Enhancing Scholarly Publications: Developing Hybrid Monographs in the Humanities and Social Sciences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jankowski, N.W.; Scharnhorst, A.; Tatum, Z.; Tatum, C.

2013-01-01

Enhancing publications has a long history but is gaining acceleration as authors and publishers explore electronic tablets as devices for dissemination and presentation. Enhancement of scholarly publications, in contrast, more often takes place in a Web environment and is coupled with presentation

Enhancing disease surveillance reporting using public transport in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Enhancing disease surveillance reporting using public transport in Dodoma District, Central Tanzania. ... LEG Mboera, SF Rumisha, EJ Mwanemile, E Mziwanda, PK Mmbuji ... Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

About 'restriction', 'justified' and 'necessary'

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Werlauff, Erik

2016-01-01

The article is an academic fairy tale about why and how all national corporate tax protection legislation should undergo a 3-part test to ensure its consistency with EU law. Each Member State introduce a compulsory 3-step test for each new (corporate) tax provision. The test is simple: (1) Does...... the tax provision constitute a restriction in the sense of EU law? (2) If the answer is yes: Is the restriction justified? (3) If the answer is yes: Is the restriction necessary?"...

78 FR 53790 - Public Forum-Safety Culture: Enhancing Transportation Safety

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-30

... NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Public Forum--Safety Culture: Enhancing Transportation Safety On Tuesday and Wednesday, September 10-11, 2013, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will convene a forum titled, ``Safety Culture: Enhancing Transportation Safety.'' The forum will begin at 9:00...

Journalism as Justified True Belief

OpenAIRE

Lisboa, Sílvia; Benetti, Marcia

2015-01-01

If it is important to think of journalism as a form of knowledge, then how does it become knowledge? How does this process work? In order to answer this question, this article proposes a new understanding of journalism as a subject; presenting it as a justified true belief. We think of journalism being based on pillars of truth and justification, conditions necessary in order for Epistemology to grant it the status of knowledge. We address the concept of truth and show how journalistic report...

Public Attitudes Towards Moral Enhancement. Evidence that Means Matter Morally

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J. Specker (Jona); M.H.N. Schermer (Maartje); P.B. Reiner (Peter)

2017-01-01

textabstractTo gain insight into the reasons that the public may have for endorsing or eschewing pharmacological moral enhancement for themselves or for others, we used empirical tools to explore public attitudes towards these issues. Participants (N = 293) from the United States were recruited via

Opportunities and challenges for public libraries to enhance community resilience.

Science.gov (United States)

Veil, Shari R; Bishop, Bradley Wade

2014-04-01

This study bridges a gap between public library and emergency management policy versus practice by examining the role of public libraries in the community resource network for disaster recovery. Specifically, this study identifies the opportunities and challenges for public libraries to fulfill their role as a FEMA-designated essential community organization and enhance community resilience. The results indicate there are several opportunities for libraries to enhance community resilience by offering technology resources and assistance; providing office, meeting, and community living room space; serving as the last redundant communication channel and a repository for community information and disaster narratives; and adapting or expanding services already offered to meet the changing needs of the community. However, libraries also face challenges in enhancing community resilience, including the temptation to overcommit library capacity and staff capability beyond the library mission and a lack of long-term disaster plans and collaboration with emergency managers and government officials. Implications for library and emergency management practice and crisis research are discussed. © 2013 Society for Risk Analysis.

Electrical stimulation in dysphagia treatment: a justified controversy?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bogaardt, H. C. A.

2008-01-01

Electrical stimulation in dysphagia treatment: a justified controversy? Neuromuscular electrostimulation (LAMES) is a method for stimulating muscles with short electrical pulses. Neuromuscular electrostimulation is frequently used in physiotherapy to strengthen healthy muscles (as in sports

Why enhance and upgrade the public housing assets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia Castiglioni

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The enhancement and the upgrading of public housing heritage is considered an example of the rehabilitation’s design potentiality and it is demonstrated through the identification by picking out some rele-vant areas of interest in relation to the built environment. In support of these identified areas examples of European best practices are shown emblematic having a programmatic, cultural and environmental character. The outlined strategies determine management, operational, financial and technological methods that shall permit its use in relation to contemporary dwelling requirement and they are outlin-ing the alternatives usable possibilities in terms of collective, cultural and also economic aspects at the same time. The building rehabilitation is understood as a design tool for the building and urban enhance-ment.

Justifying Innovative Language Programs in an Environment of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

pkurgat

Justifying Innovative Language Programs in an Environment of Change: The Case ... Key words: project management, change management, educational management, .... the sustainability of the course considering that there were and continue to be problems .... language teaching in general on a sound scientific base.

Drug companies' evidence to justify advertising.

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, V A; Mansfield, P R; McDonald, P J

1989-11-25

Ten international pharmaceutical companies were asked by letter to supply their best evidence in support of marketing claims for seventeen products. Fifteen replies were received. Seven replies cited a total of 67 references: 31 contained relevant original data and only 13 were controlled trials, all of which had serious methodological flaws. There were four reports of changes in advertising claims and one company ceased marketing nikethamide in the third world. Standards of evidence used to justify advertising claims are inadequate.

What does public health ethics tell (or not tell) us about intervening in non-communicable diseases?

Science.gov (United States)

Upshur, Ross

2013-03-01

Obesity has been described as pandemic and a public health crisis. It has been argued that concerted research efforts are needed to enhance our understanding and develop effective interventions for the complex and multiple dimensions of the health challenges posed by obesity. This would provide a secure evidence base in order to justify clinical interventions and public policy. This paper critically examines these claims through the examination of models of public health and public health ethics. I argue that the concept of an effective public health intervention is unclear and underdeveloped and, as a consequence, normative frameworks reliant on meeting the effectiveness criterion may miss morally salient dimensions of the problems. I conclude by arguing for the need to consider both an ecological model of public health and inclusion of a critical public health ethics perspective for an adequate account of the public health challenges posed by obesity.

Pension Enhancements and the Retention of Public Employees: Evidence from Teaching. Working Paper 123

Science.gov (United States)

Koedel, Cory; Xiang, P. Brett

2015-01-01

We use data from workers in the largest public-sector occupation in the United States -- teaching -- to examine the effect of pension enhancements on employee retention. Specifically, we study a 1999 enhancement to the benefit formula for public school teachers in St. Louis that resulted in an immediate and dramatic increase in their incentives to…

Do the ends justify the means? Nursing and the dilemma of whistleblowing.

Science.gov (United States)

Firtko, Angela; Jackson, Debra

2005-01-01

Patient advocacy and a desire to rectify misconduct in the clinical setting are frequently cited reasons for whistleblowing in nursing and healthcare. This paper explores current knowledge about whistleblowing in nursing and critiques current definitions of whistleblowing. The authors draw on published perspectives of whistleblowing including the media, to reflect on the role of the media in health related whistleblowing. Whistleblowing represents a dilemma for nurses. It strikes at the heart of professional values and raises questions about the responsibilities nurses have to communities and clients, the profession, and themselves. In its most damaging forms, whistleblowing necessarily involves a breach of ethical standards, particularly confidentiality. Despite the pain that can be associated with whistleblowing, if the ends are improved professional standards, enhanced outcomes, rectification of wrongdoings, and, increased safety for patients and staff in our health services, then the ends definitely justify the means.

Investigation into How Managers Justify Investments in IT Infrastructure

Science.gov (United States)

Ibe, Richmond Ikechukwu

2012-01-01

Organization leaders are dependent on information technology for corporate productivity; however, senior managers have expressed concerns about insufficient benefits from information technology investments. The problem researched was to understand how midsized businesses justify investments in information technology infrastructure. The purpose of…

Public attitudes toward programs designed to enhance forest related benefits on private lands

Science.gov (United States)

Donald F. Dennis; Mark J. Twery; Michael A. Rechlin; Bruce Hansen

2003-01-01

Public agencies may at times provide education, technical help, tax incentives, or other forms of aid to private landowners to help them enhance their land in ways that benefit the public. Since public funds are used to pay these expenses, it is important that program goals be correlated with underlying public values and concerns. We used a conjoint ranking survey to...

Nudging the Public Sphere: A Habermasian Perspective on Public Deliberation as an Aim of Moral Education

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Christopher

2015-01-01

This article offers an account of the understanding citizens need in order to justify moral principles in the public sphere and it identifies an important role for moral education in the promotion of that civic understanding. I develop this account through a contrastive analysis of Phillip Kitcher's conception of public knowledge and Jurgen…

Deliberative Democracy and Precautionary Public Reasoning : Exploratory Thoughts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Genevieve Fuji-Johnson

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Because public policy is legally binding and, perhaps more pointedly, can have pervasive social and environmental consequences for the autonomy of persons, it should be justifiable to those it could so affect. What is much more controversial, and what constitutes the basic intuitive claim of this exploratory paper, is that certain public policies should be morally justifiable to both existing and future persons. My concern is with policies in such areas as energy, climate change control, nuclear waste management, natural resources management, and genomics research and commercialization, which can no doubt improve our lives and our descendant’s lives, but which can also result in tremendous adverse effects for centuries to come. In this short paper, I suggest that the ideal of deliberative democracy provides a way of morally justifying such policies to both existing and future generations. If we take seriously the requirements of this ideal, we may have to modify our public reasoning so that it includes reasons that are generally acceptable among contemporaries as well as reasons that would be acceptable to posterity. The suggestion I make in this paper is thatintegral to the ideal of deliberative democracy in the transgenerational contextis a future-oriented and precautionary public reasoning.

The human genome as public: Justifications and implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayefsky, Michelle J

2017-03-01

Since the human genome was decoded, great emphasis has been placed on the unique, personal nature of the genome, along with the benefits that personalized medicine can bring to individuals and the importance of safeguarding genetic privacy. As a result, an equally important aspect of the human genome - its common nature - has been underappreciated and underrepresented in the ethics literature and policy dialogue surrounding genetics and genomics. This article will argue that, just as the personal nature of the genome has been used to reinforce individual rights and justify important privacy protections, so too the common nature of the genome can be employed to support protections of the genome at a population level and policies designed to promote the public's wellbeing. In order for public health officials to have the authority to develop genetics policies for the sake of the public good, the genome must have not only a common, but also a public, dimension. This article contends that DNA carries a public dimension through the use of two conceptual frameworks: the common heritage (CH) framework and the common resource (CR) framework. Both frameworks establish a public interest in the human genome, but the CH framework can be used to justify policies aimed at preserving and protecting the genome, while the CR framework can be employed to justify policies for utilizing the genome for the public benefit. A variety of possible policy implications are discussed, with special attention paid to the use of large-scale genomics databases for public health research. © Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Great Expectations of Public Service Delegation: A Systematic Review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Overman, Sjors

2016-01-01

Politicians use a variety of expectations to justify the delegation of public services to public, semi-public or private organizations. This article reveals expectations of delegation, as well as its correlates. Empirical evidence is drawn from a systematic review of 250 peer-reviewed articles

78 FR 76391 - Proposed Enhancements to the Motor Carrier Safety Measurement System (SMS) Public Web Site

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-17

...-0392] Proposed Enhancements to the Motor Carrier Safety Measurement System (SMS) Public Web Site AGENCY... proposed enhancements to the display of information on the Agency's Safety Measurement System (SMS) public Web site. On December 6, 2013, Advocates [[Page 76392

Compatriot partiality and cosmopolitan justice: Can we justify compatriot partiality within the cosmopolitan framework?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachelle Bascara

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This paper shows an alternative way in which compatriot partiality could be justified within the framework of global distributive justice. Philosophers who argue that compatriot partiality is similar to racial partiality capture something correct about compatriot partiality. However, the analogy should not lead us to comprehensively reject compatriot partiality. We can justify compatriot partiality on the same grounds that liberation movements and affirmative action have been justified. Hence, given cosmopolitan demands of justice, special consideration for the economic well-being of your nation as a whole is justified if and only if the country it identifies is an oppressed developing nation in an unjust global order.This justification is incomplete. We also need to say why Person A, qua national of Country A, is justified in helping her compatriots in Country A over similarly or slightly more oppressed non-compatriots in Country B. I argue that Person A’s partiality towards her compatriots admits further vindication because it is part of an oppressed group’s project of self-emancipation, which is preferable to paternalistic emancipation.Finally, I identify three benefits in my justification for compatriot partiality. First, I do not offer a blanket justification for all forms of compatriot partiality. Partiality between members of oppressed groups is only a temporary effective measure designed to level an unlevel playing field. Second, because history attests that sovereign republics could arise as a collective response to colonial oppression, justifying compatriot partiality on the grounds that I have identified is conducive to the development of sovereignty and even democracy in poor countries, thereby avoiding problems of infringement that many humanitarian poverty alleviation efforts encounter. Finally, my justification for compatriot partiality complies with the implicit cosmopolitan commitment to the realizability of global justice

Utility and justice in public health.

Science.gov (United States)

MacKay, Kathryn

2017-12-11

Many public health practitioners and organizations view themselves as engaged in the promotion or achievement of equity. However, discussions around public health frequently assume that practitioners and policy-makers take a utilitarian approach to this work. I argue that public health is better understood as a social justice endeavor. I begin by presenting the utility view of public health and then discuss the equity view. This is a theoretical argument, which should help public health to justify interventions for communicable and non-communicable diseases equally, and which contributes to breaking down the 'old/new' public health divide. This argument captures practitioners' views of the work they are engaged in and allows for the moral and policy justification of important interventions in communicable and non-communicable diseases. Systemic interventions are necessary to remedy high rates of disease among certain groups and, generally, to improve the health of entire populations. By viewing diseases as partly the result of failures of health protective systems in society, public health may justify interventions in communicable and non-communicable diseases equally. Public health holds a duty to improve the health of the worst-off in society; by prioritizing this group, the health of the whole community may improve. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Enhancing the Macedonian Health System through Implementation of the Public-Private Partnership Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr.Sc. Iskra Belazelkoska Borizovska

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The research involves determination of the extent to which the public-private partnership model can contribute to the improvement and enhancement of the healthcare services in Macedonia. To achieve this purpose, the research embraces comprehension of the common advantages and disadvantages of this model, encompassed with a case study of the public-private partnership in the specialized-consultative health protection for the health activity-dialysis, together with other efforts to ensure high quality health protection. It also reflects the attitudes of the public authorities and private sector entities regarding the significance of the public-private partnership model, consideration of the advantages and disadvantages before entering public-private partnerships and the ways public-private partnerships affect the employees and employments. The study outlines planned and realised efforts to implement this model to ensure better and more efficient healthcare system. Generally, the results from the survey and the outlined case study present this model as good solution for many healthcare challenges, since public-private partnerships offer different services to the citizens that neither the public nor the private sector could separately achieve. The public-private partnership model leads to new employment opportunities according to the opinion of the public authorities, while the private sector entities consider that public-private partnerships increase the responsibility of the employees in such partnership in comparison to the public sector. The outlined case study is an example of successful public-private partnership model in the field of healthcare and can serve as motivation for further implementation of this model to ensure better, enhanced and modern health system.

AUDIT COMMITTEE’S ROLE IN ENHANCING ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE ALBANIAN, PUBLIC SECTOR

OpenAIRE

Holtjana Bello

2013-01-01

The main question around which this paper is based is whether the public sector in Albania needs to establish the Audit Committees as a demand for enhanced quality of services and accountability over the use of public funds is increasing. This paper analyzes the role of public sector Audit Committees in common law practices established to advise management on the adequacy of structures and processes that ensure the integrity of the accounting, auditing, risk management internal controls, and ...

Effective mechanisms for environmental awareness enhancement of the Thai public company

Science.gov (United States)

Tilokwan, P.; Limjirakan, S.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore effective mechanisms towards environmental awareness enhancement of the Thai public company. The environmental awareness has been strongly mentioned in the international agenda such as Agenda 21 to achieve sustainable development and be implemented at the global communities in all sectors. Thailand’s environmental awareness has been set up as the national policy and continuously promoted in the business sectors. The selected study area is one of Thai industrial public companies mainly utilizing natural resources for its business. Data collection was conducted by using questionnaires with a stratified sampling method comprising of 28 managerial and 134 operational levels. Descriptive statistics were be used for data analysis presented in terms of percentage. The study found that the effective mechanisms towards environmental awareness enhancement include employees’ participation in environmental friendly field trip, environmental knowledge provided by the company, supply chain involvement, law enforcement, and international environmental standard applied by the company. This study would recommend that public participation should be involved in order to make the mechanisms effectively.

Advent of broadband public-switched communications

Science.gov (United States)

Casey, John J.

1992-02-01

Advances in data communications infrastructure, display technology, and man-machine interfaces have changed business applications and the requirements of public network data transport. These changes have created opportunities for a new generation of public broadband services to more efficiently extend high speed communications capabilities beyond the customer premises. This paper provides a view of the technology and market evolution of these public broadband data communications services, and suggests early customer networked applications that justify the deployment of a public switched broadband network infrastructure.

Italian Physical Society Justifying the QCD parton model

CERN Document Server

Veneziano, G

2018-01-01

I will focus my attention on the two papers I wrote with Roberto and Daniele Amati on justifying the QCD-improved parton model, a very basic tool used every day to estimate a variety of processes involving strong (as well as possibly other) interactions. While doing so, I will also touch on other occasions I had to work —or just interact— with Roberto during more than 30 years of our respective careers.

Animal Models in Forensic Science Research: Justified Use or Ethical Exploitation?

Science.gov (United States)

Mole, Calvin Gerald; Heyns, Marise

2018-05-01

A moral dilemma exists in biomedical research relating to the use of animal or human tissue when conducting scientific research. In human ethics, researchers need to justify why the use of humans is necessary should suitable models exist. Conversely, in animal ethics, a researcher must justify why research cannot be carried out on suitable alternatives. In the case of medical procedures or therapeutics testing, the use of animal models is often justified. However, in forensic research, the justification may be less evident, particularly when research involves the infliction of trauma on living animals. To determine how the forensic science community is dealing with this dilemma, a review of literature within major forensic science journals was conducted. The frequency and trends of the use of animals in forensic science research was investigated for the period 1 January 2012-31 December 2016. The review revealed 204 original articles utilizing 5050 animals in various forms as analogues for human tissue. The most common specimens utilized were various species of rats (35.3%), pigs (29.3%), mice (17.7%), and rabbits (8.2%) although different specimens were favored in different study themes. The majority of studies (58%) were conducted on post-mortem specimens. It is, however, evident that more needs to be done to uphold the basic ethical principles of reduction, refinement and replacement in the use of animals for research purposes.

Influenza vaccination in Dutch nursing homes: is tacit consent morally justified?

Science.gov (United States)

Verweij, M F; van den Hoven, M A

2005-01-01

Efficient procedures for obtaining informed (proxy) consent may contribute to high influenza vaccination rates in nursing homes. Yet are such procedures justified? This study's objective was to gain insight in informed consent policies in Dutch nursing homes; to assess how these may affect influenza vaccination rates and to answer the question whether deviating from standard informed consent procedures could be morally justified. A survey among nursing home physicians. We sent a questionnaire to all (356) nursing homes in the Netherlands, to be completed by one of the physicians. We received 245 completed questionnaires. As 21 institutions appeared to be closed or merged into other institutions, the response was 73.1% (245/335). Of all respondents 81.9% reported a vaccination rate above 80%. Almost 50% reported a vaccination rate above 90%. Most respondents considered herd immunity to be an important consideration for institutional policy. Freedom of choice for residents was considered important by almost all. Nevertheless, 106 out of 245 respondents follow a tacit consent procedure, according to which vaccination will be administered unless the resident or her proxy refuses. These institutions show significantly higher vaccination rates (p tacit consent procedures can be morally justifiable. Such procedures assume that vaccination is good for residents either as individuals or as a group. Even though this assumption may be true for most residents, there are good reasons for preferring express consent procedures.

Thumba X-ray plant: Are radiation fears justified

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madhvanath, U.

1978-01-01

Technical facts about the X-ray unit located at Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thumba (India) are set down to explain that it is not posing any radiation hazard as reported in a newspaper and thus radiation fears are not justifiable. It is stated that, after thorough checking, X-ray installations in this space centre cause negligible exposure even to workers who handle these units, and others practically do not get any exposure at all. (B.G.W.)

Justifying a recommendation: tell a story or present an argument?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Hoven, P.J.

2017-01-01

In the deliberative genre there is a complex ‘playground’ of choices to present a recommendation; a rhetorician has to determine his or her position. Relevant dimensions are the coerciveness of the recommendation and the strength of its justifi cation, but also the presentation format, varying from

Is nuclear energy ethically justifiable?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuend, H.

1988-01-01

Nuclear technology brings the chance to provide an essential long term contribution to the energy supply of the world population and to use the raw materials uranium and thorium which have no other use. The use of nuclear energy is ethically justifiable providing certain simple fundamental rules for the design of nuclear facilities are observed. Such rules were clearly violated before the reactor accident at Chernobyl. They are, however, observed in our existing nuclear power plants. Compared with other energy systems nuclear energy has, with the exception of natural gas, the lowest risk. The consideration of the ethical justification of nuclear energy must also include the question of withdrawal. A withdrawal would have considerable social consequences for the industrial nations as well as for the developing countries. The problem of spreading alarm (and concern) by the opponents of nuclear energy should also be included in the ethical justification. 8 refs., 2 figs

Is nuclear energy ethically justifiable?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuend, H.

1987-01-01

Nuclear technology offers the chance to make an extremely long term contribution to the energy supply of the earth. The use of nuclear energy is ethically justifiable, provided that several fundamental rules are obeyed during the technical design of nuclear installations. Such fundamental rules were unequivocally violated in the nuclear power plant Chernobyl. They are, however, fulfilled in the existing Swiss nuclear power plants. Improvements are possible in new nuclear power plants. Compared to other usable energy systems nuclear energy is second only to natural gas in minimal risk per generated energy unit. The question of ethical justification also may rightly be asked of the non-use of nuclear energy. The socially weakest members of the Swiss population would suffer most under a renunciation of nuclear energy. Future prospects for the developing countries would deteriorate considerably with a renunciation by industrial nations of nuclear energy. The widely spread fear concerning the nuclear energy in the population is a consequence of non-objective discussion. 8 refs., 2 figs

Suing One's Sense Faculties for Fraud: 'Justifiable Reliance' in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The law requires that plaintiffs in fraud cases be 'justified' in relying on a misrepresentation. I deploy the accumulated intuitions of the law to defend externalist accounts of epistemic justification and knowledge against Laurence BonJour's counterexamples involving clairvoyance. I suggest that the law can offer a ...

Salaries of New Superintendents: A Public Relations Concern for Many Public School Boards

Science.gov (United States)

Young, I. Phillip

2007-01-01

Salaries for new superintendents form a highly visible factor that has direct implications for school-community public relations. To provide a means for guiding school board members and to provide a format for justifying salaries, a model is presented that serves both purposes. Within this model, attention is afforded to specifying a relevant…

Justifying Clinical Nudges.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorin, Moti; Joffe, Steven; Dickert, Neal; Halpern, Scott

2017-03-01

The shift away from paternalistic decision-making and toward patient-centered, shared decision-making has stemmed from the recognition that in order to practice medicine ethically, health care professionals must take seriously the values and preferences of their patients. At the same time, there is growing recognition that minor and seemingly irrelevant features of how choices are presented can substantially influence the decisions people make. Behavioral economists have identified striking ways in which trivial differences in the presentation of options can powerfully and predictably affect people's choices. Choice-affecting features of the decision environment that do not restrict the range of choices or significantly alter the incentives have come to be known as "nudges." Although some have criticized conscious efforts to influence choice, we believe that clinical nudges may often be morally justified. The most straightforward justification for nudge interventions is that they help people bypass their cognitive limitations-for example, the tendency to choose the first option presented even when that option is not the best for them-thereby allowing people to make choices that best align with their rational preferences or deeply held values. However, we argue that this justification is problematic. We argue that, if physicians wish to use nudges to shape their patients' choices, the justification for doing so must appeal to an ethical and professional standard, not to patients' preferences. We demonstrate how a standard with which clinicians and bioethicists already are quite familiar-the best-interest standard-offers a robust justification for the use of nudges. © 2017 The Hastings Center.

Legitimating Change in the Public Sector

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyndman, Noel; Liguori, Mariannunziata; Meyer, Renate E.

2017-01-01

This paper explores the deployment of rhetorical legitimation strategies during public-sector accounting reforms by investigating how organizational actors justify related changes in the central governments of the United Kingdom (UK), Italy and Austria. The study shows that changes are largely...... legitimated (and rarely delegitimated) by key actors, with authorization strategies dominating. Country differences and actors’ professional backgrounds also impact upon the use of legitimation strategies, with those from an accounting background and working in the UK being more likely to justify change...... in terms of rationalization and normalization. Italian and Austrian actors more frequently resort to authorization strategies to explain accounting change....

Lessons Learned in Promoting Evidence-Based Public Health: Perspectives from Managers in State Public Health Departments.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Peg; Jacob, Rebekah R; Lakshman, Meenakshi; Best, Leslie A; Bass, Kathryn; Brownson, Ross C

2018-03-02

Evidence-based public health (EBPH) practice, also called evidence-informed public health, can improve population health and reduce disease burden in populations. Organizational structures and processes can facilitate capacity-building for EBPH in public health agencies. This study involved 51 structured interviews with leaders and program managers in 12 state health department chronic disease prevention units to identify factors that facilitate the implementation of EBPH. Verbatim transcripts of the de-identified interviews were consensus coded in NVIVO qualitative software. Content analyses of coded texts were used to identify themes and illustrative quotes. Facilitator themes included leadership support within the chronic disease prevention unit and division, unit processes to enhance information sharing across program areas and recruitment and retention of qualified personnel, training and technical assistance to build skills, and the ability to provide support to external partners. Chronic disease prevention leaders' role modeling of EBPH processes and expectations for staff to justify proposed plans and approaches were key aspects of leadership support. Leaders protected staff time in order to identify and digest evidence to address the common barrier of lack of time for EBPH. Funding uncertainties or budget cuts, lack of political will for EBPH, and staff turnover remained challenges. In conclusion, leadership support is a key facilitator of EBPH capacity building and practice. Section and division leaders in public health agencies with authority and skills can institute management practices to help staff learn and apply EBPH processes and spread EBPH with partners.

A survey of the governance capacity of national public health associations to enhance population health.

Science.gov (United States)

Chauvin, James; Shukla, Mahesh; Rice, James; Rispel, Laetitia

2016-03-11

National public health associations (PHAs) are key partners with governments and communities to improve, protect and promote the public's health. Governance and organizational capacity are among the key determinants of a PHA's effectiveness as an advocate for appropriate public health policies and practice. During 2014, the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) conducted an on-line survey of its 82 PHA members, to identify the state of organizational governance of national public health associations, as well as the factors that influence optimal organizational governance. The survey consisted of 13 questions and focused on the main elements of organizational governance: cultivating accountability; engaging stakeholders; setting shared direction; stewarding resources; and, continuous governance enhancement. Four questions included a qualitative open-ended response for additional comments. The survey data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel. The qualitative data was analyzed using thematic content analysis Responses were received from 62 PHAs, constituting a 75.6 % response rate. The two most important factors that support governance effectiveness were a high degree of integrity and ethical behavior of the PHA's leaders (77 %) and the competence of people serving on the PHA's governing body (76 %). The lack of financial resources was considered as the most important factor that negatively affected organizational governance effectiveness (73 %). The lack of mentoring for future PHA leaders; ineffective or incompetent leadership; lack of understanding about good governance practices; and lack of accurate information for strategic planning were identified as factors influencing PHA governance effectiveness. Critical elements for PHA sustainability included diversity, gender-responsiveness and inclusive governance practices, and strategies to build the future generation of public health leaders. National PHA have a responsibility to put into place

The Luckless and the Doomed: Contractualism on Justified Risk-Imposition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Sune Hannibal

2018-01-01

Several authors have argued that contractualism faces a dilemma when it comes to justifying risks generated by socially valuable activities. At the heart of the matter is the question of whether contractualists should adopt an ex post or an ex ante perspective when assessing whether an action...... to prohibit a range of intuitively permissible and socially valuable activities....

Images of eyes enhance investments in a real-life public good.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damien Francey

Full Text Available A key issue in cooperation research is to determine the conditions under which individuals invest in a public good. Here, we tested whether cues of being watched increase investments in an anonymous public good situation in real life. We examined whether individuals would invest more by removing experimentally placed garbage (paper and plastic bottles from bus stop benches in Geneva in the presence of images of eyes compared to controls (images of flowers. We provided separate bins for each of both types of garbage to investigate whether individuals would deposit more items into the appropriate bin in the presence of eyes. The treatment had no effect on the likelihood that individuals present at the bus stop would remove garbage. However, those individuals that engaged in garbage clearing, and were thus likely affected by the treatment, invested more time to do so in the presence of eyes. Images of eyes had a direct effect on behaviour, rather than merely enhancing attention towards a symbolic sign requesting removal of garbage. These findings show that simple images of eyes can trigger reputational effects that significantly enhance on non-monetary investments in anonymous public goods under real life conditions. We discuss our results in the light of previous findings and suggest that human social behaviour may often be shaped by relatively simple and potentially unconscious mechanisms instead of very complex cognitive capacities.

Mandatory Personal Therapy: Does the Evidence Justify the Practice? In Debate

Science.gov (United States)

Chaturvedi, Surabhi

2013-01-01

The article addresses the question of whether the practice of mandatory personal therapy, followed by several training organisations, is justified by existing research and evidence. In doing so, it discusses some implications of this training requirement from an ethical and ideological standpoint, raising questions of import for training…

Justifying decisions in social dilemmas: justification pressures and tacit coordination under environmental uncertainty.

Science.gov (United States)

de Kwaadsteniet, Erik W; van Dijk, Eric; Wit, Arjaan; De Cremer, David; de Rooij, Mark

2007-12-01

This article investigates how justification pressures influence harvesting decisions in common resource dilemmas. The authors argue that when a division rule prescribes a specific harvest level, such as under environmental certainty, people adhere more strongly to this division rule when they have to justify their decisions to fellow group members. When a division rule does not prescribe a specific harvest level, such as under environmental uncertainty, people restrict their harvests when they have to justify their decisions to fellow group members. The results of two experimental studies corroborate this line of reasoning. The findings are discussed in terms of tacit coordination. The authors specify conditions under which justification pressures may or may not facilitate efficient coordination.

Letter: Can Islamic Jurisprudence Justify Procurement of Transplantable Vital Organs in Brain Death?

Science.gov (United States)

Rady, Mohamed Y

2018-01-01

In their article, "An International Legal Review of the Relationship between Brain Death and Organ Transplantation," in The Journal of Clinical Ethics 29, no. 1, Aramesh, Arima, Gardiner, and Shah reported on diverse international legislative approaches for justifying procurement of transplantable vital organs in brain death. They stated, "In Islamic traditions in particular, the notion of unstable life is a way to justify organ donation from brain-dead patients that we believe has not been fully described previously in the literature." This commentary queries the extent to which this concept is valid in accordance with the primary source of Islamic law, that is, the Quran. Copyright 2018 The Journal of Clinical Ethics. All rights reserved.

Why Do Women Justify Violence Against Wives More Often Than Do Men in Vietnam?

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Kathleen H; Gordon-Roberts, Rachel; VanderEnde, Kristin; Schuler, Sidney Ruth; Yount, Kathryn M

2015-05-06

Intimate partner violence (IPV) harms the health of women and their children. In Vietnam, 31% of women report lifetime exposure to physical IPV, and surprisingly, women justify physical IPV against wives more often than do men. We compare men's and women's rates of finding good reason for wife hitting and assess whether differences in childhood experiences and resources and constraints in adulthood account for observed differences. Probability samples of married men (n = 522) and women (n = 533) were surveyed in Vietnam. Ordered logit models assessed the proportional odds for women versus men of finding more "good reasons" to hit a wife (never, 1-3 situations, 4-6 situations). In all situations, women found good reason to hit a wife more often than did men. The unadjusted odds for women versus men of reporting more good reasons to hit a wife were 6.55 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [4.82, 8.91]). This gap disappeared in adjusted models that included significant interactions of gender with age, number of children ever born, and experience of physical IPV as an adult. Having children was associated with justifying wife hitting among women but not men. Exposure to IPV in adulthood was associated with justifying wife hitting among men, but was negatively associated with justification of IPV among women. Further study of the gendered effects of resources and constraints in adulthood on attitudes about IPV against women will clarify women's more frequent reporting than men's that IPV against women is justified. © The Author(s) 2015.

Assessing Participation in Secondary Education Quality Enhancement

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Assessing Participation in Secondary Education Quality Enhancement: Teachers, Parents and Communities in Cross River State. ... ailing economy, low moral values and philosophy of the end justifies the means were reasons for low parents and communities involvement in secondary education-quality improvement.

PRODUCTIVITY AND LAND ENHANCING TECHNOLOGIES IN NORTHERN ETHIOPIA: HEALTH, PUBLIC INVESTMENTS, AND SEQUENTIAL ADOPTION

OpenAIRE

Ersado, Lire; Amacher, Gregory S.; Alwang, Jeffrey Roger

2003-01-01

The adoption of more efficient farming practices and technologies that enhance agricultural productivity and improve environmental sustainability is instrumental for achieving economic growth, food security and poverty alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa. Our research examines the interaction between public investments, community health, and adoption of productivity and land enhancing technologies by households in the northern Ethiopian state of Tigray. Agricultural technology adoption decision...

Developing a policy game intervention to enhance collaboration in public health policymaking in three European countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spitters, H P E M; van Oers, J A M; Sandu, P

2017-01-01

the design and development of the generic frame of the In2Action game focusing on enhancing collaboration in local public health policymaking networks. By keeping the game generic, it became suitable for each of the three country cases with only minor changes. The generic frame of the game is expected......BACKGROUND: One of the key elements to enhance the uptake of evidence in public health policies is stimulating cross-sector collaboration. An intervention stimulating collaboration is a policy game. The aim of this study was to describe the design and methods of the development process......: In2Action was developed as a role-play game of one day, with main focus to develop in collaboration a cross-sector implementation plan based on the approved strategic local public health policy. CONCLUSIONS: This study introduced an innovative intervention for public health policymaking. It described...

Outsourcing, public Input provision and policy cooperation

OpenAIRE

Aronsson, Thomas; Koskela, Erkki

2009-01-01

This paper concerns public input provision as an instrument for redistribution under international outsourcing by using a model-economy comprising two countries, North and South, where firms in the North may outsource part of their low-skilled labor intensive production to the South. We consider two interrelated issues: (i) the incentives for each country to modify the provision of public input goods in response to international outsourcing, and (ii) whether international outsourcing justifie...

Public and private regulation of reproductive technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Byk, C

1995-01-01

Human reproduction is interrelated with privacy. However, in most countries where new reproductive technologies are used public regulations have been passed to provide a legal framework for such technologies. This interference in private life can be justified by the need to control medical intervention in the human reproductive process. But in order to find a balance between public regulations and other social regulations, this article analyses the impact private regulation may have on issues raised by reproductive technologies. It also addresses the issue of the influence of private bodies on the drafting of public regulations.

Enhancing the Impact of NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach: Sharing Best Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Bartolone, Lindsay; Smith, D. A.; Astrophysics Science Education, NASA; Public Outreach Forum Team

2013-01-01

The NASA Science Education and Public Outreach Forums support the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and its education and public outreach community in enhancing the coherence, efficiency, and effectiveness of SMD-funded education and public outreach programs. As part of this effort, the four Forums (Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Science) work together to coordinate resources and opportunities that enable sharing of best practices relevant to SMD-funded education and public outreach. Efforts include collaborating with SMD-funded education and public outreach programs to identify community needs for professional development; raising awareness of the existing body of best practices and educational research; and, organizing distance learning and face-to-face professional development opportunities. Topics include best practices in navigating NASA SMD education and public outreach program requirements, social media, engaging girls in science, and student misconceptions / reasoning difficulties. Opportunities to share best practices and learn from experts are extended to the broader astronomy and astrophysics community through the annual Astronomical Society of the Pacific education and public outreach conference. Evaluation of community professional development resources and opportunities is in progress.

Student-Designed Public Service Announcement (PSA) Videos to Enhance Motivation and Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Abrams, Kenneth

2012-01-01

Educators often focus on enhancing student motivation and engagement. This article describes an activity with these aims, in which undergraduates (a) learn about theories and research on means of persuasion and (b) in small groups design and record a public service announcement (PSA) video, write a brief paper that outlines the theories used to…

Consumer Food Security and Labeling Intervention on Food Products through Public Policies in Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dacinia Crina Petrescu

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The correct understanding of consumers’ food labeling knowledge and perceptions is a prerequisite to develop and implement coherent and appropriate food safety policies. One objective of the paper was to discover how often consumers access and use specific food label information. Another objective was to explore stakeholders’ preferences for several public policy options relevant for food safety. In this respect, a survey on a sample of 312 Romanian consumers and the evaluation of several public policy options by four stakeholder groups (food producers and sellers, doctors, fitness trainers, and consumers were carried out. The results revealed that the most frequently read types of information on the label were “expiration date” and “price”, closely followed by “quantity” and “brand”. Among tested public policies, those related to the traffic light labels and to the social interest messages with health claims were rewarded with high scores by investigated stakeholders. Although nutrition has a decisive impact on health state, nutrition information was not frequently read by people, thus justifying the implementation of a public policy meant to enhance consumers’ interest in and reading frequency of nutrition information on food label.

76 FR 77115 - Amendments to the Export Administration Regulations: Facilitating Enhanced Public Understanding...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-12

..., and 774 [Docket No. 110627356-1475-01] RIN 0694-AF29 Amendments to the Export Administration Regulations: Facilitating Enhanced Public Understanding of the Provisions That Implement the Comprehensive U.S... rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by...

Empowering public service workers to face bystander conflict : Enhancing resources through a training intervention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Erp, K.J.P.M.; Gevers, J.M.P.; Rispens, S.; Demerouti, E.

2018-01-01

Public service employees work in occupations that are accompanied with high psychosocial risks. Police, firefighters, and paramedics are increasingly being confronted with argumentative, conflicting bystanders that frustrate them in executing their task. We developed a resource-enhancement

Including public-health benefits of trees in urban-forestry decision making

Science.gov (United States)

Geoffrey H. Donovan

2017-01-01

Research demonstrating the biophysical benefits of urban trees are often used to justify investments in urban forestry. Far less emphasis, however, is placed on the non-bio-physical benefits such as improvements in public health. Indeed, the public-health benefits of trees may be significantly larger than the biophysical benefits, and, therefore, failure to account for...

Justifying the Use of Internet Sources in School Assignments on Controversial Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Mikkonen, Teemu

2018-01-01

Introduction: This study concerns students' criteria in the evaluation of Internet sources for a school assignment requiring reflections on a controversial issue. The findings are elaborated by analysing students' discursive accounts in justifying the use or non-use of sources. Method: The interview data was collected in a Finnish upper secondary…

"Teach Your Children Well": Arguing in Favor of Pedagogically Justifiable Hospitality Education

Science.gov (United States)

Potgieter, Ferdinand J.

2016-01-01

This paper is a sequel to the paper which I delivered at last year's BCES conference in Sofia. Making use of hermeneutic phenomenology and constructive interpretivism as methodological apparatus, I challenge the pedagogic justifiability of the fashionable notion of religious tolerance. I suggest that we need, instead, to reflect "de…

(De)Centralization of Public Procurement at the Local Level in the EU

OpenAIRE

Boštjan BREZOVNIK; Žan Jan OPLOTNIK; Borut VOJINOVIĆ

2015-01-01

The so-called decentralization of public procurement in EU Member States is accepted as the most suitable design of the public procurement system, often justifi ed by greater economic effi ciency and by the possibility of boosting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, which act on the public procurement market as providers of goods, services and works. Despite the existence of highly decentralized public procurement systems which refl ect the decentralization of administrativ...

Cost-justifying usability an update for the internet age

CERN Document Server

Bias, Randolph G; Bias, Randolph G

2005-01-01

You just know that an improvement of the user interface will reap rewards, but how do you justify the expense and the labor and the time-guarantee a robust ROI!-ahead of time? How do you decide how much of an investment should be funded? And what is the best way to sell usability to others? In this completely revised and new edition, Randolph G. Bias (University of Texas at Austin, with 25 years' experience as a usability practitioner and manager) and Deborah J. Mayhew (internationally recognized usability consultant and author of two other seminal books including The Usability Enginee

Don't look at me in anger! Enhanced processing of angry faces in anticipation of public speaking.

Science.gov (United States)

Wieser, Matthias J; Pauli, Paul; Reicherts, Philipp; Mühlberger, Andreas

2010-03-01

Anxiety is supposed to enhance the processing of threatening information. Here, we investigated the cortical processing of angry faces during anticipated public speaking. To elicit anxiety, a group of participants was told that they would have to perform a public speech. As a control condition, another group was told that they would have to write a short essay. During anticipation of these tasks, participants saw facial expressions (angry, happy, and neutral) while electroencephalogram was recorded. Event-related potential analysis revealed larger N170 amplitudes for angry compared to happy and neutral faces in the anxiety group. The early posterior negativity as an index of motivated attention was also enhanced for angry compared to happy and neutral faces in participants anticipating public speaking. These results indicate that fear of public speaking influences early perceptual processing of faces such that especially the processing of angry faces is facilitated.

A survey of the governance capacity of national public health associations to enhance population health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Chauvin

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background National public health associations (PHAs are key partners with governments and communities to improve, protect and promote the public’s health. Governance and organizational capacity are among the key determinants of a PHA’s effectiveness as an advocate for appropriate public health policies and practice. Methods During 2014, the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA conducted an on-line survey of its 82 PHA members, to identify the state of organizational governance of national public health associations, as well as the factors that influence optimal organizational governance. The survey consisted of 13 questions and focused on the main elements of organizational governance: cultivating accountability; engaging stakeholders; setting shared direction; stewarding resources; and, continuous governance enhancement. Four questions included a qualitative open-ended response for additional comments. The survey data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel. The qualitative data was analyzed using thematic content analysis Results Responses were received from 62 PHAs, constituting a 75.6 % response rate. The two most important factors that support governance effectiveness were a high degree of integrity and ethical behavior of the PHA’s leaders (77 % and the competence of people serving on the PHA’s governing body (76 %. The lack of financial resources was considered as the most important factor that negatively affected organizational governance effectiveness (73 %. The lack of mentoring for future PHA leaders; ineffective or incompetent leadership; lack of understanding about good governance practices; and lack of accurate information for strategic planning were identified as factors influencing PHA governance effectiveness. Critical elements for PHA sustainability included diversity, gender-responsiveness and inclusive governance practices, and strategies to build the future generation of public health

Governance of Banks in an Era of Regulatory Change and Declining Public Confidence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Minto, Andrea; McCormick, Roger

2014-01-01

Corporate governance reforms have become more intrusive for banks than might be thought appropriate for “ordinary corporates”. “Heavier” regulation in this area is justified by the public interest at stake in bank activity and the risk to the public interest if a bank is allowed to fail (and the

The balancing role of evaluation mechanisms: cases of publicly funded research institutions: MPG, HGF, and CAS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luo, Junwen

2016-01-01

Evaluation has been designed and used as an instrument of organisational governance for publicly funded research institutions (PRIs). Such an instrument can justify external public support and provide internal evidence for decision-making and organisational learning. Under given national and

Developing a policy game intervention to enhance collaboration in public health policymaking in three European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Spitters, H P E M; van Oers, J A M; Sandu, P; Lau, C J; Quanjel, M; Dulf, D; Chereches, R; van de Goor, L A M

2017-12-19

One of the key elements to enhance the uptake of evidence in public health policies is stimulating cross-sector collaboration. An intervention stimulating collaboration is a policy game. The aim of this study was to describe the design and methods of the development process of the policy game ‘In2Action’ within a real-life setting of public health policymaking networks in the Netherlands, Denmark and Romania. The development of the policy game intervention consisted of three phases, pre intervention, designing the game intervention and tailoring the intervention. In2Action was developed as a role-play game of one day, with main focus to develop in collaboration a cross-sector implementation plan based on the approved strategic local public health policy. This study introduced an innovative intervention for public health policymaking. It described the design and development of the generic frame of the In2Action game focusing on enhancing collaboration in local public health policymaking networks. By keeping the game generic, it became suitable for each of the three country cases with only minor changes. The generic frame of the game is expected to be generalizable for other European countries to stimulate interaction and collaboration in the policy process.

THE PROBLEMS OF PROFESSIONAL PUBLIC ACCREDITATION OF ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND THE PROSPECTS OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatyana V. Matveeva

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Leading role in the process of development and improvement of modern Russian education plays an additional professional education, which, to the greatest extent, responds to the qualitative changes in the socio-economic relations in a rapidly changing world. The aim of this paper is to identify the organizational and legal problems of professional and public accreditation of additional professional education programs in Russia and the opportunities development of this institution in modern conditions. The scientific research problem was to justify the need for professional and public accreditation of additional professional education programs of modern universities on the basis of delegation of procedures for evaluating the quality of education by public authorities to the public expert organizations, which ensure the independence and objectivity of the decisions made by qualified experts using a standardized assessment tools and tech to meet the needs of all parties concerned for highly qualified professionals. Methods. Empirical and theoretical methods were applied in the process of solving the problems in the scientific work to achieve the objectives of the study and test the hypothesis of an integrated methodology. Theoretical research methods involve: analysis of different literary sources (including legislative and regulatory enactments of the Higher Authorities of the Russian Federation, regulatory enactments of the Ministry of General and Vocational Education of the Russian Federation, compilation, synthesis of empirical data, comparative analysis, and others. Empirical research methods include: observation, testing, interview, questionnaire, ranking, pedagogical experiment, analysis of the products of activity, method of expert evaluations, methods of mathematical statistics, and other. Results. The expediency of independent accreditation procedures is proved. The goals that need to be solved to enhance the competitiveness of

Is the public's faith in fusion justified?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilkie, T.

1991-01-01

This paper is in the form of a near-verbatim transcript of the presentation given at SOFT. The intention of the paper was to give an outsider's view of the work of the fusion community and, within limits, to be provocative and engender discussion. The paper is therefore deliberately discursive and non-technical. (orig.)

Do spillovers justify subsidies to commercial R&D? : four microeconometric essays

OpenAIRE

Møen, Jarle

2002-01-01

Chapter 1: In the introductory chapter, I place my thesis in an empirical research tradition going back to the mid-19S0s, investigating the economics of technological change. Key issues have been the private and social returns to R&D, and the scope for technology policy in enhancing economic growth. It is widely accepted that the social returns to R&D is greater than the private returns, and that public support for R&D may be welfare improving. At the same time, a numb...

A systematic framework for infrastructure development through public private partnerships

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xueqing Zhang

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Public–private partnerships (PPPs play an important role in bringing private sector competition to public monopolies in infrastructure development and service provision and in merging the resources of both public and private sectors to better serve the public needs. However, in worldwide practices, there are mixed results, substantial controversy, criticism and conflict over PPPs. This paper proposes a systematic framework for the delivery of public works and services through PPPs in general. Justified by public procurement principles, aimed at a public–private win–win solution, and based on worldwide best industrial practices and lessons from unsuccessful projects, this framework integrates the four broadly divided stages that repeat over time: (1 design of a workable concession, (2 competitive concessionaire selection, (3 financial regulation, and (4 periodic reconcession and rebidding. The four-stage framework takes into account the requirements of public services, realignment of responsibility and reward among multiple participants in PPPs, the monopolistic rights of the concessionaire, and the wide range of risks and uncertainties in the long concession period. Varying competition elements are incorporated in each of the four stages for continuous performance improvement in the delivery of public works and services. The design of the right concession forms the base on which other stages are implemented in addition to planning the project and allocating risks for enhanced efficiency. The financial regulation allows the government to address changing conditions and to regulate the concession for efficient operation with due discretion, whereas the competitive concessionaire selection and periodic reconcession and rebidding play critical roles in achieving innovation, efficiency and cost effectiveness through direct competition rather than government discretionary intervention.

Conducting Accessible Research: Including People With Disabilities in Public Health, Epidemiological, and Outcomes Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Rios, Dianne; Magasi, Susan; Novak, Catherine; Harniss, Mark

2016-12-01

People with disabilities are largely absent from mainstream health research. Exclusion of people with disabilities may be explicit, attributable to poorly justified exclusion criteria, or implicit, attributable to inaccessible study documents, interventions, or research measures. Meanwhile, people with disabilities experience poorer health, greater incidence of chronic conditions, and higher health care expenditure than people without disabilities. We outline our approach to "accessible research design"-research accessible to and inclusive of people with disabilities. We describe a model that includes 3 tiers: universal design, accommodations, and modifications. Through our work on several large-scale research studies, we provide pragmatic examples of accessible research design. Making efforts to include people with disabilities in public health, epidemiological, and outcomes studies will enhance the interpretability of findings for a significant patient population.

Searching for Methods on Evaluation Alternatives and Studying Decision Making System Regarding Enhancing Publicity of Nuclear Spent Fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Seongkyung; Choi, Seungho; Kim, Hyerim; Song, Jiyeon; Lee, Yoonsup; Sohn, Seohyun

2013-01-01

This study was done in order to anticipate the aspect of publicity enhancement on nuclear spent fuel so that it can find the evaluation methods of alternative ways of management which could applied actually and make the decision making system of Publicity Enhancement Committee in advance. In Korea, the nuclear spent fuel is temporarily stored inside of the nuclear facility field, and it is expected that Gori nuclear facility is going to be saturated since 2016 but the solutions are still incomplete. The problem of management of nuclear spent fuel is an important issue in terms of not only the nuclear power policy but also of safe management of the already made nuclear spent fuel. This study has its meaning to draw the evaluation criteria of the management alternatives on nuclear spent fuel which can be applied in Korean case, and to find the necessity of verifying the evaluation of management alternatives through Publicity Enhancement because of different stands according to the interests. As a result, rather than technological engineering safety evaluation, qualitative analysis in terms of social costs, quantitative evaluation in terms of economic costs, this study advises the methods of public hearings and citizen juries which are effective, which makes it meaningful

Obesity stigma: important considerations for public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Puhl, Rebecca M; Heuer, Chelsea A

2010-06-01

Stigma and discrimination toward obese persons are pervasive and pose numerous consequences for their psychological and physical health. Despite decades of science documenting weight stigma, its public health implications are widely ignored. Instead, obese persons are blamed for their weight, with common perceptions that weight stigmatization is justifiable and may motivate individuals to adopt healthier behaviors. We examine evidence to address these assumptions and discuss their public health implications. On the basis of current findings, we propose that weight stigma is not a beneficial public health tool for reducing obesity. Rather, stigmatization of obese individuals threatens health, generates health disparities, and interferes with effective obesity intervention efforts. These findings highlight weight stigma as both a social justice issue and a priority for public health.

Smoke-Free Worksites and Public Spaces in Cameroon | IDRC ...

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

Smoke-Free Worksites and Public Spaces in Cameroon. Existing data indicate a tobacco epidemic of the first order in Africa, but the rapid increase in tobacco consumption continues. This situation justifies the current project by Research for International Tobacco Control (RITC), an initiative of IDRC and the Bill and Melinda ...

Experiments to Enhance Public Real Estate in Italy: the Case of the FIP Fund

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Ciaramella

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The Italian State’s real estate is involved in a boundary definition process which is still in progress. The experiments in process and the comparison between Public Administration and private operators often focus the debate on issues which relate to the financial instruments or the company vehicles which may be adopted. However, no enhancement is possible in the absence of an approach aimed at a precise knowledge of the characteristics of every individual building. The article summarizes the experiment of the most important public contribution investment fund achieved in Italy (Public Real Estate Investment Fund and demonstrates the complex technical and managerial activity necessary to regularise the real estate and which is indispensable for making the management company’s objectives feasible.

Chicago section activities to enhance public acceptance of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snyder, T.L.; Keffer, J.W.

1992-01-01

The Chicago section of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) is an active organization with ∼450 members. The local section territory encompasses northern Illinois and includes in its territory all six of Commonwealth Edison Company's (CECo's) nuclear generating stations as well as Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Included in the territory are several large engineering firms - ABB Impell, Bechtel, Fluor Daniel, and Sargent ampersand Lundy. The national headquarters of the ANS is also located within the local section boundaries. All these organizations are represented in the local section membership and provide access to abundant technical resources that can be used to enhance public acceptance of nuclear power. An important attribute of any local section that enables it to perform interesting programs and be active in the community is its financial resources. The Chicago section has a strong financial base because of its ability to raise funds by participating in and sponsoring ANS topical and other meetings. For instance, in 1991, they sponsored and were actively involved in the Emergency Preparedness Topical Meeting held in Chicago. In 1992, they were actively involved in sponsoring the organizational activities of the ANS/ENS International Meeting, which will celebrate the 50th year of nuclear fission. The financial and technical resources of the Chicago section continue to contribute to a successful program of public education and public acceptance activities regarding the nuclear industry

Is Investment in Maize Research Balanced and Justified? An Empirical Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hari Krishna Shrestha

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate whether the investment in maize research was adequate and balanced in Nepalese context. Resource use in maize research was empirically studied with standard congruency analysis by using Full Time Equivalent (FTE of researchers as a proxy measure of investment. The number of researchers involved in maize was 61 but it was only 21.25 on FTE basis, indicating that full time researchers were very few as compared to the cultivated area of maize in the country. Statistical analysis revealed that the investment in maize research was higher in Tarai and lower in the Hills. Congruency index on actual production basis was found low across the eco-zones and even lower across the geographical regions indicating that the investment in maize research was a mismatch and not justified. While adjusted with the equity factor and the research progress factor in the analysis substantial difference was not found in congruency index. This study recommends that substantial increase in investment in maize research is needed with balanced and justified manner across the eco-zones and the geographical regions. Hills need special attention to increase the investment as maize output value is higher in this eco-zone. Eastern and western regions also need increased investment in maize according to their contribution in the output value.

Justifying molecular images in cell biology textbooks: From constructions to primary data.

Science.gov (United States)

Serpente, Norberto

2016-02-01

For scientific claims to be reliable and productive they have to be justified. However, on the one hand little is known on what justification precisely means to scientists, and on the other the position held by philosophers of science on what it entails is rather limited; for justifications customarily refer to the written form (textual expressions) of scientific claims, leaving aside images, which, as many cases from the history of science show are relevant to this process. The fact that images can visually express scientific claims independently from text, plus their vast variety and origins, requires an assessment of the way they are currently justified and in turn used as sources to justify scientific claims in the case of particular scientific fields. Similarly, in view of the different nature of images, analysis is required to determine on what side of the philosophical distinction between data and phenomena these different kinds of images fall. This paper historicizes and documents a particular aspect of contemporary life sciences research: the use of the molecular image as vehicle of knowledge production in cell studies, a field that has undergone a significant shift in visual expressions from the early 1980s onwards. Focussing on textbooks as sources that have been overlooked in the historiography of contemporary biomedicine, the aim is to explore (1) whether the shift of cell studies, entailing a superseding of the optical image traditionally conceptualised as primary data, by the molecular image, corresponds with a shift of justificatory practices, and (2) to assess the role of the molecular image as primary data. This paper also explores the dual role of images as teaching resources and as resources for the construction of knowledge in cell studies especially in its relation to discovery and justification. Finally, this paper seeks to stimulate reflection on what kind of archival resources could benefit the work of present and future epistemic

Using NASA Environmental Data to Enhance Public Health Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hamdan, Mohammad; Crosson, William; Economou, Sigrid; Estes, Maurice, Jr.; Estes, Sue; Hemmings, Sarah; Kent, Shia; Puckett, Mark; Quattrochi, Dale; Wade, Gina;

"Men Are Dogs": Is The Stereotype Justified? Data On the Cheating College Male

Science.gov (United States)

Knox, David; Vail-Smith, Karen; Zusman, Marty

2008-01-01

Analysis of data from 1394 undergraduates at a large southeastern university were used to assess the degree to which the stereotype that "men are dogs" (sexually-focused cheaters) is justified. Results suggest that this stereotype is unjustified since the majority of males: (1) define behaviors from kissing to anal sex as cheating; (2)…

Empirical study on the feasibility of measures for public self-protection capability enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goersch, Henning G.; Werner, Ute

2011-01-01

The empirical study on the feasibility of measures for public self-protection capability enhancement covers the following issues with several sections: (1) Introduction: scope of the study; structure of the study. (2) Issue coherence: self-protection; reduction and prevention of damage by personal emergency preparedness, personal emergency preparedness in Germany. (3) Solution coherence: scientific approaches, development of practical problem solution approaches, proposal of a promotion system. (4) Empirical studies: Promotion system evaluation by experts; questioning of the public; Delphi-study on minimum standards in emergency preparedness; local networks in emergency preparedness. (5) Evaluation of models for personal emergency preparedness (M3P). (6) Integration of all research results into the approach of emergency preparedness: scope; recommendations, conclusions.

Enhancing crisis leadership in public health emergencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Deitchman, Scott

2013-10-01

Reviews of public health emergency responses have identified a need for crisis leadership skills in health leaders, but these skills are not routinely taught in public health curricula. To develop criteria for crisis leadership in public health, published sources were reviewed to identify attributes of successful crisis leadership in aviation, public safety, military operations, and mining. These sources were abstracted to identify crisis leadership attributes associated with those disciplines and compare those attributes with crisis leadership challenges in public health. Based on this review, the following attributes are proposed for crisis leadership in public health: competence in public health science; decisiveness with flexibility; ability to maintain situational awareness and provide situational assessment; ability to coordinate diverse participants across very different disciplines; communication skills; and the ability to inspire trust. Of these attributes, only competence in public health science is currently a goal of public health education. Strategies to teach the other proposed attributes of crisis leadership will better prepare public health leaders to meet the challenges of public health crises.

A Public Finance Perspective on Climate Policy: Six Interactions That May Enhance Welfare

OpenAIRE

Siegmeier, Jan; Mattauch, Linus; Franks, Max; Klenert, David; Schultes, Anselm; Edenhofer, Ottmar

2015-01-01

Climate change economics mostly neglects sizeable interactions of carbon pricing with other fiscal policy instruments. Conversely, public finance typically overlooks the effects of future decarbonization efforts when devising instruments for the major goals of fiscal policy. We argue that such a compartmentalisation is undesirable: policy design taking into account such interdependencies may enhance welfare and change the distribution of mitigation costs within and across generations. This cl...

Enhancing Evidence-Based Public Health Policy: Developing and Using Policy Narratives.

Science.gov (United States)

Troy, Lisa M; Kietzman, Kathryn G

2016-06-01

Academic researchers and clinicians have a critical role in shaping public policies to improve the health of an aging America. Policy narratives that pair personal stories with research statistics are a powerful tool to share knowledge generated in academic and clinical settings with policymakers. Effective policy narratives rely on a trustworthy and competent narrator and a compelling story that highlights the personal impact of policies under consideration and academic research that bolsters the story. Awareness of the cultural differences in the motivations, expectations, and institutional constraints of academic researchers and clinicians as information producers and U.S. Congress and federal agencies as information users is critical to the development of policy narratives that impact policy decisions. The current article describes the development and use of policy narratives to bridge cultures and enhance evidence-based public health policies that better meet the needs of older adults. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 42(6), 11-17.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Enhancing the discussion of alternatives in EIA using principle component analysis leads to improved public involvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamijo, Tetsuya; Huang, Guangwei

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to show the effectiveness of principle component analysis (PCA) as a method of alternatives analysis useful for improving the discussion of alternatives and public involvement. This study examined public consultations by applying quantitative text analysis (QTA) to the minutes of meetings and showed a positive correlation between the discussion of alternatives and the sense of public involvement. The discussion of alternatives may improve public involvement. A table of multiple criteria analysis for alternatives with detailed scores may exclude the public from involvement due to the general public's limited capacity to understand the mathematical algorithm and to process too much information. PCA allowed for the reduction of multiple criteria down to a small number of uncorrelated variables (principle components), a display of the merits and demerits of the alternatives, and potentially made the identification of preferable alternatives by the stakeholders easier. PCA is likely to enhance the discussion of alternatives and as a result, lead to improved public involvement.

Professional Self-Regulation and the Public Interest in Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tracey L. Adams

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The regulation of professional groups has often been justified as being in the public interest. In recent decades, policymakers in Anglo-American countries have questioned whether self-regulating professions have truly served the public interest, or whether they have merely acted in their own interests. This paper draws on legislative records and policy reports to explore meanings attached to professional self-regulation and the public interest in Canada by state actors over the past 150 years. The findings point to a shift in the definition of the public interest away from service quality and professional interests, towards efficiency, human rights, consumer choice, and in some contexts business interests. Changing views of the public interest contribute to regulatory change.

A propensity score analysis of public incentives: The Italian case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Affuso

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Public support to firms has been a traditional and important industrial policy measure in many countries for several decades. One of the reasons for public intervention is the existence of market failures or imperfections. Informational asymmetries between borrowers and lenders of funds in particular are used to justify subsidies to firms, especially small and medium-sized enterprises. Within this framework, the main purpose of public subsidies is offsetting market imperfections. This paper makes a contribution to current empirical literature by examining the effects of public funding on credit rationing of small and medium-sized Italian firms. The results suggest that public subsidies reduce the probability of a firm being credit rationing.

Enhancing Public Participation to Improve Natural Resources Science and its Use in Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

Glynn, P. D.; Shapiro, C. D.; Liu, S. B.

2015-12-01

The need for broader understanding and involvement in science coupled with social technology advances enabling crowdsourcing and citizen science have created greater opportunities for public participation in the gathering, interpretation, and use of geospatial information. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing guidance for USGS scientists, partners, and interested members of the public on when and how public participation can most effectively be used in the conduct of scientific activities. Public participation can provide important perspectives and knowledge that cannot be obtained through traditional scientific methods alone. Citizen engagement can also provide increased efficiencies to USGS science and additional benefits to society including enhanced understanding, appreciation, and interest in geospatial information and its use in decision making.The USGS guidance addresses several fundamental issues by:1. Developing an operational definition of citizen or participatory science.2. Identifying the circumstances under which citizen science is appropriate for use and when its use is not recommended. 3. Describing structured processes for effective use of citizen science. 4. Defining the successful application of citizen science and identifying useful success metrics.The guidance is coordinated by the USGS Science and Decisions Center and developed by a multidisciplinary team of USGS scientists and managers. External perspectives will also be incorporated, as appropriate to align with other efforts such as the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Citizen Science and Crowdsourcing Toolkit for the Federal government. The guidance will include the development of an economic framework to assess the benefits and costs of geospatial information developed through participatory processes. This economic framework considers tradeoffs between obtaining additional perspectives through enhanced participation with costs associated from obtaining

The Integration of Virtual Public-Private Partnerships into Local Law Enforcement to Achieve Enhanced Intelligence-Led Policing

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Simeone, Jr, Matthew J

2007-01-01

.... Virtual public-private partnerships (VP3s) offer local law enforcement agencies an effective and efficient way to leverage a vast and resourceful private sector for the purpose of enhancing ILP...

Public Danger of Ecological Crime: Criminological Aspect​

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuznetsova Natalya I.

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This article describes the characteristics of public danger of ecological crime. Specific features that distinguish it from other types of criminality are analyzed. Identified and justified are such features of environmental crime as an increased level of public danger, a wider range of victims, the continuing and deferred nature of the negative consequences, their transboundary nature, the irreversibility of the consequences, causing significant harm to the economic interests of the state, expressed in the withdrawal from the legal turnover of huge amounts of valuable natural resources. On the basis of the conducted research the author suggests wide use of the integrated criminological approach to studying the public danger of environmental crime taking into account its quantitative and qualitative characteristics.

Food and beverage policies and public health ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Resnik, David B

2015-06-01

Government food and beverage policies can play an important role in promoting public health. Few people would question this assumption. Difficult questions can arise, however, when policymakers, public health officials, citizens, and businesses deliberate about food and beverage policies, because competing values may be at stake, such as public health, individual autonomy, personal responsibility, economic prosperity, and fairness. An ethically justified policy strikes a reasonable among competing values by meeting the following criteria: (1) the policy serves important social goal(s); (2) the policy is likely to be effective at achieving those goal(s); (3) less burdensome options are not likely to be effective at achieving the goals; (4) the policy is fair.

77 FR 12227 - Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: Uncovered Finished Water Reservoirs; Public...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-29

... Water Treatment Rule: Uncovered Finished Water Reservoirs; Public Meeting AGENCY: Environmental... review of the uncovered finished water reservoir requirement in the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water... uncovered finished water reservoir requirement and the agency's Six Year Review process. EPA also plans to...

Real Cost-Benefit Analysis Is Needed in American Public Education

Science.gov (United States)

Stoneberg, Bert D.

2015-01-01

Public school critics often point to rising expenditures and relatively flat test scores to justify their school reform agendas. The claims are flawed because their analyses fail to account for the difference in data types between dollars (ratio) and test scores (interval). A cost-benefit analysis using dollars as a common metric for both costs…

Creating informed public opinion: citizen deliberation about nanotechnologies for human enhancements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cobb, Michael D.

2011-01-01

Many people believe that ordinary citizens should influence scientific and technological developments, but the American public is routinely uninformed about these issues. As a solution, some scholars advocate creating informed public opinions by encouraging citizens to deliberate about the issues. Although this idea is currently widely applauded in the science and technology literature, deliberative outcomes are infrequently measured and the practice of deliberation is routinely criticized in other disciplines. This research contributes to our understanding of the effectiveness of citizen deliberation as a method for increasing public engagement with science. I report data measuring results of deliberation in a national citizens’ technology forum (NCTF) about nanotechnologies for human enhancement. The NCTF was a month-long process involving six groups of 9–15 ordinary citizens who deliberated in different locations across the United States with the goal of reaching consensus about policy recommendations within their groups. I find that structured deliberation generated informed opinions, sometimes meaningful shifts in preferences, and increased trust and internal efficacy among the participants. Nevertheless, the NCTF has important shortcomings, and it is not obvious that consensus conferences should be preferred over other mechanisms for creating informed opinions. Future research is needed to corroborate the findings of this study and to systematically compare outcomes of structured citizen deliberation to other less resource intensive forms of engagement.

A Didactic Proposal for EFL in a Public School in Cali

Science.gov (United States)

Chaves, Orlando; Fernandez, Alejandro

2016-01-01

This article reports an action-research project aimed at designing, applying, and assessing a didactic sequence for teaching English as a foreign language in the first grade of a public school in Cali. The article comprises the context, reasons that justified the research, theoretical support, methodology, and results, analyzed through descriptive…

Context Based Inferences in Research Methodology: The Role of Culture in Justifying Knowledge Claims

Science.gov (United States)

Evers, Colin W.; Mason, Mark

2011-01-01

Drawing on work in epistemology and the philosophy of science, this paper seeks to provide very general reasons for why a comparative perspective needs to be applied to the inferential procedures of research methodologies where these concern the issue of justifying knowledge claims. In particular, the paper explores the role of culture on a number…

The Greek public debt problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michalis Nikiforos

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The present paper examines the issue of the Greek public debt. After providing a historical discussion, we show that the austerity of the last six years has been unsuccessful in stabilizing the debt while, at the same time, it has taken a heavy toll on the economy and society. The recent experience shows that the public debt is unsustainable and therefore a restructuring is needed. An insistence on the current policies is not justifiable either on pragmatic or on moral or any other grounds. The experience of Germany in the early post-WWII period provides some useful hints for the way forward. A solution to the public debt problem is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the solution of the Greek and European crisis. A wider agenda that deals with the malaises of the Greek economy and the structural imbalances of the Eurozone is of vital importance.

Dear Critics: Addressing Concerns and Justifying the Benefits of Photography as a Research Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyle Elizabeth Miller

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Photography serves as an important tool for researchers to learn about the contextualized lives of individuals. This article explores the process of integrating photo elicitation interviews (PEI into research involving children and families. Much literature is dedicated to the general debate surrounding the ethics of visual methods in research, with little attention directed at the actual process of gaining study approval and publishing one's findings. There are two main critiques that researchers must face in order to conduct and disseminate studies involving visual images—ethics committees and peer reviewers. In this article, I identify and discuss some of the challenges that emerged across gaining protocol approval from an ethics committee in the United States. Ethical concerns and restrictions related to the use of photography can delay data collection and create barriers to research designs. Similarly, I describe the process of responding to reviewers' concerns as part of the publication process. Peer reviewers' lack of familiarity with the use of photography as a research tool may lead to misunderstandings and inappropriate requests for manuscript changes. While many concerns are sound, the range of benefits stemming from the use of visual data help to justify the time and energy required to defend this type of research. Implications are discussed for researchers using visual methods in their work. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1503274

Public Relations in enhancing brand values: case study Virgin Atlantic and Vietnam Airlines

OpenAIRE

Tran Viet, Thang

2014-01-01

The ultimate purpose of this dissertation is to evaluate the Public Relations (PR) activities of Vietnam Airlines and give the airline some recommendations to improve its PR performance. In order to achieve this purpose, there are three issues needed to be solved: 1) how PR helps to enhance brand personality and brand values 2) the differences in PR activities between Vietnam Airlines and Virgin Atlantic and 3) what approaches Vietnam Airlines should implement to improve its PR performance. ...

The Influence of Motivation of Public Officials on their Corrupt Behavior in the System of Public Authority

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Юлий Анатольевич Нисневич

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The article analyzes the influence of motivation of public officials on their corrupt behavior. In the framework of normative-value conceptualization corruption is considered as anti-social, auto-destructive deviant behavior. The represented two-dimensional curve of motivation consists of two segments. The first, “thirst for recognition” segment consists of pro-social, positive and altruistic motives, and the second, “greed” segment consists of negative and selfish motives. This article shows that motivation, especially with external locus of control has a decisive influence on corrupt behavior as means of the goals achievement. Particularly, it directly allows public officials to use “aim justifies the means” principle, or indirectly predetermine the very aim of their actions.

Epidemiology, public health, and health surveillance around point sources of pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stebbings, J.H. Jr.

1981-01-01

In industrial society a large number of point sources of pollution exist, such as chemical plants, smelters, and nuclear power plants. Public concern has forced the practising epidemiologist to undertake health surveillance of the usually small populations living around point sources. Although not justifiable as research, such epidemiologic surveillance activities are becoming a routine part of public health practice, and this trend will continue. This introduction reviews concepts of epidemiologic surveillance, and institutional problems relating to the quality of such applied research

[Justifying measures to correct functional state of operators varying in personal anxiety].

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Workers of operating and dispatching occupations are exposed to high nervous and emotional exertion that result in increased personal anxiety, working stress and overstrain. That requires physiologically justified correction of hazardous psycho-physiologic states via various prophylactic measures (stay in schungite room, autogenous training, central electric analgesia, electric acupuncture). Attempted relaxation sessions in schungite room revealed in highly anxious individuals an increased velocity of visual signals perception, of attention concentration and shifting. Autogenous training sessions improve memory and have significant hypotensive effect in highly anxious individuals.

Accounting System in Croatian Public Healthcare Organizations: an Empirical Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davor VAŠIČEK

2010-06-01

Full Text Available In considering the adequacy of adopting accruals and IPSASs, this paper tests the appropriateness of existing modified accrual accounting and financial reporting system in Croatian public healthcare sector. The paper indicates that accounting information system contains discrepancies and constraints in assuring true and fair view of organization’s financial position and performance. Our statistics confirms low level of cost and managerial accounting methods development, and external and internal financial reporting convergence.Having in mind its specificities, we argue that Croatian public healthcare sector represents a segmental accounting subsystem within the integral public sector accounting framework, where accruals implementation might prove justifiable.

Improved productivity justifies world record underbalanced perforating operation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, A. M.; Bakker, E. R. [NAM B.V. (Netherlands); Hungerford, K.

1998-12-31

To achieve vertical connectivity with all the layers, and thus long term sustained productivity in a highly stratified reservoir, a one run underbalanced perforating operation was considered necessary. Due to coiled tube limitations in this deep (5136 m along hole, 3700 m true vertical depth, with a maximum deviation of 89 degrees), high pressure well a hydraulic workover unit (HWU) was selected to deploy and retrieve the guns. The operation is considered a world record since this is the longest section (total gross interval of 1026 m perforated) of guns conveyed, fired underbalanced and deployed out of a live well. It is concluded that the improved productivity more than justified the additional time, effort and expenditure; considering the full life cycle of the well it is readily apparent that the operation was an economic and technical success. Details of the considerations leading to the perforating technique selection, the planning and the execution of the operation, and the validation of the technique in terms of productivity gains, are provided. 13 refs., 7 figs.

Developing a policy game intervention to enhance collaboration in public health policymaking in three European countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spitters, H.P.E.M.; van Oers, J.A.M.; Sandu, P.; Lau, C.J.; Quanjel, M.; Dulf, D.; Chereches, R.; van de Goor, L.A.M.

2017-01-01

Background: One of the key elements to enhance the uptake of evidence in public health policies is stimulating cross-sector collaboration. An intervention stimulating collaboration is a policy game. The aim of this study was to describe the design and methods of the development process of the policy

Justifying the design and selection of literacy and thinking tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Whitehead

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Criteria for the design and selection of literacy and thinking tools that allow educators to justify what they do are described within a wider framework of learning theory and research into best practice. Based on a meta-analysis of best practice, results from a three year project designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a secondary school literacy initiative in New Zealand, together with recent research from cognitive and neuro-psychologists, it is argued that the design and selection of literacy and thinking tools used in elementary schools should be consistent with (i teaching focused (ii learner focused, (iii thought linked (iv neurologically consistent, (v subject specific, (vi text linked, (vii developmentally appropriate, and (viii assessment linked criteria.

Affect labeling enhances exposure effectiveness for public speaking anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Niles, Andrea N; Craske, Michelle G; Lieberman, Matthew D; Hur, Christopher

2015-05-01

Exposure is an effective treatment for anxiety but many patients do not respond fully. Affect labeling (labeling emotional experience) attenuates emotional responding. The current project examined whether affect labeling enhances exposure effectiveness in participants with public speaking anxiety. Participants were randomized to exposure with or without affect labeling. Physiological arousal and self-reported fear were assessed before and after exposure and compared between groups. Consistent with hypotheses, participants assigned to Affect Labeling, especially those who used more labels during exposure, showed greater reduction in physiological activation than Control participants. No effect was found for self-report measures. Also, greater emotion regulation deficits at baseline predicted more benefit in physiological arousal from exposure combined with affect labeling than exposure alone. The current research provides evidence that behavioral strategies that target prefrontal-amygdala circuitry can improve treatment effectiveness for anxiety and these effects are particularly pronounced for patients with the greatest deficits in emotion regulation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public accounting and its challenges: the case of Hungary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JOZSEF SIMON

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In a democratic state, citizens expect that those currently in power be obliged to justify the way they spend and manage public funds. The enforcement of accountability has several preconditions. At the same time, the accounting system constitutes one part of the public sector’s information system. Thus, studying the information system in a systematic manner is important. The information system must meet diverse needs. The present paper aims at showing those requirements. When considered in a comparative perspective, different public accountancy systems implemented internationally show different forms. Every country can decide in which area and how the cash-flow approach and accrual based accounting can be used. The purpose of this paper is to verify whether and how could the usage of accrual based accounting influence the public accounting methods and the functions of public accountancy.

Chernobyl: the effects on public health?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aurengo, A. [Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere, Dept. Nucleaire Medecine, 75 - Paris (France)

2003-07-01

Because of its public health, ecological and industrial consequences, the Chernobyl accident has become a myth which serves as the focus of many fears, justified or not. no one can question the seriousness of the event, but after fifteen years there is still no agreement about the effect it has had or will have on public health. For example, the total number of deaths attributed to Chernobyl varies from less than a hundred to several millions and congenital malformations from negligible to cataclysmic. Effects on public health may be calculated from data on contamination, from the dose received and from the risk, all three of which are likely to be very roughly known; or they may be evaluated on the spot, either by epidemiological studies or by examining medical registers. This report makes an inventory of the different risks and takes stock on them. (N.C.)

Chernobyl: the effects on public health?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aurengo, A.

2003-01-01

Because of its public health, ecological and industrial consequences, the Chernobyl accident has become a myth which serves as the focus of many fears, justified or not. no one can question the seriousness of the event, but after fifteen years there is still no agreement about the effect it has had or will have on public health. For example, the total number of deaths attributed to Chernobyl varies from less than a hundred to several millions and congenital malformations from negligible to cataclysmic. Effects on public health may be calculated from data on contamination, from the dose received and from the risk, all three of which are likely to be very roughly known; or they may be evaluated on the spot, either by epidemiological studies or by examining medical registers. This report makes an inventory of the different risks and takes stock on them. (N.C.)

Enhancing Public Access to Relevant and Valued Medical Information: Fresh Directions for RadiologyInfo.org.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, Geoffrey D; Krishnaraj, Arun; Mahesh, Mahadevappa; Rajendran, Ramji R; Fishman, Elliot K

2017-05-01

RadiologyInfo.org is a public information portal designed to support patient care and broaden public awareness of the essential role radiology plays in overall patient health care. Over the past 14 years, RadiologyInfo.org has evolved considerably to provide access to more than 220 mixed-media descriptions of tests, treatments, and diseases through a spectrum of mobile and desktop platforms, social media, and downloadable documents in both English and Spanish. In 2014, the RSNA-ACR Public Information Website Committee, which stewards RadiologyInfo.org, developed 3- to 5-year strategic and implementation plans for the website. The process was informed by RadiologyInfo.org user surveys, formal stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and usability testing. Metrics were established as key performance indicators to assess progress toward the stated goals of (1) optimizing content to enhance patient-centeredness, (2) enhancing reach and engagement, and (3) maintaining sustainability. Major changes resulting from this process include a complete redesign of the website, the replacement of text-rich PowerPoint presentations with conversational videos, and the development of an affiliate network. Over the past year, visits to RadiologyInfo.org have increased by 60.27% to 1,424,523 in August 2016 from 235 countries and territories. Twenty-two organizations have affiliated with RadiologyInfo.org with new organizations being added on a monthly basis. RadiologyInfo provides a tangible demonstration of how radiologists can engage directly with the global public to educate them on the value of radiology in their health care and to allay concerns and dispel misconceptions. Regular self-assessment and responsive planning will ensure its continued growth and relevance. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Framework for Developing the Structure of Public Health Economic Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, Hazel; Chilcott, James; Akehurst, Ronald; Burr, Jennifer; Kelly, Michael P

2016-01-01

A conceptual modeling framework is a methodology that assists modelers through the process of developing a model structure. Public health interventions tend to operate in dynamically complex systems. Modeling public health interventions requires broader considerations than clinical ones. Inappropriately simple models may lead to poor validity and credibility, resulting in suboptimal allocation of resources. This article presents the first conceptual modeling framework for public health economic evaluation. The framework presented here was informed by literature reviews of the key challenges in public health economic modeling and existing conceptual modeling frameworks; qualitative research to understand the experiences of modelers when developing public health economic models; and piloting a draft version of the framework. The conceptual modeling framework comprises four key principles of good practice and a proposed methodology. The key principles are that 1) a systems approach to modeling should be taken; 2) a documented understanding of the problem is imperative before and alongside developing and justifying the model structure; 3) strong communication with stakeholders and members of the team throughout model development is essential; and 4) a systematic consideration of the determinants of health is central to identifying the key impacts of public health interventions. The methodology consists of four phases: phase A, aligning the framework with the decision-making process; phase B, identifying relevant stakeholders; phase C, understanding the problem; and phase D, developing and justifying the model structure. Key areas for further research involve evaluation of the framework in diverse case studies and the development of methods for modeling individual and social behavior. This approach could improve the quality of Public Health economic models, supporting efficient allocation of scarce resources. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics

From smallpox eradication to contemporary global health initiatives: enhancing human capacity towards a global public health goal.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarantola, Daniel; Foster, Stanley O

2011-12-30

The eradication of smallpox owes its success first and foremost to the thousands of lay health workers and community members who, throughout the campaign and across continents, took on the roles of advocates, educators, vaccinators, care providers and contributors to epidemic surveillance and containment. Bangladesh provides a good example where smallpox eradication and the capacity enhancement needed to achieve this goal resulted in a two-way mutually beneficial process. Smallpox-dedicated staff provided community members with information guidance, support and tools. In turn, communities not only created the enabling environment for smallpox program staff to perform their work but acquired the capacity to perform essential eradication tasks. Contemporary global health programmes can learn much from these core lessons including: the pivotal importance of supporting community aspirations, capacity and resilience; the critical need to enhance commitment, capacity and accountability across the workforce; and the high value of attentive human resources management and support. We owe to subsequent global disease control, elimination and eradication ventures recognition of the need for social and behavioural science to inform public health strategies; the essential roles that civil society organizations and public-private partnerships can play in public health discourse and action; the overall necessity of investing in broad-based health system strengthening; and the utility of applying human rights principles, norms and standards to public health policy and practice. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of Public Management: Theory, Experience and Prospects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maksimchuk Olga Viktorovna

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The development can be seen as change any properties of the phenomenon over time. Preservation and modification of these properties are necessary for any development, but it must be observed them the necessary balance. Defining this balance in the system of public management as the basis of sustainability of socio-economic systems of different order - the problem is not completely solved by economics. The authors aim to justify the development of methodological approaches to public management, taking into account the specific socio-economic systems of various sizes; offer practical solutions and outline prospects along the way. Methodological basis of research was interdisciplinary and systemic approaches. Scientific results have theoretical and practical and can be applied in the process of scientific substantiation of decisions of public management in a variety of missions.

A Scandinavian Public Transport Model? Reform Changes in Denmark, Sweden and Norway

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansson, Lisa; Lissandrello, Enza; Næss, Petter

2017-01-01

Scandinavian public transport, especially aspects of how the Scandinavian countries (i.e., Sweden, Denmark, and Norway) have created governing structures for a cohesive public transport system, is often cited positively in international research. Scandinavia is often treated as a homogeneous unit...... in public transport research, which sometimes refers to the “Scandinavian model of public transport”. It is not uncommon for conclusions regarding Scandinavian countries to be based on analyses of just one country. Is there actually such a thing as a Scandinavian model of public transport? All around Europe...... the public transport sector is changing, taking public transport governance in various directions. This paper provides an overview of the changes and similarities in public transport governance in Scandinavian countries from the 1970s to 2012, discussing whether it is justifiable to speak of a Scandinavian...

Developing a university-workforce partnership to address rural and frontier MCH training needs: the Rocky Mountain Public Health Education Consortium (RMPHEC).

Science.gov (United States)

Taren, Douglas L; Varela, Frances; Dotson, Jo Ann W; Eden, Joan; Egger, Marlene; Harper, John; Johnson, Rhonda; Kennedy, Kathy; Kent, Helene; Muramoto, Myra; Peacock, Jane C; Roberts, Richard; Sjolander, Sheila; Streeter, Nan; Velarde, Lily; Hill, Anne

2011-10-01

The objective of the article is to provide the socio-cultural, political, economic, and geographic conditions that justified a regional effort for training maternal and child health (MCH) professionals in the Rocky Mountain region, describe a historical account of factors that led to the development of the Rocky Mountain Public Health Education Consortium (RMPHEC), and present RMPHEC as a replicable model developed to enhance practice/academic partnerships among state, tribal, and public health agencies and universities to enhance public health capacity and MCH outcomes. This article provides a description of the development of the RMPHEC, the impetus that drove the Consortium's development, the process used to create it, and its management and programs. Beginning in 1997, local, regional, and federal efforts encouraged stronger MCH training and continuing education in the Rocky Mountain Region. By 1998, the RMPHEC was established to respond to the growing needs of MCH professionals in the region by enhancing workforce development through various programs, including the MCH Certificate Program, MCH Institutes, and distance learning products as well as establishing a place for professionals and MCH agencies to discuss new ideas and opportunities for the region. Finally over the last decade local, state, regional, and federal efforts have encouraged a synergy of MCH resources, opportunities, and training within the region because of the health disparities among MCH populations in the region. The RMPHEC was founded to provide training and continuing education to MCH professionals in the region and as a venue to bring regional MCH organizations together to discuss current opportunities and challenges. RMPHEC is a consortium model that can be replicated in other underserved regions, looking to strengthen MCH training and continuing education.

Enhancing public involvement in assistive technology design research.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Tracey; Kenney, Laurence; Barker, Anthony T; Cooper, Glen; Good, Tim; Healey, Jamie; Heller, Ben; Howard, David; Matthews, Martin; Prenton, Sarah; Ryan, Julia; Smith, Christine

2015-05-01

To appraise the application of accepted good practice guidance on public involvement in assistive technology research and to identify its impact on the research team, the public, device and trial design. Critical reflection and within-project evaluation were undertaken in a case study of the development of a functional electrical stimulation device. Individual and group interviews were undertaken with lay members of a 10 strong study user advisory group and also research team members. Public involvement was seen positively by research team members, who reported a positive impact on device and study designs. The public identified positive impact on confidence, skills, self-esteem, enjoyment, contribution to improving the care of others and opportunities for further involvement in research. A negative impact concerned the challenge of engaging the public in dissemination after the study end. The public were able to impact significantly on the design of an assistive technology device which was made more fit for purpose. Research team attitudes to public involvement were more positive after having witnessed its potential first hand. Within-project evaluation underpins this case study which presents a much needed detailed account of public involvement in assistive technology design research to add to the existing weak evidence base. The evidence base for impact of public involvement in rehabilitation technology design is in need of development. Public involvement in co-design of rehabilitation devices can lead to technologies that are fit for purpose. Rehabilitation researchers need to consider the merits of active public involvement in research.

Pills or push-ups? Effectiveness and public perception of pharmacological and non-pharmacological cognitive enhancement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucius eCaviola

2015-12-01

Full Text Available We review work on the effectiveness of different forms of cognitive enhancement, both pharmacological and non-pharmacological. We consider caffeine, methylphenidate, and modafinil for pharmacological cognitive enhancement (PCE and computer training, physical exercise, and sleep for non-pharmacological cognitive enhancement (NPCE. We find that all of the techniques described can produce significant beneficial effects on cognitive performance. However, effect sizes are moderate, and consistently dependent on individual and situational factors as well as the cognitive domain in question. Although meta-analyses allowing a quantitative comparison of effectiveness across techniques are lacking to date, we can conclude that PCE is not more effective than NPCE. We discuss the physiological reasons for this limited effectiveness.We then propose that even though their actual effectiveness seems similar, in the general public PCE is perceived as fundamentally different from NPCE, in terms of effectiveness, but also in terms of acceptability. We illustrate the potential consequences such a misperception of PCE can have.

When is deliberate killing of young children justified? Indigenous interpretations of infanticide in Bolivia.

Science.gov (United States)

de Hilari, Caroline; Condori, Irma; Dearden, Kirk A

2009-01-01

In the Andes, as elsewhere, infanticide is a difficult challenge that remains largely undocumented and misunderstood. From January to March 2004 we used community-based vital event surveillance systems, discussions with health staff, ethnographic interviews, and focus group discussions among Aymara men and women from two geographically distinct sites in the Andes of Bolivia to provide insights into the practice of infanticide. We noted elevated mortality at both sites. In one location, suspected causes of infanticide were especially high for girls. We also observed that community members maintain beliefs that justify infanticide under certain circumstances. Among the Aymara, justification for infanticide was both biological (deformities and twinship) and social (illegitimate birth, family size and poverty). Communities generally did not condemn killing when reasons for doing so were biological, but the taking of life for social reasons was rarely justified. In this cultural context, strategies to address the challenge of infanticide should include education of community members about alternatives to infanticide. At a program level, planners and implementers should target ethnic groups with high levels of infanticide and train health care workers to detect and address multiple warning signs for infanticide (for example, domestic violence and child maltreatment) as well as proxies for infant neglect and abuse such as mother/infant separation and bottle use.

Public health metaphors in Australian policy on asylum seekers.

Science.gov (United States)

Koutroulis, Glenda

2009-02-01

To analyse the way in which a public health metaphor has been incorporated into Australian political practice to justify the exclusion or mistreatment of unwelcome non-citizens, giving particular attention to recent asylum seekers. Starting with a personal experience of working in an immigration detention centre and then drawing on media reports and published scholarship, I critique political rhetoric and policy on asylum seekers, arguing that the significance of a public health metaphor lies in its effectiveness in persuading the public that refugees and asylum seekers are a moral contaminant that threatens the nation and has to be contained. Acceptance of the metaphor sanctions humanly degrading inferences, policies and actions. Public health professionals therefore have a responsibility to challenge the political use of public health and associated metaphors. Substituting the existing metaphor for one that is more morally acceptable could help to redefine refugees and asylum seekers more positively and promote compassion in political leaders and the community.

Enhancing biomedical design with design thinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Kemnitzer, Ronald; Dorsa, Ed

2009-01-01

The development of biomedical equipment is justifiably focused on making products that "work." However, this approach leaves many of the people affected by these designs (operators, patients, etc.) with little or no representation when it comes to the design of these products. Industrial design is a "user focused" profession which takes into account the needs of diverse groups when making design decisions. The authors propose that biomedical equipment design can be enhanced, made more user and patient "friendly" by adopting the industrial design approach to researching, analyzing, and ultimately designing biomedical products.

Some aspects of public associations’ participation in implementing public control at municipal level

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roman V. Gornev

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Objective to clarify the status of public associations as subjects of public control and to analyze the problems of participation of citizens 39 associations in conducting public expertise and public audits. Methods the methodology of research includes general scientific methods such as dialectic method. Specific jurisprudence methods of scientific cognition have also been used. Systematic method was used for the analysis of forms of public control by citizens39 associations at the municipal level. The principle of scientific objectivity has allowed for a comprehensive and objective analysis of the factual material the totality of factors affecting the interaction of public associations with local authorities in the implementation of public control. The formallegal method allowed to analyze the normativelegal acts to reveal the signs of fixing of such public control forms as public expertise and public audit. In the present study other research methods were also applied allowing to study the theme in detail. Results the study identified the lack of legal regulation of the legal status of public associations as subjects of public control as well as some forms of public control. The additions to the list of subjects of public control by public associations were proposed as well as improvements in the implementation of public expertise and public audit by the citizens39 associations as forms of social control. Scientific novelty the author found a lack of regulation of public associationsrsquo participation in some forms of social control and justified proposals for their improvement from a scientific point of view. Practical significance the possibility to apply the research results in legislative activity aimed at improving the provisions of the Federal Laws quotOn fundamentals of public control in the Russian Federationquot and quotOn the general principles of local selfgovernment organization in the Russian Federationquot. In addition the

Enhancing public access to legal information : A proposal for a new official legal information generic top-level domain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mitee, Leesi Ebenezer

2017-01-01

Abstract: This article examines the use of a new legal information generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) as a viable tool for easy identification of official legal information websites (OLIWs) and enhancing global public access to their resources. This intervention is necessary because of the existence of

Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment: A Research-Based Pedagogy for Teaching Science with Classroom Response Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Beatty, Ian D.; Gerace, William J.

2009-01-01

"Classroom response systems" (CRSs) are a promising instructional technology, but most literature on CRS use fails to distinguish between technology and pedagogy, to define and justify a pedagogical perspective, or to discriminate between pedagogies. "Technology-enhanced formative assessment" (TEFA) is our pedagogy for CRS-based science…

Institutional delivery in India, 2004-14: unravelling the equity-enhancing contributions of the public sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Joe, William; Perkins, Jessica M; Kumar, Saroj; Rajpal, Sunil; Subramanian, S V

2018-06-01

To achieve faster and equitable improvements in maternal and child health outcomes, the government of India launched the National Rural Health Mission in 2005. This paper describes the equity-enhancing role of the public sector in increasing use of institutional delivery care services in India between 2004 and 2014. Information on 24 661 births from nationally representative survey data for 2004 and 2014 is analysed. Concentration index is computed to describe socioeconomic-rank-related relative inequalities in institutional delivery and decomposition is used to assess the contributions of public and private sectors in overall socioeconomic inequality. Multilevel logistic regression is applied to examine the changes in socioeconomic gradient between 2004 and 2014. The analysis finds that utilization of institutional delivery care in India increased from 43% in 2004 to 83% in 2014. The bulk of the increase was in public sector use (21% in 2004 to 53% in 2014) with a modest increase in private sector use (22% in 2004 to 30% in 2014). The shift from a pro-rich to pro-poor distribution of public sector use is confirmed. Decomposition analysis indicates that 51% of these reductions in socioeconomic inequality are associated with improved pro-poor distribution of public sector births. Multilevel logistic regressions confirm the disappearance of a wealth-based gradient in public sector births between 2004 and 2014. We conclude that public health investments in India have significantly contributed towards an equitable increase in the coverage of institutional delivery care. Sustained policy efforts are necessary, however, with an emphasis on education, sociocultural and geographical factors to ensure universal coverage of institutional delivery care services in India.

Assess and enhance public trust

Science.gov (United States)

Patricia Winter; James Absher; Alan Watson

2007-01-01

Trust is a form of social capital, facilitating effective land management, communication and collaboration. Although trust in the Forest Service is at least moderately high for most publics, evidence of a lack of trust and outright distrust has been found in some communities. However, the amount, types, and conditions of trust necessary for effective management to...

Algorithms for enhancing public health utility of national causes-of-death data

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Pourmalek Farshad

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Coverage and quality of cause-of-death (CoD data varies across countries and time. Valid, reliable, and comparable assessments of trends in causes of death from even the best systems are limited by three problems: a changes in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD over time; b the use of tabulation lists where substantial detail on causes of death is lost; and c many deaths assigned to causes that cannot or should not be considered underlying causes of death, often called garbage codes (GCs. The Global Burden of Disease Study and the World Health Organization have developed various methods to enhance comparability of CoD data. In this study, we attempt to build on these approaches to enhance the utility of national cause-of-death data for public health analysis. Methods Based on careful consideration of 4,434 country-years of CoD data from 145 countries from 1901 to 2008, encompassing 743 million deaths in ICD versions 1 to 10 as well as country-specific cause lists, we have developed a public health-oriented cause-of-death list. These 56 causes are organized hierarchically and encompass all deaths. Each cause has been mapped from ICD-6 to ICD-10 and, where possible, they have also been mapped to the International List of Causes of Death 1-5. We developed a typology of different classes of GCs. In each ICD revision, GCs have been identified. Target causes to which these GCs should be redistributed have been identified based on certification practice and/or pathophysiology. Proportionate redistribution, statistical models, and expert algorithms have been developed to redistribute GCs to target codes for each age-sex group. Results The fraction of all deaths assigned to GCs varies tremendously across countries and revisions of the ICD. In general, across all country-years of data available, GCs have declined from more than 43% in ICD-7 to 24% in ICD-10. In some regions, such

Leveraging human capital to reduce maternal mortality in India: enhanced public health system or public-private partnership?

Science.gov (United States)

Krupp, Karl; Madhivanan, Purnima

2009-02-27

Developing countries are currently struggling to achieve the Millennium Development Goal Five of reducing maternal mortality by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. Many health systems are facing acute shortages of health workers needed to provide improved prenatal care, skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric services - interventions crucial to reducing maternal death. The World Health Organization estimates a current deficit of almost 2.4 million doctors, nurses and midwives. Complicating matters further, health workforces are typically concentrated in large cities, while maternal mortality is generally higher in rural areas. Additionally, health care systems are faced with shortages of specialists such as anaesthesiologists, surgeons and obstetricians; a maldistribution of health care infrastructure; and imbalances between the public and private health care sectors. Increasingly, policy-makers have been turning to human resource strategies to cope with staff shortages. These include enhancement of existing work roles; substitution of one type of worker for another; delegation of functions up or down the traditional role ladder; innovation in designing new jobs;transfer or relocation of particular roles or services from one health care sector to another. Innovations have been funded through state investment, public-private partnerships and collaborations with nongovernmental organizations and quasi-governmental organizations such as the World Bank. This paper focuses on how two large health systems in India--Gujarat and Tamil Nadu--have successfully applied human resources strategies in uniquely different contexts to the challenges of achieving Millennium Development Goal Five.

Leveraging human capital to reduce maternal mortality in India: enhanced public health system or public-private partnership?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madhivanan Purnima

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Developing countries are currently struggling to achieve the Millennium Development Goal Five of reducing maternal mortality by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. Many health systems are facing acute shortages of health workers needed to provide improved prenatal care, skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric services – interventions crucial to reducing maternal death. The World Health Organization estimates a current deficit of almost 2.4 million doctors, nurses and midwives. Complicating matters further, health workforces are typically concentrated in large cities, while maternal mortality is generally higher in rural areas. Additionally, health care systems are faced with shortages of specialists such as anaesthesiologists, surgeons and obstetricians; a maldistribution of health care infrastructure; and imbalances between the public and private health care sectors. Increasingly, policy-makers have been turning to human resource strategies to cope with staff shortages. These include enhancement of existing work roles; substitution of one type of worker for another; delegation of functions up or down the traditional role ladder; innovation in designing new jobs;transfer or relocation of particular roles or services from one health care sector to another. Innovations have been funded through state investment, public-private partnerships and collaborations with nongovernmental organizations and quasi-governmental organizations such as the World Bank. This paper focuses on how two large health systems in India – Gujarat and Tamil Nadu – have successfully applied human resources strategies in uniquely different contexts to the challenges of achieving Millennium Development Goal Five.

76 FR 40755 - Impact of Reduced Dose Limits on NRC Licensed Activities; Solicitation of Public Comment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-11

... scientifically justified, to achieve greater alignment with the 2007 recommendations of the International... and image files of the NRC's public documents. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are... informed of all the benefits and burdens associated with further alignment of NRC's current radiation...

Public Sector Wage Growth in Alberta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ken Boessenkool

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, Alberta’s fiscal stance has shifted from large surpluses to deficits, and a large part of the blame appears to be due to rising public sector salaries. Since 2000, the province’s public sector wage bill has shot up by 119 percent — almost double the rate of growth in the rest of Canada. Wages, previously roughly at par with the rest of the country, are now higher (in many cases very substantially across all public sector categories, including health care, social services, education and government, consuming 95 percent of the increase in provincial revenues over the past decade. At the same time, the number of public sector employees has grown faster than the overall population; it is difficult to attribute this sharp uptick to a rise in productivity, or the need to compete with private industry for skilled workers. This paper breaks down the increases in every category, arguing that if the provincial government is looking to trim expenditures, public sector salaries are a good place to start. The authors make their case using detailed Statistics Canada data, throwing down the gauntlet to defenders of the status quo and challenging them to justify these disparate increases.

Enhancing public health practice through a capacity-building educational programme: an evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Negandhi, Preeti; Negandhi, Himanshu; Sharma, Kavya; Wild, Sarah; Zodpey, Sanjay

2015-05-13

The Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Health Management, launched by the Govt. of India under the aegis of the National Rural Health Mission in 2008, aims to enhance the managerial capabilities of public health professionals to improve the public health system. The Govt. of India invested enormous resources into this programme and requested an evaluation to understand the current processes, assess the graduates' work performance and identify areas for improvement. Quantitative telephone surveys as well as qualitative in-depth interviews were used. Graduates from the first three batches, their supervisors, peers and subordinates and faculty members were interviewed. Quantitative data were analysed using proportions, means and interpretative descriptions. Qualitative analyses involved transcription, translation, sorting, coding and filing into domains. Of the 363 graduates whose contact details were available, 138 could not be contacted. Two hundred twenty-three (223) graduates (61.43% of eligible participants) were interviewed by telephone; 52 in-depth interviews were conducted. Of the graduates who joined, 63.8% graduates were motivated to join the programme for career advancement and gaining public health knowledge. The content was theoretically good, informative and well-designed. Graduates expressed need for more practical and group work. After graduating, they reported being equipped with some new skills to implement programmes effectively. They reported that attitudes and healthcare delivery practices had improved; they had better self-esteem, increased confidence, better communication skills and implementation capacity. While they were able to apply some skills, they encountered some barriers, such as governance, placements, lack of support from the system and community, inadequate implementation authority and lack of planning by the state government. Incentives (both monetary and non-monetary) played a major role in motivating them to deliver public health

Calculation-experimental method justifies the life of wagons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Валерія Сергіївна Воропай

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The article proposed a method to evaluate the technical state of tank wagons operating in chemical industry. An algorithm for evaluation the technical state of tank wagons was developed, that makes it possible on the basis of diagnosis and analysis of current condition to justify a further period of operation. The complex of works on testing the tanks and mathematical models for calculations of the design strength and reliability were proposed. The article is devoted to solving the problem of effective exploitation of the working fleet of tank wagons. Opportunities for further exploitation of cars, the complex of works on the assessment of their technical state and the calculation of the resources have been proposed in the article. Engineering research of the chemical industries park has reduced the shortage of the rolling stock for transportation of ammonia. The analysis of the chassis numerous faults and the main elements of tank wagons supporting structure after 20 years of exploitation was made. The algorithm of determining the residual life of the specialized tank wagons operating in an industrial plant has been proposed. The procedure for resource conservation of tank wagons carrying cargo under high pressure was first proposed. The improved procedure for identifying residual life proposed in the article has both theoretical and practical importance

The global spread of Zika virus: is public and media concern justified in regions currently unaffected?

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Narayan Gyawali; Richard S.Bradbury; Andrew W.Taylor-Robinson

2016-01-01

Background:Zika virus,an Aedes mosquito-borne flavivirus,is fast becoming a worldwide public health concern following its suspected association with over 4000 recent cases of microcephaly among newborn infants in Brazil.Discussion:Prior to its emergence in Latin America in 2015-2016,Zika was known to exist at a relatively low prevalence in parts of Africa,Asia and the Pacific islands.An extension of its apparent global dispersion may be enabled by climate conditions suitable to support the population growth ofA.aegypti and A.albopictus mosquitoes over an expanding geographical range.In addition,increased globalisation continues to pose a risk for the spread of infection.Further,suspicions of alternative modes of virus transmission (sexual and vertical),if proven,provide a platform for outbreaks in mosquito non-endemic regions as well.Since a vaccine or anti-viral therapy is not yet available,current means of disease prevention involve protection from mosquito bites,excluding pregnant females from travelling to Zika-endemic territories,and practicing safe sex in those countries.Importantly,in countries where Zika is reported as endemic,caution is advised in planning to conceive a baby until such time as the apparent association between infection with the virus and microcephaly is either confirmed or refuted.The question arises as to what advice is appropriate to give in more economically developed countries distant to the current epidemic and in which Zika has not yet been reported.Summary:Despite understandable concern among the general public that has been fuelled by the media,in regions where Zika is not present,such as North America,Europe and Australia,at this time any outbreak (initiated by an infected traveler returning from an endemic area) would very probably be contained locally.Since Aedes spp.has very limited spatial dispersal,overlapping high population densities of mosquitoes and humans would be needed to sustain a focus of infection.However,as A

The global spread of Zika virus: is public and media concern justified in regions currently unaffected?

Science.gov (United States)

Gyawali, Narayan; Bradbury, Richard S; Taylor-Robinson, Andrew W

2016-04-19

Zika virus, an Aedes mosquito-borne flavivirus, is fast becoming a worldwide public health concern following its suspected association with over 4000 recent cases of microcephaly among newborn infants in Brazil. Prior to its emergence in Latin America in 2015-2016, Zika was known to exist at a relatively low prevalence in parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific islands. An extension of its apparent global dispersion may be enabled by climate conditions suitable to support the population growth of A. aegypti and A. albopictus mosquitoes over an expanding geographical range. In addition, increased globalisation continues to pose a risk for the spread of infection. Further, suspicions of alternative modes of virus transmission (sexual and vertical), if proven, provide a platform for outbreaks in mosquito non-endemic regions as well. Since a vaccine or anti-viral therapy is not yet available, current means of disease prevention involve protection from mosquito bites, excluding pregnant females from travelling to Zika-endemic territories, and practicing safe sex in those countries. Importantly, in countries where Zika is reported as endemic, caution is advised in planning to conceive a baby until such time as the apparent association between infection with the virus and microcephaly is either confirmed or refuted. The question arises as to what advice is appropriate to give in more economically developed countries distant to the current epidemic and in which Zika has not yet been reported. Despite understandable concern among the general public that has been fuelled by the media, in regions where Zika is not present, such as North America, Europe and Australia, at this time any outbreak (initiated by an infected traveler returning from an endemic area) would very probably be contained locally. Since Aedes spp. has very limited spatial dispersal, overlapping high population densities of mosquitoes and humans would be needed to sustain a focus of infection. However, as A

Significant differences between the Nordic laws on public access to documents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Oluf

2017-01-01

Transparency and public access to information work as a check on the exercise of power and the existence of corruption. In Sweden the constitutional right of access to documents is justified precisely by its contribution to democracy, the rule of law and efficiency in the public administration....... The wide access to information in today’s world also makes possible the publication of personal information about individuals’ private life in an unprecedented way. Does this mean that the relative importance of the protection of privacy has to be strengthened at the cost of access to information? What...... will be the impact of the developing information and communication technology on access to information? The right of access to documents has traditionally been discussed on the level of domestic administration but when public administration is internationalised the issue of access to documents makes itself felt also...

Public safety investigations-A new evolutionary step in safety enhancement?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoop, John; Roed-Larsen, Sverre

2009-01-01

A historical overview highlights the evolutionary nature of developments in accident investigations in the transport industry. Based on a series of major events outside transportation, the concept of accident investigations has broadened to other domains and to a widening of the scope of the investigation. Consequently, existing investigation boards are forced to adapt their mandates, missions and methods. With the introduction of social risk perception and application of the concept of safety investigation in the public sector, a change of focus towards the aftermath and non-technical issues of a more generic nature emerges. This expansion has also gained the interest of social sciences and public governance, generating new underlying models and theories on risk and responsibility. The evolutionary development of safety investigations is demonstrated by the various organisational forms which shaped accident investigations in different countries. Underneath these organisational differences, a need for a common methodology and a reflection on fundamental notions is discussed. In particular differences among human operator models, the allocation of responsibilities in design concepts and methodological issue are elaborated. The needs and opportunities for a transition from accident prevention towards systems change are indicated. At present, the situation is ambiguous. An encompassing inventory can only provide a general oversight over emerging trends and lacks analytic rigor on specific topics. The societal dimensions, institutional changes at the level of governance and control and the powers that advocate or challenge investigations are not yet fully described. Therefore, in the conclusions a small number of critical challenges and threats are identified that should be open to scrutiny in order to facilitate a new, evolutionary step in safety enhancement.

Public Sector Reforms: New Public Management without Marketization?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Löfgren, Karl; Pedersen, John Storm

2012-01-01

Is it possible to imagine New Public Management without marketization? In Denmark the present liberal-conservative Government has, throughout its 10 years in power, designed and implemented more than 15 major management reforms in the public sector. Although most of the reforms are rhetorically...... firmly rooted in neo-liberal ideologies they have, in practice, promoted tools and mechanisms of the “traditional,” or Old, Public Management. Based on an empirical study of the reforms, we suggest that the notion of “pragmatic” New Public Management is introduced to enhance the current understanding...... of New Public Management in the Western industrialized societies....

Linking NASA Environmental Data with a National Public Health Cohort Study and a CDC On-Line System to Enhance Public Health Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hamdan, Mohammad; Crosson, William; Economou, Sigrid; Estes, Maurice, Jr.; Estes, Sue; Hemmings, Sarah; Kent, Shia; Puckett, Mark; Quattrochi, Dale; Wade, Gina;

The Interoperability between the Public and Private Sectors in Light of Adult Education. Supplements to the Planned Downsizing in the Public Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Megyesi Csilla

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The current study is a result of the Hungarian government’s aspiration to cut bureaucracy and increase public administration’s efficiency, thus impacting personnel and reorganizing the labour market. The public-sector headcount reduction is being justified in terms of Hungary’s inadequate private-/public-sector employment ratio. This reorganization can come to fruition only via the development of intellectual capital and a well-designed system for retraining and further education. In cases of retraining and further education offered by the state, we must be wary of generational differences and possible motivations, while also keeping in mind the influence education can have on the market, society, and the individual. Our research has shown that the demand for a given type of instruction is also influenced by the generational differences among those who wish to learn. Overall, our respondents showed an interest in learning.

Fiscal Sustainability, Public Investment, and Growth in Natural Resource-Rich, Low-Income Countries; The Case of Cameroon

OpenAIRE

Issouf Samaké; Priscilla S Muthoora; Bruno Versailles

2013-01-01

This paper assesses the implications of the use of oil revenue for public investment on growth and fiscal sustainability in Cameroon. We develop a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model to analyze the effects of such investment on growth and on the path of key fiscal indicators, such as the non-oil primary deficit and public debt. Policy scenarios show that Cameroon’s large infrastructural needs and relatively low current debt levels could justify a temporary deviation from traditional ...

ASPIRE: Teachers and researchers working together to enhance student learning

Science.gov (United States)

Yager, P. L.; Garay, D. L.; Warburton, J.

2016-02-01

Given the impact of human activities on the ocean, involving teachers, students, and their families in scientific inquiry has never been more important. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines have become key focus areas in the education community of the United States. Newly adopted across the nation, Next Generation Science Standards require that educators embrace innovative approaches to teaching. Transforming classrooms to actively engage students through a combination of knowledge and practice develops conceptual understanding and application skills. The partnerships between researchers and educators during the Amundsen Sea Polynya International Research Expedition (ASPIRE) offer an example of how academic research can enhance K-12 student learning. In this presentation, we illustrate how ASPIRE teacher-scientist partnerships helped engage students with actual and virtual authentic scientific investigations. Scientists benefit from teacher/researcher collaborations as well, as funding for scientific research also depends on effective communication between scientists and the public. While contributing to broader impacts needed to justify federal funding, scientists also benefit by having their research explained in ways that the broader public can understand: collaborations with teachers produce classroom lessons and published work that generate interest in the scientists' research specifically and in marine science in general. Researchers can also learn from their education partners about more effective teaching strategies that can be transferred to the college level. Researchers who work with teachers in turn gain perspectives on the constraints that teachers and students face in the pre-college classroom. Crosscutting concepts of research in polar marine science can serve as intellectual tools to connect important ideas about ocean and climate science for the public good.

Enhancing local distinctiveness fosters public acceptance of tidal energy: A UK case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devine-Wright, Patrick

2011-01-01

Tidal energy has the technical potential to form part of a low carbon electricity sector, however, its 'social potential' is less clear, as few empirical studies of public beliefs and responses have been conducted to date. This research addressed this gap by investigating a tidal energy convertor in Northern Ireland, said to be the first grid-connected device of its kind in the world. Data was collected from 313 residents of two nearby villages using mixed methods, guided by a conceptual framework that avoided 'NIMBY' assumptions and instead drew on place theory. Findings indicated strong support for the project, arising from beliefs that the project enhanced local distinctiveness by 'putting the area on the map worldwide'; appeared visually familiar and helped tackle climate change. These positive beliefs outweighed concerns about outcome and process aspects, which were preponderant in one of the two villages. The project was interpreted to have few positive local economic outcomes, to potentially threaten local livelihoods and local ecology. Moreover, residents expressed cynicism about consultation procedures, and reported low levels of behavioural engagement. Implications of the findings for the literature on public acceptance of renewable energy, and for the emerging marine energy sector specifically, are discussed.

Is the publication of exit poll results morally permissible?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sønderholm, Jørn

2016-01-01

This article is about exit polls. It addresses the question of whether or not it is morally permissible to publish exit poll results. The conclusion of the article is that an affirmative answer should be given to this question. In section 2, the master argument in favor of the moral permissibility...... of the publication of exit poll results is introduced. This is a strong argument. It is, however, argued that it might be the case that the conclusion of this argument should be rejected if there are other, and weightier, arguments against the idea that the publication of exit poll results is morally permissible....... In section 3, the strongest arguments against the moral permissibility of the publication of exit poll results are outlined and discussed. The conclusion of this section is that all these arguments fail in their intended purpose. The conclusion of the article is therefore justified....

HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis and Condomless Sex: Disentangling Personal Values From Public Health Priorities.

Science.gov (United States)

Calabrese, Sarah K; Underhill, Kristen; Mayer, Kenneth H

2017-10-01

Daily HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective form of HIV protection that remains unknown and inaccessible for many people in the United States despite receiving federal approval over five years ago. PrEP is supported by the public health community, but forgoing condoms while taking PrEP has proven controversial; this controversy may be contributing to the lag in PrEP uptake. We argue that limiting PrEP access based on anticipated or actual sexual behavior contradicts the goals of public health research and practice and is not scientifically justified. As evidence for the effectiveness of novel forms of biomedical HIV protection emerges, public health professionals need to accept new definitions of "protected sex" and ensure that their personal values do not override empirical evidence when determining public health priorities.

An Enhanced Secure Identity-Based Certificateless Public Key Authentication Scheme for Vehicular Sensor Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Congcong; Zhang, Xi; Wang, Haiping; Li, Dongfeng

2018-01-11

Vehicular sensor networks have been widely applied in intelligent traffic systems in recent years. Because of the specificity of vehicular sensor networks, they require an enhanced, secure and efficient authentication scheme. Existing authentication protocols are vulnerable to some problems, such as a high computational overhead with certificate distribution and revocation, strong reliance on tamper-proof devices, limited scalability when building many secure channels, and an inability to detect hardware tampering attacks. In this paper, an improved authentication scheme using certificateless public key cryptography is proposed to address these problems. A security analysis of our scheme shows that our protocol provides an enhanced secure anonymous authentication, which is resilient against major security threats. Furthermore, the proposed scheme reduces the incidence of node compromise and replication attacks. The scheme also provides a malicious-node detection and warning mechanism, which can quickly identify compromised static nodes and immediately alert the administrative department. With performance evaluations, the scheme can obtain better trade-offs between security and efficiency than the well-known available schemes.

An Enhanced Secure Identity-Based Certificateless Public Key Authentication Scheme for Vehicular Sensor Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Congcong; Zhang, Xi; Wang, Haiping; Li, Dongfeng

2018-01-01

Vehicular sensor networks have been widely applied in intelligent traffic systems in recent years. Because of the specificity of vehicular sensor networks, they require an enhanced, secure and efficient authentication scheme. Existing authentication protocols are vulnerable to some problems, such as a high computational overhead with certificate distribution and revocation, strong reliance on tamper-proof devices, limited scalability when building many secure channels, and an inability to detect hardware tampering attacks. In this paper, an improved authentication scheme using certificateless public key cryptography is proposed to address these problems. A security analysis of our scheme shows that our protocol provides an enhanced secure anonymous authentication, which is resilient against major security threats. Furthermore, the proposed scheme reduces the incidence of node compromise and replication attacks. The scheme also provides a malicious-node detection and warning mechanism, which can quickly identify compromised static nodes and immediately alert the administrative department. With performance evaluations, the scheme can obtain better trade-offs between security and efficiency than the well-known available schemes. PMID:29324719

Enhancement and knowledge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cinzia Talamo

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Many issues related to enhancement strategies emerge nowadays both from the scenario offered by public real estates and from the current processes of conveyance of public assets to local authorities. On one hand it is still difficult, from a strategic point of view, to approach in the medium-long term the chronic problems of the public estates due to deterioration, obsolescence and organizational inadequacy. On the other hand there is the risk that inadequate levels of knowledge lead on one side to a prevalence of the binomial enhancement-alienation and on the other side to a lack of full comprehension of the actual potentialities of the existing assets. In this direction it is possible to analyze the topic of enhancement through, among many, the key of knowledge during the lifecycle of a building.

Laboratory experiments cannot be utilized to justify the action of early streamer emission terminals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becerra, Marley; Cooray, Vernon

2008-01-01

The early emission of streamers in laboratory long air gaps under switching impulses has been observed to reduce the time of initiation of leader positive discharges. This fact has been arbitrarily extrapolated by the manufacturers of early streamer emission devices to the case of upward connecting leaders initiated under natural lightning conditions, in support of those non-conventional terminals that claim to perform better than Franklin lightning rods. In order to discuss the physical basis and validity of these claims, a self-consistent model based on the physics of leader discharges is used to simulate the performance of lightning rods in the laboratory and under natural lightning conditions. It is theoretically shown that the initiation of early streamers can indeed lead to the early initiation of self-propagating positive leaders in laboratory long air gaps under switching voltages. However, this is not the case for positive connecting leaders initiated from the same lightning rod under the influence of the electric field produced by a downward moving stepped leader. The time evolution of the development of positive leaders under natural conditions is different from the case in the laboratory, where the leader inception condition is closely dependent upon the initiation of the first streamer burst. Our study shows that the claimed similarity between the performance of lightning rods under switching electric fields applied in the laboratory and under the electric field produced by a descending stepped leader is not justified. Thus, the use of existing laboratory results to validate the performance of the early streamer lightning rods under natural conditions is not justified

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Earth Science Applications Program: Exploring Partnerships to Enhance Decision Making in Public Health Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Vann, Timi S.; Venezia, Robert A.

2002-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Earth Science Enterprise is engaged in applications of NASA Earth science and remote sensing technologies for public health. Efforts are focused on establishing partnerships with those agencies and organizations that have responsibility for protecting the Nation's Health. The program's goal is the integration of NASA's advanced data and technology for enhanced decision support in the areas of disease surveillance and environmental health. A focused applications program, based on understanding partner issues and requirements, has the potential to significantly contribute to more informed decision making in public health practice. This paper intends to provide background information on NASA's investment in public health and is a call for partnership with the larger practice community.

PUBLIC MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION OF EASTERN SLAVONIA

OpenAIRE

Ruza Brcic; Ivan Malbasic

2013-01-01

For decades public administration has been considered a public issue in its own right, or even a causal factor of public issues. It is perceived as an inert and inflexible system that operates in a way that neither its practices nor its effects are transparent. With the aim of enhancing the eff ectiveness of public administration attempts have been made to redefi ne the role of the state and reform public administration and public management in accordance with that new role of the state, whic...

Is development of geothermal energy resource in Macedonia justified or not?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popovski, Kiril; Popovska Vasilevska, Sanja

2007-01-01

During the 80-ies of last century, Macedonia has been one of the world leaders in development of direct application of geothermal energy. During a period of only 6-7 years a participation of 0,7% in the State energy balance has been reached. However, situation has been changed during the last 20 years and the development of this energy resource has been not only stopped but some of the existing projects have been abandoned leading to regression. This situation is illogical, due the fact that it practically proved of being technically feasible and absolutely economically justified. A summary of the present situation with geothermal projects in Macedonia is made in the paper, and possibilities for their improvement and possibilities and justifications for development of new resources foreseen. Final conclusion is that the development of direct application of geothermal energy in Macedonia offer (in comparison with other renewable energy resources) the best energy and economic effects. (Author)

Regulating public space on the beachfronts of Rio de Janeiro.

Science.gov (United States)

Godfrey, Brian J; Arguinzoni, Olivia M

2012-01-01

Despite the fortification of buildings, streets, and public squares, Rio de Janeiro's beaches remain widely regarded as democratic spaces of social diversity and accessibility. Our study revisits the question of Rio's “democratic” beachfronts, based on local interviews, field observations, official reports, and newspaper accounts. We focus on historical and contemporary perceptions of planning, privatization, and public-order programs on the city's southern seaside. Institutional discourses have justified increasing regulation to combat threats of disorder and insecurity. While residents value the relative openness of beachfronts, they also acknowledge issues of safety, social segmentation, and subtle forms of bias. The public generally applauds recent “Shock of Order” policing and commercial revitalization, although critics lament the loss of traditional freedoms for informal beach vendors and casual sports. These paradoxes highlight enduring tensions between social order and hierarchy on one hand, and democratic rights and equality on the other.

Stigmatization and denormalization as public health policies: some Kantian thoughts.

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, Richard

2014-10-01

The stigmatization of some groups of people, whether for some characteristic they possess or some behavior they engage in, will initially strike most of us as wrong. For many years, academic work in public health, which focused mainly on the stigmatization of HIV-positive individuals, reinforced this natural reaction to stigmatization, by pointing out the negative health effects of stigmatization. But more recently, the apparent success of anti-smoking campaigns which employ stigmatization of smokers has raised questions about whether stigmatization may sometimes be justified, because of its positive effects on public health. Discussion of the issue so far has focused on consequences, and on some Kantian considerations regarding the status of the stigmatized. In this article, I argue that further Kantian considerations regarding the treatment of the general public (the potential stigmatizers) also count against any public health policy involving stigmatization. Attempts to encourage stigmatization are likely to fail to appeal to the rational decision-making abilities of the general public, and the creation of stigmatized groups (even if they are stigmatized for their voluntary behavior) is an obstacle to the self-improvement of members of the general public. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Toward accommodating physicians' conscientious objections: an argument for public disclosure.

Science.gov (United States)

Harter, Thomas D

2015-03-01

This paper aims to demonstrate how public disclosure can be used to balance physicians' conscientious objections with their professional obligations to patients--specifically respect for patient autonomy and informed consent. It is argued here that physicians should be permitted to exercise conscientious objections, but that they have a professional obligation to provide advance notification to patients about those objections. It is further argued here that public disclosure is an appropriate and ethically justifiable limit to the principle of advance notification. The argument for publicly disclosing physicians' conscientious objections is made in this paper by discussing three practical benefits of public disclosure in medicine, and then addressing how publicly disclosing physicians' conscientious objections is not an undue invasion of privacy. Three additional concerns with public disclosure of physicians' conscientious objections are briefly addressed--potential harassment of physicians, workplace discrimination, and mischaracterising physicians' professional aptitude--concluding that each of these concerns requires further deliberation in the realm of business ethics. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Effective dialogue: Enhanced public engagement as a legitimising tool for municipal waste management decision-making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garnett, Kenisha; Cooper, Tim

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A review of public engagement in waste management decision-making is undertaken. • Enhanced public engagement is explored as a means to legitimise waste decisions. • Analytical–deliberative processes are explored as a tool for effective dialogue. • Considerations for integrating public values with technical analysis are outlined. • Insights into the design of appropriate public engagement processes are provided. - Abstract: The complexity of municipal waste management decision-making has increased in recent years, accompanied by growing scrutiny from stakeholders, including local communities. This complexity reflects a socio-technical framing of the risks and social impacts associated with selecting technologies and sites for waste treatment and disposal facilities. Consequently there is growing pressure on local authorities for stakeholders (including communities) to be given an early opportunity to shape local waste policy in order to encourage swift planning, development and acceptance of the technologies needed to meet statutory targets to divert waste from landfill. This paper presents findings from a research project that explored the use of analytical–deliberative processes as a legitimising tool for waste management decision-making. Adopting a mixed methods approach, the study revealed that communicating the practical benefits of more inclusive forms of engagement is proving difficult even though planning and policy delays are hindering development and implementation of waste management infrastructure. Adopting analytical–deliberative processes at a more strategic level will require local authorities and practitioners to demonstrate how expert-citizen deliberations may foster progress in resolving controversial issues, through change in individuals, communities and institutions. The findings suggest that a significant shift in culture will be necessary for local authorities to realise the potential of more inclusive decision

Effective dialogue: Enhanced public engagement as a legitimising tool for municipal waste management decision-making

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garnett, Kenisha, E-mail: k.garnett@cranfield.ac.uk [Institute for Environment, Health, Risks and Futures, School of Environment, Energy and Agri-food, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL (United Kingdom); Cooper, Tim, E-mail: t.h.cooper@ntu.ac.uk [School of Architecture Design and the Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University, Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 4BU (United Kingdom)

2014-12-15

Highlights: • A review of public engagement in waste management decision-making is undertaken. • Enhanced public engagement is explored as a means to legitimise waste decisions. • Analytical–deliberative processes are explored as a tool for effective dialogue. • Considerations for integrating public values with technical analysis are outlined. • Insights into the design of appropriate public engagement processes are provided. - Abstract: The complexity of municipal waste management decision-making has increased in recent years, accompanied by growing scrutiny from stakeholders, including local communities. This complexity reflects a socio-technical framing of the risks and social impacts associated with selecting technologies and sites for waste treatment and disposal facilities. Consequently there is growing pressure on local authorities for stakeholders (including communities) to be given an early opportunity to shape local waste policy in order to encourage swift planning, development and acceptance of the technologies needed to meet statutory targets to divert waste from landfill. This paper presents findings from a research project that explored the use of analytical–deliberative processes as a legitimising tool for waste management decision-making. Adopting a mixed methods approach, the study revealed that communicating the practical benefits of more inclusive forms of engagement is proving difficult even though planning and policy delays are hindering development and implementation of waste management infrastructure. Adopting analytical–deliberative processes at a more strategic level will require local authorities and practitioners to demonstrate how expert-citizen deliberations may foster progress in resolving controversial issues, through change in individuals, communities and institutions. The findings suggest that a significant shift in culture will be necessary for local authorities to realise the potential of more inclusive decision

La guerre en Irak peut-elle être justifiée comme un cas d’intervention humanitaire?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stéphane Courtois

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Most current criticisms against the intervention in Iraq have tackled the two justifications articulated by the members of the coalition:(1 that the United States had to neutralize the threats that Iraq generated for their own security and to the political stability in the Middle Eastand (2 that the war in Iraq can be justified as a necessary stage in the war against international terrorism. The principal objection against justification (1 is that it was, and remains, unfounded. Against justification (2, many have replied that the intervention in Iraq had no connection,or at best had merely an indirect connection, with the fight against terrorism. In a recent text,Fernando Tesón claims that the American intervention in Iraq can nevertheless be morally justified as a case of humanitarian intervention. By “humanitarian intervention”, one must understand a coercive action taken by a state or a group of states inside the sphere of jurisdiction of an independent political community, without the permission of the latter, in order to preventor to end a massive violation of individual rights perpetrated against innocent persons which are not co-nationals inside this political community. I argue in this article that the American intervention in Iraq does not satisfy the conditions of a legitimate humanitarian intervention, as opposed to what Fernando Tesón claims.

Can conditional health policies be justified? A policy analysis of the new NHS dental contract reforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Laverty, Louise; Harris, Rebecca

2018-06-01

Conditional policies, which emphasise personal responsibility, are becoming increasingly common in healthcare. Although used widely internationally, they are relatively new within the UK health system where there have been concerns about whether they can be justified. New NHS dental contracts include the introduction of a conditional component that restricts certain patients from accessing a full range of treatment until they have complied with preventative action. A policy analysis of published documents on the NHS dental contract reforms from 2009 to 2016 was conducted to consider how conditionality is justified and whether its execution is likely to cause distributional effects. Contractualist, paternalistic and mutualist arguments that reflect notions of responsibility and obligation are used as justification within policy. Underlying these arguments is an emphasis on preserving the finite resources of a strained NHS. We argue that the proposed conditional component may differentially affect disadvantaged patients, who do not necessarily have access to the resources needed to meet the behavioural requirements. As such, the conditional component of the NHS dental contract reform has the potential to exacerbate oral health inequalities. Conditional health policies may challenge core NHS principles and, as is the case with any conditional policy, should be carefully considered to ensure they do not exacerbate health inequities. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Evidence-based, ethically justified counseling for fetal bilateral renal agenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Alana N.; McCullough, Laurence B.; Chervenak, Frank A.; Placencia, Frank X.

2017-01-01

Background Not much data are available on the natural history of bilateral renal agenesis, as the medical community does not typically offer aggressive obstetric or neonatal care asbilateral renal agenesis has been accepted as a lethal condition. Aim To provide an evidence-based, ethically justified approach to counseling pregnant women about the obstetric management of bilateral renal agenesis. Study design A systematic literature search was performed using multiple databases. We deploy an ethical analysis of the results of the literature search on the basis of the professional responsibility model of obstetric ethics. Results Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria for review. With the exception of a single case study using serial amnioinfusion, there has been no other case of survival following dialysis and transplantation documented. Liveborn babies die during the neonatal period. Counseling pregnant women about management of pregnancies complicated by bilateral renal agenesis should be guided by beneficence-based judgment informed by evidence about outcomes. Conclusions Based on the ethical analysis of the results from this review, without experimental obstetric intervention, neonatal mortality rates will continue to be 100%. Serial amnioinfusion therefore should not be offered as treatment, but only as approved innovation or research. PMID:28222038

How arguments are justified in the media debate on climate change in the USA and France

OpenAIRE

Ylä-Anttila, Tuomas; Kukkonen, Anna

2014-01-01

This paper examines the differences in the values that are evoked to justify arguments in the media debate on climate change in USA and France from 1997 to 2011. We find that climate change is more often discussed in terms of justice, democracy, and legal regulation in France, while monetary value plays a more important role as a justification for climate policy arguments in the USA. Technological and scientific arguments are more often made in France, and ecological arguments equally in both...

Public opinions about human enhancement can enhance the expert-only debate. A review study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkstra, Anne M.; Schuijff, Mirjam

2016-01-01

Human enhancement, the non-medical use of biomedical technologies to improve the human body or performance beyond their ‘natural’ limitations, is a growing trend. At the same time, the use of these technologies has societal consequences. In societal debates about human enhancement, however, it is

The right to public health.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, James

2016-06-01

Much work in public health ethics is shaped by an 'autonomy first' view, which takes it to be axiomatic that it is difficult to justify state interference in the lives of competent adults unless the behaviours interfered with are compromised in terms of their autonomy, or would wrongfully infringe on the autonomy of others. However, such an approach is difficult to square with much of traditional public heath practice. Recent years have seen running battles between those who assume that an 'autonomy first' approach is basically sound (and so much the worse for public health practice) and those who assume that public health practice is basically sound (and so much the worse for the 'autonomy first' approach). This paper aims to reconcile in a normatively satisfying way what is best about the 'autonomy first' approach with what is best about a standard public health approach. It develops a positive case for state action to promote and protect health as a duty that is owed to each individual. According to this view, the state violates individuals' rights if it fails to take cost-effective and proportionate measures to remove health threats from the environment. It is thus a mistake to approach public health in the way that 'autonomy first' accounts do, as primarily a matter of individual entitlements versus the common good. Too little state intervention in the cause of improving population health can violate individuals' rights, just as too much can. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Public optimism towards nanomedicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Bottini, Massimo; Rosato, Nicola; Gloria, Fulvia; Adanti, Sara; Corradino, Nunziella; Bergamaschi, Antonio; Magrini, Andrea

2011-01-01

Previous benefit-risk perception studies and social experiences have clearly demonstrated that any emerging technology platform that ignores benefit-risk perception by citizens might jeopardize its public acceptability and further development. The aim of this survey was to investigate the Italian judgment on nanotechnology and which demographic and heuristic variables were most influential in shaping public perceptions of the benefits and risks of nanotechnology. In this regard, we investigated the role of four demographic (age, gender, education, and religion) and one heuristic (knowledge) predisposing factors. The present study shows that gender, education, and knowledge (but not age and religion) influenced the Italian perception of how nanotechnology will (positively or negatively) affect some areas of everyday life in the next twenty years. Furthermore, the picture that emerged from our study is that Italian citizens, despite minimal familiarity with nanotechnology, showed optimism towards nanotechnology applications, especially those related to health and medicine (nanomedicine). The high regard for nanomedicine was tied to the perception of risks associated with environmental and societal implications (division among social classes and increased public expenses) rather than health issues. However, more highly educated people showed greater concern for health issues but this did not decrease their strong belief about the benefits that nanotechnology would bring to medical fields. The results reported here suggest that public optimism towards nanomedicine appears to justify increased scientific effort and funding for medical applications of nanotechnology. It also obligates toxicologists, politicians, journalists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to establish a more responsible dialog with citizens regarding the nature and implications of this emerging technology platform.

On Ritalin, Adderall, and Cognitive Enhancement: Metaethics, Bioethics, Neuroethics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nythamar de Oliveira

2016-09-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1677-2954.2016v15n3p343 In this article, I argue that the neuroethics of cognitive enhancement can help us bridge the explanatory gap between metaethics and bioethics (qua normative, applied ethics and throw light on the classic gap between moral beliefs and neural correlates of brain processes. Insofar as it unveils the irreducibility of first-person propositional attitudes (esp. moral beliefs and judgments, neuroethics allows for justifying cosmetic, pharmacological interventions so as to bring about human enhancement, regardless of descriptive accounts of its neural correlates and independently of the cognitivist, noncognitivist or hybrid inputs of metanormative theories. Precisely because it cannot provide the ultimate grounds for any conservative, libertarian or liberal attitudes towards cognitive enhancement, neuroethics is better conceived in terms of a Rawlsian-like wide reflective equilibrium, procedurally and without any specific substantive commitment to any moral or comprehensive doctrine of sorts.

Justifying gender discrimination in the workplace: The mediating role of motherhood myths.

Science.gov (United States)

Verniers, Catherine; Vala, Jorge

2018-01-01

The issue of gender equality in employment has given rise to numerous policies in advanced industrial countries, all aimed at tackling gender discrimination regarding recruitment, salary and promotion. Yet gender inequalities in the workplace persist. The purpose of this research is to document the psychosocial process involved in the persistence of gender discrimination against working women. Drawing on the literature on the justification of discrimination, we hypothesized that the myths according to which women's work threatens children and family life mediates the relationship between sexism and opposition to a mother's career. We tested this hypothesis using the Family and Changing Gender Roles module of the International Social Survey Programme. The dataset contained data collected in 1994 and 2012 from 51632 respondents from 18 countries. Structural equation modellings confirmed the hypothesised mediation. Overall, the findings shed light on how motherhood myths justify the gender structure in countries promoting gender equality.

Public Participation in the Energy-Related Public Policy Making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozicevic Vrhovcak, M.; Rodik, D.; Zmijarevic, Z.; Jaksic, D.

2011-01-01

This paper provides an overview of possibilities for public participation in proposing legal acts and other energy related documents in the Republic of Croatia and gives author assessment of the Croatian public participation level in the processes carried out. The ways how public has participated in the making of a few officially accepted documents have been analysed and potential benefits of inclusion of a wider circle of interested public have been stated. A comparison of the degree of public involvement in the decision making processes in Croatia and the European Union has been made, with specific emphasis on the adoption of the Third package of energy laws. Several national and EU funded projects aiming at enhancing the Croatian public participation in public decision making processes have been presented and their results given. Finally, possibilities for the improvement of the public participation in the Croatian energy policy making processes are proposed. (author)

Dezvoltarea diplomației publice. O analiză comparată între NATO și UE* (The development of public diplomacy: A comparative analysis between NATO and the EU

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina-Georgiana IVAN

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Considering that NATO, EU and other organizations tend to include public diplomacy elements in their official documents and strategies, we can say that states are no longer the exclusive actors in this field. Through this paper, I seek to identify some similarities and differences between NATO and EU’s public diplomacy. In this research I will also study how much of their soft power capabilities these organizations use, if they are used in order to influence rather internal than external audiences and if we can talk about elements of public diplomacy with involvements for development. Beyond these aspects, I will take into account the fact that Philip Seib claims that NATO should focus on using soft power in order to justify its hard power and try to see if there are differences in the goals that NATO and the EU target to reach through the implementation of some public diplomacy strategies.

(DeCentralization of Public Procurement at the Local Level in the EU

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boštjan BREZOVNIK

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The so-called decentralization of public procurement in EU Member States is accepted as the most suitable design of the public procurement system, often justifi ed by greater economic effi ciency and by the possibility of boosting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, which act on the public procurement market as providers of goods, services and works. Despite the existence of highly decentralized public procurement systems which refl ect the decentralization of administrative systems, especially after the recession, there is a stronger tendency for centralization of public procurement in the EU. The so-called aggregation of demand by contracting authorities can be done in order to achieve economies of scale, including lower prices and transaction costs as well as to improve and professionalize the management of procurement procedures (as highlighted in the Directive 2014/24/EU by the European Parliament and the EU Council. However, even in the context of public procurement centralization, local contracting authorities (i.e., public administration authorities and organizations in Member States should be provided with a suffi ciently wide range of possible (centralized organizational structures and contractual (vertical and horizontal public-public partnerships which will allow them to select the most suitable and most economically effective organizational structure for the execution of public procurement.

What the eye doesn’t see: An analysis of strategies for justifying acts by an appeal for conealing them

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tellings, A.E.J.M.

2006-01-01

This article analyzes the moral reasoning implied in a very commonly used expression, namely, “What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over”, or “What you don't know won't hurt you.” It especially deals with situations in which it is used for trying to justify acts that are, in

Enhancing Public Acceptance of Nuclear Energy through the Education program for Schoolteachers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nam, Y. M.; Min, B. J.; Yoo, J. G.; Lee, E. J.; Lee, J. H.; Ha, J. H.; Kim, H. S.; Shin, J. Y.; Seo, D. S. [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, S. T.; Lee, H. B.; Han, S. H. [Kongju National University, Gongju (Korea, Republic of)

2009-11-15

Since most students acquire their nuclear related information from classes and mass-media, teachers, as knowledge propagators, can play a key role in public acceptance of nuclear power. The main purpose of this project is to enhance public acceptance of nuclear power through a nuclear education program for teachers from whom the next generation would cultivate their own knowledge and understanding of nuclear and radiation sciences. Thus systematic education programs for incumbent teachers are essential, since the teacher's understandings of nuclear and radiation science influence students directly. We derived the contents of the introductory textbook on the nuclear power and radiation technologies, the education programs and courses, and the performance criteria of the experiment kit, on the bases of the survey results in the teacher's college curricula and the workshop programs related to the nuclear education for science teachers. We developed the introductory textbook with a tremendous number of picture and diagrams to provide readers rich visual information on the nuclear and radiation technologies. We fabricated 6 compact radiation detection kits with total 10 lab. modules included in lab. manual. We carried out a nuclear education program for science teachers consisting of lectures, lab tours and radiation detection experiments to experience nuclear and radiation technologies. Also we established a working group to build a research-industry-university cooperation system for nuclear and radiation education and knowledge propagation. The cooperation body anticipates that the radiation detection kits would give enough experiment courses to fresh workforce of nuclear and radiation fields

Enhancing Public Acceptance of Nuclear Energy through the Education program for Schoolteachers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nam, Y. M.; Min, B. J.; Yoo, J. G.; Lee, E. J.; Lee, J. H.; Ha, J. H.; Kim, H. S.; Shin, J. Y.; Seo, D. S.; Park, S. T.; Lee, H. B.; Han, S. H.

2009-11-01

Since most students acquire their nuclear related information from classes and mass-media, teachers, as knowledge propagators, can play a key role in public acceptance of nuclear power. The main purpose of this project is to enhance public acceptance of nuclear power through a nuclear education program for teachers from whom the next generation would cultivate their own knowledge and understanding of nuclear and radiation sciences. Thus systematic education programs for incumbent teachers are essential, since the teacher's understandings of nuclear and radiation science influence students directly. We derived the contents of the introductory textbook on the nuclear power and radiation technologies, the education programs and courses, and the performance criteria of the experiment kit, on the bases of the survey results in the teacher's college curricula and the workshop programs related to the nuclear education for science teachers. We developed the introductory textbook with a tremendous number of picture and diagrams to provide readers rich visual information on the nuclear and radiation technologies. We fabricated 6 compact radiation detection kits with total 10 lab. modules included in lab. manual. We carried out a nuclear education program for science teachers consisting of lectures, lab tours and radiation detection experiments to experience nuclear and radiation technologies. Also we established a working group to build a research-industry-university cooperation system for nuclear and radiation education and knowledge propagation. The cooperation body anticipates that the radiation detection kits would give enough experiment courses to fresh workforce of nuclear and radiation fields

Justifying Music Instruction in American Public Schools: A Historical Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Jorgensen, Estelle R.

1995-01-01

Charts the development of music education from early utilitarianism up to its current emphasis on aesthetic value. Recent attempts to pursue music education as an interdisciplinary subject have been limited due to budget cuts. Briefly discusses this financial crisis and suggests some sources of alternative funding. (MJP)

What justifies a hospital admission at the end of life? A focus group study on perspectives of family physicians and nurses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reyniers, T.; Houttekieri, D.; Cohen, J.; Pasman, H.R.; Deliens, L.

2014-01-01

Background: Despite a majority preferring not to die in hospital and health policies aimed at increasing home death, the proportion of hospital deaths remains high. Gaining insight into professional caregiver perspectives about what justifies them could be helpful in understanding the persistently

Justifying British Advertising in War and Austerity, 1939-51.

Science.gov (United States)

Haughton, Philippa

2017-09-01

Drawing together institutional papers, the trade- and national-press, and Mass-Observation documents, this article examines the changing ways that the Advertising Association justified commercial advertising from 1939 to 1951. It argues that the ability to repeatedly re-conceptualize the social and economic purposes of advertising was central to the industry's survival and revival during the years of war and austerity. This matters because the survival and revival of commercial advertising helps to explain the composition of the post-war mixed economy and the emergence of a consumer culture that became the 'golden age' of capitalism. While commercial advertising's role in supporting periods of affluence is well documented, much less is known about its relationship with war and austerity. This omission is problematic. Advertising was only able to shape the 1950s and 1960s economy because its corporate structures remained intact during the 1940s, as the industry withstood the challenges of wartime and the difficulties presented under Attlee's government. Recognizing the deliberate attempts of advertising people to promote a role for commercial advertising invites us to reconsider the inevitability of post-war affluence, while offering fresh insight into the debate around consumer education, freedom of choice, and the centrality of advertising and communication in democratic society: issues central to the society Britain was, and hoped to become. © The Author [2017]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Photonic jet etching: Justifying the shape of optical fiber tip

Science.gov (United States)

Abdurrochman, Andri; Zelgowski, Julien; Lecler, Sylvain; Mermet, Frédéric; Tumbelaka, Bernard; Fontaine, Joël

2016-02-01

Photonic jet (PJ) is a low diverging and highly concentrated beam in the shadow side of dielectric particle (cylinder or sphere). The concentration can be more than 200 times higher than the incidence wave. It is a non-resonance phenomenon in the near-field can propagate in a few wavelengths. Many potential applications have been proposed, including PJ etching. Hence, a guided-beam is considered increasing the PJ mobility control. While the others used a combination of classical optical fibers and spheres, we are concerned on a classical optical fiber with spherical tip to generate the PJ. This PJ driven waveguide has been realized using Gaussian mode beam inside the core. It has different variable parameters compared to classical PJ, which will be discussed in correlation with the etching demonstrations. The parameters dependency between the tip and PJ properties are complex; and theoretical aspect of this interaction will be exposed to justify the shape of our tip and optical fiber used in our demonstrations. Methods to achieve such a needed optical fiber tip will also be described. Finally the ability to generate PJ out of the shaped optical fiber will be experimentally demonstrated and the potential applications for material processing will be exposed.

40 CFR 35.1620-4 - Public participation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... activities to enhance the economy, the effectiveness, and the timeliness of the effort, or to enhance the... these decisions, in fact sheet or summary form, and distribute them to the public at least 30 days... meeting with the public after all pertinent information is distributed, but before a lake restoration...

Justifying gender discrimination in the workplace: The mediating role of motherhood myths

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

The issue of gender equality in employment has given rise to numerous policies in advanced industrial countries, all aimed at tackling gender discrimination regarding recruitment, salary and promotion. Yet gender inequalities in the workplace persist. The purpose of this research is to document the psychosocial process involved in the persistence of gender discrimination against working women. Drawing on the literature on the justification of discrimination, we hypothesized that the myths according to which women’s work threatens children and family life mediates the relationship between sexism and opposition to a mother’s career. We tested this hypothesis using the Family and Changing Gender Roles module of the International Social Survey Programme. The dataset contained data collected in 1994 and 2012 from 51632 respondents from 18 countries. Structural equation modellings confirmed the hypothesised mediation. Overall, the findings shed light on how motherhood myths justify the gender structure in countries promoting gender equality. PMID:29315326

Public and political issues in radioactive waste management in the Federal Republic of Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neis, A.

1993-01-01

The Federal Government's radioactive waste management concept and regulations governing formal public participation in licensing procedures for radioactive waste management facilities are presented. The paper focuses on public and political issues arising from widely diverging views in different social groups on nuclear energy and on radioactive waste management. The resulting conflict between Federal and Laender (Federal constituent states) authorities and the actual course of public participation in a licensing procedure are illustrated with the example of planned final disposal of radioactive waste in the Konrad mine. Major national efforts to overcome the unsatisfying present situation are presented and the role of international consensus is briefly touched. Concluding remarks will particularly justify admissibility and emphasize the need to discuss and eventually decide on radioactive waste management issues regardless of diverging views on nuclear energy

NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT ELEMENTS IN ROMANIA’S PUBLIC SERVICES IN THE EUROPEAN CONTEXT

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Moraru Marilena Ortansa

2012-12-01

Full Text Available New Public Management (NPM is considered as a global paradigm emerging in response to economic, institutional, political, and ideological changes.Many attempts to define the New Public Management have been made and there are several definitions of this notion, referring to the implementation of management ideas from business and private sector into the public services.Over the past few years, Romania has been facing a great challenge as it has to enhance its public management for achieving the European standards and values of transparency, predictability, accountability, adaptability and efficiency. The necessity of a modern administration at European standards exists both at the level of the citizen, and at the level of institutions delivering public services.According to the provisions of its last stand-by arrangement with IMF, Romania placed emphasis on restoring medium- and long-term sustainability and paved the way for future growth. Structural reforms were a large component of the program, including tax administration, pensions, public wages and employment, and social benefits, improving public sector efficiency, as well as enhancing the business environment.\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\

Victim derogation and victim enhancement as alternate routes to system justification.

Science.gov (United States)

Kay, Aaron C; Jost, John T; Young, Sean

2005-03-01

Abstract-Numerous studies have documented the potential for victim-blaming attributions to justify the status quo. Recent work suggests that complementary, victim-enhancing stereotypes may also increase support for existing social arrangements. We seek to reconcile these seemingly contradictory findings by proposing that victim derogation and victim enhancement are alternate routes to system justification, with the preferred route depending on the perception of a causal link between trait and outcome. Derogating "losers" (and lionizing "winners") on traits (e.g., intelligence) that are causally related to outcomes (e.g., wealth vs. poverty) serves to increase system justification, as does compensating "losers" (and downgrading "winners") on traits (e.g., physical attractiveness) that are causally unrelated to those outcomes. We provide converging evidence using system-threat and stereotype-activation paradigms.

Public funding of abortions and abortion counseling for poor women.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, R B

1997-01-01

This essay seeks to reveal the weakness in arguments against public funding of abortions and abortion counseling in the US based on economic, ethico-religious, anti-racist, and logical-consistency objections and to show that public funding of abortion is strongly supported by appeals to basic human rights, to freedom of speech, to informed consent, to protection from great harm, to justice, and to equal protection under the law. The first part of the article presents the case against public funding with detailed considerations of the economic argument, the ethico/religious argument, the argument that such funding supports racist genocide or eugenic quality control, and arguments that a logical inconsistency exists between the principles used to justify the legalization of abortions and arguments for public funding. The second part of the article presents the case for public funding by discussing the spending of public funds on morally offensive programs, arguments for public funding of abortion counseling for the poor, and arguments for public funding of abortions for the poor. It is concluded that it is morally unacceptable and rationally unjustifiable to refuse to expend public funds for abortions for low income women, because after all most money for legal abortions for the poor comes from welfare payments made to women. If conservative forces want to insure that no public funds pay for abortions, they must stop all welfare payments to pregnant women.

How can interventions for inhabitants be justified after a nuclear accident? An approach based on the radiological protection system of the international commission on radiological protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahara, Shogo; Homma, Toshimitsu; Yoneda, Minoru; Shimada, Yoko

2016-01-01

Management of radiation-induced risks in areas contaminated by a nuclear accident is characterized by three ethical issues: (1) risk trade-off, (2) paternalistic intervention and (3) individualization of responsibilities. To deal with these issues and to clarify requirements of justification of interventions for the purpose of reduction in radiation-induced risks, we explored the ethical basis of the radiological protection system of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). The ICRP's radiological protection system is established based on three normative ethics, i.e. utilitarianism, deontology and virtue ethics. The three ethical issues can be resolved based on the decision-making framework which is constructed in combination with these ethical theories. In addition, the interventions for inhabitants have the possibility to be justified in accordance with two ways. Firstly, when the dangers are severe and far-reaching, interventions could be justified with a sufficient explanation about the nature of harmful effects (or beneficial consequences). Secondly, if autonomy of intervened-individuals can be promoted, those interventions could be justified. (author)

Is the term "fasciculus opticus cerebralis" more justifiable than the term "optic nerve"?

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Vojniković, Bojo; Bajek, Snjezana; Bajek, Goran; Strenja-Linić, Ines; Grubesić, Aron

2013-04-01

The terminology of the optic nerve had already been changed three times, since 1895 until 1955 when the term "nervus opticus" was introduced in the "Terminologia Anatomica". Following our study we claim that, from the aspect of phylogenetic evolution of binocular vision development as well as optical embryogenesis where opticus is evidently presented as a product of diencephalic structures, the addition of the term "nervus" to opticus is not adequate and justified. From the clinical aspect the term "nervus opticus" is also inadequate, both as a "nerve" that has no functional regenerative properties, unlike other cranial nerves, as well as from a pedagogical and didactical aspect of educating future physicians. We suggest that the term "Fasciculus Opticus Cerebralis" should be used as it much better explains the origin as well as its affiliation to the central nervous system.

Public-private Partnership in the Context of Realisation of the State Financial Policy

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Ostapenko Victoriia M.

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In the result of the study the article analyses modern tendencies of development of economy of Ukraine. It marks out problems connected with realisation of the state financial policy. It considers the essence of the state financial policy, its directions (such as budget-tax and monetary-credit, structural components and tasks. It emphasises the place of the public-private partnership as an instrument of realisation of the financial policy. It justifies tasks in the process of realisation of goals of the modern financial policy, which could be carried out with the help of the public-private partnership. The prospect of further studies in this direction is formation of practical recommendations on the use of the public-private partnership in the process of realisation of the state financial policy. Further improvement of the public-private partnership is connected with development of efficient mechanisms of its introduction and optimisation of its financial structure.

Justifying Physical Education Based on Neuroscience Evidence

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Berg, Kris

2010-01-01

Research has shown that exercise improves cognitive function and psychological traits that influence behavior (e.g., mood, level of motivation). The evidence in the literature also shows that physical education may enhance learning or that academic performance is at least maintained despite a reduction in classroom time in order to increase time…

LOSS OF WATER IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS (ON THE EXAMPLE OF MGSU

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Orlov Evgeniy Vladimirovich

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Any public building is a consumer of water resources. A huge amount of clean drinking water is used for various needs especially in buildings where there are a large number of people, for example, institutions of higher education. It should be noted that today all buildings must meet requirements for water conservation. This is because a large amount of drinking water is wasted. The author considers the problems characteristic of public buildings, because of which losses of water in the inner water supply systems happen. The variants are offered how to reduce wasteful expenses by installing contactless water intake devices, wastewater intake as well as water-saving headers and waterless urinals. The use of polymer materials and copper pipelines during reconstruction of the system in order to reduce water losses is justified.

Decision science: a scientific approach to enhance public health budgeting.

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Honoré, Peggy A; Fos, Peter J; Smith, Torney; Riley, Michael; Kramarz, Kim

2010-01-01

The allocation of resources for public health programming is a complicated and daunting responsibility. Financial decision-making processes within public health agencies are especially difficult when not supported with techniques for prioritizing and ranking alternatives. This article presents a case study of a decision analysis software model that was applied to the process of identifying funding priorities for public health services in the Spokane Regional Health District. Results on the use of this decision support system provide insights into how decision science models, which have been used for decades in business and industry, can be successfully applied to public health budgeting as a means of strengthening agency financial management processes.

"This is My Community": Reproducing and Resisting Boundaries of Exclusion in Contested Public Spaces.

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Toolis, Erin E; Hammack, Phillip L

2015-12-01

The way that public space is structured has significant implications for identity, social interaction, and participation in society. For those experiencing homelessness, with no or limited private space, survival hinges on the accessibility and livability of public space. However, the increasing privatization of public space in the United States has contributed to the implementation of anti-homeless ordinances in cities, restricting sitting, standing, panhandling, and sleeping in public. This study analyzes data from interviews with housed and unhoused community members, text from a local policy document, and ethnographic observations to explore how boundaries between "insiders" and "outsiders" are drawn in public space and mediated through individual discourse. Our findings suggest that boundaries of exclusion are constructed through dominant narratives that portray the unhoused as a threat to safety and economic vitality, thus justifying the need for regulation and punishment through the criminalization of homelessness. Yet, informants also demonstrate resistance to this narrative by discussing how criminalization of homelessness perpetuates dehumanization, violence, and economic inequality. Policy implications for the regulation of public space are discussed.

Public information about clinical trials and research.

Science.gov (United States)

Plétan, Yannick; Zannad, Faïez; Jaillon, Patrice

2003-01-01

Be it to restore the confused image of clinical research in relation to the lay public, or to develop new ways of accruing healthy volunteers or patients for clinical trials, there is a need to draft some guidance on how best to provide information on research. Although the French legal and regulatory armamentarium in this area is essentially liberal, there is currently little-justified reluctance among study sponsors to advertise publicly. A group of academic and pharmaceutical industry researchers, assembled for a workshop, together with regulators, journalists, representatives from ethics committees, social security, patient and health consumer groups and other French institutional bodies, has suggested the following series of recommendations: there is no need for additional legal or regulatory constraints; sponsors should be aware of and make use of direct public information on trials; a 'good practice charter' on public communication about clinical trials should be developed; all professionals should be involved in this communication platform; communication in the patient's immediate vicinity should be preferred (primary-care physician, local press); clinical databases and websites accessible to professionals, but also to patients and non-professionals, should be developed; genuine instruction on clinical trials for physicians and health professionals unfamiliar with such trials should be developed and disseminated; media groups should receive at least some training in the fundamentals of clinical research.

A Study on Volunteers of the Storytelling of Training in Public Libraries: A Case Study on Volunteer Storyteller of Taipei Public Library

OpenAIRE

Yu-Ping Peng; Po-Han Chuang

2017-01-01

In recent years, the administrators of public library administrators have been actively promoting children’s reading services. In particular, storytelling activities have a significantly positive effect on enhancing children’s interest and ability in reading. Because of human resource shortages at public libraries, providing these services depends on volunteers. The public libraries should enhance the competencies of volunteers who engage in storytelling, and provide appropriate training for ...

Should she be granted asylum? Examining the justifiability of the persecution criterion and nexus clause in asylum law

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Noa Wirth Nogradi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The current international asylum regime recognizes only persecuted persons as rightful asylum applicants. The Geneva Convention and Protocol enumerate specific grounds upon which persecution is recognized. Claimants who cannot demonstrate a real risk of persecution based on one of the recognized grounds are unlikely to be granted asylum. This paper aims to relate real-world practices to normative theories, asking whether the Convention’s restricted preference towards persecuted persons is normatively justified. I intend to show that the justifications of the persecution criterion also apply to grounds currently lacking recognition. My main concern will be persecution on the grounds of gender.The first section introduces the dominant standpoints in theories of asylum, which give different answers to the question of who should be granted asylum, based on different normative considerations. Humanitarian theories base their claims on the factual neediness of asylum-seekers, holding that whoever is in grave danger of harm or deprivation should be granted asylum. Political theories base their justifications on conceptions of legitimacy and membership, holding that whoever has been denied membership in their original state should be granted asylum. Under political theories, Matthew Price’s theory will be discussed, which provides a normative justification of the currently recognized persecution criterion. The second section provides a descriptive definition of persecution based on Kuosmanen (2014, and evaluates the normative relevance of the different elements of this definition based on the theories presented previously. The third section is devoted to the examination of the normative justifiability of the nexus clause’s exclusive list of the bases (grounds upon which persons might be persecuted. The section argues that while the clause does not recognize that persecution might be based on gender, in fact many women experience harms based on

Enhancing the Teaching of Evolution in Public Health.

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Omenn, Gilbert S

2011-12-01

Public health courses are emerging as popular undergraduate offerings, especially at universities with schools of public health. It is important to note that evolution has shaped the burden of disease in the modern world in which we practice and educate for public health. Human cultures and technologies have modified life on Planet Earth and have co-evolved with myriad other species, including microorganisms, plant and animal sources of food, invertebrate vectors of disease, and intermediate bird, mammal, and primate hosts. Molecular mechanisms of evolution have produced differential resistance or susceptibility to infectious agents, including malaria, plague, smallpox, TB, measles, and diarrheal and respiratory diseases. The domestication of sheep and cattle led to natural selection in favor of human populations able to digest milk throughout life through persistence into adulthood of lactase enzyme expression in the intestine, a major story of anthropology. The emergence of a "Western diet" of dairy, refined cereal grains, refined sugars, vegetable oils, alcoholic beverages, salt, and omega-6-rich meats has dramatically altered glycemic load, fatty acid composition, macro-nutrients, acid-base balance, sodium/potassium ratio, and fiber content. This is a major story of nutrition and disease. The results include epidemics of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, certain cancers, and bowel, inflammatory, and autoimmune disorders. Another interesting phenomenon is the selection of excessive hemostatic activity from platelets and the plasma clotting proteins; what was protective against death from bleeding after injuries among hunter-gatherers or from pregnancy-related hemorrhage now contributes to thrombosis underlying heart attacks and strokes. Conversely, there is little pressure against hemostasis and thrombosis since deaths from these causes occur mostly after the reproductive years of life. Learning about

How to justify enforcing a Ulysses contract when Ulysses is competent to refuse.

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Davis, John K

2008-03-01

Sometimes the mentally ill have sufficient mental capacity to refuse treatment competently, and others have a moral duty to respect their refusal. However, those with episodic mental disorders may wish to precommit themselves to treatment, using Ulysses contracts known as "mental health advance directives." How can health care providers justify enforcing such contracts over an agent's current, competent refusal? I argue that providers respect an agent's autonomy not retrospectively--by reference to his or her past wishes-and not merely synchronically--so that the agent gets what he or she wants right now-but diachronically and prospectively, acting so that the agent can shape his or her circumstances as the agent wishes over time, for the agent will experience the consequences of providers' actions over time. Mental health directives accomplish this, so they are a way of respecting the agent's autonomy even when providers override the agent's current competent refusal.

Beyond Conflict and Spoilt Identities: How Rwandan Leaders Justify a Single Recategorization Model for Post-Conflict Reconciliation

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Sigrun Marie Moss

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Since 1994, the Rwandan government has attempted to remove the division of the population into the ‘ethnic’ identities Hutu, Tutsi and Twa and instead make the shared Rwandan identity salient. This paper explores how leaders justify the single recategorization model, based on nine in-depth semi-structured interviews with Rwandan national leaders (politicians and bureaucrats tasked with leading unity implementation conducted in Rwanda over three months in 2011/2012. Thematic analysis revealed this was done through a meta-narrative focusing on the shared Rwandan identity. Three frames were found in use to “sell” this narrative where ethnic identities are presented as a an alien construction; b which was used to the disadvantage of the people; and c non-essential social constructs. The material demonstrates the identity entrepreneurship behind the single recategorization approach: the definition of the category boundaries, the category content, and the strategies for controlling and overcoming alternative narratives. Rwandan identity is presented as essential and legitimate, and as offering a potential way for people to escape spoilt subordinate identities. The interviewed leaders insist Rwandans are all one, and that the single recategorization is the right path for Rwanda, but this approach has been criticised for increasing rather than decreasing intergroup conflict due to social identity threat. The Rwandan case offers a rare opportunity to explore leaders’ own narratives and framing of these ‘ethnic’ identities to justify the single recategorization approach.

'My child will never initiate Ultimate Harm': an argument against moral enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Tonkens, Ryan

2015-03-01

Recently, there has been a lot of philosophical work published on the morality of moral enhancement. One thing that tends to get overlooked in this literature is that there are many different potential methods of morally enhancing humans, and a blanket moral assessment of them may not be warranted. Here I focus on one mode of moral enhancement, namely, prenatal genetic moral enhancement, and offer a normative assessment of it. I argue that there is good reason to adopt a parent-centred perspective (as opposed to a social or state-centred perspective) towards the ethics of prenatal genetic moral enhancement, and, once we do so, that there is good reason to argue that prenatal genetic attempts at moral enhancement are morally problematic and ought not to be pursued. The main reasons for this have to do with the nature of moral enhancement research, and the idea that prospective parents are justified in not assuming that their children will be morally depraved. I leave it open as to whether other modes of morally enhancing humans fare better, morally speaking. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Quadrilatero ferrifero, MG, Brazil. Regional characteristics justify application for global geoparks network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mantesso-Neto, V.; Azevedo, U.; Guimarães, R.; Nascimento, M.; Beato, D.; Castro, P.; Liccardo, A.

2010-01-01

Geopark, a concept created in 2000, is neither strictly geological nor a park in the usual sense. Geopark is a holistic concept, aimed at promoting sustainable economic development based on unique geological features (represented by “geosites”, outcrops with special value, under some point of view), but also having a social objective. The Global Geoparks Network (GGN), working in synergy with UNESCO, has 64 members in 19 countries. This paper presents a brief history and some characteristics of a few European Geoparks, followed by some aspects of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero. As shall be seen, this area is rich in geosites, and in historical, social and cultural attractions. On the other hand, foreseeing a decline in mineral exploitation in mid-century, it urgently seeks a good plan for regional development. As a conclusion, it will be seen that its characteristics fit the Geopark concept, and justify the support of the geoscientific community, and that of society in general, to its application, recently submitted to UNESCO, for admission to the GGN

Understanding enhanced tourist experiences through technology: a brief approach to the Vilnius case

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Ilona Beliatskaya

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The present research investigates the notion of enhanced tourist experiences through technology shedding light on co-creation practices and empowerment of customers. Neuhofer and Buhalis (2013 introduced a novel concept of technology-enhanced tourist experiences by generating a joint comprehension of new era of experiences which conjoin the elements of experiences, co-creation and technology. Being one of rather promoting cities in online environment Vilnius represents an interesting case of successive adoption of smart technologies in order to enhance tourist experiences and facilitate customer empowerment in Vilnius tourism domain. This study aims to determine technology-enhanced tourist experiences in order to measure factors of customer empowerment on the example of international incoming tourists to Vilnius (Lithuania. The mix-methods approach (qualitative online content and functionality analysis and quantitative survey was justified as being the most appropriate for the purpose of this research with intention to find a basis for applying of technology-enhanced tourist experiences in Vilnius tourism marketplace. The paper concludes with the definition of current level of ICTs application to enhance tourist experience co-creation and a discussion of practical implications of technology-enhanced tourist experiences development.

Modelling Investment Attractiveness of a Public Joint Stock Company as the Basis of Managerial Decision Making

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Brukhovetskaya Natalia E.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article analyses factors of influence upon investment attractiveness of a public joint stock company, which are factors by the sphere of origin. The article identifies the degree and direction of influence of the factors by the sphere of origin upon investment attractiveness of a public joint stock company; factors are divided into two groups, which could be regulated directly by society and which cannot be regulated. It justifies the necessity of modelling investment attractiveness of a public joint stock company under influence of the factors with the aim of managerial decision making of two groups of stakeholders: owners and managers, shareholders and investors. It conducts modelling of investment attractiveness of a public joint stock company using the decision tree method. It develops a decision matrix, on the basis of which the owners, managers, shareholders and investors can make decisions regarding directions of increase of investment attractiveness of a public joint stock company and expediency of initial or further investing into society development.

One Usage of Geogebra in Enhancing Pre-service Mathematics Teachers’ Content Knowledge

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Karmelita Pjanic

2015-04-01

Full Text Available A wide range of mathematical ideas could be used to develop and justify a formula for calculating the area of trapezoid. Those ideas lead to different strategies for finding out area of trapezoid that we classify in three groups: decomposing, enclosing and transforming strategies. Those strategies should be part of mathematics content knowledge for teaching. In this study we trace a change in structure of mathematics content knowledge of nine pre-service mathematics teachers as a result of using GeoGebra applets that visualize different approaches in finding out the area of trapezoid. We argue that engaging pre-service mathematics teachers to develop and justify formula for calculating the area of trapezoid using GeoGebra applets is a worth task that enhances pre-service mathematics teachers’ content knowledge for teaching. Our experiment confirmed that the use of Geogebra encourage pre-service mathematics teachers to uncover new ideas that lead them towards clearer justifications and easier way of proving formula for area of trapezoid. Keywords: Area of trapezoid, GeoGebra, content knowledge for teaching

Adapting to climate change : the public policy response - public infrastructure

Science.gov (United States)

2009-06-01

This paper assesses the threats and needs that multidimensional climate change imposes for : public infrastructure, reviews the existing adaptive capacity that could be applied to respond : to these threats and needs, and presents options for enhanci...

On deciding to have a lobotomy: either lobotomies were justified or decisions under risk should not always seek to maximise expected utility.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Rachel

2014-02-01

In the 1940s and 1950s thousands of lobotomies were performed on people with mental disorders. These operations were known to be dangerous, but thought to offer great hope. Nowadays, the lobotomies of the 1940s and 1950s are widely condemned. The consensus is that the practitioners who employed them were, at best, misguided enthusiasts, or, at worst, evil. In this paper I employ standard decision theory to understand and assess shifts in the evaluation of lobotomy. Textbooks of medical decision making generally recommend that decisions under risk are made so as to maximise expected utility (MEU) I show that using this procedure suggests that the 1940s and 1950s practice of psychosurgery was justifiable. In making sense of this finding we have a choice: Either we can accept that psychosurgery was justified, in which case condemnation of the lobotomists is misplaced. Or, we can conclude that the use of formal decision procedures, such as MEU, is problematic.

Using Immersive Visualizations to Improve Decision Making and Enhancing Public Understanding of Earth Resource and Climate Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, K. C.; Raynolds, R. G.; Dechesne, M.

2008-12-01

dynamically- changing geospatial datasets in an exciting and engaging fashion. In our presentation, we will demonstrate how new software tools like Uniview can be used to dramatically enhance and accelerate public comprehension of complex, multi-scale geospatial phenomena.

32 CFR 37.560 - Must I be able to estimate project expenditures precisely in order to justify use of a fixed...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Must I be able to estimate project expenditures... I be able to estimate project expenditures precisely in order to justify use of a fixed-support TIA... purposes of this illustration, let that minimum recipient cost sharing be 40% of the total project costs...

Teaching the Bible at public universities in South Africa: A proposal for multidisciplinary approach

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Zorodzai Dube

2013-05-01

Full Text Available How should the academy teach the Bible? I noted two challenges to this endeavour. Firstly, the Bible has been used as superstructure to justify and to solidify colonialism and apartheid in South Africa which resulted in people to mistrust the way the Western missionaries interpreted the Bible. It also gave birth to the inception of African Independent Churches (AIC and an urgent need to reinterpret the Bible from the experiences of Africans. However, the initial question remains how the academy should teach the Bible. The complexity of this question is that despite the Bible’s association with a colonial legacy, the ordinary people did not stop reading the Bible and to make meaning of their lives from it. This study justifies the place of the Bible in public universities in South Africa and proposes ways the academy should teach the Bible. This study suggests a two-pronged approach to Biblical Studies at public universities. Firstly, the academy should critically engage the ideological presupposition underlying the theories used in the academy. Secondly, the academy must be open to the fact that the Bible is part of popular culture; hence, the academy should critically reflect how the Bible is used in public space. Therefore my hypothesis is that the academy should further focus on critiquing ideological inclinations that underline established truths in addition to focusing on the historical meaning of the Bible and establishing contextual similarities. Teaching the Bible should focus on analysing cultural, political and economic ideological truths that find support from the Bible. I propose that this line of thought is possible through cultural studies and/or interdisciplinary methods.

Is routine antenatal venereal disease research laboratory test still justified? Nigerian experience

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Nwosu BO

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Betrand O Nwosu,1 George U Eleje,1 Amaka L Obi-Nwosu,2 Ita F Ahiarakwem,3 Comfort N Akujobi,4 Chukwudi C Egwuatu,4 Chukwudumebi O Onyiuke5 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria; 2Department of Family Medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria; 3Department of Medical Microbiology, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria; 4Department of Medical Microbiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria; 5Department of Medical Microbiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, NigeriaObjective: To determine the seroreactivity of pregnant women to syphilis in order to justify the need for routine antenatal syphilis screening.Methods: A multicenter retrospective analysis of routine antenatal venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL test results between 1 September 2010 and 31 August 2012 at three specialist care hospitals in south-east Nigeria was done. A reactive VDRL result is subjected for confirmation using Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay test. Analysis was by Epi Info 2008 version 3.5.1 and Stata/IC version 10.Results: Adequate records were available regarding 2,156 patients and were thus reviewed. The mean age of the women was 27.4 years (±3.34, and mean gestational age was 26.4 weeks (±6.36. Only 15 cases (0.70% were seropositive to VDRL. Confirmatory T. pallidum hemagglutination assay was positive in 4 of the 15 cases, giving an overall prevalence of 0.19% and a false-positive rate of 73.3%. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of syphilis in relation to maternal age and parity (P>0.05.Conclusion: While the prevalence of syphilis is extremely low in the antenatal care population at the three specialist care hospitals in south-east Nigeria, false-positive rate is high and prevalence did not significantly vary with maternal age or

eLearning or technology enhanced learning in medical education-Hope, not hype.

Science.gov (United States)

Goh, Poh Sun

2016-09-01

This Personal View elaborates on my strong conviction that the excitement and positive feelings that many of us have for eLearning or Technology enhanced learning (TeL) is well founded, and will argue why our hopes are justified, and not misplaced. In a nutshell, I believe that eLearning or TeL is a significant advance from previous generations of educational innovation, and offers benefits for students, educators and administrators; by synergistically combining the capabilities of digital content, the Internet, and mobile technology, supported by software and applications or "Apps".

Enhancing the Public Image of School Counseling: A Marketing Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritchie, Martin H.

1989-01-01

Suggests some basic marketing principles that might be applied to assist school counselors in selling their guidance programs to the public. Discusses assessing the needs and demands for guidance services, product development and defining the guidance program, pricing, distribution, and advertising and public relations. (NB)

Advertising and prescription drugs: promotion, education, and the public's health.

Science.gov (United States)

Avorn, Jerry

2003-01-01

The data presented by Joel Weissman and colleagues and by Robert Dubois do not justify the conclusions that the effects of pharmaceutical promotion are beneficial. Among consumers of direct-to-consumer advertising (Weissman and colleagues), those heavily influenced by such promotion were no more likely than others were to have new conditions diagnosed or confirmed and were much less likely to have laboratory studies ordered or lifestyle changes recommended. A second study (Dubois) arguing that drug advertising improves the appropriateness of prescribing relies on unconvincing ecological arguments. A greater presence of noncommercial, public health-oriented communication would make a more useful and cost-effective impact on the nation's health.

Programming for the Public Good: Ensuring Public Value Through the Cooperative Extension Program Development Model

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Nancy Franz

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Effective Cooperative Extension programs produce important private and public value for individuals, families, businesses, and communities. However, the public value of Extension programming often goes unmeasured and unarticulated. Extension needs to reclaim its role as a key provider of public value for Land-Grant Universities through strong educational programs driven by infusing public value into all elements of the Extension Program Development Model. This article describes Extension’s public value movement including organizational, professional, program, and scholarship development efforts to enhance public good effectiveness articulation. Lessons learned, implications, and next steps for Extension’s public value success through a strong program development model are also shared.

Distributive justice and cognitive enhancement in lower, normal intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunlop, Mikael; Savulescu, Julian

2014-01-01

There exists a significant disparity within society between individuals in terms of intelligence. While intelligence varies naturally throughout society, the extent to which this impacts on the life opportunities it affords to each individual is greatly undervalued. Intelligence appears to have a prominent effect over a broad range of social and economic life outcomes. Many key determinants of well-being correlate highly with the results of IQ tests, and other measures of intelligence, and an IQ of 75 is generally accepted as the most important threshold in modern life. The ability to enhance our cognitive capacities offers an exciting opportunity to correct disabling natural variation and inequality in intelligence. Pharmaceutical cognitive enhancers, such as modafinil and methylphenidate, have been shown to have the capacity to enhance cognition in normal, healthy individuals. Perhaps of most relevance is the presence of an 'inverted U effect' for most pharmaceutical cognitive enhancers, whereby the degree of enhancement increases as intelligence levels deviate further below the mean. Although enhancement, including cognitive enhancement, has been much debated recently, we argue that there are egalitarian reasons to enhance individuals with low but normal intelligence. Under egalitarianism, cognitive enhancement has the potential to reduce opportunity inequality and contribute to relative income and welfare equality in the lower, normal intelligence subgroup. Cognitive enhancement use is justifiable under prioritarianism through various means of distribution; selective access to the lower, normal intelligence subgroup, universal access, or paradoxically through access primarily to the average and above average intelligence subgroups. Similarly, an aggregate increase in social well-being is achieved through similar means of distribution under utilitarianism. In addition, the use of cognitive enhancement within the lower, normal intelligence subgroup negates, or at

Decisional enhancement and autonomy: public attitudes towards overt and covert nudges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gidon Felsen

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Ubiquitous cognitive biases hinder optimal decision making. Recent calls to assist decision makers in mitigating these biases---via interventions commonly called ``nudges''---have been criticized as infringing upon individual autonomy. We tested the hypothesis that such ``decisional enhancement'' programs that target overt decision making---i.e., conscious, higher-order cognitive processes---would be more acceptable than similar programs that affect covert decision making---i.e., subconscious, lower-order processes. We presented respondents with vignettes in which they chose between an option that included a decisional enhancement program and a neutral option. In order to assess preferences for overt or covert decisional enhancement, we used the contrastive vignette technique in which different groups of respondents were presented with one of a pair of vignettes that targeted either conscious or subconscious processes. Other than the nature of the decisional enhancement, the vignettes were identical, allowing us to isolate the influence of the type of decisional enhancement on preferences. Overall, we found support for the hypothesis that people prefer conscious decisional enhancement. Further, respondents who perceived the influence of the program as more conscious than subconscious reported that their decisions under the program would be more ``authentic''. However, this relative favorability was somewhat contingent upon context. We discuss our results with respect to the implementation and ethics of decisional enhancement.

Critical mass of public goods and its coevolution with cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Dong-Mei; Wang, Bing-Hong

2017-07-01

In this study, the enhancing parameter represented the value of the public goods to the public in public goods game, and was rescaled to a Fermi-Dirac distribution function of critical mass. Public goods were divided into two categories, consumable and reusable public goods, and their coevolution with cooperative behavior was studied. We observed that for both types of public goods, cooperation was promoted as the enhancing parameter increased when the value of critical mass was not very large. An optimal value of critical mass which led to the best cooperation was identified. We also found that cooperations emerged earlier for reusable public goods, and defections became extinct earlier for the consumable public goods. Moreover, we observed that a moderate depreciation rate for public goods resulted in an optimal cooperation, and this range became wider as the enhancing parameter increased. The noise influence on cooperation was studied, and it was shown that cooperation density varied non-monotonically as noise amplitude increased for reusable public goods, whereas decreased monotonically for consumable public goods. Furthermore, existence of the optimal critical mass was also identified in other three regular networks. Finally, simulation results were utilized to analyze the provision of public goods in detail.

Enhancing the Awareness of the Interaction of the Space Weather and Public: Some Case Studies in Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Tulunay, Y.; Tulunay, E.; Kocabas, Z.; Altuntas, E.; Yapici, T.; Senalp, E. T.; Hippler, R.

2009-04-01

Space Weather has important effects on many systems and peripherals that human interacts with. However, most of the people are not aware of those interactions. During the FP6 SWEETS, COST 724 and the ‘I love my Sun' activities it was aimed to create basis to bring together academicians from universities, experts from industry, scientific institutes, and the public, especially the school children of age 7-11, in order to enhance the awareness of space weather effects and to discuss appropriate countermeasures by different education and promotion methods including non-technical ones. This work mentions the activities performed in Turkey within the framework. Since 1990, a small group at METU has been developing data driven models in order to forecast some critical system parameters related with the near-Earth space processes. With the background on the subject the group feels responsible to organise activities in Turkey to inform public on enhancing the awareness of space weather effects. In order to inform and educate public on their interaction with the Space Weather, distinct social activities which take quick and strong attention were organised. Those include art shows and workshops, quizes, movies and entertainments, special programs for school children of age 7-11 under the ‘I love my Sun' activities, press releases, audio-visual media including webpages [Tulunay, 2007]. The impact of the activities can be evaluated considering the before and after activity record materials of the participants. For instance, under the ‘I love my Sun' activities, the school children drew pictures related with Sun before and after the informative programs. The performance of reaching the school children on the subject is very promising. Sub-activities conducted under the action are: 1. Space Weather Dance Show "Sonnensturm" 2. Web Quiz all over Europe: In Türkiye 3. Space Weather / Sun / Heliospheric Public Science Festivals in 27 Countries: In Türkiye 4. Space Weather on

NASA and Public Libraries: Enhancing STEM Literacy in Underserved Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Dusenbery, P.; LaConte, K.; Harold, J. B.; Randall, C.

2016-12-01

NASA research programs are helping humanity understand the origin and evolution of galaxies, stars, and planets, and defining the conditions necessary to support life beyond Earth. The Space Science Institute's (SSI) National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) was recently funded by NASA`s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) to develop and implement a project called NASA@ My Library: A National Earth and Space Science Initiative That Connects NASA, Public Libraries and Their Communities. As places that offer their services for free, public libraries have become the "public square" by providing a place where members of a community can gather for information, educational programming, and policy discussions. Libraries are developing new ways to engage their patrons in STEM learning, and NCIL's STAR Library Education Network (STAR_Net) has been supporting their efforts for the last eight years, including through a vibrant community of practice that serves both librarians and STEM professionals. Project stakeholders include public library staff, state libraries, the earth and space science education community at NASA, subject matter experts, and informal science educators. The project will leverage high-impact SMD and library events to catalyze partnerships through dissemination of SMD assets and professional development. It will also develop frameworks for public libraries to increase STEM interest pathways in their communities (with supports for reaching underserved audiences). This presentation will summarize the key activities and expected outcomes of the 5-year project.

The Oregon Public Health Policy Institute: Building Competencies for Public Health Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Jangho; Bernell, Stephanie; Tynan, Michael; Alvarado, Carla Sarai; Eversole, Tom; Mosbaek, Craig; Beathard, Candice

2015-01-01

The Oregon Public Health Policy Institute (PHPI) was designed to enhance public health policy competencies among state and local health department staff. The Oregon Health Authority funded the College of Public Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University to develop the PHPI curriculum in 2012 and offer it to participants from 4 state public health programs and 5 local health departments in 2013. The curriculum interspersed short instructional sessions on policy development, implementation, and evaluation with longer hands-on team exercises in which participants applied these skills to policy topics their teams had selected. Panel discussions provided insights from legislators and senior Oregon health experts. Participants reported statistically significant increases in public health policy competencies and high satisfaction with PHPI overall. PMID:26066925

Trade Publications in the Marketing Classroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Stull, William A.

1991-01-01

Describes how marketing teachers can use trade publications to enhance the quality of and provide relevance to the marketing education curriculum. Identifies representative trade publications; suggests how to get them for classroom use and how teachers can use them. (JOW)

The indignant page: techniques of neutralization in the publications of pedophile organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

de Young, M

1988-01-01

There is considerable consensus in this and other societies that adult sexual behavior with children is exploitative and victimizing in nature. The publications of three United States pedophile organizations that advocate adult sexual behavior with children and that are politically and socially active in attempts to decriminalize that behavior--the Rene Guyon Society, the Childhood Sensuality Circle, and the North American Man/Boy Love Association--are analyzed as to how they justify, normalize, or rationalize their practices and philosophy in light of that consensus. The framework for that analysis is the sociological concept of techniques of neutralization.

Army Justified Initial Production Plan for the Paladin Integrated Management Program but Has Not Resolved Two Vehicle Performance Deficiencies (Redacted)

Science.gov (United States)

2016-08-05

model oversight organization in the Federal Government by leading change, speaking truth, and promoting excellence—a diverse organization, working ...VIRGINIA 22350-1500 August 5, 2016 MEMORANDUM FOR AUDITOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY SUBJECT: Army Justified Initial Production Plan for the Paladin... Family of Vehicles, M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzer and M992A3 Carrier, Ammunition, Tracked, October 2015; • M109A7 AFES Overview, September 2015

Can the benefits of physical seabed restoration justify the costs? An assessment of a disused aggregate extraction site off the Thames Estuary, UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Keith; Burdon, Daryl; Atkins, Jonathan P; Weiss, Laura; Somerfield, Paul; Elliott, Michael; Turner, Kerry; Ware, Suzanne; Vivian, Chris

2013-10-15

Physical and biological seabed impacts can persist long after the cessation of marine aggregate dredging. Whilst small-scale experimental studies have shown that it may be possible to mitigate such impacts, it is unclear whether the costs of restoration are justified on an industrial scale. Here we explore this question using a case study off the Thames Estuary, UK. By understanding the nature and scale of persistent impacts, we identify possible techniques to restore the physical properties of the seabed, and the costs and the likelihood of success. An analysis of the ecosystem services and goods/benefits produced by the site is used to determine whether intervention is justified. Whilst a comparison of costs and benefits at this site suggests restoration would not be warranted, the analysis is site-specific. We emphasise the need to better define what is, and is not, an acceptable seabed condition post-dredging. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Warning: digital systems ahead

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albrigo, T.

1994-01-01

Digital systems will continue to enhance operation and safety in the nuclear industry. However, they are complex and operators have found it difficult to demonstrate the levels of reliability needed to justify their use. This article describes just some of the varied experiences collected by Arizona Public Service and lessons learned which show clearly why caution must be used whenever and wherever these are introduced. (author)

Enhanced operator-training simulator for the Fast Flux Test Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schrader, F.D.; Swanson, C.D.

1983-01-01

The FFTF Plant Operator Training Simulator Facility has proven to be a valuable asset throughtout the testing, startup and early operational phases of the Fast Flux Test facility. However, limitations inherent in the existing simulation facility, increased emphasis on the required quality of operator training, and an expanded scope of applications (e.g., MNI development) justify an enhanced facility. Direct use of plant operators in the development of improved reactor control room displays and other man/machine interface equipment and procedures increases the credibility of proposed techniques and reported results. The FFTF Plant Operator Training Simulator provides a key element in this development program

Enhancing the Impact of NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach: Using Real NASA Data in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, Brandon L.; Smith, D. A.; SMD Astrophysics E/PO Community, NASA

2013-01-01

The NASA Science Education and Public Outreach Forums support the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and its education and public outreach (E/PO) community in enhancing the coherence, efficiency, and effectiveness of SMD-funded E/PO programs. As a part of this effort, the Astrophysics Forum is coordinating a collaborative project among the NASA SMD astrophysics missions and E/PO programs to create a broader impact for the use of real NASA data in classrooms. Among NASA's major education goals is the training of students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. The use of real data, from some of the most sophisticated observatories in the world, provide educators an authentic opportunity to teach students basic science process skills, inquiry, and real-world applications of the STEM subjects. The goal of this NASA SMD astrophysics community collaboration is to find a way to maximize the reach of existing real data products produced by E/PO professionals working with NASA E/PO grants and missions in ways that enhance the teaching of the STEM subjects. We present an initial result of our collaboration: defining levels of basic science process skills that lie at the heart of authentic scientific research and national education standards (AAAS Benchmarks) and examples of NASA data products that align with those levels. Our results are the beginning of a larger goal of utilizing the new NASA education resource catalog, NASA Wavelength, for the creation of progressions that tie NASA education resources together. We aim to create an informational sampler that illustrates how an educator can use the NASA Wavelength resource catalog to connect NASA real-data resources that meet the educational goals of their class.

Enhancing Public Helicopter Safety as a Component of Homeland Security

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-01

Risk Assessment Tool GPS Global Positioning System IFR instrument flight rules ILS instrument landing system IMC instrument meteorological...daily operations. Additionally, the effectiveness of the standards is evaluated by determining if these standards would have prevented the accidents...trends, such as human behavior and lack of standards, that are common in public safety helicopter accidents. Public safety aviation agencies can use this

Behavioural genetics: why eugenic selection is preferable to enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Savulescu, Julian; Hemsley, Melanie; Newson, Ainsley; Foddy, Bennett

2006-01-01

Criminal behaviour is but one behavioural tendency for which a genetic influence has been suggested. Whilst this research certainly raises difficult ethical questions and is subject to scientific criticism, one recent research project suggests that for some families, criminal tendency might be predicted by genetics. In this paper, supposing this research is valid, we consider whether intervening in the criminal tendency of future children is ethically justifiable. We argue that, if avoidance of harm is a paramount consideration, such an intervention is acceptable when genetic selection is employed instead of genetic enhancement. Moreover, other moral problems in avoiding having children with a tendency to criminal behaviour, such as the prospect of social discrimination, can also be overcome.

Are stock prices too volatile to be justified by the dividend discount model?

Science.gov (United States)

Akdeniz, Levent; Salih, Aslıhan Altay; Ok, Süleyman Tuluğ

2007-03-01

This study investigates excess stock price volatility using the variance bound framework of LeRoy and Porter [The present-value relation: tests based on implied variance bounds, Econometrica 49 (1981) 555-574] and of Shiller [Do stock prices move too much to be justified by subsequent changes in dividends? Am. Econ. Rev. 71 (1981) 421-436.]. The conditional variance bound relationship is examined using cross-sectional data simulated from the general equilibrium asset pricing model of Brock [Asset prices in a production economy, in: J.J. McCall (Ed.), The Economics of Information and Uncertainty, University of Chicago Press, Chicago (for N.B.E.R.), 1982]. Results show that the conditional variance bounds hold, hence, our hypothesis of the validity of the dividend discount model cannot be rejected. Moreover, in our setting, markets are efficient and stock prices are neither affected by herd psychology nor by the outcome of noise trading by naive investors; thus, we are able to control for market efficiency. Consequently, we show that one cannot infer any conclusions about market efficiency from the unconditional variance bounds tests.

How to Justify Purchase of an iPad: Users of the Latest Launch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emílio José Montero Arruda Filho

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Contemporary technology innovation is increasingly based on convergence and the multiple uses of products. This change is detailed in the literature about new product development, as well as that on systems integration. This article focuses on the factors that determine the justification for using advanced technology products in which the perceived value of the product is not based on its functionality, as much as on its hedonistic or social value as an “all-in-one” product. In this study, consumer behaviors toward the Apple iPad are analyzed using netnographic evidence taken from internet postings by the consumers themselves. Since Apple initially marketed the iPad as a revolutionary product, with integrated services and features, our analysis concentrates on how consumers perceived these new, innovative features, in an effort to justify their purchase of the product. Our findings indicate that consumers’ justifications are based not only on the iPad’s functionality, but also its hedonic traits, and its similarity to the previously released innovative product, the iPhone.

The FORMATION of PERSONal and PROFESSIONAL competencies of STUDENTS – specialists-to-be IN PUBLIC AND MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION SPHERE

OpenAIRE

Bushueva Irina Petrovna

2013-01-01

The article considers the necessity and possibility of formation of personal and professional competencies of specialists in the sphere of Public and Municipal Administration (PMA) at the pre-service professional stage of development. Purpose: to justify the necessity and possibility of personal and professional skills formation of specialists-to-be in PMA sphere, as well as to determine the conditions of such activity. Methods and methodology of the research: analysis of educational standard...

Provision of enhanced ancillary services from wind power plants - Examples and challenges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anca Daniela; Altin, Müfit; Iov, Florin

2016-01-01

Emphasis in this article is on the power system impact of wind power plants capability to provide enhanced ancillary services, i.e. temporary frequency response (TFR) and power oscillation damping (POD). The main objective of the article is to analyze and justify the challenges in the use of TFR...... and POD from wind power plants (WPPs). The study is conducted with an aggregated wind power plant model which is integrated into a generic power system model, specifically designed to assess the targeted ancillary services in a relatively simple, but still relevant environment. Various case studies...... with different wind power penetration levels are considered. The study shows that WPPs can provide additional control features such as TFR and POD to enhance the stability of power systems with large share of wind power. Nevertheless, the results illustrate that the power system stability can be potentially...

Administrația ca putere publică

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Codrin Dumitru MUNTEANU

2007-12-01

Full Text Available In order to accomplish the state’s political power, irrespective of its form of organization, a “specialized mechanism” had to be developed by the state power with the task to execute and to implement the political decisions. This need justifies the conclusion according to which the administrative phenomenon was generated by the occurrence of the state entity. Although interconnected, either from a historical or from a functional point of view, the notions of state and administration do not overlap (they are not synonyms. The state is not an executive power; it does not have a purely executive function, as the executive power is not limited to public administration. However, the public administration is responsible for the implementation of the state’s executive function within the framework of the executive power. Regardless of whether we consider the executive power as a primary force, resulting from the direct application of the principle of separation of powers in a state, or as a derivative of the regulatory power, it is essential to establish its affiliation to the sovereign authority, a constitutive element of the state, along with the nation and the territory. The existence of the executive power within the framework of the sovereign authority confers not only legitimacy in organization and action thereon, but also the prerogatives of public power necessary to exercise its function. The above mentioned attributes affect directly the administration, seen as an annex or a form of manifestation of the executive power, in case of which public administration may be considered a derivative power of the state.

Human rights vs. Public safety -- When can you test your workers for drugs?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kossowan, B. L.

2002-06-01

Legislative and regulatory aspects of drug testing of employees vs. public safety are discussed. While in Canada federal and provincial laws concerning human rights take precedence over public safety issues, laws and regulations vary from province to province, therefore there is good reason for concern about uncertainty. To compound the uncertainty, certain relevant laws of the United States are different (generally more stringent than corresponding Canadian laws), consequently there is the possibility that certain American companies might feel justified in refusing to do business with Canadian firms that do not follow their rigid standards. The conclusion is that while the situation may be clear enough in a legal situation, it does not always work equally well in practice. Unfortunately, at the present time there is not a whole lot of guidance available for companies to manage the workplace in a practical sense.

Stigmatized ethnicity, public health, and globalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, S Harris

2008-01-01

The prejudicial linking of infection with ethnic minority status has a long-established history, but in some ways this association may have intensified under the contemporary circumstances of the "new public health" and globalization. This study analyzes this conflation of ethnicity and disease victimization by considering the stigmatization process that occurred during the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Toronto. The attribution of stigma during the SARS outbreak occurred in multiple and overlapping ways informed by: (i) the depiction of images of individuals donning respiratory masks; (ii) employment status in the health sector; and (iii) Asian-Canadian and Chinese-Canadian ethnicity. In turn, stigmatization during the SARS crisis facilitated a moral panic of sorts in which racism at a cultural level was expressed and rationalized on the basis of a rhetoric of the new public health and anti-globalization sentiments. With the former, an emphasis on individualized self-protection, in the health sense, justified the generalized avoidance of those stigmatized. In relation to the latter, in the post-9/11 era, avoidance of the stigmatized other was legitimized on the basis of perceiving the SARS threat as a consequence of the mixing of different people predicated by economic and cultural globalization.

Criteria for Public Open Space Enhancement to Achieve Social Interaction: a Review Paper

Science.gov (United States)

Salih, S. A.; Ismail, S.

2017-12-01

A This paper presents a various literatures, studies, transcripts and papers aiming to provide an overview of some theories and existing research on the significance of natural environments and green open spaces to achieve social interaction and outdoor recreation. The main objective of the paper is to identify the factors that affecting social interaction in green open spaces, through proving that an appropriate open spaces is important to enhance social interaction and community. This study employs (qualitative) summarizing content analysis method which mainly focused on collect and summarizing of documentation such as transcripts, articles, papers, and books from more than 25 source, regarding the importance of public open spaces for the community. The summarizing content analysis of this paper is the fundament for a qualitative oriented procedure of text interpretation used to analyse the information gathered. Results of this study confirms that sound social interaction need an appropriate physical space including criteria of: design, activities, access and linkage, administration and maintenance, place attachment and users’ characteristics, also previous studies in this area have a health perspective with measures of physical activity of open spaces in general.

Plume and Dose Modeling Performed to Assess Waste Management Enhancements Associated with Envirocare's Decision to Purchase of an Engineered Rail Rollover Facility Enclosure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, T.; Clayman, B.

2003-01-01

This paper describes the modeling performed on a proposed enclosure for the existing railcar rollover facility located in Clive, Utah at a radioactive waste disposal site owned and operated by Envirocare of Utah, Inc. (Envirocare). The dose and plume modeling information was used as a tool to justify the decision to make the capital purchase and realize the modeled performance enhancements

Enhanced Use Leasing

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Vann-Olejasz, Sandra

2002-01-01

.... The term 'enhanced' was added as part of a 2001 amendment from Section 2812 of R.R. 5408, the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 and enacted into Public Law 106-398...

The Potential Return on Public Investment in Detecting Adverse Drug Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Huybrechts, Krista F; Desai, Rishi J; Park, Moa; Gagne, Joshua J; Najafzadeh, Mehdi; Avorn, Jerry

2017-06-01

Many countries lack fully functional pharmacovigilance programs, and public budgets allocated to pharmacovigilance in industrialized countries remain low due to resource constraints and competing priorities. Using 3 case examples, we sought to estimate the public health and economic benefits resulting from public investment in active pharmacovigilance programs to detect adverse drug effects. We assessed 3 examples in which early signals of safety hazards were not adequately recognized, resulting in continued exposure of a large number of patients to these drugs when safer and effective alternative treatments were available. The drug examples studied were rofecoxib, cerivastatin, and troglitazone. Using an individual patient simulation model and the health care system perspective, we estimated the potential costs that could have been averted by early systematic detection of safety hazards through the implementation of active surveillance programs. We found that earlier drug withdrawal made possible by active safety surveillance would most likely have resulted in savings in direct medical costs of $773-$884 million for rofecoxib, $3-$10 million for cerivastatin, and $38-$63 million for troglitazone in the United States through the prevention of adverse events. By contrast, the yearly public investment in Food and Drug Administration initiated population-based pharmacovigilance activities in the United States is about $42.5 million at present. These examples illustrate a critical and economically justifiable role for active adverse effect surveillance in protecting the health of the public.

Who Benefits from Pension Enhancements?

Science.gov (United States)

Koedel, Cory; Ni, Shawn; Podgursky, Michael

2014-01-01

During the late 1990s public pension funds across the United States accrued large actuarial surpluses. The seemingly flush conditions of the pension funds led legislators in most states to substantially improve retirement benefits for public workers, including teachers. In this study we examine the benefit enhancements to the teacher pension…

The influence of Goiania radiological accident on Brazilian public opinion concerning new nuclear electric plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meldonian, Nelson Leon; Mattos, Luis Antonio Terribile de

1997-01-01

The Brazilian society is against applications of nuclear energy, mainly respecting to construction of new nuclear power plants, believing that they are harmful to population's welfare and the environment. By this reason, Brazilian nuclear sector would promote a more intensive program of public discussion, not limited to technical and scientific community. Intending to contribute to a better judgment by society about the differences between diverse employment of nuclear energy, arguments concerned to its benefits are presented, pointing out that adverse accounts to nuclear electricity based on Goiania radiological accident, are not justified

Writing a continuing professional development article for publication.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Bob

2014-07-01

Writing for journal publication is a worthwhile but challenging activity that requires clear motives, purpose, planning and execution. Continuing professional development (CPD) articles are designed to be informative and educative, with the aim of enhancing the reader's understanding of a particular subject. This article provides an overview of how to approach and plan the writing of a CPD article to enhance the success of its acceptance for publication in a professional journal.

Enhancing public participation in natural resource management using Soft OR - an application of strategic option development and analysis in tactical forest planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjortsø, Carsten Nico Portefée

2004-01-01

This article presents a case study where a modified version of strategic option development and analysis (SODA) is applied to enhance the level of citizens’ participation in a strategic forest management planning process managed by the Danish Forest and Nature Agency. The case is interesting...... because of structural differences between traditional Soft OR and public participation settings. Research shows that SODA can nevertheless improve public involvement in several ways, including stakeholders’ perception of being involved, stakeholders’ commitment, structuring of the planning context......, communication of stakeholder perspectives, identification and management of conflicts, decision process transparency, and agency accountability for final planning outcomes. The primary problems encountered relate to the difficulty of reading the cognitive maps, time requirements, and selection of facilitator...

A Study on Volunteers of the Storytelling of Training in Public Libraries: A Case Study on Volunteer Storyteller of Taipei Public Library

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Ping Peng

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the administrators of public library administrators have been actively promoting children’s reading services. In particular, storytelling activities have a significantly positive effect on enhancing children’s interest and ability in reading. Because of human resource shortages at public libraries, providing these services depends on volunteers. The public libraries should enhance the competencies of volunteers who engage in storytelling, and provide appropriate training for maintaining as well as improving the effectiveness of storytelling services. Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the storytelling training of storytelling volunteers. The study used in-depth interviews to obtain information on the experiences, ideas, and suggestions of public library storytelling volunteers at Taipei Public Library. Current education and training of storytelling volunteer encompasses demand analysis, implementation methods, course content, assessment of effectiveness, and suggestions for adjusting education and training in public library. Finally, the present study results are provided for education and training of storytelling volunteers for public libraries.

Lobbying and Social Participation – Key Features for an Effective Public Administration in Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Maria IRIMIEȘ

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Lobbying is one of the main structural elements of democratic governance and sustainable development and is essential to achieving competitive and effi cient administrative and decisional processes in local governance. Successfully implementing lobbying regulations and techniques is of extreme importance for any public system, where social participation in the decision-making process can strongly contribute to social, political and economic / fi nancial effi - ciency. Over the last 15 years, several legislative initiatives have tried to design a coherent framework for lobby, but they are still unapplied either due to insuffi cient public understanding of the concept, or due to more or less justifi ed uncertainties and fears. The necessity of regulating lobbying in Romania is placed in a context where an important number of anticorruption international and domestic recommendations and state reliability statistics, added to a certain lack of effectiveness in time and public money management, show that the public administration system needs to be reformed. And lobbying is, as the following article shows, a must for any public reform of public administration in Romania. The case of multilingual entrance signs / labels in Cluj-Napoca is an unquestionable and unbeatable example that the simple existence of legal frameworks of lobbying could turn into real time, energy and money savers.

Digital and multimedia forensics justified: An appraisal on professional policy and legislation

Science.gov (United States)

Popejoy, Amy Lynnette

Recent progress in professional policy and legislation at the federal level in the field of forensic science constructs a transformation of new outcomes for future experts. An exploratory and descriptive qualitative methodology was used to critique and examine Digital and Multimedia Science (DMS) as a justified forensic discipline. Chapter I summarizes Recommendations 1, 2, and 10 of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Report 2009 regarding disparities and challenges facing the forensic science community. Chapter I also delivers the overall foundation and framework of this thesis, specifically how it relates to DMS. Chapter II expands on Recommendation 1: "The Promotion and Development of Forensic Science," and focuses chronologically on professional policy and legislative advances through 2014. Chapter III addresses Recommendation 2: "The Standardization of Terminology in Reporting and Testimony," and the issues of legal language and terminology, model laboratory reports, and expert testimony concerning DMS case law. Chapter IV analyzes Recommendation 10: "Insufficient Education and Training," identifying legal awareness for the digital and multimedia examiner to understand the role of the expert witness, the attorney, the judge and the admission of forensic science evidence in litigation in our criminal justice system. Finally, Chapter V studies three DME specific laboratories at the Texas state, county, and city level, concentrating on current practice and procedure.

Smart marketing may improve public understanding of the anesthesia profession.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Barak; Ogorek, Daniel; Oifa, Stanislav; Cattan, Anat; Matot, Idit

2015-01-01

A 2005 survey led by the Israeli Society of Anesthesiologists (ISA) found that large parts of the Israeli public are not familiar with the profession of anesthesia. The ISA has subsequently been conducting a public campaign for several years with the aim to enhance community knowledge regarding the anesthesiologists' training and their critical role in the perioperative period. The present study sought to evaluate the value of a campaign aiming to enhance public understanding of the importance of a medical profession; more specifically, a campaign to promote awareness of the community regarding the anesthesia profession. If proved to be successful, public campaigns may be considered in other countries and for other medical professions with similar difficulties. In 2013, five hundred participants from the general community were asked to answer a questionnaire focusing on the profession of anesthesia. Public knowledge has improved following the campaign. Specifically, improvement was demonstrated regarding the qualification of the anesthesiologist as an MD (92% vs. 64% in 2013 and 2005, respectively), and enhanced awareness of the anesthesia team's critical role in the operating room (OR) (48% vs. 30% in 2013 and 2005, respectively). The Israeli community is attentive to public campaigns that address the roles of a medical profession. Enhanced public knowledge regarding the importance of the anesthesia profession may have a significant impact on both the payment policy for anesthesiologists and on the recruitment of more physicians to the field of anesthesia. Public campaigns may be considered for other medical professions with similar difficulties.

Public-Private Partnerships as Hybrid Organizational Drivers of Innovation in the Public Sector

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dam, Sofie

Decision-makers increasingly mention public-private partnerships (PPPs) as potential tools for innovation in the public sector. In contrast, literature on PPPs has mostly evaluated their economic efficiency, whereas their ability to enhance innovation has been subordinated and sometimes assumed....... Empirical investigations of innovations in PPPs have been rather scarce and scattered between different PPP types and sectors. This article strives for a more comprehensive and reflexive approach and contribute to an increasing body of literature on public sector innovation by constructing a conceptual...... framework, which can be used to investigate the potential for innovation in different PPP types across sectors. The last decades have seen sequential waves of public sector reforms, which have resulted in an increased hybridity in the public sector, where ideas, goals and tools from hierarchy, market...

Who owns what? Private ownership and the public interest in recombinant DNA technology in the 1970s.

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Doogab

2011-09-01

This essay analyzes how academic institutions, government agencies, and the nascent biotech industry contested the legal ownership of recombinant DNA technology in the name of the public interest. It reconstructs the way a small but influential group of government officials and university research administrators introduced a new framework for the commercialization of academic research in the context of a national debate over scientific research's contributions to American economic prosperity and public health. They claimed that private ownership of inventions arising from public support would provide a powerful means to liberate biomedical discoveries for public benefit. This articulation of the causal link between private ownership and the public interest, it is argued, justified a new set of expectations about the use of research results arising from government or public support, in which commercialization became a new public obligation for academic researchers. By highlighting the broader economic and legal shifts that prompted the reconfiguration of the ownership of public knowledge in late twentieth-century American capitalism, the essay examines the threads of policy-informed legal ideas that came together to affirm private ownership of biomedical knowledge as germane to the public interest in the coming of age of biotechnology and genetic medicine.

Position of nuclear power generation in the public and further enhancement of safe and stable operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyazaki, Yozo

1996-01-01

In Japan, the first commercial light water reactor (LWR) started operation in 1970 when the International Exposition was held in Osaka, and now 50 nuclear power plants supply about 30 % of the total electricity and nuclear power plays the important role as a 'major power source'. Meanwhile, with the international transportation of plutonium and return shipment of vitrified HLW reprocessed abroad, nuclear power has closer relationship with the public in these days. We will review the history of nuclear power generation in Japan from the viewpoint of the safety culture and consider the safety culture under the present situation. The team of 'safety Charlotte's fixed its position since the occurrence of Chernobyl accident though the concept existed as expressed in words such as 'safety-first principle' and 'enhancement of morale'. The safety culture is a concept: high level 'safety Culture' cab be expected when 'the management of the organization' and 'individual consciousness concerning safety' are well balanced. The 'safety culture' has experienced various changes along with the development of nuclear power in Japan: at the initial period of the development, the management side invested excellent talents and funds to the nuclear division based on the 'safety-first principle' from the beginning. At the same time, the world of atom filled with dream appealed to those who had enthusiasm as pioneers and they were engaged in the development with enhanced morale

Enhancing public project implementation in Botswana during the NDP 11 period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuel Botlhale

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Successful project implementation is critical in development planning. If there is poor project implementation, economic development will be stalled. Generally, public project implementation has a chequered history. This is particularly true in developing countries which are characterised by low levels of project management maturity. The objective of this article is to review public project implementation in Botswana and recommend improvements for the National Development Plan (NDP 11 period (2017/2018-2022/2023. The article used the survey strategy and adopted the descriptive approach. Data collection sources were mixed, that is, primary and secondary sources. It concluded that public projects are either poorly implemented (i.e. not implemented in accordance with the ‘Project Management Triple Constraint’ of cost, time and scope or not implemented at all. Given a constrained revenue envelope post 2008, there is a need for improved project implementation. Amongst others, this calls for professional public project implementation so that NDPs become a reality.

Ethical issues in public health surveillance: a systematic qualitative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Klingler, Corinna; Silva, Diego Steven; Schuermann, Christopher; Reis, Andreas Alois; Saxena, Abha; Strech, Daniel

2017-04-04

Public health surveillance is not ethically neutral and yet, ethics guidance and training for surveillance programmes is sparse. Development of ethics guidance should be based on comprehensive and transparently derived overviews of ethical issues and arguments. However, existing overviews on surveillance ethics are limited in scope and in how transparently they derived their results. Our objective was accordingly to provide an overview of ethical issues in public health surveillance; in addition, to list the arguments put forward with regards to arguably the most contested issue in surveillance, that is whether to obtain informed consent. Ethical issues were defined based on principlism. We assumed an ethical issue to arise in surveillance when a relevant normative principle is not adequately considered or two principles come into conflict. We searched Pubmed and Google Books for relevant publications. We analysed and synthesized the data using qualitative content analysis. Our search strategy retrieved 525 references of which 83 were included in the analysis. We identified 86 distinct ethical issues arising in the different phases of the surveillance life-cycle. We further identified 20 distinct conditions that make it more or less justifiable to forego informed consent procedures. This is the first systematic qualitative review of ethical issues in public health surveillance resulting in a comprehensive ethics matrix that can inform guidelines, reports, strategy papers, and educational material and raise awareness among practitioners.

Improving Performances in the Public Sector: The Scientific ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Improving Performances in the Public Sector: The Scientific Management Theory ... adopts the principles for enhanced productivity, efficiency and the attainment of ... of the public sector, as observed and reported by several scholars over time.

Supplemental Material, PWQ42_2_747845_Choma_and_Prusaczyk - The Effects of System Justifying Beliefs on Skin-Tone Surveillance, Skin-Color Dissatisfaction, and Skin-Bleaching Behavior

OpenAIRE

Choma, Becky L.; Prusaczyk, Elvira

2018-01-01

Supplemental Material, PWQ42_2_747845_Choma_and_Prusaczyk for The Effects of System Justifying Beliefs on Skin-Tone Surveillance, Skin-Color Dissatisfaction, and Skin-Bleaching Behavior by Becky L. Choma, and Elvira Prusaczyk in Psychology of Women Quarterly

Accuracy of Probabilistic Linkage Using the Enhanced Matching System for Public Health and Epidemiological Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Aldridge, Robert W; Shaji, Kunju; Hayward, Andrew C; Abubakar, Ibrahim

2015-01-01

The Enhanced Matching System (EMS) is a probabilistic record linkage program developed by the tuberculosis section at Public Health England to match data for individuals across two datasets. This paper outlines how EMS works and investigates its accuracy for linkage across public health datasets. EMS is a configurable Microsoft SQL Server database program. To examine the accuracy of EMS, two public health databases were matched using National Health Service (NHS) numbers as a gold standard unique identifier. Probabilistic linkage was then performed on the same two datasets without inclusion of NHS number. Sensitivity analyses were carried out to examine the effect of varying matching process parameters. Exact matching using NHS number between two datasets (containing 5931 and 1759 records) identified 1071 matched pairs. EMS probabilistic linkage identified 1068 record pairs. The sensitivity of probabilistic linkage was calculated as 99.5% (95%CI: 98.9, 99.8), specificity 100.0% (95%CI: 99.9, 100.0), positive predictive value 99.8% (95%CI: 99.3, 100.0), and negative predictive value 99.9% (95%CI: 99.8, 100.0). Probabilistic matching was most accurate when including address variables and using the automatically generated threshold for determining links with manual review. With the establishment of national electronic datasets across health and social care, EMS enables previously unanswerable research questions to be tackled with confidence in the accuracy of the linkage process. In scenarios where a small sample is being matched into a very large database (such as national records of hospital attendance) then, compared to results presented in this analysis, the positive predictive value or sensitivity may drop according to the prevalence of matches between databases. Despite this possible limitation, probabilistic linkage has great potential to be used where exact matching using a common identifier is not possible, including in low-income settings, and for vulnerable

Some questions about the concept of enhancement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camino Cañón Loyes

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In the eighties, the question of the moral legitimacy of enhancement related to therapy emerged. In order to approach the issue at the present, the author gives the concept: Bodily Intervention Practices (BIP, characterised by five parameters: M or the material involved in the transformation, TC or the available technoscience, A or the current conceptions regarding the natural and the artificial, N or the concept of human nature culturally shared and E or the ethical evaluations appealed to justify the transformation. The ontological level is indicated as necessary in order to understand the present debate the existing differences in moral criteria. The concept of human nature as a normative reference is in crisis and its absence leaves a vacuum which makes the need for deliberation with the aim of reaching common normative criteria urgent.

40 CFR 1400.6 - Enhanced local access.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... INFORMATION Public Access § 1400.6 Enhanced local access. (a) OCA data elements. Consistent with 42 U.S.C..., may convey to the public OCA data elements orally or in writing, as long as the data elements are not... Administrator from those sections. Disseminating OCA data elements to the public in a manner consistent with...

The 2005 meta-analysis of homeopathy: the importance of post-publication data.

Science.gov (United States)

Rutten, A L B; Stolper, C F

2008-10-01

There is a discrepancy between the outcome of a meta-analysis published in 1997 of 89 trials of homeopathy by Linde et al and an analysis of 110 trials by Shang et al published in 2005, these reached opposite conclusions. Important data were not mentioned in Shang et al's paper, but only provided subsequently. What was the outcome of Shang et al's predefined hypotheses? Were the homeopathic and conventional trials comparable? Was subgroup selection justified? The possible role of ineffective treatments. Was the conclusion about effect justified? Were essential data missing in the original article? Analysis of post-publication data. Re-extraction and analysis of 21 higher quality trials selected by Shang et al with sensitivity analysis for the influence of single indications. Analysis of comparability. Sensitivity analysis of influence of subjective choices, like quality of single indications and of cut-off values for 'larger samples'. The quality of trials of homeopathy was better than of conventional trials. Regarding smaller trials, homeopathy accounted for 14 out of 83 and conventional medicine 2 out of 78 good quality trials with nhomeopathy. Quality was assessed differently from previous analyses. Selecting subgroups on sample size and quality caused incomplete matching of homeopathy and conventional trials. Cut-off values for larger trials differed between homeopathy and conventional medicine without plausible reason. Sensitivity analyses for the influence of heterogeneity and the cut-off value for 'larger higher quality studies' were missing. Homeopathy is not effective for muscle soreness after long distance running, OR=1.30 (95% CI 0.96-1.76). The subset of homeopathy trials on which the conclusion was based was heterogeneous, comprising 8 trials on 8 different indications, and was not matched on indication with those of conventional medicine. Essential data were missing in the original paper. Re-analysis of Shang's post-publication data did not support

The radiological accident of Goiania and the acceptance by the public of new nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meldonian, N.L.; Mattos, L.A.T.

1998-01-01

Misunderstandings on the peaceful uses and the safety of nuclear energy have been a leading cause of apprehension in Brazilian public opinion. A lack of knowledge of the characteristics and destination of radioactive wastes and negative media coverage of the use of nuclear energy have aggravated this situation. Believing that applications of nuclear energy are harmful to the population's welfare and the environment, Brazilian public opinion is opposed to the utilization of nuclear energy, and in particular to the construction of new nuclear power plants. For this reason, the Brazilian nuclear sector should promote a more intensive programme of public discussion, directed not solely at the technical and scientific communities, but also at the Brazilian public at large. Such a campaign would contribute towards a better understanding by Brazilian society of the different uses of nuclear energy and would present arguments in support of the benefits of this form of energy. Moreover, a campaign of this kind would show that negative associations about the use of electricity derived from nuclear power, which are based on the Goiania radiological accident, are not justified. (author)

Twitter and Public Health (Part 1): How Individual Public Health Professionals Use Twitter for Professional Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, Mark; Stetten, Nichole E; Islam, Sabrina; Pizarro, Katherine

2017-09-20

The use of social networking sites is increasingly being adopted in public health, in part, because of the barriers to funding and reduced resources. Public health professionals are using social media platforms, specifically Twitter, as a way to facilitate professional development. The objective of this study was to identify public health professionals using Twitter and to analyze how they use this platform to enhance their formal and informal professional development within the context of public health. Keyword searches were conducted to identify and invite potential participants to complete a survey related to their use of Twitter for public health and professional experiences. Data regarding demographic attributes, Twitter usage, and qualitative information were obtained through an anonymous Web-based survey. Open-response survey questions were analyzed using the constant comparison method. "Using Twitter makes it easier to expand my networking opportunities" and "I find Twitter useful for professional development" scored highest, with a mean score of 4.57 (standard deviation [SD] 0.74) and 4.43 (SD 0.76) on a 5-point Likert scale. Analysis of the qualitative data shows the emergence of the following themes for why public health professionals mostly use Twitter: (1) geography, (2) continuing education, (3) professional gain, and (4) communication. For public health professionals in this study, Twitter is a platform best used for their networking and professional development. Furthermore, the use of Twitter allows public health professionals to overcome a series of barriers and enhances opportunities for growth. ©Mark Hart, Nichole E Stetten, Sabrina Islam, Katherine Pizarro. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 20.09.2017.

Maintenance of Certification®, Maintenance of Public Trust

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Kevin C.; Clapham, Philip J.; Lalonde, Donald H.

2010-01-01

The Maintenance of Certification® (MOC) program has been well received by many physicians, but faced significant opposition from others, who complain that it is overly tedious, costly, and irrelevant to their practice. This article offers a consolidated and concise history of the MOC program and a summary of what plastic surgeons need to know to successfully complete the American Board of Plastic Surgery’s (ABPS) own MOC requirements. The authors have justified each step of the ABPS’s MOC process in terms of how it improves the quality of care delivered to Plastic Surgery patients. Finally, a summary of research is presented that demonstrates both that the public supports the MOC process for all physicians and that continuing education and formal assessment and improvement initiatives have been linked in multiple studies to a better and more evidence-based medical practice. PMID:21285803

Can citizen science enhance public understanding of science?

Science.gov (United States)

Bonney, Rick; Phillips, Tina B; Ballard, Heidi L; Enck, Jody W

2016-01-01

Over the past 20 years, thousands of citizen science projects engaging millions of participants in collecting and/or processing data have sprung up around the world. Here we review documented outcomes from four categories of citizen science projects which are defined by the nature of the activities in which their participants engage - Data Collection, Data Processing, Curriculum-based, and Community Science. We find strong evidence that scientific outcomes of citizen science are well documented, particularly for Data Collection and Data Processing projects. We find limited but growing evidence that citizen science projects achieve participant gains in knowledge about science knowledge and process, increase public awareness of the diversity of scientific research, and provide deeper meaning to participants' hobbies. We also find some evidence that citizen science can contribute positively to social well-being by influencing the questions that are being addressed and by giving people a voice in local environmental decision making. While not all citizen science projects are intended to achieve a greater degree of public understanding of science, social change, or improved science -society relationships, those projects that do require effort and resources in four main categories: (1) project design, (2) outcomes measurement, (3) engagement of new audiences, and (4) new directions for research. © The Author(s) 2015.

MODELLING OF FINANCIAL EFFECTIVENESS AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS AND PUBLIC PROCUREMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuznetsov Aleksey Alekseevich

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The article substantiates the necessity of extension and development of tools for methodological evaluation of effectiveness of public-private partnership (PPP projects both individually and in comparison of effectiveness of various mechanisms of projects realization on the example of traditional public procurement. The author proposed an original technique of modelling cash flows of private and public partners when realizing the projects based on PPP and on public procurement. The model enables us promptly and with sufficient accuracy to reveal comparative advantages of project forms of PPP and public procurement, and also assess financial effectiveness of the PPP projects for each partner. The modelling is relatively straightforward and reliable. The model also enables us to evaluate public partner's expenses for availability, find the terms and thresholds for interest rates of financing attracted by the partners and for risk probabilities to ensure comparative advantage of PPP project. Proposed criteria of effectiveness are compared with methodological recommendations provided by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. Subject: public and private organizations, financial institutions, development institutions and their theoretical and practical techniques for effectiveness evaluation of public-private partnership (PPP projects. Complexity of effectiveness evaluation and the lack of unified and accepted methodology are among the factors that limit the development of PPP in the Russian Federation nowadays. Research objectives: development of methodological methods for assessing financial efficiency of PPP projects by creating and justifying application of new principles and methods of modelling, and also criteria for effectiveness of PPP projects both individually and in comparison with the public procurement. Materials and methods: open database of ongoing PPP projects in the Russian Federation and abroad was used. The

Medically-enhanced normality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møldrup, Claus; Traulsen, Janine Morgall; Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna

2003-01-01

Objective: To consider public perspectives on the use of medicines for non-medical purposes, a usage called medically-enhanced normality (MEN). Method: Examples from the literature were combined with empirical data derived from two Danish research projects: a Delphi internet study and a Telebus...

Ethics in Public Administration: Evidence from Slovenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zlatko NEDELKO

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper is to examine how employees’ personal ethics, expressed through their personal values and attitudes toward social and environmental issues, are associated with the ethics of organizations in public administration. The authors introduce their own theoretical model that examines the relations between employees’ personal ethics – expressed through employees’ personal values and attitudes toward natural and social environments – and the ethics of public administration. The reported study examined these relations and tested a proposed model based on the answers of 212 employees from public administration organizations in Slovenia. Employees’ attitudes toward natural and social environments and the ethics of their organizations were measured using a questionnaire designed to measure aspects of ethics whereas personal values were measured using the Schwartz value survey. The results demonstrated that employees’ self-enhancing values significantly influence their attitudes toward the natural environment. Employees’ self-transcendence and self-enhancement values significantly influence their attitudes toward the social environment and the ethics of organizations. In addition, research results about the mediation effect of employees’ attitudes toward natural and social environments on the association between the employees’ personal values and their perception of the ethics of public administration organizations reveals that employees’ social attitudes have a significant impact on the ethics of public administration while the impact of self-transcending and self-enhancing values becomes insignificant. Based on results of testing our model we can conclude that the employee’s attitudes toward to the social environment represent a significantly more powerful predictor of ethics in public administration organizations than the employees’ personal values. These results present a solid basis for further

Recruiting Nonresident Students and the Privatization of Public Universities

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Michael S.; Smith, Marybeth

2016-01-01

As state appropriations for higher education decrease, public universities rely increasingly on student tuition to meet their operating expenses. Many public universities depend on tuition paid by out-of-state students. Institutions maximize revenue-enhancing opportunities resulting from a supportive public policy and cultural environment.…

How can health care organisations make and justify decisions about risk reduction? Lessons from a cross-industry review and a health care stakeholder consensus development process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sujan, Mark A.; Habli, Ibrahim; Kelly, Tim P.; Gühnemann, Astrid; Pozzi, Simone; Johnson, Christopher W.

2017-01-01

Interventions to reduce risk often have an associated cost. In UK industries decisions about risk reduction are made and justified within a shared regulatory framework that requires that risk be reduced as low as reasonably practicable. In health care no such regulatory framework exists, and the practice of making decisions about risk reduction is varied and lacks transparency. Can health care organisations learn from relevant industry experiences about making and justifying risk reduction decisions? This paper presents lessons from a qualitative study undertaken with 21 participants from five industries about how such decisions are made and justified in UK industry. Recommendations were developed based on a consensus development exercise undertaken with 20 health care stakeholders. The paper argues that there is a need in health care to develop a regulatory framework and an agreed process for managing explicitly the trade-off between risk reduction and cost. The framework should include guidance about a health care specific notion of acceptable levels of risk, guidance about standardised risk reduction interventions, it should include regulatory incentives for health care organisations to reduce risk, and it should encourage the adoption of an approach for documenting explicitly an organisation's risk position. - Highlights: • Empirical description of industry perceptions on making risk reduction decisions. • Health care consensus development identified five recommendations. • Risk concept should be better integrated into safety management. • Education and awareness about risk concept are required. • Health systems need to start a dialogue about acceptable levels of risk.

Justifying continuous sedation until death: a focus group study in nursing homes in Flanders, Belgium.

Science.gov (United States)

Rys, Sam; Deschepper, Reginald; Deliens, Luc; Mortier, Freddy; Bilsen, Johan

2013-01-01

Continuous Sedation until Death (CSD), the act of reducing or removing the consciousness of an incurably ill patient until death, has become a common practice in nursing homes in Flanders (Belgium). Quantitative research has suggested that CSD is not always properly applied. This qualitative study aims to explore and describe the circumstances under which nursing home clinicians consider CSD to be justified. Six focus groups were conducted including 10 physicians, 24 nurses, and 14 care assistants working in either Catholic or non-Catholic nursing homes of varying size. Refractory suffering, limited life expectancy and respecting patient autonomy are considered essential elements in deciding for CSD. However, multiple factors complicate the care of nursing home residents at the end of life, and often hinder clinicians from putting these elements into practice. Nursing home clinicians may benefit from more information and instruction about managing CSD in the complex care situations which typically occur in nursing homes. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Colombia - National Level Public Financial Management and Procurement Report : Status of the Public Financial Management and Procurement System

OpenAIRE

World Bank; Inter-American Development Bank

2009-01-01

This Public Financial Management Performance Report (PFMPR) analyzes the performance of Colombia's public financial management (PFM) institutions, systems and processes. It documents areas where performance is close to or follows international good practice, as well as opportunities to further enhance PFM contribution to the goals of strengthening fiscal discipline, enabling more efficient...

Colombia - National Level Public Financial Management and Procurement Report : Status of the Colombian Public procurement System - OECD Methodology

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2009-01-01

This Public Financial Management Performance Report (PFMPR) analyzes the performance of Colombia's public financial management (PFM) institutions, systems and processes. It documents areas where performance is close to or follows international good practice, as well as opportunities to further enhance PFM contribution to the goals of strengthening fiscal discipline, enabling more efficient...

Radioactivity in surface and coastal waters of the British Isles, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, G.J.

1986-01-01

A summary of estimated public radiation exposures in 1985 resulting from liquid radioactive waste discharges from nuclear establishments monitored by the Directorate of Fisheries Research is presented in tabular form. The exposures are expressed in terms of the committed effective dose equivalents to, or as doses to skin of, members of the critical groups. Results for internal exposures incorporate the enhanced gut transfer factor for plutonium except where a more appropriate value is justified. (author)

Distribution automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gruenemeyer, D.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on a Distribution Automation (DA) System enhances the efficiency and productivity of a utility. It also provides intangible benefits such as improved public image and market advantages. A utility should evaluate the benefits and costs of such a system before committing funds. The expenditure for distribution automation is economical when justified by the deferral of a capacity increase, a decrease in peak power demand, or a reduction in O and M requirements

In lung cancer patients where a malignant pleural effusion is found at operation could resection ever still be justified?

Science.gov (United States)

Fiorelli, Alfonso; Santini, Mario

2013-08-01

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether surgery could ever be justified in non-small cell lung cancer patients with an unexpected malignant pleural effusion at surgery. Eight papers were chosen to answer the question. The authors, journal, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes and results of these papers were tabulated. Study limitations included a lack of retrospective studies, the heterogeneous patient population and various treatments applied. Three papers found that surgery--compared to exploratory thoracotomy--was associated with a survival advantage in cases of minimal pleural disease. One paper showed that the median survival time of 58.8 months in patients with pleural effusion was better than that of patients with more extensive pleural dissemination as pleural nodule (10 months; P=0.0001) or pleural nodule with effusion (19.3 months; P=0.019). Another study showed that pleural effusion patients with N0-1 status had a median survival time more than 5 years longer than patients with similar or more extensive pleural dissemination but with N2-N3 status. A further study showed a better 5-year survival time in patients with pleural effusion, than in patients with pleural nodule (22.9% vs 8.9%, respectively; P=0.45). In two papers, surgery vs exploratory thoracotomy had better survival in cases of N0 status and of complete tumour resection independently of pleural dissemination. Different strategies were employed to obtain freedom from macroscopic residual tumour, including pneumonectomy, lobar resection or, to a lesser extent, pleurectomy in patients having pleural dissemination. Only one paper reported a worse median survival time after pneumonectomy than for more limited resections (12.8 vs 24.1 months, respectively; P=0.0018). In the remaining papers, no comparison between the different resections was made. In all studies

Partnering to Enhance Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, H.; Shipp, S. S.; Shupla, C. B.; Shaner, A. J.; LaConte, K.

2015-12-01

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in Houston, Texas utilizes many partners to support its multi-faceted Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program. The poster will share what we have learned about successful partnerships. One portion of the program is focused on providing training and NASA content and resources to K-12 educators. Teacher workshops are performed in several locations per year, including LPI and the Harris County Department of Education, as well as across the country in cooperation with other programs and NASA Planetary Science missions. To serve the public, LPI holds several public events per year called Sky Fest, featuring activities for children, telescopes for night sky viewing, and a short scientist lecture. For Sky Fest, LPI partners with the NASA Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society; they provide the telescopes and interact with members of the public as they are viewing celestial objects. International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) is held annually and involves the same aspects as Sky Fest, but also includes partners from Johnson Space Center's Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science group, who provide Apollo samples for the event. Another audience that LPI E/PO serves is the NASA Planetary Science E/PO community. Partnering efforts for the E/PO community include providing subject matter experts for professional development workshops and webinars, connections to groups that work with diverse and underserved audiences, and avenues to collaborate with groups such as the National Park Service and the Afterschool Alliance. Additional information about LPI's E/PO programs can be found at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education. View a list of LPI E/PO's partners here: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/partners/.

Ethical implications of democratic theory for U.S. public participation in environmental impact assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hourdequin, Marion; Landres, Peter; Hanson, Mark J.; Craig, David R.

2012-01-01

Traditional mechanisms for public participation in environmental impact assessment under U.S. federal law have been criticized as ineffective and unable to resolve conflict. As these mechanisms are modified and new approaches developed, we argue that participation should be designed and evaluated not only on practical grounds of cost-effectiveness and efficiency, but also on ethical grounds based on democratic ideals. In this paper, we review and synthesize modern democratic theory to develop and justify four ethical principles for public participation: equal opportunity to participate, equal access to information, genuine deliberation, and shared commitment. We then explore several tensions that are inherent in applying these ethical principles to public participation in EIA. We next examine traditional NEPA processes and newer collaborative approaches in light of these principles. Finally, we explore the circumstances that argue for more in-depth participatory processes. While improved EIA participatory processes do not guarantee improved outcomes in environmental management, processes informed by these four ethical principles derived from democratic theory may lead to increased public engagement and satisfaction with government agency decisions. - Highlights: ► Four ethical principles based on democratic theory for public participation in EIA. ► NEPA and collaboration offer different strengths in meeting these principles. ► We explore tensions inherent in applying these principles. ► Improved participatory processes may improve public acceptance of agency decisions.

Legal Assessment of the Legal Force Exclusion of the 1st Prudential Procedure in the Act on Public Finance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Tyniewicki

2014-03-01

Full Text Available By the amendment of the Act on Public Finance of 26 July 2013, Polish legislature made a temporary suspension – till the end of 2013 – of the application of the provisions governing the Ist prudential procedure. This procedure has a crucial meaning for reducing the growth of budget deficit and in consequence – reducing public debt growth. In case of such crucial provisions for public finance, any amendments should be carried out in situations really justified and exceptional as well as with careful respecting of principles of proper legislation. In these aspects mentioned amendment rises a number of objections. For example, rapid pace of parliamentary works causes doubts about correctness of the legislative process. Therefore, in this article the author tries to make a legal assessment of the amendment of the Act on Public Finance of 26 July 2013, both from the formal and legal point of view and taking into the consideration the importance of provisions governing the prudential procedure for whole sphere of Polish public finance.

Using Interactive Video Instruction To Enhance Public Speaking Instruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, Michael W.; Kennan, William R.

Noting that interactive video instruction (IVI) should not and cannot replace classroom instruction, this paper offers an introduction to interactive video instruction as an innovative technology that can be used to expand pedagogical opportunities in public speaking instruction. The paper: (1) defines the distinctive features of IVI; (2) assesses…

A Closer Look at the Junior Doctor Crisis in the United Kingdom's National Health Services: Is Emigration Justifiable?

Science.gov (United States)

Teo, Wendy Zi Wei

2018-07-01

This article attempts to tackle the ethically and morally troubling issue of emigration of physicians from the United Kingdom, and whether it can be justified. Unlike most research that has already been undertaken in this field, which looks at migration from developing countries to developed countries, this article takes an in-depth look at the migration of physicians between developed countries, in particular from the United Kingdom (UK) to other developed countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States (US). This examination was written in response to a current and critical crisis in the National Health Service (NHS), where impending contract changes may bring about a potential exodus of junior doctors.

Partnering to Enhance Planetary Science Education and Public Outreach Program

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, Heather; Shipp, Stephanie; Shupla, Christine; Shaner, Andrew; LaConte, Keliann

2015-11-01

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in Houston, Texas utilizes many partners to support its multi-faceted Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program. The poster will share what we have learned about successful partnerships. One portion of the program is focused on providing training and NASA content and resources to K-12 educators. Teacher workshops are performed in several locations per year, including LPI and the Harris County Department of Education, as well as across the country in cooperation with other programs and NASA Planetary Science missions.To serve the public, LPI holds several public events per year called Sky Fest, featuring activities for children, telescopes for night sky viewing, and a short scientist lecture. For Sky Fest, LPI partners with the NASA Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society; they provide the telescopes and interact with members of the public as they are viewing celestial objects. International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) is held annually and involves the same aspects as Sky Fest, but also includes partners from Johnson Space Center’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science group, who provide Apollo samples for the event.Another audience that LPI E/PO serves is the NASA Planetary Science E/PO community. Partnering efforts for the E/PO community include providing subject matter experts for professional development workshops and webinars, connections to groups that work with diverse and underserved audiences, and avenues to collaborate with groups such as the National Park Service and the Afterschool Alliance.Additional information about LPI’s E/PO programs can be found at http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education. View a list of LPI E/PO’s partners here: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/partners/.

An Intelligent System Proposal for Improving the Safety and Accessibility of Public Transit by Highway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmelo R. García

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The development of public transit systems that are accessible and safe for everyone, including people with special needs, is an objective that is justified from the civic and economic points of view. Unfortunately, public transit services are conceived for people who do not have reduced physical or cognitive abilities. In this paper, we present an intelligent public transit system by highway with the goal of facilitating access and improving the safety of public transit for persons with special needs. The system is deployed using components that are commonly available in transport infrastructure, e.g., sensors, mobile communications systems, and positioning systems. In addition, the system can operate in non-urban transport contexts, e.g., isolated rural areas, where the availability of basic infrastructure, such as electricity and communications infrastructures, is not always guaranteed. To construct the system, the principles and techniques of Ubiquitous Computing and Ambient Intelligence have been employed. To illustrate the utility of the system, two cases of services rendered by the system are described: the first case involves a surveillance system to guarantee accessibility at bus stops; the second case involves a route assistant for blind people.

Issues in public health

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Sim, Fiona; McKee, Martin

2011-01-01

..., there is increasing understanding of the inevitable limits of individual health care and of the need to complement such services with effective public health strategies. Major improvements in people's health will come from controlling communicable diseases, eradicating environmental hazards, improving people's diets and enhancing the availability ...

Social Technology as a Sustainable Public Policy: The Mandalla Project in Ceará

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josimar Souza Costa

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Environmental degradation in semi-arid Northeast has been a great challenge for the Brazilian government. The need to generate employment and income, justifies the establishment of productive activities competitive and covering the dimensions of sustainability. In this context, there is the movement of Social Technology (ST, aimed at social inclusion and development through the appropriation of simple technologies, inexpensive and consolidated in the culture of the community benefit. As a public policy of the government of Ceará, appeared the Mandalla Project, using irrigated agriculture and agribusiness production system, which includes the creation of small animals from natural methods. This study aims to analyze the ST Mandalla as a public policy that promotes sustainable development. The results show that this technology, contributes significantly to the sustainable development of semi-arid and improving the quality of life of communities served when examined against the dimensions of Sustainable Development model of Sachs (2002.

Lifelong learning in public libraries principles, programs, and people

CERN Document Server

Gilton, Donna L

2012-01-01

Lifelong Learning in Public Libraries demonstrates that public librarians can promote learning by combining the elements of Information Literacy Instruction (ILI) with traditional practices of public libraries. This approach contributes to the information enfranchisement of patrons and enhances the fulfillment of the traditional goals and purposes of libraries. Donna L. Gilton provides background on ILI and current developments in public library instruction and also examines educational the

Public Health System Research in Public Health Emergency Preparedness in the United States (2009-2015): Actionable Knowledge Base.

Science.gov (United States)

Savoia, Elena; Lin, Leesa; Bernard, Dottie; Klein, Noah; James, Lyndon P; Guicciardi, Stefano

2017-09-01

In 2008, the Institute of Medicine released a letter report identifying 4 research priority areas for public health emergency preparedness in public health system research: (1) enhancing the usefulness of training, (2) improving timely emergency communications, (3) creating and maintaining sustainable response systems, and (4) generating effectiveness criteria and metrics. To (1) identify and characterize public health system research in public health emergency preparedness produced in the United States from 2009 to 2015, (2) synthesize research findings and assess the level of confidence in these findings, and (3) describe the evolution of knowledge production in public health emergency preparedness system research. Search Methods and Selection Criteria. We reviewed and included the titles and abstracts of 1584 articles derived from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and gray literature databases that focused on the organizational or financial aspects of public health emergency preparedness activities and were grounded on empirical studies. We included 156 articles. We appraised the quality of the studies according to the study design. We identified themes during article analysis and summarized overall findings by theme. We determined level of confidence in the findings with the GRADE-CERQual tool. Thirty-one studies provided evidence on how to enhance the usefulness of training. Results demonstrated the utility of drills and exercises to enhance decision-making capabilities and coordination across organizations, the benefit of cross-sector partnerships for successfully implementing training activities, and the value of integrating evaluation methods to support training improvement efforts. Thirty-six studies provided evidence on how to improve timely communications. Results supported the use of communication strategies that address differences in access to information, knowledge, attitudes, and practices across segments of the population as well as evidence on specific

Public Education and Growth in Developing Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schuppert, Christiane; Wirz, Nadja

Human capital plays a key role in fostering technology adoption, the major source of economic growth in developing countries. Consequently, enhancing the level of human capital should be a matter of public concern. The present paper studies public education incentives in an environment in which...... governments can invest in human capital to facilitate the adoption of new technologies invented abroad or, instead, focus on consumptive public spending. Although human capital is pivotal for growth, the model reveals that incentives to invest in public education vanish if a country is poorly endowed...

The State Public Health Laboratory System.

Science.gov (United States)

Inhorn, Stanley L; Astles, J Rex; Gradus, Stephen; Malmberg, Veronica; Snippes, Paula M; Wilcke, Burton W; White, Vanessa A

2010-01-01

This article describes the development since 2000 of the State Public Health Laboratory System in the United States. These state systems collectively are related to several other recent public health laboratory (PHL) initiatives. The first is the Core Functions and Capabilities of State Public Health Laboratories, a white paper that defined the basic responsibilities of the state PHL. Another is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Laboratory System (NLS) initiative, the goal of which is to promote public-private collaboration to assure quality laboratory services and public health surveillance. To enhance the realization of the NLS, the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) launched in 2004 a State Public Health Laboratory System Improvement Program. In the same year, APHL developed a Comprehensive Laboratory Services Survey, a tool to measure improvement through the decade to assure that essential PHL services are provided.

[Cesarean birth: justifying indication or justified concern?].

Science.gov (United States)

Muñoz-Enciso, José Manuel; Rosales-Aujang, Enrique; Domínguez-Ponce, Guillermo; Serrano-Díaz, César Leopoldo

2011-02-01

Caesarean section is the most common surgery performed in all hospitals of second level of care in the health sector and more frequently in private hospitals in Mexico. To determine the behavior that caesarean section in different hospitals in the health sector in the city of Aguascalientes and analyze the indications during the same period. A descriptive and cross in the top four secondary hospitals in the health sector of the state of Aguascalientes, which together account for 81% of obstetric care in the state, from 1 September to 31 October 2008. Were analyzed: indication of cesarean section and their classification, previous pregnancies, marital status, gestational age, weight and minute Apgar newborn and given birth control during the event. were recorded during the study period, 2.964 pregnancies after 29 weeks, of whom 1.195 were resolved by Caesarean section with an overall rate of 40.3%. We found 45 different indications, which undoubtedly reflect the great diversity of views on the institutional medical staff to schedule a cesarean section. Although each institution has different resources and a population with different characteristics, treatment protocols should be developed by staff of each hospital to have the test as a cornerstone of labor, also request a second opinion before a caesarean section, all try to reduce the frequency of cesarean section.

Defending the social value of knowledge as a safeguard for public trust.

Science.gov (United States)

Holzer, Felicitas S

2017-09-01

The 'socially valuable knowledge' (SVK) principle has been widely acknowledged as one of the most important guiding principles for biomedical research involving human subjects. The principle states that the potential of producing socially valuable knowledge is a necessary requirement, although not sufficient, for the ethical conduct of research projects. This is due to the assumption that the social value of knowledge avoids exploitation of research subjects and justifies the use of health resources. However, more recently, several authors have started interrogating the validity of SVK in research and offered various lines of argument against the SVK principle as a necessary constraint to research. In this article, I will reconstruct the main arguments of this discussion between defenders and debunkers of the SVK principle and offer a third way to consider the social value of knowledge in research studies. I will argue that the social value of knowledge can be supported by an independent justification. This justification of the SVK principle addresses the rationality and common interest of researchers. Thus, I will introduce the SVK principle as a safeguarding principle for public trust based on a conceptual framework by Alex John London. My approach justifies keeping the principle as a precautionary and rational requirement for human health research that all rational stakeholders can agree upon. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Lean Production Practices to Enhance Organisational Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shah Satya

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Service sector organisations are constantly overcoming the challenges facing the over-production and waste reduction within their environments. Industries are also becoming very competitive thus forcing them to seek suitable production organisation strategies with the aim towards enhancing their competitiveness and efficiency. The aim of this research study is to investigate the impact of lean production practices on the performance of service based businesses through the case study of a local baked goods supplier. The research framework adopted consists of questionnaire survey method implemented with different end users, thus covering the overall production – retail – customer cycle. The research results and analysis justify the objective of the research that lean production practices enhance the performance of the supplier company and the common tool identified were JIT (Just in Time, Value Steam Mapping (VSP and the 5S methods. The results also suggest that JIT method has a higher impact towards improvement on performance relating to quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost of the supplier. However, the research study also identifies that one of the major challenges faced by the organisation while adopting lean practices was the lack of commitment from top management, continuous training and employee engagement measures.

Enhancing Scientific Collaboration, Transparency, and Public Access: Utilizing the Second Life Platform to Convene a Scientific Conference in 3-D Virtual Space

Science.gov (United States)

McGee, B. W.

2006-12-01

Recent studies reveal a general mistrust of science as well as a distorted perception of the scientific method by the public at-large. Concurrently, the number of science undergraduate and graduate students is in decline. By taking advantage of emergent technologies not only for direct public outreach but also to enhance public accessibility to the science process, it may be possible to both begin a reversal of popular scientific misconceptions and to engage a new generation of scientists. The Second Life platform is a 3-D virtual world produced and operated by Linden Research, Inc., a privately owned company instituted to develop new forms of immersive entertainment. Free and downloadable to the public, Second Life offers an imbedded physics engine, streaming audio and video capability, and unlike other "multiplayer" software, the objects and inhabitants of Second Life are entirely designed and created by its users, providing an open-ended experience without the structure of a traditional video game. Already, educational institutions, virtual museums, and real-world businesses are utilizing Second Life for teleconferencing, pre-visualization, and distance education, as well as to conduct traditional business. However, the untapped potential of Second Life lies in its versatility, where the limitations of traditional scientific meeting venues do not exist, and attendees need not be restricted by prohibitive travel costs. It will be shown that the Second Life system enables scientific authors and presenters at a "virtual conference" to display figures and images at full resolution, employ audio-visual content typically not available to conference organizers, and to perform demonstrations or premier three-dimensional renderings of objects, processes, or information. An enhanced presentation like those possible with Second Life would be more engaging to non- scientists, and such an event would be accessible to the general users of Second Life, who could have an

Public Participation GIS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Henning Sten

2004-01-01

The protection and enhancement of the environment is the main aim of most environmental planning, and the use of geographic information as well as public participation can improve the quality of both the processes and the decisions. The current paper describes the role of web-based geographic...... information in environmental planning and gives an overview over the various approaches to public participation. The current advances in Web-based GIS in many countries contain great possibilities for supporting good governance based on information and knowledge on the one hand and active involvement...... of the citizens on the other hand. One important precondition for success in this field is a well-informed population with access to the Internet. The overall purpose of this paper is to give en overview of how to utilise geographic information and public participation as natural components in environmental...

Ethical analysis of the justifiability of labelling with COPD for smoking cessation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotz, D; Vos, R; Huibers, M J H

2009-09-01

Spirometry for early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and smoking cessation is criticised because of the potential negative effects of labelling with disease. To assess the effects of opinions of smokers with mild to moderate COPD on the effectiveness of spirometry for smoking cessation, the justification of early detection of airflow limitation in smokers and the impact of confrontation with COPD. Qualitative study with data from a randomised controlled trial. General population of Dutch and Belgian Limburg. Semistructured ethical exit interviews were conducted with 205 smokers who were motivated to quit smoking and had no prior diagnosis of COPD but were detected with airflows limitation by means of spirometry. They received either (1) counselling, including labelling with COPD, plus with nortriptyline for smoking cessation, (2) counselling excluding labelling with COPD, plus nortriptyline for smoking cessation or (3) care as usual for smoking cessation by the general practitioner, without labelling with COPD. Of the participants, 177 (86%) agreed or completely agreed that it is justified to measure lung function in heavy smokers. These participants argued that measuring lung function raises consciousness of the negative effects of smoking, helps to prevent disease or increases motivation to stop smoking. Most of the 18 participants who disagreed argued that routinely measuring lung function in smokers would interfere with freedom of choice. Labelling with disease is probably a less important issue in the discussion about the pros and cons of early detection of COPD.

Empirical study on the feasibility of measures for public self-protection capability enhancement; Empirische Untersuchung der Realisierbarkeit von Massnahmen zur Erhoehung der Selbstschutzfaehigkeit der Bevoelkerung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goersch, Henning G.; Werner, Ute

2011-07-01

The empirical study on the feasibility of measures for public self-protection capability enhancement covers the following issues with several sections: (1) Introduction: scope of the study; structure of the study. (2) Issue coherence: self-protection; reduction and prevention of damage by personal emergency preparedness, personal emergency preparedness in Germany. (3) Solution coherence: scientific approaches, development of practical problem solution approaches, proposal of a promotion system. (4) Empirical studies: Promotion system evaluation by experts; questioning of the public; Delphi-study on minimum standards in emergency preparedness; local networks in emergency preparedness. (5) Evaluation of models for personal emergency preparedness (M3P). (6) Integration of all research results into the approach of emergency preparedness: scope; recommendations, conclusions.

How to define and build an effective cyber threat intelligence capability how to understand, justify and implement a new approach to security

CERN Document Server

Dalziel, Henry; Carnall, James

2014-01-01

Intelligence-Led Security: How to Understand, Justify and Implement a New Approach to Security is a concise review of the concept of Intelligence-Led Security. Protecting a business, including its information and intellectual property, physical infrastructure, employees, and reputation, has become increasingly difficult. Online threats come from all sides: internal leaks and external adversaries; domestic hacktivists and overseas cybercrime syndicates; targeted threats and mass attacks. And these threats run the gamut from targeted to indiscriminate to entirely accidental. Amo

Advertising public outreach--going where the people are

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradford, D.; Burns, D.

1994-01-01

In a continuing effort to invite new and larger segments of the public to participate in Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP) Public Outreach Programs, examination of methods to enhance existing Public Outreach advertising programs began in 1993. Apart from the desire to promote greater public awareness and participation of the YMP, the Project itself is receiving less coverage of its scientific aspects in the local media. Since the public is already comfortable receiving messages in these media, this becomes an additional reason to explore and study advertising as a platform for invitations to the public

[Evaluation of financial status of public hospitals considering the updated costs of their services].

Science.gov (United States)

Cid P, Camilo; Bastías S, Gabriel

2014-02-01

In 2011 the Chilean National Health Fund (FONASA) commissioned a study to assess the costs of the 120 most relevant hospital care services with an established fee, in a large sample of public hospitals. We herein report the cost evaluation results of such study, considering the financial condition of those hospitals in the year of the study. Based on the premise that the expenses derived from the provision of institutional and appraised hospital services should be identical to the billing of hospitals to FONASA, the prices are undervalued, since they cover only 56% of billing, generating a gap between expenses and invoicing. This gap shows an important limitation of tariffs, since their prices do not cover the real costs. However not all hospitals behave in the same way. While the provision of services of some hospitals is even higher than their billing, most hospitals do not completely justify their invoicing. These assumptions would imply that, generally speaking, hospital debts are justified by the costs incurred. However, hospitals have heterogeneous financial situations that need to be analyzed carefully. In particular, nothing can be said about their relative efficiency if cost estimations are not adjusted by the complexity of patients attended and comparison groups are not defined.

Owning genetic information and gene enhancement techniques: why privacy and property rights may undermine social control of the human genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, A D

2000-04-01

In this article I argue that the proper subjects of intangible property claims include medical records, genetic profiles, and gene enhancement techniques. Coupled with a right to privacy these intangible property rights allow individuals a zone of control that will, in most cases, justifiably exclude governmental or societal invasions into private domains. I argue that the threshold for overriding privacy rights and intangible property rights is higher, in relation to genetic enhancement techniques and sensitive personal information, than is commonly suggested. Once the bar is raised, so-to-speak, the burden of overriding it is formidable. Thus many policy decisions that have been recently proposed or enacted--citywide audio and video surveillance, law enforcement DNA sweeps, genetic profiling, national bans on genetic testing and enhancement of humans, to name a few--will have to be backed by very strong arguments.

Managing globalisation in public utilities : public service transnational corporations and the case of the global water industry

OpenAIRE

Finger, Matthias; Lobina, Emanuele

1999-01-01

Liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation of water and other public utilities have not produced the alleged efficiency gains of open international competition in public utilities, as the result has been restricted access to utilities rather than unleashed competition. Where water utilities have been privatised, TNCs have reproduced the typically monopolistic behaviour, enhancing concentration through vertical and horizontal integration, collusive conduct and other restrictive practices o...

77 FR 31866 - Intent To Request Approval From OMB of One New Public Collection of Information: Baseline...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-30

... From OMB of One New Public Collection of Information: Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement... across public transportation systems. TSA developed the Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement... be used as follows: 1. To develop a baseline understanding of a public transportation agency's...

THE ADVERTISING-VALUE-EQUIVALENT (AVE METHOD IN QUANTIFYING ECONOMIC VALUES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIVITIES: EXPERIENCE OF A PUBLIC-LISTED COMPANY IN MALAYSIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musa Abu Hassan

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Why should public relations (PR not be evaluated for its economic value? Despite the point of its social or intangible values, the argument goes on and on in most management meetings where PR practitioners always face the challenges of justifying their worth – often in monetary terms. In an open dialogue with Grunig during his visit to Malaysia in 2004, this renowned PR guru also expressed the difficulty of quantifying the actual PR worth. It is best to qualify PR values by assessing its priceless relationships with the company’s stakeholders. However, in our routine business life, especially at the middle management level, the above question seems unavoidable. In enhancing excellence for PR and communication management, Ehling (1992 placed the logic underlying the economic values of PR on the relationship between benefits and costs associated with the implementation of a PR programme. The above question and problem serve as the main objective of this article. In exploring the solutions for the quantification of PR values in Malaysia, economic education is taken as a remedy for the absence of knowledge and skills in making intelligent decisions in the marketplace (Baskin et al., 1997; Lattimor et al., 2004. In this research context, the researchers (a combination of a practitioner and an academician respectively confined the scope to the experience of a selected public-listed company for its PR campaign implemented in 2004. Quantification was attempted by evaluating the assessment in print media exposures. All earned media coverage for that particular PR campaign was measured for the media type, space, position, and the corresponding advertising rate. Monetary value was assigned to every single piece of PR news in the way disbursements are made to paid media for advertising activities. The explication of this advertising-value-equivalent (AVE method in quantifying economic values for PR news with regard to the selected campaign was made

Modelling severe Staphylococcus aureus sepsis in conscious pigs: are implications for animal welfare justified?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Helle G; Kjelgaard-Hansen, Mads; Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille

2016-01-01

A porcine model of haematogenous Staphylococcus aureus sepsis has previously been established in our research group. In these studies, pigs developed severe sepsis including liver dysfunction during a 48 h study period. As pigs were awake during the study, animal welfare was challenged by the sev......A porcine model of haematogenous Staphylococcus aureus sepsis has previously been established in our research group. In these studies, pigs developed severe sepsis including liver dysfunction during a 48 h study period. As pigs were awake during the study, animal welfare was challenged....... Prior to euthanasia, a galactose elimination capacity test was performed to assess liver function. Pigs were euthanised 48 h post inoculation for necropsy and histopathological evaluation. While infusion times of 6.66 min, and higher, did not induce liver dysfunction (n = 3), the infusion time of 3......, according to humane endpoints. A usable balance between scientific purpose and animal welfare could not be achieved, and we therefore find it hard to justify further use of this conscious porcine sepsis model. In order to make a model of translational relevance for human sepsis, we suggest that future model...

Public nursing home staff's experience of participating in an intervention aimed at enhancing their self-esteem.

Science.gov (United States)

Wadensten, Barbro; Engström, Maria; Häggström, Elisabeth

2009-11-01

The aim of the present study was to gain an understanding of how nursing staff experienced participating in a training programme aimed at strengthening their self-esteem and empowering them, to determine whether participation benefited them in any way, and to describe their opinions about possible benefits or disadvantages. Staff working in institutions such as nursing homes have a low status in society. A training programme was introduced to staff in a public nursing home. It focused on helping them understand factors in the work situation that influence them and on empowering them. The study was explorative and qualitative in design. The participants in the programme were generally satisfied with it. Their opinions about the benefits they received from the programme can be described using three themes: 'improved communication skills', 'enhanced self-esteem' and 'sees work in a different light'. The most important finding of the present study is that it was possible to strengthen and empower staff. Staff members were generally pleased and satisfied with the content/organization of the training programme. They felt the programme had been of value to them by improving their communication skills and increasing their self-esteem. The present result could be of value to managers and educators working in the area of nursing home care when planning education and development activities for staff. Learning to communicate better and understand the social structure at the workplace could improve staff members' self-esteem, thereby enhancing the work situation and atmosphere as well as empowering the individuals.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE DISTINCTIONS AND STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioan NICOLAE

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Public organizations are no longer synonymous with governmental agencies but include many for-profit service organizations as well as the third sector, which is made up of the private NPOs. Such diverse organizations. meet the publicness criterion to the extent that they cannot ignore publicness when dealing with development of strategy. Competitive models of strategic management have little use in organizations with significant degrees of publicness. Instead, a strategy should be sought which enhances cooperation and collaboration. Strategic management in public settings must identify the beliefs and demands of key stakeholders and deal with elaborate fictions held by these individuals to premise development and guide implementation. Strategic managers must carefully collaborate with their oversight body as they fashion a strategy.

Public opinion on water reuse options

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruvold, W.H.

1988-01-01

Public policy on waste water reuse options must be informed by public opinion because it is the public who must pay the cost of developing the option and who will be served by the option in the future. For public policy on reuse, guidance for innovative reuse is not as simple as first believed. It seems that public opinion regarding actual community reuse options is affected by the linkage of several factors, including water conservation, health protection, treatment and distribution costs, and environmental enhancement. Probability sampling was used in 7 studies to select respondents who were queried regarding their opinions on various reclaimed water uses such as ranging from cooling tower water to full domestic use. These 7 are briefly reviewed

Coproduction as a structural transformation of the public sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, Albert

2016-01-01

Purpose: Coproduction fundamentally changes the roles of citizens and governments. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the theoretical understanding of the transformative changes in the structural order of the public domain that result from the coproduction of public services.

Public-Private Partnership Enhances Water Utility's Performance in Armenia

OpenAIRE

Tokhmakhian, Zaruhi; Eiweida, Ahmed

2011-01-01

Public-Private Participation (PPP) schemes were successfully implemented in several water utilities in Armenia, yielding excellent results for the development of the water and wastewater sectors. Armenia is one of the few countries in the region to have had such a successful PPP experience. For many years after the collapse of the Soviet economy, most of the water supply and sanitation sys...

Contracts on electric power supply set up between communities (communal associations, countries) and public electricity utilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hedrich, B

1976-01-01

There is not any original communal right to energy supply for the population. The affiliation of local power supply to the local administration cannot be justified either by the public purpose of service or by the term provision of existence. The utilities do not get a communal license when getting the so-called licensing contract. According to its legal nature, the licensing contract is a mixture of legal positions composed of elements of the civil law and the public law. (Administrative lawsuit). The so-called power supply contract is a mutual legal relationship under civil law on the utilization of electric power, made to last. (Permanent obligation for utilization). When concluding both contracts, it is a matter of economic activities undertaken by the communities. Fiscal considerations are in the foreground. Legal regulations concerning roads and distances and serving as starting points for concluding a licensing contract are alien to the system and are to be abolished. Communities should only be responsible for local energy supply on a basis under public law. In lieu of it a stronger obligation to be met by large utilities ought to be ensured by ties under public law.

The private partners of public health: public-private alliances for public good.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonnell, Sharon; Bryant, Carol; Harris, Jeff; Campbell, Marci Kramish; Lobb, Ano; Hannon, Peggy A; Cross, Jeffrey L; Gray, Barbara

2009-04-01

We sought to convey lessons learned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Prevention Research Centers (PRCs) about the value and challenges of private-sector alliances resulting in innovative health promotion strategies. Several PRCs based in a variety of workplace and community settings contributed. We conducted interviews with principal investigators, a literature review, and a review of case studies of private-sector alliances in a microbusiness model, a macrobusiness model, and as multiparty partnerships supporting public health research, implementation, and human resource services. Private-sector alliances provide many advantages, particularly access to specialized skills generally beyond the expertise of public health entities. These skills include manufacturing, distribution, marketing, business planning, and development. Alliances also allow ready access to employee populations. Public health entities can offer private-sector partners funding opportunities through special grants, data gathering and analysis skills, and enhanced project credibility and trust. Challenges to successful partnerships include time and resource availability and negotiating the cultural divide between public health and the private sector. Critical to success are knowledge of organizational culture, values, mission, currency, and methods of operation; an understanding of and ability to articulate the benefits of the alliance for each partner; and the ability and time to respond to unexpected changes and opportunities. Private-public health alliances are challenging, and developing them takes time and resources, but aspects of these alliances can capitalize on partners' strengths, counteract weaknesses, and build collaborations that produce better outcomes than otherwise possible. Private partners may be necessary for program initiation or success. CDC guidelines and support materials may help nurture these alliances.

Methylphenidate as a cognitive enhancer in healthy young people

Science.gov (United States)

Batistela, Silmara; Bueno, Orlando Francisco Amodeo; Vaz, Leonardo José; Galduróz, José Carlos Fernandes

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The so-called cognitive enhancers have been widely and increasingly used by healthy individuals who seek improvements in cognitive performance despite having no pathologies. One drug used for this purpose is methylphenidate, a first-line drug for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Objective: The aim of the present study was to test the effect of acute administration of varying doses of methylphenidate (10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg and placebo) on a wide range of cognitive functions in healthy young people. Methods: A total of 36 young university students and graduates participated in the study. The participants underwent tests of attention and of episodic, and working memory. Results: No differences in performance were observed on any of the tests. There was a dose-dependent (40 mg > placebo) effect on self-reported wellbeing. Conclusions: According to the recent literature, psychostimulant medications, such as methylphenidate, improve performance when cognitive processes are below an optimal level, which was not the case for the subjects of the present study. We suggest the impression that methylphenidate enhances cognitive performance in healthy young people, justifying its use, may be due to improvements in subjective wellbeing promoted by the drug. PMID:29213444

Perinatal health in the Danube region - new birth cohort justified.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Knudsen, L. E.; Andersen, Z.J.; Šrám, Radim; Braun Kohlová, M.; Gurzau, E.S.; Fucic, A.; Gribaldo, L.; Rössner ml., Pavel; Rössnerová, Andrea; Máca, V.; Zvěřinová, I.; Gajdošová, D.; Moshammer, H.; Rudnai, P.; Ščasný, M.

2017-01-01

Roč. 32, 1-2 (2017), s. 9-14 ISSN 2191-0308 Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : birth cohort * child health * Danube region * environmental exposures Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality OBOR OECD: Public and environmental health

PET/CT in cancer: moderate sample sizes may suffice to justify replacement of a regional gold standard

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerke, Oke; Poulsen, Mads Hvid; Bouchelouche, Kirsten

2009-01-01

PURPOSE: For certain cancer indications, the current patient evaluation strategy is a perfect but locally restricted gold standard procedure. If positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) can be shown to be reliable within the gold standard region and if it can be argued that PET...... of metastasized prostate cancer. RESULTS: An added value in accuracy of PET/CT in adjacent areas can outweigh a downsized target level of accuracy in the gold standard region, justifying smaller sample sizes. CONCLUSIONS: If PET/CT provides an accuracy benefit in adjacent regions, then sample sizes can be reduced....../CT also performs well in adjacent areas, then sample sizes in accuracy studies can be reduced. PROCEDURES: Traditional standard power calculations for demonstrating sensitivities of both 80% and 90% are shown. The argument is then described in general terms and demonstrated by an ongoing study...

A study of psychosocial challenges of public secondary school ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Conclusion: The Public health Nurses and School health nurses should work with school administrators to enhance mental health of school children with a view to ensuring conducive learning environment that will promote academic performances. Keywords: Psychosocial, Challenges, Mental health, Public schools, Ore ...

Ethical implications of democratic theory for U.S. public participation in environmental impact assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hourdequin, Marion, E-mail: Marion.Hourdequin@ColoradoCollege.edu [Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 790 East Beckwith, Missoula, MT 59801 (United States); Department of Philosophy, Colorado College, 14 E. Cache La Poudre St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903 (United States); Landres, Peter [Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 790 East Beckwith, Missoula, MT 59801 (United States); Hanson, Mark J. [Department of Philosophy, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812 (United States); Craig, David R. [Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute, Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 790 East Beckwith, Missoula, MT 59801 (United States)

2012-07-15

Traditional mechanisms for public participation in environmental impact assessment under U.S. federal law have been criticized as ineffective and unable to resolve conflict. As these mechanisms are modified and new approaches developed, we argue that participation should be designed and evaluated not only on practical grounds of cost-effectiveness and efficiency, but also on ethical grounds based on democratic ideals. In this paper, we review and synthesize modern democratic theory to develop and justify four ethical principles for public participation: equal opportunity to participate, equal access to information, genuine deliberation, and shared commitment. We then explore several tensions that are inherent in applying these ethical principles to public participation in EIA. We next examine traditional NEPA processes and newer collaborative approaches in light of these principles. Finally, we explore the circumstances that argue for more in-depth participatory processes. While improved EIA participatory processes do not guarantee improved outcomes in environmental management, processes informed by these four ethical principles derived from democratic theory may lead to increased public engagement and satisfaction with government agency decisions. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Four ethical principles based on democratic theory for public participation in EIA. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NEPA and collaboration offer different strengths in meeting these principles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We explore tensions inherent in applying these principles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Improved participatory processes may improve public acceptance of agency decisions.

Public participation and environmental impact assessment: Purposes, implications, and lessons for public policy making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Faircheallaigh, Ciaran

2010-01-01

In recent years the need to enhance public participation in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and the efficacy of alternative mechanisms in achieving this goal, have been central themes in the EIA literature. The benefits of public participation are often taken for granted, and partly for this reason the underlying rationale for greater public participation is sometimes poorly articulated, making it more difficult to determine how to pursue it effectively. The reasons for seeking public participation are also highly diverse and not always mutually consistent. There has been limited analysis of the implications of different forms and degrees of public participation for public decision making based on EIA, and little discussion of how experience with public participation in EIA relates to debates about participation in policy making generally. This paper distinguishes various purposes for public participation in EIA, and discusses their implications for decision making. It then draws on some general models of public participation in policy making to consider how approaches to participation in EIA can be interpreted and valued, and asks what EIA experience reveals about the utility of these models. It argues that the models pay insufficient attention to the interaction that can occur between different forms of public participation; and to the fact that public participation raises issues regarding control over decision making that are not subject to resolution, but must be managed through ongoing processes of negotiation.

Technologically enhanced natural radiation (TENR II). Proceedings of an international symposium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-02-01

Natural radiation is ubiquitous. In recent decades, there has been a developing interest in fully documenting exposure of human beings to radiation of natural origin. Radiation experts have recognized that natural sources of radiation can cause exposure of members of the general public and workers to levels that warrant consideration of whether controls should be applied. The second International Symposium on Technologically Enhanced Natural Radiation (TENR II) was held in Rio de Janeiro from 12 to 17 September 1999. The objective of the symposium was to provide a forum for the international exchange of information on the scientific and technical aspects of those components of exposure to natural radiation that warrant consideration. These components were examined under the headings: the technological enhancement of natural radiation in mining and non-nuclear industries; radon indoors and outdoors; mobility and transfer of natural radionuclides; natural radiation and health effects; analytical techniques and methodologies; the remediation of contaminated sites; and regulatory and legal aspects. The symposium found that exposures to natural sources of radiation should be considered from the point of view of their amenability to control. This approach is reflected in the International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources (BSS) and the associated IAEA documents on occupational exposure and rehabilitation of contaminated lands. The concepts of exclusion and intervention are particularly relevant to the amenability to control of natural sources of radiation. Indeed, the BSS specify that any exposure whose magnitude is essentially unamenable to control through the requirements of the BSS is out of the scope of the BSS. The BSS further indicate that protective or remedial actions shall be undertaken whenever they are justified in terms of the benefit to be obtained. Following their deliberations, the

Can context justify an ethical double standard for clinical research in developing countries?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Landes Megan

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The design of clinical research deserves special caution so as to safeguard the rights of participating individuals. While the international community has agreed on ethical standards for the design of research, these frameworks still remain open to interpretation, revision and debate. Recently a breach in the consensus of how to apply these ethical standards to research in developing countries has occurred, notably beginning with the 1994 placebo-controlled trials to reduce maternal to child transmission of HIV-1 in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. The design of these trials sparked intense debate with the inclusion of a placebo-control group despite the existence of a 'gold standard' and trial supporters grounded their justifications of the trial design on the context of scarcity in resource-poor settings. Discussion These 'contextual' apologetics are arguably an ethical loophole inherent in current bioethical methodology. However, this convenient appropriation of 'contextual' analysis simply fails to acknowledge the underpinnings of feminist ethical analysis upon which it must stand. A more rigorous analysis of the political, social, and economic structures pertaining to the global context of developing countries reveals that the bioethical principles of beneficence and justice fail to be met in this trial design. Conclusion Within this broader, and theoretically necessary, understanding of context, it becomes impossible to justify an ethical double standard for research in developing countries.

Residentialization of Public Spaces: Bratislava Example

Science.gov (United States)

Bacová, Andrea; Puškár, Branislav; Vráblová, Edita

2017-10-01

The housing estates in Bratislava saturated the housing needs of a large number of inhabitants who come after World War II to the city. Design of public spaces often did not have priority in the process of designing. The solutions for mentioned exterior spaces had been planned after blocks of flat realization, but many of them are not realized to this day. The article analyzes the example of the unrealized public spaces in existing housing estates Devinska Nova Ves and Petržalka (city districts of Bratislava) and offer practical solutions in relation to residencialization method. Residencialization of missing public places is an effective method of adding identities to settlements. It improves the quality of residential environment and public spaces. The main aim is to create better conditions for social activities in public areas, which are missing on the present. The research will be focused on the examination of the urban, cultural and construction potential of the existing residential enviroment in Bratislava. The main aim of residentialization is not only to enhance the quality of spatial and building structures in the selected residential area and maintain long-term sustainability in the pertinent programme area, but mainly to improve the quality of living for the residents. The outputs of the project are proposals and practical procedures developed with regard to planning documents for local municipal authorities and regional organizations. The solutions will have a positive impact on the enhancement of the quality of public spaces, attractive social activities and of a conceptual link - residentialization.

A local authority view of the Sizewell B decision and the role of the public enquiry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayre, D.

1987-01-01

The background to the Sizewell-B public inquiry is presented. The local authorities are important in this as it was they who first received the Central Electricity Generating Board's request to build Sizewell-B and who triggered the need for a Public Inquiry. The local authorities did not object in principle to the use of the Sizewell site for additional nuclear power generation provided the Government was satisfied that there was a national need for the extra capacity. In future inquiries there might not be acceptance in principle which would change the nature of the Inquiry. The local authority involvement in the public inquiry is discussed under the headings: need and economics, safety and local environment issues. The relevant parts of the Sizewell-B report are considered. The Secretary of State's decision, which follows the Inspector's report, justifies the confidence put in the inquiry process by the local authorities. Concern is expressed, however, that extra financial help is needed to pay for the local authorities expenditure on the Inquiry and also for the consequences of the Sizewell-B project itself. (U.K.)

A Lacanian Reading of the Two Novels The Scarlet Letter And Private Memoirs And Confessions of A Justified Sinner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjan Yazdanpanahi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses two novels The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner and The Scarlet Letter written by James Hogg and Nathaniel Hawthorn from the perspective of Jacques Lacan theories: the mirror stage, the-name-of-the-father and desire. The mirror stage refers to historical value and an essential libidinal relationship with the body-image. The-name-of-the-father is defined as the prohibitive role of the father as the one who lays down the incest taboo in the Oedipus complex. Meanwhile, desire is neither the appetite for satisfaction, nor the demand for love, but the difference that results from the subtraction of the first from the second.

Public Health Intelligence: Learning From the Ebola Crisis

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, David Jay

2015-01-01

Today’s public health crises, as exemplified by the Ebola outbreak, lead to dramatic calls to action that typically include improved electronic monitoring systems to better prepare for, and respond to, similar occurrences in the future. Even a preliminary public health informatics evaluation of the current Ebola crisis exposes the need for enhanced coordination and sharing of trustworthy public health intelligence. We call for a consumer-centric model of public health intelligence and the formation of a national center to guide public health intelligence gathering and synthesis. Sharing accurate and actionable information with government agencies, health care practitioners, policymakers, and, critically, the general public, will mark a shift from doing public health surveillance on people to doing public health surveillance for people. PMID:26180978

Publications | Page 207 | IDRC - International Development ...

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

Through books, articles, research publications, and studies, we aim to widen ... in the country consider that starting a business is a desirable career choice. ... some adaptation actions were implemented to enhance urban and rural interactions.

Is selenium supplementation in autoimmune thyroid diseases justified?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winther, Kristian H.; Bonnema, Steen; Hegedüs, Laszlo

2017-01-01

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review provides an appraisal of recent evidence for or against selenium supplementation in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases, and discusses possible effect mechanisms. RECENT FINDINGS: Epidemiological data suggest an increased prevalence of autoimmune thyroid...... diseases under conditions of low dietary selenium intake. Two systematic reviews have evaluated controlled trials among patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and report that selenium supplementation decreases circulating thyroid autoantibodies. The immunomodulatory effects of selenium might involve reducing...... proinflammatory cytokine release. However, clinically relevant effects of selenium supplementation, including improvement in quality of life, are more elusive. In Graves’ disease, some, but not all, trials indicate that adjuvant selenium supplementation enhances the restoration of biochemical euthyroidism...

Law and Politics, an Emerging Epidemic: A Call for Evidence-Based Public Health Law.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulrich, Michael R

2016-05-01

As Jacobson v. Massachusetts recognized in 1905, the basis of public health law, and its ability to limit constitutional rights, is the use of scientific data and empirical evidence. Far too often, this important fact is lost. Fear, misinformation, and politics frequently take center stage and drive the implementation of public health law. In the recent Ebola scare, political leaders passed unnecessary and unconstitutional quarantine measures that defied scientific understanding of the disease and caused many to have their rights needlessly constrained. Looking at HIV criminalization and exemptions to childhood vaccine requirements, it becomes clear that the blame cannot be placed on the hysteria that accompanies emergencies. Indeed, these examples merely illustrate an unfortunate array of examples where empirical evidence is ignored in the hopes of quelling paranoia. These policy approaches are not only constitutionally questionable, they generate their own risk to public health. The ability of the law to jeopardize public health approaches to infectious disease control can, and should, be limited through a renewed emphasis on science as the foundation of public health, coordination through all levels and branches of government, and through a serious commitment by the judiciary to provide oversight. Infectious disease creates public anxiety, but this cannot justify unwarranted dogmatic approaches as a response. If we as a society hope to ensure efficient, constitutional control over the spread of disease, it is imperative that science take its rightful place at the forefront of governmental decision-making and judicial review. Otherwise, the law becomes its own public health threat.

Publication bias was not a good reason to discourage trials with low power.

Science.gov (United States)

Borm, George F; den Heijer, Martin; Zielhuis, Gerhard A

2009-01-01

The objective was to investigate whether it is justified to discourage trials with less than 80% power. Trials with low power are unlikely to produce conclusive results, but their findings can be used by pooling then in a meta-analysis. However, such an analysis may be biased, because trials with low power are likely to have a nonsignificant result and are less likely to be published than trials with a statistically significant outcome. We simulated several series of studies with varying degrees of publication bias and then calculated the "real" one-sided type I error and the bias of meta-analyses with a "nominal" error rate (significance level) of 2.5%. In single trials, in which heterogeneity was set at zero, low, and high, the error rates were 2.3%, 4.7%, and 16.5%, respectively. In multiple trials with 80%-90% power and a publication rate of 90% when the results were nonsignificant, the error rates could be as high as 5.1%. When the power was 50% and the publication rate of non-significant results was 60%, the error rates did not exceed 5.3%, whereas the bias was at most 15% of the difference used in the power calculation. The impact of publication bias does not warrant the exclusion of trials with 50% power.

Current Evidence to Justify, and the Methodological Considerations for a Randomised Controlled Trial Testing the Hypothesis that Statins Prevent the Malignant Progression of Barrett's Oesophagus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Thurtle

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Barrett’s oesophagus is the predominant risk factor for oesophageal adenocarcinoma, a cancer whose incidence is increasing and which has a poor prognosis. This article reviews the latest experimental and epidemiological evidence justifying the development of a randomised controlled trial investigating the hypothesis that statins prevent the malignant progression of Barrett’s oesophagus, and explores the methodological considerations for such a trial. The experimental evidence suggests anti-carcinogenic properties of statins on oesophageal cancer cell lines, based on the inhibition of the mevalonate pathway and the production of pro-apoptotic proteins. The epidemiological evidence reports inverse associations between statin use and the incidence of oesophageal carcinoma in both general population and Barrett’s oesophagus cohorts. Such a randomised controlled trial would be a large multi-centre trial, probably investigating simvastatin, given the wide clinical experience with this drug, relatively low side-effect profile and low financial cost. As with any clinical trial, high adherence is important, which could be increased with therapy, patient, doctor and system-focussed interventions. We would suggest there is now sufficient evidence to justify a full clinical trial that attempts to prevent this aggressive cancer in a high-risk population.

78 FR 65960 - Enhancing Agricultural Coexistence; Request for Public Input

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-04

... the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room.... agriculture increases, so does the importance of managing issues that affect agricultural coexistence, such as... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Office of the Secretary [Docket No. APHIS-2013-0047] Enhancing...

Public transport optimisation emphasising passengers’ travel behaviour.

OpenAIRE

Jensen, Jens Parbo; Nielsen, Otto Anker; Prato, Carlo Giacomo

2015-01-01

Passengers in public transport complaining about their travel experiences are not uncommon. This might seem counterintuitive since several operators worldwide are presenting better key performance indicators year by year. The present PhD study focuses on developing optimisation algorithms to enhance the operations of public transport while explicitly emphasising passengers’ travel behaviour and preferences. Similar to economic theory, interactions between supply and demand are omnipresent in ...

Private versus Public Feedback - The Incentive Effects of Symbolic Awards

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerhards, Leonie; Siemer, Neele

We experimentally compare the incentive effects of rewarding individuals for outstanding performance publicly versus privately. We implement two real-effort tasks, which differ in how prestigious subjects perceive working on them. In both tasks private and public feedback similarly enhances...... experiment at a secondary school we furthermore compare the incentive effects of different forms of public recognition....

The Adaptation of Ways and Methods of Risk Minimization in Local Payment Systems in Public Transport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Avdaev Mausar Yushaevich

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The problems of risk management gain special relevance in the conditions of payment systems development in public passenger transport in Russia. The risk carriers as well as the sources of their occurrence are revealed; the characteristics of private risks of individual participants in the system of public passenger transport are presented. The directions of risk management in relation to the payment system in public transport are reasoned and structured. It is proved that the choice of specific ways to minimize the risks in local payment systems in public transport is conditioned by the following factors – the nature of the payment system integration in public transport areas, the temporary nature of risk components effect due to the improvement of organizational, economic and technological factors, the change of the stages of payment systems development, the evaluation of risks effects. The article reasons the possibility of using and adjusting traditional ways (risk evasion, risk compensation, decrease in risk level, risk transfer, distribution of risk between participants and the methods of risk management in the payment systems in public transport according to the stages of their development and functioning for the processing center, passenger motor transport organizations, financial center and passengers (payers. The authors justify the directions of integrating the local payment systems of public transport in the national payment system, taking into account the risks involved in the activity of its members.

[Hemolytic disease of the newborn has not vanished from Finland--routine protection of RhD negative mothers during pregnancy is justifiable].

Science.gov (United States)

Sainio, Susanna; Kuosmanen, Malla

2012-01-01

Prophylaxis of RhD negative mothers with anti-D immunoglobulin after childbirth is the most important procedure reducing the immunization of the mother and the risk of severe hemolytic disease of the newborn. In spite of this, anti-D antibodies having relevance to pregnancy are later detected in 1.8% of RhD negative mothers. Half of these cases could be prevented by routine anti-D prophylaxis given to the mothers during weeks 28 to 34 of pregnancy. Convincing evidence of the effectiveness of this measure has accumulated in the last few years, and application of the treatment is justified also in Finland.

Public and private schoolteachers' differences in terms of job attitudes in Albania.

Science.gov (United States)

Buka, Migena; Bilgiç, Reyhan

2010-06-01

In the present study, the attitudinal differences between public and private schoolteachers in Albania were investigated. Since the type of the organization varies, one would expect different climates for the emergence of job attitudes--mainly job satisfaction, job involvement, and organizational commitment, the most frequently studied job attitudes in the industrial and organizational psychology literature. It was hypothesized that the private schoolteachers would be more satisfied than public schoolteachers, especially due to high levels of payment and other desirable conditions. However, the public schoolteachers will be more involved than the private schoolteachers since they have to justify their continued work under the undesirable conditions. The commitment level of the private schoolteachers will be higher than the public schoolteachers since there is usually high correlation between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Data were gathered from a total of 429 teachers working in public (n = 254) and private (n = 175) schools in Albania, in high and middle schools. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance with age as a covariate. The results indicated that the private schoolteachers were more satisfied, as expected, revealed a weaker job involvement and were more committed to their school than their colleagues in the public sector. The results were found to be in line with previous studies conducted in the west. However, this study is believed to have a potential contribution to the literature in general, and to the Albanian local literature in particular. To the knowledge of the authors, there has been no similar study in Albania. Discussion is provided along with the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research.

Pharmacological cognitive enhancement-how neuroscientific research could advance ethical debate.

Science.gov (United States)

Maslen, Hannah; Faulmüller, Nadira; Savulescu, Julian

2014-01-01

THERE ARE NUMEROUS WAYS PEOPLE CAN IMPROVE THEIR COGNITIVE CAPACITIES: good nutrition and regular exercise can produce long-term improvements across many cognitive domains, whilst commonplace stimulants such as coffee temporarily boost levels of alertness and concentration. Effects like these have been well-documented in the medical literature and they raise few (if any) ethical issues. More recently, however, clinical research has shown that the off-label use of some pharmaceuticals can, under certain conditions, have modest cognition-improving effects. Substances such as methylphenidate and modafinil can improve capacities such as working memory and concentration in some healthy individuals. Unlike their more mundane predecessors, these methods of "cognitive enhancement" are thought to raise a multitude of ethical issues. This paper presents the six principal ethical issues raised in relation to pharmacological cognitive enhancers (PCEs)-issues such as whether: (1) the medical safety-profile of PCEs justifies restricting or permitting their elective or required use; (2) the enhanced mind can be an "authentic" mind; (3) individuals might be coerced into using PCEs; (4), there is a meaningful distinction to be made between the treatment vs. enhancement effect of the same PCE; (5) unequal access to PCEs would have implications for distributive justice; and (6) PCE use constitutes cheating in competitive contexts. In reviewing the six principal issues, the paper discusses how neuroscientific research might help advance the ethical debate. In particular, the paper presents new arguments about the contribution neuroscience could make to debates about justice, fairness, and cheating, ultimately concluding that neuroscientific research into "personalized enhancement" will be essential if policy is to be truly informed and ethical. We propose an "ethical agenda" for neuroscientific research into PCEs.

Public transport optimisation emphasising passengers’ travel behaviour

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jens Parbo

to the case where the two problems are solved sequentially without taking into account interdependencies. Figure 1 - Planning public transport The PhD study develops a metaheuristic algorithm to adapt the line plan configuration in order better to match passengers’ travel demand in terms of transfers as well......Passengers in public transport complaining about their travel experiences are not uncommon. This might seem counterintuitive since several operators worldwide are presenting better key performance indicators year by year. The present PhD study focuses on developing optimisation algorithms...... to enhance the operations of public transport while explicitly emphasising passengers’ travel behaviour and preferences. Similar to economic theory, interactions between supply and demand are omnipresent in the context of public transport operations. In public transport, the demand is represented...

Global Comparative Public Administration: Are Graduate Programs Responding to the Call?

Science.gov (United States)

Manoharan, Aroon P.; Mirbel, Wendel; Carrizales, Tony J.

2018-01-01

Within the past two decades, globalization has led to increased literature on comparative public administration (CPA) research, and it has enhanced analyses of administrative systems in various societies. Our paper examines CPA education among Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Policy programs in the United States. The findings…

Who Benefits from Pension Enhancements? Working Paper 76

Science.gov (United States)

Koedel, Cory; Ni, Shawn; Podgursky, Michael

2012-01-01

During the late 1990s public pension funds across the United States accrued large actuarial surpluses. The seemingly flush conditions of the pension funds led legislators in most states to substantially improve retirement benefits for public workers, including teachers. In this study we examine the benefit enhancements to the teacher pension…

Are chest radiographs justified in pre-employment examinations. Presentation of legal position and medical evidence based on 1760 cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ladd, S.C.; Krause, U.; Ladd, M.E.

2006-01-01

The legal and medical basis for chest radiographs as part of pre-employment examinations (PEE) at a University Hospital is evaluated. The radiographs are primarily performed to exclude infectious lung disease. A total of 1760 consecutive chest radiographs performed as a routine part of PEEs were reviewed retrospectively. Pathologic findings were categorized as ''nonrelevant'' or ''relevant.'' No positive finding with respect to tuberculosis or any other infectious disease was found; 94.8% of the chest radiographs were completely normal. Only five findings were regarded as ''relevant'' for the individual. No employment-relevant diagnosis occurred. The performance of chest radiography as part of a PEE is most often not justified. The practice is expensive, can violate national and European law, and lacks medical justification. (orig.) [de

Adoption and use of social media among public health departments

OpenAIRE

Thackeray, Rosemary; Neiger, Brad L; Smith, Amanda K; Van Wagenen, Sarah B

2012-01-01

Abstract Background Effective communication is a critical function within any public health system. Social media has enhanced communication between individuals and organizations and has the potential to augment public health communication. However, there is a lack of reported data on social media adoption within public health settings. The purposes of this study were to assess: 1) the extent to which state public health departments (SHDs) are using social media; 2) which social media applicat...

Determinants of public cooperation in multiplex networks

Science.gov (United States)

Battiston, Federico; Perc, Matjaž; Latora, Vito

2017-07-01

Synergies between evolutionary game theory and statistical physics have significantly improved our understanding of public cooperation in structured populations. Multiplex networks, in particular, provide the theoretical framework within network science that allows us to mathematically describe the rich structure of interactions characterizing human societies. While research has shown that multiplex networks may enhance the resilience of cooperation, the interplay between the overlap in the structure of the layers and the control parameters of the corresponding games has not yet been investigated. With this aim, we consider here the public goods game on a multiplex network, and we unveil the role of the number of layers and the overlap of links, as well as the impact of different synergy factors in different layers, on the onset of cooperation. We show that enhanced public cooperation emerges only when a significant edge overlap is combined with at least one layer being able to sustain some cooperation by means of a sufficiently high synergy factor. In the absence of either of these conditions, the evolution of cooperation in multiplex networks is determined by the bounds of traditional network reciprocity with no enhanced resilience. These results caution against overly optimistic predictions that the presence of multiple social domains may in itself promote cooperation, and they help us better understand the complexity behind prosocial behavior in layered social systems.

Informatics enables public health surveillance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott J. N McNabb

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Over the past decade, the world has radically changed. New advances in information and communication technologies (ICT connect the world in ways never imagined. Public health informatics (PHI leveraged for public health surveillance (PHS, can enable, enhance, and empower essential PHS functions (i.e., detection, reporting, confirmation, analyses, feedback, response. However, the tail doesn't wag the dog; as such, ICT cannot (should not drive public health surveillance strengthening. Rather, ICT can serve PHS to more effectively empower core functions. In this review, we explore promising ICT trends for prevention, detection, and response, laboratory reporting, push notification, analytics, predictive surveillance, and using new data sources, while recognizing that it is the people, politics, and policies that most challenge progress for implementation of solutions.

Functional Interpretation of Neighborhood Public Spaces in Terms of Identity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid Majedi

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to evaluate the effect of neighborhood public space transformation due to rapid urbanization in Tehran since 1960s, on the formation of neighborhood identity. In order to find the role of public spaces in enhancing neighborhood identities, two middle class neighborhoods with different spatial organizations are compared with each other: Nazi Abad a planned neighborhood and Mehran a typical unplanned neighborhood which developed through rapid urbanization.   Next, the effect of neighborhood public spaces on neighborhood inhabitants is evaluated from two perspectives: Perceptual dimension and social dimension. The findings indicate that planned spatial organization and various neighborhood public spaces result in stronger neighborhood identity. It enhances both perceptual dimension of neighborhood identity(place attachment and its social dimension (sense of community. In contrast unplanned spatial organization which is the typical feature of Tehran neighborhoods leads to weak neighborhood identity.

Enhancing Transparency and Public Participation through Local Partnerships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergmans, Anne [Univ. of Antwerp, Wilrijk (Belgium). Dept. of Social and Political Sciences

2001-07-01

Collective decision making in a democratic environment essentially is a process of negotiation. This assumption, as well as the failure of the formerly used topdown approach, led to a drastic change in the decision making process for siting a low level nuclear waste repository in Belgium. In two prospective communities, a local partnership was established between NIRAS-ONDRAF, the government organisation responsible for the Belgian nuclear waste, and representatives of the local communities. These partnerships are intended to bring the decision making process closer to the public concerned and to lower the threshold for active participation. The final outcome of this decision making exercise is therefore a mutual project, carried by both experts and local stakeholders, instead of an expert project imposed on an unwilling community.

Enhancing Transparency and Public Participation through Local Partnerships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergmans, Anne

2001-01-01

Collective decision making in a democratic environment essentially is a process of negotiation. This assumption, as well as the failure of the formerly used topdown approach, led to a drastic change in the decision making process for siting a low level nuclear waste repository in Belgium. In two prospective communities, a local partnership was established between NIRAS-ONDRAF, the government organisation responsible for the Belgian nuclear waste, and representatives of the local communities. These partnerships are intended to bring the decision making process closer to the public concerned and to lower the threshold for active participation. The final outcome of this decision making exercise is therefore a mutual project, carried by both experts and local stakeholders, instead of an expert project imposed on an unwilling community

Justified Ilegality?: Controlled clientelism by the Chilean administration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo Moriconi Bezerra

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The Chilean civil service is considered one of the most efficient in Latin America. However, different studies describe the informal institutions that operate between the Legislative Power and the bureaucracy to fill positions in the public administration. Although some of these clientelistic practices are against the law, they have been accepted and defended in both the political and scientific spheres. Legality is not considered an important value if certain indexes have a positive development. In this context, it is important to study how corruption and clientelism have been ignored, or hidden, through political discourses and technical reports about the situation of bureaucracy. All of this allows a better understanding of why after 20 years of administrative reforms there are damaging practices which negatively affect democracy that have not been eradicated.

Assessing the Effect of China's National Publicity Films from the Perspective of Public Diplomacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cao Wei

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article empirically assessed the effect of China’s national publicity film launched in Times Square in Manhattan, New York. To this end, the author gave a set of general criteria and indicators to measure the effect of national publicity films. Whether the publicity film was effective depends on whether American people’s image perceptions of China were improved after it was launched. Quantitative indicators are: the number of reports in the target country and the predispositions of the reports; the target country people’s participation and their predispositions; and the real behavior of the target country people. The analysis revealed that the 2011 national publicity film did not achieve the anticipated effect. The number of U.S. mainstream media reports was less than expected and their evaluations were quite negative; the participation of American people was low and the extent of the favorability both of the publicity film and China was not high; and the launch of the publicity film did not trigger a travel boom to China. Accordingly, this article suggested that the future implementation of China’s national publicity films focuses on two aspects: first, pay attention to cultural differences and enhance the comprehensibility of the discourse; second, practice what it preaches and strengthen the credibility of the discourse.

Development of Management Quality Assessment Methodology in the Public Sector: Problems and Contradictions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Vladimirovna Kozhevina

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The development management quality assessment methodology in the public sector is relevant scientific and practical problem of economic research. The utilization of the results of the assessment on the basis of the authors’ methodology allows us to rate the public sector organizations, to justify decisions on the reorganization and privatization, and to monitor changes in the level of the management quality of the public sector organizations. The study determined the place of the quality of the control processes of the public sector organization in the system of “Quality of public administration — the effective operation of the public sector organization,” the contradictions associated with the assessment of management quality are revealed, the conditions for effective functioning of the public sector organizations are proved, a mechanism of comprehensive assessment and algorithm for constructing and evaluating the control models of management quality are developed, the criteria for assessing the management quality in the public sector organizations, including economic, budgetary, social and public, informational, innovation and institutional criteria are empirically grounded. By utilizing the proposed algorithm, the assessment model of quality management in the public sector organizations, including the financial, economic, social, innovation, informational and institutional indicators is developed. For each indicator of quality management, the coefficients of importance in the management quality assessment model, as well as comprehensive and partial evaluation indicators are determined on the basis of the expert evaluations. The main conclusion of the article is that management quality assessment for the public sector organizations should be based not only on the indicators achieved in the dynamics and utilized for analyzing the effectiveness of management, but also should take into account the reference levels for the values of these

UK Higher Education Institutions' Technology-Enhanced Learning Strategies from the Perspective of Disruptive Innovation

Science.gov (United States)

Flavin, Michael; Quintero, Valentina

2018-01-01

The publication of institutional strategies for learning, teaching and assessment in UK higher education is practically ubiquitous. Strategies for technology-enhanced learning are also widespread. This article examines 44 publicly available UK university strategies for technology-enhanced learning, aiming to assess the extent to which…

Risk analysis for new nuclear waste sites: Will it generate public acceptance?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inhaber, H.

1993-01-01

This report discusses public acceptance of radioactive waste facilities and what seems to be increasingly militant stances against such facilities. The role of risk assessment in possibly enhancing public acceptance is investigated

Using Community Forums to Enhance Public Engagement in Environmental Issues

Science.gov (United States)

M.C. Monroe; A. Oxarart; L. McDonell; R. Plate

2009-01-01

As environmental issues become more complex, the public may be less interested in becoming knowledgeable enough to participate in decision-making. Yet its input can be critically important in some community-based issues. A community forum is one tool designed to provide information, enable participants to ask questions to experts and create an open atmosphere for...

Publications | Page 277 | IDRC - International Development ...

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

... to widen the impact of our investment and advance development research. ... The world's passion to help those in distress was justifiably roused following the Indian Ocean tsunami. ... Improve resource management, improve human health.

Publications | Page 276 | IDRC - International Development ...

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

... to widen the impact of our investment and advance development research. ... The world's passion to help those in distress was justifiably roused following the Indian Ocean tsunami. ... Improve resource management, improve human health.

Methylphenidate as a cognitive enhancer in healthy young people

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silmara Batistela

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The so-called cognitive enhancers have been widely and increasingly used by healthy individuals who seek improvements in cognitive performance despite having no pathologies. One drug used for this purpose is methylphenidate, a first-line drug for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. Objective: The aim of the present study was to test the effect of acute administration of varying doses of methylphenidate (10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg and placebo on a wide range of cognitive functions in healthy young people. Methods: A total of 36 young university students and graduates participated in the study. The participants underwent tests of attention and of episodic, and working memory. Results: No differences in performance were observed on any of the tests. There was a dose-dependent (40 mg > placebo effect on self-reported wellbeing. Conclusions: According to the recent literature, psychostimulant medications, such as methylphenidate, improve performance when cognitive processes are below an optimal level, which was not the case for the subjects of the present study. We suggest the impression that methylphenidate enhances cognitive performance in healthy young people, justifying its use, may be due to improvements in subjective wellbeing promoted by the drug.

Public procurement, governance and economic growth: some policy ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Public procurement, governance and economic growth: some policy ... Employing the Keynesian income-expenditure approach to measuring the Gross Domestic ... reduce wastage, enhance the effectiveness of government spending, ensure ...

Publications | Page 21 | IDRC - International Development Research ...

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

Results 201 - 210 of 6387 ... Through books, articles, research publications, and studies, we aim to widen the ... Development Research Centre (IDRC), the project uses evidence to enhance the ... Greening South America, one business at a time.

Association of public health initiatives with outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at home and in public locations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christopher B., Fordyce; Carolina M., Hansen; Kragholm, Kristian

2017-01-01

Importance  Little is known about the influence of comprehensive public health initiatives according to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) location, particularly at home, where resuscitation efforts and outcomes have historically been poor.Objective  To describe temporal trends in bystander...... cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first-responder defibrillation for OHCAs stratified by home vs public location and their association with survival and neurological outcomes.Design, Setting, and Participants  This observational study reviewed 8269 patients with OHCAs (5602 [67.7%] at home and 2667 [32.......3%] in public) for whom resuscitation was attempted using data from the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) from January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2014. The setting was 16 counties in North Carolina.Exposures  Patients were stratified by home vs public OHCA. Public health initiatives...

Publications | Page 193 | IDRC - International Development ...

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

Through books, articles, research publications, and studies, we aim to widen the impact ... in a variety of disciplines, generating ideas and building international networks. ENACQKT-ing : Caribbean nurses enhancing care, quality and knowledge ... On-the-job learning and earnings : comparative evidence from Morocco and ...

APRIMORAMENTO HUMANO: UM NOVO TEMA DA AGENDA FILOSÓFICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Antonio Azevedo

2015-07-01

human capacities, preserving and restoring health or promoting human well-being. It also enables us to overcome human limitations and reach way beyond our "natural design". That being said, what could possibly justify the fear for these new directions of biotechnology? Should medicine and health care change their traditional goals and begin searching for artificial improvements to wellness in human nature? In this paper, I will hereby present and briefly discuss the main topics of the contemporary issue of human enhancement: the therapy-enhancement distinction, the possibility of cognitive enhancements and better physical performances, the fight against senescence, the arguments for and against human eugenics, the search for perfection, the quest of moral enhancement, the problem of public priorities, and some questions on medical ethics. Then, finally, I will want to present some realist perspectives on the subject.

Roundtable on the Prevention of Eating Disorders: The Catalan public policy initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Carracedo, David; Carretero, Cristina; Conesa, Alfons

2017-04-01

The field of prevention of body image problems and eating disorders has made major advances in recent years, particularly in the development and evaluation of prevention programmes. However, few programmes achieve good long-term results because, among other reasons, the sociocultural influences affecting the development of these problems do not stop. Moreover, accelerating progress in this field is required, transferring their impact onto a larger scale. These reasons justify the need to progress in the development of public policy interventions. This paper describes a recent Catalan initiative in this sphere: the Roundtable on the Prevention of Eating Disorders, made up of different public and private sectors of Catalan society. It specifically details the main actions carried out, such as: media campaigns to reduce weight-related teasing and encouraging self-esteem, encouraging family meals and promoting help-seeking among those affected; the creation of a new informative website about these matters in the Department of Health; the production of a Decalogue of Best Practices for the promotion of self-esteem and positive body image in social media and advertising; and actions to prevent the promotion of eating disorders on the Internet. The Roundtable is the most comprehensive Catalan (and Spanish) public policy activity undertaken until now for the prevention of eating disorders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethical dilemmas in journal publication.

Science.gov (United States)

Babalola, Olubukola; Grant-Kels, Jane M; Parish, Lawrence Charles

2012-01-01

Physicians often face tremendous pressures and incentives to publish, sometimes leading to a compromise of ethical standards, either consciously or unconsciously. From the vantage of ethical authorship, we discuss what constitutes authorship; avoidance of ghost authorship; plagiarism, as well as self-plagiarism and duplicate publication; falsification; and fabrication. Editors also face ethical challenges, including how best to manage peer-review bias, to address reviewer tardiness, and to locate reviewers with appropriate expertise and professionalism. Editors need to deal with authors who fragment their work into multiple publications to enhance their curriculum vitae ("salami factor"), as well as to manage the financial benefits of advertising and to avoid conflicts of interest for the journal. Both authors and editors should be straightforward and principled throughout the publication process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Waste transmutation and public acceptance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pigford, T.H.

1991-01-01

The concept of transmuting radioactive wastes with reactors or accelerators is appealing. It has the potential of simplifying or eliminating problems of disposing of nuclear waste. The transmutation concept has been renewed vigorously at a time when national projects to dispose of high-level and transuranic waste are seriously delayed. In this period of tightening federal funds and program curtailments, skilled technical staffs are available at US Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories and contractors to work on waste transmutation. If the claims of transmutation can be shown to be realistic, economically feasible, and capable of being implemented within the US institutional infrastructure, public acceptance of nuclear waste disposal may be enhanced. If the claims for transmutation are not substantiated, however, there will result a serious loss of credibility and an unjust exacerbation of public concerns about nuclear waste. The paper discusses the following topics: how public acceptance is achieved; the technical community and waste disposal; transmutation and technical communication; transmutation issues; technical fixes and public perception

Enhanced methane production of Chlorella vulgaris and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by hydrolytic enzymes addition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahdy, Ahmed; Mendez, Lara; Ballesteros, Mercedes; González-Fernández, Cristina

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Methane production of microalgae biomass is hampered by their cell wall. • Pretreatment should be designed in accordance to the microalgae specie. • Fresh Chlamydomonas reinhardtii exhibited high anaerobic biodegradability. • Chlorella vulgaris anaerobic biodegradability was enhanced by 50% using protease pretreatment. - Abstract: The effect of enzymatic hydrolysis on microalgae organic matter solubilisation and methane production was investigated in this study. Even though both biomasses, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella vulgaris, exhibited similar macromolecular distribution, their cell wall composition provided different behaviors. The addition of carbohydrolase (Viscozyme) and protease (Alcalase) resulted in high carbohydrates and protein solubilisation on both biomasses (86–96%). Despite the high carbohydrate solubilisation with the carbohydrolase, methane production was enhanced by 14% for C. vulgaris, while hydrolyzed C. reinhardtii did not show any improvement. The addition of protease to C. reinhardtii increased methane production by 1.17-fold. The low enhancement achieved together with the inherent high biodegradability of this biomass would not justify the cost associated to the enzyme addition. On the other hand, C. vulgaris hydrolyzed with the protease resulted in 86% anaerobic biodegradability compared to 54% of the raw biomass. Therefore, the application of protease prior anaerobic digestion of C. vulgaris could be a promising approach to decrease the energetic input required for cell wall disruption

PUBLIC POLICIES AND STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF A COUNTRY . CASE OF MOLDOVA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenia BUŞMACHIU

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The study of concepts applied in the decision - making process aims to investigate the functioning of mechanisms to develop and implement the central public administration policies. A modern decision - making process includes the whole procedure of decision making: setting the priorities of public policies, choosing options, instruments of public policy implementation, developing and adopting the respective legislative and normative acts, funding to implement these policies, conducting implementation actions and monitoring the impact of public policy decisions. Often the decision - making process in public administration is interpreted as a simple organization of the information and documents circuit. Therefore there arises the need to analyze the concept of decision making and propose solutions to improve it.

Enhanced Internet Mobility and Privacy Using Public Cloud

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ping Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Internet mobile users are concerned more and more about their privacy nowadays as both researches and real world incidents show that leaking of communication and location privacy can lead to serious consequence, and many research works have been done to anonymize individual user from aggregated location data. However, just the communication itself between the mobile users and their peers or website could collect considerable privacy of the mobile users, such as location history, to other parties. In this paper, we investigated the potential privacy risk of mobile Internet users and proposed a scalable system built on top of public cloud services that can hide mobile user’s network location and traffic from communication peers. This system creates a dynamic distributed proxy network for each mobile user to minimize performance overhead and operation cost.

Peace/Williston fish and wildlife compensation program: 1992-1993 public compensation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bemister, C.N.

1993-01-01

The Peace/Williston Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program is a joint initiative by British Columbia Hydro and the provincial environment ministry to enhance and protect fish and wildlife resources and their habitat in the Williston watershed affected by the construction of the WAC Bennett and Peace Canyon dams on the Peace River. The interest from a fund of $11 million, established by BC Hydro in 1988, is used to maintain the compensation programs. Public input to the ongoing fish and wildlife programs is provided by a public consultation program. To date, the Peace/Williston compensation program has undertaken 93 projects to either conserve or enhance fish and wildlife through habitat improvement and protection. A summary is presented of the activities undertaken by the public consultation program in 1992/93 and public attitudes toward the consultation program. Activities undertaken in the fish and wildlife enhancement program are summarized in appendices. Fisheries programs included stocking, stream fertilization, small lake surveys, preparation of a side channel in Carbon Creek for multi-species spawning, and creation of an artificial spring at Windy Point for spawning purposes. Wildlife programs included channel clearance and vegetation supply improvements to enhance muskrat and beaver habitat; radio monitoring of sheep and elk; studying the feasibility of transplanting elk herds; and purchase of critical ungulate winter habitat lands. 13 figs., 4 tabs

The exceptional clauses in the contractual activity on the public administration: freedom of choice or legislative imposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Néstor David Osorio Moreno

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The contracting activity of public administration in Colombia has generally allowed, by order of constitutional and legislative norms, the application of the principle of autonomy, so that those subjects within a public legal transaction can build and establish the conditions governing their contract. The scope of the principle of autonomy must be analyzed and subjected to reflection, especially considering the institution of exception clauses in common law used by State agencies and their legal relationship with contractors. The existence of exception clauses has been justified by the interests of the State (and in particular the public interest without strictly analyzing the essence of the figure. The application of this institution in contractual relations of the State has advanced greatly, but it is still uncertain if the true nature of the figure is caused by the autonomy of the parties in order to celebrate the contract, or if it comes as privileges conferred and imposed by the legislator as a way to concise the principle of legality. This paper concludes that exception clauses in common law, clearly applied in contractual activity within public administration, consist of special privileges imposed by the legislator to State entities, and are therefore opposed to the essence of the clause and the principle of autonomy.

Strategic Public Management - Selected Experiences with BSC Implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milan PŮČEK

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Elements associated with modern approaches towards public management have been gaining ground in various forms in the Czech public administration, especially in the last decade. They reflect the priorities of the public administration reform and the enhanced opportunities for co-financing the implementation of new management tools from European funds. This article summarizes the experience of strategic management, based on the analysis of secondary sources and on the experience of one of the authors who has worked as manager in several public administration/public sector institutions. In the practical part, the article focuses on the potential and limits of implementation of the Balanced Scorecard using the practical experience together with the implementation of this instrument at the level of city and ministry.

Geospatial Data for Computerisation of Public Administration in the Czech Republic

Science.gov (United States)

Cada, V.; Mildorf, T.

2011-08-01

The main aim of the eGovernment programme in the Czech Republic is to enhance the efficiency of public administration. The Digital Map of Public Administration (DMVS) should be composed of digital orthophotographs of the Czech Republic, digital and digitised cadastral maps, digital purpose cadastral map (ÚKM) and a technical map of municipality, if available. The DMVS project is a part of computerisation of public administration in the Czech Republic. The project enhances the productivity of government administration and also simplifies the processes between citizens and public administration. The DMVS project, that should be compliant with the INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community) initiative, generates definite demand for geodata on the level of detail of land data model. The user needs that are clearly specified and required are not met due to inconsistencies in terminology, data management and level of detail.

Balancing radiation benefits and risks: The needs of an informed public

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-04-01

The American public`s perceptions regarding ionizing radiation do not always conform to or correlate with scientific evidence. The ultimate purpose of this coordinated Federal effort and report is to increase the public`s knowledge of the benefits and risks associated with ionizing radiation. This report is divided into five sections. The first section, Introduction, discusses the public`s knowledge of radiation, their perceptions of benefits versus risks, and the Federal government`s role in public education. The section also outlines the charge to the Subpanel. Radiation Issues and Public Reactions discusses several radiation issues important to Federal agencies for which public education programs need to be established or enhanced. Federal Programs describes Federal agencies with public education programs on radiation and the nature of the programs they support. Education Issues and Federal Strategies explores the elements identified by the Subpanel as critical to the development and implementation of an effective Federal program in the area of public education on radiation issues and nuclear technologies. An important issue repeatedly brought up during the public sector presentations to the Subpanel was the perceived lack of Federal credibility on radiation issues in the eyes of the public. To some degree, this concern was factored into all of the recommendations developed by the subpanel. The issues discussed in this section include the fragmented nature of Federal radiation programs and the need to improve credibility, promote agency responsiveness, and support the enhancement of scientific literacy. Finally, under Recommendations, the Subpanel discusses its overall findings and conclusions.

Self-efficacy as predictor of job performance of public secondary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study investigated the level of job performance and self-efficacy of public secondary school teachers in Osun State. It also examined self-efficacy as a predictor of teachers' job performance with a view to enhancing job productivity. The study adopted survey design. The population consisted of public secondary school ...

Motif signatures of transcribed enhancers

KAUST Repository

Kleftogiannis, Dimitrios

2017-09-14

In mammalian cells, transcribed enhancers (TrEn) play important roles in the initiation of gene expression and maintenance of gene expression levels in spatiotemporal manner. One of the most challenging questions in biology today is how the genomic characteristics of enhancers relate to enhancer activities. This is particularly critical, as several recent studies have linked enhancer sequence motifs to specific functional roles. To date, only a limited number of enhancer sequence characteristics have been investigated, leaving space for exploring the enhancers genomic code in a more systematic way. To address this problem, we developed a novel computational method, TELS, aimed at identifying predictive cell type/tissue specific motif signatures. We used TELS to compile a comprehensive catalog of motif signatures for all known TrEn identified by the FANTOM5 consortium across 112 human primary cells and tissues. Our results confirm that distinct cell type/tissue specific motif signatures characterize TrEn. These signatures allow discriminating successfully a) TrEn from random controls, proxy of non-enhancer activity, and b) cell type/tissue specific TrEn from enhancers expressed and transcribed in different cell types/tissues. TELS codes and datasets are publicly available at http://www.cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/TELS.

Quality Computer Assisted Mobile Learning (CAML and Distance Education Leadership in Managing Technology Enhanced Learning Management System (TELMS in the Malaysian Public Tertiary Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Tan Luck

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract - The success in the implementation of a quality computer assisted mobile learning and distance education in a Technology Enhanced Learning Management System is highly rely on the academic leadership in managing and application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT in the tertiary level. The effectiveness of its leadership, knowledge, application and management of ICT and learning management system is of utmost important. Successful application and management includes quality and cost effectiveness of universities administration, CAML and distance education leadership development, organizational culture, academic staffs and students’ attitude and their commitment towards teaching and learning process, support towards the usage of state of the art techno-educational facilities, availability of ICT resources, maintenance and funding of a Learning Management System. This paper will discuss the above factors, which present a comprehensive framework for the implementation of a quality CAML and distance education environment in ICT application and management in the Malaysian public universities. Selected Fifty-two respondents from two Malaysian public universities which offer e Learning and distance education with Learning Management System were acquired. A survey questionnaire is used to determine the effectiveness of ICT and mobile learning application management. Data from the questionnaires were analyzed by using non-parametric and parametric statistics testing. Results of this study show there is significant different in the CAML and distance education leadership in TELMS and the application of ICT and its management in the Malaysian public universities. The study will also address the implementation elements necessary for transforming the public universities and its CAML and distance education teaching and learning process into an effective and result oriented computer assisted mobile learning management model in public

Competition policy and public procurement in developing countries

OpenAIRE

Falvey, Rod; La Chimia, Annamaria; Morrissey, Oliver; Zgovu, Evious

2008-01-01

Measures to support Competition Policy and enhance the efficiency of Public Procurement can enhance the impact of regional integration agreements. The first part addresses Competition Policy - measures employed by government to ensure a fair competitive market environment. Competition policy aims to ensure that markets remain competitive (through anti-trust or anti-cartel enforcement) or become competitive (through liberalisation). For a variety of reasons, competition is often restricted in ...

Peace/Williston fish and wildlife compensation program: 1991-1992 Public compensation report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, G.K.

1992-01-01

The Peace/Williston Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program is a joint initiative by British Columbia Hydro and the provincial environment ministry to enhance and protect fish and wildlife resources and their habitat in the Williston watershed affected by the construction of the WAC Bennett and Peace Canyon dams on the Peace River. The interest from a fund of $11 million, established by BC Hydro in 1988, is used to maintain the compensation programs. Public input to the ongoing fish and wildlife programs is provided by a public consultation program. A summary is presented of the activities undertaken by the public consultation program in 1991/92 and public attitudes toward the consultation program. Activities undertaken in the fish and wildlife enhancement program are summarized in appendices. Fisheries programs included stocking, stream fertilization, small lake surveys, preparation of a side channel in Carbon Creek for multi-species spawning, and creation of an artificial spring at Windy Point for spawning purposes. Wildlife programs included channel clearance and vegetation supply improvements to enhance muskrat and beaver habitat; radio monitoring of sheep and elk; studying the feasibility of transplanting elk herds; and purchase of critical ungulate winter habitat lands. 1 fig., 12 tabs

A decision Enhancement Service for Stakeholder Analysis to Achieve Transformations in the Public Sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knol, Arjan; Janssen, Marijn; Sol, H G

2015-01-01

Sourcing has become a popular practice for public sector managers aiming for transformations to save costs and improve service delivery. Nevertheless, public sector sourcing often fails due to stakeholder resistance and power struggles, stressing the need for stakeholder analysis. This paper

The EU Seal Products Ban – Why Ineffective Animal Welfare Protection Cannot Justify Trade Restrictions under European and International Trade Law

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Hennig

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In this article, the author questions the legitimacy of the general ban on trade in seal products adopted by the European Union. It is submitted that the EU Seal Regime, which permits the marketing of Greenlandic seal products derived from Inuit hunts, but excludes Canadian and Norwegian seal products from the European market, does not ensure a satisfactory degree of animal welfare protection in order to justify the comprehensive trade restriction in place. It is argued that the current ineffective EU ban on seal products, which according to the WTO Appellate Body cannot be reconciled with the objective of protecting animal welfare, has no legal basis in EU Treaties and should be annulled.

Beyond the usual suspects: using political science to enhance public health policy making.

Science.gov (United States)

Fafard, Patrick

2015-11-01

That public health policy and practice should be evidence based is a seemingly uncontroversial claim. Yet governments and citizens routinely reject the best available evidence and prefer policies that reflect other considerations and concerns. The most common explanations of this paradox emphasise scientific disagreement, the power of 'politics', or the belief that scientists and policymakers live in two separate communities that do not communicate. However, another explanation may lie in the limits of the very notion of evidence-based policy making. In fact, the social science discipline of political science offers a rich body of theory and empirical evidence to explain the apparent gap between evidence and policy. This essay introduces this literature with a particular emphasis on a recent book by Katherine Smith, Beyond evidence-based policy in public health: the interplay of ideas. As the title suggests, Smith argues that what matters for public health policy is less scientific evidence and much more a more complex set of ideas. Based on detailed case studies of UK tobacco and health inequality policy, Smith offers a richly textured alternative account of what matters for policy making. This excellent book is part of a small but growing body of political science research on public health policy that draws on contemporary theories of policy change and governance more generally. This essay provides a window on this research, describes some examples, but emphasises that public health scholars and practitioners too often retain a narrow if not naive view of the policy-making process. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

An Ethical Analysis of Reagan's Rhetoric Justifying the Invasion of Grenada.

Science.gov (United States)

Dowling, Ralph E.

A study examined the Ronald Reagan Administration's rhetoric about the invasion of Grenada to determine its ethical quality and whether the American public could make a fair judgment about the incident based on this rhetoric. Examination of President Reagan's rhetorical efforts revealed numerous violations of democratic ethical standards.…

Will Green CSR Enhance Innovation? A Perspective of Public Visibility and Firm Transparency.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Weiwei; Liu, Yexin; Chin, Tachia; Zhu, Wenzhong

2018-02-04

In response to the asking and requiring of stakeholders to be more environmentally responsible, firms must commit to green corporate social responsibility (CSR). Firms being green and responsible always can acquire intangible resources that are important for firm innovation. Given the scarcity of existing research addressing relevant issues in depth, this paper expands our understanding of green CSR by revealing its antecedent effects on firm innovation performance. We also include public visibility and firm transparency as contingency factors to explore the relationship between green CSR and firm innovation performance. Using data collected from publicly listed firms in China, we find that greater innovation performance is associated with an increase in firm green CSR, and the positive relationship between green CSR and innovation performance is moderated by public visibility and firm transparency. Based on the results, theoretical contributions and practical implications are outlined.

Pharmaceutical Public-Private Partnerships

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bagley, Constance; Tvarnø, Christina D.

2014-01-01

This article provides a game theory and law-and-management analysis of for- profit pharmaceutical public-private partnerships, a complex type of legal arrangement in the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry. A pharmaceutical public-private partnership (PPPP) agreement is a legally binding...... and a practical perspective on how properly crafted PPPP arrangements can promote innovation more efficiently than traditional self-optimizing contracts. In particular, a properly framed binding contract, coupled with respect for positive incentives, can move the parties away from an inefficient prisoners...... systems to build and share innovation. When coupled with appropriate attention to the difficult task of coordinating the actions of interdependent actors, a PPPP arrangement can enhance the likelihood of successful commercialization of pharmacological discoveries by flipping the par- ties’ incentives...

Troubleshooting Public Data Archiving: Suggestions to Increase Participation

Science.gov (United States)

Roche, Dominique G.; Lanfear, Robert; Binning, Sandra A.; Haff, Tonya M.; Schwanz, Lisa E.; Cain, Kristal E.; Kokko, Hanna; Jennions, Michael D.; Kruuk, Loeske E. B.

2014-01-01

An increasing number of publishers and funding agencies require public data archiving (PDA) in open-access databases. PDA has obvious group benefits for the scientific community, but many researchers are reluctant to share their data publicly because of real or perceived individual costs. Improving participation in PDA will require lowering costs and/or increasing benefits for primary data collectors. Small, simple changes can enhance existing measures to ensure that more scientific data are properly archived and made publicly available: (1) facilitate more flexible embargoes on archived data, (2) encourage communication between data generators and re-users, (3) disclose data re-use ethics, and (4) encourage increased recognition of publicly archived data. PMID:24492920

Craniopharyngiomas - the utility of contrast medium enhancement for MR imaging at 1.5 T

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hald, J.K.; Eldevik, O.P.; Brunberg, J.A.; Chandler, W.F.

1994-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of i.v. contrast medium administration in MR imaging at 1.5 T in patients with craniopharyngiomas, MR studies of 10 men and 6 women with pathologically proven craniopharyngiomas were made. The MR images were obtained as 3- to 5-mm-thick coronal (n=13) or axial (n=3) T1-weighted images (T1WI) prior to an following i.v. Gd-DTPA administration. Proton density-(PD) and T2-weighted images (T2WI) were also obtained. Conspicuity of tumor margins, cystic versus solid components, size, location and effect upon adjacent structures were separately characterized in all imaging sequences. In 6 patients contrast medium-enhanced T1WI, PD and T2WI demonstrated cystic tumor components not seen on unenhanced T1WI. There were significant differences (p<0.004) on 2-tailed Student's t-test comparing tumor conspicuity on contrast medium-enhanced T1WI with unenhanced T1WI, PD and T2WI. Optimal tumor delineation on MR imaging of patients with craniopharyngiomas justifies the use of i.v. contrast medium. (orig.)

Public parks as urban tourism in Jakarta

Science.gov (United States)

Adiati, M. P.; Lestari, N. S.; Wiastuti, R. D.

2018-03-01

Sustainable urban tourism development should provide better places for people to live in and for people to visit. Jakarta as the capital city has a potential for its urban tourism. Thus, urban tourism attribute such as Public Park should be in high- quality to cope with the needs of urban people and outside visitors. The purpose of this study is to investigate Public Park attributes and to analyze its compliance refer to Public Park that eventually supports sustainable urban tourism. This paper used a qualitative approach. Primary data obtain from direct field observation in seven Public Parks in Jakarta; Menteng Park, Suropati Park, Situ Lembang Park, Ayodhya Park, Cattleya Park, Kodok Park, and Langsat Park. Observation checks list use as guidance. The result provides an assessment of Public Park based on four categories; the accessibility, park activities, safety, and user. The implication of this study offers recommendations to enhance Public Park so that it complies with good public park design- attributes and with the obligations of sustainable urban tourism in Jakarta.

Enhancing Public Health HIV Interventions: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis and Systematic Review of Studies to Improve Linkage to Care, Adherence, and Retention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph D. Tucker

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Although HIV services are expanding, few have reached the scale necessary to support universal viral suppression of individuals living with HIV. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the qualitative evidence evaluating public health HIV interventions to enhance linkage to care, antiretroviral drug (ARV adherence, and retention in care. We searched 19 databases without language restrictions. The review collated data from three separate qualitative evidence reviews addressing each of the three outcomes along the care continuum. 21,738 citations were identified and 24 studies were included in the evidence review. Among low and middle-income countries in Africa, men living with HIV had decreased engagement in interventions compared to women and this lack of engagement among men also influenced the willingness of their partners to engage in services. Four structural issues (poverty, unstable housing, food insecurity, lack of transportation mediated the feasibility and acceptability of public health HIV interventions. Individuals living with HIV identified unmet mental health needs that interfered with their ability to access HIV services. Persistent social and cultural factors contribute to disparities in HIV outcomes across the continuum of care, shaping the context of service delivery among important subpopulations.

Ethical Concerns About Human Genetic Enhancement in the Malay Science Fiction Novels.

Science.gov (United States)

Isa, Noor Munirah; Hj Safian Shuri, Muhammad Fakhruddin

2018-02-01

Advancements in science and technology have not only brought hope to humankind to produce disease-free offspring, but also offer possibilities to genetically enhance the next generation's traits and capacities. Human genetic enhancement, however, raises complex ethical questions, such as to what extent should it be allowed? It has been a great challenge for humankind to develop robust ethical guidelines for human genetic enhancement that address both public concerns and needs. We believe that research about public concerns is necessary prior to developing such guidelines, yet the issues have not been thoroughly investigated in many countries, including Malaysia. Since the novel often functions as a medium for the public to express their concerns, this paper explores ethical concerns about human genetic enhancement expressed in four Malay science fiction novels namely Klon, Leksikon Ledang, Transgenesis Bisikan Rimba and Transgenik Sifar. Religion has a strong influence on the worldview of the Malays therefore some concerns such as playing God are obviously religious. Association of the negative image of scientists as well as the private research companies with the research on human genetic enhancement reflects the authors' concerns about the main motivations for conducting such research and the extent to which such research will benefit society.

Is a Clean Development Mechanism project economically justified? Case study of an International Carbon Sequestration Project in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Katircioglu, Salih; Dalir, Sara; Olya, Hossein G

2016-01-01

The present study evaluates a carbon sequestration project for the three plant species in arid and semiarid regions of Iran. Results show that Haloxylon performed appropriately in the carbon sequestration process during the 6 years of the International Carbon Sequestration Project (ICSP). In addition to a high degree of carbon dioxide sequestration, Haloxylon shows high compatibility with severe environmental conditions and low maintenance costs. Financial and economic analysis demonstrated that the ICSP was justified from an economic perspective. The financial assessment showed that net present value (NPV) (US$1,098,022.70), internal rate of return (IRR) (21.53%), and payback period (6 years) were in an acceptable range. The results of the economic analysis suggested an NPV of US$4,407,805.15 and an IRR of 50.63%. Therefore, results of this study suggest that there are sufficient incentives for investors to participate in such kind of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects.

Assessing the quality of a deliberative democracy mini-public event about advanced biofuel production and development in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Longstaff, Holly; Secko, David M

2016-02-01

The importance of evaluating deliberative public engagement events is well recognized, but such activities are rarely conducted for a variety of theoretical, political and practical reasons. In this article, we provide an assessment of the criteria presented in the 2008 National Research Council report on Public Participation in Environmental Assessment and Decision Making (NRC report) as explicit indicators of quality for the 2012 'Advanced Biofuels' deliberative democracy event. The National Research Council's criteria were selected to evaluate this event because they are decision oriented, are the products of an exhaustive review of similar past events, are intended specifically for environmental processes and encompass many of the criteria presented in other evaluation frameworks. It is our hope that the results of our study may encourage others to employ and assess the National Research Council's criteria as a generalizable benchmark that may justifiably be used in forthcoming deliberative events exploring different topics with different audiences. © The Author(s) 2014.

Enhanced Engine Control for Emergency Operation

Science.gov (United States)

Litt, Jonathan S.

2012-01-01

C-MAPSS40k engine simulation has been developed and is available to the public. The authenticity of the engine performance and controller enabled the development of realistic enhanced control modes through controller modification alone. Use of enhanced control modes improved stability and control of an impaired aircraft. - Fast Response is useful for manual manipulation of the throttles - Use of Fast Response improved stability as part of a yaw rate feedback system. - Use of Overthrust shortened takeoff distance, but was generally useful in flight, too. Initial lack of pilot familiarity resulted in discomfort, especially with yaw rate feedback, but that was the only drawback, overall the pilot found the enhanced modes very helpful.

Global Disease Detection-Achievements in Applied Public Health Research, Capacity Building, and Public Health Diplomacy, 2001-2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Carol Y; Goryoka, Grace W; Henao, Olga L; Clarke, Kevin R; Salyer, Stephanie J; Montgomery, Joel M

2017-11-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established 10 Global Disease Detection (GDD) Program regional centers around the world that serve as centers of excellence for public health research on emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. The core activities of the GDD Program focus on applied public health research, surveillance, laboratory, public health informatics, and technical capacity building. During 2015-2016, program staff conducted 205 discrete projects on a range of topics, including acute respiratory illnesses, health systems strengthening, infectious diseases at the human-animal interface, and emerging infectious diseases. Projects incorporated multiple core activities, with technical capacity building being most prevalent. Collaborating with host countries to implement such projects promotes public health diplomacy. The GDD Program continues to work with countries to strengthen core capacities so that emerging diseases can be detected and stopped faster and closer to the source, thereby enhancing global health security.

42 CFR 433.11 - Enhanced FMAP rate for children.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Enhanced FMAP rate for children. 433.11 Section 433... Administration Provisions § 433.11 Enhanced FMAP rate for children. (a) Subject to the conditions in paragraph (b... targeted low-income children described in § 435.4 or § 436.3 of this chapter; and (2) Services provided to...

Researcher perspectives on publication and peer review of data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Ernest Kratz

Full Text Available Data "publication" seeks to appropriate the prestige of authorship in the peer-reviewed literature to reward researchers who create useful and well-documented datasets. The scholarly communication community has embraced data publication as an incentive to document and share data. But, numerous new and ongoing experiments in implementation have not yet resolved what a data publication should be, when data should be peer-reviewed, or how data peer review should work. While researchers have been surveyed extensively regarding data management and sharing, their perceptions and expectations of data publication are largely unknown. To bring this important yet neglected perspective into the conversation, we surveyed ∼ 250 researchers across the sciences and social sciences- asking what expectations"data publication" raises and what features would be useful to evaluate the trustworthiness, evaluate the impact, and enhance the prestige of a data publication. We found that researcher expectations of data publication center on availability, generally through an open database or repository. Few respondents expected published data to be peer-reviewed, but peer-reviewed data enjoyed much greater trust and prestige. The importance of adequate metadata was acknowledged, in that almost all respondents expected data peer review to include evaluation of the data's documentation. Formal citation in the reference list was affirmed by most respondents as the proper way to credit dataset creators. Citation count was viewed as the most useful measure of impact, but download count was seen as nearly as valuable. These results offer practical guidance for data publishers seeking to meet researcher expectations and enhance the value of published data.

Schistosomiasis in Scottish travellers: public health importance of laboratory testing and the need for enhanced surveillance.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Claire L; Cottom, Laura; Smith, Kitty; Perrow, Kali; Coyne, Michael; Jones, Brian L

2018-03-01

Imported schistosomiasis is of significant public health importance and is likely to be underestimated since infection is often asymptomatic. We describe data from travellers residing in Scotland which includes a subset of group travellers from one of the largest Health Boards in Scotland. Clotted bloods were obtained during the period 2001-15 from a total of 8163 Scottish travellers. This included seven groups comprising of 182 travellers. Sera were examined for the presence of Schistosome species antibody at the Scottish Parasite Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory (SPDRL). Of all, 25% (n = 1623) tested positive with 40% (n = 651) of those patients aged between 20 and 24 years. Although 62% (n = 1006) of those who tested positive reported travel to Africa, important information on the specific region visited was lacking in almost one-third of samples received. Overall, 62 (34%) of group travellers tested positive and 95% (n = 59) reporting travel to Africa. Globalization, affordable air travel and improved awareness, are likely to contribute towards the increasing number of imported schistosomiasis cases. Therefore, enhanced surveillance capturing detailed travel history and fresh water exposures will improve risk stratification, pre-travel advice and optimize testing and treatment regimes for this increasingly important parasitic disease.

Childhood obesity and academic achievement among male students in public primary schools in Kuwait.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelalim, Ahmed; Ajaj, Nawras; Al-Tmimy, Abdulrahman; Alyousefi, Maytham; Al-Rashaidan, Sulaiman; Hammoud, Majeda S; Al-Taiar, Abdullah

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between childhood obesity and student academic performance in the classroom setting. A multi-stage cluster random sampling was used to select a representative sample of 1,213 fifth-grade students in male public schools. Height and weight were measured using a standard protocol. Overweight was defined as BMI ≥85th but education was the most important predictor for high academic performance in the classroom setting. There is no association between obesity and academic performance in the classroom setting among boys in Kuwait. With the lack of evidence of a relationship between childhood obesity and academic performance, using high performance as a measure of success in prevention initiatives cannot be justified. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Incorporating public outreach in the MRS Design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, J.; Charles, C.

1993-01-01

As the design of the proposed DOE-OCRWM MRS facility progresses, facility layouts that allow for frequent and unhindered viewing of the MRS processes by the public should be developed. By allowing the public to observe operations, the DOE believes that trust and confidence in the program will greatly improve. A program should be developed to educate the public so that they can see for themselves that the MRS facility does not pose an undue risk to public health and that the DOE is open, honest, and can be trusted. At the same time, a positive safety message will be implicitly conveyed, which should engender more positive public feelings about nuclear energy. Visitory access to the MRS Facility should not be limited to a Visitors Center, but rather should be expanded to allow the general public a chance to view the actual processes, such as the cask handling and spent fuel transfers that go on within the facility. This paper will describe the desirable features of any approach to give unlimited public access to the MRS facility and operations and thereby enhance public understanding and acceptance

Accounting for the Danish Public School System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Graversen, Marie Engstrøm

Studying and thereby enhancing the understanding of the behavioral impact of the formula funding models used to allocate funds from the Danish municipalities to the local public school districts is the aim of this dissertation. A framework is proposed which, based on the theoretical understanding...

Management Control Packages in Public Sector Organizations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Kolk, Berend

2016-01-01

This thesis examines configurations of management control (MC) packages in public sector organizations, and how they relate to employee motivation and behavior. Using multiple case studies and a survey study, this thesis contributes to the extant literature in three ways. First, it enhances the

Enhancing the Psychology STEM Student Journey

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Kimberley M.

2017-01-01

Psychology is a valuable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) discipline, but one which could do far more at communicating its value to the wider public. This paper discusses how popular initiatives, such as "The University of Northampton's STEM Champions" programme, enhance psychology's STEM membership, while…

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as keys to the enhancement of public awareness about potential earth impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Usikov, Denis A.

2013-09-01

The 2007 Planetary Defense Conference recommends "to provide or enhance Internet sites to show how threats evolve and to illustrate possible action scenarios". Thereby, establishment of informational and communicational AsteroidAware web-site with the exact, authentic data about the past and the present of Earth's impact events will assist in achievement of positive results and progress in different directions on political, international, social and scientific levels. Expanded ICT's capabilities for popularization of planetary defense can help in resolving the problem of low public interest. The project's primary intent lies in popularizing the concept of planetary defenses and attracting attention to the potential dangers that threaten the Earth from outer space. The result of the efforts falling into the boundaries of this project would be an increased amount of social participation in the process of developing solutions for and increasing awareness of potential collisions between various astral bodies and the Earth. The project is also aimed at creating a foundation for the interaction between scientists and executives from around the world to facilitate international efforts of searching for fitting measures towards lowering threat levels and developing strategies revolving around united actions against potential threats.

Radiological safety for the public during nuclear emergencies: application of intervention levels and derived intervention levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, G.; Kumar, K.S.

2006-01-01

Control of radiation exposures to the public following a major nuclear accident can be achieved through intervention by implementing countermeasures such as sheltering, iodine prophylaxis, evacuation, control of foodstuff, etc. Intervention levels (I.L.) are formulated such that exposure to individuals from all exposure pathways is well below the thresholds for deterministic effects, and risk of stochastic health effects to individuals and overall incidence of stochastic effects in the exposed population are minimized. It is also necessary to translate such I.L. into quantities, called derived intervention levels (D.I.L.) that can be measured. The I.L. followed in various countries for the recommended countermeasures cater to the exposure range of 1-50 mSv for sheltering, 10-500 mSv for evacuation, 30- 1000 mSv for iodine prophylaxis and 1-10 mSv for food control. The models used for these are based on conservative estimations assuming maximum dose delivered to the critical group for the pathway assumed. While the concept of upper dose level above which countermeasures is always justified to avoid deterministic effects, the lower range of dose levels have to be optimised based on various parameters as discussed in this paper. While arriving at the I.L., the question to be addressed is: How much (dose) risk should be averted by the intervention planned? Implementation of any countermeasure will result in some inconvenience/ limitation of resource/ disruption and consequently, a positive net benefit will justify the intervention. Sheltering may result in substantially less disruption than evacuation, but if the type of sheltering is not offering enough radiation shielding or ventilation protection, this may not result in significant reduction of exposure. It is to be ensured that deterministic effects are totally avoided and it is possible to define a safe threshold exposure and above which balancing risks and benefits is not applicable. While the dose limit for the

The public information challenge: confidence and credibility through communications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spence, H.J.M.

1994-01-01

Canada's Atomic Energy Control Board, considered the oldest independent nuclear regulatory body in the world, has made significant progress toward openness and visibility through public information policy initiatives and communications activities, particularly in the last five years. A number of public information projects are described, and successes as well as disappointments are outlined. The importance in terms of enhanced credibility and public confidence in the regulatory agency is stressed. In looking toward the future, the linking of communications to the operational functions and activities of the regulator is presented as a key requirement. (author)

Is electricity a public good?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salies, Evens; Kiesling, Lynne; Giberson, Michael

2007-04-01

Wholesale electricity markets are increasingly driven by the rules of competition while recent outages in different regions of the world suggest that security of supply is a public good. The objective of this paper is to show that security of supply and more generally, electricity supply has both public and private characteristics. Whilst the public good characteristic explains why some producers may prefer to free ride on others' investments to maintain reliability, the private good aspect of reliability shows that agents may have a variety of preferences for reliability. Then by relying on the concept of Pareto-relevant externality, the paper explores the private aspect of reliability for the prospect of creating and selling reliability as a differentiated product complementary to bulk power markets. Finally, policy recommendations are derived that aim to enhance information content in the network. Initially published in 'Revue de l'OFCE' No. 101

Corruption as a 'white-collar crime': International legal instruments on public accountability of public officials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dokmanović Mirjana

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Corruption within public services has devastated negative impact on a state, a society, its economy and its citizens. It represents a major threat to the rule of law, democracy, enjoyment of human rights, fairness and social justice. It hinders economic development and endangeres sustainable development, empowerishes national economies, and facilitates the emergence of other threats, such as organized crime. Fighting corruption has become more urgent than ever. This paper deals with the public liability of domestic public officials, highlighting the substantive main international standards for fighting corruption in public services in the international legal instruments adopted by the United Nations and the Council of Europe, such as the United Nations Conventions against Corruption, and the two Convention of Council of Europe, on Civil Law and on Criminal Law. The paper argues that corruption can be prosecuted after the fact, but first and foremost it requires prevention. Preventive policies include the establishment of anti-corruption bodies and enhanced transparency in the financing of election campaigns and political parties. States must endeavour to ensure that their public services are subject to safeguards that promote efficiency, transparency and recruitment based on merit. Once recruited, public servants should be subject to codes of conduct, requirements for financial and other disclosures, and appropriate disciplinary measures. Transparency and accountability in matters of public finance must also be promoted, and specific requirements are established for the prevention of corruption in particularly critical areas of the public sector such as the judiciary and public procurement. Those who use public services must expect a high standard of conduct from their public servants. Preventing public corruption also requires an effort from all members of society at large.

Using Internet search behavior to assess public awareness of protected wetlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Yuno; Kim, Ji Yoon; Lineman, Maurice; Kim, Dong-Kyun; Joo, Gea-Jae

2015-02-01

Improving public awareness of protected wetlands facilitates sustainable wetland management, which depends on public participation. One way of gauging public interest is by tracking Internet search behavior (ISB). We assessed public awareness of issues related to protected wetland areas (PWAs) in South Korea by examining the frequencies of specific queries (PWAs, Ramsar, Upo wetland, Sunchon Bay, etc.) using relative search volumes (RSVs) obtained from an Internet search engine. RSV shows how many times a search term is used relative to a second search term during a specific period. Public awareness of PWAs changed from 2007 to 2013. Initially the majority of Internet searches were related to the most well-known tidal and inland wetlands Sunchon Bay and Upo wetlands, which are the largest existing wetlands in Korea with the greatest historical exposure. Public awareness, as reflected in RSVs, of wetlands increased significantly following PWA designation for the wetlands in 2008, which followed the Ramsar 10th Conference of Contracting Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP10) meeting. Public interest was strongly correlated to the number of news articles in the popular media, as evidenced by the increase in Internet searches for specific wetlands and words associated with specific wetlands. Correspondingly, the number of visitors to specific wetlands increased. To increase public interest in wetlands, wetland aspects that enhance wetland conservation should be promoted by the government and enhanced via public education. Our approach can be used to gauge public awareness and participation in a wide range of conservation efforts. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Balancing radiation benefits and risks: The needs of an informed public

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-04-01

The American public's perceptions regarding ionizing radiation do not always conform to or correlate with scientific evidence. The ultimate purpose of this coordinated Federal effort and report is to increase the public's knowledge of the benefits and risks associated with ionizing radiation. This report is divided into five sections. The first section, Introduction, discusses the public's knowledge of radiation, their perceptions of benefits versus risks, and the Federal government's role in public education. The section also outlines the charge to the Subpanel. Radiation Issues and Public Reactions discusses several radiation issues important to Federal agencies for which public education programs need to be established or enhanced. Federal Programs describes Federal agencies with public education programs on radiation and the nature of the programs they support. Education Issues and Federal Strategies explores the elements identified by the Subpanel as critical to the development and implementation of an effective Federal program in the area of public education on radiation issues and nuclear technologies. An important issue repeatedly brought up during the public sector presentations to the Subpanel was the perceived lack of Federal credibility on radiation issues in the eyes of the public. To some degree, this concern was factored into all of the recommendations developed by the subpanel. The issues discussed in this section include the fragmented nature of Federal radiation programs and the need to improve credibility, promote agency responsiveness, and support the enhancement of scientific literacy. Finally, under Recommendations, the Subpanel discusses its overall findings and conclusions

Improving Information Access through Technology: A Plan for Louisiana's Public Libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaques, Thomas F.

Strengthening technology in Louisiana's public libraries will support equitable and convenient access to electronic information resources for all citizens at library sites, in homes, and in business. The plan presented in this document is intended to enhance and expand technology in the state's public libraries. After discussion of the crucial…

Funding issues and the delivery of public library services in Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper examined the impact of government public expenditure on education and the effect of special funding in enhancing the delivery of public library services in Nigeria. secondary data were collected from the websites of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Education Trust Fund (ETF.). Results from the regression ...

Nitrate, sulphate and chloride contents in public drinking water supplies in Sicily, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Alessandro, Walter; Bellomo, Sergio; Parello, Francesco; Bonfanti, Pietro; Brusca, Lorenzo; Longo, Manfredi; Maugeri, Roberto

2012-05-01

Water samples collected from public drinking water supplies in Sicily were analysed for electric conductivity and for their chloride, sulphate and nitrate contents. The samples were collected as uniformly as possible from throughout the Sicilian territory, with an average sampling density of about one sample for every 7,600 inhabitants. Chloride contents that ranged from 5.53 to 1,302 mg/l were correlated strongly with electric conductivity, a parameter used as a proxy for water salinity. The highest values are attributable to seawater contamination along the coasts of the island. High chloride and sulphate values attributable to evaporitic rock dissolution were found in the central part of Sicily. The nitrate concentrations ranged from 0.05 to 296 mg/l, with 31 samples (4.7% of the total) exceeding the maximum admissible concentration of 50 mg/l. Anomalous samples always came from areas of intensive agricultural usage, indicating a clear anthropogenic origin. The same parameters were also measured in bottled water sold in Sicily, and they all were within the ranges for public drinking water supplies. The calculated mean nitrate intake from consuming public water supplies (16.1 mg/l) did not differ significantly from that of bottled water (15.2 mg/l). Although the quality of public water supplies needs to be improved by eliminating those that do not comply with the current drinking water limits, at present it does not justify the high consumption of bottled water (at least for nitrate contents).

National public health policy in a local context--implementation in two Swedish municipalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansson, Elisabeth; Fosse, Elisabeth; Tillgren, Per

2011-12-01

In 2003 the wide-ranging Swedish National Public Health Policy (SNPHP), with a focus on health determinants, was adopted by the Swedish parliament. In the context of multilevel governance, SNPHP implementation is dependent on self-governed municipalities and counties. The aim of the study is, from a municipal perspective, to investigate public-health policies in two municipalities. Content analysis of documents and interviews provided a foundation for an explorative case study. The SNPHP at national level is overriding but politically controversial. At local level, a health-determinants perspective was detectable in the policies implemented, but none regarding to health equality. At local level, the SNPHP is not regarded as implementable; rather, limited parts have, to varying degrees, been reconciled with local public-health goals, according to municipal needs and conditions. A success-promoting factor in the two municipalities was the presence of committed and knowledgeable actors/implementers. Also, the municipality with a more centrally controlled and stable party-political leadership succeeded better in implementing structural and intersectoral community-wide policies for coordinated local health promotion. The contents of national and local public-health policies differ, and municipalities that have implemented their own local health policies do not seem to regard the SNPHP as justifiable or adoptable. If the SNPHP overall aim regarding equal health is to be achieved homogeneously in Swedish municipalities, its contents and purpose need clearer management and negotiation, so that implementation of the national policy locally is understandable and motivated. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cluster approach to the development of housing services and public utilities in the region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey Ivanovich Bazhenov

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The ongoing crisis in the housing services and public utilities sphere determines the need to accelerate its integration into the market space. The author proposes to apply the cluster initiatives, which, in his opinion, provide the solution of housing services and public utilities problems in terms of their broader vision. This paper attempts to highlight the benefits of the cluster approach to the development of housing services and public utilities, and identifies the main provisions in the process of its implementation. The essence of the concept of «housing services and social cluster of the region» in terms of housing services and public utilities development is revealed, members of cluster unification are designated, its components are identified, the purpose of introducing the cluster model of housing services and public utilities reform management is determined, which essence is to change the mentality of the producers and consumers of housing services and public utilities in the direction of increasing responsibilities and respect for mutual interests in the market of housing services and public utilities. The main provisions and principles of formation of housing services and social cluster of the region are reviewed, as well as the characteristics and trends of its development. An authorial approach to the development of a strategy of forming a housing services and social cluster in the region in accordance with modern trends is presented. The leading role of several factors in establishing the basic prerequisites for sustainable operation of housing services and social cluster of the region is justified. These factors include governmental regulation of pricing and forms of support to small entrepreneurship development, creation of financial security system, development of public-private partnerships and implementation of innovative technologies. The role of non-governmental organizations and public associations in the formation of

Applying Business Process Re-Engineering to Public Sector as A New Public Management Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ropinder Oberoi

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The introduction of Business Process Reengineering (BPR to the public sector follows the much broader trend of New Public Management. BPR in the public sector mostly means amalgamation of business processes, computerization of various activities and removal of some unnecessary ones. BPR assimilates a radical premeditated scheme of business pro-cess reengineering and an additional progressive technique of uninterrupted process improvement with adequate information technology (IT and e-business infrastructure strategies. Public organizations have specific and exclusive features that differentiae-ate them from private sector organizations. Based on the literature review and examining of study find-ings, it is argued that a public sector organization can employ BPR to get better its process and overall organizational performance, if it (1 has accrues a collection of BPR-relevant resources and capabilities; (2 has embarked on BPR with adequate depth and breadth; (3 is developing a post-BPR complementary set of skills, systems and technologies, which are essential to further develop the organizational impact of the BPR; and (4 has successfully mitigated the effects of BPR implementation problems. In addition to its effect on administration and ser-vice delivery processes through reduction of the processing time, work steps and cost of government processes, BPR also contributes to enhancing citizen/customer and employee satisfaction, increasing organizational transparency and responsiveness which have also become an essential objective of New Public Management. Therefore, public sector BPR is emerging as an indispensable to performance of organizations in the developing economy. The essential questions addressed in this paper are: What are the scenario and impending problems of reengineering applications in the public sector? Can it be functional for the public sector in attending to frequent problems blockading bureaucracies of developed and

Public Debt, Corruption and Sustainable Economic Growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eunji Kim

2017-03-01

Full Text Available There are many studies that look into the relationship between public debt and economic growth. It is hard to find, however, research addressing the role of corruption between these two variables. Noticing this vacancy in current literature, we strive to investigate the effect of corruption on the relationship between public debt and economic growth. For this purpose, the pooled ordinary least squares (OLS, fixed effects models and the dynamic panel generalized method of moments (GMM models (Arellano-Bond, 1991 are estimated with data of 77 countries from 1990 to 2014. The empirical results show that the interaction term between public debt and corruption is statistically significant. This confirms the hypothesis that the effect of public debt on economic growth is a function of corruption. The sign of the marginal effect is negative in corrupt countries, but public debt enhances economic growth within countries that are not corrupt, i.e., highly transparent.

What Is Public Agency Strategic Analysis (PASA and How Does It Differ from Public Policy Analysis and Firm Strategy Analysis?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aidan R. Vining

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Public agency strategic analysis (PASA is different from public policy analysis because public agency executives face numerous constraints that those performing “unconstrained” policy analysis do not. It is also different from private sector strategic analysis. But because of similar constraints and realities, some generic and private sector strategic analysis techniques can be useful to those carrying out PASA, if appropriately modified. Analysis of the external agency environment (external forces and internal value creation processes (“value chains”, “modular assembly” processes or “multi-sided intermediation platforms” are the most important components of PASA. Also, agency executives must focus on feasible alternatives. In sum, PASA must be practical. But public executives need to take seriously public value, and specifically social efficiency, when engaging in PASA. Unless they do so, their strategic analyses will not have normative legitimacy because enhancing public value is not the same as in some versions of public value or in agency “profit maximization”. Although similarly constrained, normatively appropriate public agency strategic analysis is not “giving clients what they want” or “making the public sector business case”. PASA must be both practical and principled.

Stressing the Importance of Public Affairs Knowledge in an Era of Declining Political Interest.

Science.gov (United States)

Fife, Brian L.

Public affairs instructors must routinely contend with the reality that stressing the importance of political knowledge is challenging in an era of declining student interest in politics and political institutions. Yet enhancing students' knowledge about public affairs can stimulate more interest and engagement in public affairs, particularly if…

How do we want to grow old? Anti-ageing-medicine and the scope of public healthcare in liberal democracies.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweda, Mark; Marckmann, Georg

2013-09-01

Healthcare counts as a morally relevant good whose distribution should neither be left to the free market nor be simply imposed by governmental decisions without further justification. This problem is particularly prevalent in the current boom of anti-ageing medicine. While the public demand for medical interventions which promise a longer, healthier and more active and attractive life has been increasing, public healthcare systems usually do not cover these products and services, thus leaving their allocation to the mechanisms of supply and demand on the free market. This situation raises the question on which basis the underlying preferences for and claims to a longer, healthier life should be evaluated. What makes anti-ageing medicine eligible for public funding? In this article, we discuss the role of anti-ageing medicine with regard to the scope and limits of public healthcare. We will first briefly sketch the basic problem of justifying a particular healthcare scheme within the framework of a modern liberal democracy, focusing on the challenge anti-ageing interventions pose in this regard. In the next section, we will present and discuss three possible solutions to the problem, essentialistic, transcendental, and procedural strategies of defining the scope of public healthcare. We will suggest a procedural solution adopting essentialistic and transcendental elements and discuss its theoretical and practical implications with regard to anti-ageing medicine. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is it economically justifiable to decide on nuclear power phaseout?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scholz, L.

1988-01-01

The author critically comments on the various expert opinions describing and assessing the economic and other impacts of a nuclear power phaseout. One of his conclusions is that the complexity of the problems involved may lead astray in the public controversy about the nuclear issue, inducing irrational speculations on the one hand, and blue-eyed hopes on the other. This may lead to the dangerous situation that speculations or arbitrary information may be clad with the cloak of (unjustified) assumptions made to look like scientific information. (orig.) [de

Aplication`s Aspects Of Public Relations By Nonprofit Organizations. Case Study Albania

OpenAIRE

Xhiliola Agaraj(Shehu); Merita Murati; Valbona Gjini

2011-01-01

The traditional public relations manager is usually responsible for maintaining and enhancing the reputation of the organization among key publics. While the principal focus of this effort is on support publics, it is quite clearly recognized that an organization's image has important effects on its own employees, its donors and volunteers, and its clients. The aim of paper is to define application`s aspects of public relations media and tools by nonprofit organizations in Albanian reality. A...

Waste Receiving and Processing (WRAP) Facility Public Address System Review Findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

HUMPHRYS, K.L.

1999-01-01

Public address system operation at the Waste Receiving and Processing (WRAP) facility was reviewed. The review was based on an Operational Readiness Review finding that public address performance was not adequate in parts of the WRAP facility. Several improvements were made to the WRAP Public Address (PA) system to correct the deficiencies noted. Speaker gain and position was optimized. A speech processor was installed to boost intelligibility in high noise areas. Additional speakers were added to improve coverage in the work areas. The results of this evaluation indicate that further PA system enhancements are not warranted. Additional speakers cannot compensate for the high background sound and high reverberation levels found in the work areas. Recommendations to improve PA system intelligibility include minor speaker adjustments, enhanced PA announcement techniques, and the use of sound reduction and abatement techniques where economically feasible

Brand Cigarillos: Low Price but High Particulate Matter Levels-Is Their Favorable Taxation in the European Union Justified?

Science.gov (United States)

Wasel, Julia; Boll, Michael; Schulze, Michaela; Mueller, Daniel; Bundschuh, Matthias; Groneberg, David A; Gerber, Alexander

2015-08-06

Second hand smoke (ETS)-associated particulate matter (PM) contributes considerably to indoor air contamination and constitutes a health risk for passive smokers. Easy to measure, PM is a useful parameter to estimate the dosage of ETS that passive smokers are exposed to. Apart from its suitability as a surrogate parameter for ETS-exposure, PM itself affects human morbidity and mortality in a dose-dependent manner. We think that ETS-associated PM should be considered an independent hazard factor, separately from the many other known harmful compounds of ETS. We believe that brand-specific and tobacco-product-specific differences in the release of PM matter and that these differences are of public interest. To generate ETS of cigarettes and cigarillos as standardized and reproducible as possible, an automatic second hand smoke emitter (AETSE) was developed and placed in a glass chamber. L&M cigarettes ("without additives", "red label", "blue label"), L&M filtered cigarillos ("red") and 3R4F standard research cigarettes (as reference) were smoked automatically according to a self-developed, standardized protocol until the tobacco product was smoked down to 8 mm distance from the tipping paper of the filter. Mean concentration (Cmean) and area under the curve (AUC) in a plot of PM2.5 against time were measured, and compared. CmeanPM2.5 were found to be 518 μg/m(3) for 3R4F cigarettes, 576 μg/m(3) for L&M "without additives" ("red"), 448 μg/m(3) for L&M "blue label", 547 μg/m(3) for L&M "red label", and 755 μg/m(3) for L&M filtered cigarillos ("red"). AUCPM2.5-values were 208,214 μg/m(3)·s for 3R4F reference cigarettes, 204,629 μg/m(3)·s for L&M "without additives" ("red"), 152,718 μg/m(3)·s for L&M "blue label", 238,098 μg/m(3)·s for L&M "red label" and 796,909 μg/m(3)·s for L&M filtered cigarillos ("red"). Considering the large and significant differences in particulate matter emissions between cigarettes and cigarillos, we think that a favorable

Hydroelectric project at Angliers : Investigation and public hearing report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girard, S.; Bouchard, B.

2003-08-01

Public hearings were held by the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement concerning a proposed hydroelectric development project at Angliers, Quebec. The proposed hydroelectric plant is to be located at the outlet of the Des Quinze reservoir in the Temiscamingue region (northwest of the province). The site is within the municipality of Angliers, approximately 130 kilometres south of Rouyn-Noranda. The project will exploit the hydroelectric potential of the Ottawa River through a dam at Des Quinze reservoir, which is currently the property of the federal government. During the hearings, several issues were raised, and various topics examined. The political and administrative framework was reviewed, as well as the integration of the project within the community. The impacts, environmental as well as economic, were discussed. After careful examination of all the information, the Commission concluded that the hydroelectric project at Angliers was justified and acceptable from an environmental perspective. The expected economic impact on the community was an essential aspect in determining if the project was acceptable. refs., 4 figs

The politics of technology and site location: impact of state interventionism on an Indian public sector firm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilip Subramanian

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Can an industrial organisation simultaneously fulfil economic and social functions, that is to say successfully reconcile its own priorities of optimal resource utilisation and productive efficiency with the larger objectives of social justice defined for it by public authorities? This is the central question this paper whose compass is restricted to the 1980s asks, and seeks to answer on the basis of a study of locational and technology choices at a big public sector manufacturing firm, Indian Telephone Industries. It will show how decisions pertaining both to the implantation of new state-owned factories and the sourcing of technology were shaped not by an economic rationale but a political one where employment generation took precedence over all other considerations. This was a consequence, on the one hand, of the paradigm of state-initiated industrial development embraced by India after Independence in 1947 and which held out the promise of future prosperity for the population at large; on the other, of the mode of governance prevailing in public enterprises where state interventionism rhymed with the complete loss of autonomy for managements. The paper concludes by pointing out that however justified the redistributive goals allocated to public enterprises from the standpoint of improving living standards, they proved highly detrimental to their efficient working as well as onerous for the exchequer.

78 FR 65325 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-31

... investigate health problems, conduct research to enhance prevention, develop and advocate sound public health... provision of essential public health services in the United States. Delegate is defined as a governmental or... recovery activities of subsequent emergencies; fill CDC gaps in knowledge of programs and/or STLT...

Is selenium supplementation in autoimmune thyroid diseases justified?

Science.gov (United States)

Winther, Kristian H; Bonnema, Steen J; Hegedüs, Laszlo

2017-10-01

This review provides an appraisal of recent evidence for or against selenium supplementation in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases, and discusses possible effect mechanisms. Epidemiological data suggest an increased prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases under conditions of low dietary selenium intake. Two systematic reviews have evaluated controlled trials among patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and report that selenium supplementation decreases circulating thyroid autoantibodies. The immunomodulatory effects of selenium might involve reducing proinflammatory cytokine release. However, clinically relevant effects of selenium supplementation, including improvement in quality of life, are more elusive. In Graves' disease, some, but not all, trials indicate that adjuvant selenium supplementation enhances the restoration of biochemical euthyroidism, and might benefit patients with mild Graves' orbitopathy. The use of selenium supplementation as adjuvant therapy to standard thyroid medication may be widespread, but a growing body of evidence yields equivocal results. The available evidence from trials does not support routine selenium supplementation in the standard treatment of patients with autoimmune thyroiditis or Graves' disease. However, correction of moderate to severe selenium deficiency may offer benefits in preventing, as well as treating, these disorders. Molecular mechanisms have been proposed, but further studies are needed.

Cutting-edge technology for public health workforce training in comparative effectiveness research.

Science.gov (United States)

Salinas-Miranda, Abraham A; Nash, Michelle C; Salemi, Jason L; Mbah, Alfred K; Salihu, Hamisu M

2013-06-01

A critical mass of public health practitioners with expertise in analytic techniques and best practices in comparative effectiveness research is needed to fuel informed decisions and improve the quality of health care. The purpose of this case study is to describe the development and formative evaluation of a technology-enhanced comparative effectiveness research learning curriculum and to assess its potential utility to improve core comparative effectiveness research competencies among the public health workforce. Selected public health experts formed a multidisciplinary research collaborative and participated in the development and evaluation of a blended 15-week comprehensive e-comparative effectiveness research training program, which incorporated an array of health informatics technologies. Results indicate that research-based organizations can use a systematic, flexible, and rapid means of instructing their workforce using technology-enhanced authoring tools, learning management systems, survey research software, online communities of practice, and mobile communication for effective and creative comparative effectiveness research training of the public health workforce.

Ethical Frameworks in Public Health Decision-Making: Defending a Value-Based and Pluralist Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Grill, Kalle; Dawson, Angus

2017-12-01

A number of ethical frameworks have been proposed to support decision-making in public health and the evaluation of public health policy and practice. This is encouraging, since ethical considerations are of paramount importance in health policy. However, these frameworks have various deficiencies, in part because they incorporate substantial ethical positions. In this article, we discuss and criticise a framework developed by James Childress and Ruth Bernheim, which we consider to be the state of the art in the field. Their framework distinguishes aims, such as the promotion of public health, from constraints on the pursuit of those aims, such as the requirement to avoid limitations to liberty, or the requirement to be impartial. We show how this structure creates both theoretical and practical problems. We then go on to present and defend a more practical framework, one that is neutral in avoiding precommitment to particular values and how they ought to be weighted. We believe ethics is at the very heart of such weightings and our framework is developed to reflect this belief. It is therefore both pluralist and value-based. We compare our new framework to Childress and Bernheim's and outline its advantages. It is justified by its impetus to consider a wide range of alternatives and its tendency to direct decisions towards the best alternatives, as well as by the information provided by the ranking of alternatives and transparent explication of the judgements that motivate this ranking. The new framework presented should be useful to decision-makers in public health, as well as being a means to stimulate further reflection on the role of ethics in public health.

Incentives for Innovation in the Public Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Pincus, John

1974-01-01

Analysis of bureaucratic structure and the incentive systems of the public schools reveals access points for enhancing the school's ability to adopt and implement innovative education. Research and development coordinated to those points can provide a greater diversity of educational possibilities, assuming such diversity to be a positive…

Public relations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

At Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (NRA SR), the public relations belongs to the secretariat of the Chairman, and are a part of the policy of carefully planned and purposeful efforts to establish mutual relations between the authority and the public. A spokesmen of NRA SR is in charge of the public relations. The spokesman is ready, without a useless filibuster and based on a particular requirement, to inform governmental bodies, other national bodies and organizations, embassies and international organizations, the public and news media in case of an event at a nuclear installation. To provide for communications activities, NRA SR constructed and opened the Information centre with a particular equipment in autumn 1995, that has already started communications with some dailies, broadcasting, television and Press Agency SR. It has been envisaged that there will be press conferences held in the Information centre a few times a year, or NRA SR senior staff may be interviewed here on extraordinary events at NPPs, or on some other important occasions in NRA SR. In 1995, NRA Sr issued the Annual report in a few variants - each suitable for different use - on NRA SR activities and nuclear safety of Slovak nuclear power plants as of 1994. The NRA SR's Bulletin has started to be published with periodicity of 3 times a year, focusing on NRA SR activities both in Slovakia and abroad. NRA SR Information centre provides foreign visitors with independent propagation and information materials about the issue of nuclear safety enhancement at operational Slovak NPPs. Furthermore, the Information centre provides both the NRA SR's residences in Bratislava and Trnava with daily press monitoring of topical news

The synergy between mass-media and public management: a positive perspective for the Departments of Communication and Public Relations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prodan (Mocanu Ana-Maria

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to emphasize the major role the departments of communication and public relations detains in the synergy process between mass-media and public institutions, starting from a series of short-circuits which have occurred in Romanian public sector and led to the misunderstanding of messages, due to an unprofessional communication. Synergy, on its basic meaning, represents a simultaneous action oriented in the same direction, which involves several agents who have the same purposes (DEI, 1999. In the present context, I define synergy as intensifying two activities with a determinant role in the proper functioning of public management which contributes, to a large extent, on informing and educating the general public. The premises I start with are that crisis situations occur because of a faulty communication department and these could be avoided if there would be a permanent and efficient relationship between mass-media and public institutions. In other words, an efficiently organized department of communication could enhance company’s activity starting from the partnership between media and public institutions. Through collaboration, both units could present advantages to be felt at the organizational, social, economic and cultural levels.

Teratogens: a public health issue – a Brazilian overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thiago Mazzu-Nascimento

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Congenital anomalies are already the second cause of infant mortality in Brazil, as in many other middle-income countries in Latin America. Birth defects are a result of both genetic and environmental factors, but a multifactorial etiology has been more frequently observed. Here, we address the environmental causes of birth defects – or teratogens – as a public health issue and present their mechanisms of action, categories and their respective maternal-fetal deleterious effects. We also present a survey from 2008 to 2013 of Brazilian cases involving congenital anomalies (annual average of 20,205, fetal deaths (annual average of 1,530, infant hospitalizations (annual average of 82,452, number of deaths of hospitalized infants (annual average of 2,175, and the average cost of hospitalizations (annual cost of $7,758. Moreover, we report on Brazilian cases of teratogenesis due to the recent Zika virus infection, and to the use of misoprostol, thalidomide, alcohol and illicit drugs. Special attention has been given to the Zika virus infection, now proven to be responsible for the microcephaly outbreak in Brazil, with 8,039 cases under investigation (from October 2015 to June 2016. From those cases, 1,616 were confirmed and 324 deaths occurred due to microcephaly complications or alterations on the central nervous system. Congenital anomalies impact life quality and raise costs in specialized care, justifying the classification of teratogens as a public health issue.

Teratogens: a public health issue – a Brazilian overview

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzu-Nascimento, Thiago; Melo, Débora Gusmão; Morbioli, Giorgio Gianini; Carrilho, Emanuel; Vianna, Fernanda Sales Luiz; da Silva, André Anjos; Schuler-Faccini, Lavinia

2017-01-01

Abstract Congenital anomalies are already the second cause of infant mortality in Brazil, as in many other middle-income countries in Latin America. Birth defects are a result of both genetic and environmental factors, but a multifactorial etiology has been more frequently observed. Here, we address the environmental causes of birth defects – or teratogens – as a public health issue and present their mechanisms of action, categories and their respective maternal-fetal deleterious effects. We also present a survey from 2008 to 2013 of Brazilian cases involving congenital anomalies (annual average of 20,205), fetal deaths (annual average of 1,530), infant hospitalizations (annual average of 82,452), number of deaths of hospitalized infants (annual average of 2,175), and the average cost of hospitalizations (annual cost of $7,758). Moreover, we report on Brazilian cases of teratogenesis due to the recent Zika virus infection, and to the use of misoprostol, thalidomide, alcohol and illicit drugs. Special attention has been given to the Zika virus infection, now proven to be responsible for the microcephaly outbreak in Brazil, with 8,039 cases under investigation (from October 2015 to June 2016). From those cases, 1,616 were confirmed and 324 deaths occurred due to microcephaly complications or alterations on the central nervous system. Congenital anomalies impact life quality and raise costs in specialized care, justifying the classification of teratogens as a public health issue. PMID:28534929

Enhancing Public Health HIV Interventions: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis and Systematic Review of Studies to Improve Linkage to Care, Adherence, and Retention.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Joseph D; Tso, Lai Sze; Hall, Brian; Ma, Qingyan; Beanland, Rachel; Best, John; Li, Haochu; Lackey, Mellanye; Marley, Gifty; Rich, Zachary C; Sou, Ka-Lon; Doherty, Meg

2017-03-01

Although HIV services are expanding, few have reached the scale necessary to support universal viral suppression of individuals living with HIV. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the qualitative evidence evaluating public health HIV interventions to enhance linkage to care, antiretroviral drug (ARV) adherence, and retention in care. We searched 19 databases without language restrictions. The review collated data from three separate qualitative evidence reviews addressing each of the three outcomes along the care continuum. 21,738 citations were identified and 24 studies were included in the evidence review. Among low and middle-income countries in Africa, men living with HIV had decreased engagement in interventions compared to women and this lack of engagement among men also influenced the willingness of their partners to engage in services. Four structural issues (poverty, unstable housing, food insecurity, lack of transportation) mediated the feasibility and acceptability of public health HIV interventions. Individuals living with HIV identified unmet mental health needs that interfered with their ability to access HIV services. Persistent social and cultural factors contribute to disparities in HIV outcomes across the continuum of care, shaping the context of service delivery among important subpopulations. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Public Management Reform and Organizational Performance: An Empirical Assessment of the U.K. Labour Government's Public Service Improvement Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Richard M.; Boyne, George A.

2006-01-01

We present the first empirical assessment of the U.K. Labour government's program of public management reform. This reform program is based on rational planning, devolution and delegation, flexibility and incentives, and enhanced choice. Measures of these variables are tested against external and internal indicators of organizational performance.…

The role of women in nuclear - attracting public participation in regulatory decision-making process

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamad Jais, Azlina; Hassan, Najwa

2018-01-01

Public participation is vital in demonstrating transparency and enhancing effectiveness of a nuclear regulatory process. As such, it is necessary for nuclear practitioners to involve the public in key nuclear delivery milestones. This paper specifically discusses challenges faced in attracting public participation throughout the nuclear regulatory decision-making process, and highlights the roles of women in nuclear (WiN) in initiating the said public discourse.

High school music classes enhance the neural processing of speech

OpenAIRE

Tierney, Adam; Krizman, Jennifer; Skoe, Erika; Johnston, Kathleen; Kraus, Nina

2013-01-01

Should music be a priority in public education? One argument for teaching music in school is that private music instruction relates to enhanced language abilities and neural function. However, the directionality of this relationship is unclear and it is unknown whether school-based music training can produce these enhancements. Here we show that two years of group music classes in high school enhance the subcortical encoding of speech. To tease apart the relationships between music and neural...

77 FR 71430 - New Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Public Transportation Baseline...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-30

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Transportation Security Administration New Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Public Transportation Baseline Assessment for Security Enhancement... voluntary site visits with security and operating officials of public transportation systems. This program...

Work engagement in the public service context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Noesgaard, Mette Strange; Hansen, Jesper Rosenberg

2016-01-01

Work engagement has increasingly captured the attention of researchers and practitioners due to its positive impact on employee level outcomes and overall organizational performance (e.g. Bakker and Bal, 2010, Hallberg and Schaufeli, 2006). Therefore, several studies have been conducted in variou...... investigates the role of public service motivation (PSM) in relation to engagement and how it may be used to enhance engagement in a challenging public context characterized by high levels of emotional labor, control and increasing demands for efficiency....... contexts although the vast majority focus on private organizations. Yet there are limitations in the understanding of work engagement in public sector context (Lavigna, 2011) and in particular knowledge of how PSM influence work engagement (Bakker, 2015). To address this gap, this qualitative study...

Improving Outcomes in the Nigeria Healthcare Sector through Public ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PPP) model in the Country's healthcare sector. Public - Private Interaction offers opportunity of leveraging private sector investment in the sector and further enhances improvements in service delivery as well as increases access to quality ...

TTI Phase 2 Institutional Support: Public Affairs Centre | IDRC ...

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

This funding will enhance the Public Affairs Centre's (PAC) role as a credible ... and networks with national governments and international partners working on ... Birth registration is the basis for advancing gender equality and children's rights.

Exploring a public-private partnership new-graduate physiotherapy recruitment program: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, David; Dmytryk, Neil

2014-12-01

Difficulty in attracting allied health staff to rural areas is well known. In 2012, a small rural health facility and local private practice created an informal public-private partnership to recruit two new-graduate physiotherapists. Graduates were employed part-time in both the public and private sectors. This qualitative case study employed an appreciative enquiry framework to explore this partnership model. Three focus groups were held, and a combination of content and thematic analysis was used to derive and organise themes arising from the data. A regional public health service and private physiotherapy practice in the Bega Valley region of south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. New-graduate and second-year physiotherapists (n = 5), private sector managers (n = 3), and public sector managers (n = 4). Perceived benefits of the partnership model and improvements that could be made to further develop the model. Organisational benefits of a shared public-private role included the ability to attract high-quality applicants to difficult-to-fill positions, reduced the risk of new-graduate attrition due to social isolation, enhanced networking between sectors, and enhanced staff skill development through a broad range of clinical and non-clinical experiences. The model relied on management flexibility and has potential to expand to other areas and professions. Dedicated funding support, targeted recruitment strategies and increased planning to ease the transition into the workplace would further enhance the model. An informal public-private partnership to overcome established workforce shortages has proven successful to the benefit of the new graduates and both the public and private sectors. © 2014 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

Admitting Syrian Refugees: Is The Threat of Islamic State Infiltration Justified

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-01

discrimination from their hosts, radical Islamic ideology may find a receptive audience , particularly among second- and third-generation children of...theatricality, suspense, and threat of danger inherent in terrorism enhance its attention- getting qualities.”163 Furthermore, “As the audience grows larger...IS has grown in size and scope, unique from Al Qaeda in that it “coerces local populations while advertising to a global audience .”174 Its caliphate

Public Affairs Capacity Building: A Soft Tool for Combatant Commanders

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Salata, Jason P

2008-01-01

Public affairs capacity building is a valuable soft component of the Combatant Commander's Theater Campaign Plan that builds habitual relationships, fosters transparency, and enhances the ability to shape the AOR...

Timepiece: Extending and Enhancing Learning Time.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Lorin W., Ed.; Walberg, Herbert J., Ed.

This publication offers suggestions for making more productive use of time, a scarce and valued educational resource. The chapter authors, authorities on the use of educational time, write about how to extend and enhance learning time within and outside schools. In "Productive Use of Time," Herbert Walberg describes how learning time can be…

Public meetings on nuclear waste management: their function and organization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duvernoy, E.G.; Marcus, A.A.; Overcast, T.; Schilling, A.H.

1981-05-01

This report focuses on public meetings as a vehicle for public participation in nuclear waste management. The nature of public meetings is reviewed and the functions served by meetings highlighted. The range of participants and their concerns are addressed, including a review of the participants from past nuclear waste management meetings. A sound understanding of the expected participants allows DOE to tailor elements of the meeting, such as notification, format, and agenda to accommodate the attendees. Finally, the report discusses the organization of public meetings on nuclear waste management in order to enhance the DOE's functions for such meetings. Possible structures are suggested for a variety of elements that are relevant prior to, during and after the public meeting. These suggestions are intended to supplement the DOE Public Participation Manual.

Public meetings on nuclear waste management: their function and organization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duvernoy, E.G.; Marcus, A.A.; Overcast, T.; Schilling, A.H.

1981-05-01

This report focuses on public meetings as a vehicle for public participation in nuclear waste management. The nature of public meetings is reviewed and the functions served by meetings highlighted. The range of participants and their concerns are addressed, including a review of the participants from past nuclear waste management meetings. A sound understanding of the expected participants allows DOE to tailor elements of the meeting, such as notification, format, and agenda to accommodate the attendees. Finally, the report discusses the organization of public meetings on nuclear waste management in order to enhance the DOE's functions for such meetings. Possible structures are suggested for a variety of elements that are relevant prior to, during and after the public meeting. These suggestions are intended to supplement the DOE Public Participation Manual

Sociodrama approach for enhancing nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, K. S.; Kim, C. B.; Ha, Y. H.

2004-01-01

A role playing or sociodrama has been experimentally conducted among residents from 4 NPP sites in Korea and KINS employees as a psychological approach for enhancing nuclear safety and improving public communication and public confidence in regulator in Dec. 2004. In this paper, the results were analyzed and presented and future plan and area of further study were suggested. This socio-psychological approach can be used as a new communication method for improving mutual understanding between residents and NPP operators at sites. It can be also used to solve conflicts among stakeholders and interest groups in nuclear industry

What Matters in Recruiting Public Health Employees: Considerations for Filling Workforce Gaps.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeager, Valerie A; Wisniewski, Janna M; Amos, Kathleen; Bialek, Ron

2015-12-01

We examined factors that influence the decision to join the public health workforce. In this cross-sectional study, we used 2010 secondary data representing 6939 public health workers. Factors influencing the decision to take jobs in public health were significantly associated with specific previous employment settings. Respondents generally rated organizational factors as more influential than personal factors in terms of their decision to work in governmental public health. Leaders should consider tailoring recruitment efforts to maximize job uptake and enhance the potential for long-term retention.

Public health and the Australian Constitution.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, C

1995-06-01

The powers vested in the Commonwealth Government by the Constitution contain the basis of much public health law in Australia. Yet this is not often recognised; public health law is generally, and historically, seen as the states' responsibility. This article surveys the broad range of constitutional powers that the Commonwealth Government can rely upon to make public health laws. It considers areas of power specified in the Constitution, such as those with respect to external affairs and corporations. Decisions of the High Court have interpreted the various heads of power very broadly and have significantly enhanced the potential of the Commonwealth to pass detailed and far-reaching public health law. To this fact must be added the taxation arrangements in Australia and, with these, the very extensive control that the Commonwealth can exercise through its monopoly of major taxation sources. Its power to make financial arrangements can tie dependent states into specific policies (including public health policies) as a condition of the grants made to them. However, these broad powers may be limited in some important respects: the High Court is increasingly identifying rights and freedoms in the Constitution that may increasingly bring both state and Commonwealth public health law under challenge. Despite this possibility, the Commonwealth may prove to be our most significant source of public health law, and public health policy makers should recognise the full potential of its power to make such laws.

Public participation in town-planning applications: Tlokwe Local ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Although public participation is deemed important in South Africa, negative perceptions of its legitimacy are widely acknowledged. Inclusive town-planning processes, as instruments to address inequality, have a significant role in enhancing democracy. This article reports on a study done from a communicative planning ...

Effects of pictures and textual arguments in sun protection public service announcements.

Science.gov (United States)

Boer, Henk; Ter Huurne, Ellen; Taal, Erik

2006-01-01

The effect of public service announcements aimed at promoting primary prevention of skin cancer may be limited by superficial cognitive processing. The use of both pictures and textual arguments in sun protection public service announcements were evaluated for their potentially beneficial effects on judgment, cognitive processing and persuasiveness. In a 2 x 2 factorial experimental design individuals were shown public service announcements that advocated the advantages of sun protection measures in different versions in which a picture was present or not present and a textual argument was present or not present. The 159 participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions. In each condition, participants were shown 12 different public service announcements designed according to the condition. Participants judged each public service announcement on attractiveness, credibility, clarity of communication and the required amount of reflection. After the judgment task, they completed a questionnaire to assess knowledge, perceived advantages and disadvantages of sun protection and intended use of sun protection measures. Pictures enhanced attractiveness, but diminished comprehension. Textual arguments enhanced attractiveness, credibility and comprehension. Pictures as well as textual arguments increased knowledge of sun protection measures. Pictures and textual arguments in public service announcements positively influence the individual's perception of the advantages of sun protection methods and the advantages of their adoption.

Stereotyped Visual Symbols as a Mean of Public Consolidation in Context Of International Genocide Recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Anatolievna Ivanova

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results of the study devoted to stereotyped visual symbols as a part of the corporate identity complex of anti-genocide organizations aimed to reach an international genocide recognition as a part of their strategies. The relevance of the stud y is justified with the similarity of modern tools for visualizing the unique characteristics of organizations and centuries-old practice of opponents opposing each other, what was discovered in the investigation process. The effectiveness of the usage of stereotyped visual symbols as the means of public consolidation in combating the genocide, which is the purpose of this study, is proved. Using the method of structural and semiotic analysis, the authors studied visual symbols used as the means of broadcasting the public opinion coded into a key message within the framework of the anti-genocide organizations’ activities. The studied visual symbols were identified as the means of stereotyped influence aimed on the mass audience, which allowed us to conclude about the effectiveness of such symbols in solving problems in mass communications. During the generalization and systematization of the data obtained, the most frequently used symbols which enclose the codes of certain cultures were identified, which led us to the conclusion that such symbols are stereotypically used in the context of combating genocide and bringing the public forward the recognition of such conflicts.

Patentability of methods of human enhancement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordberg, Ana

2015-01-01

This article explores how to apply patentability rules to human enhancement, particularly focusing on Article 53(c) of the European Patent Convention (EPC). The global size and value of the cosmetic and wellness market and industry allow for the prediction of considerable market potential for hum...... future evolution and the corresponding public policy choices. This article seeks to provide prospective patentees with guidance and awareness concerning the patentability of methods for human enhancement.......This article explores how to apply patentability rules to human enhancement, particularly focusing on Article 53(c) of the European Patent Convention (EPC). The global size and value of the cosmetic and wellness market and industry allow for the prediction of considerable market potential for human...... enhancement. Patents will be instrumental for companies to protect investment in innovation and tap into this potentially valuable market. The European patent system contains, in Article 53(c) EPC, an exception from patentability for methods for treatment and diagnostic methods. Such rule was created...

Vision for a Global Registry of Anticipated Public Health Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Bernard C.K.; Frank, John; Mindell, Jennifer S.; Orlova, Anna; Lin, Vivian; Vaillancourt, Alain D.M.G.; Puska, Pekka; Pang, Tikki; Skinner, Harvey A.; Marsh, Marsha; Mokdad, Ali H.; Yu, Shun-Zhang; Lindner, M. Cristina; Sherman, Gregory; Barreto, Sandhi M.; Green, Lawrence W.; Svenson, Lawrence W.; Sainsbury, Peter; Yan, Yongping; Zhang, Zuo-Feng; Zevallos, Juan C.; Ho, Suzanne C.; de Salazar, Ligia M.

2007-01-01

In public health, the generation, management, and transfer of knowledge all need major improvement. Problems in generating knowledge include an imbalance in research funding, publication bias, unnecessary studies, adherence to fashion, and undue interest in novel and immediate issues. Impaired generation of knowledge, combined with a dated and inadequate process for managing knowledge and an inefficient system for transferring knowledge, mean a distorted body of evidence available for decisionmaking in public health. This article hopes to stimulate discussion by proposing a Global Registry of Anticipated Public Health Studies. This prospective, comprehensive system for tracking research in public health could help enhance collaboration and improve efficiency. Practical problems must be discussed before such a vision can be further developed. PMID:17413073

The Mediating Effect of Social Capital on the Relationship Between Public Health Managers' Transformational Leadership and Public Health Nurses' Organizational Empowerment in Korea Public Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, Soo Young

2017-12-01

This study was to verify the effect of public health nurse's (PHN's) social capital on the relationship between public health manager's (PHM's) transformational leadership and PHN's organizational empowerment in Korea public health. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 303 PHNs from public health centers in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do cities in South Korea. Data were collected from February 29, 2016 to April 8, 2016, using structured questionnaires which included general characteristics, transformational leadership, organizational empowerment, and social capital. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and structural equation model. PHM's transformational leadership has a positive effect on PHN's social capital and PHN's organizational empowerment. Social capital had a mediating effect between transformational leadership and organizational empowerment in PHNs. This study suggests that PHM's transformational leadership is a contributing factor to improve PHN's organizational empowerment, and transformational leadership can lead to improve PHN's organizational empowerment through PHN's social capital. So, an intervention program to promote organizational empowerment should include strategies to enhance PHM's transformational leadership as well as to improve PHN's social capital. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Building Capacity in the Public Utility Sectors of Basra, Iraq

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Trainor, Tim; Henderson, Dale

2007-01-01

... in provincial reconstruction efforts. Specifically, the mission was to assist in building the capacity of the public sector utility leadership in project prioritization, project planning and project management in order to enhance...

An analysis of the proposed Airline Competition Enhancement Act

OpenAIRE

Smith, Janice S.

1990-01-01

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited This analysis examines problem issues in the passenger airline industry and determines how the proposed Airline Competition Enhancement Act would impact these issues. A summarization of the history of airline deregulation is followed by an assessment of the factors that are contributing to the call for re-regulation. From this assessment, recommendations for changes to the proposed Airline Competition Enhancement Act are made. Lieut...

Actions for Professional Development to Enhance Competence in Communicating Scientific Results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexeis Ruíz-Díaz

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The main goal of this research is to propose an action plan for professional development to enhance competence in communicating scientific results in teachers of municipal secondary schools. The research is part of a complementary methodological approach that combines different quantitative and qualitative methods based on specific objectives. The diagnosis was made at the Municipal University Center of Sagua La Grande, with a sample of 25 teachers who are members of the Industrial Engineering career staff at the institution, attached to the Central University “Marta Abreu” of Las Villas, Cuba. Regularities were found from the stage of the initial diagnosis of professional development needs and the level in which the “competence in communicating scientific results” variable was. With this information justifying the purposes of this research, a process was designed following a systemic approach, and the practical result was the proposal of the organization and design of an action plan for development through postgraduate education forms during the implementation phase.

Performance-enhancing drugs on the web: a growing public-health issue.

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, Brian P; Kanayama, Gen; Pope, Harrison G

2013-01-01

Today's Internet provides extensive "underground" guidelines for obtaining and using illicit substances, including especially anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and other appearance- and performance-enhancing drugs (APEDs). We attempted to qualitatively characterize APED-related Internet sites. We used relevant Internet search terms (eg, "steroids bodybuilding" and "buy steroids online") to assess (i) the numbers of site visitors; (ii) offers of drugs for sale; and (iii) the quality of online medical information. We also chose the examples of (iv) "site-enhancing oils" and (v) "cattle implants" to illustrate the volume of available Internet information as compared with that in the medical literature. We found thousands of sites involving AAS and other APEDs. Most sites presented an unabashedly pro-drug position, often openly questioning the qualifications and motivations of mainstream medical practitioners. Offers of AAS and other APEDs for sale, together with medical advice of varying legitimacy, was widespread across sites. Importantly, many sites provided detailed guidelines for exotic forms of APED use, some likely associated with serious health risks, which are probably unknown to most practicing clinicians. It seems important for practitioners to be aware of the extent of this "underground literature," which may strongly influence their patients' decisions about use and abuse of APEDs. Copyright © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Legal measures for improving public acceptance of nuclear plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marti de Veses y Puig, J.J.

1983-01-01

The author of this paper considers that public acceptance of nuclear projects would be greatly enhanced by appropriate information on topics concerning safety of nuclear installations supplied through specialised institutions set up by the governments. In this context the author refers to the 1980 Spanish Act setting up the Nuclear Safety Council, one of whose tasks is to inform the public, and finally, the 1981 Act establishing a specific tax on electrical generation, including nuclear electricity. (NEA) [fr

For Better or Worse? System-Justifying Beliefs in Sixth-Grade Predict Trajectories of Self-Esteem and Behavior Across Early Adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Godfrey, Erin B; Santos, Carlos E; Burson, Esther

2017-06-19

Scholars call for more attention to how marginalization influences the development of low-income and racial/ethnic minority youth and emphasize the importance of youth's subjective perceptions of contexts. This study examines how beliefs about the fairness of the American system (system justification) in sixth grade influence trajectories of self-esteem and behavior among 257 early adolescents (average age 11.4) from a diverse, low-income, middle school in an urban southwestern city. System justification was associated with higher self-esteem, less delinquent behavior, and better classroom behavior in sixth grade but worse trajectories of these outcomes from sixth to eighth grade. These findings provide novel evidence that system-justifying beliefs undermine the well-being of marginalized youth and that early adolescence is a critical developmental period for this process. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

ENHANCING MOBILITY OF THE ELDERLY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA CITIES THROUGH IMPROVED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Olufemi ODUFUWA

2006-01-01

This paper analyzed the mobility of the elderly from the provision of public transport perspective and using mobility indicators-mean number of trips, time of travel, travel mode, accessibility and confortability of travel modes. The result shows that the available public transports in Nigeria cities are neither accessible nor convenient for the ageing population. As a result of economic hardship of the Nation for instance, most of the ageing population have no access to private means of mobility and thus they are increasingly dependent on the available public transport to meet their travel needs. Other findings reveals that the elderly makes more trips but with a selective time of travel. Nevertheless, the environmental emissions as well as exposure to traffic accident and long length of travel as a result of frequent traffic congestion have gross implications on the quality of life of the elderly.

Technology Education Professional Enhancement Project

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Thomas A., Jr.

1996-01-01

The two goals of this project are: the use of integrative field of aerospace technology to enhance the content and instruction delivered by math, science, and technology teachers through the development of a new publication entitled NASA Technology Today, and to develop a rationale and structure for the study of technology, which establishes the foundation for developing technology education standards and programs of the future.

The sociology of big science | Public Lecture by Ulrike Felt | 15 July

CERN Multimedia

2014-01-01

"The sociology of big science" Public Lecture by Prof. Ulrike Felt Tuesday 15 July 2014 - 7.30 p.m. Globe of Science and Innovation Lecture in English, translated in French. Entrance free. Limited number of seats. Reservation essential: +41 22 767 76 76 or cern.reception@cern.ch What science for what kind of society? Reflecting the development of big science Without any doubt, CERN can be described as being among the most ambitious scientific enterprises ever undertaken. For 60 years, the Member States have not only invested considerable financial means into this institution, but have also supported the creation of a highly visionary research programme. And this has led to a change in the way science is done, as captured by the idea of "big science". Yet this naturally also raises a number of quite fundamental questions: How did the meaning of "doing science" change? What justifies societal engagement with and support for such a cost-intensive long-t...

Managing Public Finance and Procurement in Fragile and Conflicted Settings

OpenAIRE

Porter, Doug; Andrews, Matt; Turkewitz, Joel; Wescotttz, Clay

2011-01-01

Discusses ways to enhance the incentives for elites to invest political capital in achieving (1) functional results through the formal public finance management (PFM) system; (2) the effectiveness of agencies responsible for services and regulating activities; and (3) better performance of civil service officials. Using the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Performance Measurement Framework, countries affected by conflict and fragility can be compared with non-fragile poo...

Attitudes justifying domestic violence predict endorsement of corporal punishment and physical and psychological aggression towards children: a study in 25 low- and middle-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Lansford, Jennifer E; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Bornstein, Marc H; Putnick, Diane L; Bradley, Robert H

2014-05-01

The Convention on the Rights of the Child has prompted countries to protect children from abuse and exploitation. Exposure to domestic violence and corporal punishment are risk factors in children's development. This study investigated how women's attitudes about domestic violence are related to attitudes about corporal punishment and harsh behaviors toward children, and whether country-wide norms regarding domestic violence and corporal punishment are related to psychological aggression and physical violence toward children. Data were drawn from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, a nationally representative and internationally comparable household survey developed by the United Nations Children's Fund. Measures of domestic violence and discipline were completed by 85 999 female caregivers of children between the ages of 2 and 14 years from families in 25 low- and middle-income countries. Mothers who believed that husbands were justified in hitting their wives were more likely to believe that corporal punishment is necessary to rear children. Mothers who believed that husbands were justified in hitting their wives and that corporal punishment is necessary to rear children were more likely to report that their child had experienced psychological aggression and physical violence. Countrywide norms regarding the acceptability of husbands hitting wives and advisability of corporal punishment moderated the links between mothers' attitudes and their behaviors toward children. Pediatricians can address parents' psychological aggression and physical violence toward children by discussing parents' attitudes and behaviors within a framework that incorporates social norms regarding the acceptability of domestic violence and corporal punishment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are physicians' strikes ever morally justifiable? A call for a return to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Though physicians strike provides an opportunity to generate more knowledge about the process in which legitimacy of an organization can be restored, it meets with a great deal of resistance not only by the public but from within the medical profession. This paper critically examines the legitimacy of strike by medical ...

Alternative solutions for public and private catastrophe funding in Austria

Science.gov (United States)

Gruber, M.

2008-07-01

The impacts of natural hazards as well as their frequency of occurrence during the last decades have increased decisively. Therefore, the public as well as the private sector are expected to react to this development by providing sufficient funds, in particular for the improvement of protection measures and an enhanced funding of damage compensation for affected private individuals, corporate and public entities. From the public stance, the establishment of an appropriate regulatory environment seems to be indispensable. Structural and legal changes should, on the one hand, renew and improve the current distribution system of public catastrophe funds as well as the profitable investment of these financial resources, and on the other hand, facilitate the application of alternative mechanisms provided by the capital and insurance markets. In particular, capital markets have developed alternative risk transfer and financing mechanisms, such as captive insurance companies, risk pooling, contingent capital solutions, multi-trigger products and insurance securitisation for hard insurance market phases. These instruments have already been applied to catastrophic (re-)insurance in other countries (mainly the US and off-shore domiciles), and may contribute positively to the insurability of extreme weather events in Austria by enhancing financial capacities. Not only private individuals and corporate entities may use alternative mechanisms in order to retain, thus, to finance certain risks, but also public institutions. This contribution aims at analysing potential solutions for an improved risk management of natural hazards in the private and the public sector by considering alternative mechanisms of the capital and insurance markets. Also the establishment of public-private-partnerships, which may contribute to a more efficient cat funding system in Austria, is considered.

Flexible Pedagogies: Technology-Enhanced Learning. Flexible Pedagogies: Preparing for the Future Series

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Neil

2014-01-01

This publication is part of our five-strand research project "Flexible Pedagogies: preparing for the future". It focuses on a better understanding of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) and: (1) identifies key international drivers in the move towards technology-enhanced learning; (2) highlights some of the challenges and opportunities…

Sickness absence in a municipal public service of Goiânia, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Leão, Ana Lúcia de Melo; Barbosa-Branco, Anadergh; Rassi Neto, Elias; Ribeiro, Cristina Aparecida Neves; Turchi, Marília Dalva

2015-01-01

Sickness absence, as work absenteeism justified by medical certificate, is an important health status indicator of the employees and, overall, sociodemographic and occupational characteristics are among the main factors associated with sickness absence. Public administration accounts for 21.8% of the formal job positions in Brazil. This population allows the study of a wide range of professional categories. To assess the profile and indicators of sickness absence among public workers from the municipality of Goiania, in the State of Goiás, Brazil. A cross-sectional study on certified sick leaves, lasting longer than three days, of all civil servants from January 2005 to December 2010. Prevalence rates were calculated using as main criteria the number of individuals, episodes and sick days. 40,578 certified sick leaves were granted for health treatment among 13,408 public workers, in an annual average population of 17,270 people, which resulted in 944,722 days of absenteeism. The cumulative prevalence of sick leave for the period was of 143.7%, with annual average of 39.2% and duration of 23 days per episode. The cumulative prevalence of sickness absence was higher among women (52.0%), older than 40 years old (55.9%), with a partner (49.9%), low schooling (54.4%), education professionals (54.7%), > 10 years of service (61.9%), and with multiple work contracts (53.7%). Diagnoses groups (ICD-10) with higher cumulative prevalence of sick leaves were those with mental disorders (26.5%), musculoskeletal diseases (25.1%), and injuries (23.6%). Indicators of sickness absence express the magnitude of this phenomenon in the public sector and can assist in planning health actions for the worker, prioritizing the most vulnerable occupational groups.

[Legitimizing and responsibilities of public health reports: public health reports or social court reports?].

Science.gov (United States)

Borgers, D; Streich, W

1996-11-01

Since 1970 various initiatives have been taken to improve the information bases of health reporting. However, the efforts made up to now by the Länder, the Federal Government and its corporate bodies are characterised by a lack of experience and shortage of resources; moreover, they are viewed with a critical eye by the public and in the political area. In this contribution the authors describe various topics and delimitations of a health reporting system which go far beyond health statistics and health programmes altogether. The chances of a national health reporting system are based on the assumption that an objective judgement based on expert knowledge and science will be possible and that beyond all particularistic interests, expert knowledge can be organised in a democratic process. Public health reporting varies between two extremes: On the one hand, the current reporting in the media on health-related subjects which is characterised by disagreement among experts, particularistic interests and emotions, and on the other hand the national health reporting, which, on the platform of policy marketing and political image shaping, is suspected of degenerating to a kind of "royal court reporting". A health reporting system based on expert knowledge and characterised by topics with relevance to health policy, expert quality of its information and neutrality to particularistic interests, should go beyond these two extremes. Given the political conditions of budgeting and distribution conflicts, health reporting has to deal with two main aspects: effectiveness and efficiency of employed resources and with the problems of a fair distribution of these resources to provide equal chances in the health sector. What cannot be solved, by questions of procedure, however, is the problem of truth and objective knowledge as well as the problem of confidence. If the general public lacks confidence in national expert knowledge, a society discourse will not lead to political

The public right of access to information on nuclear energy under the Spanish legal system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baena del Alcazar, M.

2003-01-01

About the right of access to information under the Community Directive in Spain, the freedom of action of the Member state is evoked. The differences between the Constitution and the law 30/1992, the regulation under law 38/1995, the implementation of Community Law and the case law are discussed. The specific question of inspection reports is finally, seen. Where information is to be refused, the refusal should not be based on commercial or industrial confidentiality, a case in connection with which the legislation mentions spills and waste. Decisions should not be based on ambiguities and that any refusal should be justified on general grounds, by the unreasonableness of the request, by the generic formulation of the request, or by the damage to the environment itself, which should not be confused with the public alarm created. (N.C.)

Pedagogical Models for Enhancing the Cross-Cultural Online Public Health Learning Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Srikanta; Firtell, Jill

2017-01-01

Background: Online distance learning (e-learning) is an established method for providing higher education on a global scale due to its potential to reduce inequalities particularly in the area of public health education. Simultaneously, multicultural education is a key component of health education and can be achieved by fostering cultural…

Internal Audit: Does it Enhance Governance in the Australian Public University Sector?

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher, Joe

2015-01-01

This study seeks to confirm if internal audit, a corporate control process, is functioning effectively in Australian public universities. The study draws on agency theory, published literature and best-practice guidelines to develop an internal audit evaluation framework. A survey instrument is thereafter developed from the framework and used as a…

The Legacy of Public Work: Educating for Citizenship.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyte, Harry C.; Skelton, Nan

1997-01-01

The nation's educational system mirrors the dynamics of our marketplace democracy, recasting parents as self-interested consumers. Jane Addams' philosophy of education (enhancing people's productive capacities to benefit the commonweal) has been revived in Public Achievement, a work-centered, civic-earning program in St.Paul, Minnesota, that helps…

The scope of public organisations with productive functions: insights from the inefficiency of Italian local public transport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giacomo Di Foggia

2015-12-01

Full Text Available It is a well-known fact that reforms necessary to enhance competition and make the economy more attractive play a major role in the Government activity in Europe. Considering the Italian state of affairs, this paper focuses on the inefficiency of public producers in the light of certain market and legal impediments. This paper describes key barriers that undermine the healthy functioning of an important industrial and service sector of the Italian economy: specifically local public transport. This paper also sheds some light on this problem analysing the impact that a controversial regulation framework may have on an industry and suggests that the degree of liberalisation affects the return on investments.

Employment Competence based Management to enhance Training Effectiveness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Le Goff, Solenn; Ristol, Santi; Estévez, José Antonio

2006-01-01

Please, cite this publication as: Le Goff, S., Ristol, S., & Estévez, J.A. (2006). Employing Competence based Management to enhance Training Effectiveness. Proceedings of International Workshop in Learning Networks for Lifelong Competence Development, TENCompetence Conference. March 30th-31st,