WorldWideScience

Sample records for international community agreed

  1. The AGREE Enterprise: a decade of advancing clinical practice guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makarski, Julie; Brouwers, Melissa C

    2014-08-15

    The original AGREE (Appraisal of Guidelines for REsearch and Evaluation) Instrument was published in 2003, and its revision, the AGREE II, in 2009. Together, they filled an important gap in the guideline and quality of care fields. Ten years later, the AGREE Enterprise reflects on a trajectory of projects and international collaboration that have contributed to advancing the science and quality of practice guidelines and the uptake of AGREE/AGREE II. The AGREE Enterprise has undertaken activities to improve the tool and to develop resources to support its use. Since 2003, the uptake and adoption of AGREE by the international community has been swift and broad. A total of 33 language translations of the original AGREE Instrument and the current AGREE II are available and were initiated by the international community. A recent scan of the published literature identified over 600 articles that referenced the AGREE tools. The AGREE tools have been widely received and applied, with several organizations having incorporated the AGREE as part of their formal practice guideline programs. Since its redevelopment in 2010, the AGREE Enterprise website (www.agreetrust.org) continues to experience steady increases in visitors per month and currently has over 10,000 registered users. The AGREE Enterprise has contributed to the advancements of guidelines through research activities and international participation by scientific and user communities. As we enter a new decade, we look forward to ongoing collaborations and contributing to further advancements to improve quality of care and health care systems.

  2. Russian nuclear submarine elimination 2001 - 2011 by the international community - 59041

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Washer, Michael; Heyes, Alan

    2012-01-01

    Document available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: Following the 911 attack on the USA in 2001 the international community under Canada's G8 leadership established a $20 billion Global Partnership initiative to collaboratively address threats to global security posed by the proliferation and potential terrorist use of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (WMMD) and related materials and knowledge. As an integral component of this initiative the international community agreed to assist Russia in advancing the elimination of its Cold War legacy of nearly 200 nuclear powered submarines left over from the collapse of the Soviet Union. This presentation presents an overview of the 10 years work that has now entirely eliminated that submarine legacy. The scale and complexity of the challenge along with each country's contribution and approach is discussed along with key success factors and unique solutions adopted. (authors)

  3. Views of the Scottish general public on community pharmacy weight management services: international implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weidmann, Anita Elaine; Cunningham, Scott; Gray, Gwen; Hansford, Denise; Bermano, Giovanna; Stewart, Derek

    2012-04-01

    Obesity has reached pandemic levels, with more than 1.5 billion adults being affected worldwide. In Scotland two-thirds of men and more than half of women are either overweight or obese, placing Scotland overall third behind the United States of America and Mexico. All community pharmacies in Scotland are contracted to provide public health services such as smoking cessation and there is increasing interest in their contribution to weight management. Researching this area in Scotland may provide valuable information to facilitate the development of community pharmacy services in other parts of the UK and internationally. To describe the views of the Scottish general public on the provision of weight management services via community pharmacies. General public in Scotland. A cross-sectional postal questionnaire survey of 6,000 randomly selected members of the Scottish general public aged 18 years and over. Views on community pharmacy led weight management services. Questionnaires were returned by 20.6% (n = 1,236). Over half 60.1% (n = 751) agreed or strongly agreed that they had easy access to pharmacy services in general and around one-third agreed (35%; n = 438) that it was more convenient to obtain weight management advice from a pharmacist than it is to make an appointment with a GP. Most respondents however lacked awareness of the types of health services available through community pharmacy (13.2%; n = 162) and would not feel comfortable speaking to a pharmacist or medicines counter assistant about weight related issues (25%; n = 320). Concerns over privacy (47.3%; n = 592) and perceived lack of pharmacists' specialist knowledge (open comments) were identified as potential barriers to service uptake by the general public. Overall, respondents appear to be receptive to the idea of accessing weight management services through community pharmacy but a perceived lack of privacy, poor knowledge of pharmacists' skill level and of public health services available to

  4. Effect of a Community-Based Service Learning Experience in Geriatrics on Internal Medicine Residents and Community Participants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Rachel K; Michener, Jennifer; Yang, Phyllis; Goldstein, Karen; Groce-Martin, Jennine; True, Gala; Johnson, Jerry

    2017-09-01

    Community-based service learning (CBSL) provides an opportunity to teach internal medicine residents the social context of aging and clinical concepts. The objectives of the current study were to demonstrate the feasibility of a CBSL program targeting internal medicine residents and to assess its effect on medical residents and community participants. internal medicine residents participated in a CBSL experience for half a day during ambulatory blocks from 2011 to 2014. Residents attended a senior housing unit or center, delivered a presentation about a geriatric health topic, toured the facility, and received information about local older adult resources. Residents evaluated the experience. Postgraduate Year 3 internal medicine residents (n = 71) delivered 64 sessions. Residents felt that the experience increased their ability to communicate effectively with older adults (mean 3.91 ± 0.73 on a Likert scale with 5 = strongly agree), increased their knowledge of resources (4.09 ± 1.01), expanded their knowledge of a health topic pertinent to aging (3.48 ± 1.09), and contributed to their capacity to evaluate and care for older adults (3.84 ± 0.67). Free-text responses demonstrated that residents thought that this program would change their practice. Of 815 older adults surveyed from 36 discrete teaching sessions, 461 (56%) thought that the medical residents delivered health information clearly (4.55 ± 0.88) and that the health topics were relevant (4.26 ± 0.92). Free-text responses showed that the program helped them understand their health concerns. This CBSL program is a feasible and effective tool for teaching internal medicine residents and older adults. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

  5. General Principles of the WTO and European Community Laws in Building International Competition Norms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chan Mo Chung

    2002-12-01

    Full Text Available The World Trade Organization (WTO established a Working Group on the interaction between trade and competition policy in 1996. By the Doha Ministerial Declaration, it recognized the case for international competition policy framework and agreed that the relevant negotiations take place after the Fifth Session of the Ministerial Conference. The Working Group is meant to focus on the clarification of: core principles, including transparency, non-discrimination and procedural fairness among others in the period until the Fifth Session. This article attempts to clarify the implications of the core (WTO principles to the would-be international competition laws and practices. It further tries to get lessons from competition law and practices of the European Community. Protection of fundamental rights, proportionality, non-discrimination, transparency, supremacy, subsidiarity and direct effect are the general principles of the European Community law to be discussed in relation to the competition law and policy. It concludes that the general principles of the WTO and EC laws provide guiding principles for the future international competition norms, and makes some preliminary assessment of the present Korean competition law and policy in the light of those principles.

  6. International learning communities for global and localcitizenship

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hana Cervinkova

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, I describe our ongoing international project in engaged educationalethnography and participatory action research with young adults and consider itsrelevance for a discussion on the community-building role of adult education in aglobalized context. I use the example of our case study to suggest that adult educatorscan generate viable communities by creating learning spaces that nurture criticalconsciousness, a sense of agency, participation and social solidarity amonginternationally and culturally diverse young adult learners. Furthermore, I argue thatparticipation in international learning communities formed through this educationalprocess can potentially help young adults become locally and globally engaged citizens.International learning communities for global citizenship thus present a proposition forconceptualizing the vital role of adult community education in supporting democraticglobal and local citizenship in a world defined in terms of cross-cultural and longdistanceencounters in the formation of culture.

  7. A Typology of International Student Community Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleischman, David; Raciti, Maria; Lawley, Meredith

    2014-01-01

    This paper presents an empirical study undertaken to develop a typology of international student community engagement activities that incorporates the perceptions of three key stakeholder groups--the international students, the community and the university. Framed by the notion of value co-creation, our exploratory study was undertaken at a…

  8. 28 JURISDICTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Fr. Ikenga

    legal responses by concerned governments or the international community to international crimes. As a result of hard negotiations, it was agreed that the Rome Statute prohibits the ... the ICC may exercise its jurisdiction when the crime is committed on the ..... Human Rights Committee indicates that non bis in idem has only.

  9. Critical Appraisal of International Clinical Practice Guidelines in Kidney Transplantation Using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Education (AGREE) II Tool: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    OʼDonoghue, Katriona Jane Marie; Reed, Rhiannon D; Knight, Simon R; O'Callaghan, John M; Ayaz-Shah, Anam A; Hassan, Sevda; Weissenbacher, Annemarie; Morris, Peter J; Pengel, Liset H M

    2018-05-22

    Whilst Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) are used for the development of local protocols in kidney transplantation (Ktx), the quality of their methodology is variable. This systematic review aimed to critically appraise international CPGs in all aspects of Ktx using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool. CPGs in Ktx and donation published between 2010 and 2017 were identified from MEDLINE, Embase, National Guideline Clearinghouse, NHS and NICE Evidence Searches, and the websites of transplant societies. Using AGREE II, 3 appraisers assessed the quality of CPGs. Interrater reliability was measured using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Searches identified 3,168 records and 115 CPGs were included. The highest scoring AGREE II domain was 'Scope and Purpose' (80%; Range 30-100%), followed by 'Clarity of Presentation' (77%; Range 43-98%), 'Editorial independence' (52%; Range 0-94%), 'Rigour of Development' (47%; Range 6-97%) and 'Stakeholder Involvement' (41%; Range 11-85%). The poorest scoring domain was 'Applicability' (31%; Range 3-74%). Most CPGs were recommended for future use either with (63%) or without modifications (18%). A small number were not recommended for future use (14%) or reviewers did not agree on recommending the CPG (5%). The overall mean CPG quality score was 4 out of 7 (Range 2-7). The mean ICC of 0.74 indicated substantial agreement between reviewers. The quality of international CPGs in Ktx was variable, and most CPGs lacked key aspects of methodological robustness and transparency. Improvements in methodology, patient involvement and strategies for implementation are required.

  10. Best practices in community-oriented health professions education: international exemplars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richards, R W

    2001-01-01

    During 1998-2000, an international team of five researchers described nine innovative health professions education programmes as selected by The Network: Community Partnerships for Health through Innovative Education, Service, and Research. Each researcher visited one or two schools. Criteria for selection of these nine schools included commitment to multidisciplinary and community-based education, longitudinal community placements, formal linkages with government entities and a structured approach to community participation. The purpose of these descriptions was to identify key issues in designing and implementing community-based education. Programmes in Chile, Cuba, Egypt, India, the Philippines, South Africa, Sudan, Sweden and the United States were visited. Before site visits were conducted, the researchers as a group agreed upon the elements to be described. Elements included overall institutional characteristics, curriculum, admissions practices, evaluation systems, research, service, community involvement, faculty development, postgraduate programmes and the school's relationship with government entities. Here I describe the common features of each of the nine programmes, their shared dilemmas and how each went about balancing the teaching of clinical competence and population perspectives. Based upon an analysis of the cases, I present seven "lessons learned" as well as a discussion of programme development, institutionalization of reform and long-term implications for health professions education. The seven lessons are: (1) PBL and CBE are not seen as independent curricular reforms; (2) student activities are determined based upon sensitivity to locale; (3) health professionals need to work collaboratively; (4) there is a connection between personal health and population health issues; (5) population health interventions and treatment strategies need to be appropriate to local conditions; (6) graduates need to advocate for patients and the community in the

  11. Community Resources for International Trade Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanco, Virgil H.; Channing, Rose M.

    1985-01-01

    Describes Middlesex Community College's involvement in education and training programs aimed at encouraging local business involvement in international trade and the activities of its National Resource for International Trade Education (e.g., information dissemination; consulting services; seminars and workshops; a speakers bank; research; staff…

  12. Using AGREE II to Evaluate the Quality of Traditional Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Wei; Li, Le; Wang, Zixia; Chang, Xiaonan; Li, Rui; Fang, Ziye; Wei, Dang; Yao, Liang; Wang, Xiaoqin; Wang, Qi; An, Guanghui

    2016-03-15

    To evaluate/assess the quality of the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) of traditional medicine in China. We systematically searched the literature databases WanFang Data, VIP, CNKI and CBM for studies published between 1978 and 2012 to identify and select CPGs of traditional medicine. We used the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument to evaluate these guidelines. A total of 75 guidelines were included, of which 46 guidelines (62%) were on Traditional Chinese Medicine, 19 (25%) on Chinese Integrated Medicine, and 10 (13%) on Uyghur Medicine. Most traditional medicine CPGs published in domestic journals scored medicine. In each domain of AGREE II, traditional Medicine CPGs performed clearly better than international CPGs. The same trend was seen in guidelines of Modern Medicine. An increasing amount of CPGs are being published, but their quality is low. Referring to the key points of international guidelines development, supervision through AGREE II, cooperating with international groups and exploring the strategy of guideline development could improve the quality of CPGs on traditional medicine. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  13. 'Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed'

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    McQuaid, Sara Dybris

    In terms of conflict resolution, we may think of Northern Ireland as a case of (deferring conflict by) institutionalising radical disagreement, in particular through the Agreement from 1998. The violence has largely if not completely stopped, but the key constitutional question of whether Northern...... Ireland should be British or Irish, is only settled for now. In the language of dialogue, the parties have “agreed to disagree” with an understanding that these matters can be reopened at some future date if there is a majority wish to do so. In the meantime, a system of designated power-sharing has been...

  14. Evidence-based practice guidelines in OHS: are they agree-able?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hulshof, Carel; Hoenen, John

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the acceptance, validity, reliability and feasibility of the AGREE (Appraisal of Guidelines and REsearch and Evaluation) instrument to assess the quality of evidence-based practice guidelines for occupational physicians. In total, 6 practice guidelines of the Netherlands Society of Occupational Medicine (NVAB) were appraised by 20 occupational health professionals and experts in guideline development or implementation. Although appraisers often disagreed on individual item scores, the internal consistency and interrater reliability for most domains was sufficient. The AGREE criteria were in general considered relevant and no major suggestions for additional items for use in the context of occupational health were brought up. The domain scores for the individual guidelines show a wide variety: 'applicability' had on average the lowest mean score (53%) while 'scope and purpose' had the highest one (87%). Low scores indicate where improvements are possible and necessary, e.g. by providing more information about the development. Key experts in occupational health report that AGREE is a relevant and easy to use instrument to evaluate quality aspects and the included criteria provide a good framework to develop or update evidence-based practice guidelines in the field of occupational health.

  15. The definition of commonly agreed stylized human intrusion scenarios for use in the long term safety assessments of radioactive waste disposal systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carboneras, P.

    2002-01-01

    Recent international advice on the treatment of human intrusion in relation to the safety of radioactive waste repositories is reviewed. The outstanding issues which need to be resolved in order to establish an agreed international approach to assessing the consequences and judging the impact of human intrusion are summarized. Finally, a way forward towards an internationally agreed assessment approach is proposed. (author)

  16. 24 CFR 241.1070 - Agreed interest rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Agreed interest rate. 241.1070...-Eligibility Requirements § 241.1070 Agreed interest rate. The equity or acquisition loan shall bear interest at the rate agreed upon by the borrower and the lender. ...

  17. Constitutionalism and Democracy in Contemporary International Community

    OpenAIRE

    Padjen, Ivan

    1992-01-01

    Starting from the insight that jurisprudence of legal theory should be concerned primarily with,on the one hand, international law, and, on the other, constitutional developments, the paper; analyzes some prominent conceptions of constitutionalism and democracy in international community and municipal legal orders; formulates a new set of criteria for the analysis of constitutionalism and democracy in international law; and argues that Laswell and McDougal's policy oriented jurisprudence offe...

  18. 24 CFR 242.26 - Agreed interest rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Agreed interest rate. 242.26... MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR HOSPITALS Mortgage Requirements § 242.26 Agreed interest rate. (a) The mortgage shall bear interest at the rate or rates agreed upon by the mortgagee and the mortgagor. (b) The amount...

  19. 24 CFR 203.20 - Agreed interest rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Agreed interest rate. 203.20... § 203.20 Agreed interest rate. (a) The mortgage shall bear interest at the rate agreed upon by the mortgagee and the mortgagor. (b) Interest shall be payable in monthly installments on the principal amount...

  20. 24 CFR 241.560 - Agreed interest rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Agreed interest rate. 241.560... § 241.560 Agreed interest rate. (a) The mortgage shall bear interest at the rate agreed upon by the lender and the borrower. (b) Interest shall be payable in monthly installments on the principal amount of...

  1. Chernobyl accident: the crisis of the international radiation community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malko, M.V.

    1998-01-01

    The information given in the present report about the Chernobyl accident and its radiological consequences indicates a serious crisis of the international radiation community. The following signs of this crises can be discerned: The international radiation community did not recognize the real reasons of the accident for a long time. It could not make a correct assessment of the damage to the thyroid of the affected populations of Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine. Up to present time it rejects the reliable data on hereditary malformations. It is not able to accept reliable data on the increase in the incidence in all categories of people affected by the Chernobyl accident. The international radiation community supported the Soviet authorities in their attempts to play down the radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident for a long time. (author)

  2. Chernobyl accident. The crisis of the international radiation community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malko, Mikhail V.

    2016-01-01

    The information given in the present report about the Chernobyl accident and its radiological consequences indicates a serious crisis of the international radiation community. The following signs of this crises can be discerned: The international radiation community did not recognize the real reasons of the accident for a long time. It could not make a correct assessment of the damage to the thyroid of the affected populations of Belarus, Russia and the Ukraine. Up to present time it rejects the reliable data on hereditary malformations. It is not able to accept reliable data on the increase in the incidence in all categories of people affected by the Chernobyl accident. The international radiation community supported the Soviet authorities in their attempts to play down the radiological consequences of the Chernobyl accident for a long time. (author)

  3. Relationship of community traffic rights and international conventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đurđev Dušanka

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The Lisbon Treaty has established the Union as a legal personality. It opens for mixed agreements on foreign policy and community topics. In areas where the Union legislates, the EU can sign various kinds of agreements on behalf of the member states, who are consequently not allowed to negotiate international agreements on their own (autonomously in these areas. The European Union's accession to the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF represents a historic step for the railway community. This relationship is now clear: a disconnection clause in the accession agreement in principle allows EU law precedence for traffic internal to the EU. The relationship between EU law and COTIF law is there more about coordination than disconnection.

  4. IAEA and EU Review Progress on Cooperation, Agree on Next Steps at Annual Meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2018-01-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the European Union (EU) reviewed progress achieved in working together on a range of nuclear activities and agreed to further enhance cooperation during their sixth annual Senior Officials Meeting in Vienna. The talks on 8 February at the IAEA’s headquarters provided a forum for exchanging views on strengthening collaboration on nuclear safety, security, safeguards, sustainable development, nuclear energy research and increasing innovation. The two organizations welcomed the fruitful cooperation and progress achieved over the past years. They agreed to deepen cooperation in several areas, particularly in the promotion of nuclear applications for sustainable development.

  5. What About Their Performance Do Free Jazz Improvisers Agree Upon? A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amandine Pras

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available When musicians improvise freely together—not following any sort of script, predetermined harmonic structure, or “referent”—to what extent do they understand what they are doing in the same way as each other? And to what extent is their understanding privileged relative to outside listeners with similar levels of performing experience in free improvisation? In this exploratory case study, a saxophonist and a pianist of international renown who knew each other's work but who had never performed together before were recorded while improvising freely for 40 min. Immediately afterwards the performers were interviewed separately about the just-completed improvisation, first from memory and then while listening to two 5 min excerpts of the recording in order to prompt specific and detailed commentary. Two commenting listeners from the same performance community (a saxophonist and drummer listened to, and were interviewed about, these excerpts. Some months later, all four participants rated the extent to which they endorsed 302 statements that had been extracted from the four interviews and anonymized. The findings demonstrate that these free jazz improvisers characterized the improvisation quite differently, selecting different moments to comment about and with little overlap in the content of their characterizations. The performers were not more likely to endorse statements by their performing partner than by a commenting listener from the same performance community, and their patterns of agreement with each other (endorsing or dissenting with statements across multiple ratings—their interrater reliability as measured with Cohen's kappa—was only moderate, and not consistently higher than their agreement with the commenting listeners. These performers were more likely to endorse statements about performers' thoughts and actions than statements about the music itself, and more likely to endorse evaluatively positive than negative statements

  6. What About Their Performance Do Free Jazz Improvisers Agree Upon? A Case Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pras, Amandine; Schober, Michael F; Spiro, Neta

    2017-01-01

    When musicians improvise freely together-not following any sort of script, predetermined harmonic structure, or "referent"-to what extent do they understand what they are doing in the same way as each other? And to what extent is their understanding privileged relative to outside listeners with similar levels of performing experience in free improvisation? In this exploratory case study, a saxophonist and a pianist of international renown who knew each other's work but who had never performed together before were recorded while improvising freely for 40 min. Immediately afterwards the performers were interviewed separately about the just-completed improvisation, first from memory and then while listening to two 5 min excerpts of the recording in order to prompt specific and detailed commentary. Two commenting listeners from the same performance community (a saxophonist and drummer) listened to, and were interviewed about, these excerpts. Some months later, all four participants rated the extent to which they endorsed 302 statements that had been extracted from the four interviews and anonymized. The findings demonstrate that these free jazz improvisers characterized the improvisation quite differently, selecting different moments to comment about and with little overlap in the content of their characterizations. The performers were not more likely to endorse statements by their performing partner than by a commenting listener from the same performance community, and their patterns of agreement with each other (endorsing or dissenting with statements) across multiple ratings-their interrater reliability as measured with Cohen's kappa-was only moderate, and not consistently higher than their agreement with the commenting listeners. These performers were more likely to endorse statements about performers' thoughts and actions than statements about the music itself, and more likely to endorse evaluatively positive than negative statements. But these kinds of statements

  7. International Education at American Community Colleges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Danxia

    2008-01-01

    Higher education has an incalculable impact on society and the development of its citizens. In today's globalizing world, the responsibility of community colleges for producing high quality graduates with global competence cannot be ignored. The study reported here researches international education and provides insights of importance to community…

  8. AGREED-UPON PROCEDURES, PROCEDURES FOR AUDITING EUROPEAN GRANTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Petru VARTEIU

    2016-12-01

    The audit of EU-funded projects is an audit based on agreed-upon procedures, which are established by the Managing Authority or the Intermediate Body. Agreed-upon procedures can be defined as engagements made in accordance with ISRS 4400, applicable to agreed-upon procedures, where the auditor undertakes to carry out the agreed-upon procedures and issue a report on factual findings. The report provided by the auditor does not express any assurance. It allows users to form their own opinions about the conformity of the expenses with the project budget as well as the eligibility of the expenses.

  9. Agreeing on expectations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Christian; Bentsen, Martin Juul

    Commitment and trust are often mentioned as important aspects of creating a perception of reliability between counterparts. In the context of university-industry collaborations (UICs), agreeing on ambitions and expectations are adamant to achieving outcomes that are equally valuable to all parties...... involved. Despite this, our initial probing indicated that such covenants rarely exist. As such, this paper draws on project management theory and proposes the possibility of structuring assessments of potential partners before university-industry collaborations are brought to life. Our analysis suggests...

  10. The scientific motivation of the internationally agreed ‘well below 2 °C’ climate protection target

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leemans, Rik; Vellinga, Pier

    2017-01-01

    The UNFCCC parties in their last 2015-meeting in Paris agreed to hold the increase in the global average temperature well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. However, how this target came about is rarely substantiated in the scientific literature. We review and document the history of this

  11. Community participation in international health: practical recommendations for donor and recipient organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akukwe Chinua

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available This article discusses the need for donor agencies and recipient organizations to involve target communities in the conceptualization, development, monitoring, and implementation of health services and programs in international health. This paper assumes that most donor organizations are based in industrialized countries. Given that resources are finite in both developing and developed countries, the article briefly reviews the current trend of declining public funds for health systems and an increasing role for privately funded health services worldwide. The article calls for community-based international health services that reflect the priorities of target populations, and it also discusses practi cal steps to involve local populations in community-based health planning and management in international health.

  12. Soil conservation according the international community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nocera, Rachele

    2015-01-01

    The land is a finite resource. Desertification, climate change, pollution, human settlements and human activities, threaten the integrity of the soil and its ability to 'nourishing the planet'. In a growing awareness, the international community is by multiplying the action to promote overall defence and soil conservation measures, starting with the fight against desertification, with the aim of arriving at a Land Degradation Neutrality to 2050. [it

  13. The Others: Equitable Access, International Students, and the Community College

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viggiano, Tiffany; López Damián, Ariadna I.; Morales Vázquez, Evelyn; Levin, John S.

    2018-01-01

    This qualitative investigation explains the ways in which community college decision makers justify the inclusion of international students at three community colleges in the United States. We identify and explain the ways in which decision makers rationalize institutional policy--particularly recruitment strategies and motivations--related to…

  14. International Journal of Community Research http://www.arpjournals ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2014-10-31

    Oct 31, 2014 ... International Journal of Community Research ... Analysis was by narrative synthesis and meta-analysis. Results showed that five ..... and Therapy) was carried out electronically on the journals' websites. Study Selection and Eligibility: Potentially relevant titles, citations and abstracts were screened following.

  15. International aspects of non-proliferation policy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aucoin, P.A.

    1978-01-01

    There are currently two areas on the national scene and one on the international scene that require immediate attention. The first is relief under contracts for enrichment services, an area in which the US can still demonstrate its desire to become a stable and continuous source of supply. The second national area is the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1977. The United States must proceed very cautiously, however, for if discretion and very careful judgment are not used, the Act will immediately be branded as a blatant effort on the part of the US to control the energy options of other sovereign states. The international area is that of the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation program. This medium exists for wise and deliberate growth of a commercial nuclear power program which can serve the global community. The next three years probably allow one remaining chance for successful containment of weapons proliferation. If we do not recognize the rights of every sovereign state to voluntarily participate and agree, we, as members of the global community, will have failed

  16. Using International Videoconferencing to Extend the Global Reach of Community Health Nursing Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziemba, Rosemary; Sarkar, Norma J; Pickus, Becca; Dallwig, Amber; Wan, Jiayi Angela; Alcindor, Hilda

    2016-07-01

    Travel abroad provides college students with a unique learning experience. When plans to take undergraduate community health nursing students from the United States to Haiti were cancelled due to health and safety concerns, faculty piloted international videoconferencing with a nursing program in Haiti as an alternative. During this semester-long course, students in both countries assessed a local community using the Community as Partner framework and compared findings during videoconferences with their international peers. Despite communication challenges such as language barriers and limited internet access in Haiti, evaluative data suggests that all students valued learning with their nursing student peers in another country. For future international videoconferencing endeavors, especially with under-resourced communities, we provide recommendations in the following categories: 1) Building relationships with a partner school, 2) Technology, 3) Pedagogy, and 4) Facilitating interactions between students. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Evaluating the Struggles with International Students and Local Community Participation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusek, Weronika A.

    2015-01-01

    International students are not only important for universities, but even more so to the host communities, towns and regions where higher education institutions are located. This pilot study looked at a public university located in a small college town in Ohio. The study explored the relationship between international students and the local…

  18. Start of the international tokamak physics activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campbell, D.

    2001-01-01

    This newsletter comprises a summary on the start of the International Tokamak Physics activity (ITPA) by Dr. D. Campbell, Chair of the ITPA Co-ordinating Committee. As the ITER EDA drew to a close, it became clear that it was desirable to establish a new mechanism in order to promote the continued development of the physics basis for burning plasma experiments and to preserve the invaluable collaborations between the major international fusion communities which had been established through the ITER physics expert groups. As a result of the discussions of the representatives of the European Union, Japan, the Russian Federation and the United States the agreed principles for conducting the International Tokamak Physics Activity (ITPA) were elaborated and ITPA topical physics groups were organized

  19. DNA commission of the International Society for Forensic Genetics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gill, P; Brenner, C H; Buckleton, J S

    2006-01-01

    The DNA commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics (ISFG) was convened at the 21st congress of the International Society for Forensic Genetics held between 13 and 17 September in the Azores, Portugal. The purpose of the group was to agree on guidelines to encourage best practice...... a consensus from experts but to be practical we do not claim to have conveyed a clear vision in every respect in this difficult subject. For this reason, we propose to allow a period of time for feedback and reflection by the scientific community. Then the DNA commission will meet again to consider further...

  20. Guideline appraisal with AGREE II: online survey of the potential influence of AGREE II items on overall assessment of guideline quality and recommendation for use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann-Eßer, Wiebke; Siering, Ulrich; Neugebauer, Edmund A M; Brockhaus, Anne Catharina; McGauran, Natalie; Eikermann, Michaela

    2018-02-27

    The AGREE II instrument is the most commonly used guideline appraisal tool. It includes 23 appraisal criteria (items) organized within six domains. AGREE II also includes two overall assessments (overall guideline quality, recommendation for use). Our aim was to investigate how strongly the 23 AGREE II items influence the two overall assessments. An online survey of authors of publications on guideline appraisals with AGREE II and guideline users from a German scientific network was conducted between 10th February 2015 and 30th March 2015. Participants were asked to rate the influence of the AGREE II items on a Likert scale (0 = no influence to 5 = very strong influence). The frequencies of responses and their dispersion were presented descriptively. Fifty-eight of the 376 persons contacted (15.4%) participated in the survey and the data of the 51 respondents with prior knowledge of AGREE II were analysed. Items 7-12 of Domain 3 (rigour of development) and both items of Domain 6 (editorial independence) had the strongest influence on the two overall assessments. In addition, Items 15-17 (clarity of presentation) had a strong influence on the recommendation for use. Great variations were shown for the other items. The main limitation of the survey is the low response rate. In guideline appraisals using AGREE II, items representing rigour of guideline development and editorial independence seem to have the strongest influence on the two overall assessments. In order to ensure a transparent approach to reaching the overall assessments, we suggest the inclusion of a recommendation in the AGREE II user manual on how to consider item and domain scores. For instance, the manual could include an a-priori weighting of those items and domains that should have the strongest influence on the two overall assessments. The relevance of these assessments within AGREE II could thereby be further specified.

  1. The rise of China in the International Trade Network: a community core detection approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Zhen; Cerina, Federica; Chessa, Alessandro; Caldarelli, Guido; Riccaboni, Massimo

    2014-01-01

    Theory of complex networks proved successful in the description of a variety of complex systems ranging from biology to computer science and to economics and finance. Here we use network models to describe the evolution of a particular economic system, namely the International Trade Network (ITN). Previous studies often assume that globalization and regionalization in international trade are contradictory to each other. We re-examine the relationship between globalization and regionalization by viewing the international trade system as an interdependent complex network. We use the modularity optimization method to detect communities and community cores in the ITN during the years 1995-2011. We find rich dynamics over time both inter- and intra-communities. In particular, the Asia-Oceania community disappeared and reemerged over time along with a switch in leadership from Japan to China. We provide a multilevel description of the evolution of the network where the global dynamics (i.e., communities disappear or reemerge) and the regional dynamics (i.e., community core changes between community members) are related. Moreover, simulation results show that the global dynamics can be generated by a simple dynamic-edge-weight mechanism.

  2. Connecting Higher Education Research in Japan with the International Academic Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yonezawa, Akiyoshi

    2015-01-01

    This study examines the historical, current, and future challenges of higher education research in Japan within a global context. Japanese higher education research has been strongly influenced by the international academic community. At the same time, higher education researchers in Japan have participated in international projects, and Japan has…

  3. Identifying the community structure of the food-trade international multi-network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torreggiani, S.; Mangioni, G.; Puma, M. J.; Fagiolo, G.

    2018-05-01

    Achieving international food security requires improved understanding of how international trade networks connect countries around the world through the import-export flows of food commodities. The properties of international food trade networks are still poorly documented, especially from a multi-network perspective. In particular, nothing is known about the multi-network’s community structure. Here we find that the individual crop-specific layers of the multi-network have densely connected trading groups, a consistent characteristic over the period 2001–2011. Further, the multi-network is characterized by low variability over this period but with substantial heterogeneity across layers in each year. In particular, the layers are mostly assortative: more-intensively connected countries tend to import from and export to countries that are themselves more connected. We also fit econometric models to identify social, economic and geographic factors explaining the probability that any two countries are co-present in the same community. Our estimates indicate that the probability of country pairs belonging to the same food trade community depends more on geopolitical and economic factors—such as geographical proximity and trade-agreement co-membership—than on country economic size and/or income. These community-structure findings of the multi-network are especially valuable for efforts to understand past and emerging dynamics in the global food system, especially those that examine potential ‘shocks’ to global food trade.

  4. Optimizing the Internal Medicine Clinic at Evans Army Community Hospital

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Bonilla, Jose

    2003-01-01

    ...) 2002, the Internal Medicine (IM) clinic at Evans Army Community Hospital, Fort Carson, Colorado, failed to meet access to care standards for routine appointments, and was only marginally successful in meeting standards for urgent appointments...

  5. Problematising internal security: Crime, community and social exclusion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kari Bruun

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the problematisation of crime, crime prevention and security in contemporary security policy programmes using three Finnish internal security programmes and theory-based content analysis. The study is based on the theory (the perspective of an analytics of government. The findings highlight the central meaning of social exclusion and community as security practices wherein social exclusion is seen as a threat to security and a risk for crime. Indeed, community-based crime prevention plays a central role in the programmes along with the worry about serious crimes and the high level of homicides. A fluid governing policy without crime and accidents is the implicit goal of these programmes.

  6. Capitalist Globalisation and the Role of the International Community ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The principal thesis of this paper is that under contemporary capitalist globalisation, the so-called international community constitutes more of the problem than the solution in the continent's resource and allied conflicts. We argue that the geo-strategic and geo-political interests of. major western and other powers and the ...

  7. Addressing Cultural Competency in Pharmacy Education through International Service Learning and Community Engagement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosemin Kassam

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a course in international service learning and community engagement for pharmacy undergraduate students. The course offered students opportunities to cultivate cultural competency in an international setting foreign to their own—Sub-Saharan Africa. The experience consisted of pre-departure preparation seminars followed by subsequent community immersion to experience, explore and confront personal attitudes and perceptions. A key feature of this course was its emphasis on a continuing cycle of learning, community engagement and reflection. Three students participated, a near-maximum cohort. Their daily self-reflections were qualitatively analyzed to document the impact of their cultural learning and experiences and revealed meaningful learning in the domains of self-assessment and awareness of their personal and professional culture, exposure to a participatory health delivery model involving the patient, the community and a multidisciplinary team and opportunities to engage in patient care in a different cultural setting. This proof-of-concept course provided students with experiences that were life-changing on both personal and professional levels and confirmed the viability and relevance of international service learning for the pharmacy field within its university-wide mandate.

  8. Verification and Validation of Heat Transfer Model of AGREE Code

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tak, N. I. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Seker, V.; Drzewiecki, T. J.; Downar, T. J. [Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Univ. of Michigan, Michigan (United States); Kelly, J. M. [US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington (United States)

    2013-05-15

    The AGREE code was originally developed as a multi physics simulation code to perform design and safety analysis of Pebble Bed Reactors (PBR). Currently, additional capability for the analysis of Prismatic Modular Reactor (PMR) core is in progress. Newly implemented fluid model for a PMR core is based on a subchannel approach which has been widely used in the analyses of light water reactor (LWR) cores. A hexagonal fuel (or graphite block) is discretized into triangular prism nodes having effective conductivities. Then, a meso-scale heat transfer model is applied to the unit cell geometry of a prismatic fuel block. Both unit cell geometries of multi-hole and pin-in-hole types of prismatic fuel blocks are considered in AGREE. The main objective of this work is to verify and validate the heat transfer model newly implemented for a PMR core in the AGREE code. The measured data in the HENDEL experiment were used for the validation of the heat transfer model for a pin-in-hole fuel block. However, the HENDEL tests were limited to only steady-state conditions of pin-in-hole fuel blocks. There exist no available experimental data regarding a heat transfer in multi-hole fuel blocks. Therefore, numerical benchmarks using conceptual problems are considered to verify the heat transfer model of AGREE for multi-hole fuel blocks as well as transient conditions. The CORONA and GAMMA+ codes were used to compare the numerical results. In this work, the verification and validation study were performed for the heat transfer model of the AGREE code using the HENDEL experiment and the numerical benchmarks of selected conceptual problems. The results of the present work show that the heat transfer model of AGREE is accurate and reliable for prismatic fuel blocks. Further validation of AGREE is in progress for a whole reactor problem using the HTTR safety test data such as control rod withdrawal tests and loss-of-forced convection tests.

  9. European Community in new international petroleum order

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finon, D.

    1992-01-01

    This paper examines the chances that the European Community (EC) has of enhancing its position in the international petroleum order. Its identity should become stronger than it is in the current feeble state of Europe as a world presence for four reasons: greater convergence in the ideas and interests of the Member Countries; the bolstering of Community institutions; thanks to new treaties, more balanced petro-political relations; and the geographical advantage of being within reach of Russia's enormous hydrocarbon resources. In its producer-consumer relations, the EC has a certain amount of upfront legitimacy over the actions of the individual member countries, insofar as multilateral actions in this field are more efficient than are bilateral relations. The EC is acquiring a certain autonomy of action from the AIH. It is already helping to build up new relations through informal dialogue and free-trade agreements with the producing countries, and is helping Russia to emerge as a major competitor for the Gulf countries

  10. A study on international nuclear organizations and conventions for the globalization of Korean nuclear community

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Kwang Seok; Oh, Keun Bae; Lee, Byung Wook; Cho, Il Hoon; Lee, Jae Sung; Choi, Young Rok; Ko, Han Seok; Ham, Chul Hoon; Lee, Byung Woon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    1995-12-01

    The objective of this study is to analyze the current status of international nuclear organizations and conventions in systems perspective and suggest national strategies for utilizing them for the globalization of Korean nuclear community. This study analyzes the current status of international nuclear organizations such as IAEA(International Atomic Energy Agency) and international nuclear conventions related to nuclear accidents, nuclear liability, physical protection or nuclear safety. Based on the analysis, this study suggests national strategies, in general and specific terms, to utilize international nuclear organizations and conventions for the globalization of Korean nuclear community. Separately from this report this study publishes `IAEA Handbook`, which contains all about IAEA such as statute, membership, organizational structure, main activities, finance and budget, etc.. 9 tabs., 2 figs., 35 refs. (Author).

  11. Successful global assessments and monitoring: The roles of the international community and the United States

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lund, H.G.

    1991-01-01

    Successful global assessments and monitoring of natural resources requires teamwork between participating nations and the international communities charged with the responsibility for collecting and disseminating information. In an attempt to identify emerging information needs and to promote coordination, the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (IUFRO) and other national and international groups held a major conference and workshop in Venice, Italy, on global monitoring last September. The results of the meeting and subsequent events in Montreal indicated a need for more aggressive leadership at the international level and more cooperation at the national level. This paper reports on the outcome of the Venice conference and list some things that the international community and the United States must do to make global assessments and monitoring a reality

  12. A study on international nuclear organizations and conventions for the globalization of Korean nuclear community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kwang Seok; Oh, Keun Bae; Lee, Byung Wook; Cho, Il Hoon; Lee, Jae Sung; Choi, Young Rok; Ko, Han Seok; Ham, Chul Hoon; Lee, Byung Woon

    1995-12-01

    The objective of this study is to analyze the current status of international nuclear organizations and conventions in systems perspective and suggest national strategies for utilizing them for the globalization of Korean nuclear community. This study analyzes the current status of international nuclear organizations such as IAEA(International Atomic Energy Agency) and international nuclear conventions related to nuclear accidents, nuclear liability, physical protection or nuclear safety. Based on the analysis, this study suggests national strategies, in general and specific terms, to utilize international nuclear organizations and conventions for the globalization of Korean nuclear community. Separately from this report this study publishes 'IAEA Handbook', which contains all about IAEA such as statute, membership, organizational structure, main activities, finance and budget, etc.. 9 tabs., 2 figs., 35 refs. (Author)

  13. The experience of being a member of the Student International Community of Practice: a collaborative reflection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brighide M. Lynch

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: In 2010 a community of practice was set up for and by doctoral students engaged in person-centred and practitioner research. After three years, this community became part of a larger international community of practice. Aims and objectives: Captured under the stanzas of a poem and supported by the literature, this paper uses member narratives and creative expressions in a critical reflection on the experience of being a member of the Student International Community of Practice. Conclusions: Membership in the community of practice was experienced as beneficial, providing both support and challenge to enrich the doctoral students’ development as person-centred researchers. Retaining connectivity across an international landscape and finding effective ways to integrate new members into the community presented the greatest challenges. Implications for practice development: • The theoretical foundation and experiential knowledge could assist others considering support structures for the development of person-centred practices • Shared learning and co-creation of knowledge add value to the experience of being a doctoral researcher • Membership fluctuations present challenges to continuity of learning and the maintenance of a safe space with communities of practice. Such fluctuations, however, create chances for community members to experience diverse roles within the group and encourage explicit attention to person-centredness

  14. Producing 'internal suspect bodies': divisive effects of UK counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities in Leeds and Bradford.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbas, Madeline-Sophie

    2018-04-06

    Research on UK government counter-terrorism measures has claimed that Muslims are treated as a 'suspect community'. However, there is limited research exploring the divisive effects that membership of a 'suspect community' has on relations within Muslim communities. Drawing from interviews with British Muslims living in Leeds or Bradford, I address this gap by explicating how co-option of Muslim community members to counter extremism fractures relations within Muslim communities. I reveal how community members internalize fears of state targeting which precipitates internal disciplinary measures. I contribute the category of 'internal suspect body' which is materialized through two intersecting conditions within preventative counter-terrorism: the suspected extremist for Muslims to look out for and suspected informer who might report fellow Muslims. I argue that the suspect community operates through a network of relations by which terrors of counter-terrorism are reproduced within Muslim communities with divisive effects. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2018.

  15. International Community-Based Service Learning: Two Comparative Case Studies of Benefits and Tensions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhurst, Jacqueline

    2016-01-01

    The drives to internationalise the UK curriculum and psychology students' desires to work in communities are brought together in this paper. International community-based learning (ICBL) links with many psychology students' motivations to make contributions to others; with the potential to enhance students' learning and cultural sensitivities. The…

  16. Reviewing the National Courts in Creating Orderly International Law and Community

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johanis Leatemia

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Orderly international community and international law are determined by a national court. Essentially, the national court must be competent to maintain the balance between the national interest which based on the national sovereignty as well as the provisions of international law within the framework of peaceful coexistence. This article reviews the role of national courts in creating and developing the customary international law. As it turns out in practice, however, it has certain weaknesses, particularly in view of the accountability and legitimacy aspects of its establishment. This purpose could be achieved if national courts were able to maintain a balance between the national interest based on the sovereignty of State on the one hand and the provisions of international law on the other. The function of the national court was to maintain a balance between international law and national law.

  17. From Internationalism to Internationalisation: The Illusion of a Global Community in Higher Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graham Pike

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Both global education and international education are movements designedto promote the concepts of internationalism and global community innational education systems, but with different histories. While the former, agrassroots K-12 movement, has struggled to make headway against theforces of neoliberalism, the latter has thrived in a market-driven era inwhich revenue from international student mobility has offset decliningpublic funding of higher education in many developed countries. Currenttrends in the internationalisation of higher education have resulted inincreasing commercialisation and intensive competition for internationalstudents, fuelled by world rankings of elite universities. Tensions existbetween these trends and the more altruistic goals of internationaleducation proclaimed in institutional mission statements and governmentpolicies. An analytical matrix is offered as a tool with which highereducation institutions can map their internationalisation activities andassess the extent to which they match their stated policies and missions.While the rhetoric of international education purports to promote theconcept of a global community, the article suggests this claim may beillusory.

  18. Factors influencing successful physician recruitment in pediatrics and internal medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Kelvin; Camfield, Peter; Breau, Lynn

    2005-01-01

    The objective of the study was to survey recently hired physicians to Canadian Academic Departments of Pediatric and Internal Medicine to understand the factors that underlay successful recruitment. Recruits and Chairs agreed on the 10 most important values. Chairs overvalued the 10 least important Recruit values. Statistical analysis revealed five core themes - in order of importance they are: family lifestyle and opportunities, compensation methodology, children/community (housing, schools, recreational), professional working conditions (technology, staffing, facilities), and academic opportunities. Core themes varied by demographics and academic profile.

  19. Women's Center Volunteer Intern Program: Building Community While Advancing Social and Gender Justice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Margaret A.; Vlasnik, Amber L.

    2015-01-01

    This program description explores the purpose, structure, activities, and outcomes of the volunteer intern program at the Wright State University Women's Center. Designed to create meaningful, hands-on learning experiences for students and to advance the center's mission, the volunteer intern program builds community while advancing social and…

  20. Implementing the Kyoto protocol in Europe: Interactions between international and Community controls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tabau, Anne-Sophie

    2011-07-01

    This bibliographical note presents a book which discusses the coexistence of the Kyoto protocol and of a regional regime within the European Union for the actual application of rules requiring mechanisms of control. The international regime implements a continuous monitoring which combines conventional techniques and more intrusive procedures. The European Community introduced a non-contentious mechanism with a large and strong law basis and sanction ability. The author assesses the ability of the monitoring system as a whole to ensure the very credibility of the Protocol. She also assesses the reliability of international and community economic tools which aim at reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a minimum cost. She also discusses the desirable evolutions of the regime of struggle against climate changes

  1. Present Situation of the Internal Quantitative Efficiency of Sanhan Community College – the Republic of Yemen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Zain Saleh AL Sadi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The research aimed to explore the present situation of the internal quantitative efficiency of Sanhan community college, and to identify the annual cost per student and material waste resulting from failure and dropout. The study depended primarily on the method of restructuring the study life in order to measure the internal efficiency of quantitative indicators for the college.  This was done by building the chart structure of student flow, which allows calculating success rate, failure rate, and the dropout rate for each batch. This enabled the researchers to calculate the indicators of internal quantity efficiency and its level. The study results revealed that the educational system in Sanhan Community college has not reached the required standard, which impacted  the internal quantitative efficiency. In addition, the proportion of quantitative loss resulting from students’ failure and dropout was (50%. Some recommendations were also proposed in order to raise the efficiency and effectiveness level so as to reach the desired standard. Keywords: Internal quantity efficiency, Sanhan Community College, Yemen.

  2. Strategies to Mitigate the Negative and Accentuate the Positive Impacts of International Service-Learning on Host Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shari Galiardi

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available International service-learning can have a transformative effect on student participants, but little research has been done on the impact of these experiences on host communities. The authors make the case that an emphasis on intentional personal, cultural, and group preparation is imperative to have the best possible impact on both the student and host community. Overarching strategies include: 1 preparing students for their experience prior to departure from both an individual and group development perspective; 2 designing reflection activities and discussions that include members of the host community; 3 facilitating open conversations about equitable relationships, international perspectives of Americans, and potential negative effects the group could have on the host community; 4 providing opportunities for post-travel dialogue and personal action plans for re-engaging with the local community upon return. The authors draw from both theoretical frameworks and many years of experience traveling abroad with students to underpin the strategies outlined in this article. KEYWORDSservice-learning; group development; international

  3. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”: The Role of International Maasai Migrants in Rural Sustainable Community Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline S. Archambault

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available While the Maasai have to be among sub-Saharan Africa’s most mobile population due to their traditional transhumant pastoral livelihood strategy, compared with other neighboring ethnic groups they have been relatively late to migrate in substantial numbers for wage labour opportunities. In the community of Elangata Wuas in Southern Kenya, international migration for employment abroad has been very rare but promises to increase in significant numbers with the dramatic rise in education participation and diversification of livelihoods. Drawing on long-term ethnographic research and the specific experiences of the few international migrant pioneers in Elangata Wuas, this paper explores how community members assess the impacts of international migration on community sustainable development. It appears that international migration facilitates, and even exacerbates, inequality, which is locally celebrated, under an ethic of inter-dependence, as sustainable development. Particular attention is paid to the mechanisms of social control employed by community members to socially maintain their migrants as part of the community so that these migrants feel continued pressure and commitment to invest and develop their communities. Such mechanisms are importantly derived from the adaptability and accommodation of culture and the re-invention of tradition.

  4. Community Opinion and Satisfaction with the Leadership at an Urban Community Educational Learning Center during an Organizational Transformation Process: A Frontline Perspective from Community Stakeholders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Joseph Lee

    2013-01-01

    This study examined selected community stakeholders' perception of the current leadership at their local community educational learning center during an organizational transformation and cultural change process. The transition from a community college to an educational learning center, mandated in 2006 by the Accredition Commission and agreed on…

  5. A new international environmental order? An assessment of the impact of the global warming epistemic community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, H.A.

    1993-12-01

    Global warming is a problem which ignores national boundaries, making international cooperation essential. The role of epistemic communities, or those composed of professionals who share a commitment to a common causal model and a set of political values, in affecting the international response to the global warming problem is examined. It is claimed that the epistemic global warming community can affect the policy process, both domestically and internationally, and facilitate cooperation in an era of ecological interdependence. This claim is explored and eventually supported through the examination of two case studies: the responses of Canada and Britain to the issue of global warming between 1988 and November 1990. The case studies are supplemented with a more general discussion of the issues surrounding the international politics of global warming through the same period. Through these studies, it is found that a global warming community can be identified and that its efforts have played a significant role in framing the global warming issue. 121 refs

  6. Investigating the Association between Autistic-Like and Internalizing Traits in a Community-Based Twin Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallett, Victoria; Ronald, Angelica; Happe, Francesca

    2009-01-01

    The phenotypic and etiologic relation between internalizing and autistic-like traits is studied using a community-based twin sample. Internalizing and autistic-like traits showed moderate phenotypic overlap but have specific genetic influences.

  7. What are fair study benefits in international health research? Consulting community members in Kenya.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maureen Njue

    Full Text Available Planning study benefits and payments for participants in international health research in low- income settings can be a difficult and controversial process, with particular challenges in balancing risks of undue inducement and exploitation and understanding how researchers should take account of background inequities. At an international health research programme in Kenya, this study aimed to map local residents' informed and reasoned views on the effects of different levels of study benefits and payments to inform local policy and wider debates in international research.Using a relatively novel two-stage process community consultation approach, five participatory workshops involving 90 local residents from diverse constituencies were followed by 15 small group discussions, with components of information-sharing, deliberation and reflection to situate normative reasoning within debates. Framework Analysis drew inductively and deductively on voice-recorded discussions and field notes supported by Nvivo 10 software, and the international research ethics literature. Community members' views on study benefits and payments were diverse, with complex contextual influences and interplay between risks of giving 'too many' and 'too few' benefits, including the role of cash. While recognising important risks for free choice, research relationships and community values in giving 'too many', the greatest concerns were risks of unfairness in giving 'too few' benefits, given difficulties in assessing indirect costs of participation and the serious consequences for families of underestimation, related to perceptions of researchers' responsibilities.Providing benefits and payments to participants in international research in low-income settings is an essential means by which researchers meet individual-level and structural forms of ethical responsibilities, but understanding how this can be achieved requires a careful account of social realities and local

  8. Intercultural Communication Competence: Advising International Students in a Texas Community College

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yi

    2015-01-01

    Academic advising has long been considered a critical factor to student success. With a qualitative, phenomenological research design, this study was undertaken to better understand the lived experiences of academic advisors in communicating with international students in a community college context. Intercultural communication competence was used…

  9. A Study on College EFL Learning Community Based on QQ International

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    WEI Li

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available An EFL Learning Community has been set up online via a free messaging tool QQ International to consolidate and apply the knowledge learnt in class. One sub-community aims at developing multicultural awareness while the other focuses on expertise training in English for the undergraduates in several universities. Our innovative approach is that the trainees interact with other participants with virtual icons, virtual roles and specific achievement goals according to curriculum-related scenarios. The project team utilized surveys and observations to analyze the advantages and disadvantages from different perspectives and gain further insight into the nature of member participation, knowledge application and learning interests. Results revealed that EFL Learning Community promoted learning interests and training efficiency, contributed to interprofessional collaboration and interpersonal cooperation, with the implication that levels of moderate anonymity are the most optimal for role-plays in a learning community both online and in real life.

  10. Preparation of International Business Contracts in Facing the ASEAN Economic Community Era

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sahlan Sahlan

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This article reviews the preparation for composing and formulating the international business contracts in facing the ASEAN Economic Community era. The study used the normative approach by collecting the materials related to the international business contracts. The outcomes of the research indicate that constitutionally, the Indonesian government must provide protection and equitable legal certainty for Indonesian citizens who intend to conduct business transactions within the framework of AEC. Format and writing techniques of international business contracts is compulsory known by the business people and their legal consultants that they do not suffer losses due to errors in the preparing of contract that violates the rules and provisions of international business contract.

  11. Development, Implementation and Evaluation of an M3 Community Health Curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck, Barbra; Wolff, Marie; Bates, Tovah; Beverdorf, Sarah; Young, Staci; Ahmed, Syed

    2004-12-01

    This paper describes the development, implementation and evaluation of an M3 community health curriculum that responds to recent changes within the health care finance and delivery system. The new curriculum was developed based on AAMC recommendations, LCME requirements, a national review of undergraduate community health curricula, and an internal review of the integration of community health concepts in M3 clerkships. The M3 curriculum teaches: 1) the importance of being a community responsive physician; 2) SES factors that influence health; 3) cultural competency; and 4) the role of physicians as health educators. Student evaluations for the first twelve months of implementation indicate that students are most satisfied with presentations and less satisfied with required readings and a patient interview project. Most students agree that at the completion of the course they understand what it means to be a community-responsive physician, and they have developed skills to help them become more community responsive. Evaluation tools need to be developed to assess if students' behavior has changed due to course participation.

  12. Development, Implementation and Evaluation of an M3 Community Health Curriculum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Staci Young, MS

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: This paper describes the development, implementation and evaluation of an M3 community health curriculum that responds to recent changes within the health care finance and delivery system. Methods: The new curriculum was developed based on AAMC recommendations, LCME requirements, a national review of undergraduate community health curricula, and an internal review of the integration of community health concepts in M3 clerkships. Results: The M3 curriculum teaches: 1 the importance of being a community responsive physician; 2 SES factors that influence health; 3 cultural competency; and 4 the role of physicians as health educators. Student evaluations for the first twelve months of implementation indicate that students are most satisfied with presentations and less satisfied with required readings and a patient interview project. Discussion: Most students agree that at the completion of the course they understand what it means to be a community-responsive physician, and they have developed skills to help them become more community responsive. Evaluation tools need to be developed to assess if students’ behavior has changed due to course participation.

  13. A critical appraisal of chronic kidney disease mineral and bone disorders clinical practice guidelines using the AGREE II instrument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sekercioglu, Nigar; Al-Khalifah, Reem; Ewusie, Joycelyne Efua; Elias, Rosilene M; Thabane, Lehana; Busse, Jason W; Akhtar-Danesh, Noori; Iorio, Alfonso; Isayama, Tetsuya; Martínez, Juan Pablo Díaz; Florez, Ivan D; Guyatt, Gordon H

    2017-02-01

    Patients with chronic kidney disease mineral and bone disorders (CKD-MBD) suffer high rates of morbidity and mortality, in particular related to bone and cardiovascular outcomes. The management of CKD-MBD remains challenging. The objective of this systematic survey is to critically appraise clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) addressing CKD-MBD. Data sources included MEDLINE, EMBASE, the National Guideline Clearinghouse, Guideline International Network and Turning Research into Practice up to May 2016. Teams of two reviewers, independently and in duplicate, screened titles and abstracts and potentially eligible full text reports to determine eligibility and subsequently appraised the guidelines using the Advancing Guideline Development, Reporting and Evaluation in Health Care instrument II (AGREE). Sixteen CPGs published from 2003 to 2015 addressing the diagnosis and management of CKD-MBD in adult patients (11 English, two Spanish, one Italian, one Portuguese and one Slovak) proved eligible. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline performed best with respect to AGREE II criteria; only three other CPGs warranted high scores on all domains. All other guidelines received scores of under 60% on one or more domains. Major discrepancies in recommendations were not, however, present, and we found no association between quality of CPGs which was not associated with resulting recommendations. Most guidelines assessing CKD-MBD suffer from serious shortcomings using AGREE criteria although limitations with respect to AGREE criteria do not necessarily lead to inappropriate recommendations.

  14. MONITORING OF INTERNATIONAL DONOR ASSISTANCE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMALGAMATED TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elina Boichenko

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The research is conducted within the framework of the joint project of the F. Ebert Foundation (Germany and the Institute of Economic and Legal Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Ukraine “The Experience of the Association of Territorial Communities in Eastern Ukraine: Economic and Legal Aspects”. The subject of the study is the theoretical, methodological, and practical aspects of monitoring international donor assistance in the context of the development of amalgamated territorial communities (ATC based on the example of Bilokurakyne and Novopskov ATC. Methodology. The system approach (in substantiating the directions of monitoring and established procedures for monitoring each component of the life of amalgamated territorial communities, logical generalization (in determining the state of development of amalgamated territorial communities, method of absolute, relative, and mean values, analysis of the dynamics series and structural shifts (in determining the dominant trends in the formation and development of ATC, method of economic analysis and synthesis (in determining the content of the monitoring, method of comparison (when the violations in the process of ATC, graphical method (the construction algorithm combined operation and development of local communities imaging method (for presenting the results of the total amount of international aid to ATC are used in the work. The purpose of the research is to develop theoretical, methodological, and practical approaches to the monitoring of international donor assistance in the context of the development of amalgamated territorial communities. The article suggests using monitoring as the most effective tool for controlling economic and social phenomena and processes. The authorial scheme for constructing a procedure for the monitoring of functioning and development of amalgamated territorial communities is developed. The monitoring of international donor support of the

  15. Affordable Exploration of Mars: Recommendations from a Community Workshop on Sustainable Initial Human Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thronson, Harley; Carberry, Chris; Cassady, R. J.; Cooke, Doug; Hopkins, Joshua; Perino, Maria A.; Kirkpatrick, Jim; Raftery, Michael; Westenberg, Artemis; Zucker, Richard

    2013-01-01

    There is a growing consensus that within two decades initial human missions to Mars are affordable under plausible budget assumptions and with sustained international participation. In response to this idea, a distinguished group of experts from the Mars exploration stakeholder communities attended the "Affording Mars" workshop at George Washington University in December, 2013. Participants reviewed and discussed scenarios for affordable and sustainable human and robotic exploration of Mars, the role of the International Space Station over the coming decade as the essential early step toward humans to Mars, possible "bridge" missions in the 2020s, key capabilities required for affordable initial missions, international partnerships, and a usable definition of affordability and sustainability. We report here the findings, observations, and recommendations that were agreed to at that workshop.

  16. Community governance in primary health care: towards an international Ideal Type.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meads, Geoffrey; Russell, Grant; Lees, Amanda

    2017-10-01

    Against a global background of increased resource management responsibilities for primary health care agencies, general medical practices, in particular, are increasingly being required to demonstrate the legitimacy of their decision making in market oriented environments. In this context a scoping review explores the potential utility for health managers in primary health care of community governance as a policy concept. The review of recent research suggests that applied learning from international health systems with enhanced approaches to public and patient involvement may contribute to meeting this requirement. Such approaches often characterise local health systems in Latin America and North West Europe where innovative models are beginning to respond effectively to the growing demands on general practice. The study design draws on documentary and secondary data analyses to identify common components of community governance from the countries in these regions, supplemented by other relevant international studies and sources where appropriate. Within a comprehensive framework of collaborative governance the components are aggregated in an Ideal Type format to provide a point of reference for possible adaptation and transferable learning across market oriented health systems. Each component is illustrated with international exemplars from recent organisational practices in primary health care. The application of community governance is considered for the particular contexts of GP led Clinical Commissioning Groups in England and Primary Health Networks in Australia. Some components of the Ideal Type possess potentially powerful negative as well as positive motivational effects, with PPI at practice levels sometimes hindering the development of effective local governance. This highlights the importance of careful and competent management of the growing resources attributed to primary health care agencies, which possess an increasingly diverse range of non

  17. Teaching `community engagement' in engineering education for international development: Integration of an interdisciplinary social work curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Dorie J.; Lehman Held, Mary; Ellzey, Janet L.; Bailey, William T.; Young, Laurie B.

    2015-05-01

    This article reviews the literature on challenges faced by engineering faculty in educating their students on community-engaged, sustainable technical solutions in developing countries. We review a number of approaches to increasing teaching modules on social and community components of international development education, from adding capstone courses and educational track seminars to integrating content from other disciplines, particularly the social sciences. After summarising recent pedagogical strategies to increase content on community-focused development, we present a case study of how one engineering programme incorporates social work students and faculty to infuse strategies for community engagement in designing and implementing student-led global engineering development projects. We outline how this interdisciplinary pedagogical approach teaches students from the two disciplines to work together in addressing power balances, economic and social issues and overall sustainability of international development projects.

  18. Creating International Community Service Learning Experiences in a Capstone Marketing-Projects Course

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metcalf, Lynn E.

    2010-01-01

    This article outlines the development of a project-based capstone marketing course, specifically designed to provide marketing students with an international community service learning experience. It differs significantly from previous studies, which focus on integrating service learning into existing marketing courses and on helping local…

  19. Antimicrobial Stewardship: A Cross-Sectional Survey Assessing the Perceptions and Practices of Community Pharmacists in Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Asfaw Erku

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Community pharmacists are key healthcare professionals for antimicrobial stewardship programs owing to their role in dispensing of antimicrobials. The aim of the present study was to assess the perception and practices of community pharmacists towards antimicrobial stewardship (AMS in Ethiopia. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted by selecting pharmacy sites through stratified simple random sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results. Majority of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that AMS program is vital for the improvement of patient care. Almost all of respondents agreed that pharmacists can play a prominent role in AMS and infection prevention (93.2%, median = 5; IQR = 2–5. However, only 26.5% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that AMS should be practiced at community pharmacy level (median = 4, IQR = 1–3 and more than half of community pharmacists (59.9% often/always dispense antimicrobial without a prescription. Conclusion. The present study revealed positive perceptions and practices of community pharmacists towards antimicrobial stewardship. Yet, some weak areas like integration of AMS program in community pharmacies, the significance of interprofessional involvement, and dispensing of antimicrobials without a valid prescription still need improvement.

  20. Intergovernmental organisation activities: European Atomic Energy Community, International Atomic Energy Agency, OECD Nuclear Energy Agency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2012-01-01

    European Atomic Energy Community: Proposed legislative instruments, Adopted legislative instruments, Non-legislative instruments, Other activities (meetings). International Atomic Energy Agency: IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety. OECD Nuclear Energy Agency: The Russian Federation to join the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency; Participation by the regulatory authorities of India and the United Arab Emirates in the Multinational Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP); NEA International Workshop on Crisis Communication, 9-10 May 2012; International School of Nuclear Law: 2013; Next NEA International Nuclear Law Essentials Course

  1. International Cooperation to Establish Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Quarantine Management of Irradiated Foods in International Trade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J. W.; Byun, M. W.; Kim, J. H.; Choi, J. I.; Song, B. S.; Yoon, Y. H.; Kim, D. H.; Kim, W. G.; Kim, K. P.

    2010-02-01

    · Development of SOPs through various research activities such as building international cooperation, and analysing current status of food irradiation in domestic and international markets, export and import, international market size, and of R and D - Analysis of examples for quarantine management in agricultural product exporting countries and use of irradiation technology for agricultural product quarantine, and changes in international quarantine management - Analysis of SOPs for food irradiation quarantine in international organization (CODEX, IPPC, WHO). U.S, EU, China, India, and Australia. - Collaborative researches of India/Korea and China/Korea entered into an agreement for market trials · Publishment of irradiation quarantine management SOPs agreed to CODEX standards - Collaborative researches for quarantine management, avoiding Technical Barrier to Trade (TBT), and Sanitary Phytosanitary Measures were conducted, and advanced SOPs agreed with WTO/FTA system were published

  2. China, Argentina agree to further strategic ties

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2011-01-01

    According to Xinhua,China and Argentina have agreed to further enhance mutual trust and their strategic partnership as the two emerging economies are playing an increasingly important role in the world arena.“China will work with Argentina to strengthen strategic mutual trust,expand cooperation and coordination within multilateral frameworks in order to promote bilateral ties and benefit the two peoples,” Vice President Xi Jinping told Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman on September 9.

  3. Teaching "Community Engagement" in Engineering Education for International Development: Integration of an Interdisciplinary Social Work Curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Dorie J.; Held, Mary Lehman; Ellzey, Janet L.; Bailey, William T.; Young, Laurie B.

    2015-01-01

    This article reviews the literature on challenges faced by engineering faculty in educating their students on community-engaged, sustainable technical solutions in developing countries. We review a number of approaches to increasing teaching modules on social and community components of international development education, from adding capstone…

  4. The International Space of the Danish Testing Community in the Interwar Years

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ydesen, Christian

    2012-01-01

    The focus of this article is to draw attention to the presence and importance of travelling ideas, knowledge, and practices in Danish history of educational testing. The article introduces and employs a spatial methodological approach in relation to the connections between the international testing community and the emerging Danish practice of…

  5. International Construction Measurement Standard

    OpenAIRE

    Mitchell, Charles

    2016-01-01

    The International Construction Measurement Standard Coalition (the Coalition) was formed on 17 June 2015 after meeting at the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC, USA. The Coalition, comprising the organisations listed below at the date of publication, aims to bring about consistency in construction cost reporting standards internationally. This is achieved by the creation and adoption of this ICMS, an agreed international standard for the structuring and presentation of cost reports...

  6. Teaching & Learning for International Students in a 'Learning Community': Creating, Sharing and Building Knowledge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linzi Kemp, PhD

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available This article considers the culture of learning communities for effective teaching. A learning community is defined here as an environment where learners are brought together to share information, to learn from each other, and to create new knowledge. The individual student develops her/his own learning by building on learning from others. In a learning community approach to teaching, educators can ensure that students gain workplace skills such as collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving. In this case study, it is shown how an active learning community, introduced into a blended teaching environment (face-to-face and virtual, effectively supported international undergraduates in the building of knowledge and workplace skills.

  7. Collective Memory of International Women’s Day in Part of the Feminist Community in Croatia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Petras

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available The article examines the collective memory of International Women’s Day in part of the feminist community in Croatia. Having in mind the importance of social context and mnemonic communities for the (reconstruction of memory, the development of women’s movements in Yugoslavia and Croatia is presented. Relying on Zerubavel’s concept of collective memory and qualitative analysis of interviews, this paper discusses the origins of International Women’s Day, its historical horizon, the memory of commemorations in socialist and post-socialist periods, and the mnemonic battles arising around them. Data necessary to describe these elements of collective memory of International Women’s Day was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with several members of the feminist community in Croatia. Even though today’s feminist community in Croatia, to a certain point, consolidates the legacies of both bourgeois feminism and proletarian feminism, collective memory of International Women’s Day, at least on the part of the feminist mnemonic community, serves as a reminder of its socialist or communist origins. An important form of commemoration in both the socialist and the post-socialist period is public commemoration, whether as protest walks or petition signings. On the other hand, commemorative pluralism and overall decline in the importance or symbolic value of IWD in Croatian society in the post-socialist period, is the most significant difference from the period of socialism. Elements of IWD which appear in both the socialist and post-socialist period and are the focal points of mnemonic battles that are fought over the meaning of IWD and its forms of commemoration are: Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day symbolism, the conflict between politicized commemoration and depoliticized celebration, and cooptation or patronization by the politics. The most important factor for the appearance of mnemonic battles is found in the

  8. Global Learning Communities: A Comparison of Online Domestic and International Science Class Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerlin, Steven C.; Carlsen, William S.; Kelly, Gregory J.; Goehring, Elizabeth

    2013-08-01

    The conception of Global Learning Communities (GLCs) was researched to discover potential benefits of the use of online technologies that facilitated communication and scientific data sharing outside of the normal classroom setting. 1,419 students in 635 student groups began the instructional unit. Students represented the classrooms of 33 teachers from the USA, 6 from Thailand, 7 from Australia, and 4 from Germany. Data from an international environmental education project were analyzed to describe grades 7-9 student scientific writing in domestic US versus international-US classroom online partnerships. The development of an argument analytic and a research model of exploratory data analysis followed by statistical testing were used to discover and highlight different ways students used evidence to support their scientific claims about temperature variation at school sites and deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Findings show modest gains in the use of some evidentiary discourse components by US students in international online class partnerships compared to their US counterparts in domestic US partnerships. The analytic, research model, and online collaborative learning tools may be used in other large-scale studies and learning communities. Results provide insights about the benefits of using online technologies and promote the establishment of GLCs.

  9. International Cooperation to Establish Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Quarantine Management of Irradiated Foods in International Trade

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, J. W.; Byun, M. W.; Kim, J. H.; Choi, J. I.; Song, B. S.; Yoon, Y. H.; Kim, D. H.; Kim, W. G.; Kim, K. P.

    2010-02-15

    {center_dot} Development of SOPs through various research activities such as building international cooperation, and analysing current status of food irradiation in domestic and international markets, export and import, international market size, and of R and D - Analysis of examples for quarantine management in agricultural product exporting countries and use of irradiation technology for agricultural product quarantine, and changes in international quarantine management - Analysis of SOPs for food irradiation quarantine in international organization (CODEX, IPPC, WHO). U.S, EU, China, India, and Australia. - Collaborative researches of India/Korea and China/Korea entered into an agreement for market trials {center_dot} Publishment of irradiation quarantine management SOPs agreed to CODEX standards - Collaborative researches for quarantine management, avoiding Technical Barrier to Trade (TBT), and Sanitary Phytosanitary Measures were conducted, and advanced SOPs agreed with WTO/FTA system were published

  10. Brief Report: Do Delinquency and Community Violence Exposure Explain Internalizing Problems in Early Adolescent Gang Members?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madan, Anjana; Mrug, Sylvie; Windle, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Adolescent gang members are at higher risk for internalizing problems as well as exposure to community violence and delinquency. This study examined whether gang membership in early adolescence is associated with internalizing problems (depression, anxiety, and suicidal behavior) and whether these associations are mediated by delinquency and…

  11. International Journal of Web Based Communities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2006-01-01

    Special Issue on Knowledge Communication, culture and communities of practice in web based communities. ......Special Issue on Knowledge Communication, culture and communities of practice in web based communities. ...

  12. Degrees of Co-Creation: An Exploratory Study of Perceptions of International Students' Role in Community Engagement Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleischman, David; Raciti, Maria; Lawley, Meredith

    2015-01-01

    Increased competition for the international student market has motivated universities to modernize their marketing strategies. Community engagement is an important component of students' international university experience and represents a potential point of competitive advantage. Developing marketing strategies around university-student-community…

  13. Amnesty, Reconciliation and Reintegration: The International Community and the Rwandan Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-05-22

    N., Harvey M. Weinstein , and Timothy Longman. "Trauma and PTSD Symptoms in Rwanda: Implications for Attitudes Toward Justice and Reconciliation...repairing the social fabric of the nation had to take place. The case shows how Rwanda overcame the negative impacts of the international community and...reintegration policies. Throughout the case there are four issues that prove integral to the AR2 process; the anthropology of Rwanda, its colonial

  14. Community Attitudes and Practices of Urban Residents Regarding Predation by Pet Cats on Wildlife: An International Comparison.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catherine M Hall

    Full Text Available International differences in practices and attitudes regarding pet cats' interactions with wildlife were assessed by surveying citizens from at least two cities in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, China and Japan. Predictions tested were: (i cat owners would agree less than non-cat owners that cats might threaten wildlife, (ii cat owners value wildlife less than non-cat owners, (iii cat owners are less accepting of cat legislation/restrictions than non-owners, and (iv respondents from regions with high endemic biodiversity (Australia, New Zealand, China and the USA state of Hawaii would be most concerned about pet cats threatening wildlife. Everywhere non-owners were more likely than owners to agree that pet cats killing wildlife were a problem in cities, towns and rural areas. Agreement amongst non-owners was highest in Australia (95% and New Zealand (78% and lowest in the UK (38%. Irrespective of ownership, over 85% of respondents from all countries except China (65% valued wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas. Non-owners advocated cat legislation more strongly than owners except in Japan. Australian non-owners were the most supportive (88%, followed by Chinese non-owners (80% and Japanese owners (79.5%. The UK was least supportive (non-owners 43%, owners 25%. Many Australian (62%, New Zealand (51% and Chinese owners (42% agreed that pet cats killing wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas was a problem, while Hawaiian owners were similar to the mainland USA (20%. Thus high endemic biodiversity might contribute to attitudes in some, but not all, countries. Husbandry practices varied internationally, with predation highest where fewer cats were confined. Although the risk of wildlife population declines caused by pet cats justifies precautionary action, campaigns based on wildlife protection are unlikely to succeed outside Australia or New Zealand. Restrictions on roaming protect wildlife and benefit cat welfare, so welfare is a

  15. Community Attitudes and Practices of Urban Residents Regarding Predation by Pet Cats on Wildlife: An International Comparison

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Nigel A.; Bradley, J. Stuart; Bryant, Kate A.; Davis, Alisa A.; Fujita, Tsumugi; Pollock, Kenneth H.

    2016-01-01

    International differences in practices and attitudes regarding pet cats' interactions with wildlife were assessed by surveying citizens from at least two cities in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, China and Japan. Predictions tested were: (i) cat owners would agree less than non-cat owners that cats might threaten wildlife, (ii) cat owners value wildlife less than non-cat owners, (iii) cat owners are less accepting of cat legislation/restrictions than non-owners, and (iv) respondents from regions with high endemic biodiversity (Australia, New Zealand, China and the USA state of Hawaii) would be most concerned about pet cats threatening wildlife. Everywhere non-owners were more likely than owners to agree that pet cats killing wildlife were a problem in cities, towns and rural areas. Agreement amongst non-owners was highest in Australia (95%) and New Zealand (78%) and lowest in the UK (38%). Irrespective of ownership, over 85% of respondents from all countries except China (65%) valued wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas. Non-owners advocated cat legislation more strongly than owners except in Japan. Australian non-owners were the most supportive (88%), followed by Chinese non-owners (80%) and Japanese owners (79.5%). The UK was least supportive (non-owners 43%, owners 25%). Many Australian (62%), New Zealand (51%) and Chinese owners (42%) agreed that pet cats killing wildlife in cities, towns and rural areas was a problem, while Hawaiian owners were similar to the mainland USA (20%). Thus high endemic biodiversity might contribute to attitudes in some, but not all, countries. Husbandry practices varied internationally, with predation highest where fewer cats were confined. Although the risk of wildlife population declines caused by pet cats justifies precautionary action, campaigns based on wildlife protection are unlikely to succeed outside Australia or New Zealand. Restrictions on roaming protect wildlife and benefit cat welfare, so welfare is a

  16. Re-Thinking Internationalization as Social Curriculum for Generative Supervision: Letters from the International Community of Scholars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hellstén, Meeri; Ucker Perotto, Lilian

    2018-01-01

    This paper concerns research issues on curriculum, pedagogy and the creative use of method in international higher education. It is motivated by the witnessing of a recent shifting in consensus within the global research communities on international education, towards curriculum renewal of shared knowledge within the field. The article enters into…

  17. International survey among orthopaedic trauma surgeons: Lack of a definition of fracture-related infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgenstern, M; Moriarty, T F; Kuehl, R; Richards, R G; McNally, M A; Verhofstad, M H J; Borens, O; Zalavras, C; Raschke, M; Kates, S L; Metsemakers, W J

    2018-03-01

    Fracture-related infection (FRI) is one of the most challenging musculoskeletal complications in orthopaedic-trauma surgery. Although the orthopaedic community has developed and adopted a consensus definition of prosthetic joint infections (PJI), it still remains unclear how the trauma surgery community defines FRI in daily clinical practice or in performing clinical research studies. The central aim of this study was to survey the opinions of a global network of trauma surgeons on the definitions and criteria they routinely use, and their opinion on the need for a unified definition of FRI. The secondary aims were to survey their opinion on the utility of currently used definitions that may be at least partially applicable for FRI, and finally their opinion on the important clinical parameters that should be considered as diagnostic criteria for FRI. An 11-item questionnaire was developed to cover the above-mentioned aims. The questionnaire was administered by SurveyMonkey and was sent via blast email to all registered users of AO Trauma (Davos, Switzerland). Out of the 26'563 recipients who opened the email, 2'327 (8.8%) completed the questionnaire. Nearly 90% of respondents agreed that a consensus-derived definition for FRI is required and 66% of the surgeons also agreed that PJI and FRI are not equal with respect to diagnosis, treatment and outcome. Furthermore, "positive cultures from microbiology testing", "elevation of CRP", "purulent drainage" and "local clinical signs of infection" were voted the most important diagnostic parameters for FRI. This international survey infers the need for a consensus definition of FRI and provides insight into the clinical parameters seen by an international community of trauma surgeons as being critical for defining FRI. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. International nuclear fuel cycle evaluation (INFCE)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schlupp, C.

    1986-07-01

    The study describes and analyzes the structures, the procedures and decision making processes of the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation (INFCE). INFCE was agreed by the Organizing Conference to be a technical and analytical study and not a negotiation. The results were to be transmitted to governments for their consideration in developing their nuclear energy policies and in international discussions concerning nuclear energy cooperation and related controls and safeguards. Thus INFCE provided a unique example for decision making by consensus in the nuclear world. It was carried through under mutual respect for each country's choices and decisions, without jeopardizing their respective fuel cycle policies or international co-operation agreements and contracts for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, provided that agreed safeguards are applied. (orig.)

  19. Relationship proximity to victims of witnessed community violence: associations with adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambert, Sharon F; Boyd, Rhonda C; Cammack, Nicole L; Ialongo, Nicholas S

    2012-01-01

    Witnessing community violence has been linked with several adverse outcomes for adolescents, including emotional and behavioral problems. Among youth who have witnessed community violence, proximity to the victim of community violence is one factor that may determine, in part, the nature of adolescents' responses to community violence exposure. The present study examines whether relationship proximity to the victim of community violence is associated with internalizing and externalizing behaviors among a sample of urban and predominantly African American adolescents (N = 501) who have witnessed community violence. In 10th grade, participants reported whether they had witnessed 10 community violence events during the past year, and, if so, whether the victim of the violence was a family member, close friend, acquaintance, or stranger. Witnessed community violence against a family member or close friend was associated with depressive symptoms, and witnessed community violence against known individuals was associated with anxiety symptoms. Witnessing community violence against familiar persons and strangers was linked with aggressive behavior. Gender differences in these associations and implications for assessment and intervention with community violence-exposed youth are discussed. © 2012 American Orthopsychiatric Association.

  20. On being examined: do students and faculty agree?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perrella, Andrew; Koenig, Joshua; Kwon, Henry; Nastos, Stash; Rangachari, P K

    2015-12-01

    Students measure out their lives, not with coffee spoons, but with grades on examinations. But what exams mean and whether or not they are a bane or a boon is moot. Senior undergraduates (A. Perrella, J. Koenig, and H. Kwon) designed and administered a 15-item survey that explored the contrasting perceptions of both students (n = 526) and faculty members (n = 33) in a 4-yr undergraduate health sciences program. A series of statements gauged the level of agreement on a 10-point scale. Students and faculty members agreed on the value of assessing student learning with a variety of methods, finding new information to solve problems, assessing conceptual understanding and logical reasoning, having assessments with no single correct answer, and having comments on exams. Clear differences emerged between students and faculty members on specific matters: rubrics, student choice of exam format, assessing creativity, and transfer of learning to novel situations. A followup questionnaire allowed participants to clarify their interpretation of select statements, with responses from 71 students and 17 faculty members. All parties strongly agreed that exams should provide a good learning experience that would help them prepare for the future (students: 8.64 ± 1.71 and faculty members: 8.03 ± 2.34). Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

  1. Needs analysis for educating community pharmacists to interface with prehospital stroke chain of survival.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denetclaw, Tina Harrach; Cefalu, Patricia; Manila, Louis L; Panagotacos, John J

    2014-02-01

    Awareness of the American Heart Association's Stroke Chain of Survival, and willingness to learn and share this information with the public, was assessed for community pharmacists practicing near a primary stroke center. Twenty-three community pharmacies local to a primary stroke center were identified and surveyed. The surveyor showed each pharmacist a flier with a mnemonic for assessing stroke symptoms, briefly explained steps in the Stroke Chain of Survival, and noted if the pharmacist was available, listened to the entire presentation, read the information on the flier, agreed to post the flier, and if the pharmacist made any comments. The surveyor also assessed whether the Stroke Chain of Survival was new information to each pharmacist. All subjects read the information on the flier. Twenty-two (95.7%) listened to the entire presentation, and 23 (100%) were willing to post the flier. Two (11%) indicated that the parent company does not allow public posting of noncorporate information but agreed to post the flier internally. Twenty-one (91%) expressed appreciation for receiving the information. Seventeen (74%) indicated that the Stroke Chain of Survival was new information to them, 14 (61%) spontaneously remarked on the importance of the information, and 4 (17%) asked for additional information. Community pharmacists surveyed were willing to interface with the prehospital phase of the Stroke Chain of Survival; nearly 75% of them required education to do so. Community pharmacies are potentially a venue for educating the public on the Stroke Chain of Survival. It may be necessary to approach community pharmacy corporate leadership to partner with such efforts. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Cross-cultural validation of the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) in Portuguese community-dwelling older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueiredo, Daniela; Santos, Sónia

    The Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) is a highly reliable instrument to assess fear of falling among older population. This study aimed to develop a European Portuguese version of the FES-I (FES-I (P) ) and analyse its psychometric properties in terms of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent and convergent validity. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data collection integrated a socio-demographic questionnaire which included falls history and presence/absence of fear of falling, the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Timed Up and Go (TUG) and the Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed. A total of 100 Portuguese community-dwelling older people (74.27±8.7years old) have participated in the study. From these, 82 have participated in the reliability study. The FES-I (P) had excellent internal consistency (α=0,978) and test-retest reliability (ICC 2,1 =0,999). A significant negative correlation was found between the FES-I (P) and the ABC (r s =-0.85; pPortuguese community-living older people. Future studies should explore the FES-I (P) responsiveness to change over time and analyse its psychometric properties in samples of both non-community-dwelling and community-dwelling older adults with different health conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Building international collaborative capacity: contributions of community psychologists to a European network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Ramírez, Manuel; Paloma, Virginia; Suarez-Balcazar, Yolanda; Balcazar, Fabricio

    2009-09-01

    Europe is in the process of building a more participative, just, and inclusive European Union. The European Social Fund, which is an initiative developed to actively promote multinational partnerships that address pressing social issues, is a good example of the European transformation. This article describes the steps taken to develop and evaluate the activities of an international network promoting collaborative capacity among regional partners involved in the prevention of labor discrimination toward immigrants in three European countries-Spain, Belgium, and Italy. An international team of community psychologists proposed an empowering approach to assess the collaborative capacity of the network. This approach consisted of three steps: (1) establishing a collaborative relationship among partners, (2) building collaborative capacity, and (3) evaluating the collaborative capacity of the network. We conclude with lessons learned from the process and provide recommendations for addressing the challenges inherent in international collaboration processes.

  4. Community Schools as an Effective Strategy for Reform. Research Brief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel, Julia; Snyder, Jon David

    2016-01-01

    Research literature finds that community school models offering various agreed-upon features provide an excellent social return on investment and significant promise for providing opportunities for learning and promoting well-being in students and communities. Community schools show significant promise for addressing barriers to learning and…

  5. [Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Schizophrenia: Evaluation Using AGREE II].

    Science.gov (United States)

    de la Hoz Bradford, Ana María; Ávila, Mauricio J; Bohórquez Peñaranda, Adriana Patricia; García Valencia, Jenny; Arenas Borrero, Álvaro Enrique; Vélez Traslaviña, Ángela; Jaramillo González, Luis Eduardo; Gómez-Restrepo, Carlos

    2014-01-01

    Colombia is developing multiple national practice guidelines from a range of diseases. Clinical practice guidelines represent a very useful tool to be able to take decision over a patient care that is widely available for the clinician. In psychiatry there are a good number of international clinical guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia nevertheless there is no article that evaluate them scientifically In the settings of developing a Colombian schizophrenia practice guideline, a systematic search was performed in multiple databases and the results were then evaluated by two trained persons. We present the results globally and by domains. We found 164 matches for possible guidelines. After screening 7 guidelines were evaluated with the AGREE II instrument. Globally and by the different domains, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) was the guideline that got the best score. From the guidelines that were reviewed, 4 were from Europe and only 2 were from Latin America. None of the guidelines used GRADE methodology for the recommendations. The diversity of the schizophrenia treatment guidelines does not allow an easy adoption of the recommendation by a psychiatrist in Colombia. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  6. Effects of Exposure to Community Violence on Internalizing Symptoms: Does Desensitization to Violence Occur in African American Youth?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaylord-Harden, Noni K.; Cunningham, Jamila A.; Zelencik, Brett

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of the current study was to examine the linear and curvilinear associations of exposure to community violence to internalizing symptoms in 251 African American adolescents (mean age = 12.86, SD = 1.28). Participants reported on exposure to community violence, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms. Regression analyses were used to…

  7. Career interest and perceptions of nephrology: A repeated cross-sectional survey of internal medicine residents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniels, Michael N; Maynard, Sharon; Porter, Ivan; Kincaid, Hope; Jain, Deepika; Aslam, Nabeel

    2017-01-01

    Interest in nephrology careers among internal medicine residents in the United States is declining. Our objective was to assess the impact of the presence of a nephrology fellowship training program on perceptions and career interest in nephrology among internal medicine residents. A secondary objective was to identify commonly endorsed negative perceptions of nephrology among internal medicine residents. This was a repeated cross-sectional survey of internal medicine residents before (Group 1) and 3 years after (Group 2) the establishment of nephrology fellowship programs at two institutions. The primary outcome was the percentage of residents indicating nephrology as a career interest in Group 1 vs. Group 2. Secondary outcomes included the frequency that residents agreed with negative statements about nephrology. 131 (80.9%) of 162 residents completed the survey. 19 (14.8%) residents indicated interest in a nephrology career, with 8 (6.3%) indicating nephrology as their first choice. There was no difference in career interest in nephrology between residents who were exposed to nephrology fellows during residency training (Group 2) and residents who were not (Group 1). The most commonly endorsed negative perceptions of nephrology were: nephrology fellows have long hours/burdensome call (36 [28.1%] of residents agreed or strongly agreed), practicing nephrologists must take frequent/difficult call (35 [27.6%] agreed or strongly agreed), and nephrology has few opportunities for procedures (35 [27.3%] agreed or strongly agreed). More residents in Group 2 agreed that nephrology is poorly paid (8.9% in Group 1 vs. 20.8% in Group 2, P = 0.04), whereas more residents in Group 1 agreed that nephrologists must take frequent/difficult call (40.0% in Group 1 vs. 18.1% in Group 2, P = 0.02). The initiation of a nephrology fellowship program was not associated with an increase in internal medicine residents' interest in nephrology careers. Residents endorsed several negative

  8. Career interest and perceptions of nephrology: A repeated cross-sectional survey of internal medicine residents.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael N Daniels

    Full Text Available Interest in nephrology careers among internal medicine residents in the United States is declining. Our objective was to assess the impact of the presence of a nephrology fellowship training program on perceptions and career interest in nephrology among internal medicine residents. A secondary objective was to identify commonly endorsed negative perceptions of nephrology among internal medicine residents.This was a repeated cross-sectional survey of internal medicine residents before (Group 1 and 3 years after (Group 2 the establishment of nephrology fellowship programs at two institutions. The primary outcome was the percentage of residents indicating nephrology as a career interest in Group 1 vs. Group 2. Secondary outcomes included the frequency that residents agreed with negative statements about nephrology.131 (80.9% of 162 residents completed the survey. 19 (14.8% residents indicated interest in a nephrology career, with 8 (6.3% indicating nephrology as their first choice. There was no difference in career interest in nephrology between residents who were exposed to nephrology fellows during residency training (Group 2 and residents who were not (Group 1. The most commonly endorsed negative perceptions of nephrology were: nephrology fellows have long hours/burdensome call (36 [28.1%] of residents agreed or strongly agreed, practicing nephrologists must take frequent/difficult call (35 [27.6%] agreed or strongly agreed, and nephrology has few opportunities for procedures (35 [27.3%] agreed or strongly agreed. More residents in Group 2 agreed that nephrology is poorly paid (8.9% in Group 1 vs. 20.8% in Group 2, P = 0.04, whereas more residents in Group 1 agreed that nephrologists must take frequent/difficult call (40.0% in Group 1 vs. 18.1% in Group 2, P = 0.02.The initiation of a nephrology fellowship program was not associated with an increase in internal medicine residents' interest in nephrology careers. Residents endorsed several

  9. International nuclear safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolff, P.H.W.

    1978-01-01

    The background to the development of internationally agreed safety principles and practices is discussed. The activities of the IAEA and the scope, structure, and organisation of its programme of Reactor Safety Codes and Guides are described. Attention is drawn to certain areas needing further considerations. (UK)

  10. Army agrees to new study of biowarfare laboratory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, R Jeffrey

    1985-02-08

    As a result of a lawsuit initiated by Washington activist Jeremy Rifkin and joined by the attorney general for the state of Utah, the U.S. Army has agreed to defer construction, pending a study of potential environmental hazards, of a new laboratory that was authorized by a small number of Congressmen under an unusual procedure in December 1984. The laboratory, intended for tests of highly infectious and lethal biological aerosols, has aroused controversy because of fears that the data gathered there might be used to develop offensive biological weapons.

  11. Fusion research in the European Community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wolf, G.H.

    1988-01-01

    Centering around the European joint project Joint European Torus (JET), in the framework of which hot fusion plasmas are already brought close to thermonuclear ignition, the individual research centres in Europe have taken over different special tasks. In Germany research concentrates above all on the development of super-conductive magnets, the stage of plasma-physical fundamentals or the investigation of the interaction between the plasma boundary layer and the material of the vessel wall. On this basis the development stage following JET, the Next European Torus (NET), is planned, with its main aim being the production and maintenance of a thermonuclear burning plasma, i.e. a plasma which maintains its active state from the gain of energy of its own fusion reactions. In the framework of a contractually agreed cooperation between the European Community, Japan, the USSR and the USA, the establishment of an international study group (with seat in Garching) was decided upon, which is to develop the concept of an 'International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)' jointly supported by these countries. The results of the studies presented show that the differences in the design data of ITER and NET are negligible. (orig./DG) [de

  12. Topical points of community policy concerning nuclear safety relevant to the Internal Market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schroeder, M.

    1991-01-01

    Starting with the Internal Market concept, the lecture describes general and specific expectations directed to the nuclear community from a point of view of nuclear safety, and analyzes those aspects of nuclear safety, EC policy focuses on. There are the following chapters: 1. Selection of sites for nuclear installations, 2. installation and reactor safety, 3. radioactive waste management, 4. decommissioning of nuclear installations, 5. radioactive waste storage, 6. coping with nuclear accidents and other radiological emergency situations. Sophistication of public health and environmental protection within the framework of the EURATOM Treaty is seen in connection with interim and final storage as well as reprocessing of radioactive waste, and with the decommissioning of nuclear facilities on the basis of section 30 ff., and installation and reactor safety on the basis of section 203 EURATOM Treaty. Improving the protection of public health in particular is possible and necessary in order to make the EURATOM community into a proper nuclear community of law. (orig./HSCH) [de

  13. Professional Learning Communities Assessment: Adaptation, Internal Validity, and Multidimensional Model Testing in Turkish Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dogan, Selçuk; Tatik, R. Samil; Yurtseven, Nihal

    2017-01-01

    The main purpose of this study is to adapt and validate the Professional Learning Communities Assessment Revised (PLCA-R) by Olivier, Hipp, and Huffman within the context of Turkish schools. The instrument was translated and adapted to administer to teachers in Turkey. Internal structure of the Turkish version of PLCA-R was investigated by using…

  14. States agree on stronger physical protection regime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    Full text: Delegates from 89 countries agreed on 8 July to fundamental changes that will substantially strengthen the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM). IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei welcomed the agreement in saying 'This new and stronger treaty is an important step towards greater nuclear security by combating, preventing, and ultimately punishing those who would engage in nuclear theft, sabotage or even terrorism. It demonstrates that there is indeed a global commitment to remedy weaknesses in our nuclear security regime.' The amended CPPNM makes it legally binding for States Parties to protect nuclear facilities and material in peaceful domestic use, storage as well as transport. It will also provide for expanded cooperation between and among States regarding rapid measures to locate and recover stolen or smuggled nuclear material, mitigate any radiological consequences of sabotage, and prevent and combat related offences. The original CPPNM applied only to nuclear material in international transport. Conference President Dr. Alec Baer said 'All 89 delegations demonstrated real unity of purpose. They put aside some very genuine national concerns in favour of the global interest and the result is a much improved convention that is better suited to addressing the nuclear security challenges we currently face.' The new rules will come into effect once they have been ratified by two-thirds of the 112 States Parties of the Convention, expected to take several years. 'But concrete actions are already taking place around the world. For more than 3 years, the IAEA has been implementing a systematic Nuclear Security plan, including physical protection activities designed to prevent, detect and respond to malicious acts,' said Anita Nillson, Director of the IAEA's Office of Nuclear Security. The Agency's Nuclear Security Fund, set up after the events of 9/11, has delivered $19.5 million in practical assistance to 121 countries

  15. The consequences of increasing assertiveness of trans-national religious communities for international relations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Najamudin Najamudin

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The transnational communities, or in other terms, the migrant communities whowent to the US and the UK, or to any other European states had strong belief intheir religion in which they might not be contaminated by the secular ideology inthe Western countries. In this respect, the phenomenology of religion in internationalrelations is a relatively new and surprising. Accordingly, this paper aims atinvestigating the implications of the emergence of trans-national religious groupsfor international relations. The paper will argue that the rise of trans-nationalreligious groups has produced a profound impact on international relations. Thefactors that influenced this transformation in international relations is the contemporaryprocesses of globalization which scholars argue, are pivotal to bringingreligion to the centre stage of international relations. In order to deepen theunderstanding of this process, two case scenarios will be analyzed, namely, theSikh Diasporas and the imagined Islamic community, the umma. In this paper, ithas been argued that the rise of trans-national religious actors may affect statesovereignty in one way or another. Under secular ideology, the role of religion ismarginalized from the public sphere, in particular, the domain of politics and religion is being obviously separated. This separation, according to both groups,is problematic. It is therefore, the emergence of Islamic and Sikh communities isconsidered by some liberal democratic countries like India as a peril to its statesovereignty. In Islamic doctrines, the Muslims hold a principle in din wa dawla,the unity of state and religion, while in Sikhism, the Sikhs have to trust miri andpiri, the unification of religious and political institution.Masyarakat transnasional atau dalam terma lain disebut juga sebagai masyarakatmigran yang menetap di Amerika dan Inggris, atau ke negara-negara Eropalainnya memiliki keyakinan yang kuat terhadap agama mereka dan

  16. Assessing the effects of mining subsidence on an internationally important wetland site

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Humphries, R.N.; Wessemann, H.; Benyon, P.R.; Peace, S.W.

    1998-01-01

    The Lower Derwent Valley (LDV) is a flood plain of international importance for its wintering birds and is designated a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) under the 1979 European Communities Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. And is also a candidate to be a Special Area for Conservation (SAC) under the 1992 EC Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and Wild Fauna and Flora on account of the extent of a particular type of flood meadow vegetation. The working of coal by the UK's largest mine (RJB's Selby Complex), around and under the LDV, has been taking place since the 1980's with further mining proposed into the next century. A detailed review of the potential impact of past and future mining on the biological interest of the potentially affected part of the LDV began in 1994, this included extensive and detailed site studies of wintering and breeding birds, grassland communities, invertebrates, soils, and hydrology. The key factor identified was the potential change in the incidence and nature of flooding caused by drainage from the flood plain being impeded by high river levels. The potential for change, using the field data, has been modeled. Due to the small degree of mining subsidence predicted and the larger background variation in existing site conditions, the potential effect on both the notified wintering birds and flood meadow vegetation features has been assessed to be undetectable. However, due to the importance of the site both long-term monitoring provisions and mitigation measures have been agreed with English nature, the agency charged with advising the UK Government. This has enabled mining to proceed within an agreed area. The offered paper will describe the studies and modeling undertaken, and the monitoring and mitigation agreed

  17. International Association for Ecology and Health—Cultivating ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Dr Peter Daszak and Dr Margot Parkes agree that the International Association for Ecology and Health (EcoHealth) stands to gain tremendously through partnering with other organizations. Moreover, it has an important role to play in fostering relationships among members. The International Ecohealth Forum (IEF 2008) ...

  18. Internal tides affect benthic community structure in an energetic submarine canyon off SW Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Jian-Xiang; Chen, Guan-Ming; Chiou, Ming-Da; Jan, Sen; Wei, Chih-Lin

    2017-07-01

    Submarine canyons are major conduits of terrestrial and shelf organic matter, potentially benefiting the seafloor communities in the food-deprived deep sea; however, strong bottom currents driven by internal tides and the potentially frequent turbidity currents triggered by storm surges, river flooding, and earthquakes may negatively impact the benthos. In this study, we investigated the upper Gaoping Submarine Canyon (GPSC), a high-sediment-yield canyon connected to a small mountain river (SMR) off southwest (SW) Taiwan. By contrasting the benthic meiofaunal and macrofaunal communities within and outside the GPSC, we examined how food supplies and disturbance influenced the benthic community assemblages. The benthic communities in the upper GPSC were mainly a nested subset of the adjacent slope assemblages. Several meiofaunal (e.g. ostracods) and macrofaunal taxa (e.g. peracarid crustaceans and mollusks) that typically occurred on the slope were lost from the canyon. The polychaete families switched from diverse feeding guilds on the slope to motile subsurface deposit feeders dominant in the canyon. The diminishing of epibenthic peracarids and proliferation of deep burrowing polychaetes in the GPSC resulted in macrofauna occurring largely within deeper sediment horizons in the canyon than on the slope. The densities and numbers of taxa were depressed with distinct and more variable composition in the canyon than on the adjacent slope. Both the densities and numbers of taxa were negatively influenced by internal tide flushing and positively influenced by food availability; however, the internal tides also negatively influenced the food supplies. While the meiofauna and macrofauna densities were both depressed by the extreme physical conditions in the GPSC, only the macrofaunal densities increased with depth in the canyon, presumably related to increased frequency and intensity of disturbance toward the canyon head. The population densities of meiofauna, on the

  19. 1st International Conference on Communities and Technologies

    CERN Document Server

    Wenger, Etienne; Wulf, Volker

    2003-01-01

    The book contains 24 research articles related to the emerging research field of Communities and Technologies (C&T). The papers treat subjects such as online communities, communities of practice, Community support systems, Digital Cities, regional communities and the internet, knowledge sharing and communities, civil communities, communities and education and social capital. As a result of a very quality-oriented review process, the work reflects the best of current research and practice in the field of C&T.

  20. How Does Stigma Affect People Living with HIV? The Mediating Roles of Internalized and Anticipated HIV Stigma in the Effects of Perceived Community Stigma on Health and Psychosocial Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turan, Bulent; Budhwani, Henna; Fazeli, Pariya L; Browning, Wesley R; Raper, James L; Mugavero, Michael J; Turan, Janet M

    2017-01-01

    Few researchers have attempted to examine the mechanisms through which HIV-related stigma in the community is processed and experienced at an individual level by people living with HIV. We examined how the effects of perceived HIV stigma in the community on health outcomes for people living with HIV are mediated by internalized stigma and anticipated stigma. Participants (N = 203) from an HIV clinic completed self-report measures and their clinical data were obtained from medical records. Results suggested that the association between perceived community stigma and affective, cognitive, and mental health outcomes (self-esteem, depressive symptoms, avoidance coping, self-blame) are mediated by internalized stigma. Furthermore, a serial mediation model suggested that perceived community stigma leads to internalized stigma, which leads to anticipated community stigma, which in turn leads to lower medication adherence. The associations between perceived community stigma and interpersonal outcomes (social support, trust in physicians) were mediated by internalized stigma and anticipated stigma, again in a serial fashion (perceived community stigma leads to internalized stigma, which leads to anticipated stigma, which in turn leads to interpersonal outcomes). These results suggest that perceived HIV-related stigma in the community may cause people living with HIV to internalize stigma and anticipate stigmatizing experiences, resulting in adverse health and psychosocial outcomes-information that can be used to shape interventions.

  1. How Does Stigma Affect People Living with HIV? The Mediating Roles of Internalized and Anticipated HIV Stigma in the Effects of Perceived Community Stigma on Health and Psychosocial Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budhwani, Henna; Fazeli, Pariya L.; Browning, Wesley R.; Raper, James L.; Mugavero, Michael J.; Turan, Janet M.

    2016-01-01

    Few researchers have attempted to examine the mechanisms through which HIV-related stigma in the community is processed and experienced at an individual level by people living with HIV. We examined how the effects of perceived HIV stigma in the community on health outcomes for people living with HIV are mediated by internalized stigma and anticipated stigma. Participants (N = 203) from an HIV clinic completed self-report measures and their clinical data were obtained from medical records. Results suggested that the association between perceived community stigma and affective, cognitive, and mental health outcomes (self-esteem, depressive symptoms, avoidance coping, self-blame) are mediated by internalized stigma. Furthermore, a serial mediation model suggested that perceived community stigma leads to internalized stigma, which leads to anticipated community stigma, which in turn leads to lower medication adherence. The associations between perceived community stigma and interpersonal outcomes (social support, trust in physicians) were mediated by internalized stigma and anticipated stigma, again in a serial fashion (perceived community stigma leads to internalized stigma, which leads to anticipated stigma, which in turn leads to interpersonal outcomes). These results suggest that perceived HIV-related stigma in the community may cause people living with HIV to internalize stigma and anticipate stigmatizing experiences, resulting in adverse health and psychosocial outcomes—information that can be used to shape interventions. PMID:27272742

  2. East Meets West: The Adaptation of Vietnamese International Students to California Community Colleges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tam Huu Do

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available This study explores seven adaptation aspects that include language and communication, cultural awareness, loneliness and isolation, new educational settings, financial concerns, gender-based differences, and the political impact of the anti-communist Vietnamese American community. Based on Person/Environment Interactionism theory, case studies of eight students from Vietnam at two Southern California community colleges are considered utilizing data derived from weekly diaries, individual interviews, a final group meeting, and academic records. The students’ prior assumptions and expectations are identified and their coping strategies to various adaptation issues are documented and analyzed. The ethnic diversity of Orange County generally facilitated the students’ adaptation efforts in the aspects of language and communications, cultural awareness, and loneliness and isolation. The students seemed to readily adapt to the new educational settings and excel academically despite some different educational practices. There were no apparent gender-based differences in the students’ adaptation. However, unwelcoming attitudes from the anti-communist members of the Vietnamese American community adversely impacted the international students’ socialization with Vietnamese Americans, but did not impact their academic performance.

  3. Motivation, Self-Regulated Learning Efficacy, and Academic Achievement among International and Domestic Students at an Urban Community College: A Comparison

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Hsiang-Ann; Ferdenzi, Anita Cuttita; Edlin, Margot

    2012-01-01

    This study is designed to examine how intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and self-regulated learning efficacy influence academic achievement of international and domestic community college students. Results show that for both international and domestic students, motivation did not directly affect academic achievement. Self-regulated…

  4. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BENCHMARKING GUIDELINES ON COMMUNITY PHARMACIES IN MALAYSIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JENNIFER TAN SEE HUI

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP adopted a set of Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP guidelines in 1993 and recommended that the regulatory bodies of individual countries should adapt the guidelines in accordance with their resources. The Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society (MPS introduced its benchmarking guidelines (BMG in 2003 as a means to raise the professional standards of the community pharmacy practice in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the extent to which community pharmacies have adopted the BMG. A cross-sectional study was conducted using mail questionnaires, which were posted to all community pharmacies in Malaysia. A total of 371 questionnaires (29.2% were returned. Only 51.0% of the respondents were aware of the BMG. The extent of compliance with the guidelines was 62.6+21.1% (mean + standard deviation, with a median of 65%. The type and ownership of the community pharmacies were significantly associated with compliance with certain aspects of the guidelines. The main problem in complying with the BMG was financial constraint, and this problem was more likely to occur with independent than with chain pharmacies. However, the respondents generally agreed that most aspects of the BMG could be achieved in less than five years. Since the level of awareness among community pharmacists regarding the BMG is low, the MPS should promote or publicise the BMG further. The BMG should be reviewed before being used as part of the criteria for the accreditation of community pharmacies, as proposed by the MPS to further improve the quality and standards of community pharmacies in Malaysia.

  5. Using LinkedIn for Continuing Community of Practice Among Hand Surgeons Worldwide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Chaoyan; Cheema, Mubashir; Samarasekera, Dujeepa; Rajaratnam, Vaikunthan

    2015-01-01

    Hand surgeons need continuing professional development due to rapid advancement in the field. Traditional approaches have proven to be challenging due to the nature of surgical practice and other demands. Social media sites have shown the potential to build an online community of practice. One of the authors (VR) started Hand Surgery International on LinkedIn in February 2011. The number of members increased from 38 in the beginning to 4106 members by August 13, 2015, with members from all over the world. Half of them are from plastic surgery, with 16.8% hand and 17.8% orthopedic surgery; 63.8% of them are consultants. There were 151 discussion topics, which generated 1238 comments at an average of 8.2 comments per discussion thread. The topics focused on management of difficult patients, seeking consensus, and searching information. The features participants found most useful included case-based discussion, polls/surveys, and network opportunity. Members perceived the LinkedIn community as user-friendly and easy to use. It does not require significant technical knowledge. For the question "How would you rate the overall ease of using this platform?" 42% answered "strongly agree" and 37% "agree". The LinkedIn group serves as an effective means for continuing professional development for hand surgeons. © 2015 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education, and the Council on Continuing Medical Education, Association for Hospital Medical Education.

  6. ARCO and Sun agree to settle Iranian claims

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports that ARCO and Sun Co. Inc. have agreed to separate settlements totaling almost $261 million that resolve their claims over oil field assets expropriated by Iran in 1978--80. The agreements are subject to approval by the Iran-U.S. claims tribunal at The Hague. The tribunal was set up in 1981 to resolve foreign claims to assets nationalized by the government of Ayatollah Khomeini following the fall of the Shah of Iran as a result of the 1978-79 Iranian revolution. The settlements are seen as the latest steps Iran has taken to normalize relations with the U.S., notably through petroleum related deals

  7. 32 CFR 1900.33 - Allocation of resources; agreed extensions of time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... time. 1900.33 Section 1900.33 National Defense Other Regulations Relating to National Defense CENTRAL... Administrative Matters § 1900.33 Allocation of resources; agreed extensions of time. (a) In general. Agency... the component, (2) The business demands imposed on the component by the Director of Central...

  8. Factors that contribute to social media influence within an Internal Medicine Twitter learning community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desai, Tejas; Patwardhan, Manish; Coore, Hunter

    2014-01-01

    Medical societies, faculty, and trainees use Twitter to learn from and educate other social media users. These social media communities bring together individuals with various levels of experience. It is not known if experienced individuals are also the most influential members. We hypothesize that participants with the greatest experience would be the most influential members of a Twitter community. We analyzed the 2013 Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine Twitter community. We measured the number of tweets authored by each participant and the number of amplified tweets (re-tweets). We developed a multivariate linear regression model to identify any relationship to social media influence, measured by the PageRank. Faculty (from academic institutions) comprised 19% of the 132 participants in the learning community (p influence amongst all participants (mean 1.99, p influence (β = 0.068, p = 0.6). The only factors that predicted influence (higher PageRank) were the number of tweets authored (p influence. Any participant who was able to author the greatest number of tweets or have more of his/her tweets amplified could wield a greater influence on the participants, regardless of his/her authority.

  9. Conceptualising Terrorism: International Offence or Domestic Governance Tool?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aksenova, Marina

    2015-01-01

    This article argues that terrorism does not belong within the realm of international criminal law. On the surface, it is the lack of internationally agreed definition of terrorism and its domestic law origins that set it apart from the notions of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide...

  10. Irish medical students’ understanding of the intern year

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Gouda, P,

    2016-03-01

    Upon completion of medical school in Ireland, graduates must make the transition to becoming interns. The transition into the intern year may be described as challenging as graduates assume clinical responsibilities. Historically, a survey of interns in 1996 found that 91% felt unprepared for their role. However, recent surveys in 2012 have demonstrated that this is changing with preparedness rates reaching 52%. This can be partially explained by multiple initiatives at the local and national level. Our study aimed evaluate medical student understanding of the intern year and associated factors. An online, cross-sectional survey was sent out to all Irish medical students in 2013 and included questions regarding their understanding of the intern year. Two thousand, two hundred and forty-eight students responded, with 1224 (55.4%) of students agreeing or strongly agreeing that they had a good understanding of what the intern year entails. This rose to 485 (73.7%) among senior medical students. Of junior medical students, 260 (42.8%) indicated they understood what the intern year, compared to 479 (48.7%) of intermediate medical students. Initiatives to continue improving preparedness for the intern year are essential in ensuring a smooth and less stressful transition into the medical workforce

  11. European Community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1987-05-01

    The European Community was established in 1951 to reconcile France and Germany after World War II and to make possible the eventual federation of Europe. By 1986, there were 12 member countries: France, Italy, Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, and Portugal. Principal areas of concern are internal and external trade, agriculture, monetary coordination, fisheries, common industrial and commercial policies, assistance, science and research, and common social and regional policies. The European Community has a budget of US$34.035 billion/year, funded by customs duties and 1.4% of each member's value-added tax. The treaties establishing the European Community call for members to form a common market, a common customs tariff, and common agricultural, transport, economic, and nuclear policies. Major European Community institutions include the Commission, Council of Ministers, European Parliament, Court of Justice, and Economic and Social Committee. The Community is the world's largest trading unit, accounting for 15% of world trade. The 2 main goals of the Community's industrial policy are to create an open internal market and to promote technological innovation in order to improve international competitiveness. The European Community aims to contribute to the economic and social development of Third World countries as well.

  12. Protectionism in the Current International Context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Botescu Ion

    2017-01-01

    The attempt to impose a set of international trade rules to be respected by world statesrepresents progress in this area. Further issues are related to how the agreed rules apply so thatthe benefits of international trade are placed in an equitable area. The global financial crisis, theBrexit, Trump's attitude as candidate and especially as US President are disturbing factors in thetrade relationships between states.

  13. Do we need community geriatrics?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Hanlon, S

    2012-01-30

    Community geriatrics has evolved as a specific aspect of geriatric medicine in the UK. In Ireland there is uncertainty as to how it should be planned. This is the first national survey of consultants, specialist registrars and general practitioners to seek their opinions. Most consultants and GPs reported already having a community aspect to their current practice, e.g. nursing home visits or community hospital visits, whereas most SpRs did not. Forty three of 62 respondents (69%) agreed that there is a need for community geriatricians and that there should be integration with hospital medicine. Fifty seven of 62 respondents (92%) felt that there would be a beneficial effect on GP services, though some expressed concern about work overlap. Thirteen of the 25 SpRs (52%) in training hoped to begin practice in community geriatrics in the future.

  14. Search Results | Page 43 | IDRC - International Development ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Results 421 - 430 of 8492 ... ... Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (186) Apply ... Do researchers and marketing companies agree on what is needed? IDRC awardees. Investigating the pros and cons of digital technologies.

  15. Spray-on-skin cells in burns: a common practice with no agreed protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allouni, Ammar; Papini, Remo; Lewis, Darren

    2013-11-01

    Cultured epithelial autograft (CEA) has been used for skin coverage after burn wound excision since 1981. It is used in burn units and centres throughout the U.K.; however, there appears to be no agreed standards of practice. We aimed to investigate the experience and current practice with its usage in the management of acute burn injury. An online survey was sent to twenty-five burns consultants in the U.K., who are members of the British Burn Association. We received 14 responses. Rarely have the responders agreed to the same practice in most of the questions. Different choices were given by responders with regards the indications for cell culture, techniques used, primary and secondary dressings used, first wound review timing, and measures used to evaluate outcomes. In the current economic environment, the NHS needs to rationalize services on the basis of cost effectiveness. CEA is an expensive procedure that requires an adequately sterile laboratory, special equipments and highly experienced dedicated staff. When dealing with expensive management options, it is important to have an agreed protocol that can form the standard that can be referred to when auditing practices and results to improve burn management and patients' care. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Global Science Share: Connecting young scientists from developing countries with science writing mentors to strengthen and widen the international science community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasenkopf, C. A.

    2012-12-01

    Collaborative science in which scientists are able to form research questions based on the current body of scientific knowledge and get feedback from colleagues on their ideas and work is essential for pushing science forward. However, not all scientists are able to fully participate in the international science community. Scientists from developing countries can face barriers to communicating with the international community due to, among other issues: fewer scientists in their home country, difficulty in getting language-specific science writing training, fewer established pre-existing international collaborations and networks, and sometimes geographic isolation. These barriers not only result in keeping individual scientists from contributing their ideas, but they also slow down the progress of the scientific enterprise for everyone. Global Science Share (http://globalscienceshare.org/) is a new project, entering its pilot phase in Fall 2012, which will work to reduce this disparity by connecting young scientists and engineers from developing countries seeking to improve their technical writing with other scientists and engineers around the world via online collaborations. Scientist-volunteers act as mentors and are paired up with mentees according to their academic field and writing needs. The mentors give feedback and constructive technical and editorial criticisms on mentees' submitted pieces of writing through a four-step email discussion. Mentees gain technical writing skills, as well as make international connections with other scientists and engineers in fields related to their own. Mentors also benefit by gaining new international scientific colleagues and honing their own writing skills through their critiques. The Global Science Share project will begin its pilot phase by first inviting Mongolian science students to apply as mentees this fall. This abstract will introduce the Global Science Share program, present a progress report from its first

  17. The disarmament agenda of the international community in 1994 and beyond. Statements of the Secretary-General

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boutros Ghali, B.

    1994-04-01

    The document comprises two statements of the Secretary-General delivered in January 1994, conveys present thinking on possible approaches to be taken in the light of the events of the past year and views on a number of specific tasks that the international community must now carry out with a sense of urgency.

  18. Perceptions of health, health care and community-oriented health interventions in poor urban communities of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maketa, Vivi; Vuna, Mimy; Baloji, Sylvain; Lubanza, Symphorien; Hendrickx, David; Inocêncio da Luz, Raquel Andrea; Boelaert, Marleen; Lutumba, Pascal

    2013-01-01

    In Democratic Republic of Congo access to health care is limited because of many geographical and financial barriers, while quality of care is often low. Global health donors assist the country with a number of community-oriented interventions such as free distribution of bednets, antihelminthic drugs, vitamin A supplementation and vaccination campaigns, but uptake of these interventions is not always optimal. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of poor urban communities of the capital Kinshasa with regard to health issues in general as well as their experiences and expectations concerning facility-based health services and community-oriented health interventions. Applying an approach rooted in the grounded theory framework, focus group discussions were conducted in eight neighborhoods of poor urban areas in the city of Kinshasa in July 2011. Study participants were easily able to evoke the city's major health problems, with the notable exceptions of malnutrition and HIV/AIDS. They perceive the high out-of-pocket cost of health services as the major obstacle when seeking access to quality care. Knowledge of ongoing community-oriented health interventions seems good. Still, while the study participants agree that those interventions are beneficial; their acceptability seems to be problematic. This is chiefly put down to a lack of information and government communication about the programs and their interventions. Furthermore, the study participants referred to rumors and the deterring effect of stories about alleged harmful consequences of those interventions. Along with improving the provision and quality of general health care, the government and international actors must improve their efforts in informing the communities about disease control programs, their rationale and benefit/risk ratio. Directly engaging community members in a dialogue might be beneficial in terms of improving acceptability and overall access to health services and

  19. Towards an international regime on radiation and nuclear safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez, A.J.

    2000-01-01

    The 1990s have seen the de facto emergence of what might be called an 'international regime on nuclear and radiation safety'. It may be construed to encompass three key elements: legally binding international undertakings among States; globally agreed international safety standards; and provisions for facilitating the application of those standards. While nuclear and radiation safety are national responsibilities, governments have long been interested in formulating harmonised approaches to radiation and nuclear safety. A principal mechanism for achieving harmonisation has been the establishment of internationally agreed safety standards and the promotion of their global application. The development of nuclear and radiation safety standards is a statutory function of the IAEA, which is unique in the United Nations system. The IAEA Statute expressly authorises the Agency 'to establish standards of safety' and 'to provide for the application of these standards'. As the following articles and supplement in this edition of the IAEA Bulletin point out, facilitating international conventions; developing safety standards; and providing mechanisms for their application are high priorities for the IAEA. (author)

  20. E-learning interventions are comparable to user's manual in a randomized trial of training strategies for the AGREE II

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Durocher Lisa D

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Practice guidelines (PGs are systematically developed statements intended to assist in patient and practitioner decisions. The AGREE II is the revised tool for PG development, reporting, and evaluation, comprised of 23 items, two global rating scores, and a new User's Manual. In this study, we sought to develop, execute, and evaluate the impact of two internet interventions designed to accelerate the capacity of stakeholders to use the AGREE II. Methods Participants were randomized to one of three training conditions. 'Tutorial'--participants proceeded through the online tutorial with a virtual coach and reviewed a PDF copy of the AGREE II. 'Tutorial + Practice Exercise'--in addition to the Tutorial, participants also appraised a 'practice' PG. For the practice PG appraisal, participants received feedback on how their scores compared to expert norms and formative feedback if scores fell outside the predefined range. 'AGREE II User's Manual PDF (control condition'--participants reviewed a PDF copy of the AGREE II only. All participants evaluated a test PG using the AGREE II. Outcomes of interest were learners' performance, satisfaction, self-efficacy, mental effort, time-on-task, and perceptions of AGREE II. Results No differences emerged between training conditions on any of the outcome measures. Conclusions We believe these results can be explained by better than anticipated performance of the AGREE II PDF materials (control condition or the participants' level of health methodology and PG experience rather than the failure of the online training interventions. Some data suggest the online tools may be useful for trainees new to this field; however, this requires further study.

  1. Mapping the rehabilitation interventions of a community stroke team to the extended International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Melissa; Hocking, Clare; Kersten, Paula

    2017-12-01

    This study aim was to evaluate whether the Extended International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Stroke captured the interventions of a community stroke rehabilitation team situated in a large city in New Zealand. It was proposed that the results would identify the contribution of each discipline, and the gaps and differences in service provision to Māori and non-Māori. Applying the Extended International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Stroke in this way would also inform whether this core set should be adopted in New Zealand. Interventions were retrospectively extracted from 18 medical records and linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and the Extended International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Stroke. The frequencies of linked interventions and the health discipline providing the intervention were calculated. Analysis revealed that 98.8% of interventions provided by the rehabilitation team could be linked to the Extended International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Stroke, with more interventions for body function and structure than for activities and participation; no interventions for emotional concerns; and limited interventions for community, social and civic life. Results support previous recommendations for additions to the EICSS. The results support the use of the Extended International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Set for Stroke in New Zealand and demonstrates its use as a quality assurance tool that can evaluate the scope and practice of a rehabilitation service. Implications for Rehabilitation The Extended International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health Core Set for Stroke appears to represent the stroke interventions of a community stroke rehabilitation team in New Zealand. As a result, researchers and clinicians may have

  2. Conflict Resolution in Africa: Challenges for the International Community, The Organization of African Unity and the Sub- Regional Groups

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Wamala, Edward

    2000-01-01

    .... It will discuss in detail the common causes of the conflicts, highlight the roles of external players, the challenges and roles of the international community, the Organization of African Unity (OAU...

  3. Community understandings of and responses to gender equality and empowerment in Rakai, Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mullinax, Margo; Higgins, Jenny; Wagman, Jennifer; Nakyanjo, Neema; Kigozi, Godfrey; Serwadda, David; Wawer, Maria; Gray, Ronald; Nalugoda, Fred

    2013-01-01

    Women's rights and gender empowerment programmes are now part of the international agenda for improving global public health, the benefits of which are well documented. However, the public health community has, yet, to address how people define and understand gender equality and how they enact the process of empowerment in their lives. This study uses safe homes and respect for everyone (SHARE), an anti-violence intervention in rural Rakai, Uganda, as a case study to investigate perceptions of gender equality. Investigators analysed 12 focus groups of adult women and men to explore how macro-level concepts of gender equality are being processed on an interpersonal level and the effects on health outcomes. Respondents generally agreed that women lack basic rights. However, they also expressed widespread disagreement about the meanings of gender equality, and reported difficulties integrating the concepts of gender equality into their interpersonal relationships. Community members reported that equality, with the resulting shift in gender norms, could expose women to adverse consequences such as violence, infidelity and abandonment with increased sexual health risks, and potential adverse effects on education. Efforts to increase women's rights must occur in conjunction with community-based work on understandings of gender equality.

  4. Local Food Systems Supported by Communities Nationally and Internationally

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Izabella Mária Bakos

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Due to the concerns about the long-term sustainability of globalized retail trade as well as the more and more determining health-conscious food-consuming attitude the systems of government respectively the groups of conscious consumers all over the world put emphasis on the popularization and development of local food chains and small-scale supply chains simultaneously they connect the retailers producing highquality, local foods with the direct markets. In my study, I would like to present an overview of the development and current state of community supported agricultural systems on the international and Hungarian level and on the basis of the results of my questionnaire survey. I will indicate whether there are any demand for local food in Hungary and about how much the population of the six investigated settlements are familiar with it. Within this type of alternative local food systems, farmers and their buyers form a community based on social capital (co-operation, mutual trust and mutual responsibility, a direct sales channel, in such a way that cooperation is also beneficial to the producer and the consumer. The producer is in an advantageous position as he can form a direct and long-term relationship with his consumers selling his high-quality products locally consequently he can work in a cost-effective and optimal way. However, the advantage of the consumer is that he can obtain healthy foods from reliable sources contributing to the maintenance of his health respectively to the development of local economy.

  5. Spatial Dynamics of the Communities and the Role of Major Countries in the International Rare Earths Trade: A Complex Network Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xibo; Ge, Jianping; Wei, Wendong; Li, Hanshi; Wu, Chen; Zhu, Ge

    2016-01-01

    Rare earths (RE) are critical materials in many high-technology products. Due to the uneven distribution and important functions for industrial development, most countries import RE from a handful of suppliers that are rich in RE, such as China. However, because of the rapid growth of RE exploitation and pollution of the mining and production process, some of the main suppliers have gradually tended to reduce the RE production and exports. Especially in the last decade, international RE trade has been changing in the trade community and trade volume. Based on complex network theory, we built an unweighted and weighted network to explore the evolution of the communities and identify the role of the major countries in the RE trade. The results show that an international RE trade network was dispersed and unstable because of the existence of five to nine trade communities in the unweighted network and four to eight trade communities in the weighted network in the past 13 years. Moreover, trade groups formed due to the great influence of geopolitical relations. China was often associated with the South America and African countries in the same trade group. In addition, Japan, China, the United States, and Germany had the largest impacts on international RE trade from 2002 to 2014. Last, some policy suggestions were highlighted according to the results.

  6. Spatial Dynamics of the Communities and the Role of Major Countries in the International Rare Earths Trade: A Complex Network Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xibo Wang

    Full Text Available Rare earths (RE are critical materials in many high-technology products. Due to the uneven distribution and important functions for industrial development, most countries import RE from a handful of suppliers that are rich in RE, such as China. However, because of the rapid growth of RE exploitation and pollution of the mining and production process, some of the main suppliers have gradually tended to reduce the RE production and exports. Especially in the last decade, international RE trade has been changing in the trade community and trade volume. Based on complex network theory, we built an unweighted and weighted network to explore the evolution of the communities and identify the role of the major countries in the RE trade. The results show that an international RE trade network was dispersed and unstable because of the existence of five to nine trade communities in the unweighted network and four to eight trade communities in the weighted network in the past 13 years. Moreover, trade groups formed due to the great influence of geopolitical relations. China was often associated with the South America and African countries in the same trade group. In addition, Japan, China, the United States, and Germany had the largest impacts on international RE trade from 2002 to 2014. Last, some policy suggestions were highlighted according to the results.

  7. International Journal of Community Research

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    : 2384 - 6828] is a peer reviewed journal publication of Anthonio Research Center. IJCR publishes research articles, review articles, short reports and commentaries that are community-based or inter and intra-cultural based. IJCR also accepts ...

  8. Community-Based Ecotourism: The Transformation of Local Community

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pookhao Nantira

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Community-based ecotourism (CBET is considered a sustainable form of tourism that improves the quality of life of hosts at the tourist destination. Scholars have yet to explore the long-term operation of CBET in relation to its effects on the local way of life. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to examine the transformation of a local community due to the operation of CBET in relation to sociocultural, economic and environmental aspects. The findings reveal that the community encounters both positive and negative impacts of transformation. However, unintended impacts of the CBET operation lay embedded in the transformation of relationships among the community members. The study identifies that close relationships among the villagers has been initially transformed to loose relationships due to forgotten communal goals; CBET has transformed from being a conservation tool to being a business-oriented goal which causes conflicts of interest among local people and alters traditional social structure. The study also agrees with the notion of social exchange theory for villagers to enhance environmental sustainability, and proposes that slight inequalities of benefits received from CBET causes social transformation at the local level.

  9. Gaining trust from the scientific climate change community and increasing the visibility of their data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfeil, B.; Diepenbroek, M.

    2017-12-01

    Climate science has a major impact not just within the field, but also has immediate significant societal and economic implications. Scientists are well aware that their research results may be discussed by policy-makers and the media, sometimes with hostile intent from climate science deniers. Sustainable and scrutinized data management is the backbone for future scientific research and vital to maintain the integrity and reputation of the climate science community. In 2009 a lack of openness regarding data acquisition data treatment was one of the main factors in Climategate that severely damaged the community's image - and efficient data sharing and management can prevent this in the future. Data repositories can only operate effectively if they have the trust of their users: this includes both the data providers and data users. Both groups have to be assured that data treatment and quality control follows internationally agreed SOPs (standard operating procedures), is transparent, documented and traceable. Users want easy access to data and have to be assured that data is citable, allows reproducibility and can be used with confidence, which requires that both the data and accompanying metadata are of the highest possible quality. Building up trust from both communities takes time and requires collaboration, getting feedback from the community and addressing their needs. This presentation will show the basic needs and challenges for data repositories, and will illustrate how the marine carbon climate change community has successfully addressed these through the SOCAT (Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas) project. The project actively involves both data providers and users throughout the design and implementation of their infrastructures. Scientists are directly involved in quality control of the data and metadata, increasing trust in the data and encouraging international collaboration, which in turn increases the visibility of both the community and its data.

  10. Comparison of community managed projects and conventional ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ejiro O. Taghwo

    This study aimed to compare Community Managed Projects (CMP) approach with the ... Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution ... attention to repair and upgrade failed systems in ... In addition to low success in improving coverage, non-.

  11. [How to assess clinical practice guidelines with AGREE II: The example of neonatal jaundice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renesme, L; Bedu, A; Tourneux, P; Truffert, P

    2016-03-01

    Neonatal jaundice is a very frequent condition that occurs in approximately 50-70% of term or near-term (>35 GA) babies in the 1st week of life. In some cases, a high bilirubin blood level can lead to kernicterus. There is no consensus for the management of neonatal jaundice and few countries have published national clinical practice guidelines for the management of neonatal jaundice. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of these guidelines. We conducted a systematic review of the literature for national clinical practice guidelines for the management of neonatal jaundice in term or near-term babies. Four independent reviewers assessed the quality of each guideline using the AGREE II evaluation. For each of the clinical practice guidelines, the management modalities were analyzed (screening, treatment, follow-up, etc.). Seven national clinical practice guidelines were found (South Africa, USA AAP, UK NICE, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, and Israel). The AGREE II score showed widespread variation regarding the quality of these national guidelines. There was no major difference between the guidelines concerning the clinical management of these babies. The NICE guideline is the most valuable guideline regarding the AGREE II score. NICE showed that, despite a strong and rigorous methodology, there is no evidenced-based recommended code of practice (RCP). Comparing RCPs, we found no major differences. The NICE guideline showed the best quality. The AGREE II instrument should be used as a framework when developing clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of the future guideline. In France, a national guideline is needed for a more standardized management of neonatal jaundice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  12. Evaluation of the quality of guidelines for myasthenia gravis with the AGREE II instrument.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhenchang Zhang

    Full Text Available Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs are systematically developed statements to assist practitioners in making decisions about appropriate healthcare in specific clinical circumstances. The methodological quality of CPGs for myasthenia gravis (MG are unclear.To critically evaluate the methodological quality of CPGs for MG using AGREE II instrument.A systematical search strategy on PubMed, EMBASE, DynaMed, the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC and the Chinese Biomedical Literature database (CBM was performed on September 20th 2013. All guidelines related to MG were evaluated with AGREE II. The software used for analysis was SPSS 17.0.A total of 15 CPGs for MG met the inclusion criteria (12 CPGs in English, 3 CPGs in Chinese. The overall agreement among reviews was moderate or high (ICC >0.70. The mean scores (mean ± SD for al six domains were presented as follows: scope and purpose (60.93% ± 16.62%, stakeholder involvement (40.93% ± 20.04%, rigor of development (37.22% ± 30.46%, clarity of presentation (64.26% ± 16.36%, applicability (28.19% ± 20.56% and editorial independence (27.78% ± 28.28%. Compared with non-evidence-based CPGs, evidence-based CPGs had statistically significant higher quality scores for all AGREE II domains (P0.05. The quality scores of CPGs developed by NGC/AAN were higher than the quality scores of CPGs developed by other organizations for all domains. The difference was statistically significant for all domains with the exception of clarity of presentation (P = 0.07.The qualities of CPGs on MG were generally acceptable with several flaws. The AGREE II instrument should be adopted by guideline developers, particularly in China.

  13. Building a Community of Practice for Researchers: The International Network for Simulation-Based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Adam; Auerbach, Marc; Calhoun, Aaron; Mackinnon, Ralph; Chang, Todd P; Nadkarni, Vinay; Hunt, Elizabeth A; Duval-Arnould, Jordan; Peiris, Nicola; Kessler, David

    2018-06-01

    The scope and breadth of simulation-based research is growing rapidly; however, few mechanisms exist for conducting multicenter, collaborative research. Failure to foster collaborative research efforts is a critical gap that lies in the path of advancing healthcare simulation. The 2017 Research Summit hosted by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare highlighted how simulation-based research networks can produce studies that positively impact the delivery of healthcare. In 2011, the International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education (INSPIRE) was formed to facilitate multicenter, collaborative simulation-based research with the aim of developing a community of practice for simulation researchers. Since its formation, the network has successfully completed and published numerous collaborative research projects. In this article, we describe INSPIRE's history, structure, and internal processes with the goal of highlighting the community of practice model for other groups seeking to form a simulation-based research network.

  14. Modelling of volunteer satisfaction and intention to remain in community service: A stepwise approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasan, Hazlin; Wahid, Sharifah Norhuda Syed; Jais, Mohammad; Ridzuan, Arifi

    2017-05-01

    The purpose of this study is to obtain the most significant model of volunteer satisfaction and intention to remain in community service by using a stepwise approach. Currently, Malaysians, young and old are showing more interests in involving themselves in community service projects, either locally or internationally. This positive movement of serving the needy is somehow being halted by the lack of human and financial resources. Therefore, the trend today sees organizers of such projects depend heavily on voluntary supports as they enable project managers to add and to expand the quantity and diversity of services offered without exhausting the minimal budget available. Volunteers are considered a valuable commodity as the available pool of volunteers may be declining due to various reasons which include the volunteer satisfaction. In tandem with the existing situation, a selected sample of 215 diploma students from one of the public universities in Malaysia, who have been involved in at least one community service project, agreed that everybody should have a volunteering intention in helping others. The findings revealed that the most significant model obtained contains two factors that contributed towards intention to remain in community service; work assignment and organizational support, with work assignment becoming the most significant factor. Further research on the differences of intention to remain in community service between students' stream and gender would be conducted to contribute to the body of knowledge.

  15. Annexe A. Principes généraux des contrats du commerce international. Unidroit - 1994

    OpenAIRE

    2015-01-01

    PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS [1994] PREAMBLE (Purpose of the Principles) These Principles set forth general rules for international commercial contracts. They shall be applied when the parties have agreed that their contract be governed by them. They may be applied when the parties have agreed that their contract be governed by general principles of law, the lex mercatoria or the like. They may provide a solution to an issue raised when it proves impossible to establish th...

  16. Alcohol management plans in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous Australian communities in Queensland: community residents have experienced favourable impacts but also suffered unfavourable ones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan R. Clough

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In Australia, ‘Alcohol Management Plans’ (AMPs provide the policy infrastructure for State and Commonwealth Governments to address problematic alcohol use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. We report community residents’ experiences of AMPs in 10 of Queensland’s 15 remote Indigenous communities. Methods This cross-sectional study used a two-stage sampling strategy: N = 1211; 588 (48% males, 623 (52% females aged ≥18 years in 10 communities. Seven propositions about ‘favourable’ impacts and seven about ‘unfavourable’ impacts were developed from semi-structured interviews. For each proposition, one-sample tests of proportions examined participant agreement and multivariable binary logistic regressions assessed influences of gender, age (18–24, 25–44, 45–64, ≥65 years, residence (≥6 years, current drinking and Indigenous status. Confirmatory factor analyses estimated scale reliability (ρ, item loadings and covariances. Results Slim majorities agreed that: AMPs reduced violence (53%, p = 0.024; community a better place to live (54%, 0.012; and children were safer (56%, p < 0.001. More agreed that: school attendance improved (66%, p < 0.001; and awareness of alcohol’s harms increased (71%, p < 0.001. Participants were equivocal about improved personal safety (53%, p = 0.097 and reduced violence against women (49%, p = 0.362. The seven ‘favourable’ items reliably summarized participants’ experiences of reduced violence and improved community amenity (ρ = 0.90. Stronger agreement was found for six ‘unfavourable’ items: alcohol availability not reduced (58%, p < 0.001; drinking not reduced (56%, p < 0.001; cannabis use increased (69%, p < 0.001; more binge drinking (73%, p < 0.001; discrimination experienced (77%, p < 0.001; increased fines, convictions and criminal records for breaching restrictions (90%, p < 0

  17. Improving healthcare value through clinical community and supply chain collaboration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishii, Lisa; Demski, Renee; Ken Lee, K H; Mustafa, Zishan; Frank, Steve; Wolisnky, Jean Paul; Cohen, David; Khanna, Jay; Ammerman, Joshua; Khanuja, Harpal S; Unger, Anthony S; Gould, Lois; Wachter, Patricia Ann; Stearns, Lauren; Werthman, Ronald; Pronovost, Peter

    2017-03-01

    We hypothesized that integrating supply chain with clinical communities would allow for clinician-led supply cost reduction and improved value in an academic health system. Three clinical communities (spine, joint, blood management) and one clinical community-like physician led team of surgeon stakeholders partnered with the supply chain team on specific supply cost initiatives. The teams reviewed their specific utilization and cost data, and the physicians led consensus-building conversations over a series of team meetings to agree to standard supply utilization. The spine and joint clinical communities each agreed upon a vendor capping model that led to cost savings of $3 million dollars and $1.5 million dollars respectively. The blood management decreased blood product utilization and achieved $1.2 million dollars savings. $5.6 million dollars in savings was achieved by a clinical community-like group of surgeon stakeholders through standardization of sutures and endomechanicals. Physician led clinical teams empowered to lead change achieved substantial supply chain cost savings in an academic health system. The model of combining clinical communities with supply chain offers hope for an effective, practical, and scalable approach to improving value and engaging physicians in other academic health systems. This clinician led model could benefit both private and academic health systems engaging in value optimization efforts. N/A. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Research on Community Structure in Bus Transport Networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Xuhua; Wang Bo; Sun Youxian

    2009-01-01

    We abstract the bus transport networks (BTNs) to two kinds of complex networks with space L and space P methods respectively. Using improved community detecting algorithm (PKM agglomerative algorithm), we analyze the community property of two kinds of BTNs graphs. The results show that the BTNs graph described with space L method have obvious community property, but the other kind of BTNs graph described with space P method have not. The reason is that the BTNs graph described with space P method have the intense overlapping community property and general community division algorithms can not identify this kind of community structure. To overcome this problem, we propose a novel community structure called N-depth community and present a corresponding community detecting algorithm, which can detect overlapping community. Applying the novel community structure and detecting algorithm to a BTN evolution model described with space P, whose network property agrees well with real BTNs', we get obvious community property. (general)

  19. Community Report and Recommendations from International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foing, Bernard H.

    2016-07-01

    The International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) was established in April 1995 at a meeting in Hamburg, Germany. As established in its charter, this working group reports to COSPAR and is charged with developing an international strategy for the exploration of the Moon. It discusses coordination between missions, and a road map for future international lunar exploration and utilisation. It fosters information exchange or potential and real future lunar robotic and human missions, as well as for new scientific and exploration information about the Moon. We refer to COSPAR and ILEWG ICEUM and lunar conferences and declarations [1-18], present the GLUC/ICEUM11 declaration and give a report on ongoing relevant ILEWG community activities. ILEWG supported community forums, ILEWG EuroMoonMars field campaigns and technology validation activities, as well as Young Lunar Explorers events, and activities with broad stakeholders. We discuss how lunar missions SMART-1, Kaguya, Chang'E1&2, Chandrayaan-1, LCROSS, LRO, GRAIL, LADEE, Chang'E3 and upcoming missions contribute to lunar exploration objectives & roadmap towards the Moon Village. GLUC/ICEUM11 declaration: "467 International Lunar Explorers, registered delegates from 26 countries, assembled at GLUC Global Lunar Conference including the 11th ILEWG Conference on Exploration and Utilisation of the Moon (ICEUM11) in Beijing. The conference engaged scientists, engineers, enthusiast explorers, agencies and organisations in the discussion of recent results and activities and the review of plans for exploration. Space agencies representatives gave the latest reports on their current lunar activities and programmes. GLUC-ICEUM11 was a truly historical meeting that demonstrated the world-wide interest in lunar exploration, discovery, and science. More than 400 abstracts were accepted for oral and poster presentations in the technical sessions, organised in 32 sessions within 4 symposia: Science and Exploration; Technology

  20. Community Monitoring for REDD+: International Promises and Field Realities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Finn Danielsen

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Will community monitoring assist in delivering just and equitable REDD+? We assessed whether local communities can effectively estimate carbon stocks in some of the world's most carbon rich forests, using simple field protocols, and we reviewed whether community monitoring exists in current REDD+ pilots. We obtained similar results for forest carbon when measured by communities and professional foresters in 289 vegetation plots in Southeast Asia. Most REDD+ monitoring schemes, however, contain no community involvement. To close the gulf between United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change texts on involving communities and field implementation realities, we propose greater embedding of community monitoring within national REDD+ pilot schemes, which we argue will lead to a more just REDD+.

  1. The role of a family for internal dose formation in rural community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vlasova, N.V.; Rozhko, A.V.; Stavrov, V.V.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Despite correct evaluation of agricultural land contamination of a settlement and the activity of foodstuffs, it is impossible to explain dose formation in rural community. And without this knowledge it is impossible to estimate correctly decision-making. The dose formation research was provided earlier in rural community based on the concept describing that the individual with his personal characteristics, social and economic statuses during his practical activity interacting with the contaminated environment, actively contributes to dose formation. Such approach only partly allows revealing dose formation mechanisms though there are some unclear issues: for example, high doses at some children. At the same time children, as well as all residents are the members of families. Direct consumption of food stuffs is provided within a family. It is preceded with the formation of psycho-emotional perception of radiation danger factor. There have been used the data of internal doses of the inhabitants obtained by the results of WBC-measurements. Simultaneously with performing of WBC measurements by interviewing of adult members of a family there was revealed the frequency of visits to forest and consumption rate of its 'gifts'. The method of a family analysis of internal dose formation is the classification of families by set of the informative attributes describing dose formation in a family such as an average internal dose at a member of a family; family total dose; the description of a family 'contact' with a forest; the number of family members; the number of children in a family; average age and the educational level of adult members of a family; gender and occupation of the head of a family; age and education of the head of a family. As a result of multivariate classification of families in the settlement there was obtained 10 different classes providing complete imagination about a variety of families' types. The average doses in classes essentially

  2. International Institutions and Domestic Reform: Equal Pay and British Membership in the European Economic Community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frader, Laura Levine

    2018-03-01

    Despite having been overlooked in the standard histories of the UK and the European Community, gender politics and gender policies played a significant role in Britain's applications for membership in the EEC in the 1960s. Joining the European Community required that Britain comply with Article 119 on equal pay for equal work. A combination of domestic feminist and labour movement activism, the commitment of unions and parties, and the internationalization of formal commitments to women's rights constituted internal and external pressures for the passage of an Equal Pay Act in 1970. The article argues that the formal legislative commitment to gender pay equality, changing public attitudes towards women's employment, and European membership impacted further domestic social policy reform and slowly began to shift government attitudes towards gender equality.

  3. New German abortion law agreed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karcher, H L

    1995-07-15

    The German Bundestag has passed a compromise abortion law that makes an abortion performed within the first three months of pregnancy an unlawful but unpunishable act if the woman has sought independent counseling first. Article 218 of the German penal code, which was established in 1871 under Otto von Bismarck, had allowed abortions for certain medical or ethical reasons. After the end of the first world war, the Social Democrats tried to legalize all abortions performed in the first three months of pregnancy, but failed. In 1974, abortion on demand during the first 12 weeks was declared legal and unpunishable under the social liberal coalition government of chancellor Willy Brandt; however, the same year, the German Federal Constitution Court in Karlsruhe ruled the bill was incompatible with article 2 of the constitution, which guarantees the right to life and freedom from bodily harm to everyone, including the unborn. The highest German court also ruled that a pregnant woman had to seek a second opinion from an independent doctor before undergoing an abortion. A new, extended article 218, which included a clause giving social indications, was passed by the Bundestag. When Germany was unified, East Germans agreed to be governed by all West German laws, except article 218. The Bundestag was given 2 years to revise the article; however, in 1993, the Federal Constitution Court rejected a version legalizing abortion in the first 3 months of the pregnancy if the woman sought counsel from an independent physician, and suggested the recent compromise passed by the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament. The upper house, the Bundesrat, where the Social Democrats are in the majority, still has to pass it. Under the bill passed by the Bundestag, national health insurance will pay for an abortion if the monthly income of the woman seeking the abortion falls under a certain limit.

  4. Policy communities and allocation of internalized cost : negotiation of the Ontario acid rain program, 1982-1985

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    MacDonald, D.C.

    1997-12-31

    The process of allocating the internalized cost of environmental protection amongst industrial concerns and governments was studied. The issue was addressed by reviewing the literature on the treatment of externalities by economists, and the literature describing the approach to policy analysis by the the policy communities. An examination of a case study in which the cost of sulphur dioxide emission reductions was allocated amongst the major Ontario sources during the development of the 1985 national and Ontario acid rain programs was presented. The study provided an insight into issues regarding Canadian environmental policy and policy communities theory and practice. The Ontario allocation was negotiated by Ontario alone, even though it was part of a national program. The environmental movement also had no role in this Ontario policy decisions. The power to influence the Ontario cabinet belonged to MOE, Inco, and Ontario Hydro through negotiations and compromise, which conforms to the basic premise of the policy communities approach.

  5. Internal Medicine Residents' Perceived Responsibility for Patients at Hospital Discharge: A National Survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Eric; Stickrath, Chad; McNulty, Monica C; Calderon, Aaron J; Chapman, Elizabeth; Gonzalo, Jed D; Kuperman, Ethan F; Lopez, Max; Smith, Christopher J; Sweigart, Joseph R; Theobald, Cecelia N; Burke, Robert E

    2016-12-01

    Medical residents are routinely entrusted with transitions of care, yet little is known about the duration or content of their perceived responsibility for patients they discharge from the hospital. To examine the duration and content of internal medicine residents' perceived responsibility for patients they discharge from the hospital. The secondary objective was to determine whether specific individual experiences and characteristics correlate with perceived responsibility. Multi-site, cross-sectional 24-question survey delivered via email or paper-based form. Internal medicine residents (post-graduate years 1-3) at nine university and community-based internal medicine training programs in the United States. Perceived responsibility for patients after discharge as measured by a previously developed single-item tool for duration of responsibility and novel domain-specific questions assessing attitudes towards specific transition of care behaviors. Of 817 residents surveyed, 469 responded (57.4 %). One quarter of residents (26.1 %) indicated that their responsibility for patients ended at discharge, while 19.3 % reported perceived responsibility extending beyond 2 weeks. Perceived duration of responsibility did not correlate with level of training (P = 0.57), program type (P = 0.28), career path (P = 0.12), or presence of burnout (P = 0.59). The majority of residents indicated they were responsible for six of eight transitional care tasks (85.1-99.3 % strongly agree or agree). Approximately half of residents (57 %) indicated that it was their responsibility to directly contact patients' primary care providers at discharge. and 21.6 % indicated that it was their responsibility to ensure that patients attended their follow-up appointments. Internal medicine residents demonstrate variability in perceived duration of responsibility for recently discharged patients. Neither the duration nor the content of residents' perceived responsibility was

  6. Stakeholder views of rural community-based medical education: a narrative review of the international literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Somporn, Praphun; Ash, Julie; Walters, Lucie

    2018-03-30

    Rural community-based medical education (RCBME), in which medical student learning activities take place within a rural community, requires students, clinical teachers, patients, community members and representatives of health and government sectors to actively contribute to the educational process. Therefore, academics seeking to develop RCBME need to understand the rural context, and the views and needs of local stakeholders. The aim of this review is to examine stakeholder experiences of RCBME programmes internationally. This narrative literature review of original research articles published after 1970 utilises Worley's symbiosis model of medical education as an analysis framework. This model proposes that students experience RCBME through their intersection with multiple clinical, social and institutional relationships. This model seeks to provide a framework for considering the intersecting relationships in which RCBME programmes are situated. Thirty RCBME programmes are described in 52 articles, representing a wide range of rural clinical placements. One-year longitudinal integrated clerkships for penultimate-year students in Anglosphere countries were most common. Such RCBME enables students to engage in work-integrated learning in a feasible manner that is acceptable to many rural clinicians and patients. Academic results are not compromised, and a few papers demonstrate quality improvement for rural health services engaged in RCBME. These programmes have delivered some rural medical workforce outcomes to communities and governments. Medical students also provide social capital to rural communities. However, these programmes have significant financial cost and risk student social and educational isolation. Rural community-based medical education programmes are seen as academically acceptable and can facilitate symbiotic relationships among students, rural clinicians, patients and community stakeholders. These relationships can influence students' clinical

  7. Irans Nuclear Program: Tehrans Compliance with International Obligations

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-03-03

    Research Service Summary Several U.N. Security Council resolutions required Iran to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s...comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards; Tehran concluded a comprehensive safeguards agreement with the IAEA in 1974. 2 In 2002...IAEA agreed to “strengthen their cooperation and dialogue aimed at ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme through the

  8. Prohibiting Headgear for Safety in Amateur Boxing? Opinion of the Canadian Boxing Community: an Online Poll.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickinson, Philip; Rempel, Philip

    In 2013, the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) introduced a rule banning headgear for male-senior open class boxers during competition. The AIBA has defended the rule change as motivated by safety and supported by internal unpublished studies. As a result, in 2018, the AIBA plans to universally prohibit headgear in competition: for all competitors (male and female), all ages and all levels. Within Canada, this ruling has generated controversy in the boxing community, yet there has been no overall measure of opinion. To address this, we instituted a voluntary, anonymous, online open-access poll to allow members of the boxing community to express their stance on headgear use in competition. In total, 636 responses were received. A total of 71.5 % of Canadian respondents believed headgear should be mandatory at all levels. Only 5.8 % agreed that headgear should be prohibited, as planned for 2018. Estimating results on a representative breakdown of boxing membership in Canada, a similar pattern emerged, whereby 68.2 % concurred with mandatory headgear while only 4.95 % supported its prohibition. Parents of boxers were almost unanimously against banning headgear, stating they would change sports as a result. Similarly, only 1.7 % of women believed headgear should be prohibited. The consensus of the Canadian boxing community largely opposes the rule changes that the AIBA has implemented. The results highlight risks posed to the long-term viability of the sport, if significant grassroots safety concerns are disregarded.

  9. The Impact of Culture on International Advertising Campaigns: A Managerial Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanso, Ali

    A study investigated advertising executives' perceptions of the importance of culture in international advertising, as well as advertising message approaches used by international corporations. It was hypothesized that more nonculturally oriented managers would agree to the use of the same creative strategies to advertise in both domestic and…

  10. Enhancing international radiation/nuclear detection training opportunities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Williams, Thomas L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bersell, Bridget M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Booker, Paul M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Anderson, Gerald E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Leitch, Rosalyn M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Meagher, John B. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Siefken, Rob R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Spracklen, James L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2015-09-23

    The United States has worked domestically to develop and provide radiological and nuclear detection training and education initiatives aimed at interior law enforcement, but the international community has predominantly focused efforts at border and customs officials. The interior law enforcement officials of a State play a critical role in maintaining an effective national-level nuclear detection architecture. To meet this vital need, DNDO was funded by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to create and deliver a 1-week course at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Budapest, Hungary to inform interior law enforcement personnel of the overall mission, and to provide an understanding of how the participants can combat the threats of radiological and nuclear terrorism through detection efforts. Two courses, with approximately 20 students in each course, were delivered in fiscal year (FY) 2013, two were delivered in FY 2014 and FY 2015, and as of this report’s writing more are planned in FY 2016. However, while the ILEA courses produced measurable success, DNDO requested Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) research potential avenues to further increase the course impact.In a multi-phased approach, PNNL researched and analyzed several possible global training locations and venues, and other possible ways to increase the impact of the course using an agreed-to data-gathering format.

  11. Joint Ventures: An Experiment in Community/Professional Co-Framing in K-12 Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Public Agenda, 2014

    2014-01-01

    What happens when local school leaders sit down to talk with teachers, parents, and other members of the community about the ends and means of local education? Can people bringing different perspectives and experiences to the issue agree on top goals for their communities? Can they settle on needed changes and decide what signifies genuine…

  12. Deliberate Self-Harm within an International Community Sample of Young People: Comparative Findings from the Child & Adolescent Self-Harm in Europe (CASE) Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madge, Nicola; Hewitt, Anthea; Hawton, Keith; de Wilde, Erik Jan; Corcoran, Paul; Fekete, Sandor; van Heeringen, Kees; De Leo, Diego; Ystgaard, Mette

    2008-01-01

    Background: Deliberate self-harm among young people is an important focus of policy and practice internationally. Nonetheless, there is little reliable comparative international information on its extent or characteristics. We have conducted a seven-country comparative community study of deliberate self-harm among young people. Method: Over 30,000…

  13. Linking International Development Actors to Geophysical Infrastructure: Exploring an IRIS Community Role in Bridging a Communications Gap

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerner-Lam, A.; Aster, R.; Beck, S.; Ekstrom, G.; Fisher, K.; Meltzer, A.; Nyblade, A.; Sandvol, E.; Willemann, R.

    2008-12-01

    Over the past quarter century, national investments in high-fidelity digital seismograph networks have resulted in a global infrastructure for real-time in situ earthquake monitoring. Many network operators adhere to community-developed standards, with the result that there are few technical impediments to data sharing and real-time information exchange. Two unanswered questions, however, are whether the existing models of international collaboration will ensure the stability and sustainability of global earthquake monitoring, and whether the participating institutions can work with international development agencies and non- governmental organizations in meeting linked development and natural hazard risk reduction goals. Since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, many of these actors are enlarging their commitments to natural hazard risk reduction and building national technical capacities, among broader programs in poverty alleviation and adaptation to environmental stress. Despite this renewed commitment, international development organizations, with notable exceptions, have been relatively passive in discussions of how the existing earthquake monitoring infrastructure could be leveraged to support risk-reduction programs and meet sustainable development goals. At the same time, the international seismological community - comprising universities and government seismological surveys - has built research and education initiatives such as EarthScope, AfricaArray, and similar programs in China, Europe and South America, that use innovative instrumentation technologies and deployment strategies to enable new science and applications, and promote education and training in critical sectors. Can these developments be combined? Recognizing this communication or knowledge gap, the IRIS International Working Group (IWG) explores the link between the activities of IRIS Members using IRIS facilities and the missions of international development agencies, such as US AID, the World

  14. Assessing Community Leadership: Understanding Community Capacity for Health Improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castle, Billie; Wendel, Monica; Kelly Pryor, Brandy N; Ingram, Monique

    The purpose of this study was to pilot a quantitative instrument to measure aspects of community leadership within an assessment framework. The instrument includes 14 Likert-type questions asking residents how they perceive leaders within 5 sectors: Louisville Metro Council/Mayor's Office, the faith community, education, business, and the civic sector. Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky, has a population of about 743 000 residents. Respondents were asked to examine leadership within West Louisville, an economically deprived area of the city made up of 9 contiguous neighborhoods. This area is predominantly African American (78% compared with 22% in Louisville Metro), with an overall poverty rate of 43% (compared with 18% in Louisville Metro), and unemployment rate of 23% (compared with 8% in Louisville Metro). Residents of West Louisville are looking to leadership to address many of the inequities. Twenty-seven participants representing 7 community sectors completed the survey, of whom 90% work in West Louisville. The instrument measured local perceptions of leadership strength, effectiveness, trust, communication, community building, and leadership development. The majority of respondents agree that strong leadership exists across the 5 sectors, with variation regarding perceptions of the quality of that leadership. City leadership within the Mayor's Office and Metro Council is largely viewed positively, while the growing tensions within the education sector were reflected in the survey results. The perception of community leadership is important to understanding local community capacity to improve health and also inclusivity of community voice in the assessment and community improvement processes. Results from such assessments can offer useful information for strengthening community capacity and sustaining relationships needed to enact progressive and equitable solutions to address local issues. Leaders in a variety of settings can utilize this instrument to

  15. Perceptions of health, health care and community-oriented health interventions in poor urban communities of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivi Maketa

    Full Text Available In Democratic Republic of Congo access to health care is limited because of many geographical and financial barriers, while quality of care is often low. Global health donors assist the country with a number of community-oriented interventions such as free distribution of bednets, antihelminthic drugs, vitamin A supplementation and vaccination campaigns, but uptake of these interventions is not always optimal. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of poor urban communities of the capital Kinshasa with regard to health issues in general as well as their experiences and expectations concerning facility-based health services and community-oriented health interventions. Applying an approach rooted in the grounded theory framework, focus group discussions were conducted in eight neighborhoods of poor urban areas in the city of Kinshasa in July 2011. Study participants were easily able to evoke the city's major health problems, with the notable exceptions of malnutrition and HIV/AIDS. They perceive the high out-of-pocket cost of health services as the major obstacle when seeking access to quality care. Knowledge of ongoing community-oriented health interventions seems good. Still, while the study participants agree that those interventions are beneficial; their acceptability seems to be problematic. This is chiefly put down to a lack of information and government communication about the programs and their interventions. Furthermore, the study participants referred to rumors and the deterring effect of stories about alleged harmful consequences of those interventions. Along with improving the provision and quality of general health care, the government and international actors must improve their efforts in informing the communities about disease control programs, their rationale and benefit/risk ratio. Directly engaging community members in a dialogue might be beneficial in terms of improving acceptability and overall access to health

  16. An International Dialogue on Community Colleges in a Changing World. [Symposium Report of] New Orleans Jam Session (New Orleans, Louisiana, January 8-9, 2002).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenfeld, Stuart; Liston, Cynthia

    This document details a symposium that brought together U.S., Canadian, and European experts, college leaders, and policy makers for an "International Dialogue on Community Colleges in a Changing World." Discussion centered on the following four topics: (1) Community colleges are the largest source of postsecondary education for…

  17. International Planning for Subglacial Lake Exploration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennicutt, M.; Priscu, J.

    2003-04-01

    As one of the last unexplored frontiers on our planet, subglacial lakes offer a unique and exciting venue for exploration and research. Over the past several years, subglacial lakes have captured the imagination of the scientific community and public, evoking images of potential exotic life forms surviving under some of the most extreme conditions on earth. Various planning activities have recognized that due to the remote and harsh conditions, that a successful subglacial lake exploration program will entail a concerted effort for a number of years. It will also require an international commitment of major financial and human resources. To begin a detailed planning process, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) convened the Subglacial Antarctic Lake Exploration Group of Specialists (SALEGOS) in Tokyo in 2000. The group was asked to build on previous workshops and meetings to develop a plan to explore subglacial lake environments. Its mandate adopted the guiding principles as agreed in Cambridge in 1999 that the program would be interdisciplinary in scope, be designed for minimum contamination and disturbance of the subglacial lake environment, have as a goal lake entry and sample retrieval, and that the ultimate target of the program should be Lake Vostok exploration. Since its formation SALEGOS has met three times and addressed some of the more intractable issues related to subglacial lake exploration. Topics under discussion include current state-of-the-knowledge of subglacial environments, technological needs, international management and organizational strategies, a portfolio of scientific projects, "clean" requirements, and logistical considerations. In this presentation the actvities of SALEGOS will be summarized and recommendations for an international subglacial lake exploration program discussed.

  18. Development of Taiwan's strategies for regulating nanotechnology-based pharmaceuticals harmonized with international considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Jiun-Wen; Lee, Yu-Hsuan; Huang, Hsiau-Wen; Tzou, Mei-Chyun; Wang, Ying-Jan; Tsai, Jui-Chen

    2014-01-01

    Nanotechnology offers potential in pharmaceuticals and biomedical developments for improving drug delivery systems, medical imaging, diagnosis, cancer therapy, and regenerative medicine. Although there is no international regulation or legislation specifically for nanomedicine, it is agreed worldwide that considerably more attention should be paid to the quality, safety, and efficacy of nanotechnology-based drugs. The US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency have provided several draft regulatory guidance and reflection papers to assist the development of nanomedicines. To cope with the impact of nanotechnology and to foster its pharmaceutical applications and development in Taiwan, this article reviews the trends of regulating nanotechnology-based pharmaceuticals in the international community and proposes strategies for Taiwan's regulation harmonized with international considerations. The draft regulatory measures include a chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC) review checklist and guidance for CMC review of liposomal products. These have been submitted for discussion among an expert committee, with membership comprised of multidisciplinary academia, research institutions, the pharmaceutical industry, and regulators, and are currently approaching final consensus. Once a consensus is reached, these mechanisms will be recommended to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration for jurisdiction and may be initiated as the starting point for regulating nanotechnology-based pharmaceuticals in Taiwan.

  19. Report: Agreed-Upon Procedures on EPA’s Fiscal Year 2009 First Quarter Financial Statements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Report #09-2-0161, June 8, 2009. We compared the statements with EPA’s crosswalk, recomputed them for mathematical accuracy, and compared them with balances separately generated by us. Except for immaterial rounding differences, the amounts agreed.

  20. Development and validation of an international appraisal instrument for assessing the quality of clinical practice guidelines: the AGREE project.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cluzeau, F.A.; Burgers, J.S.; Brouwers, M.M.; Grol, R.P.T.M.; et al.,

    2003-01-01

    BACKGROUND: International interest in clinical practice guidelines has never been greater but many published guidelines do not meet the basic quality requirements. There have been renewed calls for validated criteria to assess the quality of guidelines. OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate an

  1. Pharmacists as immunizers: a survey of community pharmacists' willingness to administer adult immunizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Nicholas; Gorman Corsten, Erin; Kiberd, Mathew; Bowles, Susan; Isenor, Jennifer; Slayter, Kathryn; McNeil, Shelly

    2015-04-01

    Adult immunization rates worldwide fall below desired targets. Pharmacists are highly accessible healthcare providers with the potential to increase immunization rates among adults by administering vaccines in their practice setting. To determine the attitudes of community-based Canadian pharmacists with respect to expanding their scope of practice to include administration of immunizations. An internet-based survey was emailed to community pharmacists across Canada. The survey was piloted through focus groups for qualitative feedback, tested for content validity, and test-retest reliability prior to dissemination. There were 495 responses to the survey. The majority (88 %) agreed that pharmacists as immunizers would increase public access, improve rates (84 %), and be acceptable to the public (72 %). However, only 68 % agreed that pharmacists should be permitted to immunize. The majority of respondents (90 %) agreed that certification in vaccine administration should be required for pharmacists to administer vaccines. Pharmacists identified education, reimbursement, and negative interactions with other providers as barriers to pharmacists administering vaccines. Canadian pharmacists are willing to expand their scope of practice to include immunization. However, implementation requires professional development and certification in vaccine administration.

  2. Development and validation of an international appraisal instrument for assessing the quality of clinical practice guidelines: the AGREE project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-02-01

    International interest in clinical practice guidelines has never been greater but many published guidelines do not meet the basic quality requirements. There have been renewed calls for validated criteria to assess the quality of guidelines. To develop and validate an international instrument for assessing the quality of the process and reporting of clinical practice guideline development. The instrument was developed through a multi-staged process of item generation, selection and scaling, field testing, and refinement procedures. 100 guidelines selected from 11 participating countries were evaluated independently by 194 appraisers with the instrument. Following refinement the instrument was further field tested on three guidelines per country by a new set of 70 appraisers. The final version of the instrument contained 23 items grouped into six quality domains with a 4 point Likert scale to score each item (scope and purpose, stakeholder involvement, rigour of development, clarity and presentation, applicability, editorial independence). 95% of appraisers found the instrument useful for assessing guidelines. Reliability was acceptable for most domains (Cronbach's alpha 0.64-0.88). Guidelines produced as part of an established guideline programme had significantly higher scores on editorial independence and, after the publication of a national policy, had significantly higher quality scores on rigour of development (pinternationally. The instrument is sensitive to differences in important aspects of guidelines and can be used consistently and easily by a wide range of professionals from different backgrounds. The adoption of common standards should improve the consistency and quality of the reporting of guideline development worldwide and provide a framework to encourage international comparison of clinical practice guidelines.

  3. The "old internationals": Canadian nurses in an international nursing community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lapeyre, Jaime; Nelson, Sioban

    2010-12-01

    The vast devastation caused by both the First World War and the influenza pandemic of 1918 led to an increased worldwide demand for public health nurses. In response to this demand, a number of new public health training programs for nurses were started at both national and international levels. At the international level, one of two influential programs in this area included a year-long public health nursing course offered by the League of Red Cross Societies, in conjunction with Bedford College in London, England. In total, 341 nurses from 49 different countries have been documented as participants in this initiative throughout the interwar period, including 20 Canadians. Using archival material from the Canadian Nurses Association and the Royal College of Nursing, as well as articles from the journals Canadian Nurse, American Journal of Nursing and British Journal of Nursing, this paper examines these nurses' commitment to internationalism throughout their careers and explores the effect of this commitment on the development of nursing education and professionalization at the national level.

  4. 77 FR 37472 - Pipeline Safety: Notice of Public Workshop To Discuss Implementing Incorporation by Reference...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-21

    ... and adopted by domestic and international organizations, which have collaborated to agree upon best... international community and the standards developing organizations about the legal, practical, financial and... received guidance from the Circular regarding agencies' participation in the various governmental and...

  5. Critical Reflection on the Reception of Vygotsky’s Theory in the International Academic Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dafermos M.,

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper is an attempt to analyze various types of the reception of Vygotsky’s theory in the international academic communities. The paper develops a critical analysis of three widespread theoretical frameworks of interpretation of Vygotsky’s theory: cognitivism, culturalism, cultural-historical activity theory. It is argues that fragmented readings of particular ideas of Vygotsky, without enough understanding of the theoretical programme in which these ideas have been included dominates in North-Atlantic research. The paper proposes the reconstruction of the theoretical programme of cultural-historical psychology in the social and scientific context of its formation.

  6. Awareness of antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in the Iraqi community in Jordan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darwish, Dana A; Abdelmalek, Suzanne; Abu Dayyih, Wael; Hamadi, Salim

    2014-05-14

    Antimicrobial resistance is a serious global health concern. It has considerable implications on societies' health and resources. In Jordan, there is a large Iraqi community due to the ongoing turmoil in Iraq. Unfortunately, health awareness and practices of this community are under-investigated due to scarcity of research. This paper assesses the awareness of antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance in the Iraqi community residing in Amman, Jordan. Their level of interaction with health care professionals regarding antibiotics and differences in their antibiotic use between Iraq and Jordan are also discussed. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey involving randomly selected Iraqis residing in Amman, Jordan was conducted. The study involved 508 participants. Sixty-two percent of participants agreed with buying antibiotics without a prescription, 29% agreed with obtaining antibiotics from friends or relatives, and 46% agreed with keeping leftover antibiotics for future use. Furthermore, 60% disagreed with not completing an antibiotic course and almost 90% of the sample listed viral diseases as an indication for antibiotics. Forty-four percent of participants abided by physicians' instructions on antibiotic use. Half of the participants believed that pharmacists provided instructions on antibiotics all the time, whereas physicians were perceived to do so by 29% of participants. Gaps exist in knowledge of antibiotic use and reasons for antimicrobial resistance among Iraqis residing in Jordan. These gaps should serve in planning educational campaigns to raise the community's awareness of responsible antibiotic use. Law enforcement to restrict access to antibiotics is also pivotal to tackle their misuse.

  7. Social Entrepreneurship Andragogy-Based for Community Empowerment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hidayat Dayat

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The essence of social entrepreneurship is the ability to initiate, lead and implement problem-solving strategies, through cooperation with others in all types of social networks. The purpose of this study analyzes: 1 entrepreneurship training, 2 adult education assumptions, and 3 community empowerment. This study is discussed by using a comparative theory analysis method that related to entrepreneurship training, andragogy, and community empowerment from various literary sources. Analysis is conducted to find conclusions that can be justified scientifically. The results of the study conclude that: 1 social entrepreneurship training is an organized learning process from planning, implementation, and evaluation on non-formal education path aimed at enhancing community knowledge, attitude and skills for learning and endeavor, 2 entrepreneurship training based on andragogy conducted through a learning process that implements adults’ assumptions of self-conceptual, learning experiences, learning readiness, and learning orientation. 3 Community empowerment is a process of empowerment or strength to community to have the ability of individuals who completely agreed with the community in building social and economic empowerment of the community.

  8. A mixed-methods approach to conducting Internal Revenue Service-compliant community health needs assessments: a case example for nonprofit hospital leaders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oglesby WH

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Willie H Oglesby, Ken Slenkovich Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA Background: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act created new requirements for nonprofit hospitals to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA at least once every 3 years, with a significant tax penalty for noncompliance. While some resources exist to help nonprofit hospital leaders conduct various aspects of a CHNA, few reflect the new Internal Revenue Service requirements. Methods: Many different models of CHNAs have emerged over the years. Although each has its unique features, the essential elements of a CHNA include engaging stakeholders, defining the community, gathering sufficient representative data, prioritizing information, and reporting results. In this paper, we expand upon this basic approach by offering a practical step-by-step guide to conducting CHNAs that meets new Internal Revenue Service regulations. Results: We developed and tested this methodology in partnership with several nonprofit hospital systems in Northeast Ohio, USA. In this paper, we discuss our use of the methodology and identify recommendations for other nonprofit hospital leaders. Conclusion: The methodology presented in this paper is a cost-effective approach to satisfying new CHNA requirements and nonprofit hospital leaders should consider using it or modifying it to fit their unique needs. Keywords: Affordable Care Act, CHNA, community benefit, community hospital

  9. System for Delivering Student Aid Is Flawed, Many Agree, But What's the Solution?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burd, Stephen

    1997-01-01

    Public officials and student aid experts agree that the federal program delivery system is outdated, inefficient, and vulnerable to fraud, but they disagree on how bad the situation is and whether the Education Department has the structure necessary to fix it. A 1995 project to integrate all federal grant and loan programs into one system has not…

  10. The Roles of Family and Teacher Support in Moderating and Mediating Externalized and Internalized Outcomes of Exposure to Community Violence Among Arab and Jewish Adolescents in Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haj-Yahia, Muhammad M; Leshem, Becky; Guterman, Neil B

    2018-02-01

    The study examined family and teacher support as factors that can protect adolescents from internalized and externalized problems after exposure to community violence (ECV). Self-administered questionnaires were filled out by a sample of 1,832 Arab and Jewish Israeli high school students. The Arab adolescents reported significantly higher levels of community violence victimization, internalized problems, externalized problems, family support, and teacher support than the Jewish adolescents. The girls reported higher levels of internalized problems, and the boys reported higher levels of externalized problems. ECV predicted high levels of internalized and externalized problems, family support predicted low levels of internalized and externalized problems, and teacher support had no predictive role. Path analysis confirmed the significance of the relationships between ECV effects, support variables, and gender. The limitations of the study and implications of the findings for future research and for the development of family care and family intervention programs are discussed.

  11. International comparison of cost of falls in older adults living in the community: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, J C; Robertson, M C; Ashe, M C; Liu-Ambrose, T; Khan, K M; Marra, C A

    2010-08-01

    Our objective was to determine international estimates of the economic burden of falls in older people living in the community. Our systematic review emphasized the need for a consensus on methodology for cost of falls studies to enable more accurate comparisons and subgroup-specific estimates among different countries. The purpose of this study was to determine international estimates of the economic burden of falls in older people living in the community. This is a systematic review of peer-reviewed journal articles reporting estimates for the cost of falls in people aged > or =60 years living in the community. We searched for papers published between 1945 and December 2008 in MEDLINE, PUBMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Collaboration, and NHS EED databases that identified cost of falls in older adults. We extracted the cost of falls in the reported currency and converted them to US dollars at 2008 prices, cost items measured, perspective, time horizon, and sensitivity analysis. We assessed the quality of the studies using a selection of questions from Drummond's checklist. Seventeen studies met our inclusion criteria. Studies varied with respect to viewpoint of the analysis, definition of falls, identification of important and relevant cost items, and time horizon. Only two studies reported a sensitivity analysis and only four studies identified the viewpoint of their economic analysis. In the USA, non-fatal and fatal falls cost US $23.3 billion (2008 prices) annually and US $1.6 billion in the UK. The economic cost of falls is likely greater than policy makers appreciate. The mean cost of falls was dependent on the denominator used and ranged from US $3,476 per faller to US $10,749 per injurious fall and US $26,483 per fall requiring hospitalization. A consensus on methodology for cost of falls studies would enable more accurate comparisons and subgroup-specific estimates among different countries.

  12. The ICC, International Criminal Justice and International Politics ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) came into being as a result of a desire by the international community to establish a permanent body to deliver criminal justice instead of the formula of ad hoc tribunals that had become the norm. The coming into force of the Rome Statute in 2002 was greeted with euphoria as it ...

  13. The Kenyan national response to internationally agreed sexual and reproductive health and rights goals: a case study of three policies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oronje, Rose N

    2013-11-01

    While priorities for, and decision-making processes on, sexual and reproductive health and rights have been determined and led mainly at the international level, conflicting power dynamics and responses at the national level in some countries have continued to pose challenges for operationalising international agreements. This paper demonstrates how these conflicts have played out in Kenya through an analysis of three policy-making processes, which led to the Adolescent Reproductive Health and Development Policy (2003), the Sexual Offences Act (2006), and the National Reproductive Health Policy (2007). The paper is based on data from a broader study on the drivers and inhibitors of sexual and reproductive health policy reform in Kenya, using a qualitative, case study design. Information was gathered through 54 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with governmental and civil society policy actors and an extensive review of policy documents and media reports. The paper shows that the transformative human rights framing of access to sexual and reproductive health, supported by both a strong global women's rights movement and progressive governmental and inter-governmental actors to defeat opposition to sexual and reproductive health and rights at the international level, has not been as influential or successful at the national level in Kenya, and has made comprehensive national reforms difficult to achieve. Copyright © 2013 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Active Rehabilitation-a community peer-based approach for persons with spinal cord injury: international utilisation of key elements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Divanoglou, A; Tasiemski, T; Augutis, M; Trok, K

    2017-06-01

    Active Rehabilitation (AR) is a community peer-based approach that started in Sweden in 1976. As a key component of the approach, AR training camps provide intensive, goal-oriented, intentional, group-based, customised training and peer-support opportunities in a community environment for individuals with spinal cord injury. Prospective cross-sectional study. To describe the profile of the organisations that use components of the AR approach, and to explore the characteristics and the international variations of the approach. Twenty-two organisations from 21 countries from Europe, Asia and Africa reported using components of the AR approach during the past 10 years. An electronic survey was developed and distributed through a personalised email. Sampling involved a prospective identification of organisations that met the inclusion criteria and snowball strategies. While there were many collaborating links between the organisations, RG Active Rehabilitation from Sweden and Motivation Charitable Trust from the United Kingdom were identified as key supporting organisations. The 10 key elements of the AR approach were found to be used uniformly across the participating organisations. Small variations were associated with variations in country income and key supporting organisation. This is the first study to describe the key elements and international variations of the AR approach. This will provide the basis for further studies exploring the effectiveness of the approach, it will likely facilitate international collaboration on research and operational aspects and it could potentially support higher integration in the health-care system and long-term funding of these programmes.

  15. Involving Communities in Deciding What Benefits They Receive in Multinational Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wendler, David; Shah, Seema

    2015-10-01

    There is wide agreement that communities in lower-income countries should benefit when they participate in multinational research. Debate now focuses on how and to what extent these communities should benefit. This debate has identified compelling reasons to reject the claim that whatever benefits a community agrees to accept are necessarily fair. Yet, those who conduct clinical research may conclude from this rejection that there is no reason to involve communities in the process of deciding how they benefit. Against this possibility, the present manuscript argues that involving host communities in this process helps to promote four important goals: (1) protecting host communities, (2) respecting host communities, (3) promoting transparency, and (4) enhancing social value. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, Inc. 2015.

  16. Dyad conversations about self-stigma in two Scottish communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackay, Rob; Bradstreet, Simon; McArthur, Andy; Dunion, Linda

    2015-06-01

    This study explored self-stigma in 2 Scottish communities and strategies for challenging stigma and discrimination. A mixed-methods approach was used encompassing a survey including the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Inventory (ISMI) and facilitated dyad conversations with people with lived experience of mental illness. Self-reported experience of self-stigma across 2 communities was most closely associated with the ISMI Alienation cluster, accompanied by a high level of agreement with the Stigma Resistance cluster. Some 44% agreed that stereotypes about people with mental health problems applied to them, and almost 2/3 felt that having a mental health problem had spoiled their lives. Many participants reported reduced confidence, loss of hope, a sense of failure, and protecting oneself through social withdrawal. The findings also offer hope through narratives from people who have "pushed back" and are striving to reduce their own self-stigma by engaging with others and managing their own recovery journey. The journey through self-stigma and beyond has to be informed by what we know works with recovery from a mental health problem. At a policy and practice level, we recommend emphasis on 4 priorities: (a) refocusing antistigma and discrimination efforts more on the experiences of people who report stigma, (b) rights-based approaches, (c) identity-based work, and (d) information sharing and educational strategies. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. International cooperation at RTNS-II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Logan, C.M.

    1984-02-01

    The Rotating Target Neutron Source-II (RTNS-II) facility at LLNL is a unique materials-test facility. It provides the most intense source of 14-MeV neutrons in the world. Dedicated operation in support of the fusion-materials-research community began in early 1979. Three years later, the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture (Monbusho) and the US Department of Energy agreed to jointly support the RTNS-II operation and to share in the use of the facility

  18. TAXATION AND INTERNAL MIGRATION - EVIDENCE FROM THE SWISS CENSUS USING COMMUNITY-LEVEL VARIATION IN INCOME TAX RATES

    OpenAIRE

    Liebig, Thomas; Puhani, Patrick A.; Sousa-Poza, Alfonso

    2006-01-01

    We investigate the relationship between income tax rate variation and internal migration for the unique case of Switzerland, whose system of determining tax rates primarily at the community level results in enough variation to permit analysis of their influence on migration. Specifically, using Swiss census data, we analyze migratory responses to tax rate variations for various groups defined by age, education, and nationality/residence permit. The results suggest that young Swiss college gra...

  19. Cultural Diversity among Heads of International Schools: Potential Implications for International Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slough-Kuss, Yvonne

    2014-01-01

    This article considers the influence that regional associations of international schools have on individual school members. The role of heads of international schools is explored in terms of their collective regional community influence on the fundamental school level. A revision of Thompson's model of international education is proposed…

  20. Context, Complexity and Contestation: Birmingham's Agreed Syllabuses for Religious Education since the 1970s

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Stephen G.; Freathy, Rob J. K.

    2011-01-01

    The present article offers an historical perspective on the 1975, 1995 and 2007 Birmingham Agreed Syllabuses for Religious Education. It draws upon historical evidence uncovered as part of "The hidden history of curriculum change in religious education in English schools, 1969-1979" project, and curriculum history theories, especially…

  1. Prototype international quality assurance program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Broadway, J.A.; Chambless, D.A.; Sapozhnikov, Yu.A.; Kalmykov, S.N.

    1998-01-01

    The international community presently lacks the ability to determine the quality and credibility of environmental measurements that is required to make sound decisions in matters related to international security, public health, and investment-related considerations. The ultimate goal of the work described in this article is to develop a credible information base including measurement capability for determination of environmental contamination and the potential for proliferation of material components of chemical or nuclear weapons. This study compared the accuracy obtained by six Russian and six U.S. laboratories for samples representative of classes of trace metals, dioxing-furans, and radioactive substances. The results obtained in this work indicate that current estimates for laboratory accuracy are likely overly optimistic. The weaknesses discovered by this prototype U.S. - Russia study also exist within the broader international community of laboratories. Further work is proposed to address the urgent need for the international community to improve performance evaluations for analytical measurements. (author)

  2. Protocol Additional to the agreement between France, the European Atomic Energy Community and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the application of safeguards in France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    The text of the Protocol Additional to the Agreement between France, the European Atomic Energy Community and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the Application of Safeguards in France is reproduced in the Annex to this document for the information of all Members. The Additional Protocol was approved by the Board of Governors on 11 June 1998. It was signed in Vienna on 22 September 1998. Pursuant to Article 16 of the Additional Protocol, the Protocol entered into force on 30 April 2004, the date on which the Agency received written notification that the European Atomic Energy Community and France had met their respective internal requirements for entry into force

  3. Comparison of international guideline programs to evaluate and update the Dutch program for clinical guideline development in physical therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van der Wees, Philip J; Hendriks, Erik J M; Custers, Jan W H; Burgers, Jako S; Dekker, Joost; de Bie, Rob A

    2007-11-23

    Clinical guidelines are considered important instruments to improve quality in health care. Since 1998 the Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy (KNGF) produced evidence-based clinical guidelines, based on a standardized program. New developments in the field of guideline research raised the need to evaluate and update the KNGF guideline program. Purpose of this study is to compare different guideline development programs and review the KNGF guideline program for physical therapy in the Netherlands, in order to update the program. Six international guideline development programs were selected, and the 23 criteria of the AGREE Instrument were used to evaluate the guideline programs. Information about the programs was retrieved from published handbooks of the organizations. Also, the Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy was evaluated using the AGREE criteria. Further comparison the six guideline programs was carried out using the following elements of the guideline development processes: Structure and organization; Preparation and initiation; Development; Validation; Dissemination and implementation; Evaluation and update. Compliance with the AGREE criteria of the guideline programs was high. Four programs addressed 22 AGREE criteria, and two programs addressed 20 AGREE criteria. The previous Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy lacked in compliance with the AGREE criteria, meeting only 13 criteria. Further comparison showed that all guideline programs perform systematic literature searches to identify the available evidence. Recommendations are formulated and graded, based on evidence and other relevant factors. It is not clear how decisions in the development process are made. In particular, the process of translating evidence into practice recommendations can be improved. As a result of international developments and consensus, the described processes for developing clinical practice guidelines have much in common

  4. Bayesian community detection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mørup, Morten; Schmidt, Mikkel N

    2012-01-01

    Many networks of scientific interest naturally decompose into clusters or communities with comparatively fewer external than internal links; however, current Bayesian models of network communities do not exert this intuitive notion of communities. We formulate a nonparametric Bayesian model...... for community detection consistent with an intuitive definition of communities and present a Markov chain Monte Carlo procedure for inferring the community structure. A Matlab toolbox with the proposed inference procedure is available for download. On synthetic and real networks, our model detects communities...... consistent with ground truth, and on real networks, it outperforms existing approaches in predicting missing links. This suggests that community structure is an important structural property of networks that should be explicitly modeled....

  5. Chernobyl. Principles of international law in the context of transfrontier environmental pollution as a consequence of a technical-industrial disaster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zehetner, F.

    1986-01-01

    The fact that the radioactive cloud released after the MCA in the Chernobyl reactor drifted over 1.300 kilometers in the atmosphere and contaminated the air over Europe, first shown by the alarm in Sweden's nuclear power plant, turned the national Russian disaster into an international case of emergency, a ''matter of international concern'', that creates manifold problems on the level of international law. The author discusses an important aspect, the obligation to inform the other members of the international community about possible transfrontier environmental pollution. The topical case now has shown that the problem of timely, complete, and mutual information in the event of nuclear reactor accidents needs to be systematically regularized by multilateral treaties. The difficulties the Soviet authorities had to master the disaster and its consequences point to problem of whether and to what extent international organisations or states are obliged to, or entitled to, a) offer assistance unasked; b) provide assistance upon request; c) engage in remedial activities against the will of the state concerned. The Chernobyl accident has led to considerations as to extend the concept of 'ultra-hazardous activities' and related legal provisions to also include an obligation to agree upon international information and assistance for disaster control beforehand, on the grounds that such activities may involve inassessible hazards and damage. (orig./HSCH) [de

  6. International human rights and cultural diversity: a balancing act

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Donders, Y.

    2013-01-01

    It is broadly agreed that international human rights law and cultural diversity have a mutually interdependent and beneficial relationship. Many human rights, such as the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, as well as the rights to take part in cultural life

  7. Resourcing the National Goals for Schooling: An Agreed Framework of Principles for Funding Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (NJ1), 2012

    2012-01-01

    Funding for school education in Australia should be on the basis of clear and agreed policy principles for achieving effectiveness, efficiency, equity and a socially and culturally cohesive society. On the basis of these principles a national framework for funding schools will be supported by complementary State and Commonwealth models for funding…

  8. When community ties lead to violent crimes | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2017-10-20

    Oct 20, 2017 ... Communities instead have developed their own norms and rules to deal ... seen in the trust people place in family, faith groups, and neighbours. .... as the Community Work Programme increased residents' sense of security by ...

  9. Recommendations of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) on Education in Biomedical and Health Informatics. First Revision

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mantas, John; Ammenwerth, Elske; Demiris, George; Hasman, Arie; Haux, Reinhold; Hersh, William; Hovenga, Evelyn; Lun, K. C.; Marin, Heimar; Martin-Sanchez, Fernando; Wright, Graham

    2010-01-01

    Objective: The International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) agreed on revising the existing international recommendations in health informatics/medical informatics education. These should help to establish courses, course tracks or even complete programs in this field, to further develop

  10. Using motivational interviewing in the community pharmacy to increase adult immunization readiness: A pilot evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brackett, Amber; Butler, Michell; Chapman, Liza

    2015-01-01

    To investigate whether the use of motivational interviewing (MI) in the community pharmacy improves immunization readiness and rates for hepatitis B, hepatitis A/B combination, herpes zoster, pneumococcal, and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis immunizations. Kroger Pharmacy. Grocery store pharmacies located in the Atlanta, GA, metropolitan area offering a variety of patient care services, including medication therapy management and immunizations. Patients were identified during workflow, and MI encounters were initiated to those eligible to receive hepatitis A/B combination, hepatitis B, herpes zoster, pneumococcal and/or tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccines. Following each encounter, pharmacists completed patient demographic information and responses to 5-point Likert scale questions assessing patient readiness to receive immunizations at the beginning and end of the encounter, and if follow-up occurred, 5-point Likert scale questions assessing pharmacists' perception of using MI. Immunization rates at the intervention site did not significantly increase due to the small sample size and other project limitations. Patient readiness to receive immunizations improved from the beginning to the end of the MI encounter and was statistically significant for hepatitis B (P = 0.001) and pneumococcal (P = 0.033) vaccines. Pharmacists agreed MI was an effective tool to discuss immunizations, agreed they could communicate more effectively about immunizations, and agreed MI could be incorporated into the community pharmacy workflow. Motivational interviewing may be a useful tool for community pharmacists to use in discussing immunizations. Larger studies need to be completed to determine the impact MI could have on immunization readiness and rates in the community pharmacy.

  11. Comparison of community and hospital pharmacists' attitudes and behaviors on medication error disclosure to the patient: A pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, ChungYun; Mazan, Jennifer L; Quiñones-Boex, Ana C

    To determine pharmacists' attitudes and behaviors on medication errors and their disclosure and to compare community and hospital pharmacists on such views. An online questionnaire was developed from previous studies on physicians' disclosure of errors. Questionnaire items included demographics, environment, personal experiences, and attitudes on medication errors and the disclosure process. An invitation to participate along with the link to the questionnaire was electronically distributed to members of two Illinois pharmacy associations. A follow-up reminder was sent 4 weeks after the original message. Data were collected for 3 months, and statistical analyses were performed with the use of IBM SPSS version 22.0. The overall response rate was 23.3% (n = 422). The average employed respondent was a 51-year-old white woman with a BS Pharmacy degree working in a hospital pharmacy as a clinical staff member. Regardless of practice settings, pharmacist respondents agreed that medication errors were inevitable and that a disclosure process is necessary. Respondents from community and hospital settings were further analyzed to assess any differences. Community pharmacist respondents were more likely to agree that medication errors were inevitable and that pharmacists should address the patient's emotions when disclosing an error. Community pharmacist respondents were also more likely to agree that the health care professional most closely involved with the error should disclose the error to the patient and thought that it was the pharmacists' responsibility to disclose the error. Hospital pharmacist respondents were more likely to agree that it was important to include all details in a disclosure process and more likely to disagree on putting a "positive spin" on the event. Regardless of practice setting, responding pharmacists generally agreed that errors should be disclosed to patients. There were, however, significant differences in their attitudes and behaviors

  12. International co-operation in safety matters within the framework of the Commission of the European Communities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vinck, W.; Balz, W.; Essler, W.; Tolley, B.; Gabolde, J.

    1981-01-01

    European Community (EC) countries realize that their energy demand cannot be met without a nuclear component, which is almost a necessity owing to its major economic advantages. Two typical areas where the Commission has stimulated intense international co-operation are as follows: The first broad area deals with efforts towards a gradual harmonization of regulatory health and safety practices and requirements for reactors of an industrially developed type, more specifically (light) water-cooled reactors. The second area concerns joint research programmes and co-ordination activities in research on nuclear safety (LWRs and LMFBRs). These two broad areas are closely interconnected. Information is also given on the existing network of bilateral and multilateral arrangements for the exchange of information of interest to the EC. In conclusion, some problems are highlighted where improvements could be made or where it seems crucial that increased international co-operation and especially agreement should come about. (author)

  13. Data standards for the international virtual observatory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R J Hanisch

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available A primary goal of the International Virtual Observatory Alliance, which brings together Virtual Observatory Projects from 16 national and international development projects, is to develop, evaluate, test, and agree upon standards for astronomical data formatting, data discovery, and data delivery. In the three years that the IVOA has been in existence, substantial progress has been made on standards for tabular data, imaging data, spectroscopic data, and large-scale databases and on managing the metadata that describe data collections and data access services. In this paper, I describe how the IVOA operates and give my views as to why such a broadly based international collaboration has been able to make such rapid progress.

  14. Between international donors and local faith communities: Intermediaries in humanitarian assistance to Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraft, Kathryn; Smith, Jonathan D

    2018-06-12

    This paper explores the crucial part that faith-based organisations (FBOs) play in acting as intermediaries between international donors and local faith communities (LFCs) implementing humanitarian relief projects for Syrian refugees. Humanitarian responses to the mounting Syrian refugee crisis have coincided with greater collaboration between international donors and LFCs. This cooperation often is facilitated by a complex web of non-state intermediaries at the international, national, and local level. This study probes the breadth of roles of these intermediaries, drawing on primary data from case studies of two Christian intermediaries supporting Christian LFCs as they deliver aid primarily to Muslim Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon. The results of the study are connected to the wider literature on LFCs in humanitarian response, revealing how intermediaries address issues of accountability, capacity-building, impartiality, neutrality, and professionalism. The paper concludes by offering suggestions for further research on intermediaries as key actors in the localisation of humanitarian assistance. © 2018 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2018.

  15. "NOTHING IS AGREED UNTIL EVERYTHING IS AGREED": INSTITUTIONALIZING RADICAL DISAGREEMENT AND DEALING WITH THE PAST IN NORTHERN IRELAND

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    McQuaid, Sara Dybris

    2018-01-01

    constitutional futures. It demonstrates that in the absence of an overarching framework for dealing with the past in Northern Ireland, the model is coming into view as accumulated, piecemeal, pluralistic, complex and often contradictory efforts, emerging in the tensions between radical disagreement and attempts...... at reconciliation, between community initiatives and policy discourses, in what may be called a protracted peace process. The chapter argues that navigating this paradox of fixity and fluidity has crucially involved somewhat futile attempts at separating distinct lines of truth and justice in coming to terms...

  16. International Convergence on Geoscience Cyberinfrastructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allison, M. L.; Atkinson, R.; Arctur, D. K.; Cox, S.; Jackson, I.; Nativi, S.; Wyborn, L. A.

    2012-04-01

    interoperability across scientific domains, 4) support the promulgation and institutionalization of agreed-upon standards, protocols, and practice, and 5) enhance knowledge transfer not only across the community, but into the domain sciences, 6) lower existing entry barriers for users and data producers, 7) build on the existing disciplinary infrastructures leveraging their service buses. . All of these objectives are required for establishing a permanent and sustainable cyber(e)-infrastructure for the geosciences. The rationale for this approach is well articulated in the AuScope mission statement: "Many of these problems can only be solved on a national, if not global scale. No single researcher, research institution, discipline or jurisdiction can provide the solutions. We increasingly need to embrace e-Research techniques and use the internet not only to access nationally distributed datasets, instruments and compute infrastructure, but also to build online, 'virtual' communities of globally dispersed researchers." Multidisciplinary interoperability can be successfully pursued by adopting a "system of systems" or a "Network of Networks" philosophy. This approach aims to: (a) supplement but not supplant systems mandates and governance arrangements; (b) keep the existing capacities as autonomous as possible; (c) lower entry barriers; (d) Build incrementally on existing infrastructures (information systems); (e) incorporate heterogeneous resources by introducing distribution and mediation functionalities. This approach has been adopted by the European INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community) initiative and by the international GEOSS (Global Earth Observation System of Systems) programme.

  17. 26 CFR 1.1402(a)-8 - Community income.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 26 Internal Revenue 12 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Community income. 1.1402(a)-8 Section 1.1402(a)-8 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) INCOME TAX (CONTINUED) INCOME TAXES Tax on Self-Employment Income § 1.1402(a)-8 Community income. (a) In case of an...

  18. BFS, a Legacy to the International Reactor Physics, Criticality Safety, and Nuclear Data Communities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Briggs, J. Blair; Tsibulya, Anatoly; Rozhikhin, Yevgeniy

    2012-01-01

    Interest in high-quality integral benchmark data is increasing as efforts to quantify and reduce calculational uncertainties accelerate to meet the demands of next generation reactor and advanced fuel cycle concepts. Two Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) activities, the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP), initiated in 1992, and the International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation Project (IRPhEP), initiated in 2003, have been identifying existing integral experiment data, evaluating those data, and providing integral benchmark specifications for methods and data validation for nearly two decades. Thus far, 14 countries have contributed to the IRPhEP, and 20 have contributed to the ICSBEP. Data provided by these two projects will be of use to the international reactor physics, criticality safety, and nuclear data communities for future decades The Russian Federation has been a major contributor to both projects with the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE) as the major contributor from the Russian Federation. Included in the benchmark specifications from the BFS facilities are 34 critical configurations from BFS-49, 61, 62, 73, 79, 81, 97, 99, and 101; spectral characteristics measurements from BFS-31, 42, 57, 59, 61, 62, 73, 97, 99, and 101; reactivity effects measurements from BFS-62-3A; reactivity coefficients and kinetics measurements from BFS-73; and reaction rate measurements from BFS-42, 61, 62, 73, 97, 99, and 101.

  19. International consensus on safety principles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Warnecke, E.

    1993-01-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been regularly requested by its Member States to provide evidence that radioactive waste can be managed safely and to help demonstrate a harmonization of approach at the international level by providing safety documents. In response, IAEA established a special series of safety documents devoted to radioactive waste management. These documents will be elaborated within the Radioactive Waste Safety Standards (RADWASS) programme [1,2] which covers all aspects of radioactive waste management. The RADWASS programme develops a series of international consensus documents on all parts of the safe management of radioactive waste, including disposal. The purpose of the RADWASS programme is to (i) document existing international consensus in the approaches and methodologies for safe radioactive waste management, (ii) create a mechanism to establish consensus where it does not exist and (iii) provide Member States with a comprehensive series of internationally agreed upon documents to complement national standards and criteria. This paper describes the RADWASS programme, and covers the structure, implementation plans and status of documents under preparation

  20. Lexington and the World: Teaching Connections for International Understanding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel, Frankie, Ed.; Drake, Michele, Ed.

    Students in the community schools of Lexington, Kentucky must realize the international connections that exist between Lexington and the world, and be aware of the impact of world events on their own community. These international connections can be revealed through learning activities utilizing local history, international restaurants, street…

  1. Homophyly/kinship hypothesis: Natural communities, and predicting in networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Angsheng; Li, Jiankou; Pan, Yicheng

    2015-02-01

    It has been a longstanding challenge to understand natural communities in real world networks. We proposed a community finding algorithm based on fitness of networks, two algorithms for prediction, accurate prediction and confirmation of keywords for papers in the citation network Arxiv HEP-TH (high energy physics theory), and the measures of internal centrality, external de-centrality, internal and external slopes to characterize the structures of communities. We implemented our algorithms on 2 citation and 5 cooperation graphs. Our experiments explored and validated a homophyly/kinship principle of real world networks. The homophyly/kinship principle includes: (1) homophyly is the natural selection in real world networks, similar to Darwin's kinship selection in nature, (2) real world networks consist of natural communities generated by the natural selection of homophyly, (3) most individuals in a natural community share a short list of common attributes, (4) natural communities have an internal centrality (or internal heterogeneity) that a natural community has a few nodes dominating most of the individuals in the community, (5) natural communities have an external de-centrality (or external homogeneity) that external links of a natural community homogeneously distributed in different communities, and (6) natural communities of a given network have typical structures determined by the internal slopes, and have typical patterns of outgoing links determined by external slopes, etc. Our homophyly/kinship principle perfectly matches Darwin's observation that animals from ants to people form social groups in which most individuals work for the common good, and that kinship could encourage altruistic behavior. Our homophyly/kinship principle is the network version of Darwinian theory, and builds a bridge between Darwinian evolution and network science.

  2. Four African Nations Agree to Water Management Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    Full text: Seeking to improve their management of water resources, four northeast African nations today agreed at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to establish a long-term framework for utlizing a key underground water system. Chad, Egypt, Libya and Sudan signed a Strategic Action Programme (SAP) that aims to optimize the equitable use of the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System, a huge water resource that lies beneath the four nations. The SAP also commits the countries to strengthen and build upon a previously existing regional coordination mechanism, in part by establishing a new Joint Authority for the Nubian Aquifer System. The Programme lays the groundwork for improving cooperation among the four arid nations and for strengthening their capacity to monitor and manage the aquifer effectively. With growing populations and decreasing water availability from other sources in the region, the aquifer is under mounting pressure. Removing water without a clear understanding of transboundary and other implications threatens water quality and has the potential to harm biodiversity and accelerate land degradation. The agreement resulted from a joint Technical Cooperation project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the IAEA. ''I congratulate all involved on this significant achievement,'' said IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano. ''Water is a key resource, and effective management and use of such water resources is essential for the future. The agreement of the Strategic Action Programme is the result of real cooperation between the four States, the Agency and UNDP-GEF. I am confident that this Programme will be a success and will benefit the people of the region. This positive project experience benefits strengthened and expanded cooperation between the IAEA and the UNDP-GEF.'' ''UNDP would like to congratulate the

  3. Sustainable Products and the PPMs Dilemma: How the international community can help in resolving developing countries' concerns

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borregaard, Nicola [RIDES (Chile); Dufey, Annie

    2004-07-01

    Sustainable Products have been identified as having significant potential for win-win-win outcomes from trade for developing countries. However, several barriers are preventing developing countries from exploiting these opportunities. While the international community could play a key role in resolving some constraints, national governments need also to take a more proactive and coherent approach to promote sustainable products if they want to keep abreast with a highly dynamic and rapidly evolving market.

  4. Adapting and improving resilience to climate change in communities (moravian community as a pilot), by creating new capabilities based on the implementation of a new water culture; protection and management of natural resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos Gallo, A.

    2015-04-01

    Water, in all its dimensions and scope, concerns humans as civilization, individuals and communities immersed in an environment that faces serious environmental threats and changes. The efficient way to deal with this crisis is education of present and future generations, breaking paradigms, creating awareness and new development models, seeking community groups and forces to empower their water resource and care, manage and renew it in an efficient and sustainable manner. The multiple uses of water in personal uses, irrigation, agro-industry and clean energy production, transforms this resource in a strategic element to any nation. With support from the Centro Nacional de Alta Tecnologia (CeNAT), it was possible to formulate the "Agenda Ambiental de Moravia", agreeing to be the "Consejo Tecnico de Fuerzas Vivas" (CTFV) from Moravia - articulated network of stakeholders - the one that coordinate all actions refered to water Resources, pollution and cleaner technologies and protected Areas. CeNAT and CTFV have developed distinguished efforts to improve the Moravians quality of life, and this has led the initiative of constitution of a whole education and training project in rescuing the Upper Basin of the Rio Tarcoles, through the implementation of an ecological - recreative garden ("Parque Comunitario Pulmon Verde de Moravia"), fostersing good use of natural resources, and also works as a platform for training and awareness program in Sustainable Development, based on "Hacia una Nueva Cultura del Agua" (powered through the United Nations by Dr. Pedro Arrojo Agudo and his " Feria de Aguas, Rios y Pueblos", presented in many countries). This initiative is projected to the national and international communities, through the "Water International Conference", which propel initiatives, laws and decisions which enable the development of Costa Rica and other countries under a sustainable model, focused on this essential component for life on the planet.

  5. International thermodynamic tables of the fluid state propylene (propene)

    CERN Document Server

    Angus, S; De Reuck, K M

    2013-01-01

    International Thermodynamic Tables of the Fluid State - 7 Propylene (Propene) is a compilation of internationally agreed values of the equilibrium thermodynamic properties of propylene. This book is composed of three chapters, and begins with the presentation of experimental result of thermodynamic studies compared with the equations used to generate the tables. The succeeding chapter deals with correlating equations for thermodynamic property determination of propylene. The last chapter provides the tabulations of the propylene's thermodynamic properties and constants. This book will prove

  6. Le traité de paix en droit international public

    OpenAIRE

    LE BOEUF , Romain

    2014-01-01

    Peace treaty is an international legal act of a contractual nature, concluded by two or more States in order to end the war between them. Nevertheless, regarding both the circumstances of its conclusion and its content, this instrument is remotely compatible with the classical figure of international treaty. The requirement of free and equal wills faces both the existence of a prior use of force and the lack of reciprocity on the agreed rights and obligations. This does not mean that the inst...

  7. PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AGAINST THE ADVERSE IMPACT OF TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND OTHER BUSINESS ENTERPRISES: DILEMMAS OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Machoňová-Schellongová Ivana

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available There is no doubt about an impact of corporate and business operations on human rights, both positive and negative. Growing influence of corporations, power shift between business and states, as well as the complex nature of corporate governance and transnational operations require international regulations. International community undertook numerous initiatives, the most significant and recent being the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights [2011], embraced by States, corporations and civil society as a “milestone“ in business and human rights agenda. While being a  useful comprehensive set of guidelines, Principles are lacking the legally binding force and any monitoring or complaints mechanism. Therefore, there are growing calls for a legally binding treaty to stipulate clearly human rights obligations of States/businesses vis-à-vis human rights and fill the protection gap for victims of corporate abuses. A newly established working group by the Human Rights Council has started to negotiate terms of reference of such a treaty in June 2015. However, meaningful negotiations are threatened by many factors, including the negative approach of US, EU and other developed States along with the corporate sector advocating for stronger implementation of Principles instead. This article aims to describe efforts of international community to prevent and eliminate a  negative impact of corporate activities on human rights. It shows different approaches and highlights some challenges and dilemmas. It concludes that parallel efforts should be undertaken - to implement the Principles and to negotiate an international treaty – in order to improve protection against an adverse impact of corporate operations on human rights. As for the Czech Republic, it is suggested to embark on the elaboration of the National Action Plan, thus providing for an opportunity to discuss implementation of the Principles among all the

  8. The International Criminal Court and the construction of International Public Order

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sofia Santos

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Envisioning an international public order means envisioning an order sustained by a legal and institutional framework that ensures effective collective action with a view to defending fundamental values of the international community and to solving common global problems, in line with the universalist vision of international law. Envisioning the construction of an international public order means considering that this framework, which embraces and promotes the respect for human rights focused particularly on human dignity, is consolidating and evolving based on the International Criminal Court (ICC. The establishment of the ICC added an international punitive perennial facet to international humanitarian law and international human rights law and linked justice to peace, to security and to the well-being of the world, reaffirming the principles and objectives of the Charter of the United Nations (UN. Nevertheless, the affirmation process of an international criminal justice by punishing those responsible for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole, faces numerous obstacles of political and normative character. This article identifies the central merits of the Rome Statute and ICC’s practice and indicates its limitations caused by underlying legal-political tensions and interpretive questions relating to the crime of aggression and crimes against humanity. Finally, the article argues for the indispensability of rethinking the jurisdiction of the ICC, defending the categorization of terrorism as an international crime, and of articulating its mission with the "responsibility to protect", which may contribute to the consolidation of the ICC and of international criminal law and reinforce its role in the construction of an effective international public order.

  9. International regulatory activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2009-01-01

    In this last part is reviewed international regulatory activities and bilateral agreements including two parts: concerning European atomic energy community with European commission proposal for a council directive setting up a community framework for nuclear safety, update of the nuclear illustrative programme in the context of the second strategic energy review, european commission recommendation on criteria for the export of radioactive waste and spent fuel to third countries and a communication on nuclear non-proliferation and the second part in relation with international atomic energy agency with a joint convention on the safety of spent fuel management and on safety of radioactive waste management (third review meeting). (N.C.)

  10. Empowering Local People through Community-based Resource Monitoring: a Comparison of Brazil and Namibia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro de Araujo Lima. Constantino

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Biological resource monitoring systems are implemented in many countries and often depend on the participation of local people. It has been suggested that these systems empower local participants while promoting conservation. We reviewed three wildlife monitoring systems in indigenous lands and sustainable development reserves in Brazilian Amazonia and one in Namibian Caprivi conservancies, analyzing the strategies adopted and conditions that facilitated local empowerment, as well as potential impacts on conservation. This provided insights into potential avenues to strengthen empowerment outcomes of monitoring systems in Latin America and Africa. We assessed four dimensions of empowerment at individual and community scales: psychological, social, economic, and political. The conditions that facilitated local empowerment included the value of natural resources, rights to trade and manage resources, political organization of communities, and collaboration by stakeholders. The wide range of strategies to empower local people included intensifying local participation, linking them to local education, feeding information back to communities, purposefully selecting participants, paying for monitoring services, marketing monitored resources, and inserting local people into broader politics. Although communities were socially and politically empowered, the monitoring systems more often promoted individual empowerment. Marketing of natural resources promoted higher economic empowerment in conservancies in Namibia, whereas information dissemination was better in Brazil because of integrated education programs. We suggest that practitioners take advantage of local facilitating conditions to enhance the empowerment of communities, bearing in mind that increasing autonomy to make management decisions may not agree with international conservation goals. Our comparative analysis of cases in Latin America and Africa allows for a greater understanding of the

  11. The Chernobyl case: its repercussions on the International System on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez Guadarrama, J.L.

    1992-01-01

    With the discovery of the Nuclear Energy the world has been development her life the present investigation is based in the accident of the one of the most important Nuclear Power Plant in the world, situated in the Union of Socialist Sovietic Republics. The Nuclear Power Plant of Chernobyl. Us found in the investigation what not exist one legislation agree with the needs of development of the actual world in matter of the liability civil in case of the nuclear accidents. Found only the Convention of the Vienna. the Convention of the Brussels the which only cover the transportation the Nuclear substances in ships and others transportation medios. The complementary a the convention of the Paris and actually The Communication in case of the nuclear accidents and radiological accidents. In the present work think what the Community International haven the needs of created one legislation with character international what can help a the many countries what have Nuclear Power Plants, on all for protection of the her habitants. The International Atomic Energy Agency together with the International Justice Court and the United Nations Organization (U.N.O.) aplicated the law in matter of the nuclear accidents derivates of the liability responsibility in the use of the Nuclear Plants for elaboration the Electrical Energy or for Investigation in matter the nuclear energy both with identical responsibility civil in case the nuclear accident. (Author)

  12. Experimental determination of radiated internal wave power without pressure field data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Frank M.; Paoletti, M. S.; Swinney, Harry L.; Morrison, P. J.

    2014-04-01

    We present a method to determine, using only velocity field data, the time-averaged energy flux left and total radiated power P for two-dimensional internal gravity waves. Both left and P are determined from expressions involving only a scalar function, the stream function ψ. We test the method using data from a direct numerical simulation for tidal flow of a stratified fluid past a knife edge. The results for the radiated internal wave power given by the stream function method agree to within 0.5% with results obtained using pressure and velocity data from the numerical simulation. The results for the radiated power computed from the stream function agree well with power computed from the velocity and pressure if the starting point for the stream function computation is on a solid boundary, but if a boundary point is not available, care must be taken to choose an appropriate starting point. We also test the stream function method by applying it to laboratory data for tidal flow past a knife edge, and the results are found to agree with the direct numerical simulation. The supplementary material includes a Matlab code with a graphical user interface that can be used to compute the energy flux and power from two-dimensional velocity field data.

  13. Experimental determination of radiated internal wave power without pressure field data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Frank M.; Morrison, P. J.; Paoletti, M. S.; Swinney, Harry L.

    2014-01-01

    We present a method to determine, using only velocity field data, the time-averaged energy flux (J) and total radiated power P for two-dimensional internal gravity waves. Both (J) and P are determined from expressions involving only a scalar function, the stream function ψ. We test the method using data from a direct numerical simulation for tidal flow of a stratified fluid past a knife edge. The results for the radiated internal wave power given by the stream function method agree to within 0.5% with results obtained using pressure and velocity data from the numerical simulation. The results for the radiated power computed from the stream function agree well with power computed from the velocity and pressure if the starting point for the stream function computation is on a solid boundary, but if a boundary point is not available, care must be taken to choose an appropriate starting point. We also test the stream function method by applying it to laboratory data for tidal flow past a knife edge, and the results are found to agree with the direct numerical simulation. The supplementary material includes a Matlab code with a graphical user interface that can be used to compute the energy flux and power from two-dimensional velocity field data

  14. Medication adherence beliefs of U.S community pharmacists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witry, Matthew J

    2018-05-01

    There is increasing attention on the role of community pharmacists in improving medication adherence. There is a need to better understand pharmacist attitudes and experiences related to this role. To assess community pharmacist perceptions of patient reasons for non-adherence, characterize the adherence beliefs of community pharmacists, and test if there are demographic predictors of pharmacists' self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and role beliefs related to intervening on medication non-adherence. A cross-sectional survey was mailed using a 4-contact approach to 1000 pharmacists practicing in 5 Midwestern U.S. States. The survey included seven domains to address the study objectives. Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographic items, coefficient alphas tested the internal consistency of scales, and multiple regression was used to test the relationship between demographics and scale means. There were 261 usable responses giving a 29% response rate. Pharmacists perceived forgetting and instructions changing without a new prescription to be the most common reasons for late refills. A minority of pharmacists agreed that non-adherence involves a deliberate decision or that negative medication beliefs were common reasons for late refills. Pharmacists were confident, had positive outcome expectations, and positive role beliefs related to interacting with patients who have adherence issues. Barriers to adherence intervention included difficulties with follow-up and documentation. Also, over half of the pharmacists reported that discussing adherence makes patients defensive. Pharmacists had positive attitudes toward intervening on medication non-adherence although barriers to intervention are present. Pharmacists perceived non-intentional reasons for late refills to be more prevalent than intentional reasons. Pharmacists may benefit from additional non-adherence communication training and support targeted at identifying a broader range of non

  15. Comparison of international guideline programs to evaluate and update the Dutch program for clinical guideline development in physical therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burgers Jako S

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Clinical guidelines are considered important instruments to improve quality in health care. Since 1998 the Royal Dutch Society for Physical Therapy (KNGF produced evidence-based clinical guidelines, based on a standardized program. New developments in the field of guideline research raised the need to evaluate and update the KNGF guideline program. Purpose of this study is to compare different guideline development programs and review the KNGF guideline program for physical therapy in the Netherlands, in order to update the program. Method Six international guideline development programs were selected, and the 23 criteria of the AGREE Instrument were used to evaluate the guideline programs. Information about the programs was retrieved from published handbooks of the organizations. Also, the Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy was evaluated using the AGREE criteria. Further comparison the six guideline programs was carried out using the following elements of the guideline development processes: Structure and organization; Preparation and initiation; Development; Validation; Dissemination and implementation; Evaluation and update. Results Compliance with the AGREE criteria of the guideline programs was high. Four programs addressed 22 AGREE criteria, and two programs addressed 20 AGREE criteria. The previous Dutch program for guideline development in physical therapy lacked in compliance with the AGREE criteria, meeting only 13 criteria. Further comparison showed that all guideline programs perform systematic literature searches to identify the available evidence. Recommendations are formulated and graded, based on evidence and other relevant factors. It is not clear how decisions in the development process are made. In particular, the process of translating evidence into practice recommendations can be improved. Conclusion As a result of international developments and consensus, the described processes

  16. THE DEAL WITH IRAN IS THE BEST-CASE SCENARIO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY COULD ACHIEVE IN THE CURRENT GEOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-02-16

    nonproliferation regime. However, the international community retains all options to achieve the objective of preventing Iran from producing a nuclear weapon...of U.S. Iran policy since 1979 but the imposition of U.N. Security Council and worldwide sanctions escalated after 2006 and increased dramatically...Diplomacy 2011), 333. 15 Celia L/ Reynolds and Wilfred T. Wan, "Empirical trends in sanctions and possitive inducements in nonproliferation ", in

  17. Optimal community structure for social contagions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Zhen; Wang, Wei; Li, Lixiang; Stanley, H. Eugene; Braunstein, Lidia A.

    2018-05-01

    Community structure is an important factor in the behavior of real-world networks because it strongly affects the stability and thus the phase transition order of the spreading dynamics. We here propose a reversible social contagion model of community networks that includes the factor of social reinforcement. In our model an individual adopts a social contagion when the number of received units of information exceeds its adoption threshold. We use mean-field approximation to describe our proposed model, and the results agree with numerical simulations. The numerical simulations and theoretical analyses both indicate that there is a first-order phase transition in the spreading dynamics, and that a hysteresis loop emerges in the system when there is a variety of initially adopted seeds. We find an optimal community structure that maximizes spreading dynamics. We also find a rich phase diagram with a triple point that separates the no-diffusion phase from the two diffusion phases.

  18. Microbial Communities Are Well Adapted to Disturbances in Energy Input.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez-Gonzalez, Nuria; Huber, Julie A; Vallino, Joseph J

    2016-01-01

    Although microbial systems are well suited for studying concepts in ecological theory, little is known about how microbial communities respond to long-term periodic perturbations beyond diel oscillations. Taking advantage of an ongoing microcosm experiment, we studied how methanotrophic microbial communities adapted to disturbances in energy input over a 20-day cycle period. Sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes together with quantification of microbial abundance and ecosystem function were used to explore the long-term dynamics (510 days) of methanotrophic communities under continuous versus cyclic chemical energy supply. We observed that microbial communities appeared inherently well adapted to disturbances in energy input and that changes in community structure in both treatments were more dependent on internal dynamics than on external forcing. The results also showed that the rare biosphere was critical to seeding the internal community dynamics, perhaps due to cross-feeding or other strategies. We conclude that in our experimental system, internal feedbacks were more important than external drivers in shaping the community dynamics over time, suggesting that ecosystems can maintain their function despite inherently unstable community dynamics. IMPORTANCE Within the broader ecological context, biological communities are often viewed as stable and as only experiencing succession or replacement when subject to external perturbations, such as changes in food availability or the introduction of exotic species. Our findings indicate that microbial communities can exhibit strong internal dynamics that may be more important in shaping community succession than external drivers. Dynamic "unstable" communities may be important for ecosystem functional stability, with rare organisms playing an important role in community restructuring. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for internal community dynamics will certainly be required for understanding and manipulating

  19. International law and public participation in the field of nuclear energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strohl, P.

    1993-01-01

    Public participation in nuclear decision-making is a phenomenon which belongs to the state machine. It can be interesting for international regulations under three aspects: states would agree to recognize a general principle which would be common to their internal legislations, to harmonize their national measures, or because the ability to participate to decisions should be opened to any person concerned what ever her nationality can be or her home can stand

  20. Community Pharmacist Attitudes on Medication Synchronization Programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew Witry

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Medication synchronization is a service offered by an increasing number of community pharmacies that aligns refilling of a patient’s multiple medications. Purported benefits include increased adherence and improved dispensing efficiency. Objective: To assess community pharmacist agreement with a set of declarative statements about medication synchronization programs and to identify variation related to pharmacist characteristics. Methods: In 2015, a cross-sectional survey was mailed to 1,000 pharmacists from 5 Midwestern U.S. states using 4-contacts and an online option. Respondents used a 7-point Likert scale to agree or disagree with 5 statements about medication synchronization. Demographic and workplace characteristics were collected. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. Multiple linear regression tested the relationship between pharmacist characteristics and a 4-item attitude composite. Results: There were 258 usable responses for a response rate of 28.8%. About half (45.0% reported their pharmacy offered medication synchronization. Most pharmacists (82.6% agreed this service has a positive impact on patient adherence but 57% agreed that a “significant change to workflow” was or would be required. Pharmacist agreement that the program provides financial benefits to the pharmacy was higher than agreement that the service provides more opportunities for patient interactions (p<0.001. In the multiple regression analysis, having a PharmD and working at a pharmacy offering Medication Therapy Management were associated with more positive scores on the medication synchronization benefits composite whereas working in a staff role (rather than a manager/owner was lower. No demographic predictors were significantly associated with agreeing that a significant change to workflow would be required for implementation. Conclusions: Pharmacists generally were positive about medication synchronization

  1. Enabling FAIR and Open Data - The Importance of Communities on Influencing Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stall, S.; Lehnert, K.; Robinson, E.; Parsons, M. A.; Hanson, B.; Cutcher-Gershenfeld, J.; Nosek, B.

    2017-12-01

    Our research ecosystem is diverse and dependent on many interacting stakeholders that influence and support the process of science. These include funders, institutions, libraries, publishers, researchers, data managers, repositories, archives and communities. Process improvement in this ecosystem thus usually needs support by more than one of these many stakeholders. For example, mandates for open data extend across this ecosystem. Solutions require these stakeholders to come together and agree upon improvements. Recently, the value of FAIR and Open Data has encouraged funders to sponsor discussions with tangible agreements that include the steps needed to move the ecosystem towards results. Work by many of these stakeholders over the past years have developed pilot efforts that are ready to be scaled with broader engagement. A partnership of the AGU, Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP), Research Data Alliance (RDA), Center for Open Science, and key publishers including Science, Nature, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) have agreed to work together to develop integrated processes, leveraging these pilots, to make FAIR and open data the default for Earth and space science publications. This effort will build on the work of COPDESS.org, ESIP, RDA, the scientific journals, and domain repositories to ensure that well documented data, preserved in a repository with community agreed-upon metadata, and supporting persistent identifiers becomes part of the expected research products submitted in support of each publication.

  2. Nazi interne propaganda in die tweede wêreldoorlog | Kotze ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Adolf Hitler considered propaganda as a tactical weapon which should be used in warfare. The Second World War proved that it was no super weapon, and that it could not be used in isolation, but it is generally agreed that Nazi internal propaganda played a prominent part in upholding solidarity of morale in Germany ...

  3. RETHINKING POVERTY: THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    J MUGUMBATE

    KEY TERMS: Chaos Theory, inequalities, poverty reduction, international organizations, Social Choice Theory, grassroots development a Assistant .... in isolated communities to identify intangible community capital such as, valuable skills that ...

  4. Toward an International Lunar Polar Volatiles Strategy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruener, J. E.; Suzuki, N. H.; Carpenter, J. D.

    2015-01-01

    Fourteen international space agencies are participating in the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG), working together to advance a long-range human space exploration strategy. The ISECG is a voluntary, non-binding international coordination mechanism through which individual agencies may exchange information regarding interests, objectives, and plans in space exploration with the goal of strengthening both individual exploration programs as well as the collective effort. The ISECG has developed a Global Exploration Roadmap (GER) that reflects the coordinated international dialog and continued preparation for exploration beyond low-Earth orbit - beginning with the Moon and cis-lunar space, and continuing to near-Earth asteroids, and Mars. Space agencies agree that human space exploration will be most successful as an international endeavor, given the challenges of these missions. The roadmap demonstrates how initial capabilities can enable a variety of missions in the lunar vicinity, responding to individual and common goals and objectives, while contributing to building partnerships required for sustainable human space exploration that delivers value to the public.

  5. Community Health Nurses' Knowledge of, Attitudes toward, and Involvement with Adolescent Contraceptive Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swenson, Ingrid; And Others

    1991-01-01

    Surveyed national sample of 844 community health nurses to assess their knowledge of, attitudes toward, involvement with reproductive health services. Slightly more than 50 percent of nurses provided or administered contraceptive services to adolescents. Ninety-five percent agreed that contraceptives should be available to adolescents; 90 percent…

  6. Geothermal pilot study final report: creating an international geothermal energy community

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bresee, J.C.; Yen, W.W.S.; Metzler, J.E. (eds.)

    1978-06-01

    The Geothermal Pilot Study under the auspices of the Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society (CCMS) was established in 1973 to apply an action-oriented approach to international geothermal research and development, taking advantage of the established channels of governmental communication provided by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Pilot Study was composed of five substudies. They included: computer-based information systems; direct application of geothermal energy; reservoir assessment; small geothermal power plants; and hot dry rock concepts. The most significant overall result of the CCMS Geothermal Pilot Study, which is now complete, is the establishment of an identifiable community of geothermal experts in a dozen or more countries active in development programs. Specific accomplishments include the creation of an international computer file of technical information on geothermal wells and fields, the development of studies and reports on direct applications, geothermal fluid injection and small power plants, and the operation of the visiting scientist program. In the United States, the computer file has aready proven useful in the development of reservoir models and of chemical geothermometers. The state-of-the-art report on direct uses of geothermal energy is proving to be a valuable resource document for laypersons and experts in an area of increasing interest to many countries. Geothermal fluid injection studies in El Salvador, New Zealand, and the United States have been assisted by the Reservoir Assessment Substudy and have led to long-range reservoir engineering studies in Mexico. At least seven small geothermal power plants are in use or have been planned for construction around the world since the Small Power Plant Substudy was instituted--at least partial credit for this increased application can be assigned to the CCMS Geothermal Pilot Study. (JGB)

  7. Teaching wilderness first aid in a remote First Nations community: the story of the Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative

    OpenAIRE

    Karen Born; Aaron Orkin; David VanderBurgh; Jackson Beardy

    2012-01-01

    Objective. To understand how community members of a remote First Nations community respond to an emergency first aid education programme. Study design. A qualitative study involving focus groups and participant observation as part of a communitybased participatory research project, which involved the development and implementation of a wilderness first aid course in collaboration with the community. Methods. Twenty community members participated in the course and agreed to be part of the rese...

  8. Formative study conducted in five countries to adapt the community popular opinion leader intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2007-04-01

    To obtain information about the social and cultural factors related to health behaviors influencing HIV/sexually transmitted disease (STD) transmission in study communities in China, India, Peru, Russia, and Zimbabwe so that the assessment and intervention of the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH) Collaborative HIV/STD Prevention Trial could be adapted appropriately. Field observations, focus groups, in-depth interviews with key informants, and an observation of community social dynamics were conducted as part of a rapid ethnographic assessment. All five sites reported a power dynamic tilted towards men, which rendered women particularly vulnerable to HIV and other STDs. Women's relative lack of power was exemplified by a double standard for extramarital sex, women's limited ability to negotiate sex or condom use, and sexual and physical violence against women. In all sites except Russia, extramarital sex is tolerated for men but proscribed for women. In Peru, power dynamics between men who have sex with men were tilted towards men who self-identified as heterosexual. Condom use (reported to be low across all sites) was often linked to having sex with only those perceived as high-risk partners. Regardless of site or study population, participants agreed on the following characteristics of an ideal community popular opinion leader (C-POL): respectable, credible, experienced (life and sexual), trustworthy, empathetic, well-spoken, and self-confident. The ethnographic studies provided critical information that enabled the study teams to adapt elements of the Trial in culturally appropriate ways in diverse international settings.

  9. International Leadership after the Demise of the Last Superpower

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wæver, Ole

    2017-01-01

    Who will take care of what global challenges – and why not? Does the international system have an emerging pattern of leadership, or does system structure either preclude leadership as such or prevent prediction of any systematic form hereof? It is widely agreed among scholars and practitioners...... alike that the ‘structure’ of the international system in some broad sense, and most often with an emphasis on the distribution of power (polarity), circumscribes the conditions for cooperation and joint action. So this paper will first discuss the proper designation of the emerging structure, then what...

  10. Emission trading and Kyoto's protocol: discussions concerning rules and international coordination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baron, R.

    2000-01-01

    The Kyoto Protocol of the Climate Convention introduced the possibility to trade greenhouse gas emission reductions among industrialized countries, as a means to reduce the total cost of achieving the agreed emission goals. The rules for this international co-ordination regime are still debated, even if its principle is generally agreed. This article, written before the negotiation in the Hague, summarizes how the notion of emission trading made its way in the Framework Convention on Climate Change. The authors show what economic gains could realistically be expected from emission trading, based on macro-economic modelling results and a simulation of trading in the conditions of the Kyoto Protocol. They stress the critical contribution that emission trading could make, provided that the Protocol's environmental basis is not undermined. In the end, the negotiation collapsed over this issue. Beyond this near-term obstacle, the international emission trading system represents a significant progress towards an efficient resolution of man-made global climate change. (author)

  11. Governance Frameworks for International Public Goods: The Case of Concerted Entrepreneurship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersson, Thomas; Formica, Piero

    2007-01-01

    In the "participation age", emerging cross-border, transnational communities driven by innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives--in short, international entrepreneurial communities--give impetus to the rise of international public goods. With varying intensity, a non-voting international mobile public--still a small but an increasing fraction…

  12. [Community pharmacy and general internal medicine are at the same crossroads: some opportunities should be seized].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bugnon, O; Buchmann, M

    2012-11-28

    The medicines give some symptoms relief and save lives every day. However, the responsible use of medicines is not definitively attained for the modern health systems. The shortcomings in this area are the cause of major negative clinical outcomes for the patients and the cause of additional cost for the health financing system. The two centenarians, as the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) and the "Policlinique Médicale Universitaire (PMU)" in Lausanne, preview the solutions from now on for reversing this trend, such as the interdisciplinary collaborative approaches, the introduction of adequate financial incentives and the strengthening of education and research in community medicine, pharmacy and health.

  13. Office of Inspector General report on Naval Petroleum Reserve Number 1, independent accountant`s report on applying agreed-upon procedures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-12-01

    On October 6, 1997, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced it had agreed to sell all of the Government`s interest in Naval Petroleum Reserve Number 1 (NPR-1) to Occidental Petroleum Corporation for $3.65 billion. This report presents the results of the independent certified public accountants` agreed-upon procedures work on the Preliminary Settlement Statement of the Purchase and Sale Agreement between DOE and Occidental. To fulfill their responsibilities, the Office of Inspector General contracted with the independent public accounting firm of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP to conduct the work for them, subject to their review. The work was done in accordance with the Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements issued by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. As such, the independent certified public accountants performed only work that was agreed upon by DOE and Occidental. This report is intended solely for the use of DOE and Occidental and should not be used by those who have not agreed to the procedures and taken responsibility for the sufficiency of the procedures for their purposes. However, this report is a matter of public record, and its distribution is not limited. The independent certified public accountants identified over 20 adjustments to the Preliminary Settlement Statement that would result in a $10.8 million increase in the sale price.

  14. Fostering a durable relationship between a waste management facility and its host community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2007-01-01

    Any long-term radioactive waste management project is likely to last decades to centuries. It requires a physical site and will impact in a variety of ways on the surrounding community over that whole period. The societal durability of an agreed solution is essential to success. This report identifies a number of design elements (including functional, cultural and physical features) that favour a durable relationship between the facility and its host community by improving prospects for quality of life across generations

  15. Advancing Direct Corporate Accountability in International Human Rights Law: The Role of State-Owned Enterprises

    OpenAIRE

    Ma, Xili

    2017-01-01

    Resorting to the immensely State-centric international legal system to regulate corporate human rights abuses is often viewed as inadequate. Among many proposals aiming at filling the international regulatory gaps, imposing international human rights obligations directly on corporations is a bold one, which, due to profound doctrinal and practical challenges, has yet to be agreed upon or established. However, State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), given its prima facie “State-Business nexus” that bl...

  16. International food aid – directions of changes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Sapa

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Permanently unsolved world food insecurity problem makes the international community search for solutions. One of the used methods is international food aid directed to developing countries. Long term analyses of the food aid flows allow to identify some tendencies that show: increase of emergency food aid and decrease of direct transfer. These tendencies also apply to the two biggest food donors i.e. the USA and the EU. The noticeable directions of changes are based on the international community initiatives, on which the national regulation are formed later.

  17. International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation (IRPhE) Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    The International Reactor Physics Experiment Evaluation (IRPhE) Project aims to provide the nuclear community with qualified benchmark data sets by collecting reactor physics experimental data from nuclear facilities, worldwide. More specifically the objectives of the expert group are as follows: - maintaining an inventory of the experiments that have been carried out and documented; - archiving the primary documents and data released in computer-readable form; - promoting the use of the format and methods developed and seek to have them adopted as a standard. For those experiments where interest and priority is expressed by member countries or working parties and executive groups within the NEA provide guidance or co-ordination in: - compiling experiments into a standard international agreed format; - verifying the data, to the extent possible, by reviewing original and subsequently revised documentation, and by consulting with the experimenters or individuals who are familiar with the experimenters or the experimental facility; - analysing and interpreting the experiments with current state-of-the-art methods; - publishing electronically the benchmark evaluations. The expert group will: - identify gaps in data and provide guidance on priorities for future experiments; - involve the young generation (Masters and PhD students and young researchers) to find an effective way of transferring know-how in experimental techniques and analysis methods; - provide a tool for improved exploitation of completed experiments for Generation IV reactors; - coordinate closely its work with other NSC experimental work groups in particular the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP), the Shielding Integral Benchmark Experiment Data Base (SINBAD) and others, e.g. knowledge preservation in fast reactors of the IAEA, the ANS Joint Benchmark Activities; - keep a close link with the working parties on scientific issues of reactor systems (WPRS), the expert

  18. 40 CFR 80.131 - Agreed upon procedures for GTAB, certain conventional gasoline imported by truck, previously...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ..., certain conventional gasoline imported by truck, previously certified gasoline used to produce gasoline... gasoline used to produce gasoline, and butane blenders. (a) Attest procedures for GTAB. The following are... conventional gasoline and of RFG produced. Agree the volumes from the tank activity records to the batch volume...

  19. Verifying the agreed framework between the United States and North Korea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    May, M.M.

    2001-01-01

    Under the 1994 Agreed Framework (AF) between the United States and the Democratic People Republic of Korea (DPRK), the US and its allies will provide two nuclear-power reactors and other benefits to the DPRK in exchange for an agreement by the DPRK to declare how much nuclear-weapon material it has produced; to identify, freeze, and eventually dismantle specified facilities for producing this material; and to remain a party to the nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and allow the implementation of its safeguards agreement. This study assesses the verifiability of these provisions. The study concludes verification can be accomplished, given cooperation and openness from the DPRK. Special effort will be needed from the IAEA, as well as support from the US and the Republic of Korea. (author)

  20. International Criminalization of International Terrorizm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Grigoryevich Volevodz

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Analysis and studying of the terrorism in all its facets is a complex entangled problem with less clear legal regulation that it might seem at first glance, especially after its transformation from local phenomenon into a world threat. Hitherto terrorism and actions connected to it have been criminalized by the majority of states. There are in modern criminal law whole systems of rules on criminal liability for terrorism which differs considerably from country to country. Terrorism has been criminalized in numerous international regional and universal antiterrorist legal instruments. The author notes that differences in definitions that are enshrined in them hinders international cooperation in criminal matters with respect to terrorist cases. Difficulties reside in the necessity to meet the dual criminality requirement and in the political offense exception. These difficulties can only be overcome through elaboration of a universally recognized definition of the notion of international terrorism and making it legally binding via its inclusion into a universal convention. The issue of definition of international terrorism is an important part of an efficient mutual assistance among states in fight against this crime. In this article the author accounts of actual ways of tackling by the international community of the issue of criminalization of international terrorism and of factors influencing them.

  1. Bringing political context back into international business studies of human rights

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kourula, A.; Mäkinen, J.

    In this article, we respond to Giuliani, Santangelo, and Wettstein’s (2016) call formore international business (IB) research on the theme of human rights (HR).While we surely agree with the need for increasing research on the topic, we arguethat future research should emphasize and elaborate on the

  2. International regulatory activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2010-01-01

    Concerning International regulatory activities, we find for the european atomic energy community an entry into force of the lisbon treaty (2009), it amends the treaty on European union and replaces the treaty establishing the European Community by the new treaty on the functioning of the European Union; more, an amendment to council regulation on the conditions governing imports of agricultural products originating in third countries following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station (2009). About International atomic energy agency is reported an open-ended meeting of technical and legal experts for sharing of information on states implementation of the code of conduct on the safety and security of radioactive sources and its supplementary guidance on the import and export of radioactive sources (2010). (N.C.)

  3. Best practices and better protocols : guidance for a comprehensive community emissions inventory system from a high level review of international best practices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boston, A.

    2007-11-01

    A community greenhouse gas emission and energy inventory is an important tool to help local governments plan, implement and monitor climate change mitigation strategies and sustainable energy systems. Inventories can also facilitate a number of other local priorities such as air quality management; integrated land-use and transportation planning; infrastructure optimization and planning; and community economic development planning. The British Columbia government's community energy and emissions inventory initiative (CEEI) intends to collect and centralize high-quality geocoded data to generate high-value community inventories for the province's 185 local governments. This report presented strategic guidance for a comprehensive community emissions inventory system based on a high level review of international best practices. The report described the project objective and scope; guiding principles; research methodology; and inventory limitations. The report provided observations, findings and recommendations according to the following four areas: protocols and standards recommendations; data management systems recommendations; community inventory parameters recommendations; and reporting formats and capacity building recommendations. It was recommended that as CEEI progresses, consideration should be given to developing provincial level reports and online reporting of local government activity in order to strengthen awareness, recognize leadership and build support.17 refs., 2 tabs., 11 figs., 2 appendices

  4. Part-time careers in academic internal medicine: A report from the association of specialty professors part-time careers task force on behalf of the alliance for academic internal medicine

    OpenAIRE

    Linzer, M; Warde, C; Alexander, RW; DeMarco, DM; Haupt, A; Hicks, L; Kutner, J; Mangione, CM; Mechaber, H; Rentz, M; Riley, J; Schuster, B; Solomon, GD; Volberding, P; Ibrahim, T

    2009-01-01

    To establish guidelines for more effectively incorporating part-time faculty into departments of internal medicine, a task force was convened in early 2007 by the Association of Specialty Professors. The task force used informal surveys, current literature, and consensus building among members of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine to produce a consensus statement and a series of recommendations. The task force agreed that part-time faculty could enrich a department of medicine, enhan...

  5. International Society for Stem Cell Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... renowned stem cell and regenerative medicine community. More stem cell research Take a closer look Recent Blogs View ... story independent nonprofit organization & the voice of the stem cell research community The International Society for Stem Cell ...

  6. Community of Communities: An Electronic Link to Integrating Cultural Diversity in Nursing Curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Marilyn; Ali, Nagia; Carlton, Kay Hodson

    2002-01-01

    The Community of Communities (COC) website contains information and case studies based on cultural assessment. Online nursing courses are linked to a cultural module in the COC. Evaluation results from 63 students showed that the COC increased awareness of the role of culture in health care and knowledge of international health practices.…

  7. Assessing the Relationship between Community Education, Political Efficacy and Electoral Participation: A Case Study of the Asylum Seeking Community in Cork

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Clodagh; Murphy, Philip

    2012-01-01

    This paper assesses the relationship between community education and internal political efficacy. In particular it examines the association between voter/civic programmes run in advance of the 2009 local elections in Ireland and internal political efficacy amongst the asylum seeking community in Cork. A survey is used to test this relationship.…

  8. Real-Time Observation of Internal Motion within Ultrafast Dissipative Optical Soliton Molecules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krupa, Katarzyna; Nithyanandan, K.; Andral, Ugo; Tchofo-Dinda, Patrice; Grelu, Philippe

    2017-06-01

    Real-time access to the internal ultrafast dynamics of complex dissipative optical systems opens new explorations of pulse-pulse interactions and dynamic patterns. We present the first direct experimental evidence of the internal motion of a dissipative optical soliton molecule generated in a passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser. We map the internal motion of a soliton pair molecule by using a dispersive Fourier-transform imaging technique, revealing different categories of internal pulsations, including vibrationlike and phase drifting dynamics. Our experiments agree well with numerical predictions and bring insights to the analogy between self-organized states of lights and states of the matter.

  9. Community Forestry and Forest Conservation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Milhøj, Anders; Casse, Thorkil

    2011-01-01

    This paper is a meta-study of local forest management experiences in developing countries drawn from a review of 56 case-studies presented in 52 papers. Many case-studies report positive links between community forestry and forest conservation. In international organizations and NGOs there is a g......This paper is a meta-study of local forest management experiences in developing countries drawn from a review of 56 case-studies presented in 52 papers. Many case-studies report positive links between community forestry and forest conservation. In international organizations and NGOs...

  10. The European community and nuclear safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brinkhorst, L.J.

    1992-01-01

    standards at the highest practical levels. Central and Eastern European States and those of the ex-USSR have requested the Community to assist them to create the appropriate conditions for a safe and economically healthy nuclear power industry. Assisting in the transformation of Eastern Europe nuclear safety practice to meet international standards is an important step towards an internationally accepted nuclear safety regime The weight of the Community assistance programme in nuclear safety to Eastern Europe is already recognised the Commission has been assigned the role of Coordinator of the bilateral assistance programmes of the 24 industrialised countries known as the G-24. In 1991, the European Community opened the way for the formal building of a system of internationally accepted nuclear safety requirements by being at the initiative of the International Nuclear Safety Conference which led to the Resolution of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency calling for an International Nuclear Safety Convention. The Community's faith on the safety added value of the potential convention puts a political and technical burden on Community Member States and the Commission to ensure that the content of the Convention would make it an effective instrument for nuclear safety progress. (author)

  11. Community Involvement in TB Research

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M. van der Werf (Marloes); S.G. Heumann (Silke); E.M.H. Mitchell

    2011-01-01

    textabstractWhile communities at risk have been both drivers and partners in HIV research, their important role in TB research is yet to be fully realized. Involvement of communities in tuberculosis care and prevention is currently on the international agenda. This creates opportunities and

  12. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy in internal medicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paola Faggioli

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Capillaroscopy is an actual inexpensive imaging technique, used to examine, non-invasively and safely, the morphology of nailfold dermal papillary capillaries. Many studies agree in the statement that the capillaroscopy is one of the gold standard methods for non-invasive examination of the microcirculation and it plays an important role in screening in Raynaud’s phenomenon and in monitoring of systemic sclerosis and other rheumatologic diseases. There are also many reports on the possible use of nailfold capillaroscopy in the diagnosis and monitoring of many other diseases in internal medicine.

  13. International safeguards and international nuclear trade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Felten, P.

    1991-01-01

    A particular feature of nuclear trade is the need to ensure a good equilibrium between technology transfer and the requirements linked to non proliferation of nuclear weapons. The recent dramatic changes that occurred on the international scene have particularly underlined the difficulty to reach this equilibrium, reminding us the fragility of the existing order and the responsibility of the nuclear community in the field of non-proliferation. Consequently, there is a need for an international thorough review of the actual non proliferation tools developed until now. This review could lead to reconsider some of the dogmas upon which the present safeguard system is based

  14. Do patients and physicians agree on diabetes management? A study conducted in Public Healthcare Centres in Brazil

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Figueiredo, R.C.; Snoek, F.J.; Barreto, S.M.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To explore to what extent patients with diabetes agree with their physicians on diabetes management and whether the agreement varies according to patients' socio-demographic characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with diabetes and their Family

  15. A Community of Practice Model for Introducing Mobile Tablets to University Faculty

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drouin, Michelle; Vartanian, Lesa Rae; Birk, Samantha

    2014-01-01

    We examined the effectiveness of a community of practice (CoP) model for introducing tablets to 139 faculty members at a higher education institution. Using a CoP within a systems model, we used large- and small-group mentorship to foster collaboration among faculty members. Most faculty members agreed that the project was well organized and…

  16. Community Identity and User Engagement in a Multi-Community Landscape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Justine; Hamilton, William L; Danescu-Niculescu-Mizil, Cristian; Jurafsky, Dan; Leskovec, Jure

    2017-05-01

    A community's identity defines and shapes its internal dynamics. Our current understanding of this interplay is mostly limited to glimpses gathered from isolated studies of individual communities. In this work we provide a systematic exploration of the nature of this relation across a wide variety of online communities. To this end we introduce a quantitative, language-based typology reflecting two key aspects of a community's identity: how distinctive , and how temporally dynamic it is. By mapping almost 300 Reddit communities into the landscape induced by this typology, we reveal regularities in how patterns of user engagement vary with the characteristics of a community. Our results suggest that the way new and existing users engage with a community depends strongly and systematically on the nature of the collective identity it fosters, in ways that are highly consequential to community maintainers. For example, communities with distinctive and highly dynamic identities are more likely to retain their users. However, such niche communities also exhibit much larger acculturation gaps between existing users and newcomers, which potentially hinder the integration of the latter. More generally, our methodology reveals differences in how various social phenomena manifest across communities, and shows that structuring the multi-community landscape can lead to a better understanding of the systematic nature of this diversity.

  17. How has the economic downturn affected communities and implementation of science-based prevention in the randomized trial of communities that care?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuklinski, Margaret R; Hawkins, J David; Plotnick, Robert D; Abbott, Robert D; Reid, Carolina K

    2013-06-01

    This study examined implications of the economic downturn that began in December 2007 for the Community Youth Development Study (CYDS), a longitudinal randomized controlled trial of the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system. The downturn had the potential to affect the internal validity of the CYDS research design and implementation of science-based prevention in study communities. We used archival economic indicators and community key leader reports of economic conditions to assess the extent of the economic downturn in CYDS communities and potential internal validity threats. We also examined whether stronger economic downturn effects were associated with a decline in science-based prevention implementation. Economic indicators suggested the downturn affected CYDS communities to different degrees. We found no evidence of systematic differences in downturn effects in CTC compared to control communities that would threaten internal validity of the randomized trial. The Community Economic Problems scale was a reliable measure of community economic conditions, and it showed criterion validity in relation to several objective economic indicators. CTC coalitions continued to implement science-based prevention to a significantly greater degree than control coalitions 2 years after the downturn began. However, CTC implementation levels declined to some extent as unemployment, the percentage of students qualifying for free lunch, and community economic problems worsened. Control coalition implementation levels were not related to economic conditions before or after the downturn, but mean implementation levels of science-based prevention were also relatively low in both periods.

  18. What Is the "International" in the International Baccalaureate?: Three Structuring Tensions of the Early Years (1962-1973)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarc, Paul

    2009-01-01

    The International Baccalaureate (IB) emerged in the 1960s after a significant demand arose for an internationally recognized secondary school-leaving diploma among a subset of the international school community. In tension with the practical demands of producing and sustaining a mobile diploma were underlying liberal-humanist visions of a…

  19. Astrobiology: guidelines and future missions plan for the international community

    Science.gov (United States)

    French, L.; Miller, D.

    The search for extra-terrestrial life has been going on ever since humans realized there was more to the Universe than just the Earth. These quests have taken many forms including, but not limited to: the quest for understanding the biological origins of life on Earth; the deployment of robotic probes to other planets to look for microbial life; the analysis of meteorites for chemical and fossil remnants of extra - terrestrial life; and the search of the radio spectrum for signs of extra-solar intelligence. These searches so far have yielded hints, but no unambiguous proof of life with origins from off Earth. The emerging field of astrobiology studies the origin, distribution, and future of life in the Universe. Technical advances and new, though not conclusive, evidence of extinct microbial life on Mars have created a new enthusiasm for astrobiology in many nations. However, the next steps to take are not clear, and should a positive result be returned, the follow-on missions are yet to be defined. This paper reports on the results of an eight-week study by the students of the International Space University during the summer of 2002. The study created a source book that can be used by mission designers and policy makers to chart the next steps in astrobiology. In particular, the study addresses the following questions:1.What is the full set of dimensions along which we can search forextra-terrestrial life?2.What activities are currently underway by the internationalcommunity along each of these dimensions?3.What are the most effective next steps that can be taken by theinternational space community in order to further this search (from a policy,sociological and mission point of view)?4.What are the proper steps for eliminating possible contaminationof the Earth's biosphere?5.What are the issues with planetary quarantine with regards tounwanted contamination of other biospheres with terrestrial organisms? Integrating all the considerations affecting the search for

  20. Decisions to Perform Emergency Caesarean Sections at a University Hospital; Do obstetricians agree?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gowri Vaidyanathan

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: This study was undertaken to assess the degree of agreement amongst obstetricians regarding decisions to perform emergency Caesarean section (CS procedures at a university hospital. Methods: This retrospective clinical audit was carried out on 50 consecutive emergency CS procedures performed between November 2012 and March 2013 on women with singleton pregnancies at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Muscat, Oman. Data on each procedure were collected from electronic patient records and independently reviewed by six senior obstetricians to determine agreement with the decision. Results: Of the 50 women who underwent CS procedures, the mean age was 28.9 ± 5.1 years and 48% were primigravidae. A total of 65% of the CS procedures were category I. The most common indications for a CS was a non-reassuring fetal heart trace (40% and dystocia (32%. There was complete agreement on the decision to perform 62% of the CS procedures. Five and four obstetricians agreed on 80% and 95% of the procedures, respectively. The range of disagreement was 4–20%. Disagreement occurred primarily with category II and III procedures compared to category I. Additionally, disagreement occurred in cases where the fetal heart trace pattern was interpreted as an indication for a category II CS. Conclusion: The majority of obstetricians agreed on the decisions to perform 94% of the emergency CS procedures. Obstetric decision-making could be improved with the implementation of fetal scalp pH testing facilities, fetal heart trace interpretation training and cardiotocography review meetings.

  1. Regional Community and International Relations: the Volgograd Region Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danakari Richard A.

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The article deals with the complex and controversial problems of the new regional communities’ formation and the impact of the interethnic relations sphere on them. The author notes that the processes of interaction between representatives of different cultures and civilizations, ethnic groups and religions have become increasingly controversial and tense in the context of continuous social dynamics. Similarly to the Russian society as a whole, regional communities are in a state of transitivity. They get transformed, they acquire new qualities such as multicasting and heterogeneity, multi-ethnicity and multi-confessionalism, fragmentarity and multiculturality. This fact increases the risks and uncertainties, problematizes future prospects. National non-governmental organizations are increasingly positioning themselves as civil society institutions at the present stage of social development at the regional level. They perform a difficult dual task: on the one hand, they ensure the preservation and development of history, native language, culture, ethnic traditions, and on the other hand, they work on the integration, on the common identity and the Russian nation formation. On the territory of the Volgograd region, largely due to the active cooperation of regional authorities and local authorities with national public associations, international and inter-confessional relations are stable. The basis of such activity is respect for history, native language, culture, tradition, religion, national dignity of all people in the region, regardless of their belonging to a certain ethnic group or religion. Over two decades of accumulated considerable experience of joint inter-ethnic dialogue and cooperation, provided tolerance and peace, harmony and mutual understanding between people of different ethnicities and religions in the country.

  2. What Motivates U.S. Business Students to Take International Business Courses?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pineda, Rodley C.

    2009-01-01

    Business and educational institutions agree that students need a solid foundation in international business (IB) to become successful managers in a global economy. Students have increasingly expressed interest in IB courses but have not necessarily enrolled in them. The author found that students who have taken IB courses have a more positive…

  3. Humans and Deep Networks Largely Agree on Which Kinds of Variation Make Object Recognition Harder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kheradpisheh, Saeed R; Ghodrati, Masoud; Ganjtabesh, Mohammad; Masquelier, Timothée

    2016-01-01

    View-invariant object recognition is a challenging problem that has attracted much attention among the psychology, neuroscience, and computer vision communities. Humans are notoriously good at it, even if some variations are presumably more difficult to handle than others (e.g., 3D rotations). Humans are thought to solve the problem through hierarchical processing along the ventral stream, which progressively extracts more and more invariant visual features. This feed-forward architecture has inspired a new generation of bio-inspired computer vision systems called deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN), which are currently the best models for object recognition in natural images. Here, for the first time, we systematically compared human feed-forward vision and DCNNs at view-invariant object recognition task using the same set of images and controlling the kinds of transformation (position, scale, rotation in plane, and rotation in depth) as well as their magnitude, which we call "variation level." We used four object categories: car, ship, motorcycle, and animal. In total, 89 human subjects participated in 10 experiments in which they had to discriminate between two or four categories after rapid presentation with backward masking. We also tested two recent DCNNs (proposed respectively by Hinton's group and Zisserman's group) on the same tasks. We found that humans and DCNNs largely agreed on the relative difficulties of each kind of variation: rotation in depth is by far the hardest transformation to handle, followed by scale, then rotation in plane, and finally position (much easier). This suggests that DCNNs would be reasonable models of human feed-forward vision. In addition, our results show that the variation levels in rotation in depth and scale strongly modulate both humans' and DCNNs' recognition performances. We thus argue that these variations should be controlled in the image datasets used in vision research.

  4. Humans and deep networks largely agree on which kinds of variation make object recognition harder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeed Reza Kheradpisheh

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available View-invariant object recognition is a challenging problem that has attracted much attention among the psychology, neuroscience, and computer vision communities. Humans are notoriously good at it, even if some variations are presumably more difficult to handle than others (e.g. 3D rotations. Humans are thought to solve the problem through hierarchical processing along the ventral stream, which progressively extracts more and more invariant visual features. This feed-forward architecture has inspired a new generation of bio-inspired computer vision systems called deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN, which are currently the best models for object recognition in natural images. Here, for the first time, we systematically compared human feed-forward vision and DCNNs at view-invariant object recognition task using the same set of images and controlling the kinds of transformation (position, scale, rotation in plane, and rotation in depth as well as their magnitude, which we call variation level. We used four object categories: car, ship, motorcycle, and animal. In total, 89 human subjects participated in 10 experiments in which they had to discriminate between two or four categories after rapid presentation with backward masking. We also tested two recent DCNNs (proposed respectively by Hinton's group and Zisserman's group on the same tasks. We found that humans and DCNNs largely agreed on the relative difficulties of each kind of variation: rotation in depth is by far the hardest transformation to handle, followed by scale, then rotation in plane, and finally position (much easier. This suggests that DCNNs would be reasonable models of human feed-forward vision. In addition, our results show that the variation levels in rotation in depth and scale strongly modulate both humans' and DCNNs' recognition performances. We thus argue that these variations should be controlled in the image datasets used in vision research.

  5. The International Geomagnetic Reference Field: the twelfth generation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thebault, Erwan; Finlay, Christopher; The IGRF Working Group

    2015-04-01

    The IGRF is an internationally-agreed reference model of the Earth's magnetic field produced under the auspices of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy. The IGRF-12 is the latest update of this well-known model which is used each year by many thousands of users for both industrial and scientific purposes. In October 2014, ten institutions worldwide have made contributions to the IGRF. These models were evaluated and the twelfth generation of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) was adopted in December 2014. In this presentation, we will report on the IGRF activities, briefly describe the candidate models, summarize the evaluation of models performed by different independent teams, show how the IGRF-12 models were calculated and finally discuss some of the main magnetic features of this new model.

  6. Internal Guidelines for interactions with communities and local governments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-11-01

    These Guidelines provide principles for interactions with local populations. Interaction with communities and local govenments are the responsibility of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Wastes Management program's implementing offices. The Guidelines provide policy direction to these implementing offices, while preserving their ability to tailor local interactions to fit a given situation, taking into account the social and political context and the history of local involvement in the program. Project Offices conduct community and local interactions within overall program resources which must be husbanded prudently. Careful planning by implementing offices should ensure that adequate resources are available to foster effective interactions with local representatives

  7. Pharmacy technician involvement in community pharmacy medication therapy management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lengel, Matthew; Kuhn, Catherine H; Worley, Marcia; Wehr, Allison M; McAuley, James W

    To assess the impact of technician involvement on the completion of medication therapy management (MTM) services in a community pharmacy setting and to describe pharmacists' and technicians' perceptions of technician involvement in MTM-related tasks and their satisfaction with the technician's role in MTM. Prospective observational study. In the fall of 2015, pharmacists and selected technicians from 32 grocery store-based community pharmacies were trained to use technicians within MTM services. Completed MTM claims were evaluated at all pharmacies for 3 months before training and 3 months after training. An electronic survey, developed with the use of competencies taught in the training and relevant published literature, was distributed via e-mail to trained employees 3 months after training. The total number of completed MTM claims at the 32 pharmacy sites was higher during the posttraining time period (2687 claims) versus the pretraining period (1735 claims). Of the 182 trained participants, 112 (61.5%) completed the survey. Overall, perceived technician involvement was lower than expected. However, identifying MTM opportunities was the most commonly reported technician MTM task, with 62.5% of technicians and 47.2% of pharmacists reporting technician involvement. Nearly one-half of technicians (42.5%) and pharmacists (44.0%) agreed or strongly agreed they were satisfied with the technician's role in MTM services, and 40.0% of technicians agreed that they were more satisfied with their work in the pharmacy after involvement in MTM. Three months after initial training of technicians in MTM, participation of technicians was lower than expected. However, the technicians involved most often reported identifying MTM opportunities for pharmacists, which may be a focus for future technician trainings. In addition, technician involvement in MTM services may increase satisfaction with many aspects of work for actively involved technicians. Copyright © 2018 American

  8. The Intersection of Environmental Variability, Policy, and Human Values: International Treaties, Yukon River Salmon, and Food Security in a Changing Arctic (Invited)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerlach, S.; Loring, P. A.; Murray, M. S.

    2009-12-01

    2009 was a particularly devastating year for rural communities of the Yukon River in Alaska. For a number of reasons, including annual variability in Chinook and Chum salmon runs, imperfect monitoring and information, “best practices” management decisions by regulatory agencies, and international treaty obligations related to conservation and total allowable catch allocation, the smokehouses and freezers of many Alaska Native families, particularly those in up-river communities in the Yukon Flats region, are empty; a problem that has prompted Alaska’s Governor Sean Parnell to ask the US Federal Government to declare a disaster. However, depending on whom you ask, this year’s management of these resources, which provide food security and enable self-reliance in rural communities, may be evaluated as a failure or as a success. How can we reconcile an institutional assessment that claims success as defined in terms of internationally-agreed upon conservation and escapement goals, with the negative economic and health impacts on communities? We use this case to illustrate how the whole Yukon River watershed and drainage, including Alaska and Canada, provides an elegant, geographic context for the discussion and analysis of the human dimensions of environmental change and regional sustainability. Policymakers have arguably gone to great lengths to reconcile competing ‘uses’ of the Yukon River, including commercial and subsistence uses as well as conservation goals, but while managers continue to strive to be ‘adaptive learners’ in their approach to balancing these goals, the impacts on rural communities are immediate and cumulative, synergistic, temporally and spatially scaled, and directly related to rural livelihoods, community health, well-being and sustainability. The cost of this ‘adaptive’ process may be too high, both for the ecosystem and for the people who live there. Are we asking too much of the Yukon River? Are we asking too much of the

  9. EM International. Volume 1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1993-07-01

    It is the intent of EM International to describe the Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management`s (EM`s) various roles and responsibilities within the international community. Cooperative agreements and programs, descriptions of projects and technologies, and synopses of visits to international sites are all highlighted in this semiannual journal. Focus on EM programs in this issue is on international collaboration in vitrification projects. Technology highlights covers: in situ sealing for contaminated sites; and remote sensors for toxic pollutants. Section on profiles of countries includes: Arctic contamination by the former Soviet Union, and EM activities with Germany--cooperative arrangements.

  10. Il principio di coerenza : Unione europea e questioni irrisolte nella lotta al terrorismo internazionale

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Raucea, C.

    2010-01-01

    The international community is still looking for an universal agreed definition of transnational terrorism, applicable both in peacetime and in times of armed conflict. At UN's level exists a Draft Comprehensive Convention, but States have not yet overcome own conflicting views about freedom

  11. Streamwise-body-force-model for rapid simulation combining internal and external flow fields

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cui Rong

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available A streamwise-body-force-model (SBFM is developed and applied in the overall flow simulation for the distributed propulsion system, combining internal and external flow fields. In view of axial stage effects, fan or compressor effects could be simplified as body forces along the streamline. These body forces which are functions of local parameters could be added as source terms in Navier-Stokes equations to replace solid boundary conditions of blades and hubs. The validation of SBFM with uniform inlet and distortion inlet of compressors shows that pressure performance characteristics agree well with experimental data. A three-dimensional simulation of the integration configuration, via a blended wing body aircraft with a distributed propulsion system using the SBFM, has been completed. Lift coefficient and drag coefficient agree well with wind tunnel test results. Results show that to reach the goal of rapid integrated simulation combining internal and external flow fields, the computational fluid dynamics method based on SBFM is reasonable.

  12. Island of Mayotte on its way to the international community

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Victorovich Nezhentsev

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The article devoted to the analysis of change of status of Mayotte with signing of the Treaty on the possession of Mayotte to France in 1841 continuing until Mayotte’s departmentalization in 2011. Relations between France and Mayotte are essentially different from traditional cooperation “Metropolitan-colony”, due the fact that Mayotte was an important strategic territory of France in the Indian Ocean since 19th century. The article contains the detail analysis of specifics features of French colonial administration. The legislative changes of territorial status of Mayotte traced on the basis of researched decrees, laws, resolutions. The status of Mayotte had changed with the expansion of the colonial Empire: from autonomy up until 1912, to the dependent and controlled up until 1946. In the next 20 years Mayotte crosses swords for the expansion of autonomy from France. Besides it, in this chapter of the article considers the processes of formation of various people's movements, such as “Mouvement du peuple mahorais”, which purposed to get from metropolitan France the status of the French Overseas territory. After the fall of the colonial system, France tried to prevent the final breakdown of the Empire, for that French Republic takes root intro their colonies in a structure of France by legislation. In 1975 Comoros gained independence, and entered immediately into a confrontation with France with regard to Mayotte. The international community headed by the UN required return the island to the Comoros, despite it France referred to a popular referendum during which the residents of Mayotte had expressed a desire to be a part of France. Hurriedly, France granted to Mayotte the status of the Overseas community of France. Despite the new status, Mayotte continued to be a backward region of France up until 1990s. In the 21st century starts a new period of changes. There is an active development of the island in such spheres as

  13. Community Capitals as Community Resilience to Climate Change: Conceptual Connections

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaikh Mohammad Kais

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In the last few decades, disaster risk reduction programs and climate initiatives across the globe have focused largely on the intimate connections between vulnerability, recovery, adaptation, and coping mechanisms. Recent focus, however, is increasingly paid to community resilience. Community, placed at the intersection between the household and national levels of social organization, is crucial in addressing economic, social, or environmental disturbances disrupting human security. Resilience measures a community’s capability of bouncing back—restoring the original pre-disaster state, as well as bouncing forward—the capacity to cope with emerging post-disaster situations and changes. Both the ‘bouncing back’ and ‘moving forward’ properties of a community are shaped and reshaped by internal and external shocks such as climate threats, the community’s resilience dimensions, and the intensity of economic, social, and other community capitals. This article reviews (1 the concept of resilience in relation to climate change and vulnerability; and (2 emerging perspectives on community-level impacts of climate change, resilience dimensions, and community capitals. It argues that overall resilience of a place-based community is located at the intersection of the community’s resilience dimensions, community capitals, and the level of climate disruptions.

  14. Community Capitals as Community Resilience to Climate Change: Conceptual Connections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kais, Shaikh Mohammad; Islam, Md Saidul

    2016-01-01

    In the last few decades, disaster risk reduction programs and climate initiatives across the globe have focused largely on the intimate connections between vulnerability, recovery, adaptation, and coping mechanisms. Recent focus, however, is increasingly paid to community resilience. Community, placed at the intersection between the household and national levels of social organization, is crucial in addressing economic, social, or environmental disturbances disrupting human security. Resilience measures a community’s capability of bouncing back—restoring the original pre-disaster state, as well as bouncing forward—the capacity to cope with emerging post-disaster situations and changes. Both the ‘bouncing back’ and ‘moving forward’ properties of a community are shaped and reshaped by internal and external shocks such as climate threats, the community’s resilience dimensions, and the intensity of economic, social, and other community capitals. This article reviews (1) the concept of resilience in relation to climate change and vulnerability; and (2) emerging perspectives on community-level impacts of climate change, resilience dimensions, and community capitals. It argues that overall resilience of a place-based community is located at the intersection of the community’s resilience dimensions, community capitals, and the level of climate disruptions. PMID:27929448

  15. Community-based Men's Sheds: promoting male health, wellbeing and social inclusion in an international context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordier, Reinie; Wilson, Nathan J

    2014-09-01

    Males experience greater mortality and morbidity than females in most Western countries. The Australian and Irish National Male Health Policies aim to develop a framework to address this gendered health disparity. Men's Sheds have a distinct community development philosophy and are thus identified in both policies as an ideal location to address social isolation and positively impact the health and wellbeing of males who attend. The aim of this international cross-sectional survey was to gather information about Men's Sheds, the people who attend Men's Sheds, the activities at Men's Sheds, and the social and health dimensions of Men's Sheds. Results demonstrate that Men's Sheds are contributing a dual health and social role for a range of male subgroups. In particular, Men's Sheds have an outward social focus, supporting the social and mental health needs of men; health promotion and health literacy are key features of Men's Sheds. Men's Sheds have an important role to play in addressing the gendered health disparity that males face. They serve as an exemplar to health promotion professionals of a community development context where the aims of male health policy can be actualized as one part of a wider suite of global initiatives to reduce the gendered health disparity. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Community Involvement in Marine Protected Areas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaza, Stephanie

    1988-01-01

    Lists several key concepts in developing successful interpretive programs for marine protected areas with community involvement. Identifies educational tools that help foster community involvement in conservation and management. Cites three model programs. Sets standards and goals for international success including leadership, education,…

  17. International perspectives on plagiarism and considerations for teaching international trainees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heitman, Elizabeth; Litewka, Sergio

    2011-01-01

    In the increasingly global community of biomedical science and graduate science education, many US academic researchers work with international trainees whose views on scientific writing and plagiarism can be strikingly different from US norms. Although a growing number of countries and international professional organizations identify plagiarism as research misconduct, many international trainees come from research environments where plagiarism is ill-defined and even commonly practiced. Two research-ethics educators consider current perspectives on plagiarism around the world and contend that US research-training programs should focus on trainees' scientific writing skills and acculturation, not simply on preventing plagiarism. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Qualitative Evaluation of Baduanjin (Traditional Chinese Qigong on Health Promotion among an Elderly Community Population at Risk for Ischemic Stroke

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guohua Zheng

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Baduanjin is a traditional Chinese qigong that has been practiced for a long time in China as a mind-body exercise in community elderly populations. The objective of this study was to qualitatively evaluate the perceived benefit of regular Baduanjin qigong in community elders. Methods. A total of 20 participants who had completed the 12-week Baduanjin qigong training were interviewed regarding their perceived effect on physical and psychological health and whether Baduanjin qigong was suitable for the elderly. Results. Almost all participants agreed that Baduanjin qigong could promote their multisystem or organ functions (e.g., digestive and circulatory systems, increase their immunity, make their bodies relax, and improve their mood and confidence. Most of the participants also agreed that Baduanjin qigong was appropriate for elderly individuals. Few individuals felt bored because of an hour Baduanjin training each day. Conclusions. The findings suggest that regular Baduanjin qigong may be potentially helpful to promote the overall physical and psychological health of elderly community populations and may be useful and feasible as a body-mind exercise in the health promotion in the elderly community populations.

  19. International non-governmental organizations' provision of community-based tuberculosis care for hard-to-reach populations in Myanmar, 2013-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soe, Kyaw Thu; Saw, Saw; van Griensven, Johan; Zhou, Shuisen; Win, Le; Chinnakali, Palanivel; Shah, Safieh; Mon, Myo Myo; Aung, Si Thu

    2017-03-24

    National tuberculosis (TB) programs increasingly engage with international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), especially to provide TB care in complex settings where community involvement might be required. In Myanmar, however, there is limited data on how such INGO community-based programs are organized and how effective they are. In this study, we describe four INGO strategies for providing community-based TB care to hard-to-reach populations in Myanmar, and assess their contribution to TB case detection. We conducted a descriptive study using program data from four INGOs and the National TB Program (NTP) in 2013-2014. For each INGO, we extracted information on its approach and key activities, the number of presumptive TB cases referred and undergoing TB testing, and the number of patients diagnosed with TB and their treatment outcomes. The contribution of INGOs to TB diagnosis in their selected townships was calculated as the proportion of INGO-diagnosed new TB cases out of the total NTP-diagnosed new TB cases in the same townships. All four INGOs implemented community-based TB care in challenging contexts, targeting migrants, post-conflict areas, the urban poor, and other vulnerable populations. Two recruited community volunteers via existing community health volunteers or health structures, one via existing community leaderships, and one directly involved TB infected/affected individuals. Two INGOs compensated volunteers via performance-based financing, and two provided financial and in-kind initiatives. All relied on NTP laboratories for diagnosis and TB drugs, but provided direct observation treatment support and treatment follow-up. A total of 21 995 presumptive TB cases were referred for TB diagnosis, with 7 383 (34%) new TB cases diagnosed and almost all (98%) successfully treated. The four INGOs contributed to the detection of, on average, 36% (7 383/20 663) of the total new TB cases in their respective townships (range: 15-52%). Community-based TB

  20. Community Pharmacists' Perspectives of a Decision Aid for Managing Type 2 Diabetes in Ontario.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verweel, Lee; Gionfriddo, Michael R; MacCallum, Lori; Dolovich, Lisa; Rosenberg-Yunger, Zahava R S

    2017-12-01

    Decision aids are tools designed to help patients make choices about their health care. We explored pharmacists' perceptions of an evidence-based diabetes decision aid developed by the Mayo Clinic, Diabetes Medication Choice (DMC). Using DMC as a reference, we aimed to explore pharmacists' perspectives on decision aids, their place in a community pharmacy setting and the implementing of a decision aid, such as DMC, in Ontario. We used semistructured interviews with a convenience sample of community pharmacists from Ontario. We applied a thematic analysis to the data. We conducted 16 interviews with pharmacists, of whom 9 were certified diabetes educators, and 10 were female. Three themes emerged from the data: pharmacists' knowledge and awareness of decision aids; pharmacists' perceptions of the DMC decision aids, and implementation of the DMC decision aids in Ontario pharmacies. Participants discussed their limited experience with and training in the use of decision aids. Although many participants agreed that the DMC decision aids may contribute to patient-centred care, all agreed that significant changes were needed to be made to implement this tool in practice. Pharmacists felt that the use of decision aids in community pharmacies in Ontario may improve patient-centred care. Modifications, however, are needed to improve the applicability to their context and fit into their workflow. Empirical data concerning the impact of decision aids in community pharmacy is needed. Copyright © 2017 Diabetes Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Internalized Homophobia and Relationship Quality among Lesbians, Gay Men, and Bisexuals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frost, David M.; Meyer, Ilan H.

    2009-01-01

    The authors examined the associations between internalized homophobia, outness, community connectedness, depressive symptoms, and relationship quality among a diverse community sample of 396 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Structural equation models showed that internalized homophobia was associated with greater relationship problems…

  2. Education in the Commonwealth: Towards and beyond the Internationally Agreed Goals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menefee, Trey; Bray, Mark

    2012-01-01

    This report was produced for the 2012 Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers meeting in Mauritius. Its main purpose is to track the historical progress and likelihood of attainment of Education For All and education-specific Millennium Development Goals while also critically reviewing the methods used to track this progress. The analyses…

  3. Improving maternity care in the Dominican Republic: a pilot study of a community-based participatory research action plan by an international healthcare team.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Jennifer; Gossett, Sarah; Burgos, Rosa; Cáceres, Ramona; Tejada, Carmen; Dominguez García, Luis; Ambrosio Rosario, Angel; Almonte, Asela; Perez, Lydia J

    2015-05-01

    This article is a report of the process and results of a feasibility pilot study to improve the quality of maternity care in a sample of 31 women and their newborns delivering in a public, tertiary hospital in the Dominican Republic. The pilot study was the first "action step" taken as a result of a formative, community-based participatory research (CBPR) study conducted between 2008 and 2010 by an interdisciplinary, international partnership of U.S. academic researchers, Dominican medical/nursing personnel, and Dominican community health workers. Health personnel and community health workers separately identified indicators most important to measure quality of antepartum maternity care: laboratory and diagnostic studies and respectful, interpersonal communication. At the midpoint and the completion of data collection, the CBPR team evaluated the change in quality indicators to assess improvement in care. The pilot study supports the idea that joint engagement of community health workers, health personnel, and academic researchers with data creation and patient monitoring is motivating for all to continue to improve services in the cultural context of the Dominican Republic. © The Author(s) 2014.

  4. INDC International Nuclear Data Committee

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nichols, A. [Univ. of Surrey, Guildford (United Kingdom); McCutchan, E. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Dimitriou, P. [Intl Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna (Austria)

    2017-12-11

    The 22nd meeting of the International Network of Nuclear Structure and Decay Data Evaluators was convened at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, USA, from 22 to 26 May 2017 under the auspices of the IAEA Nuclear Data Section. This meeting was attended by 38 scientists from 12 Member States and the IAEA, all of whom are concerned primarily with the measurement, evaluation and dissemination of nuclear structure and decay data. A summary of the meeting, data centre reports, various proposals considered, technical discussions, actions agreed by the participants, and the resulting recommendations/conclusions are presented within this document.

  5. THE EUROPEAN POSITION OF DUTCH PLANT COMMUNITIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.A.M. JANSSEN

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available In this paper it is analyzed for which plant communities (alliances the Netherlands has an international responsibility. Data has been brought together on the range and distribution of alliances in Europe, the area of plant communities in the Netherlands and surrounding countries and the occurrence of endemic associations in the Netherlands. The analysis resulted in a list of 34 out of 93 alliances in the Netherlands which are important from an international point of view.

  6. Towards Community - Reflections on Community Psychiatry, Culture and Alterity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Neto

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The constant transformation of  communities  and  its relationship  with mental illness has been studied and debated for the past decades, although it is still not clear how it has been incorporated in clinical practice.Aims: The authors propose to review the relevance to Psychiatry, especially Community Psychiatry, of understanding  communities as well as the methodologies and conceptual frameworks that allow that approach.Methods: Selected and critical review of the literature about Community Psychiatry and Culture, Communities, and Social Inequity and Mental Health.Results: The authors start by reviewing the meaning  of  Community and the  defining principles of Community Psychiatry in their relationships with  cultural  sensitivity.  This aspect is illustrated with two examples of the impact of culture and alterity in the understanding of Mental Health and Service Organization, one at the level of International and Global Mental Health, and the other at the local communities’ level. In this context, participatory action research is highlighted.Conclusions: Psychiatry,  in  particular Community  Psychiatry,  by acknowledging a  wide  range  of  methodologies  and  being open  to transdisciplinary  models, is in a privileged position of electing communities as a field of investigation and integrate it in its praxis.

  7. Solving the AOA-Mystery and Does the Taxman Agree?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Burgers, Irene; Hoyos Jimenez, Catalina; Garcia Novoa, Cesar; Fernandez C., Julio

    This contribution shows why the Authorized OECD Approach to profit allocation to permanent establishment is the approach that is most in line with the principle of neutrality underlying the international tax system

  8. A critical appraisal of 2007 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Practice Guidelines for Interventional Pain Management: an independent review utilizing AGREE, AMA, IOM, and other criteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Singh, Vijay; Helm, Standiford; Trescot, Andrea M; Hirsch, Joshua A

    2008-01-01

    Today, with the growing interest of the medical community and others in practice guidelines, there is greater emphasis on formal procedures and methods for arriving at a widely scrutinized and endorsed consensus than ever before. Conflicts in terminology and technique are notable for the confusion that guidelines create and for what they reflect about differences in values, experiences, and interests among different parties. While public and private development activities continue to multiply, the means for coordinating these efforts to resolve inconsistencies, fill in gaps, track applications and results, and assess the soundness of particular guidelines continue to be limited. In this era of widespread guideline development by private organizations, the American College of Occupational and Environment Medicine (ACOEM) has developed guidelines that evaluate areas of clinical practice well beyond the scope of occupational medicine and yet fail to properly involve physicians expert in these, especially those in the field of interventional pain management. As the field of guidelines suffers from imperfect and incomplete scientific knowledge as well as imperfect and uneven means of applying that knowledge without a single or correct way to develop guidelines, ACOEM guidelines have been alleged to hinder patient care, reduce access to interventional pain management procedures, and transfer patients into a system of disability, Medicare, and Medicaid. To critically appraise occupational medicine practice guidelines for interventional pain management by an independent review utilizing the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE), American Medical Association (AMA), Institute of Medicine (IOM), and other commonly utilized criteria. Revised chapters of ACOEM guidelines, low back pain and chronic pain, developed in 2007 and 2008 are evaluated, utilizing AGREE, AMA, IOM instruments, and Shaneyfelt et al's criteria, were independently reviewed by 4

  9. State-Level Community Benefit Regulation and Nonprofit Hospitals' Provision of Community Benefits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Simone R; Young, Gary J; Loomer, Lacey; Madison, Kristin

    2018-04-01

    Do nonprofit hospitals provide enough community benefits to justify their tax exemptions? States have sought to enhance nonprofit hospitals' accountability and oversight through regulation, including requirements to report community benefits, conduct community health needs assessments, provide minimum levels of community benefits, and adhere to minimum income eligibility standards for charity care. However, little research has assessed these regulations' impact on community benefits. Using 2009-11 Internal Revenue Service data on community benefit spending for more than eighteen hundred hospitals and the Hilltop Institute's data on community benefit regulation, we investigated the relationship between these four types of regulation and the level and types of hospital-provided community benefits. Our multivariate regression analyses showed that only community health needs assessments were consistently associated with greater community benefit spending. The results for reporting and minimum spending requirements were mixed, while minimum income eligibility standards for charity care were unrelated to community benefit spending. State adoption of multiple types of regulation was consistently associated with higher levels of hospital-provided community benefits, possibly because regulatory intensity conveys a strong signal to the hospital community that more spending is expected. This study can inform efforts to design regulations that will encourage hospitals to provide community benefits consistent with policy makers' goals. Copyright © 2018 by Duke University Press.

  10. Humanitarian engineering placements in our own communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    VanderSteen, J. D. J.; Hall, K. R.; Baillie, C. A.

    2010-05-01

    There is an increasing interest in the humanitarian engineering curriculum, and a service-learning placement could be an important component of such a curriculum. International placements offer some important pedagogical advantages, but also have some practical and ethical limitations. Local community-based placements have the potential to be transformative for both the student and the community, although this potential is not always seen. In order to investigate the role of local placements, qualitative research interviews were conducted. Thirty-two semi-structured research interviews were conducted and analysed, resulting in a distinct outcome space. It is concluded that local humanitarian engineering placements greatly complement international placements and are strongly recommended if international placements are conducted. More importantly it is seen that we are better suited to address the marginalised in our own community, although it is often easier to see the needs of an outside populace.

  11. The Impact of International Cooperation for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Pablo Prado Lallande

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available At the end of the Cold War, the developed countries agreed that democracy and human rights would be top priority goals of the international cooperation for development. However, nearly two decades after those official commitments, these goals have not been relevant elements of the international agenda, since political, economic and security issues still prevail over both values. This paper analyzes the existing situation, in reference to the U.S. and European Union experiences. The article includes some considerations for the improvement of the international cooperation ability to promote democracy and human rights in third world countries.

  12. The international fusion materials irradiation facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shannon, T.E.; Cozzani, F.; Crandall, D.H.; Wiffen, F.W.; Katsuta, H.; Kondo, T.; Teplyakov, V.; Zavialsky, L.

    1994-01-01

    It is widely agreed that the development of materials for fusion systems requires a high flux, 14 MeV neutron source. The European Union, Japan, Russia and the US have initiated the conceptual design of such a facility. This activity, under the International Energy Agency (IEA) Fusion Materials Agreement, will develop the design for an accelerator-based D-Li system. The first organizational meeting was held in June 1994. This paper describes the system to be studied and the approach to be followed to complete the conceptual design by early 1997

  13. Foreign Exchange Risk in International Transactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florentina-Olivia Balu

    2007-03-01

    In this article we will focus on forward and futures contracts for managing foreign exchange risk. A forward is a contract to buy or sell currency at an agreed upon exchange rate at a specific date in the future. Futures are similar to forwards except that they’re traded on exchanges which specify settlement dates. Also we make some recommendations related to the foreign exchange risk-management practices that are useful for companies involved in international trade and for financial institutions interested in providing hedging products to these companies.

  14. Single-site community consultation for emergency research in a community hospital setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galbraith, Kyle L; Keck, Anna-Sigrid; Little, Charletta

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate community member feedback from community consultation and public disclosure activities performed for a clinical investigation involving a device designed to treat traumatic brain injury in prehospital contexts. The clinical investigation of that device was to be performed under the federal regulations providing an exception from prospective informed consent requirements in emergency settings. Secondarily, we sought to assess the community consultation process by measuring the levels of outreach provided by the different communication methods used in these activities, with special attention to the effectiveness of social media for community outreach. The medical device investigation consists of a single-site pilot study based at a 345-bed community hospital in east central Illinois, which also serves as the area's only level I trauma center. Investigators, in collaboration with the local institutional review board, fulfilled community consultation and public disclosure requirements through four public town hall meetings, seven targeted focus groups, targeted mailings to 884 community leaders and researchers, a press conference and press release, internal and external websites, and multiple postings to the hospital's Facebook and Twitter accounts. Community members provided feedback by completing paper or electronic comment cards. A total of 428 community members attended the four town hall meetings and seven focus group sessions. Attendance at each meeting ranged from 4 to 20 attendees for the town hall meetings and 8 to 140 attendees for the focus groups. The investigation's external website received 626 unique visitors and the intranet website received 528 unique visits. Social media postings on Facebook and Twitter received six comments and eight "likes" to indicate that an individual read the posting. In total, attendees completed 175 comment cards to provide their feedback. Community member attitudes regarding the

  15. The Direct Applicability of SADC Community Law in South Africa and Zimbabwe: A Call for Supranationality and the Uniform Application of SADC Community Law

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Retselisitsoe Phooko

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The Southern African Development Community Tribunal (SADC Tribunal became operational in 1992 and delivered several judgments against Zimbabwe. Some of those decisions are yet to be enforced. The attempt to enforce them contributed to the demise of the SADC Tribunal. This was due to the existence of various approaches to the reception of community law into domestic law. The tension between community law and domestic law, international law and domestic law, and community law and international law is as old as the hills. The monist and dualist theories of international law assist in attempting to clarify the nature of the relationship between international law and municipal law, but there is no guidance when it comes to community law and national law. This paper will explore how the SADC Community law can be applied uniformly by South Africa, Zimbabwe and all other SADC member states. This will be done by looking at decided cases with specific reference to South Africa and Zimbabwe. In order to establish the best practices in other jurisdictions, reference will be made to the East African Court of Justice, the European Union (EU and the European Court of Justice (ECJ. The discourse will conclude by advocating the adoption of a revised Protocol on the SADC Tribunal in order to clarify the nature of the relationship between the SADC Community law and the domestic laws of SADC member states.

  16. Perceptions of community participation and health gain in a community project for the South Asian population: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bandesha, G; Litva, A

    2005-09-01

    The new public health rejects old individualist attempts at improving health and embraces community-based approaches in reducing health inequalities. Primary Care Trusts in England face the challenge of converting community participation in health into reality. This study explores differences in perception of participation between lay and professional stakeholders of a community health project for a South Asian population in Greater Manchester. In-depth interviews and focus groups were used to explore the views of professional and lay stakeholders. All data were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed for emerging themes using a qualitative framework. Professionals talked of working in partnership with the community but lay stakeholders did not feel that they had control over the project. There were problems in engaging the community and local health professionals in the project. Lack of cultural awareness hampered participation in the project. There was agreement that the project improved the self-confidence of participants and created a more informed population. However, there was little support for claims of improvements in social cohesion and changes in lifestyle directly as a result of the project. Converting the rhetoric of community participation in health into reality is a greater challenge than was envisaged by policy makers. Marginalized communities may not be willing participants and issues of language and cultural sensitivity are important. Project outcomes need to be agreed to ensure projects are evaluated appropriately. Projects with South Asian communities should not be seen to be dealing with all 'ethnic health' issues without addressing changes in statutory organizations and other wider social determinants of health.

  17. Do community medicine residency trainees learn through journal club? An experience from a developing country

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kadir Muhammad

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Journal clubs are an internationally recognized teaching tool in many postgraduate medical education fields. In developing countries lack of funds for current print materials may have limited journal club use. But with advancing information technology trainees in developing countries increasingly have more access to high quality journals online. However, we are aware of no studies describing journal club existence and effectiveness in postgraduate medical training in Pakistan. Also we have found no published effectiveness studies of this teaching modality in Community Medicine (Public Health in any country. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Community Medicine (Public Health Resident Journal Club (CMR-JC in Aga Khan University, Pakistan using international criteria for successful journal clubs (2 years continuous existence and more than 50% attendance and examining resident and alumni satisfaction. Methods Journal club effectiveness criteria were searched using electronic search databases. Departmental records were reviewed from September1999–September 2005. Ninety percent of residents and alumni of Community Medicine Residency Programme participated voluntarily in a confidential survey. Results The CMR-JC was regularly conducted. More than 95% of residents attended. (Total residents in the CMR-Programme: 32. Twenty-seven out of 29 current residents/alumni responded to the anonymous questionnaire. Acquisition of critical appraisal skills (23 respondents and keeping up with current literature (18 respondents were the two most important objectives achieved. Respondents recommended improved faculty participation and incorporating a structured checklist for article review. Conclusion CMR-JC fulfils criteria for effective journal clubs. Residents and alumni agree CMR-JC meets its objectives. Incorporating suggested recommendations will further improve standards. The journal club learning modality should be included in

  18. Developing a Conceptual Framework for Student Learning during International Community Engagement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pink, Matthew A.; Taouk, Youssef; Guinea, Stephen; Bunch, Katie; Flowers, Karen; Nightingale, Karen

    2016-01-01

    University-community engagement often involves students engaging with people who experience multiple forms of disadvantage or marginalization. This is particularly true when universities work with communities in developing nations. Participation in these projects can be challenging for students. Assumptions about themselves, their professional…

  19. Self-consistent approach for neutral community models with speciation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haegeman, Bart; Etienne, Rampal S.

    2010-03-01

    Hubbell’s neutral model provides a rich theoretical framework to study ecological communities. By incorporating both ecological and evolutionary time scales, it allows us to investigate how communities are shaped by speciation processes. The speciation model in the basic neutral model is particularly simple, describing speciation as a point-mutation event in a birth of a single individual. The stationary species abundance distribution of the basic model, which can be solved exactly, fits empirical data of distributions of species’ abundances surprisingly well. More realistic speciation models have been proposed such as the random-fission model in which new species appear by splitting up existing species. However, no analytical solution is available for these models, impeding quantitative comparison with data. Here, we present a self-consistent approximation method for neutral community models with various speciation modes, including random fission. We derive explicit formulas for the stationary species abundance distribution, which agree very well with simulations. We expect that our approximation method will be useful to study other speciation processes in neutral community models as well.

  20. The Relationship between Motor Skills, Perceived Social Support, and Internalizing Problems in a Community Adolescent Sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mancini, Vincent O; Rigoli, Daniela; Heritage, Brody; Roberts, Lynne D; Piek, Jan P

    2016-01-01

    Poor motor skills are associated with a range of psychosocial consequences, including internalizing (anxious and depressive) symptoms. The Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis provides a causal framework to explain this association. The framework posits that motor skills impact internalizing problems through an indirect effect via perceived social support. However, empirical evaluation is required. We examined whether motor skills had an indirect effect on anxious and depressive symptoms via perceived family support domains. This study used a community sample of 93 adolescents (12-16 years). Participants completed measures of motor skills, perceived social support across three dimensions (family, friend, and significant other), depressive symptoms, and anxious symptoms. Age, gender, verbal IQ, and ADHD symptoms were included as control variables. Regression analysis using PROCESS revealed that motor skills had an indirect effect on depressive symptoms via perceived family support, but not by perceived friend support or significant other support. The negative association between motor skills and anxious symptoms was not mediated by any perceived social support domain. Findings are consistent with previous literature indicating an association between motor skills and internalizing problems. However, we identified a different pattern of relationships across anxious and depressive symptoms. While anxiety and depressive symptoms were highly correlated, motor skills had an indirect effect on depressive symptoms via perceived family support only. Our findings highlight the importance of family support as a potential protective factor in the onset of depressive symptoms. This study provides partial support for the Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis, however further research is required.

  1. The Relationship between Motor Skills, Perceived Social Support, and Internalizing Problems in a Community Adolescent Sample

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vincent Oreste Mancini

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Poor motor skills are associated with a range of psychosocial consequences, including internalizing (anxious and depressive symptoms. The Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis provides a causal framework to explain this association. The framework posits that motor skills impact internalizing problems through an indirect effect via perceived social support. However, empirical evaluation is required. We examined whether motor skills has an indirect effect on anxious and depressive symptoms via perceived family support domains. Methods: This study used a community sample of 93 adolescents (12-16 years. Participants completed measures of motor skills, perceived social support across three dimensions (family, friend, and significant other, depressive symptoms, and anxious symptoms. Age, gender, verbal IQ, and ADHD symptoms were included as control variables.Results: Regression analysis using PROCESS revealed that motor skills had an indirect effect on depressive symptoms via perceived family support, but not by perceived friend support or significant other support. The negative association between motor skills and anxious symptoms was not mediated by any perceived social support domain. Conclusions: Findings are consistent with previous literature indicating an association between motor skills and internalizing problems. However, we identified a different pattern of relationships across anxious and depressive symptoms. While anxiety and depressive symptoms were highly correlated, motor skills had an indirect effect on depressive symptoms via perceived family support only. Our findings highlight the importance of family support as a potential protective factor in the onset of depressive symptoms. This study provides partial support for the Elaborated Environmental Stress Hypothesis, however further research is required.

  2. Community Health Worker Employer Survey: Perspectives on CHW Workforce Development in the Midwest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaidez, Virginia; Palmer-Wackerly, Angela L; Trout, Kate E

    2018-05-30

    A statewide Community Health Worker Employer Survey was administered to various clinical, community, and faith-based organizations (n = 240) across a range of rural and urban settings in the Midwest. At least 80% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that items characterized as supervisory support were present in their work environment. Thirty-six percent of respondents currently employed CHWs, over half (51%) of survey respondents reported seeing the need to hire/work with more CHWs, and 44% saw the need for CHWs increasing in the future. Regarding CHW support, a majority of respondents indicated networking opportunities (63%), paid time for networking (80%), adequate time for supervision (75%), orientation training (78%), mandatory training (78%), ongoing training (79%), and paid time for training (82%). Open-ended responses to the question "In your organization, what needs could CHWs meet?" resulted in the largest number of respondents reporting mental health issues as a priority, followed by connecting people with services or resources, educating the public on preventive health, family support, and home care/visitations. Our findings suggest that respondents, who largely have supervisory or managerial roles, view workplace environments in Nebraska favorably, despite the fact that nearly two-thirds of respondents typically work well over 40 h per week. In addition, CHWs could help address mental and physical health needs in a variety of community and clinical settings through primary and secondary prevention activities, such as provision of health screenings, health and nutrition education, connecting people to resources and empowering community members through these activities and more.

  3. Building little safe and civilized communities: community crime prevention with Chinese characteristics?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Lena Y; Broadhurst, Roderic G

    2007-02-01

    This article describes a community crime prevention program in China, set against a background of rapid economic development, large internal population migration, and increasing crime rates. Traditional social control in China has been transformed to adapt to the new reform era, yet some mechanisms remain intact. Crime prevention measures and strategies resemble those adopted in the West; however, the differences, constituting the so-called Chinese characteristics with community crime prevention are significant.

  4. IMPERATIVES OF THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL AND LEGAL ORDER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena IFTIME

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we intend to discuss a topic of particular importance, given that it addresses the imperatives of international political and legal order, as they appear in the light of current international law. It is an issue of great complexity, of very wide current interest because the international law that establishes and maintains an international legal order is a real energetic factor of organization of international community life. So viewed, the rules of international nature respond to the current acute need of founding the relations in this field and of meeting the common needs of the members of international society. We considered that by comparison with the internal legal order reflecting the health inscribed in this order, the international legal order is influenced by the structuring and training of the mondial community. Therefore we shall insist on the principal model of organizing international life – the state – to be viewed and analyzed in a double perspective: as an internal sovereign authority and as an actor on the scene of international life. In both instances, the state provides the foundation of legal order (domestic or international for that law has always been the expression of the state wish.

  5. IDEAS international contamination database: a compilation of published internal contamination cases. A tool for the internal dosimetry community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hurtgen, C.

    2007-01-01

    The aim of the IDEAS project was to develop General Guidelines for the Assessment of Internal Dose from Monitoring Data. The project was divided into 5 Work Packages for the major tasks. Work Package 1 entitled Collection of incorporation cases was devoted to the collection of data by means of bibliographic research (survey of the open literature), contacting and collecting data from specific organisations and using information from existing databases on incorporation cases. To ensure that the guidelines would be applicable to a wide range of practical situations, a database of cases of internal contamination including monitoring data suitable for dose assessment was compiled. The IDEAS Bibliography database and the IDEAS Internal Contamination database were prepared and some reference cases were selected for use in Work Package 3. The other Work packages of the IDEAS Project (WP-2 Preparation of evaluation software, WP-3 Evaluation of incorporation cases, WP-4 Development of the general guidelines and WP-5 Practical testing of general guidelines) have been described in detail elsewhere and can be found on the IDEAS website. A search for reference from the open literature, which contained information on cases of internal contamination from which intake and committed doses could be assessed, has been compiled into a database. The IDEAS Bibliography Database includes references to papers which might (but were not certain to) contain such information, or which included references to papers which contained such information. This database contains the usual bibliographical information: authors' name(s), year of publication, title of publication and the journal or report number. Up to now, a comprehensive Bibliography Database containing 563 references has been compiled. Not surprisingly more than half of the references are from Health Physics and Radiation Protection Dosimetry Journals.The next step was for the partners of the IDEAS project to obtain the references

  6. 'Pop-Up' Governance: developing internal governance frameworks for consortia: the example of UK10K.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaye, Jane; Muddyman, Dawn; Smee, Carol; Kennedy, Karen; Bell, Jessica

    2015-01-01

    Innovations in information technologies have facilitated the development of new styles of research networks and forms of governance. This is evident in genomics where increasingly, research is carried out by large, interdisciplinary consortia focussing on a specific research endeavour. The UK10K project is an example of a human genomics consortium funded to provide insights into the genomics of rare conditions, and establish a community resource from generated sequence data. To achieve its objectives according to the agreed timetable, the UK10K project established an internal governance system to expedite the research and to deal with the complex issues that arose. The project's governance structure exemplifies a new form of network governance called 'pop-up' governance. 'Pop-up' because: it was put together quickly, existed for a specific period, was designed for a specific purpose, and was dismantled easily on project completion. In this paper, we use UK10K to describe how 'pop-up' governance works on the ground and how relational, hierarchical and contractual governance mechanisms are used in this new form of network governance.

  7. Community occupational therapists' clinical reasoning: identifying tacit knowledge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrier, Annie; Levasseur, Mélanie; Bédard, Denis; Desrosiers, Johanne

    2010-12-01

      Occupational therapy interventions in the community, a fast expanding practice setting, are central to an important social priority, the ability to live at home. These interventions generally involve only a small number of home visits, which aim at maximising the safety and autonomy of community-dwelling clients. Knowing how community occupational therapists determine their interventions, i.e. their clinical reasoning, can improve intervention efficacy. However, occupational therapists are often uninformed about and neglect the importance of clinical reasoning, which could underoptimise their interventions.   To synthesise current knowledge about community occupational therapists' clinical reasoning.   A scoping study of the literature on community occupational therapists' clinical reasoning was undertaken.   Fifteen textbooks and 25 articles, including six focussing on community occupational therapists' clinical reasoning, were reviewed. Community occupational therapists' clinical reasoning is influenced by internal and external factors. Internal factors include past experiences, expertise and perceived complexity of a problem. One of the external factors, practice context (e.g. organisational or cultural imperatives, physical location of intervention), particularly shapes community occupational therapists' clinical reasoning, which is interactive, complex and multidimensional. However, the exact influence of many factors (personal context, organisational and legal aspects of health care, lack of resources and increased number of referrals) remains unclear.   Further studies are needed to understand better the influence of internal and external factors. The extent to which these factors mould the way community occupational therapists think and act could have a direct influence on the services they provide to their clients. © 2010 The Authors. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal © 2010 Australian Association of Occupational Therapists.

  8. Are gay communities dying or just in transition? Results from an international consultation examining possible structural change in gay communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon Rosser, B R; West, William; Weinmeyer, Richard

    2008-05-01

    This study sought to identify how urban gay communities are undergoing structural change, reasons for that change, and implications for HIV prevention planning. Key informants (N=29) at the AIDS Impact Conference from 17 cities in 14 countries completed surveys and participated in a facilitated structured dialog about if gay communities are changing, and if so, how they are changing. In all cities, the virtual gay community was identified as currently larger than the offline physical community. Most cities identified that while the gay population in their cities appeared stable or growing, the gay community appeared in decline. Measures included greater integration of heterosexuals into historically gay-identified neighborhoods and movement of gay persons into suburbs, decreased number of gay bars/clubs, less attendance at gay events, less volunteerism in gay or HIV/AIDS organizations, and the overall declining visibility of gay communities. Participants attributed structural change to multiple factors including gay neighborhood gentrification, achievement of civil rights, less discrimination, a vibrant virtual community, and changes in drug use. Consistent with social assimilation, gay infrastructure, visibility, and community identification appears to be decreasing across cities. HIV prevention planning, interventions, treatment services, and policies need to be re-conceptualized for MSM in the future. Four recommendations for future HIV prevention and research are detailed.

  9. Vasconia, committed with the community and the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carta Petrolera

    2001-01-01

    The paper is about the participation of Ecopetrol and four companies more than the sector Vasconia inside the plan of mutual help (PAM), agree that looks for to give a technical answer, logistics, human and opportune to the emergencies that can be presented as consequence of the activities of the oil industry and that they affect to the environment like the exploitation, refinement, treatment and transport of hydrocarbons, among other, which cause big environmental impacts that register mainly in the vegetable covering, the bodies of water, the fauna and the community

  10. Pengaruh Proporsi Komisaris Independen dan Komposisi Komite Audit terhadap Internal Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Makhdalena Makhdalena

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Accounting manipulation that occurred in recent years makes accounting experts to focus on internal control issues. The experts agree that internal control is an important issue through a substance that can be given by the internal control. Internal control can be effective if supported by the proportion of independent commissioners and audit committee composition are adequate. Based on that idea, the researchers interested in conducting research that aims to find out: the influence of the proportion of independent commissioners and audit committee composition of the internal control eithersimultaneously or partially. Research conducted by the survey in 48 listed companies in Jakarta Stock Exchange manufacturing drawn at random from the population. Data used in this study are primary data from the questionnaire and secondary data from the annual report. Data were analyzed using path analysis. The results showed that: the proportion of independent commissioners and audit committee composition has a significant influence on the internal control eithersimultaneously or partially.

  11. Remediation of internal phosphorus loads with modified clays, influence of fluvial suspended particulate matter and response of the benthic macroinvertebrate community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Hongbin; Douglas, Grant B; Cai, Yongjiu; Liu, Cheng; Copetti, Diego

    2018-01-01

    Clay-based phosphorus (P) sorbents have been increasingly used as geoengineering materials for the management sediment-derived internal P loading in eutrophic lakes. However, the long-term behavior of these sorbents has remained elusive along with their response to burial under suspended particulate matter (SPM), and their effect on macroinvertebrate communities occupying dynamic regions at the sediment-water interface of shallow and turbid lakes. In this study, field mesocosm experiments were undertaken in Lake Chaohu, China, to study the effects of the application of lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) and thermally-modified calcium-rich attapulgite (TCAP) on sediment internal P loading and to assess their influence on macroinvertebrate community structure. A complementary laboratory core incubation study was also undertaken to investigate the effects of SPM deposition on LMB and TCAP performance. In the field, both LMB and TCAP effectively intercepted P released from sediment for up to five months. A P fractionation analysis indicated that LMB and TCAP application results in a substantial increase in inert P fractions in sediment. Laboratory studies indicated that deposition of SPM may increase in mobile P both in the upper sediment and across the new post-SPM deposition sediment-water interface. Importantly, a comparison of sediment chemical extractions and estimated P fluxes suggests that chemically-defined forms of P in the sediment may be used as a proxy to estimate the net sediment P flux. Significantly, the surficial application of either LMB or TCAP did not cause negative effects on macroinvertebrate communities. This study indicates that to sustain a low P flux across the sediment-water interface in shallow, turbid lakes, repeat dosing of geoengineering materials, temporally aligned to the deposition of fluvial SPM, may be required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Partnership selection and formation: a case study of developing adolescent health community-researcher partnerships in fifteen U.S. communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Straub, Diane M; Deeds, Bethany Griffin; Willard, Nancy; Castor, Judith; Peralta, Ligia; Francisco, Vincent T; Ellen, Jonathan

    2007-06-01

    This study describes the partner selection process in 15 U.S. communities developing community-researcher partnerships for the Connect to Protect (C2P): Partnerships for Youth Prevention Interventions, an initiative of the Adolescent Trials Network for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Interventions. Each site generated an epidemiological profile of urban youth in their community, selected a focus population and geographic area of youth at risk for HIV, conducted a series of successive structured interviews, and engaged in a process of relationship-building efforts culminating in a collaborative network of community agencies. Sites chose as their primary target population young women who have sex with men (n = 8 sites), young men who have sex with men (n = 6), and intravenous drug users (n = 1). Of 1162 agencies initially interviewed, 281 of 335 approached (84%) agreed to join the partnership (average 19/site). A diverse array of community agencies were represented in the final collaborative network; specific characteristics included: 93% served the sites' target population, 54% were predominantly youth oriented, 59% were located in the geographical area of focus, and 39% reported provision of HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infection) prevention services. Relationship-building activities, development of collaborative relationships, and lessons learned, including barriers and facilitators to partnership, are also described. Study findings address a major gap in the community partner research literature. Health researchers and policymakers need an effective partner selection framework whereby community-researcher partnerships can develop a solid foundation to address public health concerns.

  13. Tanzania | Page 36 | IDRC - International Development Research ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The Kenyan sociologist and gender specialist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has heard the stories first-hand from her work in hundreds of communities throughout Kenya, Tanzania, and southern Africa. Read more about Empowering African women and communities through agriculture. Language ...

  14. INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT IN COFFEE PRODUCTION IN TWO COMMUNITIES IN THE CENTRAL AREA OF VERACRUZ STATE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martha Elena Nava-Tablada

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Veracruz comes third in terms of national coffee production; however this sector is facing a crisis because of the fall in prices in the international market which has resulted amongst other things in increased emigration to the United States. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between migration and the level of technology employed in coffee production in two communities in the central area of Veracruz State: Capulapa and Zapoapan. Information was obtained through observation and by interviewing the members of 46 family production units (FPU. In Zapoapan, the FPUs which presented the highest level of technological management in their coffee plantations were those with greatest access to capital, as they are more extensive, produce other crops than coffee, have more family members in the United States and receive greater remittances; investing 14% more in agriculture. In the case of the FPUs in Capulapa, no relationship was observed between the number of international emigrants, the amount of remittances received and the level of technological management. This may be because 83% of the FPUs cultivate solely coffee and are beholden to the ups and downs of the international market, thus their socio-economic situation is more precarious and 86% of remittances are directed towards family sustenance; with only 7% directed towards agricultural investment.

  15. When community ties lead to violent crimes | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2017-10-20

    Oct 20, 2017 ... Exploring social cohesion and mistrust of the state as drivers of urban ... Evidence suggests that these ties help communities to self-organize and .... acts while weakening social interactions and bonds between neighbours.

  16. International institutional law

    CERN Document Server

    Schermers, Henry G

    1972-01-01

    In several respects the present study is an enlargement of a former analysis about the specialized agencies of the United Nations to more organisations and into further detail. In particular the creation of the European Communities, adding new aspects to international institutional law, have received attention.

  17. Knowledge between communities of practice and firms in clusters

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reinau, Kristian Hegner

    . This paper presents a case study in which theory about knowledge, communities of practice and networks is used to understand how knowledge is developed in high-tech companies placed in a cluster. The case study illuminates how internal and external relations and factors affect the knowledge development...... which factors that affect the knowledge development process in communities in the case companies. By analysing the interplay between formal and informal relations utilized by the companies, the knowledge embedded in the persons constituting the communities as well as knowledge embedded in objects used......Currently there is growing focus on how cluster internal and cluster external relations affect the creation of knowledge in companies placed in clusters. However, the current theories on this topic are too simple and the interplay between internal and external relations is relatively unknown...

  18. Emergence of communities and diversity in social networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Xiao; Cao, Shinan; Shen, Zhesi; Zhang, Boyu; Wang, Wen-Xu; Cressman, Ross; Stanley, H Eugene

    2017-03-14

    Communities are common in complex networks and play a significant role in the functioning of social, biological, economic, and technological systems. Despite widespread interest in detecting community structures in complex networks and exploring the effect of communities on collective dynamics, a deep understanding of the emergence and prevalence of communities in social networks is still lacking. Addressing this fundamental problem is of paramount importance in understanding, predicting, and controlling a variety of collective behaviors in society. An elusive question is how communities with common internal properties arise in social networks with great individual diversity. Here, we answer this question using the ultimatum game, which has been a paradigm for characterizing altruism and fairness. We experimentally show that stable local communities with different internal agreements emerge spontaneously and induce social diversity into networks, which is in sharp contrast to populations with random interactions. Diverse communities and social norms come from the interaction between responders with inherent heterogeneous demands and rational proposers via local connections, where the former eventually become the community leaders. This result indicates that networks are significant in the emergence and stabilization of communities and social diversity. Our experimental results also provide valuable information about strategies for developing network models and theories of evolutionary games and social dynamics.

  19. Finding common ground: perspectives on community-based childhood obesity prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porter, Christine M; Pelletier, David L

    2012-11-01

    To support successful and inclusive community organizing for childhood obesity prevention, this research identified stakeholder perspectives on what communities should do to prevent childhood obesity. It employed factor analysis on statement sorts (Q methodology) conducted by 95 people in an upstate New York community. These participants sorted 36 statements about the issue by how much he or she agreed or disagreed with each. Participants were recruited through strategic snowball sampling to sample a variety of perspectives. The four resulting factors, or perspectives, were interpreted in the context of presort demographic surveys and postsort interviews. This research found one stance that fits the environmental perspective common in public health. The other three factors indicate important variations among perspectives centered on individual responsibility, ranging from libertarian to technocratic views. However, overall, results revealed a substantial degree of agreement among the four perspectives, including on providing access to family activities and on making fruits and vegetables more available and affordable, for example, through subsidies. This article points to common ground for community action on childhood obesity prevention, highlights areas likely to generate considerable contention, and shows whose views are not being accounted for in, at least, this community's childhood obesity prevention project.

  20. Effects of short-term active video game play on community adults: under International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health consideration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tseng, Wei-Che; Hsieh, Ru-Lan

    2013-06-01

    The effects of active video game play on healthy individuals remain uncertain. A person's functional health status constitutes a dynamic interaction between components identified in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). The aim of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of active video game play on community adults using the ICF. Sixty community adults with an average age of 59.3 years and without physical disabilities were recruited. Over 2 weeks, each adult participated in six sessions of active video game play lasting 20 minutes each. Participants were assessed before and after the intervention. Variables were collected using sources related to the ICF components, including the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory, Biodex Stability System, chair- rising time, Frenchay Activity Index, Rivermead Mobility Index, Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire, Work Ability Index, and World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version. Compared to baseline data, significantly reduced risk of a fall measured by Biodex Stability System and improvements in disability scores measured by the Chronic Pain Grade Questionnaire were noted. There was no significant change in the other variables measured. Short-term, active video game play reduces fall risks and ameliorates disabilities in community adults.

  1. Implementing and evaluating e-communication to improve intersectoral cooperation between hospitals and local communities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nicolaisen, Anne; Qvist, Peter

    2015-01-01

    services for the patient. The Region of Southern Denmark has implemented e-communication to improve the cooperation across health care sectors. Communities and hospitals in the Region of Southern Denmark agreed to comply to specified quality standards for the content and timeliness of information exchange...... these will be presented at the conference. Keywords: e-communication, cooperation across health care sectors, audit, evaluation, practice...

  2. Processes of Internal and International Migration from Chitwan, Nepal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohra, Pratikshya; Massey, Douglas S

    2009-01-01

    In this study we examine which factors predict internal and international migration from Chitwan, a flat valley located in the South-Central region of Nepal, seeking to measure the effect of theoretically specified variables such as human capital, social capital, physical capital, and neighborhood socioeconomic conditions while controlling for demographic variables. We use data from the Chitwan Valley Family Study (CVFS) to estimate a series of discrete time event history models of first and repeat migration to three competing destinations: other locations within Chitwan, other districts within Nepal, and places outside of Nepal. Results support hypotheses derived from neoclassical economics, the theory of new economics of migration, social capital theory, and cumulative causation theory. Our results underscore the need for a synthetic theoretical model that incorporates factors operating at the individual, household, and community levels. The use of multiple explanatory models yields a clearer picture of the forces driving internal and international migration from rural districts in developing nations such as Nepal.

  3. Effects of Analgesic Advertisements on Community in Hegarmanah Village, Jatinangor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nurhayati binti Shaharuddin

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Currently, there are numerous analgesic advertisements which have been published in various media and have also attracted attention of the society. The aim of this study is to find out effects of analgesic advertisements on awareness and attention towards these advertisements on the community in Hegarmanah Village, Jatinangor. Methods: The study used the descriptive method with participants consisting of community members in Hegarmanah Village who have seen, watched or heard about the analgesic advertisements and who were aged 18 years and above. The sample for this study consisted of 100 respondents. This study was conducted in September 2012–December 2012. Results: The results showed that 82% of the respondents have seen the ads in at least the last 3 months and mostly watched them on television. About 52% of respondents agreed that many of the ads did not provide sufficient information. In addition, 50% only read a little bit of the ads rather than the whole advertisement. Fifty three percents of the respondents had the intention to try the medication after seeing the ads. More than 80% were aware about how to use the medication, medication’s side effects, warnings and contraindications and 65% agreed that, they could make a better decision on their health condition after seeing the ads. Conclusions: The analgesic advertisements indeed affected the community by making them aware about the ads and attracted them to buy as well as try the product itself. Further studies on factors which influence intake of over-the-counter analgesic drugs and also about the self-medication are required. [AMJ.2014;1(2:1–6

  4. Genetic discrimination: international perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otlowski, M; Taylor, S; Bombard, Y

    2012-01-01

    Genetic discrimination (GD) is a complex, multifaceted ethical, psychosocial, and legal phenomenon. It is defined as the differential treatment of asymptomatic individuals or their relatives on the basis of their real or assumed genetic characteristics. This article presents an overview of GD within the contemporary international context. It describes the concept of GD and its contextual features, reviews research evidence regarding people's experiences of GD and the impact of GD within a range of domains, and provides an overview of legal and policy responses to GD that have emerged globally. We argue that GD is a significant and internationally established phenomenon that requires multilevel responses to ensure social justice and equitable outcomes for all citizens. Future research should monitor GD and its impacts within the community as well as institutions and should evaluate the effectiveness of legislative, policy, community education, and systemic responses.

  5. Deformations of spacetime and internal symmetries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gresnigt Niels G.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Algebraic deformations provide a systematic approach to generalizing the symmetries of a physical theory through the introduction of new fundamental constants. The applications of deformations of Lie algebras and Hopf algebras to both spacetime and internal symmetries are discussed. As a specific example we demonstrate how deforming the classical flavor group S U(3 to the quantum group S Uq(3 ≡ U q (su(3 (a Hopf algebra and taking into account electromagnetic mass splitting within isospin multiplets leads to new and exceptionally accurate baryon mass sum rules that agree perfectly with experimental data.

  6. Large scale international bioenergy trading. How bioenergy trading can be reliazed under safe and sustainable frame conditions?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holm-Nielsen, Jens Bo; Kirchovas, Simas

    2011-01-01

    Biomass sources as Woodchips – Wood pellets, Straw – Bio pellets, animal manure, farm-by products and new cropping systems are integrated in our society’s needs. The mindset for shifting from fossil fuels based economies into sustainable energy economies already exist. Bioenergy utilization systems...... sustainability criteria. The sustainability criteria agreed internationally could be realized as a tool to secure the positive impacts of bioenergy and to foster the international trade. This study investigates the developments by national and international bodies of biomass standardization and certification...

  7. The Social Workers Challenges on Community Welfare in Ungogo Community, Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kehinde Adekunle Aliyu

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The role of social workers in a community cannot be overemphasised by any mean, for the life span of any community depends on the quality of the social workers. The aim of this work is to affirm the roles of social workers in helping the community welfare.  Qualitative research design was adopted for the work. Data collected with the Interview Schedule for Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps and Interview Guide for selected group of people. This was administered to 30 respondents, which comprises both male and female in the Ungogo community. The purpose of the study was to examine the roles of social workers, in line with improved standards of living, sustained economic development and expansion of trade and economic relations in the community; enhanced levels of international competitiveness in the areas of community welfare, organization for increased productivity of people in the community. It common knowledge every individual strife to be the best when receive the necessary or adequate encouragement. To these extents, such a person bears some responsibilities even if passively so as a member. The implication of this work is to contribute to social change by informing social worker on their challenges and responsibilities ahead of them in the community.

  8. Emerging risks from ballast water treatment: The run-up to the International Ballast Water Management Convention

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Werschkun, B.; Banerji, S.; Basurko, O.C.; David, M.; Fuhr, F; Gollasch, S.; Grummt, T.; Haarich, M.; Jha, A.N.; Kacan, S.; Kehrer, A.; Linders, J.; Mesbahi, E.; Pughiuc, D.; Richardson, S.D.; Schwarz-Schulz, B.; Shah, A.; Theobald, N.; von Gunten, U.; Wieck, S.; Hofer, T.

    2014-01-01

    Uptake and discharge of ballast water by ocean-going ships contribute to the worldwide spread of aquatic invasive species, with negative impacts on the environment, economies, and public health. The International Ballast Water Management Convention aims at a global answer. The agreed standards for

  9. Test-Retest Reliability, Convergent Validity, and Internal Consistency of the Persian Version of Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale in Iranian Community-Dwelling Older Adults

    OpenAIRE

    Azar Sabet; Akram Azad; Ghorban Taghizadeh

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate convergent validity, test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the Persian translation of the Fullerton advanced balance (FAB) for use in Iranian community- dwelling older adults and improve the quality of their functional balance assessment. Methods & Materials: The original scale was translated with forward-backward protocol. In the next step, using convenience sampling and inclusion criteria, 88 functionally indep...

  10. Young Earth System Scientists (YESS) Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed, K. A.; Langendijk, G.; Bahar, F.; Huang-Lachmann, J. T.; Osman, M.; Mirsafa, M.; Sonntag, S.

    2017-12-01

    The Young Earth System Scientists (YESS) community is compiled of early career researchers (including students) coming from a range of scientific backgrounds, spanning both natural and social sciences. YESS unifies young researchers in an influential network to give them a collective voice and leverage within the geosciences community, while supporting career development. The YESS community has used its powerful network to provide a unified perspective on the future of Earth system science (Rauser et al. 2017), to be involved in the organization of international conferences, and to engage with existing international structures that coordinate science. Since its founding in Germany in 2010, the YESS community has grown extensively across the globe, with currently almost 1000 members from over 80 countries, and has become truly interdisciplinary. Recently, the organization has carried elections for Regional Representatives and the Executive Committee as part of its self-sustained governance structure. YESS is ready to continue pioneering crucial areas of research which provide solutions to benefit society for the long-term advancement of Earth system science.

  11. International measures needed to protect metal recycling facilities from radioactive materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mattia, M.; Wiener, R.

    1999-01-01

    . The government of every country that licences the use of radioactive material should institute a program to determine both the location of every known source and the effectiveness of current controls over that source. (ii) Control of orphaned material. Each government should institute a program for the safe removal and control of orphaned radioactive sources and material without penalty to the individual that has unintentionally received it. (iii) Transportation rules. International agreements should be developed that allow discovered radioactive material to be easily yet safely transported to either its point of origin or to a facility for its safe disposal. (iv) Registry of events. An international mechanism should be developed for the documentation and reporting of radiation related incidents and the discovery of potentially orphaned radioactive sources and material. (v) Universal measurements. There are several highly technical ways to describe radioactivity. None of these can be easily understood by the individuals who may encounter this material. The international community should agree on how radioactivity will be measured and qualified in a manner that is easily understood by all individuals. (vi) Technology sharing. As new, user-friendly technology is being advanced, the international community should keep track of such advances, share this information, as well as fund the development of technology that will accurately and consistently identify radioactive material that could be found in all forms of metal or containers. (author)

  12. Forest gene conservation from the perspective of the international community

    Science.gov (United States)

    M. Hosny El-Lakany

    2017-01-01

    conservation of forest genetic resources (FGR). After presenting internationally adopted definitions of some terms related to FGR, the characteristics of the current state of FGR conservation from a global perspective are summarized. Many international and regional organizations and institutions are engaged in the conservation of FGR at degrees ranging from...

  13. A Project in Support of International Nuclear Cooperation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Myung Ro; Kim, Kyoung Pyo; Lee, Jeong Kong; Jung, Sung Hyon; Shim, Jae Sun

    2009-01-01

    The objective of this study is to establish the strategies of international cooperation in order to promote our nation's leading role in international community, to lay the foundation for the effective transfer of nuclear technology to developing countries, and to cope with the rapidly changing in the international nuclear communities. This study contains the work undertaken to promote multilateral cooperation within the framework of international nuclear related organizations and regional cooperative agreements and the relevant forums, to enhance bilateral cooperation with foreign nuclear related research institutes as well as to promote cooperation through the exchange of foreign scientists. As for multilateral cooperation, activities for promoting cooperation within the IAEA and regional cooperative frameworks are introduced. Regarding bilateral cooperation, activities for concluding arrangements and MOUs with foreign research institutes and for participation in joint nuclear coordinating committee meetings between Korea and other countries are presented. For promoting personnel exchanges, activities for inviting and utilizing foreign scientists and mutual discussions with foreign experts, who have visited KAERI, are also described. Continuous efforts to contributing towards the international community through utilizing Korea's experience gained in the process of technical self-reliance and development of human resources are needed. Also efforts to establish the foundation of international cooperation and to make inroad into overseas nuclear markets for export of our nuclear technologies should be made. Meanwhile in the bilateral cooperation, we need to beef up cooperation with U.S.A. and Canada through the joint committee for the joint export to third countries. It is expected that this study would be utilized as a basic material for the international cooperation of nuclear energy, especially for the KAERI's international cooperation in an effective way

  14. Building global learning communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Averill Gordon

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Within the background where education is increasingly driven by the economies of scale and research funding, we propose an alternative online open and connected framework (OOC for building global learning communities using mobile social media. We critique a three year action research case study involving building collaborative global learning communities around a community of practice of learning researchers and practitioners. The results include the development of a framework for utilising mobile social media to support collaborative curriculum development across international boundaries. We conclude that this framework is potentially transferrable to a range of educational contexts where the focus is upon student-generated mobile social media projects.

  15. Le réfugié dans le droit international durant la seconde moitié du dix-neuvième siècle

    OpenAIRE

    Rygiel , Philippe

    2016-01-01

    International audience; This chapter deals with asylum and refuge in international law between the 1870’s and the First World War. I will focus on the Institute of International Law, which tackles those issues mainly while discussing the extradition clauses of international treaties. The close observation of the debates shows that the representatives of the major European states agree during this period to fight the definition of asylum right that the refugees could use, while defending the p...

  16. How Does Stigma Affect People Living with HIV? The Mediating Roles of Internalized and Anticipated HIV Stigma in the Effects of Perceived Community Stigma on Health and Psychosocial Outcomes

    OpenAIRE

    Turan, Bulent; Budhwani, Henna; Fazeli, Pariya L.; Browning, Wesley R.; Raper, James L.; Mugavero, Michael J.; Turan, Janet M.

    2017-01-01

    Few researchers have attempted to examine the mechanisms through which HIV-related stigma in the community is processed and experienced at an individual level by people living with HIV. We examined how the effects of perceived HIV stigma in the community on health outcomes for people living with HIV are mediated by internalized stigma and anticipated stigma. Participants (N = 203) from an HIV clinic completed self-report measures and their clinical data were obtained from medical records. Res...

  17. Community benefits from offshore renewables: The relationship between different understandings of impact, community, and benefit

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rudolph, David Philipp; Haggett, Claire; Aitken, Mhairi

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents the findings of a research project evaluating community benefit models for offshore renewables. We identify and analyse UK and international case studies of different forms of community benefit, and provide evidence of how such benefits are delivered. In particular we consider......, and impact are understood is crucial in determining whether or how benefits should be apportioned and delivered; and that these definitions are closely connected to each other. We develop a new series of typologies as a way to understand this. Finally, we assess different mechanisms and schemes of community...

  18. Is International Relations still an American social science discipline in Latin America?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael A. Duarte Villa

    Full Text Available Abstract Over the last 40 years, investigations have shown the discipline of International Relations to reproduce the American influence on its methods, paradigms, and institutional dynamics. This article explores the case for the Latin American community, based on the survey data from the Teaching, Research, and International Politics project (TRIP 2014 developed by the Institute for the Theory and Practice of International Relations of the College of William and Mary, Virginia (USA. TRIP evaluated International Relations communities in 32 countries around the world. The article aims to answer two main questions: (i is American influence still dominant over epistemological, methodological, paradigmatic, and institutional representative terms in Latin American International Relations communities, as has been considered in the past? (ii Is there in the region any contestation to this supposed influence? Primarily, the present article shows an affirmative answer for the first issue. Therefore, and most importantly, the data analysis shows upcoming local pressures rooted in American influence, especially on its epistemic and paradigmatic terms. The data strengthens the miscegenation tendency on its epistemological and paradigmatic aspects, which underlines a lack of consensus over the structure of American dominance over the discipline of International Relations in Latin America, especially if one observes the most numerous and structured group in the region: the Brazilian International Relations community.

  19. Health literacy: setting an international collaborative research agenda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rowlands Gillian

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Health literacy is an increasingly important topic in both the policy and research agendas of many countries. During the recent 36th Annual Meeting of the North American Primary Care Research Group, the authors led an audio-taped 3-hour forum, "Studying Health Literacy: Developing an International Collaboration," where the current state of health literacy (HL in the United States (US and United Kingdom (UK was presented and attendees were encouraged to debate a future research agenda. Discussion of Forum Themes The debate centred around three distinct themes, including: (1 refining HL definitions and conceptual models, (2 HL measurement and assessment tools, and (3 developing a collaborative international research agenda. The attendees agreed that future research should be theoretically grounded and conceptual models employed in studies should be explicit to allow for international comparisons to be drawn. Summary and Authors Reflections The importance of HL research and its possible contribution to health disparities is becoming increasingly recognised internationally. International collaborations and comparative studies could illuminate some of the possible determinants of disparities, and also possibly provide a vehicle to examine other research questions of interest.

  20. Offshore oil and gas : a community development perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pierce, J.; Vodden, K.; House, D.

    2003-01-01

    A community perspective on offshore oil and gas development in British Columbia was presented. It was noted that local benefits depend greatly on the level of regulation and government intervention in the industry. Community preparedness, jurisdictional certainty and corporate ethics also play a vital role. It is also necessary to clearly understand legal, economic, environmental, social and industrial aspects of offshore development. Jurisdictional concerns include the International Free Trade Agreement, ambiguities over mineral rights, and claims by First Nations to seabed and ocean resources. It was emphasized that the impact of offshore development on ecotourism and fisheries should not be underestimated. Community-based planning is critical. Economic imperatives include international prices, recovery costs, distribution of royalties, and alternative opportunities. It was also noted that communities in British Columbia have much to learn from other gas dependent regions

  1. [Research in ethnobotany and the return of systematized knowledge to the community: a complex issue].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patzlaff, Rubia Graciela; Peixoto, Ariane Luna

    2009-01-01

    How should information gathered in ethnobotanical research be returned to the social environment where it was generated? What should be taken to the community? These questions motivated the accompaniment of two ethnobotanical studies and their respective proposals for how to return to the community the knowledge associated to plants, systematized by the scientist. It is common for research data to be returned to a community by means of manuals, information booklets, illustrated lists of plants, lectures and courses. Nevertheless, other forms have been prepared that characterize an exchange of knowledge among the scientist and the community, with mutual gains. This study corroborates these alternatives and suggests that the definition of the activities to return knowledge to the community, even that proposed and agreed to at the beginning of the study, be flexible, allowing the inclusion of new needs that arise during the execution of the study.

  2. Propositions for the harmonization of the market of in vitro diagnostic products within the european community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1989-01-01

    The European diagnostic manufacturers Association (EDMA) is the association of the national associations in Europe which are representative of manufacturers and distributors of in vitro diagnostic products. The Association's primary objectives as set out in its statutes are: - to promote and encourage among its members ethical principles and practices voluntarily agreed upon - to study and deal with all matters of common interest, for example, in the fields of heald legislation, science, technology and research. - to contribute expertise to and co-operate with national European and international organisations, governmental and non-governmental, having aims and objects similar to those of the Association or whose activities affect the interests of the members of the Association. Founded in 1979, the Association has developed from its original seven national member associations within Europe to its present number of fourteen. Through its member associations, EDMA represents well over 80 p. cent of the companies involved in the manufacture and distribution of in vitro diagnostic products and more than 90 p. cent of the market for those products within the Community and within Europe generally [fr

  3. Differences in career paths and attributes of pharmacists completing a community pharmacy residency program (CPRP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timothy R. Ulbrich

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To determine any differences in career paths and career attributes of pharmacists who have completed a PGY1 community pharmacy residency program (CPRP as compared to those that have not completed a PGY1 CPRP. Methods: A web-based survey evaluating various aspects of community pharmacists' careers was distributed to 274 CPRP graduates in addition to a random sample of 7,376 community pharmacists. The survey contained 32 questions evaluating various career attributes. Questions that assessed level of agreement were on a 6-point Likert-type Scale (1=strongly disagree; 6=strongly agree. Results: A total of 353 participants completed the survey, with 224 indicating that they had not completed a CPRP. Pharmacists who completed a CPRP responded that they spend significantly more time on patient care services, teaching, and research, and spend less time dispensing medications compared to those that have not completed a CPRP. Compared to those that did not complete a CPRP, CPRP graduates were less likely to agree that current level of workload negatively impacts job performance, motivation to work, job satisfaction, mental/emotional health, and physical health. Conclusion: Pharmacists completing a CPRP noted significant differences in their current employment and job responsibilities. Additional expansion and education regarding the importance of CPRPs should be considered.   Type: Original Research

  4. Securing Failed Inner-City Communities: The Military's Role

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Khan, Oral

    1997-01-01

    This study examines the threat to internal security posed by violent gangs. This threat was found to be particularly acute in inner-city communities that have over time devolved to a status that the author classified as failed communities...

  5. International Health Regulations in practice: Focus on yellow fever and poliomyelitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simons, H; Patel, D

    2016-10-02

    ASBTRACT The spread of infectious disease represents a global threat and therefore remains a priority on the international public health agenda. The International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) came into effect in June 2007 and provide a legal framework to which the 196 member states of the World Health Assembly agree to abide. 1 These regulations include implementation of protective, control and response measures at points of entry to a country (i.e. land borders, sea and airports), and of notification measures, all of which aim to prevent or limit the spread of disease while minimising disruption to international trade. The World Health Organization can apply and enforce IHR (2005) to any disease considered to pose a significant threat to international public health. This short paper focuses on 2 diseases; yellow fever and poliomyelitis, both of which have the potential to spread internationally. It will discuss the measures applied under IHR (2005) to minimize the threat, and explore the implications for both travelers and travel health advisors.

  6. International Chernobyl project - input from the Commission of the European Communities to the evaluation of the relocation policy adopted by the former Soviet Union

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-01-01

    In October 1989, the Government of the USSR formally requested the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to carry out: '...an international experts' assessment of the concept which the USSR has evolved to enable the population to live safely in areas affected by radioactive contamination following the Chernobyl accident, and an evaluation of the effectiveness of the steps taken in those areas to safeguard the health of the population'. The response to this request was a proposal for a multinational team to undertake an assessment of the radiological situation in the three affected Soviet Republics - the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (UKrSSR), the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR). The International Chernobyl Project was established for this purpose with the participation of the Commission of the European Communities (CEC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Labour Office (ILO), the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). An International Advisory Committee, comprising scientists from 10 countries and seven international organizations, was established to direct the Project and be responsible for its findings. The results of the Project have been published in two reports - an overview and a technical report -prepared by the International Advisory Committee

  7. Trafficking in Persons: The U.S. and International Response

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Miko, Francis T

    2006-01-01

    Trafficking in people for prostitution and forced labor is one of the most prolific areas of international criminal activity and is of significant concern to the United States and the international community...

  8. driven and community-driven poverty reduction strategies/progr

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    World Bank assisted Community-Based Poverty Reduction Programme ... economic performance and in the absence of adequate social safety net, the per capita income ... the international community, development workers, the political class, scholars, activists, ..... Manufacturing and Direct Public Policy in South Western.

  9. Comprehensive Fuel Cycle - Community Perspective - 13093

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McLeod, Richard V. [Savannah River Community Reuse Organization, P.O. Box 696, Aiken, SC 29802 (United States); Frazier, Timothy A. [Dickstein Shapiro LLP, 1825 Eye Street NW, Washington, DC, 20006-5403 (United States)

    2013-07-01

    Should a five-county region surrounding the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site ('SRS') use its assets to help provide solutions to closing the nation's nuclear fuel cycle? That question has been the focus of a local ad hoc multi-disciplinary community task force (Tier I) that has been at work in recent months outlining issues and identifying unanswered questions to determine if assuming a leadership role in closing the nuclear fuel cycle is in the community's interest. If so, what are the terms and conditions under which we the community would agree to participate? Our starting point was the President's Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future ('Commission') which made a total of eight (8) recommendations in its final report. There are several recommendations that are directly relevant to the Tier I group and potential efforts of the Region. These are the 'consent-based approach', the creation of an independent nuclear waste management entity funded from the existing nuclear waste fee; the 'prompt efforts to develop one or more consolidated storage facilities', and 'continued U.S. innovation in nuclear energy technology and for workforce development'. (authors)

  10. Joint conference of 17th international Toki conference on physics of flows and turbulence in plasmas and 16th international stellarator/heliotron workshop 2007. Proceedings (2)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    requirements of a fusion reactor plasma. Development of stellarators as an alternative fusion reactor concept is a key issue confronting the stellarator community. This issue was addressed in the meeting by including special sessions on topics which are particularly relevant in the stellarator line as reactor concepts (e.g. divertor physics). From the perspective of the basic understanding of systems far from thermal equilibrium, fusion plasma studies are a fully multi-disciplinary area of research. The joint ISHW/ITC conference has emphasized the topical area of 'Flows and Turbulence' which are seen widely in nature and are also becoming a high priority research area in magnetically confined plasmas. Stellarators and tokamaks are complementary magnetic confinement concepts, but nevertheless share many common aspects. Thus, we should exploit synergies with the tokamak wherever meaningful. The International Stellarator/Heliotron Workshop benefited greatly from the presence of invited talks from the tokamak community, as in previous stellarator workshops. The development of stellarator/heliotron working groups, including confinement database and profile database working groups, has been very a successful activity to fully promote international collaboration. Invited talks reporting on these key activities in the stellarator community were included in the programme. In addition, the workshop has been an adequate forum to trigger discussion on possible additional stellarator/heliotron working groups. This discussion has been fully welcomed and stimulated by the IEA Stellarator Executive Committee. Considering that a fusion reactor stellarator should operate at high beta with control of particle and energy exhaust, it was agreed to promote the development of a new stellarator/heliotron working group for further development of helical divertor concepts. Slides of some oral presentations as well as the proceedings are available at http://itc.nifs.ac.jp/. Extended papers of major

  11. Joint conference of 17th international Toki conference on physics of flows and turbulence in plasmas and 16th international stellarator/heliotron workshop 2007. Proceedings (1)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    requirements of a fusion reactor plasma. Development of stellarators as an alternative fusion reactor concept is a key issue confronting the stellarator community. This issue was addressed in the meeting by including special sessions on topics which are particularly relevant in the stellarator line as reactor concepts (e.g. divertor physics). From the perspective of the basic understanding of systems far from thermal equilibrium, fusion plasma studies are a fully multi-disciplinary area of research. The joint ISHW/ITC conference has emphasized the topical area of 'Flows and Turbulence' which are seen widely in nature and are also becoming a high priority research area in magnetically confined plasmas. Stellarators and tokamaks are complementary magnetic confinement concepts, but nevertheless share many common aspects. Thus, we should exploit synergies with the tokamak wherever meaningful. The International Stellarator/Heliotron Workshop benefited greatly from the presence of invited talks from the tokamak community, as in previous stellarator workshops. The development of stellarator/heliotron working groups, including confinement database and profile database working groups, has been very a successful activity to fully promote international collaboration. Invited talks reporting on these key activities in the stellarator community were included in the programme. In addition, the workshop has been an adequate forum to trigger discussion on possible additional stellarator/heliotron working groups. This discussion has been fully welcomed and stimulated by the IEA Stellarator Executive Committee. Considering that a fusion reactor stellarator should operate at high beta with control of particle and energy exhaust, it was agreed to promote the development of a new stellarator/heliotron working group for further development of helical divertor concepts. Slides of some oral presentations as well as the proceedings are available at http://itc.nifs.ac.jp/. Extended papers of major

  12. Effect of Health Literacy on Help-seeking Behavior in Morbidly Obese Patients Agreeing to Bariatric Surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cayci, Haci Murat; Erdogdu, Umut Eren; Demirci, Hakan; Ardic, Aykut; Topak, Nevruz Yildirim; Taymur, İbrahim

    2018-03-01

    We aimed to evaluate the effect of health literacy on agreement for bariatric surgery among morbidly obese patients. The data of 242 morbidly obese patients (body mass index-BMI ≥ 40 kg/m 2 ) were evaluated in a cross-sectional case-control pattern. The patients were classified into two groups as those who were attending the clinic for the purpose of receiving bariatric surgery (n = 138) and those who did not (n = 104). The Turkish version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47), consisting of 47 questions, was used for the health literacy evaluation. It was seen that patients who accepted bariatric surgery were younger and had higher weight and BMI values (p bariatric surgery and 26.04 (8.33:46.88) in the group who did not agree to bariatric surgery, and a statistically significant difference was determined between the two groups (p bariatric surgery and 45.2% of the group who did not (p  25-33) (respectively, 36.2%, 37.5%, p = 0.840). A sufficient level (> 33-42) and a perfect level were higher in the group who agreed to bariatric surgery (respectively, 42.8%, 18.1%, p bariatric surgery in morbidly obese patients. The higher the health literacy level, the more the agreement to bariatric surgery increased.

  13. Internalized Homophobia and Drug Use in a National Cohort of Gay and Bisexual Men: Examining Depression, Sexual Anxiety, and Gay Community Attachment as Mediating Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moody, Raymond L; Starks, Tyrel J; Grov, Christian; Parsons, Jeffrey T

    2018-05-01

    The minority stress process of internalized homophobia (IH) has been associated with a range of adverse health outcomes among gay and bisexual men (GBM). However, evidence is mixed regarding the effect of IH on drug use, suggesting the potential role of multiple mediated pathways. Researchers have linked depression, sexual anxiety, and gay community attachment with IH. Depression, sexual anxiety, and gay community attachment have also been linked with drug use and drug-related problems suggesting potential mediating roles. A U.S. national sample of 1071 HIV-negative GBM completed at-home surveys, including measures of sociodemographic characteristics, IH, depression, sexual anxiety, gay community attachment, and drug use and associated problems. Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, depression mediated the association between IH and recent drug use. IH was positively associated with depression, and depression was positively associated with recent drug use. Gay community attachment partially mediated drug-related problems. IH had a positive direct association with drug-related problems and a negative direct association with gay community attachment. Gay community attachment had a positive association with drug-related problems. IH was positively associated with sexual anxiety, but sexual anxiety was not associated with either drug outcome. Efforts to reduce IH among HIV-negative GBM are likely to have a positive impact on mental health problems, as well as reduce risk for drug use and drug-related problems. Gay communities could provide the social support necessary for reducing IH; however, emphasis on community level interventions that address factors that increase risk for drug-related problems remains important.

  14. A Model International Partnership for Community-based Research on Vaccine-preventable Diseases: the Kamphaeng Phet-AFRIMS Virology Research Unit (KAVRU)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    4500 Table 3 Acknowledgment of contributions. Participant Role Albert Sabin Led effort to make JEV Vaccine during WWII Richard Mason Member of...R A v R R K D S a b c d e f g h i j a A R R A A K V S J H D I C T P p ( C t 0 h Vaccine 31 (2013) 4487– 4500 Contents lists available at...ScienceDirect Vaccine jou rn al hom ep age: www.elsev ier .com/ locat e/vacc ine eview model international partnership for community-based research on

  15. International payment for forest conservation. Special case: compensation for leaving the oil in the ground in Yasuni National Park, Ecuador

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosendal, Kristin; Schei, Peter Johan; Eikeland, Per Ove; Gulbrandsen, Lars

    2008-02-15

    This report evaluates the Ecuadorian proposal to have the international community compensate Ecuador for not exploiting the oil in the ITT area of Yasuni National Park. It includes the evaluation of this proposal in a broader context, assessing the possible consequences of the arrangement for future systems for international payment for biodiversity/rain forest conservation or payment for other ecosystem services as outlined in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Recently, the debate about international funding of rain forest conservation and payment for ecosystem services in general has received new momentum thanks to the climate change negotiations. Although the debate goes back several decades, the content has now been broadened to include at least five major concerns: carbon sequestration and uptake, biodiversity conservation, maintenance and balance of other ecosystem services, safeguarding the livelihoods of local and indigenous people, and adaptation to climate change. This report examines the various past and current efforts relating to the question of international payment for forest conservation, linking it to the international obligations of developed countries to support global environmental goals in developing countries. The Yasuni case raises several questions that are also relevant to the Norwegian Bali initiative to contribute NOK 3 billion annually over five years for forest conservation. A central question is how these (new) flows of funding should be organized in order to achieve the relevant internationally agreed objectives emanating from multilateral environmental agreements. Here we discuss the role of the GEF, with its implementing agencies the World Bank, UNDP and UNEP. We tie the discussion to the obligations that developed countries have undertaken to support the implementation of global environmental goals in developing countries as emanating from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as obligations pertaining to

  16. International payment for forest conservation. Special case: compensation for leaving the oil in the ground in Yasuni National Park, Ecuador

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosendal, Kristin; Schei, Peter Johan; Eikeland, Per Ove; Gulbrandsen, Lars

    2008-02-15

    This report evaluates the Ecuadorian proposal to have the international community compensate Ecuador for not exploiting the oil in the ITT area of Yasuni National Park. It includes the evaluation of this proposal in a broader context, assessing the possible consequences of the arrangement for future systems for international payment for biodiversity/rain forest conservation or payment for other ecosystem services as outlined in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Recently, the debate about international funding of rain forest conservation and payment for ecosystem services in general has received new momentum thanks to the climate change negotiations. Although the debate goes back several decades, the content has now been broadened to include at least five major concerns: carbon sequestration and uptake, biodiversity conservation, maintenance and balance of other ecosystem services, safeguarding the livelihoods of local and indigenous people, and adaptation to climate change. This report examines the various past and current efforts relating to the question of international payment for forest conservation, linking it to the international obligations of developed countries to support global environmental goals in developing countries. The Yasuni case raises several questions that are also relevant to the Norwegian Bali initiative to contribute NOK 3 billion annually over five years for forest conservation. A central question is how these (new) flows of funding should be organized in order to achieve the relevant internationally agreed objectives emanating from multilateral environmental agreements. Here we discuss the role of the GEF, with its implementing agencies the World Bank, UNDP and UNEP. We tie the discussion to the obligations that developed countries have undertaken to support the implementation of global environmental goals in developing countries as emanating from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as obligations pertaining to

  17. How the radiologic and nuclear medical communities can improve nuclear security.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahn, Laura H; von Hippel, Frank

    2007-04-01

    Highly enriched uranium (HEU) is used to manufacture technetium-99m, the most widely used medical radioisotope in the world. Highly enriched uranium is also used to make nuclear bombs; 50 kg of HEU is enough to make a Hiroshima-type bomb. It is generally agreed that this technology is within the reach of a terrorist group; the main obstacle is acquiring HEU. Currently, as a legacy of the US and Soviet Atoms for Peace Program, there are civilian users of HEU in 40 countries, and about 1,000 kg are still being shipped each year. Unfortunately, the major international manufacturers of technetium-99m have been refusing to convert their production facilities to use low-enriched uranium (LEU), which cannot be used to make a nuclear bomb. Only 1% to 2% of the HEU is consumed in the process of producing technetium-99m. The remainder is accumulating in radioactive waste storage facilities. The radiologic and nuclear medical communities could make a tremendous contribution to a safer world by supporting the replacement of HEU with LEU in the production of technetium-99m. Low-enriched uranium is just as cost effective as HEU for the manufacture of technetium-99m and does not contribute to the risk for nuclear terrorism.

  18. Systematic errors in the tables of theoretical total internal conversion coefficients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dragoun, O.; Rysavy, M.

    1992-01-01

    Some of the total internal conversion coefficients presented in widely used tables of Rosel et al (1978 Atom. Data Nucl. Data Tables 21, 291) were found to be erroneous. The errors appear for some low transition energies, all multipolarities, and probably for all elements. The origin of the errors is explained. The subshell conversion coefficients of Rosel et al, where available, agree with our calculations. to within a few percent. (author)

  19. A Project in Support of International Nuclear Cooperation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Myung Ro; Kim, Kyoung Pyo; Lee, Jeong Kong; Jung, Sung Hyon; Shim, Jae Sun

    2008-12-15

    The objective of this study is to establish the strategies of international cooperation in order to promote our nation's leading role in international community, to lay the foundation for the effective transfer of nuclear technology to developing countries, and to cope with the rapidly changing in the international nuclear communities. This study contains the work undertaken to promote multilateral cooperation within the framework of international nuclear related organizations and regional cooperative agreements and the relevant forums, to enhance bilateral cooperation with foreign nuclear related research institutes as well as to promote cooperation through the exchange of foreign scientists. As for multilateral cooperation, activities for promoting cooperation within the IAEA and regional cooperative frameworks are introduced. Regarding bilateral cooperation, activities for concluding arrangements and MOUs with foreign research institutes and for participation in joint nuclear coordinating committee meetings between Korea and other countries are presented. For promoting personnel exchanges, activities for inviting and utilizing foreign scientists and mutual discussions with foreign experts, who have visited KAERI, are also described. Continuous efforts to contributing towards the international community through utilizing Korea's experience gained in the process of technical self-reliance and development of human resources are needed. Also efforts to establish the foundation of international cooperation and to make inroad into overseas nuclear markets for export of our nuclear technologies should be made. Meanwhile in the bilateral cooperation, we need to beef up cooperation with U.S.A. and Canada through the joint committee for the joint export to third countries. It is expected that this study would be utilized as a basic material for the international cooperation of nuclear energy, especially for the KAERI's international cooperation in an

  20. A Project in Support of International Nuclear Cooperation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Myung Ro; Kim, Kyoung Pyo; Lee, Jeong Kong; Jung, Sung Hyon; Shim, Jae Sun

    2009-01-15

    The objective of this study is to establish the strategies of international cooperation in order to promote our nation's leading role in international community, to lay the foundation for the effective transfer of nuclear technology to developing countries, and to cope with the rapidly changing in the international nuclear communities. This study contains the work undertaken to promote multilateral cooperation within the framework of international nuclear related organizations and regional cooperative agreements and the relevant forums, to enhance bilateral cooperation with foreign nuclear related research institutes as well as to promote cooperation through the exchange of foreign scientists. As for multilateral cooperation, activities for promoting cooperation within the IAEA and regional cooperative frameworks are introduced. Regarding bilateral cooperation, activities for concluding arrangements and MOUs with foreign research institutes and for participation in joint nuclear coordinating committee meetings between Korea and other countries are presented. For promoting personnel exchanges, activities for inviting and utilizing foreign scientists and mutual discussions with foreign experts, who have visited KAERI, are also described. Continuous efforts to contributing towards the international community through utilizing Korea's experience gained in the process of technical self-reliance and development of human resources are needed. Also efforts to establish the foundation of international cooperation and to make inroad into overseas nuclear markets for export of our nuclear technologies should be made. Meanwhile in the bilateral cooperation, we need to beef up cooperation with U.S.A. and Canada through the joint committee for the joint export to third countries. It is expected that this study would be utilized as a basic material for the international cooperation of nuclear energy, especially for the KAERI's international cooperation in an

  1. Drug-related problems and pharmacy interventions in community practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Westerlund, Tommy; Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna; Melander, Arne

    1999-01-01

    Objectives. (1) To document types and number of drug-related problems identified by community pharmacy personnel in Sweden; (2) to determine relationships among the types and number of problems identified and the gender, age and number of prescribed drugs in patients; and (3) to document the inte......Objectives. (1) To document types and number of drug-related problems identified by community pharmacy personnel in Sweden; (2) to determine relationships among the types and number of problems identified and the gender, age and number of prescribed drugs in patients; and (3) to document...... the interventions made by pharmacy personnel with patients and prescribers. Method. Random samples of pharmacists, prescriptionists and pharmacy technicians were drawn nationwide in Sweden; 144 (63 per cent) of the employees fulfilling the inclusion criteria agreed to take part. The participants documented drug......-related problems, interventions and patient variables on a data collection form, and tallied the number of patients they served on another form. Setting. One hundred and sixteen community pharmacies and 12 outpatient hospital pharmacies. Key findings. One problem or more was identified among 2.5 per cent...

  2. Market Incentives and International Volunteers: The Development and Evaluation of Fair Trade Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartman, Eric; Chaire, Cassandra

    2014-01-01

    As a component of university international education programming, international volunteerism and global community engagement by university students and faculty are on the rise. While the benefits to student learning related to this kind of programming have been well researched, community impact is rarely assessed. This article considers the…

  3. Policy and Challenges of Building Schools as Inclusive Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curcic, Svjetlana; Gabel, Susan L.; Zeitlin, Virginia; Cribaro-DiFatta, Shannon; Glarner, Carmel

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we address building inclusive communities by looking at school as a community, as a place where students participate in learning and also learn to participate in the life of a community and life in a broader inclusive society. At the international level, policies increasingly position education as a business organisation, with…

  4. Social Marginalization and Internal Exclusion: Gay Men's Understandings and Experiences of Community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Byrne, Patrick; Bryan, Alyssa; Hendriks, Andrew; Horvath, Cynthia; Bouchard, Christiane; Etches, Vera

    2014-03-01

    A total of 27 gay and bisexual men were interviewed about how they perceived the criminal prosecution of persons living with HIV who do not disclose their HIV status. The stories that emerged from the interviews raise questions about the nature of the gay community. The findings centre on the participants' descriptions of (1) the heterosexual meta-culture, (2) the locales of gay life, and (3) unsupportive elements in the gay community. Analysis of the interview data situates the gay community as a place of both inclusion and exclusion and as a heterogeneous environment. Copyright© by Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University.

  5. Safeguards Culture: lesson learned

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frazar, S.; Mladineo, S.V.

    2010-01-01

    After the discovery of Iraq's clandestine nuclear program in 1991, the international community developed new tools for evaluating and demonstrating states' nuclear intentions. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) developed a more holistic approach toward international safeguards verification to garner more complete information about states' nuclear activities. This approach manifested itself in State Level Evaluations, using information from a variety of sources, including the implementation of integrated safeguards in Member States, to reach a broader conclusion. Those wishing to exhibit strong nonproliferation postures to a more critical international community took steps to demonstrate their nonproliferation 'bona fides'. As these Member States signed and brought into force the Additional Protocol, submitted United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 reports and strengthened their export control laws, the international community began to consider the emergence of so-called safeguards cultures. Today, safeguards culture can be a useful tool for measuring nonproliferation postures, but so far its impact on the international safeguards regime has been under appreciated. There is no agreed upon definition for safeguards culture nor agreement on how it should be measured.

  6. Epidemiology, species distribution, antifungal susceptibility and outcome of candidemia among Internal Medicine Wards of community hospitals of Udine province, Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Federico Silvestri

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Candidemia is an emerging problem among patients hospitalized in Internal Medicine Wards (IMW. We performed a retrospective study to assess the epidemiology, species distribution, antifungal susceptibility and outcome of candidaemia recorded over a 3-year period (2010-2012 among IMW of community hospitals of Udine province in Italy: forty-eight patients were identified, with an overall incidence of 1.44 cases/1000 hospital admissions/year. Candida albicans was the most frequent species, followed by Candida parapsilosis that accounted for 42.9% of Tolmezzo cases. All isolates were susceptible to amphotericin and caspofungin, while 11.4% of strains were not-susceptible to voriconazole and 14.3% to fluconazole. Crude mortality was 41.7%. In conclusion, in community hospitals overall incidence of candidemia is similar to tertiary care hospitals, but 80% of cases are detected in IMW. Candida species distribution is overlapping, but differences in local epidemiology were found and should be taken into consideration. No resistance to amphotericin and caspofungin was found while resistance to azoles was observed. Knowledge of this data might be useful when planning the best therapeutic strategy.

  7. How Do Science and Technology Affect International Affairs?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Charles

    2015-01-01

    Science and technology influence international affairs by many different mechanisms. Both create new issues, risks and uncertainties. Advances in science alert the international community to new issues and risks. New technological capabilities transform war, diplomacy, commerce, intelligence, and investment. This paper identifies six basic…

  8. A global probe into dental student perceptions about philanthropy, global dentistry and international student exchanges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ivanoff, Chris S; Yaneva, Krassimira; Luan, Diana; Andonov, Bogomil; Kumar, Reena R; Agnihotry, Anirudha; Ivanoff, Athena E; Emmanouil, Dimitrios; Volpato, Luiz Evaristo Ricci; Koneski, Filip; Muratovska, Ilijana; Al-Shehri, Huda A; Al-Taweel, Sara M; Daly, Michele

    2017-04-01

    Training culturally competent graduates who can practice effectively in a multicultural environment is a goal of contemporary dental education. The Global Oral Health Initiative is a network of dental schools seeking to promote global dentistry as a component of cultural competency training. Before initiating international student exchanges, a survey was conducted to assess students' awareness of global dentistry and interest in cross-national clerkships. A 22-question, YES/NO survey was distributed to 3,487 dental students at eight schools in seven countries. The questions probed students about their school's commitment to enhance their education by promoting global dentistry, volunteerism and philanthropy. The data were analysed using Vassarstats statistical software. In total, 2,371 students (67.9%) completed the survey. Cultural diversity was seen as an important component of dental education by 72.8% of the students, with two-thirds (66.9%) acknowledging that their training provided preparation for understanding the oral health care needs of disparate peoples. A high proportion (87.9%) agreed that volunteerism and philanthropy are important qualities of a well-rounded dentist, but only about one-third felt that their school supported these behaviours (36.2%) or demonstrated a commitment to promote global dentistry (35.5%). In addition, 87.4% felt that dental schools are morally bound to improve oral health care in marginalised global communities and should provide students with international exchange missions (91%), which would enhance their cultural competency (88.9%) and encourage their participation in charitable missions after graduation (67.6%). The study suggests that dental students would value international exchanges, which may enhance students' knowledge and self-awareness related to cultural competence. © 2016 FDI World Dental Federation.

  9. Pengaruh Brand Image Terhadap Minat Konsumen Mobil Isuzu (Studi Evaluasi Penjualan Mobil Merek Isuzu Phanter Pada PT. Astra International Tbk. Cabang Pekanbaru)

    OpenAIRE

    Andri, Seno; Alfedri, Rizki

    2014-01-01

    The problem in this study is the decline in sales and sales target has been set arrives. The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze brand image, consumer interest and determine on consumer interest in buying a cars Isuzu Panther PT. Astra International, Tbk Branch Pekanbaru. The research concludes that the brand image of the car Isuzu Panther assessed agree, which means respondents agreed with brand image Isuzu Panther car now adays as a fuel efficient car, car with quality, suita...

  10. An educational strategy for using physician assistant students to provide health promotion education to community adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruff, Cathy C

    2012-01-01

    The "Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession" identify core competencies that physician assistants (PAs) are expected to acquire and maintain throughout their career (see http://www.nccpa.net/pdfs/Definition%20of%20PA%20Competencies% 203.5%20for%20Publication.pdf). Two categories of competencies relate to patient care and interpersonal and communication skills and articulate the need for PAs to be effective communicators and patient educators. The value of a health education curriculum for the adolescent population has been recognized since the early 1900s. PA student-designed health promotion presentations aimed at the adolescent population are an innovative educational strategy involving students in community education. PA student-designed presentations based upon previously identified topics were presented in the community. Students presented topics including Smoking Cessation, The Effects of Drugs and Alcohol, Self-Esteem, and others to adolescents. Community audiences were varied and included alternative high schools and teens within the Department of Youth Corrections facilities. PA students created 17 portable presentations for community adolescents. Two hundred sixty-eight students gave presentations to more than 700 adolescents ranging from 11-22 years of age between the years 2005-2010. Eighty-two percent (646/791) of adolescent participants either strongly agreed or agreed that they learned at least one new piece of information from the presentations. Sixty percent (12/20) of community leaders requested that the PA students return to give additional health promotion presentations. Analysis of comments by PA students revealed that 98% of students found the experience beneficial. Students identified the experience as helping them better understand how to design presentations to meet the needs of their audience, feel more comfortable with adolescents, and gain confidence in communicating. Seventy-five percent stated they would continue to be

  11. Climate Reporting for Duty

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samson, Charlotte

    2014-01-01

    Climatologists blew the whistle many times. The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report should not contradict them: there is scientific evidence of an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The international scientific community agrees to say that the matter is urgent. The IPCC analyzes the current state of scientific knowledge relevant to climate change. (author)

  12. osni.info-Using free/libre/open source software to build a virtual international community for open source nursing informatics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyri, Karl; Murray, Peter J

    2005-12-01

    Many health informatics organizations seem to be slow to take up the advantages of dynamic, web-based technologies for providing services to, and interaction with, their members; these are often the very technologies they promote for use within healthcare environments. This paper aims to introduce some of the many free/libre/open source (FLOSS) applications that are now available to develop interactive websites and dynamic online communities as part of the structure of health informatics organizations, and to show how the Open Source Nursing Informatics Working Group (OSNI) of the special interest group in nursing informatics of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA-NI) is using some of these tools to develop an online community of nurse informaticians through their website, at . Some background introduction to FLOSS applications is used for the benefit of those less familiar with such tools, and examples of some of the FLOSS content management systems (CMS) being used by OSNI are described. The experiences of the OSNI will facilitate a knowledgeable nursing contribution to the wider discussions on the applications of FLOSS within health and healthcare, and provides a model that many other groups could adopt.

  13. A History of Learning Communities within American Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fink, John E.; Inkelas, Karen Kurotsuchi

    2015-01-01

    This chapter describes the historical development of learning communities within American higher education. We examine the forces both internal and external to higher education that contributed to and stalled the emergence of learning communities in their contemporary form.

  14. Proposal for the establishment of an international project to analyse the safety of radioactive waste disposal into geological formations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1977-01-01

    The discussion of the basic principles underlying waste disposal and the analysis of associated long-term risks appears to be areas where international co-operation offers great promise and meets with almost universal interest. An authoritative analysis and the development of an internationally agreed philosophy about waste disposal might even go a long way towards easing the apprehension expressed by part of the public in regard to nuclear energy

  15. Response of Submerged Macrophyte Communities to External and Internal Restoration Measures in North Temperate Shallow Lakes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilt, Sabine; Alirangues Nuñez, Marta M.; Bakker, Elisabeth S.; Blindow, Irmgard; Davidson, Thomas A.; Gillefalk, Mikael; Hansson, Lars-Anders; Janse, Jan H.; Janssen, Annette B. G.; Jeppesen, Erik; Kabus, Timm; Kelly, Andrea; Köhler, Jan; Lauridsen, Torben L.; Mooij, Wolf M.; Noordhuis, Ruurd; Phillips, Geoff; Rücker, Jacqueline; Schuster, Hans-Heinrich; Søndergaard, Martin; Teurlincx, Sven; van de Weyer, Klaus; van Donk, Ellen; Waterstraat, Arno; Willby, Nigel; Sayer, Carl D.

    2018-01-01

    Submerged macrophytes play a key role in north temperate shallow lakes by stabilizing clear-water conditions. Eutrophication has resulted in macrophyte loss and shifts to turbid conditions in many lakes. Considerable efforts have been devoted to shallow lake restoration in many countries, but long-term success depends on a stable recovery of submerged macrophytes. However, recovery patterns vary widely and remain to be fully understood. We hypothesize that reduced external nutrient loading leads to an intermediate recovery state with clear spring and turbid summer conditions similar to the pattern described for eutrophication. In contrast, lake internal restoration measures can result in transient clear-water conditions both in spring and summer and reversals to turbid conditions. Furthermore, we hypothesize that these contrasting restoration measures result in different macrophyte species composition, with added implications for seasonal dynamics due to differences in plant traits. To test these hypotheses, we analyzed data on water quality and submerged macrophytes from 49 north temperate shallow lakes that were in a turbid state and subjected to restoration measures. To study the dynamics of macrophytes during nutrient load reduction, we adapted the ecosystem model PCLake. Our survey and model simulations revealed the existence of an intermediate recovery state upon reduced external nutrient loading, characterized by spring clear-water phases and turbid summers, whereas internal lake restoration measures often resulted in clear-water conditions in spring and summer with returns to turbid conditions after some years. External and internal lake restoration measures resulted in different macrophyte communities. The intermediate recovery state following reduced nutrient loading is characterized by a few macrophyte species (mainly pondweeds) that can resist wave action allowing survival in shallow areas, germinate early in spring, have energy-rich vegetative

  16. Response of Submerged Macrophyte Communities to External and Internal Restoration Measures in North Temperate Shallow Lakes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilt, Sabine; Alirangues Nuñez, Marta M; Bakker, Elisabeth S; Blindow, Irmgard; Davidson, Thomas A; Gillefalk, Mikael; Hansson, Lars-Anders; Janse, Jan H; Janssen, Annette B G; Jeppesen, Erik; Kabus, Timm; Kelly, Andrea; Köhler, Jan; Lauridsen, Torben L; Mooij, Wolf M; Noordhuis, Ruurd; Phillips, Geoff; Rücker, Jacqueline; Schuster, Hans-Heinrich; Søndergaard, Martin; Teurlincx, Sven; van de Weyer, Klaus; van Donk, Ellen; Waterstraat, Arno; Willby, Nigel; Sayer, Carl D

    2018-01-01

    Submerged macrophytes play a key role in north temperate shallow lakes by stabilizing clear-water conditions. Eutrophication has resulted in macrophyte loss and shifts to turbid conditions in many lakes. Considerable efforts have been devoted to shallow lake restoration in many countries, but long-term success depends on a stable recovery of submerged macrophytes. However, recovery patterns vary widely and remain to be fully understood. We hypothesize that reduced external nutrient loading leads to an intermediate recovery state with clear spring and turbid summer conditions similar to the pattern described for eutrophication. In contrast, lake internal restoration measures can result in transient clear-water conditions both in spring and summer and reversals to turbid conditions. Furthermore, we hypothesize that these contrasting restoration measures result in different macrophyte species composition, with added implications for seasonal dynamics due to differences in plant traits. To test these hypotheses, we analyzed data on water quality and submerged macrophytes from 49 north temperate shallow lakes that were in a turbid state and subjected to restoration measures. To study the dynamics of macrophytes during nutrient load reduction, we adapted the ecosystem model PCLake. Our survey and model simulations revealed the existence of an intermediate recovery state upon reduced external nutrient loading, characterized by spring clear-water phases and turbid summers, whereas internal lake restoration measures often resulted in clear-water conditions in spring and summer with returns to turbid conditions after some years. External and internal lake restoration measures resulted in different macrophyte communities. The intermediate recovery state following reduced nutrient loading is characterized by a few macrophyte species (mainly pondweeds) that can resist wave action allowing survival in shallow areas, germinate early in spring, have energy-rich vegetative

  17. Transferring knowledge and know-how from the nuclear power community to the research reactor community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wijtsma, F.J.

    2002-01-01

    Question What is the best way of transferring knowledge and know-how from the nuclear power community to the research reactor community, e.g. in the fields of quality assurance, safety culture, etc.? To answer the question on how to transfer knowledge and know-how from the nuclear power community to the research reactor community, one should first try to establish what are the differences and similarities between these types of nuclear facilities. Despite the big difference between the primary objectives of these two kinds of facilities, i.e. electricity production versus providing irradiation services, the underlying safety culture should be comparable. For historical reasons, nuclear power plant management took the lead in establishing fully accepted safety standards. However, research reactors can avail themselves of the wide body of nuclear safety experience accumulated at nuclear power plants. This should be applicable to all nuclear facilities. Nonetheless, in transferring their know-how, safety specialists should take into account the huge differences between critical assemblies, university reactors, small research reactors and multi-purpose high power research reactors. The goal to which a specific facility is dedicated bears heavily upon the outlook of its management Question: How can well run research reactors help problem research reactors? To answer this, a basic question should in turn be posed: Should one help a research reactor with operational difficulties? And, if so, to what extent? Who will benefit? Within the framework of this meeting, one should concentrate on nuclear safety, which is determined by: Safety culture (including quality assurance); The level of training of all staff; Ageing (installation, staff and documentation); The front/back end of the fuel cycle; A strong programme versus extended shutdown; Regulatory (nuclear regulatory) inspectorates; National (international) co-operation; The financial situation prevailing at the

  18. Linking Hydro-Meteorological Hazards, Climate and Food Security: an Initiative of International Scientific Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail-Zadeh, A.; Beer, T.

    2013-05-01

    Humans face climatic and hydro-meteorological hazards on different scales in time and space. In particular natural hazards can have disastrous impact in the short term (flood) and in the long term (drought) as they affect human life and health as well as impacting dramatically on the sustainable development of society. They represent a pending danger for vulnerable lifelines, infrastructure and the agricultural systems that depend on the water supply, reservoirs, pipelines, and power plants. Developed countries are affected, but the impact is disproportionate within the developing world. Extreme natural events such as extreme floods or prolonged drought can change the life and economic development of developing nations and stifle their development for decades. The beginning of the XX1st century has been marked by a significant number of natural disasters, such as floods, severe storms, wildfires, hurricanes, and tsunamis. Extreme natural events cause devastation resulting in loss of human life, large environmental damage, and partial or total loss of infrastructure that, in the longer time, will affect the potential for agricultural recovery. Recent catastrophic events of the early 21st century (e.g. floods in Pakistan and Thailand, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami) remind us once again that there is a strong coupling between complex solid Earth, oceanic, and atmospheric processes and that even developed countries such as Japan are subject to agricultural declines as a result of disastrous hydro-meteorological events. Scientific community recognizes that communication between the groups of experts of various international organizations dealing with natural hazards and their activity in disaster risk reduction and food security needs to be strengthened. Several international scientific unions and intergovernmental institutions set up a consortium of experts to promote studies of weather, climate and their interaction with agriculture, food and their socio

  19. For Community Sake

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Jeffery W.

    2013-01-01

    This article examines whether religious education plays a role in the promotion of harmonious international relations, arguing that a broad religious education with a dialogical approach goes to the heart of what it means to be a citizen in a global community. Christian theologian Hans Kung argues in his book "Judaism: Between Yesterday and…

  20. Agreed framework of 21 October 1994 between the United States of America and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-01-01

    The attached text of the Agreed Framework between the United States of America and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, signed in Geneva on 21 October 1994, is being circulated to all Member States of the Agency at the request of the Resident Representative of the United States of America

  1. Increasing Research Capacity in Underserved Communities: Formative and Summative Evaluation of the Mississippi Community Research Fellows Training Program (Cohort 1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danielle Fastring

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundThe Mississippi Community Research Fellows Training Program (MSCRFTP is a 15-week program conducted in Jackson, MS, USA consisting of training in the areas of evidence-based public health, research methods, research ethics, and cultural competency. The purpose of the program was to increase community knowledge and understanding of public health research, develop community-based projects that addressed health disparity in the participants’ community, increase individual and community capacity, and to engage community members as equal partners in the research process.MethodsA comprehensive evaluation of the MSCRFTP was conducted that included both quantitative and qualitative methods. All participants were asked to complete a baseline, midterm, and final assessment as part of their program requirements. Knowledge gained was assessed by comparing baseline assessment responses to final assessment responses related to 27 key content areas addressed in the training sessions. Assessments also collected participants’ attitudes toward participating in research within their communities, their perceived influence over community decisions, and their perceptions of community members’ involvement in research, satisfaction with the program, and the program’s impact on the participants’ daily practice and community work.ResultsTwenty-one participants, the majority of which were female and African-American, completed the MSCRFTP. Knowledge of concepts addressed in 15 weekly training sessions improved significantly on 85.2% of 27 key areas evaluated (p < 0.05. Two mini-grant community based participatory research projects proposed by participants were funded through competitive application. Most participants agreed that by working together, the people in their community could influence decisions that affected the community. All participants rated their satisfaction with the overall program as “very high” (76.2%, n = 16 or

  2. CERN's Community "Log Book" turns 50

    CERN Multimedia

    Katarina Anthony

    2015-01-01

    For five decades, the CERN Bulletin has been a staple of the Organization. As CERN has grown as a laboratory and a community, the Bulletin has been there to cover each development as it happens. In honour of the publication's 50th anniversary, we're taking a trip through CERN’s history via the headings and hidden corners of its internal newsletter.     It's 1965 and CERN - now 11 years old - has matured from a simple lab to a fledgling community. While news could once spread in a single afternoon, CERN's growth necessitated a new approach to the sharing of internal information. Meanwhile, the CERN Courier - the only publication in town - was approaching a more global physics audience – an audience for whom CERN road closures were not breaking news. And so, in March 1965, the Weekly Bulletin was born. What was meant as a simple newsletter of events and internal announcements quickly developed into a wider source of news about CERN....

  3. Caring for the community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spitzer, Roxane

    2004-01-01

    Nurses can play a unique role in caring for their communities. The first and most obvious role is the direct care of patients, the underlying raison d'etre of nursing, and second is the indirect care of the patients' families and friends. The hands-on healing image of nurses is held by many people and personified through the years by such real-life examples as Clara Barton. It is also the image that attracts many to nursing and is fueled by desire--the desire to help, to make a positive difference, and to serve people. It is often a powerful one-on-one connection between caregiver and receiver, nurse and patient, that defines the role of nursing. Yet, nurses can--and should--play broader roles in caring for their communities. This includes the internal community within one's own organization, the environment in which nurses work, and the larger external community--or communities--in which one lives. By reaching out and caring for the broader communities, nurses have the opportunity to grow while the communities benefit from their participatory caring. In addition, the image of nursing is enhanced externally. The nurse as community caregiver melds the heart and soul of nursing for a new 21st century model of caring.

  4. Do Countries Consistently Engage in Misinforming the International Community about Their Efforts to Combat Money Laundering? Evidence Using Benford's Law.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deleanu, Ioana Sorina

    2017-01-01

    Indicators of compliance and efficiency in combatting money laundering, collected by EUROSTAT, are plagued with shortcomings. In this paper, I have carried out a forensic analysis on a 2003-2010 dataset of indicators of compliance and efficiency in combatting money laundering, that European Union member states self-reported to EUROSTAT, and on the basis of which, their efforts were evaluated. I used Benford's law to detect any anomalous statistical patterns and found that statistical anomalies were also consistent with strategic manipulation. According to Benford's law, if we pick a random sample of numbers representing natural processes, and look at the distribution of the first digits of these numbers, we see that, contrary to popular belief, digit 1 occurs most often, then digit 2, and so on, with digit 9 occurring in less than 5% of the sample. Without prior knowledge of Benford's law, since people are not intuitively good at creating truly random numbers, deviations thereof can capture strategic alterations. In order to eliminate other sources of deviation, I have compared deviations in situations where incentives and opportunities for manipulation existed and in situations where they did not. While my results are not a conclusive proof of strategic manipulation, they signal that countries that faced incentives and opportunities to misinform the international community about their efforts to combat money laundering may have manipulated these indicators. Finally, my analysis points to the high potential for disruption that the manipulation of national statistics has, and calls for the acknowledgment that strategic manipulation can be an unintended consequence of the international community's pressure on countries to put combatting money laundering on the top of their national agenda.

  5. Do Countries Consistently Engage in Misinforming the International Community about Their Efforts to Combat Money Laundering? Evidence Using Benford's Law.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ioana Sorina Deleanu

    Full Text Available Indicators of compliance and efficiency in combatting money laundering, collected by EUROSTAT, are plagued with shortcomings. In this paper, I have carried out a forensic analysis on a 2003-2010 dataset of indicators of compliance and efficiency in combatting money laundering, that European Union member states self-reported to EUROSTAT, and on the basis of which, their efforts were evaluated. I used Benford's law to detect any anomalous statistical patterns and found that statistical anomalies were also consistent with strategic manipulation. According to Benford's law, if we pick a random sample of numbers representing natural processes, and look at the distribution of the first digits of these numbers, we see that, contrary to popular belief, digit 1 occurs most often, then digit 2, and so on, with digit 9 occurring in less than 5% of the sample. Without prior knowledge of Benford's law, since people are not intuitively good at creating truly random numbers, deviations thereof can capture strategic alterations. In order to eliminate other sources of deviation, I have compared deviations in situations where incentives and opportunities for manipulation existed and in situations where they did not. While my results are not a conclusive proof of strategic manipulation, they signal that countries that faced incentives and opportunities to misinform the international community about their efforts to combat money laundering may have manipulated these indicators. Finally, my analysis points to the high potential for disruption that the manipulation of national statistics has, and calls for the acknowledgment that strategic manipulation can be an unintended consequence of the international community's pressure on countries to put combatting money laundering on the top of their national agenda.

  6. Bridging Community Development and Environmental Education: Rural Water Conservation in Jordan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Lexine Tallis

    2010-01-01

    International community development is a fertile area of research for environmental education scholars and practitioners. Although the community development field is well established, there is relatively little focus on education and learning in community development literature, especially in developing country settings. Particularly,…

  7. Use of individualized learning plans among fourth-year sub-interns in pediatrics and internal medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepard, Michelle E; Sastre, Elizabeth A; Davidson, Mario A; Fleming, Amy E

    2012-01-01

    Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) are an effective tool for promoting self-directed learning among residents. However, no literature details ILP use among medical students. Fifty fourth-year sub-interns in pediatrics and internal medicine created ILPs, including a self-assessment of strengths and weaknesses based on ACGME core competencies and the setting of learning objectives. During weekly follow-up meetings with faculty mentors and peers, students discussed challenges and revised goals. Upon completion of the rotation, students completed a survey of Likert-scale questions addressing satisfaction with and perceived utility of ILP components. Students most often self-identified strengths in the areas of Professionalism and Interpersonal and Communication Skills and weaknesses in Patient Care and Systems-Based Practice. Eighty-two percent set at least one learning objective in an identified area of weakness. Students expressed high confidence in their abilities to create achievable learning objectives and to generate strategies to meet those objectives. Students agreed that discussions during group meetings were meaningful, and they identified the setting learning objectives and weekly meetings as the most important elements of the exercise. Fourth-year sub-interns reported that ILPs helped them to accomplish rotation goals, with the setting of learning objectives and weekly discussions being the most useful elements.

  8. International Organizations and Environmental Protection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meyer, Jan-Henrik; Kaiser, Wolfram

    . This volume is the first to comprehensively explore the environmental activities of professional communities, NGOs, regional bodies, the United Nations, and other international organizations during the twentieth century. It follows their efforts to shape debates about environmental degradation, develop...

  9. Report to the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry Project

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reisdorf, Jill [University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR/CPAESS), Boulder, CO (United States); Wiedinmyer, Christine [National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR/ACOM), Boulder, CO (United States)

    2017-04-21

    IGAC’s mission is to facilitate atmospheric chemistry research towards a sustainable world. This is achieved through IGAC’s three focal activities: fostering community, building capacity, and providing leadership. A key component to achieving IGAC’s mission is its developing early career program. These scientists join an international network early in their career that puts the cogs in motion to further facilitate atmospheric chemistry research at an international level for years to come. IGAC’s Science Conference is a primary mechanism for IGAC to build cooperation and disseminate scientific information across its international community. The first IGAC Science Conference was held in 1993 in Eilat, Israel. Since then, IGAC has successfully held fourteen science conferences, consistently becoming a biennial conference starting in 2002. The biennial IGAC Science Conference is regarded as THE international conference on atmospheric chemistry and participation in the conference is typically in the range of 350-650 participants. Since 2004, IGAC has included an Early Career Scientists Program as part of the conference to foster the next generation of scientists. IGAC believes, and has seen, that by allowing scientists to form an international network of colleagues early in their career that future international collaborations in atmospheric chemistry are enhanced. The 2016 IGAC Science Conference Early Career Program consisted of numerous events throughout the week giving these scientists the opportunity to not only create a community amongst themselves, but to also engage and build relationships with senior scientists. In order to support the Early Career Scientists Program, IGAC sought funding from international, regional and local organizations to provide Travel Grants to the conference based on an assessment of both need and merit. This conference summary reports on outcomes of the 2016 IGAC Science Conference and the Early Career Program, which included

  10. Radioactivity: Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Units and Measurements (1962), (ICRU) Report 10 c.

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Bureau of Standards (DOC), Washington, DC.

    This handbook presents recommendations agreed upon at the meeting of the International Commission on Radiological Units and Measurements (ICRU) held in Montreux, Switzerland, in April 1962. It is written in a report form with a preface including symbols, abbreviations and definitions of terms used in the report. The report consists of four…

  11. Investigating Graduate Business Students' Perceptions of the Educational Value Provided by an International Travel Course Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finley, Jane B.; Taylor, Susan Lee; Warren, D. Lee

    2007-01-01

    Researchers agree that students' critical thinking and decision making skills are enhanced through exposure to new cultures and global markets. Thus, one way of bringing about improvement in these areas is through international travel courses. The purpose of this study is threefold. One, to describe the process involved in the creation of a…

  12. International Fellows of NCI at Frederick | Poster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Each year, the Employee Diversity Team (EDT) acknowledges members of the NCI at Frederick Community for their achievements and contributions towards the mission of facility.  Historically, the team has profiled the “Women of NCI at Frederick,” but this year, the team decided to instead shed light on the diverse and successful individuals who make up the international fellows community.

  13. A Framework for Understanding International Perspectives on Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiseman, Alexander W.

    2012-01-01

    International perspectives on education have existed since the first world travelers brought stories back from their travels abroad, but the ways these perspectives are presented and understood varies as much as the cultures and communities themselves. This introduction to international perspectives on education provides a framework, which relies…

  14. A community needs responsive management training model: Re-envisioning management training for pastors of the International Assemblies of God Church

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malesela J. Masenya

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Non-profit organisations (NGO�s play an important role in helping satisfy society�s many needs. Churches, for example, are called upon to address critical challenges facing the South African society such as discrepancies in life chances, unemployment and corruption. It largely depends on the management skills of leaders of such organisations to succeed in their endeavour to meet community needs. In order to improve these skills, this study sought to redefine the initial training of student pastors, including their management training, at the colleges of the International Assemblies of God Church (IAG. A qualitative research approach was followed. Two focus group interviews and seven individual interviews were conducted. Interviews included members of the national and provincial executive committees of the IAG, serving pastors, directors of training colleges, pastor trainees in their final year of study, and a newly graduated student. The findings of the study support the importance of formal management training for pastors before being employed in the service of the IAG. This Church has moved away from accepting ministers for service based on their faith and profession of a call to ministry only. The investigation revealed shortcomings in the initial training programmes of pastors; for example, the emphasis on theological courses at the expense of courses that are responsive to community needs and management training issues. Leaders with the competency to respond to community needs are required. The implementation of a transformational management framework, which includes community responsive courses, is recommended as a way to effectively train church leaders.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Although this article is written within the framework of Educational Management, it touches on other fields like Practical Theology and Curriculum Development. It reflects on the perceived need to include management training in

  15. Creating the perfect intern anaesthesia rotation: a survey using ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    used to improve the current intern training programme for anaesthesia and to structure the ... The following feedback was common: more autonomy, longer duration of the anaesthesia ... Community service had a greater impact on career choice than internship. ... Community service doctors often work unsupervised and with.

  16. Community Detection for Correlation Matrices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mel MacMahon

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available A challenging problem in the study of complex systems is that of resolving, without prior information, the emergent, mesoscopic organization determined by groups of units whose dynamical activity is more strongly correlated internally than with the rest of the system. The existing techniques to filter correlations are not explicitly oriented towards identifying such modules and can suffer from an unavoidable information loss. A promising alternative is that of employing community detection techniques developed in network theory. Unfortunately, this approach has focused predominantly on replacing network data with correlation matrices, a procedure that we show to be intrinsically biased because of its inconsistency with the null hypotheses underlying the existing algorithms. Here, we introduce, via a consistent redefinition of null models based on random matrix theory, the appropriate correlation-based counterparts of the most popular community detection techniques. Our methods can filter out both unit-specific noise and system-wide dependencies, and the resulting communities are internally correlated and mutually anticorrelated. We also implement multiresolution and multifrequency approaches revealing hierarchically nested subcommunities with “hard” cores and “soft” peripheries. We apply our techniques to several financial time series and identify mesoscopic groups of stocks which are irreducible to a standard, sectorial taxonomy; detect “soft stocks” that alternate between communities; and discuss implications for portfolio optimization and risk management.

  17. Community Detection for Correlation Matrices

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacMahon, Mel; Garlaschelli, Diego

    2015-04-01

    A challenging problem in the study of complex systems is that of resolving, without prior information, the emergent, mesoscopic organization determined by groups of units whose dynamical activity is more strongly correlated internally than with the rest of the system. The existing techniques to filter correlations are not explicitly oriented towards identifying such modules and can suffer from an unavoidable information loss. A promising alternative is that of employing community detection techniques developed in network theory. Unfortunately, this approach has focused predominantly on replacing network data with correlation matrices, a procedure that we show to be intrinsically biased because of its inconsistency with the null hypotheses underlying the existing algorithms. Here, we introduce, via a consistent redefinition of null models based on random matrix theory, the appropriate correlation-based counterparts of the most popular community detection techniques. Our methods can filter out both unit-specific noise and system-wide dependencies, and the resulting communities are internally correlated and mutually anticorrelated. We also implement multiresolution and multifrequency approaches revealing hierarchically nested subcommunities with "hard" cores and "soft" peripheries. We apply our techniques to several financial time series and identify mesoscopic groups of stocks which are irreducible to a standard, sectorial taxonomy; detect "soft stocks" that alternate between communities; and discuss implications for portfolio optimization and risk management.

  18. Constitutionalization of international investment law: Indirect expropriation cases, fair and equitable treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César Higa

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of international investment law rules in the Economic Constitutional Law, especially those included in investment chapters of Peruvian’s Free Trade Treaties. In particular, it is expected to demonstrate the following (i International Investment Law is part of Peruvian Legal System; (ii provisions of these laws are mandatory and should be applied domestically; and (iii interpretation and implementation of this legal right should be executed consistently with domestic legal system and Peruvian international obligations. This agreed Interpretation between Investment Law and Economic Constitution will have a positive effect in rationalization of public entities actions avoiding abuses and maltreatment to investors, in order to improve investment climate as a key element forachieving country’s sustainable development.

  19. International identification of research priorities for postgraduate theses in musculoskeletal physiotherapy using a modified Delphi technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rushton, Alison; Moore, Ann

    2010-04-01

    Research priorities are established to identify gaps and maximise opportunities in developing an evidence base. Numerous postgraduate research theses are undertaken each year within the specialist area of musculoskeletal physiotherapy, and although some are published, greater potential for influence exists. This paper identifies international research priorities for postgraduate theses developed using a consensual Delphi process. A purposive sample included course tutors and expert clinicians nominated by Member Organisations of the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Physical Therapists (N=91). Round 1 requested >10 priorities for theses, and content analysis identified research themes. Round 2 requested participants rank the importance of each theme on a 1-5 scale, and round 3 requested ranking the importance and feasibility of the research question areas within each agreed theme. Descriptive analysis and use of Kendall's coefficient of concordance enabled interpretation of consensus. The response rate of 68% was good, identifying 23 research themes in round 1. Round 2 identified 14 research themes as important. Participant rating of the importance and feasibility of research question areas in round 3 supported 43 agreed priorities demonstrating good measurement validity. Establishing priorities provides a vision of how postgraduate theses can contribute to the developing evidence base and offer a focus for international collaboration. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Collaboration between Hospital and Community Pharmacists to Improve Medication Management from Hospital to Home

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judith Kristeller

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this study is to determine if a model for patient-centered care that integrates medication management between hospital and community pharmacists is feasible and can improve medication adherence. Design: This was a randomized, non-blinded, interventional study of 69 patients discharged from a hospital to home. Process measures include the number and type of medication-related discrepancies or problems identified, patient willingness to participate, the quality and quantity of interactions with community pharmacists, hospital readmissions, and medication adherence. Setting: A 214-bed acute care hospital in Northeastern Pennsylvania and seventeen regional community pharmacies. Patients: Enrolled patients were hospitalized with a primary or secondary diagnosis of heart failure or COPD, had a planned discharge to home, and agreed to speak to one of seventeen community pharmacists within the study network (i.e., a network community pharmacist following hospital discharge. Intervention: Information about a comprehensive medication review completed by the hospital pharmacist was communicated with the network community pharmacist to assist with providing medication therapy management following hospital discharge. Results: Of 180 patients eligible for the study, 111 declined to participate. Many patients were reluctant to talk to an additional pharmacist, however if the patient’s pharmacist was already within the network of 17 pharmacies, they usually agreed to participate. The study enrolled 35 patients in the intervention group and 34 in the control group. An average of 6 medication-related problems per patient were communicated to the patient’s network community pharmacist after discharge. In the treatment group, 44% of patients had at least one conversation with the network community pharmacist following hospital discharge. There was no difference in post-discharge adherence between the groups (Proportion of Days

  1. SETT facility of International Nuclear Security Academy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seo, Hyung Min

    2012-01-01

    After the Cold War was put to an end, the international community, especially the Western world, was concerned about Soviet nuclear materials falling into wrong hands, especially of terrorists. Later, the growing threat posed by terrorist networks such as the Taliban and al Qaeda led to a global campaign to deny such networks materials which may be used for the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). The 9 11 attacks made a section of the international community highly apprehensive of WMD terrorism, especially its nuclear version. From this point of view, it is clear that nuclear facilities which contain nuclear materials are very attractive targets for those who have intention of nuclear terror

  2. SETT facility of International Nuclear Security Academy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seo, Hyung Min [Korea Institute of Nuclear Non-proliferation and Control, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-05-15

    After the Cold War was put to an end, the international community, especially the Western world, was concerned about Soviet nuclear materials falling into wrong hands, especially of terrorists. Later, the growing threat posed by terrorist networks such as the Taliban and al Qaeda led to a global campaign to deny such networks materials which may be used for the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). The 9 11 attacks made a section of the international community highly apprehensive of WMD terrorism, especially its nuclear version. From this point of view, it is clear that nuclear facilities which contain nuclear materials are very attractive targets for those who have intention of nuclear terror

  3. The COSMIN checklist for assessing the methodological quality of studies on measurement properties of health status measurement instruments: an international Delphi study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mokkink, Lidwine B; Terwee, Caroline B; Patrick, Donald L; Alonso, Jordi; Stratford, Paul W; Knol, Dirk L; Bouter, Lex M; de Vet, Henrica C W

    2010-05-01

    Aim of the COSMIN study (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments) was to develop a consensus-based checklist to evaluate the methodological quality of studies on measurement properties. We present the COSMIN checklist and the agreement of the panel on the items of the checklist. A four-round Delphi study was performed with international experts (psychologists, epidemiologists, statisticians and clinicians). Of the 91 invited experts, 57 agreed to participate (63%). Panel members were asked to rate their (dis)agreement with each proposal on a five-point scale. Consensus was considered to be reached when at least 67% of the panel members indicated 'agree' or 'strongly agree'. Consensus was reached on the inclusion of the following measurement properties: internal consistency, reliability, measurement error, content validity (including face validity), construct validity (including structural validity, hypotheses testing and cross-cultural validity), criterion validity, responsiveness, and interpretability. The latter was not considered a measurement property. The panel also reached consensus on how these properties should be assessed. The resulting COSMIN checklist could be useful when selecting a measurement instrument, peer-reviewing a manuscript, designing or reporting a study on measurement properties, or for educational purposes.

  4. Quality assessment of recent evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults using the AGREE II instrument.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anwer, Muhammad A; Al-Fahed, Ousama B; Arif, Samir I; Amer, Yasser S; Titi, Maher A; Al-Rukban, Mohammed O

    2018-02-01

    Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a worldwide and national public health problem that has a great impact on the population in Saudi Arabia. High-quality clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are cornerstones in improving the health care provided for patients with diabetes. This study evaluated the methodological rigour, transparency, and applicability of recently published CPGs. Our group conducted a systematic search for recently published CPGs for T2DM. The searching and screening for Source CPGs were guided by tools from the ADAPTE methods with specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. Five reviewers using the second version of the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) Instrument independently assessed the quality of the retrieved Source CPGs. Domains of Scope and purpose and Clarity of presentation received the highest scores in all CPGs. Most of the assessed CPGs (86%) were considered with high overall quality and were recommended for use. Rigour of development and applicability domains were together highest in 3 CPGs (43%). The overall high quality of DM CPGs published in the last 3 years demonstrated the continuous development and improvement in CPG methodologies and standards. Health care professionals should consider the quality of any CPG for T2DM before deciding to use it in their daily clinical practice. Three CPGs have been identified, using the AGREE criteria, as high-quality and trustworthy. Ideally, the resources provided by the AGREE trust including the AGREE II Instrument should be used by a clinician to scan through the large number of published T2DM CPGs to identify the CPGs with high methodological quality and applicability. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. The development, design, testing, refinement, simulation and application of an evaluation framework for communities of practice and social-professional networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ball Dianne

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Communities of practice and social-professional networks are generally considered to enhance workplace experience and enable organizational success. However, despite the remarkable growth in interest in the role of collaborating structures in a range of industries, there is a paucity of empirical research to support this view. Nor is there a convincing model for their systematic evaluation, despite the significant potential benefits in answering the core question: how well do groups of professionals work together and how could they be organised to work together more effectively? This research project will produce a rigorous evaluation methodology and deliver supporting tools for the benefit of researchers, policymakers, practitioners and consumers within the health system and other sectors. Given the prevalence and importance of communities of practice and social networks, and the extent of investments in them, this project represents a scientific innovation of national and international significance. Methods and design Working in four conceptual phases the project will employ a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to develop, design, field-test, refine and finalise an evaluation framework. Once available the framework will be used to evaluate simulated, and then later existing, health care communities of practice and social-professional networks to assess their effectiveness in achieving desired outcomes. Peak stakeholder groups have agreed to involve a wide range of members and participant organisations, and will facilitate access to various policy, managerial and clinical networks. Discussion Given its scope and size, the project represents a valuable opportunity to achieve breakthroughs at two levels; firstly, by introducing novel and innovative aims and methods into the social research process and, secondly, through the resulting evaluation framework and tools. We anticipate valuable outcomes in the

  6. Moving Toward Spatial Solutions in Marine Conservation with Indigenous Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalie C. Ban

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Community and resource user support has often been declared as essential to achieving globally agreed targets for marine protection. Given that indigenous people in Canada have resource use rights, we engaged two indigenous communities in British Columbia for their views on marine planning and protected areas. We developed a three-phased approach for executing our research: building research partnerships, carrying out individual interviews, and holding community discussion sessions. Participants expressed a common goal of recovering depleted species and ensuring the sustainability of indigenous fishing. We found strong support for spatial protection measures, and significant overlaps amongst participants in the areas suggested for protection. The most common type of protection recommended by participants was the exclusion of commercial and recreational fisheries while allowing for indigenous fishing; this stands in contrast to the emphasis on strict no-take MPAs advocated in the literature. Similarities in the goal, and level and areas of protection point to a gap in conservation approaches: the conservation of important areas and resources to indigenous people, allowing the continued practice and adaptation of their culture.

  7. Large-amplitude internal tides, solitary waves, and turbulence in the central Bay of Biscay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, X. H.; Cuypers, Y.; Bouruet-Aubertot, P.; Ferron, B.; Pichon, A.; LourençO, A.; Cortes, N.

    2013-06-01

    and fine-scale measurements collected in the central Bay of Biscay during the MOUTON experiment are analyzed to investigate the dynamics of internal waves and associated mixing. Large-amplitude internal tides (ITs) that excite internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the thermocline are observed. ITs are dominated by modes 3 and 4, while ISWs projected on mode 1 that is trapped in the thermocline. Therein, ITs generate a persistent narrow shear band, which is strongly correlated with the enhanced dissipation rate in the thermocline. This strong dissipation rate is further reinforced in the presence of ISWs. Dissipation rates during the period without ISWs largely agree with the MacKinnon-Gregg scaling proposed for internal wavefields dominated by a low-frequency mode, while they show poor agreement with the Gregg-Henyey parameterization valid for internal wavefields close to the Garrett-Munk model. The agreement with the MacKinnon-Gregg scaling is consistent with the fact that turbulent mixing here is driven by the low-frequency internal tidal shear.

  8. Banking on coal: perspectives on a Cape Breton community within an international context

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Campbell, D.F.

    1997-12-31

    The development of the coal mining industry in Inverness, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia is described from the discovery of coal in the 17th century to the closing of the last mine in 1953, with its aftermath within the single industry community. The impact of the mines and unions on the community, public perception of coal miners, the miners self-perception, social and religious aspects, and politics are considered. Studies of three other coal mining communities (in Great Britain, the United States, and Australia) are examined, as a comparison. 140 refs., 283 notes, 11 photos.

  9. PARTICIPATORY CARTOGRAPHY IN A TRADITIONAL GOAT PRODUCTION SYSTEM OF A SMALLHOLDER COMMUNITY IN NORTHERN MÉXICO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Manuel Pinos Rodríguez

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available A community mapping procedure was developed to identify and characterize communal land area used for a traditional goat production system. Participatory cartography indicated that producers have good knowledge of their territory; more than 80% of the spatial distribution and localization of the elements and shapes present in the community map agreed with the map constructed with GIS. All flocks were mainly grazed on communal rangelands where the most important native forage plants were Opuntia spp. Yucca filifera, Condalia mexicana, Dalea spp. and Euphorbia cinerasiens, and corn stover the main crop by-product supplement used during dry season.

  10. An Enhanced Understanding of Therapeutic Communities Worldwide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiburcio, Nelson Jose; Kressel, David

    2011-01-01

    Therapeutic communities posit favorable treatment outcomes by relying on the community as the healing agent (Deleon 2000). Active treatment participation and treatment tenure are two domains that are positive predictors of positive treatment outcomes over time. Some of the more important domains that remain to be thoroughly investigated in international research on therapeutic community (TC) treatment outcome studies are the underlying effects of culture on the treatment process. Cultural components play a significant role, as also reported by various TC participants over the years (such as the effects of health literacy on sustaining abstinence from drug use over the long term, Tiburcio 2008). In recent years, health literacy has taken on a significant role in order for individuals to readily understand their needs (Schillinger et al 2002; Jorm et al 1997); or as pertains to feeling shamed in the process (Parikh et al 1996). As these and other studies suggest, the cultural competence of the providers is equally important. To our knowledge the " International TC Study " and findings presented herein constitute one of only a few studies that have conducted investigations comparing therapeutic community treatment modifications internationally, from the perspective of the participants themselves and which consider cultural components of this process. One key advantage of the resulting Qualitative datasets and analyses is that it not only includes residents' perspectives, and staff experiential elements, but importantly, incorporates staff debriefings about their respective interactions at each of the international treatment modalities, presenting well rounded depictions of each of these milieus. To that end, the data examined here presents an enhanced portrait of the provider-patient treatment dynamic, and lends voice to the various aspects of treatment participation in light of these cultural issues, and from the perspective of providers, as well as the participants.

  11. Epidemic spreading in weighted scale-free networks with community structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chu, Xiangwei; Guan, Jihong; Zhang, Zhongzhi; Zhou, Shuigeng

    2009-01-01

    Many empirical studies reveal that the weights and community structure are ubiquitous in various natural and artificial networks. In this paper, based on the SI disease model, we investigate the epidemic spreading in weighted scale-free networks with community structure. Two exponents, α and β, are introduced to weight the internal edges and external edges, respectively; and a tunable probability parameter q is also introduced to adjust the strength of community structure. We find the external weighting exponent β plays a much more important role in slackening the epidemic spreading and reducing the danger brought by the epidemic than the internal weighting exponent α. Moreover, a novel result we find is that the strong community structure is no longer helpful for slackening the danger brought by the epidemic in the weighted cases. In addition, we show the hierarchical dynamics of the epidemic spreading in the weighted scale-free networks with communities which is also displayed in the famous BA scale-free networks

  12. Attitudes of Chinese community members and psychiatrists towards forensic psychiatric assessments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaoling, Zhong; Jun, Wang; Graham, Mellsop; Chen, Chen; Simei, Zhang; Qiguang, Li; Qun, Wang; Jiansong, Zhou; Xiaoping, Wang

    2017-12-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of Chinese community members and psychiatrists towards forensic psychiatric assessments. A questionnaire designed to record attitudes toward the current forensic psychiatric assessment procedures and the disposal of mentally ill offenders was developed and distributed via a mobile App. A total of 134 community members and 132 psychiatrists voluntarily completed the questionnaire. Most of responders agreed that the department of public-security has the right to apply for a forensic psychiatric assessment but should not be held solely by that department. Community members were less significantly confident in the validation of forensic psychiatric opinions than were the psychiatrists. A significantly higher proportion of community members than psychiatrists considered that offenders judged Not Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder (NCRMD) should be punished as would be sane people. In addition, only a minority of responders supported that NCRMD should not be held criminally responsible. Our results indicate that both groups have comments on the current distribution of right of startup of forensic psychiatric assessments. Compared to psychiatrists, community members have lower confidence in the validation of forensic psychiatric assessment and have stricter attitudes toward the disposal of offenders with psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. The international regulation of Informal Value Transfer Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anand Ajay Shah

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available After the 11th September 2001 attacks on the United States international attention quickly focused on the sources and methods of terrorist financing. Among the methods terrorists and other criminal actors use to transfer funds are Informal Value Transfer Systems (IVTS which operate either outside the formal financial sector, or through use of the formal financial sector, but without leaving a full record of the transaction. Though the vast majority of funds moved through IVTS are the earnings of migrant workers and immigrant communities, the lack of uniform worldwide regulation of IVTS provides ample opportunity for abuse and misuse. The international community primarily responded to IVTS concerns through the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, which issued a series of recommendations and best practices for states in regulating IVTS operations. While these recommendations are a secure beginning to regulation of IVTS operating within ethnic communities, they fail to address the more modern forms of IVTS that have come about in the post-Cold War globalised world. Comprehensive recommendations governing all types of IVTS, as well as concerted international cooperation and coordination are necessary to address this global phenomenon.

  14. Rogue States as the Stigmatized Members of International Society

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gleb V. Kotsur

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available At the turn of the century, the rogue state concept has become an integral part of the theory of international relations. However, even contemporary approaches lack the appropriate academic tools to reach a comprehensive understanding of the international community’s role in determining the normative frameworks of the proper behavior of the states as the main actors of international system, leaving the relations between global community and the rogues almost an uncharted territory on the international stage. The article considers the category of rogue states as “excluded” members of the international community through the sociological lens of “stigma” (E. Goffman and “labelling theory” (H. Becker and E. Lemert. Engaging an empirical case of Iraqi foreign policy during and after the Gulf War 1991, the author demonstrates two thresholds of the labelling state as the rogue: public initiation of the offender and self-fulfilling prophecy. It is possible to define some specific features of the outsider’s behavior on the international stage: the high level of cooperation among the representatives of the same category, “unsustainable bravado” as the set of fluid and inconsistent actions of the rogue state in foreign policy, finally, the tendency toward obtaining the “secondary gains”. Contrariwise, global community tends to pay greater attention to rogue states and exercise some discrimination practices on the ground of their outcast position in the world normative structure with the category of “wise” actors, for example China, being an exception from the common mainstream and maintaining close cooperation ties with rogues.

  15. The role of international organizations with regard to environmental protection - the situation in Europe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oppermann, T.

    1986-01-01

    The international organisations more readily than most of the states accepted the idea that environmental protection cannot be achieved by compensation for damage or remedial actions in case of emergencies. They soon fostered an environmental policy intended to prevent pollution by creating a suitable, internationally accepted concept of requirements and procedures. Their activities in the last two decades largely contributed to an eventual reappraisal of approach by the states, which lead from a rather incoherent series of regional or national activities to an international, much more coherent concept of environmental policy. The international organisations also realised that efficient enforcement of pollution control measures will be guaranteed only by an adequate system of international laws, which still is to be agreed upon by the states. There still is a considerable lack of certainty of the law, with environmental problems increasingly pressing for a solution. (orig./HSCH) [de

  16. Association of Internalized and Social Network Level HIV Stigma With High-Risk Condomless Sex Among HIV-Positive African American Men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Glenn J; Bogart, Laura M; Klein, David J; Green, Harold D; Mutchler, Matt G; McDavitt, Bryce; Hilliard, Charles

    2016-08-01

    We examined whether internalized HIV stigma and perceived HIV stigma from social network members (alters), including the most popular and most similar alter, predicted condomless intercourse with negative or unknown HIV status partners among 125 African American HIV-positive men. In a prospective, observational study, participants were administered surveys at baseline and months 6 and 12, with measures including sexual behavior, internalized HIV stigma, and an egocentric social network assessment that included several measures of perceived HIV stigma among alters. In longitudinal multivariable models comparing the relative predictive value of internalized stigma versus various measures of alter stigma, significant predictors of having had condomless intercourse included greater internalized HIV stigma (in all models), the perception that a popular (well-connected) alter or alter most like the participant agrees with an HIV stigma belief, and the interaction of network density with having any alter that agrees with a stigma belief. The interaction indicated that the protective effect of greater density (connectedness between alters) in terms of reduced risk behavior dissipated in the presence of perceived alter stigma. These findings call for interventions that help people living with HIV to cope with their diagnosis and reduce stigma, and inform the targets of social network-based and peer-driven HIV prevention interventions.

  17. Schools as Community Hubs: Policy Contexts, Educational Rationales, and Design Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    McShane, Ian; Watkins, Jerry; Meredyth, Denise

    2012-01-01

    There is increasing interest in making more effective use of schools as community hubs, both in Australia and internationally. Investment in shared facilities aims to engage parents and local communities in schooling, encourage civic participation, co-ordinate educational and community services and overcome disadvantages of location or service…

  18. Community energy policy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Redondo Melchor, N.; Redondo Quintela, F.

    1994-01-01

    The twelve Member states of the European Union will attempt to make their national energy policies converge. Nevertheless the basis of the so called ''Community Energy Policy'' is not this convergence but rather the achievement of a new internal market, the Energy Market, where sources and forms of energy may circulate freely between countries. This aim derives from a change of orientation, dating back some years, when market integration was attempted instead of continuing with the mere unification of national policies. In this paper we summarize the most relevant aspects of the liberalization process and give some of its internal and external repercussions on the European Union. (Author)

  19. Energy, the UK and the European Community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lucas, N.

    1982-01-01

    The emphasis of effort in European energy policy should be placed on external relations rather than internal regulation. The divergence of the interests of the United States and Europe in energy policy will no longer allow Europe to depend on US initiative. The temporary relaxation of world oil markets has engendered unrealistic complacency. The European Community must develop its important role as a means whereby the member states can formulate common initiatives to press within international institutions. Strong presentation of interests externally has to be complemented by internal adaptation. The Community has at the moment few means of influencing the form and nature of energy investment. This paper proposes a fund of the order of Pound1 bn per annum to be used for the promotion of projects whose intrinsic benefits are not fully translated into commercial advantage and which need political stimulus. Such a Fund might be, but need not necessarily be, financed by a small levy on imported oil. The UK should present more aggressively the considerable benefits which accrue to the Community from UK resources. There is perhaps an opportunity to take a more extrovert view of the relationship between the UK and the continental gas transport systems. (author)

  20. Management Conflicts in Cameroonian Community Forests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Driss Ezzine de Blas

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Cameroonian community forests were designed and implemented to meet the general objectives of forest management decentralization for democratic and community management. The spread of management conflicts all over the country has shown that these broad expectations have not been met. We describe conflicts occurring in 20 community forests by types of actors and processes involved. We argue that a number of external (community vs. external actors and internal (intra-community conflicts are part of the causes blocking the expected outcome of Cameroonian community forests, fostering bad governance and loss of confidence. Rent appropriation and control of forest resources appear as systemic or generalized conflicts. While community forest support projects have tended to focus on capacity building activities, less direct attention has been given to these systemic problems. We conclude that some factors like appropriate leadership, and spending of logging receipts on collective benefits (direct and indirect are needed to minimize conflicts. Government and development agencies should concentrate efforts on designing concrete tools for improving financial transparency while privileging communities with credible leaders.

  1. The offshore benthic fish community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lantry, Brian F.; Lantry, Jana R.; Weidel, Brian C.; Walsh, Maureen; Hoyle, James A.; Schaner, Teodore; Neave, Fraser B.; Keir, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Lake Ontario’s offshore benthic fish community includes primarily slimy sculpin, lake whitefish, rainbow smelt, lake trout, burbot, and sea lamprey. Of these, lake trout have been the focus of an international restoration effort for more than three decades (Elrod et al. 1995; Lantry and Lantry 2008). The deepwater sculpin and three species of deepwater ciscoes (Coregonus spp.) that were historically important in the offshore benthic zone became rare or were extirpated by the 1960s (Christie 1973; Owens et al. 2003; Lantry et al. 2007b; Roth et al. 2013). Ecosystem changes continue to influence the offshore benthic fish community, including the effects of dreissenid mussels, the near disappearance of burrowing amphipods (Diporeia spp.) (Dermott et al. 2005; Watkins et al. 2007), and the increased abundance and expanded geographic distribution of round goby (see Nearshore Fish Community chapter) (Lantry et al. 2007b). The fish-community objectives for the offshore benthic fish community, as described by Stewart et al. (1999), are:

  2. NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute: Building Collaboration Through International Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibbs, K. E.; Schmidt, G. K.

    2017-01-01

    The NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is a virtual institute focused on re-search at the intersection of science and exploration, training the next generation of lunar scientists, and community development. As part of the SSERVI mission, we act as a hub for opportunities that engage the larger scientific and exploration communities in order to form new interdisciplinary, research-focused collaborations. This talk will describe the international partner re-search efforts and how we are engaging the international science and exploration communities through workshops, conferences, online seminars and classes, student exchange programs and internships.

  3. Space for innovation for sustainable community-based biofuel production and use: Lessons learned for policy from Nhambita community, Mozambique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schut, Marc; Paassen, Annemarie van; Leeuwis, Cees; Bos, Sandra; Leonardo, Wilson; Lerner, Anna

    2011-01-01

    This paper provides insights and recommendations for policy on the opportunities and constrains that influence the space for innovation for sustainable community-based biofuel production and use. Promoted by the Mozambican government, Nhambita community established jatropha trials in 2005. Initial results were promising, but crop failure and the absence of organized markets led to scepticism amongst farmers. We start from the idea that the promotion of community-based biofuel production and use requires taking interactions between social-cultural, biophysical, economic, political and legal subsystems across different scales and levels of analysis through time into account. Our analysis demonstrates that heterogeneous farming strategies and their synergies at community level should be carefully assessed. Furthermore, national and international political and legal developments, such as the development of biofuel sustainability criteria, influence the local space in which community-based biofuel developments take place. We conclude that ex-ante integrated assessment and creating an enabling environment can enhance space for sustainable community-based biofuel production and use. It may provide insights into the opportunities and constraints for different types of smallholders, and promote the development of adequate policy mechanisms to prevent biofuels from becoming a threat rather than an opportunity for smallholders. - Highlights: → This paper explores space for innovation for community-based biofuel production and use. → Heterogeneous farming strategies and their synergies at community level are key. → Farmers have little trust in jatropha due to crop failure and absence of markets. → (Inter)national biofuel policies influence space for local biofuel production and use. → Policies should focus on ex-ante integrated assessment and creating an enabling environment.

  4. A glimpse into the future composition of marine phytoplankton communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Esteban eAcevedo-Trejos

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available It is expected that climate change will have significant impacts on ecosystems. Most model projections agree that the ocean will experience stronger stratification and less nutrient supply from deep waters. These changes will likely affect marine phytoplankton communities and will thus impact on the higher trophic levels of the oceanic food web. The potential consequences of future climate change on marine microbial communities can be investigated and predicted only with the help of mathematical models. Here we present the application of a model that describes aggregate properties of marine phytoplankton communities and captures the effects of a changing environment on their composition and adaptive capacity. Specifically, the model describes the phytoplankton community in terms of total biomass, mean cell size, and functional diversity. The model is applied to two contrasting regions of the Atlantic Ocean (tropical and temperate and is tested under two emission scenarios: SRES A2 or ``business as usual'' and SRES B1 or ``local utopia''. We find that all three macroecological properties will decline during the next century in both regions, although this effect will be more pronounced in the temperate region. Being consistent with previous model predictions, our results show that a simple trait-based modelling framework represents a valuable tool for investigating how phytoplankton communities may reorganize under a changing climate.

  5. On using ethical principles of community-engaged research in translational science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khodyakov, Dmitry; Mikesell, Lisa; Schraiber, Ron; Booth, Marika; Bromley, Elizabeth

    2016-05-01

    The transfer of new discoveries into both clinical practice and the wider community calls for reliance on interdisciplinary translational teams that include researchers with different areas of expertise, representatives of health care systems and community organizations, and patients. Engaging new stakeholders in research, however, calls for a reconsideration or expansion of the meaning of ethics in translational research. We explored expert opinion on the applicability of ethical principles commonly practiced in community-engaged research (CEnR) to translational research. To do so, we conducted 2 online, modified-Delphi panels with 63 expert stakeholders who iteratively rated and discussed 9 ethical principles commonly used in CEnR in terms of their importance and feasibility for use in translational research. The RAND/UCLA appropriateness method was used to analyze the data and determine agreement and disagreement among participating experts. Both panels agreed that ethical translational research should be "grounded in trust." Although the academic panel endorsed "culturally appropriate" and "forthcoming with community about study risks and benefits," the mixed academic-community panel endorsed "scientifically valid" and "ready to involve community in interpretation and dissemination" as important and feasible principles of ethical translational research. These findings suggest that in addition to protecting human subjects, contemporary translational science models need to account for the interests of, and owe ethical obligations to, members of the investigative team and the community at large. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Monitoring of international normalized ratios: comparison of community nurses with family physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levine, Max A; Shao, Wei; Klein, Douglas

    2012-08-01

    To determine whether community-based, nurse-led monitoring of the international normalized ratio (INR) in patients requiring long-term warfarin therapy was comparable to traditional physician monitoring. A retrospective cohort analysis of patients taking long-term warfarin therapy. The study used data gathered from 3 family medicine clinics in a primary care network in Edmonton, Alta. Medical records of patients currently taking warfarin were examined. Implementation of nurse-led monitoring in a primary care network in place of standard family physician INR monitoring. The degree of INR control before and after the implementation of nurse-run INR monitoring was assessed. The average proportion of time spent outside of therapeutic INR ranges, as well as the average number of days between successive INR readings, was calculated and compared. The degree of control placed patients into either a good-control group (out of range ≤ 25% of the time) or a moderate-control group (out of range > 25% of the time) and these groups were compared. Before nurse monitoring, INR values were out of range 20.4% of the time; after nurse monitoring they were out of range 19.2% of the time (P = .115); the time between sequential INR readings also did not differ before and after implementation of nurse monitoring (23.9 vs 21.6 days, P = .789). Nurse-led monitoring of INR is as effective as traditional physician monitoring. Advantages of nurse-led monitoring might include freeing family physicians to see more patients or to spend less time at work. It might also represent potential cost savings.

  7. Search Results | Page 714 | IDRC - International Development ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    ICT) used locally strengthens both individuals and their communities. ... prior to the global conferences of the International Competition Network, ... growth of collaborative spaces (Web 2.0) and social networking sites.

  8. UNO contribution to attract energy investments in transition economy countries in cooperation with international organizations, banks, and the business community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Groza, L.

    1996-01-01

    Limited financial resources hamper the ability of transition economy countries to take advantage of recent technological progress in energy production, distribution, and consumption. Increased cooperation within and outside the UN system imposed new approaches and action programs to identify financing channels in view of implementing the economic development projects. Since the CNE'94 round table discussions on the role of the UN Economic Commission for Europe in energy cooperation for sustainable development and assistance for transition economy countries, new actions initiated by UN are supported by international organizations, banks, and the business community. The paper is based on recent UN documents, data, and information after six years of reforms. (author). 14 refs

  9. Indicators of the Legal Security of Indigenous and Community Lands. Data file from LandMark: The Global Platform of Indigenous and Community Lands.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tagliarino, Nicholas Korte

    2016-01-01

    L. Alden Wily, N. Tagliarino, Harvard Law and International Development Society (LIDS), A. Vidal, C. Salcedo-La Vina, S. Ibrahim, and B. Almeida. 2016. Indicators of the Legal Security of Indigenous and Community Lands. Data file from LandMark: The Global Platform of Indigenous and Community Lands.

  10. Success factors of social innovations by a community-based learning course (CBLC)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wink, G.; Casimir, G.; Goris, M.

    2014-01-01

    This is the success story of a community-based learning course (CBLC) project addressing the concerns of the international community of students and staff of Wageningen University and Research Centre (WageningenUR). A joint effort of this community, WageningenUR and social entrepreneurs resulted in

  11. Leveraging Community to Promote Diversity and Inclusion within the IceCube Collaboration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knackert, J.

    2017-12-01

    The IceCube Collaboration is an international research collaboration working to advance the field of particle astrophysics. It is comprised of more than 300 scientists, engineers, students, and support staff at 48 institutions in 12 countries. IceCube recognizes the value of increased diversity within STEM fields and is committed to improving this situation both within the collaboration and more broadly. The collaboration has dedicated a community manager to help coordinate and promote these efforts and has established a diversity task force as an internal resource and advising body. Here we will discuss how existing community structure was utilized to establish and maintain a focus on diversity within the collaboration. We will discuss methods for getting community members interested, informed, and invested, while helping them better understand the benefits associated with increased STEM diversity. We will also highlight the advantages of building a team of advocates within a community and the impact these individuals can have both internally and beyond. This work has been informed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science's inaugural cohort of the Community Engagement Fellows Program. The author has made the submission on behalf of the IceCube Collaboration Diversity Task Force.

  12. Publications | Page 334 | IDRC - International Development ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Results 3331 - 3340 of 6389 ... Women in Arab countries are making human rights history as they ... access to information and actively involving them in decision-making. ... the international community into giving more and more attention to the ...

  13. GASCAV: a successful partnership between the workforce and community

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    D' Oliveira, Celso A.; Paula, Eliane H. de; Teixeira, Sandra R.C. [Petroleo Brasileiro S.A (PETROBRAS), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

    2009-07-01

    The basic tenet of good corporate governance on which the social responsibility directives of the PETROBRAS system are based is to assure its success by contributing to the socio-economic improvement of the society and to a healthy environment. Thus, PETROBRAS Engineering seeks to implement its undertakings keeping a good relationship with the internal and external publics involved as a reference. The experience gained in the construction of the Cabiunas-Vitoria (GASCAV) Gas Pipeline, finished in 2007, has shown that the development of socially responsible actions can bring positive results to the project and to the interested parties. The greatest challenge to GASCAV was to be concluded within 19 months, meeting the budget agreed upon with the client and the internal requirements of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE). The work demanded rigorous management of the internal and external factors that could interfere in the progress of the activities along its 300 kilometers of extension. In addition to control of the technical and operating processes, it was fundamental to have an allied labor force and build a relationship of trust with the communities impacted by the project. To obtain a greater synergy with the internal public, programs were set in place to edify influential professionals focusing on important themes for the work reality, which reflected positively on the work flow and on the goals established for the project. Among the notable initiatives is the 'good driving', which brings awareness to drivers and passengers about traffic education, minimizing occurrences that may bring physical and asset damages; the 'itinerant HSE', which utilizes resources of art education to bring awareness to the work field; and the 'labor development program', which promotes technical qualification for employees of the contracted companies. In the communities of the 14 municipalities cut by the GASCAV route, some of which are very populous

  14. Community Psychology in South Africa: Origins, Developments, and Manifestations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seedat, Mohamed; Lazarus, Sandy

    2011-01-01

    This article represents a South African contribution to the growing international body of knowledge on histories of community psychology. We trace the early antecedents of social-community psychology interventions and describe the social forces and academic influences that provided the impetus for the emergence and development of community…

  15. Development of Taiwan’s strategies for regulating nanotechnology-based pharmaceuticals harmonized with international considerations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo JW

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Jiun-Wen Guo,1 Yu-Hsuan Lee,2 Hsiau-Wen Huang,3 Mei-Chyun Tzou,3 Ying-Jan Wang,2 Jui-Chen Tsai1,4 1Institute of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Medicine, National Chung Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 2Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; 3Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan; 4Center for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan Abstract: Nanotechnology offers potential in pharmaceuticals and biomedical developments for improving drug delivery systems, medical imaging, diagnosis, cancer therapy, and regenerative medicine. Although there is no international regulation or legislation specifically for nanomedicine, it is agreed worldwide that considerably more attention should be paid to the quality, safety, and efficacy of nanotechnology-based drugs. The US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency have provided several draft regulatory guidance and reflection papers to assist the development of nanomedicines. To cope with the impact of nanotechnology and to foster its pharmaceutical applications and development in Taiwan, this article reviews the trends of regulating nanotechnology-based pharmaceuticals in the international community and proposes strategies for Taiwan’s regulation harmonized with international considerations. The draft regulatory measures include a chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (CMC review checklist and guidance for CMC review of liposomal products. These have been submitted for discussion among an expert committee, with membership comprised of multidisciplinary academia, research institutions, the pharmaceutical industry, and regulators, and are currently approaching final consensus. Once a consensus is reached, these mechanisms will be recommended to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration for jurisdiction and may

  16. Survey of environment related monitoring programmes of international organizations and their contribution to international monitoring programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-12-01

    The report is a summary of environment-related monitoring programmes of international governmental organizations and their contribution to international monitoring programmes. it presents the situation as of November 1986: This survey has been prepared by a consultant for the Secretariat as a background document for the second meeting of the Environment Experts, Economic Summit in Munich, November 1986. It serves information purposes only. No claim for completeness is intended. This report may also prove to be helpful for administrators and the scientific community as regards gaining knowledge on present arrangements, approaches and environmental activities in the framework of international organizations. In this light, the present report could facilitate communication and progress in solving pressing environmental problems on the international level. (orig.)

  17. International Non-Governmental Organizations in Latin America and Social Capital

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vijayan K. Pillai

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs in developing countries promote interests of the poor, provide social services, and stimulate community engagement. The exponential growth of INGOs during the last four decades was accompanied by major financial scandals and corruption charges leading to an increase in research on the impact of INGOs on community well-being in developing countries. Due to sparse empirical studies that evaluate the role and functions of INGOs, the question of the impact of INGOs on community well-being has remained largely rhetorical. Our study attempts to provide preliminary evidence on the impact of socio-economic programs carried out by an International Governmental Organization (INGO, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA, in four Latin American countries. Results from the quasi-experimental study suggest that communities with ADRA programs have a higher level of social capital than communities without them. While the results reported here may not be generalized to all INGOs, our study is unique in providing a valuable empirical approach toward examining the role of INGOs in developing countries.

  18. Analysis of Hospital Community Benefit Expenditures’ Alignment With Community Health Needs: Evidence From a National Investigation of Tax-Exempt Hospitals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Gary J.; Daniel Lee, Shoou-Yih; Song, Paula H.; Alexander, Jeffrey A.

    2015-01-01

    Objectives. We investigated whether federally tax-exempt hospitals consider community health needs when deciding how much and what types of community benefits to provide. Methods. Using 2009 data from hospital tax filings to the Internal Revenue Service and the 2010 County Health Rankings, we employed both univariate and multivariate analyses to examine the relationship between community health needs and the types and levels of hospitals’ community benefit expenditures. The study sample included 1522 private, tax-exempt hospitals throughout the United States. Results. We found some patterns between community health needs and hospitals’ expenditures on community benefits. Hospitals located in communities with greater health needs spent more as a percentage of their operating budgets on benefits directly related to patient care. By contrast, spending on community health improvement initiatives was unrelated to community health needs. Conclusions. Important opportunities exist for tax-exempt hospitals to improve the alignment between their community benefit activities and the health needs of the community they serve. The Affordable Care Act requirement that hospitals conduct periodic community health needs assessments may be a first step in this direction. PMID:25790412

  19. The International Space University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidian, Kenneth J.

    1990-01-01

    The International Space University (ISU) was founded on the premise that any major space program in the future would require international cooperation as a necessary first step toward its successful completion. ISU is devoted to being a leading center for educating future authorities in the world space industry. ISU's background, goals, current form, and future plans are described. The results and benefits of the type of education and experience gained from ISU include technical reports describing the design projects undertaken by the students, an exposure to the many different disciplines which are a part of a large space project, an awareness of the existing activities from around the world in the space community, and an international professional network which spans all aspects of space activities and covers the globe.

  20. Search Results | Page 27 | IDRC - International Development ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2017-08-29

    Aug 29, 2017 ... In Africa, agricultural extension services have the potential to grow markets and ... Food security AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH Gender ... The International Community-University Research Alliance program (ICURA) is a joint ...

  1. Regulatory practices and standards: the international scene and trends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vinck, W.; Essler, W.; Maurer, H.A.; Reijen, G. van.

    1978-01-01

    At national level, codification of standards governing the licensing and operation of nuclear installations is very different, ranging from criteria to regulations, according to the degree of the obligation imposed by national authorities; it also reflects the variety of national situations and the peculiarities of the legal and political systems. The need to agree upon a level of nuclear safety which is generally recognised as satisfactory and to exchange scientific and technological information in this field has greatly stimulated international co-operation, in particular within the framework of specialized international organisations such as IAEA, ISO, Euratom and OECD/NEA. Harmonization of such standards is particularly important from the viewpoint of public opinion in the countries concerned. In addition, the intrinsic safety of nuclear power plants, assurances as to the duration of plant life should increasingly be highlighted in future. (NEA) [fr

  2. Affinity communities in United Nations voting: Implications for democracy, cooperation, and conflict

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauls, Scott D.; Cranmer, Skyler J.

    2017-10-01

    A network oriented examination of the co-voting network of the United Nations (UN) provides powerful insights into the international alignment of states, as well as normatively important processes such as democracy, defensive cooperation, and armed conflict. Here, we investigate the UN co-voting network using the tools of community detection and inductively identify "affinity communities" in which states articulate similar policy preferences through their voting patterns. Analysis of these communities reveals that there is more information contained in UN voting and co-voting patterns than has previously been thought. Affinity communities have complex relationships with some of the most normatively important international outcomes: they reflect transitions to democracy, have a feedback loop with the formation of defensive alliances, and actively help states avoid armed conflict.

  3. Community experience of a Pacific Immersion Programme for medical students in New Zealand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauiliu, Melbourne; Sopoaga, Faafetai; Ekeroma, Alec

    2013-06-14

    To obtain the views of the Pacific community about their involvement in a Pacific Immersion Programme, to determine the programme's viability as a resource for medical education. The Pacific Immersion Programme run by the Dunedin School of Medicine had four attachments (March, April, June and September) with local Pacific communities in 2011. Community focus groups were held the week immediately after each attachment. There were two focus group sessions for each attachment, one obtained the views of adults and the other of young people. Focus groups consisted of eight participants recruited through community coordinators and were facilitated by trained research assistants. Sessions were audio recorded and analysed using a thematic framework. Sixty-four members of the community participated in the focus groups. Eight themes emerged from the discussions. The community agreed the Pacific Immersion Programme strengthened community cohesion through efforts to engage the students. There was shared learning and created opportunities for engagement between medical students and the community's younger generation. The Pacific families shared with the students about their health and context through storytelling, dancing and singing and cultural ceremonies. Participants hoped students achieved what they wanted from the programme and the experience was useful for their work in the future. Community based medical education is a unique and useful approach for teaching medical students about the health of a minority community. The purpose of the paper is to highlight the impacts on participating communities. Nurturing established relationships and providing mutual benefits for both partners will ensure this opportunity will be available as a learning resource for future medical students.

  4. Stronger communities? Changing prospects for community-led strategic planning in New Zealand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Brosnan

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available New Zealand’s Local Government Act 2002 ushered in a new phase in local government, a phase that is best characterised by the term ‘empowerment’. Not only were councils empowered to promote social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being, in contrast with previous more prescriptive legislation, but citizens were empowered to engage in community-led strategic planning. In many respects the new statute reflected contemporary international public management trends in which governance is increasingly being conducted via networks of public and private actors. However, with the change of government from a centre-left Labour-led coalition to a centre-right National-led government following the November 2008 general election, it is less certain that local government and communities will continue to experience a strengthening of the pluralisation of governance that has been a feature of the past decade. This article argues that the potential disempowerment of local government, and possible attenuation of community-led strategic planning in New Zealand, comes at a time when the momentum for devolution to local government and other communities is increasing elsewhere.

  5. Building an International Collaboration for GeoInformatics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, W. S.; Lehnert, K.; Klump, J.

    2005-12-01

    Geoinformatics (cyberinfrastructure for the geosciences) is being developed as a linked system of sites that provide to the Earth science community a library of research data research-grade tools to manipulate, mine, analyze and model interdisciplinary data, and mechanisms to provide the necessary computational resources for these activities. Our science is global in scope and hence, geoinformatics (GI) must be an international effort. How do we build this international GI? What are the main challenges presented by the political, cultural, organizational, and technical diversity of the global science community that we need to address to achieve a truly global cyberinfrastructure for the Geosciences? GI needs to be developed in an internet-like fashion establishing connections among independent globally distributed sites (`nodes') that will share, link, and integrate their data holdings and services. Independence of the GI pieces with respect to goals, scope, and approaches is critical to sustain commitment from people to build a GI node for which they feel ownership and get credit. This should not be fought by funding agencies - and certainly not by state and federal agencies. Communication, coordination, and collaboration are the core efforts to build the connections, but incentives and resources are required to advance and support them. Part of the coordination effort is development and maintenance of standards. Who should set these standards and govern their modification? Do we need an official international body to do so, and should this be a "governing body" or an "advisory body"? What role should international commissions and bodies such as CODATA/ICSU or IUGS-CGI, international societies and unions, the national geological surveys and other federal agencies play? Guidance from the science community is key to construct a system that geo-researchers will want to use, and that meets their needs. Only when the community endorses GI as a fundamental platform to

  6. The Community Trademark and the Office for Harmonization on the Internal Market (OHIM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cornel Grigorut

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The registration of products and services through the Community trade mark give them anextended protection, acceptable throughout the European Union (EU. By means of a single registration,protection is obtained in all the 27 Member States and the previously recorded Community trademarks orthose presented for registration automatically extend their effects in the countries that will join the EuropeanUnion. The advantage of registering a Community trade mark is highlighted by minimal registration costs,extended protection across the EU and a minimal time to become legal, for the benefit of exporters and ofthose providing services, in order to avoid divergence (payment of damages and conflicts with thecompanies and businesses in this area.

  7. Radioactive Waste Management - Community Policy and Research Initiatives. The sixth international conference on the management and disposal of radioactive waste - Euradwaste '04

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Forsstroem, Hans [Research Directorate Energy, Nuclear Fission and Radiation Protection, European Commission, MO-75 5/37, 200 avenue de la Loi, B-1049 Brussels (Belgium); Ruiz, P Fernandez [DG Research, Energy, Consejo de Seguridad Nuclear, CSN, C/ Justo Dorado, 11, E-28040 Madrid (Spain)

    2004-07-01

    The sixth international conference on the management and disposal of radioactive waste organized be European Commission, held on 29-31 March 2004 in Luxembourg aimed to cover the following objectives: - To present EC policy in waste management, in particular the proposed 'Directive on the Management of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste' and to discuss relating issues such as the effect on national programmes, site selection, EU added value, the case for EU safety standards, and various socio-political aspects; - To highlight the main results of the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) of EURATOM for 'Nuclear Energy, Fission Research and Training Activities' in the field of waste in spent fuel management and disposal, and partitioning and transmutation; - To present examples of activities under FP5 and to discuss further research European integration through FP6. The program was divided into two main groups: 1. 'Community Policy and Socio-Political Aspects' which included sessions on community policy initiatives, disposal option, common safety standards and public involvement and acceptance; 2. 'Community Research Activities - FP5' which included sessions on partitioning and transmutation, geological disposal and research networking. There were 29 oral presentations and 36 poster presentations which, for the latter, allowed detailed presentations of the results of the EU-funded research projects. The conference was attended by some 240 participants from 27 countries.

  8. 31 CFR 19.645 - Do other Federal agencies know if the Department of the Treasury agrees to a voluntary exclusion?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Do other Federal agencies know if the Department of the Treasury agrees to a voluntary exclusion? 19.645 Section 19.645 Money and Finance: Treasury... Principles Relating to Suspension and Debarment Actions § 19.645 Do other Federal agencies know if the...

  9. Search Results | Page 4 | IDRC - International Development ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Results 31 - 40 of 1119 ... Canadian International Food Security Research Fund - Phase II. In 2009 ... These communities are undergoing rapid social and economic changes. ... FARM TO FORK NUTRITION DIET Food security SCHOOL MEALS ...

  10. Desert Net-Structure and Aims of an International Network for Desertification Research

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akhtar-Schuster, M.; San Juan Mesonada, C.

    2009-01-01

    Desert Net://www.european-desert net.eu) is an interdisciplinary scientific network which was established in October 2006 at the UN premises in Bonn, Germany, by a group of international scientists. The network strives to generate and enhance scientific knowledge and understanding of the biophysical and socio-economic processes of desertification. This international scientific network provides an international platform for scientifically based discussions and exchange of ideas, addressing knowledge gaps, and identifying research areas. Desert Net is also a think tank community which identifies issues and priorities for the sustainable development of dry lands. the paper outlines the current role of Desert Net in the international scientific community and it delineates its role to strengthen the Science/Policy Interface. (Author) 2 refs.

  11. Disaster: would your community bounce back?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sims, Benjamin H [Los Alamos National Laboratory

    2011-01-12

    What makes some communities or organizations able to quickly bounce back from a disaster, while others take a long time to recover? This question has become very important for emergency planners in federal, state, and local government - particularly since the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina, which nearly destroyed New Orleans five years ago. These events have made people aware that we can't always prevent disasters, but might be able to improve the ability of communities and regions to respond to and bounce back from major disruptions. Social scientists have found that most communities are, in fact, quite resilient to most disasters. People tend to work together, overcome divisions, identify problems, and develop improvised solutions. This often leads to a greater sense of community and a sense of personal accomplishment. Long-term recovery can be harder, but rebuilding can create jobs and stimulate economies. Communities may even end up better than they were before. But there are some disturbing exceptions to this trend, including Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane killed many people, the federal and local emergency response was not effective, people who could not evacuate were housed in the Superdome and Convention Center in terrible conditions, crime was prevalent, and local government did not appear to have control over the situation. A significant portion of the population was eventually evacuated to other cities. Even five years later, many people have not returned, and large parts of the city have not been rebuilt. Clearly, New Orleans lacked sufficient resilience to overcome a disaster of the magnitude of Katrina. There are four factors that social scientists are beginning to agree are important for community resilience: (1) A strong, diverse economy - Stable jobs, good incomes, diversity of industries, personal savings; (2) Robust social networks - Community members know each other, help each other, and have connections outside the community; (3

  12. Public support for restrictions on fast food company sponsorship of community events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pettigrew, Simone; Pescud, Melanie; Rosenberg, Michael; Ferguson, Renee; Houghton, Stephen

    2012-01-01

    This study investigated community attitudes to fast food companies' sponsorship of community events. The aim was to inform future efforts to introduce greater restrictions on these marketing activities to reduce child obesity. While previous research has focused on the sponsorship of sporting events, the present study included all community events and gauged public support for fast food company sponsorships in general as well as specific sponsorship activities such as securing event naming rights, advertising on event premises, and distributing free items to children in the form of food and redeemable vouchers. A large and diverse sample of Western Australian adults (n=2,005) responded to a community attitudes telephone survey that included questions relating to event sponsorship. Almost half of the respondents reported that the promotion of fast foods is inappropriate at community events, and only a third considered it appropriate at events where children are likely to be present. Around two-thirds agreed that promoting fast foods at such events sends contradictory messages to children and just a quarter of respondents considered it acceptable for free fast food to be distributed at events or for children to be rewarded for participation with fast food vouchers. The results suggest that efforts to reduce child obesity that involve restrictions on the sponsorship of community events by organisations promoting unhealthy foods may be supported by a substantial proportion of the population.

  13. International standards and agreements in food irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cetinkaya, N.

    2004-01-01

    trade.On the other hand national regulations should take account of internationally agreed Codes and Guidelines regarding the irradiation facilities and radiation processing. (author)

  14. The international dimensions of nuclear safety standards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reed, J.M.

    1992-01-01

    The paper reviews the activities of the major international organisations in the field of nuclear safety standards; the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the Commission of the European Communities. Each organisation encourages the concept of international nuclear safety standards. After Chernobyl, there were calls for some form of binding international nuclear safety standards. Many Member States of IAEA accepted these Codes as a suitable basis for formulating their national safety standards, but the prevailing view was that voluntary compliance with the Codes was the preferred path. With few reactor vendors in a limited international market, the time may be approaching when an internationally licensable nuclear reactor is needed. Commonly accepted safety standards would be a prerequisite. The paper discusses the issues involved and the complexities of standards making in the international arena. (author)

  15. International Fund of Aral Sea rescue:prospects and new aims

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aslov, S.M.

    2003-01-01

    In this chapter of book author suggest about aims and prospects of International Fund of Aral Sea rescue. The base aim of International Fund of Aral Sea rescue was the funds attraction of Central Asia governments and international community-donors for financing of Program of Aral Sea basin. Now the Executive Committee of International Fund of Aral Sea rescue develops the program of basin of Aral Sea for the period till 2010

  16. Twenty-eight Days to a Climax community: A Succession Laboratory Using Periphyton

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denicola, D. M.

    2005-05-01

    Succession in benthic algal communities (periphyton) occurs in a relatively short time scale because of the rapid reproductive rates of algae. To examine primary succession of periphyton in a lake and stream, unglazed tiles are placed in the respective habitats and sampled on days 4, 8, 16 and 28. Students count the preserved samples at 400X and identify taxa to genera based on customized picture keys (does not require a high degree of instructor expertise). Genera also are categorized according to algal growth forms, based on the size, shape, motility and attachment mechanism. After pooling the class data, students present the change in community structure, contrast succession between the lake and stream, and hypothesize which mechanisms may apply (facilitation, inhibition, tolerance). Successional sequences also are examined to see whether they agree with published growth form models for periphyton succession in lotic and lentic habitats. The laboratory uses the more intuitive method of repeated measures to study succession as an alternative to the often infeasible chronosequence method traditionally done for terrestrial communities. Additional outcomes include, reinforcement of the concept of species guilds (growth forms), an introduction into the use of empirical models, and an increased awareness of microorganism communities.

  17. Vicuña conservation and poverty alleviation? Andean communities and international fibre markets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Lichtenstein

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Vicuna (Vicugna vicugna fiber is produced by extremely low-income communities that inhabit the harsh environment of the Andes in Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia. At the other end of the social scale, affluent consumers are willing to pay high prices for vicuna-made accessories and clothes. Vicuna management projects follow the logic of community-based wildlife management. The rationale for seeking to conserve vicuñas through sustainable use is that commercial utilization of the fiber (obtained from live-shorn animals will generate sufficient economic benefits to outweigh the costs of conservation, and contribute to community development and poverty alleviation. However, although conservation efforts have been extremely successful with vicuñas having recovered from the brink of extinction, the socio-economic achievements have thus far proved modest. This paper explores multiple-objective projects that address vicuña conservation and poverty alleviation in Andean countries. In doing so it analyses the tensions that exist between these objectives, as well as the factors that limit a more equitable distribution of benefits among stakeholders. Examples are drawn from vicuna management under common-property in Peru and Bolivia, and vicuna captive management under private property in Argentina. These case studies enable us to illustrate the complex relationship between local communities and the global market, and the importance of community enterprises and supportive government policy in managing a common pool resource.

  18. [Prognostic factors in community acquired pneumonia. Prospective multicenter study in internal medical departments].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apolinario Hidalgo, R; Suárez Cabrera, M; Geijo Martínez, M P; Bernabéu-Wittel, M; Falguera Sacrest, M; Limiñana Cañal, J M

    2007-10-01

    the aims of the present study were to evaluate the clinical and microbiological characteristics of patients suffering from community-acquired pneumonia attended in the Internal Medical Departments of several Spanish institutions and to analyze those prognostic factors predicting thirty-day mortality in such patients. Past medical history, symptoms and signs, radiological pattern and blood parameters including albumin and C Reactive Protein, were recorded for each patient. Time from admission to starting antibiotics (in hours) and follow-up (in days) were also recorded. Patients were stratified by the Pneumonia Severity Index in five risk classes. 389 patients were included in the study, most of them in Fine categories III to V. Mortality rate for all patients was 12.1% (48 patients), increasing up to 40% in Fine Class V. Neither age, sex nor time from admission to the start of antibiotic treatment predicted survival rates. Plasmatic levels of PCR or microbiologic diagnosis were not related to clinical outcome. In the Cox regression analysis, oriented patients (OR 0.138, IC95% 0.055-0.324), and those with normal albuminemia (OR 0.207, IC95% 0.103-0.417) showed better survival rates. On the contrary, those with active carcinoma (OR 3.2, IC95% 1.181-8.947) significantly showed a reduced life expectancy. Besides the fully accepted Fine scale criteria, albumin measurements should be included in routine evaluation in order to improve patient s prognostic classification.

  19. Revision of the International Pharmaceutical Federation's Basel Statements on the future of hospital pharmacy: From Basel to Bangkok.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vermeulen, Lee C; Moles, Rebekah J; Collins, Jack C; Gray, Andy; Sheikh, Abdul Latif; Surugue, Jacqueline; Moss, Robert J; Ivey, Marianne F; Stevenson, James G; Takeda, Yasuo; Ranjit, Eurek; Chaar, Betty; Penm, Jonathan

    2016-07-15

    The processes used to revise the 2008 Basel Statements on the future of hospital pharmacy are summarized, and the revised statements are presented. The process for revising the Basel Statements followed an approach similar to that used during their initial development. The Hospital Pharmacy Section (HPS) of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) revised the 2008 FIP Basel Statements in four phases, including a survey of hospital pharmacists worldwide, an internal review, online forums, and a face-to-face "World Café" workshop in Bangkok, Thailand. The global survey on the initial Basel Statements included input from 334 respondents from 62 countries. The majority of respondents agreed that most of the initial Basel Statements were acceptable as written and did not require revision. In total, 11 statements were judged by more than 10% of respondents as needing revision or deletion. The FIP HPS executive committee used the survey results to develop 69 initial revised draft statements. After an online discussion with the international hospital pharmacy community, including individuals from 28 countries representing all six World Health Organization regions, a final set of draft statements was prepared for the live discussion involving participants from 20 countries. The final 65 revised Basel Statements were voted on and accepted. Systematic revision of the FIP Basel Statements resulted in an updated reflection of aspirational goals for the future of hospital pharmacy practice. While this revision reflects the development of new goals for hospital pharmacy practice, the core principles of the Basel Statements remain an essential foundation for the discipline. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Protective Factors for Youth Exposed to Violence in Their Communities: A Review of Family, School, and Community Moderators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozer, Emily J; Lavi, Iris; Douglas, Laura; Wolf, Jennifer Price

    2017-01-01

    This review provides a comprehensive investigation of the pattern and strength of findings in the literature regarding the environmental moderators of the relationship between exposure to community violence and mental health among children and adolescents. Twenty-nine studies met criteria for inclusion in our analysis of family, school, and community variables as moderators. Dependent variables included internalizing (e.g., anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder) and externalizing symptoms (e.g., aggression, substance use). Effect sizes for the interactions of exposure to violence and potential moderators were summarized by their patterns of protective processes. The majority of studies in the literature examined family characteristics as moderators of the exposure to violence-symptom relationship, rather than school- or community-level factors. Our results indicated more consistent patterns for (a) close family relationships and social support for internalizing symptoms and (b) close family relationships for externalizing symptoms. Overall, the most common type of protective pattern was protective-stabilizing, in which youth with higher levels of the environmental attribute demonstrate relative stability in mental health despite exposure to violence. We found no consistent evidence that parental monitoring-a dimension inversely associated with exposure to violence in prior studies-moderated the relationship between exposure to violence and symptoms. The study emphasizes the importance of strengthening family support for young people's exposure to community violence; more research is needed to provide a solid evidence base for the role of school and community-level protective factors for youth exposed to violence.

  1. Kosovo: The Quest for Lasting Internal Security

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Sullivan, Dennis

    2001-01-01

    .... Given the legacy of violence in the region, it is not surprising that the situation in Kosovo is still far from settled and will most likely require long-term engagement from the international community...

  2. Community-Level Responses to Disability and Education in Rwanda

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karangwa, Evariste; Miles, Susie; Lewis, Ingrid

    2010-01-01

    This article explores the meaning of community and perceptions of disability in Rwanda, as revealed through a community-based ethnographic study. This study took place in Rwanda in an educational policy context driven by international rhetoric about human rights, inclusion and the arguably unachievable Education for All targets. We argue that the…

  3. Peer Mentoring for International Students in a UK Law School: Lessons from a Pilot Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ragavan, Shamini K.

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study discusses the impact of a support network for international students of culturally diverse backgrounds using a peer mentoring scheme. The scheme focused on facilitating cultural integration in the international student community in Newcastle and sought to engender a cooperative community among new students. Data obtained…

  4. Family Resources as Protective Factors for Low-Income Youth Exposed to Community Violence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardaway, Cecily R; Sterrett-Hong, Emma; Larkby, Cynthia A; Cornelius, Marie D

    2016-07-01

    Exposure to community violence is a risk factor for internalizing and externalizing problems; however, resources within the family can decrease the likelihood that adolescents will experience internalizing and externalizing problems as a result of such exposure. This study investigates the potential moderating effects of kinship support (i.e., emotional and tangible support from extended family) and parental involvement on the relation between exposure to community violence (i.e., witnessing violence and violent victimization) and socioemotional adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems) in low-income adolescents. The sample included 312 (50 % female; 71 % African American and 29 % White) low-income youth who participated in a longitudinal investigation when adolescents were age 14 (M age = 14.49 years) and again when they were 16 (M age = 16.49 years). Exposure to community violence at age 14 was related to more internalizing and externalizing problems at age 16. High levels of kinship support and parental involvement appeared to function as protective factors, weakening the association between exposure to violence and externalizing problems. Contrary to prediction, none of the hypothesized protective factors moderated the association between exposure to violence and internalizing problems. The results from this study suggest that both kinship support and parental involvement help buffer adolescents from externalizing problems that are associated with exposure to community violence.

  5. Role Performance of Community Health Volunteers and Its Associated Factors in Kuching District, Sarawak

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Melvin Hsien Liang; Hazmi, Helmy

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the role performance among KOSPEN community health volunteer in Kuching district and its associated factors. This was a cross-sectional study, conducted in 21 localities in Kuching with a total of 210 respondents. Data were collected using validated interviewer-administered questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. The respondents comprised 55.2% females, 81.9% married, and 41.4% aged above 45 and above and 72.4% completed their education up to secondary school. The result revealed that 59.0% of the respondents agreed and understood their role performances. Multiple Logistics analysis revealed that factors associated with role performance were age group (p = 0.003), education level (p < 0.001), marital status (p = 0.025), prestige and respect (p = 0.012), being seen as “doctor” in community (p = 0.003), job aids (p = 0.009), training location (p = 0.001), and supervision by community (p < 0.001). To increase and maintain the work performance of CHVs, commitment from the government, policy makers, stakeholders, and the communities is required. PMID:28286530

  6. Role Performance of Community Health Volunteers and Its Associated Factors in Kuching District, Sarawak

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melvin Hsien Liang Chung

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to assess the role performance among KOSPEN community health volunteer in Kuching district and its associated factors. This was a cross-sectional study, conducted in 21 localities in Kuching with a total of 210 respondents. Data were collected using validated interviewer-administered questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. The respondents comprised 55.2% females, 81.9% married, and 41.4% aged above 45 and above and 72.4% completed their education up to secondary school. The result revealed that 59.0% of the respondents agreed and understood their role performances. Multiple Logistics analysis revealed that factors associated with role performance were age group (p=0.003, education level (p<0.001, marital status (p=0.025, prestige and respect (p=0.012, being seen as “doctor” in community (p=0.003, job aids (p=0.009, training location (p=0.001, and supervision by community (p<0.001. To increase and maintain the work performance of CHVs, commitment from the government, policy makers, stakeholders, and the communities is required.

  7. Responding to rural social care needs: older people empowering themselves, others and their community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Kieran; O'Shea, Eamon

    2008-12-01

    Older adult active retirement groups encompass health promotion, social and community psychological potential. However, little is known about the internal dynamics of these groups or their contribution to individual well-being and the community. This paper examines the Third Age Foundation as an example of one such group operating in a rural area in Ireland and explores the various relationships at work internally and externally. Methodology included: structured and semi-structured interviews, focus groups and a postal survey. A substantial contribution to members' well-being and community competence and cohesion was found. Findings are discussed in reference to the importance of individual and community empowerment, sustainability, social entrepreneurship/leadership and the potential of such models to support community-based living in older age.

  8. Understanding the case of international labour standards – methodological insights into an ongoing debate

    OpenAIRE

    Schmidt, Oliver

    2005-01-01

    "By globalization, national economies strengthen their ties towards each other; the same process causes growing interdependence" (Duwendag 2003, p. 119). Internationally agreed standards are regularly called for to guide and direct the process of globalisation. E. g. the German Vice-chancellor (who is also the minister responsible for labour market regulation) warned that profit-orientation threatened democracy if it would not allow for social responsibility of employers (Muentefering 2005). ...

  9. Agreement on Access and Benefit-sharing for Academic Research: A toolbox for drafting Mutually Agreed Terms for access to Genetic Resources and to Associated Traditional Knowledge and Benefit-sharing

    OpenAIRE

    Biber-Klemm, Susette; Martinez, Sylvia I.; Jacob, Anne; Jevtic, Ana

    2016-01-01

    This manual contains a set of model clauses that enables users and providers of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge to set up a legal contract that is adapted to the individual academic research situation. If mutually negotiated and agreed upon by the involved partners this agreement can yield a “Mutually Agreed Terms” ABS contract.

  10. The emerging international constitutional order: the implications of hierarchy in international law for the coherence and legitimacy of international decision-making

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E de Wet

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available The article examines the contours and implications of the emerging international constitutional order. The "constitutional" nature of this order relates to the fact that it contains certain fundamental substantive and structural norms that form a supreme legal framework for the exercise of public power. The substantive elements primarily include the value system of the international legal order, meaning norms of positive law with a strong ethical underpinning (notably human rights norms that have acquired a special hierarchical standing vis-à-vis other international norms through state practice. The structural elements refer to the subjects of the international legal order that collectively constitute the international community (polity, as well as the mechanisms for enforcement of the international value system. This vision of an international constitutional model is inspired by the intensification in the shift of public decision-making away from the nation state towards international actors of a regional (for example EU or functional (for example WTO, UN nature, and its eroding impact on the notion of a “total” constitutional order, where the fundamental substantive and structural norms that form the supreme legal framework for the exercise of public power are concentrated in the nation state. It is also inspired by the belief that such a supreme legal framework is only possible in a system where different national, regional and functional legal orders complement each other in order to form an international constitutional order.

  11. KNOWLEDGE AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITIES ON CHANGE IN FOREST AREA DESIGNATION IN INDRAGIRI HILIR REGENCY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuncoro Ariawan

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Changes in forest area may include changes in forest designation through exchange process and release of forest areas such as for plantation and industry. The changes will have direct impact on the community, especially those adjacent to the changed forest areas. The study was conducted to find out knowledge and expectations of forest communities as a result of changing in forest areas in Indragiri Hilir Regency, Riau Province.The data were collected by using community interview method. Respondents were selected by purposive random sampling. The results showed that community's knowledge to the forest, benefits and consequences of forest destruction is negative, while community's knowledge to the existence oil palm companies is positive. This is because community awareness on the forest is still low. The community generally agree if forest area that become oil palm plantations be released from forest area designation, and they expect increase in their income. This is motivated by the fact that the land that had been cultivated for coconut plantations is no longer productive, due to frequent sea water intrusion. Cooperation with company is expected to help the communities build embankments on lands affected by seawater intrusion so that the land can be reused

  12. Impact of community-based maternal health workers on coverage of essential maternal health interventions among internally displaced communities in eastern Burma: the MOM project.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luke C Mullany

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Access to essential maternal and reproductive health care is poor throughout Burma, but is particularly lacking among internally displaced communities in the eastern border regions. In such settings, innovative strategies for accessing vulnerable populations and delivering basic public health interventions are urgently needed. METHODS: Four ethnic health organizations from the Shan, Mon, Karen, and Karenni regions collaborated on a pilot project between 2005 and 2008 to examine the feasibility of an innovative three-tiered network of community-based providers for delivery of maternal health interventions in the complex emergency setting of eastern Burma. Two-stage cluster-sampling surveys among ever-married women of reproductive age (15-45 y conducted before and after program implementation enabled evaluation of changes in coverage of essential antenatal care interventions, attendance at birth by those trained to manage complications, postnatal care, and family planning services. RESULTS: Among 2,889 and 2,442 women of reproductive age in 2006 and 2008, respectively, population characteristics (age, marital status, ethnic distribution, literacy were similar. Compared to baseline, women whose most recent pregnancy occurred during the implementation period were substantially more likely to receive antenatal care (71.8% versus 39.3%, prevalence rate ratio [PRR] = 1.83 [95% confidence interval (CI 1.64-2.04] and specific interventions such as urine testing (42.4% versus 15.7%, PRR = 2.69 [95% CI 2.69-3.54], malaria screening (55.9% versus 21.9%, PRR = 2.88 [95% CI 2.15-3.85], and deworming (58.2% versus 4.1%, PRR = 14.18 [95% CI 10.76-18.71]. Postnatal care visits within 7 d doubled. Use of modern methods to avoid pregnancy increased from 23.9% to 45.0% (PRR = 1.88 [95% CI 1.63-2.17], and unmet need for contraception was reduced from 61.7% to 40.5%, a relative reduction of 35% (95% CI 28%-40%. Attendance at birth by those trained to

  13. Adaptation Decision Support: An Application of System Dynamics Modeling in Coastal Communities

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Daniel Lane; Shima Beigzadeh; Richard Moll

    2017-01-01

    This research develops and applies a system dynamics (SD) model for the strategic evaluation of environmental adaptation options for coastal communities.The article defines and estimates asset-based measures for community vulnerability,resilience,and adaptive capacity with respect to the environmental,economic,social,and cultural pillars of the coastal community under threat.The SD model simulates the annual multidimensional dynamic impacts of severe coastal storms and storm surges on the community pillars under alternative adaptation strategies.The calculation of the quantitative measures provides valuable information for decision makers for evaluating the alternative strategies.The adaptation strategies are designed model results illustrated for the specific context of the coastal community of Charlottetown,Prince Edward Island,Canada.The dynamic trend of the measures and model sensitivity analyses for Charlottetown-facing increased frequency of severe storms,storm surges,and sea-level rise-provide impetus for enhanced community strategic planning for the changing coastal environment.This research is presented as part of the International Community-University Research Alliance C-Change project "Managing Adaptation to Environmental Change in Coastal Communities:Canada and the Caribbean" sponsored by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the International Development Resource Centre.

  14. An international comparison of occupational health guidelines for the management of mental disorders and stress-related psychological symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joosen, Margot C W; Brouwers, Evelien P M; van Beurden, Karlijn M; Terluin, Berend; Ruotsalainen, Jani H; Woo, Jong-Min; Choi, Kyeong-Sook; Eguchi, Hisashi; Moriguchi, Jiro; van der Klink, Jac J L; van Weeghel, Jaap

    2015-05-01

    We compared available guidelines on the management of mental disorders and stress-related psychological symptoms in an occupational healthcare setting and determined their development and reporting quality. To identify eligible guidelines, we systematically searched National Guideline Clearinghouse, Guidelines International Network Library and PubMed. Members of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH), were also consulted. Guidelines recommendations were compared and reporting quality was assessed using the AGREE II instrument. Of 2126 titles retrieved, 14 guidelines were included: 1 Japanese, 2 Finnish, 2 Korean, 2 British and 7 Dutch. Four guidelines were of high-reporting quality. Best described was the Scope and Purpose, and the poorest described were competing interests (Editorial independence) and barriers and facilitators for implementation (Applicability). Key recommendations were often difficult to identify. Most guidelines recommend employing an inventory of symptoms, diagnostic classification, performance problems and workplace factors. All guidelines recommend specific return-to-work interventions, and most agreed on psychological treatment and communication between involved stakeholders. Practice guidelines to address work disability due to mental disorders and stress-related symptoms are available in various countries around the world, however, these guidelines are difficult to find. To promote sharing, national guidelines should be accessible via established international databases. The quality of the guideline's developmental process varied considerably. To increase quality and applicability, guideline developers should adopt a common structure for the development and reporting of their guidelines, for example Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) criteria. Owing to differences in social systems, developers can learn from each other through reviews of this kind. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited

  15. The role of the International Atomic Energy Agency in radiation and waste safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wrixon, A.D.; Ortiz-Lopez, P.

    1999-01-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency is specifically required by its Statute 'to establish or adopt ... standards of safety for protection of health and minimization of danger to life and property ... and to provide for the application of these standards ...'. Standards encompass three main elements: legally binding international undertakings among States; globally agreed international safety standards; and the provision for facilitating the application of those standards. Radiation safety standards are national responsibilities, but there is considerable value in formulating harmonized approaches throughout the world. The Agency has attempted to do this by establishing internationally agreed safety standards and by prompting their application. Of prime importance are the Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources. These deal with the basic requirements that must be met in order to ensure an adequate standard of safety. More detailed guidance on the application of these requirements is given in Safety Guides established under them. Fuller technical support is given in a series of Safety Reports. A number of Safety Guides are relevant to this meeting. An existing Safety Guide on exemption is being revised to cover related topics such as exclusion and clearance, and this is the subject of a separate presentation. As part of the programme to combat illicit trafficking in radioactive materials, a new Safety Guide on the topic is being developed. Both are near completion. Another Safety Guide is being produced to elaborate the requirements in the Basic Safety Standards on the safety of radioactive sources. The topics of illicit trafficking in radioactive materials and the safety of radioactive sources were given added impetus by resolutions of the last General Conference of the Agency. This paper provides an overview of these activities of the Agency. (author)

  16. Developing and enforcing internal information systems standards: InduMaker’s Standards Management Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Loebbecke

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available It is widely agreed that standards provide numerous benefits when available and enforced. Company-internal Information Systems (IS management procedures and solutions, in the following coined IS ‘standards’, allow for harmonizing operations between company units, locations and even different service providers. However, many companies lack an organized process for defining and managing internal IS standards, which causes uncertainties and delays in decision making, planning, and design processes. In this case study of the globally operating InduMaker (anonymized company name, an established manufacturing supplier, we look into the company-internal management of IS standards. Theoretically grounded in the organizational and IS-focused literature on business process modelling and business process commoditization, we describe and investigate InduMaker’s newly developed Standard Management Process (SMP for defining and managing company-internal business and IS standards, with which the multinational pursues offering clear answers to business and IT departments about existing IS standards, their degree of obligation, applicability, and scope at any time.

  17. How to get residents/owners in housing cooperatives to agree on sustainable renovation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lappegard Hauge, A. [SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, P.O. Box 124, Blindern, 0314 Oslo (Norway); Thomsen, J. [SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, 7465 Trondheim (Norway); Loefstroem, E. [SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, 7491 Trondheim (Norway)

    2013-05-15

    What factors increase the chance that residents/owners in housing cooperatives agree on sustainable energy efficient renovation? Based on 30 qualitative interviews with professional advisors in cooperative housing associations and chairman/board and residents in three chosen case studies, an analysis of opportunities and barriers for making a common decision on renovation is performed. Success criteria and barriers are found on the societal level as well as on the organizational/individual level. The barriers and success criteria identified on the societal level are: knowledge level on energy-efficient renovation among relevant actors, owner structure of the housing cooperative, and existing regulations and incentives. On the organizational and individual level, the following categories influencing renovation processes were identified: the time frame and organization of the process, understanding the residents' needs, economy, the information given, and the existence of available exemplary projects and role models. Based on the results of the study, ten guidelines that contribute to more successful decision making processes and increase the chances of sustainable energy efficient renovation in housing cooperatives are presented.

  18. International Conference 'Fifteen Years after the Chornobyl Accident. Lessons Learned'. Abstracts Learning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon

    2001-01-01

    The main aims of the conference are: for the scientific community in the most affected countries, to develop a common vision with the international scientific community with regard to the consequences of the Chornobyl disaster (in ecological, medical, social and other areas 15 years post-Chornobyl); to drawing conclusions and providing recommendations to allow decision makers at both national and international level to take further steps to mitigate the effects of the disaster. For the results of the Conference, to represent a common international understanding of the current situation resulting from the accident and the future initiatives which will be necessary to counter its effects

  19. Search Results | Page 159 | IDRC - International Development ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Quantifying the direct and indirect effects of Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) on ... quantitative open economy models to study international trade transmission, the ... cost, user-friendly risk mapping system that can be used in any community.

  20. Narrating survival and change in Guatemala and South Africa: the politics of representation and a liberatory community psychology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lykes, M Brinton; Blanche, Martin Terre; Hamber, Brandon

    2003-03-01

    Peace accords and international interventions have contributed to the suspension of armed conflict and the censuring of repressive regimes in many parts of the world. Some governments and their opposition parties have agreed to the establishment of commissions or other bodies designed to create historical records of the violations of human rights and foster conditions that facilitate reparatory and reconciliatory processes. This paper explores selected roles that community psychologists have played in this process of remembering the past and constructing new identities towards creating a more just future. With reference to two community groups (in Guatemala and South Africa) we show how efforts to "speak out" about one's own experiences of political and military repression involve complex representational politics that go beyond the simple binary opposition of silencing versus giving voice. The Guatemalan group consisted of Mayan Ixil women who, together with the first author, used participatory action research and the PhotoVoice technique to produce a book about their past and present struggles. The South African group, working within the ambit of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and in collaboration with the third author and others, explored ways of speaking about their roles in apartheid and post-apartheid society. Although both these initiatives can be seen as moments in on-going struggles to overcome externally-imposed repressive practices that censor the voices of marginalized communities, they also serve to dispel overly romanticized notions of "univocal" communities now liberated to express themselves in an unmediated and unequivocal fashion. The paper discusses how each group of women instead entered into subtly nuanced relationships with community psychologists involving a continual interplay between the authenticity of their self-representational accounts and the requirements of the discursive technologies into which they were being inducted and