Sample records for advanced capitalist countries

  1. Is globalization undermining the welfare state? The evolution of the welfare state in developed capitalist countries during the 1990s.

    PubMed

    Navarro, Vicente; Schmitt, John; Astudillo, Javier

    2004-01-01

    The authors analyze the evolution of macro-indicators of social and economic well-being during the 1990s in the majority of developed capitalist countries, grouped according to their dominant political traditions since the end of World War II. Their analysis shows that, despite the economic globalization of commerce and finance, "politics still matters" in explaining the evolution of the welfare states and labor markets in these countries; the impact of the globalization of financial capital in forcing reductions in the financial resources available for welfare state purposes has been exaggerated.

  2. Stripped of illusions? Exploring system justification processes in capitalist and post-Communist societies.

    PubMed

    Cichocka, Aleksandra; Jost, John T

    2014-02-01

    Sociologists and political scientists have often observed that citizens of Central and Eastern Europe express high levels of disillusionment with their social, economic and political systems, in comparison with citizens of Western capitalist societies. In this review, we analyze system legitimation and delegitimation in post-Communist societies from a social psychological perspective. We draw on system justification theory, which seeks to understand how, when and why people do (and do not) defend, bolster and justify existing social systems. We review some of the major tenets and findings of the theory and compare research on system-justifying beliefs and ideologies in traditionally Capitalist and post-Communist countries to determine: (1) whether there are robust differences in the degree of system justification in post-Communist and Capitalist societies, and (2) the extent to which hypotheses derived from system justification theory receive support in the post-Communist context. To this end, we summarize research findings from over 20 countries and cite previously unpublished data from a public opinion survey conducted in Poland. Our analysis confirms that there are lower levels of system justification in post-Communist countries. At the same time, we find that system justification possesses similar social and psychological antecedents, manifestations and consequences in the two types of societies. We offer potential explanations for these somewhat complicated patterns of results and conclude by addressing implications for theory and research on system justification and system change (or transition). © 2013 International Union of Psychological Science.

  3. The deterioration of the food situation in the Third World and the capitalist system.

    PubMed

    Feder, E

    1981-01-01

    Hunger and malnutrition are today associated with the capitalist system. The evidence points to a further deterioration of the food situation in the Third World in the foreseeable future, as a result of massive capital and technology transfers from the rich capitalist countries to the underdeveloped agricultures operated by trans-national concerns or private investors, with the active support of development assistance agencies such as the World Bank. Contrary to the superficial predictions of the World Bank, for example, poverty is bound to increase and the purchasing power of the masses must decline. Particular attention must be paid to the supply of staple foods and the proletariat. This is threatened by a variety of factors, attributable to the operation of the capitalist system. Among them are the senseless waste of Third World resources caused by the foreign investors' insatiable thirst for the quick repatriation of super-profits and the increasing orientation of Third World agricultures toward high-value or export crops (which are usually the same), an orientation which is imposed upon them by the industrial countries' agricultural development strategies. Even self-sufficiency programs for more staple foods, such as the ill-reputed Green Revolution, predictably cannot be of long duration.

  4. Capitalist Discourse, Subjectivity and Lacanian Psychoanalysis

    PubMed Central

    Vanheule, Stijn

    2016-01-01

    This paper studies how subjectivity in capitalist culture can be characterized. Building on Lacan's later seminars XVI, XVII, XVIII, and XIX, the author first outlines Lacan's general discourse theory, which includes four characteristic discourses: the discourse of the master, the discourse of the university, the discourse of the hysteric and the discourse of the analyst. Next, the author explores the subjectivity and the mode of dealing with jouissance and semblance, which is entailed in a fifth type of discourse, the capitalist discourse, discussed by Lacan (1972). Indeed, like the other discourses that Lacan discerns, the discourse of the capitalist can be thought of as a mode of dealing with the sexual non-rapport. It is argued that in the case of neurosis the discourse of the capitalist functions as an attempt to ignore the sexual non-rapport and the dimension of the unconscious. Psychosis, by contrast, is marked by an a priori exclusion from discourse. In that case, consumerist ways of relating to the other might offer a semblance, and thus the possibility of inventing a mode of relating to the other. Two clinical vignettes are presented to illustrate this perspective: one concerning the neurotic structure and one concerning the psychotic structure. PMID:28018280

  5. Can the capitalist economic system deliver environmental justice?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bell, Karen

    2015-12-01

    Can a healthy environment for all social groups be delivered through capitalism via market mechanisms? Or is it the capitalist system, itself, that has been at the root of the environmental and social crises we now face? This letter engages with this ongoing debate by drawing on material from a wider study, ‘Achieving Environmental Justice’, which examined the extent, form and causes of environmental justice and injustice in a range of countries with varying depths of marketization—United States, South Korea, United Kingdom, Sweden, China, Bolivia and Cuba. The analysis described here focuses on the interview material from this mixed methods study, drawing on over 140 interviews with officials, policy makers, and civil society leaders. The letter argues that there is an apparent propensity for capitalist processes to exacerbate, rather than reduce, environmental problems and inequities though the pursuit of relentless economic growth and profit accumulation. Therefore, we should perhaps let go of efforts to resolve environmental injustice within the constraints of capitalism and, instead, build an alternative economic system that can meet human needs in the context of a harmonious and respectful relationship with nature.

  6. Dependent capitalist accumulation in an oil-producing nation: Iran

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

    Zavareei, M.

    1982-01-01

    Theoretical and empirical analysis of underdevelopment has remained significantly limited with respect to the oil-producing nations of the Middle East. This study points out reasons for such shortcomings and then goes on to advance the analysis of the region. The theoretical framework of the study is based on a critical evaluation of the dependency model from a Marxist perspective. More specifically, the study delves into the analysis of underdevelopment in Iran by focusing on the dynamics of change in the country since the turn of the nineteenth century. The forces of change in Iran are seen to be the consequencemore » of such external pressure on the one hand and internal resistance to it on the other. This resistance is analyzed in terms of the country's social class structure and its changing formation. The focus of the study, however, is on the fundamental class nature of change in Iran since the development of dependent capitalism began in the early 1960s. The study recognizes the interests of the United States as the single outside force most directly related to the formation of the Shah's regime as a repressive client state: the most-significant impetus for change in the country since 1963. Analyzed in detail are the economic changes of this period and the rising social and political contradictions which were the inevitable consequence of this process. The central feature of these contradictions is recognized as the promotion of capitalist relations of production motivated by the preservation of the political control of the Shah's regime. It is precisely in this context that the uprising of 1979, its success in overthrowing the Shah's regime, and its failure in maintaining a domocratic revolutionary process is discussed.« less

  7. Education Agonistes: An Epistle to the Transnational Capitalist Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McLaren, Peter

    2014-01-01

    This article examines the current crisis of neoliberal capitalism and globalized imperialism from the perspective of a Marxist-humanist approach to pedagogy known as "revolutionary critical pedagogy". It is written as an epistle to the transnational capitalist class, demanding that those who willingly serve its interests reconsider their…

  8. Capitalist development and internal migration in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Akor, R I; Mou, D

    1986-12-01

    The authors analyze internal migration trends in Nigeria by examining individual household strategies and how they have adapted to structural changes brought about by colonial rule and capitalist development. The first section of this article describes the structural changes that started the process of labor migration. The second section deals with post-independence industrialization and the consequent rural-urban migration. The final section analyzes the consequences of these migration patterns for urban growth and rural productivity.

  9. Gastroenterology in developing countries: Issues and advances

    PubMed Central

    Mandeville, Kate L; Krabshuis, Justus; Ladep, Nimzing Gwamzhi; Mulder, Chris JJ; Quigley, Eamonn MM; Khan, Shahid A

    2009-01-01

    Developing countries shoulder a considerable burden of gastroenterological disease. Infectious diseases in particular cause enormous morbidity and mortality. Diseases which afflict both western and developing countries are often seen in more florid forms in poorer countries. Innovative techniques continuously improve and update gastroenterological practice. However, advances in diagnosis and treatment which are commonplace in the West, have yet to reach many developing countries. Clinical guidelines, based on these advances and collated in resource-rich environments, lose their relevance outside these settings. In this two-part review, we first highlight the global burden of gastroenterological disease in three major areas: diarrhoeal diseases, hepatitis B, and Helicobacter pylori. Recent progress in their management is explored, with consideration of future solutions. The second part of the review focuses on the delivery of clinical services in developing countries. Inadequate numbers of healthcare workers hamper efforts to combat gastroenterological disease. Reasons for this shortage are examined, along with possibilities for increased specialist training. Endoscopy services, the mainstay of gastroenterology in the West, are in their infancy in many developing countries. The challenges faced by those setting up a service are illustrated by the example of a Nigerian endoscopy unit. Finally, we highlight the limited scope of many clinical guidelines produced in western countries. Guidelines which take account of resource limitations in the form of “cascades” are advocated in order to make these guidelines truly global. Recognition of the different working conditions facing practitioners worldwide is an important step towards narrowing the gap between gastroenterology in rich and poor countries. PMID:19533805

  10. Capitalists, managers, professionals and mortality: findings from the Barcelona social class and all cause mortality longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Muntaner, Carles; Borrell, Carme; Solà, Judit; Marì-Dell'olmo, Marc; Chung, Haejoo; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Benach, Joan; Noh, Samuel

    2009-11-01

    To examine the effects of Neo-Marxian social class (i.e. measured as relations of control over productive assets) and potential mediators such as labour-market position, work organization, material deprivation and health behaviours upon mortality in Barcelona, Spain. Longitudinal data from the Barcelona 2000 Health Interview Survey (n = 7526) with follow-up interviews through the municipal census in 2008 (95.97% response rate) were used. Using data on relations of property, organizational power, and education, social classes were grouped according to Wright's scheme: capitalists, petit bourgeoisie, managers, supervisors, and skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers. Social class, measured as relations of control over productive assets, is an important predictor of mortality among working-class positions for men but not for women. Workers (hazard ratio 1.60, 95% confidence interval 1.10-2.35), managers and small employers had a higher risk of death than capitalists. The extensive use of conventional gradient measures of social stratification has neglected sociological measurements of social class conceptualized as relations of control over productive assets. This concept is capable of explaining how social inequalities are generated. To confirm the protective effect of the capitalist class position and the ''contradictory class location hypothesis'', additional efforts are needed to properly measure class among low-level supervisors, capitalists, managers, and small employers.

  11. Teaching of Psychology in Countries with Advanced versus Developing Economies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pinquart, Martin; Bernardo, Allan B. I.

    2014-01-01

    We compare structures and contents of psychology programmes from countries with developing and advanced economies. Respondents from 49 countries completed a survey of the International Union of Psychological Science on psychology education and training. In general, there are more similarities than differences between countries with developing and…

  12. Embourgeoisment, Immiseration, Commodification--Marxism Revisited: A Critique of Education in Capitalist Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greaves, Nigel M.; Hill, Dave; Maisuria, Alpesh

    2007-01-01

    In this paper, we explore educational inequality through a theoretical and empirical analysis. We use classical Marxian scholarship and class-based analyses to theorise the relationship between education and the inequality in society that is an inevitable feature of capitalist society/ economy. The relationship between social class and the process…

  13. "We Live and Learn": English and Ambivalence in a New Capitalist State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prendergast, Catherine

    2008-01-01

    This article reports on data drawn from a larger critical ethnographic study of English language use and instruction in Slovakia at the moment of capitalist integration. Slovaks who sought to learn English at the turn of the millennium were driven by the brand new anxiety of job insecurity. English lessons at this time sold themselves as the…

  14. Pregnancy Discrimination Litigation: Legal Erosion of Capitalist Ideology under Equal Employment Opportunity Law.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edwards, Mark Evan

    1996-01-01

    Analysis of 82 court cases involving pregnancy discrimination, 1972-91, shows that this litigation revealed the gender bias of equal employment opportunity law and capitalist economic relations, eroded assumptions about economic imperatives for not accommodating pregnant workers, and laid the groundwork for the Family and Medical Leave Act of…

  15. Raising Questions About Capitalist Globalization and Universalizing Views on Women: A Transnational Feminist Critique of the World Development Report: Gender Equality and Development.

    PubMed

    Scheer, Victoria L; Stevens, Patricia E; Mkandawire-Valhmu, Lucy

    2016-01-01

    Nursing in the United States has embraced global health primarily from a clinical perspective, with emphasis on care delivery to populations in underserved, resource-poor settings. Less attention has been devoted to developing expertise about social, economic, and political contexts that produce ill health around the world. The purpose of this article is to offer a transnational feminist critique of the World Development Report: Gender Equality and Development and to illuminate implications such reports may have in the lives of the world's most marginalized women and girls. We examine the political economy idealized in the report, raising questions about the capitalist framework underpinning its agenda. Second, we examine the assumptive language used in the report, suggesting that it discursively constructs a problematic representation of women in low-income countries. We contend that the report perpetuates a hegemonic discourse of patriarchy and inequality for women in the Global South through the use of an uncontested economic framework and universalist reasoning. We conclude the article with discussion about a transformative policy making that could be more inclusive of the wisdoms, values, and everyday experiences of women living in the Global South and about the vital role nurses can play in advancing gender equity through their active collaboration in policy critique and policy formulation.

  16. The post-capitalist executive. Interview by T George Harris.

    PubMed

    Drucker, P F

    1993-01-01

    For half a century, Peter F. Drucker has influenced senior executives across the globe with his rare insight into socioeconomic forces and practical advice for navigating often turbulent managerial waters. In his latest contribution to HBR, Drucker discusses the impact of the ideas in his latest work, Post-Capitalist Society, on the day-to-day lives and careers of managers. Drucker argues that managers must learn to negotiate a new environment with a different set of work rules and career expectations. Companies currently face downsizing and turmoil with increasing regularity. Once built to last like pyramids, corporations are now more like tents. In addition, businesses in the post-capitalist society grow through many and varied complicated alliances often baffling to the traditional manager. Confronted by these changes, managers must relearn how to manage. In the new world of business, information is replacing authority as the primary tool of the executive. And, Drucker advises, one embarks on the road toward information literacy not by buying the latest technological gadget but by identifying gaps in knowledge. As companies increasingly become temporary institutions, the manager also must begin to take individual responsibility for himself or herself. To that end, the executive must explore what Drucker calls competencies: a person's abilities, likes, dislikes, and goals, both professional and personal. If executives rise to these challenges, a new organizational foundation will be built. While a combination of rank and power supported the traditional organization, the internal structure of the emerging organization will be mutual understanding and trust.

  17. Area Handbook Series: Czechoslovakia: A Country Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-01-01

    of the graphic art, maps, and illustrations, which were prepared by Harriet R. Blood, Sandra K. Cotugno, Kimberly E. Lord, and Keith Bechard. Susan...University Press, 1973. Wanklyn, Harriet . Czechoslovakia. New York: Praeger, 1954. Winter, Sonia A. "The Sovietization of Czechoslovakia: 1968-1983," RAD...Transport: Regions and Modes. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1980. Keller, Josef. "Development of Czechoslovakia’s Economic Rela- tions with Advanced Capitalist

  18. Erotic Love and the Development of Proto-Capitalist Ideology in Early Modern Comedy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Damsen, Silver

    2009-01-01

    My dissertation, "Erotic Love and the Development of Proto-Capitalist Ideology in Early Modern Comedy" demonstrates how increased crown authority, and an expanded market combine with the mixed agency of the romantic comedy daughter to further encourage early modern economic growth. The triumph of rebelling daughter over blocking father has…

  19. Foreign workers in OECD countries: the social and economic consequences.

    PubMed

    Owen, M; Schnare, A B

    1985-01-01

    Recent trends in the migration of foreign workers to the capitalist countries of Europe are analyzed. The paper begins with an estimate of the volume of this migration and an analysis of migrant characteristics. Consideration is given to migrant settlement patterns, jobs, and living standards. The costs and benefits of temporary labor migration are assessed for both sending and receiving countries; and the authors note that these are social as well as economic in nature. The paper concludes with a review of the relevant policy issues.

  20. Marxist Thought: Still Primus Inter Pares for Understanding and Opposing the Capitalist System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brosio, Richard A.

    2008-01-01

    In this article, the author attempts to examine Marx's humanist commitment, and with it a belief in human volition--or agency (Brosio 1985, passim). Collective agency is necessary for attempts to rescue society and its schools from the latest, namely neo-liberal, capitalist attack on working people and the possibilities for the achieving deep and…

  1. Advance Directives in Some Western European Countries: A Legal and Ethical Comparison between Spain, France, England, and Germany.

    PubMed

    Veshi, Denard; Neitzke, Gerald

    2015-09-01

    We have studied national laws on advance directives in various Western European countries: Romance-speaking countries (Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain), English-speaking countries (Ireland and the United Kingdom), and German-speaking countries (Austria, Germany, and Switzerland). We distinguish two potentially complementary types of advance medical declaration: the 'living will' and the nomination of a legal proxy. After examining the similarities and differences between countries, we analyse in detail the legislation of four countries (Spain, France, England, and Germany), since the other countries in this survey have similar legal principles and/or a similar political approach. In conclusion, we note that in all the countries examined, advance directives have been seen as an instrument to enable the patient's right to self-determination. Notwithstanding, in Romance-speaking countries, the involvement of physicians in the end-of-life process and risks arising from the execution of advance directives were also considered.

  2. Lessons Learned from the Advanced Developing Countries. GENESYS Special Studies No. 3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Joekes, Susan P.

    This paper examines the experience of development in the advanced developing countries in Asia from a gender perspective and draws some lessons for women in development policy in middle income countries in the Asian and Near East regions. The nature of the paper is exploratory, asking many questions on which further research and information are…

  3. A High Tech Future.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nettle, Audrey

    The new vocationalism in education could be said to be an effect of changes in the greater society--arriving after the changes have already happened. There has been a shift in the nature of the advanced capitalist countries, such as the United States. Giant companies have, through advances in communications technology, become able to control…

  4. Controlled by the Corporate Narrative: Obama's Education Policy, the Shock Doctrine, and Mechanisms of Capitalist Power

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lea, Virginia

    2011-01-01

    This article aims to illuminate how and why public schools have been sustained and/or strengthened as hierarchical, inequitable, and undemocratic sites that serve the corporate capitalist state. In doing so, the author draws on three theoretical ideas: the "shock doctrine," described vividly by Naomi Klein (2007); "critical…

  5. The Emergence of Two Distinct Fertility Regimes in Economically Advanced Countries

    PubMed Central

    Rindfuss, Ronald R.; Choe, Minja Kim; Brauner-Otto, Sarah R.

    2018-01-01

    Beginning in 2000, in economically advanced countries, a remarkable bifurcation in fertility levels has emerged, with one group in the moderate range of period total fertility rates (TFR), about 1.9, and the other at 1.3. The upper branch consists of countries in Northern and Western Europe, Oceania and the United States; the lower branch includes Central, Southern and Eastern Europe, and East and Southeast Asia. A review of the major theories for low fertility countries reveals that none of them would have predicted this specific bifurcation. We argue that those countries with fertility levels close to replacement level have institutional arrangements, and related policies, that make it easier, not easy, for women to combine the worker and mother roles. The institutional details are quite different across countries, suggesting that multiple combinations of institutional arrangements and policies can lead to the same country-level fertility outcome. Canada, the only exception to this bifurcation, illustrates the importance of the different institutional structures in Québec compared to the rest of Canada. PMID:29593366

  6. W.E.B. Du Bois and Caste Education: Racial Capitalist Schooling from Reconstruction to Jim Crow

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pierce, Clayton

    2017-01-01

    This essay provides the first account and examination of caste education in the work of W.E.B. Du Bois. In so doing, I argue that caste education plays a central role in realizing the political and social goals of racial capitalist society for Du Bois. Using Du Bois's caste analytic, I take up and articulate three biopolitical governing strategies…

  7. Recommended advanced techniques for waterborne pathogen detection in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Alhamlan, Fatimah S; Al-Qahtani, Ahmed A; Al-Ahdal, Mohammed N

    2015-02-19

    The effect of human activities on water resources has expanded dramatically during the past few decades, leading to the spread of waterborne microbial pathogens. The total global health impact of human infectious diseases associated with pathogenic microorganisms from land-based wastewater pollution was estimated to be approximately three million disability-adjusted life years (DALY), with an estimated economic loss of nearly 12 billion US dollars per year. Although clean water is essential for healthy living, it is not equally granted to all humans. Indeed, people who live in developing countries are challenged every day by an inadequate supply of clean water. Polluted water can lead to health crises that in turn spread waterborne pathogens. Taking measures to assess the water quality can prevent these potential risks. Thus, a pressing need has emerged in developing countries for comprehensive and accurate assessments of water quality. This review presents current and emerging advanced techniques for assessing water quality that can be adopted by authorities in developing countries.

  8. Does Inequality in Skills Explain Inequality of Earnings across Advanced Countries? NBER Working Paper Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Devroye, Dan; Freeman, Richard

    The question of whether inequality in skills explains inequality of earnings across advanced countries was examined through a review of data from the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), which examined the prose, document, and quantitative literacy skills of adults in 12 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and…

  9. The Audio-Visual Services in Fifteen African Countries. Comparative Study on the Administration of Audio-Visual Services in Advanced and Developing Countries. Part Four. First Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jongbloed, Harry J. L.

    As the fourth part of a comparative study on the administration of audiovisual services in advanced and developing countries, this UNESCO-funded study reports on the African countries of Cameroun, Republic of Central Africa, Dahomey, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Swaziland, Tunisia, Upper Volta and Zambia. Information…

  10. Comparison of problems and unmet needs of patients with advanced cancer in a European country and an Asian country.

    PubMed

    Effendy, Christantie; Vissers, Kris; Osse, Bart H P; Tejawinata, Sunaryadi; Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra; Engels, Yvonne

    2015-06-01

    Patients with advanced cancer experience problems and unmet needs. However, we assume that patients with advanced cancer will have more problems and unmet needs in a country with a lower economic status than in an economically stronger country. We studied whether patients with advanced cancer in Indonesia have more problems and unmet needs than a similar group of patients in the Netherlands. We performed a cross-sectional survey. We compared the data for 180 Indonesian and 94 Dutch patients relating to 24 items of the Problems and Needs in Palliative Care-short version questionnaire. We performed descriptive and χ(2) analysis with Bonferroni correction. The prevalence of most physical problems, including pain, was similar in the 2 groups. In Indonesia, financial problems were the most common: 70 to 80% vs. 30 to 42% in the Netherlands. In Indonesia, 25 to 50% of the patients reported psychological and autonomy problems versus 55 to 86% in the Netherlands. The Indonesian group had many more unmet needs for each problem (> 54%) than the Dutch group (< 35%). Apparently, economic and cultural differences hardly influence physical problems. Nonetheless, fewer Indonesian patients reported psychological and autonomy problems than Dutch patients. This difference contradicts our hypothesis. However, we found more unmet needs for professional attention in Indonesia than in the Netherlands, which is compatible with our hypothesis. These simple comparative data provide interesting insights into problems and unmet needs and give rise to our new hypothesis about cultural influences. This hypothesis should be studied in more depth. © 2014 World Institute of Pain.

  11. Are Skills the Answer? The Political Economy of Skill Creation in Advanced Industrial Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Crouch, Colin; Finegold, David; Sako, Mari

    This book analyzes vocational education and training (VET) systems in seven advanced industrial countries (AICs) to determine institutional arrangements for skills creation most promising in attaining the learning society. The AICs are France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States, and Sweden. Chapter 1 discusses special problems of…

  12. Variation of socioeconomic gradients in children's developmental health across advanced Capitalist societies: analysis of 22 OECD nations.

    PubMed

    Siddiqi, Arjumand; Kawachi, Ichiro; Berkman, Lisa; Subramanian, S V; Hertzman, Clyde

    2007-01-01

    Within societies, there is a well-established relation between socioeconomic position and a wide range of outcomes related to well-being, and this relation is known to vary in magnitude across countries. Using a large sample of nations, the authors explored whether differences in social policies explain differences in socioeconomic gradients across nations. Analyses were conducted on reading literacy in 15-year-olds, as an outcome related to cognitive development and to a host of factors that contribute to future well-being, including educational attainment and health. The results show a systematic variation in socioeconomic gradients and average scores across countries. Scores were favorable in countries with a long history of welfare state regimes, but countries where institutional change unfolded more recently and rapidly, or where welfare states are less well developed, clustered at the bottom of the rankings. Strong support was found for the "flattening up" hypothesis, which suggests that nations with higher average scores have less socioeconomic inequality in scores (or flatter gradients). Potential explanations for the observed patterns include differences between nations in the extent and distribution of income and social goods important for children's development.

  13. Advance Notice of Proposed Rule Making for Minor Source Permitting in Indian Country - Oil and Gas

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to solicit broad feedback on the most effective and efficient means of implementing the EPA's Indian Country Minor New Source Review program for sources in the oil and natural gas production segment.

  14. Habermas, O'Connor, and Wolfe, and the Crisis of the Welfare-Capitalist State: Conservative Politics and the Roots of Educational Policy in the 1980s.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shapiro, H. Svi

    1983-01-01

    The works of Jurgen Habermas, James O'Connor, and Alan Wolfe, key authors in the field of current U.S. educational policies, are reviewed to further understanding of current educational change in the present politics of capitalist society. (CJB)

  15. Multisectoral Approaches in Advancing Girls' Education: Lessons Learned in Five SAGE Countries. SAGE Technical Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rugh, Andrea

    Strategies for Advancing Girls' Education (SAGE) is a project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade/Office of Women in Development (EGAT/WID). Five countries participated in SAGE: Guinea, Mali, Ghana, El Salvador; and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The project started in…

  16. Race, Labor Repression, and Capitalist Agriculture: Notes from South Texas, 1920-1930. Institute for the Study of Social Change Working Papers Series #102.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Montejano, David

    Racism and racial exploitation, rather than disappearing with the march of capitalist development, appear instead as its intimate companions. The racial experience of the Mexican in South Texas was shaped by the rapid development of agriculture there in the early part of the century, between 1900-1910 and 1920-1930. The agrarian land revolution…

  17. Power law for the duration of recession and prosperity in Latin American countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Redelico, Francisco O.; Proto, Araceli N.; Ausloos, Marcel

    2008-11-01

    Ormerod and Mounfield [P. Ormerod, C. Mounfield, Power law distribution of duration and magnitude of recessions in capitalist economies: Breakdown of scaling, Physica A 293 (2001) 573] and Ausloos et al. [M. Ausloos, J. Mikiewicz, M. Sanglier, The durations of recession and prosperity: Does their distribution follow a power or an exponential law? Physica A 339 (2004) 548] have independently analyzed the duration of recessions for developed countries through the evolution of the GDP in different time windows. It was found that there is a power law governing the duration distribution. We have analyzed data collected from 19 Latin American countries in order to observe whether such results are valid or not for developing countries. The case of prosperity years is also discussed. We observe that the power law of recession time intervals, see Ref. [1], is valid for Latin American countries as well. Thus an interesting point is discovered: the same scaling time is found in the case of recessions for the three data sets (ca. 1 year), and this could represent a universal feature. Other time scale parameters differ significantly from each other.

  18. [Demographic pressure, "informal sector" and technological choices in Third World countries].

    PubMed

    Hugon, P

    1983-01-01

    Trisectorial models of economic functioning have been proposed to replace the dualistic models that proved incapable of illuminating postwar employment trends in developing countries. The new models propose 3 sectors: the subsistence sector, where average productivity corresponds to the subsistence minimum and which is thus incapable of generating a surplus for savings; the intermediate sector, weakly capitalistic, characterized by the absence of a permanent salaried work force or codified labor relations, in which precariousness of employment and the exploitation of specific social relations allow a low wage rate, with a concommitant mode of regulation that largely escapes state control; and the intensely capitalistic sector, with a salaried work force, codified labor relations, existence of administered prices, various state subventions and protections and a monopolistic type of regulation. The 3 sectors are described in greater detail and represented graphically, along with a critique of the limitations of most studies employing a trisectorial perspective. A study of the impact of demographic pressure at different levels of technology embedded in specific sociohistoric systems follows. The final section contains an analysis of 3 types of effects which may mediate the role of demographic pressure in the choice of technologies: effects of demographic pressure on structures of production and consumption, on segments of the labor force, and on involutive and evolutive processes. It is argued that the links between demographic pressure, technologic choices, and the productive sector can only be analyzed in specific social systems.

  19. Nurses' knowledge of advance directives and perceived confidence in end-of-life care: a cross-sectional study in five countries.

    PubMed

    Coffey, Alice; McCarthy, Geraldine; Weathers, Elizabeth; Friedman, M Isabel; Gallo, Katherine; Ehrenfeld, Mally; Chan, Sophia; Li, William H C; Poletti, Piera; Zanotti, Renzo; Molloy, D William; McGlade, Ciara; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J; Itzhaki, Michal

    2016-06-01

    Nurses' knowledge regarding advance directives may affect their administration and completion in end-of-life care. Confidence among nurses is a barrier to the provision of quality end-of-life care. This study investigated nurses' knowledge of advance directives and perceived confidence in end-of-life care, in Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy and the USA using a cross-sectional descriptive design (n = 1089). In all countries, older nurses and those who had more professional experience felt more confident managing patients' symptoms at end-of-life and more comfortable stopping preventive medications at end-of-life. Nurses in the USA reported that they have more knowledge and experience of advance directives compared with other countries. In addition, they reported the highest levels of confidence and comfort in dealing with end-of-life care. Although legislation for advance directives does not yet exist in Ireland, nurses reported high levels of confidence in end-of-life care. © 2016 The Authors International Journal of Nursing Practice Published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  20. Changes in crime rates and family-related values in selected East European countries.

    PubMed

    Krus, D J; Nelsen, E A; Webb, J M

    1997-12-01

    Observations and longitudinal comparisons of emerging trends within formerly socialist East European countries offer a unique opportunity to observe some of the social policies typical of the capitalist and socialist systems and their influence on society. Some of the emerging trends in the Czech Republic, former East Germany, and Russia pertaining to general areas of public health, family, and crime are described. Effects of these changes are discussed within the framework of a recently proposed multiple regression model of criminal behavior in which criminality is attributed to the confluence of gross inequalities in the distribution of wealth and to the disintegration of the traditional family. The changes should be considered in the conduct of research.

  1. Trends in Prevalence of Advanced HIV Disease at Antiretroviral Therapy Enrollment - 10 Countries, 2004-2015.

    PubMed

    Auld, Andrew F; Shiraishi, Ray W; Oboho, Ikwo; Ross, Christine; Bateganya, Moses; Pelletier, Valerie; Dee, Jacob; Francois, Kesner; Duval, Nirva; Antoine, Mayer; Delcher, Chris; Desforges, Gracia; Griswold, Mark; Domercant, Jean Wysler; Joseph, Nadjy; Deyde, Varough; Desir, Yrvel; Van Onacker, Joelle Deas; Robin, Ermane; Chun, Helen; Zulu, Isaac; Pathmanathan, Ishani; Dokubo, E Kainne; Lloyd, Spencer; Pati, Rituparna; Kaplan, Jonathan; Raizes, Elliot; Spira, Thomas; Mitruka, Kiren; Couto, Aleny; Gudo, Eduardo Samo; Mbofana, Francisco; Briggs, Melissa; Alfredo, Charity; Xavier, Carla; Vergara, Alfredo; Hamunime, Ndapewa; Agolory, Simon; Mutandi, Gram; Shoopala, Naemi N; Sawadogo, Souleymane; Baughman, Andrew L; Bashorun, Adebobola; Dalhatu, Ibrahim; Swaminathan, Mahesh; Onotu, Dennis; Odafe, Solomon; Abiri, Oseni Omomo; Debem, Henry H; Tomlinson, Hank; Okello, Velephi; Preko, Peter; Ao, Trong; Ryan, Caroline; Bicego, George; Ehrenkranz, Peter; Kamiru, Harrison; Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Harriet; Kwesigabo, Gideon; Ramadhani, Angela A; Ng'wangu, Kahemele; Swai, Patrick; Mfaume, Mohamed; Gongo, Ramadhani; Carpenter, Deborah; Mastro, Timothy D; Hamilton, Carol; Denison, Julie; Wabwire-Mangen, Fred; Koole, Olivier; Torpey, Kwasi; Williams, Seymour G; Colebunders, Robert; Kalamya, Julius N; Namale, Alice; Adler, Michelle R; Mugisa, Bridget; Gupta, Sundeep; Tsui, Sharon; van Praag, Eric; Nguyen, Duc B; Lyss, Sheryl; Le, Yen; Abdul-Quader, Abu S; Do, Nhan T; Mulenga, Modest; Hachizovu, Sebastian; Mugurungi, Owen; Barr, Beth A Tippett; Gonese, Elizabeth; Mutasa-Apollo, Tsitsi; Balachandra, Shirish; Behel, Stephanie; Bingham, Trista; Mackellar, Duncan; Lowrance, David; Ellerbrock, Tedd V

    2017-06-02

    Monitoring prevalence of advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease (i.e., CD4+ T-cell count <200 cells/μL) among persons starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) is important to understand ART program outcomes, inform HIV prevention strategy, and forecast need for adjunctive therapies.* , † , § To assess trends in prevalence of advanced disease at ART initiation in 10 high-burden countries during 2004-2015, records of 694,138 ART enrollees aged ≥15 years from 797 ART facilities were analyzed. Availability of national electronic medical record systems allowed up-to-date evaluation of trends in Haiti (2004-2015), Mozambique (2004-2014), and Namibia (2004-2012), where prevalence of advanced disease at ART initiation declined from 75% to 34% (p<0.001), 73% to 37% (p<0.001), and 80% to 41% (p<0.001), respectively. Significant declines in prevalence of advanced disease during 2004-2011 were observed in Nigeria, Swaziland, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. The encouraging declines in prevalence of advanced disease at ART enrollment are likely due to scale-up of testing and treatment services and ART-eligibility guidelines encouraging earlier ART initiation. However, in 2015, approximately a third of new ART patients still initiated ART with advanced HIV disease. To reduce prevalence of advanced disease at ART initiation, adoption of World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended "treat-all" guidelines and strategies to facilitate earlier HIV testing and treatment are needed to reduce HIV-related mortality and HIV incidence.

  2. JPRS Report. Soviet Union: World Economy & International Relations, No. 7, July 1989.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-11-09

    developing countries is based not so much on a national industrial bourgeoisie (which in principle should be the agent of capitalist development...as on the bureaucratic bour- geoisie, which represents the state-capitalist structure (a kind of "surrogate" bourgeoisie ). The socialist tendency...countries of Tropical Africa. The industrial bourgeoisie is financially weak, is not inclined to take risks, lacks authority, and is inexperienced and

  3. Towards advanced risk-sharing in health care financing: with a focus on the potential of social health insurance in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Carrin, G

    2004-01-01

    In this paper, we analyse the major health financing methods and the contribution they can make to improving access to health care among all of a country's population groups. Risk-sharing in health financing is proposed as a powerful method to achieve this improvement. The larger the degree of risk-sharing in a health financing system, the less people will have to bear the financial consequences of their own health risks, and the more they are likely to have access to needed care. Ideally countries should attempt to introduce 'advanced' risk-sharing aiming at equal access among individuals to an adequate package of health services. There are two major ways to implement advanced risk-sharing: general tax revenue may be main source of financing health services, or else social health insurance may be established. An important finding is that about 60% of the world's countries still need to pursue efforts towards the introduction of advanced risk-sharing. We further focus on the potential of social health insurance as an advanced risk-sharing method. In fact, there is recent interest in developing countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Indonesia, Iran and Kenya in this particular health financing mechanism. Compared to health financing via general tax revenue, social health insurance spreads the immediate burden of financing among various groups, including the workers, the self-employed, enterprises and Government. Time and tedious discussions between these groups may be needed, however, before a consensus is reached, not only on the relative burden of financing but also on ways to achieve overall population coverage. It is suggested that action-research be used to test the adequacy of initial social health insurance policies.

  4. What predicts the quality of advanced cancer care in Latin America? A look at five countries: Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru.

    PubMed

    Torres Vigil, Isabel; Aday, Lu Ann; De Lima, Liliana; Cleeland, Charles S

    2007-09-01

    Cancer is now a leading cause of death among adults in most Latin American nations. Yet, until recently, there has been limited research on the quality of, and access to, advanced cancer care in developing regions such as Latin America. This landmark, cross-national study assessed the quality of advanced cancer care in five Latin American countries by surveying a convenience sample of 777 physicians and nurses, and identifying the most salient influences on their quality-of-care assessments based on multiple linear regression analyses. Strategies for disseminating this survey included mass mailings, distribution at professional meetings/conferences, collaboration with Latin American institutions, professional organizations, and the Pan American Health Organization, and online posting. Results indicate that the respondents' assessments of the quality of, access to, and affordability of advanced cancer care varied significantly across nations (P<0.001). The strongest predictor of providers' national-level assessments of the quality of care was their ratings of access to advanced cancer care (Beta=0.647). Other predictors included affordability of care, country (Cuba vs. the other four countries), income-gap quintile, and institutional availability of opioid analgesics. Low prioritization of palliative care in both health care policy formulation and provider education also predicted the quality-of-care ratings. Findings from this study suggest that providers from five different nations hold similar equitable notions of quality care that are dependent on the provision of accessible and affordable care. Measures of social equity, such as the income-gap quintile of nations, and measures of policy barriers, such as the scale developed in this study, should be replicated in future studies to enable policy makers to assess and improve advanced cancer care in their countries.

  5. Potential applications of advanced aircraft in developing countries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maddalon, D. V.

    1978-01-01

    An investigation sponsored by NASA indicates that air transportation can play an important role in the economic progress of developing countries. By the turn of the century, the rapid economic growth now occurring in many developing countries should result in a major redistribution of the world's income. Some countries now classified as 'developing' will become 'developed' and are likely to become far more important to the world's civil aviation industry. Developing countries will be increasingly important buyers of conventional subsonic long-haul jet passenger aircraft but not to the point of significant influence on the design or technological content of future aircraft of this type. However, the technological content of more specialized aircraft may be influenced by developing country requirements and reflected in designs which fill a need concerning specialized missions, related to short-haul, low-density, rough runways, and natural resource development.

  6. Advanced Academic Performance: Exploring Country-Level Differences in the Pursuit of Educational Excellence. Policy Brief No. 7

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plucker, Jonathan A.

    2015-01-01

    Every country strives for its students to have advanced achievement in some way, shape, or form. But too often, competence is a higher policy priority than excellence, and shrinking minimum competency gaps is a higher priority than closing excellence gaps. In this brief, educational excellence is defined as the percent of students who meet or…

  7. 10 CFR 40.67 - Requirement for advance notice for importation of natural uranium from countries that are not...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Requirement for advance notice for importation of natural uranium from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. 40.67 Section 40.67 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION DOMESTIC LICENSING OF SOURCE MATERIAL...

  8. [The Marxist outlook on population].

    PubMed

    Qin, R

    1984-09-29

    Marxist population theory and world population are discussed. From his study of capitalist population theory Marx concluded, "In capitalist reproduction, poverty produces population," thus rejecting Malthusian population determinism theory and developing economic determinism. According to UN statistics, world population has stabilized since the middle of this century after having doubled every hundred years for the last 300; population in the developed countries showed a positive decrease and average net population growth of the developing countries also decreased. The premise of this paper is that population grows according to social economy development. During the last several hundred years, world wealth increased much faster than population; in the last 200 years alone, the population has increased fivefold, but wealth fortyfold. In addition, world population analysis reveals an inverse relationship between wealth and population in the developed and developing countries: the poorer the country, the greater the population. From this perspective, the study of population must begin with surplus labor. Accumulation of surplus production is the foundation of continuous social development and the basis for population growth. The major difference in methods between capitalist countries and China is that the capitalist-planned fertility affects the individual family while Chinese-planned fertility has the whole nation in mind. Human fertility is determined by the economic system. Private ownership determines the private nature of fertility and public ownership determines the public nature of fertility. Thus population development is determined by the accumulation of social wealth.

  9. The impact of Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) training in low-resource countries.

    PubMed

    Dresang, Lee T; González, María Mercedes Ancheta; Beasley, John; Bustillo, Maura Carolina; Damos, Jim; Deutchman, Mark; Evensen, Ann; de Ancheta, Norma González; Rojas-Suarez, José A; Schwartz, Jonathan; Sorensen, Bjarke L; Winslow, Diana; Leeman, Lawrence

    2015-11-01

    To examine the effects of the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO) program on maternal outcomes in four low-income countries. Data were obtained from single-center, longitudinal cohort studies in Colombia, Guatemala, and Honduras, and from an uncontrolled prospective trial in Tanzania. In Colombia, maternal morbidity and the number of near misses increased after ALSO training, but maternal mortality decreased. In Guatemala, sustained reductions in overall maternal mortality and mortality from postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) were recorded after ALSO implementation. In Honduras, there was a significant decrease in episiotomy rates, and increases in active management of the third stage of labor (AMTSL), vacuum-assisted delivery, and reported comfort managing obstetric emergencies. In Tanzania, the frequency of PPH and severe PPH decreased after training, while management improved. In low-income countries, ALSO training was associated with decreased in-hospital maternal mortality, episiotomy use, and PPH. AMTSL and vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery increased in frequency after ALSO training. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Treatment decision-making for advanced non-small cell lung cancer and differences among European countries: 1st AIOT-ETOP meeting.

    PubMed

    Gridelli, Cesare; Stahel, Rolf; Besse, Benjamin; Ciardiello, Fortunato; Felip, Enriqueta; Gasparini, Stefano; Graziano, Paolo; Rossi, Antonio; de Marinis, Filippo

    2011-12-01

    The Italian Association of Thoracic Oncology (AIOT) and the European Thoracic Oncology Platform (ETOP) realized the first conjunct educational meeting, open to European oncologists involved in the treatment of thoracic malignancies, entitled "Advanced non-small cell lung cancer: new perspectives in first-line setting". The educational meeting included 8 interactive talks, held by European key opinion leaders, and 5 related clinical cases in which the attendees, divided in working tables based on their country origin, were involved for interactive discussion. The aim of this course was to elucidate the differences or similarities among the European countries in the first-line treatment of patients affected by advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Twenty-two attendees of the following countries participated: Austria, France, Italy, Spain, Swiss, and UK. As expected, some discrepancies between the groups were identified concerning the approach to the diagnostic phase, the choice of first-line regimen, the duration of treatment and the use of maintenance therapy. These discrepancies were mainly due to familiarity with specific therapies and lack of access to certain therapies due to local regulatory issues. The European Medicine Agency grants marketing of drugs in all Europe, regulatory agency of each country can register the drug, but can also deny public reimbursement thus restricting the options of the oncologist. The European Oncology Associations should join to their effort to achieve a uniform access to the cancer therapy for all patients in Europe. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. 'Burden to others' as a public concern in advanced cancer: a comparative survey in seven European countries.

    PubMed

    Bausewein, Claudia; Calanzani, Natalia; Daveson, Barbara A; Simon, Steffen T; Ferreira, Pedro L; Higginson, Irene J; Bechinger-English, Dorothee; Deliens, Luc; Gysels, Marjolein; Toscani, Franco; Ceulemans, Lucas; Harding, Richard; Gomes, Barbara

    2013-03-08

    Europe faces an enormous public health challenge with aging populations and rising cancer incidence. Little is known about what concerns the public across European countries regarding cancer care towards the end of life. We aimed to compare the level of public concern with different symptoms and problems in advanced cancer across Europe and examine factors influencing this. Telephone survey with 9,344 individuals aged ≥16 in England, Flanders, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Participants were asked about nine symptoms and problems, imagining a situation of advanced cancer with less than one year to live. These were ranked and the three top concerns examined in detail. As 'burden to others' showed most variation within and between countries, we determined the relative influence of factors on this concern using GEE and logistic regression. Overall response rate was 21%. Pain was the top concern in all countries, from 34% participants (Italy) to 49% (Flanders). Burden was second in England, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. Breathlessness was second in Flanders and the Netherlands. Concern with burden was independently associated with age (70+ years, OR 1.50; 95%CI 1.24-1.82), living alone (OR 0.82, 95%CI 0.73-0.93) and preferring quality rather than quantity of life (OR 1.43, 95%CI 1.14-1.80). When imagining a last year of life with cancer, the public is not only concerned about medical problems but also about being a burden. Public education about palliative care and symptom control is needed. Cancer care should include a routine assessment and management of social concerns, particularly for older patients with poor prognosis.

  12. Current Practices in Global/International Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences: Home/Host Country or Site/Institution Considerations

    PubMed Central

    Dakkuri, Adnan; Abrons, Jeanine P.; Williams, Dennis; Ombengi, David N.; Zheng, HaiAn; Al-Dahir, Sara; Tofade, Toyin; Gim, Suzanna; O’Connell, Mary Beth; Ratka, Anna; Dornblaser, Emily

    2016-01-01

    International outreach by schools and colleges of pharmacy is increasing. In this paper, we provide current practice guidelines to establish and maintain successful global/international advanced pharmacy practice experiences (G/I APPEs) with specific recommendations for home/host country and host site/institution. The paper is based on a literature review (2000-2014) in databases and Internet searches with specific keywords or terms. Educational documents such as syllabi and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) from pharmacy programs were also examined. In addition, a preliminary draft was developed and the findings and recommendations were reviewed in a 90-minute roundtable discussion at the 2014 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Annual Meeting. Recommendations for the host country include travel considerations (eg, passport, visa, air travel), safety, housing, transportation, travel alerts and warnings, health issues, and financial considerations. For the home country, considerations for establishment of G/I APPE site (eg, vetting process, MoU, site expectations) are described. The paper is a resource for development of new G/I APPEs and provides guidance for continuous quality improvement of partnerships focusing on G/I pharmacy education. PMID:27170809

  13. Current Practices in Global/International Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences: Home/Host Country or Site/Institution Considerations.

    PubMed

    Alsharif, Naser Z; Dakkuri, Adnan; Abrons, Jeanine P; Williams, Dennis; Ombengi, David N; Zheng, HaiAn; Al-Dahir, Sara; Tofade, Toyin; Gim, Suzanna; O'Connell, Mary Beth; Ratka, Anna; Dornblaser, Emily

    2016-04-25

    International outreach by schools and colleges of pharmacy is increasing. In this paper, we provide current practice guidelines to establish and maintain successful global/international advanced pharmacy practice experiences (G/I APPEs) with specific recommendations for home/host country and host site/institution. The paper is based on a literature review (2000-2014) in databases and Internet searches with specific keywords or terms. Educational documents such as syllabi and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) from pharmacy programs were also examined. In addition, a preliminary draft was developed and the findings and recommendations were reviewed in a 90-minute roundtable discussion at the 2014 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Annual Meeting. Recommendations for the host country include travel considerations (eg, passport, visa, air travel), safety, housing, transportation, travel alerts and warnings, health issues, and financial considerations. For the home country, considerations for establishment of G/I APPE site (eg, vetting process, MoU, site expectations) are described. The paper is a resource for development of new G/I APPEs and provides guidance for continuous quality improvement of partnerships focusing on G/I pharmacy education.

  14. Questioning Assumptions about the Role of Education in American Society: A Review of Schooling in Capitalist America

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rosenberg, Seth

    2004-09-01

    According to many scholars, classrooms in America are overwhelmingly authoritarian and undemocratic. They focus on fragmented knowledge that is disconnected from the students' lives. Proven reforms are resisted at all levels, and systematic progressive change is non-existent nearly a century after the progressive movement. Why is this so? The standard liberal outlook is that the schools are `broken' and `neglected', but that they have the potential, with reform, to be a major progressive force in society. This paper questions these assumptions through a review of the seminal educational-economic work by Bowles and Gintis: Schooling in Capitalist America. The major claim of this text is that our educational system's primary role is to mirror, support, stabilize, and reproduce the fundamentally hierarchical and undemocratic social relationships that exist in the majority of American workplaces. The major arguments and evidence of this text are reviewed, and implications for PER will be briefly mentioned.

  15. The relationship between venture capital investment and macro economic variables via statistical computation method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aygunes, Gunes

    2017-07-01

    The objective of this paper is to survey and determine the macroeconomic factors affecting the level of venture capital (VC) investments in a country. The literary depends on venture capitalists' quality and countries' venture capital investments. The aim of this paper is to give relationship between venture capital investment and macro economic variables via statistical computation method. We investigate the countries and macro economic variables. By using statistical computation method, we derive correlation between venture capital investments and macro economic variables. According to method of logistic regression model (logit regression or logit model), macro economic variables are correlated with each other in three group. Venture capitalists regard correlations as a indicator. Finally, we give correlation matrix of our results.

  16. Rethinking the western construction of the welfare state.

    PubMed

    Walker, A; Wong, C K

    1996-01-01

    This article employs case studies of China and Hong Kong to question the western ethnocentric construction of the welfare state that predominates in comparative social policy research. The authors argue that welfare regimes, and particularly the "welfare state," have been constructed as capitalist-democratic projects and that this has the damaging effect of excluding from analyses not only several advanced capitalist societies in the Asian-Pacific area but also the world's most populous country. If welfare state regimes can only coexist with western political democracies, then China and Hong Kong are excluded automatically. A similar result occurs if the traditional social administration approach is adopted whereby a "welfare state" is defined in terms only of direct state provision. The authors argue that such assumptions are untenable if state welfare is to be analyzed as a universal phenomenon. Instead of being trapped within an ethnocentric welfare statism, what social policy requires is a global political economy perspective that facilitates comparisons of the meaning of welfare and the state's role in producing it north, south, east and west.

  17. Addressing climate challenges in developing countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tilmes, Simone; Monaghan, Andrew; Done, James

    2012-04-01

    Advanced Study Program/Early Career Scientist Assembly Workshop on Regional Climate Issues in Developing Countries; Boulder, Colorado, 19-22 October 2011 The Early Career Scientist Assembly (ECSA) and the Advanced Study Program of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) invited 35 early-career scientists from nearly 20 countries to attend a 3-day workshop at the NCAR Mesa Laboratory prior to the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Open Science Conference in October 2011. The goal of the workshop was to examine a range of regional climate challenges in developing countries. Topics included regional climate modeling, climate impacts, water resources, and air quality. The workshop fostered new ideas and collaborations between early-career scientists from around the world. The discussions underscored the importance of establishing partnerships with scientists located in typically underrepresented countries to understand and account for the local political, economic, and cultural factors on which climate change is superimposed.

  18. Developed-developing country partnerships: Benefits to developed countries?

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Developing countries can generate effective solutions for today’s global health challenges. This paper reviews relevant literature to construct the case for international cooperation, and in particular, developed-developing country partnerships. Standard database and web-based searches were conducted for publications in English between 1990 and 2010. Studies containing full or partial data relating to international cooperation between developed and developing countries were retained for further analysis. Of 227 articles retained through initial screening, 65 were included in the final analysis. The results were two-fold: some articles pointed to intangible benefits accrued by developed country partners, but the majority of information pointed to developing country innovations that can potentially inform health systems in developed countries. This information spanned all six WHO health system components. Ten key health areas where developed countries have the most to learn from the developing world were identified and include, rural health service delivery; skills substitution; decentralisation of management; creative problem-solving; education in communicable disease control; innovation in mobile phone use; low technology simulation training; local product manufacture; health financing; and social entrepreneurship. While there are no guarantees that innovations from developing country experiences can effectively transfer to developed countries, combined developed-developing country learning processes can potentially generate effective solutions for global health systems. However, the global pool of knowledge in this area is virgin and further work needs to be undertaken to advance understanding of health innovation diffusion. Even more urgently, a standardized method for reporting partnership benefits is needed—this is perhaps the single most immediate need in planning for, and realizing, the full potential of international cooperation between developed and

  19. Developed-developing country partnerships: benefits to developed countries?

    PubMed

    Syed, Shamsuzzoha B; Dadwal, Viva; Rutter, Paul; Storr, Julie; Hightower, Joyce D; Gooden, Rachel; Carlet, Jean; Bagheri Nejad, Sepideh; Kelley, Edward T; Donaldson, Liam; Pittet, Didier

    2012-06-18

    Developing countries can generate effective solutions for today's global health challenges. This paper reviews relevant literature to construct the case for international cooperation, and in particular, developed-developing country partnerships. Standard database and web-based searches were conducted for publications in English between 1990 and 2010. Studies containing full or partial data relating to international cooperation between developed and developing countries were retained for further analysis. Of 227 articles retained through initial screening, 65 were included in the final analysis. The results were two-fold: some articles pointed to intangible benefits accrued by developed country partners, but the majority of information pointed to developing country innovations that can potentially inform health systems in developed countries. This information spanned all six WHO health system components. Ten key health areas where developed countries have the most to learn from the developing world were identified and include, rural health service delivery; skills substitution; decentralisation of management; creative problem-solving; education in communicable disease control; innovation in mobile phone use; low technology simulation training; local product manufacture; health financing; and social entrepreneurship. While there are no guarantees that innovations from developing country experiences can effectively transfer to developed countries, combined developed-developing country learning processes can potentially generate effective solutions for global health systems. However, the global pool of knowledge in this area is virgin and further work needs to be undertaken to advance understanding of health innovation diffusion. Even more urgently, a standardized method for reporting partnership benefits is needed--this is perhaps the single most immediate need in planning for, and realizing, the full potential of international cooperation between developed and

  20. Advancing nursing enterprises: A cross-country comparison.

    PubMed

    Pittman, Patricia; Salmon, Marla E

    2016-01-01

    Health system transformations in the United States are creating new opportunities for nursing innovation, although financial sustainability has limited the expansion of nurse managed clinics. We explore case studies of nursing enterprises in the developing world and discuss their potential for informing related work in the United States. Cases were selected from the Center for Health Market Innovations. We describe a professional association network of clinics in Tanzania, a social franchise in Kenya, and a cooperative in the Philippines. All programs empowered nurses to own, lead, and advance their professional influence. They had a social mission of improving access to care for disadvantaged populations, while increasing employment and autonomy of women. They also provided a shared platform for branding, purchasing, and quality assurance. Organization sponsors in these models may be relevant to different actors in the United States. Each demonstrates the importance of a collective approach to advancing nursing enterprises. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Reviewing the Pioneering Roles of Gallaudet University Alumni in Advancing Deaf Education and Services in Developing Countries: Insights and Challenges from Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eleweke, C. Jonah; Agboola, Isaac O.; Guteng, Simon I.

    2015-01-01

    The advancement of deaf education and services in numerous developing countries can be traced to the pioneering efforts of many Gallaudet University alumni. In Africa, for instance, the work of one such great alumnus, Dr. Andrew Foster, stands out. Foster is credited with efforts that resulted in the establishment of over 30 educational…

  2. Training and Development in Developing Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Savage, Ernest; Samuel, Errol

    Differences in training in developing countries can be traced to the experiences of colonization, industrialization, and advancing technology. Since decolonization after World War II, developing countries have had to cope with depleted primary resources and unprecedented and unexpectedly rapid industrialization. Industrialization has taken the…

  3. Why some countries have national health insurance, others have national health services, and the U.S. has neither.

    PubMed

    Navarro, V

    1989-01-01

    This article presents a discussion of why some capitalist developed countries have national health insurance schemes, others have national health services, and the U.S. has neither. The first section provides a critical analysis of some of the major answers given to these questions by authors belonging to the schools of thought defined as 'public choice', 'power group pluralism' and 'post-industrial convergence'. The second section puts forward an alternative explanation rooted in an historical analysis of the correlation of class forces in each country. The different forms of funding and organization of health services, structured according to the corporate model or to the liberal-welfare market capitalism model, have appeared historically in societies with different correlations of class forces. In all these societies the major social force behind the establishment of a national health program has been the labor movement (and its political instruments--the socialist parties) in its pursuit of the welfare state. In the final section the developments in the health sector after World War II are explained. It is postulated that the growth of public expenditures in the health sector and the growth of universalism and coverage of health benefits that have occurred during this period are related to the strength of the labor movement in these countries.

  4. Space-based communications infrastructure for developing countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barker, Keith; Barnes, Carl; Price, K. M.

    1995-08-01

    This study examines the potential use of satellites to augment the telecommunications infrastructure of developing countries with advanced satellites. The study investigated the potential market for using satellites in developing countries, the role of satellites in national information infrastructures (NII), the technical feasibility of augmenting NIIs with satellites, and a nation's financial conditions necessary for procuring satellite systems. In addition, the study examined several technical areas including onboard processing, intersatellite links, frequency of operation, multibeam and active antennas, and advanced satellite technologies. The marketing portion of this study focused on three case studies: China, Brazil, and Mexico. These cases represent countries in various stages of telecommunication infrastructure development. The study concludes by defining the needs of developing countries for satellites, and recommends steps that both industry and NASA can take to improve the competitiveness of U.S. satellite manufacturing.

  5. Space-based Communications Infrastructure for Developing Countries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barker, Keith; Barnes, Carl; Price, K. M.

    1995-01-01

    This study examines the potential use of satellites to augment the telecommunications infrastructure of developing countries with advanced satellites. The study investigated the potential market for using satellites in developing countries, the role of satellites in national information infractructures (NII), the technical feasibility of augmenting NIIs with satellites, and a nation's financial conditions necessary for procuring satellite systems. In addition, the study examined several technical areas including onboard processing, intersatellite links, frequency of operation, multibeam and active antennas, and advanced satellite technologies. The marketing portion of this study focused on three case studies: China, Brazil, and Mexico. These cases represent countries in various stages of telecommunication infrastructure development. The study concludes by defining the needs of developing countries for satellites, and recommends steps that both industry and NASA can take to improve the competitiveness of U.S. satellite manufacturing.

  6. The Development of Educational Technology Policies (1996-2012): Lessons from China and the USA

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alamin, Alnuaman A.; Shaoqing, Guo; Le, Zhang

    2015-01-01

    This study reviews the development of educational technology macro policies in China and USA based on the historical juxtaposition approach. It shows that, despite the fact that two countries have major differences, with China officially being a socialist country, while the USA is a capitalist country; the development of educational technology…

  7. Astronomy for a Better World: IAU OAD Task Force-1 Programs for Advancing Astronomy Education and Research in Universities in Developing Countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guinan, Edward; Kolenberg, Katrien

    2015-03-01

    We discuss the IAU Commission 46 and Office for Astronomy Development (OAD) programs that support advancing Astronomy education and research primarily in universities in developing countries. The bulk of these operational activities will be coordinated through the OAD's newly installed Task Force 1. We outline current (and future) IAU/OAD Task Force-1 programs that promote the development of University-level Astronomy at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Among current programs discussed are the past and future expanded activities of the International School for Young Astronomers (ISYA) and the Teaching Astronomy for Development (TAD) programs. The primary role of the ISYA program is the organization of a three week School for students for typically M.Sc. and Ph.D students. The ISYA is a very successful program that will now be offered more frequently through the generous support of the Kavli Foundation. The IAU/TAD program provides aid and resources for the development of teaching, education and research in Astronomy. The TAD program is dedicated to assist countries that have little or no astronomical activity, but that wish to develop or enhance Astronomy education. Over the last ten years, the ISYA and TAD programs have supported programs in Africa, Asia, Central America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, South East and West Asia, and South America. Several examples are given. Several new programs being considered by OAD Task Force-1 are also discussed. Other possible programs being considered are the introduction of modular Astronomy courses into the university curricula (or improve present courses) as well as providing access to ``remote learning`` courses and Virtual Astronomy labs in developing countries. Another possible new program would support visits of astronomers from technically advanced countries to spend their sabbatical leaves teaching and advising University Astronomy programs in developing countries. Suggestions for new Task Force -1

  8. Advancing Energy Development in Indian Country (Fact Sheet)

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

    Not Available

    This fact sheet provides information on the Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (DOE-IE) initiative to provide technical expertise to support the development of next-generation energy projects in Indian Country.

  9. The economic impact of prospective population changes in advanced industrial countries: an historical perspective.

    PubMed

    Easterlin, R A

    1991-11-01

    Demographic projections to the year 2050 for advanced industrial nations, implying low or negative population growth and a sharp rise in old age dependency, have created concerns about the long-term economic outlook in these countries. An analysis of these projections in the light of the demographic and economic experience of the past century raises doubt about these concerns. There is little empirical evidence that declining population growth has slowed the rate of economic growth. Although the burden of aged dependents will reach a new high, the projected total dependency rate is not out of line with prior experience. Thus, the ability of the working population to shoulder the burden of higher taxes to support programs for older dependents will be greater because of reduced needs to support younger dependents. This conclusion holds for a number of variant projections, the only clear exception being one that implies a mortality revolution at older ages.

  10. The Impossibility of Capitalist Markets in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marginson, Simon

    2013-01-01

    For more than two decades, governments around the world, led by the English-speaking polities, have moved higher education systems closer to the forms of textbook economic markets. Reforms include corporatisation, competitive funding, student charges, output formats and performance reporting. But, no country has established a bona fide economic…

  11. Literacy for Development: An African Perspective (Notes from a Sabbatical).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bhola, H. S.

    This report contains one man's impressions of the state of adult literacy education in several countries of Africa and in India. The first country reported on is Ethiopia, where signs of a capitalist society were evident in that officially Marxist country, where literacy education was still a priority in the midst of a waning famine. Ethiopia had…

  12. Treating Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer With Concurrent Chemoradiation Without Brachytherapy in Low-resource Countries.

    PubMed

    Chuang, Linus; Kanis, Margaux J; Miller, Brigitte; Wright, Jason; Small, William; Creasman, William

    2016-02-01

    To summarize the literature on options of management of patients treated for locally advanced cervical cancers with a specific focus on resource-constrained settings where brachytherapy is not available. A Medline search was performed to summarize studies about treatment approaches including neoadjuvant chemotherapy, primary surgery for bulky cervical cancer, and chemoradiation followed by surgery. Summaries are by treatment approaches that are relevant to resource-constrained settings. There are a lack of studies performed on neoadjuvant chemotherapy in low-resource settings. Primary surgery followed by chemoradiation therapy for selected patients with bulky cervical cancer is a feasible option. The disadvantage is the potential increase in treatment complications. Chemoradiation without brachytherapy followed by surgery has been found to have equivalent outcomes and is associated with acceptable morbidity. In resource-constrained settings where brachytherapy is not available, performing radical hysterectomy after chemoradiation therapy without brachytherapy has been shown to produce equivalent outcomes. It seems reasonable to adopt a modified therapeutic protocol of chemoradiation followed by extrafascial hysterectomy as an alternative treatment option in low-resource countries where brachytherapy is not readily available.

  13. WHO at country level.

    PubMed

    Lucas, A

    1998-03-07

    WHO's activities at country level have earned the organisation both criticism and praise. The organisation's technical publications are esteemed as authoritative guidelines for disease control. Successful disease-control programmes and contributions to health research have heightened WHO's reputation. The organisation has also provided the focus for evolution of important ideas, such as primary health care and the relevance of equity and other ethical issues. But WHO has been criticised for not adapting rapidly and logically to changes in the health field. With increasing national capacity in the more advanced developing countries, and with the involvement of new participants in the health sphere, the organisation needs to reassess its role at country level. My recommendation is that WHO improves its analytical capacity so that its programmes take into consideration the health needs of the country, its national capacity, and the contributions from other external agencies.

  14. Recent Management of Patients with Advanced Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Role of Afatinib and Lesson Learned for Developing Countries.

    PubMed

    Amin, Zulkifli; Jayalie, Vito Filbert; Rajabto, Wulyo

    2017-01-01

    Lung cancer is a devastating disease with a high incidence, mortality and morbidity rate, especially in developing countries. Conventional treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy has some limitations attributed to chemoresistance and toxicity. Recent advances have shown that first generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI), Gefitinib and Erlotinib, and the newest available second generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI), Afatinib, have the potential to be an option in the management of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor/ EGFR mutation positive advanced/ metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Afatinib works by binding to EGFR irreversibly, thus inactivating the tyrosine kinase receptor. Some studies demostrated that Afatinib first-line may result in longer progression free survival (PFS) and better disease control, and as an alternative for patients who intolerance to Gefitinib or Erlotinib. In Indonesia, the era of National Health Insurance has been implemented and National Health Insurance has covered treatment for cancer, including first generation TKIs, Gefitinib dan erlotinib, for patients with EGFR mutation positive advanced/ metastatic non-small cell lung cancer at Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital. Afatinib, as one of the newest available second generation TKI, may be given free of charge too as an alternative if the National Health Insurance will be covered in the future. Further research is needed to know the efficacy and adverse effects that may occur in patients from developing countries.

  15. Advancing Next-Generation Energy in Indian Country (Fact Sheet)

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

    Not Available

    This fact provides information on the Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (DOE-IE) initiative to provide technical expertise to support the development of next-generation energy projects in Indian Country.

  16. The development of advanced nursing practice globally.

    PubMed

    Sheer, Barbara; Wong, Frances Kam Yuet

    2008-01-01

    To examine the development of advanced nursing practice globally. Data were collected from documentary resources available in the International Nurse Practitioners/Advanced Practice Nurse Network (INP/APNN) of the International Council of Nurses. The areas examined were guided by the "key informant survey on advanced nursing practice self-administered questionnaire." Two core members of the INP/APNN who have rich experience in global advanced nursing development analyzed the data.A total of 14 countries and three regions from five continents were included in the analyses. The development of advanced nursing practice in these areas is facilitated by a need for better access to care in a cost-containment era and the enhancement of nursing education to postgraduate level. The mechanism for regulation of practice is in place in some countries. Confirms the development of advanced practice in nursing is a global trend. APNs can improve global health with points to enhanced education in nursing and regulation of advanced practice.

  17. Pharmacy Education and Practice in 13 Middle Eastern Countries

    PubMed Central

    Kheir, Nadir; Zaidan, Manal; Younes, Husam; El Hajj, Maguy; Wilbur, Kerry

    2008-01-01

    The Arab world has influenced the art and science of pharmacy for centuries. Pharmacy education and practice is continuing to evolve in the Arabic-speaking traditional Middle East countries, although relatively little information has been published in the English press. Our goal was to provide a high-level synopsis of conditions in this region. We selected 13 countries for review. Information was obtained by reviewing the available published literature and individual university and program web sites, as well as contacting program or country representatives. Seventy-eight active pharmacy schools in 12 countries were identified. At least 14,000 students (over 75% from Egypt) are admitted into baccalaureate degree programs every year. The 5-year baccalaureate degree remains the first professional degree to practice. While changes in pharmacy education have been relatively rapid over the past decade, the advancement of pharmacy practice, particularly in the private sector, appears to be slower. Hospital pharmacists often possess an advanced degree and tend to have a higher level of practice compared to that of community pharmacists. Despite the adversities that face academics and practitioners alike, there is a strong desire to advance the science and practice of pharmacy in the Middle East. PMID:19325953

  18. Japan's advanced medicine.

    PubMed

    Sho, Ri; Narimatsu, Hiroto; Murakami, Masayasu

    2013-10-01

    Like health care systems in other developed countries, Japan's health care system faces significant challenges due to aging of the population and economic stagnation. Advanced medicine (Senshin Iryou) is a unique system of medical care in Japan offering highly technology-driven medical care that is not covered by public health insurance. Advanced medicine has recently developed and expanded as part of health care reform. Will it work? To answer this question, we briefly trace the historical development of advanced medicine and describe the characteristics and current state of advanced medical care in Japan. We then offer our opinions on the future of advanced medicine with careful consideration of its pros and cons. We believe that developing advanced medicine is an attempt to bring health care reform in line rather than the goal of health care reform.

  19. Advancing Next-Generation Energy in Indian Country (Fact Sheet)

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

    Not Available

    2012-08-01

    This fact sheet provides information on the Alaska Native governments selected to receive assistance from the Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (DOE-IE) initiative to provide technical expertise to support the development of next-generation energy projects in Indian Country.

  20. Descriptive, cross-country analysis of the nurse practitioner workforce in six countries: size, growth, physician substitution potential

    PubMed Central

    Maier, Claudia B; Barnes, Hilary; Aiken, Linda H; Busse, Reinhard

    2016-01-01

    Objectives Many countries are facing provider shortages and imbalances in primary care or are projecting shortfalls for the future, triggered by the rise in chronic diseases and multimorbidity. In order to assess the potential of nurse practitioners (NPs) in expanding access, we analysed the size, annual growth (2005–2015) and the extent of advanced practice of NPs in 6 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Design Cross-country data analysis of national nursing registries, regulatory bodies, statistical offices data as well as OECD health workforce and population data, plus literature scoping review. Setting/participants NP and physician workforces in 6 OECD countries (Australia, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand and USA). Primary and secondary outcome measures The main outcomes were the absolute and relative number of NPs per 100 000 population compared with the nursing and physician workforces, the compound annual growth rates, annual and median percentage changes from 2005 to 2015 and a synthesis of the literature on the extent of advanced clinical practice measured by physician substitution effect. Results The USA showed the highest absolute number of NPs and rate per population (40.5 per 100 000 population), followed by the Netherlands (12.6), Canada (9.8), Australia (4.4), and Ireland and New Zealand (3.1, respectively). Annual growth rates were high in all countries, ranging from annual compound rates of 6.1% in the USA to 27.8% in the Netherlands. Growth rates were between three and nine times higher compared with physicians. Finally, the empirical studies emanating from the literature scoping review suggested that NPs are able to provide 67–93% of all primary care services, yet, based on limited evidence. Conclusions NPs are a rapidly growing workforce with high levels of advanced practice potential in primary care. Workforce monitoring based on accurate data is critical to inform educational capacity

  1. Advancing Next-Generation Energy in Indian Country (Fact Sheet)

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

    Not Available

    2012-08-01

    This fact sheet provides information on Tribes in the lower 48 states selected to receive assistance from the Strategic Technical Assistance Response Team (START) Program, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (DOE-IE) initiative to provide technical expertise to support the development of next-generation energy projects in Indian Country.

  2. Applications of advanced transport aircraft in developing countries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gobetz, F. W.; Assarabowski, R. J.; Leshane, A. A.

    1978-01-01

    Four representative market scenarios were studied to evaluate the relative performance of air-and surface-based transportation systems in meeting the needs of two developing contries, Brazil and Indonesia, which were selected for detailed case studies. The market scenarios were: remote mining, low-density transport, tropical forestry, and large cargo aircraft serving processing centers in resource-rich, remote areas. The long-term potential of various aircraft types, together with fleet requirements and necessary technology advances, is determined for each application.

  3. Improving Aid Effectiveness or Transforming the Global Capitalist System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ginsburg, Mark

    2010-01-01

    In the introduction to his article, "Aid, Development, and Education," Klees (2010) poses the question, has the "hundreds of billions of dollars in international aid... loaned to [or otherwise targeted to "assist"] developing countries through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms... helped?" He then posits the question to be "too complicated to…

  4. Breast conservation in locally advanced breast cancer in developing countries: wise or waste.

    PubMed

    Tewari, Mallika; Krishnamurthy, Arvind; Shukla, Hari S

    2009-03-01

    Breast conservation as an additional benefit was beyond the initial expectations of the investigators who pioneered neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). In recent years an increasing number of patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) are being treated with NACT, followed by breast conservation surgery with axillary dissection and radiation as a part of the multimodality management. Breast conservation has not been the standard of care for women with LABC, owing to concerns of increased chances of local recurrence, and possible survival disadvantage and psychological trauma from experiencing a recurrence of malignancy. LABC is still a common form of presentation of breast cancer in developing countries. Strict adherence to treatment protocols and regular follow-ups for years may not be practical for a large majority of patients hailing from the regions most affected by LABC. Defaulters often thus have a heavy price to pay. Hence lies the importance of carefully selecting LABC patients for a breast conservation approach from others that would have a higher risk of locoregional recurrence. Can we extrapolate the lessons learnt in early breast cancer to LABC and offer selected patients with LABC breast conservation therapy? Would the local control and survival results with conservative therapy be comparable to those obtained using mastectomy, or does the increased tumor burden in LABC necessitate ablative surgery in all women? This review aims to address these important questions.

  5. Health care providers' assessments of the quality of advanced-cancer care in Latin American medical institutions: a comparison of predictors in five countries: Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru.

    PubMed

    Torres-Vigil, Isabel; Aday, Lu Ann; Reyes-Gibby, Cielito; De Lima, Liliana; Herrera, Angelica P; Mendoza, Tito; Cleeland, Charles S

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes an innovative Pan-American survey on advanced-cancer care and examines the quality-of-care provided by Latin American institutions. A convenience sample of 777 physicians and nurses who treat cancer patients in Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru were surveyed. Providers were identified through mass mailings, distribution at professional meetings and conferences, collaboration with regional institutions, professional organizations, and PAHO and online posting. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of quality-of-care assessments in each country. The five predictive models were subsequently compared descriptively. Higher access to care ratings and greater availability of end-of-life services corresponded with improved institutional quality-of-care ratings for all five countries. Barring respondents from Cuba, providers from the other four nations who practice in public institutions rated the quality of advanced-cancer care in their own institutions lower than those practicing in private hospitals or specialized cancer centers. Other institutional quality-of-care predictors included type of city, affordability-of-care ratings, availability of opioid analgesics, where patients die, barriers to cancer pain management, and the provider's specialty and gender. These findings highlight the need for providing accessible care and services to improve the quality of advanced-cancer care in Latin American institutions. Efforts should be aimed at improving the care offered in public institutions and addressing other types of disparities that may exist within countries by creating supportive and palliative cancer care programs that are accessible and affordable to those most in need.

  6. Potential applications of advanced aircraft in developing countries. [Brazil and Indonesia

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maddalon, D. V.

    1979-01-01

    Air transportation concepts for movement of cargo in developing countries are reviewed using aicraft which may appear in the future. For certain industrial applications, including mining and forestry, the relative costs of doing the job using different types of aircraft are compared with surface transportation systems. Two developing countries, Brazil and Indonesia, were taken as examples to determine what impact they might have on the aircraft markets of the future. Economic and demographic data on developing countries in general, and Brazil and Indonesia in particular, are reviewed. The concept of an industrial city in a remote area developed around an airport is discussed. It is noted that developing areas generally lack extensive surface transportation systems and that an air transportation system can be implemented in a relatively short time. A developing nation interested in rapid expansion may thus find the role of air cargo far more important than has been true in developed nations. Technological developments which may dramatically increase the performance of agricultural aircraft are also reviewed.

  7. Biotechnology developments in the livestock sector in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Onteru, Suneel; Ampaire, Agatha; Rothschild, Max

    2010-01-01

    Global meat and milk consumption is exponentially increasing due to population growth, urbanization and changes in lifestyle in the developing world. This is an excellent opportunity for developing countries to improve the livestock sector by using technological advances. Biotechnology is one of the avenues for improved production in the "Livestock revolution". Biotechnology developments applied to livestock health, nutrition, breeding and reproduction are improving with a reasonable pace in developing countries. Simple bio-techniques such as artificial insemination have been well implemented in many parts of the developing world. However, advanced technologies including transgenic plant vaccines, marker assisted selection, solid state fermentation for the production of fibrolytic enzymes, transgenic fodders, embryo transfer and animal cloning are confined largely to research organizations. Some developing countries such as Taiwan, China and Brazil have considered the commercialization of biotechnology in the livestock sector. Organized livestock production systems, proper record management, capacity building, objective oriented research to improve farmer's income, collaborations with the developed world, knowledge of the sociology of an area and research on new methods to educate farmers and policy makers need to be improved for the creation and implementation of biotechnology advances in the livestock sector in the developing world.

  8. GIS Based Application of Advanced Traveler Information System in India

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kumar, P.; Singh, V.

    2012-02-01

    Developed countries like USA, Canada, Japan, UK, Australia and Germany have adopted advanced traveler information technologies expeditiously in comparison to developing countries. But, unlike developed countries, developing countries face considerable financial and framework constraints. Moreover local traffic, roadway, signalization, demographic, topological and social conditions in developing countries are quite different from those in developed countries. In this paper, a comprehensive framework comprising of system architecture, development methodology and salient features of a developed Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) for metropolitan cities in developing countries has been discussed. Development of proposed system is based on integration of two well known information technologies viz. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and World Wide Web (WWW). Combination of these technologies can be utilized to develop an integrated ATIS that targets different types of travelers like private vehicle owners, transit users and casual outside visitors.

  9. The returning tide: how China, the world's most populous country, is building a competitive research base.

    PubMed

    Wells, William A

    2007-02-19

    When China turned its back on the Cultural Revolution, it aimed to build a thriving capitalist sector. It got one. Now, it wants a world-class research enterprise. How far has it progressed in the biosciences, how did it get there, and how far does it have to go?

  10. Advanced practice nurses' scope of practice: a qualitative study of advanced clinical competencies.

    PubMed

    Nieminen, Anna-Lena; Mannevaara, Bodil; Fagerström, Lisbeth

    2011-12-01

    To describe and explore Advanced Practice Nurses' clinical competencies and how these are expressed in clinical practice. Discussion concerning advanced clinical practice has been ongoing in the USA since the 1960s and in the UK since the late 1980s. Approximately 24 countries, excluding the USA, have implemented the role of Advance Practice Nurse (APN). In the Nordic countries, especially Sweden and Finland, APNs have been introduced in some organizations but their competency domains have not yet been clearly defined. The study's theoretical framework emanates from Aristotle's three-dimensional view of knowledge that is epistêmê, technê, and phronesis. Between October 2005 and January 2006, focus group interviews of Clinical Nurse Specialists who provide expert functions in pediatric, internal medicine, and surgical units (n = 26) and APN students (n = 8) were conducted. The data material was analyzed using inductive content analysis. Grouped into five main themes, the study results indicate that APNs possess advanced level clinical competencies in: (A) assessment of patients' caring needs and nursing care activities, (B) the caring relationship, (C) multi-professional teamwork, (D) development of competence and nursing care, and (E) leadership in a learning and caring culture. Clinical competencies consist of advanced skills, which typify an expanding role that offers new possibilities for holistic patient care practice. APNs' scope of practice is characterized by responsibility and competence in making autonomous judgments based on expanded clinical competence. On an advanced level, clinical competence consists not merely of advanced skills for assessing and meeting the needs of patients but also the creation of safe and trustful relationships with patients and collaboration with colleagues. APNs can realize advanced skills in their actions through their manner of knowing, doing, and being. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2011

  11. USSR Report, International Affairs, Peoples of Asia and Africa No 3, May-June 1986

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-10-23

    should approach) their solution in revolutionary-democratic fashion , while the countries of the capitalist path resolve them in a bourgeois-reform...centuries: Buddhism, agricultural crop cultivation techniques, astrono- my. This was followed by a period of relative isolation. The rich Heian culture

  12. USSR Report, International Affairs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-05-19

    Marxism , Economic, Political Reform (TASS, 23 Mar 87) ••• 71 Briefs New Ambassador to Indonesia 72 MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA/SOUTH ASIA Tension in... bourgeoisie of these countries with the monopolistic bourgeoisie of the developed capitalist countries. Second, this overall fundamental line is...extending the anticolonial struggle, the ideology of the patriots gradually evolved, under the influence of Marxism -Leninism, in a revolutionary-democratic

  13. JPRS Report, Soviet Union, World Economy & International Relations, No. 11, November 1987.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-02-22

    those liberated from colonialism and industrially developed capitalist countries. They unite over 80 million persons (400,000 in 1917). In the 70...now lives in socialist countries. Communists have participated most actively and, in certain cases, led national liberation revolutions. Coun- tries... liberated from colonial dependence now constitute a pronounced majority in the world community of states. Communists have always been and remain at

  14. Exploring Modular Architecture for Nano Satellite and Opportunity for Developing Countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rhaman, M. K.; Monowar, M. I.; Shakil, S. R.; Kafi, A. H.; Antara, R. S. I.

    2015-01-01

    SPACE Technology has the potential to provide information, infrastructure and inspiration that meets national needs in developing countries like Bangladesh. Many countries recognize this; in response they are investing in new national satellite programs to harness satellite services. Technology related to space is one example of a tool that can contribute to development both by addressing societal challenges and by advancing a nation's technological capability. To cope up with the advanced world in space technology Bangladesh seems to be highly potential country for satellite, Robotics, embedded systems and renewable energy research. BRAC University, Bangladesh is planning to launch a nano satellite with the collaboration of KIT, Japan. The proposed nano satellite project mission is to experiment about social, commercial and agricultural survey needs in Bangladesh. Each of the proposed applications of the project will improve the lives of millions of people of Bangladesh and it will be a pathfinder mission for the people of this country. Another intention of this project is to create a cheap satellite based remote sensing for developing countries as the idea of large space systems is very costly for us therefore we have decided to make a Nano-satellite.

  15. [The experience of public guarantees of free-of-charge medical care foreign countries].

    PubMed

    Ulumbekova, G E

    2010-01-01

    The article deals with the analysis of the volumes of financing of public guarantees program of free-of-charge medical care and its algorithm of its elaboration in foreign countries. In the advanced countries, the higher financing of public health permit to ensure factually overall population the full free-of-charge spectrum of up-to-date medical interventions as a "public guarantees pack". It includes the pharmaceuticals supply in outpatient conditions and in most cases the long-term care services. In economically advanced countries, the general trend is the transfer from fundamental principles ("everything needed") to the more transparent approaches in case of implementation of the guarantees to achieve the balance between actual financial resources and stated population guarantees.

  16. Light-Assisted Advanced Oxidation Processes for the Elimination of Chemical and Microbiological Pollution of Wastewaters in Developed and Developing Countries.

    PubMed

    Giannakis, Stefanos; Rtimi, Sami; Pulgarin, Cesar

    2017-06-26

    In this work, the issue of hospital and urban wastewater treatment is studied in two different contexts, in Switzerland and in developing countries (Ivory Coast and Colombia). For this purpose, the treatment of municipal wastewater effluents is studied, simulating the developed countries' context, while cheap and sustainable solutions are proposed for the developing countries, to form a barrier between effluents and receiving water bodies. In order to propose proper methods for each case, the characteristics of the matrices and the targets are described here in detail. In both contexts, the use of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) is implemented, focusing on UV-based and solar-supported ones, in the respective target areas. A list of emerging contaminants and bacteria are firstly studied to provide operational and engineering details on their removal by AOPs. Fundamental mechanistic insights are also provided on the degradation of the effluent wastewater organic matter. The use of viruses and yeasts as potential model pathogens is also accounted for, treated by the photo-Fenton process. In addition, two pharmaceutically active compound (PhAC) models of hospital and/or industrial origin are studied in wastewater and urine, treated by all accounted AOPs, as a proposed method to effectively control concentrated point-source pollution from hospital wastewaters. Their elimination was modeled and the degradation pathway was elucidated by the use of state-of-the-art analytical techniques. In conclusion, the use of light-supported AOPs was proven to be effective in degrading the respective target and further insights were provided by each application, which could facilitate their divulgation and potential application in the field.

  17. Developing School Psychology in Vietnam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Le, Phuong; Hagans, Kristi; Powers, Kristin; Hass, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Like China, Vietnam is a communist country with increasingly capitalist economic policies. A fundamental change occurred in these policies with the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986 that called for a "free market with socialist orientations." However, this economic modernization has inadvertently…

  18. Redefining Entrepreneurial Learning Paradigms in Developing Countries: A Case Study of Ghana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owusu-Manu, D.; Afrane, S. K.; Badu, E.; Edwards, D. J.; Brown, M.

    2013-01-01

    In a rapidly changing world of knowledge exchange, innovation and technological advancements, entrepreneurship continues to fuel economic growth in both developed and developing countries. In the developed world, an increased influx of graduate entrepreneurs sustains economic growth whilst, in contrast, developing countries continue to suffer from…

  19. Task shifting from physicians to nurses in primary care in 39 countries: a cross-country comparative study.

    PubMed

    Maier, Claudia B; Aiken, Linda H

    2016-12-01

    Primary care is in short supply in many countries. Task shifting from physicians to nurses is one strategy to improve access, but international research is scarce. We analysed the extent of task shifting in primary care and policy reforms in 39 countries. Cross-country comparative research, based on an international expert survey, plus literature scoping review. A total of 93 country experts participated, covering Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (response rate: 85.3%). Experts were selected according to pre-defined criteria. Survey responses were triangulated with the literature and analysed using policy, thematic and descriptive methods to assess developments in country-specific contexts. Task shifting, where nurses take up advanced roles from physicians, was implemented in two-thirds of countries (N = 27, 69%), yet its extent varied. Three clusters emerged: 11 countries with extensive (Australia, Canada, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand and USA), 16 countries with limited and 12 countries with no task shifting. The high number of policy, regulatory and educational reforms, such as on nurse prescribing, demonstrate an evolving trend internationally toward expanding nurses' scope-of-practice in primary care. Many countries have implemented task-shifting reforms to maximise workforce capacity. Reforms have focused on removing regulatory and to a lower extent, financial barriers, yet were often lengthy and controversial. Countries early on in the process are primarily reforming their education. From an international and particularly European Union perspective, developing standardised definitions, minimum educational and practice requirements would facilitate recognition procedures in increasingly connected labour markets. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

  20. Taking Space to the Classroom in the Nordic Countries- Challenges and Opportunites

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Biebricher, A.

    2015-09-01

    The Norwegian Centre for Space-related Education (NAROM) has a mandate to teach about space and space technology in four Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, via the Nordic European Space Education Resources Office (ESERO). The geographical distances in the Nordic countries make it difficult for any one entity such as NAROM to coordinate teaching comprehensively. Identification, delegation of responsibility and support to local teachers is therefore paramount. An important tool in this respect is advanced teacher training which employs flexible teaching methods. This paper is a discussion of how flexible teaching is implemented within Nordic ESERO's advanced teacher training.

  1. The Silent Battle.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-04-01

    exhibition opened. Lenin stated that freedom of speech and press would be possible only after capitalism was defeated, a classless society was developed, and...countries because property owners (capitalists) controlled the newspapers. but, he said freedom of speech did exist in the Soviet Union because the

  2. Social Crisis and Curriculum Accords

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Apple, Michael W.

    1988-01-01

    School curricula are not politically neutral grounds of knowledge. Rather, each takes certain social forms and embodies certain interests. The article discusses how the power of class, race, and gender dynamics determines curriculum structure. It also discusses the role of the school in capitalist countries. (JL)

  3. Work, Leisure Time and Adult Education in Technically Advanced Industrial Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    European Centre for Leisure and Education, Prague (Czechoslovakia).

    An outline of the increasing amount of change required of modern man, specifically in Czechoslovakia, to cope with the demands of a rapidly advancing technology is presented. Consideration is given to leisure time, work requirements, and educational needs. (CK)

  4. Girls' Access to Education in a Developing Country

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geissinger, Helen

    1997-09-01

    Papua New Guinea is a developing country which gained its independence from Australia in 1975. Many of its educational structures inherited from the time of the early missions and the colonial administration influence the practices of today. Women have not advanced in the new country as far as was prophesied in the early 1970s leading up to Independence. Although the current poor economic conditions have some effect on women's advancement, the difficulties they face in even obtaining a basic education form one of the major factors which hinder their progress. This paper describes a number of the barriers which prevent girls from accessing education at every level, from gaining enrolment in the first year of school to positioning themselves for university entry. Distance education provides one of the few "second chances" that young Papua New Guineans can gain, provided they can afford the fees and engage with the somewhat independent study required for success.

  5. The Legacy of Nazism and the History Curriculum in the East German Secondary Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wegner, Gregory P.

    1992-01-01

    Examines the Marxist-Leninist curriculum assumptions about history instruction in East German schools on the legacy of Nazism. Suggests that questions raised to legitimize history instruction for East German students are relevant for students in capitalist countries. Discusses Hitler's rise to power, Soviet contributions to defeat fascism,…

  6. ESD: Power, Politics, and Policy: "Tragic Optimism" from Latin America

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    González-Gaudiano, Edgar J.

    2016-01-01

    In light of the challenging developmental issues confronting the countries of Latin America, this response article analyzes the power and resistance of education for sustainable development from both theoretical and policy perspectives. Of particular concern are the neo-productivist strategies driving the latest stage of capitalist development.…

  7. The Application of Hermeneutical Analysis to Research on the Cold War in Soviet Animation Media Texts from the Second Half of the 1940s

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fedorov, A. V.

    2015-01-01

    The Cold War era, which spawned a mutual ideological confrontation between communist and capitalist countries, left its mark on all categories of media texts, including cartoons and animations. Cartoons were used by the authorities as tools for delivering the necessary confrontational ideological content in an attractive folkloric, fairy-tale…

  8. Oklahoma's Advanced School Funding.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Gary

    A new means of funding school operations known as advanced school funding allows Oklahoma schools financing during the temporary cash shortfalls. The program consists of the Oklahoma Development Authority issuing revenue bonds purchased by E. F. Hutton and Company, Inc., which then sells the tax free bonds to investors throughout the country. A…

  9. An overview of BIM uptake in Asian developing countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ismail, Noor Akmal Adillah; Chiozzi, Maria; Drogemuller, Robin

    2017-11-01

    BIM is increasingly in demand within the construction industry internationally in recent years. The application of the technology reconciles several problems within the project teams such as delays, rework, miscommunication, and other related to inefficiencies that affect project success. While it is actively employed by the majority of the developed countries, however, BIM is not as advanced in most developing countries. Therefore, this paper reviews BIM uptake in some of the Asian developing countries and examines the extent to which it is implemented in these regions. Prevalent challenges were considered with recommendations towards addressing the issues of low level of BIM adoption that distinguishes the developing from the developed countries. This paper will provide some insights of how BIM is evolving within those countries considering the drivers and barriers in adopting the technology and how this is likely to change in the near future.

  10. Problems of modern urban drainage in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Silveira, A L L

    2002-01-01

    Socio-economic factors in developing countries make it more difficult to solve problems of urban drainage than in countries that are more advanced. Factors inhibiting the adoption of modern solutions include: (1) in matters of urban drainage, 19th-century sanitary philosophy still dominates; (2) both legal and clandestine land settlement limits the space that modern solutions require; (3) contamination of storm runoff by foul sewage, sediment and garbage prevents adoption of developed-country practices; (4) climatic and socio-economic factors favour the growth of epidemics where runoff is retained for flood-avoidance and to increase infiltration; (5) lack of a technological basis for adequate drainage management and design; (6) lack of the interaction between community and city administration that is needed to obtain modern solutions to urban drainage problems. Awareness of these difficulties is fundamental to the search for modern and viable solutions appropriate for developing countries.

  11. JPRS Report, East Asia Southeast Asia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-06-22

    permitted to see films produced in the capitalist countries, even though these films were censored when imported into the socialist countries. And, as we...10 Student Political Activity on Campus Discussed (KOMPAS , 20 Apr 87) ...wi.*...- .’.-.*< 14 MALAYSIA Keng Yaik Discusses Gerakan’s...Goals, Ideals (SIN CHEW JIT POH MALAYSIA , 16 Mar 87) ...,..* *.....*»... 17 - a - Paper Calls on UMNO To Learn From MCA’s Mistakes (Editorial; SIN

  12. JPRS Report, Near East & South Asia.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-03-20

    that human rural development further leads to rapid urbanisation beings’ basis of sustenance is not only economical but and that urbanisation is...pursued by the ’ urbanisation , traditionally seen as an evil, is responsible capitalist countries if the Plan has a genuine concern for for economic growth...plan that urbanisation can be cially in poor countries. There are no major gains with checked through various policies of the government. It is the

  13. Gynecological cancers in developing countries: the challenge of chemotherapy in low-resources setting.

    PubMed

    Basile, S; Angioli, R; Manci, N; Palaia, I; Plotti, F; Benedetti Panici, P

    2006-01-01

    The epidemiologic pattern of cancers in developing countries differs in many aspects from that of industrialized nations. Cancer natural history, microbiologic environment, patient's immune system, and drug availability may differ as well. Four of five new cases of cervical cancer and most of cervical cancer deaths occur in developing countries. Where chemoradiation and supportive care facilities are unavailable, it would be logical to consider an inexpensive effective drug. In locally advanced cases, neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery should be considered the treatment of choice. For ovarian cancer, it may be reasonable to maintain a secure supply of platinum and/or taxanes. For endometrial cancer, platinum compounds are proved active chemotherapic single agents. Oral medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) may represent a good chance for treating an advanced or recurrent disease. For vulvar/vaginal cancer, the role of chemotherapy alone is currently considered limited, and it is mostly used as palliative treatment in advanced or recurrent cases. Whenever possible, standard western chemotherapic regimens should be applied in developing countries as well. When standard therapies are unavailable, drugs of choice should be easily accessible, inexpensive, and effective. The most commonly used drugs are cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and MPA.

  14. Education as Spectacle

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thwaites, Trevor

    2015-01-01

    Global economic and advanced capitalist agendas have taken on ideological dimensions that are flat, precise and which assert "undeniable" facts. These agendas are gradually shaping a society and its education based on consumerism and a global economic order which is "not accidentally or superficially spectacular, it is fundamentally…

  15. Understanding New Hybrid Professions: Bourdieu, "Illusio" and the Case of Public Service Interpreters

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colley, Helen; Guéry, Frédérique

    2015-01-01

    Public spending reductions across the advanced capitalist world are creating new professions that have a "hybrid" status and/or role. However, research on professional learning has paid little attention to them. This qualitative study of one such profession, public service interpreting (PSI), addresses that lacuna. The paper focuses on…

  16. Space and Language Learning under the Neoliberal Economy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gao, Shaung; Park, Joseph Sung-Yul

    2015-01-01

    Neoliberalism, as an ideology that valorizes and institutionalizes market-based freedom and individual entrepreneurship, derives from the logic of highly advanced capitalism, and thus must be understood in relation to the material conditions of our capitalist economy. One such material condition is space. However, the intersection of space and…

  17. Education as Literacy for Freedom: Implications for Latin America and the Caribbean from an Upward Bound Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dottin, Erskine S.

    The Upward Bound Project for low income youth in Florida emphasizes humanistic education rather than education based on the capitalistic model of production, consumption, and competition. The project, which can serve as a model for education in developing countries, focuses on creating self-concepts and values to counteract those of an acquisitive…

  18. A World Order Perspective on Authoritarian Tendencies. World Order Models Project. Working Paper Number Ten.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Falk, Richard A.

    This paper discusses five main patterns of authoritarian government rule that are currently prominent in international society. The first pattern is "Brazilianization" which has evolved as a model for rightist, capitalist elites in the more industrialized countries of the Third World (e.g. Iran, Indonesia, and Argentina). A common feature of these…

  19. Of Men and Morals (Investigating Human Behavior). Resources for Courses in World History, World Literature, Journalism, Psychology (for High Schools and Community Colleges). Fulbright-Hayes Summer Seminars Abroad Program, 2002 (Hungary and Poland).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shuhgalter, A.

    The countries of Hungary and Poland are steadily moving along the road of transition from their recent totalitarian past to modern capitalist democracies. Hungary and Poland are changing, developing economies based on new principles, resolving multiple social issues, and patching the projection from their history that still casts a shadow on the…

  20. TIMMS Advanced 2015 Assessment Frameworks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mullis, Ina V. S., Ed.; Martin, Michael O., Ed.

    2014-01-01

    It is critical for countries to ensure that capable secondary school students receive further preparation in advanced mathematics and science, so that they are ready to enter challenging university-level studies that prepare them for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This group of students will become the…

  1. Generating political priority for newborn survival in three low-income countries.

    PubMed

    Smith, Stephanie L; Shiffman, Jeremy; Kazembe, Abigail

    2014-01-01

    Deaths to babies in their first 28 days of life now account for more than 40% of global under-5 child mortality. High neonatal mortality poses a significant barrier to achieving the child survival Millennium Development Goal. Surmounting the problem requires national-level political commitment, yet only a few nation-states have prioritised this issue. We compare Bolivia, Malawi and Nepal, three low-income countries with high neonatal mortality, with a view to understanding why countries prioritise or neglect the issue. The three have had markedly different trajectories since 2000: attention grew steadily in Nepal, stagnated then grew in Malawi and grew then stagnated in Bolivia. The comparison suggests three implications for proponents seeking to advance attention to neglected health issues in low-income countries: the value of (1) advancing solutions with demonstrated efficacy in low-resource settings, (2) building on existing and emerging national priorities and (3) developing a strong network of domestic and international allies. Such actions help policy communities to weather political storms and take advantage of policy windows.

  2. Sickle Cell Disease: Management Options and Challenges in Developing Countries

    PubMed Central

    Ansong, Daniel; Akoto, Alex Osei; Ocloo, Delaena; Ohene-Frempong, Kwaku

    2013-01-01

    Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common genetic disorder of haemoglobin in sub-Saharan Africa. This commentary focuses on the management options available and the challenges that health care professionals in developing countries face in caring for patients with SCD. In a developing countries like Ghana, new-born screening is now about to be implemented on a national scale. Common and important morbidities associated with SCD are vaso-occlusive episodes, infections, Acute Chest Syndrome (ACS), Stroke and hip necrosis. Approaches to the management of these morbidities are far advanced in the developed countries. The differences in setting and resource limitations in developing countries bring challenges that have a major influence in management options in developing countries. Obviously clinicians in developing countries face challenges in managing SCD patients. However understanding the disease, its progression, and instituting the appropriate preventive methods are paramount in its management. Emphasis should be placed on early counselling, new-born screening, anti-microbial prophylaxis, vaccination against infections, and training of healthcare workers, patients and caregivers. These interventions are affordable in developing countries. PMID:24363877

  3. 76 FR 2423 - Report on the Selection of Eligible Countries for Fiscal Year 2011

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-13

    ... programs that advance the progress of such countries in achieving lasting economic growth and poverty... investing in their people, as well as on the opportunity to reduce poverty and generate economic growth in... considered the opportunity to reduce poverty and promote economic growth in a country, in light of the...

  4. Classroom Capitalists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seaquist, Robert; And Others

    1977-01-01

    Economics projects, for all levels, that feature in-the-classroom factories and stores, fund raising to save a cat, and the formation of a corporation. The kids even took out a loan to get started. And they're all designed to earn a lot of learning on the bottom line. (Editor)

  5. An assessment of research and development leadership in advanced batteries for electric vehicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bruch, V. L.

    1994-02-01

    Due to the recently enacted California regulations requiring zero emission vehicles be sold in the market place by 1998, electric vehicle research and development (R&D) is accelerating. Much of the R&D work is focusing on the Achilles' heel of electric vehicles -- advanced batteries. This report provides an assessment of the R&D work currently underway in advanced batteries and electric vehicles in the following countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Although the US can be considered one of the leading countries in terms of advanced battery and electric vehicle R&D work, it lags other countries, particularly France, in producing and promoting electric vehicles. The US is focusing strictly on regulations to promote electric vehicle usage while other countries are using a wide variety of policy instruments (regulations, educational outreach programs, tax breaks and subsidies) to encourage the use of electric vehicles. The US should consider implementing additional policy instruments to ensure a domestic market exists for electric vehicles. The domestic is the largest and most important market for the US auto industry.

  6. Sex and Inhumanity: Review Article

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Corbett, Patrick

    1974-01-01

    The first three of these books are attempts by numerous writers to describe, analyze, explain, castigate and remedy the present wave of commercialized pornography in advanced capitalist societies. The fourth is a manual of sexual instruction for adolescents and the fifth a comprehensive account of the Abortion Act 1967. (Author/RK)

  7. An Exploration of the Gap between Highest and Lowest Ability Readers across 20 Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alivernini, Fabio

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the present study, based on data from 20 countries, is to identify the pattern of variables (at country, school and student levels), which are typical of students performing below the low international benchmark compared to students performing at the advanced performance benchmark, in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study…

  8. The Role of the Professional Doctorate in Ireland from the Student Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loxley, Andrew; Seery, Aidan

    2012-01-01

    Similar to many other advanced capitalist societies, Irish higher education policy is in the process of constructing a new role and identity for doctoral students which has at its core the desire to produce what have been referred to by the Irish Universities Association as "knowledge entrepreneurs". This conception of doctoral education…

  9. Cancer Pain Management in Developing Countries.

    PubMed

    Saini, Shalini; Bhatnagar, Sushma

    2016-01-01

    The World Health Organization estimated that more than 60% of the 14 million new cancer cases worldwide in 2012 were reported in the developing part of the world, including Asia, Africa, Central and South America. Cancer survival rate is poorer in developing countries due to diagnosis at late stage and limited access to timely treatment. Since the disease per se cannot be treated even with the best available treatment modalities, what remains important is symptom management and providing comfort care to these patients. The incidence of pain in advanced stages of cancer approaches 70-80%. Lack of preventive strategies, poverty, illiteracy, and social stigma are the biggest cause of pain suffering and patient presenting in advance stage of their disease. The need for palliative care is expanding due to aging of world's population and increase in the rate of cancer in developed and developing countries. A huge gap remains between demand and current palliative care services. Overcoming barriers to palliative care is a major global health agenda that need immediate attention. Main causes of inadequate pain relief remain lack of knowledge among physician and patients, lack of adequate supply of opioids and other drugs for pain relief, strong bureaucracy involved in terms of procurement, and dispensing of opioids. Beside this, poverty and illiteracy remain the most important factors of increased suffering.

  10. How do policy advisors and practitioners prioritise the protection of children from secondhand smoke exposure in a country with advanced tobacco control policy?

    PubMed

    Ritchie, Deborah Doreen; Amos, Amanda; Shaw, April; O'Donnell, Rachel; Semple, Sean; Turner, Steve; Martin, Claudia

    2015-01-01

    The aim is to extend understanding of the policy and practice discourses that inform the development of national tobacco control policy to protect children from secondhand smoke exposure (SHSE) in the home, particularly in a country with successful implementation of smoke-free public places legislation. The Scottish experience will contribute to the tobacco control community, particularly those countries at a similar level of tobacco control, as normalising discourses about protecting children from SHSE are becoming more widespread. Case study design using qualitative interviews and focus groups (FGs) with policy makers, health and childcare practitioners during which they were presented with the findings of the Reducing Families' Exposure to Secondhand Smoke (REFRESH) intervention and discussed the implications for their policy and practice priorities. Scotland, UK PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative interviews and FGs were conducted with 30 policy makers and practitioners who were purposively recruited. Participants accepted the harm of SHSE to children; however, action is limited by political expedience due to-the perception of a shift of the public health priority from smoking to alcohol, current financial constraints, more immediate child protection concerns and continuing unresolved ethical arguments. In a country, such as Scotland, with advanced tobacco control strategies, there continue to be challenges to policy and practice development in the more contentious arena of the home. Children's SHSE in their homes is unequivocally accepted as an important health priority, but it is not currently perceived to be a top public health priority in Scotland. 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.

  11. Essential medicines for breast cancer in low and middle income countries.

    PubMed

    Bazargani, Y T; de Boer, A; Schellens, J H M; Leufkens, H G M; Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K

    2015-08-18

    Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide. In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), appropriate selection of medicines on national essential medicines lists (NEMLs) is a first step towards adequate access to treatment. We studied selection of systemic treatments for breast cancer on NEMLs and assessed its alignment with treatment guidelines for different types of early and advanced breast cancer. Furthermore, influence of country characteristics on the selection was investigated. NEMLs from 75 LMICs were studied for inclusion of all components of therapy in each stage of breast cancer according to international consensus guidelines. The results were then grouped by income level, WHO region and the NEMLs' release date. Non parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Unlike HER2-targeted therapies (<10%), aromatase inhibitors (12%) and taxanes (28%); tamoxifen and first generation chemotherapeutic regimens (e.g., anthracycline-based regimens) were frequently found in the NEMLs (71-78%). Consequently, all components of treatment for "Luminal A" early breast cancer and non HER2 overexpressed advanced breast cancer were found on the NEMLs of over 70% of countries. However, 40% of the low income countries did not have all the components of therapy for any type of early breast cancer in their NEMLs, and adequate treatment of HER2 overexpressed breast cancer was hardly possible with the current selections. Recent NEMLs were more aligned with the guidelines (p < 0.05). Eastern Mediterranean and African regions less frequently incorporated all components of breast cancer treatment in their NEMLs. Alignment of selection with guidelines' recommendations was inconsistent for different types of early and advanced breast cancer in NEMLs. Regular updates and more attention to clinical guidelines is therefore recommended.

  12. National income and environmental concern: Observations from 35 countries.

    PubMed

    Lo, Alex Y

    2016-10-01

    National income produces mixed impacts on public environmental concern. In a cross-national survey, environmental concern was measured in terms of propensity to act and environmental risk perception. Results of a multilevel regression analysis show that these two measures respond to gross domestic product per capita in opposite ways. Citizens of advanced industrial countries are more likely than those of lower-income countries to contribute to environmental protection. However, they are less likely to see the harmful impacts on the environment as very dangerous. Using an indicator of national adaptive capacity, this article demonstrates that environmental risk perception is a function of a country's estimated capacity for coping with condition changes. The stronger sense of collective security among citizens of wealthier nations offers a possible explanation for the negative effects of national income. These results indicate the complex relationship between development and public environmental concern across countries. © The Author(s) 2015.

  13. Poverty crisis in the Third World: the contradictions of World Bank policy.

    PubMed

    Burkett, P

    1991-01-01

    Politicians, the mainstream media, and orthodox social science have all been telling us of a final victory of capitalism over socialism, suggesting that capitalism is the only viable option for solving the world's problems. Yet, the global capitalist system is itself entering the third decade of a profound structural crisis, the costs of which have been borne largely by the exploited and oppressed peoples of the underdeveloped periphery. While the World Bank's latest World Development Report recognizes the current poverty crisis in the third world, its "two-part strategy" for alleviating poverty is based on an inadequate analysis of how peripheral capitalist development marginalizes the basic needs of the third world poor. Hence, the World Bank's assertion that free-market policies are consistent with effective antipoverty programs does not confront the class structures and global capitalist interests bound up with the reproduction of mass poverty in the third world. The World Bank's subordination of the basic needs of the poor to free-market adjustments and reforms in fact suggests that the real purpose of its "two-part strategy" is to ensure continued extraction of surplus from third world countries by maintaining the basic structure of imperialist underdevelopment.

  14. Effects of Enron on Future Russian Business Leaders: A Time Line Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ludlum, Marty; Moskalionov, Sergei

    2008-01-01

    Russia has emerged as a new capitalistic country with a prior history of corruption under the state controlled regime. Will word of corruption in America stop efforts for an ethical business climate in the new Russia? Has the Enron scandal affected Russian views of business? In pursuit of the answer, the authors surveyed Russian business students…

  15. Teaching Staff Advanced Training: European Experience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kovalchuk, Vasyl

    2015-01-01

    The issue of teaching staff advanced training is paid much attention in many countries. In the Republic of Moldova progressive professional credits system is used. Credits are scored not only in assigning teaching degrees or issuing a certificate of continuing professional education, but also for teachers' evaluation at the educational…

  16. Research Assessments and Rankings: Accounting for Accountability in "Higher Education Ltd"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Geeta

    2008-01-01

    Over the past two decades, higher education in advanced capitalist societies has undergone a process of radical "reform". A key element of this reform has been the introduction of a number of accounting-based techniques in the pursuit of improved accountability and transparency. While the "old" accounting was to do with stewardship, the "new"…

  17. Trends in child and adolescent obesity prevalence in economically advanced countries according to socioeconomic position: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Chung, A; Backholer, K; Wong, E; Palermo, C; Keating, C; Peeters, A

    2016-03-01

    Recent obesity trends in children and adolescents suggest a plateau. However, it is unclear whether such trends have been experienced across socioeconomic groups. We analysed whether recent trends in child and adolescent overweight and obesity differ by socioeconomic position (SEP) across economically advanced countries. Eligible studies reported overweight and obesity prevalence in children and/or adolescents (2-18 years), for at least two time points since 1990, stratified by SEP. Socioeconomic differences in trends in child and adolescent overweight and obesity over time were analysed. Differences in trends between SEP groups were observed across a majority of studies. Over half the studies indicated increasing prevalence among low SEP children and adolescents compared to a third of studies among children and adolescents with a high SEP. Around half the studies indicated widening socioeconomic inequalities in overweight and obesity. Since 2000 a majority of studies demonstrated no change or a decrease in prevalence among both high and low SEP groups. However around 40% of studies indicated widening of socioeconomic inequalities post-2000. While our study provides grounds for optimism, socioeconomic inequalities in overweight and obesity continue to widen. These findings highlight the need for greater consideration of different population groups when implementing obesity interventions. © 2015 World Obesity.

  18. Some Problems Involved in the Installation of Advanced Information Systems in Developing Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Robredo, Jaime; And Others

    For over 30 years the installation of information systems has been promoted in developing nations by international organizations and international consultancies in order to transfer technical expertise from the industrialized countries to the Third World. While some have questioned the value of indiscriminately transferring scientific and…

  19. Application of ICT in strengthening health information systems in developing countries in the wake of globalisation.

    PubMed

    Simba, Daudi O; Mwangu, Mughwira

    2004-12-01

    Information Communication Technology (ICT) revolution brought opportunities and challenges to developing countries in their efforts to strengthen the Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). In the wake of globalisation, developing countries have no choice but to take advantage of the opportunities and face the challenges. The last decades saw developing countries taking action to strengthen and modernise their HMIS using the existing ICT. Due to poor economic and communication infrastructure, the process has been limited to national and provincial/region levels leaving behind majority of health workers living in remote/rural areas. Even those with access do not get maximum benefit from ICT advancements due to inadequacies in data quality and lack of data utilisation. Therefore, developing countries need to make deliberate efforts to address constraints threatening to increase technology gap between urban minority and rural majority by setting up favourable policies and appropriate strategies. Concurrently, strategies to improve data quality and utilisation should be instituted to ensure that HMIS has positive impact on people's health. Potential strength from private sector and opportunities for sharing experiences among developing countries should be utilised. Short of this, advancement in ICT will continue to marginalise health workers in developing countries especially those living in remote areas.

  20. Evaluating palliative care needs in Middle Eastern countries.

    PubMed

    Silbermann, Michael; Fink, Regina M; Min, Sung-Joon; Mancuso, Mary P; Brant, Jeannine; Hajjar, Ramzi; Al-Alfi, Nesreen; Baider, Lea; Turker, Ibrahim; ElShamy, Karima; Ghrayeb, Ibtisam; Al-Jadiry, Mazin; Khader, Khaled; Kav, Sultan; Charalambous, Haris; Uslu, Ruchan; Kebudi, Rejin; Barsela, Gil; Kuruku, Nilgün; Mutafoglu, Kamer; Ozalp-Senel, Gulsin; Oberman, Amitai; Kislev, Livia; Khleif, Mohammad; Keoppi, Neophyta; Nestoros, Sophia; Abdalla, Rasha Fahmi; Rassouli, Maryam; Morag, Amira; Sabar, Ron; Nimri, Omar; Al-Qadire, Mohammad; Al-Khalaileh, Murad; Tayyem, Mona; Doumit, Myrna; Punjwani, Rehana; Rasheed, Osaid; Fallatah, Fatimah; Can, Gulbeyaz; Ahmed, Jamila; Strode, Debbie

    2015-01-01

    Cancer incidence in Middle Eastern countries, most categorized as low- and middle-income, is predicted to double in the next 10 years, greater than in any other part of the world. While progress has been made in cancer diagnosis/treatment, much remains to be done to improve palliative care for the majority of patients with cancer who present with advanced disease. To determine knowledge, beliefs, barriers, and resources regarding palliative care services in Middle Eastern countries and use findings to inform future educational and training activities. Descriptive survey. Fifteen Middle Eastern countries; convenience sample of 776 nurses (44.3%), physicians (38.3%) and psychosocial, academic, and other health care professionals (17.4%) employed in varied settings. Palliative care needs assessment. Improved pain management services are key facilitators. Top barriers include lack of designated palliative care beds/services, community awareness, staff training, access to hospice services, and personnel/time. The nonexistence of functioning home-based and hospice services leaves families/providers unable to honor patient wishes. Respondents were least satisfied with discussions around advance directives and wish to learn more about palliative care focusing on communication techniques. Populations requiring special consideration comprise: patients with ethnic diversity, language barriers, and low literacy; pediatric and young adults; and the elderly. The majority of Middle Eastern patients with cancer are treated in outlying regions; the community is pivotal and must be incorporated into future plans for developing palliative care services. Promoting palliative care education and certification for physicians and nurses is crucial; home-based and hospice services must be sustained.

  1. OUT Success Stories: Advanced Airfoils for Wind Turbines

    DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

    Jones, J.; Green, B.

    2000-08-01

    New airfoils have substantially increased the aerodynamic efficiency of wind turbines. It is clear that these new airfoils substantially increased energy output from wind turbines. Virtually all new blades built in this country today use these advanced airfoil designs.

  2. Advances in Arachis through genomics and biotechnology

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The 5th International Conference of the peanut research community met in Brasilia, Brazil from June 13 through 16, 2011 to discuss “Advances in Arachis through genomics and biotechnology”. Over 100 participated from many countries such as United States, Japan, China, India, Brazil, Argentina, with ...

  3. Geriatric dentistry education and context in a selection of countries in 5 continents.

    PubMed

    Marchini, Leonardo; Ettinger, Ronald; Chen, Xi; Kossioni, Anastassia; Tan, Haiping; Tada, Sayaka; Ikebe, Kazunori; Dosumu, Elizabeth Bosede; Oginni, Fadekemi O; Akeredolu, Patricia Adetokunbo; Butali, Azeez; Donnelly, Leeann; Brondani, Mario; Fritzsch, Bernd; Adeola, Henry A

    2018-05-01

    To summarize and discuss how geriatric dentistry has been addressed in dental schools of different countries regarding to (1) teaching students at the predoctoral level; (2) advanced training, and (3) research. A convenience sample of faculty members from a selection of high, upper-middle and lower-middle income countries were recruited to complete the survey. The survey had 5 open-ended main topics, and asked about (1) the size of their elderly population, (2) general information about dental education; (3) the number of dental schools teaching geriatric dentistry, and their teaching methods; (4) advanced training in geriatric dentistry; (5) scholarship/research in geriatric dentistry. (1) There is great variation in the size of elderly population; (2) duration of training and content of dental education curriculum varies; (3) geriatric dentistry has not been established as a standalone course in dental schools in the majority of the countries, (4) most countries, with the exception of Japan, lack adequate number of dentists trained in geriatric dentistry as well as training programs, and (5) geriatric dentistry-related research has increased in recent years in scope and content, although the majority of these papers are not in English. © 2018 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Access to treatment for HIV in developing countries; statement from international seminar on access to treatment for HIV in developing countries, London, June 5 and 6, 1998. UK NGO AIDS Consortium Working Group on Access to Treatment for HIV in Developing Countries.

    PubMed

    1998-10-24

    Compared with those in industrialised countries, people in developing countries have little access to treatment for HIV infection, or for many other diseases including cancer, tuberculosis, and malaria. Although attention has been paid to areas such as provision of essential drugs, strengthening of infrastructures and service delivery, human rights, and appropriate health technologies, great inequalities remain. The HIV epidemic has highlighted these differences, because technological advances and the response of people infected with HIV have enabled the sharing of experiences across regions and brought the contrast into focus.

  5. China Report, Economic Affairs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-04-22

    countries often tacitly approve of capitalist tax evasion activity., As,,,, exposed by related statistics, 245 people in the United States with...conference was told. The centers offer such services as business information, consulting, adver- tising, communications, food and accommodation...two provinces. 3. Guangzhou City and Shenyang City will jointly set up Shenyang-Guangzhou Joint Food Company to jointly develop the new food

  6. Management of Locally Advanced Cancer Cervix an Indian Perspective.

    PubMed

    Singh, J K; Chauhan, Richa

    2015-01-01

    Cervical cancer has a major impact on the lives of Indian women with an estimated 122, 844 new cases of cervical cancer in the year 2012. About 80% of these cases present in a locally advanced stage leading to high morbidity and mortality. Because of lack of public awareness and infrastructure for screening and early detection in developing countries, this late presentation is likely to continue in the coming years. Radiation therapy has been the treatment of choice for patients with locally advanced cancer cervix. Many clinical trials and meta-analyses have shown a significant improvement in overall and progression-free survival with decreased local and distant recurrences with the use of concurrent chemotherapy with radiation. Most of these trials have been done in women from developed countries where the patient and disease profile are entirely different from ours. Recently, few trials from India have also shown promising results in locally advanced cancer cervix with concurrent chemoradiotherapy but toxicities remain a major concern. Further exploration is required for the use of concurrent chemo radiation prior to incorporating it into routine clinical practice.

  7. Regional characteristics relevant to advanced technology cogeneration development. [industrial energy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Manvi, R.

    1981-01-01

    To assist DOE in establishing research and development funding priorities in the area of advanced energy conversion technoloy, researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory studied those specific factors within various regions of the country that may influence cogeneration with advanced energy conversion systems. Regional characteristics of advanced technology cogeneration possibilities are discussed, with primary emphasis given to coal derived fuels. Factors considered for the study were regional industry concentration, purchased fuel and electricity prices, environmental constraints, and other data of interest to industrial cogeneration.

  8. Biomarker Testing for Personalized Therapy in Lung Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

    PubMed

    Hirsch, Fred R; Zaric, Bojan; Rabea, Ahmed; Thongprasert, Sumitra; Lertprasertsuke, Nirush; Dalurzo, Mercedes Liliana; Varella-Garcia, Marileila

    2017-01-01

    There have been many important advances in personalized therapy for patients with lung cancer, particularly for those with advanced disease. Molecular testing is crucial for implementation of personalized therapy. Although the United States and many Western countries have come far in the implementation of personalized therapy for lung cancer, there are substantial challenges for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the LMICs display great heterogeneity in the pattern of implementation of molecular testing and targeted therapy. The current review presents an attempt to identify the challenges and obstacles for the implementation of molecular testing and the use of targeted therapies in these areas. Lack of infrastructure, lack of technical expertise, economic factors, and lack of access to new drugs are among the substantial barriers.

  9. Mass Customization and Personalization Prospects in Developing Country: Indonesian Context

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Risdiyono; Djati Widodo, Imam; Mahtarami, Affan

    2016-01-01

    The advancement of information technology (IT) has changed many modes and ways for people in doing their businesses. Mass Customization and Personalization (MCP) is one example of business modes that has been dramatically evolve, mainly due to the currently very fast IT development. MCP has enabled people to involve in adjusting some design parameters of a product to meet their personal requirements before purchased. The advancement of IT has made MCP more successful as it makes the process faster, easier, simpler and more joyful. The success stories of MCP are easily found in many developed countries, where the IT infrastructure has firmly been established. For developing countries, there are very few industries have implemented the MCP concept, including Indonesia. This paper discusses a descriptive study to depict what people think about MCP implementation in Indonesia especially in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Kano model was used to see the perception of both producers and consumers in relation with MCP implementation. Five dummy MCP prototypes were developed for five creative products including plaques, hats, invitation card, t-shirts and leather bags. Based on the KANO questionnaire analyses, it is clear that there are big opportunities to implement MCP in Indonesia especially for creative products produced by SMEs. Identifying the correct product features is an important key for successful MCP implementation in developing countries.

  10. Brain drain from developing countries: how can brain drain be converted into wisdom gain?

    PubMed Central

    Dodani, Sunita; LaPorte, Ronald E

    2005-01-01

    Brain drain is defined as the migration of health personnel in search of the better standard of living and quality of life, higher salaries, access to advanced technology and more stable political conditions in different places worldwide. This migration of health professionals for better opportunities, both within countries and across international borders, is of growing concern worldwide because of its impact on health systems in developing countries. Why do talented people leave their countries and go abroad? What are the consequences of such migrations especially on the educational sector? What policies can be adopted to stem such movements from developing countries to developed countries? This article seeks to raise questions, identify key issues and provide solutions which would enable immigrant health professionals to share their knowledge, skills and innovative capacities and thereby enhancing the economic development of their countries. PMID:16260795

  11. ENGLISH FOR TODAY. BOOK FIVE, LIFE IN ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    SLAGER, WILLIAM R.; AND OTHERS

    ON AN UPPER-INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED LEVEL OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS, "LIFE IN ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES" IS THE FIFTH VOLUME IN THE "ENGLISH FOR TODAY" SERIES. THE MAIN EMPHASIS IN THIS VOLUME IS THE TRANSITION FROM READING TO COMPOSITION. EACH OF THE 14 READINGS IS FOLLOWED BY INTENSIVE COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS,…

  12. The Nationalization of Education in Burma: A Radical Response to the Capitalist Development?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ni, Zar

    This paper examines, within a framework of the world-system analysis, the process of the nationalization of education in Burma. As a significant part of the nationalist-socialist revolution launched to undermine foreign influences on the Burmese society in 1962, all schools in the country were nationalized and the curriculum…

  13. Establishing a head and neck unit in a developing country.

    PubMed

    Aswani, J; Baidoo, K; Otiti, J

    2012-06-01

    Head and neck cancers pose an especially serious problem in developing countries due to late presentation requiring complex surgical intervention. These countries are faced with many challenges, ranging from insufficient health care staff to problems with peri-operative requirements, diagnostic facilities, chemoradiation services and research funding.These challenges can be addressed through the training of head and neck surgeons and support personnel, the improvement of cancer awareness in local communities, and the establishment of dedicated head and neck institutes which focus on the special needs of head and neck cancer patients.All these changes can best be achieved through collaborative efforts with external partners. The Karl Storz Fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer, enabling training at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, has served as a springboard towards establishing head and neck services in developing sub-Saharan African countries.

  14. Geographical distribution of biomedical publications from the Gulf Corporation Council countries.

    PubMed

    Deleu, D; Northway, M G; Hanssens, Y

    2001-01-01

    It was our purpose to perform a geographical analysis for the number of biomedical and clinical research publications from the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council over the past decade (1990-1999). Medline was searched with the aid of the Internet provider PubMed. By using the advanced search option, entries were based on the country name for each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the time period considered. The number of Medline-listed biomedical research papers published in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries over the last 10 years totaled 6,960 and increased by 14% over the past decade. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia followed by Kuwait was by far the most prolific and accounted for 67 and 16% of publications. The research output from the United Arab Emirates and Oman grew steadily over the past decade, while it appeared to plateau for both Bahrain and Qatar. Taking into account that Gulf Cooperation Council countries have a relatively short history of research, the data show that the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are very prolific in terms of Medline-indexed biomedical research publications.

  15. Measuring political commitment and opportunities to advance food and nutrition security: piloting a rapid assessment tool.

    PubMed

    Fox, Ashley M; Balarajan, Yarlini; Cheng, Chloe; Reich, Michael R

    2015-06-01

    Lack of political commitment has been identified as a primary reason for the low priority that food and nutrition interventions receive from national governments relative to the high disease burden caused by malnutrition. Researchers have identified a number of factors that contribute to food and nutrition's 'low-priority cycle' on national policy agendas, but few tools exist to rapidly measure political commitment and identify opportunities to advance food and nutrition on the policy agenda. This article presents a theory-based rapid assessment approach to gauging countries' level of political commitment to food and nutrition security and identifying opportunities to advance food and nutrition on the policy agenda. The rapid assessment tool was piloted among food and nutrition policymakers and planners in 10 low- and middle-income countries in April to June 2013. Food and nutrition commitment and policy opportunity scores were calculated for each country and strategies to advance food and nutrition on policy agendas were designed for each country. The article finds that, in a majority of countries, political leaders had verbally and symbolically committed to addressing food and nutrition, but adequate financial resources were not allocated to implement specific programmes. In addition, whereas the low cohesion of the policy community has been viewed a major underlying cause of the low-priority status of food and nutrition, the analysis finds that policy community cohesion and having a well thought-out policy alternative were present in most countries. This tool may be useful to policymakers and planners providing information that can be used to benchmark and/or evaluate advocacy efforts to advance reforms in the food and nutrition sector; furthermore, the results can help identify specific strategies that can be employed to move the food and nutrition agenda forward. This tool complements others that have been recently developed to measure national commitment to

  16. No vacancy: the political geography of immigration control in advanced industrial countries.

    PubMed

    Money, J

    1997-01-01

    This article presents a unique framework for analyzing the politics of immigration control in developed countries and reviews related political theories. The author describes distinctive patterns of immigration in selected OECD countries and standard explanations. The author argues that the costs and benefits of immigration are spatially unevenly distributed and explains how spatial concentrations affect costs and benefits, as well as how local conditions, population, and the business community create support for and opposition to immigration. Evidence from Great Britain is used to support the framework. Control of immigration is due to the power of local constituencies in creating and maintaining a national political coalition. Local constituency preferences are a systematic, but not exclusive, feature that underpin the politics of immigration control. Other factors may have periodic impacts. The case of Great Britain, during 1955-81, illustrates the importance of disaggregated analysis. Cross national analyses will reveal the variation in level of impact. Japan and Germany, with similar economic and political histories, indicate substantial differences in net demand for immigration. Conditions, such as high, rapidly increasing immigration proportions, access to social services, and higher unemployment, may lead to hostility and less community support for immigration. The theory is based on native-immigrant competition over scarce resources, variable business support depending upon the flexibility of local markets and potential for capital mobility, and the dynamics of party competition as influenced by underlying structural conditions.

  17. The Republic of Chile: An Upper Middle-Income Country at the Crossroads of Economic Development and Aging

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gitlin, Laura N.; Fuentes, Patricio

    2012-01-01

    Chile is a developing country with a rapidly expanding economy and concomitant social and cultural changes. It is expected to become a developed country within 10 years. Chile is also characterized as being in an advanced demographic transition. Unique challenges are posed by the intersection of rapid economic development and an aging population,…

  18. USSR Report, International Affairs.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-09-22

    evolution ; by the beginning of the imperialist epoch they were not colonies as a rule, but they were lagging behind in their development and for...Metis population) and resource potential; they have undergone an extensive evolution from patriarchy to capitalist modernization deformed by foreign...territories of these countries for their own purposes—as "hotels," which attract foreign tourists , as locations for corporate and bank headquarters

  19. Changes of the territorial structure of gas demand and supply

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

    Zhouchenko, I.A.; Khrisanphov, V.P.; Schenkov, A.S.

    1988-01-01

    Substantial changes in overall energy supply stress the necessity to critically assess long-term prospects of the international gas industry development. This paper highlights the results of a research study on the problem ''Gas Industry of Capitalist Countries: Main Trends and Prospects of Development to the Year 2015''. The study is being conducted in the All-Union Gas Industry Scientific Research Institute of Economics, Management and Information.

  20. International comparative study of systems for the government advancement of research and development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ripke, M.; Foerst, R.

    1984-01-01

    The reorganization, structure and instruments of government advancement of research in three countries was compared: France, Sweden and the USA. In France the powers are centralized; in Sweden and the USA, decentralized. Assistance to projects is provided with grants and contracts in all three countries. France and Sweden also give loans with conditional waiving of reimbursement in case of failure. In all three countries indirect assistance is provided only with small tax breaks.

  1. Should we worry about income inequality?

    PubMed

    Wade, Robert Hunter

    2006-01-01

    Liberals (in the European sense) argue that a liberal free-market economic policy regime-nationally and globally-is good for economic growth and poverty reduction and for keeping income inequality within tolerable limits. Second, they argue that substantial income inequality is desirable because of its good effects on other things, notably incentives, innovation, and panache; and conversely, they dismiss concerns about growing inequality as "the politics of envy." Third, they argue that the core liberal theory of capitalist political economy satisfactorily explains the central tendencies in the role of the state in advanced capitalist economies. This essay challenges all three arguments on both conceptual and empirical grounds. It then suggests why the arguments are nevertheless widely accepted, proposes criteria for deciding how much inequality is fair, and ends by suggesting ways for achieving higher salience for income redistribution (downwards) in political agendas.

  2. [Risk sharing methods in middle income countries].

    PubMed

    Inotai, András; Kaló, Zoltán

    2012-01-01

    The pricing strategy of innovative medicines is based on the therapeutic value in the largest pharmaceutical markets. The cost-effectiveness of new medicines with value based ex-factory price is justifiable. Due to the international price referencing and parallel trade the ex-factory price corridor of new medicines has been narrowed in recent years. Middle income countries have less negotiation power to change the narrow drug pricing corridor, although their fair intention is to buy pharmaceuticals at lower price from their scarce public resources compared to higher income countries. Therefore the reimbursement of new medicines at prices of Western-European countries may not be justifiable in Central-Eastern European countries. Confidential pricing agreements (i.e. confidential price discounts, claw-back or rebate) in lower income countries of the European Union can alleviate this problem, as prices of new medicines can be adjusted to local purchasing power without influencing the published ex-factory price and so the accessibility of patients to these drugs in other countries. In order to control the drug budget payers tend to apply financial risk sharing agreements for new medicines in more and more countries to shift the consequences of potential overspending to pharmaceutical manufacturers. The major paradox of financial risk-sharing schemes is that increased mortality, poor persistence of patients, reduced access to healthcare providers, and no treatment reduce pharmaceutical spending. Consequently, payers have started to apply outcome based risk sharing agreements for new medicines recently to improve the quality of health care provision. Our paper aims to review and assess the published financial and outcome based risk sharing methods. Introduction of outcome based risk-sharing schemes can be a major advancement in the drug reimbursement strategy of payers in middle income countries. These schemes can help to reduce the medical uncertainty in coverage

  3. Recent advances in diagnostic microbiology.

    PubMed

    Bravo, Lulette Tricia C; Procop, Gary W

    2009-07-01

    The past decade has seen a surge in the development of a variety of molecular diagnostics designed to rapidly identify or characterize medically important microorganisms. We briefly review important advances in molecular microbiology, and then discuss specific assays that have been implemented in clinical microbiology laboratories throughout the country. We also discuss emerging methods and technologies that will soon be more widely used for the prompt and accurate detection of the agents of infectious diseases.

  4. Advancing nursing scholarship: the Mozambique model

    PubMed Central

    Bruce, Judith C.; Dippenaar, Joan; Schmollgruber, Shelley; Mphuthi, David D.; Huiskamp, Agnes

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background: Despite the importance of Human Resources for Health for the development and functioning of health systems worldwide, many countries continue to be plagued by poor health systems and a lack of adequate health care. Health systems failures may be attributed to both quantitative and qualitative nursing shortages including the lack of advanced skills to lead health initiatives, to conduct research and to educate other nurses. The response by development partners is usually framed around the production of skilled nurses through the processes of up-skilling and scaling-up. The outcome is expanded practice but with scant attention to the professional advancement of nurses. Objectives: In this paper we present a two-phased capacity development model that adopted professionalization strategies to advance nursing scholarship and consequent postgraduate specialization of the first cohort of nurses in Mozambique. The main objectives were to: develop and implement a clinical course work master’s degree in nursing; and ensure sustainability by capacitating the host institution to continue with the master’s programme following graduation. Methods: Rigorous processes for project discussions, negotiations and monitoring were necessary amid limited resources and a challenging political climate. Forging in-country partnerships, sustaining alliances and government investment are thus key to the success of the Mozambique model. Outcomes: Notwithstanding some difficulties, the process unfolded over a five-year period, graduating the first cohort of 11 senior nurses with a master’s degree, specializing either in critical care and trauma nursing, or maternal and neonatal health. Conclusions: Bridging the skills gap between generalist and specialist nurses is essential for them to manage complex and high acuity cases and to reverse associated morbidity and mortality. We conclude that this model serves as a professionalization strategy to advance nurses

  5. Earning While Learning: Maintaining Income While Upgrading Skills. Advancement for Low-Wage Workers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prince, Heath

    2004-01-01

    Drawing on innovative workforce development efforts around the country, Jobs for the Future (JJF) publications, tool kits, and other resources respond to the challenges to advancement for low-wage workers. Occasional papers in the series Advancement for Low-Wage Workers seeks to elevate discussion of this issue within and outside the workforce…

  6. Research for Foreign Advanced Ports for Protection and Development Experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Lu; Tian, Mingjing; Zhao, Junjie; Shou, Youping; Wang, Ning; Qiao, Jianzhe; Li, Guanglou

    2018-04-01

    Into the twenty-first century, the process globalization of economic and trade is getting faster and faster, As of 2014, China's annual port trading amount topped the world, But in the port of environmental protection sustainable development approach with foreign advanced port environmental management concept has a big gap. Combined with the present situation of modern ports in China. Drawing lessons from foreign advanced environmental protection idea of port, in order to promote the protection of port environment in our country. The experience of protection and development of foreign advanced port environment will be discussed and discussed.

  7. Interprofessional education for whom? --challenges and lessons learned from its implementation in developed countries and their application to developing countries: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Sunguya, Bruno F; Hinthong, Woranich; Jimba, Masamine; Yasuoka, Junko

    2014-01-01

    Evidence is available on the potential efficacy of interprofessional education (IPE) to foster interprofessional cooperation, improve professional satisfaction, and improve patient care. While the intention of the World Health Organization (WHO) is to implement IPE in all countries, evidence comes from developed countries about its efficiency, challenges, and barriers to planning and implementing IPE. We therefore conducted this review to examine challenges of implementing IPE to suggest possible pathways to overcome the anticipated challenges in developing countries. We searched for literatures on IPE in PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases. We examined challenges or barriers and initiatives to overcome them so as to suggest methods to solve the anticipated challenges in developing countries. We could not conduct a meta-analysis because of the qualitative nature of the research question and the data; instead we conducted a meta-narrative of evidence. A total of 40 out of 2,146 articles were eligible for analyses in the current review. Only two articles were available from developing countries. Despite the known benefits of IPE, a total of ten challenges or barriers were common based on the retrieved evidence. They included curriculum, leadership, resources, stereotypes and attitudes, variety of students, IPE concept, teaching, enthusiasm, professional jargons, and accreditation. Out of ten, three had already been reported in developing countries: IPE curriculum, resource limitations, and stereotypes. This study found ten important challenges on implementing IPE. They are curriculum, leadership, resources, stereotypes, students' diversity, IPE concept, teaching, enthusiasm, professional jargons, and accreditation. Although only three of them are already experienced in developing countries, the remaining seven are potentially important for developing countries, too. By knowing these challenges and barriers in advance, those who implement IPE programs

  8. Global Health Equity: Cancer Care Outcome Disparities in High-, Middle-, and Low-Income Countries

    PubMed Central

    de Souza, Jonas A.; Hunt, Bijou; Asirwa, Fredrick Chite; Adebamowo, Clement

    2016-01-01

    Breakthroughs in our global fight against cancer have been achieved. However, this progress has been unequal. In low- and middle-income countries and for specific populations in high-income settings, many of these advancements are but an aspiration and hope for the future. This review will focus on health disparities in cancer within and across countries, drawing from examples in Kenya, Brazil, and the United States. Placed in context with these examples, the authors also draw basic recommendations from several initiatives and groups that are working on the issue of global cancer disparities, including the US Institute of Medicine, the Global Task Force on Expanded Access to Cancer Care and Control in Developing Countries, and the Union for International Cancer Control. From increasing initiatives in basic resources in low-income countries to rapid learning systems in high-income countries, the authors argue that beyond ethics and equity issues, it makes economic sense to invest in global cancer control, especially in low- and middle-income countries. PMID:26578608

  9. Tackling cancer control in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries.

    PubMed

    Al-Othman, Saleh; Haoudi, Abdelali; Alhomoud, Samar; Alkhenizan, Abdullah; Khoja, Tawfik; Al-Zahrani, Ali

    2015-05-01

    Cancer is a major health problem in both high income and middle-to-low income countries, and is the second leading cause of death in the world. Although more than a third of cancer could be prevented and another third could be cured if diagnosed early, it remains a huge challenge to health-care systems worldwide. Despite substantial improvements in health services some of the countries in the Gulf region, the burden of non-communicable diseases is a major threat, primarily due to the rapid socioeconomic shifts that have led to unfavourable changes in lifestyle such as increased tobacco use, decreased physical activity, and consumption of unhealthy food. In the Gulf Cooperation Council states (United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait), advanced breast cancer, colorectal cancer, leukaemia, thyroid cancer, and non-Hodgkin lymphomas are the most common cancers affecting younger populations compared with other countries. By contrast with cancer prevalence in developed countries, prostate, lung, and cervical cancers are not among the most common cancers in the Gulf region. In view of the increased cost of cancer management worldwide, integrated approaches between primary, secondary, and tertiary health-care systems with special focus on prevention and early detection is an essential step in the countries' efforts in the fight against cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Electronic health indicators in the selected countries: Are these indicators the best?

    PubMed Central

    Afshari, Somaye; Khorasani, Elahe; Yarmohammadian, Mohammad Hossein; Atighechian, Golrokh; Darab, Mohsen Ghaffari

    2013-01-01

    Background: Many changes have been made in different sciences by developing and advancing information and communication technology in last two decades. E-health is a very broad term that includes many different activities related to the use of electronic devices, software as well as hardware in health organizations. Aims: The aim of this study is comparing electronic health indicators in the selected countries and discussion on the best indicators. Settings and Design: This study has chosen 12 countries randomly based on the regional division of the WHO. The relevant numbers of health indicators and general indicators and information technology indicators are extracted of these countries. We use data from the Bitarf's comparative study, which is conducted by the Iranian Supreme Council of Information Technology in 2007. Materials and Methods: By using Pearson correlation test, the relations between health general indicators and IT indicators are studied. Statistical Analysis Used: Data was analyzed based on the research objectives using SPSS software and in accordance with research questions Pearson correlation test were used. Results: The findings show that there is a positive relation between indicators related to IT and “Total per capita health, healthy life expectancy, percent literacy”. Furthermore, there is a mutual relation between IT indicators and “mortality indicator”. Conclusion: This study showed differences between selective indicators among different countries. The modern world, with its technological advances, is not powerless in the face of these geographic and health disparity challenges. Researchers must not rely on the available indicators. They must consider indicators like e-business companies, electronic data internet, medical supplies, health electronic record, health information system, etc., In future, continuous studies in this field, to provide the exact and regular reports of amount of using of these indicators through different

  11. Electronic health indicators in the selected countries: Are these indicators the best?

    PubMed

    Afshari, Somaye; Khorasani, Elahe; Yarmohammadian, Mohammad Hossein; Atighechian, Golrokh; Darab, Mohsen Ghaffari

    2013-01-01

    Many changes have been made in different sciences by developing and advancing information and communication technology in last two decades. E-health is a very broad term that includes many different activities related to the use of electronic devices, software as well as hardware in health organizations. The aim of this study is comparing electronic health indicators in the selected countries and discussion on the best indicators. This study has chosen 12 countries randomly based on the regional division of the WHO. The relevant numbers of health indicators and general indicators and information technology indicators are extracted of these countries. We use data from the Bitarf's comparative study, which is conducted by the Iranian Supreme Council of Information Technology in 2007. By using Pearson correlation test, the relations between health general indicators and IT indicators are studied. Data was analyzed based on the research objectives using SPSS software and in accordance with research questions Pearson correlation test were used. The findings show that there is a positive relation between indicators related to IT and "Total per capita health, healthy life expectancy, percent literacy". Furthermore, there is a mutual relation between IT indicators and "mortality indicator". This study showed differences between selective indicators among different countries. The modern world, with its technological advances, is not powerless in the face of these geographic and health disparity challenges. Researchers must not rely on the available indicators. They must consider indicators like e-business companies, electronic data internet, medical supplies, health electronic record, health information system, etc., In future, continuous studies in this field, to provide the exact and regular reports of amount of using of these indicators through different countries must be necessary.

  12. Web-Based Quality Assurance Process Drives Improvements in Obstetric Ultrasound in 5 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

    PubMed Central

    Swanson, Jonathan O; Plotner, David; Franklin, Holly L; Swanson, David L; Lokomba Bolamba, Victor; Lokangaka, Adrien; Sayury Pineda, Irma; Figueroa, Lester; Garces, Ana; Muyodi, David; Esamai, Fabian; Kanaiza, Nancy; Mirza, Waseem; Naqvi, Farnaz; Saleem, Sarah; Mwenechanya, Musaku; Chiwila, Melody; Hamsumonde, Dorothy; McClure, Elizabeth M; Goldenberg, Robert L; Nathan, Robert O

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT High quality is important in medical imaging, yet in many geographic areas, highly skilled sonographers are in short supply. Advances in Internet capacity along with the development of reliable portable ultrasounds have created an opportunity to provide centralized remote quality assurance (QA) for ultrasound exams performed at rural sites worldwide. We sought to harness these advances by developing a web-based tool to facilitate QA activities for newly trained sonographers who were taking part in a cluster randomized trial investigating the role of limited obstetric ultrasound to improve pregnancy outcomes in 5 low- and middle-income countries. We were challenged by connectivity issues, by country-specific needs for website usability, and by the overall need for a high-throughput system. After systematically addressing these needs, the resulting QA website helped drive ultrasound quality improvement across all 5 countries. It now offers the potential for adoption by future ultrasound- or imaging-based global health initiatives. PMID:28031304

  13. Health care resource use among patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: the PIvOTAL retrospective observational study.

    PubMed

    Lee, Dae Ho; Isobe, Hiroshi; Wirtz, Hubert; Aleixo, Sabina Bandeira; Parente, Phillip; de Marinis, Filippo; Huang, Min; Arunachalam, Ashwini; Kothari, Smita; Cao, Xiting; Donnini, Nello; Woodgate, Ann-Marie; de Castro, Javier

    2018-03-01

    Data are scarce regarding real-world health care resource use (HCRU) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). An understanding of current clinical practices and HCRU is needed to provide a benchmark for rapidly evolving NSCLC management recommendations and therapeutic options. The objective of this study was to describe real-world HCRU for patients with advanced NSCLC. This multinational, retrospective chart review study was conducted at academic and community oncology sites in Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Brazil. Deidentified data were drawn from medical records of 1440 adults (≥18 years old) who initiated systemic therapy (2011 to mid-2013) for a new, confirmed diagnosis of advanced or metastatic (stage IIIB or IV) NSCLC. We summarized HCRU associated with first and subsequent lines of systemic therapy for advanced/metastatic NSCLC. The proportion of patients who were hospitalized at least once varied by country from 24% in Italy to 81% in Japan during first-line therapy and from 22% in Italy to 84% in Japan during second-line therapy; overall hospitalization frequency was 2.5-11.1 per 100 patient-weeks, depending on country. Emergency visit frequency also varied among countries (overall from 0.3-5.9 per 100 patient-weeks), increasing consistently from first- through third-line therapy in each country. The outpatient setting was the most common setting of resource use. Most patients in the study had multiple outpatient visits in association with each line of therapy (overall from 21.1 to 59.0 outpatient visits per 100 patient-weeks, depending on country). The use of health care resources showed no regular pattern associated with results of tests for activating mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements. HCRU varied across countries. These findings suggest differing approaches to the clinical management of advanced NSCLC among the eight countries

  14. Interprofessional Education for Whom? — Challenges and Lessons Learned from Its Implementation in Developed Countries and Their Application to Developing Countries: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Sunguya, Bruno F.; Hinthong, Woranich; Jimba, Masamine; Yasuoka, Junko

    2014-01-01

    advance, those who implement IPE programs in developing countries will be much more prepared, and can enhance the program's potential success. PMID:24809509

  15. Delivering Advanced Technical Education Using Online, Immersive Classroom Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Delmer; Louwagie, Nancy

    2017-01-01

    Vacuum and thin film technologies are critical to advanced manufacturing industries. With a grant from the National Science Foundation (DUE #14004080), Normandale Community College has developed courses that are delivered online and via telepresence to provide a formal education to vacuum technician students around the country. Telepresence…

  16. USSR Report, Political and Sociological Affairs.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-05-09

    of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America " in which it was specifically stated that, "differences in the ideology and the social...nations of Asia, Africa and Latin America achieved new victories in the struggle for their national and social liberation. Nor did the notorious campaign...socialism, the progressive forces in Asia, Africa and Latin America , and democratic, peace- loving movements in the capitalist countries themselves

  17. JPRS Report, Soviet Union, International Affairs.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-06-17

    Commodities rarely bought on "plastic credit" so far include food products and consumer durables—homes, cars, TV sets, which can be paid for in...capitalist giants’ diktat vis-ä-vis scat- tered and isolated farm producers in Africa and the consumers of food supplied there from the West. Ruinous...ensuring their food self-sufficiency, so- cialist countries cooperate with them in building major hydrotechnical projects and agro- industrial

  18. USSR Report, Military Affairs Foreign Military Review No 6, June 1986

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-11-20

    computers used for an objective accounting of the difference in current firing conditions from standard hold an important place in integrated fire...control systems of modern tanks of capitalist countries. Mechanical ballistic computers gave way in the early 1970’s to electronic computers , initially...made with analog components. Then digital ballistic computers were created, installed in particular in the Ml Abrams and Leopard-2 tanks. The basic

  19. 10 CFR 40.67 - Requirement for advance notice for importation of natural uranium from countries that are not...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... uranium from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material... uranium from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. (a) Each licensee authorized to import natural uranium, other than in the form of ore or ore residue...

  20. 10 CFR 40.67 - Requirement for advance notice for importation of natural uranium from countries that are not...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... uranium from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material... uranium from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. (a) Each licensee authorized to import natural uranium, other than in the form of ore or ore residue...

  1. 10 CFR 40.67 - Requirement for advance notice for importation of natural uranium from countries that are not...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... uranium from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material... uranium from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. (a) Each licensee authorized to import natural uranium, other than in the form of ore or ore residue...

  2. 10 CFR 40.67 - Requirement for advance notice for importation of natural uranium from countries that are not...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... uranium from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material... uranium from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. (a) Each licensee authorized to import natural uranium, other than in the form of ore or ore residue...

  3. Advanced manufacturing: Technology and international competitiveness

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

    Tesar, A.

    1995-02-01

    Dramatic changes in the competitiveness of German and Japanese manufacturing have been most evident since 1988. All three countries are now facing similar challenges, and these challenges are clearly observed in human capital issues. Our comparison of human capital issues in German, Japanese, and US manufacturing leads us to the following key judgments: Manufacturing workforces are undergoing significant changes due to advanced manufacturing technologies. As companies are forced to develop and apply these technologies, the constituency of the manufacturing workforce (especially educational requirements, contingent labor, job content, and continuing knowledge development) is being dramatically and irreversibly altered. The new workforcemore » requirements which result due to advanced manufacturing require a higher level of worker sophistication and responsibility.« less

  4. Migration of health-care workers from developing countries: strategic approaches to its management.

    PubMed Central

    Stilwell, Barbara; Diallo, Khassoum; Zurn, Pascal; Vujicic, Marko; Adams, Orvill; Dal Poz, Mario

    2004-01-01

    Of the 175 million people (2.9% of the world's population) living outside their country of birth in 2000, 65 million were economically active. The rise in the number of people migrating is significant for many developing countries because they are losing their better-educated nationals to richer countries. Medical practitioners and nurses represent a small proportion of the highly skilled workers who migrate, but the loss for developing countries of human resources in the health sector may mean that the capacity of the health system to deliver health care equitably is significantly compromised. It is unlikely that migration will stop given the advances in global communications and the development of global labour markets in some fields, which now include nursing. The aim of this paper is to examine some key issues related to the international migration of health workers and to discuss strategic approaches to managing migration. PMID:15375449

  5. Migration of health-care workers from developing countries: strategic approaches to its management.

    PubMed

    Stilwell, Barbara; Diallo, Khassoum; Zurn, Pascal; Vujicic, Marko; Adams, Orvill; Dal Poz, Mario

    2004-08-01

    Of the 175 million people (2.9% of the world's population) living outside their country of birth in 2000, 65 million were economically active. The rise in the number of people migrating is significant for many developing countries because they are losing their better-educated nationals to richer countries. Medical practitioners and nurses represent a small proportion of the highly skilled workers who migrate, but the loss for developing countries of human resources in the health sector may mean that the capacity of the health system to deliver health care equitably is significantly compromised. It is unlikely that migration will stop given the advances in global communications and the development of global labour markets in some fields, which now include nursing. The aim of this paper is to examine some key issues related to the international migration of health workers and to discuss strategic approaches to managing migration.

  6. Saudi Arabia: A future regional hub for advanced education, research, science and technology.

    PubMed

    Meo, Sultan Ayoub

    2015-10-01

    Saudi Arabia is the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula, blessed with significant natural resources, including oil, gas and minerals. Saudi Arabia has recognised the importance of education in social and economic transformation, and has established a large number of universities, research and advanced technical institutes which have broken the metropolitan boundaries and have been extended to the far-flung areas of the country. There are 68 universities and degree-awarding institutes. The educational budget reached its highest-ever level of $56.56 billion for the year 2014. About 124,000 Saudi students are pursuing higher education in about 500 universities around the world. Saudi Arabia produced 177826 research papers in Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) database and in the year 2014 alone, 26168 research papers were published in indexed science journals with a rising h-index of 144. The country is turning into a regional hub for advanced education, research, science and technology while swiftly shifting from an oil-based to a knowledge-based economy.

  7. Brief Continuing Medical Education (CME) Module Raises Knowledge of Developing Country Physicians

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Soliman, Amr S.; Samadi, Shahed; Banerjee, Mousumi; Chamberlain, Robert M.; Aziz, Zeba

    2006-01-01

    Breast cancer incidence in Pakistan is the highest reported in any South-Central Asian country. It is the most frequent malignancy in women, where it accounts for 38.5% of all female cancers. About half (43.7%) of all breast cancers are locally advanced. We recruited 183 primary care physicians in Pakistan and invited them to attend educational…

  8. Principles of adoption of the successful environmental practices used in developed countries into mining industry in developing countries.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masaitis, Alexandra

    2013-04-01

    The successful implementation of the environmental practices in the mining industry is of a paramount importance, as it not only prevents both local and trans-border pollution but also guarantees clean and healthy environment for the people regardless of their place of habitation. It is especially important to encourage the progress of the environmental practices implementation in developing countries because such countries have resource-oriented economy based on exploitation of nonrenewable resources. Poor environmental practices in developing countries will lead to local environmental crises that could eventually spill into surrounding countries including the most economically advanced. This abstract is a summary of a two-year research project attempted (1) to determine deficiencies of the mining sector ecological practices in developing countries and (2) to suggest substitute practices from developed countries that could be adapted to the developing countries reality. The following research methods were used: 1. The method of the system analysis, where the system is an interaction of the sets of environmental practices with the global mining sector; 2. The comparative method of inquiry, where the comparison was made between environmental protection practices as implemented in the US (developed country) and the developing countries such as RF, Mongolia mining sectors; 3. Quantitative date analysis, where date was collected from "The collection of statistic data", Russian Geographic Society Annual reports, the US EPA open reports, and the USGS Reports; The following results were obtained: Identified the systemic crisis of the ecological environmental policies and practices in the mining sector in developing countries based on the exploitation of nonrenewable resources, absence of the ecological interest by the mining companies that lack mechanisms of environmental and public health protection, the lack of insurance policy, the lack of risk assistance, and in the

  9. International Conference on Advances in Radiation Oncology (ICARO): outcomes of an IAEA meeting.

    PubMed

    Salminen, Eeva K; Kiel, Krystyna; Ibbott, Geoffrey S; Joiner, Michael C; Rosenblatt, Eduardo; Zubizarreta, Eduardo; Wondergem, Jan; Meghzifene, Ahmed

    2011-02-04

    The IAEA held the International Conference on Advances in Radiation Oncology (ICARO) in Vienna on 27-29 April 2009. The Conference dealt with the issues and requirements posed by the transition from conventional radiotherapy to advanced modern technologies, including staffing, training, treatment planning and delivery, quality assurance (QA) and the optimal use of available resources. The current role of advanced technologies (defined as 3-dimensional and/or image guided treatment with photons or particles) in current clinical practice and future scenarios were discussed.ICARO was organized by the IAEA at the request of the Member States and co-sponsored and supported by other international organizations to assess advances in technologies in radiation oncology in the face of economic challenges that most countries confront. Participants submitted research contributions, which were reviewed by a scientific committee and presented via 46 lectures and 103 posters. There were 327 participants from 70 Member States as well as participants from industry and government. The ICARO meeting provided an independent forum for the interaction of participants from developed and developing countries on current and developing issues related to radiation oncology.

  10. Perception of Curability Among Advanced Cancer Patients: An International Collaborative Study.

    PubMed

    Yennurajalingam, Sriram; Rodrigues, Luis Fernando; Shamieh, Omar; Tricou, Colombe; Filbet, Marilène; Naing, Kyaw; Ramaswamy, Akhileshwaran; Perez-Cruz, Pedro Emilio; Bautista, Mary Jocelyn S; Bunge, Sofia; Muckaden, Mary Ann; Sewram, Vikash; Fakrooden, Sarah; Noguera-Tejedor, Antonio; Rao, Shobha S; Liu, Diane; Park, Minjeong; Williams, Janet L; Lu, Zhanni; Cantu, Hilda; Hui, David; Reddy, Suresh K; Bruera, Eduardo

    2018-04-01

    There are limited data on illness understanding and perception of cure among advanced cancer patients around the world. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency and factors associated with inaccurate perception of curability among advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care across the globe. Secondary analysis of a study to understand the core concepts in end-of-life care among advanced cancer patients receiving palliative care from 11 countries across the world. Advanced cancer patients were surveyed using a Patient Illness Understanding survey and Control Preference Scale. Descriptive statistics and multicovariate logistic regression analysis were performed. Fifty-five percent (763/1,390) of patients receiving palliative care inaccurately reported that their cancer is curable. The median age was 58, 55% were female, 59% were married or had a partner, 48% were Catholic, and 35% were college educated. Sixty-eight percent perceived that the goal of therapy was "to get rid of their cancer," and 47% perceived themselves as "seriously ill." Multicovariate logistic regression analysis shows that accurate perception of curability was associated with female gender (odds ratio [OR] 0.73, p  = .027), higher education (OR 0.37, p  < .0001), unemployment status (OR 0.69, p  = .02), and being from France (OR 0.26, p  < .0001) and South Africa (OR 0.52, p  = .034); inaccurate perception of curability was associated with better Karnofsky performance status (OR 1.02 per point, p  = .0005), and being from Philippines (OR 15.49, p  < .0001), Jordan (OR 8.43, p  < .0001), Brazil (OR 2.17, p  = .0037), and India (OR 2.47, p  = .039). Inaccurate perception of curability in advanced cancer patients is 55% and significantly differs by gender, education, performance status, employment status, and country of origin. Further studies are needed to develop strategies to reduce this misperception of curability in advanced cancer

  11. Opportunities for improving management of advanced chronic kidney disease.

    PubMed

    Patwardhan, Meenal B; Matchar, David B; Samsa, Gregory P; Haley, William E

    2008-01-01

    Evidence suggests that management of advanced chronic kidney disease affects patient outcomes. To identify clinical areas that demand attention from a quality improvement perspective, we sought to examine the extent of conformance to an advanced chronic kidney disease guideline in a range of practices. A total of 237 patient medical records were abstracted from 4 primary care providers and 4 nephrology private practices across the country. In the practices studied, management of advanced chronic kidney disease patients was suboptimal for patients managed by primary care providers as well as those managed by nephrologists (overall conformance 27% and 42%, respectively), specifically for anemia, bone disease, and timing for renal replacement therapy. The current exercise (in conjunction with a literature search and focused and individual interviews with providers and patients) offered valuable information that was used to develop a toolkit for optimizing management of advanced chronic kidney disease.

  12. Building multi-country collaboration on watershed ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Community-based watershed resilience programs that bridge public health and environmental outcomes often require cross-boundary, multi-country collaboration. The CRESSIDA project, led by the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) and supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), forwards a resilience-focused approach for Western Balkan communities in the Drini and Drina river watersheds with the goal of safeguarding public health and the environment. The initial phases of this project give a contextualized example of how to advance resilience-driven environmental health goals in Western Balkan communities, and experience within the region has garnered several theme areas that require focus in order to promote a holistic watershed management program. In this paper, using CRESSIDA as a case study, we show (1) how watershed projects designed with resilience-driven environmental health goals can work in context, (2) provide data surrounding contextualized problems with resilience and suggest tools and strategies for the implementation of projects to address these problems, and (3) explore how cross-boundary foci are central to the success of these approaches in watersheds that comprise several countries. Published in the journal, Reviews on Environmental Health.

  13. Matching Up to the Information Society: An Evaluation of the EU, the EU Accession Countries, Switzerland and the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graafland-Essers, Irma; Cremonini, Leon; Ettedgui, Emile; Botterman, Maarten

    2003-01-01

    This report presents the current understanding of the advancement of the Information Society within the European Union and countries that are up for accession in 2004, and is based on the SIBIS (Statistical Indicators Benchmarking the Information Society) surveys and analyses per SIBIS theme and country. The report is unique in its coherent and…

  14. Improving Outcomes from Breast Cancer in a Low-Income Country: Lessons from Bangladesh

    PubMed Central

    Story, H. L.; Love, R. R.; Salim, R.; Roberto, A. J.; Krieger, J. L.; Ginsburg, O. M.

    2012-01-01

    Women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have yet to benefit from recent advances in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment now experienced in high-income countries. Their unique sociocultural and health system circumstances warrant a different approach to breast cancer management than that applied to women in high-income countries. Here, we present experience from the last five years working in rural Bangladesh. Case and consecutive series data, focus group and individual interviews, and clinical care experience provide the basis for this paper. These data illustrate a complex web of sociocultural, economic, and health system conditions which affect womens' choices to seek and accept care and successful treatment. We conclude that health system, human rights, and governance issues underlie high mortality from this relatively rare disease in Bangladesh. PMID:22295245

  15. Improving outcomes from breast cancer in a low-income country: lessons from bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Story, H L; Love, R R; Salim, R; Roberto, A J; Krieger, J L; Ginsburg, O M

    2012-01-01

    Women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have yet to benefit from recent advances in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment now experienced in high-income countries. Their unique sociocultural and health system circumstances warrant a different approach to breast cancer management than that applied to women in high-income countries. Here, we present experience from the last five years working in rural Bangladesh. Case and consecutive series data, focus group and individual interviews, and clinical care experience provide the basis for this paper. These data illustrate a complex web of sociocultural, economic, and health system conditions which affect womens' choices to seek and accept care and successful treatment. We conclude that health system, human rights, and governance issues underlie high mortality from this relatively rare disease in Bangladesh.

  16. JPRS Report, Soviet Union, World Economy & International Relations, No. 3, March 1987

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-06-15

    Efficiency Promotion in Industry (pp 28-40) (E. Vilkhovchenko) (not translated) •Star Wars ’ and Washington’s Allies Western Europe on SDI (pp 41-48) (G...sets of complex problems. The first is the problem S war and peace, pollution of environment and the socio-economic gap between industrially...developed capitalist countries and the developing world. The second -has taken shape as a result of the evolution of state-monopolistic capitalism and

  17. JPRS Report, Soviet Union, World Economy & International Relations, No. 9 September 1987

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-01-12

    states have if in addition to the growing competition of beet sugar they are forced to reckon with the fact that today even corn sweeteners...policy of pressure. The reality today is such that (as graphically demon- strated at the Cancun meeting in 1981) the U.S. Admin- istration and, in ...markets of devel- oped capitalist countries no longer justify themselves as a means of competitive struggle and an increase in currency earnings. What

  18. Perestroika: The End Game

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-08-01

    of economic systems from feudalism, through capitalism, and finally to communism as the ultimate objective or goal. It is essential to appreciate that...capitalists-what it must do and how it must operate in order now to support them and their ecnomic and social efforts. In theorct... Marxism, the concept... essential for building socialism in countries such as the Soviet Union. If the Soviet leadership’s perception of how far democratic socialism has progressed

  19. Is it feasible to discuss an advance directive with a Chinese patient with advanced malignancy? A prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Wong, S Y; Lo, S H; Chan, C H; Chui, H S; Sze, W K; Tung, Y

    2012-06-01

    Advance directives have been implemented for years in western countries, but the concept is new to Asian cultures. According to traditional Chinese culture, family members usually play a decisive role in a patient's treatment plan. Thus it may be hard to implement an advance directive despite its importance to the treatment of patients. The objectives of this study were to assess the feasibility of advance directive engagement and to explore significant contributing factors to achieving such a goal. Prospective cohort study. Palliative Care Unit of Clinical Oncology, Tuen Mun Hospital, Hong Kong. The subjects of the investigation were adult patients diagnosed to have advanced malignancy and newly referred to the hospice service from 24 April 2009 to 30 July 2009. Data were collected from nursing assessment forms, locally designed advance directive forms, a checklist completed by oncologists, and details available in the electronic hospital record. Of the 191 eligible patients, 120 (63%) had the advance directive, whereas 71 (37%) did not. In the Cox regression model, the patient having insight of a poor prognosis was the most significant factor facilitating advance directive engagement (P=0.001). Any family objection in the discussion of advance directives was also an important factor, though it did not reach statistical significance (P=0.082). Other factors like age, gender, education, religion, financial status, living environment, understanding the diagnosis, bereavement experience, type of cancer, nature of illness, courses of chemotherapy or radiotherapy received, main caregiver, in-house supporter, nurse-led clinic attendance, clinical psychologist consultation, and in-patient hospice nurse coordinator interview were all statistically insignificant. Our study demonstrated that it was feasible to discuss an advance directive with Chinese patients with advanced malignancy. When patients have insight about their poor prognosis and family members have no

  20. Human rights conflicts experienced by nurses migrating between developed countries.

    PubMed

    Palese, Alvisa; Dobrowolska, Beata; Squin, Anna; Lupieri, Giulia; Bulfone, Giampiera; Vecchiato, Sara

    2017-11-01

    Some developed countries have recently changed their role in the context of international recruitment, becoming donors due to socio-economical and political factors such as recessions. This is also the case in Italy, where there has been a flow of immigrant nurses out of the country that has been documented over the past several years. In a short time, it has become a donor country to other developed European countries, such as the United Kingdom. To advance knowledge in the context of human rights conflicts and ethical implications of the decision-making process of nurses who migrate between developed countries, such as from Italy to the United Kingdom, during times of recession. A case study based on the descriptive phenomenological approach was undertaken in 2014. Participants and research context: A total of 26 Italian newly graduated nurses finding a job in the United Kingdom were interviewed via Skype and telephone. Ethical considerations: The Internal Review Board of the University approved the project. In accordance with the descriptive phenomenological approach undertaken, three main themes emerged: (1) escaping from the feeling of being refused/rejected in order to be desired, (2) perceiving themselves respected, as a person and as a nurse, in a growth project and (3) returning if the country changes its strategy regarding nurses. Ethical implications in the context of human rights, such as autonomy of the decision, social justice and reciprocal obligation, non-maleficence and double effect, have been discussed. The call for investing in nurses and nurses' care in developed countries facing recession is urgent. Investing in nurses means respecting individuals and citizens who are at risk of developing health problems during the recession.

  1. ICT-Integrated Education and National Innovation Systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wiseman, Alexander W.; Anderson, Emily

    2012-01-01

    The widespread use and availability of information and communication technologies (ICT) has greatly impacted how nations conceptualize innovation and the ways formal mass education can be used to advance socio-political and economic agendas. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have increasingly focused on the roles of science and…

  2. Advancing the National and Global Knowledge Economy: The Role of Research Universities in Developing Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Altbach, Philip G.

    2013-01-01

    Research universities are a central part of all academic systems. They are the key points of international contact and involvement. Research is produced, disseminated and in many cases imported. For developing countries, the mechanisms for the involvement of research universities in the global knowledge economy is complex, and includes issues of…

  3. Post-Arab Spring Governments in North Africa: Identifying Focus Areas for Economic Advancement

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-01

    Areas in which improvement is required to create positive change that are specific to the country being studied are thereby determined. The cases ...being studied are thereby determined. The cases of pre-Arab Spring Libya, Tunisia and Egypt were examined in an attempt to provide guidance and focus...to occur in countries wherein authoritarian regimes appear to have, in many cases , stifled economic advancement through corruption, power-hoarding

  4. The theory of social services in disaccumulationist capitalism.

    PubMed

    Hirschhorn, L

    1979-01-01

    The theory of social services today must be based on a more general theory of the "disaccumulation" of capitalist society. Capitalist society disaccumulates as new productive forces emerge within the framework of the capitalist labor market. These forces are expressed abstractly in new sources of productivity based on information and organization and concretely in a new organization of work. This new organization of work breaks down the old capitalist division between labor and non-labor time and poses instead a more fluid interaction and integration of work and non-work. Capitalist society, however, disaccumulates through social crisis. The reorganization of work is simultaneously expressed as the decay of the labor market. This decay delegitimates social services and creates the present social service crisis. Social services can find their new sources of legitimacy only if social classes can move past the crisis of disaccumulation and find the appropriate new forms of social life based on the emerging non-capitalist organization of work.

  5. Systemic review of the epidemiology of autism in Arab Gulf countries

    PubMed Central

    Salhia, Huda O.; Al-Nasser, Lubna A.; Taher, Lama S.; Al-Khathaami, Ali M.; El-Metwally, Ashraf A.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To assess the current state of knowledge on the epidemiology of autism in Arab Gulf countries, and identify gaps for future research. Methods: PubMed and ScienceDirect databases were used to identify relevant articles published until the 3rd of April 2013 (date of search). The search was conducted using the electronic library of King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they concerned the epidemiology of autism, conducted in any Arab Gulf country, and published in English. Results: Twelve articles met the inclusion criteria. Studies showed a prevalence ranging from 1.4 to 29 per 10,000 persons. Identified risk factors were metabolic, autoimmune, and environmental in nature. The following determinants were found as possible contributing factors for autism: suboptimal breast-feeding, advanced maternal and paternal age, cesarean section, and prenatal complications. Conclusion: Only a few studies explored the epidemiology of autism in Arab Gulf countries and none have investigated the burden of the disease on the child, family, or society. More research is needed to better identify the burden and risk factors of autism in Gulf countries. PMID:25274588

  6. Nurse Leaders’ Experiences of Implementing Career Advancement Programs for Nurses in Iran

    PubMed Central

    Sheikhi, Mohammad Reza; Khoshknab, Masoud Fallahi; Mohammadi, Farahnaz; Oskouie, Fatemeh

    2015-01-01

    Background and purpose: Career advancement programs are currently implemented in many countries. In Iran, the first career advancement program was Nurses’ Career Advancement Pathway. The purpose of this study was to explore nurse leaders’ experiences about implementing the Nurses’ Career Advancement Pathway program in Iran. Methods: This exploratory qualitative study was conducted in 2013. Sixteen nurse managers were recruited from the teaching hospitals affiliated to Shahid Behesthi, Qazvin, and Iran Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling method. Study data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The conventional content analysis approach was used for data analysis. Results: participants’ experiences about implementing the Nurses’ Career Advancement Pathway fell into three main categories including: a) the shortcomings of performance evaluation, b) greater emphasis on point accumulation, c) the advancement-latitude mismatch. Conclusion: The Nurses’ Career Advancement pathway has several shortcomings regarding both its content and its implementation. Therefore, it is recommended to revise the program. PMID:26156907

  7. Nurse Leaders' Experiences of Implementing Career Advancement Programs for Nurses in Iran.

    PubMed

    Sheikhi, Mohammad Reza; Fallahi Khoshknab, Masoud; Mohammadi, Farahnaz; Oskouie, Fatemeh

    2015-02-24

    Career advancement programs are currently implemented in many countries. In Iran, the first career advancement program was Nurses' Career Advancement Pathway. The purpose of this study was to explore nurse leaders' experiences about implementing the Nurses' Career Advancement Pathway program in Iran. This exploratory qualitative study was conducted in 2013. Sixteen nurse managers were recruited from the teaching hospitals affiliated to Shahid Behesthi, Qazvin, and Iran Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling method. Study data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The conventional content analysis approach was used for data analysis. participants' experiences about implementing the Nurses' Career Advancement Pathway fell into three main categories including: a) the shortcomings of performance evaluation, b) greater emphasis on point accumulation, c) the advancement-latitude mismatch. The Nurses' Career Advancement pathway has several shortcomings regarding both its content and its implementation. Therefore, it is recommended to revise the program.

  8. Placing private health care: reading Ascot Hospital in the landscape of contemporary Auckland.

    PubMed

    Kearns, Robin A; Barnett, J Ross; Newman, Daniel

    2003-06-01

    The closing years of the 20th century were a time in New Zealand dominated by health care reforms inspired by neo-liberal ideology. The result has been changing geographies of public and private health care providers and the evolution of a new discourse of health care. Ascot Integrated Hospital, situated in the affluent Auckland suburb of Remuera, opened in 1999, reflecting and projecting this new discourse. It is a pioneer, competing for patient patronage in a contracting market for surgical and medical providers. In this paper we survey the recent history of private hospital developments in New Zealand, then more closely consider the Ascot, a hospital that has deployed language to construct itself and its achievements in the public imagination. Given the context of an extremely competitive environment for private patients, this construction glamorises medicine and links healing with a contrived place. We conclude that texts associated with the Ascot provide a useful vehicle for advancing cultural geographies of health care and ideas of the place of hospitals in western capitalist countries.

  9. Developing a palliative care service model for Muslim Middle Eastern countries.

    PubMed

    Al-Awamer, Ahmed; Downar, James

    2014-12-01

    Palliative Care (PC) was first introduced to Muslim Middle Eastern (MME) countries in 1992, but growth of PC has been slow and access to PC is still limited in the region. While most PC models have been developed in Western countries, MME societies have different cultural and religious values that are not incorporated in Western models. We conducted a qualitative study to look at these differences, in order to inform a culturally acceptable model of PC that meets the needs of MME patients and their families. We conducted semi-structured interviews of PC physicians and nurses with experience in both Western and MME countries. Participants were identified by snowball sampling. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a modified grounded-theory approach. We achieved conceptual saturation after 13 interviews. Participants identified four differences between PC practice in Western and MME countries including: cultural differences, legal and policy differences, stances on PC philosophy, and the availability of resources and support for PC. Participants identified five barriers to advancing PC in the MME: shortage of resources, unclear laws and policies, healthcare system barriers, unfamiliarity with the role and benefits of PC, and cultural barriers. Respondents suggested many facilitators at the institutional, regional, and societal levels. We identified a number of important differences in PC practice, as well as common barriers and facilitators for developing PC services in MME countries. This information can help clinicians who are developing PC services in a MME country.

  10. A realist synthesis of cross-border patient movement from low and middle income countries to similar or higher income countries.

    PubMed

    Durham, Jo; Blondell, Sarah J

    2017-08-29

    Patient travel across borders to access healthcare is becoming increasingly common and widespread. Patients moving from high income to middle income countries for healthcare is well documented, with patients seeking treatments that are cheaper or more readily available than at home. Less well understood is when patients move from one low income country to another or from a low income country to a higher income country. In this paper, a realist review was undertaken to explore why, in what contexts and how patients from lower income countries travel to countries with the same, or more advanced, economies for planned healthcare. Based on an initial scoping of the literature and discussions with key informants, we generated an initial theory and set of propositions about why, how, who and in what contexts people cross international borders for planned healthcare. We then systematically located and synthesized (1) peer-reviewed studies from the Scopus, Embase, Web of Science and Econlit databases; (2) non-indexed reports using key informants and Google; and (3) papers from the reference lists of included documents, to glean supportive or contradictory evidence for our initial propositions. As we reviewed the literature and extracted our data, we drew on the work of Pierre Bourdieu to understand the interplay between material and non-material capital and cognitive processes in decisions to cross borders for healthcare. Patient travel was largely undertaken due to a lack of services in the home country and/or unacceptability of local services, with decisions on when, and where, to travel, usually made within the patient's social networks. They were able to travel via use of multiple resources, including social networks, economic and cultural capital, and habitus. Those patients with greater volumes of the aforementioned factors had greater healthcare options; however, even those with limited resources engaged in patient travel. Patient movement challenges traditional

  11. Advancing Women in STEM at Florida International University

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simpson, Caroline E.

    2015-01-01

    Florida International University (FIU) was awarded an NSF ADVANCE grant in 2011 to fund a partnership with the University of Michigan (UM) in order to improve the advancement of women faculty in STEM fields at FIU. FIU is a Carnegie "High Research Activity" doctoral granting institution, and is the fifth largest university in the country with over 54,000 students and 1,100 full-time faculty. The project at FIU was designed to adapt and implement some of the tools and practices shown to have increased the participation and advancement of women in the sciences at UM. The FIU ADVANCE program was funded from 2011-2014, and resulted in increased awareness of the issues facing women faculty in STEM fields, increased hiring of women into STEM faculty positions at FIU, and improved satisfaction for women in terms of some gender equity issues, pay, and recognition at FIU. I will give an overview of the program structure and components, provide examples and evidence of change, and discuss no-cost changes that can be implemented at other institutions.

  12. Overcoming challenges to sustainable immunization financing: early experiences from GAVI graduating countries

    PubMed Central

    Hecht, Robert; Kaddar, Miloud; Schmitt, Sarah; Ryckman, Theresa; Cornejo, Santiago

    2015-01-01

    Over the 5-year period ending in 2018, 16 countries with a combined birth cohort of over 6 million infants requiring life-saving immunizations are scheduled to transition (graduate) from outside financial and technical support for a number of their essential vaccines. This support has been provided over the past decade by the GAVI Alliance. Will these 16 countries be able to continue to sustain these vaccination efforts? To address this issue, GAVI and its partners are supporting transition planning, entailing country assessments of readiness to graduate and intensive dialogue with national officials to ensure a smooth transition process. This approach was piloted in Bhutan, Republic of Congo, Georgia, Moldova and Mongolia in 2012. The pilot showed that graduating countries are highly heterogeneous in their capacity to assume responsibility for their immunization programmes. Although all possess certain strengths, each country displayed weaknesses in some of the following areas: budgeting for vaccine purchase, national procurement practices, performance of national regulatory agencies, and technical capacity for vaccine planning and advocacy. The 2012 pilot experience further demonstrated the value of transition planning processes and tools. As a result, GAVI has decided to continue with transition planning in 2013 and beyond. As the graduation process advances, GAVI and graduating countries should continue to contribute to global collective thinking about how developing countries can successfully end their dependence on donor aid and achieve self-sufficiency. PMID:24510369

  13. Matching Up to the Information Society: An Evaluation of the EU, the EU Accession Countries, Switzerland and the United States. Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graafland-Essers, Irma; Cremonini, Leon; Ettedgui, Emile; Botterman, Maarten

    2003-01-01

    This report presents the current understanding of the advancement of the Information Society within the European Union and countries that are up for accession in 2004, and is based on the SIBIS (Statistical Indicators Benchmarking the Information Society) surveys and analyses per SIBIS theme and country. The report is unique in its coherent and…

  14. The politics of environmental concern: A cross-national analysis*

    PubMed Central

    Nawrotzki, Raphael J.

    2016-01-01

    Prior research in the U.S. has found that liberals are generally more environmentally concerned than conservatives. The present study explores whether conservatives’ opposition to environmental protection is solely a U.S. or a universal phenomenon and whether this association is contingent on country-level characteristics such as development, environmental conditions, and communist history. Employing data for 19 countries from the ISSP module “Environment II,” this paper explores inter-country variations in the relationship between individual conservatism and environmental concern using multilevel modeling with cross-level interactions. The models reveal a number of intriguing associations. Most important, conservatives’ support for environmental protection varies by country. This variation is a function of country-level characteristics. The strongest opposition of conservatives’ toward environmental protection was observed in developed, capitalist nations, with superior environmental conditions. On the other hand, in less developed countries, and countries characterized by poor environmental quality, conservatives are more environmentally concerned than liberals. PMID:27616877

  15. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in BRIC countries: the cases of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

    PubMed

    Richeldi, Luca; Rubin, Adalberto Sperb; Avdeev, Sergey; Udwadia, Zarir F; Xu, Zuo Jun

    2015-09-24

    Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the prototype of interstitial lung diseases, has the worst prognosis and is the only interstitial lung disease for which approved pharmacological treatments are available. Despite being considered a rare disease, IPF patients pose major challenges to both physicians and healthcare systems. It is estimated that a large number of IPF patients reside in BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) given their overall total population of approximately 3 billion inhabitants. Nevertheless, the limited availability of chest imaging in BRIC countries is considered a chief obstacle to diagnosis, since high-resolution computed tomography of the chest is the key diagnostic test for IPF. Further, obtaining reliable lung function tests and providing treatment access is difficult in the more rural areas of these countries. However, IPF might represent an opportunity for BRIC countries: the exponentially increasing demand for the enrollment of IPF patients in clinical trials of new drugs is predicted to face a shortage of patients - BRIC countries may thus play a crucial role in advancing towards a cure for IPF.

  16. Advance directives in english and French law: different concepts, different values, different societies.

    PubMed

    Horn, Ruth Judith

    2014-03-01

    In Western societies advance directives are widely recognised as important means to extend patient self-determination under circumstances of incapacity. Following other countries, England and France have adopted legislation aiming to clarify the legal status of advance directives. In this paper, I will explore similarities and differences in both sets of legislation, the arguments employed in the respective debates and the socio-political structures on which these differences are based. The comparison highlights how different legislations express different concepts emphasising different values accorded to the duty to respect autonomy and to protect life, and how these differences are informed by different socio-political contexts. Furthermore each country associates different ethical concerns with ADs which raise doubts about whether these directives are a theoretical idea which is hardly applicable in practice.

  17. The Republic of Chile: an upper middle-income country at the crossroads of economic development and aging.

    PubMed

    Gitlin, Laura N; Fuentes, Patricio

    2012-06-01

    Chile is a developing country with a rapidly expanding economy and concomitant social and cultural changes. It is expected to become a developed country within 10 years. Chile is also characterized as being in an advanced demographic transition. Unique challenges are posed by the intersection of rapid economic development and an aging population, making Chile an intriguing case study for examining the impact of these societal-level trends on the aging experience. This paper highlights essential characteristics of this country for understanding its emerging aging society. It reveals that there is a fundamental lack of adequate and depthful epidemiologic and country-specific research from which to fully understand the aging experience and guide new policies in support of health and well-being.

  18. The Republic of Chile: An Upper Middle-Income Country at the Crossroads of Economic Development and Aging

    PubMed Central

    Gitlin, Laura N.; Fuentes, Patricio

    2012-01-01

    Chile is a developing country with a rapidly expanding economy and concomitant social and cultural changes. It is expected to become a developed country within 10 years. Chile is also characterized as being in an advanced demographic transition. Unique challenges are posed by the intersection of rapid economic development and an aging population, making Chile an intriguing case study for examining the impact of these societal-level trends on the aging experience. This paper highlights essential characteristics of this country for understanding its emerging aging society. It reveals that there is a fundamental lack of adequate and depthful epidemiologic and country-specific research from which to fully understand the aging experience and guide new policies in support of health and well-being. PMID:22534464

  19. Interpreting advance directives: ethical considerations of the interplay between personal and cultural identity.

    PubMed

    Schicktanz, Silke

    2009-06-01

    In many industrialized countries ethicists and lawyers favour advance directives as a tool to guarantee patient autonomy in end-of-life-decisions. However, most citizens seem reluctant to adopt the practice; the number of patients who have an advance directive is low across most countries. The article discusses the key argument for seeing such documents as an instrument of self-interpretation and life-planning, which ultimately have to be interpreted by third parties as well. Interpretation by third parties and the process of self-reflection are conceptually linked by a qualitative concept of identity. Identity is conceived here as constructed in a processual dialogue between a personal and a cultural perspective. How the cultural dimension comes into play in understanding the motivation, rejection or content of wished for end-of-life-decisions, is shown by a brief review of empirical and cultural studies. Understanding advance directives as a culturally embedded tool of self-interpretation should help to overcome urgent moral problems in clinical settings: how to interpret such documents, how to deliberate on the content and on the best form.

  20. 10 CFR 73.74 - Requirement for advance notice and protection of import shipments of nuclear material from...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... shipments of nuclear material from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection... PROTECTION OF PLANTS AND MATERIALS Records and Reports § 73.74 Requirement for advance notice and protection of import shipments of nuclear material from countries that are not party to the Convention on the...

  1. 10 CFR 73.74 - Requirement for advance notice and protection of import shipments of nuclear material from...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... shipments of nuclear material from countries that are not party to the Convention on the Physical Protection... PROTECTION OF PLANTS AND MATERIALS Records and Reports § 73.74 Requirement for advance notice and protection of import shipments of nuclear material from countries that are not party to the Convention on the...

  2. Neurobiology of food addiction and adolescent obesity prevention in low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Lee, Albert; Gibbs, Susannah E

    2013-02-01

    Adolescent obesity has become an increasingly urgent issue in low- and middle-income countries. Recent relevant advances include the application of the neurobiology of addiction to food addiction and obesity. The biochemistry of the etiology of obesity indicates the need for multilevel interventions that go beyond simple behavioral approaches. Additional research on the neurobiology of food addiction and adolescent obesity in low- and middle-income countries, as well as program evaluations that examine the biochemical effects of complex interventions, is urgently needed. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Nutrition guidelines for undergraduate medical curricula: a six-country comparison.

    PubMed

    Crowley, Jennifer; Ball, Lauren; Laur, Celia; Wall, Clare; Arroll, Bruce; Poole, Phillippa; Ray, Sumantra

    2015-01-01

    To assess nutrition curriculum guidelines for undergraduate medical education in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand to highlight potential opportunities for shared learning on the advancement of nutrition in medical education. A comprehensive list of professional bodies, councils, organizations, and other groups relevant to education or nutrition was compiled for each country after a review of relevant white and gray literature. All documents that were published from 2000 onwards, and that provided guidance on nutrition education within undergraduate medical education for one of the identified countries were included in the review. Each curriculum guideline was evaluated for 1) the organization's or group's role in undergraduate medical education; 2) the extent of nutrition-related recommendations; and 3) mandatory implementation. In the countries reviewed, a total of six nutrition-related curriculum guidelines were identified. All countries, aside from the Republic of Ireland, currently have externally visible curriculum guidelines to inform medical schools in undergraduate nutrition education, yet there is little evidence of mandatory enforcement. Curriculum guidelines predominantly focus on basic nutrition principles, nutrition assessment, the role of nutrition in health, interdisciplinary teamwork, and the provision of nutrition counseling. Notable differences exist regarding the scope and detail of curriculum guidelines for the reviewed countries. There are promising developments in nutrition curriculum guidelines for medical schools within the reviewed countries. Differences in the scope and detail of nutrition curriculum guidelines may influence the nutrition education provided to medical students, and the subsequent nutrition care provided by doctors in these countries. Consideration is required as to how to monitor and evaluate the nutrition competence of doctors in relation to routine health care

  4. Nutrition guidelines for undergraduate medical curricula: a six-country comparison

    PubMed Central

    Crowley, Jennifer; Ball, Lauren; Laur, Celia; Wall, Clare; Arroll, Bruce; Poole, Phillippa; Ray, Sumantra

    2015-01-01

    Aim To assess nutrition curriculum guidelines for undergraduate medical education in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand to highlight potential opportunities for shared learning on the advancement of nutrition in medical education. Methods A comprehensive list of professional bodies, councils, organizations, and other groups relevant to education or nutrition was compiled for each country after a review of relevant white and gray literature. All documents that were published from 2000 onwards, and that provided guidance on nutrition education within undergraduate medical education for one of the identified countries were included in the review. Each curriculum guideline was evaluated for 1) the organization’s or group’s role in undergraduate medical education; 2) the extent of nutrition-related recommendations; and 3) mandatory implementation. Results In the countries reviewed, a total of six nutrition-related curriculum guidelines were identified. All countries, aside from the Republic of Ireland, currently have externally visible curriculum guidelines to inform medical schools in undergraduate nutrition education, yet there is little evidence of mandatory enforcement. Curriculum guidelines predominantly focus on basic nutrition principles, nutrition assessment, the role of nutrition in health, interdisciplinary teamwork, and the provision of nutrition counseling. Notable differences exist regarding the scope and detail of curriculum guidelines for the reviewed countries. Conclusion There are promising developments in nutrition curriculum guidelines for medical schools within the reviewed countries. Differences in the scope and detail of nutrition curriculum guidelines may influence the nutrition education provided to medical students, and the subsequent nutrition care provided by doctors in these countries. Consideration is required as to how to monitor and evaluate the nutrition competence of doctors

  5. [Advance directives. Representatives' opinions].

    PubMed

    Busquets I Font, J M; Hernando Robles, P; Font I Canals, R; Diestre Ortin, G; Quintana, S

    The use and usefulness of Advance Directives has led to a lot of controversy about their validity and effectiveness. Those areas are unexplored in our country from the perspective of representatives. To determine the opinion of the representatives appointed in a registered Statement of Advance Directives (SAD) on the use of this document. Telephone survey of representatives of 146 already dead people and who, since February 2012, had registered a SAD document. More the two-thirds (98) of respondents recalled that the SAD was consulted, with 86 (58.9%) saying that their opinion as representative was consulted, and 120 (82.1%) believe that the patient's will was respected. Of those interviewed, 102 (69.9%) believe that patients who had previously planned their care using a SAD had a good death, with 33 (22.4%) saying it could have been better, and 10 (6.9%) believe they suffered greatly. The SAD were mostly respected and consulted, and possibly this is related to the fact that most of the representatives declare that the death of those they represented was perceived as comfortable. It would be desirable to conduct further studies addressed at health personnel in order to know their perceptions regarding the use of Advance Directives in the process of dying. Copyright © 2016 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  6. Defense Department's role in advanced technology: a personal perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McFarland, Ray I., Jr.

    1996-01-01

    The Department of Defense is both a developer and user of advanced technology. It does so, not as an end unto itself, but in support of its mission, which is to protect the national security of the country. In part, this is accomplished by 'supporting the warfighter,' and in part, by supporting the national leaders of the country. In accomplishing these ends, a careful balance must be achieved to ensure the Department has the necessary technology to successfully carry out its mission, without the imposition of 'an industrial policy.' Nor can the Department afford the creation of an artificial market, which only it will support, if alternative industrial markets will suffice.

  7. 9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

  8. 9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

  9. 9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

  10. 9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

  11. 9 CFR 319.106 - “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country Style Pork...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ...Dry Cured Ham,â âCountry Pork Shoulder,â âCountry Style Pork Shoulder,â and âDry Cured Pork Shoulder.â 319.106 Section 319.106 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... Smoked § 319.106 “Country Ham,” “Country Style Ham,” “Dry Cured Ham,” “Country Pork Shoulder,” “Country...

  12. How International Research on Parenting Advances Understanding of Child Development

    PubMed Central

    Lansford, Jennifer E.; Bornstein, Marc H.; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Al-Hassan, Suha M.; Bacchini, Dario; Bombi, Anna Silvia; Chang, Lei; Chen, Bin-Bin; Di Giunta, Laura; Malone, Patrick S.; Oburu, Paul; Pastorelli, Concetta; Skinner, Ann T.; Sorbring, Emma; Steinberg, Laurence; Tapanya, Sombat; Alampay, Liane Peña; Tirado, Liliana Maria Uribe; Zelli, Arnaldo

    2016-01-01

    International research on parenting and child development can advance our understanding of similarities and differences in how parenting is related to children's development across countries. Challenges to conducting international research include operationalizing culture, disentangling effects within and between countries, and balancing emic and etic perspectives. Benefits of international research include testing whether findings regarding parenting and child development replicate across diverse samples, incorporating cultural and contextual diversity to foster more inclusive and representative research samples and investigators than has typically occurred, and understanding how children develop in proximal parenting and family and distal international contexts. PMID:27725843

  13. Advancing LGBT Elder Policy and Support Services: The Massachusetts Model.

    PubMed

    Krinsky, Lisa; Cahill, Sean R

    2017-12-01

    The Massachusetts-based LGBT Aging Project has trained elder service providers in affirming and culturally competent care for LGBT older adults, supported development of LGBT-friendly meal programs, and advanced LGBT equality under aging policy. Working across sectors, this innovative model launched the country's first statewide Legislative Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Aging. Advocates are working with policymakers to implement key recommendations, including cultural competency training and data collection in statewide networks of elder services. The LGBT Aging Project's success provides a template for improving services and policy for LGBT older adults throughout the country.

  14. USSR Report, World Economy and International Relations, No. 10, October 1986

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-01-15

    for international comparative studies, for prognosis of exchange rates dynamics. The exchange rates formation gains special attention in the article...traditional bourgeois " models " like the classical 19th century "balance of power". We would recall merely H. Kissinger’s book "A World Restored," which...1980’s the average per capita income level here was 11 times lower than in the developed capitalist countries. And thoughout the past three decades

  15. Women's work and development in Latin America.

    PubMed

    Draper, E

    1985-01-01

    The discussion explores the problem of women's employment patterns under capitalist development in Latin America, first by analyzing the way in which women's work has been conceptualized within modernization theory. It then goes on to examine the 2 types of work in which most Latin American women are engaged -- domestic service and informal work such as selling produce and taking in laundry -- to provide evidence for challenging modernization theory and for developing a more useful approach. Subsequently, the discussion considers women's domestic and informal work within the context of capitalist development, which provides some insight into the broader structures shaping women's employment. Finally, the discussion proposes some reconceptualizations of women's work and development. Modernization theorists analyze women's work in the cities within a variety of constructs, interpreting it as a backward manifestation of traditional society, a reflection of women's inadequate training for the modern sector, an indication of women's primary orientation to the family, or as a phenomenon that is too tangential to warrant examination. The primary assumption is that modernization improves women's status and the conditions of their lives as it brings greater productivity, more advanced technology, and more highly differentiated institutions. Assumptions concerning women's absorption into the modern sector and the equalization of work roles between men and women are not borne out by actual employment trends, which reveal the persistent concentration of women in domestic work, informal jobs, and the lower-paying service jobs. Despite their predominance, domestic service and informal jobs are infrequently included in employment statistics and are virtually ignored in studies of development, yet these 2 types of work are the primary forms of work for Latin American women. Even when modernization theorists recognize the proliferation of informal and domestic service jobs, they

  16. Competency frameworks for advanced practice nursing: a literature review.

    PubMed

    Sastre-Fullana, P; De Pedro-Gómez, J E; Bennasar-Veny, M; Serrano-Gallardo, P; Morales-Asencio, J M

    2014-12-01

    This paper describes a literature review that identified common traits in advanced practice nursing that are specific to competency development worldwide. There is a lack of international agreement on the definition of advanced practice nursing and its core competencies. Despite the lack of consensus, there is an ongoing process worldwide to establish and outline the standards and competencies for advanced practice nursing roles. International agencies, such as the International Council of Nurses, have provided general definitions for advanced practice nursing. Additionally, a set of competency standards for this aim has been developed. A literature review and a directed search of institutional websites were performed to identify specific developments in advanced practice nursing competencies and standards of practice. To determine a competency map specific to international advanced practice nursing, key documents were analysed using a qualitative approach based on content analysis to identify common traits among documents and countries. The review process identified 119 relevant journal articles related to advanced practice nursing competencies. Additionally, 97 documents from grey literature that were related to advanced practice nursing competency mapping were identified. From the text analysis, 17 worldwide transversal competency domains emerged. Despite the variety of patterns in international advanced practice nursing development, essential competency domains can be found in most national frameworks for the role development of international advanced practice nursing. These 17 core competencies can be used to further develop instruments that assess the perceived competency of advanced practice nurses. The results of this review can help policy developers and researchers develop instruments to compare advanced practice nursing services in various contexts and to examine their association with related outcomes. © 2014 International Council of Nurses.

  17. Comparative Analysis of OECD Member Countries' Competitive Advantage in National Human Resource Development System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oh, Hunseok; Choi, Yeseul; Choi, Myungweon

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess, evaluate, and compare the competitive advantages of the human resource development systems of advanced countries. The Global Human Resource Development Index was utilized for this study, since it has been validated through an expert panel's content review and analytic hierarchy process. Using a sample of 34…

  18. The role of governance in implementing task-shifting from physicians to nurses in advanced roles in Europe, U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Australia.

    PubMed

    Maier, Claudia B

    2015-12-01

    Task-shifting from physicians to nurses is increasing worldwide; however, research on how it is governed is scarce. This international study assessed task-shifting governance models and implications on practice, based on a literature scoping review; and a survey with 93 country experts in 39 countries (response rate: 85.3%). Governance was assessed by several indicators, regulation of titles, scope of practice, prescriptive authority, and registration policies. This policy analysis focused on eleven countries with task-shifting at the Advanced Practice Nursing/Nurse Practitioner (APN/NP) level. Governance models ranged from national, decentralized to no regulation, but at the discretion of employers and settings. In countries with national or decentralized regulation, restrictive scope of practice laws were shown as barrier, up-to-date laws as enablers to advanced practice. Countries with decentralized regulation resulted in uneven levels of practice. In countries leaving governance to individual settings, practice variations existed, moreover data availability and role clarity was limited. Policy options include periodic reviews to ensure laws are up to date, minimum harmonization in decentralized contexts, harmonized educational and practice-level requirements to reduce practice variation and ensure quality. From a European Union (EU) perspective, regulation is preferred over non-regulation as a first step toward the recognition of qualifications in countries with similar levels of advanced practice. Countries early on in the process need to be aware that different governance models can influence practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. National policies on the management of latent tuberculosis infection: review of 98 countries

    PubMed Central

    Jagger, Ann; Reiter-karam, Silke; Getahun, Haileyesus

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Objective To review policies on management of latent tuberculosis infection in countries with low and high burdens of tuberculosis. Methods We divided countries reporting data to the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Programme into low and high tuberculosis burden, based on WHO criteria. We identified national policy documents on management of latent tuberculosis through online searches, government websites, WHO country offices and personal communication with programme managers. We made a descriptive analysis with a focus on policy gaps and deviations from WHO policy recommendations. Findings We obtained documents from 68 of 113 low-burden countries and 30 of 35 countries with the highest burdens of tuberculosis or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated tuberculosis. Screening and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in people living with HIV was recommended in guidelines of 29 (96.7%) high-burden and 54 (79.7%) low-burden countries. Screening for children aged < 5 years with household tuberculosis contact was the policy of 25 (83.3%) high- and 28 (41.2%) low-burden countries. In most high-burden countries the recommendation was symptom screening alone before treatment, whereas in all low-burden countries it was testing before treatment. Some low-burden countries’ policies did not comply with WHO recommendations: nine (13.2%) recommended tuberculosis preventive treatment for travellers to high-burden countries and 10 (14.7%) for patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Conclusion Lack of solid evidence on certain aspects of management of latent tuberculosis infection results in national policies which vary considerably. This highlights a need to advance research and develop clear, implementable and evidence-based WHO policies. PMID:29531416

  20. A Korean perspective on developing a global policy for advance directives.

    PubMed

    Kim, Soyoon; Hahm, Ki-Hyun; Park, Hyoung Wook; Kang, Hyun Hee; Sohn, Myongsei

    2010-03-01

    Despite the wide and daunting array of cross-cultural obstacles that the formulation of a global policy on advance directives will clearly pose, the need is equally evident. Specifically, the expansion of medical services driven by medical tourism, just to name one important example, makes this issue urgently relevant. While ensuring consistency across national borders, a global policy will have the additional and perhaps even more important effect of increasing the use of advance directives in clinical settings and enhancing their effectiveness within each country, regardless of where that country's state of the law currently stands. One cross-cultural issue that may represent a major obstacle in formulating, let alone applying, a global policy is whether patient autonomy as the underlying principle for the use of advance directives is a universal norm or a construct of western traditions that must be reconciled with alternative value systems that may place lesser significance on individual choice. A global policy, at a minimum, must emphasize respect for patient autonomy, provision of medical information, limits to the obligations for physicians, and portability. And though the development of a global policy will be no easy task, active engagement in close collaboration with the World Health Organization can make it possible.

  1. Development of advanced capitalism: a case study of retired coal miners in southern West Virginia

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

    Legeay, S.P.

    1980-01-01

    This dissertation develops a critical analysis of changes in American society during the last fifty years. It is focused in particular on the southern West Virginia coal fields, and examines the changes in class structure (specifically, coal miners), the labor process, the union, class consciousness, community and leisure. The study is grounded within a theoretical perspective that is dialectical. It is concerned with the interaction between specific social categories (such as the union) and the greater whole of capitalist development. It is centrally concerned with continuing a research orientation to which the Frankfurt School gave a powerful contribution: the developmentmore » of advanced capitalism in the modern epoch. The study utilizes life-history interviews with retired coal miners, almost all of whom had experience with the exploitive company towns of an earlier time. Thus, techniques for the study of oral history are instrumental in developing an analysis of social developments, inasmuch as they provide data appropriate for an analysis of the transformation from early to late capitalism. Finally, this dissertation examines a problem central to dialectical theory, that of the relation between theory and praxis, by approaching the life histories as exemplifications of collective (i.e., social) experience. It integrates the biographical experience of individual miners with the theoretical dimensions of political economy in early and late capitalism. The current crisis in the coal fields is examined, with a view to possible transformation.« less

  2. Development of Global Change Research in Developing Countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sierra, Carlos A.; Yepes, Adriana P.

    2010-10-01

    Ecosystems and Global Change in the Context of the Neotropics; Medellín, Colombia, 19-20 May 2010; Research in most areas of global environmental change is overwhelmingly produced outside developing countries, which are usually consumers rather than producers of the knowledge associated with their natural resources. While there have been important recent advances in understanding the causes of global-¬scale changes and their consequences to the functioning of tropical ecosystems, there is still an important gap in the understanding of these changes at regional and national levels (where important political decisions are usually made). A symposium was held with the aim of surveying the current state of research activities in a small, developing country such as Colombia. It was jointly organized by the Research Center on Ecosystems and Global Change, Carbono and Bosques; the National University of Colombia at Medellín and the Colombian Ministry of the Environment, Housing, and Regional Development. This 2-¬day symposium gathered Colombian and international scientists involved in different areas of global environmental change, tropical ecosystems, and human societies.

  3. Towards a new era in fetal medicine in the Nordic countries.

    PubMed

    Sitras, Vasilis

    2016-08-01

    Fetal medicine is a subspecialty of obstetrics investigating the development, growth and disease of the human fetus. The advances in fetal imaging (ultrasonography, MRI) and molecular diagnostic techniques, together with the possibility of intervention in utero, make fetal medicine an important, rapidly developing field within women's healthcare. Therefore, a variety of specialists, such as neonatologists, pediatric cardiologists, medical geneticists, radiologists and pediatric surgeons, are necessary to adjunct in the diagnosis and treatment of the fetus as a patient. In this commentary, we provide a description of some organizational and educational aspects of fetal medicine in the Nordic countries, using examples of the management of specific conditions such as aneuploidy screening, red cell allo-immunization and fetal interventions. Clearly, there are several cultural, legal, organizational and practical differences between the Nordic countries; these are not necessarily negative, given the high standards of care in all Nordic countries. The scope of the newly founded Nordic Network of Fetal Medicine is to enhance cooperation in clinical practice, education and research between the participant countries. Hopefully, this initiative will find the necessary political and economic support from the national authorities and bring a new era in the field of fetal medicine in the Nordic region. © 2016 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  4. Overcoming challenges to sustainable immunization financing: early experiences from GAVI graduating countries.

    PubMed

    Saxenian, Helen; Hecht, Robert; Kaddar, Miloud; Schmitt, Sarah; Ryckman, Theresa; Cornejo, Santiago

    2015-03-01

    Over the 5-year period ending in 2018, 16 countries with a combined birth cohort of over 6 million infants requiring life-saving immunizations are scheduled to transition (graduate) from outside financial and technical support for a number of their essential vaccines. This support has been provided over the past decade by the GAVI Alliance. Will these 16 countries be able to continue to sustain these vaccination efforts? To address this issue, GAVI and its partners are supporting transition planning, entailing country assessments of readiness to graduate and intensive dialogue with national officials to ensure a smooth transition process. This approach was piloted in Bhutan, Republic of Congo, Georgia, Moldova and Mongolia in 2012. The pilot showed that graduating countries are highly heterogeneous in their capacity to assume responsibility for their immunization programmes. Although all possess certain strengths, each country displayed weaknesses in some of the following areas: budgeting for vaccine purchase, national procurement practices, performance of national regulatory agencies, and technical capacity for vaccine planning and advocacy. The 2012 pilot experience further demonstrated the value of transition planning processes and tools. As a result, GAVI has decided to continue with transition planning in 2013 and beyond. As the graduation process advances, GAVI and graduating countries should continue to contribute to global collective thinking about how developing countries can successfully end their dependence on donor aid and achieve self-sufficiency. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

  5. Gurus in the garage.

    PubMed

    Leonard, D; Swap, W

    2000-01-01

    Before the days of the Internet, it was primarily venture capitalists who coached young entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. Today, because of the phenomenal number of new companies, venture capitalists are just too busy. The largest firms still take on a few carefully selected, highly promising zero-stage start-ups, but they simply can't spend the time on ones that aren't going to grow huge quickly. To fill the void, a new breed of adviser has stepped in to coach entrepreneurs. Called mentor capitalists, they help entrepreneurs with everything from recruiting top talent to attracting their first million in seed money. The mentor capitalists in Silicon Valley are cashed-out, highly successful business architects who no longer want to start businesses but who love the thrill of the entrepreneurial game. They spend hours and hours with first-time entrepreneurs, guiding them as they create and refine a business model, test their ideas in the marketplace, build business processes, raise money, and find talent. The authors of this article found through dozens of extensive interviews with entrepreneurs and their coaches that mentor capitalists play many roles: sculptor, psychologist, diplomat, kingmaker, talent magnet, process engineer, and rainmaker. In exchange for small equity stakes, the mentor capitalists wear these different hats, doling out expertise just in time, as situations arise, and in doses appropriate to the situation. Mentor capitalists seed Silicon Valley with expertise and knowledge, augmenting or even substituting for classes in entrepreneurship at local universities. But, as the authors note, the role of the mentor capitalist is essential to any start-up, anywhere.

  6. 19 CFR 10.198b - Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary... Basin Initiative § 10.198b Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country. Except in the... of Puerto Rico and that is by any means advanced in value or improved in condition in a beneficiary...

  7. 19 CFR 10.198b - Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary... Basin Initiative § 10.198b Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country. Except in the... of Puerto Rico and that is by any means advanced in value or improved in condition in a beneficiary...

  8. 19 CFR 10.198b - Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary... Basin Initiative § 10.198b Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country. Except in the... of Puerto Rico and that is by any means advanced in value or improved in condition in a beneficiary...

  9. 19 CFR 10.198b - Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary... Basin Initiative § 10.198b Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country. Except in the... of Puerto Rico and that is by any means advanced in value or improved in condition in a beneficiary...

  10. 19 CFR 10.198b - Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary... Basin Initiative § 10.198b Products of Puerto Rico processed in a beneficiary country. Except in the... of Puerto Rico and that is by any means advanced in value or improved in condition in a beneficiary...

  11. 76 FR 55419 - Report on Countries That Are Candidates for Millennium Challenge Account Eligibility in Fiscal...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-07

    ... programs that advance the progress of such countries to achieve lasting economic growth and poverty [[Page...) investments in its people; and (b) considering the opportunity to reduce poverty and generate economic growth...; Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, India, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali...

  12. What Makes the Finnish Different in Science? Assessing and Comparing Students' Science Learning in Three Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Geller, Cornelia; Neumann, Knut; Boone, William J.; Fischer, Hans E.

    2014-01-01

    This manuscript details our efforts to assess and compare students' learning about electricity in three countries. As our world is increasingly driven by technological advancements, the education of future citizens in science becomes one important resource for economic productivity. Not surprisingly international large-scale assessments are viewed…

  13. Trends in dietary patterns and compliance with World Health Organization recommendations: a cross-country analysis.

    PubMed

    Mazzocchi, Mario; Brasili, Cristina; Sandri, Elisa

    2008-05-01

    To investigate time patterns of compliance with nutrient goals recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). A single aggregated indicator of distance from the key WHO recommendations for a healthy diet is built using FAOSTAT intake data, bounded between 0 (maximum possible distance from goals) and 1 (perfect adherence). Two hypotheses are tested for different country groupings: (1) whether adherence has improved over time; and (2) whether cross-country disparities in terms of diet healthiness have decreased. One hundred and forty-nine countries, including 26 countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and 115 developing countries (including 43 least developed countries), with yearly data over the period 1961-2002. The Recommendation Compliance Index (RCI) shows significant improvements in adherence to WHO goals for both developing and especially OECD countries. The latter group of countries show the highest levels of the RCI and the largest increase over time, especially between 1981 and 2002. No improvement is detected for least developed countries. A reduction in disparities (convergence of the RCI) is observed only within the OECD grouping. Adherence to healthy eating guidelines depends on economic development. Diets are improving and converging in advanced economies, but developing and especially least developed countries are still far from meeting WHO nutrition goals. This confirms findings on the double burden of malnutrition and suggests that economic drivers are more relevant than socio-cultural factors in determining the healthiness of diets.

  14. Commentary: Centering the "Marginalized Majority"--How Hispanic-Serving Institutions Advance Postsecondary Attainment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Núñez, Anne-Marie

    2017-01-01

    Advancing the educational success of the Latinx population can significantly affect overall postsecondary attainment since Latinxs comprise the largest and fastest growing non-White population in the country yet historically have among the lowest rates of postsecondary attainment (Kelly, Schneider, & Carey, 2010). Arguably, Hispanic-Serving…

  15. US fossil fuel technologies for developing countries: Costa Rica country packet

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

    Not Available

    Costa Rica presents long-term opportunities for US participation in the power generation sector. A growing industrial base, high economic growth, and an increasing living standard will continue to require more reliable electric generation. Although the country has depended upon hydropower to meet much of its energy needs, coal could become a more reliable form of energy in the near term, based on estimated indigenous resources and proximity to food quality imports. Thus, trade opportunities exist for the United States, in the electric power sector, for the US advanced fossil fuel technologies and related services. This report describes the Costa Ricanmore » energy situation; examines the financial, economic, and trade issues; and discusses project opportunities in Costa Rica. Costa Rica appears to have a positive climate for trade and investment activities, stimulated by the Caribbean Basin Initiative. Although the economy has recently slowed, the economic outlook appears healthy. Application for membership in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade is pending. Due to an unexpectedly large growth in electricity demand, the Costa Rican utility Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad is evaluating the need for construction of a coal-fired power plant in the size range of 60 to 125 MW, with an in-service data of the mid-1990s. A decision is expected by the end of 1988 concerning the required size, source of coal, and timing of this coal-fired plant. Based on conditions in Costa Rica, US advanced fossil-fuel technologies were chosen for continued study in conjunction with the identified potential project opportunities. These technologies are the atmospheric fluidized bed combustor and coal-water mixtures. They could play a major role in meeting the utility expansion and/or industrial conversion opportunities summarized in Table I.1. The value of such projects could approximate US $160 million.« less

  16. Mapping Mexico's Forest Lands with Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer

    Treesearch

    David J. Evans; Zhiliang Zhu; Susan Eggen-McIntosh; Pedro García Mayoral; Jose Luis Ornelas de Anda

    1992-01-01

    Data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) were used in a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to help scientists from Mexico generate forest-cover maps of that country. Two near-cloud-free composite images were generated for December and March 1990 from...

  17. Stillbirths: the way forward in high-income countries.

    PubMed

    Flenady, Vicki; Middleton, Philippa; Smith, Gordon C; Duke, Wes; Erwich, Jan Jaap; Khong, T Yee; Neilson, Jim; Ezzati, Majid; Koopmans, Laura; Ellwood, David; Fretts, Ruth; Frøen, J Frederik

    2011-05-14

    Stillbirth rates in high-income countries declined dramatically from about 1940, but this decline has slowed or stalled over recent times. The present variation in stillbirth rates across and within high-income countries indicates that further reduction in stillbirth is possible. Large disparities (linked to disadvantage such as poverty) in stillbirth rates need to be addressed by providing more educational opportunities and improving living conditions for women. Placental pathologies and infection associated with preterm birth are linked to a substantial proportion of stillbirths. The proportion of unexplained stillbirths associated with under investigation continues to impede efforts in stillbirth prevention. Overweight, obesity, and smoking are important modifiable risk factors for stillbirth, and advanced maternal age is also an increasingly prevalent risk factor. Intensified efforts are needed to ameliorate the effects of these factors on stillbirth rates. Culturally appropriate preconception care and quality antenatal care that is accessible to all women has the potential to reduce stillbirth rates in high-income countries. Implementation of national perinatal mortality audit programmes aimed at improving the quality of care could substantially reduce stillbirths. Better data on numbers and causes of stillbirth are needed, and international consensus on definition and classification related to stillbirth is a priority. All parents should be offered a thorough investigation including a high-quality autopsy and placental histopathology. Parent organisations are powerful change agents and could have an important role in raising awareness to prevent stillbirth. Future research must focus on screening and interventions to reduce antepartum stillbirth as a result of placental dysfunction. Identification of ways to reduce maternal overweight and obesity is a high priority for high-income countries. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The current status and trend of clinical pharmacology in developing countries

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    medicines. Conclusion Clinical pharmacology in developing countries is advancing in a different way to that in the developed world and continuing support for these efforts will go a long way in promoting improved health for all. PMID:24074056

  19. Psychiatric epidemiology: selected recent advances and future directions.

    PubMed Central

    Kessler, R. C.

    2000-01-01

    Reviewed in this article are selected recent advances and future challenges for psychiatric epidemiology. Major advances in descriptive psychiatric epidemiology in recent years include the development of reliable and valid fully structured diagnostic interviews, the implementation of parallel cross-national surveys of the prevalences and correlates of mental disorders, and the initiation of research in clinical epidemiology. Remaining challenges include the refinement of diagnostic categories and criteria, recognition and evaluation of systematic underreporting bias in surveys of mental disorders, creation and use of accurate assessment tools for studying disorders of children, adolescents, the elderly, and people in less developed countries, and setting up systems to carry out small area estimations for needs assessment and programme planning. Advances in analytical and experimental epidemiology have been more modest. A major challenge is for psychiatric epidemiologists to increase the relevance of their analytical research to their colleagues in preventative psychiatry as well as to social policy analysts. Another challenge is to develop interventions aimed at increasing the proportion of people with mental disorders who receive treatment. Despite encouraging advances, much work still needs to be conducted before psychiatric epidemiology can realize its potential to improve the mental health of populations. PMID:10885165

  20. Colorectal cancer in Mexico: should a middle income country invest in screening or in treatment?

    PubMed

    Verastegui, Emma; Mohar, Alejandro

    2010-01-01

    Mexico, like many other middle-income countries, is experiencing a demographic and epidemiological transition resulting in an older population suffering from chronic diseases. At the present time, cancer is the second cause of death in the country. Until recently, cervical carcinoma was the most frequent type of cancer in the country, however, the incidence of breast, prostate and colon cancers is growing. The demand for health care and health expenditure represented by cancer treatment challenges the limited resources the country has, particularly as patients seek treatment in advanced stages of the disease. Interestingly enough, these types of cancers could be detected in the early stages with rather simple screening procedures. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Mexican health system, and the impact of its fragmentation on access to medicines. Focusing on colorectal cancer (CRC), we describe its epidemiology, screening procedures and the inequities in health care access for these patients.

  1. Reinforcing a Regime: Strengthening Clientelism in Iran with Sanctions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-09-01

    for this thesis. Of the scholarship focusing on class, Max Weber’s Economy and Society served as an excellent starting point in the effort to...of the twentieth century brought with it Western business interests that would start the process of building a capitalist market. The opening of the...advanced communism, which he calls ‘the structure of Abel’; or a class society, as in slavery , feudalism, and capitalism, which he calls ‘the structure of

  2. Cost-effectiveness of Pembrolizumab in Second-line Advanced Bladder Cancer.

    PubMed

    Sarfaty, Michal; Hall, Peter S; Chan, Kelvin K W; Virik, Kiran; Leshno, Moshe; Gordon, Noa; Moore, Assaf; Neiman, Victoria; Rosenbaum, Eli; Goldstein, Daniel A

    2018-03-22

    Immune-modulating drugs have recently been introduced to the second-line setting of advanced bladder cancer. Pembrolizumab increases overall survival and is associated with less toxicity compared with chemotherapy in this setting based on the Keynote 045 study. The high cost of immunotherapy necessitates an assessment of its value by considering both efficacy and cost. To estimate the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab for the second-line treatment of advanced bladder cancer from the perspective of payers in multiple countries. We developed a Markov model to compare the cost and effectiveness of pembrolizumab with those of chemotherapy in the second-line treatment of advanced bladder cancer based on the Keynote 045 study. Drug costs were acquired for the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Canada, and Australia. All costs were converted from local currency to US dollars at the exchange rates in September 2017. Health outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Pembrolizumab generated a gain of 0.36-0.37 QALYs compared with chemotherapy. Our analysis established the following incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy in second-line advanced bladder cancer treatment: US $122 557/QALY; UK $91 995/QALY; Canada $90 099/QALY; and Australia $99 966/QALY. The willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds per QALY are considered to be around 100 000-150 000 US dollars for the US, 20 000-50 000 pounds for the UK (US$25 000-65 000), 20 000 -100 000 CAD for Canada (US$16 000-80 000), and 40 000-75 000 AUD for Australia (US$32 000-60 000). Cost-effectiveness and WTP thresholds vary between countries. Compared with the other countries examined, US drug prices were found to be the highest, leading to the highest ICER. With standard WTP thresholds, pembrolizumab may be considered cost-effective in the US but not in the other countries examined. This article assessed the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab for the treatment

  3. Women in science: Current advances and challenges in Belarus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tashlykova-Bushkevich, Iya I.

    2015-12-01

    Women constitute 49% of all natural scientists in Belarus. However, fewer than 18% of Belarusian natural scientists who hold a doctor of science degree are women. The proportion of women decreases with increasing rank at universities and institutes in Belarus. Gender imbalance at the level of full professor is striking at just 17.5% women, and illuminates the vertical segregation of women in the natural sciences. This report reviews the positions of women in science in Belarus to draw out current advances and challenges encountered by female scientists in the former socialist country. New statistical data are broken down by gender and aimed at advancing the general agenda for women in science.

  4. Cuba: World Oil Report 1991

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

    Maciej, H.

    This paper reports that plagued by his worst fuel crisis in years, Cuban President Fidel Castro late last year began soliciting foreign help in the country's exploration efforts. What is particularly new about this initiative is that the invitation was directed toward capitalist Western nations, as opposed to previous help supplied by the Soviet Union. Castro's sudden change of attitude has been spurred by the continuing shortfall in oil deliveries from the USSR, symptomatic of the latter's own production problems.

  5. Enhancing Neurosurgical Education in Low- and Middle-income Countries: Current Methods and New Advances

    PubMed Central

    LIANG, Kevin E; BERNSTEIN, Ilia; KATO, Yoko; KAWASE, Takeshi; HODAIE, Mojgan

    2016-01-01

    Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face a critical shortage of basic surgical services. Adequate neurosurgical services can have a far-reaching positive impact on society’s health care and, consequently, the economic development in LMICs. Yet surgery, and specifically neurosurgery has been a long neglected sector of global health. This article reviews the current efforts to enhance neurosurgery education in LMICs and outlines ongoing approaches for improvement. In addition, we introduce the concept of a sustainable and cost-effective model to enhance neurosurgical resources in LMICs and describe the process and methods of online curriculum development. PMID:27616319

  6. 78 FR 46792 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Least Developed Countries That Are Designated Countries

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-01

    ... 9000-AM62 Federal Acquisition Regulation; Least Developed Countries That Are Designated Countries... States Trade Representative (USTR) to the list of least developed countries that are designated countries...) allows the President to designate least developed countries as eligible countries under the Trade...

  7. A view from inside Arizona and New Mexico Indian country: pursuing a health career path.

    PubMed

    Overman, Barbara A; Petri, Linda; Knoki-Wilson, Ursula

    2007-01-01

    The stories of individuals working within the health system in Arizona and New Mexico Indian Country were examined to discover interests and needs related to their health career goals and advancement. The aims were: to identify what would be helpful to support educational and career progress; and to determine the barriers to advancement. Community action research methodology was used. A semi-structured interview schedule administered by two of the investigators made up the qualitative interview portion of a two-part survey research design. This qualitative portion of the larger study is reported. Interviewees were chosen from health workers in Arizona and New Mexico Indian country who returned workplace-distributed questionnaires that indicated they were interested in career advancement. The interviewees were selected to be representative of the occupational background, work site, age, and cultural identity of those who returned the questionnaire. Investigators took notes by hand independently during interviews and reviewed both sets of notes simultaneously; the agreed on responses were entered as text data within 2 hours of the interviews. QRS Nudist software (QRS Software; Melbourne, VIC, Australia) was used to sort interview responses to each question in a successive fashion using a constant comparative method to identify key themes within and across questions. Twenty-five personal interviews were conducted in community locations convenient to the interviewee between February and April 2003. The duration of the interviews was 30 min and 60 min. Eighty percent of interviewees were American Indian and 80% percent were women. Themes within interviewees' stories regarding barriers to advancement included: 'making ends meet', dealing with the educational system, uncertainty and inflexibility in the current work setting, and not wanting to disadvantage children by their career decision. Themes related to what participants said they needed included 'making sure the

  8. Applications of Advanced Technology for Monitoring Forest Carbon to Support Climate Change Mitigation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Birdsey, R.; Hurtt, G. C.; Dubayah, R.; Hagen, S. C.; Vargas, R.; Nehrkorn, T.; Domke, G. M.; Houghton, R. A.

    2015-12-01

    Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) is a broad concept guiding the application of monitoring technology to the needs of countries or entities for reporting and verifying reductions in greenhouse gas emissions or increases in greenhouse gas sinks. Credibility, cost-effectiveness, and compatibility are important features of global MRV efforts that can support implementation of climate change mitigation programs such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and Sustainable Forest Management (REDD+). Applications of MRV technology may be tailored to individual country circumstances following guidance provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; hence, there is no single approach that is uniquely viable but rather a range of ways to integrate new MRV methods. MRV technology is advancing rapidly with new remote sensing and advanced measurement of atmospheric CO2, and in situ terrestrial and ocean measurements, coupled with improvements in data analysis, modeling, and assessing uncertainty. Here we briefly summarize some of the most application-ready MRV technologies being developed under NASA's Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) program, and illustrate how these technologies may be applied for monitoring forests using several case studies that span a range of scales, country circumstances, and stakeholder reporting requirements. We also include remarks about the potential role of advanced monitoring technology in the context of the global climate accord that is expected to result from the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is expected to take place in December 2015, in Paris, France.

  9. Antiretroviral Therapy in Advanced HIV Disease: Which is the Best Regimen?

    PubMed

    Burgos, Joaquin; Ribera, Esteban; Falcó, Vicenç

    2018-01-01

    Advanced HIV disease, defined as a CD4 cell count below 200 cells/μl or the presence of an AIDS-defining illness, remains common among HIV-infected individuals who first present for medical care. In developed countries, nearly 30% of new HIV diagnoses occurred at advanced stages of the disease, and it is important because advanced HIV disease has been associated with worse clinical outcomes, including lower rates of virological response, higher morbidity, and higher mortality. However, there are scarce data regarding which is the best antiretroviral regimen in these patients. Nowadays, integrase inhibitor-based regimens are widely recommended as the best initial therapy for treatment-naïve HIV-infected patients by all international guidelines. However, these guidelines hardly mention the recommended regimens in individuals with advanced HIV disease. Otherwise, recent data indicating a higher risk of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome associated to the use of integrase inhibitors have raised concerns on the use of these drugs in patients with advanced HIV disease. The aim of this article is to review the available evidence from randomized clinical trials for the best treatment in patients with advanced HIV disease.

  10. Challenges in the management of rheumatoid arthritis in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Mody, Girish M; Cardiel, Mario H

    2008-08-01

    Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease which is characterized by chronic inflammation of the joints. Patients experience chronic pain and suffering, and increasing disability; without treatment, life expectancy is reduced. It is imperative to identify patients early so that control of inflammation can prevent joint destruction and disability. Although great advances have been made in the developed nations, early diagnosis remains a great challenge for developing countries during the Bone and Joint Decade (2000-2010) and beyond. Developing countries face important and competitive social, economic, health- and poverty-related issues, and this frequently results in chronic diseases such as RA being forgotten in health priorities when urgent health needs are considered in an environment with poor education and scarce resources. Epidemiological studies in developing countries show a lower but still important prevalence in different regions when compared to that in Caucasians. It seems that the severity of RA varies among different ethnic groups, and probably starts at a younger age in developing countries. Practising rheumatologists in these regions need to take into account several important problems that include suboptimal undergraduate education, inadequate diagnosis, late referrals, lack of human and technical resources, poor access to rheumatologists, and some deficiencies in drug availability. Infections are very important in RA, and special care is needed in developing countries as some endemic infections include tuberculosis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. These infections should be carefully taken into account when medications are prescribed and monitored. This chapter presents published information covering the main challenges faced in these environments, and suggests strategies to overcome these important problems in RA management.

  11. Country to country transport of anthropogenic sulphur in Southeast Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Engardt, M.; Siniarovina, U.; Khairul, N. I.; Leong, C. P.

    The MATCH model—driven by archived meteorological data from the ECMWF—has been used to study the long-range transport of pollutants in Southeast Asia during the year 2000. We have specifically investigated the atmospheric export and import of anthropogenic sulphur between nine countries in Southeast Asia as well as the import to these countries from the boundaries of our model domain, from southern China, and from international shipping in the surrounding waters. Compared to the conditions at the mid-latitudes (Europe, North America and East Asia), we find less long-range transport in this part of the world. In all countries in the region (except those with very small area, i.e. Singapore and Brunei), did the major part of the domestic emissions (60-70%) fall down on the emitting country itself. The fraction of the countries own emissions contributing to the total, annually accumulated, national deposition varied from 10% for Laos—which is a country with small emissions neighbouring large emitters—to 80-90% in countries not surrounded by significant emitters (i.e. Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei). Sensitivity tests were performed to explore the uncertainties in the model simulations and to investigate to what extent the current results could be used for source-receptor relationships in the future, when the magnitude and location of the emissions may be different. We found that the general feature—with relatively little long-range transport of sulphur—will not be altered, while the absolute magnitude of the deposition in areas downwind of large emitters could change considerably if certain model parameters, or the emission patterns are changed. This is particularly true in light of the seasonal variation of the deposition pathways. The atmospheric import of anthropogenic sulphur from specific countries can vary by an order of magnitude between different months. Incidentally, a decrease in import from one country during a certain period is often

  12. 2015 RAD-AID Conference on International Radiology for Developing Countries: The Evolving Global Radiology Landscape.

    PubMed

    Kesselman, Andrew; Soroosh, Garshasb; Mollura, Daniel J

    2016-09-01

    Radiology in low- and middle-income (developing) countries continues to make progress. Research and international outreach projects presented at the 2015 annual RAD-AID conference emphasize important global themes, including (1) recent slowing of emerging market growth that threatens to constrain the advance of radiology, (2) increasing global noncommunicable diseases (such as cancer and cardiovascular disease) needing radiology for detection and management, (3) strategic prioritization for pediatric radiology in global public health initiatives, (4) continuous expansion of global health curricula at radiology residencies and the RAD-AID Chapter Network's participating institutions, and (5) technologic innovation for recently accelerated implementation of PACS in low-resource countries. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Advanced orbiting systems test-bedding and protocol verification

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Noles, James; De Gree, Melvin

    1989-01-01

    The Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) has begun the development of a set of protocol recommendations for Advanced Orbiting Systems (SOS). The AOS validation program and formal definition of AOS protocols are reviewed, and the configuration control of the AOS formal specifications is summarized. Independent implementations of the AOS protocols by NASA and ESA are discussed, and cross-support/interoperability tests which will allow the space agencies of various countries to share AOS communication facilities are addressed.

  14. The Process of Cessation Among Current Tobacco Smokers: A Cross-Sectional Data Analysis From 21 Countries, Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2009-2013.

    PubMed

    Mbulo, Lazarous; Palipudi, Krishna M; Nelson-Blutcher, Glenda; Murty, Komanduri S; Asma, Samira

    2015-09-17

    We analyzed data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) from 21 countries to categorize smokers by stages of cessation and highlight interventions that could be tailored to each stage. GATS is a nationally representative household survey that measures tobacco use and other key indicators by using a standardized protocol. The distribution of smokers into precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation stages varied by country. Using the stages of change model, each country can design and implement effective interventions suitable to its cultural, social, and economic situations to help smokers advance successfully through the stages of cessation.

  15. Capitalism, money and banking: a critique of recent historical sociology.

    PubMed

    Ingham, G

    1999-03-01

    A conception of money as a 'neutral veil' masking a 'real' economy was adopted by orthodox economic theory after the Methodenstreit, and is also to be found, in a different form, in Marxian political economy. Both derive from an erroneous functionalist and anachronistic 'commodity' theory of money which, as Post-Keynesian economists argue, cannot explain the distinctive form of capitalist credit-money. Orthodox economic theory and classic Marxism have tacitly informed and flawed historical sociology's understanding of money's role in capitalist development. Mann and Runciman, for example, consider the 'economy' exclusively in terms of the social relations of production and imply that money is epiphenomenal and is to be explained as a response to the needs of the 'real' economy. They do not recognize the structural specificity of capitalist money and banking nor its importance. An alternative account of the autonomous historical conditions of existence of the specifically capitalist form of bank and state credit-money and its role in capitalist development is outlined.

  16. ACTS for distance education in developing countries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kalu, A; Ventre, G.

    1995-01-01

    The need for electrical energy supply in the rural communities of developing countries has been well documented. Equally well known is the potential for photovoltaic in cost effectively meeting this need. A major impediment to fulfilling the need is the lack of indigenous personnel with a knowledgeof photovoltaic systems, and the associated infrastructure required to implement project. Various delivery schemes for providing the needed training to developing countries personnel have been investigated. Various train methods and programs that have been employed to remedy the problem have had significant drawbacks in terms of cost, consistency, impact, reach, and sustainability. The hypothesis to be tested in this project posits that satellite-based distance education using ACTS technologies can overcome these impediments. The purpose of the project is to investigate the applicability of the ACTS satellite in providing distance education in photovoltaic systems to developing countries and rural communities. An evaluation of the cost effectiveness of using ACTS unique technologies to overcome identified problems shall be done. The limitations of ACTS in surmounting distance education problems in developing countries shall be investigated. This project will, furthermore, provide training to Savannah State College faculty in photovoltaic (PV) systems and in distance education configurations and models. It will also produce training materials adequate for use in PV training programs via distance education. Savannah State College will, as a consequence become well equipped to play a leading role in the training of minority populations in photovoltaic systems and other renewables through its Center for Advanced Water Technology and Energy Systems. This communication provides the project outline including the specific issues that will be investigated during the project. Also presented i the project design which covers the participations of the various components of a network

  17. The second modern condition? Compressed modernity as internalized reflexive cosmopolitization.

    PubMed

    Kyung-Sup, Chang

    2010-09-01

    Compressed modernity is a civilizational condition in which economic, political, social and/or cultural changes occur in an extremely condensed manner in respect to both time and space, and in which the dynamic coexistence of mutually disparate historical and social elements leads to the construction and reconstruction of a highly complex and fluid social system. During what Beck considers the second modern stage of humanity, every society reflexively internalizes cosmopolitanized risks. Societies (or their civilizational conditions) are thereby being internalized into each other, making compressed modernity a universal feature of contemporary societies. This paper theoretically discusses compressed modernity as nationally ramified from reflexive cosmopolitization, and, then, comparatively illustrates varying instances of compressed modernity in advanced capitalist societies, un(der)developed capitalist societies, and system transition societies. In lieu of a conclusion, I point out the declining status of national societies as the dominant unit of (compressed) modernity and the interactive acceleration of compressed modernity among different levels of human life ranging from individuals to the global community. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2010.

  18. A multi-country study of dengue vaccination strategies with Dengvaxia and a future vaccine candidate in three dengue-endemic countries: Vietnam, Thailand, and Colombia.

    PubMed

    Lee, Jung-Seok; Lourenço, José; Gupta, Sunetra; Farlow, Andrew

    2018-04-19

    The dengue vaccination era began when Dengvaxia (CYD-TDV) became available in 2016. In addition, several second-generation vaccine candidates are currently in phase 3 trials, suggesting that a broader availability of dengue vaccines may be possible in the near future. Advancing on the recent WHO-SAGE recommendations for the safe and effective use of CYD-TDV at the regional level on average, this study investigates the vaccination impacts and cost-effectiveness of CYD-TDV and of a hypothetical new vaccine candidate (NVC) in a country-specific manner for three endemic countries: Vietnam, Thailand, and Colombia. The vaccination impacts of CYD-TDV and NVC were derived by fitting the empirical seroprevalence rates of 9 year olds into an individual-based meta-population transmission model, previously used for the WHO-SAGE working group. The disability-adjusted life years were estimated by applying country-specific parametric values. The cost-effectiveness analyses of four intervention strategies in combination with routine and catch-up campaigns were compared for both vaccines to inform decision makers regarding the most suitable immunization program in each of the three countries. Both CYD-TDV and NVC could be cost-effective at the DALY threshold cost of $2000 depending upon vaccination costs. With CYD-TDV, targeting 9 year olds in routine vaccination programs and 10-29 year olds as a one-off catch-up campaign was the most cost-effective strategy in all three countries. With NVC, while the most cost-effective strategy was to vaccinate 9-29 and 9-18 year olds in Vietnam and Thailand respectively, vaccinating younger age cohorts between 1 and 5 years old in Colombia was more cost-effective than other strategies. Given that three countries will soon face decisions regarding whether and how to incorporate CYD-TDV or future dengue vaccines into their budget-constrained national immunization programs, the current study outcomes can be used to help decision makers

  19. Plant maintenance and advanced reactors issue, 2004

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

    Agnihotri, Newal

    2004-09-15

    The focus of the September-October issue is on plant maintenance and advanced reactors. Major articles/reports in this issue include: Optimism about the future of nuclear power, by Ruth G. Shaw, Duke Power Company; Licensed in three countries, by GE Energy; Enhancing public acceptance, by Westinghouse Electric Company; Standardized MOV program, by Ted Neckowicz, Exelon; Inservice testing, by Steven Unikewicz, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Asian network for education, Fatimah Mohd Amin, Malaysian Institute for Nuclear Technology Research; and, Cooling water intake optimization, by Jeffrey M. Jones and Bert Mayer, P.E., Framatome ANP.

  20. Height-income association in developing countries: Evidence from 14 countries.

    PubMed

    Patel, Pankaj C; Devaraj, Srikant

    2017-12-28

    The purpose of this study was to assess whether the height-income association is positive in developing countries, and whether income differences between shorter and taller individuals in developing countries are explained by differences in endowment (ie, taller individuals have a higher income than shorter individuals because of characteristics such as better social skills) or due to discrimination (ie, shorter individuals have a lower income despite having comparable characteristics). Instrumental variable regression, Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, quantile regression, and quantile decomposition analyses were applied to a sample of 45 108 respondents from 14 developing countries represented in the Research on Early Life and Aging Trends and Effects (RELATE) study. For a one-centimeter increase in country- and sex-adjusted median height, real income adjusted for purchasing power parity increased by 1.37%. The income differential between shorter and taller individuals was explained by discrimination and not by differences in endowments; however, the effect of discrimination decreased at higher values of country- and sex-adjusted height. Taller individuals in developing countries may realize higher income despite having characteristics similar to those of shorter individuals. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Trends in epidemiology and management of breast cancer in developing Arab countries: a literature and registry analysis.

    PubMed

    El Saghir, Nagi S; Khalil, Mazen K; Eid, Toufic; El Kinge, Abdul Rahman; Charafeddine, Maya; Geara, Fady; Seoud, Muhieddine; Shamseddine, Ali I

    2007-08-01

    Registries and research on breast cancer in Arabic and developing countries are limited. We searched PubMed, Medline, WHO and IAEA publications, national, regional, hospital tumor registries and abstracts. We reviewed and analyzed available data on epidemiological trends and management of breast cancer in Arab countries, and compared it to current international standards of early detection, surgery and radiation therapy. Breast cancer constitutes 13-35% of all female cancers. Almost half of patients are below 50 and median age is 49-52 years as compared to 63 in industrialized nations. A recent rise of Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (ASR) is noted. Advanced disease remains very common in Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Palestinians and others. Mastectomy is still performed in more than 80% of women with breast cancer. There are only 84 radiation therapy centers, 256 radiation oncologists and 473 radiation technologists in all Arab countries, as compared with 1875, 3068 and 5155, respectively, in the USA, which has an equivalent population of about 300 million. Population-based screening is rarely practiced. Results from recent campaigns and studies show a positive impact of clinical breast examination leading to more early diagnosis and breast-conserving surgery. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Arab countries with a young age of around 50 years at presentation. Locally advanced disease is very common and total mastectomy is the most commonly performed surgery. Awareness campaigns and value of clinical breast examination were validated in the Cairo Breast Cancer Screening Trial. More radiation centers and early detection would optimize care and reduce the currently high rate of total mastectomies. Population-based screening in those countries with affluent resources and accessible care should be implemented.

  2. World Workshop on Oral Medicine VI: an international validation study of clinical competencies for advanced training in oral medicine.

    PubMed

    Steele, John C; Clark, Hadleigh J; Hong, Catherine H L; Jurge, Sabine; Muthukrishnan, Arvind; Kerr, A Ross; Wray, David; Prescott-Clements, Linda; Felix, David H; Sollecito, Thomas P

    2015-08-01

    To explore international consensus for the validation of clinical competencies for advanced training in Oral Medicine. An electronic survey of clinical competencies was designed. The survey was sent to and completed by identified international stakeholders during a 10-week period. To be validated, an individual competency had to achieve 90% or greater consensus to keep it in its current format. Stakeholders from 31 countries responded. High consensus agreement was achieved with 93 of 101 (92%) competencies exceeding the benchmark for agreement. Only 8 warranted further attention and were reviewed by a focus group. No additional competencies were suggested. This is the first international validated study of clinical competencies for advanced training in Oral Medicine. These validated clinical competencies could provide a model for countries developing an advanced training curriculum for Oral Medicine and also inform review of existing curricula. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. America's Country Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gulliford, Andrew

    The book examines the one-room schoolhouse and the memories of this important part of the American past through sections on the country school legacy, country school architecture, and country school preservation. The architectural and historical significance of this distinctive building type is evocatively portrayed by more than 400 photographs.…

  4. Refugees in Africa: A Country by Country Survey.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Washington, DC.

    The status of the refugees in Africa and the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is charted on a country by country basis in this report. The size of the refugee population and their needs are described along with various assistance efforts directed at improving their situation. Sums of money spent by UNHCR office are…

  5. [Migrations in Latin American countries. Characteristics of the pediatric population].

    PubMed

    Vásquez-De Kartzow, Rodrigo; Castillo-Durán, Carlos; Lera M, Lydia

    2015-01-01

    Migration is a growing phenomenon among Latin American countries (LAC) as well as others; however, scarce information is available studying its impact on paediatric groups and its association with socioeconomic variables. To study the association among socioeconomic variables and the immigration rate of paediatric population in LAC. Official rates of migration of LAC were obtained from: International Organization for Migration, Pan American Health Organization, and United Nations Development Programme. Demographic and socioeconomic information was also obtained for: gross domestic product (GDP), human development index (HDI), Gini coefficient of inequality (GC), alphabetization rate for adults (AA), net migration rate (NMR), and immigration of children<15 years (IM15). Description, linear correlations and analysis of differences between groups of countries were assessed. The NMR was positive for Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Chile and Argentina. No association among NMR and GDP, HDI, GC, AA was found. A correlation of IM15 was found with: GC (r=0.668, P=.01), with GDP (r=-0.720; P=.01), AA (r=-0.755; P=.01) and with HDI (r=-0.799; P=.01). Rate of IM15 was lower in LA countries with advanced/medium development (GDP>median) vs those with low development (Fisher, P<.0001). There is a direct inverse association between GDP per capita, HDI, AA and GC and the proportion of each country IN15. We did not observe an association between NMR and HDI, AA, and GC. The health impact of these migrations should be analysed. Copyright © 2015. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

  6. The Inspiration Given by the Successful Practice of Development of Higher Vocational Education in the Developed Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Gaoling

    2010-01-01

    Higher vocational education is the product of economic development, scientific and technological progress. If the country does not have a well-developed vocational education, it is impossible to make a good advanced science and technology into productive forces, it is also impossible to achieve economy development in a high speed. In turn, powers…

  7. Health Aspects of Organophosphorous Pesticides in Asian Countries

    PubMed Central

    Balali-Mood, M; Balali-Mood, K; Moodi, M; Balali-Mood, B

    2012-01-01

    Organophosphorous (OP) pesticides are used frequently in agriculture, particularly in Asian countries over the past decades. Poisoning by these agents, either as acute or chronic in these nations, is a serious health problem. OP pesticides residue in fruits and vegetables that may not induce early clinical features, could also affect the human health. Therefore, medical and health professionals should be aware and learn more on the toxicology, prevention and proper management of OP poisoning. The well-known mechanism of OP toxicity is the inhibition of acetyl cholinesterase, resulting in an accumulation of acetylcholine and continued stimulation of acetylcholine receptors. Therefore, they are also called anticholinesterase agents. Determination of blood acetyl cholinesterase and butyryl cholinesterase activities remains a mainstay for the rapid initial screening of OP pesticides. Quantitative analysis of OP and their degradation products in plasma and urine by mass spectrometric methods is a more specific method, but is expensive and limited to specialized laboratories. Therefore, history of OP pesticides exposure and clinical manifestations of a cholinergic syndrome is sufficient for management of the exposed patients. However, electrophysiological tests may be required for the diagnosis of delayed neuropathy of OP poisoning. The standard management of OP poisoning includes decontamination, atropine sulphate with an oxime. Recent advances focus on blood alkalinisation and magnesium sulphate as promising adjunctive therapies. Preventive measures in OP exposure are of great importance in human health in developing countries. Therefore, regulations and controls on safe use of OP particularly in Asian countries are recommended. PMID:23304659

  8. An overview of research advances in road traffic trauma in China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhengguo; Jiang, Jianxin

    2003-03-01

    With rapid development of social economies, road traffic accidents (RTAs) have continued to increase, and have become the "primary public hazard" to humans. Road traffic trauma (RTT) is a major cause of death in young people of all motorized countries. This article reviews the current advances in RTT research, in order to find some approaches to improving traffic administration and reducing RTAs and RTT. All available data were collected from government, literature, our own research, and conference proceedings. Statistical analysis from every country showed that human factors were still the main cause of RTAs, accounting for more than 90%. Vehicle and road factors caused 3-5% and less than 2% of the total RTAs, respectively. Approximately 85% of RTAs were caused by 21 to 45-year-olds. About 50% of deaths due to RTAs in the United States were related to drinking. In China, RTAs due to driver drinking accounted for 0.29-1.48%. About 6-8% of drivers were prone to RTA, causing 30-40% of RTAs. Seat belts are an effective way to prevent casualties, reducing mortality and morbidity by 13-50%. In China, about 70% of RTAs were related to bicycles. Prehospital emergency treatment is very important. About 35% of deaths may be avoided if the injured receive early and effective treatment. From 1983 to 1992 the mortality of RTT increased by 13% in 18 developing countries, while it decreased by 18% in 13 developed countries, indicating the importance of comprehensive treatment of traffic administration. In addition many advances have been made in basic scientific research of RTT, such as development of serial bioimpact machines and investigation of biomechanical and biochemical mechanisms of impact injuries. In this century, RTAs and RTT are predicted to continue to increase in many countries, especially in developing ones. Full cooperation and comprehensive treatment should be performed in order to improve traffic safety.

  9. Mean reversion in the current account of forty-eight african countries: Evidence from the Panel SURADF test

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chu, Hsiao-Ping; Chang, Tsangyao; Chang, Hsu-Ling; Su, Chi-Wei; Yuan, Young

    2007-10-01

    Here, the Panel seemingly unrelated regressions augmented Dickey-Fuller test (SURADF) test, first introduced and advanced by Breuer et al. [Misleading inferences from panel unit-root tests with an illustration from purchasing power parity, Rev. Int. Econ. 9(3) (2001) 482-493], is used to investigate the mean-reverting behavior of the current account of 48 African countries during the 1980-2004 periods. The empirical results from numerous panel-based unit root tests, conducted earlier, indicated that the current account of each of these countries is stationary; however, when Breuer et al.'s (2001) Panel SURADF test is conducted, it is found that a unit root exists in the current account of 11 of the countries studied. These results have one extremely important policy implication for the 48 African countries studied: the current account deficit of most is sustainable, and thus signifying that those nations should have no incentive to default on their international debt.

  10. Radiation therapy and cancer control in developing countries: Can we save more lives?

    PubMed

    Baskar, Rajamanickam; Itahana, Koji

    2017-01-01

    Globally, morbidity and mortality due to cancer are predicted to increase in both men and women in the coming decades. Furthermore, it is estimated that two thirds of these cancer-related deaths will occur in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). In addition to morbidity and mortality, cancer also causes an enormous economic burden, especially in developing countries. There are several treatment and management options for cancer including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, and palliative care. Radiotherapy or radiation therapy (RT) can be an effective treatment, especially for localized or solid cancers; about half of cancer patients receive radiation as a curative or palliative treatment. Because of its low cost, for patients from LMIC with inoperable tumors, RT may be the only option. With the overall increase in the number of cancer patients especially in resource-starved LMIC, the need for more RT facilities further affects the economic growth of those countries. Therefore, an advanced molecular-targeted and more integrated approach involving either RT alone or with surgery and improved cancer drug access worldwide are urgent needs for cancer care.

  11. Progress in HPV vaccination in low- and lower-middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    LaMontagne, D Scott; Bloem, Paul J N; Brotherton, Julia M L; Gallagher, Katherine E; Badiane, Ousseynou; Ndiaye, Cathy

    2017-07-01

    The past 10 years have seen remarkable progress in the global scale-up of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations. Forty-three low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs) have gained experience in delivering this vaccine to young adolescent girls through pilot programs, demonstration programs, and national introductions and most of these have occurred in the last 4 years. The experience of Senegal is summarized as an illustrative country case study. Publication of numerous delivery experiences and lessons learned has demonstrated the acceptability and feasibility of HPV vaccinations in LLMICs. Four areas require dedicated action to overcome remaining challenges to national scaling-up: maintaining momentum politically, planning successfully, securing financing, and fostering sustainability. Advances in policy, programming, and science may help accelerate reaching 30 million girls in LLMICs with HPV vaccine by 2020. © 2017 The Authors. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

  12. Hong Kong: country profile.

    PubMed

    Fozzard, A

    1988-09-01

    In the 1840s, the small fishing community that is now Hong Kong became a British colony and an important naval base for the Opium Wars. Now it is a leading capitalist center operating on mainland communist China. Hong Kong is scheduled to go back to China in 1997. In the agreement signed between the British government and China, Hong Kong's present lifestyle is guaranteed for at least 50 years. Textbook colonialism rules here. Foreigners hold the key jobs and earn much more than do the indigenous people. They even receive subsidized housing in this very high rent colony. As for the Hong Kong Chinese, overcrowding into 2 room apartments is the norm even though the government tries to provide more housing units. The large skyscrapers in the New Territories breed their unique social and mental health problems, such as poverty, drug abuse and frustration. Essentially all food is imported from communist China, yet agriculture in Hong Kong does exist--pig farms, duck lakes, and fields of the popular vegetable choi sum. Major industry comprise textiles and sweat shops which pay their workers (mostly illegal immigrants and children with no legal protection) wages that are 1/4 of those paid in Great Britain. Financial services, trade, and tourism may soon dominate Hong Kong's economy. Almost 4 million tourists visit Hong Kong yearly, often looking for bargains. Despite Hong Kong's active Western-like business climate, Chinese culture still abounds. Traditional incense burns in Buddhist temples. Snake soup is served in restaurants. Plus traditional medicine practiced alongside Western medicine contributes to Hong Kong having 1 of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world (9/1000) and to its high life expectancy of 76 years.

  13. [Special features of the duties of a gynecologist in Islamic countries (author's transl)].

    PubMed

    Föllmer, W

    1975-02-28

    A European gynecologist who takes up his duties in a developing Mohammedan country encounters very different problems compared to those in Europe: Early marriage is customary, the intact hymen has great significance. The "child" primipara is the "normal" primipara. Obstetric actions are not determined by the high value placed on the infant's life, as in Europe. The social position of the woman is still determined by tradition and religion. The emancipation of women advances only slowly.

  14. Energy demand, energy substitution and economic growth : Evidence from developed and developing countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abd Aziz, Azlina

    This thesis contributes to the literature on energy demand in three ways. Firstly, it examines the major determinants of energy demand using a panel of 23 developed countries and 16 developing countries during 1978 to 2003. Secondly, it examines the demand for energy in the industrial sector and the extent of inter-fuel substitution, as well as substitution between energy and non-energy inputs, using data from 5 advanced countries and 5 energy producer's developing countries. Third, the thesis investigates empirically the relationship between energy consumption and economic growth for these groups of countries over a 26-year period. The empirical results of this study confirm the majority of the findings in energy demand analysis. Income and price have shown to be important determinants for energy consumption in both developed and developing countries. Moreover, both economic structure and technical progress appear to exert significant impacts on energy consumption. Income has a positive impact on energy demand and the effect is larger in developing countries. In both developed and developing countries, price has a negative impact but these effects are larger in developed countries than in developing countries. The share of industry in GDP is positive and has a greater impact on energy demand in developing countries, whereas technological progress is found to be energy using in developed countries and energy saving in developing countries. With respect to the analysis of inter-factor and inter-fuel substitution in industrial energy demand, the results provide evidence for substitution possibilities between factor inputs and fuels. Substitutability is observed between capital and energy, capital and labour and labour and energy. These findings confirm previous evidence that production technologies in these countries allow flexibility in the capital-energy, capital-labour and labour-energy mix. In the energy sub-model, the elasticities of substitution show that large

  15. Costs of vaccine programs across 94 low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Portnoy, Allison; Ozawa, Sachiko; Grewal, Simrun; Norman, Bryan A; Rajgopal, Jayant; Gorham, Katrin M; Haidari, Leila A; Brown, Shawn T; Lee, Bruce Y

    2015-05-07

    While new mechanisms such as advance market commitments and co-financing policies of the GAVI Alliance are allowing low- and middle-income countries to gain access to vaccines faster than ever, understanding the full scope of vaccine program costs is essential to ensure adequate resource mobilization. This costing analysis examines the vaccine costs, supply chain costs, and service delivery costs of immunization programs for routine immunization and for supplemental immunization activities (SIAs) for vaccines related to 18 antigens in 94 countries across the decade, 2011-2020. Vaccine costs were calculated using GAVI price forecasts for GAVI-eligible countries, and assumptions from the PAHO Revolving Fund and UNICEF for middle-income countries not supported by the GAVI Alliance. Vaccine introductions and coverage levels were projected primarily based on GAVI's Adjusted Demand Forecast. Supply chain costs including costs of transportation, storage, and labor were estimated by developing a mechanistic model using data generated by the HERMES discrete event simulation models. Service delivery costs were abstracted from comprehensive multi-year plans for the majority of GAVI-eligible countries and regression analysis was conducted to extrapolate costs to additional countries. The analysis shows that the delivery of the full vaccination program across 94 countries would cost a total of $62 billion (95% uncertainty range: $43-$87 billion) over the decade, including $51 billion ($34-$73 billion) for routine immunization and $11 billion ($7-$17 billion) for SIAs. More than half of these costs stem from service delivery at $34 billion ($21-$51 billion)-with an additional $24 billion ($13-$41 billion) in vaccine costs and $4 billion ($3-$5 billion) in supply chain costs. The findings present the global costs to attain the goals envisioned during the Decade of Vaccines to prevent millions of deaths by 2020 through more equitable access to existing vaccines for people in all

  16. Advanced Demonstration and Test Reactor Options Study

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

    Petti, David Andrew; Hill, R.; Gehin, J.

    Global efforts to address climate change will require large-scale decarbonization of energy production in the United States and elsewhere. Nuclear power already provides 20% of electricity production in the United States (U.S.) and is increasing in countries undergoing rapid growth around the world. Because reliable, grid-stabilizing, low emission electricity generation, energy security, and energy resource diversity will be increasingly valued, nuclear power’s share of electricity production has a potential to grow. In addition, there are non electricity applications (e.g., process heat, desalination, hydrogen production) that could be better served by advanced nuclear systems. Thus, the timely development, demonstration, and commercializationmore » of advanced nuclear reactors could diversify the nuclear technologies available and offer attractive technology options to expand the impact of nuclear energy for electricity generation and non-electricity missions. The purpose of this planning study is to provide transparent and defensible technology options for a test and/or demonstration reactor(s) to be built to support public policy, innovation and long term commercialization within the context of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) broader commitment to pursuing an “all of the above” clean energy strategy and associated time lines. This planning study includes identification of the key features and timing needed for advanced test or demonstration reactors to support research, development, and technology demonstration leading to the commercialization of power plants built upon these advanced reactor platforms. This planning study is consistent with the Congressional language contained within the fiscal year 2015 appropriation that directed the DOE to conduct a planning study to evaluate “advanced reactor technology options, capabilities, and requirements within the context of national needs and public policy to support innovation in nuclear energy

  17. Eastern and Central Kansas Country Schools. Country School Legacy: Humanities on the Frontier.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Judge, Sara E.

    Country schools in eastern and central Kansas are explored from six different aspects: country schools as historic sites; teachers (their roles, rules, and restrictions); reading, writing, arithmetic, and recitation (a day in a rural school); country schools and the Americanization of ethnic groups; country schools as community centers; and…

  18. Preoperative therapy in locally advanced esophageal cancer.

    PubMed

    Garg, Pankaj Kumar; Sharma, Jyoti; Jakhetiya, Ashish; Goel, Aakanksha; Gaur, Manish Kumar

    2016-10-21

    Esophageal cancer is an aggressive malignancy associated with dismal treatment outcomes. Presence of two distinct histopathological types distinguishes it from other gastrointestinal tract malignancies. Surgery is the cornerstone of treatment in locally advanced esophageal cancer (T2 or greater or node positive); however, a high rate of disease recurrence (systemic and loco-regional) and poor survival justifies a continued search for optimal therapy. Various combinations of multimodality treatment (preoperative/perioperative, or postoperative; radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or chemoradiotherapy) are being explored to lower disease recurrence and improve survival. Preoperative therapy followed by surgery is presently considered the standard of care in resectable locally advanced esophageal cancer as postoperative treatment may not be feasible for all the patients due to the morbidity of esophagectomy and prolonged recovery time limiting the tolerance of patient. There are wide variations in the preoperative therapy practiced across the centres depending upon the institutional practices, availability of facilities and personal experiences. There is paucity of literature to standardize the preoperative therapy. Broadly, chemoradiotherapy is the preferred neo-adjuvant modality in western countries whereas chemotherapy alone is considered optimal in the far East. The present review highlights the significant studies to assist in opting for the best evidence based preoperative therapy (radiotherapy, chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy) for locally advanced esophageal cancer.

  19. Teaching Staff Advanced Training in Russia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the USA and Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kovalchuk, Vasyl

    2015-01-01

    In the article the peculiarities in organization of postgraduate teacher training in foreign countries have been highlighted; the basic problems and prospects for advanced training which stipulate for reforming the relevant national systems have been revealed; common and distinctive trends in their development have been justified. In Russia there…

  20. High Out-of-Pocket Health Spending in Countries With a Mediterranean Connection.

    PubMed

    Grima, Simon; Spiteri, Jonathan V; Jakovljevic, Mihajlo; Camilleri, Carl; Buttigieg, Sandra C

    2018-01-01

    's 2000 metric, whereas health system performance indicators, namely mortality rates and life expectancy reveal favorable health outcomes in the Mediterranean EU countries. The findings in this paper may be seen in light of the Mediterranean region's lifestyle in terms of diet, health behavior, health beliefs and shared culture. In particular, the higher out-of-pocket expenditure may reflect the tendency for one-to-one relationships with private clinicians and the pursuit of person-centered care (1). Additionally, the Mediterranean people may not be as disciplined as their European counterparts in accessing and using the public health sector. The lower THE also reflects the fact that the Mediterranean countries are less wealthy than the more economically-advanced European countries.

  1. High Out-of-Pocket Health Spending in Countries With a Mediterranean Connection

    PubMed Central

    Grima, Simon; Spiteri, Jonathan V.; Jakovljevic, Mihajlo; Camilleri, Carl; Buttigieg, Sandra C.

    2018-01-01

    's 2000 metric, whereas health system performance indicators, namely mortality rates and life expectancy reveal favorable health outcomes in the Mediterranean EU countries. The findings in this paper may be seen in light of the Mediterranean region's lifestyle in terms of diet, health behavior, health beliefs and shared culture. In particular, the higher out-of-pocket expenditure may reflect the tendency for one-to-one relationships with private clinicians and the pursuit of person-centered care (1). Additionally, the Mediterranean people may not be as disciplined as their European counterparts in accessing and using the public health sector. The lower THE also reflects the fact that the Mediterranean countries are less wealthy than the more economically-advanced European countries.

  2. Predator-Free New Zealand: Conservation Country.

    PubMed

    Russell, James C; Innes, John G; Brown, Philip H; Byrom, Andrea E

    2015-05-01

    Eradications of invasive species from over 1000 small islands around the world have created conservation arks, but to truly address the threat of invasive species to islands, eradications must be scaled by orders of magnitude. New Zealand has eradicated invasive predators from 10% of its offshore island area and now proposes a vision to eliminate them from the entire country. We review current knowledge of invasive predator ecology and control technologies in New Zealand and the biological research, technological advances, social capacity and enabling policy required. We discuss the economic costs and benefits and conclude with a 50-year strategy for a predator-free New Zealand that is shown to be ecologically obtainable, socially desirable, and economically viable. The proposal includes invasive predator eradication from the two largest offshore islands, mammal-free mainland peninsulas, very large ecosanctuaries, plus thousands of small projects that will together merge eradication and control concepts on landscape scales.

  3. Predator-Free New Zealand: Conservation Country

    PubMed Central

    Russell, James C.; Innes, John G.; Brown, Philip H.; Byrom, Andrea E.

    2015-01-01

    Eradications of invasive species from over 1000 small islands around the world have created conservation arks, but to truly address the threat of invasive species to islands, eradications must be scaled by orders of magnitude. New Zealand has eradicated invasive predators from 10% of its offshore island area and now proposes a vision to eliminate them from the entire country. We review current knowledge of invasive predator ecology and control technologies in New Zealand and the biological research, technological advances, social capacity and enabling policy required. We discuss the economic costs and benefits and conclude with a 50-year strategy for a predator-free New Zealand that is shown to be ecologically obtainable, socially desirable, and economically viable. The proposal includes invasive predator eradication from the two largest offshore islands, mammal-free mainland peninsulas, very large ecosanctuaries, plus thousands of small projects that will together merge eradication and control concepts on landscape scales. PMID:26955079

  4. "Bridgers" in the Third Space: An In-Country Investigation of the Leadership Practices of US-Educated Chinese Nationals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martinez, Maria L.

    2016-01-01

    This in-country grounded theory study examined the lived experiences of 24 Chinese returnees who completed advanced degrees in the United States. The study found that the four types of organizations in mainland China determine the social context of the application of Western education of the Chinese returnees. Returnees working in multinational…

  5. Advances in nanopore sensing promises to transform healthcare.

    PubMed

    Haque, Farzin; Wang, Shaoying; Wu, Taoxiang; Guo, Peixuan

    2017-08-01

    International Conference on Nanopore Technology (Shenzhen), 30 March-1 April 2017, Shenzhen, China The International Conference on Nanopore Technology (Shenzhen) was held from 30 March to 1 April 2017 in Shenzhen, China. The goal of the meeting was threefold: leverage the unique properties of nanopore technology to promote transformative advances in medicine, encourage cross-disciplinary collaborations in the research community within China and abroad; and discuss critical challenges that need to be addressed to rapidly advance the field. The meeting was chaired by Peixuan Guo, Endowed chair professor and Director of The Center for RNA Nanobiotechnology & Nanomedicine at The Ohio State University, USA and co-chaired by Xian-En Zhang, distinguished professor of the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China. The conference was attended by more than 300 academic researchers, hospital administrators, government leaders and scientists from many disciplines across the country from both academic institutions and industry.

  6. Contemporary surgical management of advanced end stage emphysema: an evidence based review.

    PubMed

    Sachithanandan, Anand; Badmanaban, Balaji

    2012-06-01

    Emphysema is a progressive unrelenting component of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a major source of mortality and morbidity globally. The prevalence of moderate to severe emphysema is approximately 5% in Malaysia and likely to increase in the future. Hence advanced emphysema will emerge as a leading cause of hospital admission and a major consumer of healthcare resources in this country in the future. Patients with advanced disease have a poor quality of life and reduced survival. Medical therapy has been largely ineffective for many patients however certain subgroups have disease amenable to surgical palliation. Effective surgical therapies include lung volume reduction surgery, lung transplantation and bullectomy. This article is a comprehensive evidence based review of the literature evaluating the rationale, efficacy, safety and limitations of surgery for advanced emphysema highlighting the importance of meticulous patient selection and local factors relevant to Malaysia.

  7. The Process of Cessation Among Current Tobacco Smokers: A Cross-Sectional Data Analysis From 21 Countries, Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2009–2013

    PubMed Central

    Palipudi, Krishna M.; Nelson-Blutcher, Glenda; Murty, Komanduri S.; Asma, Samira

    2015-01-01

    We analyzed data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) from 21 countries to categorize smokers by stages of cessation and highlight interventions that could be tailored to each stage. GATS is a nationally representative household survey that measures tobacco use and other key indicators by using a standardized protocol. The distribution of smokers into precontemplation, contemplation, and preparation stages varied by country. Using the stages of change model, each country can design and implement effective interventions suitable to its cultural, social, and economic situations to help smokers advance successfully through the stages of cessation. PMID:26378897

  8. Conceptualisation of the characteristics of advanced practitioners in the medical radiation professions

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Tony; Harris, Jillian; Woznitza, Nick; Maresse, Sharon; Sale, Charlotte

    2015-01-01

    Professions grapple with defining advanced practice and the characteristics of advanced practitioners. In nursing and allied health, advanced practice has been defined as ‘a state of professional maturity in which the individual demonstrates a level of integrated knowledge, skill and competence that challenges the accepted boundaries of practice and pioneers new developments in health care’. Evolution of advanced practice in Australia has been slower than in the United Kingdom, mainly due to differences in demography, the health system and industrial relations. This article describes a conceptual model of advanced practitioner characteristics in the medical radiation professions, taking into account experiences in other countries and professions. Using the CanMEDS framework, the model includes foundation characteristics of communication, collaboration and professionalism, which are fundamental to advanced clinical practice. Gateway characteristics are: clinical expertise, with high level competency in a particular area of clinical practice; scholarship and teaching, including a masters qualification and knowledge dissemination through educating others; and evidence-based practice, with judgements made on the basis of research findings, including research by the advanced practitioner. The pinnacle of advanced practice is clinical leadership, where the practitioner has a central role in the health care team, with the capacity to influence decision making and advocate for others, including patients. The proposed conceptual model is robust yet adaptable in defining generic characteristics of advanced practitioners, no matter their clinical specialty. The advanced practice roles that evolve to meet future health service demand must focus on the needs of patients, local populations and communities. PMID:26451243

  9. Conceptualisation of the characteristics of advanced practitioners in the medical radiation professions.

    PubMed

    Smith, Tony; Harris, Jillian; Woznitza, Nick; Maresse, Sharon; Sale, Charlotte

    2015-09-01

    Professions grapple with defining advanced practice and the characteristics of advanced practitioners. In nursing and allied health, advanced practice has been defined as 'a state of professional maturity in which the individual demonstrates a level of integrated knowledge, skill and competence that challenges the accepted boundaries of practice and pioneers new developments in health care'. Evolution of advanced practice in Australia has been slower than in the United Kingdom, mainly due to differences in demography, the health system and industrial relations. This article describes a conceptual model of advanced practitioner characteristics in the medical radiation professions, taking into account experiences in other countries and professions. Using the CanMEDS framework, the model includes foundation characteristics of communication, collaboration and professionalism, which are fundamental to advanced clinical practice. Gateway characteristics are: clinical expertise, with high level competency in a particular area of clinical practice; scholarship and teaching, including a masters qualification and knowledge dissemination through educating others; and evidence-based practice, with judgements made on the basis of research findings, including research by the advanced practitioner. The pinnacle of advanced practice is clinical leadership, where the practitioner has a central role in the health care team, with the capacity to influence decision making and advocate for others, including patients. The proposed conceptual model is robust yet adaptable in defining generic characteristics of advanced practitioners, no matter their clinical specialty. The advanced practice roles that evolve to meet future health service demand must focus on the needs of patients, local populations and communities.

  10. Conceptualisation of the characteristics of advanced practitioners in the medical radiation professions

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

    Smith, Tony; Harris, Jillian; Woznitza, Nick

    Professions grapple with defining advanced practice and the characteristics of advanced practitioners. In nursing and allied health, advanced practice has been defined as ‘a state of professional maturity in which the individual demonstrates a level of integrated knowledge, skill and competence that challenges the accepted boundaries of practice and pioneers new developments in health care’. Evolution of advanced practice in Australia has been slower than in the United Kingdom, mainly due to differences in demography, the health system and industrial relations. This article describes a conceptual model of advanced practitioner characteristics in the medical radiation professions, taking into account experiencesmore » in other countries and professions. Using the CanMEDS framework, the model includes foundation characteristics of communication, collaboration and professionalism, which are fundamental to advanced clinical practice. Gateway characteristics are: clinical expertise, with high level competency in a particular area of clinical practice; scholarship and teaching, including a masters qualification and knowledge dissemination through educating others; and evidence-based practice, with judgements made on the basis of research findings, including research by the advanced practitioner. The pinnacle of advanced practice is clinical leadership, where the practitioner has a central role in the health care team, with the capacity to influence decision making and advocate for others, including patients. The proposed conceptual model is robust yet adaptable in defining generic characteristics of advanced practitioners, no matter their clinical specialty. The advanced practice roles that evolve to meet future health service demand must focus on the needs of patients, local populations and communities.« less

  11. 78 countries: immunization financing in developing and transitional countries.

    PubMed

    Deroeck, D; Levin, A

    1999-01-01

    The Special Initiative on Immunization Financing is a project that reviews available information on immunization costs and financing in developing countries in order to inform planned field-based activities to increase sustainability of immunization programs. While routine immunization costs just pennies a dose, newer vaccines such as hepatitis B vaccine cost much more; the full cost of making them routine are not yet known. However, a growing number of governments are paying for these vaccines. Three-quarters of the countries responding to the survey have immunization and vaccination programs in their national budgets. Moreover, international organizations have set up fund and procurement mechanisms to aid countries purchase low-cost, high-quality vaccines.

  12. Pediatric clinical drug trials in low-income countries: key ethical issues.

    PubMed

    MacLeod, S M; Knoppert, D C; Stanton-Jean, M; Avard, D

    2015-02-01

    Potential child participants in clinical research trials in low-income countries are often vulnerable because of poverty, high morbidity and mortality, inadequate education, and varied local cultural norms. However, vulnerability by itself must not be accepted as an obstacle blocking children from the health benefits that may accrue as an outcome of sound clinical research. As greater emphasis is placed on evidence-based treatment of children, it should be anticipated that there will be a growing call for agreement on principles to guide clinical investigations in low-income countries. There is now general acceptance of the view that children must be protected from non-evidence-based interventions and from substandard treatments. The questions remaining relate to how best to stimulate clinical research activity that will serve the needs of infants, children, and youth in developing countries and how best to assign priority to ethically sound research that will meet their clinical requirements. In low-income countries, 39 % of citizens are 13 years of age or younger, and consequently it is certain that clinical investigations of some new therapeutic products will be conducted there more frequently. This review offers some suggestions for approaches that will help to achieve more effective ethical consideration, including (1) improving the quality of research ethics boards; (2) fostering collaborative partnerships among important stakeholders; (3) making concerted efforts to build capacity; (4) improving the quality of the consent and waiver process; and (5) developing improved governance for harmonized ethics platforms. Continuing support by international organizations is required to sustain the establishment and maintenance of stronger research ethics boards to protect children enrolled in clinical trials. This review underscores the importance of developing a culture of solidarity and true partnership between developed and low-income country organizations, which

  13. The Intersections of the CEDAW and CRPD: Putting Women's Rights and Disability Rights into Action in Four Asian Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Alwis, Rangita de Silva

    2010-01-01

    This report examines a new model built on advancing an intersectional human rights platform of action. The four country project in the Asian region provided a powerful locus for an innovative human rights praxis which integrated a dialectical interaction between different social movements, analytical insights and concrete political strategies and…

  14. [Malaria research for developing countries: the PAL+ program].

    PubMed

    Agid, F

    2003-01-01

    Despite extensive national and international intervention, little progress has been made in controlling, malaria and other communicable diseases afflicting many developing countries in the world. In response to the need to pursue and enhance investigation, the French Ministry of Research launched the PAL+ program in 1999 with the purpose of promoting concerted "research on malaria and other communicable diseases afflicting developing countries". The program is focused on developing methods of prevention and treatment for countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Advancement of these scientific goals is further by a determined efforts (i) to provide means for national coordination and scientific organization of malaria research in France and (ii) to revive the spirit and mechanisms that characterized previous operations of cooperation between France and countries in the southern hemisphere. This new vision of cooperation is based on two organizational approaches. The first involves integrated programs in which training and transfer of knowledge are essential. The second involves joint projects in which networks maintained by a continuous exchange in operational seminars contribute to establishing a permanent dialogue between the North and South. Priority research areas have been encouraged to respond to specific public health issues with emphasis on establishing a balance between work in the field and development of knowledge. The priority areas include (i) responding to the increasing incidence of drug resistance by identifying of new antimalarial drugs and defining new therapeutic strategies; (ii) understanding the implications of the pathophysiology and physiopathology mechanisms underlying severe malaria manifestations for development of a malaria vaccine; (iii) finding new opportunities for prevention of malaria based on more effective vector control; (iv) using social anthropology to factor population behaviour and habits into the

  15. Advancing the science of health research capacity strengthening in low-income and middle-income countries: a scoping review of the published literature, 2000–2016

    PubMed Central

    Dean, Laura; Gregorius, Stefanie; Pulford, Justin

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Substantial development assistance and research funding are invested in health research capacity strengthening (HRCS) interventions in low-income and middle-income countries, yet the effectiveness, impact and value for money of these investments are not well understood. A major constraint to evidence-informed HRCS intervention has been the disparate nature of the research effort to date. This review aims to map and critically analyse the existing HRCS effort to better understand the level, type, cohesion and conceptual sophistication of the current evidence base. The overall goal of this article is to advance the development of a unified, implementation-focused HRCS science. Methods We used a scoping review methodology to identify peer-reviewed HRCS literature within the following databases: PubMed, Global Health and Scopus. HRCS publications available in English between the period 2000 and 2016 were included. 1195 articles were retrieved of which 172 met the final inclusion criteria. A priori thematic analysis of all included articles was completed. Content analysis of identified HRCS definitions was conducted. Results The number of HRCS publications increased exponentially between 2000 and 2016. Most publications during this period were perspective, opinion or commentary pieces; however, original research publications were the primary publication type since 2013. Twenty-five different definitions of research capacity strengthening were identified, of which three aligned with current HRCS guidelines. Conclusions The review findings indicate that an HRCS research field with a focus on implementation science is emerging, although the conceptual and empirical bases are not yet sufficiently advanced to effectively inform HRCS programme planning. Consolidating an HRCS implementation science therefore presents as a viable option that may accelerate the development of a useful evidence base to inform HRCS programme planning. Identifying an agreed operational

  16. Poison control centers in developing countries and Asia's need for toxicology education

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

    Makalinao, Irma R.; Awang, Rahmat

    2005-09-01

    Poison control centers (PCCs) in developing countries have been set up in response to the challenge of decreasing mortality and morbidity from poisoning. The services range from poison information to actual clinical treatment mostly of acute cases. Lately, PCCs have expanded from their traditional role to one that actively engages in community health studies, toxicovigilance along with treatment of chronic poisoning. Recognizing that types of poisoning and specific needs may vary from country to country, toxicology education that addresses these unique regional issues has become more necessary. Toxicology education, both formal and informal, exists in various stages of development inmore » Asia. Clearly, there are gaps that need to be addressed especially in areas where there are no poison centers or where strengthening is necessary. Collaboration between PCCs in developing countries can help augment available resources including human, analytical and technical expertise. The critical mass of trained toxicologists will fill in the demand for clinical and regulatory specialists and educators as well. This paper highlights the experiences and resources available to the Philippine and Malaysian poison centers and the strengths generated by networking and collaboration. The role of Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology (APAMT) as the Science NGO representative to the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) forum standing committee in promoting chemical safety at the regional level will be discussed. The 'Clearinghouse on the Sound Management of Chemicals', a platform for engaging multi-stakeholder and interdisciplinary partnerships, will be described as a possible model for capacity building to advance chemical safety through education and training not only in developing countries in Asia but globally as well.« less

  17. Country-level predictors of vaccination coverage and inequalities in Gavi-supported countries.

    PubMed

    Arsenault, Catherine; Johri, Mira; Nandi, Arijit; Mendoza Rodríguez, José M; Hansen, Peter M; Harper, Sam

    2017-04-25

    Important inequalities in childhood vaccination coverage persist between countries and population groups. Understanding why some countries achieve higher and more equitable levels of coverage is crucial to redress these inequalities. In this study, we explored the country-level determinants of (1) coverage of the third dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis- (DTP3) containing vaccine and (2) within-country inequalities in DTP3 coverage in 45 countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We used data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 2005 and 2014. We measured national DTP3 coverage and the slope index of inequality in DTP3 coverage with respect to household wealth, maternal education, and multidimensional poverty. We collated data on country health systems, health financing, governance and geographic and sociocultural contexts from published sources. We used meta-regressions to assess the relationship between these country-level factors and variations in DTP3 coverage and inequalities. To validate our findings, we repeated these analyses for coverage with measles-containing vaccine (MCV). We found considerable heterogeneity in DTP3 coverage and in the magnitude of inequalities across countries. Results for MCV were consistent with those from DTP3. Political stability, gender equality and smaller land surface were important predictors of higher and more equitable levels of DTP3 coverage. Inequalities in DTP3 coverage were also lower in countries receiving more external resources for health, with lower rates of out-of-pocket spending and with higher national coverage. Greater government spending on heath and lower linguistic fractionalization were also consistent with better vaccination outcomes. Improving vaccination coverage and reducing inequalities requires that policies and programs address critical social determinants of health including geographic and social exclusion, gender inequality and the availability of

  18. Academic Innovation and Autonomy: An Exploration of Entrepreneurship Education within American Community Colleges and the Academic Capitalist Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mars, Matthew M.; Ginter, Mary Beth

    2012-01-01

    Employing interviews with individuals from 16 community colleges across the country, as well as an independent consultant engaged in activities of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE), this study considers the organizational structures and academic practices associated with community college entrepreneurship…

  19. Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology: Judith V. Torney-Purta

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    American Psychologist, 2009

    2009-01-01

    Judith V. Torney-Purta, recipient of the Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology, is cited for leadership of rigorous research on the development of democratic attitudes and civic knowledge among adolescents from more than 30 countries that has served as a catalyst for education and youth policy reform.…

  20. Heavy metals in drinking water: Occurrences, implications, and future needs in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Chowdhury, Shakhawat; Mazumder, M A Jafar; Al-Attas, Omar; Husain, Tahir

    2016-11-01

    Heavy metals in drinking water pose a threat to human health. Populations are exposed to heavy metals primarily through water consumption, but few heavy metals can bioaccumulate in the human body (e.g., in lipids and the gastrointestinal system) and may induce cancer and other risks. To date, few thousand publications have reported various aspects of heavy metals in drinking water, including the types and quantities of metals in drinking water, their sources, factors affecting their concentrations at exposure points, human exposure, potential risks, and their removal from drinking water. Many developing countries are faced with the challenge of reducing human exposure to heavy metals, mainly due to their limited economic capacities to use advanced technologies for heavy metal removal. This paper aims to review the state of research on heavy metals in drinking water in developing countries; understand their types and variability, sources, exposure, possible health effects, and removal; and analyze the factors contributing to heavy metals in drinking water. This study identifies the current challenges in developing countries, and future research needs to reduce the levels of heavy metals in drinking water. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Black Edens, country Eves: Listening, performance, and black queer longing in country music.

    PubMed

    Royster, Francesca T

    2017-07-03

    This article explores Black queer country music listening, performance, and fandom as a source of pleasure, nostalgia, and longing for Black listeners. Country music can be a space for alliance and community, as well as a way of accessing sometimes repressed cultural and personal histories of violence: lynching and other forms of racial terror, gender surveillance and disciplining, and continued racial and economic segregation. For many Black country music listeners and performers, the experience of being a closeted fan also fosters an experience of ideological hailing, as well as queer world-making. Royster suggests that through Black queer country music fandom and performance, fans construct risky and soulful identities. The article uses Tina Turner's solo album, Tina Turns the Country On! (1974) as an example of country music's power as a tool for resistance to racial, sexual, and class disciplining.

  2. Social support, volunteering and health around the world: cross-national evidence from 139 countries.

    PubMed

    Kumar, Santosh; Calvo, Rocio; Avendano, Mauricio; Sivaramakrishnan, Kavita; Berkman, Lisa F

    2012-03-01

    High levels of social capital and social integration are associated with self-rated health in many developed countries. However, it is not known whether this association extends to non-western and less economically advanced countries. We examine associations between social support, volunteering, and self-rated health in 139 low-, middle- and high-income countries. Data come from the Gallup World Poll, an internationally comparable survey conducted yearly from 2005 to 2009 for those 15 and over. Volunteering was measured by self-reports of volunteering to an organization in the past month. Social support was based on self-reports of access to support from relatives and friends. We started by estimating random coefficient (multi-level) models and then used multivariate logistic regression to model health as a function of social support and volunteering, controlling for age, gender, education, marital status, and religiosity. We found statistically significant evidence of cross-national variation in the association between social capital variables and self-rated health. In the multivariate logistic model, self-rated health were significantly associated with having social support from friends and relatives and volunteering. Results from stratified analyses indicate that these associations are strikingly consistent across countries. Our results indicate that the link between social capital and health is not restricted to high-income countries but extends across many geographical regions regardless of their national-income level. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Win-win-win: collaboration advances critical care practice.

    PubMed

    Spence, Deb; Fielding, Sandra

    2002-10-01

    Against a background of increasing interest in education post registration, New Zealand nurses are working to advance their professional practice. Because the acquisition of highly developed clinical capabilities requires a combination of nursing experience and education, collaboration between clinicians and nurse educators is essential. However, the accessibility of relevant educational opportunities has been an ongoing issue for nurses outside the country's main centres. Within the framework of a Master of Health Science, the postgraduate certificate (critical care nursing) developed between Auckland University of Technology and two regional health providers is one such example. Students enrol in science and knowledge papers concurrently then, in the second half of the course, are supported within their practice environment to acquire advanced clinical skills and to analyse, critique and develop practice within their specialty. This paper provides an overview of the structure and pr month, distance education course focused on developing the context of critical care nursing.

  4. Medical advances in transsexualism and the legal implications.

    PubMed

    Harish, Dasari; Sharma, B R

    2003-03-01

    Transsexualism is a condition wherein an individual's psychological gender is the opposite of his or her anatomic sex. The general belief now among behavioral scientists and physicians is that it is an identifiable and incapacitating disease, which can be diagnosed and successfully treated by reassignment surgery in carefully selected patients. Although many advances have been made in the reassignment surgery techniques, phalloplasty still remains a major challenge; to date, no ideal technique has been developed. The new gender created by the reassignment surgery has, in turn, led to many legal complications for postoperative transsexuals because states and the judiciary have not recognized the new gender. However, with wider acceptance of transsexuals by society, this outlook has changed for the better, with many states amending their laws in accordance with the advances in medical sciences. But in many developed and the developing countries, transsexuals are not given a legal identity, thereby adding to their agonies and miseries.

  5. Factors Associated with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Choice Across Four European Countries.

    PubMed

    Heintjes, Edith M; Overbeek, Jetty A; Hall, Gillian C; Prieto-Alhambra, Daniel; Lapi, Francesco; Hammar, Niklas; Bezemer, Irene D

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this analysis was to identify factors associated with the choice of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) therapy at the time of intensification of antidiabetic treatment across 4 European countries. Antidiabetic drug prescription/dispensing records and patients' characteristics were obtained from the electronic health care records of patients with T2DM from the Netherlands (NL), Italy, and Spain (ES) (all, 2007-2011); and the United Kingdom (UK; 2008-2012). Oral monotherapy was defined as first-line; oral dual therapy, as second-line; >2 oral treatments or oral combined with an injectable, as third-line; and injectables only, as fourth-line treatment. Treatment intensification was defined as the start of a higher line of treatment. Comedication, comorbidities, clinical parameters, and other factors associated with treatment choice were identified using multivariate relative risk estimation by Poisson regression with robust error variance. In the 5-year study period, 485,120 patients (79% of the treated T2DM population) underwent treatment intensification. Changes in treatment choice were clearly visible over the study period, such as a decline in the use of thiazolidinediones (NL, ES, UK) and increases in the use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) (NL, ES, UK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (UK). With first-line treatment, advanced age and renal comorbidity were associated with the use of sulfonylureas (SUs; all countries), whereas high body mass index (BMI) was inversely associated with SU use in the United Kingdom and Spain. With second-line treatment, advanced age was associated with metformin + SU use (all countries); and renal comorbidity with SU + DPP4i use in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. High BMI was associated with metformin + thiazolidinedione (TZD) use in the United Kingdom and Spain, and with metformin + DPP4i in the United Kingdom. With third-line treatment, advanced age and renal comorbidity were associated

  6. The Pasinetti-Solow Growth Model with Optimal Saving Behaviour: A Local Bifurcation Analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Commendatore, P.; Palmisani, C.

    We present a discrete time version of the Pasinetti-Solow economic growth model. Workers and capitalists are assumed to save on the basis of rational choices. Workers face a finite time horizon and base their consumption choices on a life-cycle motive, whereas capitalists behave like an infinitely-lived dynasty. The accumulation of both capitalists' and workers' wealth through time is reduced to a two-dimensional map whose local asymptotic stability properties are studied. Various types of bifurcation emerge (flip, Neimark-Sacker, saddle-node and transcritical): a precondition for chaotic dynamics.

  7. Telemedicine for Developing Countries

    PubMed Central

    Combi, Carlo; Pozzani, Gabriele

    2016-01-01

    Summary Background Developing countries need telemedicine applications that help in many situations, when physicians are a small number with respect to the population, when specialized physicians are not available, when patients and physicians in rural villages need assistance in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the requirements of telemedicine applications for developing countries are somewhat more demanding than for developed countries. Indeed, further social, organizational, and technical aspects need to be considered for successful telemedicine applications in developing countries. Objective We consider all the major projects in telemedicine, devoted to developing countries, as described by the proper scientific literature. On the basis of such literature, we want to define a specific taxonomy that allows a proper classification and a fast overview of telemedicine projects in developing countries. Moreover, by considering both the literature and some recent direct experiences, we want to complete such overview by discussing some design issues to be taken into consideration when developing telemedicine software systems. Methods We considered and reviewed the major conferences and journals in depth, and looked for reports on the telemedicine projects. Results We provide the reader with a survey of the main projects and systems, from which we derived a taxonomy of features of telemedicine systems for developing countries. We also propose and discuss some classification criteria for design issues, based on the lessons learned in this research area. Conclusions We highlight some challenges and recommendations to be considered when designing a telemedicine system for developing countries. PMID:27803948

  8. Implementation strategy for advanced practice nursing in primary health care in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    PubMed

    Oldenburger, David; De Bortoli Cassiani, Silvia Helena; Bryant-Lukosius, Denise; Valaitis, Ruta Kristina; Baumann, Andrea; Pulcini, Joyce; Martin-Misener, Ruth

    2017-06-08

    SYNOPSIS Advanced practice nursing (APN) is a term used to describe a variety of possible nursing roles operating at an advanced level of practice. Historically, APN roles haves evolved informally, out of the need to improve access to health care services for at-risk and disadvantaged populations and for those living in underserved rural and remote communities. To address health needs, especially ones related to primary health care, nurses acquired additional skills through practice experience, and over time they developed an expanded scope of practice. More recently, APN roles have been developed more formally through the establishment of graduate education programs to meet agreed-upon competencies and standards for practice. The introduction of APN roles is expected to advance primary health care throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, where few such roles exist. The purpose of the paper is to outline an implementation strategy to guide and support the introduction of primary health care APN roles in Latin America and the Caribbean. The strategy includes the adaptation of an existing framework, utilization of recent research evidence, and application of knowledge from experts on APN and primary health care. The strategy consists of nine steps. Each step includes a national perspective that focuses on direct country involvement in health workforce planning and development and on implementation. In addition, each step incorporates an international perspective on encouraging countries that have established APN programs and positions to collaborate in health workforce development with nations without advanced practice nursing.

  9. Breast cancer policy in Latin America: account of achievements and challenges in five countries.

    PubMed

    Nigenda, Gustavo; Gonzalez-Robledo, Maria Cecilia; Gonzalez-Robledo, Luz Maria; Bejarano-Arias, Rosa Maria

    2016-07-12

    The recent increase of breast cancer mortality has put on alert to most countries in the region. However it has taken some time before breast cancer could be considered as a relevant problem. Only in recent years breast cancer has been considered a priority in some Latin American countries and resources have been mobilized to confront the problem at the institutional level. The article analyzes the efforts made in five Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela) in the last 15 years to design and implement policies to address the growing incidence of breast cancer. Data was collected between July and December 2010 from both primary and secondary sources. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants from governmental and non-governmental organizations. Secondary data was obtained from publications in journals, government reports and official statistics in each country. Analysis combines information from both types of sources. Countries have followed different paths and are in different stages of policy implementation. In all cases early detection is a key strategy. Through the design of programs and guidelines, the allocation of financial resources to treat patients, as well as a formally structured information system, Brazil and Mexico have been able to set up comprehensive national policies. Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela have made important advancements but not yet capable of coordinating comprehensive national policies. Breast cancer is being considered a priority in all five countries but there are different stages in the rolling out of comprehensive national policies due to differences in their capacity to allocate resources, implement operational strategies and encourage the participation of relevant stakeholders.

  10. Trends and determinants of the Flynn effect in cognitive functioning among older individuals in 10 European countries.

    PubMed

    Hessel, Philipp; Kinge, Jonas M; Skirbekk, Vegard; Staudinger, Ursula M

    2018-05-01

    Although cognitive performance levels in old age have increased in most countries, recent evidence documents a slowing down or even decline in cohort gains in highly developed countries. The aim of this study was to assess trends and determinants in secular cohort gains in cognitive functioning among older individuals and whether cohort gains are levelling off in most advanced countries. Data for individuals aged between 50 and 84 years from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe in 10 European countries between 2004 and 2013 (n=92 739) were used to assess country and age-specific changes in immediate word recall. Multivariate random intercept models were used to assess associations between secular cohort changes in immediate word recall, initial performance levels and changes in country-level socio-demographic characteristics. Performance in immediate word recall improved in all countries between 2004 and 2013 (from 4.40 to 5.08 words, P<0.05). However, secular cohort gains were significantly smaller in countries with initially higher performance levels (coeff.=-0.554, 95% CI -0.682 to -0.426). Changes in socio-demographic and health conditions, including decreases in cardiovascular disease, physical activity and educational achievement, were associated with larger secular cohort gains. Results may either reflect that some countries are approaching the limits of cognitive plasticity, are slowing in their progress or that societal structures have not yet been optimised to improve cognitive abilities in midlife and beyond, or a combination of these interpretations. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  11. Building the Capacity to Manage Orthopaedic Trauma After a Catastrophe in a Low-Income Country.

    PubMed

    Furey, Andrew; Rourke, James; Larsen, Hans

    2015-10-01

    Providing trauma care in an austere environment is very challenging, especially when the country is faced with a natural disaster. Unfortunately the combination of these elements highlights the deficiencies in managing orthopaedic trauma both in a developing country and in the face of a natural disaster, exponentially amplifying the effects of each. When considering the implementation and practice of orthopaedic trauma care in such an environment, one must consider the initial phase of program development and look further to the future in the development of a resilient program, which is sustainable. Through the use of the example of Haiti and a specific Non-Governmental Organization, we discuss the evidence for and thoughts behind developing orthopaedic trauma care program immediately after a natural disaster. This program aims to build capacity and empower a developing nation's health professionals to advance the care of orthopaedic trauma patients. We describe a model of capacity building that serves as a framework to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of low-to middle-income countries in providing orthopaedic trauma care when faced with such a challenge.

  12. A bibliometric analysis of the Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1976-2015.

    PubMed

    Železnik, Danica; Blažun Vošner, Helena; Kokol, Peter

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the publication characteristics and development of Journal of Advanced Nursing during its 40-year history. Bibliometric studies of single journals have been performed, but to the best of our knowledge, bibliometric analysis and bibliometric mapping have not yet been used to analyse the literature production of the Journal of Advanced Nursing. Using descriptive bibliometrics, we studied the dynamics and trend patterns of literature production and identified document types and the most prolific authors, papers, institutions and countries. Bibliometric mapping was used to visualize the content of published articles and determine the most prolific research terms and themes published in Journal of Advanced Nursing and their evolution through time. We were also interested in determining whether there were any 'Sleeping Beauties' among the articles published in the journal. The study revealed a positive trend in literature production, although recently, the number of articles published in Journal of Advanced Nursing has slightly decreased. The most productive institutions are from the United Kingdom, which ranks in the highest place in terms of successful publishing in the journal. Thematic analysis showed that the most prolific themes corresponded to the basic aims and scope of the journal. Journal of Advanced Nursing contributes to advances in nursing research, practice and education as well as the quality of health care, teamwork and family care, with an emphasis on knowledge transfer and partnership between various healthcare professionals. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. How Capitalistic Is the Constitution?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldwin, Robert A., Ed.; Schambra, William A., Ed.

    Second in a three-part series designed to help prepare the nation for a thoughtful observance of the Constitutional bicentennial, this publication contains seven essays on the topic of capitalism and the Constitution. "American Democracy and the Acquisitive Spirit" (Marc F. Plattner) supports the argument that the framers of the…

  14. Profile of the oral healthcare team in countries with emerging economies.

    PubMed

    Nash, D; Ruotoistenmäki, J; Argentieri, A; Barna, S; Behbehani, J; Berthold, P; Catalanotto, F; Chidzonga, M; Goldblatt, L; Jaafar, N; Kikwilu, E; Konoo, T; Kouzmina, E; Lindh, C; Mathu-Muju, K; Mumghamba, E; Nik Hussein, N; Phantumvanit, P; Runnel, R; Shaw, H; Forna, N; Orliaguet, T; Honkala, E

    2008-02-01

    Health is a critical dimension of human well-being and flourishing, and oral health is an integral component of health: one is not healthy without oral health. Significant barriers exist to ensuring the world's people receive basic healthcare, including oral healthcare. Amongst these are poverty, ignorance, inadequate financial resources and lack of adequate numbers of educated and trained (oral) healthcare workers. Emerging economies are encouraged to develop a national strategic plan for oral health. International organizations have developed goals for oral health that can be referenced and adapted by emerging economies as they seek to formulate specific objectives for their countries. Demographic data that assess the nature and extent of oral diseases in a country are essential to sound planning and the development of an oral healthcare system that is relevant, effective and economically viable. Prevention should be emphasized and priority consideration be given to oral healthcare for children. The types and numbers of members of the oral healthcare team (workforce) will vary from country to country depending on the system developed. Potential members of the workforce include: generalist dentists, specialist dentists, dental therapists, dental hygienists, denturists, expanded function dental assistants (dental nurses) and community oral health workers/aides. Competences for dentists, and other members of the team, should be developed to ensure quality care and developed economies should cooperate with emerging economies. The development, by more advanced economies, of digital, virtual curricula, which could be used by emerging economies for educating and training members of the oral healthcare team, should be an important initiative. The International Federation of Dental Educators and Associations (IFDEA) should lead in such an effort.

  15. Universal patterns or the tale of two systems? Mathematics achievement and educational expectations in post-socialist Europe

    PubMed Central

    Bodovski, Katerina; Kotok, Stephen; Henck, Adrienne

    2014-01-01

    Although communist ideology claimed to destroy former class stratification based on labor market capitalist relationships, de facto during socialism one social class hierarchy was substituted for another that was equally unequal. The economic transition during the 1990s increased stratification by wealth, which affected educational inequality. This study examines the relationships among parental education, gender, educational expectations, and mathematics achievement of youths in five post-socialist Eastern European countries, comparing them with three Western countries. We employed the 8th-grade data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 1995 and 2007. The findings point to the universal associations between parental education and student outcomes, whereas gender comparisons present interesting East-West differences. The theoretical and policy implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:25346564

  16. Recommendations for routine reporting on indications for cesarean delivery in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Stanton, Cynthia; Ronsmans, Carine

    2008-09-01

    Cesarean delivery rates are increasing rapidly in many developing countries, particularly among wealthy women. Poor women have lower rates, often so low that they do not reach the minimum rate of 1 percent. Little data are available on clinical indications for cesarean section, information that could assist in understanding why cesarean delivery rates have changed. This paper presents recommendations for routine reporting on indications for cesarean delivery in developing countries. These recommendations resulted from an international consultation of researchers held in February 2006 to promote the collection of comparable data to understand change in, or composition of, the cesarean delivery rate in developing countries. Data are presented from selected countries, categorizing cesareans by three classification systems. A single classification system was recommended for use in both high and low cesarean delivery rate settings, given that underuse and overuse of cesarean section are evident within many populations. The group recommended a hierarchical categorization, prioritizing cesareans performed for absolute maternal indications. Categorization among the remaining nonabsolute indications is based on the primary indication for the procedure and include maternal and fetal indications and psychosocial indications, required for high cesarean delivery rate settings. Data on indications for cesarean sections are available everywhere the procedure is performed. All that is required is compilation and review at facility and at higher levels. Advocacy within ministries of health and medical professional organizations is required to advance these recommendations since researchers have inadequately communicated the health effects of both underuse and overuse of cesarean delivery.

  17. A review of health resource tracking in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Powell-Jackson, Timothy; Mills, Anne

    2007-11-01

    Timely, reliable and complete information on financial resources in the health sector is critical for sound policy making and planning, particularly in developing countries where resources are both scarce and unpredictable. Health resource tracking has a long history and has seen renewed interest more recently as pressure has mounted to improve accountability for the attainment of the health Millennium Development Goals. We review the methods used to track health resources and recent experiences of their application, with a view to identifying the major challenges that must be overcome if data availability and reliability are to improve. At the country level, there have been important advances in the refinement of the National Health Accounts (NHA) methodology, which is now regarded as the international standard. Significant efforts have also been put into the development of methods to track disease-specific expenditures. However, NHA as a framework can do little to address the underlying problem of weak government public expenditure management and information systems that provide much of the raw data. The experience of institutionalizing NHA suggests progress has been uneven and there is a potential for stand-alone disease accounts to make the situation worse by undermining capacity and confusing technicians. Global level tracking of donor assistance to health relies to a large extent on the OECD's Creditor Reporting System. Despite improvements in its coverage and reliability, the demand for estimates of aid to control of specific diseases is resulting in multiple, uncoordinated data requests to donor agencies, placing additional workload on the providers of information. The emergence of budget support aid modalities poses a methodological challenge to health resource tracking, as such support is difficult to attribute to any particular sector or health programme. Attention should focus on improving underlying financial and information systems at the country

  18. The New Manifest Destiny: The Rise of Navalism in Fin De Siecle America

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-13

    significant social disruption, as it had elsewhere in the world. Victorian laissez faire capitalism had led to explosive growth, but also economic......oscillations in the capitalist system that caused unemployment, questions about the fairness of the capitalist system grew among the lower classes

  19. Synchrotron Light Sources in Developing Countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Winick, Herman; Pianetta, Piero

    The more than 50 light sources in operation include facilities in Brazil, Korea, and Taiwan which started in the 1980's when they were developing countries. They came on line in the 1990's and have since trained hundreds of graduate students. They have attracted mid-career diaspora scientists to return. Growing user communities have demanded more advanced facilities, leading to higher performance new light sources that are now coming into operation. Light sources in the developing world now include the following: ∖textbf{SESAME}in the Middle East which is scheduled to start research in 2017 (∖underline {www.sesame.org}); ∖textbf{The African Light Source}, in the planning stage (∖underline {www.safricanlightsource.org}); and ∖textbf{The Mexican Light Source}, in the planning stage (∖underline {http://www.aps.org/units/fip/newsletters/201509/mexico.cfm}). See: http://wpj.sagepub.com/content/32/4/92.full.pdf +html; http://www.lightsources.org/press-release/2015/11/20/grenoble-resolutions-mark-historical-step-towards-african-light-source..

  20. The influence of television on cultural values -- with special reference to Third World countries.

    PubMed

    Goonasekera, A

    1987-01-01

    In focusing on the influence of television on cultural values, particularly in third world countries, the discussion covers the impact of the technology of communication on cultural values, the impact of existing, that is traditional, cultural values on television, and the impact of television programs on cultural values. It is not a problem to set up a television transmitting station in any third world country; the hardware is manufactured in developed countries and assembled in a third world country by technicians of the television manufacturing company. The key question is whether the third world country that has acquired this modern piece of technology can put it into operation run it. The operation of a modern television station calls for 3 types of professionals: engineers and technicians, television journalists and producers, and managers and administrators. Consequently, if the host country is to benefit from this transfer of technology it needs to have a community of modern professionals. Also, for a culture to successfully utilize television, it is helpful if the other media of communication are developed. In sum, at the time of the introduction of television in third world countries, such countries should possess an advanced sector of education and mass media which could form the basis for initiating the multiplier effect for which television has the potential. When introducing television to a third world country, one further needs to be aware of the impact that traditional values may have on the utilization of this medium. It can work to entrench traditional inequities in social relationships in the name of cultural uniqueness, and from the perspective of disadvantaged minority groups it could be a form of "cultural imperialism." Thus, when introducing television, the governments of these countries need to consider fostering a set of values and norms that could assist in the modernization of these countries. These should be values that promote human

  1. National laboratory policies and plans in sub-Saharan African countries: gaps and opportunities

    PubMed Central

    van der Broek, Ankie; Jansen, Christel; de Bruijn, Hilde; Schultsz, Constance

    2017-01-01

    Background The 2008 Maputo Declaration calls for the development of dedicated national laboratory policies and strategic plans supporting the enhancement of laboratory services in response to the long-lasting relegation of medical laboratory systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Objectives This study describes the extent to which laboratories are addressed in the national health policies and plans created directly following the 2008 momentum for laboratory strengthening. Method National health policies and plans from 39 sub-Saharan African countries, valid throughout and beyond 31 December 2010 were collected in March 2012 and analysed during 2013. Results Laboratories were addressed by all countries. Human resources were the most addressed topic (38/39) and finances and budget were the least addressed (< 5/39). Countries lagging behind in national laboratory strategic planning at the end of 2013 (17/39) were more likely to be francophone countries located in West-Central Africa (13/17) and have historically low HIV prevalence. The most common gaps anticipated to compromise the implementation of the policies and plans were the disconnect between policies and plans, under-developed finance sections and monitoring and evaluating frameworks, absence of points of reference to define gaps and shortages, and inappropriate governance structure. Conclusion The availability of laboratory policy and plan implementation can be improved by strictly applying a more standardised methodology for policy development, using harmonised norms to set targets for improvement and intensifying the establishment of directorates of laboratory services directly under the authority of Ministries of Health. Horizontal programmes such as the Global Health Security Agenda could provide the necessary impulse to take the least advanced countries on board. PMID:28879152

  2. Composite measures of women's empowerment and their association with maternal mortality in low-income countries.

    PubMed

    Lan, Chiao-Wen; Tavrow, Paula

    2017-11-08

    Maternal mortality has declined significantly since 1990. While better access to emergency obstetrical care is partially responsible, women's empowerment might also be a contributing factor. Gender equality composite measures generally include various dimensions of women's advancement, including educational parity, formal employment, and political participation. In this paper, we compare several composite measures to assess which, if any, are associated with maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) in low-income countries, after controlling for other macro-level and direct determinants. Using data from 44 low-income countries (half in Africa), we assessed the correlation of three composite measures - the Gender Gap Index, the Gender Equity Index (GEI), and the Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) - with MMRs. We also examined two recognized contributors to reduce maternal mortality (skilled birth attendance (SBA) and total fertility rate (TFR)) as well as several economic and political variables (such as the Corruption Index) to see which tracked most closely with MMRs. We examined the countries altogether, and disaggregated by region. We then performed multivariate analysis to determine which measures were predictive. Two gender measures (GEI and SIGI) and GDP per capita were significantly correlated with MMRs for all countries. For African countries, the SIGI, TFR, and Corruption Index were significant, whereas the GEI, SBA, and TFR were significant in non-African countries. After controlling for all measures, SBA emerged as a predictor of log MMR for non-African countries (β = -0.04, P = 0.01). However, for African countries, only the Corruption Index was a predictor (β = -0.04, P = 0.04). No gender measure was significant. In African countries, corruption is undermining the quality of maternal care, the availability of critical drugs and equipment, and pregnant women's motivation to deliver in a hospital setting. Improving gender equality and

  3. Parenthood and Happiness: Effects of Work-Family Reconciliation Policies in 22 OECD Countries.

    PubMed

    Glass, Jennifer; Simon, Robin W; Andersson, Matthew A

    2016-11-01

    The recent proliferation of studies examining cross-national variation in the association between parenthood and happiness reveal accumulating evidence of lower levels of happiness among parents than nonparents in most advanced industrialized societies. Conceptualizing parenting as a stressor buffered by institutional support, we hypothesize that parental status differences in happiness are smaller in countries providing more resources and support to families. Our analyses of the European Social Surveys (ESS) and International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) reveal considerable variation in the parenthood gap in happiness across countries, with the U.S. showing the largest disadvantage of parenthood. We also find that more generous family policies, particularly paid time off and childcare subsidies, are associated with smaller disparities in happiness between parents and non-parents. Moreover, the policies that augment parental happiness do not reduce the happiness of nonparents. Our results shed light on macro-level causes of emotional processes, with important implications for public policy.

  4. Parenthood and Happiness: Effects of Work-Family Reconciliation Policies in 22 OECD Countries

    PubMed Central

    Glass, Jennifer; Simon, Robin W.; Andersson, Matthew A

    2016-01-01

    The recent proliferation of studies examining cross-national variation in the association between parenthood and happiness reveal accumulating evidence of lower levels of happiness among parents than nonparents in most advanced industrialized societies. Conceptualizing parenting as a stressor buffered by institutional support, we hypothesize that parental status differences in happiness are smaller in countries providing more resources and support to families. Our analyses of the European Social Surveys (ESS) and International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) reveal considerable variation in the parenthood gap in happiness across countries, with the U.S. showing the largest disadvantage of parenthood. We also find that more generous family policies, particularly paid time off and childcare subsidies, are associated with smaller disparities in happiness between parents and non-parents. Moreover, the policies that augment parental happiness do not reduce the happiness of nonparents. Our results shed light on macro-level causes of emotional processes, with important implications for public policy. PMID:28082749

  5. Advanced photonic, electronic, and web engineering systems: WILGA Symposium, January 2013

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

    2013-10-01

    The cycle of WILGA Symposia [wilga.ise.pw.edu.pl] on Photonics and Web Engineering, Advanced Electronic Systems, under the auspices of SPIE, IEEE, KEiT PAN and WEiTI PW was initiated in 1998 by a Research Team PERG/ELHEP ISE PW. The WILGA conferences take place two times a year and the participants are young scientists from this country and abroad. This paper debates chosen topical tracks and some papers presented during the 31 WILGA Multi-Conference, which took place on 8-10 February 2013 at the Faculty of WEiTI PW. The January conference was attended by around 100 persons. Here we discuss closer the subjects of biomedical photonics, electronics and informatics, as well as chosen aspects of applications of advanced photonic, electronic circuits and systems. The 32 nd WILGA Symposium took place on 27 May - 02 June 2013 in WUT WILGA resort near Warsaw. These two editions of WILGA Conferences - January and May have generated more than 250 articles, from which around 100 were chosen by the Symposium and Conference Committees to be published in this volume of Proc.SPIE. WILGA Symposium papers are traditionally submitted via the WILGA web page [wilga.ise.pw.edu.pl] to the SPIE Proceedings publishing system [spie.org]. Email for the correspondence is: photonics@ise.pw.edu.pl. All Wilga papers are published in journals Elektronika, IJET-PAN and in Proc.SPIE. Topical tracks of the symposium usually embrace, among others, new technologies for photonics, sensory and nonlinear optical fibers, object oriented design of hardware, photonic metrology, optoelectronics and photonics applications, photonics-electronics co-design, optoelectronic and electronic systems for astronomy and high energy physics experiments, JET and pi-of-the sky experiments development. The symposium In its two editions a year is a summary of the development of numerable Ph.D. theses carried out in this country and this geographical region in the area of advanced electronic and photonic systems. It is also

  6. PubMed-based quantitative analysis of biomedical publications in the SAARC countries: 1985-2009.

    PubMed

    Azim Majumder, Md Anwarul; Shaban, Sami F; Rahman, Sayeeda; Rahman, Nuzhat; Ahmed, Moslehuddin; Bin Abdulrahman, Khalid A; Islam, Ziauddin

    2012-09-01

    To conduct a geographical analysis of biomedical publications from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries over the past 25 years (1985-2009) using the PubMed database. A qualitative study. Web-based search during September 2010. A data extraction program, developed by one of the authors (SFS), was used to extract the raw publication counts from the downloaded PubMed data. A search of PubMed was performed for all journals indexed by selecting the advanced search option and entering the country name in the 'affiliation' field. The publications were normalized by total population, adult illiteracy rate, gross domestic product (GDP), secondary school enrollment ratio and Internet usage rate. The number of PubMed-listed papers published by the SAARC countries over the last 25 years totalled 141,783, which is 1.1% of the total papers indexed by PubMed in the same period. India alone produced 90.5% of total publications generated by SAARC countries. The average number of papers published per year from 1985 to 2009 was 5671 and number of publication increased approximately 242-fold. Normalizing by the population (per million) and GDP (per billion), India (133, 27.6%) and Nepal (323, 37.3%) had the highest publications respectively. There was a marked imbalance among the SAARC countries in terms of biomedical research and publication. Because of huge population and the high disease burden, biomedical research and publication output should receive special attention to formulate health policies, re-orient medical education curricula, and alleviate diseases and poverty.

  7. Is steady-state capitalism viable? A review of the issues and an answer in the affirmative.

    PubMed

    Lawn, Philip

    2011-02-01

    Most ecological economists believe that the transition to a steady-state economy is necessary to ensure ecological sustainability and to maximize a nation's economic welfare. While some observers agree with the necessity of the steady-state economy, they are nonetheless critical of the suggestion made by ecological economists-in particular, Herman Daly-that a steady-state economy is compatible with a capitalist system. First, they believe that steady-state capitalism is based on the untenable assumption that growth is an optional rather than in-built element of capitalism. Second, they argue that capitalist notions of efficient resource allocation are too restrictive to facilitate the transition to an "ecological" or steady-state economy. I believe these observers are outright wrong with their first criticism and, because they misunderstand Daly's vision of a steady-state economy, are misplaced with their second criticism. The nature of a capitalist system depends upon the institutional framework that supports and shapes it. Hence, a capitalist system can exist in a wide variety of forms. Unfortunately, many observers fail to recognize that the current "growth imperative" is the result of capitalist systems everywhere being institutionally designed to grow. They need not be designed this way to survive and thrive. Indeed, because continued growth is both existentially undesirable and ecologically unsustainable, redesigning capitalist systems through the introduction of Daly-like institutions would prove to be capitalism's savior. What's more, it would constitute humankind's best hope of achieving sustainable development. © 2011 New York Academy of Sciences.

  8. Country Profiles, Malaysia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marzuki, Ariffin Bin; Peng, J. Y.

    A profile of Malaysia is sketched in this paper. Emphasis is placed on the nature, scope, and accomplishments of population activities in the country. Topics and sub-topics include: location and description of the country; population (size, growth patterns, age structure, urban/rural distribution, ethnic and religious composition, migration,…

  9. Country Profiles, Taiwan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keeny, S. M.; And Others

    A profile of Taiwan is sketched in this paper. Emphasis is placed on the nature, scope, and accomplishments of population activities in the country. Topics and sub-topics include: location and description of the country; population (size, growth patterns, age structure, urban/rural distribution, ethnic and religious composition, migration,…

  10. Country Profiles, Indonesia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Population Council, New York, NY.

    A profile of Indonesia is sketched in this paper. Emphasis is placed on the nature, scope, and accomplishments of population activities in the country. Topics and sub-topics include: location and description of the country; population - size, growth patterns, age structure, urban/rural distribution, ethnic and religious composition, migration,…

  11. Tested program for Third World economic development

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

    Lindholm, R.W.

    1977-04-01

    Some of the responsibility for the inability of Western-oriented Third World Countries (1) to make democratic economic institutions work rests upon advisers to American and international financial institutions who recommend principles of economic growth distilled out of Keynesian recipes for an over-saving Western society of the 1930s, and out of aspects of American experience with no applicability elsewhere. Applicable aspects of U.S. experience suggest a program relying on capitalistic drives and using fiscal and monetary policy of the type that proved useful in the development of democratic capitalism in the U.S. in the 19th century.

  12. Achieving value for money in health: a comparative analysis of OECD countries and regional countries.

    PubMed

    Çelik, Yusuf; Khan, Mahmud; Hikmet, Neşet

    2017-10-01

    To measure efficiency gains in health sector over the years 1995 to 2013 in OECD, EU, non-member European countries. An output-oriented DEA model with variable return to scale, and residuals estimated by regression equations were used to estimate efficiencies of health systems. Slacks for health care outputs and inputs were calculated by using DEA multistage method of estimating country efficiency scores. Better health outcomes of countries were related with higher efficiency. Japan, France, or Sweden were found to be peer-efficient countries when compared to other developed countries like Germany and United States. Increasing life expectancy beyond a certain high level becomes very difficult to achieve. Despite declining marginal productivity of inputs on health outcomes, some developed countries and developing countries were found to have lowered their inefficiencies in the use of health inputs. Although there was no systematic relationship between political system of countries and health system efficiency, the objectives of countries on social and health policy and the way of achieving these objectives might be a factor increasing the efficiency of health systems. Economic and political stability might be as important as health expenditure in improving health system goals. A better understanding of the value created by health expenditures, especially in developed countries, will require analysis of specific health interventions that can increase value for money in health. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. SisLeish: A multi-country standardized information system to monitor the status of Leishmaniasis in the Americas.

    PubMed

    Maia-Elkhoury, Ana N S; O B Valadas, Samantha Y; Puppim-Buzanovsky, Lia; Rocha, Felipe; Sanchez-Vazquez, Manuel J

    2017-09-01

    In the Americas, leishmaniasis is endemic in 18 countries, and from 2001 through 2015, 17 countries reported 843,931 cases of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, and 12 countries reported 52,176 cases of visceral leishmaniasis. A Regional Information System (SisLeish) was created in order to provide knowledge of the distribution and tendency of this disease to analyze and monitor the leishmaniasis status. This article analyses the performance and progress of SisLeish from 2012-2015. The performance of SisLeish was evaluated by country adhesion, data completeness and delay in entering the data, and also by the SWOT technique. Furthermore, we outlined the structure and modus operandi of the system and indicators utilized. In 2012, only 18% of the countries entered the data in SisLeish before the deadline, where 66.7% and 50% of the countries with autochthonous CL/ML and VL reported their cases to the system, respectively. Whereas in 2015, 59% of the countries reached the deadline, where 94.4% and 58.3% of the countries reported their CL/ML and VL data, respectively. Regarding data completeness, there was great progress for different variables since its launch, such as gender, which had an approximately 100% improvement from 2012 to 2015. The SWOT analysis of SisLeish showed 12 strengths, 11 opportunities, seven weaknesses and six threats. From 2012-2015 there has been an improvement in the adhesion, quality and data completeness, showing the effort of the majority of the countries to enhance their national database. The SWOT analysis demonstrated that strengths and opportunities exceed weaknesses and threats; however, it highlighted the system frailties and challenges that need to be addressed. Furthermore, it has stimulated several National Programs to advance their surveillance system. Therefore, SisLeish has become an essential tool to prioritize areas, assist in decision-making processes, and to guide surveillance and control actions.

  14. Protecting prisoners' autonomy with advance directives: ethical dilemmas and policy issues.

    PubMed

    Andorno, Roberto; Shaw, David M; Elger, Bernice

    2015-02-01

    Over the last decade, several European countries and the Council of Europe itself have strongly supported the use of advance directives as a means of protecting patients' autonomy, and adopted specific norms to regulate this matter. However, it remains unclear under which conditions those regulations should apply to people who are placed in correctional settings. The issue is becoming more significant due to the increasing numbers of inmates of old age or at risk of suffering from mental disorders, all of whom might benefit from using advance directives. At the same time, the closed nature of prisons and the disparate power relationships that characterise them mean that great caution must be exercised to prevent care being withdrawn or withheld from inmates who actually want to receive it. This paper explores the issue of prisoners' advance directives in the European context, starting with the position enshrined in international and European law that prisoners retain all their human rights, except the right to liberty, and are therefore entitled to self-determination regarding health care decisions.

  15. The Double Burden of Malnutrition in Countries Passing through the Economic Transition.

    PubMed

    Prentice, Andrew M

    2018-01-01

    Undernutrition in both its acute and chronic forms (wasting and stunting) is strongly inversely correlated with the wealth of nations. Consequently, as many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) achieve economic advancement and pass through the so-called "nutrition transition," their rates of undernutrition decline. Many countries successfully achieved the Millennium Development Goal of halving undernutrition and whole continents have been transformed in recent decades. The exception is Africa where the slower rates of decline in the prevalence of undernutrition has been overtaken by population growth so that the absolute number of stunted children is rising. In many regions, economic transition is causing a rapid increase in the number of overweight and obese people. The rapidity of this rise is such that many nations bear the simultaneous burdens of under- and overnutrition; termed the "double burden" of malnutrition. This double burden, accompanied as it is by the unfinished agenda of high levels of infectious diseases, is crippling the health systems of many LMICs and thus requires urgent attention. Although the prognosis looks threatening for many poor countries, they have the advantage of being able to learn from the mistakes made by other nations that have passed through the transition before them. Concerted action across many arms of government would achieve huge future dividends in health and wealth for any nations that can grasp the challenge. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  16. John Wheatley Award Talk: Promoting Under-Represented Physicists in Asian and Arab Countries and Muslim Women in Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nahar, Sultana

    2013-04-01

    Physics fascinates people's minds regardless of their geographic location. Often the best students choose the challending profession of physics. Physicists in developing countries in Asia and Arab countries work mostly on their own with limited resources or external collaboration and some do extraordinarily well. However, these dedicated individuals need the support and interactive modalities with their fellow physicists, particularly from developed countries, for coherent and rapid advances in knowledge, discoveries and inventions. My main objective is to promote and motivate physics education and research in developing and Arab countries to a level of excellence commensurate with that at U.S. institutions, and to facilitate connection through the strong network of APS. I have developed a general STEM based program. Another focus of this initiative is the very weak community of Muslim women in science, who have have remained behind owing to surrounding circumstances. To encourage them in scientific professions, and to enable them to nurture their intellectuality, we have formed a network called the International Society of Muslim Women in Science. It now has 85 enthusiastic and aspiring members from 21 countries. I will discuss these and the special needs of the these under-represented scientists, and how APS might lend them its valuable support.

  17. Preliminary Country Reports on Feasibility Survey: Policy Research and Education Institutions for Developing Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, James M.; Luikart, F. W.

    The feasibility of creating independent research and education centers that deal with public policy issues in developing countries is assessed. Countries that were surveyed include Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, South Korea, Philippines, Pakistan, and Nepal. For each country, a report describes the social and political climate…

  18. Impact of postgraduate education on advanced practice nurse activity - a national survey.

    PubMed

    Wilkinson, J; Carryer, J; Budge, C

    2018-03-22

    There is a wealth of international evidence concerning the contribution post-registration master's level education makes to advancing the discipline of nursing. There are approximately 277 nurse practitioners registered in NZ, but they account for only a small portion of nurses who have undertaken master's level education. The additional contribution these nurses make to the work environment through advanced practice activities has not, hitherto, been documented. To report the extent of advanced practice nurse activity associated with various levels of nursing education in a sample of nurses working in clinical practice in New Zealand. A replication of recent Australian research was done via a national cross-sectional survey of 3255 registered nurses and nurse practitioners in New Zealand using an online questionnaire to collect responses to the amended Advanced Practice Delineation survey tool. In addition, demographic data were collected including position titles and levels of postgraduate education. A positive association was found between postgraduate education at any level and more time spent in advanced practice activities. Independent of level of postgraduate education, the role a nurse holds also effects the extent of involvement in advanced practice activities. There is an additional contribution made to the work environment by nurses with master's level education which occurs even when they are not employed in an advanced practice role. These findings are of significance to workforce policy and planning across the globe as countries work to sustain health services by increasing nursing capacity effectively within available resources. © 2018 International Council of Nurses.

  19. EARLINET: towards an advanced sustainable European aerosol lidar network

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pappalardo, G.; Amodeo, A.; Apituley, A.; Comeron, A.; Freudenthaler, V.; Linné, H.; Ansmann, A.; Bösenberg, J.; D'Amico, G.; Mattis, I.; Mona, L.; Wandinger, U.; Amiridis, V.; Alados-Arboledas, L.; Nicolae, D.; Wiegner, M.

    2014-08-01

    The European Aerosol Research Lidar Network, EARLINET, was founded in 2000 as a research project for establishing a quantitative, comprehensive, and statistically significant database for the horizontal, vertical, and temporal distribution of aerosols on a continental scale. Since then EARLINET has continued to provide the most extensive collection of ground-based data for the aerosol vertical distribution over Europe. This paper gives an overview of the network's main developments since 2000 and introduces the dedicated EARLINET special issue, which reports on the present innovative and comprehensive technical solutions and scientific results related to the use of advanced lidar remote sensing techniques for the study of aerosol properties as developed within the network in the last 13 years. Since 2000, EARLINET has developed greatly in terms of number of stations and spatial distribution: from 17 stations in 10 countries in 2000 to 27 stations in 16 countries in 2013. EARLINET has developed greatly also in terms of technological advances with the spread of advanced multiwavelength Raman lidar stations in Europe. The developments for the quality assurance strategy, the optimization of instruments and data processing, and the dissemination of data have contributed to a significant improvement of the network towards a more sustainable observing system, with an increase in the observing capability and a reduction of operational costs. Consequently, EARLINET data have already been extensively used for many climatological studies, long-range transport events, Saharan dust outbreaks, plumes from volcanic eruptions, and for model evaluation and satellite data validation and integration. Future plans are aimed at continuous measurements and near-real-time data delivery in close cooperation with other ground-based networks, such as in the ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network) www.actris.net, and with the

  20. Southeastern Wyoming's Country Schools. Country School Legacy: Humanities on the Frontier.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riske, Milton

    Information from 22 oral history interviews, periodicals, unpublished manuscripts, and school records provides an indication of the role played by country schools in the history of southeastern Wyoming and forms part of an 8-state research effort to locate and preserve information related to country schools. The report focuses on six aspects of…

  1. Sport and Social Change. Socialist Feminist Theory.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bray, Catherine

    1988-01-01

    Though the number of women in sport and the productive labor force have increased, the lower levels of support and pay indicate devaluing by a capitalist patriarchal society. A socialist feminist theory of sport participation by women foresees the possibility of a nonpatriarchal capitalist society. (JD)

  2. Contribution of Arab countries to breast cancer research: comparison with non-Arab Middle Eastern countries.

    PubMed

    Sweileh, Waleed M; Zyoud, Sa'ed H; Al-Jabi, Samah W; Sawalha, Ansam F

    2015-01-01

    Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancers affecting women worldwide. The main objective of this study was to assess and compare research activity in breast cancer in Arab countries with non-Arab Middle Eastern countries. Publications about "breast cancer" as a research topic were retrieved using the ISI Web of Science database. Analysis was confined to original research and review articles. Research productivity was assessed by assessing number of publications and time trend of these publications, names of journals, citation analysis, top 10 active institutions as well as country contribution to breast cancer research. The quantity and quality of publications from Arab countries in addition to 3 other Middle East countries (Turkey, Iran and Israel) were assessed and compared using the h-index tool. A total of 1658 original research and review articles about "breast cancer" were published from Arab countries. Annual research productivity from Arab countries in the field of "breast cancer" was negligible but showed a significant increase in the last decade. Retrieved documents had relatively high citation parameters as measured by h-index of 61 and average citations of 17.46 per document. The highest research productivity was from Egypt with a total publication of 582 (35.10%). Cairo University with a total of 149 (8.99%) publications had the highest research productivity among institutions in Arab world. Forty four documents (2.65%) of breast cancer documents were published in Saudi Medical Journal. Arab researchers collaborated mostly with researchers from the United States of America (305; 18.40%) in breast cancer research. Compared with other non-Arab Middle Eastern countries, Arab countries had higher research productivity than some countries and lower than others, particularly Israel. The present data reveals a good contribution of some Arab countries to the field of "breast cancer" research. There is a gap between Arab countries and Israel in

  3. Advances and Progress in Chagas Disease Drug Discovery.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, Leonardo G; de Oliveira, Marcelo T; Andricopulo, Adriano D

    2016-01-01

    Chagas disease represents a serious burden for millions of people worldwide. Transmitted by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, this neglected tropical disease causes more than 10,000 deaths each year and is the main cause of heart failure in Latin America, where it is endemic. Although most cases are concentrated in Latin American countries, Chagas disease has been increasingly reported in non-endemic regions, where the low level of public awareness on the subject contributes to the growing prevalence of the disease. The available medicines are characterized by several safety and efficacy drawbacks that prevent millions of people, particularly those with advanced disease, from receiving adequate treatment. This urgent need has stimulated the emergence of diverse initiatives dedicated to the research and development (R&D) of novel therapeutic agents for Chagas disease. Public-private partnerships have been responsible for a significant increase in the investments in R&D programs and major advancements have been achieved over the past ten years. A number of collaborative projects have been leveraged by this organizational model, which privileges sharing of data, expertise, and resources between research institutions and pharmaceutical companies. Among the current strategies employed by these consortia, target-based and phenotypic screenings have achieved the most promising results. This article provides an overview on the current status and recent advances in Chagas disease drug discovery.

  4. Thailand Country Analysis Brief

    EIA Publications

    2017-01-01

    Thailand is an oil and natural gas producer, however, the country increasingly relies on hydrocarbon imports to sustain its rising fuel demand. Domestic crude oil reserves are declining in Thailand, and the country imports a significant share of its total oil consumption. Even though Thailand’s natural gas production has increased substantially in the last two decade, high demand growth and access to imports led the country to become a net importer of natural gas in 2000.

  5. Country material distribution and adolescents' perceived health: multilevel study of adolescents in 27 countries

    PubMed Central

    Torsheim, Torbjorn; Currie, Candace; Boyce, Will; Samdal, Oddrun

    2006-01-01

    Objective To assess the impact of country material distribution on adolescents' perceptions of health. Design Cross sectional multilevel study. Setting Data were collected from the school based health behaviour in school aged children: WHO cross national study 1997/98, which includes students from 27 European and North American countries. Participants 12 0381 students in year 6, 8, and 10 who were attending school classes on the day of data collection. Main result Adolescents in countries with a high dispersion of family affluence were more likely to have self rated poor health even after controlling for individual family level of affluence and family social resources. Conclusion There are substantial inequalities in subjective health across European and North American countries related to the distribution of family material resources in these countries. PMID:16415267

  6. An insight into burns in a developing country: a Sri Lankan experience.

    PubMed

    Lau, Y S

    2006-10-01

    Burn injuries represent a diverse and varied challenge to medical and paramedical staff. The management of burns and their sequelae in a well-equipped, modern burns unit remains demanding despite advances in surgical techniques and development of tissue-engineered biomaterials; in a developing country, these difficulties are amplified many times. Sri Lanka has a high incidence of burn-related injuries annually due to a combination of adverse social, economic and cultural factors. The management of burn injuries remains a formidable public health problem. The epidemiology of burns, challenges faced in their management and effective strategies specific to Sri Lanka, such as the Safe Bottle Lamp campaign, are highlighted in this paper.

  7. An assessment of interactions between global health initiatives and country health systems.

    PubMed

    Samb, Badara; Evans, Tim; Dybul, Mark; Atun, Rifat; Moatti, Jean-Paul; Nishtar, Sania; Wright, Anna; Celletti, Francesca; Hsu, Justine; Kim, Jim Yong; Brugha, Ruairi; Russell, Asia; Etienne, Carissa

    2009-06-20

    Since 2000, the emergence of several large disease-specific global health initiatives (GHIs) has changed the way in which international donors provide assistance for public health. Some critics have claimed that these initiatives burden health systems that are already fragile in countries with few resources, whereas others have asserted that weak health systems prevent progress in meeting disease-specific targets. So far, most of the evidence for this debate has been provided by speculation and anecdotes. We use a review and analysis of existing data, and 15 new studies that were submitted to WHO for the purpose of writing this Report to describe the complex nature of the interplay between country health systems and GHIs. We suggest that this Report provides the most detailed compilation of published and emerging evidence so far, and provides a basis for identification of the ways in which GHIs and health systems can interact to mutually reinforce their effects. On the basis of the findings, we make some general recommendations and identify a series of action points for international partners, governments, and other stakeholders that will help ensure that investments in GHIs and country health systems can fulfil their potential to produce comprehensive and lasting results in disease-specific work, and advance the general public health agenda. The target date for achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals is drawing close, and the economic downturn threatens to undermine the improvements in health outcomes that have been achieved in the past few years. If adjustments to the interactions between GHIs and country health systems will improve efficiency, equity, value for money, and outcomes in global public health, then these opportunities should not be missed.

  8. Advanced Energy Design Guide K-12: Next Generation of School Design and Operation

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

    Torcellini, Paul A; Pless, Shanti

    Driven by energy efficiency advances and renewable energy cost reductions, zero energy buildings are popping up all around the country. Although zero energy represents a bold paradigm shift - from buildings that consume energy to buildings that produce enough energy to meet their energy needs on an annual basis - it isn't a sudden shift. Zero energy buildings are the result of steady, incremental progress by researchers and building professionals working together to improve building energy performance. ASHRAE is taking the lead by publishing - in partnership with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), themore » U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - a new series of advanced energy design guides (AEDGs) focused on zero energy buildings. The recently completed Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings: Achieving Zero Energy (K-12 ZE AEDG) is the first in this series.« less

  9. Social determinants of health, universal health coverage, and sustainable development: case studies from Latin American countries.

    PubMed

    de Andrade, Luiz Odorico Monteiro; Pellegrini Filho, Alberto; Solar, Orielle; Rígoli, Félix; de Salazar, Lígia Malagon; Serrate, Pastor Castell-Florit; Ribeiro, Kelen Gomes; Koller, Theadora Swift; Cruz, Fernanda Natasha Bravo; Atun, Rifat

    2015-04-04

    Many intrinsically related determinants of health and disease exist, including social and economic status, education, employment, housing, and physical and environmental exposures. These factors interact to cumulatively affect health and disease burden of individuals and populations, and to establish health inequities and disparities across and within countries. Biomedical models of health care decrease adverse consequences of disease, but are not enough to effectively improve individual and population health and advance health equity. Social determinants of health are especially important in Latin American countries, which are characterised by adverse colonial legacies, tremendous social injustice, huge socioeconomic disparities, and wide health inequities. Poverty and inequality worsened substantially in the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s in these countries. Many Latin American countries have introduced public policies that integrate health, social, and economic actions, and have sought to develop health systems that incorporate multisectoral interventions when introducing universal health coverage to improve health and its upstream determinants. We present case studies from four Latin American countries to show the design and implementation of health programmes underpinned by intersectoral action and social participation that have reached national scale to effectively address social determinants of health, improve health outcomes, and reduce health inequities. Investment in managerial and political capacity, strong political and managerial commitment, and state programmes, not just time-limited government actions, have been crucial in underpinning the success of these policies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Country Contributions to Climate Change

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schuenemann, K. C.

    2016-12-01

    An assignment called "Country Contributions to Climate Change" is used in an introductory Global Climate Change course and answers the question, "Who is responsible for climate change?" This assignment is used about a third of the way into the course, which fulfills a science requirement, but also a Global Diversity requirement within the university. The assignment involves taking a trip to the computer lab to learn how to create graphs in Excel. Two graphs are created, the Keeling Curve, and a graph on total carbon emissions by country since 1900. Students are given data for a few key countries, then are sent to the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC) website to find data on their assigned country. Students create a graph to compare emissions over time from each of these countries. Using this data and the data from the CDIAC, students are asked to draw conclusions about which country is the largest emitter, then on a per capita basis, which people are the largest emitters. Later in the semester they will calculate their own carbon footprint and compare to these numbers. Finally, students are asked to add up emissions by country since 1900 to find out how the countries compare in cumulative emissions, and we learn why this number is relevant. Students also learn the difference between carbon emissions and concentrations, tying together some lessons on the carbon cycle. Students discover the complex role of several countries in climate change, showing them how complicated a climate change solution policy can be.

  11. Urban ecology in a developing world: why advanced socioecological theory needs Africa.

    PubMed

    McHale, Melissa R; Bunn, David N; Pickett, Steward Ta; Twine, Wayne

    2013-12-01

    Socioecological theory, developed through the study of urban environments, has recently led to a proliferation of research focusing on comparative analyses of cities. This research emphasis has been concentrated in the more developed countries of the Northern Hemisphere (often referred to as the "Global North"), yet urbanization is now occurring mostly in the developing world, with the fastest rates of growth in sub-Saharan Africa. Countries like South Africa are experiencing a variety of land-cover changes that may challenge current assumptions about the differences between urban and rural environments and about the connectivity of these dynamic socioecological systems. Furthermore, questions concerning ecosystem services, landscape preferences, and conservation - when analyzed through rural livelihood frameworks - may provide insights into the social and ecological resilience of human settlements. Increasing research on urban development processes occurring in Africa, and on patterns of kinship and migration in the less developed countries of the "Global South", will advance a more comprehensive worldview of how future urbanization will influence the progress of sustainable societies.

  12. Urban ecology in a developing world: why advanced socioecological theory needs Africa

    PubMed Central

    Bunn, David N; Pickett, Steward TA; Twine, Wayne

    2014-01-01

    Socioecological theory, developed through the study of urban environments, has recently led to a proliferation of research focusing on comparative analyses of cities. This research emphasis has been concentrated in the more developed countries of the Northern Hemisphere (often referred to as the “Global North”), yet urbanization is now occurring mostly in the developing world, with the fastest rates of growth in sub-Saharan Africa. Countries like South Africa are experiencing a variety of land-cover changes that may challenge current assumptions about the differences between urban and rural environments and about the connectivity of these dynamic socioecological systems. Furthermore, questions concerning ecosystem services, landscape preferences, and conservation – when analyzed through rural livelihood frameworks – may provide insights into the social and ecological resilience of human settlements. Increasing research on urban development processes occurring in Africa, and on patterns of kinship and migration in the less developed countries of the “Global South”, will advance a more comprehensive worldview of how future urbanization will influence the progress of sustainable societies. PMID:24891843

  13. Globalization and the trade in human body parts.

    PubMed

    Harrison, T

    1999-02-01

    Since the early 1980s, the number and variety of organ transplantations has increased enormously worldwide. Accompanying this increase has been the emergence of a market for human body parts. This paper argues that, while the trade in human body parts is conditioned by technological advances, it must be understood in the broader context of globalization, specifically the extension and intensification of a capitalist mode of exchange. In this regard, it is argued that the trade in human body parts mirrors the "normal" system of unequal exchanges that mark other forms of trade between the developed and undeveloped regions of the world.

  14. A Cost Comparison of Alternative Approaches to Distance Education in Developing Countries

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ventre, Gerard G.; Kalu, Alex

    1996-01-01

    This paper presents a cost comparison of three approaches to two-way interactive distance learning systems for developing countries. Included are costs for distance learning hardware, terrestrial and satellite communication links, and designing instruction for two-way interactive courses. As part of this project, FSEC is developing a 30-hour course in photovoltaic system design that will be used in a variety of experiments using the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS). A primary goal of the project is to develop an instructional design and delivery model that can be used for other education and training programs. Over two-thirds of the world photovoltaics market is in developing countries. One of the objectives of this NASA-sponsored project was to develop new and better energy education programs that take advantage of advances in telecommunications and computer technology. The combination of desktop video systems and the sharing of computer applications software is of special interest. Research is being performed to evaluate the effectiveness of some of these technologies as part of this project. The design of the distance learning origination and receive sites discussed in this paper were influenced by the educational community's growing interest in distance education. The following approach was used to develop comparative costs for delivering interactive distance education to developing countries: (1) Representative target locations for receive sites were chosen. The originating site was assumed to be Cocoa, Florida, where FSEC is located; (2) A range of course development costs were determined; (3) The cost of equipment for three alternative two-way interactive distance learning system configurations was determined or estimated. The types of system configurations ranged from a PC-based system that allows instructors to originate instruction from their office using desktop video and shared application software, to a high cost system that uses a

  15. Prevention in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Black, R E

    1990-01-01

    Developing countries have implemented primary health care programs directed primarily at prevention and management of important infectious and nutritional problems of children. Successful programs have emphasized the need for individual and community involvement and have been characterized by responsible government policies for equitable implementation of efficacious and cost-effective health interventions. Unfortunately, developing countries must also face increases in the chronic disease and social problems commonly associated with industrialized countries. Prevention efforts, for example, to reduce tobacco smoking, to modify the diet, to reduce injuries, or to avert environmental contamination, are needed to contain future morbidity and rapidly increasing medical care costs. Developing countries can build on their successful approaches to program implementation and add other measures directed at preservation of health and prevention of disease in adult as well as child populations.

  16. Incentives for small clubs of Arctic countries to limit black carbon and methane emissions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aakre, Stine; Kallbekken, Steffen; Van Dingenen, Rita; Victor, David G.

    2018-01-01

    Although addressing climate change will ultimately require global cooperation, substantial progress may be achieved through small clubs of countries, where it is easier to forge and implement deals needed for policy coordination. Here we quantify the gains from cooperation in the Arctic region and find that nearly 90% of the potential for abating black carbon can be reached by countries acting in self-interest alone because soot, the main source of black carbon, causes severe harm to human health along with warming. Abating methane, by contrast, requires more cooperation because impacts are more diffused geographically. Well-designed clubs with as few as four members can realize more than 80% of the full group cooperation potential for reducing these pollutants. The pivotal player in every effective club is Russia—most other members of the Arctic Council, the institution most focused on advancing the collective interests of the region, offer little leverage on the problems at hand.

  17. Third Country Transfers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-01-01

    number of countries in the FY 1983 Congressional Presentation Document (CPD) that the United States has security assistance programs with in one form...or another one would find 109 countries listed. Security assistance is a far reaching program and has as its major elements Foreign Military Sales...FMS), International Military Education and Training (IMET), the Military Assistance Program (MAP), commercial sales licensed under the Arms Export

  18. Advance market commitment for pneumococcal vaccines: putting theory into practice

    PubMed Central

    Cernuschi, Tania; Schwalbe, Nina; Jones, Andrew; Berndt, Ernst R; McAdams, Susan

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Markets for life-saving vaccines do not often generate the most desired outcomes from a public health perspective in terms of product quantity, quality, affordability, programmatic suitability and/or sustainability for use in the lowest income countries. The perceived risks and uncertainties about sustainably funded demand from developing countries often leads to underinvestment in development and manufacturing of appropriate products. The pilot initiative Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for pneumococcal vaccines, launched in 2009, aims to remove some of these market risks by providing a legally binding forward commitment to purchase vaccines according to predetermined terms. To date, 14 countries have already introduced pneumococcal vaccines through the AMC with a further 39 countries expected to introduce before the end of 2013. This paper describes early lessons learnt on the selection of a target disease and the core design choices for the pilot AMC. It highlights the challenges faced with tailoring the AMC design to the specific supply situation of pneumococcal vaccines. It points to the difficulty – and the AMC’s apparent early success – in establishing a long-term, credible commitment in a constantly changing unpredictable environment. It highlights one of the inherent challenges of the AMC: its dependence on continuous donor funding to ensure long-term purchases of products. The paper examines alternative design choices and aims to provide a starting point to inform discussions and encourage debate about the potential application of the AMC concept to other fields. PMID:22271949

  19. Advance market commitment for pneumococcal vaccines: putting theory into practice.

    PubMed

    Cernuschi, Tania; Furrer, Eliane; Schwalbe, Nina; Jones, Andrew; Berndt, Ernst R; McAdams, Susan

    2011-12-01

    Markets for life-saving vaccines do not often generate the most desired outcomes from a public health perspective in terms of product quantity, quality, affordability, programmatic suitability and/or sustainability for use in the lowest income countries. The perceived risks and uncertainties about sustainably funded demand from developing countries often leads to underinvestment in development and manufacturing of appropriate products. The pilot initiative Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for pneumococcal vaccines, launched in 2009, aims to remove some of these market risks by providing a legally binding forward commitment to purchase vaccines according to predetermined terms. To date, 14 countries have already introduced pneumococcal vaccines through the AMC with a further 39 countries expected to introduce before the end of 2013.This paper describes early lessons learnt on the selection of a target disease and the core design choices for the pilot AMC. It highlights the challenges faced with tailoring the AMC design to the specific supply situation of pneumococcal vaccines. It points to the difficulty - and the AMC's apparent early success - in establishing a long-term, credible commitment in a constantly changing unpredictable environment. It highlights one of the inherent challenges of the AMC: its dependence on continuous donor funding to ensure long-term purchases of products. The paper examines alternative design choices and aims to provide a starting point to inform discussions and encourage debate about the potential application of the AMC concept to other fields.

  20. The Dilemmas of Developing an Indigenous Advanced Arms Industry for Developing Countries: The Case of India and China

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-12-01

    of providing nuclear power. Once you have the nuclear weapons, they require a delivery system resulting in a missile program. It is afforded higher...out that some domestic advancements may be made in certain sectors, such as nuclear bombs and missiles, because resources may be spent on narrowly...capital, fighter, aviation, nuclear weapons, missiles 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF REPORT Unclassified 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

  1. Economists, capitalists, and the making of globalization: North American free trade in comparative-historical perspective.

    PubMed

    Fairbrother, Malcolm

    2014-03-01

    Why did globalization happen? Current explanations point to a variety of conditions under which states have made the free market policy changes driving international economic integration since the 1980s. Such accounts disagree, however, about the key actors involved. This article provides a reconciliation, showing how two different combinations of actors, and two different political economic pathways, have led to globalization in recent decades. In developed countries, mobilization by business has been central; elsewhere, technocrats both constrained and empowered by international finance have pursued globalization more independently of business. In both contexts, economists' technical authority has helped legitimate liberalization, despite the limited diffusion of their ideas. The article validates and elaborates this model using a comparative-historical study of how the United States, Canada, and Mexico proposed, negotiated, and ratified agreements for free trade in North America.

  2. Determinants of energy efficiency across countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yao, Guolin

    With economic development, environmental concerns become more important. Economies cannot be developed without energy consumption, which is the major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Higher energy efficiency is one means of reducing emissions, but what determines energy efficiency? In this research we attempt to find answers to this question by using cross-sectional country data; that is, we examine a wide range of possible determinants of energy efficiency at the country level in an attempt to find the most important causal factors. All countries are divided into three income groups: high-income countries, middle-income countries, and low-income countries. Energy intensity is used as a measurement of energy efficiency. All independent variables belong to two categories: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative variables are measures of the economic conditions, development indicators and energy usage situations. Qualitative variables mainly measure political, societal and economic strengths of a country. The three income groups have different economic and energy attributes. Each group has different sets of variables to explain energy efficiency. Energy prices and winter temperature are both important in high-income and middle-income countries. No qualitative variables appear in the model of high-income countries. Basic economic factors, such as institutions, political stability, urbanization level, population density, are important in low-income countries. Besides similar variables, such as macroeconomic stability and index of rule of law, the hydroelectricity share in total electric generation is also a driver of energy efficiency in middle-income countries. These variables have different policy implications for each group of countries.

  3. Advances in Male Contraception

    PubMed Central

    Page, Stephanie T.; Amory, John K.; Bremner, William J.

    2008-01-01

    Despite significant advances in contraceptive options for women over the last 50 yr, world population continues to grow rapidly. Scientists and activists alike point to the devastating environmental impacts that population pressures have caused, including global warming from the developed world and hunger and disease in less developed areas. Moreover, almost half of all pregnancies are still unwanted or unplanned. Clearly, there is a need for expanded, reversible, contraceptive options. Multicultural surveys demonstrate the willingness of men to participate in contraception and their female partners to trust them to do so. Notwithstanding their paucity of options, male methods including vasectomy and condoms account for almost one third of contraceptive use in the United States and other countries. Recent international clinical research efforts have demonstrated high efficacy rates (90–95%) for hormonally based male contraceptives. Current barriers to expanded use include limited delivery methods and perceived regulatory obstacles, which stymie introduction to the marketplace. However, advances in oral and injectable androgen delivery are cause for optimism that these hurdles may be overcome. Nonhormonal methods, such as compounds that target sperm motility, are attractive in their theoretical promise of specificity for the reproductive tract. Gene and protein array technologies continue to identify potential targets for this approach. Such nonhormonal agents will likely reach clinical trials in the near future. Great strides have been made in understanding male reproductive physiology; the combined efforts of scientists, clinicians, industry and governmental funding agencies could make an effective, reversible, male contraceptive an option for family planning over the next decade. PMID:18436704

  4. A Materialist Theory of Women's Status.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flax, Jane

    The paper examines three factors--reproduction, production, and psychodynamics--which contribute to maintaining an inferior image of women in a capitalistic society. It also offers suggestions for changing these social structures so that they will not relegate women to inferior social status. In a capitalistic society production is based on…

  5. Advancing Development and Greenhouse Gas Reductions in Vietnam's Wind Sector

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

    Bilello, D.; Katz, J.; Esterly, S.

    2014-09-01

    Clean energy development is a key component of Vietnam's Green Growth Strategy, which establishes a target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from domestic energy activities by 20-30 percent by 2030 relative to a business-as-usual scenario. Vietnam has significant wind energy resources, which, if developed, could help the country reach this target while providing ancillary economic, social, and environmental benefits. Given Vietnam's ambitious clean energy goals and the relatively nascent state of wind energy development in the country, this paper seeks to fulfill two primary objectives: to distill timely and useful information to provincial-level planners, analysts, and project developers asmore » they evaluate opportunities to develop local wind resources; and, to provide insights to policymakers on how coordinated efforts may help advance large-scale wind development, deliver near-term GHG emission reductions, and promote national objectives in the context of a low emission development framework.« less

  6. Literacy Campaigns in Developing Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Odunuga, Segun

    1984-01-01

    Discusses the problem of eradicating illiteracy in developing countries, where the illiteracy rate may average about 70 percent. Looks at the Arab countries, Latin America, Africa, and India and the factors that thwart attempts to increase literacy in those countries. These include religious habits and the problem of language in multilingual…

  7. Tajikistan Country Profile

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-07-01

    light industry and therefore was largely an agricultural support base for the economy. Aluminum and uranium production and processing were the major...Tajikistan is not a producer/exporter of energy resources although has oil and natural gas reserves. The country has a pipeline importing natural gas from...Uzbekistan. The country also imports gas from Uzbekistan. The total length of gas pipeline is 549 km and 38 km of oil pipelines. Railroads

  8. [Challenges and opportunities: contributions of the Advanced Practice Nurse in the chronicity. Learning from experiences].

    PubMed

    Appleby, Christine; Camacho-Bejarano, Rafaela

    2014-01-01

    Undoubtedly, our society is facing new economic, political, demographic, social and cultural challenges that require healthcare services able to meet the growing health needs of the population, especially in dealing with chronic conditions. In this new context, some countries such as the United Kingdom have made a firm commitment to develop new models for chronic patients care based on the introduction of new figures of Advanced Practice Nurses, which includes 4 cornerstones of professional practice: advanced clinical skills, clinical management, teaching and research. The implementation of this new figures implies a redefinition of professional competencies and has its own accreditation system and a specific catalogue of services adapted to the population requirements, in order to provide chronic care support from Primary Care settings. This trajectory allows us analysing the process of design and implementation of these new models and the organizational structure where it is integrated. In Spain, there are already experiences in some regions such as Andalucia and the Basque Country, focused on the creation of new advanced nursing roles. At present, it is necessary to consider suitable strategic proposals for the complete development of these models and to achieve the best results in terms of overall health and quality of life of patients with chronic conditions, improving the quality of services and cost-effectiveness through a greater cohesion and performance of healthcare teams towards the sustainability of healthcare services and patient satisfaction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  9. Barriers to and Facilitators of Female Deans' Career Advancement in Higher Education: An Exploratory Study in Vietnam

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nguyen, Thi Lan Huong

    2013-01-01

    Although the slow progress of female academics compared to their male colleagues and the challenges that female academic leaders have to face in taking leadership roles have been well-documented, very little is known about female academic leaders and managers' career advancement in developing countries like Vietnam. This paper reports on an…

  10. Bahrain Country Analysis Brief

    EIA Publications

    2016-01-01

    The Kingdom of Bahrain is the smallest oil producer among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations. Bahrain and Oman are the only two countries bordering the Persian Gulf which are not members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

  11. Development of a conceptual policy framework for advanced practice nursing: an ethnographic study.

    PubMed

    Schober, Madrean M; Gerrish, Kate; McDonnell, Ann

    2016-06-01

    To report on a study examining policy development for advanced practice nursing from intent of policy to realization in practice. Inclusion of advanced practice nursing roles in the healthcare workforce is a worldwide trend. Optimal advanced nursing practice requires supportive policies. Little is known about how policy is developed and implemented. Ethnography using an instrumental case study approach was selected to give an in-depth understanding of the experiences of one country (Singapore) to contribute to insight into development elsewhere. The four-phase study was conducted from 2008-2012 and included document analysis (n = 47), interviews with key policy decision makers (n = 12), interviews with nursing managers and medical directors (n = 11), interviews and participant observation with advanced practice nurses (n = 15). Key policymakers in positions of authority were able to promote policy development. However, this was characterized by lack of strategic planning for implementation. A vague understanding by nursing managers and medical directors of policies, the role and its position in the healthcare workforce led to indecision and uncertainty in execution. Advanced practice nurses developed their role based on theory acquired in their academic programme but were unsure what role to assume in practice. Lack of clear guidelines led to unanticipated difficulties for institutions and healthcare systems. Strategic planning could facilitate integration of advanced practice nurses into the healthcare workforce. A Conceptual Policy Framework is proposed as a guide for a coordinated approach to policy development and implementation for advanced practice nursing. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Disability weights for infectious diseases in four European countries: comparison between countries and across respondent characteristics

    PubMed Central

    Maertens de Noordhout, Charline; Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Salomon, Joshua A; Turner, Heather; Cassini, Alessandro; Colzani, Edoardo; Speybroeck, Niko; Polinder, Suzanne; Kretzschmar, Mirjam E; Havelaar, Arie H; Haagsma, Juanita A

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Background In 2015, new disability weights (DWs) for infectious diseases were constructed based on data from four European countries. In this paper, we evaluated if country, age, sex, disease experience status, income and educational levels have an impact on these DWs. Methods We analyzed paired comparison responses of the European DW study by participants’ characteristics with separate probit regression models. To evaluate the effect of participants’ characteristics, we performed correlation analyses between countries and within country by respondent characteristics and constructed seven probit regression models, including a null model and six models containing participants’ characteristics. We compared these seven models using Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Results According to AIC, the probit model including country as covariate was the best model. We found a lower correlation of the probit coefficients between countries and income levels (range rs: 0.97–0.99, P < 0.01) than between age groups (range rs: 0.98–0.99, P < 0.01), educational level (range rs: 0.98–0.99, P < 0.01), sex (rs = 0.99, P < 0.01) and disease status (rs = 0.99, P < 0.01). Within country the lowest correlations of the probit coefficients were between low and high income level (range rs = 0.89–0.94, P < 0.01). Conclusions We observed variations in health valuation across countries and within country between income levels. These observations should be further explored in a systematic way, also in non-European countries. We recommend future researches studying the effect of other characteristics of respondents on health assessment. PMID:29020343

  13. Palliative radiation therapy practice for advanced esophageal carcinoma in Africa.

    PubMed

    Sharma, V; Gaye, P M; Wahab, S A; Ndlovu, N; Ngoma, T; Vanderpuye, V; Sowuhami, A; Dawotola, D A; Kigula-Mugambe, J; Jeremic, B

    2010-04-01

    While numerous surveys of pattern of practices of palliative radiotherapy (RT) in advanced esophageal cancers have been published in developed countries, there is no such survey in African countries. During and after a regional training course by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in palliative cancer care, a questionnaire was distributed to African RT centers to gather information about infrastructure and human resources available, and the pattern of practice of palliative RT for esophageal cancers. Twenty-four of the 35 centers (60%) completed the questionnaire. Twenty out of 23 (87%) centers treat patients with esophageal cancer presenting with dysphagia using external beam RT (16 centers external beam RT alone and 4 centers also use brachytherapy as a boost). Twelve (60%) centers prescribe RT doses of 30 Gy in 10 fractions and 2 centers 20 Gy in 5 fractions. Eighteen centers (78%) have low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy, and 9 (39%) centers have high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy. One center only used HDR brachytherapy alone to a dose of 16 Gy in 2 fractions over 8 days. RT remains a major component of treatment of patients with esophageal cancers in African countries. Still, there is a great variety among centers in both indications for RT and its characteristics for a treatment indication.

  14. Radically Democratic Learning in the Grounded In-Between

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hart, Mechthild

    2010-01-01

    The author describes how the political struggles of immigrant domestic workers challenge the destructive logic of a global capitalist patriarchy. She uses her involvement in the political struggles of immigrant domestic workers as the foundation of both a critique of the destructive logic of global capitalist relations as well as a description of…

  15. Rethinking Educational Purpose: The Socialist Challenge

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Malott, Curry

    2012-01-01

    In this essay Malott makes a case for a Marxist reading of education's role in expanding and reproducing capitalist societies. In the process he challenges the proposition that cognitive capitalism has fundamentally transformed the way in which capitalism operates. That is, rather than being guided by an internal capitalist logic, proponents of…

  16. Virtual water trade and country vulnerability: A network perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sartori, Martina; Schiavo, Stefano

    2015-04-01

    the other side, supporting a national policy of self-sufficiency in food production while progressively reducing the participation in international agricultural trade does not necessarily protect a country from economic instability. Moreover, it is well established in the literature that, over time, international food trade has favored more efficient use of water resources, at the global level. This fact, together with our conclusions, highlights the important role of international trade in driving the efficient allocation of water resources. To sum up, our evidence reveals that the increased globalization witnessed in the last 30 years is not associated with an increased frequency of adverse shocks (in either precipitation or food production). Furthermore, building on recent advances in network analysis that connect the stability of a complex system to the interaction between the distribution of shocks and the network topology, we find that the world is more interconnected, but not necessarily less stable.

  17. America's Country Schools. Third Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gulliford, Andrew

    As late as 1913, half of U.S. schoolchildren were enrolled in the country's 212,000 one-room schools--the heart of American education. Although only about 428 of these schools remain in use as of 1994, the country school continues to be a powerful cultural symbol. The first section of this book examines country schools' educational and cultural…

  18. Population Health Management and the Second Golden Age of Arab Medicine: Promoting Health, Localizing Knowledge Industries, and Diversifying Economies in the GCC Countries.

    PubMed

    Mattke, Soeren; Hunter, Lauren E; Magnuson, Madeline; Arifkhanova, Aziza

    2015-07-15

    Over the past half-century, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries-Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates-have experienced rapid economic growth and, with it, dramatic lifestyle changes. Low levels of physical activity and calorie-dense diets have led to an increase in the prevalence of chronic disease, most prominently diabetes. After having successfully controlled communicable diseases and made advanced acute care accessible locally, the GCC countries now face the challenge of orienting their health care systems toward prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. In this study, Dr. Mattke and his colleagues argue that this challenge presents GCC countries with a historic opportunity to reestablish the thought leadership role that Arab medicine had in the Islamic Golden Age. They propose that GCC countries could apply their considerable wealth to design and implement innovative health care systems based on population health management principles and sophisticated health information technology. Taking this path would not only improve prevention and management of chronic disease in the GCC countries but also contribute to the diversification of their economies and localization of knowledge industries.

  19. SisLeish: A multi-country standardized information system to monitor the status of Leishmaniasis in the Americas

    PubMed Central

    Rocha, Felipe

    2017-01-01

    Background In the Americas, leishmaniasis is endemic in 18 countries, and from 2001 through 2015, 17 countries reported 843,931 cases of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, and 12 countries reported 52,176 cases of visceral leishmaniasis. A Regional Information System (SisLeish) was created in order to provide knowledge of the distribution and tendency of this disease to analyze and monitor the leishmaniasis status. This article analyses the performance and progress of SisLeish from 2012–2015. Methodology The performance of SisLeish was evaluated by country adhesion, data completeness and delay in entering the data, and also by the SWOT technique. Furthermore, we outlined the structure and modus operandi of the system and indicators utilized. Results In 2012, only 18% of the countries entered the data in SisLeish before the deadline, where 66.7% and 50% of the countries with autochthonous CL/ML and VL reported their cases to the system, respectively. Whereas in 2015, 59% of the countries reached the deadline, where 94.4% and 58.3% of the countries reported their CL/ML and VL data, respectively. Regarding data completeness, there was great progress for different variables since its launch, such as gender, which had an approximately 100% improvement from 2012 to 2015. The SWOT analysis of SisLeish showed 12 strengths, 11 opportunities, seven weaknesses and six threats. Conclusions From 2012–2015 there has been an improvement in the adhesion, quality and data completeness, showing the effort of the majority of the countries to enhance their national database. The SWOT analysis demonstrated that strengths and opportunities exceed weaknesses and threats; however, it highlighted the system frailties and challenges that need to be addressed. Furthermore, it has stimulated several National Programs to advance their surveillance system. Therefore, SisLeish has become an essential tool to prioritize areas, assist in decision-making processes, and to guide

  20. An answer to chronicity in the Basque Country: primary care-based population health management.

    PubMed

    Nuño-Solinís, Roberto; Orueta, Juan F; Mateos, Maider

    2012-01-01

    Chronic conditions have an impact on individuals since they represent a restraint on quality of life, functional status, and productivity of people who suffer from them but they also compromise the sustainability of health systems. In 2010, the Strategy for Tackling the Challenge of Chronicity in the Basque Country was published. It contains policies and projects aimed at reinventing the health delivery model with the purpose of improving the quality of care for chronic patients and advancing toward a more sustainable, proactive, and integrated model. We present 3 projects here: population stratification, integrated care initiatives, and innovation from health care staff.

  1. Southeastern South Dakota's Country Schools. Country School Legacy: Humanities on the Frontier.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blakely, Herbert

    The role of the rural school in southeastern South Dakota from the early days of the frontier to 1981 is examined in this portion of an eight-state research effort to locate and preserve information related to country schools. Three hundred and eleven country schools in 21 southeastern counties are still standing, have been photographed, and are…

  2. Understanding parent-teacher agreement of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ): Comparison across seven European countries.

    PubMed

    Cheng, Sabrina; Keyes, Katherine M; Bitfoi, Adina; Carta, Mauro Giovanni; Koç, Ceren; Goelitz, Dietmar; Otten, Roy; Lesinskiene, Sigita; Mihova, Zlatka; Pez, Ondine; Kovess-Masfety, Viviane

    2018-03-01

    Assessments of child psychopathology are often derived from parental and teacher reports, yet there is substantial disagreement. This study utilized data from 7 European countries to examine parent-teacher agreement and possible explanatory factors for parent-teacher disagreement such as child and family characteristics, parenting dimensions, and maternal distress were explored. Parent-teacher agreement of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were assessed using a cross-sectional survey of 4,894 school aged children 6-11 from the School Children Mental Health Europe Project. Parent-teacher agreement was low to moderate (Pearson correlation ranging from .24 (Prosocial) to .48 (Hyperactivity) for the 5 subscales across 7 countries); kappa coefficient ranged from .01 (Turkey) to .44 (Italy) for internalizing problems and .19(Romania) to .44(Italy) for externalizing problems. Child's gender and age, mother's employment status, single parent home, number of children in household, and selected parenting dimension were found to be explanatory of informant disagreement. This study not only serves to advance our understanding of parent-teacher agreement of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire in 7 European countries but provides a novel approach to examining the factors that contribute to informant disagreement. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Mobile health use in low- and high-income countries: an overview of the peer-reviewed literature

    PubMed Central

    Bastawrous, Andrew; Armstrong, Matthew J

    2013-01-01

    The evolution of mobile phone technology has introduced new possibilities to the field of medicine. Combining technological advances with medical expertise has led to the use of mobile phones in all healthcare areas including diagnostics, telemedicine, research, reference libraries and interventions. This article provides an overview of the peer-reviewed literature, published between 1 August 2006 and 1 August 2011, for the application of mobile/cell phones (from basic text-messaging systems to smartphones) in healthcare in both resource-poor and high-income countries. Smartphone use is paving the way in high-income countries, while basic text-messaging systems of standard mobile phones are proving to be of value in low- and middle-income countries. Ranging from infection outbreak reporting, anti-HIV therapy adherence to gait analysis, resuscitation training and radiological imaging, the current uses and future possibilities of mobile phone technology in healthcare are endless. Multiple mobile phone based applications are available for healthcare workers and healthcare consumers; however, the absolute majority lack an evidence base. Therefore, more rigorous research is required to ensure that healthcare is not flooded with non-evidence based applications and is maximized for patient benefit. PMID:23564897

  4. Training of midwives in advanced obstetrics in Liberia.

    PubMed

    Dolo, Obed; Clack, Alice; Gibson, Hannah; Lewis, Naomi; Southall, David P

    2016-05-01

    The shortage of doctors in Liberia limits the provision of comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care. In a pilot project, two midwives were trained in advanced obstetric procedures and in the team approach to the in-hospital provision of advanced maternity care. The training took two years and was led by a Liberian consultant obstetrician with support from international experts. The training took place in CB Dunbar Maternity Hospital. This rural hospital deals with approximately 2000 deliveries annually, many of which present complications. In February 2015 there were just 117 doctors available in Liberia. In the first 18 months of training, the trainees were involved with 236 caesarean sections, 35 manual evacuations of products of conception, 25 manual removals of placentas, 21 vaginal breech deliveries, 14 vacuum deliveries, four repairs of ruptured uteri, the management of four cases of shoulder dystocia, three hysterectomies, two laparotomies for ruptured ectopic pregnancies and numerous obstetric ultrasound examinations. The trainees also managed 41 cases of eclampsia or severe pre-eclampsia, 25 of major postpartum haemorrhage and 21 of shock. Although, initially they only assisted senior doctors, the trainees subsequently progressed from direct to indirect supervision and then to independent management. To compensate for a shortage of doctors able to undertake comprehensive emergency obstetric and neonatal care, experienced midwives can be taught to undertake advanced obstetric care and procedures. Their team work with doctors can be particularly valuable in rural hospitals in resource-poor countries.

  5. Recent Advances in Understanding Enteric Pathogenic Escherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    Croxen, Matthew A.; Law, Robyn J.; Scholz, Roland; Keeney, Kristie M.; Wlodarska, Marta

    2013-01-01

    SUMMARY Although Escherichia coli can be an innocuous resident of the gastrointestinal tract, it also has the pathogenic capacity to cause significant diarrheal and extraintestinal diseases. Pathogenic variants of E. coli (pathovars or pathotypes) cause much morbidity and mortality worldwide. Consequently, pathogenic E. coli is widely studied in humans, animals, food, and the environment. While there are many common features that these pathotypes employ to colonize the intestinal mucosa and cause disease, the course, onset, and complications vary significantly. Outbreaks are common in developed and developing countries, and they sometimes have fatal consequences. Many of these pathotypes are a major public health concern as they have low infectious doses and are transmitted through ubiquitous mediums, including food and water. The seriousness of pathogenic E. coli is exemplified by dedicated national and international surveillance programs that monitor and track outbreaks; unfortunately, this surveillance is often lacking in developing countries. While not all pathotypes carry the same public health profile, they all carry an enormous potential to cause disease and continue to present challenges to human health. This comprehensive review highlights recent advances in our understanding of the intestinal pathotypes of E. coli. PMID:24092857

  6. Marx and the Education of the Future

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rikowski, Glenn

    2004-01-01

    With reference to Karl Marx's writings on education, this article outlines the education of the future as anti-capitalist education. In starting out from a conception of communism as the "real movement which abolishes the present state of things" (Marx), it is argued that the anti-capitalist education of the future consists of three…

  7. The Political Battlefield: Negotiating Space to Protect Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge under Capitalism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Busingye, Janice; Keim, Wiebke

    2009-01-01

    Knowledge has increasingly become an essential resource in the global economy, hence the capitalist tendency to regard it as a form of capital and as a motor for innovation and profit. Like any other capitalist commodity, conflicts over the ownership and use of various types of knowledge have arisen, thereby calling for legal protection.…

  8. Within country inequalities in caesarean section rates: observational study of 72 low and middle income countries

    PubMed Central

    Boatin, Adeline Adwoa; Schlotheuber, Anne; Betran, Ana Pilar; Moller, Ann-Beth; Barros, Aluisio J D; Boerma, Ties; Torloni, Maria Regina; Victora, Cesar G

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Objective To provide an update on economic related inequalities in caesarean section rates within countries. Design Secondary analysis of demographic and health surveys and multiple indicator cluster surveys. Setting 72 low and middle income countries with a survey conducted between 2010 and 2014 for analysis of the latest situation of inequality, and 28 countries with a survey also conducted between 2000 and 2004 for analysis of the change in inequality over time. Participants Women aged 15-49 years with a live birth during the two or three years preceding the survey. Main outcome measures Data on caesarean section were disaggregated by asset based household wealth status and presented separately for five subgroups, ranging from the poorest to the richest fifth. Absolute and relative inequalities were measured using difference and ratio measures. The pace of change in the poorest and richest fifths was compared using a measure of excess change. Results National caesarean section rates ranged from 0.6% in South Sudan to 58.9% in the Dominican Republic. Within countries, caesarean section rates were lowest in the poorest fifth (median 3.7%) and highest in the richest fifth (median 18.4%). 18 out of 72 study countries reported a difference of 20 percentage points or higher between the richest and poorest fifth. The highest caesarean section rates and greatest levels of absolute inequality were observed in countries from the region of the Americas, whereas countries from the African region had low levels of caesarean use and comparatively lower levels of absolute inequality, although relative inequality was quite high in some countries. 26 out of 28 countries reported increases in caesarean section rates over time. Rates tended to increase faster in the richest fifth (median 0.9 percentage points per year) compared with the poorest fifth (median 0.2 percentage points per year), indicating an increase in inequality over time in most of these countries

  9. Verses, viruses, and the vulnerability of the blood supply in industrialized countries.

    PubMed

    Mushahwar, Isa K

    2007-08-01

    In the last 30 years, tremendous progress in identifying transfusion-transmitted viruses such as HBV, HCV, and HIV in industrialized countries has been achieved. Currently, the residual risk of transmitting these viruses through transfusion is very low especially after the introduction of "minipool" nucleic acid-amplification tests. Despite these major technical advances, there remains a legitimate concern as to the transmission of other blood-borne infectious agents through blood transfusion. Among these agents are HBV mutants, occult HBV, and HCV infections, malaria, Chagas, West Nile, dengue, and vesiviruses, bacterial infections such as Yersinia enterocolitica, and tick borne diseases such as human monocytic ehrlichiosis, human granulocytic ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Lyme and prion diseases such as Creutzfeldt and variant Creutzfeldt. Most of these agents are very rarely transmitted by transfusion in industrialized countries. However, an awareness of their possible transmission is essential for the control of spread of these diseases among the public by human-to-human transmission via blood transfusion. This review summarizes the current status of prevalence and diagnosis of these emerging diseases and also updates our knowledge on recently discovered non-pathogenic blood-borne viruses such as GB virus C and Torque Tenoviruses.

  10. A Systematic Review of Palliative Care Intervention Outcomes and Outcome Measures in Low-Resource Countries.

    PubMed

    Potts, Maryellen; Cartmell, Kathleen B; Nemeth, Lynne; Bhattacharjee, Gautam; Qanungo, Suparna

    2018-05-01

    To meet the growing need for palliative care in low-resource countries, palliative care programs should be evidence based and contextually appropriate. This study was conducted to synthesize the current evidence to guide future programmatic and research efforts. This systematic review evaluated palliative care outcome measures, outcomes, and interventions in low-resource countries. After title searches, abstracts and full-text articles were screened for inclusion. Data were extracted to report on intervention models, outcome measures used, and intervention outcomes. Eighteen papers were reviewed, reporting on interventions conducted across nine low-resource countries. These interventions evaluated home-based palliative care models; a community-managed model; palliative care integrated with hospitals, hospices, or HIV clinics; and models focused on patients' self-management. Three studies were randomized controlled trials. Other studies used nonrandomized trials, cohort studies, mixed methods, pre-post test evaluation, cost-accounting evaluation, and cross-sectional surveys. Thirteen studies measured physical outcomes, 10 using multidimensional instruments. Nine studies measured psychological outcomes, eight using multidimensional instruments. Nine studies measured social outcomes, seven using multidimensional instruments. Nine studies measured outcomes across multiple domains. Across outcomes evaluated, results were reported in the direction of benefit associated with palliative care interventions. Many palliative care intervention models exist to serve patients in low-resource countries. Yet, limited high-quality evidence from low-resource countries is available to document intervention outcomes. Rigorous experimental studies and greater measurement of multidimensional aspects of palliative care are needed to advance the science of palliative care in low-resource settings. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier

  11. Mothers', fathers' and children's perceptions of parents' expectations about children's family obligations in nine countries.

    PubMed

    Lansford, Jennifer E; Godwin, Jennifer; Alampay, Liane Peña; Uribe Tirado, Liliana Maria; Zelli, Arnaldo; Al-Hassan, Suha M; Bacchini, Dario; Bombi, Anna Silvia; Bornstein, Marc H; Chang, Lei; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Di Giunta, Laura; Dodge, Kenneth A; Malone, Patrick S; Oburu, Paul; Pastorelli, Concetta; Skinner, Ann T; Sorbring, Emma; Tapanya, Sombat

    2016-10-01

    Children's family obligations involve assistance and respect that children are expected to provide to immediate and extended family members and reflect beliefs related to family life that may differ across cultural groups. Mothers, fathers and children (N = 1432 families) in 13 cultural groups in 9 countries (China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Philippines, Sweden, Thailand and United States) reported on their expectations regarding children's family obligations and parenting attitudes and behaviours. Within families, mothers and fathers had more concordant expectations regarding children's family obligations than did parents and children. Parenting behaviours that were warmer, less neglectful and more controlling as well as parenting attitudes that were more authoritarian were related to higher expectations regarding children's family obligations between families within cultures as well as between cultures. These international findings advance understanding of children's family obligations by contextualising them both within families and across a number of diverse cultural groups in 9 countries. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

  12. Russia's energy policy: A framing comment

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

    Aslund, A.

    A prominent specialist on the Russian economy provides a framing comment on two preceding papers entitled 'Russia's Energy Policy' (by Vladimir Milov, Leonard Coburn, and Igor Danchenko) and 'Russia's Energy Policy: A Divergent View' (by Matthew J. Sagers). The author argues that Russia's current energy policy should be viewed as an outcome of competition between three overlapping programs. In this context, he identifies three policy models - the old Soviet, the liberal or oligarchic, and the most recent state capitalist. The latter is currently supported by President Putin, who prioritizes diversification of the country's economy at the expense of diminishedmore » investments in the oil and gas sector.« less

  13. Seatbelt compliance and mortality in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in comparison with other high-income countries.

    PubMed

    Abbas, Alaa K; Hefny, Ashraf F; Abu-Zidan, Fikri M

    2011-01-01

    Mortality from road traffic collisions (RTC) is a major problem in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Low compliance with seatbelt usage can be a contributing factor for increased mortality. The present study aimed to ascertain the presence of a relationship between seatbelt non-compliance of vehicle occupants and mortality rates in the GCC countries versus other high-income countries. Observational and descriptive study using information published by the World Health Organization. Data for all GCC countries (n=6) and other high-income countries (n=37) were retrieved and compared with regard to population, gross national income, number of vehicles, seatbelt non-compliance and road traffic death rates. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to define factors affecting the mortality rates. The median road traffic death rates, occupant death rates, and the percentage of seatbelt non-compliance were significantly higher in the GCC countries (P<.0001, P=.02, P<.001, respectively). There was a strong correlation between occupant death rates and seatbelt non-compliance (R=.52, P=.008). Seatbelt non-compliance percentage was the only significant factor predicting mortality in the multiple linear regression model (P=.015). Seatbelt non-compliance percentages in the GCC countries are significantly higher than in other high-income countries. This is a contributing factor in the increased road traffic collision mortality rate in these countries. Enforcement of seatbelt usage by law should be mandatory so as to reduce the toll of death of RTC in the GCC countries.

  14. Asian consensus workshop report: expert consensus guideline for the management of intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in Asia.

    PubMed

    Han, Kwang-Hyub; Kudo, Masatochi; Ye, Sheng-Long; Choi, Jong Young; Poon, Roonni Tung-Ping; Seong, Jinsil; Park, Joong-Won; Ichida, Takafumi; Chung, Jin Wook; Chow, Pierce; Cheng, Ann-Lii

    2011-01-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly prevalent disease in many Asian countries, accounting for 80% of victims worldwide. Screening programs improve the detection of early HCC and have a positive impact on survival, but the majority of HCC patients in Asia still present with advanced stage disease. The treatment outcomes of HCC are affected by multiple variables, including liver function, performance status of the patient, and tumor stage. Therefore, it is not easy to apply a multidisciplinary therapeutic approach for optimal management. At present, limited numbers of HCC patients are eligible for curative therapies such as surgery or ablation in Asia. Therefore, most patients are eligible for only palliative treatments. For optimal management, the treatment choice is guided by staging systems and treatment guidelines. Numerous staging systems have been proposed and treatment guidelines vary by region. According to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) guideline based on evidence from randomized clinical trials, only transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is recommended for intermediate stage HCC and sorafenib for advanced stage HCC. However, treatment guidelines from Asian countries have adopted several other therapeutic modalities such as a surgical approach, hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, external radiation, and their combinations based on clinical experiences for intermediate and advanced stage HCC. Although TACE is the main therapeutic modality in the intermediate stage, overall therapeutic outcomes depend on the tumor size. In the advanced stage, the prognosis depends on the tumor status, e.g. major vessel invasion or extrahepatic spread. Thus, a new staging system representing prognoses suitable for Asian HCC patients and a corresponding optimal treatment algorithm should be further investigated using evidence-based data, which will finally bring about an Asian consensus for the management of intermediate and advanced stage HCC. Copyright

  15. Country News.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Population Education Newsletter and Forum, 1987

    1987-01-01

    Reports on the progress of population education programs in various countries in Asia and the Pacific region. Describes current developments in Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia, Maldives, and Viet Nam. (TW)

  16. Country Update: Israel 2005

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marar, Marianne Maurice

    2005-01-01

    Country Updates is a new section of "Intercultural Education." Starting in "Intercultural Education," Volume 16 No. 5, this column will focus on recent developments during the last two to three years in the field of intercultural education in one particular country. These updates can include recent policy decisions, the main…

  17. Starting up the upstarts.

    PubMed

    Greene, J

    1997-12-20

    Venture capitalists pour $1 billion a year into health care--and that investment may be the most overlooked indicator of new business opportunities. Signs show that companies focused on consolidation and cost-cutting are off the A list for risk capital. Instead, venture capitalists are targeting start-ups that save money on the front lines by truly managing care.

  18. Task shifting between physicians and nurses in acute care hospitals: cross-sectional study in nine countries.

    PubMed

    Maier, Claudia B; Köppen, Julia; Busse, Reinhard

    2018-05-25

    Countries vary in the extent to which reforms have been implemented expanding nurses' Scopes-of-Practice (SoP). There is limited cross-country research if and how reforms affect clinical practice, particularly in hospitals. This study analyses health professionals' perceptions of role change and of task shifting between the medical and nursing professions in nine European countries. Cross-sectional design with surveys completed by 1716 health professionals treating patients with breast cancer (BC) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 161 hospitals across nine countries. Descriptive and bivariate analysis on self-reported staff role changes and levels of independence (with/without physician oversight) by two country groups, with major SoP reforms implemented between 2010 and 2015 (Netherlands, England, Scotland) and without (Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Turkey). Participation in 'medical tasks' was identified using two methods, a data-driven and a conceptual approach. Individual task-related analyses were performed for the medical and nursing professions, and Advanced Practice Nurses/Specialist Nurses (APN/SN). Health professionals from the Netherlands, England and Scotland more frequently reported changes to staff roles over this time period vs. the other six countries (BC 74.0% vs. 38.7%, p < .001; AMI 61.7% vs. 37.3%, p < .001), and higher independence in new roles (BC 58.6% vs. 24.0%, p < .001; AMI 48.9% vs. 29.2%, p < .001). A higher proportion of nurses and APN/SN from these three countries reported to undertake tasks related to BC diagnosis, therapy, prescribing of medicines and information to patients compared to the six countries. Similar cross-country differences existed for AMI on prescribing medications and follow-up care. Tasks related to diagnosis and therapy, however, remained largely within the medical profession's domain. Most tasks were reported to be performed by both professions rather than carried out by

  19. Immigrants' health in Europe: a cross-classified multilevel approach to examine origin country, destination country, and community effects.

    PubMed

    Huijts, Tim; Kraaykamp, Gerbert

    2012-01-01

    In this study, we examined origin, destination, and community effects on first- and second-generation immigrants' health in Europe. We used information from the European Social Surveys (2002–2008) on 19,210 immigrants from 123 countries of origin, living in 31 European countries. Cross-classified multilevel regression analyses reveal that political suppression in the origin country and living in countries with large numbers of immigrant peers have a detrimental influence on immigrants' health. Originating from predominantly Islamic countries and good average health among natives in the destination country appear to be beneficial. Additionally, the results point toward health selection mechanisms into migration.

  20. Inequalities in Maternal Health Care Utilization in Sub-Saharan African Countries: A Multiyear and Multi-Country Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Alam, Nazmul; Hajizadeh, Mohammad; Dumont, Alexandre; Fournier, Pierre

    2015-01-01

    To assess social inequalities in the use of antenatal care (ANC), facility based delivery (FBD), and modern contraception (MC) in two contrasting groups of countries in sub-Saharan Africa divided based on their progress towards maternal mortality reduction. Six countries were included in this study. Three countries (Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Uganda) had <350 MMR in 2010 with >4.5% average annual reduction rate while another three (Cameroon, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) had >550 MMR in 2010 with only <1.5% average annual reduction rate. All of these countries had at least three rounds of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) before 2012. We measured rate ratios and differences, as well as relative and absolute concentration indices in order to examine within-country geographical and wealth-based inequalities in the utilization of ANC, FBD, and MC. In the countries which have made sufficient progress (i.e. Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Uganda), ANC use increased by 8.7, 9.3 and 5.7 percent, respectively, while the utilization of FBD increased by 4.7, 0.7 and 20.2 percent, respectively, over the last decade. By contrast, utilization of these services either plateaued or decreased in countries which did not make progress towards reducing maternal mortality, with the exception of Cameroon. Utilization of MC increased in all six countries but remained very low, with a high of 40.5% in Zimbabwe and low of 16.1% in Cameroon as of 2011. In general, relative measures of inequalities were found to have declined overtime in countries making progress towards reducing maternal mortality. In countries with insufficient progress towards maternal mortality reduction, these indicators remained stagnant or increased. Absolute measures for geographical and wealth-based inequalities remained high invariably in all six countries. The increasing trend in the utilization of maternal care services was found to concur with a steady decline in maternal mortality. Relative inequality declined overtime in

  1. Funding gap for immunization across 94 low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Ozawa, Sachiko; Grewal, Simrun; Portnoy, Allison; Sinha, Anushua; Arilotta, Richard; Stack, Meghan L; Brenzel, Logan

    2016-12-07

    Novel vaccine development and production has given rise to a growing number of vaccines that can prevent disease and save lives. In order to realize these health benefits, it is essential to ensure adequate immunization financing to enable equitable access to vaccines for people in all communities. This analysis estimates the full immunization program costs, projected available financing, and resulting funding gap for 94 low- and middle-income countries over five years (2016-2020). Vaccine program financing by country governments, Gavi, and other development partners was forecasted for vaccine, supply chain, and service delivery, based on an analysis of comprehensive multi-year plans together with a series of scenario and sensitivity analyses. Findings indicate that delivery of full vaccination programs across 94 countries would result in a total funding gap of $7.6 billion (95% uncertainty range: $4.6-$11.8 billion) over 2016-2020, with the bulk (98%) of the resources required for routine immunization programs. More than half (65%) of the resources to meet this funding gap are required for service delivery at $5.0 billion ($2.7-$8.4 billion) with an additional $1.1 billion ($0.9-$2.7 billion) needed for vaccines and $1.5 billion ($1.1-$2.0 billion) for supply chain. When viewed as a percentage of total projected costs, the funding gap represents 66% of projected supply chain costs, 30% of service delivery costs, and 9% of vaccine costs. On average, this funding gap corresponds to 0.2% of general government expenditures and 2.3% of government health expenditures. These results suggest greater need for country and donor resource mobilization and funding allocation for immunizations. Both service delivery and supply chain are important areas for further resource mobilization. Further research on the impact of advances in service delivery technology and reductions in vaccine prices beyond this decade would be important for efficient investment decisions for

  2. Physics teaching in developing countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Talisayon, V. M.

    1984-05-01

    The need for endogeneous learning materials that will relate physics to the student's culture and environment spurred countries like India, Thailand, The Philippines and Indonesia to develop their own physics curriculum materials and laboratory equipment. Meagre resources and widespread poverty necessitated the development of laboratory materials from everyday items, recycled materials and other low-cost or no-cost local materials. The process of developing learning materials for one's teaching-learning needs in physics and the search from within for solutions to one's problems contribute in no small measure to the development of self-reliance in physics teaching of a developing country. Major concerns of developing countries are food supply, livelihood, health, nutrition and growth of economy. At the level of the student and his family, food, health, and livelihood are also primary concerns. Many physics teaching problems can be overcome on a large scale, given political support and national will. In countries where national leadership recognises that science and technology developed is essential to national development and that science education in turn is crucial to science and technology development, scarce resources can be allocated to science education. In developing countries where science education receives little or no political support, the most important resource in the physics classroom is the physics teacher. A highly motivated and adequately trained teacher can rise above the constraining circumstances of paucity of material resources and government apathy. In developing countries the need is great for self-reliance in physics teaching at the country level, and more importantly at the teacher level.

  3. Con: pediatric anesthesia training in developing countries is best achieved by out of country scholarships.

    PubMed

    Walker, Isabeau A

    2009-01-01

    Medical migration is damaging health systems in developing countries and anesthesia delivery is critically affected, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. 'Within country' postgraduate anesthesia training needs to be supported to encourage more doctors into the specialty. Open-ended training programs to countries that do not share the same spectrum of disease should be discouraged. Donor agencies have an important role to play in supporting sustainable postgraduate training programs.

  4. Mortality by country of birth in the Nordic countries - a systematic review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Honkaniemi, Helena; Bacchus-Hertzman, Jennie; Fritzell, Johan; Rostila, Mikael

    2017-05-25

    Immigration to the Nordic countries has increased in the last decades and foreign-born inhabitants now constitute a considerable part of the region's population. Several studies suggest poorer self-reported health among foreign-born compared to natives, while results on mortality and life expectancy are inconclusive. To date, few studies have summarized knowledge on mortality differentials by country of birth. This article aims to systematically review previous results on all-cause and cause-specific mortality by country of birth in the Nordic countries. The methodology was conducted and documented systematically and transparently using a narrative approach. We identified 43 relevant studies out of 6059 potentially relevant studies in August 2016, 35 of which used Swedish data, 8 Danish and 1 Norwegian. Our findings from fully-adjusted models on Swedish data support claims of excess mortality risks in specific categories of foreign-born. Most notably, immigrants from other Nordic countries, especially Finland, experience increased risk of mortality from all causes, and specifically by suicide, breast and gynaecological cancers, and circulatory diseases. Increased risks in people from Central and Eastern Europe can also be found. On the contrary, decreased risks for people with Southern European and Middle Eastern origins are found for all-cause, suicide, and breast and gynaecological cancer mortality. The few Danish studies are more difficult to compare, with conflicting results arising in the analysis. Finally, results from the one Norwegian study suggest significantly decreased mortality risks among foreign-born, to be explored in further research. With new studies being published on mortality differentials between native and foreign-born populations in the Nordic countries, specific risk patterns have begun to arise. Regardless, data from most Nordic countries remains limited, as does the information on specific causes of death. The literature should be expanded

  5. Cross-Country Variation in Adult Skills Inequality: Why Are Skill Levels and Opportunities so Unequal in Anglophone Countries?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Green, Andy; Green, Francis; Pensiero, Nicola

    2015-01-01

    This article examines cross-country variations in adult skills inequality and asks why skills in Anglophone countries are so unequal. Drawing on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's recent Survey of Adult Skills and other surveys, it investigates the differences across countries and country groups in inequality in both…

  6. "Initiate-build-operate-transfer" - a strategy for establishing sustainable telemedicine programs not only in the developing countries.

    PubMed

    Latifi, Rifat

    2011-01-01

    Establishing sustainable telemedicine has become a goal of many developing countries around the world. Yet, despite initiatives from a select few individuals and on occasion from various governments, often these initiatives never mature to become sustainable programs. The introduction of telemedicine and e-learning in the Balkans has been a pivotal step in advancing the quality and availability of medical services in a region whose infrastructure and resources have been decimated by wars, neglect, lack of funding, and poor management. The concept and establishment of the International Virtual e-Hospital (IVeH) has significantly impacted telemedicine and e-health services in Kosova. The success of the IVeH in Kosova has led to the development of similar programs in other Balkan countries and other developing countries in the hope of modernizing and improving their healthcare infrastructure. A comprehensive, four-pronged strategy developed by IVeH "Initiate-Build-Operate-Transfer" (IBOT), may be a useful approach in establishing telemedicine and e-health educational services not only in developing countries, but in developed countries. The development strategy, IBOT, used by the IVeH to establish and develop telemedicine programs is described. IBOT includes assessment of healthcare needs of each country, the development of a curriculum and education program, the establishment of a nationwide telemedicine network, and the integration of the telemedicine program into the very core of healthcare infrastructure. The end point is the transfer of a sustainable telehealth program to the nation involved. By applying IBOT, a sustainable telemedicine program of Kosova and Albania has been established as an effective prototype for telemedicine in the Balkans. Once fully matured, the program is transitioned to the Ministry of Health, which ensures the sustainability and ownership of the program. Similar programs are being established in Macedonia, Montenegro and other countries

  7. Cross-Country Skiing Today.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Caldwell, John

    This book presents changes in cross country skiing which have taken place in the last several years and is directed toward both beginning and seasoned tour skiers. Discussed are the following topics: (1) the cross-country revolution (new fiberglass skis); (2) equipment (how to choose from the new waxless touring skis); (3) care of equipment; (4)…

  8. Day Care: Other Countries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hjartarson, Freida; And Others

    This collection of 5 bilingual papers on day care programs in foreign countries (China, the Soviet Union, and 3 Scandinavian countries) is part of a series of papers on various aspects of day care published by the Canadian Department of Health and Welfare. Each paper is presented in both English and French. Paper I considers day care services in…

  9. Rich Donors, Poor Countries

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, M. A.

    2012-01-01

    The shifting ideological winds of foreign aid donors have driven their policy towards governments in poor countries. Donors supported state-led development policies in poor countries from the 1940s to the 1970s; market and private-sector driven reforms during the 1980s and 1990s; and returned their attention to the state with an emphasis on…

  10. Latvia Country Analysis Brief

    EIA Publications

    2014-01-01

    Latvia, which regained its independence from Soviet Union in 1991 and joined the European Union (EU) in 2004, is not a notable energy producer or consumer. The country produced 30 trillion British thermal units (Btus) and consumed 163 trillion Btus of total energy in 2011, which places it in the bottom five among the EU countries on both measures.

  11. Current and future management of treatment failure in low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Boyd, Mark A

    2010-01-01

    Access to second-line therapy in low- and middle-income countries has been limited to date. The WHO predicts that between 500 000 and 800 000 HIV-infected people on first-line combination antiretroviral therapy will require switch to second-line therapy by 2010. This paper aims to describe and review access to second-line therapy in low- and middle-income countries at present and examine future possibilities. The majority of HIV-infected patients failing first-line combination antiretroviral therapy is identified by way of routine monitoring of clinical and immunological status as a surrogate for virological monitoring. Evidence suggests that immunological and clinical monitoring lack both sensitivity and specificity for virological failure. Consequently, at treatment failure, patients have often selected a degree of resistance within the nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor class that questions the efficacy of using nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors in a second-line regimen. There is a paucity of good-quality evidence on which to base guidelines and policy. Optimally, a second-line regimen would be simple, potent, tolerable and lend itself to provision according to the successful 'public health' approach. Provision of second-line therapy to HIV-infected individuals failing first-line therapy is a major challenge to the ongoing success of access to HIV care programmes in low- and middle-income countries. The optimal second-line combination antiretroviral therapies are unknown. Research trials to help define best practice are in advanced stages of development and implementation.

  12. The treatment of epilepsy in developing countries: where do we go from here?

    PubMed Central

    Scott, R. A.; Lhatoo, S. D.; Sander, J. W.

    2001-01-01

    Epilepsy is the most common serious neurological disorder and is one of the world's most prevalent noncommunicable diseases. As the understanding of its physical and social burden has increased it has moved higher up the world health agenda. Over four-fifths of the 50 million people with epilepsy are thought to be in developing countries; much of this condition results from preventable causes. Around 90% of people with epilepsy in developing countries are not receiving appropriate treatment. Consequently, people with epilepsy continue to be stigmatized and have a lower quality of life than people with other chronic illnesses. However, bridging the treatment gap and reducing the burden of epilepsy is not straightforward and faces many constraints. Cultural attitudes, a lack of prioritization, poor health system infrastructure, and inadequate supplies of antiepileptic drugs all conspire to hinder appropriate treatment. Nevertheless, there have been successful attempts to provide treatment, which have shown the importance of community-based approaches and also indicate that provision for sustained intervention over the long term is necessary in any treatment programme. Approaches being adopted in the demonstration projects of the Global Campaign Against Epilepsy--implemented by the International League Against Epilepsy, the International Bureau for Epilepsy, and the World Health Organization--may provide further advances. Much remains to be done but it is hoped that current efforts will lead to better treatment of people with epilepsy in developing countries. PMID:11357214

  13. 19 CFR 10.196 - Cost or value of materials produced in a beneficiary country or countries.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... raw, perishable skin of an animal grown in one beneficiary country is sent to another beneficiary..., perishable skin of an animal grown in a non-beneficiary country is sent to a beneficiary country where it is tanned to create nonperishable “crust leather”. The tanned skin is then imported directly into the U.S...

  14. 19 CFR 10.196 - Cost or value of materials produced in a beneficiary country or countries.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... raw, perishable skin of an animal grown in one beneficiary country is sent to another beneficiary..., perishable skin of an animal grown in a non-beneficiary country is sent to a beneficiary country where it is tanned to create nonperishable “crust leather”. The tanned skin is then imported directly into the U.S...

  15. 19 CFR 10.196 - Cost or value of materials produced in a beneficiary country or countries.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... raw, perishable skin of an animal grown in one beneficiary country is sent to another beneficiary..., perishable skin of an animal grown in a non-beneficiary country is sent to a beneficiary country where it is tanned to create nonperishable “crust leather”. The tanned skin is then imported directly into the U.S...

  16. 19 CFR 10.196 - Cost or value of materials produced in a beneficiary country or countries.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... raw, perishable skin of an animal grown in one beneficiary country is sent to another beneficiary..., perishable skin of an animal grown in a non-beneficiary country is sent to a beneficiary country where it is tanned to create nonperishable “crust leather”. The tanned skin is then imported directly into the U.S...

  17. Pro: pediatric anesthesia training in developing countries is best achieved by selective out of country scholarships.

    PubMed

    Gathuya, Zipporah N

    2009-01-01

    Pediatric anesthesia training in developing countries is best achieved by out of country scholarships rather than structured outreach visits by teams of specialists from the developed world. Although this may seem an expensive option with slow return, it is the only sustainable way to train future generations of specialized pediatric anesthetists in developing countries.

  18. African Regional Seminar for Advanced Training In Systematic Curriculum Development and Evaluation. (Achimota, Ghana, 14 July--15 August 1975). Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA).

    This report summarizes the African Regional Seminar for Advanced Training in Systematic Curriculum Development and Evaluation that was held at Achimota, Ghana, July 14-August 15 1975. Attending the seminar were 67 participants from 12 African countries, including Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Swaziland,…

  19. Cancer control in developing countries: using health data and health services research to measure and improve access, quality and efficiency.

    PubMed

    Hanna, Timothy P; Kangolle, Alfred C T

    2010-10-13

    Cancer is a rapidly increasing problem in developing countries. Access, quality and efficiency of cancer services in developing countries must be understood to advance effective cancer control programs. Health services research can provide insights into these areas. This article provides an overview of oncology health services in developing countries. We use selected examples from peer-reviewed literature in health services research and relevant publicly available documents. In spite of significant limitations in the available data, it is clear there are substantial barriers to access to cancer control in developing countries. This includes prevention, early detection, diagnosis/treatment and palliation. There are also substantial limitations in the quality of cancer control and a great need to improve economic efficiency. We describe how the application of health data may assist in optimizing (1) Structure: strengthening planning, collaboration, transparency, research development, education and capacity building. (2) PROCESS: enabling follow-up, knowledge translation, patient safety and quality assurance. (3) OUTCOME: facilitating evaluation, monitoring and improvement of national cancer control efforts. There is currently limited data and capacity to use this data in developing countries for these purposes. There is an urgent need to improve health services for cancer control in developing countries. Current resources and much-needed investments must be optimally managed. To achieve this, we would recommend investment in four key priorities: (1) Capacity building in oncology health services research, policy and planning relevant to developing countries. (2) Development of high-quality health data sources. (3) More oncology-related economic evaluations in developing countries. (4) Exploration of high-quality models of cancer control in developing countries. Meeting these needs will require national, regional and international collaboration as well as political

  20. Cancer control in developing countries: using health data and health services research to measure and improve access, quality and efficiency

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Cancer is a rapidly increasing problem in developing countries. Access, quality and efficiency of cancer services in developing countries must be understood to advance effective cancer control programs. Health services research can provide insights into these areas. Discussion This article provides an overview of oncology health services in developing countries. We use selected examples from peer-reviewed literature in health services research and relevant publicly available documents. In spite of significant limitations in the available data, it is clear there are substantial barriers to access to cancer control in developing countries. This includes prevention, early detection, diagnosis/treatment and palliation. There are also substantial limitations in the quality of cancer control and a great need to improve economic efficiency. We describe how the application of health data may assist in optimizing (1) Structure: strengthening planning, collaboration, transparency, research development, education and capacity building. (2) Process: enabling follow-up, knowledge translation, patient safety and quality assurance. (3) Outcome: facilitating evaluation, monitoring and improvement of national cancer control efforts. There is currently limited data and capacity to use this data in developing countries for these purposes. Summary There is an urgent need to improve health services for cancer control in developing countries. Current resources and much-needed investments must be optimally managed. To achieve this, we would recommend investment in four key priorities: (1) Capacity building in oncology health services research, policy and planning relevant to developing countries. (2) Development of high-quality health data sources. (3) More oncology-related economic evaluations in developing countries. (4) Exploration of high-quality models of cancer control in developing countries. Meeting these needs will require national, regional and international

  1. Home artificial nutrition in advanced cancer.

    PubMed

    Pironi, L; Ruggeri, E; Tanneberger, S; Giordani, S; Pannuti, F; Miglioli, M

    1997-11-01

    Attitudes to home artificial nutrition (HAN) in cancer vary greatly from country to country. A 6-year prospective survey of the practice of HAN in advanced cancer patients applied by a hospital-at-home programme in an Italian health district was performed to estimate the utilization rate, to evaluate efficacy in preventing death from cachexia, maintaining patients at home without burdens and distress and improving patients' performance status, and to obtain information about costs. Patients were eligible for HAN when all the following were present: hypophagia; life expectancy 6 weeks or more, suitable patient and family circumstances; and verbal informed consent. From July 1990 to June 1996, 587 patients were evaluated; 164 were selected for HAN (135 enteral and 29 parenteral) and were followed until 31 December 1996. The incidence of HAN per million inhabitants was 18.4 in the first year of activity and 33.2-36.9 in subsequent years, being 4-10 times greater than rates reported by the Italian HAN registers. On 31 December 1996, 158 patients had died because of the disease and 6 were on treatment. Mean survival was 17.2 weeks for those on enteral nutrition and 12.2 weeks for those on parenteral nutrition. Prediction of survival was 72% accurate. 95 patients had undergone 155 readmissions to hospital, where they spent 15-23% of their survival time. Burdens due to HAN were well accepted by 124 patients, an annoyance or scarcely tolerable in the remainder. The frequency of major complications of parenteral nutrition was 0.67 per year for catheter sepsis and 0.16 per year for deep vein thrombosis. Karnofsky performance score increased in only 13 patients and body weight increased in 43. The fixed direct costs per patient-day (in European Currency Units) were 14.2 for the nutrition team, 18.2 for enteral nutrition and 61 for parenteral nutrition. The results indicate that definite entry criteria and local surveys are required for the correct use of HAN in advanced

  2. Challenges and advances in mouse modeling for human pancreatic tumorigenesis and metastasis

    PubMed Central

    Qiu, Wanglong

    2013-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is critical for developed countries, where its rate of diagnosis has been increasing steadily annually. In the past decade, the advances of pancreatic cancer research have not contributed to the decline in mortality rates from pancreatic cancer—the overall 5-year survival rate remains about 5% low. This number only underscores an obvious urgency for us to better understand the biological features of pancreatic carcinogenesis, to develop early detection methods, and to improve novel therapeutic treatments. To achieve these goals, animal modeling that faithfully recapitulates the whole process of human pancreatic cancer is central to making the advancements. In this review, we summarize the currently available animal models for pancreatic cancer and the advances in pancreatic cancer animal modeling. We compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of three major categories of these models: (1) carcinogen-induced; (2) xenograft and allograft; and (3) genetically engineered mouse models. We focus more on the genetically engineered mouse models, a category which has been rapidly expanded recently for their capacities to mimic human pancreatic cancer and metastasis, and highlight the combinations of these models with various newly developed strategies and cell-lineage labeling systems. PMID:23114842

  3. Cost efficiency of university hospitals in the Nordic countries: a cross-country analysis.

    PubMed

    Medin, Emma; Anthun, Kjartan S; Häkkinen, Unto; Kittelsen, Sverre A C; Linna, Miika; Magnussen, Jon; Olsen, Kim; Rehnberg, Clas

    2011-12-01

    This paper estimates cost efficiency scores using the bootstrap bias-corrected procedure, including variables for teaching and research, for the performance of university hospitals in the Nordic countries. Previous research has shown that hospital provision of research and education interferes with patient care routines and inflates the costs of health care services, turning university hospitals into outliers in comparative productivity and efficiency analyses. The organisation of patient care, medical education and clinical research as well as available data at the university hospital level are highly similar in the Nordic countries, creating a data set of comparable decision-making units suitable for a cross-country cost efficiency analysis. The results demonstrate significant differences in university hospital cost efficiency when variables for teaching and research are entered into the analysis, both between and within the Nordic countries. The results of a second-stage analysis show that the most important explanatory variables are geographical location of the hospital and the share of discharges with a high case weight. However, a substantial amount of the variation in cost efficiency at the university hospital level remains unexplained.

  4. Breast cancer screening in developing countries

    PubMed Central

    da Costa Vieira, René Aloísio; Biller, Gabriele; Uemura, Gilberto; Ruiz, Carlos Alberto; Curado, Maria Paula

    2017-01-01

    Developing countries have limited healthcare resources and use different strategies to diagnose breast cancer. Most of the population depends on the public healthcare system, which affects the diagnosis of the tumor. Thus, the indicators observed in developed countries cannot be directly compared with those observed in developing countries because the healthcare infrastructures in developing countries are deficient. The aim of this study was to evaluate breast cancer screening strategies and indicators in developing countries. A systematic review and the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, Timing, and Setting methodology were performed to identify possible indicators of presentation at diagnosis and the methodologies used in developing countries. We searched PubMed for the terms “Breast Cancer” or “Breast Cancer Screening” and “Developing Country” or “Developing Countries”. In all, 1,149 articles were identified. Of these articles, 45 full articles were selected, which allowed us to identify indicators related to epidemiology, diagnostic intervention (diagnostic strategy, diagnostic infrastructure, percentage of women undergoing mammography), quality of intervention (presentation of symptoms at diagnosis, time to diagnosis, early stage disease), comparisons (trend curves, subpopulations at risk) and survival among different countries. The identification of these indicators will improve the reporting of methodologies used in developing countries and will allow us to evaluate improvements in public health related to breast cancer. PMID:28492725

  5. Suicide in developing countries (2): risk factors.

    PubMed

    Vijayakumar, Lakshmi; John, Sujit; Pirkis, Jane; Whiteford, Harvey

    2005-01-01

    The majority of studies on risk factors for suicide have been conducted in developed countries, and less work has been done to systematically profile risk factors in developing countries. The current paper presents a selective review of sociodemographic, clinical, and environmental/situational risk factors in developing countries. Taken together, the evidence suggests that the profiles of risk factors in developing countries demonstrate some differences from those in developed countries. In some developing countries, at least, being female, living in a rural area, and holding religious beliefs that sanction suicide may be of more relevance to suicide risk than these factors are in developed countries. Conversely, being single or having a history of mental illness may be of less relevance. Risk factors that appear to be universal include youth or old age, low socioeconomic standing, substance use, and previous suicide attempts. Recent stressful life events play a role in both developing and developed countries, although their nature may differ (e.g., social change may have more of an influence in the former). Likewise, access to means heightens risk in both, but the specific means may vary (e.g., access to pesticides is of more relevance in developing countries). These findings have clear implications for suicide prevention, suggesting that preventive efforts that have shown promise in developed countries may need to be tailored differently to address the risk factor profile of developing countries.

  6. Republic of Venezuela. Country profile.

    PubMed

    Hakkert, R

    1985-06-01

    Venezuela's current economic and demographic situation is described. Venezuela is a major oil country, and the oil industry accounts for 90% of the country's foreign exchange, 70% of the government's revenues, and 15% of the gross domestic product. The economy experienced a sudden and high rate of economic growth in the mid-1970s as a result of high oil prices; however, in recent years, declining oil prices have had a negative effect on the economy. The country is now faced with a serious trade deficit, and the government recently imposed restrictions on imports. Imports in recently years had increased markedly. The emphasis on the oil industry weakened the agricultural sector and, as a result, food imports increased. In addition, the rapid economic growth experienced during the 1970s greatly increased the demand for imported consumer goods. Venezuela has the 4th highest foreign debt in the world (US$35 billion). Despite these problems Venezuela has a relatively high per capita income (US$4,140) and living standard, compared to other countries in the region. Venezuela's total population is 14.6 million, and the population is unevenly distributed. 86% of the population lives in cities of 2500 or more. 37.4% of the population and 70% of the industry is concentrated in the Federal District which contains Caracas, and in the surrounding states of Aragua, Miranda, and Carabobo. This area constitutes only 2.36% of the country's territory. Most of the oil fields are located in the state of Zulia which also contains the country's 2nd largest city (Maracaibo). The country's coastal area contains most of the agricultural lands, and the prairies just south of the coastal mountain ranges are devoted primarily to cattle raising. The remaining 58.2% of the country's territory is essentially jungle and contains only 6.9% of the country's population. The annual population growth rate is 3.11%. Although the rate declined in recent years it is higher than in most of the other

  7. Influx of multidrug-resistant organisms by country-to-country transfer of patients.

    PubMed

    Mutters, Nico T; Günther, Frank; Sander, Anja; Mischnik, Alexander; Frank, Uwe

    2015-10-28

    Multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) are a worldwide problem. International migration and travel facilitate the spread of MDRO. Therefore the goal of our study was to assess the risk of influx of MDRO from patients transferred to one of Central Europe's largest hospitals from abroad. A mono-centre study was conducted. All patients transferred from other countries were screened; additional data was collected on comorbidities, etc. Presence of carbapenemases of multidrug-resistant Gram-negatives was confirmed by PCR. The association between length of stay, being colonized and/or infected by a MDRO, country of origin, diagnosis and other factors was assessed by binomial regression analyses. From 2012 to 2013, one fifth of all patients were colonized with MDRO (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [4.1 %], Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci [2.9 %], multidrug-resistant Gram-negatives [12.8 %] and extensively drug-resistant Gram-negatives [3.4 %]). The Gram-negatives carried a variety of carbapenemases including OXA, VIM, KPC and NDM. The length of stay was significantly prolonged by 77.2 % in patients colonized with a MDRO, compared to those not colonized (p<0.0001). Country-to-Country transfer of patients to European hospitals represents a high risk of introduction of MDRO and infection control specialists should endorse containment and screening measures.

  8. Synchrotron Light Sources in Developing Countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Winick, Herman; Pianetta, Piero

    2017-01-01

    The more than 50 light sources now in operation around the world include facilities in Brazil, Korea, and Taiwan which started their programs in the 1980's when they were developing countries. They came on line in the 1990's and have since trained hundreds of graduate students locally, without sending them abroad and losing many of them. They have also attracted dozens of mid-career diaspora scientists to return. Their growing user communities have demanded more advanced facilities, leading to the funding of higher performance new light sources that are now coming into operation. Light sources in the developing world now include the following: SESAME in the Middle East which is scheduled to start research in 2017 (www.sesame.org); The African Light Source, in the planning stage (www.africanlightsource.org); and The Mexican Light Source, in the planning stage (http://www.aps.org/units/fip/newsletters/201509/mexico.cfm). See: http://wpj.sagepub.com/content/32/4/92.full.pdf +html; http://www.lightsources.org/press-release/2015/11/20/grenoble-resolutions-mark-historical-step-towards-african-light-source. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Contract No. DE-AC02-76SF00515.

  9. Can Norms Developed in One Country Be Applicable to Children of Another Country?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lam, Hazel Mei Yung

    2008-01-01

    The primary aim this study was to investigate whether a gross motor proficiency norm developed in one country could be applied to young children in another country. The secondary aim of the study was to assess the gross motor proficiency of Hong Kong preschoolers aged five years. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) (subtests…

  10. Architectural Aspects of Kansas Country Schools. Country School Legacy: Humanities on the Frontier.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Haack, Paul A.; And Others.

    Three surveys deal with the architectural aspects of country schools in eastern, western and northeastern Kansas. Although country schools of the late 1800's and early 1900's often sprang up before there were pupils to attend them, the surveys reveal that many early schools were 3-month subscription schools which generally did not have their own…

  11. Postmarketing surveillance in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Meirik, O

    1988-01-01

    Authorities in developing countries need to monitor the possible adverse consequences of the increasing use of drugs in their countries. Definite differences exist in the risk-benefit ratios for developed and developing countries, particularly with fertility-regulating drugs. Some physicians believe that the increased risk of thrombosis associated with oral contraceptives (OCs) should not be considered as important in developing countries due to the fact that the background level of venous thrombosis is so low in developing countries that even a 50- or 100-fold increase in relative risk would neither be detectable nor important compared to the risk of unwanted pregnancy. In addition, evidence exists of geographically linked factors in the etiology of some adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Authorities in Brazil, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Venezuela have established voluntary ADR reporting systems. Several developing countries also actively follow the World Health Organization's International Drug Monitoring Program and have access to its data base. A number of other methodological approaches to postmarketing surveillance are in use in addition to voluntary ADR reporting systems. These include cross-sectional surveys, studies of temporal and geographic correlations of diseases and drug use, and case-control and cohort studies. Each of these approaches offers specific advantages. Postmarketing surveillance should begin at the time new drugs, including contraceptive methods are introduced. Surveillance needs to be an integral part of plans for the introduction of new contraceptive methods in settings where the infrastructure to carry out such surveillance is in place. 3 major public sector agencies, Family Health International, the Population Council, and the World Health Organization, developed a plan to obtain funding for the postmarketing surveillance of a contraceptive implant, Norplant-R. A controlled cohort study will be conducted in

  12. Advancing Cancer Survivorship in a Country with 1.35 Billion People: The China Lymphoma Project

    PubMed Central

    Coughlin, Steven; Reno, Jamie

    2016-01-01

    Rates of lymphoma are rising rapidly and lymphoma is now the ninth most common cancer among Chinese males. The China Lymphoma Project was founded to increase awareness of lymphoma in China, including the survivability of the disease and the availability of potentially life-saving treatments, and to provide social support for men, women, and children in China who are living with the disease. The project is working with China government officials, several of the top cancer hospitals in China and the U.S., internationally known oncologists and cancer researchers, pharmaceutical and biotech companies in China and the U.S., healthcare and environmental companies, the Confucius Institute at San Diego State University, and the Asian Heritage Society. Advances in e-Health are being utilized to provide patient education and social support. The project will provide free e-books that profile lymphoma survivors (e.g., Kai-Fu Lee, creator of Google China), new videos, websites, pamphlets, blogs, video logs (vlogs), peer-to-peer counseling and support, and information about the latest treatments and oncology clinical trials. PMID:27570834

  13. Advancing Cancer Survivorship in a Country with 1.35 Billion People: The China Lymphoma Project.

    PubMed

    Coughlin, Steven; Reno, Jamie

    Rates of lymphoma are rising rapidly and lymphoma is now the ninth most common cancer among Chinese males. The China Lymphoma Project was founded to increase awareness of lymphoma in China, including the survivability of the disease and the availability of potentially life-saving treatments, and to provide social support for men, women, and children in China who are living with the disease. The project is working with China government officials, several of the top cancer hospitals in China and the U.S., internationally known oncologists and cancer researchers, pharmaceutical and biotech companies in China and the U.S., healthcare and environmental companies, the Confucius Institute at San Diego State University, and the Asian Heritage Society. Advances in e-Health are being utilized to provide patient education and social support. The project will provide free e-books that profile lymphoma survivors (e.g., Kai-Fu Lee, creator of Google China), new videos, websites, pamphlets, blogs, video logs (vlogs), peer-to-peer counseling and support, and information about the latest treatments and oncology clinical trials.

  14. Use of m-Health in polio eradication and other immunization activities in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sara S; Patel, Manish; Hinman, Alan

    2017-03-07

    Reaching the children that are chronically missed by routine immunization services has been a key pillar of success in achieving progress toward polio eradication. The rapid advancement and accessibility of mobile technology ("mHealth") in low and lower middle income countries provides an important opportunity to apply novel, innovative approaches to provide vaccine services. We sought to document the use and effectiveness of mHealth in immunization programs in low and lower middle income countries. We particularly focused on mHealth approaches used in polio eradication efforts by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to leverage the knowledge and lessons learned that may be relevant for enhancing ongoing immunization services. In June 2016, the electronic database PubMed was searched for peer reviewed studies that focused on efforts to improve immunization programs (both ongoing immunization services and supplemental immunization activities or campaigns) through mobile technology in low and lower middle income countries. The search yielded 317 papers of which 25 met the inclusion criteria. One additional article was included from the hand searching process. mHealth was used for reminder and recall, monitoring and surveillance, vaccine acceptance, and campaign strategic planning. Mobile phones were the most common mobile device used. Of the 26 studies, 21 of 26 studies (80.8%) reported that mHealth improved immunization efforts. mHealth interventions can effectively enhance immunization services in low and lower middle income countries. With the growing capacity and access to mobile technology, mHealth can be a powerful and sustainable tool for enhancing the reach and impact of vaccine programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Advanced practice nursing for enduring health needs management: a global perspective.

    PubMed

    Koskinen, Liisa; Mikkonen, Irma; Graham, Iain; Norman, Linda D; Richardson, Jim; Savage, Eileen; Schorn, Mavis

    2012-07-01

    Advanced practice nursing expertise has been acknowledged worldwide as one response to the challenges arising from changes in society and health care. The roots of advanced practice nursing education are at the University of Colorado where the first known programme started in 1965. In many countries advanced practice nurses (APNs) have taken responsibility for routine patient care formerly carried out by physicians in order to reduce their workload. However, more and more, APNs have taken responsibility for new service areas and quality programmes not previously provided. Chronic disease management is one of these new service areas because long-term diseases are increasingly challenging service systems globally. This article is based on an international APN partnership. The aim of the article is to describe how the partnership will design a 15 ECTS credit course on Enduring Health Need Management as a cross-cultural collaborative endeavour. The adaptation of an inquiry based learning framework will be described drawing on four main principles of the theory: authentic learning communities; student encouragement in analysing gradually more complicated problems; networking in knowledge creation and; student engagement and activity. The cross-cultural online course aims to increase APNs' intercultural competence as well as their global and international work orientation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Asia, oil politics, and the energy crisis: the haves and the have-nots

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

    Howell, L.; Morrow, M.; Caldwell, M.

    1974-01-01

    A study is made of the politics and economics of oil in Southeast Asia, a region with over half the world's population, but only a small percentage of its oil and gas reserves. The increase in energy costs following the Arab oil embargo was a much more effective barrier to poor countries than the embargo. Without energy supplies these nations cannot develop economically; they will experience more unemployment, migration to cities, slum build-up, malnutrition, and starvation. To better comprehend the Asian situation, the international petroleum system is discussed, considering its effects on those countries which have oil and gas resourcesmore » and those which do not. Petroleum policies of individual Asian countries (e.g., Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Australia) are assessed. Most governments in Asia have participated in what is called ''false'' development. They have exported their oil to receive foreign exchange which has been used to modernize only a tiny part of their economies. Finally, capitalist Australia is examined as an alternate model to the dominant attitudes in Asia. (159 references) (BYB)« less

  17. Analysing inter-relationships among water, governance, human development variables in developing countries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dondeynaz, C.; Carmona Moreno, C.; Céspedes Lorente, J. J.

    2012-10-01

    classification of countries is useful in identifying countries with a less advanced position and weaknesses to be tackled. The relevance of indicators gathered to represent environmental and water resources state is questioned in the discussion section. The paper concludes with the necessity to increase the reliability of current indicators and calls for further research on specific indicators, in particular on water quality at national scale, in order to better include environmental state in analysis to WSS.

  18. Measures which host countries and countries of origin could adopt to promote the return of migrants.

    PubMed

    Debart, M H

    1986-03-01

    The immigration wave in the 1960s and 1970s brought scores of migrants to Europe. Most intended to work a few years in a foreign country and return to their homeland; however, poor economies in their own countries discouraged their return. At the same time, jobs became scarcer in their host countries. Several European countries today are resorting to measures designed to promote the return of migrants to their countries of origin. This paper outlines the two major options open to governments in their reintegration efforts. Option 1 requires instituting a definite reintegration policy. Public aid to promote reintegration may be provided. For example, the French give aid contingent upon the return of foreign workers in the labor force to the country of origin and not just upon their departure from the host country. Classical methods pay conpensation to the foreign worker; the problem then is to determine at what point to limit the funds. It must be decided whether or not unemployment benefits should be capitalized and whether or not to reimburse social security and old age contributions. It is also desirable for foreign workers to have access to a specialized organization which is able to advise them on setting up a project or business on their return; ideally, this organization should finance the project. Perhaps the best solution is to enlist participation of the governments of the countries of origin to make job openings known to their nationals desiring to return. Option 2 requires that reintegration be introduced into other economic and social programs. Returning foreign workers would be included as a factor in overall policy planning. Vocational training for return migrants could be proposed to job seekers as well as to dismissed workers. A portion of money used to finance housing projects could be earmarked for construction or reservation of housing in the country of origin. Bilateral vocational training programs can be addressed to nationals who want to

  19. Pathogenic Leptospira: Advances in understanding the molecular pathogenesis and virulence

    PubMed Central

    Ghazaei, Ciamak

    2018-01-01

    Leptospirosis is a common zoonotic disease has emerged as a major public health problem, with developing countries bearing disproportionate burdens. Although the diverse range of clinical manifestations of the leptospirosis in humans is widely documented, the mechanisms through which the pathogen causes disease remain undetermined. In addition, leptospirosis is a much-neglected life-threatening disease although it is one of the most important zoonoses occurring in a diverse range of epidemiological distribution. Recent advances in molecular profiling of pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira have improved our understanding of the evolutionary factors that determine virulence and mechanisms that the bacteria employ to survive. However, a major impediment to the formulation of intervention strategies has been the limited understanding of the disease determinants. Consequently, the association of the biological mechanisms to the pathogenesis of Leptospira, as well as the functions of numerous essential virulence factors still remain implicit. This review examines recent advances in genetic screening technologies, the underlying microbiological processes, the virulence factors and associated molecular mechanisms driving pathogenesis of Leptospira species. PMID:29445617

  20. Global Budgeting in the OECD Countries

    PubMed Central

    Wolfe, Patrice R.; Moran, Donald W.

    1993-01-01

    Many of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries use global budgeting to control all or certain portions of their health care expenditures. Although the use of global budgets as a cost-containment tool has not been implemented in the United States in any comprehensive way, recent health care reform initiatives have increased the need for research into such tools. In general, the structure, process, and effectiveness of global budgets vary enormously from country to country, in part because the underlying social welfare system of each country is unique. PMID:10130584

  1. Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in developing countries*

    PubMed Central

    De Armas Rodríguez, Y.; Wissmann, G.; Müller, A.L.; Pederiva, M.A.; Brum, M.C.; Brackmann, R.L.; Capó De Paz, V.; Calderón, E.J.

    2011-01-01

    Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP) is a serious fungal infection among immunocompromised patients. In developed countries, the epidemiology and clinical spectrum of PcP have been clearly defined and well documented. However, in most developing countries, relatively little is known about the prevalence of pneumocystosis. Several articles covering African, Asian and American countries were reviewed in the present study. PcP was identified as a frequent opportunistic infection in AIDS patients from different geographic regions. A trend to an increasing rate of PcP was apparent in developing countries from 2002 to 2010. PMID:21894262

  2. Deriving consensus on the characteristics of advanced practice nursing: meta-summary of more than 2 decades of research.

    PubMed

    Hutchinson, Marie; East, Leah; Stasa, Helen; Jackson, Debra

    2014-01-01

    Over recent decades, there has been considerable research and debate about essential features of advanced nursing practice and differences among various categories of advanced practice nurses. This study aimed to derive an integrative description of the defining characteristics of advanced practice nursing through a meta-summary of the existing literature. A three-phase approach involved (a) systematic review of the literature to identify the specific activities characterized as advanced practice nursing, (b) qualitative meta-summary of practice characteristics extracted from manuscripts meeting inclusion criteria; and (c) statistical analysis of domains across advanced practice categories and country in which the study was completed. A descriptive framework was distilled using qualitative and quantitative results. Fifty manuscripts met inclusion criteria and were retained for analysis. Seven domains of advanced nursing practice were identified: (a) autonomous or nurse-led extended clinical practice; (b) improving systems of care; (c) developing the practice of others; (d) developing/delivering educational programs/activities; (e) nursing research/scholarship; (f) leadership external to the organization; and (g) administering programs, budgets, and personnel. Domains were similar across categories of advanced nursing practice; the domain of developing/delivering educational programs/activities was more common in Australia than in the United States or United Kingdom. Similarity at the domain level was sufficient to suggest that advanced practice role categories are less distinct than often argued. There is merit in adopting a more integrated and consistent interpretation of advanced practice nursing.

  3. Current status and biotechnological advances in genetic engineering of ornamental plants.

    PubMed

    Azadi, Pejman; Bagheri, Hedayat; Nalousi, Ayoub Molaahmad; Nazari, Farzad; Chandler, Stephen F

    2016-11-01

    Cut flower markets are developing in many countries as the international demand for cut flowers is rapidly growing. Developing new varieties with modified characteristics is an important aim in floriculture. Production of transgenic ornamental plants can shorten the time required in the conventional breeding of a cultivar. Biotechnology tools in combination with conventional breeding methods have been used by cut flower breeders to change flower color, plant architecture, post-harvest traits, and disease resistance. In this review, we describe advances in genetic engineering that have led to the development of new cut flower varieties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Modeling the costs and benefits of temporary recommendations for poliovirus exporting countries to vaccinate international travelers.

    PubMed

    Duintjer Tebbens, Radboud J; Thompson, Kimberly M

    2017-07-05

    Recognizing that infectious agents readily cross international borders, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee issues Temporary Recommendations (TRs) that include vaccination of travelers from countries affected by public health emergencies, including serotype 1 wild polioviruses (WPV1s). This analysis estimates the costs and benefits of TRs implemented by countries with reported WPV1 during 2014-2016 while accounting for numerous uncertainties. We estimate the TR costs based on programmatic data and prior economic analyses and TR benefits by simulating potential WPV1 outbreaks in the absence of the TRs using the rate and extent of WPV1 importation outbreaks per reported WPV1 case during 2004-2013 and the number of reported WPV1 cases that occurred in countries with active TRs. The benefits of TRs outweigh the costs in 77% of model iterations, resulting in expected incremental net economic benefits of $210 million. Inclusion of indirect costs increases the costs by 13%, the expected savings from prevented outbreaks by 4%, and the expected incremental net benefits by 3%. Despite the considerable costs of implementing TRs, this study provides health and economic justification for these investments in the context of managing a disease in advanced stages of its global eradication. Copyright © 2017 The Auhors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  5. Social Value Orientation and Capitalism in Societies.

    PubMed

    Shahrier, Shibly; Kotani, Koji; Kakinaka, Makoto

    2016-01-01

    Cooperation and competition are core issues in various fields, since they are claimed to affect the evolution of human societies and ecological organizations. A long-standing debate has existed on how social behaviors and preferences are shaped with culture. Considering the economic environment as part of culture, this study examines whether the ongoing modernization of competitive societies, called "capitalism," affects the evolution of people's social preferences and behaviors. To test this argument, we implemented field experiments of social value orientation and surveys with 1002 respondents for three different areas of Bangladesh: (i) rural, (ii) transitional and (iii) capitalistic societies. The main result reveals that with the evolution from rural to capitalistic societies, people are likely to be less prosocial and more likely to be competitive. In a transitional society, there is a considerable proportion of "unidentified" people, neither proself nor prosocial, implying the potential existence of unstable states during a transformation period from rural to capitalistic societies. We also find that people become more proself with increasing age, education and number of children. These results suggest that important environmental, climate change or sustainability problems, which require cooperation rather than competition, will pose more danger as societies become capitalistic.

  6. Econometric estimation of country-specific hospital costs.

    PubMed

    Adam, Taghreed; Evans, David B; Murray, Christopher JL

    2003-02-26

    Information on the unit cost of inpatient and outpatient care is an essential element for costing, budgeting and economic-evaluation exercises. Many countries lack reliable estimates, however. WHO has recently undertaken an extensive effort to collect and collate data on the unit cost of hospitals and health centres from as many countries as possible; so far, data have been assembled from 49 countries, for various years during the period 1973-2000. The database covers a total of 2173 country-years of observations. Large gaps remain, however, particularly for developing countries. Although the long-term solution is that all countries perform their own costing studies, the question arises whether it is possible to predict unit costs for different countries in a standardized way for short-term use. The purpose of the work described in this paper, a modelling exercise, was to use the data collected across countries to predict unit costs in countries for which data are not yet available, with the appropriate uncertainty intervals.The model presented here forms part of a series of models used to estimate unit costs for the WHO-CHOICE project. The methods and the results of the model, however, may be used to predict a number of different types of country-specific unit costs, depending on the purpose of the exercise. They may be used, for instance, to estimate the costs per bed-day at different capacity levels; the "hotel" component of cost per bed-day; or unit costs net of particular components such as drugs.In addition to reporting estimates for selected countries, the paper shows that unit costs of hospitals vary within countries, sometimes by an order of magnitude. Basing cost-effectiveness studies or budgeting exercises on the results of a study of a single facility, or even a small group of facilities, is likely to be misleading.

  7. Introducing Advanced Practice Nurses / Nurse Practitioners in health care systems: a framework for reflection and analysis.

    PubMed

    De Geest, Sabina; Moons, Philip; Callens, Betty; Gut, Chris; Lindpaintner, Lyn; Spirig, Rebecca

    2008-11-01

    An increasing number of countries are exploring the option of introducing Advanced Practice Nurses (APN), such as Nurse Practitioners (NP), as part of the health care workforce. This is particular relevant in light of the increase of the elderly and chronically ill. It is crucial that this introduction is preceded by an in depth understanding of the concept of advanced practice nursing as well as an analysis of the context. Firstly, a conceptual clarification of Advanced Practice Nurses and Nurse Practitioners is provided. Secondly, a framework is introduced that assists in the analysis of the introduction and development of Advanced Practice Nurse roles in a particular health care system. Thirdly, outcomes research on Advanced Practice Nursing is presented. Argumentation developed using data based papers and policy reports on Advanced Practice Nursing. The proposed framework consists of five drivers: (1) the health care needs of the population, (2) education, (3) workforce, (4) practice patterns and (5) legal and health policy framework. These drivers act synergistically and are dynamic in time and space. Outcomes research shows that nurse practitioners show clinical outcomes similar to or better than those of physicians. Further examples demonstrate favourable outcomes in view of the six Ds of outcome research; death, disease, disability, discomfort, dissatisfaction and dollars, for models of care in which Advanced Practice Nurses play a prominent role. Advanced Practice Nurses such as Nurse Practitioners show potential to contribute favourably to guaranteeing optimal health care. Advanced Practice Nurses will wield the greatest influence on health care by focusing on the most pressing health problems in society, especially the care of the chronically ill.

  8. Prospects for a genuine revival of primary health care--through the visible hand of social justice rather than the invisible hand of the market: part I.

    PubMed

    Katz, Alison Rosamund

    2009-01-01

    In a two-part article (the first part in this Journal issue), the author explores the prospects for a genuine revival of the social justice project of "Health for All by the Year 2000", launched by the WHO and UNICEF in 1978 at Alma-Ata in the former Soviet Union, with reference (in Part I) to the World Health Report 2008, Primary Health Care: Now More than Ever, and the report of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health, also published in 2008; and (in Part II) to Global Health Watch 2: An Alternative World Health Report and the perspectives of anti-capitalist, real socialist, environmental, and people's movements for economic and social justice. The reports are reviewed in terms of the original values and principles of Alma-Ata (social justice and human rights) and the structural foundations of the primary health care (PHC) project (a new international economic order and emancipatory development of decolonized countries). A genuine revival of the PHC project and of Health for All, which is its implicit objective, will not be possible unless the multiple crises that we are confronting today-in energy, water, food, finance, the environment, science, information, and democracy-are recognized as capitalist crises and addressed in these terms. In short, the invisible hand of the market must be replaced by the visible hand of social justice.

  9. Inequality in OECD countries.

    PubMed

    Thévenot, Celine

    2017-08-01

    This article recalls the state of play of inequality levels and trends in OECD countries, with a special focus on Nordic countries. It sheds light on explaining the drivers of the rise in inequality and its economic consequences. It addresses in particular the issue of redistribution through taxes and transfers. It concludes with an overview of policy packages that should be considered to address the issue of rising inequalities.

  10. Increasing use of radical prostatectomy for locally advanced prostate cancer in the USA and Germany: a comparative population-based study.

    PubMed

    Hager, B; Kraywinkel, K; Keck, B; Katalinic, A; Meyer, M; Zeissig, S R; Scheufele, R; Wirth, M P; Huber, J

    2017-03-01

    Current guidelines do not recommend a preferred treatment modality for locally advanced prostate cancer. The aim of the study was to compare treatment patterns found in the USA and Germany and to analyze possible trends over time. We compared 'Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results' (SEER) data (USA) with reports from four German federal epidemiological cancer registries (Eastern Germany, Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, Schleswig-Holstein), both from 2004 to 2012. We defined locally advanced prostate cancer as clinical stage T3 or T4. Exclusion criteria were metastatic disease and age over 79 years. We identified 9127 (USA) and 11 051 (Germany) patients with locally advanced prostate cancer. The share was 2.1% in the USA compared with 6.0% in Germany (P<0.001). In the United States, the utilization of radiotherapy (RT) and radical prostatectomy (RP) was comparably high with 42.0% (RT) and 42.8% (RP). In Germany, the major treatment option was RP with 36.7% followed by RT with 22.1%. During the study period, the use of RP increased in both countries (USA P=0.001 and Germany P=0.003), whereas RT numbers declined (USA P=0.003 and Germany P=0.002). The share of adjuvant RT (aRT) was similar in both countries (USA 21.7% vs Germany 20.7%). We found distinctive differences in treating locally advanced prostate cancer between USA and Germany, but similar trends over time. In the last decade, a growing number of patients underwent RP as a possible first step within a multimodal concept.

  11. Survey of laboratory practices for diagnosis of fungal infection in seven Asian countries: An Asia Fungal Working Group (AFWG) initiative.

    PubMed

    Chindamporn, Ariya; Chakrabarti, Arunaloke; Li, Ruoyu; Sun, Pei-Lun; Tan, Ban-Hock; Chua, Mitzi; Wahyuningsih, Retno; Patel, Atul; Liu, Zhengyin; Chen, Yee-Chun; Chayakulkeeree, Methee

    2018-06-01

    An online survey of mycology laboratories in seven Asian countries was conducted to assess the status, competence, and services available. Country representatives from the Asia Fungal Working Group (AFWG) contacted as many laboratories performing mycology diagnosis as possible in their respective countries, requesting that the laboratory heads complete the online survey. In total, 241 laboratories responded, including 71 in China, 104 in India, 11 in Indonesia, 26 in the Philippines, four in Singapore, 18 in Taiwan, and seven in Thailand. Overall, 129/241 (53.5%) surveyed mycology laboratories operate as separate designated mycology laboratories, 75/241 (31.1%) conduct regular formal staff training, 103/241 (42.7%) are accredited, and 88/157 (56.1%) participate in external quality assurance scheme (EQAS) programs. Microscopy and culture methods are available in nearly all laboratories, although few perform DNA sequencing (37/219; 16.9%) or use matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF MS) (27/219; 12.3%) for isolate identification. Antifungal susceptibility testing is performed in 142/241 (58.9%) laboratories, mainly for yeasts. The most commonly performed nonculture diagnostic is cryptococcal antigen testing (66 laboratories), followed by galactomannan testing (55), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis (37), and beta-D-glucan testing (24). Therapeutic drug monitoring is conducted in 21 laboratories. There is almost no access to advanced diagnostic tests, like galactomannan, β-D-glucan, and PCR, in the surveyed laboratories in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. These results highlight the need for development of quality laboratories, accreditation and training of manpower in existing laboratories, and access to advanced non-culture-based diagnostic tests to facilitate the diagnosis of fungal infections in Asia.

  12. Social Franchising: A Blockbuster to Address Unmet Need for Family Planning and to Advance Toward the FP2020 Goal.

    PubMed

    2015-06-17

    Social franchising has scaled-up provision of voluntary family planning, especially long-acting reversible contraceptives, across Africa and Asia at a rapid and remarkable pace. The approach should be pursued vigorously, especially in countries with a significant private-sector presence, to advance the FP2020 goal of providing access to modern contraception to 120 million additional clients by 2020.

  13. Epidemiology of epilepsy in developing countries.

    PubMed Central

    Senanayake, N.; Román, G. C.

    1993-01-01

    Epilepsy is an important health problem in developing countries, where its prevalence can be up to 57 per 1000 population. This article reviews the epidemiology of epilepsy in developing countries in terms of its incidence, prevalence, seizure type, mortality data, and etiological factors. The prevalence of epilepsy is particularly high in Latin America and in several African countries, notably Liberia, Nigeria, and the United Republic of Tanzania. Parasitic infections, particularly neurocysticercosis, are important etiological factors for epilepsy in many of these countries. Other reasons for the high prevalence include intracranial infections of bacterial or viral origin, perinatal brain damage, head injuries, toxic agents, and hereditary factors. Many of these factors are, however, preventable or modifiable, and the introduction of appropriate measures to achieve this could lead to a substantial decrease in the incidence of epilepsy in developing countries. PMID:8490989

  14. Population growth and development in the Third World: the neocolonial context.

    PubMed

    Patterson, J G; Shrestha, N R

    1988-01-01

    Less developed countries (LDCs) that were colonies of other nations continued operating under the same social and political structures set up by the former ruling nations. The small minority of elites in the LDCs held on to the power acquired during colonial times. In order to preserve their political and financial status after independence, they maintained their close linkages to the capitalist nations and their multinational corporations (MNCs). The elites did not generally have popular support, however. These capitalist nations and their commercial interests continue to dictate most LDCs development process which supports the financial interests of the MNCs and the local elites and not those of the majority, the poor. The poor realize that they are trapped and unable to break away from the economic and political structures, therefore, to assure some form of security, they have many children which exacerbates their poverty. Yet population control policies based on Malthusian theory and those that rely on such undimensional, technical approaches as family planning alone cannot cure the multidimensional social problems of high population growth and poverty. Neither the Malthusian nor Marxist theories totally explain the situation in the LDCs or even provide workable solutions. Research on population and development in LDCs needs to address both the Malthusian concern for the problems posed by high growth rates and the Marxist critique of class struggle in development trends. To eliminate the trap of poverty and dependent economies, each country must design its own remedies based on its history, culture, and geography and alter the prevailing social, economic, and political power structures in favor of the poor. 6 propositions that must be modified to each nation's particular problems and needs are presented to guide LDCs in formulating or reformulating policies to alleviate the problems of population and poverty.

  15. Recent advances in multiple myeloma: a Korean perspective.

    PubMed

    Hong, Junshik; Lee, Jae Hoon

    2016-09-01

    Epidemiologically, multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disorder of plasma cells with a higher incidence among Western populations than among Asians. However, there is growing evidence of a recent increase in the age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of MM in Asian countries, particularly Korea. Application of novel agents has resulted in significant improvement of treatment outcomes, and the advances are ongoing with the recent introduction and U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of newer agents, including carfilzomib, ixazomib, elotuzumab, and daratumumab. In concert with the technical advances in the cytogenetic and molecular diagnostics of MM, modifications of its diagnosis and staging system have been attempted for better risk stratification. The modified diagnostic criteria from the International Myeloma Working Group in 2014 enabled a strategy of more active treatment for some patients with smoldering MM, with an ultra-high risk of progression, and fine-tuned the definition of end-organ damage, known as CRAB (hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency, anemia, and bone lesions). Considering Korea's trend of aging at an unprecedented rate, we can expect that the ASR of MM will maintain a gradual increase for many years to come; therefore, MM will be a cancer of critical importance from both medical and socioeconomic perspectives in Korea.

  16. JPRS Report, Soviet Union, World Economy & International Relations, No. 10, October 1988

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-02-10

    essence of the capitalist mode of production and via the decomposition of the Ricardian school, which became, according to Marx, the "vulgar apologists...the framework of the accepted limitations) if it is seen as a model reflecting quantitatively the participation or role of individual production ...From the viewpoint of a characteriza- tion of modern capitalist production the models of general balance proceeded from unrealistic premises: they

  17. A technology selection framework for supporting delivery of patient-oriented health interventions in developing countries

    PubMed Central

    Chan, Connie V.; Kaufman, David R.

    2009-01-01

    Health information technologies (HIT) have great potential to advance health care globally. In particular, HIT can provide innovative approaches and methodologies to overcome the range of access and resource barriers specific to developing countries. However, there is a paucity of models and empirical evidence informing the technology selection process in these settings. We propose a framework for selecting patient-oriented technologies in developing countries. The selection guidance process is structured by a set of filters that impose particular constraints and serve to narrow the space of possible decisions. The framework consists of three levels of factors: 1) situational factors, 2) the technology and its relationship with health interventions and with target patients, and 3) empirical evidence. We demonstrate the utility of the framework in the context of mobile phones for behavioral health interventions to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This framework can be applied to health interventions across health domains to explore how and whether available technologies can support delivery of the associated types of interventions and with the target populations. PMID:19796709

  18. Breast health in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Yip, C H; Taib, N A

    2014-12-01

    Breast cancer is one of the leading cancers world-wide. While the incidence in developing countries is lower than in developed countries, the mortality is much higher. Of the estimated 1 600 000 new cases of breast cancer globally in 2012, 794 000 were in the more developed world compared to 883 000 in the less developed world; however, there were 198 000 deaths in the more developed world compared to 324 000 in the less developed world (data from Globocan 2012, IARC). Survival from breast cancer depends on two main factors--early detection and optimal treatment. In developing countries, women present with late stages of disease. The barriers to early detection are physical, such as geographical isolation, financial as well as psychosocial, including lack of education, belief in traditional medicine and lack of autonomous decision-making in the male-dominated societies that prevail in the developing world. There are virtually no population-based breast cancer screening programs in developing countries. However, before any screening program can be implemented, there must be facilities to treat the cancers that are detected. Inadequate access to optimal treatment of breast cancer remains a problem. Lack of specialist manpower, facilities and anticancer drugs contribute to the suboptimal care that a woman with breast cancer in a low-income country receives. International groups such as the Breast Health Global Initiative were set up to develop economically feasible, clinical practice guidelines for breast cancer management to improve breast health outcomes in countries with limited resources.

  19. Capacity for conducting systematic reviews in low- and middle-income countries: a rapid appraisal.

    PubMed

    Oliver, Sandy; Bangpan, Mukdarut; Stansfield, Claire; Stewart, Ruth

    2015-04-26

    systematic reviews and to strengthen links between producers and potential users of systematic reviews. Limited capacity for conducting systematic reviews within LMICs presents a major technical and social challenge to advancing their health systems. Effective capacity in LMICs can be spread through investing effort at multiple levels simultaneously, supported by countries (predominantly high-income countries) with established skills and experience.

  20. Information and communications technology for future health systems in developing countries.

    PubMed

    Lucas, Henry

    2008-05-01

    There has been much discussion of the role that recent advances in information and communication technologies (ICTs) could play in improving health systems in developing countries, but limited independent analysis of existing applications. Combining a case study approach with a general discussion of the issues, this paper attempts to assess the potential benefits of a diverse range of ICT innovations and some of the constraints they will need to overcome. Four broad areas are considered: improvements in traditional health information systems; computer-aided diagnosis and treatment monitoring; a range of applications generically labelled 'telemedicine'; and the use of ICT to inform general populations on health and healthcare. The final section speculates on the possible medium-term impacts of ICT in terms of improving the performance of existing systems, allowing scope for radical innovations, or even changing basic assumptions about the provider-patient relationship.

  1. Kenya Country Analysis Brief

    EIA Publications

    2016-01-01

    Kenya currently does not produce any hydrocarbons, although the country has the potential to become an oil producer most likely after 2020. Over the past few years, several commercial oil discoveries have been made in Kenya, but the country faces obstacles that have caused production delays. Negotiations over a joint export pipeline route with its neighbor Uganda is in flux, while sustained low oil prices have slowed down exploration drilling activity in Kenya.

  2. Feasible groundbased atmospheric and flux measurements by developing countries in support of satellite data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mitra, A. P.

    To allow increasing participation of developing countries in global change studies, ground based measurement systems which can be easily comissioned and provide support to satellite observations so as to fit into global mapping need to be chosen carefully. Those relating to atmospheric parameters (greenhouse gas concentrations, emission fluxes, transport properties, etc.) are discussed here. The simplest and of most immediate interest relate to sources and sinks of CH_4 (primarily from rice paddy fields, animals, wetlands) and N_2O (soils, oceans). Measurement techniques and inter-country campaign plans are discussed. There are also important possibilities of using the same technique for measurements of emissions from biomass burning alongwith ozone measurements coupled with survey of biomass burning areas from satellites. Another major area concerns the proposed ITYO programme (International Tropospheric Ozone Year), for which, apart from balloon ozone ascents, use of UV-B radiometry at selected wavelengths is considered. The third area discussed concerns measurements of atmospheric aerosols using Multi-wavelength Radiometer (MWR). In addition, in the last few years, a number of advanced groundlevel systems have been installed at low latitudes, which, if made available widely to developing country scientists, and their participation supported financially, could provide a major opportunity for world class research. These include: the MST radar at Tirupati (India) Chung-Li (Taiwan) and Arecibo, Puerto Rico; the Lidars at Thumba and at Natal, Brazil; and the Laser Heterodyning System and mm-wave radiospectrometer at Delhi.

  3. Pharmaceutical policies in European countries.

    PubMed

    Barros, Pedro Pita

    2010-01-01

    Pharmaceutical expenditures have an important role in Europe. The attempts to control expenditure have used a wide range of policy measures. We reviewed the main measures adopted by the European Union countries, especially in countries where governments are the largest third-party payers. To complement a literature review on the topic, data was gathered from national reviews of health systems and direct inquiries to several government bodies. Almost all countries regulate prices of pharmaceutical products. Popular policy measures include international referencing to set prices (using as benchmark countries that have set lower prices), internal reference pricing systems to promote price competition in domestic markets, and positive lists for reimbursement to promote consumption of generics (including in some cases substitution by pharmacists of drugs prescribed by physicians). Despite the wide range of policy measures, it is not possible to identify a "silver bullet" to control pharmaceutical expenditures. We also identified two main policy challenges: policy coordination among countries within the European Union to maintain incentives for R&D at the global level, and the development of new relationships with the pharmaceutical industry; namely, the so-called risk-sharing agreements between the pharmaceutical industry and governments/regulators (or large third-party payers).

  4. Can we Plan. The political economy of commercial nuclear energy policy in the United States

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

    Campbell, J.L. Jr.

    1984-01-01

    The dissertation is an analysis of the commercial nuclear energy sector's decline in the United States. The research attempts to reconcile the debate between Weberian-institutional and Marxist political theory about the state's inability to successfully plan industrial development in advanced capitalist countries. Synthesizing these views, the central hypothesis guiding the research is that the greater the state's relative autonomy from political and economic constraints in an institutional sense, i.e., the greater its insulation from the contradictions of capitalism and democracy, the greater its planning capacity and the more successful it will be in directing industrial performance. The research examines onemore » industrial sector, commercial nuclear energy, and draws two major comparison. First, the French and US nuclear industries are compared, since the state's relative autonomy is much greater in the former than in the latter. This comparison is developed to identify policy areas where nuclear planning has succeeded in France but failed in America. Four areas are identified: reactor standardization, waste management, reactor safety, and financing. Second, looking particularly at the US, the policy areas are compared to analyze the development of policy and its effects on the sector's performance and to determine the degree to which planning was undermined by the structural constraints characteristic of a state with low relative autonomy.« less

  5. Prevalence and correlates of physical disability and functional limitation among community dwelling older people in rural Malaysia, a middle income country

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background The prevalence and correlates of physical disability and functional limitation among older people have been studied in many developed countries but not in a middle income country such as Malaysia. The present study investigated the epidemiology of physical disability and functional limitation among older people in Malaysia and compares findings to other countries. Methods A population-based cross sectional study was conducted in Alor Gajah, Malacca. Seven hundred and sixty five older people aged 60 years and above underwent tests of functional limitation (Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment Tool). Data were also collected for self reported activities of daily living (ADL) using the Barthel Index (ten items). To compare prevalence with other studies, ADL disability was also defined using six basic ADL's (eating, bathing, dressing, transferring, toileting and walking) and five basic ADL's (eating, bathing, dressing, transferring and toileting). Results Ten, six and five basic ADL disability was reported by 24.7% (95% CI 21.6-27.9), 14.4% (95% CI 11.9-17.2) and 10.6% (95% CI 8.5-13.1), respectively. Functional limitation was found in 19.5% (95% CI 16.8-22.5) of participants. Variables independently associated with 10 item ADL disability physical disability, were advanced age (≥ 75 years: prevalence ratio (PR) 7.9; 95% CI 4.8-12.9), presence of diabetes (PR 1.8; 95% CI 1.4-2.3), stroke (PR 1.5; 95% CI 1.1-2.2), depressive symptomology (PR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1-1.8) and visual impairment (blind: PR 2.0; 95% CI 1.1-3.6). Advancing age (≥ 75 years: PR 3.0; 95% CI 1.7-5.2) being female (PR 2.7; 95% CI 1.2-6.1), presence of arthritis (PR 1.6; 95% CI 1.2-2.1) and depressive symptomology (PR 2.0; 95% CI 1.5-2.7) were significantly associated with functional limitation. Conclusions The prevalence of physical disability and functional limitation among older Malaysians appears to be much higher than in developed countries but is comparable to developing

  6. Country variations in depressive symptoms profile in Asian countries: Findings of the Research on Asia Psychotropic Prescription (REAP) studies.

    PubMed

    Chee, Kok-Yoon; Tripathi, Adarsh; Avasthi, Ajit; Chong, Mian-Yoon; Xiang, Yu-Tao; Sim, Kang; Si, Tian-Mei; Kanba, Shigenobu; He, Yan-Ling; Lee, Min-Soo; Fung-Kum Chiu, Helen; Yang, Shu-Yu; Kuga, Hironori; Udormatn, Pichet; Kallivayalil, Roy A; Tanra, Andi J; Maramis, Margarita; Grover, Sandeep; Chin, Loi-Fei; Dahlan, Rahima; Mohamad Isa, Mohd Fadzli; Ebenezer, Esther Gunaseli M; Nordin, Norhayati; Shen, Winston W; Shinfuku, Naotaka; Tan, Chay-Hoon; Sartorius, Norman

    2015-09-01

    This study was to assess differences in the symptom profile of depressive illness across various countries/territories in Asia. The study was a part of the Research on Asia Psychotropic Prescription project. The participating countries/territories include China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. The pattern of depressive symptoms in 1,400 subjects with depressive disorder from 42 psychiatric centers in 10 Asian countries/territories was assessed. We collected information on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics with a standardized protocol and data collection procedure. The most common presentations of depressive symptoms were persistent sadness, loss of interest, and insomnia. Similar findings were found regardless of the region, country, or its income level. Patients with depressive disorder from high-income countries presented significantly more with vegetative symptom cluster (P < 0.05), while those from the upper middle-income countries had significantly more with both mood (P < 0.001) and cognitive symptom clusters (P < 0.01). In lower middle-income countries, patients with depressive symptoms had significantly less mood symptom cluster (P < 0.001) but significantly more cognitive symptom cluster (P < 0.05). This study demonstrates that in Asia, despite variations in the initial symptom reported by the patients, across different countries/territories, core depressive symptoms remain the same. Variations have been found in presentation of depressive symptoms with regards to the level of income of countries. Physical or vegetative symptoms were reported more by centers in higher income countries, while depressive cognition and suicidal thoughts/acts were more frequently reported from lower income countries. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  7. Country logistics performance and disaster impact.

    PubMed

    Vaillancourt, Alain; Haavisto, Ira

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this paper is to deepen the understanding of the relationship between country logistics performance and disaster impact. The relationship is analysed through correlation analysis and regression models for 117 countries for the years 2007 to 2012 with disaster impact variables from the International Disaster Database (EM-DAT) and logistics performance indicators from the World Bank. The results show a significant relationship between country logistics performance and disaster impact overall and for five out of six specific logistic performance indicators. These specific indicators were further used to explore the relationship between country logistic performance and disaster impact for three specific disaster types (epidemic, flood and storm). The findings enhance the understanding of the role of logistics in a humanitarian context with empirical evidence of the importance of country logistics performance in disaster response operations. © 2016 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2016.

  8. Social effects of migration in receiving countries.

    PubMed

    Ohndorf, W

    1989-06-01

    This paper examines the impact of post-1945 migration into Western, Middle, and Northern Europe from Southern Europe, Turkey, and Northern Africa, and migration to the traditional immigration countries by Asian and Latin American immigrants, on the social structures of receiving countries. Between 1955 and 1974, 1) traditional migration to the US and Australia became less important for European countries while traditional receiving countries accepted many immigrants from developing countries; and 2) rapid economic revival in Western and Northern Europe caused a considerable labor shortage which was filled by migrant workers especially from Southern Europe, Turkey, and Northern Africa, who stayed only until they reached their economic goals. Since 1974, job vacancies have declined and unemployment has soared. This employment crisis caused some migrants 1) to return to their countries of origin, 2) to bring the rest of their families to the receiving country, or 3) to lengthen their stay considerably. The number of refugees has also significantly increased since the mid-970s, as has the number of illegal migrants. After the mid-1970s, Europe began to experience integration problems. The different aspects of the impact of migration on social structures include 1) improvement of the housing situation for foreigners, 2) teaching migrants the language of the receiving country, 3) solving the unemployment problem of unskilled migrants, 4) improvement of educational and vocational qualifications of 2nd generation migrants, 5) development of programs to help unemployed wives of migrants to learn the language and meet indigenous women, 6) encouraging migrants to maintain their cultural identity and assisting them with reintegration if they return to their original country, 7) coping with the problems of refugees, and 8) solving the problems of illegal migration. Almost all receiving countries now severely restrict further immigration. [Those policies should result in

  9. Mothers’, Fathers’, and Children’s Perceptions of Parents’ Expectations about Children’s Family Obligations in Nine Countries

    PubMed Central

    Lansford, Jennifer E.; Godwin, Jennifer; Alampay, Liane Peña; Tirado, Liliana Maria Uribe; Zelli, Arnaldo; Al-Hassan, Suha M.; Bacchini, Dario; Bombi, Anna Silvia; Bornstein, Marc H.; Chang, Lei; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Di Giunta, Laura; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Malone, Patrick S.; Oburu, Paul; Pastorelli, Concetta; Skinner, Ann T.; Sorbring, Emma; Tapanya, Sombat

    2016-01-01

    Children’s family obligations involve assistance and respect that children are expected to provide to immediate and extended family members and reflect beliefs related to family life that may differ across cultural groups. Mothers, fathers, and children (N = 1,432 families) in 13 cultural groups in nine countries (China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and United States) reported on their expectations regarding children’s family obligations and parenting attitudes and behaviors. Within families, mothers and fathers had more concordant expectations regarding children’s family obligations than did parents and children. Parenting behaviors that were warmer, less neglectful, and more controlling as well as parenting attitudes that were more authoritarian were related to higher expectations regarding children’s family obligations between families within cultures as well as between cultures. These international findings advance understanding of children’s family obligations by contextualizing them both within families and across a number of diverse cultural groups in nine countries. PMID:26104262

  10. Recent Advances in the Genetic Transformation of Coffee

    PubMed Central

    Mishra, M. K.; Slater, A.

    2012-01-01

    Coffee is one of the most important plantation crops, grown in about 80 countries across the world. The genus Coffea comprises approximately 100 species of which only two species, that is, Coffea arabica (commonly known as arabica coffee) and Coffea canephora (known as robusta coffee), are commercially cultivated. Genetic improvement of coffee through traditional breeding is slow due to the perennial nature of the plant. Genetic transformation has tremendous potential in developing improved coffee varieties with desired agronomic traits, which are otherwise difficult to achieve through traditional breeding. During the last twenty years, significant progress has been made in coffee biotechnology, particularly in the area of transgenic technology. This paper provides a detailed account of the advances made in the genetic transformation of coffee and their potential applications. PMID:22970380

  11. Teacher labor markets in developed countries.

    PubMed

    Ladd, Helen F

    2007-01-01

    Helen Ladd takes a comparative look at policies that the world's industrialized countries are using to assure a supply of high-quality teachers. Her survey puts U.S. educational policies and practices into international perspective. Ladd begins by examining teacher salaries-an obvious, but costly, policy tool. She finds, perhaps surprisingly, that students in countries with high teacher salaries do not in general perform better on international tests than those in countries with lower salaries. Ladd does find, however, that the share of underqualified teachers in a country is closely related to salary. In high-salary countries like Germany, Japan, and Korea, for example, only 4 percent of teachers are underqualified, as against more than 10 percent in the United States, where teacher salaries, Ladd notes, are low relative to those in other industrialized countries. Teacher shortages also appear to stem from policies that make salaries uniform across academic subject areas and across geographic regions. Shortages are especially common in math and science, in large cities, and in rural areas. Among the policy strategies proposed to deal with such shortages is to pay teachers different salaries according to their subject area. Many countries are also experimenting with financial incentive packages, including bonuses and loans, for teachers in specific subjects or geographic areas. Ladd notes that many developed countries are trying to attract teachers by providing alternative routes into teaching, often through special programs in traditional teacher training institutions and through adult education or distance learning programs. To reduce attrition among new teachers, many developed countries have also been using formal induction or mentoring programs as a way to improve new teachers' chances of success. Ladd highlights the need to look beyond a single policy, such as higher salaries, in favor of broad packages that address teacher preparation and certification

  12. Advanced Thermal Batteries.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-06-01

    ADVANCED THERMAL BATTERIES NATIONAL UNION ELECTRIC CORPORATION ADVANCE SCIENCE DIVISION 1201 E. BELL STREET BLXXMINGTON, ILLINOIS 61701 JUNE 1981...December 1978 in: " Advanced Thermal Batteries " AFAPL-TR-78-114 Air Force Aero Propulsion Laboratory Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories Air Force...March 1980 in: " Advanced Thermal Batteries " AFAPL-TR-80-2017 Air Force Aero Propulsion Laboratory Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories Air Force

  13. eHealth, ICT and its relationship with self-reported health outcomes in the EU countries.

    PubMed

    Tavares, Aida Isabel

    2018-04-01

    This work contributes to the discussion on the relationship between ICT and ehealth solutions in primary care, and self-reported health and health status in the European Union. The method used is an ordinary least squares linear model. The results show that there is no significant relation between self-reported health outcomes and ICT and ehealth indexes, except for self-reported chronic health problems. The more advanced that countries are in ICT, the larger is the share of people reporting a chronic health problem. This provides evidence on the existence of a link between chronic patients and ICT development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Impact of advance care planning on the care of patients with heart failure: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Malhotra, Chetna; Sim, David Kheng Leng; Jaufeerally, Fazlur; Vikas, Nivedita Nadkarni; Sim, Genevieve Wong Cheng; Tan, Boon Cheng; Ng, Clarice Shu Hwa; Tho, Pei Leng; Lim, Jingfen; Chuang, Claire Ya-Ting; Fong, Florence Hui Mei; Liu, Joy; Finkelstein, Eric A

    2016-06-10

    Despite the promise and popularity of advance care planning, there is insufficient evidence that advance care planning helps patients to meet their end-of-life care preferences, especially in Asian settings. Thus, the proposed study aims to assess whether patients with advanced heart failure who are receiving advance care planning have a greater likelihood of receiving end-of-life care consistent with their preferences compared to patients receiving usual care. Secondary objectives are to compare differences in health care expenditures, quality of life, anxiety and depression, understanding of own illness, participation in decision-making and concordance with their caregiver's preferences for end-of-life care, between patients with advanced heart failure receiving advance care planning and usual care. This is a two-arm randomized controlled trial of advance care planning versus usual care (control) conducted at two institutions in Singapore. Two hundred and eighty-two patients with advanced heart failure (n = 94 in the advance care planning arm; n = 188 in the control arm receiving usual care) will be recruited from these centers and followed for 1 year or until they die, whichever is earlier. Additionally, the study will include up to one caregiver per patient enrolled. If advance care planning is proven to be effective, the results will help to promote its uptake among health care providers and patients both within Singapore and in other countries. NCT02299180 . Registered on 18 November 2014.

  15. Impact of health research capacity strengthening in low- and middle-income countries: the case of WHO/TDR programmes.

    PubMed

    Minja, Happiness; Nsanzabana, Christian; Maure, Christine; Hoffmann, Axel; Rumisha, Susan; Ogundahunsi, Olumide; Zicker, Fabio; Tanner, Marcel; Launois, Pascal

    2011-10-01

    Measuring the impact of capacity strengthening support is a priority for the international development community. Several frameworks exist for monitoring and evaluating funding results and modalities. Based on its long history of support, we report on the impact of individual and institutional capacity strengthening programmes conducted by the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and on the factors that influenced the outcome of its Research Capacity Strengthening (RCS) activities. A mix of qualitative and quantitative methods (questionnaires and in-depth interviews) was applied to a selected group of 128 individual and 20 institutional capacity development grant recipients that completed their training/projects between 2000 and 2008. A semi-structured interview was also conducted on site with scientists from four institutions. Most of the grantees, both individual and institutional, reported beneficial results from the grant. However, glaring inequities stemming from gender imbalances and a language bias towards English were identified. The study showed that skills improvement through training contributed to better formulation of research proposals, but not necessarily to improved project implementation or communication of results. Appreciation of the institutional grants' impact varied among recipient countries. The least developed countries saw the programmes as essential for supporting basic infrastructure and activities. Advanced developing countries perceived the research grants as complementary to available resources, and particularly suitable for junior researchers who were not yet able to compete for major international grants. The study highlights the need for a more equitable process to improve the effectiveness of health research capacity strengthening activities. Support should be tailored to the existing research capacity in disease endemic countries and should focus on strengthening

  16. Content of Advance Directives for Individuals with Advanced Dementia

    PubMed Central

    Black, Betty S.; Phillips, Hilary; Fahrendorf, Sarah Richardson; Schwartz, Jack; Angelino, Andrew F.; Anderson, Danielle; Rabins, Peter V.

    2010-01-01

    Objectives To examine how people with end-stage dementia have conveyed their wishes for end-of-life care in advance directives. Methods The documents of 123 residents of three Maryland nursing homes, all with end-stage dementia, were reviewed. Results More years of education and White race were significantly associated with having an advance directive. With the exceptions of comfort care and pain treatment, advance directives were used primarily to restrict, not request, many forms of care at the end-of-life. Decisions about care for end-stage conditions such as Alzheimer's dementia are less often addressed in these documents than for terminal conditions and persistent vegetative state. Discussion In order for advance directives to better reflect a person's wishes, discussions with individuals and families about advance directives should include a range of care issues in the settings of terminal illness, persistent vegetative state or end-stage illness. These documents should be reviewed periodically to make certain they convey accurately the person's treatment preferences. PMID:18625761

  17. Public attitudes toward stuttering in Europe: Within-country and between-country comparisons.

    PubMed

    St Louis, Kenneth O; Sønsterud, Hilda; Junuzović-Žunić, Lejla; Tomaiuoli, Donatella; Del Gado, Francesca; Caparelli, Emilia; Theiling, Mareen; Flobakk, Cecilie; Helmen, Lise Nesbakken; Heitmann, Ragnhild R; Kvenseth, Helene; Nilsson, Sofia; Wetterling, Tobias; Lundström, Cecilia; Daly, Ciara; Leahy, Margaret; Tyrrell, Laila; Ward, David; Węsierska, Marta

    2016-01-01

    Epidemiological research methods have been shown to be useful in determining factors that might predict commonly reported negative public attitudes toward stuttering. Previous research has suggested that stuttering attitudes of respondents from North America and Europe (i.e., "The West"), though characterized by stereotypes and potential stigma, are more positive than those from several other regions of the world. This inference assumes that public attitudes within various regions characterized by "The West" are similar. This study aimed to determine the extent to which public stuttering attitudes are similar or different both within regions of three different European countries and between or among five different European countries or similar geographic areas. It also aimed to compare these European attitudes to attitudes from 135 samples around the world using a standard measure. Using convenience sampling, 1111 adult respondents from eight different investigations completed the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) in the dominant language of each country or area. In Study I, the authors compared attitudes within three different regions of Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy, and Norway. In Study II, the authors compared attitudes between combined samples from Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy, and Norway (with additional respondents from Sweden), and two other samples, one from Germany and the other from Ireland and England. Attitudes of adults from the three samples within Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy, and Norway were remarkably similar. By contrast, attitudes between the five different countries or area were quite dramatically different. Demographic variables on the POSHA-S did not predict the rank order of these between-country/area differences. Compared to the POSHA-S worldwide database, European attitudes ranged from less positive than average (i.e., Italians) to more positive than average (i.e., Norwegians and Swedes). Factors related to

  18. [The health problems which can brougth by 3G cell phones to our country].

    PubMed

    Enöz, Murat

    2009-01-01

    At present, we are being exposed to electromagnetic pollution which is steadily increasing parallel to the technological advancements and which is invisible and unnoticeable in the short run. Electromagnetic waves which were previously used for therapeutic reasons have recently been uncontrollably used in daily life. By widespread use of 3rd generation (3G) cellular phones, the electromagnetic pollution has multiplied and brought us a huge amount of health dangers in our country. In this article, electromagnetic pollution, which is a comprehensive topic, and problems related with this kind of pollution which is rapidly increasing due to recent wide use of 3G cell phones are summarized in the light of the literature.

  19. Pakistan: Asia-Pacific energy series, country report

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

    Gazdar, M.N.

    1992-03-01

    As part of our continuing assessment of Asia-Pacific energy markets, the Energy Program has embarked on a series of country studies that discuss in detail the structure of the energy sector in each major country in the region. The country studies also provide the reader with an overview of the economic and political situation in the various countries. We have particularly highlighted petroleum and gas issues in the country studies and have attempted to show the foreign trade implications of oil and gas trade. Finally, to the greatest extent possible, we have provided the latest available statistics -- often frommore » unpublished and disparate sources that are unavailable to most readers. Staff members have traveled extensively in -- and at times have lived in -- the countries under review and have held discussions with senior policymakers in government and industry. Thus, these reports provide not only information but also the latest thinking on energy issues in the various countries. This report summarizes the energy and economic situation in Pakistan.« less

  20. Obesity in Arabic-Speaking Countries

    PubMed Central

    Badran, Mohammad; Laher, Ismail

    2011-01-01

    Obesity has reached epidemic proportions throughout the globe, and this has also impacted people of the Arabic-speaking countries, especially those in higher-income, oil-producing countries. The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents ranges from 5% to 14% in males and from 3% to 18% in females. There is a significant increase in the incidence of obesity with a prevalence of 2%–55% in adult females and 1%–30% in adult males. Changes in food consumption, socioeconomic and demographic factors, physical activity, and multiple pregnancies may be important factors that contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity engulfing the Arabic-speaking countries. PMID:22175002