The economic impact of HIV/AIDS on the education sector in Zambia.

Science.gov (United States)

Grassly, Nicholas C; Desai, Kamal; Pegurri, Elisabetta; Sikazwe, Alfred; Malambo, Irene; Siamatowe, Clement; Bundy, Don

2003-05-02

To estimate and project the economic impact of HIV/AIDS on the supply of education in Zambia. An analysis of the financial implications of HIV/AIDS for the Ministry of Education (MoE) and donors funding education in Zambia. A mathematical model was used to project the number of primary school teachers and their HIV status under current plans for teacher training and recruitment. Cost data were compiled from the MoE, the Teacher Education Department, teacher training colleges and the donor consortium BESSIP (Basic Education Sub-Sector Investment Programme). Multivariate sensitivity analyses were performed. The impact of HIV/AIDS on the supply of primary education imply costs to the MoE and BESSIP estimated at US$1.3-3.1 million in 1999, and projected at $10.6-41.3 million over the period 1999-2010. These costs include salaries paid to teachers absent as a result of HIV-associated illness (71%), additional training of teachers to cope with AIDS-related attrition (22%) and funeral costs contractually met by the MoE (7%). They do not include the additional costs of an active care and prevention response by the MoE, or the burden of ensuring enrolment of AIDS orphans. The annual cost of HIV/AIDS is a relatively small fraction of the overall MoE budget (2.5% in 1999) but has substantial implications for resource allocation to some functions. Expenditure on teacher training will need to increase by 26% if Education for All targets are to be met in the face of AIDS. HIV/AIDS has significant implications for resource allocation in the education sector in Zambia.

Ebola Preparedness in the Netherlands: The Need for Coordination Between the Public Health and the Curative Sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Swaan, Corien M; Öry, Alexander V; Schol, Lianne G C; Jacobi, André; Richardus, Jan Hendrik; Timen, Aura

During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-2015, close cooperation between the curative sector and the public health sector in the Netherlands was necessary for timely identification, referral, and investigation of patients with suspected Ebola virus disease (EVD). In this study, we evaluated experiences in preparedness among stakeholders of both curative and public health sectors to formulate recommendations for optimizing preparedness protocols. Timeliness of referred patients with suspected EVD was used as indicator for preparedness. In focus group sessions and semistructured interviews, experiences of curative and public health stakeholders about the regional and national process of preparedness and response were listed. Timeliness recordings of all referred patients with suspected EVD (13) were collected from first date of illness until arrival in the referral academic hospital. Ebola preparedness was considered extensive compared with the risk of an actual patient, however necessary. Regional coordination varied between regions. More standardization of regional preparation and operational guidelines was requested, as well as nationally standardized contingency criteria, and the National Centre for Infectious Disease Control was expected to coordinate the development of these guidelines. For the timeliness of referred patients with suspected EVD, the median delay between first date of illness until triage was 2.0 days (range: 0-10 days), and between triage and arrival in the referral hospital, it was 5.0 hours (range: 2-7.5 hours). In none of these patients Ebola infection was confirmed. Coordination between the public health sector and the curative sector needs improvement to reduce delay in patient management in emerging infectious diseases. Standardization of preparedness and response practices, through guidelines for institutional preparedness and blueprints for regional and national coordination, is necessary, as preparedness for emerging infectious

Institutional Design, Macroeconomic Policy Coordination and Implications for the Financial Sector in the UK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasir Muhammad Ali

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study has analysed the implications of institutional design of macroeconomic policy making institutions for the macroeconomic policy interaction and financial sector in the United Kingdom. Employing a Vector Error Correction (VEC model and using monthly data from January 1985 to August 2008 we found that the changes in institutional arrangement and design of policy making authorities appeared to be a major contributing factor in dynamics of association between policy coordination/combination and financial sector. It was also found that the independence of the Bank of England (BoE and withdrawal from the Exchange Rate Mechanism led to the increase in macroeconomic policy maker’s ability to coordinate and restore financial stability. The results imply that although institutional autonomy in the form of instrument independence (monetary policy decisions could bring financial stability, there is a strong necessity for coordination, even in Post-MPC (Monetary Policy Committee and the BoE independence.

The sanitary officer: first aid coordinator on EDF nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masson, A.

2000-01-01

The internal organisation for first aid to the injured in case of an accident on E.D.F. nuclear power plant calls for the immediate assistance of a first aid team, consisting of five workers, under the direction of a principal first aid officer; one of the first aid workers, the sanitary officer who instructs the first aid workers intervention awaiting the arrival of an external medical. When the 'Sanitary on-site Emergency Plan' was up' dated, twenty medical doctors and seventy members of staff from five different sites were questioned as to the function of the sanitary officer. The conclusions revealed a notable difference of training amongst the different sites, and concerning first aid organisation, difference of priority of actions, extent of their participation once the medical team arrives and their participation in case of decontamination treatment. The medical doctors and staff lay a particular stress on importance of defining on a national scale the limits of role and responsibilities of the sanitary officer and establish a more specific training in this field, consequently motivating commitment and professionalism involvement. There is a great difference between the training and coaching of the first aid assistance and fire protection teams. To conclude, we propose that the first aid officer be known as first aid coordinator and the qualification of 'Certificat de Formation aux Premiers Secours en Equipe' in compliance with the current legislation together with a specific nuclear module and they should undergo regular on-site drills. (author)

Cross-sectoral coordination for sustainable solutions in Croatia: The (meta) governance of energy efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christopoulos, Stamatios; Demir, Cansu; Kull, Michael

2016-01-01

Increasing the energy efficiency not only requires the improvement of current technologies, but also advancement of and more coherent institutional governance. This paper captures the major structural and organisational elements of institutional governance in place for promoting energy efficiency. Looking at Croatia – one of the most successful cases of energy efficiency programming of the past decade – the paper zooms in on governance coordination (metagovernance) between actors from different sectors and operating at multiple levels. By showcasing the positive implications of the programme, the authors contribute to the debate concerned with identifying better institutional frameworks to attain sustainable development. The programme showed effective governance through vertical and horizontal coordination among institutions and stakeholders resulting in simultaneous social and economic development and improved energy efficiency in public buildings. Through the case of Croatia, this study identifies how metagovernance has supported coordination among actors aiming to create sustainable development in general and how metagovernance functions in energy efficiency related projects, in particular. The paper also sheds light on communication frameworks of governance coordination and institutional constraints lying at the heart of the vagueness of sustainable development. It also discusses private sector involvement to achieve better institutional framework to attain sustainable development. - Highlights: • This study identified how metagovernance has supported coordination among actors. • State played a key role in the coordination by acting as a catalyst. • UNDP acted as a mediator between government and society for capacity building. • Public authorities are less likely to continue activities without external support. • Private sector’s knowledge and resources are crucial to support project objectives.

South Africa’s private sector investment in training and its erosion as a result of HIV and AIDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gavin George

2014-03-01

Full Text Available South Africa’s economic prospects depend on the productivity of its labour, and productivity can only be maximised when the labour force possess the appropriate skills. Business is playing its part by offering training opportunities to employees. Collectively, they are spending more than the government’s mandated level on training. However, the HIV and AIDS epidemic is eroding this investment in southern Africa where the HIV epidemic is at its worst. While there has been empirical work that provides estimates on the cost of HIV and AIDS to business, there is very little data on the actual amounts large companies spend on training, and how much of this investment is eroded as a result of HIV and AIDS deaths. Using an estimate of the HIV and AIDS death rate in the private sector and survey data which identifies training expenditure by sector, the authors estimate the extent to which HIV and AIDS has potentially eroded this investment. The loss for all sectors was estimated at almost R10 million (R9,871,732 during the study year, which equates to USD1,183,661 per annum. This amount represented on average 0.73 per cent of the actual investment in training. The real costs of HIV and AIDS on business, which includes absenteeism, declining productivity and other costs are difficult to quantify, but they are likely to significantly exceed this lost training investment as a result of increasing morbidity and mortality rates due to HIV. It is therefore in a company’s best interest to: (1 ensure that a sound HIV and AIDS policy is in place; (2 invest in effective prevention programmes; and (3 provide the appropriate ARV treatment to infected employees if this treatment is not easily accessible through the public health sector.

Co-location as a Driver for Cross-Sectoral Collaboration with General Practitioners as Coordinators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheele, Christian Elling; Vrangbæk, Karsten

2016-01-01

The issue of integrated care and inter-sectoral collaboration is on the health policy agenda in many countries. Yet, there is limited knowledge about the effects of the different policy instruments used to achieve this. This paper studies co-location as a driver for cross-sectoral collaboration...... with general practitioners (GPs) acting as coordinators in a municipal health centre. The purpose of the health centre, which is staffed by health professionals from municipal, regional and private sectors, is to provide primary health services to the citizens of the municipality. Co......-locating these professionals is supposed to benefit e.g., elder citizens and patients with chronic diseases who frequently require services from health professionals across administrative sectors. Methodologically, the analysis is based on qualitative data in the form of semi-structured interviews with the health...

The private sector role in HIV/AIDS in the context of an expanded global response: expenditure trends in five sub-Saharan African countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Sulzbach, Sara; De, Susna; Wang, Wenjuan

2011-07-01

Global financing for the HIV response has reached unprecedented levels in recent years. Over US$10 billion were mobilized in 2007, an effort credited with saving the lives of millions of people living with HIV (PLHIV). A relatively unexamined aspect of the global HIV response is the role of the private sector in financing HIV/AIDS services. As the nature of the response evolves from emergency relief to long-term sustainability, understanding current and potential contributions from the private sector is critical. This paper examines trends in private sector financing, management and resource consumption related to HIV/AIDS in five sub-Saharan African countries, with a particular emphasis on the effects of recently scaled-up donor funding on private sector contributions. We analysed National Health Accounts HIV/AIDS subaccount data for Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia between 2002 and 2006. HIV subaccounts provide comparable data on the flow of HIV/AIDS funding from source to use. Findings indicate that private sector contributions decreased in all countries except Tanzania. With regards to managing HIV/AIDS funds, non-governmental organizations are increasingly controlling the largest share of resources relative to other stakeholders, whereas private for-profit entities are managing fewer HIV/AIDS resources since the donor influx. The majority of HIV/AIDS funds were spent in the public sector, although a considerable amount was spent at private facilities, largely fuelled by out-of-pocket (OOP) payments. On the whole, OOP spending by PLHIV decreased over the 4-year period, with the exception of Malawi, demonstrating that PLHIV have increased access to free or subsidized HIV/AIDS services. Our findings suggest that the influx of donor funding has led to decreased private contributions for HIV/AIDS. The reduction in private sector investment and engagement raises concerns about the sustainability of HIV/AIDS programmes over the long term, particularly in

Coordination in the upstream supply chain of the Dutch railway sector : a research agenda

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schlicher, L.P.J.; Slikker, M.; van Houtum, G.J.J.A.N.; Pombo, J.

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a research agenda which identifies three research directions for the upstream supply chain of the Dutch railway sector. The first research direction focusses on coordination of spare parts with criticality differences and related allocations of potential cost savings

The Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Socio-Economic Development in Kenya's Cooperative Sector: An Empirical Analysis of Cooperatives in Nairobi Province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nyongesa, D.J.W.; M'mboyi, F.

2002-01-01

A lot of stigma is attached to HIV/AIDS pandemic in Kenya. Many organizations have tried and continue trying to educate the public on this scourge. However, none of these organizations has thought of the cooperative sector. This research is unique because it examines the Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Socio-economic Development of Kenya's Cooperative sector. It is an empirical analysis of Cooperatives in Nairobi Province with special reference to the Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOS). It was a joint research that examined HIV/AIDS from a multidisciplinary approach. The general objective was to identify and quantify the effects of HIV/AIDS on the performance of cooperative societies, particularly the impact of HIV/AIDS on savings, share capital, age groups and gender. Questionnaires were administered to a randomly selected sample of cooperative societies in the province. PCGIVE computer package was used to run regressions on simultaneous and recursive models. The findings clearly show that between 1991 and 2000 cooperatives in Nairobi province lost approximately USD 479 million due to HIV/AIDS pandemic. Besides, though savings, share capital and assets increased significantly, the scourge was negative the gains. Of the dead and the infected, females and ages between 18-48 were more affected by the epidemic. Policy specify recommendations vital for containment of HIV/AIDS in the cooperative sub sector of the Kenyan economy are made. These are with a view to classifying the appropriate roles of both public and private sectors in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic within the cooperative sector. Last but not least further areas of research are suggested

Impact of HIV/AIDS to the tourism sector human resources: Case of selected hotels in Harare

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zengeni, D.M.F.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The study investigated the impacts of HIV/AIDS on human resources in the tourism sector in Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare. Harare Hotels were used as a case study establishing how HIV/AIDS affects the workforce in the tourism sector and the consequent effects on service delivery. Visitors’ inflows into Zimbabwe have declined since the year 2000. To understand the reasons and related aspects, data was collected by way of questionnaires which were administered to 9 human resources managers and 9 marketing managers from hotels in Harare during the period of 2008 and 2009. These questionnaires were individually distributed and collected which resulted in 100% return rate. Human resources managers were used because they are involved directly with the social welfare of employees and marketing managers were used because they work in customer care and analyse service delivery. The findings of the study were that HIV/AIDS impact negatively to the hotel sector through deaths of skilled members. This was said to consequently leading to the reduction in service delivery and inconsistence in service delivery. Besides losing skilled members through death it was also discovered that the hotels were now moving HIV/AIDS effected victims to the back of the house to minimise their contact with guests. It was also discovered that hotels were using lot of funds to implement mitigation measures.

Multi-Sector Participation In The National Response To Prevent And Address The Hiv/Aids Epidemic In The Republic Of Cuba, 2007-2008

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isora Ramos Valle

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The development of a strong national response involving multiple sectors—including civil society—is an essential aspect of the social management of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The goals of this response are to control the epidemic and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS; this includes combating stigma and discrimination, as well as ensuring due compliance with the law. Cuba has a national program to prevent and control HIV/AIDS. Since 2003 Cuba’s national program has received material and financial support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Program evaluation is carried out by an independent team at ENSAP (National School of Public Health. This paper reports on results of one part of that evaluation: an assessment of the agencies and sectors who made up the organized social and national response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The evaluation primarily used qualitative analyses of the activities and tasks proposed by sectors in their 2006-2008 work plans. Visits were made to the provinces of Ciudad de la Habana, Matanzas, and Holguín. Qualitative techniques included in-depth interviews, semi-structured interviews, observation, and review of documentary evidence of all kinds (videos, reports, minutes, protocols, results of social research, and radio broadcast messages and varied depending on the particular features of each sector. We noted improvements in multi-sector participation in the prevention and response to the national HIV/AIDS epidemic. Conscious of their role, sectors generally carried out their programmed activities and had improved their organization, planning, and systematization; integration among the sectors was also better. These local initiatives provided evidence of a multi-sector response characterized by autonomy, emotional involvement, and an identification with the goals of the project; this went beyond simply meeting targets. Cross-sector work showed a marked increase and a

Rehabilitating health services in Cambodia: the challenge of coordination in chronic political emergencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanjouw, S; Macrae, J; Zwi, A B

1999-09-01

The end of the Cold War brought with it opportunities to resolve a number of conflicts around the world, including those in Angola, Cambodia, El Salvador and Mozambique. International political efforts to negotiate peace in these countries were accompanied by significant aid programmes ostensibly designed to redress the worst effects of conflict and to contribute to the consolidation of peace. Such periods of political transition, and associated aid inflows, constitute an opportunity to improve health services in countries whose health indicators have been among the worst in the world and where access to basic health services is significantly diminished by war. This paper analyzes the particular constraints to effective coordination of health sector aid in situations of 'post'-conflict transition. These include: the uncertain legitimacy and competence of state structures; donor choice of implementing channels; and actions by national and international political actors which served to undermine coordination mechanisms in order to further their respective agendas. These obstacles hindered efforts by health professionals to establish an effective coordination regime, for example, through NGO mapping and the establishment of aid coordinating committees at national and provincial levels. These technical measures were unable to address the basic constitutional question of who had the authority to determine the distribution of scarce resources during a period of transition in political authority. The peculiar difficulties of establishing effective coordination mechanisms are important to address if the long-term effectiveness of rehabilitation aid is to be enhanced.

75 FR 4409 - Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part D-Coordinated HIV Services and Access to Research for Women...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-27

... HIV/AIDS Program Part D--Coordinated HIV Services and Access to Research for Women, Infants, Children... Orange County Health Department, Orlando, Florida, that will ensure continuity of Part D HIV/AIDS care and treatment services without disruption to HIV/ AIDS-infected women, infants and children in Orange...

The "aid contract" and its compensation scheme: a case study of the performance of the Ugandan health sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira Cruz, Valeria; McPake, Barbara

2010-10-01

Current literature on aid effectiveness describes increasing use of a more contractual approach to the relationship between donor and recipient government in which a system of rewards and penalties for good and bad performance operates. The purpose of this case study of the Ugandan health sector was to understand the extent to which this approach is influencing processes and effectiveness. This qualitative study used a conceptual framework based on agency theory and 'realistic evaluation'. Our results showed that the main official mechanism to assess and reward performance established through the Sector Wide Approach lacked objective criteria and was based on an unstructured system of discussions and agreements among donors. The achievement of a satisfactory performance rating was facilitated by the agreeing to undertakings that were under-demanding, vaguely formulated and lacking quantitative benchmarks against which progress could be measured. However, even when poor performance was readily observable, penalties failed to be applied by donors. This was always the case in relation to health sector performance and mostly so in relation to general governance and accountability. Funds continued to be disbursed despite the lack of progress made in achieving targets and undertakings and other evident performance problems (e.g. in the area of governance). A series of explanations of the failure to penalise were put forward by donor representatives in relation to this behaviour including the need to maintain long-term relationships based on trust and not to undermine health sector performance by withdrawing aid. Thus there are likely to be incentives to disburse funds and report success, irrespective of the realities of aid programmes in the context of large foreign aid volumes associated with increased political visibility of aid in donor countries.

Community capacity to acquire, assess, adapt, and apply research evidence: a survey of Ontario's HIV/AIDS sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rourke Sean B

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Community-based organizations (CBOs are important stakeholders in health systems and are increasingly called upon to use research evidence to inform their advocacy, program planning, and service delivery. To better support CBOs to find and use research evidence, we sought to assess the capacity of CBOs in the HIV/AIDS sector to acquire, assess, adapt, and apply research evidence in their work. Methods We invited executive directors of HIV/AIDS CBOs in Ontario, Canada (n = 51 to complete the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation's "Is Research Working for You?" survey. Findings Based on responses from 25 organizations that collectively provide services to approximately 32,000 clients per year with 290 full-time equivalent staff, we found organizational capacity to acquire, assess, adapt, and apply research evidence to be low. CBO strengths include supporting a culture that rewards flexibility and quality improvement, exchanging information within their organization, and ensuring that their decision-making processes have a place for research. However, CBO Executive Directors indicated that they lacked the skills, time, resources, incentives, and links with experts to acquire research, assess its quality and reliability, and summarize it in a user-friendly way. Conclusion Given the limited capacity to find and use research evidence, we recommend a capacity-building strategy for HIV/AIDS CBOs that focuses on providing the tools, resources, and skills needed to more consistently acquire, assess, adapt, and apply research evidence. Such a strategy may be appropriate in other sectors and jurisdictions as well given that CBO Executive Directors in the HIV/AIDS sector in Ontario report low capacity despite being in the enviable position of having stable government infrastructure in place to support them, benefiting from long-standing investment in capacity building, and being part of an active provincial network. CBOs in other

Is the Water Sector Lagging behind Education and Health on Aid Effectiveness? Lessons from Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Uganda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katharina Welle

2009-10-01

Full Text Available A study in three countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Uganda assessed progress against the Paris Principles for Aid Effectiveness (AE in three sectors – water, health and education – to test the assumption that the water sector is lagging behind. The findings show that it is too simplistic to say that the water sector is lagging, although this may well be the case in some countries. The study found that wider governance issues are more important for AE than having in place sector-specific mechanics such as Sector-Wide Approaches alone. National political leadership and governance are central drivers of sector AE, while national financial and procurement systems and the behaviour of actors who have not signed up to the Paris Principles – at both national and global levels – have implications for progress that cut across sectors. Sectors and sub-sectors do nonetheless have distinct features that must be considered in attempting to improve sector-level AE. In light of these findings, using political economy approaches to better understand and address governance and strengthening sector-level monitoring is recommended as part of efforts to improve AE and development results in the water sector.

An analysis of FDA-approved drugs for infectious disease: HIV/AIDS drugs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinch, Michael S; Patridge, Eric

2014-10-01

HIV/AIDS is one of the worst pandemics in history. According to the World Health Organization, 26 million people have died since 1981 - 1.6 million in 2012 alone. The dramatic rise in HIV/AIDS mobilized a swift and impressive coordination among governmental, academic and private sector organizations to identify the virus and develop new treatments. Herein, we assess the arsenal of 28 new molecular entities (NMEs) targeting HIV/AIDS. These data demonstrate that the first approval of zidovudine presaged an expansion of the antiviral repertoire over the following years. Whereas the rate of HIV/AIDS NMEs is rapidly declining, so is the number of organizations developing NMEs. We speculate that decisions to abandon further research reflect, in part, growing costs and time required for development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foreign Aid and Security Sector Reform in Latin America: mapping donors and recipient countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Maura Tomesani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: this article is part of a PhD thesis interested in confronting the demands of Latin American law enforcement institutions with programs in the security sector reform fostered by foreign agencies for international assistance on the continent. The guiding hypothesis of this study is that programs of international aid focused on the security sector reform in Latin America overlook law enforcement demands for institutional strengthening. I suggest that the international offering in this area follows a regional agenda, which is basically preventive and is very resistant to work with law enforcement organizations. Part of the work is mapping donor and recipient countries for analyzing programs implemented in Latin American countries. This article presents the literature review for this investigation and the first results of our empiric research.

"We talk of AIDS because we love life": a stakeholder assessment of HIV/AIDS organizations in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Science.gov (United States)

Spaulding, Alicen B; Brieger, William R

This stakeholder assessment of HIV/AIDS service providing institutions in Argentina offers insights into the HIV/AIDS crisis in Spanish-speaking Latin America from an institutional level and makes recommendations for strengthening the work and functioning of these institutions. This stakeholder assessment was conducted to determine how HIV/AIDS prevention and management in Argentina affects and is affected by relevant HIV/AIDS institutions. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 13 key leaders of organizations working in HIV/AIDS prevention in Buenos Aires including non-governmental, governmental, and academic institutions. Analyses of interviewee comments are presented according to four major themes: network connections, program resources, perceptions of success, and challenges. Key findings include the need for strengthening formal networks, increasing the involvement of other non-AIDS related social institutions in promoting HIV prevention, finding more sustainable funding options, working more effectively with the public sector to create policies and regulations favorable to the HIV/AIDS field, and addressing the lack of perceived susceptibility to HIV/AIDS in Argentine culture. From leaders' comments, recommendations are made for strengthening the HIV/AIDS network among key institutions including adapting the UNAIDS "Three Ones" principal to create one crosssector office responsible for coordinating HIV/AIDS work, formalizing agreements with institutions outside of Buenos Aires, increasing the role of schools in HIV/AIDS awareness, and designing programs that address lack of perceived susceptibility to HIV/AIDS among Argentines.

The use of fuzzy logic in coordinating investment projects in the public sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jože Benčina

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Politics and the professions often have different standpoints on development planning and investment decisions in the public sector. Opposing views, lack of understanding and an inability to accept compromises in the planning and execution of investments frequently cause deviations which ultimately reveal themselves in negativeeconomic consequences. Effective and successful planning and execution of investments in the public sector is one of the key development tasks in a state or local community. For this reason we have undertaken a detailed investigation of the issue with the goal of devising a tool in the form of a model of a system for supportin decision making. In order to make it easier for appraisers and decision makers to express their opinions in a natural and individual manner, we have introduced an appraisal with linguistic values through the use of fuzzy logic. The purpose of this article is to present the characteristics and structure of the fuzzy model for coordinating opinions, and the progress and results of its use in the case of two Slovenian municipalities.

EIA and green procurement: Opportunities for strengthening their coordination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uttam, Kedar; Faith-Ell, Charlotta; Balfors, Berit

2012-01-01

EIA plays an important role in enhancing the environmental performance of the construction sector. In recent years, the construction sector has been developing green procurement practices. Green procurement is a process that involves the incorporation of environmental requirements during the procurement of services and products. However, discussion on green procurement is rarely seen during the EIA phase. This paper addresses possible opportunities for improving the coordination between EIA and green procurement within the construction sector. The linking of EIA and green procurement has been postulated in the paper as an aid to strengthen the coordination between project planning and implementation. The paper is based on a literature review and is an outcome of an on-going research project concerning EIA and green procurement. This study indicated that it would be appropriate to introduce green procurement during the pre-decision phase of an EIA. In the present study, the opportunities for integrating green procurement at the stage of EIA are associated with the integration of project planning and EIA. Future research should investigate the mechanism through which the link can be established. - Highlights: ► This paper identifies opportunities to link EIA and green procurement. ► Pre-decision phase of EIA could be appropriate for planning green procurement. ► Future research should investigate the mechanism for establishing the link.

EIA and green procurement: Opportunities for strengthening their coordination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uttam, Kedar, E-mail: kedar@kth.se [Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden); Faith-Ell, Charlotta, E-mail: charlotta.faith-ell@WSPGroup.se [WSP Sweden (Sweden); Balfors, Berit, E-mail: balfors@kth.se [Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden)

2012-02-15

EIA plays an important role in enhancing the environmental performance of the construction sector. In recent years, the construction sector has been developing green procurement practices. Green procurement is a process that involves the incorporation of environmental requirements during the procurement of services and products. However, discussion on green procurement is rarely seen during the EIA phase. This paper addresses possible opportunities for improving the coordination between EIA and green procurement within the construction sector. The linking of EIA and green procurement has been postulated in the paper as an aid to strengthen the coordination between project planning and implementation. The paper is based on a literature review and is an outcome of an on-going research project concerning EIA and green procurement. This study indicated that it would be appropriate to introduce green procurement during the pre-decision phase of an EIA. In the present study, the opportunities for integrating green procurement at the stage of EIA are associated with the integration of project planning and EIA. Future research should investigate the mechanism through which the link can be established. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This paper identifies opportunities to link EIA and green procurement. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Pre-decision phase of EIA could be appropriate for planning green procurement. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Future research should investigate the mechanism for establishing the link.

A multi-criteria vertical coordination framework for a reliable aid distribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Regis-Hernández, Fabiola; Mora-Vargas, Jaime; Ruíz, Angel

2017-07-01

This study proposes a methodology that translates multiple humanitarian supply chain stakeholders’ preferences from qualitative to quantitative values, enabling these preferences to be integrated into optimization models to ensure their balanced and simultaneous implementation during the decision-making process. Design/methodology/approach: An extensive literature review is used to justify the importance of developing a strategy that minimizes the impact of a lack of coordination on humanitarian logistics decisions. A methodology for a multi-criteria framework is presented that allows humanitarian stakeholders’ interests to be integrated into the humanitarian decision-making process. Findings: The findings suggest that integrating stakeholders’ interests into the humanitarian decision-making process will improve its reliability. Research limitations/implications: To further validate the weights of each stakeholder’s interests obtained from the literature review requires interviews with the corresponding organizations. However, the literature review supports the statements in this paper. Practical implications: The cost of a lack of coordination between stakeholders in humanitarian logistics has been increasing during the last decade. These coordination costs can be minimized if humanitarian logistics’ decision-makers measure and simultaneously consider multiple stakeholders’ preferences. Social implications: When stakeholders’ goals are aligned, the humanitarian logistics response becomes more efficient, increasing the quality of delivered aid and providing timely assistance to the affected population in order to minimize their suffering. This study provides a methodology that translates humanitarian supply chain stakeholders’ interests into quantitative values, enabling them to be integrated into mathematical models to ensure relief distribution based on the stakeholders’ preferences.

A multi-criteria vertical coordination framework for a reliable aid distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Regis-Hernández, Fabiola; Mora-Vargas, Jaime; Ruíz, Angel

2017-01-01

This study proposes a methodology that translates multiple humanitarian supply chain stakeholders’ preferences from qualitative to quantitative values, enabling these preferences to be integrated into optimization models to ensure their balanced and simultaneous implementation during the decision-making process. Design/methodology/approach: An extensive literature review is used to justify the importance of developing a strategy that minimizes the impact of a lack of coordination on humanitarian logistics decisions. A methodology for a multi-criteria framework is presented that allows humanitarian stakeholders’ interests to be integrated into the humanitarian decision-making process. Findings: The findings suggest that integrating stakeholders’ interests into the humanitarian decision-making process will improve its reliability. Research limitations/implications: To further validate the weights of each stakeholder’s interests obtained from the literature review requires interviews with the corresponding organizations. However, the literature review supports the statements in this paper. Practical implications: The cost of a lack of coordination between stakeholders in humanitarian logistics has been increasing during the last decade. These coordination costs can be minimized if humanitarian logistics’ decision-makers measure and simultaneously consider multiple stakeholders’ preferences. Social implications: When stakeholders’ goals are aligned, the humanitarian logistics response becomes more efficient, increasing the quality of delivered aid and providing timely assistance to the affected population in order to minimize their suffering. This study provides a methodology that translates humanitarian supply chain stakeholders’ interests into quantitative values, enabling them to be integrated into mathematical models to ensure relief distribution based on the stakeholders’ preferences

Business leaders form alliance to fight AIDS. Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

1993-10-11

It is estimated that 33% of deaths among the working population in Thailand by the year 2000 will result from AIDS. AIDS mortality will bring decreased productivity, increased healthcare costs, a decline in tourism, reduced labor exports, and labor shortages. The AIDS epidemic in the country therefore has a direct impact upon companies' productivity and resulting profitability. Acknowledging this reality and the need for action, the Managing Director of Northwest Airlines for Thailand, Indochina, and West Asia, James P. Reinnoldt, and the General Manager of Bangkok's Regent Hotel, Bill Black, started the nonprofit Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS (TBCA) to combat AIDS. The TBCA will provide leadership, coordination, education, and resources to help companies and the business sector get a positive response to the AIDS dilemma. The organization was established to lead through and beyond the AIDS epidemic in the interest of business by promoting coherent HIV/AIDS policies and workplace education with help from nongovernmental organizations. The TBCA will be supported by membership dues, private contributions, and grants. Member companies will receive a manual and a quarterly newsletter and be allowed to join a training course on managing AIDS in the workplace. The organization's target of enlisting 250 member companies within the next 12 months means that help will be rendered in the training of 50,000 Thai workers.

Evidence Aid approach to gap analysis and priority setting of questions for systematic reviews in disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Kayabu, Bonnix

2015-02-01

This article is based on a presentation at the Evidence Aid Symposium, on 20 September 2014, at Hyderabad, India. Ten years after the Indian Ocean Tsunami, Evidence Aid and it parters and other humanitarian stakeholders met to update about Evidence Aid work and discussed it future. The Evidence Aid approach to fill in the gap on the production and use of evidence in disater sector and other humanitarian health emergencies was widely discussed. Iterative approach to prioritise evidence reinforced Evidence Aid principle of independacy and a coordinated international orgasisation. The generation of 30 research questions during the prioritisation process contitute the first big step for Evidence Aid to become a one stop shop for the seach evidence on the effectiveness of interventions in disasters. © 2015 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

The role of major donors in health aid to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Haewon; Ahn, Deborah Y; Choi, Soyoung; Kim, Youngchan; Choi, Hyunju; Park, Sang Min

2013-05-01

We investigated the major trends in health aid financing in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) by identifying the primary donor organizations and examining several data sources to track overall health aid trends. We collected gross disbursements from bilateral donor countries and international organizations toward the DPRK according to specific health sectors by using the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development creditor reporting system database and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs financial tracking service database. We analyzed sources of health aid to the DPRK from the Republic of Korea (ROK) using the official records from the ROK's Ministry of Unification. We identified the ROK, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) as the major donor entities not only according to their level of health aid expenditures but also their growing roles within the health sector of the DPRK. We found that health aid from the ROK is comprised of funding from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund, private organizations, local governments, and South Korean branches of international organizations such as WHO and UNICEF. We also distinguished medical equipment aid from developmental aid to show that the majority of health aid from the ROK was developmental aid. This study highlights the valuable role of the ROK in the flow of health aid to the DPRK, especially in light of the DPRK's precarious international status. Although global health aid from many international organizations has decreased, organizations such as GFATM and UNFPA continue to maintain their focus on reproductive health and infectious diseases.

Health Sector Coordination in Disasters: Barriers & Facilitators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammadkarim Bahadori

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Coordination is a critical factor in successful organization and appropriate response to disasters. In this regard, a centralized coordination mechanism is the first step towards an effective, efficient, and sustainable response in order to be ensured of the short- and long-term recovery. Thus, this study aimed to identify and prioritize the barriers and facilitators of coordination in disasters. Materials and Methods: This research was a descriptive and cross-sectional study, conducted in 2016. The participants comprised 22 experts in field of disaster. Data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire according to the analytical hierarchy process approach. For data analysis, we used Expert Choice software. Results: Based on the results, “dominance of organizational approach instead of national points of view when addressing the health management during disasters,” took the first priority rank, earning the score of 0.344 among the barriers. Furthermore, among the facilitators, “having a processive and organizational view in health management during disasters,” took the first priority rank, earning the score of 0.374. Conclusion: To increase the effective coordination in health area, we should develop infrastructure and structural measures, which include bolstering authorities’ belief about the health system’s role in the response to disasters, reinforcing the national approach rather than organizational approach in the field of health at disasters, implementing the coordination requirements, attending sufficiently and specifically to public participation, reducing the organizational friction in the health field for sharing resources and information, raising the level of readiness with a focus on people and training programs, and finally creating an evolutionary process in the health field at disasters.

On the integration of computer aided design and analysis using the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanborn, Graham G.; Shabana, Ahmed A.

2009-01-01

For almost a decade, the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF) has been used for both geometry and finite element representations. Because of the ANCF isoparametric property in the cases of beams, plates and shells, ANCF finite elements lend themselves easily to the geometric description of curves and surfaces, as demonstrated in the literature. The ANCF finite elements, therefore, are ideal for what is called isogeometric analysis that aims at the integration ofcomputer aided designandanalysis (ICADA), which involves the integration of what is now split into the separate fields of computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided analysis (CAA). The purpose of this investigation is to establish the relationship between the B-spline and NURBS, which are widely used in the geometric modeling, and the ANCF finite elements. It is shown in this study that by using the ANCF finite elements, one can in a straightforward manner obtain the control point representation required for the Bezier, B-spline and NURBS geometry. To this end, a coordinate transformation is used to write the ANCF gradient vectors in terms of control points. Unifying the CAD and CAA will require the use of such coordinate transformations and their inverses in order to transform control points to position vector gradients which are required for the formulation of the element transformations in the case of discontinuities as well as the formulation of the strain measures and the stress forces based on general continuum mechanics theory. In particular, fully parameterized ANCF finite elements can be very powerful in describing curve, surface, and volume geometry, and they can be effectively used to describe discontinuities while maintaining the many ANCF desirable features that include a constant mass matrix, zero Coriolis and centrifugal forces, no restriction on the amount of rotation or deformation within the finite element, ability for straightforward implementation of general

ORIGINAL ARTICLES Treatment for HIV/AIDS at South Africa's ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

the public sector of HIV/AIDS care and to reserve more 'slots' in the national AIDS ... largest private-sector companies in South Africa have access to HIV/AIDS care ..... treatment goals is less than the limited media coverage might lead us to ...

Aid Policy and the Macroeconomic Management of Aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Addison, Tony; Tarp, Finn

2015-01-01

This is an introduction to the UNU-WIDER special issue of World Development on aid policy and the macroeconomic management of aid. We provide an overview of the 10 studies, grouping them under three sub-themes: the aid–growth relationship; the supply-side of aid (including its level, volatility......, and coordination of donors); and the macroeconomic framework around aid. The studies in the special issue demonstrate the centrality of research methodology, the importance of disaggregation, and the need to account for country-specific situations and problems. This introduction concludes that the sometimes “over...

Co-ordinated research programme on isotope-aided studies of the bioavailability of iron and zinc from human diets. Report of the second research co-ordination meeting, Hyderabad, India, 16-20 November 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

The Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) on ''Isotope-Aided Studies on the Bioavailability of Iron and Zinc from Human Diets'' was initiated by the IAEA in 1990, and presently encompasses participating institutes in 11 countries. A summary of the discussions that took place during thr second Research Co-ordination Meeting held in Hyderabad, India, between 16-20 November 1992, is given in this report together with 12 working papers (progress reports) presented by individual participants. A separate abstract was prepared for each of these papers. Refs, figs and tabs

How sustainable is Japan's foreign aid policy? An analysis of Japan's official development assistance and funding for energy sector projects

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Hideka

Japan has adopted a sustainable development strategy since the late 1980s in the effort to address social and environmental damages caused by past Japan-funded projects in partner nations. Even after about a decade and a half of the policy implementation, however, there are few reports which critically examine effects of the adoption of the idea of sustainable development. This dissertation evaluates Japan's foreign aid policy to determine the extent to which new revisions of aid policy have improved the environmental sustainability of the policy. This dissertation reviews the mainstream idea of sustainable development (also known as the sustainable development paradigm in this dissertation) to reveal the nature of the idea of sustainable development that Japan's foreign aid policy depends on. A literature review of two development discourses---modernization theory and ecological modernization theory---and three types of critiques against the sustainable development paradigm---focused on adverse impacts of modern science, globalization, and environmental overuse---reveals core logics of and problems with the sustainable development paradigm. Japan's foreign aid policy impacts on energy sector development in recipient countries is examined by means of a quantitative analysis and a qualitative analysis. Specifically, it examines the effect of Japan's ODA program over fifteen years that proposed to facilitate sustainable development in developing countries. Special emphasis is given to investigation of ODA disbursements in the energy sector and detailed case studies of several individual energy projects are performed. The dissertation discovers that the sustainable development paradigm guiding Japan's ODA has little capacity to accomplish its goals to bring about social and ecological improvement in developing countries. This dissertation finds three fundamental weaknesses in Japanese ODA policy on energy sector development as well as the sustainable development

[Facing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Mexico: the response of the health sector].

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez, Juan Pablo; López-Zaragoza, José Luis; Valencia-Mendoza, Atanacio; Pesqueira, Eduardo; Ponce-de-León, Samuel; Bertozzi, Stefano M

2004-01-01

To analyze the challenges and accomplishments of the Mexican health system as it faced the HIV/AIDS epidemic over the 20 years since discovery of the virus. A review of the relevant literature was done. The topics revised were: HIV/AIDS epidemiology, the early response of the health system and civil society, prevention and risk behaviors, care and treatment, and financing and resources allocation. In Mexico a rapid initial public response surely contributed to containing any early spread of the epidemic to select populations; whether that spread will continue to be contained is an open question. Sexual risk practices remain high not only among traditional risk populations but also among youth. Even though the epidemic remains concentrated in Mexico, principally among MSM and IDU, only 13% of public HIV prevention funds are directed to key populations at especially high risk of becoming infected or infecting others. In recent years antiretroviral coverage has increased rapidly with funding increasing from 30 to 367 million pesos from 2001 to 2003 and coverage now approaching 100%. Of all health spending on HIV/AIDS in the public sector, 82.4% is spent by the social security institutes and 17.6% by the Ministry of Health. The former provides medical care to about half of PLHA while the latter, in addition to caring for the other half, supports the large majority of prevention expenses. One of the challenges faced by the health system which has largely achieved universal antiretroviral coverage is how to provide quality care with appropriate monitoring, promotion of adherence and recognition and treatment of resistance and adverse effects--without dramatically increasing costs.

Informal sector shops and AIDS prevention

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1991-04-20

Apr 20, 1991 ... marketing goals go beyond information transfer and focus on behaviour .... thought their shop could do to help to inform the people in their area about AIDS. ..... history of residents of the shack area of Khayelitsha. Occasional ...

Assessing development assistance for child survival between 2000 and 2014: A multi-sectoral perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Chunling; Chu, Annie; Li, Zhihui; Shen, Jian; Subramanian, S V; Hill, Kenneth

2017-01-01

The majority of Countdown countries did not reach the fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4) on reducing child mortality, despite the fact that donor funding to the health sector has drastically increased. When tracking aid invested in child survival, previous studies have exclusively focused on aid targeting reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH). We take a multi-sectoral approach and extend the estimation to the four sectors that determine child survival: health (RMNCH and non-RMNCH), education, water and sanitation, and food and humanitarian assistance (Food/HA). Using donor reported data, obtained mainly from the OECD Creditor Reporting System and Development Assistance Committee, we tracked the level and trends of aid (in grants or loans) disbursed to each of the four sectors at the global, regional, and country levels. We performed detailed analyses on missing data and conducted imputation with various methods. To identify aid projects for RMNCH, we developed an identification strategy that combined keyword searches and manual coding. To quantify aid for RMNCH in projects with multiple purposes, we adopted an integrated approach and produced the lower and upper bounds of estimates for RMNCH, so as to avoid making assumptions or using weak evidence for allocation. We checked the sensitivity of trends to the estimation methods and compared our estimates to that produced by other studies. Our study yielded time-series and recipient-specific annual estimates of aid disbursed to each sector, as well as their lower- and upper-bounds in 134 countries between 2000 and 2014, with a specific focus on Countdown countries. We found that the upper-bound estimates of total aid disbursed to the four sectors in 134 countries rose from US$ 22.62 billion in 2000 to US$ 59.29 billion in 2014, with the increase occurring in all income groups and regions with sub-Saharan Africa receiving the largest sum. Aid to RMNCH has experienced the fastest growth (12

Assessing development assistance for child survival between 2000 and 2014: A multi-sectoral perspective.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunling Lu

Full Text Available The majority of Countdown countries did not reach the fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4 on reducing child mortality, despite the fact that donor funding to the health sector has drastically increased. When tracking aid invested in child survival, previous studies have exclusively focused on aid targeting reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH. We take a multi-sectoral approach and extend the estimation to the four sectors that determine child survival: health (RMNCH and non-RMNCH, education, water and sanitation, and food and humanitarian assistance (Food/HA.Using donor reported data, obtained mainly from the OECD Creditor Reporting System and Development Assistance Committee, we tracked the level and trends of aid (in grants or loans disbursed to each of the four sectors at the global, regional, and country levels. We performed detailed analyses on missing data and conducted imputation with various methods. To identify aid projects for RMNCH, we developed an identification strategy that combined keyword searches and manual coding. To quantify aid for RMNCH in projects with multiple purposes, we adopted an integrated approach and produced the lower and upper bounds of estimates for RMNCH, so as to avoid making assumptions or using weak evidence for allocation. We checked the sensitivity of trends to the estimation methods and compared our estimates to that produced by other studies. Our study yielded time-series and recipient-specific annual estimates of aid disbursed to each sector, as well as their lower- and upper-bounds in 134 countries between 2000 and 2014, with a specific focus on Countdown countries. We found that the upper-bound estimates of total aid disbursed to the four sectors in 134 countries rose from US$ 22.62 billion in 2000 to US$ 59.29 billion in 2014, with the increase occurring in all income groups and regions with sub-Saharan Africa receiving the largest sum. Aid to RMNCH has experienced the

Civil-Military Engagement: An Empirical Account of Humanitarian Perceptions of Civil-Military Coordination During the Response to Typhoon Haiyan.

Science.gov (United States)

Bollettino, Vincenzo

2016-02-01

This study sought to identify how humanitarian actors in natural disasters coordinate (or communicate) with the military to identify the needs of disaster-affected populations, identify how coordination should be undertaken for the delivery of relief goods, perceive the effectiveness of such coordination, perceive the role that training played in preparation for coordinating with the military and the effectiveness of this training, and view the overall civil-military engagement and its implications for the independence of the humanitarian sector. A survey instrument focused on participant perceptions of the civil-military engagement in response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines was sent to country directors and agency leads who played a role in the response. Although the data supported anecdotal accounts that the coordination between civilian and military actors during the disaster relief efforts in Typhoon Haiyan worked well, they also revealed that fewer than half of the respondents were familiar with the Guidelines on the Use of Foreign Military and Civil Defence Assets in Disaster Relief (the "Oslo Guidelines") and only 12% of respondents thought that the Oslo Guidelines were used to develop organizational policy on humanitarian aid agency engagement with military actors. Humanitarians felt that international militaries and the Philippines Armed Forces played an important role in ensuring that aid reached people in need, particularly in the early days of the response. However, less than half of the respondents were familiar with the Oslo Guidelines.

A moment in time: AIDS and business.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloom, D E; Rosenfield, A

2000-09-01

Business has transformed the planet. But this gives it new responsibilities. People now expect business leaders to lead--and not just respond when things go wrong. HIV/AIDS is a global problem, with over 16.3 million people now thought to have died of the disease (Global Summary of HIV/AIDS Epidemic, UNAIDS, December 1999). Without action now, the pandemic will worsen, health services will come under relentless pressure and the number of people dying will increase exponentially. So why should business sit up and take notice? First: money. AIDS is slowly strangling many businesses and economies--and in a global market, everyone eventually suffers. Without profit, there is no business--so the business community needs to act to protect its bottom line. Second: people. Over 80% of those dying are in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Businesses are losing workers and customers, and human networks that have taken decades to build. Third: imagination. Business is inventive, creative and fast-moving. It has the opportunity to use these strengths for the benefit of the wider community. It's time to pit business ideas (and some money, too) against the threat of AIDS. The course of the AIDS epidemic is not inevitable. The world's businesses have the skills and intensity to make a measurable difference, especially if they find public sector and NGO partners with whom they share a vision. A focused, coordinated, results-driven effort will hit AIDS hard. The HIV virus moves fast (and is mutating all the time). Business has the opportunity to make a difference. It must grasp this opportunity. And grasp if fast.

Perceptions of government knowledge and control over contributions of aid organizations and INGOs to health in Nepal: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Giri, Aditi; Khatiwada, Prashant; Shrestha, Bikram; Chettri, Radheshyam Khatri

2013-01-18

Almost 50% of the Nepali health budget is made up of international aid. International Non-Governmental Organizations working in the field of health are able to channel their funds directly to grass root level. During a 2010 conference, the Secretary of Population stated that the government has full knowledge and control over all funds and projects coming to Nepal. However, there are no documents to support this. The study aims to assess government and partner perceptions on whether Government of Nepal currently has full knowledge of contributions of international aid organizations and International Non-Governmental Organizations to health in Nepal and to assess if the government is able to control all foreign contributions to fit the objectives of Second Long Term Health Plan (1997-2017). A qualitative study was performed along with available literature review. Judgmental and snowball sampling led to 26 in depth interviews with key informants from the government, External Development Partners and International Non-Governmental Organizations. Results were triangulated based on source of data. Representatives of the Department of Health Services declined to be interviewed. Data collection was done until researchers felt data saturation had been reached with each group of key informants. While Ministry of Health and Population leads the sector wide approach that aims to integrate all donor and International Non-Governmental Organization contributions to health and direct them to the government's priority areas, questions were raised around its capacity to do so. Similarly, informants questioned the extent to which Social Welfare Council was able to control all International Non-Governmental Organizations contributions. Political tumult, corruption in the government, lack of human resources in the government, lack of coordination between government bodies, convoluted bureaucracy, and unreliability of donor and International Non-Governmental Organization contributions

Competition for Export Markets and the Allocation of Foreign Aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barthel, Fabian; Neumeyer, Erich; Nunnenkamp, Peter

We account for the competition for export markets among the donor countries of foreign aid by analyzing spatial dependence in aid allocation. We employ sector-specific aid data, distinguishing between first and second stage decisions on the selection of recipient countries and the amount of aid...... allocated to selected recipients. We find that the five largest donors react to aid giving by other donors with whom they compete in terms of exporting goods and services to a specific recipient country at both stages of their allocation of aid for economic infrastructure and productive sectors. By contrast......, evidence for export competition driving aid allocation is lacking for more altruistic donors and for aid in social infrastructure....

Politics of coordination in environmental health

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Jesper; Kjærgård, Bente; Jelsøe, Erling

2015-01-01

on environmental policy integration, for studying the efforts and paradoxes in sector co-ordination, in order to reflect on the pro et cons of integrative approaches to environment and public health. We will give an overview of the various approaches to coordinative efforts from an international to a national...

Public Sector Organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meyer, Renate; Leixnering, Stephan

2015-01-01

New public management-inspired reforms created numerous autonomous units with many different faces and labels. This variety of organizations and organizational forms precludes a straightforward definition of what constitutes a public sector organization and blurs the boundaries between the public...... and private sectors as well as the boundaries of single organizations. In addition, the complexity of the interlocking arrangements and relationships in this public organizational landscape has resulted in considerable governance problems with serious implications for coordination and policy coherence....

Sector 7-8 powered up

CERN Document Server

2007-01-01

1. Frédéric Gicquel from the Cryogenics for Accelerators Group (AT/ACR) and Anupama Kulkarni from the Magnets and Electrical Systems Group (AT/MEL) at the CERN Control Centre during the powering-up of Sector 7-8. 2. Frédérick Bordry, leader of the Power Converter Group (AB/PO), and Roberto Saban, responsible for coordinating the LHC commissioning (TS/HDO), celebrate the end of the first powering-up of an entire LHC sector: Sector 7-8.

IGO-NGO relations and HIV / AIDS: innovation or stalemate?

Science.gov (United States)

Jonsson, C; Soderholm, P

1995-01-01

This paper is concerned with the emergence of transnational cooperative structures in response to AIDS. Of chief concern are efforts to create and maintain links among and between intergovernmental organizations (IGO) in the UN system and the many heterogenous organizations usually included under the nongovernmental organization (NGO) label. After discussing the nature of the AIDS issue, the authors focus upon the various ways of framing the AIDS issue and the effort by the Global Program on AIDS to coordinate IGO and NGO activities. In closing, they identify lessons and insights of broader applicability emanating from the AIDS case. The paper discusses the nature of AIDS, AIDS as a medical problem, AIDS as a human rights problem, AIDS as a socioeconomic problem, forging IGO-NGO links, an international NGO forum, informal networking, NGOs and AIDS-related foreign assistance, representation, formal versus informal coordination, costs of network building, degree of organization, and expertise.

Modeling Coordination Problems in a Music Ensemble

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frimodt-Møller, Søren R.

2008-01-01

This paper considers in general terms, how musicians are able to coordinate through rational choices in a situation of (temporary) doubt in an ensemble performance. A fictitious example involving a 5-bar development in an unknown piece of music is analyzed in terms of epistemic logic, more...... to coordinate. Such coordination can be described in terms of Michael Bacharach's theory of variable frames as an aid to solve game theoretic coordination problems....

'Coordination in the top sectors. Planned Topconsortia for Knowledge and Innovation and their challenges; Coordinatie in de topsectoren. De geplande TKI's en hun uitdagingen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van den Toren, J.P.; Hessels, L.; Eveleens, C.; Van der Meulen, B.

2012-10-15

The purpose of this report is to contribute to effective implementation of the top sector policy in the Netherlands through a comparative analysis of the top sectors and their TKIs in the making. The research question is: how do different sectors to the possibilities offered by the TKI (Topconsortia for Knowledge and Innovation) tool to coordinate public and private research? [Dutch] Het doel van dit rapport is bij te dragen aan effectieve implementatie van het topsectorenbeleid door middel van een vergelijkende analyse van de topsectoren en de bijbehorende TKI's in wording. De onderzoeksvraag luidt: hoe gaan verschillende sectoren om met de mogelijkheden die het TKI-instrument (Topconsortia voor Kennis en Innovatie) biedt om publiek en privaat onderzoek te coordineren?.

78 FR 57128 - Forest Resource Coordinating Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-17

... agencies and the private sector, to effectively address the national priorities for non-industrial private... Coordinating Committee Web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/spf/coop/frcc/ . Visitors are encouraged to call ahead... Resource Coordinating Committee can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at: http://www.fs.fed.us...

50 CFR 82.7 - Coordination with States.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...-IN-AID (MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT OF 1972) Application for Grants § 82.7 Coordination with States... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Coordination with States. 82.7 Section 82.7 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR...

Making the connections: AIDS and water.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Anna-Marie

2006-01-01

Acknowledging AIDS as a crosscutting development issue, a Zambian rural water supply project that provides safe accessible water to rural communities embarked on a new initiative to mainstream AIDS into the water sector. The work of providing safe water takes the predominantly male workforce away from their spouses and families, into the rural villages of Zambia's Eastern Province, for long periods of time. With an HIV prevalence rate of 16.1%, the risk of HIV exposure exists for both employees and rural villagers. AIDS mainstreaming activities were designed to target both groups. An AIDS mainstreaming strategy was developed by identifying components that could be influenced in the external domain (the organization's usual work) and the internal domain (the workplace). Basic questions were addressed such as: how does AIDS affect the organization, how might the usual work aggravate susceptibility to HIV infection, and where is the comparative advantage? A workplace program including peer education, employee health education (including condoms) and a workplace policy was established for employees. For the target population, a series of five messages connecting safe water and AIDS was developed and disseminated through educational drama, community meetings and trainings, and integrated into the regular water, sanitation and hygiene activities. As an efficient utilization of resources that makes a broad impact, AIDS mainstreaming does not change the sector's mandate but takes advantage of the extensive geographic coverage and natural distribution system of water projects to disseminate AIDS information and make linkages with AIDS partners.

Financing the response to AIDS: some fiscal and macroeconomic considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Haacker, Markus

2008-07-01

This article examines the international response to AIDS from a fiscal perspective: first the financing of the international response to AIDS, especially the role of external financing, and second, a more comprehensive perspective on the costs of the national response to AIDS relevant for fiscal policy. The second half of the article focuses on the effectiveness of the response to AIDS. We find that there is little basis for concerns about macroeconomic constraints to scaling up, in light of the moderate scale of AIDS-related aid flows relative to overall aid. Regarding sectoral constraints, the picture is more differentiated. Many countries with high prevalence rates have also achieved high rates of access to treatment, but most of these are middle-income countries. Our econometric analysis credits external aid as a key factor that has enabled higher-prevalence countries to cope with the additional demands for health services. At the same time, gross domestic product per capita and health sector capacities are important determinants of access to treatment.

How the transport sector drives HIV / AIDS and how HIV/ AIDS drives transport. Economic impact: Southern Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Whiteside, A

1998-04-01

A close connection exists between mobility and the spread of HIV infection. Being away from home and traditional social networks and constraints makes people more likely to have sex partners other than their spouses or regular partners. The transport sector has an important role in facilitating the movement of people. Indeed, improving transport is a developmental goal worldwide, with an efficient transport system seen to be a necessary precondition to economic growth. The role of the transport sector in facilitating the spread of HIV needs to be considered. South Africa has the greatest length of roads, railways, and the most registered vehicles in southern Africa. In 1997, Johannesburg International Airport became Africa's most busy airport. South Africa also has a considerable maritime transport sector. In 1994, an estimated more than 500,000 people were employed in the country's transport sector. The following risk groups must be targeted in order to control the spread of HIV in South Africa: people working in building and maintaining infrastructure; people who work in the railways, roads, airlines, and shipping services; transport sector managers; and passengers.

Task shifting of HIV/AIDS case management to Community Health Service Centers in urban China: a qualitative policy analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Fuchang; Lv, Fan; Xu, Peng; Zhang, Dapeng; Meng, Sining; Ju, Lahong; Jiang, Huihui; Ma, Liping; Sun, Jiangping; Wu, Zunyou

2015-07-02

The growing number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in China points to an increased need for case management services of HIV/AIDS. This study sought to explore the challenges and enablers in shifting the HIV/AIDS case management services from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs) to Community Health Service Centers (CHSCs) in urban China. A qualitative method based on the Health Policy Triangle (HPT) framework was employed to gain in-depth insights into four elements of the task shifting strategy. This included a review on published literature and health policy documents, 15 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 30 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with four types of key actors from three cities in China. A total of 78 studies and 17 policy files at the national, municipal and local levels were obtained and reviewed comprehensively. Three semi-structured interview guides were used to explore key actors' views on shifting the HIV/AIDS case management services to CHSCs. It is necessary and feasible for CHSCs to engage in case management services for PLWHA in local communities. The increasing number of PLWHA and shortage of qualified health professionals in CDCs made shifting case management services downwards to CHSCs an urgent agenda. CHSCs' wide distribution, technical capacity, accessibility and current practice enabled them to carry out case management services for PLWHA. However our findings indicated several challenges in this task shifting process. Those challenges included lack of specific policy and stable financial support for CHSCs, inadequate manpower, relatively low capacity for health service delivery, lack of coordination among sectors, PLWHA's fear for discrimination and privacy disclosure in local communities, which may compromise the effectiveness and sustainability of those services. Shifting the HIV/AIDS case management services from CDCs to CHSCs is a new approach to cope with the rising number of PLWHA in China, but it should be

Elements of a Knowledge Management Guide for Public Sector Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Mark Cameron

2013-01-01

This study explored the factors that are critical to the success of public (government) sector knowledge management initiatives and the lessons from private sector knowledge management and organizational learning that apply in the public sector. The goal was to create a concise guide, based on research-validated success factors, to aid government…

Non-traditional Oxidants in Preparative Coordination Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Kukushkin, Vadim Yu; Kukushkin, Yurii N.

1986-10-01

The application of nitrosonium and arenediazonium salts, carbenium, silver(I), and mercury(II) ions, protic acids, and amine oxides as oxidants in preparative coordination chemistry is examined. Specific examples illustrate which problems in the field of the synthesis and reactions of coordination compounds can be solved with the aid of these oxidants. The bibliography includes 158 references.

Competition for export markets and the allocation of foreign aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barthel, Fabian; Neumayer, Eric; Nunnenkamp, Peter

2014-01-01

and services to a specific recipient country at both stages of their allocation of aid for economic infrastructure and production sectors. By contrast, evidence for export competition driving aid allocation is lacking for more altruistic donors and for aid in social infrastructure....

Governance Strategies and Welfare Effects: Vertical Integration and Contracts in the Catfish Sector in Vietnam

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trifkovic, Neda

2014-01-01

Using an original dataset from the Vietnamese catfish sector, we study the impact of vertical coordination options on household welfare and the implications of different stages of vertical coordination for the success of the whole sector. The welfare gain from contract farming and employment on p...

Insulation coordination workstation for AC and DC substations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Booth, R.R.; Hileman, A.R.

1990-01-01

The Insulation Coordination Workstation was designed to aid the substation design engineer in the insulation coordination process. The workstation utilizes state of the art computer technology to present a set of tools necessary for substation insulation coordination, and to support the decision making process for all aspects of insulation coordination. The workstation is currently being developed for personal computers supporting OS/2 Presentation Manager. Modern Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) technology was utilized to create an easily expandable framework which currently consists of four modules, each accessing a central application database. The heart of the workstation is a library of user-friendly application programs for the calculation of important voltage stresses used for the evaluation of insulation coordination. The Oneline Diagram is a graphic interface for data entry into the EPRI distributed EMTP program, which allows the creation of complex systems on the CRT screen using simple mouse clicks and keyboard entries. Station shielding is graphically represented in the Geographic Viewport using a three-dimensional substation model, and the interactive plotting package allows plotting of EPRI EMTP output results on the CRT screen, printer, or pen plotter. The Insulation Coordination Workstation was designed by Advanced Systems Technology (AST), a division of ABB Power Systems, Inc., and sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute under RP 2323-5, AC/DC Insulation Coordination Workstation

Project Management in Development Aid Industry – Public vs. Private

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simović Dragana

2015-02-01

Full Text Available This article examines the relationship between the type of a development aid implementing organisation (public or private and the quality of project management in development aid. The author begins with main public administration considerations - how public aid administration is different from private and furthermore, how particular sectoral characteristics of organisations influence the quality of the management process. The article combines empirical findings on the differences between the public and private sector with a complex setting of development aid and main success factors in development aid activity, in order to determine whether for-profit or public companies are more likely to achieve better project management processes. The article identifies some indices that favorise private companies, and outlines further necessary steps that should be taken in order to broaden the argumentation and confirm or reject this assertion

Practices and consequences of using humanitarian technologies in volatile aid settings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kalkman, J.P.

2018-01-01

This article presents the results of an exploratory study into aid agencies’ use of technologies for security purposes. Since there appears to be a consensus in the aid sector that areas of operations are increasingly dangerous, aid agencies are upgrading their security strategies by adopting

Certified standards and vertical coordination in aquaculture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trifkovic, Neda

2014-01-01

This paper explores the interaction between food standards and vertical coordination in the Vietnamese pangasius sector. For farmers and processors alike, the adoption of standards is motivated by a desire to improve market access by ensuring high quality supply. Instead of encouraging the applic......This paper explores the interaction between food standards and vertical coordination in the Vietnamese pangasius sector. For farmers and processors alike, the adoption of standards is motivated by a desire to improve market access by ensuring high quality supply. Instead of encouraging...... the application of standards and contract farming, processing companies prefer to vertically integrate primary production largely due to concerns over the stable supply of pangasius with satisfactory quality and safety attributes. These tendencies increase the market dominance of industrial farming and worsen...

Traditional healers, HIV/AIDS and company programmes in South ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Traditional healers' diverse and fluid beliefs about HIV and AIDS are ... healing practices could be promoted in workplace responses to HIV/AIDS. ... as help coordinate a wider and more effective response to the HIV epidemic in South Africa.

International Monetary Fund and aid displacement.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuckler, David; Basu, Sanjay; McKee, Martin

2011-01-01

Several recent papers find evidence that global health aid is being diverted to reserves, education, military, or other sectors, and is displacing government spending. This is suggested to occur because ministers of finance have competing, possibly corrupt, priorities and deprive the health sector of resources. Studies have found that development assistance for health routed to governments has a negative impact on health spending and that similar assistance routed to private nongovernmental organizations has a positive impact. An alternative hypothesis is that World Bank and IMF macro-economic policies, which specifically advise governments to divert aid to reserves to cope with aid volatility and keep government spending low, could be causing the displacement of health aid. This article evaluates whether aid displacement was greater when countries undertook a new borrowing program from the IMF between 1996 and 2006. As found in existing studies, for each $1 of development assistance for health, about $0.37 is added to the health system. However, evaluating IMF-borrowing versus non-IMF-borrowing countries reveals that non-borrowers add about $0.45 whereas borrowers add less than $0.01 to the health system. On average, health system spending grew at about half the speed when countries were exposed to the IMF than when they were not. It is important to take account of the political economy of global health finance when interpreting data on financial flows.

The impact of cuts in legal aid funding on charities.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Debra; Barr, Warren

2013-03-01

This article focusses on the specific impact of the cuts in legal aid funding on the charitable sector. The sector plays a significant role in advice giving. Some charities have the provision of legal advice as their sole purpose, whilst the work of other charities includes the giving of legal advice. Funding comes via a number of sources including legal aid, local authorities and charitable trusts. Whilst this volume highlights the legal aid reforms that will lead to significant cuts in funding, this article notes that charitable providers of legal advice have also suffered major cuts from their other traditional funding sources. Against this background, the article considers the serious and often unforeseen consequences for charities of the legal aid reforms, which go far beyond the impact on the high street law firm and access to justice for claimants.

Multi Sector Planning Tools for Trajectory-Based Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Prevot, Thomas; Mainini, Matthew; Brasil, Connie

2010-01-01

This paper discusses a suite of multi sector planning tools for trajectory-based operations that were developed and evaluated in the Airspace Operations Laboratory (AOL) at the NASA Ames Research Center. The toolset included tools for traffic load and complexity assessment as well as trajectory planning and coordination. The situation assessment tools included an integrated suite of interactive traffic displays, load tables, load graphs, and dynamic aircraft filters. The planning toolset allowed for single and multi aircraft trajectory planning and data communication-based coordination of trajectories between operators. Also newly introduced was a real-time computation of sector complexity into the toolset that operators could use in lieu of aircraft count to better estimate and manage sector workload, especially in situations with convective weather. The tools were used during a joint NASA/FAA multi sector planner simulation in the AOL in 2009 that had multiple objectives with the assessment of the effectiveness of the tools being one of them. Current air traffic control operators who were experienced as area supervisors and traffic management coordinators used the tools throughout the simulation and provided their usefulness and usability ratings in post simulation questionnaires. This paper presents these subjective assessments as well as the actual usage data that was collected during the simulation. The toolset was rated very useful and usable overall. Many elements received high scores by the operators and were used frequently and successfully. Other functions were not used at all, but various requests for new functions and capabilities were received that could be added to the toolset.

Mandela calls for greater commitment and leadership in fighting AIDS. The World Economic Forum -- Policy and business in a world of HIV / AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Macinnis R

1997-01-01

The 27th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on February 3, 1997, was attended by 2000 political and financial leaders of countries and businesses around the world. The forum is the world's largest annual gathering of economic and political dignitaries. In his address to the forum, Nelson Mandela, president of South Africa, called for a global effort against AIDS and a strengthening of the world's political and business leaders' commitment against HIV/AIDS. The disease is creating global economic problems by affecting people in their prime productive and reproductive years. Mandela criticized political leaders for their limited actions in addressing the AIDS pandemic and called upon the world's business community to support government AIDS programs and help people affected by AIDS. All sectors and all spheres of society must be involved as equal partners in the war against HIV/AIDS, for neither the health sector nor government can meet the challenge on its own. If current HIV/AIDS trends continue in South Africa, AIDS will cost the country 1% of its domestic gross product by the year 2005, and up to 75% of the country's budget will be consumed by direct health costs related to HIV/AIDS. At a panel discussion preceding President Mandela's address, Dr. Peter Piot, executive director of UNAIDS, argued that the AIDS pandemic could have a devastating effect upon the global economy and urged business leaders to take strong action against the disease.

Developing countries participation in climate policies - Application to the electric and to the transport sectors in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathy, S.

2004-03-01

This PhD thesis is based on the observation that developing countries will not participate in climate policies as long as they perceive them as another constraint on their development. We demonstrate that emission reduction projects realised in DCs under the Kyoto Protocol may have a leverage effect on development by removal of barriers to development. They may also favour the implementation of domestic policies that will attract foreign private investors in projects responding to development priorities of the host country. We show the limits of the Kyoto Protocol concerning the implementation of emission reductions in high inertia sectors (transportation) and the necessity to coordinate climate policies with official development aid flows for the financing of infrastructures in an emerging context of public-private partnership. (author)

Changing Housing for Elderly People and Co-ordination Issues in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Houben, P.P.J.A.M.

2001-01-01

The inter-sectoral policy systems of housing for elderly people in the EU-countries change with the implementation of ageing in place and by general processes of modernisation of society and welfare state. For implementation of the innovations the relevance of co-ordination between the sector

Approaches to state regulation of the energy sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shervashidze, N.; Stojchev, D.

1995-01-01

Theory and practice of economical regulation by repaying coefficient and by partial co-ordinated expenses are discussed. The example of England, Ireland, Wales and US are pointed out as showing the features of both approaches being quite interesting for Bulgarian energy sector, facing the introduction of modern economical regulation. The specific character of Bulgarian energy sector is described and some conclusions are drawn concerning appropriate regulating methods. 6 refs. (orig.)

Aid for Trade: an opportunity to increase fruit and vegetable supply

Science.gov (United States)

Priyadarshi, Shishir

2013-01-01

Abstract Low fruit and vegetable consumption is an important contributor to the global burden of disease. In the wake of the United Nations High-level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), held in September 2011, a rise in the consumption of fruits and vegetables is foreseeable and this increased demand will have to be met through improved supply. The World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Bank have highlighted the potential for developing countries to benefit nutritionally and economically from the increased production and export of fruit and vegetables. Aid for Trade, launched in 2005 as an initiative designed to link development aid and trade holistically, offers an opportunity for the health and trade sectors to work jointly to enhance health and development. The Aid for Trade work programme stresses the importance of policy coherence across sectors, yet the commonality of purpose driving the Aid for Trade initiative and NCD prevention efforts has not been explored. In this paper food supply chain analysis was used to show health policy-makers that Aid for Trade can provide a mechanism for increasing the supply of fruits and vegetables in developing countries. Aid for Trade is an existing funding channel with clear accountability and reporting mechanisms, but its priorities are determined with little or no input from the health sector. The paper seeks to enable public health policy-makers, practitioners and advocates to improve coherence between trade and public health policies by highlighting Aid for Trade’s potential role in this endeavour. PMID:23397351

15 CFR 1160.5 - Coordination/cooperation with other Federal agencies.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Foreign Trade (Continued) TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PRODUCTIVITY, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION Promotion of Private Sector Industrial Technology Partnerships § 1160.5 Coordination/cooperation...

Co-ordinated research programme on isotope-aided studies of the bioavailability of iron and zinc from human diets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

Nutritional deficiencies of essential micronutrients (particularly of iron, but also of zinc and selenium) are known to affect hundreds of millions of people throughout the world, mainly in developing countries. Such deficiencies can lead to significant deficits in mental development, growth, work performance, immune competence and other biological parameters. In many of the population groups that are affected, the deficiencies are thought to be due not to an absolute lack of the element in the diet but rather to is poor bioavailability. Much work has already been done on this subject, particularly in some developed countries and particularly with respect to iron. However, there is still appears to be a need for more research on factors affecting bioavailability and the means to improve it by simple dietary modification and fortification using food products of the kind that may be locally available in developing countries. Isotope techniques potentially have a large role to play in studies of the bioavailability of iron and other trace elements. To support work in this area, the IAEA initiated a Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) at the end of 1990 on ''Isotope-Aided Studies of the Bioavailability of Iron and Zinc from Human Diets''. The first Research Co-ordination Meeting (RCM) of participants in this CRP is the subject of the present report. Refs, figs and tabs

HEALTH SECTOR ACTIONS TO IMPROVE NUTRITION ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Reducing malnutrition-related maternal and childhood morbidity and mortality in Africa requires a systematic and coordinated strategy. This paper discusses a health sector strategy which includes: i) advocating for action in nutrition at all levels; ii) integration of the essential nutrition actions into six key contact points ...

Focus group discussion with private sector doctors in the eThekwini ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) is essential in the treatment of HIV/AIDS; however, a holistic approach to HIV/AIDS management is important. This study was done to confirm the findings of two studies done previously in the eThekwini Metro of KwaZulu-Natal on private sector doctors' ...

Enhancing private sector engagement: Louisiana's business emergency operations centre.

Science.gov (United States)

Day, Jamison M; Strother, Shannon; Kolluru, Ramesh; Booth, Joseph; Rawls, Jason; Calderon, Andres

2010-07-01

Public sector emergency management is more effective when it coordinates its efforts with private sector companies that can provide useful capabilities faster, cheaper and better than government agencies. A business emergency operations centre (EOC) provides a space for private sector and non-governmental organisations to gather together in support of government efforts. This paper reviews business-related EOC practices in multiple US states and details the development of a new business EOC by the State of Louisiana, including lessons learned in response to the May 2010 oil spill.

The Relative Effects of Logistics, Coordination and Human Resource on Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief Mission Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aida Idris

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Most studies on humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR missions suggest that the quality of logistics, coordination and human resource management will affect their performance. However, studies in developing countries are mainly conceptual and lack the necessary empirical evidence to support these contentions. The current paper thereby aimed to fill this knowledge gap by sta- tistically examining the effects of the abovementioned factors on such missions. Focusing on the Malaysian army due to its extensive experience in HADR operations, the paper opted for a quantita- tive approach to allow for a more objective analysis of the issues. The results show that there are other potential determinants of mission success which deserve due attention in future studies. They also suggest that human resource is not easily measured as a construct, and that this limitation in methodology must be overcome to derive more accurate conclusions regarding its effect on HADR mission performance.

Pioneering efforts to control AIDS. Review: IHO.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterji, A; Sehgal, K

1995-01-01

The Indian Health Organisation (IHO) is a nongovernmental organization based in Bombay with more than 12 years experience in HIV/AIDS prevention and control efforts. It has attacked ignorance and prejudice via communication efforts. IHO has created a bond with some hospital systems of Bombay. IHO disseminated information about HIV/AIDS in Bombay's red light districts and has bridged the gap between the city's medical establishment and the community most in need. IHO's aggressive street-level fighting in a sector replete with sensitive issues has somewhat isolated it from mainstream national NGOs involved in HIV/AIDS education and control as well as from the medical establishment and potential partners. IHO funds have been reduced, forcing IHO to reduce intervention programs and responses to field demands. It suffers from a high rate of turnover among middle management staff. IHO's chief advantage is its confidence gained over the past 12 years. IHO has clearly delineated the direction it wants to go: care and support programs for persons affected by HIV/AIDS and for commercial sex workers to allow them to quit prostitution, orphan care, and development of training institutions for the education and motivation of medical personnel on HIV/AIDS care and prevention. It plans to build a hospice for AIDS patients and orphans and a training center. Training activities will vary from one-week orientation programs to three-month certificate courses for medical workers, NGOs, and managers from the commercial sector. IHO is prepared to share its experiences in combating HIV/AIDS in Bombay in a team effort. As official and bilateral funding has been decreasing, IHO has targeted industry for funding. Industry has responded, which enables IHO to sustain its core programs and approaches. IHO observations show a decrease in the number of men visiting red-light districts. IHO enjoys a positive relationship with Bombay's media reporting on AIDS.

Private Sector Involvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Annette Skovsted

New and independent donors are adding their own twist to the experiences of receiving ODA and their examples are already inspiring the DAC, UN, and other multiple- and bilateral aid relationships. Rather than competition among development paradigms, I see negotiations of ideas of development and ...... and a co-existence of a multiplicity of approaches. I will argue that a trend of new and old actors inspiring each other will continue and the explicit focus on private sector development is just a first outcome....

78 FR 6806 - Forest Resource Coordinating Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-31

.... Department of Agriculture, and coordination with State agencies and the private sector, to effectively address the national priorities for non- industrial private forest land. The purpose of the meeting is... [email protected]us . All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are placed in the record...

Private pharmacies in an integrated approach to HIV/AIDS services ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The South African National AIDS Council emphasises that success in tackling HIV/AIDS depends on leadership at every level of society, as well as mobilisation and co-operation in all sectors including government, health care workers and civil society (SANAC, 2006). This may be an acknowledgement that South Africa's ...

Does foreign aid in education foster gender equality in developing countries?

OpenAIRE

Maiga, Eugenie W. H.

2014-01-01

This paper examines the impact of foreign aid on gender equality in education outcomes in developing countries. Heterogeneity effects by type of aid received and by type of recipients are investigated using system GMM methods. The results indicate that aggregate aid disbursements to the education sector negatively affect gender parity in enrolment at the secondary and tertiary education levels and have no impact on gender parity in primary education. No impact of subsector specific aid was fo...

First aid facilities in the school settings: Are schools able to manage adequately?

Science.gov (United States)

Qureshi, Farhan Muhammad; Khalid, Nadia; Nigah-E-Mumtaz, Seema; Assad, Tahira; Noreen, Khola

2018-01-01

Children spend most of their time in schools and are vulnerable to injuries and mild ailments, hence requiring first-aid care. School teacher can provide immediate first-aid care in the absence of any health professional. This study assesses first-aid facilities within school premises and assessment of teachers on first aid training. A cross sectional study was conducted from July-December 2017, participants were full time school teachers of both public and private sectors at both primary and secondary levels, having a minimum of one year experience. Questionnaire was filled on one to one basis by taking oral interview. Out of 209 teachers, 72.7% were from private sector. Stomachache was the most common medical incident (82.29%) requiring first-aid care in schools. First aid box was available in all schools but its contents were not satisfactory. Sick bay was not found in any school. 68.42% of teachers were not trained in first-aid management because of lack of opportunity, however 56% were willing to enroll in any first aid training and majority (91.38%) considered it essential for their professional life. First aid facilities at various schools of Karachi and availability of trained teachers who can provide first aid care is unsatisfactory.

AIDS: Administrative Decisions and Constitutional Rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenlaw, Paul S.; Kohl, John P.

1993-01-01

Review of case law in educational administration, hospitals, correctional institutions, and the military shows that, when risk of AIDS transmission is high, courts will support public sector administrators' decisions. Low risk means such decisions as mandatory blood testing will usually be struck down. (SK)

Private sector community forestry partnerships in the Eastern Cape – Lambazi case study

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Sisitka, L

2000-01-01

Full Text Available research project referred to as ‘Instruments for Sustainable Private Sector Forestry in South Africa.’ This national investigation is co-ordinated by the CSIR, in collaboration with DFID and IIED. Its aim is to understand how the private sector is involved...

Analysis: AIDS and the private sector. Tolerance at work will soften epidemic's impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Barese, P

1995-06-01

With a population of only 1.3 million, Botswana relies heavily upon imported skilled labor and management. Officially, all forms of discrimination based upon a citizen's HIV/AIDS status are illegal in Botswana. The government, however, screens all expatriates considered for contractual jobs with the state, and does not employ HIV-seropositive candidates. Recent government efforts to train local people to replace expatriates and diversify and expand the economy by supporting local business and encouraging foreign investment may, however, be seriously jeopardized by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The development and implementation of prevention and coping strategies, especially at the workplace, have been slow even though AIDS-in-the-Workplace program materials, including videos, posters, brochures, and condoms, are provided free of charge. The lack of a clear understanding by senior management of the legal and financial ramifications of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is one reason for the widespread nonuse by companies of the materials. AIDSCAP in Botswana recently reviewed the activities of four companies which had, however, developed model AIDS-in-the-Workplace programs. Three of the companies chose a peer education model, holding regular formal education sessions as well as informal small group sessions run by peer educators. The peer educators have as much time during their work day as they need to work upon HIV/AIDS activities. The other company has a health department which holds a formal prevention education session for all employees yearly, while clinics in the on-site employee housing complex provide continuous information on women's health, prenatal and infant care as it relates to HIV/AIDS, and negotiating safer sex. Management reports that employees seem to have responded well to the programs, but changing their attitudes toward infected colleagues is proving more difficult. The author notes that managers over time will also have to begin thinking about training

Arm-eye coordination test to objectively quantify motor performance and muscles activation in persons after stroke undergoing robot-aided rehabilitation training: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Rong; Tong, Kai-Yu; Hu, Xiaoling; Li, Le; Sun, Rui

2013-09-01

This study designed an arm-eye coordination test to investigate the effectiveness of the robot-aided rehabilitation for persons after stroke. Six chronic poststroke subjects were recruited to attend a 20-session robot-aided rehabilitation training of elbow joint. Before and after the training program, subjects were asked to perform voluntary movements of elbow flection and extension by following sinusoidal trajectories at different velocities with visual feedback on their joint positions. The elbow angle and the electromyographic signal of biceps and triceps as well as clinical scores were evaluated together with the parameters. Performance was objectively quantified by root mean square error (RMSE), root mean square jerk (RMSJ), range of motion (ROM), and co-contraction index (CI). After 20 sessions, RMSE and ROM improved significantly in both the affected and the unaffected side based on two-way ANOVA (P quantitative parameters and clinical scales could enable the exploration of effects of different types of treatment and design progress-based training method to accelerate the processes of recovery.

5 CFR 2641.207 - One-year restriction on any former private sector assignee under the Information Technology...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... private sector assignee under the Information Technology Exchange Program representing, aiding, counseling... CONFLICT OF INTEREST RESTRICTIONS Prohibitions § 2641.207 One-year restriction on any former private sector... one year after the termination of his assignment from a private sector organization to an agency under...

77 FR 260 - Forest Resource Coordinating Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-04

... USDA and the broader forestry sector, with specific focus on owners of non-industrial private... Coordinator, by phone at (202) 205-1376 or by email at [email protected]us or Ted Beauvais, FRCC Designted Federal Officer, by phone (202) 205-1190 or by email at [email protected]us . Individuals who use...

Voice loops as coordination aids in space shuttle mission control.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, E S; Watts-Perotti, J; Woods, D D

1999-01-01

Voice loops, an auditory groupware technology, are essential coordination support tools for experienced practitioners in domains such as air traffic management, aircraft carrier operations and space shuttle mission control. They support synchronous communication on multiple channels among groups of people who are spatially distributed. In this paper, we suggest reasons for why the voice loop system is a successful medium for supporting coordination in space shuttle mission control based on over 130 hours of direct observation. Voice loops allow practitioners to listen in on relevant communications without disrupting their own activities or the activities of others. In addition, the voice loop system is structured around the mission control organization, and therefore directly supports the demands of the domain. By understanding how voice loops meet the particular demands of the mission control environment, insight can be gained for the design of groupware tools to support cooperative activity in other event-driven domains.

77 FR 60128 - Noncompetitive Supplements to Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide Program Grantees

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-02

... Noncompetitive Supplements to Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide Program Grantees AGENCY: Health Resources... expansion supplements of $100,000 to 10 Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide (NAHHA) Program grantees to... Management; Care Coordination and Follow Up; and Behavioral Health and Social Support for Home Health Aides...

Economic and Social Role of the ICT Private Sector in West and ...

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

Today, no part of economic and social life is without its informal sector. It is the same with the ICT sector, which has advanced in recent years aided by the liberalization of telecommunications, the arrival of the Internet and, more recently, the expansion of mobile telephone service to the farthest ... Date de début. 9 mars 2008 ...

Volunteering and mutual aid in health and social care in the Czech Republic as an example of active citizenship.

Science.gov (United States)

Krízová, Eva

2012-06-01

This article informs about recent research findings on voluntary and mutual aid in the Czech Republic with a special attention paid to formal volunteering in health and social care. The data suggest that public involvement is comparable to middle-frequency experienced in European countries. In this respect, volunteering is higher in the Czech Republic than in other former Eastern European countries and is an evidence of a successful and rapid restoration of the civic sector. New patterns of volunteering featured by planning, coordination, and contracting have spread out being strongly supported by national and EU policy measures. Managerial patterns of volunteering are dominating in health and social care institutions. Volunteering in health and social care is firmly motivated by emotional altruism; however, reciprocal (instrumental) and normative motivations are also present, though to a lesser extent compared to other sectors of volunteer activities. In the managerial pattern of volunteering altruism is balanced with personal gains and benefits for those who volunteer. Volunteering is deeply embedded in a civic, humanitarian paradigm instead of a religious faith and duty.

The Greater Involvement of People Living with AIDS principle: theory versus practice in Ontario's HIV/AIDS community-based research sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Travers, R; Wilson, M G; Flicker, S; Guta, A; Bereket, T; McKay, C; van der Meulen, A; Cleverly, S; Dickie, M; Globerman, J; Rourke, S B

2008-07-01

Drawing on the Greater Involvement of People with HIV/AIDS (GIPA) principle, the HIV/AIDS movement began to "democratize" research in Canada in the mid-1990s. To date, there is little evidence about the success of the community-based research (CBR) movement in relation to the implementation of GIPA. We draw on findings from a larger study examining barriers and facilitating factors in relation to HIV-related CBR in Ontario, Canada. An online survey was completed by 39 senior managers in Ontario AIDS service organizations (ASOs). Twenty-five in-depth, semi-structured interviews were then conducted to further explore the survey findings. Survey respondents reported that, compared to researchers and frontline service providers, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) tended to be the least involved in all stages (input, process and outcome) of CBR projects. AIDS service organizations with a mandate that included serving rural and urban communities reported even lower levels of PLWHA involvement in CBR. Qualitative data reveal complex barriers that make meaningful PLWHA engagement in CBR difficult, including: HIV-related stigma; health-related challenges; "credentialism"; lack of capacity to engage in research; other issues taking priority; and mistrust of researchers. Facilitating factors included valuing lived experience; training and mentoring opportunities; financial compensation; trust building; and accommodating PLWHA's needs. While there is strong support for the GIPA principles in theory, practice lags far behind.

South-South Cooperation, North-South Aid and the Prospect of International Aid Architecture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meibo Huang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available South-South Cooperation (SSC and North-South Aid (NSA arise from different historical conditions and there are great differences between their philosophies, principles and paradigms. Against the background of a changing global environment, developed countries realized that the original development aid architecture must be reformed on one hand, and that developing countries are increasingly important in the aid architecture on the other. Hence, Western donors began to rethink their aid principles and methods, and accepted the concept of development effectiveness gradually, an attempt to establish global development forum and global partnership including emerging donors, beneficiary countries, civil society and the private sector. Nevertheless, being developing countries themselves, emerging donors are faced with unsolved domestic poverty issues and imperfect aid management institutions, which means that the emerging donors are unable to take a dominant position in the current aid architecture. Hence, the future dialogue and cooperation between traditional and emerging donors should feature the principle that the responsibilities taken by each party are collective but not identical, with developing countries bearing the main responsibilities in promoting poverty reduction and economic development in developing countries. They should be mutually tolerant about the different philosophies and share useful experiences. Moreover, emerging donors should promote development capacity building in recipient countries through win-win cooperation and solve their domestic development issues at the same time.

Effect of HIV/AIDS on the agricultural workforce. Implications for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HIV/AIDS has over the years, become a serious health hazard. It is today not strictly an health problem, but one that has serious octopoidal implications. It has reached a height where other sectors of the economy have to take more active roles. It is in this regard therefore, that this paper tends to look at HIV/AIDS as it affects ...

The politics of public sector change.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Peter

2003-05-01

As the changes underpinning the Coordinated Care Trials in South Australia have become more apparent, similarities have emerged between the rationalisation of public schooling in the mid 1980s and the transformation of public health in the 1990s. This article aims to discuss the evolution of health services in South Australia and help us answer the question of how best to manage our public and private health infrastructure in a changing economic and social context. Both strategies in education and health share common elements of cost cutting, attempts at improving efficiencies, a flirting with the private sector and the attendant risk of reduced quality of services to the public. This situation in both sectors is indicative of a shift in public policy and a growth in the belief that private management of public sector infrastructure can help resolve the funding crises around our education and health systems.

AIDS in the workplace: current practices and possible implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Nykodym, N; Miners, I A; Simonetti, J L; Patel, N S

1989-01-01

The testing of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) remains a political factor. Questions are being raised as to an individual's right to privacy and the public's concern for safety. Despite the controversy, the law protects contagious disease sufferers from employment discrimination. Along with AIDS testing, drug testing remains a controversial issue. Mandatory drug testing remains in both the public and private sectors. Legislative activity in California continues to the present.

Assessing Inter-Sectoral Climate Change Risks: The Role of ISIMIP

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Arnell, Nigel W.; Ebi, Kristie L.; Lotze-Campen, Hermann; Raes, Frank; Rapley, Chris; Smith, Mark Stafford; Cramer, Wolfgang; Frieler, Katja; Reyer, Christopher P. O.;

Telling Successes of Japanese Foreign Aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Annette Skovsted

Stakeholders of two success story events negotiated an idea of development as individual entrepreneurship. The sixty-five-year-old Japanese Foreign Aid history includes stories of successes told by professionals from developing countries throughout the world. Their stories reflect the cultural...... sector training programs partly financed by Japanese Official development Assistance (ODA)....

Competitive intelligence practice in the South African property sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tshilidzi E. Nenzhelele

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: The South African property sector contributes highly to creating jobs, skills development, poverty reduction and economic growth. Although South Africa dropped in the global competitiveness ranking, the property sector of South Africa remains very competitive. To survive in a competitive sector, firms around the world practice competitive intelligence(CI. Although the use of CI has been examined in other sectors in South Africa, no study on CI practice has been conducted in the property sector. Objectives: The objective of this research was to establish the extent to which the property sector of South Africa practices CI. Method: This research was quantitative in nature and a web-based questionnaire was used to collect data from estate agencies in the South African property sector. Results: The results indicate that the South African property sector is very competitive and estate agencies practice CI to gain competitive advantage and make quality decisions.Moreover, the results reveal that the property sector practice CI legally and ethically. The results indicate that the majority of estate agencies are very small employing at most five employees and make at most 5 million Rands annual turnover. Conclusion: The South African property sector ethically and legally practices CI to gain competitive advantage and to aid in making quality decisions.

General Assembly pledges support for war against AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

1988-03-01

At a special meeting held in October 1987, the World Health Organization called for a concerted, international response to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Announced was the creation of a WHO Global Commission on AIDS comprised of experts in health, social, economic, legal, ethical, and biomedical fields who will advise WHO officials of developments in various aspects of the disease. Member States were united in terms of the need for open communication and support of WHO efforts to combat AIDS. By December 1987, 129 countries had reported 73,747 AIDS cases to WHO and another 3 million new cases are likely to develop by 1982. The WHO strategy is based on several concepts: 1) even in the absence of a vaccine, AIDS is controllable through widespread education; 2) longterm commitment to eradication is necessary; 3) AIDS prevention and control must be integrated into national health systems; and 4) international cooperation, coordination, and leadership is vital. National AIDS committees have been established in over 100 countries.

Aid Effectiveness, Transaction Costs and Conditionality in the Education Sector

Science.gov (United States)

Ashford, Richard; Biswas, Shampa

2010-01-01

The reduction of transaction costs is a commonly mentioned yet rarely elaborated goal for aid effectiveness in educational development. The casual use of the concept of transaction costs conceals which costs may be reduced, which costs are required and, indeed, what transaction costs actually are. Examining issues related to harmonizing the…

Knowledge management initiatives benefits for the Slovenian public sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simon Colnar

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper highlights the importance of knowledge management in Slovenian public sector organizations. Knowledge management has received a lot of attention in the past two decades, however in the public sector it is still under-researched. The global financial and economic crisis revealed some important organizational weaknesses in the Republic of Slovenia, some particularly due to the ineffectiveness of the Slovenian public sector, which ranks amongst the worst in the Euro zone. Authors argue that a stronger commitment to knowledge management, which is currently unused in the Slovenian public sector, represents an opportunity to coordinate and exploit public sector organizational knowledge resources. After analysing existing literature, authors have identified examples of good practices from foreign countries that could be partially transferred and adapted into the Slovenian environment. Since the efficient use of knowledge is linked to the performance of public sector organizations, the paper suggests that successful implementation of knowledge management initiatives should result in a more efficient public sector and, indirectly, in improved international public sector competitiveness rankings. This paper is also considered to be important for public sector practitioners and managers, as it proposes implementation of a knowledge management pilot project in Slovenian public sector.

Increase coverage of HIV and AIDS services in Myanmar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bühler Markus

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Myanmar is experiencing an HIV epidemic documented since the late 1980s. The National AIDS Programme national surveillance ante-natal clinics had already estimated in 1993 that 1.4% of pregnant women were HIV positive, and UNAIDS estimates that at end 2005 1.3% (range 0.7–2.0% of the adult population was living with HIV. While a HIV surveillance system has been in place since 1992, the programmatic response to the epidemic has been slower to emerge although short- and medium-terms plans have been formulated since 1990. These early plans focused on the health sector, omitted key population groups at risk of HIV transmission and have not been adequately funded. The public health system more generally is severely under-funded. By the beginning of the new decade, a number of organisations had begun working on HIV and AIDS, though not yet in a formally coordinated manner. The Joint Programme on AIDS in Myanmar 2003–2005 was an attempt to deliver HIV services through a planned and agreed strategic framework. Donors established the Fund for HIV/AIDS in Myanmar (FHAM, providing a pooled mechanism for funding and significantly increasing the resources available in Myanmar. By 2006 substantial advances had been made in terms of scope and diversity of service delivery, including outreach to most at risk populations to HIV. More organisations provided more services to an increased number of people. Services ranged from the provision of HIV prevention messages via mass media and through peers from high-risk groups, to the provision of care, treatment and support for people living with HIV. However, the data also show that this scaling up has not been sufficient to reach the vast majority of people in need of HIV and AIDS services. The operating environment constrains activities, but does not, in general, prohibit them. The slow rate of service expansion can be attributed to the burdens imposed by administrative measures, broader constraints on

CASE in CERN's accelerator sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albrecht, A.; Cabas-Alonso, A.; Chevrier, F.

1992-01-01

As in the software industry where computer aided software engineering (CASE) methodologies and tools are commonly used, CERN endeavours to introduce this technology to improve the efficiency of designing, producing and maintaining software. A large project is currently under development in the administrative area whereas a dedicated group had been set up to evaluate state of the art techniques for software development relating to physics experiments. A similar activity, though on a smaller scale, has been initiated in the accelerator sector also in view of the large amount of software that will be required by the LEP200 and the LHC projects. This paper briefly describes this technology and gives an account of current experience with the use of CASE methods and tools for technical projects in the accelerator sector at CERN. (author)

EU environmental state aid policy: wide implications, narrow participation?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flaam, Karoline

2008-11-15

This article investigates the 2008 reform of the EU's environmental state aid guidelines, with an eye to determining the degree of external pressure and lobbyism towards environmental state aid policies. What is found is a strikingly low level of external pressure on the policy-field, not least on the part of the private sector. In fact, EU environmental state aid policy is largely the making of a few Commission officials, without much external 'interference'. The article discusses possible reasons for this, and asks whether state aid policy-making might be marked less by clear and established interests and utility maximising, and more by actors constrained by complexity and bounded rationality. (author). refs.,tab

ERP System Implementation: An Oil and Gas Exploration Sector Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Alok; Mishra, Deepti

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems provide integration and optimization of various business processes which leads to improved planning and decision quality, smoother coordination between business units resulting in higher efficiency, and quicker response time to customer demands and inquiries. This paper reports challenges, opportunities and outcome of ERP implementation in Oil & Gas exploration sector. This study will facilitate in understanding transition, constraints and implementation of ERP in this sector and also provide guidelines from lessons learned in this regard.

Working in the Public Sector. Introduction to the Thematic Issue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annette Kamp

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Work in the public sector has been changing dramatically in recent decades. Reforms aimed at increasing the efficiency of public services have been extensive in the Nordic countries and elsewhere since the 1980s. The reforms and changes have to a large extent been associated with so-called New Public Management (NPM principles, emphasizing the market as a central coordination mechanism. Consequently, public institutions have been restructured, their services are standardized and commodified, and market-like relationships between them have been created. In order to create markets and transform citizens into customers on a market, outsourcing and privatization have been stimulated (Blomqvist & Rothstein 2000, Busch et al 2005, Christensen & Lægreid 2007, Greve 2003. At the same time, traditional Weberian bureaucratic principles are still viable and even enhanced within the sector, for instance, as a consequence of the use of contracts as a means of managing public organizations (Greve 2008. Lately, large reforms aimed at centralized coordination of different service providers, such as the integration of the Norwegian welfare administration, have been labeled post-NPM reforms by some researchers. The implication of all these parallel tendencies is that the institutional and organizational landscape surrounding the work situations of employees in the public sector have become increasingly complex, some call them hybrid,  putting a variety of conflicting pressures on the performance of work within the sector (Christensen & Lægreid 2011, Hasselbladh et al. 2008. In this special issue, we explore some of the consequences of these structural and normative changes on the work of public sector employees in different sectors and contexts (...

India's growing clinical research sector: opportunity for global companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Varawalla, Nermeen

2007-06-01

Backed by a compelling foundation of essential requirements necessary for effective clinical trial conduct, and aided by initiatives that address concerns of data quality, regulatory timelines and IP protection, the clinical development sector in India has experienced annual revenue growth rates of 25% in the past two to three years, and is poised to participate substantially in global drug development. As both clinical trial sponsors and CROs increase their research capabilities in India, the clinical development sector is facing challenges with staff resourcing and facilities. Existing initiatives in the clinical sector must continue, and further investment must be made by stakeholders to overcome the current limitations in sector growth. Furthermore, global organizations seeking to derive long-term sustainable revenue growth and competitive advantage in the global marketplace from their business units in India must establish an appropriate organizational culture and an effective intra-organizational and industry interface for their operations.

Effectiveness of Foreign Aid on the Growth of the Agricultural Sector ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

activity; it is also the single largest employer of labor forces (70 percent according to NBS, 2009) ... foreign aid has a significant positive effect on agricultural growth in Nigeria. However, the ... know the sign of the parameter . Noting that t t. LNY.

Employment-generating projects for the energy and minerals sectors of Honduras. Proyectos generadores de empleos para los sectores energetico y minero de Honduras

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frank, J.A.

1988-12-01

A mission to Honduras invited by the Government of Honduras and sponsored by the Organization of American States addressed the generation of employment in various areas of interest to the country. The mission was made up of experts from numerous countries and international agencies. In the energy sector, the mission recommended consolidating the sector under a coordinating body; carrying out projects to promote reforestation, tree farms, and rational forest utilization; encouraging industrial energy conservation; developing alternative energy sources; and promoting rural electrification and expansion of the electrical grid. In the mining sector, the mission supported promotion and technical assistance for small gold-leaching and placer operations, the national mineral inventory, detailed exploration of promising sites, and the development of a mining school. 13 refs., 7 tabs.

Third sector: the construction of an solidarity economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gerusa Coutinho Ramos

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The third sector is increasing in Brazil and it occupies a political, economic and social space, showing a diversity of formal entities or informal movements, defender of the most variety causes – street boys, AIDS, environment, professional qualification, woman, small producers, among so many other which represent the social fights in Brazil. In this context, this article aims to raise topics for discussion concerning the importance of the third sector in the country as an alternative of society organization in relation with its reality and necessities, besides stressing the economic importance of this segment in the GDP, work market and capital investment. Firstly, it shows a brief historic view of the third sector; secondly, it performs a debate about this concept; thirdly, it is shown the economic aspects and the perspectives that, in Brazil, are presented to it.

Prospects and Challenges for Harnessing Opportunities in Medicinal Plants Sector in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harbir Singh

2006-09-01

Full Text Available The importance of the medicinal plants sector can be gauged from the fact that herbal medicines serve the healthcare needs of about 80 per cent of the world's population. India, with approximately eight percent of world's biodiversity including plant genetic diversity with medicinal properties, has the potential of becoming a major global player in market for medicinal plants-based herbal formulations and products. However, prior to establishment of Medicinal Plants Board, there was no nodal agency to look into medicinal plants as an economic 'sector' and different organisations dealt with different aspects of medicinal plants without any clear cut focus and coordination. This lack of co-ordination led to critical research gaps relating to socio-economic and policy aspects of medicinal plants. At the same time, absence of formal marketing linkages and effective buy-back arrangements hindered the development of medicinal plants sector. Developing appropriate varieties for cultivation which could ensure uniform quality and continuous supply of raw material for processing industry would not only meet the industry demand but also halt the degradation of natural resource base. To capitalize on expanding opportunities in the international market, we need to focus on scientific methods of cultivation, harvesting, processing, grading, transport, storage, labeling and marketing practices involved in the entire supply chain for medicinal plants. Policy and institutional issues particularly related to co-ordination among various stake holders are one of the major constraints faced by this sector. Species- specific and socio-economic environment specific research would be helpful for identification of an optimal institutional framework to take care of needs of various stakeholders and also cater to social needs without adverse implications for equity and environment.

Financing the energy sector in developing countries: context and overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunkerley, Joy.

1995-01-01

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

ACCRUAL ACCOUNTING, FOUNDATION FOR THE FINANCIAL REPORTING INTO THE PUBLIC SECTOR ENTITIES

OpenAIRE

Aurelia Stefanescu; Eugeniu Turlea

2011-01-01

The development of the accounting system of the public sector entities atmondial level has focused on taking up the accrual accounting as foundation for the financialreporting and totally or partially giving up the cash accounting. Within this context, by thisresearch, we define the coordinates of the accrual accounting, we analyse the adoption of itas a financial reporting basis into the public sector at international level and also theimplications of completing the cash accounting with the ...

Recruitment and retention strategies for public sector optometrists in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prasidh Ramson

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: In South Africa, there is a paucity of optometrists serving the needs of the larger public sector. KwaZulu-Natal is one of the most densely populated provinces and home to several of the poorest districts. Despite an optometry school in the province, and with a lack of compulsory community service for new graduates, more optometrists are needed to serve the public sector. While studies on the recruitment and retention of medical and allied health professionals have been conducted, limited evidence exists on work trends of public sector optometrists. Methods: A cross-sectional study design using both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods was used. All public sector optometrists and local district health co-ordinators in the province were contacted, with an 80% (41 out of 51 and 75% (9 out of 12 response rate, respectively. Questionnaires containing demographic, recruitment, retention and open-ended questions were distributed by post, fax and email and via an online survey to both groups. Telephonic interviews were also conducted using semi-structured techniques. Frequency distributions, Fisher’s exact test and odds ratios were used to statistically describe the demographic data, while qualitative responses were recorded and analysed for commonly occurring themes. Results: The present public sector optometry workforce comprises mainly young (73%, black (70%, women (66%. They chose to work in the public sector to ‘make a difference’ and were attracted by ‘good working hours’ and ‘job security’. Fifty-three percent of optometrists work in the public sector due to a study bursary, for which there was a statistically significant association for race (p = 0.01, gender (p = 0.05 and background origin (p = 0.05. To aid their retention in public service, improved salaries, career progression, recognition, improved management relations and improved instrumentation were ranked highest by these optometrists

AID as Gift: an initial approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly Cristiane da Silva

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The article proposes that some of the key practices in the area of international cooperation for development can be better understood in terms of a gift regime. To this end, it compares ethnographic data relating to the modus operandi of the aid sector in East Timor with the legacies of Marcel Mauss and the recent production of M.A.U.S.S. International aid policies are shown to be important means for establishing hegemony in glocal negotiation spaces in which different actors construct identities and relations of alliance, honor and precedence. In this debate, it is argued that East Timor's biggest counter-gift to the international community has been to function as an instrument through which values cherished by aid donors, expressed in Western myths of good society, can once again be cultivated in the process of building a new national state.

Resource allocation within the National AIDS Control Program of Pakistan: a qualitative assessment of decision maker's opinions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kadir Masood

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Limited resources, whether public or private, demand prioritisation among competing needs to maximise productivity. With a substantial increase in the number of reported HIV cases, little work has been done to understand how resources have been distributed and what factors may have influenced allocation within the newly introduced Enhanced National AIDS Control Program of Pakistan. The objective of this study was to identify perceptions of decision makers about the process of resource allocation within Pakistan's Enhanced National AIDS Control Program. Methods A qualitative study was undertaken and in-depth interviews of decision makers at provincial and federal levels responsible to allocate resources within the program were conducted. Results HIV was not considered a priority issue by all study participants and external funding for the program was thought to have been accepted because of poor foreign currency reserves and donor agency influence rather than local need. Political influences from the federal government and donor agencies were thought to manipulate distribution of funds within the program. These influences were thought to occur despite the existence of a well-laid out procedure to determine allocation of public resources. Lack of collaboration among departments involved in decision making, a pervasive lack of technical expertise, paucity of information and an atmosphere of ad hoc decision making were thought to reduce resistance to external pressures. Conclusion Development of a unified program vision through a consultative process and advocacy is necessary to understand goals to be achieved, to enhance program ownership and develop consensus about how money and effort should be directed. Enhancing public sector expertise in planning and budgeting is essential not just for the program, but also to reduce reliance on external agencies for technical support. Strengthening available databases for effective

Resource allocation within the National AIDS Control Program of Pakistan: a qualitative assessment of decision maker's opinions.

Science.gov (United States)

Husain, Sara; Kadir, Masood; Fatmi, Zafar

2007-01-23

Limited resources, whether public or private, demand prioritisation among competing needs to maximise productivity. With a substantial increase in the number of reported HIV cases, little work has been done to understand how resources have been distributed and what factors may have influenced allocation within the newly introduced Enhanced National AIDS Control Program of Pakistan. The objective of this study was to identify perceptions of decision makers about the process of resource allocation within Pakistan's Enhanced National AIDS Control Program. A qualitative study was undertaken and in-depth interviews of decision makers at provincial and federal levels responsible to allocate resources within the program were conducted. HIV was not considered a priority issue by all study participants and external funding for the program was thought to have been accepted because of poor foreign currency reserves and donor agency influence rather than local need. Political influences from the federal government and donor agencies were thought to manipulate distribution of funds within the program. These influences were thought to occur despite the existence of a well-laid out procedure to determine allocation of public resources. Lack of collaboration among departments involved in decision making, a pervasive lack of technical expertise, paucity of information and an atmosphere of ad hoc decision making were thought to reduce resistance to external pressures. Development of a unified program vision through a consultative process and advocacy is necessary to understand goals to be achieved, to enhance program ownership and develop consensus about how money and effort should be directed. Enhancing public sector expertise in planning and budgeting is essential not just for the program, but also to reduce reliance on external agencies for technical support. Strengthening available databases for effective decision making is required to make financial allocations based on real

The effects of national and international HIV/AIDS funding and governance mechanisms on the development of civil-society responses to HIV/AIDS in East and Southern Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Kevin J; Birdsall, Karen

2010-01-01

The study takes stock of the exponential growth in the number of new civil-society organisations (CSOs) working in the HIV/AIDS field in East and Southern Africa during the period 1996-2004. We researched this development through a survey of 439 CSOs in six countries and case studies focused on the evolution of community responses to HIV/AIDS in specific communities in eight countries. We describe the types of CSOs that emerged, their relationships with governments and donors, and their activities, organisational characteristics and funding requirements. The data presented show that the vision of social mobilisation of HIV/AIDS responses through community-level organisations has faced strong external challenges. Evidence from survey data, national HIV/AIDS spending assessments and case studies shows that in some respects the changing international aid environment undermines the prospects for development of the civil-society sector's contributions in HIV/AIDS responses. Of particular interest is to understand how the "Three Ones" and the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness have reshaped international funding for HIV/AIDS responses. There has been relatively little attention paid to the impact of the new management and funding modalities--including national performance frameworks, general budget support, joint funding arrangements and basket funds--on civil-society agencies at the forefront of community HIV/AIDS responses. Evidence is presented to show that in important respects the new modalities limit the unique contribution that CSOs can make to national HIV/AIDS responses. It is also shown that the drive to rapidly intensify the scale of HIV/AIDS responses has involved using community organisations as service providers for externally formulated programmes. We discuss this as a strong threat to the development of sustainable civil-society economies as well as to CSOs' diversity and responsiveness. The ways in which CSOs are responding to these challenges are

State Sector Strategies: The New Workforce Development in the USA

Science.gov (United States)

Lakes, Richard D.

2012-01-01

Neoliberal governments consider global business competitiveness to be thwarted by costly bureaucratic regulation and programme duplication. In an effort to downsize the costs of operating a state, the governors now streamline job training functions via a coordinated workforce and economic development effort known as sector strategies, with…

Renewing and Developing the Partnership: Federal/State/Campus Cooperation in Student Financial Aid.

Science.gov (United States)

Fenske, Robert H., Ed.; Clark, Patricia L., Ed.

The proceedings of the conference are summarized, including a symposium discussion following the formal conference. Contents include: two views of the present advisory structure for student aid (The Case for Maintaining and Expanding the Coalition for the Coordination of Student Financial Aid, by Robert H. Atwell, and The Need for Developing a…

AIDS: there's hope.

Science.gov (United States)

1993-06-01

In 1993, 10 years after realizing that AIDS posed a threat to the future of mankind, social mobilization will improve the odds against AIDS. The objective is to create awareness about the virus, and to affect positive behavioral change through advocacy, communication, and grass-roots actions. The first goal is to change the societal attitude about the status of youth and women in order to understand that gender inequality fuels the pandemic. They are the most vulnerable groups, therefore their economic and social power must be improved. The Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women constitute a platform for broader action by governmental, nongovernmental, and religious institutions. In addition, these organizations need strong allies in society: 1) the media, which can communicate the importance of youth, women, and attitudes in the epidemic; 2) religious leaders, who can be powerful sources of advocacy for change in attitudes as well as support and care for AIDS-affected individuals and families; 3) policy makers, who can be crucial in changing existing policies and altering the allocation of government resources to youth and women; 4) human rights organizations, which play an important role in promoting the concept of health as a human right and for enhancing the understanding of AIDS in the context of discrimination and poverty; 5) the private sector, including commerce and industry, which can promote changes in attitude within the work force and AIDS prevention initiatives; and 6) parent-teacher groups and models for youth, who can educate them about socially acceptable and unacceptable behavior and can empower them to make responsible behavior choices.

Coordination in the midst of chaos: the refugee crisis in Albania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toby Porter

1999-08-01

Full Text Available This article explores the coordination of the aid effort, the role of NATO and, finally, whether the response to the Kosovo crisis hasstrengthened or undermined the principles of universality that govern the global provision of humanitarian assistance.

National poverty reduction strategies and HIV/AIDS governance in Malawi: a preliminary study of shared health governance.

Science.gov (United States)

Wachira, Catherine; Ruger, Jennifer Prah

2011-06-01

The public health and development communities understand clearly the need to integrate anti-poverty efforts with HIV/AIDS programs. This article reports findings about the impact of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) process on Malawi's National HIV/AIDS Strategic Framework (NSF). In this article we ask, how does the PRSP process support NSF accountability, participation, access to information, funding, resource planning and allocation, monitoring, and evaluation? In 2007, we developed and conducted a survey of Malawian government ministries, United Nations agencies, members of the Country Coordination Mechanism, the Malawi National AIDS Commission (NAC), and NAC grantees (N = 125, 90% response rate), seeking survey respondents' retrospective perceptions of NSF resource levels, participation, inclusion, and governance before, during, and after Malawi's PRSP process (2000-2004). We also assessed principle health sector and economic indicators and budget allocations for HIV/AIDS. These indicators are part of a new conceptual framework called shared health governance (SHG), which seeks congruence among the values and goals of different groups and actors to reflect a common purpose. Under this framework, global health policy should encompass: (i) consensus among global, national, and sub-national actors on goals and measurable outcomes; (ii) mutual collective accountability; and (iii) enhancement of individual and group health agency. Indicators to assess these elements included: (i) goal alignment; (ii) adequate resource levels; (iii) agreement on key outcomes and indicators for evaluating those outcomes; (iv) meaningful inclusion and participation of groups and institutions; (v) special efforts to ensure participation of vulnerable groups; and (vi) effectiveness and efficiency measures. Results suggest that the PRSP process supported accountability for NSF resources. However, the process may have marginalized key stakeholders, potentially undercutting the

Equality of sexes would help AIDS fight. Funding.

Science.gov (United States)

1996-01-01

Women in many countries have no control over their sexual and reproductive lives. As such, they are at great risk of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection and AIDS. AIDS experts who met before the UN's World Population Day on July 11, 1996, called for a broad-based campaign to fight the disease, and argued that greater effort should be made to change imbalances between the sexes and to persuade the corporate sector to become more involved. AIDS rates are highest in sub-Saharan Africa where prostitution is widespread and women are traditionally seen as husbands' property. Since a medical cure for AIDS remains some way off, women in developing countries need to have more power to control their own lives. Improving women's status will require education among and employment for women, as well as education and a change in attitude in the general public.

Effectiveness of Foreign Aid on the Growth of the Agricultural Sector ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Contrary to expectation, the parameter estimate of foreign aid has a negative and insignificant relationship with agricultural output in the short and long run. On the contrary, savings and technological trend are significant and have positive relationship with agricultural output both in the short run and long run. A major policy ...

Internal audit function: a comparison between private and public sector in Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madawaki Abdulkadir

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study compares the internal audit functions between private and the public sector. Features examined include hierarchical rank of internal audit function, internal audit transfer, outsourcing of internal audit services and working relationship of internal audit with external auditor. The study is based on a survey of internal audit managers and chief internal auditors in private and public sector entities in Nigeria. The results revealed that there is no much difference in hierarchical rank of internal audit function in both sectors. While the results showed that differences exist in the reporting status between internal audit in the two sectors with private sector internal audit reporting to audit committee and chief executive officer and public sector internal audit reporting to chief executive officer and chief financial officer. Almost a similar amount of work is outsourced, and private sector entities are more likely to outsource than those in public sector. There is slight difference between internal audit activities and interaction with external auditor in the two sectors with private sector more likely to coordinate in the area of access to audit working papers.

Between fragmented authoritarianism and policy coordination: Creating a Chinese market for wind energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lema, Adrian; Ruby, Kristian

2007-01-01

The Chinese grid-connected wind energy sector has undergone a number of fundamental changes during its 20 years of existence. The scope of this article is to track the reforms of the energy bureaucracy and its policy approach on the one hand and changes in wind energy installations on the other. By comparing three historically distinct phases of wind energy in China it is shown how policy reforms have changed largely from a state of 'fragmented authoritarianism' towards policy coordination. In the initial phase (1986-1993), wind energy was expanding very slowly with disjointed policy making and in the incremental phase (1994-1999), the energy authorities were in dispute over the strategy and launched conflicting policy initiatives with poor results in wind energy output. The latest coordinated phase (2000-2006), however, developed a coherent renewable energy agenda and policy regime for the wind power sector. It is found that this phase with coordinated market regulations and incentives has helped give birth to a take-off in Chinese wind energy installations and substantial cost reductions, although the latter is threatening the profitability of wind farms. The article contributes to the academic debate over the role of policy making in renewable energy development and argues that China should continue, and improve, the coordination of regulations and incentives

Technical Review Guidelines for Environmental Impact Assessments in the Tourism, Energy and Mining Sectors

Science.gov (United States)

EPA coordinated a regional collaborative process with Central America and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) partners to develop Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Technical Review Guidelines for three sectors.

Work-Life Balance Practices in Nigeria: A Comparison of Three Sectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ojo Ibiyinka Stella

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The study investigates the concept of work-life balance (WLB policies and practices in three sectors of the Nigerian Economy namely the Banking, Educational and Power Sector. The types of WLB initiatives available in the three sectors were explored and the barriers to implementation of the WLB initiatives were identified. This research implored quantitative methods to investigate the work-life balance practices in three sectors of the Nigerian Economy. This was achieved using an in-depth case study analysis of these sectors. The data set comprised of responses from both managers and employees in the Banking sector with five hundred and eighty six copies of the questionnaire retrieved. The Educational sector comprised of both managers and employees with five hundred and thirty one copies of the questionnaire retrieved; while five hundred and seven copies retrieved from the Power Sector. The findings reveal that there is diversity in terms of how respondents perceive the concept of Work-Life Balance. There is a wide gap between corporate WLB practices and employees’ understanding of the concept; the paper suggests some policy implications which would aid the implementation of WLB policies in the studied sectors. This study also suggests direction for future research.

Sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS risk perception in the Malawi tourism industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Bisika, Thomas

2009-06-01

Malawi has for a long time relied on agriculture for the generation of foreign exchange. Due to varied reasons like climate change, the Malawi government has, therefore, identified tourism as one way of boosting foreign exchange earnings and is already in the process of developing the sector especially in the area of ecotourism. However, tourism is associated with increasing prostitution, drug abuse and a whole range of other sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems such as teenage pregnancies, HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This paper examines the knowledge, attitudes, practices and behaviour as well as risk perceptions associated with HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies among staff in the tourism industry and communities around tourist facilities in Malawi. The study was descriptive in nature and used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The qualitative methods involved in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The quantitative technique employed a survey of 205 purposively selected subjects from the tourism sector. The study concludes that people in the tourism sector are at high risk of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies and should be considered as a vulnerable group. The study further observes that this group of people has not adopted behaviours that can protect them from HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies although there is high demand for voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) which offers a very good entry point for HIV prevention and treatment in the tourism sector. The study recommends that a comprehensive tourism policy covering tourists, employees and communities around tourist facilities is required. Such a policy should address the rights of HIV infected employees and the provision of prevention and treatment services for HIV/AIDS and STIs as well as a broad range of SRH and family planning services especially

Early coordinated multidisciplinary intervention to prevent sickness absence and labour market exclusion in patients with low back pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fisker, Annette; Langberg, Henning; Petersen, Tom

2013-01-01

this type of intervention, and the implementation of a return-to-work (RTW)-coordinator is suggested as an effective strategy in this process. The purpose of this paper is to describe the study protocol and present a new type of intervention, where the physiotherapist both has the role as RTW...... after a period of sick leave. It seems that a multidisciplinary intervention, including cooperation between the health sector, the social sector and in the work place, has a positive effect on days off work due to musculoskeletal disorders and particularly low back pain. It is a challenge to coordinate...

African Journal of AIDS Research - Vol 7, No 3 (2008)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bridging the gap between VCT and HIV/AIDS treatment uptake: perspectives from a mining-sector workplace in South Africa · EMAIL FULL TEXT EMAIL FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. Anil Bhagwanjee, Inge Petersen, Olagoke Akintola, Gavin George, 271-279.

Ebola Preparedness in the Netherlands: The Need for Coordination Between the Public Health and the Curative Sector.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Swaan, Corien M; Öry, Alexander V; Schol, Lianne G C; Jacobi, André; Richardus, Jan Hendrik; Timen, Aura

2018-01-01

During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-2015, close cooperation between the curative sector and the public health sector in the Netherlands was necessary for timely identification, referral, and investigation of patients with suspected Ebola virus disease (EVD).

Mobilizing the private sector. Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferraz-tabor, L

1993-12-01

The national diarrheal disease control program has made progress against diarrheal illness in Indonesia, but diarrhea still accounts for 130,000 deaths of under-5 year olds annually. The potential of the private sector had been virtually untapped until the PRITECH Project designed and implemented a private sector based program to complement government efforts to reduce childhood morbidity and mortality related to diarrhea. PRITECH wanted to motivate commercial firms to invest the capital necessary to commercialize oral rehydration salts (ORS) so that program self-sufficiency would be maximized over the long term without depending upon donor support. Sections describe the lack of commercial sector ORS promotion, supply and demand factors, raising interest in ORS, conditions for change, the potential market for ORS, demand, production capacity, previous collaborative efforts, areas for improvement, PRITECH's role as catalyst, coordination with commercial companies, marketing workshops, collaboration with the Indonesian Medical Association, the handwashing campaign, and program impact. Although the program has been in place for just 1 year, sales of ORS have increased along with the degree of sustainable collaboration among local institutions. The author stresses that for the model to be successfully replicated elsewhere, the government, medical and pediatric associations, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, groups which can promote oral rehydration therapy, and opinion leaders in the medical community must be involved. Finally, note is made that the image of ORS must be improved and that the work of the public and commercial sectors can be complementary.

Ebola Preparedness in the Netherlands: The Need for Coordination Between the Public Health and the Curative Sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C. Swaan (Corien); Öry, A.V. (Alexander V.); Schol, L.G.C. (Lianne G. C.); A. Jacobi (Andre); J.H. Richardus (Jan Hendrik); A. Timen (Aura)

2017-01-01

markdownabstractContext: During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014-2015, close cooperation between the curative sector and the public health sector in the Netherlands was necessary for timely identification, referral, and investigation of patients with suspected Ebola virus disease (EVD).

Nuclear 101, a course on the nuclear sector for workers in the nuclear sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donev, J.M.K.C., E-mail: jason.donev@ucalgary.ca [Univ. of Calgary, Calgary, AB (Canada); Boreham, D.; Day, S., E-mail: boreham@mcmaster.ca, E-mail: dayse@mcmaster.ca [McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON (Canada); Dranga, R.; Krasznai, J.; Matthews, R.; Whitlock, J. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada)

2014-07-01

People who work in the nuclear science and technology community are often called upon in social situations to answer questions about the nuclear industry outside their area of direct expertise. In 2012 the Canadian Nuclear Society created 'Nuclear 101', a two-day general-level course to provide more information on the nuclear sector to people who are part of the nuclear science and technology community. This paper will discuss how Nuclear 101 aids public outreach discussions and the lessons learned after two years of operation, and will look at future directions for the course. (author)

Nuclear 101, a course on the nuclear sector for workers in the nuclear sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donev, J.M.K.C.; Boreham, D.; Day, S.; Dranga, R.; Krasznai, J.; Matthews, R.; Whitlock, J.

2014-01-01

People who work in the nuclear science and technology community are often called upon in social situations to answer questions about the nuclear industry outside their area of direct expertise. In 2012 the Canadian Nuclear Society created 'Nuclear 101', a two-day general-level course to provide more information on the nuclear sector to people who are part of the nuclear science and technology community. This paper will discuss how Nuclear 101 aids public outreach discussions and the lessons learned after two years of operation, and will look at future directions for the course. (author)

Improving cross-sector policy integration and co-operation in support of freshwater conservation

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Roux, DJ

2008-01-01

Full Text Available agricultural resources), and integrated development planning (MacKay & Ashton 2004). Of special importance is the coordination between land-related and water-related sectors because freshwater ecosystems are affected by activities that happen throughout...

Socio-economic monitoring of hiv/aids threat in the Russian Federation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeriy Aleksandrovich Chereshnev

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Thesubject of theinvestigation issocial and economic aspects of thethreat of HIV/AIDS in the Russian Federation.Theinvestigation was aimed at improving socio-economic monitoring of the HIV / AIDS threat. The methodology of systemic analysis and statistical methods were used. Three main sections of socio-economic monitoring of HIV / AIDS were defined with their problems, challenges and areas for improvement. Results of the study are applicable in justifying and shaping public policy to counter the threat of HIV / AIDS. Planned costs of measures to counter thethreat of HIV / AIDS must be based on requirements, allocation and results achieved. Systemic approach to planning requires an analysis of interrelation between costs, requirements and results. The absence of a systemic approach to coordination of costs and requirements leads to inefficient use of resources

Coordinating International Response to Emergencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bice, S. D.

2007-01-01

Pandemic disease, natural disasters and terrorism can affect thousands of people in a relatively short period of time anywhere in the world. Our recent international experience with hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis and infectious diseases (AIDS, TB and highly pathogenic avian influenza) show us that we must respond with a coordinated approach or we will fail the very people we intend to help. Nations from around the world are often eager to send assistance to the site of a disaster, but coordinating the incoming aid is more often flawed and imprecise than it must be in order to save lives and mitigate suffering. How can any one country, suffering from a horrendous calamity coordinate the incoming aid from around the world? Can any one agency hope to coordinate the myriad nation's response let alone that of the hundreds of non-governmental organizations? Currently, the answer is sadly, no. The purpose of this presentation is not to recommend one over the many international bodies which claim to oversee humanitarian assistance; the purpose of this presentation is to discuss the elements of only one aspect of the overall response effort: public health and medical response coordination. Public health response is of course different than a purely medical response. Traditionally, in a natural disaster, immediate public health concerns center around water, sewerage/waste disposal, potential for disease outbreaks, etc, whereas medical response concentrates on triage, saving those who can be saved, patching up the injured, and to a lesser extent, primary care to the survivors. In order to avoid political controversy, this presentation will use the example of Hurricane Iniki in Hawaii, September 1992, to illustrate key concepts. The State of Hawaii is no stranger to natural disasters. Their emergency response mechanisms are well honed, exercised and quite capable. However, the local community leaders on Kauai Island went thru each of the following phases before they

L-025: EPR-First Responders: Resource Coordinator and National Center for Emergency Operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

This conference cover the importance of resource coordinator and the national Center for Emergency Operations which provides a stable environment installation and a valuable aid in the radiological emergency situation.The resources coordinator maintains the registers and resources located in general as well as the National Center for Emergency Operations is the ideal place for the public information Center. Both roles provide support and encourage the efforts to respond to the incident Command

SUPERCOMPUTERS FOR AIDING ECONOMIC PROCESSES WITH REFERENCE TO THE FINANCIAL SECTOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerzy Balicki

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the use of supercomputers to support business processes with particular emphasis on the financial sector. A reference was made to the selected projects that support economic development. In particular, we propose the use of supercomputers to perform artificial intel-ligence methods in banking. The proposed methods combined with modern technology enables a significant increase in the competitiveness of enterprises and banks by adding new functionality.

Home-based care for people living with AIDS in Zimbabwe ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Similar to the healthcare systems of other resource-constrained countries with a high prevalence of HIV and AIDS, Zimbabwe's healthcare system encourages communities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to support the public healthcare sector by initiating home-based care activities and training volunteers to ...

Vibration Analysis of Annular Sector Plates under Different Boundary Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dongyan Shi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available An analytical framework is developed for the vibration analysis of annular sector plates with general elastic restraints along each edge of plates. Regardless of boundary conditions, the displacement solution is invariably expressed as a new form of trigonometric expansion with accelerated convergence. The expansion coefficients are treated as the generalized coordinates and determined using the Rayleigh-Ritz technique. This work allows a capability of modeling annular sector plates under a variety of boundary conditions and changing the boundary conditions as easily as modifying the material properties or dimensions of the plates. Of equal importance, the proposed approach is universally applicable to annular sector plates of any inclusion angles up to 2π. The reliability and accuracy of the current method are adequately validated through numerical examples.

The US Public Sector and Its Adoption of Service Oriented Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, David W.

2012-01-01

Information Technology (IT) provides public sector organizations the capability to provide real increases in organizational effectiveness by aiding in the efficient exchange of information. Adoption of advanced IT such as service oriented environments, Web 2.0, and bespoke systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) promises to markedly…

Metals in proteins: correlation between the metal-ion type, coordination number and the amino-acid residues involved in the coordination.

Science.gov (United States)

Dokmanić, Ivan; Sikić, Mile; Tomić, Sanja

2008-03-01

Metal ions are constituents of many metalloproteins, in which they have either catalytic (metalloenzymes) or structural functions. In this work, the characteristics of various metals were studied (Cu, Zn, Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cd and Ca in proteins with known crystal structure) as well as the specificity of their environments. The analysis was performed on two data sets: the set of protein structures in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) determined with resolution metal ion and its electron donors and the latter was used to assess the preferred coordination numbers and common combinations of amino-acid residues in the neighbourhood of each metal. Although the metal ions considered predominantly had a valence of two, their preferred coordination number and the type of amino-acid residues that participate in the coordination differed significantly from one metal ion to the next. This study concentrates on finding the specificities of a metal-ion environment, namely the distribution of coordination numbers and the amino-acid residue types that frequently take part in coordination. Furthermore, the correlation between the coordination number and the occurrence of certain amino-acid residues (quartets and triplets) in a metal-ion coordination sphere was analysed. The results obtained are of particular value for the identification and modelling of metal-binding sites in protein structures derived by homology modelling. Knowledge of the geometry and characteristics of the metal-binding sites in metalloproteins of known function can help to more closely determine the biological activity of proteins of unknown function and to aid in design of proteins with specific affinity for certain metals.

Macroeconomic Impact of HIV and AIDS on the Zimbabwean Economy

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2008-10-07

Oct 7, 2008 ... and incapacitates the existing pool of skilled labour through death, absenteeism, increased ... multi-sectoral interactions and their adjustment process. The human .... complicated matrix for different progression rates is whereby probabilities of ..... Figure 2: distribution of output lost due to HIV/AIDS by Areas.

Development of a security vulnerability assessment process for the RAMCAP chemical sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, David A; Fuller, Brad; Hazzan, Michael; Jones, J William

2007-04-11

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Directorate of Information Analysis & Infrastructure Protection (IAIP), Protective Services Division (PSD), contracted the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Innovative Technologies Institute, LLC (ASME ITI, LLC) to develop guidance on Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Asset Protection (RAMCAP). AcuTech Consulting Group (AcuTech) has been contracted by ASME ITI, LLC, to provide assistance by facilitating the development of sector-specific guidance on vulnerability analysis and management for critical asset protection for the chemical manufacturing, petroleum refining, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) sectors. This activity involves two key tasks for these three sectors: Development of a screening to supplement DHS understanding of the assets that are important to protect against terrorist attack and to prioritize the activities. Development of a standard security vulnerability analysis (SVA) framework for the analysis of consequences, vulnerabilities, and threats. This project involves the cooperative effort of numerous leading industrial companies, industry trade associations, professional societies, and security and safety consultants representative of those sectors. Since RAMCAP is a voluntary program for ongoing risk management for homeland security, sector coordinating councils are being asked to assist in communicating the goals of the program and in encouraging participation. The RAMCAP project will have a profound and positive impact on all sectors as it is fully developed, rolled-out and implemented. It will help define the facilities and operations of national and regional interest for the threat of terrorism, define standardized methods for analyzing consequences, vulnerabilities, and threats, and describe best security practices of the industry. This paper will describe the results of the security vulnerability analysis process that was developed and field tested for the chemical manufacturing

Development of a security vulnerability assessment process for the RAMCAP chemical sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, David A.; Fuller, Brad; Hazzan, Michael; Jones, J. William

2007-01-01

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Directorate of Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection (IAIP), Protective Services Division (PSD), contracted the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Innovative Technologies Institute, LLC (ASME ITI, LLC) to develop guidance on Risk Analysis and Management for Critical Asset Protection (RAMCAP). AcuTech Consulting Group (AcuTech) has been contracted by ASME ITI, LLC, to provide assistance by facilitating the development of sector-specific guidance on vulnerability analysis and management for critical asset protection for the chemical manufacturing, petroleum refining, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) sectors. This activity involves two key tasks for these three sectors:*Development of a screening to supplement DHS understanding of the assets that are important to protect against terrorist attack and to prioritize the activities. *Development of a standard security vulnerability analysis (SVA) framework for the analysis of consequences, vulnerabilities, and threats. This project involves the cooperative effort of numerous leading industrial companies, industry trade associations, professional societies, and security and safety consultants representative of those sectors. Since RAMCAP is a voluntary program for ongoing risk management for homeland security, sector coordinating councils are being asked to assist in communicating the goals of the program and in encouraging participation. The RAMCAP project will have a profound and positive impact on all sectors as it is fully developed, rolled-out and implemented. It will help define the facilities and operations of national and regional interest for the threat of terrorism, define standardized methods for analyzing consequences, vulnerabilities, and threats, and describe best security practices of the industry. This paper will describe the results of the security vulnerability analysis process that was developed and field tested for the chemical manufacturing

[AIDS prevention in Germany].

Science.gov (United States)

Pott, E

2007-04-01

In 1987 the national AIDS prevention campaign "Gib AIDS keine Chance" (Don't give AIDS a chance) was started in Germany. After a very difficult and controversial political debate about a probably successful response to AIDS, in the end a political decision was made in favour of the implementation of a long term "social learning strategy". Thus, since then the Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung (Federal Centre for Health Education, BZgA) has been running the campaign on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health. The result of this prevention program is a low rate of infections. In Germany there were 2600 newly diagnosed infections in 2005: 59 % in homosexual men, 16 % by heterosexual contacts, 17 % in people from high prevalence countries and 7 % in i.v. drug users. In comparison to the international situation Germany has a relatively low HIV-prevalence even nowadays. However, Germany has also been confronted with an increasing number of newly diagnosed infections in the last few years. When the prevention program was started it was very important to build new structures for a successful implementation of the campaign. That meant for instance to build up an effective infrastructure for cooperation between the governmental and the nongovernmental sector, including organising the coordinated action among the partners at the federal, regional and local levels. Likewise, international networking was of great importance. A key element, relevant for the success of the campaign was the close cooperation at the federal level between the BZgA and the Deutsche AIDS Hilfe (German AIDS Help, DAH), to combine the highreach intervention in low-prevalence populations with intensive interventions for high prevalence groups. An effective national AIDS prevention campaign must reach the whole population; inform the public about the main risks of infection, about methods of protection and about what is not infectious. Moreover groups with a higher level of risk of

Mission improbable: Does petroleum-related aid address the resource curse?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolstad, Ivar; Wiig, Arne; Williams, Aled

2009-01-01

Petroleum-related aid programmes and projects are a key part of donor activities in oil-rich developing countries. This paper critically assesses petroleum-related aid activities, using the Norwegian Oil for Development programme as a main case. Recent research suggests that institutions, or governance, are essential in averting a resource curse. While governance issues are beginning to receive more attention in these types of programmes, they still form a minor part of programme activities. The narrow sector focus that characterizes petroleum-related aid makes it unlikely that it will produce the higher order institutional changes needed to lift the resource curse. Petroleum-related aid activities address the issue of corruption only to a limited extent. Given the commercial and political interests of donor countries, questions about the integrity and credibility of these types of programmes can be raised

Can donor aid for health be effective in a poor country? Assessment of prerequisites for aid effectiveness in Uganda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ssengooba Freddie

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Inadequate funding for health is a challenge to attaining health-related Millennium Development Goals. Significant increase in health funding was recommended by the Commission for Macroeconomics and Health. Indeed Official Development Assistance has increased significantly in Uganda. However, the effectiveness of donor aid has come under greater scrutiny. This paper scrutinizes the prerequisites for aid effectiveness. The objective of the study was to assess the prerequisites for effectiveness of donor aid, specifically, its proportion to overall health funding, predictability, comprehensiveness, alignment to country priorities, and channeling mechanisms. Methods:Secondary data obtained from various official reports and surveys were analyzed against the variables mentioned under objectives. This was augmented by observations and participation in discussions with all stakeholders to discuss sector performance including health financing. Results:Between 2004−2007, the level of aid increased from US$6 per capita to US$11. Aid was found to be unpredictable with expenditure varying between 174−360 percent from budgets. More than 50% of aid was found to be off budget and unavailable for comprehensive planning. There was disproportionate funding for some items such as drugs. Key health system elements such as human resources and infrastructure have not been given due attention in investment. The government’s health funding from domestic sources grew only modestly which did not guarantee fiscal sustainability. Conclusion: Although donor aid is significant there is need to invest in the prerequisites that would guarantee its effective use.

Can donor aid for health be effective in a poor country? Assessment of prerequisites for aid effectiveness in Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Juliet, Nabyonga Orem; Freddie, Ssengooba; Okuonzi, Sam

2009-10-22

Inadequate funding for health is a challenge to attaining health-related Millennium Development Goals. Significant increase in health funding was recommended by the Commission for Macroeconomics and Health. Indeed Official Development Assistance has increased significantly in Uganda. However, the effectiveness of donor aid has come under greater scrutiny. This paper scrutinizes the prerequisites for aid effectiveness. The objective of the study was to assess the prerequisites for effectiveness of donor aid, specifically, its proportion to overall health funding, predictability, comprehensiveness, alignment to country priorities, and channeling mechanisms. Secondary data obtained from various official reports and surveys were analyzed against the variables mentioned under objectives. This was augmented by observations and participation in discussions with all stakeholders to discuss sector performance including health financing. Between 2004-2007, the level of aid increased from US$6 per capita to US$11. Aid was found to be unpredictable with expenditure varying between 174-8722;360 percent from budgets. More than 50% of aid was found to be off budget and unavailable for comprehensive planning. There was disproportionate funding for some items such as drugs. Key health system elements such as human resources and infrastructure have not been given due attention in investment. The government's health funding from domestic sources grew only modestly which did not guarantee fiscal sustainability. Although donor aid is significant there is need to invest in the prerequisites that would guarantee its effective use.

Risk analysis. HIV / AIDS country profile: Senegal.

Science.gov (United States)

1996-12-01

Since the first acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) case was confirmed in 1986, Senegal has conducted an aggressive prevention campaign. Senegal's National AIDS Committee has noted the contributions of poverty and migration to the spread of AIDS. By June 1994, 1297 AIDS cases had been reported and an estimated 500,000 people (1.4% of the population) were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and 2. The highest rate of HIV infection (14%) exists among commercial sex workers. At present, HIV/AIDS cases are concentrated in Dakar, Kaolack, the Matam region, and Ziguinchor; however, the growing importance of inter-regional trading is expected to spread HIV to the smaller towns and rural areas. Also salient is the recent devaluation by 50% of the CFA franc, which has reduced the public sector workforce and led many poor urban residents into commercial sex work. CFA devaluation has made Senegal attractive to tourists and business visitors--another factor responsible for growth of the legalized commercial sex industry. Although sex workers are instructed in condom use and tested annually for HIV, only 850 of the 2000 registered sex workers have reported for check-ups, and the majority of prostitutes are unregistered. Senegal's AIDS Plan for 1994-98 focuses on care of AIDS patients, pressures placed on family structures by HIV, and AIDS-related erosions in the status of women. Each health service region has its own local plan for AIDS/HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, supervised by a regional committee. Public education has involved outreach to religious leaders, promotion of affordable condoms, and distribution of over 75,000 leaflets to key target populations. About US $16 million of the $25,688,875-budget HIV/AIDS program for 1994-98 was pledged by external donors.

June Solstice Equatorial Spread F in the American Sector: A Numerical Assessment of Linear Stability Aided by Incoherent Scatter Radar Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Weijia; S. Rodrigues, Fabiano

2018-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that weakening downward plasma drifts can produce favorable conditions for the ionospheric Generalized Rayleigh-Taylor (GRT) instability and explain the occurrence of postmidnight equatorial spread F (ESF). We evaluated this hypothesis using numerical simulations aided by measurements and attempted to explain ESF events observed in the American sector during June solstice, low solar flux conditions. We analyzed plasma drifts and ESF measurements made by the incoherent scatter radar of the Jicamarca Radio Observatory (11.95° S, 76.87° W, ˜1° dip). We found adequate measurements during a prototypical, quiet time event on 4-5 June 2008 when the downward drifts weakened and a fully developed ESF appeared. The measured drifts were used as input for the SAMI2 model. SAMI2 reproduced an "apparent" uplift of the ionosphere based on h'F measurements that was consistent with expectations and observations. SAMI2 also provided parameters for estimation of the flux tube linear growth rates of GRT instability associated with the weakening drift event. We found that the weakening drifts did produce unstable conditions with positive growth rates. The growth rates, however, were slower than those obtained for typical, premidnight ESF events and those obtained for similar drift conditions in other longitude sectors. We show, however, that departures in the wind pattern, from climatological model predictions, can produce favorable conditions for instability development. Following the hypothesis of Huba and Krall (2013) and using SAMI2 simulations, we show that equatorward winds, when combined with weakening drifts, could have contributed to the unstable conditions responsible for the postmidnight ESF events.

How to improve collaboration between the public health sector and other policy sectors to reduce health inequalities? - A study in sixteen municipalities in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Storm, Ilse; den Hertog, Frank; van Oers, Hans; Schuit, Albertine J

2016-06-22

The causes of health inequalities are complex. For the reduction of health inequalities, intersectoral collaboration between the public health sector and both social policy sectors (e.g. youth affairs, education) and physical policy sectors (e.g. housing, spatial planning) is essential, but in local practice difficult to realize. The aim of this study was to examine the collaboration between the sectors in question more closely and to identify opportunities for improvement. A qualitative descriptive analysis of five aspects of collaboration within sixteen Dutch municipalities was performed to examine the collaboration between the public health sector and other policy sectors: 1) involvement of the sectors in the public health policy network, 2) harmonisation of objectives, 3) use of policies by the relevant sectors, 4) formalised collaboration, and 5) previous experience. Empirical data on these collaboration aspects were collected based on document analysis, questionnaires and interviews. The study found that the policy workers of social sectors were more involved in the public health network and more frequently supported the objectives in the field of health inequality reduction. Both social policy sectors and physical policy sectors used policies and activities to reduce health inequalities. More is done to influence the determinants of health inequality through policies aimed at lifestyle and social setting than through policies aimed at socioeconomic factors and the physical environment. Where the physical policy sectors are involved in the public health network, the collaboration follows a very similar pattern as with the social policy sectors. All sectors recognise the importance of good relationships, positive experiences, a common interest in working together and coordinated mechanisms. This study shows that there is scope for improving collaboration in the field of health inequality reduction between the public health sector and both social policy sectors

Commodification of Higher Education: Students, Study Loan Systems and State Aid

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoogenboom, Alexander

2015-01-01

The main argument presented in this paper is that the application of economic principles in the higher education sector, turning higher education institutes into undertakings operating on markets, leads to the application of rules on State aid. This has consequences for the financial support systems

Supporting analysis and assessments quality metrics: Utility market sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohi, J. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

1996-10-01

In FY96, NREL was asked to coordinate all analysis tasks so that in FY97 these tasks will be part of an integrated analysis agenda that will begin to define a 5-15 year R&D roadmap and portfolio for the DOE Hydrogen Program. The purpose of the Supporting Analysis and Assessments task at NREL is to provide this coordination and conduct specific analysis tasks. One of these tasks is to prepare the Quality Metrics (QM) for the Program as part of the overall QM effort at DOE/EERE. The Hydrogen Program one of 39 program planning units conducting QM, a process begun in FY94 to assess benefits/costs of DOE/EERE programs. The purpose of QM is to inform decisionmaking during budget formulation process by describing the expected outcomes of programs during the budget request process. QM is expected to establish first step toward merit-based budget formulation and allow DOE/EERE to get {open_quotes}most bang for its (R&D) buck.{close_quotes} In FY96. NREL coordinated a QM team that prepared a preliminary QM for the utility market sector. In the electricity supply sector, the QM analysis shows hydrogen fuel cells capturing 5% (or 22 GW) of the total market of 390 GW of new capacity additions through 2020. Hydrogen consumption in the utility sector increases from 0.009 Quads in 2005 to 0.4 Quads in 2020. Hydrogen fuel cells are projected to displace over 0.6 Quads of primary energy in 2020. In future work, NREL will assess the market for decentralized, on-site generation, develop cost credits for distributed generation benefits (such as deferral of transmission and distribution investments, uninterruptible power service), cost credits for by-products such as heat and potable water, cost credits for environmental benefits (reduction of criteria air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions), compete different fuel cell technologies against each other for market share, and begin to address economic benefits, especially employment.

Evaluation of alternatives for power system coordination and pooling in a competitive environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudnick, H.; Varela, R.; Hogan, W.

1997-01-01

The paper defines and classifies essential issues that relate the need for electric power system coordination with the increasing development of competition. Principles are formulated and a coordination model and a market structure are proposed, emphasizing the need for economic dispatch in the wholesale market. A detailed comparison is made of the market and pooling implementations developed in Argentina and Chile, countries that have pioneered the creation of competitive markets in the electric energy sector. An evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of those two implementations is included

Executive summary of the consensus statement on assistance to women with HIV infection in the health care sector. National AIDS Plan (PNS) and AIDS Study Group (GeSIDA).

Science.gov (United States)

2014-02-01

The aim of this paper was to develop a consensus on clinical recommendations for health care assistance for women with HIV infection. To this end, a panel of experts, appointed by the Secretariat of the National AIDS Plan and GeSIDA was assembled, that included internal medicine physicians with expertise in the field of HIV infection, gynecologists, pediatricians and psychologists, with two members of the panel acting as coordinators. Scientific information was reviewed in publications and conference reports up to October 2012. In keeping with the criteria of the Infectious Disease Society of America, two levels of evidence were applied to support the proposed recommendations: the strength of the recommendation according to expert opinion (A, B, C) and the level of empirical evidence (I, II, III), already used in previous documents from SPNS/GESIDA. Multiple recommendations are provided for the clinical management of women with HIV infection, considering both the diagnostic and possible therapeutic strategies. This document presents recommendations for the treatment of women with HIV infection. This must be multidisciplinary, taking into account the differences that can be found in the diagnosis, development of disease and treatment between men and women. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Public sector nurses in Swaziland: can the downturn be reversed?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Van Damme Wim

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The lack of human resources for health (HRH is increasingly being recognized as a major bottleneck to scaling up antiretroviral treatment (ART, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, whose societies and health systems are hardest hit by HIV/AIDS. In this case study of Swaziland, we describe the current HRH situation in the public sector. We identify major factors that contribute to the crisis, describe policy initiatives to tackle it and base on these a number of projections for the future. Finally, we suggest some areas for further research that may contribute to tackling the HRH crisis in Swaziland. Methods We visited Swaziland twice within 18 months in order to capture the HRH situation as well as the responses to it in 2004 and in 2005. Using semi-structured interviews with key informants and group interviews, we obtained qualitative and quantitative data on the HRH situation in the public and mission health sectors. We complemented this with an analysis of primary documents and a review of the available relevant reports and studies. Results The public health sector in Swaziland faces a serious shortage of health workers: 44% of posts for physicians, 19% of posts for nurses and 17% of nursing assistant posts were unfilled in 2004. We identified emigration and attrition due to HIV/AIDS as major factors depleting the health workforce. The annual training output of only 80 new nurses is not sufficient to compensate for these losses, and based on the situation in 2004 we estimated that the nursing workforce in the public sector would have been reduced by more than 40% by 2010. In 2005 we found that new initiatives by the Swazi government, such as the scale-up of ART, the introduction of retention measures to decrease emigration and the influx of foreign nurses could have the potential to improve the situation. A combination of such measures, together with the planned increase in the training capacity of the country's nursing

The Governance of American Manufacturing Sectors: The Logic of Coordination and Control

OpenAIRE

Hollingsworth, J.

1990-01-01

In recent years, scholars in a variety of disciplines have become interested in why there is variation in the institutional arrangements for coordination and control of economic activities in capitalist economies. Some have attempted to explain why transactions occur among actors within a market, a firm, or some form of network. Another body of scholarship has attempted to understand why there are collective forms of behavior among economic actors. This paper attempts to integrate these two t...

Should HIV and AIDS workplace programmes still be advocated in the automotive industry?

OpenAIRE

Liana Steenkamp; Jill von der Marwitz; Friederike Baasner-Weihs; Jacques Pietersen

2015-01-01

Orientation: In light of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic, and in order to improve competitiveness in the South African private sector, many structures have implemented subsidised workplace programmes. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to collect baseline data regarding the knowledge, attitudes, practices and belief (KAPB) of employees in the automotive industry in relation to HIV and AIDS, in order to assess the need for HIV and AIDS workplace programmes. Mot...

Etic and Emic Perspectives on HIV/AIDS Impacts on Rural Livelihoods and Agricultural Practice in Sub-Saharan Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Niehof, A.; Price, L.L.

2008-01-01

Using an HIV/AIDS lens in looking at developments in rural livelihoods and agricultural practice reveals a diversity of critical impacts of the epidemic. Still, in most of the countries hardest-hit by HIV/ AIDS the agricultural sector lacks adequate policies and programmes to deal with the crisis.

Staff/bed and staff/patient ratios in South African public sector mental ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives. To document staff/bed and staff/patient ratios in public. sector mental health services in South Africa. Design. Cross-sectional survey. Method. Aquestionnaire was distributed to provincial mental health co-ordinators requesting numbers of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff who provide mental health care at all ...

Non-uniformly sampled grids in double pole coordinate system for freeform reflector construction

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Donglin; Pacheco, Shaun; Feng, Zexin; Liang, Rongguang

2015-08-01

We propose a new method to design freeform reflectors by nonuniformly sampling the source intensity distribution in double pole coordinate system. In double pole coordinate system, there is no pole for the whole hemisphere because both poles of the spherical coordinate system are moved to southernmost point of the sphere and overlapped together. With symmetric definition of both angular coordinates in the modified double pole coordinate system, a better match between the source intensity distribution and target irradiance distribution can be achieved for reflectors with large acceptance solid angle, leading to higher light efficiency and better uniformity on the target surface. With non-uniform sampling of the source intensity, we can design circular freeform reflector to obtain uniform rectangular illumination pattern. Aided by the feedback optimization, the freeform reflector can achieve the collection efficiency for ideal point source over 0.7 and relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 0.1.

Sectoral Innovation Watch electrical and Optical Equipment Sector. Final sector report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broek, T. van den; Giessen, A.M. van der

2011-01-01

The electrical and optical equipment sector is a high-tech manufacturing sector. It is one of the most innovative sectors in Europe with investments and advances in fundamental research, applied R&D and innovation in the actual use of equipment. This sector is also one of the most global sectors

Promoting coordination in Norwegian health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tor I. Romøren

2011-10-01

Full Text Available   Introduction: The Norwegian health care system is well organized within its two main sectors - primary health and long term care on the one hand, and hospitals and specialist services on the other. However, the relation between them lacks mediating structures.Policy practice: Enhancing coordination between primary and secondary health care has been central in Norwegian health care policy the last decade. In 2003 a committee was appointed to identify coordination problems and proposed a lot of practical and organisational recommendations. It relied on an approach challenging primary and secondary health care in shared geographical regions to take action. However, these proposals were not implemented. In 2008 a new Minister of Health and Care worked out plans under the key term "Coordination Reform". These reform plans superseded and expanded the previous policy initiatives concerning cooperation, but represented also a shift in focus to a regulative and centralised strategy, including new health legislation, structural reforms and use of economic incentives that are now about to be implemented.Discussion: The article analyses the perspectives and proposals of the previous and the recent reform initiatives in Norway and discusses them in relation to integrated care measures implemented in Denmark and Sweden.

The tourism sector in Asom - a critical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Padmasree Karamala

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The Tourism Sector has become a part or an appendage of the international trade and exchange system. The State of Asom in India is one of the most beautiful and attractive regions of India. There is hardly any other state which offers what Asom has. Asom has greater variety and colors in its natural scenery and in the cultural treasures of the people that inhabit it. Asom is blessed with an abundance of scenic grandeur. In view of the growing importance of the tourism sector all over the world in general, and in the State of Asom in particular, the tourism sector has become a part or an appendage of the international trade and exchange system. The present study intends to study the position of the Asom tourism sector. It was found that Asom has occupied the lionsshare in the North East Region, with almost 68 percent of this share, while in India it has only 0.005per cent, 0.0035per cent of the Asia Pacific region and accounts for 0.00044 per cent of the world tourist arrivals from 2011-2012. Although it is suffering from different threats and challenges, it has a number of key attributes to attract domestic and foreign tourists into the state. This has enormous potential for the future development of the tourism sector in the state, hence government should encourage the private sector to be involved in the tourism field and try to attract private investment. Consequently, a well co-ordinated tourism plan and a policy of publicprivate partnership is required so as to develop the tourism sector in the state in the long run.

HIV/AIDS policy agenda setting in Iran

Science.gov (United States)

Khodayari - Zarnaq, Rahim; Ravaghi, Hamid; Mohammad Mosaddeghrad, Ali; Sedaghat, Abbas; Mohraz, Minoo

2016-01-01

Background: HIV/AIDS control are one of the most important goals of the health systems. The aim of this study was to determine how HIV/AIDS control was initiated among policy makers’ agenda setting in Iran. Methods: A qualitative research (semi-structured interview) was conducted using Kingdon’s framework (problem, policy and politics streams, and policy windows and policy entrepreneurs) to analysis HIV/AIDS agenda setting in Iran. Thirty-two policy makers, managers, specialists, and researchers were interviewed. Also, 30 policy documents were analyzed. Framework analysis method was used for data analysis. Results: the increase of HIV among Injecting drug users (IDUs) and Female Sex Workers (FSWs), lack of control of their high-risk behaviors, and exceeding the HIV into concentrated phase were examples of problem stream. Policy stream was evidence-based solutions that highlighted the need for changing strategies for dealing with such a problem and finding technically feasible and acceptable solutions. Iran’s participation in United Nations General Assembly special sessions on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS), the establishment of National AIDS Committee; highlighting AIDS control in Iran’s five years development program and the support of the judiciary system of harm reduction policies were examples of politics stream. Policy entrepreneurs linking these streams put the HIV/AIDS on the national agenda (policy windows) and provide their solutions. Conclusion: There were mutual interactions among these three streams and sometimes, they weakened or reinforced each other. Future studies are recommended to understand the interactions between these streams’ parts and perhaps develop further Kingdon’s framework, especially in the health sector. PMID:27579283

Economic and Social Role of the ICT Private Sector in West and ...

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

It is the same with the ICT sector, which has advanced in recent years aided by the liberalization of telecommunications, the arrival of the Internet and, more recently, the expansion of mobile telephone service to the farthest reaches of African countries. This new environment creates economic opportunities that contribute to ...

[Is there risk of AIDS among adolescents?].

Science.gov (United States)

Molina Cartes, R

1988-01-01

No data are as yet available on the information and attitudes of the adolescent population of Chile regarding AIDS. A survey of 800 adolescents aged 16-19 in Massachusetts, US, indicated that 29% had no knowledge of AIDS, 70% were sexually active, and 15% would not change their sex habits to avoid AIDS. A study in Santiago, Chile, showed that young people with the least information on sex and reproduction had the earliest initiation of sexual activity and the most frequent relations. Surveys throughout Latin America have indicated that a significant proportion of adolescents have active sex lives, leaving them potentially vulnerable to risk of sexually transmitted diseases. The risk is increased by frequent changes of partners among couples not yet strongly committed to each other. The World Health Organization considers prevention of sexually transmitted diseases to be one of the main objectives of family planning programs for adolescents. Studies in various countries found that proportion of sexually active adolescents who routinely used condoms was low. The evidence thus indicates that adolescents are at substantial risk of AIDS through their lack of information about AIDS, their significant sexual activity, and their failure to use condoms. Measures to combat or minimize the threat of AIDS among adolescents should begin with educational programs beginning with teachers and families. Efforts should be made to reach young people in the informal sector who are at greatest risk through community based programs.

New indicators of innovation in the health sector

OpenAIRE

Sivertsen, Gunnar; Kværner, Kari J.

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a new model for the measurement and stimulation of service innovation and commercialization in the health sector which has been developed for the Norwegian Ministry of Health and will be piloted in 2016. Data for the indicators are recorded from a new shared national innovation management and information system in which the primary function (independent of measurement) is to aid the phase-to-phase efficiency and valuation work in daily innovation processes, and to create...

Multi-Sectoral Action for Addressing Social Determinants of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mainstreaming Health Promotion in National Health Programmes in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Arora

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs share common behavioral risk factors and deep-rooted social determinants. India needs to address its growing NCD burden through health promoting partnerships, policies, and programs. High-level political commitment, inter-sectoral coordination, and community mobilization are important in developing a successful, national, multi-sectoral program for the prevention and control of NCDs. The World Health Organization′s "Action Plan for a Global Strategy for Prevention and Control of NCDs" calls for a comprehensive plan involving a whole-of-Government approach. Inter-sectoral coordination will need to start at the planning stage and continue to the implementation, evaluation of interventions, and enactment of public policies. An efficient multi-sectoral mechanism is also crucial at the stage of monitoring, evaluating enforcement of policies, and analyzing impact of multi-sectoral initiatives on reducing NCD burden in the country. This paper presents a critical appraisal of social determinants influencing NCDs, in the Indian context, and how multi-sectoral action can effectively address such challenges through mainstreaming health promotion into national health and development programs. India, with its wide socio-cultural, economic, and geographical diversities, poses several unique challenges in addressing NCDs. On the other hand, the jurisdiction States have over health, presents multiple opportunities to address health from the local perspective, while working on the national framework around multi-sectoral aspects of NCDs.

AIDS in Africa. ILO launches campaign on HIV / AIDS in the world of work.

Science.gov (United States)

1999-01-01

This article presents the proceedings of the regional workshop on HIV/AIDS and its social and labor impact in Africa conducted by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Pretoria. According to the Pretoria report, HIV/AIDS had become a human tragedy in Africa. It affects the health and development of the region and threatens the social and economic growth of almost all sub-Saharan African countries. It is considered to be the single most important impediment to social progress to many countries in Africa. Thus, the primary goal of the ILO, which is promoting opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity, is threatened by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. However, several activities have taken place in response to the need for the prevention and control of the disease. In addition, the report calls for efforts to create an enabling environment for people living with the disease involving governments, employers' and workers' organizations. It noted that the ILO could provide assistance in the adoption of laws and regulations to protect the rights of these people with regards to the access of health insurance, employment, education, as well as labor administration, productivity and the informal sector.

DTN and international cooperation of the Spanish Nuclear Sector in nuclear technology development processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acero, M.

1995-01-01

The Spanish electrical utilities with interests in the Nuclear Sector-IBERDROLA, ENDESA,FUERZAS ELECTRICAS DE CATALU=A5A (FECSA), UNION ELECTRICA FENOSA S.A., COMPA=A5IA SEVILLANA DE ELECTRICIDAD S.A., AND HIDROELECTRICA DEL CANTABRICO S.A.-created on September 26, 1994 the ''Agrupacion Electrica para el Desarrollo Tecnologico Nuclear, A.I.E. (DTN)'' (Electrical Society for Nuclear technology Development A.I.E.) for the purpose of promoting and managing Nuclear Nechnology Development, and integrating and coordinating the efforts of the Nuclear Electrical Sector with industrial companies and other related institutions in spain and abroad. This mission is primarily accomplished by establinhing a common strategy for the Nuclear Electrical Sector in the different areas of responsibility of DTN, centralizing actions by implementing a clear and coherent policy, and ensuring the presence of the entire Electrical Sector in all those fora deemed to be strategic to the Nuclear Sector

Certification of Financial Aid Administrators: Is It Time to Move Forward?

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Stacey A.

2017-01-01

Financial aid administrators administer various aspects of financial assistance programs; oversee, direct, coordinate, evaluate, and provide training for program activities and the personnel who manage office operations and supervise support staff; and ensure alignment of student and institutional needs while protecting the public interest. They…

Does donor proliferation in development aid for health affect health service delivery and population health? Cross-country regression analysis from 1995 to 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Pallas, Sarah Wood; Ruger, Jennifer Prah

2017-05-01

Previous literature suggests that increasing numbers of development aid donors can reduce aid effectiveness but this has not been tested in the health sector, which has experienced substantial recent growth in aid volume and number of donors. Based on annual data for 1995-2010 on 139 low- and middle-income countries that received health sector aid from donors reporting to the OECD's Creditor Reporting System, the study used two-step system generalized method of moments regression models to test whether the number of health aid donors and an index of health aid donor fragmentation affect health services (measured by DTP3 immunization rate) or health outcomes (measured by infant mortality rate) for three subsectors of health aid. For total health aid and for the general and basic health aid subsector, controlling for economic and political conditions, increases in the number of donors were associated with increases in DTP3 immunization rate and reductions in infant mortality while increases in the donor fragmentation index were associated with decreases in DTP3 immunization rate and increases in infant mortality, though none of these relationships were statistically significant. For the population and reproductive health aid subsector, a one percent increase in the number of donors was associated with a 0.23 percent decrease in DTP3 immunization ( P <  0.01) while a one percent increase in donor fragmentation was associated with a 0.54 percent increase in DTP3 immunization rate ( P <  0.01); associations with infant mortality rates for this subsector were similar to those for total health aid. The results do not provide clear evidence in support of the hypothesis that donor proliferation negatively impacts development results in the health sector. Aid effectiveness policy prescriptions should distinguish responses to donor proliferation versus donor fragmentation and be adapted to specific subsectors of health aid. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford

ASSESMEN INTEGRITAS DALAM PROGRAM PENANGGULANGAN PENYAKIT HIV/AIDS DI KOTA MANADO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roy Glenn Albert Massie

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In Indonesia, there is HIV/AIDS epidemics with a prevalence of 0.2% among adults. It needs assessment on integrity to improve reliability and effectiveness the program implementation for understanding public policy, transparency, accountability, active community participation and ethics considerations of HIV/AIDS based on Government Regulation No. 75/2006. The study aimed to understand integrity of HIV/AIDS on public health institutions, and related private sectors in Manado City. It was an observational study with a cross sectional design. Data were collected by in-depth interviews to policy makers in the public sector, Head of Health Offi ces and the programmers, Provincial AIDS Committee, Province hospital, health centers, NGOs and private clinics. Standards and regulations of HIV/AIDS management activities refer to the international, national, provincial and municipal. There were transparencies but fi nancial aspects and recording reporting of cases are still un opened. The accountability and effectiveness of procedure management could not be as a whole because lacked of adequate resources, including budget availability. There were not availabity of etics based standard services. There were not policy on human resources capacity building that caused in balance the quality and quantity of staffs. The prevention and management are still lack in high-risk and vulnerable populations. There were lack of concept understanding and practical integrity of health workers on management level and health care providers. Itneeded fi nancial transparency. Monitoring and evaluation to health facilities should be regularly; there should be policies for handling public complaints, training of standards management for health workers; training concept of integrity to related sectors. The active community participation should be enhanced. ABSTRAK Di Indonesia terdapat epidemi penyakit HIV/AIDS, dengan prevalensi 0,2% orang dewasa. Perlu penilaian terhadap

Player or referee? Aid effectiveness and the governance of health policy development: Lessons from Viet Nam.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodd, Rebecca; Olivé, Jean-Marc

2011-01-01

Viet Nam is one of the brightest stars in the constellation of developing countries. Its remarkable achievements in reducing poverty and improving health and education outcomes are well known, and as a result it has enjoyed generous aid programmes. Viet Nam also has a reputation for taking a strong lead in disciplining its donors and pushing for more efficient and effective forms of aid delivery, both at home and internationally. This article discusses how efforts to improve the effectiveness of aid intersect with policy-making processes in the health sector. It presents a quantitative review of health aid flows in Viet Nam and a qualitative analysis of the aid environment using event analysis, participant observation and key informant interviews. The analysis reveals a complex and dynamic web of incentives influencing the implementation of the aid effectiveness agenda in the health sector. There are contradictory forces within the Ministry of Health, within government as a whole, within the donor community and between donors and government. Analytical frameworks drawn from the study of policy networks and governance can help explain these tensions. They suggest that governance of health aid in Viet Nam is characterised by multiple, overlapping 'policy networks' which cut across the traditional donor-government divide. The principles of aid effectiveness make sense for some of these communities, but for others they are irrational and may lead to a loss of influence and resources. However, sustained engagement combined with the building of strategic coalitions can overcome individual and institutional incentives. This article suggests that aid reform efforts should be understood not as a technocratic agenda but as a political process with all the associated tensions, perverse incentives and challenges. Partners thus need to recognise - and find new ways of making sense of - the complexity of forces affecting aid delivery.

Determination of particle movement parameters in industrial apparatuses with the aid of radioisotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazaniak, Z.; Michalik, J.S.; Radwan, M.

1978-01-01

The coordinatives of particles moving in a blast furnace for the production of copper matte have been determined with the aid of radioactive tracers. The principle of the method is based on an angular identification of the coordinates of the labelled particle by two moving collimated detectors. The application under industrial conditions does not cause any disturbances in the technological process and does not render more difficult the operation of the investigated apparatus

Private sector participation in the petroleum industry of Trinidad ampersand Tabago

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boopsingh, T.M.

1993-01-01

The limitations of size, domestic capital markets and the relative youth of the country, has seen shifts in the importance attributed to the private sector in energy over the past three (3) decades. The need for foreign capital and expertise has never been considered unimportant, but the corresponding need for deepening and widening the involvement of nationals in all aspects of energy sector developments has tended to make Trinidad and Tobago seek, where practicable, the joint venture as a preferred mode of operation. The need for efficient competition, not always easy to achieve in a mini-state, has led to a plural and diverse mix of arrangements, with state sector energy entities not always co-ordinated in the most efficient manner and with the local private sector in energy operating as small and mostly silent participants. The size of the country, particularly against that of international energy, thus dictates that wide domestic ownership in the energy sector in still some way off. However, the immediate benefits of new foreign capital and technology, new management expertise, more competition and greater efficiency of operations, have provided enough impetus to ensure that the role of the private sector in the energy sector in Trinidad and Tobago will continue to be enhanced to the benefit of the country, as it seeks to prepare itself for the 21st century

IMPLEMENTATION OF STATE AID POLICY FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION IN ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina BALDAN

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In 2009, the Competition Council's activity regarding the state aid field has considered Romania's obligations as a member state, and the fulfillment of some specific tasks by the competition authority acquired after January 1, 2007. In this regard, the Competition Council has encouraged the collaboration between institutions to develop projects of state aid schemes. In 2010 there were six major investment projects approved, four of them being in the photovoltaic sector in which three are in Germany, one is in Spain and the rest concern the mechanical industry in Germany and Italy. Also, there were approved five ad hoc aid measures in favor of individual enterprises, for investments in areas that are on the regional aid maps for the period 2007-2013, and ten aid schemes, of which five related to the outermost regions. In accordance with the guidelines on national regional aids for 2007-2013, the Commission developed a statistical evaluation of the situation of state aid and regional aid ceiling which received a transitional assisted area status under Article 107 paragraph 3 letters (a by the end of 2010. The Commission accepted the changes introduced by the three member states (France, Ireland and Italy in state aid maps for certain regions eligible for regional aid under Article 107 paragraph 3letter (c.

Efektivitas Collaborative Governance dalam Pelayanan Komprehensif Berkesinambungan untuk Menanggulangi HIV/AIDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Argyo Demartoto

2015-05-01

collaborative governance between stakeholders in a sustainable comprehensive service to cope with HIV/AIDS in Surakarta City. This study was an exploratory study. Informants were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data collection was conducted on 2 July – 2 September 2013 using in-depth interview, observation, focus group discussion, and documentation. Technique of data analysis was an interactive analysis model. Results showed that service provider and receiver had taken roles in HIV/AIDS coping based on their own duty and function. Prevention and outreach, healthcare service, harm reduction and empowerment programs had not been yet effective because of less optimal commitment to purpose and mutual trust between stakeholders, less professional fieldworkers, latent conflict occurred between stakeholders, less optimal coordination between AIDS Coping Commission of Surakarta City members, and low budget for HIV/AIDS coping as HIV/AIDS is not yet a priority issue in regional development. In brief, collaborative governance between stakeholders is not yet efffective. To improve the quality and the collaborative governance effectivity between stakeholders, there should be any clear norm, structure and process in coping with HIV/AIDS.

Multi-Stakeholder Aid to Education: Power in the Context of Partnership

Science.gov (United States)

Menashy, Francine

2018-01-01

This study examines power asymmetries within the largest multi-stakeholder agency in the education sector: the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). Drawing from data collected through key informant interviews and document analyses, this research asks if the establishment of the GPE has altered power arrangements in educational aid. The study…

How Advances in Technology Improve HIV/AIDS Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nik Tehrani

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In the U.S., the number of individuals aged 50 and older who are living with HIV has increased, leading to a phenomenon called the graying of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Advances in treating HIV have brought about a large growing population of seniors with HIV who are simultaneously facing social, psychological, and physical challenges correlated with the aging process. The stigma against HIV/AIDS has been linked to poor health, depression, and loneliness. In a recent study, about 39.1% of HIV/AIDS patients showed symptoms of major depression (C. Grov et al, 2010. Consequently, to reduce lasting effects of major depressive symptoms, there is a vital need for service providers to employ innovative efforts to confront the stigma and psychosocial and physical health problems that are characteristic of an older HIV/AIDS population. The new technological approaches to healthcare delivery have resulted in faster, more accurate diagnosis and monitoring, in more sophisticated coordination across regions and agencies, and in sophisticated risk-checking procedures. New healthcare technology that can help the AIDS/HIV patient is called Health Information Technology, a basic element of Health Relationship Management Services (HRMS, which is a new approach to healthcare. HRMS can assist individuals with HIV/AIDS in managing not only their physical, but also their mental health.

Cross-Sector Problems of Collaboration in Psychiatry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkelsen, Elisabeth Naima; Petersen, Anne; Lyager Kaae, Anne Marie

2013-01-01

- and community-based services. Results: Staff and management experiencing cross-sector problems of collaboration point to ineffective coordination of services between systems and lack of mutual understanding of how systems other than the staffs’ own systems work. Solutions include specific procedural changes...... existed in Danish psychiatry since the 1980s when mental health service provisions were split into two psychiatric systems. Material and methods: We report from two qualitative studies: STUDY#1 (n = 24) consisted of twenty-four individ­ual, qualitative interviews with the staff and management...

Organizing the health sector for response to disasters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimberley Shoaf

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Each year millions of people around the world are affected by natural and manmade disasters. The consequences of natural disasters in terms of health are complex. Disasters directly impact the health of the population resulting in physical trauma, acute disease, and emotional trauma. Furthermore, disasters may increase the morbidity and mortality associated with chronic and infectious diseases due to the impact on the health system. The health sector must be organized for adequate preparedness, mitigation, response and recuperation from a plethora of potential disasters. This paper examines the various potential impacts of disasters on health, the components of the health sector and their roles in emergency medical care and disaster situations, as well as the coordination and organization necessary within the system to best meet the health needs of a population in the aftermath of a disaster.

Talking about the institutional complexity of the integrated rehabilitation system – the importance of coordination

OpenAIRE

Miettinen, Sari; Ashorn, Ulla; Lehto, Juhani

2013-01-01

Rehabilitation in Finland is a good example of functions divided among several welfare sectors, such as health services and social services.  The rehabilitation system in Finland is a complex one and there have been many efforts to create a coordinated entity. The purpose of this study is to open up a complex welfare system at the upper policy level and to understand the meaning of coordination at the level of service delivery. We shed light in particular on the national rehabilitation policy...

World AIDS day 1991 observances urge sharing the challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

1992-01-01

The Region of the Americas took part in World AIDS DAy 1991, whose theme, "Sharing the Challenge," urged all sectors of society to support AIDS-related education, services, and advocacy. The day of observance was intended to encourage the participation of public, private, nongovernmental, and religious leaders in promoting AIDS-related activities. Although World AIDS Day took place on December 1, activities in the Region of the Americans began from the last week of November and into the first week of December. Most of these activities were designed to educate the public on how to avoid infection, as well as inform and sensitize audiences on the health and social needs of those infected. These activities took the form of press conferences, exhibitions, lectures, public concerts, television adds, etc. One such activity, sponsored by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and held at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., focused on the AIDS crisis and the need for educational activities. The program opened with a speech by Dr. Carlyle Guerra de Macedo, PAHO's director, who warned against complacency in confronting the disease. US Surgeon General Antonia Novello also spoke at the occasion, addressing the growing threat of AIDS among women. Already, 12% of AIDS victims in the US are women, and heterosexual transmissions of AIDS will likely continued to increase. Pointing out that a vaccine is not expected in the short term, PAHO's Dr. David Brandling-Bennet stressed that the fight against AIDS depends on disseminating information. The PAHO meeting also featured a panel discussion composed of educators and health professionals, who discussed the educational responsibility of television in transmitting the AIDS-prevention message to the public.

Africa's health: could the private sector accelerate the progress towards health MDGs?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sambo Luis G

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Out of 1.484 billion disability-adjusted life years lost globally in 2008, 369.1 million (25% were lost in the WHO African Region. Despite the heavy disease burden, the majority of countries in the Region are not on track to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDG 4 (reducing child mortality, 5 (improving maternal health, and 6 (combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. This article provides an overview of the state of public health, summarizes 2010-2015 WHO priorities, and explores the role that private sector could play to accelerate efforts towards health MDGs in the African Region. Discussion Of the 752 total resolutions adopted by the WHO Regional Committee for Africa (RC between years 1951 and 2010, 45 mention the role of the private sector. We argue that despite the rather limited role implied in RC resolutions, the private sector has a pivotal role in supporting the achievement of health MDGs, and articulating efforts with 2010-2015 priorities for WHO in the African Region: provision of normative and policy guidance as well as strengthening partnerships and harmonization; supporting the strengthening of health systems based on the Primary Health Care approach; putting the health of mothers and children first; accelerating actions on HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; intensifying the prevention and control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases; and accelerating response to the determinants of health. Conclusion The very high maternal and children mortality, very high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, health systems challenges, and inter-sectoral issues related to key determinants of health are too heavy for the public sector to address alone. Therefore, there is clear need for the private sector, given its breadth, scope and size, to play a more significant role in supporting governments, communities and partners to develop and implement national health policies and strategic plans

Africa's health: could the private sector accelerate the progress towards health MDGs?

Science.gov (United States)

Sambo, Luis G; Kirigia, Joses M

2011-11-25

Out of 1.484 billion disability-adjusted life years lost globally in 2008, 369.1 million (25%) were lost in the WHO African Region. Despite the heavy disease burden, the majority of countries in the Region are not on track to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 4 (reducing child mortality), 5 (improving maternal health), and 6 (combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases). This article provides an overview of the state of public health, summarizes 2010-2015 WHO priorities, and explores the role that private sector could play to accelerate efforts towards health MDGs in the African Region. Of the 752 total resolutions adopted by the WHO Regional Committee for Africa (RC) between years 1951 and 2010, 45 mention the role of the private sector. We argue that despite the rather limited role implied in RC resolutions, the private sector has a pivotal role in supporting the achievement of health MDGs, and articulating efforts with 2010-2015 priorities for WHO in the African Region: provision of normative and policy guidance as well as strengthening partnerships and harmonization; supporting the strengthening of health systems based on the Primary Health Care approach; putting the health of mothers and children first; accelerating actions on HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis; intensifying the prevention and control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases; and accelerating response to the determinants of health. The very high maternal and children mortality, very high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, health systems challenges, and inter-sectoral issues related to key determinants of health are too heavy for the public sector to address alone. Therefore, there is clear need for the private sector, given its breadth, scope and size, to play a more significant role in supporting governments, communities and partners to develop and implement national health policies and strategic plans; strengthen health systems capacities; and implement

CO2 mitigation scenarios in China's road transport sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Can; Cai, Wenjia; Lu, Xuedu; Chen, Jining

2007-01-01

China is the world's second largest greenhouse gas emitter, and emissions from the road transport sector represent one of the fastest growing GHG sources in China. Taking previous research on China's projected future vehicle ownership and future CO 2 emissions in the transport sector as a starting point, this paper reviews all recent environmental policies relating to the automobile industry and employs a scenario analysis to estimate different emissions inventories for different development strategies. The new policy scenario considers all possible mitigation options available to the road transport sector from a bottom up perspective and examines the effects for fuel efficiency improvement and the cost of these mitigation options - vehicle technology improvement, bus rapid transit system and fuel switching, through which the carbon dioxide emissions reduction potential is estimated. Not only does this paper indicate that a large emissions reduction potential exists in China's road transport sector, but it implies that vehicle technology improvement, especially engine technology is likely to be the most effective means to meet emissions reduction targets. This paper concludes by identifying key barriers to implementing those options in China and deduces the technical, financial and institutional aspects of the demand in China for national capacity building and international aid in order to achieve the emissions reduction goals

SAHARA-J: Journal of Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS: An Open Access ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2013-10-04

Oct 4, 2013 ... Self-care among caregivers of people living with HIV and AIDS in Kakola location .... the formal health sector, caregivers are usually nurses, counselors and social ... them more vulnerable to physical, emotional and psychological ailments ... able to cope with the care giving stress to prevent burnout and.

Implementation and quality monitoring of e-communication across Health care sectors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nicolaisen, Anne; Qvist, Peter

will identify challenges in e-communication across health care sectors and provide knowledge of the implementation and quality of the Sam:Bo e-communication. Points for discussion: How to improve quality of care using e-communication in general practice in the handover of patients and how to measure it? What......Background: There has been an increased focus on how to improve the quality of care for patients that receives services from more than one sector in the health care system. Continuity in and coordination of patient pathways in the health care system are included in accreditation standards both...... for general practice and hospitals. An important factor for patient-perceived quality of care is the cooperation between the health care sectors that provides services for the patient. In 2009 the Region of Southern Denmark launched a collaboration agreement called Sam:Bo between general practice, hospitals...

The IR Sector – Opening new horizons for CERN

CERN Multimedia

2016-01-01

Last week saw the CERN family grow by one, as we welcomed Cyprus as an Associate Member in the pre-stage to Membership. This gives me a good opportunity, three months into the job, to share the vision for the new International Relations (IR) Sector. CERN is and always has been an incredible example of successful, inclusive international collaboration and exchange in the pursuit of common goals. The IR Sector continues and builds on that tradition and spirit.   In the 60-plus years of CERN’s existence, our world has been transformed at all levels. And over the last decade or so, the world of particle physics has evolved beyond recognition. CERN is now a global lab, with a European core, and particle physics is a field that is increasingly planned and coordinated around the world. It is for these reasons that CERN needs to develop its International Relations so we can respond to and navigate these changes. The establishment by the Director-General of the IR Sector is a sign of her commitm...

The impact of HIV/AIDS on human development in African countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Boutayeb, Abdesslam

2009-11-18

In the present paper, we consider the impact of HIV/AIDS on human development in African countries, showing that, beyond health issues, this disease should and must be seen as a global development concern, affecting all components of human development. Consequently, we stress the necessity of multidisciplinary approaches that model, estimate and predict the real impact of HIV/AIDS on human development of African countries in order to optimise the strategies proposed by national countries, international institutions and their partners. In our search strategy, we relied on secondary information, mainly through National Human Development Reports of some African countries and regular publications released by the United Nations (UN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank. We restricted ourselves to reports dealing explicitly with the impact of HIV/AIDS on human development in African countries. HIV/AIDS is affecting the global human development of African countries through its devastating impact on health and demographic indicators such as life expectancy at birth, healthcare assistance, age and sex distribution, economic indicators like income, work force, and economic growth, education and knowledge acquisition and other indicators like governance, gender inequality and human rights. On the basis of the national reports reviewed, it appears clearly that HIV/AIDS is no longer a crisis only for the healthcare sector, but presents a challenge to all sectors. Consequently, HIV/AIDS is a development question and should be viewed as such. The disease is impeding development by imposing a steady decline in the key indicators of human development and hence reversing the social and economic gains that African countries are striving to attain. Being at the same time a cause and consequence of poverty and underdevelopment, it constitutes a challenge to human security and human development by diminishing the chances of

Symbolic Uses of Evaluation in the International Aid Sector: Arguments for Critical Reflection

Science.gov (United States)

McNulty, James

2012-01-01

Significant progress has been made in recent years to improve the quality of the evaluation of international aid. Increasingly, this includes an interest in improving the way evaluations are used to improve policies and programmes. However, the prevalence of symbolic use--a phenomenon that is often mentioned but rarely studied--reflects an…

The Role of Zero-Modes in the Canonical Quantization of Heavy-Fermion QED in Light-Cone Coordinates

OpenAIRE

Brown, Robert W.; Jun, Jin Woo; Shvartsman, Shmaryu M.; Taylor, Cyrus C.

1993-01-01

Four-dimensional heavy-fermion QED is studied in light-cone coordinates with (anti-)periodic field boundary conditions. We carry out a consistent light-cone canonical quantization of this model using the Dirac algorithm for a system with first- and second-class constraints. To examine the role of the zero modes, we consider the quantization procedure in {the }zero-mode {and the non-zero-mode} sectors separately. In both sectors we obtain the physical variables and their canonical commutation ...

The comparison and coordination of national policies and programmes in the energy research and development sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

Inventory of programmes and expenditures in the field of energy research and development, which are financed from the public sector funds of the Member States and of the European Communities (1974-1976)

Coordination Devices in the Refurbishment Design Process: A Partial-Correlation Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azlan Shah Ali

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Building refurbishment is an important sector in the Malaysian construction industry. The increase the number of building renovations, alterations, extensions and extensive repair works contributed to the high demand for refurbishment projects. However, refurbishment projects are more difficult to manage compared to new-built, due to uncertainty factors inherent in the projects. Therefore, this paper identifies factors that contributed to uncertainty and shows how it affects design performance of refurbishment projects. This paper was also extended to the used of coordination devices to improve design performance from the effect of uncertainty in the projects. Partial-correlation technique was used in data analysis to check any significant moderate effects of coordination devices to control the negative effect of uncertainty on design performance of refurbishment projects. Four (4 coordination devices involved in the partial-correlation tests. The results concluded that the use of lateral relations and architect’s characteristics are most likely reducing the uncertainty of client attributes towards design completeness before work started on site.

UNDP supports HIV / AIDS / STD project for war-torn south Sudan -- a special report.

Science.gov (United States)

Del Viso, N

1997-01-01

This article describes a UN HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted disease (STD) project in war-torn south Sudan. The 3-year project relies on collaboration between adversaries and implementation in government-held and rebel-controlled areas. The project aims to reduce the risk and vulnerability to HIV/AIDS/STDs and to foster dialogue among adversaries as a means of conflict resolution. The World Health Organization will contribute technical assistance. Local partners including the government, the Southern Sudan Independence Movement, and the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement will contribute resources valued at about $100,000. The total UN contribution is about $300,000. HIV transmission has increased due to a high concentration of military personnel and population displacement. Available information suggests that the south has the highest HIV prevalence and 46% of known AIDS cases. STDs increased from 2.3% in 1989 to 14.1% in 1994. The project focuses on women, youth, and other vulnerable groups. The project is in its 9-month preparatory phase. The preparatory phase includes analysis of the HIV/AIDS/STD situation, design of a sustainable program, assessment of causative factors, and establishment of a mechanism for effectively coordinating the project. The civil war will affect priorities, strategies, and activities. In government-controlled areas, the Sudan National AIDS program will conduct activities. In non-government areas, the Sudan Rehabilitation and Relief Association, the Relief Association for South Sudan, and health and humanitarian authorities of the liberation groups will conduct programs. The UN Office of Special Projects will provide oversight during the preparatory phase. Sudan's UN Country Theme Group on HIV/AIDS will be the coordinating group.

An elective seminar to teach first-year students the social and medical aspects of AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, J D

1987-07-01

First-year students at a midwestern medical school are introduced to a comprehensive approach to the biological, psychological, and social aspects of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). In a seven-week elective seminar (approximately 12 hours in length), the students view a television movie and a documentary film about persons with AIDS and their families and friends, and they participate in roundtable discussions with AIDS patients, volunteers who coordinate support and advocacy for persons with AIDS, and health care professionals involved in the care of AIDS patients. They receive reading materials and lectures on the pathology, epidemiology, and history of AIDS, and they monitor and discuss radio and television reporting on AIDS. In wrap-up sessions and evaluation questionnaires, the students have reported the seminar to be valuable in helping them overcome their fear of the disease, develop empathy for patients with catastrophic diseases, and understand a comprehensive approach to a complex disease.

Paying for Default: Change over Time in the Share of Federal Financial Aid Sent to Institutions with High Student Loan Default Rates

Science.gov (United States)

Jaquette, Ozan; Hillman, Nicholas W.

2015-01-01

Both federal spending on financial aid and student loan default rates have increased over the past decade. These trends have intensified policymakers' concerns that some postsecondary institutions-- particularly in the for-profit sector--maximize revenue derived from federal financial aid without helping students to graduate or find employment.…

Sectoral use of climate information in Europe: A synoptic overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Bruno Soares

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Society can benefit from usable climate information to better prepare and adapt to the risks and opportunities posed by climate variability and change. An adequate and effective provision of climate information – from historical observations through to seasonal forecasts, and multi-decadal climate change projections – is critical to inform planning and decision-making in climate-sensitive sectors. Central to this are the end-users of climate information and a growing emphasis on tailored climate information and services shaped by user needs. However, knowledge about the use of climate information across European economic sectors is limited. This paper identifies the spectrum of sectoral information requirements across a number of sectors including agriculture, forestry, energy, water, tourism, insurance, health, emergency services and transport sectors, drawing from an online survey (n = 462 and interviews with (potential users of climate information (n = 80. This analysis reveals shared opportunities across sectors including the potential application of decadal climate predictions. In addition, common barriers and enablers to the uptake of climate information were also noted including the format of the information provided, the need for compatibility with existing in-house systems, and the perceived credibility and trust of information providers. This analysis also points towards a perceived increasing fragmentation of available information and the desire amongst end-users for a European body able to centralise and coordinate climate data. We highlight some of the current factors that still need to be adequately addressed in order to enhance the uptake and application of climate information in decision-making across European economic sectors. Keywords: User needs, Climate information, Decision-making, Climate services, Europe

The Humanitarian Action Qualifications Framework: a quality assurance tool for the Humanitarian Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bastiaan L. Aardema

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The article presents the European Universities on Professionalisation on Humanitarian Action (EUPRHA Project as an initiative that seeks to contribute to the professionalisation and quality assurance of the humanitarian sector. Its purpose is to explain the approach and the process leading to the development of the Humanitarian Action Qualifications Framework as an example of good practice for other sectors aiming at improving the recognition of qualifications as a precondition of academic and professional mobility. With this aim, it introduces the educational and humanitarian trends that led to this project: the move from transnational qualifications frameworks of which the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF is the best example to sectoral qualifications frameworks and the increasing demand from the sector seeking to determine the competencies and required skills of a professional humanitarian aid worker. Based on the EQF and the Tuning methodology the framework will act as a translating device to make national and sectoral qualifications more readable and promote humanitarian workers’ and learners’ mobility between countries and organisations. It will facilitate inter-system transparency and recognition of (non-formal and informal learning by linking occupations, skills, competences, and qualifications, thus benefiting the Humanitarian Sector as a whole.

HIV and AIDS in South Africa: a social and moral responsibility in shaping organisational action

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renitha Rampersad

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the interest in corporate social responsibility issues has shown an increase. Worldwide problems, especially those related to HIV/AIDS, caught public attention towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR themes. In a country with more people living with HIV/AIDS than in any other nation (UNAIDS 2007, prevention and treatment is critical. HIV/AIDS is seen to be threatening the communities in which businesses are functioning and is further threatening the business itself. This article examines the moral and social responsibility of the corporate sector in its effort to deal with the issue of HIV/AIDS. Big business leaders have recognized the threat of HIV/AIDS to the workplace and have positioned responses towards the disease from an ethical, legal and cost-effective business perspective; however the response from small to medium businesses is relatively weak. This article conveys a descriptive critique, based on bibliographic research on Corporate Social Responsibility, HIV/AIDS and related concepts.

Discriminatory attitudes and practices by health workers toward patients with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Reis

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Nigeria has an estimated 3.6 million people with HIV/AIDS and is home to one out of every 11 people with HIV/AIDS worldwide. This study is the first population-based assessment of discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in the health sector of a country. The purpose of this study was to characterize the nature and extent of discriminatory practices and attitudes in the health sector and indicate possible contributing factors and intervention strategies. The study involved a cross-sectional survey of 1,021 Nigerian health-care professionals (including 324 physicians, 541 nurses, and 133 midwives identified by profession in 111 health-care facilities in four Nigerian states.Fifty-four percent of the health-care professionals (550/1,021 were sampled from public tertiary care facilities. Nine percent of professionals reported refusing to care for an HIV/AIDS patient, and 9% indicated that they had refused an HIV/AIDS patient admission to a hospital. Fifty-nine percent agreed that people with HIV/AIDS should be on a separate ward, and 40% believed a person's HIV status could be determined by his or her appearance. Ninety-one percent agreed that staff and health-care professionals should be informed when a patient is HIV-positive so they can protect themselves. Forty percent believed that health-care professionals with HIV/AIDS should not be allowed to work in any area of health-care that requires patient contact. Twenty percent agreed that many with HIV/AIDS behaved immorally and deserve the disease. Basic materials needed for treatment and prevention of HIV were not adequately available. Twelve percent agreed that treatment of opportunistic infections in HIV/AIDS patients wastes resources, and 8% indicated that treating someone with HIV/AIDS is a waste of precious resources. Providers who reported working in facilities that did not always practice universal precautions were more likely to favor restrictive policies toward people with HIV/AIDS

Discriminatory attitudes and practices by health workers toward patients with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2005-08-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Nigeria has an estimated 3.6 million people with HIV/AIDS and is home to one out of every 11 people with HIV/AIDS worldwide. This study is the first population-based assessment of discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS in the health sector of a country. The purpose of this study was to characterize the nature and extent of discriminatory practices and attitudes in the health sector and indicate possible contributing factors and intervention strategies. The study involved a cross-sectional survey of 1,021 Nigerian health-care professionals (including 324 physicians, 541 nurses, and 133 midwives identified by profession in 111 health-care facilities in four Nigerian states. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Fifty-four percent of the health-care professionals (550/1,021 were sampled from public tertiary care facilities. Nine percent of professionals reported refusing to care for an HIV/AIDS patient, and 9% indicated that they had refused an HIV/AIDS patient admission to a hospital. Fifty-nine percent agreed that people with HIV/AIDS should be on a separate ward, and 40% believed a person's HIV status could be determined by his or her appearance. Ninety-one percent agreed that staff and health-care professionals should be informed when a patient is HIV-positive so they can protect themselves. Forty percent believed that health-care professionals with HIV/AIDS should not be allowed to work in any area of health-care that requires patient contact. Twenty percent agreed that many with HIV/AIDS behaved immorally and deserve the disease. Basic materials needed for treatment and prevention of HIV were not adequately available. Twelve percent agreed that treatment of opportunistic infections in HIV/AIDS patients wastes resources, and 8% indicated that treating someone with HIV/AIDS is a waste of precious resources. Providers who reported working in facilities that did not always practice universal precautions were more likely to favor

Integrating resource efficiency and EU State aid. An evaluation of resource efficiency considerations in the current EU State aid framework

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bennink, D.; Faber, J.; Smit, M. [CE Delft, Delft (Netherlands); Goba, V. [SIA Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian Environment ELLE, Tallinn (Estonia); Miller, K.; Williams, E. [AEA Technology plc, London (United Kingdom)

2012-10-15

This study, for the European Commission, analyses the issues that need to be addressed in the revision of the EU State aid framework to ensure that they do not hinder environmental, resource efficiency and sustainable development goals. In some cases, State aid can be considered an environmentally harmful subsidy (EHS). The study analyses (1) the extent to which the Environmental Aid Guidelines (EAG) need to be changed to take into account recent European environmental policy developments; (2) existing and potential resource efficiency considerations in a) the Regional Aid Guidelines; b) the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Guidelines and c) the Agriculture and Forestry Guidelines; assesses cases and schemes using these guidelines to identify whether resource efficiency considerations are taken into account. The study also considers the social, environmental and economic impacts of these cases and schemes. It develops recommendations for the review of the EAG and a number of horizontal guidelines. One of the conclusions of the analysis is that the way in which multiple objectives and impacts are balanced, when deciding to approve state aid, is unclear. Also, EU member states are not required to provide information on certain types of (estimated) impacts. To guarantee that multiple objectives and impacts are sufficiently balanced, it is recommended that the State aid framework prescribes that applicants identify social, economic and environmental objectives and impacts and describe how these are taken into account in the procedure of balancing multiple (conflicting) objectives. Objectives and impacts should be quantified as much as possible, for example by making use of the method of external cost calculation laid down in 'the Handbook on estimation of external costs in the transport Sector'. The results of the study are used by the European Commission as an input for evaluating and improving the EU State aid framework.

Integrating resource efficiency and EU State aid. An evaluation of resource efficiency considerations in the current EU State aid framework

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bennink, D.; Faber, J.; Smit, M. [CE Delft, Delft (Netherlands); Goba, V. [SIA Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian Environment ELLE, Tallinn (Estonia); Miller, K.; Williams, E. [AEA Technology plc, London (United Kingdom)

2012-10-15

This study, for the European Commission, analyses the issues that need to be addressed in the revision of the EU State aid framework to ensure that they do not hinder environmental, resource efficiency and sustainable development goals. In some cases, State aid can be considered an environmentally harmful subsidy (EHS). The study analyses (1) the extent to which the Environmental Aid Guidelines (EAG) need to be changed to take into account recent European environmental policy developments; (2) existing and potential resource efficiency considerations in a) the Regional Aid Guidelines; b) the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Guidelines and c) the Agriculture and Forestry Guidelines; assesses cases and schemes using these guidelines to identify whether resource efficiency considerations are taken into account. The study also considers the social, environmental and economic impacts of these cases and schemes. It develops recommendations for the review of the EAG and a number of horizontal guidelines. One of the conclusions of the analysis is that the way in which multiple objectives and impacts are balanced, when deciding to approve state aid, is unclear. Also, EU member states are not required to provide information on certain types of (estimated) impacts. To guarantee that multiple objectives and impacts are sufficiently balanced, it is recommended that the State aid framework prescribes that applicants identify social, economic and environmental objectives and impacts and describe how these are taken into account in the procedure of balancing multiple (conflicting) objectives. Objectives and impacts should be quantified as much as possible, for example by making use of the method of external cost calculation laid down in 'the Handbook on estimation of external costs in the transport Sector'. The results of the study are used by the European Commission as an input for evaluating and improving the EU State aid framework.

[Consensus statement on assistance to women with human immunodeficiency virus infection in the health care sector. National AIDS Plan (PNS) and AIDS Study Group (GeSIDA)].

Science.gov (United States)

2014-02-01

To develop a consensus document on clinical recommendations for the health care of women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We assembled a panel of experts appointed by the Secretariat of the National AIDS Plan and GeSIDA that included internal medicine physicians with expertise in the field of HIV infection, gynecologists, pediatricians and psychologists, and two panel members acting as coordinators. Scientific information was reviewed in publications and conference reports up to October 2012. In keeping with the criteria of the Infectious Disease Society of America, two levels of evidence were applied to support the proposed recommendations: the strength of the recommendation according to expert opinion (A, B, C), and the level of empirical evidence (i, ii, iii), already used in previous documents from SPNS/GeSIDA. We provide multiple recommendations for the clinical management of women with HIV infection, considering both the diagnostic and possible therapeutic strategies. The consensus recommends gender mainstreaming in health care, and promoting training for healthcare professionals in order to avoid gender bias. With currently available data it seems that the effectiveness of the treatment is the same in both men and women, there being no limitation as to the use of any antiretroviral for this reason. Women have more treatments suspended for reasons other than virological failure, thus they require better monitoring. This document presents recommendations for addressing women with HIV infection. This must be multidisciplinary, taking into account the differences that can be found in the diagnosis, disease development, and treatment between men and women. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Evidence Aid: Using Systematic Reviews to Improve Access to Evidence for Humanitarian Emergencies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mike Clarke

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Evidence Aid is an international initiative to improve access to reliable evidence that will help people and organisations make well-informed decisions about interventions, actions and strategies in the disaster setting. It focuses on systematic reviews as the most reliable source of research evidence, maximising the power of existing research, avoiding undue emphasis on single studies and reducing the waste associated with research that is ignored or not accessible to decision makers. Evidence Aid is knowledge champion for influencers of the humanitarian sector, including funders, policy makers, NGOs, and humanitarian professionals. Evidence Aid was established by members of the Cochrane Collaboration after the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. It provides access to information relevant to disaster risk reduction, planning, response, recovery, resilience and rehabilitation. This presentation will discuss the need for Evidence Aid, and describes its activities.Find out more about Mike.

The coordination dynamics of social neuromarkers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuelle eTognoli

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Social behavior is a complex integrative function that entails many aspects of the brain's sensory, cognitive, emotional and motor capacities. Its neural processes are seldom simultaneous but occur according to precise spatiotemporal choreographies, manifested by the coordination of their oscillations within and between brains. Methods with good temporal resolution can help to identify so-called neuromarkers of social function and aid in disentangling the dynamical architecture of social brains. In our ongoing research, we have used dual-EEG to study neuromarker dynamics during synchronic interactions in which pairs of subjects coordinate behavior spontaneously and intentionally (social coordination and during diachronic transactions that require subjects to perceive or behave in turn (action observation, delayed imitation. In this paper, after outlining our dynamical approach to the neurophysiological basis of social behavior, we examine commonalities and differences in the neuromarkers that are recruited for both kinds of tasks. We find the neuromarker landscape to be task-specific: synchronic paradigms of social coordination reveal medial mu, alpha and the phi complex as contributing neuromarkers. Diachronic tasks recruit alpha as well, in addition to lateral mu rhythms and the newly discovered nu and kappa rhythms whose functional significance is still unclear. Social coordination, observation, and delayed imitation share commonality of context: in each of our experiments, subjects exchanged information through visual perception and moved in similar ways. Nonetheless, there was little overlap between their neuromarkers, a result that hints strongly of task-specific neural mechanisms for social behavior. The only neuromarker that transcended both synchronic and diachronic social behaviors was the ubiquitous alpha rhythm, which appears to be a key signature of visually-mediated social behaviors. The present paper is both an entry point and a

The coordination dynamics of social neuromarkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tognoli, Emmanuelle; Kelso, J A Scott

2015-01-01

Social behavior is a complex integrative function that entails many aspects of the brain's sensory, cognitive, emotional and movement capacities. Its neural processes are seldom simultaneous but occur according to precise spatiotemporal choreographies, manifested by the coordination of their oscillations within and between brains. Methods with good temporal resolution can help to identify so-called "neuromarkers" of social function and aid in disentangling the dynamical architecture of social brains. In our ongoing research, we have used dual-electroencephalography (EEG) to study neuromarker dynamics during synchronic interactions in which pairs of subjects coordinate behavior spontaneously and intentionally (social coordination) and during diachronic transactions that require subjects to perceive or behave in turn (action observation, delayed imitation). In this paper, after outlining our dynamical approach to the neurophysiological basis of social behavior, we examine commonalities and differences in the neuromarkers that are recruited for both kinds of tasks. We find the neuromarker landscape to be task-specific: synchronic paradigms of social coordination reveal medial mu, alpha and the phi complex as contributing neuromarkers. Diachronic tasks recruit alpha as well, in addition to lateral mu rhythms and the newly discovered nu and kappa rhythms whose functional significance is still unclear. Social coordination, observation, and delayed imitation share commonality of context: in each of our experiments, subjects exchanged information through visual perception and moved in similar ways. Nonetheless, there was little overlap between their neuromarkers, a result that hints strongly of task-specific neural mechanisms for social behavior. The only neuromarker that transcended both synchronic and diachronic social behaviors was the ubiquitous alpha rhythm, which appears to be a key signature of visually-mediated social behaviors. The present paper is both an entry

The coordination dynamics of social neuromarkers

Science.gov (United States)

Tognoli, Emmanuelle; Kelso, J. A. Scott

2015-01-01

Social behavior is a complex integrative function that entails many aspects of the brain’s sensory, cognitive, emotional and movement capacities. Its neural processes are seldom simultaneous but occur according to precise spatiotemporal choreographies, manifested by the coordination of their oscillations within and between brains. Methods with good temporal resolution can help to identify so-called “neuromarkers” of social function and aid in disentangling the dynamical architecture of social brains. In our ongoing research, we have used dual-electroencephalography (EEG) to study neuromarker dynamics during synchronic interactions in which pairs of subjects coordinate behavior spontaneously and intentionally (social coordination) and during diachronic transactions that require subjects to perceive or behave in turn (action observation, delayed imitation). In this paper, after outlining our dynamical approach to the neurophysiological basis of social behavior, we examine commonalities and differences in the neuromarkers that are recruited for both kinds of tasks. We find the neuromarker landscape to be task-specific: synchronic paradigms of social coordination reveal medial mu, alpha and the phi complex as contributing neuromarkers. Diachronic tasks recruit alpha as well, in addition to lateral mu rhythms and the newly discovered nu and kappa rhythms whose functional significance is still unclear. Social coordination, observation, and delayed imitation share commonality of context: in each of our experiments, subjects exchanged information through visual perception and moved in similar ways. Nonetheless, there was little overlap between their neuromarkers, a result that hints strongly of task-specific neural mechanisms for social behavior. The only neuromarker that transcended both synchronic and diachronic social behaviors was the ubiquitous alpha rhythm, which appears to be a key signature of visually-mediated social behaviors. The present paper is both an

Cyber Threat and Vulnerability Analysis of the U.S. Electric Sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glenn, Colleen [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Mission Support Center; Sterbentz, Dane [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Mission Support Center; Wright, Aaron [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Mission Support Center

2016-12-20

With utilities in the U.S. and around the world increasingly moving toward smart grid technology and other upgrades with inherent cyber vulnerabilities, correlative threats from malicious cyber attacks on the North American electric grid continue to grow in frequency and sophistication. The potential for malicious actors to access and adversely affect physical electricity assets of U.S. electricity generation, transmission, or distribution systems via cyber means is a primary concern for utilities contributing to the bulk electric system. This paper seeks to illustrate the current cyber-physical landscape of the U.S. electric sector in the context of its vulnerabilities to cyber attacks, the likelihood of cyber attacks, and the impacts cyber events and threat actors can achieve on the power grid. In addition, this paper highlights utility perspectives, perceived challenges, and requests for assistance in addressing cyber threats to the electric sector. There have been no reported targeted cyber attacks carried out against utilities in the U.S. that have resulted in permanent or long term damage to power system operations thus far, yet electric utilities throughout the U.S. have seen a steady rise in cyber and physical security related events that continue to raise concern. Asset owners and operators understand that the effects of a coordinated cyber and physical attack on a utility’s operations would threaten electric system reliability–and potentially result in large scale power outages. Utilities are routinely faced with new challenges for dealing with these cyber threats to the grid and consequently maintain a set of best practices to keep systems secure and up to date. Among the greatest challenges is a lack of knowledge or strategy to mitigate new risks that emerge as a result of an exponential rise in complexity of modern control systems. This paper compiles an open-source analysis of cyber threats and risks to the electric grid, utility best practices

HIV/AIDS and Croatian migrant workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Stulhofer, Aleksandar; Brouillard, Pamela; Nikolić, Nebojga; Greiner, Nina

2006-12-01

avert the potential for an increase in new HIV/AIDS cases. A coordinated, systematic campaign for HIV/AIDS prevention among Croatian migrant workers should focus on increasing peer communication about HIV/AIDS, especially among younger migrant workers, and on reducing the frequency of sexual risk taking.

Definition of coordinate system for three-dimensional data analysis in the foot and ankle.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Green, Connor

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional data is required to have advanced knowledge of foot and ankle kinematics and morphology. However, studies have been difficult to compare due to a lack of a common coordinate system. Therefore, we present a means to define a coordinate frame in the foot and ankle and its clinical application. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out ten CT scans in anatomically normal feet and segmented them in a general purpose segmentation program for grey value images. 3D binary formatted stereolithography files were then create and imported to a shape analysis program for biomechanics which was used to define a coordinate frame and carry out morphological analysis of the forefoot. RESULTS: The coordinate frame had axes standard deviations of 2.36 which are comparable to axes variability of other joint coordinate systems. We showed a strong correlation between the lengths of the metatarsals within and between the columns of the foot and also among the lesser metatarsal lengths. CONCLUSION: We present a reproducible method for construction of a coordinate system for the foot and ankle with low axes variability. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: To conduct meaningful comparison between multiple subjects the coordinate system must be constant. This system enables such comparison and therefore will aid morphological data collection and improve preoperative planning accuracy.

An Examination of the Impacts of Exchange Rate Volatility on Sectoral Trade in the Mercosur

OpenAIRE

Larson, Donald W.; Bittencourt, Maurício Vaz Lobo; Thompson, Stanley R.

2005-01-01

This study captures the lack of macroeconomic policy coordination among Mercosur countries, through the impact of real bilateral exchange rate volatility on trade. A sectoral gravity model is estimated under two different measures of exchange rate volatility. Results show that the reduction in exchange rate volatility can increase bilateral trade.

Nuclear energy and opportunity to strengthen the sustainable electricity sector; Energia nuclear una oportunidad para fortalecer el sector electrico sustentable

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robles N, A. G. [Comision Federal de Electricidad, Direccion de Proyectos de Inversion Financiada, Gerencia de Proteccion Ambiental, Paseo de la Reforma No. 164, Col. Juarez, 06600 Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico)

2016-09-15

The beginning of electricity in Mexico was through the use and exploitation of natural resources; as the demand grew, more generation power plants were required with great capacity and at the same time the fuels used varied, although, oil continued to be the main fuel. At present, due to the effects of climate change, the Conference of the Parties has proposed to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels to give way to clean energy (wind, solar, geothermal, nuclear, etc.), which entails gradually modifying the energy matrix of the electricity sector. The National Development Plan and the National Electricity Sector Development Program, this coordinated by the Energy Secretariat in Mexico, establish policies to promote sustainable development, increasing electricity generation through clean energy sources, including nuclear energy. However, such plans are not accurate in the strategy to be followed to ensure compliance with the increased participation of nuclear energy. This article proposes a nuclear program for the Mexican electricity sector, under the terms of a State policy, aimed at crystallizing a sustainable electricity development 2015-2036; considering that the application to the electricity sector constitutes a representative and justified example of the incorporation of environmental aspects in decision processes for the preservation of the environment. In order to determine the quantity and type of reactors, as well as the number of nuclear power plants and increase of the installed capacity, the general planning scheme of the electric sector was used, taking as reference the modeling criteria of the WASP planning system. Finally, is concluded that the electricity generated by fission of radioactive elements is an opportunity to fulfill the commitments made by Mexico at COP 21 and to meet in an environmentally friendly way the energy requirement that our country needs. (Author)

HIV/AIDS issues in the workplace of nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Minnaar, A

2005-08-01

HIV/AIDS is a global problem with an estimated 40 million infected people. In less than two years, this figure will leap to 100 million according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). By 2005, 65 million people will be infected. Half of the number of people in this group will be under 25 years old, and will die before they reach the age of 35. In a South African study done by the Human Science Research Council and published in 2003, regarding the impact of HIV/AIDS on the health sector, the findings were that 15% of health workers in public and private hospitals tested positive for HIV antibodies. Together with these facts above it was found that 46.2 percent of patients served in medical and paediatric wards tested positive for HIV. These factors have major implication for staffing in the future and the role of the nurse manager in South Africa. To explore the management of HIV/AIDS in the workplace of nurses in selected health services in KwaZulu-Natal. This research was part of a greater study on the exploration of the presence of caring as part of nursing management. THE METHODOLOGY: The qualitative research approach was used with a phenomenological design, which ensured that the richness and the complexities are reflected in the study. The data was collected by means of an open-ended question to nurse managers during an interview. The first question posed was; How do you or your services care for nurses in this hospital? Secondly nurse managers were asked, To explain their role in caring for HIV/AIDS positive nurses on their staff establishment. A qualitative analysis of the interviews with nurse managers indicated that they rate HIV/AIDS issues as an important part of their management task. Four main themes were identified, namely HIV/AIDS, counselling, dying of AIDS and funerals. Rich descriptions of these themes are given in this paper. Nurse managers in the health services are managing HIV/AIDS affected nurses, but are doing so without any formal policy

The development of the natural gas transportation network in Brazil: Recent changes to the gas law and its role in co-ordinating new investments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colomer Ferraro, Marcelo; Hallack, Michelle

2012-01-01

In Brazil, the consensus that natural gas regulation has failed to attract investments, especially from private companies, culminated in a new law for the natural gas sector, passed in March 2009 (Law No. 11,909). The most significant change this new law introduced was the new governmental role in co-ordinating investments in the transportation sector. The Brazilian government has had to plan pipeline networks, estimate the size of demand for transportation and organise bidding to select investors for new pipeline projects. Although the law has established a clear regulatory framework for the midstream sector, providing stability and the legal certainty necessary for long-term investments in assets with high specificity, it has not been able to fill all of the gaps that remain under Law 9,478. In this sense, besides the challenges related to effective implementation of the regulatory attributes defined in Law 11,909, the absence of certain issues prevents the modified legal structure from encouraging the entry of new players in the transportation sector. This paper has identified, according to the neo-institutional view, the mechanisms of co-ordination introduced by the new law and the limitations of the new regulatory framework. - Highlights: ► Natural gas transportation investment requires some coordination mechanisms. ► The 9,478 Act was not capable to incentive the new player entrance. ► Brazilian natural gas industry is strongly concentrated in Petrobras hands. ► The new Brazilian legal framework aims to reduce transaction costs in gas industry. ► The industrial structure of the gas sector discourages the entrance of new investors.

STATE AID EVOLUTION OVERVIEW IN EUROPEAN UNION CONTEXT DURING THE PERIOD 2007-2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anca D.B., DODESCU

2014-11-01

Full Text Available According to the European Union point of view, the fundamental principle of state aid is to ensure that inside the single market, competition is not distorted. In this context, by exception state aid can be justified when they contribute to achieving EU's social and economic goals. This may take place when market forces obstruct the achieving of the proposed objectives or permit their achieving on unacceptable long terms and costs. This article is structured in four parts, focusing on European Union's vision regarding state aid measures. The first part of the article refers to the general context of state aid in EU. The second part of the article tries to define this concept according to European Commission point of view and also studies the state aid information provided by the EU, through its benchmarking instrument regarding state aid expenditure called State Aid Scoreboard. The third part of the article mainly presents the EU state aid evolution during the period 2007 - 2012 and establishes a methodological point of view in order to classify and divide state aid in two main categories: non-crisis state aid and crisis state aid, with the purpose of avoiding the distortion trends regarding state aid expenditure granted for the financial sector. This part of the article also presents different types of state aid at EU27 level and granted by the selected member states (Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Germany between 2007 and 2012 and also analysis horizontal aid, sectorial aid and state aid during the economic crisis 2008 - 2012, referring to recapitalization and asset relief measures and guarantees and liquidity measures. The last part of the article presents the conclusions and also states certain recommendations regarding EU state aid practices, based on the results obtained.

Maneuvering a pilot implementation to align agendas across sectors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mønsted, Troels; Hertzum, Morten; Søndergaard, Jens

2017-01-01

A prerequisite for pilot implementations in complex organizational settings is that the agendas of the stakeholders of the system are maneuvered into alignment. In this paper we present a study of the pilot implementation of the IT-supported, preventive intervention TOF (Tidlig Opsporing og...... Forebyggelse). A core element of TOF is an IT system that stratifies citizens into risk groups on the basis of self-reported lifestyle information and data retrieved from the medical records of the general practitioners (GPs). In addition, the system facilitates cross-sectoral coordination between preventive...

Computational modelling of the impact of AIDS on business.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Alan P

2007-07-01

An overview of computational modelling of the impact of AIDS on business in South Africa, with a detailed description of the AIDS Projection Model (APM) for companies, developed by the author, and suggestions for further work. Computational modelling of the impact of AIDS on business in South Africa requires modelling of the epidemic as a whole, and of its impact on a company. This paper gives an overview of epidemiological modelling, with an introduction to the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) model, the most widely used such model for South Africa. The APM produces projections of HIV prevalence, new infections, and AIDS mortality on a company, based on the anonymous HIV testing of company employees, and projections from the ASSA model. A smoothed statistical model of the prevalence test data is computed, and then the ASSA model projection for each category of employees is adjusted so that it matches the measured prevalence in the year of testing. FURTHER WORK: Further techniques that could be developed are microsimulation (representing individuals in the computer), scenario planning for testing strategies, and models for the business environment, such as models of entire sectors, and mapping of HIV prevalence in time and space, based on workplace and community data.

The role of the American Hospital Association in combating AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, C

1988-01-01

The American Hospital Association (AHA) has taken a leadership role in assisting health care providers in dealing effectively with the challenges of AIDS. Early work focused on preventing infection in the health care setting with the use of the Centers for Disease Control's recommended precautions concerning blood and body fluids. Supporting this effort were a number of live teleconferences, videotapes, and publications that addressed the use of precautions with AIDS patients, community issues associated with the disease, and the development of employee policies. In July 1987, a Special Committee on AIDS/HIV Infection Policy was formed by the AHA Board of Trustees and charged with developing recommendations on the issues that needed to be addressed if hospitals were to continue to meet the challenge of AIDS effectively. The committee's first set of recommendations, approved in November 1987, reaffirmed the use of universal precautions, provided guidance on the appropriate uses and application of HIV testing, and stated that the delivery of care should not be conditioned on the willingness of a patient to undergo testing. The second set of recommendations, which were approved in January 1988, focused on the need to distribute the responsibility for AIDS care among a wide variety of health care providers, to seek creative financing approaches that involve both the private and public sectors, and called on hospitals to provide leadership in ensuring that a continuum of services is available to AIDS patients. Continuing efforts to assist hospitals in the care delivery issues associated with AIDS are described.

ANCRE - Stage report 2011, coordination of research on energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bigot, Bernard; Fuchs, Alain; Ouabdesselam, Farid; Appert, Olivier; Freyssinet, Philippe; Moisan, Francois

2011-11-01

This document aims at proposing an assessment of works performed by ANCRE (the French National Alliance of Coordination of Research on Energy) after its first two years of existence. The main objective is to prepare the energy transition by boosting the French research in the field of energy. The report presents the ANCRE's organization as an efficient one, based on strong relationships with the industry sector. It indicates the various thematic work-groups (five 'energy sources' groups and three 'usages' groups), and the different objectives. It comments the contribution to the European research. These works and activities are commented by some high representatives of the alliance. A second part proposes an overview of the current status for the different energy sources group (biomass, fossil and geothermal, nuclear, solar, sea, hydraulic and wind) and usages groups (transports, buildings, industries and agriculture). It also presents the different actions related to coordination, programmatic synergies and prospective

Gender differentiation in community responses to AIDS in rural Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanyamurwa, J M; Ampek, G T

2007-01-01

AIDS has been reported in Africa to push households into poverty and chronic food insecurity. At the same time there are reports of significant household resilience to AIDS. This study explored how a mature epidemic in rural Uganda has affected rural farming households. It focused on gender differences in the experience of AIDS and, in particular, household capabilities to sustain livelihoods. The study compared the vulnerability of male- and female-headed households in relation to their ability to mitigate human resource losses, as well as their access to natural and physical resources, to social networks and to finance capital for production. The findings suggest that when rural households are affected by AIDS, depleting productive resources and directing resources towards immediate needs, there are gender differences in responses to, and in impacts of, the epidemic due to the different resources available to male- and female- headed households. Female-headed households were found to be more vulnerable to AIDS than male-headed counterparts. Women's remarriage opportunities were lower than men's, they faced greater risk of losing control over land and livestock and they accessed less state and private sector support. Women-headed households were more dependent on livelihood support from non-governmental organizations, which were found to provide both welfare and credit support to female-headed households affected by AIDS. Women were found to play an important role in social networks and resources at community level but themselves received little support from many formal community networks and services.

Restructuring of the Bulgaria power sector - changes and risks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrov, K.

1999-01-01

On the base of the analysis made by KEMA Consulting GmbH, Germany in 1998 - 1999 according to the project 'Aid for the development of the power authority in Bulgaria' some of the possibilities and risks for the new organization are discussed. Currently the National Electric Company is a monopolist in the electricity production sector. The government policy is aimed to efficiency improvement, creation a competition where possible, expanding of the private sector. The reconstruction is based on the model of 'the single customer'. Disadvantages are: insufficient competition, centralized planning and inappropriate risk distribution, necessity of a comprehensive regulatory control. The advantages of the method are: smooth transition to the new structures, separation of the monopole and competition functions, clear predictability of the purchases, competition of new capacities. The recommendations include urgent developing of system rules, conclusion of short-term agreements for power purchase, preparation for introduction of open access and development of the Government Agency for Power Regulation

External Sector Rebalancing and Endogenous Trade Imbalance Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Whalley

2012-12-01

Full Text Available I discuss the need for trade models to incorporate endogenous trade imbalances both to more adequately capture the reality of a global economy with large imbalances and pressures from the financial crisis for countries to reduce imbalances. Conventional general equilibrium trade models implicitly incorporate monetary neutrality and either have zero trade balance as a property of equilibrium, or have a fixed and exogenous trade imbalance. Models which are discussed here have a variety of forms. In one, central banks fix exchange rates and operate a non accommodative monetary policy and accumulate reserves. Changes in both trade and monetary policies change reserve accumulative and with the external sector imbalances. This is a reflection of China’s current policy regime. In another intertemporal preferences allow for simultaneous inter commodity and intertemporal trade across countries, and with changed intertemporal trade changed external sector imbalances within the period. These formulations are each applied to potential tax initiatives to aid in rebalancing.

Institutional factors and HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Science.gov (United States)

Simmonds, Stephanie

2008-01-01

This paper outlines the principal institutional factors affecting the slow progress in reaching agreed targets in Africa regarding the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. It focuses on three key factors: political analysis, strategic business approach and international inputs. Most of the analyses tend to look at the technical aspects of disease prevention and control, of political analysis there is a marked absence. Yet, we know that wider contextual or macro factors such as power and political decision making can make or break a programme. Many senior managers in public sector institutions are preoccupied with day-to-day work. Successful businesses in the private sector have some things in common with each other. Outstanding leadership, a strategic and action orientated culture, highly focused on comparative strengths on priorities and quality being some of the key ones. Adopting such successful business characteristics might make the difference to public institutions. The move to results based institutions by focussing on outputs and outcomes is for the better. However, we still need to rigorously examine the quality of inputs that the increasing availability of funds is being used on. This is especially so in relation to needing a better balance between aid for health services and that for institutional and health systems development. In addition, technical advisers from development partners need to work more across a ministry of health on institutional and management change to have a greater impact on achieving targets. 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Natural gas and electric power, coordination to improve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Unidad de Planeacion Minero Energetica, UPME

1999-01-01

In development of energy diversification strategy, so much in the use of available sources as in the supply of alternative to the final consumer, one comes advancing in Colombia, for several years, the national plan of gas overcrowding. The growing use of natural gas for the new projects of thermal generation has put in evidence the strong link and the existent dependence among of the gas and electric sub sectors. Such a nexus is manifested in four aspects: The electric power substitution for gas affects the demand of both products. The development of the production infrastructure and transport of the natural gas depends in a large part of the electric generation with gas. The costs of electric generation depend directly on the costs of the gas, included that of their transport. The regulation of the natural gas affects the costs of the electric power and vice versa. In this article the nexus and the coordination of both sectors are analyzed and they think about some actions to improve this last one

PUBLIC POLICIES TO R&D IN ROMANIA IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EU STATE AID POLICY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bacila Nicolae

2015-07-01

Full Text Available From an economic perspective, the importance of EU state aid policy refers to correcting “market failure” situations that may occur in the economy, aiming at maintaining an undistorted competition in the economic environment. In the context of the Commission focusing its efforts towards promoting R&D investment through Europe 2020 strategy, Romania is a modest innovator and is facing a relatively low level of economic competitiveness. The present paper aims at providing a contribution to the literature on public policies to R&D in the EU, developing both a quantitative and a qualitative analysis of public policies to R&D in Romania in the context of the EU state aid policy. Our research hypothesis considers that public policies to R&D in Romania, as in other Central and Eastern European countries, are following a convergence process with the practices from the EU level. Based on data provided by Eurostat, we have stressed that the existing gap between the national level and the EU level tends to maintain in the state aid field even in the future, in spite of Romanian government sector R&D expenditure tending to converge with the EU level, which highlights the potential of catching up with the European model. We believe that the success of the convergence process will depend in the future, to a large extent, on the implementation of the modernised legal and institutional framework of state aid policy, as well as on the capacity to build consensus by policy makers around the necessity to structure future economic development around R&D investment. In order to successfully address these structural R&D problems, the National Strategy for Research, Development and Innovation aims to establish R&D as engine for increasing economic competitiveness, while at the same time strengthening strategic areas with comparative advantages, supporting public-private partnerships, funding clusters in areas of smart specialisation, developing intellectual

Information management in smart grids: Who should govern information management to balance between coordination and competition on the distribution grid level?

OpenAIRE

Buchmann, Marius

2016-01-01

Smart grids should increase coordination on the distribution grid level and facilitate new market opportunities (I.e. competition on a level playing field). Information management is becoming a new task in the electricity supply chain. It is an enbaler for the development of smart grids. Therefore, the governance of information management should as well efficiently balance between coordination and competition. Within this paper we analyse which role from the energy sector could govern the inf...

India’s strategic interests in South Asia and its aid to Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anastasiya Alexandrovna Nemova

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Providing foreign aid to developing countries is one of the most important aspects of contemporary foreign politics. The article studies relations between India and Bangladesh from the perspective of foreign aid flows and discovers conditions, forms, mechanisms, and trends of India’s aid to Bangladesh from 1971 until today. The research uses the approach of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD towards foreign aid and understands it as financial assistance, technical assistance, as well as aid in goods in the form of grants and soft loans with the aim to provide economic development and well-being. The author analyzes factors of the geopolitical significance of Bangladesh for India and studies India’s aid to Bangladesh in the context of the history of bilateral relations between the two countries. As a result, a certain correlation is discovered between aid flows and the state of bilateral relations. China’s growing interest is seen as one of additional factors, which cause India to increase volumes of its aid to the neighboring countries, including Bangladesh. China and India are understood as emerging donors who are competing to increase their influence in the world. The two Asian giants have recently taken considerable aid commitments to Bangladesh which indicates that Bangladesh starts to play a more important role in the regional geopolitics. In this context, the article predicts a further growth in the volumes of Indian aid to Bangladesh in the future and concludes that India uses its foreign aid programs as a tool to promote its own economic, political, and strategic interests. Foreign aid, including official development assistance (ODA, is becoming a means of India’s economic diplomacy although some researchers point to the fact that the country’s policymakers still lack coordination to make aid efficient in terms of political gains.

The Continuing Development of Primary Sector Physical Education: Working Together to Raise Quality of Provision

Science.gov (United States)

Sloan, Stephen

2010-01-01

This paper sets out to provide further insight as to the reasons why many schools within the primary sector continue to find it difficult to ensure quality provision for physical education (PE) and school sport. It examines why class teachers, including the subject coordinator, possess concerns about teaching PE. It asks the question of who is…

Coordination in contractual relations: Some preliminary findings from the Malaysian housing industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suraya Ismail

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The traditional general procurement route found in many housing projects in Malaysia is conceptualized as a governance structure following the transaction cost economics (TCE approach. This approach has been used to examine governance structures in different economic sectors in several countries but evidence of its use in the context of developing countries is limited. This lack of evidence has prompted the authors to conduct a preliminary study to ascertain whether a TCE approach can explain construction governance structures in developing countries. This research does not discuss the trade-off that governs the choice of hybrids, market or hierarchies for organizing transactions. Rather, it takes advantage of existing research to substantiate the specific properties of hybrid organizations as governance structures. The main focus is coordination. Coordination is specified at two levels. At Level 1 is the coordination of specialization (i.e. the formation of the project team members and at Level 2 is the coordination mode of the contracting parties (client and contractor and the agents involved (the lead designer and project manage r. A case survey method was adopted. Preliminary findings seem to suggest that clients have used hierarchical themes in the contracts and high powered incentives to coordinate with in the contracting parties. The research findings suggest that all participants involved in the sample studied used governance structures symptomatic of a hybrid organization.

Empowerment of Waria Ludruk Artists in AIDS/HIV Prevention Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maimunah Maimunah

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Waria or transgender is one of the key population which has a significant role in the success of HIV/AIDS prevention program in East Java. It is estimated that the biggest waria community is in East Java, particularly in Surabaya. The main objective of this research is improving capacity building of ludruk artist waria through HIV/AIDS prevention program. The study has two objectives; firstly to find the effective strategies in improving waria’s feminine skills such as knitting, hair dressing. Secondly to find the effective programs both on-stage and off-stage to improve the quality of ludruk performance such as revitalizing their marketing management, using social media to promote their schedule to the young generation. Some inportant points can be conluded from this study. Firstly, integrated coordinating system between ludruk artist waria and waria communities such as Perwakos and Iwama should be improved. HIV/AIDS prevention programs become uneffective without coordination. In this point, ludruk artist waria need to know that HIV/AIDS prevention programs such as VCT, HIV testing is free of charge. Secondly, in terms of management internal system, ludruk needs to revitalize the content of the story in their performance to be more compatible with the younger audience. To do so, the cooperation is needed among all the stakeholeders to make ludruk survive in the capitalist industrial show business in Indonesia.Salah satu populasi kunci yang memberi kontribusi tingginya prevalensi HIV dan AIDS di JATIM adalah komunitas waria karena di propinsi ini estimasi jumlah waria terbesar di Indonesia. Penelitian ini akan membahas bagaimana waria seniman ludruk dilibatkan dalam pencegahan HIV/AIDS. Program yang telah dilakukan adalah revitalisasi baik on-stage (diatas panggung dan off-stage (di luar panggung. On-stage memfokuskan pada upaya revitalisasi pertunjukan ludruk dengan sistem dan manajemen pertunjukan yang lebih modern, menarik penonton generasi

HIV/AIDS issues in the workplace of nurses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Minnaar

2005-09-01

Full Text Available HIV/AIDS is a global problem with an estimated 40 million infected people. In less than two years, this figure will leap to 100 million according to the World Health Organisation (WHO. By 2005,65 million people will be infected. Half of the number of people in this group will be under 25 years old, and will die before they reach the age of 35. In a South African study done by the Human Science Research Council and published in 2003, regarding the impact of HIV/AIDS on the health sector, the findings were that 15% of health workers in public and private hospitals tested positive for HIV antibodies. Together with these facts above it was found that 46.2 percent of patients served in medical and paediatric wards tested positive for HIV. These factors have major implication for staffing in the future and the role of the nurse manager in South Africa. The aim of the study: to explore the management of HIV/AIDS in the workplace of nurses in selected health services in KwaZulu-Natal. This research was part of a greater study on the exploration of the presence of caring as part of nursing management. . The methodology: the qualitative research approach was used with a phenomenological design, which ensured that the richness and the complexities are reflected in the study. The data was collected by means of an open-ended question to nurse managers during an interview. The first question posed was; How do you or your s e n ’ices care fo r nurses in this hospital? Secondly nurse managers were asked, To explain their role in caring for HIV/AIDS positive nurses on their staff establishment. . The results: a qualitative analysis of the interviews with nurse managers indicated that they rate HIV/AIDS issues as an important part of their management task. Four main themes were identified, namely HIV/AIDS, counselling, dying of AIDS and funerals. Rich descriptions of these themes are given in this paper. Nurse managers in the health services are managing HIV/AIDS

Increased coordination in public transport – which mechanisms are available?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Claus Hedegaard; Longva, Frode

2011-01-01

After several years of New Public Management reforms within public transport, coordination seems to receive increased attention. With examples of actual as well as suggested changes taken from Denmark, Sweden and the UK the aim of the article is to analyse and classify the mechanisms utilized...... mechanism has its strengths and failures. The article also debates to what extent the mechanisms conflict with three core characteristics of New Public Management: Unbundling of the public sector into corporatized units; more contract-based competitive provision; and greater emphasis on output controls....

A comparison between antenatal care quality in public and private sector in rural Hebei, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Li; Dai, Yaohua; Zhang, Yanfeng; Wu, Qiong; Rudan, Diana; Saftić, Vanja; van Velthoven, Michelle H M M T; Su, Jianqiang; Tan, Zangwen; Scherpbier, Robert W

2013-04-01

To evaluate the quality of antenatal care (ANC) in Hebei Province and compare it between the public and private sector and within the public sector. We conducted a Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Household Survey in 2010 using a two-stage sampling procedure and included 1079 mothers. The quality of ANC was assessed on the basis of the number of ANC visits, the time of the first ANC visit, 16 different ANC procedures, owning a maternal health care booklet, and the type of service provider. Almost all women (98%) received ANC services at least once, 80% at least four times, and 54% at least five times. About half of the women (46%) visited ANC facility within their first trimester. Neither public nor private sector provided all 16 standardized services, but significantly more women in public sector received ANC procedures. Most women received ANC in county or higher-level hospitals (75%) and very few in township hospitals (8%). Significantly fewer women were weighed and tested for HIV/AIDS in township than in county or higher-level hospitals. The quality of ANC in Hebei was poorer than required by China's national and World Health Organization norms. Although the public sector performed better than the private sector, the utilization and quality of care of ANC services in this sector varied and women generally visited county or higher-level health facilities.

Private sector participation in power sector in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranganathan, V.

1992-01-01

The Indian Government is currently thinking of allowing private sector to participate in power sector inviting private sector to generate electricity mainly from coal. The main motivation is resource mobilization from private sector, since the Plan funds are diverted to rural development away from power sector; and yet the massive expansion has to be financed. The paper analyzes the inherent difficulties and contradictions in the Government's proposal, such as co-existence of high cost private power and low cost public power, the potential goal-conflicts of private and public utilities and the constraints in raising finance. It suggests a different model in order to make the privatization proposition feasible. 12 refs

Unique sensor fusion system for coordinate-measuring machine tasks

Science.gov (United States)

Nashman, Marilyn; Yoshimi, Billibon; Hong, Tsai Hong; Rippey, William G.; Herman, Martin

1997-09-01

This paper describes a real-time hierarchical system that fuses data from vision and touch sensors to improve the performance of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) used for dimensional inspection tasks. The system consists of sensory processing, world modeling, and task decomposition modules. It uses the strengths of each sensor -- the precision of the CMM scales and the analog touch probe and the global information provided by the low resolution camera -- to improve the speed and flexibility of the inspection task. In the experiment described, the vision module performs all computations in image coordinate space. The part's boundaries are extracted during an initialization process and then the probe's position is continuously updated as it scans and measures the part surface. The system fuses the estimated probe velocity and distance to the part boundary in image coordinates with the estimated velocity and probe position provided by the CMM controller. The fused information provides feedback to the monitor controller as it guides the touch probe to scan the part. We also discuss integrating information from the vision system and the probe to autonomously collect data for 2-D to 3-D calibration, and work to register computer aided design (CAD) models with images of parts in the workplace.

CORRUPTION IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR FROM ROMANIA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silviu DUȚULESCU

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Corruption is becoming an increasingly acute problem lately for Romania and the authorities are trying to find solutions in this regard. Until now the anti-corruption strategy has undergone four stages, by approving as many sets of anti-corruption strategic documents (National Anti-corruption Strategies in 2001, 2005, 2008 and 2012. In this research, we started from the assumption that there is a correlation between corruption in the public sector and the corruption in the private sector, involving the corrupting power represented by the private sector and corruptible power represented by the public sector. The hypothesis was confirmed by detailed analyzes conducted in this regard using a number of variables such as the percentage of convictions in the public or private sector, the position that the culprit holds, the county he/she comes from, the institution in which they operate, type of sentence (suspended or performed and the penalty in months. Then using the statistical functions Data Analysis, PivotTable of Excel software, the 3110 observations were processed. The centralizing tables were made by filtration and then the ventilation data by numerical and geographical coordinates. The quantitative information provided by these summary tables combined with qualitative information derived from extensive analyzes conducted during this investigation, led to the confirmation of the basic assumption that there is a correlation between corruption manifested in the public and private sector. This correlation becomes more powerful as the bureaucratic system, namely the workload in the public sector is growing. In this regard, we have concrete examples in the counties of Cluj, Timiș, Constanța, Prahova, Bucharest, respectively.

HIV / AIDS in China: migrant population, drug injection responsible for increased transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, J

1998-01-01

By 2000, China will have 1.2 million people infected with HIV and 33,000 people with AIDS. While HIV infection has been reported from almost all provinces and occupational groups in the country, HIV prevalence is highest among IV drug users in Yunnan province. The major source of infection elsewhere in China is through the receipt of tainted blood products and heterosexual intercourse. A National AIDS Committee was formed in October 1986 to advise the government on AIDS policy, and since 1990 to coordinate all AIDS prevention activities. The National Strategies Plan for AIDS/STD Prevention in China during 1996-2000 was prepared in 1995. China's in-country migrant labor population may become the most vulnerable to HIV infection. There are currently about 120 million migrant workers in China, of whom about half are registered, nonpermanent residents working in the fastest developing regions. The open nature of China's economy relative to recent past decades has made it difficult to monitor and control internal migration. Floating populations are the most difficult to reach with preventive health education and they tend to be deprived of access of health care. 61.4% of the migrant population is male and 40% are aged 20-24 years. China's traditional trade routes may be a factor in HIV infection. HIV/AIDS epidemiology, the synergy of STDs and AIDS in China, the international partnership in HIV/AIDS prevention in China, the role of international nongovernmental organizations in China, Hong Kong's contribution to AIDS prevention in China, awareness of the problems associated with HIV infection in China, and the challenges for AIDS-related work in China are discussed.

How to decide on the scope, priorities and coordination of information society policy? Analytical framework and three case studies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poel, M.; Kool, L.; Giessen, A. van der

2010-01-01

Purpose: ICT is everywhere, but information society policy cannot address all the sectors and policy issues in which ICT plays a role. This paper's aim is to develop an analytical framework to assist policy makers in deciding on the priorities and coordination of information society policy.

The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in HIV/AIDS Management across the Education Sector in Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Ayiro, Laban P.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study is to identify key entrepreneurial variables in the realm of social entrepreneurship that may contribute to enhancing impact mitigation of HIV/AIDS. In addition, the study seeks to establish which of the correlations between the entrepreneurial variables and management of response of impact mitigation of…

[AIDS and social justice: pharmaceutical industry and economics].

Science.gov (United States)

López Guzmán, José

2008-01-01

This article takes a broad look at the complicated framework of relationships between the third world and pharmaceutical companies. In the first part of the work reference is made to the poverty of these countries, their lack of education in terms of health, the scarcity of basic hygiene, and their greatly limited access to medicines, especially those for treating AIDS. The article then proceeds to the issue of the pharmaceutical companies' degree of responsibility for the reduced availability of medicines in certain areas of the world. One of the factors that most limits access to medicines is their price, and many sectors of society propose taking action on the patents of drugs (rescinding or limiting them) in order to lower their price. However, the problem of patent exemption is more complicated than it seems at first glance, and comes with its own risks. If, for lack of funds or the uncertainty concerning a return on the capital invested, pharmaceutical companies discontinue research and development of new drugs, AIDS therapy would worsen. It is imperative and urgent to develop new drugs against the AIDS because of its resistance to the drugs currently available. The article concludes with the pharmaceutical industry's effort to look for possible forms of collaboration with developing countries.

Convergent and divergent country trends in coordinated wage-setting and collective bargaining in the public hospitals sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grimshaw, D.; Jaehrling, K.; van der Meer, M.; Méhaut, P.; Shimron, N.

2007-01-01

Drawing on the findings of research in the public hospitals sector in five European countries1—France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK—this article assesses the character of change in wage setting and collective bargaining. It demonstrates the diversity of national arrangements by

Coordination between primary and secondary healthcare in Denmark and Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Wadmann

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Insights into effective policy strategies for improved coordination of care is needed. In this study we describe and compare the policy strategies chosen in Denmark and Sweden, and discuss them in relation to interorganisational network theory. Policy practice: The policy initiatives to improve collaboration between primary and secondary healthcare in Denmark and Sweden include legislation and agreements aiming at clarifying areas of responsibility and defining requirements, creation of links across organisational boarders. In Denmark many initiatives have been centrally induced, while development of local solutions is more prominent in Sweden. Many Danish initiatives target the administrative level, while in Sweden initiatives are also directed at the operational level. In both countries economic incentives for collaboration are weak or lacking, and use of sanctions as a regulatory mean is limited. Discussion and conclusion: Despite a variety of policy initiatives, lacking or poorly developed structures to support implementation function as barriers for coordination. The two cases illustrate that even in two relatively coherent health systems, with regional management of both the hospital and general practice sector, there are issues to resolve in regard to administrative and operational coordination. The interorganisational network literature can provide useful tools and concepts for interpreting such issues.

A NEW CHALLENGE FOR THE ROMANIAN COAL INDUSTRY: ELIMINATION OF THE STATE AID

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gruian Claudiu-Marian

2010-12-01

Full Text Available According to the European Commission decision N 239/2007 the Romanian coal industry will receive state aid by the end of 2010. After this period public companies in this sector will finance the costs of current production and investment entirely by their revenue. This article presents a short literature review regarding the subsidization of coal industry, shows the evolution of the mining industry in Romania so far, and identifies opportunities for continuing coal production after December 31, 2010 without state aid. The paper concludes that the abolition of subsides in is a positive measure but it must be taken gradually and responsibly, in order to ameliorate the negative effects on social end natural environment.

A comparison between antenatal care quality in public and private sector in rural Hebei, China

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Li; Dai, Yaohua; Zhang, Yanfeng; Wu, Qiong; Rudan, Diana; Saftić, Vanja; van Velthoven, Michelle H.M.M.T.; Su, Jianqiang; Tan, Zangwen; Scherpbier, Robert W.

2013-01-01

Aim To evaluate the quality of antenatal care (ANC) in Hebei Province and compare it between the public and private sector and within the public sector. Methods We conducted a Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Household Survey in 2010 using a two-stage sampling procedure and included 1079 mothers. The quality of ANC was assessed on the basis of the number of ANC visits, the time of the first ANC visit, 16 different ANC procedures, owning a maternal health care booklet, and the type of service provider. Results Almost all women (98%) received ANC services at least once, 80% at least four times, and 54% at least five times. About half of the women (46%) visited ANC facility within their first trimester. Neither public nor private sector provided all 16 standardized services, but significantly more women in public sector received ANC procedures. Most women received ANC in county or higher-level hospitals (75%) and very few in township hospitals (8%). Significantly fewer women were weighed and tested for HIV/AIDS in township than in county or higher-level hospitals. Conclusion The quality of ANC in Hebei was poorer than required by China’s national and World Health Organization norms. Although the public sector performed better than the private sector, the utilization and quality of care of ANC services in this sector varied and women generally visited county or higher-level health facilities. PMID:23630142

Finding pathways to national-scale land-sector sustainability

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Lei; Bryan, Brett A.

2017-04-01

and water resource management. Nations require globally coordinated, national-scale, comprehensive, integrated, multi-sectoral analyses to support national target-setting that prioritizes efficient and effective sustainability interventions across societies, economies and environments.

Water-Energy Nexus in Shared River Basins: How Hydropower Shapes Cooperation and Coordination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kouangpalath Phimthong

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The construction of hydropower plants on transboundary rivers is seldom done with equal benefits to all riparians, and therefore presents coordination and cooperation challenges. Without a supra-national authority in charge of transboundary river basins, coordination between sectors (water, energy and environment and cooperation between countries largely depends on willingness of the individual nation states and the power relations between these countries. This paper discusses how the interests and relative power positions of actors in transboundary water management shape the outcomes, and what roles are played by River Basin Organisations and foreign investors (especially in hydropower development. These issues are illustrated with examples from the Mekong river in Southeast Asia (Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, the Euphrates-Tigris (Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Kuwait and the Çoruh in Turkey and Georgia.

The science and the technology like input for the environmental administration of the energy sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerrero, Eduardo

1999-01-01

It is presented an analysis of the scientific-technological dynamics of Colombia in function of the environmental administration of the energy sector. The importance of the investigation is emphasized the flow of knowledge in terms of the competitiveness and environmental effectiveness of the electric, oil and carboniferous companies. Of critical way and positive, the effective of the institution is evaluated and relative suggestions are made to the interaction and coordination inter-institutional. Some of the variables that condition the offer and demand of science and technology are discussed and, with base in it, they think about elements to be kept in mind in the design and implementation of strategies and politics of environmental investigation for the energy sector

INTERNATIONALIZATION ON THE SUGAR-ALCOHOL SECTOR IN THE NORTHEAST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edjackson Marques Ferreira

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the present work is to analyze how companies on the sugar- alcohol sector in the Northeast are internationalizing their production. Six theories were selected to guide the analyses undertaken: Life Cicle, Uppsala, Adaptive Choice, Eclectic Paradigm, Resourcebased View and Diamond Model. The research strategy was the case study and the data was gathered through sectorial documents and semi-structured interviews. The Atlas/ti software aided the data analysis. As a result, evidence was made that there is a strong and decisive presence of location and internal resources aspects, underlined in the Diamond Model, the Eclectic Paradigm and the Resource-based View as fundamental in the internationalization of the activities of companies from Paraiba. The formation of a strong internal network, adopted by the Network Theory, also showed its importance. The other theories under analysis became less applicable, mainly due to the nature of the sugar-ethanol sector in Paraiba, which exports indirectly, and to the fact that their products are highly standardized.

AIDS and human rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarantola, D; Mann, J

1995-01-01

HIV/AIDS is a health problem that is inseparable from individual and collective behavior and social forces, particularly linked with societal respect for human rights and dignity. In its second decade, the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to thrive. Where organized communities have access to adequate information, education, and services, the incidence of infection has begun to decline. Elsewhere, HIV continues to reach new populations and new geographic areas. Lessons learned in more than a decade of prevention work point to new directions for expanding national responses, at a time when the UNAIDS program, to be launched in January 1996, offers opportunities for innovative, broad-based, coordinated, and expanded global action. Prevention activities have shown that the spread of HIV can be effectively reduced. Public health interventions, including providing information and applying prevention methods, reduce the probability of infection, the risk of transmission, and the chances of not accessing appropriate care or support once infection has set in. These are proximal interventions that yield the short-term benefits of the decline of incidence and improved quality and duration of life for those infected. Societal vulnerability translates today into the focus the pandemic has on individuals, communities, and nations that are disadvantaged, marginalized, or discriminated against for reasons of gender, age, race, sexual orientation, economic status, or cultural, religious, or political affiliation. A fully expanded response to HIV/AIDS requires a combination of risk-reduction (proximal) and contextual interventions--those directed at reducing vulnerability through social change to enable people to exert control over their own health. Contextual actions can be implemented in the short term (changing laws, policies, practices that discriminate, promoting human rights, developing the most vulnerable communities) and in the long term (cultural changes, gender equality in

Comparative Approach to the Areas of Coordination in the Policies of Bilateral Cooperation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Ayuso

1998-04-01

Full Text Available In the sphere of Cooperation for Development, the term coordination is closely linked to the notion of efficiency, which is understood as the need to obtain the optimum results possible from the limited funds that are available. Two main problems thus emerge for eachdeveloping country to solve: one, how to answer which is pre-eminent —the economic or the political interests and, two, how to cope with its lack of efficiency in managing the whole of contributions received from different sources by way of Cooperation for Development.Although the task of coordinating and determining priorities and designing a particular strategy for development belong to the receptor state, there are three areas of activity in which the donor state shoulders great responsibility: the internal coordination withineach donor country, the bilateral coordination between the donor and receptor nation, and the coordination among donor countries. With respect to the first, common problems exist for which each country tries to find a solution by way of providing answers in line with its priorities and idiosyncrasies, which can then be classified in three thematic blocks: planning, administrative management, and operative management. According the author, it is also possible to identify evolutionary patterns among the donors that indicate tendencieswhich can be contrasted with the principles worked out in the heart of the Committee for Aid for Development in the OCDE.

Economies of vertical integration in the Swiss electricity sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fetz, Aurelio; Filippini, Massimo [Department of Management, Technology and Economics, ETH Zurich (Switzerland); Department of Economics, University of Lugano (Switzerland)

2010-11-15

Over the last two decades, several European nations have introduced reforms to their electricity sector. Generally, these reforms require a legal and functional unbundling of vertically integrated companies. These unbundling processes may reduce the possibilities that exist to fruitfully exploit the advantages of vertical integration. The goal of this paper is to empirically analyze the presence of economies of scale and vertical integration in the Swiss electricity sector. Economies of vertical integration between electricity production and distribution result from reduced transaction costs, better coordination of highly specific and interdependent investments and less financial risk. Different econometric specifications for panel data, including a random effects and a random-coefficients model, have been used to estimate a quadratic multi-stage cost function for a sample of electricity companies. The empirical results reflect the presence of considerable economies of vertical integration and economies of scale for most of the companies considered in the analysis. Moreover, the results suggest a variation in economies of vertical integration across companies due to unobserved heterogeneity. (author)

Short Summary European Reports on Retail Sector, Motor Vehicle Repair and Sales Sector, Food and Beverages Sector.

Science.gov (United States)

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Berlin (Germany).

This document is composed of European synthesis reports on retail trade, the agro-food sector, and the motor vehicle sales and repair sector. They are based on the most important findings of the European report and the 12 national reports for each sector. Section 1, "Retail Sector," deals in part 1 with the structure of retailing in the…

Condom Advertising and AIDS. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. House of Representatives, One Hundredth Congress, First Session.

Science.gov (United States)

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

This document present witnesses' testimonies from the Congressional hearing called to examine condom advertising and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Opening statements are included by Congressmen Henry Waxman, William Dannemeyer, and Jim Bates. C. Everett Koop, United States Surgeon General, and Gary Noble, AIDS coordinator for the…

Poisson Coordinates.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xian-Ying; Hu, Shi-Min

2013-02-01

Harmonic functions are the critical points of a Dirichlet energy functional, the linear projections of conformal maps. They play an important role in computer graphics, particularly for gradient-domain image processing and shape-preserving geometric computation. We propose Poisson coordinates, a novel transfinite interpolation scheme based on the Poisson integral formula, as a rapid way to estimate a harmonic function on a certain domain with desired boundary values. Poisson coordinates are an extension of the Mean Value coordinates (MVCs) which inherit their linear precision, smoothness, and kernel positivity. We give explicit formulas for Poisson coordinates in both continuous and 2D discrete forms. Superior to MVCs, Poisson coordinates are proved to be pseudoharmonic (i.e., they reproduce harmonic functions on n-dimensional balls). Our experimental results show that Poisson coordinates have lower Dirichlet energies than MVCs on a number of typical 2D domains (particularly convex domains). As well as presenting a formula, our approach provides useful insights for further studies on coordinates-based interpolation and fast estimation of harmonic functions.

Public sector leadership: Transforming the market for efficient products and services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harris, Jeffrey [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, CA (United States); Aebischer, Bernard [Swiss Federal Inst. of Technology, Zurich (Switzerland); Glickman, Joan [Federal Energy Management Program, Washington, DC (United States); Magnin, Gerard [Energie-Cites, Besancon (France); Meier, Alan [International Energy Agency, Paris (France); Viegand, Jan [Jan Viegand Analysis and Information, Copenhagen (Denmark)

2005-07-01

recognition of the leadership role of public sector energy efficiency, information-sharing and collaboration, coordinated procurement to aggregate buyer demand, building energy performance benchmarking, and the development of international standards of practice for public sector energy management. The EU can also play an important role, through its foreign assistance activities, in promoting the broader international acceptance of public sector energy efficiency.

Public sector leadership: Transforming the market for efficient products and services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, Jeffrey; Aebischer, Bernard; Glickman, Joan; Magnin, Gerard; Meier, Alan; Viegand, Jan

2005-01-01

of the leadership role of public sector energy efficiency, information-sharing and collaboration, coordinated procurement to aggregate buyer demand, building energy performance benchmarking, and the development of international standards of practice for public sector energy management. The EU can also play an important role, through its foreign assistance activities, in promoting the broader international acceptance of public sector energy efficiency

Aid and AIDS: a delicate cocktail

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dalen, H.P.; Reuser, M.

2008-01-01

Development assistance targeting health overwhelmingly concentrates on HIV/AIDS. This column argues that that focus neglects critical demographic issues and degrades health infrastructure, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The prime rule for AIDS aid should be “First, do no harm”.

Re-inscribing Gender in New Modes of Medical Expertise: The Investigator–Coordinator Relationship in the Clinical Trials Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Jill A.

2011-01-01

This article analyses the ways in which research coordinators forge professional identities in the highly gendered organizational context of the clinic. Drawing upon qualitative research on the organization of the clinical trials industry (that is, the private sector, for profit auxiliary companies that support pharmaceutical drug studies), this article explores the relationships between predominantly male physician-investigators and female research coordinators and the constitution of medical expertise in pharmaceutical drug development. One finding is that coordinators actively seek to establish relationships with investigators that mirror traditional doctor–nurse relationships, in which the feminized role is subordinated and devalued. Another finding is that the coordinators do, in fact, have profound research expertise that is frequently greater than that of the investigators. The coordinators develop expertise on pharmaceutical products and diseases through their observations of the patterns that occur in patient–participants’ responses to investigational drugs. The article argues, however, that the nature of the relationships between coordinators and investigators renders invisible the coordinators’ expertise. In this context, gender acts as a persistent social structure shaping both coordinators’ and investigators’ perceptions of who can be recognized as having authority and power in the workplace. PMID:21394219

Methodologies for Active Aging in the Manufacturing Sector

Science.gov (United States)

Fornasiero, Rosanna; Berdicchia, Domenica; Zambelli, Mario; Masino, Giovanni

The research project named “Flexibly Beyond” studied and experimented innovative models for the enhancement of the role of senior workers and prolongation of their working life. The research was based on the application of innovative methods and tools to the ageing society and in particular to the European manufacturing companies represented in the project by apparel and footwear sectors. The project was funded under the Innovative Measures of the art.6 of the European Social Fund (VS/2006/0353) and coordinated by Politecnico Calzaturiero. The real strength of the project was the large network including all the actors of the value chain which allows transferring the theoretical findings to practical level in SMEs manufacturing context.

Women-specific HIV/AIDS services: identifying and defining the components of holistic service delivery for women living with HIV/AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Allison J; Bourgeois, Sonya; O'Brien, Nadia; Abelsohn, Kira; Tharao, Wangari; Greene, Saara; Margolese, Shari; Kaida, Angela; Sanchez, Margarite; Palmer, Alexis K; Cescon, Angela; de Pokomandy, Alexandra; Loutfy, Mona R

2013-01-11

The increasing proportion of women living with HIV has evoked calls for tailored services that respond to women's specific needs. The objective of this investigation was to explore the concept of women-specific HIV/AIDS services to identify and define what key elements underlie this approach to care. A comprehensive review was conducted using online databases (CSA Social Service Abstracts, OvidSP, Proquest, Psycinfo, PubMed, CINAHL), augmented with a search for grey literature. In total, 84 articles were retrieved and 30 were included for a full review. Of these 30, 15 were specific to HIV/AIDS, 11 for mental health and addictions and four stemmed from other disciplines. The review demonstrated the absence of a consensual definition of women-specific HIV/AIDS services in the literature. We distilled this concept into its defining features and 12 additional dimensions (1) creating an atmosphere of safety, respect and acceptance; (2) facilitating communication and interaction among peers; (3) involving women in the planning, delivery and evaluation of services; (4) providing self-determination opportunities; (5) providing tailored programming for women; (6) facilitating meaningful access to care through the provision of social and supportive services; (7) facilitating access to women-specific and culturally sensitive information; (8) considering family as the unit of intervention; (9) providing multidisciplinary integration and coordination of a comprehensive array of services; (10) meeting women "where they are"; (11) providing gender-, culture- and HIV-sensitive training to health and social care providers; and (12) conducting gendered HIV/AIDS research. This review highlights that the concept of women-specific HIV/AIDS services is a complex and multidimensional one that has been shaped by diverse theoretical perspectives. Further research is needed to better understand this emerging concept and ultimately assess the effectiveness of women-specific services on HIV

Women-specific HIV/AIDS services: identifying and defining the components of holistic service delivery for women living with HIV/AIDS

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Allison J; Bourgeois, Sonya; O'Brien, Nadia; Abelsohn, Kira; Tharao, Wangari; Greene, Saara; Margolese, Shari; Kaida, Angela; Sanchez, Margarite; Palmer, Alexis K; Cescon, Angela; de Pokomandy, Alexandra; Loutfy, Mona R

2013-01-01

Introduction The increasing proportion of women living with HIV has evoked calls for tailored services that respond to women's specific needs. The objective of this investigation was to explore the concept of women-specific HIV/AIDS services to identify and define what key elements underlie this approach to care. Methods A comprehensive review was conducted using online databases (CSA Social Service Abstracts, OvidSP, Proquest, Psycinfo, PubMed, CINAHL), augmented with a search for grey literature. In total, 84 articles were retrieved and 30 were included for a full review. Of these 30, 15 were specific to HIV/AIDS, 11 for mental health and addictions and four stemmed from other disciplines. Results and discussion The review demonstrated the absence of a consensual definition of women-specific HIV/AIDS services in the literature. We distilled this concept into its defining features and 12 additional dimensions (1) creating an atmosphere of safety, respect and acceptance; (2) facilitating communication and interaction among peers; (3) involving women in the planning, delivery and evaluation of services; (4) providing self-determination opportunities; (5) providing tailored programming for women; (6) facilitating meaningful access to care through the provision of social and supportive services; (7) facilitating access to women-specific and culturally sensitive information; (8) considering family as the unit of intervention; (9) providing multidisciplinary integration and coordination of a comprehensive array of services; (10) meeting women “where they are”; (11) providing gender-, culture- and HIV-sensitive training to health and social care providers; and (12) conducting gendered HIV/AIDS research. Conclusions This review highlights that the concept of women-specific HIV/AIDS services is a complex and multidimensional one that has been shaped by diverse theoretical perspectives. Further research is needed to better understand this emerging concept and ultimately

THE RISK INSURANCE EFFICIENCY OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Lobova

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The necessity of business activity insurance in the agricultural sector is grounded in this article. Different types of agricultural risks are described. The principles, on which the efficiency of agricultural insurance is based, are determined. Such as: voluntary; the farmers interest; risk management; multivariate product line; promote farmers efficient; equal access to subsidies from farmers; balance; transparency and coordination of the subsidies transfer; creating a reliable and multi-level system of insurance coverage; binding institute of independent examination. The different ways to determine the effectiveness of insurance are considered.

Neural network-based distributed attitude coordination control for spacecraft formation flying with input saturation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, An-Min; Kumar, Krishna Dev

2012-07-01

This brief considers the attitude coordination control problem for spacecraft formation flying when only a subset of the group members has access to the common reference attitude. A quaternion-based distributed attitude coordination control scheme is proposed with consideration of the input saturation and with the aid of the sliding-mode observer, separation principle theorem, Chebyshev neural networks, smooth projection algorithm, and robust control technique. Using graph theory and a Lyapunov-based approach, it is shown that the distributed controller can guarantee the attitude of all spacecraft to converge to a common time-varying reference attitude when the reference attitude is available only to a portion of the group of spacecraft. Numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed distributed controller.

Competition Law and the Nuclear Sector: An EU Outlook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sousa Ferro, M.

2010-01-01

Competition law essentially aims at preventing harmful distortions of competition in the market which may be caused by agreements between companies, by the abusive behaviour of dominant companies, by structural changes in the market due to mergers or by state aid.1 However, often such practices and measures are actually necessary to render certain services viable, to obtain new or better products, to pursue other policies for the greater benefit of the collective, etc. Occasionally, this raises interesting issues in the nuclear sector. This paper aims to provide European competition law practitioners with a summary of the leading legal issues and precedents in this domain, alerting them to relevant specifics. It also aims to introduce nuclear lawyers to the reality and potential of antitrust enforcement in this sector. For the purposes of this paper, the 'nuclear sector' shall be broadly defined so as to include any activity which, given its link to nuclear energy or to ionizing radiation, is (at least partially) subject to special regulation under nuclear law. While many nuclear-related activities will not, in principle, require a special analysis beyond the usual parameters of competition law enforcement, others present distinct challenges to practitioners. Some of these challenges are specific to the European legal order and justify the restriction of the scope of this analysis to the European Union. That being said, the extensive harmonization of the national competition law of member states, as well as the fact that national competition authorities are required to enforce EU competition law, makes it advisable to look simultaneously at European-wide and national antitrust enforcement. The relationship between EU competition law and the nuclear sector remains somewhat shrouded in mystery - perhaps excessively so. The issue has been tackled to some extent in general works on competition law and energy law. As one would expect, research developed in the framework

RESEARCH ON COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION METHOD OF GB-SAR IMAGE SUPPORTED BY 3D LASER SCANNING TECHNOLOGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Wang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In the image plane of GB-SAR, identification of deformation distribution is usually carried out by artificial interpretation. This method requires analysts to have adequate experience of radar imaging and target recognition, otherwise it can easily cause false recognition of deformation target or region. Therefore, it is very meaningful to connect two-dimensional (2D plane coordinate system with the common three-dimensional (3D terrain coordinate system. To improve the global accuracy and reliability of the transformation from 2D coordinates of GB-SAR images to local 3D coordinates, and overcome the limitation of traditional similarity transformation parameter estimation method, 3D laser scanning data is used to assist the transformation of GB-SAR image coordinates. A straight line fitting method for calculating horizontal angle was proposed in this paper. After projection into a consistent imaging plane, we can calculate horizontal rotation angle by using the linear characteristics of the structure in radar image and the 3D coordinate system. Aided by external elevation information by 3D laser scanning technology, we completed the matching of point clouds and pixels on the projection plane according to the geometric projection principle of GB-SAR imaging realizing the transformation calculation of GB-SAR image coordinates to local 3D coordinates. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified by the GB-SAR deformation monitoring experiment on the high slope of Geheyan dam.

Research on Coordinate Transformation Method of Gb-Sar Image Supported by 3d Laser Scanning Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, P.; Xing, C.

2018-04-01

In the image plane of GB-SAR, identification of deformation distribution is usually carried out by artificial interpretation. This method requires analysts to have adequate experience of radar imaging and target recognition, otherwise it can easily cause false recognition of deformation target or region. Therefore, it is very meaningful to connect two-dimensional (2D) plane coordinate system with the common three-dimensional (3D) terrain coordinate system. To improve the global accuracy and reliability of the transformation from 2D coordinates of GB-SAR images to local 3D coordinates, and overcome the limitation of traditional similarity transformation parameter estimation method, 3D laser scanning data is used to assist the transformation of GB-SAR image coordinates. A straight line fitting method for calculating horizontal angle was proposed in this paper. After projection into a consistent imaging plane, we can calculate horizontal rotation angle by using the linear characteristics of the structure in radar image and the 3D coordinate system. Aided by external elevation information by 3D laser scanning technology, we completed the matching of point clouds and pixels on the projection plane according to the geometric projection principle of GB-SAR imaging realizing the transformation calculation of GB-SAR image coordinates to local 3D coordinates. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified by the GB-SAR deformation monitoring experiment on the high slope of Geheyan dam.

Impact of private sector credit on the real sector of Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aliyu Mamman, Ph.D

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The real sector is a strategic component of an economy because it produces and distributes tangible goods and services required to satisfy aggregate demand in the economy. For this reason, there is the need for adequate credit flow from the banking industry to the real sector, which in the Nigerian case, the credit flow has been grossly inadequate. This study is carried out to examine the impact of credit to private sector (CPS on the real sector of Nigeria with a view to assess the significant contribution of CPS to real sector growth in Nigeria. The study used aggregate time series data from 1986 to 2010, which was drawn from central bank of Nigeria (CBN statistical bulletin and CBN annual report and statement of accounts. The data was analysed using multiple regression and based on the coefficient of determination (R square, the study reveals a 96.1% variation between the CPS and real sector growth in Nigeria. The study cocludes that there is a statistically significant impact of credit to private sector on the real sector of Nigeria. This, suggest that the performance of the real sector is greatly influence by credit to private sector. The study recommends that the federal government of Nigeria through the central bank of Nigeria (CBN should enhance the financing of the real sector as well as improve credit flow to the sector because of its strategic importance in creating and generating growth of the economy.

Role of the private sector in the provision of immunization services in low- and middle-income countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Ann; Kaddar, Miloud

2011-07-01

The authors conducted a literature review on the role of the private sector in low- and middle-income countries. The review indicated that relatively few studies have researched the role of the private sector in immunization service delivery in these countries. The studies suggest that the private sector is playing different roles and functions according to economic development levels, the governance structure and the general presence of the private sector in the health sector. In some countries, generally low-income countries, the private for-profit sector is contributing to immunization service delivery and helping to improve access to traditional EPI vaccines. In other countries, particularly middle-income countries, the private for-profit sector often acts to facilitate early adoption of new vaccines and technologies before introduction and generalization by the public sector. The not-for-profit sector plays an important role in extending access to traditional EPI vaccines, particularly in low-income countries. Not-for-profit facilities are situated in rural as well as urban areas and are more likely to be coordinated with public services than the private for-profit sector. Although numerous studies on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) suggest that the extent of NGO provision of immunization services in low- and middle-income countries is substantial, the contribution of this sector is poorly documented, leading to a lack of recognition of its role at national and global levels. Studies on quality of immunization service provision at private health facilities suggest that it is sometimes inadequate and needs to be monitored. Although some articles on public-private collaboration exist, little was found on the extent to which governments are effectively interacting with and regulating the private sector. The review revealed many geographical and thematic gaps in the literature on the role and regulation of the private sector in the delivery of immunization

Nuclear energy and opportunity to strengthen the sustainable electricity sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robles N, A. G.

2016-09-01

The beginning of electricity in Mexico was through the use and exploitation of natural resources; as the demand grew, more generation power plants were required with great capacity and at the same time the fuels used varied, although, oil continued to be the main fuel. At present, due to the effects of climate change, the Conference of the Parties has proposed to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels to give way to clean energy (wind, solar, geothermal, nuclear, etc.), which entails gradually modifying the energy matrix of the electricity sector. The National Development Plan and the National Electricity Sector Development Program, this coordinated by the Energy Secretariat in Mexico, establish policies to promote sustainable development, increasing electricity generation through clean energy sources, including nuclear energy. However, such plans are not accurate in the strategy to be followed to ensure compliance with the increased participation of nuclear energy. This article proposes a nuclear program for the Mexican electricity sector, under the terms of a State policy, aimed at crystallizing a sustainable electricity development 2015-2036; considering that the application to the electricity sector constitutes a representative and justified example of the incorporation of environmental aspects in decision processes for the preservation of the environment. In order to determine the quantity and type of reactors, as well as the number of nuclear power plants and increase of the installed capacity, the general planning scheme of the electric sector was used, taking as reference the modeling criteria of the WASP planning system. Finally, is concluded that the electricity generated by fission of radioactive elements is an opportunity to fulfill the commitments made by Mexico at COP 21 and to meet in an environmentally friendly way the energy requirement that our country needs. (Author)

Aid in a city at war: the case of Mogadishu, Somalia.

Science.gov (United States)

Grünewald, François

2012-07-01

Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, has been central to life, war, and peace in the country for almost two decades. Its urban characteristics, though, have been put to one side for the most part. In recent years, Mogadishu-related issues have been merged mostly into a global agenda for South and Central Somalia, resulting in the technical and coordination approaches employed in the city largely being reproductions of solutions utilised in refugee camps and rural areas. Unfortunately, urban problems require urban solutions. The aid system is just starting to discover how specific aid in cities at war should be, both from an organisational and a technical standpoint. The enhancement of aid practices in an urban setting implies, among other things, a more strategic approach to the specific spatial characteristics of the city, a more fine-tuned analysis of the technical requirements of the urban service delivery systems, and a better understanding of the role of urban institutions. © 2012 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2012.

Survey on Public Awareness On AIDS- Role Of Government And Non Government Agencies In A Rural South Indian Community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balagnesh G

1996-01-01

Full Text Available Research Question: What is the level of Public awareness on AIDS in a rural community and to what extent the government and non-government agencies have played their role in creating the awareness? Objectives: (i To study the public awareness on AIDS in a rural community (ii To Study role of government and non-government agencies in creating the awareness on AIDS. Design: Cross-sectional study Setting: Rural area under S. V. Medical College Triputi (AP Participants: 100 males (15-45 yrs and 100 females (15-45 yrs. Study variables: Awareness on AIDS, Government and non-government agencies. Statistical Analysis: Percentages Results: Most of the persons interviewed had minimal knowledge on AIDS. Quite a large section of the ‘ study population was ignorant over the safety offered by condoms in preventing AIDS. Doordarshan and Newspaper agencies played much role in creation the awareness on AIDS, while the non-government agencies like Lions’ Club, Rotary Club. Indian Junior Chamber etc. played no role in creating the awareness on AIDS in the study area. Recommendations: Government health sector should take more responsibility in educating the people and creating adequate awareness on AIDS. Non-government agencies should involve themselves in creating awareness on AIDS.

Economic and institutional dynamics of electricity markets deregulation: the interaction between sectoral regulation and antitrust policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fontanel, B.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to define regulatory intervention as a part of a global monitoring procedure allowing the definition and adaptation of market structures and rules, given the observed behavior of market participants. Nevertheless, the possible inefficiency in its (decisional) coordination with competition authorities implies further analysis. We thus adopt a comparative methodology based on the studying PJM and NETA wholesale markets. This analysis enables us to stress two possible 'models' in the distribution and coordination of monitoring powers. The first one privileges a strong 'informational coordination' between the sectoral regulator and the Transmission System Operator. By contrast, the second model is characterized by a constrained informational coordination, leading to a greater 'decisional convergence' between regulatory intervention and antitrust policy. Lastly, we put these conclusions into perspective with the specific issue of the achievement of an efficient and integrated European market for electricity. In particular, we stress the need for a single regulatory agency, which should be given autonomous decisional powers in the adoption of regional markets reform initiatives (author)

Structural change and inter-sectoral mobility in a two-sector economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antoci, Angelo; Galeotti, Marcello; Iannucci, Gianluca; Russu, Paolo

2015-01-01

This paper studies the dynamics of a two-sector economy (with a natural resource-dependent sector and an industrial sector) characterized by free inter-sectoral labor mobility and heterogeneity of agents (workers and entrepreneurs). In such a context, we analyze the effects of the deterioration of natural resources, caused by the production activity of both sectors, on inter-sectoral movements of the labor force (structural changes), on ecological dynamics and on the revenues of workers and entrepreneurs. As in the seminal work by Matsuyama (1992), we obtain that a low productivity of labor in the resource-dependent sector can fuel the industrialization process. However, differently from Matsuyama, in our model the industrialization process may give rise to a reduction in workers’ revenues if the contribution to environmental depletion of the industrial sector, per unit of product, is higher than that of the resource-dependent one.

Improving HIV/AIDS Knowledge Management Using EHRs.

Science.gov (United States)

Malmberg, Erik D; Phan, Thao M; Harmon, Glynn; Nauert, Richard F

2012-01-01

A primary goal for the development of EHRs and EHR-related technologies should be to facilitate greater knowledge management for improving individual and community health outcomes associated with HIV / AIDS. Most of the current developments of EHR have focused on providing data for research, patient care and prioritization of healthcare provider resources in other areas. More attention should be paid to using information from EHRs to assist local, state, national, and international entities engaged in HIV / AIDS care, research and prevention strategies. Unfortunately the technology and standards for HIV-specific reporting modules are still being developed. A literature search and review supplemented by the author's own experiences with electronic health records and HIV / AIDS prevention strategies will be used. This data was used to identify both opportunities and challenges for improving public health informatics primarily through the use of latest innovations in EHRs. Qualitative analysis and suggestions are offered for how EHRs can support knowledge management and prevention strategies associated with HIV infection. EHR information, including demographics, medical history, medication and allergies, immunization status, and other vital statistics can help public health practitioners to more quickly identify at-risk populations or environments; allocate scarce resources in the most efficient way; share information about successful, evidenced-based prevention strategies; and increase longevity and quality of life. Local, state, and federal entities need to work more collaboratively with NGOs, community-based organizations, and the private sector to eliminate barriers to implementation including cost, interoperability, accessibility, and information security.

The power sector in the melting pot. Perspectives for the structure of the sector in eastern Norway; Kraftsektor i stoepeskjeen. Perspektiver for bransjestrukturen paa Oestlandet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-12-01

The Norwegian power sector is undergoing basic changes. All the energy utilities are affected. This report describes the options faced by the owners and the effects of making different choices. It (1) discusses the implications of competition and the new external conditions for publicly owned utilities, (2) analyses the profit obtainable through cooperation and changes in the structure within production, power sale and network activities, and (3) draws up the perspectives of the future structure of the power sector in eastern Norway, where many of the largest suppliers are situated. Two scenarios are discussed for the structure of the power sector in eastern Norway in 2010: (1) Regional focus. The owners have a deliberate attitude to the possibilities of a publicly owned and competitive energy supply and they want to exploit the economic potential to the benefit of the inhabitants of the region. The energy users are offered services that are competitive both on price and quality and the policy instrument is to develop regional solutions that realize the possibilities of large-scale operation and coordination within production, sales and network. (2) Industrial energy supply. Large industrial actors have won most of the auctions as the smaller distribution works were offered for sale. Both scenarios are rooted in changes that have actually occurred or are still in progress. There is no socioeconomic justification for asserting that one scenario is better than the other. The choice of action taken by the owners will first of all affect the distribution of the values managed and created by the power sector. 27 figs., 12 tabs.

Collaborative Innovation in Agrometeorology: Coordination Strategies to Develop a Monitoring IT System for Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Delphino Bambini

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This case-study article presents the results from a morphology analysis of a knowledge and information network, focusing on the coordination mechanisms employed to generate a convergent arrangement. Agritempo was the first information system to offer (in 2003 free access to a broad range of agrometeorological data comprising all the Brazilian territory, representing an important technological innovation to the agricultural sector. To study this phenomenon an analytical framework of the Techno-Economic Network (TEN and concepts from the Innovation Sociology field was employed. Results indicate that the durability of this arrangement – from 2003 to 2014 – can be explained by the effectiveness of the coordination strategies established in the network such as: trust based relationships; institutional and individual leadership actions; contracting; software applications and shared common working procedures.

The impact of the new public management: Challenges for coordination and cohesion in European public sectors (review essay)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S.G.J. Van de Walle (Steven); G. Hammerschmid (Gerhard)

2011-01-01

textabstractNew Public Management has been around for a quarter of a century in European public sectors, yet despite the movement’s emphasis on indicators and evidence, there have been surprisingly few encompassing evaluations. In this paper, we provide an overview of academic evaluation and

Aid alignment: a longer term lens on trends in development assistance for health in Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Stierman, Elizabeth; Ssengooba, Freddie; Bennett, Sara

2013-02-20

Over the past decade, development assistance for health (DAH) in Uganda has increased dramatically, surpassing the government's own expenditures on health. Yet primary health care and other priorities identified in Uganda's health sector strategic plan remain underfunded. Using data available from the Creditor Reporting System (CRS), National Health Accounts (NHA), and government financial reports, we examined trends in how donors channel DAH and the extent to which DAH is aligned with sector priorities. The study follows the flow of DAH from the donor to the implementing organization, specifying the modality used for disbursing funds and categorizing funds based on program area or support function. Despite efforts to improve alignment through the formation of a sector-wide approach (SWAp) for health in 1999 and the creation of a fund to pool resources for identified priorities, increasingly DAH is provided as short-term, project-based support for disease-specific initiatives, in particular HIV/AIDS. These findings highlight the need to better align external resources with country priorities and refocus attention on longer-term sector-wide objectives.

Toward Beijing: linking HIV / AIDS to other women's issues is imperative.

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, K

1995-01-01

The senior advisor to the AIDSCAP Women's Initiative, Dr. E. Maxine Ankrah, is actively lobbying to secure the inclusion of HIV/AIDS language in the draft platform of the UN Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace scheduled for September 1995 in Beijing. She organized the only workshop on HIV/AIDS at the preparatory meeting in New York in March 1995. It examined the effects of poverty on the expanding epidemic among females. Workshop presentations included international perspectives on: the effect of structural adjustment programs on women's vulnerability; the relationship between poverty, female prostitution, and AIDS; credit schemes and education to empower rural women; reproductive rights; ethnic issues; and the need for women to help women. Obstacles that obscured the relationships between HIV/AIDS and other women's issues have been: that AIDS was initially defined as a medical problem; that risk groups were narrowly defined; and the emphasis on behavior that blames persons infected with HIV. Despite earlier obstacles, the draft platform has several sections with HIV/AIDS language. Strategic Objective C.3: Undertake Multi-Sectoral Initiatives Sensitive to Women's Life Situations addresses the HIV pandemic and other sexual and reproductive health issues. Some of the actions called for in this objective are involvement of women in decision making, expansion of peer education and outreach, and supporting research of woman-controlled prevention methods. AIDSCAP Women's Initiative and other nongovernmental organizations will work together focus attention on HIV/AIDS in Beijing. AIDSCAP plans to have resource publications available in Beijing as well as to host networking sessions. Unless it is waived, the policy prohibiting HIV-infected persons from entering China will preclude HIV-infected women from taking part in the Conference.

AIDSCAP initiative. Innovation in NGO capacity building: Tanzania AIDS project.

Science.gov (United States)

Dadian, M J

1998-01-01

Tanzania has since the mid-1980s experienced some of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world, with data now showing the mean levels of HIV seroprevalence nationwide to be greater than 13%, and even higher than 30% in some districts. By 2000, as many as 2.4 million Tanzanians will be infected with HIV and more than 850,000 Tanzanian children will be orphaned by the epidemic. The Tanzania AIDS Project (TAP), funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), was implemented through the AIDS Control and Prevention (AIDSCAP) Project by Family Health International (FHI) during 1993-97. TAP will receive support throughout 1998 through a cooperative agreement between USAID and FHI. Nongovernmental organization (NGO) representatives meet on a regular basis in Dar es Salaam and in 8 other regions of the country to plan and coordinate the major aspects of TAP's HIV/AIDS prevention activities in each area. The author describes the evolution of the idea to bring NGOs together into geographic clusters, the diversity of talents enjoyed from using the cluster concept, building institutional capacity, the challenges facing TAP's 9 clusters, and working with traditional communities.

Towards a Carbon-Neutral Energy Sector: Opportunities and Challenges of Coordinated Bioenergy Supply Chains-A PSE Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Puigjaner

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The electricity generation sector needs to reduce its environmental impact and dependence on fossil fuel, mainly from coal. Biomass is one of the most promising future options to produce electricity, given its potential contribution to climate change mitigation. Even though biomass is an old source of energy, it is not yet a well-established commodity. The use of biomass in large centralised systems requires the establishment of delivery channels to provide the desired feedstock with the necessary attributes, at the right time and place. In terms of time to deployment and cost of the solution, co-combustion/co-gasification of biomass and coal are presented as transition and short-medium term alternatives towards a carbon-neutral energy sector. Hence, there is a need to assess an effective introduction of co-combustion/co-gasification projects in the current electricity production share. The purpose of this work is to review recent steps in Process Systems Engineering towards bringing into reality individualised and ad-hoc solutions, by building a common but adjustable design platform to tailored approaches of biomass-based supply chains. Current solutions and the latest developments are presented and future needs under study are also identified.

Self-reported outcomes of aural rehabilitation for adult hearing aid users in a developing South African context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaine Pienaar

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Hearing impairment has far reaching consequences for affected individuals, in terms of quality of life indicators. In a developing South African context the hearing impaired population is faced with limited aural rehabilitation services. This study evaluated self-reported outcomes of aural rehabilitation in a group of adults in the public healthcare sector with a standardized outcomes measurement tool (IOI-HA. Sixty-one respondents participated (44% males; 56% females, with a mean age of 69.7 years. Results revealed that the majority of respondents experienced favourable outcomes in all domains of the inventory comprising of: daily use of hearing aids, benefits provided by hearing aids, residual activity limitation, satisfaction with hearing aids, residual participation restriction, impact of hearing difficulties on others, and changes in quality of life. Statistically significant relationships were obtained between the daily use of hearing aids, the degree of hearing loss, and the type of hearing aids fitted, as well as the benefits received from hearing aids in difficult listening environments (p < 0.05. Despite challenges of developing contexts, the mean scores distribution compared positively to similar reports from developed countries. Outcomes of improved quality of life emphasize the importance of providing affordable hearing aids and services to all hearing impaired individuals in South Africa.

AID SELECTIVITY PRACTICE AND AID EFFECTIVENESS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adeniyi Jimmy Adedokun

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Foreign aid strategies have undergone restructuring as donors adopt aid selectivity practice to improve aid effectiveness. This study investigates the impact of aid selectivity practice on aid effectiveness (aid-growth relationship in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA and several groups of countries within SSA from 1980 to 2012. Employing system generalized methods of moments (system GMM technique; the study produces strong evidence that there is significant improvement in aid effectiveness due to aid selectivity practice.

Foreign aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tarp, Finn

2008-01-01

Foreign aid has evolved significantly since the Second World War in response to a dramatically changing global political and economic context. This article (a) reviews this process and associated trends in the volume and distribution of foreign aid; (b) reviews the goals, principles and instituti......Foreign aid has evolved significantly since the Second World War in response to a dramatically changing global political and economic context. This article (a) reviews this process and associated trends in the volume and distribution of foreign aid; (b) reviews the goals, principles...... and institutions of the aid system; and (c) discusses whether aid has been effective. While much of the original optimism about the impact of foreign aid needed modification, there is solid evidence that aid has indeed helped further growth and poverty reduction...

Using a service sector segmented approach to identify community stakeholders who can improve access to suicide prevention services for veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthieu, Monica M; Gardiner, Giovanina; Ziegemeier, Ellen; Buxton, Miranda

2014-04-01

Veterans in need of social services may access many different community agencies within the public and private sectors. Each of these settings has the potential to be a pipeline for attaining needed health, mental health, and benefits services; however, many service providers lack information on how to conceptualize where Veterans go for services within their local community. This article describes a conceptual framework for outreach that uses a service sector segmented approach. This framework was developed to aid recruitment of a provider-based sample of stakeholders (N = 70) for a study on improving access to the Department of Veterans Affairs and community-based suicide prevention services. Results indicate that although there are statistically significant differences in the percent of Veterans served by the different service sectors (F(9, 55) = 2.71, p = 0.04), exposure to suicidal Veterans and providers' referral behavior is consistent across the sectors. Challenges to using this framework include isolating the appropriate sectors for targeted outreach efforts. The service sector segmented approach holds promise for identifying and referring at-risk Veterans in need of services. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Traditional Healing, Biomedicine and the Treatment of HIV/AIDS: Contrasting South African and Native American Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Flint, Adrian

2015-01-01

Traditional healing remains an important aspect of many people’s engagement with healthcare and, in this, responses to the treatment of HIV/AIDS are no different. However, given the gravity of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, there has been much debate as to the value of traditional healing in this respect. Accordingly, this paper explores the extent to which meaningful accommodation between the biomedical and traditional sectors is possible (and/or even desirable). It does this through a consideration of Native American and South African experiences, looking at how the respective groups, in which medical pluralism is common, have addressed the issue of HIV/AIDS. The paper points to the importance of developing “culturally appropriate” forms of treatment that emphasise complementary rather than adversarial engagement between the traditional and biomedical systems and how policymakers can best facilitate this. PMID:25903057

Traditional Healing, Biomedicine and the Treatment of HIV/AIDS: Contrasting South African and Native American Experiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian Flint

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Traditional healing remains an important aspect of many people’s engagement with healthcare and, in this, responses to the treatment of HIV/AIDS are no different. However, given the gravity of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, there has been much debate as to the value of traditional healing in this respect. Accordingly, this paper explores the extent to which meaningful accommodation between the biomedical and traditional sectors is possible (and/or even desirable. It does this through a consideration of Native American and South African experiences, looking at how the respective groups, in which medical pluralism is common, have addressed the issue of HIV/AIDS. The paper points to the importance of developing “culturally appropriate” forms of treatment that emphasise complementary rather than adversarial engagement between the traditional and biomedical systems and how policymakers can best facilitate this.

Norwegian Residential Energy Demand: Coordinated use of a System Engineering and a Macroeconomic Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tor A Johnsen

1996-07-01

Full Text Available In Norway, the system engineering model MARKAL and the macroeconomic model MSG-EE are both used in studies of national CO2 controlling strategies. MARKAL is a linear programming model that calculates a composite set of technologies necessary to meet demand and environmental constraints at minimised total energy expenditure. MSG-EE is an applied general equilibrium model including the link between economic activity, energy demand and emissions to air. MSG-EE has a theory consistent description of the link between income, prices and energy demand, but the representation of technological improvements is simple. MARKAL has a sophisticated description of future energy technology options, but includes no feedback to the general economy. A project for studying the potential for a coordinated use of these two models was initiated and funded by the Norwegian Research Council (NFR. This paper gives a brief presentation of the two models. Results from independent model calculations show that MARKAL gives a signficant lower residential energy demand than MSG-EE does. This is explained by major differences in modelling approach. A first attempt of coordinating the residential energy demand in the models is reported. This attempt shows that implementing results from MARKAL, in MSG-EE for the residential sector alone gives little impact on the general economy. A further development of an iteration procedure between the models should include all energy using sectors.

From pricing regulations of the feed-in scheme (EEG) through to financial security under the Atomic Energy Act (AtG): the German legal system for the energy sector in the context of EC legislation on state aid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuehling, J.

2001-01-01

This contribution is a comprehensive analysis of EC law on state aid and resulting possible impacts on the German legal system for the energy sector. The analysis reveals that, depending on the legal interpretation of Art. 87 of the EC Treaty, further non-compliance issues such as that currently under debate in connection with German legislation supporting market penetration of electricity from renewable energy sources, may arise in the future. Further examples referred to are the German system of liability reserves for the decommissioning of nuclear power plants, and the system of third party liability for nuclear power plant operators. The author addresses various problem areas and uses characteristic examples in explaining conceivable matters of conflict. (orig./CB) [de

Role of zero modes in the canonical quantization of heavy-fermion QED in light-cone coordinates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, R.W.; Jun, J.W.; Shvartsman, S.M.; Taylor, C.C.

1993-01-01

Four-dimensional heavy-fermion QED is studied in light-cone coordinates with (anti)periodic field boundary conditions. We carry out a consistent light-cone canonical quantization of this model using the Dirac algorithm for a system with first- and second-class constraints. To examine the role of the zero modes, we consider the quantization procedure in the zero-mode and the nonzero-mode sectors separately. In both sectors we obtain the physical variables and their canonical commutation relations. The physical Hamiltonian is constructed via a step-by-step exclusion of the unphysical degrees of freedom. An example using this Hamiltonian in which the zero modes play a role is the verification of the correct Coulomb potential between two heavy fermions

Coordinating the Uncoordinated: The EU Forest Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filip Aggestam

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The second European Union (EU Forest Strategy responds to new challenges facing both forests and the forest-based sector which highlights the EU’s need for a policy framework ensuring coordination and coherence of forest-related policies. The objective of the present article is to analyse whether the new Strategy contributes towards horizontal policy coherence of EU forest-related policies, given its shared and exclusive competences. This is achieved by comparing European Commission and forest industry policy priorities as articulated in the Strategy and through research carried out for the recent Cumulative Cost Assessment (CCA of forest-based industries. Results from the comparative analysis demonstrate that the Strategy does not address many EU policies and policy instruments that affect the whole forest value chain and that it clearly omits existing EU policy instrument objectives that entail significant costs for the forest-based industry. It is therefore argued that without coordinating collective EU goals and gathering strong political support, it is at best extremely difficult or at worst impossible, to achieve coherence for EU forest-related policies across the whole forest value chain. Improving coherence of Union forest-related policies will require the Strategy to address more policy areas and instruments, including clearly defined parameters of what constitutes an EU forest-related policy. These pressing needs reach beyond what the Strategy presently sets out to achieve.

Educational aids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenkeit, S.

1989-01-01

Educational aids include printed matter, aural media, visual media, audiovisual media and objects. A distinction is made between learning aids, which include blackboards, overhead projectors, flipcharts, wallcharts and pinboards, and learning aids, which include textbooks, worksheets, documentation and experimental equipment. The various aids are described and their use explained. The aids available at the School for Nuclear Technology of the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Centre are described

Energy policy and development of the energy sector in Macedonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blazhev, Blagoja.

1996-01-01

Energetics is an important precondition for everyday life in the economic activities as well as the social activities on the whole. The main goal of the energy sector is to monitor and support the planned social development. Consequently, the development of the society and the development of energetics must be coordinated as much as possible. If not, with an autarchic development of the energy system, because of its capital characteristic, could mean a substantial erosion of the social accumulation, without an appropriate contribution to the growth of the national income. Because of this, the issue we wish to speak of is constantly current. (author). 1 tab., 6 ills

Mining industry enters a new era of AIDS prevention. Eye witness: South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Heywood, M

1996-06-01

Miners in South Africa are now more at risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) than of being in a mining accident. Some epidemiologists predict that the mines could be experiencing 12,000-40,000 deaths related to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) by 2010. In 1986, HIV infection among mineworkers was 1/3500. Gencor medical personnel now estimate that 20% of the company's employees are HIV-positive and that 30 workers are dying of AIDS each month. In August 1995, the Chamber of Mines, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO) held a seminar to discuss the potential impact of the epidemic; it was followed by a workshop, "Research Needs and Priorities for the Management of HIV/AIDS Transmission in the Mining Industry," which was organized by the Epidemiology Unit in Johannesburg. Although the seminar invited no people with HIV, mineworkers, or government representatives, the workshop did; however, no representatives of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), or the Chamber of Mines, came. In spite of this, a new, holistic approach to HIV-prevention is emerging in the mining sector. A decade of education has not changed risk behaviors, so more emphasis will be placed on outreach programs to the communities, including the prostitutes, with which the miners interact, and on treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The mining sector is in a unique position to fight HIV because it already has an extensive medical infrastructure with the capacity to treat STDs effectively, a unionized workforce to provide a pool of peer educators, and recruitment agencies to extend HIV-prevention into rural areas. Obstacles to effective HIV/AIDS education include discrimination (Workers are tested for HIV without consent, and dismissed, if found to be positive, regardless of union agreements.); a psychological factor that is related to underground work and produces recklessness; poor living conditions; and illiteracy. Many myths remain about

AID SELECTIVITY PRACTICE AND AID EFFECTIVENESS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

OpenAIRE

Adedokun, Adeniyi Jimmy; Abiodun O. Folawewo, Abiodun O.

2017-01-01

Foreign aid strategies have undergone restructuring as donors adopt aid selectivity practice to improve aid effectiveness. This study investigates the impact of aid selectivity practice on aid effectiveness (aid-growth relationship) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and several groups of countries within SSA from 1980 to 2012. Employing system generalized methods of moments (system GMM) technique; the study produces strong evidence that there is significant improvement in aid effectiveness due to a...

Evaluation of a transit first-aid station providing emergency care to former Yugoslavian war victims evacuated in Ancona, Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Prospero, E; Raffo, M; Appignanesi, R; Faccenda, G; Ronveaux, O; Annino; D'Errico, M M

2000-03-01

A first-aid station was implemented in Falconara Marittima airport (Ancona, Italy). It provided medical emergency care to war victims evacuated from former Yugoslavia in transit for further treatment. A descriptive analysis of the displaced population arriving at the first-aid station was performed using three independent datasets for administrative information, of which one included medical information. The implemented resources were also evaluated. From August 1993 to March 1995, 2272 displaced persons were registered at the first-aid station, out of which 54.2% were accompanying family members. Among those needing medical intervention (45.8% of total), most frequent diagnoses were traumatisms and burns (59.8%), neoplasms (15.6%), and congenital malformations (13.2%). The medical care provided at the first-aid station was most often basic: a medical examination alone was performed on 77.0% of the patients, and a minor dressing on 17.3%. Median length of stay was 1 day. Patients were sent to 30 different countries and 8% were forwarded to the local regional hospital. Deployed logistical resources exceeded by far actual needs but a lack of psychological assistance was observed, mainly for children. The agencies involved did not coordinate data sharing and follow-up information. The medical assistance to the war victims was efficient regarding provided care and timeliness. Effectiveness of such a programme could be improved by a better coordination between partners, allowing more adequate logistics according to appropriate epidemiological information.

En Route Descent Advisor Multi-Sector Planning Using Active and Provisional Controller Plans

Science.gov (United States)

Vivona, Robert; Green, Steven

2003-01-01

As decision support tools are developed to support controllers in complex air traffic control environments, new approaches to maintaining situation awareness and managing traffic planning must be developed to handle the ever-increasing amounts of alerting and advisory data. Within high-density metering and other environments where flight path changes are the rule, not the exception, and where interactions between these changes are required, current trial planning approaches are limited by potential increases in workload. The Enroute Descent Advisor (EDA) is a set of decision support tool capabilities for managing high-density en route traffic subject to metering restrictions. The EDA system s novel approach builds aircraft plans from combinations of user intent data and builds controller plans from combinations of aircraft plans to effectively maintain situation awareness during traffic planning. By maintaining both active (current) and provisional (proposed) controller plans, EDA supports controllers in coordinated traffic planning both within and between sectors. Ultimately, EDA s multi-sector planning approach will facilitate a transition from current sector-oriented operations to a new trajectory-oriented paradigm, enabling new levels of efficiency and collaboration in air traffic control.

Traditional knowledge in HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention program in northern Uganda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francis Adyanga Akena

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Uganda’s health care sector is choking with various challenges, such as poor physical infrastructure, inadequate professionals to run the few existing health centers, poor culture of adherence to professional ethical standards by some health care practitioners, shortages of medicines in most government hospitals/health centers, and corruption. Most of the challenges are more endemic in rural areas. It is on the above premise that this article discusses some of the challenges that health centers face in provision of care to the increasing number of HIV/AIDS patients in hard-to-reach rural communities in northern Uganda and the implications of such challenges on the economy. Uganda’s success in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the early 1990s was globally applauded because of its aggressive grassroots behavioral change crusades aimed at reducing the number of sexual partners. The success inspired a wave of financial aid programs from the US government to fight the disease across the developing world. However, the success was short-lived as the rate of HIV/AIDS infection in Uganda is currently rising, with the health care system struggling to provide care for the ballooning number of patients. To contribute to the curtailing cases of new infections, this article discuses the integration of the traditional authority and knowledge system in the national HIV/AIDS care and prevention program along with the biomedical approach currently being used.

Pediatric First Aid Practices in Ghana: A Population-Based Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Gyedu, Adam; Mock, Charles; Nakua, Emmanuel; Otupiri, Easmon; Donkor, Peter; Ebel, Beth E

2015-08-01

Children in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) often receive care outside the formal medical sector. Improving pre-hospital first aid has proven to be highly cost-effective in lowering trauma mortality. Few studies in LMIC have examined home first aid practices for injured children. We conducted a representative population-based survey of 200 caregivers of children under 18 years of age, representing 6520 households. Caregivers were interviewed about their first aid practices and care-seeking behaviors when a child sustained an injury at home. Injuries of interest included burns, lacerations, fractures and choking. Reported practices were characterized as recommended, low-risk, and potentially harmful. For common injuries, 75-96% of caregivers reported employing a recommended practice (e.g., running cool water over a burn injury). However, for these same injuries, 13-61% of caregivers also identified potentially harmful management strategies (e.g., applying sand to a laceration). Choking had the highest proportion (96%) of recommended first aid practice: (e.g., hitting the child's back) and the lowest percent (13%) of potentially harmful practices (e.g., attempting manual removal). Fractures had the lowest percent (75%) of recommended practices (e.g., immediately bringing the child to a health facility). Burns had the highest percent (61%) of potentially harmful practices (e.g., applying kerosene). While most caregivers were aware of helpful first aid practices to administer for a child injury, many parents also described potentially harmful practices or delays in seeking medical attention. As parents are the de facto first responders to childhood injury, there are opportunities to strengthen pre-hospital care for children in LMICs.

The costs of HIV/AIDS care at government hospitals in Zimbabwe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Kristian Schultz; Chapman, Glyn; Chitsike, Inam

2000-01-01

According to official figures, HIV infection in Zimbabwe stood at 700 000-1 000 000 in 1995, representing 7-10% of the population, with even higher expected numbers in 2000. Such high numbers will have far reaching effects on the economy and the health care sector. Information on costs of treatment...... and care of HIV/AIDS patients in health facilities is necessary in order to have an idea of the likely costs of the increasing number of HIV/AIDS patients. Therefore, the present study estimated the costs per in-patient day as well as per in-patient stay for patients in government health facilities...... an in-patient note review) to identify the direct treatment and diagnostic costs such as medication, laboratory tests and X-rays, and the standard step-down costing methodology to capture all the remaining resources used such as hospital administration, meals, housekeeping, laundry, etc. The findings...

Analytical search of problems and prospects of power sector through Delphi study: case study of Kerala State, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, D.P.; Nair, P.S. Chandramohanan; Balasubramanian, R.

2003-01-01

This study attempts to review and analyse the critical issues that afflict the power sector of Kerala, a developing State in India. For this purpose a Delphi study, contacting experts in the field was conducted. The paper illustrates the process followed for the conduct of Delphi survey and evaluates the responses obtained. Consensus among experts could be arrived at on various issues related to Kerala power sector in two rounds of Delphi survey. The expert-opinion concluded on various issues is discussed in the context of the present energy shortage faced by the State. The experts participated in the Delphi survey unanimously stressed on the urgent need for an integrated approach in the power sector planning process of the State. They also emphasised on the imperativeness for exploiting the demand side management potential of the State to alleviate energy crisis in future. The study fetched informative and revealing results, which may aid to formulate and review future planning strategies for the expansion of power sector of the State

From Public to Private Sector: Motives and Explanations for Sector Switching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Jesper Rosenberg

2014-01-01

Sector switching is interesting in relation to understanding how to get and keep people working in the public sector as well as to understand public and private differences. This paper focuses on why public employees leave public organizations to work in the private sector. We use a design studying...... higher educated Danish employees who recently worked in the state, comparing those who shift job to another public organization with those who switch to the private sector. We focus on different motives for job shifts which may influence sector switching such as salary, job security, organizational...... characteristics and public service motivation....

Socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors among HIV/AIDS patients in Kano, Northern Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Iliyasu, Z; Arotiba, J T; Babashani, M

2004-01-01

There has been no description of the characteristics of HIV/AIDS patients that are referred to this antiretroviral treatment centre. The information could be useful in planning for prevention, care and support of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and people affected by AIDS (PABA). To describe the socio-demographic characteristics and identify risk factors among HIV/AIDS patients presenting to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Analysis of a prospectively collected data on 205 consecutive patients presenting to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital from May 2002 to June 2003. Out of the 205 HIV positive patients seen, there were 112 (54.6%) males and 93 (45.4%) females giving a sex ratio of 1.2:1. The age range was 18 to 61 years with an overall mean S.D of 33.7 +/- [corrected] 8 years. The mean for males was 37.3 +/- [corrected] 7.8 years compared to 29.56 years for females. This difference was statistically significant (t = 8.1 DF = 201 P homosexuality. The need for a sustained multi-sectoral preventive effort and the scaling up of treatment and community care initiatives were stressed.

Estudo comparativo do LCR de pacientes com neurocriptococose sem AIDS e com AIDS Comparison between CSF samples from AIDS and non-AIDS patients with neurocryptococcosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Baptista dos Reis-Filho

1994-06-01

Full Text Available Até a década de 80, antes do surgimento da AIDS, a criptococose era relativamente rara. Verificou-se que esta doença afeta muito frequentemente os pacientes com AIDS e pode ser a primeira manifestação desta síndrome. O objetivo deste trabalho é o de comparar o resultado dos exames das amostras do LCR inicial na meningencefalite por criptococo entre pacientes com e sem AIDS. Este trabalho é baseado no estudo de 41 pacientes com neurocriptococose sem AIDS e de 23 pacientes com neurocriptococose e AIDS. Este estudo permitiu verificar que a reação inflamatória, no sistema nervoso, quando presente, foi de menor intensidade nos pacientes com AIDS; a reação inflamatória esteve presente em todos os pacientes sem AIDS e ausente em 21,7% dos pacientes com AIDS; o quadro inflamatório crônico, semelhante ao da meningencefalite tuberculosa, clássico nas meningencefalites por criptococo, ocorreu raramente nos pacientes com AIDS; em média, o número de criptococos no LCR foi maior nos pacientes com AIDS; pode ser feito diagnóstico presuntivo da AIDS quando o criptococo estiver presente no LCR que não apresenta alterações citológicas e bioquímicas.Neurocryptococcosis was a rare nervous system infection. With the rising number of patients with AIDS it became a very frequent disease. This infection is supposed to infect patients with some kind of immunodeficiency and the CSF alterations often simulate tuberculous meningitis. The purpose of this research was to compare the CSF changes in AIDS and non-AIDS patients with meningoencephalitis caused by Cr. neoformans. There were analysed 41 CSF samples from non-AIDS patients with neurocryptococcosis and 23 CSF samples from AIDS patients with neurocryptococcosis. The results of this research allowed to conclude that the inflammatory changes in the CSF from AIDS patients showed a lower intensity compared to those non-AIDS patients. These results showed as well, that the CSF samples from non-AIDS

Second sector cool down

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

At the beginning of July, cool-down is starting in the second LHC sector, sector 4-5. The cool down of sector 4-5 may occasionally generate mist at Point 4, like that produced last January (photo) during the cool-down of sector 7-8.Things are getting colder in the LHC. Sector 7-8 has been kept at 1.9 K for three weeks with excellent stability (see Bulletin No. 16-17 of 16 April 2007). The electrical tests in this sector have got opt to a successful start. At the beginning of July the cryogenic teams started to cool a second sector, sector 4-5. At Point 4 in Echenevex, where one of the LHC’s cryogenic plants is located, preparations for the first phase of the cool-down are underway. During this phase, the sector will first be cooled to 80 K (-193°C), the temperature of liquid nitrogen. As for the first sector, 1200 tonnes of liquid nitrogen will be used for the cool-down. In fact, the nitrogen circulates only at the surface in the ...

Aid Effectiveness

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arndt, Channing; Jones, Edward Samuel; Tarp, Finn

of the main relationships; (ii) estimating the impact of aid on a range of final and intermediate outcomes; and (iii) quantifying a simplied representation of the full structural form, where aid impacts on growth through key intermediate outcomes. A coherent picture emerges: aid stimulates growth and reduces......Controversy over the aggregate impact of foreign aid has focused on reduced form estimates of the aid-growth link. The causal chain, through which aid affects developmental outcomes including growth, has received much less attention. We address this gap by: (i) specifying a structural model...... poverty through physical capital investment and improvements in health....

Results of the Spanish Nuclear Sector in the “Analysis of the Potential Development of Energy Technologies in Spain”

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Velasco, R.; León, P.T.

2015-07-01

On June 30, 2011, driven by the Minister of Science and Technology Cristina Garmendia, the ALINNE Alliance (Alliance for Energy Research and Innovation) was established. ALINNE is a non-profit initiative created to unite and coordinate efforts among all actors in the value chain of R & D in energy, allowing to respond to the main policy challenges that the R&D have in the field of the energy sector, Contributing to the definition of a work patterns nationwide and European positioning. The founder members of ALINNE are composed of eleven representatives of the private sector who are the presidents of the nine Spanish companies with active participation in the field of R&D and leading theIBEX 35 at the time, two SMEs, and nine representatives of the public sector. The CIEMAT currently holds the secretariat of the Alliance. (Author)

Results of the Spanish Nuclear Sector in the “Analysis of the Potential Development of Energy Technologies in Spain”

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velasco, R.; León, P.T.

2015-01-01

On June 30, 2011, driven by the Minister of Science and Technology Cristina Garmendia, the ALINNE Alliance (Alliance for Energy Research and Innovation) was established. ALINNE is a non-profit initiative created to unite and coordinate efforts among all actors in the value chain of R & D in energy, allowing to respond to the main policy challenges that the R&D have in the field of the energy sector, Contributing to the definition of a work patterns nationwide and European positioning. The founder members of ALINNE are composed of eleven representatives of the private sector who are the presidents of the nine Spanish companies with active participation in the field of R&D and leading theIBEX 35 at the time, two SMEs, and nine representatives of the public sector. The CIEMAT currently holds the secretariat of the Alliance. (Author)

Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP): 2006 Annual Report

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

half that of Brazil, Argentina, and Chile . The agricultural sector accounts for about one fourth of the GDP, two thirds of exports, and half of the...of nontraditional agricul- tural products (e.g., melons, chiles , tilapia, and shrimp), and on reduction of the high crime rate. HIV/AIDS...The Comité Central de Prevención y Control del VIH /SIDA de las Fuerzas Armadas y Po- licía Nacional del Perú (COPRECOS) is a gov- B A C K G R O U N D

Coordinating Demand-Side Efficiency Evaluation, Measurement and Verification Among Western States: Options for Documenting Energy and Non-Energy Impacts for the Power Sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schiller, Steven R. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Schwartz, Lisa C. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2016-06-22

Demand-side energy efficiency (efficiency) represents a low-cost opportunity to reduce electricity consumption and demand and provide a wide range of non-energy benefits, including avoiding air pollution. Efficiency-related energy and non-energy impacts are determined and documented by implementing evaluation, measurement and verification (EM&V) systems. This technical brief describes efficiency EM&V coordination strategies that Western states can consider taking on together, outlines EM&V-related products that might be appropriate for multistate coordination, and identifies some implications of coordination. Coordinating efficiency EM&V activities can save both time and costs for state agencies and stakeholders engaged in efficiency activities and can be particularly beneficial for multiple states served by the same utility. First, the brief summarizes basic information on efficiency, its myriad potential benefits and EM&V for assessing those benefits. Second, the brief introduces the concept of multistate EM&V coordination in the context of assessing such benefits, including achievement of state and federal goals to reduce air pollutants.1 Next, the brief presents three coordination strategy options for efficiency EM&V: information clearinghouse/exchange, EM&V product development, and a regional energy efficiency tracking system platform. The brief then describes five regional EM&V products that could be developed on a multistate basis: EM&V reporting formats, database of consistent deemed electricity savings values, glossary of definitions and concepts, efficiency EM&V methodologies, and EM&V professional standards or accreditation processes. Finally, the brief discusses options for next steps that Western states can take to consider multistate coordination on efficiency EM&V. Appendices provide background information on efficiency and EM&V, as well as definitions and suggested resources on the covered topics. This brief is intended to inform state public

Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC), fiscal year 1985. Annual technical report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-05-01

The DOE Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC) serves primarily to enhance coordination among the Department's materials programs and to further the effective use of materials expertise within the Department. These functions are accomplished through the exchange of budgetary and planning information among program managers and through technical meeting/workshops on selected topics involving both DOE and major contractors. Four topical subcommittees on Structural Ceramics, Batteries and Fuel Cells, Radioactive Waste Containment, and Steel are established and are continuing their own program. The FY 1985 and FY 1986 meeting program is given. The EMaCC aids in obtaining materials-related inputs for both intra- and inter-agency compilations. Brief summaries of the materials research programs associated with each office and division are presented, including tables listing individual projects and the FY 1985 budgets for each. More details on the individual projects within the divisions and the specific tasks or subcontracts within the various projects are given in the paragraph descriptions

Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC), fiscal year 1985. Annual technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1986-05-01

The DOE Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC) serves primarily to enhance coordination among the Department's materials programs and to further the effective use of materials expertise within the Department. These functions are accomplished through the exchange of budgetary and planning information among program managers and through technical meeting/workshops on selected topics involving both DOE and major contractors. Four topical subcommittees on Structural Ceramics, Batteries and Fuel Cells, Radioactive Waste Containment, and Steel are established and are continuing their own program. The FY 1985 and FY 1986 meeting program is given. The EMaCC aids in obtaining materials-related inputs for both intra- and inter-agency compilations. Brief summaries of the materials research programs associated with each office and division are presented, including tables listing individual projects and the FY 1985 budgets for each. More details on the individual projects within the divisions and the specific tasks or subcontracts within the various projects are given in the paragraph descriptions.

Co-ordination and methodological guidance of information activities in the Czechoslovak nuclear programme in building the branch information system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nejezchleb, V.

1982-01-01

The work of the control unit is described which secures the optimal operation of the system, its internal functions and its linkage with other systems. The aim of coordination and methodological activity is to strengthen working and organizational links within the framework of the construction and operation of sector information systems, the establishment of cooperation relations and the elimination of duplicity. (M.D.)

Regional Balance Model of Financial Flows through Sectoral Approaches System of National Accounts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Zaharchuk

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of the study, the results of which are reflected in this article, is the theoretical and methodological substantiation of possibilities to build a regional balance model of financial flows consistent with the principles of the construction of the System of National Accounts (SNA. The paper summarizes the international experience of building regional accounts in the SNA as well as reflects the advantages and disadvantages of the existing techniques for constructing Social Accounting Matrix. The authors have proposed an approach to build the regional balance model of financial flows, which is based on the disaggregated tables of the formation, distribution and use of the added value of territory in the framework of institutional sectors of SNA (corporations, public administration, households. Within the problem resolution of the transition of value added from industries to sectors, the authors have offered an approach to the accounting of development, distribution and use of value added within the institutional sectors of the territories. The methods of calculation are based on the publicly available information base of statistics agencies and federal services. The authors provide the scheme of the interrelations of the indicators of the regional balance model of financial flows. It allows to coordinate mutually the movement of regional resources by the sectors of «corporation», «public administration» and «households» among themselves, and cash flows of the region — by the sectors and directions of use. As a result, they form a single account of the formation and distribution of territorial financial resources, which is a regional balance model of financial flows. This matrix shows the distribution of financial resources by income sources and sectors, where the components of the formation (compensation, taxes and gross profit, distribution (transfers and payments and use (final consumption, accumulation of value added are

Cyclical absenteeism among private sector, public sector and self-employed workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeifer, Christian

2013-03-01

This research note analyzes differences in the number of absent working days and doctor visits and in their cyclicality between private sector, public sector and self-employed workers. For this purpose, I used large-scale German survey data for the years 1995 to 2007 to estimate random effects negative binomial (count data) models. The main findings are as follows. (i) Public sector workers have on average more absent working days than private sector and self-employed workers. Self-employed workers have fewer absent working days and doctor visits than dependent employed workers. (ii) The regional unemployment rate is on average negatively correlated with the number of absent working days among private and public sector workers as well as among self-employed men. The correlations between regional unemployment rate and doctor visits are only significantly negative among private sector workers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Agriculture Sectors

Science.gov (United States)

The Agriculture sectors comprise establishments primarily engaged in growing crops, raising animals, and harvesting fish and other animals. Find information on compliance, enforcement and guidance on EPA laws and regulations on the NAICS 111 & 112 sectors.

Analysis of Low-Carbon Economy Efficiency of Chinese Industrial Sectors Based on a RAM Model with Undesirable Outputs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Meng

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Industrial energy and environment efficiency evaluation become especially crucial as industrial sectors play a key role in CO2 emission reduction and energy consumption. This study adopts the additive range-adjusted measure data envelope analysis (RAM-DEA model to estimate the low-carbon economy efficiency of Chinese industrial sectors in 2001–2013. In addition, the CO2 emission intensity mitigation target for each industrial sector is assigned. Results show that, first, most sectors are not completely efficient, but they have experienced and have improved greatly during the period. These sectors can be divided into four categories, namely, mining, light, heavy, and electricity, gas, and water supply industries. The efficiency is diverse among the four industrial categories. The average efficiency of the light industry is the highest among the industries, followed by those of the mining and the electricity, gas, and water supply industries, and that of the heavy industry is the lowest. Second, the electricity, gas, and water supply industry shows the biggest potential for CO2 emission reduction, thus containing most of the sectors with large CO2 emission intensity mitigation targets (more than 45%, followed by the mining and the light industries. Therefore, the Chinese government should formulate diverse and flexible policy implementations according to the actual situation of the different sectors. Specifically, the sectors with low efficiency should be provided with additional policy support (such as technology and finance aids to improve their industrial efficiency, whereas the electricity, gas, and water supply industry should maximize CO2 emission reduction.

Annual Report on State Financial Aid Programs: 2007-08 Accounting, 2008-09 Estimates, and Notable Events and Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, 2009

2009-01-01

The state of Washington has a long-standing commitment to postsecondary education opportunities for all students, regardless of income. The purpose of this report is to provide the members of the Higher Education Coordinating Board with: (1) An overview of state, federal, and institutional financial aid in Washington; (2) A description of notable…

Measuring the systemic risk in the South African banking sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregory M. Foggitt

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background: In the aftermath of the sub-prime crisis, systemic risk has become a greater priority for regulators, with the National Treasury (2011 stating that regulators should proactively monitor changes in systemic risk. Aim: The aim is to quantify systemic risk as the capital shortfall an institution is likely to experience, conditional to the entire financial sector being undercapitalised. Setting: We measure the systemic risk index (SRISK of the South African (SA banking sector between 2001 and 2013. Methods: Systemic risk is measured with the SRISK. Results: Although the results indicated only moderate systemic risk in the SA financial sector over this period, there were significant spikes in the levels of systemic risk during periods of financial turmoil in other countries. Especially the stock market crash in 2002 and the subprime crisis in 2008. Based on our results, the largest contributor to systemic risk during quiet periods was Investec, the bank in our sample which had the lowest market capitalisation. However, during periods of financial turmoil, the contributions of other larger banks increased markedly. Conclusion: The implication of these spikes is that systemic risk levels may also be highly dependent on external economic factors, in addition to internal banking characteristics. The results indicate that the economic fundamentals of SA itself seem to have little effect on the amount of systemic risk present in the financial sector. A more significant relationship seems to exist with the stability of the financial sectors in foreign countries. The implication therefore is that complying with individual banking regulations, such as Basel, and corporate governance regulations promoting ethical behaviour, such as King III, may not be adequate. It is therefore proposed that banks should always have sufficient capital reserves in order to mitigate the effects of a financial crisis in a foreign country. The use of worst

Toward a Better Nutritional Aiding in Disasters: Relying on Lessons Learned during the Bam Earthquake.

Science.gov (United States)

Nekouie Moghadam, Mahmoud; Amiresmaieli, Mohammadreza; Hassibi, Mohammad; Doostan, Farideh; Khosravi, Sajad

2017-08-01

Introduction Examining various problems in the aftermath of disasters is very important to the disaster victims. Managing and coordinating food supply and its distribution among the victims is one of the most important problems after an earthquake. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to recognize problems and experiences in the field of nutritional aiding during an earthquake. This qualitative study was of phenomenological type. Using the purposive sampling method, 10 people who had experienced nutritional aiding during the Bam Earthquake (Iran; 2003) were interviewed. Colaizzi's method of analysis was used to analyze interview data. The findings of this study identified four main categories and 19 sub-categories concerning challenges in the nutritional aiding during the Bam Earthquake. The main topics included managerial, aiding, infrastructural, and administrative problems. The major problems in nutritional aiding include lack of prediction and development of a specific program of suitable nutritional pattern and nutritional assessment of the victims in critical conditions. Forming specialized teams, educating team members about nutrition, and making use of experts' knowledge are the most important steps to resolve these problems in the critical conditions; these measures are the duties of the relevant authorities. Nekouie Moghadam M , Amiresmaieli M , Hassibi M , Doostan F , Khosravi S . Toward a better nutritional aiding in disasters: relying on lessons learned during the Bam Earthquake. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(4):382-386.

AIDS Myths and Myths about AIDS Myths : A Study about AIDS-related Perceptions in South Africa

OpenAIRE

Sivelä, Jonas

2016-01-01

This doctoral thesis, consisting of four separate articles and a summarizing report, discusses so-called South African AIDS myths also called AIDS beliefs, rumours, misconceptions and legends. AIDS myths have been put forth as an outcome of and a major reason behind the severe HIV/AIDS situation in South Africa. They are proposed to flourish among black South Africans living in impoverished townships and villages. In previous studies, the reasons and mechanisms behind AIDS myths have be...

Reshoring: Opportunities and Limits for Manufacturing in the UK – the case of the Auto Sector

OpenAIRE

David Bailey; Lisa De Propris

2014-01-01

?In recent years, ‘offshoring’ and ‘outsourcing’ have transformed fundamentally nationally based auto sectors into global networks of design, production and distribution across the global value chains coordinated by the major automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). As manufacturing activities tended to be shifted to low-labour cost locations in Asia, Africa and Latin America, high-end design, R&D, product development have stayed anchored mostly to high-cost and high knowledge-inte...

Working toward a Cross-Sector Approach to Systemic Change in Services for Expectant Parents and Families with Infants and Toddlers

Science.gov (United States)

Nigrelli, Christina; Chacon, Jenifer

2017-01-01

Professionals who work with families during the prenatal to 5 years range (p-5) can work with colleagues across various sectors of the field to coordinate and collaborate on behalf of young children and their families. This article explores the efforts of p-5 professionals throughout Los Angeles County to strengthen their capacity to engage in…

Validation of archived chemical shifts through atomic coordinates

Science.gov (United States)

Rieping, Wolfgang; Vranken, Wim F

2010-01-01

The public archives containing protein information in the form of NMR chemical shift data at the BioMagResBank (BMRB) and of 3D structure coordinates at the Protein Data Bank are continuously expanding. The quality of the data contained in these archives, however, varies. The main issue for chemical shift values is that they are determined relative to a reference frequency. When this reference frequency is set incorrectly, all related chemical shift values are systematically offset. Such wrongly referenced chemical shift values, as well as other problems such as chemical shift values that are assigned to the wrong atom, are not easily distinguished from correct values and effectively reduce the usefulness of the archive. We describe a new method to correct and validate protein chemical shift values in relation to their 3D structure coordinates. This method classifies atoms using two parameters: the per-atom solvent accessible surface area (as calculated from the coordinates) and the secondary structure of the parent amino acid. Through the use of Gaussian statistics based on a large database of 3220 BMRB entries, we obtain per-entry chemical shift corrections as well as Z scores for the individual chemical shift values. In addition, information on the error of the correction value itself is available, and the method can retain only dependable correction values. We provide an online resource with chemical shift, atom exposure, and secondary structure information for all relevant BMRB entries (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbe/nmr/vasco) and hope this data will aid the development of new chemical shift-based methods in NMR. Proteins 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. PMID:20602353

HIV/AIDS - resources

Science.gov (United States)

Resources - HIV/AIDS ... information on AIDS : AIDS.gov -- www.aids.gov AIDS Info -- aidsinfo.nih.gov The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation -- www.kff.org/hivaids US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- www.cdc.gov/hiv

Importance of intersectoral co-ordination in the control of communicable diseases, with special reference to plague in Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilonzo, B S

1994-07-01

Human health, agriculture, including livestock, energy, education, wildlife, construction, forestry and trade sectors are inter-related and their co-ordination is an important pre-requisite for successful control of most communicable diseases including plague. Similar linkage between research, policy, training and extension activities in each sector are essential for any successful control strategy. Inadequate agricultural produce, inaccessibility of people to the available food and ignorance on proper preparation and usage of available food materials are responsible for malnutrition, and malnourished people are very vulnerable to disease. Irrigation schemes facilitate breeding of various disease vectors and transmission of some communicable diseases. Forests are ecologically favourable for some disease vectors and reservoirs for tsetse flies and rodents, while deforestation leads to soil erosion, lack of rainfall and consequently reduced productivity in agriculture which may result in poor nutrition of the population. Wildlife and livestock serve as reservoirs and/or carriers of various zoonoses including plague, trypanosomiasis and rabies. Lack of proper co-ordination of these sectors in communicable disease control programmes can result in serious and undesirable consequences. Indiscriminate killing of rodents in order to minimize food damage by these vermin forces their flea ectoparasites to seek alternative hosts, including man, a development which may result in transmission of plague from rodents to man. Similarly, avoidance of proper quarantine during plague epidemics, an undertaking which is usually aimed at maintaining economic and social links with places outside the affected focus, can result in the disease becoming widespread and consequently make any control strategies more difficult and expensive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Axionic black branes in the k -essence sector of the Horndeski model

Science.gov (United States)

Cisterna, Adolfo; Hassaine, Mokhtar; Oliva, Julio; Rinaldi, Massimiliano

2017-12-01

We construct new black brane solutions in the context of Horndeski gravity, in particular, in its K-essence sector. These models are supported by axion scalar fields that depend only on the horizon coordinates. The dynamics of these fields is determined by a K-essence term that includes the standard kinetic term X and a correction of the form Xk. We find both neutral and charged exact and analytic solutions in D -dimensions, which are asymptotically anti-de Sitter. Then, we describe in detail the thermodynamical properties of the four-dimensional solutions and we compute the dual holographic DC conductivity.

Energy materials coordinating committee (EMACC) Fiscal Year 1982. Annual technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

1983-03-01

The DOE Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC) serves primarily to enhance coordination among the Department's materials programs and to further the effective use of materials expertise within the Department. These functions are accomplished through the exchange of budgetary and planning information among program managers and through technical meetings/ workshops on selected topics involving both DOE and major contractors. In addition, the EMaCC aids in obtaining materials - related inputs for both intra- and interagency compilations. Membership in the EMaCC is open to any Department organizational unit; participants are appointed by Division or Office Directors. The current membership is listed in Table 1. The EMACC reports to the Director of the Office of Energy Research in his capacity as overseer of the technical programs of the Department. This annual technical report is mandated by the EMACC terms of reference. In this report are described 1) EMACC activities for FY 1982; 2) a summary of materials funding in the Department from FY 1978 to the present; and 3) on-going materials programs in the Department.

Health sector reform in South Asia: new challenges and constraints.

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, Anwar; Tahir, M Zaffar

2002-05-01

In early 1990s, Jamison, Mosley and others concluded that a profound demographic and consequent epidemiological transition is taking place in developing countries. According to this classical model, by the year 2015, infectious diseases will account for only about 20% of deaths in developing countries as chronic diseases become more pronounced. These impending demographic and epidemiological transitions were to dominate the health sector reform agenda in developing countries. Following an analysis of fertility, mortality and other demographic and epidemiological data from South Asian and other developing countries, the paper argues that the classical model is in need of re-evaluation. A number of new 'challenges' have complicated the classical interplay of demographic and epidemiological factors. These new challenges include continuing population growth in some countries, rapid unplanned urbanization, the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa (and its impending threat in South Asia), and globalization and increasing marginalisation of developing countries. While the traditional lack of investment in human development makes the developing countries more vulnerable to the vicissitudes of globalization, increasing economic weakness of their governments forces them to retreat further from the social sector. Pockets of poverty and deprivation, therefore, persist giving rise to three simultaneous burdens for South Asia and much of the rest of the developing world: continuing communicable diseases, increasing burden of chronic diseases, and increasing demand for both primary and tertiary levels of health care services. While these complex factors, on the one hand, underscore the need for health sector reform, on the other, they make the task much more difficult and challenging. The paper emphasizes the need to revisit the classical model of demographic and epidemiological transition. It is argued that the health sector in developing countries must be aware of and

Integrating eHealth in HIV/AIDS intervention programmes in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Babasile D. Osunyomi

2015-03-01

Objective: The key aim of this article is to explore the status quo of the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICTs in selected intervention programmes in the South African HIV/AIDS care delivery value chain. The contribution of this article is the mapping of key intervention activities along an HIV care value chain and to suggest a roadmap towards the integration of ICTs in service delivery programmes. Method: 20 managers of HIV/AIDS intervention programmes were surveyed, followed by semi-structured in-depth interviews with these respondents. A further five in-depth interviews were conducted with experts in the ICT area for exploring the uses of and barriers to integrating ICTs in the HIV/AIDS care delivery value chain. Results: The researchers mapped the barriers to implementation and ICT tools utilised within the HIV/AIDS care delivery value chain, which proves to be a useful tool to explore the status quo of technology in such service delivery programmes. The researchers then considered the wider policy environment and provided a roadmap based on the analysis and the South Africa eHealth strategy for driving development in this sector. Conclusion: The authors found that South Africa’s eHealth environment is still nascent and that the South African eHealth strategy does not place enough emphasis on systems integration and stakeholder engagement or the planning and process of uptake of ICTs by target audiences.

Sectoral Innovatiohn Performance in the Biotechnology Sector. Final Report. Task 1

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Enzing, C.M.; Valk, T. van der

2010-01-01

In general the biotechnology sector can be qualified as a science driven and high tech sector. This applies for both the group of biotech start-ups that are present in each of the three sub-sectors (red biotech: health/pharma, green biotech: agrifood and white biotech: chemicals) as for the red

Coordinate measuring machines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Chiffre, Leonardo

This document is used in connection with three exercises of 2 hours duration as a part of the course GEOMETRICAL METROLOGY AND MACHINE TESTING. The exercises concern three aspects of coordinate measuring: 1) Measuring and verification of tolerances on coordinate measuring machines, 2) Traceabilit...... and uncertainty during coordinate measurements, 3) Digitalisation and Reverse Engineering. This document contains a short description of each step in the exercise and schemes with room for taking notes of the results.......This document is used in connection with three exercises of 2 hours duration as a part of the course GEOMETRICAL METROLOGY AND MACHINE TESTING. The exercises concern three aspects of coordinate measuring: 1) Measuring and verification of tolerances on coordinate measuring machines, 2) Traceability...

Cross-Sector Social Partnerships for Social Change: The Roles of Non-Governmental Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinya Yan

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Complex social and environmental issues call for broader collaboration across different sectors so as to instigate transformative social change. While previous scholars have emphasized the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs in facilitating social change, they have not provided a nuanced assessment of NGOs’ different roles. We use the Poverty and Employment Precarity in Southern Ontario (PEPSO research partnership as a study case and explore NGO partners’ different roles in a large cross-sector social partnership (CSSP. By interviewing 12 NGO partners and 4 non-NGO partners involved in the PEPSO research partnership, our research results show that NGOs primarily have 10 roles in a CSSP. They include enabling roles such as consultant, capacity builder, analyst, and funder; coordinating roles such as broker and communicator; and facilitating roles such as initiator, leader, advocate, and monitor. These roles allow NGOs to fulfil their duties to make substantial contributions to a CSSP.

Climate change adaptation in the Canadian energy sector : workshop report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

This workshop on climate change adaptation in the Canadian energy sector was conducted in order to develop a climate change work plan for the Council of Energy Ministers (CEM) as well as to develop awareness and dialogue within Canada's energy sector. Industry members and government officials identified findings from recent assessment reports on climate change adaptation and discussed ways in which the international oil and gas industry is currently adapting its operations and technologies to ensure continuing safety and risk mitigation. The use of hydrological models to forecast the potential impacts of climate change was discussed, and the drivers of climate change adaptation were reviewed. A total of 26 topics were identified, 13 of which were prioritized for group discussions based on their impact and urgency. The following 5 topics were finally identified as top priority topics: (1) climate change adaptation science, (2) co-ordinated local, provincial, national, and international policies, (3) information sharing and knowledge transfer, (4) aging infrastructure and increasing demand, and (5) market mechanisms for adaptation. Four presentations were given during the initial portion of the workshop. 4 tabs., 1 fig

Beyond leadership: political strategies for coordination in health policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Greer, Scott L; Lillvis, Denise F

2014-05-01

Health in All Policies (HiAP) promises to improve population health by harnessing the energies and activities of various sectors. Nevertheless, it faces well-documented bureaucratic obstacles and appears to require intersectoral governance if it is to be established. The basic problems of establishing intersectoral governance for HiAP are known to public administration and political science. On reading that literature, we find that the difficulty of establishing intersectoral governance for HiAP breaks down into two kinds of problems: that of establishing coordinated actions at all (coordination); and ensuring that they endure in changed political circumstances (durability). We further find that policymakers' solutions fall into three categories: visible ones of political will (e.g., plans and targets); bureaucratic changes such as the introduction of Health Impact Assessment or reorganization; and indirect methods such as data publication and support from outside groups to put pressure on the government. It can seem that Health in All Policies, like much of public health, depends on effective and committed policymakers but is vulnerable to changing political winds. The three kinds of strategies suggest how policymakers can, and do, create intersectoral governance that functions and persists, expanding the range of effective policy recommendations. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Sectoral panorama: the electric power sector in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mons, L.

2003-10-01

This study takes stock on the main european markets to help the electric power companies in their decisions and investments. The first part presents the electric power sector structure in Europe. The second part is devoted to the market evolution for the different european markets (german, french, british, italian and spanish) with an analysis of the retail prices, the competition and the evolution perspectives. The third part presents the highlights in the electric power sector between 2001 and the middle of 2003. The enterprises management and strategies are presented in the fourth part. In the last part the document analyzes the financial performances of the sector and the electric power companies. (A.L.B.)

Aid is dead. Long live aid!

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Michel Severino

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The concepts, targets, tools, institutions and modes of operation of official development assistance have been overtaken by the pace of change in a world marked by the combined momentum of demography, technology and economic growth.Aid can however recover, as social consequences of the globalization call for new forms of regulation. It will then be necessary to modify and diversify our target-setting processes, to update operating procedures, and to find better ways of measuring policy implementation. Aid volumes will certainly continue to grow, and we must transform the way aid is financed. Public and private aid stakeholders must recognize the importance of these transformations and be ready to support them, by questioning the methods as well as the objectives of the policies they are implementing. Otherwise, they will severely impede the emergence of the policies we need if we are to build a better world.

Energy Insecurity in South America: Network Development and Sectoral Integration in Chile and Peru - CERI Studies No. 214

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artigas, Alvaro

2015-10-01

The South American continent has experienced a robust economic growth presently overshadowed by an uneven energy integration that fails to meet both an ever-growing industrial and metropolitan demand. Several integration mechanisms co-exist, but a poor integration layout threatens the energy security of the region and individual countries. Several factors contribute to this. Firstly, the very template of regional integration has failed to deliver a valid set of supranational coordination mechanisms aimed at coordinating and sorting out disputes among individual countries. Secondly, national States tie security to self-sufficiency in the face of mutual distrust, thus rendering potential advantages of market and networks integration a less desirable choice. The example of Chile and Peru integration drive reveals many of these dynamics while showing at the same time the windfalls of a transversal sectoral coordination over diplomatic exchange by individual states. What is the potential for an alternative template where the State will play a less intrusive role while consigning territorial disagreements backstage? (author)

Sectoral Innovation Watch Biotechnology Sector. Final sector report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Enzing, C.

2011-01-01

Biotechnology has evolved from a single set of technologies in the mid 1970s into a full grown technological field that is the driving force in innovation processes in many industrial sectors (pharmaceutical, medical, agriculture, food, chemical, environment, instruments). Nowadays, biotechnology is

The National Wind Coordinating Committee : a model for consensus building around renewable technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holt, E.A. [Ed Holt and Associates Inc., Harpswell, ME (United States); Rhoads, H.E. [RESOLVE Inc., Washington, DC (United States)

1998-05-01

The role of the U.S. National Wind Coordinating Committee (NWCC), its main activities, key accomplishments and operational methods were described. The NWCC is a collaborative of representatives from the utility, wind industry, environmental, consumer, regulatory, power marketer, state and federal government sectors. Their main objective is to identify issues that impact the use of wind power. As one of its accomplishments, the NWCC has published a Permitting Handbook which describes the general features of a wind project and provides help for the basic steps in planning, permitting, construction, operation and closure of a wind facility.

AIDS

Science.gov (United States)

... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000594.htm HIV/AIDS To use the sharing features on this page, ... immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS. When a person becomes infected with HIV, the ...

Coordinated School Health and the Contribution of a District Wellness Coordinator

Science.gov (United States)

Westrich, Lisa; Sanchez, Monika; Strobel, Karen

2015-01-01

Background: A San Francisco Bay Area school health initiative was established in fall 2010 to improve wellness programs in 4 local school districts using the Coordinated School Health (CSH) model. This study examines the role of district-wide wellness coordinators and the ways in which they contribute to intentional coordination of health and…

Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC), Fiscal year 1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

1991-05-31

The DOE Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC) serves primarily to enhance coordination among the Department's materials programs and to further the effective use of materials expertise within the Department. These functions are accomplished through the exchange of budgetary and planning information among program managers and through technical meetings/workshops on selected topics involving both DOE and major contractors. Four topical subcommittees are established and are continuing their own programs: Structural Ceramics, Electrochemical Technologies, Radioactive Waste Containment, and Superconductivity. In addition, the EMaCC aids in obtaining materialsrelated inputs for both intra- and inter-agency compilations. Membership in the EMaCC is open to any Department organizational unit; participants are appointed by Division or Office Directors. The current active membership is listed on the following four pages. The EMaCC reports to the Director of the Office of Energy Research in his capacity as overseer of the technical programs of the Department. This annual technical report is mandated by the EMaCC terms of reference. This report summarizes EMaCC activities for FY 1990 and describes the materials research programs of various offices and divisions within the Department. The Chairman of EMaCC for FY 1990 was Scott L. Richlen; the Executive Secretary was Dr. Jerry Smith.

Epidemiological trends of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan: a twelve year experience at the national AIDS Programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazi, B.M.; Saleem, M.; Salman, M.; Bokhari, A.

1999-01-01

A total of 23,40,000 blood samples were screened for the presence of antibodies against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) at various officially designated surveillance and diagnostic centers throughout the country, during the period of 12 years extending from 1986 to 1999. The reported positive cases screened before blood transfusion under the initiative launched in public sector hospitals during 1995 are also included in the total figure. A total of 1395 as symptomatic persons have been diagnosed and reported as HIV positive whereas 178 persons with signs and symptoms of full blown AIDS have been diagnosed. The tests were performed on selected categories of persons and include; persons with risky behavior, patients with sexually transmitted disease, professional blood donors, blood and blood product recipients intravenous drug injectors, patients with tuberculosis, women attending antenatal clinics, long distance drivers, and seaman. Apart from these identified groups, referred patients from the public and private hospitals, laboratories, clinics, nursing homes and HIV positive. The male to female ratio for HIV positive and AIDS cases as 7:1 and 8:1 respectively. Most of the cases acquired the disease through sexual contact including hetro, Homo and bisexual modes of transmission. Maximum numbers of the HIV positive individuals are between the age's 20-29 years. The data gives an overall prevalence rate of 0.07% which, although looking low, still deserves serious attention in view of system anomalies relating and under reporting and very long incubation period of the disease. (author)

The International Health Partnership Plus: rhetoric or real change? Results of a self-reported survey in the context of the 4th high level forum on aid effectiveness in Busan

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, which provides an international agreement on how to deliver aid, has recently been reviewed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Health sector aid effectiveness is important, given the volume of financial aid and the number of mechanisms through which health assistance is provided. Recognizing this, the international community created the International Health Partnership (IHP+), to apply the Paris Declaration to the health sector. This paper, which presents findings from an independent monitoring process (IHP+Results), makes a valuable contribution to the literature in the context of the recent 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Korea. Methods IHP+Results monitored commitments made under the IHP + using an agreed framework with twelve measures for IHP + Development Partners and ten for IHP + recipient country governments. Data were collected through self-administered survey tools. IHP+Results analyzed these data, using transparent criteria, to produce Scorecards as a means to highlight progress against commitments and thereby strengthen mutual accountability amongst IHP + signatories. Results There have been incremental improvements in the strengthening of national planning processes and principles around mutual accountability. There has also been progress in Development Partners aligning their support with national budgets. But there is a lack of progress in the use of countries’ financial management and procurement systems, and in the integration of duplicative performance reporting frameworks and information systems. Discussion and Conclusions External, independent monitoring is potentially useful for strengthening accountability in health sector aid. While progress in strengthening country ownership, harmonisation and alignment seems evident, there are ongoing challenges. In spite of some useful findings, there are limitations with IHP�

The International Health Partnership Plus: rhetoric or real change? Results of a self-reported survey in the context of the 4th high level forum on aid effectiveness in Busan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shorten Tim

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, which provides an international agreement on how to deliver aid, has recently been reviewed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD. Health sector aid effectiveness is important, given the volume of financial aid and the number of mechanisms through which health assistance is provided. Recognizing this, the international community created the International Health Partnership (IHP+, to apply the Paris Declaration to the health sector. This paper, which presents findings from an independent monitoring process (IHP+Results, makes a valuable contribution to the literature in the context of the recent 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, Korea. Methods IHP+Results monitored commitments made under the IHP + using an agreed framework with twelve measures for IHP + Development Partners and ten for IHP + recipient country governments. Data were collected through self-administered survey tools. IHP+Results analyzed these data, using transparent criteria, to produce Scorecards as a means to highlight progress against commitments and thereby strengthen mutual accountability amongst IHP + signatories. Results There have been incremental improvements in the strengthening of national planning processes and principles around mutual accountability. There has also been progress in Development Partners aligning their support with national budgets. But there is a lack of progress in the use of countries’ financial management and procurement systems, and in the integration of duplicative performance reporting frameworks and information systems. Discussion and Conclusions External, independent monitoring is potentially useful for strengthening accountability in health sector aid. While progress in strengthening country ownership, harmonisation and alignment seems evident, there are ongoing challenges. In spite of some useful findings, there are

Coordinated research activities: Annual report and statistics for 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-06-01

Article III of the IAEA Statute authorises the Agency to encourage and assist research on, and development and practical application of, atomic energy for peaceful purposes throughout the world and to foster the exchange of scientific and technical information, as well as the exchange of scientists in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Agency's Coordinated Research Activities stimulate and coordinate the undertaking of research in selected nuclear fields by scientists in IAEA Member States. The research supported by the Agency is within the framework of the Agency's programmes, sub-programmes and projects that are listed in the approved Programme and Budget of the Agency. These Coordinated Research Activities are normally implemented through Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) that bring together research institutes in both developing and developed Member States to collaborate on the research topic of interest. The Agency may also respond to proposals from institutes for participation in the research activities by awarding individual research contracts not related to a CRP. A small portion of available funds is used to finance individual projects, which deal with topics covered by the Agency's scientific programme. The Agency also supports Doctoral CRPs, which are designed to strengthen promotion of research on nuclear technologies in developing Member States through pair building between agreement holders and contract holders. These CRPs include a PhD training programme at the contract holders' institutions. Three doctoral CRPs currently implemented by the Human Health programme address the management of liver cancer using radionuclide methods, improvement of radiotherapy outcomes in AIDS cancer patients and isotopic and complementary tools for the study of micronutrient status and interactions in developing country populations exposed to multiple nutritional deficiencies. Further information on the Agency's Coordinated Research Activities contained

Coordinated research activities: Annual report and statistics for 2005

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-06-15

Article III of the IAEA Statute authorises the Agency to encourage and assist research on, and development and practical application of, atomic energy for peaceful purposes throughout the world and to foster the exchange of scientific and technical information, as well as the exchange of scientists in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Agency's Coordinated Research Activities stimulate and coordinate the undertaking of research in selected nuclear fields by scientists in IAEA Member States. The research supported by the Agency is within the framework of the Agency's programmes, sub-programmes and projects that are listed in the approved Programme and Budget of the Agency. These Coordinated Research Activities are normally implemented through Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) that bring together research institutes in both developing and developed Member States to collaborate on the research topic of interest. The Agency may also respond to proposals from institutes for participation in the research activities by awarding individual research contracts not related to a CRP. A small portion of available funds is used to finance individual projects, which deal with topics covered by the Agency's scientific programme. The Agency also supports Doctoral CRPs, which are designed to strengthen promotion of research on nuclear technologies in developing Member States through pair building between agreement holders and contract holders. These CRPs include a PhD training programme at the contract holders' institutions. Three doctoral CRPs currently implemented by the Human Health programme address the management of liver cancer using radionuclide methods, improvement of radiotherapy outcomes in AIDS cancer patients and isotopic and complementary tools for the study of micronutrient status and interactions in developing country populations exposed to multiple nutritional deficiencies. Further information on the Agency's Coordinated Research Activities contained

Coordinated research activities: Annual report and statistics for 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-05-01

Article III of the IAEA Statute authorises the Agency to encourage and assist research on, and development and practical application of, atomic energy for peaceful purposes throughout the world and to foster the exchange of scientific and technical information, as well as the exchange of scientists in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Agency's Coordinated Research Activities stimulate and coordinate the undertaking of research in selected nuclear fields by scientists in IAEA Member States. The research supported by the Agency is within the framework of the Agency's programmes, sub-programmes and projects that are listed in the approved Programme and Budget of the Agency. These Coordinated Research Activities are normally implemented through Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) that bring together research institutes in both developing and developed Member States to collaborate on the research topic of interest. The Agency may also respond to proposals from institutes for participation in the research activities by awarding individual research contracts not related to a CRP. A small portion of available funds is used to finance individual projects, which deal with topics covered by the Agency's scientific programme. The Agency also supports Doctoral CRPs, which are designed to strengthen promotion of research on nuclear technologies in developing Member States through pair building between agreement holders and contract holders. These CRPs include a PhD training programme at the contract holders' institutions. Three doctoral CRPs currently implemented by the Human Health programme address the management of liver cancer using radionuclide methods, improvement of radiotherapy outcomes in AIDS cancer patients and isotopic and complementary tools for the study of micronutrient status and interactions in developing country populations exposed to multiple nutritional deficiencies. Further information on the Agency's coordinated research activities

Coordinated research activities: Annual report and statistics for 2004

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-05-15

Article III of the IAEA Statute authorises the Agency to encourage and assist research on, and development and practical application of, atomic energy for peaceful purposes throughout the world and to foster the exchange of scientific and technical information, as well as the exchange of scientists in the field of peaceful uses of atomic energy. The Agency's Coordinated Research Activities stimulate and coordinate the undertaking of research in selected nuclear fields by scientists in IAEA Member States. The research supported by the Agency is within the framework of the Agency's programmes, sub-programmes and projects that are listed in the approved Programme and Budget of the Agency. These Coordinated Research Activities are normally implemented through Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) that bring together research institutes in both developing and developed Member States to collaborate on the research topic of interest. The Agency may also respond to proposals from institutes for participation in the research activities by awarding individual research contracts not related to a CRP. A small portion of available funds is used to finance individual projects, which deal with topics covered by the Agency's scientific programme. The Agency also supports Doctoral CRPs, which are designed to strengthen promotion of research on nuclear technologies in developing Member States through pair building between agreement holders and contract holders. These CRPs include a PhD training programme at the contract holders' institutions. Three doctoral CRPs currently implemented by the Human Health programme address the management of liver cancer using radionuclide methods, improvement of radiotherapy outcomes in AIDS cancer patients and isotopic and complementary tools for the study of micronutrient status and interactions in developing country populations exposed to multiple nutritional deficiencies. Further information on the Agency's coordinated research activities

Economic Multipliers and Sectoral Linkages: Ghana and the New Oil Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dennis Nchor

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The study seeks to assess the structure of the economy of Ghana in terms of changes in the economic structure before and after the production of oil in commercial quantities. This is viewed with regards to economic multipliers, sectoral interdependence and trade concentration. The results show that changes occurred with regards to multipliers and sectoral interdependence. The output multipliers of most sectors have declined. The results also show that the agricultural sector experienced an initial decline in its growth while industry experienced an increase. The performance of the services sector was relatively stable for the period covered by the study. There is a decline in the level of trade concentration though on a whole the concentration index is still high. The study employed input-output modeling techniques and the data was obtained from the Ghana statistical service and the World Development Indicators.

Liderança brasileira à luz da Declaração de Compromisso sobre HIV/Aids da UNGASS Brazilian leadership in the context of the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment in HIV/Aids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ximena Pamela Díaz Bermúdez

2006-04-01

Full Text Available O tema liderança da Declaração de Compromisso sobre HIV/Aids das Nações Unidas foi discutido quanto aos seus avanços, desafios e limites da atuação das principais forças sociais presentes no controle da epidemia de HIV/Aids no Brasil. A resposta nacional caracterizou-se, principalmente, pela experiência brasileira de convocação de múltiplas iniciativas governamentais, da sociedade civil e do setor privado para lutar contra a epidemia de HIV/Aids. As sinergias entre os diversos parceiros devem ser estreitadas, assim como articular esforços no campo do desenvolvimento científico e tecnológico para minimizar efeitos da dependência tecnológica. Essas ações visam a alcançar a sustentabilidade necessária para a produção de medicamentos e outros insumos, na perspectiva de aprimorar o cumprimento do preceito constitucional que preconiza a saúde como direito de todos.The present article focuses on the subject of leadership in the United Nations Declaration of Commitment in HIV/AIDS, discussing the advancements, challenges, and limitations to the action of major social forces acting to control the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Brazil. The national policy on AIDS was characterized by the illustrative Brazilian experience in summoning multiple government, civil society, and private sector initiatives to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The synergy between different partners needs to be enhanced and efforts in the field of scientific and technological development must be articulated in order to minimize the effects of technological dependence. These actions are aimed at the sustainable production of drugs and other products, with the perspective of improving the fulfillment of the constitutional precept of health as a universal right.

The AgMIP Coordinated Climate-Crop Modeling Project (C3MP): Methods and Protocols

Science.gov (United States)

Shukla, Sonali P.; Ruane, Alexander Clark

2014-01-01

Climate change is expected to alter a multitude of factors important to agricultural systems, including pests, diseases, weeds, extreme climate events, water resources, soil degradation, and socio-economic pressures. Changes to carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]), temperature, and water (CTW) will be the primary drivers of change in crop growth and agricultural systems. Therefore, establishing the CTW-change sensitivity of crop yields is an urgent research need and warrants diverse methods of investigation. Crop models provide a biophysical, process-based tool to investigate crop responses across varying environmental conditions and farm management techniques, and have been applied in climate impact assessment by using a variety of methods (White et al., 2011, and references therein). However, there is a significant amount of divergence between various crop models' responses to CTW changes (Rotter et al., 2011). While the application of a site-based crop model is relatively simple, the coordination of such agricultural impact assessments on larger scales requires consistent and timely contributions from a large number of crop modelers, each time a new global climate model (GCM) scenario or downscaling technique is created. A coordinated, global effort to rapidly examine CTW sensitivity across multiple crops, crop models, and sites is needed to aid model development and enhance the assessment of climate impacts (Deser et al., 2012). To fulfill this need, the Coordinated Climate-Crop Modeling Project (C3MP) (Ruane et al., 2014) was initiated within the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP; Rosenzweig et al., 2013). The submitted results from C3MP Phase 1 (February 15, 2013-December 31, 2013) are currently being analyzed. This chapter serves to present and update the C3MP protocols, discuss the initial participation and general findings, comment on needed adjustments, and describe continued and future development. AgMIP aims to improve

The state of HIV sector local governance in Malawi and Zambia: Evidence from five districts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justin Steyn

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper encapsulates the outputs of a Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC funded project that aimed to improve the levels of HIV governance at the district level in Malawi and Zambia by encouraging public participation in an effort to more effective use of local resources. The methodology for this project, developed by the Institute for Democracy in Africa (Idasa and SDC, included a barometer which assessed perceptions of district HIV governance among key stakeholders. Perceptions were gathered on governance principles of effectiveness, efficiency, rule of law, accountability, participation and equity. The stakeholders ranged from administrators, political representatives, community-based organisations and the private sector on the supply side and citizens on the demand or beneficiary side. The findings of the research indicate specific sector governance issues that may be generalised to governance. Communication and transparency appear to be major issues underpinning the bottlenecks and shortcomings in the HIV sector governance at the district level. Information gaps have given rise to accountability deficits and coordination deficiencies. Addressing these matters would make more effective use of resources and lessen dependence on external funding sources.

Collaboration across private and public sector primary health care services: benefits, costs and policy implications.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Julie; Powell Davies, Gawaine; Jayasuriya, Rohan; Fort Harris, Mark

2011-07-01

Ongoing care for chronic conditions is best provided by interprofessional teams. There are challenges in achieving this where teams cross organisational boundaries. This article explores the influence of organisational factors on collaboration between private and public sector primary and community health services involved in diabetes care. It involved a case study using qualitative methods. Forty-five participants from 20 organisations were purposively recruited. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and from content analysis of documents. Thematic analysis was used employing a two-level coding system and cross case comparisons. The patterns of collaborative patient care were influenced by a combination of factors relating to the benefits and costs of collaboration and the influence of support mechanisms. Benefits lay in achieving common or complementary health or organisational goals. Costs were incurred in bridging differences in organisational size, structure, complexity and culture. Collaboration was easier between private sector organisations than between private and public sectors. Financial incentives were not sufficient to overcome organisational barriers. To achieve more coordinated primary and community health care structural changes are also needed to better align funding mechanisms, priorities and accountabilities of the different organisations.

Aid and good governance: Examining aggregate unintended effects of aid.

Science.gov (United States)

Dijkstra, Geske

2018-06-01

Although donors generally aim to improve governance in recipient countries by various means, critics claim that the aggregate effect of large aid flows is the deterioration of governance. Aid is said to weaken domestic accountability, sustain authoritarian regimes, increase political instability, weaken government capacities, and increase corruption. Conducting a systematic search in Web of Science, this paper reviews the empirical evidence for these unintended aggregate effects of aid on the political, administrative, and judicial dimensions of good governance. It finds that the negative effects of aid on governance are much exaggerated. The aggregate effect of aid on democracy has become more positive after the Cold War, and the effect of aid on government capacity and on reducing corruption has also improved over time. Furthermore, most studies show a positive effect of aid on political stability. These findings imply that donor intentions matter: donors that are serious about their intended effects on governance are able to mitigate the possible negative unintended effects of their aid. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interventions to reduce corruption in the health sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaitonde, Rakhal; Oxman, Andrew D; Okebukola, Peter O; Rada, Gabriel

2016-08-16

Corruption is the abuse or complicity in abuse, of public or private position, power or authority to benefit oneself, a group, an organisation or others close to oneself; where the benefits may be financial, material or non-material. It is wide-spread in the health sector and represents a major problem. Our primary objective was to systematically summarise empirical evidence of the effects of strategies to reduce corruption in the health sector. Our secondary objective was to describe the range of strategies that have been tried and to guide future evaluations of promising strategies for which there is insufficient evidence. We searched 14 electronic databases up to January 2014, including: CENTRAL; MEDLINE; EMBASE; sociological, economic, political and other health databases; Human Resources Abstracts up to November 2010; Euroethics up to August 2015; and PubMed alerts from January 2014 to June 2016. We searched another 23 websites and online databases for grey literature up to August 2015, including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, Transparency International, healthcare anti-fraud association websites and trial registries. We conducted citation searches in Science Citation Index and Google Scholar, and searched PubMed for related articles up to August 2015. We contacted corruption researchers in December 2015, and screened reference lists of articles up to May 2016. For the primary analysis, we included randomised trials, non-randomised trials, interrupted time series studies and controlled before-after studies that evaluated the effects of an intervention to reduce corruption in the health sector. For the secondary analysis, we included case studies that clearly described an intervention to reduce corruption in the health sector, addressed either our primary or secondary objective, and stated the methods that the study authors used to collect and analyse data. One review author extracted data from the

TurbinAID

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moradian, M.A.; Chow, M.P.; Osborne, R.L.; Jenkins, M.A.

1991-01-01

The Westinghouse Turbine Artificial Intelligence Diagnostics system or TurbinAID, can diagnose both thermodynamic and mechanical component anomalies within the turbine, and around the turbine cycle. any monitoring system can detect that a variable is in an abnormal state, but TurbinAID can also indicate the cause, and provide recommended corrective action(s). The TurbinAID Expert Systems utilize multiple sensor and variable inputs, and their interdependencies in the generation of a diagnosis. The system performs sensor validation as part of the data acquisition scheme. The TurbinAID system has been in operation for several years. This paper describes the monitoring and diagnostic functions provided by TurbinAID, and how the utility industry both nuclear and fossil, can utilize the system to enhance unit operation

The effectiveness of community-based coordinating interventions in dementia care: a meta-analysis and subgroup analysis of intervention components.

Science.gov (United States)

Backhouse, Amy; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Richards, David A; McCabe, Rose; Watkins, Ross; Dickens, Chris

2017-11-13

Interventions aiming to coordinate services for the community-based dementia population vary in components, organisation and implementation. In this review we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based care coordinating interventions on health outcomes and investigate whether specific components of interventions influence their effects. We searched four databases from inception to April 2017: Medline, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE and PsycINFO. This was aided by a search of four grey literature databases, and backward and forward citation tracking of included papers. Title and abstract screening was followed by a full text screen by two independent reviewers, and quality was assessed using the CASP appraisal tool. We then conducted meta-analyses and subgroup analyses. A total of 14 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 10,372 participants were included in the review. Altogether we carried out 12 meta-analyses and 19 subgroup analyses. Meta-analyses found coordinating interventions showed a statistically significant improvement in both patient behaviour measured using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) (mean difference (MD) = -9.5; 95% confidence interval (CI): -18.1 to -1.0; p = 0.03; number of studies (n) = 4; I 2  = 88%) and caregiver burden (standardised mean difference (SMD) = -0.54; 95% CI: -1.01 to -0.07; p = 0.02; n = 5, I 2  = 92%) compared to the control group. Subgroup analyses found interventions using a case manager with a nursing background showed a greater positive effect on caregiver quality of life than those that used case managers from other professional backgrounds (SMD = 0.94 versus 0.03, respectively; p < 0.001). Interventions that did not provide supervision for the case managers showed greater effectiveness for reducing the percentage of patients that are institutionalised compared to those that provided supervision (odds ratio (OR) = 0.27 versus 0.96 respectively; p = 0.02). There was little

The effectiveness of community-based coordinating interventions in dementia care: a meta-analysis and subgroup analysis of intervention components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy Backhouse

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Interventions aiming to coordinate services for the community-based dementia population vary in components, organisation and implementation. In this review we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based care coordinating interventions on health outcomes and investigate whether specific components of interventions influence their effects. Methods We searched four databases from inception to April 2017: Medline, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE and PsycINFO. This was aided by a search of four grey literature databases, and backward and forward citation tracking of included papers. Title and abstract screening was followed by a full text screen by two independent reviewers, and quality was assessed using the CASP appraisal tool. We then conducted meta-analyses and subgroup analyses. Results A total of 14 randomised controlled trials (RCTs involving 10,372 participants were included in the review. Altogether we carried out 12 meta-analyses and 19 subgroup analyses. Meta-analyses found coordinating interventions showed a statistically significant improvement in both patient behaviour measured using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI (mean difference (MD = −9.5; 95% confidence interval (CI: −18.1 to −1.0; p = 0.03; number of studies (n = 4; I2 = 88% and caregiver burden (standardised mean difference (SMD = −0.54; 95% CI: -1.01 to −0.07; p = 0.02; n = 5, I2 = 92% compared to the control group. Subgroup analyses found interventions using a case manager with a nursing background showed a greater positive effect on caregiver quality of life than those that used case managers from other professional backgrounds (SMD = 0.94 versus 0.03, respectively; p < 0.001. Interventions that did not provide supervision for the case managers showed greater effectiveness for reducing the percentage of patients that are institutionalised compared to those that provided supervision (odds ratio (OR = 0.27 versus 0

El sector productivo The productive sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Encarna Santolaria

2004-05-01

Full Text Available El crecimiento del sector servicios en detrimento del sector primario, la flexibilidad del mercado laboral y la progresiva incorporación de la mujer a dicho mercado son los cambios más destacados del sector productivo español en los últimos 25 años. Las mujeres en España presentan tasas de desempleo, trabajo temporal y a tiempo parcial mucho mayores que los hombres. Además, las condiciones de acceso al mercado de trabajo y las condiciones en las que éste se desempeña están también muy relacionadas con la clase social. Las mujeres cubren la escasez de servicios públicos destinados al cuidado de las criaturas pequeñas y de las personas mayores o dependientes, y realizan una labor de cuidadoras informales sin reconocimiento social, lo cual les impide el acceso a un puesto de trabajo o su mantenimiento y limita de forma decisiva las posibilidades de desarrollo y progreso profesional. Todo ello indica una clara diferencia con respecto a los hombres en cuanto a la frecuencia de contratos temporales y de tiempo parcial, así como en la segregación laboral, tanto horizontal como vertical. Estos aspectos de segregación son más evidentes en las mujeres de clases sociales menos privilegiadas, en las que se concentran las peores condiciones de acceso al mercado laboral y de trabajo. En España es imprescindible llevar a cabo políticas que ofrezcan servicios que permitan compatibilizar la vida laboral y familiar en condiciones de mayor equidad, tanto en razón de género como de clase social.In the last 25 years, the production sector in Spain has undergone important changes. Among these changes, the important growth of the services sector at the expense of the primary sector, the increasing flexibility of the labour market, and the rise in the female workforce could be considered as the most relevant ones. Spanish women have higher rates of unemployment, temporary jobs and part time contracts than Spanish men. Moreover, job access and work

Variationally optimal selection of slow coordinates and reaction coordinates in macromolecular systems

Science.gov (United States)

Noe, Frank

To efficiently simulate and generate understanding from simulations of complex macromolecular systems, the concept of slow collective coordinates or reaction coordinates is of fundamental importance. Here we will introduce variational approaches to approximate the slow coordinates and the reaction coordinates between selected end-states given MD simulations of the macromolecular system and a (possibly large) basis set of candidate coordinates. We will then discuss how to select physically intuitive order paremeters that are good surrogates of this variationally optimal result. These result can be used in order to construct Markov state models or other models of the stationary and kinetics properties, in order to parametrize low-dimensional / coarse-grained model of the dynamics. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, European Research Council.

Near-Horizon Geodesics for Astrophysical and Idealised Black Holes: Coordinate Velocity and Coordinate Acceleration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petarpa Boonserm

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Geodesics (by definition have an intrinsic 4-acceleration zero. However, when expressed in terms of coordinates, the coordinate acceleration d 2 x i / d t 2 can very easily be non-zero, and the coordinate velocity d x i / d t can behave unexpectedly. The situation becomes extremely delicate in the near-horizon limit—for both astrophysical and idealised black holes—where an inappropriate choice of coordinates can quite easily lead to significant confusion. We shall carefully explore the relative merits of horizon-penetrating versus horizon-non-penetrating coordinates, arguing that in the near-horizon limit the coordinate acceleration d 2 x i / d t 2 is best interpreted in terms of horizon-penetrating coordinates.

Securitizing HIV/AIDS: a game changer in state-societal relations in China?

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Catherine Yuk-Ping

2018-05-16

China has experienced unprecedented economic growth since the 1980s. Despite this impressive economic development, this growth exists side by side with the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) crises and the persisting deficiencies in public health provision in China. Acknowledging the prevailing health problems, the Chinese government has encouraged the development of health non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to respond to the health challenges and address the gaps in public health provision of the government. HIV/AIDS-focused NGOs have been perceived as the most outstanding civil society group developed in China. Considering the low priority of health policies since the economic reform, the limitation of the "third sector" activity permitted in authoritarian China, together with the political sensitivity of the HIV/AIDS problem in the country, this article aims to explain the proliferation of HIV/AIDS-focused NGOs in China with the usage of the securitization framework in the field of international relations (IR). The research that underpins this article is based on a desk-based literature review as well as in-depth field interviews with individuals working in HIV/AIDS-focused NGOs in China. Face-to-face interviews for this research were conducted between January and May in 2011, and between December 2016 and January 2017, in China. Discourse analysis was in particular employed in the study of the security-threat framing process (securitization) of HIV/AIDS in China. This article argues that the proliferation of HIV/AIDS-related NGOs in China is largely attributed to the normative and technical effects of HIV/AIDS securitization ushered in by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (hereinafter Global Fund) observed in China. Despite depicting a positive scenario, the development of HIV/AIDS

Coordination of Individual and Organizational Planning for Natural Hazards (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Krantz, D. H.

2013-12-01

Decision making consists of constructing or selecting a plan. This is true at many levels of decision making: individuals or households, small groups, larger organizations, and governments. In each case, plans are constructed or selected taking account of the decision maker's prioritized set of active goals and the decision maker's beliefs about the probability or the extent to which each goal will be attained through a given plan. Planning for mitigation of or response to natural hazards can be improved if the plans of the many decision makers at multiple levels are coordinated. Government planning should ideally be informed by knowledge about the plans of businesses and non-profit organizations as well as knowledge about individual, household, and neighborhood plans. Similarly, plans at the individual and organizational levels should be informed by knowledge of others' plans at the same and at higher and lower levels of aggregation. Coordination can be impaired by differences in goals, differences in beliefs about the instrumentality of plans toward given goals, and also by ignorance of others' goals and plans. Good coordination requires incentives that promote sharing of plans, horizontally and vertically, and that alleviate conflicts in goals and conflicts in beliefs that will inevitably surface once plans are shared. Thus, four different kinds of decision aids are needed to improve natural hazard planning: mechanisms that support horizontal dissemination of plans, mechanisms that support vertical dissemination, mechanisms for examining goal conflicts and reducing these through plans that take others' goals into account, and mechanisms for examining belief conflicts.

The French nuclear sector. Situation and predictions 2018 - Sectoral and competitive analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

This document comprises two reports. A first one, published and updated three times a year, and a second one which is a yearly publication. The first one, based on an analysis of market perspectives and of actor strategies, proposes a synthesis on the consequences of the evolution of the economic environment, on major trends noticed for the nuclear sector, and on predictable evolutions. It proposes the most recent data regarding the activities of more than 100 firms belonging to the sector (notably in terms of electric power production, of turnover for firms specialised in nuclear maintenance or in the fuel cycle). It highlights recent events for companies of the sector: takeovers, investments, restructuring, introduction of new products, and so on. It proposes a sector-based dashboard which contains all the critical figures useful to analyse the sector situation (activity determining factors, key figures for the sector and its environment). The annual report proposes a general presentation of the sector (determining factors of the activity, operated nuclear plants in the world, nuclear power production in the world, uranium production and consumption in the world, maintenance and improvement expenses on nuclear plants, electric power consumption and shares in power generation by different sources in France), an analysis of the evolution of the sector activity (trends, indicators, financial performance of actors in the maintenance of nuclear plants), an overview of important issues for the profession (growth issue despite the maturity of the French market, implications of intensification of foreign competition, of higher safety requirements, and of a decrease of nuclear energy profitability), and an analysis of the sector economic structure (turnovers, personnel, position of France among world exporters, equipment export structure, key figures for nuclear maintenance). The last part proposes presentations of 20 French actors and data and information sheets for 10

Psychological first-aid: a practical aide-memoire.

Science.gov (United States)

Leach, J

1995-07-01

Despite advances made in recent years in medical first aid, psychiatric intervention, survival training and equipment design, many people still perish quickly during and immediately following a disastrous event. In this study, individuals and groups of survivors of life-threatening events were debriefed and the behavior of those who coped well during such a threat to life were compared with those who did not. The behaviors of those who coped well were distilled into a set of principles for psychological first aid; that is, a series of simple actions for use within a disaster which serves to recover victims to functional behavior as quickly as possible, thus increasing their chance for survival. These principles of psychological first aid have recently been introduced into basic first aid and survival training courses for both military and civilian units.

Occupational health profile of workers employed in the manufacturing sector of India.

Science.gov (United States)

Suri, Shivali; Das, Ranjan

2016-01-01

The occupational health scenario of workers engaged in the manufacturing sector in India deserves attention for their safety and increasing productivity. We reviewed the status of the manufacturing sector, identified hazards faced by workers, and assessed the existing legislations and healthcare delivery mechanisms. From October 2014 to March 2015, we did a literature review by manual search of pre-identified journals, general electronic search, electronic search of dedicated websites/databases and personal communication with experts of occupational health. An estimated 115 million workers are engaged in the manufacturing sector, though the Labour Bureau takes into account only one-tenth of them who work in factories registered with the government. Most reports do not mention the human capital employed neither their quality of life, nor occupational health services available. The incidence of accidents were documented till 2011, and industry-wise break up of data is not available. Occupational hazards reported include hypertension, stress, liver disease, diabetes, tuberculosis, eye/ hearing problems, cancers, etc. We found no studies for manufacturing industries in glass, tobacco, computer and allied products, etc. The incidence of accidents is decreasing but the proportion of fatalities is increasing. Multiple legislations exist which cover occupational health, but most of these are old and have not been amended adequately to reflect the present situation. There is a shortage of manpower and occupational health statistics for dealing with surveillance, prevention and regulation in this sector. There is an urgent need of a modern occupational health legislation and an effective machinery to enforce it, preferably through intersectoral coordination between the Employees' State Insurance Corporation, factories and state governments. Occupational health should be integrated with the general health services.

Slavery in New Zealand: What is the role of the health sector?

Science.gov (United States)

King, Paula; Blaiklock, Alison; Stringer, Christina; Amaranathan, Jay; McLean, Margot

2017-10-06

Contemporary forms of slavery and associated adverse health effects are a serious, complex and often neglected issue within the New Zealand health sector. Slavery in New Zealand has most recently been associated with the fishing and horticulture industries. However, victims may be found in a number of other industry sectors, including the health and aged-care sectors, or outside of the labour market such as in forced, early (underage) and servile forms of marriage. Victims of slavery are at increased risk of acute and chronic health problems, injuries from dangerous working and living conditions, and physical and sexual abuse. These issues are compounded by restricted access to high-quality healthcare. Slavery is a violation of many human rights, including the right to health. New Zealand has obligations under international law to ensure that all victims of slavery have access to adequate physical and psychological care. The health sector has opportunities to identify, intervene and protect victims. This requires doctors and other health practitioners to demonstrate their leadership, knowledge and commitment towards addressing slavery and its health consequences in ways that are effective and do not cause further harm. Key recommendations for a safe approach towards identifying and managing people in situations of slavery include building rapport, and culturally competent practice with an empathetic non-judgmental approach. We also recommend that health organisations and regulatory and professional bodies develop culturally competent guidelines to respond safely to those identified in situations of slavery. These responses should be based on the respect, promotion and protection of human rights, and occur within a robust person-centric coordinated government response to addressing slavery in New Zealand.

Coordination, non-coordination and semi-coordination of perchlorates in the lanthanide adducts Ln (CLO4)3. 6dmba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tfouni, E.; Giesbrecht, E.

1983-01-01

The coordination or not of the perchlorate anions in the previously reported Ln(CLO 4 ) 3 .6 dmba is discussed. The analysis of the infrared spectral data and molar conductance data indicate that they may be formulated as [Ln(dmba) 6 (CLO 4 )n] (CLO 4 ) sub(3-n), n=0,1,2. The individual compounds may be a mixture of species with different n values and/or pure compounds with semi-coordinated and non-coordinated perchlorates. (Author) [pt

The Study of Image Processing Method for AIDS PA Test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, H J; Wang, Q G

2006-01-01

At present, the main test technique of AIDS is PA in China. Because the judgment of PA test image is still depending on operator, the error ration is high. To resolve this problem, we present a new technique of image processing, which first process many samples and get the data including coordinate of center and the rang of kinds images; then we can segment the image with the data; at last, the result is exported after data was judgment. This technique is simple and veracious; and it also turns out to be suitable for the processing and analyzing of other infectious diseases' PA test image

Exploring a Third Space for Sustainable Educational Development—HIV/AIDS Prevention, Zambia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ellen Carm

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted in Zambia from 2002 to 2008, a country greatly affected by the HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome epidemic. The global, national, as well as local discourses on spread and mitigation were clustered around scientific knowledge and the local context and cultural traditions. The education sector struggled with implementing the national HIV/AIDS education strategy but by a broader stakeholder involvement, and a close collaboration between the educational sector and tribal chiefs and their traditional internal structures, a localized approach emerged. The overall objective of the paper is to illustrate how a multi-voiced strategy can bring about sustainable change, illustrated by this study. The study used qualitative constructivist and grounded theoretical approaches, and applied the third generation of cultural and historical activity theory (CHAT as an analytical tool. Bernstein’s concept, symbolic control, contributes to a broader understanding of the underlying processes and outcomes of the study. The findings revealed that the strategically monitored multi-voiced participation of local stakeholders created a learning space where both scientific and indigenous knowledge were blended, and thereby creating solutions to preventive action meeting the local needs. The study exemplifies these processes by identifying contradictions between the various levels and activity systems involved, by listing some of their characteristics, manifestations and finally their negotiated solutions. These solutions, or the third space interventions, the outcome of the multi-voiced participation, is in the paper used to explore a theoretical framework for an ethical and decolonized development strategy; a precondition for sustained local development.

Magnetic Coordinate Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Laundal, K. M.; Richmond, A. D.

2017-03-01

Geospace phenomena such as the aurora, plasma motion, ionospheric currents and associated magnetic field disturbances are highly organized by Earth's main magnetic field. This is due to the fact that the charged particles that comprise space plasma can move almost freely along magnetic field lines, but not across them. For this reason it is sensible to present such phenomena relative to Earth's magnetic field. A large variety of magnetic coordinate systems exist, designed for different purposes and regions, ranging from the magnetopause to the ionosphere. In this paper we review the most common magnetic coordinate systems and describe how they are defined, where they are used, and how to convert between them. The definitions are presented based on the spherical harmonic expansion coefficients of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) and, in some of the coordinate systems, the position of the Sun which we show how to calculate from the time and date. The most detailed coordinate systems take the full IGRF into account and define magnetic latitude and longitude such that they are constant along field lines. These coordinate systems, which are useful at ionospheric altitudes, are non-orthogonal. We show how to handle vectors and vector calculus in such coordinates, and discuss how systematic errors may appear if this is not done correctly.

Public Sector Expatriate Managers:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fenner, Charles, R., Jr.; Selmer, Jan

2008-01-01

Although public sector expatriates are becoming increasingly common, research on them is very limited. There is reason to believe that the situation for expatriates from the public sector may be different than for those from the private sector. This study investigated U.S. Department of Defense a...

Hydrogen infrastructure for the transport sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agnolucci, Paolo

2007-01-01

The aim of this paper is to review the factors already discussed in the literature and identify gaps or issues which seem to require further debate in relation of the introduction of hydrogen in the transport sector. Studies in the academic and grey literature have analysed transport systems with a rather wide range of hydrogen penetration rates, utilisation of the infrastructure, hypotheses on the dynamics of the systems, capital costs of the infrastructure and hydrogen price. Most of the issues which could widen the debate in the literature are related to policy instruments. In particular, more attention should be paid to the policy instruments needed to foster co-ordination among stakeholders, persuade drivers to buy hydrogen vehicles despite the existence of a sparse infrastructure; guarantee investment in the early, possibly loss-making, retail stations and to foster financially sustainable government commitments. The effect of limited availability of hydrogen vehicle models on the penetration rates in the literature and the sensitivity of the hydrogen price to taxation from the government are other two issues deserving a more in-depth discussion. (author)

Motor coordination uses external spatial coordinates independent of developmental vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Heed, Tobias; Röder, Brigitte

2014-07-01

The constraints that guide bimanual movement coordination are informative about the processing principles underlying movement planning in humans. For example, symmetry relative to the body midline benefits finger and hand movements independent of hand posture. This symmetry constraint has been interpreted to indicate that movement coordination is guided by a perceptual code. Although it has been assumed implicitly that the perceptual system at the heart of this constraint is vision, this relationship has not been tested. Here, congenitally blind and sighted participants made symmetrical and non-symmetrical (that is, parallel) bimanual tapping and finger oscillation movements. For both groups, symmetrical movements were executed more correctly than parallel movements, independent of anatomical constraints like finger homology and hand posture. For the blind, the reliance on external spatial factors in movement coordination stands in stark contrast to their use of an anatomical reference frame in perceptual processing. Thus, the externally coded symmetry constraint evident in bimanual coordination can develop in the absence of the visual system, suggesting that the visual system is not critical for the establishment of an external-spatial reference frame in movement coordination. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[A Colombian institutional response to Colombian children infected with HIV/AIDS].

Science.gov (United States)

Barrios Acosta, Miguel Eduardo; Díaz Amaya, Javier Guillermo; Koller, Sílvia Helena

2013-02-01

Children with HIV/AIDS is a social issue,the approach to which transcends the health sector. The normative, political, institutional and service sector responses have specificities related to children. A proposed approach is based on the following points: health care, nutrition, education, family-socioeconomic status, psychosocial repercussions, protection, housing, stigmatization and discrimination. Based on these guidelines,a survey was conducted of an institutional responseapplying the Bioecological Model of Human Development. Life of children in the institution is described and analyzed. A group of 31 children and 30 adults participated in this ethnographic study. The institutional response concerning health, nutrition, education and basic care, is satisfactory. The main weaknesses identified were nondisclosure of the diagnosis, stigmatization and discrimination, institutionalization validation, psychoemotional repercussions and stigmatization management, and the research budget. The children acknowledge that the institution satisfies their basic-needs and disapprove of some stigmatizing and coercive practices. The reintegration of the children with their families is recommended as a future strategy based on evidence that shows it has better bio-psychosocial results and lower costs.

THE MAIN DEFICIENCIES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SECTORAL OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pautu Sorina

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The absorption of EU funds for Romania is a necessity in the nowadays context. The slow pace of absorption of these structural funds earmarked for Romania as EU member state is a deficiency with negative effects on the economic and social development of our country. Their low absorption shows deficiencies in their coordination and implementation at central level and also at the level of beneficiaries. Their coordinative authorities, in particular the Managing Authority of Structural Instruments, together with its subordinated institutions presents deficiencies in their coordination and implementation as having negative effects on their absorption. The main weaknesses identified on national level mainly consist in the lack of specialized personnel, in excessive bureaucracy and a mismatch of national legislation with the European one. The lack of transparency and change is specific to these structural funds, representing deficiencies that lead to beneficiaries’ discouragement to implement projects financed from structural funds. In the Sectoral Operational Programme, the Human Resources Development Program is a leader in the rate of absorption but it also has the largest number of problems and deficiencies in implementation. Due to the deficiencies identified by the auditing European Commission of the Sectoral Operational Programme Human Resources Development, payments were suspended for a period of four months. Following this situation, it was necessary to implement the necessary corrective measures at the level of POSDRU, leading to its release. Taking action and removing the deficiencies at the POSDRU level, and also at the level of other operational programs, it is a necessity and a priority to increase the absorption of these funds. The main measures that need to be taken mainly consist of training the personnel involved in the management of these funds, reimbursements release funds to the final beneficiaries, creating a more transparent

Involvement of the US Department of Defense in Civilian Assistance, Part I: a quantitative description of the projects funded by the Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourdeaux, Margaret Ellis; Lawry, Lynn; Bonventre, Eugene V; Burkle, Frederick M

2010-03-01

To review the history and goals of the US Department of Defense's largest civilian assistance program, the Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid Program and to describe the number, geographic regions, years, key words, countries, and types of projects carried out under this program since 2001. Using the program's central database, we reviewed all approved projects since 2001 and tabulated them by year, combatant command, country, and key word. We also reviewed the project descriptions of projects funded between January 1, 2006, and February 9, 2008, and examined how their activities varied by combatant command and year. Of the 5395 projects in the database, 2097 were funded. Projects took place in more than 90 countries, with Southern, Pacific, and Africa Command hosting the greatest number. The most common types of projects were school, health, disaster response, and water infrastructure construction, and disaster-response training. The "global war on terror" was the key word most frequently tagged to project descriptions. Project descriptions lacked stated goals as well as implementation and coordination strategies with potential partners, and did not report outcome or impact indicators. The geographic reach of the program is vast and projects take place in a wide variety of public sectors. Yet their security and civilian assistance value remains unclear given the lack of stated project goals, implementation strategies, or measures of effectiveness. To facilitate transparency and policy discussion, we recommend project proposals include hypotheses as to how they will enhance US security, their relevance to the public sector they address, and outcome and impact indicators that can assess their value and effectiveness.

Should HIV and AIDS workplace programmes still be advocated in the automotive industry?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liana Steenkamp

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Orientation: In light of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV pandemic, and in order to improve competitiveness in the South African private sector, many structures have implemented subsidised workplace programmes. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to collect baseline data regarding the knowledge, attitudes, practices and belief (KAPB of employees in the automotive industry in relation to HIV and AIDS, in order to assess the need for HIV and AIDS workplace programmes. Motivation for the study: Given the abundance of HIV and AIDS information, the question is whether these workplace programmes’ efforts are still relevant. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative descriptive study design was used using a self-administered questionnaire covering questions about KAPB with regard to HIV and AIDS. The data collection took place in seven automotive supplier companies in South Africa (n = 733 who were going to implement HIV and AIDS workplace programmes with the support of the Automotive Industry Development Centre in the Eastern Cape. Main findings: High-risk behaviour, as indicated by sexual relations with more than one partner in the last 12 months, occurred in between 12% (management and 42% (cleaners of employees. All risk behaviour indicators showed significant differences (p < 0.05 between management and administrative staff on the one hand and technicians, operators and cleaners on the other. Despite being aware of an HIV policy, more than 50% of employees indicated that they would not be willing to disclose their status. Practical/managerial implications: As HIV and AIDS risk behaviour and stigma remain a problem, HIV infection with associated health problems may threaten productivity in the automotive industry if no measures are taken to address the impact on employees and the company. Contribution: This study strongly supports the conclusion that KAPB studies can still provide important information to tailor HIV

Investigating the Constrained Action Hypothesis: A Movement Coordination and Coordination Variability Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Vidal, Anthony; Wu, Will; Nakajima, Mimi; Becker, James

2017-09-19

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of focus of attention cues on movement coordination and coordination variability in the lower extremity. Twenty participants performed the standing long jump under both internal and external focus of attention conditions. A modified vector coding technique was used to evaluate the influence of attentional focus cues on lower extremity coordination patterns and coordination variability during the jumps. Participants jumped significantly further under an external focus of attention condition compared with an internal focus of attention condition (p = .035, effect size = .29). Focus of attention also influenced coordination between the ankle and knee, F(6, 19) = 2.87, p = .012, effect size = .388, with participants primarily using their knees under the internal focus of attention, and using both their ankles and knees under the external focus of attention. Attentional focus cues did not influence ankle-knee, F(1, 19) = 0.02, p = .98, effect size = .02, or hip-knee, F(1, 19) = 5.00, p = .49, effect size = .16, coordination variability. Results suggest that while attentional focus may not directly influence movement coordination condition, there is still a change in movement strategy resulting in greater jump distances following an external focus of attention.

[The coordination betwen health and social services in the care of people with severe mental disorders].

Science.gov (United States)

López Alvarez, Marcelino; Laviana Cuetos, Margarita

2016-01-01

Coordination between health and social services is a key point in caring for an increasing number of people affected by different types of health problems. The change in demographic and epidemiological patterns in our societies evidences the need of this coordination, usually not covered by our care systems. A sector in which the coordination is particularly important is the care of people with disabilities related to the suffering from severe mental disorders. This is a field that has been too long on the sidelines of the general health and social care systems as a result of the social stigma and traditional psychiatric institutions, setting in motion a vicious circle that must be broken in order to identify and to respond to the needs of such persons. In fact, the processes of change towards community care, with targets for recovery and not mere palliative or marginalizing care, necessarily incorporate this coordination as a cornerstone strategy for social inclusion and citizenship. Although there are still significant gaps in this regard, especially in Spain. However, there are experiences of change, such as that of Andalusia, which set the tone for the development of a strategy for integrated care, whose foundations and main elements we try to summarize in the present article. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[Team work and interdiciplinarity: challenges facing the implementation of comprehensive outpatient care for people with HIV/Aids in Pernambuco].

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Maria Jucineide Lopes; Sampaio, Aletheia Soares; Gurgel, Idê Gomes Dantas

2012-01-01

The complexity of providing healthcare to people with HIV/Aids requires investment in comprehensive action and care, constituting a challenge for the multidisciplinary work teams to build an interdisciplinary practice. This study sought to analyze comprehensive healthcare in the Specialized Assistance Services for HIV/Aids (SAE-HIV/Aids) in Recife, in the State of Pernambuco, starting with the process and organization of team work. This is a case study developed in three SAE-HIV/Aids units, based on a qualitative approach using different research techniques. The results show that SAE-HIV/Aids have complied with most of the Brazilian Health Ministry recommendations in terms of basic infrastructure, though none of them had a team of appropriate size. These services have shown signs of fragmentation and difficulty in establishing a systematic intersectorial and interdisciplinary practice, with failings in ensuring the reference and counter-reference flow. It was seen that there was little appreciation of the role of the manager as team leader. The need to perceive the user as a whole was identified, as well as for the team to work in a coordinated manner in order to ensure communicative and relational activities.

'It's risky to walk in the city with syringes': understanding access to HIV/AIDS services for injecting drug users in the former Soviet Union countries of Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harmer Andrew

2011-07-01

accessibility because of multiple, complex, and interrelated barriers to HIV/AIDS service utilisation at the service delivery level. Factors external to, as well as within, the health sector are key to understanding the access deficit in the FSU where low or concentrated HIV/AIDS epidemics are prevalent. Funders of HIV/AIDS programmes need to consider how best to tackle key structural and systemic drivers of access including prohibitionist legislation on drugs use, limited transparency and low staff salaries within the health sector.

'It's risky to walk in the city with syringes': understanding access to HIV/AIDS services for injecting drug users in the former Soviet Union countries of Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Spicer, Neil

2011-07-13

greater accessibility because of multiple, complex, and interrelated barriers to HIV\\/AIDS service utilisation at the service delivery level. Factors external to, as well as within, the health sector are key to understanding the access deficit in the FSU where low or concentrated HIV\\/AIDS epidemics are prevalent. Funders of HIV\\/AIDS programmes need to consider how best to tackle key structural and systemic drivers of access including prohibitionist legislation on drugs use, limited transparency and low staff salaries within the health sector.

Multi-sectoral action for child safety-a European study exploring implicated sectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Scholtes, Beatrice; Schröder-Bäck, Peter; Förster, Katharina; MacKay, Morag; Vincenten, Joanne; Brand, Helmut

2017-06-01

Injury to children in Europe, resulting in both death and disability, constitutes a significant burden on individuals, families and society. Inequalities between high and low-income countries are growing. The World Health Organisation Health 2020 strategy calls for inter-sectoral collaboration to address injury in Europe and advocates the whole of government and whole of society approaches to wicked problems. In this study we explore which sectors (e.g. health, transport, education) are relevant for four domains of child safety (intentional injury, water, road and home safety). We used the organigraph methodology, originally developed to demonstrate how organizations work, to describe the governance of child safety interventions. Members of the European Child Safety Alliance, working in the field of child safety in 24 European countries, drew organigraphs of evidence-based interventions. They included the different actors involved and the processes between them. We analyzed the organigraphs by counting the actors presented and categorizing them into sectors using a pre-defined analysis framework. We received 44 organigraphs from participants in 24 countries. Twenty-seven sectors were identified across the four domains. Nine of the 27 identified sectors were classified as 'core sectors' (education, health, home affairs, justice, media, recreation, research, social/welfare services and consumers). This study reveals the multi-sectoral nature of child safety in practice. It provides information for stakeholders working in child safety to help them implement inter-sectoral child safety interventions taking a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to health governance. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Marketing demand management in the commercial sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fraser, M.E.

1990-01-01

Ontario Hydro has a marketing strategy for designing and implementing demand side management (DSM) programs, which marks a turnaround from previous years when marketing efforts were concentrated on selling electricity. Starting in the 1980s, marketing activities consisted, in effect, of coordinating relations between the customer, the market, and the utility. To achieve a better understanding of the needs of customers, the nature of the energy market, and the utilization of energy, the utility conducted research on the decision-making process associated with consumer choices of energy systems. To develop relations with its clientele in the commercial sector, the utility published an information bulletin and prepared an energy guide. Along with this initiative, the number of energy advisers to the commercial sector was increased in Ontario Hydro's regional offices. To improve understanding of each segment of the commercial market, the utility contacted organizations representing each segment as well as broader based organizations with the objective of creating opportunities to address this market, for example at conferences. Because of this philosophy of satisfying and understanding customer needs, Ontario Hydro has been in the process of commercializing demand-side management. Its high-efficiency lighting program is a good example in this regard. From a strategy which focused on a simple reduction in lighting in the 1970s, the utility has turned toward promoting efficient high-quality lighting which better responds to industry needs, to the point where industry itself has begun to promote the program. Such a strategy benefits industry, customers, and Ontario Hydro's demand-side management programs

AIDS guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, R

1986-04-30

The Sun article, "Employers finding that AIDS in the workplace is a managerial nightmare" (April 3), did not accurately portray the status of AIDS in the workplace. The AIDS virus, HTLV III, is transmitted by body fluids, primarily semen and blood, and there is no known risk of transmitting the virus by casual contact in the workplace. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released guidelines for child care workers last August. Guidelines on preventing transmission of AIDS in the workplace were issued by CDC in November 1985. These guidelines specifically discussed health care, personal service, and food service workers. The recommendations were against routine screening. Furthermore, employment should not be restricted on the basis of a positive HTLV III antibody test. A person with HTLV III infection should be exempt from the workplace only if there are circumstances interfering with job performance. In Maryland, the Governor's Task Force on AIDS has gone on record as endorsing CDC guidelines related to employment. Furthermore, the task force condemns discrimination based on the disease AIDS, AIDS Related Complex (ARC), or HTLV III infection. Increasingly AIDS patients are being considered legally disabled and therefore are protected by federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of a handicap. Marylanders who are subjected to mandatory HTLV III screening in the workplace, or if discriminated against on the basis of HTLV III inefction, should contact the Maryland Commission on Human Relations, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, or the Health Education Resource Organization (HERO). All 3 of these resources guarantee confidentiality. It is only by employees reporting incidents that a nightmare in the workplace can be avoided in Maryland. full text

The Wind Atlas for South Africa (WASA): A tool to aid developers and decision makers

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mabille, E

2015-10-01

Full Text Available ): A tool to aid developers and decision makers Eugene Mabille The WASA Project Team SANEDI South African National Energy Development Institute • executing agency – contracting the implementing partners • coordination and dissemination UCT... to produce wind atlas for generalised surface conditions (uniform terrain and roughness). Files compatible with WAsP software.  Used for the first WASA published in 2012.  KAMM/WAsP method, numerically very cheap, gives good results  underestimation...

Torus sector handling system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grisham, D.L.

1981-01-01

A remote handling system is proposed for moving a torus sector of the accelerator from under the cryostat to a point where it can be handled by a crane and for the reverse process for a new sector. Equipment recommendations are presented, as well as possible alignment schemes. Some general comments about future remote-handling methods and the present capabilities of existing systems will also be included. The specific task to be addressed is the removal and replacement of a 425 to 450 ton torus sector. This requires a horizontal movement of approx. 10 m from a normal operating position to a point where its further transport can be accomplished by more conventional means (crane or floor transporter). The same horizontal movement is required for reinstallation, but a positional tolerance of 2 cm is required to allow reasonable fit-up for the vacuum seal from the radial frames to the torus sector. Since the sectors are not only heavy but rather tall and narrow, the transport system must provide a safe, stable, and repeatable method fo sector movement. This limited study indicates that the LAMPF-based method of transporting torus sectors offers a proven method of moving heavy items. In addition, the present state of the art in remote equipment is adequate for FED maintenance

Industrial innovation and intra sectoral and inter sectoral technology diffusion; Innovacion industrial y difusion tecnological intrasectorial e intersectorial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serrano Domingo, G.; Cabrera Borras, B.; Requena Silvente, F.

2012-07-01

This paper examines whether sectoral backward and forward linkages can generate positive externalises in sectoral innovation through diffusion of technological knowledge, both across countries within a sector or across sectors within a country. Using a sample of 14 OECD countries and 12 sectors over the period 1995-2005 we find that forward linkages enhance sectoral innovation. Intra sectoral slipovers are important among sectors and countries with low-to-medium R an D intensity while inter sectoral slipovers have a major impact on sectors with high R and D intensity. (Author)

Gastroenteritis: First Aid

Science.gov (United States)

First aid Gastroenteritis: First aid Gastroenteritis: First aid By Mayo Clinic Staff Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of your stomach and intestines. Common causes are: Viruses. Food or water contaminated by ...

Snakebites: First Aid

Science.gov (United States)

First aid Snakebites: First aid Snakebites: First aid By Mayo Clinic Staff Most North American snakes aren't dangerous to humans. Some exceptions include the rattlesnake, coral snake, water moccasin ...

The Master Hearing Aid

Science.gov (United States)

Curran, James R.

2013-01-01

As early as the 1930s the term Master Hearing Aid (MHA) described a device used in the fitting of hearing aids. In their original form, the MHA was a desktop system that allowed for simulated or actual adjustment of hearing aid components that resulted in a changed hearing aid response. Over the years the MHA saw many embodiments and contributed to a number of rationales for the fitting of hearing aids. During these same years, the MHA was viewed by many as an inappropriate means of demonstrating hearing aids; the audio quality of the desktop systems was often superior to the hearing aids themselves. These opinions and the evolution of the MHA have molded the modern perception of hearing aids and the techniques used in the fitting of hearing aids. This article reports on a history of the MHA and its influence on the fitting of hearing aids. PMID:23686682

Provision of hearing aids to children in Bangladesh: costs and cost-effectiveness of a community-based and a centre-based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ekman, Björn; Borg, Johan

2017-08-01

The aim of this study is to provide evidence on the costs and health effects of two alternative hearing aid delivery models, a community-based and a centre-based approach. The study is set in Bangladesh and the study population is children between 12 and 18 years old. Data on resource use by participants and their caregivers were collected by a household survey. Follow-up data were collected after two months. Data on the costs to providers of the two approaches were collected by means of key informant interviews. The total cost per participant in the community-based model was BDT 6,333 (USD 79) compared with BDT 13,718 (USD 172) for the centre-based model. Both delivery models are found to be cost-effective with an estimated cost per DALY averted of BDT 17,611 (USD 220) for the community-based model and BDT 36,775 (USD 460) for the centre-based model. Using a community-based approach to deliver hearing aids to children in a resource constrained environment is a cost-effective alternative to the traditional centre-based approach. Further evidence is needed to draw conclusions for scale-up of approaches; rigorous analysis is possible using well-prepared data collection tools and working closely with sector professionals. Implications for Rehabilitation Delivery models vary by resources needed for their implementation. Community-based deliver models of hearing aids to children in low-income countries are a cost-effective alternative. The assessment of costs and effects of hearing aids delivery models in low-income countries is possible through planned collaboration between researchers and sector professionals.

INTRODUCTION OF A SECTORAL APPROACH TO TRANSPORT SECTOR FOR POST-2012 CLIMATE REGIME

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atit TIPPICHAI

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, the concept of sectoral approaches has been discussed actively under the UNFCCC framework as it could realize GHG mitigations for the Kyoto Protocol and beyond. However, most studies have never introduced this approach to the transport sector explicitly or analyzed its impacts quantitatively. In this paper, we introduce a sectoral approach which aims to set sector-specific emission reduction targets for the transport sector for the post-2012 climate regime. We suppose that developed countries will commit to the sectoral reduction target and key developing countries such as China and India will have the sectoral no-lose targets — no penalties for the failure to meet targets but the right to sell exceeding reductions — for the medium term commitment, i.e. 2013–2020. Six scenarios of total CO2 emission reduction target in the transport sector in 2020, varying from 5% to 30% reductions from the 2005 level are established. The paper preliminarily analyzes shares of emission reductions and abatement costs to meet the targets for key developed countries including the USA, EU-15, Russia, Japan and Canada. To analyze the impacts of the proposed approach, we generate sectoral marginal abatement cost (MAC curves by region through extending a top-down economic model, namely the AIM/CGE model. The total emission reduction targets are analyzed against the developed MAC curves for the transport sector in order to obtain an equal marginal abatement cost which derives optimal emission reduction for each country and minimizes total abatement cost. The results indicate that the USA will play a crucial role in GHG mitigations in the transport sector as it is most responsible for emission reductions (i.e. accounts for more than 70% while Japan will least reduce (i.e. accounts for about 3% for all scenarios. In the case of a 5% reduction, the total abatement is equal to 171.1 MtCO2 with a total cost of 1.61 billion USD; and in the case of a 30

Chest Pain: First Aid

Science.gov (United States)

First aid Chest pain: First aid Chest pain: First aid By Mayo Clinic Staff Causes of chest pain can vary from minor problems, such as indigestion ... 26, 2018 Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-chest-pain/basics/ART-20056705 . Mayo ...

Head Trauma: First Aid

Science.gov (United States)

First aid Head trauma: First aid Head trauma: First aid By Mayo Clinic Staff Most head trauma involves injuries that are minor and don't require ... 21, 2015 Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-head-trauma/basics/ART-20056626 . Mayo ...

Animal Bites: First Aid

Science.gov (United States)

First aid Animal bites: First aid Animal bites: First aid By Mayo Clinic Staff These guidelines can help you care for a minor animal bite, such ... 26, 2017 Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-animal-bites/basics/ART-20056591 . Mayo ...

Participation in the ABWR Man-Machine interface design. Applicability to the Spanish Electrical Sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez, C.; Manrique Martin, A.; Nunez, J.

1997-01-01

Project coordinated by DTN within the advanced reactor programme. Participation in the design activities for the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) man-machine interface was divided into two phases: Phase I: Preparation of drawings for designing, developing and assessing the advanced control room Phase II: Application of these drawings in design activities Participation in this programme has led to the following possible future applications to the electrical sector: 1. Design and implementation of man-machine interfaces 2. Human factor criteria 3. Assessment of man-machine interfaces 4. Functional specification, computerised operating procedures 5. Computerised alarm prototypes. (Author)

Evaluation of vertical coordinate and vertical mixing algorithms in the HYbrid-Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM)

Science.gov (United States)

Halliwell, George R.

Vertical coordinate and vertical mixing algorithms included in the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) are evaluated in low-resolution climatological simulations of the Atlantic Ocean. The hybrid vertical coordinates are isopycnic in the deep ocean interior, but smoothly transition to level (pressure) coordinates near the ocean surface, to sigma coordinates in shallow water regions, and back again to level coordinates in very shallow water. By comparing simulations to climatology, the best model performance is realized using hybrid coordinates in conjunction with one of the three available differential vertical mixing models: the nonlocal K-Profile Parameterization, the NASA GISS level 2 turbulence closure, and the Mellor-Yamada level 2.5 turbulence closure. Good performance is also achieved using the quasi-slab Price-Weller-Pinkel dynamical instability model. Differences among these simulations are too small relative to other errors and biases to identify the "best" vertical mixing model for low-resolution climate simulations. Model performance deteriorates slightly when the Kraus-Turner slab mixed layer model is used with hybrid coordinates. This deterioration is smallest when solar radiation penetrates beneath the mixed layer and when shear instability mixing is included. A simulation performed using isopycnic coordinates to emulate the Miami Isopycnic Coordinate Ocean Model (MICOM), which uses Kraus-Turner mixing without penetrating shortwave radiation and shear instability mixing, demonstrates that the advantages of switching from isopycnic to hybrid coordinates and including more sophisticated turbulence closures outweigh the negative numerical effects of maintaining hybrid vertical coordinates.

Housing provision in the Kathmandu Valley: Public agency and private sector initiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bijaya K. Shrestha

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The haphazard growth of settlements in the Kathmandu Valley is the result of rapid urbanisation, growing poverty, the high cost of land and construction, and dependence on the traditional practice of owner-built housing. This growth has resulted in huge housing deficits and poor home conditions. The government’s implementation of the site and services programme as well as land-pooling projects in the 1970s and 1980s benefitted local landowners, but private-sector developments in the 1990s and 2000s were only accessible to upper-middle and high-income groups. This has forced the urban poor and economically disadvantaged groups to live in slum and squatter developments. Planned development organisation has been weak in terms of physical layout, the creation of socialisation opportunities and a sense of community, and in achieving a desirable population density. The existing legal and institutional framework is inadequate and ineffective for addressing these issues. To fill the gap between the efforts of the public and private sectors and meet the high demands for housing in the valley, clear-cut policies and planning are required. This must be done in order to link housing supply with demand and to ensure the participation of various public and private-sector agencies in land-development and housing projects that will incorporate the urban poor. Local municipalities should also be equipped for managing local resources, coordinating the agencies involved and monitoring development.

Impact analysis of leading sub sector on basic sector to regional income in Siak Regency, Riau Province

Science.gov (United States)

Astuti, P.; Nugraha, I.; Abdillah, F.

2018-02-01

During this time Siak regency only known as oil producing regency in Riau province, but based on the vision of spatial planning Siak’s regency in 2031 there was a shift from petroleum towards to other sectors such as agribusiness, agroindustry and tourism. The purpose of this study was to identify the sector base, the leading subsectors and shift with their characteristics and to identify the leading subsectors development priority. The method used in this research consisted of the method of Location Quotient (LQ, Shift Share, and Overlay method). The research results were used Location Quotient (LQ) to identify sector’s base in Siak regency based on the document of PDRB. The sector’s refers to the constant prices year of 2000 were mining and quarrying sector (2.25). The sector’s base using document of PDRB at constant prices 2000 without oil and gas sector was the agricultural sector with a value of LQ was 2,45. The leading sub sector in the Siak regency with mining and quarrying sector was oil and gas (1.02) and leading sub sector without oil and gas sector was the plantation sector (1.48) and forestry sector (1.73). Overlay analysis results shown that agriculture sector as a sector base and plantation and forestry as a leading sub sector has positive value and categorize as progressive and competitiveness. Because of that, this leading sub sector gets high priority to developing.

Aid and development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tarp, Finn

2006-01-01

evolved since World War II in response to a dramatically changing global political and economic context. I review the aid process and associated trends in the volume and distribution of aid and categorize some of the key goals, principles and institutions of the aid system. The evidence on whether aid has...... been effective in furthering economic growth and development is discussed in some detail. I add perspective and identify some critical unresolved issues. I finally turn to the current development debate and discuss some key concerns, I believe should be kept in mind in formulating any agenda for aid...

HIV/AIDS Coinfection

Science.gov (United States)

... Coinfection Hepatitis C Coinfection HIV/AIDS Coinfection HIV/AIDS Coinfection Approximately 10% of the HIV-infected population ... Control and Prevention website to learn about HIV/AIDS and Viral Hepatitis guidelines and resources. Home About ...

The European Community programmes in the sector of wind energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diamantaras, K.; Ferrero, G.L.

1992-01-01

The wind technology market has known a considerable evolution over the last decade. From the early eighties - when there were only a few kilowatts of the research prototype wind turbines installed - the total installed capacity within the European Community has reached nowadays more than 765 MW in commercial machines. This expansion has been brought about with the aid of important R and D energy technology programmes run by national governments, and by the Commission of European Communities with its research, development, demonstration and market development programmes, such as the JOULE, demonstration and THERMIE programmes. This paper presents the activities of the Community demonstration and THERMIE programmes in the wind energy sector from 1983 to 1992. Reference is also made to the Community programmes JOULE II and ALTENER. (au)

Mental health policy and development in Egypt - integrating mental health into health sector reforms 2001-9

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siekkonen Inkeri

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Following a situation appraisal in 2001, a six year mental health reform programme (Egymen 2002-7 was initiated by an Egyptian-Finnish bilateral aid project at the request of a former Egyptian minister of health, and the work was incorporated directly into the Ministry of Health and Population from 2007 onwards. This paper describes the aims, methodology and implementation of the mental health reforms and mental health policy in Egypt 2002-2009. Methods A multi-faceted and comprehensive programme which combined situation appraisal to inform planning; establishment of a health sector system for coordination, supervision and training of each level (national, governorate, district and primary care; development workshops; production of toolkits, development of guidelines and standards; encouragement of intersectoral liaison at each level; integration of mental health into health management systems; and dedicated efforts to improve forensic services, rehabilitation services, and child psychiatry services. Results The project has achieved detailed situation appraisal, epidemiological needs assessment, inclusion of mental health into the health sector reform plans, and into the National Package of Essential Health Interventions, mental health masterplan (policy guidelines to accompany the general health policy, updated Egyptian mental health legislation, Code of Practice, adaptation of the WHO primary care guidelines, primary care training, construction of a quality system of roles and responsibilities, availability of medicines at primary care level, public education about mental health, and a research programme to inform future developments. Intersectoral liaison with education, social welfare, police and prisons at national level is underway, but has not yet been established for governorate and district levels, nor mental health training for police, prison staff and teachers. Conclusions The bilateral collaboration programme

Energy sector alliances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McQuade, Owen

1998-09-01

Contains Executive Summary and Chapters on: A changing energy sector; Rationale for the joint venture, merger or acquisition; Mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures by sector; The joint venture process; Key factors for success; Financing the venture; Case studies; The future outlook. (Author)

Explicitly computing geodetic coordinates from Cartesian coordinates

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Huaien

2013-04-01

This paper presents a new form of quartic equation based on Lagrange's extremum law and a Groebner basis under the constraint that the geodetic height is the shortest distance between a given point and the reference ellipsoid. A very explicit and concise formulae of the quartic equation by Ferrari's line is found, which avoids the need of a good starting guess for iterative methods. A new explicit algorithm is then proposed to compute geodetic coordinates from Cartesian coordinates. The convergence region of the algorithm is investigated and the corresponding correct solution is given. Lastly, the algorithm is validated with numerical experiments.

BKKBN and the expanding role of private sector FP services and commercial contraceptive sales in Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Suyono, H

1989-07-01

The Indonesian family planning program is an internationally recognized success. Launched in 1970, the program, coordinated by the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN), now enrolls an average of 20,000 new acceptors each day. About 60% of eligible couples participate in the program. The key factors in the BKKBN's strategy are 1) a firm commitment from all government leaders, 2) a positive relationship with religious and other leaders, 3) decentralization and flexibility, 4) a shift from a traditional clinic-based to a community-based program, and 5) the integration of the program with health, family welfare, and other development activities. The next phase of the program emphasizes self-support or self-reliance in family planning. This means taking responsibility for one's own family planning, but it also means that those who are financially able to do so should pay for services and supplies. New projects have begun with the private sector. BKKBN has been working with professional doctors' and midwives' associations to promote private initiatives for family planning. The Kondom Dua Lima, a social marketing project with a private company, distributes and sells condoms in the commercial retail sales market. The Blue Circle Contraceptive Social Marketing Project provides low-cost but high-quality contraceptive supplies to fill the gap between free BKKBN supplies and the expensive contraceptives available through commercial pharmacies. BKKBN is working with the private sector to encourage its participation in the Indonesian goal of institutionalizing the small, happy, and prosperous family norm.

Cross-sector Innovation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Würtz Jessen, Søren; Linnet, Andreas; Tscherning, Rasmus Wiinstedt

2013-01-01

The aim of this handbook is to help improve your opportunities for getting started on innovative and business development projects that reach beyond your own sector, commonly known as ’Cross-sector innovation’, or ’Cross innovation’ for short. We believe that there is a need for an easily read...... innovation handbook that can reach out to all sectors and potential partners whose point of departure, language use and understanding of customers is often very different to that of businesses. These differences constitute a resource for business development. If exploited they can lead to new ways of doing...... things and help us breakaway from the lull of the modes of expression and methods ‘customarily’ employed in business development. The handbook focuses on the interaction of “traditional’ businesses and sectors that belong to those known as the creative and the experience industries, i.e. designers...

Gauging Change in Australian Aid: Stakeholder Perceptions of the Government Aid Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Terence; Burkot, Camilla; Howes, Stephen

2017-05-01

In this article, we use data from the 2013 and 2015 Australian Aid Stakeholder Surveys to gauge the extent of the changes to the Australian Government Aid Program since the 2013 federal election. The two surveys targeted the same set of stakeholders of the aid program, and both gathered data on a wide range of aspects of its functioning. As we assess the findings that emerged from the surveys, we situate our work amongst recent academic studies that have looked at the post-2013 aid changes in Australia. Our key findings are that the post-2013 changes to Australian aid have had wide-ranging impacts and have led to deteriorating overall aid quality. However, changes have not affected all aspects of the aid program equally, and some changes are starting to be reversed. In discussion, we examine what these developments mean for the future of Australian aid.

Coordination failure caused by sunspots

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beugnot, Julie; Gürgüç, Zeynep; Øvlisen, Frederik Roose

2012-01-01

on the efficient equilibrium, we consider sunspots as a potential reason for coordination failure. We conduct an experiment with a three player 2x2x2 game in which coordination on the efficient equilibrium is easy and should normally occur. In the control session, we find almost perfect coordination on the payoff......-dominant equilibrium, but in the sunspot treatment, dis-coordination is frequent. Sunspots lead to significant inefficiency, and we conclude that sunspots can indeed cause coordination failure....

HIV and AIDS

Science.gov (United States)

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español HIV and AIDS KidsHealth / For Kids / HIV and AIDS ... actually the virus that causes the disease AIDS. HIV Hurts the Immune System People who are HIV ...

Role of Manufacturing Sector and Trade, Hotel, Restaurant Sector In East Java’s Economy: Input Output Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anggari Marya Kresnowati

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to (1 analyze the relationship the manufacturing sector and the trade, hotel, and restaurant sector with other sectors in East Java, (2 to analyze the economic impact caused the two sectors based on the multiplier effect, (3 and analyze the economic impact caused by these two sectors if there additional investment funds. This study uses data analysis input output 2010 East Java 19x19 aggregation sector.The results indicate that base metals subsector has the highest linkages to other sectors. Based on household income multiplier effect, trade subsector has the greatest multiplier. Employment multiplier in trade and industrial sectors are in medium rank. This is indicates that the labor has been absorbed well in both sectors. The output multiplier effect, subsector non-metal goods, except petroleum and coal has the highest multiplier. The last, according to the analysis of investment injection simulations Input-Output East Java in 2010, subsector other processing industries has a best value added. Overall, the manufacturing sector has a better influence to East Java's economy than trade, hotel, and restaurant sector.

HIV/AIDS mitigation strategies and the State in sub-Saharan Africa--the missing link?

Science.gov (United States)

Mohiddin, Abdu; Johnston, Deborah

2006-01-17

The HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa is widely recognised as a development disaster threatening poverty reduction, economic growth and not merely a health issue. Its mitigation includes the societal-wide adoption and implementation of specific health technologies, many of which depend on functional institutions and State. Donor and International Institutions' strategies to mitigate HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are premised on a single optimal model of the State, one which focuses on the decentralised delivery of public goods alone (such as healthcare) - the service delivery state. The empirical evidence, though sparse, of "successful" and "unsuccessful" sub-Saharan Africa states' performance in mitigating HIV/AIDS does not support this model. Rather, the evidence suggests an alternative model that takes a country context specific approach - encompassing political power, institutional structures and the level of health technology needed. This model draws on the historical experience of East Asian countries' rapid development. For international public health policies to be effective, they must consider a country tailored approach, one that advocates a coordinated strategy designed and led by the State with involvement of wider society specific to each country's particular history, culture, and level of development.

Macroeconomic Issues in Foreign Aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjertholm, Peter; Laursen, Jytte; White, Howard

foreign aid, macroeconomics of aid, gap models, aid fungibility, fiscal response models, foreign debt,......foreign aid, macroeconomics of aid, gap models, aid fungibility, fiscal response models, foreign debt,...