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

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

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

Homelessness and the Public's Health: Legal Responses.

PubMed

Hodge, James G; DiPietro, Barbara; Horton-Newell, Amy E

2017-03-01

This commentary addresses public health issues underlying homelessness and related law, policy, and advocacy options. After framing public health issues for affected individuals and the community, legal and policy approaches and related barriers are assessed. Major topics include deficits in housing availability, the role of state-based Medicaid programs, criminalization of homelessness, and the use of emergency declarations seeking to address particular issues related to homelessness in select states and localities.

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

PubMed

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

2014-01-01

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

Wilderness Medicine Newsletter, 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber, Holly, Ed.; Thompson, Ken, Ed.

1995-01-01

This document consists of the six issues of the "Wilderness Medicine Newsletter" issued during 1995. The newsletter addresses issues related to the treatment and prevention of medical emergencies in the wilderness. Issues typically include feature articles, interviews with doctors in the field of wilderness medicine, product reviews,…

Methodological Issues and Practices in Qualitative Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Jana

1993-01-01

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

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayoumi, Magdy

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

78 FR 14110 - Emergency Issuance of Endangered Species Permit

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-04

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

77 FR 24684 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2013-2015 American Community Survey Methods...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-25

... program that is designed to address and respond to survey issues and needs. During the 2013-2015 period... Design Test, a 2015 ACS Content Test, and a series of Internet tests. Since the ACS Methods Panel is designed to address emerging issues, we may conduct additional testing as needed. Testing would focus on...

Assessing the need for a new nationally representative household panel survey in the United States

PubMed Central

Moffitt, Robert; Schoeni, Robert F.; Brown, Charles; Chase-Lansdale, P. Lindsay; Couper, Mick P.; Diez-Roux, Ana V.; Hurst, Erik; Seltzer, Judith A.

2015-01-01

We introduce this special issue on the critical matter of whether the existing household panel surveys in the U.S. are adequate to address the important emerging social science and policy questions of the next few decades. We summarize the conference papers which address this issue in different domains. The papers detail many new and important emerging research questions but also identify key limitations in existing panels in addressing those questions. To address these limitations, we consider the advantages and disadvantages of initiating a new, general-purpose omnibus household panel in the U.S. We also discuss the particular benefits of starting new panels that have specific targeted domains such as child development, population health and health care. We also develop a list of valuable enhancements to existing panels which could address many of their limitations. PMID:26688609

Ethical issues in exercise psychology.

PubMed

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

2006-01-01

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

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southern Rural Development Center, Mississippi State, MS.

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

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2007

2007-01-01

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

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

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodward, John

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

Working with Local, State and Federal Partners to Address Health Education Needs of Hurricane Katrina Evacuees in Houston: A CDC Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoover, D. Michele; Dopson, Stephanie; Drehobl, Patricia

2010-01-01

For health educators to successfully meet the challenges of responding to public health emergencies, it is important to establish and understand the role of collaborations with local, state and federal partners in identifying potential public health issues and to develop theory-based models or strategies to address these issues before, during and…

Emerging and recurrent issues in drug development.

PubMed

Anello, C

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

Personal Health, Person-centred Health and Personalised Medicine - Concepts, Consumers, Confusion and Challenges in the Informatics World.

PubMed

Rigby, M

2012-01-01

To define and assess 'Consumer Health Informatics' and related emergent issues in an era of new media and of personalisation of care, and from this to define what actions need to be taken to optimise benefits and address risks. Definition of key concepts; review of health personalisation, emergent health information and communication technologies and knowledge sources available to citizens and social media; and identification of unresolved issues threatening optimal use of each. A structured review supported by citations and examples. Several new aspects of consumer health informatics are emerging, including new knowledge sources, feedback on treatments and care providers, on-line videos, and a new generation of patient experience sites including those which are for profit and seek to influence treatment paradigms. Not just the information usage, but also the potential social challenges and malicious abuses, are global issues, and also transcend the traditional health community and thus should be addressed in partnership with other global agencies.

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

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

Chen, S. Y.; Napier, Bruce

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

Wilderness Medicine Newsletter, 1996.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber, Holly A., Ed.; And Others

1996-01-01

This document consists of the six issues of the "Wilderness Medicine Newsletter" published during 1996. The newsletter addresses the treatment and prevention of medical emergencies in the wilderness and training resources. Issues typically include feature articles, interviews with doctors in the wilderness, conferences and training…

Affect and Health Behavior Co-Occurrence: The Emerging Roles of Transdiagnostic Factors and Sociocultural Factors.

PubMed

Zvolensky, Michael J; Leventhal, Adam M

2016-01-01

The majority of scientific work addressing relations among affective states and health correlates has focused primarily on their co-occurrence and a limited range of health conditions. We have developed a Special Issue to highlight recent advances in this emerging field of work that addresses the nature and interplay between affective states and disorders, in terms of their impact and consequences from health status and behavior. This Special Issue is organized into three parts classified as (a) co-occurrence and interplay between (b) transdiagnostic factors and (c) sociocultural factors. It is hoped that this issue will (a) alert readers to the significance of this work at different levels of analysis, (b) illustrate the many domains currently being explored via innovative approaches, and (c) identify fecund areas for future systematic study. © The Author(s) 2016.

Reducing the Risk of Tick-Borne Diseases through Smart, Safe and Sustainable Pest Control

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Each year PestWise programs form new partnerships to address ongoing and emerging issues. Reducing the risk from ticks and tick-borne disease is an issue of importance and EPA is contributing to a larger federal effort.

Wilderness Medicine Newsletter, Volume 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilderness Medicine Newsletter, 1994

1994-01-01

This volume of newsletters addresses issues related to the treatment and prevention of medical emergencies in the wilderness. Each issue includes feature articles, book reviews, product reviews, letters to the editor, notices of upcoming wilderness conferences and training courses, additional resources, and general information relevant to medical…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung Lee, Yeung

2012-02-01

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

Information for Developing Countries: Definitions, Institutions and Issues. A Contribution towards Forming an Understanding of the Potential for Consultancy, Marketing and Training Related Activities. Kingston Polytechnic School of Information Systems Research Report 87-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, John

This paper reports on the emerging market in information on development-related activities in terms of the European capacity in databases and information networking. The first of its two parts addresses issues that are emerging consequent to the introduction of information technology in developing countries. Problems of definition and interest in…

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

PubMed

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

2017-05-01

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

Elementary School Literacy: Critical Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

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

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

Web 2.0 and Emerging Technologies in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diaz, Veronica

2010-01-01

As online learning continues to grow, so do the free or nearly free Web 2.0 and emerging online learning technologies available to faculty and students. This chapter explores the implementation process and corresponding considerations of adapting such tools for teaching and learning. Issues addressed include copyright, intellectual property,…

Workplace Learning: Emerging Trends and New Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenwick, Tara

2008-01-01

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

What it means to teach online

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubbard, Abigail

1998-08-01

Teaching online has emerged as a growth area in higher education. Before rushing into this market, it is important to understand some of the implications for faculty, students, administrators, and the educational institutions themselves. New roles and responsibilities emerge for each stakeholder, and important institutional policy issues must be addressed and resolved.

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

PubMed

Patel, Sajal Manubhai; Pikal, Michael J

2011-03-01

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

After Access: Canadian Education and Copyright Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geist, Michael

2006-01-01

With the dramatic growth of the Internet in the 1990s, the Canadian government developed a well-regarded strategy for addressing the emerging issues posed by the "information highway." The strategy featured legal reforms to address privacy and e-commerce, administrative reforms for the government online initiative, and connectivity…

Summary and Synthesis

Treesearch

Stephen R. Shifley; Francisco X. Aguilar; Nianfu Song; Susan I. Stewart; David J. Nowak; Dale D. Gormanson; W. Keith Moser; Sherri Wormstead; Eric J. Greenfield

2012-01-01

This chapter discusses some of the interrelationships, interactions, and drivers of change that affect northern forests. The content addresses some of the threats and opportunities identified by Dietzman et al. (2011), and it also addresses findings that emerged from the analysis of conditions and trends. The many issues affecting northern forests are interrelated and...

Women and HIV Disease: An Emerging Social Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuntzner-Gibson, Denise

1991-01-01

Addresses major social issues faced by women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease and explores gender differences in HIV transmission, disease progression, and diagnosis. Discusses how women's sexuality and reproductive rights are affected. Examines specific issues regarding HIV-infected women who use intravenous drugs, women of color,…

Issues Emerging from First-Year PDS Implementation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castle, Sharon; Groth, Lois; Shaklee, Beverly

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

Cultural Emergence: Theorizing Culture in and from the Margins of Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Nathan Brent; Erichsen, Elizabeth Anne; Anicha, Cali L.

2013-01-01

This special issue of the Journal of Research in Science Teaching seeks to explore conceptualizations of culture that address contemporary challenges in science education. Toward this end, we unite two theoretical perspectives to advance a conceptualization of culture as a complex system, emerging from iterative processes of cultural bricolage,…

Cell Phones

MedlinePlus

... scientific issues related to RF exposure from wireless communications technology from an international perspective. Specific topics addressed have included: health effects of emerging wireless technologies recent biological ... - Wireless FAQs Federal Communications Commission - Radiofrequency Safety ...

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

PubMed

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

2013-01-01

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

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

PubMed

Dawson, David L

2008-07-01

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

78 FR 33120 - Final Interim Staff Guidance LR-ISG-2011-04; Updated Aging Management Criteria for Reactor Vessel...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-03

..., ``Generic Aging Lessons Learned Report'' (GALL Report), for the aging management of Pressurized Water... communicate insights and lessons learned and to address emergent issues not covered in license renewal... ensure that PWR license renewal applicants will adequately address age-related degradation and aging...

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

PubMed

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

2016-11-01

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

Community Involvement During Emergency Responses

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Involvement occurs in different forms, but is always geared towards improving the public's understanding of the presence of hazardous substances in the community, and how to address any issues that may arise.

Addressing the Context of E-Learning: Using Transactional Distance Theory to Inform Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benson, Robyn; Samarawickrema, Gayani

2009-01-01

The rapidly expanding range of options available for innovative e-learning approaches based on emerging technologies has given renewed importance to teaching and learning issues that have long been familiar to distance educators. These issues arise from the separation between learners, and between teacher and learners, which occurs when learning…

Update: New Federal Financial Accounting for State and Local School Systems Due Out Soon.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sielke, Catherine C.

2002-01-01

Reports on several changes in the 2002 edition (forthcoming) of the federal government accounting handbook "Federal Financial Accounting for State and Local School Systems." Includes brief summary of "Emerging Issues" section of the handbook that addresses issues such as alternative revenues, charter schools, school safety and security,…

Creating Next Generation Blended Learning Environments Using Mixed Reality, Video Games and Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirkley, Sonny E.; Kirkley, Jamie R.

2005-01-01

In this article, the challenges and issues of designing next generation learning environments using current and emerging technologies are addressed. An overview of the issues is provided as well as design principles that support the design of instruction and the overall learning environment. Specific methods for creating cognitively complex,…

The World Society Perspective: Concepts, Assumptions, and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Francisco O.

2012-01-01

For decades the world society perspective has influenced comparative research on a broad range of issues across the social sciences. The perspective emerged to make sense of an empirical puzzle: why did nation-state after nation-state expand mass schooling after World War II? The perspective evolved to address broader issues such as the authority…

Symbolic Policy and Alcohol Abuse Prevention in Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogenchuk, Marcella

2009-01-01

In Canada, the prevalence of alcohol use among school-age students has emerged as a leading public health issue. Though governments at all levels have called for inter-organizational collaboration to address the issue, the representation of youth interests by key community groups is critical to the efficacy of those initiatives. This article…

77 FR 53171 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-31

... increase data quality. At this time, plans are in place to propose several tests: a 2013 Questionnaire Design Test, a 2015 ACS Content Test, and a series of Internet tests. Because we cannot anticipate issues... designed to address and respond to emerging issues and survey needs. During the 2013-2015 period, the...

The Emergence of Bilingual Education Discourse in Brazil: Bilingualisms, Language Policies, and Globalizing Circumstances

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortes, Laura

2017-01-01

This paper discusses the social and political implications of the emergence of Portuguese-English bilingual education discourse in Brazil, which has been widely disseminated since the 1990s. Initially, a discursive analysis of prestige bilingualism concepts will be presented. Second, the issue of language policies will be addressed through the…

Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-07

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

DQC Comments on the Posted Recommendations Regarding Data Security and Privacy Protections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Data Quality Campaign, 2010

2010-01-01

The U.S. Department of Education is conducting several activities to address privacy and security issues related to education data. Earlier this year a contractor for the Department convened a group of privacy and security experts and produced a report with recommendations to the Department on ways they can address emerging challenges in…

Legal considerations during pediatric emergency mass critical care events.

PubMed

Courtney, Brooke; Hodge, James G

2011-11-01

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

TxDOT administration support : FY13.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-10-01

This research project evaluates numerous transportation issues and develops findings and/or : recommendations based on results. This project has been structured to address some of the emerging, critical, : and unique considerations related to transpo...

2009 Division 35 Presidential Address: Feminist Psychology and Women with Disabilities--An Emerging Alliance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, Martha E.

2010-01-01

This article is an application of the "Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Girls and Women" to psychological issues faced by Women with Disabilities. It includes culture-specific issues faced by Women with Disabilities, the multiple roles of Women with Disabilities, the importance of informal support systems, and the intersection between…

Asia and the Pacific: Issues of Educational Policy, Curriculum, and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Donald C., Ed.; And Others

The Pacific region is growing in worldwide importance in terms of politics, economics, and culture. The emergence of this area of the world provides an opportunity for new directions in social studies education. This book addresses the Pacific Rim issues from the viewpoints of educators from 9 Pacific nations: Australia, Canada, Fiji, Japan,…

Role of Pediatric Emergency Physicians in Identifying Bullying.

PubMed

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

2017-02-01

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

A horizon scan for species conservation by zoos and aquariums.

PubMed

Gusset, Markus; Fa, John E; Sutherland, William J

2014-01-01

We conducted the first horizon scan for zoos and aquariums to identify the 10 most important emerging issues for species conservation. This involved input from more than 100 experts from both the wider conservation community and the world zoo and aquarium community. Some of the issues are globally important: diseases, zoonoses, and biosecurity issues; new (communication) technologies; global water shortage and food insecurity; developing economies and markets for wildlife consumption; changes in wildlife population dynamics; and political instability and conflicts. Other issues are more specific to zoos and aquariums: need for extractive reserves; space shortage in zoos and aquariums; need for metapopulation management; and demand for caring of more species in zoos and aquariums. We also identified some broad approaches to these issues. Addressing the emerging issues identified in our horizon scan will further increase the contribution of the world zoo and aquarium community to global biodiversity conservation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

PubMed

Chen, S Y; Napier, Bruce

2016-02-01

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

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

PubMed

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

2013-01-30

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

TxDOT administration research : tasks completed FY2010.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-02-01

This research project evaluates numerous transportation issues and develops findings and/or : recommendations based on results. This project has been structured to address some of the emerging, critical, : and unique considerations related to transpo...

TxDOT administration research : tasks completed FY 2012.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

This research project evaluates numerous transportation issues and develops findings and/or recommendations based on results. This project has been structured to address some of the emerging, critical, and unique considerations related to transportat...

TxDOT administration research : tasks completed FY2011.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-04-01

This research project evaluates numerous transportation issues and develops findings and/or recommendations based on results. This project has been structured to address some of the emerging, critical, and unique considerations related to transportat...

Human-Computer Interaction in Smart Environments

PubMed Central

Paravati, Gianluca; Gatteschi, Valentina

2015-01-01

Here, we provide an overview of the content of the Special Issue on “Human-computer interaction in smart environments”. The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight technologies and solutions encompassing the use of mass-market sensors in current and emerging applications for interacting with Smart Environments. Selected papers address this topic by analyzing different interaction modalities, including hand/body gestures, face recognition, gaze/eye tracking, biosignal analysis, speech and activity recognition, and related issues.

Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-15

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

Web-Based Geospatial Tools to Address Hazard Mitigation, Natural Resource Management, and Other Societal Issues

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hearn,, Paul P.

2009-01-01

Federal, State, and local government agencies in the United States face a broad range of issues on a daily basis. Among these are natural hazard mitigation, homeland security, emergency response, economic and community development, water supply, and health and safety services. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) helps decision makers address these issues by providing natural hazard assessments, information on energy, mineral, water and biological resources, maps, and other geospatial information. Increasingly, decision makers at all levels are challenged not by the lack of information, but by the absence of effective tools to synthesize the large volume of data available, and to utilize the data to frame policy options in a straightforward and understandable manner. While geographic information system (GIS) technology has been widely applied to this end, systems with the necessary analytical power have been usable only by trained operators. The USGS is addressing the need for more accessible, manageable data tools by developing a suite of Web-based geospatial applications that will incorporate USGS and cooperating partner data into the decision making process for a variety of critical issues. Examples of Web-based geospatial tools being used to address societal issues follow.

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

PubMed

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

2008-08-01

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

Investigating Attitudes towards an Emerging Standard of English: Evaluations of Newscasters' Accents in Trinidad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deuber, Dagmar; Leung, Glenda-Alicia

2013-01-01

This paper addresses the issue of the emergence of new standards of English in the postcolonial world by means of a language attitude study conducted in the Caribbean island of Trinidad that involved rating the accents of newscasters. Accents represented in the clips played to respondents comprised various local as well as non-local ones. The…

Education and Poverty in the Global Development Agenda: Emergence, Evolution and Consolidation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarabini, Aina

2010-01-01

The objective of this paper is to analyse the role of education and poverty in the current global development agenda. It intends to analyse the emergence, evolution and consolidation of a global agenda, which attributes a key role to education in the fight against poverty. With this objective, the paper addresses four main issues: first, it…

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

PubMed

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

2018-04-01

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

Lessons Learned from School Crises and Emergencies. Volume 1, Issue 1, Fall 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2006

2006-01-01

This issue of "Lessons Learned" addresses "Dealing with Weapons on Campus." Each year, school administrators, faculty and staff must deal with the possibility of students planning and carrying out pranks such as toilet-papering trees, egging automobiles or spray painting school property. These high jinks often occur at the end of the school year,…

77 FR 46127 - Interim Staff Guidance on Changes to the Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report Revision 2...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-02

... Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report Revision 2 AMP XI.M41, ``Buried and Underground Piping and Tanks... AMPs in NUREG-1801, Revision 2, ``Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report,'' and the NRC staff's... issues LR-ISG to communicate insights and lessons learned and to address emergent issues not covered in...

Perceived challenges to obtaining informed consent for a time-sensitive emergency department study of pediatric status epilepticus: results of two focus groups.

PubMed

Chamberlain, James M; Lillis, Kathleen; Vance, Cheryl; Brown, Kathleen M; Fawumi, Olubunmi; Nichols, Shari; Davis, Colleen O; Singh, Tasmeen; Baren, Jill M

2009-08-01

The objective was to describe the perspective of research personnel on issues of informed consent in a time-sensitive clinical study under emergency circumstances. The authors convened concurrent focus groups of research staff and investigators involved in a pharmacokinetic study of lorazepam for status epilepticus (SE). Moderators led discussion with open-ended questions on selected issues of parental consent, communication and understanding, patient assent, and comparison to other types of studies. Focus group transcripts were analyzed to identify themes and subthemes from the discussions. Most themes and subthemes were identified in both research staff and investigator focus groups. Focus group discussion points were categorized into three main themes: barriers to and enablers of informed consent, barriers to and enablers of actual enrollment, and overall ethical concerns about the research. Many of the issues identified were unique to emergency research. From the perspectives of research staff and investigators enrolling patients in a time-sensitive emergency department study, the authors identified several areas of concern that should be addressed when planning future emergency studies.

Hardware-in-the-loop environment facility to address pilot-vehicle-interface issues of a fighter aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandurangareddy, Meenige

2002-07-01

The evolution of Pilot-Vehicle-Interface (PVI) of a fighter aircraft is a complex task. The PVI design involves both static and dynamic issues. Static issues involve the study of reach of controls and switches, ejection path clearance, readability of indicators and display symbols, etc. Dynamic issues involve the study of the effect of aircraft motion on display symbols, pilot emergency handling, situation awareness, weapon aiming, etc. This paper describes a method of addressing the above issues by building a facility with cockpit, which is ergonomically similar to the fighter cockpit. The cockpit is also fitted with actual displays, controls and switches. The cockpit is interfaced with various simulation models of aircraft and outside-window-image generators. The architecture of the facility is designed to represent the latencies of the aircraft and facilitates replacement of simulation models with actual units. A parameter injection facility could be used to induce faults in a comprehensive manner. Pilots could use the facility right from familiarising themselves with procedures to start the engine, take-off, navigate, aim the weapons, handling of emergencies and landing. This approach is being followed and further being enhanced on Cockpit-Environment-Facility (CEF) at Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bangalore, India.

Predicting the long-term effects of human-robot interaction: a reflection on responsibility in medical robotics.

PubMed

Datteri, Edoardo

2013-03-01

This article addresses prospective and retrospective responsibility issues connected with medical robotics. It will be suggested that extant conceptual and legal frameworks are sufficient to address and properly settle most retrospective responsibility problems arising in connection with injuries caused by robot behaviours (which will be exemplified here by reference to harms occurred in surgical interventions supported by the Da Vinci robot, reported in the scientific literature and in the press). In addition, it will be pointed out that many prospective responsibility issues connected with medical robotics are nothing but well-known robotics engineering problems in disguise, which are routinely addressed by roboticists as part of their research and development activities: for this reason they do not raise particularly novel ethical issues. In contrast with this, it will be pointed out that novel and challenging prospective responsibility issues may emerge in connection with harmful events caused by normal robot behaviours. This point will be illustrated here in connection with the rehabilitation robot Lokomat.

76 FR 6120 - Joint CFTC-SEC Advisory Committee on Emerging Regulatory Issues

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-03

...., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Comments mailed to this address should be submitted in triplicate and should refer... Trading and Markets, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F St., NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090; or...

Medical issues in flight and updating the emergency medical kit.

PubMed

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

2018-01-01

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

The Challenge of Aviation Emergency and Abnormal Situations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2005-01-01

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

Medical issues in flight and updating the emergency medical kit

PubMed Central

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

2018-01-01

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

Making sense in a complex landscape: how the Cynefin Framework from Complex Adaptive Systems Theory can inform health promotion practice.

PubMed

Van Beurden, Eric K; Kia, Annie M; Zask, Avigdor; Dietrich, Uta; Rose, Lauren

2013-03-01

Health promotion addresses issues from the simple (with well-known cause/effect links) to the highly complex (webs and loops of cause/effect with unpredictable, emergent properties). Yet there is no conceptual framework within its theory base to help identify approaches appropriate to the level of complexity. The default approach favours reductionism--the assumption that reducing a system to its parts will inform whole system behaviour. Such an approach can yield useful knowledge, yet is inadequate where issues have multiple interacting causes, such as social determinants of health. To address complex issues, there is a need for a conceptual framework that helps choose action that is appropriate to context. This paper presents the Cynefin Framework, informed by complexity science--the study of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS). It introduces key CAS concepts and reviews the emergence and implications of 'complex' approaches within health promotion. It explains the framework and its use with examples from contemporary practice, and sets it within the context of related bodies of health promotion theory. The Cynefin Framework, especially when used as a sense-making tool, can help practitioners understand the complexity of issues, identify appropriate strategies and avoid the pitfalls of applying reductionist approaches to complex situations. The urgency to address critical issues such as climate change and the social determinants of health calls for us to engage with complexity science. The Cynefin Framework helps practitioners make the shift, and enables those already engaged in complex approaches to communicate the value and meaning of their work in a system that privileges reductionist approaches.

A review of simulation-enhanced, team-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for undergraduate students.

PubMed

Onan, Arif; Simsek, Nurettin; Elcin, Melih; Turan, Sevgi; Erbil, Bülent; Deniz, Kaan Zülfikar

2017-11-01

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation training is an essential element of clinical skill development for healthcare providers. The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation has described issues related to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care education. Educational interventions have been initiated to try to address these issues using a team-based approach and simulation technologies that offer a controlled, safe learning environment. The aim of the study is to review and synthesize published studies that address the primary question "What are the features and effectiveness of educational interventions related to simulation-enhanced, team-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation training?" We conducted a systematic review focused on educational interventions pertaining to cardiac arrest and emergencies that addressed this main question. The findings are presented together with a discussion of the effectiveness of various educational interventions. In conclusion, student attitudes toward interprofessional learning and simulation experiences were more positive. Research reports emphasized the importance of adherence to established guidelines, adopting a holistic approach to training, and that preliminary training, briefing, deliberate practices, and debriefing should help to overcome deficiencies in cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality improvement in the emergency department.

PubMed

Batrich, M; Domerchie, M

1995-09-01

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

U.S.-China Military Contacts: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-15

NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS...SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM( S ) 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER( S ) 12. DISTRIBUTION...fighter collided with a U.S. Navy EP-3 reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea.6 Upon surviving the collision, the EP-3’ s crew made an emergency

Beyond the Year of the Family: Defining the Agenda. St. Catharine's Conference (Windsor, England, February 1995). St. Catharine's Conference Report No. 47.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenhalgh, Claire

This report summarizes papers presented and the resulting discussions at a conference focused on key issues emerging from the 1994 United Nations International Year of the Family and how these issues should be reflected in policies for families in Great Britain. The papers addressed the following topics: (1) specific achievements of the United…

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, L. C.

1999-12-01

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

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

Chen, Shih-Yew; Napier, Bruce A.

The Program Area Committee 5 (PAC 5) of the National Council on Radiation protection and Measurements (NCRP) focuses its activities on environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. The committee completed a number of reports in the subject areas, and specifically the most recent NCRP Report 175 (Decision Making for Late-Phase Recovery from Major Nuclear or Radiological Incidents). Historically PAC 5 addressed the emerging issues of the nation that pertain to radioactivity or radiation in the environment, or the radioactive waste issues due either to the natural origins or to the manmade activities

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

PubMed

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

2015-03-01

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

ADA Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gips, Kathy

2003-01-01

Describes requirements for existing educational facilities under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and addresses issues such as guidelines for children, wheelchair-accessible and ambulatory stalls, areas without their own section in the standards, assistive listening devices in auditoriums, ramp slope, emergency evacuation planning,…

Academic emergency medicine in India.

PubMed

Pothiawala, Sohil; Anantharaman, Venkataraman

2013-08-01

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

Aids and the Police

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

emergency medical personnel arrived, he fought their rescue attempts and had to be wrestled to the ground. All the time he was coughing, spitting and...infection. In fact, no emergency worker has been reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as contracting HIV clearly as a result of job-related...important variable of the AIDS problem, but also stress the necessity of addressing thc, entire issue from a strategic management perspective . This analysis

Why issues emerge

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

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

1989-10-01

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

Top-down causation regarding the chemistry-physics interface: a sceptical view.

PubMed

Scerri, Eric R

2012-02-06

This article examines two influential authors who have addressed the interface between the fields of chemistry and physics and have reached opposite conclusions about whether or not emergence and downward causation represent genuine phenomena. While McLaughlin concludes that emergence is impossible in the light of quantum mechanics, Hendry regards issues connected with the status of molecular structure as supporting emergence. The present author suggests that one should not be persuaded by either of these arguments and pleads for a form of agnosticism over the reality of emergence and downward causation until further studies might be carried out.

Top-down causation regarding the chemistry–physics interface: a sceptical view

PubMed Central

Scerri, Eric R.

2012-01-01

This article examines two influential authors who have addressed the interface between the fields of chemistry and physics and have reached opposite conclusions about whether or not emergence and downward causation represent genuine phenomena. While McLaughlin concludes that emergence is impossible in the light of quantum mechanics, Hendry regards issues connected with the status of molecular structure as supporting emergence. The present author suggests that one should not be persuaded by either of these arguments and pleads for a form of agnosticism over the reality of emergence and downward causation until further studies might be carried out. PMID:23386957

Conceptual and Analytical Considerations toward the Use of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Personalized Medicine.

PubMed

Alemayehu, Demissie; Cappelleri, Joseph C

2012-07-01

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) can play an important role in personalized medicine. PROs can be viewed as an important fundamental tool to measure the extent of disease and the effect of treatment at the individual level, because they reflect the self-reported health state of the patient directly. However, their effective integration in personalized medicine requires addressing certain conceptual and methodological challenges, including instrument development and analytical issues. To evaluate methodological issues, such as multiple comparisons, missing data, and modeling approaches, associated with the analysis of data related to PRO and personalized medicine to further our understanding on the role of PRO data in personalized medicine. There is a growing recognition of the role of PROs in medical research, but their potential use in customizing healthcare is not widely appreciated. Emerging insights into the genetic basis of PROs could potentially lead to new pathways that may improve patient care. Knowledge of the biologic pathways through which the various genetic predispositions propel people toward negative or away from positive health experiences may ultimately transform healthcare. Understanding and addressing the conceptual and methodological issues in PROs and personalized medicine are expected to enhance the emerging area of personalized medicine and to improve patient care. This article addresses relevant concerns that need to be considered for effective integration of PROs in personalized medicine, with particular reference to conceptual and analytical issues that routinely arise with personalized medicine and PRO data. Some of these issues, including multiplicity problems, handling of missing values-and modeling approaches, are common to both areas. It is hoped that this article will help to stimulate further research to advance our understanding of the role of PRO data in personalized medicine. A robust conceptual framework to incorporate PROs into personalized medicine can provide fertile opportunity to bring these two areas even closer and to enhance the way a specific treatment is attuned and delivered to address patient care and patient needs.

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

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Obtaining a research participant’s voluntary and informed consent is the bedrock of sound ethics practice. Greater inclusion of children in research has led to questions about how paediatric consent operates in practice to accord with current and emerging legal and socio-ethical issues, norms, and requirements. Methods Employing a qualitative thematic content analysis, we examined paediatric consent forms from major academic centres and public organisations across Canada dated from 2008–2011, which were purposively selected to reflect different types of research ethics boards, participants, and studies. The studies included biobanking, longitudinal studies, and gene-environment studies. Our purpose was to explore the following six emerging issues: (1) whether the scope of parental consent allows for a child’s assent, dissent, or future consent; (2) whether the concepts of risk and benefit incorporate the child’s psychological and social perspective; (3) whether a child’s ability to withdraw is respected and to what extent withdrawal is permitted; (4) whether the return of research results includes individual results and/or incidental findings and the processes involved therein; (5) whether privacy and confidentiality concerns adequately address the child’s perspective and whether standard data and/or sample identifiability nomenclature is used; and (6) whether retention of and access to paediatric biological samples and associated medical data are addressed. Results The review suggests gaps and variability in the consent forms with respect to addressing each of the six issues. Many forms did not discuss the possibility of returning research results, be they individual or general/aggregate results. Forms were also divided in terms of the scope of parental consent (specific versus broad), and none discussed a process for resolving disputes that can arise when either the parents or the child wishes to withdraw from the study. Conclusions The analysis provides valuable insight and evidence into how consent forms address current ethical issues. While we do not thoroughly explore the contexts and reasons behind consent form gaps and variability, we do advocate and formulate the development of best practices for drafting paediatric health research consent forms. This can greatly ameliorate current gaps and facilitate harmonised and yet contextualised approaches to paediatric health research ethics. PMID:23363554

ADDRESSING EMERGING ISSUES IN WATER QUALITY THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY

EPA Science Inventory

Public concern over cleanliness and safety of source and recreational waters has prompted researchers to look for indicators of water quality. Giving public water authorities multiple tools to measure and monitor levels of chemical contaminants, as well as chemical markers of c...

Resource Recovery-based Sustainable Water Systems - the City of Tomorrow

EPA Science Inventory

Urban water systems are an example of complex, dynamic human-environment coupled systems which exhibit emergent behaviors that transcends individual scientific disciplines. To address the complexities associated with municipal water issues there is a need to shift from our tradi...

Steam generator issues in the United States

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

Strosnider, J.R.

1997-02-01

Alloy 600 steam generator tubes in the US have exhibited degradation mechanisms similar to those observed in other countries. Effective programs have been implemented to address several degradation mechanisms including: wastage; mechanical wear; pitting; and fatigue. These degradation mechanisms are fairly well understood as indicated by the ability to effectively mitigate/manage them. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is the dominant degradation mechanism in the US. SCC poses significant inspection and management challenges to the industry and the regulators. The paper also addresses issues of research into SCC, inspection programs, plugging, repair strategies, water chemistry, and regulatory control. Emerging issues in themore » US include: parent tube cracking at sleeve joints; detection and repair of circumferential cracks; free span cracking; inspection and cracking of dented regions; and severe accident analysis.« less

Some Spatial Politics of Queer-Feminist Research: Personal Reflections From the Field.

PubMed

Misgav, Chen

2016-01-01

This article addresses methodological issues emerging from research conducted with Trans in the Center, an LGBT activist group in Tel Aviv, Israel. It addresses some complex issues related to the politics and ethics of applying queer and feminist methodology to qualitative research in a trans, queer, and feminist community space. The focus is on two issues: the researcher's positionality vis-à-vis the participants and selecting the appropriate methodology in relation to the characteristics of the group under study. Such issues demonstrate how queer and feminist principles are articulated and interwoven in geographical-spatial research in two different dimensions: in the research practice and methodology and in the practices and the spaces created by the activity of the researched group itself. I conclude with insights arising from the attempt to apply feminist and queer paradigms in both theory and research, and I call for their integration into geographical research.

Do Faith Communities Have a Role in Addressing Childhood Obesity?

PubMed

Opalinski, Andra; Dyess, Susan; Grooper, Sareen

2015-01-01

Pediatric obesity is a multifaceted phenomenon. A partnership with faith-based communities to address the issue has been suggested. The purpose of this study was to describe the cultural beliefs of faith community leaders regarding childhood obesity and to examine attitudes about their role in addressing the issue. A qualitative descriptive design informed by ethnographic methods and triangulation of multiple data sources was utilized to assess the cultural beliefs of faith community leaders. A purposive sample of 13 leaders (nine females, four males) from seven multicultural and multigenerational local faith communities participated in the study. No more than three participants from any one faith community were enrolled in the study. Twenty-first century lifestyle challenges, accountability of behaviors (a dichotomy that fluctuated between individual responsibility to community and/or social responsibility), and the need for intentionality emerged as themes from the data. Faith community leaders envisioned a role for faith communities in addressing childhood obesity. Findings support the ongoing development of population based health promotion programs through faith community engagement. The findings provide a foundation for nurses partnering with faith communities on health promotion programs targeting childhood obesity to address family health issues in a holistic way. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Transfer of care and offload delay: continued resistance or integrative thinking?

PubMed

Schwartz, Brian

2015-11-01

The disciplines of paramedicine and emergency medicine have evolved synchronously over the past four decades, linked by emergency physicians with expertise in prehospital care. Ambulance offload delay (OD) is an inevitable consequence of emergency department overcrowding (EDOC) and compromises the care of the patient on the ambulance stretcher in the emergency department (ED), as well as paramedic emergency medical service response in the community. Efforts to define transfer of care from paramedics to ED staff with a view to reducing offload time have met with resistance from both sides with different agendas. These include the need to return paramedics to serve the community versus the lack of ED capacity to manage the patient. Innovative solutions to other system issues, such as rapid access to trauma teams, reducing door-to-needle time, and improving throughput in the ED to reduce EDOC, have been achieved by involving all stakeholders in an integrative thinking process. Only by addressing this issue in a similar integrative process will solutions to OD be realized.

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

PubMed

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

2015-05-01

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

A range/depth modulation transfer function (RMTF) framework for characterizing 3D imaging LADAR performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staple, Bevan; Earhart, R. P.; Slaymaker, Philip A.; Drouillard, Thomas F., II; Mahony, Thomas

2005-05-01

3D imaging LADARs have emerged as the key technology for producing high-resolution imagery of targets in 3-dimensions (X and Y spatial, and Z in the range/depth dimension). Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. continues to make significant investments in this technology to enable critical NASA, Department of Defense, and national security missions. As a consequence of rapid technology developments, two issues have emerged that need resolution. First, the terminology used to rate LADAR performance (e.g., range resolution) is inconsistently defined, is improperly used, and thus has become misleading. Second, the terminology does not include a metric of the system"s ability to resolve the 3D depth features of targets. These two issues create confusion when translating customer requirements into hardware. This paper presents a candidate framework for addressing these issues. To address the consistency issue, the framework utilizes only those terminologies proposed and tested by leading LADAR research and standards institutions. We also provide suggestions for strengthening these definitions by linking them to the well-known Rayleigh criterion extended into the range dimension. To address the inadequate 3D image quality metrics, the framework introduces the concept of a Range/Depth Modulation Transfer Function (RMTF). The RMTF measures the impact of the spatial frequencies of a 3D target on its measured modulation in range/depth. It is determined using a new, Range-Based, Slanted Knife-Edge test. We present simulated results for two LADAR pulse detection techniques and compare them to a baseline centroid technique. Consistency in terminology plus a 3D image quality metric enable improved system standardization.

Challenges of Managing Animals in Disasters in the U.S.

PubMed Central

Heath, Sebastian E.; Linnabary, Robert D.

2015-01-01

Simple Summary This article describes common challenges to managing animals in disasters in the US, summarizes how some of these challenges are being met and makes recommendations on how to overcome others. Many predictable adverse situations affecting animals and their owners can be prevented when communities develop a comprehensive emergency management strategy that integrates animal care into planning, preparedness, mitigation, and recovery activities, as well as response. Abstract Common to many of the repeated issues surrounding animals in disasters in the U.S. is a pre-existing weak animal health infrastructure that is under constant pressure resulting from pet overpopulation. Unless this root cause is addressed, communities remain vulnerable to similar issues with animals they and others have faced in past disasters. In the US the plight of animals in disasters is frequently viewed primarily as a response issue and frequently handled by groups that are not integrated with the affected community’s emergency management. In contrast, animals, their owners, and communities would greatly benefit from integrating animal issues into an overall emergency management strategy for the community. There is no other factor contributing as much to human evacuation failure in disasters that is under the control of emergency management when a threat is imminent as pet ownership. Emergency managers can take advantage of the bond people have with their animals to instill appropriate behavior amongst pet owners in disasters. PMID:26479228

Design Constraints Regarding The Use Of Fluids In Emergency Medical Systems For Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McQuillen, John

2013-01-01

The Exploration Medical Capability Project of the Human Research Program is tasked with identifying, investigating and addressing gaps existing gaps in either knowledge or technology that need to be addressed in order to enable safer exploration missions. There are several gaps that involve treatment for emergency medical situations. Some of these treatments involve the handling of liquids in the spacecraft environment which involve gas-liquid mixtures handling, dissolution chemistry and thermal issues. Some of the recent technology efforts include the Intravenous fluid generation (IVGEN) experiment, the In-Suit Injection System (ISIS) experiment, and medical suction. Constraints include limited volume, shelf life, handling biohazards, availability of power, crew time and medical training.

Migration and Health: Towards an Understanding of the Health Care Needs of Ethnic Minorities. Proceedings of a Consultative Group on Ethnic Minorities (The Hague, Netherlands, November 28-30, 1983).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colledge, M., Ed.; And Others

This book addresses the research and policy issues that emerge from the interface of different cultures as a consequence of migration. It includes articles on the following issues: (1) the contribution of the social sciences to an understanding of migrant health needs; (2) health care across cultural boundaries; (3) health care for labor…

Research perspectives overview at DBNRRC to maintain sustainable food security

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The research issues that the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center (DBNRRC) is addressing for the rice industry and research community are 1) changing rice production practices, 2) diminishing irrigation resources, 3) loss of export markets due to poor quality, 4) emerging high value specialty...

Exploring a United States Maize Cellulose Biofuel Scenario Using an Integrated Energy and Agricultural Markets Solution Approach

EPA Science Inventory

Biofuel feedstock production in the United States (US) is an emergent environmental nutrient management issue, whose exploration can benefit from a multi-scale and multimedia systems modeling approach that explicitly addresses diverging stakeholder interests. In the present anal...

An Administrator's Guide to Installing a Telephone System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forbes, Phyllis Rossiter

1986-01-01

Guidelines for administrators concerning installation of a new campus telephone system address these issues: where to start; location and emergency power; the project team; paperwork; communication among those involved in installation; working with the local operating company; existing wiring; the external cable plant; special needs; and training…

Scientific and Pragmatic Challenges for Bridging Education and Neuroscience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varma, Sashank; McCandliss, Bruce D.; Schwartz, Daniel L.

2008-01-01

Educational neuroscience is an emerging effort to integrate neuroscience methods, particularly functional neuroimaging, with behavioral methods to address issues of learning and instruction. This article consolidates common concerns about connecting education and neuroscience. One set of concerns is scientific: in-principle differences in methods,…

78 FR 72748 - Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-03

... safe rail environment by ensuring that affected railroads (Class Is and some Class IIs) address... convey emergency and need-to-know information. The new rule establishes safe, uniform procedures covering... (FRA) and the Surface Transportation Board (STB), working in conjunction with each other, have issued...

Elder Abuse Awareness Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goettler, Darla

The Elder Abuse Prevention Project sponsored by the Seniors' Education Centre, University Extension, University of Regina (Saskatchewan, Canada) emerged from a provincial workshop held by the Centre in 1989. The workshop was designed to examine possible avenues for addressing elder abuse issues in Saskatchewan. The purposes of the project were to…

Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise ''Affordable Munitions Production for the 21st Century''

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

Burleson, R.R.; Poggio, M.E.; Rosenberg, S.J.

2000-09-13

The U.S. Army faces several munitions manufacturing issues: downsizing of the organic production base, timely fielding of affordable smart munitions, and munitions replenishment during national emergencies. Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise (TIME) is addressing these complex issues via the development and demonstration of an integrated enterprise. The enterprise will include the tools, network, and open modular architecture controllers to enable accelerated acquisition, shortened concept to volume production, lower life cycle costs, capture of critical manufacturing processes, and communication of process parameters between remote sites to rapidly spin-off production for replenishment by commercial sources. TIME addresses the enterprise as a system, integratingmore » design, engineering, manufacturing, administration, and logistics.« less

Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise ''Affordable Munitions Production for the 21st Century''

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

Burleson, R.R.; Poggio, M.E.; Rosenberg, S.J.

2000-07-14

The U.S. Army faces several munitions manufacturing issues: downsizing of the organic production base, timely fielding of affordable smart munitions, and munitions replenishment during national emergencies. TIME is addressing these complex issues via the development and demonstration of an integrated enterprise. The enterprise will include the tools, network, and open modular architecture controller to enable accelerated acquisition, shortened concept to volume production, lower life cycle costs, capture of critical manufacturing processes, and communication of process parameters between remote sites to rapidly spin-off production for replenishment by commercial sources. TIME addresses the enterprise as a system, integrating design, engineering, manufacturing, administration,more » and logistics.« less

Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise ''Affordable Munitions Production for the 21st Century''

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

Burleson, R.R.; Poggio, M.E.; Rosenberg, S.J.

2000-08-18

The U.S. Army faces several munitions manufacturing issues: downsizing of the organic production base, timely fielding of affordable smart munitions, and munitions replenishment during national emergencies. Totally Integrated Munitions Enterprise (TIME) is addressing these complex issues via the development and demonstration of an integrated enterprise. The enterprise will include the tools, network, and open modular architecture controllers to enable accelerated acquisition, shortened concept to volume production, lower life cycle costs, capture of critical manufacturing processes, and communication of process parameters between remote sites to rapidly spin-off production for replenishment by commercial sources. TIME addresses the enterprise as a system, integratingmore » design, engineering, manufacturing, administration, and logistics.« less

The emerging understanding of magnetic reconnection through laboratory experiments, theory and modeling and in situ satellite measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drake, James F.

2015-08-01

Magnetic reconnection is the driver of explosive energy release in laboratory, space and astrophysical plasma systems. It plays a centralrole in such diverse phenomena as solar and stellar flares, flares in pulsar nebulae, gamma ray bursts and possibly even in the productionof energetic particles in supernova shocks. The close interaction of scientists doing laboratory experiments, in situ satellite measurements and theory and modeling has led to remarkable progress on key issues such as the mechanisms for fast energy release and heating and particle acceleration. There are, however, many open issues. The talk will address the emerging understanding of reconnection as well as areas where significant uncertainty remains. The role of new laboratory experiments such as FLARE at PPPL and the recently launched four-spacecraft MMS mission in resolving open issues will be discussed.

Public health in Canada: Evolution, meaning and a new paradigm for respiratory therapy

PubMed Central

West, Andrew J

2013-01-01

Chronic disease burden in Canada poses an imminent public health threat. The impact of respiratory disease in Canada alone is significant, affecting one in five and leading any other cause of repeat hospitalization in all age groups. Public health action is considered to be an important means of addressing these issues. Historical understanding of health has evolved to support the adoption of paradigms by professions that recognize the limitations of medical intervention in addressing the fundamental basis of disease when compared with the broader public health perspective. Several key historical events have shaped this understanding in the Canadian context including the Lalonde and Epp reports, and public health emergencies such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2003. The profession of respiratory therapy has historically existed within a medicalized paradigm of practice; however, forces both internal and external to the profession are pressuring it to consider adopting broader social-and population-based approaches. As a rapidly evolving profession, there is a need to explore emerging areas of practice opportunities in the discipline. Investigating alternative knowledge and ideology can ensure that effective strategies for addressing the contemporary respiratory heath needs of Canadians are undertaken. The present article explores the rationale for a public health- and population-based approach to health in general, and its applicability to the respiratory therapist’s role in addressing respiratory health-related issues in Canada. PMID:26078595

Security Implications of Physical Design Attributes in the Emergency Department.

PubMed

Pati, Debajyoti; Pati, Sipra; Harvey, Thomas E

2016-07-01

Security, a subset of safety, is equally important in the efficient delivery of patient care. The emergency department (ED) is susceptible to violence creating concerns for the safety and security of patients, staff, and visitors and for the safe and efficient delivery of care. Although there is an implicit and growing recognition of the role of the physical environment, interventions typically have been at the microlevel. The objective of this study was to identify physical design attributes that potentially influence safety and efficiency of ED operations. An exploratory, qualitative research design was adopted to examine the efficiency and safety correlates of ED physical design attributes. The study comprised a multimeasure approach involving multidisciplinary gaming, semistructured interviews, and touring interviews of frontline staff in four EDs at three hospital systems across three states. Five macro physical design attributes (issues that need to be addressed at the design stage and expensive to rectify once built) emerged from the data as factors substantially associated with security issues. They are design issues pertaining to (a) the entry zone, (b) traffic management, (c) patient room clustering, (d) centralization versus decentralization, and (e) provisions for special populations. Data from this study suggest that ED security concerns are generally associated with three sources: (a) gang-related violence, (b) dissatisfied patients, and (c) behavioral health patients. Study data show that physical design has an important role in addressing the above-mentioned concerns. Implications for ED design are outlined in the article. © The Author(s) 2016.

Metropolitan Universities: An Emerging Model in American Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Daniel M., Ed.; Bell, David A., Ed.

This volume contains 29 readings reprinted from the journal "Metropolitan Universities: An International Forum," selected to demonstrate the unique mission and characteristics of metropolitan universities and to recognize the special challenges they face in addressing the nation's major urban issues. The papers include: "What Is a Metropolitan…

A Critique of PISA and What Jullien's Plan Might Offer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forestier, Katherine; Adamson, Bob

2017-01-01

Adopting a comparative perspective to address educational issues in different contexts was a hallmark of Jullien's work in the early-nineteenth century. Different emphases and approaches to comparative education methodology have emerged in recent times thanks to major developments in technology, but have these changes rendered Jullien's ideas…

47 CFR 87.199 - Special requirements for 406.0-406.1 MHz ELTs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... identification code, issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States... code addressed to: NOAA/SARSAT Beacon Registration, E/SP3, Federal Building 4, Room 3320, 5200 Auth..., type of aircraft, alternate emergency contact, and other information as required by NOAA. The...

47 CFR 87.199 - Special requirements for 406.0-406.1 MHz ELTs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... identification code, issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States... code addressed to: NOAA/SARSAT Beacon Registration, E/SP3, Federal Building 4, Room 3320, 5200 Auth..., type of aircraft, alternate emergency contact, and other information as required by NOAA. The...

Early Childhood Curriculum: Planning, Assessment, and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLachlan, Claire; Fleer, Marilyn; Edwards, Susan

2010-01-01

"Early Childhood Curriculum" addresses current approaches to curriculum for infants, toddlers and young children, ages birth to eight. It provides a comprehensive introduction to the curriculum issues that student teachers and emerging practitioners will face and equips them with the decision-making tools that will ultimately enhance and promote…

Faith-Based Mental Health Interventions with African Americans: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hays, Krystal; Aranda, Maria P.

2016-01-01

Faith-based interventions have emerged culturally sensitive way to address mental health issues among African Americans. This systematic review explores the scope and efficacy of faith-based mental health intervention outcomes among African Americans. Extracted data included the study population, setting, study design, intervention, adaptations,…

Ethnography 2.0: Writing with Digital Video

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, M. L.

2009-01-01

This article investigates how digital video technology can be used in ethnographic research and considers the implications of digital production, presentation and dissemination of ethnographic educational research knowledge. In this article, I introduce the term Ethnography 2.0 and address some of the issues that emerged from my decision to use…

Teacher Education beyond Transmission: Challenges and Opportunities for Iranian Teachers of English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Safari, Parvin; Rashidi, Nasser

2015-01-01

The teacher education field has recently undergone dramatic changes leading to a shift of focus from transmission models towards alternative approaches and theories that emerged in the post-transmission era addressing sociocultural, political, ideological, and critical issues. Despite worldwide changes in teacher education programs, it seems that…

The Value of Action Research in Middle Grades Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caskey, Micki M.

2006-01-01

Action research is one of the relevant methodologies for addressing research questions and issues in middle grades education. Accounting for nearly 20% of published middle grades research studies (Hough, 2003), action research has emerged as an important and appropriate research method. In addition to reviewing the historical context, this article…

Imagining a World beyond Genocide: Teaching about Transitional Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarlett, Michael H.

2009-01-01

The study of the ways in which societies emerging from violent conflict and repressive regimes achieve peace and reconciliation through forms of transitional justice, such as truth commissions, tribunals, systems of reparations, and memorialization of the past, offers an opportunity for secondary social studies teachers to address issues of human…

Scandinavian Universities Respond to Complaints of Sexual Harassment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bollag, Burton

1997-01-01

Across Scandinavia, higher education institutions are acknowledging incidents of sexual harassment and developing policy and procedures to address them. The issue emerged after a University of Stockholm survey found 12% of all female employees on campus, including many graduate students, had experienced some harassment on the job. Initiatives…

Confronting Ethical and Regulatory Challenges of Emergency Care Research With Conscious Patients.

PubMed

Dickert, Neal W; Brown, Jeremy; Cairns, Charles B; Eaves-Leanos, Aaliyah; Goldkind, Sara F; Kim, Scott Y H; Nichol, Graham; O'Conor, Katie J; Scott, Jane D; Sinert, Richard; Wendler, David; Wright, David W; Silbergleit, Robert

2016-04-01

Barriers to informed consent are ubiquitous in the conduct of emergency care research across a wide range of conditions and clinical contexts. They are largely unavoidable; can be related to time constraints, physical symptoms, emotional stress, and cognitive impairment; and affect patients and surrogates. US regulations permit an exception from informed consent for certain clinical trials in emergency settings, but these regulations have generally been used to facilitate trials in which patients are unconscious and no surrogate is available. Most emergency care research, however, involves conscious patients, and surrogates are often available. Unfortunately, there is neither clear regulatory guidance nor established ethical standards in regard to consent in these settings. In this report-the result of a workshop convened by the National Institutes of Health Office of Emergency Care Research and Department of Bioethics to address ethical challenges in emergency care research-we clarify potential gaps in ethical understanding and federal regulations about research in emergency care in which limited involvement of patients or surrogates in enrollment decisions is possible. We propose a spectrum of approaches directed toward realistic ethical goals and a research and policy agenda for addressing these issues to facilitate clinical research necessary to improve emergency care. Copyright © 2015 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Issues in life support and human factors in crew rescue from the ISS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, K.

2001-01-01

The design and development of crew emergency response systems, particularly to provide an unplanned emergency return to Earth, requires an understanding of crew performance challenges in space. The combined effects of psychological and physiological adaptation during long-duration missions will have a significant effect on crew performance in the unpredictable and potentially life-threatening conditions of an emergency return to Earth. It is therefore important that the systems to be developed for emergency egress address these challenges through an integrated program to produce optimum productivity and safety in times of utmost stress. Fundamental to the success of the CRV is the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), which provides the necessary conditions for the crew to survive their return mission in a shirtsleeve environment. This article will discuss the many issues in the design of an ECLSS system for CRV and place it in the context of the human performance challenges of the mission.

Developing a trauma-informed, emergency department-based intervention for victims of urban violence.

PubMed

Corbin, Theodore J; Rich, John A; Bloom, Sandra L; Delgado, Dionne; Rich, Linda J; Wilson, Ann S

2011-01-01

The Surgeon General's report on youth violence, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other national organizations are calling for public health approaches to the issue of youth violence. Hospital-based violence intervention programs have shown promise in reducing recurrent violence and decreasing future involvement in the criminal justice system. These programs seldom address trauma-related symptoms. We describe a conceptual framework for emergency department-based and hospital-based violence intervention programs that intentionally addresses trauma. The intervention described--Healing Hurt People--is a trauma-informed program designed to intervene in the lives of injured patients at the life-changing moment of violent injury. This community-focused program seeks to reduce recurrent violence among 8- to 30-year-olds through opportunities for healing and connection. Healing Hurt People considers the adversity that patients have experienced during their lives and seeks to break the cycle of violence by addressing this trauma.

Ethical and methodological issues in research with Sami experiencing disability.

PubMed

Melbøe, Line; Hansen, Ketil Lenert; Johnsen, Bjørn-Eirik; Fedreheim, Gunn Elin; Dinesen, Tone; Minde, Gunn-Tove; Rustad, Marit

2016-01-01

A study of disability among the indigenous Sami people in Norway presented a number of ethical and methodological challenges rarely addressed in the literature. The main study was designed to examine and understand the everyday life, transitions between life stages and democratic participation of Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability. Hence, the purpose of this article is to increase the understanding of possible ethical and methodological issues in research within this field. The article describes and discusses ethical and methodological issues that arose when conducting our study and identifies some strategies for addressing issues like these. The ethical and methodological issues addressed in the article are based on a qualitative study among indigenous Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability. The data in this study were collected through 31 semi-structured in-depth interviews with altogether 24 Sami people experiencing disability and 13 next of kin of Sami people experiencing disability (8 mothers, 2 fathers, 2 sister and 1 guardian). The researchers identified 4 main areas of ethical and methodological issues. We present these issues chronologically as they emerged in the research process: 1) concept of knowledge when designing the study, 2) gaining access, 3) data collection and 4) analysis and accountability. The knowledge generated from this study has the potential to benefit future health research, specifically of Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability, as well as health research concerning indigenous people in general, providing scientific-based insight into important ethical and methodological issues in research with indigenous people experiencing disability.

Big data, little security: Addressing security issues in your platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macklin, Thomas; Mathews, Joseph

2017-05-01

This paper describes some patterns for information security problems that consistently emerge among traditional enterprise networks and applications, both with respect to cyber threats and data sensitivity. We draw upon cases from qualitative studies and interviews of system developers, network operators, and certifiers of military applications. Specifically, the problems discussed involve sensitivity of data aggregates, training efficacy, and security decision support in the human machine interface. While proven techniques can address many enterprise security challenges, we provide additional recommendations on how to further improve overall security posture, and suggest additional research thrusts to address areas where known gaps remain.

Puberty and adolescent sexuality.

PubMed

Fortenberry, J Dennis

2013-07-01

This article is part of a Special Issue "Puberty and Adolescence". Sexuality emerges as a major developmental element of puberty and the adolescent years that follow. However, connecting the sexuality that emerges with puberty and elements of adult sexuality is difficult because much adolescent sexuality research addresses the transition to partnered sexual behaviors (primarily coitus) and consequences such as unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. This review proposes a framework of an expanded understanding of puberty and adolescent sexuality from the perspective of four hallmarks of adult sexuality: sexual desire; sexual arousal; sexual behaviors; and, sexual function. This approach thus addresses important gaps in understanding of the ontogeny of sex and the continuum of sexuality development from adolescence through the adult lifespan. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Disruptive visions.

PubMed

Satava, R M

2002-10-01

Numerous advanced technologies, both medical and nonmedical, are emerging faster than their social, behavioral, political, moral, and ethical implications can be understood. Some of these technologies will fundamentally challenge the practice of surgery: human cloning, genetic engineering, tissue engineering, intelligent robotics, nanotechnology, suspended animation, regeneration, and species prolongation. Because of the rapidity of change, the current status of these emerging technologies with their specific moral and ethical issues must be addressed at this time by the new generation of surgeons, or we must all face the consequences of an uncontrolled and unprepared future.

Ethical Issues Raised by Private Practice Physiotherapy Are More Diverse than First Meets the Eye: Recommendations from a Literature Review

PubMed Central

Drolet, Marie-Josée; Williams-Jones, Bryn

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: Physiotherapy in private practice differs from physiotherapy practised in a public setting in several ways, the most evident of which is the for-profit nature of private physiotherapy clinics; these differences can generate distinct and challenging ethical issues. The objectives of this article are to identify ethical issues encountered by physiotherapists in private practice settings and to identify potential solutions and recommendations to address these issues. Method: After a literature search of eight databases, 39 studies addressing ethical issues in a private practice context were analyzed. Results: A total of 25 ethical issues emerging from the included studies were classified into three main categories: (1) business and economic issues (e.g., conflicts of interests, inequity in a managed care context, lack of time affecting quality of care); (2) professional issues (e.g., professional autonomy, clinical judgment, treatment effectiveness, professional conduct); and (3) patients' rights and welfare issues (e.g., confidentiality, power asymmetries, paternalism vs. patient autonomy, informed consent). Recommendations as to how physiotherapists could better manage these issues were then identified and categorized. Conclusions: The physiotherapy community should reflect on the challenges raised by private practice so that professionals can be supported—through education, research, and good governance—in providing the best possible care for their patients. PMID:25931663

Arctic Freshwater Synthesis: Summary of key emerging issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-10-01

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

Navy DD(X), GC(X), and LCS Ship Acquisition Programs: Oversight Issues and Options for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-18

5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e . TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) David D. Acker Library and Knowledge...System Division ( NGSS ) and General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works (GD/BIW) for the right to build all DD(X)s. The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act...take-all competition between Northrop Grumman’s Ship System Division ( NGSS ) and General Dynamics’ Bath Iron Works (GD/BIW) for the right to build

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

PubMed

Harper, Simon; Yesilada, Yeliz

2012-01-01

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

Cosmological Constant: A Lesson from Bose-Einstein Condensates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finazzi, Stefano; Liberati, Stefano; Sindoni, Lorenzo

2012-02-01

The cosmological constant is one of the most pressing problems in modern physics. We address this issue from an emergent gravity standpoint, by using an analogue gravity model. Indeed, the dynamics of the emergent metric in a Bose-Einstein condensate can be described by a Poisson-like equation with a vacuum source term reminiscent of a cosmological constant. The direct computation of this term shows that in emergent gravity scenarios this constant may be naturally much smaller than the naive ground-state energy of the emergent effective field theory. This suggests that a proper computation of the cosmological constant would require a detailed understanding about how Einstein equations emerge from the full microscopic quantum theory. In this light, the cosmological constant appears as a decisive test bench for any quantum or emergent gravity scenario.

Cosmological constant: a lesson from Bose-Einstein condensates.

PubMed

Finazzi, Stefano; Liberati, Stefano; Sindoni, Lorenzo

2012-02-17

The cosmological constant is one of the most pressing problems in modern physics. We address this issue from an emergent gravity standpoint, by using an analogue gravity model. Indeed, the dynamics of the emergent metric in a Bose-Einstein condensate can be described by a Poisson-like equation with a vacuum source term reminiscent of a cosmological constant. The direct computation of this term shows that in emergent gravity scenarios this constant may be naturally much smaller than the naive ground-state energy of the emergent effective field theory. This suggests that a proper computation of the cosmological constant would require a detailed understanding about how Einstein equations emerge from the full microscopic quantum theory. In this light, the cosmological constant appears as a decisive test bench for any quantum or emergent gravity scenario.

Joint NOAA/NWS/USGS prototype debris flow warning system for recently burned areas in Southern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Restrepo, P.; Jorgensen, D.P.; Cannon, S.H.; Costa, J.; Laber, J.; Major, J.; Martner, B.; Purpura, J.; Werner, K.

2008-01-01

Debris flows, also known as mudslides, are composed gravity-driven mixtures of sediment and water that travel through steep channels, over open hillslopes, and the like. Addressing this issue, US Geological Survey (USGS) and NOAA have established a debris-flow warning system that has the ability to monitor and forecast precipitation and issue timely weather hazard warning. In 2005, this joint NOAA-USGS prototype debris-flow warning system was issued in Southern California and as a result, it has provided valuable information to emergency managers in affected communities.

Work–Family Conflict and Health Among Working Parents: Potential Linkages for Family Studies and Social Neuroscience

PubMed Central

Grzywacz, Joseph G.; Smith, Amy M.

2016-01-01

In this paired article the authors review research on paid work, parenting, and health in order to isolate fundamental questions and issues that remain unaddressed. Next, consistent with the theme of this special issue, the authors introduce social neuroscience and highlight how this emerging multidisciplinary science offers substantial promise for advancing key unresolved issues in the paid work, parenting, and health literature. The article concludes with suggestions for promising areas of research wherein family scientists and social neuroscientists could build collaborative research to address gaps in the work–family literature. PMID:27840467

Globalisation and global health: issues for nursing.

PubMed

Bradbury-Jones, Caroline; Clark, Maria

2017-05-24

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

E-DECIDER Disaster Response and Decision Support Cyberinfrastructure: Technology and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glasscoe, M. T.; Parker, J. W.; Pierce, M. E.; Wang, J.; Eguchi, R. T.; Huyck, C. K.; Hu, Z.; Chen, Z.; Yoder, M. R.; Rundle, J. B.; Rosinski, A.

2014-12-01

Timely delivery of critical information to decision makers during a disaster is essential to response and damage assessment. Key issues to an efficient emergency response after a natural disaster include rapidly processing and delivering this critical information to emergency responders and reducing human intervention as much as possible. Essential elements of information necessary to achieve situational awareness are often generated by a wide array of organizations and disciplines, using any number of geospatial and non-geospatial technologies. A key challenge is the current state of practice does not easily support information sharing and technology interoperability. NASA E-DECIDER (Emergency Data Enhanced Cyber-Infrastructure for Disaster Evaluation and Response) has worked with the California Earthquake Clearinghouse and its partners to address these issues and challenges by adopting the XChangeCore Web Service Data Orchestration technology and participating in several earthquake response exercises. The E-DECIDER decision support system provides rapid delivery of advanced situational awareness data products to operations centers and emergency responders in the field. Remote sensing and hazard data, model-based map products, information from simulations, damage detection, and crowdsourcing is integrated into a single geospatial view and delivered through a service oriented architecture for improved decision-making and then directly to mobile devices of responders. By adopting a Service Oriented Architecture based on Open Geospatial Consortium standards, the system provides an extensible, comprehensive framework for geospatial data processing and distribution on Cloud platforms and other distributed environments. While the Clearinghouse and its partners are not first responders, they do support the emergency response community by providing information about the damaging effects earthquakes. It is critical for decision makers to maintain a situational awareness that is knowledgeable of potential and current conditions, possible impacts on populations and infrastructure, and other key information. E-DECIDER and the Clearinghouse have worked together to address many of these issues and challenges to deliver interoperable, authoritative decision support products.

Clinical supervision of psychotherapy: essential ethics issues for supervisors and supervisees.

PubMed

Barnett, Jeffrey E; Molzon, Corey H

2014-11-01

Clinical supervision is an essential aspect of every mental health professional's training. The importance of ensuring that supervision is provided competently, ethically, and legally is explained. The elements of the ethical practice of supervision are described and explained. Specific issues addressed include informed consent and the supervision contract, supervisor and supervisee competence, attention to issues of diversity and multicultural competence, boundaries and multiple relationships in the supervision relationship, documentation and record keeping by both supervisor and supervisee, evaluation and feedback, self-care and the ongoing promotion of wellness, emergency coverage, and the ending of the supervision relationship. Additionally, the role of clinical supervisor as mentor, professional role model, and gatekeeper for the profession are discussed. Specific recommendations are provided for ethically and effectively conducting the supervision relationship and for addressing commonly arising dilemmas that supervisors and supervisees may confront. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Discussion of the Issue of Football Helmet Removal in Suspected Cervical Spine Injuries

PubMed Central

Segan, Ross D.; Cassidy, Christine; Bentkowski, Jamie

1993-01-01

In some areas, it is a commonly accepted emergency medical technician protocol to remove a helmet during the initial management of suspected cervical spine injures. After a comprehensive survey of relevant literature, four primary reasons why Emergency Medical Services professionals would desire to remove a helmet emerge. Sources suggest that the presence of a helmet might: 1) interfere with immobilization of the athlete; 2) interfere with the ability to visualize injuries; 3) cause hyperflexion of the cervical spine; and 4) prevent proper airway management during a cardiorespiratory emergency. Many available protocols are designed for the removal of closed chamber motorcycle helmets that do not have removable face masks. There are a great number of differing viewpoints regarding this issue. The varying viewpoints are results of the failure of many emergency medical technician management protocols to address the unique situation presented by a football helmet. We: 1) demonstrate that football helmet removal is potentially dangerous and unnecessary, 2) suggest that cardiorespiratory emergencies can be effectively managed without removing the helmet, and 3) provide sports medicine professional with information that may be used to establish a joint Emergency Medical Services/Sports Medicine emergency action plan. ImagesFig. 1.Fig 2.Fig 3.Fig 4.Fig 5.Fig 6. PMID:16558244

Computational approaches to cognition: the bottom-up view.

PubMed

Koch, C

1993-04-01

How can higher level aspects of cognition, such as figure-ground segregation, object recognition, selective focal attention and ultimately even awareness, be implemented at the level of synapses and neurons? A number of theoretical studies emerging out of the connectionist and the computational neuroscience communities are starting to address these issues using neural plausible models.

Assessment and management of the violent patient.

PubMed Central

Bell, C. C.

2000-01-01

This article provides guidance on how to manage the unavoidable challenge of aggression in psychiatric relationships. Accordingly, this article addresses issues of personal safety and how to manage potentially violent patients, defuse situations that threaten imminent violence, and manage emergent violence. In addition, a useful chart is highlighted that differentiates different types of violence. PMID:10881474

Inventorying trees in agricultural landscapes: towards an accounting of working trees

Treesearch

C. H. Perry; C. W. Woodall; M.M. Schoeneberger

2005-01-01

Agroforestry plantings and other trees intentionally established in rural and urban areas are emerging as innovative management options for addressing resource issues and achieving landscape-level goals. An understanding of the contributions from these and future plantings would provide critical information to policy and program developers, and a comprehensive...

Inventorying trees in agricultural landscapes: toward an accounting of working trees

Treesearch

Carol H. Perry; Christopher W. Woodall; Michele M. Schoeneberger

2005-01-01

Agroforestry plantings and other trees intentionally established in rural and urban areas are emerging as innovative managemnt options for addressing resource issues and achieving landscape-level goals, An understanding of the contributions from these and future plantings would provide critical information to policy and program developers, and a comprehensive inventory...

Co-Sleeping during Infancy and Early Childhood: Key Findings and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberg, Wendy A.; Keller, Meret A.

2007-01-01

Emergent themes from this special issue on parent-child co-sleeping are featured in this concluding article. Each of the pieces in this collection addressed one or more of the following themes: methodologies for studying parent-infant co-sleeping, physical and social characteristics of the child's sleep environment, associations between sleep…

Understanding Motherhood as Maturation: Maternity Scripts in Lois Lowry's "Son"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deszcz-Tryhubczak, Justyna; Marecki, Mateusz

2015-01-01

When put together with the other parts of The Giver Quartet, "Son" (2012), Lowry's recently published concluding book, emerges as an odd exception to the focus on young adult protagonists since it foregrounds the mother's perspective and addresses the issue of motherhood. It presents the reader with at least three conceptual models of…

Quality Management in Higher Education: Towards a Better Understanding of an Emerging Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pratasavitskaya, Halina; Stensaker, Bjorn

2010-01-01

The article analyses how quality management is understood in higher education research. By reviewing a number of academic contributions addressing quality management issues in "Quality in Higher Education" from 1995-2008, the article identifies central concepts associated with quality management, discusses whether there are commonalities to be…

Testing Gone Amok: Leave No Teacher Candidate behind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wepner, Shelley B.

2006-01-01

Teacher preparation, now acknowledged for its impact on K-12 student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2000; Darling-Hammond, Berry, & Thoreson, 2000), needs to be part of the discussions about ways to address emerging issues with testing and accountability. What then do teacher educators who work with those preparing to teach do to guide their…

A Wish List for the Advancement of University and College Counseling Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, John B.

2016-01-01

University and college counseling centers continue to meet emerging challenges in higher education. This article addresses three issues: the need for a more unified organizational structure to represent the profession, the potential value for counseling centers in seeking accreditation, and the importance of specialized training for those entering…

Journeys into Inner/Outer Space: Reflections on the Methodological Challenges of Negotiating Insider/Outsider Status in International Educational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savvides, Nicola; Al-Youssef, Joanna; Colin, Mindy; Garrido, Cecilia

2014-01-01

This article highlights key theoretical and methodological issues and implications of being an insider/outsider when undertaking qualitative research in international educational settings. It first addresses discourses of "self" and "other," noting that identity and belonging emerge from fluid engagement between researchers and…

Teachers' Beliefs and Practices Regarding Neuromyths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alekno, Simone M.

2012-01-01

Educators are being called upon to be equal contributors and collaborators within the emerging field of mind, brain, and education, which is a trans-disciplinary field that seeks to unite education, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience in a quest to address educational issues. In the wake of the excitement that resulted from the advancement of…

Filling the gap: improving estimates of working tree resources in agricultural landscapes

Treesearch

C.H. Perry; C.W. Woodall; G.C. Liknes; M.M. Schoeneberger

2008-01-01

Agroforestry plantings and other trees intentionally established in rural and urban areas are emerging as innovative management options for addressing resource issues and achieving landscapelevel goals. An understanding of the ecosystem services contributed by these and future plantings would provide critical information to policy and program developers, and a...

Architecture and Children: Learning Environments and Design Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Anne, Ed.; Muhlberger, Joe, Ed.

1998-01-01

This issue addresses (1) growing international interest in learning environments and their effects on behavior, and (2) design education, an integrated model for visual-spatial lifelong learning. It focuses on this new and emerging integrated field which integrates elements in education, new learning environment design, and the use of more two-…

Informal Learning in Music: Emerging Roles of Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Carlos

2009-01-01

In her new book "Music, Informal Learning and the School" (2008), Lucy Green consolidates many ideas presented in her previous writings. There is little doubt of the significance of her approach, but it raises epistemological and pedagogical issues that must be addressed to better understand where music teachers go next with informal…

The Use of Gestalt Interventions in the Treatment of the Resistant Alcohol-Dependent Client.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramey, Luellen

1998-01-01

Reviews ethical and practical dilemmas associated with clients who have hidden alcohol dependencies, and proposes an approach rooted in Gestalt counseling theory which confronts these issues and is compatible with a current emerging alcohol-treatment model. Suggests specific activities for addressing client resistance to revealing a hidden alcohol…

Review: Is Parent-Child Attachment a Correlate of Children's Emotion Regulation and Coping?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmer-Gembeck, Melanie J.; Webb, Haley J.; Pepping, Christopher A.; Swan, Kellie; Merlo, Ourania; Skinner, Ellen A.; Avdagic, Elbina; Dunbar, Michelle

2017-01-01

Attachment theorists have described the parent-child attachment relationship as a foundation for the emergence and development of children's capacity for emotion regulation and coping with stress. The purpose of this review was to summarize the existing research addressing this issue. We identified 23 studies that employed validated assessments of…

Teaching Note--Incorporating Social Innovation Content into Macro Social Work Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pitt-Catsouphes, Marcie; Cosner Berzin, Stephanie

2015-01-01

The practice of social innovation offers promising approaches for addressing social issues. Although many social innovation strategies are congruent with macro social work theory and practice, some of the insights and tactics that have emerged in the social innovation field have the potential to strengthen current macro practice. Based on our…

Beyond Professionalisation: Enhancing the Governance Culture for Australian University Governing Boards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baird, Jeanette

2006-01-01

This article examines emerging norms of good practice for Australian university governing boards and issues that university governing boards could address to develop effective governance cultures. It firstly considers the ways in which support for many Australian university governing boards has become professionalised over the past decade. At the…

Exploring Preservice Teacher Perspectives on Video Games as Learning Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ray, Beverly B.; Powell, Angiline; Jacobsen, Brenda

2014-01-01

Despite their popularity with learners, many K-12 teachers are reluctant to use video games as learning tools. Addressing issues surrounding this reluctance is important since the educational use of video games is supported by learning theory and an emerging research base. Specifically, this study adopts exploratory research as a means to examine…

The Emerging School Library Media Center: Historical Issues and Perspectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latrobe, Kathy Howard, Ed.

This book provides an understanding of the history and development of school library media programming. The readings present both personal and objective perspectives on this topic. Contributors address not only the mission of the school library media program, but also how its realization has shaped and been shaped by professional organizations;…

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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

Mental health and psychosocial support in crisis and conflict: report of the Mental Health Working Group.

PubMed

Allden, K; Jones, L; Weissbecker, I; Wessells, M; Bolton, P; Betancourt, T S; Hijazi, Z; Galappatti, A; Yamout, R; Patel, P; Sumathipala, A

2009-01-01

The Working Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support was convened as part of the 2009 Harvard Humanitarian Action Summit. The Working Group chose to focus on ethical issues in mental health and psychosocial research and programming in humanitarian settings. The Working Group built on previous work and recommendations, such as the Inter-Agency Standing Committee's Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings. The objective of this working group was to address one of the factors contributing to the deficiency of research and the need to develop the evidence base on mental health and psychosocial support interventions during complex emergencies by proposing ethical research guidelines. Outcomes research is vital for effective program development in emergency settings, but to date, no comprehensive ethical guidelines exist for guiding such research efforts. Working Group members conducted literature reviews which included peer-reviewed publications, agency reports, and relevant guidelines on the following topics: general ethical principles in research, cross-cultural issues, research in resource-poor countries, and specific populations such as trauma and torture survivors, refugees, minorities, children and youth, and the mentally ill. Working Group members also shared key points regarding ethical issues encountered in their own research and fieldwork. The group adapted a broad definition of the term "research", which encompasses needs assessments and data gathering, as well as monitoring and evaluation. The guidelines are conceptualized as applying to formal and informal processes of assessment and evaluation in which researchers as well as most service providers engage. The group reached consensus that it would be unethical not to conduct research and evaluate outcomes of mental health and psychosocial interventions in emergency settings, given that there currently is very little good evidence base for such interventions. Overarching themes and issues generated by the group for further study and articulation included: purpose and benefits of research, issues of validity, neutrality, risk, subject selection and participation, confidentiality, consent, and dissemination of results. The group outlined several key topics and recommendations that address ethical issues in conducting mental health and psychosocial research in humanitarian settings. The group views this set of recommendations as a living document to be further developed and refined based on input from colleagues representing different regions of the globe with an emphasis on input from colleagues from low-resource countries.

Parent perspectives and reasons for lower urgency paediatric presentations to emergency departments.

PubMed

Freed, Gary L; Allen, Amy R; Turbitt, Erin; Nicolas, Caroline; Oakley, Ed

2016-04-01

The age band with, by far, the greatest number of ED presentations is children 0-4 years, with other paediatric age bands also among the highest. As the majority of these presentations are for lower urgency conditions, we sought to determine why parents seek ED care for their child for lower urgency conditions. A survey study of 1150 parents or guardians of children with lower urgency conditions (triage category 4 or 5) presenting to the EDs of three public general and one paediatric specialty hospital in metropolitan Melbourne. Fewer than half of parents (43%) attempted to make an appointment with a general practitioner (GP) for their child prior to presenting to the ED. Two-thirds of those who did contact a GP were instructed by their GP to go to the ED for their lower urgency condition. Few attempted to contact a nurse telephone triage service or after-hours GP service. The current magnitude and the growth of lower urgency paediatric ED presentations is a strain on the health care system. Efforts to educate parents regarding the suitability and availability of GP appointments can be the cornerstone of an initial strategy to address this issue. However, efforts to address the high rates of GP referral to EDs for low urgency presentations will be more vexing to develop, yet no less important. They will require addressing fundamental issues in both current GP care for children and the training of GP registrars. © 2016 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Qualitative assessment of take-home naloxone program participant and law enforcement interactions in British Columbia.

PubMed

Deonarine, Andrew; Amlani, Ashraf; Ambrose, Graham; Buxton, Jane A

2016-05-21

The British Columbia take-home naloxone (BCTHN) program has been in operation since 2012 and has resulted in the successful reversal of over 581 opioid overdoses. The study aims to explore BCTHN program participant perspectives about the program, barriers to participants contacting emergency services (calling "911") during an overdose, and perspectives of law enforcement officials on naloxone administration by police officers. Two focus groups and four individual interviews were conducted with BCTHN program participants; interviews with two law enforcement officials were also conducted. Qualitative analysis of all transcripts was performed. Positive themes about the BCTHN program from participants included easy to understand training, correcting misperceptions in the community, and positive interactions with emergency services. Potential barriers to contacting emergency services during an overdose include concerns about being arrested for outstanding warrants or for other illegal activities (such as drug possession) and confiscation of kits. Law enforcement officials noted that warrants were complex situational issues, kits would normally not be confiscated, and admitted arrests for drug possession or other activities may not serve the public good in an overdose situation. Law enforcement officials were concerned about legal liability and jurisdictional/authorization issues if naloxone administration privileges were expanded to police. Program participants and law enforcement officials expressed differing perspectives about warrants, kit confiscation, and arrests. Facilitating communication between BCTHN program participants and other stakeholders may address some of the confusion and remove potential barriers to further improving program outcomes. Naloxone administration by law enforcement would require policies to address jurisdiction/authorization and liability issues.

Anticipating the Future, Influencing the Present: Assessing the Societal Implications of Emerging Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michelson, Evan S.

A growing challenge for the American policymaking system is to respond effectively to a wide range of interconnected, complex, long-term science and technology issues. Simultaneously, current approaches and institutions of governance are ill suited to address these multidimensional challenges. As the next generation of innovations in science and technology is arriving at an accelerating rate, the governance system is lagging behind. This realization leads to a vital overarching consideration that steers this study: What approaches are well suited to anticipate the longer-term societal implications of emerging technologies in the 21st Century? This study identifies and examines strategies for anticipating the longer-term societal implications of emerging technologies by way of a qualitative case study. It explores one area of technology (nanotechnology), in one particular governance system (the United States), and with a focus on one high profile non-governmental organization (NGO) involved in addressing a range of nanotechnology's societal and policy implications: the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN). Based at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, PEN's goal was to ensure "that as nanotechnologies advance, possible risks are minimized, public and consumer engagement remains strong, and the potential benefits of these new technologies are realized." The conceptual framework of anticipatory governance guides the research, which offers a real-world example about how anticipatory governance applies in the nongovernmental sector and shows how this idea links to broader theoretical debates about the policymaking process. The study's main conclusion is that PEN utilized a set of interconnected strategies related to advancing foresight, operating in a boundary-spanning role, and promoting communications and public engagement in its attempt to influence, anticipate, and shape the societal implications of emerging technologies. The findings are informed by evidence from a range of sources, including document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and multiple media analyses. Finally, this study highlights a set of cross-cutting, transferable lessons that can be applied as future emerging technologies arise over time. The intention is that the insights gained from this study can help address these pressing issues as they rapidly unfold.

Ethical and methodological issues in research with Sami experiencing disability.

PubMed

Melbøe, Line; Hansen, Ketil Lenert; Johnsen, Bjørn-Eirik; Fedreheim, Gunn Elin; Dinesen, Tone; Minde, Gunn-Tove; Rustad, Marit

2016-01-01

Background A study of disability among the indigenous Sami people in Norway presented a number of ethical and methodological challenges rarely addressed in the literature. Objectives The main study was designed to examine and understand the everyday life, transitions between life stages and democratic participation of Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability. Hence, the purpose of this article is to increase the understanding of possible ethical and methodological issues in research within this field. The article describes and discusses ethical and methodological issues that arose when conducting our study and identifies some strategies for addressing issues like these. Methods The ethical and methodological issues addressed in the article are based on a qualitative study among indigenous Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability. The data in this study were collected through 31 semi-structured in-depth interviews with altogether 24 Sami people experiencing disability and 13 next of kin of Sami people experiencing disability (8 mothers, 2 fathers, 2 sister and 1 guardian). Findings and discussion The researchers identified 4 main areas of ethical and methodological issues. We present these issues chronologically as they emerged in the research process: 1) concept of knowledge when designing the study, 2) gaining access, 3) data collection and 4) analysis and accountability. Conclusion The knowledge generated from this study has the potential to benefit future health research, specifically of Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability, as well as health research concerning indigenous people in general, providing scientific-based insight into important ethical and methodological issues in research with indigenous people experiencing disability.

Ethical and methodological issues in research with Sami experiencing disability

PubMed Central

Melbøe, Line; Hansen, Ketil Lenert; Johnsen, Bjørn-Eirik; Fedreheim, Gunn Elin; Dinesen, Tone; Minde, Gunn-Tove; Rustad, Marit

2016-01-01

Background A study of disability among the indigenous Sami people in Norway presented a number of ethical and methodological challenges rarely addressed in the literature. Objectives The main study was designed to examine and understand the everyday life, transitions between life stages and democratic participation of Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability. Hence, the purpose of this article is to increase the understanding of possible ethical and methodological issues in research within this field. The article describes and discusses ethical and methodological issues that arose when conducting our study and identifies some strategies for addressing issues like these. Methods The ethical and methodological issues addressed in the article are based on a qualitative study among indigenous Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability. The data in this study were collected through 31 semi-structured in-depth interviews with altogether 24 Sami people experiencing disability and 13 next of kin of Sami people experiencing disability (8 mothers, 2 fathers, 2 sister and 1 guardian). Findings and discussion The researchers identified 4 main areas of ethical and methodological issues. We present these issues chronologically as they emerged in the research process: 1) concept of knowledge when designing the study, 2) gaining access, 3) data collection and 4) analysis and accountability. Conclusion The knowledge generated from this study has the potential to benefit future health research, specifically of Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability, as well as health research concerning indigenous people in general, providing scientific-based insight into important ethical and methodological issues in research with indigenous people experiencing disability. PMID:27396747

Emerging perspectives in social neuroscience and neuroeconomics of aging

PubMed Central

Mather, Mara

2011-01-01

This article introduces the special issue of ‘Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience’ on Aging Research, and offers a broad conceptual and methodological framework for considering advances in life course research in social neuroscience and neuroeconomics. The authors highlight key areas of inquiry where aging research is raising new insights about how to conceptualize and examine critical questions about the links between cognition, emotion and motivation in social and economic behavior, as well as challenges that need to be addressed when taking a life course perspective in these fields. They also point to several emerging approaches that hold the potential for addressing these challenges, through bridging approaches from laboratory and population-based science, bridging inquiry across life stages and expanding measurement of core psychological phenotypes. PMID:21482573

Emergency medical service attitudes toward geriatric prehospital care and continuing medical education in geriatrics.

PubMed

Peterson, Lars-Kristofer N; Fairbanks, Rollin J; Hettinger, Aaron Z; Shah, Manish N

2009-03-01

To understand the opinions of emergency medical service (EMS) providers regarding their ability to care for older adults, the domains of geriatric medicine in which they need more training, and the modality through which continuing education could be best delivered. Qualitative study using key informant interviews. Prehospital EMS system in Rochester, New York. EMS providers, EMS instructors and administrators, emergency physicians, and geriatricians. Semistructured interviews were conducted using an interview guide that addressed knowledge and skill deficiencies, recommendations for improvement of geriatrics continuing education, and delivery methods of education. Participant responses were generally congruous despite the diverse backgrounds, and redundancy was achieved rapidly. All participants perceived a deficit in EMS education on the care of older adults, particularly related to communications with patients and skilled nursing facility staff. All desired more geriatric continuing education for EMS providers, especially in communications and psychosocial issues. Education was desired in various modalities. Further geriatric continuing education for EMS providers is needed. Some specific topics relate to medical issues, but a large proportion involve communications and psychosocial issues. Education should be delivered in a variety of modalities to meet the needs of the EMS community. Emerging on-line video technologies may bridge the gap between learners preferring classroom-based modailities and those preferring self-study modules.

Distributed virtual environment for emergency medical training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

1997-07-01

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

Changing views of the interconnections between the oceans and human health in Europe.

PubMed

Depledge, M H; Harvey, A J; Brownlee, C; Frost, M; Moore, M N; Fleming, L E

2013-05-01

Early steps in the emergence of the discipline of "Oceans and Human Health" are charted in the USA and discussed in relation to past and present marine environment and human health research activities in Europe. Differences in terminology are considered, as well as differences in circumstances related to the various seas of Europe and the intensity of human coastal activity and impact. Opportunities to progress interdisciplinary research are described, and the value of horizon scanning for the early identification of emerging issues is highlighted. The challenges facing researchers and policymakers addressing oceans and human health issues are outlined and some suggestions offered regarding how further progress in research and training into both the risks and benefits of Oceans and Human Health might be made on both sides of the Atlantic.

Ethics and biobanks

PubMed Central

Hansson, M G

2008-01-01

Biobank research has been the focus of great interest of scholars and regulatory bodies who have addressed different ethical issues. On the basis of a review of the literature it may be concluded that, regarding some major themes in this discussion, a consensus seems to emerge on the international scene after the regular exchange of arguments in scientific journals. Broad or general consent is emerging as the generally preferred solution for biobank studies and straightforward instructions for coding will optimise privacy while facilitating research that may result in new methods for the prevention of disease and for medical treatment. The difficult question regarding the return of information to research subjects is the focus of the current research, but a helpful analysis of some of the issues at stake and concrete recommendations have recently been suggested. PMID:19034276

Caring for a major government official: challenges and lessons learned.

PubMed

Weiss, Yoram G; Mor-Yosef, Shlomo; Sprung, Charles L; Weissman, Charles; Weiss, Yuval

2007-07-01

Analysis of the medical, organizational, and administrative issues surrounding the care of a dignitary in an intensive care unit. On January 4, 2006, Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister was emergently admitted to the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem owing to a severe intracranial hemorrhage. Immediately following his admission, he underwent an extensive neurosurgical procedure to control the bleeding. Thereafter, he required intensive care for 5 months and underwent additional procedures. This admission presented organizational and administrative challenges. The major challenge was to provide the Prime Minister with the best medical care while avoiding the "very important person syndrome" and simultaneously continuing routine hospital activities. To coordinate his complicated medical management, a consultation forum was established composed of all the physicians directly involved in Mr. Sharon's care. Additionally, a senior intensivist was chosen to coordinate the medical care and, along with a physician from the hospital administration, assist with administrative issues. Among the issues that the coordinating team addressed, with the help of many other hospital services, included patient confidentiality vs. public information, security of the patient's medical chart (including laboratory data and imaging), and coordination with security personnel. The acute care of a major governmental official requires the medical staff to address many administrative issues, while providing the "very important person" patient with appropriate intensive medical care. This article presents a strategy for addressing these issues.

Extending the ARS Experimental Watersheds to Address Regional Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marks, D.; Goodrich, D. C.; Winstral, A.; Bosch, D. D.; Pool, D.

2001-12-01

The USDA-Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) Watershed Research Program maintains and operates a diverse, geog raphically distributed, nested, multi-scale, national ex perimental watershed network. This network, much of which has been operational for more than 40 years (several more than 60 years), constitutes one the best networks of its kind in the world. The watershed network and its instrumentation was primarily established to assess the hydrologic impacts of watershed conservation and management practices. It has evolved, through development of long-term hydrologic data, as a network of high quality outdoor laboratories for addressing emerging science issues facing hydrologists and resource managers. While the value of the experimental watershed for investigating precipitation, climatic, and hydrologic processes is unquestioned, extending the results from these investigations to other sites and larger areas is more difficult. ARS experimental watersheds are a few hundred km2 or smaller making it challenging to address regional scale issues. To address this the ARS watershed program is, with a suite of partners from universities and other federal agencies, enlarging its research focus to extend beyond the boundaries of the experimental watershed. In this poster we present several examples of this effort, with suggestions on how, using the experimental watershed and its core, a larger scale hydrologic observatory could be developed and maintained.

Proceedings from the Intermountain Leisure Symposium (11th, Provo, Utah, November 15, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Gary K., Ed.; And Others

This conference proceedings report includes papers submitted by 19 presenters addressing current trends, critical issues, and emerging perspectives. Titles of the papers are as follows: (1) "Envisioning Your Own Destiny: The Case for Strategic Planning in the Park and Recreation Movement" (H. Gray, D. McLean, and E. Crook); (2)…

Where Does the Money Go? Resource Allocation in Elementary and Secondary Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Picus, Lawrence O., Ed.; Wattenbarger, James L., Ed.

The 13 Chapters in this book address the important issue of how schools and school districts allocate their resources. The book summarizes the emerging research in educational resource allocations (tax dollars) at the district, school, and classroom levels. Following the preface by Lawrence O. Picus, the chapters include: (1) "Why Do We Need to…

Software engineering as an engineering discipline

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Freedman, Glenn B.

1988-01-01

The purpose of this panel is to explore the emerging field of software engineering from a variety of perspectives: university programs; industry training and definition; government development; and technology transfer. In doing this, the panel will address the issues of distinctions among software engineering, computer science, and computer hardware engineering as they relate to the challenges of large, complex systems.

Toward Addressing the Issues of Site Selection in District Effectiveness Research: A Two-Level Hierarchical Linear Growth Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowers, Alex J.

2010-01-01

Purpose: District effectiveness research (DER) is an emerging field concerned with identifying the organizational structures, administration, and leadership practices at the school district level that help districts find success with all of their students across the schools within the system. This work has mirrored much of the early school…

An Anthropology of "The Good Life" in the Bolivian Plateau

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calestani, Melania

2009-01-01

This paper addresses my understanding of well-being as harmonious relations in the city of El Alto, Bolivia. My approach shows the complexity of issues emerging when dealing with social relations. First of all, I analyse a specific case study showing the moral obligation involved among household members. Then I attempt to provide an insight into…

DELTA '90: Development of European Learning through Technological Advance. R + D Information and Communication Based Learning Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Hunter D., Ed.

This report describes in detail the DELTA (Developing European Learning through Technological Advance) 1990 program, which was designed to address issues related to the use of new emerging technologies in the areas of information technology, telecommunications, and broadcasting, for learning. Six chapters cover the following topics: (1)…

IN Like Flint: How the Innovation Incubator at UM-Flint Fosters Social Entrepreneurship in a City Remaking Itself

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Custer, Nic

2015-01-01

This paper focuses on how the University of Michigan-Flint's Innovation Incubator supports emerging for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations through programming, business plan development, and ongoing mentorship. The Incubator is especially interested in supporting start-ups that address key social issues in the surrounding community,…

Evaluation of a collaborative model: a case study analysis of watershed planning in the intermountain west

Treesearch

Gary Bentrup

2001-01-01

Collaborative planning processes have become increasingly popular for addressing environmental planning issues, resulting in a number of conceptual models for collaboration. A model proposed by Selin and Chavez suggests that collaboration emerges from a series of antecedents and then proceeds sequentially through problem-setting, direction-setting, implementation, and...

Phase I: Climate change and connectivity: Assessing landscape and species vulnerability

Treesearch

Samuel A. Cushman; Erin L. Landguth; Curtis Flather

2010-01-01

This project is addressing some of the most important emerging conservation issues in the American Great Plains region by studying the interaction of climate change and human development on habitat for native wildlife species. We are integrating the most current understandings of expected future change in vegetation and land use patterns across the Great Plains, and...

Cows, Sirens, Iodine, and Public Education about the Risks of Nuclear Power Plants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosener, Judy B.; Russell, Sallie C.

1987-01-01

Discusses some of the activities of the California Task Force on Nuclear Emergency Response. Raises some issues that some feel should be addressed in the task force's report to the state legislature. Points out the need for further involvement by citizens and scientists in dealing with nuclear power plant safety. (TW)

Practical, Ethical, and Legal Considerations regarding Videocounseling in College and University Counseling Centers: A Response to Quarto's "Influencing College Students' Perceptions of Videocounseling"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menzano, Silvestro; Goodwin, Alan; Rockett, Geraldine; Morris, Kathy

2011-01-01

There are numerous factors and concerns to take into consideration when implementing new technology into a counseling center's practice. These factors--informed consent, confidentiality, record-keeping, licensure, technical issues, eligibility, emergencies, and staff perceptions--are legitimate and must be addressed and resolved before…

76 FR 72725 - Draft License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance LR-ISG-2011-05: Ongoing Review of Operating Experience

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-25

... Experience.'' This LR-ISG provides guidance and clarification concerning ongoing review of plant-specific and... plants. As noticed on September 20, 2011 (76 FR 58311), the public comment period was extended and, as of... to communicate insights and lessons learned and to address emergent issues not covered in license...

Strategies for Promoting Gender Equity in Developing Countries: Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryan, Elizabeth, Ed.

2008-01-01

Over the last several decades a number of strategies have emerged and evolved to promote gender equity in development efforts. Yet debates regarding the relative efficacy of these strategies remain. On Thursday, April 26, 2007, the Woodrow Wilson Center convened a group of experts on gender and development to address the issue of gender inequality…

Cryptococcus gattii: where do we go from here?

PubMed

Harris, Julie; Lockhart, Shawn; Chiller, Tom

2012-02-01

Infections caused by the emerging pathogen Cryptococcus gattii are increasing in frequency in North America. During the past decade, interest in the pathogen has continued to grow, not only in North America but also in other areas of the world where infections have recently been documented. This review synthesizes existing data and raises issues that remain to be addressed.

Experiences of Cultural Diversity in the Context of an Emergent Transnationalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizvi, Fazal

2011-01-01

In this article, the author argues that despite wide-ranging appeal of the discourses of globalization, our modes of thinking and ways of addressing issues of cultural diversity remain trapped within a national framework. The dominant constructions of cultural diversity often overlook the ways in which experiences of diversity now take place in…

Academic Library Finance, 1970-1985: A Review of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, John E.

Developed as a preliminary, literature-based study for a larger work in progress, this report summarizes the financial condition of academic libraries during the critical period from 1970 through the mid-1980's. The paper examines and addresses the issues which arose as libraries emerged from the 1960's, a time of unprecedented growth in library…

Summary of small group discussions: Regional themes and next steps

Treesearch

Rick Turner

2013-01-01

At the conclusion of the workshop, a breakout group session discussed common themes that had emerged regarding forest degradation monitoring in the Southeast Asia region. The participants were also asked to list any important issues that may not have been sufficiently addressed during the workshop and that may require further discussion, and recommendations for next...

Globalisation, health and foreign policy: emerging linkages and interests

PubMed Central

Owen, John Wyn; Roberts, Olivia

2005-01-01

A discussion of the growing links between the issues of globalisation, health and foreign policy. This article examines the effect this has on health, development and foreign policy communities in the UK and internationally and considers what steps the policy community must take to address the challenges and opportunities of this new relationship. PMID:16053520

Sweden: no easy choices.

PubMed

Calltorp, J

1995-10-01

This paper describes some characteristic aspects of the Swedish health care model which can explain why choices and prioritizing have been difficult to discuss officially until very recently. Health care is an important symbol and cornerstone of the welfare society and it is therefore difficult to admit and formulate the concept of limits regarding this part of society. Parallel to a considerable decrease in the health care sector's fraction of GDP during the last 10 years, where real cuts have been more and more visible, a public discussion on choices has emerged. A parliamentary committee of politicians and experts has addressed the issue and published a final report in the spring of 1995. It proposes an 'ethical platform' as a base for addressing the issue and describes guidelines for prioritizing on a political-administrative level and clinical level.

Non-Volatile Memory Technology Symposium 2000: Proceedings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aranki, Nazeeh (Editor)

2000-01-01

This publication contains the proceedings for the Non-Volatile Memory Technology Symposium 2000 that was held on November 15-16, 2000 in Arlington, Virginia. The proceedings contains a wide range of papers that cover the presentations of myriad advances in the nonvolatile memory technology during the recent past including memory cell design, simulations, radiation environment, and emerging memory technologies. The papers presented in the proceedings address the design challenges and applications and deals with newer, emerging memory technologies as well as related issues of radiation environment and die packaging.

Aphasia rehabilitation during adolescence: a case report.

PubMed

Laures-Gore, Jacqueline; McCusker, Tiffany; Hartley, Leila L

2017-06-01

Descriptions of speech-language interventions addressing the unique aspects of aphasia in adolescence appear to be nonexistent. The current paper presents the case of a male adolescent who experienced a stroke with resultant aphasia and the speech and language therapy he received. Furthermore, we discuss the issues that are unique to an adolescent with aphasia and how they were addressed with this particular patient. Traditional language and apraxia therapy was provided to this patient with inclusion of technology and academic topics. The patient demonstrated improvements in his speech and language abilities, most notably his reading comprehension and speech production. Age-related issues, including academic needs, group treatment, socialization, adherence/compliance, independence and family involvement, emerged during intervention. Although aphasia therapy for adolescents may be similar in many aspects to selected interventions for adults, it is necessary for the clinician to be mindful of age-related issues throughout the course of therapy. Goals and interventions should be selected based on factors salient to an adolescent as well as the potential long-term impact of therapy. Implications for Research Aphasia and its treatment in adolescence need to be further explored. Academics and technology are important aspects of aphasia treatment in adolescence. Issues specific to adolescence such as socialization, adherence/compliance, and independence are important to address in speech-language therapy.

Looking beyond first-world problems: an emerging global workplace is encouraging more biomedical engineers to address the health issues of the developing world.

PubMed

Tucker, Lindsay

2014-01-01

Each year, the developed world is flooded with complex new medical technologies, from robotic prosthetics to remote-controlled aspirin implants. Meanwhile, only about 10% of health research funds are spent addressing the pressing problems of developing nations, although these countries make up 93% of the worldwide burden of disease. In short, while a small fraction of the world pops brand-name pharmaceuticals, the majority suffers from poor sanitation, contaminated drinking water, preventable disease, and child mortality.

Nudging Our Way to a Healthier Population: The Effect of Calorie Labeling and Self-Control on Menu Choices of Emerging Adults.

PubMed

Rising, Camella J; Bol, Nadine

2017-08-01

Emerging adults are among those in the United States with concerning rates of overweight and obesity, putting them at risk for chronic diseases. One proposed intervention to address these issues across populations is to require that chain restaurants and similar establishments provide nutrition information, such as calorie labels, on menu items. This study therefore aims to examine the effect of menu calorie labeling and self-control on food and beverage choices of emerging adults. Results of a between-subjects experiment (n = 179) revealed that calorie labeling increased the likelihood of choosing lower calorie food and beverage options. Moreover, calorie labeling only led to selecting a lower calorie food option among those with high self-control, but not among those with low self-control. This moderating effect was not revealed for beverage choice. Public health practitioners and policymakers should consider intervention approaches that address other drivers of choice, such as self-control, in addition to nutrition information.

Thrust and parry of the SIOP (single integrated operational plan) and sdi (strategic defense initiative). Research report

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

Zank, G.D.

1989-05-01

The relationship between strategic offensive capabilities (reflected in the SIOP) and emerging strategic defensive capabilities (reflected by SDI) is not being adequately addressed. A summary of the existing nuclear war planning process is provided, and an analagous defensive process is postulated. Parallels and differences between the two processes are discussed. Potential areas for information exchange and cooperation are identified to enhance deterrence and improve war fighting potential. Operational, technical and political issues requiring resolution are raised and recommendations to resolve these issues are made.

Challenging issues of urban biodiversity related to ecohydrology.

PubMed

Mendiondo, E M

2008-11-01

This paper aims to outline challenging issues of urban biodiversity in order to address yardsticks related to ecohydrology, and with a complementary approach to eutrophication impacts. The vision of environmental services, urbanization's consequences and management aspects of water governance are also depicted. Factors of river restoration, environmental tradeoffs and socio-cultural constrains are envisaged through concept questions towards emerging aspects that figure out methodological guides, strategic challenges for stakeholders and inter-disciplinary opportunities. Examples from case studies on restoration and management, from experiences and lessons learned, are enclosed, with brief discussions and literature citation.

What matters most to people in musculoskeletal physiotherapy consultations? A qualitative study.

PubMed

Stenner, Rob; Palmer, Shea; Hammond, Ralph

2018-06-01

Person-centred approaches to care require clinicians to engage in trying to understand the full range of problems and concerns, treatment and investigation requests, and emotional and social issues that people bring to the consultation. If, however, the main issues of importance are not openly declared and discussed they cannot be addressed. This is likely to result in people receiving the care that clinicians think they need, rather than care based on individual needs and preferences. To understand people's abilities to express the issues of importance to them within a consultation and clinicians' abilities to acknowledge and address those issues. A qualitative study using an interpretive phenomenological approach. Fifteen people and their physiotherapists were interviewed and their consultations recorded. The resulting data sets were analysed to identify and report themes within the data. The findings revealed that people present with what are often simple issues, but which are sometimes expressed in an unstructured way in clinical encounters and are often difficult for clinicians to establish. Three linked themes emerged: (1) clear versus unstructured agendas; (2) people need information and understanding; and (3) developing a sense of collaboration. The issues of importance that people bring to a consultation are varied and often vague. This research highlights the importance of communication to elicit, identify and address the issues of importance to people in clinical encounters to ensure a positive experience and outcome for both the individual person and clinician. Achieving desirable health outcomes is more likely when people are supported to think about their priorities and 'what matters to them'. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Defining cultural competence: a practical framework for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care.

PubMed

Betancourt, Joseph R; Green, Alexander R; Carrillo, J Emilio; Ananeh-Firempong, Owusu

2003-01-01

Racial/ethnic disparities in health in the U.S. have been well described. The field of "cultural competence" has emerged as one strategy to address these disparities. Based on a review of the relevant literature, the authors develop a definition of cultural competence, identify key components for intervention, and describe a practical framework for implementation of measures to address racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. The authors conducted a literature review of academic, foundation, and government publications focusing on sociocultural barriers to care, the level of the health care system at which a given barrier occurs, and cultural competence efforts that address these barriers. Sociocultural barriers to care were identified at the organizational (leadership/workforce), structural (processes of care), and clinical (provider-patient encounter) levels. A framework of cultural competence interventions--including minority recruitment into the health professions, development of interpreter services and language-appropriate health educational materials, and provider education on cross-cultural issues--emerged to categorize strategies to address racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. Demographic changes anticipated over the next decade magnify the importance of addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. A framework of organizational, structural, and clinical cultural competence interventions can facilitate the elimination of these disparities and improve care for all Americans.

Another look at the legal and ethical consequences of pharmacological memory dampening: the case of sexual assault.

PubMed

Chandler, Jennifer A; Mogyoros, Alexandra; Rubio, Tristana Martin; Racine, Eric

2013-01-01

Research on the use of propranolol as a pharmacological memory dampening treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder is continuing and justifies a second look at the legal and ethical issues raised in the past. We summarize the general ethical and legal issues raised in the literature so far, and we select two for in-depth reconsideration. We address the concern that a traumatized witness may be less effective in a prosecution emerging from the traumatic event after memory dampening treatment. We analyze this issue in relation to sexual assault, where the suggestion that corroborating evidence may remedy any memory defects is less likely to be helpful. We also consider the clinical ethical question about a physician's obligation to discuss potential legal consequences of memory dampening treatment. We conclude that this latter question reflects a general problem related to novel medical treatments where the broader socio-legal consequences may be poorly understood, and suggest that issues of this sort could usefully be addressed through the promulgation of practice guidelines. © 2013 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Need for Enhanced Environmental Representation in the Implementation of One Health.

PubMed

Barrett, Meredith A; Bouley, Timothy A

2015-06-01

Issues of global environmental change, global health, emerging disease, and sustainability present some of the most complex challenges of the twenty-first century. Individual disciplines cannot address these issues in isolation. Proactive, innovative, and trans-disciplinary solutions are required. Recognizing the inherent connectedness of humans, animals, plants, and their shared environment, One Health encourages the collaboration of many disciplines-including human and veterinary medicine, public health, social science, public policy, environmental science, and others-to address global and local health challenges. Despite great progress in this shift toward transdisciplinarity, the environmental component of the One Health paradigm remains underrepresented in One Health discourse. Human and animal health issues are commonly discussed under the umbrella of the One Health paradigm, while upstream environmental drivers and solutions are less prominent. We assessed the current integration of environmental issues in One Health publications and leadership. There is room for enhanced integration of environmental knowledge in the implementation of One Health approaches. We discuss the potential benefits from the collaboration between One Health and ecohealth, and explore strategies for increased environmental involvement.

Current thinking in qualitative research: evidence-based practice, moral philosophies, and political struggle.

PubMed

Papadimitriou, Christina; Magasi, Susan; Frank, Gelya

2012-01-01

In this introduction to the special issue on current thinking in qualitative research and occupational therapy and science, the authors focus on the importance of rigorous qualitative research to inform occupational therapy practice. The authors chosen for this special issue reflect a "second generation of qualitative researchers" who are critical, theoretically sophisticated, methodologically productive, and politically relevant to show that working with disabled clients is political work. Three themes emerged across the articles included in this special issue: (1) recognizing and addressing social justice issues; (2) learning from clients' experiences; and (3) critically reframing occupational therapy's role. These themes can inform occupational therapy practice, research, and education to reflect a more client-centered and politically engaging approach. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Bridging the triple divide: performance and innovative multimedia in the service of behavioural health change in remote Indigenous settings.

PubMed

Hunter, Ernest; Travers, Helen; Gibson, Julie; Campion, Jonathan

2007-01-01

The use of innovative information technology is now well established in health. However, while the gap in health status between Indigenous and other Australians is both significant and unchanging, there is limited application of these new approaches to addressing this national health priority. This may in part reflect the 'digital divide', which is another facet of Indigenous disadvantage. This paper describes an approach to address both issues in remote Indigenous settings. The Health Interactive Technology Network began as a proof-of-concept study of touchscreen technology in two Indigenous health settings. It has subsequently expanded to a number of remote Indigenous communities and developed new platforms and applications to respond to emerging health issues. In creating narrative, interactive approaches to address choices in relation to health behaviours, the community development and engagement effects of the creative process have been highlighted. These findings suggest that these approaches will be suited to further expansion in the area of mental health.

What Do Students Gain by Engaging in Socioscientific Inquiry?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadler, Troy D.; Barab, Sasha A.; Scott, Brianna

2007-10-01

The question of what students gain by engaging in socioscientific inquiry is addressed in two ways. First, relevant literature is surveyed to build the case that socioscientific issues (SSI) can serve as useful contexts for teaching and learning science content. Studies are reviewed which document student gains in discipline specific content knowledge as well as understandings of the nature of science. SSI are also positioned as vehicles for addressing citizenship education within science classrooms. Although the promotion of citizenship goals seems widely advocated, the specifics of how this may be accomplished remain underdeveloped. To address this issue, we introduce socioscientific reasoning as a construct which captures a suite of practices fundamental to the negotiation of SSI. In the second phase of the project, interviews with 24 middle school students from classes engaged in socioscientific inquiry serve as the basis for the development of an emergent rubric for socioscientific reasoning. Variation in practices demonstrated by this sample are explored and implications drawn for advancing socioscientific reasoning as an educationally meaningful and assessable construct.

Critical issues in clinical periodontal research.

PubMed

Preshaw, Philip M

2012-06-01

As periodontal researchers and clinicians, we are challenged every day to make decisions relating to the clinical management of our patients and about how best to conduct clinical periodontal research. This volume of Periodontology 2000 addresses some of the critical issues in contemporary clinical periodontics and periodontal research that are of direct relevance to clinicians, researchers, teachers and students. The 11 review articles in this volume of Periodontology 2000 focus on aspects of periodontal research methodology and clinical periodontology. In terms of research methodology, the articles aim to inform the reader on topics relating to randomized controlled trials in periodontal research, evidence-based dentistry, calibration of clinical examiners and statistics relevant to periodontal research. The clinical periodontology articles address issues relating to decisions on retaining periodontally compromised teeth or replacing them with implants, periodontal management in the patient with osteoporosis, surgical approaches for root coverage and the emerging science of advanced regenerative technologies, including the use of stem cells, for periodontal regeneration. It is hoped that these critical reviews will address many of the dilemmas that confront us on a regular basis and provide practical guidance to those engaged in both clinical periodontology and clinical periodontal research. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Moral accounts and membership categorization in primary care medical interviews.

PubMed

Dillon, Patrick J

2011-01-01

Although the link between health and morality has been well established, few studies have examined how issues of morality emerge and are addressed in primary care medical encounters. This paper addresses the need to examine morality as it is (re) constructed in everyday health care interactions. A Membership Categorization Analysis of 96 medical interviews reveals how patients orient to particular membership categories and distance themselves from others as a means of accounting (Buttny 1993; Scott and Lyman 1968) for morally questionable health behaviours. More specifically, this paper examines how patients use membership categorizations in order to achieve specific social identity(ies) (Schubert et al. 2009) through two primary strategies: defensive detailing and prioritizing alternative membership categories. Thus, this analysis tracks the emergence of cultural and moral knowledge about social life as it takes place in primary care medical encounters.

Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. September 2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

regional informative workshops on potential applications and risks associated with nanotechnologies and nanomaterials, as well as capacity assessment...quantity and quality, assessment of risks, and addressing vulnerability and adaptation strategies in the UNECE region and beyond. The draft Guidance...Department of Water Resources and the University of Idaho, offers specific measurements of the water consumed across a region . Using surface

Throwing down the Gauntlet: Ten Ways to Ensure That Higher Education Research Continues to Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perna, Laura W.

2016-01-01

As members of ASHE, we have an obligation to ensure that ASHE is an association that both promotes career development of members and advances the production and dissemination of high-quality research-based knowledge on current and emerging issues in higher education. In this presidential address, I look to the future of ASHE, offering questions…

Examining Off-Campus Students' Sense of Belonging and Behaviors in a Town-Gown Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Erin Hundley

2017-01-01

The current study emerged from the need to address student behavior issues in town-gown communities and the practical need to know more about off-campus students as central actors in these behaviors. Off-campus students have long been labeled as commuter students because of limited recognition of the known diversity within the commuter population…

78 FR 19148 - Shielding and Radiation Protection Review Effort and Licensing Conditions for Dry Storage...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-29

... learned and to address emergent issues not covered in SFST Standard Review Plans (SRPs). In this way, the... a formal SRP revision. The NRC has developed draft SFST-ISG-26A, Revision 0 to (1) enhance the... implementation of such guidance in the context of applications does not result in backfitting or non-compliance...

Exploiting Managerial Capability for Innovation in a Micro-Firm Context: New and Emerging Perspectives within the Irish Hotel Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearney, Arthur; Harrington, Denis; Kelliher, Felicity

2014-01-01

Purpose: The paper has been developed from a critical review of available literature drawn from the micro firm, managerial capability and innovation management fields. The paper aims to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach: The paper has been developed from a critical review of available literature drawn from the micro firm,…

The Role of a Student Support System and the Clinical Consultant

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noam, Gil G.; Bernstein-Yamashiro, Beth

2013-01-01

This article addresses the fact that student-teacher relationships uncover many clinical issues, such as trauma. It looks at statistics of how prevalent mental health disorders and problems are and then shows that no teacher can handle all of the kinds of problems that will emerge in open relationships with the students. They need to do this work…

Dancing with the Devil: Information Technology and the New Competition in Higher Education. Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Richard N., Ed.

The six chapters of this volume address issues related to emerging technologies and competition as higher education leaders plan for their institutions' development. A preface identifies common themes of the individual papers, including changes in higher education enabled by or driven by information technology, the authors' shared belief that the…

Roles for Educators in Helping the USA Form a Real Global Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentry, Ruben

2013-01-01

By not properly addressing economic issues, health care, and educational needs, the United States of America was on the verge of financial collapse and people had to choose between having food or medicine. President Barack Obama emerged with a broad-based plan of change for the country which impacts every major sector of society. He wants peace to…

Children Who Lose Their Parents to HIV/AIDS: Agency Guidelines for Adoptive and Kinship Placement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merkel-Holguin, Lisa

Across the United States and world, children who lose their parents to HIV/AIDS are one of the fasted emerging groups affected by this epidemic. Increasingly, child welfare and family service agencies are helping infected parents to secure legal and permanent care arrangements for their children. These guidelines address the issues of placing…

Faculty Engagement with Learning Outcomes Assessment: A Study of Public Two-Year Colleges in Colorado

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Jennifer L.

2013-01-01

The problem addressed in this study was the assumption that faculty at the postsecondary level in the U. S. are not sufficiently or effectively engaged with student learning outcomes assessment (LOA) activities and/or practices. This issue emerged in two primary ways within the Scholarship of Assessment (SoA) body of literature: (1) as a…

What Is yet to Come? Three Propositions on the Future of Educational Research as a Common Good

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decuypere, Mathias

2015-01-01

This paper offers some explorative notes accompanying the issues I addressed in the journal's moot, which took place at the ECER 2014 conference (Porto, September 1-5). The notes that follow are explicitly written through the eyes of an emerging researcher, and offer three propositions regarding the future of educational research. These three…

Self-Regulated Learning (SRL): Emergence of the RSRLM Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nodoushan, Mohammad Ali Salmani

2012-01-01

This paper claims that the current theories of Self-regulated learning (SRL) are short-sighted. The author provides a comprehensive, but brief, overview of SRL which addresses such issues as (a) SRL processes, (b) SRL strategies, (c) compartments of SRL, (d) theories of SRL, (e) agency in SRL, and (f) models of SRL. He then presents a new model…

The FireBGCv2 landscape fire and succession model: a research simulation platform for exploring fire and vegetation dynamics

Treesearch

Robert E. Keane; Rachel A. Loehman; Lisa M. Holsinger

2011-01-01

Fire management faces important emergent issues in the coming years such as climate change, fire exclusion impacts, and wildland-urban development, so new, innovative means are needed to address these challenges. Field studies, while preferable and reliable, will be problematic because of the large time and space scales involved. Therefore, landscape simulation...

Gene Transcription, Metabolite and Lipid Profiling in Eco-Indicator Daphnia magna Indicate Diverse Mechanisms of Toxicity by Legacy and Emerging Flame-Retardants

EPA Science Inventory

The use of chemical flame-retardants (FR) in consumer products has steadily increased over the last 30 years. Toxicity data exist for legacy FRs such as pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE), but less is known about effects of new formulations. To address this issue, the toxicity o...

Where are they now? Cash and Counseling successes and challenges over time

PubMed Central

Simon-Rusinowitz, Lori; Schwartz, Abby J.; Loughlin, Dawn; Sciegaj, Mark; Mahoney, Kevin J.; Donkoh, Yaw

2014-01-01

The positive results of the Cash & Counseling Demonstration and Evaluation (CCDE) led to the funding of a replication project that included 12 more states in 2008. Since then, the political and economic environments have changed. The authors sought to investigate how well the three original and 12 replication CCDE programs are coping with current challenges, and how their experiences may inform the growth and sustainability of emerging participant-directed programs. Semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with the 15 Cash & Counseling state program administrators. Key topics addressed included: successful aspects of state programs, biggest challenges for each program, and information program administrators would like to learn from state colleagues. Themes related to budget issues (e.g., staff shortages and program funding cuts) and non-budget related issues (e.g., understanding of program operations) emerged from the interviews. State program administrators also discussed program successes. To promote the sustainability and growth of participant-directed programs, existing participant-directed programs should be tied to national policy trends as well as review whether or not the programs address participant-directed principles. The development of new participant-directed programs should be based on other states’ experiences as discussed in this paper. PMID:25750590

Environmental Resource Management in Borderlands: Evolution from Competing Interests to Common Aversions

PubMed Central

Buckley, Patrick Henry; Belec, John; Levy, Jason

2015-01-01

Great enthusiasm is attached to the emergence of cross-border regions (CBRs) as a new institutional arrangement for dealing with local cross-border environmental resource management and other issues that remain too distant from national capitals and/or too expensive to be addressed in the traditional topocratic manner requiring instead local adhocratic methods. This study briefly discusses the perceived value of CBRs and necessary and sufficient conditions for the successful and sustainable development of such places. Then, assuming that necessary conditions can be met, the study investigates an intriguing hypothesis concerning the catalyzing of sustainable consensus for cross-border resource management based on a game theoretical approach that employs the use of dilemma of common aversion rather than the more traditional dilemma of competing common interests. Using this lens to investigate a series of events on the Pacific northwestern Canadian-American border in a part of the Fraser Lowland, we look for evidence of the emergence of an active and sustainable CBR to address local trans-border resource management issues. Although our micro-level scale fails to conclusively demonstrate such evidence, it does demonstrate the value of using this approach and suggests a number of avenues for further research. PMID:26154660

Health and Social Care workers' perceptions of NPS use in Northern Ireland.

PubMed

Campbell, Anne; O Neill, Nina; Higgins, Kathryn

2017-02-01

The EU Early Warning System currently monitors more than 560 new psychoactive substances, far outweighing the total number of illicit drugs under international control. Due to the recent emergence of NPS and rapidly changing nature of the market, evidence about the way in which the emerging drugs are managed in health and social care settings is limited. The study adopted a mixed methods design, utilising a cross sectional survey and telephone interviews to capture data from staff working in drug and alcohol related services in statutory and voluntary sectors, across the five Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust areas in Northern Ireland. 196 staff participated in the survey and 13 participated in follow up in telephone interviews between August and November 2015. Study respondents reported that addressing NPS related issues with service users was a key aspect of their daily role and function. Levels of injecting behaviours were also viewed as relatively high by study participants. Almost all workers used harm reduction as their primary approach when working with service users and the majority of respondents called for additional practical training in relation to addressing drug interactions and intervening with NPS related issues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Barriers to telemedicine: survey of current users in acute care units.

PubMed

Rogove, Herbert J; McArthur, David; Demaerschalk, Bart M; Vespa, Paul M

2012-01-01

The present study of current telemedicine users is a unique attempt to understand the barriers and motivational factors related to the utilization of telemedicine. A survey of emergency and critical care remote presence telemedicine users was conducted to determine the factors that motivate and the barriers that impede the acceptance and maintenance of a robotic telemedicine (RTM) program. The majority of the survey users were in the Emergency Department or in the Intensive Care Unit. E-mail invitations were sent to 483 individuals representing 63 healthcare institutions and groups in North America and Europe. Respondents were directed to a Web-based survey. The survey consisted of 96 separate questions, addressing user familiarity and 5-point Likert scales, addressing issues spanning the conceptual and practical issues surrounding adoption of telemedicine. A total of 106 surveys were completed, representing an individual response rate of 21.9% but an institutional response rate of 60.3%. More than two-thirds of the respondents were physicians who participated in active RTM programs. Across seven different topics related to barriers to implementing RTM, the majority of all respondents indicated that cultural issues did not constitute meaningful hurdles, technological matters were generally favorable, and that most personnel were agreeable to both achieving the buy-in to start an RTM program and to maintaining RTM once started. However, respondents proclaimed that RTM's success was still hampered by licensing, credentialing, and malpractice protection, as well as costs, billing, and reimbursement issues. Achieving immediate patient access, overcoming service gaps, improving quality, providing clinical support, maintaining patient satisfaction, and adhering to practice guidelines were viewed as significant motives for RTM implementation. The leading applications of RTM included emergency response and consultation. The patients, physicians, nurses, nor hospital executives served as barriers to implementation. However, licensing, costs for technology, and reimbursement for RTM continue to impede progress.

Personality Assessment Inventory profiles of deployed combat troops: an empirical investigation of normative performance.

PubMed

Morey, Leslie C; Lowmaster, Sara E; Coldren, Rodney L; Kelly, Mark P; Parish, Robert V; Russell, Michael L

2011-06-01

The present study examined the normative scores and psychometric properties of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991) within a non-treatment-seeking sample of soldiers deployed to combat zones in Iraq, compared with a sample of community adults matched with respect to age and gender. Results indicate the scores and properties of the PAI scales were generally quite similar in the Iraq and community samples, with modest differences emerging on only 3 subscales addressing antisocial behavior, issues with close relationships, and interpersonal vigilance. These results suggest that standard normative interpretation of PAI scales is appropriate even when the instrument is administered in a combat zone. In comparison with prior research, the results may suggest that documented mental health issues among combat veterans, when present, may be particularly likely to emerge postdeployment. 2011 APA, all rights reserved

Setting up a mobile dental practice within your present office structure.

PubMed

Morreale, James P; Dimitry, Susan; Morreale, Mark; Fattore, Isabella

2005-02-01

Different service models have emerged in Canada and the United States to address the issue of senior citizens' lack of access to comprehensive dental care. Over the past decade, one such model, the use of mobile dental service units, has emerged as a practical strategy. This article describes a mobile unit, operated as an adjunct to the general practitioner's office and relying mainly on existing office resources, both human and capital, to deliver services at long-term care institutions. The essential components of a profitable geriatric mobile unit are described, including education, equipment, marketing research and development, and human resource management. Issues related to patient consent and operating expenditures are also discussed. Data from one practitioner's mobile dental unit, in Hamilton, Ontario, are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and profitability of this approach.

Feeling powerless: a feeling expressed by caregivers of sexual violence victims.

PubMed

Correa, Maria Eduarda Cavadinha; Labronici, Liliana Maria; Trigueiro, Tatiane Herreira

2009-01-01

This phenomenological study aimed to reveal the meaning of providing care to victims of sexual violence. The study was carried out from December 2006 to March 2007 with 12 health professionals. Data were collected through tape-recorded semi-structured interviews, whose analysis followed the phenomenological trajectory. The following theme emerged: Feeling powerless, a feeling expressed by caregivers of sexual violence victims. The feeling of powerlessness is continuously fed by health professionals' daily routines, given the impossibility of solving situations of violence, of problems that emerge from the other's subjectivity, as well as social issues, because these professionals were not trained for that. Thus, it is essential to address the issue both in undergraduate and graduate programs in health and human areas. Institutions should promote continuing education so that these professionals can act properly.

Advances in Omics and Bioinformatics Tools for Systems Analyses of Plant Functions

PubMed Central

Mochida, Keiichi; Shinozaki, Kazuo

2011-01-01

Omics and bioinformatics are essential to understanding the molecular systems that underlie various plant functions. Recent game-changing sequencing technologies have revitalized sequencing approaches in genomics and have produced opportunities for various emerging analytical applications. Driven by technological advances, several new omics layers such as the interactome, epigenome and hormonome have emerged. Furthermore, in several plant species, the development of omics resources has progressed to address particular biological properties of individual species. Integration of knowledge from omics-based research is an emerging issue as researchers seek to identify significance, gain biological insights and promote translational research. From these perspectives, we provide this review of the emerging aspects of plant systems research based on omics and bioinformatics analyses together with their associated resources and technological advances. PMID:22156726

Advances Made in the Next Generation of Satellite Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhasin, Kul B.

1999-01-01

Because of the unique networking characteristics of communications satellites, global satellite networks are moving to the forefront in enhancing national and global information infrastructures. Simultaneously, broadband data services, which are emerging as the major market driver for future satellite and terrestrial networks, are being widely acknowledged as the foundation for an efficient global information infrastructure. In the past 2 years, various task forces and working groups around the globe have identified pivotal topics and key issues to address if we are to realize such networks in a timely fashion. In response, industry, government, and academia undertook efforts to address these topics and issues. A workshop was organized to provide a forum to assess the current state-of-the-art, identify key issues, and highlight the emerging trends in the next-generation architectures, data protocol development, communication interoperability, and applications. The Satellite Networks: Architectures, Applications, and Technologies Workshop was hosted by the Space Communication Program at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Nearly 300 executives and technical experts from academia, industry, and government, representing the United States and eight other countries, attended the event (June 2 to 4, 1998). The program included seven panels and invited sessions and nine breakout sessions in which 42 speakers presented on technical topics. The proceedings covers a wide range of topics: access technology and protocols, architectures and network simulations, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) over satellite networks, Internet over satellite networks, interoperability experiments and applications, multicasting, NASA interoperability experiment programs, NASA mission applications, and Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) over satellite: issues, relevance, and experience.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tümay, Halil

2016-03-01

Philosophical debates about chemistry have clarified that the issue of emergence plays a critical role in the epistemology and ontology of chemistry. In this article, it is argued that the issue of emergence has also significant implications for understanding learning difficulties and finding ways of addressing them in chemistry. Particularly, it is argued that many misconceptions in chemistry may derive from students' failure to consider emergence in a systemic manner by taking into account all relevant factors in conjunction. Based on this argument, undergraduate students' conceptions of acids, and acid strength (an emergent chemical property) were investigated and it was examined whether or not they conceptualized acid strength as an emergent chemical property. The participants were 41 third- and fourth-year undergraduate students. A concept test and semi-structured interviews were used to probe students' conceptualizations and reasoning about acid strength. Findings of the study revealed that the majority of the undergraduate students did not conceptualize acid strength as an emergent property that arises from interactions among multiple factors. They generally focused on a single factor to predict and explain acid strength, and their faulty responses stemmed from their failure to recognize and consider all factors that affect acid strength. Based on these findings and insights from philosophy of chemistry, promoting system thinking and epistemologically sound argumentative discourses among students is suggested for meaningful chemical education.

Image quality metrics for volumetric laser displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Rodney D.; Donohoo, Daniel

1991-08-01

This paper addresses the extensions to the image quality metrics and related human factors research that are needed to establish the baseline standards for emerging volume display technologies. The existing and recently developed technologies for multiplanar volume displays are reviewed with an emphasis on basic human visual issues. Human factors image quality metrics and guidelines are needed to firmly establish this technology in the marketplace. The human visual requirements and the display design tradeoffs for these prototype laser-based volume displays are addressed and several critical image quality issues identified for further research. The American National Standard for Human Factors Engineering of Visual Display Terminal Workstations (ANSIHFS-100) and other international standards (ISO, DIN) can serve as a starting point, but this research base must be extended to provide new image quality metrics for this new technology for volume displays.

The value of using top-down and bottom-up approaches for building trust and transparency in biobanking.

PubMed

Meslin, Eric M

2010-01-01

With the domestic and international proliferation of biobanks and their associated connections to health information databases, scholarly attention has been turning from the ethical issues arising from the construction of biobanks to the ethical issues that emerge in their operation and management. Calls for greater transparency in governance structures, coupled with stern reminders of the value of maintaining public trust, are seen as critical components in the success of these resources. Two different approaches have been adopted for addressing these types of ethical issues: the first is a 'top-down' approach which focuses on developing policy, procedures, regulations and guidelines to aid decision-makers. The second is a 'bottom-up' approach, which begins with those who are most affected by the issues and attempts to inductively develop consensus recommendations and policy. While both approaches have merit, I argue that more work needs to be done on 'bottom-up' strategies if trust and transparency are to be more than mere slogans. Using 2 case examples from Indiana, the paper summarizes data from a set of surveys we recently conducted that address issues arising from biobanks that provide some insight into issues associated with trust and transparency. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Ethical issues in a stage 1 cognitive-behavioral therapy feasibility study and trial to reduce alcohol use among HIV-infected outpatients in western Kenya.

PubMed

Papas, Rebecca K; Gakinya, Benson N; Baliddawa, Joyce B; Martino, Steve; Bryant, Kendall J; Meslin, Eric M; Sidle, John E

2012-07-01

Epidemics of both HIV/AIDS and alcohol abuse in sub-Saharan Africa have spurred the conduct of local behavioral therapy trials for these problems, but the ethical issues involved in these trials have not been fully examined. In this paper, we discuss ethical issues that emerged during the conduct of a behavioral intervention adaptation and trial using cognitive-behavioral therapy to reduce alcohol use among HIV-infected outpatients in Eldoret, Kenya. The study was performed within our multinational collaboration, the USAID-Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare Partnership. We discuss relevant ethical considerations and how we addressed them.

Ethical Issues in a Stage 1 Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Feasibility Study and Trial to Reduce Alcohol Use Among HIV-Infected Outpatients in Western Kenya

PubMed Central

Papas, Rebecca K.; Gakinya, Benson N.; Baliddawa, Joyce B.; Martino, Steve; Bryant, Kendall J.; Meslin, Eric M.; Sidle, John E.

2013-01-01

Epidemics of both HIV/AIDS and alcohol abuse in sub-Saharan Africa have spurred the conduct of local behavioral therapy trials for these problems, but the ethical issues involved in these trials have not been fully examined. In this paper, we discuss ethical issues that emerged during the conduct of a behavioral intervention adaptation and trial using cognitive-behavioral therapy to reduce alcohol use among HIV-infected outpatients in Eldoret, Kenya. The study was performed within our multinational collaboration, the USAID-Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare Partnership. We discuss relevant ethical considerations and how we addressed them. PMID:22850141

Pediatric and adolescent mental health emergencies in the emergency medical services system.

PubMed

Dolan, Margaret A; Fein, Joel A

2011-05-01

Emergency department (ED) health care professionals often care for patients with previously diagnosed psychiatric illnesses who are ill, injured, or having a behavioral crisis. In addition, ED personnel encounter children with psychiatric illnesses who may not present to the ED with overt mental health symptoms. Staff education and training regarding identification and management of pediatric mental health illness can help EDs overcome the perceived limitations of the setting that influence timely and comprehensive evaluation. In addition, ED physicians can inform and advocate for policy changes at local, state, and national levels that are needed to ensure comprehensive care of children with mental health illnesses. This report addresses the roles that the ED and ED health care professionals play in emergency mental health care of children and adolescents in the United States, which includes the stabilization and management of patients in mental health crisis, the discovery of mental illnesses and suicidal ideation in ED patients, and approaches to advocating for improved recognition and treatment of mental illnesses in children. The report also addresses special issues related to mental illness in the ED, such as minority populations, children with special health care needs, and children's mental health during and after disasters and trauma.

Ethics curriculum for emergency medicine graduate medical education.

PubMed

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

2011-05-01

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

Looking Forward: Visions of the Future of the South. The 1984 Report of the Committee on Southern Trends of the Southern Growth Policies Board.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenfeld, Stuart A., Ed.

Written for Southern policymakers, this report forecasts economic changes in the South. It addresses demographic factors, traditional economic concerns, and emerging economic realities which already influence, or are likely to influence, economic life in the South. Trends and issues include: (1) the aging of the population largely due to retirees…

Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. February 2008 Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

lost, and economic and environmental damages should be addressed. Mangroves ’ destruction could cause biodiversity loss in tropical areas , increase... Environmental Science & Technology Online is a comprehensive overview of the current state of nanotechnology risk assessment , emphasizing the paucity of...search and rescue robots. These recommendations apply equally well to the handling of robotic devices for environmental assessment and cleanup

E3: Organizing for Environment, Energy, and the Economy in the Executive Branch of the U.S. Government.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government, New York, NY.

A Task Force created in 1989 was asked to provide the Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government with a brief statement outlining both functional needs in environment and energy and institutional forms to enhance the government's capability to address the emergent issues. One key need the Task Force has identified is for a greater…

Worldwide Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting the U.S. Military. January 2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

islands as a consequence of climate change effects. Coastal residents of Fiji were instructed to move to higher ground to avoid storms and flooding...environmental matters from energy security to international cooperation for addressing climate change . [See Appendix for more detail]. Military...military environmental programs could receive higher profiles. Since climate change is a new top priority, the military should identify all its resources

Sepsis is a preventable public health problem.

PubMed

Kempker, Jordan A; Wang, Henry E; Martin, Greg S

2018-05-06

There is a paradigm shift happening for sepsis. Sepsis is no longer solely conceptualized as problem of individual patients treated in emergency departments and intensive care units but also as one that is addressed as public health issue with population- and systems-based solutions. We offer a conceptual framework for sepsis as a public health problem by adapting the traditional model of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.

Transformational Leadership and its Relationship to Employee Job Motivation at the TACOM LCMC

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-25

69 Figure 27 – Q12: Exemplifies a leader with high ethical values (Inspirational) .......................... 69 Figure 28 – Q13...must adapt their leadership styles to address these emerging global issues . Leaders must sufficiently manage the expectations of different...organization’s senior leadership must not only manage its organization’s business matters, but it must also transform the organization for the future

"Journal of Space Economics - theoretical and practical considerations"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beldavs, VZ; Sommers, J.

2017-09-01

This paper will address theoretical and practical considerations for the emerging field of space economics and propose an editorial policy for a journal of space economics to provide a forum for the discussion of space economics issues. It is anticipated that initially the Journal of Space Economics will operate from two different nodes one offering a European perspective (University of Latvia) and the other a U.S. perspective (University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee). The first edition of the Journal of Space Economics will focus on issues likely to arise during the course of the International Lunar Decade 2020-2030.

Branding the bio/biomedical engineering degree.

PubMed

Voigt, Herbert F

2011-01-01

The future challenges to medical and biological engineering, sometimes referred to as biomedical engineering or simply bioengineering, are many. Some of these are identifiable now and others will emerge from time to time as new technologies are introduced and harnessed. There is a fundamental issue regarding "Branding the bio/biomedical engineering degree" that requires a common understanding of what is meant by a B.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering, or Biological Engineering. In this paper we address some of the issues involved in branding the Bio/Biomedical Engineering degree, with the aim of clarifying the Bio/Biomedical Engineering brand.

Establishing HIV treatment as prevention in the HIV Prevention Trials Network 052 randomized trial: an ethical odyssey.

PubMed

Cohen, Myron S; McCauley, Marybeth; Sugarman, Jeremy

2012-06-01

Obtaining the definitive data necessary to determine the safety and efficacy of using antiretroviral treatment (ART) to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV in heterosexual couples encountered an array of ethical challenges that threatened to compromise HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052, the multinational clinical trial addressing this issue that has profound public health implications. To describe and analyze the major ethical challenges faced in HPTN 052. The ethical issues and modifications of HPTN 052 in response to these issues were cataloged by the principal investigator, the lead coordinator, and the ethicist working on the trial. The major ethical issues that were unique to the trial were then described and analyzed in light of the published literature as well as guidances and policies. The ethical challenges that must be addressed in many clinical trials, such as those related to obtaining informed consent and making provisions for ancillary care, are not described. When HPTN 052 was being designed, ethical questions emerged related to the relevance of the research question itself given data from observational research and a range of beliefs about the appropriate means of preventing and treating HIV infection and AIDS. Furthermore, ethical challenges were faced regarding site selection since there was a scientific need to conduct the research in settings where HIV incidence was high, but alternatives to study participation should be available. As in most HIV-prevention research, ethical questions surrounded the determination of the appropriate prevention package for all of those enrolled. During the course of the trial, guidance documents and policies emerged that were of direct relevance to the research questions, calling for a balancing of concerns for the research subjects and trial integrity. When the study results were made public, there was a need to ensure access to the treatment shown to be effective that in some cases differed from the guidelines used at the sites where the research was being conducted. In addition, questions were raised about whether there was an obligation to notify subjects about 'unlinked' transmissions of HIV, that is, infections acquired from someone other than the designated sexual partner enrolled in the study. The ethical issues described are limited to those discerned by the authors and not those of other stakeholders who may have identified additional issues or had a different perspective in analyzing them. Understanding the ethical challenges faced in HPTN 052 promises to inform the design and conduct of future complex, long-term clinical trials aimed at addressing critical scientific and public health questions, where data and practice patterns emerge over the course of the trial.

Examining critical factors affecting graduate retention from an emergency training program in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a qualitative study of stakeholder perspectives.

PubMed

Kuipers, Meredith; Eapen, Amira; Lockwood, Joel; Berman, Sara; Vaillancourt, Samuel; Maskalyk, James; Azazh, Aklilu; Landes, Megan

2017-04-01

In Ethiopia, improvement and innovation of the emergency care system is hindered by lack of specialist doctors trained in emergency medicine, underdeveloped emergency care infrastructure, and resource limitations. Our aim was to examine the critical factors affecting retention of graduates from the Addis Ababa University (AAU) post-graduate emergency medicine (EM) training program within the Ethiopian health care system. One post-graduate trainee and one program manager from the AAU and the University of Toronto (UT) partnership conducted qualitative interviews with current AAU EM residents and stakeholders in Ethiopian EM. Qualitative inductive thematic analysis was performed. Resident and stakeholder participants identified critical factors in three domains: the individual condition, the occupational environment, and the national context. Within each domain, priority themes emerged from the responses, including the importance of career satisfaction over the career continuum (individual condition), the opportunity to be involved in the developing EM program and challenges associated with resource, economic, and employment constraints (occupational environment), and perceptions regarding the state of awareness of EM and the capacity for change at the societal level (national context). This work underscores the need to continue to address multiple systemic and cultural issues within the Ethiopian health care landscape in order to address EM graduate retention. It also highlights the potential success of a retention strategy focused on the career ambitions of keen EM doctors.

Local initiatives to access emergency obstetric and neonatal care in Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Yaméogo, Wambi M E; Ouédraogo, Talatou M; Kouanda, Seni

2016-11-01

To describe the various local initiatives to access emergency obstetric and neonatal care in Burkina Faso. An existing framework was used to review the three processes for local initiatives: emergence, formulation, and implementation. Multiple case studies were conducted, followed by literature review and semi-structured interviews with key informants. Sixteen districts had implemented local initiatives, including cost sharing, free care for women and children, and free care for delivery and cesareans. Most districts (n=10) had implemented the cost-sharing intervention. These initiatives were initiated by local actors as well as nongovernmental organizations. The profile of those involved led to different ways of handling the emergence and formulation processes. At implementation, these initiatives faced many issues including late payment of contributions, low involvement of local governments, and equity in participation. There are some issues in the implementation and sustainability of the local initiatives. Although many initiatives exist, these are unable to fully address the financial barriers to care. However, these initiatives highlight context-based financial barriers that must be taken into account to accelerate universal access to health care. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conceptualizing and Managing Medical Emergencies Where No Formal Paramedical System Exists: Perspectives from a Remote Indigenous Community in Canada.

PubMed

Curran, Jeffrey; Ritchie, Stephen D; Beardy, Jackson; VanderBurgh, David; Born, Karen; Lewko, John; Orkin, Aaron M

2018-02-04

(1) Background: Remote communities in Canada lack an equitable emergency medical response capacity compared to other communities. Community-based emergency care (CBEC) training for laypeople is a model that has the potential to enhance the medical emergency response capacity in isolated and resource-limited contexts. The purpose of this study was to understand the characteristics of medical emergencies and to conceptualize and present a framework for what a medical emergency is for one remote Indigenous community in northwestern Ontario, in order to inform the development of CBEC training. (2) Methods: This study adhered to the principles of community-based participatory research and realist evaluation; it was an integrated component of the formative evaluation of the second Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative (SLWEREI) training course in 2012. Twelve members of Sachigo Lake First Nation participated in the training course, along with local nursing staff, police officers, community Elders, and course instructors (n = 24 total), who participated in interviews, focus groups, and a collaborative discussion of local health issues in the development of the SLWEREI. (3) Results: The qualitative results are organized into sections that describe the types of local health emergencies and the informal response system of community members in addressing these emergencies. Prominent themes of health adversity that emerged were an inability to manage chronic conditions and fears of exacerbations, the lack of capacity for addressing mental illness, and the high prevalence of injury for community members. (4) Discussion: A three-point framework of what constitutes local perceptions of an emergency emerged from the findings in this study: (1) a sense of isolation; (2) a condition with a potentially adverse outcome; and (3) a need for help.

Conceptualizing and Managing Medical Emergencies Where No Formal Paramedical System Exists: Perspectives from a Remote Indigenous Community in Canada

PubMed Central

Curran, Jeffrey; Ritchie, Stephen D.; Beardy, Jackson; VanderBurgh, David; Born, Karen; Lewko, John; Orkin, Aaron M.

2018-01-01

(1) Background: Remote communities in Canada lack an equitable emergency medical response capacity compared to other communities. Community-based emergency care (CBEC) training for laypeople is a model that has the potential to enhance the medical emergency response capacity in isolated and resource-limited contexts. The purpose of this study was to understand the characteristics of medical emergencies and to conceptualize and present a framework for what a medical emergency is for one remote Indigenous community in northwestern Ontario, in order to inform the development of CBEC training. (2) Methods: This study adhered to the principles of community-based participatory research and realist evaluation; it was an integrated component of the formative evaluation of the second Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative (SLWEREI) training course in 2012. Twelve members of Sachigo Lake First Nation participated in the training course, along with local nursing staff, police officers, community Elders, and course instructors (n = 24 total), who participated in interviews, focus groups, and a collaborative discussion of local health issues in the development of the SLWEREI. (3) Results: The qualitative results are organized into sections that describe the types of local health emergencies and the informal response system of community members in addressing these emergencies. Prominent themes of health adversity that emerged were an inability to manage chronic conditions and fears of exacerbations, the lack of capacity for addressing mental illness, and the high prevalence of injury for community members. (4) Discussion: A three-point framework of what constitutes local perceptions of an emergency emerged from the findings in this study: (1) a sense of isolation; (2) a condition with a potentially adverse outcome; and (3) a need for help. PMID:29401706

Quarterly report on Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 90-7 for the period ending December 31, 1992

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

Cash, R.J.; Dukelow, G.T.; Forbes, C.J.

1993-03-01

This is the seventh quarterly report on the progress of activities addressing safety issues associated with Hanford Site high-level radioactive waste tanks that contain ferrocyanide compounds. In the presence of oxidizing materials, such as nitrates or nitrites, ferrocyanide can be made to explode in the laboratory by heating it to high temperatures [above 285{degrees}C (545{degrees}F)]. In the mid 1950s approximately 140 metric tons of ferrocyanide were added to 24 underground high-level radioactive waste tanks. An implementation plan (Cash 1991) responding to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 90-7 (FR 1990) was issued in March 1991 describing the activities thatmore » were planned and underway to address each of the six parts of Recommendation 90-7. A revision to the original plan was transmitted to US Department of Energy by Westinghouse Hanford Company in December 1992. Milestones completed this quarter are described in this report. Contents of this report include: Introduction; Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Implementation Plan Task Activities (Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation for enhanced temperature measurement, Recommendation for continuous temperature monitoring, Recommendation for cover gas monitoring, Recommendation for ferrocyanide waste characterization, Recommendation for chemical reaction studies, and Recommendation for emergency response planning); Schedules; and References. All actions recommended by the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for emergency planning by Hanford Site emergency preparedness organizations have been completed.« less

The Emerging Role of Meditation in Addressing Psychiatric Illness, with a Focus on Substance Use Disorders

PubMed Central

Dakwar, Elias; Levin, Frances R.

2011-01-01

Over the past 30 years the practice of meditation has become increasingly popular in clinical settings. In addition to evidence-based medical uses, meditation may have psychiatric benefits. In this review, the literature on the role of meditation in addressing psychiatric issues, and specifically substance use disorders, is discussed. Each of the three meditation modalities that have been most widely studied—transcendental meditation, Buddhist meditation, and mindfulness-based meditation—is critically examined in terms of its background, techniques, mechanisms of action, and evidence-based clinical applications, with special attention given to its emerging role in the treatment of substance use disorders. The unique methodological difficulties that beset the study of meditation are also considered. A brief discussion then integrates the research that has been completed thus far, elucidates the specific ways that meditation may be helpful for substance use disorders, and suggests new avenues for research. PMID:19637074

Complexities and Challenges of Singapore Nurses Providing Postacute Home Care in Multicultural Communities: A Grounded Theory Study.

PubMed

Wong, Alfred Ka-Shing; Ong, Shu Fen; Matchar, David Bruce; Lie, Desiree; Ng, Reuben; Yoon, Kirsten Eom; Wong, Chek Hooi

2017-10-01

Studies are needed to inform the preparation of community nurses to address patient behavioral and social factors contributing to unnecessary readmissions to hospital. This study uses nurses' input to understand challenges faced during home care, to derive a framework to address the challenges. Semistructured interviews were conducted to saturation with 16 community nurses in Singapore. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and transcripts independently coded for emergent themes. Themes were interpreted using grounded theory. Seven major themes emerged from 16 interviews: Strained social relationships, complex care decision-making processes within families, communication barriers, patient's or caregiver neglect of health issues, building and maintaining trust, trial-and-error nature of work, and dealing with uncertainty. Community nurses identified uncertainty arising from complexities in social-relational, personal, and organizational factors as a central challenge. Nursing education should focus on navigating and managing uncertainty at the personal, patient, and family levels.

Defining cultural competence: a practical framework for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care.

PubMed Central

Betancourt, Joseph R.; Green, Alexander R.; Carrillo, J. Emilio; Ananeh-Firempong, Owusu

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Racial/ethnic disparities in health in the U.S. have been well described. The field of "cultural competence" has emerged as one strategy to address these disparities. Based on a review of the relevant literature, the authors develop a definition of cultural competence, identify key components for intervention, and describe a practical framework for implementation of measures to address racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. METHODS: The authors conducted a literature review of academic, foundation, and government publications focusing on sociocultural barriers to care, the level of the health care system at which a given barrier occurs, and cultural competence efforts that address these barriers. RESULTS: Sociocultural barriers to care were identified at the organizational (leadership/workforce), structural (processes of care), and clinical (provider-patient encounter) levels. A framework of cultural competence interventions--including minority recruitment into the health professions, development of interpreter services and language-appropriate health educational materials, and provider education on cross-cultural issues--emerged to categorize strategies to address racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. CONCLUSIONS: Demographic changes anticipated over the next decade magnify the importance of addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. A framework of organizational, structural, and clinical cultural competence interventions can facilitate the elimination of these disparities and improve care for all Americans. PMID:12815076

Genetic discrimination and the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act: emerging legal, empirical, and policy implications.

PubMed

Blanck, P D; Marti, M W

1996-01-01

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is the most comprehensive federal civil rights law addressing employment discrimination against potentially millions of Americans. The Human Genome Project (HGP) is a federally funded research effort that seeks to map and sequence every human gene. This article is meant to contribute to the emerging dialogue on the interplay between the HGP and the employment provisions of the ADA, set forth in the Title I of the act. The relevance of the HGP to emerging legal questions, including those arising under Title I and recent EEOC guidelines, is described. Thereafter, empirical issues are discussed, and directions for future investigation of genetic discrimination under the ADA are explored.

World Cup 2010 planning: an integration of public health and medical systems.

PubMed

Yancey, Arthur H; Fuhri, Peter D; Pillay, Yogan; Greenwald, Ian

2008-10-01

To present crucial stages of planning and the resources involved in the medical and health care that will address issues affecting the health and safety of all participants in the 2010 World Cup. Relevant literature reviews of mass gathering medical care supplemented experience of the authors in planning for previous similar events. Attention is focused on issues wherein effective planning requires the integration of public health practices with those of clinical emergency medical services. The tables that are included serve to illustrate the depth and breadth of planning as well as the organizational relationships required to execute care of a universally acceptable standard. This article offers guidance in planning for the 2010 World Cup health and emergency medical care, emphasizing the need for integration of public health and medical practices. It depicts the span of planning envisioned, the organizational relationships crucial to it, and emphasizes the necessity of an early start.

Family learning research in museums: An emerging disciplinary matrix?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellenbogen, Kirsten M.; Luke, Jessica J.; Dierking, Lynn D.

2004-07-01

Thomas Kuhn's notion of a disciplinary matrix provides a useful framework for investigating the growth of research on family learning in and from museums over the last decade. To track the emergence of this disciplinary matrix we consider three issues. First are shifting theoretical perspectives that result in new shared language, beliefs, values, understandings, and assumptions about what counts as family learning. Second are realigning methodologies, driven by underlying disciplinary assumptions about how research in this arena is best conducted, what questions should be addressed, and criteria for valid and reliable evidence. Third is resituating the focus of our research to make the family central to what we study, reflecting a more holistic understanding of the family as an educational institution within larger learning infrastructure. We discuss research that exemplifies these three issues and demonstrates the ways in which shifting theoretical perspectives, realigning methodologies, and resituating research foci signal the existence of a nascent disciplinary matrix.

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

PubMed

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

2007-01-01

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

2011 Quantum Control of Light & Matter Gordon Research Conference (July 31-August 5, 2011, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA)

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

Thomas Weinacht

2011-08-05

Quantum control of light and matter is the quest to steer a physical process to a desirable outcome, employing constructive and destructive interference. Three basic questions address feasibility of quantum control: (1) The problem of controllability, does a control field exist for a preset initial and target state; (2) Synthesis, constructively finding the field that leads to the target; and (3) Optimal Control Theory - optimizing the field that carries out this task. These continue to be the fundamental theoretical questions to be addressed in the conference. How to realize control fields in the laboratory is an ongoing challenge. Thismore » task is very diverse viewing the emergence of control scenarios ranging from attoseconds to microseconds. How do the experimental observations reflect on the theoretical framework? The typical arena of quantum control is an open environment where much of the control is indirect. How are control scenarios realized in dissipative open systems? Can new control opportunities emerge? Can one null decoherence effects? An ideal setting for control is ultracold matter. The initial and final state can be defined more precisely. Coherent control unifies many fields of physical science. A lesson learned in one field can reflect on another. Currently quantum information processing has emerged as a primary target of control where the key issue is controlling quantum gate operation. Modern nonlinear spectroscopy has emerged as another primary field. The challenge is to unravel the dynamics of molecular systems undergoing strong interactions with the environment. Quantum optics where non-classical fields are to be generated and employed. Finally, coherent control is the basis for quantum engineering. These issues will be under the limelight of the Gordon conference on Quantum Control of Light and Matter.« less

Lessons Learned from Undergraduate Students in Designing a Science-Based Course in Bioethics

PubMed Central

Loike, John D.; Rush, Brittany S.; Schweber, Adam; Fischbach, Ruth L.

2013-01-01

Columbia University offers two innovative undergraduate science-based bioethics courses for student majoring in biosciences and pre–health studies. The goals of these courses are to introduce future scientists and healthcare professionals to the ethical questions they will confront in their professional lives, thus enabling them to strategically address these bioethical dilemmas. These courses incorporate innovative pedagogical methods, case studies, and class discussions to stimulate the students to think creatively about bioethical issues emerging from new biotechnologies. At the end of each course, each student is required to submit a one-page strategy detailing how he or she would resolve a bioethical dilemma. Based on our experience in teaching these courses and on a qualitative analysis of the students’ reflections, we offer recommendations for creating an undergraduate science-based course in bioethics. General recommendations include: 1) integrating the science of emerging biotechnologies, their ethical ramifications, and contemporary bioethical theories into interactive class sessions; 2) structuring discussion-based classes to stimulate students to consider the impact of their moral intuitions when grappling with bioethical issues; and 3) using specific actual and futuristic case studies to highlight bioethical issues and to help develop creative problem-solving skills. Such a course sparks students’ interests in both science and ethics and helps them analyze bioethical challenges arising from emerging biotechnologies. PMID:24297296

Psychosocial assistance after environmental accidents: a policy perspective.

PubMed Central

Becker, S M

1997-01-01

There is a substantial body of literature on psychosocial impacts of chemical and nuclear accidents. Less attention, however, has been focused on the program and policy issues that are connected with efforts to provide psychosocial assistance to the victims of such accidents. Because psychosocial assistance efforts are certain to be an essential part of the response to future environmental emergencies, it is vital that relevant program and policy issues by more fully considered. This article discusses the highly complex nature of contamination situations and highlights some of the key policy issues that are associated with the provision of psychosocial services after environmental accidents. One issue concerns the potential for assistance efforts to become objects of conflict. In the context of the intense controversy typically associated with chemical or nuclear accidents, and with debates over the causation of illness usually at the center of environmental accidents, psychosocial assistance services may themselves become contested terrain. Other significant program and policy issues include determining how to interface with citizen self-help and other voluntary groups, addressing the problem of stigma, and deciding how to facilitate stakeholder participation in the shaping of service provision. This article offers a series of policy proposals that may help smooth the way for psychosocial assistance programs in future environmental emergencies. PMID:9467082

Scientific Integrity and Professional Ethics at AGU - The Establishment and Evolution of an Ethics Program at a Large Scientific Society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McPhaden, Michael; Leinen, Margaret; McEntee, Christine; Townsend, Randy; Williams, Billy

2016-04-01

The American Geophysical Union, a scientific society of 62,000 members worldwide, has established a set of scientific integrity and professional ethics guidelines for the actions of its members, for the governance of the union in its internal activities, and for the operations and participation in its publications and scientific meetings. This presentation will provide an overview of the Ethics program at AGU, highlighting the reasons for its establishment, the process of dealing ethical breaches, the number and types of cases considered, how AGU helps educate its members on Ethics issues, and the rapidly evolving efforts at AGU to address issues related to the emerging field of GeoEthics. The presentation will also cover the most recent AGU Ethics program focus on the role for AGU and other scientific societies in addressing sexual harassment, and AGU's work to provide additional program strength in this area.

Addressing the ethical, legal, and social issues raised by voting by persons with dementia.

PubMed

Karlawish, Jason H; Bonnie, Richard J; Appelbaum, Paul S; Lyketsos, Constantine; James, Bryan; Knopman, David; Patusky, Christopher; Kane, Rosalie A; Karlan, Pamela S

2004-09-15

This article addresses an emerging policy problem in the United States participation in the electoral process by citizens with dementia. At present, health care professionals, family caregivers, and long-term care staff lack adequate guidance to decide whether individuals with dementia should be precluded from or assisted in casting a ballot. Voting by persons with dementia raises a series of important questions about the autonomy of individuals with dementia, the integrity of the electoral process, and the prevention of fraud. Three subsidiary issues warrant special attention: development of a method to assess capacity to vote; identification of appropriate kinds of assistance to enable persons with cognitive impairment to vote; and formulation of uniform and workable policies for voting in long-term care settings. In some instances, extrapolation from existing policies and research permits reasonable recommendations to guide policy and practice. However, in other instances, additional research is necessary.

2015 White Paper on recent issues in bioanalysis: focus on new technologies and biomarkers (Part 1 - small molecules by LCMS).

PubMed

Welink, Jan; Fluhler, Eric; Hughes, Nicola; Arnold, Mark; Garofolo, Fabio; Bustard, Mark; Coppola, Laura; Dhodda, Raj; Evans, Christopher; Gleason, Carol; Haidar, Sam; Hayes, Roger; Heinig, Katja; Katori, Noriko; Blaye, Olivier Le; Li, Wenkui; Liu, Guowen; Lima Santos, Gustavo Mendes; Meng, Min; Nicholson, Bob; Savoie, Natasha; Skelly, Michael; Sojo, Luis; Tampal, Nilufer; de Merbel, Nico van; Verhaeghe, Tom; Vinter, Stephen; Wickremsinhe, Enaksha; Whale, Emma; Wilson, Amanda; Witte, Bärbel; Woolf, Eric

2015-01-01

The 2015 9th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (9th WRIB) took place in Miami, Florida with participation of over 600 professionals from pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, contract research organizations and regulatory agencies worldwide. It is once again a 5-day week long event - a full immersion bioanalytical week - specifically designed to facilitate sharing, reviewing, discussing and agreeing on approaches to address the most current issues of interest in bioanalysis. The topics covered included both small and large molecules, and involved LCMS, hybrid LBA/LCMS, LBA approaches including the focus on biomarkers and immunogenicity. This 2015 White Paper encompasses recommendations that emerged from the extensive discussions held during the workshop, and is aimed to provide the bioanalytical community with key information and practical solutions on topics and issues addressed, in an effort to advance scientific excellence, improve quality and deliver better regulatory compliance. Due to its length, the 2015 edition of this comprehensive White Paper has been divided into three parts. Part 1 covers the recommendations for small molecule bioanalysis using LCMS. Part 2 (hybrid LBA/LCMS and regulatory agencies' inputs) and Part 3 (large molecule bioanalysis using LBA, biomarkers and immunogenicity) will also be published in volume 7 of Bioanalysis, issues 23 and 24, respectively.

2016 White Paper on recent issues in bioanalysis: focus on biomarker assay validation (BAV): (Part 3 - LBA, biomarkers and immunogenicity).

PubMed

Richards, Susan; Amaravadi, Lakshmi; Pillutla, Renuka; Birnboeck, Herbert; Torri, Albert; Cowan, Kyra J; Papadimitriou, Apollon; Garofolo, Fabio; Satterwhite, Christina; Piccoli, Steven; Wu, Bonnie; Krinos-Fiorotti, Corinna; Allinson, John; Berisha, Flora; Cocea, Laurent; Croft, Stephanie; Fraser, Stephanie; Galliccia, Fabrizio; Gorovits, Boris; Gupta, Swati; Gupta, Vinita; Haidar, Sam; Hottenstein, Charles; Ishii-Watabe, Akiko; Jani, Darshana; Kadavil, John; Kamerud, John; Kramer, Daniel; Litwin, Virginia; Lima Santos, Gustavo Mendes; Nelson, Robert; Ni, Yan; Pedras-Vasconcelos, João; Qiu, Yongchang; Rhyne, Paul; Safavi, Afshin; Saito, Yoshiro; Savoie, Natasha; Scheibner, Kara; Schick, Eginhard; Siguenza, Patricia Y; Smeraglia, John; Staack, Roland F; Subramanyam, Meena; Sumner, Giane; Thway, Theingi; Uhlinger, David; Ullmann, Martin; Vitaliti, Alessandra; Welink, Jan; Whiting, Chan C; Xue, Li; Zeng, Rong

2016-12-01

The 2016 10th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (10th WRIB) took place in Orlando, Florida with participation of close to 700 professionals from pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, contract research organizations, and regulatory agencies worldwide. WRIB was once again a weeklong event - A Full Immersion Week of Bioanalysis for PK, Biomarkers and Immunogenicity. As usual, it is specifically designed to facilitate sharing, reviewing, discussing and agreeing on approaches to address the most current issues of interest including both small and large molecules involving LCMS, hybrid LBA/LCMS, and LBA approaches, with the focus on PK, biomarkers and immunogenicity. This 2016 White Paper encompasses recommendations emerging from the extensive discussions held during the workshop, and is aimed to provide the bioanalytical community with key information and practical solutions on topics and issues addressed, in an effort to enable advances in scientific excellence, improved quality and better regulatory compliance. This White Paper is published in 3 parts due to length. This part (Part 3) discusses the recommendations for large molecule bioanalysis using LBA, biomarkers and immunogenicity. Parts 1 (small molecule bioanalysis using LCMS) and Part 2 (Hybrid LBA/LCMS and regulatory inputs from major global health authorities) have been published in the Bioanalysis journal, issues 22 and 23, respectively.

Hurricane Andrew: Impact on hazardous waste management

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

Kastury, S.N.

1993-03-01

On August 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck the eastern coast of South Florida with winds of 140 mph approximately and a storm surge of 15 ft. The Florida Department of Environmental Regulation finds that the Hurricane Andrew caused a widespread damage throughout Dade and Collier County as well as in Broward and Monroe County and has also greatly harmed the environment. The Department has issued an emergency final order No. 92-1476 on August 26, 1992 to address the environmental cleanup and prevent any further spills of contaminants within the emergency area. The order authorizes the local government officials to designatemore » certain locations in areas remote from habitation for the open burning in air certain incinerators of hurricane generated yard trash and construction and demolition debris. The Department staff has assisted the county and FEMA staff in establishing procedures for Hazardous Waste Management, Waste Segregation and disposal and emergency responses. Local governments have issued these burn permits to public agencies including FDOT and Corps of Engineering (COE). Several case studies will be discussed on the Hazardous Waste Management at this presentation.« less

Listening for Prescriptions: A National Consultation on Pharmaceutical Policy Issues

PubMed Central

Morgan, Steve; Cunningham, Colleen M.

2010-01-01

Objectives and Methods: Pharmaceutical policy is an increasingly costly, essential and challenging component of health system management. We sought to identify priority pharmaceutical policy issues in Canada and to translate them into research priorities using key informant interviews, stakeholder surveys and a deliberative workshop. Results: We found consensus on overarching policy goals: to provide all Canadians with equitable and sustainable access to necessary medicines. We also found widespread frustration that many key pharmaceutical policy issues in Canada — including improving prescription drug financing and pricing — have been persistent challenges owing to a lack of policy coordination. The coverage of extraordinarily costly medicines for serious conditions was identified as a rapidly emerging policy issue. Conclusion: Targeted research and knowledge translation activities can help address key policy issues and, importantly, challenges of policy coordination in Canada and thereby reduce inequity and inefficiency in policy approaches and outcomes. PMID:22043223

A review of privacy and usability issues in mobile health systems: Role of external factors.

PubMed

Katusiime, Jane; Pinkwart, Niels

2017-10-01

The increased penetration of mobile devices has created opportunities in the health sector and led to emerging of mobile health systems. As much as the mobile health systems have registered tremendous progress, they have been faced with privacy and usability issues. Due to the sensitivity of health information, there is an ethical need to equip mobile health systems with adequate privacy measures. However, these systems should also be useable by the intended users. Even though many researchers are working on solutions, the issues still persist. External factors such as cultural differences have also contributed to the issues, yet they have been under researched. In this article, we conduct a systematic literature review of 22 articles, categorize and present privacy and usability issues and possible solutions. We then discuss the relevance and implications of external factors to the findings on privacy and usability. We end with recommendations to address these external factors.

Pneumonia’s second wind? A case study of the global health network for childhood pneumonia

PubMed Central

Berlan, David

2016-01-01

Advocacy, policy, research and intervention efforts against childhood pneumonia have lagged behind other health issues, including malaria, measles and tuberculosis. Accelerating progress on the issue began in 2008, following decades of efforts by individuals and organizations to address the leading cause of childhood mortality and establish a global health network. This article traces the history of this network’s formation and evolution to identify lessons for other global health issues. Through document review and interviews with current, former and potential network members, this case study identifies five distinct eras of activity against childhood pneumonia: a period of isolation (post WWII to 1984), the duration of WHO’s Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) Programme (1984–1995), Integrated Management of Childhood illness’s (IMCI) early years (1995–2003), a brief period of network re-emergence (2003–2008) and recent accelerating progress (2008 on). Analysis of these eras reveals the critical importance of building a shared identity in order to form an effective network and take advantage of emerging opportunities. During the ARI era, an initial network formed around a relatively narrow shared identity focused on community-level care. The shift to IMCI led to the partial dissolution of this network, stalled progress on addressing pneumonia in communities and missed opportunities. Frustrated with lack of progress on the issue, actors began forming a network and shared identity that included a broad spectrum of those whose interests overlap with pneumonia. As the network coalesced and expanded, its members coordinated and collaborated on conducting and sharing research on severity and tractability, crafting comprehensive strategies and conducting advocacy. These network activities exerted indirect influence leading to increased attention, funding, policies and some implementation. PMID:26438780

Pneumonia's second wind? A case study of the global health network for childhood pneumonia.

PubMed

Berlan, David

2016-04-01

Advocacy, policy, research and intervention efforts against childhood pneumonia have lagged behind other health issues, including malaria, measles and tuberculosis. Accelerating progress on the issue began in 2008, following decades of efforts by individuals and organizations to address the leading cause of childhood mortality and establish a global health network. This article traces the history of this network's formation and evolution to identify lessons for other global health issues. Through document review and interviews with current, former and potential network members, this case study identifies five distinct eras of activity against childhood pneumonia: a period of isolation (post WWII to 1984), the duration of WHO's Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) Programme (1984-1995), Integrated Management of Childhood illness's (IMCI) early years (1995-2003), a brief period of network re-emergence (2003-2008) and recent accelerating progress (2008 on). Analysis of these eras reveals the critical importance of building a shared identity in order to form an effective network and take advantage of emerging opportunities. During the ARI era, an initial network formed around a relatively narrow shared identity focused on community-level care. The shift to IMCI led to the partial dissolution of this network, stalled progress on addressing pneumonia in communities and missed opportunities. Frustrated with lack of progress on the issue, actors began forming a network and shared identity that included a broad spectrum of those whose interests overlap with pneumonia. As the network coalesced and expanded, its members coordinated and collaborated on conducting and sharing research on severity and tractability, crafting comprehensive strategies and conducting advocacy. These network activities exerted indirect influence leading to increased attention, funding, policies and some implementation. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2015; all rights reserved.

Health research needed to resolve scientific issues surrounding drinking water disinfection

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

Kleffman, D.

Disinfection of drinking water will most likely continue in the United States in order to prevent exposure to microbial pathogens that can cause infectious disease. However, the emergence of concerns over possible toxicological effects, including cancer, mutagenicity, cardiovascular disease, and reproductive effects, may require that the disinfection techniques used in this country be altered or changed. First, the spectrum of possible health effects and the level of risk posed by exposure to chemicals in drinking water must be determined. This will require a continuing research program to develop the scientific data necessary to resolve these issues. In this paper, themore » authors discusses the microbiological, chemical, toxicological, and epidemiological research that is needed to address these issues.« less

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

PubMed

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

2013-06-01

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

A position statement on mental health in the post-2015 development agenda

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The Millennium Development Goals have guided development co-operation in the 15 years up to 2015, achieving some significant progress in the priorities on which they focused. As the framework for the post-2015 development agenda is negotiated, this article reviews the evidence for the place of mental health in broader development issues that have already been outlined in the run-up to 2015. Discussion If mental health is going to be recognised as having an essential role in development, there needs to be a consensus on priorities for advocacy. Various key issues emerged from a survey of stakeholders in the Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH), leading to a Position Statement, which is now available for use by advocates. The priorities that emerged were increasing access to mental health services, and addressing human rights abuse, stigma, and exclusion. Summary Mental health is a cross-cutting issue, and including it in frameworks for action will increase the likelihood of achieving global priorities for development such as poverty reduction, economic development, improved health, and ensuring the most vulnerable in society are not left behind. PMID:25050137

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

Not Available

The Southern States Energy Board (SSEB) is an interstate compact organization that serves 16 states and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico with information and analysis in energy and environmental matters. Nuclear waste management is a topic that has garnered considerable attention in the SSEB region in the last several years. Since 1985, SSEB has received support from the US Department of Energy for the regional analysis of high-level radioactive waste transportation issues. In the performance of its work in this area, SSEB formed the Advisory Committee on High-Level Radioactive Materials Transportation, which comprises representatives from impacted states and tribes. SSEBmore » meets with the committee semi-annually to provide issue updates to members and to solicit their views on activities impacting their respective states. Among the waste transportation issues considered by SSEB and the committee are shipment routing, the impacts of monitored retrievable storage, state liability in the event of an accident and emergency preparedness and response. This document addresses the latter by describing the radiological emergency response training courses and programs of the southern states, as well as federal courses available outside the southern region.« less

Driven to Distraction.

PubMed

Strayer, David L; Cooper, Joel M

2015-12-01

We address several themes that emerged in the commentaries related to our target article. First, we consider the relationship between cognitive distraction and crash risk. Second, we discuss the development of our cognitive distraction scale. Third, we weigh issues of self-regulation, appropriate baselines, and satisficing. Finally, we identify several areas where additional research is needed to refine our understanding of driver distraction and crash risk. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Cyberspace, Distance Learning, and Higher Education in Developing Countries: Old and Emergent Issues of Access, Pedagogy, and Knowledge Production. International Studies in Sociology and Social Anthropology, 94

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assie-Lumumba, N'Dri T., Ed.

2004-01-01

Amidst the euphoria about the new frontiers of technology sometimes perceived as a panacea for expansion of higher education in developing countries, there is a need to analyze persistent and new grounds of unequal opportunity for access, learning, and the production of knowledge. This volume addresses fundamental questions about the educational…

Learning Race in a U.S. Context: An Emergent Framework on the Perceptions of Race among Foreign-Born Students of Color

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fries-Britt, Sharon; George Mwangi, Chrystal A.; Peralta, Alicia M.

2014-01-01

Foreign-born students of color arrive in the United States with racial and cultural orientations specific to their country of origin, which are often quite distinct from issues of race and racism within the U.S. context. This qualitative study examines the college experiences of 15 foreign-born students of color to address the research question:…

Formal Methods for Cryptographic Protocol Analysis: Emerging Issues and Trends

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

signatures , which depend upon the homomor- phic properties of RSA. Other algorithms and data structures, such as Chaum mixes [17], designed for...Communications Security, pages 176–185. ACM, Novem- ber 2001. [17] D. Chaum . Untraceable electronic mail, return addresses and digital signatures ...something like the Diffie- Hellman algorithm, which depends, as a minimum, on the commutative properties of exponentiation, or something like Chaum’s blinded

The Challenge of Technology: Action Strategies for the School Library Media Specialist. School Library Media Programs: Focus on Trends and Issues; No. 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Kieth

This book describes some of the challenges facing school library media specialists as they work with teachers and administrators in making appropriate use of computers in schools. Five chapters address the following topics: (1) the school in the context of the emerging information society; (2) the roles of school library media specialists in the…

78 FR 76814 - In the Matter of: Mohammed Soroush Mahalaty, a/k/a Mohammad Soroush,a/k/a Mike Soroush, 18...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-19

..., a/k/a Mohammad Soroush, a/k/a Mike Soroush, 18 Clinton Lane, Jericho, NY 11753; Order Denying Export..., license, or order issued under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706); 18 U..., a/k/a Mike Soroush, with a last known address at: 18 Clinton Lane, Jericho, NY 11753, and when...

Practical Issues in Delivery of Clinician-to-Patient Telemental Health in an Academic Medical Center.

PubMed

Abrams, Jessica; Sossong, Sarah; Schwamm, Lee H; Barsanti, Lauren; Carter, Michael; Kling, Naomi; Kotarski, Meghan; Leddy, Jaclyn; Meller, Benjamin; Simoni, Marcy; Sullivan, Michael; Wozniak, Janet

In the age of online communication, psychiatric care can now be provided via videoconferencing technologies. While virtual visits as a part of telepsychiatry and telemental health provide a highly efficient and beneficial modality of care, the implementation of virtual visits requires attention to quality and safety issues. As practitioners continue to utilize this technology, issues of clinician licensing, treatment outcomes of virtual visits versus in-person visits, and cost offset require ongoing study. This review provides an overview of the topics of technology, legal and regulatory issues, clinical issues, and cost savings as they relate to practicing psychiatry and psychology via virtual visits in an academic medical center. We review the telepsychiatry/telemental health effectiveness literature from 2013 to the present. Our literature searches used the following terms: telemental health effective, telepsychiatry effective, telepsychiatry efficacy, and telemental health efficacy. These searches produced 58 articles, reduced to 16 when including only articles that address effectiveness of clinician-to-patient services. The technological, legal, and regulatory issues vary from state to state and over time. The emerging research addressing diverse populations and disorders provides strong evidence for the effectiveness of telepsychiatry. Cost savings are difficult to precisely determine and depend on the scope of the cost and benefit measured. Establishing a telepsychiatry program requires a comprehensive approach with up-to-date legal and technological considerations.

Mobile-health: A review of current state in 2015.

PubMed

Silva, Bruno M C; Rodrigues, Joel J P C; de la Torre Díez, Isabel; López-Coronado, Miguel; Saleem, Kashif

2015-08-01

Health telematics is a growing up issue that is becoming a major improvement on patient lives, especially in elderly, disabled, and chronically ill. In recent years, information and communication technologies improvements, along with mobile Internet, offering anywhere and anytime connectivity, play a key role on modern healthcare solutions. In this context, mobile health (m-Health) delivers healthcare services, overcoming geographical, temporal, and even organizational barriers. M-Health solutions address emerging problems on health services, including, the increasing number of chronic diseases related to lifestyle, high costs of existing national health services, the need to empower patients and families to self-care and handle their own healthcare, and the need to provide direct access to health services, regardless of time and place. Then, this paper presents a comprehensive review of the state of the art on m-Health services and applications. It surveys the most significant research work and presents a deep analysis of the top and novel m-Health services and applications proposed by industry. A discussion considering the European Union and United States approaches addressing the m-Health paradigm and directives already published is also considered. Open and challenging issues on emerging m-Health solutions are proposed for further works. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Non-Communicable Diseases in Emergencies: A Call to Action

PubMed Central

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

2013-01-01

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

Importance of a midterm time horizon for addressing ethical issues integral to nanobiotechnology.

PubMed

Khushf, George

2007-01-01

There is a consensus emerging on the importance of upstream ethical engagement in nanobiotechnology. Such a preventive ethic would anticipate downstream concerns that might arise and mitigate them as part of the research and development process. However, there is an unappreciated tension between the time horizon of upstream ethics and that assumed by most bioethical research. Current standards of high-quality research on ethical issues biases the research in favor of near-term, science-based, results-oriented work. A near-term focus would miss many of the important ethical issues integral to nanobiotechnology and undermine the goals integral to upstream ethical engagement. However, if we move to a far-term time horizon, the ethical debates tend to get too speculative and are no longer disciplined by existing research trajectories. This paper addresses the link between the midterm time horizon necessary for upstream ethics and the form, content, and style of ethical reflection. New paradigm cases, standards, and criteria will be needed for high-quality upstream ethics work in the area of nanobiotechnology.

Understanding men's health and illness: a gender-relations approach to policy, research, and practice.

PubMed

Schofield, T; Connell, R W; Walker, L; Wood, J F; Butland, D L

2000-05-01

Men's health has emerged as an important public concern that may require new kinds of healthcare interventions and increased resources. Considerable uncertainty and confusion surround prevailing understandings of men's health, particularly those generated by media debate and public policy, and health research has often operated on oversimplified assumptions about men and masculinity. A more useful way of understanding men's health is to adopt a gender-relations approach. This means examining health concerns in the context of men's and women's interactions with each other, and their positions in the larger, multidimensional structure of gender relations. Such an approach raises the issue of differences among men, which is a key issue in recent research on masculinity and an important health issue. The gender-relations approach offers new ways of addressing practical issues of healthcare for men in college environments.

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

Lesperance, Ann M.; Olson, Jarrod; Godinez, Melanie A.

On March 10, 2010 the workshop titled Social Networking for Emergency Management and Public Safety was held in Seattle, WA. The objective of this workshop was to showcase ways social media networking technologies can be used to support emergency management and public safety operations. The workshop highlighted the current state of social networking and where this dynamic engagement is heading, demonstrated some of the more commonly used technologies, highlighted case studies on how these tools have been used in a variety of jurisdictions and engaged the private sector on how these tools might serve as a conduit for two waymore » communication between with the public sector to address regional recovery issues and decision making.« less

The political economy of emergency and essential surgery in global health.

PubMed

Hedges, Jeremy P; Mock, Charles N; Cherian, Meena N

2010-09-01

Emergency and essential surgery (EES) remains a low priority on global health agendas even though a growing body of evidence demonstrates that EES is a cost-effective public health intervention and that it holds the potential to prevent a sizable number of deaths and disabilities. The inferior status of EES should be considered, in part, a political problem and subject to political analysis. This type of political economy examination has been used for other important global health issues but has not been applied to EES. By addressing political concerns and prospects, EES can be better positioned on international agendas, thus improving surgical care delivered to the poor.

Ethical standards for mental health and psychosocial support research in emergencies: review of literature and current debates.

PubMed

Chiumento, Anna; Rahman, Atif; Frith, Lucy; Snider, Leslie; Tol, Wietse A

2017-02-08

Research in emergencies is needed to understand the prevalence of mental health and psychosocial problems and strengthen the evidence base for interventions. All research - including operational needs assessments, programme monitoring and evaluation, and formal academic research - must be conducted ethically. While there is broad consensus on fundamental principles codified in research ethics guidelines, these do not address the ethical specificities of conducting mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) research with adults in emergencies. To address this gap, this paper presents a review of multidisciplinary literature to identify specific ethical principles applicable to MHPSS research in emergencies. Fifty-nine sources meeting the literature review inclusion criteria were analysed following a thematic synthesis approach. There was consensus on the relevance of universal ethical research principles to MHPSS research in emergencies, including norms of participant informed consent and protection; ensuring benefit arises from research participation; researcher neutrality, accountability, and safety; and the duty to ensure research is well designed and accounts for contextual factors in emergency settings. We go onto discuss unresolved issues by highlighting six current debates relating to the application of ethics in emergency settings: (1) what constitutes fair benefits?; (2) how should informed consent be operationalised?; (3) is there a role for decision making capacity assessments?; (4) how do risk management approaches impact upon the construction of ethical research?; (5) how can ethical reflection best be achieved?, and (6) are ethical review boards sufficiently representative and equipped to judge the ethical and scientific merit of emergency MHPSS research? Underlying these debates is a systemic tension between procedural ethics and ethics in practice. In summary, underpinning the literature is a desire to ensure the protection of participants exposed to emergencies and in need of evidence-based MHPSS. However, there is a lack of agreement on how to contextualise guidelines and procedures to effectively maximise the perspectives of researchers, participants and ethical review boards. This is a tension that the field must address to strengthen ethical MHPSS research in emergencies.

The Outdoor Air Pollution and Brain Health Workshop

PubMed Central

Block, Michelle L.; Elder, Alison; Auten, Rick L.; Bilbo, Staci D.; Chen, Honglei; Chen, Jiu-Chiuan; Cory-Slechta, Deborah A.; Costa, Daniel; Diaz-Sanchez, David; Dorman, David C.; Gold, Diane; Gray, Kimberly; Jeng, Hueiwang Anna; Kaufman, Joel D.; Kleinman, Michael T.; Kirshner, Annette; Lawler, Cindy; Miller, David S.; Nadadur, Sri; Ritz, Beate; Semmens, Erin O.; Tonelli, Leonardo H.; Veronesi, Bellina; Wright, Robert O.; Wright, Rosalind

2013-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that outdoor air pollution may have a significant impact on central nervous system (CNS) health and disease. To address this issue, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Institute of Health convened a panel of research scientists that was assigned the task of identifying research gaps and priority goals essential for advancing this growing field and addressing an emerging human health concern. Here, we review recent findings that have established the effects of inhaled air pollutants in the brain, explore the potential mechanisms driving these phenomena, and discuss the recommended research priorities/approaches that were identified by the panel. PMID:22981845

Emerging Options and Opportunities in Civilian Aeronautics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bushnell, Dennis M.

2012-01-01

This paper addresses the major problems/issues with civilian aeronautics going forward, the contextual ongoing technology revolutions, the several emerging civilian aeronautical "Big Ideas" and associated enabling technological approaches. The ongoing IT Revolution is increasingly providing, as 5 senses virtual presence/reality becomes available, along with Nano/Molecular Manufacturing, virtual alternatives to Physical transportation for both people and goods. Paper examines the potential options available to aeronautics to maintain and perhaps grow "market share" in the context of this evolving competition. Many of these concepts are not new, but the emerging technology landscape is enhancing their viability and marketability. The concepts vary from the "interesting" to the truly revolutionary and all require considerable research. Paper considers the speed range from personal/general aviation to supersonic transports and technologies from energetics to fabrication.

The role of APACPH (Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health) in addressing public health issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

PubMed

Liveris, M

2000-01-01

The paper covers the establishment of APACPH in 1984 and its subsequent development and achievements. The paper outlines the mission and objectives of the Consortium and brief comparisons are drawn with similar organizations in the European and North American regions. Significant achievements of the Consortium and its contribution to the public health debate are presented. The paper then explores strategies for the future in meeting the challenges of emerging public health issues through collaborative efforts in education, training, research and leadership development in public health in the first century of a new millennium.

An ethical framework for the management of pain in the emergency department.

PubMed

Venkat, Arvind; Fromm, Christian; Isaacs, Eric; Ibarra, Jordan

2013-07-01

Pain is a ubiquitous problem, affecting more than 100 million individuals in the United States chronically and many more in the acute setting. Up to three-quarters of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) report pain as a key component of their reasons for requiring acute care. While pain management is a fundamental component of emergency medicine (EM), there are numerous attitudinal and structural barriers that have been identified to effectively providing pain control in the ED. Coupled with public demands and administrative mandates, concerns surrounding ED pain management have reached a crisis level that should be considered an ethical issue in the profession of EM. In this article, the authors propose an ethical framework based on a combination of virtue, narrative, and relationship theories that can be used to address the clinical dilemmas that arise in managing pain in ED patients. © 2013 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Video calls from lay bystanders to dispatch centers - risk assessment of information security.

PubMed

Bolle, Stein R; Hasvold, Per; Henriksen, Eva

2011-09-30

Video calls from mobile phones can improve communication during medical emergencies. Lay bystanders can be instructed and supervised by health professionals at Emergency Medical Communication Centers. Before implementation of video mobile calls in emergencies, issues of information security should be addressed. Information security was assessed for risk, based on the information security standard ISO/IEC 27005:2008. A multi-professional team used structured brainstorming to find threats to the information security aspects confidentiality, quality, integrity, and availability. Twenty security threats of different risk levels were identified and analyzed. Solutions were proposed to reduce the risk level. Given proper implementation, we found no risks to information security that would advocate against the use of video calls between lay bystanders and Emergency Medical Communication Centers. The identified threats should be used as input to formal requirements when planning and implementing video calls from mobile phones for these call centers.

Combating slavery in the 21st century: the role of emergency medicine.

PubMed

Chisolm-Straker, Makini; Richardson, Lynne D; Cossio, Tania

2012-08-01

Human trafficking (HT) victims may present to emergency departments (ED) as patients, but are infrequently identified. To address this issue, we developed and piloted a training intervention for emergency providers on HT and how to identify and treat these patients. Included in the intervention participants were emergency medicine residents, ED attendings, ED nurses, and hospital social workers. Prior to the intervention, 4.8% felt some degree of confidence in their ability to identify and 7.7% to treat a trafficked patient. After the 20-minute intervention, 53.8% felt some degree of confidence in their ability to identify and 56.7% care for this patient population. Because this problem is global, we created a Website that includes an instructive toolkit and an interactive course for self-learning and/or assessment. This intervention will give ED providers the tools they need to assess and treat a patient who might be a victim of human trafficking.

Video calls from lay bystanders to dispatch centers - risk assessment of information security

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Video calls from mobile phones can improve communication during medical emergencies. Lay bystanders can be instructed and supervised by health professionals at Emergency Medical Communication Centers. Before implementation of video mobile calls in emergencies, issues of information security should be addressed. Methods Information security was assessed for risk, based on the information security standard ISO/IEC 27005:2008. A multi-professional team used structured brainstorming to find threats to the information security aspects confidentiality, quality, integrity, and availability. Results Twenty security threats of different risk levels were identified and analyzed. Solutions were proposed to reduce the risk level. Conclusions Given proper implementation, we found no risks to information security that would advocate against the use of video calls between lay bystanders and Emergency Medical Communication Centers. The identified threats should be used as input to formal requirements when planning and implementing video calls from mobile phones for these call centers. PMID:21958387

Scheduling for Emergency Tasks in Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Xia, Changqing; Kong, Linghe; Zeng, Peng

2017-01-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are widely applied in industrial manufacturing systems. By means of centralized control, the real-time requirement and reliability can be provided by WSNs in industrial production. Furthermore, many approaches reserve resources for situations in which the controller cannot perform centralized resource allocation. The controller assigns these resources as it becomes aware of when and where accidents have occurred. However, the reserved resources are limited, and such incidents are low-probability events. In addition, resource reservation may not be effective since the controller does not know when and where accidents will actually occur. To address this issue, we improve the reliability of scheduling for emergency tasks by proposing a method based on a stealing mechanism. In our method, an emergency task is transmitted by stealing resources allocated to regular flows. The challenges addressed in our work are as follows: (1) emergencies occur only occasionally, but the industrial system must deliver the corresponding flows within their deadlines when they occur; (2) we wish to minimize the impact of emergency flows by reducing the number of stolen flows. The contributions of this work are two-fold: (1) we first define intersections and blocking as new characteristics of flows; and (2) we propose a series of distributed routing algorithms to improve the schedulability and to reduce the impact of emergency flows. We demonstrate that our scheduling algorithm and analysis approach are better than the existing ones by extensive simulations. PMID:28726738

Ubiquitous Emergency Medical Service System Based on Wireless Biosensors, Traffic Information, and Wireless Communication Technologies: Development and Evaluation

PubMed Central

Tan, Tan-Hsu; Gochoo, Munkhjargal; Chen, Yung-Fu; Hu, Jin-Jia; Chiang, John Y.; Chang, Ching-Su; Lee, Ming-Huei; Hsu, Yung-Nian; Hsu, Jiin-Chyr

2017-01-01

This study presents a new ubiquitous emergency medical service system (UEMS) that consists of a ubiquitous tele-diagnosis interface and a traffic guiding subsystem. The UEMS addresses unresolved issues of emergency medical services by managing the sensor wires for eliminating inconvenience for both patients and paramedics in an ambulance, providing ubiquitous accessibility of patients’ biosignals in remote areas where the ambulance cannot arrive directly, and offering availability of real-time traffic information which can make the ambulance reach the destination within the shortest time. In the proposed system, patient’s biosignals and real-time video, acquired by wireless biosensors and a webcam, can be simultaneously transmitted to an emergency room for pre-hospital treatment via WiMax/3.5 G networks. Performances of WiMax and 3.5 G, in terms of initialization time, data rate, and average end-to-end delay are evaluated and compared. A driver can choose the route of the shortest time among the suggested routes by Google Maps after inspecting the current traffic conditions based on real-time CCTV camera streams and traffic information. The destination address can be inputted vocally for easiness and safety in driving. A series of field test results validates the feasibility of the proposed system for application in real-life scenarios. PMID:28117724

Ubiquitous Emergency Medical Service System Based on Wireless Biosensors, Traffic Information, and Wireless Communication Technologies: Development and Evaluation.

PubMed

Tan, Tan-Hsu; Gochoo, Munkhjargal; Chen, Yung-Fu; Hu, Jin-Jia; Chiang, John Y; Chang, Ching-Su; Lee, Ming-Huei; Hsu, Yung-Nian; Hsu, Jiin-Chyr

2017-01-21

This study presents a new ubiquitous emergency medical service system (UEMS) that consists of a ubiquitous tele-diagnosis interface and a traffic guiding subsystem. The UEMS addresses unresolved issues of emergency medical services by managing the sensor wires for eliminating inconvenience for both patients and paramedics in an ambulance, providing ubiquitous accessibility of patients' biosignals in remote areas where the ambulance cannot arrive directly, and offering availability of real-time traffic information which can make the ambulance reach the destination within the shortest time. In the proposed system, patient's biosignals and real-time video, acquired by wireless biosensors and a webcam, can be simultaneously transmitted to an emergency room for pre-hospital treatment via WiMax/3.5 G networks. Performances of WiMax and 3.5 G, in terms of initialization time, data rate, and average end-to-end delay are evaluated and compared. A driver can choose the route of the shortest time among the suggested routes by Google Maps after inspecting the current traffic conditions based on real-time CCTV camera streams and traffic information. The destination address can be inputted vocally for easiness and safety in driving. A series of field test results validates the feasibility of the proposed system for application in real-life scenarios.

Large system change challenges: addressing complex critical issues in linked physical and social domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waddell, Steve; Cornell, Sarah; Hsueh, Joe; Ozer, Ceren; McLachlan, Milla; Birney, Anna

2015-04-01

Most action to address contemporary complex challenges, including the urgent issues of global sustainability, occurs piecemeal and without meaningful guidance from leading complex change knowledge and methods. The potential benefit of using such knowledge is greater efficacy of effort and investment. However, this knowledge and its associated tools and methods are under-utilized because understanding about them is low, fragmented between diverse knowledge traditions, and often requires shifts in mindsets and skills from expert-led to participant-based action. We have been engaged in diverse action-oriented research efforts in Large System Change for sustainability. For us, "large" systems can be characterized as large-scale systems - up to global - with many components, of many kinds (physical, biological, institutional, cultural/conceptual), operating at multiple levels, driven by multiple forces, and presenting major challenges for people involved. We see change of such systems as complex challenges, in contrast with simple or complicated problems, or chaotic situations. In other words, issues and sub-systems have unclear boundaries, interact with each other, and are often contradictory; dynamics are non-linear; issues are not "controllable", and "solutions" are "emergent" and often paradoxical. Since choices are opportunity-, power- and value-driven, these social, institutional and cultural factors need to be made explicit in any actionable theory of change. Our emerging network is sharing and building a knowledge base of experience, heuristics, and theories of change from multiple disciplines and practice domains. We will present our views on focal issues for the development of the field of large system change, which include processes of goal-setting and alignment; leverage of systemic transitions and transformation; and the role of choice in influencing critical change processes, when only some sub-systems or levels of the system behave in purposeful ways, while others are undeniably and unavoidably deterministic.

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

PubMed Central

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

2006-01-01

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

Health professionals' views on health literacy issues for culturally and linguistically diverse women in maternity care: barriers, enablers and the need for an integrated approach.

PubMed

Hughson, Jo-Anne; Marshall, Fiona; Daly, Justin Oliver; Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Hajek, John; Story, David

2018-02-01

Objective To identify health literacy issues when providing maternity care to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women, and the strategies needed for health professionals to collaboratively address these issues. Methods A qualitative case study design was undertaken at one large metropolitan Australian hospital serving a highly CALD population. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a range of maternity healthcare staff. The data were analysed thematically. The study is informed by a framework of cultural competence education interventions for health professionals and a health literacy framework. Results Eighteen clinicians participated in the interviews (seven midwives, five obstetricians, five physiotherapists, one social worker, and one occupational therapist). Emergent themes of health literacy-related issues were: patient-based factors (communication and cultural barriers, access issues); provider-based factors (time constraints, interpreter issues); and enablers (cultural awareness among staff, technology). Conclusions There are significant health literacy and systemic issues affecting the hospital's provision of maternity care for CALD women. These findings, mapped onto the four domains of cultural competence education interventions will inform a technology-delivered health literacy intervention for CALD maternity patients. This approach may be applied to other culturally diverse healthcare settings to foster patient health literacy. What is known about the topic? There are health inequities for pregnant women of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Low health literacy compounded by language and cultural factors contribute to these inequities and access to interpreters in pregnancy care remains an ongoing issue. Pregnancy smart phone applications are a popular source of health information for pregnant women yet these apps are not tailored for CALD women nor are they part of a regulated industry. What does this paper add? This paper provides clinician and language service staff perspectives on key health literacy issues that are both patient-based and provider-based. This research confirms that the complex interplay of social and practical factors contributes to and perpetuates low health literacy, creating barriers to health access; it also highlights several enablers for increasing CALD health literacy and access. These include greater health practitioner awareness and accommodation of CALD women's needs and the provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate eHealth resources. What are the implications for practitioners? eHealth resources are emerging as valuable enabling tools to address the health literacy and information needs of pregnant women. However, these resources need to be used adjunctively with health practitioner communication. Both resource developers and health practitioners need to understand issues affecting CALD patients and their needs. Developers need to consider how the resource addresses these needs. Training of health professionals about culture-specific issues may help to enhance communication with, and therefore health literacy among, individual cultural groups. Further, formalised language and interpreting training of bi- or multilingual health professionals is advised to ensure that they are able to interpret to a professional standard when called on to do so.

Alternative Processes for Water Reclamation and Solid Waste Processing in a Physical/chemical Bioregenerative Life Support System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Tom D.

1990-01-01

Viewgraphs on alternative processes for water reclamation and solid waste processing in a physical/chemical-bioregenerative life support system are presented. The main objective is to focus attention on emerging influences of secondary factors (i.e., waste composition, type and level of chemical contaminants, and effects of microorganisms, primarily bacteria) and to constructively address these issues by discussing approaches which attack them in a direct manner.

Patient mobility in the global marketplace: a multidisciplinary perspective

PubMed Central

Lunt, Neil; Mannion, Russell

2014-01-01

There is a growing global market in healthcare and patients. And while there is a small body of evidence emerging around this phenomenon commonly known as medical tourism there remain significant unanswered policy and research questions which need to be addressed. We outline some of the key issues set against the six key disciplinary preoccupations of the journal: epidemiology, health economics, health policy ethics, politics of health, health management, and health policy. PMID:24847479

Some Ecological Contexts of Attitudes Concerning Issues of Civil Defense.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-01

Urban Research AEAWOKUINMER University of Pittsburgh 48121 Pittsburgh, PA 15260 It. CONTROLLING OFFICE NAME AND ADDRESS IS. REPORT OATS March, 1983...Federal Emergency Management Agency 13. NUJMBER OF PAGES Washington, D.C. 2047227 14. MONITORING AGENCY NAME & AODRIESS(lf different 1mm Controlling ...period and prior to any Presidential action) is also quite credible (since in such a process, the individual families " control ," so to say, the time of

Industrial Accidents Triggered by Natural Hazards: an Emerging Risk Issue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2010-05-01

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

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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

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

PubMed Central

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

2016-01-01

Background In this article, we present recent evidence from studies focused on the implementation, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV infection; discuss PrEP scale-up to date, including the observed levels of access and policy development; and elaborate on key emerging policy and research issues to consider for further scale-up, with a special focus on lower-middle income countries. Discussion The 2015 WHO Early Release Guidelines for HIV Treatment and Prevention reflect both scientific evidence and new policy perspectives. Those guidelines present a timely challenge to health systems for the scaling up of not only treatment for every person living with HIV infection but also the offer of PrEP to those at substantial risk. Delivery and uptake of both universal antiretroviral therapy (ART) and PrEP will require nation-wide commitment and could reinvigorate health systems to develop more comprehensive “combination prevention” programmes and support wider testing linked to both treatments and other prevention options for populations at highest risk who are currently not accessing services. Various gaps in current health systems will need to be addressed to achieve strategic scale-up of PrEP, including developing prioritization strategies, strengthening drug regulations, determining cost and funding sources, training health providers, supporting user adherence and creating demand. Conclusions The initial steps in the scale-up of PrEP globally suggest feasibility, acceptability and likely impact. However, to prevent setbacks in less well-resourced settings, countries will need to anticipate and address challenges such as operational and health systems barriers, drug cost and regulatory policies, health providers’ openness to prescribing PrEP to populations at substantial risk, demand and legal and human rights issues. Emerging problems will require creative solutions and will continue to illustrate the complexity of PrEP implementation. PMID:27760685

Psychiatry and emergency medicine: medical student and physician attitudes toward homeless persons.

PubMed

Morrison, Ann; Roman, Brenda; Borges, Nicole

2012-05-01

The purpose of the study was to explore changes in medical students' attitudes toward homeless persons during the Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine clerkships. Simultaneously, this study explored attitudes toward homeless persons held by Psychiatry and Emergency Medicine residents and faculty in an attempt to uncover the "hidden curriculum" in medical education, in which values are communicated from teacher to student outside of the formal instruction. A group of 79 students on Psychiatry and 66 on Emergency Medicine clerkships were surveyed at the beginning and end of their rotation regarding their attitudes toward homeless persons by use of the Health Professionals' Attitudes Toward the Homeless Inventory (HPATHI). The HPATHI was also administered to 31 Psychiatry residents and faculty and 41 Emergency Medicine residents and faculty one time during the course of this study. For Psychiatry clerks, t-tests showed significant differences pre- and post-clerkship experiences on 2 of the 23 items on the HPATHI. No statistically significant differences were noted for the Emergency Medicine students. An analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences on 7 out of the 23 survey questions for residents and faculty in Psychiatry, as compared with those in Emergency Medicine. Results suggest that medical students showed small differences in their attitudes toward homeless people following clerkships in Psychiatry but not in Emergency Medicine. Regarding resident and faculty results, significant differences between specialties were noted, with Psychiatry residents and faculty exhibiting more favorable attitudes toward homeless persons than residents and faculty in Emergency Medicine. Given that medical student competencies should be addressing the broader social issues of homelessness, medical schools need to first understand the attitudes of medical students to such issues, and then develop curricula to overcome inaccurate or stigmatizing beliefs.

Methodological developments in US state-level Genuine Progress Indicators: toward GPI 2.0

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bagstad, Kenneth J.; Berik, Günseli; Gaddis, Erica J. Brown

2014-01-01

The Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) has emerged as an important monetary measure of economic well-being. Unlike mainstream economic indicators, primarily Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the GPI accounts for both the benefits and costs of economic production across diverse economic, social, and environmental domains in a more comprehensive manner. Recently, the GPI has gained traction in subnational policy in the United States, with GPI studies being conducted in a number of states and with their formal adoption by several state governments. As the GPI is applied in different locations, new methods are developed, different data sources are available, and new issues of policy relevance are addressed using its component indicators. This has led to a divergence in methods, reducing comparability between studies and yielding results that are of varying methodological sophistication. In this study, we review the “state of the art” in recent US state-level GPI studies, focusing on those from Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Utah, and Vermont. Through adoption of a consistent approach, these and future GPI studies could utilize a framework that supports more uniform, comparable, and accurate measurements of progress. We also identify longer-term issues, particularly related to treatment of nonrenewable resource depletion, government spending, income inequality, and ecosystem services. As these issues are successfully addressed and disseminated, a “GPI 2.0” will emerge that better measures economic well-being and has greater accuracy and policy relevance than past GPI measurements. As the GPI expands further into mainstream policy analysis, a more formal process by which methods could be updated, standardized, and applied is needed.

Public participation in decision-making on the coverage of new antivirals for hepatitis C.

PubMed

Kieslich, Katharina; Ahn, Jeonghoon; Badano, Gabriele; Chalkidou, Kalipso; Cubillos, Leonardo; Hauegen, Renata Curi; Henshall, Chris; Krubiner, Carleigh B; Littlejohns, Peter; Lu, Lanting; Pearson, Steven D; Rid, Annette; Whitty, Jennifer A; Wilson, James

2016-08-15

Purpose - New hepatitis C medicines such as sofosbuvir underline the need to balance considerations of innovation, clinical evidence, budget impact and equity in health priority-setting. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of public participation in addressing these considerations. Design/methodology/approach - The paper employs a comparative case study approach. It explores the experience of four countries - Brazil, England, South Korea and the USA - in making coverage decisions about the antiviral sofosbuvir and involving the public and patients in these decision-making processes. Findings - Issues emerging from public participation ac tivities include the role of the universal right to health in Brazil, the balance between innovation and budget impact in England, the effect of unethical medical practices on public perception in South Korea and the legitimacy of priority-setting processes in the USA. Providing policymakers are receptive to these issues, public participation activities may be re-conceptualized as processes that illuminate policy problems relevant to a particular context, thereby promoting an agenda-setting role for the public. Originality/value - The paper offers an empirical analysis of public involvement in the case of sofosbuvir, where the relevant considerations that bear on priority-setting decisions have been particularly stark. The perspectives that emerge suggest that public participation contributes to raising attention to issues that need to be addressed by policymakers. Public participation activities can thus contribute to setting policy agendas, even if that is not their explicit purpose. However, the actualization of this contribution is contingent on the receptiveness of policymakers.

Computer- and Internet-related intellectual property issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Stuart P.

2001-05-01

Computer-related technologies, such as the Internet, have posed new challenges for intellectual property law. Legislation and court decisions impacting patents, copyrights, trade secrets and trademarks have adapted intellectual property law to address new issues brought about by such emerging technologies. As the pace of technological change continues to increase, intellectual property law will need to keep up. Accordingly, the balance struck by intellectual property laws today will likely be set askew by technological changes in the future. Engineers need to consider not only the law as it exists today, but also how it might change in the future. Likewise, lawyers and judges need to consider legal issues not only in view of the current state of the art in technology, but also with an eye to technologies yet to come.

Consultation for Simple Laceration Repair When On-Call in the Emergency Department: Potential Quagmire.

PubMed

Zbar, Ross I S; Monico, Edward; Calise, Arthur

2017-07-01

What are the forces obligating a plastic surgeon who is on-call for the emergency department to respond to a consultation request for repair of a simple laceration? Although the duties are clear in cases of obvious surgical emergency, ambiguity and subsequent conflict may arise when the true nature of the emergency is less clear. Does the consultant's clinical discretion dictate the obligation in the case of a simple laceration; or is it subservient to either the discretion of the requesting health-care provider or even the patient? Do federal statutes such as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or perhaps more local rules apply, such as the by-laws of the hospital? It would behoove all medical practitioners to familiarize themselves with both the legal and moral implications of these issues. Having legitimate policies in place which actively address those situations where the consultative obligation is unclear is critical to resolve potential conflict.

BIM based virtual environment for fire emergency evacuation.

PubMed

Wang, Bin; Li, Haijiang; Rezgui, Yacine; Bradley, Alex; Ong, Hoang N

2014-01-01

Recent building emergency management research has highlighted the need for the effective utilization of dynamically changing building information. BIM (building information modelling) can play a significant role in this process due to its comprehensive and standardized data format and integrated process. This paper introduces a BIM based virtual environment supported by virtual reality (VR) and a serious game engine to address several key issues for building emergency management, for example, timely two-way information updating and better emergency awareness training. The focus of this paper lies on how to utilize BIM as a comprehensive building information provider to work with virtual reality technologies to build an adaptable immersive serious game environment to provide real-time fire evacuation guidance. The innovation lies on the seamless integration between BIM and a serious game based virtual reality (VR) environment aiming at practical problem solving by leveraging state-of-the-art computing technologies. The system has been tested for its robustness and functionality against the development requirements, and the results showed promising potential to support more effective emergency management.

A prospective multiple case study of the impact of emerging scientific evidence on established colorectal cancer screening programs: a study protocol.

PubMed

Geddie, Hannah; Dobrow, Mark J; Hoch, Jeffrey S; Rabeneck, Linda

2012-06-01

Health-policy decision making is a complex and dynamic process, for which strong evidentiary support is required. This includes scientifically produced research, as well as information that relates to the context in which the decision takes place. Unlike scientific evidence, this "contextual evidence" is highly variable and often includes information that is not scientifically produced, drawn from sources such as political judgement, program management experience and knowledge, or public values. As the policy decision-making process is variable and difficult to evaluate, it is often unclear how this heterogeneous evidence is identified and incorporated into "evidence-based policy" decisions. Population-based colorectal cancer screening poses an ideal context in which to examine these issues. In Canada, colorectal cancer screening programs have been established in several provinces over the past five years, based on the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or the fecal immunochemical test. However, as these programs develop, new scientific evidence for screening continues to emerge. Recently published randomized controlled trials suggest that the use of flexible sigmoidoscopy for population-based screening may pose a greater reduction in mortality than the FOBT. This raises the important question of how policy makers will address this evidence, given that screening programs are being established or are already in place. This study will examine these issues prospectively and will focus on how policy makers monitor emerging scientific evidence and how both scientific and contextual evidence are identified and applied for decisions about health system improvement. This study will employ a prospective multiple case study design, involving participants from Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Quebec. In each province, data will be collected via document analysis and key informant interviews. Documents will include policy briefs, reports, meeting minutes, media releases, and correspondence. Interviews will be conducted in person with senior administrative leaders, government officials, screening experts, and high-level cancer system stakeholders. The proposed study comprises the third and final phase of an Emerging Team grant to address the challenges of health-policy decision making and colorectal cancer screening decisions in Canada. This study will contribute a unique prospective look at how policy makers address new, emerging scientific evidence in several different policy environments and at different stages of program planning and implementation. Findings will provide important insight into the various approaches that are or should be used to monitor emerging evidence, the relative importance of scientific versus contextual evidence for decision making, and the tools and processes that may be important to support challenging health-policy decisions.

Geoethics in the Years of Living Dangerously

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt, J.

2014-12-01

The geosciences lag behind the ecologic and atmospheric sciences in addressing the major scientific and societal ethical issues facing the inhabitants of planet Earth. Regardless, major emerging ethical issues at the interface of the earth system with society demand geoscientist engagement. These include climate change, extinction and biodiversity decline, transformation of terrestrial landscapes and related impacts on ocean ecosystems, and the consequential resonance of these changes on human health, economic and environmental justice, and political stability. The societal factors driving these issues derive from a world view founded on speciesism (human dominion), utilitarian use of resources, unquestioned population and economic growth, and human difficulty in perceiving deep time and large spatial scale. Accommodation of the supernatural, mythical, and political realms with science has led to widespread conflation of scientific consensus with opinion, driving denial of both climate change and evolution. Future success in rationally addressing these ethical conundrums requires geoscientist engagement across the social, political, economic, ethical, philosophical, and historical realms of inquiry. Geoscientists must be well-versed in earth system science principles and the major geologic concepts relevant to understanding anthropogenic change including deep time, the fossil record of evolution, and changes across multiple spatial and temporal scales that transcend human experience. They must also: 1) confront the global population issue, using the archaeological and historical record of its recent rapidly accelerated growth, especially as it impacts resource consumption and earth system function, 2) forcefully address the effects of agriculture on the atmosphere, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, disease, urbanization, and political instability, 3) apply the synthetic principles of conservation biology, including ecosystem science, geoecology, and major advances in understanding the cognitive abilities and social dimensions of non-human animals to address ethical issues involving humanity's impact on the Earth's biota, and 4) work to end the accommodation of belief systems with science that invariably leads to denialism and historical confabulation.

Cultural competency: providing quality care to diverse populations.

PubMed

Betancourt, Joseph R

2006-12-01

The goal of this paper is to define cultural competence and present a practical framework to address crosscultural challenges that emerge in the clinical encounter, with a particular focus on the issue of nonadherence. English-language literature, both primary and reports from various agencies, and the author's personal experiences in clinical practice. Relevant literature on patient-centered care and cultural competence. There is a growing literature that delineates the impact of sociocultural factors, race, ethnicity, and limited-English proficiency on health and clinical care. The field of cultural competence focuses on addressing these issues. Health care providers need a practical set of tools and skills that will enable them to provide quality care to patients during a brief encounter, whatever differences in background that may exist. Cultural competence has evolved from the gathering of information and making of assumptions about patients on the basis of their sociocultural background to the development of skills to implement the principles of patient-centered care. This patient-based approach to cross-cultural care consists of first, assessing core cross-cultural issues; second, exploring the meaning of the illness to the patient; third, determining the social context in which the patient lives; and fourth, engaging in negotiation with the patient to encourage adherence. Addressing adherence is a particularly challenging issue, the determinants of which are multifactorial, and the ESFT (explanatory/social/fears/treatment) model--derived from the patient-based approach--is a tool that identifies barriers to adherence and provides strategies to address them. It obviously is impossible to learn everything about every culture and that should not be expected. Instead, we should learn about the communities we care for. More important, we should have a framework that allows us to provide appropriate care for any patient--one that deals with issues of adherence--regardless of the patient's race, ethnicity, or cultural background.

On data processing required to derive mobility patterns from passively-generated mobile phone data

PubMed Central

Wang, Feilong; Chen, Cynthia

2018-01-01

Passively-generated mobile phone data is emerging as a potential data source for transportation research and applications. Despite the large amount of studies based on the mobile phone data, only a few have reported the properties of such data, and documented how they have processed the data. In this paper, we describe two types of common mobile phone data: Call Details Record (CDR) data and sightings data, and propose a data processing framework and the associated algorithms to address two key issues associated with the sightings data: locational uncertainty and oscillation. We show the effectiveness of our proposed methods in addressing these two issues compared to the state of art algorithms in the field. We also demonstrate that without proper processing applied to the data, the statistical regularity of human mobility patterns—a key, significant trait identified for human mobility—is over-estimated. We hope this study will stimulate more studies in examining the properties of such data and developing methods to address them. Though not as glamorous as those directly deriving insights on mobility patterns (such as statistical regularity), understanding properties of such data and developing methods to address them is a fundamental research topic on which important insights are derived on mobility patterns. PMID:29398790

Integrating horizon scanning and strategic risk prioritisation using a weight of evidence framework to inform policy decisions.

PubMed

Garnett, K; Lickorish, F A; Rocks, S A; Prpich, G; Rathe, A A; Pollard, S J T

2016-08-01

Poor connection between data on emerging issues and credible policy decisions continues to challenge governments, and is only likely to grow as demands on time and resources increase. Here we summarise recent efforts to integrate horizon scanning and risk prioritisation approaches to better connect emerging issues to the political discourse on environmental and food-related issues. Our categorisation of insights including potential future risks and opportunities to inform policy discussions has emerged from a structured three-year programme of horizon scanning for a UK pan-governmental futures partnership led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Our efforts to integrate horizon scanning and risk prioritisation, utilising a qualitative weight of evidence framework, has created a systematic process for identifying all signals of potential future change with significant impact for the strategic mission and underlying values of policy actors. Our approach encourages an exploration of factors out of the control of organisations, recognising that resilience depends on the flexibility of management strategies and the preparedness to deal with a variety of unexpected outcomes. We discuss how this approach addresses key cultural and evaluative challenges that policy actors have had in embedding horizon scanning in evidence-based policy processes, and suggest further developments to build confidence in the use of horizon scanning for strategic planning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

REVIEWING HIV-RELATED RESEARCH IN EMERGING ECONOMIES: THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT REVIEWING AGENCIES

PubMed Central

Klitzman, Robert; Sexton, Patrina; Hui, Katrina; Hanrahan, Donna; Barnes, Mark; Sugarman, Jeremy; London, Alex John

2015-01-01

Little research has explored the possible effects of government institutions in emerging economies on ethical reviews of multinational research. We conducted semi-structured, in-depth telephone interviews with 15 researchers, Research Ethics Committees (RECs) personnel, and a government agency member involved in multinational HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) research in emerging economies. Ministries of Health (MOH) or other government agencies often play pivotal roles as facilitators or barriers in the research ethics approval process. Government agency RECs reviewing protocols may face particular challenges, as they can lack resources, be poorly organized, have inconsistent review processes and, limited expertise, use differing definitions of national interests, including upholding national reputation and avoiding potential exploitation and stigma of the country’s population. The MOH/governmental review body may be affected by power dynamics and politics in study reviews; may consider issues both related and unrelated to research ethics as understood elsewhere; and may prioritize particular diseases, treatments, or interventions over other topics/types of research. Poor communication and deeply-rooted tensions may exist between sponsor and host countries, impeding optimal interactions and reviews. Investigators must understand and plan for the potential effects of governmental agencies on multinational collaborative research, including preserving adequate time for agency review, and contacting these agencies beforehand to address issues that may arise. Better understanding of these issues can aid and advance appropriate global scientific collaboration. PMID:25388003

Reviewing HIV-Related Research in Emerging Economies: The Role of Government Reviewing Agencies.

PubMed

Sexton, Patrina; Hui, Katrina; Hanrahan, Donna; Barnes, Mark; Sugarman, Jeremy; London, Alex John; Klitzman, Robert

2016-04-01

Little research has explored the possible effects of government institutions in emerging economies on ethical reviews of multinational research. We conducted semi-structured, in-depth telephone interviews with 15 researchers, Research Ethics Committees (RECs) personnel, and a government agency member involved in multinational HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) research in emerging economies. Ministries of Health (MOH) or other government agencies often play pivotal roles as facilitators or barriers in the research ethics approval process. Government agency RECs reviewing protocols may face particular challenges, as they can lack resources, be poorly organized, have inconsistent review processes and limited expertise, and use differing definitions of national interests, including upholding national reputation and avoiding potential exploitation and stigma of the country's population. The MOH/governmental review body may be affected by power dynamics and politics in study reviews; may consider issues both related and unrelated to research ethics as understood elsewhere; and may prioritize particular diseases, treatments, or interventions over other topics/types of research. Poor communication and deeply-rooted tensions may exist between sponsor and host countries, impeding optimal interactions and reviews. Investigators must understand and plan for the potential effects of governmental agencies on multinational collaborative research, including preserving adequate time for agency review, and contacting these agencies beforehand to address issues that may arise. Better understanding of these issues can aid and advance appropriate global scientific collaboration. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Impact of Integrating Crisis Teams into Community Mental Health Services on Emergency Department and Inpatient Demand.

PubMed

Jespersen, Sean; Lawman, Bronwyn; Reed, Fiona; Hawke, Kari; Plummer, Virginia; Gaskin, Cadeyrn J

2016-12-01

This investigation focused on the impact of integrating crisis team members into community mental health services on emergency department and adult mental health inpatient unit demand within an Australian public health service. Mixed methods were used including (a) the comparison of service use data with that of two other comparable services (both of which had community-based crisis teams), (b) surveys of (i) patients and carers and (ii) staff, and (c) focus groups with staff. The numbers of emergency department presentations with mental health conditions and adult mental health inpatient separations increased 13.9 and 5.7 %, respectively, from FY2006/07 to FY2012/13. Between the three services, there were minimal differences in the percentages of presentations with mental health conditions, the distribution of mental health presentations across a 24-h period, and the triage categories assigned to these patients. Survey participants reported that patients used the emergency department due to the urgency of situations, perceptions that gaining access to mental health services would take less time, and the unavailability of mental health services when help is needed. Staff identified several issues (e.g. inappropriate referrals) that may be unnecessary in increasing emergency department demand. The integration of crisis team members into community mental health services does not seem to have produced an increase in emergency department admissions or inpatient separations beyond what might be expected from population growth. The potential may exist, however, to reduce emergency department admissions through addressing the issue of inappropriate referrals.

Focus on environmental justice: new directions in international research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Jayajit

2017-03-01

More than three decades since the emergence of the environmental justice (EJ) movement in the U.S., environmental injustices continue to unfold across the world to include new narratives of air and water pollution, as well as new forms of injustices associated with climate change, energy use, natural disasters, urban greenspaces, and public policies that adversely affect socially disadvantaged communities and future generations. This focus issue of Environmental Research Letters provides an interdisciplinary forum for conceptual, methodological, and empirical scholarship on EJ activism, research, and policy that highlights the continuing salience of an EJ perspective to understanding nature-society linkages. The 16 letters published in this focus issue address a variety of environmental issues and social injustices in multiple countries across the world, and advance EJ research by: (1) demonstrating how environmental injustice emerges through particular policies and political processes; (2) exploring environmental injustices associated with industrialization and industrial pollution; and (3) documenting unjust exposure to various environmental hazards in specific urban landscapes. As the discourse of EJ continues to evolve both topically and geographically, we hope that this focus issue will help establish research agendas for the next generation of EJ scholarship on distributive, procedural, participatory, and other forms of injustices, as well as their interrelationships.

Emerging issues in occupational safety and health.

PubMed

Schulte, Paul A

2006-01-01

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

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2008-09-01

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

2015 White Paper on recent issues in bioanalysis: focus on new technologies and biomarkers (Part 2 - hybrid LBA/LCMS and input from regulatory agencies).

PubMed

Ackermann, Brad; Neubert, Hendrik; Hughes, Nicola; Garofolo, Fabio; Abberley, Lee; Alley, Stephen C; Brown-Augsburger, Patricia; Bustard, Mark; Chen, Lin-Zhi; Heinrich, Julia; Katori, Noriko; Kaur, Surinder; Kirkovsky, Leo; Laterza, Omar F; Le Blaye, Olivier; Lévesque, Ann; Santos, Gustavo Mendes Lima; Olah, Timothy; Savoie, Natasha; Skelly, Michael; Spitz, Susan; Szapacs, Matthew; Tampal, Nilufer; Wang, Jian; Welink, Jan; Wieling, Jaap; Haidar, Sam; Vinter, Stephen; Whale, Emma; Witte, Bärbel

2015-12-01

The 2015 9th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (9th WRIB) took place in Miami, Florida with participation of over 600 professionals from pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, contract research organizations and regulatory agencies worldwide. It is once again a 5-day week long event - a full immersion bioanalytical week - specifically designed to facilitate sharing, reviewing, discussing and agreeing on approaches to address the most current issues of interest in bioanalysis. The topics covered included both small and large molecules, and involved LCMS, hybrid LBA/LCMS, LBA approaches including the focus on biomarkers and immunogenicity. This 2015 White Paper encompasses recommendations that emerged from the extensive discussions held during the workshop, and is aimed at providing the bioanalytical community with key information and practical solutions on topics and issues addressed, in an effort to advance scientific excellence, improve quality and deliver better regulatory compliance. Due to its length, the 2015 edition of this comprehensive White Paper has been divided into three parts. Part 2 covers the recommendations for hybrid LBA/LCMS and regulatory agencies' inputs. Part 1 (small molecule bioanalysis using LCMS) and Part 3 (large molecule bioanalysis using LBA, biomarkers and immunogenicity) will be published in volume 7 of Bioanalysis, issues 22 and 24, respectively.

2016 White Paper on recent issues in bioanalysis: focus on biomarker assay validation (BAV): (Part 2 - Hybrid LBA/LCMS and input from regulatory agencies).

PubMed

Song, An; Lee, Anita; Garofolo, Fabio; Kaur, Surinder; Duggan, Jeff; Evans, Christopher; Palandra, Joe; Donato, Lorella Di; Xu, Keyang; Bauer, Ronald; Bustard, Mark; Chen, Linzhi; Cocea, Laurent; Croft, Stephanie; Galliccia, Fabrizio; Haidar, Sam; Hughes, Nicola; Ishii-Watabe, Akiko; Islam, Rafiqul; Jones, Barry; Kadavil, John; Krantz, Carsten; Lima Santos, Gustavo Mendes; Olah, Timothy; Pedras-Vasconcelos, João; Staelens, Ludovicus; Saito, Yoshiro; Savoie, Natasha; Scheibner, Kara; Spitz, Susan; Tampal, Nilufer; Thomas, Eric; Vinter, Stephen; Wakelin-Smith, Jason; Welink, Jan; Zeng, Jianing; Zhou, Shaolian

2016-12-01

The 2016 10th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (10 th WRIB) took place in Orlando, Florida with participation of close to 700 professionals from pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, contract research organizations, and regulatory agencies worldwide. WRIB was once again a 5-day, weeklong event - A Full Immersion Week of Bioanalysis including Biomarkers and Immunogenicity. As usual, it is specifically designed to facilitate sharing, reviewing, discussing and agreeing on approaches to address the most current issues of interest including both small and large molecules involving LCMS, hybrid LBA/LCMS, and LBA approaches, with the focus on biomarkers and immunogenicity. This 2016 White Paper encompasses recommendations emerging from the extensive discussions held during the workshop, and is aimed to provide the bioanalytical community with key information and practical solutions on topics and issues addressed, in an effort to enable advances in scientific excellence, improved quality and better regulatory compliance. This White Paper is published in 3 parts due to length. This part (Part 2) discusses the recommendations for Hybrid LBA/LCMS and regulatory inputs from major global health authorities. Parts 1 (small molecule bioanalysis using LCMS) and Part 3 (large molecule bioanalysis using LBA, biomarkers and immunogenicity) have been published in the Bioanalysis journal, issues 22 and 23, respectively.

2016 White Paper on recent issues in bioanalysis: focus on biomarker assay validation (BAV) (Part 1 - small molecules, peptides and small molecule biomarkers by LCMS).

PubMed

Yang, Eric; Welink, Jan; Cape, Stephanie; Woolf, Eric; Sydor, Jens; James, Christopher; Goykhman, Dina; Arnold, Mark; Addock, Neil; Bauer, Ronald; Buonarati, Michael; Ciccimaro, Eugene; Dodda, Raj; Evans, Christopher; Garofolo, Fabio; Hughes, Nicola; Islam, Rafiq; Nehls, Corey; Wilson, Amanda; Briscoe, Chad; Bustard, Mark; Coppola, Laura; Croft, Stephanie; Drexler, Dieter; Ferrari, Luca; Fraier, Daniela; Jenkins, Rand; Kadavil, John; King, Lloyd; Li, Wenkui; Lima Santos, Gustavo Mendes; Musuku, Adrien; Ramanathan, Ragu; Saito, Yoshiro; Savoie, Natasha; Summerfield, Scott; Sun, Rachel; Tampal, Nilufer; Vinter, Steve; Wakelin-Smith, Jason; Yue, Qin

2016-10-07

The 2016 10 th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (10 th WRIB) took place in Orlando, Florida with participation of close to 700 professionals from pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, contract research organizations, and regulatory agencies worldwide. WRIB was once again a 5-day, weeklong event - A Full Immersion Week of Bioanalysis including Biomarkers and Immunogenicity. As usual, it was specifically designed to facilitate sharing, reviewing, discussing and agreeing on approaches to address the most current issues of interest including both small and large molecule analysis involving LCMS, hybrid LBA/LCMS, and LBA approaches, with the focus on biomarkers and immunogenicity. This 2016 White Paper encompasses recommendations emerging from the extensive discussions held during the workshop, and is aimed to provide the bioanalytical community with key information and practical solutions on topics and issues addressed, in an effort to enable advances in scientific excellence, improved quality and better regulatory compliance. This white paper is published in 3 parts due to length. This part (Part 1) discusses the recommendations for small molecules, peptides and small molecule biomarkers by LCMS. Part 2 (Hybrid LBA/LCMS and regulatory inputs from major global health authorities) and Part 3 (large molecule bioanalysis using LBA, biomarkers and immunogenicity) will be published in the Bioanalysis journal, issue 23.

Emergency nurses' knowledge of pain management principles.

PubMed

Tanabe, P; Buschmann, M

2000-08-01

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

A qualitative analysis of interprofessional healthcare team members' perceptions of patient barriers to healthcare engagement.

PubMed

Powell, Rhea E; Doty, Amanda; Casten, Robin J; Rovner, Barry W; Rising, Kristin L

2016-09-20

Healthcare systems increasingly engage interprofessional healthcare team members such as case managers, social workers, and community health workers to work directly with patients and improve population health. This study elicited perspectives of interprofessional healthcare team members regarding patient barriers to health and suggestions to address these barriers. This is a qualitative study employing focus groups and semi-structured interviews with 39 interprofessional healthcare team members in Philadelphia to elicit perceptions of patients' needs and experiences with the health system, and suggestions for positioning health care systems to better serve patients. Themes were identified using a content analysis approach. Three focus groups and 21 interviews were conducted with 26 hospital-based and 13 ambulatory-based participants. Three domains emerged to characterize barriers to care: social determinants, health system factors, and patient trust in the health system. Social determinants included insurance and financial shortcomings, mental health and substance abuse issues, housing and transportation-related limitations, and unpredictability associated with living in poverty. Suggestions for addressing these barriers included increased financial assistance from the health system, and building a workforce to address these determinants directly. Health care system factors included poor care coordination, inadequate communication of hospital discharge instructions, and difficulty navigating complex systems. Suggestions for addressing these barriers included enhanced communication between care sites, patient-centered scheduling, and improved patient education especially in discharge planning. Finally, factors related to patient trust of the health system emerged. Participants reported that patients are often intimidated by the health system, mistrusting of physicians, and fearful of receiving a serious diagnosis or prognosis. A suggestion for mitigating these issues was increased visibility of the health system within communities to foster trust and help providers gain a better understanding of unique community needs. This work explored interprofessional healthcare team members' perceptions of patient barriers to healthcare engagement. Participants identified barriers related to social determinants of health, complex system organization, and patient mistrust of the health system. Participants offered concrete suggestions to address these barriers, with suggestions supporting current healthcare reform efforts that aim at addressing social determinants and improving health system coordination and adding new insight into how systems might work to improve patient and community trust.

Structured inspection of medications carried and stored by emergency medical services agencies identifies practices that may lead to medication errors.

PubMed

Kupas, Douglas F; Shayhorn, Meghan A; Green, Paul; Payton, Thomas F

2012-01-01

Medications are essential to emergency medical services (EMS) agencies when providing lifesaving care, but the EMS environment has challenges related to safe medication storage when compared with a hospital setting. We developed a structured process, based on common pharmacy practices, to review medications carried by EMS agencies to identify situations that may lead to medication error and to determine some best practices that may reduce potential errors and the risk of patient harm. To provide a descriptive account of EMS practices related to carrying and storing medications that have the potential for causing a medication administration error or patient harm. Using a structured process for inspection, an emergency medicine pharmacist and emergency physician(s) reviewed the medication carrying and storage practices of all nine advanced life support ambulance agencies within a five-county EMS region. Each medication carried and stored by the EMS agency was inspected for predetermined and spontaneously observed issues that could lead to medication error. These issues were documented and photographed. Two EMS medical directors reviewed each potential error for the risk of producing patient harm and assigned each to a category of high, moderate, or low risk. Because issues of temperature on EMS medications have been addressed elsewhere, this study concentrated on potential for EMS medication administration errors exclusive of storage temperatures. When reviewing medications carried by the nine EMS agencies, 38 medication safety issues were identified (range 1 to 8 per EMS agency). Of these, 16 were considered to be high risk, 14 moderate risk, and eight low risk for patient harm. Examples of potential issues included carrying expired medications, container-labeling issues, different medications stored in look-alike vials or prefilled syringes in the same compartment, and carrying crystalloid solutions next to solutions premixed with a medication. When reviewing medications stored at the EMS agency stations, eight safety issues were identified (range from 0 to 4 per station), including five moderate-risk and three low-risk issues. No agency had any high-risk medication issues related to storage of medication stock in the station. We observed potential medication safety issues related to how medications are carried and stored at all nine EMS agencies in a five-county region. Understanding these issues may assist EMS agencies in reducing the potential for a medication error and risk of patient harm. More research is needed to determine whether following these suggested best practices for carrying medications on EMS vehicles actually reduces errors in medication administration by EMS providers or decreases patient harm.

Managing flood risks in the Mekong Delta: How to address emerging challenges under climate change and socioeconomic developments.

PubMed

Hoang, Long Phi; Biesbroek, Robbert; Tri, Van Pham Dang; Kummu, Matti; van Vliet, Michelle T H; Leemans, Rik; Kabat, Pavel; Ludwig, Fulco

2018-02-24

Climate change and accelerating socioeconomic developments increasingly challenge flood-risk management in the Vietnamese Mekong River Delta-a typical large, economically dynamic and highly vulnerable delta. This study identifies and addresses the emerging challenges for flood-risk management. Furthermore, we identify and analyse response solutions, focusing on meaningful configurations of the individual solutions and how they can be tailored to specific challenges using expert surveys, content analysis techniques and statistical inferences. Our findings show that the challenges for flood-risk management are diverse, but critical challenges predominantly arise from the current governance and institutional settings. The top-three challenges include weak collaboration, conflicting management objectives and low responsiveness to new issues. We identified 114 reported solutions and developed six flood management strategies that are tailored to specific challenges. We conclude that the current technology-centric flood management approach is insufficient given the rapid socioecological changes. This approach therefore should be adapted towards a more balanced management configuration where technical and infrastructural measures are combined with institutional and governance resolutions. Insights from this study contribute to the emerging repertoire of contemporary flood management solutions, especially through their configurations and tailoring to specific challenges.

The emergence of molecular profiling and omics techniques in seagrass biology; furthering our understanding of seagrasses.

PubMed

Davey, Peter A; Pernice, Mathieu; Sablok, Gaurav; Larkum, Anthony; Lee, Huey Tyng; Golicz, Agnieszka; Edwards, David; Dolferus, Rudy; Ralph, Peter

2016-09-01

Seagrass meadows are disappearing at alarming rates as a result of increasing coastal development and climate change. The emergence of omics and molecular profiling techniques in seagrass research is timely, providing a new opportunity to address such global issues. Whilst these applications have transformed terrestrial plant research, they have only emerged in seagrass research within the past decade; In this time frame we have observed a significant increase in the number of publications in this nascent field, and as of this year the first genome of a seagrass species has been sequenced. In this review, we focus on the development of omics and molecular profiling and the utilization of molecular markers in the field of seagrass biology. We highlight the advances, merits and pitfalls associated with such technology, and importantly we identify and address the knowledge gaps, which to this day prevent us from understanding seagrasses in a holistic manner. By utilizing the powers of omics and molecular profiling technologies in integrated strategies, we will gain a better understanding of how these unique plants function at the molecular level and how they respond to on-going disturbance and climate change events.

Emerging technologies in microguidance and control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinberg, Marc S.

1993-01-01

Employing recent advances in microfabrication, the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory has developed inertial guidance instruments of very small size and low cost. Microfabrication employs the batch processing techniques of solid state electronics, such as photolithography, diffusion, and etching, to carve mechanical parts. Within a few years, microfabricated gyroscopes should perform in the 10 to 100 deg/h range. Microfabricated accelerometers have demonstrated performance in the 50 to 500 microgravity range. These instruments will result in not only the redesign of conventional military products, but also new applications that could not exist without small, inexpensive sensors and computing. Draper's microfabricated accelerometers and gyroscopes will be described and test results summarized. Associated electronics and control issues will also be addressed. Gimballed, vibrating gyroscopes and force rebalance accelerometers constructed from bulk silicon, polysilicon surface-machined tuning fork gyroscopes, and quartz resonant accelerometers and gyroscopes are examined. Draper is pursuing several types of devices for the following reasons: to address wide ranges of performance, to realize construction in a flat pack, and to lessen the risks associated with emerging technologies.

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

Palomar, J.; Wyman, R.

This document provides recommendations to guide reviewers in the application of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCS) to the control, monitoring and protection of nuclear reactors. The first topics addressed are system-level design issues, specifically including safety. The document then discusses concerns about the PLC manufacturing organization and the protection system engineering organization. Supplementing this document are two appendices. Appendix A summarizes PLC characteristics. Specifically addressed are those characteristics that make the PLC more suitable for emergency shutdown systems than other electrical/electronic-based systems, as well as characteristics that improve reliability of a system. Also covered are PLC characteristics that may create anmore » unsafe operating environment. Appendix B provides an overview of the use of programmable logic controllers in emergency shutdown systems. The intent is to familiarize the reader with the design, development, test, and maintenance phases of applying a PLC to an ESD system. Each phase is described in detail and information pertinent to the application of a PLC is pointed out.« less

Millennium development goals and eye health.

PubMed

Faal, Hannah B

2012-01-01

In September 2000, world leaders made a commitment to build a more equitable, prosperous and safer world by 2015 and launched the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In the previous year, the World Health Organization and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness in partnership launched the global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year 2020-VISION 2020 the Right to Sight. It has focused on the prevention of a disability-blindness and recognized a health issue-sight as a human right. Both global initiatives have made considerable progress with synergy especially on MDG 1-the reduction of poverty and the reduction in numbers of the blind. A review of the MDGs has identified the need to address disparities within and between countries, quality, and disability. Noncommunicable diseases are emerging as a challenge to the MDGs and Vision 2020:0 the Right to Sight. For the future, up to and beyond 2015, there will be need for both initiatives to continue to work in synergy to address present and emerging challenges.

Reconnecting to Spirituality: Christian-Identified Adolescents and Emerging Adult Young Men's Journey from Diagnosis of HIV to Coping.

PubMed

Smith, Sharon T; Blanchard, Jennifer; Kools, Susan; Butler, Derrick

2017-02-01

Spirituality is important to holistic health, yet little is known about its impact on young people with HIV. To address this knowledge deficit, a grounded theory study used semi-structured interviews of 20 Christian-identified adolescent and emerging adult gay males and one perinatally infected male. This study revealed that, to cope with HIV health issues, participants used a process of reconnecting with their spirituality. In order to successfully reconnect with their spirituality, study participants reported a need to re-embrace and re-engage in spiritual practices, hold onto hope, believe they are normal, and commit to beliefs and practices despite rejection from the church.

Management of familial cancer: sequencing, surveillance and society.

PubMed

Samuel, Nardin; Villani, Anita; Fernandez, Conrad V; Malkin, David

2014-12-01

The clinical management of familial cancer begins with recognition of patterns of cancer occurrence suggestive of genetic susceptibility in a proband or pedigree, to enable subsequent investigation of the underlying DNA mutations. In this regard, next-generation sequencing of DNA continues to transform cancer diagnostics, by enabling screening for cancer-susceptibility genes in the context of known and emerging familial cancer syndromes. Increasingly, not only are candidate cancer genes sequenced, but also entire 'healthy' genomes are mapped in children with cancer and their family members. Although large-scale genomic analysis is considered intrinsic to the success of cancer research and discovery, a number of accompanying ethical and technical issues must be addressed before this approach can be adopted widely in personalized therapy. In this Perspectives article, we describe our views on how the emergence of new sequencing technologies and cancer surveillance strategies is altering the framework for the clinical management of hereditary cancer. Genetic counselling and disclosure issues are discussed, and strategies for approaching ethical dilemmas are proposed.

Nitride micro-LEDs and beyond--a decade progress review.

PubMed

Jiang, H X; Lin, J Y

2013-05-06

Since their inception, micro-size light emitting diode (µLED) arrays based on III-nitride semiconductors have emerged as a promising technology for a range of applications. This paper provides an overview on a decade progresses on realizing III-nitride µLED based high voltage single-chip AC/DC-LEDs without power converters to address the key compatibility issue between LEDs and AC power grid infrastructure; and high-resolution solid-state self-emissive microdisplays operating in an active driving scheme to address the need of high brightness, efficiency and robustness of microdisplays. These devices utilize the photonic integration approach by integrating µLED arrays on-chip. Other applications of nitride µLED arrays are also discussed.

Strengthening the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster response capabilities.

PubMed

Cannon, Glenn M

2008-04-01

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Disaster Operations Directorate provides the core federal response capability to save lives and to protect property in US communities that have been overwhelmed by the impact of a major disaster or emergency. The directorate executes its mission through three main programme areas: operational direction, command and control; operational teams; and operational planning. Based on lessons learned from years of disaster response experience, FEMA is now taking a more proactive and collaborative approach with its partners. This paper discusses how FEMA is placing a greater emphasis on response operations and strengthening capabilities across the full range of operational and support missions by comprehensively revamping its disaster operations model; enhancing its headquarters and regional operations centres; enhancing its headquarters and regional operational planning capabilities; and addressing catastrophic disaster planning and related critical preparedness issues.

The Emergence and Impact of Intelligent Machines. Chapter 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurzweil, Raymond

2007-01-01

The following issues are addressed in this essay: a) Models of Technology Trends: A discussion of why nanotechnology and related advanced technologies are inevitable. The underlying technologies are deeply integrated into our society and are advancing on many diverse fronts; and b) The Economic Imperatives of the Law of Accelerating Returns: The exponential advance of technology, including the accelerating miniaturization of technology, is driven by economic imperative, and, in turn, has a pervasive impact on the economy.

An overview of city analytics

PubMed Central

Higham, Desmond J.; Batty, Michael; Bettencourt, Luís M. A.; Greetham, Danica Vukadinović; Grindrod, Peter

2017-01-01

We introduce the 14 articles in the Royal Society Open Science themed issue on City Analytics. To provide a high-level, strategic, overview, we summarize the topics addressed and the analytical tools deployed. We then give a more detailed account of the individual contributions. Our overall aims are (i) to highlight exciting advances in this emerging, interdisciplinary field, (ii) to encourage further activity and (iii) to emphasize the variety of new, public-domain, datasets that are available to researchers. PMID:28386454

Towards a Consensus View on Understanding Nanomaterials Hazards and Managing Exposure: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations

PubMed Central

Hunt, Geoffrey; Lynch, Iseult; Cassee, Flemming; Handy, Richard D.; Fernandes, Teresa F.; Berges, Markus; Kuhlbusch, Thomas A. J.; Dusinska, Maria; Riediker, Michael

2013-01-01

The aim of this article is to present an overview of salient issues of exposure, characterisation and hazard assessment of nanomaterials as they emerged from the consensus-building of experts undertaken within the four year European Commission coordination project NanoImpactNet. The approach adopted is to consolidate and condense the findings and problem-identification in such a way as to identify knowledge-gaps and generate a set of interim recommendations of use to industry, regulators, research bodies and funders. The categories of recommendation arising from the consensual view address: significant gaps in vital factual knowledge of exposure, characterisation and hazards; the development, dissemination and standardisation of appropriate laboratory protocols; address a wide range of technical issues in establishing an adequate risk assessment platform; the more efficient and coordinated gathering of basic data; greater inter-organisational cooperation; regulatory harmonization; the wider use of the life-cycle approaches; and the wider involvement of all stakeholders in the discussion and solution-finding efforts for nanosafety. PMID:28809359

A secure data outsourcing scheme based on Asmuth-Bloom secret sharing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Idris Muhammad, Yusuf; Kaiiali, Mustafa; Habbal, Adib; Wazan, A. S.; Sani Ilyasu, Auwal

2016-11-01

Data outsourcing is an emerging paradigm for data management in which a database is provided as a service by third-party service providers. One of the major benefits of offering database as a service is to provide organisations, which are unable to purchase expensive hardware and software to host their databases, with efficient data storage accessible online at a cheap rate. Despite that, several issues of data confidentiality, integrity, availability and efficient indexing of users' queries at the server side have to be addressed in the data outsourcing paradigm. Service providers have to guarantee that their clients' data are secured against internal (insider) and external attacks. This paper briefly analyses the existing indexing schemes in data outsourcing and highlights their advantages and disadvantages. Then, this paper proposes a secure data outsourcing scheme based on Asmuth-Bloom secret sharing which tries to address the issues in data outsourcing such as data confidentiality, availability and order preservation for efficient indexing.

Nanoinformatics: a new area of research in nanomedicine

PubMed Central

Maojo, Victor; Fritts, Martin; de la Iglesia, Diana; Cachau, Raul E; Garcia-Remesal, Miguel; Mitchell, Joyce A; Kulikowski, Casimir

2012-01-01

Over a decade ago, nanotechnologists began research on applications of nanomaterials for medicine. This research has revealed a wide range of different challenges, as well as many opportunities. Some of these challenges are strongly related to informatics issues, dealing, for instance, with the management and integration of heterogeneous information, defining nomenclatures, taxonomies and classifications for various types of nanomaterials, and research on new modeling and simulation techniques for nanoparticles. Nanoinformatics has recently emerged in the USA and Europe to address these issues. In this paper, we present a review of nanoinformatics, describing its origins, the problems it addresses, areas of interest, and examples of current research initiatives and informatics resources. We suggest that nanoinformatics could accelerate research and development in nanomedicine, as has occurred in the past in other fields. For instance, biomedical informatics served as a fundamental catalyst for the Human Genome Project, and other genomic and –omics projects, as well as the translational efforts that link resulting molecular-level research to clinical problems and findings. PMID:22866003

Political incentives towards replacing animal testing in nanotechnology?

PubMed

Sauer, Ursula G

2009-01-01

The Treaty of Lisbon requests the European Union and the Member States to pay full regard to animal welfare issues when implementing new policies. The present article discusses how these provisions are met in the emerging area of nanotechnology. Political action plans in Europe take into account animal welfare issues to some extent. Funding programmes promote the development of non-animal test methods, however only in the area of nanotoxicology and also here not sufficiently to "pay full regard" to preventing animal testing, let alone to bring about a paradigm change in toxicology or in biomedical research as such. Ethical deliberations on nanotechnology, which influence future policies, so far do not address animal welfare at all. Considering that risk assessment of nanoproducts is conceived as a key element to protect human dignity, ethical deliberations should address the choice of the underlying testing methods and call for basing nanomaterial safety testing upon the latest scientific--and ethically acceptable--technologies. Finally, public involvement in the debate on nanotechnology should take into account information on resulting animal experiments.

Scale-Resolving simulations (SRS): How much resolution do we really need?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Filipe M. S.; Girimaji, Sharath

2017-11-01

Scale-resolving simulations (SRS) are emerging as the computational approach of choice for many engineering flows with coherent structures. The SRS methods seek to resolve only the most important features of the coherent structures and model the remainder of the flow field with canonical closures. With reference to a typical Large-Eddy Simulation (LES), practical SRS methods aim to resolve a considerably narrower range of scales (reduced physical resolution) to achieve an adequate degree of accuracy at reasonable computational effort. While the objective of SRS is well-founded, the criteria for establishing the optimal degree of resolution required to achieve an acceptable level of accuracy are not clear. This study considers the canonical case of the flow around a circular cylinder to address the issue of `optimal' resolution. Two important criteria are developed. The first condition addresses the issue of adequate resolution of the flow field. The second guideline provides an assessment of whether the modeled field is canonical (stochastic) turbulence amenable to closure-based computations.

Nanoinformatics: a new area of research in nanomedicine.

PubMed

Maojo, Victor; Fritts, Martin; de la Iglesia, Diana; Cachau, Raul E; Garcia-Remesal, Miguel; Mitchell, Joyce A; Kulikowski, Casimir

2012-01-01

Over a decade ago, nanotechnologists began research on applications of nanomaterials for medicine. This research has revealed a wide range of different challenges, as well as many opportunities. Some of these challenges are strongly related to informatics issues, dealing, for instance, with the management and integration of heterogeneous information, defining nomenclatures, taxonomies and classifications for various types of nanomaterials, and research on new modeling and simulation techniques for nanoparticles. Nanoinformatics has recently emerged in the USA and Europe to address these issues. In this paper, we present a review of nanoinformatics, describing its origins, the problems it addresses, areas of interest, and examples of current research initiatives and informatics resources. We suggest that nanoinformatics could accelerate research and development in nanomedicine, as has occurred in the past in other fields. For instance, biomedical informatics served as a fundamental catalyst for the Human Genome Project, and other genomic and -omics projects, as well as the translational efforts that link resulting molecular-level research to clinical problems and findings.

Narrative communication in cancer prevention and control: a framework to guide research and application.

PubMed

Kreuter, Matthew W; Green, Melanie C; Cappella, Joseph N; Slater, Michael D; Wise, Meg E; Storey, Doug; Clark, Eddie M; O'Keefe, Daniel J; Erwin, Deborah O; Holmes, Kathleen; Hinyard, Leslie J; Houston, Thomas; Woolley, Sabra

2007-06-01

Narrative forms of communication-including entertainment education, journalism, literature, testimonials, and storytelling-are emerging as important tools for cancer prevention and control. To stimulate critical thinking about the role of narrative in cancer communication and promote a more focused and systematic program of research to understand its effects, we propose a typology of narrative application in cancer control. We assert that narrative has four distinctive capabilities: overcoming resistance, facilitating information processing, providing surrogate social connections, and addressing emotional and existential issues. We further assert that different capabilities are applicable to different outcomes across the cancer control continuum (e.g., prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship). This article describes the empirical evidence and theoretical rationale supporting propositions in the typology, identifies variables likely to moderate narrative effects, raises ethical issues to be addressed when using narrative communication in cancer prevention and control efforts, and discusses potential limitations of using narrative in this way. Future research needs based on these propositions are outlined and encouraged.

Evolutionary ecology of virus emergence.

PubMed

Dennehy, John J

2017-02-01

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

Peto's paradox and the promise of comparative oncology

PubMed Central

Nunney, Leonard; Maley, Carlo C.; Breen, Matthew; Hochberg, Michael E.; Schiffman, Joshua D.

2015-01-01

The past several decades have seen a paradigm shift with the integration of evolutionary thinking into studying cancer. The evolutionary lens is most commonly employed in understanding cancer emergence, tumour growth and metastasis, but there is an increasing realization that cancer defences both between tissues within the individual and between species have been influenced by natural selection. This special issue focuses on discoveries of these deeper evolutionary phenomena in the emerging area of ‘comparative oncology’. Comparing cancer dynamics in different tissues or species can lead to insights into how biology and ecology have led to differences in carcinogenesis, and the diversity, incidence and lethality of cancers. In this introduction to the special issue, we review the history of the field and outline how the contributions use empirical, comparative and theoretical approaches to address the processes and patterns associated with ‘Peto's paradox’, the lack of a statistical relationship of cancer incidence with body size and longevity. This burgeoning area of research can help us understand that cancer is not only a disease but is also a driving force in biological systems and species life histories. Comparative oncology will be key to understanding globally important health issues, including cancer epidemiology, prevention and improved therapies. PMID:26056361

Evolutionary rescue: an emerging focus at the intersection between ecology and evolution.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Andrew; Ronce, Ophélie; Ferriere, Regis; Hochberg, Michael E

2013-01-19

There is concern that the rate of environmental change is now exceeding the capacity of many populations to adapt. Mitigation of biodiversity loss requires science that integrates both ecological and evolutionary responses of populations and communities to rapid environmental change, and can identify the conditions that allow the recovery of declining populations. This special issue focuses on evolutionary rescue (ER), the idea that evolution might occur sufficiently fast to arrest population decline and allow population recovery before extinction ensues. ER emphasizes a shift to a perspective on evolutionary dynamics that focuses on short time-scales, genetic variants of large effects and absolute rather than relative fitness. The contributions in this issue reflect the state of field; the articles address the latest conceptual developments, and report novel theoretical and experimental results. The examples in this issue demonstrate that this burgeoning area of research can inform problems of direct practical concern, such as the conservation of biodiversity, adaptation to climate change and the emergence of infectious disease. The continued development of research on ER will be necessary if we are to understand the extent to which anthropogenic global change will reduce the Earth's biodiversity.

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

PubMed

Ben-Assuli, Ofir

2015-03-01

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

Crucial Issues in the Applied Analysis of Verbal Behavior: Reflections on Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When the Stakes Are High

PubMed Central

Critchfield, Thomas S

2010-01-01

A popular-press self-help manual is reviewed with an eye toward two issues. First, the popularity of such books documents the existence of considerable demand for technologies that address the everyday problems (in the present case, troublesome conversations) of nondisordered individuals. Second, many ideas invoked in popular-press books may be interpretable within an analysis of verbal behavior, although much more than casual translation is required to develop technologies that outperform self-help manuals. I discuss several challenges relevant to research, theory refinement, technology development, and dissemination, and conclude that behavioral alternatives to existing popular-press resources may not emerge anytime soon. PMID:22477467

The APRU Global Health Program: Past and Future.

PubMed

Samet, Jonathan; Withers, Mellissa

2016-01-01

The Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) is an international consortium of 45 universities in the Pacific Rim, representing 16 economies, 130 000 faculty members and more than two million students. The APRU Global Health Program aims to expand existing collaborative research efforts among universities to address regional and global health issues. Since its launch in 2007-08, the program has covered a significant range of topics including emerging public health threats, ageing and chronic diseases, infectious diseases and health security issues, among others. The Program's activities in research, training, and service around the globe illustrate the diverse dimensions of global health. In this paper, the major activities to date are outlined and future planned activities are discussed.

Resource allocation on the frontlines of public health preparedness and response: report of a summit on legal and ethical issues.

PubMed

Barnett, Daniel J; Taylor, Holly A; Hodge, James G; Links, Jonathan M

2009-01-01

In the face of all-hazards preparedness challenges, local and state health department personnel have to date lacked a discrete set of legally and ethically informed public health principles to guide the distribution of scarce resources in crisis settings. To help address this gap, we convened a Summit of academic and practice experts to develop a set of principles for legally and ethically sound public health resource triage decision-making in emergencies. The invitation-only Summit, held in Washington, D.C., on June 29, 2006, assembled 20 experts from a combination of academic institutions and nonacademic leadership, policy, and practice settings. The Summit featured a tabletop exercise designed to highlight resource scarcity challenges in a public health infectious disease emergency. This exercise served as a springboard for Summit participants' subsequent identification of 10 public health emergency resource allocation principles through an iterative process. The final product of the Summit was a set of 10 principles to guide allocation decisions involving scarce resources in public health emergencies. The principles are grouped into three categories: obligations to community; balancing personal autonomy and community well-being/benefit; and good preparedness practice. The 10 Summit-derived principles represent an attempt to link law, ethics, and real-world public health emergency resource allocation practices, and can serve as a useful starting framework to guide further systematic approaches and future research on addressing public health resource scarcity in an all-hazards context.

Evaluation of awareness and preparedness of school Principals and teachers on earthquake reduction effects issues - State's actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kourou, Assimina; Ioakeimidou, Anastasia; Mokos, Vasileios; Bakas, Konstantinos

2013-04-01

It is generally accepted that the effects of the disasters can be mainly reduced if people are aware, well informed and motivated towards a culture of disaster prevention and resilience. Particularly, in earthquake prone countries, a continuous update and education of the public, on earthquake risk management issues, is essential. Schools can play a crucial role concerning training and building a disaster prevention culture, among various community groups. Principals and teachers have a key role to play in any school-wide initiative through developing and reviewing awareness policy, developing and revising emergency response plans, holding emergency drills and training the students. During the last decade, the Greek State have done a lot of efforts in order to better educate teachers and students in disaster preparedness and management, such as: a. implementation of the E.P.P.O.'s educational project "Earthquake Protection at Schools" which is addressed mainly to school Principals. The project started right after the 1999 earthquake in Athens. b. publication of educational material for students, teachers and people with disabilities and publication of guidelines concerning the development of emergency plans. c. implementation of projects and elaboration of innovative and mobile experiential educational material connected with school curricula. The aim of the present study is to assess levels of awareness and preparedness concerning earthquake protection issues, as well as risk mitigation behaviours, undertaken by teachers at individual, family and workplace level. Furthermore, the assessment of teachers' current levels of earthquake awareness and preparedness, could lead to conclusions about the effectiveness of State's current Policy. In this framework, specific questionnaires were developed and were addressed to Principals and teachers who were responsible for the preparation of their School Emergency Preparedness Plans. The sample of the survey comprises of primary and secondary schools of 9 different prefectures of Greece. Approximately 1.100 responses have been gathered. The analysis of the results indicated that approximately 60% of the surveyed teachers have experienced at least one earthquake at school, which is expected due to Greece's high seismicity (50% of the released seismic energy in Europe). Additionally, the level of knowledge of surveyed teachers on earthquake protection measures is very high. A significant majority of the teachers, were reported being familiar with the identification and reduction of non structural hazards at their home, and the development of School's Emergency Plans. On the other hand, approximately the 25% of the responders were not aware of their school emergency plan or they claimed that such a plan does not exist at their schools. These teachers have not participated in any earthquake school drill. Thus, even though a lot of State's initiatives have been implemented till now to build awareness towards earthquakes and establish a preparedness status for prospective earthquakes in school community, there are still proposed actions to be taken in order to improve the teachers' ability to plan or implement activities concerning earthquake management issues.

Preface - 'Biogeochemistry-ecosystem interaction on changing continental margins in the Anthropocene'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, K.-K.; Emeis, Kay-Christian; Levin, Lisa A.; Naqvi, Wajih; Roman, Michael

2015-01-01

This special issue is a product of Workshop 1 of IMBIZO III held in Goa, India in January 2013 (Bundy et al., 2013). This IMBIZO (a Zulu word for gathering) has been organized by IMBER (Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research) biannually since 2008. It employs a format of three concurrent but interacting workshops designed to synthesize information on topical research areas in marine science. Workshop 1 addressed the issue, "Biogeochemistry-ecosystem interaction in changing continental margins," which belongs to the purview of the Continental Margins Working Group (CMWG), co-sponsored by IMBER and LOICZ (Land-Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone). As a way to explore the emerging issues that concern the CMWG, the workshop had attracted 25 talks and 18 posters that explored the following topics: Human impacts on continental margins

Space resources. Volume 4: Social concerns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckay, Mary Fae (Editor); Mckay, David S. (Editor); Duke, Michael B. (Editor)

1992-01-01

Space resources must be used to support life on the Moon and exploration of Mars. This volume, Social Concerns, covers some of the most important issues which must be addressed in any major program for the human exploration of space. The volume begins with a consideration of the economics and management of large scale space activities. Then the legal aspects of these activities are discussed, particularly the interpretation of treaty law with respect to the Moon and asteroids. The social and cultural issues of moving people into space are considered in detail, and the eventual emergence of a space culture different from the existing culture is envisioned. The environmental issues raised by the development of space settlements are faced. Some innovative approaches are proposed to space communities and habitats and self-sufficiency is considered along with human safety at a lunar base or outpost.

Management and Outcomes of Acute Surgical Patients at a District Hospital in Uganda with Non-physician Emergency Clinicians.

PubMed

Dresser, Caleb; Periyanayagam, Usha; Dreifuss, Brad; Wangoda, Robert; Luyimbaazi, Julius; Bisanzo, Mark

2017-09-01

Acute surgical care services in rural Sub-Saharan Africa suffer from human resource and systemic constraints. Developing emergency care systems and task sharing aspects of acute surgical care addresses many of these issues. This paper investigates the degree to which specialized non-physicians practicing in a dedicated Emergency Department contribute to the effective and efficient management of acute surgical patients. This is a retrospective review of an electronic quality assurance database of patients presenting to an Emergency Department in rural Uganda staffed by non-physician clinicians trained in emergency care. Relevant de-identified clinical data on patients admitted directly to the operating theater from 2011 to 2014 were analyzed in Microsoft Excel. Overall, 112 Emergency Department patients were included in the analysis and 96% received some form of laboratory testing, imaging, medication, or procedure in the ED, prior to surgery. 72% of surgical patients referred by ED received preoperative antibiotics, and preoperative fluid resuscitation was initiated in 65%. Disposition to operating theater was accomplished within 3 h of presentation for 73% of patients. 79% were successfully followed up to assess outcomes at 72 h. 92% of those with successful follow-up reported improvement in their clinical condition. The confirmed mortality rate was 5%. Specialized non-physician clinicians practicing in a dedicated Emergency Department can perform resuscitation, bedside imaging and laboratory studies to aid in diagnosis of acute surgical patients and arrange transfer to an operating theater in an efficient fashion. This model has the potential to sustainably address structural and human resources problems inherent to Sub-Saharan Africa's current acute surgical care model and will benefit from further study and expansion.

Exploring the key predictors of retention in emergency nurses.

PubMed

Sawatzky, Jo-Ann V; Enns, Carol L

2012-07-01

To explore the factors that predict the retention of nurses working in emergency departments. The escalating shortage of nurses is one of the most critical issues facing specialty areas, such as the emergency department. Therefore, it is important to identify the key influencing and intermediary factors that affect emergency department nurses' intention to leave. As part of a larger study, a cross-sectional survey was completed by 261 registered nurses working in the 12 designated emergency departments within rural, urban community and tertiary hospitals in Manitoba, Canada. Twenty-six per cent of the respondents will probably/definitely leave their current emergency department jobs within the next year. Engagement was the key predictor of intention to leave (P < 0.001). Engagement was also associated with job satisfaction, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout (P < 0.05). In an ordinal least-squares model (R(2) = 0.44), nursing management, professional practice, collaboration with physicians, staffing resources and shift work emerged as significant influencing factors for engagement. Engagement plays a central role in emergency department nurses intention to leave. Addressing the factors that influence engagement may reduce emergency department nurses' intention to leave. This study highlights the value of research-based evidence as the foundation for developing innovative strategies for the retention of emergency department nurses. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Catalyzing Cross-Disciplinary Research and Education Within and Beyond the Environmental and Geosciences to Address Emerging, Societally-Relevant Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cak, A. D.; Vigdor, L. J.; Vorosmarty, C. J.; Giebel, B. M.; Santistevan, C.; Chasteau, C.

2017-12-01

Tackling emergent, societally-relevant problems in the environmental sciences is hardly confined to a single research discipline, but rather requires collaborations that bridge diverse domains and perspectives. While new technologies (e.g., Skype) can in theory unite otherwise geographically distributed participation in collaborative research, physical distance nevertheless raises the bar on intellectual dialogue. Such barriers may reveal perceptions of or real differences across disciplines, reflecting particular traditions in their histories and academic cultures. Individual disciplines are self-defined by their scientific, epistemologic, methodologic, or philosophical traditions (e.g., difficulties in understanding processes occurring at different scales, insufficient research funding for interdisciplinary work), or cultural and discursive hurdles (e.g., navigating a new field's jargon). Coupled with these challenges is a considerable deficiency in educating the next generation of scientists to help them develop a sufficient comfort level with thinking critically across multiple disciplinary domains and conceptual frameworks. To address these issues, the City University of New York (CUNY), the largest public urban university in the U.S., made a significant investment in advancing cross-disciplinary research and education, culminating in the opening of the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) in New York City (NYC) in late 2014. We report here on our experiences incubating new collaborative efforts to address environmental science-related research as it is interwoven with the ASRC's five research initiatives (Environmental Sciences, Neuroscience, Structural Biology, Photonics, and Nanoscience). We describe the ASRC's overall structure and function as both a stand-alone interdisciplinary center and one that collaborates more broadly with CUNY's network of twenty-four campuses distributed across NYC's five boroughs. We identify challenges we have faced so far, particularly in attempting to overcome traditional scientific, discursive, and cultural barriers, and how we are addressing them. We also describe several outreach and educational programming efforts designed to promote cross-disciplinarity, including informal science education.

How does a specific learning and memory system in the mammalian brain gain control of behavior?

PubMed

McDonald, Robert J; Hong, Nancy S

2013-11-01

This review addresses a fundamental, yet poorly understood set of issues in systems neuroscience. The issues revolve around conceptualizations of the organization of learning and memory in the mammalian brain. One intriguing, and somewhat popular, conceptualization is the idea that there are multiple learning and memory systems in the mammalian brain and they interact in different ways to influence and/or control behavior. This approach has generated interesting empirical and theoretical work supporting this view. One issue that needs to be addressed is how these systems influence or gain control of voluntary behavior. To address this issue, we clearly specify what we mean by a learning and memory system. We then review two types of processes that might influence which memory system gains control of behavior. One set of processes are external factors that can affect which system controls behavior in a given situation including task parameters like the kind of information available to the subject, types of training experience, and amount of training. The second set of processes are brain mechanisms that might influence what memory system controls behavior in a given situation including executive functions mediated by the prefrontal cortex; switching mechanisms mediated by ascending neurotransmitter systems, the unique role of the hippocampus during learning. The issue of trait differences in control of different learning and memory systems will also be considered in which trait differences in learning and memory function are thought to potentially emerge from differences in level of prefrontal influence, differences in plasticity processes, differences in ascending neurotransmitter control, differential access to effector systems like motivational and motor systems. Finally, we present scenarios in which different mechanisms might interact. This review was conceived to become a jumping off point for new work directed at understanding these issues. The outcome of this work, in combination with other approaches, might improve understanding of the mechanisms of volition in human and non-human animals. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Voices from the Gila: health care issues for rural elders in south-western New Mexico.

PubMed

Averill, Jennifer B

2002-12-01

A goal of the Healthy People 2010 initiative is to reduce or eliminate health disparities in vulnerable populations, including populations from rural and minority ethnic backgrounds. Rural communities, including elderly populations, experience lower rates of personal income, educational attainment, health-insurance coverage, access to emergency and specialty care services, and reported health status than do urban communities. A need exists to address identified research priorities, such as the perceptions of rural elders, their family members, and health care providers. The purposes of this study were to explore the health care perceptions, needs, and definitions of health for multicultural rural elders in one county of south-western New Mexico, and to consider practice implications. Informed consent procedures followed the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Human Research Review Committee guidelines. Research methods. This critical ethnography incorporated ethnographic interviews, ethnographic participant observation, photography, review of pertinent documents, and analysis of contextual factors. The sample consisted of 22 participants. Definitions of health varied with socioeconomic status, encompassing avoidance of contact with the health care system, obtaining needed medications, remaining independent, a sense of spiritual belonging, eating wisely, and exercising moderately. Three major concerns emerged from the analysis: the escalating cost of prescription drugs, access-to-care issues, and social isolation. The primary limitation was the small sample size. Although the researcher's position as an outsider to local communities may also have affected the outcome, it provided fresh insight to regional problems. The study addressed national research priorities for a vulnerable group of rural elders. Nursing implications include the need for expanded knowledge and educational preparation regarding elder issues and community-level services, inclusion of elders' perspectives in the planning and delivery of health services, and the need for community-level, interdisciplinary collaboration and advocacy.

Collaboration between science teacher educators and science faculty from arts and sciences for the purpose of developing a middle childhood science teacher education program: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buck, Gayle A.

1998-12-01

The science teacher educators at a midwestern university set a goal to establish a collaborative relationship between themselves and representatives from the College of Arts & Sciences for the purpose of developing a middle childhood science education program. The coming together of these two faculties provided a unique opportunity to explore the issues and experiences that emerge as such a collaborative relationship is formed. In order to gain a holistic perspective of the collaboration, a phenomenological case study design and methods were utilized. The study took a qualitative approach to allow the experiences and issues to emerge in a naturalistic manner. The question, 'What are the issues and experiences that emerge as science teacher educators and science faculty attempt to form a collaborative relationship for the purpose of developing a middle childhood science teacher program?' was answered by gathering a wealth of data. These data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews, observations and written document reviews. An overall picture was painted of the case by means of heuristic, phenomenological, and issues analyses. The researcher followed Moustakas' Phases of Heuristic Research to answer the questions 'What does science mean to me?' and 'What are my beliefs about the issues guiding this case?' prior to completing the phenomenological analysis. The phenomenological analysis followed Moustakas' 'Modification of the Van Kaam Methods of Analysis of Phenomenological Data'. This inquiry showed that the participants in this study came to the collaboration for many different reasons and ideas about the purpose for such a relationship. The participants also had very different ideas about how such a relationship should be conducted. These differences combined to create some issues that affected the development of curriculum and instruction. The issues involved the lack of (a) mutual respect for the work of the partners, (b) understanding about the roles and responsibilities of the partners, (c) a clear and understandable goal, and (d) time to collaborate. If not addressed, these are the issues that may prohibit the establishment of a successful collaboration, thus affecting the development of a top quality middle childhood science teacher education program.

Impact of vehicular networks on emergency medical services in urban areas.

PubMed

Lee, Chun-Liang; Huang, Chung-Yuan; Hsiao, Tzu-Chien; Wu, Chun-Yen; Chen, Yaw-Chung; Wang, I-Cheng

2014-10-31

The speed with which emergency personnel can provide emergency treatment is crucial to reducing death and disability among acute and critically ill patients. Unfortunately, the rapid development of cities and increased numbers of vehicles are preventing emergency vehicles from easily reaching locations where they are needed. A significant number of researchers are experimenting with vehicular networks to address this issue, but in most studies the focus has been on communication technologies and protocols, with few efforts to assess how network applications actually support emergency medical care. Our motivation was to search the literature for suggested methods for assisting emergency vehicles, and to use simulations to evaluate them. Our results and evidence-based studies were cross-referenced to assess each method in terms of cumulative survival ratio (CSR) gains for acute and critically ill patients. Simulation results indicate that traffic light preemption resulted in significant CSR increases of between 32.4% and 90.2%. Route guidance was found to increase CSRs from 14.1% to 57.8%, while path clearing increased CSRs by 15.5% or less. It is our hope that this data will support the efforts of emergency medical technicians, traffic managers, and policy makers.

Impact of Vehicular Networks on Emergency Medical Services in Urban Areas

PubMed Central

Lee, Chun-Liang; Huang, Chung-Yuan; Hsiao, Tzu-Chien; Wu, Chun-Yen; Chen, Yaw-Chung; Wang, I.-Cheng

2014-01-01

The speed with which emergency personnel can provide emergency treatment is crucial to reducing death and disability among acute and critically ill patients. Unfortunately, the rapid development of cities and increased numbers of vehicles are preventing emergency vehicles from easily reaching locations where they are needed. A significant number of researchers are experimenting with vehicular networks to address this issue, but in most studies the focus has been on communication technologies and protocols, with few efforts to assess how network applications actually support emergency medical care. Our motivation was to search the literature for suggested methods for assisting emergency vehicles, and to use simulations to evaluate them. Our results and evidence-based studies were cross-referenced to assess each method in terms of cumulative survival ratio (CSR) gains for acute and critically ill patients. Simulation results indicate that traffic light preemption resulted in significant CSR increases of between 32.4% and 90.2%. Route guidance was found to increase CSRs from 14.1% to 57.8%, while path clearing increased CSRs by 15.5% or less. It is our hope that this data will support the efforts of emergency medical technicians, traffic managers, and policy makers. PMID:25365059

Law, liability, and public health emergencies.

PubMed

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

2009-06-01

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

Agenda setting for maternal survival: the power of global health networks and norms

PubMed Central

Smith, Stephanie L; Rodriguez, Mariela A

2016-01-01

Nearly 300 000 women—almost all poor women in low-income countries—died from pregnancy-related complications in 2010. This represents a decline since the 1980s, when an estimated half million women died each year, but is still far higher than the aims set in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the turn of the century. The 1970s, 1980s and 1990s witnessed a shift from near complete neglect of the issue to emergence of a network of individuals and organizations with a shared concern for reducing maternal deaths and growth in the number of organizations and governments with maternal health strategies and programmes. Maternal health experienced a marked change in agenda status in the 2000s, attracting significantly higher level attention (e.g. from world leaders) and greater resource commitments (e.g. as one issue addressed by US$40 billion in pledges to the 2010 Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health) than ever before. Several differences between network and actor features, issue characteristics and the policy environment pre- and post-2000 help to explain the change in agenda status for global maternal mortality reduction. Significantly, a strong poverty reduction norm emerged at the turn of the century; represented by the United Nations MDGs framework, the norm set unusually strong expectations for international development actors to advance included issues. As the norm grew, it drew policy attention to the maternal health goal (MDG 5). Seeking to advance the goals agenda, world leaders launched initiatives addressing maternal and child health. New network governance and framing strategies that closely linked maternal, newborn and child health shaped the initiatives. Diverse network composition—expanding beyond a relatively narrowly focused and technically oriented group to encompass allies and leaders that brought additional resources to bear on the problem—was crucial to maternal health’s rise on the agenda in the 2000s. PMID:26273062

Patient safety risks associated with telecare: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the literature.

PubMed

Guise, Veslemøy; Anderson, Janet; Wiig, Siri

2014-11-25

Patient safety risk in the homecare context and patient safety risk related to telecare are both emerging research areas. Patient safety issues associated with the use of telecare in homecare services are therefore not clearly understood. It is unclear what the patient safety risks are, how patient safety issues have been investigated, and what research is still needed to provide a comprehensive picture of risks, challenges and potential harm to patients due to the implementation and use of telecare services in the home. Furthermore, it is unclear how training for telecare users has addressed patient safety issues. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify patient safety risks associated with telecare use in homecare services and to investigate whether and how these patient safety risks have been addressed in telecare training. Six electronic databases were searched in addition to hand searches of key items, reference tracking and citation tracking. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were set. All included items were assessed according to set quality criteria and subjected to a narrative synthesis to organise and synthesize the findings. A human factors systems framework of patient safety was used to frame and analyse the results. 22 items were included in the review. 11 types of patient safety risks associated with telecare use in homecare services emerged. These are in the main related to the nature of homecare tasks and practices, and person-centred characteristics and capabilities, and to a lesser extent, problems with the technology and devices, organisational issues, and environmental factors. Training initiatives related to safe telecare use are not described in the literature. There is a need to better identify and describe patient safety risks related to telecare services to improve understandings of how to avoid and minimize potential harm to patients. This process can be aided by reframing known telecare implementation challenges and user experiences of telecare with the help of a human factors systems approach to patient safety.

Technical basis for nuclear accident dosimetry at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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

Kerr, G.D.; Mei, G.T.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Environmental, Safety, and Health Emergency Response Organization has the responsibility of providing analyses of personnel exposures to neutrons and gamma rays from a nuclear accident. This report presents the technical and philosophical basis for the dose assessment aspects of the nuclear accident dosimetry (NAD) system at ORNL. The issues addressed are regulatory guidelines, ORNL NAD system components and performance, and the interpretation of dosimetric information that would be gathered following a nuclear accident.

J D Bernal: philosophy, politics and the science of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheehan, Helena M.

2007-02-01

This paper is an examination of the philosophical and political legacy of John Desmond Bernal. It addresses the evidence of an emerging consensus on Bernal based on the recent biography of Bernal by Andrew Brown and the reviews it has received. It takes issue with this view of Bernal, which tends to be admiring of his scientific contribution, bemused by his sexuality, condescending to his philosophy and hostile to his politics. This article is a critical defence of his philosophical and political position.

Surface extra-vehicular activity emergency scenario management: Tools, procedures, and geologically related implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zea, Luis; Diaz, Alejandro R.; Shepherd, Charles K.; Kumar, Ranganathan

2010-07-01

Extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) are an essential part of human space exploration, but involve inherently dangerous procedures which can put crew safety at risk during a space mission. To help mitigate this risk, astronauts' training programs spend substantial attention on preparing for surface EVA emergency scenarios. With the help of two Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) crews (61 and 65), wearing simulated spacesuits, the most important of these emergency scenarios were examined at three different types of locations that geologically and environmentally resemble lunar and Martian landscapes. These three platforms were analyzed geologically as well as topographically (utilizing a laser range finder with slope estimation capabilities and a slope determination software). Emergency scenarios were separated into four main groups: (1) suit issues, (2) general physiological, (3) attacks and (4) others. Specific tools and procedures were developed to address each scenario. The tools and processes were tested in the field under Mars-analog conditions with the suited subjects for feasibility and speed of execution.

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

PubMed

Heard-Dimyan, J

1999-10-01

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

A review of ethical issues in dementia.

PubMed

Johnson, Rebecca A; Karlawish, Jason

2015-10-01

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

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

PubMed

Narasimhan, Seetharam; Wang, Xinmu; Bhunia, Swarup

2010-01-01

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

An Assessment of Non-Communicable Diseases, Diabetes, and Related Risk Factors in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: A Systems Perspective

PubMed Central

Robles, Becky; Aitaoto, Nia

2013-01-01

Non-communicable diseases (NCD) have been identified as a health emergency in the US-affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI).1 This assessment, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was conducted in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and describes the burdens due to NCDs, with an emphasis on diabetes, and assesses the system of service capacity and current activities for service delivery, data collection and reporting as well as identifies the issues that need to be addressed. There has been a 22.7% decline in the population between 2000 and 2010. Findings of medical and health data reveal that the risk factors of lifestyle behaviors lead to overweight and obesity and subsequent NCD. The leading causes of death are heart disease, stroke and cancer. The 2009 BRFSS survey reveals that the prevalence rate for diabetes was 9.8%. Other findings show significant gaps in the system of administrative, clinical, data, and support services to address these NCDs. There is no overall health plan to address NCDs or diabetes, there is little coordination between the medical care and public health staff, and there is no functional data system to identify, register, and track patients with diabetes. Based on the findings, priority issues and problems to be addressed for the administrative system and clinical system are identified. PMID:23900536

2017 White Paper on recent issues in bioanalysis: aren't BMV guidance/guidelines 'Scientific'? (Part 1 - LCMS: small molecules, peptides and small molecule biomarkers).

PubMed

Welink, Jan; Yang, Eric; Hughes, Nicola; Rago, Brian; Woolf, Eric; Sydor, Jens; Coppola, Laura; Ackermann, Brad; Li, Wenkui; Alley, Stephen C; Arnold, Mark; Berger, Isabella; Briscoe, Chad; Buonarati, Michael; Bustard, Mark; Cancilla, Mark; Cho, Seongeun Julia; Duggan, Jeff; Fraier, Daniela; Garofolo, Fabio; Green, Rachel; Haidar, Sam; Hittle, Lucinda; Ishii-Watabe, Akiko; Islam, Rafiq; Jenkins, Rand; Jones, Barry; Kadavil, John; Kassim, Sean; Kavetska, Olga; Blaye, Olivier Le; Lee, Anita; Liu, Hanlan; Mehl, John; Lima Santos, Gustavo Mendes; Musuku, Adrien; Ramanathan, Ragu; Saito, Yoshiro; Savoie, Natasha; Summerfield, Scott; Surapaneni, Sekhar; Szapacs, Matthew; Tampal, Nilufer; Verhaeghe, Tom; Vinter, Stephen; Whale, Emma

2017-11-01

The 2017 11th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (11th WRIB) took place in Los Angeles/Universal City, California from 3 April 2017 to 7 April 2017 with participation of close to 750 professionals from pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, contract research organizations and regulatory agencies worldwide. WRIB was once again a 5-day, weeklong event - A Full Immersion Week of Bioanalysis, Biomarkers and Immunogenicity. As usual, it was specifically designed to facilitate sharing, reviewing, discussing and agreeing on approaches to address the most current issues of interest including both small and large molecule analysis involving LCMS, hybrid LBA/LCMS and ligand-binding assay (LBA) approaches. This 2017 White Paper encompasses recommendations emerging from the extensive discussions held during the workshop, and is aimed to provide the bioanalytical community with key information and practical solutions on topics and issues addressed, in an effort to enable advances in scientific excellence, improved quality and better regulatory compliance. Due to its length, the 2017 edition of this comprehensive White Paper has been divided into three parts for editorial reasons. This publication (Part 1) covers the recommendations for Small Molecules, Peptides and Small Molecule Biomarkers using LCMS. Part 2 (Biotherapeutics, Biomarkers and Immunogenicity Assays using Hybrid LBA/LCMS and Regulatory Agencies' Inputs) and Part 3 (LBA: Immunogenicity, Biomarkers and PK Assays) are published in volume 9 of Bioanalysis, issues 23 and 24 (2017), respectively.

2017 White Paper on recent issues in bioanalysis: a global perspective on immunogenicity guidelines & biomarker assay performance (Part 3 - LBA: immunogenicity, biomarkers and PK assays).

PubMed

Gupta, Shalini; Richards, Susan; Amaravadi, Lakshmi; Piccoli, Steven; Desilva, Binodh; Pillutla, Renuka; Stevenson, Lauren; Mehta, Devangi; Carrasco-Triguero, Montserrat; Neely, Robert; Partridge, Michael; Staack, Roland F; Zhao, Xuemei; Gorovits, Boris; Kolaitis, Gerry; Sumner, Giane; Stubenrauch, Kay-Gunnar; Zou, Linglong; Amur, Shashi; Beaver, Chris; Berger, Isabella; Berisha, Flora; Birnboeck, Herbert; Bower, Joe; Cho, Seongeun Julia; Cludts, Isabelle; Cocea, Laurent; Donato, Lorella Di; Fischer, Saloumeh; Fraser, Stephanie; Garofolo, Fabio; Haidar, Sam; Haulenbeek, Jonathan; Hottenstein, Charles; Hu, Jenny; Ishii-Watabe, Akiko; Islam, Rafiq; Jani, Darshana; Kadavil, John; Kamerud, John; Kramer, Daniel; Kurki, Pekka; MacMannis, Stephen; McNally, Jim; Mullan, Ashley; Papadimitriou, Apollon; Pedras-Vasconcelos, João; Ray, Soma; Safavi, Afshin; Saito, Yoshiro; Savoie, Natasha; Fjording, Marianne Scheel; Scheibner, Kara; Smeraglia, John; Song, An; Stouffer, Bruce; Tampal, Nilufer; der Strate, Barry van; Verch, Thorsten; Welink, Jan; Xu, Yuanxin; Yang, Tong-Yuan; Yengi, Lilian; Zeng, Jianing; Zhang, Yan; Zhang, Yanhua; Zoog, Stephen

2017-12-01

The 2017 11th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis took place in Los Angeles/Universal City, California, on 3-7 April 2017 with participation of close to 750 professionals from pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, contract research organizations and regulatory agencies worldwide. WRIB was once again a 5-day, week-long event - a full immersion week of bioanalysis, biomarkers and immunogenicity. As usual, it was specifically designed to facilitate sharing, reviewing, discussing and agreeing on approaches to address the most current issues of interest including both small- and large-molecule analysis involving LC-MS, hybrid ligand-binding assay (LBA)/LC-MS and LBA approaches. This 2017 White Paper encompasses recommendations emerging from the extensive discussions held during the workshop, and is aimed to provide the bioanalytical community with key information and practical solutions on topics and issues addressed, in an effort to enable advances in scientific excellence, improved quality and better regulatory compliance. Due to its length, the 2017 edition of this comprehensive White Paper has been divided into three parts for editorial reasons. This publication (Part 3) covers the recommendations for large-molecule bioanalysis, biomarkers and immunogenicity using LBA. Part 1 (LC-MS for small molecules, peptides and small molecule biomarkers) and Part 2 (hybrid LBA/LC-MS for biotherapeutics and regulatory agencies' inputs) are published in volume 9 of Bioanalysis, issues 22 and 23 (2017), respectively.

Building workforce capacity to detect and respond to child abuse and neglect cases: A training intervention for staff working in emergency settings in Vietnam.

PubMed

Flemington, Tara; Fraser, Jennifer

2017-09-01

Too many children are brought to hospital emergency departments on numerous occasions before they are recognised as victims of child abuse and neglect. For this reason, improving knowledge and response behaviors of emergency staff at all levels is likely to have a significant impact on better outcomes. An Australian based training programme was the first of its kind to address this issue in a Vietnamese Emergency Department. Titled 'Safe Children Vietnam', the programme aimed to improve knowledge, attitudes and reporting behaviors concerning child abuse in the emergency setting. A pre-post test design was used to evaluate the impact of 'Safe Children Vietnam' on emergency staff knowledge, attitudes and intentions to report child abuse and neglect. Emergency staff including doctors, nurses and healthcare staff (n=116) participated in the clinical training programme. Linear Mixed Model analyses showed that on programme completion, they were more likely to recognise serious cases of all types of abuse. The 'Safe Children Vietnam' programme was effective at improving emergency staff knowledge of child abuse and neglect. A systems wide approach may be necessary to impact on emergency staff attitudes towards reporting cases of abuse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emergency department triage: an ethical analysis

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

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

Ethical challenges in Emergency Medical Services: controversies and recommendations.

PubMed

Becker, Torben K; Gausche-Hill, Marianne; Aswegan, Andrew L; Baker, Eileen F; Bookman, Kelly J; Bradley, Richard N; De Lorenzo, Robert A; Schoenwetter, David J

2013-10-01

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers face many ethical issues while providing prehospital care to children and adults. Although provider judgment plays a large role in the resolution of conflicts at the scene, it is important to establish protocols and policies, when possible, to address these high-risk and complex situations. This article describes some of the common situations with ethical underpinnings encountered by EMS personnel and managers including denying or delaying transport of patients with non-emergency conditions, use of lights and sirens for patient transport, determination of medical futility in the field, termination of resuscitation, restriction of EMS provider duty hours to prevent fatigue, substance abuse by EMS providers, disaster triage and difficulty in switching from individual care to mass-casualty care, and the challenges of child maltreatment recognition and reporting. A series of ethical questions are proposed, followed by a review of the literature and, when possible, recommendations for management.

After Aylan Kurdi: How Tweeting About Death, Threat, and Harm Predict Increased Expressions of Solidarity With Refugees Over Time.

PubMed

Smith, Laura G E; McGarty, Craig; Thomas, Emma F

2018-04-01

Viral social media content has been heralded for its power to transform policy, but online responses are often derided as "slacktivism." This raises the questions of what drives viral communications and what is their effect on support for social change. We addressed these issues in relation to Twitter discussions about Aylan Kurdi, a child refugee who died en route to the European Union. We developed a longitudinal paradigm to analyze 41,253 tweets posted 1 week before the images of Aylan Kurdi emerged, the week they emerged, and 10 weeks afterward-at the time of the Paris terror attacks. Tweeting about death before the images emerged predicted tweeting about Aylan Kurdi, and this, sustained by discussion of harm and threat, predicted the expression of solidarity with refugees 10 weeks later. Results suggest that processes of normative conflict and communication can be intertwined in promoting support for social change.

Theory and methods in cultural neuroscience

PubMed Central

Hariri, Ahmad R.; Harada, Tokiko; Mano, Yoko; Sadato, Norihiro; Parrish, Todd B.; Iidaka, Tetsuya

2010-01-01

Cultural neuroscience is an emerging research discipline that investigates cultural variation in psychological, neural and genomic processes as a means of articulating the bidirectional relationship of these processes and their emergent properties. Research in cultural neuroscience integrates theory and methods from anthropology, cultural psychology, neuroscience and neurogenetics. Here, we review a set of core theoretical and methodological challenges facing researchers when planning and conducting cultural neuroscience studies, and provide suggestions for overcoming these challenges. In particular, we focus on the problems of defining culture and culturally appropriate experimental tasks, comparing neuroimaging data acquired from different populations and scanner sites and identifying functional genetic polymorphisms relevant to culture. Implications of cultural neuroscience research for addressing current issues in population health disparities are discussed. PMID:20592044

Towards new human rights in the age of neuroscience and neurotechnology.

PubMed

Ienca, Marcello; Andorno, Roberto

2017-12-01

Rapid advancements in human neuroscience and neurotechnology open unprecedented possibilities for accessing, collecting, sharing and manipulating information from the human brain. Such applications raise important challenges to human rights principles that need to be addressed to prevent unintended consequences. This paper assesses the implications of emerging neurotechnology applications in the context of the human rights framework and suggests that existing human rights may not be sufficient to respond to these emerging issues. After analysing the relationship between neuroscience and human rights, we identify four new rights that may become of great relevance in the coming decades: the right to cognitive liberty, the right to mental privacy, the right to mental integrity, and the right to psychological continuity.

BIM Based Virtual Environment for Fire Emergency Evacuation

PubMed Central

Rezgui, Yacine; Ong, Hoang N.

2014-01-01

Recent building emergency management research has highlighted the need for the effective utilization of dynamically changing building information. BIM (building information modelling) can play a significant role in this process due to its comprehensive and standardized data format and integrated process. This paper introduces a BIM based virtual environment supported by virtual reality (VR) and a serious game engine to address several key issues for building emergency management, for example, timely two-way information updating and better emergency awareness training. The focus of this paper lies on how to utilize BIM as a comprehensive building information provider to work with virtual reality technologies to build an adaptable immersive serious game environment to provide real-time fire evacuation guidance. The innovation lies on the seamless integration between BIM and a serious game based virtual reality (VR) environment aiming at practical problem solving by leveraging state-of-the-art computing technologies. The system has been tested for its robustness and functionality against the development requirements, and the results showed promising potential to support more effective emergency management. PMID:25197704

Current frontiers and future directions of telecoupling research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.

2016-12-01

The world has been increasingly interconnected over long distances though processes such as international trade, migration, telecommunication, and disease spread. However, previous studies often focused on socioeconomic or environmental issues of distant processes. While these studies have generated useful information for individual disciplines, integrating socioeconomic and environmental information is essential for holistic understanding of complex global challenges and unbiased decision making to address the challenges. To advance integrated research, the framework of telecoupling (socioeconomic and environmental interactions over distances) has been developed to explicitly address both socioeconomic and environmental issues simultaneously. Although the framework is relatively new, it has already been applied to tackle a variety of globally important issues, such as food security, water resources, energy sustainability, land use, international trade (e.g., food, forest products, energy, wildlife, industrial products), species invasion, investment, ecosystem services, conservation, information dissemination, and tourism. These applications have identified many important research gaps (e.g. spillover systems) and hidden linkages (e.g. feedbacks) among distant areas of the world with profound implications for sustainable development, ecosystem health, and human well-being. While working with telecoupling presents more challenges than focusing only on disciplinary issues, support from funding agencies has helped accelerate research on telecoupling and more efforts are being aimed at framework quantification and operationalization. The presenter will provide an overview of the current frontiers, discuss future research directions, and highlight emerging opportunities and challenges in telecoupling research and governance.

Abstraction of an Affective-Cognitive Decision Making Model Based on Simulated Behaviour and Perception Chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharpanskykh, Alexei; Treur, Jan

Employing rich internal agent models of actors in large-scale socio-technical systems often results in scalability issues. The problem addressed in this paper is how to improve computational properties of a complex internal agent model, while preserving its behavioral properties. The problem is addressed for the case of an existing affective-cognitive decision making model instantiated for an emergency scenario. For this internal decision model an abstracted behavioral agent model is obtained, which ensures a substantial increase of the computational efficiency at the cost of approximately 1% behavioural error. The abstraction technique used can be applied to a wide range of internal agent models with loops, for example, involving mutual affective-cognitive interactions.

Corporate crisis management managing a major crisis in a chemical facility.

PubMed

Marwitz, Steve; Maxson, Neil; Koch, Bill; Aukerman, Todd; Cassidy, Jim; Belonger, David

2008-11-15

Chemical sites should have well trained and organized emergency response plans to manage an incident within the plant or during transport. The implementation of an incident command system utilizing either internal resources or external response through mutual aid agreements is generally sufficient to address the direct impact of an event on the site. When the site resources become overwhelmed in addressing resulting issues such as press releases, medical advice/support, employees and family support, Agency notifications, etc, Corporate should be ready and able to respond. This paper, taken from an in-depth CCPS workshop led by the author, describes an outline for corporate assistance in the event of a major incident at a site or during transportation.

Preface to "Insights into the Earth's Deep Lithosphere"

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

Pasyanos, M E

Dear Readers: I am pleased to present a special issue of Tectonophysics entitled 'Insights into the Earth's Deep Lithosphere.' This compilation sought to capture the flavor of the increasing number of studies that are emerging to investigate the complex lithospheric structure of the earth. This issue evolved out of a Fall 2007 AGU special session entitled 'Understanding the Earth's Deep Lithosphere' that I organized with Irina Artemieva from the University of Copenhagen. For that session, we solicited talks that discussed the increasing number of methods that have surfaced to study various aspects of the earth's deep lithosphere. These methods includemore » seismic, gravity, thermal, geochemical, and various combinations of these methods. The quality of the presentations (2 oral sessions with 16 talks and 23 associated poster presentations) was such that we felt that the emerging topic deserved a dedicated forum to address these questions in greater detail. The availability of new data sets has also improved the number and quality of lithospheric studies. With many new studies and methodologies, a better understanding of both continental and oceanic lithospheres is starting to emerge. Questions remain about the thickness and evolution of the lithosphere, the presence of lithospheric keels, the density and anisotropy of lithospheric roots, mechanisms of lithospheric thinning, and differences between mechanical, thermal and chemical boundary layers. While we did not get contributions on the full gamut of methods and regions, a lot of ground was covered in this issue's manuscripts. Like any collection of papers on the deep lithosphere, the topics are quite varied in methodology, geographic location, and what aspect of the lithosphere being studied. Still, the results highlight the rewarding aspects of earth structure, history, and evolution that can be gleaned. A brief synopsis of the papers contained in this issue is given.« less

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

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-29

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

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

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-28

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

Themes addressed by couples with advanced cancer during a communication skills training intervention.

PubMed

Porter, Laura S; Fish, Laura; Steinhauser, Karen

2018-04-25

Couple-based communication interventions have beneficial effects for patients with cancer and their partners. However, few studies have targeted patients with advanced stages of disease and little is known about how best to assist couples in discussing issues related to life-limiting illness. The purpose of the present study was to identify themes couples addressed during a couple communication skills intervention, and the frequency with which they discussed issues related to end-of-life. Content analyses were conducted on recordings of 72 sessions from 12 couples facing advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. Coding was based six themes identified a priori from the framework for understanding what patients and family value at end of life. The percent of couples addressing each theme was calculated to gauge level of importance and acceptability of these topics. The majority of couples addressed topics previously identified as salient at end-of-life, including clear decision making, affirmation of the whole person, pain and symptom management, contributing to others, and preparation for death. In addition, novel aspects to these themes emerged in the context of couples' conversations, illustrating the importance of the couple relationship in adjusting to life with a life-limiting illness and anticipating the transition to end-of-life. Findings suggest that couples likely would be receptive to an intervention that combines training in communication skills with guidance in focusing on issues related to life completion to assist with transitions at end of life. Such interventions might enhance both individuals' abilities to cope with illness-related symptoms and demands, enjoy the time they have together, and derive meaning from the experience. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Diagnosis and management of spinal muscular atrophy: Part 2: Pulmonary and acute care; medications, supplements and immunizations; other organ systems; and ethics.

PubMed

Finkel, Richard S; Mercuri, Eugenio; Meyer, Oscar H; Simonds, Anita K; Schroth, Mary K; Graham, Robert J; Kirschner, Janbernd; Iannaccone, Susan T; Crawford, Thomas O; Woods, Simon; Muntoni, Francesco; Wirth, Brunhilde; Montes, Jacqueline; Main, Marion; Mazzone, Elena S; Vitale, Michael; Snyder, Brian; Quijano-Roy, Susana; Bertini, Enrico; Davis, Rebecca Hurst; Qian, Ying; Sejersen, Thomas

2018-03-01

This is the second half of a two-part document updating the standard of care recommendations for spinal muscular atrophy published in 2007. This part includes updated recommendations on pulmonary management and acute care issues, and topics that have emerged in the last few years such as other organ involvement in the severe forms of spinal muscular atrophy and the role of medications. Ethical issues and the choice of palliative versus supportive care are also addressed. These recommendations are becoming increasingly relevant given recent clinical trials and the prospect that commercially available therapies will likely change the survival and natural history of this disease. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Engineering education as a complex system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gattie, David K.; Kellam, Nadia N.; Schramski, John R.; Walther, Joachim

2011-12-01

This paper presents a theoretical basis for cultivating engineering education as a complex system that will prepare students to think critically and make decisions with regard to poorly understood, ill-structured issues. Integral to this theoretical basis is a solution space construct developed and presented as a benchmark for evaluating problem-solving orientations that emerge within students' thinking as they progress through an engineering curriculum. It is proposed that the traditional engineering education model, while analytically rigorous, is characterised by properties that, although necessary, are insufficient for preparing students to address complex issues of the twenty-first century. A Synthesis and Design Studio model for engineering education is proposed, which maintains the necessary rigor of analysis within a uniquely complex yet sufficiently structured learning environment.

Privacy, Security, and Patient Engagement: The Changing Health Data Governance Landscape

PubMed Central

Holmes, John H.

2016-01-01

Context: The rapid emergence of new technologies support collection and use of a wide variety of data from clinical, genomic, social and behavioral, environmental, and financial sources, and have a great impact on the governance of personal health information. Papers in the special issue: The papers in this special issue on governance touch on the topic from a variety of focuses, including leadership perspectives, local and federal case studies, and the future importance of patient engagement. Themes: This special issue focuses on three major themes—that data governance is growing in importance and presenting new challenges that must be addressed, that health care organizations must prioritize governance design, implementation, and functions as a priority, and that governance seems to be naturally converging on an archetype as described by this set of papers. Future State of Governance: In order to deal with issues such as data de- and re-identification, data governance must be studied as its own field. PMID:27141525

Introduction to the special issue Hermann Weyl and the philosophy of the 'New Physics'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Bianchi, Silvia; Catren, Gabriel

2018-02-01

This Special Issue Hermann Weyl and the Philosophy of the 'New Physics' has two main objectives: first, to shed fresh light on the relevance of Weyl's work for modern physics and, second, to evaluate the importance of Weyl's work and ideas for contemporary philosophy of physics. Regarding the first objective, this Special Issue emphasizes aspects of Weyl's work (e.g. his work on spinors in n dimensions) whose importance has recently been emerging in research fields across both mathematical and experimental physics, as well as in the history and philosophy of physics. Regarding the second objective, this Special Issue addresses the relevance of Weyl's ideas regarding important open problems in the philosophy of physics, such as the problem of characterizing scientific objectivity and the problem of providing a satisfactory interpretation of fundamental symmetries in gauge theories and quantum mechanics. In this Introduction, we sketch the state of the art in Weyl studies and we summarize the content of the contributions to the present volume.

Caring for adults with thalassemia in a pediatric world.

PubMed

Compagno, Laurice M

2005-01-01

Improved technology and medical advances have increased the life span for patients with thalassemia. Therefore, serious consideration must now be given to adult issues such as fertility, employment opportunities, medical insurance, and long-term coping with chronic illness. Since thalassemia is a childhood illness, most adults are seen in pediatric hospitals-often, in centers with a specialty for thalassemia. Compared to a decade ago, many more patients in thalassemia centers are adolescents or older. Unfortunately, pediatric hospitals are not fully equipped to meet the changing and complex needs of adults. Emergency room care, hospital admissions, decentralized care, comprehensive care, and psychosocial issues are current challenges that must be addressed. In this study, six adult patients were asked to keep track of their care for one month to further examine self-care for thalassemia, a high-maintenance disease. From a qualitative perspective, the issues and challenges that adults face are examined and solutions for improved care are discussed.

Everyday attention.

PubMed

Risko, Evan F; Kingstone, Alan

2017-06-01

Understanding the basic mechanisms underlying attentional function using naturalistic stimuli, tasks, and/or settings is the focus of everyday attention research. Interest in everyday approaches to attention research has increased recently-arguably riding a more general wave of support for such considerations in experimental psychology. This special issue of the Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology attempts to capture the emerging enthusiasm for studying everyday attention by bringing together work from a wide array of attentional domains (e.g., visual attention, dual tasking, search, mind wandering, social attention) that are representative of this general approach. The 14 contributions to the special issue highlight the breadth of topics addressed in this research, the methodological creativity required to carry it out, and the promise of everyday attention for understanding the basic mechanisms underlying attentional function. This introduction will summarise the everyday attention approach as represented in the contributions to the special issue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Innovations in disaster mental health services and evaluation: national, state, and local responses to Hurricane Katrina (introduction to the special issue).

PubMed

Norris, Fran H; Rosen, Craig S

2009-05-01

The severe consequences of Hurricane Katrina on mental health have sparked tremendous interest in improving the quality of mental health care for disaster victims. In this special issue, we seek to illustrate the breadth of work emerging in this area. The five empirical examples each reflect innovation, either in the nature of the services being provided or in the evaluation approach. Most importantly, they portray the variability of post-Katrina mental health programs, which ranged from national to state to local in scope and from educational to clinical in intensity. As a set, these papers address the fundamental question of whether it is useful and feasible to provide different intensities of mental health care to different populations according to presumed need. The issue concludes with recommendations for future disaster mental health service delivery and evaluation.

Factors that influence disclosure of hearing loss in the workplace.

PubMed

Southall, Kenneth; Jennings, Mary Beth; Gagné, Jean-Pierre

2011-10-01

The objective of the study was to identify factors that lead individuals to conceal or disclose their hearing loss in the workplace. A qualitative research paradigm called qualitative description was selected to address this issue. Twelve people who had an adult onset hearing loss, and were gainfully employed, participated in audio-recorded semi-structured interviews designed to probe issues related to disclosure of hearing loss. A photo elicitation interview technique was employed during the interviews. Content analyses were used to extract pertinent information from verbatim transcripts. Five recurring themes emerged as important considerations in relation to this topic: (1) perceived importance of the situation; (2) perceived sense of control; (3) community affiliation; (4) burden of communication; and (5) coexisting issues related to hearing loss. The findings are discussed in relation to other concealable stigmatizing traits, stigma-theory, and social-cognitive theory. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed, with particular emphasis placed on worker self-efficacy.

Privacy, Security, and Patient Engagement: The Changing Health Data Governance Landscape.

PubMed

Holmes, John H

2016-01-01

The rapid emergence of new technologies support collection and use of a wide variety of data from clinical, genomic, social and behavioral, environmental, and financial sources, and have a great impact on the governance of personal health information. The papers in this special issue on governance touch on the topic from a variety of focuses, including leadership perspectives, local and federal case studies, and the future importance of patient engagement. This special issue focuses on three major themes-that data governance is growing in importance and presenting new challenges that must be addressed, that health care organizations must prioritize governance design, implementation, and functions as a priority, and that governance seems to be naturally converging on an archetype as described by this set of papers. In order to deal with issues such as data de- and re-identification, data governance must be studied as its own field.

Urban sprawl and you: how sprawl adversely affects worker health.

PubMed

Pohanka, Mary; Fitzgerald, Sheila

2004-06-01

Urban sprawl, once thought of as just an environmental issue, is currently gaining momentum as an emerging public health issue worthy of research and political attention. Characteristics seen in sprawling communities include increasing traffic volumes; inadequate public transportation; pedestrian unfriendly streets; and the division of businesses, shops, and homes. These characteristics can affect health in many ways. Greater air pollution contributes to higher asthma and other lung disorder rates. An increased dependence on the automobile encourages a more sedentary lifestyle and can potentially contribute to obesity. The increased danger and stress of long commutes can lead to more accidents, anxiety, and social isolation. Occupational health nurses can become involved by promoting physical activity in the workplace, creating programs for injury prevention and stress management, becoming involved in political smart growth measures, and educating and encouraging colleagues to become active in addressing this issue.

Psychopathy and Personality: Advances and Debates.

PubMed

Miller, Joshua D; Lynam, Donald R

2015-12-01

Nine original articles comprise this special issue of the Journal of Personality addressing personality-based perspectives of psychopathy. In this introduction to the special issue, we review five advances and areas of agreement that are highlighted across the articles, including the utility of trait perspectives to psychopathy, the emergence of a prototypical trait profile of psychopathy, the importance of recognizing earlier developmental manifestations of psychopathy, the ongoing study and revelation of the basic neural underpinnings of psychopathy, and the important theoretical and empirical association between psychopathy and antisocial behavior. At the same time, several important debates remain, which are also highlighted in the special issue's articles. These debates center around the necessity and sufficiency of certain psychopathy traits, the role of traits alternatively labeled stable Extraversion, fearless dominance, or boldness, and the validity and utility of separating psychopathy from Machiavellianism as is done in research on the Dark Triad. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The evolving understanding of the construct of intellectual disability.

PubMed

Schalock, Robert L

2011-12-01

This article addresses two major areas concerned with the evolving understanding of the construct of intellectual disability. The first part of the article discusses current answers to five critical questions that have revolved around the general question, "What is Intellectual Disability?" These five are what to call the phenomenon, how to explain the phenomenon, how to define the phenomenon and determine who is a member of the class, how to classify persons so defined and identified, and how to establish public policy regarding such persons. The second part of the article discusses four critical issues that will impact both our future understanding of the construct and the approach taken to persons with intellectual disability. These four critical issues relate to the conceptualisation and measurement of intellectual functioning, the constitutive definition of intellectual disability, the alignment of clinical functions related to diagnosis, classification, and planning supports, and how the field resolves a number of emerging epistemological issues.

Review article: Emergency department models of care in the context of care quality and cost: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wylie, Kate; Crilly, Julia; Toloo, Ghasem Sam; FitzGerald, Gerry; Burke, John; Williams, Ged; Bell, Anthony

2015-04-01

To identify current ED models of care and their impact on care quality, care effectiveness, and cost. A systematic search of key health databases (Medline, CINAHL, Cochrane, EMbase) was conducted to identify literature on ED models of care. Additionally, a focused review of the contents of 11 international and national emergency medicine, nursing and health economic journals (published between 2010 and 2013) was undertaken with snowball identification of references of the most recent and relevant papers. Articles published between 1998 and 2013 in the English language were included for initial review by three of the authors. Studies in underdeveloped countries and not addressing the objectives of the present study were excluded. Relevant details were extracted from the retrieved literature, and analysed for relevance and impact. The literature was synthesised around the study's main themes. Models described within the literature mainly focused on addressing issues at the input, throughput or output stages of ED care delivery. Models often varied to account for site specific characteristics (e.g. onsite inpatient units) or to suit staffing profiles (e.g. extended scope physiotherapist), ED geographical location (e.g. metropolitan or rural site), and patient demographic profile (e.g. paediatrics, older persons, ethnicity). Only a few studies conducted cost-effectiveness analysis of service models. Although various models of delivering emergency healthcare exist, further research is required in order to make accurate and reliable assessments of their safety, clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. © 2015 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

The environment of inpatient healthcare delivery and its influence on the outcome of care.

PubMed

O'Connor, Margaret; O'Brien, Anthony; Bloomer, Melissa; Morphett, Julia; Peters, Louise; Hall, Helen; Parry, Arlene; Recoche, Katrina; Lee, Susan; Munro, Ian

2012-01-01

This paper addresses issues arising in the literature regarding the environmental design of inpatient healthcare settings and their impact on care. Environmental design in healthcare settings is an important feature of the holistic delivery of healthcare. The environmental influence of the delivery of care is manifested by such things as lighting, proximity to bedside, technology, family involvement, and space. The need to respond rapidly in places such as emergency and intensive care can override space needs for family support. In some settings with aging buildings, the available space is no longer appropriate to the needs-for example, the need for privacy in emergency departments. Many aspects of care have changed over the last three decades and the environment of care appears not to have been adapted to contemporary healthcare requirements nor involved consumers in ascertaining environmental requirements. The issues found in the literature are addressed under five themes: the design of physical space, family needs, privacy considerations, the impact of technology, and patient safety. There is a need for greater input into the design of healthcare spaces from those who use them, to incorporate dignified and expedient care delivery in the care of the person and to meet the needs of family.Preferred Citation: O'Connor, M., O'Brien, A., Bloomer, M., Morphett, J., Peters, L., Hall, H., … Munro, I. (2012). The environment of inpatient healthcare delivery and its influence on the outcome of care. Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 6(1), 105-117.

Experiences of a Rail Yard Community: Life Is Hard

PubMed Central

Spencer-Hwang, Rhonda; Montgomery, Susanne; Dougherty, Molly; Valladares, Johanny; Rangel, Sany; Gleason, Peter; Soret, Sam

2015-01-01

Community groups and local air pollution control agencies have identified the San Bernardino Railyard (SBR) as a significant public health and environmental justice issue. In response, the authors conducted a comprehensive study with community members living in close proximity to the rail yard. The purpose of this article is to share the community's perceptions about the rail yard and ideas on sustainable change. A qualitative study using key informant interviews and focus group discussions was conducted and resulted in four emerging themes. Themes emerged as follows: “health as an unattainable value,” “air quality challenges,” “rail yard pros and cons,” and “violence and unemployment ripple effect.” Community participants expressed concern for poor air quality, but other challenges took priority. The authors' findings suggest that future mitigation work to reduce air pollution exposure should not only focus on reducing risk from air pollution but address significant cooccurring community challenges. A “Health in All Policies” approach is warranted in addressing impacted communities in close proximity to the goods movement industry. PMID:25226779

The emergence of psychiatric semiology during the Age of Revolution: evolving concepts of 'normal' and 'pathological'.

PubMed

Londoño, Diego Enrique; Dening, Tom

2016-06-01

This article addresses some important questions in psychiatric semiology. The concept of a sign is crucial in psychiatry. How do signs emerge, and what gives them validity and legitimacy? What are the boundaries of 'normal' and 'pathological' behaviour and mental experiences? To address these issues, we analyse the characteristics and rules that govern semiological signs and clinical elements. We examine 'normality' from the perspective of Georges Canguilehm and compare the differences of 'normal' in physiology and psychiatry. We then examine the history and the philosophical, linguistic and medical-psychiatric origins of semiology during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (the Age of Revolution). The field of rhetoric and oratory has emphasized the importance of passions, emotions and language as applied to signs of madness. Another perspective on semiology, provided by Michel Foucault, lays stress on the concept of 'instinct' and the axis of voluntary-involuntary behaviour. Finally, we analyse how statistics and eugenics have played an important role in our current conceptualization of the norm and therefore the scientific discourse behind the established clinical signs. © The Author(s) 2016.

Factors influencing identification of and response to intimate partner violence: a survey of physicians and nurses

PubMed Central

Gutmanis, Iris; Beynon, Charlene; Tutty, Leslie; Wathen, C Nadine; MacMillan, Harriet L

2007-01-01

Background Intimate partner violence against women (IPV) has been identified as a serious public health problem. Although the health care system is an important site for identification and intervention, there have been challenges in determining how health care professionals can best address this issue in practice. We surveyed nurses and physicians in 2004 regarding their attitudes and behaviours with respect to IPV, including whether they routinely inquire about IPV, as well as potentially relevant barriers, facilitators, experiential, and practice-related factors. Methods A modified Dillman Tailored Design approach was used to survey 1000 nurses and 1000 physicians by mail in Ontario, Canada. Respondents were randomly selected from professional directories and represented practice areas pre-identified from the literature as those most likely to care for women at the point of initial IPV disclosure: family practice, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency care, maternal/newborn care, and public health. The survey instrument had a case-based scenario followed by 43 questions asking about behaviours and resources specific to woman abuse. Results In total, 931 questionnaires were returned; 597 by nurses (59.7% response rate) and 328 by physicians (32.8% response rate). Overall, 32% of nurses and 42% of physicians reported routinely initiating the topic of IPV in practice. Principal components analysis identified eight constructs related to whether routine inquiry was conducted: preparedness, self-confidence, professional supports, abuse inquiry, practitioner consequences of asking, comfort following disclosure, practitioner lack of control, and practice pressures. Each construct was analyzed according to a number of related issues, including clinician training and experience with woman abuse, area of practice, and type of health care provider. Preparedness emerged as a key construct related to whether respondents routinely initiated the topic of IPV. Conclusion The present study provides new insight into the factors that facilitate and impede clinicians' decisions to address the issue of IPV with their female patients. Inadequate preparation, both educational and experiential, emerged as a key barrier to routine inquiry, as did the importance of the "real world" pressures associated with the daily context of primary care practice. PMID:17250771

2009 fault tolerance for extreme-scale computing workshop, Albuquerque, NM - March 19-20, 2009.

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

Katz, D. S.; Daly, J.; DeBardeleben, N.

2009-02-01

This is a report on the third in a series of petascale workshops co-sponsored by Blue Waters and TeraGrid to address challenges and opportunities for making effective use of emerging extreme-scale computing. This workshop was held to discuss fault tolerance on large systems for running large, possibly long-running applications. The main point of the workshop was to have systems people, middleware people (including fault-tolerance experts), and applications people talk about the issues and figure out what needs to be done, mostly at the middleware and application levels, to run such applications on the emerging petascale systems, without having faults causemore » large numbers of application failures. The workshop found that there is considerable interest in fault tolerance, resilience, and reliability of high-performance computing (HPC) systems in general, at all levels of HPC. The only way to recover from faults is through the use of some redundancy, either in space or in time. Redundancy in time, in the form of writing checkpoints to disk and restarting at the most recent checkpoint after a fault that cause an application to crash/halt, is the most common tool used in applications today, but there are questions about how long this can continue to be a good solution as systems and memories grow faster than I/O bandwidth to disk. There is interest in both modifications to this, such as checkpoints to memory, partial checkpoints, and message logging, and alternative ideas, such as in-memory recovery using residues. We believe that systematic exploration of these ideas holds the most promise for the scientific applications community. Fault tolerance has been an issue of discussion in the HPC community for at least the past 10 years; but much like other issues, the community has managed to put off addressing it during this period. There is a growing recognition that as systems continue to grow to petascale and beyond, the field is approaching the point where we don't have any choice but to address this through R&D efforts.« less

A systematic review of noncommunicable health issues in mass gatherings.

PubMed

Alquthami, Ahmed H; Pines, Jesse M

2014-04-01

The review was conducted to evaluate if the field of mass-gathering medicine has evolved in addressing: (1) the lack of uniform standard measures; (2) the effectiveness of and needs for various interventions during a mass gathering; and (3) the various types of noncommunicable health issues (trauma and medical complaints) encountered and their severity during a gathering. A systematic review of papers published from 2003 through 2012 was conducted using databases of MEDLINE, Ovid, CINHAL, EBSCOHost, National Library of Medicine (NLM), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Elsevier, Scopus, and Proquest databases. Of 37,762 articles, 17 articles were included in this review, covering 18 mass-gathering events; 14 were multiple-day events. Across all events, the patient presentation rate (PPR) ranged from 0.13 to 20.8 patients per 1,000 attendees and the transfer to hospital rate (TTHR) ranged from 0.01 to 10.2 ambulance transports per 1,000 attendees. In four out of the seven studies, having on-site providers was associated with a lower rate of ambulance transports. The highest frequencies of noncommunicable presentations were headaches, abdominal complaints, and abrasions/lacerations. Most presentations were minor. Emergent cases requiring hospitalization (such as acute myocardial infarction) were rare. The rate of noncommunicable health issues varies across events and very serious emergencies are rare.

Mitigating amphibian chytridiomycoses in nature.

PubMed

Garner, Trenton W J; Schmidt, Benedikt R; Martel, An; Pasmans, Frank; Muths, Erin; Cunningham, Andrew A; Weldon, Che; Fisher, Matthew C; Bosch, Jaime

2016-12-05

Amphibians across the planet face the threat of population decline and extirpation caused by the disease chytridiomycosis. Despite consensus that the fungal pathogens responsible for the disease are conservation issues, strategies to mitigate their impacts in the natural world are, at best, nascent. Reducing risk associated with the movement of amphibians, non-amphibian vectors and other sources of infection remains the first line of defence and a primary objective when mitigating the threat of disease in wildlife. Amphibian-associated chytridiomycete fungi and chytridiomycosis are already widespread, though, and we therefore focus on discussing options for mitigating the threats once disease emergence has occurred in wild amphibian populations. All strategies have shortcomings that need to be overcome before implementation, including stronger efforts towards understanding and addressing ethical and legal considerations. Even if these issues can be dealt with, all currently available approaches, or those under discussion, are unlikely to yield the desired conservation outcome of disease mitigation. The decision process for establishing mitigation strategies requires integrated thinking that assesses disease mitigation options critically and embeds them within more comprehensive strategies for the conservation of amphibian populations, communities and ecosystems.This article is part of the themed issue 'Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Mitigating amphibian chytridiomycoses in nature

PubMed Central

Martel, An; Pasmans, Frank; Muths, Erin; Cunningham, Andrew A.; Weldon, Che; Bosch, Jaime

2016-01-01

Amphibians across the planet face the threat of population decline and extirpation caused by the disease chytridiomycosis. Despite consensus that the fungal pathogens responsible for the disease are conservation issues, strategies to mitigate their impacts in the natural world are, at best, nascent. Reducing risk associated with the movement of amphibians, non-amphibian vectors and other sources of infection remains the first line of defence and a primary objective when mitigating the threat of disease in wildlife. Amphibian-associated chytridiomycete fungi and chytridiomycosis are already widespread, though, and we therefore focus on discussing options for mitigating the threats once disease emergence has occurred in wild amphibian populations. All strategies have shortcomings that need to be overcome before implementation, including stronger efforts towards understanding and addressing ethical and legal considerations. Even if these issues can be dealt with, all currently available approaches, or those under discussion, are unlikely to yield the desired conservation outcome of disease mitigation. The decision process for establishing mitigation strategies requires integrated thinking that assesses disease mitigation options critically and embeds them within more comprehensive strategies for the conservation of amphibian populations, communities and ecosystems. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Tackling emerging fungal threats to animal health, food security and ecosystem resilience’. PMID:28080996

Public health and terrorism preparedness: cross-border issues.

PubMed

Olson, Debra; Leitheiser, Aggie; Atchison, Christopher; Larson, Susan; Homzik, Cassandra

2005-01-01

On December 15, 2003, the Centers for Public Health Preparedness at the University of Minnesota and the University of Iowa convened the "Public Health and Terrorism Preparedness: Cross-Border Issues Roundtable." The purpose of the roundtable was to gather public health professionals and government agency representatives at the state, provincial, and local levels to identify unmet cross-border emergency preparedness and response needs and develop strategies for addressing these needs. Representatives from six state and local public health departments and three provincial governments were invited to identify cross-border needs and issues using a nominal group process. The result of the roundtable was identification of the needs considered most important and most doable across all the focus groups. The need to collaborate on and exchange plans and protocols among agencies was identified as most important and most doable across all groups. Development of contact protocols and creation and maintenance of a contact database was also considered important and doable for a majority of groups. Other needs ranked important across the majority of groups included specific isolation and quarantine protocols for multi-state responses; a system for rapid and secure exchange of information; specific protocols for sharing human resources across borders, including emergency credentials for physicians and health care workers; and a specific protocol to coordinate Strategic National Stockpile mechanisms across border communities.

77 FR 43481 - Taking Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Somalia

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-24

... Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Somalia #0; #0; #0; Presidential Documents... Additional Steps to Address the National Emergency With Respect to Somalia By the authority vested in me as... order to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency with respect to the situation in...

Big data in psychology: Introduction to the special issue.

PubMed

Harlow, Lisa L; Oswald, Frederick L

2016-12-01

The introduction to this special issue on psychological research involving big data summarizes the highlights of 10 articles that address a number of important and inspiring perspectives, issues, and applications. Four common themes that emerge in the articles with respect to psychological research conducted in the area of big data are mentioned, including: (a) The benefits of collaboration across disciplines, such as those in the social sciences, applied statistics, and computer science. Doing so assists in grounding big data research in sound theory and practice, as well as in affording effective data retrieval and analysis. (b) Availability of large data sets on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites that provide a psychological window into the attitudes and behaviors of a broad spectrum of the population. (c) Identifying, addressing, and being sensitive to ethical considerations when analyzing large data sets gained from public or private sources. (d) The unavoidable necessity of validating predictive models in big data by applying a model developed on 1 dataset to a separate set of data or hold-out sample. Translational abstracts that summarize the articles in very clear and understandable terms are included in Appendix A, and a glossary of terms relevant to big data research discussed in the articles is presented in Appendix B. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Big Data in Psychology: Introduction to Special Issue

PubMed Central

Harlow, Lisa L.; Oswald, Frederick L.

2016-01-01

The introduction to this special issue on psychological research involving big data summarizes the highlights of 10 articles that address a number of important and inspiring perspectives, issues, and applications. Four common themes that emerge in the articles with respect to psychological research conducted in the area of big data are mentioned, including: 1. The benefits of collaboration across disciplines, such as those in the social sciences, applied statistics, and computer science. Doing so assists in grounding big data research in sound theory and practice, as well as in affording effective data retrieval and analysis. 2. Availability of large datasets on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites that provide a psychological window into the attitudes and behaviors of a broad spectrum of the population. 3. Identifying, addressing, and being sensitive to ethical considerations when analyzing large datasets gained from public or private sources. 4. The unavoidable necessity of validating predictive models in big data by applying a model developed on one dataset to a separate set of data or hold-out sample. Translational abstracts that summarize the articles in very clear and understandable terms are included in Appendix A, and a glossary of terms relevant to big data research discussed in the articles is presented in Appendix B. PMID:27918177

Ethical challenges in resuscitation.

PubMed

Mentzelopoulos, Spyros D; Slowther, Anne-Marie; Fritz, Zoe; Sandroni, Claudio; Xanthos, Theodoros; Callaway, Clifton; Perkins, Gavin D; Newgard, Craig; Ischaki, Eleni; Greif, Robert; Kompanje, Erwin; Bossaert, Leo

2018-06-01

A rapidly evolving resuscitation science provides more effective treatments to an aging population with multiple comorbidites. Concurrently, emergency care has become patient-centered. This review aims to describe challenges associated with the application of key principles of bioethics in resuscitation and post-resuscitation care; propose actions to address these challenges; and highlight the need for evidence-based ethics and consensus on ethical principles interpretation. Following agreement on the article's outline, subgroups of 2-3 authors provided narrative reviews of ethical issues concerning autonomy and honesty, beneficence/nonmaleficence and dignity, justice, specific practices/circumstances such as family presence during resuscitation, and emergency research. Proposals for addressing ethical challenges were also offered. Respect for patient autonomy can be realized through honest provision of information, shared decision-making, and advance directives/care planning. Essential prerequisites comprise public and specific healthcare professionals' education, appropriate regulatory provisions, and allocation of adequate resources. Regarding beneficence/nonmaleficence, resuscitation should benefit patients, while avoiding harm from futile interventions; pertinent practice should be based on neurological prognostication and patient/family-reported outcomes. Regarding dignity, aggressive life-sustaining treatments against patients preferences should be avoided. Contrary to the principle of justice, resuscitation quality may be affected by race/income status, age, ethnicity, comorbidity, and location (urban versus rural or country-specific/region-specific). Current evidence supports family presence during resuscitation. Regarding emergency research, autonomy should be respected without hindering scientific progress; furthermore, transparency of research conduct should be promoted and funding increased. Major ethical challenges in resuscitation science need to be addressed through complex/resource-demanding interventions. Such actions require support by ongoing/future research.

The role of the airline transportation network in the prediction and predictability of global epidemics.

PubMed

Colizza, Vittoria; Barrat, Alain; Barthélemy, Marc; Vespignani, Alessandro

2006-02-14

The systematic study of large-scale networks has unveiled the ubiquitous presence of connectivity patterns characterized by large-scale heterogeneities and unbounded statistical fluctuations. These features affect dramatically the behavior of the diffusion processes occurring on networks, determining the ensuing statistical properties of their evolution pattern and dynamics. In this article, we present a stochastic computational framework for the forecast of global epidemics that considers the complete worldwide air travel infrastructure complemented with census population data. We address two basic issues in global epidemic modeling: (i) we study the role of the large scale properties of the airline transportation network in determining the global diffusion pattern of emerging diseases; and (ii) we evaluate the reliability of forecasts and outbreak scenarios with respect to the intrinsic stochasticity of disease transmission and traffic flows. To address these issues we define a set of quantitative measures able to characterize the level of heterogeneity and predictability of the epidemic pattern. These measures may be used for the analysis of containment policies and epidemic risk assessment.

Space rescue system definition (system performance analysis and trades)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Housten, Sam; Elsner, Tim; Redler, Ken; Svendsen, Hal; Wenzel, Sheri

This paper addresses key technical issues involved in the system definition of the Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV). The perspective on these issues is that of a prospective ACRV contractor, performing system analysis and trade studies. The objective of these analyses and trade studies is to develop the recovery vehicle system concept and top level requirements. The starting point for this work is the definition of the set of design missions for the ACRV. This set of missions encompasses three classes of contingency/emergency (crew illness/injury, space station catastrophe/failure, transportation element catastrophe/failure). The need is to provide a system to return Space Station crew to Earth quickly (less than 24 hours) in response to randomly occurring contingency events over an extended period of time (30 years of planned Space Station life). The main topics addressed and characterized in this paper include the following: Key Recovery (Rescue) Site Access Considerations; Rescue Site Locations and Distribution; Vehicle Cross Range vs Site Access; On-orbit Loiter Capability and Vehicle Design; and Water vs. Land Recovery.

Educational innovations to foster resilience in the health professions.

PubMed

Kreitzer, Mary Jo; Klatt, Maryanna

2017-02-01

Stress and burnout of healthcare providers has become a major healthcare issue that has implications for not only workforce projections, but the cost and quality of care and the lives of healthcare providers and their families. Burnout, characterized by loss of enthusiasm for work, feelings of cynicism and a low sense of personal accomplishment is associated with early retirement, alcohol use, and suicidal ideation. Healthcare professional "wellbeing" or "care of the caregiver" is a topic that has not been significantly addressed in the education of healthcare professionals. The culture that has dominated much of education has been one where students have been expected to forego personal needs, endure stressful environments, and emerge from highly competitive and often dysfunctional environments to work in care settings where health and wellbeing is also largely ignored. Three curricular innovations are highlighted that target pre-professional students, students enrolled in health professions education and practicing health care professionals. Strategies are highlighted that both help individuals cultivate resiliency and wellbeing in their personal and professional lives and that address system issues that contribute to unhealthy learning and work environments.

Microorganisms: Good or Evil, MIRRI Provides Biosecurity Awareness.

PubMed

Smith, David; Martin, Dunja; Novossiolova, Tatyana

2017-03-01

The life-science community is a key stakeholder in the effort to ensure that the advances in biotechnology are not misused. Unfortunately, to date, the engagement of life scientists with issues of biosecurity has been limited. Microorganisms have been harnessed for the benefit of humankind but in the wrong hands could be used in direct or indirect acts against humans, livestock, crops, food, water infrastructure and other economically valuable entities. The Microbial Resources Research Infrastructure in its preparatory phase has addressed the topic implementing a code of conduct as part of its programme of prevention of malicious use and continues to work with the international community to raise awareness of best practice to avoid misuse of microorganisms. Biosecurity has become a major concern for several countries creating numerous activities to put in place counter measures, risk assessment, legislation and emergency response. The goal is to implement measures to protect us against malicious use of microorganisms, their products, information and technology transfer. Through this paper, we wish to discuss some of the activities that are underway, mention key educational tools and provide scientists with information on addressing biosecurity issues.

Human factors for a sustainable future.

PubMed

Thatcher, Andrew; Yeow, Paul H P

2016-11-01

Current human activities are seriously eroding the ability of natural and social systems to cope. Clearly we cannot continue along our current path without seriously damaging our own ability to survive as a species. This problem is usually framed as one of sustainability. As concerned professionals, citizens, and humans there is a strong collective will to address what we see as a failure to protect the natural and social environments that supports us. While acknowledging that we cannot do this alone, human factors and ergonomics needs to apply its relevant skills and knowledge to assist where it can in addressing the commonly identified problem areas. These problems include pollution, climate change, renewable energy, land transformation, and social unrest amongst numerous other emerging global problems. The issue of sustainability raises two fundamental questions for human factors and ergonomics: which system requires sustaining and what length of time is considered sustainable? In this paper we apply Wilson (2014) parent-sibling-child model to understanding what is required of an HFE sustainability response. This model is used to frame the papers that appear in this Special Issue. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Management of space networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Markley, R. W.; Williams, B. F.

1993-01-01

NASA has proposed missions to the Moon and Mars that reflect three areas of emphasis: human presence, exploration, and space resource development for the benefit of Earth. A major requirement for such missions is a robust and reliable communications architecture. Network management--the ability to maintain some degree of human and automatic control over the span of the network from the space elements to the end users on Earth--is required to realize such robust and reliable communications. This article addresses several of the architectural issues associated with space network management. Round-trip delays, such as the 5- to 40-min delays in the Mars case, introduce a host of problems that must be solved by delegating significant control authority to remote nodes. Therefore, management hierarchy is one of the important architectural issues. The following article addresses these concerns, and proposes a network management approach based on emerging standards that covers the needs for fault, configuration, and performance management, delegated control authority, and hierarchical reporting of events. A relatively simple approach based on standards was demonstrated in the DSN 2000 Information Systems Laboratory, and the results are described.

Policy strategies to address sustainability of Alaskan boreal forests in response to a directionally changing climate.

PubMed

Chapin, F Stuart; Lovecraft, Amy L; Zavaleta, Erika S; Nelson, Joanna; Robards, Martin D; Kofinas, Gary P; Trainor, Sarah F; Peterson, Garry D; Huntington, Henry P; Naylor, Rosamond L

2006-11-07

Human activities are altering many factors that determine the fundamental properties of ecological and social systems. Is sustainability a realistic goal in a world in which many key process controls are directionally changing? To address this issue, we integrate several disparate sources of theory to address sustainability in directionally changing social-ecological systems, apply this framework to climate-warming impacts in Interior Alaska, and describe a suite of policy strategies that emerge from these analyses. Climate warming in Interior Alaska has profoundly affected factors that influence landscape processes (climate regulation and disturbance spread) and natural hazards, but has only indirectly influenced ecosystem goods such as food, water, and wood that receive most management attention. Warming has reduced cultural services provided by ecosystems, leading to some of the few institutional responses that directly address the causes of climate warming, e.g., indigenous initiatives to the Arctic Council. Four broad policy strategies emerge: (i) enhancing human adaptability through learning and innovation in the context of changes occurring at multiple scales; (ii) increasing resilience by strengthening negative (stabilizing) feedbacks that buffer the system from change and increasing options for adaptation through biological, cultural, and economic diversity; (iii) reducing vulnerability by strengthening institutions that link the high-latitude impacts of climate warming to their low-latitude causes; and (iv) facilitating transformation to new, potentially more beneficial states by taking advantage of opportunities created by crisis. Each strategy provides societal benefits, and we suggest that all of them be pursued simultaneously.

Staff perceptions of addressing lifestyle in primary health care: a qualitative evaluation 2 years after the introduction of a lifestyle intervention tool.

PubMed

Carlfjord, Siw; Lindberg, Malou; Andersson, Agneta

2012-10-10

Preventive services and health promotion in terms of lifestyle counselling provided through primary health care (PHC) has the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality in the population. Health professionals in general are positive about and willing to develop a health-promoting and/or preventive role. A number of obstacles hindering PHC staff from addressing lifestyle issues have been identified, and one facilitator is the use of modern technology. When a computer-based tool for lifestyle intervention (CLT) was introduced at a number of PHC units in Sweden, this provided an opportunity to study staff perspectives on the subject. The aim of this study was to explore PHC staff's perceptions of handling lifestyle issues, including the consultation situation as well as the perceived usefulness of the CLT. A qualitative study was conducted after the CLT had been in operation for 2 years. Six focus group interviews, one at each participating unit, including a total of 30 staff members with different professions participated. The interviews were designed to capture perceptions of addressing lifestyle issues, and of using the CLT. Interview data were analysed using manifest content analysis. Two main themes emerged from the interviews: a challenging task and confidence in handling lifestyle issues. The first theme covered the categories responsibilities and emotions, and the second theme covered the categories first contact, existing tools, and role of the CLT. Staff at the units showed commitment to health promotion/prevention, and saw that patients, caregivers, managers and politicians all have responsibilities regarding the issue. They expressed confidence in handling lifestyle-related conditions, but to a lesser extent had routines for general screening of lifestyle habits, and found addressing alcohol the most problematic issue. The CLT, intended to facilitate screening, was viewed as a complement, but was not considered an important tool for health promotion/prevention. Additional resources, for example in terms of manpower, may help to build the structures necessary for the health promotion/prevention task. Committed leaders could enhance the engagement among staff. Cooperation in multi-professional teams seems to be important, and methods or tools perceived by staff as compatible have a potential to be successfully implemented. Economic incentives rewarding quantity rather than quality appear to be frustrating to PHC staff.

Changing Patterns of Emerging Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife, Domestic Animals, and Humans Linked to Biodiversity Loss and Globalization.

PubMed

Aguirre, A Alonso

2017-12-15

The fundamental human threats to biodiversity including habitat destruction, globalization, and species loss have led to ecosystem disruptions altering infectious disease transmission patterns, the accumulation of toxic pollutants, and the invasion of alien species and pathogens. To top it all, the profound role of climate change on many ecological processes has affected the inability of many species to adapt to these relatively rapid changes. This special issue, "Zoonotic Disease Ecology: Effects on Humans, Domestic Animals and Wildlife," explores the complex interactions of emerging infectious diseases across taxa linked to many of these anthropogenic and environmental drivers. Selected emerging zoonoses including RNA viruses, Rift Valley fever, trypanosomiasis, Hanta virus infection, and other vector-borne diseases are discussed in detail. Also, coprophagous beetles are proposed as important vectors in the transmission and maintenance of infectious pathogens. An overview of the impacts of climate change in emerging disease ecology within the context of Brazil as a case study is provided. Animal Care and Use Committee requirements were investigated, concluding that ecology journals have low rates of explicit statements regarding the welfare and wellbing of wildlife during experimental studies. Most of the solutions to protect biodiversity and predicting and preventing the next epidemic in humans originating from wildlife are oriented towards the developed world and are less useful for biodiverse, low-income economies. We need the development of regional policies to address these issues at the local level.

US EPA's Ecological Risk Assessment Support Center ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

BackgroundThe ERASC provides technical information and addresses scientific questions of concern or interest on topics relevant to ecological risk assessment at hazardous waste sites for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) personnel and the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) staff. Requests are channeled to ERASC through the Ecological Risk Assessment Forum (ERAF). To assess emerging and complex scientific issues that require expert judgment, the ERASC relies on the expertise of scientists and engineers located throughout EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) labs and centers.ResponseERASC develops responses that reflect the state of the science for ecological risk assessment and also provides a communication point for the distribution of the responses to other interested parties. For further information, contact Ecology_ERASC@epa.gov or call 513-569-7940.

Evidence-based disease management: its role in cardiovascular risk reduction.

PubMed

Fanning, Etta L

2004-01-01

Cardiovascular disease remains the most pressing healthcare problem in the United States. Traditional risk factors--hypertension, obesity, and diabetes-are still unresolved issues; and new risk factors--pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, and pediatric and adolescent diabetes-have emerged. There is an urgent need to identify the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and address risk reduction with disease management and treatment for each factor, based on qualitative and quantitative approaches for developing the evidence base for public health action. The objectives of this paper are to review (i) the burden of cardiovascular illness-morbidity, mortality, and cost; (ii) risk factors and the emerging epidemic of adolescent obesity; (iii) the challenges of attaining target endpoints; and (iv) the attributes of a successful programmatic healthcare initiative for potential impact on cardiovascular care and, eventually, public health.

Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase–Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Children: Old Foe, Emerging Threat

PubMed Central

Lukac, Paul J.; Bonomo, Robert A.; Logan, Latania K.

2015-01-01

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae present an ever-growing burden in the hospital and community settings, across all ages and demographics. Infections due to ESBL-containing pathogens continue to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. With widespread empiric broad-spectrum β-lactam use creating selective pressure, and the resultant emergence of stable, rapidly proliferating ESBL-producing clones with continued horizontal gene transfer across genera, addressing this issue remains imperative. Although well characterized in adults, the epidemiology, risk factors, outcomes, therapies, and control measures for ESBL-producing bacteria are less appreciated in children. This analysis provides a brief summary of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in children, with a focus on recent clinical and molecular data regarding colonization and infection in nonoutbreak settings. PMID:25595742

On the methodological, theoretical and philosophical context of health inequalities research: a critique.

PubMed

Forbes, A; Wainwright, S P

2001-09-01

The integration of survey data with psycho-social theories is an important and emerging theme within the field of health inequalities research. This paper critically examines this approach arguing that the respective models of health inequality which these approaches promote, the related concepts of 'social cohesion' and 'social capital' suffer from serious methodological, theoretical and philosophical flaws. The critique draws particular attention to the limitations of survey-derived data and the dangers of using such data to develop complex social explanations for health inequalities. The paper discusses wider epistemological issues which emerge from the critique addressing the fundamental but neglected question of 'what is inequality'? The paper concludes by introducing a structure for questions regarding health inequalities emphasising the need for those question to be attached to real communities.

An environmental scan of emergency response systems and services in remote First Nations communities in Northern Ontario.

PubMed

Mew, E J; Ritchie, S D; VanderBurgh, D; Beardy, J L; Gordon, J; Fortune, M; Mamakwa, S; Orkin, A M

2017-01-01

Approximately 24,000 Ontarians live in remote Indigenous communities with no road access. These communities are a subset of Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), a political grouping of 49 First Nations communities in Northern Ontario, Canada. Limited information is available regarding the status of emergency care in these communities. We aimed to understand emergency response systems, services, and training in remote NAN communities. We used an environmental scan approach to compile information from multiple sources including community-based participatory research. This included the analysis of data collected from key informant interviews (n=10) with First Nations community health leaders and a multi-stakeholder roundtable meeting (n=33) in October 2013. Qualitative analysis of the interview data revealed four issues related to emergency response systems and training: (1) inequity in response capacity and services, (2) lack of formalised dispatch systems, (3) turnover and burnout in volunteer emergency services, and (4) challenges related to first aid training. Roundtable stakeholders supported the development of a community-based emergency care system to address gaps. Existing first response, paramedical, and ambulance service models do not meet the unique geographical, epidemiological and cultural needs in most NAN communities. Sustainable, context-appropriate, and culturally relevant emergency care systems are needed.

Using Computing and Data Grids for Large-Scale Science and Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, William E.

2001-01-01

We use the term "Grid" to refer to a software system that provides uniform and location independent access to geographically and organizationally dispersed, heterogeneous resources that are persistent and supported. These emerging data and computing Grids promise to provide a highly capable and scalable environment for addressing large-scale science problems. We describe the requirements for science Grids, the resulting services and architecture of NASA's Information Power Grid (IPG) and DOE's Science Grid, and some of the scaling issues that have come up in their implementation.

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

Eto, Joseph H.; Stewart, Emma M.; Smith, Travis

This report addresses the potential use of phasor measurement units (PMUs) within electricity distribution systems, and was written to assess whether or not PMUs could provide significant benefit, at the national level. We analyze examples of present and emerging distribution-system issues related to reliability, integration of distributed energy resources, and the changing electrical characteristics of load. We find that PMUs offer important and irreplaceable advantages over present approaches. However, we also find that additional research and development for standards, testing and calibration, demonstration projects, and information sharing is needed to help industry capture these benefits.

Neuroscience, ethics, and national security: the state of the art.

PubMed

Tennison, Michael N; Moreno, Jonathan D

2012-01-01

National security organizations in the United States, including the armed services and the intelligence community, have developed a close relationship with the scientific establishment. The latest technology often fuels warfighting and counter-intelligence capacities, providing the tactical advantages thought necessary to maintain geopolitical dominance and national security. Neuroscience has emerged as a prominent focus within this milieu, annually receiving hundreds of millions of Department of Defense dollars. Its role in national security operations raises ethical issues that need to be addressed to ensure the pragmatic synthesis of ethical accountability and national security.

Building clinicians-researchers partnerships: lessons from diverse natural settings and practice-oriented initiatives.

PubMed

Castonguay, Louis G; Youn, Soo Jeong; Xiao, Henry; Muran, J Christopher; Barber, Jacques P

2015-01-01

In this concluding paper, we identify the type of studies conducted by 11 teams of contributors to a special issue on building clinicians-researchers partnerships. Those studies were conducted across a variety of clinical settings. We also integrate the lessons that have emerged from their collaborative initiatives in terms of obstacles faced, strategies adopted to address these challenges, benefits gained, and general recommendations offered to facilitate studies conducted with or by clinicians. The paper ends with the authors' thoughts about the future success of practice-oriented research in general.

Multiple approaches to understanding and preventing elder abuse: Introduction to the cross-disciplinary National Institutes of Health workshop.

PubMed

Saylor, Katherine Witte

2016-01-01

On October 30, 2015, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a workshop, "Multiple Approaches to Understanding and Preventing Elder Abuse," in Bethesda, Maryland. The workshop brought together experts from across disciplines to discuss research challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned from other fields. Participants included experts in elder abuse, child abuse, intimate partner violence (IPV), emergency medicine, and neuroscience. In this special issue of the Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, participants address topics explored before, during, and after the day-long workshop.

Statistical issues in the design, conduct and analysis of two large safety studies.

PubMed

Gaffney, Michael

2016-10-01

The emergence, post approval, of serious medical events, which may be associated with the use of a particular drug or class of drugs, is an important public health and regulatory issue. The best method to address this issue is through a large, rigorously designed safety study. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the statistical issues involved in these large safety studies. Two such studies are PRECISION and EAGLES. PRECISION is the primary focus of this article. PRECISION is a non-inferiority design with a clinically relevant non-inferiority margin. Statistical issues in the design, conduct and analysis of PRECISION are discussed. Quantitative and clinical aspects of the selection of the composite primary endpoint, the determination and role of the non-inferiority margin in a large safety study and the intent-to-treat and modified intent-to-treat analyses in a non-inferiority safety study are shown. Protocol changes that were necessary during the conduct of PRECISION are discussed from a statistical perspective. Issues regarding the complex analysis and interpretation of the results of PRECISION are outlined. EAGLES is presented as a large, rigorously designed safety study when a non-inferiority margin was not able to be determined by a strong clinical/scientific method. In general, when a non-inferiority margin is not able to be determined, the width of the 95% confidence interval is a way to size the study and to assess the cost-benefit of relative trial size. A non-inferiority margin, when able to be determined by a strong scientific method, should be included in a large safety study. Although these studies could not be called "pragmatic," they are examples of best real-world designs to address safety and regulatory concerns. © The Author(s) 2016.

The sociocultural context of emotion socialization in African American families.

PubMed

Labella, Madelyn H

2018-02-01

The current paper systematically reviews empirical research on parental emotion socialization in African American families, addressing gaps in a literature that has historically focused on White middle class samples. Of the 1210 studies screened, 329 were inspected, 280 were excluded, and 49 were included. Studies addressed emotion-related beliefs and attitudes, emotion expressiveness, discussion of emotion, and responses to children's emotion. Mixed findings are interpreted in light of sociocultural factors. An emerging body of research suggests that the celebration and restriction of children's emotions coexist closely in African American families, perhaps reflecting the joint influence of traditional Afro-cultural values and the historical context of slavery and discrimination. Methodological issues are identified and future directions for research and practice are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

People are failing! Something needs to be done: Canadian students' experience with the NCLEX-RN.

PubMed

McGillis Hall, Linda; Lalonde, Michelle; Kashin, Jordana

2016-11-01

Canada's nurse regulators adopted the NCLEX as the entry-to-practice licensing exam for Canada's registered nurses effective January 2015. It is important to determine whether any issues from this change emerged for nursing students in preparing for and taking this new exam. To explore the experiences of Canadian graduate student nurses who were the first to write the NCLEX examination for entry to practice in Canada, determine whether any issues with implementation were identified and how these could be addressed. A qualitative study. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interview data obtained through interviews with 202 graduate Canadian nursing students was the methodology employed in this study. The predominant theme that emerged from the interview data was policy related issues that students identified with preparing for and taking the NCLEX. Sub-themes included: a) temporary test centre concerns, b) perceptions of American context and content on the exam, c) lack of French language resources and translation issues, d) the limited number of opportunities to write the exam, e) communication and engagement with regulators, f) financial costs incurred and g) reputational costs for the Canadian nursing profession. The experiences of study participants with NCLEX implementation in Canada were less than positive. This is of critical importance given the pass rates for first-time NCLEX writers in Canada were reported as 69.7%, substantially lower than pass rates on the previous Canadian entry-to-practice exam. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating anticipated nutrigenomics bioscience applications with ethical aspects.

PubMed

Lévesque, Lise; Ozdemir, Vural; Gremmen, Bart; Godard, Béatrice

2008-03-01

Nutrigenomics is a subspecialty of nutrition science which aims to understand how gene-diet interactions influence individuals' response to food, disease susceptibility, and population health. Yet ethical enquiry into this field is being outpaced by nutrigenomics bioscience. The ethical issues surrounding nutrigenomics face the challenges of a rapidly evolving field which bring forward the additional dimension of crossdisciplinary integrative research between social and biomedical sciences. This article outlines the emerging nutrigenomics definitions and concepts and analyzes the existing ethics literature concerning personalized nutrition and presents "points to consider" over ethical issues regarding future nutrigenomics applications. The interest in nutrigenomics coincides with a shift in emphasis in medicine and biosciences toward prevention of future disease susceptibilities rather than treatment of already established disease. Hence, unique ethical issues emerge concerning the extent to which nutrigenomics can alter our relation to food, boundaries between health and disease, and the folklore of medical practice. Nutrigenomics can result in new social values, norms, and responsibilities for both individuals and societies. Nutrigenomics is not only another new application of "-omics" technologies in the context of gene-diet interactions. Nutrigenomics may fundamentally change the way we perceive human illness while shifting the focus and broadening the scope of health interventions from patients to healthy individuals. In resource- and time-limited healthcare settings, this creates unique ethical dilemmas and distributive justice issues. Ethical aspects of nutrigenomics applications should be addressed proactively, as this new science develops and increasingly coalesces with other applications of genomics in medicine and public health.

Body of Knowledge for Silicon Carbide Power Electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boomer, Kristen; Lauenstein, Jean-Marie; Hammoud, Ahmad

2016-01-01

Wide band gap semiconductors, such as silicon carbide (SiC), have emerged as very promising materials for future electronic components due to the tremendous advantages they offer in terms of power capability, extreme temperature tolerance, and high frequency operation. This report documents some issues pertaining to SiC technology and its application in the area of power electronics, in particular those geared for space missions. It also serves as a body of knowledge (BOK) in reference to the development and status of this technology obtained via literature and industry survey as well as providing a listing of the major manufacturers and their capabilities. Finally, issues relevant to the reliability of SiC-based electronic parts are addressed and limitations affecting the full utilization of this technology are identified.

In defense of the Desiderata.

PubMed

Cimino, James J

2006-06-01

A 1998 paper that delineated desirable characteristics, or desiderata for controlled medical terminologies attempted to summarize emerging consensus regarding structural issues of such terminologies. Among the Desiderata was a call for terminologies to be "concept oriented." Since then, research has trended toward the extension of terminologies into ontologies. A paper by Smith, entitled "From Concepts to Clinical Reality: An Essay on the Benchmarking of Biomedical Terminologies" urges a realist approach that seeks terminologies composed of universals, rather than concepts. The current paper addresses issues raised by Smith and attempts to extend the Desiderata, not away from concepts, but towards recognition that concepts and universals must both be embraced and can coexist peaceably in controlled terminologies. To that end, additional Desiderata are defined that deal with the purpose, rather than the structure, of controlled medical terminologies.

Progress in hyperspectral imaging of vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goetz, Alexander F. H.

2001-03-01

Computer-related technologies, such as the Internet, have posed new challenges for intellectual property law. Legislation and court decisions impacting patents, copyrights, trade secrets and trademarks have adapted intellectual property law to address new issues brought about by such emerging technologies. As the pace of technological change continues to increase, intellectual property law will need to keep up. Accordingly, the balance struck by intellectual property laws today will likely be set askew by technological changes in the future. Engineers need to consider not only the law as it exists today, but also how it might change in the future. Likewise, lawyers and judges need to consider legal issues not only in view of the current state of the art in technology, but also with an eye to technologies yet to come.

Before the experts arrive.

PubMed

Chandley, M

2001-06-01

This article addresses the rare event of the hostage situation in a forensic psychiatric nursing setting. It has a specific focus on the initial response and the accompanying issues for nurses at the clinical interface as the situation emerges. The intention of this article is to both offer guidance and raise the profile of this unique management issue because little attention is drawn to early-stage hostage situations at an organizational level. When a hostage situation occurs, inadequate preparation can mean the difference between life and death for the hostage, negotiator, or hostage taker. This article provides an overview of the relevant literature and offers guidance about the actions required when a nurse suddenly becomes responsible for managing the early stages of such a traumatic event. Responses, safety, and communication factors concerning the hostage taker are covered.

An alternative framework for responding to the amphibian crisis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muths, Erin L.; Fisher, Robert N.

2017-01-01

Volumes of data illustrate the severity of the crisis affecting amphibians, where > 32% of amphibians worldwide are threatened with declining populations. Although there have been isolated victories, the current approach to the issue is unsuccessful. We suggest that a radically different approach, something akin to human emergency response management (i.e. the Incident Command System), is one alternative to addressing the inertia and lack of cohesion in responding to amphibian issues. We acknowledge existing efforts and the useful research that has been conducted, but we suggest that a change is warranted and that the identification of a new amphibian chytrid provides the impetus for such a change. Our goal is to recognize that without a centralized effort we (collectively) are likely to fail in responding to this challenge.

Current Trends in Retirement: Implications for Career Counseling and Vocational Psychology

PubMed Central

Lytle, Megan C.; Clancy, Megan E.; Foley, Pamela F.; Cotter, Elizabeth W.

2015-01-01

This paper provides an overview of emerging trends in retirement, examines demographic trends in the labor force, and provides practical recommendations for working with older workers across cultures (e.g., women and racial/ethnic minorities, among others). Increasingly, older workers in the United States remain in the workforce for reasons related to financial security, healthcare, and personal fulfillment. Although retirement trends have become more complex, there is limited empirical literature addressing this issue and the research available does not attend to the needs of a diverse workforce. Therefore, implications for training, practice, advocacy, and research with regards to working with older workers across cultures (e.g., women and racial/ethnic minorities, among others) are provided. Keywords: Cross-cultural/multicultural career issues, career development stages, elderly employees, career/vocational education/guidance PMID:26034345

Applying IT Governance Concepts and Elements to Knowledge Governance: An Initial Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouyet, Juan Ignacio; Joyanes, Luis

As the era of knowledge-based economy is emerging, the importance of knowledge governance is gradually increasing. The question of how the governance mechanisms influence on the knowledge transactions is becoming increasingly relevant. However, the theoretical approaches have yet to solve outstanding issues, such as how the the micro-level governance mechanisms influence the knowledge processes or what kind of organizational hazard could decrease the benefits form the knowledge processes. Furthermore, the deployment of empirical studies to address the issues mentioned is arguably needed. This paper proposes a knowledge governance framework to assist effectively in the implementation of governance mechanisms for knowledge management processes. Additionally, it shows how this may be implented in a knowledge-intensive firm and proposes specific structures and governance mechanisms.

2017 White Paper: rise of hybrid LBA/LCMS immunogenicity assays (Part 2: hybrid LBA/LCMS biotherapeutics, biomarkers & immunogenicity assays and regulatory agencies' inputs).

PubMed

Neubert, Hendrik; Song, An; Lee, Anita; Wei, Cong; Duggan, Jeff; Xu, Keyang; Woolf, Eric; Evans, Chris; Palandra, Joe; Laterza, Omar; Amur, Shashi; Berger, Isabella; Bustard, Mark; Cancilla, Mark; Chen, Shang-Chiung; Cho, Seongeun Julia; Ciccimaro, Eugene; Cludts, Isabelle; Cocea, Laurent; D'Arienzo, Celia; Danan-Leon, Lieza; Donato, Lorella Di; Garofolo, Fabio; Haidar, Sam; Ishii-Watabe, Akiko; Jiang, Hao; Kadavil, John; Kassim, Sean; Kurki, Pekka; Blaye, Olivier Le; Liu, Kai; Mathews, Rod; Lima Santos, Gustavo Mendes; Niwa, Makoto; Pedras-Vasconcelos, João; Qian, Mark; Rago, Brian; Saad, Ola; Saito, Yoshiro; Savoie, Natasha; Su, Dian; Szapacs, Matthew; Tampal, Nilufer; Vinter, Stephen; Wang, Jian; Welink, Jan; Whale, Emma; Wilson, Amanda; Xue, Y-J

2017-12-01

The 2017 11th Workshop on Recent Issues in Bioanalysis (11th WRIB) took place in Los Angeles/Universal City, California on 3-7 April 2017 with participation of close to 750 professionals from pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, contract research organizations and regulatory agencies worldwide. WRIB was once again a 5-day, weeklong event - a full immersion week of bioanalysis, biomarkers and immunogenicity. As usual, it was specifically designed to facilitate sharing, reviewing, discussing and agreeing on approaches to address the most current issues of interest including both small and large molecule analysis involving LCMS, hybrid ligand binding assay (LBA)/LCMS and LBA approaches. This 2017 White Paper encompasses recommendations emerging from the extensive discussions held during the workshop, and is aimed to provide the bioanalytical community with key information and practical solutions on topics and issues addressed, in an effort to enable advances in scientific excellence, improved quality and better regulatory compliance. Due to its length, the 2017 edition of this comprehensive White Paper has been divided into three parts for editorial reasons. This publication (Part 2) covers the recommendations for biotherapeutics, biomarkers and immunogenicity assays using hybrid LBA/LCMS and regulatory agencies' inputs. Part 1 (LCMS for small molecules, peptides and small molecule biomarkers) and Part 3 (LBA: immunogenicity, biomarkers and pharmacokinetic assays) are published in Volume 9 of Bioanalysis, issues 22 and 24 (2017), respectively.

Vehicle Scheduling Schemes for Commercial and Emergency Logistics Integration

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaohui; Tan, Qingmei

2013-01-01

In modern logistics operations, large-scale logistics companies, besides active participation in profit-seeking commercial business, also play an essential role during an emergency relief process by dispatching urgently-required materials to disaster-affected areas. Therefore, an issue has been widely addressed by logistics practitioners and caught researchers' more attention as to how the logistics companies achieve maximum commercial profit on condition that emergency tasks are effectively and performed satisfactorily. In this paper, two vehicle scheduling models are proposed to solve the problem. One is a prediction-related scheme, which predicts the amounts of disaster-relief materials and commercial business and then accepts the business that will generate maximum profits; the other is a priority-directed scheme, which, firstly groups commercial and emergency business according to priority grades and then schedules both types of business jointly and simultaneously by arriving at the maximum priority in total. Moreover, computer-based simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of these two models by comparing them with two traditional disaster-relief tactics in China. The results testify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed models. PMID:24391724

Vehicle scheduling schemes for commercial and emergency logistics integration.

PubMed

Li, Xiaohui; Tan, Qingmei

2013-01-01

In modern logistics operations, large-scale logistics companies, besides active participation in profit-seeking commercial business, also play an essential role during an emergency relief process by dispatching urgently-required materials to disaster-affected areas. Therefore, an issue has been widely addressed by logistics practitioners and caught researchers' more attention as to how the logistics companies achieve maximum commercial profit on condition that emergency tasks are effectively and performed satisfactorily. In this paper, two vehicle scheduling models are proposed to solve the problem. One is a prediction-related scheme, which predicts the amounts of disaster-relief materials and commercial business and then accepts the business that will generate maximum profits; the other is a priority-directed scheme, which, firstly groups commercial and emergency business according to priority grades and then schedules both types of business jointly and simultaneously by arriving at the maximum priority in total. Moreover, computer-based simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of these two models by comparing them with two traditional disaster-relief tactics in China. The results testify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed models.

Late emergence of the vibrissa direction selectivity map in the rat barrel cortex.

PubMed

Kremer, Yves; Léger, Jean-François; Goodman, Dan; Brette, Romain; Bourdieu, Laurent

2011-07-20

In the neocortex, neuronal selectivities for multiple sensorimotor modalities are often distributed in topographical maps thought to emerge during a restricted period in early postnatal development. Rodent barrel cortex contains a somatotopic map for vibrissa identity, but the existence of maps representing other tactile features has not been clearly demonstrated. We addressed the issue of the existence in the rat cortex of an intrabarrel map for vibrissa movement direction using in vivo two-photon imaging. We discovered that the emergence of a direction map in rat barrel cortex occurs long after all known critical periods in the somatosensory system. This map is remarkably specific, taking a pinwheel-like form centered near the barrel center and aligned to the barrel cortex somatotopy. We suggest that this map may arise from intracortical mechanisms and demonstrate by simulation that the combination of spike-timing-dependent plasticity at synapses between layer 4 and layer 2/3 and realistic pad stimulation is sufficient to produce such a map. Its late emergence long after other classical maps suggests that experience-dependent map formation and refinement continue throughout adult life.

Enabling heterogenous multi-scale database for emergency service functions through geoinformation technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhanumurthy, V.; Venugopala Rao, K.; Srinivasa Rao, S.; Ram Mohan Rao, K.; Chandra, P. Satya; Vidhyasagar, J.; Diwakar, P. G.; Dadhwal, V. K.

2014-11-01

Geographical Information Science (GIS) is now graduated from traditional desktop system to Internet system. Internet GIS is emerging as one of the most promising technologies for addressing Emergency Management. Web services with different privileges are playing an important role in dissemination of the emergency services to the decision makers. Spatial database is one of the most important components in the successful implementation of Emergency Management. It contains spatial data in the form of raster, vector, linked with non-spatial information. Comprehensive data is required to handle emergency situation in different phases. These database elements comprise core data, hazard specific data, corresponding attribute data, and live data coming from the remote locations. Core data sets are minimum required data including base, thematic, infrastructure layers to handle disasters. Disaster specific information is required to handle a particular disaster situation like flood, cyclone, forest fire, earth quake, land slide, drought. In addition to this Emergency Management require many types of data with spatial and temporal attributes that should be made available to the key players in the right format at right time. The vector database needs to be complemented with required resolution satellite imagery for visualisation and analysis in disaster management. Therefore, the database is interconnected and comprehensive to meet the requirement of an Emergency Management. This kind of integrated, comprehensive and structured database with appropriate information is required to obtain right information at right time for the right people. However, building spatial database for Emergency Management is a challenging task because of the key issues such as availability of data, sharing policies, compatible geospatial standards, data interoperability etc. Therefore, to facilitate using, sharing, and integrating the spatial data, there is a need to define standards to build emergency database systems. These include aspects such as i) data integration procedures namely standard coding scheme, schema, meta data format, spatial format ii) database organisation mechanism covering data management, catalogues, data models iii) database dissemination through a suitable environment, as a standard service for effective service dissemination. National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM) is such a comprehensive database for addressing disasters in India at the national level. This paper explains standards for integrating, organising the multi-scale and multi-source data with effective emergency response using customized user interfaces for NDEM. It presents standard procedure for building comprehensive emergency information systems for enabling emergency specific functions through geospatial technologies.

ERCMExpress. Volume 3, Issue 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taymans, Mary Frances; McDonald, Dale

2007-01-01

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

Mass Casualty Decontamination Guidance and Psychosocial Aspects of CBRN Incident Management: A Review and Synthesis

PubMed Central

Carter, Holly; Amlôt, Richard

2016-01-01

Introduction: Mass casualty decontamination is an intervention employed by first responders at the scene of an incident involving noxious contaminants.  Many countries have sought to address the challenge of decontaminating large numbers of affected casualties through the provision of rapidly deployable temporary showering structures, with accompanying decontamination protocols.  In this paper we review decontamination guidance for emergency responders and associated research evidence, in order to establish to what extent psychosocial aspects of casualty management have been considered within these documents. The review focuses on five psychosocial aspects of incident management: likely public behaviour; responder management style; communication strategy; privacy/ modesty concerns; and vulnerable groups. Methods: Two structured literature reviews were carried out; one to identify decontamination guidance documents for first responders, and another to identify evidence which is relevant to the understanding of the psychosocial aspects of mass decontamination.  The guidance documents and relevant research were reviewed to identify whether the guidance documents contain information relating to psychosocial issues and where it exists, that the guidance is consistent with the existing evidence-base. Results: Psychosocial aspects of incident management receive limited attention in current decontamination guidance.  In addition, our review has identified a number of gaps and inconsistencies between guidance and research evidence.  For each of the five areas we identify: what is currently presented in guidance documents, to what extent this is consistent with the existing research evidence and where it diverges.  We present a series of evidence-based recommendations for updating decontamination guidance to address the psychosocial aspects of mass decontamination. Conclusions: Effective communication and respect for casualties’ needs are critical in ensuring decontamination is completed quickly and effectively.  We identify a number of areas requiring further research including: identifying effective methods for communicating in an emergency; better understanding of the needs of vulnerable groups during decontamination; effective training for emergency responders on psychosocial issues, and pre-incident public education for incidents involving emergency decontamination.  It is essential that the psychosocial aspects of mass decontamination are not neglected in the pursuit of solely technical solutions. PMID:27790383

The cost of an emergency department visit and its relationship to emergency department volume.

PubMed

Bamezai, Anil; Melnick, Glenn; Nawathe, Amar

2005-05-01

This article addresses 2 questions: (1) to what extent do emergency departments (EDs) exhibit economies of scale; and (2) to what extent do publicly available accounting data understate the marginal cost of an outpatient ED visit? Understanding the appropriate role for EDs in the overall health care system is crucially dependent on answers to these questions. The literature on these issues is sparse and somewhat dated and fails to differentiate between trauma and nontrauma hospitals. We believe a careful review of these questions is necessary because several changes (greater managed care penetration, increased price competition, cost of compliance with Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act regulations, and so on) may have significantly altered ED economics in recent years. We use a 2-pronged approach, 1 based on descriptive analyses of publicly available accounting data and 1 based on statistical cost models estimated from a 9-year panel of hospital data, to address the above-mentioned questions. Neither the descriptive analyses nor the statistical models support the existence of significant scale economies. Furthermore, the marginal cost of outpatient ED visits, even without the emergency physician component, appear quite high--in 1998 dollars, US295 dollars and US412 dollars for nontrauma and trauma EDs, respectively. These statistical estimates exceed the accounting estimates of per-visit costs by a factor of roughly 2. Our findings suggest that the marginal cost of an outpatient ED visit is higher than is generally believed. Hospitals thus need to carefully review how EDs fit within their overall operations and cost structure and may need to pay special attention to policies and procedures that guide the delivery of nonurgent care through the ED.

Moral experience and ethical challenges in an emergency department in Pakistan: emergency physicians' perspectives.

PubMed

Zafar, Waleed

2015-04-01

Emergency departments (ED) are often stressful environments posing unique ethical challenges-issues that primarily raise moral rather than clinical concerns-in patient care. Despite this, there are very few reports of what emergency physicians find ethically challenging in their everyday work. Emergency medicine (EM) is a relatively young but rapidly growing specialty that is gaining acceptance worldwide. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of EM residents and physicians regarding the common ethical challenges they face during patient care in one of only two academic EM departments in Pakistan. These challenges could then be addressed in residents' training and departmental practice guidelines. A qualitative research design was employed and in-depth interviews were conducted with ED physicians. Participants were encouraged to think of specific examples from their work, to highlight the particular ethical concerns raised and to describe in detail the process by which those concerns were addressed or left unresolved. Transcripts were analysed using grounded theory methods. Thirteen participants were interviewed and they described four key challenges: how to provide highest quality care with limited resources; how to be truthful to patients; what to do when it is not possible to provide or continue treatment to patients; and when (and when not) to offer life-sustaining treatments. Participants' accounts provided important insights into how physicians tried to resolve these challenges in the 'local moral world' of an ED in Pakistan. The study highlights the need for developing systematic and contextually appropriate mechanisms for resolving common ethical challenges in the EDs and for training residents in moral problem solving. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Report of the Organic Contamination Science Steering Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahaffy, P. R.; Beaty, D. W.; Anderson, M. S.; Aveni, G.; Bada, J. L.; Clemett, S. J.; DesMaris, D. J.; Douglas, S.; Dworkin, J. P.; Kern, R. G.

2004-01-01

The exploration of the possible emergence and duration of life on Mars from landed platforms requires attention to the quality of measurements that address these objectives. In particular, the potential impact of terrestrial contamination on the measurement of reduced carbon with sensitive in situ instruments must be addressed in order to reach definitive conclusions regarding the source of organic molecules. Following the recommendation of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) at its September 2003 meeting [MEPAG, 2003], the Mars Program Office at NASA Headquarters chartered the Organic Contamination Science Steering Group (OCSSG) to address this issue. The full report of the six week study of the OCSSG can be found on the MEPAG web site [1]. The study was intended to define the contamination problem and to begin to suggest solutions that could provide direction to the engineering teams that design and produce the Mars landed systems. Requirements set by the Planetary Protection Policy in effect for any specific mission do not directly address this question of the potential interference from terrestrial contaminants during in situ measurements.

Policy recommendations for addressing privacy challenges associated with cell-based research and interventions.

PubMed

Ogbogu, Ubaka; Burningham, Sarah; Ollenberger, Adam; Calder, Kathryn; Du, Li; El Emam, Khaled; Hyde-Lay, Robyn; Isasi, Rosario; Joly, Yann; Kerr, Ian; Malin, Bradley; McDonald, Michael; Penney, Steven; Piat, Gayle; Roy, Denis-Claude; Sugarman, Jeremy; Vercauteren, Suzanne; Verhenneman, Griet; West, Lori; Caulfield, Timothy

2014-02-03

The increased use of human biological material for cell-based research and clinical interventions poses risks to the privacy of patients and donors, including the possibility of re-identification of individuals from anonymized cell lines and associated genetic data. These risks will increase as technologies and databases used for re-identification become affordable and more sophisticated. Policies that require ongoing linkage of cell lines to donors' clinical information for research and regulatory purposes, and existing practices that limit research participants' ability to control what is done with their genetic data, amplify the privacy concerns. To date, the privacy issues associated with cell-based research and interventions have not received much attention in the academic and policymaking contexts. This paper, arising out of a multi-disciplinary workshop, aims to rectify this by outlining the issues, proposing novel governance strategies and policy recommendations, and identifying areas where further evidence is required to make sound policy decisions. The authors of this paper take the position that existing rules and norms can be reasonably extended to address privacy risks in this context without compromising emerging developments in the research environment, and that exceptions from such rules should be justified using a case-by-case approach. In developing new policies, the broader framework of regulations governing cell-based research and related areas must be taken into account, as well as the views of impacted groups, including scientists, research participants and the general public. This paper outlines deliberations at a policy development workshop focusing on privacy challenges associated with cell-based research and interventions. The paper provides an overview of these challenges, followed by a discussion of key themes and recommendations that emerged from discussions at the workshop. The paper concludes that privacy risks associated with cell-based research and interventions should be addressed through evidence-based policy reforms that account for both well-established legal and ethical norms and current knowledge about actual or anticipated harms. The authors also call for research studies that identify and address gaps in understanding of privacy risks.

Policy recommendations for addressing privacy challenges associated with cell-based research and interventions

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The increased use of human biological material for cell-based research and clinical interventions poses risks to the privacy of patients and donors, including the possibility of re-identification of individuals from anonymized cell lines and associated genetic data. These risks will increase as technologies and databases used for re-identification become affordable and more sophisticated. Policies that require ongoing linkage of cell lines to donors’ clinical information for research and regulatory purposes, and existing practices that limit research participants’ ability to control what is done with their genetic data, amplify the privacy concerns. Discussion To date, the privacy issues associated with cell-based research and interventions have not received much attention in the academic and policymaking contexts. This paper, arising out of a multi-disciplinary workshop, aims to rectify this by outlining the issues, proposing novel governance strategies and policy recommendations, and identifying areas where further evidence is required to make sound policy decisions. The authors of this paper take the position that existing rules and norms can be reasonably extended to address privacy risks in this context without compromising emerging developments in the research environment, and that exceptions from such rules should be justified using a case-by-case approach. In developing new policies, the broader framework of regulations governing cell-based research and related areas must be taken into account, as well as the views of impacted groups, including scientists, research participants and the general public. Summary This paper outlines deliberations at a policy development workshop focusing on privacy challenges associated with cell-based research and interventions. The paper provides an overview of these challenges, followed by a discussion of key themes and recommendations that emerged from discussions at the workshop. The paper concludes that privacy risks associated with cell-based research and interventions should be addressed through evidence-based policy reforms that account for both well-established legal and ethical norms and current knowledge about actual or anticipated harms. The authors also call for research studies that identify and address gaps in understanding of privacy risks. PMID:24485220

A Survey Of Architectural Approaches for Managing Embedded DRAM and Non-volatile On-chip Caches

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

Mittal, Sparsh; Vetter, Jeffrey S; Li, Dong

Recent trends of CMOS scaling and increasing number of on-chip cores have led to a large increase in the size of on-chip caches. Since SRAM has low density and consumes large amount of leakage power, its use in designing on-chip caches has become more challenging. To address this issue, researchers are exploring the use of several emerging memory technologies, such as embedded DRAM, spin transfer torque RAM, resistive RAM, phase change RAM and domain wall memory. In this paper, we survey the architectural approaches proposed for designing memory systems and, specifically, caches with these emerging memory technologies. To highlight theirmore » similarities and differences, we present a classification of these technologies and architectural approaches based on their key characteristics. We also briefly summarize the challenges in using these technologies for architecting caches. We believe that this survey will help the readers gain insights into the emerging memory device technologies, and their potential use in designing future computing systems.« less

Influence of ambient fungal spores on emergency visits for asthma to a regional children's hospital.

PubMed

Dales, R E; Cakmak, S; Burnett, R T; Judek, S; Coates, F; Brook, J R

2000-12-01

The impact of ambient aeroallergens on morbidity from childhood asthma is largely unknown. To address this issue, we studied the association between daily emergency department visits for asthma to a children's hospital, and daily concentrations of both pollen grains and fungal spores during a 5-yr period between 1993 and 1997. Air pollution and meteorological data accounted for in the analyses included ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, sulfates, temperature, barometric pressure, and relative humidity. The daily number of asthma visits ranged from 0 to 36 per day with an average of 7.5. Fungal spores, but not pollen grains, were associated with visits (p < 0.05). The percentage increase associated with each group, independent of the others, was 1.9% (SE 0.9) for deuteromycetes, 4.1% (1.6) for basidiomycetes, 2.8% (1.0) for ascomycetes, and 8.8% for these spores combined. In summary, fungal spores account for a significant proportion of the asthma exacerbations in children that prompt an emergency department visit.

Update on epinephrine (adrenaline) for pediatric emergencies.

PubMed

Walker, David M

2009-06-01

Epinephrine (adrenaline) is a medication widely used in the pediatric emergency department. This article reviews the most recent evidence and recommendations behind the many applications of epinephrine as they apply to the care of children in emergency departments. Recent publications address epinephrine's role in the treatment of anaphylaxis, croup, asthma, bronchiolitis and as an adjunct to local anesthesia. Additionally, authors discuss epinephrine autoinjectors and the various routes of epinephrine administration. Epinephrine is the recommended first-line treatment for anaphylaxis and moderate-to-severe croup. Its role in asthma and bronchiolitis is less clear. Traditional beta2-agonists are seen as first-line therapies for moderate bronchiolitis and asthma exacerbations. Epinephrine may have a role for subsets of patients with both of these illnesses. The preferred route for parenteral treatment is intramuscular. Epinephrine is well tolerated as an adjunct to local anesthesia when used in digital blocks in digits with normal perfusion. Although autoinjectors allow faster access to epinephrine for anaphylaxis, there are many issues surrounding their use and indications.

Research Translation and Emerging Health Technologies: Synthetic Biology and Beyond.

PubMed

Chan, Sarah

2016-12-09

New health technologies are rapidly emerging from various areas of bioscience research, such as gene editing, regenerative medicine and synthetic biology. These technologies raise promising medical possibilities but also a range of ethical considerations. Apart from the issues involved in considering whether novel health technologies can or should become part of mainstream medical treatment once established, the process of research translation to develop such therapies itself entails particular ethical concerns. In this paper I use synthetic biology as an example of a new and largely unexplored area of health technology to consider the ways in which novel health technologies are likely to emerge and the ethical challenges these will present. I argue that such developments require us to rethink conventional attitudes towards clinical research, the roles of doctors/researchers and patients/participants with respect to research, and the relationship between science and society; and that a broader framework is required to address the plurality of stakeholder roles and interests involved in the development of treatments based on novel technologies.

Introduction of a fresh cadaver laboratory during the surgery clerkship improves emergency technical skills.

PubMed

Nematollahi, Saman; Kaplan, Stephen J; Knapp, Christopher M; Ho, Hang; Alvarado, Jared; Viscusi, Rebecca; Adamas-Rappaport, William

2015-08-01

Student acquisition of technical skills during the clinical years of medical school has been steadily declining. To address this issue, the authors instituted a fresh cadaver-based Emergency Surgical Skills Laboratory (ESSL). Sixty-three medical students rotating through the third-year surgery clerkship participated in a 2-hour, fresh cadaver-based ESSL conducted during the first 2 days of the clerkship. The authors evaluated students utilizing both surgical skills and written examination before the ESSL and at 4 weeks post ESSL. Students demonstrated a mean improvement of 64% (±11) (P < .001) and 38% (±17) (P < .001) in technical skills and clinical knowledge, respectively. When technical skills were compared between cohorts, there were no differences observed in both pre- and post-testing (P = .08). A fresh cadaver laboratory is an effective method to provide proficiency in emergency technical skills not acquired during the clinical years of medical school. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the Agent 2002 Conference on Social Agents : Ecology, Exchange, and Evolution

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

Macal, C., ed.; Sallach, D., ed.

2003-04-10

Welcome to the ''Proceedings'' of the third in a series of agent simulation conferences cosponsored by Argonne National Laboratory and The University of Chicago. The theme of this year's conference, ''Social Agents: Ecology, Exchange and Evolution'', was selected to foster the exchange of ideas on some of the most important social processes addressed by agent simulation models, namely: (1) The translation of ecology and ecological constraints into social dynamics; (2) The role of exchange processes, including the peer dependencies they create; and (3) The dynamics by which, and the attractor states toward which, social processes evolve. As stated in themore » ''Call for Papers'', throughout the social sciences, the simulation of social agents has emerged as an innovative and powerful research methodology. The promise of this approach, however, is accompanied by many challenges. First, modeling complexity in agents, environments, and interactions is non-trivial, and these representations must be explored and assessed systematically. Second, strategies used to represent complexities are differentially applicable to any particular problem space. Finally, to achieve sufficient generality, the design and experimentation inherent in agent simulation must be coupled with social and behavioral theory. Agent 2002 provides a forum for reviewing the current state of agent simulation scholarship, including research designed to address such outstanding issues. This year's conference introduces an extensive range of domains, models, and issues--from pre-literacy to future projections, from ecology to oligopolistic markets, and from design to validation. Four invited speakers highlighted major themes emerging from social agent simulation.« less

Animal health: foundation of a safe, secure, and abundant food supply.

PubMed

DeHaven, W Ron; Goldberg, Ruth

2006-01-01

During the past century, reductions in animal diseases have resulted in a safer, more uniform, and more economical food supply. In the United States, the passage of the 1906 Federal Meat Inspection Act mandated better sanitary conditions for slaughter and processing, as well as inspection of live animals and their processed products. Following World War II, Congress passed the Poultry Products Inspection Act. Both acts are regulated by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible for regulations governing the health of live animals prior to slaughter. This article is a brief overview of the ways in which the current predominance of zoonotics among emerging diseases underscores the importance of veterinary health professionals and the need for continued coordination between animal-health and public-health officials. Examples of intersections between animal- and public-health concerns include bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and Johne's disease, as well as extending beyond food safety to diseases such as avian influenza (AI). In the United States, we have in place an extensive public and private infrastructure to address animal-health issues, including the necessary expertise and resources to address animal-health emergencies. However, many challenges remain, including a critical shortage of food-animal veterinarians. These challenges can be met by recruiting and training a cadre of additional food-supply veterinarians, pursuing new technologies, collaborating with public-health officials to create solutions, and sending a clear and consistent message to the public about important animal-health issues.

PTSD in post-road traffic accident patients requiring hospitalization in Indian subcontinent: A review on magnitude of the problem and management guidelines.

PubMed

Undavalli, Chaitanya; Das, Piyush; Dutt, Taru; Bhoi, Sanjeev; Kashyap, Rahul

2014-10-01

Traumatic events after a road traffic accident (RTA) can be physical and/or psychological. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the major psychological conditions which affect accident victims. Psychological issues may not be addressed in the emergency department(ED) immediately. There have been reports about a mismatch between the timely referrals from ED to occupational or primary care services for these issues. If left untreated, there may be adverse effects on quality of life (QOL) and work productivity. Hospital expenses, loss of income, and loss of work could create a never ending cycle for financial difficulties and burden in trauma victims. The aim of our review is to address the magnitude of PTSD in post-RTA hospitalized patients in Indian subcontinent population. We also attempted to emphasis on few management guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted on major databases with Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) term 'PTSD or post-traumatic stress' and Emergency department and vehicle or road or highway or automobile or car or truck or trauma and India. Out of 120 studies, a total of six studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Our interpretation of the problem is that; hospital expenditure due to trauma, time away from work during hospitalization, and reduction in work performance, are three major hits that can lead RTA victims to financial crisis. Proposed management guidelines are; establish a coordinated triage, implementing a screening tool in the ED, and provide psychological counseling.

Focus issue articles on emerging and re-emerging plant diseases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

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

Agenda setting for maternal survival: the power of global health networks and norms.

PubMed

Smith, Stephanie L; Rodriguez, Mariela A

2016-04-01

Nearly 300,000 women--almost all poor women in low-income countries--died from pregnancy-related complications in 2010. This represents a decline since the 1980s, when an estimated half million women died each year, but is still far higher than the aims set in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the turn of the century. The 1970s, 1980s and 1990 s witnessed a shift from near complete neglect of the issue to emergence of a network of individuals and organizations with a shared concern for reducing maternal deaths and growth in the number of organizations and governments with maternal health strategies and programmes. Maternal health experienced a marked change in agenda status in the 2000s, attracting significantly higher level attention (e.g. from world leaders) and greater resource commitments (e.g. as one issue addressed by US$40 billion in pledges to the 2010 Global Strategy for Women's and Children's Health) than ever before. Several differences between network and actor features, issue characteristics and the policy environment pre- and post-2000 help to explain the change in agenda status for global maternal mortality reduction. Significantly, a strong poverty reduction norm emerged at the turn of the century; represented by the United Nations MDGs framework, the norm set unusually strong expectations for international development actors to advance included issues. As the norm grew, it drew policy attention to the maternal health goal (MDG 5). Seeking to advance the goals agenda, world leaders launched initiatives addressing maternal and child health. New network governance and framing strategies that closely linked maternal, newborn and child health shaped the initiatives. Diverse network composition--expanding beyond a relatively narrowly focused and technically oriented group to encompass allies and leaders that brought additional resources to bear on the problem--was crucial to maternal health's rise on the agenda in the 2000s. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

Addressing public health risks for cyanobacteria in recreational freshwaters: the Oregon and Vermont framework.

PubMed

Stone, David; Bress, William

2007-01-01

Toxigenic cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue green algae, are an emerging public health issue. The toxins produced by cyanobacteria have been detected across the United States in marine, freshwater and estuarine systems and associated with adverse health outcomes. The intent of this paper is to focus on how to address risk in a recreational freshwater scenario when toxigenic cyanobacteria are present. Several challenges exist for monitoring, assessing and posting water bodies and advising the public when toxigenic cyanobacteria are present. These include addressing different recreational activities that are associated with varying levels of risk, the dynamic temporal and spatial aspects of blooms, data gaps in toxicological information and the lack of training and resources for adequate surveillance. Without uniform federal guidance, numerous states have taken public health action for cyanobacteria with different criteria. Vermont and Oregon independently developed a tiered decision-making framework to reduce risk to recreational users when toxigenic cyanobacteria are present. This framework is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative information.

Biofuels and the role of space in sustainable innovation journeys☆

PubMed Central

Raman, Sujatha; Mohr, Alison

2014-01-01

This paper aims to identify the lessons that should be learnt from how biofuels have been envisioned from the aftermath of the oil shocks of the 1970s to the present, and how these visions compare with biofuel production networks emerging in the 2000s. Working at the interface of sustainable innovation journey research and geographical theories on the spatial unevenness of sustainability transition projects, we show how the biofuels controversy is linked to characteristics of globalised industrial agricultural systems. The legitimacy problems of biofuels cannot be addressed by sustainability indicators or new technologies alone since they arise from the spatial ordering of biofuel production. In the 1970–80s, promoters of bioenergy anticipated current concerns about food security implications but envisioned bioenergy production to be territorially embedded at national or local scales where these issues would be managed. Where the territorial and scalar vision was breached, it was to imagine poorer countries exporting higher-value biofuel to the North rather than the raw material as in the controversial global biomass commodity chains of today. However, controversy now extends to the global impacts of national biofuel systems on food security and greenhouse gas emissions, and to their local impacts becoming more widely known. South/South and North/North trade conflicts are also emerging as are questions over biodegradable wastes and agricultural residues as global commodities. As assumptions of a food-versus-fuel conflict have come to be challenged, legitimacy questions over global agri-business and trade are spotlighted even further. In this context, visions of biofuel development that address these broader issues might be promising. These include large-scale biomass-for-fuel models in Europe that would transform global trade rules to allow small farmers in the global South to compete, and small-scale biofuel systems developed to address local energy needs in the South. PMID:24748726

Biofuels and the role of space in sustainable innovation journeys.

PubMed

Raman, Sujatha; Mohr, Alison

2014-02-15

This paper aims to identify the lessons that should be learnt from how biofuels have been envisioned from the aftermath of the oil shocks of the 1970s to the present, and how these visions compare with biofuel production networks emerging in the 2000s. Working at the interface of sustainable innovation journey research and geographical theories on the spatial unevenness of sustainability transition projects, we show how the biofuels controversy is linked to characteristics of globalised industrial agricultural systems. The legitimacy problems of biofuels cannot be addressed by sustainability indicators or new technologies alone since they arise from the spatial ordering of biofuel production. In the 1970-80s, promoters of bioenergy anticipated current concerns about food security implications but envisioned bioenergy production to be territorially embedded at national or local scales where these issues would be managed. Where the territorial and scalar vision was breached, it was to imagine poorer countries exporting higher-value biofuel to the North rather than the raw material as in the controversial global biomass commodity chains of today. However, controversy now extends to the global impacts of national biofuel systems on food security and greenhouse gas emissions, and to their local impacts becoming more widely known. South/South and North/North trade conflicts are also emerging as are questions over biodegradable wastes and agricultural residues as global commodities. As assumptions of a food-versus-fuel conflict have come to be challenged, legitimacy questions over global agri-business and trade are spotlighted even further. In this context, visions of biofuel development that address these broader issues might be promising. These include large-scale biomass-for-fuel models in Europe that would transform global trade rules to allow small farmers in the global South to compete, and small-scale biofuel systems developed to address local energy needs in the South.

Global perspectives on nursing and its contribution to healthcare and health policy: thoughts on an emerging policy model.

PubMed

Shamian, Judith

2014-12-01

We know from rigorous evidence that nurses can exert an incredible impact on the everyday lives of people and their health. Nurses can also contribute in much wider spheres of influence by applying their knowledge and skills to address broader issues affecting population health across communities, nations and globally. Despite the prevalence of so many vexing health and social issues, nurses often fail to think globally, or even regionally, when they are lobbying for change. And while much political influence is local, some issues are simply too complex to rely on local influence alone. Importantly in all this, we must acknowledge the ways these complex health issues are shaped by economic and political agendas and not necessarily by healthcare agendas. As such, the nursing community has to act globally and locally, both within and outside of the nursing arena. This paper explores early thinking about an evolving model of spheres--or "bubbles"--of policy influence in which nurses can and must operate to more effectively impact key global health and healthcare challenges.