Sample records for sector impactos das

  1. 50 CFR 648.87 - Sector allocation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... biological, economic, and social impacts of sectors and their fishing operations consistent with confidentiality requirements of applicable law. (vii) Interaction with other fisheries—(A) Use of DAS. A sector...

  2. easyDAS: Automatic creation of DAS servers

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) has proven to be a successful way to publish and share biological data. Although there are more than 750 active registered servers from around 50 organizations, setting up a DAS server comprises a fair amount of work, making it difficult for many research groups to share their biological annotations. Given the clear advantage that the generalized sharing of relevant biological data is for the research community it would be desirable to facilitate the sharing process. Results Here we present easyDAS, a web-based system enabling anyone to publish biological annotations with just some clicks. The system, available at http://www.ebi.ac.uk/panda-srv/easydas is capable of reading different standard data file formats, process the data and create a new publicly available DAS source in a completely automated way. The created sources are hosted on the EBI systems and can take advantage of its high storage capacity and network connection, freeing the data provider from any network management work. easyDAS is an open source project under the GNU LGPL license. Conclusions easyDAS is an automated DAS source creation system which can help many researchers in sharing their biological data, potentially increasing the amount of relevant biological data available to the scientific community. PMID:21244646

  3. MyDas, an Extensible Java DAS Server

    PubMed Central

    Jimenez, Rafael C.; Quinn, Antony F.; Jenkinson, Andrew M.; Mulder, Nicola; Martin, Maria; Hunter, Sarah; Hermjakob, Henning

    2012-01-01

    A large number of diverse, complex, and distributed data resources are currently available in the Bioinformatics domain. The pace of discovery and the diversity of information means that centralised reference databases like UniProt and Ensembl cannot integrate all potentially relevant information sources. From a user perspective however, centralised access to all relevant information concerning a specific query is essential. The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) defines a communication protocol to exchange annotations on genomic and protein sequences; this standardisation enables clients to retrieve data from a myriad of sources, thus offering centralised access to end-users. We introduce MyDas, a web server that facilitates the publishing of biological annotations according to the DAS specification. It deals with the common functionality requirements of making data available, while also providing an extension mechanism in order to implement the specifics of data store interaction. MyDas allows the user to define where the required information is located along with its structure, and is then responsible for the communication protocol details. PMID:23028496

  4. MyDas, an extensible Java DAS server.

    PubMed

    Salazar, Gustavo A; García, Leyla J; Jones, Philip; Jimenez, Rafael C; Quinn, Antony F; Jenkinson, Andrew M; Mulder, Nicola; Martin, Maria; Hunter, Sarah; Hermjakob, Henning

    2012-01-01

    A large number of diverse, complex, and distributed data resources are currently available in the Bioinformatics domain. The pace of discovery and the diversity of information means that centralised reference databases like UniProt and Ensembl cannot integrate all potentially relevant information sources. From a user perspective however, centralised access to all relevant information concerning a specific query is essential. The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) defines a communication protocol to exchange annotations on genomic and protein sequences; this standardisation enables clients to retrieve data from a myriad of sources, thus offering centralised access to end-users.We introduce MyDas, a web server that facilitates the publishing of biological annotations according to the DAS specification. It deals with the common functionality requirements of making data available, while also providing an extension mechanism in order to implement the specifics of data store interaction. MyDas allows the user to define where the required information is located along with its structure, and is then responsible for the communication protocol details.

  5. Three Dimensional Sector Design with Optimal Number of Sectors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Xue, Min

    2010-01-01

    In the national airspace system, sectors get overloaded due to high traffic demand and inefficient airspace designs. Overloads can be eliminated in some cases by redesigning sector boundaries. This paper extends the Voronoi-based sector design method by automatically selecting the number of sectors, allowing three-dimensional partitions, and enforcing traffic pattern conformance. The method was used to design sectors at Fort-Worth and Indianapolis centers for current traffic scenarios. Results show that new designs can eliminate overloaded sectors, although not in all cases, reduce the number of necessary sectors, and conform to major traffic patterns. Overall, the new methodology produces enhanced and efficient sector designs.

  6. "Das Konkrete ist das Abstrakte, an das man sich schließlich gewöhnt hat." (Laurent Schwartz) Über den Ablauf des mathematischen Verstehens

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lowsky, Martin

    Die im Titel genannte Aussage findet sich in den Lebenserinnerungen von Laurent Schwartz (1915-2002), einem der fruchtbarsten Mathematiker, Mitglied der Gruppe Bourbaki. Im Original lautet die Aussage: "un objet concret est un objet abstrait auquel on a fini par s'habituer." Schwartz erläutert sie am Beispiel des Integrals über {e^{-1/2{x^2}}} , das den Wert Wurzel aus 2π hat und in dem sich also die Zahlen e und π verknüpfen. Was Schwartz aber vor allem ausdrücken will, ist dies: Das mathematische Verständnisd geht langsam vor sich und es bedarf der Anstrengung. "Es ist eine Frage der Zeit und der Energie", sagt Schwartz, und gerade dies mache es so schwer, die höhere Mathematik unter das Volk zu bringen. Das Lernen und Lehren von Mathematik laufe eben mühevoll und langsam ab.

  7. Integrating sequence and structural biology with DAS

    PubMed Central

    Prlić, Andreas; Down, Thomas A; Kulesha, Eugene; Finn, Robert D; Kähäri, Andreas; Hubbard, Tim JP

    2007-01-01

    Background The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) is a network protocol for exchanging biological data. It is frequently used to share annotations of genomes and protein sequence. Results Here we present several extensions to the current DAS 1.5 protocol. These provide new commands to share alignments, three dimensional molecular structure data, add the possibility for registration and discovery of DAS servers, and provide a convention how to provide different types of data plots. We present examples of web sites and applications that use the new extensions. We operate a public registry of DAS sources, which now includes entries for more than 250 distinct sources. Conclusion Our DAS extensions are essential for the management of the growing number of services and exchange of diverse biological data sets. In addition the extensions allow new types of applications to be developed and scientific questions to be addressed. The registry of DAS sources is available at PMID:17850653

  8. DASMiner: discovering and integrating data from DAS sources

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background DAS is a widely adopted protocol for providing syntactic interoperability among biological databases. The popularity of DAS is due to a simplified and elegant mechanism for data exchange that consists of sources exposing their RESTful interfaces for data access. As a growing number of DAS services are available for molecular biology resources, there is an incentive to explore this protocol in order to advance data discovery and integration among these resources. Results We developed DASMiner, a Matlab toolkit for querying DAS data sources that enables creation of integrated biological models using the information available in DAS-compliant repositories. DASMiner is composed by a browser application and an API that work together to facilitate gathering of data from different DAS sources, which can be used for creating enriched datasets from multiple sources. The browser is used to formulate queries and navigate data contained in DAS sources. Users can execute queries against these sources in an intuitive fashion, without the need of knowing the specific DAS syntax for the particular source. Using the source's metadata provided by the DAS Registry, the browser's layout adapts to expose only the set of commands and coordinate systems supported by the specific source. For this reason, the browser can interrogate any DAS source, independently of the type of data being served. The API component of DASMiner may be used for programmatic access of DAS sources by programs in Matlab. Once the desired data is found during navigation, the query is exported in the format of an API call to be used within any Matlab application. We illustrate the use of DASMiner by creating integrative models of histone modification maps and protein-protein interaction networks. These enriched datasets were built by retrieving and integrating distributed genomic and proteomic DAS sources using the API. Conclusion The support of the DAS protocol allows that hundreds of molecular biology

  9. Connecting the Dots in DAS

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ford, Tracy

    2012-01-01

    Many institutions implement a distributed antenna system (DAS) as part of a holistic approach to providing better wireless coverage and capacity on campus. A DAS provides wireless service within a particular area or structure via a network of separate antenna nodes that are connected to a common source through fiber or coaxial cable. Because DAS…

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

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

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

  11. Processing Approaches for DAS-Enabled Continuous Seismic Monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dou, S.; Wood, T.; Freifeld, B. M.; Robertson, M.; McDonald, S.; Pevzner, R.; Lindsey, N.; Gelvin, A.; Saari, S.; Morales, A.; Ekblaw, I.; Wagner, A. M.; Ulrich, C.; Daley, T. M.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.

    2017-12-01

    Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is creating a "field as laboratory" capability for seismic monitoring of subsurface changes. By providing unprecedented spatial and temporal sampling at a relatively low cost, DAS enables field-scale seismic monitoring to have durations and temporal resolutions that are comparable to those of laboratory experiments. Here we report on seismic processing approaches developed during data analyses of three case studies all using DAS-enabled seismic monitoring with applications ranging from shallow permafrost to deep reservoirs: (1) 10-hour downhole monitoring of cement curing at Otway, Australia; (2) 2-month surface monitoring of controlled permafrost thaw at Fairbanks, Alaska; (3) multi-month downhole and surface monitoring of carbon sequestration at Decatur, Illinois. We emphasize the data management and processing components relevant to DAS-based seismic monitoring, which include scalable approaches to data management, pre-processing, denoising, filtering, and wavefield decomposition. DAS has dramatically increased the data volume to the extent that terabyte-per-day data loads are now typical, straining conventional approaches to data storage and processing. To achieve more efficient use of disk space and network bandwidth, we explore improved file structures and data compression schemes. Because noise floor of DAS measurements is higher than that of conventional sensors, optimal processing workflow involving advanced denoising, deconvolution (of the source signatures), and stacking approaches are being established to maximize signal content of DAS data. The resulting workflow of data management and processing could accelerate the broader adaption of DAS for continuous monitoring of critical processes.

  12. Data Acquisition System(DAS) Sustaining Engineering

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1998-01-01

    This paper presents general information describing the Data Acquisition System contract, a summary of objectives, tasks performed and completed. The hardware deliverables which are comprised of: 1) Two ground DAS units; 2) Two flight DAS units; 3) Logistic spares; and 4) Shipping containers are described. Also included are the data requirements and scope of the contract.

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

    PubMed

    Pfeifer, Christian

    2013-03-01

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

  14. Agriculture Sectors

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

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

  15. Pedagogical Basis of DAS Formalism in Engineering Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hiltunen, J.; Heikkinen, E.-P.; Jaako, J.; Ahola, J.

    2011-01-01

    The paper presents a new approach for a bachelor-level curriculum structure in engineering. The approach is called DAS formalism according to its three phases: description, analysis and synthesis. Although developed specifically for process and environmental engineering, DAS formalism has a generic nature and it could also be used in other…

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

    PubMed

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

    2017-06-01

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

  17. M-DAS: System for multispectral data analysis. [in Saginaw Bay, Michigan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, R. H.

    1975-01-01

    M-DAS is a ground data processing system designed for analysis of multispectral data. M-DAS operates on multispectral data from LANDSAT, S-192, M2S and other sources in CCT form. Interactive training by operator-investigators using a variable cursor on a color display was used to derive optimum processing coefficients and data on cluster separability. An advanced multivariate normal-maximum likelihood processing algorithm was used to produce output in various formats: color-coded film images, geometrically corrected map overlays, moving displays of scene sections, coverage tabulations and categorized CCTs. The analysis procedure for M-DAS involves three phases: (1) screening and training, (2) analysis of training data to compute performance predictions and processing coefficients, and (3) processing of multichannel input data into categorized results. Typical M-DAS applications involve iteration between each of these phases. A series of photographs of the M-DAS display are used to illustrate M-DAS operation.

  18. The sun's magnetic sector structure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Svalgaard, L.; Wilcox, J. M.; Scherrer, P. H.; Howard, R.

    1975-01-01

    The synoptic appearance of solar magnetic sectors is studied using 454 sector boundaries observed at earth during 1959-1973. The sectors are clearly visible in the photospheric magnetic field. Sector boundaries can be clearly identified as north-south running demarcation lines between regions of persistent magnetic polarity imbalances. These regions extend up to about 35 deg of latitude on both sides of the equator. They generally do not extend into the polar caps. The polar cap boundary can be identified as an east-west demarcation line marking the poleward limit of the sectors. The typical flux imbalance for a magnetic sector is about 4 x 10 to the 21st power Maxwells.

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

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

    2018-02-01

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

  20. How to specify and measure sensitivity in Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS)?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gabai, Haniel; Eyal, Avishay

    2017-04-01

    In Rayleigh-scattering-based Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) an optical fiber is transformed into an array of thousands of 'virtual microphones'. This approach has gained tremendous popularity in recent years and is one of the most successful examples of a fiber-optic sensing method which made its way from the academia to the market. Despite the great amount of work done in this field, sensitivity, which is ones of the most critical parameters of any sensing technique, was rarely investigated in this context. In particular, little attention was given to its random characteristics. Without careful consideration of the random aspects of DAS, any attempt to specify its sensitivity or to compare between different DAS modalities is of limited value. Recently we introduced a new statistical parameter which defines DAS sensitivity and enables comparison between the performances of different DAS systems. In this paper we generalize the previous parameter and give a broader, simple and intuitive definition to DAS sensitivity. An important attribute of these parameters is that they can be easily extracted from the static backscatter profile of the sensing fiber. In the paper we derive the relation between DAS sensitivity and the static backscatter profile and present an experimental verification of this relation.

  1. Using DAS for reflection seismology - lessons learned from three field studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Freifeld, B. M.; Dou, S.; Ajo Franklin, J. B.; Robertson, M.; Wood, T.; Daley, T. M.; White, D. J.; Worth, K.; Pevzner, R.; Yavuz, S.; dos Santos Maia Correa, J.; McDonald, S.

    2017-12-01

    Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has rapidly gained recognition for its potential for seismic imaging. For surface reflection seismology, the wide spatial aperture afforded by DAS is a primary motivation for its application, however the lower SNR of DAS has proven to be a significant impediment to acquiring data that can replace conventional receiver arrays. A further limitation of DAS cables is that the strain-dependent response is insensitive to acoustic energy which arrives orthogonal to the cable axis, reducing its effectiveness at seeing energy reflected from the deep subsurface. To enhance the sensitivity of DAS cables for reflection seismology, we have trialed at three field sites DAS cables with helical construction in which there is a significant component of optical fiber that is coincident with arriving broadside energy. We have installed helically wound DAS cables at the PTRC Aquistore Project in Saskatchewan, Canada and the CO2CRC Otway Project in Nirranda South, Victoria, Australia in shallow trenches. For the ADM Intelligent Monitoring Systems Project in Decatur, Illinois, USA we used a horizontal directional drilling method to install DAS cables at a depth that is greater than can be achieved using trenched installation. At the Otway and ADM sites we operated surface orbital vibrators (SOVs) at fixed locations to enhance sensitivity by stacking large numbers of sweeps. We present survey results from the three sites. Analysis of both vibroseis survey and SOV results show that the helical cable design achieves its primary objective of improving sensitivity to reflected energy, with further gains needed to achieve the sensitivity of conventional geophones.

  2. Study of morphometry to debit drainage basin (DAS) arau Padang city

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Utama, Lusi; Amrizal, Berd, Isril; Zuherna

    2017-11-01

    High intensity rain that happened in Padang city cause the happening of floods at DAS Arau. Floods that happened in Padang besides caused high rain intensity, require to be by research about morphometry that is cause parameter the happening of floods. Morphometry drainage basin physical network (DAS) quantitatively related to DAS geomorphology that is related to form of DAS, river network, closeness of stream, ramp, usage of farm, high and gradient steepness of river. Form DAS will influence rain concentration to outlet. Make an index to closeness of stream depict closeness of river stream at one particular DAS. Speed of river stream influenced by storey, level steepness of river. Steepness storey, level is comparison of difference height of river downstream and upstream. Ever greater of steepness of river stream, excelsior speed of river stream that way on the contrary. High to lower speed of river stream influence occurrence of floods, more than anything else if when influenced by debit big. Usage of farm in glove its link to process of infiltration where if geology type which is impermeable, be difficult the happening of infiltration, this matter will enlarge value of run off. Research by descriptive qualitative that is about characteristic of DAS. Method the used is method survey with data collecting, in the form of rainfall data of year 2005 until year 2015 and Image of DEM IFSAR with resolution 5 meter, analyzed use Software ARGIS. Result of research got by DAS reside in at condition of floods gristle.

  3. Industrial Preparedness Sector Study Guideline

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1990-03-01

    This guideline relates to special studies under the Army Industrial Preparedness Program where domestic industrial sectors or commodity sectors are evaluated for meeting Defense requirements. Modern sector study activities are described in a framewor...

  4. Ground Motion Analysis of Co-Located DAS and Seismometer Sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, H. F.; Fratta, D.; Lord, N. E.; Lancelle, C.; Thurber, C. H.; Zeng, X.; Parker, L.; Chalari, A.; Miller, D.; Feigl, K. L.; Team, P.

    2016-12-01

    The PoroTomo research team deployed 8700-meters of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) cable in a shallow trench and 400-meters in a borehole at Brady Hot Springs, Nevada in March 2016 together with an array of 246, three-component geophones. The seismic sensors occupied a natural laboratory 1500 x 500 x 400 meters overlying the Brady geothermal field. The DAS cable was laid out in three parallel zig-zag lines with line segments approximately 100-meters in length and geophones were spaced at approximately 50-m intervals. In several line segments, geophones were co-located within one meter of the DAS cable. Both DAS and the conventional geophones recorded continuously over 15 days. A large Vibroseis truck (T-Rex) provided the seismic source at approximately 250 locations outside and within the array. The Vibroseis protocol called for excitation in one vertical and two orthogonal horizontal directions at each location. For each mode, three, 5-to-80-Hz upsweeps were made over 20 seconds. In addition, a moderate-sized earthquake with a local magnitude of 4.3 was recorded on March 21, 2016. Its epicenter was approximately 150-km away. Several DAS line segments with co-located geophone stations were used to test relationships between the strain rate recorded by DAS and ground velocity recorded by the geophones.

  5. DAS: A Data Management System for Instrument Tests and Operations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Frailis, M.; Sartor, S.; Zacchei, A.; Lodi, M.; Cirami, R.; Pasian, F.; Trifoglio, M.; Bulgarelli, A.; Gianotti, F.; Franceschi, E.; Nicastro, L.; Conforti, V.; Zoli, A.; Smart, R.; Morbidelli, R.; Dadina, M.

    2014-05-01

    The Data Access System (DAS) is a and data management software system, providing a reusable solution for the storage of data acquired both from telescopes and auxiliary data sources during the instrument development phases and operations. It is part of the Customizable Instrument WorkStation system (CIWS-FW), a framework for the storage, processing and quick-look at the data acquired from scientific instruments. The DAS provides a data access layer mainly targeted to software applications: quick-look displays, pre-processing pipelines and scientific workflows. It is logically organized in three main components: an intuitive and compact Data Definition Language (DAS DDL) in XML format, aimed for user-defined data types; an Application Programming Interface (DAS API), automatically adding classes and methods supporting the DDL data types, and providing an object-oriented query language; a data management component, which maps the metadata of the DDL data types in a relational Data Base Management System (DBMS), and stores the data in a shared (network) file system. With the DAS DDL, developers define the data model for a particular project, specifying for each data type the metadata attributes, the data format and layout (if applicable), and named references to related or aggregated data types. Together with the DDL user-defined data types, the DAS API acts as the only interface to store, query and retrieve the metadata and data in the DAS system, providing both an abstract interface and a data model specific one in C, C++ and Python. The mapping of metadata in the back-end database is automatic and supports several relational DBMSs, including MySQL, Oracle and PostgreSQL.

  6. Learn about Smart Sectors

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    about the Smart Sectors program including: Meaningful Collaboration with Regulated Sectors; Sensible Policies to Improve Environmental Outcomes; Better EPA Practices and Streamlined Operations; Historical Context

  7. Regulatory Information By Sector

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find environmental regulatory, compliance, & enforcement information for various business, industry and government sectors, listed by NAICS code. Sectors include agriculture, automotive, petroleum manufacturing, oil & gas extraction & other manufacturing

  8. A preliminary psychometric evaluation of Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS).

    PubMed

    McDermott, Orii; Orgeta, Vasiliki; Ridder, Hanne Mette; Orrell, Martin

    2014-06-01

    Music in Dementia Assessment Scales (MiDAS), an observational outcome measure for music therapy with people with moderate to severe dementia, was developed from qualitative data of focus groups and interviews. Expert and peer consultations were conducted at each stage of the scale development to maximize its content validity. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of MiDAS. Care home residents with dementia attended weekly group music therapy for up to ten sessions. Music therapists and care home staff were requested to complete weekly MiDAS ratings. The Quality of Life Scale (QoL-AD) was completed at three time-points. A total of 629 (staff = 306, therapist = 323) MiDAS forms were completed. The statistical analysis revealed that MiDAS has high therapist inter-rater reliability, low staff inter-rater reliability, adequate staff test-retest reliability, adequate concurrent validity, and good construct validity. High factor loadings between the five MiDAS Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) items, levels of Interest, Response, Initiation, Involvement, and Enjoyment, were found. This study indicates that MiDAS has good psychometric properties despite the small sample size. Future research with a larger sample size could provide a more in-depth psychometric evaluation, including further exploration of the underlying factors. MiDAS provides a measure of engagement with musical experience and offers insight into who is likely to benefit on other outcomes such as quality of life or reduction in psychiatric symptoms.

  9. Community care: the independent sector.

    PubMed Central

    Barodawala, S.

    1996-01-01

    The independent sector, which consists of the voluntary and private sectors, is a vital element in supporting older people in the community. The voluntary sector, coordinated by the Council for Voluntary Service and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, provides a variety of services, including practical help, reassurance and companionship, and advice, information, campaigning, and advocacy. The private sector owns all of the nursing homes and most of the residential homes and is gradually becoming more involved with the provision of services to help support older people in their own homes. With this increase in size and importance of the independent sector over recent years, there is now a real need for greater communication between the private, voluntary, and statutory agencies in any one region. In some areas, forums made up of representatives of these various sectors meet to discuss relevant issues and construct local policies, thus allowing a more coordinated approach to the delivery of services. Images p740-a p742-a PMID:8819449

  10. Responsible leader behavior in health sectors.

    PubMed

    Longest, Beaufort

    2017-02-06

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to expand attention to responsible leader behavior in the world's health sectors by explaining how this concept applies to health sectors, considering why health sector leaders should behave responsibly, reviewing how they can do so, and asserting potential impact through an applied example. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a viewpoint, reflecting conceptualizations rooted in leadership literature which are then specifically applied to health sectors. A definition of responsible leader behavior is affirmed and applied specifically in health sectors. Conceptualizations and viewpoints about practice of responsible leader behavior in health sectors and potential consequences are then discussed and asserted. Findings Leadership failures and debacles found in health, but more so in other sectors, have led leadership researchers to offer insights, many of them empirical, into the challenges of leadership especially by more clearly delineating responsible leader behavior. Practical implications Much of what has been learned in the research about responsible leader behavior offers pathways for health sector leaders to more fully practice responsible leadership. Social implications This paper asserts and provides a supporting example that greater levels of responsible leader behavior in health sectors hold potentially important societal benefits. Originality/value This paper is the first to apply emerging conceptualizations and early empirical findings about responsible leader behavior specifically to leaders in health sectors.

  11. Crosslinking effect of dialdehyde starch (DAS) on decellularized porcine aortas for tissue engineering.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xu; Gu, Zhipeng; Qin, Huanhuan; Li, Li; Yang, Xu; Yu, Xixun

    2015-08-01

    Biological tissue-derived biomaterials must be chemically modified to avoid immediate degradation and immune response before being implanted in human body to replace malfunctioning organs. DAS with active aldehyde groups was employed to replace glutaraldehyde (GA), a most common synthetic crosslinking reagent in clinical practice, to fix bioprostheses for lower cytotoxicity. The aim of this research was to evaluate fixation effect of DAS. The tensile strength, crosslinking stability, cytotoxicity especially the anti-calcification capability of DAS-fixed tissues were investigated. The tensile strength and resistance to enzymatic degradation of samples were increased after DAS fixation, the values maintained stably in D-Hanks solution for several days. Meanwhile, ultrastructure of samples preserved well and the anti-calcification capability of samples were improved, the amount of positive staining points in the whole visual field of 15% DAS-fixed samples was only 0.576 times to GA-fixed ones. Moreover, both unreacted DAS and its hydrolytic products were nontoxic in cytotoxicity study. The results demonstrated DAS might be an effective crosslinking reagent to fix biological tissue-derived biomaterials in tissue engineering. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. A Safety Evaluation of DAS181, a Sialidase Fusion Protein, in Rodents

    PubMed Central

    Larson, Jeffrey L.; Kang, Seong-Kwi; Choi, Bo In; Hedlund, Maria; Aschenbrenner, Laura M.; Cecil, Beth; Machado, GloriaMay; Nieder, Matthew; Fang, Fang

    2011-01-01

    DAS181 is a novel inhaled drug candidate blocking influenza virus (IFV) and parainfluenza virus (PIV) infections through removal of sialic acid receptors from epithelial surface of the respiratory tract. To support clinical development, a 28-day Good Laboratory Practices inhalation toxicology study was conducted in Sprague-Dawley rats. In this study, achieved average daily doses based on exposure concentrations were 0.47, 0.90, 1.55, and 3.00 mg/kg/day of DAS181 in a dry powder formulation. DAS181 was well tolerated at all dose levels, and there were no significant toxicological findings. DAS181 administration did not affect animal body weight, food consumption, clinical signs, ophthalmology, respiratory parameters, or organ weight. Gross pathology evaluations were unremarkable. Histological examination of the lungs was devoid of pulmonary tissue damage, and findings were limited to mild and transient changes indicative of exposure and clearance of a foreign protein. DAS181 did not show any cytotoxic effects on human and animal primary cells, including hepatocytes, skeletal muscle cells, osteoblasts, or respiratory epithelial cells. DAS181 did not cause direct or indirect hemolysis. A laboratory abnormality observed in the 28-day toxicology study was mild and transient anemia in male rats at the 3.00 mg/kg dose, which is an expected outcome of enhanced clearance of desialylated red blood cells resulting from systemic exposure with DAS181. Another laboratory observation was a transient dose-dependent elevation in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), which can be attributed to reduced ALP clearance resulting from increased protein desialylation due to DAS181 systemic exposure. These laboratory parameters returned to normal at the end of the recovery period. PMID:21572096

  13. Environmental performance policy indicators for the public sector: the case of the defence sector.

    PubMed

    Ramos, Tomás B; Alves, Inês; Subtil, Rui; Joanaz de Melo, João

    2007-03-01

    The development of environmental performance policy indicators for public services, and in particular for the defence sector, is an emerging issue. Despite a number of recent initiatives there has been little work done in this area, since the other sectors usually focused on are agriculture, transport, industry, tourism and energy. This type of tool can be an important component for environmental performance evaluation at policy level, when integrated in the general performance assessment system of public missions and activities. The main objective of this research was to develop environmental performance policy indicators for the public sector, specifically applied to the defence sector. Previous research included an assessment of the environmental profile, through the evaluation of how environmental management practices have been adopted in this sector and an assessment of environmental aspects and impacts. This paper builds upon that previous research, developing an indicator framework--SEPI--supported by the selection and construction of environmental performance indicators. Another aim is to discuss how the current environmental indicator framework can be integrated into overall performance management. The Portuguese defence sector is presented and the usefulness of this methodology demonstrated. Feasibility and relevancy criteria are applied to evaluate the set of indicators proposed, allowing indicators to be scored and indicators for the policy level to be obtained.

  14. Amerikas Einschätzung der deutschen Atomforschung: Das deutsche Uranprojekt

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walker, Mark

    2002-07-01

    Die amerikanischen Wissenschaftler und ihre emigrierten Kollegen, die am Bau der Atombombe beteiligt waren, verfügten über sehr widersprüchliche und großteils falsche Informationen über den Fortschritt des deutschen Uranprogramms. Noch nach Kriegsende lässt sich dies an Aussagen des Leiters der amerikanischen Alsos-Mission, Samuel Goudsmit, festmachen. Tatsächlich war das deutsche Programm hinsichtlich seiner wissenschaftlichen Grundlagen und des Managements nicht so unterlegen, wie vielfach behauptet wurde. Aber die deutschen Behörden waren nicht in der Lage, Geld und Ressourcen in gleichem Maße in das Uranprojekt zu investieren, wie etwa in das Peenemünder Raketenprojekt.

  15. Dynamically Evolving Sectors for Convective Weather Impact

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Drew, Michael C.

    2010-01-01

    A new strategy for altering existing sector boundaries in response to blocking convective weather is presented. This method seeks to improve the reduced capacity of sectors directly affected by weather by moving boundaries in a direction that offers the greatest capacity improvement. The boundary deformations are shared by neighboring sectors within the region in a manner that preserves their shapes and sizes as much as possible. This reduces the controller workload involved with learning new sector designs. The algorithm that produces the altered sectors is based on a force-deflection mesh model that needs only nominal traffic patterns and the shape of the blocking weather for input. It does not require weather-affected traffic patterns that would have to be predicted by simulation. When compared to an existing optimal sector design method, the sectors produced by the new algorithm are more similar to the original sector shapes, resulting in sectors that may be more suitable for operational use because the change is not as drastic. Also, preliminary results show that this method produces sectors that can equitably distribute the workload of rerouted weather-affected traffic throughout the region where inclement weather is present. This is demonstrated by sector aircraft count distributions of simulated traffic in weather-affected regions.

  16. DAS Microseismic and Strain Monitoring During Hydraulic Fracturing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kahn, D.; Karrenbach, M. H.; Cole, S.; Boone, K.; Ridge, A.; Rich, J.; Langton, D.; Silver, K.

    2017-12-01

    Hydraulic fracturing operations in unconventional subsurface reservoirs are typically monitored using geophones located either at the surface or in adjacent wellbores. A novel approach to record hydraulic stimulations utilizes fiber-optic Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). A fiber-optic cable was installed in a treatment well in a subsurface reservoir (Meramec formation). DAS data were recorded during fluid injection of same fibered well and also during injection into a nearby treatment well at a distance of 350m. For both scenarios the DAS sensing array consisted of approximately 1000 channels at a fine spatial and temporal sampling and with a large sensing aperture. Thus, the full strain wave field is measured along the borehole over its entire length. A variety of physical effects, such as temperature, low-frequency strain and microseismicity were measured and correlated with the treatment program during hydraulic fracturing of the wells. These physical effects occur at various frequency scales and produce complementary measurements. Microseismic events in the magnitude range of -0.5 and -2.0 at a maximum distance of 500m were observed and analyzed for recordings from the fiber-equipped treatment well and also neighboring treatment well. The analysis of this DAS data set demonstrates that current fiber-optic sensing technology can provide enough sensitivity to detect a significant number of microseismic events and that these events can be integrated with temperature and strain measurements for an improved subsurface reservoir description.

  17. Applying OD to the Public Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Warrick, D. D.

    1976-01-01

    Discusses special considerations affecting organizational development (OD) programs in public-sector organizations, presents guidelines for using OD procedures in the public sector, and offers conclusions about the applicability of OD in the public sector. (Author/JG)

  18. Temperature compensation for miniaturized magnetic sector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sinha, Mahadeva P. (Inventor)

    2002-01-01

    Temperature compensation for a magnetic sector used in mass spectrometry. A high temperature dependant magnetic sector is used. This magnetic sector is compensated by a magnetic shunt that has opposite temperature characteristics to those of the magnet.

  19. Air Traffic Sector Configuration Change Frequency

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chatterji, Gano B.; Drew, Michael

    2010-01-01

    A Mixed Integer Linear Programming method is used for creating sectors in Fort Worth, Cleveland, and Los Angeles centers based on several days of good-weather traffic data. The performance of these sectors is studied when they are subjected to traffic data from different days. Additionally, the advantage of using different sector designs at different times of day with varying traffic loads is examined. Specifically, traffic data from 10 days are used for design, and 47 other days are played back to test if the traffic-counts stay below the design values used in creating the partitions. The primary findings of this study are as follows. Sectors created with traffic from good-weather days can be used on other good-weather days. Sector configurations created with two hours of traffic can be used for 6 to 12 hours without exceeding the peak-count requirement. Compared to using a single configuration for the entire day, most of the sector-hour reduction is achieved by using two sector configurations -one during daytime hours and one during nighttime hours.

  20. Brazilian healthcare in the context of austerity: private sector dominant, government sector failing.

    PubMed

    Costa, Nilson do Rosário

    2017-04-01

    This paper presents the arguments in favor of government intervention in financing and regulation of health in Brazil. It describes the organizational arrangement of the Brazilian health system, for the purpose of reflection on the austerity agenda proposed for the country. Based on the literature in health economics, it discusses the hypothesis that the health sector in Brazil functions under the dominance of the private sector. The categories employed for analysis are those of the national health spending figures. An international comparison of indicators of health expenses shows that Brazilian public spending is a low proportion of total spending on Brazilian health. Expenditure on individuals' health by out-of-pocket payments is high, and this works against equitability. The private health services sector plays a crucial role in provision, and financing. Contrary to the belief put forward by the austerity agenda, public expenditure cannot be constrained because the government has failed in adequate provision of services to the poor. This paper argues that, since the Constitution did not veto activity by the private sector segment of the market, those interests that have the greatest capacity to vocalize have been successful in imposing their preferences in the configuration of the sector.

  1. Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Data for Periodic Hydraulic Tests

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

    Coleman, Thomas; Becker, Matthew

    California State University Long Beach evaluated hydraulic connectivity among geothermal wells using Periodic Hydraulic Testing (PHT) and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). The principal was to create a pressure signal in one well and observe the responding pressure signals in one or more observation wells to assess the permeability and storage of the fracture network that connects the two wells. DAS measured strain at mHz frequency in monitoring wells in response to PHT.

  2. Privacy Issues and the Private Sector,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1976-07-01

    GUIDE represents a large portion of the private sector of this country; at the moment, of course, the recordkeeping processes of non-Federal...the Privacy Protection Study Commission to examine the private sector and non-Federal government. The Commission is to recommend to Congress and the...President first, what aspects of the 1974 Act should be applied to the private sector ; secondly, to recommend to Congress and the President what further legislative safeguards are indicated for the private sector .

  3. Attractiveness of employment sectors for physical therapists in Ontario, Canada (1999-2007): implication for the long term care sector

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Recruiting and retaining health professions remains a high priority for health system planners. Different employment sectors may vary in their appeal to providers. We used the concepts of inflow and stickiness to assess the relative attractiveness of sectors for physical therapists (PTs) in Ontario, Canada. Inflow was defined as the percentage of PTs working in a sector who were not there the previous year. Stickiness was defined as the transition probability that a physical therapist will remain in a given employment sector year-to-year. Methods A longitudinal dataset of registered PTs in Ontario (1999-2007) was created, and primary employment sector was categorized as ‘hospital’, ‘community’, ‘long term care’ (LTC) or ‘other.’ Inflow and stickiness values were then calculated for each sector, and trends were analyzed. Results There were 5003 PTs in 1999, which grew to 6064 by 2007, representing a 21.2% absolute growth. Inflow grew across all sectors, but the LTC sector had the highest inflow of 32.0%. PTs practicing in hospitals had the highest stickiness, with 87.4% of those who worked in this sector remaining year-to-year. The community and other employment sectors had stickiness values of 78.2% and 86.8% respectively, while the LTC sector had the lowest stickiness of 73.4%. Conclusion Among all employment sectors, LTC had highest inflow but lowest stickiness. Given expected increases in demand for services, understanding provider transitional probabilities and employment preferences may provide a useful policy and planning tool in developing a sustainable health human resource base across all employment sectors. PMID:22643111

  4. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of influenza virus mutants selected with the sialidase fusion protein DAS181

    PubMed Central

    Triana-Baltzer, Gallen B.; Sanders, Rebecca L.; Hedlund, Maria; Jensen, Kellie A.; Aschenbrenner, Laura M.; Larson, Jeffrey L.; Fang, Fang

    2011-01-01

    Background Influenza viruses (IFVs) frequently achieve resistance to antiviral drugs, necessitating the development of compounds with novel mechanisms of action. DAS181 (Fludase®), a sialidase fusion protein, may have a reduced potential for generating drug resistance due to its novel host-targeting mechanism of action. Methods IFV strains B/Maryland/1/59 and A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2) were subjected to >30 passages under increasing selective pressure with DAS181. The DAS181-selected IFV isolates were characterized in vitro and in mice. Results Despite extensive passaging, DAS181-selected viruses exhibited a very low level of resistance to DAS181, which ranged between 3- and 18-fold increase in EC50. DAS181-selected viruses displayed an attenuated phenotype in vitro, as exhibited by slower growth, smaller plaque size and increased particle to pfu ratios relative to wild-type virus. Further, the DAS181 resistance phenotype was unstable and was substantially reversed over time upon DAS181 withdrawal. In mice, the DAS181-selected viruses exhibited no greater virulence than their wild-type counterparts. Genotypic and phenotypic analysis of DAS181-selected viruses revealed mutations in the haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) molecules and also changes in HA and NA function. Conclusions Results indicate that resistance to DAS181 is minimal and unstable. The DAS181-selected IFV isolates exhibit reduced fitness in vitro, likely due to altered HA and NA functions. PMID:21097900

  5. Reflections on science and the communication sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raes, Frank

    2015-04-01

    Reflections on science and the communication sector. In this contribution I will reflect about successes and failures in communicating climate change and air pollution sciences to the general public. These communication efforts included writing popular articles, giving public presentations, working with people from the social scientists and artists. Giving the fact that communication is a very important (economic) sector on its own, the question is to what extent scientists should enter that sector, whether scientists are at all accepted in that sector, whether they should use the expertise in that sector, or whether they should merely provide the knowledge to be used by that sector.

  6. Third sector primary care for vulnerable populations.

    PubMed

    Crampton, P; Dowell, A; Woodward, A

    2001-12-01

    This paper aims to describe and explain the development of third sector primary care organisations in New Zealand. The third sector is the non-government, non-profit sector. International literature suggests that this sector fulfils an important role in democratic societies with market-based economies, providing services otherwise neglected by the government and private for-profit sectors. Third sector organisations provided a range of social services throughout New Zealand's colonial history. However, it was not until the 1980s that third sector organisations providing comprehensive primary medical and related services started having a significant presence in New Zealand. In 1994 a range of union health centres, tribally based Mäori health providers, and community-based primary care providers established a formal network -- Health Care Aotearoa. While not representing all third sector primary care providers in New Zealand, Health Care Aotearoa was the best-developed example of a grouping of third sector primary care organisations. Member organisations served populations that were largely non-European and lived in deprived areas, and tended to adopt population approaches to funding and provision of services. The development of Health Care Aotearoa has been consistent with international experience of third sector involvement -- there were perceived "failures" in government policies for funding primary care and private sector responses to these policies, resulting in lack of universal funding and provision of primary care and continuing patient co-payments. The principal policy implication concerns the role of the third sector in providing primary care services for vulnerable populations as a partial alternative to universal funding and provision of primary care. Such an alternative may be convenient for proponents of reduced state involvement in funding and provision of health care, but may not be desirable from the point of view of equity and social cohesion

  7. Sector-scanning echocardiography

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Henry, W. L.; Griffith, J. M.

    1975-01-01

    The mechanical sector scanner is described in detail, and its clinical application is discussed. Cross sectional images of the heart are obtained in real time using this system. The sector scanner has three major components: (a) hand held scanner, (b) video display, and (c) video recorder. The system provides diagnostic information in a wide spectrum of cardiac diseases, and it quantitates the severity of mitral stenosis by measurement of the mitral valve orifice area in diagnosing infants, children and adults with cyanotic congenital heart disease.

  8. Metals Sector

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find environmental regulatory information about the metals sector (NAICS 331 & 332), including NESHAPs for metal coatings, effluent guidelines for metal products, combustion compliance assistance, and information about foundry sand recycling.

  9. The Information Sector: Definition and Measurement.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Porat, Marc U.

    In the last 20 years the U.S. economy had changed as a result of the increase in production, processing, and distribution of information goods and services. Three information sectors--the primary sector producing information goods and services, the private bureaucracy, and the public bureaucracy--are part of a six-sector economy. Today,…

  10. User Manual for the AZ-101 Data Acquisition System (AS-101 DAS)

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

    BRAYTON, D.D.

    2000-02-17

    User manual for the TK AZ-101 Waste Retrieval System Data Acquisition System. The purpose of this document is to describe use of the AZ-101 Data Acquisition System (AZ-101 DAS). The AZ-101 DAS is provided to fulfill the requirements for data collection and monitoring as defined in Letters of Instruction (LOI) from Numatec Hanford Corporation (NHC) to Fluor Federal Services (FFS). For a complete description of the system, including design, please refer to the AZ-101 DAS System Description document, RPP-5572.

  11. [The productive sector].

    PubMed

    Santolaria, Encarna; Fernández, Alberto; Daponte, Antonio; Aguilera, I

    2004-05-01

    In the last 25 years, the production sector in Spain has undergone important changes. Among these changes, the important growth of the services sector at the expense of the primary sector, the increasing flexibility of the labour market, and the rise in the female workforce could be considered as the most relevant ones. Spanish women have higher rates of unemployment, temporary jobs and part time contracts than Spanish men. Moreover, job access and work conditions are highly related to gender and social class. Because women are forced to compensate for the scarcity of social services for caring for young children and for dependent elderly, they become informal and socially unrecognised caregivers, preventing them from getting or holding a job, and significantly limiting their opportunities for professional development. These social conditions are closely related with the fact that work conditions for women involve higher temporality rates and shorter contracts than those of men, given the sectors and jobs in which they tend to work (due to segregation). Similarly, workers of the less privileged social classes have poorer work conditions. Thus, women of the lower income class are mainly suffering the worst job contracts and the poorest work conditions. More social services are needed to make it possible to attend to family needs and still be able to access and maintain a job contract. Policies tending to conciliate labour and family life are indispensable and should incorporate measures to equally distribute the house keeping activities between women and men.

  12. Role of the private sector in vaccination service delivery in India: evidence from private-sector vaccine sales data, 2009-12.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Abhishek; Kaplan, Warren A; Chokshi, Maulik; Zodpey, Sanjay P

    2016-09-01

    India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) provides basic vaccines free-of-cost in the public sector, yet national vaccination coverage is poor. The Government of India has urged an expanded role for the private sector to help achieve universal immunization coverage. We conducted a state-by-state analysis of the role of the private sector in vaccinating Indian children against each of the six primary childhood diseases covered under India's UIP. We analyzed IMS Health data on Indian private-sector vaccine sales, 2011 Indian Census data and national household surveys (DHS/NFHS 2005-06 and UNICEF CES 2009) to estimate the percentage of vaccinated children among the 2009-12 birth cohort who received a given vaccine in the private sector in 16 Indian states. We also analyzed the estimated private-sector vaccine shares as function of state-specific socio-economic status. Overall in 16 states, the private sector contributed 4.7% towards tuberculosis (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)), 3.5% towards measles, 2.3% towards diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT3) and 7.6% towards polio (OPV3) overall (both public and private sectors) vaccination coverage. Certain low income states (Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Assam and Bihar) have low private as well as public sector vaccination coverage. The private sector's role has been limited primarily to the high income states as opposed to these low income states where the majority of Indian children live. Urban areas with good access to the private sector and the ability to pay increases the Indian population's willingness to access private-sector vaccination services. In India, the public sector offers vaccination services to the majority of the population but the private sector should not be neglected as it could potentially improve overall vaccination coverage. The government could train and incentivize a wider range of private-sector health professionals to help deliver the vaccines, especially in the low

  13. Smart Sectors

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA is taking a sector based approach to environmental protection to improve environmental performance through better-informed rulemakings, reduced burden, and more efficient, effective, and consensus-based solutions to environmental problems.

  14. Lessons Learned from the Private Sector

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

    Robichaud, Robert J

    This session is focused on lessons learned from private sector energy projects that could be applied to the federal sector. This presentation tees up the subsequent presentations by outlining the differences between private and federal sectors in objectives, metrics for determining success, funding resources/mechanisms, payback and ROI evaluation, risk tolerance/aversion, new technology adoption perspectives, and contracting mechanisms.

  15. Health sector reform and public sector health worker motivation: a conceptual framework.

    PubMed

    Franco, Lynne Miller; Bennett, Sara; Kanfer, Ruth

    2002-04-01

    Motivation in the work context can be defined as an individual's degree of willingness to exert and maintain an effort towards organizational goals. Health sector performance is critically dependent on worker motivation, with service quality, efficiency, and equity, all directly mediated by workers' willingness to apply themselves to their tasks. Resource availability and worker competence are essential but not sufficient to ensure desired worker performance. While financial incentives may be important determinants of worker motivation, they alone cannot and have not resolved all worker motivation problems. Worker motivation is a complex process and crosses many disciplinary boundaries, including economics, psychology, organizational development, human resource management, and sociology. This paper discusses the many layers of influences upon health worker motivation: the internal individual-level determinants, determinants that operate at organizational (work context) level, and determinants stemming from interactions with the broader societal culture. Worker motivation will be affected by health sector reforms which potentially affect organizational culture, reporting structures, human resource management, channels of accountability, types of interactions with clients and communities, etc. The conceptual model described in this paper clarifies ways in which worker motivation is influenced and how health sector reform can positively affect worker motivation. Among others, health sector policy makers can better facilitate goal congruence (between workers and the organizations they work for) and improved worker motivation by considering the following in their design and implementation of health sector reforms: addressing multiple channels for worker motivation, recognizing the importance of communication and leadership for reforms, identifying organizational and cultural values that might facilitate or impede implementation of reforms, and understanding that reforms

  16. Use of Private Sector Temporaries.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-01-01

    causing the reduction in personnel. My solution to this problem is to authorize and find the use of private sector temporaries to perform the workload...discuss cost factors, and describe the benefits Defense Finance and Accounting Service will receive by using private sector temporaries (AN)

  17. Moisture Forecast Bias Correction in GEOS DAS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dee, D.

    1999-01-01

    Data assimilation methods rely on numerous assumptions about the errors involved in measuring and forecasting atmospheric fields. One of the more disturbing of these is that short-term model forecasts are assumed to be unbiased. In case of atmospheric moisture, for example, observational evidence shows that the systematic component of errors in forecasts and analyses is often of the same order of magnitude as the random component. we have implemented a sequential algorithm for estimating forecast moisture bias from rawinsonde data in the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS). The algorithm is designed to remove the systematic component of analysis errors and can be easily incorporated in an existing statistical data assimilation system. We will present results of initial experiments that show a significant reduction of bias in the GEOS DAS moisture analyses.

  18. Health-care sector and complementary medicine: practitioners' experiences of delivering acupuncture in the public and private sectors.

    PubMed

    Bishop, Felicity L; Amos, Nicola; Yu, He; Lewith, George T

    2012-07-01

    The aim was to identify similarities and differences between private practice and the National Health Service (NHS) in practitioners' experiences of delivering acupuncture to treat pain. We wished to identify differences that could affect patients' experiences and inform our understanding of how trials conducted in private clinics relate to NHS clinical practice. Acupuncture is commonly used in primary care for lower back pain and is recommended in the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's guidelines. Previous studies have identified differences in patients' accounts of receiving acupuncture in the NHS and in the private sector. The major recent UK trial of acupuncture for back pain was conducted in the private sector. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 acupuncturists who had experience of working in the private sector (n = 7), in the NHS (n =3), and in both the sectors (n = 6). The interviews lasted between 24 and 77 min (median=49 min) and explored acupuncturists' experiences of treating patients in pain. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify similarities and differences across private practice and the NHS. The perceived effectiveness of acupuncture was described consistently and participants felt they did (or would) deliver acupuncture similarly in NHS and in private practice. In both the sectors, patients sought acupuncture as a last resort and acupuncturist-patient relationships were deemed important. Acupuncture availability differed across sectors: in the NHS it was constrained by Trust policies and in the private sector by patients' financial resources. There were greater opportunities for autonomous practice in the private sector and regulation was important for different reasons in each sector. In general, NHS practitioners had Western-focussed training and also used conventional medical techniques, whereas private practitioners were more likely to have Traditional Chinese training and to practise

  19. Vacuum status-display and sector-conditioning programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Skelly, J.; Yen, S.

    1990-08-01

    Two programs have been developed for observation and control of the AGS vacuum system, which include the following notable features: (1) they incorporate a graphical user interface and (2) they are driven by a relational database which describes the vacuum system. The vacuum system comprises some 440 devices organized into 28 vacuum sectors. The status-display program invites menu selection of a sector, interrogates the relational database for relevant vacuum devices, acquires live readbacks and posts a graphical display of their status. The sector-conditioning program likewise invites sector selection, produces the same status display and also implements process control logic on the sector devices to pump the sector down from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum over a period extending several hours. As additional devices are installed in the vacuum system, the devices are added to the relational database; these programs then automatically include the new devices.

  20. Is the public healthcare sector a more strenuous working environment than the private sector for a physician?

    PubMed

    Heponiemi, Tarja; Kouvonen, Anne; Sinervo, Timo; Elovainio, Marko

    2013-02-01

    The present study examined the differences between physicians working in public and private health care in strenuous working environments (presence of occupational hazards, physical violence, and presenteeism) and health behaviours (alcohol consumption, body mass index, and physical activity). In addition, we examined whether gender or age moderated these potential differences. Cross-sectional survey data were compiled on 1422 female and 948 male randomly selected physicians aged 25-65 years from The Finnish Health Care Professionals Study. Logistic regression and linear regression analyses were used with adjustment for gender, age, specialisation status, working time, managerial position, and on-call duty. Occupational hazards, physical violence, and presenteeism were more commonly reported by physicians working in the public sector than by their counterparts in the private sector. Among physicians aged 50 years or younger, those who worked in the public sector consumed more alcohol than those who worked in the private sector, whereas in those aged 50 or more the reverse was true. In addition, working in the private sector was most strongly associated with lower levels of physical violence in those who were older than 50 years, and with lower levels of presenteeism among those aged 40-50 years. The present study found evidence for the public sector being a more strenuous work environment for physicians than the private sector. Our results suggest that public healthcare organisations should pay more attention to the working conditions of their employees.

  1. Chilly dark sectors and asymmetric reheating

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adshead, Peter; Cui, Yanou; Shelton, Jessie

    2016-06-01

    In a broad class of theories, the relic abundance of dark matter is determined by interactions internal to a thermalized dark sector, with no direct involvement of the Standard Model (SM). We point out that these theories raise an immediate cosmological question: how was the dark sector initially populated in the early universe? Motivated in part by the difficulty of accommodating large amounts of entropy carried in dark radiation with cosmic microwave background measurements of the effective number of relativistic species at recombination, N eff , we aim to establish which admissible cosmological histories can populate a thermal dark sector that never reaches thermal equilibrium with the SM. The minimal cosmological origin for such a dark sector is asymmetric reheating, when the same mechanism that populates the SM in the early universe also populates the dark sector at a lower temperature. Here we demonstrate that the resulting inevitable inflaton-mediated scattering between the dark sector and the SM can wash out a would-be temperature asymmetry, and establish the regions of parameter space where temperature asymmetries can be generated in minimal reheating scenarios. Thus obtaining a temperature asymmetry of a given size either restricts possible inflaton masses and couplings or necessitates a non-minimal cosmology for one or both sectors. As a side benefit, we develop techniques for evaluating collision terms in the relativistic Boltzmann equation when the full dependence on Bose-Einstein or Fermi-Dirac phase space distributions must be retained, and present several new results on relativistic thermal averages in an appendix.

  2. Sector retinitis pigmentosa.

    PubMed

    Van Woerkom, Craig; Ferrucci, Steven

    2005-05-01

    Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is one of the most common hereditary retinal dystrophies and causes of visual impairment affecting all age groups. The reported incidence varies, but is considered to be between 1 in 3,000 to 1 in 7,000. Sector retinitis pigmentosa is an atypical form of RP that is characterized by regionalized areas of bone spicule pigmentation, usually in the inferior quadrants of the retina. A 57-year-old Hispanic man with a history of previously diagnosed retinitis pigmentosa came to the clinic with a longstanding symptom of decreased vision at night. Bone spicule pigmentation was found in the nasal and inferior quadrants in each eye. He demonstrated superior and temporal visual-field loss corresponding to the areas of the affected retina. Clinical measurements of visual-field loss, best-corrected visual acuity, and ophthalmoscopic appearance have remained stable during the five years the patient has been followed. Sector retinitis pigmentosa is an atypical form of RP that is characterized by bilateral pigmentary retinopathy, usually isolated to the inferior quadrants. The remainder of the retina appears clinically normal, although studies have found functional abnormalities in these areas as well. Sector RP is generally considered a stationary to slowly progressive disease, with subnormal electro-retinogram findings and visual-field defects corresponding to the involved retinal sectors. Management of RP is very difficult because there are no proven methods of treatment. Studies have shown 15,000 IU of vitamin A palmitate per day may slow the progression, though this result is controversial. Low vision rehabilitation, long wavelength pass filters, and pedigree counseling remain the mainstay of management.

  3. Partnership in Sector Wide Approaches

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tolley, Hilary

    2011-01-01

    Within the context of bilateral support to the education sector in Tonga and the Solomon Islands, this paper will explore how the discourse of "partnership" has been interpreted and activated within the Sector wide approach (SWAp). In concentrating particularly on the relationship between the respective Ministries of Education and New…

  4. [Harassment in the public sector].

    PubMed

    Puech, Paloma; Pitcho, Benjamin

    2013-01-01

    The French Labour Code, which provides full protection against moral and sexual harassment, is not applicable to public sector workers. The public hospital is however not exempt from such behaviour, which could go unpunished. Public sector workers are therefore protected by the French General Civil Service Regulations and the penal code.

  5. Private sector contribution to childhood immunization: Sri Lankan experience.

    PubMed

    Agampodi, S B; Amarasinghe, D A C L

    2007-04-01

    The main service provider for childhood immunization in Sri Lanka is the government sector. However, utilization of private sector for childhood immunization is increasing rapidly. Existing national immunization data does not routinely include statistics on private sector immunization delivery adequately. To estimate the proportion of children immunized in the private sector; describe socio-demographic characteristics of private sector users and compare these with government sector users. A community-based crosssectional descriptive study was conducted using a pre-tested interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. This was done in the Colombo municipal council area using the WHO 30 cluster methodology. The total number of households in the sample was 553. Out of the 5,028 total immunizations reported in the present study, around one-third (2,544) was obtained through the private sector. Nineteen percent (104) of children were exclusively immunized from the private sector. The distribution of usual immunization provider was - government sector 72.3% (400) and private sector 27.7% (153). Significant differences were observed (P < 0.001) between private and government sector users with regard to family income, social class, ethnicity, religion and educational level of the mother. The age-appropriate immunization among the 12- to 23-month age group was 92.3% (144) in the government sector, whereas it was 95% (38) in the private sector. Among the 24- to 35-month age group, it was 91.7% (121) and 92.7% (76) respectively. The age-adjusted immunization coverage rates were almost same among the government and private sector users except for the measles vaccine, where the private sector users had significantly (P = 0.016) higher coverage. Utilization of private sector immunization services is high in the Colombo municipal council area.

  6. Brady's Geothermal Field DAS Earthquake Data

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

    Kurt Feigl

    The submitted data correspond to the vibration caused by a 3.4 M earthquake and captured by the DAS horizontal and vertical arrays during the PoroTomo Experiment. Earthquake information : M 4.3 - 23km ESE of Hawthorne, Nevada Time: 2016-03-21 07:37:10 (UTC) Location: 38.479 N 118.366 W Depth: 9.9 km

  7. Prevalence of mabDAS-1 positivity in biopsy specimens from the esophagogastric junction.

    PubMed

    Rogge-Wolf, Claudia; Seldenrijk, Cornelis A; Das, Kiron M; Timmer, Robin; Breumelhof, Ronald; Smout, André J P M; Amenta, Peter S; Griffel, Louis H

    2002-12-01

    Intestinal metaplasia (IM) is a precursor for malignancies at the esophagogastric junction. A monoclonal antibody, mAbDAS-1, can probably identify cellular characteristics of IM before the appearance of goblet cells. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of mAbDAS-1 positivity in biopsies from the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) and to correlate this positivity with the presence of IM and clinical findings. In 559 patients, reflux symptoms were scored, and the presence of reflux esophagitis and hiatus hernia was evaluated during endoscopy. Two biopsy specimens were obtained from the SCJ. In a subset of patients (n = 99), biopsies from the endoscopically defined cardiac region (2 cm distal to proximal margin of gastric folds) were available. Biopsy specimens were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Alcian Blue, modified Giemsa, and mAbDAS-1. mAbDAS-1 positivity was observed in the SCJ biopsies of 201 of 486 (41.4%) patients without IM and in 64 of 73 (87.7%) patients with IM. Patients without IM but with antibody positivity showed similar histological characteristics as patients with IM at the SCJ. Biopsies of 123 of 559 patients (22%) revealed a columnar-cuboidal epithelium, which was found to be mAbDAS-1 positive in 64.2% (77 of 123). Tissue specimens from the cardiac region without IM stained positive in 14.2% (13 of 91), 12 of those also stained at the SCJ. In patients without IM, a high prevalence of mAbDAS-1 positivity was observed. Biopsies of these patients showed similar histological characteristics as patients with IM. Although not all patients exhibiting this reactivity may develop IM, mAbDAS-1 reactivity may help in the understanding of the histogenesis of IM at the SCJ.

  8. 22 CFR 139.8 - Target economic sectors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Target economic sectors. 139.8 Section 139.8... § 139.8 Target economic sectors. Job/Training under the IPPCTP will be authorized for preferred economic... authorized to approve different employers in different economic sectors. [66 FR 52506, Oct. 16, 2001] ...

  9. 22 CFR 139.8 - Target economic sectors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Target economic sectors. 139.8 Section 139.8... § 139.8 Target economic sectors. Job/Training under the IPPCTP will be authorized for preferred economic... authorized to approve different employers in different economic sectors. [66 FR 52506, Oct. 16, 2001] ...

  10. 22 CFR 139.8 - Target economic sectors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Target economic sectors. 139.8 Section 139.8... § 139.8 Target economic sectors. Job/Training under the IPPCTP will be authorized for preferred economic... authorized to approve different employers in different economic sectors. [66 FR 52506, Oct. 16, 2001] ...

  11. 22 CFR 139.8 - Target economic sectors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Target economic sectors. 139.8 Section 139.8... § 139.8 Target economic sectors. Job/Training under the IPPCTP will be authorized for preferred economic... authorized to approve different employers in different economic sectors. [66 FR 52506, Oct. 16, 2001] ...

  12. 22 CFR 139.8 - Target economic sectors.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Target economic sectors. 139.8 Section 139.8... § 139.8 Target economic sectors. Job/Training under the IPPCTP will be authorized for preferred economic... authorized to approve different employers in different economic sectors. [66 FR 52506, Oct. 16, 2001] ...

  13. Interplanetary sector boundaries, 1971 - 1973

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Klein, L.; Burlaga, L. F.

    1979-01-01

    Eighteen interplanetary sector boundary crossings observed at 1 AU by the magnetometer on the IMP-6 spacecraft are discussed. The events were examined on many different time scales ranging from days on either side of the boundary to high resolution measurements of 12.5 vectors per second. Two categories of boundaries were found, one group being relatively thin and the other being thick. In many cases the field vector rotated in a plane from one polarity to the other. Only two of the transitions were null sheets. Using the minimum variance analysis to determine the normals to the plane of rotation, and assuming that this is the same as the normal to the sector boundary surface, it was found that the normals were close to the ecliptic plane. An analysis of tangential discontinuities contained in 4-day periods about the events showed that their orientations were generally not related to the orientations of the sector boundary surface, but rather their characteristics were about the same as those for discontinuities outside the sector boundaries.

  14. Mineral Processing Sector

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find environmental regulatory and compliance information for the nonmetallic mineral processing sector (NAICS 327), including NESHAPs for asbestos and hazardous waste, and wastewater permit information.

  15. Public Sector/Private Sector Interaction in Providing Information Services. Report to the NCLIS from the Public Sector/Private Sector Task Force.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Commission on Libraries and Information Science, Washington, DC.

    The results of a 2-year study on the interactions between government and private sector information activities are presented in terms of principles and guidelines for federal policy to support the development and use of information resources, products, and services, and to implement the principles. Discussions address sources of conflict between…

  16. Building recycling rates through the informal sector.

    PubMed

    Wilson, David C; Araba, Adebisi O; Chinwah, Kaine; Cheeseman, Christopher R

    2009-02-01

    Many developing country cities aspire to modern waste management systems, which are associated with relatively high recycling rates of clean, source separated materials. Most already have informal sector recycling systems, which are driven solely by the revenues derived from selling recovered materials, even though they are saving the formal sector money by reducing waste quantities. There is clear potential for 'win-win' co-operation between the formal and informal sectors, as providing support to the informal sector, to build recycling rates and to address some of the social issues could reduce the overall costs of waste management for the formal sector. This paper shows that recycling rates already achieved by the informal sector can be quite high, typically in the range from 20% to 50%; often up to half of this is in the form of clean, source separated materials collected directly from households and businesses by itinerant waste buyers. Four country case studies provide a number of lessons on how this solid foundation could be used to build high recycling rates of clean materials.

  17. Private sector data for performance management.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-07-01

    This report examines and analyzes technical and institutional issues associated with the use of private sector travel time and speed data for public sector performance management. The primary data needs for congestion performance measures are outline...

  18. Sector-specific issues and reporting methodologies supporting the General Guidelines for the voluntary reporting of greenhouse gases under Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Volume 2: Part 4, Transportation sector; Part 5, Forestry sector; Part 6, Agricultural sector

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

    Not Available

    This volume, the second of two such volumes, contains sector-specific guidance in support of the General Guidelines for the voluntary reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration. This voluntary reporting program was authorized by Congress in Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The General Guidelines, bound separately from this volume, provide the overall rationale for the program, discuss in general how to analyze emissions and emission reduction/carbon sequestration projects, and address programmatic issues such as minimum reporting requirements, time parameters, international projects, confidentiality, and certification. Together, the General Guidelines and the guidance in these supporting documentsmore » will provide concepts and approaches needed to prepare the reporting forms. This second volume of sector-specific guidance covers the transportation sector, the forestry sector, and the agricultural sector.« less

  19. MiDAS: the field guide to the microbes of activated sludge.

    PubMed

    McIlroy, Simon Jon; Saunders, Aaron Marc; Albertsen, Mads; Nierychlo, Marta; McIlroy, Bianca; Hansen, Aviaja Anna; Karst, Søren Michael; Nielsen, Jeppe Lund; Nielsen, Per Halkjær

    2015-01-01

    The Microbial Database for Activated Sludge (MiDAS) field guide is a freely available online resource linking the identity of abundant and process critical microorganisms in activated sludge wastewater treatment systems to available data related to their functional importance. Phenotypic properties of some of these genera are described, but most are known only from sequence data. The MiDAS taxonomy is a manual curation of the SILVA taxonomy that proposes a name for all genus-level taxa observed to be abundant by large-scale 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of full-scale activated sludge communities. The taxonomy can be used to classify unknown sequences, and the online MiDAS field guide links the identity to the available information about their morphology, diversity, physiology and distribution. The use of a common taxonomy across the field will provide a solid foundation for the study of microbial ecology of the activated sludge process and related treatment processes. The online MiDAS field guide is a collaborative workspace intended to facilitate a better understanding of the ecology of activated sludge and related treatment processes--knowledge that will be an invaluable resource for the optimal design and operation of these systems. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

  20. MiDAS: the field guide to the microbes of activated sludge

    PubMed Central

    McIlroy, Simon Jon; Saunders, Aaron Marc; Albertsen, Mads; Nierychlo, Marta; McIlroy, Bianca; Hansen, Aviaja Anna; Karst, Søren Michael; Nielsen, Jeppe Lund; Nielsen, Per Halkjær

    2015-01-01

    The Microbial Database for Activated Sludge (MiDAS) field guide is a freely available online resource linking the identity of abundant and process critical microorganisms in activated sludge wastewater treatment systems to available data related to their functional importance. Phenotypic properties of some of these genera are described, but most are known only from sequence data. The MiDAS taxonomy is a manual curation of the SILVA taxonomy that proposes a name for all genus-level taxa observed to be abundant by large-scale 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of full-scale activated sludge communities. The taxonomy can be used to classify unknown sequences, and the online MiDAS field guide links the identity to the available information about their morphology, diversity, physiology and distribution. The use of a common taxonomy across the field will provide a solid foundation for the study of microbial ecology of the activated sludge process and related treatment processes. The online MiDAS field guide is a collaborative workspace intended to facilitate a better understanding of the ecology of activated sludge and related treatment processes—knowledge that will be an invaluable resource for the optimal design and operation of these systems. Database URL: http://www.midasfieldguide.org PMID:26120139

  1. Private sector joins family planning effort.

    PubMed

    1989-12-01

    Projects supported by the Directorate for Population (S&T/POP) of the U.S. Agency for International Development and aimed at increasing for-profit private sector involvement in providing family planning services and products are described. Making products commercially available through social-marketing partnerships with the commercial sector, USAID has saved $1.1 million in commodity costs from Brazil, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Peru. Active private sector involvement benefits companies, consumers, and donors through increased corporate profits, healthier employees, improved consumer access at lower cost, and the possibility of sustained family planning programs. Moreover, private, for-profit companies will be able to meet service demands over the next 20 years where traditional government and donor agency sources would fail. Using employee surveys and cost-benefit analyses to demonstrate expected financial and health benefits for businesses and work forces, S&T/POP's Technical Information on Population for the Private Sector (TIPPS) project encourages private companies in developing countries to invest in family planning and maternal/child health care for their employees. 36 companies in 9 countries have responded thus far, which examples provided from Peru and Zimbabwe. The Enterprise program's objectives are also to increase the involvement of for-profit companies in delivering family planning services, and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of private volunteer organizations in providing services. Projects have been started with mines, factories, banks, insurance companies, and parastatals in 27 countries, with examples cited from Ghana and Indonesia. Finally, the Social Marketing for Change project (SOMARC) builds demand and distributes low-cost contraceptives through commercial channels especially to low-income audiences. Partnerships have been initiated with the private sector in 17 developing countries, with examples provided from

  2. Working with the private sector for child health.

    PubMed

    Waters, Hugh; Hatt, Laurel; Peters, David

    2003-06-01

    Private sector providers are the most commonly consulted source of care for child illnesses in many countries, offering significant opportunities to expand the reach of essential child health services and products. Yet collaboration with private providers presents major challenges - the suitability and quality of the services they provide is often questionable and governments' capacity to regulate them is limited. This article assesses the actual and potential contributions of the private sector to child health, and classifies and evaluates public sector strategies to promote and rationalize the contributions of private sector actors. Governments and international organizations can use a variety of strategies to collaborate with and influence private sector actors to improve child health - including contracting, regulating, financing and social marketing, training, coordinating and informing the public. These mutually reinforcing strategies can both improve the quality of services currently delivered in the private sector, and expand and rationalize the coverage of these services. One lesson from this review is that the private sector is very heterogeneous. At the country level, feasible strategies depend on the potential of the different components of the private sector and the capacity of governments and their partners for collaboration. To date, experience with private sector strategies offers considerable promise for children's health, but also raises many questions about the feasibility and impact of these strategies. Where possible, future interventions should be designed as experiments, with careful assessment of the intervention design and the environment in which they are implemented.

  3. Sectoral Economies, Economic Contexts, and Attitudes toward Immigration

    PubMed Central

    Donnelly, Michael J.

    2013-01-01

    Do economic considerations shape attitudes toward immigration? In this article, we consider the relationship between economic interests and immigration preferences by examining how developments in individuals' sectors of employment affect these views. Using survey data across European countries from 2002 to 2009 and employing new measures of industry-level exposure to immigration, we find that sectoral economies shape opinions about immigration. Individuals employed in growing sectors are more likely to support immigration than are those employed in shrinking sectors. Moreover, the economic context matters: Making use of the exogenous shock to national economies represented by the 2008 financial crisis, we show that sector-level inflows of immigrant workers have little effect on preferences when economies are expanding, but that they dampen support for immigration when economic conditions deteriorate and confidence in the economy declines. These sectoral effects remain even when controlling for natives' views about the impact of immigration on the national economy and culture. When evaluating immigration policy, individuals thus appear to take into account whether their sector of employment benefits economically from immigration. PMID:24363457

  4. Sectoral Economies, Economic Contexts, and Attitudes toward Immigration.

    PubMed

    Dancygier, Rafaela M; Donnelly, Michael J

    2013-01-01

    Do economic considerations shape attitudes toward immigration? In this article, we consider the relationship between economic interests and immigration preferences by examining how developments in individuals' sectors of employment affect these views. Using survey data across European countries from 2002 to 2009 and employing new measures of industry-level exposure to immigration, we find that sectoral economies shape opinions about immigration. Individuals employed in growing sectors are more likely to support immigration than are those employed in shrinking sectors. Moreover, the economic context matters: Making use of the exogenous shock to national economies represented by the 2008 financial crisis, we show that sector-level inflows of immigrant workers have little effect on preferences when economies are expanding, but that they dampen support for immigration when economic conditions deteriorate and confidence in the economy declines. These sectoral effects remain even when controlling for natives' views about the impact of immigration on the national economy and culture. When evaluating immigration policy, individuals thus appear to take into account whether their sector of employment benefits economically from immigration.

  5. Public-private partnerships in China's urban water sector.

    PubMed

    Zhong, Lijin; Mol, Arthur P J; Fu, Tao

    2008-06-01

    During the past decades, the traditional state monopoly in urban water management has been debated heavily, resulting in different forms and degrees of private sector involvement across the globe. Since the 1990s, China has also started experiments with new modes of urban water service management and governance in which the private sector is involved. It is premature to conclude whether the various forms of private sector involvement will successfully overcome the major problems (capital shortage, inefficient operation, and service quality) in China's water sector. But at the same time, private sector involvement in water provisioning and waste water treatments seems to have become mainstream in transitional China.

  6. The willingness of private-sector doctors to manage public-sector HIV/AIDS patients in the eThekwini metropolitan region of KwaZulu-Natal

    PubMed Central

    Jinabhai, Champaklal C.; Taylor, Myra

    2010-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background South Africa is severely affected by the AIDS pandemic and this has resulted in an already under-resourced public sector being placed under further stress, while there remains a vibrant private sector. To address some of the resource and personnel shortages facing the public sector in South Africa, partnerships between the public and private sectors are slowly being forged. However, little is known about the willingness of private-sector doctors in the eThekwini Metropolitan (Metro) region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients. Objectives To gauge the willingness of private-sector doctor to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients and to describe factors that may influence their responses. Method A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken among private-sector doctors, both general practitioners (GPs) and specialists, working in the eThekwini Metro, using an anonymous, structured questionnaire to investigate their willingness to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients and the factors associated with their responses. Chi-square and independent t-tests were used to evaluate associations. Odds ratios were determined using a binary logistic regression model. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Most of the doctors were male GPs aged 30–50 years who had been in practice for more than 10 years. Of these, 133 (77.8%) were willing to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients, with 105 (78.9%) reporting adequate knowledge, 99 (74.4%) adequate time, and 83 (62.4%) adequate infrastructure. Of the 38 (22.2%) that were unwilling to manage these patients, more than 80% cited a lack of time, knowledge and infrastructure to manage them. Another reason cited by five doctors (3.8%) who were unwilling, was the distance from public-sector facilities. Of the 33 specialist doctors, 14 (42.4%) indicated that they would not be willing to manage public-sector HIV and AIDS patients

  7. Dereplication, Aggregation and Scoring Tool (DAS Tool) v1.0

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

    SIEBER, CHRISTIAN

    Communities of uncultivated microbes are critical to ecosystem function and microorganism health, and a key objective of metagenomic studies is to analyze organism-specific metabolic pathways and reconstruct community interaction networks. This requires accurate assignment of genes to genomes, yet existing binning methods often fail to predict a reasonable number of genomes and report many bins of low quality and completeness. Furthermore, the performance of existing algorithms varies between samples and biotypes. Here, we present a dereplication, aggregation and scoring strategy, DAS Tool, that combines the strengths of a flexible set of established binning algorithms. DAS Tools applied to a constructedmore » community generated more accurate bins than any automated method. Further, when applied to samples of different complexity, including soil, natural oil seeps, and the human gut, DAS Tool recovered substantially more near-complete genomes than any single binning method alone. Included were three genomes from a novel lineage . The ability to reconstruct many near-complete genomes from metagenomics data will greatly advance genome-centric analyses of ecosystems.« less

  8. Dark matter freeze-out in a nonrelativistic sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pappadopulo, Duccio; Ruderman, Joshua T.; Trevisan, Gabriele

    2016-08-01

    A thermally decoupled hidden sector of particles, with a mass gap, generically enters a phase of cannibalism in the early Universe. The Standard Model sector becomes exponentially colder than the hidden sector. We propose the cannibal dark matter framework, where dark matter resides in a cannibalizing sector with a relic density set by 2-to-2 annihilations. Observable signals of cannibal dark matter include a boosted rate for indirect detection, new relativistic degrees of freedom, and warm dark matter.

  9. Spatially Enabling the Health Sector

    PubMed Central

    Weeramanthri, Tarun Stephen; Woodgate, Peter

    2016-01-01

    Spatial information describes the physical location of either people or objects, and the measured relationships between them. In this article, we offer the view that greater utilization of spatial information and its related technology, as part of a broader redesign of the architecture of health information at local and national levels, could assist and speed up the process of health reform, which is taking place across the globe in richer and poorer countries alike. In making this point, we describe the impetus for health sector reform, recent developments in spatial information and analytics, and current Australasian spatial health research. We highlight examples of uptake of spatial information by the health sector, as well as missed opportunities. Our recommendations to spatially enable the health sector are applicable to high- and low-resource settings. PMID:27867933

  10. Spatially Enabling the Health Sector.

    PubMed

    Weeramanthri, Tarun Stephen; Woodgate, Peter

    2016-01-01

    Spatial information describes the physical location of either people or objects, and the measured relationships between them. In this article, we offer the view that greater utilization of spatial information and its related technology, as part of a broader redesign of the architecture of health information at local and national levels, could assist and speed up the process of health reform, which is taking place across the globe in richer and poorer countries alike. In making this point, we describe the impetus for health sector reform, recent developments in spatial information and analytics, and current Australasian spatial health research. We highlight examples of uptake of spatial information by the health sector, as well as missed opportunities. Our recommendations to spatially enable the health sector are applicable to high- and low-resource settings.

  11. Infrastructure and Private Sector Investment in Pakistan

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-03-01

    manner in which the expansion in various types of infrastructural facilities interact with private sector investment, and whether there is a long run...passive role in the country’s development. That is public facilities have largely expanded in response to the needs created by private sector investment...tangible needs created by private sector expansion it has, no doubt, been very effective in alleviating real bottlenecks. (JEL F21, 053).

  12. Dimensions of the Independent Sector: A Statistical Profile. Second Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodgkinson, Virginia Ann; Weitzman, Murray S.

    The second in a biennial series of statistical profiles of the independent sector (voluntary sector, third sector, or nonprofit sector) describes and charts the activities of groups and individuals associated with this sector. Included are voluntary organizations, foundations, the social responsibility programs of corporations, and people who…

  13. GenExp: an interactive web-based genomic DAS client with client-side data rendering.

    PubMed

    Gel Moreno, Bernat; Messeguer Peypoch, Xavier

    2011-01-01

    The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) offers a standard protocol for sharing and integrating annotations on biological sequences. There are more than 1000 DAS sources available and the number is steadily increasing. Clients are an essential part of the DAS system and integrate data from several independent sources in order to create a useful representation to the user. While web-based DAS clients exist, most of them do not have direct interaction capabilities such as dragging and zooming with the mouse. Here we present GenExp, a web based and fully interactive visual DAS client. GenExp is a genome oriented DAS client capable of creating informative representations of genomic data zooming out from base level to complete chromosomes. It proposes a novel approach to genomic data rendering and uses the latest HTML5 web technologies to create the data representation inside the client browser. Thanks to client-side rendering most position changes do not need a network request to the server and so responses to zooming and panning are almost immediate. In GenExp it is possible to explore the genome intuitively moving it with the mouse just like geographical map applications. Additionally, in GenExp it is possible to have more than one data viewer at the same time and to save the current state of the application to revisit it later on. GenExp is a new interactive web-based client for DAS and addresses some of the short-comings of the existing clients. It uses client-side data rendering techniques resulting in easier genome browsing and exploration. GenExp is open source under the GPL license and it is freely available at http://gralggen.lsi.upc.edu/recerca/genexp.

  14. GenExp: An Interactive Web-Based Genomic DAS Client with Client-Side Data Rendering

    PubMed Central

    Gel Moreno, Bernat; Messeguer Peypoch, Xavier

    2011-01-01

    Background The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) offers a standard protocol for sharing and integrating annotations on biological sequences. There are more than 1000 DAS sources available and the number is steadily increasing. Clients are an essential part of the DAS system and integrate data from several independent sources in order to create a useful representation to the user. While web-based DAS clients exist, most of them do not have direct interaction capabilities such as dragging and zooming with the mouse. Results Here we present GenExp, a web based and fully interactive visual DAS client. GenExp is a genome oriented DAS client capable of creating informative representations of genomic data zooming out from base level to complete chromosomes. It proposes a novel approach to genomic data rendering and uses the latest HTML5 web technologies to create the data representation inside the client browser. Thanks to client-side rendering most position changes do not need a network request to the server and so responses to zooming and panning are almost immediate. In GenExp it is possible to explore the genome intuitively moving it with the mouse just like geographical map applications. Additionally, in GenExp it is possible to have more than one data viewer at the same time and to save the current state of the application to revisit it later on. Conclusions GenExp is a new interactive web-based client for DAS and addresses some of the short-comings of the existing clients. It uses client-side data rendering techniques resulting in easier genome browsing and exploration. GenExp is open source under the GPL license and it is freely available at http://gralggen.lsi.upc.edu/recerca/genexp. PMID:21750706

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

    PubMed

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

    2016-06-22

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

  16. Behavioral economics perspectives on public sector pension plans.

    PubMed

    Beshears, John; Choi, James J; Laibson, David; Madrian, Brigitte C

    2011-04-01

    We describe the pension plan features of the states and the largest cities and counties in the U.S. Unlike in the private sector, defined benefit (DB) pensions are still the norm in the public sector. However, a few jurisdictions have shifted toward defined contribution (DC) plans as their primary savings plan, and fiscal pressures are likely to generate more movement in this direction. Holding fixed a public employee's work and salary history, we show that DB retirement income replacement ratios vary greatly across jurisdictions. This creates large variation in workers' need to save for retirement in other accounts. There is also substantial heterogeneity across jurisdictions in the savings generated in primary DC plans because of differences in the level of mandatory employer and employee contributions. One notable difference between public and private sector DC plans is that public sector primary DC plans are characterized by required employee or employer contributions (or both), whereas private sector plans largely feature voluntary employee contributions that are supplemented by an employer match. We conclude by applying lessons from savings behavior in private sector savings plans to the design of public sector plans.

  17. Behavioral economics perspectives on public sector pension plans

    PubMed Central

    BESHEARS, JOHN; CHOI, JAMES J.; LAIBSON, DAVID; MADRIAN, BRIGITTE C.

    2011-01-01

    We describe the pension plan features of the states and the largest cities and counties in the U.S. Unlike in the private sector, defined benefit (DB) pensions are still the norm in the public sector. However, a few jurisdictions have shifted toward defined contribution (DC) plans as their primary savings plan, and fiscal pressures are likely to generate more movement in this direction. Holding fixed a public employee’s work and salary history, we show that DB retirement income replacement ratios vary greatly across jurisdictions. This creates large variation in workers’ need to save for retirement in other accounts. There is also substantial heterogeneity across jurisdictions in the savings generated in primary DC plans because of differences in the level of mandatory employer and employee contributions. One notable difference between public and private sector DC plans is that public sector primary DC plans are characterized by required employee or employer contributions (or both), whereas private sector plans largely feature voluntary employee contributions that are supplemented by an employer match. We conclude by applying lessons from savings behavior in private sector savings plans to the design of public sector plans. PMID:21789032

  18. Financial development and sectoral CO2 emissions in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Maji, Ibrahim Kabiru; Habibullah, Muzafar Shah; Saari, Mohd Yusof

    2017-03-01

    The paper examines the impacts of financial development on sectoral carbon emissions (CO 2 ) for environmental quality in Malaysia. Since the financial sector is considered as one of the sectors that will contribute to Malaysian economy to become a developed country by 2020, we utilize a cointegration method to investigate how financial development affects sectoral CO 2 emissions. The long-run results reveal that financial development increases CO 2 emissions from the transportation and oil and gas sector and reduces CO 2 emissions from manufacturing and construction sectors. However, the elasticity of financial development is not significant in explaining CO 2 emissions from the agricultural sector. The results for short-run elasticities were also consistent with the long-run results. We conclude that generally, financial development increases CO 2 emissions and reduces environmental quality in Malaysia.

  19. Benefits Assessment of Algorithmically Combining Generic High Altitude Airspace Sectors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bloem, Michael; Gupta, Pramod; Lai, Chok Fung; Kopardekar, Parimal

    2009-01-01

    In today's air traffic control operations, sectors that have traffic demand below capacity are combined so that fewer controller teams are required to manage air traffic. Controllers in current operations are certified to control a group of six to eight sectors, known as an area of specialization. Sector combinations are restricted to occur within areas of specialization. Since there are few sector combination possibilities in each area of specialization, human supervisors can effectively make sector combination decisions. In the future, automation and procedures will allow any appropriately trained controller to control any of a large set of generic sectors. The primary benefit of this will be increased controller staffing flexibility. Generic sectors will also allow more options for combining sectors, making sector combination decisions difficult for human supervisors. A sector-combining algorithm can assist supervisors as they make generic sector combination decisions. A heuristic algorithm for combining under-utilized air space sectors to conserve air traffic control resources has been described and analyzed. Analysis of the algorithm and comparisons with operational sector combinations indicate that this algorithm could more efficiently utilize air traffic control resources than current sector combinations. This paper investigates the benefits of using the sector-combining algorithm proposed in previous research to combine high altitude generic airspace sectors. Simulations are conducted in which all the high altitude sectors in a center are allowed to combine, as will be possible in generic high altitude airspace. Furthermore, the algorithm is adjusted to use a version of the simplified dynamic density (SDD) workload metric that has been modified to account for workload reductions due to automatic handoffs and Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B). This modified metric is referred to here as future simplified dynamic density (FSDD). Finally

  20. Research Frontiers in Public Sector Performance Measurement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhonghua, Cai; Ye, Wang

    In "New Public Management" era, performance measurement has been widely used in managerial practices of public sectors. From the content and features of performance measurement, this paper aims to explore inspirations on Chinese public sector performance measurement, which based on a review of prior literatures including influencial factors, methods and indicators of public sector performance evaluation. In the end, arguments are presented in this paper pointed out the direction of future researches in this field.

  1. [The creation of the informal sector in urban areas].

    PubMed

    Papayungan, M M

    1984-12-01

    The development of the informal sector of the economy in urban areas of Indonesia is analyzed. The author notes that this sector is dominated by high rates of migration from rural areas, limited employment opportunities for the unskilled in the modern sector, and a demand for low-priced services and products from the informal sector. (summary in ENG)

  2. Counting (green) jobs in Queensland's waste and recycling sector.

    PubMed

    Davis, Georgina

    2013-09-01

    The waste and recycling sector has been identified as a green industry and, as such, jobs within this sector may be classed as 'green jobs'. Many governments have seen green jobs as a way of increasing employment, particularly during the global financial crisis. However, the methods used to define and quantify green jobs directly affect the quantification of these green jobs. In December 2010, Queensland introduced a waste strategy that stated intent to increase green jobs within the waste sector. This article discusses the milieu and existing issues associated with quantifying green jobs within Queensland's waste and recycling sector, and provides a review of the survey that has sought to quantify the true size of the Queensland industry sector. This research has identified nearly 5500 jobs in Queensland's private waste management and recycling sector, which indicates that official data do not accurately reflect the true size of the sector.

  3. New Technologies to Assist Training in Hospitality Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balta, Sabah

    2007-01-01

    Hospitality sector needs new technological training tools, which can assist to improve sector employees' skills and services quality. The sector might be more interactive when these technological training tools used on the job-training program. This study addresses to issue of illumination of new technologic tools that enforce training in which…

  4. Reisen im freien Fall - Teil 2: Das Zwillingsparadoxon aus dem Blickwinkel der ART

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sonne, Bernd; Weiß, Reinhard

    2013-07-01

    Nachdem wir uns mit den Prinzipien der ART und einigen Beispielen vertraut gemacht haben, kommen wir nun zur Berechnung des Zwillingsparadoxons aus Sicht des reisenden Zwillings. Dabei spielt das Äquivalenzprinzip eine große Rolle. Deshalb wird die Bewegungssituation noch einmal erläutert, diesmal aus Sicht von Katrin. Sie befindet sich in ihrem System S'in Ruhe. In ihrem System läuft die Zeit t'ab. Nach dem Start fühlt Katrin jedoch eine Kraft, die sie als Gravitationskraft interpretieren kann. Sie merkt es daran, dass sie in den Sitz gedrückt wird. Nach einiger Zeit werden die Triebwerke abgeschaltet, und das Raumschiff fliegt mit konstanter Geschwindigkeit weiter, Phase 2. Anschließend wird der Schub der Triebwerke solange umgekehrt, bis das Raumschiff irgendwo mit der Geschwindigkeit null am Umkehrpunkt U landet, Phase 3 (Abb. 15.1). Die Erde, auf der sich Michael befindet, bewegt sich mit x'(t') aus Sicht von Katrin im freien Fall von ihr weg, s. das Experiment mit dem steigenden Fahrstuhl in Abschn. 13.2.1.

  5. 50 CFR 648.87 - Sector allocation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... sector's allocation of the overall ACL available to all vessels issued a limited access NE multispecies... the GB cod ACL available to all vessels issued a limited access NE multispecies permit, that sector... this example, if the overall GB cod ACL available to all vessels issued a limited access NE...

  6. Quality Guidance: A Sectoral Analysis. NICEC Project Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Watts, A. G.; Sadler, Jackie

    This report reviews the structure of the guidance field and provides a sector-by-sector analysis of current quality assurance arrangements in the United Kingdom. Part 1 presents an outline of the guidance sector, including some key concepts, structures, and roles. It defines guidance and other terms; discusses the three main categories…

  7. Das Prinzip Bewegung - Herz und Gehirn als Metaphern des menschlichen Lebens

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Otis, Laura

    In diesem Jahr, in dem wir Charles Darwins gedenken, möchte ich etwas riskieren und eine Frage erörtern, die für die Literatur ebenso wie für die Biologie zentral ist: Was ist das Leben? Die Antwort auf diese Frage finden wir nicht in der Bibliothek und nicht im Labor, zumindest nicht an diesen erkenntnisproduzierenden Stellen allein. Als Literaturwissenschaftlerin und ehemalige Naturwissenschaftlerin glaube ich, dass wir das Leben nur verstehen werden, wenn wir seinen Wirkungen überall nachforschen, inklusive in der Literatur.

  8. Air Traffic Sector Configuration Change Frequency

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chatterji, Gano Broto; Drew, Michael

    2009-01-01

    Several techniques for partitioning airspace have been developed in the literature. The question of whether a region of airspace created by such methods can be used with other days of traffic, and the number of times a different partition is needed during the day is examined in this paper. Both these aspects are examined for the Fort Worth Center airspace sectors. A Mixed Integer Linear Programming method is used with actual air traffic data of ten high-volume low-weather-delay days for creating sectors. Nine solutions were obtained for each two-hour period of the day by partitioning the center airspace into two through 18 sectors in steps of two sectors. Actual track-data were played back with the generated partitions for creating histograms of the traffic-counts. The best partition for each two-hour period was then identified based on the nine traffic-count distributions. Numbers of sectors in such partitions were analyzed to determine the number of times a different configuration is needed during the day. One to three partitions were selected for the 24-hour period, and traffic data from ten days were played back to test if the traffic-counts stayed below the threshold values associated with these partitions. Results show that these partitions are robust and can be used for longer durations than they were designed for

  9. [University-external sector linkage: a managerial strategy].

    PubMed

    Campos, Gilberto

    2004-06-01

    The University-External Sector vinculation is an increasing phenomenon in Latin America as in the rest of the world. The universities through its investigation processes actively participate in the creation and incorporation of science and technology to produce technological processes, to bring foreign technology into national reality, and also to create and transmit innovation for the productive sector. In those ways these institutions achieve bonds with the external sector which provide them with additional income and allows them to have certain relief for their tight teaching and investigation budgets. Several studies in university organizations have been made to identify the motivations and barriers for de adequate development of the interaction between the university and the external sector. The lack of vinculation between these institutions could be due in part to the lack of knowledge that the external sector has of the possibility to obtain services from the university, and also the lack of knowledge that the university has about the needs of potential users of their services. The goals achieved by public Venezuelan universities, in the last years, in their search of a vinculation with the external sector could grow and consolidate through an adequate strategic management plan that allows a mayor diffusion and promotion of the results of their investigations and services, to reach in a wider and more direct way, and to a greater number of potential clients.

  10. Perfil das alterações vasculares periféricas em dependentes de crack acompanhados em Centro de Atenção Psicossocial para Álcool e Drogas (CAPS-AD)

    PubMed Central

    da Costa, Antônio Fagundes; Baldaçara, Leonardo Rodrigo; da Silva, Sílvio Alves; Tavares, Ana Célia de Freitas Ramos; Orsolin, Ederson de Freitas; Prehl, Vinícius Barros; Gondo, Fernando Hirohito Beltran; Santana, Hernani Lopes

    2016-01-01

    Resumo Contexto O consumo de crack é um dos grandes desafios em saúde pública, e o uso dessa droga tem efeitos diretos na saúde de seus usuários. Objetivos Avaliar o perfil das alterações vasculares em pacientes com dependência de crack em Centro de Atenção Psicossocial para Álcool e Drogas (CAPS-AD) e observar os possíveis efeitos vasculares periféricos. Métodos Trata-se de um estudo observacional, descritivo, de corte transversal. Os pacientes da amostra foram submetidos a um questionário objetivo para avaliar questões demográficas, padrão de uso da droga, coexistência de diabetes melito, hipertensão arterial ou tabagismo, exame físico e ecográfico. Os dados foram sumarizados e analisados estatisticamente com teste qui-quadrado ou teste exato de Fisher. Resultados A média de idade da amostra foi de 33,29 (±7,15) anos, e 74% eram do gênero masculino. A média de idade de início de uso da droga foi de 23,4 (±7,78) anos, com tempo médio de uso de 9,58 (±5,64) anos. O consumo médio diário de pedras de crack foi de 21,45 (±8,32) pedras. A alteração de pulsos em membros inferiores foi mais frequente em mulheres. A prevalência do espessamento da parede arterial nos membros inferiores foi de 94,8%. O tempo de uso da droga apresentou associação estatística (p = 0,0096) com alteração do padrão de curva espectral das artérias dos membros inferiores. Conclusões Há alterações vasculares periféricas em usuários de crack. O tempo de uso da droga exerceu um maior impacto nesse sistema, o que sugere associação entre o uso do crack e a diminuição de fluxo arterial.

  11. Building a Comprehensive Mill-Level Database for the Industrial Sectors Integrated Solutions (ISIS) Model of the U.S. Pulp and Paper Sector

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Industrial Sectors Integrated Solutions (ISIS) model for the pulp and paper sector is currently under development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and can be utilized to facilitate multi-pollutant sector-based analyses that are performed in conjunction with ...

  12. Recent Changes in Public-Sector Governance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khademian, Anne Meredith

    This report looks at recent changes in governance across the public sector to provide context and examples for the National Commission on Governing America's Schools' efforts. The report is presented in six sections. Following a brief introduction in section 1, section 2 provides an overview of the forces that have changed public-sector governance…

  13. Private Sector Contracting and Democratic Accountability

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DiMartino, Catherine; Scott, Janelle

    2013-01-01

    Public officials are increasingly contracting with the private sector for a range of educational services. With much of the focus on private sector accountability on cost-effectiveness and student performance, less attention has been given to shifts in democratic accountability. Drawing on data from the state of New York, one of the most active…

  14. HIV / AIDS and the retail sector.

    PubMed

    Michael, K

    1999-01-01

    Employing approximately 1.5 million employees and comprised of 80,000 employers, the retail and wholesale sector accounted for 16.1% of South Africa's gross domestic product in 1996. HIV/AIDS threatens the retail sector, but it is unclear whether the pandemic threatens equally every sub-sector of the industry. The 4 main sub-sectors are fast-moving consumer goods; clothing, footwear, and textiles; vehicles; and furniture and major appliances. The nature of retail infrastructure and competitive and economic trends are described. Over the next decade, AIDS may reduce the size of consumer markets through increased mortality, and will certainly slow growth in spending. The pandemic may also divert spending away from retail merchandise to health care, and threaten businesses which extend credit and offer death benefits and funeral policies to clients. AIDS morbidity and mortality could also disrupt supply chains, especially for retailers who buy their products locally. The vulnerability of retail activities is discussed, with reference to the Living Standards Measure (LSM) developed by the South African Advertising Research Foundation.

  15. Establishment of feeder-free culture system for human induced pluripotent stem cell on DAS nanocrystalline graphene

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Hyunah; Nam, Donggyu; Choi, Jae-Kyung; Araúzo-Bravo, Marcos J.; Kwon, Soon-Yong; Zaehres, Holm; Lee, Taehee; Park, Chan Young; Kang, Hyun-Wook; Schöler, Hans R.; Kim, Jeong Beom

    2016-02-01

    The maintenance of undifferentiated human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) under xeno-free condition requires the use of human feeder cells or extracellular matrix (ECM) coating. However, human-derived sources may cause human pathogen contamination by viral or non-viral agents to the patients. Here we demonstrate feeder-free and xeno-free culture system for hPSC expansion using diffusion assisted synthesis-grown nanocrystalline graphene (DAS-NG), a synthetic non-biological nanomaterial which completely rule out the concern of human pathogen contamination. DAS-NG exhibited advanced biocompatibilities including surface nanoroughness, oxygen containing functional groups and hydrophilicity. hPSC cultured on DAS-NG could maintain pluripotency in vitro and in vivo, and especially cell adhesion-related gene expression profile was comparable to those of cultured on feeders, while hPSC cultured without DAS-NG differentiated spontaneously with high expression of somatic cell-enriched adhesion genes. This feeder-free and xeno-free culture method using DAS-NG will facilitate the generation of clinical-grade hPSC.

  16. Miami's Third Sector Alliance for Community Well-being.

    PubMed

    Evans, Scotney D; Raymond, Catherine; Levine, Daniella

    2014-01-01

    Traditional capacity-building approaches tend to be organizationally focused ignoring the fact that community-based organizations learn and take action in a larger network working to promote positive community change. The specific aim of this paper was to outline a vision for a Third Sector Alliance to build organizational, network, and sector capacity for community well-being in Miami. Building a foundation for social impact requires a strategy for organizational, network, and sector capacity building. Organizational, network, and sector capacity building can best be achieved through a cooperative network approach driven by a solid community-university partnership. Although a Third Sector Alliance for Community Well-being does not yet exist in Miami, Catalyst Miami and the University of Miami (UM) have partnered closely to articulate a vision of what could be and have been working to make that vision a reality.

  17. Dark Sectors 2016 Workshop: Community Report

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

    Alexander, Jim; et al.

    This report, based on the Dark Sectors workshop at SLAC in April 2016, summarizes the scientific importance of searches for dark sector dark matter and forces at masses beneath the weak-scale, the status of this broad international field, the important milestones motivating future exploration, and promising experimental opportunities to reach these milestones over the next 5-10 years.

  18. Machined electrostatic sector for mass spectrometer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sinha, Mahadeva P. (Inventor)

    2001-01-01

    An electrostatic sector device for a mass spectrometer is formed from a single piece of machinable ceramic. The machined ceramic is coated with a nickel coating, and a notch is etched in the nickel coating to form two separated portions. The sector can be covered by a cover formed from a separate piece of machined ceramic.

  19. Youth Employment in the Hospitality Sector.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schiller, Bradley R.

    A study used data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Youth to analyze the long-term effects of hospitality industry employment on youth. The subsample extracted for the study included all youth who were aged 16-24 in 1980 and employed in the civilian sector for pay at any time in the year. Statistics indicated the hospitality sector was…

  20. Detecting Changes Following the Provision of Assistive Devices: Utility of the WHO-DAS II

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raggi, Alberto

    2010-01-01

    The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHO-DAS II) is a non-disease-specific International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health-based disability assessment instrument developed to measure activity limitations and restrictions to participation. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate WHO-DAS II…

  1. Comparison of Navy and Private-Sector Construction Costs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1997-09-01

    contracts are comparable to private - sector construction costs. This report compares those costs. The report includes a description of the methodology...costs of complying with federal contracting requirements as compared with the costs of similar projects completed under typical private - sector contracts...The study found that the costs of facilities constructed under Navy contracts compare favorably to private - sector construction costs for similar

  2. Public-Private Partnerships in China’s Urban Water Sector

    PubMed Central

    Mol, Arthur P. J.; Fu, Tao

    2008-01-01

    During the past decades, the traditional state monopoly in urban water management has been debated heavily, resulting in different forms and degrees of private sector involvement across the globe. Since the 1990s, China has also started experiments with new modes of urban water service management and governance in which the private sector is involved. It is premature to conclude whether the various forms of private sector involvement will successfully overcome the major problems (capital shortage, inefficient operation, and service quality) in China’s water sector. But at the same time, private sector involvement in water provisioning and waste water treatments seems to have become mainstream in transitional China. PMID:18256780

  3. Occupational health scenario of Indian informal sector

    PubMed Central

    NAG, Anjali; VYAS, Heer; NAG, Pranab

    2016-01-01

    Workers in the Indian informal sector are engaged with different occupations. These occupations involve varied work related hazards. These occupational hazards are a consequent risk to health. The study aimed to determine occupational health scenario in the Indian Informal sector. One thousand eleven hundred twenty two workers from five different occupations namely weaving (handloom and power loom), construction, transportation, tobacco processing and fish processing were assessed by interviewer administered health questionnaire. Workers suffered from musculo-skeletal complaints, respiratory health hazards, eye problems and skin related complaints. There was a high prevalence of self-reported occupational health problems in the selected sectors. The study finds that workers have occupational exposures to multiple hazards. The absence of protective guards aggrevate their health condition. The study attempts to draws an immediate attention on the existing health scenario of the Indian Informal sector. PMID:26903262

  4. Occupational health scenario of Indian informal sector.

    PubMed

    Nag, Anjali; Vyas, Heer; Nag, Pranab

    2016-08-05

    Workers in the Indian informal sector are engaged with different occupations. These occupations involve varied work related hazards. These occupational hazards are a consequent risk to health. The study aimed to determine occupational health scenario in the Indian Informal sector. One thousand eleven hundred twenty two workers from five different occupations namely weaving (handloom and power loom), construction, transportation, tobacco processing and fish processing were assessed by interviewer administered health questionnaire. Workers suffered from musculo-skeletal complaints, respiratory health hazards, eye problems and skin related complaints. There was a high prevalence of self-reported occupational health problems in the selected sectors. The study finds that workers have occupational exposures to multiple hazards. The absence of protective guards aggrevate their health condition. The study attempts to draws an immediate attention on the existing health scenario of the Indian Informal sector.

  5. Numerical study of anomalous dynamic scaling behaviour of (1+1)-dimensional Das Sarma-Tamborenea model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xun, Zhi-Peng; Tang, Gang; Han, Kui; Hao, Da-Peng; Xia, Hui; Zhou, Wei; Yang, Xi-Quan; Wen, Rong-Ji; Chen, Yu-Ling

    2010-07-01

    In order to discuss the finite-size effect and the anomalous dynamic scaling behaviour of Das Sarma-Tamborenea growth model, the (1+1)-dimensional Das Sarma-Tamborenea model is simulated on a large length scale by using the kinetic Monte-Carlo method. In the simulation, noise reduction technique is used in order to eliminate the crossover effect. Our results show that due to the existence of the finite-size effect, the effective global roughness exponent of the (1+1)-dimensional Das Sarma-Tamborenea model systematically decreases with system size L increasing when L > 256. This finding proves the conjecture by Aarao Reis[Aarao Reis F D A 2004 Phys. Rev. E 70 031607]. In addition, our simulation results also show that the Das Sarma-Tamborenea model in 1+1 dimensions indeed exhibits intrinsic anomalous scaling behaviour.

  6. Performance of private sector health care: implications for universal health coverage.

    PubMed

    Morgan, Rosemary; Ensor, Tim; Waters, Hugh

    2016-08-06

    Although the private sector is an important health-care provider in many low-income and middle-income countries, its role in progress towards universal health coverage varies. Studies of the performance of the private sector have focused on three main dimensions: quality, equity of access, and efficiency. The characteristics of patients, the structures of both the public and private sectors, and the regulation of the sector influence the types of health services delivered, and outcomes. Combined with characteristics of private providers-including their size, objectives, and technical competence-the interaction of these factors affects how the sector performs in different contexts. Changing the performance of the private sector will require interventions that target the sector as a whole, rather than individual providers alone. In particular, the performance of the private sector seems to be intrinsically linked to the structure and performance of the public sector, which suggests that deriving population benefit from the private health-care sector requires a regulatory response focused on the health-care sector as a whole. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. 7 CFR 652.23 - Certification process for private-sector entities.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Certification process for private-sector entities. 652... ASSISTANCE Certification § 652.23 Certification process for private-sector entities. (a) A private sector... individual basis as part of the private-sector entity's certification and ensures that the requirements set...

  8. Scientific and technological capabilities in health-related areas: opportunities, challenges, and interactions with the industrial sector.

    PubMed

    Vargas, Marco Antonio; Britto, Jorge

    2016-11-03

    Characterization of the scientific and technological infrastructure in health and its interactions with the industrial sector provides key elements for understanding the dynamics of innovation in health. This study conducts an exploratory analysis of the potentialities and limitations associated with scientific and technological capabilities in the health area in Brazil and the different links between the scientific and industrial sectors in health. The analysis points to important growth in internationally indexed research output, especially in certain areas such as pharmaceutics, public health, genetics, morphology, physiology, and microbiology. There has also been important growth in research groups that interact with the industrial sector in selected areas of health. The study highlights the importance of building more solid and permanent bridges between companies, research institutions, and the health system, linking the knowledge developed in research institutions to the dynamics of the industrial sector in health. Resumo: A caracterização da infraestrutura científica e tecnológica na área da saúde e das suas formas de articulação com a base produtiva representam elementos centrais na compreensão da dinâmica de inovação em saúde. Este estudo faz uma análise exploratória sobre as potencialidades e limitações associadas às capacitações científicas e tecnológicas na área da saúde no Brasil e as formas de articulação entre a base científica e a base produtiva em saúde. A análise aponta para o crescimento expressivo da produção bibliográfica com circulação internacional no campo da saúde, particularmente em determinadas áreas como farmácia, saúde coletiva, genética, morfologia, fisiologia e microbiologia. Além disso, observa-se um crescimento expressivo dos grupos de pesquisa com relacionamentos com o setor produtivo em áreas selecionadas da saúde. Destaca-se a importância da construção de pontes mais sólidas e

  9. 22 CFR 201.23 - Procurement under private sector procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Procurement under private sector procedures... § 201.23 Procurement under private sector procedures. (a) General requirements. Procurements under private sector procedures will normally be carried out by importers using negotiated procurement...

  10. Earthquake recording at the Stanford DAS Array with fibers in existing telecomm conduits

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biondi, B. C.; Martin, E. R.; Yuan, S.; Cole, S.; Karrenbach, M. H.

    2017-12-01

    The Stanford Distributed Acoustic Sensing Array (SDASA-1) has been continuously recording seismic data since September 2016 on 2.5 km of single mode fiber optics in existing telecommunications conduits under Stanford's campus. The array is figure-eight shaped and roughly 600 m along its widest side with a channel spacing of roughly 8 m. This array is easy to maintain and is nonintrusive, making it well suited to urban environments, but it sacrifices some cable-to-ground coupling compared to more traditional seismometers. We have been testing its utility for earthquake recording, active seismic, and ambient noise interferometry. This talk will focus on earthquake observations. We will show comparisons between the strain rates measured throughout the DAS array and the particle velocities measured at the nearby Jasper Ridge Seismic Station (JRSC). In some of these events, we will point out directionality features specific to DAS that can require slight modifications in data processing. We also compare repeatability of DAS and JRSC recordings of blasts from a nearby quarry. Using existing earthquake databases, we have created a small catalog of DAS earthquake observations by pulling records of over 700 Northern California events spanning Sep. 2016 to Jul. 2017 from both the DAS data and JRSC. On these events we have tested common array methods for earthquake detection and location including beamforming and STA/LTA analysis in time and frequency. We have analyzed these events to approximate thresholds on what distances and magnitudes are clearly detectible by the DAS array. Further analysis should be done on detectability with methods tailored to small events (for example, template matching). In creating this catalog, we have developed open source software available for free download that can manage large sets of continuous seismic data files (both existing files, and files as they stream in). This software can both interface with existing earthquake networks, and

  11. Psychometric Properties of the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS) for Behavior Problems: An Independent Investigation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tsakanikos, Elias; Underwood, Lisa; Sturmey, Peter; Bouras, Nick; McCarthy, Jane

    2011-01-01

    The present study employed the Disability Assessment Schedule (DAS) to assess problem behaviors in a large sample of adults with ID (N = 568) and evaluate the psychometric properties of this instrument. Although the DAS problem behaviors were found to be internally consistent (Cronbach's [alpha] = 0.87), item analysis revealed one weak item…

  12. The impact of oil price on Malaysian sector indices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ismail, Mohd Tahir; Luan, Yeap Pei; Ee, Ong Joo

    2015-12-01

    In this paper, vector error correction model (VECM) has been utilized to model the dynamic relationships between world crude oil price and the sector indices of Malaysia. The sector indices have been collected are covering the period Jan 1998 to Dec 2013. Surprisingly, our investigations show that oil price changes do not Granger-cause any of the sectors in all of Malaysia. However, sector indices of Food Producer and Utilities are found to be the cause of the changes in world crude oil prices. Furthermore, from the results of variance decomposition, very high percentage of shocks is explained by world crude oil price itself over the 12 months and small impact from other sector indices.

  13. Motivating the Private vs. Public Sector Managers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khojasteh, Mak

    1993-01-01

    A questionnaire on intrinsic/extrinsic rewards received 362 responses from 380 managers. Pay and security were greater motivators for private than for public sector managers. Recognition had higher motivating potential in the public sector. Both groups were motivated by achievement and advancement. (SK)

  14. Protein Sectors: Statistical Coupling Analysis versus Conservation

    PubMed Central

    Teşileanu, Tiberiu; Colwell, Lucy J.; Leibler, Stanislas

    2015-01-01

    Statistical coupling analysis (SCA) is a method for analyzing multiple sequence alignments that was used to identify groups of coevolving residues termed “sectors”. The method applies spectral analysis to a matrix obtained by combining correlation information with sequence conservation. It has been asserted that the protein sectors identified by SCA are functionally significant, with different sectors controlling different biochemical properties of the protein. Here we reconsider the available experimental data and note that it involves almost exclusively proteins with a single sector. We show that in this case sequence conservation is the dominating factor in SCA, and can alone be used to make statistically equivalent functional predictions. Therefore, we suggest shifting the experimental focus to proteins for which SCA identifies several sectors. Correlations in protein alignments, which have been shown to be informative in a number of independent studies, would then be less dominated by sequence conservation. PMID:25723535

  15. Anbindung des SISIS-SunRise-Bibliothekssystems an das zentrale Identitätsmanagement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ebner, Ralf; Pretz, Edwin

    Wir berichten über Konzepte und Implementierungen zur Datenprovisionierung aus den Personenverwaltungssystemen der Technischen Universität München (TUM) über das zentrale Metadirectory am Leibniz-Rechenzentrum (LRZ) in das SISIS-SunRise-Bibliothekssystem der Universitätsbibliothek der TUM (TUB). Es werden drei Implementierungsvarianten diskutiert, angefangen von der Generierung und Übertragung einfacher CSV-Dateien über ein OpenLDAP-basiertes Konzept als Backend für die SISIS-Datenbank bis zur endgültigen Implementierung mit dem OCLC IDM Connector.

  16. Mobilizing the private sector. Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Ferraz-tabor, L

    1993-12-01

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

  17. The Determinants of Private and Government Sector Earnings in Russia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-11-01

    private sector earnings in Russia compare to those in the still strong government sector. This paper estimates sectoral earnings equations for rural and urban men and women which control for: (1) Self-selection into the workforce; and (2) Self-selection into either the private or government sector, while allowing for simultaneity in the selection decisions. The selection controls are found to have a considerable effect on the estimated sectoral earnings differentials for all four sample groups. Earnings differentials are examined by age, education, and unobserved skill.

  18. National transparency assessment of Kuwait's pharmaceutical sector.

    PubMed

    Badawi, Dalia A; Alkhamis, Yousif; Qaddoumi, Mohammad; Behbehani, Kazem

    2015-09-01

    Corruption is one of several factors that may hinder the access to pharmaceuticals. Since Kuwait has the highest per-capita spending on pharmaceuticals in the region, we wanted to evaluate the level of transparency in its pharmaceutical sector using an established assessment tool adapted by the World Health Organization. Standardized questionnaires were conducted via semi-structured interviews with key informants to measure the level of transparency in eight functions of the public pharmaceutical sector. The scores for the degree of vulnerability to corruption reflected marginal to moderate venerability to corruption for most pharmaceutical sectors. The perceived strengths included availability of appropriate laws, the presence of clear standard operating procedures, and the use of an efficient registration/distribution system. Weaknesses included lack of conflict of interest guidelines and written terms of reference, absence of pharmacoeconomic studies, and inconsistencies in law enforcement. Findings reveal that few functions of Kuwait pharmaceutical sector remain fairly vulnerable to corruption. However, the willingness of Kuwait Ministry of Health to adopt the assessment study and the acknowledgement of the weaknesses of current processes of the pharmaceutical sector may assist to achieve a transparent pharmaceutical system in the near future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Annotation and visualization of endogenous retroviral sequences using the Distributed Annotation System (DAS) and eBioX

    PubMed Central

    Martínez Barrio, Álvaro; Lagercrantz, Erik; Sperber, Göran O; Blomberg, Jonas; Bongcam-Rudloff, Erik

    2009-01-01

    Background The Distributed Annotation System (DAS) is a widely used network protocol for sharing biological information. The distributed aspects of the protocol enable the use of various reference and annotation servers for connecting biological sequence data to pertinent annotations in order to depict an integrated view of the data for the final user. Results An annotation server has been devised to provide information about the endogenous retroviruses detected and annotated by a specialized in silico tool called RetroTector. We describe the procedure to implement the DAS 1.5 protocol commands necessary for constructing the DAS annotation server. We use our server to exemplify those steps. Data distribution is kept separated from visualization which is carried out by eBioX, an easy to use open source program incorporating multiple bioinformatics utilities. Some well characterized endogenous retroviruses are shown in two different DAS clients. A rapid analysis of areas free from retroviral insertions could be facilitated by our annotations. Conclusion The DAS protocol has shown to be advantageous in the distribution of endogenous retrovirus data. The distributed nature of the protocol is also found to aid in combining annotation and visualization along a genome in order to enhance the understanding of ERV contribution to its evolution. Reference and annotation servers are conjointly used by eBioX to provide visualization of ERV annotations as well as other data sources. Our DAS data source can be found in the central public DAS service repository, , or at . PMID:19534743

  20. Implications of private sector Hib vaccine coverage for the introduction of public sector Hib-containing pentavalent vaccine in India: evidence from retrospective time series data

    PubMed Central

    Sharma, Abhishek; Kaplan, Warren A; Chokshi, Maulik; Hasan Farooqui, Habib; Zodpey, Sanjay P

    2015-01-01

    Objective Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine has been available in India's private sector market since 1997. It was not until 14 December 2011 that the Government of India initiated the phased public sector introduction of a Hib (and DPT, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus)-containing pentavalent vaccine. Our objective was to investigate the state-specific coverage and behaviour of Hib vaccine in India when it was available only in the private sector market but not in the public sector. This baseline information can act as a guide to determine how much coverage the public sector rollout of pentavalent vaccine (scheduled April 2015) will need to bear in order to achieve complete coverage. Setting 16 of 29 states in India, 2009–2012. Design Retrospective descriptive secondary data analysis. Data (1) Annual sales of Hib vaccines, by volume, from private sector hospitals and retail pharmacies collected by IMS Health and (2) national household surveys. Outcome measures State-specific Hib vaccine coverage (%) and its associations with state-specific socioeconomic status. Results The overall private sector Hib vaccine coverage among the 2009–2012 birth cohort was low (4%) and varied widely among the studied Indian states (minimum 0.3%; maximum 4.6%). We found that private sector Hib vaccine coverage depends on urban areas with good access to the private sector, parent's purchasing capacity and private paediatricians’ prescribing practices. Per capita gross domestic product is a key explanatory variable. The annual Hib vaccine uptake and the 2009–2012 coverage levels were several times higher in the capital/metropolitan cities than the rest of the state, suggesting inequity in access to Hib vaccine delivered by the private sector. Conclusions If India has to achieve high and equitable Hib vaccine coverage levels, nationwide public sector introduction of the pentavalent vaccine is needed. However, the role of private sector in universal Hib vaccine coverage is

  1. Education and Human Resources Sector Assessment Manual.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pigozzi, Mary Joy; Cieutat, Victor J.

    This manual endorses and adopts the sector-assessment approach for planning and managing the allocation of educational resources. Chapter 1 presents the manual's goals. Chapter 2 describes the manual's content and information sources, explains the term "sector assessment," identifies the groups that benefit from recommendations made by…

  2. Construction Sector (NAICS 23)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find environmental regulatory information for the construction sector, including the construction of buildings or engineering projects. This includes RCRA information for hazardous waste, refrigeration compliance, asbestos, effluent guidelines & lead laws

  3. Accounting for School-Sector Differences in University Entrance Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marks, Gary

    2009-01-01

    School-sector differences in student performance are often viewed as largely reflecting the intake characteristics of students and having little to do with differences in the provision of teaching and learning between school sectors. The contrary view is that school-sector differences show that non-government schools "add value" to…

  4. Building a comprehensive mill-level database for the Industrial Sectors Integrated Solutions (ISIS) model of the U.S. pulp and paper sector.

    PubMed

    Modak, Nabanita; Spence, Kelley; Sood, Saloni; Rosati, Jacky Ann

    2015-01-01

    Air emissions from the U.S. pulp and paper sector have been federally regulated since 1978; however, regulations are periodically reviewed and revised to improve efficiency and effectiveness of existing emission standards. The Industrial Sectors Integrated Solutions (ISIS) model for the pulp and paper sector is currently under development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and can be utilized to facilitate multi-pollutant, sector-based analyses that are performed in conjunction with regulatory development. The model utilizes a multi-sector, multi-product dynamic linear modeling framework that evaluates the economic impact of emission reduction strategies for multiple air pollutants. The ISIS model considers facility-level economic, environmental, and technical parameters, as well as sector-level market data, to estimate the impacts of environmental regulations on the pulp and paper industry. Specifically, the model can be used to estimate U.S. and global market impacts of new or more stringent air regulations, such as impacts on product price, exports and imports, market demands, capital investment, and mill closures. One major challenge to developing a representative model is the need for an extensive amount of data. This article discusses the collection and processing of data for use in the model, as well as the methods used for building the ISIS pulp and paper database that facilitates the required analyses to support the air quality management of the pulp and paper sector.

  5. Universal Industrial Solution and Industrial Sectors Module for Pulp and Paper Sector

    EPA Science Inventory

    Increased concerns over air pollution and its detrimental effects on health have called for more stringent emission reduction strategies in the industrial sector. However, stringent regulatory policies can potentially adversely affect domestic and international trade. Therefore E...

  6. The first private sector health insurance company in Ghana.

    PubMed

    Huff-Rousselle, M; Akuamoah-Boateng, J

    1998-01-01

    This article analyses the development of Ghana's first private sector health insurance company, the Nationwide Medical Insurance Company. Taking both policy and practical considerations into account (stakeholders' perspectives, economic viability, equity and efficiency), it is structured around key questions which help to define the position and roles of stakeholders--the insurance agency itself, contributors, beneficiaries, and providers--and how they relate to one another and the insurance scheme. These relationships will to a large extent determine Nationwide's long-term success or failure. By creating a unique alliance between physician providers and private sector companies, Nationwide has used employers' interest in cost containment and physicians' interest in expanding their client base as an entrée into the virgin territory of health insurance, and created a hybrid variety of private sector insurance with some of the attributes of a health maintenance organization or managed care. The case study is unusual in that, while public sector programs are often open to academic scrutiny, researchers have rarely had access to detailed data on the establishment of a single private sector insurance company in a developing country. Given that Ghana is planning to launch a national health insurance plan, the article concludes by considering what the experience of this private sector initiative might have to offer public sector planners.

  7. Labor Market Leverage. Sectoral Employment Field Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elliott, Mark; King, Elisabeth

    This document explains the concept of sectoral employment strategies and profiles 13 successful work force development programs based on such strategies. The first half of the document examines the increasing need for sectoral employment strategies and their key characteristics, role in achieving systemic change in work organizations, and…

  8. Optimum parallel step-sector bearing lubricated with an incompressible fluid

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hamrock, B. J.

    1983-01-01

    The dimensionless parameters normally associated with a step sector thrust bearing are the film thickness ratio, the dimensionless step location, the number of sectors, the radius ratio, and the angular extent of the lubrication feed groove. The optimum number of sectors and the parallel step configuration for a step sector thrust bearing while considering load capacity or stiffness and assuming an incompressible fluid are presented.

  9. Public sector reform and demand for human resources for health (HRH).

    PubMed

    Lethbridge, Jane

    2004-11-23

    This article considers some of the effects of health sector reform on human resources for health (HRH) in developing countries and countries in transition by examining the effect of fiscal reform and the introduction of decentralisation and market mechanisms to the health sector.Fiscal reform results in pressure to measure the staff outputs of the health sector. Financial decentralisation often leads to hospitals becoming "corporatised" institutions, operating with business principles but remaining in the public sector. The introduction of market mechanisms often involves the formation of an internal market within the health sector and market testing of different functions with the private sector. This has immediate implications for the employment of health workers in the public sector, because the public sector may reduce its workforce if services are purchased from other sectors or may introduce more short-term and temporary employment contracts.Decentralisation of budgets and administrative functions can affect the health sector, often in negative ways, by reducing resources available and confusing lines of accountability for health workers. Governance and regulation of health care, when delivered by both public and private providers, require new systems of regulation.The increase in private sector provision has led health workers to move to the private sector. For those remaining in the public sector, there are often worsening working conditions, a lack of employment security and dismantling of collective bargaining agreements.Human resource development is gradually being recognised as crucial to future reforms and the formulation of health policy. New information systems at local and regional level will be needed to collect data on human resources. New employment arrangements, strengthening organisational culture, training and continuing education will also be needed.

  10. Multi-sectoral interventions for healthy growth.

    PubMed

    Casanovas, Ma del Carmen; Lutter, Chessa K; Mangasaryan, Nune; Mwadime, Robert; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Aguilar, Ana Maria; Kopp, Ciro; Rico, Luis; Ibiett, Gonzalo; Andia, Doris; Onyango, Adelheid W

    2013-09-01

    The risk of stunted growth and development is affected by the context in which a child is born and grows. This includes such interdependent influences as the political economy, health and health care, education, society and culture, agriculture and food systems, water and sanitation, and the environment. Here, we briefly review how factors linked with the key sectors can contribute to healthy growth and reduced childhood stunting. Emphasis is placed on the role of agriculture/food security, especially family farming; education, particularly of girls and women; water, sanitation, and hygiene and their integration in stunting reduction strategies; social protection including cash transfers, bearing in mind that success in this regard is linked to reducing the gap between rich and poor; economic investment in stunting reduction including the work with the for-profit commercial sector balancing risks linked to marketing foods that can displace affordable and more sustainable alternatives; health with emphasis on implementing comprehensive and effective health care interventions and building the capacity of health care providers. We complete the review with examples of national and subnational multi-sectoral interventions that illustrate how critical it is for sectors to work together to reduce stunting. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Energy transition in transport sector from energy substitution perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Wangmin; Yang, Xiaoguang; Han, Song; Sun, Xiaoyang

    2017-10-01

    Power and heating generation sector and transport sector contribute a highest GHG emissions and even air pollutions. This paper seeks to investigate life cycle costs and emissions in both the power sector and transport sector, and evaluate the cost-emission efficient (costs for one unit GHG emissions) of the substitution between new energy vehicles and conventional gasoline based vehicles under two electricity mix scenarios. In power sector, wind power and PV power will be cost comparative in 2030 forecasted with learning curve method. With high subsidies, new energy cars could be comparative now, but it still has high costs to lower GHG emissions. When the government subsidy policy is reversible, the emission reduction cost for new energy vehicle consumer will be 900/ton. According to the sensitive analysis, the paper suggests that the government implement policies that allocate the cost to the whole life cycle of energy production and consumption related to transport sector energy transition and policies that are in favor of new energy vehicle consumers but not the new energy car producers.

  12. Private-Sector Financing of Child Development Centers.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-01-01

    Military Departments to determine the feasibility of private - sector or so-called ’third-day’ financing of the centers. In this arrangement, land is...that private - sector financing was not feasible. Our review and analysis of a broader test by the Department of the Navy under a concession arrangement

  13. Advanced Traveler Information Service (ATIS) : private sector perceptions and public sector activities

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2000-01-01

    This paper presents the results of a study by the United States Department of Transportation Volpe Center to determine the nature and extent of the data gap between the needs of private sector Advanced Traveler Information Service (ATIS) provid...

  14. Tuberculosis Notification by Private Sector' Physicians in Tehran.

    PubMed

    Ahmadi, Ayat; Nedjat, Saharnaz; Gholami, Jaleh; Majdzadeh, Reza

    2015-01-01

    A small proportion of physicians adhere to tuberculosis (TB) notification regulations, particularly in the private sector. In most developing countries, the private sector has dominance over delivering services in big cities. In such circumstances deviation from the TB treatment protocol is frequently happening. This study sought to estimate TB notification in the private sector and settle on determinants of TB notification by private sector physicians. A population-based study has been conducted; private physicians at their clinics were interviewed. The total number of 443 private sectors' physicians has been chosen by the stratified random sampling method. Appropriate descriptive analysis was used to describe the study's participants. Logistic regression was used for bivariable and multivariable analysis. The response rate of the study was 90.06 (399%). Among responders, who had stated that they were suspicious of TB over the recent year, 62 (16.45%) stated that they reported cases of TB at least once during the same period. Having reporting requirements and the number of visited patients was significantly related to TB suspicious (odds ratio = 2.84, confidence interval: 1.62-5, P < 0.01). Workplace and access to relevant resources are associated with TB notification (P < 0.05). In poor resource settings with a high burden of TB, the public health administration can promote notification activities in the private sector by simple and quick interventions. It seems that a considerable fraction of private sector physicians, not all of them, will notify TB if they are provided with primary information and primary resources. To optimize the TB notification, however, intersectoral interventions are more likely to be successful.

  15. Implications of private sector Hib vaccine coverage for the introduction of public sector Hib-containing pentavalent vaccine in India: evidence from retrospective time series data.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Abhishek; Kaplan, Warren A; Chokshi, Maulik; Hasan Farooqui, Habib; Zodpey, Sanjay P

    2015-02-23

    Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine has been available in India's private sector market since 1997. It was not until 14 December 2011 that the Government of India initiated the phased public sector introduction of a Hib (and DPT, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus)-containing pentavalent vaccine. Our objective was to investigate the state-specific coverage and behaviour of Hib vaccine in India when it was available only in the private sector market but not in the public sector. This baseline information can act as a guide to determine how much coverage the public sector rollout of pentavalent vaccine (scheduled April 2015) will need to bear in order to achieve complete coverage. 16 of 29 states in India, 2009-2012. Retrospective descriptive secondary data analysis. (1) Annual sales of Hib vaccines, by volume, from private sector hospitals and retail pharmacies collected by IMS Health and (2) national household surveys. State-specific Hib vaccine coverage (%) and its associations with state-specific socioeconomic status. The overall private sector Hib vaccine coverage among the 2009-2012 birth cohort was low (4%) and varied widely among the studied Indian states (minimum 0.3%; maximum 4.6%). We found that private sector Hib vaccine coverage depends on urban areas with good access to the private sector, parent's purchasing capacity and private paediatricians' prescribing practices. Per capita gross domestic product is a key explanatory variable. The annual Hib vaccine uptake and the 2009-2012 coverage levels were several times higher in the capital/metropolitan cities than the rest of the state, suggesting inequity in access to Hib vaccine delivered by the private sector. If India has to achieve high and equitable Hib vaccine coverage levels, nationwide public sector introduction of the pentavalent vaccine is needed. However, the role of private sector in universal Hib vaccine coverage is undefined as yet but it should not be neglected as a useful complement to

  16. Private sector response to improving oral health care access.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Lindsey A

    2009-07-01

    Despite vast improvements in the oral health status of the United States population over the past 50 years, disparities in oral health status continue, with certain segments of the population carrying a disproportionate disease burden. This article attempts to describe the problem, discuss various frameworks for action, illustrate some solutions developed by the private sector, and present a vision for collaborative action to improve the health of the nation. No one sector of the health care system can resolve the problem. The private sector, the public sector, and the not-for-profit community must collaborate to improve the oral health of the nation.

  17. Building a Comprehensive Mill-Level Database for the Industrial Sectors Integrated Solutions (ISIS) Model of the U.S. Pulp and Paper Sector

    PubMed Central

    Modak, Nabanita; Spence, Kelley; Sood, Saloni; Rosati, Jacky Ann

    2015-01-01

    Air emissions from the U.S. pulp and paper sector have been federally regulated since 1978; however, regulations are periodically reviewed and revised to improve efficiency and effectiveness of existing emission standards. The Industrial Sectors Integrated Solutions (ISIS) model for the pulp and paper sector is currently under development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and can be utilized to facilitate multi-pollutant, sector-based analyses that are performed in conjunction with regulatory development. The model utilizes a multi-sector, multi-product dynamic linear modeling framework that evaluates the economic impact of emission reduction strategies for multiple air pollutants. The ISIS model considers facility-level economic, environmental, and technical parameters, as well as sector-level market data, to estimate the impacts of environmental regulations on the pulp and paper industry. Specifically, the model can be used to estimate U.S. and global market impacts of new or more stringent air regulations, such as impacts on product price, exports and imports, market demands, capital investment, and mill closures. One major challenge to developing a representative model is the need for an extensive amount of data. This article discusses the collection and processing of data for use in the model, as well as the methods used for building the ISIS pulp and paper database that facilitates the required analyses to support the air quality management of the pulp and paper sector. PMID:25806516

  18. Just How Big is the Schism Between the Health Sector and the Water and Sanitation Sector in Developing Countries?

    PubMed

    Cronin, A A; Pond, K

    2008-08-19

    Water, sanitation and hygiene are all key aspects to a healthy environment but often they suffer from a lack of coherence within the sector itself and also a lack of synergy with the health sector. This is not acceptable given one quarter of all child deaths are directly attributable to water-borne disease. This lack of synergy is evident at many different layers including planning, resource allocation and donor commitment. Developing countries must, in consultation with their communities, examine their biggest health risks and allocate resources accordingly. Sustained dialogue and increased in-depth analysis are needed to find consensus and an improved synergy across these vital sectors.

  19. Sectoral risk research about input-output structure of the United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Mao

    2018-02-01

    There exist rare researches about economic risk in sectoral level, which is significantly important for risk prewarning. This paper employed status coefficient to measure the symmetry of economic subnetwork, which is negatively correlated with sectoral risk. Then, we do empirical research in both cross section and time series dimensions. In cross section dimension, we study the correlation between sectoral status coefficient and sectoral volatility, earning rate and Sharpe ratio respectively in the year 2015. Next, in the perspective of time series, we first investigate the correlation change between sectoral status coefficient and annual total output from 1997 to 2015. Then, we divide the 71 sectors in America into agriculture, manufacturing, services and government, compare the trend terms of average sectoral status coefficients of the four industries and illustrate the causes behind it. We also find obvious abnormality in the sector of housing. At last, this paper puts forward some suggestions for the federal government.

  20. Labor in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamermesh, Daniel S., Ed.

    Originally presented at a Conference on Labor in Nonprofit Industry and Government held at Princeton University, the studies are the first to provide an economic discussion of the public sector labor market. Melvin Reder examines the effect of the absence of the profit motive on employment and wage determination in the public sector. Orley…

  1. A 90 day chronic toxicity study of Nigerian herbal preparation DAS-77 in rats

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The herbal preparation DAS-77, used for the treatment of various ailments in Nigeria, contains the milled bark of Mangifera indica L. and root of Carica papaya L. Toxicological assessment of the preparation was carried out in this study. Methods In the acute toxicity study, DAS-77 was administered to mice p.o. up to 20 g/kg in divided doses and i.p. at 250–3000 mg/kg. Mortality within 24 h was recorded. In the chronic toxicity study, rats were treated p.o. for 90 days at doses of 80, 400 (therapeutic dose, TD) and 2000 mg/kg. By 90 days, animals were sacrificed and blood samples collected for hematological and biochemical analysis. Organs were harvested for weight determination, antioxidants and histopathological assessments. Results DAS-77 did not produce any lethality administered p.o. up to 20 g/kg in divided doses but the i.p. LD50 was 1122.0 mg/kg. At TD, DAS-77 produced significant (p < 0.05) reductions in body weight, food intake and K+, and increases in ovary weight, neutrophils and HDL, which were reversible. Histopathological presentations were generally normal. Effects at the other doses were comparable to those at TD except for reversible increases in antioxidants in the liver, kidney and testes, and sperm abnormality, and reductions in liver enzymes, sperm motility and count. Conclusions Findings in this study revealed that DAS-77 is relatively safe with the potential for enhancing in vivo antioxidant activity. However, possibly reversible side-effects include electrolyte imbalance and sterility in males. PMID:22892317

  2. A 90 day chronic toxicity study of Nigerian herbal preparation DAS-77 in rats.

    PubMed

    Afolabi, Saheed O; Akindele, Abidemi J; Awodele, Olufunsho; Anunobi, Chidozie C; Adeyemi, Olufunmilayo O

    2012-06-28

    The herbal preparation DAS-77, used for the treatment of various ailments in Nigeria, contains the milled bark of Mangifera indica L. and root of Carica papaya L. Toxicological assessment of the preparation was carried out in this study. In the acute toxicity study, DAS-77 was administered to mice p.o. up to 20 g/kg in divided doses and i.p. at 250-3000 mg/kg. Mortality within 24 h was recorded. In the chronic toxicity study, rats were treated p.o. for 90 days at doses of 80, 400 (therapeutic dose, TD) and 2000 mg/kg. By 90 days, animals were sacrificed and blood samples collected for hematological and biochemical analysis. Organs were harvested for weight determination, antioxidants and histopathological assessments. DAS-77 did not produce any lethality administered p.o. up to 20 g/kg in divided doses but the i.p. LD50 was 1122.0 mg/kg. At TD, DAS-77 produced significant (p < 0.05) reductions in body weight, food intake and K+, and increases in ovary weight, neutrophils and HDL, which were reversible. Histopathological presentations were generally normal. Effects at the other doses were comparable to those at TD except for reversible increases in antioxidants in the liver, kidney and testes, and sperm abnormality, and reductions in liver enzymes, sperm motility and count. Findings in this study revealed that DAS-77 is relatively safe with the potential for enhancing in vivo antioxidant activity. However, possibly reversible side-effects include electrolyte imbalance and sterility in males.

  3. 76 FR 57723 - Electricity Sector Cybersecurity Risk Management Process Guideline

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-16

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Electricity Sector Cybersecurity Risk Management Process Guideline AGENCY... public comment on DOE's intent to publish the Electricity Sector Cybersecurity Risk Management Process... electricity sector organizations and adds to the body of resources that help refine the definition and...

  4. Das CARNOTsche Paradigma und seine erkenntnistheoretischen Implikationen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schöpf, Hans-Georg

    Der vorliegende historisch-kritische Essay führt die Eigentümlichkeiten der klassischen phänomenologischen Thermodynamik auf das von CARNOT geschaffene Paradigma zurück und greift einige damit zusammenhängende Fragen auf.Translated AbstractCARNOT's Paradigm and its Epistemological ImplicationsThe present historic-critical essay traces the pecularities of classical phenomenological thermodynamics back to the paradigm, created by CARNOT, and takes up some questions to which this paradigm gives rise.

  5. The politics of public sector change.

    PubMed

    Harvey, Peter

    2003-05-01

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

  6. An Overview of Total Quality Management (TQM) practice in Construction Sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Likita, A. J.; Zainun, N. Y.; Rahman, I. Abdul; Awal, A. S. M. Abdul; Alias, A. R.; Rahman, M. Q. Abdul; Ghazali, F. E. Mohamed

    2018-04-01

    In construction sector TQM can be termed as a philosophy which guides construction professionals on the proper execution of construction projects in terms of quality. The aim of this paper is to discuss on quality management practice in construction sector. This paper evaluated five previous researches and the findings were discussed to find a conclusion of TQM practise in construction sector. The study found that TQM had been successfully practice in construction sector at Saudi Arabia, India, US and South Africa. Application of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) help to improve the implementation of TQM in construction sector. In conclusion, quality management practices will give better control of processes in construction sector.

  7. Convective Weather Forecast Accuracy Analysis at Center and Sector Levels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, Yao; Sridhar, Banavar

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a detailed convective forecast accuracy analysis at center and sector levels. The study is aimed to provide more meaningful forecast verification measures to aviation community, as well as to obtain useful information leading to the improvements in the weather translation capacity models. In general, the vast majority of forecast verification efforts over past decades have been on the calculation of traditional standard verification measure scores over forecast and observation data analyses onto grids. These verification measures based on the binary classification have been applied in quality assurance of weather forecast products at the national level for many years. Our research focuses on the forecast at the center and sector levels. We calculate the standard forecast verification measure scores for en-route air traffic centers and sectors first, followed by conducting the forecast validation analysis and related verification measures for weather intensities and locations at centers and sectors levels. An approach to improve the prediction of sector weather coverage by multiple sector forecasts is then developed. The weather severe intensity assessment was carried out by using the correlations between forecast and actual weather observation airspace coverage. The weather forecast accuracy on horizontal location was assessed by examining the forecast errors. The improvement in prediction of weather coverage was determined by the correlation between actual sector weather coverage and prediction. observed and forecasted Convective Weather Avoidance Model (CWAM) data collected from June to September in 2007. CWAM zero-minute forecast data with aircraft avoidance probability of 60% and 80% are used as the actual weather observation. All forecast measurements are based on 30-minute, 60- minute, 90-minute, and 120-minute forecasts with the same avoidance probabilities. The forecast accuracy analysis for times under one-hour showed that the errors in

  8. The SeaDAS Processing and Analysis System: SeaWiFS, MODIS, and Beyond

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    MacDonald, M. D.; Ruebens, M.; Wang, L.; Franz, B. A.

    2005-12-01

    The SeaWiFS Data Analysis System (SeaDAS) is a comprehensive software package for the processing, display, and analysis of ocean data from a variety of satellite sensors. Continuous development and user support by programmers and scientists for more than a decade has helped to make SeaDAS the most widely used software package in the world for ocean color applications, with a growing base of users from the land and sea surface temperature community. Full processing support for past (CZCS, OCTS, MOS) and present (SeaWiFS, MODIS) sensors, and anticipated support for future missions such as NPP/VIIRS, enables end users to reproduce the standard ocean archive product suite distributed by NASA's Ocean Biology Processing Group (OBPG), as well as a variety of evaluation and intermediate ocean, land, and atmospheric products. Availability of the processing algorithm source codes and a software build environment also provide users with the tools to implement custom algorithms. Recent SeaDAS enhancements include synchronization of MODIS processing with the latest code and calibration updates from the MODIS Calibration Support Team (MCST), support for all levels of MODIS processing including Direct Broadcast, a port to the Macintosh OS X operating system, release of the display/analysis-only SeaDAS-Lite, and an extremely active web-based user support forum.

  9. National Electric Sector Cybersecurity Organization Resource (NESCOR)

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

    None, None

    The goal of the National Electric Sector Cybersecurity Organization Resource (NESCOR) project was to address cyber security issues for the electric sector, particularly in the near and mid-term. The following table identifies the strategies from the DOE Roadmap to Achieve Energy Delivery Systems Cybersecurity published in September 2011 that are applicable to the NESCOR project.

  10. Primakoff Prize Talk: The Search for Dark Sectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Essig, Rouven

    2015-04-01

    Dark sectors, consisting of new, light, weakly-coupled particles that do not interact with the known strong, weak, or electromagnetic forces, are a particularly interesting possibility for new physics. Nature may contain numerous dark sectors, each with their own beautiful structure, distinct particles, and forces. Examples of dark sector particles include dark photons, axions, axion-like particles, and dark matter. In many cases, the exploration of dark sectors can proceed with existing facilities and comparatively modest experiments. This talk summarizes the physics motivation for dark sectors and the exciting opportunities for experimental exploration. Particular emphasis will be given to the search for dark photons, the mediators of a broken dark U(1) gauge theory that kinetically mixes with the Standard Model hypercharge, with masses in the MeV-to-GeV range. Experimental searches include low-energy e+e- colliders, new and old high-intensity fixed-target experiments, and high-energy colliders. The talk will highlight the APEX and HPS experiments at Jefferson Lab, which are pioneering, low-cost experiments to search for dark photons in fixed target electroproduction. Over the next few years, they have the potential for a transformative discovery.

  11. Towards greener environment: Energy efficient pathways for the transportation sector in Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Indati, M. S.; Ghate, A. T.; Leong, Y. P.

    2013-06-01

    Transportation sector is the second most energy consuming sector after industrial sector, accounting for 40% of total energy consumption in Malaysia. The transportation sector is one of the most energy intensive sectors in the country and relies primarily on petroleum products, which in total account for nearly 98% of the total consumption in the sector. Since it is heavily reliant on petroleum based fuels, the sector contributes significantly to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The need to reduce the greenhouse gas emission is paramount as Malaysia at Conference of the Parties (COP15) pledged to reduce its carbon intensity by 40% by 2020 from 2005 level subject to availability of technology and finance. Transport sector will be among the first sectors that need to be addressed to achieve this goal, as two-thirds of the emissions come from fuel combustion in transport sector. This paper will analyse the factors influencing the transport sector's growth and energy consumption trends and discuss the key issues and challenges for greener environment and sustainable transportation in Malaysia. The paper will also discuss the policy and strategic options aimed towards energy efficient pathways in Malaysia.

  12. Characterizing the development of sectoral gross domestic product composition.

    PubMed

    Lutz, Raphael; Spies, Michael; Reusser, Dominik E; Kropp, Jürgen P; Rybski, Diego

    2013-07-01

    We consider the sectoral composition of a country's gross domestic product (GDP), i.e., the partitioning into agrarian, industrial, and service sectors. Exploring a simple system of differential equations, we characterize the transfer of GDP shares between the sectors in the course of economic development. The model fits for the majority of countries providing four country-specific parameters. Relating the agrarian with the industrial sector, a data collapse over all countries and all years supports the applicability of our approach. Depending on the parameter ranges, country development exhibits different transfer properties. Most countries follow three of eight characteristic paths. The types are not random but show distinct geographic and development patterns.

  13. Characterizing the development of sectoral gross domestic product composition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lutz, Raphael; Spies, Michael; Reusser, Dominik E.; Kropp, Jürgen P.; Rybski, Diego

    2013-07-01

    We consider the sectoral composition of a country's gross domestic product (GDP), i.e., the partitioning into agrarian, industrial, and service sectors. Exploring a simple system of differential equations, we characterize the transfer of GDP shares between the sectors in the course of economic development. The model fits for the majority of countries providing four country-specific parameters. Relating the agrarian with the industrial sector, a data collapse over all countries and all years supports the applicability of our approach. Depending on the parameter ranges, country development exhibits different transfer properties. Most countries follow three of eight characteristic paths. The types are not random but show distinct geographic and development patterns.

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

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

    2017-01-01

    The aims of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP) are to provide a framework for the intercomparison of global and regional-scale risk models within and across multiple sectors and to enable coordinated multi-sectoral assessments of different risks and their aggregated effects. The overarching goal is to use the knowledge gained to support adaptation and mitigation decisions that require regional or global perspectives within the context of facilitating transformations to enable sustainable development, despite inevitable climate shifts and disruptions. ISIMIP uses community-agreed sets of scenarios with standardized climate variables and socioeconomic projections as inputs for projecting future risks and associated uncertainties, within and across sectors. The results are consistent multi-model assessments of sectoral risks and opportunities that enable studies that integrate across sectors, providing support for implementation of the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

  15. Effect of Dynamic Sector Boundary Changes on Air Traffic Controllers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jung, Jaewoo; Lee, Paul; Kessell, Angela; Homola, Jeff; Zelinski, Shannon

    2010-01-01

    The effect of dynamic sector boundary changes on air traffic controller workload was investigated with data from a human-in-the-loop simulation. Multiple boundary changes were made during simulated operations, and controller rating of workload was recorded. Analysis of these data showed an increase of 16.9% in controller workload due to boundary changes. This increased workload was correlated with the number of aircraft handoffs and change in sector volume. There was also a 12.7% increase in average workload due to the changed sector design after boundary changes. This increase was correlated to traffic flow crossing points getting closer to sector boundaries and an increase in the number of flights with short dwell time in a sector. This study has identified some of the factors that affect controller workload when sector boundaries are changed, but more research is needed to better understand their relationships.

  16. Framework for integration of informal waste management sector with the formal sector in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Masood, Maryam; Barlow, Claire Y

    2013-10-01

    Historically, waste pickers around the globe have utilised urban solid waste as a principal source of livelihood. Formal waste management sectors usually perceive the informal waste collection/recycling networks as backward, unhygienic and generally incompatible with modern waste management systems. It is proposed here that through careful planning and administration, these seemingly troublesome informal networks can be integrated into formal waste management systems in developing countries, providing mutual benefits. A theoretical framework for integration based on a case study in Lahore, Pakistan, is presented. The proposed solution suggests that the municipal authority should draw up and agree on a formal work contract with the group of waste pickers already operating in the area. The proposed system is assessed using the integration radar framework to classify and analyse possible intervention points between the sectors. The integration of the informal waste workers with the formal waste management sector is not a one dimensional or single step process. An ideal solution might aim for a balanced focus on all four categories of intervention, although this may be influenced by local conditions. Not all the positive benefits will be immediately apparent, but it is expected that as the acceptance of such projects increases over time, the informal recycling economy will financially supplement the formal system in many ways.

  17. Rotor vibration reduction with polymeric sectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dutt, J. K.; Toi, T.

    2003-05-01

    This work has been undertaken principally with an idea to improving the dynamic performance of rotor-shaft systems, which often suffer from two major problems (a) resonance and (b) loss of stability, resulting in excessive vibration of such systems. Polymeric material in the form of sectors has been considered in this work as bearing supports. Polymeric material has been considered in this work as both stiffness and loss factor of such materials varies with the frequency of excitation. Stiffness and loss factor have been found out for the proposed support system comprising of polymeric sectors. Depending upon the frequency of excitation the system matrix, in this case, changes and dynamic performance of the rotor-shaft system also changes accordingly. Here in this work avoidance of resonance and application of optimum damping in the support have been investigated by finding out the optimum dimension, i.e., the optimum thickness and optimum length of the sectors. It has been theoretically found that use of such sectors reduces the rotor unbalanced response, increases the stability limit speed for simple rotor-shaft systems and thus improves the dynamic characteristics. Parameters of the system have been presented in terms of non-dimensional quantities. Many examples have been presented in support of the conclusion. The life of such supports, particularly in the presence of chemicals and other reagents has not been investigated.

  18. Public Sector Employment Inequality in the United States and the Great Recession.

    PubMed

    Laird, Jennifer

    2017-02-01

    Historically in the United States, the public sector has served as an equalizing institution through the expansion of job opportunities for minority workers. This study examines whether the public sector continues to serve as an equalizing institution in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Using data from the Current Population Survey, I investigate changes in public sector employment between 2003 and 2013. My results point to a post-recession double disadvantage for black public sector workers: they are concentrated in a shrinking sector of the economy, and they are more likely than white and Hispanic public sector workers to experience job loss. These two trends are a historical break for the public sector labor market. I find that race and ethnicity gaps in public sector employment cannot be explained by differences in education, occupation, or any of the other measurable factors that are typically associated with employment. Among unemployed workers who most recently worked for the public sector, black women are the least likely to transition into private sector employment.

  19. A new method for determining a sector alert

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2008-09-29

    The Traffic Flow Management System (TFMS) currently declares an alert for any 15-minute interval in which the predicted demand exceeds the Monitor/Alert Parameter (MAP) for any airport, sector, or fix. For a sector, TFMS predicts the demand for each ...

  20. Awareness of occupational skin disease in the service sector.

    PubMed

    Holness, D L; Kudla, I; Brown, J; Miller, S

    2017-06-01

    Occupational skin disease (OSD) is a common occupational disease. Although primary prevention strategies are known, OSDs remain prevalent in a variety of work environments including the service sector (restaurant/food services, retail/wholesale, tourism/hospitality and vehicle sales and service). To obtain information about awareness and prevention of OSD in the service sector. Focus groups and a survey were conducted with two groups. The first consisted of staff of the provincial health and safety association for the service sector and the second group comprised representatives from sector employers. Focus groups highlighted key issues to inform the survey that obtained information about perceptions of awareness and prevention of OSD and barriers to awareness and prevention. Both provincial health and safety association staff and sector employer representatives highlighted low awareness and a low level of knowledge of OSD in the sector. Barriers to awareness and prevention included a low reported incidence of OSD, low priority, lack of training materials, lack of time and cost of training, lack of management support and workplace culture. A starting point for improving prevention of OSD in the service sector is increased awareness. Identification of the barriers to awareness and prevention will help to shape an awareness campaign and prevention strategies. Building on existing experience in Europe will be important. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

  1. [Collaboration between public health nurses and the private sector].

    PubMed

    Marutani, Miki; Okada, Yumiko; Hasegawa, Takashi

    2016-01-01

    We clarified collaborations between public health nurses (PHNs) and the private sector, such as nonprofit organizations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 private sector organizations and 13 PHNs who collaborate with them between December 2012 to October 2013. Interview guides were: overall suicide preventive measurements, details of collaboration between private sector organizations and PHNs, and suicide prevention outcomes/issues. Data from private sector organizations and PHNs were separately analyzed and categories created using qualitative and inductive design. Private sector organizations' and PHNs' categories were compared and separated into core categories by similarities. Six categories were created: 1. establishing a base of mutual understanding; 2. raising public awareness of each aim/characteristic; 3. competently helping high suicidal risk persons detected during each activity; 4. guarding lives and rehabilitating livelihoods after intervention; 5. restoring suicide attempters/bereaved met in each activity; and 6. continuing/expanding activities with reciprocal cohesion/evaluation. PHNs are required to have the following suicide prevention tasks when collaborating with private sector organizations: understanding the private sector civilization, sharing PHN experiences, improving social determinants of health, meeting basic needs, supporting foundation/difficulties each other (Dear editor. Thank you for kind comments. I was going to explain that PHNs and NPOs support each other their foundation of activity and difficulties in their activities. The foundations include knowledge, information, budgets, manpower etc. The difficulties mean like suffering faced with suicide during activities.), and enhancing local governments' flexibilities/ promptness.

  2. Examination of the Work Organization Assessment Questionnaire in public sector workers.

    PubMed

    Wynne-Jones, Gwenllian; Varnava, Alice; Buck, Rhiannon; Karanika-Murray, Maria; Griffiths, Amanda; Phillips, Ceri; Cox, Tom; Kahn, Sayeed; Main, Chris J

    2009-05-01

    To investigate the utility of the Work and Organization Assessment Questionnaire (WOAQ) for public sector data. A cross-sectional survey was performed in public sector organizations measuring demographics, work characteristics, work perceptions (WOAQ), sickness absence, and work performance. Confirmatory factor analysis of the WOAQ showed that factor structure derived for the manufacturing sector, for which the questionnaire was developed, could be replicated moderately well with public sector data. The study then considered whether a better more specific fit for public sector data was possible. Principal components analysis of the public sector data identified a two-factor structure linked to four of the five scales of the WOAQ assessing Management and Work Design, and Work Culture. These two factors may offer a context-sensitive scoring method for the WOAQ in public sector populations. These two factors were found to have good internal consistency, and correlated with the full WOAQ scales and the measures of performance and absence. The WOAQ is a useful and potentially transferable tool. The modified scoring may be used to assess work and organizational factors in the public sector.

  3. Brady's Geothermal Field - Map of DAS, Nodal, Vibroseis and Reftek Station Deployment

    DOE Data Explorer

    Kurt Feigl

    2016-10-15

    Map of DAS, nodal, vibroseis and Reftek stations during March 2016 deployment. The plot on the left has nodal stations labeled; the plot on the right has vibroseis observations labeled. Stations are shown in map-view using Brady's rotated X-Y coordinates with side plots denoting elevation with respect to the WGS84 ellipsoid. Blue circles denote vibroseis data, x symbols denote DAS (cyan for horizontal and magenta for vertical), black asterisks denote Reftek data, and red plus signs denote nodal data. This map can be found on UW-Madison's askja server at /PoroTomo/DATA/MAPS/Deployment_Stations.pdf

  4. Hierarchical Regional Disparities and Potential Sector Identification Using Modified Agglomerative Clustering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Munandar, T. A.; Azhari; Mushdholifah, A.; Arsyad, L.

    2017-03-01

    Disparities in regional development methods are commonly identified using the Klassen Typology and Location Quotient. Both methods typically use the data on the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) sectors of a particular region. The Klassen approach can identify regional disparities by classifying the GRDP sector data into four classes, namely Quadrants I, II, III, and IV. Each quadrant indicates a certain level of regional disparities based on the GRDP sector value of the said region. Meanwhile, the Location Quotient (LQ) is usually used to identify potential sectors in a particular region so as to determine which sectors are potential and which ones are not potential. LQ classifies each sector into three classes namely, the basic sector, the non-basic sector with a competitive advantage, and the non-basic sector which can only meet its own necessities. Both Klassen Typology and LQ are unable to visualize the relationship of achievements in the development clearly of each region and sector. This research aimed to develop a new approach to the identification of disparities in regional development in the form of hierarchical clustering. The method of Hierarchical Agglomerative Clustering (HAC) was employed as the basis of the hierarchical clustering model for identifying disparities in regional development. Modifications were made to HAC using the Klassen Typology and LQ. Then, HAC which had been modified using the Klassen Typology was called MHACK while HAC which had been modified using LQ was called MACLoQ. Both algorithms can be used to identify regional disparities (MHACK) and potential sectors (MACLoQ), respectively, in the form of hierarchical clusters. Based on the MHACK in 31 regencies in Central Java Province, it is identified that 3 regencies (Demak, Jepara, and Magelang City) fall into the category of developed and rapidly-growing regions, while the other 28 regencies fall into the category of developed but depressed regions. Results of the MACLo

  5. Improving health sector travel.

    PubMed

    Hurdle, David; Davis, Adrian

    2004-10-01

    Preventing ill health and obesity and building more physical activity into our daily lives have never been so high on the agenda, and the way we travel can help. Many workplaces and schools are drawing up travel plans, with the aims usually to minimise car use and encourage healthier and more environmentally friendly travel. The Transport White Paper of 1998 advocated travel plans and singled out hospitals for action. Travel plans continue to be a focus within the latest Transport White Paper, launched in July 2004. This article covers various prompts to the health sector to implement travel plans. It addresses issues and concerns facing NHS Trusts, the practical things Trusts can do, and the increasing amount of good practice available. Finally, it demonstrates that travel plans can work, and are working, in the health sector.

  6. 75 FR 80720 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-23

    ... (GB) when fishing under a groundfish/monkfish DAS; (6) limits on the number of hooks that may be... groundfish/monkfish DAS; (7) limits on the number of hooks that may be fished; and (8) DAS Leasing Program.... 7. Limitation on the Number of Hooks That May Be Fished The GB Cod Fixed Gear Sector was granted an...

  7. 48 CFR 37.112 - Government use of private sector temporaries.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... use of private sector temporaries. Contracting officers may enter into contracts with temporary help service firms for the brief or intermittent use of the skills of private sector temporaries. Services... part 300, subpart E, Use of Private Sector Temporaries, and agency procedures. [56 FR 55380, Oct. 25...

  8. Split-orientation-modulated plasmon coupling in disk/sector dimers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhu, Xupeng; Chen, Yiqin; Shi, Huimin; Zhang, Shi; Liu, Quanhui; Duan, Huigao

    2017-06-01

    The coupled asymmetric plasmonic nanostructures allow more compact nanophotonics integration and easier optical control in practical applications, such as directional scattering and near-field control. Here, we carried out a systematic and in-depth study on the plasmonic coupling of an asymmetric gold disk/sector dimer, and investigated the light-matter interaction in such an asymmetric coupled complex nanostructures. The results demonstrated that the positions and the intensity of plasmon resonance peak as well as the spatial distribution of electric fields around the surface in the coupled disk/sector dimer can be tuned by changing the azimuth angle of the gold sector. Based on Simpson-Peterson approximation, we proposed a model to understand the obtained plasmon properties of asymmetric coupled disk/sector dimers by introducing an offset parameter between the geometry center and dipole center of the sector. The experimental results agree well with the simulations. Our study provides an insight to tune the plasmon coupling behavior via adjusting the plasmon dipole center position in coupling systems.

  9. Child and Adolescent Obesity and Employment Sector in Urban China

    PubMed Central

    Li, Yi; Zimmer, Zachary

    2013-01-01

    Despite its importance as a part of the economic reform in China, sectoral employment has been overlooked as a potential determinant of child and adolescent obesity (CAO). Using large-scale longitudinal data from surveys conducted from 1989 to 2006, this paper examines the relationship between the sector in which a parent is employed and CAO, with the sector being based on ownership and categorised as either state or non-state. Analyses of over 1,700 children and adolescents show that children and adolescents whose parents work in the state sector are less likely to be obese. Patterns of sectoral employment's effect are robust across time periods, in fixed-effects models, and across multiple measures of obesity. Additionally, the paper shows that socioeconomic characteristics of the parent, such as income, education, and occupation, typically thought to be important predictors of CAO, are not as important when the parental working sector is included in the models. PMID:24298293

  10. Child and Adolescent Obesity and Employment Sector in Urban China.

    PubMed

    Li, Yi; Zimmer, Zachary

    2013-01-01

    Despite its importance as a part of the economic reform in China, sectoral employment has been overlooked as a potential determinant of child and adolescent obesity (CAO). Using large-scale longitudinal data from surveys conducted from 1989 to 2006, this paper examines the relationship between the sector in which a parent is employed and CAO, with the sector being based on ownership and categorised as either state or non-state. Analyses of over 1,700 children and adolescents show that children and adolescents whose parents work in the state sector are less likely to be obese. Patterns of sectoral employment's effect are robust across time periods, in fixed-effects models, and across multiple measures of obesity. Additionally, the paper shows that socioeconomic characteristics of the parent, such as income, education, and occupation, typically thought to be important predictors of CAO, are not as important when the parental working sector is included in the models.

  11. Climate change impact modelling needs to include cross-sectoral interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harrison, Paula A.; Dunford, Robert W.; Holman, Ian P.; Rounsevell, Mark D. A.

    2016-09-01

    Climate change impact assessments often apply models of individual sectors such as agriculture, forestry and water use without considering interactions between these sectors. This is likely to lead to misrepresentation of impacts, and consequently to poor decisions about climate adaptation. However, no published research assesses the differences between impacts simulated by single-sector and integrated models. Here we compare 14 indicators derived from a set of impact models run within single-sector and integrated frameworks across a range of climate and socio-economic scenarios in Europe. We show that single-sector studies misrepresent the spatial pattern, direction and magnitude of most impacts because they omit the complex interdependencies within human and environmental systems. The discrepancies are particularly pronounced for indicators such as food production and water exploitation, which are highly influenced by other sectors through changes in demand, land suitability and resource competition. Furthermore, the discrepancies are greater under different socio-economic scenarios than different climate scenarios, and at the sub-regional rather than Europe-wide scale.

  12. Building and testing models with extended Higgs sectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ivanov, Igor P.

    2017-07-01

    Models with non-minimal Higgs sectors represent a mainstream direction in theoretical exploration of physics opportunities beyond the Standard Model. Extended scalar sectors help alleviate difficulties of the Standard Model and lead to a rich spectrum of characteristic collider signatures and astroparticle consequences. In this review, we introduce the reader to the world of extended Higgs sectors. Not pretending to exhaustively cover the entire body of literature, we walk through a selection of the most popular examples: the two- and multi-Higgs-doublet models, as well as singlet and triplet extensions. We will show how one typically builds models with extended Higgs sectors, describe the main goals and the challenges which arise on the way, and mention some methods to overcome them. We will also describe how such models can be tested, what are the key observables one focuses on, and illustrate the general strategy with a subjective selection of results.

  13. One Health: a perspective from the human health sector.

    PubMed

    Kakkar, M; Hossain, S S; Abbas, S S

    2014-08-01

    Despite emerging consensus that the One Health concept involves multiple stakeholders, the human health sector has continued to view it from a predominantly human health security perspective. It has often ignored the concerns of other sectors, e.g. concerns that relate to trade, commerce, livelihoods and sustainable development, all of which are important contributors to societal well-being. In the absence of a culture of collaboration, clear One Health goals, conceptual clarity and operating frameworks, this disconnect between human health and One Health efforts has often impeded the translation of One Health from concept to reality, other than during emergency situations. If there are to be effective and sustainable One Health partnerships we must identify clear operating principles that allow flexible approaches to intersectoral collaborations. To convince technical experts and political leaders in the human health sector of the importance of intersectoral cooperation, and to make the necessary structural adjustments, we need examples of best practice models and trans-sectoral methods for measuring the risks, burden and costs across sectors. Informal collaborations between researchers and technical experts will play a decisive role in developing these methods and models and instilling societal well-being into the human health sector's view of One Health.

  14. Global Gridded Data from the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS-DAS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2001-01-01

    The Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS-DAS) timeseries is a globally gridded atmospheric data set for use in climate research. This near real-time data set is produced by the Data Assimilation Office (DAO) at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in direct support of the operational EOS instrument product generation from the Terra (12/1999 launch), Aqua (05/2002 launch) and Aura (01/2004 launch) spacecrafts. The data is archived in the EOS Core System (ECS) at the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center/Distributed Active Archive Center (GES DISC DAAC). The data is only a selection of the products available from the GEOS-DAS. The data is organized chronologically in timeseries format to facilitate the computation of statistics. GEOS-DAS data will be available for the time period January 1, 2000, through present.

  15. The crucial role of the private sector.

    PubMed

    Barberis, M; Paxman, J M

    1986-12-01

    Private support for the development of family planning programs continues to grow and now includes industries that provide family planning services, commercial outlets that distribute contraceptives, community groups that help to build demand, private medical practitioners who include contraception as a part of health care, organizations that provide technical and financial assistance to developing country programs, pharmaceutical firms, and foundations that underwrite contraceptive research. Although the mix of private and public programs differs from country to country, these 2 family planning programs complement each other and often work in close partnership. The private sector has the advantages of being able to pioneer innovative programs the public sector is unwilling or unable to pursue, to bring foreign financial and technical assistance to developing countries without political implications, and to achieve financially self-sustaining family planning efforts that are linked to other development efforts. In many countries, the private sector has been instrumental in developing a national family planning program and in eliminating barriers to family planning in countries with restrictive laws and policies. The private sector has been especially important in pioneering grassroots programs that improve the status of women through education, health care, training, and economic opportunity.

  16. [Organization and technology in the catering sector].

    PubMed

    Tinarelli, Arnaldo

    2014-01-01

    The catering industry is a service characterized by a contract between customer and supplier. In institutional catering industry, the customer is represented by public administration; in private catering industry, the customer is represented by privates. The annual catering trades size is about 6.74 billions of euros, equally distributed between health sector (hospitals, nursing homes), school sector and business sector (ivorkplace food service), with the participation of nearly 1.200 firms and 70.000 workers. Major services include off-premises catering (food prepared away from the location where it's served) and on-premises catering (meals prepared and served at the same place). Several tools and machineries are used during both warehousing and food refrigerating operations, and during preparation, cooking, packaging and transport of meals. In this sector, injuries, rarely resulting serious or deadly, show a downward trend in the last years. On the contrary, the number of occupational diseases shows an upward trend. About the near future, the firms should become global outsourcer, able to provide other services as cleaning, transport and maintenance. In addition, they should invest in innovation: from tools and machineries technology to work organization; from factory lay-out to safely and health in the workplaces.

  17. Measuring Primary Teachers' Attitudes Toward Teaching Science: Development of the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS) Instrument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Aalderen-Smeets, Sandra; Walma van der Molen, Juliette

    2013-03-01

    In this article, we present a valid and reliable instrument which measures the attitude of in-service and pre-service primary teachers toward teaching science, called the Dimensions of Attitude Toward Science (DAS) Instrument. Attention to the attitudes of primary teachers toward teaching science is of fundamental importance to the professionalization of these teachers in the field of primary science education. With the development of this instrument, we sought to fulfill the need for a statistically and theoretically valid and reliable instrument to measure pre-service and in-service teachers' attitudes. The DAS Instrument is based on a comprehensive theoretical framework for attitude toward (teaching) science. After pilot testing, the DAS was revised and subsequently validated using a large group of respondents (pre-service and in-service primary teachers) (N = 556). The theoretical underpinning of the DAS combined with the statistical data indicate that the DAS possesses good construct validity and that it proves to be a promising instrument that can be utilized for research purposes, and also as a teacher training and coaching tool. This instrument can therefore make a valuable contribution to progress within the field of science education.

  18. Portable mass spectrometer with one or more mechanically adjustable electrostatic sectors and a mechanically adjustable magnetic sector all mounted in a vacuum chamber

    DOEpatents

    Andresen, B.D.; Eckels, J.D.; Kimmons, J.F.; Martin, W.H.; Myers, D.W.; Keville, R.F.

    1992-10-06

    A portable mass spectrometer is described having one or more electrostatic focusing sectors and a magnetic focusing sector, all of which are positioned inside a vacuum chamber, and all of which may be adjusted via adjustment means accessible from outside the vacuum chamber. Mounting of the magnetic sector entirely within the vacuum chamber permits smaller magnets to be used, thus permitting reductions in both weight and bulk. 13 figs.

  19. Sector Growth Demonstration in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA continues to work with the Bay states and DC to adress areas of concern identified in the final reports. EPA has asked each state and DC to prepare a Sector Load Growth Demonstration using the Sector Load Growth techical memorandum as a guide.

  20. Using Internet-Based Language Testing Capacity to the Private Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia Laborda, Jesus

    2009-01-01

    Language testing has a large number of commercial applications in both the institutional and the private sectors. Some jobs in the health services sector or the public services sector require foreign language skills and these skills require continuous and efficient language assessments. Based on an experience developed through the cooperation of…

  1. 31 CFR 500.584 - Energy sector projects in North Korea.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Energy sector projects in North Korea... Licenses, Authorizations and Statements of Licensing Policy § 500.584 Energy sector projects in North Korea... energy sector projects in North Korea in connection with that country's transition to light-water reactor...

  2. Brady's Geothermal Field DAS Vibroseis Data

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

    Kurt Feigl

    2016-03-25

    The submitted data correspond to the monitored vibrations caused by a vibroseis seismically exciting the ground in the vertical direction and captured by the DAS horizontal and vertical arrays during the PoroTomo Experiment. The data also include a file with the acceleration record at the Vibroseis. Vibroseis Sweep Details: Sweep on location T84 Stage 4 (Mode P 60 s long record ) Time: 2016-03-25 14:01:15 (UTC) Location: 39.80476089N, -119.0027625W Elevation: 1272.0M (on ground surface at the site) Sweep length: 20 seconds Frequencies: 5 Hz to 20 Hz

  3. Thermal dark matter from a highly decoupled sector

    DOE PAGES

    Berlin, Asher; Hooper, Dan; Krnjaic, Gordan

    2016-11-17

    It has recently been shown that if the dark matter is in thermal equilibrium with a sector that is highly decoupled from the Standard Model, it can freeze out with an acceptable relic abundance, even if the dark matter is as heavy as ~1–100 PeV. In such scenarios, both the dark and visible sectors are populated after inflation, but with independent temperatures. The lightest particle in the dark sector will be generically long-lived and can come to dominate the energy density of the Universe. Upon decaying, these particles can significantly reheat the visible sector, diluting the abundance of dark mattermore » and thus allowing for dark matter particles that are much heavier than conventional WIMPs. In this study, we present a systematic and pedagogical treatment of the cosmological history in this class of models, emphasizing the simplest scenarios in which a dark matter candidate annihilates into hidden sector particles which then decay into visible matter through the vector, Higgs, or lepton portals. In each case, we find ample parameter space in which very heavy dark matter particles can provide an acceptable thermal relic abundance. We also discuss possible extensions of models featuring these dynamics.« less

  4. Thermal dark matter from a highly decoupled sector

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

    Berlin, Asher; Hooper, Dan; Krnjaic, Gordan

    It has recently been shown that if the dark matter is in thermal equilibrium with a sector that is highly decoupled from the Standard Model, it can freeze out with an acceptable relic abundance, even if the dark matter is as heavy as ~1–100 PeV. In such scenarios, both the dark and visible sectors are populated after inflation, but with independent temperatures. The lightest particle in the dark sector will be generically long-lived and can come to dominate the energy density of the Universe. Upon decaying, these particles can significantly reheat the visible sector, diluting the abundance of dark mattermore » and thus allowing for dark matter particles that are much heavier than conventional WIMPs. In this study, we present a systematic and pedagogical treatment of the cosmological history in this class of models, emphasizing the simplest scenarios in which a dark matter candidate annihilates into hidden sector particles which then decay into visible matter through the vector, Higgs, or lepton portals. In each case, we find ample parameter space in which very heavy dark matter particles can provide an acceptable thermal relic abundance. We also discuss possible extensions of models featuring these dynamics.« less

  5. Efficient Delivery and Visualization of Long Time-Series Datasets Using Das2 Tools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piker, C.; Granroth, L.; Faden, J.; Kurth, W. S.

    2017-12-01

    For over 14 years the University of Iowa Radio and Plasma Wave Group has utilized a network transparent data streaming and visualization system for most daily data review and collaboration activities. This system, called Das2, was originally designed in support of the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) investigation, but is now relied on for daily review and analysis of Voyager, Polar, Cluster, Mars Express, Juno and other mission results. In light of current efforts to promote automatic data distribution in space physics it seems prudent to provide an overview of our open source Das2 programs and interface definitions to the wider community and to recount lessons learned. This submission will provide an overview of interfaces that define the system, describe the relationship between the Das2 effort and Autoplot and will examine handling Cassini RPWS Wideband waveforms and dynamic spectra as examples of dealing with long time-series data sets. In addition, the advantages and limitations of the current Das2 tool set will be discussed, as well as lessons learned that are applicable to other data sharing initiatives. Finally, plans for future developments including improved catalogs to support 'no-software' data sources and redundant multi-server fail over, as well as new adapters for CSV (Comma Separated Values) and JSON (Javascript Object Notation) output to support Cassini closeout and the HAPI (Heliophysics Application Programming Interface) initiative are outlined.

  6. How Does Retiree Health Insurance Influence Public Sector Employee Saving?

    PubMed Central

    Clark, Robert L.

    2017-01-01

    Economic theory predicts that employer-provided retiree health insurance (RHI) benefits have a crowd-out effect on household wealth accumulation, not dissimilar to the effects reported elsewhere for employer pensions, Social Security, and Medicare. Nevertheless, we are unaware of any similar research on the impacts of retiree health insurance per se. Accordingly, the present paper utilizes a unique data file on respondents to the Health and Retirement Study, to explore how employer-provided retiree health insurance may influence net household wealth among public sector employees, where retiree healthcare benefits are still quite prevalent. Key findings include the following: -Most full-time public sector employees anticipate having employer-provided health insurance coverage in retirement, unlike most private sector workers;-Public sector employees covered by RHI had substantially less wealth than similar private sector employees without RHI. In our data, Federal workers had about $82,000 (18%) less net wealth than private sector employees lacking RHI; state/local workers with RHI accumulated about $69,000 (or 15%) less net wealth than their uninsured private sector counterparts.-After controlling on socioeconomic status and differences in pension coverage, net household wealth for Federal employees was $116,000 less than workers without RHI and the result is statistically significant; the state/local difference was not. PMID:25479891

  7. Effects of Sectoral Diversity on Community Coalition Processes and Outcomes.

    PubMed

    Brown, Louis D; Wells, Rebecca; Jones, Eric C; Chilenski, Sarah Meyer

    2017-07-01

    Collaboration with diverse partners is challenging but essential for the implementation of prevention programs and policies. Increased communication with partners from diverse sectors may help community coalitions overcome the challenges that diversity presents. We examined these issues empirically in a study of 17 substance use prevention coalitions in Mexico. Building on coalition and workgroup literatures, we hypothesized that sectoral diversity would improve outcomes but undermine coalition processes. Conversely, we expected uniformly positive effects from higher levels of intersectoral communication. Data are from a 2015 survey of 211 members within the 17 community coalitions. Regression models used sectoral diversity and intersectoral communication to predict coalition processes (cohesion, leader-member communication, efficiency) and outcomes (community support, community improvement, sustainability planning). Sectoral diversity was negatively associated with coalition processes and was not associated with coalition outcomes. Intersectoral communication was positively associated with two of the three measures of coalition outcomes but not associated with coalition processes. Our findings concur with those from prior research indicating that sectoral diversity may undermine coalition processes. However, more communication between sectors may facilitate the coalition outcomes of community support and sustainability planning. Skilled team leaders and participatory decision making may also help coalitions promote intersectoral communication, thereby engaging diverse community sectors to implement preventive interventions and actualize sustained public health impact.

  8. Hidden sector behind the CKM matrix

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Okawa, Shohei; Omura, Yuji

    2017-08-01

    The small quark mixing, described by the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix in the standard model, may be a clue to reveal new physics around the TeV scale. We consider a simple scenario that extra particles in a hidden sector radiatively mediate the flavor violation to the quark sector around the TeV scale and effectively realize the observed CKM matrix. The lightest particle in the hidden sector, whose contribution to the CKM matrix is expected to be dominant, is a good dark matter (DM) candidate. There are many possible setups to describe this scenario, so that we investigate some universal predictions of this kind of model, focusing on the contribution of DM to the quark mixing and flavor physics. In this scenario, there is an explicit relation between the CKM matrix and flavor violating couplings, such as four-quark couplings, because both are radiatively induced by the particles in the hidden sector. Then, we can explicitly find the DM mass region and the size of Yukawa couplings between the DM and quarks, based on the study of flavor physics and DM physics. In conclusion, we show that DM mass in our scenario is around the TeV scale, and the Yukawa couplings are between O (0.01 ) and O (1 ). The spin-independent DM scattering cross section is estimated as O (10-9) [pb]. An extra colored particle is also predicted at the O (10 ) TeV scale.

  9. Elements of a Knowledge Management Guide for Public Sector Organizations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Mark Cameron

    2013-01-01

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

  10. The Formation of a Sunspot Penumbra Sector in Active Region NOAA 12574

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Qiaoling; Yan, Xiaoli; Wang, Jincheng; Kong, DeFang; Xue, Zhike; Yang, Liheng; Cao, Wenda

    2018-04-01

    We present a particular case of the formation of a penumbra sector around a developing sunspot in the active region NOAA 12574 on 2016 August 11 by using the high-resolution data observed by the New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory and the data acquired by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite. Before the new penumbra sector formed, the developing sunspot already had two umbrae with some penumbral filaments. The penumbra sector gradually formed at the junction of two umbrae. We found that the formation of the penumbra sector can be divided into two stages. First, during the initial stage of penumbral formation, the region where the penumbra sector formed always appeared blueshifted in a Dopplergram. The area, mean transverse magnetic field strength, and total magnetic flux of the umbra and penumbra sector all increased with time. The initial penumbral formation was associated with magnetic emergence. Second, when the penumbra sector appeared, the magnetic flux and area of the penumbra sector increased after the umbra’s magnetic flux and area decreased. These results indicate that the umbra provided magnetic flux for penumbral development after the penumbra sector appeared. We also found that the newly formed penumbra sector was associated with sunspot rotation. Based on these findings, we suggest that the penumbra sector was the result of the emerging flux that was trapped in the photosphere at the initial stage of penumbral formation, and when the rudimentary penumbra formed, the penumbra sector developed at the cost of the umbra.

  11. A causa das estações do ano: modelos mentais

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Campos, J. A. S.; de Araujo, J. F. S.

    2003-08-01

    A década de 70 do século passado foi marcada pelo estudo das concepções alternativas que os alunos trazem para a sala de aula. A identificação destas concepções foi o ponto de partida para promover a mudança conceitual, onde as pré-concepções seriam trocadas pelas concepções científicas. Na década seguinte, surgiram muitas propostas de estratégias educacionais para facilitar esta troca, na sua maioria baseadas na idéia do conflito cognitivo, proposta por Piaget. Entretanto, os resultados pouco animadores conduziram à percepção de que a mudança conceitual é um processo mais complexo. Pelas idéias da Ciência Cognitiva, a mudança conceitual é uma mudança progressiva dos modelos mentais que o aluno tem sobre o mundo físico, através de enriquecimento e revisão. A causa das Estações do Ano é um tópico sobre o qual a maioria dos estudantes apresenta concepções alternativas. Os autores fizeram um levantamento sobre as pré-concepções encontradas em trabalhos sobre o tema (16 referências), procurando encontrar elementos comuns que indicassem a presença de modelos mentais específicos. As pré-concepções encontradas na literatura foram obtidas usando-se diversas metodologias (desde entrevistas clínicas até questionários de múltipla escolha) e envolvendo alunos e professores de diferentes regiões geográficas. A partir de uma análise aprofundada de cada trabalho, e utilizando-se a técnica das Redes Sistêmicas, chegou-se a conclusão que as diversas pré-concepções identificadas (em torno de 50), poderiam ser representadas por 6 modelos mentais, onde a explicação da causa das estações do ano tem um mecanismo causal responsável. Os mecanismos causais identificados foram: a dependência da distância, a dependência da orientação, a dependência conjunta da distância e orientação, a dependência da obstrução, a dependência da velocidade e a dependência da inclinação dos raios solares. Foram ainda identificadas

  12. Impact of Cross-Sectoral Alcohol Policy on Youth Alcohol Consumption.

    PubMed

    de Goeij, Moniek C M; Jacobs, Monique A M; van Nierop, Peter; van der Veeken-Vlassak, Ivanka A G; van de Mheen, Dike; Schoenmakers, Tim M; Harting, Janneke; Kunst, Anton E

    2016-07-01

    Cross-sectoral alcohol policy is recommended to reduce youth alcohol consumption, but little evidence is available on its effectiveness. Therefore, we examined whether regions and municipalities in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant with stronger cross-sectoral alcohol policy showed larger reductions in alcohol consumption among adolescents aged 12-15. Strong regional cross-sectoral alcohol policy was defined as participation in a regional alcohol prevention program. Strong municipal cross-sectoral alcohol policy was operationalized by measures on (a) sector variety: involvement of different policy sectors, and (b) strategy variety: formulation of different policy strategies. Relevant data from policy documents were searched for on the Internet. Data on trends in alcohol consumption were extracted from the 2007 and 2011 cross-sectional Youth Health Monitor that includes a random subset of adolescents aged 12-15 (n = 15,380 in 2007 and n = 15,437 in 2011). We used multilevel regression models. Two of the three regions in which municipalities participated in a regional alcohol prevention program showed a larger reduction in weekly drinking than the region in which municipalities did not participate (-12.2% and -13.4% vs. -8.3%). Municipalities with strong compared to weak sector variety showed a larger increase in adolescents' age at consuming their first alcoholic drink (0.63 vs. 0.42 years). Municipalities with strong strategy variety showed a decrease (-3.8%) in heavy weekly drinking, whereas those with weak variety showed an increase (5.1%). Cross-sectoral alcohol policy did not affect trends in other alcohol outcomes. Our results suggest that strong cross-sectoral alcohol policy may contribute to reducing some aspects of youth alcohol consumption. Monitoring policy implementation is needed to assess the full impact.

  13. Afghanistan: U.S. Rule of Law and Justice Sector Assistance

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-11-09

    Sector Support Program ( JSSP ) and Corrections System Support Program (CSSP); • U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) formal and informal...Sector Support Program ( JSSP )........................................................................ 28 Corrections System Support Program (CSSP...programs are the Judicial Sector Support Program ( JSSP ), the Corrections System Support Program (CSSP), the ROL Stabilization (RLS) Program, and the

  14. 50 CFR 648.63 - General category Sectors and harvesting cooperatives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... of TAC to Sectors. (i) The sector allocation shall be equal to a percentage share of the ACL... specified in § 648.53(h). The sector's percentage share of the IFQ scallop fishery ACL catch shall not change, but the amount of allocation based on the percentage share will change based on the ACL specified...

  15. 50 CFR 648.63 - General category Sectors and harvesting cooperatives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... of TAC to Sectors. (i) The sector allocation shall be equal to a percentage share of the ACL... specified in § 648.53(h). The sector's percentage share of the IFQ scallop fishery ACL catch shall not change, but the amount of allocation based on the percentage share will change based on the ACL specified...

  16. 50 CFR 648.63 - General category Sectors and harvesting cooperatives.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... of TAC to Sectors. (i) The sector allocation shall be equal to a percentage share of the ACL... specified in § 648.53(h). The sector's percentage share of the IFQ scallop fishery ACL catch shall not change, but the amount of allocation based on the percentage share will change based on the ACL specified...

  17. Safety evaluation of genetically modified DAS-40278-9 maize in a subchronic rodent feeding study.

    PubMed

    Zou, Shiying; Lang, Tianqi; Liu, Xu; Huang, Kunlun; He, Xiaoyun

    2018-07-01

    Genetically modified (GM) maize, DAS-40278-9, expresses the aryloxyalkanoate dioxygenase-1 (AAD-1) protein, which confers tolerance to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and aryloxyphenoxypropionate (AOPP) herbicides. The aad-1 gene, which expresses the AAD-1 protein, was derived from Gram-negative soil bacterium, Sphingobium herbicidovorans. A 90-day sub-chronic toxicity study was conducted on rats as a component of the safety evaluation of DAS-40278-9 maize. Rats were given formulated diets containing maize grain from DAS-40278-9 or a non-GM near isogenic control comparator at an incorporation rate of 12.5%, 25%, or 50% (w/w), respectively for 90 days. In addition, another group of rats was fed a basic rodent diet. Animals were evaluated by cage-side and hand-held detailed clinical observations, ophthalmic examinations, body weights/body weight gains, feed consumption, hematology, serum chemistry, selected organ weights, and gross and histopathological examinations. Under the condition of this study, DAS-40278-9 maize did not cause any treatment-related effects in rats compared with rats fed diets containing non-GM maize. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. University-Private Sector Research Partnerships in the Innovation Ecosystem

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-11-01

    private sector . There are several trends that PCAST considers to fall specifically within context of university- private sector research partnerships. The first is the growing imbalance between the academic research capacity and the Federal research budget. The second development is the reduction in basic research performed by the industrial sector. Private foundations are expanding their capacity to fund research, a trend expected to be important in the future. Lastly, the accelerating speed of technological development requires new methods of

  19. Chiral Dark Sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Co, Raymond T.; Harigaya, Keisuke; Nomura, Yasunori

    2017-03-01

    We present a simple and natural dark sector model in which dark matter particles arise as composite states of hidden strong dynamics and their stability is ensured by accidental symmetries. The model has only a few free parameters. In particular, the gauge symmetry of the model forbids the masses of dark quarks, and the confinement scale of the dynamics provides the unique mass scale of the model. The gauge group contains an Abelian symmetry U (1 )D , which couples the dark and standard model sectors through kinetic mixing. This model, despite its simple structure, has rich and distinctive phenomenology. In the case where the dark pion becomes massive due to U (1 )D quantum corrections, direct and indirect detection experiments can probe thermal relic dark matter which is generically a mixture of the dark pion and the dark baryon, and the Large Hadron Collider can discover the U (1 )D gauge boson. Alternatively, if the dark pion stays light due to a specific U (1 )D charge assignment of the dark quarks, then the dark pion constitutes dark radiation. The signal of this radiation is highly correlated with that of dark baryons in dark matter direct detection.

  20. Chiral Dark Sector.

    PubMed

    Co, Raymond T; Harigaya, Keisuke; Nomura, Yasunori

    2017-03-10

    We present a simple and natural dark sector model in which dark matter particles arise as composite states of hidden strong dynamics and their stability is ensured by accidental symmetries. The model has only a few free parameters. In particular, the gauge symmetry of the model forbids the masses of dark quarks, and the confinement scale of the dynamics provides the unique mass scale of the model. The gauge group contains an Abelian symmetry U(1)_{D}, which couples the dark and standard model sectors through kinetic mixing. This model, despite its simple structure, has rich and distinctive phenomenology. In the case where the dark pion becomes massive due to U(1)_{D} quantum corrections, direct and indirect detection experiments can probe thermal relic dark matter which is generically a mixture of the dark pion and the dark baryon, and the Large Hadron Collider can discover the U(1)_{D} gauge boson. Alternatively, if the dark pion stays light due to a specific U(1)_{D} charge assignment of the dark quarks, then the dark pion constitutes dark radiation. The signal of this radiation is highly correlated with that of dark baryons in dark matter direct detection.

  1. Revision of an automated microseismic location algorithm for DAS - 3C geophone hybrid array

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mizuno, T.; LeCalvez, J.; Raymer, D.

    2017-12-01

    Application of distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has been studied in several areas in seismology. One of the areas is microseismic reservoir monitoring (e.g., Molteni et al., 2017, First Break). Considering the present limitations of DAS, which include relatively low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and no 3C polarization measurements, a DAS - 3C geophone hybrid array is a practical option when using a single monitoring well. Considering the large volume of data from distributed sensing, microseismic event detection and location using a source scanning type algorithm is a reasonable choice, especially for real-time monitoring. The algorithm must handle both strain rate along the borehole axis for DAS and particle velocity for 3C geophones. Only a small quantity of large SNR events will be detected throughout a large aperture encompassing the hybrid array; therefore, the aperture is to be optimized dynamically to eliminate noisy channels for a majority of events. For such hybrid array, coalescence microseismic mapping (CMM) (Drew et al., 2005, SPE) was revised. CMM forms a likelihood function of location of event and its origin time. At each receiver, a time function of event arrival likelihood is inferred using an SNR function, and it is migrated to time and space to determine hypocenter and origin time likelihood. This algorithm was revised to dynamically optimize such a hybrid array by identifying receivers where a microseismic signal is possibly detected and using only those receivers to compute the likelihood function. Currently, peak SNR is used to select receivers. To prevent false results due to small aperture, a minimum aperture threshold is employed. The algorithm refines location likelihood using 3C geophone polarization. We tested this algorithm using a ray-based synthetic dataset. Leaney (2014, PhD thesis, UBC) is used to compute particle velocity at receivers. Strain rate along the borehole axis is computed from particle velocity as DAS microseismic

  2. Co-Optima Targets Maximum Transportation Sector Efficiency, Energy

    Science.gov Websites

    Independence and Industry Growth | News | NREL Co-Optima Targets Maximum Transportation Sector Efficiency, Energy Independence and Industry Growth Co-Optima Targets Maximum Transportation Sector Efficiency, Energy Independence and Industry Growth February 6, 2017 Report cover on Co-Optima Year in Review

  3. Knowledge Exchange between Academia and the Third Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murdock, Alex; Shariff, Razia; Wilding, Karl

    2013-01-01

    This paper considers the different approaches to undertake knowledge exchange between academia and the third sector from three practitioner perspectives. London South Bank University (LSBU), as part of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC) Social Enterprise Capacity Building Cluster (CBC), has been…

  4. High Energy Colliders and Hidden Sectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dror, Asaf Jeff

    This thesis explores two dominant frontiers of theoretical physics, high energy colliders and hidden sectors. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is just starting to reach its maximum operational capabilities. However, already with the current data, large classes of models are being put under significant pressure. It is crucial to understand whether the (thus far) null results are a consequence of a lack of solution to the hierarchy problem around the weak scale or requires expanding the search strategy employed at the LHC. It is the duty of the current generation of physicists to design new searches to ensure that no stone is left unturned. To this end, we study the sensitivity of the LHC to the couplings in the Standard Model top sector. We find it can significantly improve the measurements on ZtRtR coupling by a novel search strategy, making use of an implied unitarity violation in such models. Analogously, we show that other couplings in the top sector can also be measured with the same technique. Furthermore, we critically analyze a set of anomalies in the LHC data and how they may appear from consistent UV completions. We also propose a technique to measure lifetimes of new colored particles with non-trivial spin. While the high energy frontier will continue to take data, it is likely the only collider of its kind for the next couple decades. On the other hand, low-energy experiments have a promising future with many new proposed experiments to probe the existence of particles well below the weak scale but with small couplings to the Standard Model. In this work we survey the different possibilities, focusingon the constraints as well as possible new hidden sector dynamics. In particular, we show that vector portals which couple to an anomalous current, e.g., baryon number, are significantly constrained from flavor changing meson decays and rare Z decays. Furthermore, we present a new mechanism for dark matter freezeout which depletes the dark sector through an

  5. Cross-sector partnerships and public health: challenges and opportunities for addressing obesity and noncommunicable diseases through engagement with the private sector.

    PubMed

    Johnston, Lee M; Finegood, Diane T

    2015-03-18

    Over the past few decades, cross-sector partnerships with the private sector have become an increasingly accepted practice in public health, particularly in efforts to address infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries. Now these partnerships are becoming a popular tool in efforts to reduce and prevent obesity and the epidemic of noncommunicable diseases. Partnering with businesses presents a means to acquire resources, as well as opportunities to influence the private sector toward more healthful practices. Yet even though collaboration is a core principle of public health practice, public-private or nonprofit-private partnerships present risks and challenges that warrant specific consideration. In this article, we review the role of public health partnerships with the private sector, with a focus on efforts to address obesity and noncommunicable diseases in high-income settings. We identify key challenges-including goal alignment and conflict of interest-and consider how changes to partnership practice might address these.

  6. 2017 Standard Scenarios Report: A U.S. Electricity Sector Outlook

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

    Cole, Wesley J.; Mai, Trieu T.; Richards, James

    The 2017 Standard Scenarios includes a suite of U.S. electricity sector scenarios. The report explores four power sector storylines, including the growth in natural gas and renewable energy, the relative competitiveness of wind and solar PV, the potential impact of low-cost battery storage, and the impact of nuclear lifetimes on the capacity expansion of the power sector.

  7. Chemical Manufacturing Sector (NAICS 325)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    find EPA regulatory information for the chemical manufacturing sector, including NESHAPs, the SNAP program for ozone depleting substances,effluent guidelines, and new and existing chemicals testing requirements under TSCA.

  8. Private sector participation and health system performance in sub-saharan Africa.

    PubMed

    Yoong, Joanne; Burger, Nicholas; Spreng, Connor; Sood, Neeraj

    2010-10-07

    The role of the private health sector in developing countries remains a much-debated and contentious issue. Critics argue that the high prices charged in the private sector limits the use of health care among the poorest, consequently reducing access and equity in the use of health care. Supporters argue that increased private sector participation might improve access and equity by bringing in much needed resources for health care and by allowing governments to increase focus on underserved populations. However, little empirical exists for or against either side of this debate. We examine the association between private sector participation and self-reported measures of utilization and equity in deliveries and treatment of childhood respiratory disease using regression analysis, across a sample of nationally-representative Demographic and Health Surveys from 34 SSA economies. We also examine the correlation between private sector participation and key background factors (socioeconomic development, business environment and governance) and use multivariate regression to control for potential confounders. Private sector participation is positively associated with greater overall access and reduced disparities between rich and poor as well as urban and rural populations. The positive association between private sector participation and improved health system performance is robust to controlling for confounders including per capita income and maternal education. Private sector participation is positively correlated with measures of socio-economic development and favorable business environment. Greater participation is associated with favorable intermediate outcomes in terms of access and equity. While these results do not establish a causal link between private sector participation and health system performance, they suggest that there is no deleterious link between private sector participation and health system performance in SSA.

  9. Differences in public and private sector adoption of telemedicine: Indian case study for sectoral adoption.

    PubMed

    Sood, Sanjay P; Negash, Solomon; Mbarika, Victor W A; Kifle, Mengistu; Prakash, Nupur

    2007-01-01

    Telemedicine is the use of communication networks to exchange medical information for providing healthcare services and medical education from one site to another. The application of telemedicine is more promising in economically developing countries with agrarian societies. The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) identifies three healthcare services: clinical medical services, health and medical education, and consumer health information. However, it is not clear how these services can be adopted by different sectors: public and private. This paper looks at four Indian case studies, two each in public and private sectors to understand two research questions: Are there differences in telemedicine adoption between public and private hospitals. If there are differences: What are the differences in telemedicine adoption between public and private sectors? Authors have used the extant literature in telemedicine and healthcare to frame theoretical background, describe the research setting, present the case studies, and provide discussion and conclusions about their findings. Authors believe that as India continues to develop its telemedicine infrastructures, especially with continued government support through subsidies to private telemedicine initiatives, its upward trend in healthcare will continue. This is expected to put India on the path to increase its life expectancy rates, especially for it rural community which constitute over 70% of its populace.

  10. 75 FR 34148 - Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-16

    ...] Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program AGENCY: Federal Emergency...) announces its adoption of three standards for the Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification... DHS to develop and implement a Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification...

  11. Assimilation of SBUV Version 8 Radiances into the GEOS Ozone DAS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mueller, Martin D.; Stajner, Ivanka; Bhartia, Pawan K.

    2004-01-01

    In operational weather forecasting, the assimilation of brightness temperatures from satellite sounders, instead of assimilation of 1D-retrievals has become increasingly common practice over the last two decades. Compared to these systems, assimilation of trace gases is still at a relatively early stage of development, and efforts to directly assimilate radiances instead of retrieved products have just begun a few years ago, partially because it requires much more computation power due to the employment of a radiative transport forward model (FM). This paper will focus on a method to assimilate SBUV/2 radiances (albedos) into the Global Earth Observation System Ozone Data Assimilation Scheme (GEOS-03DAS). While SBUV-type instruments cannot compete with newer sensors in terms of spectral and horizontal resolution, they feature a continuous data record back to 1978, which makes them very valuable for trend studies. Assimilation can help spreading their ground coverage over the whole globe, as has been previously demonstrated with the GEOS-03DAS using SBUV Version 6 ozone profiles. Now, the DAS has been updated to use the newly released SBUV Version 8 data. We will compare pre]lmlnarv results of SBUV radiance assimilation with the assimilation of retrieved ozone profiles, discuss methods to deal with the increased computational load, and try to assess the error characteristics and future potential of the new approach.

  12. LHC searches for dark sector showers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cohen, Timothy; Lisanti, Mariangela; Lou, Hou Keong; Mishra-Sharma, Siddharth

    2017-11-01

    This paper proposes a new search program for dark sector parton showers at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). These signatures arise in theories characterized by strong dynamics in a hidden sector, such as Hidden Valley models. A dark parton shower can be composed of both invisible dark matter particles as well as dark sector states that decay to Standard Model particles via a portal. The focus here is on the specific case of `semi-visible jets,' jet-like collider objects where the visible states in the shower are Standard Model hadrons. We present a Simplified Model-like parametrization for the LHC observables and propose targeted search strategies for regions of parameter space that are not covered by existing analyses. Following the `mono- X' literature, the portal is modeled using either an effective field theoretic contact operator approach or with one of two ultraviolet completions; sensitivity projections are provided for all three cases. We additionally highlight that the LHC has a unique advantage over direct detection experiments in the search for this class of dark matter theories.

  13. How does retiree health insurance influence public sector employee saving?

    PubMed

    Clark, Robert L; Mitchell, Olivia S

    2014-12-01

    Economic theory predicts that employer-provided retiree health insurance (RHI) benefits have a crowd-out effect on household wealth accumulation, not dissimilar to the effects reported elsewhere for employer pensions, Social Security, and Medicare. Nevertheless, we are unaware of any similar research on the impacts of retiree health insurance per se. Accordingly, the present paper utilizes a unique data file on respondents to the Health and Retirement Study, to explore how employer-provided retiree health insurance may influence net household wealth among public sector employees, where retiree healthcare benefits are still quite prevalent. Key findings include the following: Most full-time public sector employees anticipate having employer-provided health insurance coverage in retirement, unlike most private sector workers.Public sector employees covered by RHI had substantially less wealth than similar private sector employees without RHI. In our data, Federal workers had about $82,000 (18%) less net wealth than private sector employees lacking RHI; state/local workers with RHI accumulated about $69,000 (or 15%) less net wealth than their uninsured private sector counterparts.After controlling on socioeconomic status and differences in pension coverage, net household wealth for Federal employees was $116,000 less than workers without RHI and the result is statistically significant; the state/local difference was not. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Einfluss des Internets auf das Informations-, Einkaufs- und Verkehrsverhalten

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nerlich, Mark R.; Schiffner, Felix; Vogt, Walter

    Mit Daten aus eigenen Erhebungen können das einkaufsbezogene Informations- und Einkaufsverhalten im Zusammenhang mit den verkehrlichen Aspekten (Distanzen, Verkehrsmittel, Wegekopplungen) dargestellt werden. Die Differenzierung in die drei Produktkategorien des täglichen, mittelfristigen und des langfristigen Bedarfs berücksichtigt in erster Linie die Wertigkeit eines Gutes, die seine Erwerbshäufigkeit unmittelbar bestimmt. Der Einsatz moderner IKT wie das Internet eröffnet dem Endverbraucher neue Möglichkeiten bei Information und Einkauf. Die verkehrliche Relevanz von Online-Shopping wird deutlich, wenn man berücksichtigt, dass im Mittel rund 17% aller Online-Einkäufe, die die Probanden durchgeführt haben, Einkäufe in Ladengeschäften ersetzen. Dies gilt in verstärktem Maße für Online-Informationen: etwa die Hälfte hätte alternativ im stationären Einzelhandel stattgefunden. Da der Erwerb von Gütern des täglichen Bedarfs häufig nahräumlich und in relevantem Anteil nicht-motorisiert erfolgen kann, sind in diesem Segment - im Gegensatz zum mittel- und langfristigen Bedarf - nur geringe Substitutionseffekte zu beobachten.

  15. Textile Manufacturing Sector (NAICS 313)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find environmental regulatory and compliance information for the textile and leather manufacturing sector, including NESHAPs for leather tanning and fabric printing, and small business guidance for RCRA hazardous waste requirements.

  16. Competitiveness measurement system in the advertising sector.

    PubMed

    Poveda-Bautista, Rocío; García-Melón, Mónica; Baptista, Doris C

    2013-01-01

    In this paper a new approach to find indicators that can be used to measure companies' competitiveness and performance in an efficient and reliable way is presented. The aim is to assist managers of companies within a specific industrial sector by providing information about their relative position in the market so as to define better action plans that may improve the company's performance. The approach combines the use of the Analytic Network Process, a multicriteria decision method, with the Balanced Scorecard. It allows the definition of a number of competitiveness indicators based on the performance and setting of the advertising sector. In this way it is possible to obtain a Competitiveness Index that allows a company to know its relative position with respect to other companies in the sector, and establish a ranking of the companies ordered by their competitiveness level. A case study in the advertising industry of Venezuela is provided. Results show that improvement plans for the agencies analyzed should promote creativity, innovation and the use of new technologies, as a particular form of innovation. These factors were considered to be the most relevant indicators in the advertising sector. The participating experts agreed that the methodology is useful and an improvement over current competitiveness assessment methods.

  17. Private sector health reform in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Van Den Heever, A M

    1998-06-01

    This paper discusses some of the trends, debates and policy proposals in relation to the financing of the private health sector in South Africa. The public and private sectors in South Africa are of equivalent size in terms of overall expenditure, but cover substantially different population sizes. Within this context the government has reached the unavoidable conclusion that the private sector has to play some role in ensuring that equity, access and efficiency objectives are achieved for the health system as a whole. However, the private sector is some way off from taking on this responsibility. Substantial increases in per capita costs over the past 15 years, coupled with a degree of deregulation by the former government, have resulted in increasing instability and volatility. The development of a very competitive medical scheme (health insurance) market reinforced by intermediaries with commercial interests has accelerated trends toward excluding high health risks from cover. The approach taken by the government has been to define a new environment which leaves the market open for extensive competition, but removes from schemes the ability to compete by discriminating against high health risks. The only alternatives left to the private market, policy makers hope, will be to go out of business, or to survive through productivity improvements.

  18. [Cross-sectoral quality assurance in ambulatory care].

    PubMed

    Albrecht, Martin; Loos, Stefan; Otten, Marcus

    2013-01-01

    Overcoming rigid sectoral segmentation in healthcare has also become a health policy target in quality assurance. With the Act to Enhance Competition in Statutory Health Insurance (GKV-WSG) coming into effect, quality assurance measures are to be designed in a cross-sectoral fashion for in- and outpatient sectors equally. An independent institution is currently mandated to develop specific quality indicators for eleven indications. For three of these operating tests have already been commissioned by the Federal Joint Committee. This article depicts the major results of a feasibility study, including a compliance cost estimate, for the aforementioned indications of cross-sectoral quality assurance (cQA). In conclusion, a number of both practical and conceptual basic challenges are still to be resolved prior to the full implementation of cQA, such as a sufficient specification to activate documentation requirements and an inspection system capable of separating actual quality problems from documentary deficits. So far, a comprehensive cost-utility analysis of cQA has not been provided, in particular with comparison to existing QA systems. In order to optimise cost and utility of cQA an evidence-based approach is required for both the extension of cQA areas and for QA provisions. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

  19. 75 FR 60773 - Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-01

    ...] Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program AGENCY: Federal Emergency... concerns in the Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program (PS-Prep...-53 (the 9/11 Act) mandated DHS to establish a voluntary private sector preparedness accreditation and...

  20. Adults with Cognitive Disabilities in the Technical Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gronsky, Stacy A.

    2015-01-01

    Given the number of jobs created in the technical sector (Casserly, 2012), it is essential to identify how adults with cognitive disabilities can be best supported in professional environments and evolving sectors. Some career paths and jobs can be more understanding of learning disabilities than others (Nicholas, 2011). This is dependent not only…

  1. The nonprofit sector's $100 billion opportunity.

    PubMed

    Bradley, Bill; Jansen, Paul; Silverman, Les

    2003-05-01

    Imagine what an extra $100 billion a year could do for philanthropic and other nonprofit institutions. According to a new study, the nonprofit sector could free that amount--maybe even more--by making five changes in the way it operates. The study asked two central questions: Does the sector's money flow from its source to its ultimate use as efficiently and effectively as possible? If not, where are the big opportunities to increase social benefit? According to former senator Bill Bradley and McKinsey's Paul Jansen and Les Silverman, nonprofits could save roughly $25 billion a year by changing the way they raise funds. By distributing funds more quickly, they could put an extra $30 billion to work. Organizations could generate more than $60 billion a year by streamlining and restructuring the way in which they provide services and by reducing administrative costs. And they could free up even more money--an amount impossible to estimate--by better allocating funds among service providers. The authors admit that making those changes won't be easy. The nonprofit world, historically seen as a collection of locally focused charities, has become an enormous sector, but it lacks the managerial processes and incentives that help keep the for-profit world on track. And when the baby boomers start to retire in less than a decade, public budgets will be squeezed even more than they are today. If the nonprofit sector is to help the nation cope with the stresses ahead, it must become more efficient and challenge its traditional concepts of stewardship.

  2. Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) for Periodic Hydraulic Tests: Laboratory Data

    DOE Data Explorer

    Coleman, Thomas

    2015-02-27

    These data were collected in the laboratory located at California State University Long Beach. They consist of DAS data collected from a fiber optic cable placed in a tank of water, subjected to oscillating head. These tests are described in the article linked below.

  3. Wood and Paper Manufacturing Sectors

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find EPA regulatory information for the wood product and paper manufacturing sectors, including paper, pulp and lumber. Information includes NESHAPs and effluent guidelines for pulp and paper rulemaking, and compliance guidelines

  4. Dry Cleaning Sector (NAICS 8123)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The dry cleaning sector includes establishments engaged in providing laundry services and industrial launderers. Find environmental regulatory information for perchloroethylene (PERC) cleaners as well as hazardous waste regulations for dry cleaners.

  5. Review of Private Sector Personnel Screening Practices

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-10-01

    private sector investigative sources or methods would be useful to the DoD for conducting national security background investigations. The federal government by and large examines more sources and conducts more thorough investigations than industry. In general, private employers (1) have less access to information about applicants...outsource many elements of background checks. It is recommended that the DoD periodically evaluate private sector screening programs and data sources in order to monitor

  6. Trends in worker hearing loss by industry sector, 1981-2010.

    PubMed

    Masterson, Elizabeth A; Deddens, James A; Themann, Christa L; Bertke, Stephen; Calvert, Geoffrey M

    2015-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to estimate the incidence and prevalence of hearing loss for noise-exposed U.S. workers by industry sector and 5-year time period, covering 30 years. Audiograms for 1.8 million workers from 1981-2010 were examined. Incidence and prevalence were estimated by industry sector and time period. The adjusted risk of incident hearing loss within each time period and industry sector as compared with a reference time period was also estimated. The adjusted risk for incident hearing loss decreased over time when all industry sectors were combined. However, the risk remained high for workers in Healthcare and Social Assistance, and the prevalence was consistently high for Mining and Construction workers. While progress has been made in reducing the risk of incident hearing loss within most industry sectors, additional efforts are needed within Mining, Construction and Healthcare and Social Assistance. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Philippines' downstream sector poised for growth

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

    Not Available

    1992-05-11

    This paper reports that the Philippines' downstream sector is poised for sharp growth. Despite a slip in refined products demand in recent years, Philippines products demand will rebound sharply by 2000, East-West Center (EWC), Honolulu, predicts. Philippines planned refinery expansions are expected to meet that added demand, EWC Director Fereidun Fesharaki says. Like the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, product specifications are changing, but major refiners in the area expect to meet the changes without major case outlays. At the same time, Fesharaki says, push toward deregulation will further bolster the outlook for the Philippines downstream sector.

  8. Modeling climate change impacts on the forest sector

    Treesearch

    John R. Mills; Ralph Alig; Richard W. Haynes; Darius M. Adams

    2000-01-01

    The forest sector has had a relatively long history of applying sectorial models to estimate the effects of atmospheric issues such as acid rain, climate change, and the forestry impacts of reduced atmospheric ozone. The models of the forest sector vary in scope and complexity but share a number of common features and databases.

  9. Social Work-Business Sector Collaboration in Pursuit of Economic Justice.

    PubMed

    Lee, Wonhyung

    2016-07-01

    This article examines social workers' perceptions, experiences, and prospects regarding working in the business sector after participating in an MSW field practicum with a local microlending program. Social workers' insights suggest that cross-sector collaboration leads to vast opportunities not only for the populations served by the collaborative efforts, but also for social work as a profession. However, several challenges are evealed, including social workers' unfamiliarity with business operations, the business sector's narrow understanding of social workers' roles, and divisions between participants in interprofessional collaboration. This article calls for enhancing the role of social work to maximize its impact on economic development through further research and tangible cross-sector projects.

  10. Sectoral transitions - modeling the development from agrarian to service economies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lutz, Raphael; Spies, Michael; Reusser, Dominik E.; Kropp, Jürgen P.; Rybski, Diego

    2013-04-01

    We consider the sectoral composition of a country's GDP, i.e the partitioning into agrarian, industrial, and service sectors. Exploring a simple system of differential equations we characterise the transfer of GDP shares between the sectors in the course of economic development. The model fits for the majority of countries providing 4 country-specific parameters. Relating the agrarian with the industrial sector, a data collapse over all countries and all years supports the applicability of our approach. Depending on the parameter ranges, country development exhibits different transfer properties. Most countries follow 3 of 8 characteristic paths. The types are not random but show distinct geographic and development patterns.

  11. Cooperative Home Care Associates: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach. Sectoral Employment Development Learning Project Case Studies Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Inserra, Anne; Conway, Maureen; Rodat, John

    Cooperative Home Care Associates (CHCA) is a worker-owned cooperative and employer-based training program that provides home health aide services in New York City's South Bronx. Since 1985, CHCA has developed from an outsider advocating for change in the home health sector to an insider within the sector. CHCA exhibits the following…

  12. Exposing the dark sector with future Z factories

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Jia; Wang, Lian-Tao; Wang, Xiao-Ping; Xue, Wei

    2018-05-01

    We investigate the prospects of searching dark sector models via exotic Z -boson decay at future e+e- colliders with Giga Z and Tera Z options. Four general categories of dark sector models, Higgs portal dark matter, vector-portal dark matter, inelastic dark matter, and axionlike particles, are considered. Focusing on channels motivated by the dark sector models, we carry out a model-independent study of the sensitivities of Z factories in probing exotic decays. The limits on branching ratios of the exotic Z decay are typically O (10-6- 10-8.5) for the Giga Z and O (10-7.5- 10-11) for the Tera Z , and they are compared with the projection for the high luminosity LHC. We demonstrate that future Z factories can provide its unique and leading sensitivity and highlight the complementarity with other experiments, including the indirect and direct dark matter search limits and the existing collider limits. Future Z factories will play a leading role in uncovering the hidden sector of the Universe in the future.

  13. Managing risk selection incentives in health sector reforms.

    PubMed

    Puig-Junoy, J

    1999-01-01

    The object of the paper is to review theoretical and empirical contributions to the optimal management of risk selection incentives ('cream skimming') in health sector reforms. The trade-off between efficiency and risk selection is fostered in health sector reforms by the introduction of competitive mechanisms such as price competition or prospective payment systems. The effects of two main forms of competition in health sector reforms are observed when health insurance is mandatory: competition in the market for health insurance, and in the market for health services. Market and government failures contribute to the assessment of the different forms of risk selection employed by insurers and providers, as the effects of selection incentives on efficiency and their proposed remedies to reduce the impact of these perverse incentives. Two European (Netherlands and Spain) and two Latin American (Chile and Colombia) case studies of health sector reforms are examined in order to observe selection incentives, their effects on efficiency and costs in the health system, and regulation policies implemented in each country to mitigate incentives to 'cream skim' good risks.

  14. Stability of the sectored morphology of polymer crystallites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alageshan, Jaya Kumar; Hatwalne, Yashodhan; Muthukumar, Murugappan

    2016-09-01

    When an entangled interpenetrating collection of long flexible polymer chains dispersed in a suitable solvent is cooled to low enough temperatures, thin lamellar crystals form. Remarkably, these lamellae are sectored, with several growth sectors that have differing melting temperatures and growth kinetics, eluding so far an understanding of their origins. We present a theoretical model to explain this six-decade-old challenge by addressing the elasticity of fold surfaces of finite-sized lamella in the presence of disclination-type topological defects arising from anisotropic line tension. Entrapment of a disclination defect in a lamella results in sectors separated by walls, which are soliton solutions of a two-dimensional elliptic sine-Gordon equation. For flat square morphologies, exact results show that sectored squares are more stable than plain squares if the dimensionless anisotropic line tension parameter α =γa n/√{h4Kϕ } (γa n = anisotropic line tension, h4 = fold energy parameter, Kϕ = elastic constant for two-dimensional orientational deformation) is above a critical value, which depends on the size of the square.

  15. [On the health sector crisis].

    PubMed

    Lopez Sarmiento, A

    1997-09-01

    The chronic crisis in Ecuador's health sector is an indication of the general deterioration of the country, whose multiple unmet needs signify a condition of underdevelopment. Theorizing on health problems should not be allowed to substitute for action. Developing a health policy giving priority to the most disadvantaged sectors will require a development model with a participatory character that promotes equity and solidarity and does not benefit the macroeconomy exclusively. The political will of all sectors must be committed to development of a national health system. A well-coordinated regional system of services, comprising integrated levels of care with functioning referral systems, is needed. The existing network of services must be made to function effectively, without strikes or suspension of activities. The government has a constitutional, legal, and moral obligation to provide health care. Ecuador directs about 6% of the gross national product to health, with 1.6% financing the Ministry of Public Health, which attends to at least 60% of the population. A country like Ecuador--with a very poor population--should not require copayment for services. Ecuador needs an environmental policy to guarantee a healthy food supply, treat sewage, and control use of pesticides--measures which will reduce health care costs in the long run. Finally, it is necessary to improve attention to the human values of medical practice.

  16. Going private: clinicians' experience of working in UK independent sector treatment centres.

    PubMed

    Waring, Justin; Bishop, Simon

    2012-02-01

    With increased possibility that public healthcare services in the UK will be outsourced to the private sector, this study investigates how clinicians working in Independent Sector Treatment Centres perceive the differences between public and private sectors. Qualitative interviews with 35 clinicians recruited from two ISTCs. All participants were transferred to the independent sector from the public National Health Service. Interview data were analysed to identify shared experience about the variable organisation and delivery of services. Clinicians perceived differences between public and independent sectors in the areas of 'environment and facilities', 'management', 'work organisation and care delivery', and 'patient experience'. The independent sector was described as offering a positive alternative to public services in regard to service environment and patient experience, but there were concerns about management priorities and the reconfiguration of work. Clinicians' experience of moving between sectors reveals mixed experiences. Although some improvements might legitimise the growing role of the independent sector, there remain doubts about the commercialisation of services, the motives of managers and the impact of clinical roles and capabilities. With policies looking to expand the mixed economy of public healthcare services, the study suggests clinicians will not automatically embrace a move between sectors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Innovation evaluation model for macro-construction sector companies: A study in Spain.

    PubMed

    Zubizarreta, Mikel; Cuadrado, Jesús; Iradi, Jon; García, Harkaitz; Orbe, Aimar

    2017-04-01

    The innovativeness of the traditional construction sector, composed of construction companies or contractors, is not one of its strong points. Likewise, its poor productivity in comparison with other sectors, such as manufacturing, has historically been criticized. Similar features are found in the Spanish traditional construction sector, which it has been described as not very innovative. However, certain characteristics of the sector may explain this behavior; the companies invest in R+D less than in other sectors and release fewer patents, so traditional innovation evaluation indicators do not reflect the true extent of its innovative activity. While previous research has focused on general innovation evaluation models, limited research has been done regarding innovation evaluation in the macro-construction sector, which includes, apart from the traditional construction companies or contractors, all companies related to the infrastructure life-cycle. Therefore, in this research an innovation evaluation model has been developed for macro-construction sector companies and is applied in the Spanish case. The model may be applied to the macro-construction sector companies in other countries, requiring the adaption of the model to the specific characteristics of the sector in that country, in consultation with a panel of experts at a national level. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Utilization of skilled birth attendants in public and private sectors in Vietnam.

    PubMed

    Do, Mai

    2009-05-01

    The private sector in health care in Vietnam has been increasingly competing with the government in primary health care services. However, little is known about the use of skilled birth attendance or about choice of public and private sectors among those who opt for skilled attendants. Using data from the Vietnam 2002 Demographic and Health Survey, this study examines factors related to women's decision-making of whether to have a skilled birth attendant at a recent childbirth, and if they did, whether it was a public or private sector provider. The study indicates that the use of the private sector for delivery services was significant. Women's household wealth, education, antenatal care and community's wealth were positively related to skilled birth attendance, while ethnicity and order of childbirth were negatively related. Order of childbirth was positively associated with skilled birth attendance in the private sector. Among service environment factors, increased access to public sector health centres was associated with an increased likelihood of skilled birth attendance in general, but a lowered chance of that in the private sector. Further studies are needed to assess the current situation in the private sector, the demand for delivery services in the private sector, and its readiness to provide quality services.

  19. Paradigm shifts and the interplay between state, business and civil sectors.

    PubMed

    Encarnação, Sara; Santos, Fernando P; Santos, Francisco C; Blass, Vered; Pacheco, Jorge M; Portugali, Juval

    2016-12-01

    The recent rise of the civil sector as a main player of socio-political actions, next to public and private sectors, has largely increased the complexity underlying the interplay between different sectors of our society. From urban planning to global governance, analysis of these complex interactions requires new mathematical and computational approaches. Here, we develop a novel framework, grounded on evolutionary game theory, to envisage situations in which each of these sectors is confronted with the dilemma of deciding between maintaining a status quo scenario or shifting towards a new paradigm. We consider multisector conflicts regarding environmentally friendly policies as an example of application, but the framework developed here has a considerably broader scope. We show that the public sector is crucial in initiating the shift, and determine explicitly under which conditions the civil sector-reflecting the emergent reality of civil society organizations playing an active role in modern societies-may influence the decision-making processes accruing to other sectors, while fostering new routes towards a paradigm shift of the society as a whole. Our results are shown to be robust to a wide variety of assumptions and model parametrizations.

  20. Paradigm shifts and the interplay between state, business and civil sectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Encarnação, Sara; Santos, Fernando P.; Santos, Francisco C.; Blass, Vered; Pacheco, Jorge M.; Portugali, Juval

    2016-12-01

    The recent rise of the civil sector as a main player of socio-political actions, next to public and private sectors, has largely increased the complexity underlying the interplay between different sectors of our society. From urban planning to global governance, analysis of these complex interactions requires new mathematical and computational approaches. Here, we develop a novel framework, grounded on evolutionary game theory, to envisage situations in which each of these sectors is confronted with the dilemma of deciding between maintaining a status quo scenario or shifting towards a new paradigm. We consider multisector conflicts regarding environmentally friendly policies as an example of application, but the framework developed here has a considerably broader scope. We show that the public sector is crucial in initiating the shift, and determine explicitly under which conditions the civil sector-reflecting the emergent reality of civil society organizations playing an active role in modern societies-may influence the decision-making processes accruing to other sectors, while fostering new routes towards a paradigm shift of the society as a whole. Our results are shown to be robust to a wide variety of assumptions and model parametrizations.

  1. 50 CFR 648.53 - Acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... catch limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS allocations, and individual fishing quotas (IFQ... limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS allocations, and individual fishing quotas (IFQ). (a... process specified in § 648.55 and is equal to the overall scallop fishery ACL. The ABC/ACL shall be...

  2. 50 CFR 648.53 - Acceptable biological catch (ABC), annual catch limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... catch limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS allocations, and individual fishing quotas (IFQ... limits (ACL), annual catch targets (ACT), DAS allocations, and individual fishing quotas (IFQ). (a... process specified in § 648.55 and is equal to the overall scallop fishery ACL. The ABC/ACL shall be...

  3. On the LHC sensitivity for non-thermalised hidden sectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kahlhoefer, Felix

    2018-04-01

    We show under rather general assumptions that hidden sectors that never reach thermal equilibrium in the early Universe are also inaccessible for the LHC. In other words, any particle that can be produced at the LHC must either have been in thermal equilibrium with the Standard Model at some point or must be produced via the decays of another hidden sector particle that has been in thermal equilibrium. To reach this conclusion, we parametrise the cross section connecting the Standard Model to the hidden sector in a very general way and use methods from linear programming to calculate the largest possible number of LHC events compatible with the requirement of non-thermalisation. We find that even the HL-LHC cannot possibly produce more than a few events with energy above 10 GeV involving states from a non-thermalised hidden sector.

  4. Private Sector Investment in Pakistani Agriculture: The Role of Infrastructural Investment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-01-01

    private sector will be expected to play the major role in providing capital to the agricultural sector, with the government’s remaining involvement being largely one of furnishing basic infrastructure. The critical question of course is how willing is the private sector to commit capital to agricultural activities in this new policy environment? Has the private sector responded in the past to the increases in profitability provided by an expansion in infrastructure? If so, what types of infrastructure are most conducive in

  5. Teaching Foreign Cultural Literacy with Margarethe von Trotta's "Das Versprechen"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kuttenberg, Eva

    2003-01-01

    This article describes model units for an in-depth cultural analysis of "Das Versprechen" in undergraduate college courses including intermediate German, German culture and civilization, advanced conversation and composition, and film. Practical suggestions for pre-viewing, viewing, and post-viewing activities as well as assessment in…

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

    PubMed

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

    2010-07-01

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

  7. The worldwide market for photovoltaics in the rural sector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brainard, W. A.

    1982-01-01

    Attention is given to the assessment of results obtained by three NASA studies aimed at determining the global market for stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) power systems in the village power, cottage industry, and agricultural applications areas of the rural sector. An attempt was made to identify technical, social, and institutional barriers to PV system implementation, as well as the funding sources available to potential users. Country- and sector-specific results are discussed, and marketing strategies appropriate for each sector are suggested for the benefit of American PV products manufacturers.

  8. Study on status quo of shipbreaking sector and strategies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shen, Wei; Xing, Guojing

    2017-11-01

    In recent years, the quantity of broken obsolete vessels tends to rise year by year in the shipbreaking sector, but breaking down obsolete vessels is one of vessel operations with high pollution and high risk, involving proper disposal of hazardous substances, bulge discarded oils and other materials, and thus causing great danger and harm. In this paper the author investigates mainly the status quo of the shipbreaking sector, comes up with the “green-shipbreaking” concept, analyzes main problems currently present in the shipbreaking sector and presents proper strategies and recommendations to deal with them.

  9. A Guide to Discipline in the Public Sector.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seidman, Joel

    This monograph was prepared as an initial effort in development of a body of material for training public sector managers. It sets forth the basic principles of grievance arbitration covering discipline in the public sector. Major sections are devoted to the topics of just or proper cause for discipline, due process, the nature of discipline, and…

  10. Sector analysis of economic impacts from heritage centers

    Treesearch

    Charles H. Strauss; Bruce E. Lord

    1995-01-01

    The economic impact of six of America's Industrial Heritage Project visitor centers was evaluated within a nine-county region of Pennsylvania. The total sales impact of these expenditures was $29.2 million. Over 60% of the direct sales impact was in the lodging and food service sectors. The labor-intensive character of both sectors created a substantial induced...

  11. Closing the Gap: How Sectoral Workforce Development Programs Benefit the Working Poor. SEDLP Research Report. The Sectoral Employment Development Learning Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zandniapour, Lily; Conway, Maureen

    The benefits of sectoral workforce development programs to the working poor were examined in a 3-year longitudinal study of participants in six sectoral employment training programs across the United States. The programs, which were all designed to serve low-income clients, provided training in a diverse set of industries, including the following:…

  12. The biotech equipment and supplies sector in Europe-is it European?

    PubMed

    Reiss, Thomas; Woerner, Stefan

    2002-09-11

    Socio-economic research on biotechnology is dealing mainly with the sectors of biopharmaceuticals, agro-food or environmental technologies. In contrast, the equipment and supplies sector seems to be largely ignored. This is surprising because this sector provides important input in terms of technology and material for the development of biotechnology in general. Our comparative analysis of the sector in eight countries indicates that there exists no specific science base for the sector and that it is largely neglected by public research funding. Commercial activities are concentrated in countries with a large general science base in biotechnology and strong multinational pharmaceutical or chemical companies. There is a rather broad diversity in the way the sector has developed in the eight countries. Our data support the notion that national peculiarities seem dominant for explaining this picture. We anticipate growing business opportunities for European firms to step into large markets of equipment and supplies for functional genomics and protein analyses where Europe maintains a strong science base.

  13. Labour market participation after breast cancer for employees from the private and public sectors: Educational and sector gradients in the effect of cancer.

    PubMed

    Kolodziejczyk, Christophe; Heinesen, Eskil

    2016-05-01

    For employees who get cancer and survive, the probability of returning to work may depend on their ability to work, potential earnings losses if they do not return to work, qualifications and job type, but also on characteristics of the pre-cancer workplace. This paper focuses on differences between public and private sector employees in the effect of breast cancer on the probability of being out of the labour force three years after the diagnosis. We use propensity score weighting methods and a large longitudinal Danish administrative dataset which allows us to control for a wide range of important baseline characteristics such as education, sector of employment, labour market status, income, health, and demographics. We find that the educational gradient in the effect of cancer is significant in the public sector, where the estimated effects are 11.5 and 3.8 percentage points, respectively, for the low- and high-educated. The corresponding estimates for the private sector are 6.2 and 3.2 percentage points and here the educational gradient is only marginally significant. We discuss possible mechanisms behind the large sector gradient for the low-educated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. [Pleural mesothelioma in a school teacher: asbestos exposure due to DAS paste].

    PubMed

    Barbieri, Pietro Gino; Somigliana, Anna; Girelli, Roberto; Lombardi, Sandra; Sarnico, Michela; Silvestri, Stefano

    2016-03-24

    Malignant mesothelioma cases among primary school teachers are usually linked with asbestos exposure due to the mineral contained in the building structure. Among the approximately 12,000 cases of mesothelioma described in the fourth report of the National Mesothelioma Register, 11 cases of primary school teachers are reported, in spite of the fact that the "catalogue of asbestos use" does not describe circumstances of asbestos exposure other than or different to that due to asbestos contained in the buildings. Four cases in the Brescia Provincial Mesothelioma Register are identified as teachers, without this circumstance of exposure. To characterize the asbestos concentration and fibre type retained in the lungs of a teacher reported as a new mesothelioma case and preliminarily classified as of unknown asbestos exposure. The mesothelioma case presented here was diagnosed at age 78 and malignant mesothelioma was confirmed at autopsy; the patient was interviewed directly for occupational history. Samples of lung parenchyma from necropsies were collected, stored and analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and samples of DAS paste were analyzed by SEM to detect asbestos fibre content. It was possible to confirm past exposure to DAS paste in forming and finishing dry items and toys during school recreational activity almost every day from the mid-60s to about the mid-70s. Subsequent SEM analysis showed: i) chrysotile fibres were found in an old and unused pack of DAS paste; ii) a lung burden of 1,400 asbestos bodies, 310.000 total asbestos fibres (33% chrysotile, 67% amphibole) and 210.000 talc fibre per gr/dry lung tissue was detected from necropsies performed on the subject. These results seem to be in agreement with an occupational exposure to asbestos due to past use of DAS paste. After the investigation, this case was reclassified from "unknowun" to " sure" occupational asbestos exposure. The occupational origin of the tumour was recognized by the Italian

  15. Labor Market Uncertainty and Private Sector Labor Supply in Russia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-09-01

    The development of a vibrant private sector has been one of the key failures of the transitional period in Russia. This paper develops a theoretical...Monitoring Survey for the years 1994 - 1996 & 1998. As hypothesized, a decrease in private sector earnings variability is estimated to increase the likelihood...of private sector employment for individuals with constrained consumption smoothing ability. Evidence of ex-ante intra-household risk sharing is also

  16. The Life Science Exchange: a case study of a sectoral and sub-sectoral knowledge exchange programme.

    PubMed

    Perkins, Brian Lee; Garlick, Rob; Wren, Jodie; Smart, Jon; Kennedy, Julie; Stephens, Phil; Tudor, Gwyn; Bisson, Jonathan; Ford, David V

    2016-04-27

    Local and national governments have implemented sector-specific policies to support economic development through innovation, entrepreneurship and knowledge exchange. Supported by the Welsh Government through the European Regional Development Fund, The Life Science Exchange® project was created with the aim to increase interaction between stakeholders, to develop more effective knowledge exchange mechanisms, and to stimulate the formation and maintenance of long-term collaborative relationships within the Welsh life sciences ecosystem. The Life Science Exchange allowed participants to interact with other stakeholder communities (clinical, academic, business, governmental), exchange perspectives and discover new opportunities. Six sub-sector focus groups comprising over 200 senior stakeholders from academia, industry, the Welsh Government and National Health Service were established. Over 18 months, each focus group provided input to inform healthcare innovation policy and knowledge mapping exercises of their respective sub-sectors. Collaborative projects identified during the focus groups and stakeholder engagement were further developed through sandpit events and bespoke support. Each sub-sector focus group produced a report outlining the significant strengths and opportunities in their respective areas of focus, made recommendations to overcome any 'system failures', and identified the stakeholder groups which needed to take action. A second outcome was a stakeholder-driven knowledge mapping exercise for each area of focus. Finally, the sandpit events and bespoke support resulted in participants generating more than £1.66 million in grant funding and inward investment. This article outlines four separate outcomes from the Life Science Exchange programme. The Life Science Exchange process has resulted in a multitude of collaborations, projects, inward investment opportunities and special interest group formations, in addition to securing over ten times its own

  17. Spaces of care in the third sector: understanding the effects of professionalization.

    PubMed

    Carey, Gemma; Braunack-Mayer, Annette; Barraket, Jo

    2009-11-01

    Increasingly the health and welfare needs of individuals and communities are being met by third sector, or not-for-profit, organizations. Since the 1980s third sector organizations have been subject to significant, sector-wide changes, such as the development of contractual funding and an increasing need to collaborate with governments and other sectors. In particular, the processes of 'professionalization' and 'bureaucratization' have received significant attention and are now well documented in third sector literature. These processes are often understood to create barriers between organizations and their community groups and neutralize alternative forms of service provision. In this article we provide a case study of an Australian third sector organization undergoing professionalization. The case study draws on ethnographic and qualitative interviews with staff and volunteers at a health-based third sector organization involved in service provision to marginalized community groups. We examine how professionalization alters organizational spaces and dynamics and conclude that professionalized third sector spaces may still be 'community' spaces where individuals may give and receive care and services. Moreover, we suggest that these community spaces hold potential for resisting the neutralizing effects of contracting.

  18. Sector Distinctions and the Privatization of Public Education Policymaking

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lubienski, Christopher

    2016-01-01

    Current trends indicate declining distinctions between "public" and "private" sectors in education. Reformers see sector barriers as unnecessary impediments to innovation, distracting attention and effort from "what works". This analysis questions whether trends in education policy are simply a natural evolution away…

  19. Incorporating Parallel Computing into the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Larson, Jay W.

    1998-01-01

    Atmospheric data assimilation is a method of combining actual observations with model forecasts to produce a more accurate description of the earth system than the observations or forecast alone can provide. The output of data assimilation, sometimes called the analysis, are regular, gridded datasets of observed and unobserved variables. Analysis plays a key role in numerical weather prediction and is becoming increasingly important for climate research. These applications, and the need for timely validation of scientific enhancements to the data assimilation system pose computational demands that are best met by distributed parallel software. The mission of the NASA Data Assimilation Office (DAO) is to provide datasets for climate research and to support NASA satellite and aircraft missions. The system used to create these datasets is the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS). The core components of the the GEOS DAS are: the GEOS General Circulation Model (GCM), the Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (PSAS), the Observer, the on-line Quality Control (QC) system, the Coupler (which feeds analysis increments back to the GCM), and an I/O package for processing the large amounts of data the system produces (which will be described in another presentation in this session). The discussion will center on the following issues: the computational complexity for the whole GEOS DAS, assessment of the performance of the individual elements of GEOS DAS, and parallelization strategy for some of the components of the system.

  20. I/O Parallelization for the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lucchesi, Rob; Sawyer, W.; Takacs, L. L.; Lyster, P.; Zero, J.

    1998-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Data Assimilation Office (DAO) at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has developed the GEOS DAS, a data assimilation system that provides production support for NASA missions and will support NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) in the coming years. The GEOS DAS will be used to provide background fields of meteorological quantities to EOS satellite instrument teams for use in their data algorithms as well as providing assimilated data sets for climate studies on decadal time scales. The DAO has been involved in prototyping parallel implementations of the GEOS DAS for a number of years and is now embarking on an effort to convert the production version from shared-memory parallelism to distributed-memory parallelism using the portable Message-Passing Interface (MPI). The GEOS DAS consists of two main components, an atmospheric General Circulation Model (GCM) and a Physical-space Statistical Analysis System (PSAS). The GCM operates on data that are stored on a regular grid while PSAS works with observational data that are scattered irregularly throughout the atmosphere. As a result, the two components have different data decompositions. The GCM is decomposed horizontally as a checkerboard with all vertical levels of each box existing on the same processing element(PE). The dynamical core of the GCM can also operate on a rotated grid, which requires communication-intensive grid transformations during GCM integration. PSAS groups observations on PEs in a more irregular and dynamic fashion.

  1. Stress field forming of sector array transducers for vibro-acoustography.

    PubMed

    Silva, Glauber T; Chen, Shigao; Frery, Alejandro C; Greenleaf, James F; Fatemi, Mostafa

    2005-11-01

    This paper presents a study of the stress field forming of sector array transducers for vibro-acoustography applications. The system point-spread function (PSF) is given in terms of the dynamic radiation stress exerted on a point target by a dual ultrasound beam with slightly different frequencies. The radiation stress is calculated by assuming that the resulting ultrasound beam is a plane wave. The stress is proportional to the product of the velocity potential of each incident ultrasound beam. The beamforming and stress field forming of sector array transducers are analyzed through linear acoustics. An expression for the velocity potential produced by sector array transducers is derived. The vibro-acoustography PSF is evaluated numerically. A comparison between the PSF of a sector array and a confocal transducers is presented. The compared characteristics of the PSF are sidelobe levels, transverse, and in-depth spatial resolution. Indeed, one motivation to study sector transducers is the fact the depth-of-field of these transducers should be smaller than that of same size confocal transducers. An experimental setup was used to validate the theoretical PSF of sector array transducers. Results show that the measured PSF is in good agreement with the theoretical predications. Vibro-acoustography images of a breast-phantom by both transducers are presented and discussed.

  2. Food safety - the roles and responsibilities of different sectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karabasil, N.; Bošković, T.; Dimitrijević, M.; Vasilev, D.; Đorđević, V.; Lakićević, B.; Teodorović, V.

    2017-09-01

    Serbia is a relatively small country but with a long tradition in food production, especially meat and meat products. Serbia, as part of its open negotiation process as a candidate country with the European Union (EU), started to harmonise its legislation with the EU, and has published a set of laws and regulations relating to the hygiene of food production and food safety, the official control of production and the welfare of animals. Therefore, the food safety system in Serbia is based on principles established in the EU. There is a need for cooperation of different sectors (government, food business operators and consumers) in the management of food safety, and every sector has its role and responsibility. This paper aims to provide analytical support for the process of upgrading safety and quality in Serbia’s food sector and explains the roles and responsibilities of different sectors in the food chain.

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

    PubMed

    Varawalla, Nermeen

    2007-06-01

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

  4. Evaluating the benefits of government funded R & D aimed at the private sector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenberg, J. S.

    1977-01-01

    Federal funding of technological research and development is discussed with regard to the procedures for an economic analysis with the goals of (1) determining when the public sector should invest in a research and development program, (2) evaluating the likelihood of private sector participation in terms of public sector participation, and (3) considering the major factors in the formulation of a research and development program in terms of defining initiatives. Public sector investments are evaluated, noting procedures for determining whether benefits exceed costs. The role of the public sector research and development planning is described, considering the procedure for private sector implementation decisions and a methodology for evaluating the possibility of private sector commercialization. The economic value of the public sector research and development program is presented with attention given to a specific case of NASA-sponsored research and development aimed toward the commercialization of new public communications services.

  5. Electricity savings potentials in the residential sector of Bahrain

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

    Akbari, H.; Morsy, M.G.; Al-Baharna, N.S.

    1996-08-01

    Electricity is the major fuel (over 99%) used in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors in Bahrain. In 1992, the total annual electricity consumption in Bahrain was 3.45 terawatt-hours (TWh), of which 1.95 TWh (56%) was used in the residential sector, 0.89 TWh (26%) in the commercial sector, and 0.59 TWh (17%) in the industrial sector. Agricultural energy consumption was 0.02 TWh (less than 1%) of the total energy use. In Bahrain, most residences are air conditioned with window units. The air-conditioning electricity use is at least 50% of total annual residential use. The contribution of residential AC to themore » peak power consumption is even more significant, approaching 80% of residential peak power demand. Air-conditioning electricity use in the commercial sector is also significant, about 45% of the annual use and over 60% of peak power demand. This paper presents a cost/benefit analysis of energy-efficient technologies in the residential sector. Technologies studied include: energy-efficient air conditioners, insulating houses, improved infiltration, increasing thermostat settings, efficient refrigerators and freezers, efficient water heaters, efficient clothes washers, and compact fluorescent lights. We conservatively estimate a 32% savings in residential electricity use at an average cost of about 4 fils per kWh. (The subsidized cost of residential electricity is about 12 fils per kWh. 1000 fils = 1 Bahrain Dinar = US$ 2.67). We also discuss major policy options needed for implementation of energy-efficiency technologies.« less

  6. The interplanetary and solar magnetic field sector structures, 1962 - 1968

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jones, D. E.

    1972-01-01

    The interplanetary magnetic field sector structure was observed from late 1962 through 1968. During this time it has been possible to study the manner in which the sector pattern and its relation to the photospheric magnetic field configuration changes from solar minimum to solar maximum. Observations were also made relating sector boundaries to specific regions on the solar disk. These and other observations related to the solar origin of the interplanetary field are briefly reviewed.

  7. Career Education: Collaboration with the Private Sector. Information Series No. 246.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhaerman, Robert D.

    This paper reviews three aspects of career education-private sector collaboration: (1) the general and specific approaches that have been utilized during the past 10 years by the career education movement and the private sector in developing career education collaboration in the private sector; (2) the major results of these activities, focusing…

  8. Family Study of Borderline Personality Disorder and Its Sectors of Psychopathology

    PubMed Central

    Gunderson, John G.; Zanarini, Mary C.; Choi-Kain, Lois W.; Mitchell, Karen S.; Jang, Kerry L.; Hudson, James I.

    2011-01-01

    Context The familiality of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and its sectors of psychopathology are incompletely understood. Objectives To assess the familial aggregation of BPD and its 4 major sectors (affective, interpersonal, behavioral, and cognitive) and test whether the relationship of the familial and nonfamilial associations among these sectors can be accounted for by a latent BPD construct. Design Family study, with direct interviews of probands and relatives. Setting A psychiatric hospital (McLean Hospital) and the Boston-area community. Participants A total of 368 probands (132 with BPD, 134 without BPD, and 102 with major depressive disorder) and 885 siblings and parents of probands. Main Assessments The Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders and the Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R) were used to assess borderline psychopathology, and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV was used to assess major depressive disorder. Results Borderline personality disorder meeting both DSM-IV and DIB-R criteria showed substantial familial aggregation for BPD in individuals with a family member with BPD vs those without a family member with BPD, using proband-relative pairs (risk ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.5–5.5) as well as using all pairs of family members (3.9; 1.7–9.0). All 4 sectors of BPD psychopathology aggregated significantly in families, using both DSM-IV and DIB-R definitions (correlation of traits among all pairs of family members ranged from 0.07 to 0.27), with the affective and interpersonal sectors showing the highest levels; however, the level of familial aggregation of BPD was higher than that of the individual sectors. The relationship among the sectors was best explained by a common pathway model in which the sectors represent manifestations of a latent BPD construct. Conclusions Familial factors contribute to BPD and its sectors of psychopathology. Borderline personality disorder may arise

  9. Family study of borderline personality disorder and its sectors of psychopathology.

    PubMed

    Gunderson, John G; Zanarini, Mary C; Choi-Kain, Lois W; Mitchell, Karen S; Jang, Kerry L; Hudson, James I

    2011-07-01

    The familiality of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and its sectors of psychopathology are incompletely understood. To assess the familial aggregation of BPD and its 4 major sectors (affective, interpersonal, behavioral, and cognitive) and test whether the relationship of the familial and nonfamilial associations among these sectors can be accounted for by a latent BPD construct. Family study, with direct interviews of probands and relatives. A psychiatric hospital (McLean Hospital) and the Boston-area community. A total of 368 probands (132 with BPD, 134 without BPD, and 102 with major depressive disorder) and 885 siblings and parents of probands. MAIN ASSESSMENTS: The Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders and the Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R) were used to assess borderline psychopathology, and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV was used to assess major depressive disorder. Borderline personality disorder meeting both DSM-IV and DIB-R criteria showed substantial familial aggregation for BPD in individuals with a family member with BPD vs those without a family member with BPD, using proband-relative pairs (risk ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-5.5) as well as using all pairs of family members (3.9; 1.7-9.0). All 4 sectors of BPD psychopathology aggregated significantly in families, using both DSM-IV and DIB-R definitions (correlation of traits among all pairs of family members ranged from 0.07 to 0.27), with the affective and interpersonal sectors showing the highest levels; however, the level of familial aggregation of BPD was higher than that of the individual sectors. The relationship among the sectors was best explained by a common pathway model in which the sectors represent manifestations of a latent BPD construct. Familial factors contribute to BPD and its sectors of psychopathology. Borderline personality disorder may arise from a unitary liability that finds expression in its sectors of

  10. Detection and Mapping of the September 2017 Mexico Earthquakes Using DAS Fiber-Optic Infrastructure Arrays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karrenbach, M. H.; Cole, S.; Williams, J. J.; Biondi, B. C.; McMurtry, T.; Martin, E. R.; Yuan, S.

    2017-12-01

    Fiber-optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) uses conventional telecom fibers for a wide variety of monitoring purposes. Fiber-optic arrays can be located along pipelines for leak detection; along borders and perimeters to detect and locate intruders, or along railways and roadways to monitor traffic and identify and manage incidents. DAS can also be used to monitor oil and gas reservoirs and to detect earthquakes. Because thousands of such arrays are deployed worldwide and acquiring data continuously, they can be a valuable source of data for earthquake detection and location, and could potentially provide important information to earthquake early-warning systems. In this presentation, we show that DAS arrays in Mexico and the United States detected the M8.1 and M7.2 Mexico earthquakes in September 2017. At Stanford University, we have deployed a 2.4 km fiber-optic DAS array in a figure-eight pattern, with 600 channels spaced 4 meters apart. Data have been recorded continuously since September 2016. Over 800 earthquakes from across California have been detected and catalogued. Distant teleseismic events have also been recorded, including the two Mexican earthquakes. In Mexico, fiber-optic arrays attached to pipelines also detected these two events. Because of the length of these arrays and their proximity to the event locations, we can not only detect the earthquakes but also make location estimates, potentially in near real time. In this presentation, we review the data recorded for these two events recorded at Stanford and in Mexico. We compare the waveforms recorded by the DAS arrays to those recorded by traditional earthquake sensor networks. Using the wide coverage provided by the pipeline arrays, we estimate the event locations. Such fiber-optic DAS networks can potentially play a role in earthquake early-warning systems, allowing actions to be taken to minimize the impact of an earthquake on critical infrastructure components. While many such fiber

  11. 77 FR 26129 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; 2012 Sector...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-02

    ... rule soliciting public comment on the 19 sector operations plans and contracts was published in the.... After review of the public comments, NMFS has partially approved the 19 sector operations plans and... Bank Sector, Northeast Fishery Sector IV and Sustainable Harvest Sector 3 would operate as private...

  12. Commissioning the cryogenic system of the first LHC sector

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

    Millet, F.; Claudet, S.; Ferlin, G.

    2007-12-01

    The LHC machine, composed of eight sectors with superconducting magnets and accelerating cavities, requires a complex cryogenic system providing high cooling capacities (18 kW equivalent at 4.5 K and 2.4 W at 1.8 K per sector produced in large cold boxes and distributed via 3.3-km cryogenic transfer lines). After individual reception tests of the cryogenic subsystems (cryogen storages, refrigerators, cryogenic transfer lines and distribution boxes) performed since 2000, the commissioning of the cryogenic system of the first LHC sector has been under way since November 2006. After a brief introduction to the LHC cryogenic system and its specificities, the commissioningmore » is reported detailing the preparation phase (pressure and leak tests, circuit conditioning and flushing), the cool-down sequences including the handling of cryogenic fluids, the magnet powering phase and finally the warm-up. Preliminary conclusions on the commissioning of the first LHC sector will be drawn with the review of the critical points already solved or still pending. The last part of the paper reports on the first operational experience of the LHC cryogenic system in the perspective of the commissioning of the remaining LHC sectors and the beam injection test.« less

  13. Garlic extract diallyl sulfide (DAS) activates nuclear receptor CAR to induce the Sult1e1 gene in mouse liver.

    PubMed

    Sueyoshi, Tatsuya; Green, William D; Vinal, Kellie; Woodrum, Tyler S; Moore, Rick; Negishi, Masahiko

    2011-01-01

    Constituent chemicals in garlic extract are known to induce phase I and phase II enzymes in rodent livers. Here we have utilized Car(+/+) and Car(-/-) mice to demonstrate that the nuclear xenobiotic receptor CAR regulated the induction of the estrogen sulfotransferase Sult1e1 gene by diallyl sulfide (DAS) treatment in mouse liver. DAS treatment caused CAR accumulation in the nucleus, resulting in a remarkable increase of SULT1E1 mRNA (3,200 fold) and protein in the livers of Car(+/+) females but not of Car(-/-) female mice. DAS also induced other CAR-regulated genes such as Cyp2b10, Cyp3a11 and Gadd45β. Compared with the rapid increase of these mRNA levels, which began as early as 6 hours after DAS treatment, the levels of SULT1E1 mRNA began increasing after 24 hours. This slow response to DAS suggested that CAR required an additional factor to activate the Sult1e1 gene or that this activation was indirect. Despite the remarkable induction of SULT1E1, there was no decrease in the serum levels of endogenous E2 or increase of estrone sulfate while the clearance of exogenously administrated E2 was accelerated in DAS treated mice.

  14. (Re)locating (I)dentity With(in) Politicized (Re)presentation of Fe/Male Body in Kamala Das' Poetry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sultana, Sharmin; Sarwar, Nadia

    2016-01-01

    This paper is going to argue that the selected poems of renowned Indian poet Kamala Das are inclined to relocate both feminine and masculine identity through the politicized representation of body. Kamala Das' representation of body in her poems has always been viewed as a medium of re-historicizing the pain, sufferings, and psychological trauma…

  15. Access to Higher Education in Egypt: Examining Trends by University Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Buckner, Elizabeth

    2013-01-01

    Access to higher education in Egypt is expanding in both the public and private sectors. Using a nationally representative sample from the Survey of Young People in Egypt, this article is able to disaggregate patterns of access by both demographic group and university sector. Findings suggest that access in the public sector is governed strongly…

  16. The Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS): Development and Validation of a 58-Item Measure

    PubMed Central

    Maxwell-McCaw, Deborah; Zea, Maria Cecilia

    2011-01-01

    This study involved the development and validation of the Deaf Acculturation Scale (DAS), a new measure of cultural identity for Deaf and hard-of-hearing (hh) populations. Data for this study were collected online and involved a nation-wide sample of 3,070 deaf/hh individuals. Results indicated strong internal reliabilities for all the subscales, and construct validity was established by demonstrating that the DAS could discriminate groups based on parental hearing status, school background, and use of self-labels. Construct validity was further demonstrated through factorial analyses, and findings resulted in a final 58-item measure. Directions for future research are discussed. PMID:21263041

  17. Statistical Quality Control of Moisture Data in GEOS DAS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dee, D. P.; Rukhovets, L.; Todling, R.

    1999-01-01

    A new statistical quality control algorithm was recently implemented in the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS). The final step in the algorithm consists of an adaptive buddy check that either accepts or rejects outlier observations based on a local statistical analysis of nearby data. A basic assumption in any such test is that the observed field is spatially coherent, in the sense that nearby data can be expected to confirm each other. However, the buddy check resulted in excessive rejection of moisture data, especially during the Northern Hemisphere summer. The analysis moisture variable in GEOS DAS is water vapor mixing ratio. Observational evidence shows that the distribution of mixing ratio errors is far from normal. Furthermore, spatial correlations among mixing ratio errors are highly anisotropic and difficult to identify. Both factors contribute to the poor performance of the statistical quality control algorithm. To alleviate the problem, we applied the buddy check to relative humidity data instead. This variable explicitly depends on temperature and therefore exhibits a much greater spatial coherence. As a result, reject rates of moisture data are much more reasonable and homogeneous in time and space.

  18. Analyzing the Long Term Cohesive Effect of Sector Specific Driving Forces.

    PubMed

    Berman, Yonatan; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Zhang, Xin; Shapira, Yoash

    2016-01-01

    Financial markets are partially composed of sectors dominated by external driving forces, such as commodity prices, infrastructure and other indices. We characterize the statistical properties of such sectors and present a novel model for the coupling of the stock prices and their dominating driving forces, inspired by mean reverting stochastic processes. Using the model we were able to explain the market sectors' long term behavior and estimate the coupling strength between stocks in financial markets and the sector specific driving forces. Notably, the analysis was successfully applied to the shipping market, in which the Baltic dry index (BDI), an assessment of the price of transporting the major raw materials by sea, influences the shipping financial market. We also present the analysis of other sectors-the gold mining market and the food production market, for which the model was also successfully applied. The model can serve as a general tool for characterizing the coupling between external forces and affected financial variables and therefore for estimating the risk in sectors and their vulnerability to external stress.

  19. Damages of surface ozone: evidence from agricultural sector in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yi, Fujin; McCarl, Bruce A.; Zhou, Xun; Jiang, Fei

    2018-03-01

    This study measures the damages that surface ozone pollution causes within the Chinese agricultural sector under 2014 conditions. It also analyzes the agricultural benefits of ozone reductions. The analysis is done using a partial equilibrium model of China’s agricultural sector. Results indicate that there are substantial, spatially differentiated damages that are greatest in ozone-sensitive crop growing areas with higher ozone concentrations. The estimated damage to China’s agricultural sector range is between CNY 1.6 trillion and 2.2 trillion, which for comparison is about one fifth of 2014 agricultural revenue. When considering concentration reduction we find a 30% ozone reduction yields CNY 678 billion in sectoral benefits. These benefits largely fall to consumers with producers losing as the production gains lead to lower prices.

  20. Some Properties and Stability Results for Sector-Bounded LTI Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gupta, Sandeep; Joshi, Suresh M.

    1994-01-01

    This paper presents necessary and sufficient conditions for a linear, time-invariant (LTI) system to be inside sector (n, b) in terms of linear matrix inequalities in its state-space realization matrices, which represents a generalization of similar conditions for bounded H(sub infinity)-norm systems. Further, a weaker definition of LTI systems strictly inside closed sector (a, b) is proposed, and state-space characterization of such systems is presented. Sector conditions for stability of the negative feedback interconnection of two LTI systems and for stability of LTI systems with feedback nonlinearities are investigated using the Lyapunov function approach. It is shown that the proposed weaker conditions for an LTI system to be strictly inside a sector are sufficient to establish closed-loop stability of these systems.

  1. NAICS Sectors 31-33: Manufacturing

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has many regulations that affect industries within the manufacturing sector. On those pages you can find a list of laws and regulations that affect your industry as well as compliance and enforcement information.

  2. Cross-Sector Collaboration: The Great Lakes Environmental Finance Center.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Austrian, Ziona; Iannone, Donald

    1997-01-01

    The Great Lakes Environmental Finance Center is one of six university-based environmental finance centers established by the federal government. Its primary mission is to help state and local government and private-sector organizations devise effective financing strategies for environmental improvement projects. Cross-sector collaboration and…

  3. 75 FR 56509 - Multi-Sector Trade Mission to Nigeria

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-16

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Multi-Sector Trade Mission to Nigeria...: Multi-Sector Trade Mission to Nigeria, March 8-10, 2011 I. Mission Description The United States... Mission to Nigeria March 8-10, 2011, to help U.S. firms find business partners and sell equipment and...

  4. 75 FR 47211 - Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-05

    ... Puget Sound, WA AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This rule makes non-substantive... technical corrections to reflect the renaming of Sector Seattle to Sector Puget Sound as part of the Coast... organizational structure. Sector Seattle has been disestablished and Sector Puget Sound has been established in...

  5. Elements affecting food waste in the food service sector.

    PubMed

    Heikkilä, Lotta; Reinikainen, Anu; Katajajuuri, Juha-Matti; Silvennoinen, Kirsi; Hartikainen, Hanna

    2016-10-01

    Avoidable food waste is produced in the food service sector, with significant ecological and economical impacts. In order to understand and explain better the complex issue of food waste a qualitative study was conducted on the reasons for its generation in restaurants and catering businesses. Research data were collected during three participatory workshops for personnel from three different catering sector companies in Finland. Based on synthesized qualitative content analysis, eight elements influencing production and reduction of food waste were identified. Results revealed the diversity of managing food waste in the food service sector and how a holistic approach is required to prevent and reduce it. It is crucial to understand that food waste is manageable and should be an integral component of the management system. The model of eight factors provides a framework for recognition and management of food waste in the food service sector. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Do the stars align? Distribution of high-quality ratings of healthcare sectors across US markets.

    PubMed

    Figueroa, Jose; Feyman, Yevgeniy; Blumenthal, Daniel; Jha, Ashish

    2018-04-01

    The US government created five-star rating systems to evaluate hospital, nursing homes, home health agency and dialysis centre quality. The degree to which quality is a property of organisations versus geographical markets is unclear. To determine whether high-quality healthcare service sectors are clustered within US healthcare markets. Using data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Hospital, Dialysis, Nursing Home and Home Health Compare databases, we calculated the mean star ratings of four healthcare sectors in 304 US hospital referral regions (HRRs). For each sector, we ranked HRRs into terciles by mean star rating. Within each HRR, we assessed concordance of tercile rank across sectors using a multirater kappa. Using t-tests, we compared characteristics of HRRs with three to four top-ranked sectors, one to two top-ranked sectors and zero top-ranked sectors. Six HRRs (2.0% of HRRs) had four top-ranked healthcare sectors, 38 (12.5%) had three top-ranked health sectors, 71 (23.4%) had two top-ranked sectors, 111 (36.5%) had one top-ranked sector and 78 (25.7%) HRRs had no top-ranked sectors. A multirater kappa across all sectors showed poor to slight agreement (K=0.055). Compared with HRRs with zero top-ranked sectors, those with three to four top-ranked sectors had higher median incomes, fewer black residents, lower mortality rates and were less impoverished. Results were similar for HRRs with one to two top-ranked sectors. Few US healthcare markets exhibit high-quality performance across four distinct healthcare service sectors, suggesting that high-quality care in one sector may not be dependent on or improve care quality in other sectors. Policies that promote accountability for quality across sectors (eg, bundled payments and shared quality metrics) may be needed to systematically improve quality across sectors. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No

  7. Competence Development in the Public Sector: Development, or Dismantling of Professionalism?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hjort, Katrin

    2008-01-01

    For more than a decade, competence development has been a key concept of modern management in both the private and the public sector, but to some extent its meaning and practice have been different in the two sectors. In the public sector in particular, competence development has been closely related to a number of other buzzwords characterizing…

  8. Exploring corruption in the South African health sector.

    PubMed

    Rispel, Laetitia C; de Jager, Pieter; Fonn, Sharon

    2016-03-01

    Recent scholarly attention has focused on weak governance and the negative effects of corruption on the provision of health services. Employing agency theory, this article discusses corruption in the South African health sector. We used a combination of research methods and triangulated data from three sources: Auditor-General of South Africa reports for each province covering a 9-year period; 13 semi-structured interviews with health sector key informants and a content analysis of print media reports covering a 3-year period. Findings from the Auditor-General reports showed a worsening trend in audit outcomes with marked variation across the nine provinces. Key-informants indicated that corruption has a negative effect on patient care and the morale of healthcare workers. The majority of the print media reports on corruption concerned the public health sector (63%) and involved provincial health departments (45%). Characteristics and complexity of the public health sector may increase its vulnerability to corruption, but the private-public binary constitutes a false dichotomy as corruption often involves agents from both sectors. Notwithstanding the lack of global validated indicators to measure corruption, our findings suggest that corruption is a problem in the South African healthcare sector. Corruption is influenced by adverse agent selection, lack of mechanisms to detect corruption and a failure to sanction those involved in corrupt activities. We conclude that appropriate legislation is a necessary, but not sufficient intervention to reduce corruption. We propose that mechanisms to reduce corruption must include the political will to run corruption-free health services, effective government to enforce laws, appropriate systems, and citizen involvement and advocacy to hold public officials accountable. Importantly, the institutionalization of a functional bureaucracy and public servants with the right skills, competencies, ethics and value systems and whose

  9. Conic Sector Analysis of Hybrid Control Systems. Ph.D. Thesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thompson, P. M.

    1982-01-01

    A hybrid control system contains an analog plant and a hybrid (or sampled-data) compensator. In this thesis a new conic sector is determined which is constructive and can be used to: (1) determine closed loop stability, (2) analyze robustness with respect to modelling uncertainties, (3) analyze steady state response to commands, and (4) select the sample rate. The use of conic sectors allows the designer to treat hybrid control systems as though they were analog control systems. The center of the conic sector can be used as a rigorous linear time invariant approximation of the hybrid control system, and the radius places a bound on the errors of this approximation. The hybrid feedback system can be multivariable, and the sampler is assumed to be synchronous. Algorithms to compute the conic sector are presented. Several examples demonstrate how the conic sector analysis techniques are applied. Extensions to single loop multirate hybrid feedback systems are presented. Further extensions are proposed for multiloop multirate hybrid feedback system and for single rate systems with asynchronous sampling.

  10. Priority economic sector and household income in Indonesia (an analysis of input output)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Subanti, S.; Mulyanto; Hakim, A. R.; Mafruhah, I.; Hakim, I. M.

    2018-03-01

    This purpose of study aims to identify the roles of priority economic sectors on household incomes in Indonesia. Analyse in this paper used nine economic sectors, that representing result of classification from input output table. This study found that (1) priority economic sector are manufacturing sector & trade hotel and restaurant; (2) sector that have looking forward orientation included agriculture, mining & quarrying, and financial ownership & business services; and (3) electricity, gas, and water supply sector give the biggest impact to household income in Indonesia. The suggestion that policies aimed at increasing productivity and raising skills while encouraging individual participation in the formal labour market are essential.

  11. The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI–MIP): Project framework

    PubMed Central

    Warszawski, Lila; Frieler, Katja; Huber, Veronika; Piontek, Franziska; Serdeczny, Olivia; Schewe, Jacob

    2014-01-01

    The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project offers a framework to compare climate impact projections in different sectors and at different scales. Consistent climate and socio-economic input data provide the basis for a cross-sectoral integration of impact projections. The project is designed to enable quantitative synthesis of climate change impacts at different levels of global warming. This report briefly outlines the objectives and framework of the first, fast-tracked phase of Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project, based on global impact models, and provides an overview of the participating models, input data, and scenario set-up. PMID:24344316

  12. Novas determinações dos parâmetros atmosféricos das estrelas anãs brancas DA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Giovannini, O.; Costa, A. F. M.; Kepler, S. O.

    2003-08-01

    Nós temos selecionado uma amostra de estrelas anãs brancas DA (atmosfera de hidrogênio) a partir dos índices de Strömgren cujos valores estão próximos a região de instabilidade das estrelas anãs brancas DA variáveis, as chamadas estrelas DAV ou ZZ Ceti. O objetivo é determinar os parâmetros fundamentais (temperatura efetiva, Teff, aceleração da gravidade, log g, e massa) destas estrelas para verificar quais os parâmetros estelares estão envolvidos com o mecanismo de pulsação das estrelas DAV. Nós obtemos, até agora, mais de 120 espectros óticos de estrelas DA. Entre as estrelas selecionadas há 20 estrelas variáveis (DAV). Assim, podemos verificar se existem ou não estrelas não variáveis dentro da faixa de instabilidade das estrelas ZZ Ceti. Neste trabalho nós apresentamos a determinação dos parâmetros atmosféricos (temperatura efetiva, Teff, e aceleração da gravidade, log g) das estrelas anãs brancas DA usando os novos modelos de atmosfera ML2/a = 0.6. Estes modelos têm sido utilizados recentemente por fornecerem uma excelente consistência interna na determinação das temperaturas nas regiões do ultra-violeta e ótico. Os parâmetros atmosféricos são determinados espectroscopicamente através da comparação do fluxo de energia das linhas de Balmer (Hb à H9) entre os espectros observados e sintéticos (gerados pelos modelos de atmosfera). As temperaturas obtidas com os novos modelos são, em geral, menores (~ 1000 K menos) que as temperaturas determinadas anteriormente, com modelos ML1. Os valores de log g não mudaram significativamente (menos de 10%). A faixa de instabilidade das DAVs está entre 11000 e 13000 K, consistente com dados de outros autores.

  13. Canonical Sectors and Evolution of Firms in the US Stock Markets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hayden, Lorien; Chachra, Ricky; Alemi, Alexander; Ginsparg, Paul; Sethna, James

    2015-03-01

    In this work, we show how unsupervised machine learning can provide a more objective and comprehensive broad-level sector decomposition of stocks. Classification of companies into sectors of the economy is important for macroeconomic analysis, and for investments into the sector-specific financial indices and exchange traded funds (ETFs). Historically, these major industrial classification systems and financial indices have been based on expert opinion and developed manually. Our method, in contrast, produces an emergent low-dimensional structure in the space of historical stock price returns. This emergent structure automatically identifies ``canonical sectors'' in the market, and assigns every stock a participation weight into these sectors. Furthermore, by analyzing data from different periods, we show how these weights for listed firms have evolved over time. This work was partially supported by NSF Grants DMR 1312160, OCI 0926550 and DGE-1144153 (LXH).

  14. Strengthening health systems by health sector reforms.

    PubMed

    Senkubuge, Flavia; Modisenyane, Moeketsi; Bishaw, Tewabech

    2014-01-01

    The rising burden of disease and weak health systems are being compounded by the persistent economic downturn, re-emerging diseases, and violent conflicts. There is a growing recognition that the global health agenda needs to shift from an emphasis on disease-specific approaches to strengthening of health systems, including dealing with social, environmental, and economic determinants through multisectoral responses. A review and analysis of data on strengthening health sector reform and health systems was conducted. Attention was paid to the goal of health and interactions between health sector reforms and the functions of health systems. Further, we explored how these interactions contribute toward delivery of health services, equity, financial protection, and improved health. Health sector reforms cannot be developed from a single global or regional policy formula. Any reform will depend on the country's history, values and culture, and the population's expectations. Some of the emerging ingredients that need to be explored are infusion of a health systems agenda; development of a comprehensive policy package for health sector reforms; improving alignment of planning and coordination; use of reliable data; engaging 'street level' policy implementers; strengthening governance and leadership; and allowing a holistic and developmental approach to reforms. The process of reform needs a fundamental rather than merely an incremental and evolutionary change. Without radical structural and systemic changes, existing governance structures and management systems will continue to fail to address the existing health problems.

  15. Strengthening health systems by health sector reforms

    PubMed Central

    Senkubuge, Flavia; Modisenyane, Moeketsi; Bishaw, Tewabech

    2014-01-01

    Background The rising burden of disease and weak health systems are being compounded by the persistent economic downturn, re-emerging diseases, and violent conflicts. There is a growing recognition that the global health agenda needs to shift from an emphasis on disease-specific approaches to strengthening of health systems, including dealing with social, environmental, and economic determinants through multisectoral responses. Methods A review and analysis of data on strengthening health sector reform and health systems was conducted. Attention was paid to the goal of health and interactions between health sector reforms and the functions of health systems. Further, we explored how these interactions contribute toward delivery of health services, equity, financial protection, and improved health. Findings Health sector reforms cannot be developed from a single global or regional policy formula. Any reform will depend on the country's history, values and culture, and the population's expectations. Some of the emerging ingredients that need to be explored are infusion of a health systems agenda; development of a comprehensive policy package for health sector reforms; improving alignment of planning and coordination; use of reliable data; engaging ‘street level’ policy implementers; strengthening governance and leadership; and allowing a holistic and developmental approach to reforms. Conclusions The process of reform needs a fundamental rather than merely an incremental and evolutionary change. Without radical structural and systemic changes, existing governance structures and management systems will continue to fail to address the existing health problems. PMID:24560261

  16. ISI-MIP: The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huber, V.; Dahlemann, S.; Frieler, K.; Piontek, F.; Schewe, J.; Serdeczny, O.; Warszawski, L.

    2013-12-01

    The Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP) aims to synthesize the state-of-the-art knowledge of climate change impacts at different levels of global warming. The project's experimental design is formulated to distinguish the uncertainty introduced by the impact models themselves, from the inherent uncertainty in the climate projections and the variety of plausible socio-economic futures. The unique cross-sectoral scope of the project provides the opportunity to study cascading effects of impacts in interacting sectors and to identify regional 'hot spots' where multiple sectors experience extreme impacts. Another emphasis lies on the development of novel metrics to describe societal impacts of a warmer climate. We briefly outline the methodological framework, and then present selected results of the first, fast-tracked phase of ISI-MIP. The fast track brought together 35 global impact models internationally, spanning five sectors across human society and the natural world (agriculture, water, natural ecosystems, health and coastal infrastructure), and using the latest generation of global climate simulations (RCP projections from the CMIP5 archive) and socioeconomic drivers provided within the SSP process. We also introduce the second phase of the project, which will enlarge the scope of ISI-MIP by encompassing further impact sectors (e.g., forestry, fisheries, permafrost) and regional modeling approaches. The focus for the next round of simulations will be the validation and improvement of models based on historical observations and the analysis of variability and extreme events. Last but not least, we discuss the longer-term objective of ISI-MIP to initiate a coordinated, ongoing impact assessment process, driven by the entire impact community and in parallel with well-established climate model intercomparisons (CMIP).

  17. Influence of Parallel Dark Matter Sectors on Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Challa, Venkata Sai Sreeharsha

    Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) is a phenomenological theory that describes the synthesis of light nuclei after a few seconds of the cosmic time in the primordial universe. The twelve nuclear reactions in the first few seconds of the cosmic history are constrained by factors such as baryon to photon ratio, number of neutrino families, and present day element abundances. The belief that the expansion of the universe must be slowed down by gravity, was defeated by the recent observation of an accelerated expansion of the universe. Friedmann equations, which describe the cosmic dynamics, need to be revised considering also the existence of dark matter, another recent astronomical observation. The effects of multiple parallel universes of dark matter (dark sectors) on the accelerated expansion of the universe are studied. Collectively, these additional effects will lead to a new cosmological model. We had developed a numerical code on BBN to address the effects of such dark sectors on the abundances of all the light elements. We have studied the effect of degrees of freedom of dark-matter in the early universe on primordial abundances of light elements. The predicted abundances of light elements are compared with observed constraints to obtain bounds on the number of dark sectors, NDM. Comparison of the obtained results with the observations during the BBN epoch shows that the number of dark matter sectors are only loosely constrained, and the dark matter sectors are colder than the ordinary matter sectors. Also, we verified that the existence of parallel dark matter sectors with colder temperatures does not affect the constraints set by observations on the number of neutrino families, Nnu .

  18. Collaborating with the Private Sector

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-08-01

    private sector, laws, Patriot Act, FISA, FAR, Intellectual Property, Antitrust Law, Title 10, Title 50, FOIA, FACA, data classification, culture...33 Intellectual Property...Patriot Act) Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Intellectual Property Antitrust Law Title 10

  19. Gauge mediation scenario with hidden sector renormalization in MSSM

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arai, Masato; Kawai, Shinsuke; Okada, Nobuchika

    2010-02-01

    We study the hidden sector effects on the mass renormalization of a simplest gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking scenario. We point out that possible hidden sector contributions render the soft scalar masses smaller, resulting in drastically different sparticle mass spectrum at low energy. In particular, in the 5+5¯ minimal gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking with high messenger scale (that is favored by the gravitino cold dark matter scenario), we show that a stau can be the next lightest superparticle for moderate values of hidden sector self-coupling. This provides a very simple theoretical model of long-lived charged next lightest superparticles, which imply distinctive signals in ongoing and upcoming collider experiments.

  20. Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Array near a Highway for Traffic Monitoring and Near-Surface Shear-Wave Velocity Profiles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, H. F.; Fratta, D.; Lancelle, C.; Ak, E. Ms; Lord, N. E.

    2017-12-01

    Monitoring traffic is important for many technical reasons. It allows for better design of future roads and assessment of the state of current roads. The number, size, weight, and speed of vehicles control deterioration rate. Also, real-time information supplies data to intelligent information systems to help control traffic. Recently there have been studies looking at monitoring traffic seismically as vibrations from traffic are not sensitive to weather and poor visibility. Furthermore, traffic noise can be used to image S-wave velocity distribution in the near surface by capturing and interpreting Rayleigh and Love waves (Nakata, 2016; Zeng et al. 2016). The capability of DAS for high spatial sampling (1 m), temporal sampling (up to 10 kHz), and distributed nature (tens of kilometers) allows for a closer look at the traffic as it passes and how the speed of the vehicle may change over the length of the array. The potential and difficulties of using DAS for these objectives were studied using two DAS arrays. One at Garner Valley in Southern California (a 700-meter array adjacent to CA Highway 74) and another in Brady Hot Springs, Nevada (an 8700-meter array adjacent to Interstate 80). These studies experimentally evaluated the use of DAS data for monitoring traffic and assessing the use of traffic vibration as non-localized sources for seismic imaging. DAS arrays should also be resilient to issues with lighting conditions that are problematic for video monitoring and it may be sensitive to the weight of a vehicle. This study along a major interstate provides a basis for examining DAS' potential and limitations as a key component of intelligent highway systems.

  1. Public sector energy management: A strategy for catalyzing energy efficiency in Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roy, Anish Kumar

    To date the public sector role in facilitating the transition to a sustainable energy future has been envisaged mainly from a regulatory perspective. In such a role, the public sector provides the push factors---enforcing regulations and providing incentives---to correct market imperfections that impede energy transitions. An alternative and complementary role of the public sector that is now gaining increasing attention is that of catalyzing energy transitions through public sector energy management initiatives. This dissertation offers a conceptual framework to rationalize such a role for the public sector by combining recent theories of sustainable energy transition and public management. In particular, the framework identifies innovative public management strategies (such as performance contracting and procurement) for effectively implementing sustainable energy projects in government facilities. The dissertation evaluates a model of sustainable public sector energy management for promoting energy efficiency in Malaysia. The public sector in Malaysia can be a major player in leading and catalyzing energy efficiency efforts as it is not only the largest and one of the most influential energy consumers, but it also plays a central role in setting national development strategy. The dissertation makes several recommendations on how a public sector energy management strategy can be implemented in Malaysia. The US Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is used as a practical model. The analysis, however, shows that in applying the FEMP model to the Malaysian context, there are a number of limitations that will have to be taken into consideration to enable a public sector energy management strategy to be effectively implemented. Overall the analysis of this dissertation contributes to a rethinking of the public sector role in sustainable energy development that can strengthen the sector's credibility both in terms of governance and institutional performance. In

  2. Pay Premiums for Economic Sector and Race: A Decomposition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daymont, Thomas N.

    Using data from the older men's file of the National Longitudinal Surveys, two issues related to the labor market implications of dual economy theory were examined: variations in rates of pay among economic sectors (competitive, monopoly, and public) and variation in relative opportunities for blacks across sectors. The primary analytical problem…

  3. Suppressed supersymmetry breaking terms in the Higgs sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Terao, Haruhiko; Kobayashi, Tatsuo

    2004-07-01

    We study the little hierarchy between mass parameters in the Higgs sector and other SUSY breaking masses. This type of spectrum can relieve the fine-tuning problem in the MSSM Higgs sector. Our scenario can be realized by superconformal dynamics. The spectrum in our scenario has significant implications in other phenomenological aspects like the relic abundance of the lightest neutralino and relaxation of the unbounded-from-below constraints.

  4. Cross-sector Service Provision in Health and Social Care: An Umbrella Review.

    PubMed

    Winters, Shannon; Magalhaes, Lilian; Anne Kinsella, Elizabeth; Kothari, Anita

    2016-04-08

    Meeting the complex health needs of people often requires interaction among numerous different sectors. No one service can adequately respond to the diverse care needs of consumers. Providers working more effectively together is frequently touted as the solution. Cross-sector service provision is defined as independent, yet interconnected sectors working together to better meet the needs of consumers and improve the quality and effectiveness of service provision. Cross-sector service provision is expected, yet much remains unknown about how it is conceptualised or its impact on health status. This umbrella review aims to clarify the critical attributes that shape cross-sector service provision by presenting the current state of the literature and building on the findings of the 2004 review by Sloper. Literature related to cross-sector service provision is immense, which poses a challenge for decision makers wishing to make evidence-informed decisions. An umbrella review was conducted to articulate the overall state of cross-sector service provision literature and examine the evidence to allow for the discovery of consistencies and discrepancies across the published knowledge base. Sixteen reviews met the inclusion criteria. Seven themes emerged: Focusing on the consumer, developing a shared vision of care, leadership involvement, service provision across the boundaries, adequately resourcing the arrangement, developing novel arrangements or aligning with existing relationships, and strengthening connections between sectors. Future research from a cross-organisational, rather than individual provider, perspective is needed to better understand what shapes cross-sector service provision at the boundaries. Findings aligned closely with the work done by Sloper and raise red flags related to reinventing what is already known. Future researchers should look to explore novel areas rather than looking into areas that have been explored at length. Evaluations of out

  5. Emission projections of the transport Sector in China: 2015-2040

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yan, L.

    2016-12-01

    Driven by the significant growth freight and passenger transport demand, transport sector has become a sector that is largely responsible for increases in emissions of atmospheric pollutants (NOx, CO, HC, PM2.5) in China. Figuring out the emission trend in China's transport sector has great influence on formulating emission reduction measures in the future. In this work, both on-road and off-road transport emissions in China were estimated from 2015 to 2040 for CO, NOx, HC and PM2.5. The projection was conducted based on on the energy consumption structure forecast from IEA (International Energy Agency), the future national average annual distance traveled per vehicle and fuel consumption per distance derived from simulation results of the Fuel Economy and Environmental Impact (FEEI) model. The results show that the ownership of on-road vehicles in China increases rapidly during 2015 to 2030 and then the growth slows down. Finally, the total amount reaches up to 522 million in 2040 in which 84.5% turns out to be light-duty vehicles. Because current control legislations for the transport sector in China will continue to be strengthened in the future, the total emissions of China's transport sector were projected to peak around 2030, due to the improvement of vehicle emission standard and the retirement of old vehicles are the most effective measures. The off-road transport will become the main contributor to emissions from transport sector in China since 2030. This work provides a new perspective to understand emissions from both on-road and off-road transport in China, which can support the achievement of improving air quality promised by the Chinese government. This work provides a new perspective to understand the emission trends of on-road and off-road transport sector in China from 2015 to 2040, which can support the achievement of the air quality goal promised by the Chinese government. Driven by the significant growth freight and passenger transport demand

  6. A review and empirical study of the composite scales of the Das-Naglieri cognitive assessment system.

    PubMed

    McCrea, Simon M

    2009-01-01

    Alexander Luria's model of the working brain consisting of three functional units was formulated through the examination of hundreds of focal brain-injury patients. Several psychometric instruments based on Luria's syndrome analysis and accompanying qualitative tasks have been developed since the 1970s. In the mid-1970s, JP Das and colleagues defined a specific cognitive processes model based directly on Luria's two coding units termed simultaneous and successive by studying diverse cross-cultural, ability, and socioeconomic strata. The cognitive assessment system is based on the PASS model of cognitive processes and consists of four composite scales of Planning-Attention-Simultaneous-Successive (PASS) devised by Naglieri and Das in 1997. Das and colleagues developed the two new scales of planning and attention to more closely model Luria's theory of higher cortical functions. In this paper a theoretical review of Luria's theory, Das and colleagues elaboration of Luria's model, and the neural correlates of PASS composite scales based on extant studies is summarized. A brief empirical study of the neuropsychological specificity of the PASS composite scales in a sample of 33 focal cortical stroke patients using cluster analysis is then discussed. Planning and simultaneous were sensitive to right hemisphere lesions. These findings were integrated with recent functional neuroimaging studies of PASS scales. In sum it was found that simultaneous is strongly dependent on dual bilateral occipitoparietal interhemispheric coordination whereas successive demonstrated left frontotemporal specificity with some evidence of interhemispheric coordination across the prefrontal cortex. Hence, support for the validity of the PASS composite scales was found as well as for the axiom of the independence of code content from code type originally specified in 1994 by Das, Naglieri, and Kirby.

  7. The Free Trade Agreement and the Mexican health sector.

    PubMed

    Laurell, A C; Ortega, M E

    1992-01-01

    This article presents a discussion of the probable implications for the Mexican health sector of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The authors argue that the FTA should be seen as part of neoliberal policies adopted by the Mexican government in 1983 that are based on large-scale privatization and deregulation of labor relations. In this general context the health sector, which traditionally has been dominated by public institutions, is undergoing a deep restructuring. The main trends are the decapitalization of the public sector and a selective process of privatization that tends to constitute the private health sector in a field of capital accumulation. The FTA is likely to force a change in Mexican health legislation, which includes health services in the public social security system and recognizes the right to health, and to accelerate selective privatization. The U.S. insurance industry and hospital corporations are interested in promoting these changes in order to gain access to the Mexican market, estimated at 20 to 25 million persons. This would lead to further deterioration of the public institutions, increasing inequalities in health and strengthening the private sector. The historical trend toward the integration of a National Health Service in Mexico would be interrupted in favor of formation of a dual private-public system.

  8. Assessing global resource utilization efficiency in the industrial sector.

    PubMed

    Rosen, Marc A

    2013-09-01

    Designing efficient energy systems, which also meet economic, environmental and other objectives and constraints, is a significant challenge. In a world with finite natural resources and large energy demands, it is important to understand not just actual efficiencies, but also limits to efficiency, as the latter identify margins for efficiency improvement. Energy analysis alone is inadequate, e.g., it yields energy efficiencies that do not provide limits to efficiency. To obtain meaningful and useful efficiencies for energy systems, and to clarify losses, exergy analysis is a beneficial and useful tool. Here, the global industrial sector and industries within it are assessed by using energy and exergy methods. The objective is to improve the understanding of the efficiency of global resource use in the industrial sector and, with this information, to facilitate the development, prioritization and ultimate implementation of rational improvement options. Global energy and exergy flow diagrams for the industrial sector are developed and overall efficiencies for the global industrial sector evaluated as 51% based on energy and 30% based on exergy. Consequently, exergy analysis indicates a less efficient picture of energy use in the global industrial sector than does energy analysis. A larger margin for improvement exists from an exergy perspective, compared to the overly optimistic margin indicated by energy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. To Profit or Not to Profit: The Private Higher Education Sector in Brazil

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Salto, Dante J.

    2018-01-01

    Brazil has by far the largest higher education system in Latin America, with a sizable share of students enrolled in private-sector institutions. Its recently established and fast-growing for-profit sector is one of the largest worldwide. The for-profit sector already surpasses the public sector in student enrollment, and its role is growing.…

  10. Public sector hospitals and organizational change: an agenda for policy analysis.

    PubMed

    Collins, C; Green, A

    1999-01-01

    An important feature of health care systems in recent years is the change in the organizational position and relations of public sector hospitals. Health sector reforms have led to increasing heterogeneity in the organizational location and status of public sector hospitals and new organizational forms of public-private relations are being developed by and for hospitals. These changes can have important implications for health and health care. They raise issues around equity, control, accountability and performance of health care. Yet the policy process in practice may be failing to develop and implement appropriate forms of policy formulation on health sector reform. This paper focuses on the organizational position and relations of hospitals within public sector health services. It firstly outlines key elements of health sector reform and relates these to two dimensions of organizational change for hospitals: increasing heterogeneity and forms of public-private relations. The paper provides a descriptive format for classifying forms of hospital organizational change and proposes a framework of six questions for analysing these organizational forms. This may be used to assess the appropriateness of specific policies to particular country situations and to develop more open debate around hospital organizational forms.

  11. Investigating the Effect of Syrian Refugees on the Pharmaceutical Sector in Jordan.

    PubMed

    Daher, Amirah; Alabbadi, Ibrahim

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Syrian refugees on the pharmaceutical sector in Jordan. Based on a standardized methodology developed by the WHO, Level II Facility (2009) structured questionnaires (including: medicine access [availability, affordability and geographical accessibility], quality, and rational use of medicines) were used to investigate the effect of Syrian refugees influx on the pharmaceutical sector in Jordan. Lists of essential medicines (N = 50) were included in the survey forms. The results showed more progress in all indicators for the public sector compared with the previous results in the 2009 survey and in comparison to the private sector. For example, access to medicines improved in the public sector while it decreased (if it did not remain the same) in the private sector. Also, average stock out duration time decreased dramatically in both public and private sectors. As indicated by the median price ratio (MPR), brand prices increased much in the public health facilities while they decreased by 23%-30% in the private sector. In northern areas where most Syrian refugees stay, a significant decrease in availability was noticed, in addition to the dramatic decrease in days of average stock out and adequate inventory record percentage of those medicines. In conclusion, despite the international help received to support health care provision and medications procurement for the refugees, more support is needed immediately.

  12. Garlic Extract Diallyl Sulfide (DAS) Activates Nuclear Receptor CAR to Induce the Sult1e1 Gene in Mouse Liver

    PubMed Central

    Sueyoshi, Tatsuya; Green, William D.; Vinal, Kellie; Woodrum, Tyler S.; Moore, Rick; Negishi, Masahiko

    2011-01-01

    Constituent chemicals in garlic extract are known to induce phase I and phase II enzymes in rodent livers. Here we have utilized Car +/+ and Car −/− mice to demonstrate that the nuclear xenobiotic receptor CAR regulated the induction of the estrogen sulfotransferase Sult1e1 gene by diallyl sulfide (DAS) treatment in mouse liver. DAS treatment caused CAR accumulation in the nucleus, resulting in a remarkable increase of SULT1E1 mRNA (3,200 fold) and protein in the livers of Car +/+ females but not of Car −/− female mice. DAS also induced other CAR-regulated genes such as Cyp2b10, Cyp3a11 and Gadd45β. Compared with the rapid increase of these mRNA levels, which began as early as 6 hourrs after DAS treatment, the levels of SULT1E1 mRNA began increasing after 24 hours. This slow response to DAS suggested that CAR required an additional factor to activate the Sult1e1 gene or that this activation was indirect. Despite the remarkable induction of SULT1E1, there was no decrease in the serum levels of endogenous E2 or increase of estrone sulfate while the clearance of exogenously administrated E2 was accelerated in DAS treated mice. PMID:21698271

  13. Is Satisfaction with the Acute-Care Experience Higher amongst Consumers Treated in the Private Sector? A Survey of Public and Private Sector Arthroplasty Recipients.

    PubMed

    Naylor, Justine M; Descallar, Joseph; Grootemaat, Mechteld; Badge, Helen; Harris, Ian A; Simpson, Grahame; Jenkin, Deanne

    2016-01-01

    Consumer satisfaction with the acute-care experience could reasonably be expected to be higher amongst those treated in the private sector compared to those treated in the public sector given the former relies on high-level satisfaction of its consumers and their subsequent recommendations to thrive. The primary aims of this study were to determine, in a knee or hip arthroplasty cohort, if surgery in the private sector predicts greater overall satisfaction with the acute-care experience and greater likelihood to recommend the same hospital. A secondary aim was to determine whether satisfaction across a range of service domains is also higher in the private sector. A telephone survey was conducted 35 days post-surgery. The hospital cohort comprised eight public and seven private high-volume arthroplasty providers. Consumers rated overall satisfaction with care out of 100 and likeliness to recommend their hospital on a 5-point Likert scale. Additional Likert-style questions were asked covering specific service domains. Generalized estimating equation models were used to analyse overall satisfaction (dichotomised as ≥ 90 or < 90) and future recommendations for care (dichotomised as 'definitely recommend' or 'other'), whilst controlling for covariates. The proportions of consumers in each sector reporting the best Likert response for each individual domain were compared using non-parametric tests. 457 survey respondents (n = 210 private) were included. Less patient-reported joint impairment pre-surgery [OR 1.03 (95% CI 1.01-1.05)] and absence of an acute complication (OR 2.13 95% CI 1.41-3.23) significantly predicted higher overall satisfaction. Hip arthroplasty [OR 1.84 (1.1-2.96)] and an absence of an acute complication [OR 2.31 (1.28-4.17] significantly predicted greater likelihood for recommending the hospital. The only care domains where the private out-performed the public sector were hospitality (46.7 vs 35.6%, p <0.01) and frequency of surgeon visitation (76

  14. Forestry sector analysis for developing countries: issues and methods.

    Treesearch

    R.W. Haynes

    1993-01-01

    A satellite meeting of the 10th Forestry World Congress focused on the methods used for forest sector analysis and their applications in both developed and developing countries. The results of that meeting are summarized, and a general approach for forest sector modeling is proposed. The approach includes models derived from the existing...

  15. Employment Profile of the Service Sector in Selected Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bednarzik, Robert W.

    The rise of the service sector is a major trend common to all western, industrialized countries. Employment in the service sector has increased in 1960-1986 in all 10 countries participating in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Centre for Educational Research and Innovation Human Resources project (Japan, Belgium, France,…

  16. Time series GHG emission estimates for residential, commercial, agriculture and fisheries sectors in India

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mohan, Riya Rachel

    2018-04-01

    Green House Gas (GHG) emissions are the major cause of global warming and climate change. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main GHG emitted through human activities, at the household level, by burning fuels for cooking and lighting. As per the 2006 methodology of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the energy sector is divided into various sectors like electricity generation, transport, fugitive, 'other' sectors, etc. The 'other' sectors under energy include residential, commercial, agriculture and fisheries. Time series GHG emission estimates were prepared for the residential, commercial, agriculture and fisheries sectors in India, for the time period 2005 to 2014, to understand the historical emission changes in 'other' sector. Sectoral activity data, with respect to fuel consumption, were collected from various ministry reports like Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Statistics, Energy Statistics, etc. The default emission factor(s) from IPCC 2006 were used to calculate the emissions for each activity and sector-wise CO2, CH4, N2O and CO2e emissions were compiled. It was observed that the residential sector generates the highest GHG emissions, followed by the agriculture/fisheries and commercial sector. In the residential sector, LPG, kerosene, and fuelwood are the major contributors of emissions, whereas diesel is the main contributor to the commercial, agriculture and fisheries sectors. CO2e emissions have been observed to rise at a cumulative annual growth rate of 0.6%, 9.11%, 7.94% and 5.26% for the residential, commercial, agriculture and fisheries sectors, respectively. In addition to the above, a comparative study of the sectoral inventories from the national inventories, published by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, for 2007 and 2010 was also performed.

  17. Third sector primary health care in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Crampton, P; Dowell, A C; Bowers, S

    2000-03-24

    To describe key organisational characteristics of selected third sector (non-profit and non-government) primary health care organisations. Data were collected, in 1997 and 1998, from 15 third sector primary care organisations that were members of a network of third sector primary care providers, Health Care Aotearoa (HCA). Data were collected by face-to-face interviews of managers and key informants using a semi-structured interview schedule, and from practice computer information systems. Overall the populations served were young: only 4% of patients were aged 65 years or older, and the ethnicity profile was highly atypical, with 21.8% European, 36% Maori, 22.7% Pacific Island, 12% other, and 7.5% not stated. Community services card holding rates were higher than recorded in other studies, and registered patients tended to live in highly deprived areas. HCA organisations had high patient to doctor ratios, in general over 2000:1, and there were significant differences in management structures between HCA practices and more traditional general practice. Third sector organisations provide services for populations that are disadvantaged in many respects. It is likely that New Zealand will continue to develop a diverse range of primary care organisational arrangements. Effort is now required to measure quality and effectiveness of services provided by different primary care organisations serving comparable populations.

  18. Analysis of Survivor Benefit Plan - Acceptance and Comparison with Private Sector

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-01-01

    I COPY AIU WAR COLLEGE ,.SEARCH REPORT ,YSIS OF SURVIVOR BENEFIT PLAN-__CCEPTANCE ’-U AND COMPARISON WITH PRIVATE SECTOR LIEUENNT COLONEL JOHN R...AAA AIR WAR COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY ANALYSIS OF SURVIVOR BENEFIT PLAN--ACCEPTANCE AND COMPARISON WITH PRIVATE SECTOR by John R. Adams Lieutenant...Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)--Acceptance and Comparison With Private Sector . AUTHORS: John R. Adams, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF; Daniel 3. Kohn

  19. Real & Financial Sectors, ``koq Financenaann..'' & Elbio Dagotto's Interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maksoed, Wh-

    2016-10-01

    In conjunctions between PMRI/Pendidikan Matematika Realistik Indonesia fom Dr. RK Sembiring to ``ASTRANOMICS'': the New Reality in Business Aviation herewith provided `interaction between real & financial sector' and financialisation from Heinrich Bortis: ``the Real & Financial Sector of a Monetary Production Economy in the perspective of classical-Keynesian political economy'' ever specifies ``sector Riil'' from HE. Mr. Ir. Aburizal Bakrie. Instead describes the context of CMR/Colossal Magnetoresistance cq Carlos SLIM, the richest entrepreneur in the world 2014 also obtaines Dagotto & Tokura: ``Strongly correlated Electronic Materials: Present & Future'',MRS Bulletin, Nov, 2008. Ever existed of UN Secretary General Kofie Atta Annan, for Lih-AT TA-ruh di mana?'' are ```koq Financenaann..?'' in-between conjunctions. CMR are other notions of GiantMagnetoresistance from Fert & Grundberg who awarded with Nobel Prize in Physics, 2007. Heartfelt Gratitudes to HE. Mr. Prof. Ir. HANDOJO.

  20. Protein sectors: evolutionary units of three-dimensional structure

    PubMed Central

    Halabi, Najeeb; Rivoire, Olivier; Leibler, Stanislas; Ranganathan, Rama

    2011-01-01

    Proteins display a hierarchy of structural features at primary, secondary, tertiary, and higher-order levels, an organization that guides our current understanding of their biological properties and evolutionary origins. Here, we reveal a structural organization distinct from this traditional hierarchy by statistical analysis of correlated evolution between amino acids. Applied to the S1A serine proteases, the analysis indicates a decomposition of the protein into three quasi-independent groups of correlated amino acids that we term “protein sectors”. Each sector is physically connected in the tertiary structure, has a distinct functional role, and constitutes an independent mode of sequence divergence in the protein family. Functionally relevant sectors are evident in other protein families as well, suggesting that they may be general features of proteins. We propose that sectors represent a structural organization of proteins that reflects their evolutionary histories. PMID:19703402

  1. Physiological adaptation during short distance triathlon swimming and cycling sectors simulation.

    PubMed

    González-Haro, Carlos; González-de-Suso, José Manuel; Padulles, Josep Ma; Drobnic, Franchek; Escanero, Jesús Fernando

    2005-11-15

    The aim of this study was to typify cardiorespiratory and metabolic adaptation capacity at race pace of high-level triathletes during simulations of short distance triathlon swimming sector, first transition and cycling sector. Six national and international-level triathletes performed a 1500 m swimming trial followed by a transition and one hour on ergocycle at race pace, with sequenced measures of blood lactate concentration, gas exchange and heart rate recording. The mean speed obtained in the swimming sector was 1.29+/-0.07 m s(-1), matching 98+/-2% of MAS (Maximal Aerobic Speed), lactate concentration 6.8+/-2.1 mM and heart rate 162+/-15 beats min(-1). In the cycling sector, the mean power was 266+/-34 W, matching 77+/-10% of MAP (Maximal Aerobic Power), oxygen uptake 3788+/-327 mL min(-1) (82.8% of VO2max), heart rate 162+/-13 beats min(-1) (92% of maximal HR) and ventilation 112.8+/-20.8 L min(-1). MAS was correlated with performance in swimming sector (r = 0.944; P < 0.05). Despite intake 1.08+/-0.44 L of a solution with 8% of sugars, a significant loss of body weight (2.80%; P < 0.01) was observed. Changes in cycling power, speed and frequency, especially towards the end of the effort, were also found. By contrast, differences in lactate concentration and in cardiorespiratory or metabolic variables between the end of the swimming sector and the end of the first transition did not appear. In conclusion, this study remarks different relative intensities in cycling and swimming sectors. The observed loss of body weight does not modify pedalling economy in national and international-level athletes during the cycling sector, where effort intensity adapts itself to the one found in individual lactate threshold. However, changes in competition tactics and other effects, such as drafting in swimming and cycling, could alter the intensities established in this study for each sector.

  2. Social influence, agent heterogeneity and the emergence of the urban informal sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    García-Díaz, César; Moreno-Monroy, Ana I.

    2012-02-01

    We develop an agent-based computational model in which the urban informal sector acts as a buffer where rural migrants can earn some income while queuing for higher paying modern-sector jobs. In the model, the informal sector emerges as a result of rural-urban migration decisions of heterogeneous agents subject to social influence in the form of neighboring effects of varying strengths. Besides using a multinomial logit choice model that allows for agent idiosyncrasy, explicit agent heterogeneity is introduced in the form of socio-demographic characteristics preferred by modern-sector employers. We find that different combinations of the strength of social influence and the socio-economic composition of the workforce lead to very different urbanization and urban informal sector shares. In particular, moderate levels of social influence and a large proportion of rural inhabitants with preferred socio-demographic characteristics are conducive to a higher urbanization rate and a larger informal sector.

  3. Drought disaster vulnerability mapping of agricultural sector in Bringin District, Semarang Regency

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lestari, D. R.; Pigawati, B.

    2018-02-01

    Agriculture sector is a sector that is directly affected by drought. The phenomenon of drought disaster on agriculture sector has occurred in Semarang regency. One of districts in Semarang which is affected by drought is Bringin district. Bringin district is a productive agricultural area. However, the district experienced the most severe drought in 2015. The question research of this study is, “How is the spatial distribution of drought vulnerability on agriculture sector in Bringin district, Semarang regency?” The purpose of this study is to determine the spatial distribution of drought vulnerability on agriculture sector to village units in Bringin district. This study investigated drought vulnerability based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by analyzing exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity through mapping process. This study used quantitative approach. There were formulation analysis, scoring analysis, and overlay analysis. Drought vulnerability on agriculture sector in Bringin district was divided into three categories: low, medium, and high.

  4. Multidimensional supersymmetric quantum mechanics: spurious states for the tensor sector two Hamiltonian.

    PubMed

    Chou, Chia-Chun; Kouri, Donald J

    2013-04-25

    We show that there exist spurious states for the sector two tensor Hamiltonian in multidimensional supersymmetric quantum mechanics. For one-dimensional supersymmetric quantum mechanics on an infinite domain, the sector one and two Hamiltonians have identical spectra with the exception of the ground state of the sector one. For tensorial multidimensional supersymmetric quantum mechanics, there exist normalizable spurious states for the sector two Hamiltonian with energy equal to the ground state energy of the sector one. These spurious states are annihilated by the adjoint charge operator, and hence, they do not correspond to physical states for the original Hamiltonian. The Hermitian property of the sector two Hamiltonian implies the orthogonality between spurious and physical states. In addition, we develop a method for construction of a specific form of the spurious states for any quantum system and also generate several spurious states for a two-dimensional anharmonic oscillator system and for the hydrogen atom.

  5. European scale climate information services for water use sectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van Vliet, Michelle T. H.; Donnelly, Chantal; Strömbäck, Lena; Capell, René; Ludwig, Fulco

    2015-09-01

    This study demonstrates a climate information service for pan-European water use sectors that are vulnerable to climate change induced hydrological changes, including risk and safety (disaster preparedness), agriculture, energy (hydropower and cooling water use for thermoelectric power) and environment (water quality). To study the climate change impacts we used two different hydrological models forced with an ensemble of bias-corrected general circulation model (GCM) output for both the lowest (2.6) and highest (8.5) representative concentration pathways (RCP). Selected indicators of water related vulnerability for each sector were then calculated from the hydrological model results. Our results show a distinct north-south divide in terms of climate change impacts; in the south the water availability will reduce while in the north water availability will increase. Across different climate models precipitation and streamflow increase in northern Europe and decrease in southern Europe, but the latitude at which this change occurs varies depending on the GCM. Hydrological extremes are increasing over large parts of Europe. The agricultural sector will be affected by reduced water availability (in the south) and increased drought. Both streamflow and soil moistures droughts are projected to increase in most parts of Europe except in northern Scandinavia and the Alps. The energy sector will be affected by lower hydropower potential in most European countries and reduced cooling water availability due to higher water temperatures and reduced summer river flows. Our results show that in particular in the Mediterranean the pressures are high because of increasing drought which will have large impacts on both the agriculture and energy sectors. In France and Italy this is combined with increased flood hazards. Our results show important impacts of climate change on European water use sectors indicating a clear need for adaptation.

  6. ICT and Web Technology Based Innovations in Education Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sangeeta Namdev, Dhamdhere

    2012-01-01

    ICT made real magic and drastic changes in all service sectors along with higher education and library practices and services. The academic environment is changing from formal education to distance and online learning mode because of ICT. Web technology and mobile technology has made great impact on education sector. The role of Open Access,…

  7. Sectoral networks and macroeconomic tail risks in an emerging economy.

    PubMed

    Romero, Pedro P; López, Ricardo; Jiménez, Carlos

    2018-01-01

    This paper aims to explain the macroeconomic volatility due to microeconomic shocks to one or several sectors, recognizing the non-symmetrical relation in the interaction among the Ecuadorian economic sectors. To grasp the economic structure of this emerging economy, a statistical analysis of network data is applied to the respective input-output matrix of Ecuador from 1975 until 2012. We find periods wherein the production of domestic inputs is concentrated in a few suppliers; for example, in 2010, the concentration significantly affects sectors and their downstream providers, thus influencing aggregate volatility. Compared to the US productive structure, this emerging economy presents fewer sectors and degree distributions with less extreme fat-tail behavior. In this simpler economy, we continue to find a link between microeconomic shocks and aggregate volatility. Two new theoretical propositions are introduced to formalize our results.

  8. Sectoral networks and macroeconomic tail risks in an emerging economy

    PubMed Central

    López, Ricardo; Jiménez, Carlos

    2018-01-01

    This paper aims to explain the macroeconomic volatility due to microeconomic shocks to one or several sectors, recognizing the non-symmetrical relation in the interaction among the Ecuadorian economic sectors. To grasp the economic structure of this emerging economy, a statistical analysis of network data is applied to the respective input-output matrix of Ecuador from 1975 until 2012. We find periods wherein the production of domestic inputs is concentrated in a few suppliers; for example, in 2010, the concentration significantly affects sectors and their downstream providers, thus influencing aggregate volatility. Compared to the US productive structure, this emerging economy presents fewer sectors and degree distributions with less extreme fat-tail behavior. In this simpler economy, we continue to find a link between microeconomic shocks and aggregate volatility. Two new theoretical propositions are introduced to formalize our results. PMID:29293567

  9. Understanding and Improving Multi-Sectoral Partnerships for Chronic Disease Prevention: Blending Conceptual and Practical Insights

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Willis, Cameron; Greene, Julie; Riley, Barbara

    2017-01-01

    Inter-organisational partnerships are widely used approaches in public health and chronic disease prevention (CDP), and may include organisations from different sectors, such as research-policy-practice sectors, inter-governmental sectors, or public and private sectors. While multiple conceptual frameworks related to multi-sectoral partnerships…

  10. [Atherogenic indices in workers of different occupational sectors of the Spanish Mediterranean area].

    PubMed

    López González, Ángel Arturo; Rivero Ledo, Yarianne Inalvis; Vicente Herrero, M Teófila; Gil Llinás, María; Tomás Salvá, Matías; Riutord Fe, Bartomeu

    2015-01-01

    Atherogenic indices predict cardiovascular disease, as they provide a good reflection of the clinical and metabolic interactions of lipid fractions. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 60,798 workers in the Spanish Mediterranean area on whom different atherogenic indices (cholesterol/HDL, LDL/HDL, triglycerides/HDL) were determined, and the influence they have in the different productive work sectors. In women, the mean values of the different atherogenic indices are better in the health sector, while they are better in men in the primary sector. The percentage of working women with low values is also greater in the healthcare sector, while in men there is no clear predominant sector, with the best values being shown in the hospitality and primary sector. The distribution of cardiovascular risk factors and the values of the different atherogenic indices analyzed vary in different industrial sectors. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  11. Key Financial Metrics on Australia's Higher Education Sector. Selected Insights--April 2016

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Australian Government Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, 2016

    2016-01-01

    Tertiary Education Quality and Standards (TEQSA) is committed to ensuring that stakeholders in Australia's higher education sector have access to relevant information to enable and better inform decision making. TEQSA recognises that there is little publicly available information on Australia's higher education sector beyond the university sector.…

  12. Improving Cross-Sector Comparisons: Going Beyond the Health-Related QALY.

    PubMed

    Brazier, John; Tsuchiya, Aki

    2015-12-01

    The quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) has become a widely used measure of health outcomes for use in informing decision making in health technology assessment. However, there is growing recognition of outcomes beyond health within the health sector and in related sectors such as social care and public health. This paper presents the advantages and disadvantages of ten possible approaches covering extending the health-related QALY and using well-being and monetary-based methods, in order to address the problem of using multiple outcome measures to inform resource allocation within and between sectors.

  13. Implications of climate change damage for agriculture: sectoral evidence from Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Adeel; Devadason, Evelyn S; Al-Amin, Abul Quasem

    2016-10-01

    This paper gives a projection of the possible damage of climate change on the agriculture sector of Pakistan for the period 2012-2037, based on a dynamic approach, using an environment-related applied computable general equilibrium model (CGE). Climate damage projections depict an upward trend for the period of review and are found to be higher than the global average. Further, the damage to the agricultural sector exceeds that for the overall economy. By sector, climatic damage disproportionately affects the major and minor crops, livestock and fisheries. The largest losses following climate change, relative to the other agricultural sectors, are expected for livestock. The reason for this is the orthodox system of production for livestock, with a low adaptability to negative shocks of climate change. Overall, the findings reveal the high exposure of the agriculture sector to climate damage. In this regard, policymakers in Pakistan should take seriously the effects of climate change on agriculture and consider suitable technology to mitigate those damages.

  14. Trends in Worker Hearing Loss by Industry Sector, 1981–2010

    PubMed Central

    Masterson, Elizabeth A.; Deddens, James A.; Themann, Christa L.; Bertke, Stephen; Calvert, Geoffrey M.

    2015-01-01

    Background The purpose of this study was to estimate the incidence and prevalence of hearing loss for noise-exposed U.S. workers by industry sector and 5-year time period, covering 30 years. Methods Audiograms for 1.8 million workers from 1981–2010 were examined. Incidence and prevalence were estimated by industry sector and time period. The adjusted risk of incident hearing loss within each time period and industry sector as compared with a reference time period was also estimated. Results The adjusted risk for incident hearing loss decreased over time when all industry sectors were combined. However, the risk remained high for workers in Healthcare and Social Assistance, and the prevalence was consistently high for Mining and Construction workers. Conclusions While progress has been made in reducing the risk of incident hearing loss within most industry sectors, additional efforts are needed within Mining, Construction and Healthcare and Social Assistance. PMID:25690583

  15. Brady's Geothermal Field DAS and DTS Surface and Borehole Array Metadata

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

    Dante Fratta

    This metadata submission includes the coordinates of the DAS and DTS surface and borehole arrays, the list of file names, and the list of recorded files during testing at the PoroTomo Natural Laboratory at Brady Hot Spring in Nevada. Testing was completed during March 2016.

  16. Automotive Sectors (NAICS 336, 4231, 8111)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find regulatory, compliance, and enforcement information for environmental laws and regulations for the automotive sectors, which includes transportation equipment manufacturing, and establishments involved in repair and maintenance services for vehicles

  17. Age of diagnosis of congenital hearing loss: Private v. public healthcare sector.

    PubMed

    Butler, I R T; Ceronio, D; Swart, T; Joubert, G

    2015-11-01

    The age of diagnosis of congenital hearing loss is one of the most important determinants of communication outcome. A previous study by the lead author had evaluated the performance of the public health services in Bloemfontein, South Africa (SA), in this regard. This study aimed to examine whether the private health services in the same city were any better. To determine whether the age of diagnosis of congenital hearing loss (CHL) in children seen in the private healthcare sector in Bloemfontein, Free State Province, SA, was lower than that in the public healthcare system in the same city. A comparative study design was utilised and a retrospective database review conducted. Data obtained from this study in the private healthcare sector were compared with data from a previous study in the public healthcare sector using the same study design. Forty-eight children aged <6 years with disabling hearing impairment (DHI) were identified in the private healthcare sector during the study period; 33/47 (70.2%) did not undergo hearing screening at birth. The median age of diagnosis of DHI in the private healthcare sector was 2.24 years, and this was statistically significantly lower than the median age of diagnosis of 3.71 years in the public healthcare sector (p<0.0001; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99-2.0). The median age of diagnosis of congenital hearing loss (CHL) in the private healthcare sector was 3.01 years in children who were not screened at birth, and 1.25 years in those who were screened at birth. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.01; 95% CI 0.72-2.47). We also compared the median age of diagnosis of CHL in children from the private healthcare sector who were not screened at birth (median 3.01 years) with that in children in the public healthcare sector (median 3.71 years). This difference was statistically significant (p<0.01; 95% CI 0.41-1.56). Children in the Free State are diagnosed with CHL at a younger age in the private healthcare

  18. Risk-based input-output analysis of influenza epidemic consequences on interdependent workforce sectors.

    PubMed

    Santos, Joost R; May, Larissa; Haimar, Amine El

    2013-09-01

    Outbreaks of contagious diseases underscore the ever-looming threat of new epidemics. Compared to other disasters that inflict physical damage to infrastructure systems, epidemics can have more devastating and prolonged impacts on the population. This article investigates the interdependent economic and productivity risks resulting from epidemic-induced workforce absenteeism. In particular, we develop a dynamic input-output model capable of generating sector-disaggregated economic losses based on different magnitudes of workforce disruptions. An ex post analysis of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic in the national capital region (NCR) reveals the distribution of consequences across different economic sectors. Consequences are categorized into two metrics: (i) economic loss, which measures the magnitude of monetary losses incurred in each sector, and (ii) inoperability, which measures the normalized monetary losses incurred in each sector relative to the total economic output of that sector. For a simulated mild pandemic scenario in NCR, two distinct rankings are generated using the economic loss and inoperability metrics. Results indicate that the majority of the critical sectors ranked according to the economic loss metric comprise of sectors that contribute the most to the NCR's gross domestic product (e.g., federal government enterprises). In contrast, the majority of the critical sectors generated by the inoperability metric include sectors that are involved with epidemic management (e.g., hospitals). Hence, prioritizing sectors for recovery necessitates consideration of the balance between economic loss, inoperability, and other objectives. Although applied specifically to the NCR, the proposed methodology can be customized for other regions. © 2012 Society for Risk Analysis.

  19. Risk-Based Input-Output Analysis of Influenza Epidemic Consequences on Interdependent Workforce Sectors

    PubMed Central

    Santos, Joost R.; May, Larissa; Haimar, Amine El

    2013-01-01

    Outbreaks of contagious diseases underscore the ever-looming threat of new epidemics. Compared to other disasters that inflict physical damage to infrastructure systems, epidemics can have more devastating and prolonged impacts on the population. This paper investigates the interdependent economic and productivity risks resulting from epidemic-induced workforce absenteeism. In particular, we develop a dynamic input-output model capable of generating sector-disaggregated economic losses based on different magnitudes of workforce disruptions. An ex post analysis of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic in the National Capital Region (NCR) reveals the distribution of consequences across different economic sectors. Consequences are categorized into two metrics: (i) economic loss, which measures the magnitude of monetary losses incurred in each sector, and (ii) inoperability, which measures the normalized monetary losses incurred in each sector relative to the total economic output of that sector. For a simulated mild pandemic scenario in NCR, two distinct rankings are generated using the economic loss and inoperability metrics. Results indicate that the majority of the critical sectors ranked according to the economic loss metric comprise of sectors that contribute the most to the NCR's gross domestic product (e.g., federal government enterprises). In contrast, the majority of the critical sectors generated by the inoperability metric include sectors that are involved with epidemic management (e.g., hospitals). Hence, prioritizing sectors for recovery necessitates consideration of the balance between economic loss, inoperability, and other objectives. Although applied specifically to the NCR region, the proposed methodology can be customized for other regions. PMID:23278756

  20. General view of Sector Six Compound, looking east. Water Storage ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    General view of Sector Six Compound, looking east. Water Storage Tank is at left - Over-the-Horizon Backscatter Radar Network, Tulelake Radar Site Receive Sector Six Water Storage Plant, Unnamed Road West of Double Head Road, Tulelake, Siskiyou County, CA

  1. Developing Managers: A View from the Non-Profit Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Myers, Jan

    2004-01-01

    This paper is rooted in practitioner experience of working within the non-profit sector. It is both underpinned by Master's level research and built on as part of an on-going sense-making process for the author in terms of her doctoral research. Focusing on a specific part of the sector--local development agencies, explores how personal theories…

  2. Being a Manager in the English Early Years Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Preston, Diane

    2013-01-01

    This article draws on interviews with 29 managers and deputy managers within 15 nurseries in the private sector in England. The author argues that, whilst there is a growing literature on management and professionalism within the Early Years (EY) sector, there is less known about the actual experiences of being a manager in this context. Many of…

  3. Enrolments, Funding and Student Staff Ratios by Sector. Policy Note. Number 2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Group of Eight (NJ1), 2011

    2011-01-01

    This briefing examines government and private funding across educational sectors. Key findings include: (1) Differences in funding for public and private education across the sectors: (a) do not reflect policy coherence; and (b) entrench inequities; (2) All sectors receive funding from both public and private sources, though the shares vary.…

  4. Betweenness-Based Method to Identify Critical Transmission Sectors for Supply Chain Environmental Pressure Mitigation.

    PubMed

    Liang, Sai; Qu, Shen; Xu, Ming

    2016-02-02

    To develop industry-specific policies for mitigating environmental pressures, previous studies primarily focus on identifying sectors that directly generate large amounts of environmental pressures (a.k.a. production-based method) or indirectly drive large amounts of environmental pressures through supply chains (e.g., consumption-based method). In addition to those sectors as important environmental pressure producers or drivers, there exist sectors that are also important to environmental pressure mitigation as transmission centers. Economy-wide environmental pressure mitigation might be achieved by improving production efficiency of these key transmission sectors, that is, using less upstream inputs to produce unitary output. We develop a betweenness-based method to measure the importance of transmission sectors, borrowing the betweenness concept from network analysis. We quantify the betweenness of sectors by examining supply chain paths extracted from structural path analysis that pass through a particular sector. We take China as an example and find that those critical transmission sectors identified by betweenness-based method are not always identifiable by existing methods. This indicates that betweenness-based method can provide additional insights that cannot be obtained with existing methods on the roles individual sectors play in generating economy-wide environmental pressures. Betweenness-based method proposed here can therefore complement existing methods for guiding sector-level environmental pressure mitigation strategies.

  5. Public sector health financing in Pakistan: a retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Mohammad, Khalif Bile; Hafeez, Assad; Nishter, Sania

    2007-06-01

    To assess the existing situation relating to investments made by development partners in the health sector in Pakistan. This was a retrospective study completed over a period of 6 months in which financial data for the year July 2004 to June 2005 was collected. A uniform matrix was circulated to all the stakeholders in public sector and international donors who had a stake in health. Details of expenses in health over the last 5 years and plans for the next 10 years were requested. Initial draft was shared with all concerned for concurrence before finalization. Simple analysis was carried out on the collected data. About 80% of the financial resources in the public sector are provided by the Government of Pakistan with non-development and recurring expenses predominating in these allocations. The study shows that Pakistan's per capita spending on health by the public sector is Rs 375.00 (US$ 6.4) out of which Rs 80 (US$ 1.3) is being contributed by the partners. Majority of the partners contributions are used for development projects. The study concludes that an additional amount of about 250 billion rupees per year (keeping in mind the recommendations of Commission for Macroeconomics and Health) are required by the health sector. This can only be achieved by allocating at least 50% more for health every year for next 10 years in order to catch up on the lagging targets set by Millennium Development Goals for Pakistan.

  6. Integriertes Informationsmanagement an der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster - Das Projekt MIRO

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vogl, Raimund; Gildhorn, Antje; Labitzke, Jörg; Wibberg, Michael

    An der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU) wurde bereits 1996 ein tragfähiges, kooperativ ausgerichtetes System der IT-Governance im Zusammenspiel zentraler und dezentraler IT-Leistungserbringer etabliert. Um den Anforderungen an ein integriertes Informationsmanagement im Überlappungsfeld von Information, Kommunikation und Medien (IKM) durch das Zusammenspiel der zentralen Einrichtungen Universitätsverwaltung (UniV), Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek (ULB) und Zentrum für Informationsverarbeitung (ZIV) gerecht zu werden, wurde 2003 der IKM-Service institutionalisiert. In diesem Rahmen wurde das Projekt Münster Information System for Research and Organization (MIRO) entwickelt, das als Leistungszentrum für Forschungsinformation von der DFG gefördert wird. Die bisherigen Projekterfahrungen, erreichten Ziele und verbleibenden Aufgaben werden dargestellt. Im Projektverlauf haben sich insbesondere die etablierten IT-Governance und Versorgungs-Strukturen sowie die Unterstützung der Hochschulleitung als essentielle Erfolgskriterien erwiesen.

  7. Costs and utilization of public sector family planning services in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Abbas, Khadija; Khan, Adnan Ahmad; Khan, Ayesha

    2013-04-01

    The public sector provides a third of family planning (FP) services in Pakistan. However, these services are viewed as being underutilized and expensive. We explored the utilization patterns and costs of FP services in the public sector. We used overall budgets and time allocation by health and population departments to estimate the total costs of FP by these departments, costs per woman served, and costs per couple-year of protection (CYP). The public sector is the predominant provider of FP to the poorest and is the main provider of female sterilization services. The overall costs of FP in the public sector are USD 55 per woman served, annually (USD 17 per CYP). Within the public sector, the population welfare departments provide services at USD 72 per woman served, annually (USD 17 per CYP) and the health departments at USD 39 per woman per year (USD 29 per CYP). While the public sector has a critical niche in serving the poor and providing female sterilization, its services are considerably more expensive compared to international and even some Pakistani non-government organization (NGO) costs. This reflects inefficiencies in services provided, client mistrust in the quality of services provided, and inadequate referrals, and will require specific actions for improving referrals and the quality of services.

  8. Rare Z boson decays to a hidden sector

    DOE PAGES

    Blinov, Nikita; Izaguirre, Eder; Shuve, Brian

    2018-01-18

    We demonstrate that rare decays of the Standard Model Z boson can be used to discover and characterize the nature of new hidden-sector particles. We propose new searches for these particles in soft, high-multiplicity leptonic final states at the Large Hadron Collider. The proposed searches are sensitive to low-mass particles produced in Z decays, and we argue that these striking signatures can shed light on the hidden-sector couplings and mechanism for mass generation.

  9. Rare Z boson decays to a hidden sector

    DOE PAGES

    Blinov, Nikita; Izaguirre, Eder; Shuve, Brian

    2018-01-01

    We demonstrate that rare decays of the Standard Model Z boson can be used to discover and characterize the nature of new hidden-sector particles. We propose new searches for these particles in soft, high-multiplicity leptonic final states at the Large Hadron Collider. The proposed searches are sensitive to low-mass particles produced in Z decays, and we argue that these striking signatures can shed light on the hidden-sector couplings and mechanism for mass generation.

  10. Rare Z boson decays to a hidden sector

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

    Blinov, Nikita; Izaguirre, Eder; Shuve, Brian

    We demonstrate that rare decays of the Standard Model Z boson can be used to discover and characterize the nature of new hidden-sector particles. We propose new searches for these particles in soft, high-multiplicity leptonic final states at the Large Hadron Collider. The proposed searches are sensitive to low-mass particles produced in Z decays, and we argue that these striking signatures can shed light on the hidden-sector couplings and mechanism for mass generation.

  11. Cross-sector Service Provision in Health and Social Care: An Umbrella Review

    PubMed Central

    Magalhaes, Lilian; Anne Kinsella, Elizabeth; Kothari, Anita

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Meeting the complex health needs of people often requires interaction among numerous different sectors. No one service can adequately respond to the diverse care needs of consumers. Providers working more effectively together is frequently touted as the solution. Cross-sector service provision is defined as independent, yet interconnected sectors working together to better meet the needs of consumers and improve the quality and effectiveness of service provision. Cross-sector service provision is expected, yet much remains unknown about how it is conceptualised or its impact on health status. This umbrella review aims to clarify the critical attributes that shape cross-sector service provision by presenting the current state of the literature and building on the findings of the 2004 review by Sloper. Methods: Literature related to cross-sector service provision is immense, which poses a challenge for decision makers wishing to make evidence-informed decisions. An umbrella review was conducted to articulate the overall state of cross-sector service provision literature and examine the evidence to allow for the discovery of consistencies and discrepancies across the published knowledge base. Findings: Sixteen reviews met the inclusion criteria. Seven themes emerged: Focusing on the consumer, developing a shared vision of care, leadership involvement, service provision across the boundaries, adequately resourcing the arrangement, developing novel arrangements or aligning with existing relationships, and strengthening connections between sectors. Future research from a cross-organisational, rather than individual provider, perspective is needed to better understand what shapes cross-sector service provision at the boundaries. Conclusion: Findings aligned closely with the work done by Sloper and raise red flags related to reinventing what is already known. Future researchers should look to explore novel areas rather than looking into areas that have been

  12. Voluntary GHG reduction of industrial sectors in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chen, Liang-Tung; Hu, Allen H

    2012-08-01

    The present paper describes the voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction agreements of six different industrial sectors in Taiwan, as well as the fluorinated gases (F-gas) reduction agreement of the semiconductor and Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) industries. The operating mechanisms, GHG reduction methods, capital investment, and investment effectiveness are also discussed. A total of 182 plants participated in the voluntary energy saving and GHG reduction in six industrial sectors (iron and steel, petrochemical, cement, paper, synthetic fiber, and textile printing and dyeing), with 5.35 Mt reduction from 2004 to 2008, or 33% higher than the target goal (4.02 Mt). The reduction accounts for 1.6% annual emission or 7.8% during the 5-yr span. The petrochemical industry accounts for 49% of the reduction, followed by the cement sector (21%) and the iron and steel industry (13%). The total investment amounted to approximately USD 716 million, in which, the majority of the investment went to the modification of the manufacturing process (89%). The benefit was valued at around USD 472 million with an average payback period of 1.5 yr. Moreover, related energy saving was achieved through different approaches, e.g., via electricity (iron and steel), steam and oil consumption (petrochemical) and coal usage (cement). The cost for unit CO(2) reduction varies per industry, with the steel and iron industrial sector having the highest cost (USD 346 t(-1) CO(2)) compared with the average cost of the six industrial sectors (USD 134 t(-1) CO(2)). For the semiconductor and Thin-Film Transistor LCD industries, F-gas emissions were reduced from approximately 4.1 to about 1.7 Mt CO(2)-eq, and from 2.2 to about 1.1 Mt CO(2)-eq, respectively. Incentive mechanisms for participation in GHG reduction are also further discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Comparison of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) from Fiber-Optic Cable to Three Component Geophones in an Underground Mine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Speece, M. A.; Nesladek, N. J.; Kammerer, C.; Maclaughlin, M.; Wang, H. F.; Lord, N. E.

    2017-12-01

    We conducted experiments in the Underground Education Mining Center on the Montana Tech campus, Butte, Montana, to make a direct comparison between Digital Acoustic Sensing (DAS) and three-component geophones in a mining setting. The sources used for this project where a vertical sledgehammer, oriented shear sledgehammer, and blasting caps set off in both unstemmed and stemmed drillholes. Three-component Geospace 20DM geophones were compared with three different types of fiber-optic cable: (1) Brugg strain, (2) Brugg temperature, and (3) Optical Cable Corporation strain. We attached geophones to the underground mine walls and on the ground surface above the mine. We attached fiber-optic cables to the mine walls and placed fiber-optic cable in boreholes drilled through an underground pillar. In addition, we placed fiber-optic cables in a shallow trench at the surface of the mine. We converted the DAS recordings from strain rate to strain prior to comparison with the geophone data. The setup of the DAS system for this project led to a previously unknown triggering problem that compromised the early samples of the DAS traces often including the first-break times on the DAS records. Geophones clearly recorded the explosives; however, the large amount of energy and its close distance from the fiber-optic cables seemed to compromise the entire fiber loop. The underground hammer sources produced a rough match between the DAS records and the geophone records. However, the sources on the surface of the mine, specifically the sources oriented inline with the fiber-optic cables, produced a close match between the fiber-optic traces and the geophone traces. All three types of fiber-optic cable that were in the mine produced similar results, and one type did not clearly outperform the others. Instead, the coupling of the cable to rock appears to be the most important factor determining DAS data quality. Moreover, we observed the importance of coupling in the boreholes, where

  14. A Community Checklist for Health Sector Resilience Informed by Hurricane Sandy.

    PubMed

    Toner, Eric S; McGinty, Meghan; Schoch-Spana, Monica; Rose, Dale A; Watson, Matthew; Echols, Erin; Carbone, Eric G

    This is a checklist of actions for healthcare, public health, nongovernmental organizations, and private entities to use to strengthen the resilience of their community's health sector to disasters. It is informed by the experience of Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey and analyzed in the context of findings from other recent natural disasters in the United States. The health sector is defined very broadly, including-in addition to hospitals, emergency medical services (EMS), and public health agencies-healthcare providers, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, home health providers, behavioral health providers, and correctional health services. It also includes community-based organizations that support these entities and represent patients. We define health sector resilience very broadly, including all factors that preserve public health and healthcare delivery under extreme stress and contribute to the rapid restoration of normal or improved health sector functioning after a disaster. We present the key findings organized into 8 themes. We then describe a conceptual map of health sector resilience that ties these themes together. Lastly, we provide a series of recommended actions for improving health sector resilience at the local level. The recommended actions emphasize those items that individuals who experienced Hurricane Sandy deemed to be most important. The recommendations are presented as a checklist that can be used by a variety of interested parties who have some role to play in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in their own communities. Following a general checklist are supplemental checklists that apply to specific parts of the larger health sector.

  15. A Community Checklist for Health Sector Resilience Informed by Hurricane Sandy

    PubMed Central

    Toner, Eric S.; McGinty, Meghan; Schoch-Spana, Monica; Rose, Dale A.; Watson, Matthew; Echols, Erin; Carbone, Eric G.

    2017-01-01

    This is a checklist of actions for healthcare, public health, nongovernmental organizations, and private entities to use to strengthen the resilience of their community’s health sector to disasters. It is informed by the experience of Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey and analyzed in the context of findings from other recent natural disasters in the United States. The health sector is defined very broadly, including—in addition to hospitals, emergency medical services (EMS), and public health agencies—healthcare providers, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, home health providers, behavioral health providers, and correctional health services. It also includes community-based organizations that support these entities and represent patients. We define health sector resilience very broadly, including all factors that preserve public health and healthcare delivery under extreme stress and contribute to the rapid restoration of normal or improved health sector functioning after a disaster. We present the key findings organized into 8 themes. We then describe a conceptual map of health sector resilience that ties these themes together. Lastly, we provide a series of recommended actions for improving health sector resilience at the local level. The recommended actions emphasize those items that individuals who experienced Hurricane Sandy deemed to be most important. The recommendations are presented as a checklist that can be used by a variety of interested parties who have some role to play in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in their own communities. Following a general checklist are supplemental checklists that apply to specific parts of the larger health sector. PMID:28192055

  16. TQM implementation for the healthcare sector.

    PubMed

    Chiarini, Andrea; Vagnoni, Emidia

    2017-07-03

    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to enlarge the debate on total quality management (TQM) implementation in the healthcare sector and to evaluate how and whether leadership can affect TQM implementation. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on findings from a literature review of TQM and leadership. The authors analysed these findings to categorise causes of a lack of leadership in TQM programme implementations. Findings The authors propose three categories of causes of a lack of leadership in TQM programme implementation. The first cause is well-known: a lack of senior managers' involvement and commitment. The second category is the "combined leadership" that occurs in large healthcare organisations; and the third category is the influence of an external "political leadership" on public healthcare. Research limitations/implications This paper presents researchers with three categories of causes of failure of leadership in TQM implementation that can be investigated. It also encourages reflections from practitioners concerning TQM leadership in the healthcare sector. Practical implications The authors request that practitioners reflect on ways to create or sustain a "monolithic" leadership, especially in large organisations, to ensure a common vision, values and attitude for unitary TQM governance. Originality/value In an original way, this paper analyses and proposes three categories of causes linked to a lack of TQM leadership in the healthcare sector.

  17. Data mining in pharma sector: benefits.

    PubMed

    Ranjan, Jayanthi

    2009-01-01

    The amount of data getting generated in any sector at present is enormous. The information flow in the pharma industry is huge. Pharma firms are progressing into increased technology-enabled products and services. Data mining, which is knowledge discovery from large sets of data, helps pharma firms to discover patterns in improving the quality of drug discovery and delivery methods. The paper aims to present how data mining is useful in the pharma industry, how its techniques can yield good results in pharma sector, and to show how data mining can really enhance in making decisions using pharmaceutical data. This conceptual paper is written based on secondary study, research and observations from magazines, reports and notes. The author has listed the types of patterns that can be discovered using data mining in pharma data. The paper shows how data mining is useful in the pharma industry and how its techniques can yield good results in pharma sector. Although much work can be produced for discovering knowledge in pharma data using data mining, the paper is limited to conceptualizing the ideas and view points at this stage; future work may include applying data mining techniques to pharma data based on primary research using the available, famous significant data mining tools. Research papers and conceptual papers related to data mining in Pharma industry are rare; this is the motivation for the paper.

  18. Evaluation of Immunization Knowledge, Practices, and Service-delivery in the Private Sector in Cambodia

    PubMed Central

    Soeung, Sann Chan; Grundy, John; Morn, Cheng; Samnang, Chham

    2008-01-01

    A study of private-sector immunization services was undertaken to assess scope of practice and quality of care and to identify opportunities for the development of models of collaboration between the public and the private health sector. A questionnaire survey was conducted with health providers at 127 private facilities; clinical practices were directly observed; and a policy forum was held for government representatives, private healthcare providers, and international partners. In terms of prevalence of private-sector provision of immunization services, 93% of the private inpatient clinics surveyed provided immunization services. The private sector demonstrated a lack of quality of care and management in terms of health workers’ knowledge of immunization schedules, waste and vaccine management practices, and exchange of health information with the public sector. Policy and operational guidelines are required for private-sector immunization practices that address critical subject areas, such as setting of standards, capacity-building, public-sector monitoring, and exchange of health information between the public and the private sector. Such public/private collaborations will keep pace with the trends towards the development of private-sector provision of health services in developing countries. PMID:18637533

  19. Estimating sectoral pollution load in Lagos by Industrial Pollution Projection System (IPPS).

    PubMed

    Oketola, A A; Osibanjo, O

    2007-05-15

    Sensitivity to environmental issues brought about increasing pressure from local community, groups, environmental organizations and government regulators on industries to reduce their pollutant emissions. In this study, Industrial Pollution Projection System (IPPS), which was developed by the Infrastructure and Environment Team of the World Bank, was used to estimate pollution load in ton/yr (with respect to employment) of industrial sectors in Lagos. The IPPS was developed to exploit the fact that the scale of industrial activity, its sectorial composition, and the process technologies, employed in production, heavily affect industrial pollution. Available data, from Manufacturer's Association of Nigeria (M.A.N.) for the years 1997-2002 was used for the estimation. From the cumulative ranking of the pollution load (ton/yr) estimate to all media (i.e. air, land, and water), Chemical and Pharmaceutical (CPH) sector is the highest polluting sector, followed by Basic Metal (BML), Domestic and Industrial Plastics (DIP), and Food, Beverage and Tobacco (FBT) sectors. Some of these sectors have the highest number of employees, and also appeared as the most polluting sectors in Lagos.

  20. E-Learning Readiness in the Academic Sector of Thailand

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laohajaratsang, Thanomporn

    2009-01-01

    As e-learning in the academic sector serves as a crucial driving force in the development of e-learning in Thailand, this article looks at e-learning readiness in Thailand with a focus on the academic sector. The article is divided into four parts: (1) a brief history of e-learning in Thailand; (2) the infrastructure related to e-learning…

  1. Factors associated with the recruitment and retention of dentists in the public sector.

    PubMed

    Hopcraft, Matthew Scott; Milford, Elizabeth; Yapp, Kehn; Lim, Yujin; Tan, Vanessa; Goh, Leo; Low, Cheng Cheng; Phan, Tung

    2010-01-01

    There is an increasing demand for public dental services in Australia, with many community dental clinics unable to meet this demand because of an inadequate number of dentists in the workforce. The aim of this study was to identify factors contributing to the recruitment and retention of dentists in the public sector. A postal questionnaire survey of 180 dentists (response rate 75.6 percent) working in the Victorian public sector was undertaken to investigate the characteristics of public sector dentists, job satisfaction, remuneration, perceptions of public dentistry, future career intentions, and issues that relate to recruitment and retention of staff. Victorian public dentists' main reason for entering the public sector was to work in a community-based setting in a supportive and mentored environment. The main factors related to dentists leaving the public sector were poor remuneration, lack of clinical experience, and frustration with administrative policies. Victoria's oral health workforce shortages in the public sector are mainly attributed to retention issues. The potential for mentoring and a desire for helping those in need were factors attracting dentists to work in the public sector. There was a disproportionate number of female dentists in the public sector compared with the general population, and female dentists had a lower mean salary than male dentists regardless of experience. A range of factors were associated with retention, and gradual frustration because of poor remuneration and lack of professional autonomy were significant reasons for the decision to leave the public sector.

  2. Is Satisfaction with the Acute-Care Experience Higher amongst Consumers Treated in the Private Sector? A Survey of Public and Private Sector Arthroplasty Recipients

    PubMed Central

    Naylor, Justine M.; Descallar, Joseph; Grootemaat, Mechteld; Badge, Helen; Harris, Ian A.; Simpson, Grahame; Jenkin, Deanne

    2016-01-01

    Background Consumer satisfaction with the acute-care experience could reasonably be expected to be higher amongst those treated in the private sector compared to those treated in the public sector given the former relies on high-level satisfaction of its consumers and their subsequent recommendations to thrive. The primary aims of this study were to determine, in a knee or hip arthroplasty cohort, if surgery in the private sector predicts greater overall satisfaction with the acute-care experience and greater likelihood to recommend the same hospital. A secondary aim was to determine whether satisfaction across a range of service domains is also higher in the private sector. Methods A telephone survey was conducted 35 days post-surgery. The hospital cohort comprised eight public and seven private high-volume arthroplasty providers. Consumers rated overall satisfaction with care out of 100 and likeliness to recommend their hospital on a 5-point Likert scale. Additional Likert-style questions were asked covering specific service domains. Generalized estimating equation models were used to analyse overall satisfaction (dichotomised as ≥ 90 or < 90) and future recommendations for care (dichotomised as ‘definitely recommend’ or ‘other’), whilst controlling for covariates. The proportions of consumers in each sector reporting the best Likert response for each individual domain were compared using non-parametric tests. Results 457 survey respondents (n = 210 private) were included. Less patient-reported joint impairment pre-surgery [OR 1.03 (95% CI 1.01–1.05)] and absence of an acute complication (OR 2.13 95% CI 1.41–3.23) significantly predicted higher overall satisfaction. Hip arthroplasty [OR 1.84 (1.1–2.96)] and an absence of an acute complication [OR 2.31 (1.28–4.17] significantly predicted greater likelihood for recommending the hospital. The only care domains where the private out-performed the public sector were hospitality (46.7 vs 35.6%, p <0

  3. A national econometric forecasting model of the dental sector.

    PubMed Central

    Feldstein, P J; Roehrig, C S

    1980-01-01

    The Econometric Model of the the Dental Sector forecasts a broad range of dental sector variables, including dental care prices; the amount of care produced and consumed; employment of hygienists, dental assistants, and clericals; hours worked by dentists; dental incomes; and number of dentists. These forecasts are based upon values specified by the user for the various factors which help determine the supply an demand for dental care, such as the size of the population, per capita income, the proportion of the population covered by private dental insurance, the cost of hiring clericals and dental assistants, and relevant government policies. In a test of its reliability, the model forecast dental sector behavior quite accurately for the period 1971 through 1977. PMID:7461974

  4. QUALIS EVALUATION OF MEDICINE III: ANALYSIS OF ANESTHESIOLOGY AND GYNECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS JOURNALS.

    PubMed

    Calderon, Iracema de Mattos Paranhos

    2015-01-01

    To know the current publication of Anesthesiology and Obstetrics and Gynecology subareas, to support the updating of Qualis Journals criteria in these specific subareas. Cross-sectional, descriptive study in which was evaluated in quantitatively and qualitatively way the bibliographic production of Anesthesiology and Obstetrics and Gynecology subareas, from January 2010 to December 2012. Were investigated the values ​​of the impact factor; calculated (i) the number (n) and the percentage of journals in each stratum Qualis A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, B4 and B5, and (ii) the median values ​​and their extreme limits (minimum values ​​and maximum) and quartiles (p25; p50; p75; p90) of the impact factors in the different strata. The bibliographic production of the three-year period 2010-2012 was published in 69 journals in Anesthesiology subarea and in 345 in Gynecology and Obstetrics. In Anesthesiology, 44% were within the limits of impact factor of superior A1, A2 and B1; in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 42.4% were in those limits and strata. Despite lagging behind by international standards, publications of Anesthesiology and Obstetrics and Gynecology showed tendency to improve the quality. In these sub-areas, the median of journals impact factor is beyond the limits defined by the area in the last assessment. Therefore, it must be reconsidered new indicators to assess this aspect. Conhecer a publicação atual das subáreas Anestesiologia e Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, para subsidiar a atualização dos critérios Qualis-periódicos, específicos dessas subáreas. Estudo de corte transversal, descritivo, onde avaliou-se, de modo quantitativo e qualitativo, a produção bibliográfica das subáreas Anestesiologia e Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, no período de janeiro de 2010 a dezembro de 2012. Foram definidos os valores do fator de impacto das revistas; foram calculados (i) o número (n) e percentual de periódicos em cada um dos estratos Qualis - A1, A2, B1, B2, B3

  5. Civil society, third sector, and healthcare: the case of social cooperatives in Italy.

    PubMed

    Borzaga, Carlo; Fazzi, Luca

    2014-12-01

    In many European countries, the third sector is considered an actor able to improve both the efficiency and the efficacy of public healthcare systems afflicted by the crisis of the welfare state. Attributed to third-sector organizations is the role of a hybrid actor tasked with the professional supply of services, not for profit but rather for mutualistic purposes, and to serve the public interest. However, empirical evidence on the capacity of the third sector to pursue objectives of social inclusion in a phase of withdrawal by the public sector is almost entirely lacking in the European countries. The article describes the results of research on the transformation of the Italian healthcare system and on the emergence of a new third sector in Italy. The results of the inquiry highlight the strategies, characteristics, and governance processes which enable third-sector organizations operating in the healthcare sector to pursue objectives of inclusion, and to serve the needs of disadvantaged groups by assuming the form of social enterprises. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. [Managment in nursing and the administration of third sector organizations].

    PubMed

    Ruthes, Rosa Maria; Cunha, Isabel Cristina Kowal Olm

    2006-01-01

    In this article of bibliographical revision it was aimed at verifying the evolution of the third sector and the relations between nursing management in that organizations. It is observed a growing of this sector in health area, bringing a market anplification in the work of the nurse. Thus, it is considered the need for warning the nurses to be prepared for the management in these organizations, seeking for development in hospital management. Third sector is being valued as a form of social promotion in the health, education, social assistance and others segments, congregating individuals and institutions in a participative form.

  7. Lessons learned from health sector reform: a four-country comparison.

    PubMed

    Talukder, Md Noorunnabi; Rob, Ubaidur; Mahabub-Ul-Anwar, Md

    Various reforms have been undertaken to improve the functioning of health systems in developing countries, but there is limited comparative analysis of reform initiatives. This article discusses health sector reform experiences of four developing countries and identifies the lessons learned. The article is based on the review of background papers on Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Tanzania prepared as part of a multi-country study on health sector reform. Findings suggest that decentralization works effectively while implementing primary and secondary health programs. Decentralization of power and authority to local authorities requires strengthening and supporting these units. Along with the public sector, the private sector plays an effective role in institutional and human resources development as well as in improving service delivery. Community participation facilitates recruitment and development of field workers, facility improvement, and service delivery. For providing financial protection to the poor, there is a need to review user fees and develop affordable health insurance with an exemption mechanism. There is no uniform health sector reform approach; therefore, the experiences of other countries will help countries undertake appropriate reforms. Here, it is important to examine the context and determine the reform measures that constitute the best means in terms of equity, efficiency, and sustainability.

  8. Dissipative hidden sector dark matter

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Foot, R.; Vagnozzi, S.

    2015-01-01

    A simple way of explaining dark matter without modifying known Standard Model physics is to require the existence of a hidden (dark) sector, which interacts with the visible one predominantly via gravity. We consider a hidden sector containing two stable particles charged under an unbroken U (1 )' gauge symmetry, hence featuring dissipative interactions. The massless gauge field associated with this symmetry, the dark photon, can interact via kinetic mixing with the ordinary photon. In fact, such an interaction of strength ε ˜10-9 appears to be necessary in order to explain galactic structure. We calculate the effect of this new physics on big bang nucleosynthesis and its contribution to the relativistic energy density at hydrogen recombination. We then examine the process of dark recombination, during which neutral dark states are formed, which is important for large-scale structure formation. Galactic structure is considered next, focusing on spiral and irregular galaxies. For these galaxies we modeled the dark matter halo (at the current epoch) as a dissipative plasma of dark matter particles, where the energy lost due to dissipation is compensated by the energy produced from ordinary supernovae (the core-collapse energy is transferred to the hidden sector via kinetic mixing induced processes in the supernova core). We find that such a dynamical halo model can reproduce several observed features of disk galaxies, including the cored density profile and the Tully-Fisher relation. We also discuss how elliptical and dwarf spheroidal galaxies could fit into this picture. Finally, these analyses are combined to set bounds on the parameter space of our model, which can serve as a guideline for future experimental searches.

  9. Computer program for flat sector thrust bearing performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Presler, A. F.; Etsion, I.

    1977-01-01

    A versatile computer program is presented which achieves a rapid, numerical solution of the Reynolds equation for a flat sector thrust pad bearing with either compressible or liquid lubricants. Program input includes a range in values of the geometric and operating parameters of the sector bearing. Performance characteristics are obtained from the calculated bearing pressure distribution. These are the load capacity, center of pressure coordinates, frictional energy dissipation, and flow rates of liquid lubricant across the bearing edges. Two sample problems are described.

  10. The pharmaceutical sector inquiry: 'Hamlet' in a nutshell.

    PubMed

    den Exter, André

    2010-03-01

    In July 2009, the European Commission (DG Competition) published a Communication on the pharmaceutical sector. This inquiry was launched because there were some indications that competition in the pharmaceutical market in the European Union might not be working well. The report examines the reasons for the observed delay. This article analyses the outcomes from a critical standpoint, arguing in favour of enhanced 'soft law' accountability mechanisms in the pharmaceutical sector, defending conditional patenting and the introduction of a Community patent.

  11. 75 FR 50884 - Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-18

    ... 3 and 165 to reflect changes in Coast Guard internal organizational structure. Sector Portland and... 1625-ZA25 Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector... Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector Columbia River.'' 2. On page 48564...

  12. The DAS28-ESR cutoff value necessary to achieve remission under the new Boolean-based remission criteria in patients receiving tocilizumab.

    PubMed

    Hirabayashi, Yasuhiko; Ishii, Tomonori

    2013-01-01

    To seek the cutoff value of the 28-joint disease activity score using erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) that is necessary to achieve remission under the new Boolean-based criteria, we analyzed the data for 285 patients with rheumatoid arthritis registered between May 2008 and November 2009 by the Michinoku Tocilizumab Study Group and observed for 1 year after receiving tocilizumab (TCZ) in real clinical practice. Remission rates under the DAS28-ESR criteria and the Boolean criteria were assessed every 6 months after the first TCZ dose. The DAS28-ESR cutoff value necessary to achieve remission under the new criteria was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Data were analyzed using last observation carried forward. After 12 months of TCZ use, remission was achieved in 164 patients (57.5 %) by DAS28-ESR and 71 patients (24.9 %) under the new criteria for clinical trials. CRP levels scarcely affected remission rates, and the difference between remission rates defined by DAS28-ESR and by the new criteria was mainly due to patient global assessment (PGA). Improvement of PGA was inversely related to disease duration. ROC analysis revealed that the DAS28-ESR cutoff value necessary to predict remission under the new criteria for clinical trials was 1.54, with a sensitivity of 88.7 %, specificity of 85.5 %, positive predictive value of 67.0 %, and negative predictive value of 95.8 %. A DAS28-ESR cutoff value of 1.54 may be reasonable to predict achievement of remission under the new Boolean-based criteria for clinical trials in patients receiving TCZ.

  13. 28 CFR 302.1 - Public and private sector comment procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Public and private sector comment procedures. 302.1 Section 302.1 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COMMENTS ON UNICOR BUSINESS OPERATIONS § 302.1 Public and private sector comment procedures. (a...

  14. 28 CFR 302.1 - Public and private sector comment procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Public and private sector comment procedures. 302.1 Section 302.1 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COMMENTS ON UNICOR BUSINESS OPERATIONS § 302.1 Public and private sector comment procedures. (a...

  15. 28 CFR 302.1 - Public and private sector comment procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Public and private sector comment procedures. 302.1 Section 302.1 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COMMENTS ON UNICOR BUSINESS OPERATIONS § 302.1 Public and private sector comment procedures. (a...

  16. 28 CFR 302.1 - Public and private sector comment procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Public and private sector comment procedures. 302.1 Section 302.1 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COMMENTS ON UNICOR BUSINESS OPERATIONS § 302.1 Public and private sector comment procedures. (a...

  17. General view of Sector Four Compound, looking north. Antenna Array ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    General view of Sector Four Compound, looking north. Antenna Array is in background, behind Communications Antennas, Receiver Building, and Water Storage Tank - Over-the-Horizon Backscatter Radar Network, Tulelake Radar Site Receive Sector Four Antenna Array, Unnamed Road West of Double Head Road, Tulelake, Siskiyou County, CA

  18. 28 CFR 302.1 - Public and private sector comment procedures.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Public and private sector comment procedures. 302.1 Section 302.1 Judicial Administration FEDERAL PRISON INDUSTRIES, INC., DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE COMMENTS ON UNICOR BUSINESS OPERATIONS § 302.1 Public and private sector comment procedures. (a...

  19. Economic development and multiple air pollutant emissions from the industrial sector.

    PubMed

    Fujii, Hidemichi; Managi, Shunsuke

    2016-02-01

    This study analyzed the relationship between economic growth and emissions of eight environmental air pollutants (carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulfur oxide (SOx), carbon monoxide (CO), non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC), and ammonia (NH3)) in 39 countries from 1995 to 2009. We tested an environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis for 16 individual industry sectors and for the total industrial sector. The results clarified that at least ten individual industries do not have an EKC relationship in eight air pollutants even though this relationship was observed in the country and total industrial sector level data. We found that the key industries that dictated the EKC relationship in the country and the total industrial sector existed in CO2, N2O, CO, and NMVOC emissions. Finally, the EKC turning point and the relationship between economic development and trends of air pollutant emissions differ among industries according to the pollution substances. These results suggest inducing new environmental policy design such as the sectoral crediting mechanism, which focuses on the industrial characteristics of emissions.

  20. HSCT Sector Combustor Evaluations for Demonstration Engine

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenfield, Stuart; Heberling, Paul; Kastl, John; Matulaitis, John; Huff, Cynthia

    2004-01-01

    In LET Task 10, critical development issues of the HSCT lean-burn low emissions combustor were addressed with a range of engineering tools. Laser diagnostics and CFD analysis were applied to develop a clearer understanding of the fuel-air premixing process and premixed combustion. Subcomponent tests evaluated the emissions and operability performance of the fuel-air premixers. Sector combustor tests evaluated the performance of the integrated combustor system. A 3-cup sector was designed and procured for laser diagnostics studies at NASA Glenn. The results of these efforts supported the earlier selection of the Cyclone Swirler as the pilot stage premixer and the IMFH (Integrated Mixer Flame Holder) tube as the main stage premixer of the LPP combustor. In the combustor system preliminary design subtask, initial efforts to transform the sector combustor design into a practical subscale engine combustor met with significant challenges. Concerns about the durability of a stepped combustor dome and the need for a removable fuel injection system resulted in the invention and refinement of the MRA (Multistage Radial Axial) combustor system in 1994. The MRA combustor was selected for the HSR Phase II LPP subscale combustor testing in the CPC Program.

  1. Attribution of climate forcing to economic sectors.

    PubMed

    Unger, Nadine; Bond, Tami C; Wang, James S; Koch, Dorothy M; Menon, Surabi; Shindell, Drew T; Bauer, Susanne

    2010-02-23

    A much-cited bar chart provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change displays the climate impact, as expressed by radiative forcing in watts per meter squared, of individual chemical species. The organization of the chart reflects the history of atmospheric chemistry, in which investigators typically focused on a single species of interest. However, changes in pollutant emissions and concentrations are a symptom, not a cause, of the primary driver of anthropogenic climate change: human activity. In this paper, we suggest organizing the bar chart according to drivers of change-that is, by economic sector. Climate impacts of tropospheric ozone, fine aerosols, aerosol-cloud interactions, methane, and long-lived greenhouse gases are considered. We quantify the future evolution of the total radiative forcing due to perpetual constant year 2000 emissions by sector, most relevant for the development of climate policy now, and focus on two specific time points, near-term at 2020 and long-term at 2100. Because sector profiles differ greatly, this approach fosters the development of smart climate policy and is useful to identify effective opportunities for rapid mitigation of anthropogenic radiative forcing.

  2. Strength of a Ceramic Sectored Flexure Specimen

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

    Wereszczak, Andrew A; Duffy, Stephen F; Baker, E. H.

    2008-01-01

    A new test specimen, defined here as the "sectored flexure strength specimen", was developed to measure the strength of ceramic tubes specifically for circumstances when flaws located at the tube's outer diameter are the strength-limiter and subjected to axial tension. The understanding of such strength-limitation is relevant for when ceramic tubes are subjected to bending or when the internal temperature is hotter than the tube's exterior (e.g., heat exchangers). The specimen is both economically and statistically attractive because eight specimens (eight in the case of this project - but the user is not necessarily limited to eight) were extracted outmore » of each length of tube. An analytic expression for maximum or failure stress, and relationships portraying effective area and effective volume as a function of Weibull modulus were developed. Lastly, it was proven from the testing of two ceramics that the sectored flexure specimen was very effective at producing failures caused by strength-limiting flaws located on the tube's original outer diameter. Keywords: ceramics, strength, sectored flexure specimen, effective area, effective volume, finite-element analysis, Weibull distribution, and fractography.« less

  3. Attribution of climate forcing to economic sectors

    PubMed Central

    Unger, Nadine; Bond, Tami C.; Wang, James S.; Koch, Dorothy M.; Menon, Surabi; Shindell, Drew T.; Bauer, Susanne

    2010-01-01

    A much-cited bar chart provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change displays the climate impact, as expressed by radiative forcing in watts per meter squared, of individual chemical species. The organization of the chart reflects the history of atmospheric chemistry, in which investigators typically focused on a single species of interest. However, changes in pollutant emissions and concentrations are a symptom, not a cause, of the primary driver of anthropogenic climate change: human activity. In this paper, we suggest organizing the bar chart according to drivers of change—that is, by economic sector. Climate impacts of tropospheric ozone, fine aerosols, aerosol-cloud interactions, methane, and long-lived greenhouse gases are considered. We quantify the future evolution of the total radiative forcing due to perpetual constant year 2000 emissions by sector, most relevant for the development of climate policy now, and focus on two specific time points, near-term at 2020 and long-term at 2100. Because sector profiles differ greatly, this approach fosters the development of smart climate policy and is useful to identify effective opportunities for rapid mitigation of anthropogenic radiative forcing. PMID:20133724

  4. Challenges and responsibilities for public sector scientists.

    PubMed

    Van Montagu, Marc

    2010-11-30

    Current agriculture faces the challenge of doubling food production to meet the food needs of a population expected to reach 9 billion by mid-century whilst maintaining soil and water quality and conserving biodiversity. These challenges are more overwhelming for the rural poor, who are the custodians of environmental resources and at the same time particularly vulnerable to environmental degradation. Solutions have to come from concerted actions by different segments of society in which public sector science plays a fundamental role. Public sector scientists are at the root of all the present generation of GM crop traits under cultivation and more will come with the new knowledge that is being generated by systems biology. To speed up innovation, molecular biologists must interact with scientists from the different fields as well as with stakeholders outside the academic world in order to create an environment capable of capturing value from public sector knowledge. I highlight here the measures that have to be taken urgently to guarantee that science and technology can tackle the problems of subsistence farmers. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Does an expansion in private sector contraceptive supply increase inequality in modern contraceptive use?

    PubMed

    Agha, Sohail; Do, Mai

    2008-11-01

    To determine whether an expansion in private sector contraceptive supply is associated with increased socio-economic inequality in the modern contraceptive prevalence rate (MCPR inequality). Multiple rounds of Demographic and Health Surveys data were analysed for five countries that experienced an increase in the private sector supply of contraceptives: Morocco, Indonesia, Kenya, Ghana and Bangladesh. Information on household assets and amenities was used to construct wealth quintiles. A concentration index, which calculates the degree of inequality in contraceptive use by wealth, was calculated for each survey round. Socio-economic inequality in the MCPR (MCPR inequality) declined in Morocco and Indonesia, where substantial expansion in private sector contraceptive supply occurred. In both countries, poor women continued to rely heavily on contraceptives supplied by the public sector even as they increased use of contraceptives obtained from the private sector. A marginally significant decline in MCPR inequality occurred in Bangladesh, where the increase in private sector supply was modest. There was no significant overall change in MCPR inequality in Kenya or Ghana. In Kenya, this lack of significant overall change disguised trends moving in opposite directions in urban and rural areas. In urban Kenya, MCPR inequality declined as low-income urban women increased use of contraceptives obtained primarily from the public sector. In rural Kenya, MCPR inequality increased. This increase was associated with a decline in the supply of contraceptives by the public sector and non-governmental organizations to the poorest, rural, women. The study found no support for the hypothesis that an increase in private sector contraceptive supply leads to higher MCPR inequality. The findings suggest that continued public sector supply of contraceptives to the poorest women protects against increased MCPR inequality. The study highlights the role of the public sector in building

  6. Training in the Food and Beverages Sector in Denmark. Report for the FORCE Programme.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holst, Ole

    A study of the food sector in Denmark was limited to the slaughterhouse, dairy, beverages sectors. The food sector was the most important single industry in the Danish economy. It was the largest manufacturing sector, generated one-third of total manufacturing, and comprised approximately 8 percent of the total Danish gross domestic product. It…

  7. Sector strength and efficiency on developed and emerging financial markets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fiedor, Paweł

    2014-11-01

    In this paper we analyse the importance of sectors and market efficiency on developed and emerging financial markets. To perform this we analyse New York Stock Exchange between 2004 and 2013 and Warsaw Stock Exchange between 2000 and 2013. To find out the importance of sectors we construct minimal spanning trees for annual time series consisting of daily log returns and calculate centrality measures for all stocks, which we then aggregate by sectors. Such analysis is of interest to analysts for whom the knowledge of the influence of particular groups of stocks to the market behaviour is crucial. We also analyse the predictability of price changes on those two markets formally, using the information-theoretic concept of entropy rate, to find out the differences in market efficiency between a developed and an emerging market, and between sectors themselves. We postulate that such analysis is important to the study of financial markets as it can contribute to the profitability of investments, particularly in the case of algorithmic trading.

  8. Public Sector Employee Assistance Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kemp, Donna R.; Verlinde, Beverly

    This document discusses employee assistance programs (EAPs), programs which have been developed to help employees deal with personal problems that seriously affect job performance. It reviews literature which specifically addresses EAPs in the public sector, noting that there are no exact figures on how many public entities have EAPs. Previous…

  9. Public-Sector Information Security: A Call to Action for Public-Sector CIOs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-10-01

    scenarios. However, in a larger sense, it is a story for all public-sector CIOs, a story both prophetic and sobering. Deep in this story, however, there...information technology (IT), our way of life, and the values that lay deep in the core of our American culture. These values include rights to...defines roles and accountabilities. The Scope of the Problem Today there are 109.5 million Internet hosts on the World Wide Web . Five years ago there

  10. Ocean Color Measurements from Landsat-8 OLI using SeaDAS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Franz, Bryan Alden; Bailey, Sean W.; Kuring, Norman; Werdell, P. Jeremy

    2014-01-01

    The Operational Land Imager (OLI) is a multi-spectral radiometer hosted on the recently launched Landsat-8 satellite. OLI includes a suite of relatively narrow spectral bands at 30-meter spatial resolution in the visible to shortwave infrared that make it a potential tool for ocean color radiometry: measurement of the reflected spectral radiance upwelling from beneath the ocean surface that carries information on the biogeochemical constituents of the upper ocean euphotic zone. To evaluate the potential of OLI to measure ocean color, processing support was implemented in SeaDAS, which is an open-source software package distributed by NASA for processing, analysis, and display of ocean remote sensing measurements from a variety of satellite-based multi-spectral radiometers. Here we describe the implementation of OLI processing capabilities within SeaDAS, including support for various methods of atmospheric correction to remove the effects of atmospheric scattering and absorption and retrieve the spectral remote-sensing reflectance (Rrs; sr exp 1). The quality of the retrieved Rrs imagery will be assessed, as will the derived water column constituents such as the concentration of the phytoplankton pigment chlorophyll a.

  11. U.S. Heat Demand by Sector for Potential Application of Direct Use Geothermal

    DOE Data Explorer

    Katherine Young

    2016-06-23

    This dataset includes heat demand for potential application of direct use geothermal broken down into 4 sectors: agricultural, commercial, manufacturing and residential. The data for each sector are organized by county, were disaggregated specifically to assess the market demand for geothermal direct use, and were derived using methodologies customized for each sector based on the availability of data and other sector-specific factors. This dataset also includes a paper containing a full explanation of the methodologies used.

  12. Private sector accountable care organization development: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Scheck McAlearney, Ann; Hilligoss, Brian; Song, Paula H

    2017-03-01

    To explore accountable care organizations (ACOs) as they develop in the private sector, including their motivation for development, perspectives from consumers regarding these emerging ACOs, and the critical success factors associated with ACO development. Comprehensive organizational case studies of 4 full-risk private sector ACOs that included in-person interviews with providers and administrators and focus groups with local consumers. Sixty-eight key informant interviews conducted during site visits, supplemented by document collection and telephone interviews, and 5 focus groups were held with 52 consumers associated with the study ACOs. We found 3 main motivators for private sector ACO development: 1) opportunity to improve quality and efficiency, 2) potential to improve population health, and 3) belief that payment reform is inevitable. With respect to consumer perspectives, consumers were unaware they received care from an ACO. From the perspectives of ACO stakeholders, these ACOs noted that they prefer to focus on patients' relationships with providers and typically do not emphasize the ACO name or entity. Critical success factors for private sector ACO development included provider engagement, strategic buy-in, prior experience managing risk, IT infrastructure, and leadership, all meant to shift the culture to a focus on value instead of volume. These organizations perceived that pursuing an accountable care strategy allowed them to respond to policy changes anticipated to impact the way healthcare is delivered and reimbursed. Increased understanding of factors that have been important for more mature private sector ACOs may help other healthcare organizations as they strive to enhance value and advance in their ACO journeys.

  13. Roundtable discussion: what is the future role of the private sector in health?

    PubMed

    Stallworthy, Guy; Boahene, Kwasi; Ohiri, Kelechi; Pamba, Allan; Knezovich, Jeffrey

    2014-06-24

    The role for the private sector in health remains subject to much debate, especially within the context of achieving universal health coverage.This roundtable discussion offers diverse perspectives from a range of stakeholders--a health funder, a representative from an implementing organization, a national-level policy-maker, and an expert working in a large multi-national company--on what the future may hold for the private sector in health. The first perspective comes from a health funder, who argues that the discussion about the future role of the private sector has been bogged down in language. He argues for a 'both/and' approach rather than an 'either/or' when it comes to talking about health service provision in low- and middle-income countries.The second perspective is offered by an implementer of health insurance in sub-Saharan Africa. The piece examines the comparative roles of public sector actors, private sector actors and funding agencies, suggesting that they must work together to mobilize domestic resources to fund and deliver health services in the longer term.Thirdly, a special advisor working in the federal government of Nigeria considers the situation in that country. He notes that the private sector plays a significant role in funding and delivering health services there, and that the government must engage the private sector or forever be left behind.Finally, a representative from a multi-national pharmaceutical corporation gives an overview of global shifts that are creating opportunities for the private sector in health markets. Overall, the roundtable discussants agree that the private sector will play an important role in future health systems. But we must agree a common language, work together, and identify key issues and gaps that might be more effectively filled by the private sector.

  14. Accelerating TB notification from the private health sector in Delhi, India.

    PubMed

    Kundu, Debashish; Chopra, Kamal; Khanna, Ashwani; Babbar, Neeti; Padmini, T J

    2016-01-01

    In India, almost half of all patients with tuberculosis (TB) seek care in the private sector as the first point of care. The national programme is unable to support such TB patients and facilitate effective treatment, as there is no information on TB and Multi or Extensively Drug Resistant TB (M/XDR-TB) diagnosis and treatment in private sector. To improve this situation, Government of India declared TB a notifiable disease for establishing TB surveillance system, to extend supportive mechanism for TB treatment adherence and standardised practices in the private sector. But TB notification from the private sector is a challenge and still a lot needs to be done to accelerate TB notification. Delhi State TB Control Programme had taken initiatives for improving notification of TB cases from the private sector in 2014. Key steps taken were to constitute a state level TB notification committee to oversee the progress of TB notification efforts in the state and direct 'one to one' sensitisation of private practitioners (PPs) (in single PP's clinic, corporate hospitals and laboratories) by the state notification teams with the help of available tools for sensitising the PP on TB notification - TB Notification Government Order, Guidance Tool for TB Notification and Standards of TB Care in India. As a result of focussed state level interventions, without much external support, there was an accelerated notification of TB cases from the private sector. TB notification cases from the private sector rose from 341 (in 2013) to 4049 (by the end of March 2015). Active state level initiatives have led to increase in TB case notification. Copyright © 2016 Tuberculosis Association of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Health care of female outpatients in south-central India: comparing public and private sector provision.

    PubMed

    Bhatia, Jagdish; Cleland, John

    2004-11-01

    The object of this study was to compare components of quality of care provided to female outpatients by practitioners working in the private and public sectors in Karnataka State, India. Consultations conducted by 18 private practitioners and 25 public-sector practitioners were observed for 5 days using a structured protocol. Private practitioners were selected from members of the Indian Medical Association in a predominantly rural sub-district of Kolar District. Government doctors were selected from a random sample of hospitals and health centres in three sub-districts of Mysore District. A total of 451 private-sector and 650 public-sector consultations were observed; in each sector about half involved a female practitioner. The mean length of consultation was 2.81 minutes in the public sector and 6.68 minutes in the private sector. Compared with public-sector practitioners, private practitioners were significantly more likely to undertake a physical examination and to explain their diagnosis and prognosis to the patient. Privacy was much better in the private sector. One-third of public-sector patients received an injection compared with two-thirds of private patients. The mean cost of drugs dispensed or prescribed were Rupees 37 and 74 in public and private sectors, respectively. Both in terms of thoroughness of diagnosis and doctor-patient communication, the quality of care appears to be much higher in the private than in the public sector. However, over-prescription of drugs by private practitioners may be occurring.

  16. Quality in the Australian VET Sector: What Has Been Happening?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Roger

    2015-01-01

    VET (vocational education and training) is a fascinating sector. Aligned closely with the labour market and sandwiched between two major sectors, it is continually buffeted by political winds, susceptible to the ideologies of different governments. Often labelled the "poor cousin", debates continue to rage about its quality. This paper…

  17. Private-Sector Coalitions and State-Level Education Reform. Policy Bulletin.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamrick, Flo

    The influence of the private sector on education has been and continues to be significant. The use of scientific management in education, which led to standardized testing, accountability, and educational administration, came from the private sector. In recent times, many businesses have formed charitable and professional support partnerships with…

  18. Impacts of climate change on the global forest sector

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Perez-Garcia, J.; Joyce, L.A.; McGuire, A.D.; Xiao, X.

    2002-01-01

    The path and magnitude of future anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide will likely influence changes in climate that may impact the global forest sector. These responses in the global forest sector may have implications for international efforts to stabilize the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide. This study takes a step toward including the role of global forest sector in integrated assessments of the global carbon cycle by linking global models of climate dynamics, ecosystem processes and forest economics to assess the potential responses of the global forest sector to different levels of greenhouse gas emissions. We utilize three climate scenarios and two economic scenarios to represent a range of greenhouse gas emissions and economic behavior. At the end of the analysis period (2040), the potential responses in regional forest growing stock simulated by the global ecosystem model range from decreases and increases for the low emissions climate scenario to increases in all regions for the high emissions climate scenario. The changes in vegetation are used to adjust timber supply in the softwood and hardwood sectors of the economic model. In general, the global changes in welfare are positive, but small across all scenarios. At the regional level, the changes in welfare can be large and either negative or positive. Markets and trade in forest products play important roles in whether a region realizes any gains associated with climate change. In general, regions with the lowest wood fiber production cost are able to expand harvests. Trade in forest products leads to lower prices elsewhere. The low-cost regions expand market shares and force higher-cost regions to decrease their harvests. Trade produces different economic gains and losses across the globe even though, globally, economic welfare increases. The results of this study indicate that assumptions within alternative climate scenarios and about trade in forest products are important factors

  19. FIMP dark matter freeze-in gauge mediation and hidden sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tsao, Kuo-Hsing

    2018-07-01

    We explore the dark matter freeze-in mechanism within the gauge mediation framework, which involves a hidden feebly interacting massive particle (FIMP) coupling feebly with the messenger fields while the messengers are still in the thermal bath. The FIMP is the fermionic component of the pseudo-moduli in a generic metastable supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking model and resides in the hidden sector. The relic abundance and the mass of the FIMP are determined by the SUSY breaking scale and the feeble coupling. The gravitino, which is the canonical dark matter candidate in the gauge mediation framework, contributes to the dark matter relic abundance along with the freeze-in of the FIMP. The hidden sector thus becomes two-component with both the FIMP and gravitino lodging in the SUSY breaking hidden sector. We point out that the ratio between the FIMP and the gravitino is determined by how SUSY breaking is communicated to the messengers. In particular when the FIMP dominates the hidden sector, the gravitino becomes the minor contributor in the hidden sector. Meanwhile, the neutralino is assumed to be both the weakly interacting massive particle dark matter candidate in the freeze-out mechanism and the lightest observable SUSY particle. We further find out the neutralino has the sub-leading contribution to the current dark matter relic density in the parameter space of our freeze-in gauge mediation model. Our result links the SUSY breaking scale in the gauge mediation framework with the FIMP freeze-in production rate leading to a natural and predicting scenario for the studies of the dark matter in the hidden sector.

  20. Rethinking health sector procurement as developmental linkages in East Africa.

    PubMed

    Mackintosh, Maureen; Tibandebage, Paula; Karimi Njeru, Mercy; Kariuki Kungu, Joan; Israel, Caroline; Mujinja, Phares G M

    2018-03-01

    Health care forms a large economic sector in all countries, and procurement of medicines and other essential commodities necessarily creates economic linkages between a country's health sector and local and international industrial development. These procurement processes may be positive or negative in their effects on populations' access to appropriate treatment and on local industrial development, yet procurement in low and middle income countries (LMICs) remains under-studied: generally analysed, when addressed at all, as a public sector technical and organisational challenge rather than a social and economic element of health system governance shaping its links to the wider economy. This article uses fieldwork in Tanzania and Kenya in 2012-15 to analyse procurement of essential medicines and supplies as a governance process for the health system and its industrial links, drawing on aspects of global value chain theory. We describe procurement work processes as experienced by front line staff in public, faith-based and private sectors, linking these experiences to wholesale funding sources and purchasing practices, and examining their implications for medicines access and for local industrial development within these East African countries. We show that in a context of poor access to reliable medicines, extensive reliance on private medicines purchase, and increasing globalisation of procurement systems, domestic linkages between health and industrial sectors have been weakened, especially in Tanzania. We argue in consequence for a more developmental perspective on health sector procurement design, including closer policy attention to strengthening vertical and horizontal relational working within local health-industry value chains, in the interests of both wider access to treatment and improved industrial development in Africa. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  1. The worldwide market for photovoltaics in the rural sector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brainard, W. A.

    1982-01-01

    The worldwide market for stand-alone photovoltaic power systems in three specific segments of the rural sector were determined. The worldwide market for photovoltaic power systems for village power, cottage industry, and agricultural applications were addressed. The objectives of these studies were to: The market potential for small stand-alone photovoltaic power system in specific application areas was assessed. Technical, social and institutional barriers to PV utilization were identified. Funding sources available to potential users was also identified and marketing strategies appropriate for each sector were recommended to PV product manufacturers. The studies were prepared on the basis of data gathered from domestic sources and from field trips to representative countries. Both country-specific and sector-specific results are discussed, and broadly applicable barriers pertinent to international marketing of PV products are presented.

  2. China’s Technology Sector

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-01

    Technology Park ...................................................................................... 25 National Program 2006–2020 for the Development of...China’s Technology Sector 3 program of developing coorbital ASAT interceptors using microsatellites...D funding has proceeded according to Premier Wen Jiabao’s 15-year S&T plan, the National Program 2006–2020 for the Development of Science and

  3. On the Law of Inertia. Translation of: Ueber das Beharrungsgesetz

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lange, Ludwig

    2014-04-01

    This article is a translation of Ludwig Lange: "Ueber das Beharrungsgesetz" in: Berichte ueber Verhandlungen der Koenigl. Saechsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften, math.-physik. Klasse (Leipzig, 1885), SS. 333-351. Translated by Herbert Pfister, Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 14, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; herbert.pfister@uni-tuebingen.de. Kind assistance by Julian Barbour is acknowledged.

  4. Applying a private sector capitation model to the management of type 2 diabetes in the South African public sector: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

    PubMed

    Volmink, Heinrich C; Bertram, Melanie Y; Jina, Ruxana; Wade, Alisha N; Hofman, Karen J

    2014-09-30

    Diabetes mellitus contributes substantially to the non-communicable disease burden in South Africa. The proposed National Health Insurance system provides an opportunity to consider the development of a cost-effective capitation model of care for patients with type 2 diabetes. The objective of the study was to determine the potential cost-effectiveness of adapting a private sector diabetes management programme (DMP) to the South African public sector. Cost-effectiveness analysis was undertaken with a public sector model of the DMP as the intervention and a usual practice model as the comparator. Probabilistic modelling was utilized for incremental cost-effectiveness ratio analysis with life years gained selected as the outcome. Secondary data were used to design the model while cost information was obtained from various sources, taking into account public sector billing. Modelling found an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of ZAR 8 356 (USD 1018) per life year gained (LYG) for the DMP against the usual practice model. This fell substantially below the Willingness-to-Pay threshold with bootstrapping analysis. Furthermore, a national implementation of the intervention could potentially result in an estimated cumulative gain of 96 997 years of life (95% CI 71 073 years - 113 994 years). Probabilistic modelling found the capitation intervention to be cost-effective, with an ICER of ZAR 8 356 (USD 1018) per LYG. Piloting the service within the public sector is recommended as an initial step, as this would provide data for more accurate economic evaluation, and would also allow for qualitative analysis of the programme.

  5. Validation of Land-Surface Mosaic Heterogeneity in the GEOS DAS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bosilovich, Michael G.; Molod, Andrea; Houser, Paul R.; Schubert, Siegfried

    1999-01-01

    The Mosaic Land-surface Model (LSM) has been included into the current GEOS Data Assimilation System (DAS). The LSM uses a more advanced representation of physical processes than previous versions of the GEOS DAS, including the representation of sub-grid heterogeneity of the land-surface through the Mosaic approach. As a first approximation, Mosaic assumes that all similar surface types within a grid-cell can be lumped together as a single'tile'. Within one GCM grid-cell, there might be 1 - 5 different tiles or surface types. All tiles are subjected to the grid-scale forcing (radiation, air temperature and specific humidity, and precipitation), and the sub-grid variability is a function of the tile characteristics. In this paper, we validate the LSM sub-grid scale variability (tiles) using a variety of surface observing stations from the Southern Great Plains (SGP) site of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program. One of the primary goals of SGP ARM is to study the variability of atmospheric radiation within a G,CM grid-cell. Enough surface data has been collected by ARM to extend this goal to sub-grid variability of the land-surface energy and water budgets. The time period of this study is the Summer of 1998 (June I - September 1). The ARM site data consists of surface meteorology, energy flux (eddy correlation and bowen ratio), soil water observations spread over an area similar to the size of a G-CM grid-cell. Various ARM stations are described as wheat and alfalfa crops, pasture and range land. The LSM tiles considered at the grid-space (2 x 2.5) nearest the ARM site include, grassland, deciduous forests, bare soil and dwarf trees. Surface energy and water balances for each tile type are compared with observations. Furthermore, we will discuss the land-surface sub-grid variability of both the ARM observations and the DAS.

  6. [Satisfaction with work in the home care sector].

    PubMed

    Haumann, Anja; Bellin, Judith; Gräske, Johannes

    2013-01-01

    Due to the demographic change and the growing number of care-dependent people, the number of professional caregivers is increasing. To slow down the cost explosion in the health care sector, the German government brings forward the home care principle. However, the recruitment of new nursing staff is challenging already, and will become harder in the future. A higher satisfaction with work indicates staying in the job and in the nursing sector. Valid data, concerning the satisfaction of work of nursing staff in the home care sector is lacking, yet. The present study aims to reduce this research gap. A written, standardized cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011. In this study socio-demographic characteristics as well as characteristics of the working circumstances were collected. In addition, the satisfaction with work (SAZ) and the satisfaction with life (SWLS) were evaluated. In total, 102 staff members of community health care providers were included in the study (37.5 years; 85 percent female). Registered nurses (n = 62) are significant older than nursing assistants (n = 40). No differences between satisfaction with work and satisfaction with life, professions, gender, marital status, and working condition could be found. Satisfaction with work interacts not significantly with age. However, it depends significantly on working in three shifts (morning, afternoon, night). Staff members working in all three shifts show a significant higher satisfaction with work. The present study adds knowledge in terms of satisfaction with work in the German home care sector.

  7. Healthcare and Social Assistance Sector (NAICS 62)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Environmental regulations and information for the Healthcare sector, including doctor's offices, hospitals, and medical laboratories. Includes information about dental amalgam wastewater, sterilizers, and medical waste.

  8. Health technology assessment (HTA) organizations: dimensions of the institutional and political framework.

    PubMed

    Novaes, Hillegonda Maria Dutilh; Soárez, Patrícia Coelho de

    2016-11-03

    Health technology assessment (HTA) is consolidated as a scientific and technological practice. The aim of this study is to identify HTA organizations from different settings and analyze their relevant dimensions in terms of effectiveness/impact, in order to address the challenges they face in Brazil. Narrative literature review based on data and websites of HTA organizations. There are well-established activity development processes in all organizations. These activities have specific features in their profile, in the process of technology assessment, decision and implementation of technologies that influence their potential impact on health systems. Agencies share in common the challenges of ranking the technologies to be assessed, and the implementation of their recommendations. Technical and political strengthening of the institutionalization of HTA in Brazil may foster scientific, technological and innovation policies, effectively impacting health policies. Resumo: A avaliação de tecnologias em saúde (ATS) está consolidada enquanto prática científica e tecnológica. O objetivo do estudo é identificar organizações de ATS de diferentes contextos e analisá-las de acordo com dimensões relevantes na avaliação de sua efetividade/impacto, buscando contribuir com os desafios enfrentados no contexto nacional. Revisão narrativa da literatura, realizada em bases de dados e web sites de organizações de ATS. Existem processos de desenvolvimento das atividades bem estabelecidos em todas as organizações. Elas apresentam particularidades no seu perfil, nos processos de avaliação, decisão e implementação das tecnologias que influenciam o seu impacto potencial sobre os sistemas de saúde. As agências compartilham os desafios de priorização das tecnologias a serem avaliadas e implementação das suas recomendações. O fortalecimento técnico e político do processo de institucionalização da ATS no contexto nacional poderá contribuir com as pol

  9. 50 CFR 648.10 - VMS and DAS requirements for vessel owners/operators.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 12 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false VMS and DAS requirements for vessel owners/operators. 648.10 Section 648.10 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN...

  10. Home and Community Care Sector Accountability

    PubMed Central

    Gray, Carolyn Steele; Berta, Whitney; Deber, Raisa B.; Lum, Janet

    2014-01-01

    This paper focuses on accountability for the home and community care (HCC) sector in Ontario. The many different service delivery approaches, funding methods and types of organizations delivering HCC services make this sector highly heterogeneous. Findings from a document analysis and environmental scan suggest that organizations delivering HCC services face multiple accountability requirements from a wide array of stakeholders. Government stakeholders tend to rely on regulatory and expenditure instruments to hold organizations to account for service delivery. Semi-structured key informant interview respondents reported that the expenditure-based accountability tools being used carried a number of unintended consequences, both positive and negative. These include an increased organizational focus on quality, shifting care time away from clients (particularly problematic for small agencies), dissuading innovation, and reliance on performance indicators that do not adequately support the delivery of high-quality care. PMID:25305389

  11. Macroscopic theory of dark sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meierovich, Boris

    A simple Lagrangian with squared covariant divergence of a vector field as a kinetic term turned out an adequate tool for macroscopic description of the dark sector. The zero-mass field acts as the dark energy. Its energy-momentum tensor is a simple additive to the cosmological constant [1]. Space-like and time-like massive vector fields describe two different forms of dark matter. The space-like massive vector field is attractive. It is responsible for the observed plateau in galaxy rotation curves [2]. The time-like massive field displays repulsive elasticity. In balance with dark energy and ordinary matter it provides a four parametric diversity of regular solutions of the Einstein equations describing different possible cosmological and oscillating non-singular scenarios of evolution of the universe [3]. In particular, the singular big bang turns into a regular inflation-like transition from contraction to expansion with the accelerate expansion at late times. The fine-tuned Friedman-Robertson-Walker singular solution corresponds to the particular limiting case at the boundary of existence of regular oscillating solutions in the absence of vector fields. The simplicity of the general covariant expression for the energy-momentum tensor allows to analyse the main properties of the dark sector analytically and avoid unnecessary model assumptions. It opens a possibility to trace how the additional attraction of the space-like dark matter, dominating in the galaxy scale, transforms into the elastic repulsion of the time-like dark matter, dominating in the scale of the Universe. 1. B. E. Meierovich. "Vector fields in multidimensional cosmology". Phys. Rev. D 84, 064037 (2011). 2. B. E. Meierovich. "Galaxy rotation curves driven by massive vector fields: Key to the theory of the dark sector". Phys. Rev. D 87, 103510, (2013). 3. B. E. Meierovich. "Towards the theory of the evolution of the Universe". Phys. Rev. D 85, 123544 (2012).

  12. Wage Gaps Between the Public and Private Sectors in Spain.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lassibille, Gerard

    1998-01-01

    Estimates separate earnings equations by employment sector and gender in Spain and identifies returns to human capital, based on 1990-91 household survey data. Public wages are higher, and civil servants more highly educated. However, the public sector pays lower returns to education and experience. Earnings advantage is largest for least skilled…

  13. Strategies for Involving the Private Sector in Job Training Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenwood, Katy; And Others

    This two-part report describes various strategies for involving the private sector in job training programs and summarizes a study conducted with prime sponsors of Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) programs in Texas. Included in a discussion of involving the private sector in job training programs are the following topics: the new…

  14. Creating Good Employment Opportunities for the Rural Sector

    PubMed Central

    Foster, Andrew D.

    2013-01-01

    This paper examines the potential for sector-specific productivity growth, human capital, credit markets, and infrastructure to contribute to the development of stable, well-paid employment in rural areas of low-income countries. Particular emphasis is placed on the way that different sectors of the rural economy interact with each other and with local and regional product markets. A simple theoretical framework and descriptive analysis of panel data from India suggests that more emphasis should be placed on increasing the production of goods that incorporate local agricultural products as inputs. PMID:25883938

  15. [Mechanisms of articulation between the informal and the formal urban sectors].

    PubMed

    Lomnitz, L

    1978-01-01

    This article utilizes field data from Mexico City squatter settlements and personal interviews with employers to analyze some aspects of social relations between the informal sector and the formal urban sector, and compares the results with findings of other anthropologists in Mexico and elsewhere to derive a series of theoretical generalizations concerning mechanisms of articulation between the marginal sector and the formal economic and political institutions of the society. The formal sector is postulated to consist of the 3 subsectors of power, capital, and labor, which are in permanent conflict among themselves but all of which enjoy labor security and an assured minimal level of income. The marginal or informal sector lacks employment security, a minimal income level, and bargaining power. It is characterized by a small scale economy utilizing intensive familial labor. The informal sector is marginal to the dominant industrial system of production and the state apparatus, although it fulfills functions in terms of the national economy. 2 types of relationships may be distinguished in the social organization of the marginal sector: reciprocal relations between equals which form a network for the exchange of goods and services, or patron/client relations which are used, for example, in the case of petty entrepreneurs utilizing their relatives and acquaintances to create units of production. The functions of reciprocal relations are affected by social, physical, economic, and psychosocial distance or proximity and may result in exchanges of information, labor assistance, loans, services, or moral support. Patron/client relations may be direct, or the "patron" may be an intermediary. Some reciprocal networks display a pattern of incipient asymmetry leading to formation of true patron/client ties and some petty entrepreneurs or intermediaries manage to develop true patron/client networks; case histories are used to illustrate both phenomena. Intermediaries

  16. [Demographic pressure, "informal sector" and technological choices in Third World countries].

    PubMed

    Hugon, P

    1983-01-01

    Trisectorial models of economic functioning have been proposed to replace the dualistic models that proved incapable of illuminating postwar employment trends in developing countries. The new models propose 3 sectors: the subsistence sector, where average productivity corresponds to the subsistence minimum and which is thus incapable of generating a surplus for savings; the intermediate sector, weakly capitalistic, characterized by the absence of a permanent salaried work force or codified labor relations, in which precariousness of employment and the exploitation of specific social relations allow a low wage rate, with a concommitant mode of regulation that largely escapes state control; and the intensely capitalistic sector, with a salaried work force, codified labor relations, existence of administered prices, various state subventions and protections and a monopolistic type of regulation. The 3 sectors are described in greater detail and represented graphically, along with a critique of the limitations of most studies employing a trisectorial perspective. A study of the impact of demographic pressure at different levels of technology embedded in specific sociohistoric systems follows. The final section contains an analysis of 3 types of effects which may mediate the role of demographic pressure in the choice of technologies: effects of demographic pressure on structures of production and consumption, on segments of the labor force, and on involutive and evolutive processes. It is argued that the links between demographic pressure, technologic choices, and the productive sector can only be analyzed in specific social systems.

  17. Public-Private Cooperation in the Department of Defense: A Framework for Analysis and Recommendations for Action (Defense Horizons, October 2012)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-10-01

    requirements de - fined by the public sector. CRADAs leverage private sector resources and knowledge to meet the needs of government agencies at no financial...situations helps resolve barriers to cooperation. The evolution of CRA- DAs offers insight into how DOD can interact with multiple partners in a mutually...actions among multiple private power companies, the public sector (at Federal, state, local, and tribal levels), and third parties (hos- pitals

  18. Phase Velocity and Full-Waveform Analysis of Co-located Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Channels and Geophone Sensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parker, L.; Mellors, R. J.; Thurber, C. H.; Wang, H. F.; Zeng, X.

    2015-12-01

    A 762-meter Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) array with a channel spacing of one meter was deployed at the Garner Valley Downhole Array in Southern California. The array was approximately rectangular with dimensions of 180 meters by 80 meters. The array also included two subdiagonals within the rectangle along which three-component geophones were co-located. Several active sources were deployed, including a 45-kN, swept-frequency, shear-mass shaker, which produced strong Rayleigh waves across the array. Both DAS and geophone traces were filtered in 2-Hz steps between 4 and 20 Hz to obtain phase velocities as a function of frequency from fitting the moveout of travel times over distances of 35 meters or longer. As an alternative to this traditional means of finding phase velocity, it is theoretically possible to find the Rayleigh-wave phase velocity at each point of co-location as the ratio of DAS and geophone responses, because DAS is sensitive to ground strain and geophones are sensitive to ground velocity, after suitable corrections for instrument response (Mikumo & Aki, 1964). The concept was tested in WPP, a seismic wave propagation program, by first validating and then using a 3D synthetic, full-waveform seismic model to simulate the effect of increased levels of noise and uncertainty as data go from ideal to more realistic. The results obtained from this study provide a better understanding of the DAS response and its potential for being combined with traditional seismometers for obtaining phase velocity at a single location. This analysis is part of the PoroTomo project (Poroelastic Tomography by Adjoint Inverse Modeling of Data from Seismology, Geodesy, and Hydrology, http://geoscience.wisc.edu/feigl/porotomo).

  19. Finding pathways to national-scale land-sector sustainability.

    PubMed

    Gao, Lei; Bryan, Brett A

    2017-04-12

    The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets under Agenda 2030 of the United Nations map a coherent global sustainability ambition at a level of detail general enough to garner consensus amongst nations. However, achieving the global agenda will depend heavily on successful national-scale implementation, which requires the development of effective science-driven targets tailored to specific national contexts and supported by strong national governance. Here we assess the feasibility of achieving multiple SDG targets at the national scale for the Australian land-sector. We scaled targets to three levels of ambition and two timeframes, then quantitatively explored the option space for target achievement under 648 plausible future environmental, socio-economic, technological and policy pathways using the Land-Use Trade-Offs (LUTO) integrated land systems model. We show that target achievement is very sensitive to global efforts to abate emissions, domestic land-use policy, productivity growth rate, and land-use change adoption behaviour and capacity constraints. Weaker target-setting ambition resulted in higher achievement but poorer sustainability outcomes. Accelerating land-use dynamics after 2030 changed the targets achieved by 2050, warranting a longer-term view and greater flexibility in sustainability implementation. Simultaneous achievement of multiple targets is rare owing to the complexity of sustainability target implementation and the pervasive trade-offs in resource-constrained land systems. Given that hard choices are needed, the land-sector must first address the essential food/fibre production, biodiversity and land degradation components of sustainability via specific policy pathways. It may also contribute to emissions abatement, water and energy targets by capitalizing on co-benefits. However, achieving targets relevant to the land-sector will also require substantial contributions from other sectors such as clean energy, food systems

  20. Finding pathways to national-scale land-sector sustainability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Lei; Bryan, Brett A.

    2017-04-01

    The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets under Agenda 2030 of the United Nations map a coherent global sustainability ambition at a level of detail general enough to garner consensus amongst nations. However, achieving the global agenda will depend heavily on successful national-scale implementation, which requires the development of effective science-driven targets tailored to specific national contexts and supported by strong national governance. Here we assess the feasibility of achieving multiple SDG targets at the national scale for the Australian land-sector. We scaled targets to three levels of ambition and two timeframes, then quantitatively explored the option space for target achievement under 648 plausible future environmental, socio-economic, technological and policy pathways using the Land-Use Trade-Offs (LUTO) integrated land systems model. We show that target achievement is very sensitive to global efforts to abate emissions, domestic land-use policy, productivity growth rate, and land-use change adoption behaviour and capacity constraints. Weaker target-setting ambition resulted in higher achievement but poorer sustainability outcomes. Accelerating land-use dynamics after 2030 changed the targets achieved by 2050, warranting a longer-term view and greater flexibility in sustainability implementation. Simultaneous achievement of multiple targets is rare owing to the complexity of sustainability target implementation and the pervasive trade-offs in resource-constrained land systems. Given that hard choices are needed, the land-sector must first address the essential food/fibre production, biodiversity and land degradation components of sustainability via specific policy pathways. It may also contribute to emissions abatement, water and energy targets by capitalizing on co-benefits. However, achieving targets relevant to the land-sector will also require substantial contributions from other sectors such as clean energy, food systems

  1. Women Using Physics: Alternate Career Paths, The Private Sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tams, Jessica

    2006-12-01

    For those who have spent their careers inside the safe walls of academia, the word is a little scary. Can I compete? Will I fit in? What do I need to know? Am I prepared? Will I succeed? While many would say: Yes! You are ready to excel! This isn’t actually the case. The private sector comes with many unanticipated shocks to many of us, especially women. This isn’t a group project. This session will discuss entering a quickly growing and competitive technical field and what one can do to prepare for continued success. Preparing and Entering the Private Sector * Women with technical skills are a desired part of the private workforcein general women posses stronger people skills, are more reliable and often more well rounded than their male counterparts. Key factors we will discuss to landing that first job: · Expand your knowledge base with current applications of technology · Preparing a solid employment pitch to highlight strengths: Overcoming stereotypes · Don’t show them your bad side: Why some student projects may hurt you · The private sector attitude toward performance and entry level expectations Excelling in the Private Sector * Now that we have landed a job * for better or worse we are now all about making money and exerting control. What to keep in mind while working in the private sector: · The formative first years: focus on your weaknesses and practice, practice, practice · Men & Women in the workplace: what women subconsciously do to hurt their careers · Politics: Working in a team environment · Polish & Detail & Reliabilit

  2. A fair day's wage? Perceptions of public sector pay.

    PubMed

    Furnham, Adrian; Stieger, Stefan; Haubner, Tanja; Voracek, Martin; Swami, Viren

    2009-12-01

    There is a scarcity of evidence pertaining to the general public's perception of public sector pay. Hence, in the present study, 161 women and 149 men were asked to estimate the wages 35 public sector professions should receive annually in the fictitious nation of Maldoria, based on a comparison value of an annual income of T10,000 for general practitioners. Analysis showed that only pilots were given a higher annual income than general practitioners; miners and local government workers were also provided with relatively high annual incomes. By contrast, newscasters were provided with the lowest annual income. Participants' sex did not affect these evaluations, and other demographic variables and public sector-related information of the participants were poor predictors of their evaluations. The implications of this research on public attitudes toward wage determination are discussed, and avenues for further research highlighted.

  3. Trends in Private Sector Development in World Bank Education Projects. Policy Research Working Paper Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sosale, Shobhana

    The private sector is playing an increasingly important role in financing and providing educational services in many countries. (Often the term "private sector" encompasses households' out-of-pocket expenses rather than describing for-profit or not-for-profit sectors.) Private sector development has not arisen primarily through public…

  4. 75 FR 76397 - Effectiveness of Federal Agency Participation in Standardization in Select Technology Sectors for...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-08

    ... innovation in the technology sector(s) that is the subject of your comment? What is the current phase of the...-02] Effectiveness of Federal Agency Participation in Standardization in Select Technology Sectors for... private sector, the Sub-Committee on Standards intends to develop information on how Federal agencies may...

  5. Fifteen years of sector-wide approach (SWAp) in Bangladesh health sector: an assessment of progress.

    PubMed

    Ahsan, Karar Zunaid; Streatfield, Peter Kim; Ijdi, Rashida-E-; Escudero, Gabriela Maria; Khan, Abdul Waheed; Reza, M M

    2016-06-01

    The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) of the Government of Bangladesh embarked on a sector-wide approach (SWAp) modality for the health, nutrition and population (HNP) sector in 1998. This programmatic shift initiated a different set of planning disciplines and practices along with institutional changes in the MOHFW. Over the years, the SWAp modality has evolved in Bangladesh as the MOHFW has learnt from its implementation and refined the program design. This article explores the progress made, both in terms of achievement of health outcomes and systems strengthening results, since the implementation of the SWAp for Bangladesh's health sector. Secondary analyses of survey data from 1993 to 2011 as well as a literature review of published and grey literature on health SWAp in Bangladesh was conducted for this assessment. Results of the assessment indicate that the MOHFW made substantial progress in health outcomes and health systems strengthening. SWAps facilitated the alignment of funding and technical support around national priorities, and improved the government's role in program design as well as in implementation and development partner coordination. Notable systemic improvements have taken place in the country systems with regards to monitoring and evaluation, procurement and service provision, which have improved functionality of health facilities to provide essential care. Implementation of the SWAp has, therefore, contributed to an accelerated improvement in key health outcomes in Bangladesh over the last 15 years. The health SWAp in Bangladesh offers an example of a successful adaptation of such an approach in a complex administrative structure. Based on the lessons learned from SWAp implementation in Bangladesh, the MOHFW needs to play a stronger stewardship and regulatory role to reap the full benefits of a SWAp in its subsequent programming. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of

  6. Fifteen years of sector-wide approach (SWAp) in Bangladesh health sector: an assessment of progress

    PubMed Central

    Ahsan, Karar Zunaid; Streatfield, Peter Kim; Ijdi, Rashida -E-; Escudero, Gabriela Maria; Khan, Abdul Waheed; Reza, M M

    2016-01-01

    The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) of the Government of Bangladesh embarked on a sector-wide approach (SWAp) modality for the health, nutrition and population (HNP) sector in 1998. This programmatic shift initiated a different set of planning disciplines and practices along with institutional changes in the MOHFW. Over the years, the SWAp modality has evolved in Bangladesh as the MOHFW has learnt from its implementation and refined the program design. This article explores the progress made, both in terms of achievement of health outcomes and systems strengthening results, since the implementation of the SWAp for Bangladesh’s health sector. Secondary analyses of survey data from 1993 to 2011 as well as a literature review of published and grey literature on health SWAp in Bangladesh was conducted for this assessment. Results of the assessment indicate that the MOHFW made substantial progress in health outcomes and health systems strengthening. SWAps facilitated the alignment of funding and technical support around national priorities, and improved the government’s role in program design as well as in implementation and development partner coordination. Notable systemic improvements have taken place in the country systems with regards to monitoring and evaluation, procurement and service provision, which have improved functionality of health facilities to provide essential care. Implementation of the SWAp has, therefore, contributed to an accelerated improvement in key health outcomes in Bangladesh over the last 15 years. The health SWAp in Bangladesh offers an example of a successful adaptation of such an approach in a complex administrative structure. Based on the lessons learned from SWAp implementation in Bangladesh, the MOHFW needs to play a stronger stewardship and regulatory role to reap the full benefits of a SWAp in its subsequent programming. PMID:26582744

  7. Job Values in Today's Workforce: A Comparison of Public and Private Sector Employees.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karl, Katherine A.; Sutton, Cynthia L.

    1998-01-01

    A comparison of 47 public- and 170 private-sector workers revealed private-sector workers value good wages most and public-sector workers value interesting work. Results suggest that employers must keep in touch with employee values to design jobs, reward systems, and human-resource policies that will result in maximum job satisfaction. (JOW)

  8. 75 FR 67992 - Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-11-04

    ... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID FEMA-2008-0017] Voluntary Private Sector Accreditation and Certification Preparedness Program AGENCY: Federal Emergency... on an initial small business plan to address small business concerns in the Voluntary Private Sector...

  9. Medical student teaching in the private sector - An overlooked opportunity?

    PubMed

    Galletly, Cherrie A; Turnbull, Carol; Goldney, Robert

    2016-04-01

    One in four psychiatric beds in Australia are located in the private sector, and more than half of Australian psychiatrists undertake private work. However, nearly all medical student teaching in psychiatry takes place in public hospitals. This paper explores the learning opportunities in the private sector. We report the South Australian experience; medical students have been taught in Ramsay Health Care (SA) Mental Health facilities for more than 23 years. Our experience demonstrates that clinical teaching in private hospitals is sustainable and well accepted by students, patients and clinicians. The private sector has the capacity to make a much greater contribution to medical student training in psychiatry. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2016.

  10. Care co-ordination for older people in the third sector: scoping the evidence.

    PubMed

    Abendstern, Michele; Hughes, Jane; Jasper, Rowan; Sutcliffe, Caroline; Challis, David

    2018-05-01

    The third sector has played a significant role internationally in the delivery of adult social care services for many years. Its contribution to care co-ordination activities for older people, however, in England and elsewhere, is relatively unknown. A scoping review was therefore conducted to ascertain the character of the literature, the nature and extent of third sector care co-ordination activity, and to identify evidence gaps. It was undertaken between autumn 2013 and summer 2014 and updated with additional searches in 2016. Electronic and manual searches of international literature using distinct terms for different approaches to care co-ordination were undertaken. From a total of 835 papers, 26 met inclusion criteria. Data were organised in relation to care co-ordination approaches, types of third sector organisation and care recipients. Papers were predominantly from the UK and published this century. Key findings included that: a minority of literature focused specifically on older people and that those doing so described only one care co-ordination approach; third sector services tended to be associated with independence and person-centred practice; and working with the statutory sector, a prerequisite of care co-ordination, was challenging and required a range of features to be in place to support effective partnerships. Strengths and weaknesses of care co-ordination practice in the third sector according to key stakeholder groups were also highlighted. Areas for future research included the need for: a specific focus on older people's experiences; an investigation of workforce issues; detailed examination of third sector practices, outcomes and costs; interactions with the statutory sector; and an examination of quality assurance systems and their appropriateness to third sector practice. The main implication of the findings is a need to nurture variety within the third sector in order to provide older people and other adults with the range of service

  11. Feeling Good About the Iron Rice Bowl: Economic Sector and Happiness in Post-Reform Urban China*

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jia; Xie, Yu

    2015-01-01

    Situated in China’s market transition, this study examines the relationship between economic sector and a worker’s happiness in post-reform urban China. Using datasets from the Chinese General Social Surveys 2003, 2006 and 2008, we find that workers in the state sector enjoy a subjective premium in well-being – reporting significantly higher levels of happiness than their counterparts in the private sector. We also find that during a period when a large wave of workers moved from the state sector to the private sector, those remaining in the state sector reported being significantly happier than did former state sector workers who had moved, whether the move was voluntary or involuntary. We attribute the higher level of reported happiness in the state sector than in the private sector to the disparity by sector in the provision of social welfare benefits. Those who made voluntary state-to-private moves experienced a trade-off in enjoying higher payoffs while losing job security, whereas involuntary mobiles experienced downward mobility and suffered a long-term psychological penalty. PMID:26188448

  12. Feeling good about the iron rice bowl: Economic sector and happiness in post-reform urban China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jia; Xie, Yu

    2015-09-01

    Situated in China's market transition, this study examines the relationship between economic sector and a worker's happiness in post-reform urban China. Using datasets from the Chinese General Social Surveys 2003, 2006 and 2008, we find that workers in the state sector enjoy a subjective premium in well-being - reporting significantly higher levels of happiness than their counterparts in the private sector. We also find that during a period when a large wave of workers moved from the state sector to the private sector, those remaining in the state sector reported being significantly happier than did former state sector workers who had moved, whether the move was voluntary or involuntary. We attribute the higher level of reported happiness in the state sector than in the private sector to the disparity by sector in the provision of social welfare benefits. Those who made voluntary state-to-private moves experienced a trade-off in enjoying higher payoffs while losing job security, whereas involuntary mobiles experienced downward mobility and suffered a long-term psychological penalty. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. The needs of having a paradigm shift from public sector to private sector on funding digitizing management work of historical buildings in Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kamarudin, M. K.; Yahya, Z.; Harun, R.; Jaapar, A.

    2014-02-01

    In Malaysia, the government agencies that handle the management of historical buildings are finding themselves facing a shortage of funds to provide the necessary work on digitalising management works. Due to the rising cost of management, which also covers maintenance and infrastructure works, there is a need for a paradigm shift from public sector to private sector provision on infrastructure and management works. Therefore the government agencies need to find the suitable mechanism to encourage private sector especially the private property and developers to take part in it. This scenario has encouraged the authorities to look new ways of entering into partnership and collaboration with the private sector to secure the continuity of provision and funding. The paper first reviews the different approach to facilitate off-site local management system of historical buildings and then examines options for both private and public funding in digitalising the historical buildings management works by interviewing government officer, conservator and member of nongovernment agencies. It then explores how the current system of management may adopt the shift to avoid any vulnerability and threat to the existing historical buildings. This paper concludes with a short summary of key issues in management works of historical buildings and recommendations.

  14. Greenhouse gas mitigation potentials in the livestock sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Herrero, Mario; Henderson, Benjamin; Havlík, Petr; Thornton, Philip K.; Conant, Richard T.; Smith, Pete; Wirsenius, Stefan; Hristov, Alexander N.; Gerber, Pierre; Gill, Margaret; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus; Valin, Hugo; Garnett, Tara; Stehfest, Elke

    2016-05-01

    The livestock sector supports about 1.3 billion producers and retailers, and contributes 40-50% of agricultural GDP. We estimated that between 1995 and 2005, the livestock sector was responsible for greenhouse gas emissions of 5.6-7.5 GtCO2e yr-1. Livestock accounts for up to half of the technical mitigation potential of the agriculture, forestry and land-use sectors, through management options that sustainably intensify livestock production, promote carbon sequestration in rangelands and reduce emissions from manures, and through reductions in the demand for livestock products. The economic potential of these management alternatives is less than 10% of what is technically possible because of adoption constraints, costs and numerous trade-offs. The mitigation potential of reductions in livestock product consumption is large, but their economic potential is unknown at present. More research and investment are needed to increase the affordability and adoption of mitigation practices, to moderate consumption of livestock products where appropriate, and to avoid negative impacts on livelihoods, economic activities and the environment.

  15. Gravitational wave from dark sector with dark pion

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

    Tsumura, Koji; Yamada, Masatoshi; Yamaguchi, Yuya, E-mail: ko2@gauge.scphys.kyoto-u.ac.jp, E-mail: m.yamada@thphys.uni-heidelberg.de, E-mail: yy@particle.sci.hokudai.ac.jp

    In this work, we investigate the spectra of gravitational waves produced by chiral symmetry breaking in dark quantum chromodynamics (dQCD) sector. The dark pion (π) can be a dark matter candidate as weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) or strongly interacting massive particle (SIMP). For a WIMP scenario, we introduce the dQCD sector coupled to the standard model (SM) sector with classical scale invariance and investigate the annihilation process of the dark pion via the 2π → 2 SM process. For a SIMP scenario, we investigate the 3π → 2π annihilation process of the dark pion as a SIMP using chiralmore » perturbation theory. We find that in the WIMP scenario the gravitational wave background spectra can be observed by future space gravitational wave antennas. On the other hand, when the dark pion is the SIMP dark matter with the constraints for the chiral perturbative limit and pion-pion scattering cross section, the chiral phase transition becomes crossover and then the gravitational waves are not produced.« less

  16. A basket two-part model to analyze medical expenditure on interdependent multiple sectors.

    PubMed

    Sugawara, Shinya; Wu, Tianyi; Yamanishi, Kenji

    2018-05-01

    This study proposes a novel statistical methodology to analyze expenditure on multiple medical sectors using consumer data. Conventionally, medical expenditure has been analyzed by two-part models, which separately consider purchase decision and amount of expenditure. We extend the traditional two-part models by adding the step of basket analysis for dimension reduction. This new step enables us to analyze complicated interdependence between multiple sectors without an identification problem. As an empirical application for the proposed method, we analyze data of 13 medical sectors from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. In comparison with the results of previous studies that analyzed the multiple sector independently, our method provides more detailed implications of the impacts of individual socioeconomic status on the composition of joint purchases from multiple medical sectors; our method has a better prediction performance.

  17. Sectoral linkage analysis of three main air pollutants in China's industry: Comparing 2010 with 2002.

    PubMed

    He, Weiwei; Wang, Yuan; Zuo, Jian; Luo, Yincheng

    2017-11-01

    To investigate the driving forces of air pollution in China, the changes in linkages amongst inter-industrial air pollutant emissions were analyzed by hypothetical extraction method under the input-output framework. Results showed that the emissions of SO 2 , soot and dust from industrial sources increased by 56.46%, 36.95% and 11.69% respectively in 2010, compared with 2002. As major contributors to emissions, the power and gas sectors were responsible for the growing SO 2 emissions, the nonmetal products sector for soot emissions, and the metals mining, smelting and pressing sectors for dust emissions. The increasing volume of emissions was mainly driven by the growing demand in the transport equipment and electrical equipment sectors. In addition, the expansion in the metals mining, smelting and pressing sectors could result in even more severe air pollution. Therefore, potential effective strategies to control air pollution in China are: (1) reducing the demand of major import sectors in the equipment manufacturing industry; (2) promoting R&D in low-emissions-production technologies to the power and gas sectors, the metals mining, smelting and pressing sectors, and the nonmetal products sector, and (3) auditing the considerable industrial scale expansion in the metals mining, smelting and pressing sectors and optimizing the industrial structure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. 75 FR 58304 - Navigation and Navigable Waters; Technical, Organizational, and Conforming Amendments, Sector...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-09-24

    ... [email protected] . If you have questions on viewing the docket, call Renee V. Wright, Program... Sec. 3.65-10 to read as follows: Sec. 3.65-10 Sector Puget Sound Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zone. Sector Puget Sound's office is located in Seattle, WA. The boundaries of Sector Puget...

  19. An Investigation into Customer Service Policies and Practices within the Scottish College Library Sector: A Comparison between the Customer Service Exemplars from the Retail Sector with Current Scottish College Library Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paterson, Neil

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this research project was to investigate the customer care methods within the Scottish college library sector. The researcher sought to compare examples of the customer care and service policies and practices from the sector with exemplars of good customer service from the retail sector. A qualitative, grounded theory approach was…

  20. Leveraging the private health sector to enhance HIV service delivery in lower-income countries.

    PubMed

    Rao, Pamela; Gabre-Kidan, Tesfai; Mubangizi, Deus Bazira; Sulzbach, Sara

    2011-08-01

    Evidence that the private health sector is a key player in delivering health services and impacting health outcomes, including those related to HIV/AIDS, underscores the need to optimize the role of the private health sector to scale up national HIV responses in lower-income countries. This article reviews findings on the types of HIV/AIDS services provided by the private health sector in developing countries and elaborates on the role of private providers of HIV services in Ethiopia. Drawing on data from the nation's innovative Private Health Sector Project, a pilot project that has demonstrated the feasibility of public-private partnerships in this area, the article highlights the potential for national governments to scale up HIV/AIDS services by leveraging private health sector resources, innovations, and expertise while working to regulate quality and cost of services. Although concerns about uneven quality and affordability of private sector health services must be addressed through regulation, policy, or other innovative approaches, we argue that the benefits of leveraging the private sector outweigh these challenges, particularly in light of finite donor and public domestic resources.

  1. Why do health workers in rural Tanzania prefer public sector employment?

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Severe shortages of qualified health workers and geographical imbalances in the workforce in many low-income countries require the national health sector management to closely monitor and address issues related to the distribution of health workers across various types of health facilities. This article discusses health workers' preferences for workplace and their perceptions and experiences of the differences in working conditions in the public health sector versus the church-run health facilities in Tanzania. The broader aim is to generate knowledge that can add to debates on health sector management in low-income contexts. Methods The study has a qualitative study design to elicit in-depth information on health workers' preferences for workplace. The data comprise ten focus group discussions (FGDs) and 29 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with auxiliary staff, nursing staff, clinicians and administrators in the public health sector and in a large church-run hospital in a rural district in Tanzania. The study has an ethnographic backdrop based on earlier long-term fieldwork in Tanzania. Results The study found a clear preference for public sector employment. This was associated with health worker rights and access to various benefits offered to health workers in government service, particularly the favourable pension schemes providing economic security in old age. Health workers acknowledged that church-run hospitals generally were better equipped and provided better quality patient care, but these concerns tended to be outweighed by the financial assets of public sector employment. In addition to the sector specific differences, family concerns emerged as important in decisions on workplace. Conclusions The preference for public sector employment among health workers shown in this study seems to be associated primarily with the favourable pension scheme. The overall shortage of health workers and the distribution between health facilities is a challenge in a

  2. Why do health workers in rural Tanzania prefer public sector employment?

    PubMed

    Songstad, Nils Gunnar; Moland, Karen Marie; Massay, Deodatus Amadeus; Blystad, Astrid

    2012-04-05

    Severe shortages of qualified health workers and geographical imbalances in the workforce in many low-income countries require the national health sector management to closely monitor and address issues related to the distribution of health workers across various types of health facilities. This article discusses health workers' preferences for workplace and their perceptions and experiences of the differences in working conditions in the public health sector versus the church-run health facilities in Tanzania. The broader aim is to generate knowledge that can add to debates on health sector management in low-income contexts. The study has a qualitative study design to elicit in-depth information on health workers' preferences for workplace. The data comprise ten focus group discussions (FGDs) and 29 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with auxiliary staff, nursing staff, clinicians and administrators in the public health sector and in a large church-run hospital in a rural district in Tanzania. The study has an ethnographic backdrop based on earlier long-term fieldwork in Tanzania. The study found a clear preference for public sector employment. This was associated with health worker rights and access to various benefits offered to health workers in government service, particularly the favourable pension schemes providing economic security in old age. Health workers acknowledged that church-run hospitals generally were better equipped and provided better quality patient care, but these concerns tended to be outweighed by the financial assets of public sector employment. In addition to the sector specific differences, family concerns emerged as important in decisions on workplace. The preference for public sector employment among health workers shown in this study seems to be associated primarily with the favourable pension scheme. The overall shortage of health workers and the distribution between health facilities is a challenge in a resource constrained health system

  3. Event DAS-444Ø6-6 soybean grown in Brazil is compositionally equivalent to non-transgenic soybean.

    PubMed

    Fast, Brandon J; Galan, Maria P; Schafer, Ariane C

    2016-04-02

    Soybean event DAS-444Ø6-6 is tolerant to the herbicides 2,4-D, glyphosate, and glufosinate. An investigation of potential unintended adverse compositional changes in a genetically modified crop is required to meet government regulatory requirements in various geographies. A study to meet these requirements in Brazil was completed demonstrating compositional equivalency between DAS-444Ø6-6 and non-transgenic soybean. This study supplements the extensive literature supporting transgenesis as less disruptive of crop composition compared with traditional breeding methods.

  4. Novel ultrasonic real-time scanner featuring servo controlled transducers displaying a sector image.

    PubMed

    Matzuk, T; Skolnick, M L

    1978-07-01

    This paper describes a new real-time servo controlled sector scanner that produces high resolution images and has functionally programmable features similar to phased array systems, but possesses the simplicity of design and low cost best achievable in a mechanical sector scanner. The unique feature is the transducer head which contains a single moving part--the transducer--enclosed within a light-weight, hand held, and vibration free case. The frame rate, sector width, stop action angle, are all operator programmable. The frame rate can be varied from 12 to 30 frames s-1 and the sector width from 0 degrees to 60 degrees. Conversion from sector to time motion (T/M) modes are instant and two options are available, a freeze position high density T/M and a low density T/M obtainable simultaneously during sector visualization. Unusual electronic features are: automatic gain control, electronic recording of images on video tape in rf format, and ability to post-process images during video playback to extract T/M display and to change time gain control (tgc) and image size.

  5. Mutational Analysis of the Rhodopsin Gene in Sector Retinitis Pigmentosa.

    PubMed

    Napier, Maria L; Durga, Dash; Wolsley, Clive J; Chamney, Sarah; Alexander, Sharon; Brennan, Rosie; Simpson, David A; Silvestri, Giuliana; Willoughby, Colin E

    2015-01-01

    To determine the role of rhodopsin (RHO) gene mutations in patients with sector retinitis pigmentosa (RP) from Northern Ireland. A case series of sector RP in a tertiary ocular genetics clinic. Four patients with sector RP were recruited from the Royal Victoria Hospital (Belfast, Northern Ireland) and Altnagelvin Hospital (Londonderry, Northern Ireland) following informed consent. The diagnosis of sector RP was based on clinical examination, International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) standard electrophysiology, and visual field analysis. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes and the coding regions and adjacent flanking intronic sequences of the RHO gene were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified and cycle sequenced. Rhodopsin mutational status. A heterozygous missense mutation in RHO (c.173C > T) resulting in a non-conservative substitution of threonine to methionine (p. Thr58Met) was identified in one patient and was absent from 360 control individuals. This non-conservative substitution (p.Thr58Met) replaces a highly evolutionary conserved polar hydrophilic threonine residue with a non-polar hydrophobic methionine residue at position 58 near the cytoplasmic border of helix A of RHO. The study identified a RHO gene mutation (p.Thr58Met) not previously reported in RP in a patient with sector RP. These findings outline the phenotypic variability associated with RHO mutations. It has been proposed that the regional effects of RHO mutations are likely to result from interplay between mutant alleles and other genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors.

  6. Multi Sector Planning Tools for Trajectory-Based Operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prevot, Thomas; Mainini, Matthew; Brasil, Connie

    2010-01-01

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

  7. Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing Sector (NAICS 3254)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find environmental regulatory and compliance information for the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector, including essential uses of CFCs, NESHAP for pharmaceutical production, effluent guidelines for wastewater and management of hazardous waste.

  8. Home and community care sector accountability.

    PubMed

    Steele Gray, Carolyn; Berta, Whitney; Deber, Raisa B; Lum, Janet

    2014-09-01

    This paper focuses on accountability for the home and community care (HCC) sector in Ontario. The many different service delivery approaches, funding methods and types of organizations delivering HCC services make this sector highly heterogeneous. Findings from a document analysis and environmental scan suggest that organizations delivering HCC services face multiple accountability requirements from a wide array of stakeholders. Government stakeholders tend to rely on regulatory and expenditure instruments to hold organizations to account for service delivery. Semi-structured key informant interview respondents reported that the expenditure-based accountability tools being used carried a number of unintended consequences, both positive and negative. These include an increased organizational focus on quality, shifting care time away from clients (particularly problematic for small agencies), dissuading innovation, and reliance on performance indicators that do not adequately support the delivery of high-quality care. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

  9. Assessment of district health system within inter-sectoral context in Nepal.

    PubMed

    Bhusal, C L; Singh, S P; Aryal, K K; Jha, B K; Ghimire, N; Shah, N; Khatiwada, D; Magar, A

    2013-05-01

    Inter-sectoral coordination has been one of the different factors in the district health system that produces efficient output which has been identified by the Alma Ata declaration as an essential component to achieve notion of 'Health for All'. This study was therefore aimed to describe the major four key functions of the health systems and to find out the situation of inter-sectoral coordination in Nepal. A mixed method with Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and In-Depth Interview with relevant personnel to collect the majority of the data was carried out from June 2012 to November 2012 from six districts selected purposively based on the health performance indicators. The major findings in relation to the key functions of district health systems showed that the overall management of the district health system happens under the leadership of chief of District Health Office of Public health office with the cooperation of all the personnel in different sections in a predetermined pattern and inter-sectoral coordination and collaboration exist only to a very limited extent. The major constraints for inter-sectoral coordination to be effective is lack of its planning and enforcement where inter-sectoral coordination could be important for both preventive and promotive health care, waste management, water supply and sanitation, health service utilization, pesticides and human health, agriculture and nutrition, air pollution. The main components in the district health system needs an immediate attention and inter-sectoral effort should be initiated from the central level and implemented in all the levels.

  10. Veteran status, disability rating, and public sector employment.

    PubMed

    Winters, John V

    2018-06-01

    This paper used microdata from the 2013-2015 American Community Survey to examine differences in federal government, state and local government, private sector, and self-employment among employed veterans and nonveterans. The U.S. federal and state governments have hiring preferences to benefit veterans, especially disabled veterans. Other factors may also push veterans toward public sector employment. I found that veteran status substantially increased the likelihood of federal employment, with the largest magnitudes for severely disabled veterans. Differences in state and local government employment were modest and exhibited heterogeneity by disability severity. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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

    PubMed

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

    2007-04-11

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

  12. Competences in demand within the Spanish agricultural engineering sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Perdigones, Alicia; Valera, Diego Luis; Moreda, Guillermo Pedro; García, Jose Luis

    2014-09-01

    The Rural Engineering Department (Technical University of Madrid) ran three competence surveys during the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 academic years and evaluated: (1) the competences gained by agricultural engineer's degree and agricultural technical engineer's degree students (360 respondents); (2) the competences demanded by agricultural employers (50 farming sector employers); (3) competences required by farming sector professionals and former students (70 professionals). The surveys show significant differences between what competences agricultural employers require of graduates and the competences they acquire during their agricultural engineering degree courses. Recruiters are looking for generic competences such as the ability to coordinate groups and place less importance on knowledge of engineering, biology, applied economics and legislation. Of the computer-related competences, those most in demand by sector professionals were related to the use of Microsoft Office/Excel (used by 79% of professionals). Surveys were used to redesign some subjects of the degrees.

  13. Transportation pooled fund project: energy sector developments.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-08-01

    The purpose of this research is to provide a mechanism for partner states to share information and experiences concerning responses to energy sector developments, and identify : areas for needed research.

  14. Comparing employee health benefits in the public and private sectors, 1997.

    PubMed

    Long, S H; Marquis, M S

    1999-01-01

    Data from the 1997 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Employer Health Insurance Survey provide new information comparing public- and private-sector employee health benefits. The federal government is ahead of other employers in adopting managed competition principles using financial incentives and consumer information to promote choosing efficient plans. Federal employees experience a $200 annual compensation gap relative to those in the private sector, but it is partly explained by advantage in purchasing power. In contrast, state and local governments make higher payments toward health insurance than private-sector employers do. Their premiums are equivalent, but they pay a greater share of the total cost.

  15. Sector and Sphere: the design and implementation of a high-performance data cloud

    PubMed Central

    Gu, Yunhong; Grossman, Robert L.

    2009-01-01

    Cloud computing has demonstrated that processing very large datasets over commodity clusters can be done simply, given the right programming model and infrastructure. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of the Sector storage cloud and the Sphere compute cloud. By contrast with the existing storage and compute clouds, Sector can manage data not only within a data centre, but also across geographically distributed data centres. Similarly, the Sphere compute cloud supports user-defined functions (UDFs) over data both within and across data centres. As a special case, MapReduce-style programming can be implemented in Sphere by using a Map UDF followed by a Reduce UDF. We describe some experimental studies comparing Sector/Sphere and Hadoop using the Terasort benchmark. In these studies, Sector is approximately twice as fast as Hadoop. Sector/Sphere is open source. PMID:19451100

  16. 75 FR 80082 - State, Local, Tribal, And Private Sector Policy Advisory Committee (SLTPS-PAC)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-12-21

    ..., Tribal, And Private Sector Policy Advisory Committee (SLTPS-PAC) AGENCY: Information Security Oversight... State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector Policy Advisory Committee (SLTPS-PAC). The SLTPS-PAC will..., Tribal, and Private Sector Entities, as specified in Executive Order 13549 and its implementing directive...

  17. 78 FR 65218 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Private Sector Notification Requirements of In...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-31

    ... Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Private Sector Notification Requirements of In-Sourcing Actions... Supplement (DFARS) to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act regarding private sector... section 938 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012 regarding private sector...

  18. Approximate flavor symmetries in the lepton sector

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

    Rasin, A.; Silva, J.P.

    1994-01-01

    Approximate flavor symmetries in the quark sector have been used as a handle on physics beyond the standard model. Because of the great interest in neutrino masses and mixings and the wealth of existing and proposed neutrino experiments it is important to extend this analysis to the leptonic sector. We show that in the seesaw mechanism the neutrino masses and mixing angles do not depend on the details of the right-handed neutrino flavor symmetry breaking, and are related by a simple formula. We propose several [ital Ansa]$[ital uml]---[ital tze] which relate different flavor symmetry-breaking parameters and find that the MSWmore » solution to the solar neutrino problem is always easily fit. Further, the [nu][sub [mu]-][nu][sub [tau

  19. A methodology for computing uncertainty bounds of multivariable systems based on sector stability theory concepts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Waszak, Martin R.

    1992-01-01

    The application of a sector-based stability theory approach to the formulation of useful uncertainty descriptions for linear, time-invariant, multivariable systems is explored. A review of basic sector properties and sector-based approach are presented first. The sector-based approach is then applied to several general forms of parameter uncertainty to investigate its advantages and limitations. The results indicate that the sector uncertainty bound can be used effectively to evaluate the impact of parameter uncertainties on the frequency response of the design model. Inherent conservatism is a potential limitation of the sector-based approach, especially for highly dependent uncertain parameters. In addition, the representation of the system dynamics can affect the amount of conservatism reflected in the sector bound. Careful application of the model can help to reduce this conservatism, however, and the solution approach has some degrees of freedom that may be further exploited to reduce the conservatism.

  20. Valuing inter-sectoral costs and benefits of interventions in the healthcare sector: methods for obtaining unit prices.

    PubMed

    Drost, Ruben M W A; Paulus, Aggie T G; Ruwaard, Dirk; Evers, Silvia M A A

    2017-02-01

    There is a lack of knowledge about methods for valuing health intervention-related costs and monetary benefits in the education and criminal justice sectors, also known as 'inter-sectoral costs and benefits' (ICBs). The objective of this study was to develop methods for obtaining unit prices for the valuation of ICBs. By conducting an exploratory literature study and expert interviews, several generic methods were developed. The methods' feasibility was assessed through application in the Netherlands. Results were validated in an expert meeting, which was attended by policy makers, public health experts, health economists and HTA-experts, and discussed at several international conferences and symposia. The study resulted in four methods, including the opportunity cost method (A) and valuation using available unit prices (B), self-constructed unit prices (C) or hourly labor costs (D). The methods developed can be used internationally and are valuable for the broad international field of HTA.

  1. A Brief History of the J.P. Das Developmental Disabilities Centre

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sobsey, Dick

    2008-01-01

    The J.P. Das Developmental Disabilities Centre celebrated its 40th anniversary on September 1, 2007, followed by The University of Alberta's 100th anniversary in 2008. The year 2008 also brought the appointment of a new Director for the Centre. As the immediate past Director of the Centre, the author recounts some of the history of the J.P. Das…

  2. Adoption of formal HIV and AIDS workplace policies: an analysis of industry/sector variations.

    PubMed

    Bakuwa, Rhoda

    2010-12-01

    Addressing HIV and AIDS is the responsibility of many stakeholders including private sector companies. However, increasing evidence reveals that the majority of companies around the world are yet to acknowledge and respond to HIV and AIDS as a workplace issue. One factor that has been identified in the literature as playing a role in determining whether a company responds to HIV and AIDS, or not, is the industry/sector in which a company operates. This study therefore sought to empirically examine whether in the context of Malawi there were significant variations in the adoption of formal HIV and AIDS workplace policies based on the industry/sector in which a company was operating, as well as analyse the dynamics underlying such variations. Using survey data collected from 152 randomly selected private sector companies in Malawi, the results of this study revealed significant variations in the adoption of HIV and AIDS workplace policies among companies operating in various sectors. Companies in the service sector were leading the adoption compared to companies in other sectors such as the trading sector. Furthermore, the evidence from this study showed that differences in staff participation in the activities of HIV and AIDS institutions may explain the industry/sector variations. These results provide an important avenue to scale up company responses to HIV and AIDS by intensifying staff participation in the activities of HIV and AIDS institutions. Such institutions appear to play a vital role of providing up to date HIV-and AIDS-related information upon which companies are able to develop a business case for responding to the epidemic.

  3. A Comparative Analysis of Financial Reporting Models for Private and Public Sector Organizations.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1995-12-01

    The objective of this thesis was to describe and compare different existing and evolving financial reporting models used in both the public and...private sector. To accomplish the objective, this thesis identified the existing financial reporting models for private sector business organizations...private sector nonprofit organizations, and state and local governments, as well as the evolving financial reporting model for the federal government

  4. Social Enterprises and Social Sector Workforces: Workforce Initiatives Discussion Paper #3

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Academy for Educational Development, 2011

    2011-01-01

    Increasing evidence shows that investing in social sector supply, service, and value chains has exponentially stronger development impact than investments in other sectors. There are often severely lacking social services such as child care, elder care, health care delivery, prescription drug distribution, home schooling, and private sector…

  5. Non-government organisation engagement in the sanitation sector: opportunities to maximise benefits.

    PubMed

    Carrard, N; Pedi, D; Willetts, J; Powell, B

    2009-01-01

    Non-government organisations (NGOs) have long played a role in delivering sanitation services to communities in Southeast Asia and Pacific countries, particularly in rural areas. In contrast with large scale infrastructure focused initiatives, NGO programs commonly focus on building linkages between technical and social realms. Drawing on the breadth and depth of NGO experiences, there are opportunities for NGOs to play a greater role in the sanitation sector and to work in partnership with other actors including utilities and government agencies to ensure both 'hardware' and 'software' components of sanitation are built in to project design and delivery to maximise community benefits and ensure longer term system sustainability. This paper discusses these issues and considers how the contribution of NGOs to the sanitation sector in developing countries might be enhanced. The paper is based on recent research for the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) intended to guide investment in the water and sanitation sectors of Asia and Pacific partner countries, exploring the potential for increased NGO engagement. The paper presents findings of the research concerning NGO roles and approaches, discusses existing NGO activities in the sanitation sector in Vietnam and Timor Leste and identifies strategies for NGOs and for other sector actors including utilities and government agencies to maximise the benefits of NGO engagement in the sanitation sector.

  6. The mining sector of Liberia: current practices and environmental challenges.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Samuel T K; Wang, Hongtao; Kabenge, Martin; Qi, Xuejiao

    2017-08-01

    Liberia is endowed with an impressive stock of mineral reserves and has traditionally relied on mining, namely iron ore, gold, and diamonds, as a major source of income. The recent growth in the mining sector has the potential to contribute significantly to employment, income generation, and infrastructure development. However, the development of these mineral resources has significant environmental impacts that often go unnoticed. This paper presents an overview of the Liberian mining sector from historical, current development, and economic perspectives. The efforts made by government to address issues of environmental management and sustainable development expressed in national and international frameworks, as well as some of the environmental challenges in the mining sector are analyzed. A case study was conducted on one of the iron ore mines (China Union Bong Mines Investment) to analyze the effects of the water quality on the local water environment. The results show that the analyzed water sample concentrations were all above the WHO and Liberia water standard Class I guidelines for drinking water. Finally the paper examines the application of water footprint from a life cycle perspective in the Liberian mining sector and suggests some policy options for water resources management.

  7. A proposed framework of big data readiness in public sectors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ali, Raja Haslinda Raja Mohd; Mohamad, Rosli; Sudin, Suhizaz

    2016-08-01

    Growing interest over big data mainly linked to its great potential to unveil unforeseen pattern or profiles that support organisation's key business decisions. Following private sector moves to embrace big data, the government sector has now getting into the bandwagon. Big data has been considered as one of the potential tools to enhance service delivery of the public sector within its financial resources constraints. Malaysian government, particularly, has considered big data as one of the main national agenda. Regardless of government commitment to promote big data amongst government agencies, degrees of readiness of the government agencies as well as their employees are crucial in ensuring successful deployment of big data. This paper, therefore, proposes a conceptual framework to investigate perceived readiness of big data potentials amongst Malaysian government agencies. Perceived readiness of 28 ministries and their respective employees will be assessed using both qualitative (interview) and quantitative (survey) approaches. The outcome of the study is expected to offer meaningful insight on factors affecting change readiness among public agencies on big data potentials and the expected outcome from greater/lower change readiness among the public sectors.

  8. Harmonizing health information systems with information systems in other social and economic sectors.

    PubMed Central

    Macfarlane, Sarah B.

    2005-01-01

    Efforts to strengthen health information systems in low- and middle-income countries should include forging links with systems in other social and economic sectors. Governments are seeking comprehensive socioeconomic data on the basis of which to implement strategies for poverty reduction and to monitor achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The health sector is looking to take action on the social factors that determine health outcomes. But there are duplications and inconsistencies between sectors in the collection, reporting, storage and analysis of socioeconomic data. National offices of statistics give higher priority to collection and analysis of economic than to social statistics. The Report of the Commission for Africa has estimated that an additional US$ 60 million a year is needed to improve systems to collect and analyse statistics in Africa. Some donors recognize that such systems have been weakened by numerous international demands for indicators, and have pledged support for national initiatives to strengthen statistical systems, as well as sectoral information systems such as those in health and education. Many governments are working to coordinate information systems to monitor and evaluate poverty reduction strategies. There is therefore an opportunity for the health sector to collaborate with other sectors to lever international resources to rationalize definition and measurement of indicators common to several sectors; streamline the content, frequency and timing of household surveys; and harmonize national and subnational databases that store socioeconomic data. Without long-term commitment to improve training and build career structures for statisticians and information technicians working in the health and other sectors, improvements in information and statistical systems cannot be sustained. PMID:16184278

  9. 78 FR 75376 - State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector Policy Advisory Committee (SLTP-PAC)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-11

    ...] State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector Policy Advisory Committee (SLTP-PAC) AGENCY: National Archives... (NARA) announces a meeting of the State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector Policy Advisory Committee... Information Program for State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector Entities. The meeting will be open to the...

  10. Network features of sector indexes spillover effects in China: A multi-scale view

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feng, Sida; Huang, Shupei; Qi, Yabin; Liu, Xueyong; Sun, Qingru; Wen, Shaobo

    2018-04-01

    The spillover effects among sectors are of concern for distinct market participants, who are in distinct investment horizons and concerned with the information in different time scales. In order to uncover the hidden spillover information in multi-time scales in the rapidly changing stock market and thereby offer guidance to different investors concerning distinct time scales from a system perspective, this paper constructed directional spillover effect networks for the economic sectors in distinct time scales. The results are as follows: (1) The "2-4 days" scale is the most risky scale, and the "8-16 days" scale is the least risky one. (2) The most influential and sensitive sectors are distinct in different time scales. (3) Although two sectors in the same community may not have direct spillover relations, the volatility of one sector will have a relatively strong influence on the other through indirect relations.

  11. Assessing the role of informal sector in WEEE management systems: A System Dynamics approach.

    PubMed

    Ardi, Romadhani; Leisten, Rainer

    2016-11-01

    Generally being ignored by academia and regulators, the informal sector plays important roles in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) management systems, especially in developing countries. This study aims: (1) to capture and model the variety of informal operations in WEEE management systems, (2) to capture the dynamics existing within the informal sector, and (3) to assess the role of the informal sector as the key player in the WEEE management systems, influencing both its future operations and its counterpart, the formal sector. By using System Dynamics as the methodology and India as the reference system, this study is able to explain the reasons behind, on the one hand, the superiority of the informal sector in WEEE management systems and, on the other hand, the failure of the formal systems. Additionally, this study reveals the important role of the second-hand market as the determinant of the rise and fall of the informal sector in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. 2010 Staff Organization for Optimum C2: A Private Sector Analysis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1998-02-13

    control over business operations. Warfighting CINCs can benefit from the lessons learned in the private sector by adapting those lessons to future military... private sector analysis. Through the use of a networked command and control system and a "matrix" staff structure, the model consolidates the JFC staff

  13. Incorporating Multifaceted Mental Health Prevention Services in Community Sectors-of-Care

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gewirtz, Abigail H.; August, Gerald J.

    2008-01-01

    This article proposes a framework for embedding prevention services into community sectors-of-care. Community sectors-of-care include both formal and grassroot organizations distributed throughout a community that provide various resources and services to at-risk children and their families. Though the child population served by these…

  14. Dynamics of Private Sector Support for Education: Experiences in Latin America

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brady, Kristin; Galisson, Kirsten

    2008-01-01

    Recognizing the diversity of models and strategies for private sector participation in education that have emerged in Latin America, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) requested the Academy for Educational Development (AED) to conduct research with leaders in the public and private sectors in several countries. While…

  15. Fine-scale characteristics of interplanetary sector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Behannon, K. W.; Neubauer, F. M.; Barnstoff, H.

    1980-01-01

    The structure of the interplanetary sector boundaries observed by Helios 1 within sector transition regions was studied. Such regions consist of intermediate (nonspiral) average field orientations in some cases, as well as a number of large angle directional discontinuities (DD's) on the fine scale (time scales 1 hour). Such DD's are found to be more similar to tangential than rotational discontinuities, to be oriented on average more nearly perpendicular than parallel to the ecliptic plane to be accompanied usually by a large dip ( 80%) in B and, with a most probable thickness of 3 x 10 to the 4th power km, significantly thicker previously studied. It is hypothesized that the observed structures represent multiple traversals of the global heliospheric current sheet due to local fluctuations in the position of the sheet. There is evidence that such fluctuations are sometimes produced by wavelike motions or surface corrugations of scale length 0.05 - 0.1 AU superimposed on the large scale structure.

  16. Climate Leadership in the Financial Sector Webinar

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Financial sector winners from the 2015 Climate Leadership Awards discuss best practices and challenges faced by their corporations based on their experience of attempting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate risk.

  17. Oil and Gas Extraction Sector (NAICS 211)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Environmental regulatory information for oil and gas extraction sectors, including oil and natural gas drilling. Includes information about NESHAPs for RICE and stationary combustion engines, and effluent guidelines for synthetic-based drilling fluids

  18. Ship and Boat Building Sector (NAICS 3336)

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Find environmental regulatory and compliance information for the shipbuilding sector (NAICS 3336), including NESHAPs and air toxics regulations, nonroad engines and vehicles, managing used oil, and polluted runoff from marinas and boating areas.

  19. Energy finance data warehouse: Tracking revenues through the power sector

    DOE PAGES

    Claire, Zeng; Hendrickson, Stephen; Lee, Sangkeun; ...

    2017-03-24

    Reliable data is needed to understand financial relationships in the power sector. However, relevant data acquisition and visualization can be a challenge due to the fragmented nature of the power sector. The Energy Policy and Systems Analysis office of the U.S. Department of Energy led a team of data scientists at Oak Ridge National Lab to collect revenue information from a variety of sources.

  20. Energy finance data warehouse: Tracking revenues through the power sector

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

    Claire, Zeng; Hendrickson, Stephen; Lee, Sangkeun

    Reliable data is needed to understand financial relationships in the power sector. However, relevant data acquisition and visualization can be a challenge due to the fragmented nature of the power sector. The Energy Policy and Systems Analysis office of the U.S. Department of Energy led a team of data scientists at Oak Ridge National Lab to collect revenue information from a variety of sources.