Sample records for issues untested emergency

  1. Impact on arsenic exposure of a growing proportion of untested wells in Bangladesh

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background In many areas of Bangladesh, it has been more than six years since a national campaign to test tubewells for arsenic (As) was conducted. Many households therefore draw their water for drinking and cooking from untested wells. Methods A household drinking water survey of 6646 households was conducted in Singair upazilla of Bangladesh. A subset of 795 untested wells used by 1000 randomly selected households was tested in the field by trained village workers with the Hach EZ kit, using an extended reaction time of 40 min, and in the laboratory by high-resolution inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (HR ICP-MS). Results The household survey shows that more than 80% of the wells installed since the national testing campaign in this area were untested. Less than 13% of the households with untested wells knew where a low-As well was located near their home. Village workers using the Hach EZ kit underestimated the As content of only 4 out of 795 wells relative to the Bangladesh standard. However, the As content of 168 wells was overestimated relative to the same threshold. Conclusion There is a growing need for testing tubewells in areas of Bangladesh where As concentrations in groundwater are elevated. This could be achieved by village workers trained to use a reliable field kit. Such an effort would result in a considerable drop in As exposure as it increases the opportunities for well switching by households. PMID:22353180

  2. Untested pesticide mitigation requirements: ecological, agricultural, and legal implications

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Vyas, Nimish B.

    2013-01-01

    Every pesticide sold in the United States must have a U.S. Environmental Agency approved label on its container. The label provides directions for the pesticide’s use and is legally enforceable under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. For a pesticide with high ecological risks, mitigation statements may be included on the label to reduce the pesticide’s risks and to support its registration. Many mitigation mandates are easy to implement and are effective, however, at times, well-intentioned but novel and untested mitigation requirements, though theoretically sound, may not be perceived by the pesticide users to be practical under operational settings. Courts of law recognize the pesticide label as a legal document, therefore it is imperative that the label mitigation mandates be achievable. I use the rodenticide Rozol label to illustrate how an untested risk mitigation mandate may be considered too burdensome by pesticide users whereby the mitigation action may not be implemented in the field, resulting in label violation and unreasonable risks to the environment.

  3. The Untested Accusation: Principals, Research Knowledge, and Policy Making in Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Biddle, Bruce J.; Saha, Lawrence J.

    2005-01-01

    This book is a report of a systematic study based on interviews with 120 school principals that addresses questions about the utilization of knowledge from social research. It offers evidence that challenges allegations about the "awful reputation" of educational research and its supposed lack of impact. The Untested Accusation: (1)…

  4. Why issues emerge

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Coates, J.F.; Jarrett, J.; Decker, C.

    1989-10-01

    For those analysts and managers responsible for anticipating issues that may become important to their organizations, the origin of such issues is an important question. This study looks at how, and why, an issue may emerge from a situation, or an event. The full development of an issue, and its resolution may take from five to 30 years or more. The earlier it can be anticipated, the more opportunity for its stakeholders to develop positions and options for addressing it. Three approaches to examining the origins of issues are employed; the invention of ten models as metaphors for the formationmore » and growth of issues; the test of these models against 12 well-known, and fully developed issues; and the analysis of three case studies of issue development. This analysis assesses the readiness at different times for cultural, institutional and situational factors to allow or promote a situation to transition into an issue. Six of the ten conceptual models prove to be more powerful metaphors of issue development than the others. Analysis of the case studies shows that a readiness assessment of an unfolding situation may yield clues to a new issue. A readiness checklist is provided. 6 figs., 4 tabs.« less

  5. Path forward: emerging issues and challenges.

    PubMed

    Gillen, Matt; Gittleman, Janie L

    2010-06-01

    The NIOSH Construction Program worked with industry stakeholders to develop a National Occupational Safety and Health Construction Agenda to target future research and activities. The Program and its partners are also cognizant that new developments can emerge over time and that research can play an important role in helping to understand and address these emerging issues. Examples of emerging issues relevant to construction safety and health are described. These include: (a) climate change and energy considerations; (b) green construction developments and opportunities; (c) new materials; (d) changes in industry structure and practice; (e) workforce developments and disparities; (f) injury underreporting and cost and risk shifting; and (g) increased interest in addressing root causes. Responding to emerging issues while maintaining a focus on fundamental longstanding issues represents an ongoing challenge for researchers and industry organizations. Additional research to understand the diffusion and adoption of research by the industry is also needed. Research accomplished to date provides a strong foundation for addressing future industry needs and trends. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Focus issue articles on emerging and re-emerging plant diseases

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    This review sums up the key findings of seventeen articles on emerging and re-emerging plant diseases that are designated for the July focus issue in Phytopathology. The emerging and re-emerging diseases discussed include those caused by three viral, six fungal, five oomycete, and four bacterial pa...

  7. Drug Abuse on College Campuses: Emerging Issues. Issues in Prevention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention, 2012

    2012-01-01

    This "Issues in Prevention" focuses on emerging issues concerning drug abuse on college campuses. This issue contains the following articles: (1) Drug Abuse Trends; (2) Q&A With Jim Lange; (3) Bath Salts; (4) Refuse to Abuse; (5) Related Federal Resource; and (6) Higher Education Center Resources.

  8. RESEARCH INTO EMERGING WASTE ISSUES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The purpose of this project is to investigate emerging waste issues. In particular, 2 issues have been raised in the last year that have major implications for the waste disposal industry: 1) waste gasification; and 2) proliferation of electronics waste.

    APPCD loaned a h...

  9. Emerging and recurrent issues in drug development.

    PubMed

    Anello, C

    This paper reviews several emerging and recurrent issues relating to the drug development process. These emerging issues include changes to the FDA regulatory environment, internationalization of drug development, advances in computer technology and visualization tools, and efforts to incorporate meta-analysis methodology. Recurrent issues include: renewed interest in statistical methods for handling subgroups in the design and analysis of clinical trials; renewed interest in alternatives to the 'intention-to-treat' analysis in the presence of non-compliance in randomized clinical trials; renewed interest in methodology to address the multiplicities resulting from a variety of sources inherent in the drug development process, and renewed interest in methods to assure data integrity. These emerging and recurrent issues provide a continuing challenge to the international community of statisticians involved in drug development. Moreover, the involvement of statisticians with different perspectives continues to enrich the field and contributes to improvement in the public health.

  10. Partial Testing Can Potentiate Learning of Tested and Untested Material from Multimedia Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yue, Carole L.; Soderstrom, Nicholas C.; Bjork, Elizabeth Ligon

    2015-01-01

    Test-potentiated learning occurs when testing renders a subsequent study period more effective than it would have been without an intervening test. We examined whether testing only a subset of material from a multimedia lesson would potentiate the restudy of both tested and untested material. In Experiments 1a and 1b, participants studied a…

  11. 21 CFR 211.82 - Receipt and storage of untested components, drug product containers, and closures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Receipt and storage of untested components, drug product containers, and closures. 211.82 Section 211.82 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS: GENERAL CURRENT GOOD MANUFACTURING PRACTICE FOR...

  12. 75 FR 44781 - Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-29

    ...; File No. 265-26] Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues AGENCY: Commodity... Meeting of Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues. SUMMARY: The Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues will hold a public meeting on August 11, 2010, from 9 a.m...

  13. 75 FR 66362 - Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-28

    ...; File No. 265-26] Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues AGENCY: Commodity... meeting of Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues. SUMMARY: The Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues will hold a public meeting on November 5, 2010, from 9 a.m...

  14. Emergency management in health: key issues and challenges in the UK.

    PubMed

    Lee, Andrew C K; Phillips, Wendy; Challen, Kirsty; Goodacre, Steve

    2012-10-19

    Emergency planning in the UK has grown considerably in recent years, galvanised by the threat of terrorism. However, deficiencies in NHS emergency planning were identified and the evidence-base that underpins it is questionable. Inconsistencies in terminologies and concepts also exist. Different models of emergency management exist internationally but the optimal system is unknown. This study examines the evidence-base and evidence requirements for emergency planning in the UK health context. The study involved semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and opinion leaders. Purposive sampling was used to obtain a breadth of views from various agencies involved in emergency planning and response. Interviews were then analysed using a grounded approach using standard framework analysis techniques. We conducted 17 key informant interviews. Interviewees identified greater gaps in operational than technical aspects of emergency planning. Social and behavioural knowledge gaps were highlighted with regards to how individuals and organisations deal with risk and behave in emergencies. Evidence-based approaches to public engagement and for developing community resilience to disasters are lacking. Other gaps included how knowledge was developed and used. Conflicting views with regards to the optimal configuration and operation of the emergency management system were voiced. Four thematic categories for future research emerged:(i) Knowledge-base for emergency management: Further exploration is needed of how knowledge is acquired, valued, disseminated, adopted and retained.(ii) Social and behavioural issues: Greater understanding of how individuals approach risk and behave in emergencies is required.(iii) Organisational issues in emergencies: Several conflicting organisational issues were identified; value of planning versus plans, flexible versus standardized procedures, top-down versus bottom-up engagement, generic versus specific planning, and reactive versus

  15. OER Perspectives: Emerging Issues for Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olcott, Don

    2012-01-01

    This reflection examines some of the continuing and emerging issues in the open educational resources (OER) field. These include blending OER with university management structures; formal and non-formal OER; the need for sustainable OER business models; and expanding awareness, adoption, and use of OER. In the future, research will need to examine…

  16. Political issues in emergency medicine: The United States.

    PubMed

    Hoekstra, James; McNamara, Robert; Schafermeyer, Robert W; Hamilton, Glenn C

    2004-06-01

    The format of the paper is to allow three authors to discuss what they believe are the most significant political issues facing emergency medicine (EM) in their country or region. Each author writes independently and does not see any other contributing author's work, therefore potential overlap of subject matter is inevitable. However, we were soliciting their individual opinions about the serious issues confronting us today, rather than a consensus. An additional author, well familiar with the topics being discussed, wrote the Commentary from an overview perspective on the writings of the other authors. This supplemental opinion was offered as a method for enhanced cohesiveness in describing the political situations impacting the specialty of emergency medicine. The three authors for the United States are James Hoekstra, Professor and Chair, Wake Forest University Health Sciences; Robert McNamara, Professor and Chair, Temple University School of Medicine, and Robert Schafermeyer, Associate Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, North Carolina School of Medicine. Between them, they represent more than 50 years experience in clinical and academic emergency medicine. They write from a personal perspective. Their views are their own, and do not represent any organization(s) with which they may have or had affiliations.

  17. A procedure for rapid issue of red cells for emergency use.

    PubMed

    Weiskopf, Richard B; Webb, Mary; Stangle, Deena; Klinbergs, Gunter; Toy, Pearl

    2005-04-01

    A College of American Pathologists Q-Probe revealed that the median turnaround times for emergency requests for red blood cells from the operating room were 30 minutes to release of cells from the blood bank and 34 minutes to delivery to the operating room. These times may not be adequate to permit the red cells to provide sufficiently rapid delivery of oxygen in massively bleeding patients. To improve the time from emergency request for red cells to delivery to the operating room. A new emergency issue program was implemented for only the operating rooms; emergency issue to all other hospital locations remained unchanged. Six units of group O Rh-negative red blood cells (RBCs) are maintained in the blood bank in a separate basket with transfusion forms containing the unit numbers and expiration dates and a bag with one blood tubing segment from each unit. The times to issue and to delivery to the operating room suite were compared with time to issue of 2 group O Rh-negative RBCs for other hospital locations using the older system during the same time period and with the time to issue of 2 units to all other hospital locations during the preceding 2 years. A university hospital. Time between emergency request for red cells and delivery to the operating room. The time between blood bank notification and arrival in the operating room of the 6 units of RBCs was significantly shorter than the time required to just issue (not including delivery time) 2 units of RBCs to other hospital locations. With the new procedure, 82% of units issued reached the operating room within 2 minutes of request, 91% arrived within 3 minutes, and 100% arrived within 4 minutes. These percentages are significantly higher than those for only issue of blood (without delivery) using the older issuing procedure for all hospital locations during the previous 2 years (37%, 49%, and 66%, respectively; P = .007, .009, and .02, respectively) and for other locations during the same 7-month period (29

  18. Identifying emerging issues in forestry as a tool for research planning.

    Treesearch

    Hans M. Gregersen; Allen L. Lundgren; Pamela J. Jakes; David N. Bengston

    1989-01-01

    A Delphi exercise is used to identify emerging issues in National Forest management and use, the relative importance of the issues, and barriers to resolving issues. USDA Forest Service managers agree on the importance of the 11 issues identified; however, researchers and National Forest managers do not always agree on the importance of issues or barriers.

  19. Global quality imaging: emerging issues.

    PubMed

    Lau, Lawrence S; Pérez, Maria R; Applegate, Kimberly E; Rehani, Madan M; Ringertz, Hans G; George, Robert

    2011-07-01

    Quality imaging may be described as "a timely access to and delivery of integrated and appropriate procedures, in a safe and responsive practice, and a prompt delivery of an accurately interpreted report by capable personnel in an efficient, effective, and sustainable manner." For this article, radiation safety is considered as one of the key quality elements. The stakeholders are the drivers of quality imaging. These include those that directly provide or use imaging procedures and others indirectly supporting the system. Imaging is indispensable in health care, and its use has greatly expanded worldwide. Globalization, consumer sophistication, communication and technological advances, corporatization, rationalization, service outsourcing, teleradiology, workflow modularization, and commoditization are reshaping practice. This article defines the emerging issues; an earlier article in the May 2011 issue described possible improvement actions. The issues that could threaten the quality use of imaging for all countries include workforce shortage; increased utilization, population radiation exposure, and cost; practice changes; and efficiency drive and budget constraints. In response to these issues, a range of quality improvement measures, strategies, and actions are used to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks. The 3 measures are procedure justification, optimization of image quality and radiation protection, and error prevention. The development and successful implementation of such improvement actions require leadership, collaboration, and the active participation of all stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes that we all advocate. Copyright © 2011 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The National Problem of Untested Sexual Assault Kits (SAKs): Scope, Causes, and Future Directions for Research, Policy, and Practice.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Rebecca; Feeney, Hannah; Fehler-Cabral, Giannina; Shaw, Jessica; Horsford, Sheena

    2015-12-23

    Victims of sexual assault are often advised to have a medical forensic exam and sexual assault kit (SAK; also termed a "rape kit") to preserve physical evidence (e.g., semen, blood, and/or saliva samples) to aid in the investigation and prosecution of the crime. Law enforcement are tasked with submitting the rape kit to a forensic laboratory for DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) analysis, which can be instrumental in identifying offenders in previously unsolved crimes, confirming identify in known-offender assaults, discovering serial rapists, and exonerating individuals wrongly accused. However, a growing number of media stories, investigative advocacy projects, and social science studies indicate that police are not routinely submitting SAKs for forensic testing, and instead rape kits are placed in evidence storage, sometimes for decades. This review article examines the growing national problem of untested rape kits by summarizing current research on the number of untested SAKs in the United States and exploring the underlying reasons why police do not submit this evidence for DNA testing. Recommendations for future research that can guide policy and practice are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

  1. Emerging freeze-drying process development and scale-up issues.

    PubMed

    Patel, Sajal Manubhai; Pikal, Michael J

    2011-03-01

    Although several guidelines do exist for freeze-drying process development and scale-up, there are still a number of issues that require additional attention. The objective of this review article is to discuss some emerging process development and scale-up issue with emphasis on effect of load condition and freeze-drying in novel container systems such as syringes, Lyoguard trays, ampoules, and 96-well plates. Understanding the heat and mass transfer under different load conditions and for freeze-drying in these novel container systems will help in developing a robust freeze-drying process which is also easier to scale-up. Further research and development needs in these emerging areas have also been addressed. © 2011 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists

  2. Pseudomonas - current and emerging issues.

    PubMed

    Pearson, Susan

    2016-01-01

    Susan Pearson reports on some of the most interesting presentations at an International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation Society (IBBS) and Public Health England conference on 'Water microbiology - current and emerging issues in healthcare', held at the University of Winchester in early September. Two and a half years after the publication of the Addendum to HTM 04-01 - which gave advice on controlling and minimising the risk of morbidity and mortality due to P. aeruginosa in augmented care units - a major focus at the event was on how well the Addendum had been working for those 'at the frontline of infection control', and what improvements, if any, might be needed.

  3. Donation after cardiac death and the emergency department: ethical issues.

    PubMed

    Simon, Jeremy R; Schears, Raquel M; Padela, Aasim I

    2014-01-01

    Organ donation after cardiac death (DCD) is increasingly considered as an option to address the shortage of organs available for transplantation, both in the United States and worldwide. The procedures for DCD differ from procedures for donation after brain death and are likely less familiar to emergency physicians (EPs), even as this process is increasingly involving emergency departments (EDs). This article explores the ED operational and ethical issues surrounding this procedure. © 2013 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  4. Emergent Issues in Enterprise Education: The Educator's Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carey, Charlotte; Matlay, Harry

    2011-01-01

    Recent research suggests that important issues are emerging among enterprise educators in higher education institutions (HEIs). This paper examines four key areas of debate. The first of these is the assessment of entrepreneurship ideas and related activities (Pittaway and Cope, 2007). Penaluna and Penaluna (2008, 2009a, b), for example, focus on…

  5. Emerging issues in public health genomics

    PubMed Central

    Roberts, J. Scott

    2014-01-01

    This review highlights emerging areas of interest in public health genomics. First, recent advances in newborn screening (NBS) are described, with a focus on practice and policy implications of current and future efforts to expand NBS programs (e.g., via next-generation sequencing). Next, research findings from the rapidly progressing field of epigenetics and epigenomics are detailed, highlighting ways in which our emerging understanding in these areas could guide future intervention and research efforts in public health. We close by considering various ethical, legal and social issues posed by recent developments in public health genomics; these include policies to regulate access to personal genomic information; the need to enhance genetic literacy in both health professionals and the public; and challenges in ensuring that the benefits (and burdens) from genomic discoveries and applications are equitably distributed. Needs for future genomics research that integrates across basic and social sciences are also noted. PMID:25184533

  6. Issues, considerations and recommendations on emergency preparedness for vulnerable population groups.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jing; Wilkinson, Diana; Richardson, Richard B; Waruszynski, Barbara

    2009-06-01

    The Workshop on Emergency Preparedness for Vulnerable Population Groups was held on 2 and 3 March 2009 in Ottawa, ON, Canada. The purpose of the workshop was to enhance communications within the emergency community response network and to identify the needs and gaps of emergency preparedness against chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives events for vulnerable population groups. The workshop was organised to enable extensive round-table discussions and provide a summary of key issues, considerations and recommendations for emergency response planners.

  7. Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs: Ethical Issues in the Emergency Department.

    PubMed

    Marco, Catherine A; Venkat, Arvind; Baker, Eileen F; Jesus, John E; Geiderman, Joel M

    2016-11-01

    Prescription drug monitoring programs are statewide databases available to clinicians to track prescriptions of controlled medications. These programs may provide valuable information to assess the history and use of controlled substances and contribute to clinical decisionmaking in the emergency department (ED). The widespread availability of the programs raises important ethical issues about beneficence, nonmaleficence, respect for persons, justice, confidentiality, veracity, and physician autonomy. In this article, we review the ethical issues surrounding prescription drug monitoring programs and how those issues might be addressed to ensure the proper application of this tool in the ED. Clinical decisionmaking in regard to the appropriate use of opioids and other controlled substances is complex and should take into account all relevant clinical factors, including age, sex, clinical condition, medical history, medication history and potential drug-drug interactions, history of addiction or diversion, and disease state. Copyright © 2016 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Reaction to Psychological Maltreatment in Schools: Emerging Issues for Counselors.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Remley, Theodore P., Jr.

    1989-01-01

    Responds to Lynda Neese's "Psychological Maltreatment in Schools: Emerging Issues for Counselors." Discusses the legal system's lack of involvement in instances of psychological maltreatment and the implications for school counselors. (BH)

  9. Emerging Issues in Education: Policy Implications for the Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bruno, James E., Ed.

    Contents of this volume, one product of a collaboration between the Carnegie Corporation and Rand initiated in July 1969, include the following papers: "Emerging Issues in Education . . .," J. E. Bruno; "Societal Foundations for Change: Educational Alternatives for the Future," W. Harman: "Constitutional Aspects of Equality of Educational…

  10. Emerging Issues in the Utilization of Weblogs in Higher Education Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ayao-ao, Shirley

    2014-01-01

    This paper examines the emerging issues in the utilization of weblogs in Philippine higher education and how these issues affect the performance of students. This study used a modified Delphi method. The Delphi panel consisted of 12 experts in the integration of technology, particularly blogs, in their teaching. The study yielded the following…

  11. A 2017 Horizon Scan of Emerging Issues for Global Conservation and Biological Diversity.

    PubMed

    Sutherland, William J; Barnard, Phoebe; Broad, Steven; Clout, Mick; Connor, Ben; Côté, Isabelle M; Dicks, Lynn V; Doran, Helen; Entwistle, Abigail C; Fleishman, Erica; Fox, Marie; Gaston, Kevin J; Gibbons, David W; Jiang, Zhigang; Keim, Brandon; Lickorish, Fiona A; Markillie, Paul; Monk, Kathryn A; Pearce-Higgins, James W; Peck, Lloyd S; Pretty, Jules; Spalding, Mark D; Tonneijck, Femke H; Wintle, Bonnie C; Ockendon, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    We present the results of our eighth annual horizon scan of emerging issues likely to affect global biological diversity, the environment, and conservation efforts in the future. The potential effects of these novel issues might not yet be fully recognized or understood by the global conservation community, and the issues can be regarded as both opportunities and risks. A diverse international team with collective expertise in horizon scanning, science communication, and conservation research, practice, and policy reviewed 100 potential issues and identified 15 that qualified as emerging, with potential substantial global effects. These issues include new developments in energy storage and fuel production, sand extraction, potential solutions to combat coral bleaching and invasive marine species, and blockchain technology. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Emerging Issues for Bokori Island Development in Konawe Southeast Sulawesi

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maulidy Navastara, Ardy

    2017-07-01

    This article discusses about emerging issues for small island development especially Bokori Island in Konawe Southeast Sulawesi. Indonesia have been known as a big archipelago has more than ten thousand small islands scattered about 5.8 million km2 of oceanic area Sabang in the West end to Merauke at the end East. It is also known as the largest “megabiodiversity” marine nation. However, the weak national policy that handles the development and management of small islands is suspected because it is not accurate in identifying strategic issues that occur in the development and management of small islands. Therefore, this article aims to identify and classify strategic issues related to the development of small islands in Konawe Southeast Sulawesi. A normative and empirical approach is made to discuss this article. It resulted that typology of issues such as internal and external issues, urgent issues and its supporting issues. Then local governments should pay attention to the urgent issues and its supporting issues - it is policy, investment, institutional and technological issues and the endogenous issues such as entrepreneurship and leadership.

  13. Ethical issues associated with in-hospital emergency from the Medical Emergency Team's perspective: a national survey.

    PubMed

    Cabrini, Luca; Giannini, Alberto; Pintaudi, Margherita; Semeraro, Federico; Radeschi, Giulio; Borga, Sara; Landoni, Giovanni; Troiano, Herbert; Luchetti, Marco; Pellis, Thomas; Ristagno, Giuseppe; Minoja, Giulio; Mazzon, Davide; Alampi, Daniela

    2016-01-01

    Medical Emergency Teams (METs) are frequently involved in ethical issues associated to in-hospital emergencies, like decisions about end-of-life care and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. MET involvement offers both advantages and disadvantages, especially when an immediate decision must be made. We performed a survey among Italian intensivists/anesthesiologists evaluating MET's perspective on the most relevant ethical aspects faced in daily practice. A questionnaire was developed on behalf of the Italian scientific society of anesthesia and intensive care (SIAARTI) and administered to its members. Decision making criteria applied by respondents when dealing with ethical aspects, the estimated incidence of conflicts due to ethical issues and the impact on the respondents' emotional and moral distress were explored. The questionnaire was completed by 327 intensivists/anesthesiologists. Patient life-expectancy, wishes, and the quality of life were the factors most considered for decisions. Conflicts with ward physicians were reported by most respondents; disagreement on appropriateness of ICU admission and family unpreparedness to the imminent patient death were the most frequent reasons. Half of respondents considered that in case of conflicts the final decision should be made by the MET. Conflicts were generally recognized as causing increased and moral distress within the MET members. Few respondents reported that dedicated protocols or training were locally available. Italian intensivists/anesthesiologists reported that ethical issues associated with in-hospital emergencies are occurring commonly and are having a significant negative impact on MET well-being. Conflicts with ward physicians happen frequently. They also conveyed that hospitals don't offer ethics training and have no protocols in place to address ethical issues.

  14. A transatlantic perspective on 20 emerging issues in biological engineering

    PubMed Central

    Rhodes, Catherine; Molloy, Jennifer C; Millett, Piers; Adam, Laura; Breitling, Rainer; Carlson, Rob; Casagrande, Rocco; Dando, Malcolm; Doubleday, Robert; Drexler, Eric; Edwards, Brett; Ellis, Tom; Evans, Nicholas G; Hammond, Richard; Haseloff, Jim; Kahl, Linda; Kuiken, Todd; Lichman, Benjamin R; Matthewman, Colette A; Napier, Johnathan A; ÓhÉigeartaigh, Seán S; Patron, Nicola J; Perello, Edward; Shapira, Philip; Tait, Joyce; Takano, Eriko; Sutherland, William J

    2017-01-01

    Advances in biological engineering are likely to have substantial impacts on global society. To explore these potential impacts we ran a horizon scanning exercise to capture a range of perspectives on the opportunities and risks presented by biological engineering. We first identified 70 potential issues, and then used an iterative process to prioritise 20 issues that we considered to be emerging, to have potential global impact, and to be relatively unknown outside the field of biological engineering. The issues identified may be of interest to researchers, businesses and policy makers in sectors such as health, energy, agriculture and the environment. PMID:29132504

  15. A transatlantic perspective on 20 emerging issues in biological engineering.

    PubMed

    Wintle, Bonnie C; Boehm, Christian R; Rhodes, Catherine; Molloy, Jennifer C; Millett, Piers; Adam, Laura; Breitling, Rainer; Carlson, Rob; Casagrande, Rocco; Dando, Malcolm; Doubleday, Robert; Drexler, Eric; Edwards, Brett; Ellis, Tom; Evans, Nicholas G; Hammond, Richard; Haseloff, Jim; Kahl, Linda; Kuiken, Todd; Lichman, Benjamin R; Matthewman, Colette A; Napier, Johnathan A; ÓhÉigeartaigh, Seán S; Patron, Nicola J; Perello, Edward; Shapira, Philip; Tait, Joyce; Takano, Eriko; Sutherland, William J

    2017-11-14

    Advances in biological engineering are likely to have substantial impacts on global society. To explore these potential impacts we ran a horizon scanning exercise to capture a range of perspectives on the opportunities and risks presented by biological engineering. We first identified 70 potential issues, and then used an iterative process to prioritise 20 issues that we considered to be emerging, to have potential global impact, and to be relatively unknown outside the field of biological engineering. The issues identified may be of interest to researchers, businesses and policy makers in sectors such as health, energy, agriculture and the environment.

  16. Comprehensive mollusk acute toxicity database improves the use of Interspecies Correlation Estimation (ICE) models to predict toxicity of untested freshwater and endangered mussel species

    EPA Science Inventory

    Interspecies correlation estimation (ICE) models extrapolate acute toxicity data from surrogate test species to untested taxa. A suite of ICE models developed from a comprehensive database is available on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s web-based application, Web-I...

  17. Re: School Finance Reform: Emerging Issues and Needed Research. Occasional Paper #7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Odden, Allan

    Several new school finance reform issues are emerging that require further analysis. The first issue is the impact of previous school finance reforms especially regarding their fiscal, programmatic, and governance effects. More analysis is also needed of the effects of the composition of the property tax base and the structure of state…

  18. Clean water and family forest management: some emerging issues

    Treesearch

    Peter A. Bisson

    2011-01-01

    Demand for clean water for a variety of uses will increase. Watersheds are where we live, grow crops and create various forms of industry. As the Pacific Northwest's human population expands, competition for water and the ecological goods and services that water provides will grow more intense. With this in mind it is helpful to review emerging issues that are of...

  19. Medical issues in flight and updating the emergency medical kit.

    PubMed

    Verjee, Mohamud A; Crone, Robert; Ostrovskiy, Grigory

    2018-01-01

    Airline travel is more affordable than ever and likely safer than ever too. Within half a day, a passenger can be on the other side of the world. However, medical care in-flight has been an issue for those with medical conditions and for those who fall sick during a journey. While airlines have the advice of multiple recognized organizations on needs and standards of care, in-flight emergencies occur at various levels. An emergency medical kit (EMK) together with trained cabin crew can be very effective at resolving the minor problems that arise and reducing the risk of escalation. On occasion, an overhead plea may be announced for additional medical expertise. Having the right content in a medical kit is more important in modern day travel, coupled with advances in equipment and passenger expectations. The authors address current issues of illness and other relevant conditions and suggest a content enhancement for an onboard EMK.

  20. Medical issues in flight and updating the emergency medical kit

    PubMed Central

    Verjee, Mohamud A; Crone, Robert; Ostrovskiy, Grigory

    2018-01-01

    Airline travel is more affordable than ever and likely safer than ever too. Within half a day, a passenger can be on the other side of the world. However, medical care in-flight has been an issue for those with medical conditions and for those who fall sick during a journey. While airlines have the advice of multiple recognized organizations on needs and standards of care, in-flight emergencies occur at various levels. An emergency medical kit (EMK) together with trained cabin crew can be very effective at resolving the minor problems that arise and reducing the risk of escalation. On occasion, an overhead plea may be announced for additional medical expertise. Having the right content in a medical kit is more important in modern day travel, coupled with advances in equipment and passenger expectations. The authors address current issues of illness and other relevant conditions and suggest a content enhancement for an onboard EMK. PMID:29750057

  1. Arctic Freshwater Synthesis: Summary of key emerging issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prowse, T.; Bring, A.; Mârd, J.; Carmack, E.; Holland, M.; Instanes, A.; Vihma, T.; Wrona, F. J.

    2015-10-01

    In response to a joint request from the World Climate Research Program's Climate and Cryosphere Project, the International Arctic Science Committee, and the Arctic Council's Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program an updated scientific assessment has been conducted of the Arctic Freshwater System (AFS), entitled the Arctic Freshwater Synthesis (AFSΣ). The major reason behind the joint request was an increasing concern that changes to the AFS have produced, and could produce even greater, changes to biogeophysical and socioeconomic systems of special importance to northern residents and also produce extra-Arctic climatic effects that will have global consequences. The AFSΣ was structured around six key thematic areas: atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial hydrology, terrestrial ecology, resources, and modeling, the review of each coauthored by an international group of scientists and published as separate manuscripts in this special issue of Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences. This AFSΣ summary manuscript reviews key issues that emerged during the conduct of the synthesis, especially those that are cross-thematic in nature, and identifies future research required to address such issues.

  2. Current and Emerging Ethical Issues in Counseling: A Delphi Study of Expert Opinions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herlihy, Barbara; Dufrene, Roxane L.

    2011-01-01

    A Delphi study was conducted to ascertain the opinions of panel experts regarding the most important current and emerging ethical issues facing the counseling profession. Expert opinions on ethical issues in counselor preparation also were sought. Eighteen panelists responded to 3 rounds of data collection interspersed with feedback. Themes that…

  3. Stem cell research ethics: consensus statement on emerging issues.

    PubMed

    Caulfield, Timothy; Ogbogu, Ubaka; Nelson, Erin; Einsiedel, Edna; Knoppers, Bartha; McDonald, Michael; Brunger, Fern; Downey, Robin; Fernando, Kanchana; Galipeau, Jacques; Geransar, Rose; Griener, Glenn; Grenier, Glenn; Hyun, Insoo; Isasi, Rosario; Kardel, Melanie; Knowles, Lori; Kucic, Terrence; Lotjonen, Salla; Lyall, Drew; Magnus, David; Mathews, Debra J H; Nisbet, Matthew; Nisker, Jeffrey; Pare, Guillaume; Pattinson, Shaun; Pullman, Daryl; Rudnicki, Michael; Williams-Jones, Bryn; Zimmerman, Susan

    2007-10-01

    This article is a consensus statement by an international interdisciplinary group of academic experts and Canadian policy-makers on emerging ethical, legal and social issues in human embryonic stem cells (hESC) research in Canada. The process of researching consensus included consultations with key stakeholders in hESC research (regulations, stem cell researchers, and research ethics experts), preparation and distribution of background papers, and an international workshop held in Montreal in February 2007 to discuss the papers and debate recommendations. The recommendations provided in the consensus statement focus on issues of immediate relevance to Canadian policy-makers, including informed consent to hESC research, the use of fresh embryos in research, management of conflicts of interest, and the relevance of public opinion research to policy-making.

  4. Components of Comprehensive School and School District Emergency Management Plans. Helpful Hints for School Emergency Management. Volume 2, Issue 2, 2007

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2007

    2007-01-01

    "Helpful Hints" offers a quick overview of school emergency preparedness topics that are frequently the subject of inquiries. This issue describes and contains a checklist that can assist schools and school districts in developing a new emergency management plan or refreshing their current one. To use the checklist, individuals should consider…

  5. Pediatric issues in disaster management, Part 1: the emergency medical system and surge capacity.

    PubMed

    Mace, Sharon E; Sharieff, Ghazala; Bern, Andrew; Benjamin, Lee; Burbulys, Dave; Johnson, Ramon; Schreiber, Merritt

    2010-01-01

    Although children and infants are likely to be victims in a disaster and are more vulnerable in a disaster than adults, disaster planning and management has often overlooked the specific needs of pediatric patients. The authors discuss key components of disaster planning and management for pediatric patients, including emergency medical services, hospital/facility issues, evacuation centers, family separation/reunification, children with special healthcare needs (SHCNs), mental health issues, and overcrowding/surge capacity. Specific policy recommendations and an appendix with detailed practical information and algorithms are included. The first part of this three-part series on pediatric issues in disaster management addresses the emergency medical system from the field to the hospital and surge capacity including the impact of crowding. The second part addresses the appropriate setup and functioning of evacuation centers and family separation and reunification. The third part deals with special patient populations: children with SHCNs and mental health issues.

  6. A 2018 Horizon Scan of Emerging Issues for Global Conservation and Biological Diversity.

    PubMed

    Sutherland, William J; Butchart, Stuart H M; Connor, Ben; Culshaw, Caroline; Dicks, Lynn V; Dinsdale, Jason; Doran, Helen; Entwistle, Abigail C; Fleishman, Erica; Gibbons, David W; Jiang, Zhigang; Keim, Brandon; Roux, Xavier Le; Lickorish, Fiona A; Markillie, Paul; Monk, Kathryn A; Mortimer, Diana; Pearce-Higgins, James W; Peck, Lloyd S; Pretty, Jules; Seymour, Colleen L; Spalding, Mark D; Tonneijck, Femke H; Gleave, Rosalind A

    2018-01-01

    This is our ninth annual horizon scan to identify emerging issues that we believe could affect global biological diversity, natural capital and ecosystem services, and conservation efforts. Our diverse and international team, with expertise in horizon scanning, science communication, as well as conservation science, practice, and policy, reviewed 117 potential issues. We identified the 15 that may have the greatest positive or negative effects but are not yet well recognised by the global conservation community. Themes among these topics include new mechanisms driving the emergence and geographic expansion of diseases, innovative biotechnologies, reassessments of global change, and the development of strategic infrastructure to facilitate global economic priorities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Environmental Justice Research: Contemporary Issues and Emerging Topics

    PubMed Central

    Chakraborty, Jayajit; Collins, Timothy W.; Grineski, Sara E.

    2016-01-01

    Environmental justice (EJ) research seeks to document and redress the disproportionate environmental burdens and benefits associated with social inequalities. Although its initial focus was on disparities in exposure to anthropogenic pollution, the scope of EJ research has expanded. In the context of intensifying social inequalities and environmental problems, there is a need to further strengthen the EJ research framework and diversify its application. This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) incorporates 19 articles that broaden EJ research by considering emerging topics such as energy, food, drinking water, flooding, sustainability, and gender dynamics, including issues in Canada, the UK, and Eastern Europe. Additionally, the articles contribute to three research themes: (1) documenting connections between unjust environmental exposures and health impacts by examining unsafe infrastructure, substance use, and children’s obesity and academic performance; (2) promoting and achieving EJ by implementing interventions to improve environmental knowledge and health, identifying avenues for sustainable community change, and incorporating EJ metrics in government programs; and (3) clarifying stakeholder perceptions of EJ issues to extend research beyond the documentation of unjust conditions and processes. Collectively, the articles highlight potentially compounding injustices and an array of approaches being employed to achieve EJ. PMID:27809294

  8. Environmental Justice Research: Contemporary Issues and Emerging Topics.

    PubMed

    Chakraborty, Jayajit; Collins, Timothy W; Grineski, Sara E

    2016-11-01

    Environmental justice (EJ) research seeks to document and redress the disproportionate environmental burdens and benefits associated with social inequalities. Although its initial focus was on disparities in exposure to anthropogenic pollution, the scope of EJ research has expanded. In the context of intensifying social inequalities and environmental problems, there is a need to further strengthen the EJ research framework and diversify its application. This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) incorporates 19 articles that broaden EJ research by considering emerging topics such as energy, food, drinking water, flooding, sustainability, and gender dynamics, including issues in Canada, the UK, and Eastern Europe. Additionally, the articles contribute to three research themes: (1) documenting connections between unjust environmental exposures and health impacts by examining unsafe infrastructure, substance use, and children's obesity and academic performance; (2) promoting and achieving EJ by implementing interventions to improve environmental knowledge and health, identifying avenues for sustainable community change, and incorporating EJ metrics in government programs; and (3) clarifying stakeholder perceptions of EJ issues to extend research beyond the documentation of unjust conditions and processes. Collectively, the articles highlight potentially compounding injustices and an array of approaches being employed to achieve EJ.

  9. NEW DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCT ISSUES: EMERGING DBP'S AND ALTERNATIVE ROUTES OF EXPOSURE

    EPA Science Inventory

    This paper discusses current issues with drinking water disinfection by-products (DBPs), which include emerging (unregulated) DBPs that can be formed at greater levels with alternative disinfectants (as compared to chlorine) and routes of human exposure (which include inhalation ...

  10. Emerging Environmental Justice Issues in Nuclear Power and Radioactive Contamination.

    PubMed

    Kyne, Dean; Bolin, Bob

    2016-07-12

    Nuclear hazards, linked to both U.S. weapons programs and civilian nuclear power, pose substantial environment justice issues. Nuclear power plant (NPP) reactors produce low-level ionizing radiation, high level nuclear waste, and are subject to catastrophic contamination events. Justice concerns include plant locations and the large potentially exposed populations, as well as issues in siting, nuclear safety, and barriers to public participation. Other justice issues relate to extensive contamination in the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, and the mining and processing industries that have supported it. To approach the topic, first we discuss distributional justice issues of NPP sites in the U.S. and related procedural injustices in siting, operation, and emergency preparedness. Then we discuss justice concerns involving the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and the ways that uranium mining, processing, and weapons development have affected those living downwind, including a substantial American Indian population. Next we examine the problem of high-level nuclear waste and the risk implications of the lack of secure long-term storage. The handling and deposition of toxic nuclear wastes pose new transgenerational justice issues of unprecedented duration, in comparison to any other industry. Finally, we discuss the persistent risks of nuclear technologies and renewable energy alternatives.

  11. Emerging Environmental Justice Issues in Nuclear Power and Radioactive Contamination

    PubMed Central

    Kyne, Dean; Bolin, Bob

    2016-01-01

    Nuclear hazards, linked to both U.S. weapons programs and civilian nuclear power, pose substantial environment justice issues. Nuclear power plant (NPP) reactors produce low-level ionizing radiation, high level nuclear waste, and are subject to catastrophic contamination events. Justice concerns include plant locations and the large potentially exposed populations, as well as issues in siting, nuclear safety, and barriers to public participation. Other justice issues relate to extensive contamination in the U.S. nuclear weapons complex, and the mining and processing industries that have supported it. To approach the topic, first we discuss distributional justice issues of NPP sites in the U.S. and related procedural injustices in siting, operation, and emergency preparedness. Then we discuss justice concerns involving the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and the ways that uranium mining, processing, and weapons development have affected those living downwind, including a substantial American Indian population. Next we examine the problem of high-level nuclear waste and the risk implications of the lack of secure long-term storage. The handling and deposition of toxic nuclear wastes pose new transgenerational justice issues of unprecedented duration, in comparison to any other industry. Finally, we discuss the persistent risks of nuclear technologies and renewable energy alternatives. PMID:27420080

  12. Identifying the science and technology dimensions of emerging public policy issues through horizon scanning.

    PubMed

    Parker, Miles; Acland, Andrew; Armstrong, Harry J; Bellingham, Jim R; Bland, Jessica; Bodmer, Helen C; Burall, Simon; Castell, Sarah; Chilvers, Jason; Cleevely, David D; Cope, David; Costanzo, Lucia; Dolan, James A; Doubleday, Robert; Feng, Wai Yi; Godfray, H Charles J; Good, David A; Grant, Jonathan; Green, Nick; Groen, Arnoud J; Guilliams, Tim T; Gupta, Sunjai; Hall, Amanda C; Heathfield, Adam; Hotopp, Ulrike; Kass, Gary; Leeder, Tim; Lickorish, Fiona A; Lueshi, Leila M; Magee, Chris; Mata, Tiago; McBride, Tony; McCarthy, Natasha; Mercer, Alan; Neilson, Ross; Ouchikh, Jackie; Oughton, Edward J; Oxenham, David; Pallett, Helen; Palmer, James; Patmore, Jeff; Petts, Judith; Pinkerton, Jan; Ploszek, Richard; Pratt, Alan; Rocks, Sophie A; Stansfield, Neil; Surkovic, Elizabeth; Tyler, Christopher P; Watkinson, Andrew R; Wentworth, Jonny; Willis, Rebecca; Wollner, Patrick K A; Worts, Kim; Sutherland, William J

    2014-01-01

    Public policy requires public support, which in turn implies a need to enable the public not just to understand policy but also to be engaged in its development. Where complex science and technology issues are involved in policy making, this takes time, so it is important to identify emerging issues of this type and prepare engagement plans. In our horizon scanning exercise, we used a modified Delphi technique. A wide group of people with interests in the science and policy interface (drawn from policy makers, policy adviser, practitioners, the private sector and academics) elicited a long list of emergent policy issues in which science and technology would feature strongly and which would also necessitate public engagement as policies are developed. This was then refined to a short list of top priorities for policy makers. Thirty issues were identified within broad areas of business and technology; energy and environment; government, politics and education; health, healthcare, population and aging; information, communication, infrastructure and transport; and public safety and national security.

  13. Identifying the Science and Technology Dimensions of Emerging Public Policy Issues through Horizon Scanning

    PubMed Central

    Parker, Miles; Acland, Andrew; Armstrong, Harry J.; Bellingham, Jim R.; Bland, Jessica; Bodmer, Helen C.; Burall, Simon; Castell, Sarah; Chilvers, Jason; Cleevely, David D.; Cope, David; Costanzo, Lucia; Dolan, James A.; Doubleday, Robert; Feng, Wai Yi; Godfray, H. Charles J.; Good, David A.; Grant, Jonathan; Green, Nick; Groen, Arnoud J.; Guilliams, Tim T.; Gupta, Sunjai; Hall, Amanda C.; Heathfield, Adam; Hotopp, Ulrike; Kass, Gary; Leeder, Tim; Lickorish, Fiona A.; Lueshi, Leila M.; Magee, Chris; Mata, Tiago; McBride, Tony; McCarthy, Natasha; Mercer, Alan; Neilson, Ross; Ouchikh, Jackie; Oughton, Edward J.; Oxenham, David; Pallett, Helen; Palmer, James; Patmore, Jeff; Petts, Judith; Pinkerton, Jan; Ploszek, Richard; Pratt, Alan; Rocks, Sophie A.; Stansfield, Neil; Surkovic, Elizabeth; Tyler, Christopher P.; Watkinson, Andrew R.; Wentworth, Jonny; Willis, Rebecca; Wollner, Patrick K. A.; Worts, Kim; Sutherland, William J.

    2014-01-01

    Public policy requires public support, which in turn implies a need to enable the public not just to understand policy but also to be engaged in its development. Where complex science and technology issues are involved in policy making, this takes time, so it is important to identify emerging issues of this type and prepare engagement plans. In our horizon scanning exercise, we used a modified Delphi technique [1]. A wide group of people with interests in the science and policy interface (drawn from policy makers, policy adviser, practitioners, the private sector and academics) elicited a long list of emergent policy issues in which science and technology would feature strongly and which would also necessitate public engagement as policies are developed. This was then refined to a short list of top priorities for policy makers. Thirty issues were identified within broad areas of business and technology; energy and environment; government, politics and education; health, healthcare, population and aging; information, communication, infrastructure and transport; and public safety and national security. PMID:24879444

  14. Emergent Issues in Education: Comparative Perspectives. SUNY Series, Frontiers in Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arnove, Robert F., Ed.; And Others

    This book reflects the field of comparative education as it has emerged in the 1990s. In a collection of 18 essays, leading scholars illuminate worldwide trends in critical issues that confront policymakers and practitioners in different national settings. Following the introduction by Robert F. Arnove, Philip G. Altbach, and Gail P. Kelly, part 1…

  15. Attending to scalar ethical issues in emerging approaches to environmental health research and practice.

    PubMed

    Buse, Chris G; Smith, Maxwell; Silva, Diego S

    2018-06-04

    Accelerated changes to the planet have created novel spaces to re-imagine the boundaries and foci of environmental health research. Climate change, mass species extinction, ocean acidification, biogeochemical disturbance, and other emergent environmental issues have precipitated new population health perspectives, including, but not limited to, one health, ecohealth, and planetary health. These perspectives, while nuanced, all attempt to reconcile broad global challenges with localized health impacts by attending to the reciprocal relationships between the health of ecosystems, animals, and humans. While such innovation is to be encouraged, we argue that a more comprehensive engagement with the ethics of these emerging fields of inquiry will add value in terms of the significance and impact of associated interventions. In this contribution, we highlight how the concept of spatial and temporal scale can be usefully deployed to shed light on a variety of ethical issues common to emerging environmental health perspectives, and that the potential of scalar analysis implicit to van Potter's conceptualization of bioethics has yet to be fully appreciated. Specifically, we identify how scale interacts with key ethical issues that require consideration and clarification by one health, ecohealth, and planetary health researchers and practitioners to enhance the effectiveness of research and practice, including justice and governance.

  16. Testing enhances both encoding and retrieval for both tested and untested items.

    PubMed

    Cho, Kit W; Neely, James H; Crocco, Stephanie; Vitrano, Deana

    2017-07-01

    In forward testing effects, taking a test enhances memory for subsequently studied material. These effects have been observed for previously studied and tested items, a potentially item-specific testing effect, and newly studied untested items, a purely generalized testing effect. We directly compared item-specific and generalized forward testing effects using procedures to separate testing benefits due to encoding versus retrieval. Participants studied two lists of Swahili-English word pairs, with the second study list containing "new" pairs intermixed with the previously studied "old" pairs. Participants completed a review phase in which they took a cued-recall test on only the "old" pairs or restudied them. In Experiments 1a, 1b, and 2, the review phase was given either before or after the second study list. Testing benefited memory to the same degree for both "new" and "old" pairs, suggesting that there were no pair-specific benefits of testing. The larger benefit from testing when review was given before rather than after the second study list suggests that the memory enhancement was due to both testing-enhanced encoding and testing-enhanced retrieval. To better equate generalized testing effects for "new" and "old" pairs, Experiment 3 intermixed them in the review phase. A statistically significant pair-specific testing effect for "old" items was now observed. Overall, these results show that forward testing effects are due to both testing-enhanced encoding and retrieval effects and that direct, pair-specific forward testing benefits are considerably smaller than indirect, generalized forward testing benefits.

  17. Emotion theory and research: highlights, unanswered questions, and emerging issues.

    PubMed

    Izard, Carroll E

    2009-01-01

    Emotion feeling is a phase of neurobiological activity, the key component of emotions and emotion-cognition interactions. Emotion schemas, the most frequently occurring emotion experiences, are dynamic emotion-cognition interactions that may consist of momentary/situational responding or enduring traits of personality that emerge over developmental time. Emotions play a critical role in the evolution of consciousness and the operations of all mental processes. Types of emotion relate differentially to types or levels of consciousness. Unbridled imagination and the ability for sympathetic regulation of empathy may represent both potential gains and losses from the evolution and ontogeny of emotion processes and consciousness. Unresolved issues include psychology's neglect of levels of consciousness that are distinct from access or reflective consciousness and use of the term "unconscious mind" as a dumpster for all mental processes that are considered unreportable. The relation of memes and the mirror neuron system to empathy, sympathy, and cultural influences on the development of socioemotional skills are unresolved issues destined to attract future research.

  18. Emerging Issues and Opportunities in Health Information Technology.

    PubMed

    Nardi, Elizabeth A; Lentz, Lisa Korin; Winckworth-Prejsnar, Katherine; Abernethy, Amy P; Carlson, Robert W

    2016-10-01

    When used effectively, health information technology (HIT) can transform clinical care and contribute to new research discoveries. Despite advances in HIT and increased electronic health record adoption, many challenges to optimal use, interoperability, and data sharing exist. Data standardization across systems is limited, and scanned medical note documents result in unstructured data that make reporting on quality measures for reimbursement burdensome. Different policies and initiatives, including the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, and the National Cancer Moonshot initiative, among others, all recognize the impact that HIT can have on cancer care. Given the growing role HIT plays in health care, it is vital to have effective and efficient HIT systems that can exchange information, collect credible data that is analyzable at the point of care, and improves the patient-provider relationship. In June 2016, NCCN hosted the Emerging Issues and Opportunities in Health Information Technology Policy Summit. The summit addressed challenges, issues, and opportunities in HIT as they relate to cancer care. Keynote presentations and panelists discussed moving beyond Meaningful Use, HIT readiness to support and report on quality care, the role of HIT in precision medicine, the role of HIT in the National Cancer Moonshot initiative, and leveraging HIT to improve quality of clinical care. Copyright © 2016 by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

  19. Emerging issues in radiogenic cataracts and cardiovascular disease.

    PubMed

    Hamada, Nobuyuki; Fujimichi, Yuki; Iwasaki, Toshiyasu; Fujii, Noriko; Furuhashi, Masato; Kubo, Eri; Minamino, Tohru; Nomura, Takaharu; Sato, Hitoshi

    2014-09-01

    In 2011, the International Commission on Radiological Protection issued a statement on tissue reactions (formerly termed non-stochastic or deterministic effects) to recommend lowering the threshold for cataracts and the occupational equivalent dose limit for the crystalline lens of the eye. Furthermore, this statement was the first to list circulatory disease (cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease) as a health hazard of radiation exposure and to assign its threshold for the heart and brain. These changes have stimulated various discussions and may have impacts on some radiation workers, such as those in the medical sector. This paper considers emerging issues associated with cataracts and cardiovascular disease. For cataracts, topics dealt with herein include (i) the progressive nature, stochastic nature, target cells and trigger events of lens opacification, (ii) roles of lens protein denaturation, oxidative stress, calcium ions, tumor suppressors and DNA repair factors in cataractogenesis, (iii) dose rate effect, radiation weighting factor, and classification systems for cataracts, and (iv) estimation of the lens dose in clinical settings. Topics for cardiovascular disease include experimental animal models, relevant surrogate markers, latency period, target tissues, and roles of inflammation and cellular senescence. Future research needs are also discussed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japan Radiation Research Society and Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology.

  20. Governing stem cell banks and registries: emerging issues.

    PubMed

    Isasi, Rosario M; Knoppers, Bartha M

    2009-01-01

    The expansion of national and international research efforts in stem cell research is increasingly paired with the trend of establishing stem cell banks and registries. In jurisdictions crossing the spectrum of restrictive to liberal stem cell policies, banks and registries are emerging as an essential resource for transnational access to quality-controlled and ethically sourced stem cell lines. In this study, we report the preliminary findings of a survey of stem cell banks participating in the International Stem Cell Forum's International Stem Cell Banking Initiative (ISCBI). The questionnaire circulated to all ISCBI members addressed both general issues surrounding research policies (e.g., national policies regulating the permissibility of conducting embryonic stem cell research (hESCR)) and, more specifically, issues relating to the governance of stem cell banking projects. The results of the questionnaire were complemented by scholarly research conducted by the authors. This article provides an overview of the current international hESC banking landscape (I). For this purpose, the policy and governance approaches adopted in the surveyed stem cell banks at the national level will be analyzed and areas of convergence and variance will be identified (II). It is beyond the scope of this paper to provide a comprehensive analysis of the wide range of possible governance approaches, policy responses, and their implications. However, we want to provide a starting point for discussion surrounding key questions and challenges as concerns provenance, access, and deposit of hESC lines (III). Finally, while our analysis is focused on research grade hESCs, the lessons to be gleaned from this examination will encourage further thought, analysis, and research into the issues raised in the banking and governance of other sources of stem cell lines (e.g., SCNT, parthenogenesis, iPs) (IV).

  1. The Law and Emergencies: Surveillance for Public Health–Related Legal Issues During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

    PubMed Central

    Weiss, Rachel I.; McKie, Karen L.; Goodman, Richard A.

    2007-01-01

    Law influenced every aspect of the public health response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, from evacuation orders, to waivers of medical licensing requirements, to the clean-up of public health threats on private property. We used public health surveillance of news reports to identify and characterize legal issues arising during the disaster response in 5 Gulf Coast states. Data collected from news reports of the events in real time were followed-up by interviews with selected state legal and emergency management officials. Our analysis indicates the value of surveillance during and after emergency responses in identifying public health–related legal issues and helps to inform the strengthening of legal preparedness frameworks for future disasters. PMID:17413083

  2. Research Ethics in Emerging Forms of Online Learning: Issues Arising from a Hypothetical Study on a MOOC

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Esposito, Antonella

    2012-01-01

    This paper is concerned with how research ethics is evolving along with emerging online research methods and settings. In particular, it focuses on ethics issues implied in a hypothetical virtual ethnography study aiming to gain insights on participants' experience in an emergent context of networked learning, namely a MOOC--Massive Online Open…

  3. Technology and Interactive Multimedia. Identifying Emerging Issues and Trends in Technology for Special Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ashton, Ray

    As part of a 3-year study to identify emerging issues and trends in technology for special education, this paper addresses the role of interactive multimedia, especially the digital, optical compact disc technologies, in providing instructional services to special education students. An overview identifies technological and economic trends,…

  4. Emotion Theory and Research: Highlights, Unanswered Questions, and Emerging Issues

    PubMed Central

    Izard, Carroll E.

    2009-01-01

    Emotion feeling is a phase of neurobiological activity, the key component of emotions and emotion-cognition interactions. Emotion schemas, the most frequently occurring emotion experiences, are dynamic emotion-cognition interactions that may consist of momentary/ situational responding or enduring traits of personality that emerge over developmental time. Emotions play a critical role in the evolution of consciousness and the operations of all mental processes. Types of emotion relate differentially to types or levels of consciousness. Unbridled imagination and the ability for sympathetic regulation of empathy may represent both potential gains and losses from the evolution and ontogeny of emotion processes and consciousness. Unresolved issues include psychology’s neglect of levels of consciousness that are distinct from access or reflective consciousness and use of the term “unconscious mind” as a dumpster for all mental processes that are considered unreportable. The relation of memes and the mirror neuron system to empathy, sympathy, and cultural influences on the development of socioemotional skills are unresolved issues destined to attract future research. PMID:18729725

  5. Rapid HIV testing at gay pride events to reach previously untested MSM: U.S., 2009-2010.

    PubMed

    Mdodo, Rennatus; Thomas, Peter E; Walker, Anissa; Chavez, Pollyanna; Ethridge, Steven; Oraka, Emeka; Sutton, Madeline Y

    2014-01-01

    We offered rapid HIV testing at social events frequented by young men who have sex with men (MSM), a group disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic. We tested 1,312 MSM; of those MSM, 1,072 (81.7%) reported HIV testing history. Of those reporting HIV testing history, 550 (51.3%) were non-Hispanic black and 404 (37.7%) were aged <25 years. One hundred twenty-eight (11.9%) had never tested for HIV; 77 (7.2%) were preliminarily positive, with 15 (19.5%) being first-time testers. Factors associated with no previous HIV test included young age (13-24 years) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9, 6.5) and non-Hispanic black (AOR=3.2, 95% CI 1.6, 6.4) or Hispanic (AOR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2, 6.3) race/ethnicity. HIV testing at Gay Pride events reaches young, previously untested MSM. This venue-based HIV testing approach at nonclinical sociocultural events is an additional strategy for HIV prevention goals to increase the number of people aware of their HIV infection with subsequent linkage to HIV care.

  6. Emerging health issues: the widening challenge for population health promotion.

    PubMed

    McMichael, Anthony J; Butler, Colin D

    2006-12-01

    The spectrum of tasks for health promotion has widened since the Ottawa Charter was signed. In 1986, infectious diseases still seemed in retreat, the potential extent of HIV/AIDS was unrecognized, the Green Revolution was at its height and global poverty appeared less intractable. Global climate change had not yet emerged as a major threat to development and health. Most economists forecast continuous improvement, and chronic diseases were broadly anticipated as the next major health issue. Today, although many broadly averaged measures of population health have improved, many of the determinants of global health have faltered. Many infectious diseases have emerged; others have unexpectedly reappeared. Reasons include urban crowding, environmental changes, altered sexual relations, intensified food production and increased mobility and trade. Foremost, however, is the persistence of poverty and the exacerbation of regional and global inequality. Life expectancy has unexpectedly declined in several countries. Rather than being a faint echo from an earlier time of hardship, these declines could signify the future. Relatedly, the demographic and epidemiological transitions have faltered. In some regions, declining fertility has overshot that needed for optimal age structure, whereas elsewhere mortality increases have reduced population growth rates, despite continuing high fertility. Few, if any, Millennium Development Goals (MDG), including those for health and sustainability, seem achievable. Policy-makers generally misunderstand the link between environmental sustainability (MDG #7) and health. Many health workers also fail to realize that social cohesion and sustainability--maintenance of the Earth's ecological and geophysical systems--is a necessary basis for health. In sum, these issues present an enormous challenge to health. Health promotion must address population health influences that transcend national boundaries and generations and engage with the

  7. EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS AND CURRENT ISSUES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Much has been achieved in the way of environmental protection over the last 30 years. However, as we learn more, new concerns arise. This presentation will discuss emerging environmental contaminants that the U.S. EPA and other agencies are currently concerned about. Emerging c...

  8. Does College Matter for Emerging Adulthood? Comparing Developmental Trajectories of Educational Groups.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Lauren L; Syed, Moin

    2015-11-01

    Critics of emerging adulthood theory have suggested that it only applies to college students, but this assertion has largely gone untested. The purpose of the present study was to compare developmental trajectories of non-students versus college-educated youth in theoretically relevant domains of work, love, and financial independence. Using data from the Youth Development Study (N = 1139, 49.6 % female, 63.3 % White, 10.9 % Southeast Asian, 1.5 % Other Asian, 8.6 % Black, 5.3 % Mixed Race, 4.0 % Latino, 0.8 % Native American), latent growth curve models were fitted to chart each group's development, from ages 14 to 30. Different trajectories were revealed for hours worked, children, and financial dependence on parents, spouses, and government aid. No differences were found in employment rates, marriage rates, or financial dependence on own income. These results provide a clearer picture of emerging adulthood for non-students, and highlight problems with generalizing college student research to all emerging adults.

  9. Youth with Mental Health Disorders: Issues and Emerging Responses. Also: Wraparound Milwaukee Program: Suicide Prevention in Juvenile Facilities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Juvenile Justice, 2000

    2000-01-01

    This issue of Juvenile Justice presents three main articles. "Youth with Mental Health Disorders: Issues and Emerging Responses" (J. J. Cocozza and K. Skowyra) discusses tragic mass homicides by juveniles, documented cases of neglect and inadequate services, and federal policy focusing on providing systems of care for at-risk juveniles that have…

  10. VLSI Technology: Impact and Promise. Identifying Emerging Issues and Trends in Technology for Special Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bayoumi, Magdy

    As part of a 3-year study to identify emerging issues and trends in technology for special education, this paper addresses the implications of very large scale integrated (VLSI) technology. The first section reviews the development of educational technology, particularly microelectronics technology, from the 1950s to the present. The implications…

  11. Implantable electronics: emerging design issues and an ultra light-weight security solution.

    PubMed

    Narasimhan, Seetharam; Wang, Xinmu; Bhunia, Swarup

    2010-01-01

    Implantable systems that monitor biological signals require increasingly complex digital signal processing (DSP) electronics for real-time in-situ analysis and compression of the recorded signals. While it is well-known that such signal processing hardware needs to be implemented under tight area and power constraints, new design requirements emerge with their increasing complexity. Use of nanoscale technology shows tremendous benefits in implementing these advanced circuits due to dramatic improvement in integration density and power dissipation per operation. However, it also brings in new challenges such as reliability and large idle power (due to higher leakage current). Besides, programmability of the device as well as security of the recorded information are rapidly becoming major design considerations of such systems. In this paper, we analyze the emerging issues associated with the design of the DSP unit in an implantable system. Next, we propose a novel ultra light-weight solution to address the information security issue. Unlike the conventional information security approaches like data encryption, which come at large area and power overhead and hence are not amenable for resource-constrained implantable systems, we propose a multilevel key-based scrambling algorithm, which exploits the nature of the biological signal to effectively obfuscate it. Analysis of the proposed algorithm in the context of neural signal processing and its hardware implementation shows that we can achieve high level of security with ∼ 13X lower power and ∼ 5X lower area overhead than conventional cryptographic solutions.

  12. Internet Gaming Disorder: An Emergent Health Issue for Men.

    PubMed

    Chen, Kevin H; Oliffe, John L; Kelly, Mary T

    2018-03-01

    Internet gaming is a legitimate leisure activity worldwide; however, there are emerging concerns that vast numbers of gamers are becoming addicted. In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) classified Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a condition warranting more clinical research ahead of formalizing it as a mental disorder. Proposed as a behavioral addiction, IGD shares many similarities in both physical and psychosocial manifestations with substance use disorder, including cerebral changes on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Among the gaming population, compared to females, adolescent and adult males demonstrate far more addictive internet gaming use in terms of screen hours, craving, and negative impacts on health, which have, in isolated incidents, also caused death. The current article draws findings from a scoping review of literature related to IGD as a means to raising awareness about an emergent men's health issue. Included are three themes: (a) unveiling the nature, impacts and symptoms of IGD; (b) conceptualizing IGD through neuroscience; and (c) treatment approaches to IGD. Afforded by these themes is an overview and synthesis of the existing literature regarding IGD as a means of providing direction for much needed research on gaming addiction and orientating primary care providers (PCPs) to the specificities of IGD in men's health. The findings are applied to a discussion of the connections between IGD and masculinity and the importance of recognizing how behaviors such as social isolation and game immersion can be maladaptive coping strategies for males.

  13. Emerging issues, challenges, and changing epidemiology of fungal disease outbreaks.

    PubMed

    Benedict, Kaitlin; Richardson, Malcolm; Vallabhaneni, Snigdha; Jackson, Brendan R; Chiller, Tom

    2017-12-01

    Several high-profile outbreaks have drawn attention to invasive fungal infections (IFIs) as an increasingly important public health problem. IFI outbreaks are caused by many different fungal pathogens and are associated with numerous settings and sources. In the community, IFI outbreaks often occur among people without predisposing medical conditions and are frequently precipitated by environmental disruption. Health-care-associated IFI outbreaks have been linked to suboptimal hospital environmental conditions, transmission via health-care workers' hands, contaminated medical products, and transplantation of infected organs. Outbreak investigations provide important insights into the epidemiology of IFIs, uncover risk factors for infection, and identify opportunities for preventing similar events in the future. Well recognised challenges with IFI outbreak recognition, response, and prevention include the need for improved rapid diagnostic methods, the absence of routine surveillance for most IFIs, adherence to infection control practices, and health-care provider awareness. Additionally, IFI outbreak investigations have revealed several emerging issues, including new populations at risk because of travel or relocation, occupation, or immunosuppression; fungal pathogens appearing in geographical areas in which they have not been previously recognised; and contaminated compounded medications. This report highlights notable IFI outbreaks in the past decade, with an emphasis on these emerging challenges in the USA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Advancing Prevention Research on Child Abuse, Youth Violence, and Domestic Violence: Emerging Strategies and Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guterman, Neil B.

    2004-01-01

    Prevention research on the related problems of child abuse, youth violence, and domestic violence has grown at an accelerating pace in recent years. In this context, a set of shared methodological issues has emerged as investigators seek to advance the interpersonal violence prevention knowledge base. This article considers some of the persistent…

  15. Ethical issues raised in addressing the needs of people with serious mental disorders in complex emergencies.

    PubMed

    Wissow, Lawrence S; Rutkow, Lainie; Kass, Nancy E; Rabins, Peter V; Vernick, Jon S; Hodge, James G

    2012-03-01

    Recent manmade and natural disasters highlight weaknesses in the public health systems designed to protect populations from harm and minimize disruption of the social and built environments. Emergency planning and response efforts have, as a result, focused largely on ensuring populations' physical well-being during and after a disaster. Many public health authorities, including the World Health Organization, have recognized the importance of addressing both mental and physical health concerns in emergency plans. Individuals with mental disorders represent a notable proportion of the overall population, and anticipating their needs is critical to comprehensive emergency planning and response efforts. Because people with serious mental disorders historically have been stigmatized, and many individuals with mental disorders may be unable to care for themselves, ethical guidance may be of assistance to those engaged in emergency planning and response. This article considers several broad categories of ethical issues that arise during emergencies for people with serious mental disorders and offers recommendations for ways in which emergency planners and other stakeholders can begin to address these ethical challenges.

  16. Industrial Accidents Triggered by Natural Hazards: an Emerging Risk Issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Renni, Elisabetta; Krausmann, Elisabeth; Basco, Anna; Salzano, Ernesto; Cozzani, Valerio

    2010-05-01

    Natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding or hurricanes have recently and dramatically hit several countries worldwide. Both direct and indirect consequences involved the population, causing on the one hand a high number of fatalities and on the other hand so relevant economical losses that the national gross product may be affected for many years. Loss of critical industrial infrastructures (electricity generation and distribution, gas pipelines, oil refineries, etc.) also occurred, causing further indirect damage to the population. In several cases, accident scenarios with large releases of hazardous materials were triggered by these natural events, causing so-called "Natech events", in which the overall damage resulted from the simultaneous consequences of the natural event and of the release of hazardous substances. Toxic releases, large fires and explosions, as well as possible long-term environmental pollution, economical losses, and overloading of emergency systems were recognised by post-event studies as the main issues of these Natech scenarios. In recent years the increasing frequency and severity of some natural hazards due to climate change has slowly increased the awareness of Natech risk as an emerging risk among the stakeholders. Indeed, the iNTeg-Risk project, co-funded by the European Commission within the 7th Framework Program specifically addresses these scenarios among new technological issues on public safety. The present study, in part carried out within the iNTeg-Risk project, was aimed at the analysis and further development of methods and tools for the assessment and mitigation of Natech accidents. Available tools and knowledge gaps in the assessment of Natech scenarios were highlighted. The analysis mainly addressed the potential impact of flood, lightning and earthquake events on industrial installations where hazardous substances are present. Preliminary screening methodologies and more detailed methods based on

  17. Parasite Zoonoses and Wildlife: Emerging Issues

    PubMed Central

    Thompson, R.C. Andrew; Kutz, Susan J.; Smith, Andrew

    2009-01-01

    The role of wildlife as important sources, reservoirs and amplifiers of emerging human and domestic livestock pathogens, in addition to well recognized zoonoses of public health significance, has gained considerable attention in recent years. However, there has been little attention given to the transmission and impacts of pathogens of human origin, particularly protozoan, helminth and arthropod parasites, on wildlife. Substantial advances in molecular technologies are greatly improving our ability to follow parasite flow among host species and populations and revealing valuable insights about the interactions between cycles of transmission. Here we present several case studies of parasite emergence, or risk of emergence, in wildlife, as a result of contact with humans or anthropogenic activities. For some of these parasites, there is growing evidence of the serious consequences of infection on wildlife survival, whereas for others, there is a paucity of information about their impact. PMID:19440409

  18. Human factors issues in motorcoach emergency egress

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-08-01

    FMVSS 217, Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release specifies a series of dimensional and physical requirements : for emergency exits. The intent of NHTSA is to minimize the likelihood of occupants being ejected from the bus and to pro...

  19. The Press Relations of a Local School District: An Analysis of the Emergence of School Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morris, Jon R.; Guenter, Cornelius

    Press coverage of a suburban midwest school district is analyzed as a set of time series of observations including the amount and quality of coverage. Possible shifts in these series because of the emergence of controversial issues are analyzed statistically using the Integrated Moving Average Time Series Model. Evidence of significant shifts in…

  20. ERCMExpress. Volume 3, Issue 4

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taymans, Mary Frances; McDonald, Dale

    2007-01-01

    The Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center's "ERCMExpress" is a newsletter that provides comprehensive information on key issues in school emergency management. This issue, entitled "Emergency Management Opportunities and Challenges for Non-Public Schools," examines integrating non-public…

  1. Emergencies and Emergency Permits for Ocean Dumping

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Emergency permits under the MPRSA are issued if disposed material poses a threat to human health. Information is provided on emergency permit examples and disposal sites. Emergencies to safeguard life at sea does not require an ocean dumping permit.

  2. Workforce 2000 and the Mildly Handicapped. Identifying Emerging Issues and Trends in Technology for Special Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woodward, John

    As part of a 3-year study to identify emerging issues and trends in technology for special education, this paper explores the changing nature of the workforce in relation to concurrent changes in education services for students with mild disabilities. Current trends are identified and projections for the next decade are offered, which include the…

  3. Responding To School Walkout Demonstrations. Lessons Learned From School Crises and Emergencies, Volume 3, Issue 1, 2008

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2008

    2008-01-01

    "Lessons Learned" is a series of publications that are a brief recounting of actual school emergencies and crises. This "Lessons Learned" issue examines the incidence of student walkout demonstrations and the various ways in which administrators, school staff, law enforcement, and the community at large can help keep youths…

  4. Problems and Issues in Using Emerging Computer Technologies To Manage and Evaluate Instructional Programs 1, 2, 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atwood, Nancy K.

    School districts have begun examining the feasibility of, and in some cases are developing and implementing automated systems for, managing and evaluating instructional programs. This paper describes and analyzes the issues and problems that emerged over the course of three projects--a large suburban school in the West, a consortium of five small…

  5. An Investigation into the Effects of Roll Gyradius on Experimental Testing and Numerical Simulation: Troubleshooting Emergent Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-01-01

    Troubleshooting Emergent Issues Edward Dawson Maritime Division Defence Science and Technology Organisation DSTO-TN-1402 ABSTRACT This...UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Published by Maritime Division DSTO Defence Science and Technology Organisation 506...tools used by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) are an efficient and effective means to determine and evaluate the motion

  6. Emerging issues in paediatric health research consent forms in Canada: working towards best practices.

    PubMed

    Dove, Edward S; Avard, Denise; Black, Lee; Knoppers, Bartha M

    2013-01-30

    Obtaining a research participant's voluntary and informed consent is the bedrock of sound ethics practice. Greater inclusion of children in research has led to questions about how paediatric consent operates in practice to accord with current and emerging legal and socio-ethical issues, norms, and requirements. Employing a qualitative thematic content analysis, we examined paediatric consent forms from major academic centres and public organisations across Canada dated from 2008-2011, which were purposively selected to reflect different types of research ethics boards, participants, and studies. The studies included biobanking, longitudinal studies, and gene-environment studies. Our purpose was to explore the following six emerging issues: (1) whether the scope of parental consent allows for a child's assent, dissent, or future consent; (2) whether the concepts of risk and benefit incorporate the child's psychological and social perspective; (3) whether a child's ability to withdraw is respected and to what extent withdrawal is permitted; (4) whether the return of research results includes individual results and/or incidental findings and the processes involved therein; (5) whether privacy and confidentiality concerns adequately address the child's perspective and whether standard data and/or sample identifiability nomenclature is used; and (6) whether retention of and access to paediatric biological samples and associated medical data are addressed. The review suggests gaps and variability in the consent forms with respect to addressing each of the six issues. Many forms did not discuss the possibility of returning research results, be they individual or general/aggregate results. Forms were also divided in terms of the scope of parental consent (specific versus broad), and none discussed a process for resolving disputes that can arise when either the parents or the child wishes to withdraw from the study. The analysis provides valuable insight and evidence into

  7. Emerging issues in paediatric health research consent forms in Canada: working towards best practices

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Obtaining a research participant’s voluntary and informed consent is the bedrock of sound ethics practice. Greater inclusion of children in research has led to questions about how paediatric consent operates in practice to accord with current and emerging legal and socio-ethical issues, norms, and requirements. Methods Employing a qualitative thematic content analysis, we examined paediatric consent forms from major academic centres and public organisations across Canada dated from 2008–2011, which were purposively selected to reflect different types of research ethics boards, participants, and studies. The studies included biobanking, longitudinal studies, and gene-environment studies. Our purpose was to explore the following six emerging issues: (1) whether the scope of parental consent allows for a child’s assent, dissent, or future consent; (2) whether the concepts of risk and benefit incorporate the child’s psychological and social perspective; (3) whether a child’s ability to withdraw is respected and to what extent withdrawal is permitted; (4) whether the return of research results includes individual results and/or incidental findings and the processes involved therein; (5) whether privacy and confidentiality concerns adequately address the child’s perspective and whether standard data and/or sample identifiability nomenclature is used; and (6) whether retention of and access to paediatric biological samples and associated medical data are addressed. Results The review suggests gaps and variability in the consent forms with respect to addressing each of the six issues. Many forms did not discuss the possibility of returning research results, be they individual or general/aggregate results. Forms were also divided in terms of the scope of parental consent (specific versus broad), and none discussed a process for resolving disputes that can arise when either the parents or the child wishes to withdraw from the study. Conclusions The

  8. Emerging Issues, 2006. Policy Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howard, Mimi

    2006-01-01

    The Education Commission of the States (ECS) recently conducted analyses, interviews and a survey for a study designed to identify the most pressing early learning issues facing policymakers. The goal was to hear both from those who are faced with making decisions and from those who are on the ground conducting research and developing programs. To…

  9. Emerging food safety issues: An EU perspective.

    PubMed

    McEvoy, John D G

    2016-05-01

    Safe food is the right of every citizen of the European Union (EU). A comprehensive and dynamic framework of food and feed safety legislation has been put in place and the EU's executive arm - the European Commission - is responsible for ensuring that the EU member states apply food law consistently. Similarly, the Commission plays an important role in ensuring that imported food meets the EU's stringent food safety standards. Consumer perceptions of unsafe food tend to focus on acute outbreaks of bacterial or viral origin. In recent years there have been a number of diverse food crises associated with fraudulent activity which may (e.g. melamine in dairy products in China) or may not (e.g. the horse meat scandal in the EU) represent a genuine food safety risk. Well publicized incidents of chronic exposure to chemical contamination in the EU (e.g. dioxins in meat and mycotoxins in nuts) have required robust coordinated policy responses from the Commission. Despite the decreasing incidence of non-compliant residues of veterinary medicinal products and banned substances in animal products, EU consumers are increasingly concerned about the use of such products in food-producing animals, including in the context of the build-up of antimicrobial resistance in animals and transfer to humans. The Commission plays a key role in coordination of the EU member states' responses to such incidents, in risk management, and in preparation for emerging issues. This paper focuses on how the EU as a whole has dealt with a number of food crises, and what can be learned from past incidents. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  10. Emerging ICT implementation issues in aged care.

    PubMed

    Kapadia, Vasvi; Ariani, Arni; Li, Junhua; Ray, Pradeep K

    2015-11-01

    Demand for aged care services continues to soar as a result of an aging population. This increasing demand requires more residential aged care facilities and healthcare workforce. One recommended solution is to keep older people in their homes longer and support their independent life through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT). However, the aged care sector is still in the early stages of adopting ICT. The aim of this study was to identify the key issues that affect the adoption of ICT in the aged care sector. A systematic literature review was undertaken and involved four steps. The first two steps aimed to identify and select relevant articles. Data was then extracted from the selected articles and identified issues were analyzed and grouped into three major categories. ICT adoption issues were categorized into different perspectives, representing older people, health professionals and management. Our findings showed that all three groups were mostly concerned with issues around behavior, cost and lack of technical skills. Findings reported in this study will help decision makers at aged care settings to systematically understand issues related to ICT adoption and thus proactively introduce interventions to improve use of ICT in this sector. On the basis of our findings, we suggest future research focus on the examination of aged care workflow and assessment of return on ICT investment. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  11. After-Action Reports: Capturing Lessons Learned and Identifying Areas for Improvement. Lessons Learned from School Crises and Emergencies. Volume 2, Issue 1, 2007

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2007

    2007-01-01

    "Lessons Learned" is a series of publications that are a brief recounting of actual school emergencies and crises. This issue of "Lessons Learned" addresses after-action reports, which are an integral part of the emergency preparedness planning continuum and support effective crisis response. After-action reports have a threefold purpose. They…

  12. Paediatric medical emergency calls to a Danish Emergency Medical Dispatch Centre: a retrospective, observational study.

    PubMed

    Andersen, Kasper; Mikkelsen, Søren; Jørgensen, Gitte; Zwisler, Stine Thorhauge

    2018-01-05

    Little is known regarding paediatric medical emergency calls to Danish Emergency Medical Dispatch Centres (EMDC). This study aimed to investigate these calls, specifically the medical issues leading to them and the pre-hospital units dispatched to the paediatric emergencies. We performed a retrospective, observational study on paediatric medical emergency calls managed by the EMDC in the Region of Southern Denmark in February 2016. We reviewed audio recordings of emergency calls and ambulance records to identify calls concerning patients ≤ 15 years. We examined EMDC dispatch records to establish how the medical issues leading to these calls were classified and which pre-hospital units were dispatched to the paediatric emergencies. We analysed the data using descriptive statistics. Of a total of 7052 emergency calls in February 2016, 485 (6.9%) concerned patients ≤ 15 years. We excluded 19 and analysed the remaining 466. The reported medical issues were commonly classified as: "seizures" (22.1%), "sick child" (18.9%) and "unclear problem" (12.9%). The overall most common pre-hospital response was immediate dispatch of an ambulance with sirens and lights with a supporting physician-manned mobile emergency care unit (56.4%). The classification of medical issues and the dispatched pre-hospital units varied with patient age. We believe our results might help focus the paediatric training received by emergency medical dispatch staff on commonly encountered medical issues, such as the symptoms and conditions pertaining to the symptom categories "seizures" and "sick child". Furthermore, the results could prove useful in hypothesis generation for future studies examining paediatric medical emergency calls. Almost 7% of all calls concerned patients ≤ 15 years. Medical issues pertaining to the symptom categories "seizures", "sick child" and "unclear problem" were common and the calls commonly resulted in urgent pre-hospital responses.

  13. Ethical issues in pediatric emergency mass critical care.

    PubMed

    Antommaria, Armand H Matheny; Powell, Tia; Miller, Jennifer E; Christian, Michael D

    2011-11-01

    As a result of recent events, including natural disasters and pandemics, mass critical care planning has become a priority. In general, planning involves limiting the scope of disasters, increasing the supply of medical resources, and allocating scarce resources. Entities at varying levels have articulated ethical frameworks to inform policy development. In spite of this increased focus, children have received limited attention. Children require special attention because of their unique vulnerabilities and needs. In May 2008, the Task Force for Mass Critical Care published guidance on provision of mass critical care to adults. Acknowledging that the critical care needs of children during disasters were unaddressed by this effort, a 17-member Steering Committee, assembled by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education with guidance from members of the American Academy of Pediatrics, convened in April 2009 to determine priority topic areas for pediatric emergency mass critical care recommendations.Steering Committee members established subgroups by topic area and performed literature reviews of MEDLINE and Ovid databases. Draft documents were subsequently developed and revised based on the feedback from the Task Force. The Pediatric Emergency Mass Critical Care Task Force, composed of 36 experts from diverse public health, medical, and disaster response fields, convened in Atlanta, GA, on March 29-30, 2010. This document reflects expert input from the Task Force in addition to the most current medical literature. The Ethics Subcommittee recommends that surge planning seek to provide resources for children in proportion to their percentage of the population or preferably, if data are available, the percentage of those affected by the disaster. Generally, scarce resources should be allocated on the basis of need, benefit, and the conservation of resources. Estimates of need, benefit, and resource utilization may be more subjective or objective. While the

  14. ERCMExpress. Volume 3, Issue 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schonfeld, David J.

    2007-01-01

    The Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center's newsletter, "ERCMExpress," provides comprehensive information on key issues in school emergency management. This issue of "ERCMExpress," titled "Coping with the Death of a Student or Staff Member," highlights the range of impact death can have on a school community;…

  15. Emerging issues in occupational safety and health.

    PubMed

    Schulte, Paul A

    2006-01-01

    In developed countries, changes in the nature of work and the workforce may necessitate recalibrating the vision of occupational safety and health (OSH) researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to increase the focus on the most important issues. New methods of organizing the workplace, extensive labor contracting, expansion of service and knowledge sectors, increase in small business, aging and immigrant workers, and the continued existence of traditional hazards in high-risk sectors such as construction, mining, agriculture, health care, and transportation support the need to address: 1) broader consideration of the role and impact of work, 2) relationship between work and psychological dysfunction, 3) increased surveillance basis for research and intervention, 4) overcoming barriers to the conduct and use of epidemiologic research, 5) information and knowledge transfer and application, 6) economic issues in prevention, and 7) the global interconnectedness of OSH. These issues are offered to spur thinking as new national research agendas for OSH are considered for developed countries.

  16. Working Time: Tendencies and Emerging Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bosch, Gerhard

    1999-01-01

    Examines issues of working time starting with International Labor Organization standards and reports on changes and the forces driving them. Outlines conditions in which working-time reductions are likely to affect employment positively and concludes with topics for further analysis. (Author/JOW)

  17. Political transition and emergent forest-conservation issues in Myanmar.

    PubMed

    Prescott, Graham W; Sutherland, William J; Aguirre, Daniel; Baird, Matthew; Bowman, Vicky; Brunner, Jake; Connette, Grant M; Cosier, Martin; Dapice, David; De Alban, Jose Don T; Diment, Alex; Fogerite, Julia; Fox, Jefferson; Hlaing, Win; Htun, Saw; Hurd, Jack; LaJeunesse Connette, Katherine; Lasmana, Felicia; Lim, Cheng Ling; Lynam, Antony; Maung, Aye Chan; McCarron, Benjamin; McCarthy, John F; McShea, William J; Momberg, Frank; Mon, Myat Su; Myint, Than; Oberndorf, Robert; Oo, Thaung Naing; Phelps, Jacob; Rao, Madhu; Schmidt-Vogt, Dietrich; Speechly, Hugh; Springate-Baginski, Oliver; Steinmetz, Robert; Talbott, Kirk; Than, Maung Maung; Thaung, Tint Lwin; Thawng, Salai Cung Lian; Thein, Kyaw Min; Thein, Shwe; Tizard, Robert; Whitten, Tony; Williams, Guy; Wilson, Trevor; Woods, Kevin; Ziegler, Alan D; Zrust, Michal; Webb, Edward L

    2017-12-01

    Political and economic transitions have had substantial impacts on forest conservation. Where transitions are underway or anticipated, historical precedent and methods for systematically assessing future trends should be used to anticipate likely threats to forest conservation and design appropriate and prescient policy measures to counteract them. Myanmar is transitioning from an authoritarian, centralized state with a highly regulated economy to a more decentralized and economically liberal democracy and is working to end a long-running civil war. With these transitions in mind, we used a horizon-scanning approach to assess the 40 emerging issues most affecting Myanmar's forests, including internal conflict, land-tenure insecurity, large-scale agricultural development, demise of state timber enterprises, shortfalls in government revenue and capacity, and opening of new deforestation frontiers with new roads, mines, and hydroelectric dams. Averting these threats will require, for example, overhauling governance models, building capacity, improving infrastructure- and energy-project planning, and reforming land-tenure and environmental-protection laws. Although challenges to conservation in Myanmar are daunting, the political transition offers an opportunity for conservationists and researchers to help shape a future that enhances Myanmar's social, economic, and environmental potential while learning and applying lessons from other countries. Our approach and results are relevant to other countries undergoing similar transitions. © 2017 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

  18. Coping with Multiple Suicides among Middle School Students. Lessons Learned from School Crises and Emergencies. Volume 2, Issue 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2007

    2007-01-01

    "Lessons Learned" is a series of publications that are a brief recounting of actual school emergencies and crises. This "Lessons Learned" issue addresses the experience of a school district where three middle school students hung themselves within a three-week timeframe. Although deaths were apparently unconnected, the school district is part of a…

  19. Emerging technologies and web accessibility: research challenges and opportunities focussing on vision issues.

    PubMed

    Harper, Simon; Yesilada, Yeliz

    2012-01-01

    This is a technological review paper focussed on identifying both the research challenges and opportunities for further investigation arising from emerging technologies, and it does not aim to propose any recommendation or standard. It is focussed on blind and partially sighted World Wide Web (Web) users along with others who use assistive technologies. The Web is a fast moving interdisciplinary domain in which new technologies, techniques and research is in perpetual development. It is often difficult to maintain a holistic view of new developments within the multiple domains which together make up the Web. This suggests that knowledge of the current developments and predictions of future developments are additionally important for the accessibility community. Web accessibility has previously been characterised by the correction of our past mistakes to make the current Web fulfil the original vision of access for all. New technologies were not designed with accessibility in mind and technologies that could be useful for addressing accessibility issues were not identified or adopted by the accessibility community. We wish to enable the research community to undertake preventative measures and proactively address challenges, while recognising opportunities, before they become unpreventable or require retrospective technological enhancement. This article then reviews emerging trends within the Web and Web Accessibility domains.

  20. Capillary electrophoresis for the analysis of contaminants in emerging food safety issues and food traceability.

    PubMed

    Vallejo-Cordoba, Belinda; González-Córdova, Aarón F

    2010-07-01

    This review presents an overview of the applicability of CE in the analysis of chemical and biological contaminants involved in emerging food safety issues. Additionally, CE-based genetic analyzers' usefulness as a unique tool in food traceability verification systems was presented. First, analytical approaches for the determination of melamine and specific food allergens in different foods were discussed. Second, natural toxin analysis by CE was updated from the last review reported in 2008. Finally, the analysis of prion proteins associated with the "mad cow" crises and the application of CE-based genetic analyzers for meat traceability were summarized.

  1. ERCMExpress. Volume 2, Issue 3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This issue of the Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center's "ERCMExpress" promotes emergency exercises as an effective way to validate school safety plans. Simulations of emergency situations, or emergency exercises, are integral to a sound school safety plan. They offer opportunities for district and schools to…

  2. Emerging Issues and Opportunities Prospective Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peter, Sharlene A.

    This paper discusses 14 issues related to gender equity in intercollegiate athletics, including: (1) the cost dilemma, in which institutions have to cut men's sports to introduce women's sports; (2) equal pay for the coaches of men's and women's teams; (3) the gender of coaches, namely men coaching women's teams; (4) peer harassment among…

  3. Managing an Infectious Disease Outbreak in a School. Lessons Learned from School Crises and Emergencies. Volume 2, Issue 3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2007

    2007-01-01

    "Lessons Learned" is a series of publications that are a brief recounting of actual school emergencies and crises. This "Lessons Learned" issue focuses on an infectious disease incident, which resulted in the death of a student, closure of area schools and the operation of an on-site school vaccine clinic. The report highlights the critical need…

  4. Virtual Reality and Its Potential Use in Special Education. Identifying Emerging Issues and Trends in Technology for Special Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woodward, John

    As part of a 3-year study to identify emerging issues and trends in technology for special education, this paper addresses the possible contributions of virtual reality technology to educational services for students with disabilities. An example of the use of virtual reality in medical imaging introduces the paper and leads to a brief review of…

  5. Client counseling in orthopedic emergencies.

    PubMed

    Brackenridge, S S; Kirby, B M; Johnson, S W

    1995-09-01

    Important client communication issues associated with most orthopedic emergencies are addressed. Information on client communication and support, providing a prognosis, discussing economic concerns, discharge planning, euthanasia, and client grief is presented. The issue of animal abuse as a cause of orthopedic emergencies also is examined.

  6. Research Library Issues: A Report from ARL, CNI, and SPARC. Special Issue on Copyright. RLI 285

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baughman, M. Sue, Ed.

    2015-01-01

    "Research Library Issues" ("RLI") focuses on current and emerging topics that are strategically important to research libraries. The articles explore issues, share information, pose critical questions, and provide examples. This issue includes the following articles: (1) Special Issue on Copyright (Prudence S. Adler); (2) Fair…

  7. Past, present and emerging toxicity issues for jet fuel.

    PubMed

    Mattie, David R; Sterner, Teresa R

    2011-07-15

    The US Air Force wrote the specification for the first official hydrocarbon-based jet fuel, JP-4, in 1951. This paper will briefly review the toxicity of the current fuel, JP-8, as compared to JP-4. JP-8 has been found to have low acute toxicity with the adverse effects being slight dermal irritation and weak dermal sensitization in animals. JP-4 also has low acute toxicity with slight dermal irritation as the adverse effect. Respiratory tract sensory irritation was greater in JP-8 than in JP-4. Recent data suggest exposure to jet fuel may contribute to hearing loss. Subchronic studies for 90 days with JP-8 and JP-4 showed little toxicity with the primary effect being male rat specific hydrocarbon nephropathy. A 1-year study was conducted for JP-4. The only tumors seen were associated with the male rat specific hydrocarbon nephropathy. A number of immunosuppressive effects have been seen after exposure to JP-8. Limited neurobehavioral effects have been associated with JP-8. JP-8 is not a developmental toxicant and has little reproductive toxicity. JP-4 has not been tested for immune, neurobehavioral or reproductive endpoints. JP-8 and JP-4 were negative in mutagenicity tests but JP-4 showed an increase in unscheduled DNA synthesis. Currently, JP-8 is being used as the standard for comparison of future fuels, including alternative fuels. Emerging issues of concern with jet fuels include naphthalene content, immunotoxicity and inhalation exposure characterization and modeling of complex mixtures such as jet fuels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Past, present and emerging toxicity issues for jet fuel

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mattie, David R., E-mail: david.mattie@wpafb.af.mil; Sterner, Teresa R.

    2011-07-15

    The US Air Force wrote the specification for the first official hydrocarbon-based jet fuel, JP-4, in 1951. This paper will briefly review the toxicity of the current fuel, JP-8, as compared to JP-4. JP-8 has been found to have low acute toxicity with the adverse effects being slight dermal irritation and weak dermal sensitization in animals. JP-4 also has low acute toxicity with slight dermal irritation as the adverse effect. Respiratory tract sensory irritation was greater in JP-8 than in JP-4. Recent data suggest exposure to jet fuel may contribute to hearing loss. Subchronic studies for 90 days with JP-8more » and JP-4 showed little toxicity with the primary effect being male rat specific hydrocarbon nephropathy. A 1-year study was conducted for JP-4. The only tumors seen were associated with the male rat specific hydrocarbon nephropathy. A number of immunosuppressive effects have been seen after exposure to JP-8. Limited neurobehavioral effects have been associated with JP-8. JP-8 is not a developmental toxicant and has little reproductive toxicity. JP-4 has not been tested for immune, neurobehavioral or reproductive endpoints. JP-8 and JP-4 were negative in mutagenicity tests but JP-4 showed an increase in unscheduled DNA synthesis. Currently, JP-8 is being used as the standard for comparison of future fuels, including alternative fuels. Emerging issues of concern with jet fuels include naphthalene content, immunotoxicity and inhalation exposure characterization and modeling of complex mixtures such as jet fuels.« less

  9. ERCMExpress. Volume 2, Issue 8

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This issue of ERCMExpress provides direction to schools and school districts in "Creating Emergency Management Plans." To ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff, schools and school districts nationwide should create comprehensive, multi-hazard emergency management plans that focus on the four phases of emergency management--…

  10. Signalling crosstalk in plants: emerging issues.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Jane E; McAinsh, Martin R

    2004-01-01

    The Oxford English Dictionary defines crosstalk as 'unwanted transfer of signals between communication channels'. How does this definition relate to the way in which we view the organization and function of signalling pathways? Recent advances in the field of plant signalling have challenged the traditional view of a signalling transduction cascade as isolated linear pathways. Instead the picture emerging of the mechanisms by which plants transduce environmental signals is of the interaction between transduction chains. The manner in which these interactions occur (and indeed whether the transfer of these signals is 'unwanted' or beneficial) is currently the topic of intense research.

  11. ERCMExpress. Volume 2, Issue 1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This issue of the Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center's "ERCMExpress" focuses on integrating students with special needs and disabilities into emergency response and crisis management planning. Meeting the needs of students with disabilities and special needs in the event of an emergency does not have to be…

  12. 2008 Meeting in Germany: Emerging Environmental Contaminants and Current Issues

    EPA Science Inventory

    This presentation will discuss emerging environmental contaminants that are currently of concern to the U.S. EPA and to other agencies. Emerging contaminants include drinking water disinfection by-products (DBPs), perfluorinated chemicals, pharmaceuticals, flame retardants, benzo...

  13. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-10-01

    Prof. Sibani Lisa Biswal, of Rice University and colleagues there and at Lockheed Martin have developed a new anode material for lithium-ion batteries...Nanotechnology Safety Issues More detailed descriptions of the nanotechnology issues 8.11.1 Sunscreens with ZnO, TiO2 Nanoparticles May Pose Health Risk Petra

  14. Emerging Viral Infections in Pakistan: Issues, Concerns, and Future Prospects.

    PubMed

    Khalil, Ali Talha; Ali, Muhammad; Tanveer, Faouzia; Ovais, Muhammad; Idrees, Muhammad; Shinwari, Zabta Khan; Hollenbeck, James E

    Emerging infectious diseases pose a serious threat to public health security; this is especially true in the underdeveloped world because of limited resources to combat them. These emerging pathogens are characterized by a novel mode of pathogenesis and, in some cases, a broad host range. Over the past few decades, Pakistan has suffered a great deal from infectious diseases such as dengue, Crimean-Congo fever, hepatitis, measles, and polio. Changing climate conditions, environmental degradation, global warming, loss of biodiversity, and other ecological determinants have a direct effect on these diseases and result in the emergence and reemergence of infectious entities. The causes of such disease outbreaks are complex and often not well understood. Dealing with an outbreak requires an integrated and coordinated approach, with decision making by various state departments. Stringent biosecurity and biosafety protocols can help to reduce the chances of infection dissemination. In order to mitigate the risks associated with emerging pathogens, there is a greater need to understand the interactions of pathogen-host-environment, to monitor molecular evolution and genomic surveillance, and to facilitate the gearing up of scientists across the globe to control these emerging diseases. This article reviews recent outbreaks in Pakistan and challenges for the development of an agile healthcare setup in the country.

  15. Ethical issues in exercise psychology.

    PubMed

    Pauline, Jeffrey S; Pauline, Gina A; Johnson, Scott R; Gamble, Kelly M

    2006-01-01

    Exercise psychology encompasses the disciplines of psychiatry, clinical and counseling psychology, health promotion, and the movement sciences. This emerging field involves diverse mental health issues, theories, and general information related to physical activity and exercise. Numerous research investigations across the past 20 years have shown both physical and psychological benefits from physical activity and exercise. Exercise psychology offers many opportunities for growth while positively influencing the mental and physical health of individuals, communities, and society. However, the exercise psychology literature has not addressed ethical issues or dilemmas faced by mental health professionals providing exercise psychology services. This initial discussion of ethical issues in exercise psychology is an important step in continuing to move the field forward. Specifically, this article will address the emergence of exercise psychology and current health behaviors and offer an overview of ethics and ethical issues, education/training and professional competency, cultural and ethnic diversity, multiple-role relationships and conflicts of interest, dependency issues, confidentiality and recording keeping, and advertisement and self-promotion.

  16. ERCMExpress. Volume 3, Issue 5

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Matt

    2007-01-01

    The Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ECRM) Technical Assistance Center's newsletter "ERCMExpress" provides comprehensive information on key issues in school emergency management. Many nontraditional schools across the United States, such as storefront schools, rural schools, and alternative education facilities, face challenges…

  17. Developing clinical practice guidelines: reviewing, reporting, and publishing guidelines; updating guidelines; and the emerging issues of enhancing guideline implementability and accounting for comorbid conditions in guideline development

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Clinical practice guidelines are one of the foundations of efforts to improve health care. In 1999, we authored a paper about methods to develop guidelines. Since it was published, the methods of guideline development have progressed both in terms of methods and necessary procedures and the context for guideline development has changed with the emergence of guideline clearing houses and large scale guideline production organisations (such as the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence). It therefore seems timely to, in a series of three articles, update and extend our earlier paper. In this third paper we discuss the issues of: reviewing, reporting, and publishing guidelines; updating guidelines; and the two emerging issues of enhancing guideline implementability and how guideline developers should approach dealing with the issue of patients who will be the subject of guidelines having co-morbid conditions. PMID:22762242

  18. Emergency Telemedicine: Achieving and Maintaining Compliance with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.

    PubMed

    Rockwell, Kimberly Lovett; Gilroy, Alexis

    2018-03-12

    Telemedicine is a growing and important platform for medical delivery in the emergency department. Emergency telemedicine outlays often confront and conflict with important federal healthcare regulations. Because of this, academic medical centers, critical access hospitals, and other providers interested in implementing emergency telemedicine have often delayed or forgone such services due to reasonable fears of falling out of compliance with regulatory restrictions imposed by the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act ("EMTALA"). This article offers insights into methods for implementing emergency telemedicine services while maintaining EMTALA compliance. Critical analysis of EMTALA and its attendant regulations. The primary means of ensuring EMTALA compliance while implementing emergency telemedicine programs include incorporating critical clinical details into the services contracts and implementing robust written policies that anticipate division of labor issues, the need for backup coverage, triaging, patient transfer protocols, and credentialing issues. With adequate up-front due diligence and meaningful contracting, hospitals and telemedicine providers can avoid common EMTALA liability pitfalls.

  19. Issues Emerging from First-Year PDS Implementation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Castle, Sharon; Groth, Lois; Shaklee, Beverly

    This paper focuses on a revised Professional Development School (PDS) program and what participant groups perceived to be key issues during the first year of implementation. It addresses the role of PDSs in improving the quality of beginning teachers within a non-supportive state policy environment. The George Mason University Elementary program…

  20. Using principles from emergency management to improve emergency response plans for research animals.

    PubMed

    Vogelweid, Catherine M

    2013-10-01

    Animal research regulatory agencies have issued updated requirements for emergency response planning by regulated research institutions. A thorough emergency response plan is an essential component of an institution's animal care and use program, but developing an effective plan can be a daunting task. The author provides basic information drawn from the field of emergency management about best practices for developing emergency response plans. Planners should use the basic principles of emergency management to develop a common-sense approach to managing emergencies in their facilities.

  1. Ethical issues in dementia

    PubMed Central

    Whitehouse, Peter J.

    2000-01-01

    The growing number of individuals affected by dementia will intensify the ethical issues that emerge in clinical practice and research, issues early in disease relate to genetic testing, use of medications in mildly affected persons, and diagnostic disclosure. Research issues relate to appropriate informed consent processes, conflict of interests, and research design issues, such as the use of placebos and the use of biological tissues, in the later stages of disease concern about appropriate therapeutic goals and end-of-life care is appropriate. PMID:22033828

  2. Emerging Crucial Issues for School and Society.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Dwight W.

    This monograph contends that education in the future can best prepare students to deal with pressing social issues if it works toward three major objectives. These objectives are: (1) to prepare people to live according to a productive work ethic in which work and leisure pursuits are balanced; (2) to instill in students a life ethic in which…

  3. EDITORIAL: Special Issue on advanced and emerging light sources Special Issue on advanced and emerging light sources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haverlag, Marco; Kroesen, Gerrit; Ferguson, Ian

    2011-06-01

    The papers in this special issue of Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics (JPhysD) originate from the 12th International Symposium on the Science and Technology of Light Sources and the 3rd International Conference on White LEDs and Solid State Lighting, held 11-16 July 2010 at Eindhoven University. Abstracts of all papers presented at this combined conference were published in the Conference Proceedings LS-WLED 2010 by FAST-LS, edited by M Haverlag, G M W Kroesen and T Taguchi. Special issues of the previous three LS conferences have been well-cited and have proven to be an important source of information for the lighting community. The 2010 LS-Symposium was a combined conference with the White LED Conference in order to enhance the scope of this conference series towards new light source technologies such as LEDs and OLEDs, and this co-operation will be continued in the future. Given the faster technology development in these areas it was also decided to shorten the interval between conferences from three to two years. Well over 200 invited presentations, landmark presentations and poster contributions were presented at the 2010 LS-Symposium. The organizing committee have selected from these a number of outstanding contributions with a high technological content and invited the authors to submit a full paper in JPhysD. The criteria were that the work should not be a repetition of the work already published in the Proceedings, but should be new, complete, within the scope of JPhysD, and meeting the normal quality standards of this journal. After peer review a combined set of 18 papers is published in this JPhysD special issue. In addition, a number of lighting-application-orientated papers will be published in a special issue of Journal of Light & Visual Environment later in 2011. The papers in this special issue of JPhysD show that research in the science and technology of light sources still covers a broad set of subject areas which includes both 'classical

  4. Legal issues affecting children with preexisting conditions during public health emergencies.

    PubMed

    Rutkow, Lainie; Vernick, Jon S; Wissow, Lawrence S; Tung, Gregory J; Marum, Felicity; Barnett, Daniel J

    2013-06-01

    Among the millions of children in the United States exposed to public health emergencies in recent years, those with preexisting health conditions face particular challenges. A public health emergency may, for example, disrupt treatment regimens or cause children to be separated from caregivers. Ongoing shortages of pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists may further exacerbate the risks that children with preexisting conditions face in disaster circumstances. The US Department of Homeland Security recently called for better integration of children's needs into all preparedness activities. To aid in this process, multiple legal concerns relevant to pediatricians and pediatric policymakers must be identified and addressed. Obtaining informed consent from children and parents may be particularly challenging during certain public health emergencies. States may need to invoke legal protections for children who are separated from caregivers during emergencies. Maintaining access to prescription medications may also require pediatricians to use specific legal mechanisms. In addition to practitioners, recommendations are given for policymakers to promote effective pediatric response to public health emergencies.

  5. Neurotoxicants: emerging issues and policy options

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hulebak, K.L.

    1987-03-01

    Neurotoxicants are increasingly seen as significant public health hazards, the resolution of which is influenced by science as well as economics, politics, and emotions. Three topical issues are presented to illustrate the application or abuse of scientific data in the political arena and to suggest appropriate responsibilities of scientists beyond the generation of data. The examples include regulation of occupation-related neurotoxic exposure, transfer of neurotoxic pollutants among environmental media, and export of neurotoxic hazards to Third World countries. These examples illustrate the variety of ways in which neurotoxicants impinge on policy questions--from international trade, through ecosystem effects, to personal occupationalmore » health and safety.« less

  6. MASS MEDIA COMMUNICATION OF EMERGENCY ISSUES AND COUNTERMEASURES IN A NUCLEAR ACCIDENT: FUKUSHIMA REPORTING IN EUROPEAN NEWSPAPERS.

    PubMed

    Gallego, Eduardo; Cantone, Marie Claire; Oughton, Deborah H; Perko, Tanja; Prezelj, Iztok; Tomkiv, Yevgeniya

    2017-04-01

    This paper presents the results of a large study of 1340 articles published by two major newspapers in six European countries (Belgium, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and Russia) in the first 2 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The focus of the analysis is on the application and overall impact of protective actions, both during the emergency phase and later, how the newspapers describe those actions, which differences were apparent between countries and what recommendations can be extracted in order to improve general communication about these issues. A clear lesson is that, even under uncertainty and recognising limitations, responsible authorities need to provide transparent, clear and understandable information to the public and the mass media right from the beginning of the early phase of any nuclear emergency. Clear, concise messages should be given. Mass media could play a key role in reassuring the public if the countermeasures are clearly explained. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Victims of bullying in the emergency department with behavioral issues.

    PubMed

    Waseem, Muhammad; Arshad, Arslan; Leber, Mark; Perales, Orlando; Jara, Fernando

    2013-03-01

    Bullying has become one of the most significant school problems experienced by our children. Victims of bullying are prone to a variety of psychological and behavioral symptoms. We noted that many children referred to the Emergency Department (ED) with behavioral symptoms provided a history of bullying. To measure the prevalence of bullying in children referred to the ED for behavioral symptoms and to determine its association with psychiatric disorders. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in an urban hospital, identifying children from 8 to 19 years of age who presented to the ED with behavioral symptoms. We reviewed the ED psychiatry notes to retrieve the report indicating whether these children were bullied and had previous psychiatric diagnoses. These children were classified into bullied and non-bullied groups. Over the study period, 591 children visited the ED with behavioral issues. Out of 591, 143 (24%) children reported bullying. More boys (100) than girls (43) reported bullying (p = 0.034). The mean age of children in the bullied group was 10.6 years (95% confidence interval 10.1-11.2). One hundred eleven (77.6%) children in the bullied group had a prior psychiatric diagnosis. Children in the bullied group were hospitalized significantly less than children in the non-bullied group (10/143 [7%] vs. 80/368 [18%]; p = 0.002). The prevalence of bullying among the ED children with behavioral symptoms is substantial. Every fourth child with behavioral symptoms reported bullying. Four in five children who reported bullying had a prior diagnosis of "disorder of behavior." Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Emergency communication and information issues in terrorist events involving radioactive materials.

    PubMed

    Becker, Steven M

    2004-01-01

    With the threat posed by terrorism involving radioactive materials now high on the nation's agenda, local, state, and federal agencies are moving to enhance preparedness and response capabilities. Crucial to these efforts is the development of effective risk communication strategies. This article reports findings from an ongoing study of risk communication issues in nuclear/radiological terrorism situations. It is part of a larger CDC-funded effort that aims to better understand communication challenges associated with weapons of mass destruction terrorism incidents. Presented here are formative research findings from 16 focus groups (n = 163) in which a multi-part, hypothetical radioactive materials terrorism situation was discussed. Twelve of the focus groups were carried out with members of the general public (drawn from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and geographic locations), and four groups were composed of first responders, hospital emergency department personnel, and public health professionals. One aim of the focus groups was to elicit detailed information on people's knowledge, views, perceptions, reactions, and concerns related to a nuclear/radiological terrorism event, and to better understand people's specific information needs and preferred information sources. A second aim was to pretest draft informational materials prepared by CDC and NIOSH. Key findings for the public and professional groups are presented, and the implications of the research for developing messages in radiological/nuclear terrorism situations are explored.

  9. A review of what is an emerging contaminant

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    A review is presented of how one defines emerging contaminants and what can be included in that group of contaminants which is preferably termed “contaminants of emerging concern”. An historical perspective is given on the evolution of the issues surrounding emerging contaminants and how environmental scientists have tackled this issue. This begins with global lead contamination from the Romans two millennia ago, moves on to arsenic-based and DDT issues and more recently to pharmaceuticals, cyanotoxins, personal care products, nanoparticles, flame retardants, etc. Contaminants of emerging concern will remain a moving target as new chemical compounds are continuously being produced and science continuously improves its understanding of current and past contaminants. PMID:24572188

  10. Drug use as a driver of HIV Risks: Re-emerging and emerging issues

    PubMed Central

    El-Bassel, Nabila; Shaw, Stacey A.; Dasgupta, Anindita; Strathdee, Steffanie A.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose of Review We reviewed papers published in 2012–2013 that focused on re-emerging and emerging injection and non-injection drug use trends driving HIV risk behaviors and transmission in some parts of the world. Recent Findings While HIV incidence has declined in many countries, HIV epidemics remain at troubling levels among key drug using populations including females who inject drugs (FWID), FWID who trade sex, sex partners of people who inject drugs (SP-PWID), young PWID, and people who use non-injection drugs in a number of low- and middle- income countries such as in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa. Summary HIV epidemics occur within contexts of global economic and political forces, including poverty, human rights violations, discrimination, drug policies, trafficking, and other multi-level risk environments. Trends of injection and non-injection drug use and risk environments driving HIV epidemics in Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and parts of Africa call for political will to improve HIV and substance use service delivery, access to combination HIV prevention, and harm reduction programs. PMID:24406532

  11. The effect of pharmacogenetic profiling with a clinical decision support tool on healthcare resource utilization and estimated costs in the elderly exposed to polypharmacy.

    PubMed

    Brixner, D; Biltaji, E; Bress, A; Unni, S; Ye, X; Mamiya, T; Ashcraft, K; Biskupiak, J

    2016-01-01

    To compare healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and clinical decision-making for elderly patients based on cytochrome P450 (CYP) pharmacogenetic testing and the use of a comprehensive medication management clinical decision support tool (CDST), to a cohort of similar non-tested patients. An observational study compared a prospective cohort of patients ≥65 years subjected to pharmacogenetic testing to a propensity score (PS) matched historical cohort of untested patients in a claims database. Patients had a prescribed medication or dose change of at least one of 61 oral drugs or combinations of ≥3 drugs at enrollment. Four-month HRU outcomes examined included hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) and outpatient visits and provider acceptance of test recommendations. Costs were estimated using national data sources. There were 205 tested patients PS matched to 820 untested patients. Hospitalization rate was 9.8% in the tested group vs. 16.1% in the untested group (RR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.39-0.95, p = 0.027), ED visit rate was 4.4% in the tested group vs. 15.4% in the untested group (RR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.15-0.55, p = 0.0002) and outpatient visit rate was 71.7% in the tested group vs. 36.5% in the untested group (RR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.74-2.23, p < 0.0001). The rate of overall HRU was 72.2% in the tested group vs. 49.0% in the untested group (RR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.32-1.64, p < 0.0001). Potential cost savings were estimated at $218 (mean) in the tested group. The provider majority (95%) considered the test helpful and 46% followed CDST provided recommendations. Patients CYP DNA tested and treated according to the personalized prescribing system had a significant decrease in hospitalizations and emergency department visits, resulting in potential cost savings. Providers had a high satisfaction rate with the clinical utility of the system and followed recommendations when appropriate.

  12. ERCMExpress. Volume 1, Issue 1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2005

    2005-01-01

    This is the inaugural issue of the Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center's "ERCMExpress," and it focuses on the new technical assistance center. The center will support 243 grantees funded under the Emergency Response and Crisis Management program in managing and implementing their projects, and in sustaining…

  13. The growing use of herbal medicines: issues relating to adverse reactions and challenges in monitoring safety

    PubMed Central

    Ekor, Martins

    2014-01-01

    The use of herbal medicinal products and supplements has increased tremendously over the past three decades with not less than 80% of people worldwide relying on them for some part of primary healthcare. Although therapies involving these agents have shown promising potential with the efficacy of a good number of herbal products clearly established, many of them remain untested and their use are either poorly monitored or not even monitored at all. The consequence of this is an inadequate knowledge of their mode of action, potential adverse reactions, contraindications, and interactions with existing orthodox pharmaceuticals and functional foods to promote both safe and rational use of these agents. Since safety continues to be a major issue with the use of herbal remedies, it becomes imperative, therefore, that relevant regulatory authorities put in place appropriate measures to protect public health by ensuring that all herbal medicines are safe and of suitable quality. This review discusses toxicity-related issues and major safety concerns arising from the use of herbal medicinal products and also highlights some important challenges associated with effective monitoring of their safety. PMID:24454289

  14. Self-reported experiences of discrimination and health: scientific advances, ongoing controversies, and emerging issues.

    PubMed

    Lewis, Tené T; Cogburn, Courtney D; Williams, David R

    2015-01-01

    Over the past two decades, research examining the impact of self-reported experiences of discrimination on mental and physical health has increased dramatically. Studies have found consistent associations between exposure to discrimination and a wide range of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-diagnosed mental disorders as well as objective physical health outcomes. Associations are seen in cross-sectional as well as longitudinal studies and persist even after adjustment for confounding variables, including personality characteristics and other threats to validity. However, controversies remain, particularly around the best approach to measuring experiences of discrimination, the significance of racial/ethnic discrimination versus overall mistreatment, the need to account for "intersectionalities," and the importance of comprehensive assessments. These issues are discussed in detail, along with emerging areas of emphasis including cyber discrimination, anticipatory stress or vigilance around discrimination, and interventions with potential to reduce the negative effects of discrimination on health. We also discuss priorities for future research and implications for interventions and policy.

  15. SELF-REPORTED EXPERIENCES OF DISCRIMINATION AND HEALTH: SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES, ONGOING CONTROVERSIES, AND EMERGING ISSUES

    PubMed Central

    Lewis, Tené T.; Cogburn, Courtney D.; Williams, David R.

    2017-01-01

    Over the past two decades, research examining the impact of self-reported experiences of discrimination on mental and physical health has increased dramatically. Studies have found consistent associations between exposure to discrimination and a wide range of DSM-diagnosed mental disorders, as well as objective physical health outcomes. Associations are seen in cross-sectional as well as longitudinal studies and persist even after adjustment for controls, including personality characteristics and other threats to validity. However, controversies remain, particularly around the best approach to measuring experiences of discrimination; the significance of racial/ethnic discrimination versus overall mistreatment; the need to account for “intersectionalities”; and the importance of comprehensive assessments. These issues are discussed in detail, along with emerging areas of emphasis including: cyber-discrimination; anticipatory stress or vigilance around discrimination; and interventions with potential to reduce the negative effects of discrimination on health. We also discuss priorities for future research, and implications for interventions and policy. PMID:25581238

  16. Robots In War: Issues Of Risk And Ethics

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    unexpected, untested ways. (And even straightforward, simple rules such as Asimov’s Laws of Robotics ( Asimov , 1950) can create unexpected dilemmas...stories (e. g., Asimov , 1950). Likewise, we may understand each rule of engagement and believe them to be sensible, but are they truly consistent...Netherlands: lOS Press. Asimov , I. (1950).1, Robot (2004 edition), New York, NY: Bantam Dell. BBC (2005). SLA Confirm Spy Plane Crash. BBC.com. Retrieved

  17. Developmental and ethnic issues experienced by emerging adult African American women related to developing a mature love relationship.

    PubMed

    Tyson, Sheryl Y

    2012-01-01

    This qualitative study explored perspectives of emerging adult African American women on the development of mature love relationships. Inductive analysis of focus group interviews, conducted with a purposive sample of 31 African American women, yielded themes related to relationship goals and characteristics, and interpersonal and societal challenges to finding the right partner and developing a mature love relationship. Core categories that emerged from analysis of the discussions were (1) age and relationship goal differences within the emerging adult group, (2) mature love relationship goals and characteristics, (3) interpersonal obstacles to finding the right partner, and (4) societal obstacles to finding the right partner. Two approaches-black womanist/feminist thought (Collins, 2000 ; Walker, 1983 ) and relationship maturity theory (Paul & White, 1990 )-were then combined to explain the influence of historic and contemporary interpersonal and societal factors on developmental and ethnic issues that challenge positive gender identity formation, hasten intimacy maturity, and hinder the development of mature love relationships among emerging adult African American women. For these women, premature responsibility, especially early caregiver burden, was related to the early development of intimacy capacity and the desire for a mature love relationship, to be protected, and to have someone to help carry the load. Interracial dating, negative stereotypic images of African American women, and even positive images of enduring black love relationships posed difficult challenges to positive identity formation and intimacy maturity. A primary challenge was to counteract negative stereotypic images, so that they could develop their own self-identities as women and as relationship partners.

  18. ERCMExpress. Volume 3, Issue 3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paine, Cathy

    2007-01-01

    The Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center's newsletter, "ERCMExpress," provides comprehensive information on key issues in school emergency management. Memorials are deeply rooted in our culture and remind us of a person who has died or an event in which people died, and they provide a place for people to…

  19. Supplying emergency contraception to adolescents: the nurse's role.

    PubMed

    Hopkins, Craig

    2014-12-02

    This article explores issues surrounding the supply of emergency contraception to adolescents to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy. It explains the female reproductive cycle, and describes the types of emergency contraception that may be supplied following unprotected sexual intercourse or contraception failure. The aftercare that should be offered to adolescents following the supply of emergency contraception is discussed, alongside issues surrounding the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.

  20. Emergency Nursing Review Questions: July 2017.

    PubMed

    Shaw, Tracy

    2017-07-01

    The review questions that are featured in each of issue of JEN are based on the Emergency Nursing Core Curriculum and other pertinent resources to emergency nursing practice, pediatric and adult. These questions offer emergency nurses an opportunity to test their knowledge about their practice. Copyright © 2017 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Emerging Issues in School, Family, & Community Connections. Annual Synthesis 2001

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jordan, Catherine; Orozco, Evangelina; Averett, Amy

    2002-01-01

    This research synthesis is the first in a series that will examine key issues in the field of family and community connections with schools. The issues highlighted in this synthesis represent critical areas of work in family and community connections with schools where clarification, agreement, and further development are needed, as well as…

  2. Incredible Years Parent and Teacher Programmes: Emerging Themes and Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wetherall, Michelle

    2014-01-01

    This paper examines the Incredible Years Parent and Teacher Programmes that have originated from the work of Webster-Stratton. It provides a brief background on the programmes and a critical analysis of the issues as identified in current literature. The issues can be grouped into four main categories, the first being government decision-making…

  3. Emerging Issues in the Rural Economy of the South. Proceedings of a Regional Workshop (Birmingham, Alabama, January 13-14, 1986). SRDC Series No. 81.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Southern Rural Development Center, Mississippi State, MS.

    The papers in this monograph represent the collective comments of speakers at a January 1986 conference addressing emerging issues in the rural economy of the South. The opening paper suggests that prospects for rural southern economic development are tied to new business development, new agricultural products, automated traditional manufacturing,…

  4. Invasion Science: A Horizon Scan of Emerging Challenges and Opportunities

    Treesearch

    Anthony Ricciardi; Tim M. Blackburn; James T. Carlton; Jaimie T.A. Dick; Philip E. Hulme; Josephine C. Iacarella; Jonathan M. Jeschke; Andrew M. Liebhold; Julie L. Lockwood; Hugh J. MacIsaac; Petr Pyšek; David M. Richardson; Gregory M. Ruiz; Daniel Simberloff; William J. Sutherland; David A. Wardle; David C. Aldridge

    2017-01-01

    We identified emerging scientific, technological, and sociopolitical issues likely to affect how biological invasions are studied and managed over the next two decades. Issues were ranked according to their probability of emergence, pervasiveness, potential impact, and novelty. Top-ranked issues include the application of genomic modification tools to control invasions...

  5. 50 CFR 402.05 - Emergencies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED General § 402.05 Emergencies. (a) Where emergency circumstances... endangered or threatened species and their habitats. The Service will evaluate such information and issue a...

  6. 50 CFR 402.05 - Emergencies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED General § 402.05 Emergencies. (a) Where emergency circumstances... endangered or threatened species and their habitats. The Service will evaluate such information and issue a...

  7. 50 CFR 402.05 - Emergencies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED General § 402.05 Emergencies. (a) Where emergency circumstances... endangered or threatened species and their habitats. The Service will evaluate such information and issue a...

  8. 50 CFR 402.05 - Emergencies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED General § 402.05 Emergencies. (a) Where emergency circumstances... endangered or threatened species and their habitats. The Service will evaluate such information and issue a...

  9. 50 CFR 402.05 - Emergencies.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED General § 402.05 Emergencies. (a) Where emergency circumstances... endangered or threatened species and their habitats. The Service will evaluate such information and issue a...

  10. MEETING IN CHINA: EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS AND CURRENT ISSUES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Much has been achieved in the way of environmental protection over the last 30 years. However, as we learn more, new concerns arise (including potential adverse health effects, bioaccumulation, and widespread distribution). This presentation will discuss emerging environmental c...

  11. MEETING IN GERMANY: EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS AND CURRENT ISSUES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Much has been achieved in the way of environmental protection over the last 30 years. However, as we learn more, new concerns arise (including potential adverse health effects, bioaccumulation, and widespread distribution). This presentation will discuss emerging environmental c...

  12. Water Analysis: Emerging Contaminants and Current Issues (2009 Review)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This biennial review covers developments in Water Analysis for Emerging Environmental Contaminants over the period of 2007-2008. A few significant references that appeared between January and February 2009 are also included. Analytical Chemistry’s current policy is to limit rev...

  13. Migrants and emerging public health issues in a globalized world: threats, risks and challenges, an evidence-based framework.

    PubMed

    Gushulak, Bd; Weekers, J; Macpherson, Dw

    2009-01-01

    International population mobility is an underlying factor in the emergence of public health threats and risks that must be managed globally. These risks are often related, but not limited, to transmissible pathogens. Mobile populations can link zones of disease emergence to lowprevalence or nonendemic areas through rapid or high-volume international movements, or both. Against this background of human movement, other global processes such as economics, trade, transportation, environment and climate change, as well as civil security influence the health impacts of disease emergence. Concurrently, global information systems, together with regulatory frameworks for disease surveillance and reporting, affect organizational and public awareness of events of potential public health significance. International regulations directed at disease mitigation and control have not kept pace with the growing challenges associated with the volume, speed, diversity, and disparity of modern patterns of human movement. The thesis that human population mobility is itself a major determinant of global public health is supported in this article by review of the published literature from the perspective of determinants of health (such as genetics/biology, behavior, environment, and socioeconomics), population-based disease prevalence differences, existing national and international health policies and regulations, as well as inter-regional shifts in population demographics and health outcomes. This paper highlights some of the emerging threats and risks to public health, identifies gaps in existing frameworks to manage health issues associated with migration, and suggests changes in approach to population mobility, globalization, and public health. The proposed integrated approach includes a broad spectrum of stakeholders ranging from individual health-care providers to policy makers and international organizations that are primarily involved in global health management, or are influenced

  14. Guidance for Catastrophic Emergency Situations Involving Asbestos

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This document addresses the types of asbestos issues that may arise during catastrophic events and how EPA has addressed such issues. It replaces the Guidelines for Catastrophic Emergency Situations Involving Asbestos which was issued in 1992.

  15. Electronic health records, adoption, quality of care, legal and privacy issues and their implementation in emergency departments.

    PubMed

    Ben-Assuli, Ofir

    2015-03-01

    Recently, the healthcare sector has shown a growing interest in information technologies. Two popular health IT (HIT) products are the electronic health record (EHR) and health information exchange (HIE) networks. The introduction of these tools is believed to improve care, but has also raised some important questions and legal and privacy issues. The implementation of these systems has not gone smoothly, and still faces some considerable barriers. This article reviews EHR and HIE to address these obstacles, and analyzes the current state of development and adoption in various countries around the world. Moreover, legal and ethical concerns that may be encountered by EHR users and purchasers are reviewed. Finally, links and interrelations between EHR and HIE and several quality of care issues in today's healthcare domain are examined with a focus on EHR and HIE in the emergency department (ED), whose unique characteristics makes it an environment in which the implementation of such technology may be a major contributor to health, but also faces substantial challenges. The paper ends with a discussion of specific policy implications and recommendations based on an examination of the current limitations of these systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Communication and Collaboration During Natural Disasters: The Lessons Learned From Past Experience. Lessons Learned From School Crises and Emergencies, Volume 3, Issue 2, 2008

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2008

    2008-01-01

    "Lessons Learned" is a series of publications that are a brief recounting of actual school emergencies and crises. This "Lessons Learned" issue focuses on the response and recovery efforts to wildfires by the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) and its school and community partners. Natural disasters such as floods,…

  17. Updating and Maintaining School Emergency Management Plans. Helpful Hints for School Emergency Management. Volume 2, Issue 3, 2007

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2007

    2007-01-01

    "Helpful Hints" offers a quick overview of school emergency preparedness topics that are frequently the subject of inquiries. Developing and implementing comprehensive, multi-hazard emergency management plans is an ongoing process that must be consistently reinforced and strengthened. Opportunities for reviewing, strengthening and updating…

  18. Advances and emerging issues in national forest inventories

    Treesearch

    Ronald E. McRoberts; Erkki O. Tomppo; Erik Naesset

    2010-01-01

    National forest inventories (NFIs) have a long history, although their current major features date only to the early years of the twentieth century. Recent issues such as concern over the effects of acid deposition, biodiversity, forest sustainability, increased demand for forest data, international reporting requirements and climate change have led to the expansion of...

  19. Steps for Developing a School Emergency Management Plan. Helpful Hints for School Emergency Management. Volume 2, Issue 1

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2007

    2007-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools strongly encourages schools and school districts to develop emergency management plans within the context of the four phases of emergency management: prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. In addition, schools should collaborate closely with police, fire…

  20. Moral, ethical and professional issues in prescribing emergency contraception.

    PubMed

    McDonald, H

    Hugh McDonald is an emergency nurse practitioner with the authority to manage a defined group of patients who present to A&E with a specific range of complaints and injuries. Investigation, diagnosis and treatment are carried out independently and include documentation and prescription of specific drugs.

  1. Animal escapology I: theoretical issues and emerging trends in escape trajectories

    PubMed Central

    Domenici, Paolo; Blagburn, Jonathan M.; Bacon, Jonathan P.

    2011-01-01

    Summary Escape responses are used by many animal species as their main defence against predator attacks. Escape success is determined by a number of variables; important are the directionality (the percentage of responses directed away from the threat) and the escape trajectories (ETs) measured relative to the threat. Although logic would suggest that animals should always turn away from a predator, work on various species shows that these away responses occur only approximately 50–90% of the time. A small proportion of towards responses may introduce some unpredictability and may be an adaptive feature of the escape system. Similar issues apply to ETs. Theoretically, an optimal ET can be modelled on the geometry of predator–prey encounters. However, unpredictability (and hence high variability) in trajectories may be necessary for preventing predators from learning a simple escape pattern. This review discusses the emerging trends in escape trajectories, as well as the modulating key factors, such as the surroundings and body design. The main ET patterns identified are: (1) high ET variability within a limited angular sector (mainly 90–180 deg away from the threat; this variability is in some cases based on multiple peaks of ETs), (2) ETs that allow sensory tracking of the threat and (3) ETs towards a shelter. These characteristic features are observed across various taxa and, therefore, their expression may be mainly related to taxon-independent animal design features and to the environmental context in which prey live – for example whether the immediate surroundings of the prey provide potential refuges. PMID:21753039

  2. Methodological Issues and Practices in Qualitative Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bradley, Jana

    1993-01-01

    Discusses methodological issues concerning qualitative research and describes research practices that qualitative researchers use to address these methodological issues. Topics discussed include the researcher as interpreter, the emergent nature of qualitative research, understanding the experience of others, trustworthiness in qualitative…

  3. Migrants and emerging public health issues in a globalized world: threats, risks and challenges, an evidence-based framework

    PubMed Central

    Gushulak, BD; Weekers, J; MacPherson, DW

    2010-01-01

    International population mobility is an underlying factor in the emergence of public health threats and risks that must be managed globally. These risks are often related, but not limited, to transmissible pathogens. Mobile populations can link zones of disease emergence to lowprevalence or nonendemic areas through rapid or high-volume international movements, or both. Against this background of human movement, other global processes such as economics, trade, transportation, environment and climate change, as well as civil security influence the health impacts of disease emergence. Concurrently, global information systems, together with regulatory frameworks for disease surveillance and reporting, affect organizational and public awareness of events of potential public health significance. International regulations directed at disease mitigation and control have not kept pace with the growing challenges associated with the volume, speed, diversity, and disparity of modern patterns of human movement. The thesis that human population mobility is itself a major determinant of global public health is supported in this article by review of the published literature from the perspective of determinants of health (such as genetics/biology, behavior, environment, and socioeconomics), population-based disease prevalence differences, existing national and international health policies and regulations, as well as inter-regional shifts in population demographics and health outcomes. This paper highlights some of the emerging threats and risks to public health, identifies gaps in existing frameworks to manage health issues associated with migration, and suggests changes in approach to population mobility, globalization, and public health. The proposed integrated approach includes a broad spectrum of stakeholders ranging from individual health-care providers to policy makers and international organizations that are primarily involved in global health management, or are influenced

  4. Implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus infection: progress and emerging issues in research and policy.

    PubMed

    Cáceres, Carlos F; Borquez, Annick; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Baggaley, Rachel; Beyrer, Chris

    2016-01-01

    In this article, we present recent evidence from studies focused on the implementation, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV infection; discuss PrEP scale-up to date, including the observed levels of access and policy development; and elaborate on key emerging policy and research issues to consider for further scale-up, with a special focus on lower-middle income countries. The 2015 WHO Early Release Guidelines for HIV Treatment and Prevention reflect both scientific evidence and new policy perspectives. Those guidelines present a timely challenge to health systems for the scaling up of not only treatment for every person living with HIV infection but also the offer of PrEP to those at substantial risk. Delivery and uptake of both universal antiretroviral therapy (ART) and PrEP will require nation-wide commitment and could reinvigorate health systems to develop more comprehensive "combination prevention" programmes and support wider testing linked to both treatments and other prevention options for populations at highest risk who are currently not accessing services. Various gaps in current health systems will need to be addressed to achieve strategic scale-up of PrEP, including developing prioritization strategies, strengthening drug regulations, determining cost and funding sources, training health providers, supporting user adherence and creating demand. The initial steps in the scale-up of PrEP globally suggest feasibility, acceptability and likely impact. However, to prevent setbacks in less well-resourced settings, countries will need to anticipate and address challenges such as operational and health systems barriers, drug cost and regulatory policies, health providers' openness to prescribing PrEP to populations at substantial risk, demand and legal and human rights issues. Emerging problems will require creative solutions and will continue to illustrate the complexity of PrEP implementation.

  5. Implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis for human immunodeficiency virus infection: progress and emerging issues in research and policy

    PubMed Central

    Cáceres, Carlos F; Borquez, Annick; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Baggaley, Rachel; Beyrer, Chris

    2016-01-01

    Background In this article, we present recent evidence from studies focused on the implementation, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV infection; discuss PrEP scale-up to date, including the observed levels of access and policy development; and elaborate on key emerging policy and research issues to consider for further scale-up, with a special focus on lower-middle income countries. Discussion The 2015 WHO Early Release Guidelines for HIV Treatment and Prevention reflect both scientific evidence and new policy perspectives. Those guidelines present a timely challenge to health systems for the scaling up of not only treatment for every person living with HIV infection but also the offer of PrEP to those at substantial risk. Delivery and uptake of both universal antiretroviral therapy (ART) and PrEP will require nation-wide commitment and could reinvigorate health systems to develop more comprehensive “combination prevention” programmes and support wider testing linked to both treatments and other prevention options for populations at highest risk who are currently not accessing services. Various gaps in current health systems will need to be addressed to achieve strategic scale-up of PrEP, including developing prioritization strategies, strengthening drug regulations, determining cost and funding sources, training health providers, supporting user adherence and creating demand. Conclusions The initial steps in the scale-up of PrEP globally suggest feasibility, acceptability and likely impact. However, to prevent setbacks in less well-resourced settings, countries will need to anticipate and address challenges such as operational and health systems barriers, drug cost and regulatory policies, health providers’ openness to prescribing PrEP to populations at substantial risk, demand and legal and human rights issues. Emerging problems will require creative solutions and will continue to illustrate the complexity of Pr

  6. Critical incident exposure in South African emergency services personnel: prevalence and associated mental health issues

    PubMed Central

    Ward, C L; Lombard, C J; Gwebushe, N

    2006-01-01

    Objectives To assess critical incident exposure among prehospital emergency services personnel in the developing world context of South Africa; and to assess associated mental health consequences. Methods We recruited a representative sample from emergency services in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, to participate in this cross sectional epidemiological study. Questionnaires covered critical incident exposure, general psychopathology, risky alcohol use, symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychological and physical aggression between co‐workers. Open ended questions addressed additional stressors. Results Critical incident exposure and rates of general psychopathology were higher than in studies in the developed world. Exposure to critical incidents was associated with general psychopathology, symptoms of PTSD, and with aggression between co‐workers, but not with alcohol use. Ambulance, fire, and sea rescue services had lower general psychopathology scores than traffic police. The sea rescue service also scored lower than traffic police on PTSD and psychological aggression. The defence force had higher rates of exposure to physical assault, and in ambulance services, younger staff were more vulnerable to assault. Women had higher rates of general psychopathology and of exposure to psychological aggression. Other stressors identified included death notification, working conditions, and organisational problems. Conclusions Service organisations should be alert to the possibility that their personnel are experiencing work ‐related mental health and behavioural problems, and should provide appropriate support. Attention should also be given to organisational issues that may add to the stress of incidents. Workplace programmes should support vulnerable groups, and address death notification and appropriate expression of anger. PMID:16498167

  7. Emerging Issues and Models in College Mental Health Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Locke, Ben; Wallace, David; Brunner, Jon

    2016-01-01

    This chapter provides a brief overview of the psychological issues facing today's college students, information about students receiving mental health services, and an evidence-based model describing the practice and functions of today's counseling centers.

  8. Digital Media and Emergent Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hisrich, Katy; Blanchard, Jay

    2009-01-01

    This article discusses digital media and its potential effects on emergent literacy skills development for young children. While the impact of digital media exposure on children's emergent literacy development is largely unknown, it is becoming a significant issue, as more and more young children throughout the world observe and use various forms…

  9. Special Issue "Biomaterials and Bioprinting".

    PubMed

    Chua, Chee Kai; Yeong, Wai Yee; An, Jia

    2016-09-14

    The emergence of bioprinting in recent years represents a marvellous advancement in 3D printing technology. It expands the range of 3D printable materials from the world of non-living materials into the world of living materials. Biomaterials play an important role in this paradigm shift. This Special Issue focuses on biomaterials and bioprinting and contains eight articles covering a number of recent topics in this emerging area.

  10. Ethical issues in the response to Ebola virus disease in US emergency departments: a position paper of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

    PubMed

    Venkat, Arvind; Wolf, Lisa; Geiderman, Joel M; Asher, Shellie L; Marco, Catherine A; McGreevy, Jolion; Derse, Arthur R; Otten, Edward J; Jesus, John E; Kreitzer, Natalie P; Escalante, Monica; Levine, Adam C

    2015-03-01

    The 2014 outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa has presented a significant public health crisis to the international health community and challenged US emergency departments to prepare for patients with a disease of exceeding rarity in developed nations. With the presentation of patients with Ebola to US acute care facilities, ethical questions have been raised in both the press and medical literature as to how US emergency departments, emergency physicians, emergency nurses and other stakeholders in the healthcare system should approach the current epidemic and its potential for spread in the domestic environment. To address these concerns, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine developed this joint position paper to provide guidance to US emergency physicians, emergency nurses and other stakeholders in the healthcare system on how to approach the ethical dilemmas posed by the outbreak of EVD. This paper will address areas of immediate and potential ethical concern to US emergency departments in how they approach preparation for and management of potential patients with EVD. Copyright © 2015 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. K-12 Issues Will Await President

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoff, David J.; Klein, Alyson

    2008-01-01

    At the end of a presidential campaign in which education received some attention but never emerged as a top-tier issue, analysts were trying to look beyond the week's election to the K-12 issues awaiting the next president and gauge where they might fit as a new administration prepares to grapple with a global economic crisis. While education…

  12. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-06-01

    nanotechnolgies and nanosciences report has been issued by the Innovation Society Ltd., an independent consulting company, based at the Technology Centre of...foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?n=67935- nanotechnolgy -fsa-novel Germany Begins Risk Survey on Nanotechnology http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news

  13. Commercial Airline In-Flight Emergency: Medical Student Response and Review of Medicolegal Issues.

    PubMed

    Bukowski, Josh H; Richards, John R

    2016-01-01

    As the prevalence of air travel increases, in-flight medical emergencies occur more frequently. A significant percentage of these emergencies occur when there is no certified physician, nurse, or paramedic onboard. During these situations, flight crews might enlist the help of noncertified passengers, such as medical students, dentists, or emergency medical technicians in training. Although Good Samaritan laws exist, many health care providers are unfamiliar with the limited legal protections and resources provided to them after responding to an in-flight emergency. A 78-year-old woman lost consciousness and became pulseless onboard a commercial aircraft. No physician was available. A medical student responded and coordinated care with the flight crew, ground support physician, and other passengers. After receiving a packet (4 g) of sublingual sucrose and 1 L i.v. crystalloid, the patient regained pulses and consciousness. The medical student made the decision not to divert the aircraft based on the patient's initial response to therapy and, 45 min later, the patient had normal vital signs. Upon landing, she was met and taken by paramedics to the nearest emergency department for evaluation of her collapse. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Emergency physicians are the most qualified to assist in-flight emergencies, but they might not be aware of the medicolegal risks involved with in-flight care, the resources available, and the role of the flight crew in liability and decision making. This case, which involved a medical student who was not given explicit protection under Good Samaritan laws, illustrates the authority of the flight crew during these events and highlights areas of uncertainty in the legislation for volunteer medical professionals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Emerging Dental Specialties and Ethics.

    PubMed

    Brown, Ronald S; Mashni, Michael

    2015-01-01

    This paper discusses ethical dimensions related to the formal recognition of emerging dental specialties. It explores several issues related to the potential emergence of several new dental specialty areas. There are good reasons that dentistry should open the door to these new specialties, and patients would benefit. The ethical considerations for and against formal acceptance are examined.

  15. Responding To Infectious Disease: Multiple Cases of Staph Infections in a Rural School District. Lessons Learned From School Crises and Emergencies, Volume 3, Issue 3, 2008

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2008

    2008-01-01

    "Lessons Learned" is a series of publications that are a brief recounting of actual school emergencies and crises. This "Lessons Learned" issue focuses on an incident involving several cases of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at a rural high school. MRSA is a specific strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (often called staph)…

  16. Environmental Mass Spectrometry: Emerging Contaminants and Current Issues (2010 Review)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This biennial review covers developments in environmental mass spectrometry for emerging environmental contaminants over the period of 2008-2009. A few significant references that appeared between January and February 2010 are also included. Analytical Chemistry’s current polic...

  17. MEETING IN NEW ZEALAND: EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS AND CURRENT ISSUES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Much has been achieved in the way of environmental protection over the last 30 years. However, as we learn more, new concerns arise (including potential adverse health effects, bioaccumulation, and widespread distribution). This presentation will discuss emerging environmental c...

  18. 40 CFR 231.7 - Emergency procedure.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Emergency procedure. 231.7 Section 231.7 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) OCEAN DUMPING SECTION 404(c) PROCEDURES § 231.7 Emergency procedure. Where a permit has already been issued, and the Administrator has...

  19. 78 FR 72122 - Draft Emergency Preparedness Frequently Asked Questions

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-02

    ... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2013-0262] Draft Emergency Preparedness Frequently Asked... of guidance documents related to the development and maintenance of emergency preparedness program... the interpretation or applicability of emergency preparedness guidance issued or endorsed by the NRC...

  20. Publication ethics in public health emergencies.

    PubMed

    Shaw, David; Elger, Bernice S

    2017-09-01

    In this article, we describe and analyse three issues in publication ethics that are raised when conducting research in emergencies and disasters. These include reluctance to share data and samples because of concerns about publications, loss of individual authorship in high high-profile multi-entity publications, and the deaths of authors during dangerous research projects. An emergency research pledge may be useful in avoiding some of these issues. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  1. Looking behind the bars: emerging health issues for people in prison.

    PubMed

    Stürup-Toft, S; O'Moore, E J; Plugge, E H

    2018-03-01

    There are more than 10 million people imprisoned worldwide. These individuals experience a higher burden of communicable and non-communicable disease, mental health and substance misuse problems than the general population and often come from marginalized and underserved groups in the community. Prisons offer an important opportunity for tackling health problems in a way that can deliver benefits to the individual and to the community. This paper focuses specifically on emerging health issues for prisons across the world. This paper uses sources of international data from published systematic reviews and research studies, the Ministry of Justice for England and Wales, the Prisons and Probations Ombudsmen Review and other United Kingdom government briefing papers. Deaths in custody are a key concern for the justice system as well as the health system. Suicide is the leading cause of mortality in prisons worldwide but non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, are increasing in importance in high-income countries and are now the leading cause of mortality in prisons in England and Wales. The prison population is ageing in most high-income countries. Older people in prison typically have multiple and complex medical and social care needs including reduced mobility and personal care needs as well as poor health. Further research is needed to understand the complex relationship between sentencing patterns, the ageing prison population and deaths in custody; to model its impact on prisons and healthcare provision in the future and to determine effective and cost-effective models of care. Research into the health of prisoners is important in improving the health of prisoners but there is considerable variation in quantity and quality between countries. Recent innovations seek to address this disparity and facilitate the sharing of good practice.

  2. Highly visible street-based HIV rapid testing: is it an attractive option for a previously untested population? A cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Fernández-Balbuena, Sonia; de la Fuente, Luis; Hoyos, Juan; Rosales-Statkus, M Elena; Barrio, Gregorio; Belza, María-José

    2014-03-01

    Given the shortage of community-based HIV testing initiatives in resource-rich countries not targeting most-at-risk populations, we aimed to evaluate whether a highly visible mobile programme promoting and offering rapid HIV testing in the street can attract persons at risk for infection who have never been tested. Between 2008 and 2011, the programme served 7552 persons in various Spanish cities who answered a brief questionnaire while awaiting their results. The factors associated with being tested for the first time were analysed using two logistic regression models, one for men who have sex with men (MSM) and the other for only heterosexual men (MSW) and women. 3517 participants (47%) were first-time testers (24% of MSM, 56% of MSW and 60% of women). Among them, 22 undiagnosed HIV infections were detected with a global prevalence of 0.6% and 3.1% in MSM. Undergoing a first HIV test was independently associated with age <30, being from Spain or another developed country, lack of university education, having fewer partners, having had unprotected sex with casual partners and not having been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection. In heterosexuals, also with never injected drugs, and in MSM, with not being involved in the gay community. Among those tested for the first time, 22% had never thought of being tested and 62% decided to be tested when they passed by and noticed the programme, regardless of their previous intentions. This community programme attracted a substantial number of persons previously untested and particularly hard to reach, such as those with low education and MSM who were least involved in the gay community. Programme visibility was a decisive factor for almost two of every three persons who had never been tested.

  3. Continuing Education of the Professions: Issues, Ethics, and Conflicts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frandson, Phillip E.

    1975-01-01

    Relicensure has emerged as one of today's key issues in the continuing education of the professional. The conflict is clear: Who shall be controlling force? A grid involving the six issues focuses on the constituencies who seek to control these issues. The medical profession is used as an example. (BP)

  4. Needs of Displaced Students Emerge as Issue for Districts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gewertz, Catherine

    2005-01-01

    As schools scrambled to absorb hundreds of thousands of students displaced by Hurricane Katrina, experts urged administrators to consider and plan for a host of academic and emotional issues that could come along with them. Education researchers and experts in psychology recognize that school leaders may feel overwhelmed by the demands of…

  5. Special Issue: "Functional Dendrimers".

    PubMed

    Tomalia, Donald A

    2016-08-09

    This special issue entitled "Functional Dendrimers" focuses on the manipulation of at least six "critical nanoscale design parameters" (CNDPs) of dendrimers including: size, shape, surface chemistry, flexibility/rigidity, architecture and elemental composition. These CNDPs collectively define properties of all "functional dendrimers". This special issue contains many interesting examples describing the manipulation of certain dendrimer CNDPs to create new emerging properties and, in some cases, predictive nanoperiodic property patterns (i.e., dendritic effects). The systematic engineering of CNDPs provides a valuable strategy for optimizing functional dendrimer properties for use in specific applications.

  6. Low-acuity presentations to regional emergency departments: What is the issue?

    PubMed

    Cheek, Colleen; Allen, Penny; Shires, Lizzi; Parry, Denise; Ruigrok, Marielle

    2016-04-01

    To explore GP-referrals and self-referrals to EDs and factors associated with patients seeking low-acuity care at ED. Retrospective analysis of all ED presentations to Mersey Community Hospital and North West Regional Hospital (Tasmania) between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2013. Cross-sectional survey of patients presenting to the EDs for care triaged as low-acuity. There were 255,365 ED presentations in the retrospective data: 11,252 (4.4%) GP-referrals and 218,205 (85.4%) self-referrals. At ED 49% of GP-referrals were triaged ATS 4 or 5 and 35% of self-referrals were triaged ATS 1-3. There were 138 (84.2%) low-acuity patients who completed the survey; predominantly, all attended for acute injury or illness. Single point-of-care convenience was most commonly selected (71%) as a reason for attending ED. Over 85% of patients who seek emergency care in this region self-refer, so understanding health-seeking behaviour is important. Most low-acuity patients are acutely injured or unwell, and the decision to go to ED is based on their perception of accessibility of expertise aligned with their need. The term 'GP-type' is misleading in this context and should not be used. Providing low-acuity care in parallel with providing a specialised emergency service meets the needs of the local community and is likely to be the lowest cost model in a regional and rural area. Funding models must reflect the actual cost of delivering this important service rather than presentation types. © 2015 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

  7. Business continuity management in emerging markets: the case of Jordan.

    PubMed

    Sawalha, Ihab H; Anchor, John R

    2012-01-01

    Despite their considerable growth in last few decades, emerging markets (EM) face numerous risks that have the potential to slow down or obstruct their development. Three main issues are discussed in this paper: first, the risks facing organisations operating in emerging markets and Jordan in particular; secondly, the role of business continuity management (BCM) in emerging markets; and thirdly, potential factors that underpin the role of BCM in emerging markets. These issues are significant, as they represent the role of BCM in highly dynamic and fast changing business environments. The paper provides a discussion of the significance of BCM in reducing or preventing risks facing organisations operating in emerging markets, especially those in Jordan.

  8. Complaints from emergency department patients largely result from treatment and communication problems.

    PubMed

    Taylor, David McD; Wolfe, Rory; Cameron, Peter A

    2002-03-01

    Emergency department patient complaints are often justified and may lead to apology, remedial action or compensation. The aim of the present study was to analyse emergency department patient complaints in order to identify procedures or practices that require change and to make recommendations for intervention strategies aimed at decreasing complaint rates. We undertook a retrospective analysis of patient complaints from 36 Victorian emergency departments during a 61 month period. Data were obtained from the Health Complaint Information Program (Health Services Commissioner). In all, 2,419 emergency department patients complained about a total of 3,418 separate issues (15.4% of all issues from all hospital departments). Of these, 1,157 complaints (47.80%) were received by telephone and 829 (34.3%) were received by letter; 1,526 (63.1 %) complaints were made by a person other than the patient. Highest complaint rates were received from patients who were female, born in non-English-speaking countries and very young or very old. One thousand one hundred and forty-one issues (33.4%) related to patient treatment, including inadequate treatment (329 issues) and inadequate diagnosis (249 issues); 1079 (31.6%) issues related to communication, including poor staff attitude, discourtesy and rudeness (444 issues); 407 (11.9%) issues related to delay in treatment. Overall, 2516 issues (73.6%) were resolved satisfactorily, usually by explanation or apology. Only 59 issues (1.7%) resulted in a procedure or policy change. Remedial action was taken in 109 issues (3.2%) and compensation was paid to eight patients. Communication remains a significant factor in emergency department patient dissatisfaction. While patient complaints have resulted in major changes to policy and procedure, research and intervention strategies into communication problems are indicated. In the short term, focused staff training is recommended.

  9. Responding To and Recovering From an Active Shooter Incident That Turns Into a Hostage Situation. Lessons Learned From School Crises and Emergencies, Volume 2, Issue 6, 2007

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2007

    2007-01-01

    "Lessons Learned" is a series of publications that are a brief recounting of actual school emergencies and crises. This "Lessons Learned" issue focuses on an active shooter situation that escalated to a hostage situation that required multiple law enforcement agencies and other first responders and agencies to coordinate response and recovery…

  10. Issues Management and the Use of Technologies in Public Relations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ramsey, Shirley A.

    1993-01-01

    Finds that members of the Issues Management Association were more positively involved with two procedures--"environmental scanning for emerging issues" and "developing communication plans about the issues"--than were other public relations practitioners. Finds that respondents were highly likely to use advanced communication…

  11. Personalized medicine and the role of health economics and outcomes research: issues, applications, emerging trends, and future research.

    PubMed

    O'Donnell, John C

    2013-01-01

    The decade since the completion of the sequencing of the human genome has witnessed significant advances in the incorporation of genomic information in diagnostic, treatment, and reimbursement practices. Indeed, as case in point, there are now several dozen commercially available genomic tests routinely applied across a wide range of disease states in predictive or prognostic applications. Moreover, many involved in the advancement of personalized medicine would view emerging approaches to stratify patients in meaningful ways beyond genomic information as a signal of the progress made. Yet despite these advances, there remains a general sense of dissatisfaction about the progress of personalized medicine in terms of its contribution to the drug development process, to the efficiency and effectiveness of health care delivery, and ultimately to the provision of the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. Academicians, payers, and manufacturers alike are struggling not only with how to embed the new insights that personalized medicine promises but also with the fundamental issues of application in early drug development, implications for health technology assessment, new demands on traditional health economic and outcomes research methods, and implications for reimbursement and access. In fact, seemingly prosaic issues such as the definition and composition of the term "personalized medicine" are still unresolved. Regardless of these issues, practitioners are increasingly compelled to find practical solutions to the challenges and opportunities presented by the evolving face of personalized medicine today. Accordingly, the articles comprising this Special Issue offer applied perspectives geared toward professionals and policymakers in the field grappling with developing, assessing, implementing, and reimbursing personalized medicine approaches. Starting with a framework with which to characterize personalized medicine, this Special Issue proceeds to

  12. Legal considerations during pediatric emergency mass critical care events.

    PubMed

    Courtney, Brooke; Hodge, James G

    2011-11-01

    Recent public health emergencies, such as the 2009 Influenza A/H1N1 Pandemic and Hurricane Katrina, underscore the importance of developing healthcare response plans and protocols for disasters impacting large populations. Significant research and scholarship, including the 2009 Institute of Medicine report on crisis standards of care and the 2008 Task Force for Mass Critical Care recommendations, provide guidance for healthcare responses to catastrophic emergencies. Most of these efforts recognize but do not focus on the unique needs of pediatric populations. In 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supported the formation of a task force to address pediatric emergency mass critical care response issues, including legal issues. Liability is a significant concern for healthcare practitioners and facilities during pediatric emergency mass critical care that necessitates a shift to crisis standards of care. This article describes the legal considerations inherent in planning for and responding to catastrophic health emergencies and makes recommendations for pediatric emergency mass critical care legal preparedness. The Pediatric Emergency Mass Critical Care Task Force, composed of 36 experts from diverse public health, medical, and disaster response fields, convened in Atlanta, GA, on March 29-30, 2010, to review the pediatric emergency mass critical care recommendations developed by a 17-member steering committee. During the meeting, experts determined that the recommendations would be strengthened by a manuscript addressing legal issues. Authors drafted the manuscript through consensus-based study of peer-reviewed research, literature reviews, and expert opinion. The manuscript was reviewed by Pediatric Emergency Mass Critical Care Steering Committee members and additional legal counsel and revised. While the legal issues associated with providing pediatric emergency mass critical care are not unique within the overall context of disaster healthcare

  13. Annals of Emergency Medicine Journal Club. Global Emergency Medicine Journal Club: Social media responses to the November 2013 Annals of Emergency Medicine Journal Club.

    PubMed

    Radecki, Ryan P; Rezaie, Salim R; Lin, Michelle

    2014-04-01

    The Annals November 2013 Journal Club issue marked one of the first collaborations with Academic Life in Emergency Medicine, a medical education blog, in an effort to promote a worldwide, transparent, online effort to perform critical appraisals of journal articles. The Global Emergency Medicine Journal Club was hosted on the blog for 1 week during November 18 to 24, 2013, with comments moderated on the blog and on Twitter. This summary article compiles the discussion and insights. Copyright © 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. A new era of emergency care: planning and design consideration.

    PubMed

    Zilm, Frank

    2007-01-01

    Emergency care is one of the most complex, rapidly growing areas of ambulatory care. Providers need to consider new issues related to management of low-acuity patients, capacity for surge events, and the need to integrate patient focused care into the emergency department environment. This article explores these issues and discusses basic organizational topologies for facilities.

  15. Reconciliation of diverse telepathology system designs. Historic issues and implications for emerging markets and new applications.

    PubMed

    Weinstein, Ronald S; Graham, Anna R; Lian, Fangru; Braunhut, Beth L; Barker, Gail R; Krupinski, Elizabeth A; Bhattacharyya, Achyut K

    2012-04-01

    Telepathology, the distant service component of digital pathology, is a growth industry. The word "telepathology" was introduced into the English Language in 1986. Initially, two different, competing imaging modalities were used for telepathology. These were dynamic (real time) robotic telepathology and static image (store-and-forward) telepathology. In 1989, a hybrid dynamic robotic/static image telepathology system was developed in Norway. This hybrid imaging system bundled these two primary pathology imaging modalities into a single multi-modality pathology imaging system. Similar hybrid systems were subsequently developed and marketed in other countries as well. It is noteworthy that hybrid dynamic robotic/static image telepathology systems provided the infrastructure for the first truly sustainable telepathology services. Since then, impressive progress has been made in developing another telepathology technology, so-called "virtual microscopy" telepathology (also called "whole slide image" telepathology or "WSI" telepathology). Over the past decade, WSI has appeared to be emerging as the preferred digital telepathology digital imaging modality. However, recently, there has been a re-emergence of interest in dynamic-robotic telepathology driven, in part, by concerns over the lack of a means for up-and-down focusing (i.e., Z-axis focusing) using early WSI processors. In 2010, the initial two U.S. patents for robotic telepathology (issued in 1993 and 1994) expired enabling many digital pathology equipment companies to incorporate dynamic-robotic telepathology modules into their WSI products for the first time. The dynamic-robotic telepathology module provided a solution to the up-and-down focusing issue. WSI and dynamic robotic telepathology are now, rapidly, being bundled into a new class of telepathology/digital pathology imaging system, the "WSI-enhanced dynamic robotic telepathology system". To date, six major WSI processor equipment companies have embraced

  16. 10 CFR 590.403 - Emergency interim orders.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (CONTINUED) NATURAL GAS (ECONOMIC REGULATORY ADMINISTRATION) ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES WITH RESPECT TO THE IMPORT AND EXPORT OF NATURAL GAS Opinions and Orders § 590.403 Emergency interim... and issue an emergency interim order authorizing the import or export of natural gas. After issuance...

  17. Sacramento Regional Response Guide to Radiation Emergencies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-09-01

    emergency operations. Additionally, the utilization of thermo luminescence dosimeters ( TLD ) may be beneficial to track long term exposure for...a radiation area. Stakeholder agency emergency response equipment have been issued electronic dosimeters The purpose of the radiation dosimeter is...Incident.............................................................................84 2. Detection/ Dosimeter Equipment

  18. 40 CFR 300.220 - Related Title III issues.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Related Title III issues. 300.220 Section 300.220 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY... PLAN Planning and Preparedness § 300.220 Related Title III issues. Other related Title III requirements...

  19. Emergency Health Preparedness: Expectations for Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winkelman, Jack L.

    Specific issues relevant to the emergency health preparedness of schools and the key roles and expectations applicable to teachers are outlined. It is noted that, while issues of legal liability relevant to teachers are complex, teachers are expected to: (1) anticipate possible risk or harm involved in activities; (2) give adequate warning of…

  20. Issues of Gender. Symposium.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    2002

    This symposium is comprised of three papers on issues of gender in human resource development (HRD). "The Impact of Awareness and Action on the Implementation of a Women's Network" (Laura L. Bierema) reports on research to examine how gender consciousness emerges through the formation of in-company networks to promote corporate women's…

  1. An Operational Definition of the Emergence Criterion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pallotti, Gabriele

    2007-01-01

    Although acquisition criteria are a fundamental issue for SLA research, they have not always been adequately defined or elaborated in the literature. This article critically scrutinizes one such criterion, the emergence criterion, proposing an explicit, operational definition. After discussing emergence as a theoretical construct, the article…

  2. Emergency Medicine and the Underage Athlete

    PubMed Central

    Martin, David E.

    1994-01-01

    Most high school and some collegiate athletes are legal minors. In civil matters, the law treats minors (usually individuals under the age of 18 years) uniquely. Limitations exist on a minor's ability to enter into contracts, make determinations regarding medical care, and bear responsibility for personal actions. Medical professionals are often unclear on matters relating to the provision of medical care to minors. The purpose of this discourse is to present selected legal issues in the context of two fictional case studies. Case 1 presents issues regarding the definition of emergency medical conditions and the related emergency medical doctrine. Case 2 provides an example of an acute medical concern which fails to fall under emergency medical classification but rather provides a context for discussing the mature minor doctrine. Both cases are analyzed in light of these doctrines in addition to other pertinent legal considerations. PMID:16558280

  3. National and Rural Housing Policy. Historical Development and Emerging Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reeder, William J.; And Others

    This report traces the historical development of federal housing policy that has promoted a 40% decline in substandard housing and a 20% increase in homeownership over the past 50 years. It presents emerging national and rural housing policy concerns: the proper role of federal, state, and local governments in the mortgage credit and insurance…

  4. Ethical issues in the response to Ebola virus disease in United States emergency departments: a position paper of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

    PubMed

    Venkat, Arvind; Asher, Shellie L; Wolf, Lisa; Geiderman, Joel M; Marco, Catherine A; McGreevy, Jolion; Derse, Arthur R; Otten, Edward J; Jesus, John E; Kreitzer, Natalie P; Escalante, Monica; Levine, Adam C

    2015-05-01

    The 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa has presented a significant public health crisis to the international health community and challenged U.S. emergency departments (EDs) to prepare for patients with a disease of exceeding rarity in developed nations. With the presentation of patients with Ebola to U.S. acute care facilities, ethical questions have been raised in both the press and medical literature as to how U.S. EDs, emergency physicians (EPs), emergency nurses, and other stakeholders in the health care system should approach the current epidemic and its potential for spread in the domestic environment. To address these concerns, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Emergency Nurses Association, and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine developed this joint position paper to provide guidance to U.S. EPs, emergency nurses, and other stakeholders in the health care system on how to approach the ethical dilemmas posed by the outbreak of EVD. This paper will address areas of immediate and potential ethical concern to U.S. EDs in how they approach preparation for and management of potential patients with EVD. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  5. Ethical issues experienced by intensive care unit nurses in everyday practice.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Maria I D; Moreira, Isabel M P B

    2013-02-01

    This research aims to identify the ethical issues perceived by intensive care nurses in their everyday practice. It also aims to understand why these situations were considered an ethical issue and what interventions/strategies have been or are expected to be developed so as to minimize them. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview with 15 nurses working at polyvalent intensive care units in 4 Portuguese hospitals, who were selected by the homogenization of multiple samples. The qualitative content analysis identified end-of-life decisions, privacy, interaction, team work, and health-care access as emerging ethical issues. Personal, team, and institutional aspects emerge as reasons behind the experience of these issues. Personal and team resources are used in and for solving these issues. Moral development and training are the most significant strategies.

  6. 78 FR 14110 - Emergency Issuance of Endangered Species Permit

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-04

    ... issued an endangered species permit to address emergency veterinary care for an injured green sea turtle...] Emergency Issuance of Endangered Species Permit AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice... notice in an emergency situation where the life or health of an endangered animal is threatened and no...

  7. ERCMExpress. Volume 2, Issue 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This issue of the Emergency Response and Crisis Management (ERCM) Technical Assistance Center's "ERCMExpress" introduces the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities (NCEF), a free public service that provides information on planning, designing, funding, building, improving and maintaining safe, healthy, high-performance schools. NCEF is…

  8. Assessing hospital emergency management plans: a guide for infection preventionists.

    PubMed

    Rebmann, Terri

    2009-11-01

    Hospital emergency management plans are essential and must include input from an infection preventionist (IP). Multiple hospital planning documents exist, but many do not address infection prevention issues, combine them with noninfection prevention issues, or are disease/event specific. An all-encompassing emergency management planning guide for IPs is needed. A literature review and Internet search were conducted in December 2008. Data from relevant sources were extracted. A spreadsheet was created that delineated hospital emergency management plan components of interest to IPs. Of the sources screened, 49 were deemed relevant. Eleven domains were identified: (1) having a plan; (2) assessing hospital readiness; (3) having infection prevention policies and procedures; (4) having occupational health policies and procedures; (5) conducting surveillance and triage; (6) reporting incidents, having a communication plan, and managing information; (7) having laboratory support; (8) addressing surge capacity issues; (9) having anti-infective therapy and/or vaccines; (10) providing infection prevention education; and (11) managing physical plant issues. Infection preventionists should use this article as an assessment tool for evaluating their hospital emergency management plan and for developing policies and procedures that will decrease the risk of infection transmission during a mass casualty event.

  9. Nanotechnology risk perceptions and communication: emerging technologies, emerging challenges.

    PubMed

    Pidgeon, Nick; Harthorn, Barbara; Satterfield, Terre

    2011-11-01

    Nanotechnology involves the fabrication, manipulation, and control of materials at the atomic level and may also bring novel uncertainties and risks. Potential parallels with other controversial technologies mean there is a need to develop a comprehensive understanding of processes of public perception of nanotechnology uncertainties, risks, and benefits, alongside related communication issues. Study of perceptions, at so early a stage in the development trajectory of a technology, is probably unique in the risk perception and communication field. As such it also brings new methodological and conceptual challenges. These include: dealing with the inherent diversity of the nanotechnology field itself; the unfamiliar and intangible nature of the concept, with few analogies to anchor mental models or risk perceptions; and the ethical and value questions underlying many nanotechnology debates. Utilizing the lens of social amplification of risk, and drawing upon the various contributions to this special issue of Risk Analysis on Nanotechnology Risk Perceptions and Communication, nanotechnology may at present be an attenuated hazard. The generic idea of "upstream public engagement" for emerging technologies such as nanotechnology is also discussed, alongside its importance for future work with emerging technologies in the risk communication field. © 2011 Society for Risk Analysis.

  10. Higher Education Trends (1997-1999): Legal Issues. ERIC-HE Trends.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kezar, Adrianna J.

    Historically, legal issues have not been well represented in the higher education research literature. Two sources, however, regularly discuss legal issues: the Journal of College and University Law and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Three main themes emerge in the literature on legal issues: (1) rethinking and refining of traditional…

  11. Identification of potentially emerging food safety issues by analysis of reports published by the European Community's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) during a four-year period.

    PubMed

    Kleter, G A; Prandini, A; Filippi, L; Marvin, H J P

    2009-05-01

    The SAFE FOODS project undertakes to design a new approach towards the early identification of emerging food safety hazards. This study explored the utility of notifications filed through RASFF, the European Commission's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, to identify emerging trends in food safety issues. RASFF information and alert notifications published in the four-year period of July 2003-June 2007 were assigned to categories of products and hazards. For chronological trend analysis, a basic time unit of three months was chosen. Data within each hazard category were analyzed for chronological trends, relationships between product and hazard categories, regions of origin, and countries filing the notifications. Conspicuous trends that were observed included a rise in the incidence of food contact substances, particularly 2-isopropyl-thioxanthone, as well as of chemical substances migrating from utensils and fraud-related issues. Temporary increases were noted in the incidences of the unauthorized dye Para Red, genetically modified organisms, the pesticide isophenfos-methyl, and herring worm, Anisakis simplex. National and European authorities themselves have signaled these conspicuous trends and taken measures. It is recommended to add complementary data to RASFF data, including safety assessments, risk management measures, background data on hazards and surveillance patterns, for a holistic approach towards early identification of emerging hazards.

  12. Towards integrated crisis support of regional emergency networks.

    PubMed

    Caro, D H

    1999-01-01

    Emergency and crisis management pose multidimensional information systems challenges for communities across North America. In the quest to reduce mortality and morbidity risks and to increase the level of crisis preparedness, regional emergency management networks have evolved. Integrated Crisis Support Systems (ICSS) are enabling information technologies that assist emergency managers by enhancing the ability to strategically manage and control these regional emergency networks efficiently and effectively. This article underscores the ICCS development, control and leadership issues and their promising implications for regional emergency management networks.

  13. The conscientious objection: debate on emergency contraception.

    PubMed

    Montanari Vergallo, G; Zaami, S; Di Luca, N M; Marinelli, E

    2017-01-01

    The authors discuss the emergency contraception (EC) topic, assessing scientific and ethical aspects. The almost totality of the studies carried out tends to report on the use of drugs as an emergency measure to prevent pregnancy. However, it is not yet completely excluded that emergency contraceptives can induce medical abortion. The debate on side effects of EC continues to be a highly emotional and controversial issue both for advocates who believe they will lower considerably the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions, and for opponents who believe that using emergency contraception amounts to an abortion. This latter hypothesis highlights the conflicting aspect of the conscientious objection to abortion of physicians and pharmacists. This research work is aimed at investigating the emergency contraception issue, paying particular attention to the medico-legal and regulatory aspects of this subject. Particularly, the authors focus on the conscientious objection in order to assess, if any, legal protection for physicians and pharmacists who claim a right to conscientious objection. Inappropriate use of EC could be resolved through a registry of user. This registry, of course, would not have the intention of persecution, but would only serve to detect possible cases of subjugation, exploitation and harassment.

  14. A Scoping Review: Communication Between Emergency Physicians and Patients in the Emergency Department.

    PubMed

    Roh, HyeRin; Park, Kyung Hye

    2016-05-01

    Understanding the basic qualities of communication between emergency physicians and patients could improve communication in the emergency department. The objectives of this scoping review are to map the literature about the gaps in communication between emergency physicians and patients in the emergency department and make recommendations for further research. A scoping review of literature published since 1980 and written in English was undertaken using the following databases: Pubmed, Scopus, and SocINDEX. The articles were searched for using two-keyword combinations of the following keywords joined by "AND": "communication," "patient," "emergency physician," "emergency department/emergency room/accident," and "emergency room." Seventeen articles were included in the final review. Five research issues were covered by the 17 papers: patient-centered communication, information sharing, bad news delivery, shared decision making, and physicians' perspectives on communication. Emergency physicians have several communication characteristics: doctor-driven decision making, focusing on efficient information gathering, immature communication techniques, and obstacles to overcoming miscommunication. Patients also have several communication characteristics: active participation in medical encounters, expectation of physician as a reliable guide, understanding physicians' difficulties, and factors that contribute to understanding. Several conclusions about emergency department communication between patients and emergency physicians were drawn. Additional research is required to consider diverse patient needs in the emergency department. Furthermore, training programs for emergency physicians to improve the quality of communication should be developed and implemented in line with our research findings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Introduction to special issue: moving forward in pediatric neuropsychology.

    PubMed

    Daly, Brian P; Giovannetti, Tania; Zabel, T Andrew; Chute, Douglas L

    2011-08-01

    This special issue of The Clinical Neuropsychologist focuses on advances in the emerging subspecialty of pediatric neuropsychology. The national and international contributions in this issue cover a range of key clinical, research, training, and professional issues specific to pediatric neuropsychology. The genesis for this project developed out of a series of talks at the Philadelphia Pediatric Neuropsychology Symposium in 2010, hosted by the Stein Family Fellow, the Department of Psychology of the College of Arts and Sciences at Drexel University, and the Philadelphia Neuropsychology Society. Articles that explore clinical practice issue focus on the assessment of special medical populations with congenital and/or acquired central nervous system insults. Research articles investigate the core features of developmental conditions, the use of technology in neuropsychological research studies, and large sample size genomic, neuropsychological, and imaging studies of under-represented populations. The final series of articles examine new considerations in training, advocacy, and subspecialty board certification that have emerged in pediatric neuropsychology. This introductory article provides an overview of the articles in this special issue and concluding thoughts about the future of pediatric neuropsychology.

  16. Communicative Language Testing: Current Issues and Future Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harding, Luke

    2014-01-01

    This article discusses a range of current issues and future research possibilities in Communicative Language Testing (CLT) using, as its departure point, the key questions which emerged during the CLT symposium at the 2010 Language Testing Forum. The article begins with a summary of the 2010 symposium discussion in which three main issues related…

  17. Commentary: Indigenous Health Special Issue

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tonmyr, Lil; Blackstock, Cindy

    2010-01-01

    This commentary highlights indigenous public health research from a special issue of the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction dealing with child maltreatment, mental health, substance abuse and gambling. We focus on the emerging and growing research movement in Indigenous research through three important themes: 1) worldview and…

  18. ERCMExpress, Volume 2, Issue 5

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This issue of ERCMExpress presents food safety and food defense for schools. Many schools and school districts across the country have established emergency management plans; however, these plans are often not comprehensive, practiced regularly or written in collaboration with the local community. It is recommended that schools adopt a…

  19. Psychosocial Issues in Pediatric Oncology

    PubMed Central

    Marcus, Joel

    2012-01-01

    Psychosocial oncology, a relatively new discipline, is a multidisciplinary application of the behavioral and social sciences, and pediatric psychosocial oncology is an emerging subspecialty within the domain of psychosocial oncology. This review presents a brief overview of some of the major clinical issues surrounding pediatric psychosocial oncology. PMID:23049457

  20. Neuroimaging Research with Children: Ethical Issues and Case Scenarios

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coch, Donna

    2007-01-01

    There are few available resources for learning and teaching about ethical issues in neuroimaging research with children, who constitute a special and vulnerable population. Here, a brief review of ethical issues in developmental research, situated within the emerging field of neuroethics, highlights the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of…

  1. Issues for the Traveling Team Physician.

    PubMed

    Kaeding, Christopher C; Borchers, James

    2016-07-01

    This article outlines the value of having the team physician traveling with athletes to away venues for competitions or training sessions. At present, this travel presents several issues for the team physician who crosses state lines for taking care of the athletes. In this article, these issues and their possible remedies are discussed. A concern for the travelling team physician is practicing medicine while caring for the team in a state where the physician is not licensed. Another issue can be the transportation of controlled substances in the course of providing optimal care for the team athletes. These two issues are regulatory and legislative issues at both the state and federal levels. On the practical side of being a team physician, the issues of emergency action plans, supplies, and when to transport injured or ill patients are also reviewed. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  2. Dental Emergencies: Management Strategies That Improve Outcomes [Digest].

    PubMed

    Pedigo, Ryan Anthony; Zaurova, Milana

    2017-06-22

    Points & Pearls is a digest of Emergency Medicine Practice . Acute dental emergencies are a common chief complaint presenting to emergency departments, and they are increasing substantially in frequency. The diagnosis and management of dental emergencies is a core competency of the emergency clinician, and proper therapeutic strategies can significantly improve cosmetic and functional outcomes for patients. This issue provides a systematic review of the literature on common acute traumatic and atraumatic dental emergencies with a focus on the historical and physical examination findings that must be understood to identify life-threatening infections, relieve pain, salvage natural teeth, and communicate with specialists in the further management of patients after emergency treatment.

  3. Recommended minimal emergency equipment and resources for schools: national consensus group report.

    PubMed

    Bobo, Nichole; Hallenbeck, Paula; Robinson, Judith

    2003-06-01

    Providing an environment that is responsive to emergency health needs of students is essential to creating a safe setting for children in schools. The question of what minimal essential emergency equipment and resources should be available in schools brings with it many and varied opinions, issues, and concerns. Through funding from the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC), the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) was charged with the task of convening a consensus group to formulate a recommended list of minimal essential emergency equipment and resources that should be present in all schools. This article provides an overview of the issues surrounding minimal emergency equipment needs for schools, presents recommended minimal emergency equipment and resources, and recommendations for further actions.

  4. Educating for Citizenship: Teaching Public Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kotler, Janet

    1990-01-01

    Argues for the teaching public issues in the forum of business communication classes. Describes how students tracked presidential election campaigns and emerged with an understanding of underlying political, economic, and social realities that affect the way America does business. (RS)

  5. Color on emergency mapping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Lili; Qi, Qingwen; Zhang, An

    2007-06-01

    There are so many emergency issues in our daily life. Such as typhoons, tsunamis, earthquake, fires, floods, epidemics, etc. These emergencies made people lose their lives and their belongings. Every day, every hour, even every minute people probably face the emergency, so how to handle it and how to decrease its hurt are the matters people care most. If we can map it exactly before or after the emergencies; it will be helpful to the emergency researchers and people who live in the emergency place. So , through the emergency map, before emergency is occurring we can predict the situation, such as when and where the emergency will be happen; where people can refuge, etc. After disaster, we can also easily assess the lost, discuss the cause and make the lost less. The primary effect of mapping is offering information to the people who care about the emergency and the researcher who want to study it. Mapping allows the viewers to get a spatial sense of hazard. It can also provide the clues to study the relationship of the phenomenon in emergency. Color, as the basic element of the map, it can simplify and clarify the phenomenon. Color can also affects the general perceptibility of the map, and elicits subjective reactions to the map. It is to say, structure, readability, and the reader's psychological reactions can be affected by the use of color.

  6. Family Economic Issues & Public Policy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kimsey, Peggy Poling; Paynter, Mary Ann

    Emerging from two graduate seminars designed to increase the involvement of home economists in public policy, this publication includes course outlines, models, and papers on selected issues concerning family-related government policy. The structure and requirements of the two seminars, held in 1978 at the University of Kentucky, are described. A…

  7. Elementary School Literacy: Critical Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dreher, Mariam Jean, Ed.; Slater, Wayne H., Ed.

    Providing a thorough grounding on important topics in elementary school literacy for experienced teachers and graduate students early in their programs, this book addresses a number of critical issues such as grouping and reading instruction, emergent literacy, learning to read and write with at-risk children, developing vocabulary, learning in…

  8. Emergency medicine in space.

    PubMed

    Stewart, Lowan H; Trunkey, Donald; Rebagliati, G Steve

    2007-01-01

    Recent events, including the development of space tourism and commercial spaceflight, have increased the need for specialists in space medicine. With increased duration of missions and distance from Earth, medical and surgical events will become inevitable. Ground-based medical support will no longer be adequate when return to Earth is not an option. Pending the inclusion of sub-specialists, clinical skills and medical expertise will be required that go beyond those of current physician-astronauts, yet are well within the scope of Emergency Medicine. Emergency physicians have the necessary broad knowledge base as well as proficiency in basic surgical skills and management of the critically ill and injured. Space medicine shares many attributes with extreme conditions and environments that many emergency physicians already specialize in. This article is an introduction to space medicine, and a review of current issues in the emergent management of medical and surgical disease during spaceflight.

  9. Emergency management logistics must become emergency supply chain management.

    PubMed

    Young, Richard R; Peterson, Matthew R

    2014-01-01

    Much has been written about how emergency management (EM) needs to look to the future regarding issues of resource management (monetary, human, and material). Constraints on budgets are ongoing and the staffing of emergency response activities is often difficult because volunteers have little to no training. The management of material resources has also been a challenge because 1) the categories of material vary by the type of emergency, 2) the necessary quantities of material are often not located near the ultimate point of need, and 3) the transportation assets are rarely available in the form and quantity required to allow timely and effective response. The logistics and resource management functions of EM (what we refer to as EM logistics) have been largely reactive, with little to no pre-event planning for potential demand. We applied the Supply Chain Operational Reference (SCOR) model to EM logistics in an effort to transform it to an integrated and scalable system of physical, information, and financial flows into which are woven the functions of sourcing, making, delivering, and returning, with an overarching planning function that transcends the organizational boundaries of participants. The result is emergency supply chain management, which embraces many more participants who share in a larger quantity of more useful information about the resources that need to be deployed when responding to and recovering from emergency events.

  10. Natural gas 1998: Issues and trends

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    Natural Gas 1998: Issues and Trends provides a summary of the latest data and information relating to the US natural gas industry, including prices, production, transmission, consumption, and the financial and environmental aspects of the industry. The report consists of seven chapters and five appendices. Chapter 1 presents a summary of various data trends and key issues in today`s natural gas industry and examines some of the emerging trends. Chapters 2 through 7 focus on specific areas or segments of the industry, highlighting some of the issues associated with the impact of natural gas operations on the environment. 57 figs.,more » 18 tabs.« less

  11. Research Library Issues: A Report from ARL, CNI, and SPARC. RLI 283

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baughman, M. Sue, Ed.

    2013-01-01

    "Research Library Issues" ("RLI") focuses on current and emerging topics that are strategically important to research libraries. The articles explore issues, share information, pose critical questions, and provide examples. This issue includes the following articles: (1) Special at the Core: Aligning, Integrating, and…

  12. Issues for the 1990s.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weiner, Edith; Brown, Arnold

    1986-01-01

    Discussed are the issues now emerging that seem likely to dominate thinking, planning, and decision-making in the United States and elsewhere during the next decade. These include campus unrest, China as a world economic force, controlling health-care, birth defects, role of the computer in education, and human language/computer language. (RM)

  13. Academic emergency medicine in India.

    PubMed

    Pothiawala, Sohil; Anantharaman, Venkataraman

    2013-08-01

    Emergency medicine (EM) was recognized as a specialty by the Medical Council of India (MCI) in July 2009. As India undergoes urbanisation, cost-effective transition from managing infectious diseases to emergency management of trauma and cardio-respiratory diseases is crucial. Trained emergency healthcare workers are needed to respond effectively to these challenges. The objective was to determine the current status of academic EM training and related issues in India, and to discuss those that need to be addressed. The authors conducted electronic literature searches for articles published over an 18 year period from January 1994 to February 2013 using PubMed, Google and Yahoo databases. The references listed in the publications identified from these databases were also reviewed. Electronic literature searches revealed a multitude of 1 to 3 year training programmes, many affiliated with various foreign universities. The majority of these training programmes are offered in private healthcare institutions. MCI recognition has opened the doors for medical colleges to set up Indian specialty training programmes. Two separate Academic Councils are currently looking at EM training. The variety of programmes and separate efforts on academic development begets a need to address the issues of short-term courses being passed off as specialty training programmes, and a need for working together on national curriculum development, certification, accreditation systems and common examinations. The different organisations and academic councils could collaborate to give EM a unified scope for development. © 2013 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

  14. Emerging issues in biodiversity & conservation management: The need for a palaeoecological perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Froyd, C. A.; Willis, K. J.

    2008-09-01

    The study of Quaternary environmental change is directly applicable to on-going issues of global conservation. Palaeoecological research techniques provide the tools to address some of the key questions presently being asked by conservation ecologists and land management organizations. But is this type of analysis currently being utilized to its full potential? Are the results of palaeoenvironmental analyses routinely applied to practical issues of natural resource management, and if not what can be done to expand the application of this research within the conservation community? This paper reviews recent developments in the application of the analysis of late Quaternary environmental change to key environmental issues of biodiversity and conservation management and examines areas which could be strengthened in the future including: (i) determination of baselines and natural ecosystem variability; (ii) understanding ecological thresholds and resilience; (iii) climate change conservation strategies; (iv) biological invasions; and (v) conservation and culture.

  15. Emergence, Learning Difficulties, and Misconceptions in Chemistry Undergraduate Students' Conceptualizations of Acid Strength

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tümay, Halil

    2016-01-01

    Philosophical debates about chemistry have clarified that the issue of emergence plays a critical role in the epistemology and ontology of chemistry. In this article, it is argued that the issue of emergence has also significant implications for understanding learning difficulties and finding ways of addressing them in chemistry. Particularly, it…

  16. Overcrowding and diversion in the emergency department: the health care safety net unravels.

    PubMed

    Velianoff, George D

    2002-03-01

    Emergency department overcrowding and diversion of patients are serious problems that are symptomatic of larger health care system issues. Downsizing, government regulations, managed care, increased numbers of uninsured, and reimbursement decreases are issues that have created the overcrowding and diversion issues. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), poor operations and hospital processes, unavailable inpatient beds and closures, consolidations and workforce shortages are also contributors to the overcrowding and diversion issues. Options and solutions are proposed to alleviate the problem, however, greater collaboration, changed work environments, and reimbursement structures need to be developed and instituted. The safety net of the US health system is unraveling, and without intervention, the emergency department will not be able to provide services to the public at any level of quality and efficiency.

  17. [Science, society and shared expertise: a European issue?].

    PubMed

    Yves, Charpak

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, the MML action plan has funded many projects designed to bring about a rapprochement between science (and scientists) and other civil society actors. The aim was to respond to social concerns about the various issues raised by science and to close the gap between scientific experts and society, especially during periods of crisis, when decisions that have a profound impact on society are taken on the basis of scientific findings. Other recent international organizations and initiatives have had similar objectives. At the same time, a wide range of sources of information and dissemination have emerged and developed in recent years, based on an extensive use of electronic tools and resources. While scientific information is becoming increasingly available, it has also paradoxically become increasingly subject to competition and criticism, and even 'manipulation'. A growing number of societal issues and challenges surrounding science have also emerged, and the capacity to share scientific expertise democratically and consensually has become an issue that transcends national boundaries.

  18. Ten major trends now emerging in the United States

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Naisbitt, J.

    1978-01-01

    Using a special analytical procedure for tracking and assessing events reported in the nation's newspapers, the Center for Policy Process has identified ten emerging trends in the United States that are having a major impact on all our lives and on all businesses and industries--and especially on the electric utility industry. Although the trends may move in contradictory directions and have different degrees of significance, all have been carefully monitored for a considerable length of time. All are firmly established--and are not to be viewed as the momentary interests of certain radical elements of the population. The ten trends are:more » the fast-emerging clash between nuclear fuel and coal as an environmental health issue; displacement of racism and sexism by ''ageism'' as society's most prominent anti-discrimination preoccupation, and the complete elimination soon of mandatory retirement; in government and technology, the phenomenon of ''appropriate scale'' replacing economies of scale, emergence of single-issue political organizations; coming-of-age of the recycling ethic; emergence of ''access to capital'' as the new equity issue--the new rights issue; continuing shift from centralization to decentralization; movement of society in the dual directions of high technology/high touch; business' increasing involvement with the well-established accountability trend; and shift from a representative democracy to a participatory democracy--this profound change in American democracy actually began about a decade or so ago.« less

  19. NCRP Program Area Committee 5: Environmental Radiation and Radioactive Waste Issues

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, S. Y.; Napier, Bruce

    Program Area Committee 5 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) focuses its activities on environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. Historically this Committee addressed emerging issues of the nation pertaining to radioactivity or radiation in the environment or radioactive waste issues due either to natural origins or to manmade activities. The Committee continues to identify such issues in the future.

  20. Emerging Workforce Trends and Issues Impacting the Virginia Community College System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Landon, Mary Greer

    2009-01-01

    The mission of the Virginia Community College workforce development leaders is to expand their training and development services to new and emerging high growth occupational areas in support of Virginia's economic growth and changing workforce needs in each of their regions. This research was designed to identify: high demand occupational skill…

  1. Emerging ethical issues in instructions to authors of high-impact biomedical journals

    PubMed Central

    Atlas, Michel C.

    2003-01-01

    Public interest in issues concerning the maintenance of high ethical standards in the conduct of scientific research and its publication has been increasing. Some of the developments in these issues as reflected in the publication of the medical literature are traced here. This paper attempts to determine whether public interest is reflected in the specific requirements for authors for manuscript preparation as stated in the “Instructions to Authors” for articles being prepared for submission to 124 “high- impact” journals. The instructions to authors of these journals were read on the Web for references to ethical standards or requirements. The ethical issues that the instructions most often covered were specifically related to the individual journal's publication requirements. The results suggest that while the editors and publishers of the biomedical literature are concerned with promoting and protecting the rights of the subjects of the experiments in the articles they publish, and while these concerns are not yet paramount, they are evolving and growing. PMID:14566375

  2. Novel vaccine strategies against emerging viruses

    PubMed Central

    García-Sastre, Adolfo; Mena, Ignacio

    2013-01-01

    One of the main public health concerns of emerging viruses is their potential introduction into and sustained circulation among populations of immunologically naïve, susceptible hosts. The induction of protective immunity through vaccination can be a powerful tool to prevent this concern by conferring protection to the population at risk. Conventional approaches to develop vaccines against emerging pathogens have significant limitations: lack of experimental tools for several emerging viruses of concern, poor immunogenicity, safety issues, or lack of cross-protection against antigenic variants. The unpredictability of the emergence of future virus threats demands the capability to rapidly develop safe, effective vaccines. We describe some recent advances in new vaccine strategies that are being explored as alternatives to classical attenuated and inactivated vaccines, and provide examples of potential novel vaccines for emerging viruses. These approaches might be applied to the control of many other emerging pathogens. PMID:23477832

  3. Recurring Issues Encountered by Distance Educators in Developing and Emerging Nations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wright, Clayton R.; Dhanarajan, Gajaraj; Reju, Sunday A.

    2009-01-01

    This article explores a number of challenges faced by e-learning or distance educators in developing and emerging countries, provides a context for many of the challenges, and outlines some measures devised to overcome them. These educators must determine a sound rationale for employing online learning, recognize that technology is only part of…

  4. Research Issues in Evaluating Learning Pattern Development in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richardson, John T. E.

    2013-01-01

    This article concludes the special issue of "Studies in Educational Evaluation" concerned with "Evaluating learning pattern development in higher education" by discussing research issues that have emerged from the previous contributions. The article considers in turn: stability versus variability in learning patterns; old versus new analytic…

  5. The Emergency Landing Planner Experiment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Meuleau, Nocolas F.; Neukom, Christian; Plaunt, Christian John; Smith, David E.; Smith, Tristan B.

    2011-01-01

    In previous work, we described an Emergency Landing Planner (ELP) designed to assist pilots in choosing the best emergency landing site when damage or failures occur in an aircraft. In this paper, we briefly describe the system, but focus on the integration of this system into the cockpit of a 6 DOF full-motion simulator and a study designed to evaluate the ELP. We discuss the results of this study, the lessons learned, and some of the issues involved in advancing this work further.

  6. Issues and Trends in Literacy Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robinson, Richard D., Ed.; And Others

    Developed with practicing teachers in mind, this book presents reprints of 22 articles and excerpts from longer works that deal with the most significant trends and issues facing literacy educators--whole language, phonics, literacy materials, emergent literacy, spelling, assessment, content literacy, vocabulary instruction, national standards,…

  7. Distributed virtual environment for emergency medical training

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stytz, Martin R.; Banks, Sheila B.; Garcia, Brian W.; Godsell-Stytz, Gayl M.

    1997-07-01

    In many professions where individuals must work in a team in a high stress environment to accomplish a time-critical task, individual and team performance can benefit from joint training using distributed virtual environments (DVEs). One professional field that lacks but needs a high-fidelity team training environment is the field of emergency medicine. Currently, emergency department (ED) medical personnel train by using words to create a metal picture of a situation for the physician and staff, who then cooperate to solve the problems portrayed by the word picture. The need in emergency medicine for realistic virtual team training is critical because ED staff typically encounter rarely occurring but life threatening situations only once in their careers and because ED teams currently have no realistic environment in which to practice their team skills. The resulting lack of experience and teamwork makes diagnosis and treatment more difficult. Virtual environment based training has the potential to redress these shortfalls. The objective of our research is to develop a state-of-the-art virtual environment for emergency medicine team training. The virtual emergency room (VER) allows ED physicians and medical staff to realistically prepare for emergency medical situations by performing triage, diagnosis, and treatment on virtual patients within an environment that provides them with the tools they require and the team environment they need to realistically perform these three tasks. There are several issues that must be addressed before this vision is realized. The key issues deal with distribution of computations; the doctor and staff interface to the virtual patient and ED equipment; the accurate simulation of individual patient organs' response to injury, medication, and treatment; and an accurate modeling of the symptoms and appearance of the patient while maintaining a real-time interaction capability. Our ongoing work addresses all of these issues. In this

  8. Emerging oomycete threats to plants and animals

    PubMed Central

    Chaparro-Garcia, Angela

    2016-01-01

    Oomycetes, or water moulds, are fungal-like organisms phylogenetically related to algae. They cause devastating diseases in both plants and animals. Here, we describe seven oomycete species that are emerging or re-emerging threats to agriculture, horticulture, aquaculture and natural ecosystems. They include the plant pathogens Phytophthora infestans, Phytophthora palmivora, Phytophthora ramorum, Plasmopara obducens, and the animal pathogens Aphanomyces invadans, Saprolegnia parasitica and Halioticida noduliformans. For each species, we describe its pathology, importance and impact, discuss why it is an emerging threat and briefly review current research activities. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’. PMID:28080985

  9. Computer Software Training and HRD: What Are the Critical Issues?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altemeyer, Brad

    2005-01-01

    The paper explores critical issues for HRD practice from a parsonian framework across the HRD legs of organizational development, adult learning, and training and development. Insights into the critical issues emerge from this approach. Identifying successful transfer of training to be critical for organizational, group, and individual success.…

  10. Issue of emergency hormonal contraception through a casualty department in a community hospital.

    PubMed

    Heard-Dimyan, J

    1999-10-01

    The results of this survey show that sexually active women seeking emergency hormonal contraception are finding that a casualty department in a community hospital offers convenience, confidentiality and accessibility above all else. There is a growing tendency for those registered with the local practice to prefer to come to the hospital for post-coital contraception, even though casualty nurses are not family planning qualified. This applies especially to the under twenties. More needs to be done in persuading patients that ongoing contraception should be addressed. To this end, if casualty departments are the preferred outlets in the rural communities, then nurses need further training. All providers of emergency contraception in rural areas need to be aware that offering such a service by well trained RGNs working to a protocol could reduce the incidence of unintended conceptions amongst teenagers. At the same time, every effort has to be made to increase awareness of the availability of emergency hormonal contraception by advertising the sources of contraceptive advice, which could soon include pharmacists.

  11. Availability and readability of emergency preparedness materials for deaf and hard-of-hearing and older adult populations: issues and assessments.

    PubMed

    Neuhauser, Linda; Ivey, Susan L; Huang, Debbie; Engelman, Alina; Tseng, Winston; Dahrouge, Donna; Gurung, Sidhanta; Kealey, Melissa

    2013-01-01

    A major public health challenge is to communicate effectively with vulnerable populations about preparing for disasters and other health emergencies. People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (Deaf/HH) and older adults are particularly vulnerable during health emergencies and require communications that are accessible and understandable. Although health literacy studies indicate that the readability of health communication materials often exceeds people's literacy levels, we could find no research about the readability of emergency preparedness materials (EPM) intended for Deaf/HH and older adult populations. The objective of this study was to explore issues related to EPM for Deaf/HH and older adult populations, to assess the availability and readability of materials for these populations, and to recommend improvements. In two California counties, we interviewed staff at 14 community-based organizations (CBOs) serving Deaf/HH clients and 20 CBOs serving older adults selected from a stratified, random sample of 227 CBOs. We collected 40 EPM from 10 CBOs and 2 public health departments and 40 EPM from 14 local and national websites with EPM for the public. We used computerized assessments to test the U.S. grade reading levels of the 16 eligible CBO and health department EPM, and the 18 eligible website materials. Results showed that less than half of CBOs had EPM for their clients. All EPM intended for clients of Deaf/HH-serving CBOs tested above the recommended 4(th) grade reading level, and 91% of the materials intended for clients of older adult-serving CBOs scored above the recommended 6(th) grade level. EPM for these populations should be widely available through CBOs and public health departments, adhere to health literacy principles, and be accessible in alternative formats including American Sign Language. Developers should engage the intended users of EPM as co-designers and testers. This study adds to the limited literature about EPM for these populations.

  12. Democracy Threatened: India's Emergency of 1975. A Classroom Simulation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rudin, Kelly Bryan

    In 1975, India's Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, declared a state of emergency, temporarily suspending the civil liberties of this country's citizens. This classroom simulation, designed for use in secondary school world history classes, examines the various issues surrounding this declaration of emergency and includes: (1) an introduction to the…

  13. Telehealth Systems: Considering Knowledge Management and ICT Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-10-25

    fully understood in order to fully exploit the social and economic benefits that are emerging as a result of telehealth [31]. Healthcare...become dynamic in nature). One of the big drawbacks of telemedicine is that most systems force the caregiver specialist to look at medical issues in...American Journal of Public Health, Vol: 90, Issue: 8, 2000, pp. 1322. [7] D. Feldman and T. Gainey, “Patterns of telecommuting and their

  14. Issues in Longitudinal Research on Motivation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stoel, Reinoud D.; Roeleveld, Jaap; Peetsma, Thea; van den Wittenboer, Godfried; Hox, Joop

    2006-01-01

    This paper discusses two methodological issues regarding the analysis of longitudinal data using structural equation modeling that emerged during the reconsideration of the analysis of a recent study on the relationship between academic motivation and language achievement in elementary education [Stoel R.D., Peetsma, T.T.D. and Roeleveld, J.…

  15. Transcultural group performance in extreme environment: Issues, concepts and emerging theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lapierre, Judith; Bouchard, Stéphane; Martin, Thibault; Perreault, Michel

    2009-06-01

    A simulation for flight of international crew on space station took place in Moscow from July 1999 to April 2000 (SFINCS) at the State Biomedical Institute of Russia (IBMP) isolation chambers. Objectives of this study were to identify concepts of psychosocial adaptation and of social interactions to develop an explanation of the transcultural group performance. Method: constructivist epistemology with grounded theory research and fourth generation evaluation were used. Data on processes and interactions were gathered during 110 days of confinement as a subject and extended to 240 days as an outside scientist. Results indicate that coping is influenced by usual coping strategies and coping behaviors inside. Several stresses and human factor issues were identified altering well being and performance inside the chambers. Enabling and limiting forces are discussed. A theory on transcultural group performance is proposed. Issues are raised that appear critical to selection, training and group performance.

  16. Early elective colostomy following spinal cord injury.

    PubMed

    Boucher, Michelle

    Elective colostomy is an accepted method of bowel management for patients who have had a spinal cord injury (SCI). Approximately 2.4% of patients with SCI have a colostomy, and traditionally it is performed as a last resort several years after injury, and only if bowel complications persist when all other methods have failed. This is despite evidence that patients find a colostomy easier to manage and frequently report wishing it had been performed earlier. It was noticed in the author's spinal unit that increasing numbers of patients were requesting colostomy formation during inpatient rehabilitation following SCI. No supporting literature was found for this; it appears to be an emerging and untested practice. This article explores colostomy formation as a method of bowel management in patients with SCI, considers the optimal time for colostomy formation after injury and examines issues for health professionals.

  17. 76 FR 44926 - Renewal of Declaration Regarding Emergency Use of Doxycycline Hyclate Tablets Accompanied by...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-07-27

    ... Emergency Use of Doxycycline Hyclate Tablets Accompanied by Emergency Use Information and Amendment To... hyclate tablets accompanied by emergency use information subject to the terms of any authorization issued... authorization of the emergency use of doxycycline hyclate tablets accompanied by emergency use information...

  18. 76 FR 13283 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Iran

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-10

    ... National Emergency With Respect to Iran On March 15, 1995, by Executive Order 12957, the President declared a national emergency with respect to Iran pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers... of Iran. On May 6, 1995, the President issued Executive Order 12959, imposing more comprehensive...

  19. Enhanced, Partially Redundant Emergency Notification System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pounds, Clark D.

    2005-01-01

    The Johnson Space Center Emergency Notification System (JENS) software utilizes pre-existing computation and communication infrastructure to augment a prior variable-tone, siren-based, outdoor alarm system, in order to enhance the ability to give notice of emergencies to employees working in multiple buildings. The JENS software includes a component that implements an administrative Web site. Administrators can grant and deny access to the administrative site and to an originator Web site that enables authorized individuals to quickly compose and issue alarms. The originator site also facilitates maintenance and review of alarms already issued. A custom client/server application program enables an originator to notify every user who is logged in on a Microsoft Windows-based desktop computer by means of a pop-up message that interrupts, but does not disrupt, the user s work. Alternatively or in addition, the originator can send an alarm message to recipients on an e-mail distribution list and/or can post the notice on an internal Web site. An alarm message can consist of (1) text describing the emergency and suggesting a course of action and (2) a replica of the corresponding audible outdoor alarm.

  20. Perspectives on National Health Insurance and Rehabilitation. Emerging Issues in Rehabilitation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dorken, Herbert; LaRocca, Joseph

    Major research findings are synthesized and innovations of current concern to vocational rehabilitation professionals are reported in this paper on national health insurance (NHI) and rehabilitation. Discussion covers the following topics: the concept of insurance, forms of health insurance, issues arising from hearings on NHI, perspectives of…

  1. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Iran

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Iran Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of March 12, 2013 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Iran On March 15, 1995, the President issued Executive Order 12957, which declared a national emergency with...

  2. Study of Integration Considerations for Wireless Emergency Alerts

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2014-02-01

    affect adoption. Section 4 presents a list of overall considerations for integrating a WEA messaging solution into an existing emergency management...in a product may negatively affect another de- sired quality. This section offers considerations for balancing an organization’s priorities con... affect what emergency management agencies can, should, and must do with respect to conducting exercises and issuing alerts. More information about

  3. State of emergency preparedness for US health insurance plans.

    PubMed

    Merchant, Raina M; Finne, Kristen; Lardy, Barbara; Veselovskiy, German; Korba, Caey; Margolis, Gregg S; Lurie, Nicole

    2015-01-01

    Health insurance plans serve a critical role in public health emergencies, yet little has been published about their collective emergency preparedness practices and policies. We evaluated, on a national scale, the state of health insurance plans' emergency preparedness and policies. A survey of health insurance plans. We queried members of America's Health Insurance Plans, the national trade association representing the health insurance industry, about issues related to emergency preparedness issues: infrastructure, adaptability, connectedness, and best practices. Of 137 health insurance plans queried, 63% responded, representing 190.6 million members and 81% of US plan enrollment. All respondents had emergency plans for business continuity, and most (85%) had infrastructure for emergency teams. Some health plans also have established benchmarks for preparedness (eg, response time). Regarding adaptability, 85% had protocols to extend claim filing time and 71% could temporarily suspend prior medical authorization rules. Regarding connectedness, many plans shared their contingency plans with health officials, but often cited challenges in identifying regulatory agency contacts. Some health insurance plans had specific policies for assisting individuals dependent on durable medical equipment or home healthcare. Many plans (60%) expressed interest in sharing best practices. Health insurance plans are prioritizing emergency preparedness. We identified 6 policy modifications that health insurance plans could undertake to potentially improve healthcare system preparedness: establishing metrics and benchmarks for emergency preparedness; identifying disaster-specific policy modifications, enhancing stakeholder connectedness, considering digital strategies to enhance communication, improving support and access for special-needs individuals, and developing regular forums for knowledge exchange about emergency preparedness.

  4. From Hippocrates to HIPAA: privacy and confidentiality in emergency medicine--Part II: Challenges in the emergency department.

    PubMed

    Moskop, John C; Marco, Catherine A; Larkin, Gregory Luke; Geiderman, Joel M; Derse, Arthur R

    2005-01-01

    Part I of this article reviewed the concepts of privacy and confidentiality and described the moral and legal foundations and limits of these values in health care. Part II highlights specific privacy and confidentiality issues encountered in the emergency department (ED). Discussed first are physical privacy issues in the ED, including problems of ED design and crowding, issues of patient and staff safety, the presence of visitors, law enforcement officers, students, and other observers, and filming activities. The article then examines confidentiality issues in the ED, including protecting medical records, the duty to warn, reportable conditions, telephone inquiries, media requests, communication among health care professionals, habitual patient files, the use of patient images, electronic communication, and information about minor patients.

  5. Updated posters to help manage medical emergencies in the dental practice.

    PubMed

    Jevon, P

    2015-09-11

    Medical emergencies can occur in the dental practice. Medical Emergencies in the Dental Practice and Emergency Drugs in the Dental Practice posters have been designed to help dental practitioners to respond effectively and safely to a medical emergency. These posters, endorsed by the British Dental Association, are included with this issue of the British Dental Journal. Further copies can be downloaded from: https://www.walsallhealthcare.nhs.uk/medical-education.aspx.

  6. Evolutionary ecology of virus emergence.

    PubMed

    Dennehy, John J

    2017-02-01

    The cross-species transmission of viruses into new host populations, termed virus emergence, is a significant issue in public health, agriculture, wildlife management, and related fields. Virus emergence requires overlap between host populations, alterations in virus genetics to permit infection of new hosts, and adaptation to novel hosts such that between-host transmission is sustainable, all of which are the purview of the fields of ecology and evolution. A firm understanding of the ecology of viruses and how they evolve is required for understanding how and why viruses emerge. In this paper, I address the evolutionary mechanisms of virus emergence and how they relate to virus ecology. I argue that, while virus acquisition of the ability to infect new hosts is not difficult, limited evolutionary trajectories to sustained virus between-host transmission and the combined effects of mutational meltdown, bottlenecking, demographic stochasticity, density dependence, and genetic erosion in ecological sinks limit most emergence events to dead-end spillover infections. Despite the relative rarity of pandemic emerging viruses, the potential of viruses to search evolutionary space and find means to spread epidemically and the consequences of pandemic viruses that do emerge necessitate sustained attention to virus research, surveillance, prophylaxis, and treatment. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

  7. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. May 2006

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-05-01

    include lead, mercury , cadmium and several other substances. [See Recycling Regulations in the EU in August 2005 and Two E-waste laws entered into... mercury and cadmium portable batteries may contain (Certain classes, such as those for emergency systems and handheld tools, are excepted.) The new...multiple-exciton generation in other semiconductors, including lead sulphide , lead telluride and cadmium selenide. What’s more, Klimov says his group

  8. Service delivery innovation for hospital emergency management using rich organizational modelling.

    PubMed

    Dhakal, Yogit; Bhuiyan, Moshiur; Prasad, Pwc; Krishna, Aneesh

    2018-04-01

    The purpose of this article is to identify and assess service delivery issues within a hospital emergency department and propose an improved model to address them. Possible solutions and options to these issues are explored to determine the one that best fits the context. In this article, we have analysed the emergency department's organizational models through i* strategic dependency and rational modelling technique before proposing updated models that could potentially drive business process efficiencies. The results produced by the models, framework and improved patient journey in the emergency department were evaluated against the statistical data revealed from a reputed government organization related to health, to ensure that the key elements of the issues such as wait time, stay time/throughput, workload and human resource are resolved. The result of the evaluation was taken as a basis to determine the success of the project. Based on these results, the article recommends implementing the concept on actual scenario, where a positive result is achievable.

  9. Ethnic Issues in Adolescent Mental Health.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stiffman, Arlene Rubin, Ed.; Davis, Larry E., Ed.

    The essays collected in this book examine the effects of ethnicity on the mental health of adolescents. A dual set of issues emerges throughout the volume: the importance of adolescent mental health in contributing to adult well-being, and the necessity of understanding ethnicity in studying and treating mental health problems. The book is divided…

  10. Leveraging Emerging Technology to Maintain Corporate Situational Awareness

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-06-01

    Abstract and Outline for 13th ICCRTS For the paper entitled: Leveraging Emerging Technology to Maintain Corporate ...Situational Awareness Topics: Topic 5. Organizational Issues Topic 4. Cognitive and Social Issues Topic: 2 Networks and Networking Mr. José...for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response , including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data

  11. Best practices in managing child and adolescent behavioral health emergencies.

    PubMed

    Feuer, Vera; Rocker, Joshua; Saggu, Babar M; Andrus, Jason M

    2018-01-01

    Behavioral health emergencies most commonly present as depression, suicidal behavior, aggression, and severe disorganization. Emergency clinicians should avoid relying solely on past medical history or previous psychiatric diagnoses that might prematurely rule out medical pathologies. Treatments for behavioral health emergencies consist of de-escalation interventions aimed at preventing agitation, aggression, and harm. This issue reviews medical pathologies and underlying causes that can result in psychiatric presentations and summarizes evidence-based practices to evaluate, manage, and refer patients with behavioral health emergencies.

  12. Key scientific issues in developing drinking water guidelines for perfluoroalkyl acids: Contaminants of emerging concern.

    PubMed

    Post, Gloria B; Gleason, Jessie A; Cooper, Keith R

    2017-12-01

    Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a group of synthetic organic chemicals with industrial and commercial uses, are of current concern because of increasing awareness of their presence in drinking water and their potential to cause adverse health effects. PFAAs are distinctive among persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) contaminants because they are water soluble and do not break down in the environment. This commentary discusses scientific and risk assessment issues that impact the development of drinking water guidelines for PFAAs, including choice of toxicological endpoints, uncertainty factors, and exposure assumptions used as their basis. In experimental animals, PFAAs cause toxicity to the liver, the immune, endocrine, and male reproductive systems, and the developing fetus and neonate. Low-dose effects include persistent delays in mammary gland development (perfluorooctanoic acid; PFOA) and suppression of immune response (perfluorooctane sulfonate; PFOS). In humans, even general population level exposures to some PFAAs are associated with health effects such as increased serum lipids and liver enzymes, decreased vaccine response, and decreased birth weight. Ongoing exposures to even relatively low drinking water concentrations of long-chain PFAAs substantially increase human body burdens, which remain elevated for many years after exposure ends. Notably, infants are a sensitive subpopulation for PFAA's developmental effects and receive higher exposures than adults from the same drinking water source. This information, as well as emerging data from future studies, should be considered in the development of health-protective and scientifically sound guidelines for PFAAs in drinking water.

  13. Key scientific issues in developing drinking water guidelines for perfluoroalkyl acids: Contaminants of emerging concern

    PubMed Central

    Gleason, Jessie A.; Cooper, Keith R.

    2017-01-01

    Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), a group of synthetic organic chemicals with industrial and commercial uses, are of current concern because of increasing awareness of their presence in drinking water and their potential to cause adverse health effects. PFAAs are distinctive among persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) contaminants because they are water soluble and do not break down in the environment. This commentary discusses scientific and risk assessment issues that impact the development of drinking water guidelines for PFAAs, including choice of toxicological endpoints, uncertainty factors, and exposure assumptions used as their basis. In experimental animals, PFAAs cause toxicity to the liver, the immune, endocrine, and male reproductive systems, and the developing fetus and neonate. Low-dose effects include persistent delays in mammary gland development (perfluorooctanoic acid; PFOA) and suppression of immune response (perfluorooctane sulfonate; PFOS). In humans, even general population level exposures to some PFAAs are associated with health effects such as increased serum lipids and liver enzymes, decreased vaccine response, and decreased birth weight. Ongoing exposures to even relatively low drinking water concentrations of long-chain PFAAs substantially increase human body burdens, which remain elevated for many years after exposure ends. Notably, infants are a sensitive subpopulation for PFAA’s developmental effects and receive higher exposures than adults from the same drinking water source. This information, as well as emerging data from future studies, should be considered in the development of health-protective and scientifically sound guidelines for PFAAs in drinking water. PMID:29261653

  14. The Challenge of Aviation Emergency and Abnormal Situations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burian, Barbara K.; Barshi, Immanuel; Dismukes, Key

    2005-01-01

    Emergency and abnormal situations occur on flights everyday around the world. They range from minor situations readily managed to extremely serious and highly time-critical situations that deeply challenge the skills of even the most effective crews. How well crews respond to these situations is a function of several interacting sets of issues: (1) the design of non-normal procedures and checklists, (2) design of aircraft systems and automation, (3) specific aspects of the non-normal situation, such as time criticality and complexity of the situation, (4) human performance capabilities and cognitive limitations under high workload and stress, (5) design of training for non-normal situations, (6) philosophies, policies and practices within the industry, and (7) economic and regulatory constraints. Researchers and pilots working on NASA's Emergency and Abnormal Situations project are addressing these issues in a long-range study. In this paper we discuss these issues and illustrate them with examples from recent incidents and accidents.

  15. 78 FR 16395 - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Iran

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-03-14

    ...--Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Iran #0; #0; #0; Presidential Documents #0; #0; #0;#0... With Respect to Iran On March 15, 1995, the President issued Executive Order 12957, which declared a national emergency with respect to Iran and, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act...

  16. Recommendations from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Taskforce on women in academic emergency medicine.

    PubMed

    Kuhn, Gloria J; Abbuhl, Stephanie B; Clem, Kathleen J

    2008-08-01

    The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) convened a taskforce to study issues pertaining to women in academic emergency medicine (EM). The charge to the Taskforce was to "Create a document for the SAEM Board of Directors that defines and describes the unique recruitment, retention, and advancement needs for women in academic emergency medicine." To this end, the Taskforce and authors reviewed the literature to highlight key data points in understanding this issue and made recommendations for individuals at four levels of leadership and accountability: leadership of national EM organizations, medical school deans, department chairs, and individual women faculty members. The broad range of individuals targeted for recommendations reflects the interdependent and shared responsibility required to address changes in the culture of academic EM. The following method was used to determine the recommendations: 1) Taskforce members discussed career barriers and potential solutions that could improve the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in academic EM; 2) the authors reviewed recommendations in the literature by national consensus groups and experts in the field to validate the recommendations of Taskforce members and the authors; and 3) final recommendations were sent to all Taskforce members to obtain and incorporate additional comments and ensure a consensus. This article contains those recommendations and cites the relevant literature addressing this topic.

  17. LEPCs and Deliberate Releases: Addressing Terrorist Activities in the Local Emergency Plan

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This fact sheet discusses how local emergency planning committees (LEPCs) can incorporate counter-terrorism issues when they review and update their local plans. Builds on the National Response Team's Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning Guide.

  18. A review of ethical issues in dementia.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Rebecca A; Karlawish, Jason

    2015-10-01

    Dementia raises many ethical issues. The present review, taking note of the fact that the stages of dementia raise distinct ethical issues, focuses on three issues associated with stages of dementia's progression: (1) how the emergence of preclinical and asymptomatic but at-risk categories for dementia creates complex questions about preventive measures, risk disclosure, and protection from stigma and discrimination; (2) how despite efforts at dementia prevention, important research continues to investigate ways to alleviate clinical dementia's symptoms, and requires additional human subjects protections to ethically enroll persons with dementia; and (3) how in spite of research and prevention efforts, persons continue to need to live with dementia. This review highlights two major themes. First is how expanding the boundaries of dementias such as Alzheimer's to include asymptomatic but at-risk persons generate new ethical questions. One promising way to address these questions is to take an integrated approach to dementia ethics, which can include incorporating ethics-related data collection into the design of a dementia research study itself. Second is the interdisciplinary nature of ethical questions related to dementia, from health policy questions about insurance coverage for long-term care to political questions about voting, driving, and other civic rights and privileges to economic questions about balancing an employer's right to a safe and productive workforce with an employee's rights to avoid discrimination on the basis of their dementia risk. The review highlights these themes and emerging ethical issues in dementia.

  19. Nationwide Survey of Local Emergency Planning Committees

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    These 2008 and 1999 surveys track the progress of LEPCs by assessing their current activity; and probe current practices and preferences regarding issues such as communication, accident prevention, and Office of Emergency Management products and services.

  20. 40 CFR 270.61 - Emergency permits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ....61 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) EPA ADMINISTERED PERMIT PROGRAMS: THE HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMIT PROGRAM Special Forms of Permits § 270.61 Emergency... an imminent and substantial endangerment to human health or the environment the Director may issue a...

  1. 40 CFR 270.61 - Emergency permits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ....61 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) EPA ADMINISTERED PERMIT PROGRAMS: THE HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMIT PROGRAM Special Forms of Permits § 270.61 Emergency... an imminent and substantial endangerment to human health or the environment the Director may issue a...

  2. 40 CFR 270.61 - Emergency permits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ....61 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) EPA ADMINISTERED PERMIT PROGRAMS: THE HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMIT PROGRAM Special Forms of Permits § 270.61 Emergency... an imminent and substantial endangerment to human health or the environment the Director may issue a...

  3. Data issues in the life sciences.

    PubMed

    Thessen, Anne E; Patterson, David J

    2011-01-01

    We review technical and sociological issues facing the Life Sciences as they transform into more data-centric disciplines - the "Big New Biology". Three major challenges are: 1) lack of comprehensive standards; 2) lack of incentives for individual scientists to share data; 3) lack of appropriate infrastructure and support. Technological advances with standards, bandwidth, distributed computing, exemplar successes, and a strong presence in the emerging world of Linked Open Data are sufficient to conclude that technical issues will be overcome in the foreseeable future. While motivated to have a shared open infrastructure and data pool, and pressured by funding agencies in move in this direction, the sociological issues determine progress. Major sociological issues include our lack of understanding of the heterogeneous data cultures within Life Sciences, and the impediments to progress include a lack of incentives to build appropriate infrastructures into projects and institutions or to encourage scientists to make data openly available.

  4. Data issues in the life sciences

    PubMed Central

    Thessen, Anne E.; Patterson, David J.

    2011-01-01

    Abstract We review technical and sociological issues facing the Life Sciences as they transform into more data-centric disciplines - the “Big New Biology”. Three major challenges are: 1) lack of comprehensive standards; 2) lack of incentives for individual scientists to share data; 3) lack of appropriate infrastructure and support. Technological advances with standards, bandwidth, distributed computing, exemplar successes, and a strong presence in the emerging world of Linked Open Data are sufficient to conclude that technical issues will be overcome in the foreseeable future. While motivated to have a shared open infrastructure and data pool, and pressured by funding agencies in move in this direction, the sociological issues determine progress. Major sociological issues include our lack of understanding of the heterogeneous data cultures within Life Sciences, and the impediments to progress include a lack of incentives to build appropriate infrastructures into projects and institutions or to encourage scientists to make data openly available. PMID:22207805

  5. Sick notes, general practitioners, emergency departments and fracture clinics

    PubMed Central

    Walker, C A; Gregori, A; O'Connor, P; Jaques, K; Joseph, R

    2007-01-01

    Background General practitioner waiting times are increasing. The two national surveys regarding general practice showed that the number of patients waiting for ⩾2 days for an appointment rose from 63% to 72% between 1998 and 2002, with 25% waiting for ⩾4 days. The Department of Health recognised that many patients discharged from hospitals and outpatient clinics required to visit their general practitioner for the sole purpose of obtaining a sick note. The report entitled Making a difference: reducing general practitioner paperwork estimated that 518 000 appointments (and 42 000 GP h) could be saved by ensuring that these patients were issued with a sick note directly from hospital rather than being referred to their general practitioner. This practice was to be adopted from July 2001 and included patients discharged from wards as well as those seen in outpatient departments. Method 50 emergency departments and fracture clinics in Scotland and England were contacted to assess whether these guidelines had been adopted. Only hospitals with both accident and emergency and fracture clinics were included; nurse‐led and paediatric departments were excluded. Results Of the 25 Scottish emergency hospitals contacted, 4 (16%) accident and emergency departments and 8 (32%) fracture clinics issued sick notes. This was compared with 5 of 25 (20%) accident and emergency departments and 12 of 25 (48%) fracture clinics in England. Four Scottish and five English accident and emergency departments stated that it was policy to give sick notes, three Scottish and four English departments said that it was policy not to give them and the rest (72% in Scotland and 64% in England) stated that they had no clear policy but “just don't give them”. Conclusion The 2001 guidance from the joint Cabinet Office/Department of Health has not been fully incorporated into standard practice in Scotland and England. If all emergency departments and fracture clinics were to issue

  6. Emerging Contaminants and Federal Facility Contaminants of Concern

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    This page links to fact sheets summarizing contaminants of concern and emerging contaminants that present unique issues and challenges to the environmental community in general and to FFRRO in particular.

  7. 77 FR 34129 - Heavy-Duty Highway Program: Revisions for Emergency Vehicles

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-08

    ... diesel vehicles, including emergency vehicles. Some control system designs and implementation strategies... broad engine families and vehicle test groups that are defined by similar emissions and performance... public safety issue related to design of engines and emission control systems on emergency vehicles that...

  8. Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-04-07

    resources and to address socioeconomic impacts of changing patterns in the use of natural resources. Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for...also increasingly being viewed by some observers as a potential emerging security issue. In varying degrees, the Arctic coastal states have...by the term. Policy discussions of the Arctic can employ varying definitions of the region, and readers should bear in mind that the definition used

  9. New trends in emerging pathogens.

    PubMed

    Skovgaard, Niels

    2007-12-15

    The emergence of pathogens is the result of a number of impact in all parts of the food chain. The emerging technologies in food production explain how new pathogens can establish themselves in the food chain and compromise food safety. The impact of the food technology is analysed for several bacteria, such as Yersinia, Campylobacter, Arcobacter, Helicobacter pullorum, Enterobacter sakazakii, Mycobacterium avium spp. paratuberculosis, prions related to vCJD and others. The importance of the ability of many microbes to form VBNC forms is elaborated on. Research on culture independent methods may address this outstanding issue to the better understanding of emerging pathogens. The "demerging" of pathogens also occur, and examples of this are explained. The reaction of bacteria to stresses and sublethal treatments, and how exposure to one stress factor can confer resistance to other stresses, literally speaking causing contagious resistance, are explained. The implication of this e.g. in modern approaches of food preservation, such as Minimally processed Foods, is considerable. Intestinal colonization of EHEC may be regulated by Quorum sensing, and this ability of microbes plays an important role in the colonization of microbes in food and on food processing equipment, an important factor in the emergence of pathogens. The emergence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as an opportunistic human pathogen, used for centuries for food and production of alcoholic beverages, calls for research in molecular tools to distinguish between probiotic and clinical strains. Cyclospora cayetanensis and Norovirus outbreaks can no longer be designated as emerging pathogens, they share however one characteristic in the epidemiology of emerging nature, the importance of the hygiene in the primary production stage, including supply of potable water, and the application of GMP and the HACCP principles in the beginning of the food chain. Hepatitis E virus is a potential emerging food borne

  10. Emerging photovoltaic technologies: Environmental and health issues update

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fthenakis, Vasilis M.; Moskowitz, Paul D.

    1997-02-01

    New photovoltaic (PV) technologies promise low-cost, reliable PV modules and have the potential for significant PV penetration into the energy market. These prospects for commercialization have attracted renewed interest in the advantageous environmental impact of using PV and also in the potential environmental, health and safety (EHS) burdens in PV manufacturing and decommissioning. In this paper, we highlight recent studies on EHS issues: a) An integrated energy-environmental-economic analysis which shows that large-scale use of PV can significantly contribute to alleviating the greenhouse effect; in the United States alone, it could displace 450 million tons of carbon emissions by the year 2030, b) Recycling of the spent modules and scarp is economically feasible; current research centers on improving the efficiency and economics of recycling CdTe and CIS modules, c) Toxicological studies conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) compared the acute toxicity of CdTe, CIS, and CGS; CdTe was the most toxic, and CGS the least toxic of the three. Additional studies are now comparing the systemic toxicity of these compounds with the toxicity of their precursors.

  11. 15 CFR 922.44 - Emergency regulations.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... MANAGEMENT NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY PROGRAM REGULATIONS Regulations of General Applicability § 922.44... Sanctuary resource or quality, or minimize the imminent risk of such destruction, loss, or injury, any and..., respectively, for the authority to issue emergency regulations with respect to those sanctuaries. [65 FR 39055...

  12. Research on the cognitively impaired: lessons and warnings from the emergency research debate.

    PubMed

    Karlawish, J H; Sachs, G A

    1997-04-01

    To demonstrate that the recent events in emergency research have broad implications for the conduct of human subjects research with the cognitively impaired. This essay illustrates the similarities between the two kinds of research and suggests how understanding these similarities might help to resolve issues in human subjects research on the cognitively impaired. A review of pertinent journal articles, books, regulations, and court cases. The emergency research controversy resulted in large part because of conflicting interpretations of arguably inadequate research regulations. The proposed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations include advance informed consent, a broad role for family in approving a subject's participation, replacement of a threshold of permissible risk, called minimal risk, with a more sensible balancing of risks and benefits, and a role for the community in research approval. The current state of research on the cognitively impaired suggests that many of the same problems exist now that existed in emergency research before the FDA issued its proposed regulations. The ongoing case of T.D. et al. vs N.Y. State Office of Mental Health suggest that unless steps are taken similar to those taken in emergency research, much of clinical research on the cognitively impaired could cease. Representatives of the government, medicine, and the public must recognize the unresolved issues and inadequate regulations relating to research on the cognitively impaired. The proposed FDA regulations for emergency research may provide guidance for a settlement of these issues.

  13. Public Policy Issues Surrounding Online University Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holmes, Georgia L.

    2008-01-01

    With the maturation of the internet more and more colleges and universities are offering online courses. As these courses enter the mainstream, public policy issues are beginning to emerge. Many of these involve the tension between the "work for hire" doctrine and academic freedom that occurs when educational institutions offer these…

  14. Antecedents and precipitants of patient-related violence in the emergency department: Results from the Australian VENT Study (Violence in Emergency Nursing and Triage).

    PubMed

    Pich, Jacqueline V; Kable, Ashley; Hazelton, Mike

    2017-08-01

    Workplace violence is one of the most significant and hazardous issues faced by nurses globally. It is a potentially life-threatening and life-affecting workplace hazard often downplayed as just "part of the job" for nurses. A cross-sectional design was used and data were collected using a purpose developed survey tool. Surveys were distributed to all members of the College of Emergency Nurses' Australasia (CENA) in 2010 and 537 eligible responses were received (RR=51%). Patient-related violence was reported by 87% of nurses in the last six months. Precipitants and antecedents for episodes of violence were reported in three categories: nurse-related; patient-related and emergency-department specific factors. Triaging was identified as the highest risk nursing activity, and the triage area identified as the highest risk location in the department. Patients who presented with alcohol intoxication, substance misuse or mental health issues were identified as the groups at greatest risk for potential violence. Patient-related violence was reported by the majority of emergency nurses surveyed. A number of precipitants and antecedents perceived to be risk factors by participants were found to be significant and are unavoidable in the working lives of emergency department nurses. Copyright © 2017 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Best practices in managing child and adolescent behavioral health emergencies [digest].

    PubMed

    Feuer, Vera; Rocker, Joshua; Saggu, Babar M; Andrus, Jason M; Wormley, Molly

    2018-01-22

    Behavioral health emergencies most commonly present as depression, suicidal behavior, aggression, and severe disorganization. Emergency clinicians should avoid relying solely on past medical history or previous psychiatric diagnoses that might prematurely rule out medical pathologies. Treatments for behavioral health emergencies consist of de-escalation interventions aimed at preventing agitation, aggression, and harm. This issue reviews medical pathologies and underlying causes that can result in psychiatric presentations and summarizes evidence-based practices to evaluate, manage, and refer patients with behavioral health emergencies. [Points & Pearls is a digest of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Practice].

  16. Availability and Readability of Emergency Preparedness Materials for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and Older Adult Populations: Issues and Assessments

    PubMed Central

    Neuhauser, Linda; Ivey, Susan L.; Huang, Debbie; Engelman, Alina; Tseng, Winston; Dahrouge, Donna; Gurung, Sidhanta; Kealey, Melissa

    2013-01-01

    A major public health challenge is to communicate effectively with vulnerable populations about preparing for disasters and other health emergencies. People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (Deaf/HH) and older adults are particularly vulnerable during health emergencies and require communications that are accessible and understandable. Although health literacy studies indicate that the readability of health communication materials often exceeds people’s literacy levels, we could find no research about the readability of emergency preparedness materials (EPM) intended for Deaf/HH and older adult populations. The objective of this study was to explore issues related to EPM for Deaf/HH and older adult populations, to assess the availability and readability of materials for these populations, and to recommend improvements. In two California counties, we interviewed staff at 14 community-based organizations (CBOs) serving Deaf/HH clients and 20 CBOs serving older adults selected from a stratified, random sample of 227 CBOs. We collected 40 EPM from 10 CBOs and 2 public health departments and 40 EPM from 14 local and national websites with EPM for the public. We used computerized assessments to test the U.S. grade reading levels of the 16 eligible CBO and health department EPM, and the 18 eligible website materials. Results showed that less than half of CBOs had EPM for their clients. All EPM intended for clients of Deaf/HH-serving CBOs tested above the recommended 4th grade reading level, and 91% of the materials intended for clients of older adult-serving CBOs scored above the recommended 6th grade level. EPM for these populations should be widely available through CBOs and public health departments, adhere to health literacy principles, and be accessible in alternative formats including American Sign Language. Developers should engage the intended users of EPM as co-designers and testers. This study adds to the limited literature about EPM for these populations. PMID

  17. Climate change and food safety: an emerging issue with special focus on Europe.

    PubMed

    Miraglia, M; Marvin, H J P; Kleter, G A; Battilani, P; Brera, C; Coni, E; Cubadda, F; Croci, L; De Santis, B; Dekkers, S; Filippi, L; Hutjes, R W A; Noordam, M Y; Pisante, M; Piva, G; Prandini, A; Toti, L; van den Born, G J; Vespermann, A

    2009-05-01

    According to general consensus, the global climate is changing, which may also affect agricultural and livestock production. The potential impact of climate change on food security is a widely debated and investigated issue. Nonetheless, the specific impact on safety of food and feed for consumers has remained a less studied topic. This review therefore identifies the various food safety issues that are likely to be affected by changes in climate, particularly in Europe. Amongst the issues identified are mycotoxins formed on plant products in the field or during storage; residues of pesticides in plant products affected by changes in pest pressure; trace elements and/or heavy metals in plant products depending on changes in their abundance and availability in soils; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in foods following changes in long-range atmospheric transport and deposition into the environment; marine biotoxins in seafood following production of phycotoxins by harmful algal blooms; and the presence of pathogenic bacteria in foods following more frequent extreme weather conditions, such as flooding and heat waves. Research topics that are amenable to further research are highlighted.

  18. Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience.

    PubMed

    Fisher, Matthew C; Gow, Neil A R; Gurr, Sarah J

    2016-12-05

    Emerging infections caused by fungi have become a widely recognized global phenomenon. Their notoriety stems from their causing plagues and famines, driving species extinctions, and the difficulty in treating human mycoses alongside the increase of their resistance to antifungal drugs. This special issue comprises a collection of articles resulting from a Royal Society discussion meeting examining why pathogenic fungi are causing more disease now than they did in the past, and how we can tackle this rapidly emerging threat to the health of plants and animals worldwide.This article is part of the themed issue 'Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience'. © 2016 The Author(s).

  19. Doing Windows: Non-Traditional Military Responses to Complex Emergencies

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-09-01

    achieving civil stability and durable peace in states embroiled in complex emergencies. A complex emergency is one which draws every sector of society ...a stable, civil society ? The project involved three distinct phases. First, we conducted an extensive literature review to frame the issues used in...Pursue sustainable security through prevention, mitigation, and preparedness Integrate existing capacities of all elements of society

  20. Ethical Issues in Neurogenetics

    PubMed Central

    Uhlmann, Wendy R.; Roberts, J. Scott

    2018-01-01

    Many neurogenetic conditions are inherited and therefore diagnosis of a patient will have implications for their relatives and can raise ethical issues. Predictive genetic testing offers asymptomatic relatives the opportunity to determine their risk status for a neurogenetic condition, and professional guidelines emphasize patients’ autonomy and informed, voluntary decision-making. Beneficence and non-maleficence both need to be considered when making decisions about disclosure and nondisclosure of genetic information and test results. There can be disclosure concerns and issues of determining whose autonomy to prioritize when a patient makes a genetic testing decision that can reveal the genetic status of a relative (e.g. testing an adult child when the at-risk parent has not been tested). Ethical issues are prominent when genetic testing for neurogenetic conditions is requested prenatally, on minors, adoptees, adult children at 25% risk, and for individuals with psychiatric issues or cognitive impairment. Neurogenetic conditions can result in cognitive decline which can affect decisional capacity and lead to ethical challenges with decision-making, informed consent and determining the patient’s ability to comprehend test results. The ethical implications of genetic testing and emerging issues, including direct-to-consumer genetic testing, disclosure of secondary findings from genomic sequencing, and use of APOE testing in clinical and research settings, are also discussed. Resources for information about genetic testing practice guidelines, insurance laws and directories of genetics clinics are included. PMID:29325614

  1. Handling an Emergency: A Defining Moment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Polansky, Harvey B.; Montague, Richard

    2001-01-01

    Following a fire and a costly PCB cleanup at a Connecticut high school, the administrative staff learned valuable lessons. Districts must have an emergency management plan, provide accurate information, pursue alliances with media and agencies, issue daily press releases, develop a phone chain, and share the spotlight. (MLH)

  2. Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-10-15

    resources and to address socioeconomic impacts of changing patterns in the use of natural resources. Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for...by some observers as a potential emerging security issue. In varying degrees, the Arctic coastal states have indicated a willingness to establish and...varying definitions of the region, and readers should bear in mind that the definition used in one discussion may differ from that used in another. This

  3. Moral Sensitivity and Its Contribution to the Resolution of Socio-Scientific Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sadler, Troy

    2004-01-01

    This study explores models of how people perceive moral aspects of socio-scientific issues. Thirty college students participated in interviews during which they discussed their reactions to and resolutions of two genetic engineering issues. The interview data were analyzed qualitatively to produce an emergent taxonomy of moral concerns recognized…

  4. The role of socioscientific issues in biology teaching: from the perspective of teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tidemand, Sofie; Nielsen, Jan Alexis

    2017-01-01

    Previous research has documented that students who engage with socioscientific issues can acquire some of the complex competences and skills typically related to scientific literacy. But an emerging field of research on science teachers' understanding and use of socioscientific issues, has documented that a range of challenges hinders the uptake of socioscientific issues. In this study, we investigated the interpretation and implementation of socioscientific issues among Danish biology teachers. We conducted five in-depth group interviews and validated the emergent themes from the teachers' talk-in-interaction by distributing a questionnaire. Our findings suggest that the participating teachers generally harbour a content-centred interpretation of socioscientific issues which manifests itself in at least three separate ways. First, the teachers generally use socioscientific issues as a vehicle to teach factual biological content. Second, the teachers emphasised mastery of factual content in their assessment. Third, the teachers tended to reduce socioscientific issues to specific biological contents in a way may preclude students from engaging with the real socioscientific issue. Our findings are particularly significant for science educators, policy-makers and curriculum designers, as we argue that key aspects of this content-centred interpretation may be a coping strategy used to navigate a divided curriculum.

  5. Emerging issues with mentally ill offenders: causes and social consequences.

    PubMed

    Rock, M

    2001-01-01

    Persons with mental illness and co-occurring substance abuse disorders are incarcerated at disproportionately high rates in comparison to the general population. Reasons may include high standards for involuntary commitment, an overall increase in substance abuse and the policy of deinstitutionalization. However, one significant reason may be that psychiatric institutions serve a social control function, which has not been appreciated by policymakers and program developers since deinstitutionalization. This paper presents provider views of the population and issues of concern for clients, families, and the agencies. Discussion includes service-provider response to the population, new program models, and implications for policymakers.

  6. Employee assistance programs: an employer's guide to emerging liability issues.

    PubMed

    Parliman, G C; Edwards, E L

    1992-01-01

    Increasing numbers of employers are implementing employee assistance programs (EAPs) designed to assist employees with personal issues that affect their work performance. Studies show that EAPs can dramatically increase employee productivity, but the benefits from EAPs have been accompanied by a less welcome development: lawsuits filed against employers by employees who allege that they suffered harm in the course of obtaining services through their employers' EAPs. Although the potential for liability will always exist, the employer that adheres to certain guidelines will be able to minimize its risk and make its EAP well worth the investment.

  7. Issues in Measuring and Improving Health Care Quality

    PubMed Central

    Friedman, Maria A.

    1995-01-01

    This issue of the Health Care Financing Review focuses on issues and advances in measuring and improving the quality of care, particularly for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Discussions of quality-related topics are especially timely, given the growing and widespread interest in improving quality in the organization, financing, and delivery of health care services. This article has several purposes. The first is to provide a brief description of some of the causes underlying the growth of the health care quality movement; the second is to provide a contextual framework for discussion of some of the overarching themes that emerge in this issue. These themes include examining conceptual issues, developing quality measures for specific sites and populations, and creating or adapting data sets for quality-measurement purposes. PMID:10151882

  8. Toward Ubiquitous Communication Platform for Emergency Medical Care

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishibashi, Kenichi; Morishima, Naoto; Kanbara, Masayuki; Sunahara, Hideki; Imanishi, Masami

    Interaction between emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and doctors is essential in emergency medical care. Doctors require diverse information related to a patient to provide efficient aid. In 2005, we started the Ikoma119 project and have developed a ubiquitous communication platform for emergency medical care called Mobile ER. Our platform, which is based on wireless internet technology, has such desirable properties as low-cost, location-independent service, and ease of service introduction. We provide an overview of our platform and describe the services that we have developed. We also discuss the remaining issues to realize our platform's actual operation.

  9. Complexities of emergency communication: clinicians' perceptions of communication challenges in a trilingual emergency department.

    PubMed

    Pun, Jack Kh; Chan, Engle Angela; Murray, Kristen A; Slade, Diana; Matthiessen, Christian Mim

    2017-11-01

    To understand the challenges that clinicians face in communicating with patients and other clinicians within a Hong Kong trilingual emergency department. Effective communication has long been recognised as fundamental to the delivery of quality health care, especially in high-risk and time-constrained environments such as emergency departments. The issue of effective communication is particularly relevant in Hong Kong emergency departments, due to the high volume of patients and the linguistic complexity of this healthcare context. In Hong Kong, emergency department clinicians are native speakers of Chinese, but have received their medical training in English. The clinicians read and record virtually all of their medical documentation in English, yet they communicate verbally with patients in Cantonese and Mandarin. In addition, communication between clinicians occurs in spoken Cantonese, mixed with medical English. Thus, medical information is translated numerous times within one patient journey. This complex linguistic environment creates the potential for miscommunication. A mixed-methods design consisting of a quantitative survey with a sequential qualitative interview. Data were collected in a survey from a purposive sample of 58 clinicians and analysed through descriptive statistics. Eighteen of the clinicians were then invited to take part in semi-structured interviews, the data from which were then subjected to a manifest content analysis. Nearly half of the clinicians surveyed believed that medical information may be omitted or altered through repeated translation in a trilingual emergency department. Eighty-three per cent of clinicians stated that there are communication problems at triage. Over 40% said that they have difficulties in documenting medical information. Around 50% believed that long work hours reduced their ability to communicate effectively with patients. In addition, 34% admitted that they rarely or never listen to patients during a

  10. Assessment of Emerging Networks to Support Future NASA Space Operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Younes, Badri; Chang, Susan; Berman, Ted; Burns, Mark; LaFontaine, Richard; Lease, Robert

    1998-01-01

    Various issues associated with assessing emerging networks to support future NASA space operations are presented in viewgraph form. Specific topics include: 1) Emerging commercial satellite systems; 2) NASA LEO satellite support through commercial systems; 3) Communications coverage, user terminal assessment and regulatory assessment; 4) NASA LEO missions overview; and 5) Simulation assumptions and results.

  11. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: Emerging Issues for Colleges and Universities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rothstein, Laura F.

    1986-01-01

    Issues relating to handicapped students on college campuses include: who is handicapped; standardized tests and students with health impairments; and reasonable accommodations for students (including readers and interpreters, and students with AIDS, alcohol or drug addiction, or emotional problems). (Author/MLW)

  12. Assessment and Management of Bullied Children in the Emergency Department

    PubMed Central

    Waseem, Muhammad; Ryan, Mary; Foster, Carla Boutin; Peterson, Janey

    2015-01-01

    Bullying is an important public health issue in the United States. Up to 30% of children report exposure to such victimization. Not only does it hurt bully victim, but it also negatively impacts the bully, other children, parents, school staff, and health care providers. Because bullying often presents with accompanying serious emotional and behavioral symptoms, there has been an increase in psychiatric referrals to emergency departments. Emergency physicians may be the first responders in the health care system for bullying episodes. Victims of bullying may present with nonspecific symptoms and be reluctant to disclose being victimized, contributing to the underdiagnosis and underreporting of bully victimization. Emergency physicians therefore need to have heightened awareness of physical and psychosocial symptoms related to bullying. They should rapidly screen for bullying, assess for injuries and acute psychiatric issues that require immediate attention, and provide appropriate referrals such as psychiatry and social services. This review defines bullying, examines its presentations and epidemiology, and provides recommendations for the assessment and evaluation of victims of bullying in the emergency department. PMID:23462401

  13. Emerging technologies in healthcare: navigating risks, evaluating rewards.

    PubMed

    McGrady, Elizabeth; Conger, Sue; Blanke, Sandra; Landry, Brett J L

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this prescriptive research is to help decision makers become better informed about three technologies emerging in the healthcare arena by providing a basic description of the technology and describing their current applications, future healthcare deployment, potential risks, and related managerial issues. Two of the technologies, radio frequency identification (RFID) and global positioning systems (GPS), are currently available to healthcare organizations and appear capable of decreasing cost but may require significant initial investment and have disruptive potential. The third technology, nanotechnology, has limited current use but may revolutionize both the delivery of medicine and hospital infrastructure management. With cautious attention to managerial issues and meticulous attention to implementation details, healthcare organizations that can successfully navigate the coming technologically driven paradigm shifts will emerge more resilient organizations.

  14. 76 FR 72431 - Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-23

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID FEMA-2008-0022... Preparedness Program Manual AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is issuing two final guidance documents...

  15. Are Australians concerned about nanoparticles? A comparative analysis with established and emerging environmental health issues.

    PubMed

    Capon, Adam; Rolfe, Margaret; Gillespie, James; Smith, Wayne

    2015-02-01

    Introducing new technologies into society raises considerable public concern. We determine the public concern about nanoparticles, and compare this concern to other environmental health issues such as wind farms and coal seam gas production. A repeat cross sectional survey examining views on environmental health issues, risk, chemicals and trust was undertaken in more than 1,300 Australian residents in 2000 and 2013. Logistic regression and principal component analysis was used to investigate predictors of nanoparticle concern and identify a component structure for environmental health issues that could explain a trend of future nanoparticle concern. Australians have a relatively low level of concern about the risks of nanoparticles to health when compared to their concerns about other environmental health issues. Items associated with concern included gender, a general wish to avoid chemicals and possibly trust in politicians. Concern over nanoparticles clustered with similar views on technological risks. Current public concern over the risks of nanoparticles is low. However, a reframing of the issue towards 'chemicals' is likely to have a negative effect on risk perceptions. This paper raises questions about appropriate channels for the effective communication of risk. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

  16. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect To Burma

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect To Burma Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of May 17, 2012 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect To Burma On May 20, 1997, the President issued Executive Order...

  17. Globalisation and global health: issues for nursing.

    PubMed

    Bradbury-Jones, Caroline; Clark, Maria

    2017-05-24

    'Globalisation' is the term used to describe the increasing economic and social interdependence between countries. Shifting patterns of health and disease are associated with globalisation. Global health refers to a health issue that is not contained geographically and that single countries cannot address alone. In response to globalisation and global health issues, nurses practise in new and emerging transnational contexts. Therefore, it is important that nurses respond proactively to these changes and understand the effects of globalisation on health worldwide. This article aims to increase nurses' knowledge of, and confidence in, this important area of nursing practice.

  18. Critical Issues in Language and Education Planning in Twenty First Century in South Africa

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brook Napier, Diane

    2011-01-01

    Language and education planning issues and democratic policy implementation in the post-apartheid era in South Africa encompass a range of language-related issues and dilemmas that have counterparts in many countries, within the emerging global education system. The issues in South Africa were and continue to be shaped by the historical legacy of…

  19. Ethical issues in the diagnosis and management of fetal disorders.

    PubMed

    Chadwick, Ruth; Childs, Richardo

    2012-10-01

    The ethics of diagnosis and management of fetal genetic disorders are particularly controversial because of the contested status of the fetus and perceptions of genetics. An additional complicating factor is the potential conflict between mother and fetus. Ethical issues in diagnosis include the nature and purpose of the diagnosis itself, and management of the information. Management of the disorder includes issues of termination as an option, and the emerging field of fetal gene therapy with associated issues of somatic versus germ-line interventions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Globalization, international law, and emerging infectious diseases.

    PubMed Central

    Fidler, D. P.

    1996-01-01

    The global nature of the threat posed by new and reemerging infectious diseases will require international cooperation in identifying, controlling, and preventing these diseases. Because of this need for international cooperation, international law will certainly play a role in the global strategy for the control of emerging diseases. Recognizing this fact, the World Health Organization has already proposed revising the International Health Regulations. This article examines some basic problems that the global campaign against emerging infectious diseases might face in applying international law to facilitate international cooperation. The international legal component of the global control strategy for these diseases needs careful attention because of problems inherent in international law, especially as it applies to emerging infections issues. PMID:8903206

  1. Clinical pathways for suicidality in emergency settings: a public health priority.

    PubMed

    Wilhelm, Kay; Korczak, Viola; Tietze, Tad; Reddy, Prasuna

    2017-05-01

    Rates of self-harm in Australia are increasing and constitute a concerning public health issue. Although there are standard treatment pathways for physical complaints, such as headache, abdominal pain and chest pain, in Emergency Medicine, there is no national pathway for self-harm or other psychiatric conditions that present to the emergency department. Herein we outline the difference between clinical practice guidelines and clinical pathways, discuss pathways we have identified on self-harm in Australia and overseas and discuss their applicability to the Australian context and the next steps forward in addressing this public health issue.

  2. On the practicality of emergency surgery during long-duration space missions.

    PubMed

    Dawson, David L

    2008-07-01

    While discussions of the practicality of surgery in space often focus on technical issues, such as adapting instrumentation and procedures for use in microgravity, programmatic issues need to be addressed if meaningful capabilities for emergency surgery are to be considered for human exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit. Advanced technologies that have been evaluated, including simulation-enhanced training, telementoring, or robotic assistance, might help prepare or augment a crew medical officer, but a physician with advanced training and relevant experience will be needed if surgical capabilities beyond basic emergency aid are to be considered. Specific operational roles for physician-astronauts should be established.

  3. Principles and practices board. Issue Analysis 98-1. Compliance with laws and regulations for healthcare organizations. Healthcare Financial Management Association.

    PubMed

    1998-09-01

    This is the third Issue Analysis of HFMA's Principles and Practices (P&P) Board. The P&P Board writes an Issue Analysis in response to the need for practical information on emerging issues in healthcare financial management. An Issue Analysis is factual but not authoritative. It is not sent out for public comment and provides the healthcare industry short-term assistance on emerging issues. The purpose of P&P Board Issue Analysis 98-1, Compliance with Laws and Regulations for Healthcare Organizations, is to help healthcare financial managers understand their responsibility to implement and maintain an effective internal control system to ensure compliance with laws and regulations.

  4. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. September 2005 Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-09-01

    Environment and global warming issues were mentioned in several speeches delivered by Heads of State and Governments at the UN Summit, however it was...not a dominant theme. There were calls to ratify international treaties designed to tackle environmental and global warming problems, and agreement

  5. 75 FR 34704 - Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-18

    ... the Committee. The agenda for the meeting includes: (i) Committee organizational matters; (ii... make recommendations related to market structure issues that may have contributed to the volatility, as...'s Public Reference Room, 100 F St., NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the...

  6. 75 FR 28667 - Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-21

    ... members, (iii) discussion of Committee agenda and organization; (iv) discussion of the Joint CFTC-SEC... make recommendations related to market structure issues that may have contributed to the volatility, as... ``Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee'' to facilitate the organization and distribution of comments between...

  7. Emergency department triage: an ethical analysis

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Emergency departments across the globe follow a triage system in order to cope with overcrowding. The intention behind triage is to improve the emergency care and to prioritize cases in terms of clinical urgency. Discussion In emergency department triage, medical care might lead to adverse consequences like delay in providing care, compromise in privacy and confidentiality, poor physician-patient communication, failing to provide the necessary care altogether, or even having to decide whose life to save when not everyone can be saved. These consequences challenge the ethical quality of emergency care. This article provides an ethical analysis of "routine" emergency department triage. The four principles of biomedical ethics - viz. respect for autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence and justice provide the starting point and help us to identify the ethical challenges of emergency department triage. However, they do not offer a comprehensive ethical view. To address the ethical issues of emergency department triage from a more comprehensive ethical view, the care ethics perspective offers additional insights. Summary We integrate the results from the analysis using four principles of biomedical ethics into care ethics perspective on triage and propose an integrated clinically and ethically based framework of emergency department triage planning, as seen from a comprehensive ethics perspective that incorporates both the principles-based and care-oriented approach. PMID:21982119

  8. An Analysis of State Public Health Emergency Declarations

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Disaster responses often involve coordination among multiple levels of government and public and private sector collaboration. When emergencies raise health concerns, governments must include public health and health care systems in their response. A state government’s declaration of “public health emergency” can provide that state’s health sector with flexibility and guidance about response parameters. Although events including Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy and the H1N1 influenza outbreak provided opportunities for states to deploy their public health emergency powers, little has been reported about how states have used their authority to declare a public health emergency. I present a systematic identification and analysis of states’ public health emergency declarations, examine why these declarations were issued, and discuss their potential value. PMID:25033156

  9. NCRP Program Area Committee 5: Environmental Radiation and Radioactive Waste Issues.

    PubMed

    Chen, S Y; Napier, Bruce

    2016-02-01

    Program Area Committee 5 of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) focuses its activities on environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. The Committee completed a number of reports in these subject areas, most recently NCRP Report No. 175, Decision Making for Late-Phase Recovery from Major Nuclear or Radiological Incidents. Historically this Committee addressed emerging issues of the nation pertaining to radioactivity or radiation in the environment or radioactive waste issues due either to natural origins or to manmade activities.

  10. The Importance of Exposure in Addressing Current and Emerging Air Quality Issues

    EPA Science Inventory

    The air quality issues that we face today and will face in the future are becoming increasingly more complex and require an improved understanding of human exposure to be effectively addressed. The objectives of this paper are (1) to discuss how concepts of human exposure and ex...

  11. Outcome Studies of Social, Behavioral, and Educational Interventions: Emerging Issues and Challenges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fraser, Mark W.; Guo, Shenyang; Ellis, Alan R.; Thompson, Aaron M.; Wike, Traci L.; Li, Jilan

    2011-01-01

    This article describes the core features of outcome research and then explores issues confronting researchers who engage in outcome studies. Using an intervention research perspective, descriptive and explanatory methods are distinguished. Emphasis is placed on the counterfactual causal perspective, designing programs that fit culture and context,…

  12. The Virtual Learning Commons: An Emerging Technology for Learning About Emerging Technologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pennington, D. D.; Del Rio, N.; Fierro, C.; Gandara, A.; Garcia, A.; Garza, J.; Giandoni, M.; Ochoa, O.; Padilla, E.; Salamah, S.

    2013-12-01

    The Virtual Learning Commons (VLC), funded by the National Science Foundation Office of Cyberinfrastructure CI-Team Program, is a combination of semantic, visualization, and social media tools that support knowledge sharing and innovation across research disciplines. The explosion of new scientific tools and techniques challenges the ability of researchers to be aware of emerging technologies that might benefit them. Even when aware, it can be difficult to understand enough about emerging technologies to become potential adopters or re-users. Often, emerging technologies have little documentation, especially about the context of their use. The VLC tackles this challenge by providing mechanisms for individuals and groups of researchers to collectively organize Web resources through social bookmarking, and engage each other around those collections in order to a) learn about potentially relevant technologies that are emerging; and b) get feedback from other researchers on innovative ideas and designs. Concurrently, developers of emerging technologies can learn about potential users and the issues they encounter, and they can analyze the impact of their tools on other projects. The VLC aims to support the 'fuzzy front end' of innovation, where novel ideas emerge and there is the greatest potential for impact on research design. It is during the fuzzy front end that conceptual collisions across disciplines and exposure to diverse perspectives provide opportunity for creative thinking that can lead to inventive outcomes. This presentation will discuss the innovation theories that have informed design of the VLC, and hypotheses about the flow of information in virtual settings that can enable the process of innovation. The presentation will include a brief demonstration of key capabilities within the VLC that enable learning about emerging technologies, including the technologies that are presented in this session.

  13. Emerging issues among adolescent and young adult cancer survivors.

    PubMed

    Patterson, Pandora; McDonald, Fiona E J; Zebrack, Brad; Medlow, Sharon

    2015-02-01

    To review the characteristics of cancer in the adolescence and young adult age group; the medical, psychosocial and behavioral late effects; survivorship care planning and transition; current research priorities; and practice implications. Published articles, research studies and position statements. Survivors of cancers that occurred during adolescence and young adulthood (AYA) are confronted with the dual demands of managing their transition to independent adulthood, concurrently with their transition from cancer patient to cancer survivors, with an associated reduction in support from medical services. AYA survivors also face complex medical, psychosocial and behavioral late effects, including fertility and mental health issues. An understanding of the impact of cancer diagnoses among this age group, including survivors' abilities to reintegrate into 'normal' life and potential long term consequences, is necessary to provide the best support. This care and support can be enhanced through multidisciplinary teams who work together to address the medical and psychosocial needs of AYAs diagnosed with cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Anaesthesia for vascular emergencies.

    PubMed

    Ellard, L; Djaiani, G

    2013-01-01

    Patients presenting with vascular emergencies including acute aortic syndrome, ruptured thoracic or abdominal aortic aneurysms, thoracic aortic trauma and acute lower limb ischaemia have a high risk of peri-operative morbidity and mortality. Although anatomical suitability is not universal, endovascular surgery may improve mortality and the results of ongoing randomised controlled trials are awaited. Permissive hypotension pre-operatively should be the standard of care with the systolic blood pressure kept to 50-100 mmHg as long as consciousness is maintained. The benefit of local anaesthesia over general anaesthesia is not definitive and this decision should be tailored for a given patient and circumstance. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage for prevention of paraplegia is often impractical in the emergency setting and is not backed by strong evidence; however, it should be considered postoperatively if symptoms develop. We discuss the pertinent anaesthetic issues when a patient presents with a vascular emergency and the impact that endovascular repair has on anaesthetic management. Anaesthesia © 2012 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

  15. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. November 2005 Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-11-01

    rapid development. At the program’s launch festivity, the need for developing an international e- waste recycling systems along with transparent...electronic equipment. Sources: Roadmap Set for the Environmentally Sound Management of Electronic Waste in Asia-Pacific under the Basel Convention...34 Tom Dunne, of the agency’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, wrote in an e-mail message. 4.5 Sunk Weapons Represent a Growing

  16. Socio-Scientific Issues in Health Contexts: Treading a rugged terrain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chung Lee, Yeung

    2012-02-01

    The science-technology-society agenda has evolved over time to meet emerging educational aims in the light of changes in society and the environment. There is increasing emphasis on students' decision-making on socio-scientific issues (SSIs) not only to highlight the intricate relationships between science, technology, society, and the environment, but also to allow students to incorporate multiple viewpoints into the development of critical reasoning and responsible citizenship. Most research emphases have been on the rationality of reasoning rather than on the internal psychological context that underpins reasoning. This paper explores how these various aspects of reasoning interact in decision-making on SSIs in health contexts through case studies of recent issues in this field. The case studies reveal the negotiation of multiple influences in addressing SSIs in health contexts and the potential interactions between the psychological processes of individuals, science, and sociocultural perspectives. A tentative model to address these interactions emerges from this explorative study and has implications for the use of health-related issues in promoting SSI education.

  17. 75 FR 67807 - Pipeline Safety: Emergency Preparedness Communications

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No... is issuing an Advisory Bulletin to remind operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities... Gas Pipeline Systems. Subject: Emergency Preparedness Communications. Advisory: To further enhance the...

  18. Sex offender registration and community notification: emerging legal and research issues.

    PubMed

    Logan, Wayne A

    2003-06-01

    Sex offender registration and community notification laws, now in effect nationwide, have inspired considerable controversy. This article examines the variety of legal challenges brought against the laws since the mid-1990s and surveys issues likely to receive judicial attention in the immediate future. The article also provides an overview of the limited empirical work done to date on registration and notification, and the major areas that warrant additional research, including, most notably, inquiry into efficacy, costs, and consequences.

  19. Major emerging and re-emerging zoonoses in China: a matter of global health and socioeconomic development for 1.3 billion.

    PubMed

    Liu, Quan; Cao, Lili; Zhu, Xing-Quan

    2014-08-01

    Emerging and re-emerging zoonoses are a significant public health concern and cause considerable socioeconomic problems globally. The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1, avian influenza H7N9, and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), and the re-emergence of rabies, brucellosis, and other zoonoses have had a significant effect on the national economy and public health in China, and have affected other countries. Contributing factors that continue to affect emerging and re-emerging zoonoses in China include social and environmental factors and microbial evolution, such as population growth, urbanization, deforestation, livestock production, food safety, climate change, and pathogen mutation. The Chinese government has devised new strategies and has taken measures to deal with the challenges of these diseases, including the issuing of laws and regulations, establishment of disease reporting systems, implementation of special projects for major infectious diseases, interdisciplinary and international cooperation, exotic disease surveillance, and health education. These strategies and measures can serve as models for the surveillance and response to continuing threats from emerging and re-emerging zoonoses in other countries. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  20. Socio-technical Issues for Ubiquitous Information Society in 2010

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Funabashi, Motohisa; Homma, Koichi; Sasaki, Toshiro; Sato, Yoshinori; Kido, Kunihiko; Fukumoto, Takashi; Yano, Koujin

    Impact of the ubiquitous information technology on our society is so significant that directing technological development and preparing institutional apparatus are quite important and urgent. The present paper elaborates, with the efforts by both humanity and engineering disciplines, to find out the socio-technical issues of ubiquitous information society in 2010 by inspecting social implications of emerging technology as well as social expectations. In order to deliberate the issues, scenarios are developed that describes possible life in ubiquitous information society. The derived issues cover integrating information technology and human body, producing smart sharable environment, protecting individual rights, fostering new service business, and forming community.

  1. Emergency nurses' knowledge of pain management principles.

    PubMed

    Tanabe, P; Buschmann, M

    2000-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine areas of emergency nurses' knowledge deficit regarding pain management, and to identify barriers to pain management as perceived by emergency nurses. Data were collected anonymously in a mail survey using a 52-item knowledge questionnaire addressing pain management principles and asking emergency nurses (Illinois Emergency Nurses Association members) to rate various barriers as to how often they affect their practice. Questionnaires were mailed to all Illinois ENA members (n = 1000). Three hundred five emergency nurses' questionnaires were returned. A significant deficit existed on 2 domains of knowledge: understanding of the terms "addiction," "tolerance," and "dependence"; and knowledge of various pharmacologic analgesic principles. Nurses with a master's degree or higher, or those who attended a 1-day seminar on pain management, achieved statistically significantly higher scores. The 2 barriers identified by emergency nurses as the most common were the inability to administer medication until a diagnosis is made (53%), and inadequate assessment of pain and pain relief (48%) (the percentage indicates how often the emergency nurses believed the barrier was present in their practice). The data indicate that emergency nurses may not have a good understanding of the management of pain with drugs, or of such issues as risk of addiction.

  2. Trials and Tribulations: The ‘Use’ (and ‘Misuse’) of Evidence in Public Policy

    PubMed Central

    Deeming, Christopher

    2013-01-01

    Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are increasingly playing a central role in shaping policy for development. By comparison, social experimentation has not driven the great transformation of welfare within the developed world. This introduces a range of issues for those interested in the nature of research evidence for making policy. In this article we will seek a greater understanding of why the RCT is increasingly seen as the ‘gold standard’ for policy experiments in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but not in the more advanced liberal democracies, and we will explore the implications of this. One objection to the use of RCTs, however can be cost, but implementing policies and programmes without good evidence or a good understanding of their effectiveness is unlikely to be a good use of resources either. Other issues arise. Trials are often complex to run and ethical concerns often arise in social ‘experiments’ with human subjects. However, rolling out untested policies may also be morally objectionable. This article sheds new light on the relationship between evidence and evaluation in public policy in both the global north and developing south. It also tackles emerging issues concerning the ‘use’ and ‘misuse’ of evidence and evaluation within public policy. PMID:23935229

  3. Law, liability, and public health emergencies.

    PubMed

    Hoffman, Sharona; Goodman, Richard A; Stier, Daniel D

    2009-06-01

    According to many experts, a public health emergency arising from an influenza pandemic, bioterrorism attack, or natural disaster is likely to develop in the next few years. Meeting the public health and medical response needs created by such an emergency will likely involve volunteers, health care professionals, public and private hospitals and clinics, vaccine manufacturers, governmental authorities, and many others. Conducting response activities in emergency circumstances may give rise to numerous issues of liability, and medical professionals and other potential responders have expressed concern about liability exposure. Providers may face inadequate resources, an insufficient number of qualified personnel, overwhelming demand for services, and other barriers to providing optimal treatment, which could lead to injury or even death in some cases. This article describes the different theories of liability that may be used by plaintiffs and the sources of immunity that are available to public health emergency responders in the public sector, private sector, and as volunteers. It synthesizes the existing immunity landscape and analyzes its gaps. Finally, the authors suggest consideration of the option of a comprehensive immunity provision that addresses liability protection for all health care providers during public health emergencies and that, consequently, assists in improving community emergency response efforts.

  4. Non-Communicable Diseases in Emergencies: A Call to Action

    PubMed Central

    Demaio, Alessandro; Jamieson, Jennifer; Horn, Rebecca; de Courten, Maximilian; Tellier, Siri

    2013-01-01

    Recent years have demonstrated the devastating health consequences of complex emergencies and natural disasters and thereby highlighted the importance of comprehensive and collaborative approaches to humanitarian responses and risk reduction. Simultaneously, noncommunicable diseases are now recognised as a real and growing threat to population health and development; a threat that is magnified by and during emergencies. Noncommunicable diseases, however, continue to receive little attention from humanitarian organisations in the acute phase of disaster and emergency response. This paper calls on all sectors to recognise and address the specific health challenges posed by noncommunicable diseases in emergencies and disaster situations. This publication aims to highlight the need for: • Increased research on morbidity and mortality patterns due to noncommunicable diseases during and following emergencies; • Raised awareness through greater advocacy for the issue and challenges of noncommunicable diseases during and following emergencies; • Incorporation of noncommunicable diseases into existing emergency-related policies, standards, and resources; • Development of technical guidelines on the clinical management of noncommunicable diseases in emergencies; • Greater integration and coordination in health service provision during and following emergencies; • Integrating noncommunicable diseases into practical and academic training of emergency workers and emergency-response coordinators. PMID:24056956

  5. Final Signed Emergency Permit of MV Federal Satsuki

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    On August 18, 2016, EPA’s Region 6 office issued an Emergency Permit for the transportation and dumping of approximately 350 metric tons of Distiller’s Dried Grains with Solubles on the high seas in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

  6. The physician in the face of death in the emergency room

    PubMed Central

    Aredes, Janaína de Souza; Giacomin, Karla Cristina; Firmo, Josélia Oliveira Araújo

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To analyze how physicians, as part of a sociocultural group, handle the different types of death, in a metropolitan emergency service. METHODS: This is an ethnography carried out in one of the largest emergency services in Latin America. We have collected the data for nine months with participant observation and interviews with 43 physicians of different specialties – 25 men and 18 women, aged between 28 and 69 years. RESULTS: The analysis, guided by the model of Signs, Meanings, and Actions, shows a vast mosaic of situations and issues that permeate the medical care in an emergency unit. The results indicate that physicians may consider one death more difficult than another, depending on the criteria: age, identification or not with the patient, circumstances of the death, and medical questioning as to their responsibility in the death process. CONCLUSIONS: For physicians, no death is easy. Each death can be more or less difficult, depending on different criteria that permeate the medical care in an emergency unit, and it reveals different social, ethical, and moral issues. PMID:29668815

  7. Cyber security issues in online games

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Chen

    2018-04-01

    With the rapid development of the Internet, online gaming has become a way of entertainment for many young people in the modern era. However, in recent years, cyber security issues in online games have emerged in an endless stream, which have also caused great attention of many game operators. Common cyber security problems in the game include information disclosure and cyber-attacks. These problems will directly or indirectly cause economic losses to gamers. Many gaming companies are enhancing the stability and security of their network or gaming systems in order to enhance the gaming user experience. This article has carried out the research of the cyber security issues in online games by introducing the background and some common cyber security threats, and by proposing the latent solution. Finally, it speculates the future research direction of the cyber security issues of online games in the hope of providing feasible solution and useful information for game operators.

  8. 40 CFR 147.2906 - Emergency permits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... substantial delay in oil or gas production, and injection will not result in movement of fluid into an USDW... permits to avoid a substantial delay in oil or gas production shall be issued only after a complete permit... notice procedure for a draft permit within 10 days after issuance. (3) An emergency permit may be oral or...

  9. The Role of Socioscientific Issues in Biology Teaching: From the Perspective of Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tidemand, Sofie; Nielsen, Jan Alexis

    2017-01-01

    Previous research has documented that students who engage with socioscientific issues can acquire some of the complex competences and skills typically related to scientific literacy. But an emerging field of research on science teachers' understanding and use of socioscientific issues, has documented that a range of challenges hinders the uptake…

  10. Lessons Learned from School Crises and Emergencies, Vol. 1, Issue 2, Fall 2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    "Lessons Learned" is a series of publications that are a brief recounting of actual school emergencies and crises. School and student names have been changed to protect identities. Information for this publication was gathered through a series of interviews with school stakeholders involved in the actual incident. This "Lessons Learned" issue…

  11. EDITORIAL: Introduction to the special issue on electromagnetic inverse problems: emerging methods and novel applications Introduction to the special issue on electromagnetic inverse problems: emerging methods and novel applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dorn, O.; Lesselier, D.

    2010-07-01

    Inverse problems in electromagnetics have a long history and have stimulated exciting research over many decades. New applications and solution methods are still emerging, providing a rich source of challenging topics for further investigation. The purpose of this special issue is to combine descriptions of several such developments that are expected to have the potential to fundamentally fuel new research, and to provide an overview of novel methods and applications for electromagnetic inverse problems. There have been several special sections published in Inverse Problems over the last decade addressing fully, or partly, electromagnetic inverse problems. Examples are: Electromagnetic imaging and inversion of the Earth's subsurface (Guest Editors: D Lesselier and T Habashy) October 2000 Testing inversion algorithms against experimental data (Guest Editors: K Belkebir and M Saillard) December 2001 Electromagnetic and ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (Guest Editors: D Lesselier and J Bowler) December 2002 Electromagnetic characterization of buried obstacles (Guest Editors: D Lesselier and W C Chew) December 2004 Testing inversion algorithms against experimental data: inhomogeneous targets (Guest Editors: K Belkebir and M Saillard) December 2005 Testing inversion algorithms against experimental data: 3D targets (Guest Editors: A Litman and L Crocco) February 2009 In a certain sense, the current issue can be understood as a continuation of this series of special sections on electromagnetic inverse problems. On the other hand, its focus is intended to be more general than previous ones. Instead of trying to cover a well-defined, somewhat specialized research topic as completely as possible, this issue aims to show the broad range of techniques and applications that are relevant to electromagnetic imaging nowadays, which may serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement for all those entering this active and rapidly developing research area. Also, the

  12. Emergency Psychiatric Services for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: Perspectives of Hospital Staff

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lunsky, Yona; Gracey, Carolyn; Gelfand, Sara

    2008-01-01

    Strains on the mainstream mental health system can result in inaccessible services that force individuals with intellectual disabilities into the emergency room (ER) when in psychiatric crisis. The purpose of this study was to identify clinical and systemic issues surrounding emergency psychiatry services for people with intellectual disabilities,…

  13. School-Based Methylphenidate Placebo Protocols: Methodological and Practical Issues.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hyman, Irwin A.; Wojtowicz, Alexandra; Lee, Kee Duk; Haffner, Mary Elizabeth; Fiorello, Catherine A.; And Others

    1998-01-01

    Focuses on methodological issues involved in choosing instruments to monitor behavior, once a comprehensive evaluation has suggested trials on Ritalin. Case examples illustrate problems of teacher compliance in filling out measures, supplying adequate placebos, and obtaining physical cooperation. Emerging school-based methodologies are discussed…

  14. Issues in Early Childhood Teacher Preparation in South Korea.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Han, Eunhye Park

    1996-01-01

    Describes early childhood teacher preparation in South Korea, including types of available child care facilities; teacher training programs at two- and four-year colleges; three types of inservice education available (certificate renewal, supervisory, and general knowledge updates); and emerging issues in teacher education (problems with…

  15. Emerging ocean issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Richman, Barbara T.

    1984-04-01

    Seven topics have been identified by the topics committee of the Year of the Ocean as focal points of discussions as part of the Year of the Ocean celebration. The Year of the Ocean (Eos, June 19, 1984, p. 402, and April 24, 1984, p. 326) is a year-long commemoration and celebration, begun on July 1, of the oceans. The commemoration has been endorsed by Congress and by President Ronald Reagan.The topics committee is composed of nearly 20 representatives from government, industry, and academia. Thomas Maginnis, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's office of policy and planning, is the chairman of the topics committee.

  16. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect To Burma

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect To Burma Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of May 2, 2013 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect To Burma On May 20, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13047, certifying to the Congress under section 570...

  17. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of May 13, 2010 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma On May 20, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13047, certifying to the Congress under section 57...

  18. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of May 16, 2011 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma On May 20, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13047, certifying to the Congress under section 57...

  19. 3 CFR - Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma Presidential Documents Other Presidential Documents Notice of May 14, 2009 Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Burma On May 20, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13047, certifying to the Congress under section 57...

  20. Ethical issues in neurogenetics.

    PubMed

    Uhlmann, Wendy R; Roberts, J Scott

    2018-01-01

    Many neurogenetic conditions are inherited and therefore diagnosis of a patient will have implications for the patient's relatives and can raise ethical issues. Predictive genetic testing offers asymptomatic relatives the opportunity to determine their risk status for a neurogenetic condition, and professional guidelines emphasize patients' autonomy and informed, voluntary decision making. Beneficence and nonmaleficence both need to be considered when making decisions about disclosure and nondisclosure of genetic information and test results. There can be disclosure concerns and challenges in determining whose autonomy to prioritize when a patient makes a genetic testing decision that can reveal the genetic status of a relative (e.g., testing an adult child when the at-risk parent has not been tested). Ethical issues are prominent when genetic testing for neurogenetic conditions is requested prenatally, on minors, adoptees, adult children at 25% risk, and for individuals with psychiatric issues or cognitive impairment. Neurogenetic conditions can result in cognitive decline which can affect decisional capacity and lead to ethical challenges with decision making, informed consent, and determining the patient's ability to comprehend test results. The ethical implications of genetic testing and emerging issues, including direct-to-consumer genetic testing, disclosure of secondary findings from genomic sequencing, and use of apolipoprotein E testing in clinical and research settings, are also discussed. Resources for information about genetic testing practice guidelines, insurance laws, and directories of genetics clinics are included. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Real-Time Process Analytics in Emergency Healthcare.

    PubMed

    Koufi, Vassiliki; Malamateniou, Flora; Prentza, Adrianna; Vassilacopoulos, George

    2017-01-01

    Emergency medical systems (EMS) are considered to be amongst the most crucial systems as they involve a variety of activities which are performed from the time of a call to an ambulance service till the time of patient's discharge from the emergency department of a hospital. These activities are closely interrelated so that collaboration and coordination becomes a vital issue for patients and for emergency healthcare service performance. The utilization of standard workflow technology in the context of Service Oriented Architecture can provide an appropriate technological infrastructure for defining and automating EMS processes that span organizational boundaries so that to create and empower collaboration and coordination among the participating organizations. In such systems, the utilization of leading-edge analytics tools can prove important as it can facilitate real-time extraction and visualization of useful insights from the mountains of generated data pertaining to emergency case management. This paper presents a framework which provides healthcare professionals with just-in-time insight within and across emergency healthcare processes by performing real-time analysis on process-related data in order to better support decision making and identify potential critical risks that may affect the provision of emergency care to patients.

  2. The international emergency management and engineering conference 1995: Proceedings. Globalization of emergency management and engineering: National and international issues concerning research and applications

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sullivan, J.D.; Wybo, J.L.; Buisson, L.

    1995-12-31

    This conference was held May 9--12, 1995 in Nice, France. The purpose of this conference was to provide a forum for exchange of state-of-the-art information to cope more effectively with emergencies. Attention is focused on advance technology from both a managerial and a scientific viewpoint. Interests include computers and communication systems as well as the social science and management aspects involved in emergency management and engineering. The major sections are: Management and Social Sciences; Training; Natural Disasters; Nuclear Hazards; Chemical Hazards; Research; and Applications. Individual papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases.

  3. Editorial of the PCCP themed issue on "Solvation Science".

    PubMed

    Morgenstern, Karina; Marx, Dominik; Havenith, Martina; Muhler, Martin

    2015-04-07

    The present special issue presents exciting experimental and theoretical results in the topic of "Solvation Science", a topic that emerges from physical, theoretical, and industrial chemistry, and is also of interest to a multitude of neighboring fields, such as inorganic and organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics and engineering. We hope that the articles will be highly useful for researchers who would like to enter this newly emerging area, and that it is a valuable source for the nucleation of new ideas and collaborations to better understand the active role of the solvent in reactions.

  4. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. May 2010

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-05-01

    Negotiations…………………………………………………….6 4.2 Recommendations for Strengthening the Convention on Biological Diversity………….7 4.3 The Competition for Rare Earth...8 4.5 New Legal Proceeding over Allegations of Use of Illegal Weapons in Iraq……………..8 4.6 New EU Regulations for Increasing Energy...the human condition to new forms of bioweapons, President Obama assigned the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues to assess the

  5. 78 FR 63516 - Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for New Boiling-Water Reactors

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-24

    ... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2012-0134] Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling....79.1, ``Initial Test Program of Emergency Core Cooling Systems for New Boiling-Water Reactors.'' This... emergency core cooling systems (ECCSs) for boiling- water reactors (BWRs) whose licenses are issued after...

  6. 46 CFR 28.150 - Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY VESSELS Requirements for All Vessels § 28.150 Emergency Position... communication equipment must have a Ship Radio Station License issued by the Federal Communications Commission...

  7. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. June 2005 Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-06-01

    Trade and Environment issues that help promote environmental protection and improve enforcement of environmental law; and Expand Partnerships for...in view of the Army’s Strategy for the Environment and the CEC’s Partnerships for Environmental Stewardship strategies. Source: CEC Ministerial...reducing mercury use, emissions, wastes and surplus stockpiles, and participating in partnerships with organizations and countries requesting assistance. If

  8. Aging in Mexico: Population Trends and Emerging Issues

    PubMed Central

    Vega, William; López-Ortega, Mariana

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Although all nations in the America’s face a common demographic reality of longevity, declining fertility rates and changes in family roles a growing body of research points to a dramatic demographic transformation in Mexico. Although Mexico’s population is relatively young, with a median age of 27.9 in 2015, it will age rapidly in coming years, increasing to 42 years by 2050. The rapid median age in the nation also reflects the growing proportion of people 65 or older, and is expected to triple to 20.2% by 2050. This article examines how the age and gender structure of Mexico offers important insights about current and future political and social stability, as well as economic development. Mexico is the world’s eleventh largest country in terms of population size and the “demographic dividend” of a large youthful population is giving way to a growing older population that will inevitably place demands on health care and social security. The shift in age structure will result in increased dependency of retirees on the working-age population in the next 20 years. Mexico does not provide universal coverage of social security benefits and less than half of the labor force is covered by any pension or retirement plan. As a result, elderly Mexicans often continue working into old age. The high total poverty rate in the country, especially among the older population magnifies the problem of the potential dependency burden. The article ends with a discussion of key public policy issues related to aging in Mexico. PMID:27927730

  9. Violence towards Emergency Nurses. The Italian National Survey 2016: A qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Ramacciati, Nicola; Ceccagnoli, Andrea; Addey, Beniamino; Rasero, Laura

    2018-05-01

    Physical and verbal aggression against health professionals, particularly nurses, is globally serious and widespread, with the most vulnerable being nurses working in the Accident and Emergency Department. Most international research into this issue focused on quantifying aggression, describing its nature, identifying perpetrators, stratifying risk and implementing preventive or mitigating interventions. Few studies investigated the nurses' subjective perceptions. As part of the 2016 Italian National Survey on Violence against Accident and Emergency Nurses, our research team collected qualitative data to explore their perceptions of Workplace Violence. From 19th July 2016 to 19th March 2017 we distributed online a 39-item validated questionnaire to 15,618 Emergency Nurses working in 668 Italian National Health Service Accident and Emergency Departments in all 20 Italian Regions. Answers were analysed using van Kaan's method. 1100 Emergency Nurses responded to the survey and 265 replied to our focus question. There were 144 Females, 119 Males, 2 not stated, average age 42 ± 9 years, average work experience 18 ± 9 years, average Accident and Emergency Department experience 11 ± 8 years. Four major themes emerged: the nurses' perception of physical and verbal aggression, precipitating factors, consequences, and solutions. These themes confirmed previous findings and showed that Italian nursing staff's perceptions of physical and verbal aggression is the same as emergency nurses working worldwide. How Italian Accident and Emergency nurses perceive Workplace Violence adds to our knowledge of the issue and contributes to finding shared solutions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Smart-Glasses: Exposing and Elucidating the Ethical Issues.

    PubMed

    Hofmann, Bjørn; Haustein, Dušan; Landeweerd, Laurens

    2017-06-01

    The objective of this study is to provide an overview over the ethical issues relevant to the assessment, implementation, and use of smart-glasses. The purpose of the overview is to facilitate deliberation, decision making, and the formation of knowledge and norms for this emerging technology. An axiological question-based method for human cognitive enhancement including an extensive literature search on smart-glasses is used to identify relevant ethical issues. The search is supplemented with relevant ethical issues identified in the literature on human cognitive enhancement (in general) and in the study of the technical aspects of smart-glasses. Identified papers were subject to traditional content analysis: 739 references were identified of which 247 were regarded as relevant for full text examinations, and 155 were included in the study. A wide variety of ethical issues with smart-glasses have been identified, such as issues related to privacy, safety, justice, change in human agency, accountability, responsibility, social interaction, power and ideology. Smart-glasses are envisioned to change individual human identity and behavior as well as social interaction. Taking these issues into account appears to be relevant when developing, deliberating, deciding on, implementing, and using smart-glasses.

  11. Workplace Learning: Emerging Trends and New Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fenwick, Tara

    2008-01-01

    This chapter focuses on "learning processes" in the workplace from concepts emerging in the field of adult education, without straying into pedagogies and programs that can enhance learning. It discusses four topics on learning processes that seem to be particularly important for addressing key purposes and issues of workplace learning from an…

  12. Needle-free and microneedle drug delivery in children: a case for disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

    PubMed

    Shah, Utpal U; Roberts, Matthew; Orlu Gul, Mine; Tuleu, Catherine; Beresford, Michael W

    2011-09-15

    Parenteral routes of drug administration have poor acceptability and tolerability in children. Advances in transdermal drug delivery provide a potential alternative for improving drug administration in this patient group. Issues with parenteral delivery in children are highlighted and thus illustrate the scope for the application of needle-free and microneedle technologies. This mini-review discusses the opportunities and challenges for providing disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) currently prescribed to paediatric rheumatology patients using such technologies. The aim is to raise further awareness of the need for age-appropriate formulations and drug delivery systems and stimulate exploration of these options for DMARDs, and in particular, rapidly emerging biologics on the market. The ability of needle-free and microneedle technologies to deliver monoclonal antibodies and fusion proteins still remains largely untested. Such an understanding is crucial for future drug design opportunities. The bioavailability, safety and tolerance of delivering biologics into the viable epidermis also need to be studied. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Online induction heating for determination of isotope composition of woody stem water with laser spectrometry: A methods assessment

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lazarus, Brynne E.; Germino, Matthew; Vander Veen, Jessica L.

    2016-01-01

    Application of stable isotopes of water to studies of plant–soil interactions often requires a substantial preparatory step of extracting water from samples without fractionating isotopes. Online heating is an emerging approach for this need, but is relatively untested and major questions of how to best deliver standards and assess interference by organics have not been evaluated. We examined these issues in our application of measuring woody stem xylem of sagebrush using a Picarro laser spectrometer with online induction heating. We determined (1) effects of cryogenic compared to induction-heating extraction, (2) effects of delivery of standards on filter media compared to on woody stem sections, and (3) spectral interference from organic compounds for these approaches (and developed a technique to do so). Our results suggest that matching sample and standard media improves accuracy, but that isotopic values differ with the extraction method in ways that are not due to spectral interference from organics.

  14. Newborn screening by tandem mass spectrometry: ethical and social issues.

    PubMed

    Avard, Denise; Vallance, Hilary; Greenberg, Cheryl; Potter, Beth

    2007-01-01

    Emerging technologies like Tandem Mass Spectrometry (TMS) enable multiple tests on a single blood sample and allow the expansion of Newborn Screening (NBS) to include various metabolic diseases. Introducing TMS for NBS raises important social and ethical questions: what are the criteria for adding disorders to screening panels? What evidence justifies expansion of screening? How can equity in NBS access and standards be ensured? How can policy standards be set, given the multiplicity of stakeholders? To address emerging issues, policy-makers, patient advocates, clinicians and researchers had a workshop during the 2005 Garrod Symposium. The participants received a summary of the discussion and understood the workshop's goal was to provide a basis for further discussion. This article contributes to this ongoing discussion. Several proposed recommendations assert the centrality of including social and ethical issues in the assessment of whether or not to introduce TMS. The article outlines five key recommendations for advancing the NBS agenda: national public health leadership; transparency; increased national consistency in NBS strategy, including minimum standards; collaboration between the federal and provincial/territorial governments and diverse stakeholders; and supporting research and/or programs based on effectiveness, which integrate ethical and social issues into assessment.

  15. Opportunity to discuss ethical issues during clinical learning experience.

    PubMed

    Palese, Alvisa; Gonella, Silvia; Destrebecq, Anne; Mansutti, Irene; Terzoni, Stefano; Morsanutto, Michela; Altini, Pietro; Bevilacqua, Anita; Brugnolli, Anna; Canzan, Federica; Ponte, Adriana Dal; De Biasio, Laura; Fascì, Adriana; Grosso, Silvia; Mantovan, Franco; Marognolli, Oliva; Nicotera, Raffaela; Randon, Giulia; Tollini, Morena; Saiani, Luisa; Grassetti, Luca; Dimonte, Valerio

    2018-01-01

    Undergraduate nursing students have been documented to experience ethical distress during their clinical training and felt poorly supported in discussing the ethical issues they encountered. Research aims: This study was aimed at exploring nursing students' perceived opportunity to discuss ethical issues that emerged during their clinical learning experience and associated factors. An Italian national cross-sectional study design was performed in 2015-2016. Participants were invited to answer a questionnaire composed of four sections regarding: (1) socio-demographic data, (2) previous clinical learning experiences, (3) current clinical learning experience quality and outcomes, and (4) the opportunity to discuss ethical issues with nurses in the last clinical learning experience (from 0 - 'never' to 3 - 'very much'). Participants and research context: Participants were 9607 undergraduate nursing students who were attending 95 different three-year Italian baccalaureate nursing programmes, located at 27 universities in 15 Italian regions. Ethical considerations: This study was conducted in accordance with the Human Subject Research Ethics Committee guidelines after the research protocol was approved by an ethics committee. Overall, 4707 (49%) perceived to have discussed ethical issues 'much' or 'very much'; among the remaining, 3683 (38.3%) and 1217 (12.7%) students reported the perception of having discussed, respectively, 'enough' or 'never' ethical issues emerged in the clinical practice. At the multivariate logistic regression analysis explaining 38.1% of the overall variance, the factors promoting ethical discussion were mainly set at the clinical learning environment levels (i.e. increased learning opportunities, self-directed learning, safety and nursing care quality, quality of the tutorial strategies, competences learned and supervision by a clinical nurse). In contrast, being male was associated with a perception of less opportunity to discuss ethical issues

  16. Family intervention in Indigenous communities: emergent issues in conducting outcome research.

    PubMed

    Turner, Karen; Sanders, Matthew

    2007-01-01

    Indigenous children and youth are at greater risk of emotional and behavioural problems than non-Indigenous youth, with family life stresses and parenting style identified as common risk factors. There is substantial evidence that parenting programs can improve family relationships and improve child outcomes, however little research has focused on Indigenous communities. Our team is conducting research to evaluate a culturally sensitive adaptation of a mainstream intervention, the Group Triple P---Positive Parenting Program, for Indigenous families. This paper shares some of the insights into research and clinical issues gained as non-Indigenous researchers working with urban, rural and remote Indigenous communities. The experience of the research team and feedback from practitioners and parents have been drawn on for this discussion. Parenting programs need to be sensitive to the political and cultural context in which parenting takes place, flexibly incorporate cultural practices and expectations, and develop an evidence base of outcomes for families in diverse communities. As research is needed to evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of these programs, culturally sensitive research practices are also necessary and the value of program evaluation and its benefit to the community must be clear. Community acceptance of the research process and the intervention itself is vital and may be influenced by community perceptions, current priorities, and local issues. If our overall aim is to increase the skilled health and mental health workforce in Indigenous communities and their use of evidence-based interventions, ongoing collaborative relationships between research institutions and service providers will serve to further this aim.

  17. Restraint practices in Australasian emergency departments.

    PubMed

    Cannon, M E; Sprivulis, P; McCarthy, J

    2001-08-01

    The objective of this study was to estimate the use of restraint techniques and evaluate restraint policies and training in Australasian emergency departments A survey of 116 Australasian emergency departments was conducted to determine the type, indications/contraindications, training, policies, documentation and audit requirements for restraint. The overall estimated rate of patient restraint is 3.3 episodes per 1000 presentations. The commonest indications for restraint are violence or threatened violence (52%), psychosis (32%) and acute brain syndrome (10%). Major contraindications are medical instability, risk of harm to staff in applying restraint and the availability of alternatives to restraint. Chemical restraint is used in all emergency departments surveyed. The commonest agents used are haloperidol (93%), midazolam (82%) and diazepam (59%). At least one benzodiazepine and one major tranquilliser are used in 97% of emergency departments. Manual restraint (87%) is frequently used as a prelude to chemical or, less frequently, mechanical restraint (69%). Seclusion restraint is used in 23% of Australasian emergency departments. Formal training is most commonly undertaken for chemical restraint, being used in 33% of departments surveyed. Less than half of the departments have written policies guiding the use of restraint, and only 11% audit their use of restraint. A specific form for restraint documentation is used in only one emergency department. Patient restraint is a common procedure in Australasian emergency departments. There is little formal training in, or documentation or audit of, restraint practices in Australasian emergency departments, despite the important clinical, occupational health and medical legal issues associated with the use of restraint.

  18. 78 FR 66841 - Israel Loan Guarantees Issued Under the Emergency Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2003...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-07

    ... AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 22 CFR Part 230 Israel Loan Guarantees Issued Under the... International Development (USAID). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This regulation prescribes the revised... International Development, may issue loan guarantees applicable to sums borrowed by the Government of Israel on...

  19. Hunger strikers: historical perspectives from the emergency management of refugee camp asylum seekers.

    PubMed

    Burkle, Frederick M; Chan, Jimmy T S; Yeung, Richard D S

    2013-12-01

    The treatment of hunger strikers is always contentious, chaotic and complex. The management is particularly difficult for health professionals as it raises unprecedented clinical, ethical, moral, humanitarian, and legal questions. There are never any easy answers. The current situation of prisoners from the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars currently at the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center in Cuba demands unprecedented transparency, accountability and multilevel coordination to ensure that the rights of the strikers are properly met. There are scant references available in the scientific literature on the emergency management of these tragedies. This historical perspective documents the complex issues faced by emergency physicians in Hong Kong surrounding refugee camp asylum seekers from Vietnam in 1994 and is offered as a useful adjunct in understanding the complex issues faced by emergency health providers and managers.

  20. An evaluation of emergency guidelines issued by the World Health Organization in response to four infectious disease outbreaks.

    PubMed

    Norris, Susan L; Sawin, Veronica Ivey; Ferri, Mauricio; Raques Sastre, Laura; Porgo, Teegwendé V

    2018-01-01

    The production of high-quality guidelines in response to public health emergencies poses challenges for the World Health Organization (WHO). The urgent need for guidance and the paucity of structured scientific data on emerging diseases hinder the formulation of evidence-informed recommendations using standard methods and procedures. In the context of the response to recent public health emergencies, this project aimed to describe the information products produced by WHO and assess the quality and trustworthiness of a subset of these products classified as guidelines. We selected four recent infectious disease emergencies: outbreaks of avian influenza A-H1N1 virus (2009) and H7N9 virus (2013), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) (2013), and Ebola virus disease (EVD) (2014 to 2016). We analyzed the development and publication processes and evaluated the quality of emergency guidelines using AGREE-II. We included 175 information products of which 87 were guidelines. These products demonstrated variable adherence to WHO publication requirements including the listing of external contributors, management of declarations of interest, and entry into WHO's public database of publications. For guidelines, the methods for development were incompletely reported; WHO's quality assurance process was rarely used; systematic or other evidence reviews were infrequently referenced; external peer review was not performed; and they scored poorly with AGREE II, particularly for rigour of development and editorial independence. Our study suggests that WHO guidelines produced in the context of a public health emergency can be improved upon, helping to assure the trustworthiness and utility of WHO information products in future emergencies.

  1. Do no harm: toward contextually appropriate psychosocial support in international emergencies.

    PubMed

    Wessells, Michael G

    2009-11-01

    In the aftermath of international emergencies caused by natural disasters or armed conflicts, strong needs exist for psychosocial support on a large scale. Psychologists have developed and applied frameworks and tools that have helped to alleviate suffering and promote well-being in emergency settings. Unfortunately, psychological tools and approaches are sometimes used in ways that cause unintended harm. In a spirit of prevention and wanting to support critical self-reflection, the author outlines key issues and widespread violations of the do no harm imperative in emergency contexts. Prominent issues include contextual insensitivity to issues such as security, humanitarian coordination, and the inappropriate use of various methods; the use of an individualistic orientation that does not fit the context and culture; an excessive focus on deficits and victimhood that can undermine empowerment and resilience; the use of unsustainable, short-term approaches that breed dependency, create poorly trained psychosocial workers, and lack appropriate emphasis on prevention; and the imposition of outsider approaches. These and related problems can be avoided by the use of critical self-reflection, greater specificity in ethical guidance, a stronger evidence base for intervention, and improved methods of preparing international humanitarian psychologists. Copyright 2009 by the American Psychological Association

  2. Emergent technologies: 25 years

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rising, Hawley K.

    2013-03-01

    This paper will talk about the technologies that have been emerging over the 25 years since the Human Vision and Electronic Imaging conference began that the conference has been a part of, and that have been a part of the conference, and will look at those technologies that are emerging today, such as social networks, haptic technologies, and still emerging imaging technologies, and what we might look at for the future.Twenty-five years is a long time, and it is not without difficulty that we remember what was emerging in the late 1980s. Yet to be developed: The first commercial digital still camera was not yet on the market, although there were hand held electronic cameras. Personal computers were not displaying standardized images, and image quality was not something that could be talked about in a standardized fashion, if only because image compression algorithms were not standardized yet for several years hence. Even further away were any standards for movie compression standards, there was no personal computer even on the horizon which could display them. What became an emergent technology and filled many sessions later, image comparison and search, was not possible, nor the current emerging technology of social networks- the world wide web was still several years away. Printer technology was still devising dithers and image size manipulations which would consume many years, as would scanning technology, and image quality for both was a major issue for dithers and Fourier noise.From these humble beginnings to the current moves that are changing computing and the meaning of both electronic devices and human interaction with them, we will see a course through the changing technology that holds some features constant for many years, while others come and go.

  3. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. March 2011 Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-03-01

    nuclear plant http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=13241596 Detection of radioactive material in the soil in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power...and Nuclear Disasters in Japan The important reassessments following the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan‟s northeast coast on March 11...and the nuclear waste issues are still not solved; hence, the Fukushima disaster might trigger important regime and development changes, such as

  4. Ergonomics and sustainability: towards an embrace of complexity and emergence.

    PubMed

    Dekker, Sidney W A; Hancock, Peter A; Wilkin, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Technology offers a promising route to a sustainable future, and ergonomics can serve a vital role. The argument of this article is that the lasting success of sustainability initiatives in ergonomics hinges on an examination of ergonomics' own epistemology and ethics. The epistemology of ergonomics is fundamentally empiricist and positivist. This places practical constraints on its ability to address important issues such as sustainability, emergence and complexity. The implicit ethical position of ergonomics is one of neutrality, and its positivist epistemology generally puts value-laden questions outside the parameters of what it sees as scientific practice. We argue, by contrast, that a discipline that deals with both technology and human beings cannot avoid engaging with questions of complexity and emergence and seeking innovative ways of addressing these issues. Ergonomics has largely modelled its research on a reductive science, studying parts and problems to fix. In sustainability efforts, this can lead to mere local adaptations with a negative effect on global sustainability. Ergonomics must consider quality of life globally, appreciating complexity and emergent effects of local relationships.

  5. Traffic signal preemption for emergency vehicles : a cross-cutting study : putting the "first" in "first response"

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-01-01

    This cross-cutting study identifies issues associated with emergency vehicle operations and emergency vehicle preemption. This study reports information gathered during a review of publications and site visits to three jurisdictions operating emergen...

  6. 5 CFR 352.203 - Standards for issuing Letters of Authority.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Standards for issuing Letters of Authority. 352.203 Section 352.203 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE... belief that reemployment rights will be a significant and reasonable aid in meeting the emergency...

  7. 5 CFR 352.203 - Standards for issuing Letters of Authority.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Standards for issuing Letters of Authority. 352.203 Section 352.203 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE... belief that reemployment rights will be a significant and reasonable aid in meeting the emergency...

  8. 5 CFR 352.203 - Standards for issuing Letters of Authority.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Standards for issuing Letters of Authority. 352.203 Section 352.203 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE... belief that reemployment rights will be a significant and reasonable aid in meeting the emergency...

  9. 5 CFR 352.203 - Standards for issuing Letters of Authority.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Standards for issuing Letters of Authority. 352.203 Section 352.203 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE... belief that reemployment rights will be a significant and reasonable aid in meeting the emergency...

  10. 5 CFR 352.203 - Standards for issuing Letters of Authority.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Standards for issuing Letters of Authority. 352.203 Section 352.203 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE... belief that reemployment rights will be a significant and reasonable aid in meeting the emergency...

  11. Quality improvement in the emergency department.

    PubMed

    Batrich, M; Domerchie, M

    1995-09-01

    Health care institutions across the country are recognizing that their success is dependent on satisfied patients. The Emergency Department in this community teaching hospital dramatically improved their patient satisfaction rates with a customer-focused program. The effort was based on defining the patient's perception, developing a multidisciplinary team to address the issue, and implementing a plan in which every employee was a part of the solution.

  12. Regulatory issues with multiplicity in drug approval: Principles and controversies in a changing landscape.

    PubMed

    Benda, Norbert; Brandt, Andreas

    2018-01-01

    Recently, new draft guidelines on multiplicity issues in clinical trials have been issued by European Medicine Agency (EMA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), respectively. Multiplicity is an issue in clinical trials, if the probability of a false-positive decision is increased by insufficiently accounting for testing multiple hypotheses. We outline the regulatory principles related to multiplicity issues in confirmatory clinical trials intended to support a marketing authorization application in the EU, describe the reasons for an increasing complexity regarding multiple hypotheses testing and discuss the specific multiplicity issues emerging within the regulatory context and being relevant for drug approval.

  13. Ethics curriculum for emergency medicine graduate medical education.

    PubMed

    Marco, Catherine A; Lu, Dave W; Stettner, Edward; Sokolove, Peter E; Ufberg, Jacob W; Noeller, Thomas P

    2011-05-01

    Ethics education is an essential component of graduate medical education in emergency medicine. A sound understanding of principles of bioethics and a rational approach to ethical decision-making are imperative. This article addresses ethics curriculum content, educational approaches, educational resources, and resident feedback and evaluation. Ethics curriculum content should include elements suggested by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, and the Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. Essential ethics content includes ethical principles, the physician-patient relationship, patient autonomy, clinical issues, end-of-life decisions, justice, education in emergency medicine, research ethics, and professionalism. The appropriate curriculum in ethics education in emergency medicine should include some of the content and educational approaches outlined in this article, although the optimal methods for meeting these educational goals may vary by institution. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. RNA as an Astrophysical or Geophysical Document?? Correlated issues in nebular and planetary astronomy, geology and biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hill, L. C.

    1999-12-01

    The emergence of the largely silicate earth from a presumably cosmically normal, H-rich solar nebula 4.5 eons ago is an obviously important issue relevant to many disciplines of the physical sciences. The emergence of terrestrial life is an equally important issue for biological sciences. Recent discoveries of isotopically light carbon (i.e. putative chemical fossils) in 3.85+ Ga Issua, Greenland sediments have reopened the issue of whether terrestrial life may have emerged prior to the earliest known rocks so that one might use biological records to deduce early terrestrial environments. In addition, recent advances in molecular genetics have suggested that all known ancestral life forms passed through an early hydrogen-rich environment which is more consistent with the now rejected Urey hypothesis of a early jovian atmosphere than with contemporary geological and planetological paradigms. In this essay, then, we examine possible limitations of contemporary paradigms of planetary science since a prima facie case will be made that life could not emerge in those environments which those paradigms now allow. Of necessity, the discussion will also address some hidden conflicts embedded in various disciplinary methodologies (e.g. astronomy, biology, geology).

  15. Aging in Mexico: Population Trends and Emerging Issues.

    PubMed

    Angel, Jacqueline L; Vega, William; López-Ortega, Mariana

    2016-12-07

    Although all nations in the America's face a common demographic reality of longevity, declining fertility rates and changes in family roles a growing body of research points to a dramatic demographic transformation in Mexico. Although Mexico's population is relatively young, with a median age of 27.9 in 2015, it will age rapidly in coming years, increasing to 42 years by 2050. The rapid median age in the nation also reflects the growing proportion of people 65 or older, and is expected to triple to 20.2% by 2050. This article examines how the age and gender structure of Mexico offers important insights about current and future political and social stability, as well as economic development. Mexico is the world's eleventh largest country in terms of population size and the "demographic dividend" of a large youthful population is giving way to a growing older population that will inevitably place demands on health care and social security. The shift in age structure will result in increased dependency of retirees on the working-age population in the next 20 years. Mexico does not provide universal coverage of social security benefits and less than half of the labor force is covered by any pension or retirement plan. As a result, elderly Mexicans often continue working into old age. The high total poverty rate in the country, especially among the older population magnifies the problem of the potential dependency burden. The article ends with a discussion of key public policy issues related to aging in Mexico. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Other issues before Congress.

    PubMed

    1999-09-03

    Issues awaiting congressional action cover work incentives, patients' bill of rights, and hate crimes. The work incentive bill would allow States to enact Medicaid buy-in programs so people with HIV or other disabilities can obtain health services necessary to become or remain employed. A limited version of a patient's bill of rights, passing from the Senate to the House, would ensure that patients in health maintenance organizations have access to emergency room care and specialists, and can get doctor referrals outside their networks. A Senate bill involving hate crimes would prosecute violent hate crimes against people because of their disabilities, sexual orientation or gender.

  17. Role of Pediatric Emergency Physicians in Identifying Bullying.

    PubMed

    Waseem, Muhammad; Paul, Audrey; Schwartz, Gerald; Pauzé, Denis; Eakin, Paul; Barata, Isabel; Holtzman, Doug; Benjamin, Lee S; Wright, Joseph L; Nickerson, Amanda B; Joseph, Madeline

    2017-02-01

    Bullying is an important public health issue with broad implications. Although this issue has been studied extensively, there is limited emergency medicine literature addressing bullying. The emergency department (ED) physician has a unique opportunity to identify children and adolescents that are victims of bullying, and make a difference in their lives. Our aim is to discuss the role of the emergency physician (EP) in identifying patients who have been victims of bullying and how to provide effective management as well as referral for further resources. This document provides a framework for recognizing, stabilizing, and managing children who have experienced bullying. With the advent of social media, bullying behavior is not limited to in-person situations, and often occurs via electronic communication, further complicating recognition because it may not impart any physical harm to the child. Recognition of bullying requires a high level of suspicion, as patients may not offer this history. After the stabilization of any acute or overt indications of physical injury, along with obtaining a history of the mechanism of injury, the EP has the opportunity to identify the existence of bullying as the cause of the injury, and can address the issue in the ED while collaborating with "physician-extenders," such as social workers, toward identifying local resources for further support. The ED is an important arena for the assessment and management of children who have experienced bullying. It is imperative that EPs on the front lines of patient care address this public health epidemic. They have the opportunity to exert a positive impact on the lives of the children and families who are the victims of bullying. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Weighting issues in recreation research and in identifying support for resource conservation management alternatives

    Treesearch

    Amy L. Sheaffer; Jay Beaman; Joseph T. O' Leary; Rebecca L. Williams; Doran M. Mason

    2001-01-01

    Sampling for research in recreation settings in an ongoing challenge. Often certain groups of users are more likely to be sampled. It is important in measuring public support for resource conservation and in understanding use of natural resources for recreation to evaluate issues of bias in survey methodologies. Important methodological issues emerged from a statewide...

  19. Ethical issues of prison nursing: A qualitative study in Northern Italy.

    PubMed

    Sasso, Loredana; Delogu, Barbara; Carrozzino, Roberto; Aleo, Giuseppe; Bagnasco, Annamaria

    2018-05-01

    Prisons are contexts where nurses are required to have specific skills to ensure that, in a setting designed for the expiation of crime, prisoners receive the same type of care as anyone else. But this is not always the case, giving rise to ethical issues. 'How do correctional nurses describe their working experience in prisons? What issues emerged?' This is a qualitative descriptive study. Following purposive sampling, we conducted five focus groups. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Participants and research context: Our sample included 31 correctional nurses in seven prisons in Northern Italy. Ethical considerations: The scientific merit of this study was recognized by the Academic Board of the University of Genoa. Approval to conduct the study was obtained from the Liguria Regional Government that funded this study and from the Local Health Authority that was the prison nurses' employer. Formal consent was obtained from all the nurses who volunteered to participate in this study. Five themes emerged from the focus groups: (1) prisoners' healthcare needs, (2) negotiation between custody and care, (3) satisfaction of working in prisons, (4) obstacles to quality care and (5) safety. 'Manipulation' was a transversal theme that emerged from all the focus groups. The problems generated by the clash between prison security and nursing care priorities did not enable nurses to practice autonomously and provide the best possible to care prisoners, giving rise to ethical issues and moral distress. This in turn causes high nursing turnover rates that negatively impact continuum of care. In Italy, correctional nurses urgently require specific education interventions with the participation of all those who work in prisons. Interventions based on the post-modern concept of restorative nursing could offer prison nurses the opportunity to both resolve ethical issues and reduce moral distress.

  20. Crisis-Management Plans Are Untested, Survey Says

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    June, Audrey Williams

    2007-01-01

    Newly released survey results reveal that many colleges are focusing more than ever on preparing for a crisis since the massacre at Virginia Tech, but that they may not be well equipped to handle one. The online survey was conducted by SimpsonScarborough, a consulting firm that focuses on colleges and universities. It invited 546 people who are…

  1. EPP Monitor, Volume 8, Issues 1&2, Spring/Summer 2004

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guerrier, Martine

    2004-01-01

    This issue of EPP Monitor contains the following articles: "Countdown for Justice," Five Quick and Inexpensive Ways to End Overcrowding," "Third Grade Retention -- Deja Vu All Over Again," High-Need African-American and Latino Students Doing Better in Suburban Districts," "An Emerging Consensus on Facts, not…

  2. Emerging Pathogens: Challenges and Successes of Molecular Diagnostics

    PubMed Central

    Dong, Jianli; Olano, Juan P.; McBride, Jere W.; Walker, David H.

    2008-01-01

    More than 50 emerging and reemerging pathogens have been identified during the last 40 years. Until 1992 when the Institute of Medicine issued a report that defined emerging infectious diseases, medicine had been complacent about such infectious diseases despite the alarm bells of infections with human immunodeficiency virus. Molecular tools have proven useful in discovering and characterizing emerging viruses and bacteria such as Sin Nombre virus (hantaviral pulmonary syndrome), hepatitis C virus, Bartonella henselae (cat scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (human granulocytotropic anaplasmosis). The feasibility of applying molecular diagnostics to dangerous, fastidious, and uncultivated agents for which conventional tests do not yield timely diagnoses has achieved proof of concept for many agents, but widespread use of cost-effective, validated commercial assays has yet to occur. This review presents representative emerging viral respiratory infections, hemorrhagic fevers, and hepatitides, as well as bacterial and parasitic zoonotic, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary infections. Agent characteristics, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostic methods are tabulated for another 22 emerging viruses and five emerging bacteria. The ongoing challenge to the field of molecular diagnostics is to apply contemporary knowledge to facilitate agent diagnosis as well as to further discoveries of novel pathogens. PMID:18403608

  3. The Virtual Orchestra: Technical and Creative Issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    BIANCHI, F. W.; CAMPBELL, R. H.

    2000-04-01

    The interactive multi-channel computer music system known as the Virtual Orchestra has been used several times in professional opera and theater as an alternative to a live pit orchestra. The technical issues associated with this emerging technology, and the logistical problems of implementing it are discussed. In addition, this paper describes the equally important issues regarding the creative impact this will have on the industry. In particular, this paper explores the role of the musician/technologist and suggests that many of the fundamental premises of opera production will change as the industry begins to retool. This would include the way opera is rehearsed and performed, how it is created and disseminated, and how it will adjust to changing demographics.

  4. Portrait of rural emergency departments in Quebec and utilisation of the Quebec Emergency Department Management Guide: a study protocol

    PubMed Central

    Fleet, Richard; Archambault, Patrick; Légaré, France; Chauny, Jean-Marc; Lévesque, Jean-Frédéric; Ouimet, Mathieu; Dupuis, Gilles; Haggerty, Jeannie; Poitras, Julien; Tanguay, Alain; Simard-Racine, Geneviève; Gauthier, Josée

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Emergency departments are important safety nets for people who live in rural areas. Moreover, a serious problem in access to healthcare services has emerged in these regions. The challenges of providing access to quality rural emergency care include recruitment and retention issues, lack of advanced imagery technology, lack of specialist support and the heavy reliance on ambulance transport over great distances. The Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services published a new version of the Emergency Department Management Guide, a document designed to improve the emergency department management and to humanise emergency department care and services. In particular, the Guide recommends solutions to problems that plague rural emergency departments. Unfortunately, no studies have evaluated the implementation of the proposed recommendations. Methods and analysis To develop a comprehensive portrait of all rural emergency departments in Quebec, data will be gathered from databases at the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Quebec Trauma Registry and from emergency departments and ambulance services managers. Statistics Canada data will be used to describe populations and rural regions. To evaluate the use of the 2006 Emergency Department Management Guide and the implementation of its various recommendations, an online survey and a phone interview will be administered to emergency department managers. Two online surveys will evaluate quality of work life among physicians and nurses working at rural emergency departments. Quality-of-care indicators will be collected from databases and patient medical files. Data will be analysed using statistical (descriptive and inferential) procedures. Ethics and dissemination This protocol has been approved by the CSSS Alphonse–Desjardins research ethics committee (Project MP-HDL-1213-011). The results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at one or more scientific

  5. Portrait of rural emergency departments in Quebec and utilisation of the Quebec Emergency Department Management Guide: a study protocol.

    PubMed

    Fleet, Richard; Archambault, Patrick; Légaré, France; Chauny, Jean-Marc; Lévesque, Jean-Frédéric; Ouimet, Mathieu; Dupuis, Gilles; Haggerty, Jeannie; Poitras, Julien; Tanguay, Alain; Simard-Racine, Geneviève; Gauthier, Josée

    2013-01-01

    Emergency departments are important safety nets for people who live in rural areas. Moreover, a serious problem in access to healthcare services has emerged in these regions. The challenges of providing access to quality rural emergency care include recruitment and retention issues, lack of advanced imagery technology, lack of specialist support and the heavy reliance on ambulance transport over great distances. The Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services published a new version of the Emergency Department Management Guide, a document designed to improve the emergency department management and to humanise emergency department care and services. In particular, the Guide recommends solutions to problems that plague rural emergency departments. Unfortunately, no studies have evaluated the implementation of the proposed recommendations. To develop a comprehensive portrait of all rural emergency departments in Quebec, data will be gathered from databases at the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Quebec Trauma Registry and from emergency departments and ambulance services managers. Statistics Canada data will be used to describe populations and rural regions. To evaluate the use of the 2006 Emergency Department Management Guide and the implementation of its various recommendations, an online survey and a phone interview will be administered to emergency department managers. Two online surveys will evaluate quality of work life among physicians and nurses working at rural emergency departments. Quality-of-care indicators will be collected from databases and patient medical files. Data will be analysed using statistical (descriptive and inferential) procedures. This protocol has been approved by the CSSS Alphonse-Desjardins research ethics committee (Project MP-HDL-1213-011). The results will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and presented at one or more scientific conferences.

  6. In this issue of the International Reviews of Immunology.

    PubMed

    Bot, Adrian

    2012-06-01

    This issue hosts diverse topics, from myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) with their mechanism and role in cancer, the interplay between diet and emerging allergies studied in a genetically closed population, the pleiotropic anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol, to the quest to achieve more reliable immune correlates of protection against the hepatitis C virus (HCV).

  7. Improved satellite-based emergency alerting system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bernard, E. N.; Milburn, H. B.

    1991-12-01

    Rapid-onset natural hazards have claimed more than 2.8 million lives worldwide in the past 20 years. This category includes such events as earthquakes, landslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, and tsunamis. Effective hazard mitigation is particularly difficult in such cases, since the time available to issue warnings can be very short or even nonexistent. A general approach to mitigate the effects of these disasters was demonstrated in 1988 that included preevent emergency planning, real-time hazard assessment, and rapid warning via satellite communication links. This article reports on improvements in this satellite-based emergency alerting communication system that have reduced the response time from 87 to 17 sec and expanded the broadcast coverage from 40 percent to 62 percent of the earth's surface.

  8. 78 FR 24802 - National Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (NEMSAC); Notice of Federal Advisory...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-26

    ... Reports and Recommendations from NEMSAC Workgroups a. Advisory on Leadership Developmental Planning in EMS... Future d. Improving Internal NEMSAC Processes e. Updates on NHTSA Emerging Issues in EMS White Papers (7... May 13, 2013. Issued on: April 23, 2013. Jeffrey P. Michael, Associate Administrator for Research and...

  9. Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-09-27

    operations against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. The latter mainly took the form of at-sea replenishment of fuel oil and water to U.S., British...creating a scandal over the Agricultural Ministry’s handling of the issue (several more Japanese BSE cases have since emerged). Japan had retained the...procedures U.S. and Japanese officials had agreed upon. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns expressed regret that the prohibited material had

  10. Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-11-21

    Taliban in Afghanistan. The latter mainly took the form of at-sea replenishment of fuel oil and water to U.S., British, French, and other allied warships...creating a scandal over the Agricultural Ministry’s handling of the issue (several more Japanese BSE cases have since emerged). Japan had retained...procedures U.S. and Japanese officials had agreed upon. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns expressed regret that the prohibited material had

  11. Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Statement on Plagiarism.

    PubMed

    Asher, Shellie L; Iserson, Kenneth V; Merck, Lisa H

    2017-10-01

    The integrity of the research enterprise is of the utmost importance for the advancement of safe and effective medical practice for patients and for maintaining the public trust in health care. Academic societies and editors of journals are key participants in guarding scientific integrity. Avoiding and preventing plagiarism helps to preserve the scientific integrity of professional presentations and publications. The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Ethics Committee discusses current issues in scientific publishing integrity and provides a guideline to avoid plagiarism in SAEM presentations and publications. © 2017 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

  12. Lessons Learned from School Crises and Emergencies. Volume 1, Issue 1, Fall 2006

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2006

    2006-01-01

    This issue of "Lessons Learned" addresses "Dealing with Weapons on Campus." Each year, school administrators, faculty and staff must deal with the possibility of students planning and carrying out pranks such as toilet-papering trees, egging automobiles or spray painting school property. These high jinks often occur at the end of the school year,…

  13. Making the Invisible Visible: A Methodological and a Substantive Issue

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dagley, Valerie

    2004-01-01

    This article discusses the issue of "making the invisible visible" from a methodological and a substantive viewpoint. The ideas emerged from a doctoral research study into individual target setting with middle ability students in an English secondary school. The students involved had been identified by assessments as "average"…

  14. Post It!--A Cross-Disciplinary Approach to Teach Socioscientific Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rundgren, Shu-Nu Chang

    2011-01-01

    Various socioscientific issues (SSIs) are emerging in today's science--and technology--dominant society, e.g. genetically modified organisms and global warming. To achieve the goal of scientific literacy, more and more science educators have devoted their attention to enhancing students' understanding of the multidimensional aspects of SSIs as…

  15. Generational Influences in Academic Emergency Medicine: Teaching and Learning, Mentoring, and Technology (Part I)

    PubMed Central

    Mohr, Nicholas M.; Moreno-Walton, Lisa; Mills, Angela M.; Brunett, Patrick H.; Promes, Susan B.

    2010-01-01

    For the first time in history, four generations are working together – Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials. Members of each generation carry with them a unique perspective of the world and interact differently with those around them. Through a review of the literature and consensus by modified Delphi methodology of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Aging and Generational Issues Task Force, the authors have developed this two-part series to address generational issues present in academic emergency medicine (EM). Understanding generational characteristics and mitigating strategies can help address some common issues encountered in academic EM. Through recognition of the unique characteristics of each of the generations with respect to teaching and learning, mentoring, and technology, academicians have the opportunity to strategically optimize interactions with one another. PMID:21314779

  16. Time series modelling and forecasting of emergency department overcrowding.

    PubMed

    Kadri, Farid; Harrou, Fouzi; Chaabane, Sondès; Tahon, Christian

    2014-09-01

    Efficient management of patient flow (demand) in emergency departments (EDs) has become an urgent issue for many hospital administrations. Today, more and more attention is being paid to hospital management systems to optimally manage patient flow and to improve management strategies, efficiency and safety in such establishments. To this end, EDs require significant human and material resources, but unfortunately these are limited. Within such a framework, the ability to accurately forecast demand in emergency departments has considerable implications for hospitals to improve resource allocation and strategic planning. The aim of this study was to develop models for forecasting daily attendances at the hospital emergency department in Lille, France. The study demonstrates how time-series analysis can be used to forecast, at least in the short term, demand for emergency services in a hospital emergency department. The forecasts were based on daily patient attendances at the paediatric emergency department in Lille regional hospital centre, France, from January 2012 to December 2012. An autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) method was applied separately to each of the two GEMSA categories and total patient attendances. Time-series analysis was shown to provide a useful, readily available tool for forecasting emergency department demand.

  17. The psychological advantage of unfalsifiability: the appeal of untestable religious and political ideologies.

    PubMed

    Friesen, Justin P; Campbell, Troy H; Kay, Aaron C

    2015-03-01

    We propose that people may gain certain "offensive" and "defensive" advantages for their cherished belief systems (e.g., religious and political views) by including aspects of unfalsifiability in those belief systems, such that some aspects of the beliefs cannot be tested empirically and conclusively refuted. This may seem peculiar, irrational, or at least undesirable to many people because it is assumed that the primary purpose of a belief is to know objective truth. However, past research suggests that accuracy is only one psychological motivation among many, and falsifiability or testability may be less important when the purpose of a belief serves other psychological motives (e.g., to maintain one's worldviews, serve an identity). In Experiments 1 and 2 we demonstrate the "offensive" function of unfalsifiability: that it allows religious adherents to hold their beliefs with more conviction and political partisans to polarize and criticize their opponents more extremely. Next we demonstrate unfalsifiability's "defensive" function: When facts threaten their worldviews, religious participants frame specific reasons for their beliefs in more unfalsifiable terms (Experiment 3) and political partisans construe political issues as more unfalsifiable ("moral opinion") instead of falsifiable ("a matter of facts"; Experiment 4). We conclude by discussing how in a world where beliefs and ideas are becoming more easily testable by data, unfalsifiability might be an attractive aspect to include in one's belief systems, and how unfalsifiability may contribute to polarization, intractability, and the marginalization of science in public discourse. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

  18. Arrhenius thermodynamics and birth defects: chemical teratogen synergy. Untested, testable, and projected relevance.

    PubMed

    Miller, Morton W; Church, Charles C

    2013-03-01

    This article addresses the issue of hyperthermia-induced birth defects with an accompanying additional teratogen, be it a chemical or a physical agent (i.e., a simultaneous "combinational" exposure to two teratogens, one of which is hyperthermia). Hyperthermia per se is a recognized human and animal teratogen. An excellent example of such combinational exposures is an epileptic woman who becomes pregnant while taking valproic acid (VPA) to control seizures. VPA is a recognized chemical teratogen, and fever (hyperthermia) is not an uncommon event during pregnancy. While VPA also may occasionally induce fever as a side effect, we are concerned here with fevers arising from other, unrelated causes. There is a small but internally consistent literature on these combinational-teratogen exposures involving hyperthermia plus a chemical teratogen; in each instance, the effect level has been observed to be synergistically elevated above levels induced by the separate teratogenic components. The data were empirical. The observed synergy is, however, consistent with Arrhenius thermodynamics, a well-known chemical rate equation. The need for information about combinational teratogen exposures is acute; fever is a common occurrence during pregnancy; and there are many instances whereby there is also the simultaneous presence of some other teratogen(s). Given that the rate of autism spectrum disorders in the United States was recently presented as 1 in 88 births, it seems reasonable to suspect that such combinational regimens are much more prevalent than previously thought. Our hypothesis is that synergistic birth defect levels from combinational regimens are consistent with Arrhenius thermodynamics. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Intelligence Testing and Minority Students: Foundations, Performance Factors, and Assessment Issues. Racial and Ethnic Minority Psychology Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valencia, Richard R.; Suzuki, Lisa A.

    This book examines intelligence assessment among ethnic minority children. Part 1, "Foundations," includes: (1) "Historical Issues" (e.g., emergence of intelligence testing in Europe and ideology of the intelligence testing movement); and (2) "Multicultural Perspective of Intelligence: Theory and Measurement Issues"…

  20. Emergence, Learning Difficulties, and Misconceptions in Chemistry Undergraduate Students' Conceptualizations of Acid Strength

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tümay, Halil

    2016-03-01

    Philosophical debates about chemistry have clarified that the issue of emergence plays a critical role in the epistemology and ontology of chemistry. In this article, it is argued that the issue of emergence has also significant implications for understanding learning difficulties and finding ways of addressing them in chemistry. Particularly, it is argued that many misconceptions in chemistry may derive from students' failure to consider emergence in a systemic manner by taking into account all relevant factors in conjunction. Based on this argument, undergraduate students' conceptions of acids, and acid strength (an emergent chemical property) were investigated and it was examined whether or not they conceptualized acid strength as an emergent chemical property. The participants were 41 third- and fourth-year undergraduate students. A concept test and semi-structured interviews were used to probe students' conceptualizations and reasoning about acid strength. Findings of the study revealed that the majority of the undergraduate students did not conceptualize acid strength as an emergent property that arises from interactions among multiple factors. They generally focused on a single factor to predict and explain acid strength, and their faulty responses stemmed from their failure to recognize and consider all factors that affect acid strength. Based on these findings and insights from philosophy of chemistry, promoting system thinking and epistemologically sound argumentative discourses among students is suggested for meaningful chemical education.

  1. Forces and Issues Related to Curriculum and Instruction, 7-12

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Osborne, Alan R.; Crosswhite, F. Joe

    1970-01-01

    This unit is divided into three chapters concerned with Emerging Issues: 1890-1920," Mathematics Education on the Defensive: 1920-45," and Reform, Revolution, and Reaction." Of particular interest are discussions of the aims and impact of the Report of the Committee of Ten," The 1923 Report" and the Cambridge Report.…

  2. Socio-Scientific Issues in Health Contexts: Treading a Rugged Terrain

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Yeung Chung

    2012-01-01

    The science-technology-society agenda has evolved over time to meet emerging educational aims in the light of changes in society and the environment. There is increasing emphasis on students' decision-making on socio-scientific issues (SSIs) not only to highlight the intricate relationships between science, technology, society, and the…

  3. Human Response to Emergency Warning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sorensen, J.

    2009-12-01

    Almost every day people evacuate from their homes, businesses or other sites, even ships, in response to actual or predicted threats or hazards. Evacuation is the primary protective action utilized in large-scale emergencies such as hurricanes, floods, tornados, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, or wildfires. Although often precautionary, protecting human lives by temporally relocating populations before or during times of threat remains a major emergency management strategy. One of the most formidable challenges facing emergency officials is evacuating residents for a fast-moving and largely unpredictable event such as a wildfire or a local tsunami. How to issue effective warnings to those at risk in time for residents to take appropriate action is an on-going problem. To do so, some communities have instituted advanced communications systems that include reverse telephone call-down systems or other alerting systems to notify at-risk residents of imminent threats. This presentation examines the effectiveness of using reverse telephone call-down systems for warning San Diego residents of wildfires in the October of 2007. This is the first systematic study conducted on this topic and is based on interviews with 1200 households in the evacuation areas.

  4. Global trends in emerging viral diseases of wildlife origin

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sleeman, Jonathan M.; Ip, Hon S.

    2015-01-01

    The following article provides examples of recently emerged viral diseases of wildlife origin. The examples have been selected to illustrate the drivers of emerging viral diseases, both novel pathogens and previously known diseases, the impacts of these diseases, as well as the role of wildlife both as “villains” or reservoirs as well as “victims” of these viral diseases. The article also discusses potential management strategies for emerging viral diseases in wildlife populations and future science directions in wildlife health to prevent, prepare, respond to, and recover from these disease events. Finally, the concept of One Health and its potential role in developing solutions to these issues of mutual concern is discussed.

  5. EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASE AGENTS AND ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF TREATED SLUDGES (BIOSOLIDS)

    EPA Science Inventory

    This presentation looks at the pathogenic microorganisms present in municipal sludges and the public's concerns with the land application of sludges/biosolids. Methods for reducing pathogens in sludge; methods for reducing the vector attractiveness of sludge; and issues associate...

  6. Computer- and Internet-related intellectual property issues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meyer, Stuart P.

    2001-05-01

    Computer-related technologies, such as the Internet, have posed new challenges for intellectual property law. Legislation and court decisions impacting patents, copyrights, trade secrets and trademarks have adapted intellectual property law to address new issues brought about by such emerging technologies. As the pace of technological change continues to increase, intellectual property law will need to keep up. Accordingly, the balance struck by intellectual property laws today will likely be set askew by technological changes in the future. Engineers need to consider not only the law as it exists today, but also how it might change in the future. Likewise, lawyers and judges need to consider legal issues not only in view of the current state of the art in technology, but also with an eye to technologies yet to come.

  7. Steam generator issues in the United States

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Strosnider, J.R.

    1997-02-01

    Alloy 600 steam generator tubes in the US have exhibited degradation mechanisms similar to those observed in other countries. Effective programs have been implemented to address several degradation mechanisms including: wastage; mechanical wear; pitting; and fatigue. These degradation mechanisms are fairly well understood as indicated by the ability to effectively mitigate/manage them. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is the dominant degradation mechanism in the US. SCC poses significant inspection and management challenges to the industry and the regulators. The paper also addresses issues of research into SCC, inspection programs, plugging, repair strategies, water chemistry, and regulatory control. Emerging issues in themore » US include: parent tube cracking at sleeve joints; detection and repair of circumferential cracks; free span cracking; inspection and cracking of dented regions; and severe accident analysis.« less

  8. Managing pediatric dental patients: issues raised by the law and changing views of proper child care.

    PubMed

    Bross, Donald C

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this paper was to examine legal issues regarding the management of pediatric dental patients and changing views of proper child care. Standards of care in pediatric dentistry are not static. They change in response to research, patterns of reimbursement, patient and parental expectations of reasonable care, and consensus among practitioners. The law pertaining to accountability for pediatric dental patient treatment largely reflects standards of care established by the pediatric dentistry profession. However, the law can also reflect changes in public expectations of reasonable care that can effectively outrun the discipline's efforts to reflect new knowledge or changing public concerns. A major impetus for considering the care of children in all settings has been the increasing recognition of suboptimal children's care, as well as concerns that children have either been abused or neglected in a number of settings. Too often, practices towards children have been untested and based only on the assumption that what is done is "for the child's own good." Pediatric dentists can respond to changing standards of reasonable care for pediatric dental patients, as expressed in legal decisions. They can also usefully consider how attention to child maltreatment has sensitized parents to be better consumers of services on their children's behalf. Rather than reacting only to public pressures for better means of behavior management, the challenge is to exceed expectations via new research and thoughtful anticipation of improvements that can be made.

  9. Exploring the key predictors of retention in emergency nurses.

    PubMed

    Sawatzky, Jo-Ann V; Enns, Carol L

    2012-07-01

    To explore the factors that predict the retention of nurses working in emergency departments. The escalating shortage of nurses is one of the most critical issues facing specialty areas, such as the emergency department. Therefore, it is important to identify the key influencing and intermediary factors that affect emergency department nurses' intention to leave. As part of a larger study, a cross-sectional survey was completed by 261 registered nurses working in the 12 designated emergency departments within rural, urban community and tertiary hospitals in Manitoba, Canada. Twenty-six per cent of the respondents will probably/definitely leave their current emergency department jobs within the next year. Engagement was the key predictor of intention to leave (P < 0.001). Engagement was also associated with job satisfaction, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout (P < 0.05). In an ordinal least-squares model (R(2) = 0.44), nursing management, professional practice, collaboration with physicians, staffing resources and shift work emerged as significant influencing factors for engagement. Engagement plays a central role in emergency department nurses intention to leave. Addressing the factors that influence engagement may reduce emergency department nurses' intention to leave. This study highlights the value of research-based evidence as the foundation for developing innovative strategies for the retention of emergency department nurses. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  10. Emergency Response System for Pollution Accidents in Chemical Industrial Parks, China

    PubMed Central

    Duan, Weili; He, Bin

    2015-01-01

    In addition to property damage and loss of lives, environment pollution, such as water pollution and air pollution caused by accidents in chemical industrial parks (CIPs) is a significant issue in China. An emergency response system (ERS) was therefore planned to properly and proactively cope with safety incidents including fire and explosions occurring in the CIPs in this study. Using a scenario analysis, the stages of emergency response were divided into three levels, after introducing the domino effect, and fundamental requirements of ERS design were confirmed. The framework of ERS was composed mainly of a monitoring system, an emergency command center, an action system, and a supporting system. On this basis, six main emergency rescue steps containing alarm receipt, emergency evaluation, launched corresponding emergency plans, emergency rescue actions, emergency recovery, and result evaluation and feedback were determined. Finally, an example from the XiaoHu Chemical Industrial Park (XHCIP) was presented to check on the integrality, reliability, and maneuverability of the ERS, and the result of the first emergency drill with this ERS indicated that the developed ERS can reduce delays, improve usage efficiency of resources, and raise emergency rescue efficiency. PMID:26184260

  11. Emergency Response System for Pollution Accidents in Chemical Industrial Parks, China.

    PubMed

    Duan, Weili; He, Bin

    2015-07-10

    In addition to property damage and loss of lives, environment pollution, such as water pollution and air pollution caused by accidents in chemical industrial parks (CIPs) is a significant issue in China. An emergency response system (ERS) was therefore planned to properly and proactively cope with safety incidents including fire and explosions occurring in the CIPs in this study. Using a scenario analysis, the stages of emergency response were divided into three levels, after introducing the domino effect, and fundamental requirements of ERS design were confirmed. The framework of ERS was composed mainly of a monitoring system, an emergency command center, an action system, and a supporting system. On this basis, six main emergency rescue steps containing alarm receipt, emergency evaluation, launched corresponding emergency plans, emergency rescue actions, emergency recovery, and result evaluation and feedback were determined. Finally, an example from the XiaoHu Chemical Industrial Park (XHCIP) was presented to check on the integrality, reliability, and maneuverability of the ERS, and the result of the first emergency drill with this ERS indicated that the developed ERS can reduce delays, improve usage efficiency of resources, and raise emergency rescue efficiency.

  12. Modeling the Emergence of Lexicons in Homesign Systems

    PubMed Central

    Richie, Russell; Yang, Charles; Coppola, Marie

    2014-01-01

    It is largely acknowledged that natural languages emerge from not just human brains, but also from rich communities of interacting human brains (Senghas, 2005). Yet the precise role of such communities and such interaction in the emergence of core properties of language has largely gone uninvestigated in naturally emerging systems, leaving the few existing computational investigations of this issue at an artificial setting. Here we take a step towards investigating the precise role of community structure in the emergence of linguistic conventions with both naturalistic empirical data and computational modeling. We first show conventionalization of lexicons in two different classes of naturally emerging signed systems: (1) protolinguistic “homesigns” invented by linguistically isolated Deaf individuals, and (2) a natural sign language emerging in a recently formed rich Deaf community. We find that the latter conventionalized faster than the former. Second, we model conventionalization as a population of interacting individuals who adjust their probability of sign use in response to other individuals' actual sign use, following an independently motivated model of language learning (Yang 2002, 2004). Simulations suggest that a richer social network, like that of natural (signed) languages, conventionalizes faster than a sparser social network, like that of homesign systems. We discuss our behavioral and computational results in light of other work on language emergence, and other work of behavior on complex networks. PMID:24482343

  13. Listening for Prescriptions: A National Consultation on Pharmaceutical Policy Issues

    PubMed Central

    Morgan, Steve; Cunningham, Colleen M.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives and Methods: Pharmaceutical policy is an increasingly costly, essential and challenging component of health system management. We sought to identify priority pharmaceutical policy issues in Canada and to translate them into research priorities using key informant interviews, stakeholder surveys and a deliberative workshop. Results: We found consensus on overarching policy goals: to provide all Canadians with equitable and sustainable access to necessary medicines. We also found widespread frustration that many key pharmaceutical policy issues in Canada — including improving prescription drug financing and pricing — have been persistent challenges owing to a lack of policy coordination. The coverage of extraordinarily costly medicines for serious conditions was identified as a rapidly emerging policy issue. Conclusion: Targeted research and knowledge translation activities can help address key policy issues and, importantly, challenges of policy coordination in Canada and thereby reduce inequity and inefficiency in policy approaches and outcomes. PMID:22043223

  14. Data interoperability software solution for emergency reaction in the Europe Union

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Casado, R.; Rubiera, E.; Sacristan, M.; Schütte, F.; Peters, R.

    2015-07-01

    Emergency management becomes more challenging in international crisis episodes because of cultural, semantic and linguistic differences between all stakeholders, especially first responders. Misunderstandings between first responders makes decision making slower and more difficult. However, spread and development of networks and IT-based emergency management systems (EMSs) have improved emergency responses, which have become more coordinated. Despite improvements made in recent years, EMSs have not still solved problems related to cultural, semantic and linguistic differences which are the real cause of slower decision making. In addition, from a technical perspective, the consolidation of current EMSs and the different formats used to exchange information offers another problem to be solved in any solution proposed for information interoperability between heterogeneous EMSs in different contexts. To overcome these problems, we present a software solution based on semantic and mediation technologies. EMERGency ELements (EMERGEL) (Fundacion CTIC and AntwortING Ingenieurbüro PartG, 2013), a common and modular ontology shared by all the stakeholders, has been defined. It offers the best solution to gather all stakeholders' knowledge in a unique and flexible data model, taking into account different countries' cultural and linguistic issues. To deal with the diversity of data protocols and formats, we have designed a service-oriented architecture for data interoperability (named DISASTER: Data Interoperability Solution At STakeholders Emergency Reaction) providing a flexible extensible solution to solve the mediation issues. Web services have been adopted as specific technology to implement this paradigm that has the most significant academic and industrial visibility and attraction. Contributions of this work have been validated through the design and development of a cross-border realistic prototype scenario, actively involving both emergency managers and emergency

  15. Emerging and Reemerging Neurologic Infections

    PubMed Central

    Glaser, Carol A.

    2014-01-01

    The list of emerging and reemerging pathogens that cause neurologic disease is expanding. Various factors, including population growth and a rise in international travel, have contributed to the spread of pathogens to previously nonendemic regions. Recent advances in diagnostic methods have led to the identification of novel pathogens responsible for infections of the central nervous system. Furthermore, new issues have arisen surrounding established infections, particularly in an increasingly immunocompromised population due to advances in the treatment of rheumatologic disease and in transplant medicine. PMID:25360203

  16. Methods and Applications for Advancing Distance Education Technologies: International Issues and Solutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Syed, Mahbubur Rahman, Ed.

    2009-01-01

    The emerging field of advanced distance education delivers academic courses across time and distance, allowing educators and students to participate in a convenient learning method. "Methods and Applications for Advancing Distance Education Technologies: International Issues and Solutions" demonstrates communication technologies, intelligent…

  17. Emergency mental health: lessons learned from flight 3407.

    PubMed

    Homish, Gregory G; Frazer, Bonita S; McCartan, Daniel P; Billittier, Anthony J

    2010-12-01

    Emergency mental health (EMH), a field that is often not well represented when considering emergency preparedness, is nonetheless a vital component to any disaster response. Emergency mental health issues must be considered not only for victims of disasters and their families, friends, and coworkers but also for both on-scene and off-scene responders and members of the community who may have witnessed the disaster. This article describes the EMH preparation for and response to the crash of Continental Airlines flight 3407 in western New York on February 12, 2009, killing all 49 crew and passengers on board and 1 person on the ground. It describes aspects of the response that went as planned and highlights areas for improvement. The lessons learned from this EMH preparation and response can be used to inform future planning for disaster response.

  18. Elementary Science Teacher Education: International Perspectives on Contemporary Issues and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Appleton, Ken, Ed.

    2006-01-01

    Reflecting recent policy and standards initiatives, emerging research agendas, and key innovations, this volume provides a contemporary overview of important developments and issues that have that have in recent years shaped elementary science education pre-service courses and professional development, and practices that are shaping future…

  19. School Expulsions, Suspensions, and Dropouts: Understanding the Issues. Hot Topics Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallegos, Arnold, Ed.

    This collection of papers examines the causal and contextual issues surrounding the emerging rash of student expulsions, suspensions, and dropouts; discusses legal restrictions that school personnel must consider when establishing and implementing student codes of conduct; and presents promising programs and practices to reduce the number of…

  20. Beyond Academics: Challenging Issues Facing Community College Non-Academic Support Services

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, Judith Lynn

    2012-01-01

    This research focused on identifying and exploring the significant current and emerging community college non-academic support service issues. These auxiliary services, not unlike academic or student affairs, support the community college mission and vision as well as students' academic success. Since December 2007, Americans have been…

  1. Crustal permeability: Introduction to the special issue

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ingebritsen, Steven E.; Gleeson, Tom

    2015-01-01

    The topic of crustal permeability is of broad interest in light of the controlling effect of permeability on diverse geologic processes and also timely in light of the practical challenges associated with emerging technologies such as hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas production (‘fracking’), enhanced geothermal systems, and geologic carbon sequestration. This special issue of Geofluids is also motivated by the historical dichotomy between the hydrogeologic concept of permeability as a static material property that exerts control on fluid flow and the perspective of economic geologists, geophysicists, and crustal petrologists who have long recognized permeability as a dynamic parameter that changes in response to tectonism, fluid production, and geochemical reactions. Issues associated with fracking, enhanced geothermal systems, and geologic carbon sequestration have already begun to promote a constructive dialog between the static and dynamic views of permeability, and here we have made a conscious effort to include both viewpoints. This special issue also focuses on the quantification of permeability, encompassing both direct measurement of permeability in the uppermost crust and inferential permeability estimates, mainly for the deeper crust.

  2. Psychiatry and emergency medicine: medical student and physician attitudes toward homeless persons.

    PubMed

    Morrison, Ann; Roman, Brenda; Borges, Nicole

    2012-05-01

    The purpose of the study was to explore changes in medical students' attitudes toward homeless persons during the Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine clerkships. Simultaneously, this study explored attitudes toward homeless persons held by Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine residents and faculty in an attempt to uncover the "hidden curriculum" in medical education, in which values are communicated from teacher to student outside of the formal instruction. A group of 79 students on Psychiatry and 66 on Emergency Medicine clerkships were surveyed at the beginning and end of their rotation regarding their attitudes toward homeless persons by use of the Health Professionals' Attitudes Toward the Homeless Inventory (HPATHI). The HPATHI was also administered to 31 Psychiatry residents and faculty and 41 Emergency Medicine residents and faculty one time during the course of this study. For Psychiatry clerks, t-tests showed significant differences pre- and post-clerkship experiences on 2 of the 23 items on the HPATHI. No statistically significant differences were noted for the Emergency Medicine students. An analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences on 7 out of the 23 survey questions for residents and faculty in Psychiatry, as compared with those in Emergency Medicine. Results suggest that medical students showed small differences in their attitudes toward homeless people following clerkships in Psychiatry but not in Emergency Medicine. Regarding resident and faculty results, significant differences between specialties were noted, with Psychiatry residents and faculty exhibiting more favorable attitudes toward homeless persons than residents and faculty in Emergency Medicine. Given that medical student competencies should be addressing the broader social issues of homelessness, medical schools need to first understand the attitudes of medical students to such issues, and then develop curricula to overcome inaccurate or stigmatizing beliefs.

  3. Framing and Exposing Community Issues through Video Participatory Research: An Emerging Approach for Adult Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mathews, Sarah A.; Lovett, Maria K.

    2017-01-01

    Video participatory research (VPR) is an emergent methodology that bridges visual methods with the epistemology of participatory research. This approach is motivated by the "crisis of representation" or "reflective turn" (Gubrium & Harper, 2013) that promotes research conducted with or by participants, conceptualizing…

  4. One Health Perspectives on Emerging Public Health Threats

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Antimicrobial resistance and emerging infectious diseases, including avian influenza, Ebola virus disease, and Zika virus disease have significantly affected humankind in recent years. In the premodern era, no distinction was made between animal and human medicine. However, as medical science developed, the gap between human and animal science grew deeper. Cooperation among human, animal, and environmental sciences to combat emerging public health threats has become an important issue under the One Health Initiative. Herein, we presented the history of One Health, reviewed current public health threats, and suggested opportunities for the field of public health through better understanding of the One Health paradigm. PMID:29207450

  5. Science in Emergency Response at CDC: Structure and Functions.

    PubMed

    Iskander, John; Rose, Dale A; Ghiya, Neelam D

    2017-09-01

    Recent high-profile activations of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) include responses to the West African Ebola and Zika virus epidemics. Within the EOC, emergency responses are organized according to the Incident Management System, which provides a standardized structure and chain of command, regardless of whether the EOC activation occurs in response to an outbreak, natural disaster, or other type of public health emergency. By embedding key scientific roles, such as the associate director for science, and functions within a Scientific Response Section, the current CDC emergency response structure ensures that both urgent and important science issues receive needed attention. Key functions during emergency responses include internal coordination of scientific work, data management, information dissemination, and scientific publication. We describe a case example involving the ongoing Zika virus response that demonstrates how the scientific response structure can be used to rapidly produce high-quality science needed to answer urgent public health questions and guide policy. Within the context of emergency response, longer-term priorities at CDC include both streamlining administrative requirements and funding mechanisms for scientific research.

  6. The emergence and effectiveness of global health networks: findings and future research

    PubMed Central

    Shiffman, Jeremy; Peter Schmitz, Hans; Berlan, David; Smith, Stephanie L; Quissell, Kathryn; Gneiting, Uwe; Pelletier, David

    2016-01-01

    Global health issues vary in the amount of attention and resources they receive. One reason is that the networks of individuals and organizations that address these issues differ in their effectiveness. This article presents key findings from a research project on the emergence and effectiveness of global health networks addressing tobacco use, alcohol harm, maternal mortality, neonatal mortality, tuberculosis and pneumonia. Although networks are only one of many factors influencing priority, they do matter, particularly for shaping the way the problem and solutions are understood, and convincing governments, international organizations and other global actors to address the issue. Their national-level effects vary by issue and are more difficult to ascertain. Networks are most likely to produce effects when (1) their members construct a compelling framing of the issue, one that includes a shared understanding of the problem, a consensus on solutions and convincing reasons to act and (2) they build a political coalition that includes individuals and organizations beyond their traditional base in the health sector, a task that demands engagement in the politics of the issue, not just its technical aspects. Maintaining a focused frame and sustaining a broad coalition are often in tension: effective networks find ways to balance the two challenges. The emergence and effectiveness of a network are shaped both by its members’ decisions and by contextual factors, including historical influences (e.g. prior failed attempts to address the problem), features of the policy environment (e.g. global development goals) and characteristics of the issue the network addresses (e.g. its mortality burden). Their proliferation raises the issue of their legitimacy. Reasons to consider them legitimate include their members’ expertise and the attention they bring to neglected issues. Reasons to question their legitimacy include their largely elite composition and the fragmentation

  7. Evaluating the Effectiveness of Community and Hospital Medical Record Integration on Management of Behavioral Health in the Emergency Department.

    PubMed

    Ngo, Stephanie; Shahsahebi, Mohammad; Schreiber, Sean; Johnson, Fred; Silberberg, Mina

    2017-11-09

    This study evaluated the correlation of an emergency department embedded care coordinator with access to community and medical records in decreasing hospital and emergency department use in patients with behavioral health issues. This retrospective cohort study presents a 6-month pre-post analysis on patients seen by the care coordinator (n=524). Looking at all-cause healthcare utilization, care coordination was associated with a significant median decrease of one emergency department visit per patient (p < 0.001) and a decrease of 9.5 h in emergency department length of stay per average visit per patient (p<0.001). There was no significant effect on the number of hospitalizations or hospital length of stay. This intervention demonstrated a correlation with reducing emergency department use in patients with behavioral health issues, but no correlation with reducing hospital utilization. This under-researched approach of integrating medical records at point-of-care could serve as a model for better emergency department management of behavioral health patients.

  8. Data interoperability software solution for emergency reaction in the Europe Union

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Casado, R.; Rubiera, E.; Sacristan, M.; Schütte, F.; Peters, R.

    2014-09-01

    Emergency management becomes more challenging in international crisis episodes because of cultural, semantic and linguistic differences between all stakeholders, especially first responders. Misunderstandings between first responders makes decision-making slower and more difficult. However, spread and development of networks and IT-based Emergency Management Systems (EMS) has improved emergency responses, becoming more coordinated. Despite improvements made in recent years, EMS have not still solved problems related to cultural, semantic and linguistic differences which are the real cause of slower decision-making. In addition, from a technical perspective, the consolidation of current EMS and the different formats used to exchange information offers another problem to be solved in any solution proposed for information interoperability between heterogeneous EMS surrounded by different contexts. To overcome these problems we present a software solution based on semantic and mediation technologies. EMERGency ELements (EMERGEL) (Fundacion CTIC and AntwortING Ingenieurbüro PartG 2013), a common and modular ontology shared by all the stakeholders, has been defined. It offers the best solution to gather all stakeholders' knowledge in a unique and flexible data model, taking into account different countries cultural linguistic issues. To deal with the diversity of data protocols and formats, we have designed a Service Oriented Architecture for Data Interoperability (named DISASTER) providing a flexible extensible solution to solve the mediation issues. Web Services have been adopted as specific technology to implement such paradigm that has the most significant academic and industrial visibility and attraction. Contributions of this work have been validated through the design and development of a cross-border realistic prototype scenario, actively involving both emergency managers and emergency first responders: the Netherlands-Germany border fire.

  9. Web 2.0 and Emerging Technologies in Online Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diaz, Veronica

    2010-01-01

    As online learning continues to grow, so do the free or nearly free Web 2.0 and emerging online learning technologies available to faculty and students. This chapter explores the implementation process and corresponding considerations of adapting such tools for teaching and learning. Issues addressed include copyright, intellectual property,…

  10. Seven Risks Emerging from Life Patents and Corporate Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ekberg, Merryn

    2005-01-01

    This article examines some of the controversial issues emerging from the privatization of biomedical research and commercialization of biotechnology. The aim is to identify the dominant social, political, and ethical risks associated with the recent shift from academic to corporate science and from the increasing emphasis on investing in research…

  11. Computing and Engineering in Afterschool. Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 62

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Afterschool Alliance, 2013

    2013-01-01

    This Afterschool Alert Issue Brief explores how afterschool programs are offering innovative, hands-on computing and engineering education opportunities. Both these subjects have emerged as priority areas within the "STEM" fields. Computing is one of the fastest growing industries, and yet current rates of college graduation in computer…

  12. 75 FR 20441 - Authorization of Emergency Use of Certain In Vitro Diagnostic Devices; Availability

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-19

    ...The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the issuance of 10 Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) (the Authorizations) several of which were amended after initial issuance, for certain in vitro diagnostic devices. FDA also is announcing an amendment to the EUA for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Swine Influenza Virus Real-time RT-PCR Detection Panel authorized on April 27, 2009. FDA is issuing the Authorizations and amendments thereto under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act). The Authorizations contain, among other things, conditions on the emergency use of the authorized in vitro diagnostics. The Authorizations follow the determination by the Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Charles E. Johnson (the Acting Secretary), that a public health emergency exists involving Swine Influenza A (now known as 2009 H1N1 Influenza A, or 2009 H1N1 flu) that affects, or has the significant potential to affect, national security. On the basis of such determination, the Acting Secretary declared an emergency justifying the authorization of the emergency use of certain in vitro diagnostics, accompanied by emergency use information subject to the terms of any authorization issued under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act). The Authorizations, which include explanations of the reasons for their issuance or reissuance, are reprinted in this document.

  13. Emerging science, emerging ethical issues: who should fund innate alloimmunity-suppressing drugs?

    PubMed

    Land, W G; Gutmann, Th; Daar, A S

    2008-01-01

    An emerging body of evidence suggests that the innate immune system plays a critical role in allograft rejection. Any injury to the donor organ, e.g. the reperfusion injury, induces an inflammatory milieu in the allograft which appears to be the initial event for activation of the innate immune system. Injury-induced intragraft damage- associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are recognized by donor-derived and recipient-derived, TLR4/2-bearing immature dendritic cells (iDCs). After recognition, these cells mature and initiate allorecognition/alloactivation in the lymphoid system of the recipient. Indeed, the key "innate" event, leading to activation of the adaptive alloimmune response, is the injury-induced, TLR4-triggered, and NFkappaB-mediated maturation of DCs ("innate alloimmunity"). Time-restricted treatment of innate immune events would include 1) treatment of the donor during organ removal, 2) in-situ/ex-vivo treatment of the donor organs alone, and 3) treatment of the recipient during allograft reperfusion and immediately postoperatively. Treatment modalities would include 1) minimization of the oxidative allograft injury with the use of antioxidants; 2) prevention of the TLR4-triggered maturation of DCs with the use of TLR4-antagonists; 3) inhibition of complement activation with the use of complement inhibiting agents. According to data from clinical and experimental studies it can be assumed that successful suppression of innate alloimmune events results in either subsequent significant reduction in, or even complete avoidance of the currently applied adaptive alloimmunity-suppressing drugs. However, in view of the time-restricted period of treatment, and the fear to potentially destroy its own business with currently applied alloimmunity-suppressing drugs, the pharmaceutical industry is still, but quite legitimately, reluctant to invest in the high cost of clinical development of those drugs for transplant patients because there are no marketing interests

  14. Implementation, driver behavior, and simulation : issues related to roundabouts in northern New England.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-06-01

    Roundabouts are an emerging type of intersection design and a relatively new addition to the : transportation system in the United States. This imposes two traffic engineering and research : related issues. First, data and research on traffic operati...

  15. BIM based virtual environment for fire emergency evacuation.

    PubMed

    Wang, Bin; Li, Haijiang; Rezgui, Yacine; Bradley, Alex; Ong, Hoang N

    2014-01-01

    Recent building emergency management research has highlighted the need for the effective utilization of dynamically changing building information. BIM (building information modelling) can play a significant role in this process due to its comprehensive and standardized data format and integrated process. This paper introduces a BIM based virtual environment supported by virtual reality (VR) and a serious game engine to address several key issues for building emergency management, for example, timely two-way information updating and better emergency awareness training. The focus of this paper lies on how to utilize BIM as a comprehensive building information provider to work with virtual reality technologies to build an adaptable immersive serious game environment to provide real-time fire evacuation guidance. The innovation lies on the seamless integration between BIM and a serious game based virtual reality (VR) environment aiming at practical problem solving by leveraging state-of-the-art computing technologies. The system has been tested for its robustness and functionality against the development requirements, and the results showed promising potential to support more effective emergency management.

  16. BIM Based Virtual Environment for Fire Emergency Evacuation

    PubMed Central

    Rezgui, Yacine; Ong, Hoang N.

    2014-01-01

    Recent building emergency management research has highlighted the need for the effective utilization of dynamically changing building information. BIM (building information modelling) can play a significant role in this process due to its comprehensive and standardized data format and integrated process. This paper introduces a BIM based virtual environment supported by virtual reality (VR) and a serious game engine to address several key issues for building emergency management, for example, timely two-way information updating and better emergency awareness training. The focus of this paper lies on how to utilize BIM as a comprehensive building information provider to work with virtual reality technologies to build an adaptable immersive serious game environment to provide real-time fire evacuation guidance. The innovation lies on the seamless integration between BIM and a serious game based virtual reality (VR) environment aiming at practical problem solving by leveraging state-of-the-art computing technologies. The system has been tested for its robustness and functionality against the development requirements, and the results showed promising potential to support more effective emergency management. PMID:25197704

  17. EMERGENCY BRAKING IN ADULTS VERSUS NOVICE TEEN DRIVERS: RESPONSE TO SIMULATED SUDDEN DRIVING EVENTS.

    PubMed

    Loeb, Helen S; Kandadai, Venk; McDonald, Catherine C; Winston, Flaura K

    Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death in teens in the United States. Newly licensed drivers are the group most at risk for crashes. Their driving skills are very new, still very often untested, so that their ability to properly react in an emergency situation remains a research question. Since it is impossible to expose human subjects to critical life threatening driving scenarios, researchers have been increasingly using driving simulators to assess driving skills. This paper summarizes the results of a driving scenario in a study comparing the driving performance of novice teen drivers (n=21) 16-17 year olds with 90 days of provisional licensure with that of experienced adult drivers (n=17) 25-50 year olds with at least 5 years of PA licensure, at least 100 miles driven per week and no self-reported collisions in the previous 3 years. As part of a 30 to 35 simulated drive that encompassed the most common scenarios that result in serious crashes, participants were exposed to a sudden car event. As the participant drove on a suburban road, a car surged from a driveway hidden by a fence on the right side of the road. To avoid the crash, participants must hard brake, exhibiting dynamic control over both attentional and motor resources. The results showed strong differences between the experienced adult and novice teen drivers in the brake pressure applied. When placed in the same situation, the novice teens decelerated on average 50% less than the experienced adults (p<0.01).

  18. EMERGENCY BRAKING IN ADULTS VERSUS NOVICE TEEN DRIVERS: RESPONSE TO SIMULATED SUDDEN DRIVING EVENTS

    PubMed Central

    Kandadai, Venk; McDonald, Catherine C.; Winston, Flaura K.

    2015-01-01

    Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death in teens in the United States. Newly licensed drivers are the group most at risk for crashes. Their driving skills are very new, still very often untested, so that their ability to properly react in an emergency situation remains a research question. Since it is impossible to expose human subjects to critical life threatening driving scenarios, researchers have been increasingly using driving simulators to assess driving skills. This paper summarizes the results of a driving scenario in a study comparing the driving performance of novice teen drivers (n=21) 16–17 year olds with 90 days of provisional licensure with that of experienced adult drivers (n=17) 25–50 year olds with at least 5 years of PA licensure, at least 100 miles driven per week and no self-reported collisions in the previous 3 years. As part of a 30 to 35 simulated drive that encompassed the most common scenarios that result in serious crashes, participants were exposed to a sudden car event. As the participant drove on a suburban road, a car surged from a driveway hidden by a fence on the right side of the road. To avoid the crash, participants must hard brake, exhibiting dynamic control over both attentional and motor resources. The results showed strong differences between the experienced adult and novice teen drivers in the brake pressure applied. When placed in the same situation, the novice teens decelerated on average 50% less than the experienced adults (p<0.01). PMID:26709330

  19. Emergency medical kit for commercial airlines: an update.

    PubMed

    Thibeault, Claude

    2002-06-01

    As expected, the issue of medical kits for commercial airlines continues to attract attention, especially in light of the recent United States regulation on the subject. As promised in its first recommendation in 1998, the Air Transport Medicine (ATM) Committee has continued to monitor medical kit usage as well as pharmaceutical scientific developments and wishes to propose an update to its 1998 recommendation. Lists of contents are provided for emergency medical kits of two types: 1) those without defibrillator/monitor or monitor; and 2) those with defibrillator/monitor or monitor alone. Follow up and updates on this issue will be an ongoing task of the ATM Committee.

  20. Is group A thawed plasma suitable as the first option for emergency release transfusion? (CME).

    PubMed

    Chhibber, Vishesh; Greene, Mindy; Vauthrin, Michelle; Bailey, Jeff; Weinstein, Robert

    2014-07-01

    Group AB plasma, which lacks anti-A and anti-B isohemagglutinins, is issued for emergency transfusion when a patient's ABO group is unknown, but the relative scarcity of group AB blood donors limits its availability. We sought to establish a thawed plasma inventory to improve the rapid availability of plasma in the emergency release setting but were concerned about potential wastage of group AB plasma. Recognizing that plasma-incompatible apheresis platelets are routinely transfused and only rarely result in hemolytic reactions if the donor is blood group O, and considering that group A plasma would be compatible with approximately 85% of our patient population, we instituted an emergency release policy whereby thawed group A plasma is issued to all patients of unknown blood group or if compatible plasma is not available. ABO-compatible plasma is then issued, if needed, once the patient's blood group is determined. We prospectively assessed the outcomes of all patients who received incompatible plasma under our policy. During the first 5 years under this policy, 385 emergency release requests for plasma were received by our blood bank. Among them, 23 group B or AB patients met criteria for receiving a median of 2 units of incompatible group A plasma. No hemolytic transfusion reactions or other adverse events related to transfusion were seen in any of these 23 patients. We propose that group A plasma may be an acceptable alternative to AB plasma as the first option in the emergency release setting. © 2014 AABB.

  1. The Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant: Issues and challenges associated with this emerging advanced practice nursing role in Australia.

    PubMed

    Lynn, Andrew; Brownie, Sonya

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to obtain Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistants' views about their emerging new role in contemporary nursing practice in Australia. Internationally advanced practice nursing has led to a range of specialist roles aimed at delivering higher quality, efficient nursing care. In 2005 an Australian university developed the Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant graduate education and training program to provide nurses with an opportunity to gain advanced practice knowledge and extended skills specifically in the perioperative setting. This study was a qualitative research design that used online surveys and in-depth interviews to explore the issues and challenges associated with the introduction of the (currently non-accredited) Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant role in Australia. Experienced Australia perioperative nurses who had undertaken graduate education and training in this field were recruited for this study. Data were collected between August and October 2011. An inductive thematic analysis was used to interpret the findings. Eighteen nurses completed the online survey and six were interviewed (n = 24). Nurses cited their commitment to professional development and the delivery of high quality patient care, along with surgeons' encouragement for them to complete specialist clinical training, as key reasons for undertaking Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant education and training. The Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant role led to greater job satisfaction and autonomy, and assisted nurses to better meet the needs of patients, surgeons and clinical perioperative teams. Without formal recognition of the Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant role its future in the Australian health care system is under threat.

  2. Prepaying & Saving for College: Opportunities and Issues. Policy Perspectives No. 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jennings, Barbara M.; Olivas, Michael A.

    This publication provides an overview and discusses underlying issues of the college savings and prepaid tuition plans that are emerging in the states. Two papers offer different vantage points on college savings and prepaid plans in financing postsecondary education. The first paper, "The Evolution of State Plans" (Barbara M. Jennings),…

  3. Challenges to effective crisis management: using information and communication technologies to coordinate emergency medical services and emergency department teams.

    PubMed

    Reddy, Madhu C; Paul, Sharoda A; Abraham, Joanna; McNeese, Michael; DeFlitch, Christopher; Yen, John

    2009-04-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify the major challenges to coordination between emergency department (ED) teams and emergency medical services (EMS) teams. We conducted a series of focus groups involving both ED and EMS team members using a crisis scenario as the basis of the focus group discussion. We also collected organizational workflow data. We identified three major challenges to coordination between ED and EMS teams including ineffectiveness of current information and communication technologies, lack of common ground, and breakdowns in information flow. The three challenges highlight the importance of designing systems from socio-technical perspective. In particular, these inter-team coordination systems must support socio-technical issues such as awareness, context, and workflow between the two teams.

  4. Introduction to the Special Issue on Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence 2014

    DOE PAGES

    Stracuzzi, David J.; Gunning, David

    2015-09-28

    This issue features expanded versions of articles selected from the 2014 AAAI Conference on Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence held in Quebec City, Canada. We present a selection of four articles describing deployed applications plus two more articles that discuss work on emerging applications.

  5. Introduction to the Special Issue on Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence 2014

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stracuzzi, David J.; Gunning, David

    This issue features expanded versions of articles selected from the 2014 AAAI Conference on Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence held in Quebec City, Canada. We present a selection of four articles describing deployed applications plus two more articles that discuss work on emerging applications.

  6. Lessons from Adult Education: Identifying and Exploring Emerging Ethical Issues in Technologically Enhanced Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mabry, Christie Knittel; O'Driscoll, Tony

    2003-01-01

    Technologically Enhanced Performance (TEP) is the application of technology to improve the performance of knowledge workers. TEP is both an intellectual and ideological complement to the field of Adult Education. As such, much can be learned about ethical issues associated with implementing TEP from the established research and literature base in…

  7. Implementing a University-Wide Credit-Bearing English Language Enhancement Programme: Issues Emerging from Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fenton-Smith, Ben; Humphreys, Pamela; Walkinshaw, Ian; Michael, Rowan; Lobo, Ana

    2017-01-01

    Many nations now enrol large numbers of tertiary students with English as an additional language, raising concerns over academic literacy standards. As a result, calls for whole-institution approaches to enhance language proficiency have grown. This paper describes the issues faced by one university that attempted such an approach. We first…

  8. Block Grants: Overview of Experiences to Date and Emerging Issues. Report to the Congress.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Comptroller General of the U.S., Washington, DC.

    This report consolidates the information from a series of reports by the General Accounting Office (GAO) on states' fiscal, programmatic, and managerial responses to the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981. Section 1 describes the major issues related to block grant implementation: (1) fiscal strategies adopted by states in response to…

  9. 78 FR 70917 - Emerging Technology and Research Advisory Committee; Notice of Open Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-11-27

    ... to deemed exports. Agenda Thursday, December 19 Open Session 1. Opening Remarks and Comments 2. Discussion on status of the Export Control Reform Initiative 3. Emerging Technology Issues --Harmonization of...

  10. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. June 2007 Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-06-01

    Idle Nighttime Computers Cited as Energy Wasters……………………………………….10 8.8 Nanotechnology Safety Issues……………………………………………………………...10 8.8.1 French Group to...Impact on Business Savings and Reducing CO2 http://www.csrwire.com/News/8951.html 8.8 Nanotechnology Safety Issues 8.8.1 French Group to Study...Nanotech Environmental Health and Safety The Observatory for Micro and NanoTechnologies (Minatec, France), a part of the National Center for Scientific

  11. Cultural, Linguistic and Cognitive Issues in Teaching the Language of Literature for Emergent Bilingual Pupils

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Macleroy, Vicky

    2013-01-01

    This article investigates the premise that literary texts use language in aesthetic, imaginative and engaging ways that have considerable potential to extend the learning of bilingual pupils. It draws on research findings from a qualitative study that examined the value of developing pedagogic practices for emergent bilingual learners at the…

  12. Emergency management training program: Guide to good practice

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1991-07-01

    The Emergency Management Training Program Guide to Good Practice is a project of the Training Resources and Data Exchange (TRADE) Emergency Management Issues Special Interest Group (EMI SIG). EMI SIG members expressed interest in a resource to assist in development of a comprehensive emergency management training program. This publication provides guidelines, methods, and materials for EMI SIG members to use, assisting in complete and effective emergency management programs. The purposes of the Emergency Management Training Program Guide to Good Practice are: Provide guidance in the development and management of Emergency Management (EM) training programs; Assist EM trainers to incorporate componentsmore » of the DOE Emergency Management System philosophy of planning, preparedness, readiness assurance, and response into EM training programs; Help EM training managers meet EM training requirements and conditions established by current regulations and policies; Supplement other TRADE EMI SIG documents and complement individual facility training documents. This program is designed for emergency management personnel who are responsible for providing or overseeing EM training but who do not necessarily possess expertise in developing training. It provides good practices from the manager's point of view on how to produce, administer, and document facility EM training programs in the spirit of the DOE EM system philosophy. Basic guidance is also included for personnel who design, develop, deliver, and/or evaluate EM training programs or parts. This guidance includes key points of EM training programs and identifies other documents that contain useful and/or more detailed training information.« less

  13. Emergency management training program: Guide to good practice

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    1991-07-01

    The Emergency Management Training Program Guide to Good Practice is a project of the Training Resources and Data Exchange (TRADE) Emergency Management Issues Special Interest Group (EMI SIG). EMI SIG members expressed interest in a resource to assist in development of a comprehensive emergency management training program. This publication provides guidelines, methods, and materials for EMI SIG members to use, assisting in complete and effective emergency management programs. The purposes of the Emergency Management Training Program Guide to Good Practice are: Provide guidance in the development and management of Emergency Management (EM) training programs; Assist EM trainers to incorporate componentsmore » of the DOE Emergency Management System philosophy of planning, preparedness, readiness assurance, and response into EM training programs; Help EM training managers meet EM training requirements and conditions established by current regulations and policies; Supplement other TRADE EMI SIG documents and complement individual facility training documents. This program is designed for emergency management personnel who are responsible for providing or overseeing EM training but who do not necessarily possess expertise in developing training. It provides good practices from the manager`s point of view on how to produce, administer, and document facility EM training programs in the spirit of the DOE EM system philosophy. Basic guidance is also included for personnel who design, develop, deliver, and/or evaluate EM training programs or parts. This guidance includes key points of EM training programs and identifies other documents that contain useful and/or more detailed training information.« less

  14. Training Teachers to Evaluate Emerging Bilingual Students' Biliterate Writing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butvilofsky, Sandra Adriana; Sparrow, Wendy Lynn

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore and identify issues related to training teachers to use a bilingual writing rubric designed to examine the biliterate writing of emerging bilingual students who are participating in a biliteracy model. Findings indicate the need to provide clarifications on the rubric rating criteria and the…

  15. Teaching Emerging Diseases: A Strategy for Succeeding with Nonmajors

    PubMed Central

    FASS, MARION FIELD

    2000-01-01

    A nonmajors course on emerging diseases served to introduce students to basic concepts in microbiology and to improve scientific literacy. The course used a range of learner-centered approaches to encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning. Evaluations demonstrated both student satisfaction and an increased understanding of important issues in microbiology. PMID:23653535

  16. Family Learning Research in Museums: An Emerging Disciplinary Matrix?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellenbogen, Kirsten M.; Luke, Jessica J.; Dierking, Lynn D.

    2004-01-01

    Thomas Kuhn's notion of a disciplinary matrix provides a useful framework for investigating the growth of research on family learning in and from museums over the last decade. To track the emergence of this disciplinary matrix we consider three issues. First are shifting theoretical perspectives that result in new shared language, beliefs, values,…

  17. Emerging Ceramic-based Materials for Dentistry

    PubMed Central

    Denry, I.; Kelly, J.R.

    2014-01-01

    Our goal is to give an overview of a selection of emerging ceramics and issues for dental or biomedical applications, with emphasis on specific challenges associated with full-contour zirconia ceramics, and a brief synopsis on new machinable glass-ceramics and ceramic-based interpenetrating phase composites. Selected fabrication techniques relevant to dental or biomedical applications such as microwave sintering, spark plasma sintering, and additive manufacturing are also reviewed. Where appropriate, the authors have added their opinions and guidance. PMID:25274751

  18. Policy in Transition: The Emergence of Tackling Early School Leaving (ESL) as EU Policy Priority

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillies, Donald; Mifsud, Denise

    2016-01-01

    This paper explores, from a Foucauldian perspective, the emergence and nature of the current EU education policy priority issue of "early school leaving". The paper suggests that a number of problematisations developing from the failure to secure Lisbon Strategy objectives have served to create a much stronger focus on the issue of young…

  19. Editorial: emerging issues in sociotechnical systems thinking and workplace safety.

    PubMed

    Noy, Y Ian; Hettinger, Lawrence J; Dainoff, Marvin J; Carayon, Pascale; Leveson, Nancy G; Robertson, Michelle M; Courtney, Theodore K

    2015-01-01

    The burden of on-the-job accidents and fatalities and the harm of associated human suffering continue to present an important challenge for safety researchers and practitioners. While significant improvements have been achieved in recent decades, the workplace accident rate remains unacceptably high. This has spurred interest in the development of novel research approaches, with particular interest in the systemic influences of social/organisational and technological factors. In response, the Hopkinton Conference on Sociotechnical Systems and Safety was organised to assess the current state of knowledge in the area and to identify research priorities. Over the course of several months prior to the conference, leading international experts drafted collaborative, state-of-the-art reviews covering various aspects of sociotechnical systems and safety. These papers, presented in this special issue, cover topics ranging from the identification of key concepts and definitions to sociotechnical characteristics of safe and unsafe organisations. This paper provides an overview of the conference and introduces key themes and topics. Sociotechnical approaches to workplace safety are intended to draw practitioners' attention to the critical influence that systemic social/organisational and technological factors exert on safety-relevant outcomes. This paper introduces major themes addressed in the Hopkinton Conference within the context of current workplace safety research and practice challenges.

  20. Editorial: emerging issues in sociotechnical systems thinking and workplace safety

    PubMed Central

    Noy, Y. Ian; Hettinger, Lawrence J.; Dainoff, Marvin J.; Carayon, Pascale; Leveson, Nancy G.; Robertson, Michelle M.; Courtney, Theodore K.

    2015-01-01

    The burden of on-the-job accidents and fatalities and the harm of associated human suffering continue to present an important challenge for safety researchers and practitioners. While significant improvements have been achieved in recent decades, the workplace accident rate remains unacceptably high. This has spurred interest in the development of novel research approaches, with particular interest in the systemic influences of social/organisational and technological factors. In response, the Hopkinton Conference on Sociotechnical Systems and Safety was organised to assess the current state of knowledge in the area and to identify research priorities. Over the course of several months prior to the conference, leading international experts drafted collaborative, state-of-the-art reviews covering various aspects of sociotechnical systems and safety. These papers, presented in this special issue, cover topics ranging from the identification of key concepts and definitions to sociotechnical characteristics of safe and unsafe organisations. This paper provides an overview of the conference and introduces key themes and topics. Practitioner Summary: Sociotechnical approaches to workplace safety are intended to draw practitioners' attention to the critical influence that systemic social/organisational and technological factors exert on safety-relevant outcomes. This paper introduces major themes addressed in the Hopkinton Conference within the context of current workplace safety research and practice challenges. PMID:25819595

  1. The Emergence of Engaged Scholarship: Seven Additional Years of Evolution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Giles, Dwight E., Jr.

    2016-01-01

    In this commentary, author Dwight Giles, Jr. reflects on his 2008 article, "Understanding an Emerging Field of Scholarship: Toward a Research Agenda for Engaged, Public Scholarship," reprinted in this 20th anniversary issue of "Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement." In his original article, Giles argued that…

  2. Materials science approaches to solve problems with emerging mycotoxins in corn

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Materials science technology is an attractive, cost effective, and robust alternative to address the limitations of highly selective natural receptors. These materials are especially well suited to address issues with emerging toxins for which a better understanding is needed to establish levels of ...

  3. Emergency medical service attitudes toward geriatric prehospital care and continuing medical education in geriatrics.

    PubMed

    Peterson, Lars-Kristofer N; Fairbanks, Rollin J; Hettinger, Aaron Z; Shah, Manish N

    2009-03-01

    To understand the opinions of emergency medical service (EMS) providers regarding their ability to care for older adults, the domains of geriatric medicine in which they need more training, and the modality through which continuing education could be best delivered. Qualitative study using key informant interviews. Prehospital EMS system in Rochester, New York. EMS providers, EMS instructors and administrators, emergency physicians, and geriatricians. Semistructured interviews were conducted using an interview guide that addressed knowledge and skill deficiencies, recommendations for improvement of geriatrics continuing education, and delivery methods of education. Participant responses were generally congruous despite the diverse backgrounds, and redundancy was achieved rapidly. All participants perceived a deficit in EMS education on the care of older adults, particularly related to communications with patients and skilled nursing facility staff. All desired more geriatric continuing education for EMS providers, especially in communications and psychosocial issues. Education was desired in various modalities. Further geriatric continuing education for EMS providers is needed. Some specific topics relate to medical issues, but a large proportion involve communications and psychosocial issues. Education should be delivered in a variety of modalities to meet the needs of the EMS community. Emerging on-line video technologies may bridge the gap between learners preferring classroom-based modailities and those preferring self-study modules.

  4. Improving access to emergent spinal care through knowledge translation: an ethnographic study.

    PubMed

    Webster, Fiona; Fehlings, Michael G; Rice, Kathleen; Malempati, Harsha; Fawaz, Khaled; Nicholls, Fred; Baldeo, Navindra; Reeves, Scott; Singh, Anoushka; Ahn, Henry; Ginsberg, Howard; Yee, Albert J

    2014-04-14

    For patients and family members, access to timely specialty medical care for emergent spinal conditions is a significant stressor to an already serious condition. Timing to surgical care for emergent spinal conditions such as spinal trauma is an important predictor of outcome. However, few studies have explored ethnographically the views of surgeons and other key stakeholders on issues related to patient access and care for emergent spine conditions. The primary study objective was to determine the challenges to the provision of timely care as well as to identify areas of opportunities to enhance care delivery. An ethnographic study of key administrative and clinical care providers involved in the triage and care of patients referred through CritiCall Ontario was undertaken utilizing standard methods of qualitative inquiry. This comprised 21 interviews with people involved in varying capacities with the provision of emergent spinal care, as well as qualitative observations on an orthopaedic/neurosurgical ward, in operating theatres, and at CritiCall Ontario's call centre. Several themes were identified and organized into categories that range from inter-professional collaboration through to issues of hospital-level resources and the role of relationships between hospitals and external organizations at the provincial level. Underlying many of these issues is the nature of the medically complex emergent spine patient and the scientific evidentiary base upon which best practice care is delivered. Through the implementation of knowledge translation strategies facilitated from this research, a reduction of patient transfers out of province was observed in the one-year period following program implementation. Our findings suggest that competing priorities at both the hospital and provincial level create challenges in the delivery of spinal care. Key stakeholders recognized spinal care as aligning with multiple priorities such as emergent/critical care, medical through

  5. The prevalence of quality issues and adverse outcomes among 72-hour return admissions in the emergency department.

    PubMed

    Abualenain, Jameel; Frohna, William J; Smith, Mark; Pipkin, Michael; Webb, Cynthia; Milzman, David; Pines, Jesse M

    2013-08-01

    Records of patients discharged from the Emergency Department (ED) who return within 72 h and are admitted are often reviewed for potential quality issues. We explored 72-h return admissions and determined the prevalence and predictors for substandard management on the initial visit or any adverse outcome. Retrospective review of quality assurance data from 72-h return admissions in three hospitals from 2006-2010 was performed. Any substandard quality on the first visit or change in outcome on the return admission was considered "low quality." Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between cases judged as low quality vs. not low quality. Of 741,132 ED visits across 5 years, 3682 (0.5%) were 72-h return admissions. Of those, 192 (5%) were low quality. In 158 (4%) and 8 (0.2%) there were moderate and severe deviations from care standards, respectively. Similarly, in 53 (1%) and 14 (0.4%) there were moderate and severe changes in outcome. In adjusted analysis, there were higher rates of low-quality 72-h return admissions in ambulance arrivals (odds ratio [OR] 1.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-2.1); and lower rates in Medicaid patients (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.7). There were higher rates in low-quality 72-h return admissions in hospital 1 (OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.2-6.1) and hospital 3 (OR 3.2, 95% CI 2.0-4.7) compared to hospital 2. Poor care on the initial visit or any poor outcome upon returning in 72-h return admissions is relatively rare in the ED. Reporting 72-h return admissions without chart review may not be a good way to measure clinical quality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Challenge of hospital emergency preparedness: analysis and recommendations.

    PubMed

    Barbera, Joseph A; Yeatts, Dale J; Macintyre, Anthony G

    2009-06-01

    In the United States, recent large-scale emergencies and disasters display some element of organized medical emergency response, and hospitals have played prominent roles in many of these incidents. These and other well-publicized incidents have captured the attention of government authorities, regulators, and the public. Health care has assumed a more prominent role as an integral component of any community emergency response. This has resulted in increased funding for hospital preparedness, along with a plethora of new preparedness guidance.Methods to objectively measure the results of these initiatives are only now being developed. It is clear that hospital readiness remains uneven across the United States. Without significant disaster experience, many hospitals remain unprepared for natural disasters. They may be even less ready to accept and care for patient surge from chemical or biological attacks, conventional or nuclear explosive detonations, unusual natural disasters, or novel infectious disease outbreaks.This article explores potential reasons for inconsistent emergency preparedness across the hospital industry. It identifies and discusses potential motivational factors that encourage effective emergency management and the obstacles that may impede it. Strategies are proposed to promote consistent, reproducible, and objectively measured preparedness across the US health care industry. The article also identifies issues requiring research.

  7. Emergency general surgery in the geriatric patient.

    PubMed

    Desserud, K F; Veen, T; Søreide, K

    2016-01-01

    Emergency general surgery in the elderly is a particular challenge to the surgeon in charge of their care. The aim was to review contemporary aspects of managing elderly patients needing emergency general surgery and possible alterations to their pathways of care. This was a narrative review based on a PubMed/MEDLINE literature search up until 15 September 2015 for publications relevant to emergency general surgery in the geriatric patient. The number of patients presenting as an emergency with a general surgical condition increases with age. Up to one-quarter of all emergency admissions to hospital may be for general surgical conditions. Elderly patients are a particular challenge owing to added co-morbidity, use of drugs and risk of poor outcome. Frailty is an important potential risk factor, but difficult to monitor or manage in the emergency setting. Risk scores are not available universally. Outcomes are usually severalfold worse than after elective surgery, in terms of both higher morbidity and increased mortality. A care bundle including early diagnosis, resuscitation and organ system monitoring may benefit the elderly in particular. Communication with the patient and relatives throughout the care pathway is essential, as indications for surgery, level of care and likely outcomes may evolve. Ethical issues should also be addressed at every step on the pathway of care. Emergency general surgery in the geriatric patient needs a tailored approach to improve outcomes and avoid futile care. Although some high-quality studies exist in related fields, the overall evidence base informing perioperative acute care for the elderly remains limited. © 2015 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Emerging issues in urban ecology: implications for research, social justice, human health, and well-being

    Treesearch

    Viniece Jennings; Myron F. Floyd; Danielle Shanahan; Christopher Coutts; Alex Sinykin

    2017-01-01

    Urbanization affects landscape structure and the overall human condition in numerous ways. Green spaces include vegetated land cover (e.g., urban forests, trees, riparian zones, parks) which play a distinctive role in urban ecology. This article reviews emergent literature on the linkages between urban green spaces, social justice, and human health. We explore this...

  9. Corporate and Hospital Profiteering in Emergency Medicine: Problems of the Past, Present, and Future.

    PubMed

    Derlet, Robert W; McNamara, Robert M; Plantz, Scott H; Organ, Matthew K; Richards, John R

    2016-06-01

    Health care delivery in the United States has evolved in many ways over the past century, including the development of the specialty of Emergency Medicine (EM). With the creation of this specialty, many positive changes have occurred within hospital emergency departments (EDs) to improve access and quality of care of the nation's de facto "safety net." The specialty of EM has been further defined and held to high standards with regard to board certification, sub-specialization, maintenance of skills, and research. Despite these advances, problems remain. This review discusses the history and evolution of for-profit corporate influence on EM, emergency physicians, finance, and demise of democratic group practice. The review also explores federal and state health care financing issues pertinent to EM and discusses potential solutions. The monopolistic growth of large corporate contract management groups and hospital ownership of vertically integrated physician groups has resulted in the elimination of many local democratic emergency physician groups. Potential downsides of this trend include unfair or unlawful termination of emergency physicians, restrictive covenants, quotas for productivity, admissions, testing, patient satisfaction, and the rising cost of health care. Other problems impact the financial outlook for EM and include falling federal, state, and private insurance reimbursement for emergency care, balance-billing, up-coding, unnecessary testing, and admissions. Emergency physicians should be aware of the many changes happening to the specialty and practice of EM resulting from corporate control, influence, and changing federal and state health care financing issues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Experimental Simulation-Based Performance Evaluation of an SMS-Based Emergency Geolocation Notification System

    PubMed Central

    Osebor, Isibor

    2017-01-01

    In an emergency, a prompt response can save the lives of victims. This statement generates an imperative issue in emergency medical services (EMS). Designing a system that brings simplicity in locating emergency scenes is a step towards improving response time. This paper therefore implemented and evaluated the performance of an SMS-based emergency geolocation notification system with emphasis on its SMS delivery time and the system's geolocation and dispatch time. Using the RAS metrics recommended by IEEE for evaluation, the designed system was found to be efficient and effective as its reliability stood within 62.7% to 70.0% while its availability stood at 99% with a downtime of 3.65 days/year. PMID:29065643

  11. Emerging and re-emerging infections.

    PubMed

    Lim, V K

    1999-06-01

    An emerging infection is defined as an infection which has newly appeared in a population while a re-emerging infection is one which has existed in the past but its incidence is rapidly increasing. The reasons for the emergence and re-emergence of infections are not well understood but appear to be associated with factors that involve the pathogen, the host and the environment. These factors are often inter-related and act together in a complex manner to bring about changes in patterns of infection. Pathogens are extremely resourceful and possess mechanisms to adapt to new hosts and environments as well as to acquire new virulence traits. Host factors include herd immunity, social behaviour and demographics. Environmental factors like the climate, deforestation and new technologies have an impact on the emergence of infections. The challenge is to contain an infection when it emerges but more importantly to prevent its emergence in the first place. As the emergence of an infection is complex and multifactorial, a multidisciplinary approach is required. Health based strategies alone are insufficient. Social, economic and environmental measures and the political will to implement appropriate policies are equally important.

  12. A Literature Review on Care at the End-of-Life in the Emergency Department

    PubMed Central

    Forero, Roberto; McDonnell, Geoff; Gallego, Blanca; McCarthy, Sally; Mohsin, Mohammed; Shanley, Chris; Formby, Frank; Hillman, Ken

    2012-01-01

    The hospitalisation and management of patients at the end-of-life by emergency medical services is presenting a challenge to our society as the majority of people approaching death explicitly state that they want to die at home and the transition from acute care to palliation is difficult. In addition, the escalating costs of providing care at the end-of-life in acute hospitals are unsustainable. Hospitals in general and emergency departments in particular cannot always provide the best care for patients approaching end-of-life. The main objectives of this paper are to review the existing literature in order to assess the evidence for managing patients dying in the emergency department, and to identify areas of improvement such as supporting different models of care and evaluating those models with health services research. The paper identified six main areas where there is lack of research and/or suboptimal policy implementation. These include uncertainty of treatment in the emergency department; quality of life issues, costs, ethical and social issues, interaction between ED and other health services, and strategies for out of hospital care. The paper concludes with some areas for policy development and future research. PMID:22500239

  13. Emerging Technologies: E-Textbooks, One Piece of the Puzzle

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wiese, Melanie; Du Plessis, Giselle

    2017-01-01

    The Internet has not only brought about a new technological era, but also seen the introduction of a number of emerging technologies such as e-textbooks. However, the slow acceptance of e-textbooks is an issue of concern. The objective of this study is to investigate students' perceptions and use of e-textbooks. Data was collected by using a…

  14. Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. September 2006 Report

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-09-01

    1 Item 2. UN GA 61st Session Pinpoints Global Warming as a Central Issue for Security…………….1 Item 3. North America’s Commission for...6 7.3 Climate Change………………………………………………………………………………….…7 7.3.1 New Scientific Evidence of Correlation between Global Warming and Severe...Developing Countries Most Affected by Global Warming …………………………..……..8 7.4 China to Invest $175 Billion in Environmental Protection over Five Years

  15. Community response grids: using information technology to help communities respond to bioterror emergencies.

    PubMed

    Jaeger, Paul T; Fleischmann, Kenneth R; Preece, Jennifer; Shneiderman, Ben; Wu, Philip Fei; Qu, Yan

    2007-12-01

    Access to accurate and trusted information is vital in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from an emergency. To facilitate response in large-scale emergency situations, Community Response Grids (CRGs) integrate Internet and mobile technologies to enable residents to report information, professional emergency responders to disseminate instructions, and residents to assist one another. CRGs use technology to help residents and professional emergency responders to work together in community response to emergencies, including bioterrorism events. In a time of increased danger from bioterrorist threats, the application of advanced information and communication technologies to community response is vital in confronting such threats. This article describes CRGs, their underlying concepts, development efforts, their relevance to biosecurity and bioterrorism, and future research issues in the use of technology to facilitate community response.

  16. Drivers, dynamics, and control of emerging vector-borne zoonotic diseases

    PubMed Central

    Kilpatrick, A. Marm; Randolph, Sarah E.

    2013-01-01

    Emerging vector-borne diseases represent an important issue for global health. Many vector-borne pathogens have appeared in new regions in the past two decades, and many endemic diseases have increased in incidence. Although introductions and local emergence are frequently considered distinct processes, many emerging endemic pathogens are in fact invading at a local scale coincident with habitat change. We highlight key differences in the dynamics and disease burden that result from increased pathogen transmission following habitat change compared with the introduction of pathogens to new regions. Truly in situ emergence is commonly driven by changes in human factors as much as by enhanced enzootic cycles whereas pathogen invasion results from anthropogenic trade and travel and suitable conditions for a pathogen, including hosts, vectors, and climate. Once established, ecological factors related to vector characteristics shape the evolutionary selective pressure on pathogens that may result in increased use of humans as transmission hosts. We describe challenges inherent in the control of vector-borne zoonotic diseases and some emerging non-traditional strategies that may be more effective in the long term. PMID:23200503

  17. 'Mind the gap!' rethinking the role of health in the emergency and development divide.

    PubMed

    O'Dempsey, Tim; Munslow, Barry

    2009-10-01

    The 'Emergency Relief-Rehabilitation-Development' model is highly problematic, especially in fragile states which fluctuate in and out of crisis. Lack of definition as to what constitutes a humanitarian emergency and the absence of rules of engagement of NGOs and donors further complicates the problem. Restricted mandates and budgets of institutions and funding bodies lead to gaps in the provision of health services for affected populations. Reducing the gap between emergency and developmental healthcare requires approaching the issue from both sides, recognizing that the emergency-development gap is not a single uniform entity but a complex dynamic of heterogeneous gaps. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Emerging Options and Opportunities in Civilian Aeronautics

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bushnell, Dennis M.

    2012-01-01

    This paper addresses the major problems/issues with civilian aeronautics going forward, the contextual ongoing technology revolutions, the several emerging civilian aeronautical "Big Ideas" and associated enabling technological approaches. The ongoing IT Revolution is increasingly providing, as 5 senses virtual presence/reality becomes available, along with Nano/Molecular Manufacturing, virtual alternatives to Physical transportation for both people and goods. Paper examines the potential options available to aeronautics to maintain and perhaps grow "market share" in the context of this evolving competition. Many of these concepts are not new, but the emerging technology landscape is enhancing their viability and marketability. The concepts vary from the "interesting" to the truly revolutionary and all require considerable research. Paper considers the speed range from personal/general aviation to supersonic transports and technologies from energetics to fabrication.

  19. Asia and the Pacific: Issues of Educational Policy, Curriculum, and Practice.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Donald C., Ed.; And Others

    The Pacific region is growing in worldwide importance in terms of politics, economics, and culture. The emergence of this area of the world provides an opportunity for new directions in social studies education. This book addresses the Pacific Rim issues from the viewpoints of educators from 9 Pacific nations: Australia, Canada, Fiji, Japan,…

  20. Qualitative research and the profound grasp of the obvious.

    PubMed Central

    Hurley, R E

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To discuss the value of promoting coexistent and complementary relationships between qualitative and quantitative research methods as illustrated by presentations made by four respected health services researchers who described their experiences in multi-method projects. DATA SOURCES: Presentations and publications related to the four research projects, which described key substantive and methodological areas that had been addressed with qualitative techniques. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Sponsor interest in timely, insightful, and reality-anchored evidence has provided a strong base of support for the incorporation of qualitative methods into major contemporary policy research studies. In addition, many issues may be suitable for study only with qualitative methods because of their complexity, their emergent nature, or because of the need to revisit and reexamine previously untested assumptions. CONCLUSION: Experiences from the four projects, as well as from other recent health services studies with major qualitative components, support the assertion that the interests of sponsors in the policy realm and pressure from them suppress some of the traditional tensions and antagonisms between qualitative and quantitative methods. PMID:10591276