammad; Asgarlo, Zoleikha

2015-01-01

In view of the recent surge in chronic disease rates and elderly population in the developing countries, there is an urgent felt need for palliative and hospice care services. The present study investigates the views and attitudes of patients and their families, physicians, nurses, healthcare administrators, and insurers regarding designing and delivering hospice care service in a middle income country. In this qualitative study, the required data was collected using semi structured interviews and was analyzed using thematic analysis. Totally 65 participants from hospitals and Tabriz University of Medical Sciences were selected purposively to achieve data saturation. Analyzing the data, five main themes (barriers, facilitators, strategies, attitudes, and service provider) were extracted. Barriers included financial issues, cultural-religious beliefs, patient and family-related obstacles, and barriers related to healthcare system. Facilitators included family-related issues, cultural-religious beliefs, as well as facilitators associated with patients, healthcare status, and benefits of hospice service. Most participants (79%) had positive attitude towards hospice care service. Participant suggested 10 ways to design and deliver effective and efficient hospice care service. They thought the presence of physicians, nurses, and psychologists and other specialists and clergy were necessary in the hospice care team. Due to lack of experience in hospice care in developing countries, research for identifying probable barriers and appropriate management for reducing unsuccessfulness in designing and delivering hospice care service seems necessary. Input from the facilitators and their suggested solutions can be useful in planning the policy for hospice care system.

Nuclear Safety Culture Assessment for a Newcomer Country: Case Study of Jordan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khasawneh, Khalid; Park, Yun Woon

2016-01-01

For countries initiating or considering to start their nuclear power programs; developing a successful safety culture is of a great challenge, owing to lack of experience and the sensitive nature of the nuclear industry in general. The Jordanian case was chosen since Jordan is in the early stages of its nuclear program and the establishment of an effective safety culture is crucial to guarantee the safe operation of its future nuclear facilities. It also should be noted that Fukushima accident has adversely affected the progress of the Jordanian nuclear program driven by the negative public opinion. The government shifts the policies toward enhancing the nuclear safety by enforcing the communication between the engaged parties and openness and transparency with public. In the wake of Fukushima accident the Jordanian government reassured the appropriate siting criteria and siting review, the leadership and the organizations commitment to nuclear safety by adopting advanced reactor technology, the consideration of modern operator accident mitigation strategies and the increased and close cooperation with IAEA and adherence to evolving international safety standards. The progress in the Jordanian nuclear power project in order to satisfy the IAEA requirements was quantified and ranked. A good progress was shown in some aspects, for example in the multicultural and multi-national elements and the establishment of an independent and effective regulatory body. However, some elements, concerning the understanding of the safety culture, management system of the regulatory body and the cultural assessment was not satisfied and an urgent need to focus on and enhance those aspects are required by the Jordanian government. Some elements, for example the leadership, communication and competence, have partial fulfillment of the IAEA requirements. However enhancing those aspects is required in the short and the mid-term in order to guarantee a well-established nuclear power

Nuclear Safety Culture Assessment for a Newcomer Country: Case Study of Jordan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khasawneh, Khalid; Park, Yun Woon [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

For countries initiating or considering to start their nuclear power programs; developing a successful safety culture is of a great challenge, owing to lack of experience and the sensitive nature of the nuclear industry in general. The Jordanian case was chosen since Jordan is in the early stages of its nuclear program and the establishment of an effective safety culture is crucial to guarantee the safe operation of its future nuclear facilities. It also should be noted that Fukushima accident has adversely affected the progress of the Jordanian nuclear program driven by the negative public opinion. The government shifts the policies toward enhancing the nuclear safety by enforcing the communication between the engaged parties and openness and transparency with public. In the wake of Fukushima accident the Jordanian government reassured the appropriate siting criteria and siting review, the leadership and the organizations commitment to nuclear safety by adopting advanced reactor technology, the consideration of modern operator accident mitigation strategies and the increased and close cooperation with IAEA and adherence to evolving international safety standards. The progress in the Jordanian nuclear power project in order to satisfy the IAEA requirements was quantified and ranked. A good progress was shown in some aspects, for example in the multicultural and multi-national elements and the establishment of an independent and effective regulatory body. However, some elements, concerning the understanding of the safety culture, management system of the regulatory body and the cultural assessment was not satisfied and an urgent need to focus on and enhance those aspects are required by the Jordanian government. Some elements, for example the leadership, communication and competence, have partial fulfillment of the IAEA requirements. However enhancing those aspects is required in the short and the mid-term in order to guarantee a well-established nuclear power

Single port laparoscopic colorectal surgery in debilitated patients and in the urgent setting.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Moftah, M

2012-09-01

Single port laparoscopy is a relatively new niche in the expanding spectrum of minimal access surgery for colorectal disease. To date the published experience has predominantly focused on planned operations for neoplasia in the elective setting. It seems probable however that the benefits of minimal abdominal wounding will be greatest among those patients with the highest risk of impaired wound healing. Combining this with the impression of improved cosmesis suggests that (the mostly young) patients with inflammatory bowel disease needing urgent operation are the most likely to appreciate and benefit from the extraoperative effort. The extension of single port surgery to the acute setting and for debilitated individuals is therefore a likely next step advance in broadening the category of patients for whom it represents a real benefit and ultimately aid in focusing by selection the subgroups for whom this technique is best suited and most appropriate. We describe here our approach (including routine use of a surgical glove port) to patients presenting for urgent colorectal operation for benign disease. As provision of specialized approaches regardless of timing or mode of presentation is a defining component of any specialty service, this concept will soon be more fully elucidated and established.

Delivering affordable cancer care in high-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Richard; Peppercorn, Jeffrey; Sikora, Karol; Zalcberg, John; Meropol, Neal J; Amir, Eitan; Khayat, David; Boyle, Peter; Autier, Philippe; Tannock, Ian F; Fojo, Tito; Siderov, Jim; Williamson, Steve; Camporesi, Silvia; McVie, J Gordon; Purushotham, Arnie D; Naredi, Peter; Eggermont, Alexander; Brennan, Murray F; Steinberg, Michael L; De Ridder, Mark; McCloskey, Susan A; Verellen, Dirk; Roberts, Terence; Storme, Guy; Hicks, Rodney J; Ell, Peter J; Hirsch, Bradford R; Carbone, David P; Schulman, Kevin A; Catchpole, Paul; Taylor, David; Geissler, Jan; Brinker, Nancy G; Meltzer, David; Kerr, David; Aapro, Matti

2011-09-01

The burden of cancer is growing, and the disease is becoming a major economic expenditure for all developed countries. In 2008, the worldwide cost of cancer due to premature death and disability (not including direct medical costs) was estimated to be US$895 billion. This is not simply due to an increase in absolute numbers, but also the rate of increase of expenditure on cancer. What are the drivers and solutions to the so-called cancer-cost curve in developed countries? How are we going to afford to deliver high quality and equitable care? Here, expert opinion from health-care professionals, policy makers, and cancer survivors has been gathered to address the barriers and solutions to delivering affordable cancer care. Although many of the drivers and themes are specific to a particular field-eg, the huge development costs for cancer medicines-there is strong concordance running through each contribution. Several drivers of cost, such as over-use, rapid expansion, and shortening life cycles of cancer technologies (such as medicines and imaging modalities), and the lack of suitable clinical research and integrated health economic studies, have converged with more defensive medical practice, a less informed regulatory system, a lack of evidence-based sociopolitical debate, and a declining degree of fairness for all patients with cancer. Urgent solutions range from re-engineering of the macroeconomic basis of cancer costs (eg, value-based approaches to bend the cost curve and allow cost-saving technologies), greater education of policy makers, and an informed and transparent regulatory system. A radical shift in cancer policy is also required. Political toleration of unfairness in access to affordable cancer treatment is unacceptable. The cancer profession and industry should take responsibility and not accept a substandard evidence base and an ethos of very small benefit at whatever cost; rather, we need delivery of fair prices and real value from new technologies

Acquired heart disease in low-income and middle-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Curry, Chris; Zuhlke, Liesl; Mocumbi, Ana; Kennedy, Neil

2018-01-01

The burden of illness associated with acquired cardiac disease in children in low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC) is significant and may be equivalent to that of congenital heart disease. Rheumatic heart disease, endomyocardial fibrosis, cardiomyopathy (including HIV cardiomyopathy) and tuberculosis are the most important causes. All are associated with poverty with the neediest children having the least access to care. The associated mortality and morbidity is high. There is an urgent need to improve cardiac care in LMIC, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Southeast Asia where the burden is highest. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

El Mapa de la Incapacidad en España una necesidad urgente

OpenAIRE

Araceli López-Guillén García; José Manuel Vicente Pardo

2015-01-01

Resumen: Es urgente adaptar los sistemas de recogida de datos en incapacidad laboral para conseguir una mejor explotación epidemiológica de los mismos que facilite conocer la situación, análisis y planificación estratégica sobre incapacidad, creando con una base de datos mínimos básicos el Mapa de la Incapacidad en España permitiendo conocer las causas y el impacto de las situaciones de incapacidad laboral, practicar una gestión integral de recursos, prevenir las situaciones de incapacidad la...

Quantifying Projected Heat Mortality Impacts under 21st-Century Warming Conditions for Selected European Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kendrovski, Vladimir; Baccini, Michela; Martinez, Gerardo Sanchez; Wolf, Tanja; Paunovic, Elizabet; Menne, Bettina

2017-07-05

Under future warming conditions, high ambient temperatures will have a significant impact on population health in Europe. The aim of this paper is to quantify the possible future impact of heat on population mortality in European countries, under different climate change scenarios. We combined the heat-mortality function estimated from historical data with meteorological projections for the future time laps 2035-2064 and 2071-2099, developed under the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5. We calculated attributable deaths (AD) at the country level. Overall, the expected impacts will be much larger than the impacts we would observe if apparent temperatures would remain in the future at the observed historical levels. During the period 2071-2099, an overall excess of 46,690 and 117,333 AD per year is expected under the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios respectively, in addition to the 16,303 AD estimated under the historical scenario. Mediterranean and Eastern European countries will be the most affected by heat, but a non-negligible impact will be still registered in North-continental countries. Policies and plans for heat mitigation and adaptation are needed and urgent in European countries in order to prevent the expected increase of heat-related deaths in the coming decades.

76 FR 53295 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to the Horn of Africa

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-25

...-12 of August 8, 2011--Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to the Horn of Africa... Migration Needs Related to the Horn of Africa Memorandum for the Secretary of State By the authority vested... Department of State, related to the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa. You are authorized and...

Atomic energy today: An urgent dilemma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coronado, G.

1997-01-01

This article compiles the trajectory of the nuclear energy, in different countries of the world, since 1939. It also makes reference to the nuclear accidents that have happened in the past. It contains information of other applications of the nuclear energy, such as: the atomic industry of energetic production and alternatives to the nuclear energy [es

Archival Education in Scandinavian Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammet Hanefi Kutluoğlu

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Every country has responsibilities to provide the necessary personnel needed for their archival inheritance by education. Education can be shaped through tradition, historical inheritance and scientifi c necessities by defi ning the right educational method. Scandinavian countries have determined different education models based on their tradition, historical inheritance and requirements. In this article we focused on the formation of archival tradition, application of archival education in Scandinavian countries and the infl uence of the developments taking place in Europe on these countries. The relation between the archival education in European and Scandinavian countries is evaluated through a comparative method, and similarities to other countries are also evaluated. Finally, the present situation of archival education and the measures needed in this fi eld are taken into consideration.

Financing the energy sector in developing countries: context and overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunkerley, Joy.

1995-01-01

Traditional 'business as usual' financing methods will no longer be adequate to meet the unprecedented demands for capital to finance energy sector expansion in the developing countries. In recognition, many countries are opening up their power sectors to private investment, initially through the establishment of independent power projects, but in some cases through sector privatization. Project financing has many advantages, but further sectoral reorganization, including tariff reform, will be needed to attract resources on the scale required, especially from domestic investors. In oil and gas, in contrast to power, private capital from the international oil companies has always played a major role in the developing countries. However, sharply increasing investment requirements require a growing role for external finance. There should, in principle, be no shortage of investible funds to finance energy sector expansion in developing countries so long as host countries establish conditions which are attractive to private investors. The augmented role of private finance requires a continuing, if different, role for the public sector in both host countries and official aid agencies. (author)

Strategy to combat obesity and to promote physical activity in Arab countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulrahman O Musaiger

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abdulrahman O Musaiger1, Hazzaa M Al Hazzaa2, Aayed Al-Qahtani3, Jalila Elati4, Jasem Ramadan5, Nebal A AboulElla6, Najat Mokhtar7, Hashem A Kilani81Arab Center for Nutrition, Bahrain; 2,3King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, 4National Institute of Nutrition, Tunisia; 5University of Kuwait, Kuwait; 6National Nutrition Institute, Egypt; 7Ibn Tofail University, Morocco; 8Sultan Qaboos University, OmanAbstract: Obesity has become a major public health problem in the Arab countries, creating a health and economic burden on these countries’ government services. There is an urgent need to develop a strategy for prevention and control of obesity. The third Arab Conference on Obesity and Physical Activity was held in Bahrain in January 2010, and proposed the Strategy to Combat Obesity and Promote Physical Activity in Arab Countries. This strategy provides useful guidelines for each Arab country to prepare its own strategy or plan of action to prevent and control obesity. The strategy focused on expected outcomes, objectives, indicators to measure the objectives, and action needs for 9 target areas: child-care centers for preschool children, schools, primary health care, secondary care, food companies, food preparation institutes, media, public benefit organizations, and the workplace. Follow-up and future developments of this strategy were also included.Keywords: obesity, physical activity, strategy, Arab countries

The nuclear electric option in developing countries: Technical, economic, and political problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, F.A.

1984-01-01

During this century and the first half of the next, energy will be obtained principally from fossil fuels (coal, petroleum, and gas); in about 20 years, the production of petroleum will start to diminish due to the exhaustion of reserves, and the principal energy source will become coal, whose world reserves are ten times greater than hydrocarbons. In spite of its' petroleum reserves, Mexico should consider itself as a country poor in fossil fuel because its reserves of mineral coal are small. Petroleum and gas provide, at present more than 85% of the energy that the country uses and an amount similar to that which they consume is exported. Apart from burning it, petroleum has other very important applications such as petrochemicals and the production of fertilizers. At present, countries like Mexico which are poor in fossil fuels are sending fuels to countries rich in fossil fuels. They are doing this to achieve their development and to satisfy urgent needs. Faced with this situation which is irreversible, there is an obligation to programming the development of energy not in a six year period but 50 years or more, and to revise the program continually, due to the existing uncertainties; only in this way can the energy resources which will be left to new generations for their survival be planned

Quality of emergency rooms and urgent care services: user satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Cássio de Almeida; Santos, Bruna Tatiane Prates dos; Andrade, Dina Luciana Batista; Barbosa, Francielle Alves; Costa, Fernanda Marques da; Carneiro, Jair Almeida

2015-01-01

To evaluate the quality of emergency rooms and urgent care services according to the satisfaction of their users. A cross-sectional descriptive study with a quantitative approach. The sample comprised 136 users and was drawn at random. Data collection took place between October and November 2012 using a structured questionnaire. Participants were mostly male (64.7%) aged less than 30 years (55.8%), and the predominant level of education was high school (54.4%). Among the items evaluated, those that were statistically associated with levels of satisfaction with care were waiting time, confidence in the service, model of care, and the reason for seeking care related to acute complaints, cleanliness, and comfortable environment. Accessibility, hospitality, and infrastructure were considered more relevant factors for patient satisfaction than the cure itself.

Medicines registration in Portuguese-speaking African countries, focusing in the following countries: Angola, Cap Verde and Mozambique

OpenAIRE

Figueiredo, Alina Maria Moreira de

2015-01-01

This work aims to present the regulation perspective on the medicines registration in PALOPs – Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa (Portuguese‐speaking African countries), their regulatory requirements, constraints and opportunities, focusing on the following countries: Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique. This thesis has as purpose to deepen and systematize knowledge with regard to the registration procedure of medicines in the selected countries. Regulatory pers...

75 FR 25271 - Office of Refugee Resettlement; Urgent Single Source Grant to Survivors of Torture International...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-07

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families Office of Refugee Resettlement; Urgent Single Source Grant to Survivors of Torture International (SOTI) AGENCY: Office of Refugee... effects of torture. (2) Social and legal services for victims of torture. (3) Research and training for...

The carcinogenic effects of aspartame: The urgent need for regulatory re-evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Soffritti, Morando; Padovani, Michela; Tibaldi, Eva; Falcioni, Laura; Manservisi, Fabiana; Belpoggi, Fiorella

2014-04-01

Aspartame (APM) is an artificial sweetener used since the 1980s, now present in >6,000 products, including over 500 pharmaceuticals. Since its discovery in 1965, and its first approval by the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in 1981, the safety of APM, and in particular its carcinogenicity potential, has been controversial. The present commentary reviews the adequacy of the design and conduct of carcinogenicity bioassays on rodents submitted by G.D. Searle, in the 1970s, to the FDA for market approval. We also review how experimental and epidemiological data on the carcinogenic risks of APM, that became available in 2005 motivated the European Commission (EC) to call the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) for urgent re-examination of the available scientific documentation (including the Searle studies). The EC has further requested that, if the results of the evaluation should suggest carcinogenicity, major changes must be made to the current APM specific regulations. Taken together, the studies performed by G.D. Searle in the 1970s and other chronic bioassays do not provide adequate scientific support for APM safety. In contrast, recent results of life-span carcinogenicity bioassays on rats and mice published in peer-reviewed journals, and a prospective epidemiological study, provide consistent evidence of APM's carcinogenic potential. On the basis of the evidence of the potential carcinogenic effects of APM herein reported, a re-evaluation of the current position of international regulatory agencies must be considered an urgent matter of public health. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Urgent medical response in CBR incidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castulik, P.; Slabotinsky, J.; Kralik, L.; Bradka, S.

2009-01-01

During CBR incidents with releases of hazardous materials (HazMat), there is extremely urgent aim of first rescuing responders to safe the life for as much as possible victims and reducing health consequences from the exposure of the HazMat. Highest priority of the response is to be applied, if victims are exposed with chemicals through their airways and/or mucous membranes. There is general approach in the emergency medical services (EMS) stated that the victims being in critical status have to receive emergency medical care on-site even prior the transportation to a medical facility. However, in a case of CBR events the EMS prefer to provide the First Aid for victims to be already decontaminated as mass casualties, e.g. by the firemen and transferred to a safe zone. This approach is to be time consuming and thus creating delays in medical care not in the favor of a victim's successful survival. In order to overcome this approach, there are needs for eminent ceasing of the victims exposure, protection of breathing tract/ventilation support and administration of antidotes, if available. All this have to be done in shortest time since HazMat incident/accident occurs. This presentation is focusing on emergency provisions for saving victims directly in contaminated environment through the assistance by responders, concentrating on search and rescue of victims, their emergency decontamination, breathing protection, clothing removal, ventilation support, antidote administration, fixing and bandage of trauma injuries prior transportation and/or mass decontamination. This experience is shared based on a field exercise with the EMS volunteers (Red Cross), fire brigade volunteers and university's students.(author)

Urgent surgery for complicated colonic diverticula.

Science.gov (United States)

Funariu, Gheorghe; Binţinţan, Vasile; Seicean, Radu

2006-03-01

The AIM of this retrospective study was to evaluate the emergency surgical treatment of life-threatening complications of colonic diverticula. In the last 11 years, 22 of 101 patients with colonic diverticula (22.1%) underwent urgent surgery for acute complications: perforated gangrenous diverticulitis with generalized peritonitis (n=8) or pericolic abscess (n=8), acute bowel obstruction (n=4) and severe diverticular bleeding (n=2). In all patients with diffuse peritonitis or acute obstruction the indication for surgery was decided on clinical basis and the complicated diverticula were recognized only intra-operatively. Emergency surgical strategy differed according to the type of complication and the biologic condition of the patient: segmental colectomy and primary anastomosis for diverticular perforation (n=4), colonic stenosis (n=3) or diverticular bleeding (n=2); Hartmann resection with late reconnecting anastomosis in patients with diverticular perforation (n=5) or colonic obstruction (n=1); diverticulectomy with peritoneal drainage (n=2) and colostomy and drainage followed by secondary colectomy (n=5) for diverticular perforations in patients with poor general condition. Only one patient (4.5%) died post-operatively of multiple organ failure from generalized peritonitis. There was no anastomotic leakage in patients with primary anastomosis. Six patients (27.2%) developed wound infection. Hospital stay ranged between 11 and 60 days, significantly longer in cases with two-stage operations. Primary colectomy with immediate or delayed anastomosis is the best surgical procedure for acute divericular complications in patients with good biologic status. Two-stage operations such as colostomy and drainage coupled with late colectomy remain the viable alternative in patients with advanced disease and critical biologic condition.

Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Hungary 2006 Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-07-01

Hungary has arrived at an important moment in its energy policy. The Hungarian government has improved energy policies in a number of areas. Still, significant challenges remain. To prepare the country for the full liberalisation of the EU electricity and gas market by July 2007, further steps in market reform are urgently required. At this point in time, there is no clarity about the system under which the market should operate after its full opening. Subsidies are another problem. Even though substantial progress has been made in reforming payments to gas consumers, the overall level of subsidies to producers and consumers of energy needs to be reviewed. This analysis makes recommendations to tackle these concerns and also discusses the potential contribution of energy efficiency to increasing energy security and economic competitiveness. The gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine in January 2006 focused global attention on consumer nations' vulnerability to supply disruptions. The Hungarian government has since placed greater emphasis on diversification of suppliers and has supported the development of new routes to bring gas into Europe. Hungary has dramatically improved its energy efficiency during the last 15 years. Nevertheless, enhanced efficiency, particularly in the field of gas use will continue to play a key role for securing future national energy supplies. This review has identified significant room for progress particularly in the gas-to-power sector, where old power stations need to be replaced, and in the residential sector, where improved thermal performance of Hungarian housing could bring impressive results.

Energy Policies of IEA Countries: Hungary 2006 Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-07-01

Hungary has arrived at an important moment in its energy policy. The Hungarian government has improved energy policies in a number of areas. Still, significant challenges remain. To prepare the country for the full liberalisation of the EU electricity and gas market by July 2007, further steps in market reform are urgently required. At this point in time, there is no clarity about the system under which the market should operate after its full opening. Subsidies are another problem. Even though substantial progress has been made in reforming payments to gas consumers, the overall level of subsidies to producers and consumers of energy needs to be reviewed. This analysis makes recommendations to tackle these concerns and also discusses the potential contribution of energy efficiency to increasing energy security and economic competitiveness. The gas dispute between Russia and Ukraine in January 2006 focused global attention on consumer nations' vulnerability to supply disruptions. The Hungarian government has since placed greater emphasis on diversification of suppliers and has supported the development of new routes to bring gas into Europe. Hungary has dramatically improved its energy efficiency during the last 15 years. Nevertheless, enhanced efficiency, particularly in the field of gas use will continue to play a key role for securing future national energy supplies. This review has identified significant room for progress particularly in the gas-to-power sector, where old power stations need to be replaced, and in the residential sector, where improved thermal performance of Hungarian housing could bring impressive results.

Conservative approach versus urgent appendectomy in surgical management of acute appendicitis with abscess or phlegmon Resultados del tratamiento conservador inicial y de la cirugía urgente en la apendicitis aguda evolucionada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. M. Aranda-Narváez

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Surgical management of acute appendicitis with appendiceal abscess or phlegmon remains controversial. We studied the results of initial conservative treatment (antibiotics and percutaneous drainage if necessary, with or without interval appendectomy compared with immediate surgery. Methods: We undertook an observational, retrospective cohort study of patients with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of acute appendicitis with an abscess or phlegmon, treated in our hospital between January 1997 and March 2009. Patients younger than 14, with severe sepsis or with diffuse peritonitis were excluded. A study group of 15 patients with acute appendicitis complicated with an abscess or phlegmon underwent conservative treatment. A control group was composed of the other patients, who all underwent urgent appendectomy, matched for age and later randomized 1:1. The infectious risk stratification was established with the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System (NNIS index. Dependent variables were hospital stay and surgical site infection. Analysis was with SPSS, with p Introducción: Existe controversia acerca del tratamiento idóneo de la apendicitis aguda evolucionada en forma de absceso o flemón. Realizamos un estudio para la evaluación de resultados del tratamiento conservador inicial (antibiótico y drenaje percutáneo si se precisa, con/sin apendicectomía diferida y del tratamiento quirúrgico urgente. Método: Estudio observacional analítico de cohortes retrospectivas. Criterios de inclusión: pacientes con diagnóstico clínico y radiológico de apendicitis aguda evolucionada en forma de absceso o flemón, tratados en nuestro hospital entre enero 1997 y marzo 2009, excluyendo pacientes pediátricos, con sepsis grave o peritonitis difusa. En 15 pacientes con apendicitis complicada con absceso o flemón (cohorte de estudio se indicó tratamiento conservador inicial. El grupo control se obtuvo del resto de pacientes (en

Outcomes of urgent carotid endarterectomy for stable and unstable acute neurologic deficits.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbetta, Iacopo; Carmo, Michele; Mercandalli, Giulio; Lattuada, Patrizia; Mazzaccaro, Daniela; Settembrini, Alberto M; Dallatana, Raffaello; Settembrini, Piergiorgio G

2014-02-01

The aim of the study was to assess the outcomes of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) performed in an urgent setting on acutely symptomatic patients selected through a very simple protocol. From January 2002 to January 2012, 193 symptomatic patients underwent CEA. Of these, 90 presented with acute symptoms, and after a congruous carotid stenosis was identified, underwent urgent operations (group 1): 27 patients had transient ischemic attack (group 1A), 52 patients had mild to moderate stroke (group 1B), and 11 patients had stroke in evolution (group 1C). The remaining 103 patients with a nonrecent neurologic deficit were treated by elective surgery in the same period (group 2). End points were 30-day neurologic morbidity and mortality. The median delay of urgent CEA (U-CEA) from deficit onset was 48 hours (interquartile range, 13-117 hours). Groups 1 and 2 were comparable in demographics. Acute patients showed a higher rate of stroke at presentation (70% vs 37%; P = .001) and of history of coronary artery disease (30% vs 13.5%; P = .007). Acute patients sustained six postoperative strokes (6.6%). Neurologic outcomes were correlated to clinical presentation: no strokes occurred in group 1A patients, and 5.8% group 1B patients and 27.3% group 1C patients had postoperative stroke (P two thromboembolic strokes. Elective patients sustained four postoperative strokes (3.9%), with one death (0.9%) as a consequence of hyperperfusion cerebral edema. U-CEAs performed ≤48 hours from symptom onset had a lower postoperative stroke rate than those performed >48 hours (4.4% vs 8.8%; P = .3). Among patients presenting with a stroke (group 1B), the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) assessment at discharge showed improvement in 79% (although only 25% had ≥4 points in reduction), stability in 17%, and deterioration in 4%. Patients with moderate stroke were slightly better in NIHSS improvement than those with mild stroke (median NIHSS variation at discharge, -3 vs -1; P

Role of enhanced multi-detector-row computed tomography before urgent endoscopy in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyaoka, Youichi; Amano, Yuji; Ueno, Sayaka; Izumi, Daisuke; Mikami, Hironobu; Yazaki, Tomotaka; Okimoto, Eiko; Sonoyama, Takayuki; Ito, Satoko; Fujishiro, Hirofumi; Kohge, Naruaki; Imaoka, Tomonori

2014-04-01

Multi-detector-row computed tomography (MDCT) has been reported to be a potentially useful modality for detection of the bleeding origin in patients with acute upper massive gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of MDCT as a routine method for detecting the origin of acute upper GI bleeding prior to urgent endoscopy. Five hundred seventy-seven patients with acute upper GI bleeding (514 nonvariceal patients, 63 variceal patients) who underwent urgent upper GI endoscopy were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups: enhanced MDCT, unenhanced MDCT, and no MDCT before endoscopy. The diagnostic accuracy of MDCT for detection of the bleeding origin was evaluated, and the average procedure times needed to endoscopically identify the bleeding origin were compared between groups. Diagnostic accuracy among endoscopists was 55.3% and 14.7% for the enhanced MDCT and unenhanced MDCT groups, respectively. Among nonvariceal patients, accuracy was 50.2% in the enhanced MDCT group, which was significantly better than that in the unenhanced MDCT group (16.5%). In variceal patients, accuracy was significantly better in the enhanced MDCT group (96.4%) than in the unenhanced MDCT group (0.0%). These accuracies were similar to those achieved by expert radiologists. The average procedure time to endoscopic detection of the bleeding origin in the enhanced MDCT group was significantly faster than that in the unenhanced MDCT and no-MDCT groups. Enhanced MDCT preceding urgent endoscopy may be an effective modality for the detection of bleeding origin in patients with acute upper GI bleeding. © 2013 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Energy in developing countries: prospects and problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baum, V.

1977-01-01

This paper analyses requirements for primary energy and electric power in the developing countries in the light of projections of population and economic growth. It evaluates the availability of indigenous energy resources and focuses on input requirements (capital, technology, trained personnel) for accelerated energy development; it reviews possible supplies for such inputs from domestic sources, transnational corporations, multilateral institutions, and through co-operation among the developing countries themselves and between the developing and the developed countries. The paper analyses the findings of the United Nations study ''The Future of the World Economy. A Study on the Impact of the Prospective Economic Issues and Policies on the International Development Strategy'' as far as they relate to energy and the developing countries in the light of the objectives of the Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order

Comparing Anesthesiology Residency Training Structure and Requirements in Seven Different Countries on Three Continents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yamamoto, Satoshi; Tanaka, Pedro; Madsen, Matias V

2017-01-01

, and Switzerland as a way to better understand efforts to train anesthesiologists in different countries. Two physicians trained in each of the seven countries (convenience sample) were interviewed using a semi-structured approach. The interview was facilitated by use of a predetermined questionnaire that included...

Wood biomass gasification: Technology assessment and prospects in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salvadego, C.

1992-05-01

This investigation of the technical-economic feasibility of the development and use of wood biomass gasification plants to help meet the energy requirements of developing countries covers the following aspects: resource availability and production; gasification technologies and biomass gasification plant typology; plant operating, maintenance and safety requirements; the use of the biomass derived gas in internal combustion engines and boilers; and the nature of energy requirements in developing countries. The paper concludes with a progress report on biomass gasification research programs being carried out in developing countries world-wide

Rheumatologic services in Central Asian countries: current state of development of rheumatology in Central Asia.

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Omurzakova, Nazgul A; Yamano, Yoshihisa; Saatova, Guli M; Shukurova, Surayo M; Mirzakhanova, Mavliuda I; Kydyralieva, Ryskul B; Jumagulova, Aynagul S; Mirrakhimov, Erkin M; Seisenbaev, Askar Sh; Nishioka, Kusuki; Nakajima, Toshihiro

2009-12-01

Rheumatologic and public health services of Central Asia's republics have suffered hugely as a result of social and economic declines following the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and transition of these republics to market economies. Between 1990 and 2000 there was a mass outflow of highly skilled rheumatologists and teachers and researchers in rheumatology to countries abroad, leading to significant deprivation of rheumatological service in Central Asian countries. During this time, there was continued growth of various rheumatic diseases (RDs) including rheumatic fever, and musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders. The medical and social burden of RDs imposed on society was strongly underestimated until recent times. There is an urgent need to define the epidemiology of RDs and their impact on the quality of life of people afflicted by these conditions, and to improve the diagnostics and treatment of these conditions.

Pharmacovigilance activities in ASEAN countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Suwankesawong, Wimon; Dhippayom, Teerapon; Tan-Koi, Wei-Chuen; Kongkaew, Chuenjid

2016-09-01

This study aimed to explore the current landscape and identify challenges of pharmacovigilance (PV) among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. This cross-sectional survey collected data from May 2014 to December 2015. Questionnaires seeking to collect information on resources, processes, roles and responsibility, and functions of PV systems were sent to relevant persons in the ASEAN countries. Functions of PV centers were measured using the minimum World Health Organization requirements for a functional national PV system. Performances of PV centers were measured by the following: (1) the indicators related to the average number of individual case safety reports (ICSR); (2) presence of signal detection activities and subsequent action; and (3) contribution to the global vigilance database. Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam completed the survey. PV systems in four surveyed countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand) achieved all aspects of the World Health Organization minimum requirement for a functional national PV system; the remaining countries were deemed to have unclear communication strategies and/or no official advisory committee. Average numbers of recent ICSR national returns ranged from 7 to 3817 reports/year/million population; three countries (Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand) demonstrated good performance in reporting system and reported signal detection activities and subsequent actions. All participating countries had submitted ICSRs to the Uppsala Monitoring Center during the survey period (2013-2015). Four participating countries had functional PV systems. PV capacity, functionality, and legislative framework varied depending on local healthcare ecosystem networks. Implementing effective communication strategies and/or technical assistance from the advisory committee are needed to strengthen PV in ASEAN. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright �

Urgent X-ray examination of new-born babies. 1. Oesophagus-stomach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ponhold, W; Poplavski, K [Vienna Univ. (Austria). Kinderklinik

1981-01-01

This paper provides the paediatrician using radiology and his assistants with exact and easily-understood instructions as to how to carry out an urgent X-ray examination of the oesophagus and the stomach. As far as an X-ray examination for the diagnosis of an atresia of the oesophagus, an oesophago-tracheo fistula and a pylorusstenosis, are concerned, fluoroscopy is in the first instance unnecessary, provided that an exact sequence of steps is kept to. Only in cases of long-term check-ups after oesophagus operations and oesophago-tracheo fistulas that are difficult to prove fluoroscopy is necessary. By carrying out the examinations suggested here, a correct diagnosis can be reached soon and exposure of the child to radiations kept to a minimum.

EU Structural Funds in the Baltic Countries-Useful or Harmful. Euroopa Liidu struktuurifondid Balti riikides- kasulikud või kahjulikud?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Urmas Varblane

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The current article is focused on the role of financial assistance from the European Union in the budgets of the three Baltic countries. They all have seriously benefitted from the support of EU structural funds, which have reached close to five per cent of their GDP. Based on the case of higher education research funding, the article argues that the Baltic countries overlook the additionality principle of the European Union cohesion policy. Structural funds are replacing the Baltic countries’ own funding. During the current EU programming period between 2014 and 2020 the exit strategies should be prepared by the governments of Baltic countries in order to be able to finance research with significantly lower support from EU cohesion funds. The precondition is that instead of a short-run view, in the coalition treaties of the Baltic governments, a long-term strategy for how to move toward knowledge intensive economies is also needed. The first and most urgent need is to improve the quality of use of the EU support funds by all three countries in order to support longrun productivity growth and increase the competitiveness of the Baltic countries.

Estacionalidad e impacto del turismo en la atención urgente hospitalaria y primaria

OpenAIRE

Mateu Sbert, Josep

2015-01-01

Los servicios de urgencias médicas hospitalarios y de atención primaria son considerados claves en el funcionamiento del sistema sanitario. Modelizar el comportamiento temporal de las visitas urgentes es fundamental para planificar adecuadamente su demanda, especialmente en aquellas regiones donde se producen altas oscilaciones estacionales de población. El objetivo de esta tesis doctoral es estimar el impacto del turismo sobre las series de urgencias médicas de titularidad pública, tanto de ...

Mini-grid based off-grid electrification to enhance electricity access in developing countries: What policies may be required?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharyya, Subhes C.; Palit, Debajit

2016-01-01

With 1.2 billion people still lacking electricity access by 2013, electricity access remains a major global challenge. Although mini-grid based electrification has received attention in recent times, their full exploitation requires policy support covering a range of areas. Distilling the experience from a five year research project, OASYS South Asia, this paper presents the summary of research findings and shares the experience from four demonstration activities. It suggests that cost-effective universal electricity service remains a challenge and reaching the universal electrification target by 2030 will remain a challenge for the less developed countries. The financial, organisational and governance weaknesses hinder successful implementation of projects in many countries. The paper then provides 10 policy recommendations to promote mini-grids as a complementary route to grid extension to promote electricity access for successful outcomes. - Highlights: •The academic and action research activities undertaken through OASYS South Asia Project are reported. •Evidence produced through a multi-dimensional participatory framework supplemented by four demonstration projects. •Funding and regulatory challenges militate against universal electrification objectives by 2030. •Innovative business approaches linking local mini-grids and livelihood opportunities exist. •Enabling policies are suggested to exploit such options.

Telemedicine for Developing Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Combi, Carlo; Pozzani, Gabriele

2016-01-01

Summary Background Developing countries need telemedicine applications that help in many situations, when physicians are a small number with respect to the population, when specialized physicians are not available, when patients and physicians in rural villages need assistance in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the requirements of telemedicine applications for developing countries are somewhat more demanding than for developed countries. Indeed, further social, organizational, and technical aspects need to be considered for successful telemedicine applications in developing countries. Objective We consider all the major projects in telemedicine, devoted to developing countries, as described by the proper scientific literature. On the basis of such literature, we want to define a specific taxonomy that allows a proper classification and a fast overview of telemedicine projects in developing countries. Moreover, by considering both the literature and some recent direct experiences, we want to complete such overview by discussing some design issues to be taken into consideration when developing telemedicine software systems. Methods We considered and reviewed the major conferences and journals in depth, and looked for reports on the telemedicine projects. Results We provide the reader with a survey of the main projects and systems, from which we derived a taxonomy of features of telemedicine systems for developing countries. We also propose and discuss some classification criteria for design issues, based on the lessons learned in this research area. Conclusions We highlight some challenges and recommendations to be considered when designing a telemedicine system for developing countries. PMID:27803948

Stigma towards people with mental illness in developing countries in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lauber, Christoph; Rössler, Wulf

2007-04-01

There is a wide range of literature on stigmatization and discrimination of people with mental illness. Most studies, however, derive from Western countries. This review aims at summarizing results from developing countries in Asia published between 1996-2006. Medline search focusing on English-speaking literature. Comparable to Western countries, there is a widespread tendency to stigmatize and discriminate people with mental illness in Asia. People with mental illness are considered as dangerous and aggressive which in turn increases the social distance. The role of supernatural, religious and magical approaches to mental illness is prevailing. The pathway to care is often shaped by scepticism towards mental health services and the treatments offered. Stigma experienced from family members is pervasive. Moreover, social disapproval and devaluation of families with mentally ill individuals are an important concern. This holds true particularly with regards to marriage, marital separation and divorce. Psychic symptoms, unlike somatic symptoms, are construed as socially disadvantageous. Thus, somatisation of psychiatric disorders is widespread in Asia. The most urgent problem of mental health care in Asia is the lack of personal and financial resources. Thus, mental health professionals are mostly located in urban areas. This increases the barriers to seek help and contributes to the stigmatization of the mentally ill. The attitude of mental health professionals towards people with mental illness is often stigmatizing. This review revealed that the stigmatization of people with mental illness is widespread in Asia. The features of stigmatization-beliefs about causes of and attitudes towards mental illness, consequences for help-seeking-have more commonalities than differences to Western countries.

The global burden of child burn injuries in light of country level economic development and income inequality.

Science.gov (United States)

Sengoelge, Mathilde; El-Khatib, Ziad; Laflamme, Lucie

2017-06-01

Child burn mortality differs widely between regions and is closely related to material deprivation, but reports on their global distribution are few. Investigating their country level distribution in light of economic level and income inequality will help assess the potential for macro-level improvements. We extracted data for child burn mortality from the Global Burden of Disease study 2013 and combined data into 1-14 years to calculate rates at country, region and income levels. We also compiled potential lives saved. Then we examined the relationship between country level gross domestic product per capita from the World Bank and income inequality (Gini Index) from the Standardized World Income Inequality Database and child burn mortality using Spearman coefficient correlations. Worldwide, the burden of child burn deaths is 2.5 per 100,000 across 103 countries with the largest burden in Sub-Saharan Africa (4.5 per 100,000). Thirty-four thousand lives could be saved yearly if all countries in the world had the same rates as the best performing group of high-income countries; the majority in low-income countries. There was a negative graded association between economic level and child burns for all countries aggregated and at regional level, but no consistent pattern existed for income inequality at regional level. The burden of child burn mortality varies by region and income level with prevention efforts needed most urgently in middle-income countries and Sub-Saharan Africa. Investment in safe living conditions and access to medical care are paramount to achieving further reductions in the global burden of preventable child burn deaths.

FFR-guided multivessel stenting reduces urgent revascularization compared with infarct-related artery only stenting in ST-elevation myocardial infarction: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Ankur; Bajaj, Navkaranbir S; Arora, Pankaj; Arora, Garima; Qamar, Arman; Bhatt, Deepak L

2018-02-01

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown fractional flow reserve-guided (FFR) multivessel stenting to be superior to infarct-related artery (IRA) only stenting in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel disease. This effect was mainly driven by a reduction in overall repeat revascularization. However, the ability to assess the effect of this strategy on urgent revascularization or reinfarction was underpowered in individual trials. We searched Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science for RCTs of FFR-guided multivessel stenting versus IRA-only stenting in STEMI with multivessel disease. The outcomes of interest were death, reinfarction, urgent, and non-urgent repeat revascularization. Risk ratios (RR) were pooled using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model. After review of 786 citations, 2 RCTs were included. The pooled results demonstrated a significant reduction in the composite of death, reinfarction, or revascularization in the FFR-guided multivessel stenting group versus IRA-only stenting group (RR [95%, Confidence Interval]: 0.49 [0.33-0.72], p<0.001). This risk reduction was driven mainly by a reduction in repeat revascularization, both urgent (0.41 [0.24-0.71], p=0.002) and non-urgent revascularization (0.31 [0.19-0.50], p<0.001). Pooled RR for reinfarction was lower in the FFR-guided strategy, but was not statistically significant (0.71[0.39-1.31], p=0.28). This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that a strategy of FFR-guided multivessel stenting in STEMI patients reduces not only overall repeat revascularization but also urgent revascularization. The effect on reinfarction needs to be evaluated in larger trials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Tale of Five Countries: Background and Confidence in Preservice Primary Teachers in Drama Education across Five Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Russell-Bowie, Deirdre E.

2013-01-01

In many public primary schools across different countries, generalist primary teachers are required to teach all subjects, including music, dance, drama and visual arts. This study investigates the background and confidence of preservice primary teachers from five countries in relation to drama and drama education. It also examines if there is a…

Reporting about disability evaluation in European countries.

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Anner, Jessica; Kunz, Regina; Boer, Wout de

2014-01-01

To compare the official requirements of the content of disability evaluation for social insurance across Europe and to explore how the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health is currently applied, using the rights and obligations of people with disabilities towards society as frame of reference. Survey. We used a semi-structured questionnaire to interview members of the European Union of Medicine in Assurance and Social Security (EUMASS), who are central medical advisors in social insurance systems in their country. We performed two email follow-up rounds to complete and verify responses. Fifteen respondents from 15 countries participated. In all countries, medical examiners are required to report about a claimant's working capacity and prognosis. In 14 countries, medical reports ought to contain information about socio-medical history and feasible interventions to improve the claimant's health status. The format of medical reporting on working capacity varies widely (free text, semi- and fully structured reports). One country makes a reference to the ICF in their reports on working capacity, others consider doing so. Official requirements on medical reporting about disability in social insurance across Europe follow the frame of four features: work capacity, socio-medical history, feasibility of intervention and prognosis of disability. There is an increasing trend to make formal or informal reference to the ICF in the reports about working capacity. The four features and the ICF may provide common references across countries to describe disability evaluation, facilitating national and international research. Implications for Rehabilitation Reporting about disability in social insurance in different countries is about work capacity, social medical history, feasibility of intervention and prognosis of disability. Formats of reporting on work capacity vary among countries, from free text to semi-structured report forms to fully structured

Control and management of congenital Chagas disease in Europe and other non-endemic countries: current policies and practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Soriano-Arandes, Antoni; Angheben, Andrea; Serre-Delcor, Nuria; Treviño-Maruri, Begoña; Gómez I Prat, Jordi; Jackson, Yves

2016-05-01

Identifying pregnant women infected with Trypanosoma cruzi is one of the major challenges for preventing and controlling Chagas disease (CD) in non-endemic countries. The aim of this paper was to perform a policy evaluation of the current practices of congenital Chagas disease (CCD) control in non-endemic countries and to propose specific targets for enhanced interventions to tackle this emerging health problem outside the endemic areas of Latin America. We conducted a mixed method review of CCD policy strategies by searching the literature in the PubMed, Google Scholar and the World Health Organization (WHO) databases using the key terms 'CCD', 'paediatric Chagas disease' and 'non-endemic countries'; as free text and combined as one phrase to increase the search sensitivity. Reviews, recommendations, guidelines and control/surveillance programme reports were included. Of 427 CCD papers identified in non-endemic countries, 44 matched the inclusion. Although local programmes were launched in different countries with large numbers of Latin American immigrants, there were considerable disparities in terms of the programmes' distribution, delivery, integration and appropriated CCD control strategies. Moreover, Catalonia, Spain is the only region/country with an established systematic monitoring of CCD in pregnant women from Latin American countries. Given the worldwide dissemination of CD, the nature of its vertical transmission, and the gaps of the current strategies in non-endemic countries, there is an urgent need to standardise, expand and reinforce the control measures against CCD transmission. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Projections of costs, financing, and additional resource requirements for low- and lower middle-income country immunization programs over the decade, 2011-2020.

Science.gov (United States)

Gandhi, Gian; Lydon, Patrick; Cornejo, Santiago; Brenzel, Logan; Wrobel, Sandra; Chang, Hugh

2013-04-18

The Decade of Vaccines Global Vaccine Action Plan has outlined a set of ambitious goals to broaden the impact and reach of immunization across the globe. A projections exercise has been undertaken to assess the costs, financing availability, and additional resource requirements to achieve these goals through the delivery of vaccines against 19 diseases across 94 low- and middle-income countries for the period 2011-2020. The exercise draws upon data from existing published and unpublished global forecasts, country immunization plans, and costing studies. A combination of an ingredients-based approach and use of approximations based on past spending has been used to generate vaccine and non-vaccine delivery costs for routine programs, as well as supplementary immunization activities (SIAs). Financing projections focused primarily on support from governments and the GAVI Alliance. Cost and financing projections are presented in constant 2010 US dollars (US$). Cumulative total costs for the decade are projected to be US$57.5 billion, with 85% for routine programs and the remaining 15% for SIAs. Delivery costs account for 54% of total cumulative costs, and vaccine costs make up the remainder. A conservative estimate of total financing for immunization programs is projected to be $34.3 billion over the decade, with country governments financing 65%. These projections imply a cumulative funding gap of $23.2 billion. About 57% of the total resources required to close the funding gap are needed just to maintain existing programs and scale up other currently available vaccines (i.e., before adding in the additional costs of vaccines still in development). Efforts to mobilize additional resources, manage program costs, and establish mutual accountability between countries and development partners will all be necessary to ensure the goals of the Decade of Vaccines are achieved. Establishing or building on existing mechanisms to more comprehensively track resources and

Co-operation with Eastern Europe countries taking ENAC as an example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, D.

1994-01-01

In the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident, the European Community launched an ambitious programme of nuclear safety assistance. The purpose of this programme is to improve the safety of the Nuclear Power stations in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union plants. It was felt in the Western European nuclear industry that the emphasis should be on finding practical solutions to improve the most urgent problems. To achieve this objective, the nuclear industry in Western Europe founded a consortium called ENAC (European Nuclear Assistance Consortium) comprising companies form seven European countries ( Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands). The co-operation between theses companies and the Russian designers would ensure that the solutions developed meet the approval of all interested parties. This presentation outlines the overall objectives of ENAC. 2 tabs., 1 fig

Supporting the delivery of cost-effective interventions in primary health-care systems in low-income and middle-income countries: an overview of systematic reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewin, Simon; Lavis, John N; Oxman, Andrew D; Bastías, Gabriel; Chopra, Mickey; Ciapponi, Agustín; Flottorp, Signe; Martí, Sebastian García; Pantoja, Tomas; Rada, Gabriel; Souza, Nathan; Treweek, Shaun; Wiysonge, Charles S; Haines, Andy

2008-09-13

Strengthening health systems is a key challenge to improving the delivery of cost-effective interventions in primary health care and achieving the vision of the Alma-Ata Declaration. Effective governance, financial and delivery arrangements within health systems, and effective implementation strategies are needed urgently in low-income and middle-income countries. This overview summarises the evidence from systematic reviews of health systems arrangements and implementation strategies, with a particular focus on evidence relevant to primary health care in such settings. Although evidence is sparse, there are several promising health systems arrangements and implementation strategies for strengthening primary health care. However, their introduction must be accompanied by rigorous evaluations. The evidence base needs urgently to be strengthened, synthesised, and taken into account in policy and practice, particularly for the benefit of those who have been excluded from the health care advances of recent decades.

Country-level predictors of vaccination coverage and inequalities in Gavi-supported countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Arsenault, Catherine; Johri, Mira; Nandi, Arijit; Mendoza Rodríguez, José M; Hansen, Peter M; Harper, Sam

2017-04-25

Important inequalities in childhood vaccination coverage persist between countries and population groups. Understanding why some countries achieve higher and more equitable levels of coverage is crucial to redress these inequalities. In this study, we explored the country-level determinants of (1) coverage of the third dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis- (DTP3) containing vaccine and (2) within-country inequalities in DTP3 coverage in 45 countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We used data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 2005 and 2014. We measured national DTP3 coverage and the slope index of inequality in DTP3 coverage with respect to household wealth, maternal education, and multidimensional poverty. We collated data on country health systems, health financing, governance and geographic and sociocultural contexts from published sources. We used meta-regressions to assess the relationship between these country-level factors and variations in DTP3 coverage and inequalities. To validate our findings, we repeated these analyses for coverage with measles-containing vaccine (MCV). We found considerable heterogeneity in DTP3 coverage and in the magnitude of inequalities across countries. Results for MCV were consistent with those from DTP3. Political stability, gender equality and smaller land surface were important predictors of higher and more equitable levels of DTP3 coverage. Inequalities in DTP3 coverage were also lower in countries receiving more external resources for health, with lower rates of out-of-pocket spending and with higher national coverage. Greater government spending on heath and lower linguistic fractionalization were also consistent with better vaccination outcomes. Improving vaccination coverage and reducing inequalities requires that policies and programs address critical social determinants of health including geographic and social exclusion, gender inequality and the availability of

Urgent consultations at the dermatology department of Basel University Hospital, Switzerland: characterisation of patients and setting - a 12-month study with 2,222 patients data and review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruzza, N; Itin, P H; Beltraminelli, H

2014-01-01

Urgent consultations for skin disorders are commonly done in different settings. Scarce data exist about the characteristics of these patients. The aim of this study was to analyse specific characteristics of patients receiving an urgent consultation at a dermatology department in a university hospital. We prospectively recorded the data of all patients having had an urgent consultation during a period of 12 months. We registered 2,222 urgent consultations. The most frequent diagnoses were eczemas (24.8%), dermatomycoses (5.1%) and dermatitis not otherwise specified (4.8%). The most frequent treatments were topical steroids, emollients, topical antibiotics, systemic antihistamines, antibiotics and virostatics. 2.2% of patients were hospitalized, 78.8% asked for a consultation for a disease lasting less than 4 weeks, and 6.9% presented the same day as the skin disease appeared. This study shows the characteristics of patients receiving an urgent dermatologic consultation. It underlines the need for collaboration between dermatologists, other physicians, general practitioners and nurses. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among Adolescents in Seven Arab Countries: A Cross-Cultural Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulrahman O. Musaiger

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in seven Arab countries using similar reference standard. Methods. A school-based cross-sectional study was carried out in seven cities in Arab countries, namely, Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and United Arab Emirates. A multistage stratified random sampling technique was used. The total sample included was 4698 adolescents aged from 15 to 18 years (2240 males, 2458 females. The International Obesity Task Force (IOTF reference standard was used to classify the adolescents as nonobese, overweight, and obese. Results. Among males, overweight was highest among Kuwaiti adolescents (25.6%, followed by Jordanian (21.6%, and Syrian (19.7% adolescents. Among females, the highest prevalence of overweight was reported in Libyan adolescents (26.6%, followed by Kuwaiti (20.8%, and Syrian (19.7% adolescents. As for obesity, Kuwaiti adolescents showed the highest prevalence of obesity for both males (34.8% and females (20.6%. Conclusion. There is an urgent need to establish a plan of action to combat obesity in schoolchildren in these countries.

Prospects and future of conservative management of beta thalassemia major in a developing country

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, M.; Lodhi, Y.

2004-01-01

Objective: To assess the efficacy, prospects and future of conservative management of beta thalassemia major patients in a developing country. Design: Patients registered at IHBTS were studied over a period of three years. They consented to being managed on moderate transfusion regimen, aiming to maintain a pre-transfusion haemoglobin(Hgb) level of 9.0 plus minus 1.0 g per dL. We studied their transfusion requirements, status for transfusion transmitted infections (TTls), serum ferritin levels and complications developing as a result of iron overload. Subjects: Initially all registered patients were included in this study. Sporadic patients as well as dropouts occurring due to any reason, (patients concurrently seeking treatment at other centres as well, or complying poorly to advised chelation therapy) were excluded from the study. The data presented here conforms to a cohort of 60 regular patients who adhered best to our selection criteria. Main Outcome Measures: 1) The study highlights the deficiencies and problems of conservative management for beta thalassemia major. 2) The major impact of our study is the message that conservative management in a poor country, like ours, is a no-win situation. 3) There is an urgent need to immediately start a prevention programme. Results: In the younger patients, blood consumption even on the moderate transfusion regimen is 120ml/kg/year, however with ascending age the consumption increases to 240ml/kg/year. A substantive number of the patients are either Hep C (35%) or Hep B (1.7%) positive. There are no HIV positive patients. Serum ferritin levels vary widely and could not be controlled due to poor compliance to chelation. 50% of the patients developed one or other complications of iron overload. The cost of treatment depending on the quality of care, is tremendous and beyond the reach of the common man. Conclusions: Conservative management may be the best alternative and at times the only hope for patients in our country

Recent progress of applying mesenchymal stem cells in therapy of urgent radiation damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Jiangong; Guo Wanlong; Zhang Shuxian; Duan Zhikai

2010-01-01

At present, Cytokine therapy is the main strategy capable of preventing and reducing the acute radiation syndrome (ARS). With the problem of difficult match and severe graft versus host disease, haemopoietic stem cells can be used to find some effective approaches to treat acute radiation damage. Mesenchymal stem cells are of great therapeutic potential due to their particular characteristics including secretion of hematopoietic cytokine, reconstruction hemopoietic microenvironment, poor-immunogenicity, ease of reception ectogenic gene transfection and expression. This paper is to summarize the studies of biological characteristics of MSC and its application prospects in urgent radiation damage. (authors)

Measures which host countries and countries of origin could adopt to promote the return of migrants.

Science.gov (United States)

Debart, M H

1986-03-01

The immigration wave in the 1960s and 1970s brought scores of migrants to Europe. Most intended to work a few years in a foreign country and return to their homeland; however, poor economies in their own countries discouraged their return. At the same time, jobs became scarcer in their host countries. Several European countries today are resorting to measures designed to promote the return of migrants to their countries of origin. This paper outlines the two major options open to governments in their reintegration efforts. Option 1 requires instituting a definite reintegration policy. Public aid to promote reintegration may be provided. For example, the French give aid contingent upon the return of foreign workers in the labor force to the country of origin and not just upon their departure from the host country. Classical methods pay conpensation to the foreign worker; the problem then is to determine at what point to limit the funds. It must be decided whether or not unemployment benefits should be capitalized and whether or not to reimburse social security and old age contributions. It is also desirable for foreign workers to have access to a specialized organization which is able to advise them on setting up a project or business on their return; ideally, this organization should finance the project. Perhaps the best solution is to enlist participation of the governments of the countries of origin to make job openings known to their nationals desiring to return. Option 2 requires that reintegration be introduced into other economic and social programs. Returning foreign workers would be included as a factor in overall policy planning. Vocational training for return migrants could be proposed to job seekers as well as to dismissed workers. A portion of money used to finance housing projects could be earmarked for construction or reservation of housing in the country of origin. Bilateral vocational training programs can be addressed to nationals who want to

Achieving value for money in health: a comparative analysis of OECD countries and regional countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Çelik, Yusuf; Khan, Mahmud; Hikmet, Neşet

2017-10-01

To measure efficiency gains in health sector over the years 1995 to 2013 in OECD, EU, non-member European countries. An output-oriented DEA model with variable return to scale, and residuals estimated by regression equations were used to estimate efficiencies of health systems. Slacks for health care outputs and inputs were calculated by using DEA multistage method of estimating country efficiency scores. Better health outcomes of countries were related with higher efficiency. Japan, France, or Sweden were found to be peer-efficient countries when compared to other developed countries like Germany and United States. Increasing life expectancy beyond a certain high level becomes very difficult to achieve. Despite declining marginal productivity of inputs on health outcomes, some developed countries and developing countries were found to have lowered their inefficiencies in the use of health inputs. Although there was no systematic relationship between political system of countries and health system efficiency, the objectives of countries on social and health policy and the way of achieving these objectives might be a factor increasing the efficiency of health systems. Economic and political stability might be as important as health expenditure in improving health system goals. A better understanding of the value created by health expenditures, especially in developed countries, will require analysis of specific health interventions that can increase value for money in health. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Heavy metals in drinking water: Occurrences, implications, and future needs in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chowdhury, Shakhawat; Mazumder, M.A. Jafar; Al-Attas, Omar; Husain, Tahir

2016-01-01

Heavy metals in drinking water pose a threat to human health. Populations are exposed to heavy metals primarily through water consumption, but few heavy metals can bioaccumulate in the human body (e.g., in lipids and the gastrointestinal system) and may induce cancer and other risks. To date, few thousand publications have reported various aspects of heavy metals in drinking water, including the types and quantities of metals in drinking water, their sources, factors affecting their concentrations at exposure points, human exposure, potential risks, and their removal from drinking water. Many developing countries are faced with the challenge of reducing human exposure to heavy metals, mainly due to their limited economic capacities to use advanced technologies for heavy metal removal. This paper aims to review the state of research on heavy metals in drinking water in developing countries; understand their types and variability, sources, exposure, possible health effects, and removal; and analyze the factors contributing to heavy metals in drinking water. This study identifies the current challenges in developing countries, and future research needs to reduce the levels of heavy metals in drinking water. - Highlights: • Co-exposure to multiple heavy metals in drinking water needs better understanding • Low-cost technologies for arsenic removal needs urgent attention • Protonated alginate needs further research for drinking water applications • Community level and PoU devices need improvement and cost reduction • Developing countries are most affected by heavy metals in drinking water

Heavy metals in drinking water: Occurrences, implications, and future needs in developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chowdhury, Shakhawat, E-mail: Schowdhury@kfupm.edu.sa [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Mazumder, M.A. Jafar [Department of Chemistry, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Al-Attas, Omar [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Husain, Tahir [Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL (Canada)

2016-11-01

Heavy metals in drinking water pose a threat to human health. Populations are exposed to heavy metals primarily through water consumption, but few heavy metals can bioaccumulate in the human body (e.g., in lipids and the gastrointestinal system) and may induce cancer and other risks. To date, few thousand publications have reported various aspects of heavy metals in drinking water, including the types and quantities of metals in drinking water, their sources, factors affecting their concentrations at exposure points, human exposure, potential risks, and their removal from drinking water. Many developing countries are faced with the challenge of reducing human exposure to heavy metals, mainly due to their limited economic capacities to use advanced technologies for heavy metal removal. This paper aims to review the state of research on heavy metals in drinking water in developing countries; understand their types and variability, sources, exposure, possible health effects, and removal; and analyze the factors contributing to heavy metals in drinking water. This study identifies the current challenges in developing countries, and future research needs to reduce the levels of heavy metals in drinking water. - Highlights: • Co-exposure to multiple heavy metals in drinking water needs better understanding • Low-cost technologies for arsenic removal needs urgent attention • Protonated alginate needs further research for drinking water applications • Community level and PoU devices need improvement and cost reduction • Developing countries are most affected by heavy metals in drinking water.

Registry data for cross-country comparisons of migrants' healthcare utilization in the EU: a survey study of availability and content

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Signe Smith; Krasnik, Allan; Rosano, Aldo

2009-01-01

care utilization are lack of sufficient coverage and availability of reliable and valid healthcare data which includes information allowing for identification of migrants. The objective of this paper was to reveal which registry data on healthcare utilization were available in the EU countries in which...... utilization, and the diversity in the definition of migrant status hampers cross-national comparisons and calls for an urgent establishment of registries, expansion of the existing registry information, and adoption of a common, generally acceptable definition and identification method of migrants across...

A Weighted Goal Programming model for planning sustainable development applied to Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jayaraman, Raja; Colapinto, Cinzia; La Torre, Davide; Malik, Tufail

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Application of multi-criteria optimization model for sustainable development. • GHG emissions targets cannot be attainable due to reliance on hydrocarbon sources. • Provides quantitative evidence for future investments in green energy. • Application to Gulf Cooperation Countries. - Abstract: The United Nations agenda for sustainable development by the year 2030 proposes 17 sustainable development goals which include access to affordable, reliable and clean energy, sustained economic growth with full productive employment and, urgent action to mitigate environmental degradation. Planning for sustainable development requires integrating conflicting criteria on economy, energy, environment and social aspects. In this paper, we introduce a Weighted Goal Programming model involving criteria on the economic development (GDP), the electricity consumption, the greenhouse gas emissions, and the total number of employees to determine optimal labor allocation across various economic sectors. The proposed model is validated with data from the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates). The results of the model aim to provide empirical evidence and insights to decision makers and policy analysts in developing optimal strategies able to simultaneously satisfy energy demand, economic growth, labor development and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to achieve sustainability targets by the year 2030.

An Improved Multi-Evaporator Adsorption Desalination Cycle for GCC Countries

KAUST Repository

Shahzad, Muhammad Wakil

2017-03-29

In Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, cogeneration based desalination processes consume almost 25% of the total annual energy and it is increasing at 2.2% annually. The high fresh water demand is attributed to high gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate, 24%, and the high water languishes, more than 10%. Over the past two decades, GCC countries have spent tens of billion dollars to expand their present and planned desalination capacities. It is foreseeable that with business-as-usual scenario, the domestic oil consumption of Saudi Arabia may exceed its production capacity by 2040. Innovative and sustainable water production solutions are needed urgently for future water supplies without environment impact. In this paper, a hybrid desalination cycle is proposed by integrating multi cascaded-evaporators (CE) with an adsorption cycle (AD). In this new innovative cycle, AD desorbed vapors are supplied to the CE to exploit the latent condensation energy within the evaporators arranged in both pressures-temperatures cascaded manner to improves the performance ratio (PR) of the cycle. Hybrid cycle shows more than 10 folds water production improvement as compared to conventional AD cycle due to synergetic effect. This concept is demonstrated in a laboratory pilot plant using a 3 cascaded evaporators pilot and simulation of 8 evaporators hybrid cycle.

Investment requirements in the oil industry of the independent oil exporting countries in the face of environmental challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahmat, H.; Hamid, A.A.

1992-01-01

The oil industry has to operate under environmental constraints which involve commercial risks. Oil companies need to treat environmental management as an investment as well as an insurance problem, assessing risks and costs and deciding how to minimize them most cost effectively. Petroleum development in Malaysia is accelerating. In view of the high visibility of the industry and the wide publicity generated by a few incidents which have taken place outside Malaysia the national oil company, Petronas, is constantly vigilant in its efforts to preserve the environment. Oil producing countries like Malaysia will need to continue to set aside some of the revenue they obtain from the oil industry and use it for protecting the environment to ensure public acceptance and ultimately, orderly growth of their industry. Clearly they are less able to do so if their income is lessened through the interference with free trade among nations even if the purported reasons for the interference is the environment itself. Ultimately the environmental investment requirement in the oil industry of the independent and developing oil exporting countries is free trade without price distortions. The 1989 Langkawi Declaration on the Environment of the Commonwealth Heads of Government is appended to this article. (author)

Photovoltaic marketing in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muntasser, M.A.; Bara, M.F.; Quadri, H.A.; El-Tarabelsi, R.; La-azebi, I.F.

2000-01-01

Photovoltaic (PV) insolation-harnessing is acknowledged as the most practical economic solution to meet the requirements of one hundred million people without electricity in the developing countries. Industrialised countries in particular, have been active in utilising such technologies because they can afford the current peak watt prices of US $3-15 for such systems. The market in those countries will soon be close to saturation and attention by suppliers will have to be shifted to the already established larger market in less developed countries (LDCs). PV marketing in these developing countries, i.e. ability to penetrate the potential market, is facing tremendous hurdles. This paper reviews the present status and future directions of the PV market in developing countries as well as discusses the current technical, social, financial or geopolitical barriers and constraints, which are in line with the trends in the world. The paper concludes by making a global policy package proposal, in terms of an appeal on the global community concerned with PV to propagate proposal, in terms of an appeal on the global community concerned with PV to propagate this proposal more convincingly, perhaps to emanate from an internationally recognised 'forum', like a PV conference and exhibition, with cooperation and participation of PV manufacturers, suppliers, industrialised countries, NGOs, financial institutions and developing countries. (Author)

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. TRANSITION ECONOMIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dumitru FILIPEANU

2016-05-01

Full Text Available According to the modern theories of economic development – the take-off, backwardness, convergence and balanced growth hypothesis - the new industrialized states from Asia seem to have noticed the advantages of backwardness from which low income countries benefited, namely the possibility to take advantage of the latest technological discoveries of advanced countries, thus achieving a faster growth than the latter which operated closer to the technological border. The assimilation of appropriate technologies, however, required the efficient mobilization and allocation of resources and the improvement of human and physical capital. While the Western countries were confronted with crises generated by inflationary shocks and movements of speculative capital, the relative isolation of countries whose economy was planned by the world economy sheltered them until 1990, unemployment being practically non-existent. Asia's exceptional economic success is not only due to borrowing Western practices, but also to the fact that Asian societies maintained certain traditional features of their own culture - such as a strong work ethic - and integrated them in the modern business environment.

Preventing preterm births: analysis of trends and potential reductions with interventions in 39 countries with very high human development index.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Hannah H; Larson, Jim; Blencowe, Hannah; Spong, Catherine Y; Howson, Christopher P; Cairns-Smith, Sarah; Lackritz, Eve M; Lee, Shoo K; Mason, Elizabeth; Serazin, Andrew C; Walani, Salimah; Simpson, Joe Leigh; Lawn, Joy E

2013-01-19

supplementation (0·01), and reduction of non-medically indicated labour induction or caesarean delivery (0·29). These findings translate to roughly 58,000 preterm births averted and total annual economic cost savings of about US$3 billion. We recommend a conservative target of a relative reduction in preterm birth rates of 5% by 2015. Our findings highlight the urgent need for research into underlying mechanisms of preterm births, and development of innovative interventions. Furthermore, the highest preterm birth rates occur in low-income settings where the causes of prematurity might differ and have simpler solutions such as birth spacing and treatment of infections in pregnancy than in high-income countries. Urgent focus on these settings is also crucial to reduce preterm births worldwide. March of Dimes, USA, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and National Institutes of Health, USA. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ANITA (Advanced Network for Isotope and TArget laboratories) - The urgent need for a European target preparation network

Science.gov (United States)

Schumann, Dorothea; Sibbens, Goedele; Stolarz, Anna; Eberhardt, Klaus; Lommel, Bettina; Stodel, Christelle

2018-05-01

A wide number of research fields in the nuclear sector requires high-quality and well-characterized samples and targets. Currently, only a few laboratories own or have access to the equipment allowing fulfilling such demands. Coordination of activities and sharing resources is therefore mandatory to meet the increasing needs. This very urgent issue has now been addressed by six European target laboratories with an initiative called ANITA (Advanced Network for Isotope and TArget laboratories). The global aim of ANITA is to establish an overarching research infrastructure service for isotope and target production and develop a tight cooperation between the target laboratories in Europe in order to transfer the knowledge and improve the production techniques of well-characterized samples and targets. Moreover, the interaction of the target producers with the users shall be encouraged and intensified to deliver tailor-made targets best-suited to the envisaged experiments. For the realization of this ambitious goal, efforts within the European Commission and strong support by the target-using communities will be necessary. In particular, an appropriate funding instrument has to be found and applied, enabling ANITA to develop from an initiative employed by the interested parties to a real coordination platform.

The global burden of child burn injuries in light of country level economic development and income inequality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathilde Sengoelge

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Child burn mortality differs widely between regions and is closely related to material deprivation, but reports on their global distribution are few. Investigating their country level distribution in light of economic level and income inequality will help assess the potential for macro-level improvements. We extracted data for child burn mortality from the Global Burden of Disease study 2013 and combined data into 1–14 years to calculate rates at country, region and income levels. We also compiled potential lives saved. Then we examined the relationship between country level gross domestic product per capita from the World Bank and income inequality (Gini Index from the Standardized World Income Inequality Database and child burn mortality using Spearman coefficient correlations. Worldwide, the burden of child burn deaths is 2.5 per 100,000 across 103 countries with the largest burden in Sub-Saharan Africa (4.5 per 100,000. Thirty-four thousand lives could be saved yearly if all countries in the world had the same rates as the best performing group of high-income countries; the majority in low-income countries. There was a negative graded association between economic level and child burns for all countries aggregated and at regional level, but no consistent pattern existed for income inequality at regional level. The burden of child burn mortality varies by region and income level with prevention efforts needed most urgently in middle-income countries and Sub-Saharan Africa. Investment in safe living conditions and access to medical care are paramount to achieving further reductions in the global burden of preventable child burn deaths.

Country report on human resource development in nuclear field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wanitsuksombut, Warapon; Noochpramool, Kovit

2000-01-01

The short-term plan is to promote utilization of the new research reactor in Thailand. The long-term plan is to gain public understanding and acceptance of nuclear technology. Since 1991, the office has conducted training and seminars in nuclear related field. The major training is in radiation protection, and training in nuclear reactor was at noticeably smaller portion. For ten years of training, 3,649 persons passed different radiation protection courses. Education programs in universities are outlined with the curriculums in the paper. It is clear that the manpower produced in nuclear field in Thailand is inadequate. Further more, most of them are working in limited areas in specific institutes, research laboratories, modern hospitals, and academic teaching. They seldom contact with the public. Hence communication to the public is lacking. After the training course for schoolteachers in our research reactor site, many of them appreciate new knowledge of nuclear technology. They became to realize that they had been involved with the nuclear technology before in their everyday well being. The urgent need is to arrange various suitable courses on research reactor utilization. In this effort, the exchange of information, equipment as well as teaching materials form developed institutes are necessary. The urgent need is a system of qualification for Radiation Protection Officer. By exchange of information and seminars, it may help the country to decide whether the harmonization and accreditation of training courses or the accredited examination is adopted. For long-term achievement, a regular seminar for schoolteacher should be formulated, and a program for social and economics curriculum in nuclear field should be initiated. (Tanaka, Y.)

Five Myths about the HIV Epidemic in Asia

OpenAIRE

Godwin, Peter; O'Farrell, Nigel; Fylkesnes, Knut; Misra, Sujaya

2006-01-01

It is widely recognised that the huge population sizes of many Asian countries mean that although national HIV prevalence levels are still very low, very large absolute numbers of people are being infected each year with HIV [1]. Urgent responses are required; the effective responses by countries such as Thailand and Cambodia have shown how much can be done. As implementers who have worked with HIV/AIDS programmes in several countries in the region, we recognise the public health and welf...

Bologna Process and Basic Nursing Education in 21 European Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Humar, L; Sansoni, J

2017-01-01

The Bologna Process and the Directives of the European Union have had a profound impact on nursing education in Europe. The aim of this study was to identify the similarities and differences within nursing education framework at entry level in 2014 in European countries. A questionnaire was devised by the researchers and distributed via e-mail to the nursing associations/nursing regulatory bodies of 30 European countries. Data were collected from January to May 2014. Responses were received from 21 European Countries. Results indicated that while a completion of 12 years of general education was a requirement to access nursing education in almost all respondent countries, other admission requirements differed between countries. Nursing courses were offered mostly by Faculties of Nursing and Faculties of Health Sciences (in higher education Institutions) and lecturers and management staff were mainly nurses. The results indicated significant different educational requirements for nurse educators. A foreign language was mandatory in half of the respondent countries. Nursing profession was represented at government level in just over half of the respondent countries, often with a Directorate position. The Bologna Process has helped harmonise initial nursing education in Europe but clear standards for nursing education need to be set up. Therefore, the research about the influence of the Bologna process on the development of the nursing profession should be further encouraged.

A Parallel World for the World Bank: A Case Study of Urgent: Evoke, An Educational Alternate Reality Game

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David I. Waddington

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In 2010, the World Bank launched Urgent: Evoke, an alternate reality game. Conceived in response to the demands of African universities, the game was designed to promote the World Bank Institute’s vision of positive global change through social innovation, and made substantial use of Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, personal profiles, and social networks. This article offers a case study of Urgent: Evoke, divided into four sections: first, the potential to use video games as citizenship education tools is discussed; second, the unique game genre (alternate reality games into which Evoke falls is explained and some possible uses of this genre in higher education are examined; third, the functioning of the Evoke game world is explained; and fourth, the results of the Evoke educational project are assessed. The case study concludes with some commentary on Evoke’s ideological message, which those less sympathetic to capitalism may view as problematic.

Integrative review of cervical cancer screening in Western Asian and Middle Eastern Arab countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Suhailah; Skirton, Heather; Clark, Maria T; Donaldson, Craig

2017-12-01

Population-based screening programs have resulted in minimizing mortality and morbidity from cervical cancer. The aim of this integrative review was to explore the factors influencing access of women from Western Asian and Middle Eastern Arab countries to cervical cancer screening. A systematic search for studies conducted in Arab countries in those regions, and published in English between January 2002 and January 2017, was undertaken. Thirteen papers were selected and subjected to quality appraisal. A three step analysis was used, which involved a summary of the evidence, analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data, and integration of the results in narrative form. Few population-based cervical cancer screening programs had been implemented in the relevant countries, with low knowledge of, and perceptions about, cervical screening among Arab women, the majority of whom are Muslim. Factors affecting the uptake of cervical cancer screening practices were the absence of organized, systematic programs, low screening knowledge among women, healthcare professionals' attitudes toward screening, pain and embarrassment, stigma, and sociocultural beliefs. Policy changes are urgently needed to promote population-based screening programs. Future research should address the promotion of culturally-sensitive strategies to enable better access of Arab Muslim women to cervical cancer screening. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Anaesthesia nursing education in the Nordic countries: Literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Yunsuk; Lahtinen, Pia; Meretoja, Riitta; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2015-05-01

The purpose of this review was to analyse post-registration anaesthesia nursing education in the Nordic countries. The analysis was based on key determinants fundamental to analysing nursing education: 1) the sys]tem of anaesthesia nursing education, 2) entry requirements, 3) credits, the duration and the title or degree awarded, and 4) the amount of practical training. A scoping review was approached in a systematic manner. The literature was analysed using deductive content analysis. Data was gathered based on key determinants. The data were quantified into frequencies and percentages to compare the similarities and differences of anaesthesia nursing. The Nordic countries have different types of post-registration anaesthesia nursing education from non-degree supplementary programmes to Master's degree programmes. Even though the entry requirements correspond between countries, many more differences than similarities in anaesthesia nursing education were noted. A title granting the right to work as a nurse anaesthetist can be obtained through a variety of educational systems, credit requirements, the duration, and the amount of practical training in post-registration anaesthesia nursing programmes. This aim of the study was to analyse post-registration anaesthesia nursing education from the Nordic perspective. Harmonising the educational system and minimum education requirements in anaesthesia nursing education is recommended in order to facilitate free movement and assure the quality of care from the Nordic perspective. Since each Nordic country has its own native language, it was difficult to gather information from all the Nordic countries. Therefore, creating common educational database published in English can help to bench mark each country's educational system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Comparative Analysis of Solid Waste Treatment Technologies on Cost and Environmental Basis

OpenAIRE

Nesli Aydin

2017-01-01

Waste management decision making in developing countries has moved towards being more pragmatic, transparent, sustainable and comprehensive. Turkey is required to make its waste related legislation compatible with European Legislation as it is a candidate country of the European Union. Improper Turkish practices such as open burning and open dumping practices must be abandoned urgently, and robust waste management systems have to be structured. The determination of an optimum waste management...

Prevalence and characteristics of cigarette smokers among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Smoking control is urgently needed to prevent the epidemic of tobacco-related diseases and deaths in developing countries. This requires data on smoking, especially among vulnerable groups like students. We have surveyed cigarette smoking among undergraduates of the University of Ilorin, in the North ...

Greening government procurement in developing countries: building capacity in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Yong; Doberstein, Brent

2008-09-01

With increasing environmental issues and depleting resources, the effective application of green government procurement (GGP) is urgently needed and potentially can have greater impacts in the developing world rather than in the developed world. Such an approach can help promote the general goal of sustainable development and address environmental issues through purchasing and facilitating the use of environmentally friendly services and products. This paper addresses this issue by employing a case study on China. We first trace the development of the GGP concept, its spread to Asian countries, and a number of approaches used to expand GGP adoption. We then review current practices in China on GGP, and analyze and identify some of the current barriers and problems in promoting green procurement in the Chinese governmental sector. We finally seek to identify possible appropriate capacity-building solutions, in order to facilitate the application of GGP in China.

Emerging nuclear security issues for transit countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabulov, I.A.

2003-01-01

Full text: Tragic events of September eleventh have made nuclear terrorism dangers more evident. In the light of increased terrorism preventing the spread of nuclear and nuclear related items as well as radioactive materials that can be used for production so-called 'dirty bomb'is an urgent global claim. Nuclear Security issues cover multiple aspects of the security and first of all the threat from nuclear terrorism, detection and protection of illicit trafficking of nuclear materials and other radioactive sources, legal shipment of such type materials as well as nuclear related dual use items. In the face of emerging threats the prevention of proliferation by the development of effective national system of nuclear export controls is hugely important for transit countries like Azerbaijan with underdeveloped export controls and strategic locations along trade and smuggling routes between nuclear suppliers States and countries attempting to develop nuclear weapons or any nuclear explosive devices. Thus, in the face of increasing international threat from nuclear terrorism the role and place of Azerbaijan Republic in the struggle against terrorism increases. In this context it is very important to establish effective national capabilities for detection and prevention of illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear materials as well as nuclear related dual use items across Azerbaijan's borders. One of the ways for enhancing and strengthening existing activities in this field is carrying out joint actions between scientists and enforcement officials in order to improve knowledge of the front-line customs and border guard inspectors concerning multiple aspects of Nuclear Security

Pediatric tuberculosis immigration screening in high-immigration, low-incidence countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez, G G; Clark, M; Altpeter, E; Douglas, P; Jones, J; Paty, M-C; Posey, D L; Chemtob, D

2010-12-01

Tuberculosis (TB) screening in migrant children, including immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, is an ongoing challenge in low TB incidence countries. Many children from high TB incidence countries harbor latent TB infection (LTBI), and some have active TB disease at the point of immigration into host nations. Young children who harbor LTBI have a high risk of progression to TB disease and are at a higher risk than adults of developing disseminated severe forms of TB with significant morbidity and mortality. Many countries have developed immigration TB screening programs to suit the needs of adults, but have not focused much attention on migrant children. To compare the TB immigration medical examination requirements in children in selected countries with high immigration and low TB incidence rates. Descriptive study of TB immigration screening programs for systematically selected countries. Of 18 eligible countries, 16 responded to the written survey and telephone interview. No two countries had the same approach to TB screening among migrant children. The optimal evidenced-based manner in which to screen migrant children requires further research.

Urgent Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in a Patient with Postinfarction Angina and Active Myelomonocytic Leukaemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel Anthony Galea

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML is a myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm affecting the production and differentiation of the monocyte cell lineage. Cardiac surgery in the context of CMML poses challenges that are not routinely encountered. This is the first reported case in the literature of a patient with active CMML undergoing urgent on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. A 68-year-old Caucasian man with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, hypothyroidism, and hypercholesterolaemia, who had been diagnosed by the haematologists with CMML a few months earlier but had remained untreated, underwent urgent surgical coronary revascularisation because of postinfarction angina following a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction associated with troponin I rise. The patient had fulminant postoperative myelomonocytic leukaemoid reaction, with a clinical picture of severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. This led to extensive vasodilation and heart failure that resulted in the death of the patient. Various authors have suggested different techniques and treatment options, each attempting to mitigate the effect of the postoperative inflammatory response. However, this is a high-risk endeavour with a myriad of inflammatory signals mobilised into action because of the surgical insult. Off-pump surgery or preoperative pharmacological attenuation of CMML activity might have dampened this response and resulted in a positive outcome for the patient.

Urgent Living-Donor Liver Transplantation in a Patient With Concurrent Active Tuberculosis: A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, B-H; Park, J-I; Lee, S-G

2018-04-01

Although active tuberculosis (TB) is considered a contraindication for liver transplantation (LT), this is the only treatment in patients with liver failure and concurrent active TB. We report a case with successful urgent living-donor LT for irreversible liver failure in the presence of active TB. A 48-year-old man, with a history of decompensated alcoholic liver cirrhosis, was presented with stupor. At admission, his consciousness had deteriorated to semi-coma, and his renal function also rapidly deteriorated to hepatorenal syndrome. A preoperative computed tomography scan of the chest revealed several small cavitary lesions in both upper lobes, and acid-fast bacillus stain from his sputum was graded 2+. Adenosine deaminase levels from ascites were elevated, suggesting TB peritonitis. A first-line anti-TB drug regimen was started immediately (rifampin, isoniazid, levofloxacin, and amikacin). An urgent living-donor LT was performed 2 days later. After LT, the regimen was changed to second-line anti-TB drugs (amikacin, levofloxacin, cycloserine, and pyridoxine). The sputum acid-fast bacillus stain tested negative on postoperative day 10. His liver function remained well preserved, even after the reversion to first-line anti-TB treatment. The patient recovered without any anti-TB medication-related complications and was discharged. LT can be prudently performed as a life-saving option, particularly for patients with liver failure and concurrent active TB. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Socioeconomic status and obesity in adult populations of developing countries: a review.

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Monteiro, Carlos A; Moura, Erly C; Conde, Wolney L; Popkin, Barry M

2004-12-01

A landmark review of studies published prior to 1989 on socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity supported the view that obesity in the developing world would be essentially a disease of the socioeconomic elite. The present review, on studies conducted in adult populations from developing countries, published between 1989 and 2003, shows a different scenario for the relationship between SES and obesity. Although more studies are necessary to clarify the exact nature of this relationship, particularly among men, three main conclusions emerge from the studies reviewed: 1. Obesity in the developing world can no longer be considered solely a disease of groups with higher SES. 2. The burden of obesity in each developing country tends to shift towards the groups with lower SES as the country's gross national product (GNP) increases. 3. The shift of obesity towards women with low SES apparently occurs at an earlier stage of economic development than it does for men. The crossover to higher rates of obesity among women of low SES is found at a GNP per capita of about US$ 2500, the mid-point value for lower-middle-income economies. The results of this review reinforce the urgent need to: include obesity prevention as a relevant topic on the public health agenda in developing countries; improve the access of all social classes in these countries to reliable information on the determinants and consequences of obesity; and design and implement consistent public actions on the physical, economic, and sociocultural environment that make healthier choices concerning diet and physical activity feasible for all. A significant step in this direction was taken with the approval of the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health by the World Health Assembly in May 2004.

Initial Experience of a Primary Urgent Care Clinic Curriculum and Subspecialty Lectureship Series Implementation in a Los Angeles County Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Agrawal, Harsh; Martinez, Anna; Volkmann, Elizabeth R; Melamed, Oleg; Wali, Soma

2017-05-01

Urgent care clinics are extremely busy in the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) County hospital system. We determined that residents and medical students in the internal medicine residency program who are rotating through these clinics did not receive enough teaching during their rotation. We decided to create and implement an urgent care curriculum and lectures to help achieve structure for the rotation. The goal of this series was to educate and assist residents in the primary care setting to comfortably manage subspecialty conditions, help reduce the already-overwhelmed county subspecialty referral system, and promote learning. The Olive View-UCLA Medical Center internal medicine residency program has a total of 74 residents, which includes postgraduate year-1 (PGY-1) to PGY-4, with PGY-4 being combined internal medicine-pediatrics or emergency medicine-internal medicine residents. We used core curriculum topics as provided by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education to design the curriculum. We sent e-mails to the stakeholders whom we identified as the residents and the attending physicians working in urgent care, inquiring after topics they wanted to discuss during the rotation. Using these responses we compiled a list of all of the topics that could be discussed and reviewed during the rotation. These topics were broken down into short 10- to 15-minute-long lectures. During the lectures, we provided a retrospective post- then prequestionnaire to the residents for evaluation of the program and the lectures. A benefit of the post-then-pre design is that participants answer the postquestions and the prequestions together after the lecture, thereby reducing the possibility of response shift bias. Of the 74 residents in the program, 25 responded; the response rate was approximately 33%. Regarding content, 92% (23) said it was appropriate, 4% (1) said it was too low a level, and 4% (1) did not respond. Overall, 36% (9) said the lecture was

Domestic and donor financing for tuberculosis care and control in low-income and middle-income countries: an analysis of trends, 2002-11, and requirements to meet 2015 targets.

Science.gov (United States)

Floyd, Katherine; Fitzpatrick, Christopher; Pantoja, Andrea; Raviglione, Mario

2013-08-01

Progress in tuberculosis control worldwide, including achievement of 2015 global targets, requires adequate financing sustained for many years. WHO began yearly monitoring of tuberculosis funding in 2002. We used data reported to WHO to analyse tuberculosis funding from governments and international donors (in real terms, constant 2011 US$) and associated progress in tuberculosis control in low-income and middle-income countries between 2002 and 2011. We then assessed funding needed to 2015 and how this funding could be mobilised. We included low-income and middle-income countries that reported data about financing for tuberculosis to WHO and had at least three observations between 2002 and 2011. When data were missing for specific country-year combinations, we imputed the missing data. We aggregated country-specific results for eight country groups defined according to income level, political and economic profile, geography, and tuberculosis burden. We compared absolute changes in total funding with those in the total number of patients successfully treated and did cross-country comparisons of cost per successfully treated patient relative to gross domestic product. We estimated funding needs for tuberculosis care and control for all low-income and middle-income countries to 2015, and compared these needs with domestic funding that could be mobilised. Total funding grew from $1·7 billion in 2002 to $4·4 billion in 2011. It was mostly spent on diagnosis and treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis. 43 million patients were successfully treated, usually for $100-500 per person in countries with high burdens of tuberculosis. Domestic funding rose from $1·5 billion to $3·9 billion per year, mostly in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), which collectively account for 45% of global cases, where national contributions accounted for more than 95% of yearly funding. Donor funding increased from $0·2 billion in 2002 to $0·5 billion in 2011, and

Bullying Victimization (Being Bullied) Among Adolescents Referred for Urgent Psychiatric Consultation: Prevalence and Association With Suicidality.

Science.gov (United States)

Alavi, Nazanin; Roberts, Nasreen; Sutton, Chloe; Axas, Nicholas; Repetti, Leanne

2015-10-01

To examine the prevalence of bullying victimization among adolescents referred for urgent psychiatric consultation, to study the association between bullying victimization and suicidality, and to examine the relation between different types of bullying and suicidality. A retrospective chart review was conducted for all adolescents referred to a hospital-based urgent consultation clinic. Our study sample consisted of adolescents with a history of bullying victimization. The Research Ethics Board of Queen's University provided approval. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS (IBM SPSS Inc, Armonk, NY). Chi-square tests were used for sex, suicidal ideation, history of physical and sexual abuse, and time and type of bullying, and an independent sample t test was used for age. The prevalence of bullying victimization was 48.5% (182 of 375). There was a significant association between being bullied and suicidal ideation (P = 0.01), and between sex and suicidal ideation (P ≤ 0.001). Victims of cyberbullying reported more suicidal ideation than those who experienced physical or verbal bullying (P = 0.04). Bullying victimization, especially cyberbullying, is associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation among adolescents referred for psychiatric risk assessment. The detailed history of the type and duration of bullying experienced by the victims should be considered when conducting a psychiatric risk assessment.

76 FR 35719 - Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya and C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-20

... June 8, 2011 Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related to Libya and C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire... laws of the United States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of... amount not to exceed $15 million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund...

FOOD SECURITY SITUATION OF SELECTED HIGHLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES AGAINST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

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Karolina Pawlak

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is to present the food security situation in selected highly developed countries and to identify consumption disparities between them and developing countries. The research is based on the data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat, the United Nations Statistics Division, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, World Food Programme (WFP and selected measures used by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU for the construction of the Global Food Security Index. It has been showed that to the greatest extent the problem of maintaining food security occur in developing countries which are characterised by low per capita income, while in developed countries the scale of hunger is marginal and it afflicts less than 1% of the population. On a regional scale the daily dietary energy supply is greater than the minimum dietary energy requirement in all regions of the world, but the extent to which the dietary needs are satisfied increases along with the increase in national income. In order to reduce the problem of hunger it is necessary to solve the problem of asymmetrical distribution of global income, e.g. by taking actions to accelerate the economic growth in less developed regions and increase the purchasing power of the population.

Guyana - How Do You Know Where to Get the Information You Need? Determining Ethics Approval Requirements in a Developing Country

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Gloria Song

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Determining the process for obtaining local research ethics approval, or whether such a requirement even exists, may not always be straightforward in the context of some developing countries where such information may not be easily accessible to overseas researchers. How far do a researcher's ethical obligations extend in determining whether there is a requirement for local research ethics approval, and what form this would take (e.g., institutional or centralised ethics review? In other words, how far should a researcher be expected to go in seeking out local ethics approval, especially where such information is not readily available? As part of this discussion, this case study describes the steps that I took as the principal researcher, before I was able to reasonably conclude that no national ethics approval requirement existed in Guyana for my particular research, which involved interviewing justice service providers about the implementation of Guyana's Domestic Violence Act. Drawing on this experience, I discuss various considerations that an international development researcher should bear in mind when planning and conducting research that seeks to meet leading international norms of research ethics.

76 FR 53913 - Award of an Urgent Single-Source Grant to Survivors of Torture International (SOTI) in San Diego...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-30

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of Refugee Resettlement Award of an Urgent Single... Refugee Resettlement, ACF, HHS. ACTION: Notice; correction. CFDA Number: 93.604. SUMMARY: The Office of Refugee Resettlement, ACF, HHS published a document in the Federal Register of August 16, 2011 (76 FR...

Occupational stressors among nurses working in urgent and emergency care units

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Denyson Santana PEREIRA

Full Text Available The study aimed to assess occupational stressors among nurses working in urgent and emergency care facilities. It is a descriptive research developed in two public hospitals of different complexity degrees, with 49 nurses. Data were collected from June to September 2011. The Bianchi's Stress Scale, which is composed of six domains: Relationship, Unit functioning, Staff management, Nursing care, Unit coordination, and Work conditions was used to assess occupational stressors based on the regular activities performed by nurses. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Mann Whitney-U test. For the nurses working in the high complexity healthcare facility - hospital A the most stressful domain was Nursing care, while for those professionals working in the medium complexity healthcare facility - hospital B, Staff management was the most stressful domain. The nurses from hospital A perceived care-related activities as more stressful, while for those in hospital B administrative activities were considered more stressful.

Components of Hospital Perioperative Infrastructure Can Overcome the Weekend Effect in Urgent General Surgery Procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kothari, Anai N; Zapf, Matthew A C; Blackwell, Robert H; Markossian, Talar; Chang, Victor; Mi, Zhiyong; Gupta, Gopal N; Kuo, Paul C

2015-10-01

We hypothesized that perioperative hospital resources could overcome the "weekend effect" (WE) in patients undergoing emergent/urgent surgeries. The WE is the observation that surgeon-independent patient outcomes are worse on the weekend compared with weekdays. The WE is often explained by differences in staffing and resources resulting in variation in care between the week and weekend. Emergent/urgent surgeries were identified using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database (Florida) from 2007 to 2011 and linked to the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey Database to determine hospital level characteristics. Extended median length of stay (LOS) on the weekend compared with the weekdays (after controlling for hospital, year, and procedure type) was selected as a surrogate for WE. Included were 126,666 patients at 166 hospitals. A total of 17 hospitals overcame the WE during the study period. Logistic regression, controlling for patient characteristics, identified full adoption of electronic medical records (OR 4.74), home health program (OR 2.37), pain management program [odds ratio (OR) 1.48)], increased registered nurse-to-bed ratio (OR 1.44), and inpatient physical rehabilitation (OR 1.03) as resources that were predictors for overcoming the WE. The prevalence of these factors in hospitals exhibiting the WE for all 5 years of the study period were compared with those hospitals that overcame the WE (P surgery procedures. Improved hospital perioperative infrastructure represents an important target for overcoming disparities in surgical care.

Foreign bodies in upper gastrointestinal tract and urgent endoscopic interventions – review of a ten-year period

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Pavel Skok

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Foreign bodies in the upper digestive tube are rarely the cause of an urgent condition in gastroenterology. They usually enter the digestive tube during nutrition or by mistake. However, certain groups of the population such as convicts or psychiatric patients tend to swallow them intentionally. The authors aim was to assess the percentage of patients in which urgent endoscopic investigation revealed true foreign bodies in the upper digestive tube, to evaluate the success of endoscopic procedures and the resolution of eventual complications.Patients and methods: The study includes patients in which urgent endoscopic investigations of the upper digestive tract were performed in a 10-year period (1 January 1994 to 31 December 2003.Results: Altogether 6416 patients were investigated, mean age 59.3 years, SD ± 17.2 years, range 1–106 years, 2452 females and 3964 males. In 51 patients, 0.8% of all subjects, foreign bodies were detected in the esophagus or stomach. In these patients a total of 65 endoscopic investigations were performed, in 94% the foreign bodies were removed endoscopically (48/51 patients, in three cases the endoscopic procedures were not successful. Among the foreign bodies removed were various metal or plastic objects: coins, keys, screws, hooks, batteries, razor blades, needles, parts of kitchen, toilet or writing utensils, lighters, buttons, toys, a toothbrush as well as impacted pieces of bone. In the patients with successful endoscopic removal of the objects, no significant complications were noted. In 3 patients (3/48, 6.3% only mild hemorrhages from the region of the esophagogastric junction were observed.Conclusions: The technological development of endoscopic instruments made it possible to carry out different therapeutic procedures. The method has proved successful in removing foreign bodies from the upper digestive tube. Various factors affect the success of the procedure, the more important being adequate

Healthcare worker exposure to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV: Revision of screening strategies urgently needed

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Hala Amer

2018-06-01

Conclusions: The data obtained in this study support the widespread testing of all close contacts of MERS-CoV cases, regardless of the significance of the contact or presence or absence of symptoms. In addition, urgent careful review of guidance regarding the return of asymptomatic MERS-CoV-positive HCWs under investigation to active duty is needed.

Mauritius country study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manraj, D.D.

1998-01-01

Mauritius has no known oil, gas or coal reserves but is only endowed with limited renewable energy resources namely hydropower and bagasse. Bagasse represents about one third of the country's energy requirements and meets almost all of the sugar industries energy demand. Projects identified for mitigation options are: Energy Sector - Renewable Sources (Solar, Wind, Biomass); Transport Sector - Fuel switching and Mass transit transport; Manufacturing Sector - Increase efficiency of energy use in the manufacturing process. (EG)

Medication errors in the Middle East countries: a systematic review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsulami, Zayed; Conroy, Sharon; Choonara, Imti

2013-04-01

Medication errors are a significant global concern and can cause serious medical consequences for patients. Little is known about medication errors in Middle Eastern countries. The objectives of this systematic review were to review studies of the incidence and types of medication errors in Middle Eastern countries and to identify the main contributory factors involved. A systematic review of the literature related to medication errors in Middle Eastern countries was conducted in October 2011 using the following databases: Embase, Medline, Pubmed, the British Nursing Index and the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature. The search strategy included all ages and languages. Inclusion criteria were that the studies assessed or discussed the incidence of medication errors and contributory factors to medication errors during the medication treatment process in adults or in children. Forty-five studies from 10 of the 15 Middle Eastern countries met the inclusion criteria. Nine (20 %) studies focused on medication errors in paediatric patients. Twenty-one focused on prescribing errors, 11 measured administration errors, 12 were interventional studies and one assessed transcribing errors. Dispensing and documentation errors were inadequately evaluated. Error rates varied from 7.1 % to 90.5 % for prescribing and from 9.4 % to 80 % for administration. The most common types of prescribing errors reported were incorrect dose (with an incidence rate from 0.15 % to 34.8 % of prescriptions), wrong frequency and wrong strength. Computerised physician rder entry and clinical pharmacist input were the main interventions evaluated. Poor knowledge of medicines was identified as a contributory factor for errors by both doctors (prescribers) and nurses (when administering drugs). Most studies did not assess the clinical severity of the medication errors. Studies related to medication errors in the Middle Eastern countries were relatively few in number and of poor quality

Waste dumps in local communities in developing countries and hidden danger to health.

Science.gov (United States)

Anetor, Gloria O

2016-07-01

The rapid industrialisation and urbanisation fuelled by a fast-growing population has led to the generation of a huge amount of waste in most communities in developing countries. The hidden disorders and health dangers in waste dumps are often ignored. The waste generated in local communities is usually of a mixed type consisting of domestic waste and waste from small-scale industrial activities. Among these wastes are toxic metals, lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), halogenated organic compounds, plastics, remnants of paints that are themselves mixtures of hazardous substances, hydrocarbons and petroleum product-contaminated devices. Therefore, there is the urgent need to create an awareness of the harmful health effect of toxic wastes in developing countries, especially Nigeria. This is a review aimed at creating awareness on the hidden dangers of waste dumps to health in local communities in developing countries. Many publications in standard outlets use the following keywords: cancer, chemical toxicity, modern environmental health hazards, waste management and waste speciation in PubMed, ISI, Toxbase environmental digest, related base journals, and some standard textbooks, as well as the observation of the researcher between 1959 and 2014. Studies revealed the preponderance of toxic chemicals such as Pb, Cd, As and Hg in dump sites that have the risk of entering food chain and groundwater supplies, and these can give rise to endemic malnutrition and may also increase susceptibility to mutagenic substances, thereby increasing the incidence of cancer in developing countries. Industrialisation and urbanisation have brought about a change in the waste that is generated in contemporary communities in developing countries. Therefore, there is the need to embrace speciation and sound management of waste, probably including bioremediation. The populations in the local communities need regulatory agencies who are health educators as positive change

Nuclear energy in transition countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knapp, V.

2000-01-01

Transition countries, respectively the countries that have in the year's 89/90 broken with the communist political and economy system are passing through difficult years. From their traditional markets within the closely interconnected socialist economy system, which has disintegrated, they have to reorient themselves to new, often saturated and sophisticated markets. To integrate into Europe as equal partners, rather then remain poor relatives, they must reduce this development gap in a reasonable time, not longer than 15 years. Slower pace would not give acceptable perspective to their young people and they would look for it elsewhere, thereby reducing creative forces for progress. Examples of economic development show that sustained growth of GDP is impossible without similar industrial growth, which, in turn, requires corresponding increase of energy use. In the same time these countries are the parts of densely populated European region and are subject to emission restriction of effluents with local or global effects. It is difficult to see how these countries could attain their development goals, whilst respecting their Kyoto obligations, without supplying increased energy demand from nuclear sources. (author)

Structural change in developing countries: has it decreased gender inequality?

OpenAIRE

Michelle Rendall

2012-01-01

This paper examines the evolution of female labor market outcomes from 1987 to 2008 by assessing the role of changing labor demand requirements in four developing countries: Brazil, Mexico, India and Thailand. The results highlight the importance of structural change in reducing gender disparities by decreasing the labor demand for physical attributes. The results show that India, the country with the greatest physical labor requirements, exhibits the largest labor market gender inequality. I...

A prospective study to assess the value of MMP-9 in improving the appropriateness of urgent referrals for colorectal cancer

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Hobbs Richard FD

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bowel cancer is common and is a major cause of death. Most people with bowel symptoms who meet the criteria for urgent referral to secondary care will not be found to have bowel cancer, and some people who are found to have cancer will have been referred routinely rather than urgently. If general practitioners could better identify people who were likely to have bowel cancer or conditions that may lead to bowel cancer, the pressure on hospital clinics may be reduced, enabling these patients to be seen more quickly. Increased levels of an enzyme called matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9 have been found to be associated with such conditions, and this can be measured from a blood sample. This study aims to find out whether measuring MMP-9 levels could improve the appropriateness of urgent referrals for patients with bowel symptoms. Methods People aged 18 years or older referred to a colorectal clinic will be asked to complete a questionnaire about symptoms, recent injuries or chronic illnesses (these can increase the level of matrix metalloproteinases and family history of bowel cancer. A blood sample will be taken from people who consent to take part to assess MMP-9 levels, and the results of examination at the clinic and/or investigations arising from the clinic visit will be collected from hospital records. The accuracy of MMP-9 will be assessed by comparing the MMP-9 level with the resulting diagnosis. The combination of factors (e.g. symptoms and MMP-9 level that best predict a diagnosis of malignancy (invasive disease or polyps will be determined. Discussion Although guidelines are in place to facilitate referrals to colorectal clinics, symptoms alone do not adequately distinguish people with malignancy from people with benign conditions. This study will establish whether MMP-9 could assist this process. If this were the case, measurement of MMP-9 levels could be used by general practitioners to assist in the identification

Status of national health research systems in ten countries of the WHO African Region

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Kirigia Joses M

2006-10-01

. Four out of the ten countries reported that they had a budget line for health research in the Ministry of Health budget document. Conclusion Governments of countries of the African Region, with the support of development partners, private sector and civil society, urgently need to improve the research policy environment by developing health research policies, strategic plans, legislations, programmes and rolling plans with the involvement of all stakeholders, e.g., relevant sectors, research organizations, communities, industry and donors. In a nutshell, development of high-performing national health research systems in the countries of the WHO African Region, though optional, is an imperative. It may be the only way of breaking free from the current vicious cycle of ill-health and poverty.

Pesticide Applicator Certification in Indian Country

Science.gov (United States)

This website provides information about the EPA Plan for the Federal Certification of Applicators of Restricted Use Pesticides within Indian Country, including plan requirements, how to become certified, how to register for training, and who is certified.

General requirements to implement the personal dose equivalent Hp(10) in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopes, Amanda Gomes; Silva, Francisco Cesar Augusto da

2017-01-01

To update the dosimetry quantity with the international community, Brazil is changing the Individual Dose Hx to the Personal Dose Equivalent Hp(10). A bibliographical survey on the technical and administrative requirements of nine countries that use Hp(10) was carried out to obtain the most relevant ones. All of them follow IEC and ISO guidelines for technical requirements, while administrative requirements change from country to country. Based on countries experiences, this paper presents a list of important general requirements to implement Hp(10) and to prepare the Brazilian requirements according to the international scientific community. (author)

General requirements to implement the personal dose equivalent Hp(10) in Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopes, Amanda Gomes; Silva, Francisco Cesar Augusto da, E-mail: amandagl@bolsista.ird.gov.br [Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2017-07-01

To update the dosimetry quantity with the international community, Brazil is changing the Individual Dose Hx to the Personal Dose Equivalent Hp(10). A bibliographical survey on the technical and administrative requirements of nine countries that use Hp(10) was carried out to obtain the most relevant ones. All of them follow IEC and ISO guidelines for technical requirements, while administrative requirements change from country to country. Based on countries experiences, this paper presents a list of important general requirements to implement Hp(10) and to prepare the Brazilian requirements according to the international scientific community. (author)

Reactor physics needs in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solanilla, R.

1980-01-01

The aim of this paper the identification of needs on Reactor Physics in developing countries embarked in the installation and later on in the operation of Commercial Nuclear Power Plants. In this context the main task of Reactor Physics should be focused in the application of Physical models with inclusion of thermohydraulic process to solve the various realistic problems which appear to ensure a safe, economical and reliable core design and reactor operation. The first part of the paper deals with the scope of Reactor Physics and its interrelation with other disciplines as seen from the view point of developing countries possibilities. Needs requiring a quick response, i.e., those demands coming during the development of a specific Nuclear Power Plant Project, are summarized in the second part of the lecture. Plant startup has been chosen as reference to separate two categories of requirements: Requirements prior to startup phase include reactor core verification, licensing aspects review and study of fuel utilization alternatives; whereas the period during and after startup mainly embraces codes checkup and normalization, core follow-up and long term prediction

Design Methodology of a Sensor Network Architecture Supporting Urgent Information and Its Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Kawai, Tetsuya; Wakamiya, Naoki; Murata, Masayuki

Wireless sensor networks are expected to become an important social infrastructure which helps our life to be safe, secure, and comfortable. In this paper, we propose design methodology of an architecture for fast and reliable transmission of urgent information in wireless sensor networks. In this methodology, instead of establishing single complicated monolithic mechanism, several simple and fully-distributed control mechanisms which function in different spatial and temporal levels are incorporated on each node. These mechanisms work autonomously and independently responding to the surrounding situation. We also show an example of a network architecture designed following the methodology. We evaluated the performance of the architecture by extensive simulation and practical experiments and our claim was supported by the results of these experiments.

Servant leadership: An urgent style for the current political leadership in South Africa

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Mookgo S. Kgatle

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The aspects of the political leadership in South Africa discussed in this article include, among others, abuse of power, corruption and lack of public accountability. In response to these aspects, the article demonstrates that servant leadership is an urgent style for the current state of political leadership in South Africa. The article discusses key aspects of the current political leadership in South Africa as a point of departure. The article also discusses the theological foundation and key principles of servant leadership in order to apply them to the current state of political leadership in South Africa Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Servant leadership principles as outlined from a theological point of view are applied to the aspects of political leadership in South Africa.

Economic regulation of TSOs in the Nordic countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Syvertsen, S. C.; Steinnes, S. H. [Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, Oslo (Norway); Robles, H. B.; Ek, G. [Energy Markets Inspectorate, Eskilstuna (Sweden); Ilonen, M; Nurmi, S. [Energy Market Authority, Helsinki (Finland); Thomsen, H. [Sekretariatet for Energitilsynet, Valby (Denmark)

2012-12-15

The main topic of this report is the economic regulation of the transmission system operators (To) in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden). The purpose of this report is to give an overview of the design of the economic regulation and compare the main elements of the regulation between the countries. There is one To in each country. For all countries, the revenues of the Tos are regulated by yearly decisions. In Finland, Norway and Sweden the regulators set an annual revenue cap. In Denmark, the To sets the tariffs according to budget, while the regulator approves the annual report and thereby also approves the tariffs ex post. The economic regulation of TSOs includes both regulation of system operations and the regulation of network operations. Chapter 3 describes in brief the main responsibilities of the system operator in each country and how the costs related to these tasks are regulated. Norway regulates the system operation costs, where 60 percent of the costs are based on a cost-norm which is evaluated periodically. In Finland and Sweden these costs are considered as non-controllable and are passed through directly in the revenue cap. In Denmark only costs considered as necessary at efficient operation shall be included in the tariffs, and the regulators have the opportunity to exclude costs based on this. There are no benchmark or efficiency requirements in the Danish regulation. In chapter 4 the main elements of the economic regulation of network operations are described and compared in tables. All countries regulate the network operations of the TSO. In Denmark there are no explicit efficiency requirements, and the regulation is based on a non-profit principle. The TSO only gets a return based on a price adjustment on its capital base as of 2005. In Finland, Norway and Sweden the regulation include efficiency requirements or benchmarking of costs. In Norway this regards 60 percent of total costs related to the network operations

Poor quality vital anti-malarials in Africa - an urgent neglected public health priority

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Newton Paul N

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains a major public health problem. A vital component of malaria control rests on the availability of good quality artemisinin-derivative based combination therapy (ACT at the correct dose. However, there are increasing reports of poor quality anti-malarials in Africa. Methods Seven collections of artemisinin derivative monotherapies, ACT and halofantrine anti-malarials of suspicious quality were collected in 2002/10 in eleven African countries and in Asia en route to Africa. Packaging, chemical composition (high performance liquid chromatography, direct ionization mass spectrometry, X-ray diffractometry, stable isotope analysis and botanical investigations were performed. Results Counterfeit artesunate containing chloroquine, counterfeit dihydroartemisinin (DHA containing paracetamol (acetaminophen, counterfeit DHA-piperaquine containing sildenafil, counterfeit artemether-lumefantrine containing pyrimethamine, counterfeit halofantrine containing artemisinin, and substandard/counterfeit or degraded artesunate and artesunate+amodiaquine in eight countries are described. Pollen analysis was consistent with manufacture of counterfeits in eastern Asia. These data do not allow estimation of the frequency of poor quality anti-malarials in Africa. Conclusions Criminals are producing diverse harmful anti-malarial counterfeits with important public health consequences. The presence of artesunate monotherapy, substandard and/or degraded and counterfeit medicines containing sub-therapeutic amounts of unexpected anti-malarials will engender drug resistance. With the threatening spread of artemisinin resistance to Africa, much greater investment is required to ensure the quality of ACTs and removal of artemisinin monotherapies. The International Health Regulations may need to be invoked to counter these serious public health problems.

29 CFR 780.709 - Size and equipment of a country elevator.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Size and equipment of a country elevator. 780.709 Section... Employment by Small Country Elevators Within Area of Production; Exemption From Overtime Pay Requirements Under Section 13(b)(14) Establishment Commonly Recognized As A Country Elevator § 780.709 Size and...

An audit of non-urgent general adult referrals to Stikland State Psychiatric Facility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Ras

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives. The national Department of Health strongly advocates the strengthening of primary health care systems, and recommendations for appropriate level of care referrals exist. Very few published data on the scope of current ambulatory specialised psychiatric hospital services in South Africa are currently available, making it difficult to assess whether these recommendations are being followed. As a starting point, an audit was conducted to obtain a profile of new non-urgent general adult patients seen at Stikland Hospital with a view to evaluating system needs and demands. Methods. The folders of 103 consecutively seen patients were selected for retrospective review. Patient demographic, referral and assessment information was entered into a single database. Descriptive statistics were compiled with reference to the above variables using SPSS. Results. Overall 58.3% of referrals were from the private sector. More than a third (36.7% of referral letters stated no clear reason for referral and 41.7% no psychiatric diagnosis, and 29.1% of patients were referred without psychotropic medication being started. On assessment 62.1% of patients were found to have a single Axis I diagnosis. Despite virtually no referral letters making any mention of them, substance use disorders (30.1%, personality traits/disorders (35.9% and co-morbid medical illness (36.7% were commonly found on assessment. Conclusions. A significant portion of the patients in our sample could have been managed at primary care level and were referred prematurely. The overall quality of referral letters was poor, and they lacked vital information required for appropriate pre-assessment decision making. Undergraduate training focusing on these skills should be intensified, and consideration should be given to incorporating aspects of our findings into primary health care updates.

The problems with multi-species conservation: do hotspots, ideal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

South Africa urgently requires a national strategic plan for the conservation of the country's biodiversity. The for- mulation of such a plan would be relatively easy if centres (hotspots) of richness, endemism and rarity were con- gruent, both within and among many different taxa, if these hotspots captured a large proportion of ...

The problems with multi-species conservation: do hotspots, ideal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

South Africa urgently requires a national strategic plan for the conservation of the country's biodiversity. The formulation of such a plan would be relatively easy if centres (hotspots) of richness, endemism and rarity were congruent, both within and among many different taxa, if these hotspots captured a large proportion of the ...

International nuclear planning and manpower requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simnad, M.

1977-01-01

In the transfer of nuclear technology to developing countries one of the most pressing needs is the manpower requirements for the planning, construction, and operation of the nuclear power systems. The indigenous human resources of the respective countries must be educated and trained to a level commensurate with the demands of such an advanced and challenging technology. The issues to be addressed when discussing international nuclear planning and manpower requirements are summarized

Problems with biogas implementation in developing countries from the perspective of labor requirements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tucho, Gudina Terefe; Moll, Henri C.; Schoot Uiterkamp, Anton J.M.; Nonhebel, Sanderine

2016-01-01

Most households in rural developing countries depend on firewood from public forests or agricultural bio-wastes for cooking. Public forests, though, are declining due to an increasing population and inefficient use of wood. Use of agricultural wastes on the other hand involves loss of soil nutrients

Psychological and social consequences among mothers suffering from perinatal loss: perspective from a low income country.

Science.gov (United States)

Gausia, Kaniz; Moran, Allisyn C; Ali, Mohammed; Ryder, David; Fisher, Colleen; Koblinsky, Marge

2011-06-09

In developed countries, perinatal death is known to cause major emotional and social effects on mothers. However, little is known about these effects in low income countries which bear the brunt of perinatal mortality burden. This paper reports the impact of perinatal death on psychological status and social consequences among mothers in a rural area of Bangladesh. A total of 476 women including 122 women with perinatal deaths were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS-B) at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum, and followed up for negative social consequences at 6 months postpartum. Trained female interviewers carried out structured interviews at women's home. Overall 43% (95% CI: 33.7-51.8%) of women with a perinatal loss at 6 weeks postpartum were depressed compared to 17% (95% CI: 13.7-21.9%) with healthy babies (p = death to experience negative psychological and social consequences. There is an urgent need to develop appropriate mental health care services for mothers with perinatal deaths in Bangladesh, including interventions to develop positive family support.

Improving access to medicines in low and middle income countries: corporate responsibilities in context.

Science.gov (United States)

Leisinger, Klaus Michael; Garabedian, Laura Faden; Wagner, Anita Katharina

2012-12-01

More than two billion people in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) lack adequate access to essential medicines. In this paper, we make strong public health, human rights and economic arguments for improving access to medicines in LMIC and discuss the different roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, including national governments, the international community, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). We then establish a framework of pharmaceutical firms' corporate responsibilities - the "must," the "ought to," and the "can" dimensions - and make recommendations for actionable business strategies for improving access to medicines. We discuss controversial topics, such as pharmaceutical profits and patents, with the goal of building consensus around facts and working towards a solution. We conclude that partnerships and collaboration among multiple stakeholders are urgently needed to improve equitable access to medicines in LMIC.

Required Market Risk Premium among countries in 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pablo Fernandez

2015-12-01

This survey also links with the Equity Premium Puzzle. It may be explained by the fact that many market participants use historical data and advice from textbooks and finance professors. Consequently, ex-ante equity premia have been high, most market prices have been consistently undervalued, and the ex-post risk premia has been also high. Many investors use historical data and textbook prescriptions to estimate the required and the expected equity premium, the undervaluation and the high ex-post risk premium are self fulfilling prophecies.

Country branding: an imperative for developing countries | Akotia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Clarifying what a country brand and country branding encompasses, this paper examines the competitive advantage a country brand engenders for developing countries. Furthermore, emphasising country branding as a social construction, this paper argues that for developing countries entrenched in the poverty cycle there ...

Pulmonary specialty training to improve respiratory health in low- and middle-income countries. Needs and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakaya, Jeremiah M; Carter, E Jane; Hopewell, Philip C

2015-04-01

It is estimated that 85% of the world's population lives in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Although economic conditions are improving in these countries, health expenditures have not kept pace with the overall economic growth, and health systems remain weak. These already inadequate systems are being further stressed by the epidemiologic transition that is taking place, characterized by a slow decrease in communicable diseases and an increase in noninfectious chronic diseases, resulting in a "double burden" of infectious and noninfectious diseases. Respiratory diseases comprise the largest category of illness within this combined burden of disease. Although there are chronic respiratory disease programs of proven effectiveness appropriate for LMICs, implementation has been greatly hampered by the lack of physicians who have special knowledge and skills in addressing the full spectrum of lung diseases. Thus, there is an urgent need to create training programs for specialists in respiratory diseases. Such programs should be developed and conducted by institutions in LMICs and tailored to fit the prevailing circumstances of the country. Existing curriculum blueprints may be used to guide training program development with appropriate modifications. Academic institutions and professional societies in high-income countries may be called upon to provide technical assistance in developing and implementing training programs. In order to better define the burden of respiratory diseases and identify effective interventions, research, moved forward by persons committed and specialized in this area of health, will be essential.

The Etiology and Clinical Features of Anaphylaxis in a developing country: A nationwide survey in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Civelek, Ersoy; Erkoçoğlu, Mustafa; Akan, Ayşegül; Özcan, Celal; Kaya, Ayşenur; Vezir, Emine; Giniş, Tayfur; Azkur, Dilek; Toyran, Müge; Tokaç, Mahmut; Kocabaş, Can Naci

2017-12-01

Despite the increasing frequency of anaphylaxis, there is inadequate information on the etiology and clinical features in various countries, regions and age groups, especially in developing countries. Our aim is to assess the etiology and clinical findings of anaphylaxis in Turkey. Gathering reliable data about the etiology and clinical findings of anaphylaxis in the general population will decrease the related morbidity and mortality. We obtained the names and phone numbers of individuals who had been prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector with a diagnosis of anaphylaxis from ministry of health. Demographic data, clinical history of the first episode of anaphylaxis including the triggering agent, clinical findings, course of hospitalization, and the management of anaphylaxis were obtained by phone survey. A total of 843 patients with a mean age of 21.4±17.3 years were evaluated. There was a significant male predominance among children younger than 10 years of age but a female predominance in older subjects. The most common causes of anaphylaxis were foods(40.1%) in children and bee venom(60.8%) in adults. The biphasic reaction rate was 4.3% and the median length of stay at an emergency department was 4.0 hours. Almost 60% of the patients had recurrent anaphylaxis episodes. Only 10.7% of the cases were prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector at their first anaphylaxis episode and only 59.2% of the patients were referred to an allergist during discharge from the emergency department. In Turkey, bee venom was the most common cause of anaphylaxis, followed by food and drug. While more than a half of patients reported recurrent attacks; only 10% had been prescribed epinephrine auto-injector kit after their first episode. Strategies to improve the anaphyalxis management are therefore urgently required.

A review on contamination and emergency response actions in USSR, European countries and Japan in the reactor accident at Chernobyl

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akaishi, Jun; Ohhata, Tsutomu

1987-01-01

The accident occurred in the Chernobyl No.4 reactor on April 26, 1986 became the largest accident of nuclear reactors so far as the quantity of release of radioactive substances was very much, and the wide area contamination over the whole Northern Hemisphere was brought about. Consequently, the revision over wide ranges, such as the desigh and operation of nuclear reactors and the response at the time of emergency, was to be urgently demanded. As to this accident, many reports have been already made. In this report, the contamination and the response carried out at the time of emergency including the state in Japan are mainly described. The contents of this report are based on the data sent from the international organizations, the results of measurement by the organizations in respective countries, the publication by USSR at the IAEA expert conference in August, 1986, and the data published in respective countries by research institutes. The state in respective countries after the accident, the radioactivity contamination due to the accident in USSR, European countries and Japan, the diffusion and move of radioactive substances, the countermeasures to the accident such as the estimation of exposure dose, scientific investigation, the evacuation of people and so on are reported. (Kako, I.)

Using systems thinking to identify workforce enablers for a whole systems approach to urgent and emergency care delivery: a multiple case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Manley, Kim; Martin, Anne; Jackson, Carolyn; Wright, Toni

2016-08-09

Overcrowding in emergency departments is a global issue, which places pressure on the shrinking workforce and threatens the future of high quality, safe and effective care. Healthcare reforms aimed at tackling this crisis have focused primarily on structural changes, which alone do not deliver anticipated improvements in quality and performance. The purpose of this study was to identify workforce enablers for achieving whole systems urgent and emergency care delivery. A multiple case study design framed around systems thinking was conducted in South East England across one Trust consisting of five hospitals, one community healthcare trust and one ambulance trust. Data sources included 14 clinical settings where upstream or downstream pinch points are likely to occur including discharge planning and rapid response teams; ten regional stakeholder events (n = 102); a qualitative survey (n = 48); and a review of literature and analysis of policy documents including care pathways and protocols. The key workforce enablers for whole systems urgent and emergency care delivery identified were: clinical systems leadership, a single integrated career and competence framework and skilled facilitation of work based learning. In this study, participants agreed that whole systems urgent and emergency care allows for the design and implementation of care delivery models that meet complexity of population healthcare needs, reduce duplication and waste and improve healthcare outcomes and patients' experiences. For this to be achieved emphasis needs to be placed on holistic changes in structures, processes and patterns of the urgent and emergency care system. Often overlooked, patterns that drive the thinking and behavior in the workplace directly impact on staff recruitment and retention and the overall effectiveness of the organization. These also need to be attended to for transformational change to be achieved and sustained. Research to refine and validate a single

A pilot study on acoustic regulations for schools – Comparison between selected countries in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Birgit; Guigou-Carter, Catherine

2016-01-01

of descriptors and limit values for acoustic requirements. The paper includes examples of acoustic regulations for schools, including specific sound insulation requirements on airborne and impact sound insulation, limit values for noise from traffic and from service equipment and in addition on reverberation......Acoustic regulations for schools exist in most countries in Europe, the main reasons being improving learning conditions for pupils and work conditions for teachers. As a pilot study, comparison between requirements in selected countries in Europe has been carried out. The findings show a diversity...... time for class rooms. Furthermore, the discrepancies between countries are being discussed and some priorities for adjusting acoustic regulations in some countries indicated....

Key policy considerations for facilitating low carbon technology transfer to developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ockwell, David G.; Watson, Jim; MacKerron, Gordon; Pal, Prosanto; Yamin, Farhana

2008-01-01

Based on Phase I of a UK-India collaborative study, this paper analyses two case studies of low carbon technologies-hybrid vehicles and coal-fired power generation via integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC). The analysis highlights the following six key considerations for the development of policy aimed at facilitating low carbon technology transfer to developing countries: (1) technology transfer needs to be seen as part of a broader process of sustained, low carbon technological capacity development in recipient countries; (2) the fact that low carbon technologies are at different stages of development means that low carbon technology transfer involves both vertical transfer (the transfer of technologies from the R and D stage through to commercialisation) and horizontal transfer (the transfer from one geographical location to another). Barriers to transfer and appropriate policy responses often vary according to the stage of technology development as well as the specific source and recipient country contexts; (3) less integrated technology transfer arrangements, involving, for example, acquisition of different items of plant from a range of host country equipment manufacturers, are more likely to involve knowledge exchange and diffusion through recipient country economies; (4) recipient firms that, as part of the transfer process, strategically aim to obtain technological know-how and knowledge necessary for innovation during the transfer process are more likely to be able to develop their capacity as a result; (5) whilst access to Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) may sometimes be a necessary part of facilitating technology transfer, it is not likely to be sufficient in itself. Other factors such as absorptive capacity and risks associated with new technologies must also be addressed; (6) there is a central role for both national and international policy interventions in achieving low carbon technology transfer. The lack of available empirical analysis

Innovative product design based on comprehensive customer requirements of different cognitive levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaolong; Zhao, Wu; Zheng, Yake; Wang, Rui; Wang, Chen

2014-01-01

To improve customer satisfaction in innovative product design, a topology structure of customer requirements is established and an innovative product approach is proposed. The topology structure provides designers with reasonable guidance to capture the customer requirements comprehensively. With the aid of analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the importance of the customer requirements is evaluated. Quality function deployment (QFD) is used to translate customer requirements into product and process design demands and pick out the technical requirements which need urgent improvement. In this way, the product is developed in a more targeted way to satisfy the customers. the theory of innovative problems solving (TRIZ) is used to help designers to produce innovative solutions. Finally, a case study of automobile steering system is used to illustrate the application of the proposed approach.

Innovative Product Design Based on Comprehensive Customer Requirements of Different Cognitive Levels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaolong Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available To improve customer satisfaction in innovative product design, a topology structure of customer requirements is established and an innovative product approach is proposed. The topology structure provides designers with reasonable guidance to capture the customer requirements comprehensively. With the aid of analytic hierarchy process (AHP, the importance of the customer requirements is evaluated. Quality function deployment (QFD is used to translate customer requirements into product and process design demands and pick out the technical requirements which need urgent improvement. In this way, the product is developed in a more targeted way to satisfy the customers. the theory of innovative problems solving (TRIZ is used to help designers to produce innovative solutions. Finally, a case study of automobile steering system is used to illustrate the application of the proposed approach.

System of urgent psychological aid to subjects of educational settings in the USA (review of the studies for the last decade

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavlova T. S.

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the strategies of urgent psychological aid in the USA in a chronological order: preparation for critical situations in educational settlements (school crisis plans, immediate reaction to a crisis (the first psychological aid, work with psychological trauma.

Improving positive parenting skills and reducing harsh and abusive parenting in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Knerr, Wendy; Gardner, Frances; Cluver, Lucie

2013-08-01

Family and youth violence are increasingly recognized as key public health issues in developing countries. Parenting interventions form an important evidence-based strategy for preventing violence, both against and by children, yet most rigorous trials of parenting interventions have been conducted in high-income countries, with far fewer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This systematic review, conducted in line with Cochrane Handbook guidelines, investigated the effectiveness of parenting interventions for reducing harsh/abusive parenting, increasing positive parenting practices, and improving parent-child relationships in LMICs. Attitudes and knowledge were examined as secondary outcomes. A range of databases were systematically searched, and randomized trials included. High heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis, but characteristics of included studies were described according to type of delivery mode and outcome. Twelve studies with 1580 parents in nine countries reported results favoring intervention on a range of parenting measures. The validity of results for most studies is unclear due to substantial or unclear risks of bias. However, findings from the two largest, highest-quality trials suggest parenting interventions may be feasible and effective in improving parent-child interaction and parental knowledge in relation to child development in LMICs, and therefore may be instrumental in addressing prevention of child maltreatment in these settings. Given the well-established evidence base for parenting interventions in high-income countries, and increasingly good evidence for their applicability across cultures and countries, there is now an urgent need for more rigorously evaluated and reported studies, focusing on youth outcomes as well as parenting, adapted for contexts of considerable resource constraints.

Housing policies in developing countries: Microfinance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smets, P.G.S.M.; Smith, S.J.; Elsinga, M.; O’Mahony, L.H.; Ong, S.E.; Wachter, S.; Wood, G.

2012-01-01

Shelter is a basic human need for which financial means are required. Poorer sections of society face difficulties in accessing and coping with conventional mortgage finance and are better assisted with housing microfinance. This enables the poor, especially in 'developing' countries to build their

Expedited patent examination for green inventions: Developing countries' policy choices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Bingbin

2013-01-01

Innovation in green technology is important. Patent rights can provide incentives for green technology research and development. Expedited patent examination for green inventions has emerged as a policy instrument to provide such incentives. Developing countries were never opposed to patents for green technologies. China and Brazil have led the way by offering expedited examinations for green patent applications. More developing countries are expected to follow. Expedited examination for green technologies is consistent with the intellectual property system objectives and is justified by the clear social benefit from green technologies. Introducing such expedited programs in developing countries has sufficient advantages. Existing models of expedited programs for green technologies are analyzed to generalize key issues and to discern suitable policy choices for developing countries. When introducing such programs, a balanced definition for green technology is preferred; a special classification requirement is premature and is not recommended; a pre-examination search requirement is generally recommended to balance patent office workloads, and a green patent database is recommended. - Highlights: • There is no north–south divide in promoting green technologies. • Earlier issuance of green patents has its great social benefit. • Green patent application should receive expedited examination. • Developing countries should introduce such expedited programs. • A suitable approach for developing countries is searched and recommended

Rights of patients required in a public service ombudsman

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maristela Santini Martins

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: analyzing the rights of patients required in a public service ombudsmen. Methods: an exploratory, descriptive study of documentary research. 109 complaint forms coming from the basic network were analyzed, related to 12 Basic Health Units located within the Southern Health Technical Supervision. Results: grouped into four categories of required rights: access to goods and services (62.4% being, access to specialized exams (28.7%, access to consultations (16.6%, referral to a specialist (5.7%, referral for urgent/emergency cases (1.3%, monitoring through home visits (7.6%, guaranteed medications (2.5%. Quality of health services (36.9% divided into: decent, considerate and respectful care (26.8%, guidance/clarification (9.6%, and public disclosure of government programs (0.6% and adequate infrastructure (0.6%. Conclusion: the rights that patients required are related to access, quality, treatment and adequate infrastructure.

Risk of poor development in young children in low-income and middle-income countries: an estimation and analysis at the global, regional, and country level

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Chunling; Black, Maureen M; Richter, Linda M

2018-01-01

Summary Background A 2007 study published in The Lancet estimated that approximately 219 million children aged younger than 5 years were exposed to stunting or extreme poverty in 2004. We updated the 2004 estimates with the use of improved data and methods and generated estimates for 2010. Methods We used country-level prevalence of stunting in children younger than 5 years based on the 2006 Growth Standards proposed by WHO and poverty ratios from the World Bank to estimate children who were either stunted or lived in extreme poverty for 141 low-income and middle-income countries in 2004 and 2010. To avoid counting the same children twice, we excluded children jointly exposed to stunting and extreme poverty from children living in extreme poverty. To examine the robustness of estimates, we also used moderate poverty measures. Findings The 2007 study underestimated children at risk of poor development. The estimated number of children exposed to the two risk factors in low-income and middle-income countries decreased from 279·1 million (95% CI 250·4 million–307·4 million) in 2004 to 249·4 million (209·3 million–292·6 million) in 2010; prevalence of children at risk fell from 51% (95% CI 46–56) to 43% (36–51). The decline occurred in all income groups and regions with south Asia experiencing the largest drop. Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest prevalence in both years. These findings were robust to variations in poverty measures. Interpretation Progress has been made in reducing the number of children exposed to stunting or poverty between 2004 and 2010, but this is still not enough. Scaling up of effective interventions targeting the most vulnerable children is urgently needed. Funding National Institutes of Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hilton Foundation, and WHO. PMID:27717632

Nuclear power programmes in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1988-01-01

The paper on ''Nuclear power programmes in developing countries'' is a report to the IAEA by a Senior Expert Group. A description is given of the requirements for a successful nuclear power programme, including the constraints that developing countries might face in the introduction and execution of the programme. The group attempted to identify the main issues affecting the financing of nuclear power projects and suggested specific actions that could be undertaken in order to reduce economic and financial risks. The various issues were discussed under the topic headings:-programme-project-related factors, investment climate, financing plan, export credits and creditworthiness. (U.K.)

WHAT CAN TANZANIA'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM LEARN FROM OECD COUNTRIES?

OpenAIRE

Kajuna, Dezidery Theobard

2014-01-01

Abstract Healthcare systems around the world have different shapes that are largely affected by socio-economic and political situations of a particular country. It is essential for the population to have better health services which requires the country to have better health policies, enough funding for health care sector, and a well structured delivery system. Tanzania like any other developing countries continue to face different challenges in healthcare sector greatly influenced by poor ec...

48 CFR 225.872-7 - Industrial security for qualifying countries.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Industrial security for... Agreements and Coordination 225.872-7 Industrial security for qualifying countries. The required procedures... qualifying country sources are in the DoD Industrial Security Regulation DoD 5220.22-R (implemented for the...

Urgent need for warming experiments in tropical forests

Science.gov (United States)

Calaveri, Molly A.; Reed, Sasha C.; Smith, W. Kolby; Wood, Tana E.

2015-01-01

powerful and urgent way forward in order to improve our understanding of tropical forest responses to climate change.

Nuclear power in the Nordic countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

Of the Nordic countries-Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway-the first two have chosen nuclear energy to supply a large portion of their electrical generation requirements. Finland has opted for two Western-style boiling water reactors and two modified Russian-designed pressurized water reactors. The country has led the nuclear nations of the world in the 1990s with its capacity factor. Domestic reports state that nuclear is the lowest-cost electrical generation source, and Finland will need additional capacity by 2000. The country's nuclear waste storage facilities are in operation, with more under construction. In this, the second part of a two-part feature (the first part viewed Sweden's nuclear program), the attention is focused on Finland: its government, where it has positioned itself in the world economy, and the internal conflicts of how, or if, to add the needed electrical capacity

Status of nuclear power in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laue, H.J.

1982-01-01

In the context of the world-wide energy situation and the key position energy plays and will play for the economic and social development of any country, the energy demand situation up to the year 2000 is analysed. As a result, the world-wide energy demand will continue to increase, however, mainly in the developing world. Nuclear power is one of the important component in the energy mix of today and in the future. Status of nuclear power application in developing countries up to the end of the century. Any further growth of the peaceful use of nuclear power in developing countries is closely linked with the following requirements: - qualified manpower, - industrial infrastructure, - energy demand and supply assessments, - high investments, - assurance of supply of nuclear fuel and fuel cycle services, - availability of small and medium power reactors. The possible role of the IAEA in developing countries and international measures to remove some of the limitations for the peaceful use of nuclear energy in developing countries are discussed. (orig.)

19 CFR 122.49a - Electronic manifest requirement for passengers onboard commercial aircraft arriving in the United...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... operations, all-cargo flight operations, and dual flight operations involving the transport of both cargo and... capacity required for normal operation and service of the flight. In addition, the definition of “crew... problem affecting the flight, or to an urgent situation affecting the non-U.S. port of destination that...

Álcool, direção automotiva e o Programa Vida Urgente na visão de jovens voluntários Vida Urgente Program, alcohol and driving: young volunteers' view

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andréa dos Santos Nascimento

2011-08-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste estudo é analisar as representações sociais dos jovens voluntários do Programa Vida Urgente, do Espírito Santo, acerca do trabalho por eles realizado. Foram realizadas 20 entrevistas com roteiro semiestruturado objetivando conhecer a opinião sobre os efeitos da própria atuação e a visão que possuem do programa. Para tanto foram entrevistados jovens de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 15 e 26 anos, posteriormente divididos em dois grupos com base no critério de tempo de atuação nas ações do Programa: G1 - 06 a 12 meses e G2 - acima de 12 meses. Por meio da análise de conteúdo, verificou-se que a afinidade com a proposta do trabalho voluntário e a valorização do discurso da conscientização são alguns dos motivos para o ingresso no Programa. Os entrevistados informaram ter identificado maior receptividade no público-alvo, o que é percebido por eles como uma mudança positiva no comportamento dos motoristas abordados.This study's goal is to analyze the social representations of the young volunteers of Vida Urgente Program of Espírito Santo about the work developed by them. 20 interviews were carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire with the objective to know the opinion about the effects of their performance and the vision they possess about the program. For such, 20 participants of both sexes with ages from 15 to 26 years were interviewed, subsequently divided into two groups according to the time of participation in the Program: G1 - 06 to 12 months and G2 - above 12 months. Using content analysis, it was verified that the affinity with the program's proposal of volunteer work and valorization of the speech of awareness are some of the reasons to enter the program. The respondents informed having identified larger receptivity from the target-public, which is perceived by them as a positive change on approached drivers.

Convenience, quality and choice: Patient and service-provider perspectives for treating primary care complaints in urgent care settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Sturgeon, David

2017-11-01

To investigate why patients chose to attend two, nurse-led, minor injury units (MIUs) to access primary healthcare services rather than attend their GP practice. Since the 1980's, healthcare organisations in the UK and elsewhere have implemented an increasingly consumer-orientated model of healthcare provision. As a result, patients with non-urgent presentations are attending Emergency Departments (EDs) and other urgent care facilities in growing numbers. A comparative case study approach was adopted and between October 2014 and May 2015 the researcher was embedded as a participant observer as part of the emergency nurse practitioner team at two, nurse-led, MIUs (site A and B). During this time, 40 patients, 17 service-providers and 1 senior manager were interviewed. Patients and service-providers at both sites identified convenience and quality of care as the principle reasons patients presented for primary healthcare services at MIUs rather than their GP practice. Service-providers were aware that by providing treatment, they established a precedent and a sense of expectation for future care. Patients are acting rationally and predictably in response to healthcare policy promises regarding choice, expectation created by service-providers, and local demographic factors. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Main features of licensing requirements for nuclear installations in several OECD member countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyners, P.

1977-01-01

The present paper contains a brief description of the main features of the above-mentioned six countries' licensing systems, namely the legal regime applicable, the appropriate licensing bodies, the general frame and scope of the respective national regimes, the involvement of the public and technical safety bodies as well as the inspection procedures. This description is supplemented by some introductory remarks. (orig.) [de

Main features of licensing requirements for nuclear installations in several OECD member countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyners, P.

1975-01-01

The present paper contains a brief description of the main features of the above-mentioned six countries' licensing systems, namely the legal regime applicable, the appropriate licensing bodies, the general frame and scope of the respective national regimes, the involvement of the public and technical safety bodies as well as the inspection procedures. This description is supplemented by some introductory remarks. (orig.) [de

Present state of nuclear regulation organizations of main countries in the world. Importance of regulation staffs and requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishida, Naoki

2013-01-01

After Fukushima accident, NRA (Nuclear Regulation Authority) was established in Japan as an independent organization from promotion. In order to perform effective and reliable nuclear regulation, it was important management organization such as nuclear regulation commission worked efficiently, and also requirements for nuclear regulation staffs engaged in actual regulatory works were of importance so as for appropriate decision making or judgments of management organization. Since regulation staffs needed professional expertise and technical judgment capabilities in wide areas including other than nuclear energy, various efforts had been done to get able regulation staffs in US, France and UK nuclear regulation organizations concerned, which became clarified after overseas investigation for this article. Since knowledge in nuclear industry could be used for effective regulation, mid-career recruitment had been employed in regulation organization of each country so as to take such knowledge and so it was important how to utilize industrial knowledge under appropriate conditions compatible with independence of regulation organization. (T. Tanaka)

Understanding the Role and Impact of Effective Country and Community Leadership in Progress Toward the Global Plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, Charles; Pillay, Yogan

2017-05-01

Individual leadership and leaders have played pivotal roles in the history of efforts to end the AIDS epidemic. The goal of this article is to reflect on and understand how leadership and leaders have impacted and enabled the success of the Global Plan Towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children by 2015 and Keeping their Mothers Alive (Global Plan). To accomplish this goal, multiple interviews were conducted with individuals in positions of leadership who had been identified as people whose actions drove progress. Interviewees were selected from all levels of traditional hierarchies and sectors to provide a more complete account and representation of leadership, with a particular emphasis on the community, district, and country levels. The leaders interviewed provide insight into their work, motivations, and approaches to effective leadership. Through their experiences, they shed light on the strategies they used to drive changes in policy, programs, practice, and communities that allowed for progress toward the goals of the Global Plan. Leaders also identify future challenges and areas of improvement in the effort to end the AIDS epidemic that they feel require leadership and urgent action. In conclusion, this article identifies common characteristics of effective leadership and reflects on the experiences of individuals who are leaders in the effort to end the AIDS epidemic, and how their lessons learned can be applied to help realize future global public health goals.

Olive Cultivation in the Southern Hemisphere: Flowering, Water Requirements and Oil Quality Responses to New Crop Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, Mariela; Pierantozzi, Pierluigi; Searles, Peter; Rousseaux, M. Cecilia; García-Inza, Georgina; Miserere, Andrea; Bodoira, Romina; Contreras, Cibeles; Maestri, Damián

2017-01-01

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is a crop well adapted to the environmental conditions prevailing in the Mediterranean Basin. Nevertheless, the increasing international demand for olive oil and table olives in the last two decades has led to expansion of olive cultivation in some countries of the southern hemisphere, notably in Argentina, Chile, Perú and Australia. While the percentage of world production represented by these countries is still low, many of the new production regions do not have typical Mediterranean climates, and some are located at subtropical latitudes where there is relatively little information about crop function. Thus, the primary objective of this review was to assess recently published scientific literature on olive cultivation in these new crop environments. The review focuses on three main aspects: (a) chilling requirements for flowering, (b) water requirements and irrigation management, and (c) environmental effects on fruit oil concentration and quality. In many arid and semiarid regions of South America, temperatures are high and rainfall is low in the winter and early spring months compared to conditions in much of the Mediterranean Basin. High temperatures have often been found to have detrimental effects on olive flowering in many olive cultivars that have been introduced to South America, and a better understanding of chilling requirements is needed. Lack of rainfall in the winter and spring also has resulted in an urgent need to evaluate water requirements from the flower differentiation period in the winter to early fruit bearing. Additionally, in some olive growing areas of South America and Australia, high early season temperatures affect the timing of phenological events such that the onset of oil synthesis occurs sooner than in the Mediterranean Basin with most oil accumulation taking place in the summer when temperatures are very high. Increasing mean daily temperatures have been demonstrated to decrease fruit oil concentration

Breast-milk substitutes: a new old-threat for breastfeeding policy in developing countries. A case study in a traditionally high breastfeeding country.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hubert Barennes

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Developing countries with traditionally breastfeeding are now experiencing the increasing pressure of formula milk marketing. This may endanger lives and undermine the efforts of national policies in achieving the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals. We examined the use of, and factors for use, of all available breast-milk substitutes (BMS in a country with a traditionally high rate of breastfeeding. METHODS: Randomised multi-stage sampling surveys in 90 villages in 12/17 provinces in Laos. PARTICIPANTS: 1057 mothers with infants under 24 months of age. TOOLS: 50-query questionnaire and a poster of 22 BMS (8 canned or powdered milk; 6 non-dairy; 6 formulas; 2 non-formulas. OUTCOME MEASURES INCLUDED: prevalence of use and age of starting BMS in relation to socio-demographic characteristics and information sources, by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Of 1057 mothers: 72.5% currently breastfed; 25.4% gave BMS (10.6% infant formula; 19.6% gave BMS before 6 months of age (of them: 83% non-dairy or cereals; mean age: 2.9 months; 95% Confidence interval: 2.6-3.2. One formula and one non-formula product accounted for 85% of BMS. BMS were considered as milk by the majority of mothers. Thai TV was the main source of information on BMS for mothers. Lao Loum mothers (the main ethnic group living in concrete houses with good sanitary conditions, were more likely than others to use BMS before 6 months (OR: 1.79, (1.15-2.78, p<0.009. Mothers who fed their infants colostrum at birth were less likely to use BMS before 6 months of age (OR: 0.63, (0.41-0.99, p = 0.04. Unemployed mothers living in rural areas were less likely to consider BMS better than breast milk. CONCLUSION: In Laos, mothers with the highest socio-economic status are showing a tendency to give up breastfeeding. Successful educational strategies and advocacy measures should be urgently developed to promote and sustain breastfeeding in developing countries.

Outcome of pregnancy related acute kidney injury requiring ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Pregnancy related acute kidney injury (AKI) severe enough to require dialysis is now rare in developed countries but is still a significant cause of maternal mortality in many resource constrained countries. However, there is scanty information from many sub-Saharan countries about outcomes of patient who ...

Climate volatility deepens poverty vulnerability in developing countries

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Syud A.; Diffenbaugh, Noah S.; Hertel, Thomas W.

2009-07-01

Extreme climate events could influence poverty by affecting agricultural productivity and raising prices of staple foods that are important to poor households in developing countries. With the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events predicted to change in the future, informed policy design and analysis requires an understanding of which countries and groups are going to be most vulnerable to increasing poverty. Using a novel economic-climate analysis framework, we assess the poverty impacts of climate volatility for seven socio-economic groups in 16 developing countries. We find that extremes under present climate volatility increase poverty across our developing country sample—particularly in Bangladesh, Mexico, Indonesia, and Africa—with urban wage earners the most vulnerable group. We also find that global warming exacerbates poverty vulnerability in many nations.

Climate volatility deepens poverty vulnerability in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, Syud A; Diffenbaugh, Noah S; Hertel, Thomas W

2009-01-01

Extreme climate events could influence poverty by affecting agricultural productivity and raising prices of staple foods that are important to poor households in developing countries. With the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events predicted to change in the future, informed policy design and analysis requires an understanding of which countries and groups are going to be most vulnerable to increasing poverty. Using a novel economic-climate analysis framework, we assess the poverty impacts of climate volatility for seven socio-economic groups in 16 developing countries. We find that extremes under present climate volatility increase poverty across our developing country sample-particularly in Bangladesh, Mexico, Indonesia, and Africa-with urban wage earners the most vulnerable group. We also find that global warming exacerbates poverty vulnerability in many nations.

The fundamental problem of the Russian economy: human capital as a panacea from the raw disease of a country

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azyrkina Alexandra, S.

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The paper outlines the urgent problems of modern Russia, as well as identified the fundamental problem hindering the successful development of the national economy. As a fundamental problem, the author defines the problem of the lack of diversification of the Russian economy. In the work proposed two global solutions to this problem: the intensive and extensive nature. Preference intensive approach to the resolution of pressing problems is justified. As the reference level intensive approach is the development of human capital. In the paper human capital is in general characterized, the evolution of the concept of human capital and the modern sense of the concept are given. The necessity to consider the human potential as the advantage of Russia is proved. Problems that hinder the development of human capital are identified and analyzed. Also some methods of the solution of those problems are presented. The research also identified the benefits of Russia from the point of view of the development of human capital in comparison with other countries, and identified the urgent problems that hinder its development. Analysis of the current situation from the point of view of limitations for successful human development and the factors hindering this development is provided.

ALSTOM supercritical steam plants meet Polish market challenges and power generator's requirements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Twardowski, A.

2007-07-01

From the early 1990s the age and technical performance of most of the Polish power plants required urgent investment including rehabilitation and/or replacement. This was necessary as power demand was increasing continuously in parallel with country GDP growth. Poland's joining the EU in May 2005 caused additional obligations related to limitation of emissions by Poland as a country and specifically by the Polish power sector. The first big project focussed on replacement of old equipment, improvement of electricity production efficiency and reduction of environmental impact by rehabilitation of Units 1-6 in Turow power plant. This is briefly described in the presentation. The latest and the biggest project is the construction of a new supercritical, lignite fired 833 MW unit in BOT Belchatow PP awarded to ALSTOM in December 2004 as a full term key contract. In addition to a new power block the project included: a new desulfurisation plant; a complete close circle cooling system; a new electrical system control system, and water treatment system; a coal handling system connecting the new unit with lignite transportation system from the open mine to the existing plant; hydraulic ash and slug systems; and an electrostatic precipitator. The unit has reduced NOx emissions to the level below 200 mg/Nm{sup 3} thanks to low emission burners. Particulate emissions are below 30 mg/Nm{sup 3}, SOx emissions are below 220 mg/Nm{sup 3}; CO{sub 2} emissions are lowered and cooling water consumption reduced. Special noise protection systems and special design of some systems has greatly reduced the noise level. 2 photos.

Nuclear power for developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kendall, J.; Kupitz, J.; Rogner, H. H.

2000-01-01

Nuclear power is a proven technology which currently makes a large contribution to the electricity supply in a number of countries and, to a much less extent, to heat supply in some countries. Nuclear power is economically competitive with fossil fuels for base load electricity generation in many countries, and is one of the commercially proven energy supply options that could be expanded in the future to reduce environmental burdens, especially greenhouse gas emissions, from the electricity sector. Over the past five decades, nearly ten thousand reactor-years of operating experience have been accumulated with current nuclear power plants. Building upon this background of success and applying lessons learned from the experience of operating plants, new generations of nuclear power plants have been, or are being developed. Improvements incorporated into these advance designs include features that will allow operators more time to perform equipment protection and safety actions in response to equipment failures and other off normal operating conditions, and that will reduce and simplify the actions required. Great attention is also paid to making new plants simpler to operate, inspect, maintain and repair, thus increasing their overall cost efficiency and their compatibility with the infrastructure of developing countries. The paper provides a discussion of future world energy supply and demand projections, current status and prospects for nuclear power, a short summary of advanced reactor concepts and non-electrical applications of nuclear energy for developing countries, and a review of the role of the IAEA. (author)

China: a rich flora needed of urgent conservation

OpenAIRE

López-Pujol, Jordi; Zhao, A-Man

2004-01-01

[EN] China is one of the richest countries in plant biodiversity in the world. Besides to a rich flora, which contains about 33 000 vascular plants (being 30 000 of these angiosperms, 250 gymnosperms, and 2 600 pteridophytes), there is a extraordinary ecosystem diversity. In addition, China also contains a large pool of both wild and cultivated germplasm; one of the eight original centers of crop plants in the world was located there. China is also considered one of the main ce...

Risk score for identifying adults with CSF pleocytosis and negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hasbun, Rodrigo; Bijlsma, Merijn; Brouwer, Matthijs C.; Khoury, Nabil; Hadi, Christiane M.; van der Ende, Arie; Wootton, Susan H.; Salazar, Lucrecia; Hossain, Md Monir; Beilke, Mark; van de Beek, Diederik

2013-01-01

We aimed to derive and validate a risk score that identifies adults with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain at low risk for an urgent treatable cause. Patients with CSF pleocytosis and a negative CSF Gram stain were stratified into a prospective derivation (n = 193)

RECOMMENDATIONS OF PILOTING A HELICOPTER AND FIGHTING AGAINST EXTERNAL GOODS OSCILLATIONS DURING THE CONDUCT OF URGENT AERIAL WORKS WITH EXTERNAL SUSPENSION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Lebedev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Сonsidered question of reducing oscillations of cargo on helicopter external sling to improve the safety and efficiency of flight operations during the conduct of urgent aerial works. Offered practical recommendations of piloting a helicopter and effective maneuvers to eliminate oscillations of cargo on external sling.

The Possibility of Central and Eastern European Countries' Joining the EMU: Prospects and Implications for Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeong-Cheol Han

1999-03-01

Full Text Available The old socialistic states of Middle and Eastern Europe is positively trying to accede to the EMU in order to enjoy the manifold rights of joining currency combination, not mention the political and diplomatic purposes. The EU brought forward the regulation of macro-economic reduction, system and law terms as the requirement of the entrance of those Middle and Eastern Europe countries. According to a survey, including Poland and Hungary, countries which took the lead in reforming agreed with EU on most of EU’ requirements about acceding to EMU. However, because of the domestic and foreign economic conditions, in the next 1 or 2years, none of the Middle and Eastern Europe countries could meet the requirement of reducing macro-economy. Whereas the degree of fulfillment of the economy reducing requirement and the factor that the Middle and Eastern Europe countries could accede to EU after 2003, it was predicted that those countries could accede to EMU only after 2005. With the coming on of EMU, the Middle and Eastern countries will accelerate the activity of currency combination. The South Korean government and enterprises also should intensify the prediction and precaution to the systems, policy change and other economic effects of these Middle and Eastern Europe countries.

Improving efficiency and saving money in an otolaryngology urgent referral clinic.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Nader; Virk, Jagdeep; George, Jason; Elmiyeh, Behrad; Singh, Arvind

2015-06-16

A closed loop audit of the ear nose and throat (ENT) urgent referral clinic at a London hospital was conducted assessing the number of patients reviewed, referral source, appropriateness of referral, presenting complaint and assigned follow-up appointments. Data was sourced from clinic letters and the patient appointment system over a 3-mo period. The initial cycle analysed 490 patients and the subsequent cycle 396. The initial audit yielded clinically relevant and cost effective recommendations which were implemented, and the audit cycle was subsequently repeated. The re-audit demonstrated decreased clinic numbers from an average 9.8 to 7.2 patients per clinic, in keeping with ENT United Kingdom guidelines. A 21% decrease in patient follow-up and 13% decrease in inappropriate referrals was achieved. Direct bookings into outpatient clinics decreased by 8%, due to correct referral pathway utilisation. Comparisons of all data sets were found to show statistical significance P saving of £32490 in a period of 3 mo (£590 per clinic). We demonstrated that simple guidelines, supervision and consultant-led education which are non-labour intensive can have a significant impact on service provision and cost.

Urgent intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin Zhengyu; Zhang Qing; Huang Yining; Cui Liying; Yang Ning; Liu Wei; Pan Jie; Gao Shan; Ye Jian; Xu Weihai; Liu Fangjian; Wang Leying; Chen Jun; Dai Jianping

2002-01-01

Objective: The authors report the results of urgent intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) in patients within 6 h of acute ischemic stroke onset. The purpose of the study was to observe the safety and efficacy of IAT and to analysis the predictive factors related to the outcome. Methods: 25 patients were treated by IAT using urokinase (UK) or recombinant Streptokinase (r-SK) in Union hospital. Primary neuroradiological assessment was performed with CT in all patients. Mechanical disruption of clot remnants was attempted after UK or r-SK was infused. Angiographic recanalization was classified according to Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grades. Clinical outcome was classified as good for Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) scores of 0 to 3 and poor for MRS scores of 4 to 6. Results: There are 18(72%) of patients TIMI 0-1 and 7(28%) patients TIMI 2 before thrombolysis was performed. The rates of complete/partial recanalization just after infusion were 72%, minimal or no recanalization were 28%. 18(72%) of the 25 patients had good outcome, 7(28%) had poor outcome. Cerebral hemorrhage occurred in 4 of the 25 patients, all with poor outcome. Conclusion: Intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) is feasible and safe in the setting of acute stroke. Collateral circulation, recanalization and improvement by 4 or more points on NIHSSS within 24 hours were significantly associated with good outcome, there was significantly association between no recanalization and cerebral hemorrhage and death. The key to improve the effect of IAT was successful recanalization

The urgent need to internalize CO2 emission costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodland, R.; El Serafy, S.

1998-01-01

Despite growing manifestations of global warming and the commitment of most nations to move towards reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a simple device that can be effective in reducing GHG emissions continues to be overlooked or even rejected. This is to acknowledge the fact that carbon emissions inflict global costs that are not borne by emitters. This paper advocates that all activities emitting or saving carbon emissions should internalize the carbon cost inflicted or avoided by new projects involving CO 2 . Considering the current wide range of carbon cost estimates, the paper recommends that a two-stage approach be adopted. Firstly, incorporate carbon costs in project analysis only theoretically in order to differentiate objectively among alternative designs involving carbon emissions of varying degrees. Different estimates of the costs of a ton of carbon would be used in order to test the sensitivity of rates of return to alternative carbon costs. While this process would have the effect of screening the allocation of scarce investment funds among projects that affect global warming in different degrees, it should be viewed as only a first step. Secondly, we advocate a rigorous process of passing through estimated carbon costs to the ultimate users of the services of carbon-emitting projects and processes. It is this ultimate process that will secure the urgently needed transition from the current dependence on fossil fuels to more benign sources of energy that would reduce climate-change risks. Since the time available is limited, the paper points out the urgency of these proposals that are crucial for sustainability

Vocational education in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

a common heritage in education policy. This volume will help strengthen the knowledge base required for transnational policy learning, and for developing vocational education internationally for the future. As a result, the book will be of interest to researchers, academics and postgraduate students......Vocational Education in the Nordic Countries: Learning from Diversity is the second of two books that disseminates new and systematic knowledge on the strengths and weaknesses of the different models of vocational education and training (VET) in four Nordic countries. Vocational education in Europe...... involved in the study of vocational education, educational studies and educational policy, as well as policy makers....

Country Stakes in Climate Change Negotiations. Two Dimensions of Vulnerability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buys, P.; Deichmann, U.; Meisner, C.; That, Thao Ton; Wheeler, D.

2007-01-01

Using a comprehensive geo-referenced database of indicators relating to global change and energy, the paper assesses countries' likely attitudes with respect to international treaties that regulate carbon emissions. The authors distinguish between source and impact vulnerability and classify countries according to these dimensions. The findings show clear differences in the factors that determine likely negotiating positions. This analysis and the resulting detailed, country level information help to explain the incentives required to make the establishment of such agreements more likely.

Country report on contamination monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oyuntulkhuur, Navaangalsan [National Centre for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology (Mongolia). Central Radiological Laboratory

1997-06-01

Mongolia is a non-nuclear country and has currently neither nuclear power plants nor research reactors. This country joined the Regional Co-operation Agreement (RCA) for the Asia Pacific region for research, development and training related to nuclear science and technology in 1993. Various measures has been taken for strengthening of radiation protection, cooperated with several international organizations mainly with IAEA. In Mongolia radioactive substances and sources are used for the following purposes: for research work; medical radiotherapy and diagnostic radiology in hospitals; industrial enterprises for technological processes; and for non-destructive testing in industry. Radiation safety inspection is conducted by the CRL. The inspections consist of verification of compliance with radiation safety requirements and with any additional requirements specified in the authorization of accounting records and a physical check on the presence of radiation sources; check on the work carried out by the radiation safety services to monitor radioactive contamination of the environment; and measurements and sampling. CRL should take much attention for improvement and development of the activities in the field of surface contamination monitoring concerning a wide use of radionuclides in different field of economy. (G.K.)

Pricing and Reimbursement of Biosimilars in Central and Eastern European Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Kawalec, Paweł; Stawowczyk, Ewa; Tesar, Tomas; Skoupa, Jana; Turcu-Stiolica, Adina; Dimitrova, Maria; Petrova, Guenka I.; Rugaja, Zinta; Männik, Agnes; Harsanyi, Andras; Draganic, Pero

2017-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to review the requirements for the reimbursement of biosimilars and to compare the reimbursement status, market share, and reimbursement costs of biosimilars in selected Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted between November 2016 and January 2017 among experts from the following CEE countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania. The requirements for the pricing and reimbursement of biosimilars were reviewed for each country. Data on the extent of reimbursement of biologic drugs (separately for original products and biosimilars) in the years 2014 and 2015 were also collected for each country, along with data on the total pharmaceutical and total public health care budgets. Results: Our survey revealed that no specific criteria were applied for the pricing and reimbursement of biosimilars in the selected CEE countries; the price of biosimilars was usually reduced compared with original drugs and specific price discounts were common. Substitution and interchangeability were generally allowed, although in most countries they were at the discretion of the physician after a clinical assessment. Original biologic drugs and the corresponding biosimilars were usually in the same homogeneous group, and internal reference pricing was usually employed. The reimbursement rate of biosimilars in the majority of the countries was the same and amounted to 100%. Generally, the higher shares of expenditures were shown for the reimbursement of original drugs than for biosimilars, except for filgrastim, somatropin, and epoetin (alfa and zeta). The shares of expenditures on the reimbursement of biosimilar products ranged from 8.0% in Estonia in 2014 to 32.4% in Lithuania in 2015, and generally increased in 2015. The share of expenditures on reimbursement of biosimilars in the total pharmaceutical budget differed between the

76 FR 61132 - Privacy Act; System of Records: State-77, Country Clearance Records

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-03

... name, email address, phone number, passport country and number, agency, employment type, country of...-07-16 security requirements, which include but are not limited to two-factor authentication and time...

China : a rich flora needed of urgent conservation

OpenAIRE

López-Pujol, Jordi

2004-01-01

China is one of the richest countries in plant biodiversity in the world. Besides to a rich flora, which contains about 33.000 vascular plants (being 30.000 of these angiosperms, 250 gymnosperms, and 2.600 pteridophytes), there is a extraordinary ecosystem diversity. In addition, China also contains a large pool of both wild and cultivated germplasm; one of the eight original centers of crop plants in the world was located there. China is also considered one of the main centers of origin and ...

Predictive Factors of One-Year Mortality in a Cohort of Patients Undergoing Urgent-Start Hemodialysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciene P Magalhães

Full Text Available Chronic kidney disease (CKD affects 10-15% of adult population worldwide. Incident patients on hemodialysis, mainly those on urgent-start dialysis at the emergency room, have a high mortality risk, which may reflect the absence of nephrology care. A lack of data exists regarding the influence of baseline factors on the mortality of these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of this population and identify risk factors that contribute to their mortality.We studied 424 patients who were admitted to our service between 01/2006 and 12/2012 and were followed for 1 year. We analyzed vascular access, risk factors linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD and mineral and bone disease associated with CKD (CKD-MBD, and clinical events that occurred during the follow-up period. Factors that influenced patient survival were evaluated by Cox regression analysis.The patient mean age was 50 ± 18 years, and 58.7% of them were male. Hypertension was the main cause of primary CKD (31.8%. Major risk factors were smoking (19.6%, dyslipidemia (48.8%, and CVD (41%. Upon admission, most patients had no vascular access for hemodialysis (89.4%. Biochemical results showed that most patients were anemic with high C-reactive protein levels, hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, elevated parathyroid hormone and decreased 25-hydroxy vitamin D. At the end of one year, 60 patients died (14.1%. These patients were significantly older, had a lower percentage of arteriovenous fistula in one year, and low levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.The combined evaluation of clinical and biochemical parameters and risk factors revealed that the mortality in urgent-start dialysis is associated with older age and low levels of vitamin D deficiency. A lack of a permanent hemodialysis access after one year was also a risk factor for mortality in this population.

Status of pesticide management in the practice of vector control: a global survey in countries at risk of malaria or other major vector-borne diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Berg, Henk; Hii, Jeffrey; Soares, Agnes; Mnzava, Abraham; Ameneshewa, Birkinesh; Dash, Aditya P; Ejov, Mikhail; Tan, Soo Hian; Matthews, Graham; Yadav, Rajpal S; Zaim, Morteza

2011-05-14

It is critical that vector control pesticides are used for their acceptable purpose without causing adverse effects on health and the environment. This paper provides a global overview of the current status of pesticides management in the practice of vector control. A questionnaire was distributed to WHO member states and completed either by the director of the vector-borne disease control programme or by the national manager for vector control. In all, 113 countries responded to the questionnaire (80% response rate), representing 94% of the total population of the countries targeted. Major gaps were evident in countries in pesticide procurement practices, training on vector control decision making, certification and quality control of pesticide application, monitoring of worker safety, public awareness programmes, and safe disposal of pesticide-related waste. Nevertheless, basic conditions of policy and coordination have been established in many countries through which the management of vector control pesticides could potentially be improved. Most countries responded that they have adopted relevant recommendations by the WHO. Given the deficiencies identified in this first global survey on public health pesticide management and the recent rise in pesticide use for malaria control, the effectiveness and safety of pesticide use are being compromised. This highlights the urgent need for countries to strengthen their capacity on pesticide management and evidence-based decision making within the context of an integrated vector management approach.

The critical issue of nuclear power plant safety in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosen, M.

1977-01-01

A little more than a decade from now, large commercial nuclear power facilities will be in operation in almost 40 countries, of which approximately one-half are presently considered industrially less developed. Ambitious nuclear programmes coupled with minimal and frequently under-staffed regulatory and utility organizations are only one aspect of the difficulties related to the safety of nuclear plants that face these developing countries. Inherent problems of meeting current safety standards and requirements for the significantly non-standard nuclear power plant exports can be compounded by financial considerations that may lead to purchases of reactors of various types, from more than one supplier country and with different safety standards and requirements. An examination of these issues points to the necessity and opportunity for effective action which could include provision for adequate funding for safety considerations in the purchase contract, and for sufficient regulatory assistance and training from the developed countries. The article will introduce the topic, discuss specific examples, and offer some suggestions. (author)

Private Investment in Power Sector in Developing Countries: Lessons from Reforms in Asian and Latin American Countries.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Anoop

2007-07-01

The demand for investment in the electricity sector in the world between 2000 and 2030 is estimated to be USD9.8 trillion. Developing countries would require more than half of this investment. Given the limited fiscal space for public investment, a number of developing countries have undertaken policy initiatives to improve the investment climate for the private sector. The pace, scope, sequencing and outcome of reform process varies across countries. This paper undertakes a comparative evaluation of policy and regulatory reforms in Argentina, Brazil, India, Mexico, PRC and Thailand. The paper concludes that apart from macroeconomic stability, the pace and sequencing of reforms influences private investment in the power sector. Distribution reforms and setting up of an independent regulatory institution reduces risk for investors. A peace-meal approach to reform keeps uncertainties alive for investors and does not translate in significant investment in the sector. (auth)

Psychological and social consequences among mothers suffering from perinatal loss: perspective from a low income country

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Mohammed

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In developed countries, perinatal death is known to cause major emotional and social effects on mothers. However, little is known about these effects in low income countries which bear the brunt of perinatal mortality burden. This paper reports the impact of perinatal death on psychological status and social consequences among mothers in a rural area of Bangladesh. Methods A total of 476 women including 122 women with perinatal deaths were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS-B at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum, and followed up for negative social consequences at 6 months postpartum. Trained female interviewers carried out structured interviews at women's home. Results Overall 43% (95% CI: 33.7-51.8% of women with a perinatal loss at 6 weeks postpartum were depressed compared to 17% (95% CI: 13.7-21.9% with healthy babies (p = Conclusions This study highlights the greatly increased vulnerability of women with perinatal death to experience negative psychological and social consequences. There is an urgent need to develop appropriate mental health care services for mothers with perinatal deaths in Bangladesh, including interventions to develop positive family support.

Development of procedural requirements for life extension of nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Sang Hun; Son, Moon Kyu [Korea Association for Nuclear Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Ham, Cheol Hun [The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Chang, Keun Sun [Sunmoon Univ., Asan (Korea, Republic of); Paek, Won Phil [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Cheong, Ji Hwan [Baekseok College Cultural Studies, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of)

2001-03-15

Current status of regulatory aspects of life extension and upgrading of NPPs is reviewed for major foreign countries. Most countries require similar technical requirements; however, procedural aspects differ country by country. Regulatory systems suitable for NPP life extension is investigated. The procedure and requirements for reassessment of design life should be established first; then it can be incorporated into the PSR system. The concept of 'Current Licensing Basis (CLB)' can be adopted in Korea, but further elaboration for terms and definitions is needed for common understanding between interested groups. The procedure for maintenance and backfitting should also be improved. The Systems, Structures, and Components (SSCs) that require development of regulatory requirements for life extension are identified based on extensive analysis of foreign experiences. By analyzing the rules and regulations related to life extension. Basic directions are suggested to harmonize or establish regulatory systems for life extension, two-step licensing, PSR, and backfitting.

Survivability on the Island of Spice: The Development of the UH-60 Blackhawk and Its Baptism of Fire in Operation Urgent Fury

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-12

SURVIVABILITY ON THE ISLAND OF SPICE : THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UH-60 BLACKHAWK AND ITS BAPTISM OF FIRE IN OPERATION URGENT FURY......THESIS APPROVAL PAGE Name of Candidate: Major Matthew G. Easley Thesis Title: Survivability on the Island of Spice : The Development of the UH

Safety decommissioning regulations of radiochemical objects - the problem, requires urgent decision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rovnyj, S.I.; Arsent'eva, N.V.; Emel'yanov, N.M.; Kolesnikov, V.N.

2001-01-01

The necessity of planning and pursuance of the measures on decommissioning of radiochemical industry is discussed. Technological processes were stopped more than in 30 buildings and constructions of the PO Mayak. The characteristics of the technological buildings to be decommissioned were treated in the context of building peculiarities, function, character and level of contamination. An acceptable variant for reactor decommissioning invites development of the standard-legal aspects [ru

Estimating regional centile curves from mixed data\\ud sources and countries

OpenAIRE

Van Buuren, Stef; Hayes, Daniel; Stasinopoulos, D. Mikis; Rigby, Robert A; Ter Kuile, Feiko; Terlouw, Anja

2009-01-01

Regional or national growth distributions can provide vital information on the health status of populations. In most resource poor countries, however, the required anthropometric data from purpose-designed growth surveys are not readily available. We propose a practical method for estimating regional (multi-country) age-conditional weight distributions based on existing survey data from different countries. We developed a two-step method by which one is able to model data with widely differen...

Nuclear imaging technology and global requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lele, R.D.

1991-01-01

After a brief review of the present state of availability of nuclear medicine services in the countries of world, a mention has been made of WHO programme on nuclear medicine. Nuclear medicine services in the developing countries are dependent on the availability of appropriate instrumentation and radiopharmaceuticals at affordable costs and existence of basic infrastructure required for giving such services. Basic infrastructure requirements are stable power supplies, air-conditioning systems, preventive maintenance and repair facilities. These are discussed. It is pointed out that the use of rectilinear scanners with 113m In instead of costly gamma cameras is still relevant in the third world countries. Need to develop a too low-cost gamma camera is emphasized. Electronics Corporation of India Ltd has plans to manufacture such cameras. Design of this camera is described. Foreign collaboration or technology transfer through concerned governement department needs to be explored so that the benefits of nuclear medicine can be brought to the third world countries by 2000 AD. (M.G.B.). 2 tabs

Managing menstruation in the workplace: an overlooked issue in low- and middle-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Sommer, Marni; Chandraratna, Sahani; Cavill, Sue; Mahon, Therese; Phillips-Howard, Penelope

2016-06-06

The potential menstrual hygiene management barriers faced by adolescent girls and women in workplace environments in low- and middle-income countries has been under addressed in research, programming and policy. Despite global efforts to reduce poverty among women in such contexts, there has been insufficient attention to the water and sanitation related barriers, specifically in relation to managing monthly menstruation, that may hinder girls' and women's contributions to the workplace, and their health and wellbeing. There is an urgent need to document the specific social and environmental barriers they may be facing in relation to menstrual management, to conduct a costing of the implications of inadequate supportive workplace environments for menstrual hygiene management, and to understand the implications for girls' and women's health and wellbeing. This will provide essential evidence for guiding national policy makers, the private sector, donors and activists focused on advancing girls' and women's rights.

Is operational research delivering the goods? The journey to success in low-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Zachariah, Rony; Ford, Nathan; Maher, Dermot; Bissell, Karen; Van den Bergh, Rafael; van den Boogaard, Wilma; Reid, Tony; Castro, Kenneth G; Draguez, Bertrand; von Schreeb, Johan; Chakaya, Jeremiah; Atun, Rifat; Lienhardt, Christian; Enarson, Don A; Harries, Anthony D

2012-05-01

Operational research in low-income countries has a key role in filling the gap between what we know from research and what we do with that knowledge-the so-called know-do gap, or implementation gap. Planned research that does not tangibly affect policies and practices is ineffective and wasteful, especially in settings where resources are scarce and disease burden is high. Clear parameters are urgently needed to measure and judge the success of operational research. We define operational research and its relation with policy and practice, identify why operational research might fail to affect policy and practice, and offer possible solutions to address these shortcomings. We also propose measures of success for operational research. Adoption and use of these measures could help to ensure that operational research better changes policy and practice and improves health-care delivery and disease programmes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear power for developing countries. Key issue paper no. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogner, H.-H.; Khan, A.M.

2000-01-01

Is there a rationale for developing countries to adopt nuclear power? This paper explores this rationale and the suitability of nuclear power for developing countries by surveying the prerequisites for and implications of developing a nuclear power program: infrastructure availability, economics and finance, environment, the needs for technology transfer, the regulatory and institutional frameworks required and the awareness of public concerns. (author)

Trade Balances of the Asian Countries under Crisis: Forecast and Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingyo Cheong

1998-06-01

Full Text Available To overcome the financial crisis, we need to do some reform, such as to change the governmental and non-governmental structure, make sure the policy to be transparent, and remove restrictions, etc. All these measures can restore the confidence of foreign investors towards Korea. But to make balance of the trade surplus and keep foreign exchange reserve at a reasonable level, ensure foreign exchange and the security of financial department is one of the most urgent topics. Since the deep relationship of economy among countries in North-East Asia, financial crisis is not only the problem in Korea. It is already expended to the whole North-East Asia. This thesis shows the idea that we can forecast surplus in the trade balance scale, enlarge the trade balance of South Korea and activate export. It also shows that instead of the increase of export, the surplus is caused by the decrease of import. At this point of view, the number of surplus is not true. If the investment keeps decreasing like this, the foundation of Korean Economy will collapse.

16 CFR 303.33 - Country where textile fiber products are processed or manufactured.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... [Foreign Country]”. (ii) When the U.S. Customs Service requires an origin label on the unfinished product... manufactured. Further work or material added to the textile fiber product in another country must effect a...

Potential Requirement of Positron Emission Tomography Apparatuses in Asia and Latin America Including Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Naoyuki; Padhy, Ajit Kumar; Oku, Shinya; Sasaki, Yasuhito

2013-01-01

The number of positron emission tomography (PET) machines has been increasing in regions of East-, Southeast-, and South-Asia as well as in Latin America including Mexico. This study was performed to assess the potential requirement of PET machines in 19 countries which already use PET in the aforementioned regions. Data on the number of PET machines and internationally available characteristics of the restrictive countries such as the land area, the total population, the gross national income (GNI), and the average life span of inhabitants were obtained from IAEA, UN, WB, and WHO. Correlation between the number of PET machines and the characteristics of each country was evaluated. The potentially required number of PET machines, which was obtained by adjusting the number of PET machines with statistically significant, correlative characteristics of each country, standardized on the state of Japan, were compared. The number of PET machines could be significantly correlated to the GNI of a country and the average life span of its inhabitants (P < 0.05). Based on Japan, most of the countries in the regions would require considerably more PET machines. With installation of the potentially required number of PET machines in each of the countries, the number of PET machine per 10 6 population would increase by 1.1- to 12-fold, in comparison with the current situation. With regards to the potentially required number of PET machines, most of the countries in these regions may require a considerable increase of PET machines. Nevertheless, some countries in the Asia seem to require outside assistance such as international support in order to introduce PET and enhance the efficacy of their health services

Wire-guided (Seldinger technique intubation through a face mask in urgent, difficult and grossly distorted airways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jake M Heier

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We report two cases of successful urgent intubation using a Seldinger technique for airway management through an anesthesia facemask, while maintaining ventilation in patients with difficult airways and grossly distorted airway anatomy. In both cases, conventional airway management techniques were predicted to be difficult or impossible, and a high likelihood for a surgical airway was present. This technique was chosen as it allows tracheal tube placement through the nares during spontaneous ventilation with the airway stented open and oxygen delivery with either continuous positive airway pressure and/or pressure support ventilation. This unhurried technique may allow intubation when other techniques are unsuitable, while maintaining control of the airway.

Quality assurance requirements in various codes and standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaaban, H.I.; EL-Sayed, A.; Aly, A.E.

1987-01-01

The quality assurance requirements in various countries and according to various international codes and standards are presented, compared and critically discussed. Cases of developing countries are also discussed, and the use of IAEA code of practice and other codes for quality assurance in these countries is reviewed. Recommendations are made regarding the quality assurance system to be applied for Egypt's nuclear power plants

Membership of Eastern European countries of the European Union -environmental perspectives. Main report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

Ten central and eastern European countries have made association agreements with the EU and submitted applications for EU membership. The countries are: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania and Bulgaria. Accession to the EU by the central and eastern European countries requires that the countries accept the acquis communautaire (the rules of the EU) as well as the acquis politique (the political aims of the EU), including environmental issues. Accession to the EU is expected to result in substantial environmental improvements both in the central and eastern European countries and in the countries which are exposed to pollution originating from these countries. The extent of the environmental improvements when the 10 countries implement and use the rules laid down by the EU is an important issue. Another important approximation related problem is how the countries will secure the human and financial resources to meet the EU requirements. The purpose of this publication is to provide a first analysis of the tasks ahead in the environmental field during the current approximation process, including the environmental consequences/gains and the costs of accession of the 10 associated countries to the EU. This analysis deals both with general and sectoral problems, focusing on sectors with special adaptation problems which thus need targeted assistance. The analysed sectors are: air pollution, ozone depleting substances, waste, water pollution, agriculture, chemical substances, biodiversity, energy - including nuclear energy. (LN) 119 refs

Managing nuclear knowledge in developing countries. A view from Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, I.

2002-01-01

Full text: For the developing countries, managing nuclear knowledge requires both acquiring know-how from the developed countries as well as building and conserving their own knowledge resource. The rapid growth of information technology culture has made vast amounts of information and database universally accessible although some bars do indeed apply. The challenge, therefore, lies in having a continuous supply of different tiers of trained and competent professionals who can benefit from what is available and can carry on developing the indigenous capability. This presentation focuses on the issues and problems faced in meeting the above challenge. Steps taken in a developing country like Pakistan to manage nuclear knowledge will be discussed. These measures include developing an interface between the universities and the industry as well as concentrating on meeting the specific infrastructure requirements. The task is, however, becoming increasingly difficult for the developing countries because of the fall out of the lack of proper growth in the nuclear industry at the global level, and the large and long-term financial commitments associated with nuclear energy which leave the entire burden of the nuclear power program development on the public sector. (author)

Decomposing income-related inequality in cervical screening in 67 countries.

Science.gov (United States)

McKinnon, Brittany; Harper, Sam; Moore, Spencer

2011-04-01

The development of successful policies to reduce income-related inequalities in cervical cancer screening rates requires an understanding of the reasons why low-income women are less likely to be screened. We sought to identify important determinants contributing to inequality in cervical screening rates. We analyzed data from 92,541 women aged 25-64 years, who participated in the World Health Survey in 2002-2003. Income-related inequality in Pap screening was measured using the concentration index (CI). Using a decomposition method for the CI, we quantified the contribution to inequality of age, education level, marital status, urbanicity and recent health-care need. There was substantial heterogeneity in the contributions of different determinants to inequality among countries. Education generally made the largest contribution (median = 15%, interquartile range [IQR] = 23%), although this varied widely even within regions (e.g., 5% in Austria, 28% in Hungary). The contribution of rural residence was greatest in African countries (median = 10%, IQR = 13%); however, there was again substantial within-region variation (e.g., 26% in Zambia, 2% in Kenya). Considerable heterogeneity in the contributions of screening determinants among countries suggests interventions to reduce screening inequalities may require country-specific approaches.

Chemical Pesticides and Human Health: The Urgent Need for a New Concept in Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolopoulou-Stamati, Polyxeni; Maipas, Sotirios; Kotampasi, Chrysanthi; Stamatis, Panagiotis; Hens, Luc

2016-01-01

The industrialization of the agricultural sector has increased the chemical burden on natural ecosystems. Pesticides are agrochemicals used in agricultural lands, public health programs, and urban green areas in order to protect plants and humans from various diseases. However, due to their known ability to cause a large number of negative health and environmental effects, their side effects can be an important environmental health risk factor. The urgent need for a more sustainable and ecological approach has produced many innovative ideas, among them agriculture reforms and food production implementing sustainable practice evolving to food sovereignty. It is more obvious than ever that the society needs the implementation of a new agricultural concept regarding food production, which is safer for man and the environment, and to this end, steps such as the declaration of Nyéléni have been taken.

Evaluating the relative environmental impact of countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, Corey J A; Giam, Xingli; Sodhi, Navjot S

2010-05-03

-developed countries, especially those in Asia, there is also a requirement to focus on the development of environmentally friendly practices in wealthier countries.

Evaluating the relative environmental impact of countries.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corey J A Bradshaw

less-developed countries, especially those in Asia, there is also a requirement to focus on the development of environmentally friendly practices in wealthier countries.

Evaluating the Relative Environmental Impact of Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, Corey J. A.; Giam, Xingli; Sodhi, Navjot S.

2010-01-01

-developed countries, especially those in Asia, there is also a requirement to focus on the development of environmentally friendly practices in wealthier countries. PMID:20454670

Middle Eastern Conflicts: Implications for Refugee Health in the European Union and Middle Eastern Host Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Silbermann, Michael; Daher, Michel; Kebudi, Rejin; Nimri, Omar; Al-Jadiry, Mazin; Baider, Lea

2016-12-01

Until very recently, health care in conflict settings was based on a model developed in the second half of the twentieth century. Things have changed, and present civil wars, such as those that are currently taking place in the Middle East, do not address the complexity of the ongoing armed conflicts in countries such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. These conflicts have caused a significant increase in the number of refugees in the region, as well as in Europe. Hundreds of thousands of refugees succeed in settling in mid- and north-European countries, and their health issues are becoming of great importance. Refugees in Europe in the twenty-first century do not suffer so much from infectious diseases but more from noninfectious chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiac disease, and cancer. These facts profoundly alter the demographics and disease burden of hostility-derived migrants. Thus, host European countries face situations they have never faced before. Hence, new approaches and strategies are urgently needed to cope with this new situation. The efforts to absorb refugees of different traditions and cultural backgrounds often cause increasing ethnic and religious tensions, which frequently escort the emergence of social violence. To date, little attention has been paid to the overall load of distress being experienced, especially among the first-generation refugees. The current ongoing hostilities in the Middle East induce a long-term health impact on people expelled from their homes, communities, traditions, and cultural environment. The realization of collective suffering forces communities and governmental health agencies to develop new programs that include social determinants to overcome the severe cultural gaps of the newcomers in their new European host countries.

The development of a massive open online course during the 2014-15 Ebola virus disease epidemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Dabney P; Luffy, Samantha M; Parisi, Stephanie; Del Rio, Carlos

2017-09-01

Timely training was urgently needed at the onset of the 2014 Ebola virus disease epidemic. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have grown in popularity, though little is known about their utility in time-sensitive situations, including infectious disease outbreaks. We created the first English language massive open online course on Ebola virus disease. Designed by a team representing various units of Emory University and six partner institutions, the six module course was aimed at a global general audience but also relevant for health care professionals. Over 7,000 learners from 170 countries participated in the initial course offering. More than a third of learners were from emerging economies, including seven percent from Africa, and another 13% from countries outside the United States who received individuals requiring treatment for Ebola virus disease. Creating and producing the first English language MOOC on EVD in a short time period required effective collaboration and strong coordination between subject matter and course development experts from Emory. Through these collaborative efforts, the development team was able to provide urgently needed training and educational materials while the epidemic of EVD continued to radiate through West Africa. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evidence-Based Practice Standard Care for Acute Pain Management in Adults With Sickle Cell Disease in an Urgent Care Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sunghee; Brathwaite, Ron; Kim, Ook

Vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs) with sickle cell disease (SCD) require opioid treatment. Despite evidence to support rapid pain management within 30 minutes, care for these patients does not consistently meet this benchmark. This quality improvement study sought to decrease the first analgesic administration time, increase patient satisfaction, and expedite patient flow. A prospective pre-/postevaluation design was used to evaluate outcomes with patients 18 years or older with VOEs in an urgent care (UC) center after implementation of evidence-based practice standard care (EBPSC). A pre- and postevaluation survey of SCD patients' satisfaction with care and analogous surveys of the UC team to assess awareness of EBPSC were used. A retrospective review of the electronic medical records of patients with VOEs compared mean waiting time from triage to the first analgesic administration and the mean length of stay (LOS) over 6 months. Implementing EBPSC decreased the mean time of the first analgesic administration (P = .001), significantly increased patient satisfaction (P = .002), and decreased the mean LOS (P = .010). Implementing EBPSC is a crucial step for improving the management of VOEs and creating a positive patient experience. The intervention enhances the quality of care for the SCD population in a UC center.

Glaucoma in developing countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravi Thomas

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To describe the background and strategy required for the prevention of blindness from glaucoma in developing countries. Materials and Methods: Extrapolation of existing data and experience in eye care delivery and teaching models in an unequally developed country (India are used to make recommendations. Results: Parameters like population attributable risk percentage indicate that glaucoma is a public health problem but lack of simple diagnostic techniques and therapeutic interventions are barriers to any effective plan. Case detection rather than population-based screening is the recommended strategy for detection. Population awareness of the disease is low and most patients attending eye clinics do not receive a routine comprehensive eye examination that is required to detect glaucoma (and other potentially blinding eye diseases. Such a routine is not taught or practiced by the majority of training institutions either. Angle closure can be detected clinically and relatively simple interventions (including well performed cataract surgery can prevent blindness from this condition. The strategy for open angle glaucoma should focus on those with established functional loss. Outcomes of this proposed strategy are not yet available. Conclusions: Glaucoma cannot be managed in isolation. The objective should be to detect and manage all potential causes of blindness and prevention of blindness from glaucoma should be integrated into existing programs. The original pyramidal model of eye care delivery incorporates this principle and provides an initial starting point. The routine of comprehensive eye examination in every clinic and its teaching (and use in residency programs is mandatory for the detection and management of potentially preventable blinding pathology from any cause, including glaucoma. Programs for detection of glaucoma should not be initiated unless adequate facilities for diagnosis and surgical intervention are in place and

Access to care for patients with insulin-requiring diabetes in developing countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beran, David; Yudkin, John S; de Courten, Maximilian

2005-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess the barriers to care for patients with insulin-requiring diabetes in Mozambique and Zambia.......The objective of this study was to assess the barriers to care for patients with insulin-requiring diabetes in Mozambique and Zambia....

Initiating a Human Variome Project Country Node.

Science.gov (United States)

AlAama, Jumana; Smith, Timothy D; Lo, Alan; Howard, Heather; Kline, Alexandria A; Lange, Matthew; Kaput, Jim; Cotton, Richard G H

2011-05-01

Genetic diseases are a pressing global health problem that requires comprehensive access to basic clinical and genetic data to counter. The creation of regional and international databases that can be easily accessed by clinicians and diagnostic labs will greatly improve our ability to accurately diagnose and treat patients with genetic disorders. The Human Variome Project is currently working in conjunction with human genetics societies to achieve this by establishing systems to collect every mutation reported by a diagnostic laboratory, clinic, or research laboratory in a country and store these within a national repository, or HVP Country Node. Nodes have already been initiated in Australia, Belgium, China, Egypt, Malaysia, and Kuwait. Each is examining how to systematically collect and share genetic, clinical, and biochemical information in a country-specific manner that is sensitive to local ethical and cultural issues. This article gathers cases of genetic data collection within countries and takes recommendations from the global community to develop a procedure for countries wishing to establish their own collection system as part of the Human Variome Project. We hope this may lead to standard practices to facilitate global collection of data and allow efficient use in clinical practice, research and therapy. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

HIS priorities in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Amado Espinosa, L

1995-04-01

Looking for a solution to fulfill the requirements that the new global economical system demands, developing countries face a reality of poor communications infrastructure, a delay in applying information technology to the organizations, and a semi-closed political system avoiding the necessary reforms. HIS technology has been developed more for transactional purposes on mini and mainframe platforms. Administrative modules are the most frequently observed and physicians are now requiring more support for their activities. The second information systems generation will take advantage of PC technology, client-server models and telecommunications to achieve integration. International organizations, academic and industrial, public and private, will play a major role to transfer technology and to develop this area.

Regulatory pathways for vaccines for developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Milstien, Julie; Belgharbi, Lahouari

2004-01-01

Vaccines that are designed for use only in developing countries face regulatory hurdles that may restrict their use. There are two primary reasons for this: most regulatory authorities are set up to address regulation of products for use only within their jurisdictions and regulatory authorities in developing countries traditionally have been considered weak. Some options for regulatory pathways for such products have been identified: licensing in the country of manufacture, file review by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency on behalf of WHO, export to a country with a competent national regulatory authority (NRA) that could handle all regulatory functions for the developing country market, shared manufacturing and licensing in a developing country with competent manufacturing and regulatory capacity, and use of a contracted independent entity for global regulatory approval. These options have been evaluated on the basis of five criteria: assurance of all regulatory functions for the life of the product, appropriateness of epidemiological assessment, applicability to products no longer used in the domestic market of the manufacturing country, reduction of regulatory risk for the manufacturer, and existing rules and regulations for implementation. No one option satisfies all criteria. For all options, national infrastructures (including the underlying regulatory legislative framework, particularly to formulate and implement local evidence-based vaccine policy) must be developed. WHO has led work to develop this capacity with some success. The paper outlines additional areas of action required by the international community to assure development and use of vaccines needed for the developing world. PMID:15042235

Scope of nuclear medicine in the developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganatra, R.D.

1992-01-01

What should a developing country do to promote nuclear medicine? Practice of nuclear medicine requires sophisticated electronic instruments and a variety of radiopharmaceuticals. Ideal situation would be when both are obtainable from local sources. It is not an easy task for developing countries to produce these electronic marvels locally. It anticipates a widespread electronics industry in a country so that various components which go in the big machines are also made locally. One, who has worked in a developing country would realize how exasperating a task it is to maintain, service and repair imported instruments. They break down often in the tropics, are difficult to service due to lack of spare parts and their down-time unusually long. Many of the modern instruments have lots of ''frills and laces'' and as a policy, it is prudent to purchase something which is ''bare to bones'' and simple to use but still capable of providing the essential range of applications

Scope of nuclear medicine in the developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ganatra, R D

1993-12-31

What should a developing country do to promote nuclear medicine? Practice of nuclear medicine requires sophisticated electronic instruments and a variety of radiopharmaceuticals. Ideal situation would be when both are obtainable from local sources. It is not an easy task for developing countries to produce these electronic marvels locally. It anticipates a widespread electronics industry in a country so that various components which go in the big machines are also made locally. One, who has worked in a developing country would realize how exasperating a task it is to maintain, service and repair imported instruments. They break down often in the tropics, are difficult to service due to lack of spare parts and their down-time unusually long. Many of the modern instruments have lots of ``frills and laces`` and as a policy, it is prudent to purchase something which is ``bare to bones`` and simple to use but still capable of providing the essential range of applications

Towards universal health coverage: the role of within-country wealth-related inequality in 28 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseinpoor, Ahmad Reza; Victora, Cesar G; Bergen, Nicole; Barros, Aluisio J D; Boerma, Ties

2011-12-01

To measure within-country wealth-related inequality in the health service coverage gap of maternal and child health indicators in sub-Saharan Africa and quantify its contribution to the national health service coverage gap. Coverage data for child and maternal health services in 28 sub-Saharan African countries were obtained from the 2000-2008 Demographic Health Survey. For each country, the national coverage gap was determined for an overall health service coverage index and select individual health service indicators. The data were then additively broken down into the coverage gap in the wealthiest quintile (i.e. the proportion of the quintile lacking a required health service) and the population attributable risk (an absolute measure of within-country wealth-related inequality). In 26 countries, within-country wealth-related inequality accounted for more than one quarter of the national overall coverage gap. Reducing such inequality could lower this gap by 16% to 56%, depending on the country. Regarding select individual health service indicators, wealth-related inequality was more common in services such as skilled birth attendance and antenatal care, and less so in family planning, measles immunization, receipt of a third dose of vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus and treatment of acute respiratory infections in children under 5 years of age. The contribution of wealth-related inequality to the child and maternal health service coverage gap differs by country and type of health service, warranting case-specific interventions. Targeted policies are most appropriate where high within-country wealth-related inequality exists, and whole-population approaches, where the health-service coverage gap is high in all quintiles.

Country profiles: Belgium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

Within months, Belgium will have to import practically all of its energy requirements; coal production will stop in 1992. Though nuclear will continue to provide the bulk of the country's power supply, government policy has shifted away from reliance on the atom for electricity generation towards natural gas. With no oil reserves of its own, keeping demand under check has been a priority for governments down the years. The actual level of oil imports runs well above consumption since the refining sector supplies products for the European market. Belgium's own petrol station businesses face considerable rationalisation, with average throughput well below EC levels. (author)

A review of the organization, regulation, and financing practices of postgraduate education in clinical nursing in 12 European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Rautiainen, Elina; Vallimies-Patomäki, Marjukka

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to generate information of postgraduate education in clinical nursing in the EU member states. Data were collected via a structured electronic questionnaire and the questionnaire was sent to the government chief nurses in 26 EU countries in May 2013. Response rate was 46% (n=12). In total, 42 domains of specialization were identified. The most common domains were intensive care, mental health, operating room, emergency care, and pediatrics. Specialization programs were organized by university in two of the respondent countries, as residency program in one country, and as a mix of them in four countries. Regulation practices varied remarkably between the countries: scope of practice, subjects, entry requirements, length of education, description of the minimum competence requirements, and education standards related to the specialization programs were most often regulated by act, decree or other regulation. In some of the countries, no registration was required beyond the initial registration, whereas in some others, registration practices varied depending on the specialization program. New information was gathered on the regulation practices of postgraduate education in clinical nursing in the European Region concerning title provision, entry requirements, and financing practices. The awarded title on specialization programs depended on the level of postgraduate education, and the title might vary between the domains. General clinical experience was included in the entry requirements in seven countries. The government was mainly responsible for financing the postgraduate education in four countries, employer in three countries, and in the rest of the countries, there was a combination of different financiers. The importance of knowledge exchange on postgraduate education across the European countries needs to be acknowledged. Information provided by this study on international regulation practices provides useful information for the policy

Status of pesticide management in the practice of vector control: a global survey in countries at risk of malaria or other major vector-borne diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tan Soo

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is critical that vector control pesticides are used for their acceptable purpose without causing adverse effects on health and the environment. This paper provides a global overview of the current status of pesticides management in the practice of vector control. Methods A questionnaire was distributed to WHO member states and completed either by the director of the vector-borne disease control programme or by the national manager for vector control. In all, 113 countries responded to the questionnaire (80% response rate, representing 94% of the total population of the countries targeted. Results Major gaps were evident in countries in pesticide procurement practices, training on vector control decision making, certification and quality control of pesticide application, monitoring of worker safety, public awareness programmes, and safe disposal of pesticide-related waste. Nevertheless, basic conditions of policy and coordination have been established in many countries through which the management of vector control pesticides could potentially be improved. Most countries responded that they have adopted relevant recommendations by the WHO. Conclusions Given the deficiencies identified in this first global survey on public health pesticide management and the recent rise in pesticide use for malaria control, the effectiveness and safety of pesticide use are being compromised. This highlights the urgent need for countries to strengthen their capacity on pesticide management and evidence-based decision making within the context of an integrated vector management approach.

Risk of poor development in young children in low-income and middle-income countries: an estimation and analysis at the global, regional, and country level.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Chunling; Black, Maureen M; Richter, Linda M

2016-12-01

A 2007 study published in The Lancet estimated that approximately 219 million children aged younger than 5 years were exposed to stunting or extreme poverty in 2004. We updated the 2004 estimates with the use of improved data and methods and generated estimates for 2010. We used country-level prevalence of stunting in children younger than 5 years based on the 2006 Growth Standards proposed by WHO and poverty ratios from the World Bank to estimate children who were either stunted or lived in extreme poverty for 141 low-income and middle-income countries in 2004 and 2010. To avoid counting the same children twice, we excluded children jointly exposed to stunting and extreme poverty from children living in extreme poverty. To examine the robustness of estimates, we also used moderate poverty measures. The 2007 study underestimated children at risk of poor development. The estimated number of children exposed to the two risk factors in low-income and middle-income countries decreased from 279·1 million (95% CI 250·4 million-307·4 million) in 2004 to 249·4 million (209·3 million-292·6 million) in 2010; prevalence of children at risk fell from 51% (95% CI 46-56) to 43% (36-51). The decline occurred in all income groups and regions with south Asia experiencing the largest drop. Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest prevalence in both years. These findings were robust to variations in poverty measures. Progress has been made in reducing the number of children exposed to stunting or poverty between 2004 and 2010, but this is still not enough. Scaling up of effective interventions targeting the most vulnerable children is urgently needed. National Institutes of Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hilton Foundation, and WHO. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Radioactive waste management in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, K.T.; Baehr, W.; Plumb, G.R.

1989-01-01

The activities of the Agency in waste management have therefore laid emphasis on advising developing Member States on the management of wastes from the uses of radioactive materials. At the present time, developing countries are mostly concerned with the management of nuclear wastes generated from medical centres, research institutes, industrial facilities, mining operations, and research reactors. In certain instances, management of such wastes has lapsed causing serious accidents. Radiation source mismanagement has resulted in fatalities to the public in Mexico (1962), Algeria (1978), Morocco (1984), and Brazil (1987). The objective of these activities is to support the countries to develop the required expertise for self-sufficiency in safe management of radioactive wastes. What follows are details of the Agency mechanisms in place to meet the above objectives

Comparison of Open and Closed Hand Fractures and the Effect of Urgent Operative Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Minhas, Shobhit V; Catalano, Louis W

2018-06-13

To establish and compare the incidence of 30-day postoperative infection in surgically managed open and closed metacarpal and phalangeal fractures, and to determine whether open fractures treated urgently had a lower incidence of postoperative infection. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patient demographics, comorbidities, and 30-day infection rates of patients undergoing operative fixation of metacarpal, proximal, or middle phalanx fractures from 2008 to 2015 using the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. A total of 3,506 patients were identified and patient variables and infection incidence were compared between open and closed injuries, as well as open injuries managed within 1 day of admission and those treated on an elective basis or treated more than 1 day after admission. Bivariate analysis was used to determine independent risk factors for postoperative infection. Although 34.2% of open hand fractures were taken urgently to the operating room, the diagnosis of open fractures along with nonurgent surgical treatment for open fractures was associated with a low incidence of postoperative infection. In addition, smoking was a risk factor for postoperative infection although anatomic location (phalanx vs metacarpal) was not. Patients undergoing surgery for metacarpal or proximal/middle phalangeal fractures are not at greater risk for infection based on the diagnosis of open fracture alone. In addition, patients with open fractures who are taken to the operating room more than 1 day from presentation did not have a higher incidence of infection. Smoking is associated with increased 30-day infection rates after surgery, and surgeons should identify these patients for preoperative risk stratification, counseling, and postoperative wound monitoring. Prognostic II. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Refining/Petrochemistry: the Central Europe countries in search of foreign investments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

This paper presents a balance-sheet of the energetic sector statement in the Central Europe countries (with the exception of Albania and ex-Yugoslavia). This economic analysis has been presented at the AFTP conference (May 4, 1995) organized by the Chemical Section of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The energetic situation of each country (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria) is presented first, and then details about petrochemistry industry and petrochemical plants are given country by country. The economic situations and policies of the last years are summarized (conversion of centrally planned economy to market economy) and the modernizing requirements and environmental solutions needed are emphasized. (J.S.). 1 tab

The legacy of uranium mining in Central and Eastern Europe - a view from the European Union

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webster, S.; Vrijen, J.

2002-01-01

Throughout the countries of Central and Eastern Europe there was widespread mining and processing of uranium which has left a huge environmental and public health problem requiring urgent remedial action. The present paper outlines the situation from the perspective of the European Union by presenting a description of the assistance provided through Community funding and a summary of relevant European Union legislation in this field. (author)

Impact, regulation and health policy implications of physician migration in OECD countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simoens Steven

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the face of rising demand for medical services due to ageing populations, physician migration flows are increasingly affecting the supply of physicians in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development (OECD countries. This paper offers an integrated perspective on the impact of physician migration on home and host countries and discusses international regulation and policy approaches governing physician migration. Methods Information about migration flows, international regulation and policies governing physician migration were derived from two questionnaires sent to OECD countries, a secondary analysis of EUROSTAT Labour Force Surveys, a literature review and official policy documents of OECD countries. Results OECD countries increasingly perceive immigration of foreign physicians as a way of sustaining their physician workforce. As a result, countries have entered into international agreements regulating physician migration, although their success has been limited due to the imposition of licensing requirements and the protection of vested interests by domestic physicians. OECD countries have therefore adopted specific policies designed to stimulate the immigration of foreign physicians, whilst minimising its negative impact on the home country. Measures promoting immigration have included international recruitment campaigns, less strict immigration requirements and arrangements that foster shared learning between health care systems. Policies restricting the societal costs of physician emigration from developing countries such as good practice guidelines and taxes on host countries have not yet produced their expected effect or in some cases have not been established at all. Conclusions Although OECD countries generally favour long-term policies of national self-sufficiency to sustain their physician workforce, such policies usually co-exist with short-term or medium-term policies to attract foreign physicians

Effects of changes in dietary habits on colorectal cancer incidence in twenty countries from four continents during the period 1971-2002.

Science.gov (United States)

Béjar, Luis M; Gili, Miguel; Infantes, Beatriz; Marcott, Pamela F

2011-10-01

the incidence of colorectal cancer is one of the highest on a global level. Many epidemiological studies have identified risk and protective factors, many of which have a behavioral component and, therefore, are potentially avoidable or subject to modification. This study investigated the incidence rates of colorectal cancer by gender in twenty different countries, taking into account the dietary habits of the habitants of each country. adjusted incidence rates, according to gender, were obtained for each country from the International Agency for Research on Cancer during the period 1971-2002.Annual per capita consumption data of the different dietary variables were obtained for the period 1961-2007 from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated comparing incidence rates according to gender with different dietary variable using ten-year delay intervals. there is an important variation in trends of colorectal cancer incidence worldwide which were found to be related with the dietary habits of each country. based on the trends observed, each country was classified into one of four different situations based on the range of values of their incidence rates and linear trends observed. Due to the potential of primary prevention programs for colorectal cancer and to the delay between changes in the exposure to risk and protective factors and the effects on the incidence of this tumor, the application of legislative and educational measures promoting a healthy diet has become an urgent issue to stop the increasing tendency of colorectal cancer reported worldwide.

Demand for oil and energy in developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolf, C. Jr.; Relles, D.A.; Navarro, J.

1980-05-01

How much of the world's oil and energy supply will the non-OPEC less-developed countries (NOLDCs) demand in the next decade. Will their requirements be small and thus fairly insignificant compared with world demand, or large and relatively important. How will world demand be affected by the economic growth of the NOLDCs. In this report, we try to develop some reasonable forecasts of NOLDC energy demands in the next 10 years. Our focus is mainly on the demand for oil, but we also give some attention to the total commercial energy requirements of these countries. We have tried to be explicit about the uncertainties associated with our forecasts, and with the income and price elasticities on which they are based. Finally, we consider the forecasts in terms of their implications for US policies concerning the NOLDCs and suggest areas of future research on NOLDC energy issues.

Determinants of FDI in BRICS Countries: A panel analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vijayakumar, N.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This study examines the factors determining FDI inflows of BRICS countries using annual dataset from the period 1975 to 2007 (for Russia required data set is available from 1990 onwards. The study employs Panel data analysis and finds that the selected variables Market size, Labour cost, Infrastructure, Currency value and Gross Capital formation as the potential determinants of FDI inflows of BRICS countries. The Economic Stability and Growth prospects (measured by inflation rate and Industrial production respectively, Trade openness (measured by the ratio of total trade to GDP are seems to be the insignificant determinant of FDI inflows of the BRICS countries. The empirical results are robust in general for alternative variables determining FDI flows.

Influence of country brand slogan and logo in country positioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gina Pipoli de Azambuja

2015-09-01

Full Text Available To build the image of a country minds consumers’ minds, countries apply marketing strategies that are based on their country brand development, in the same way that companies apply marketing to their products and services. The development of the logo and slogan to be used in the communication strategy, are two key elements of its success in the process of building the country brand (Keller 2008. Thus the objective of this research is to know the importance of using the logo and slogan in international marketing strategies of countries. To do this, this research analyzes the use of the logo and slogan, in country brand strategies of countries in the top places in the Country Brand Index (2009 of Future Brand.

Chemical pesticides and human health: The urgent need for a new concept in agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Polyxeni Nicolopoulou-Stamati

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The industrialization of the agricultural sector has increased the chemical burden on natural ecosystems. Pesticides are agrochemicals used in agricultural lands, public health programs and urban green areas in order to protect plants and humans from various diseases. However, due to their known ability to cause a large number of negative health and environmental effects, their side effects can be an important environmental health risk factor. The urgent need for a more sustainable and ecological approach has produced many innovative ideas, among them agriculture reforms and food production implementing sustainable practice evolving to food sovereignty. It is more obvious than ever that the society needs the implementation of a new agricultural concept regarding food production which is safer for man and the environment, and to this end, steps such as the declaration of Nyéléni have been taken.

[The informed consent in international clinical trials including developing countries].

Science.gov (United States)

Montenegro Surís, Alexander; Monreal Agüero, Magda Elaine

2008-01-01

The informed consent procedure has been one of the most important controversies of ethical debates about clinical trials in developing countries. In this essay we present our recommendations about important aspects to consider in the informed consent procedure for clinical trials in developing countries. We performed a full publications review identified by MEDLINE using these terms combinations: informed consent, developing countries, less developed countries and clinical trials. To protect volunteers in less developed countries should be valuated the importance of the community in the informed consent proceeding. The signing and dating of the informed consent form is not always the best procedure to document the informed consent. The informed consent form should be written by local translators. Alternative medias of communications could be needed for communicatios of the information to volunteers. Comparing with developed countries the informed consent proceeding in clinical trials in developing countries frequently require additional efforts. The developing of pragmatic researches is needed to implement informed consent proceedings assuring subjects voluntarily in each developing country. The main aspects to define in each clinical trial for each country are the influence of the community, the effective communication of the information, the documentation of the informed consent and local authority's control.

Country profiles: Lithuania [Analysis of energy supply options and security of energy supply in the Baltic States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

Lithuania is a very dependent country in terms of energy resources. In 2000 only about 13.8% of the primary energy requirement was covered by domestic resources. The remaining primary fuel requirement is imported from neighbouring countries, mainly from Russia - all crude oil, natural gas and nuclear fuel are imported from this country. There is a concern about the political and economic consequences of this dependence. There is a good interconnection with neighbouring countries for both electrical grid and gas pipelines. The supply of crude oil is also available via pipeline from Russia and two existing oil terminals from other countries, including orimulsion from Venezuela. Coal can be supplied by railway from both Russia and Poland

An analysis of the macroeconomic conditions required for SME lending: Evidence from Turkey and other emerging market countries

OpenAIRE

Jenkins Hatice; Hossain Monir

2017-01-01

Providing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with access to external finance has been a major concern for many governments and international organizations for three decades. In recent years the experiences of emerging market countries suggest that a paradigm shift is taking place in SME finance. Particularly in fast-growing emerging market countries such as Turkey, banks are increasingly targeting SMEs as a new line of banking business. This research analy...

Indigenous Foods and Their Contribution to Nutrient Requirements

African Journals Online (AJOL)

indigenous foods and dietary diversity within an ecosystem can be powerful ... income generation, food culture and can contribute to nutrient requirements. ... species in 12 Asian countries and 10 countries in Africa in 36 studies, and reported 90 .... Taruvinga and. Nengovhela32 investigated the consumers' perception and.

The challenges of disaster management in south Asian countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qamar-ul-Islam; Anjum, G.A.; Shahzad, M.

2005-01-01

The type of this research work reflects an overview of disasters in South Asian countries. This outlines geographical aspects and institutional structures briefly in each country, and identifies gaps in disaster management regimes. Identified of these gaps is expected to give insights to the media to develop more informal disaster communications in South Asian Countries. Natural disasters have become a severe global problem. Deaths, displacements and damages resulting from natural disasters are colossal. During the 1990s global economic losses from major natural catastrophes averaged more than US $ 40 billion a year. The current Tsunami disaster has broken all previous records particularly in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India. This paper focuses particularly on sub continental countries in the South Asian countries, how they are managed and mismanaged, and aims to provide condensed resource material on the subject. In such countries issues related to natural disasters are covered under the legal frameworks for environment, land use, water resources and human settlements. The shift from emergency management to disaster preparedness requires coordination between various government building departments and ministries and with other international organization and various community organizations. (author)

The European Utility Requirement Document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roche, I.I.

1999-01-01

The major European electricity producers work on a common requirement document for future LWR plants since 1992. They aim at requirements acceptable together by the owners, the public and the authorities. Thus the designers can develop standard LWR designs acceptable everywhere in Europe and the utilities can open their consultations to vendors on common bases. Such a standardisation promotes an improvement of generation costs and of safety : public and authorities acceptance should be improved as well ; significant savings are expected in development and construction costs. Since the early stages of the project, the EUR group has grown significantly. It now includes utilities from nine European countries. Utilities from two other European countries are joining the group. Specific cooperation agreements are also in progress with a few extra-European partners

Microneedle patches for vaccination in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Arya, Jaya; Prausnitz, Mark R

2016-10-28

Millions of people die of infectious diseases each year, mostly in developing countries, which could largely be prevented by the use of vaccines. While immunization rates have risen since the introduction of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), there remain major challenges to more effective vaccination in developing countries. As a possible solution, microneedle patches containing an array of micron-sized needles on an adhesive backing have been developed to be used for vaccine delivery to the skin. These microneedle patches can be easily and painlessly applied by pressing against the skin and, in some designs, do not leave behind sharps waste. The patches are single-dose, do not require reconstitution, are easy to administer, have reduced size to simplify storage, transportation and waste disposal, and offer the possibility of improved vaccine immunogenicity, dose sparing and thermostability. This review summarizes vaccination challenges in developing countries and discusses advantages that microneedle patches offer for vaccination to address these challenges. We conclude that microneedle patches offer a powerful new technology that can enable more effective vaccination in developing countries. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Tackling investment challenges in power generation - in IEA countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-07-01

In most IEA countries a new investment cycle in power generation is looming. A window of opportunity now exists to push for a cleaner and more efficient generation portfolio that could transform the power sector and help to build a more sustainable infrastructure lasting over the next 40-50 years. What are the recent trends and prospects for investment in power generation? What are the main drivers and barriers? This book assesses these issues and gives special emphasis to the question of how uncertainties may affect investment decisions. Uncertainties on CO{sub 2} constraints, on power plant licensing, on acceptability of nuclear power, on local opposition to any new energy infrastructure, on government support for specific generation technologies and on government policies on energy efficiency are particularly disturbing. Market liberalisation can also be a key uncertainty, but this may be greatly reduced and deliver considerable benefits if liberalisation is implemented whole-heartedly and backed by on-going government commitment. Government action is urgently needed: to reduce regulatory uncertainty for investors, to establish effective competitive markets and to give firm policy directions in those areas where markets fall short, such as in taking environmental costs and security of supply into account.

Necessity of nuclear power engineering development in Kazakstan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takibaev, Zh.S.; Cherepnin, Yu.S.

1996-01-01

Kazakstan is a great land country. Mining and delivery of great coal amount to power facilities will require to rise prices for electrical power. High expenditures for energy will lead to rising prime cost of every industry production unit produced in the country. If all power supply in the country is obtained from solid fuel, than geographical factor would be a heavy weight for it economy that would be not able to produce competition able. There is no doubt, that Kazakstan coal power supply will be prevailing electric power source for a long period of future. But it is urgently necessary consider and develop alternative conceptions for development of young country. There are a number of favourable reasons for atomic power engineering development

The Diagnosis of Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Experience from Jamaica

Science.gov (United States)

Samms-Vaughan, Maureen; Rahbar, Mohammad H.; Dickerson, Aisha S.; Loveland, Katherine A.; Hessabi, Manouchehr; Pearson, Deborah A.; Bressler, Jan; Shakespeare-Pellington, Sydonnie; Grove, Megan L.; Coore-Desai, Charlene; Reece, Jody; Boerwinkle, Eric

2017-01-01

The administration requirements of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised, widely used in high-income countries, make them less feasible for diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in low- and middle-income countries. The flexible administration requirements of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale have…

Cyclotrons in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vera Ruiz, Hernan

2004-01-01

Cyclotron accelerators are prolific sources of charged particle for the production of radionuclides and have become an essential tool in the practice of modern nuclear medicine by providing reliable radiotracers for SPECT and PET studies. In a recent survey conducted by the IAEA in 2001, the growth in the number of cyclotron facilities installed in laboratories and hospitals in developed as well as developing countries was recorded. This trend, which started in the late 70's, continues in the present time also and all indications are that it will continue in the next five to ten years. The reasons for this growth are several: technology involved has become more user or 'hospital friendly', third party reimbursement for several clinical studies based on F-18 PET radiopharmaceuticals at least in some of the advanced countries started in 1998 and above all, the clear irrefutable and demonstrable conclusion of the positive cost/benefit outcomes of PET studies in the field of oncology to a lesser degree, thus far, for cardiology and neurology. It is however recognizable that the overall financial cost of the technology, which comprises the premises to house the facility, the cyclotron accelerator, the corresponding radiochemistry and quality control equipment and the PET cameras can be nevertheless an expensive proposition that requires careful advance planning. This fact is even more relevant when the facility is planned for installation in a developing country, which, frequently, in addition to having a lack of sufficient financial resources, do have shortage of qualified human resources to efficiently run the facility. In spite of the above, it is fact that more and more public as well as private organizations in the developing countries are setting up cyclotron/PET programmes or are seriously considering the installation of such a facility

The direct and indirect energy requirement of households in the European Union

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinders, A.H.M.E.; Vringer, K.; Blok, K.

2003-01-01

In this article we evaluate the average energy requirement of households in 11 EU member states. By investigating both the direct (electricity, natural gas, gasoline, etc.) and the indirect energy requirement, i.e. the energy embodied in consumer goods and services, we add to research done on only the direct household energy requirement. Our analysis is mainly based on data of expenditures of households and the associated energy intensities of consumer goods. We found that differences between countries in the total energy requirement of households are mainly due to differences in total household expenditure. In particular, the indirect energy requirement is linearly related to the total household expenditure. The share of direct energy to the total energy requirement in different countries varies from 34% up to 64%. Differences in climate do not fully account for this variation. Corrected for total household expenditure, indirect energy requirement may vary significantly per country in the consumption classes 'food, beverages and tobacco', 'recreation and culture', 'housing', and 'hotels, cafes and restaurants'

Existing nuclear power plants and new safety requirements - an international survey. A description of the legal situation and of the regulatory practice in eight countries and in Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raetzke, C.; Micklinghoff, M.

2006-01-01

In our days, the question of whether existing nuclear power plants can be expected to comply with new standards is relevant for many reasons. The idea of writing this report was sparked by the fact that the German Federal Ministry of the Environment is planning a thorough revision of the regulations concerning nuclear safety. Since in Germany, according to the latest amendment to the Nuclear Act, a licence for a new plant cannot be granted, this project inevitably raises the basic question of whether the existing plants can be forced to comply with new safety regulation, if necessary by performing substantial backfitting. Aim of the enquiry is to find out how the question outlined above - new requirements for existing nuclear power plants - is dealt with in nine countries, namely Germany, Switzerland, France, Sweden, Finland, the United Kingdom, the USA, Spain and Belgium. In order to give a legible and qualified account, the authors have also investigated and depicted the general legislative and regulatory framework for nuclear of each country. Therefore, the book can also be read as a general introduction into the legal system and regulatory practice of these countries. (orig.)

A strategy to improve priority setting in developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapiriri, Lydia; Martin, Douglas K

2007-09-01

Because the demand for health services outstrips the available resources, priority setting is one of the most difficult issues faced by health policy makers, particularly those in developing countries. Priority setting in developing countries is fraught with uncertainty due to lack of credible information, weak priority setting institutions, and unclear priority setting processes. Efforts to improve priority setting in these contexts have focused on providing information and tools. In this paper we argue that priority setting is a value laden and political process, and although important, the available information and tools are not sufficient to address the priority setting challenges in developing countries. Additional complementary efforts are required. Hence, a strategy to improve priority setting in developing countries should also include: (i) capturing current priority setting practices, (ii) improving the legitimacy and capacity of institutions that set priorities, and (iii) developing fair priority setting processes.

Problems about the analysis of technical requirements compliance in NPPPCI systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perello, M.

1978-01-01

The display of the problems that the analysis of the technical requirements compliance bring along is presented. In the project of nuclear power plants, above all, the influence of national and international standards in the analysis of the adjustment of requirements established by the governments of nuclear safety of the different countries. In the oral presentation greater emphasis is made on the difficulties that the PSAR evaluation brings when the lack of technical standards in the owner country makes necessary the use of other countries rules. (author)

Meeting demand for family planning within a generation: prospects and implications at country level

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoonjoung Choi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: In order to track progress towards the target of universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, a measure (demand for family planning satisfied with modern contraceptive methods and a benchmark (at least 75% by 2030 in all countries have been recommended. Objectives: The goal of this study was to assess the prospects of reaching the benchmark at the country level. Such information can facilitate strategic planning, including resource allocation at global and country levels. Design: We selected 63 countries based on their status as least developed according to the United Nations or as a priority country in global family planning initiatives. Using United Nations estimates and projections of family planning indicators between 1970 and 2030, we calculated percent demand for family planning satisfied with modern contraceptive methods for each year and country. We then calculated the annual percentage point changes between 2014 and 2030 required to meet the benchmark. The required rates of change were compared to current projections as well as estimates between 1970 and 2010. Results: To reach the benchmark on average across the 63 countries, demand satisfied with modern methods must increase by 2.2 percentage points per year between 2014 and 2030 – more than double current projections. Between 1970 and 2010, such rapid progress was observed in 24 study countries but typically spanning 5–10 years. At currently projected rates, only 9 of the 63 study countries will reach the benchmark. Meanwhile, the gap between projected and required changes is largest in the Central and West African regions, 0.9 and 3.0 percentage points per year, respectively. If the benchmark is achieved, 334 million women across the study countries will use a modern contraceptive method in 2030, compared to 226 million women in 2014. Conclusions: In order to achieve the component of the SDGs

Meeting demand for family planning within a generation: prospects and implications at country level.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Yoonjoung; Fabic, Madeleine Short; Hounton, Sennen; Koroma, Desmond

2015-01-01

In order to track progress towards the target of universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a measure (demand for family planning satisfied with modern contraceptive methods) and a benchmark (at least 75% by 2030 in all countries) have been recommended. The goal of this study was to assess the prospects of reaching the benchmark at the country level. Such information can facilitate strategic planning, including resource allocation at global and country levels. We selected 63 countries based on their status as least developed according to the United Nations or as a priority country in global family planning initiatives. Using United Nations estimates and projections of family planning indicators between 1970 and 2030, we calculated percent demand for family planning satisfied with modern contraceptive methods for each year and country. We then calculated the annual percentage point changes between 2014 and 2030 required to meet the benchmark. The required rates of change were compared to current projections as well as estimates between 1970 and 2010. To reach the benchmark on average across the 63 countries, demand satisfied with modern methods must increase by 2.2 percentage points per year between 2014 and 2030 - more than double current projections. Between 1970 and 2010, such rapid progress was observed in 24 study countries but typically spanning 5-10 years. At currently projected rates, only 9 of the 63 study countries will reach the benchmark. Meanwhile, the gap between projected and required changes is largest in the Central and West African regions, 0.9 and 3.0 percentage points per year, respectively. If the benchmark is achieved, 334 million women across the study countries will use a modern contraceptive method in 2030, compared to 226 million women in 2014. In order to achieve the component of the SDGs calling for universal access to sexual and reproductive health services

Proposed Special Issue: Progress of cancer research in developing countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T.S. Jong

2016-10-01

% growth in the same period, with two consecutive years of decline between 2012 and 2014. This steady upward trend of publication output from developing countries shows that researchers are becoming increasingly aware of the values of evidence-based research, without which would limit funding opportunities and restrict international collaborations, as well as partnerships.Advances in Modern Oncology Research is an Open Access journal aimed at increasing the accessibility of peer-reviewed information among researchers worldwide. The journal emphasizes on equal opportunity in scientific publishing, and is committed towards bridging the existing knowledge gap in cancer research between developed and developing countries. AMOR is keen to highlight the current challenges and opportunities of cancer research in developing countries, and the creation of a special issue dedicated to this subject is especially relevant and urgent to the broad community of cancer researchers because:(i It provides a much-needed platform to clinicians and researchers from developing countries to share important region-specific data, statistics, observations, and findings with the international community. This will not only improve the visibility of researchers from developing countries, but also enrich existing medical literature with updated information on the progress of cancer research in the developing world.(ii It gives clinicians, researchers, and policy makers from developed nations the opportunity to assess the existing and projected capability of developing countries in coping with the disease burden of cancer. Moreover, it is expected to equip stakeholders with key data and information to better manage vital resources, i.e. the allocation of funding and creation of knowledge transfer programs, moving forward.It takes collective efforts to address the escalating threat of cancer mortality and morbidity in the developing world. In order to introduce effective long-term solutions, it is

Implementation of sustainable energy programs in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spitalnik, J.

2001-01-01

Energy, a major contributor to development, is an essential element for increasing quality of life. During the next decades, the developing world will experience an explosive increase of energy demand, requiring enormous efforts and ingenuity to be fully satisfied. Delays may create public frustration for not achieving paradigm levels of quality of life, giving eventually rise to serious pressures on governments. The concept of sustainable energy options for development cannot be analyzed under the same prism in developed and developing countries. The relative degree of a country development should be introduced when setting up the path to sustainable development. (author)

Development of Reference Training Courses for the Countries Introducing Nuclear Power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Eui-Jin; Han, Kyong-Won; Min, Byung-Joo; Nam, Young-Mi [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2008-10-15

Human resources development is an important issue for the countries introducing their first nuclear power plant. Countries, which are considering introducing the nuclear power programs, will have to establish their infrastructure required for such programs. Since Korea has successfully achieved her self-reliance in nuclear power technology over the last 3 decades with a rapid expansion of nuclear power program, most of the countries have been interested in the Korean experience on human resources development and also hoped to share the experiences on nuclear training and education. The purpose of this paper is to present reference training courses developed at KAERI which can be shared with countries that need an infrastructure development for nuclear power.

Users’ Participation in Requirements Gathering for Smart Phones Applications in Emerging Markets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aryana, Bijan; Clemmensen, Torkil; Boks, Casper

2015-01-01

This study presents insights from using requirements gathering techniques for country-specific customization of smart phones in two emerging markets, Iran and Turkey. In each country, a group of users participated in requirements gathering sessions that were aimed at developing design ideas...... for overcoming country-specific usability problems. Using qualitative content analysis, it was found that in each country some specific interaction activities were considered more when participants generated design ideas for country-specific usability problems. It was also found that even for similar usability...... problems, participants suggested country-specific solutions. Therefore, it is suggested that participation of local users in the design process should not be limited to identification of usability problems, but should also include the problem-solving phase that is usually a phase in design and development...

Carbon Based Energy Taxes in Developing Countries. Feasibility and effects of a tax restructuring in China, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Russia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-12-31

This report is part of a study of the effects of converting the existing energy tax structure to one based on the carbon content of the fuel. The countries considered are China, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Russia. They contribute 28% of the worlds energy related carbon emission and are expected to have the greatest increase in carbon emissions over the next decades. Restructuring the energy taxes could play a role in reducing global carbon emissions. But this is difficult to achieve in non-OECD countries because of existing energy market distortions and policy barriers. The report first maps the present tax structure of the energy, power, and transport sectors, then redistributes the tax burden among the fuels based on their carbon content. Three scenarios are then studied, confining the tax structure to: (1) the industrial sector, (2) the industrial and power sectors, (3) industrial, power and transport sectors. Some important conclusions are: (1) reduced energy prices are the result of subsidies rather than of reduced taxes, (2) moving towards a carbon-based tax system requires major changes in the overall structure of energy pricing and government policy, (3) substantial institutional barriers exist to any reform of energy taxes, (4) among the fuel types, coal would have by far the largest price increase as it is now subsidized, (5) confining the carbon tax restructuring to the industry and power sectors would have minor effects, (6) including the transport sector with the other two does impact carbon emissions. Reducing the energy subsidies is probably the most urgent issue in reforming the energy sector and would bring substantial benefits in terms of reduced carbon emissions and improved overall energy efficiency of the economy. 25 refs., 20 figs., 41 tabs.

The European utility requirements - purposes and requirements to be fulfilled by the next generation of LWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broecker, B.; Essmann, J.

1995-01-01

With the first big phase of nuclear power reactor engineering and construction having come to an end in west european countries, and current activities of reactor manufacturers being reduced to building few plants for meeting growing electricity demand, or replacing retired power plants, the available market for manufacturers of nuclear power systems has become so small that the market of one country alone does not justify investment for the development of novel reactor types, or design enhancements. In all countries of Western Europe, the facility operators are responsible for safe and economically efficient operation of their nuclear power reactors, and this is why they decided to jointly elaborate and present to both manufacturers and supervising authorities as well as to the general public their requirements for the forthcoming generation of nuclear power plants. The resulting European Utility Requirements is a document specifying the details relating to engineered safety, reliability, operating performance, and economics of the reactors to be built by manufacturers for the European market. (orig./UA) [de

Agile manufacturing and technology transfer to industrialising countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steenhuis, H.J.; de Boer, S.J.

2003-01-01

One of the requirements of agile manufacturing, the necessity to gain flexibility, can be reached by using a supplier network. A possible way to develop a supplier network is by subcontracting to parties in industrialising countries. In most cases, it is necessary to transfer technology. The

Preconditions for and experience with quality assurance in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villate, J.

1980-01-01

The main aspects treated in this lecture concern to the differences in passing from conventional projects to nuclear power plants. This step requires the establishment of QA programs covering the activities of the utility, the architect-engineer, the NSSS supplier, the manufacturers and installer in all safety related components and structures. Indicative estimates are given regarding the manpower requirements and the cost of QA in the construction of a nuclear power plant. Special emphasis is granted to the qualifications, training and certification of QA and QC personnel. To illustrate this point and the transfer of technology to developing countries, examples of Mexico and Brazil are presented. Finally, an outline is given of IAEA capability in providing assistance in QA to developing countries. (orig./RW)

Patenting human stem cells: an urgent need for a clarification.

Science.gov (United States)

Byk, Christian

2008-09-01

Patenting human stem cells has become one of the most controversial issues of the bioethics field at the beginning of the XXIst century, at least in industrial countries. This article relates the story of the long legal adventure that preceded the ruling of the Warf case by the Enlarged board of appeal of the European Patent Office on 25th November 2008.

Migrant Home Attendants: Regulation and Practice in 7 Countries

Science.gov (United States)

Garms-Homolová, Vjenka; Bentwich, Miriam

2013-01-01

We compared regulation and working and living conditions of foreign home attendants in 7 countries (Canada, Germany, Israel, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, United States). We conducted a literature search in the PSYCinfo, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar databases for 2002 to 2012. We found substantial between-country differences in the legal status of migrant caregivers and regulations regarding working and living conditions and drew 3 conclusions. Improving regulations will likely improve not only the well-being of foreign home attendants but also the care they provide. Countries in which many foreign home attendants work without specific legal entry programs should rethink their policies. Finally, requiring an employer’s recommendation to obtain permanent residency may constrain foreign workers from registering complaints or leaving suboptimal employment situations. PMID:24134377

Requirements for effective technology transfer for engineering and project management. The views of the recipient country and the technology supplier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Backhaus, K.W.

1986-04-01

Technology transfer in the area of engineering and project management for nuclear power plant projects is considered a rather complex and sophisticated matter. Therefore only within a long-term nuclear co-operation a meaningful transfer of such a multifaceted technology can reasonably be achieved. A long-term nuclear co-operation anticipates a nuclear power plant program consisting of a few nuclear power plants of a certain type and size in order to achieve the indispensable effect ''learning by doing''. The objectives of nuclear technology transfer may be in general or in particular; absorption of a foreign nuclear technology and its adaptation to the conditions and needs of the receiver's country; built-up of industrial infrastructure for planning, construction and operation of nuclear power plants; raising of the general industrial level and achieve a spin-off effect; creation of a basis for independent development of nuclear technology. The technology transfer on one side and the construction program of nuclear power plants on the other side cannot be practiced by two parallel but separated event, however, they form one unit. Contrary to the import of industrial equipment in terms of ''black box'', by means of a nuclear technology transfer the introduction of new dependencies will be prevented. The technology transfer can remarkably be facilitated by forming a joint venture engineering company in the recipient country. The required know-how potential within a certain time period determines the intensity of the technology transfer and consequently the man power to be involved. The realization of such technology transfer is demonstrated by means of practical examples. (author). 12 figs

Cyborg practices: call-handlers and computerised decision support systems in urgent and emergency care.

Science.gov (United States)

Pope, Catherine; Halford, Susan; Turnbull, Joanne; Prichard, Jane

2014-06-01

This article draws on data collected during a 2-year project examining the deployment of a computerised decision support system. This computerised decision support system was designed to be used by non-clinical staff for dealing with calls to emergency (999) and urgent care (out-of-hours) services. One of the promises of computerised decisions support technologies is that they can 'hold' vast amounts of sophisticated clinical knowledge and combine it with decision algorithms to enable standardised decision-making by non-clinical (clerical) staff. This article draws on our ethnographic study of this computerised decision support system in use, and we use our analysis to question the 'automated' vision of decision-making in healthcare call-handling. We show that embodied and experiential (human) expertise remains central and highly salient in this work, and we propose that the deployment of the computerised decision support system creates something new, that this conjunction of computer and human creates a cyborg practice.

Test development and use in five Iberian Latin American countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Wechsler, Solange M; Oakland, Thomas; León, Carmem; Vivas, Eleonora; de Almeida, Leandro; Franco, Amanda; Pérez-Solís, María; Contini, Norma

2014-08-01

The abundance of scholarship on test development and use generally is higher in English-speaking than in Iberian Latin American countries. The purpose of this article is to help overcome this imbalance by describing and identifying similarities and differences in test development and use in two Iberian (Portugal and Spain) and three of the largest Latin American (Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela) countries. The stages of test development in each country, roles of professional associations, presence of standards for test use, professionals' educational training, commonly used tests, together with prominent challenges to continued progress are discussed. Test development and use in these five countries are transitioning from a dependence on the use of translated tests to greater reliance on adapted and finally nationally constructed tests. Continued growth requires adherence to international standards guiding test development and use. Stronger alliance among professional associations in the Iberian Latin American countries could serve as a catalyst to promote test development in these regions. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Monetary Policy of the CIVETS Countries in Years 2006-2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krystyna Mitręga-Niestrój

2015-07-01

Full Text Available CIVETS countries refer to a group of countries consisting of Columbia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and the Republic of South Africa, considered leaders of emerging markets. They are countries with dynamically developing economies, moderate debt level, and they have successfully managed to overcome the last financial and economic crisis within a short period of time. Similarly, as in case of the majority of countries, their monetary policy constitutes a significant element of macroeconomic policy, having influence not only on the condition of the banking sector, but the economy as a whole. Central banks of the CIVETS countries focused on inflation target as the goal of monetary policy. They used first of all the interest rate channel as well as instruments regulating liquidity of interbank money market of a standard character (open market operations, refinanced credits and reserve requirement, as well as non-standard monetary policy instruments in order to execute the policy of supporting liquidity of the banking sector in years 2006-2013.

Registry data for cross-country comparisons of migrants' healthcare utilization in the EU: a survey study of availability and content

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krasnik Allan

2009-11-01

five countries reported availability of information on citizenship. Conclusion Lack of registry data in 16 EU countries, shortage of data on healthcare utilization, and the diversity in the definition of migrant status hampers cross-national comparisons and calls for an urgent establishment of registries, expansion of the existing registry information, and adoption of a common, generally acceptable definition and identification method of migrants across the EU.

Basic survey for promoting energy efficiency in developing countries. Database development project directory of energy conservation technology in Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-02-01

In order to promote energy conservation in developing countries, the gist of Japanese energy saving technologies was edited into a database. The Asian territory is expected of remarkable economic development and increased energy consumption including that for fossil fuels. Therefore, this project of structuring a database has urgent importance for the Asian countries. New and wide-area discussions were given to revise the 1995 edition. The committee was composed of members from high energy consuming areas such as iron and steel, paper and pulp, chemical, oil refining, cement, electric power, machinery, electric devices, and industrial machinery industries. Technical literatures and reports were referred to, and opinions were heard from specialists and committee members representing the respective areas. In order to reflect the current status and particular conditions in specific industrial areas, additions were given under the assistance and guidance from the specialists. The energy saving technologies recorded in the database may be called small to medium scale technologies, with the target placed on saving energy by 10% or more. Small-scale energy saving technologies were omitted. Flow charts for manufacturing processes were also added. (NEDO)

Sistema de Apoio à Decisão para o Transporte Não Urgente de Doentes em Veículo Partilhado

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José António Oliveira

2014-06-01

Full Text Available O transporte não urgente de doentes em Portugal foi alvo de reformulação legislativa de modo a reduzir os custos que acarretava. Neste artigo apresentam-se métodos heurísticos para a formação de agrupamentos de doentes a serem transportados na mesma viatura. São apresentados resultados computacionais que validam os algoritmos desenvolvidos. Os algoritmos podem ser facilmente integrados num sistema de apoio à decisão.

Reserve Requirements and Monetary Management; An Introduction

OpenAIRE

International Monetary Fund

1993-01-01

Reserve requirements are widely used by central banks as a means to improve monetary control, an instrument for policy implementation, a source of revenue, and a safeguard of bank liquidity. The effectiveness of reserve requirements in fulfilling these functions is reviewed, and the detailed modalities of their use are examined. Reserve requirements in a sample of developing countries are described.

Prioritizing the countries for BOT nuclear power project using Analytic Hierarchy Process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sun Woo; Roh, Myung Sub

2013-01-01

This paper proposes factors influencing the success of BOT nuclear power projects and their weighting method using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to find the optimal country which developer intends to develop. To summarize, this analytic method enable the developer to select and focus on the country which has preferable circumstance so that it enhances the efficiency of the project promotion by minimizing the opportunity cost. Also, it enables the developer to quantify the qualitative factors so that it diversifies the project success strategy and policy for the targeted country. Although the performance of this study is insufficient due to the limitation of time, small sampling and security of materials, it still has the possibility to improve the analytic model more systematically through further study with more data. Developing Build-Own(or Operate)-Transfer (BOT) nuclear power project carrying large capital in the long term requires initially well-made multi-decision which it prevents sorts of risks from unexpected situation of targeted countries. Moreover, the nuclear power project in most case is practically implemented by Government to Government cooperation, so the key concern for such nuclear power project would be naturally focused on the country situation rather than project viability at planning stage. In this regard, it requires the evaluation of targeted countries before involving the project, comprehensive and proper decision making for complex judgment factors, and efficient integration of expert's opinions, etc. Therefore, prioritizing and evaluating the feasibility of country for identification of optimal project region is very meaningful study

Determinants of Financial Inclusion of Urban Poor in India: An Empirical Analysis

OpenAIRE

Bapat, Dhananjay; Bhattacharyay, Biswa Nath

2016-01-01

Financial inclusion is crucial for the inclusive and sustainable economic growth of developing countries. Access to financial services to all citizens, particularly to low income and poor people is a key to promote inclusive growth. While rural financial inclusion assumes importance from policy makers and academicians, urban financial inclusion needs urgent attention with rapidly increasing urbanization, unique requirements of urban population and increasing poor and low income population liv...

An analysis of the macroeconomic conditions required for SME lending: Evidence from Turkey and other emerging market countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jenkins Hatice

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Providing small and medium enterprises (SMEs with access to external finance has been a major concern for many governments and international organizations for three decades. In recent years the experiences of emerging market countries suggest that a paradigm shift is taking place in SME finance. Particularly in fast-growing emerging market countries such as Turkey, banks are increasingly targeting SMEs as a new line of banking business. This research analyzes how macroeconomic factors have contributed to increased commercial bank lending to SMEs in six emerging market countries: Turkey, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Poland. Based on time series and panel data analysis, we find that a high GDP growth rate and increased competition in the banking sector have contributed to increased banking sector credit to SMEs. The findings also reveal that curbing the high inflation rate and reducing government domestic borrowing have significantly encouraged bank lending to the SME segment.

Comparison of Radiation Protection Training in European Countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozelj, M.

2001-01-01

Full text: Practice and implementation of radiation protection in European countries and in majority of other countries all over the world relies on common principles and recommendations established by international organisations. These principles and recommendations were incorporated in national legislation ensuring similar and compatible standards of protection for occupationally exposed workers and members of the public. One of the basic requirements derived from international recommendations is also formal request for training of occupationally exposed workers. The final goals of the training are defined only indirectly through standards of safety and protection. Therefore national regulation regarding radiation protection training in particular country is a result of general approach to education and training, historical circumstances, influence and importance of nuclear technology and other factors influencing health protection and national well-being in general. The result is variety of national regulations ranging from very stringent and detailed to rather general and flexible. Nevertheless, results of implemented training do not differ sufficiently to significantly affect achieved standards of radiation protection. According to available information European countries implement radiation protection training in dissimilar ways. Institutions and organisations involved, as well as form and duration of training varies from country to country. Therefore, it is not possible to determine common rules just by reviewing radiation protection training in different countries. It is the intention of this contribution to analyse and discuss available information regarding radiation protection training and point out the necessity of international co-operation in this field, especially in the sense of the future trends. (author)

International comparisons of health system performance among OECD countries: opportunities and data privacy protection challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Oderkirk, Jillian; Ronchi, Elettra; Klazinga, Niek

2013-09-01

Health data constitute a significant resource in most OECD countries that could be used to improve health system performance. Well-intended policies to allay concerns about breaches of confidentiality and to reduce potential misuse of personal health information may be limiting data use. A survey of 20 OECD countries explored the extent to which countries have developed and use personal health data and the reasons why data use may be problematic in some. Countries are divided, with one-half engaged regularly in national data linkage studies to monitor health care quality. Country variation is linked to risk management in granting an exemption to patient consent requirements; in sharing identifiable data among government authorities; and in project approvals and granting access to data. The resources required to comply with data protection requirements is a secondary problem. The sharing of person-level data across borders for international comparisons is rarely reported and there were few examples of studies of health system performance. Laws and policies enabling data sharing and data linkage are needed to strengthen national information infrastructure. To develop international studies comparing health care quality and health system performance, actions are needed to address heterogeneity in data protection practices. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Financing Renewable Energy Projects in Developing Countries: A Critical Review

Science.gov (United States)

Donastorg, A.; Renukappa, S.; Suresh, S.

2017-08-01

Access to clean and stable energy, meeting sustainable development goals, the fossil fuel dependency and depletion are some of the reasons that have impacted developing countries to transform the business as usual economy to a more sustainable economy. However, access and availability of finance is a major challenge for many developing countries. Financing renewable energy projects require access to significant resources, by multiple parties, at varying points in the project life cycles. This research aims to investigate sources and new trends in financing RE projects in developing countries. For this purpose, a detail and in-depth literature review have been conducted to explore the sources and trends of current RE financial investment and projects, to understand the gaps and limitations. This paper concludes that there are various internal and external sources of finance available for RE projects in developing countries.

Poverty and disability in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Banks, Lena Morgon; Kuper, Hannah; Polack, Sarah

2017-01-01

upper-middle income countries finding a positive relationship. By age group, the proportion of studies reporting a positive association between disability and poverty was lowest for older adults and highest for working-age adults (69% vs. 86%). There is strong evidence for a link between disability and poverty in LMICs and an urgent need for further research and programmatic/policy action to break the cycle.

Using Economic Input/Output Tables to Predict a Country's Nuclear Status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weimar, Mark R.; Daly, Don S.; Wood, Thomas W.

2010-01-01

Both nuclear power and nuclear weapons programs should have (related) economic signatures which are detectible at some scale. We evaluated this premise in a series of studies using national economic input/output (IO) data. Statistical discrimination models using economic IO tables predict with a high probability whether a country with an unknown predilection for nuclear weapons proliferation is in fact engaged in nuclear power development or nuclear weapons proliferation. We analyzed 93 IO tables, spanning the years 1993 to 2005 for 37 countries that are either members or associates of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The 2009 OECD input/output tables featured 48 industrial sectors based on International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) Revision 3, and described the respective economies in current country-of-origin valued currency. We converted and transformed these reported values to US 2005 dollars using appropriate exchange rates and implicit price deflators, and addressed discrepancies in reported industrial sectors across tables. We then classified countries with Random Forest using either the adjusted or industry-normalized values. Random Forest, a classification tree technique, separates and categorizes countries using a very small, select subset of the 2304 individual cells in the IO table. A nation's efforts in nuclear power, be it for electricity or nuclear weapons, are an enterprise with a large economic footprint -- an effort so large that it should discernibly perturb coarse country-level economics data such as that found in yearly input-output economic tables. The neoclassical economic input-output model describes a country's or region's economy in terms of the requirements of industries to produce the current level of economic output. An IO table row shows the distribution of an industry's output to the industrial sectors while a table column shows the input required of each industrial sector by a given

Research and increase of expertise in arachno-entomology are urgently needed.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehlhorn, Heinz; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A S; Al-Quraishy, Saleh; Abdel-Ghaffar, Fathy

2012-01-01

Considering the contents of international journals of parasitology dealing with broader topics inside this field show that rather a few papers appear with studies in the discipline of arachno-entomology. In the journals Journal of Parasitology, Parasitology Research and Trends in Parasitology, the relations of published papers on protozoology, helminthology and arachno-entomology showed that in all three journals, papers on protozoans were the most common, while those on helminths of any kind reached the second place being rather as common as the protozoan papers in Parasitology Research and in the Journal of Parasitology. In Trends of Parasitology, however, the papers on helminths reached only about 25% of the numbers published on protozoan topics. But in all three journals-and this is important-the papers on arachno-entomological themes were scarce reaching less than the half of the protozoan papers in Parasitology Research, and only about 15% in the Journal of Parasitology and in the Trends of Parasitology. These disproportions between the three great subdivisions of targets in the focus of parasitological research are dangerous, since this lack exists already for several decades and thus led to a backlog of unsolved increasing problems that are caused by ticks, mites, insects and/or parasitic crustaceans especially in times of intensive globalization and global warming. Studies on the biology, vectorship, invasion and spreading of wanted vectors and on the control of pests and parasites belonging to the field of arachno-entomology are urgently needed.

Blowhole colostomy for the urgent management of distal large bowel obstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasten, Kevin R; Midura, Emily F; Davis, Bradley R; Rafferty, Janice F; Paquette, Ian M

2014-05-01

Complete obstruction of the distal colon or rectum often presents as a surgical emergency. This study evaluated the efficacy of blowhole colostomy versus transverse loop colostomy for the emergent management of distal large intestinal obstruction. Retrospective chart review of all colostomy procedures (CPT 44320) performed for complete distal large bowel obstruction during the past 6 y in a university hospital practice was undertaken. Blowhole was compared with loop colostomy with a primary endpoint of successful colonic decompression. One hundred forty-one patients underwent colostomy creation during the study period. Of these, 61 were completed for acute obstruction of the distal colon or rectum (19 blowhole versus 42 loop colostomy). No differences between study groups were seen in age, gender, body mass index, malnutrition, American Society of Anesthesiology class, time to liquid or regular diet, 30-d or inhospital mortality, or rates of complications. Patients undergoing blowhole colostomy had significantly higher cecal diameters at diagnosis (9.14 versus 7.31 cm, P = 0.0035). Operative time was shorter in blowhole procedures (43 versus 51 min, P = 0.017). Postoperative length of stay was significantly shorter for blowhole colostomy (6 versus 8 d, P = 0.014). The primary endpoint of successful colonic decompression was met in all colostomy patients. Diverting blowhole colostomy is a safe, quick, and effective procedure for the urgent management of distal colonic obstruction associated with obstipation and massive distention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

WWF Climate Scorecards. Comparison of the climate performance of the G8 countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoehne, N.; Wartmann, S.; Graus, W.

2005-07-01

Climate change is a serious and urgent threat to global society. It adds stress to unique and already threatened ecosystems, increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as storms and droughts, and adds stress to agriculture and food production. In addition, glaciers are melting around the world as is the Arctic, contributing to sea level rise. Climate change also increases the risk of large-scale singular events such as the melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and the shutdown of the thermohaline circulation. The level at which climate change becomes 'dangerous' depends on the values attached to the threatened systems. Several countries, most prominently the EU, but also e.g. the Philippines and Micronesia, have agreed that global average temperature increase in comparison to pre-industrial levels should be kept below 2C. As a consequence, global greenhouse gas emissions will have to peak in the next decade or two and then decline to a fraction of current levels. Leaving some room for growth for developing countries, industrialized countries need to decrease their emission by the order of 80% by the year 2050. This is a major challenge, as current trends are going in the opposite direction with high emissions in developed countries and growing emissions in most developing countries. Individual countries have reacted differently to this challenge. Each country is unique in its starting position, including the economic activities that result in greenhouse gas emissions, its level of development, industrial structure, availability of natural resources and public perceptions. Since the problem was recognized internationally (1992 with the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), governments and the public have reacted differently, also depending on national circumstances. These climate scorecards provide a comparable snapshot of the current situation across the G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy

WWF Climate Scorecards. Comparison of the climate performance of the G8 countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoehne, N.; Wartmann, S.; Graus, W. [Ecofys GmbH, Koeln (Germany)

2005-07-01

Climate change is a serious and urgent threat to global society. It adds stress to unique and already threatened ecosystems, increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as storms and droughts, and adds stress to agriculture and food production. In addition, glaciers are melting around the world as is the Arctic, contributing to sea level rise. Climate change also increases the risk of large-scale singular events such as the melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and the shutdown of the thermohaline circulation. The level at which climate change becomes 'dangerous' depends on the values attached to the threatened systems. Several countries, most prominently the EU, but also e.g. the Philippines and Micronesia, have agreed that global average temperature increase in comparison to pre-industrial levels should be kept below 2C. As a consequence, global greenhouse gas emissions will have to peak in the next decade or two and then decline to a fraction of current levels. Leaving some room for growth for developing countries, industrialized countries need to decrease their emission by the order of 80% by the year 2050. This is a major challenge, as current trends are going in the opposite direction with high emissions in developed countries and growing emissions in most developing countries. Individual countries have reacted differently to this challenge. Each country is unique in its starting position, including the economic activities that result in greenhouse gas emissions, its level of development, industrial structure, availability of natural resources and public perceptions. Since the problem was recognized internationally (1992 with the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), governments and the public have reacted differently, also depending on national circumstances. These climate scorecards provide a comparable snapshot of the current situation across the G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany

De l’urgente nécessité de réformer la gouvernance globale Reframing Global Governance : Apocalypse Soon or Reform !

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Held

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Le réchauffement climatique, la pauvreté ou la menace d’une catastrophe nucléaire comptent parmi les défis majeurs auxquels l’humanité se doit de faire face collectivement en ce début de 21e siècle. Malgré la gravité et l’urgence de la situation, les moyens dont nous disposons pour résoudre de tels problèmes demeurent limités et incomplets. Il est dès lors non seulement essentiel mais aussi urgent de penser comment faire face à de tels enjeux globaux. Les solutions passent par des mécanismes de gouvernance globale et se doivent de répondre aux exigences de solidarité, de démocratie, de justice sociale et d’efficacité politique. Il s’agit notamment d’assurer à chaque personne la possibilité d’influencer les conditions sociales qui façonnent sa vie. Il est donc encore possible d’agir sur le cours des choses, mais si aucune réponse n’est rapidement apportée à ces défis majeurs, le futur de l’humanité risque d’être compromis.Global warming, poverty and the threat of nuclear catastrophe are among the major challenges humanity has to face collectively in this early 21st century. In spite of the seriousness and the urgency of the situation, the means at our disposal to solve such problems remain limited and incomplete. It is therefore not only essential but also urgent to think about how to face these growing global challenges. It requires new mechanisms of global governance and taking steps toward solidarity, democracy, justice and policy effectiveness. Among these key issues is the need to ensure the possibility for each person to influence the social conditions that shape his or her life. Thus, there is still hope that the vital task of reframing global governance may be pursued with an increasing sense of urgency. If this does not happen, the very future of humanity is at risk.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MANITOBA HOG INDUSTRY

OpenAIRE

Grier, Kevin; Martin, Larry J.; Mayer, Holly

2002-01-01

This project was undertaken at the request of the Manitoba Pork Council in order to assess the impact of the Country Of Origin Labeling (COL) provisions of the US Farm Bill. The Council needs to know the consequences (economic and otherwise) of COL upon Manitoba hog farmers. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (the Farm Bill) contains a provision that requires the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue country of origin labeling guidelines for voluntary use by ...

Financing arrangements for nuclear power projects in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This reference book reviews the main features and problems or difficulties involved in the financing of nuclear power projects with special reference to developing countries. It provides basic information and advice to developing countries interested in nuclear power projects as part of their power sector planning. The book outlines the general characteristics of financing a nuclear power project and presents innovative approaches for power generation financing. It discusses the special conditions and requirements of nuclear power projects and their financing complexities. The focus is on the practical issues that need to be dealt with in order to successfully finance these power projects, as well as the constraints faced by most developing countries. Possible ways and means of dealing with these constraints are presented. 58 refs, figs and tabs

Preparing for Ebola Virus Disease in West African countries not yet affected: perspectives from Ghanaian health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyarko, Yaw; Goldfrank, Lewis; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Soghoian, Sari; de-Graft Aikins, Ama

2015-02-26

The current Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemic has ravaged the social fabric of three West African countries and affected people worldwide. We report key themes from an agenda-setting, multi-disciplinary roundtable convened to examine experiences and implications for health systems in Ghana, a nation without cases but where risk for spread is high and the economic, social and political impact of the impending threat is already felt. Participants' personal stories and the broader debates to define fundamental issues and opportunities for preparedness focused on three inter-related themes. First, the dangers of the fear response itself were highlighted as a threat to the integrity and continuity of quality care. Second, healthcare workers' fears were compounded by a demonstrable lack of societal and personal protections for infection prevention and control in communities and healthcare facilities, as evidenced by an ongoing cholera epidemic affecting over 20,000 patients in the capital Accra alone since June 2014. Third, a lack of coherent messaging and direction from leadership seems to have limited coordination and reinforced a level of mistrust in the government's ability and commitment to mobilize an adequate response. Initial recommendations include urgent investment in the needed supplies and infrastructure for basic, routine infection control in communities and healthcare facilities, provision of assurances with securities for frontline healthcare workers, establishment of a multi-sector, "all-hazards" outbreak surveillance system, and engaging directly with key community groups to co-produce contextually relevant educational messages that will help decrease stigma, fear, and the demoralizing perception that the disease defies remedy or control. The EVD epidemic provides an unprecedented opportunity for West African countries not yet affected by EVD cases to make progress on tackling long-standing health systems weaknesses. This roundtable discussion

[AIDS, developing countries and ethnopsychiatry].

Science.gov (United States)

Ehrhardt, N; Defourny, J; Bertrand, J

1995-04-01

This work briefly assesses the history of the AIDS epidemic in different geographic regions and examines factors that render developing countries particularly vulnerable. It reviews the three main techniques of traditional therapeutic systems and examines their implications for psychiatric treatment of AIDS patients from developing countries. Young age structures, low rates of condom usage, women's lack of education and of sexual bargaining power, and the deficiencies of health and educational facilities are among factors that increase risks of HIV in developing countries. Health education geared to specific audiences should encourage condom use and other preventive measures. Among factors to encourage condom use, group decision making appears to be of greatest potential influence on behavior in sub-Saharan Africa and among African immigrants to Europe. To encourage preventive measures and to understand reactions of non-Western populations to HIV, it is desirable to understand the deeper meanings of their cultures and of traditional therapies. It is difficult and misguided to pose a diagnosis according to the criteria of Western psychiatry. Western psychiatry has been proven incompetent in its attempts to treat members of traditional societies, whether immigrants or in their countries of origin. And attempts to integrate traditional healing into a western medical system have not been successful. Traditional systems accomplish therapeutic goals by three major techniques, possession, shamanism, and clairvoyance, or their numerous variants. It is recommended that group sessions be held with immigrants requiring treatment, in which the principal therapist is assisted by translators, who help create a space for the patient intermediate between the two cultures, where the therapies can coexist without conflict.

European Utility Requirements: European nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komsi, M.; Patrakka, E.

1997-01-01

The work procedure and the content of the European Utility Requirements (EUR) concerning the future LWRs is described in the article. European Utility Requirements, produced by utilities in a number of European countries, is a document specifying the details relating to engineered safety, operating performance, reliability and economics of the reactors to be built by manufacturers for the European market

Adult awareness of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship--14 countries.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-25

According to the 2012 Report of the U.S. Surgeon General, exposure to tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS) is associated with the initiation and continuation of smoking among young persons. The World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) requires countries to prohibit all forms of TAPS; the United States signed the agreement in 2004, but the action has not yet been ratified. Many countries have adopted partial bans covering direct advertising in traditional media channels; however, few countries have adopted comprehensive bans on all types of direct and indirect marketing. To assess progress toward elimination of TAPS and the level of awareness of TAPS among persons aged ≥15 years, CDC used data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) collected in 14 countries during 2008-2010. Awareness of any TAPS ranged from 12.4% in Turkey to 70.4% in the Philippines. In the four countries where awareness of TAPs was ≤15%, three of the countries had comprehensive bans covering all nine channels assessed by GATS, and the fourth country banned seven of the nine channels. In 12 countries, more persons were aware of advertising in stores than advertising via any other channel. Reducing exposure to TAPS is important to prevent initiation of tobacco use by youths and young adults and to help smokers quit.

Palliative radiotherapy in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, B.J.

2010-01-01

Full text: The International Agency for Research on Cancer predicts that cancer incidence in developing countries will increase dramatically in the first two decades of this millennium. Already some 80% of cancer patients in developing countries present with incurable disease. [n many cases pain is a severe problem and palliation is needed to improve quality of life as well as extending survival. This paper will consider the physical and clinical aspects of palliative radiotherapy (PRT), choice of radiation modality, alternative approaches to imaging and therapy and cost-benefit considerations. The potential benefits of a dedicated palliative centre include lower cost and therefore more centres, enabling more patients access to regional palliative care. Whilst there is an obvious need for palliative radiotherapy, simple curative treatments could also be managed. C060 radiotherapy has important advantages in developing countries, because of the higher initial cost of a linear accelerator, as well as the need for reliable power supply and the level of skill required by linac technicians and physicists. The beam characteristics of both C060 units and low energy linacs are compared and both are found to be acceptable for palliation. The concept of telemedicine is also discussed, using mobile phones and internet communication to allow rural clinics to receive support from specialists based in the cities, to send images for remote diagnosis and remote dose planning for radiotherapy. (author)

Cross-Country Individual Participant Analysis of 4.1 Million Singleton Births in 5 Countries with Very High Human Development Index Confirms Known Associations but Provides No Biologic Explanation for 2/3 of All Preterm Births.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrero, David M; Larson, Jim; Jacobsson, Bo; Di Renzo, Gian Carlo; Norman, Jane E; Martin, James N; D'Alton, Mary; Castelazo, Ernesto; Howson, Chris P; Sengpiel, Verena; Bottai, Matteo; Mayo, Jonathan A; Shaw, Gary M; Verdenik, Ivan; Tul, Nataša; Velebil, Petr; Cairns-Smith, Sarah; Rushwan, Hamid; Arulkumaran, Sabaratnam; Howse, Jennifer L; Simpson, Joe Leigh

2016-01-01

mechanisms of preterm birth and, hence, therapeutic intervention. Surprisingly, variation in prevalence of known risk factors accounted for less than 35% of the difference in preterm birth rates between countries. Known risk factors had an area under the curve of less than 0.7 in ROC analysis of preterm birth prediction within countries. These data suggest that other influences, as yet unidentified, are involved in preterm birth. Further research into biological mechanisms is warranted. We have quantified the causes of variation in preterm birth rates among countries with very high human development index. The paucity of explicit and currently identified factors amenable to intervention illustrates the limited impact of changes possible through current clinical practice and policy interventions. Our research highlights the urgent need for research into underlying biological causes of preterm birth, which alone are likely to lead to innovative and efficacious interventions.

Home care robot for socially supporting the elderly: focus group studies in three European countries to screen user attitudes and requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

Zsiga, Katalin; Edelmayer, Georg; Rumeau, Pierre; Péter, Orsolya; Tóth, András; Fazekas, Gábor

2013-12-01

The growing number of elderly individuals presents new challenges for society. Many elderly individuals have physical or cognitive impairments and require support from caregivers. An attempt to overcome the limitations caused by the lack of human caregivers is the inclusion of assistive technology such as socially active robots. The Domeo-project of the Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme of the European Union aims to develop a new companion robotic system that would allow assistance to the elderly. The requirements and attitude of the potential users and caregivers have been assessed in Austria, France and Hungary. The robot functions were demonstrated to the participants. Three focus groups were formed: potential end users, older caregivers and younger caregivers. The discussions were recorded and processed according to six aspects: (i) acceptability and privacy, (ii) pertinence of services, (iii) possible obstacles, (iv) motivation level to use the proposed services, (v) organizational issues and (vi) recommendations. Minor differences were observed between the countries, but there were considerable differences regarding the age of the participants. The younger caregivers want to be assured of the safety of their client and to receive immediate notification in case of an emergency. As for the elderly, the most important aspect is to gain a companion and a physical helper. Many of the recommendations can be taken into consideration during robot development, but some of them are not realistic at present.

Considerations in promoting markets for sustainable energy technologies in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radka, Mark; Kamel, Sami

2003-01-01

The growth in demand for energy in both developed and developing countries is expected to continue an upward trend for many years, with a large portion of the increase projected to occur in developing countries. As these countries undertake various economic development initiatives and programmes it is important from a global environmental perspective that they increase the proportion of efficient, low carbon emitting energy in the energy mix. This paper identifies a number of ways of improving markets that foster increased adoption of clean energy technologies in developing countries. The paper concludes that a holistic approach is needed if new technology promotion efforts are to succeed. Ensuring the appropriateness of the technology, and hence its sustainability, requires proper attention to social, economic and political criteria as well as the fundamental technical characteristics. (au)

Considerations in promoting markets for sustainable energy technologies in developing countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radka, Mark [United Nations Environment Programme, Div. of Technology, Industry and Economics (France); Kamel, Sami [Risoe National Lab., UNEP Risoe Centre for Energy, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Roskilde (Denmark)

2003-09-01

The growth in demand for energy in both developed and developing countries is expected to continue an upward trend for many years, with a large portion of the increase projected to occur in developing countries. As these countries undertake various economic development initiatives and programmes it is important from a global environmental perspective that they increase the proportion of efficient, low carbon emitting energy in the energy mix. This paper identifies a number of ways of improving markets that foster increased adoption of clean energy technologies in developing countries. The paper concludes that a holistic approach is needed if new technology promotion efforts are to succeed. Ensuring the appropriateness of the technology, and hence its sustainability, requires proper attention to social, economic and political criteria as well as the fundamental technical characteristics. (au)

Requirements of quality standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, J.

1977-01-01

The lecture traces the development of nuclear standards, codes, and Federal regulations on quality assurance (QA) for nuclear power plants and associated facilities. The technical evolution of the last twelve years, especially in the area of nuclear technology, led to different activities and regulatory initiatives, and the present result is: several nations have their own homemade standards. The lecture discusses the former and especially current activities in standard development, and gives a description of the requirements of QA-standards used in USA and Europe, especially Western Germany. Furthermore the lecture attempts to give a comparison and an evaluation of the international quality standards from the author's viewpoint. Finally the lecture presents an outlook for the future international implications of QA-standards. There is an urgent need within the nuclear industry for simplification and standardization of QA-standards. The relationship between the various standards, and the applicability of the standards need clarification and a better transparancy. To point out these problems is the purpose of the lecture. (orig.) [de

International Review of Grid Connection Requirements for Wind Turbines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jauch, Clemens; Soerensen, Poul [Risoe National Laboratory, Roskilde (Denmark). Wind Energy Dept.; Bak-Jensen, Birgitte [Aalborg Univ. (Denmark). Inst. of Energy Technology

2004-07-01

Some of the latest and most relevant grid connection requirements for wind turbines of different countries are summarized and discussed. The inherent implications of these requirements for current wind turbine technology are outlined and discussed.

Interventions for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases: a protocol for a systematic review of economic evaluations in low-income and middle-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Aminde, Leopold Ndemnge; Veerman, Lennert

2016-12-21

Low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) are experiencing a growing disease burden due to cardiovascular and other chronic non-communicable diseases. Interventions for the control of these diseases are paramount; however, these countries are faced with competing health and financial needs. There is an urgent need for quality evidence on cost-effective strategies to address these chronic diseases. We aim to synthesise the current literature on economic evaluations of interventions for primary and secondary cardiovascular disease prevention in LMICs. A systematic review of studies (published and unpublished) in LMICs up to 30 October 2016 will be conducted. The following databases will be searched: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, CINAHL, Web of Science, EconLit, NHS Economic Evaluations Database (NHS EED). Data sources specific to African literature, such as the WHO AFROLIB, Africa Index Medicus and African Journals online (AJOL) as well as grey literature, will also be searched. 2 reviewers shall independently screen potential articles for inclusion and disagreements shall be resolved by consensus. Quality appraisal of studies shall be done using Drummond's checklist for economic evaluation of studies. A descriptive synthesis of the evidence obtained is planned. The primary outcomes will be costs per life years gained or unit of clinical outcome, cost per quality-adjusted life years or disability-adjusted life years. This systematic review protocol has been prepared according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses for Protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015 statement. Ethics approval is not required considering that this is a protocol for a systematic review of published studies. Results from this review will be disseminated via conference presentations and peer-reviewed journal publications. CRD42016043510. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

The opening up of Middle Eastern Oil Producing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giannesini, J.F.

2000-01-01

Between them, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Kuwait control nearly 56 % of the world's oil reserves. They account for almost 25 % of production. There are signs that they are opening their territories to foreign companies in different ways and to various degrees, according to the country. The reasons are technical (decline of production and human resources), economic (increasing state budgetary requirements and growing oil production investment costs) and geopolitical (protective military isolation of territories and regimes). The opening up to these countries will in the future, have a major impact on the strategies of large western company operators. (authors)

The future path of lignite production in the Balkan countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boussios, E.; Koikouzas, N.K.

1997-01-01

The future development of the European Union and Balkan lignite industry is examined in this paper. Lignite in some countries represents for the last decade by far the most important fuel for electricity generation. The economically recoverable lignite reserves of the Balkans (21.36 x 10 9 t) and Greece (4.0 x 10 9 t) are sufficient to meet their energy demand for the next decades (50-100 years). The Balkan countries intended to increase their lignite production, in the near future, as result of the increase of their primary energy demand and their efforts to meet their energy requirements by using domestic resources. Greece also plans to increase lignite production. On the contrary, the remaining of the European Union countries intend to decrease their lignite production. Nevertheless, the countries of Balkan region which are presently in a transition period to the market economy, have to deal with a decrease of people employed in the lignite mining industry. However, Balkan region seems to be the most promising area for the future development of the lignite industry in the enlarged EU, after making the following alterations in the lignite sector: Rehabilitation of the lignite open-pit mines, closure of the most underground mines, privatization of the most prosperous mines, modification of the existing technology, introduction of the 'clean' coal technology, etc. New opportunities for the development and modernization of the lignite industry in Balkan countries arise, after their possible entrance into the European Union, considering also that lignite is one of their most important indigenous energy source. For the necessary modernization of the lignite industry, development of collaborations for the capital and know-how transferring is required. (Author)

People transfer-sinequanon for nuclear technology transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, M.

1977-01-01

The main obstacles facing the developing countries which wish to adopt sophisticated nuclear technology can be the following: lack of trained personnel, lack of entrepreneurs and capital, and bureaucracy. Of these the greatest problem is undoubtedly the lack of trained manpower. Urgently required skilled manpower may be obtained through training of selected persons in foreign countries on a crash program of nuclear energy. Exchange of expertise can also take place among the developing countries themselves. Another problem particularly peculiar to the poor developing countries is the lack of entrepreneurs and capital. It therefore becomes necessary to attract entrepreneurs from abroad with all the benefit of managerial know-how and capital transfer that it entails. Exchange of scientist, teachers, managerial and administrative personnel between the developed and developing countries and also among the developing countries themselves is therefore essential for an effective transfer of nuclear technology

Financial resources for development. Capital markets in developing countries: a study on borrowing by developing countries in the emerging capital markets of the Middle East

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nashashibi, H S

1980-10-01

Private transfers of capital from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to developing countries are intended to complement private transfers from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) by tapping the emerging capital markets in the Middle East. Developing countries will be able to diversify their borrowing and gain additional financing. The long-term investment of oil-producing countries will benefit and the pressures on the banking institutions to recycle funds will lessen. Middle East capital markets include international loans and international bonds. The history of the Kuwaiti dinar (KD) bond market, with its advantages for both investors and borrowers, illustrates the successful development of a capital market. Financial intermediation needs to be improved, however, if the Middle East is to become efficient enough to compete with the Euromarkets. Efficiency will require different measures and should reflect strengthening relationships among Middle East nations. (DCK)

Urgent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is not superior to early ERCP in acute biliary pancreatitis with biliary obstruction without cholangitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hee Seung; Chung, Moon Jae; Park, Jeong Youp; Bang, Seungmin; Park, Seung Woo; Song, Si Young; Chung, Jae Bock

2018-01-01

Acute pancreatitis is a common diagnosis worldwide, with gallstone disease being the most prevalent cause (50%). The American College of Gastroenterology recommends urgent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) (within 24 h) for patients with biliary pancreatitis accompanied by cholangitis. Most international guidelines recommend that ERCP be performed within 72 h in patients with biliary pancreatitis and a bile duct obstruction without cholangitis, but the optimal timing for endoscopy is controversial. We investigated the optimal timing for ERCP in patients with biliary pancreatitis and a bile duct obstruction without cholangitis, and whether performing endoscopy within 24 h is superior to performing it after 24 h. We analyzed the clinical data of 505 patients with newly diagnosed acute pancreatitis, from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2014. We divided the patients into two groups according to the timing of ERCP: pancreatitis and a bile duct obstruction without cholangitis. The mean age of the patients was 55 years (range: 26-90 years). Bile duct stones and biliary sludge were identified on endoscopy in 45 (61.6%) and 11 (15.0%) patients, respectively. The timing of ERCP within 72 h was not associated with ERCP-related complications (P = 0.113), and the total length of hospital stay was not different between urgent and early ERCP (5.9 vs. 5.7 days, P = 0.174). No significant differences were found in total length of hospitalization or procedural-related complications, in patients with biliary pancreatitis and a bile duct obstruction without cholangitis, according to the timing of ERCP (< 24 h vs. 24-72 h).

Shifting the Climate Finance Paradigm: Nine Key Challenges for Developed Countries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Curtin, Joseph

2013-03-13

In 2009, developed countries committed to part-funding the cost of adapting to the impacts of climate change and of low carbon development in developing countries. From 2010 to 2012, fast start finance began to flow from developed country exchequers. However, the climate finance paradigm is now shifting. A transition from loans and grants provided from scarce exchequer resources to innovative instruments for leveraging private capital and mitigating investment risk is required in the coming period. But what are the implications for developed countries? This policy brief explores the policy context defining the current climate finance debate; examines the extent to which commitments have been met; and identifies nine key challenges for developed countries as they enter the new climate finance paradigm, drawing on the lessons of the fast start finance period. This is the second in a series of Environment Nexus policy briefs by leading experts in the fields of agriculture, energy, climate change and water.

From a supply gap to a demand gap? The risk and consequences of over-indebting the underbanked

OpenAIRE

Jessica Schicks

2011-01-01

In the past, the microfinance industry focused mainly on growth and outreach. Addressing financial exclusion implied a huge supply gap. Recent over-indebtedness crises in several countries have shown that this gap can turn into over-supply. The industry urgently requires research to understand the magnitude and consequences of this shift. This chapter reveals the broad spectrum of consequences over-indebtedness can have on borrowers and other stakeholders, mainly MFIs. It emphasizes that over...

Nicotine reduction as an increase in the unit price of cigarettes: A behavioral economics approach

OpenAIRE

Smith, Tracy T.; Sved, Alan F.; Hatsukami, Dorothy K.; Donny, Eric C.

2014-01-01

Urgent action is needed to reduce the harm caused by smoking. Product standards that reduce the addictiveness of cigarettes are now possible both in the U.S. and in countries party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Specifically, standards that required substantially reduced nicotine content in cigarettes could enable cessation in smokers and prevent future smoking among current non-smokers. Behavioral economics uses principles from the field of microeconomics to characterize how...

Energy requirements and physical activity level of active elderly people in rural areas of China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hernandez-Triana, M; Aleman Mateo, H; Valencia Julleirat, M [Institute of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Havana (Cuba); and others

2002-07-01

Obesity and NIDDM are common in the Third Age and increasing in Cuba. Among the life-style changes associated with increased prevalence of obesity and its related disorders, diet and activity patterns are prime candidates. The transition to this life-style model may induce a decrease in the energy needs. There is an urgent need for tools which have been validated for measuring diet and physical activity in nutritional studies in the developing world, but also a more urgent need for reference values for the total energy requirements of healthy elderly people. Regular physical activity reduces the likelihood to develop diseases that characterise the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome. With the purpose of estimating the energy requirements, a group of 48 elderly people aged 61-74 years living in a rural mountain community was submitted to a medical, epidemiological, dietary and biochemical study of the nutritional status. Glucose intolerance was diagnosed in 40% and arterial hypertension was present in 23 of them. Ten subjects without signs or symptoms of the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome were submitted to a measurement of the total energy expenditure by the doubly labelled water method. PAL values of 2.13 and 1. 77 were measured for men and women, values which were significantly higher that the recommended value of 1.51 for elderly subjects. The estimation of energy requirements by the energy intake or by the factorial method using the physical activity questionnaires generated values, which were 11% and 30% lower than the values obtained by the DLW-method The value of 1.51 x BMR for the estimation of the energy requirements of elderly subjects living in rural areas and submitted to higher levels of physical activity seems to be sub estimated. (author)

Energy requirements and physical activity level of active elderly people in rural areas of China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez-Triana, M.; Aleman Mateo, H.; Valencia Julleirat, M.

2002-01-01

Obesity and NIDDM are common in the Third Age and increasing in Cuba. Among the life-style changes associated with increased prevalence of obesity and its related disorders, diet and activity patterns are prime candidates. The transition to this life-style model may induce a decrease in the energy needs. There is an urgent need for tools which have been validated for measuring diet and physical activity in nutritional studies in the developing world, but also a more urgent need for reference values for the total energy requirements of healthy elderly people. Regular physical activity reduces the likelihood to develop diseases that characterise the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome. With the purpose of estimating the energy requirements, a group of 48 elderly people aged 61-74 years living in a rural mountain community was submitted to a medical, epidemiological, dietary and biochemical study of the nutritional status. Glucose intolerance was diagnosed in 40% and arterial hypertension was present in 23 of them. Ten subjects without signs or symptoms of the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome were submitted to a measurement of the total energy expenditure by the doubly labelled water method. PAL values of 2.13 and 1. 77 were measured for men and women, values which were significantly higher that the recommended value of 1.51 for elderly subjects. The estimation of energy requirements by the energy intake or by the factorial method using the physical activity questionnaires generated values, which were 11% and 30% lower than the values obtained by the DLW-method The value of 1.51 x BMR for the estimation of the energy requirements of elderly subjects living in rural areas and submitted to higher levels of physical activity seems to be sub estimated. (author)

Energy requirements and physical activity level of active elderly people in rural areas of Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernandez-Triana, M.H.; Sanchez, V.; Basabe-Tuero, B.; Gonzalez-Calderin, S.; Diaz, M.E.; Aleman-Mateo, H.; Valencia-Julleirat, M.; Salazar, G.

2002-01-01

Obesity and NIDDM are common in the Third Age and increasing in Cuba. Among the life-style changes associated with increased prevalence of obesity and its related disorders, diet and activity patterns are prime candidates. The transition to this life-style model may induce a decrease in the energy needs. There is an urgent need for tools which have been validated for measuring diet and physical activity in nutritional studies in the developing world, but also a more urgent need for reference values for the total energy requirements of healthy elderly people. Regular physical activity reduces the likelihood to develop diseases that characterise the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome. With the purpose of estimating the energy requirements, a group of 48 elderly people aged 61-74 years living in a rural mountain community was submitted to a medical, epidemiological, dietary and biochemical study of the nutritional status. Glucose intolerance was diagnosed in 40% and arterial hypertension was present in 23 % of them. Ten subjects without signs or symptoms of the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome were submitted to a measurement of the total energy expenditure by the doubly labelled water method. PAL values of 2.13 and 1.77 were measured for men and women, values which were significantly higher that the recommended value of 1.51 for elderly subjects. The total energy expenditure: The estimation of energy requirements by the energy intake or by the factorial method using the physical activity questionnaires generated values, which were 11 % and 30% lower than the values obtained by the DLW-method. The value of 1.51 x BMR for the estimation of the energy requirements of elderly subjects living in rural areas and submitted to higher levels of physical activity seems to be sub estimated

The Republic of Uganda : Country Financial Accountability Assessment

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2004-01-01

This Country Financial Accountability Assessment (CFAA) is an update of the assessment done in 2001. It discusses progress made in the area of Public Financial Management (PFM) reforms since then, and provides a status-matrix in Appendix 1 on the implementation of the key recommendations of the 2001 CFAA. following are recommendations noteworthy: streamline the requirements in the budget ...

The niche reduction approach: an opportunity for optimal control of infectious diseases in low-income countries?

Science.gov (United States)

Roche, Benjamin; Broutin, Hélène; Choisy, Marc; Godreuil, Sylvain; de Magny, Guillaume Constantin; Chevaleyre, Yann; Zucker, Jean-Daniel; Breban, Romulus; Cazelles, Bernard; Simard, Frédéric

2014-07-25

During the last century, WHO led public health interventions that resulted in spectacular achievements such as the worldwide eradication of smallpox and the elimination of malaria from the Western world. However, besides major successes achieved worldwide in infectious diseases control, most elimination/control programs remain frustrating in many tropical countries where specific biological and socio-economical features prevented implementation of disease control over broad spatial and temporal scales. Emblematic examples include malaria, yellow fever, measles and HIV. There is consequently an urgent need to develop affordable and sustainable disease control strategies that can target the core of infectious diseases transmission in highly endemic areas. Meanwhile, although most pathogens appear so difficult to eradicate, it is surprising to realize that human activities are major drivers of the current high rate of extinction among upper organisms through alteration of their ecology and evolution, i.e., their "niche". During the last decades, the accumulation of ecological and evolutionary studies focused on infectious diseases has shown that the niche of a pathogen holds more dimensions than just the immune system targeted by vaccination and treatment. Indeed, it is situated at various intra- and inter- host levels involved on very different spatial and temporal scales. After developing a precise definition of the niche of a pathogen, we detail how major advances in the field of ecology and evolutionary biology of infectious diseases can enlighten the planning and implementation of infectious diseases control in tropical countries with challenging economic constraints. We develop how the approach could translate into applied cases, explore its expected benefits and constraints, and we conclude on the necessity of such approach for pathogen control in low-income countries.

Reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria: the need for urgent changes in financing for maternal health in the Nigerian health system.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebeigbe, P N

2013-06-01

Nigeria's maternal mortality indices are among the worst in the world. Various approaches aimed at combatting the persistently high maternal mortality rates in the past have been ineffective. The objective of this article was to evaluate the fairness and equitability of financing for maternal health in the Nigerian health system. A review of the performance of the Nigerian Health system with regards to financing for maternal healthcare and comparison with other health systems utilising internationally accepted criteria was done. Household out-of -pocket payment was found to be the largest source of health care financing in the Nigerian health system contributing as much as 65.6 % of total health expenditure. This is in sharp contrast to the performance of more effective health systems like that in South Africa where health care is free for pregnant and breast feeding mothers. The result is that South Africa reports less than a tenth of total maternal mortalities reported from Nigeria annually. The current Nigeria health financing system is not equitable and appears to encourage maternal mortalities since it does not cater for the most vulnerable. There is an urgent need for a review of financing of maternal health in Nigeria to achieve universal access to maternal health care. An urgent overhaul of the currently under performing National Health Insurance scheme or adoption of the simpler system based on funding from taxation with universal access for health care including maternal care and services free at the point of access is suggested.

Telemedicine for Developing Countries. A Survey and Some Design Issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Combi, Carlo; Pozzani, Gabriele; Pozzi, Giuseppe

2016-11-02

Developing countries need telemedicine applications that help in many situations, when physicians are a small number with respect to the population, when specialized physicians are not available, when patients and physicians in rural villages need assistance in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the requirements of telemedicine applications for developing countries are somewhat more demanding than for developed countries. Indeed, further social, organizational, and technical aspects need to be considered for successful telemedicine applications in developing countries. We consider all the major projects in telemedicine, devoted to developing countries, as described by the proper scientific literature. On the basis of such literature, we want to define a specific taxonomy that allows a proper classification and a fast overview of telemedicine projects in developing countries. Moreover, by considering both the literature and some recent direct experiences, we want to complete such overview by discussing some design issues to be taken into consideration when developing telemedicine software systems. We considered and reviewed the major conferences and journals in depth, and looked for reports on the telemedicine projects. We provide the reader with a survey of the main projects and systems, from which we derived a taxonomy of features of telemedicine systems for developing countries. We also propose and discuss some classification criteria for design issues, based on the lessons learned in this research area. We highlight some challenges and recommendations to be considered when designing a telemedicine system for developing countries.

Estimating regional centile curves from mixed data sources and countries.

Science.gov (United States)