Challenges and opportunities for meningococcal vaccination in the developing world.

PubMed

Shaker, Rouba; Fayad, Danielle; Dbaibo, Ghassan

2018-05-04

Meningococcal disease continues to be a life threatening infection with high morbidity and mortality even in appropriately treated patients. Meningococcal vaccination plays a major role in the control of the disease; however, implementing vaccination remains problematic in the developing world. The objective of this review is to identify the challenges facing the use of meningococcal vaccines in the developing world in order to discuss the opportunities and available solutions to improve immunization in these countries. Inadequate epidemiologic information necessary to implement vaccination and financial challenges predominate. Multiple measures are needed to achieve the successful implementation of meningococcal conjugate vaccination programs that protect against circulating serogroups in developing countries including enhanced surveillance systems, financial support and aid through grants, product development partnerships that are the end result of effective collaboration and communication between different interdependent stakeholders to develop affordable vaccines, and demonstration of the cost-effectiveness of new meningococcal vaccines.

Across the Great Divide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Cary

2008-01-01

There are two worlds that exist in the academe: a world where the tenure system remains strong and a world dominated by the absence of tenure. In this article, the author cites the differences between these two worlds. In a world where tenure remains strong, academic departments benefit from a stable, dedicated workforce composed of tenured and…

Eradication of tetanus

PubMed Central

Thwaites, C. L.; Loan, H. T.

2015-01-01

Introduction The causative agent of tetanus, Clostridium tetani is widespread in the environment throughout the world and cannot be eradicated. To reduce the number of cases of tetanus efforts are focussed on prevention using vaccination and post-exposure wound care. Sources of data Medline, Pubmed and Cochrane databases; World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund publications. Areas of agreement The maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination initiative has resulted in significant reductions in mortality from neonatal tetanus throughout the world. Areas of controversy Although there are few data available it is likely that large numbers of children and adults, particularly men, remain unprotected due to lack of booster immunization. Areas timely for developing research It remains unclear how HIV and malaria affect both responses to vaccination and transplacental transfer of antibodies or how this might affect timing of vaccination doses. PMID:26598719

Dietary modulators of statin efficacy in cardiovascular disease and cognition

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States and other developed countries, and is fast growing in developing countries, particularly as life expectancy in all parts of the world increases. Current recommendations for the prevention of cardiovascul...

JPRS Report, China.

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-28

greatly diminished, but regional clashes situation in development occurring in Asia, and read- and elements for insecurity have increased. Regional...because of the three way division of the world. The seven western failure to eradicate internal causes . nations heads-of-state conference, the controversy...security. At the same time, the degree of cause a major upheaval of the world economy. The militarization of international society remains very high; overall

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.

Evaluation of task shifting in community-based DOTS program as an effective control strategy for tuberculosis.

PubMed

Gabriel, André P; Mercado, Charles P

2011-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) remains to be the most prevalent and debilitating pulmonary (PTB) infection in the world today, affecting about one-third of the world's population. TB is an endemic disease in many developing countries, and efforts at eliminating the disease remain futile. While the course of the disease is indolent with years of latency, the reactivation of the disease can pose serious pulmonary and systemic infections that compromise multiple organ functions which lead to respiratory failure or end-organ damage. Despite attempts to control and eradicate the mycobacterium, the prevalence of the disease remains high due to increasing population rate, persistence of poverty and poor health care, treatment failure, increasing multidrug resistance as a consequence of treatment failure and poor compliance, and existence of comorbid conditions that compromise immune response. Limited government resources to screen and monitor disease progression of TB in third world countries hamper the eradication of the disease. In response, we have evaluated the efficiency and effectivity of a Community-Based Directly Observed Treatment, Short-Course (CB-DOTS), which is an equally effective alternative strategy to health center DOTS.

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

Counseling in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeo, Lay See; Tan, Soo Yin; Neihart, Maureen F.

2012-01-01

Singapore, a tiny island nation, rose from 3rd- to 1st-world status in just 3 decades. Unlike in most developed countries, counseling in Singapore has a short history with faith-based beginnings and currently faces challenges to remain culturally relevant. The authors trace the development of Singapore's counseling services, provide an update…

Continuing Professional Development: Lifelong Learning of Millions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Andrew L.

2011-01-01

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the means by which the professions across the world ensure that their knowledge and skills remain up to date and relevant to changing needs and environments. CPD significantly contributes to the quality and reputation of the professions and therefore to the quality of national and international social…

Brain anatomical networks in early human brain development.

PubMed

Fan, Yong; Shi, Feng; Smith, Jeffrey Keith; Lin, Weili; Gilmore, John H; Shen, Dinggang

2011-02-01

Recent neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that human brain networks have economic small-world topology and modular organization, enabling efficient information transfer among brain regions. However, it remains largely unknown how the small-world topology and modular organization of human brain networks emerge and develop. Using longitudinal MRI data of 28 healthy pediatric subjects, collected at their ages of 1 month, 1 year, and 2 years, we analyzed development patterns of brain anatomical networks derived from morphological correlations of brain regional volumes. The results show that the brain network of 1-month-olds has the characteristically economic small-world topology and nonrandom modular organization. The network's cost efficiency increases with the brain development to 1 year and 2 years, so does the modularity, providing supportive evidence for the hypothesis that the small-world topology and the modular organization of brain networks are established during early brain development to support rapid synchronization and information transfer with minimal rewiring cost, as well as to balance between local processing and global integration of information. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Using Learning Trajectories for Teacher Learning to Structure Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bargagliotti, Anna E.; Anderson, Celia Rousseau

2017-01-01

As a result of the increased focus on data literacy and data science across the world, there has been a large demand for professional development in statistics. However, exactly how these professional development opportunities should be structured remains an open question. The purpose of this paper is to describe the first iteration of a design…

Management Education and Management Development: Widening Participation or Narrowing Agenda?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellie, Jean

2004-01-01

The domains of management education and management development have remained relatively distinct. Recent trends suggest a blurring of the boundaries of these worlds. There is a growing corporate confidence that in-company provision has equivalent, even superior, claims to relevant knowledge and warrant academic recognition. This paper looks at the…

2006 Harben Lecture. World poverty and population health: the need for sustainable change.

PubMed

Aitsi-Selmi, Amina

2008-06-01

Despite important recent initiatives to improve the health of the most disadvantaged in the world (the Millennium Development Goals, debt cancellation campaigns), poverty and preventable diseases still plague many parts of the globe. Sub-Saharan Africa remains one of the most severely affected. It is the only region in the world where life expectancy has not seen much improvement. Some countries have employed strategies of investment in public services, such as education, with positive results (e.g. the 'tiger economies'). Others have tried to follow prescribed strategies from global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank with varying degrees of success. Sustainable development will require continuous commitment from donors and recipients to long-term strategies. Oxfam believes investment in public services and education is key to sustainability, in combination with more effective debt cancellation. These concepts are explored in the 2006 Harben Lecture given by Barbara Stocking, Director of Oxfam.

Virtual Laboratories and Virtual Worlds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hut, Piet

2008-05-01

Since we cannot put stars in a laboratory, astrophysicists had to wait till the invention of computers before becoming laboratory scientists. For half a century now, we have been conducting experiments in our virtual laboratories. However, we ourselves have remained behind the keyboard, with the screen of the monitor separating us from the world we are simulating. Recently, 3D on-line technology, developed first for games but now deployed in virtual worlds like Second Life, is beginning to make it possible for astrophysicists to enter their virtual labs themselves, in virtual form as avatars. This has several advantages, from new possibilities to explore the results of the simulations to a shared presence in a virtual lab with remote collaborators on different continents. I will report my experiences with the use of Qwaq Forums, a virtual world developed by a new company (see http://www.qwaq.com).

Pediatric anesthesia in developing countries.

PubMed

Bösenberg, Adrian T

2007-06-01

To highlight the problems faced in developing countries where healthcare resources are limited, with particular emphasis on pediatric anesthesia. The fact that very few publications address pediatric anesthesia in the developing world is not surprising given that most anesthetics are provided by nonphysicians, nurses or unqualified personnel. In compiling this article information is drawn from pediatric surgical, anesthetic and related texts. In a recent survey more than 80% of anesthesia providers in a poor country acknowledged that with the limited resources available they could not provide basic anesthesia for children less than 5 years. Although many publications could be regarded as anecdotal, the similarities to this survey suggest that the lack of facilities is more generalized than we would like to believe. The real risk of anesthesia in comparison to other major health risks such as human immunodeficiency virus, malaria, tuberculosis and trauma remains undetermined. The critical shortage of manpower remains a barrier to progress. Despite erratic electrical supplies, inconsistent oxygen delivery, paucity of drugs or equipment and on occasion even lack of running water, many provide life-saving anesthesia. Perioperative morbidity and mortality is, however, understandably high by developed world standards.

The role of energy systems on hydropower in Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuksel, Ibrahim; Arman, Hasan; Halil Demirel, Ibrahim

2017-11-01

Over the last two decades, global electricity production has more than doubled and electricity demand is rising rapidly around the world as economic development spreads to emerging economies. Not only has electricity demand increased significantly, it is the fastest growing end-use of energy. Therefore, technical, economic and environmental benefits of hydroelectric power make it an important contributor to the future world energy mix, particularly in the developing countries. On the other hand, the hydropower industry is closely linked to both water management and renewable energy production, and so has a unique role to play in contributing to sustainable development in a world where billions of people lack access to safe drinking water and adequate energy supplies. In addition to, approximately 1.6 billion people have no access to electricity and about 1.1 billion are without adequate water supply. However, resources for hydropower development are widely spread around the world. Potential exists in about 150 countries, and about 70% of the economically feasible potential remains to be developed-mostly in developing countries where the needs are most urgent. This paper deals with renewable energy systems and the role of hydropower in Turkey.

Education for Economic Growth or Human Development? the Capabilities Approach and the World Bank's Basic Education Project in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Kevin R.

2014-01-01

Turkey's recent development plans suggest that, according to state planners, development is no longer identified with, achieved through or measured by economic growth. These documents evince that Turkey has embraced what is referred to as the capability approach. What remains unclear is whether this embrace is substantive or rhetorical. This paper…

An Evidence-Based Practical Approach to Pediatric Otolaryngology in the Developing World.

PubMed

Belcher, Ryan H; Molter, David W; Goudy, Steven L

2018-06-01

Despite humanitarian otolaryngology groups traveling in record numbers to resource-limited areas treating pediatric otolaryngology disease processes and training local providers, there remains a large burden of unmet needs. There is a meager amount of published information that comes from the developing world from an otolaryngology standpoint. As would be expected, the little information that does comes involves some of the most common pediatric otolaryngology diseases and surgical burdens including childhood hearing loss, otitis media, adenotonsillectomies, airway obstructions requiring tracheostomies, foreign body aspirations, and craniomaxillofacial surgeries, including cleft lip and palate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

World Health Organization's Mental Health Atlas 2005:implications for policy development

PubMed Central

SAXENA, SHEKHAR; SHARAN, PRATAP; GARRIDO, MARCO; SARACENO, BENEDETTO

2006-01-01

In 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the second edition of the Mental Health Atlas, consisting of revised and updated information on mental health from countries. The sources of information included the mental health focal points in the Ministries of Health, published literature and unpublished reports available to WHO. The results show that global mental health resources remain low and grossly inadequate to respond to the high level of need. In addition, the revised Atlas shows that the improvements over the period 2001 to 2004 are very small. Imbalances across income groups of countries remain largely the same. Enhancement in resources devoted to mental health is urgently needed, especially in low- and middle-income countries. PMID:17139355

Travelers’ Diarrhea Diagnosis and Therapy Study in United States Military Personnel on Short-Term Deployment in Thailand

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

approximately 30% remains common in both short-term peacetime deployments and during wartime [21, 25]. The epidemiology of militarily relevant diarrheal disease...57]. Based on epidemiological studies involving both serology and culture results, approximately 30-40% of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome...73-78]. Most of the guidelines have focused on the developed world and are divided by pediatric or adult population. The World Health Organization

Forest sector: A World Bank policy paper. Secteur forestier: document de politique generale de la banque mondiale

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

Not Available

Forests are the most extensive terrestrial ecosystem, and nearly 500 million people depend on forests for their livelihood. Since the World Bank issued its forestry sector policy paper in 1978, there has been growing concern about the accelerated rate of destruction of the remaining primary forests in various parts of the world. The policy paper identifies two key challenges: to slow the alarmingly rapid rates of deforestation, especially (although not exclusively) in the tropical moist forests, and to ensure adequate planting of new trees to meet the rapidly growing demand for fuelwood in developing countries. The Bank intends to movemore » vigorously to promote the conservation of natural forests and the sustainable development of managed forestry resources.« less

Education: Past, Present and Future Global Challenges. Policy Research Working Paper 5616

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrinos, Harry Anthony; Psacharopoulos, George

2011-01-01

Progress in educational development in the world since 1900 has been slow and uneven between countries. Providing basic education for all children in developing countries has been and remains an unmet challenge of governments and international organizations alike. This is in sharp contrast to recent findings in the economics literature on the…

Unity out of Diversity. The Origins and Development of the University of Humberside.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, David

The history of the University of Humberside (England) is traced and related to patterns of local, regional, and national development of higher education. The modern University of Humberside emerged from six separated colleges, the first originating in 1861 and the remaining five were founded before World War I. Two began as teacher training…

Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

Remain Strong, Capacities Will Shrink New Relationships and Recalibrated Old Partnerships Less Financial Margin of Error More Limited Military...making reforms that create a “European President” and “European Foreign Minister” and develops greater institutional capacity for crisis management...domestic issues and sustaining their economic development, increasingly, as outlined in this chapter, they will have the capacity to be global

Library 101: Why, How, and Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Michael; King, David Lee

2010-01-01

This article describes how and why the Library 101 Project was created and the lessons that the developers learned out of this project. The Library 101 is a project that challenges librarians to revise the paradigm of "basic" library services in order to remain relevant in this technology-driven world. It was developed by Michael Porter,…

Implementing the World Report on Disability in West Africa: challenges and opportunities for Ghana.

PubMed

Tuakli-Wosornu, Yetsa A; Haig, Andrew J

2014-01-01

Disability issues have taken a prominent role on international stages in recent years. Beginning with the May 2005 World Health Assembly Resolution 58.23 and culminating in the June 2011 World Bank and World Health Organization World Report on Disability, comprehensive disability analyses from nations at various stages of development can now be accessed and used by relevant stakeholders in health, policy, and aide arenas. The implementation of this landmark report is critical for the advancement of social inclusion in diverse countries, including those with limited resources. However, activating the World Report on Disability in resource-limited countries remains a significant challenge because of threadbare data and cultural, institutional, and physical barriers to social inclusion. This review summarizes current national disability data and describes challenges and opportunities for the implementation of the World Report on Disability in Ghana. As a structural point of departure, the article uses the three broad categories of challenges outlined by the World Health Organization: attitudinal, physical, and institutional.

Pharmaceutical companies and global lack of access to medicines: strengthening accountability under the right to health.

PubMed

Grover, Anand; Citro, Brian; Mankad, Mihir; Lander, Fiona

2012-01-01

Many medicines currently available on the market are simply too expensive for millions around the world to afford. Many medicines available in the developing world are only available to a small percentage of the population due to economic inequities. The profit-seeking behavior of pharmaceutical companies exacerbates this problem. In most cases, the price reductions required to make drugs affordable to a broader class of people in the developing world are not offset by the resultant increase in sales volume. Simply stated, in most of the developing world, it is more profitable to sell drugs to the very wealthy at high prices than it is to sell cheaper drugs to a greater number of people. As a result, medicines remain unaffordable for the vast majority of people in many parts of the world. While this might be an acceptable outcome for certain commodities, such as luxury goods, it is completely unacceptable for life-saving medicines. Therefore, in order to effectively address the global lack of access to medicines, the role pharmaceutical companies play in the international intellectual property regime must be critically examined. © 2012 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Preeclampsia: Updates in Pathogenesis, Definitions, and Guidelines

PubMed Central

Phipps, Elizabeth; Prasanna, Devika; Brima, Wunnie

2016-01-01

Preeclampsia is becoming an increasingly common diagnosis in the developed world and remains a high cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Delay in childbearing in the developed world feeds into the risk factors associated with preeclampsia, which include older maternal age, obesity, and/or vascular diseases. Inadequate prenatal care partially explains the persistent high prevalence in the developing world. In this review, we begin by presenting the most recent concepts in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Upstream triggers of the well described angiogenic pathways, such as the heme oxygenase and hydrogen sulfide pathways, as well as the roles of autoantibodies, misfolded proteins, nitric oxide, and oxidative stress will be described. We also detail updated definitions, classification schema, and treatment targets of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy put forth by obstetric and hypertensive societies throughout the world. The shift has been made to view preeclampsia as a systemic disease with widespread endothelial damage and the potential to affect future cardiovascular diseases rather than a self-limited occurrence. At the very least, we now know that preeclampsia does not end with delivery of the placenta. We conclude by summarizing the latest strategies for prevention and treatment of preeclampsia. A better understanding of this entity will help in the care of at-risk women before delivery and for decades after. PMID:27094609

Anaesthesia and global health initiatives for children in a low-resource environment.

PubMed

Hodges, Sarah C

2016-06-01

As the United Nations moves from Millennium Development Goals to Sustainable Development Goals, we find ourselves with the opportunity to influence the priority of global health initiatives. Previously, the global health community has failed to recognise the importance of access to safe, affordable surgery and developing the necessary specialities that support it as most of the funding focus had been on primary healthcare and infectious diseases. Now the WHO is publishing guidelines to safe surgery and the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery has been launched. However, this is only the start; anaesthesia remains a forgotten speciality within the world of public and global health and there are still challenges in escalating surgery in low and middle-income countries to an acceptable level that is affordable and timely. Although there is increased world interest in safe surgery and anaesthesia this has not yet been translated into a mandate that will compel countries to invest in improving levels of infrastructure, accessibility, manpower, and safety. A general anaesthetic remains a dangerous event in a child's life in resource-limited countries.

Global Increases in Individualism.

PubMed

Santos, Henri C; Varnum, Michael E W; Grossmann, Igor

2017-09-01

Individualism appears to have increased over the past several decades, yet most research documenting this shift has been limited to the study of a handful of highly developed countries. Is the world becoming more individualist as a whole? If so, why? To answer these questions, we examined 51 years of data on individualist practices and values across 78 countries. Our findings suggest that individualism is indeed rising in most of the societies we tested. Despite dramatic shifts toward greater individualism around the world, however, cultural differences remain sizable. Moreover, cultural differences are primarily linked to changes in socioeconomic development, and to a lesser extent to shifts in pathogen prevalence and disaster frequency.

Hepcidin is the major predictor of erythrocyte iron incorporation in anemic African children

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Iron supplementation strategies in the developing world remain controversial owing to fears of exacerbating prevalent infectious diseases. Understanding the conditions in which iron will be absorbed and incorporated into erythrocytes is therefore important. We studied Gambian children with either po...

Epidemiology of scabies.

PubMed

Fuller, L Claire

2013-04-01

Scabies is a common skin infestation globally, particularly in the developing world. With the launch of the International Alliance for the Control of Scabies (IACS) in 2012, this review aims to present the recent evidence of the current epidemiological situation for scabies across the globe. Mindful of the fact that the downstream complications of scabies infestations, pyoderma, streptococcal glomerulonephritis and subsequent chronic renal impairment and rheumatic fever, have been recognized as being more significant to global health than previously acknowledged, the review focusses also on the epidemiological evidence from developing countries. Scabies occurrence rates vary in the recent literature from 2.71 per 1000 to 46%. Although it is responsible for larger disease burdens and complications such as pyoderma and renal and heart disease in the tropics, scabies outbreaks in the developed world amongst vulnerable communities and health institutions contribute a significant cost to the health services managing them. Scabies remains common across the world, but is such a health issue in the developing world that the suggestion that it be considered a neglected tropical disease is a pertinent one. Standardized diagnostic criteria and even a point-of-care diagnostic test would be a major contribution to the understanding of this epidemic.

Promoting Developmental Research: A Challenge for African Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mohamedbhai, Goolam

2014-01-01

There are two well-known and often-quoted facts about Sub-Saharan Africa. One is that, in spite of significant progress made in recent years, Africa remains the least developed region in the world and is unlikely to achieve all the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The other is that Africa fares very poorly in terms of research and innovation;…

Role of a University of Technology in Human Capital Development in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adedeji, A. O.; Adepoju, O. O.

2011-01-01

The greatness of nations appears to be based on the level of their human capital development as the world continues its march in the knowledge economy. It has become imperative for Nigeria to remain competitive in the comity of nations in the production, transfer and utilisation of knowledge. The realisation of the importance of human capital…

The Dispossessed of the Earth: Land Reform and Sustainable Development. Worldwatch Paper 30.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckholm, Erik

Major arguments and background of the worldwide land reform debate are reviewed. In developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the control of farmland remains a principal key to wealth, status, and power. Rural landless peasants at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder, estimated by the World Bank at more than 600 million people, are…

Geneva-Seattle collaboration in support of developing country vaccine manufacturing.

PubMed

Stevenson, Michael A

2018-04-01

Vaccines were once produced almost exclusively by state-supported entities. While they remain essential tools for public health protection, the majority of the world's governments have allowed industry to assume responsibility for this function. This is significant because while the international harmonisation of quality assurance standards have effectively increased vaccine safety, they have also reduced the number of developing country vaccine producers, and Northern multinational pharmaceutical companies have shown little interest in offering the range of low-priced products needed in low and middle-income-country contexts. This article examines how public-private collaboration is relevant to contemporary efforts aimed at strengthening developing country manufacturers' capacity to produce high-quality, low-priced vaccines. Specifically, it casts light on the important and largely complimentary roles of the World Health Organization, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Seattle-based non-profit PATH, in this process. The take away message is that external support remains critical to ensuring that developing country vaccine manufacturers have the tools needed to produce for both domestic and global markets, and the United Nations supply chain, and collaboration at the public-private interface is driving organisational innovation focused on meeting these goals.

Impact of reproductive health on socio-economic development: a case study of Nigeria.

PubMed

Adinma, J I B; Adinma, E D

2011-03-01

The link between reproductive health, sexual and reproductive right, and development was highlighted at the International Conference on Population and Development held in Egypt. Developmental disparities are related to socio-economic differences which have led to the identification of distinct socio-economic classifications of nations. Human development represents the socioeconomic standing of any nation, in addition to literacy status and life expectancy. Africa accounts for 25% of the world's landmass but remains the world's poorest continent. Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, has policies and programmes geared towards the improvement of its socio-economic standing and overal development, with little positive result. Reproductive health is a panacea towards reversing the stalled socio-economic growth of Nigeria as evident from the linkage between reproductive health and development, highlighted in Millennium Development Goals 3, 4, 5 and 6. Fast tracking Nigeria's development requires implementation of reproductive health policies and programmes targeted on women and children.

Questions of Matter: Critical Conversations in Online Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albers, Peggy; Turnbull, Sarah; Angay-Crowder, Tuba

2015-01-01

How professional development is delivered in today's networked world has shifted greatly, and research into online spaces of learning is growing. Numerous questions, however, remain regarding how online spaces can be leveraged to foster meaningful conversations that address current critical educational issues. This qualitative study examines the…

To Encounter, to Build the World and to Become a Human Being. Advocating for a Material-Cultural Turn in Developmental Psychology.

PubMed

Moro, Christiane

2016-12-01

Why have material world of daily life and material objects in their conventional features or to say it in other words, why have the mundane world and mundane objects, in which the human beings live and children come to, encounter, experience and develop through, received so little attention from psychologists thus remaining a blind spot in mainstream developmental psychology? Certainly the object has not been totally forgotten (e.g. Piaget's constructivist paradigm) but it has been considered as theoretically determined by the categories of understanding (cf. Kant), and considered as a key to understanding the world in its physical properties by the infant. But the material world and the material objects that are used for everyday purposes (i.e. pragmatically) belonging to material culture, have been totally neglected by developmental psychologists. Reacting to the Kantian agenda of developmental psychology but also to heterodox non developmentalist thinkers such as Gibson who is a growing source of inspiration for developmental psychologists today, we challenge the taken-for-granted mundane world, arguing for the importance of material objects related to material culture in psychological development during the prelinguistic period. On the basis of recent research in early development grounded in the Vygotskian paradigm, we discuss this issue through Marxist Anthropology, Material Culture Studies and Phenomenology. As a consequence we advocate for a material-cultural turn in psychological development in order to place the issue of material world and material objects in their pragmatic and semiotic features on the agenda of developmental psychology.

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

Shales, J.

Scientists from all over the world are currently attempting to evaluate the impact of both manmade and natural phenomena on climate change, including such issues as the role of oceans as sinks in absorbing CO{sub 2}, the role of sunspots, the absorptive capacity of different tree species, the impact of nitrous oxide and non- CO{sub 2} greenhouse gases, the length of time carbon remains in the atmosphere, the impact of ocean currents and innumerable other issues. Understanding these phenomena, and their interaction will be critical to properly addressing the issue which has tremendous importance for both the US and themore » world economic future development. The climate change issue has the potential to become the vehicle which will link developing countries to the rest of the world, since, embodies in the global climate debate are several of the social issues that the U.N. has attempted to address over the last two decades: hunger, overpopulation, environment, technology, and development. The climate change issue has the potential to test new international institutions, relationships between developed and developing counties and between traditional trading partners.« less

Preliminary report from the World Health Organisation Chest Radiography in Epidemiological Studies project.

PubMed

Mahomed, Nasreen; Fancourt, Nicholas; de Campo, John; de Campo, Margaret; Akano, Aliu; Cherian, Thomas; Cohen, Olivia G; Greenberg, David; Lacey, Stephen; Kohli, Neera; Lederman, Henrique M; Madhi, Shabir A; Manduku, Veronica; McCollum, Eric D; Park, Kate; Ribo-Aristizabal, Jose Luis; Bar-Zeev, Naor; O'Brien, Katherine L; Mulholland, Kim

2017-10-01

Childhood pneumonia is among the leading infectious causes of mortality in children younger than 5 years of age globally. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is the leading infectious cause of childhood bacterial pneumonia. The diagnosis of childhood pneumonia remains a critical epidemiological task for monitoring vaccine and treatment program effectiveness. The chest radiograph remains the most readily available and common imaging modality to assess childhood pneumonia. In 1997, the World Health Organization Radiology Working Group was established to provide a consensus method for the standardized definition for the interpretation of pediatric frontal chest radiographs, for use in bacterial vaccine efficacy trials in children. The definition was not designed for use in individual patient clinical management because of its emphasis on specificity at the expense of sensitivity. These definitions and endpoint conclusions were published in 2001 and an analysis of observer variation for these conclusions using a reference library of chest radiographs was published in 2005. In response to the technical needs identified through subsequent meetings, the World Health Organization Chest Radiography in Epidemiological Studies (CRES) project was initiated and is designed to be a continuation of the World Health Organization Radiology Working Group. The aims of the World Health Organization CRES project are to clarify the definitions used in the World Health Organization defined standardized interpretation of pediatric chest radiographs in bacterial vaccine impact and pneumonia epidemiological studies, reinforce the focus on reproducible chest radiograph readings, provide training and support with World Health Organization defined standardized interpretation of chest radiographs and develop guidelines and tools for investigators and site staff to assist in obtaining high-quality chest radiographs.

Climate change adaptation under uncertainty in the developing world: A case study of sea level rise in Kiribati

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donner, S. D.; Webber, S.

2011-12-01

Climate change is expected to have the greatest impact in parts of the developing world. At the 2010 meeting of U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change in Cancun, industrialized countries agreed in principle to provide US$100 billion per year by 2020 to assist the developing world respond to climate change. This "Green Climate Fund" is a critical step towards addressing the challenge of climate change. However, the policy and discourse on supporting adaptation in the developing world remains highly idealized. For example, the efficacy of "no regrets" adaptation efforts or "mainstreaming" adaptation into decision-making are rarely evaluated in the real world. In this presentation, I will discuss the gap between adaptation theory and practice using a multi-year case study of the cultural, social and scientific obstacles to adapting to sea level rise in the Pacific atoll nation of Kiribati. Our field research reveals how scientific and institutional uncertainty can limit international efforts to fund adaptation and lead to spiraling costs. Scientific uncertainty about hyper-local impacts of sea level rise, though irreducible, can at times limit decision-making about adaptation measures, contrary to the notion that "good" decision-making practices can incorporate scientific uncertainty. Efforts to improve institutional capacity must be done carefully, or they risk inadvertently slowing the implementation of adaptation measures and increasing the likelihood of "mal"-adaptation.

Preeclampsia: Updates in Pathogenesis, Definitions, and Guidelines.

PubMed

Phipps, Elizabeth; Prasanna, Devika; Brima, Wunnie; Jim, Belinda

2016-06-06

Preeclampsia is becoming an increasingly common diagnosis in the developed world and remains a high cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Delay in childbearing in the developed world feeds into the risk factors associated with preeclampsia, which include older maternal age, obesity, and/or vascular diseases. Inadequate prenatal care partially explains the persistent high prevalence in the developing world. In this review, we begin by presenting the most recent concepts in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Upstream triggers of the well described angiogenic pathways, such as the heme oxygenase and hydrogen sulfide pathways, as well as the roles of autoantibodies, misfolded proteins, nitric oxide, and oxidative stress will be described. We also detail updated definitions, classification schema, and treatment targets of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy put forth by obstetric and hypertensive societies throughout the world. The shift has been made to view preeclampsia as a systemic disease with widespread endothelial damage and the potential to affect future cardiovascular diseases rather than a self-limited occurrence. At the very least, we now know that preeclampsia does not end with delivery of the placenta. We conclude by summarizing the latest strategies for prevention and treatment of preeclampsia. A better understanding of this entity will help in the care of at-risk women before delivery and for decades after. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Nephrology.

Improved methodology to assess modification and completion of landfill gas management in the aftercare period

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Municipal solid waste landfills represent the dominant option for waste disposal in many parts of the world. While some countries have greatly reduced their reliance on landfills, there remain thousands of landfills that require aftercare. The development of cost-effective strategies for landfill af...

Nitrogen Saturation in Temperate Forest Ecosystems

Treesearch

John Aber; William McDowell; Knute Nadelhoffer; Alison Magill; Glenn Berntson; Mark Kamakea; Steven McNulty; William Currie; Lindsey Rustad; Ivan Fernandez

1998-01-01

Nitrogen emissions to the atmosphere due to human activity remain elevated in industrialized regions of the world and are accelerating in many developing regions (Galloway 1995). Although the deposition of sulfur has been reduced over much of the United States and Europe by aggressive environmental protection policies, current nitrogen deposition reduction targets in...

Tobacco and the developing world.

PubMed

Mackay, J; Crofton, J

1996-01-01

Tobacco consumption is increasing in developing countries, which will bear the brunt of the tobacco epidemic in the 21st century. If current smoking patterns continue, 7 of the world's 10 million annual deaths from tobacco in 2025 will occur in developing countries. Compared with developed countries, more men and fewer women currently smoke in developing countries, but smoking among girls and women is increasing. While indigenous tobacco production and consumption remain a major problem, of particular concern is the penetration by the transnational tobacco companies, bringing with them denial of the health evidence, sophisticated advertising and promotion, threats of trade sanctions based on tobacco trade, and opposition to tobacco control measures, in particular promotional bans and tobacco tax policy. Developing countries must urgently devise and implement national tobacco control policies, but many governments have little experience in the new noncommunicable disease epidemic or in countering the transnational tobacco companies.

NREL Photovoltaic Program FY 1996 Annual Report

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

Not Available

This report summarizes the in-house and subcontract research and development (R&D) activities under the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Photovoltaics (PV) Program from October 1, 1995 through September 30, 1996 (fiscal year [FY] 1996). The NREL PV Program is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Photovoltaics Program, as described in the DOE Photovoltaics Program Plan, FY 1991 - FY 1995. The mission of the DOE National Photovoltaics Program is to: "Work in partnership with U.S. industry to develop and deploy photovoltaic technology for generating economically competitive electric power, making photovoltaics an important contributor to the nation's andmore » the world's energy use and environmental improvement. The two primary goals of the national program are to (1) maintain the U.S. PV industry's world leadership in research and technology development and (2) help the U.S. industry remain a major, profitable force in the world market. The NREL PV Program provides leadership and support to the national program toward achieving its mission and goals.« less

WaterWorld, a spatial hydrological model applied at scales from local to global: key challenges to local application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burke, Sophia; Mulligan, Mark

2017-04-01

WaterWorld is a widely used spatial hydrological policy support system. The last user census indicates regular use by 1029 institutions across 141 countries. A key feature of WaterWorld since 2001 is that it comes pre-loaded with all of the required data for simulation anywhere in the world at a 1km or 1 ha resolution. This means that it can be easily used, without specialist technical ability, to examine baseline hydrology and the impacts of scenarios for change or management interventions to support policy formulation, hence its labelling as a policy support system. WaterWorld is parameterised by an extensive global gridded database of more than 600 variables, developed from many sources, since 1998, the so-called simTerra database. All of these data are available globally at 1km resolution and some variables (terrain, land cover, urban areas, water bodies) are available globally at 1ha resolution. If users have access to better data than is pre-loaded, they can upload their own data. WaterWorld is generally applied at the national or basin scale at 1km resolution, or locally (for areas of <10,000km2) at 1ha resolution, though continental (1km resolution) and global (10km resolution) applications are possible so it is a model with local to global applications. WaterWorld requires some 140 maps to run including monthly climate data, land cover and use, terrain, population, water bodies and more. Whilst publically-available terrain and land cover data are now well developed for local scale application, climate and land use data remain a challenge, with most global products being available at 1km or 10km resolution or worse, which is rather coarse for local application. As part of the EartH2Observe project we have used WFDEI (WATCH Forcing Data methodology applied to ERA-Interim data) at 1km resolution to provide an alternative input to WaterWorld's preloaded climate data. Here we examine the impacts of that on key hydrological outputs: water balance, water quality and outline the remaining challenges of using datasets like these for local scale application.

Future Diet Scenarios and Their Effect on Regional and Global Biofuel Potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregg, J.; hvid, A.

2012-04-01

Food production has been one of the most significant ways in which humans have changed the surface of the Earth. It is projected that further intensification of agriculture will be necessary to meet a growing population and the increased demand for calories from animal products. This would require substantially more land and resources devoted to animal production. However, globally, the proportion of per capita caloric intake from animal to total caloric intake has remained relatively constant for the last 50 years at slightly above 15%. Nevertheless, there are large discrepancies across regions and through time. For example, northern European countries derive over 30% of calories from animal products, while India is under 10%; between 1961 and 2007, China's per capita consumption of animal calories has increased by over a factor of ten, while in the US, animal calorie consumption has remained constant. In general, per capita consumption of animal products is lower in developing countries than in developed countries, and it is commonly assumed that future animal product consumption will increase as developing countries become wealthier. On the other hand, wealthier countries are remaining constant or even decreasing their proportional consumption of animal calories, and this could be a different way that future diets may evolve. We create different future scenarios for calorie demand from vegetal products, beef, sheep and goat, pork, poultry, and dairy based on historical national trends and estimated income elasticities for these various food products. The extreme scenarios are one in which the world evolves to a highly vegetal calorie diet and, on the other extreme, one in which the world evolves to diets with high meat consumption. Intermediate scenarios include projections of current trends and one in which the world moves to a healthy balanced diet given current recommendations. Using DTU-GCAM, and global integrated assessment model with an included land use module, we explore the effect of these different global and regional diet scenarios on land use and biofuel potential up to the year 2095. The model economically optimizes food production for 14 different regions of the world based on their current and historical land use and land cover, using free market and free trade assumptions.

Future Diet Scenarios and Their Effect on Regional and Global Land Use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregg, J. S.; Hvid, A.

2011-12-01

Food production has been one of the most significant ways in which humans have changed the surface of the Earth. It is projected that further intensification of agriculture will be necessary to meet a growing population and the increased demand for calories from animal products. This would require substantially more land and resources devoted to animal production. However, globally, the proportion of per capita caloric intake from animal to total caloric intake has remained relatively constant for the last 50 years at slightly above 15%. Nevertheless, there are large discrepancies across regions and through time. For example, northern European countries derive over 30% of calories from animal products, while India is under 10%; between 1961 and 2007, China's per capita consumption of animal calories has increased by over a factor of ten, while in the US, animal calorie consumption has remained constant. In general, per capita consumption of animal products is lower in developing countries than in developed countries, and it is commonly assumed that future animal product consumption will increase as developing countries become wealthier. On the other hand, wealthier countries are remaining constant or even decreasing their proportional consumption of animal calories, and this could be a different way that future diets may evolve. We create different future scenarios for calorie demand from vegetal products, beef, sheep and goat, pork, poultry, and dairy based on historical national trends and estimated income elasticities for these various food products. The extreme scenarios are one in which the world evolves to a highly vegetal calorie diet and, on the other extreme, one in which the world evolves to diets with high meat consumption. Intermediate scenarios include projections of current trends and one in which the world moves to a healthy balanced diet given current recommendations. Using DTU-GCAM, and global integrated assessment model with an included land use module, we explore the effect of these different global and regional diet scenarios on land use up to 2050. The model economically optimizes food production for 14 different regions of the world based on their current and historical land use and land cover, using free market and free trade assumptions.

ICTP: From a dream to a reality in 50+ years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quevedo, F.

2017-03-01

For more than 50 years, the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics has fostered the growth and sustainability of physics and mathematics in the developing world, benefitting hundreds of thousands of scientists. What began as a dream by its founder, Pakistani Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam, has become a first-rate international research hub connecting scientists from all corners of the globe. As the social and economic situations in many developing countries has shifted, ICTP has responded with the creation of relevant research and training programmes that continue to boost science in disadvantaged parts of the world. Today, ICTP remains a beacon of hope for scientists who aspire to greatness.

[Brucellosis: a zoonosis of importance in Mexico].

PubMed

Guzmán-Hernández, Rosa Lilia; Contreras-Rodríguez, Araceli; Ávila-Calderón, Eric Daniel; Morales-García, M Rosario

2016-12-01

Brucellosis is one of the most frequent zoonosis in most parts of the world. This zoonosis remains a great problem to public health in developing countries, although developed countries have successfully controlled it. Mexico still shows a high annual brucellosis incidence in humans; thus, the country is considered around the world as an endemic brucellosis country. To describe the connection/association between this zoonosis and the current epidemiological situation in the Mexican population. Perusal of research reports, epidemiological studies and veterinarian reviews performed in Mexico, using data bases such as PubMed, Thompson Reuters, Mesh research. The risk of infection by Brucella in Mexico is associated with the consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, mainly fresh cheeses.

ICTP: From a Dream to a Reality in 50+ Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quevedo, F.

For more than 50 years, the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics has fostered the growth and sustainability of physics and mathematics in the developing world, benefitting hundreds of thousands of scientists. What began as a dream by its founder, Pakistani Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam, has become a first-rate international research hub connecting scientists from all corners of the globe. As the social and economic situations in many developing countries has shifted, ICTP has responded with the creation of relevant research and training programmes that continue to boost science in disadvantaged parts of the world. Today, ICTP remains a beacon of hope for scientists who aspire to greatness.

Early childhood growth failure and the developmental origins of adult disease: Do enteric infections and malnutrition increase risk for the metabolic syndrome?

PubMed Central

DeBoer, Mark D.; Lima, Aldo A. M.; Oría, Reinaldo B.; Scharf, Rebecca J.; Moore, Sean R.; Luna, Max A.; Guerrant, Richard L.

2012-01-01

Hypotheses regarding the developmental origins of health and disease postulate that developing fetuses–and potentially young children—undergo adaptive epigenetic changes with longstanding effects on metabolism and other processes. Ongoing research explores whether these adaptations occur during early life following malnutrition. In the developing world there remains a high degree of nutritional stunting—linear growth failure due to inadequate calories that may be exacerbated by inflammation from ongoing infections. In areas with poor sanitation children experience vicious cycles of enteric infections and malnutrition, resulting in poor nutrient absorption from intestinal mucosa changes now termed “environmental enteropathy.” Emerging evidence links early childhood diarrhea and/or growth failure with increased CVD risk factors in later life, including dyslipidemia, hypertension and glucose intolerance. The mechanisms for these associations remain poorly understood and may relate to epigenetic responses to poor nutrition, increased inflammation or both. Given increases in CVD in developing areas of the world, associations between childhood malnutrition, early life infections and increased CVD risk factors underscore further reasons to improve nutrition and infection-related outcomes for young children worldwide. PMID:23110643

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

Yarnall, C.A.; Caruthers, J.R.

This study was performed under FUTURE LOOK, a joint Defense Nuclear Agency/Department of Energy (DNA/DOE) sponsored study. The intent of FUTURE LOOK is to identify and develop means of providing requisite security and survivability to the Non-Strategic Nuclear Forces (NSNF) in the Twenty-First Century. Our current thinking about the future world in Europe is summarized. In this report we develop four scenarios/stockpile cases to cover the spectrum of potential happenings in Europe; we also develop general security and survivability implications and recommendations for each case. The four cases are: (1) a substantially reduced (factor of 2--10) European stockpile; (2) amore » near-zero stockpile, with no Army weapons remaining in Europe; (3) current stockpile in Europe remains; and (4) current stockpile numbers remain, but aggressive modernization is allowed. We plan to use the information in this report to assist in developing detailed security and survivability options as part of our follow-on to FUTURE LOOK studies. 8 refs., 6 tabs.« less

[Towards a new vaccine economy?].

PubMed

Poirot, P; Martin, J F

1994-01-01

When Jonas Salk announced in the mid-50s the availability of a new vaccine against poliomyelitis, the world had the impression that it was now controlling infectious diseases. In fact, the success of this vaccine has been considerable and although some innovations lead to the launch of vaccines against flu, measles, rubella or mumps, the world vaccine market remained remarkably stable till the mid-80s. However, since 1984 (launch of the hepatitis B vaccine) there have been very substantial changes and further change is expected in the next ten years in the world market. Today, big companies are making a concentrated supply: Pasteur Mérieux with its subsidiary Connaught, SmithKline Beecham who acquired the Belgian company RIT, and Merck & Co. who is joining its forces with Pasteur Mérieux. Medium sized and small companies remain and reflect the situation of the past, but must work hard to secure their long term existence eventhough the world demand is going to double before the year 2000. Very substantial technological innovations explain to a large extent the development of the supply: progress in molecular biology, and particularly genetic engineering, lead to recombinant vaccines of which hepatitis B is the best example with worldwide sales in the range of $600 million a year. Similarly, conjugation technologies have allowed the development of new vaccines against meningitis, particularly Haemophilus influenzae type b. More recently, an efficacious vaccine against hepatitis A has been launched and many new products will be marketed in the next years against herpes, Lyme disease, and agents of other meningitis, etc.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Correlations between prefrontal neurons form a small-world network that optimizes the generation of multineuron sequences of activity

PubMed Central

Luongo, Francisco J.; Zimmerman, Chris A.; Horn, Meryl E.

2016-01-01

Sequential patterns of prefrontal activity are believed to mediate important behaviors, e.g., working memory, but it remains unclear exactly how they are generated. In accordance with previous studies of cortical circuits, we found that prefrontal microcircuits in young adult mice spontaneously generate many more stereotyped sequences of activity than expected by chance. However, the key question of whether these sequences depend on a specific functional organization within the cortical microcircuit, or emerge simply as a by-product of random interactions between neurons, remains unanswered. We observed that correlations between prefrontal neurons do follow a specific functional organization—they have a small-world topology. However, until now it has not been possible to directly link small-world topologies to specific circuit functions, e.g., sequence generation. Therefore, we developed a novel analysis to address this issue. Specifically, we constructed surrogate data sets that have identical levels of network activity at every point in time but nevertheless represent various network topologies. We call this method shuffling activity to rearrange correlations (SHARC). We found that only surrogate data sets based on the actual small-world functional organization of prefrontal microcircuits were able to reproduce the levels of sequences observed in actual data. As expected, small-world data sets contained many more sequences than surrogate data sets with randomly arranged correlations. Surprisingly, small-world data sets also outperformed data sets in which correlations were maximally clustered. Thus the small-world functional organization of cortical microcircuits, which effectively balances the random and maximally clustered regimes, is optimal for producing stereotyped sequential patterns of activity. PMID:26888108

Collection Development: Our World of Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Easton, Bonnie

2010-01-01

The current recession has hit American workers hard. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, ten percent of the U.S. workforce is unemployed (as of November 2009), the highest rate since April 1983. In addition, the labor market is experiencing record rates in the length of time job hunters remain unemployed, while companies receive hundreds…

Gender-Sensitive Education for a Better World. Background Document.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksornkool, Namtip

Economic restructuring has severely affected the education of girls, particularly in the poorest and least developed countries where poverty is the major obstacle to education. Girls still constitute the majority of children not enrolled in school, and illiteracy among women remains one of the biggest challenges for the 21st century. Deep-rooted…

Tulane/Xavier Vaccine Development/Engineering Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

been effective at reducing the morbidity and mortality of some infectious diseases , new ones such as AIDS, Lyme disease , West Nile fever, Hanta...8 4 INTRODUCTION Infectious diseases remain one of the...leading causes of death in adults and children world-wide. Each year, infectious diseases kill more than 17 million people, including 9 million

Implementability of Benchmarking (Comparative) Technique in Sports Enterprises (Sample Elazig)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altungul, Oguzhan; Demirag, Resat

2017-01-01

Increasing competition in domestic and foreign markets in the globalizing world and increasing quality expectations of customers have led enterprises to develop and implement a range of different quality considerations in order to remain competitive or to increase competitive power. One of the most important of these approaches is called…

Girls' Familial Responsibilities and Schooling in The Gambia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Njie, Haddy; Manion, Caroline; Badjie, Musukuta

2015-01-01

Like many countries in the developing world gender inequity remains a staggering problem in The Gambia, particularly at the secondary school level. In this study, we focus on the relationship between girls' education and heavy domestic workloads, herein referred to as girls' familial responsibilities. We explore this topic in relation not only to…

Reactive Attachment Disorder Following Early Maltreatment: Systematic Evidence beyond the Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kay, Catherine; Green, Jonathan

2013-01-01

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) remains one of the least evidence-based areas of DSM and ICD nosology. Recent evidence from severely deprived institutional samples has informed review of RAD criteria for DSM-V; however, this data is not necessarily generalizable to expectable child environments in the developed world. We provide the first…

Blue Listerine, Parochialism, and ASL Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Czubek, Todd A.

2006-01-01

There are not many elements of human life that have had as significant an impact on our development as literacy. Literacy has certainly been, and remains, a crucial issue especially in Deaf Education and in the Deaf World. The traditional definition of literacy has been exclusively understood as reading and writing. However, this article is…

77 FR 4618 - NHTSA Activities Under the United Nations World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-30

... electrical components, including lithium-ion and other types of batteries, their performance during normal..., engine coolant temp, lighting switch control, position lamp and battery charging. The remaining five are... develop the GTR, which would apply to all types of hybrid and pure electric vehicles, their batteries, and...

Critical Perspectives on Schooling and Fertility in the Developing World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bledsoe, Caroline H., Ed.; Casterline, John B., Ed.; Johnson-Kuhn, Jennifer A., Ed.; Haaga, John G., Ed.

The assumption of a causal relationship between more schooling and lower fertility for women has led many governments to support women's education. However, understanding the nature and strength of the relationship between education and fertility remains a central challenge for scholars seeking to explain demographic and social change and for…

Rethinking the Place of Children and Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schissel, Bernard; Schissel, Wendy

2008-01-01

According to the annual United Nations declarations based on the Human Development Index (HDI), Canada remains one of the best places in the world in which to live. Ironically, this declaration of socio-economic superiority does not extend to the young people in the society. Although post-industrial societies like Canada and the United States may…

Feature Selection with Missing Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sarkar, Saurabh

2013-01-01

In the modern world information has become the new power. An increasing amount of efforts are being made to gather data, resources being allocated, time being invested and tools being developed. Data collection is no longer a myth; however, it remains a great challenge to create value out of the enormous data that is being collected. Data modeling…

Monitoring U.S. forest dynamics with Landsat [Chapter 12

Treesearch

Jeffrey G. Masek; Sean P. Healey

2012-01-01

Forest dynamics in the United States differ substantially from those in the developing world and thus present unique monitoring requirements. While deforestation and conversion to semipermanent agriculture dominate tropical forest dynamics, the area of forest land in the United States has remained fairly constant for the last 50-60 years (Birdsey and Lewis 2003)....

Declining world fertility: trends, causes, implications.

PubMed

Tsui, A O; Bogue, D J

1978-10-01

This Bulletin examines the evidence that the world's fertility has declined in recent years, the factors that appear to have accounted for the decline, and the implications for fertility and population growth rates to the end of the century. On the basis of a compilation of estimates available for all nations of the world, the authors derive estimates which indicate that the world's total fertility rate dropped from 4.6 to 4.1 births per woman between 1968 and 1975, thanks largely to an earlier and more rapid and universal decline in the fertility of less developed countries (LDCs) than had been anticipated. Statistical analysis of available data suggests that the socioeconomic progress made by LDCs in this period was not great enough to account for more than a proportion of the fertility decline and that organized family planning programs were a major contributing factor. The authors' projections, which are compared to similar projections from the World Bank, the United Nations, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census, indicate that, by the year 2000, less than 1/5 of the world's population will be in the "red danger" circle of explosive population growth (2.1% or more annually); most LDCs will be in a phase of fertility decline; and many of them -- along with most now developed countries -- will be at or near replacement level of fertility. The authors warn that "our optimistic prediction is premised upon a big IF -- if (organized) family planning (in LDCs) continues. It remains imperative that all of the developed nations of the world continue their contribution to this program undiminished."

New Vaccines for the World's Poorest People.

PubMed

Hotez, Peter J; Bottazzi, Maria Elena; Strych, Ulrich

2016-01-01

The 2000 Millennium Development Goals helped stimulate the development of life-saving childhood vaccines for pneumococcal and rotavirus infections while greatly expanding coverage of existing vaccines. However, there remains an urgent need to develop new vaccines for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as for respiratory syncytial virus and those chronic and debilitating (mostly parasitic) infections known as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). The NTDs represent the most common diseases of people living in extreme poverty and are the subject of this review. The development of NTD vaccines, including those for hookworm infection, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease, is being led by nonprofit product development partnerships (PDPs) working in consortia of academic and industrial partners, including vaccine manufacturers in developing countries. NTD vaccines face unique challenges with respect to their product development and manufacture, as well as their preclinical and clinical testing. We emphasize global efforts to accelerate the development of NTD vaccines and some of the hurdles to ensuring their availability to the world's poorest people.

Bridging the gap?

PubMed

del Rio, C; Soto-Ramirez, L E

1998-09-01

At the 12th World AIDS Conference in Geneva many sessions discussed the reality that although AIDS treatment has made major advances, it remains financially out of reach for most of the world's population. Since the Vancouver conference, an additional 10 million people have become infected with HIV. A chart shows the prevalence of AIDS by continent. While many believe a reliable and affordable vaccine is the answer, none of the vaccines under development appear very effective. Other sessions at the conference discussed preventing perinatal transmission, the status of highly active antiretroviral therapy research, viral resistance, and results of studies on tuberculosis, STDs, and other opportunistic infections.

Finding Hope in Synthetic Biology.

PubMed

Takala, Tuija

2017-04-01

For some, synthetic biology represents great hope in offering possible solutions to many of the world's biggest problems, from hunger to sustainable development. Others remain fearful of the harmful uses, such as bioweapons, that synthetic biology can lend itself to, and most hold that issues of biosafety are of utmost importance. In this article, I will evaluate these points of view and conclude that although the biggest promises of synthetic biology are unlikely to become reality, and the probability of accidents is fairly substantial, synthetic biology could still be seen to benefit humanity by enhancing our ethical understanding and by offering a boost to world economy.

Exploring the biophysical option space for feeding the world without deforestation.

PubMed

Erb, Karl-Heinz; Lauk, Christian; Kastner, Thomas; Mayer, Andreas; Theurl, Michaela C; Haberl, Helmut

2016-04-19

Safeguarding the world's remaining forests is a high-priority goal. We assess the biophysical option space for feeding the world in 2050 in a hypothetical zero-deforestation world. We systematically combine realistic assumptions on future yields, agricultural areas, livestock feed and human diets. For each scenario, we determine whether the supply of crop products meets the demand and whether the grazing intensity stays within plausible limits. We find that many options exist to meet the global food supply in 2050 without deforestation, even at low crop-yield levels. Within the option space, individual scenarios differ greatly in terms of biomass harvest, cropland demand and grazing intensity, depending primarily on the quantitative and qualitative aspects of human diets. Grazing constraints strongly limit the option space. Without the option to encroach into natural or semi-natural land, trade volumes will rise in scenarios with globally converging diets, thereby decreasing the food self-sufficiency of many developing regions.

Shock and Awe. Achieving Rapid Dominance

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-09-01

par- adox of the issue of planning for a long - versus -short war in a nuclear world remained unresolved. 4 Shock and AweMobilization, as in World War...world and are likely to remain so for a long time to come. Why then, many will ask, should we examine and even propose major excursions and...after battle. Today, x we believe that an unusual opportunity exists to determine whether or not this long -sought strategic goal of affecting the

Energy Demand and Resources of Japan. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-08-01

the process. But if less coal per ton of steel is required, the countervailing fact remains that Japan, already a major steel pro- ducer, will...requirements between now and 2000 represent a prime marketing tar- get for the United States, provided the world economy remains reason- ably healthy and...today’s dollars, provided the U.S. remains competitive in the world coal market. B.4 Potential Technological Improvements B. 4.1 High-Speed Mining

The Future for Mathematics Subject Associations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pope, Sue

2012-01-01

Subject associations have developed, over the years, to serve the interests of the mathematics education community. We live in changing times, and education is often at the forefront of such change. So, to remain contemporary, relevant, and to have a regard for the future in a world influenced by technology, it is suggested that there is a need…

Impact of Sexual Harassment on Women Undergraduates' Educational Experience in Anambra State of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okeke, Carina Maris Amaka

2010-01-01

Sexual harassment in educational settings is a common problem globally. While it is well addressed in college and university campuses in most developed countries of the world through specific policies and mechanisms of enforcement, it remains a taboo topic in African colleges and universities particularly in Nigeria. This study investigated the…

An Empirical Comparison of Navigation Effect of Pull-Down Menu Style on The World Wide Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Byeong-Min; Han, Sungwook

Effective navigation is becoming more and more critical to the success of electronic commerce (E-commerce). It remains a challenge for educational technologists and Web designers to develop Web systems that can help customers find products or services without experiencing disorientation problems and cognitive overload. Many E-commerce Web sites…

Quality Risk Management. Modernising the Architecture of Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raban, Colin; Turner, Liz

2006-01-01

Although the world is changing, quality management remains an area of relative calm. Many institutions continue to use elaborated versions of a model that is developed by the Council of Academic Awards and conceived at a time when higher education was not so exposed to market forces, when the policy and regulatory environment was relatively…

Exploring Turkish Upper Primary Level Science Textbooks' Coverage of Scientific Literacy Themes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çakici, Yilmaz

2012-01-01

Problem Statement: Since the 1970s, scientific literacy has been a major goal of national educational systems throughout the world, and thus reform movements in science education call for all students to be scientifically literate. Despite some good curricular changes and developments across the globe, much remains to be achieved. Given that…

Equity in Informal Science Education: Developing an Access and Equity Framework for Science Museums and Science Centres

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, Emily

2014-01-01

Informal science education (ISE) is a popular pursuit, with millions of people visiting science museums, science centres, zoos, botanic gardens, aquaria, science festivals and more around the world. Questions remain, however, about how accessible and inclusive ISE practices are. This article reviews research on participation in ISE through the…

Education and Economics in West Africa: From Unwritten Languages to the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alibrandi, Marsha; Bull, Prince Hycy

2005-01-01

Global distribution of West African goods--coffee, chocolate, gold, diamonds (and at one time, ivory)--has linked this region to the outside world for centuries, yet its development remains slow. Not simply the ancestral home of humankind, Africa's western legacies include colonization, partition, and loss of untold millions to slavery and wars of…

The Demand for Healthy Eating: Supporting a Transformative Food "Movement"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winson, Anthony

2010-01-01

To the extent that social science scholarship engages real-world developments it remains grounded and better able to resist elite agendas. With this in mind this article argues for the critical encounter with what I argue is the most significant struggle around food and agriculture today--the amorphous and broad-based movement that strives to…

World War One Italian and Austrian soldier identification project: DNA results of the first case.

PubMed

Piccinini, Andrea; Coco, Stefania; Parson, Walther; Cattaneo, Cristina; Gaudio, Daniel; Barbazza, Renzo; Galassi, Andrea

2010-10-01

We report the results of an attempt to identify the supposed remains of a famous World War I (WWI) Italian soldier who was killed in battle along the Italian front in 1915. Thanks to the availability of offspring from both paternal and maternal lineage Y-STRs and mtDNA were analysed and both showed a clear exclusion scenario: the remains did not belong to the supposed war hero. This is the first effort of identification of the remains of soldiers who perished during World War I within a multidisciplinary project aimed at the retrieval of historical and cultural aspects linked to WWI, and the systematic study of the remains of soldiers and ultimately their identification. This last step involves both Italian and Austrian laboratories. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Management of ganciclovir-resistant cytomegalovirus retinitis in HIV infection in the era of antiretroviral therapy.

PubMed

Adler, Hugh; De Gascun, Cillian F; McSweeney, Fionnuala; Acheson, Robert W; Brannigan, Eimear T; Duffy, Margaret; Keegan, David J; Lambert, John S

2014-10-01

The incidence of cytomegalovirus retinitis has decreased significantly since the advent of antiretroviral therapy. However, it remains an important problem in both the developed and developing worlds. Furthermore, long-term antiviral suppression is associated with a significant increase in viral resistance. We present the case of a 46-year-old man who developed cytomegalovirus retinitis one year after being diagnosed with HIV. While he initially demonstrated an excellent clinical response to ganciclovir, his cytomegalovirus viral load remained persistently elevated. Over the subsequent years, his virus developed ganciclovir resistance with a concomitant deterioration in his visual acuity. He responded poorly to salvage therapy with foscarnet and cidofovir. This case highlights the ongoing difficulty of managing cytomegalovirus disease nearly two decades into the era of antiretroviral therapy and underlines the need to develop new treatment strategies. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Serving the world's poor, profitably.

PubMed

Prahalad, C K; Hammond, Allen

2002-09-01

By stimulating commerce and development at the bottom of the economic pyramid, multi-nationals could radically improve the lives of billions of people and help create a more stable, less dangerous world. Achieving this goal does not require MNCs to spearhead global social-development initiatives for charitable purposes. They need only act in their own self-interest. How? The authors lay out the business case for entering the world's poorest markets. Fully 65% of the world's population earns less than $2,000 per year--that's 4 billion people. But despite the vastness of this market, it remains largely untapped. The reluctance to invest is easy to understand, but it is, by and large, based on outdated assumptions of the developing world. While individual incomes may be low, the aggregate buying power of poor communities is actually quite large, representing a substantial market in many countries for what some might consider luxury goods like satellite television and phone services. Prices, and margins, are often much higher in poor neighborhoods than in their middle-class counterparts. And new technologies are already steadily reducing the effects of corruption, illiteracy, inadequate infrastructure, and other such barriers. Because these markets are in the earliest stages of economic development, revenue growth for multi-nationals entering them can be extremely rapid. MNCs can also lower costs, not only through low-cost labor but by transferring operating efficiencies and innovations developed to serve their existing operations. Certainly, succeeding in such markets requires MNCs to think creatively. The biggest change, though, has to come from executives: Unless business leaders confront their own preconceptions--particularly about the value of high-volume, low-margin businesses--companies are unlikely to master the challenges or reap the rewards of these developing markets.

Research-tool patents: issues for health in the developing world.

PubMed Central

Barton, John H.

2002-01-01

The patent system is now reaching into the tools of medical research, including gene sequences themselves. Many of the new patents can potentially preempt large areas of medical research and lay down legal barriers to the development of a broad category of products. Researchers must therefore consider redesigning their research to avoid use of patented techniques, or expending the effort to obtain licences from those who hold the patents. Even if total licence fees can be kept low, there are enormous negotiation costs, and one "hold-out" may be enough to lead to project cancellation. This is making it more difficult to conduct research within the developed world, and poses important questions for the future of medical research for the benefit of the developing world. Probably the most important implication for health in the developing world is the possible general slowing down and complication of medical research. To the extent that these patents do slow down research, they weaken the contribution of the global research community to the creation and application of medical technology for the benefit of developing nations. The patents may also complicate the granting of concessional prices to developing nations - for pharmaceutical firms that seek to offer a concessional price may have to negotiate arrangements with research-tool firms, which may lose royalties as a result. Three kinds of response are plausible. One is to develop a broad or global licence to permit the patented technologies to be used for important applications in the developing world. The second is to change technical patent law doctrines. Such changes could be implemented in developed and developing nations and could be quite helpful while remaining consistent with TRIPS. The third is to negotiate specific licence arrangements, under which specific research tools are used on an agreed basis for specific applications. These negotiations are difficult and expensive, requiring both scientific and legal skills. But they will be an unavoidable part of international medical research. PMID:11953790

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

Andres Liebenthal; Roland Michelitsch; Ethel Tarazona

How effectively has the World Bank Group assisted its clients in enhancing the contribution of the extractive industries to sustainable development? (Extractive industries include oil, gas, and mining of minerals including coals and metals.) This evaluation finds that with its global mandate and experience, comprehensive country development focus, and overarching mission to fight poverty, the World Bank Group is well positioned to help countries overcome the policy, institutional, and technical challenges that prevent them from transforming resource endowments into sustainable benefits. Furthermore, the World Bank Group's achievements are many. On the whole, its extractive industries projects have produced positive economicmore » and financial results, though compliance with its environmental and social safeguards remains a challenge. Its research has broadened and deepened understanding of the causes for the disappointing performance of resource-rich countries. Its guidelines for the mitigation of adverse environmental and social impacts have been widely used and appreciated. More recently, it has begun to address the challenge of country governance with a variety of instruments. The World Bank Group can, however, do much to improve its performance in enhancing the extractive industry sector's contribution to sustainable development and poverty reduction. The report identifies three main areas for improvement - formulating an integrated strategy, strengthening implementation and engagement of stakeholders. 5 annexes.« less

Identifying and Reducing Remaining Stocks of Rinderpest Virus

PubMed Central

Visser, Dawid; Evans, Brian; Vallat, Bernard

2015-01-01

In 2011, the world was declared free from rinderpest, one of the most feared and devastating infectious diseases of animals. Rinderpest is the second infectious disease, after smallpox, to have been eradicated. However, potentially infectious rinderpest virus material remains widely disseminated among research and diagnostic facilities across the world and poses a risk for disease recurrence should it be released. Member Countries of the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations are committed to destroying remaining stocks of infectious material or ensuring that it is stored under international supervision in a limited number of approved facilities. To facilitate this commitment and maintain global freedom from rinderpest, World Organisation for Animal Health Member Countries must report annually on rinderpest material held in their countries. The first official surveys, conducted during 2013–2015, revealed that rinderpest material was stored in an unacceptably high number of facilities and countries. PMID:26584400

Pay Matters: The Piece Rate and Health in the Developing World.

PubMed

Davis, Mary E

Piece rate pay remains a common form of compensation in developing-world industries. While the piece rate may boost productivity, it has been shown to have unintended consequences for occupational safety and health, including increased accident and injury risk. This paper explores the relationship between worker pay and physical and emotional health, and questions the modern day business case for piece rate pay in the developing world. The relationship between piece rate and self-reported measures of physical and emotional health is estimated using a large survey of garment workers in 109 Vietnamese factories between 2010 and 2014. A random effects logit model controls for factory and year, predicting worker health as a function of pay type, demographics, and factory characteristics. Workers paid by the piece report worse physical and emotional health than workers paid by the hour (OR = 1.38-1.81). Wage incentives provide the most consistently significant evidence of all demographic and factory-level variables, including the factory's own performance on occupational safety and health compliance measures. These results highlight the importance of how workers are paid to understanding the variability in worker health outcomes. More research is needed to better understand the business case supporting the continued use of piece rate pay in the developing world. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Forensic Archaeological Recovery of a Large-Scale Mass Disaster Scene: Lessons Learned from Two Complex Recovery Operations at the World Trade Center Site.

PubMed

Warnasch, Scott C

2016-05-01

In 2006, unexpected discoveries of buried World Trade Center (WTC) debris and human remains were made at the World Trade Center mass disaster site. New York City's Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) was given the task of systematically searching the site for any remaining victims' remains. The subsequent OCME assessment and archaeological excavation conducted from 2006 until 2013, resulted in the recovery of over 1,900 victims' remains. In addition, this operation demonstrated the essential skills archaeologists can provide in a mass disaster recovery operation. The OCME excavation data illustrates some of the challenges encountered during the original recovery effort of 2001/2002. It suggests that when understood within the larger site recovery context, certain fundamental components of the original recovery effort, such as operational priorities and activities in effect during the original recovery, directly or indirectly resulted in unsearched deposits that contained human remains. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Review and outlook for the world oil market. World Bank discussion paper

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

Streifel, S.S.

1995-12-01

The objectives of the study are: (1) to review historical developments in world oil and energy markets; (2) review past and recent forecasts of oil prices and oil markets; and (3) project world oil demand, supply and prices to 2010. A major aim of the study is to take a view on long term oil prices rather than present several alternative scenarios. A basic conclusion of the paper is that significantly higher or lower real oil prices are less likely than a continuance of present price levels, although there is a fairly wide band in which oil prices could reasonablymore » be expected to fluctuate or be sustained, i.e., the low `teens` to the the low $20s per barrel range. OPEC is expected to continue to limit output to keep oil prices well above the long term competitive costs of productions. Consequently the oil market is expected to remain volatile and unstable, although somewhat more stable than during the early 1980s when oil prices were far too high to be sustained. Although upward oil price shocks are likely, a greater risk to the forecast in the near-to-medium term is for a further decline in real oil prices. (Copyright (c) 1995 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank.)« less

Shrimp culture in Thailand: environmental impacts and social responses.

PubMed

Gronski, R

2000-01-01

Black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) is a major aquaculture commodity among Southeast Asian producers and remains a popular food export world-wide. Food brokers in Japan and the United States purchase huge quantities of these farmed shrimp and return significant foreign exchange earnings to developing nations like Thailand, a major producer and exporter since the early 1990s. However, coastal areas cannot sustain intensive shrimp farm production and local growers often end up in debt. Can the needs of farm communities around the world be suitably met when they join into a corporate-managed and export-oriented food system? What are the sustainable benefits and eventual costs to susceptible localities? The shrimp industry in Thailand reveals the difficult terrain to cross and powerful obstacles to overcome if authentic sustainable development is to be realized.

Scientific challenges and opportunities in developing novel vaccines for the emerging and developing markets: New Technologies in Emerging Markets, October 16th-18th 2012, World Vaccine Congress, Lyon.

PubMed

Kochhar, Sonali

2013-04-01

Vaccines have had a major role in enhancing the quality of life and increasing life expectancy. Despite these successes and the development of new vaccine technologies, there remain multiple infectious diseases including AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis that require effective prophylactic vaccines. New and traditional technologies have a role in the development and delivery of the new vaccine candidates. The scientific challenges, opportunities and funding models for developing vaccines for low resource settings are highlighted here.

From Cognitive Capability to Social Reform? Shifting Perceptions of Learning in Immersive Virtual Worlds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savin-Baden, Maggi

2008-01-01

Learning in immersive virtual worlds (simulations and virtual worlds such as Second Life) could become a central learning approach in many curricula, but the socio-political impact of virtual world learning on higher education remains under-researched. Much of the recent research into learning in immersive virtual worlds centres around games and…

Emerging therapeutic options in GERD.

PubMed

Woodland, Philip; Amarasinghe, Gehanjali; Sifrim, Daniel

2013-06-01

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a prevalent problem resulting in a high level of healthcare consultation and expenditure in the Western World. Although standard medical therapy (in the form of proton pump inhibitor drugs) is effective in the majority of cases, there remains a significant proportion who are refractory to treatment. In addition, surgical therapy (in the form of laparoscopic fundoplication) is not always effective, and in some can be associated with significant side-effects, particularly gas-bloat, flatulence and dysphagia. As such there remains an unmet need in GERD to develop new therapies for refractory cases, and to develop alternatives to fundoplication with fewer side-effects. This article discusses the current state of pharmacological and non-pharmacological emerging therapies for GERD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards ensuring gender equity.

PubMed

Basu, A

1996-01-01

All people should participate in the development process. Many, however, remain excluded from the benefits of development. For example, women are privy to only a small share of developmental opportunities. The goals of equality, development, and peace were stated during the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in September 1995. The author considers whether women truly have equitable access to literacy, education, food, nutrition, health, employment, and the political and economic decision making process. She stresses that the goals pronounced at the Fourth World Conference on Women must be backed up with the necessary resources, including institutions established at the local, state, and national levels to ensure that the objectives are implemented and the implementation is monitored. The author further argues that in order for women to achieve equality with men, all girls must have access to primary and secondary schools; basic literacy is inadequate. Moreover, gender stereotyping must be avoided and gender sensitization ensured at all levels.

78 FR 53782 - National Register of Historic Places; Notification of Pending Nominations and Related Actions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [NPS-WASO-NRNHL-13833; PPWOCRADI0, PCU00RP14... Hill Dr., Big Flats, 13000778 Suffolk County COIMBRA (shipwreck and remains), (World War II Shipwrecks... Dare County DIXIE ARROW (shipwreck and remains), (World War II Shipwrecks along the East Coast and Gulf...

3 CFR 8337 - Proclamation 8337 of January 6, 2009. Establishment of the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... most pristine atolls in the world. The lands, submerged lands, waters, and marine environment around... supports most of the seabird population of American Samoa, including 12 federally protected migratory... relatively undisturbed islands remain in the world and Rose Atoll is one of the last remaining refuges for...

Psychiatric agriculture: systemic nutritional modification and mental health in the developing world.

PubMed

London, Douglas S; Stoll, Andrew L; Manning, Bruce B

2006-01-01

Modernization of agricultural systems to increase output causes changes to the nutritional content of food entire populations consume. Human nutritional needs differ from their "food", thus producing healthy agricultural products is not equivalent to providing agricultural products that are healthy for humans. Inclusion of the food production system as a factor in the increase of neuropsychiatric disorders and other chronic diseases helps explain negative trends in modern chronic diseases that remain unchecked despite stunning advances in modern medicine. Diseases in which our own technology plays a significant role include obesity and resulting disorders, such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke and arthritis. Modernization's lure leads to importation of modern agricultural practices into a nutritionally vulnerable, malnourished and sometimes starving developing world. Wealthier nations hedge their food portfolio by having access to a wider variety of foods. The developing world's reliance on staple foods means even a minor widespread nutritional modification of one key food can have profound effects. New agricultural techniques may improve or exacerbate neuropsychiatric disorders through nutritional modification in regions where populations walk a nutritional tightrope with little margin for error. In most of the developing world western psychiatric interventions have failed to make inroads. People's consumption of fish has a demonstrated beneficial effect on their mental health and the omega-3 fatty acid content is a significant factor. Epidemiological, biological and agricultural studies implicate a lack of dietary omega-3s as a factor in certain mental disorders. Replenishing omega-3s has improved mental illnesses in controlled clinical trials. This article's detailed tilapia fish-farming model demonstrates how aquaculture/agriculture techniques can function as a public health intervention by increasing dietary omega-3s through creation of sustainable, economical and culturally appropriate food sources for the developing world.

Tulane/Xavier Vaccine Development/Engineering Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

mortality of some infectious diseases , new ones such as AIDS, Lyme disease , West Nile fever, Hanta virus, SARS, and Avian Influenza virus are constantly...12 4 INTRODUCTION Infectious diseases remain one of the leading causes of death in adults and children world...wide. Each year, infectious diseases kill more than 17 million people, including 9 million children. In addition to suffering and death, infectious

The U.S. forest sector in 2030: Markets and competitors

Treesearch

James A. Turner; Joseph Buongiorno; Shushuai Zhu; Jeffrey P. Prestemon

2005-01-01

The Global Forest Products Model was used to project international forest sector developments, conditional on the latest RPA Timber Assessment of future domestic changes in the United States. While the United States, Japan, and Europe were predicted to remain major importers of forest products out to 2030, the rapid economic growth of China would make it the world...

Agricultural biotechnology. Monsanto donates its share of golden rice.

PubMed

Normile, D

2000-08-11

Monsanto Co. has agreed to provide royalty-free licenses to speed up work on a genetically modified rice that could alleviate vitamin A deficiency around the world. Researchers welcomed last week's announcement, but warn that a thicket of intellectual property claims surrounds the technology and that significant legal hurdles remain before the rice can become widely available to farmers in developing countries.

Trends & Indicators: NE Universities Still R&D Powerhouses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harney, John O.

2011-01-01

New England universities performed more than $4 billion worth of research and development (R&D) in 2009, but the region's share of total R&D performed by all U.S. universities remained at 7.3%, down from more than 10% in the 1980s. The region's university research labs have been world-famous for ideas that breed companies and whole…

Military Reengineering Between the World Wars

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

University. I am also grateful to Tamera Dorland for her much-needed perspectives. Any inaccura- cies remain mine alone. xxiii Abbreviations FFRDC...or shape any motorization opportunities that under- mined their branch’s immediate interests. Infantry chiefs such as Robert Allen, Stephen Fuqua...Warfare, An- napolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1983, p. 187. 85 Kenneth J. Clifford, Amphibious Warfare Development in Britannia and America from

E Pluribus Unum in Education? Governance Models for National Standards and Assessments: Looking beyond the World of K-12 Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGuinn, Patrick

2010-01-01

The attempt to create common standards and assessments in education obliges individuals to revisit some longstanding debates about the capacity of the American intergovernmental system to adapt to new policy demands. Some observers remain skeptical that states have the political will or administrative capacity to develop and adopt higher policy…

Exploring Strategies of Teaching and Classroom Practices in Response to Challenges of Inclusion in a Thai School: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaur, Amrita; Noman, Mohammad; Awang-Hashim, Rosna

2016-01-01

The shift from special schools towards inclusive education is becoming increasingly prevalent across education systems around the world. However, the challenges this shift brings remain critical for developing nations where there is a huge chasm between policies and practices. This study used instrumental case study design to examine how a general…

Applying Applied Ethics through ethics consulting.

PubMed

Moore, W

2010-04-01

Applied Ethics is frequently described as a discipline of philosophy that concerns itself with the application of moral theories such as deontology and utilitarianism to real world dilemmas. However, these applications often remain restricted to the academic world. The focus of new versions ethics consulting has since the mid-1980s shifted from what the ethicist knows to what the ethicist does or enables. This shift remodelled the ethicist's role to that of a facilitator in an inherently social process of moral inquiry. Applying these developments in the Namibian context has already proved to be of great value to the local health care industry. (c) 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

From the Binet-Simon to the Wechsler-Bellevue: tracing the history of intelligence testing.

PubMed

Boake, Corwin

2002-05-01

The history of David Wechsler's intelligence scales is reviewed by tracing the origins of the subtests in the 1939 Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale. The subtests originated from tests developed between 1880 and World War I, and was based on approaches to mental testing including anthropometrics, association psychology, the Binet-Simon scales, language-free performance testing of immigrants and school children, and group testing of military recruits. Wechsler's subtest selection can be understood partly from his clinical experiences during World War I. The structure of the Wechsler-Bellevue Scale, which introduced major innovations in intelligence testing, has remained almost unchanged through later revisions.

Deaths in World Trade Center terrorist attacks--New York City, 2001.

PubMed

2002-09-11

On September 11, 2001, terrorists flew two hijacked airplanes into the World Trade Center (WTC) in lower Manhattan in New York City (NYC), destroying both towers of the WTC. This report presents preliminary vital statistics on the deaths caused by the terrorist attacks and describes the procedures developed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) to issue death certificates in response to the attacks. These data underscore the need for legal mechanisms to expedite the issuance of death certificates in the absence of human remains and the need for vital registration systems that can be relocated in case of emergency.

[The World Initiative for the Eradication of Poliomyelitis: a long road full of pitfalls].

PubMed

Kuss, Jean-Jacques

2011-01-01

The World Initiative for the Eradication of Poliomyelitis (IMEP), launched in 1988, is based on two strategies: mass vaccination with oral polio vaccine (OPV) and surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP). The disease incidence was reduced by 99%, but eradication, originally scheduled for 2000, has still not been reached in 2010, and four countries continue to be endemic (India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria). The obstacles to eradication are the difficulty in reaching all children to be vaccinated, especially in areas of insecurity; the imperfections of OPV--irregular efficacy and genetic instability; and the limitations of surveillance in detecting only the paralytic form of the disease, which often remains asymptomatic. The repeated postponements of the ending of the initiative, which greatly increased the cost of IMEP, spark debate about the actual feasibility of eradication and justification to continue funding in a difficult global economic context, so the initiative remains without significant impact on indicators of the Millennium Goals for Development.

[Ebola and the global governance of health].

PubMed

Dentico, Nicoletta

2014-11-01

The high state of anxiety about Ebola virus and its possible spread in the Western world has seemingly changed the route of the disease, for which effective vaccines and medicines do not exist. The rapid spread of the virus provides a paradigmatic narrative about the failure of today's governance for health, grounded on a series of global initiatives focussed on pathologies prioritized by the donors' community, at the detriment of health promotion and the strengthening of health systems in countries. The Ebola crisis also delivers a powerful account about the consequences of the de-potentiation of the World Health Organization (WHO), once the leading organization in public health policy-making. Today, the WHO is increasingly weak technically, politically and financially. While the virus remains out of control, the WHO's capacity to play a role in accompanying the development of the new essential vaccines and in brokering the conditions for accessibility and availability of the new medical tools remains to be questioned.

Some recollections of Porton in World War 1. Commentary.

PubMed

Garner, J P

2003-06-01

Chemical weapons now regularly feature in news reports and the threat from them has become widely recognised by the public at large. Terrorist actions such as the Tokyo subway incident in 1995, coupled with the persistent use of agents such as sulphur mustard and Sarin by the Iraqi regime over the last 20 years in the Iran/Iraq war and against the Kurds of Northern Iraq, make it easy to think that chemical weapons are a new phenomenon. This paper reminds us that many chemical agents were developed during WWI; indeed the first use of a chemical agent was the release of chlorine gas--a choking agent--by the Germans over the battlefields of Ypres in 1915. Porton Down remains at the very heart of chemicals and biological weapons research, albeit in a purely defensive capacity; few of the old buildings remain and the idyllic lifestyle in the Officer's Mess at Idmiston Manor has long since disappeared. These recollections provide a fascinating insight into scientific research at the time of World War I.

Implementing Implementation Science: An Approach for HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Programs.

PubMed

Lambdin, Barrot H; Cheng, Ben; Peter, Trevor; Mbwambo, Jessie; Apollo, Tsitsi; Dunbar, Megan; Udoh, Ifeoma C; Cattamanchi, Adithya; Geng, Elvin H; Volberding, Paul

2015-01-01

Though great progress has been realized over the last decade in extending HIV prevention, care and treatment in some of the least resourced settings of the world, a substantial gap remains between what we know works and what we are actually achieving in HIV programs. To address this, leaders have called for the adoption of an implementation science framework to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of HIV programs. Implementation science (IS) is a multidisciplinary scientific field that seeks generalizable knowledge about the magnitude of, determinants of and strategies to close the gap between evidence and routine practice for health in real-world settings. We propose an IS approach that is iterative in nature and composed of four major components: 1) Identifying Bottlenecks and Gaps, 2) Developing and Implementing Strategies, 3) Measuring Effectiveness and Efficiency, and 4) Utilizing Results. With this framework, IS initiatives draw from a variety of disciplines including qualitative and quantitative methodologies in order to develop new approaches responsive to the complexities of real world program delivery. In order to remain useful for the changing programmatic landscape, IS research should factor in relevant timeframes and engage the multi-sectoral community of stakeholders, including community members, health care teams, program managers, researchers and policy makers, to facilitate the development of programs, practices and polices that lead to a more effective and efficient global AIDS response. The approach presented here is a synthesis of approaches and is a useful model to address IS-related questions for HIV prevention, care and treatment programs. This approach, however, is not a panacea, and we will continue to learn new ways of thinking as we move forward to close the implementation gap.

Implementing Implementation Science: An Approach for HIV Prevention, Care and Treatment Programs

PubMed Central

Lambdin, Barrot H.; Cheng, Ben; Peter, Trevor; Mbwambo, Jessie; Apollo, Tsitsi; Dunbar, Megan; Udoh, Ifeoma C.; Cattamanchi, Adithya; Geng, Elvin H.; Volberding, Paul

2015-01-01

Though great progress has been realized over the last decade in extending HIV prevention, care and treatment in some of the least resourced settings of the world, a substantial gap remains between what we know works and what we are actually achieving in HIV programs. To address this, leaders have called for the adoption of an implementation science framework to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of HIV programs. Implementation science (IS) is a multidisciplinary scientific field that seeks generalizable knowledge about the magnitude of, determinants of and strategies to close the gap between evidence and routine practice for health in real-world settings. We propose an IS approach that is iterative in nature and composed of four major components: 1) Identifying Bottlenecks and Gaps, 2) Developing and Implementing Strategies, 3) Measuring Effectiveness and Efficiency, and 4) Utilizing Results. With this framework, IS initiatives draw from a variety of disciplines including qualitative and quantitative methodologies in order to develop new approaches responsive to the complexities of real world program delivery. In order to remain useful for the changing programmatic landscape, IS research should factor in relevant timeframes and engage the multi-sectoral community of stakeholders, including community members, health care teams, program managers, researchers and policy makers, to facilitate the development of programs, practices and polices that lead to a more effective and efficient global AIDS response. The approach presented here is a synthesis of approaches and is a useful model to address IS-related questions for HIV prevention, care and treatment programs. This approach, however, is not a panacea, and we will continue to learn new ways of thinking as we move forward to close the implementation gap. PMID:25986374

Tinea Capitis: Current Status.

PubMed

Hay, R J

2017-02-01

Tinea capitis remains a common childhood infection in many parts of the world. Yet knowledge of the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms and the development of effective immunity have shown striking advances, and new methods of diagnosis ranging from dermoscopy to molecular laboratory tests have been developed even though they have not been assimilated into routine practice in many centres. Treatment is effective although it needs to be given for at least 1 month. What is missing, however, is a systematic approach to control through case ascertainment and therapy.

The World Language Teacher Shortage: Taking a New Direction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Pete; Mason, Shannon

2018-01-01

Since the end of World War II, international leaders have made calls addressing the world language teacher shortage. For almost 70 years, such rhetoric has been advanced, yet world language teacher shortages remain in many countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In this article, the…

How the world survived the population bomb: lessons from 50 years of extraordinary demographic history.

PubMed

Lam, David

2011-11-01

The world population will reach 7 billion in late 2011, a demographic milestone that is causing renewed attention to the challenges caused by population growth. This article looks at the last 50 years of demographic change, one of the most extraordinary periods in demographic history. During this period, world population grew at rates that have never been seen before and will almost surely never be seen again. There were many concerns about the potential impact of rapid population growth in the 1960s, including mass starvation in countries such as India, depletion of nonrenewable resources, and increased poverty in low-income countries. The actual experience was very different. World food production increased faster than world population in every decade since the 1960s, resource prices fell during most of the period, and poverty declined significantly in much of the developing world. The article considers the economic and demographic explanations for the surprising successes of this important period in demographic history. It also looks at regions that have been less successful, especially Africa, and at the lessons for dealing with the important challenges that still remain.

How the World Survived the Population Bomb: Lessons From 50 Years of Extraordinary Demographic History

PubMed Central

Lam, David

2012-01-01

The world population will reach 7 billion in late 2011, a demographic milestone that is causing renewed attention to the challenges caused by population growth. This article looks at the last 50 years of demographic change, one of the most extraordinary periods in demographic history. During this period, world population grew at rates that have never been seen before and will almost surely never be seen again. There were many concerns about the potential impact of rapid population growth in the 1960s, including mass starvation in countries such as India, depletion of nonrenewable resources, and increased poverty in low-income countries. The actual experience was very different. World food production increased faster than world population in every decade since the 1960s, resource prices fell during most of the period, and poverty declined significantly in much of the developing world. The article considers the economic and demographic explanations for the surprising successes of this important period in demographic history. It also looks at regions that have been less successful, especially Africa, and at the lessons for dealing with the important challenges that still remain. PMID:22005884

U.S. Department of Energy photovoltaic energy program contract summary, fiscal year 1999

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

Surek, T.; Hansen, A.

2000-02-17

This report summarizes the in-house and subcontracted research and development (R and D) activities under the National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) and US Department of Energy (DOE) National Photovoltaics Program from October 1, 1998, through September 30, 1999 (FY 1999). The mission of the DOE National Photovoltaics Program is to make PV a significant part of the domestic economy as an industry and an energy resource. The two primary goals of the national program are to (1) maintain the US industry's world leadership in research and technology development and (2) help the US industry remain a major, profitable force inmore » the world market. The NCPV is part of the National PV Program and provides leadership and support to the national program toward achieving its mission and goals.« less

NCPV FY 1998 Annual Report

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

McConnell, R. D.; Hansen, A.

1999-07-19

This report summarizes the in-house and subcontracted research and development (R and D) activities under the National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) from October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998 (FY 1998). The NCPV is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Photovoltaics Program, as described in the DOE National Photovoltaics Program Plan for 1996-2000. The mission of the DOE National Photovoltaics Program is to make PV a significant part of the domestic economy--as an industry and as an energy resource. The two primary goals of the national program are to (1) maintain the U.S. industry's world leadership inmore » research and technology development and (2) help the U.S. industry remain a major, profitable force in the world market. The NCPV provides leadership and support to the national program toward achieving its mission and goals.« less

Open Sim and Sloodle Integration for Preservice Foreign Language Teachers' Continuing Professional Development: A Comparative Analysis of Learning Effectiveness Using the Community of Inquiry Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellas, Nikolaos; Boumpa, Anna

2016-01-01

A considerable interest in using three-dimensional multi-user virtual worlds for different educational disciplines has been widely observed. Despite the potential benefits of this technology, many questions still remain open, as far as the design of appropriate activities in well-defined instructional design frameworks and their effectiveness on…

Tulane/Xavier Vaccine Development/Engineering Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

new ones such as AIDS, Lyme disease , West Nile fever, Hanta virus, SARS, and Avian Influenza virus are constantly emerging, while others such as...4 INTRODUCTION Infectious diseases remain one of the leading causes of death in adults and children world-wide. Each year, infectious... diseases kill more than 17 million people, including 9 million children. In addition to suffering and death, infectious diseases impose an enormous

Evaluation of the use of scientific information in developing the 1997 Forest plan for the Tongass National Forest.

Treesearch

Fred H. Everest; Douglas N. Swanston; Charles G. Shaw; Winston P. Smith; Kent R. Julin; Stewart D. Allen

1997-01-01

The Tongass National Forest is the largest remaining relatively unaltered coastal temperate rain forest in the world. The Forest consists of 16.9 million acres of land distributed across more that 22,000 islands and a narrow strip of mainland in southeast Alaska. The Forest contains abundant timber, wildlife, fisheries, mineral, and scenic resources. The authors...

Does How You Measure Income Make a Difference to Measuring Poverty? Evidence from the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Kirstine; Kneale, Dylan

2013-01-01

Income is regarded as one of the clearest indicators of socioeconomic status and wellbeing in the developed world and is highly correlated with a wide range of outcomes. Despite its importance, there remains an issue as to the best way to collect income as part of surveys. This paper examines differences in how income is collected in a nationally…

U.S. Strategic Interests and Georgias Prospects for NATO Membership

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

logistics and tourism . The remaining 17.6 percent was derived from small-scale industry, such as the production of alcoholic and nonalcoholic...attract additional “foreign investment [as well], with a focus on hydropower, agriculture, tourism , and textiles production.”62 “In 2014, the World...infrastructure development, and tourism .91 In October 2011, billionaire philanthropist Bidzina Ivanishvili entered into politics, bringing the divided

The U.S. Army Operating Concept: Win in a Complex World, 2020-2040

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-07

with India; and increased maritime pressure on the Philippines, Malaysia , Taiwan, and TRADOC Pamphlet 525-3-1 11 Vietnam are examples of...accept prudent risk, assess the situation continuously, develop innovative solutions to problems, and remain mentally and physically agile to...intuition and social empathy, improve health and stamina, facilitate talent management, enhance leader training, and strengthen unit cohesion. Human

Bitter Melon Component and Colon Cancer Prevention | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

Despite the best screening efforts to identify and remove colon polyps, colon cancer remains a leading cause of cancer related morbidity and mortality, both in the US and around the world. Also, current therapeutics while good in removing most cancer cells are not adequate because they leave some cells behind. This is because these cells can reemerge and develop a fresh tumor,

Curriculum: Forming and Reshaping the Vision of Physical Education in a High Need, Low Demand World of Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ennis, Catherine D.

2006-01-01

This paper highlights events and issues in the development of physical education as a school subject. From the origin of physical culture in the German and Swedish "Battle of the Gymnastics Systems" to the advent of the New Physical Education in 1927, physical education curriculum has been a contested terrain. This remains true today as physical…

Vaccines against enteric infections for the developing world.

PubMed

Czerkinsky, Cecil; Holmgren, Jan

2015-06-19

Since the first licensure of the Sabin oral polio vaccine more than 50 years ago, only eight enteric vaccines have been licensed for four disease indications, and all are given orally. While mucosal vaccines offer programmatically attractive tools for facilitating vaccine deployment, their development remains hampered by several factors: -limited knowledge regarding the properties of the gut immune system during early life; -lack of mucosal adjuvants, limiting mucosal vaccine development to live-attenuated or killed whole virus and bacterial vaccines; -lack of correlates/surrogates of mucosal immune protection; and -limited knowledge of the factors contributing to oral vaccine underperformance in children from developing countries. There are now reasons to believe that the development of safe and effective mucosal adjuvants and of programmatically sound intervention strategies could enhance the efficacy of current and next-generation enteric vaccines, especially in lesser developed countries which are often co-endemic for enteric infections and malnutrition. These vaccines must be safe and affordable for the world's poorest, confer long-term protection and herd immunity, and must be able to contain epidemics. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Vaccines against enteric infections for the developing world

PubMed Central

Czerkinsky, Cecil; Holmgren, Jan

2015-01-01

Since the first licensure of the Sabin oral polio vaccine more than 50 years ago, only eight enteric vaccines have been licensed for four disease indications, and all are given orally. While mucosal vaccines offer programmatically attractive tools for facilitating vaccine deployment, their development remains hampered by several factors: —limited knowledge regarding the properties of the gut immune system during early life;—lack of mucosal adjuvants, limiting mucosal vaccine development to live-attenuated or killed whole virus and bacterial vaccines;—lack of correlates/surrogates of mucosal immune protection; and—limited knowledge of the factors contributing to oral vaccine underperformance in children from developing countries.There are now reasons to believe that the development of safe and effective mucosal adjuvants and of programmatically sound intervention strategies could enhance the efficacy of current and next-generation enteric vaccines, especially in lesser developed countries which are often co-endemic for enteric infections and malnutrition. These vaccines must be safe and affordable for the world's poorest, confer long-term protection and herd immunity, and must be able to contain epidemics. PMID:25964464

World oilseed situation and U. S. export opportunities, March 1984. Foreign agriculture circular

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

Not Available

1984-03-01

The world oilseed supply situation tightened in this month with estimated world oilseed, meal and oil production all down from the last month. Reduced peanut and sunflower seed output in drought-damaged areas in Africa more than offset an increase in Argentine soybean output. The protein meal sector remained quiet, with an adjustment in peanut meal production and a reduction in Soviet soybean meal imports. The situation for vegetable and marine oils also remained quiet during the month, with offsetting reductions of Singapore's palm oil imports and exports indicating that country's decline as a transshipper of palm oil.

Is renal replacement therapy for all possible in developing countries?

PubMed

Aviles-Gomez, Raymundo; Luquin-Arellano, Victor Hugo; Garcia-Garcia, Guillermo; Ibarra-Hernandez, Margarita; Briseño-Renteria, Gregorio

2006-01-01

Chronic kidney disease is a worldwide public health problem. More than one million individuals in the world are on maintenance dialysis, a number that is estimated to double in the next decade. Access to dialysis is significantly different between developed and developing nations. Close to 80% of the world dialysis population is treated in Europe, North America, and Japan, representing 12% of the world's population. The remaining dialysis patients are treated in the developing world. This disparity is likely due to the high cost and complexity of renal replacement therapy (RRT). Dialysis is so costly that is out of reach for low-income countries, which are struggling to provide preventive and therapeutic measures for communicable diseases and other basic needs. Providing renal care to all developing nations, although a difficult task, is not impossible. A number of strategies are proposed. These include the prevention of kidney disease, as well as dialysis and transplantation. Dialysis programs should be decentralized, and kidney transplantation should be promoted as the treatment of choice. The use of generic immunosuppressive drugs can make this therapy more affordable. Peritoneal dialysis seems a good, affordable, therapy for patients living in areas where hemodialysis is not available. Governments should provide funds not only for RRT but also for the prevention of kidney failure. The provision of tax incentives and reaching a critical number of patients on RRT could be incentives for industry to lower the cost of dialysis. The challenges are enormous, but renal care for all could be achieved through a concerted effort between nephrologists, governments, patients, charitable organizations, and industry.

Measles in Ibadan: a continuous scourge.

PubMed

Lagunju, I A; Orimadegun, A E; Oyedemi, D G

2005-12-01

Measles remains one of the leading causes of childhood mortality in the world, despite the availability of a safe, effective, relatively inexpensive vaccine. It is also one of the leading causes of childhood blindness in the developing world. We reviewed the records of cases of measles admitted into Oni Memorial Children's Hospital, Ibadan over a 5-year period, January 2000 to December 2004; to evaluate any changes in the pattern of the disease. A total of 666 cases of measles were admitted comprising of 347 males and 319 females, giving a male to female ratio of 1.1:1. The yearly incidence of measles remained fairly the same from January 2000 to December 2002. There was a marked increase in yearly incidence in the year 2003. The majority of the affected children (74.1%) were 2 years and below. One hundred and thirty-six (20.4%) cases developed measles before the age of 9 months, the recommended age for measles vaccination in Nigeria. The peak incidence occurred in the months February and March. The commonest complication was bronchopneumonia, seen in 45.2% of cases. Other complications include protein-energy malnutrition, tuberculosis, croup, keratopathy, otitis media, heart failure and tension pneumothorax. Fifty-six patients died giving a case fatality rate of 8.4%. Factors associated with increased mortality were young age (<2years) and malnutrition. Measles remains a major threat to the health of the Nigerian child. A significant number of children developed measles before receiving the required vaccination at the recommended age of 9 months. There is a need to review the current immunisation policy, strengthen immunisation practices and improve the living standards in order to make the eradication of measles a reality.

The quadruple squeeze: defining the safe operating space for freshwater use to achieve a triply green revolution in the anthropocene.

PubMed

Rockström, Johan; Karlberg, Louise

2010-05-01

Humanity has entered a new phase of sustainability challenges, the Anthropocene, in which human development has reached a scale where it affects vital planetary processes. Under the pressure from a quadruple squeeze-from population and development pressures, the anthropogenic climate crisis, the anthropogenic ecosystem crisis, and the risk of deleterious tipping points in the Earth system-the degrees of freedom for sustainable human exploitation of planet Earth are severely restrained. It is in this reality that a new green revolution in world food production needs to occur, to attain food security and human development over the coming decades. Global freshwater resources are, and will increasingly be, a fundamental limiting factor in feeding the world. Current water vulnerabilities in the regions in most need of large agricultural productivity improvements are projected to increase under the pressure from global environmental change. The sustainability challenge for world agriculture has to be set within the new global sustainability context. We present new proposed sustainability criteria for world agriculture, where world food production systems are transformed in order to allow humanity to stay within the safe operating space of planetary boundaries. In order to secure global resilience and thereby raise the chances of planet Earth to remain in the current desired state, conducive for human development on the long-term, these planetary boundaries need to be respected. This calls for a triply green revolution, which not only more than doubles food production in many regions of the world, but which also is environmentally sustainable, and invests in the untapped opportunities to use green water in rainfed agriculture as a key source of future productivity enhancement. To achieve such a global transformation of agriculture, there is a need for more innovative options for water interventions at the landscape scale, accounting for both green and blue water, as well as a new focus on cross-scale interactions, feed-backs and risks for unwanted regime shifts in the agro-ecological landscape.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Research (AIDS)

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-07-15

Alamos, New Mexico . The Technical Working Group for HIV Isolation and Characterization, Vaccine Development Unit, Global Program on AIDS, World Health...remaining virus isolation positive. RVA 5 - IHIV-2 infection of rhesus macaques’- This study was initiated at another facility, the New Mexico Primate... Mexico were part of a previous titration study with SIVc 25 1 , a virus isolate which was proposed for use in future MMCARR vaccine and pathogenesis

Shanghai Cooperation Organization: Paper Tiger or Regional Powerhouse

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

reflecting the codification of these interests in the development of a common working institution. In truth, a combination of the events cited above has...states can reinforce cooperation as the best long-term strategy for reducing security competition . 26 This “conditional cooperation among states may...Alignment,” 244. 24 Ibid., 238. 25 The seminal work remains Robert O. Keohane and Joseph S. Nye, Power and Interdependence: World Politics in

Occupational asthma in the developing and industrialised world: a review.

PubMed

Jeebhay, M F; Quirce, S

2007-02-01

Occupational asthma is the most common occupational lung disease in industrialised countries, and the second most common occupational lung disease reported after pneumoconioses in developing countries. The median proportion of adult cases of asthma attributable to occupational exposure is between 10% and 15%. The population attributable fraction appears to be similar in industrialised and developing countries characterised by rapid industrialisation (13-15%), but lower in less industrialised developing countries (6%). The high-risk occupations and industries associated with the development of occupational asthma vary depending on the dominant industrial sectors in a particular country. High-risk exposure to cleaning agents and pesticide exposure in developing countries appear to be as important as exposure to isocyanates, cereal flour/grain dust, welding fumes, wood dust and, more recently, hairdressing chemicals, commonly reported in industrialised countries. The reported mean annual incidence of occupational asthma in developing countries is less than 2 per 100 000 population, compared to very high rates of up to 18/100 000 in Scandinavian countries. While occupational asthma remains under-recognised, especially in developing countries, it remains poorly diagnosed and managed and inadequately compensated worldwide. Primary and secondary preventive strategies should be directed at controlling workplace exposures, accompanied by intense educational and managerial improvements. Appropriate treatment remains early removal from exposure to ensure that the worker has no further exposure to the causal agent, with preservation of income. However, up to one third of workers with occupational asthma continue to remain exposed to the causative agent or suffer prolonged work disruption, discrimination and risk of unemployment.

The athlete biological passport: ticket to a fair Commonwealth Games.

PubMed

Bucknall, Vittoria; Rehman, Haroon; Bassindale, Thomas; Clement, Rhys Ge

2014-08-01

In summer 2014, the world watched as Glasgow hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games and athletes pushed the boundaries of human performance. Sport has developed into a multi-billion pound industry leading to the development of a 'win at any cost' mentality in some individuals. The abuse of performance-enhancing drugs has developed into a sophisticated arms race between those unfairly enhancing performance and those wishing to preserve the dignity of sport and the health of the competitors. The challenge for the Commonwealth games organising committee was to ensure that competition remained fair and that athletes were kept safe. The athlete biological passport is a system implemented by the World Anti-Doping Agency directed towards enhancing the identification of those athletes accountable for the misuse of performance-enhancing substances. This article exemplifies which drugs are currently being exploited and how the athlete biological passport has evolved to improve their detection. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Human Exploration and Development in the Solar System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendell, Wendell

2017-05-01

Emergence of ballistic missile technology after the Second World War enabled human flight into Earth's orbit, fueling the imagination of those fascinated with science, technology, exploration, and adventure. The performance of astronauts in the early flights assuaged concerns about the functioning of "the human system" in the absence of normal gravity. However, researchers in space medicine have observed degradation of crews after longer exposure to the space environment and have developed countermeasures for most of them, although significant challenges remain. With the dawn of the 21st century, well-financed and technically competent commercial entities began to provide more affordable alternatives to historically expensive and risk-averse government-funded programs. Space's growing accessibility has encouraged entrepreneurs to pursue plans for potentially autarkic communities beyond Earth, exploiting natural resources on other worlds. Should such dreams prove to be technically and economically feasible, a new era will open for humanity with concomitant societal issues of a revolutionary nature.

Transgenic multivitamin corn through biofortification of endosperm with three vitamins representing three distinct metabolic pathways

PubMed Central

Naqvi, Shaista; Zhu, Changfu; Farre, Gemma; Ramessar, Koreen; Bassie, Ludovic; Breitenbach, Jürgen; Perez Conesa, Dario; Ros, Gaspar; Sandmann, Gerhard; Capell, Teresa; Christou, Paul

2009-01-01

Vitamin deficiency affects up to 50% of the world's population, disproportionately impacting on developing countries where populations endure monotonous, cereal-rich diets. Transgenic plants offer an effective way to increase the vitamin content of staple crops, but thus far it has only been possible to enhance individual vitamins. We created elite inbred South African transgenic corn plants in which the levels of 3 vitamins were increased specifically in the endosperm through the simultaneous modification of 3 separate metabolic pathways. The transgenic kernels contained 169-fold the normal amount of β-carotene, 6-fold the normal amount of ascorbate, and double the normal amount of folate. Levels of engineered vitamins remained stable at least through to the T3 homozygous generation. This achievement, which vastly exceeds any realized thus far by conventional breeding alone, opens the way for the development of nutritionally complete cereals to benefit the world's poorest people. PMID:19416835

Sustainable development: a regional perspective.

PubMed

Icamina, P

1988-12-01

This article discusses sustainable development in Asia and current environmental problems in this region. Droughts and rainy seasons pose a major concern indicating environmental limitations: India's 1987 drought halted world grain production and China suffered US $435 million in flooding damage. Deforestation and land degradation are consequences of a rising population's demand for agriculture, fuelwood, irrigation, and hydroelectric projects; 1815 million hectares of forest are cleared/year and 40% of the land could possible be subjected to soil erosion. Although population growth is declining in some Asian countries, the continent inhabits the greatest proportion of world population; 300 million are underfed. Food production remains a problem for this region because of bad weather, highly populated areas, less cropland, soil erosion, and limited water supply. Efforts currently employed to conserve natural resources include community reforestation, providing available drinking water, substituting firewood for fuelwood, and delivering primary health care.

Packaging of silicon photonic devices: from prototypes to production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrissey, Padraic E.; Gradkowski, Kamil; Carroll, Lee; O'Brien, Peter

2018-02-01

The challenges associated with the photonic packaging of silicon devices is often underestimated and remains technically challenging. In this paper, we review some key enabling technologies that will allow us to overcome the current bottleneck in silicon photonic packaging; while also describing the recent developments in standardisation, including the establishment of PIXAPP as the worlds first open-access PIC packaging and assembly Pilot Line. These developments will allow the community to move from low volume prototype photonic packaged devices to large scale volume manufacturing, where the full commercialisation of PIC technology can be realised.

Nutraceuticals in the management of patients with statin-associated muscle symptoms, with a note on real-world experience.

PubMed

Ward, Natalie C; Pang, Jing; Ryan, Jacqueline D M; Watts, Gerald F

2018-01-01

There is considerable evidence for the role of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Although statin therapy remains the most frequency prescribed medication to reduce LDL-C and lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a considerable number of patients develop muscle-related side affects. This review summarizes recent literature supporting the role of nutraceuticals as LDL-C-lowering therapy in statin-intolerant patients, with evidence from our own clinical practices. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Social Development Summit and the developing countries.

PubMed

Barnabas, A P; Kulkarni, P D; Nanavatty, M C; Singh, R R

1996-01-01

This article discusses some concerns of the 1996 UN Summit on Social Development. Conference organizers identified the three key conference issues as poverty alleviation, social integration of the marginalized and disadvantaged, and expansion of productive employment. The goal of a "society for all" means dealing with the increasing differences between rich and poor countries, the survival of weaker economies in a competitive market system, wide variations in consumption patterns between countries, attainment of political stability while respecting ethnic identity, the rise in social problems among countries with a high human development index, and increasing joblessness. The Human Development Report for 1994 emphasizes human security. Social development is not the equivalent of human resource development nor a side issue of economic growth. The integration of ethnic groups poses social and political problems. There remains a question about what political system and culture would be best for social integration. Developed countries define poverty as the inability of people and government to provide resources and necessary services for people's productive activity. Poverty in developing countries is blamed on colonialism. Globally, developed countries control 71% of world trade. Sharing resources to meet basic needs throughout the world is not an operational ideal. The highest 20% of income earners receive 83% of the world income. The culture of poverty is the strategy used by the poor to survive. Welfare is not an end in itself but does enable the poor to improve their conditions. Development that focuses on productive employment is uncertain. Developed and developing countries do not share similar perceptions of human rights. There is a question as to who should set the priorities for social development. Sustainable social development is related to preservation of natural resources, control of population growth, and promotion of social security.

How Regenerative Medicine Stakeholders Adapt to Ever-Changing Technology and Regulatory Challenges? Snapshots from the World TERMIS Industry Symposium (September 10, 2015, Boston).

PubMed

Bayon, Yves; Van Dyke, Mark; Buelher, Robert; Tubo, Ross; Bertram, Tim; Malfroy-Camine, Bernard; Rathman, Michelle; Ronfard, Vincent

2017-04-01

Regenerative medicine (RM) is a fascinating area of research and innovation. The huge potential of the field has been fairly underexploited so far. Both TERMIS-AM and TERMIS-EU Industry Committees are committed to mentoring and training young entrepreneurs for more successful commercial translation of upstream research. With this objective in mind, the two entities jointly organized an industry symposium during the past TERMIS World Congress (Boston, September 8-11, 2015) and invited senior managers of the RM industry for lectures and panel discussions. One of the two sessions of the symposium-How to overcome obstacles encountered when bringing products to the commercial phase?-aimed to share the inside, real experiences of leaders from TEI Biosciences (an Integra Company), Vericel (formerly Aastrom; acquirer of Genzyme Regenerative Medicine assets), RegenMedTX (formerly Tengion), Mindset Rx, ViThera Pharmaceuticals, and L'Oreal Research & Innovation. The symposium provided practical recommendations for RM product development, for remaining critical and objective when reviewing progress, for keeping solutions simple, and for remaining relevant and persistent.

Editorial: Biological Engagement Programs: Reducing Threats and Strengthening Global Health Security Through Scientific Collaboration

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

Fair, Jeanne M.

It is often said about infectious diseases that a “threat anywhere is a threat everywhere,” and the recent outbreaks of Ebola in West Africa and Zika virus in South America have proven that pathogens know no borders. Not only are they transboundary, pathogens do not discriminate who they infect. In addition to the natural increase in emerging zoonotic infectious diseases worldwide due to changing environmental conditions and globalization, the use of infectious diseases as warfare agents is a threat in today’s world. Early detection remains one of the best ways to prevent small outbreaks becoming epidemics and pandemics. We findmore » that an accurate diagnosis, detection, and reporting of diseases are important components of mitigating outbreaks, and biosurveillance remains the top tool in our toolbox. And while vaccines have been important for controlling more common infectious virus diseases, they are less feasible for less common diseases, emerging pathogens, and rapidly evolving microbes. Furthermore, due to globalization and increased travel, emigration, and migration, biosurveillance is critical throughout the world, not just in pockets of more developed regions.« less

Editorial: Biological Engagement Programs: Reducing Threats and Strengthening Global Health Security Through Scientific Collaboration

DOE PAGES

Fair, Jeanne M.

2017-07-12

It is often said about infectious diseases that a “threat anywhere is a threat everywhere,” and the recent outbreaks of Ebola in West Africa and Zika virus in South America have proven that pathogens know no borders. Not only are they transboundary, pathogens do not discriminate who they infect. In addition to the natural increase in emerging zoonotic infectious diseases worldwide due to changing environmental conditions and globalization, the use of infectious diseases as warfare agents is a threat in today’s world. Early detection remains one of the best ways to prevent small outbreaks becoming epidemics and pandemics. We findmore » that an accurate diagnosis, detection, and reporting of diseases are important components of mitigating outbreaks, and biosurveillance remains the top tool in our toolbox. And while vaccines have been important for controlling more common infectious virus diseases, they are less feasible for less common diseases, emerging pathogens, and rapidly evolving microbes. Furthermore, due to globalization and increased travel, emigration, and migration, biosurveillance is critical throughout the world, not just in pockets of more developed regions.« less

Brucellosis in low-income and middle-income countries

PubMed Central

Rubach, Matthew P.; Halliday, Jo E.B.; Cleaveland, Sarah; Crump, John A.

2014-01-01

Purpose of review Human brucellosis is a neglected, underrecognized infection of widespread geographic distribution. It causes acute febrile illness and a potentially debilitating chronic infection in humans, and livestock infection has substantial socioeconomic impact. This review describes new information regarding the epidemiology of brucellosis in the developing world and advances in diagnosis and treatment. Recent findings The highest recorded incidence of human brucellosis occurs in the Middle East and Central Asia. Fever etiology studies demonstrate brucellosis as a cause of undifferentiated febrile illness in the developing world. Brucellosis is a rare cause of fever among returning travelers, but is more common among travelers returning from the Middle East and North Africa. Sensitive and specific rapid diagnostic tests appropriate for resource-limited settings have been validated. Randomized controlled trials demonstrate that optimal treatment for human brucellosis consists of doxycycline and an aminoglycoside. Decreasing the burden of human brucellosis requires control of animal brucellosis, but evidence to inform the design of control programs in the developing world is needed. Summary Brucellosis causes substantial morbidity in human and animal populations. While improvements in diagnostic options for resource-limited settings and stronger evidence for optimal therapy should enhance identification and treatment of human brucellosis, prevention of human disease through control in animals remains paramount. PMID:23963260

'Holding on to life': An ethnographic study of living well at home in old age.

PubMed

Bjornsdottir, Kristin

2018-04-01

In recent years, much attention has been paid to how older people living at home can remain independent and manage their illness themselves, while less attention has been given to those who have become frail and need assistance with challenges of everyday life. In this article, I drew on Latimer's formulation of care for frail older people as relational and world-making and on Foucault's work related to the care of the self in developing an understanding of how frail older persons manage to live well at home in the final years of their lives. I use data from an ethnographic study of home care nursing in the homes of 15 frail older people to develop an understanding of how their care at home can be developed. The participants were holding on to life, which reflected their vitality and vulnerability as well as agency in continuing to explore ways to preserve and build their world at home. With declining ability and stamina relations with material things, relatives and official care workers become of central importance in holding on to life. Home care services can be thought of as part of life, as world-forming, where workers contribute to daily activities that support living well at home. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Astronomy Education & Outreach in South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Throop, Henry B.

2015-11-01

Although South Africa has evolved greatly in the 20 years since the end of apartheid, it remains a very divided country. The highest-performing students are comparable in ability to those in the US and Europe, but nearly all of these students are from priveleged Afrikaaner (European) backgrounds. The vast majority of students in the country are native African, and school standards remain very low across the country. It is common that students have no textbooks, teachers have only a high school education, and schools have no telephones and no toilets. By high school graduation, the majority of students have never used a web browser -- even students in the capital of Johannesburg. And while a few students are inspired by home-grown world-class projects such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) and Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), most remain unaware of their existence.Despite the poor state of education in the country, students work hard, are curious, and desire information from the outside world. Astronomy is one subject in which students in rural Africa often show exceptional interest. Perhaps astronomy serves as a 'gateway science,' linking the physically observable world with the exotic and unknown.Here I report on many visits I have made to both rural and urban schools in South Africa during the 2013-2015 period. I have interacted with thousands of grade 7-12 students at dozens of schools, as well as taught students who graduated from this system and enrolled in local universities. I will present an assessment of the state of science education in South Africa, as well as a few broader suggestions for how scientists and educators in developed countries can best make an impact in Southern Africa.

The Study of World History: Triolets, Villanelles, and Roaring in the Pines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roselle, Daniel

1992-01-01

Principal theme in world history should be universality of basic human experience. This approach values differing forms of human expression without associating abstract concepts (such as faith, reason, or creativity) to one specific period of history in one particular part of the world. Scholarship should remain the highest priority, and past…

Leading Minds: An Anatomy of Leadership.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Howard

Despite a rapidly changing world, leadership remains crucially important in institutions ranging from schools to nations. Much of what is beneficent in the world has been inspired by farsighted leaders, even as many of the horrors of the world have been wrought by leaders who, while perhaps equally gifted, have used their powers destructively.…

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

Wetland biogeochemical processes and simulation modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Junhong; Huang, Laibin; Gao, Haifeng; Jia, Jia; Wang, Xin

2018-02-01

As the important landscape with rich biodiversity and high productivity, wetlands can provide numerous ecological services including playing an important role in regulating global biogeochemical cycles, filteringpollutants from terrestrial runoff and atmospheric deposition, protecting and improving water quality, providing living habitats for plants and animals, controlling floodwaters, and retaining surface water flow during dry periods (Reddy and DeLaune, 2008; Qin and Mitsch, 2009; Zhao et al., 2016). However, more than 50% of the world's wetlands had been altered, degraded or lost through a wide range of human activities in the past 150 years, and only a small percentage of the original wetlands remained around the world after over two centuries of intensive development and urbanization (O'connell, 2003; Zhao et al., 2016).

Alfred Russel Wallace's world of final causes.

PubMed

Smith, Charles H

2013-12-01

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) is an important figure in the history of science, but there remain many questions about the nature of his world view, and how it developed. Here, Wallace's appreciation of the role of final causes in evolution is linked to some of its probable origins, with an emphasis on the influence of Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859). The question is then asked whether a final causes-based scientific agenda might be possible, and answered by drawing attention to two current efforts in that direction by Adrian Bejan, and by the author. A sketch of the latter approach, adapted from Spinozian thinking, is given, with an empirical example involving drainage basin morphology that suggests structural influences of a final causes sort.

New Opportunities for Military Women Effects Upon Readiness, Cohesion, and Morale.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-01-01

Positions That Remain Closed or Restricted to Women 112 B.2. Previously Closed Army Units Formally Open to Women (Active Army as of October...BACKGROUND Women’s participation in the military has been restricted since gen- der integration began. About 33,000 women served in World War I...Opportunities for Women restrictions did not apply directly to the Army, the Secretary of the Army developed policies to exclude women from direct

Rabies: risk, prognosis and prevention.

PubMed

Driver, Carolyn

While the UK was declared free from rabies over 100 years ago, the disease remains a significant cause of death in many other countries around the world. It is hoped that eradication programmes in affected countries will succeed in the long term but, until then, prompt and thorough treatment can prevent people who have potentially been in contact with the rabies virus from developing this infection. This article provides a review of the disease and its prevention.

Creating a Global Consciousness by Embracing a World of Women: A Pedagogical Strategy Dedicated to Regaining the Momentum for Women's Rights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmonds, Regina M.

2007-01-01

If we are to regain some of the energy which characterized the Women's Movement during its earliest years and again during the 1960's and 1970's, we must endeavor to raise awareness among young people about the work for social justice that remains undone and we must find ways to inspire them to re-embrace activism and to develop, what Smyser…

Landpower in Asia -- Historical Insights for the Pivot to the Pacific

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-23

second largest export market for American goods after North America.9 Simply put, peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region are vital to the...China has liberalized its economy and integrated its economy into the world market to a greater and greater extent, it remains a nation ruled by the...With that task in mind, the Chinese are developing ballistic missiles potentially capable of targeting aircraft carriers, sea skimming cruise

Comparing Military Retirement to the California Highway Patrol Pension Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

retirement authority across all branches of service (USD(P&R), 2011). After World War II, the Navy faced the same overpopulation of the officer ranks...early retirement list were granted their request based upon seniority (USD(P&R), 2011). 2. 1900–1937 Overpopulation of the Navy’s senior officer ranks...remained an issue up until World War I. Consequently, the policy of early retirement, created by the act of March 3, 1899, remained in place until

Occupational Health Research in Developing Countries: A Partner for Social Justice

PubMed Central

Nuwayhid, Iman A.

2004-01-01

Occupational health remains neglected in developing countries because of competing social, economic, and political challenges. Occupational health research in developing countries should recognize the social and political context of work relations, especially the fact that the majority of developing countries lack the political mechanisms to translate scientific findings into effective policies. Researchers in the developing world can achieve tangible progress in promoting occupational health only if they end their professional isolation and examine occupational health in the broader context of social justice and national development in alliance with researchers from other disciplines. An occupational health research paradigm in developing countries should focus less on the workplace and more on the worker in his or her social context. PMID:15514227

Management of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Review of Current Clinical Practice in a Developed and a Developing Country.

PubMed

Khan, Uzma; Lakhani, Om J

2017-01-01

Treatment of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) requires lifelong hormone replacement with glucocorticoids (GCs) and mineralocorticoids. Impaired quality of life and increased standardized mortality ratio in these patients emphasize the importance of tailoring therapy to individual needs. Role of education is paramount in improving patient compliance and in anticipating and preventing adrenal crises. Although discovery of synthetic GCs was a major breakthrough in treatment of patients with this life-threatening condition, management of PAI continues to be challenging. The obstacles for clinicians appear to vary widely across the globe. While optimization and individualization of therapy after diagnosis of PAI remain the main challenges for clinicians in the developed world, doctors in a developing country face problems at almost every stage from the diagnosis to the treatment and follow-up of these patients; cost of therapy, lack of resources, and funding are the main hindrances. Adherence to therapy and patient education are found to be common issues in most parts of the world. This commentary highlights the challenges from both developed and developing country's perspective in treating PAI; it also provides an update on current management scenario and future treatment options.

Ensuring safe international trade: how are the roles and responsibilities evolving and what will the situation be in ten years' time?

PubMed

Brückner, G K

2011-04-01

The roles of the international standard-setting bodies that are mandated to facilitate safe trade, such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the International Plant Protection Convention and the World Trade Organization, are well documented, as are the roles of the international organisations responsible for global health issues: the OIE, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. However, developments in international trade, such as accelerating globalisation and the frequent emergence and re-emergence of diseases affecting both humans and animals, have brought new challenges and the need to reconsider the future roles of such organisations. New participants and new demands have also emerged to challenge these mandates, leading to potential areas of conflict. The need for countries to establish themselves as new trade partners, or to strengthen their positions while still maintaining safe trade, poses a challenge to standard-setting organisations, which must meet these demands while still remaining sensitive to the needs of developing countries. In this paper, the author describes and discusses some of these challenges and suggests how international organisations could evolve to confront such issues.

Global data on visual impairment in the year 2002.

PubMed Central

Resnikoff, Serge; Pascolini, Donatella; Etya'ale, Daniel; Kocur, Ivo; Pararajasegaram, Ramachandra; Pokharel, Gopal P.; Mariotti, Silvio P.

2004-01-01

This paper presents estimates of the prevalence of visual impairment and its causes in 2002, based on the best available evidence derived from recent studies. Estimates were determined from data on low vision and blindness as defined in the International statistical classification of diseases, injuries and causes of death, 10th revision. The number of people with visual impairment worldwide in 2002 was in excess of 161 million, of whom about 37 million were blind. The burden of visual impairment is not distributed uniformly throughout the world: the least developed regions carry the largest share. Visual impairment is also unequally distributed across age groups, being largely confined to adults 50 years of age and older. A distribution imbalance is also found with regard to gender throughout the world: females have a significantly higher risk of having visual impairment than males. Notwithstanding the progress in surgical intervention that has been made in many countries over the last few decades, cataract remains the leading cause of visual impairment in all regions of the world, except in the most developed countries. Other major causes of visual impairment are, in order of importance, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and trachoma. PMID:15640920

Global data on visual impairment in the year 2002.

PubMed

Resnikoff, Serge; Pascolini, Donatella; Etya'ale, Daniel; Kocur, Ivo; Pararajasegaram, Ramachandra; Pokharel, Gopal P; Mariotti, Silvio P

2004-11-01

This paper presents estimates of the prevalence of visual impairment and its causes in 2002, based on the best available evidence derived from recent studies. Estimates were determined from data on low vision and blindness as defined in the International statistical classification of diseases, injuries and causes of death, 10th revision. The number of people with visual impairment worldwide in 2002 was in excess of 161 million, of whom about 37 million were blind. The burden of visual impairment is not distributed uniformly throughout the world: the least developed regions carry the largest share. Visual impairment is also unequally distributed across age groups, being largely confined to adults 50 years of age and older. A distribution imbalance is also found with regard to gender throughout the world: females have a significantly higher risk of having visual impairment than males. Notwithstanding the progress in surgical intervention that has been made in many countries over the last few decades, cataract remains the leading cause of visual impairment in all regions of the world, except in the most developed countries. Other major causes of visual impairment are, in order of importance, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and trachoma.

Coalbed methane: Clean energy for the world

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ahmed, A.-J.; Johnston, S.; Boyer, C.; Lambert, S.W.; Bustos, O.A.; Pashin, J.C.; Wray, A.

2009-01-01

Coalbed methane (CBM) has the potential to emerge as a significant clean energy resource. It also has the potential to replace other diminishing hydrocarbon reserves. The latest developments in technologies and methodologies are playing a key role in harnessing this unconventional resource. Some of these developments include adaptations of existing technologies used in conventional oil and gas generations, while others include new applications designed specifically to address coal's unique properties. Completion techniques have been developed that cause less damage to the production mechanisms of coal seams, such as those occurring during cementing operations. Stimulation fluids have also been engineered specifically to enhance CBM production. Deep coal deposits that remain inaccessible by conventional mining operations offer CBM development opportunities.

The lost language of the RNA World

PubMed Central

Nelson, James W.; Breaker, Ronald R.

2018-01-01

The possibility of an RNA World is based on the notion that life on Earth passed through a primitive phase without proteins, at a time when all genomes and enzymes were composed of ribonucleic acid. Numerous apparent vestiges of this ancient RNA World remain today, including many nucleotide-derived coenzymes, self-processing ribozymes, metabolite-binding riboswitches, and even ribosomes. Intriguingly, many of the most common signaling molecules and second messengers used by modern organisms are also formed from RNA. For example, nucleotide derivatives such as cAMP, ppGpp, and ZTP, as well as the cyclic dinucleotides c-di-GMP and c-di-AMP, are intimately involved in signaling diverse physiological or metabolic changes in bacteria and other organisms. Herein we describe the potential diversity of this ‘lost language’ of the RNA World, and speculate on whether additional components of this ancient communication machinery might remain hidden though still very much relevant to modern cells. PMID:28611182

A World at Risk: Aggregating Development Trends to Forecast Global Habitat Conversion

PubMed Central

Oakleaf, James R.; Kennedy, Christina M.; Baruch-Mordo, Sharon; West, Paul C.; Gerber, James S.; Jarvis, Larissa; Kiesecker, Joseph

2015-01-01

A growing and more affluent human population is expected to increase the demand for resources and to accelerate habitat modification, but by how much and where remains unknown. Here we project and aggregate global spatial patterns of expected urban and agricultural expansion, conventional and unconventional oil and gas, coal, solar, wind, biofuels and mining development. Cumulatively, these threats place at risk 20% of the remaining global natural lands (19.68 million km2) and could result in half of the world’s biomes becoming >50% converted while doubling and tripling the extent of land converted in South America and Africa, respectively. Regionally, substantial shifts in land conversion could occur in Southern and Western South America, Central and Eastern Africa, and the Central Rocky Mountains of North America. With only 5% of the Earth’s at-risk natural lands under strict legal protection, estimating and proactively mitigating multi-sector development risk is critical for curtailing the further substantial loss of nature. PMID:26445282

Promoting consumption of fruit and vegetables for better health. Have campaigns delivered on the goals?

PubMed

Rekhy, Reetica; McConchie, Robyn

2014-08-01

Daily intake of fruits and vegetables worldwide remains well below the recommended WHO levels, despite the established health benefits associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. A diversity of policy interventions designed to increase consumption have been conducted in the developed economies around the globe for over a decade, involving significant monetary outlays. The impact of these initiatives remains at best, modest to low, in effecting a significant increase in daily consumption on a sustained basis. Several factors have been identified in both promoting and impeding the increase in fruit and vegetable consumption, including the effects of consumer behaviour. This paper reviews several of the major promotional campaigns from around the world and provides analysis of their level of success, with a view to developing novel approaches for formulating more effective marketing and promotional interventions that will prompt significant change. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Population pressures: threat to democracy.

PubMed

1992-06-01

The desire for political freedom and representative government is spreading throughout the world. The stability of democratic bodies is dependent on wise leaders, foreign aid, and slowing population growth. Rapid population growth strains political institutions and increases pressure on services. A Population Crisis Committee study found that only a few democratic countries with serious demographic pressures remained stable. The most stable countries were ones with lower levels of population pressure. Most of the 31 unstable countries were in Africa and in a band stretching from the Middle East to South Asia, and almost all had serious demographic pressures. Only 5 stable countries had high or very high demographic pressures. Since countries in the world are interdependent, population pressures have adverse consequences everywhere. Population pressures in the developing world are considered enhanced by the rapid growth of cities. Both the developed and the developing world face the problems of clogged highways, loss of wilderness, polluted lakes and streams, and stifling smog and acid rain conditions. The sociopolitical implications of demographic changes vary from country to country, but rapid growth and maldistribution of population strains existing political, social, and economic structures and relations between nations. Urban areas are the arena for clashes of cultures, competition for scarce housing and jobs, the breakdown of traditional family and social structures, and juxtapositions of extreme wealth next to extreme poverty. The growth of independent nation states since the 1940s has not allowed much time for development of effective political institutions. There are many obstacles to national unity and popular political participation. The potential for political instability is correlated with a number of factors: large youth populations in overcrowded cities with too high expectations and limited opportunities, diverse and intense ethnic and religious factors, and oppressive governments which violate human rights. Rapid growth has a harmful impact on the environment.

Gene therapy for arthritis

PubMed Central

Traister, Russell S.

2008-01-01

Arthritis is among the leading causes of disability in the developed world. There remains no cure for this disease and the current treatments are only modestly effective at slowing the disease's progression and providing symptomatic relief. The clinical effectiveness of current treatment regimens has been limited by short half-lives of the drugs and the requirement for repeated systemic administration. Utilizing gene transfer approaches for the treatment of arthritis may overcome some of the obstacles associated with current treatment strategies. The present review examines recent developments in gene therapy for arthritis. Delivery strategies, gene transfer vectors, candidate genes, and safety are also discussed. PMID:18176779

The origin of life and the last universal common ancestor: do we need a change of perspective?

PubMed

Glansdorff, Nicolas; Xu, Ying; Labedan, Bernard

2009-09-01

A complete tree with roots, trunk and crown remains an appropriate model to represent all steps of life's development, from the emergence of a unique genetic code up to the last universal common ancestor and its further radiation. Catalytic closure of a mixture of prebiotic polymers is a heuristic alternative to the RNA world. Conjectures about emergence of life in an infinite multiverse should not confuse probability with possibility.

Ascaris lumbricoides causing infarction of the mesenteric lymph nodes and intestinal gangrene in a child: a case report

PubMed Central

Bhutia, Kincho Lhasong; Dey, Subhajeet; Singh, Varun; Gupta, Amlan

2011-01-01

Ascaris lumbricoides or round worm infestation is quite common in the developing world. It affects all age groups but is more common in children. Most of the cases remain asymptomatic. The usual presentation is an intestinal obstruction. The physicians should be aware of this condition and consider it in the differential diagnosis when faced with such a case. The rare fatal complications include bleeding, perforation and gangrene. PMID:21698086

Building intuitive 3D interfaces for virtual reality systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaidya, Vivek; Suryanarayanan, Srikanth; Seitel, Mathias; Mullick, Rakesh

2007-03-01

An exploration of techniques for developing intuitive, and efficient user interfaces for virtual reality systems. Work seeks to understand which paradigms from the better-understood world of 2D user interfaces remain viable within 3D environments. In order to establish this a new user interface was created that applied various understood principles of interface design. A user study was then performed where it was compared with an earlier interface for a series of medical visualization tasks.

Preemption games: theory and experiment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Steven T.; Friedman, Daniel; Oprea, Ryan

2010-01-01

El Mutún, perhaps the world's largest remaining iron ore deposit, was opened to private investors in the 1980s but, due to the high cost of developing the remote Bolivian site, there were no takers for two decades. In late 2005, spurred by rising commodity prices, the Brazilian company EBX finally seized the opportunity, preempting rivals based in China and India. Numerous similar examples can be found in the annals of mining and oil companies (Raymond F. Mikesell et al. 1971).

How Secure Is Your Radiology Department? Mapping Digital Radiology Adoption and Security Worldwide.

PubMed

Stites, Mark; Pianykh, Oleg S

2016-04-01

Despite the long history of digital radiology, one of its most critical aspects--information security--still remains extremely underdeveloped and poorly standardized. To study the current state of radiology security, we explored the worldwide security of medical image archives. Using the DICOM data-transmitting standard, we implemented a highly parallel application to scan the entire World Wide Web of networked computers and devices, locating open and unprotected radiology servers. We used only legal and radiology-compliant tools. Our security-probing application initiated a standard DICOM handshake to remote computer or device addresses, and then assessed their security posture on the basis of handshake replies. The scan discovered a total of 2774 unprotected radiology or DICOM servers worldwide. Of those, 719 were fully open to patient data communications. Geolocation was used to analyze and rank our findings according to country utilization. As a result, we built maps and world ranking of clinical security, suggesting that even the most radiology-advanced countries have hospitals with serious security gaps. Despite more than two decades of active development and implementation, our radiology data still remains insecure. The results provided should be applied to raise awareness and begin an earnest dialogue toward elimination of the problem. The application we designed and the novel scanning approach we developed can be used to identify security breaches and to eliminate them before they are compromised.

What do Different Beliefs Tell us? An Examination of Factual, Opinion-Based, and Religious Beliefs

PubMed Central

Heiphetz, Larisa; Spelke, Elizabeth S.; Harris, Paul L.; Banaji, Mahzarin R.

2014-01-01

Children and adults differentiate statements of religious belief from statements of fact and opinion, but the basis of that differentiation remains unclear. Across three experiments, adults and 8-10-year-old children heard statements of factual, opinion-based, and religious belief. Adults and children judged that statements of factual belief revealed more about the world, statements of opinion revealed more about individuals, and statements of religious belief provided information about both. Children—unlike adults—judged that statements of religious belief revealed more about the world than the believer. These results led to three conclusions. First, judgments concerning the relative amount of information statements of religious belief provide about individuals change across development, perhaps because adults have more experience with diversity. Second, recognizing that statements of religious belief provide information about both the world and the believer does not require protracted learning. Third, statements of religious belief are interpreted as amalgams of factual and opinion-based statements. PMID:24748720

What do Different Beliefs Tell us? An Examination of Factual, Opinion-Based, and Religious Beliefs.

PubMed

Heiphetz, Larisa; Spelke, Elizabeth S; Harris, Paul L; Banaji, Mahzarin R

2014-04-01

Children and adults differentiate statements of religious belief from statements of fact and opinion, but the basis of that differentiation remains unclear. Across three experiments, adults and 8-10-year-old children heard statements of factual, opinion-based, and religious belief. Adults and children judged that statements of factual belief revealed more about the world, statements of opinion revealed more about individuals, and statements of religious belief provided information about both. Children-unlike adults-judged that statements of religious belief revealed more about the world than the believer. These results led to three conclusions. First, judgments concerning the relative amount of information statements of religious belief provide about individuals change across development, perhaps because adults have more experience with diversity. Second, recognizing that statements of religious belief provide information about both the world and the believer does not require protracted learning. Third, statements of religious belief are interpreted as amalgams of factual and opinion-based statements.

Remaining questions about clinical variola major.

PubMed

Lane, J Michael

2011-04-01

After the recent summary of World Health Organization-authorized research on smallpox, several clinical issues remain. This policy review addresses whether early hemorrhagic smallpox is disseminated intravascular coagulation and speculates about the cause of the high mortality rate among pregnant women and whether ocular smallpox is partly the result of trachoma or vitamin A deficiency. The joint destruction common in children with smallpox might be prevented by antiviral drugs, but intraarticular infusion of antiviral drugs is unprecedented. Development of highly effective antiviral drugs against smallpox raises the issue of whether postexposure vaccination can be performed without interference by an antiviral drug. Clinicians should consider whether patients with smallpox should be admitted to general hospitals. Although an adequate supply of second-generation smallpox vaccine exists in the United States, its use is unclear. Finally, political and ethical forces suggest that destruction of the remaining stocks of live smallpox virus is now appropriate.

World War II, post-war reconstruction and British women chemists.

PubMed

Horrocks, Sally

2011-07-01

This paper draws on evidence from a range of sources to consider the extent to which World War II served as a turning point in the employment opportunities open to women chemists in Britain. It argues that wartime conditions expanded women's access to some areas of employment, but that these opportunities represented, in many ways, an expansion of existing openings rather than wholly new ones, and not all of them proved permanent. Instead, women chemists benefited more permanently from increased state expenditure on higher education and on research and development after the war. This enabled some women to remain in what had originally been temporary wartime posts and others to secure employment in wholly new positions. Women were most successful in securing positions created by the expansion of state welfare and support for agriculture, but also found new employment opportunities as a result of the heavy investment in weapons development that accelerated with the advent of the Cold War. In higher education, an initial expansion of openings was not sustained, and the proportion of women in university chemistry departments actually fell during the second half of the 1950s. Industry presents a rather ambiguous picture, with many firms continuing to refuse to employ women chemists, whereas elsewhere they enjoyed enhanced opportunities and better salaries than those offered before the war. This did not mean, however, that women chemists received equal treatment to their male colleagues, and, despite the changes, they remained concentrated in subordinate positions and were expected to concentrate on routine work. Prospects in the 1950s were certainly better than they had been during the 1930s, but they remained strongly gendered.

Is public health between East and West? Analysis of wealth, health and mortality in Austria, Central and Eastern European Countries and Croatia relative to the European Union.

PubMed

Hofmarcher, M M

1998-09-01

To provide a conceptual framework for health planning activities in the "middle income" transition countries. Economic, demographic, and disease-related data in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, including Croatia and Austria, were compared to the Europen Union (EU) average. Data were selected from the databases provided by the World Health Organization, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, World Bank, United Nations, and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development. Life expectancy and mortality were extrapolated until the year 2000 by using an exponential growth model for the WHO time series data, starting in 1994. Death rates due to ischemic heart diseases (18%) and cerebrovascular diseases (13%) were selected to show frequent causes of death. Relative to the EU average, the gross domestic product (GDP) share of health expenditures in transition countries was disproportionate to wealth and premature death. The population in CEE-countries was younger and the share of people aged >65 was predicted to remain about 15% below the EU average and Austria. For Croatia, the share of people aged 65 would be on the increase, similar to the share predicted for Austria (slightly above the EU average). Mortality of selected non-communicable, chronic diseases is predicted to increase and remain relatively high. Mortality rates due to infectious diseases have been declining but remained comparatively on a high level. Coexistence of demographic and epidemiological transition along with high mortality rates due to infectious diseases creates a "double burden". Economic transition has the potential to comprise both the increase in wealth, and life and health expectancy.

Global petroleum resources: A view to the future

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ahlbrandt, T.S.; McCabe, P.J.

2002-01-01

It is necessary to periodically reassess petroleum resources, not only because new data become available and better geologic models are developed; but also because many non-geologic factors determine which part of the crustal abundance of petroleum will be economic and acceptable over the foreseeable future. In 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey completed an assessment of the world's conventional petroleum resources, exclusive of the United States. This assessment is different from those before it: Overall the 2000 assessment of potential petroleum resources is higher than previous assessments, largely because it is the first USGS world assessment to include field growth estimates. Based on a thorough investigation of the petroleum geology of each province, the assessment couples geologic analysis with a probabilistic methodology to estimate remaining potential. Including the assessment numbers for the United States from USGS and the Minerals Management Service (MMS), the world's endowment of recoverable oil - which consists of cumulative production, remaining reserves, reserve growth and undiscovered resources - is estimated at about 3 trillion barrels of oil. Of this, about 24 percent has been produced and an additional 29 percent has been discovered and booked as reserves. The natural gas endowment is estimated at 15.4 quadrillion cubic feet (2.5 trillion barrels of oil equivalent), of which only about 11 percent has been produced and an additional 31 percent has been discovered and booked as reserves. The USGS assessment is not exhaustive, because it does not cover all sedimentary basins of the world. Relatively small volumes of oil or gas have been found in an additional 279 provinces, and significant accumulations may occur in these or other basins that were not assessed. The estimates are therefore conservative.

Streamflow model of the six-country transboundary Ganges-Bhramaputra and Meghna river basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, K.; Lehmann, A.; Dennedy-Frank, P. J.; Gorelick, S.

2014-12-01

Extremely large-scale river basin modelling remains a challenge for water resources planning in the developing world. Such planning is particularly difficult in the developing world because of the lack of data on both natural (climatological, hydrological) processes and complex anthropological influences. We simulate three enormous river basins located in south Asia. The Ganges-Bhramaputra and Meghna (GBM) River Basins cover an area of 1.75 million km2 associated with 6 different countries, including the Bengal delta, which is the most densely populated delta in the world with ~600 million people. We target this developing region to better understand the hydrological system and improve water management planning in these transboundary watersheds. This effort uses the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate streamflow in the GBM River Basins and assess the use of global climatological datasets for such large scale river modeling. We evaluate the utility of three global rainfall datasets to reproduce measured river discharge: the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) from NASA, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis, and the World Metrological Organization (WMO) reanalysis. We use global datasets for spatial information as well: 90m DEM from the Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission, 300m GlobCover land use maps, and 1000 km FAO soil map. We find that SWAT discharge estimates match the observed streamflow well (NSE=0.40-0.66, R2=0.60-0.70) when using meteorological estimates from the NCEP reanalysis. However, SWAT estimates diverge from observed discharge when using meteorological estimates from TRMM and the WMO reanalysis.

HIV vaccine: Can it be developed in the 21st century?

PubMed

Verma, Ramesh; Khanna, Pardeep; Chawla, Suraj; Dhankar, Mukesh

2016-01-01

HIV infection is a major public health problem especially in the developing countries. Once a person infects with HIV, it remained infected for lifelong. The advanced stage developed after 10-15 y of HIV infection that stage is called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). From 1990 to 2000 the number of people living with HIV rose from 8 million to 27 million; since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, AIDS has claimed almost 39million lives so far. Till now, there is no cure for HIV infection; however, after the introduction of effective treatment with antiretroviral (ARV) drugs the HIV individual can enjoy healthy and productive lives. Vaccine is safe and cost-effective to prevent illness, impairment, disability and death. Like other vaccines, a preventive HIV vaccine could help save millions of lives. All vaccines work the same way i.e. the antigen stimulate the immune system and develop antibodies. The ultimate goal is to develop a safe and effective vaccine that protects people worldwide from getting infected with HIV. However, some school of thought that vaccine may protects only some HIV people, it could have a major impact on the rates of transmission of HIV and this will help in control of epidemic, especially in populations where high rate of HIV transmission. In the past, some scientist doubted on the development of an effective polio vaccine, but now we are near to eradicate the polio from the world this is possible because of successful vaccination programmes. HIV vaccine research is aided by the not-for-profit International AIDS/HIV vaccine Initiative (IAVI), which helps to support and coordinate vaccine research, development, policy and advocacy around the world. Although the challenges for scientist are intimidating but scientists remain hopeful that they can develop safe and effective HIV vaccines for patients in future.

Integrating biodiversity management and indigenous biopiracy protection to promote environmental justice and global health.

PubMed

Mackey, Tim K; Liang, Bryan A

2012-06-01

Many potentially useful medicines arise from developing countries' biodiverse environments and indigenous knowledge. However, global intellectual property rules have resulted in biopiracy, raising serious ethical concerns of environmental justice, exploitation, and health disparities in these populations. Furthermore, state-based approaches have not led to adequate biodiversity protection, management, or resource sharing, which affect access to lifesaving drugs. In response, country delegates adopted the Nagoya Protocol, which aims at promoting biodiversity management, combating biopiracy, and encouraging equitable benefits sharing with indigenous communities. However, the effectiveness of this framework in meeting these objectives remains in question. To address these challenges, we propose a policy building on the Nagoya Protocol that employs a World Health Organization-World Trade Organization Joint Committee on Bioprospecting and Biopiracy.

New approaches for Helicobacter vaccine development--difficulties and progress.

PubMed

Jagusztyn-Krynicka, Elzbieta K; Godlewska, Renata

2008-01-01

Despite the enormous progress in understanding the process of bacterial pathogenesis and interactions of pathogens with eucaryotic cells the infectious diseases still remain the main cause of human premature deaths. It is now recognized that Helicobacter pylori infects about half of the world's population. Based on results of clinical studies the World Health Organization has assigned H. pylori as a class I carcinogen. The review presents new achievements aimed at construction efficient and safe anti-Helicobacter vaccine. We discuss the new global technologies such as immunoproteomics employed for selecting new candidates for vaccine construction as well as new vaccine delivery systems. The review presents also our knowledge concerning H. pylori interaction with immune system which might facilitate modulation of the host immune system by specific adjuvant included into vaccine.

Chronic airflow limitation in developing countries: burden and priorities

PubMed Central

Aït-Khaled, Nadia; Enarson, Donald A; Ottmani, Salah; Sony, Asma El; Eltigani, Mai; Sepulveda, Ricardo

2007-01-01

Respiratory disease has never received priority in relation to its impact on health. Estimated DALYs lost in 2002 were 12% globally (similar for industrialized and developing countries). Chronic airflow limitation (due mainly to asthma and COPD) alone affects more than 100 million persons in the world and the majority of them live in developing countries. International guidelines for management of asthma (GINA) and COPD (GOLD) have been adopted and their cost-effectiveness demonstrated in industrialized countries. As resources are scarce in developing countries, adaptation of these guidelines using only essential drugs is required. It remains for governments to set priorities. To make these choices, a set of criteria have been proposed. It is vital that the results of scientific investigations are presented in these terms to facilitate their use by decision-makers. To respond to this emerging public health problem in developing countries, WHO has developed 2 initiatives: “Practical Approach to Lung Health (PAL)” and the Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD)”, and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (The Union) has launched a new initiative to increase affordability of essential asthma drugs for patients in developing countries termed the “Asthma Drug Facility” (ADF), which could facilitate the care of patients living in these parts of the world. PMID:18044686

Chronic airflow limitation in developing countries: burden and priorities.

PubMed

Aït-Khaled, Nadia; Enarson, Donald A; Ottmani, Salah; El Sony, Asma; Eltigani, Mai; Sepulveda, Ricardo

2007-01-01

Respiratory disease has never received priority in relation to its impact on health. Estimated DALYs lost in 2002 were 12% globally (similar for industrialized and developing countries). Chronic airflow limitation (due mainly to asthma and COPD) alone affects more than 100 million persons in the world and the majority of them live in developing countries. International guidelines for management of asthma (GINA) and COPD (GOLD) have been adopted and their cost-effectiveness demonstrated in industrialized countries. As resources are scarce in developing countries, adaptation of these guidelines using only essential drugs is required. It remains for governments to set priorities. To make these choices, a set of criteria have been proposed. It is vital that the results of scientific investigations are presented in these terms to facilitate their use by decision-makers. To respond to this emerging public health problem in developing countries, WHO has developed 2 initiatives: "Practical Approach to Lung Health (PAL)" and the Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD)", and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (The Union) has launched a new initiative to increase affordability of essential asthma drugs for patients in developing countries termed the "Asthma Drug Facility" (ADF), which could facilitate the care of patients living in these parts of the world.

Parasite Carbohydrate Vaccines.

PubMed

Jaurigue, Jonnel A; Seeberger, Peter H

2017-01-01

Vaccination is an efficient means of combating infectious disease burden globally. However, routine vaccines for the world's major human parasitic diseases do not yet exist. Vaccines based on carbohydrate antigens are a viable option for parasite vaccine development, given the proven success of carbohydrate vaccines to combat bacterial infections. We will review the key components of carbohydrate vaccines that have remained largely consistent since their inception, and the success of bacterial carbohydrate vaccines. We will then explore the latest developments for both traditional and non-traditional carbohydrate vaccine approaches for three of the world's major protozoan parasitic diseases-malaria, toxoplasmosis, and leishmaniasis. The traditional prophylactic carbohydrate vaccine strategy is being explored for malaria. However, given that parasite disease biology is complex and often arises from host immune responses to parasite antigens, carbohydrate vaccines against deleterious immune responses in host-parasite interactions are also being explored. In particular, the highly abundant glycosylphosphatidylinositol molecules specific for Plasmodium, Toxoplasma , and Leishmania spp. are considered exploitable antigens for this non-traditional vaccine approach. Discussion will revolve around the application of these protozoan carbohydrate antigens for vaccines currently in preclinical development.

Parasite Carbohydrate Vaccines

PubMed Central

Jaurigue, Jonnel A.; Seeberger, Peter H.

2017-01-01

Vaccination is an efficient means of combating infectious disease burden globally. However, routine vaccines for the world's major human parasitic diseases do not yet exist. Vaccines based on carbohydrate antigens are a viable option for parasite vaccine development, given the proven success of carbohydrate vaccines to combat bacterial infections. We will review the key components of carbohydrate vaccines that have remained largely consistent since their inception, and the success of bacterial carbohydrate vaccines. We will then explore the latest developments for both traditional and non-traditional carbohydrate vaccine approaches for three of the world's major protozoan parasitic diseases—malaria, toxoplasmosis, and leishmaniasis. The traditional prophylactic carbohydrate vaccine strategy is being explored for malaria. However, given that parasite disease biology is complex and often arises from host immune responses to parasite antigens, carbohydrate vaccines against deleterious immune responses in host-parasite interactions are also being explored. In particular, the highly abundant glycosylphosphatidylinositol molecules specific for Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, and Leishmania spp. are considered exploitable antigens for this non-traditional vaccine approach. Discussion will revolve around the application of these protozoan carbohydrate antigens for vaccines currently in preclinical development. PMID:28660174

Technology innovation for infectious diseases in the developing world.

PubMed

So, Anthony D; Ruiz-Esparza, Quentin

2012-10-25

Enabling innovation and access to health technologies remains a key strategy in combating infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, a gulf between paying markets and the endemicity of such diseases has contributed to the dearth of R&D in meeting these public health needs. While the pharmaceutical industry views emerging economies as potential new markets, most of the world's poorest bottom billion now reside in middle-income countries--a fact that has complicated tiered access arrangements. However, product development partnerships--particularly those involving academic institutions and small firms--find commercial opportunities in pursuing even neglected diseases; and a growing pharmaceutical sector in BRICS countries offers hope for an indigenous base of innovation. Such innovation will be shaped by 1) access to building blocks of knowledge; 2) strategic use of intellectual property and innovative financing to meet public health goals; 3) collaborative norms of open innovation; and 4) alternative business models, some with a double bottom line. Facing such resource constraints, LMICs are poised to develop a new, more resource-effective model of innovation that holds exciting promise in meeting the needs of global health.

Immunotherapies in CLL.

PubMed

Park, Jae H; Brentjens, Renier J

2013-01-01

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most frequently diagnosed leukemia in the Western world, yet remains essentially incurable. Although initial chemotherapy response rates are high, patients invariably relapse and subsequently develop resistance to chemotherapy. For the moment, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) remains the only potentially curative treatment for patients with CLL, but it is associated with high rates of treatment-related mortality. Immune-based treatment strategies to augment the cytotoxic potential of T cells offer exciting new treatment options for patients with CLL, and provide a unique and powerful spectrum of tools distinct from traditional chemotherapy. Among the most novel and promising of these approaches are chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based cell therapies that combine advances in genetic engineering and adoptive immunotherapy.

The world, entanglement, and God: Quantum theory and the Christian doctrine of creation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegter-McNelly, Kirk Matthew

The adequacy of classical physics' mechanistic worldview is called into question by an "entanglement" interpretation of quantum nonlocal correlations, which suggests a relational holistic account of physical processes. Albert Einstein rejected the possibility of such behavior, but recent experiments confirm its existence in the world. The concept of entanglement provides an especially fruitful locus for appropriating quantum insights into theological reflection because it bridges two otherwise antithetical interpretations of the theory, the indeterministic "Copenhagen" version developed by Niels Bohr and the deterministic version later discovered by David Bohm. Entanglement also offers an opportunity to explore what Robert Russell has called the method of "mutual interaction," by which theology can play a legitimate heuristic role in scientific research programs even as it responds to scientific discoveries. The concept of entanglement offers rich possibilities for developing a theological program within which to situate an ecological, trinitarian understanding of creation. In particular, a theological appropriation of entanglement can strengthen an ecological approach such as that of Sallie McFague, who argues powerfully for the importance of naturalistic metaphors in crafting a cosmic vision of wholeness but whose use of "organic" metaphors does not entirely eliminate the specter of mechanism. Entanglement can also strengthen a trinitarian approach such as one finds in Wolfhart Pannenberg, whose relational understanding of creation remains mechanistic insofar as it depends primarily on classical rather than quantum field theory. According to the theological approach developed in this dissertation, a trinitarian relational God creates a universe that is entangled with itself and, as a result of the incarnation, also with God. Additionally, this theological perspective leads to the scientific prediction that no complete solution to the quantum measurement problem beyond "decoherence" will be forthcoming. Decoherence accounts for the emergence of real separation at the macroscopic level in a world that remains holistically interconnected at the quantum level, and it does so in a manner that is consonant with an ecological, trinitarian perspective. Three appendices provide: a derivation and discussion of John Bell's inequality, a summary of several key entanglement experiments, and a general time line of related scientific developments.

On the origin of life in the zinc world. 2. Validation of the hypothesis on the photosynthesizing zinc sulfide edifices as cradles of life on Earth.

PubMed

Mulkidjanian, Armen Y; Galperin, Michael Y

2009-08-24

The accompanying article (A.Y. Mulkidjanian, Biology Direct 4:26) puts forward a detailed hypothesis on the role of zinc sulfide (ZnS) in the origin of life on Earth. The hypothesis suggests that life emerged within compartmentalized, photosynthesizing ZnS formations of hydrothermal origin (the Zn world), assembled in sub-aerial settings on the surface of the primeval Earth. If life started within photosynthesizing ZnS compartments, it should have been able to evolve under the conditions of elevated levels of Zn2+ ions, byproducts of the ZnS-mediated photosynthesis. Therefore, the Zn world hypothesis leads to a set of testable predictions regarding the specific roles of Zn2+ ions in modern organisms, particularly in RNA and protein structures related to the procession of RNA and the "evolutionarily old" cellular functions. We checked these predictions using publicly available data and obtained evidence suggesting that the development of the primeval life forms up to the stage of the Last Universal Common Ancestor proceeded in zinc-rich settings. Testing of the hypothesis has revealed the possible supportive role of manganese sulfide in the primeval photosynthesis. In addition, we demonstrate the explanatory power of the Zn world concept by elucidating several points that so far remained without acceptable rationalization. In particular, this concept implies a new scenario for the separation of Bacteria and Archaea and the origin of Eukarya. The ability of the Zn world hypothesis to generate non-trivial veritable predictions and explain previously obscure items gives credence to its key postulate that the development of the first life forms started within zinc-rich formations of hydrothermal origin and was driven by solar UV irradiation. This concept implies that the geochemical conditions conducive to the origin of life may have persisted only as long as the atmospheric CO2 pressure remained above ca. 10 bar. This work envisions the first Earth biotopes as photosynthesizing and habitable areas of porous ZnS and MnS precipitates around primeval hot springs. Further work will be needed to provide details on the life within these communities and to elucidate the primordial (bio)chemical reactions. This article was reviewed by Arcady Mushegian, Eugene Koonin, and Patrick Forterre. For the full reviews, please go to the Reviewers' reports section.

On the origin of life in the Zinc world. 2. Validation of the hypothesis on the photosynthesizing zinc sulfide edifices as cradles of life on Earth

PubMed Central

Mulkidjanian, Armen Y; Galperin, Michael Y

2009-01-01

Background The accompanying article (A.Y. Mulkidjanian, Biology Direct 4:26) puts forward a detailed hypothesis on the role of zinc sulfide (ZnS) in the origin of life on Earth. The hypothesis suggests that life emerged within compartmentalized, photosynthesizing ZnS formations of hydrothermal origin (the Zn world), assembled in sub-aerial settings on the surface of the primeval Earth. Results If life started within photosynthesizing ZnS compartments, it should have been able to evolve under the conditions of elevated levels of Zn2+ ions, byproducts of the ZnS-mediated photosynthesis. Therefore, the Zn world hypothesis leads to a set of testable predictions regarding the specific roles of Zn2+ ions in modern organisms, particularly in RNA and protein structures related to the procession of RNA and the "evolutionarily old" cellular functions. We checked these predictions using publicly available data and obtained evidence suggesting that the development of the primeval life forms up to the stage of the Last Universal Common Ancestor proceeded in zinc-rich settings. Testing of the hypothesis has revealed the possible supportive role of manganese sulfide in the primeval photosynthesis. In addition, we demonstrate the explanatory power of the Zn world concept by elucidating several points that so far remained without acceptable rationalization. In particular, this concept implies a new scenario for the separation of Bacteria and Archaea and the origin of Eukarya. Conclusion The ability of the Zn world hypothesis to generate non-trivial veritable predictions and explain previously obscure items gives credence to its key postulate that the development of the first life forms started within zinc-rich formations of hydrothermal origin and was driven by solar UV irradiation. This concept implies that the geochemical conditions conducive to the origin of life may have persisted only as long as the atmospheric CO2 pressure remained above ca. 10 bar. This work envisions the first Earth biotopes as photosynthesizing and habitable areas of porous ZnS and MnS precipitates around primeval hot springs. Further work will be needed to provide details on the life within these communities and to elucidate the primordial (bio)chemical reactions. Reviewers This article was reviewed by Arcady Mushegian, Eugene Koonin, and Patrick Forterre. For the full reviews, please go to the Reviewers' reports section. PMID:19703275

Advancing a vaccine to prevent human schistosomiasis.

PubMed

Merrifield, Maureen; Hotez, Peter J; Beaumier, Coreen M; Gillespie, Portia; Strych, Ulrich; Hayward, Tara; Bottazzi, Maria Elena

2016-06-03

Several candidate human schistosomiasis vaccines are in different stages of preclinical and clinical development. The major targets are Schistosoma haematobium (urogenitial schistosomiasis) and Schistosoma mansoni (intestinal schistosomiasis) that account for 99% of the world's 252 million cases, with 90% of these cases in Africa. Two recombinant S. mansoni vaccines - Sm-TSP-2 and Sm-14 are in Phase 1 trials, while Smp80 (calpain) is undergoing testing in non-human primates. Sh28GST, also known as Bilhvax is in advanced clinical development for S. haematobium infection. The possibility remains that some of these vaccines may cross-react to target both schistosome species. These vaccines were selected on the basis of their protective immunity in preclinical challenge models, through human immune-epidemiological studies or both. They are being advanced through a combination of academic research institutions, non-profit vaccine product development partnerships, biotechnology companies, and developing country vaccine manufacturers. In addition, new schistosome candidate vaccines are being identified through bioinformatics, OMICs approaches, and moderate throughput screening, although the full potential of reverse vaccinology for schistosomiasis has not yet been realized. The target product profiles of these vaccines vary but many focus on vaccinating children, in some cases following mass treatment with praziquantel, also known as vaccine-linked chemotherapy. Several regulatory pathways have been proposed, some of which rely on World Health Organization prequalification. Copyright © 2016 World Health Organization. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Medical migration and Africa: an unwanted legacy of educational change.

PubMed

Bundred, Peter; Gibbs, Trevor

2007-11-01

The opportunities given for medical staff to travel, work and remain in countries other than that of their domicile or graduation have led to the phenomenon of medical migration. This has been supported by ease of travel, improved technology and a drive to share good examples of medical education through improved communication. Whilst these opportunities create positive advantages to the individuals and countries involved, through the transfer of knowledge and medical management, the situation does not always lead to long term benefits, and clear disadvantages begin to emerge. The gulf between the developed and developing countries becomes pronounced, leading to a general drift of resources away from the areas where they are most needed and subsequent profound effects upon the indigenous population. This paper suggests that it is a responsibility of medical educators throughout the world to recognize this effect and create opportunities whereby the specialty of medical education positively effects medical migration to the benefit of the less fortunate areas of the world.

The "Prince of Medicine": Yūhannā ibn Māsawayh and the foundations of the western pharmaceutical tradition.

PubMed

De Vos, Paula

2013-12-01

This essay examines three medieval pharmaceutical treatises purportedly authored by Yūhannā ibn Māsawayh (anglicized to John Mesue) and traces their immense influence on the development of pharmacy in early modem Europe and the Hispanic world. Despite the importance of these works throughout the early modern period, Mesue is relatively unknown in the history of pharmacy and medicine, and his exact identity remains unclear. This essay argues that "Mesue" was most likely a pseudonym used by an unknown author of the Latin West and that the three works were crafted to meet the demands of the developing "medical marketplace" of late thirteenth-century Europe, where the manuscripts first appeared. At the same time, however, as the Arabic reference of the pseudonym suggests, these treatises were clearly products of the medieval Islamic world, including many innovations that would provide the basis for the theory and practice of pharmacy for centuries and arguably formed part of the artisanal epistemological influence on the Scientific Revolution.

Expanding the Reach of Physics-Engaging Students in Interdisciplinary Research Involving complex, real-world situation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bililign, Solomon

2014-03-01

Physics plays a very important role in most interdisciplinary efforts and can provide a solid foundation for students. Retention of students in STEM areas can be facilitated by enhanced interdisciplinary education and research since students are strongly attracted to research with societal relevance and show increasing enthusiasm about problems that have practical consequences. One such area of research is a collaborative Earth System Science. The Earth System is dynamic and complex. It is comprised of diverse components that interact. By providing students the opportunities to work in interdisciplinary groups on a problem that reflects a complex, real-world situation they can see the linkages between components of the Earth system that encompass climate and all its components (weather precipitation, temperature, etc.) and technology development and deployment of sensors and sensor networks and social impacts. By involving students in the creation of their own personalized professional development plan, students are more focused and engaged and are more likely to remain in the program.

Echocardiographic Screening of Rheumatic Heart Disease in American Samoa.

PubMed

Huang, Jennifer H; Favazza, Michael; Legg, Arthur; Holmes, Kathryn W; Armsby, Laurie; Eliapo-Unutoa, Ipuniuesea; Pilgrim, Thomas; Madriago, Erin J

2018-01-01

While rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a treatable disease nearly eradicated in the United States, it remains the most common form of acquired heart disease in the developing world. This study used echocardiographic screening to determine the prevalence of RHD in children in American Samoa. Screening took place at a subset of local schools. Private schools were recruited and public schools underwent cluster randomization based on population density. We collected survey information and performed a limited physical examination and echocardiogram using the World Heart Federation protocol for consented school children aged 5-18 years old. Of 2200 students from two private high schools and two public primary schools, 1058 subjects consented and were screened. Overall, 133 (12.9%) children were identified as having either definite (3.5%) or borderline (9.4%) RHD. Of the patients with definitive RHD, 28 subjects had abnormal mitral valves with pathologic regurgitation, three mitral stenosis, three abnormal aortic valves with pathologic regurgitation, and seven borderline mitral and aortic valve disease. Of the subjects with borderline disease, 77 had pathologic mitral regurgitation, 12 pathologic aortic regurgitation, and 7 at least two features of mitral valve disease without pathologic regurgitation or stenosis. Rheumatic heart disease remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The prevalence of RHD in American Samoa (12.9%) is to date the highest reported in the world literature. Echocardiographic screening of school children is feasible, while reliance on murmur and Jones criteria is not helpful in identifying children with RHD.

Solving Wakulla Springs underwater mysteries. Using GPS to map Florida's underground caverns

USGS Publications Warehouse

Am, Ende B.

2002-01-01

Located in the Woodville Karst Plain stretching south from Tallahassee to the Gulf of Mexico, Florida's Wakulla Springs is one of the largest and deepest freshwater Springs in the world. It is also a gateway into one of the longest underwater cave system in the United States, a system that remained largely unexplored until recently. Soon, however, thanks to one of the world's most extreme scientific and exploration-related diving projects ever undertaken, visitors to Wakulla Springs State Park will be able to take a virtual tour through the Spring's huge underwater labyrinth. Using such cutting-edge technology as a 3D Digital Wall Mapper (DWM) and the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Wakulla 2 Expedition - with 151 volunteer cave divers, scientists and engineers from all over the world - created the world's first three-dimensional digital map of an underwater cave. Underwater caves are priceless treasures, helping supply fresh water to the region as well as acting as 'time capsules' to the past. Home to creatures found in few other places, areas such as Wakulla face threats of pollution and over-development. Wakulla 2 hopes their 3D interactive 'swim through' will help increase the understanding and preservation of these important areas.

Polio Eradication and Endgame Plan - Victory within Grasp.

PubMed

Patel, Manish; Menning, Lisa; Bhatnagar, Pankaj

2016-08-07

Since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 1988, the number of polio-endemic countries has decreased from 125 to 2 (Afghanistan and Pakistan). To secure the gains and to address the remaining challenges, the GPEI developed the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan, 2013-2018 (the Plan), endorsed by all Member States at the WHA in May 2013. One of the major elements that distinguishes this Plan from previous GPEI strategies is the approach to ending all polioviruses, both wild and vaccine-derived. Overall, the Plan outlines four main objectives: (1) to stop all wild poliovirus (WPV) transmission; (2) to introduce inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), withdraw all oral polio vaccines (OPV), and strengthen immunization systems in countries with weak immunization systems and strong polio infrastructure; (3) to certify all regions as polio-free and safely contain all poliovirus stocks; (4) and to mainstream the investment in polio eradication to benefit other priority public health initiatives for years to come. Implementing the Plan and meeting the milestones in a timely manner will help to ensure that that the world remains permanently polio-free.

The role of the media in influencing public attitudes to penicillin during World War II.

PubMed

Shama, Gilbert

2015-01-01

Penicillin's trajectory towards becoming an effective antibacterial chemotherapeutic agent took place during World War II. Its strategic military value was immediately recognised by the Allies, and mass production was undertaken with the prime objective of meeting the needs of the armed forces. News of its development came to be widely reported on in the media and is examined here. These reports frequently combined accounts of penicillin's prodigious clinical effectiveness with the fact that it was to remain unavailable to the civilian population essentially until the war had ended. More penicillin was to be made available to the civilian population in the United States than in Britain, but the sense that it was severely rationed remained as high. It was in response to this that the idea of "homemade penicillin" was hatched. News of this was also widely promulgated by both the British and American media. Although the numbers treated with penicillin produced in this way was never to be significant, knowledge of the existence of such endeavours may have served to assuage in some measure the feelings of frustration felt by the civilian population at penicillin's non-availability.

Characteristics of gastric cancer in Asia.

PubMed

Rahman, Rubayat; Asombang, Akwi W; Ibdah, Jamal A

2014-04-28

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth most common cancer in the world with more than 70% of cases occur in the developing world. More than 50% of cases occur in Eastern Asia. GC is the second leading cause of cancer death in both sexes worldwide. In Asia, GC is the third most common cancer after breast and lung and is the second most common cause of cancer death after lung cancer. Although the incidence and mortality rates are slowly declining in many countries of Asia, GC still remains a significant public health problem. The incidence and mortality varies according to the geographic area in Asia. These variations are closely related to the prevalence of GC risk factors; especially Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and its molecular virulent characteristics. The gradual and consistent improvements in socioeconomic conditions in Asia have lowered the H. pylori seroprevalence rates leading to a reduction in the GC incidence. However, GC remains a significant public health and an economic burden in Asia. There has been no recent systemic review of GC incidence, mortality, and H. pylori molecular epidemiology in Asia. The aim of this report is to review the GC incidence, mortality, and linkage to H. pylori in Asia.

Characteristics of gastric cancer in Asia

PubMed Central

Rahman, Rubayat; Asombang, Akwi W; Ibdah, Jamal A

2014-01-01

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth most common cancer in the world with more than 70% of cases occur in the developing world. More than 50% of cases occur in Eastern Asia. GC is the second leading cause of cancer death in both sexes worldwide. In Asia, GC is the third most common cancer after breast and lung and is the second most common cause of cancer death after lung cancer. Although the incidence and mortality rates are slowly declining in many countries of Asia, GC still remains a significant public health problem. The incidence and mortality varies according to the geographic area in Asia. These variations are closely related to the prevalence of GC risk factors; especially Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and its molecular virulent characteristics. The gradual and consistent improvements in socioeconomic conditions in Asia have lowered the H. pylori seroprevalence rates leading to a reduction in the GC incidence. However, GC remains a significant public health and an economic burden in Asia. There has been no recent systemic review of GC incidence, mortality, and H. pylori molecular epidemiology in Asia. The aim of this report is to review the GC incidence, mortality, and linkage to H. pylori in Asia. PMID:24782601

Mental health policies in South-East Asia and the public health role of screening instruments for depression.

PubMed

Sharan, Pratap; Sagar, Rajesh; Kumar, Saurabh

2017-04-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region, which contributes one quarter of the world's population, has a significant burden due to mental illnesses. Mental health has been a low priority in most countries of the region. Although most of these countries have national mental health policies, implementation at ground level remains a huge challenge. Many countries in the region lack mental health legislation that can safeguard the rights of people with mental illnesses, and governments have allocated low budgets for mental health services. It is imperative that concerned authorities work towards scaling up both financial and human resources for effective delivery of mental health services. Policymakers should facilitate training in the field of mental health and aim towards integrating mental health services with primary health care, to reduce the treatment gap. Steps should also be taken to develop a robust mental health information system that can provide baseline information and insight about existing mental health services and help in prioritization of the mental health needs of the individual countries. Although evidence-based management protocols such as the WHO Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) guidelines facilitate training and scaling up of care in resource-limited countries, the identification of mental disorders like depression in such settings remains a challenge. Development and validation of brief psychiatric screening instruments should be prioritized to support such models of care. This paper illustrates an approach towards the development of a new culturally adapted instrument to identify depression that has scope for wider use in the WHO South-East Asia Region.

A Model of the Domestic Commercial Satellite Industry: A Different Perspective.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

question that one must ask is, what will be the tradeoffs? In a book written years ago, George Orwell prophesized three fateful developments in our...out of the dark ages of relative community isolation, to a world where integration of values and cultures from all 40 corners of the earth would soon...satellite’ at the correct distance from the earth would make one revolution every 24 hours: i.e., it would remain stationary above the same spot and would

Writing on Pigments in Natural History and Art Technology in Sixteenth-Century Germany and Switzerland.

PubMed

Oltrogge, Doris

2015-01-01

Renaissance painters used a number of inorganic color materials. The development of mineralogy as a discipline opened a new discourse on mineral pigments. Agricola and other naturalists were familiar with the contemporary writings on art technology, but their focus was different. Therefore, the exchange of knowledge between these two color worlds remained selective. One possible meeting point was the Kunstkammer where the study of natural objects and materials was combined with an interest in the manual execution of a painting.

Counselling for HIV infection and AIDS: the past and the future.

PubMed

Green, J

1989-01-01

The history of counselling in HIV infection and AIDS is reviewed and the stages in the development of the area are set out. The way in which the area has developed in the West is related to local circumstances and the need for the development of models suited to local circumstances elsewhere in the world is stressed. There are many areas of of HIV/AIDS counselling where considerable uncertainty about the right approach remains, for instance with injecting drug users and with HIV-infected pregnant women. There is a great and largely unmet need for further research in the area and some of the questions which need to be addressed are set out.

Unmet clinical needs in cervical cancer screening.

PubMed

Rao, Jianyu; Escobar-Hoyos, Luisa; Shroyer, Kenneth R

2016-01-01

Cancer rates worldwide are expected to increase disproportionally in coming decades relative to the projected increase in population, especially in the developing world. The general unavailability of the Pap test and the cost of the HPV test in the developing world have precluded the deployment of effective cervical cancer screening programs in many developing countries. Recent improvements in testing technology arise from a need to overcome the significant limitations of the Pap test and HPV test, but results require first-world technology and validation. Developing countries, where cervical cancer remains one of the most important causes of cancer death, have the greatest need for an affordable, easy-to-use, and highly reliable cancer screening method that can return a diagnosis through efficient laboratory analysis or, more easily, at a woman's point of care. While research, testing, and vaccine improvements in recent years continue to lower the incidence of cervical cancer in some developed countries such as the U.S., HPV testing research needs to do more than test for the presence of virus. The tests must determine the presence and progression of cervical disease. Tests should be more sensitive and specific than Pap tests and Pap-related tests, and should be accurate in more than 90 percent of cases. Tests also need to be low-cost, objective, and easy to perform so screening programs can be widely implemented in developing countries where the need for a better cervical cancer screening test is highest. Such tests may be available through the recent advances in specific biomarkers of cervical cancer and multiplex detection technologies. Development of the next generation of cervical cancer tests that are more specific, sensitive, and informative than the traditional Pap or HPV test will make a significant impact on the reduction of cervical cancer worldwide.

Laos: development against all the odds.

PubMed

1979-10-01

Laos, with a $90 per capita income, is one of the world's poorest 15 countries. In Asia, only Bhutan is poorer. The French, when they departed, left no infrastructure for development, and the Americans, during the Vietnam war, desolated most of the area known as the Plain of Jars by bombing. At present, 750,000 persons out of a total population of 3.3 million are officially termed "displaced." Nevertheless, the Pathet Lao government, with financial aid from the World Bank and from Sweden, has initiated development policies which are beginning to have some effect. Rice production is the first priority because last year the government had to buy 120,000 tons on the open market with precious foreign currency. Irrigation schemes are being vigorously promoted, and one of them is maintained by the American Friends Service. Literacy is another priority; Lao is the official language. The absence of good roads, however, continues to hamper communications, there is a shortage of transport, no railways, and large areas of arable land still remain unusable. The country is rich in mineral resources and forest products, especially teak, but much of the present development is confined to the area immediately around the capital, Vientiane.

Examining the ecological validity of the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire.

PubMed

Martindale, Russell J J; Collins, Dave; Douglas, Carl; Whike, Ally

2013-01-01

It is clear that high class expertise and effective practice exists within many talent development environments across the world. However, there is also a general consensus that widespread evidence-based policy and practice is lacking. As such, it is crucial to develop solutions which can facilitate effective dissemination of knowledge and promotion of evidence-based talent development systems. While the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (Martindale et al., 2010 ) provides a method through which this could be facilitated, its ecological validity has remained untested. As such, this study aimed to investigate the real world applicability of the questionnaire through discriminant function analysis. Athletes across ten distinct regional squads and academies were identified and separated into two broad levels, 'higher quality' (n = 48) and 'lower quality' (n = 51) environments, based on their process quality and productivity. Results revealed that the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire was able to discriminate with 77.8% accuracy. Furthermore, in addition to the questionnaire as a whole, two individual features, 'quality preparation' (P < 0.01) and 'understanding the athlete' (P < 0.01), were found to be significant discriminators. In conclusion, the results indicate robust structural properties and sound ecological validity, allowing the questionnaire to be used with more confidence in applied and research settings.

Fertility choices vital in raising status of women.

PubMed

1992-01-01

A new report by the Population Institute stresses that women's status, particularly in the developing world, will only improve when women are able to make their own reproductive choices. Entitled "Half the Sky?: Women and Development," the report examines the connection between rapid population growth and the status of women. The report emphasizes the disparity between women's work contribution and their health and socioeconomic standing: while women perform 2/3 of the world's work, they earn only 1/10 of its income; in 36 of the least developed countries, 68% of the women are illiterate; and 1 woman dies every minute due to pregnancy and childbirth complications. Even at an early age, girls begin at a disadvantage. Son preference remains common in many developing nations. Boys often receive better nutrition at the expense of girls, as is the case in Bangladesh, where boys under 5 years of age get 16% more food than girls. Malnourishment at an early age increases the women's health risk during pregnancy and childbirth. As girls grow up, they face the prospects of an early marriage, which stunts their educational attainment. Illiteracy, in turn, undermines her use of contraception and the viability of her children. Although illiteracy levels have declined over the past 2 decades, the proportion of illiteracy between males and females in the developing world continues to grow. While 27.9% of men are illiterate, the rate is 48.9% for women. Reproductive choice, the report maintains, enables a woman to pursue education, to advance economically, and to become politically involved.

Eradication of tetanus.

PubMed

Thwaites, C L; Loan, H T

2015-01-01

The causative agent of tetanus, Clostridium tetani is widespread in the environment throughout the world and cannot be eradicated. To reduce the number of cases of tetanus efforts are focussed on prevention using vaccination and post-exposure wound care. Medline, Pubmed and Cochrane databases; World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund publications. The maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination initiative has resulted in significant reductions in mortality from neonatal tetanus throughout the world. Although there are few data available it is likely that large numbers of children and adults, particularly men, remain unprotected due to lack of booster immunization. It remains unclear how HIV and malaria affect both responses to vaccination and transplacental transfer of antibodies or how this might affect timing of vaccination doses. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

How World War 1 changed global attitudes to war and infectious diseases.

PubMed

Shanks, G Dennis

2014-11-08

World War 1 was a key transition point towards scientific medicine. Medical officers incorporated Louis Pasteur's discoveries into their understanding of microorganisms as the cause of infectious diseases, which were therefore susceptible to rational control and treatment measures even in the pre-antibiotic era. Typhoid vaccination led to the successful evasion of the disastrous epidemics of previous wars. The incidence of tetanus was probably decreased by giving millions of doses of horse antitoxin to wounded soldiers. Quinine treated but could not control malaria; its use required mass compulsion. Tuberculosis was not a great military problem during World War 1, although mortality in civilian populations increased substantially. Treatment of sexually transmitted infections remained a matter of aversive conditioning, with invasive antiseptics used in the absence of antibiotics. Pandemic influenza in 1918-19 killed more people than died during the entire war, showing how much remained beyond the capability of the scientists and doctors who fought infectious diseases during World War 1. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

World Spatiotemporal Analytics and Mapping Project (wstamp): Discovering, Exploring, and Mapping Spatiotemporal Patterns across the World's Largest Open Soruce Data Sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, R.; Piburn, J.; Sorokine, A.; Myers, A.; Moehl, J.; White, D.

2015-07-01

The application of spatiotemporal (ST) analytics to integrated data from major sources such as the World Bank, United Nations, and dozens of others holds tremendous potential for shedding new light on the evolution of cultural, health, economic, and geopolitical landscapes on a global level. Realizing this potential first requires an ST data model that addresses challenges in properly merging data from multiple authors, with evolving ontological perspectives, semantical differences, and changing attributes, as well as content that is textual, numeric, categorical, and hierarchical. Equally challenging is the development of analytical and visualization approaches that provide a serious exploration of this integrated data while remaining accessible to practitioners with varied backgrounds. The WSTAMP project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has yielded two major results in addressing these challenges: 1) development of the WSTAMP database, a significant advance in ST data modeling that integrates 10,000+ attributes covering over 200 nation states spanning over 50 years from over 30 major sources and 2) a novel online ST exploratory and analysis tool providing an array of modern statistical and visualization techniques for analyzing these data temporally, spatially, and spatiotemporally under a standard analytic workflow. We discuss the status of this work and report on major findings.

Air Quality in Megacities: Lessons Learned from Mexico City Field Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molina, L. T.

2014-12-01

More than half of the world's population now lives in urban areas because of the opportunities for better jobs, access to city services, cultural and educational activities, and a desire for more stimulating human interaction. At the same time, many of these urban centers are expanding rapidly, giving rise to the phenomenon of megacities. In recent decades air pollution has become not only one of the most important environmental problems of megacities, but also presents serious consequences to human health and ecosystems and economic costs to society. Although the progress to date in combating air pollution problems in developed and some developing world megacities has been impressive, many challenges remain including the need to improve air quality while simultaneously mitigating climate change. This talk will present the results and the lessons learned from field measurements conducted in Mexico City Metropolitan Area - one of the world's largest megacities - over the past decade. While each city has its own unique circumstances, the need for an integrated assessment approach in addressing complex environmental problems is the same. There is no single strategy in solving air pollution problems in megacities; a mix of policy measures based on sound scientific findings will be necessary to improve air quality, protect public health, and mitigate climate change.

Epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections in global indigenous populations: data availability and gaps.

PubMed

Minichiello, Victor; Rahman, Saifur; Hussain, Rafat

2013-10-01

Socioeconomic and health disadvantage is widespread within and across indigenous communities in the world, leading to differentials in morbidity and mortality between indigenous and non-indigenous populations. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV/AIDS, among indigenous populations are an emerging public health concern. The focus of this paper is on examining the STI epidemiology in indigenous communities in various parts of the world utilizing a range of data sources. Most of the STI research on global indigenous communities has concentrated on developed countries, neglecting more than half the world's indigenous people in the developing countries. This has resulted in major gaps in data at global level for STIs and HIV/AIDS among indigenous populations. Available data show that the prevalence of STIs is increasing among the indigenous communities and in several instances, the rates of these infections are higher than among non-indigenous populations. However, HIV still remains low when compared with the rates of other STIs. The paper argues that there is an urgent need to collect more comprehensive and reliable data at the global level across various indigenous communities. There is also an opportunity to reverse current trends in STIs through innovative, evidence-based and culturally appropriate targeted sexual health programmes.

Feeding a Dragon: Ramifications of Overreacting to China’s Relative Rise

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

remain humble by how much I still must learn in this complex world , but am confident SAASS prepared me well for the endeavor. Regarding this...Of even greater significance, economic collapse could lead to a modified world order. Can American economic overextension in the short term...economic realities and assumed risk to other missions. Chinese Perspective The progress toward economic globalization and a multi-polar world is

Making Math Real: Effective Qualities of Guest Speaker Presentations and the Impact of Speakers on Student Attitude and Achievement in the Algebra Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKain, Danielle R.

2012-01-01

The term real world is often used in mathematics education, yet the definition of real-world problems and how to incorporate them in the classroom remains ambiguous. One way real-world connections can be made is through guest speakers. Guest speakers can offer different perspectives and share knowledge about various subject areas, yet the impact…

Recent advances in our understanding of human host responses to tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Schluger, Neil W

2001-01-01

Tuberculosis remains one of the world's greatest public health challenges: 2 billion persons have latent infection, 8 million people develop active tuberculosis annually, and 2–3 million die. Recently, significant advances in our understanding of the human immune response against tuberculosis have occurred. The present review focuses on recent work in macrophage and T-cell biology that sheds light on the human immune response to tuberculosis. The role of key cytokines such as interferon-γ is discussed, as is the role of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in immune regulation in tuberculosis, particularly with regard to implications for vaccine development and evaluation. PMID:11686880

The long history of hematoxylin.

PubMed

Titford, M

2005-01-01

Hematoxylin is a naturally occurring chemical used as the basis of a dye in laboratories throughout the world to stain nuclei in microscope slide preparations. This chemical is extracted from the logwood tree Hematoxylon campechianum and was discovered by Spanish explorers to the Yucatan in 1502. A vigorous trade soon developed related to growing and preparing hematoxylin for use in dyeing fabrics in Europe. In the mid 1800s, amateur microscopists first used hematoxylin to stain cellular components. Later scientists developed a wide range of techniques to demonstrate different cellular components. Hematoxylin remains the most popular nuclear stain in histology. This paper briefly describes the history of hematoxylin production and use in histology.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories Perspective on Code Development and High Performance Computing Resources in Support of the National HED/ICF Effort

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

Clouse, C. J.; Edwards, M. J.; McCoy, M. G.

2015-07-07

Through its Advanced Scientific Computing (ASC) and Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) code development efforts, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) provides a world leading numerical simulation capability for the National HED/ICF program in support of the Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP). In addition the ASC effort provides high performance computing platform capabilities upon which these codes are run. LLNL remains committed to, and will work with, the national HED/ICF program community to help insure numerical simulation needs are met and to make those capabilities available, consistent with programmatic priorities and available resources.

Antiviral therapeutics for the treatment of Ebola virus infection.

PubMed

Cardile, Anthony P; Downey, Lydia G; Wiseman, Perry D; Warren, Travis K; Bavari, Sina

2016-10-01

There have been significant developments in Ebola virus therapeutics. While the efficacy of several products was evaluated in the recent West Africa outbreak, a licensed treatment for EBOV disease remains elusive. Factors that negatively impacted the execution of clinical trials included an overall lack of world readiness to conduct clinical trials in an outbreak setting, ethical concerns limiting implementation of the randomized controlled trials in an outbreak setting, and a decline in case numbers by the time resources were mobilized to conduct clinical trials. We summarize relevant therapeutics that underwent clinical trials during the West Africa outbreak and highlight promising candidates under advanced development. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Animal Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretto, Johnny; Chauffert, Bruno; Bouyer, Florence

The development of a new anticancer drug is a long, complex and multistep process which is supervised by regulatory authorities from the different countries all around the world [1]. Application of a new drug for admission to the market is supported by preclinical and clinical data, both including the determination of pharmacodynamics, toxicity, antitumour activity, therapeutic index, etc. As preclinical studies are associated with high cost, optimization of animal experiments is crucial for the overall development of a new anticancer agent. Moreover, in vivo efficacy studies remain a determinant panel for advancement of agents to human trials and thus, require cautious design and interpretation from experimental and ethical point of views.

WHO consultation on Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine Development Report from a World Health Organization Meeting held on 23-24 March 2015.

PubMed

Modjarrad, Kayvon; Giersing, Birgitte; Kaslow, David C; Smith, Peter G; Moorthy, Vasee S

2016-01-04

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a globally prevalent cause of lower respiratory infection in neonates and infants. Despite its disease burden, a safe and effective RSV vaccine has remained elusive. In recent years, improved understanding of RSV biology and innovations in immunogen design has resulted in the advancement of multiple vaccine candidates into the clinical development pipeline. Given the growing number of vaccines in clinical trials, the rapid pace at which they are being tested, and the likelihood that an RSV vaccine will reach the commercial market in the next 5-10 years, consensus and guidance on clinical development pathways and licensure routes are needed now, before large-scale efficacy trials commence. In pursuit of this aim, the World Health Organization convened the first RSV vaccine consultation in 15 years on the 23rd and 24th of March, 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting's primary objective was to provide guidance on clinical endpoints and development pathways for vaccine trials with a focus on considerations of low- and middle-income countries. Meeting participants reached consensus on candidate case definitions for RSV disease, considerations for clinical efficacy endpoints, and the clinical development pathway for active and passive immunization trials in maternal and pediatric populations. The strategic focus of this meeting was on the development of high quality, safe and efficacious RSV preventive interventions for global use and included: (1) maternal/passive immunization to prevent RSV disease in infants less than 6 months; (2) pediatric immunization to prevent RSV disease in infants and young children once protection afforded by maternal immunization wanes. Copyright © 2015 World Health Organization; licensee Elsevier. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

How Uganda Reversed Its HIV Epidemic

PubMed Central

Okware, Sam; Naamara, Warren; Sutherland, Don; Flanagan, Donna; Carael, Michel; Blas, Erik; Delay, Paul; Tarantola, Daniel

2006-01-01

Uganda is one of only two countries in the world that has successfully reversed the course of its HIV epidemic. There remains much controversy about how Uganda's HIV prevalence declined in the 1990s. This article describes the prevention programs and activities that were implemented in Uganda during critical years in its HIV epidemic, 1987 to 1994. Multiple resources were aggregated to fuel HV prevention campaigns at multiple levels to a far greater degree than in neighboring countries. We conclude that the reversed direction of the HIV epidemic in Uganda was the direct result of these interventions and that other countries in the developing world could similarly prevent or reverse the escalation of HIV epidemics with greater availability of HIV prevention resources, and well designed programs that take efforts to a critical breadth and depth of effort. PMID:16858635

The Impact of Globalization on African Conflicts

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

There is no region of this world that not experienced wars, but while many parts of the world have moved towards greater political and economic ... stability and co-operation, sub-Saharan Africa remains a cauldron of instability and economic deprivation. Globalization, which in simple terms means a

DNA Identification of Skeletal Remains from World War II Mass Graves Uncovered in Slovenia

PubMed Central

Marjanović, Damir; Durmić-Pašić, Adaleta; Bakal, Narcisa; Haverić, Sanin; Kalamujić, Belma; Kovačević, Lejla; Ramić, Jasmin; Pojskić, Naris; Škaro, Vedrana; Projić, Petar; Bajrović, Kasim; Hadžiselimović, Rifat; Drobnič, Katja; Huffine, Ed; Davoren, Jon; Primorac, Dragan

2007-01-01

Aim To present the joint effort of three institutions in the identification of human remains from the World War II found in two mass graves in the area of Škofja Loka, Slovenia. Methods The remains of 27 individuals were found in two small and closely located mass graves. The DNA was isolated from bone and teeth samples using either standard phenol/chloroform alcohol extraction or optimized Qiagen DNA extraction procedure. Some recovered samples required the employment of additional DNA purification methods, such as N-buthanol treatment. QuantifilerTM Human DNA Quantification Kit was used for DNA quantification. PowerPlex 16 kit was used to simultaneously amplify 15 short tandem repeat (STR) loci. Matching probabilities were estimated using the DNA View program. Results Out of all processed samples, 15 remains were fully profiled at all 15 STR loci. The other 12 profiles were partial. The least successful profile included 13 loci. Also, 69 referent samples (buccal swabs) from potential living relatives were collected and profiled. Comparison of victims' profile against referent samples database resulted in 4 strong matches. In addition, 5 other profiles were matched to certain referent samples with lower probability. Conclusion Our results show that more than 6 decades after the end of the World War II, DNA analysis may significantly contribute to the identification of the remains from that period. Additional analysis of Y-STRs and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers will be performed in the second phase of the identification project. PMID:17696306

[Report of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) international course and Cameroon Neurosurgery Society Congress (CNS) Yaoundé (Cameroon), 1st--4th October 2007].

PubMed

Eyenga, V C; Ndoumbe, A; Eloundou, N J

2008-04-01

Neurosurgery remains a very marginal activity in sub-Saharan Africa. In this part of the world which counts nearly 40 countries, some do not have a single neurosurgeon, some have one to five, the number of ten neurosurgeons per country remaining an exception! In its concern of popularizing and of developing neurosurgery worldwide, the WFNS organized an international course in Africa, October 2007 2nd-3rd in Yaoundé (Cameroon). The Cameroon Neurosurgery Society (CNS) took this opportunity to organize its very first congress in the presence of the WFNS delegation from October 1st to 4th, 2007. The joint meeting with the WFNS was baptized the "African Week of Neurosurgery". This special event was a first in sub-Saharan Africa. The delegation of the WFNS, led by Professor J. Brotchi (Belgium) President of the WFNS, was made up of Professors A. Sousa (Brazil), Mr. Choux (France), N. Tribolet (Swiss), M. Arraez (Spain), A. Bricolo (Italy), A. Kamlichi (Morocco), G. Dechambenoit (France), K. Kalangu (Zimbabwe). Twenty three neurosurgeons coming from nine African countries (Cameroon, Nigeria, Gabon, Congo, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Guinea) took an active part in work. The scientific success of this event led to the creation of the "Association of Neurological Surgeons of Africa (ANSA)" which will be the WFNS-Africa interface in order to insure the development of neurosurgery in Africa.

Manifestations and management of lymphogranuloma venereum.

PubMed

White, John A

2009-02-01

This review was prompted by a sustained outbreak of lymphogranuloma venereum that has been observed among men who have sex with men (MSM) worldwide since 2004. Recent developments in the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of the infection are summarized. Between the early 1980s and 2003, lymphogranuloma venereum was rarely seen in the developed world. In 2003, a cluster of cases was seen in the Netherlands occurring mostly in HIV-positive MSM with high levels of sexual risk. With the assistance of novel molecular diagnostic techniques, more than a thousand cases of Chlamydia trachomatis L2 serovar disease have now been reported in MSM worldwide. Almost all have presented with rectal infection, usually manifesting as severe proctitis, with ulcer adenopathy syndrome seldom seen. Oral doxycycline remains the recommended treatment and has proven effective in the recent outbreak. Conflicting data exist regarding the prevalence of asymptomatic infection, and our understanding of the exact modes of transmission remains incomplete. Lymphogranuloma venereum appears to have reestablished endemicity among MSM populations in many industrialized nations. In the relative absence of recent publications from its traditional endemic regions it can be assumed that these populations remain afflicted by the infection as well.

Yellow Fever Remains a Potential Threat to Public Health.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, Pedro F C; Monath, Thomas P

2016-08-01

Yellow fever (YF) remains a serious public health threat in endemic countries. The recent re-emergence in Africa, initiating in Angola and spreading to Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, with imported cases in China and Kenya is of concern. There is such a shortage of YF vaccine in the world that the World Health Organization has proposed the use of reduced doses (1/5) during emergencies. In this short communication, we discuss these and other problems including the risk of spread of YF to areas free of YF for decades or never before affected by this arbovirus disease.

Global pharmaceutical regulation: the challenge of integration for developing states.

PubMed

Pezzola, Anthony; Sweet, Cassandra M

2016-12-20

This paper has set out to map the state of pharmaceutical regulation in the developing world through the construction of cross-national indices drawing from World Health Organization data. The last two decades have been characterized by deep changes for the pharmaceutical sector, including the complete transformation of intellectual property systems at the behest of the World Trade Organization and the consolidation of global active ingredient suppliers in China and India. Although the rules for ownership of medicine have been set and globally implemented, we know surprisingly little about how the standards for market entrance and regulation of pharmaceutical products have changed at the national level. How standardized are national pharmaceutical market systems? Do we find homogeneity or variation across the developing world? Are their patterns for understanding why some countries have moved closer to one global norm for pharmaceutical regulation and others have developed hybrid models for oversight of this sector? Access to medicine is a core tool in public health. This paper gauges the levels of standards in public and private generics markets for developing countries building on national-level pharmaceutical market surveys for 78 countries to offer three indicators of market oversight: State Regulatory Infrastructure, Monitoring the Private Market and Public Quality Control. Identifying the different variables that affect a state's institutional capacity and current standard level offers new insights to the state of pharmaceuticals in the developing world. It is notable that there are very few (none at the time of this paper) studies that map out the new global terrain for pharmaceutical regulation in the post-TRIPS context. This paper uses item response theory to develop original indicators of pharmaceutical regulation. We find remarkable resistance to the implementation of global pharmaceutical norms for quality standards in developing states and in regulatory infrastructure. Human capacity across many developing countries remains limited. Most notably, variation among states is stark. Countries that have been leaders in establishing global norms do not appear to have influenced their neighbors in establishing regional patterns. Finally, in contrast to traditional theories of international norms diffusion, global standard-setters such as the United States or European Union appear to have surprisingly little influence on standard setting across our survey. Our research has implications for the framing of technical support on public health initiatives aimed at strengthening local public institutions in medicine and offers a new methodological approach for analyzing drug regulation systems in developing countries.

Developments in rabies vaccines.

PubMed

Hicks, D J; Fooks, A R; Johnson, N

2012-09-01

The development of vaccines that prevent rabies has a long and distinguished history, with the earliest preceding modern understanding of viruses and the mechanisms of immune protection against disease. The correct application of inactivated tissue culture-derived vaccines is highly effective at preventing the development of rabies, and very few failures are recorded. Furthermore, oral and parenteral vaccination is possible for wildlife, companion animals and livestock, again using inactivated tissue culture-derived virus. However, rabies remains endemic in many regions of the world and causes thousands of human deaths annually. There also remain no means of prophylaxis for rabies once the virus enters the central nervous system (CNS). One reason for this is the poor immune response within the CNS to infection with rabies virus (RABV). New approaches to vaccination using modified rabies viruses that express components of the innate immune system are being applied to this problem. Preliminary reports suggest that direct inoculation of such viruses could trigger an effective anti-viral response and prevent a fatal outcome from RABV infection. © 2012 Crown copyright. Clinical and Experimental Immunology © 2012 British Society for Immunology.

Le monde des tout petits est-il influence par notre monde moderne? (Is the World of Children influenced by our Modern World?)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duparc, Germaine

1971-01-01

Although the modern child is up to the minute" in his language, interests, and memory for technological details, in many essential respects his vision has remained unchanged from that of children of previous generations. (Editor)

Beyond Stewardship: Common World Pedagogies for the Anthropocene

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Affrica

2017-01-01

Interdisciplinary Anthropocene debates are prompting calls for a paradigm shift in thinking about what it means to be human and about our place and agency in the world. Within environmental education, sustainability remains centre stage and oddly disconnected from these Anthropocene debates. Framed by humanist principles, most sustainability…

Navigating Social Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamblin, DeAnna; Bartlett, Marilyn J.

2013-01-01

The authors note that when it comes to balancing free speech and schools' responsibilities, the online world is largely uncharted waters. Questions remain about the rights of both students and teachers in the world of social media. Although the lower courts have ruled that students' freedom of speech rights offer them some protection for…

Integrated care as a means to improve primary care delivery for adults and adolescents in the developing world: a critical analysis of Integrated Management of Adolescent and Adult Illness (IMAI).

PubMed

Vasan, Ashwin; Ellner, Andrew; Lawn, Stephen D; Gove, Sandy; Anatole, Manzi; Gupta, Neil; Drobac, Peter; Nicholson, Tom; Seung, Kwonjune; Mabey, David C; Farmer, Paul E

2014-01-14

More than three decades after the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata enshrined the goal of 'health for all', high-quality primary care services remain undelivered to the great majority of the world's poor. This failure to effectively reach the most vulnerable populations has been, in part, a failure to develop and implement appropriate and effective primary care delivery models. This paper examines a root cause of these failures, namely that the inability to achieve clear and practical consensus around the scope and aims of primary care may be contributing to ongoing operational inertia. The present work also examines integrated models of care as a strategy to move beyond conceptual dissonance in primary care and toward implementation. Finally, this paper examines the strengths and weaknesses of a particular model, the World Health Organization's Integrated Management of Adolescent and Adult Illness (IMAI), and its potential as a guidepost toward improving the quality of primary care delivery in poor settings. Integration and integrated care may be an important approach in establishing a new paradigm of primary care delivery, though overall, current evidence is mixed. However, a number of successful specific examples illustrate the potential for clinical and service integration to positively impact patient care in primary care settings. One example deserving of further examination is the IMAI, developed by the World Health Organization as an operational model that integrates discrete vertical interventions into a comprehensive delivery system encompassing triage and screening, basic acute and chronic disease care, basic prevention and treatment services, and follow-up and referral guidelines. IMAI is an integrated model delivered at a single point-of-care using a standard approach to each patient based on the universal patient history and physical examination. The evidence base on IMAI is currently weak, but whether or not IMAI itself ultimately proves useful in advancing primary care delivery, it is these principles that should serve as the basis for developing a standard of integrated primary care delivery for adults and adolescents that can serve as the foundation for ongoing quality improvement. As integrated primary care is the standard of care in the developed world, so too must we move toward implementing integrated models of primary care delivery in poorer settings. Models such as IMAI are an important first step in this evolution. A robust and sustained commitment to innovation, research and quality improvement will be required if integrated primary care delivery is to become a reality in developing world.

Military Technical Revolution: A Structural Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

new world situation and draw conclusions about the military forces the United States will need in the years ahead to meet its demands and challenges...collectivization of peacetime military operations. In this new world , the United States will need to rethink the nature and scope of its national interests. Those...mission will also require defense of international sea- lanes and Middle East oil, both of which remain vital to the world and U ’. S . economies. Third

Is the Stryker Brigade Combat Team Still Relevant

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

brigade anywhere in the world within ninety-six hours. To accomplish this would require all of the brigade’s vehicles to be transportable by C-130...planners realized that some of these goals, such as the entire brigade deploying anywhere in the world in ninety-six hours, were impossible with the...would remain globally engaged and maintain its status as a world leader, advocating democratic principles, free markets, and human rights. The

Surveillance Systems for Waterborne Cryptosporidium: US EPA method 1523 and Beyond

EPA Science Inventory

Waterborne cryptosporidiosis remains a significant public health concern in countries around the world. Many species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium contaminate drinking water sources, but C. parvum and C. hominis remain the two predominant species known to cause waterborne dis...

Disability and global development.

PubMed

Durocher, Joan; Lord, Janet; Defranco, Allison

2012-07-01

The United States invests billions of taxpayer dollars each year into foreign assistance programs that foster international diplomacy and development directed toward improving the quality of life for people around the world. These programs develop economies and combat poverty, promote democracy and governance, build new infrastructure, advance and protect human rights, among other development goals. The United States cannot effectively accomplish the goals of foreign assistance programs unless it undertakes measures to ensure that the programs are accessible to and inclusive of people with disabilities. The United States has been a leader in advancing the rights of people with disabilities and must continue to promote disability rights through its international development work. Overseas economic development will not be successful unless people with disabilities are included. Because of the significant number of people with disabilities in developing countries, if they are not included, the very economic growth the United States is trying to foster will be hindered. The goals of democracy and governance programs cannot be achieved without the inclusion of people with disabilities. In many countries, domestic law contains blatant discriminatory provisions for people with disabilities that undermine access to justice and full participation in society. The provisions that discriminate against people with disabilities include arbitrary exclusions in electoral codes, sweeping plenary guardianship laws with no due-process protections, discriminatory banking practices, and inaccessible court proceedings. National disability legal frameworks remain underdeveloped throughout the world. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Environmental Exposures and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Wu, Hui-Chen

2013-01-01

Infection with hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C virus is a well-established risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is now clear that certain occupational, environmental, and lifestyle factors also play a role in cancer development. Among these factors are smoking, alcohol consumption, workplace exposure to vinyl chloride, and exposure to polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons and aflatoxins. There is also evidence that several other chemical and infectious agents have a role in inducing HCC in humans. Epidemiologic studies and the use of biomarkers have provided essential data to demonstrate the importance of some of these factors in human risk, while animal studies have suggested that other chemicals may also play a role. Although immunization against hepatitis B virus infection remains the primary method of preventing HCC in regions of the world where this virus is a primary etiologic agent, there is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C virus. Thus, limiting exposure to other known risk factors remains an important mechanism in preventing HCC. PMID:26357611

Anammox-based technologies for nitrogen removal: Advances in process start-up and remaining issues.

PubMed

Ali, Muhammad; Okabe, Satoshi

2015-12-01

Nitrogen removal from wastewater via anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox)-based process has been recognized as efficient, cost-effective and low energy alternative to the conventional nitrification and denitrification processes. To date, more than one hundred full-scale anammox plants have been installed and operated for treatment of NH4(+)-rich wastewater streams around the world, and the number is increasing rapidly. Since the discovery of anammox process, extensive researches have been done to develop various anammox-based technologies. However, there are still some challenges in practical application of anammox-based treatment process at full-scale, e.g., longer start-up period, limited application to mainstream municipal wastewater and poor effluent water quality. This paper aimed to summarize recent status of application of anammox process and researches on technological development for solving these remaining problems. In addition, an integrated system of anammox-based process and microbial fuel cell is proposed for sustainable and energy-positive wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pregnancy and pulmonary hypertension: a practical approach to management

PubMed Central

Condliffe, Robin; Wilson, Vicki J; Gandhi, Suarabh V; Elliot, Charlie A

2013-01-01

Pulmonary hypertension remains a major cause of cardiac maternal death in the developed world. Over the last two decades, effective therapies for pulmonary hypertension have been developed, improving symptoms and survival. Consequently, increasing numbers of women with pulmonary hypertension and childbearing potential exist, with a number considering pregnancy. Patients with pulmonary hypertension may also present for the first time during pregnancy or shortly following delivery. The last decade has seen increasing reports of women with pulmonary hypertension surviving pregnancy using a variety of approaches but there is still a significant maternal mortality at between 12% and 33%. Current recommendations counsel that patients with known pulmonary hypertension should be strongly advised to avoid pregnancy with the provision of clear contraceptive advice and termination of pregnancy should be considered in its eventuality. In patients who are fully informed and who have been counselled regarding the risks of continuing with pregnancy, there is growing evidence that a multi-professional approach with expert care in pulmonary hypertension centres may improve outlook, although the mortality remains high. PMID:27656247

Introduction to the Special Issue on Sounding Rockets and Instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christe, Steven; Zeiger, Ben; Pfaff, Rob; Garcia, Michael

2016-03-01

Rocket technology, originally developed for military applications, has provided a low-cost observing platform to carry critical and rapid-response scientific investigations for over 70 years. Even with the development of launch vehicles that could put satellites into orbit, high altitude sounding rockets have remained relevant. In addition to science observations, sounding rockets provide a unique technology test platform and a valuable training ground for scientists and engineers. Most importantly, sounding rockets remain the only way to explore the tenuous regions of the Earth’s atmosphere (the upper stratosphere, mesosphere, and lower ionosphere/thermosphere) above balloon altitudes (˜40km) and below satellite orbits (˜160km). They can lift remote sensing telescope payloads with masses up to 400kg to altitudes of 350km providing observing times of up to 6min above the blocking influence of Earth’s atmosphere. Though a number of sounding rocket research programs exist around the world, this article focuses on the NASA Sounding Rocket Program, and particularly on the astrophysical and solar sounding rocket payloads.

Tobacco Industry attempts to counter the World Bank Report Curbing the Epidemic and obstruct the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

PubMed Central

Mamudu, Hadii M; Hammond, Ross

2008-01-01

In 1999 the World Bank published a landmark study on the economics of tobacco control, Curbing the Epidemic: Governments and the Economics of Tobacco Control (CTE), which concluded that tobacco control brings unprecedented health benefits without harming economies, threatening the transnational tobacco companies’ ability to use economic arguments to dissuade governments from enacting tobacco control policies and supporting the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). We used tobacco industry documents to analyze how tobacco companies worked to discredit CTE. They hired public relations firms, had academics critique CTE, hired consultants to produce “independent” estimates of the importance of tobacco to national economies, and worked through front groups, particularly the International Tobacco Growers’ Association, to question CTE’s findings. These efforts failed, and the report remains an authoritative economic analysis of global tobacco control during the ongoing FCTC negotiations. The industry’s failure suggests that the World Bank should continue their analytic work on the economics of tobacco control and make tobacco control part of its development agenda. PMID:18950924

Recent Progress in the Development of Metabolome Databases for Plant Systems Biology

PubMed Central

Fukushima, Atsushi; Kusano, Miyako

2013-01-01

Metabolomics has grown greatly as a functional genomics tool, and has become an invaluable diagnostic tool for biochemical phenotyping of biological systems. Over the past decades, a number of databases involving information related to mass spectra, compound names and structures, statistical/mathematical models and metabolic pathways, and metabolite profile data have been developed. Such databases complement each other and support efficient growth in this area, although the data resources remain scattered across the World Wide Web. Here, we review available metabolome databases and summarize the present status of development of related tools, particularly focusing on the plant metabolome. Data sharing discussed here will pave way for the robust interpretation of metabolomic data and advances in plant systems biology. PMID:23577015

Fiia: A Model-Based Approach to Engineering Collaborative Augmented Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolfe, Christopher; Smith, J. David; Phillips, W. Greg; Graham, T. C. Nicholas

Augmented reality systems often involve collaboration among groups of people. While there are numerous toolkits that aid the development of such augmented reality groupware systems (e.g., ARToolkit and Groupkit), there remains an enormous gap between the specification of an AR groupware application and its implementation. In this chapter, we present Fiia, a toolkit which simplifies the development of collaborative AR applications. Developers specify the structure of their applications using the Fiia modeling language, which abstracts details of networking and provides high-level support for specifying adapters between the physical and virtual world. The Fiia.Net runtime system then maps this conceptual model to a runtime implementation. We illustrate Fiia via Raptor, an augmented reality application used to help small groups collaboratively prototype video games.

Empowering the impaired through the appropriate use of Information Technology and Internet.

PubMed

Sanyal, Ishita

2006-01-01

Developments in the fields of science and technology have revolutionized Human Life at material level. But in actuality, this progress is only superficial: underneath modern men and women are living in conditions of great mental and emotional stress, even in developed and affluent countries. People from all over the world irrespective of culture and economic background suffer from mental illness and though a number of researches are carried out worldwide but till date it has not been possible to resolve the problem. In today's world stress is increasing everyday. The individualistic approach towards life; the neonatal family system has increased the burden even further. Without adequate support system of friends and relatives--people are falling prey to mental illness. The insecurities, the inferiority feelings of these persons lead to disruption of communication between the sufferer and the family members and friends. The sufferers prefer to confine themselves within the four walls of their home and remain withdrawn from the whole world. They prefer to stay in touch with their world of fantasy--far away from the world of reality. Disability caused by some of the mental illnesses often remains invisible to the society leading to lack of support system and facilities for them. These unfortunate disabled persons not only need medication and counseling but a thorough rehabilitation programme to bring them back to the main stream of life. The task being not an easy one. According to the research works these persons need some work and income to improve their quality of life. In this scenario where society is adverse towards them, where stigma towards mental illness prevails; where help from friends and community is not available- training them in computer and forming groups through computer was thought to be an ideal option for the solution- a solution to the problems of modern life through modern technology. * It was seen that this insecure disabled persons feel free to experiment with machine more easily than with society and people. * Computer provides them the needed education and information needed for their further developments. * Computers provide them facilities to interact with others and form self-help groups. * Computers also enabled them to earn their livelihood. Thus this modern gadget, which is sometimes believed to make a man loner, has been actually acting as the bridge between the persons suffering from mental illness to the society in general. The disabled person also gains confidence and courage as they gain control over the machine. Gaining control over the machine helps them to gain control over their life. The product of Science and technology has been seen to revolutionized Human Life not only in material level but also on personal level- helping the disabled to gain control over their lives.

Identification of human remains from the Second World War mass graves uncovered in Bosnia and Herzegovina

PubMed Central

Marjanović, Damir; Hadžić Metjahić, Negra; Čakar, Jasmina; Džehverović, Mirela; Dogan, Serkan; Ferić, Elma; Džijan, Snježana; Škaro, Vedrana; Projić, Petar; Madžar, Tomislav; Rod, Eduard; Primorac, Dragan

2015-01-01

Aim To present the results obtained in the identification of human remains from World War II found in two mass graves in Ljubuški, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods Samples from 10 skeletal remains were collected. Teeth and femoral fragments were collected from 9 skeletons and only a femoral fragment from 1 skeleton. DNA was isolated from bone and teeth samples using an optimized phenol/chloroform DNA extraction procedure. All samples required a pre-extraction decalcification with EDTA and additional post-extraction DNA purification using filter columns. Additionally, DNA from 12 reference samples (buccal swabs from potential living relatives) was extracted using the Qiagen DNA extraction method. QuantifilerTM Human DNA Quantification Kit was used for DNA quantification. PowerPlex ESI kit was used to simultaneously amplify 15 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci, and PowerPlex Y23 was used to amplify 23 Y chromosomal STR loci. Matching probabilities were estimated using a standard statistical approach. Results A total of 10 samples were processed, 9 teeth and 1 femoral fragment. Nine of 10 samples were profiled using autosomal STR loci, which resulted in useful DNA profiles for 9 skeletal remains. A comparison of established victims' profiles against a reference sample database yielded 6 positive identifications. Conclusion DNA analysis may efficiently contribute to the identification of remains even seven decades after the end of the World War II. The significant percentage of positively identified remains (60%), even when the number of the examined possible living relatives was relatively small (only 12), proved the importance of cooperation with the members of the local community, who helped to identify the closest missing persons’ relatives and collect referent samples from them. PMID:26088850

Identification of human remains from the Second World War mass graves uncovered in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

PubMed

Marjanović, Damir; Hadžić Metjahić, Negra; Čakar, Jasmina; Džehverović, Mirela; Dogan, Serkan; Ferić, Elma; Džijan, Snježana; Škaro, Vedrana; Projić, Petar; Madžar, Tomislav; Rod, Eduard; Primorac, Dragan

2015-06-01

To present the results obtained in the identification of human remains from World War II found in two mass graves in Ljubuški, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Samples from 10 skeletal remains were collected. Teeth and femoral fragments were collected from 9 skeletons and only a femoral fragment from 1 skeleton. DNA was isolated from bone and teeth samples using an optimized phenol/chloroform DNA extraction procedure. All samples required a pre-extraction decalcification with EDTA and additional post-extraction DNA purification using filter columns. Additionally, DNA from 12 reference samples (buccal swabs from potential living relatives) was extracted using the Qiagen DNA extraction method. QuantifilerTM Human DNA Quantification Kit was used for DNA quantification. PowerPlex ESI kit was used to simultaneously amplify 15 autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci, and PowerPlex Y23 was used to amplify 23 Y chromosomal STR loci. Matching probabilities were estimated using a standard statistical approach. A total of 10 samples were processed, 9 teeth and 1 femoral fragment. Nine of 10 samples were profiled using autosomal STR loci, which resulted in useful DNA profiles for 9 skeletal remains. A comparison of established victims' profiles against a reference sample database yielded 6 positive identifications. DNA analysis may efficiently contribute to the identification of remains even seven decades after the end of the World War II. The significant percentage of positively identified remains (60%), even when the number of the examined possible living relatives was relatively small (only 12), proved the importance of cooperation with the members of the local community, who helped to identify the closest missing persons' relatives and collect referent samples from them.

Towards an International Classification for Patient Safety: the conceptual framework.

PubMed

Sherman, Heather; Castro, Gerard; Fletcher, Martin; Hatlie, Martin; Hibbert, Peter; Jakob, Robert; Koss, Richard; Lewalle, Pierre; Loeb, Jerod; Perneger, Thomas; Runciman, William; Thomson, Richard; Van Der Schaaf, Tjerk; Virtanen, Martti

2009-02-01

Global advances in patient safety have been hampered by the lack of a uniform classification of patient safety concepts. This is a significant barrier to developing strategies to reduce risk, performing evidence-based research and evaluating existing healthcare policies relevant to patient safety. Since 2005, the World Health Organization's World Alliance for Patient Safety has undertaken the Project to Develop an International Classification for Patient Safety (ICPS) to devise a classification which transforms patient safety information collected from disparate systems into a common format to facilitate aggregation, analysis and learning across disciplines, borders and time. A drafting group, comprised of experts from the fields of patient safety, classification theory, health informatics, consumer/patient advocacy, law and medicine, identified and defined key patient safety concepts and developed an internationally agreed conceptual framework for the ICPS based upon existing patient safety classifications. The conceptual framework was iteratively improved through technical expert meetings and a two-stage web-based modified Delphi survey of over 250 international experts. This work culminated in a conceptual framework consisting of ten high level classes: incident type, patient outcomes, patient characteristics, incident characteristics, contributing factors/hazards, organizational outcomes, detection, mitigating factors, ameliorating actions and actions taken to reduce risk. While the framework for the ICPS is in place, several challenges remain. Concepts need to be defined, guidance for using the classification needs to be provided, and further real-world testing needs to occur to progressively refine the ICPS to ensure it is fit for purpose.

Towards an International Classification for Patient Safety: the conceptual framework

PubMed Central

Sherman, Heather; Castro, Gerard; Fletcher, Martin; Hatlie, Martin; Hibbert, Peter; Jakob, Robert; Koss, Richard; Lewalle, Pierre; Loeb, Jerod; Perneger, Thomas; Runciman, William; Thomson, Richard; Van Der Schaaf, Tjerk; Virtanen, Martti

2009-01-01

Global advances in patient safety have been hampered by the lack of a uniform classification of patient safety concepts. This is a significant barrier to developing strategies to reduce risk, performing evidence-based research and evaluating existing healthcare policies relevant to patient safety. Since 2005, the World Health Organization's World Alliance for Patient Safety has undertaken the Project to Develop an International Classification for Patient Safety (ICPS) to devise a classification which transforms patient safety information collected from disparate systems into a common format to facilitate aggregation, analysis and learning across disciplines, borders and time. A drafting group, comprised of experts from the fields of patient safety, classification theory, health informatics, consumer/patient advocacy, law and medicine, identified and defined key patient safety concepts and developed an internationally agreed conceptual framework for the ICPS based upon existing patient safety classifications. The conceptual framework was iteratively improved through technical expert meetings and a two-stage web-based modified Delphi survey of over 250 international experts. This work culminated in a conceptual framework consisting of ten high level classes: incident type, patient outcomes, patient characteristics, incident characteristics, contributing factors/hazards, organizational outcomes, detection, mitigating factors, ameliorating actions and actions taken to reduce risk. While the framework for the ICPS is in place, several challenges remain. Concepts need to be defined, guidance for using the classification needs to be provided, and further real-world testing needs to occur to progressively refine the ICPS to ensure it is fit for purpose. PMID:19147595

Data-driven fuel consumption estimation: A multivariate adaptive regression spline approach

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

Chen, Yuche; Zhu, Lei; Gonder, Jeffrey

Providing guidance and information to drivers to help them make fuel-efficient route choices remains an important and effective strategy in the near term to reduce fuel consumption from the transportation sector. One key component in implementing this strategy is a fuel-consumption estimation model. In this paper, we developed a mesoscopic fuel consumption estimation model that can be implemented into an eco-routing system. Our proposed model presents a framework that utilizes large-scale, real-world driving data, clusters road links by free-flow speed and fits one statistical model for each of cluster. This model includes predicting variables that were rarely or never consideredmore » before, such as free-flow speed and number of lanes. We applied the model to a real-world driving data set based on a global positioning system travel survey in the Philadelphia-Camden-Trenton metropolitan area. Results from the statistical analyses indicate that the independent variables we chose influence the fuel consumption rates of vehicles. But the magnitude and direction of the influences are dependent on the type of road links, specifically free-flow speeds of links. Here, a statistical diagnostic is conducted to ensure the validity of the models and results. Although the real-world driving data we used to develop statistical relationships are specific to one region, the framework we developed can be easily adjusted and used to explore the fuel consumption relationship in other regions.« less

Data-driven fuel consumption estimation: A multivariate adaptive regression spline approach

DOE PAGES

Chen, Yuche; Zhu, Lei; Gonder, Jeffrey; ...

2017-08-12

Providing guidance and information to drivers to help them make fuel-efficient route choices remains an important and effective strategy in the near term to reduce fuel consumption from the transportation sector. One key component in implementing this strategy is a fuel-consumption estimation model. In this paper, we developed a mesoscopic fuel consumption estimation model that can be implemented into an eco-routing system. Our proposed model presents a framework that utilizes large-scale, real-world driving data, clusters road links by free-flow speed and fits one statistical model for each of cluster. This model includes predicting variables that were rarely or never consideredmore » before, such as free-flow speed and number of lanes. We applied the model to a real-world driving data set based on a global positioning system travel survey in the Philadelphia-Camden-Trenton metropolitan area. Results from the statistical analyses indicate that the independent variables we chose influence the fuel consumption rates of vehicles. But the magnitude and direction of the influences are dependent on the type of road links, specifically free-flow speeds of links. Here, a statistical diagnostic is conducted to ensure the validity of the models and results. Although the real-world driving data we used to develop statistical relationships are specific to one region, the framework we developed can be easily adjusted and used to explore the fuel consumption relationship in other regions.« less

Agricultural Water Use under Global Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, T.; Ringler, C.; Rosegrant, M. W.

2008-12-01

Irrigation is by far the single largest user of water in the world and is projected to remain so in the foreseeable future. Globally, irrigated agricultural land comprises less than twenty percent of total cropland but produces about forty percent of the world's food. Increasing world population will require more food and this will lead to more irrigation in many areas. As demands increase and water becomes an increasingly scarce resource, agriculture's competition for water with other economic sectors will be intensified. This water picture is expected to become even more complex as climate change will impose substantial impacts on water availability and demand, in particular for agriculture. To better understand future water demand and supply under global change, including changes in demographic, economic and technological dimensions, the water simulation module of IMPACT, a global water and food projection model developed at the International Food Policy Research Institute, is used to analyze future water demand and supply in agricultural and several non-agricultural sectors using downscaled GCM scenarios, based on water availability simulation done with a recently developed semi-distributed global hydrological model. Risk analysis is conducted to identify countries and regions where future water supply reliability for irrigation is low, and food security may be threatened in the presence of climate change. Gridded shadow values of irrigation water are derived for global cropland based on an optimization framework, and they are used to illustrate potential irrigation development by incorporating gridded water availability and existing global map of irrigation areas.

Hepatocellular carcinoma and microRNA: new perspectives on therapeutics and diagnostics.

PubMed

Yang, Ningning; Ekanem, Nsikak R; Sakyi, Clement A; Ray, Sidhartha D

2015-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most lethal forms of cancer in the world. In this arena, utilities of microRNA (miRNA) as a sophisticated tool, in therapeutics and diagnostics, remains a prime focus among the leading researchers. It is well known that viral hepatitis, chronic alcoholism and metabolic syndrome are the prime causes of HCCs. Nevertheless, HCCs are usually diagnosed at late stages by using current serum biomarkers. Most epidemiological studies have found the survival rate in HCC cases to be relatively low. Therefore, development of effective noninvasive biomarkers for early detention of HCC and new strategies for HCC treatment remains a high priority research area on the shoulders of liver oncologists. Accumulating evidence in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics indicates that miRNAs involve in HCC progression, which may serve as sensitive biomarkers for detecting carcinogenesis and monitoring therapies of HCC. This review focuses on the role of miRNAs in the diagnostics and therapeutics of HCC. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Current state of psychiatry in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Koenig, Harold G; Al Zaben, Faten; Sehlo, Mohammad Gamal; Khalifa, Doaa Ahmed; Al Ahwal, Mahmoud Shaheen

2013-01-01

In 1983, an article and accompanying editorial was published on the state of psychiatry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), which was described as "a mental health system in statu nascendi." We provide a 30-year update on advances in mental health care in KSA. Data are reported from a wide range of sources, including the 2007 Saudi Arabian Mental and Social Health Atlas, which compares services in KSA with the rest of the world. We examine how the current mental health system operates in KSA, including recent changes in mental healthcare policy and development of a national mental healthcare plan. Discussed are current needs based on the prevalence and recognition of mental disorders; availability of services and providers (psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, and social workers); education and training in psychiatry; developments in consultation-liaison, addictions, child-adolescent, and geriatric psychiatry; and progress in mental health research. Mental healthcare in Saudi Arabia has come a long way in a very short time, despite cultural, religious, social, and political challenges, although there still remain areas where improvement is needed. The development of psychiatry in KSA serves as a model for countries in the Middle East and around the world.

Exploring a road map to counter misconceptions about the cervicovaginal microbiome and disease.

PubMed

Macklaim, Jean M; Cohen, Craig R; Donders, Gilbert; Gloor, Gregory B; Hill, Janet E; Parham, Groesbeck P; Ravel, Jacques; Spear, Gregory; van de Wijgert, Janneke; Reid, Gregor

2012-11-01

Urogenital diseases, especially infection and cancer, are major causes of death and morbidity in females. Yet, millions of women in the developing world have no access to basic urogynecological care, and the diagnosis and treatment of widespread aberrant bacterial conditions (bacterial vaginosis [BV] and aerobic vaginitis [AV]) remain suboptimal the world over. Samples from women living in resource-disadvantaged and developed countries have been analyzed by high-throughput sequencing to reveal the diversity of bacteria in the vagina, how rapidly the bacterial population fluctuates over time, and how rapidly the switch occurs between healthy and aberrant conditions. Unfortunately, clinical diagnostic methods are inefficient and too often outdated therapies are administered. The net result is suboptimal care and recurrent disease that adversely affects the quality of life. This viewpoint outlines a scientific and translational road map designed to improve the cervicovaginal health and treatment of disease. This comprises (1) improving education of women and physicians on the vaginal microbiota; (2) having agencies target funding for research to improve diagnosis and test new therapies; and (3) making sure that new approaches are accessible in developing countries, empowering to women, and are acceptable and appropriate for different populations.

Exploring a Road Map to Counter Misconceptions About the Cervicovaginal Microbiome and Disease

PubMed Central

Macklaim, Jean M.; Cohen, Craig R.; Donders, Gilbert; Gloor, Gregory B.; Hill, Janet E.; Parham, Groesbeck P.; Ravel, Jacques; Spear, Gregory; van de Wijgert, Janneke

2012-01-01

Urogenital diseases, especially infection and cancer, are major causes of death and morbidity in females. Yet, millions of women in the developing world have no access to basic urogynecological care, and the diagnosis and treatment of widespread aberrant bacterial conditions (bacterial vaginosis [BV] and aerobic vaginitis [AV]) remain suboptimal the world over. Samples from women living in resource-disadvantaged and developed countries have been analyzed by high-throughput sequencing to reveal the diversity of bacteria in the vagina, how rapidly the bacterial population fluctuates over time, and how rapidly the switch occurs between healthy and aberrant conditions. Unfortunately, clinical diagnostic methods are inefficient and too often outdated therapies are administered. The net result is suboptimal care and recurrent disease that adversely affects the quality of life. This viewpoint outlines a scientific and translational road map designed to improve the cervicovaginal health and treatment of disease. This comprises (1) improving education of women and physicians on the vaginal microbiota; (2) having agencies target funding for research to improve diagnosis and test new therapies; and (3) making sure that new approaches are accessible in developing countries, empowering to women, and are acceptable and appropriate for different populations. PMID:22614624

Antibodies to the Glycoprotein GP2 Subunit Cross-React between Old and New World Arenaviruses.

PubMed

Amanat, Fatima; Duehr, James; Oestereich, Lisa; Hastie, Kathryn M; Ollmann Saphire, Erica; Krammer, Florian

2018-01-01

Arenaviruses pose a major public health threat and cause numerous infections in humans each year. Although most viruses belonging to this family do not cause disease in humans, some arenaviruses, such as Lassa virus and Machupo virus, are the etiological agents of lethal hemorrhagic fevers. The absence of a currently licensed vaccine and the highly pathogenic nature of these viruses both make the necessity of developing viable vaccines and therapeutics all the more urgent. Arenaviruses have a single glycoprotein on the surface of virions, the glycoprotein complex (GPC), and this protein can be used as a target for vaccine development. Here, we describe immunization strategies to generate monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that cross-react between the glycoprotein complexes of both Old World and New World arenaviruses. Several monoclonal antibodies isolated from immunized mice were highly cross-reactive, binding a range of Old World arenavirus glycoproteins, including that of Lassa virus. One such monoclonal antibody, KL-AV-2A1, bound to GPCs of both New World and Old World viruses, including Lassa and Machupo viruses. These cross-reactive antibodies bound to epitopes present on the glycoprotein 2 subunit of the glycoprotein complex, which is relatively conserved among arenaviruses. Monoclonal antibodies binding to these epitopes, however, did not inhibit viral entry as they failed to neutralize a replication-competent vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotyped with the Lassa virus glycoprotein complex in vitro In addition, no protection from virus challenge was observed in in vivo mouse models. Even so, these monoclonal antibodies might still prove to be useful in the development of clinical and diagnostic assays. IMPORTANCE Several viruses in the Arenaviridae family infect humans and cause severe hemorrhagic fevers which lead to high case fatality rates. Due to their pathogenicity and geographic tropisms, these viruses remain very understudied. As a result, an effective vaccine or therapy is urgently needed. Here, we describe efforts to produce cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies that bind to both New and Old World arenaviruses. All of our MAbs seem to be nonneutralizing and nonprotective and target subunit 2 of the glycoprotein. Due to the lack of reagents such as recombinant glycoproteins and antibodies for rapid detection assays, our MAbs could be beneficial as analytic and diagnostic tools. Copyright © 2018 Amanat et al.

Stapledon's Interplanetary Man: A Commonwealth of Worlds and the Ultimate Purpose of Space Colonisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawford, Ian A.

In his 1948 lecture to the British Interplanetary Society Stapledon considered the ultimate purpose of colonising other worlds. Having examined the possible motivations arising from improved scientific knowledge and access to extraterrestrial raw materials, he concludes that the ultimate benefits of space colonisation will be the increased opportunities for developing human (and post-human) diversity, intellectual and aesthetic potential and, especially, `spirituality'. By the latter concept he meant a striving for ``sensitive and intelligent awareness of things in the universe (including persons), and of the universe as a whole.'' A key insight articulated by Stapledon in this lecture was that this should be the aspiration of all human development anyway, with or without space colonisation, but that the latter would greatly increase the scope for such developments. Another key aspect of his vision was the development of a diverse, but connected, `Commonwealth of Worlds' extending throughout the Solar System, and eventually beyond, within which human potential would be maximised. In this paper I analyse Stapledon's vision of space colonisation, and will conclude that his overall conclusions remain sound. However, I will also argue that he was overly utopian in believing that human social and political unity are prerequisites for space exploration (while agreeing that they are desirable objectives in their own right), and that he unnecessarily downplayed the more prosaic scientific and economic motivations which are likely to be key drivers for space exploration (if not colonisation) in the shorter term. Finally, I draw attention to some recent developments in international space policy which, although probably not influenced by Stapledon's work, are nevertheless congruent with his overarching philosophy as outlined in `Interplanetary Man?'.

Traversing the mountaintop: world fossil fuel production to 2050.

PubMed

Nehring, Richard

2009-10-27

During the past century, fossil fuels--petroleum liquids, natural gas and coal--were the dominant source of world energy production. From 1950 to 2005, fossil fuels provided 85-93% of all energy production. All fossil fuels grew substantially during this period, their combined growth exceeding the increase in world population. This growth, however, was irregular, providing for rapidly growing per capita production from 1950 to 1980, stable per capita production from 1980 to 2000 and rising per capita production again after 2000. During the past half century, growth in fossil fuel production was essentially limited by energy demand. During the next half century, fossil fuel production will be limited primarily by the amount and characteristics of remaining fossil fuel resources. Three possible scenarios--low, medium and high--are developed for the production of each of the fossil fuels to 2050. These scenarios differ primarily by the amount of ultimate resources estimated for each fossil fuel. Total fossil fuel production will continue to grow, but only slowly for the next 15-30 years. The subsequent peak plateau will last for 10-15 years. These production peaks are robust; none of the fossil fuels, even with highly optimistic resource estimates, is projected to keep growing beyond 2050. World fossil fuel production per capita will thus begin an irreversible decline between 2020 and 2030.

Biofuels in the U.S. Transportation Sector (released in AEO2007)

EIA Publications

2007-01-01

Sustained high world oil prices and the passage of the Energy Policy Act 2005 (EPACT) have encouraged the use of agriculture-based ethanol and biodiesel in the transportation sector; however, both the continued growth of the biofuels industry and the long-term market potential for biofuels depend on the resolution of critical issues that influence the supply of and demand for biofuels. For each of the major biofuelscorn-based ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and biodieselresolution of technical, economic, and regulatory issues remains critical to further development of biofuels in the United States.

A world without bacterial meningitis: how genomic epidemiology can inform vaccination strategy.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Charlene M C; Maiden, Martin C J

2018-01-01

Bacterial meningitis remains an important cause of global morbidity and mortality. Although effective vaccinations exist and are being increasingly used worldwide, bacterial diversity threatens their impact and the ultimate goal of eliminating the disease. Through genomic epidemiology, we can appreciate bacterial population structure and its consequences for transmission dynamics, virulence, antimicrobial resistance, and development of new vaccines. Here, we review what we have learned through genomic epidemiological studies, following the rapid implementation of whole genome sequencing that can help to optimise preventative strategies for bacterial meningitis.

The Aminopeptidase Inhibitor CHR-2863 Is an Orally Bioavailable Inhibitor of Murine Malaria

PubMed Central

Skinner-Adams, Tina S.; Peatey, Christopher L.; Anderson, Karen; Trenholme, Katharine R.; Krige, David; Brown, Christopher L.; Stack, Colin; Nsangou, Desire M. M.; Mathews, Rency T.; Thivierge, Karine; Dalton, John P.

2012-01-01

Malaria remains a significant risk in many areas of the world, with resistance to the current antimalarial pharmacopeia an ever-increasing problem. The M1 alanine aminopeptidase (PfM1AAP) and M17 leucine aminopeptidase (PfM17LAP) are believed to play a role in the terminal stages of digestion of host hemoglobin and thereby generate a pool of free amino acids that are essential for parasite growth and development. Here, we show that an orally bioavailable aminopeptidase inhibitor, CHR-2863, is efficacious against murine malaria. PMID:22450967

A travel misadventure--visceral leishmaniasis in an immunocompetent patient.

PubMed

Delacour, H; Roche, C; Roche, B; Morand, C; Koeck, J L

2010-09-01

Visceral leishmaniasis is one of the world's most neglected diseases. Over 90% of the 500,000 annual new cases occur in only five countries: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sudan and North-Eastern Brazil, but the disease remains endemic in Southern Europe. We report a case of visceral leishmaniasis in an immunocompetent serviceman after a seven-day stay in the Marseilles region of South-Eastern France. This case is intended to alert clinicians to the possibility of visceral leishmaniasis in patients who develop a febrile illness after returning from travel in Southern European countries.

Venous thromboembolism in obese pregnant women: approach to diagnosis and management.

PubMed

Malinowski, Ann Kinga; Bomba-Opoń, Dorota; Parrish, Jacqueline; Sarzyńska, Urszula; Farine, Dan

2017-01-01

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains among the leading causes of maternal mortality in the developed world, presenting variably as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE) or cerebral vein thrombosis (CVT), among others. Obesity in particular has been recognized as the principal contributing factor to the risk of VTE in pregnancy and with the global increase in the rates of obesity affecting reproductive age women, heightened awareness of the risk and consequences of VTE in this population are vital. Thus, prophylaxis, diagnosis and treatment of VTE in the obese gravida are discussed.

Current status of rotavirus vaccines.

PubMed

Wang, Ching-Min; Chen, Shou-Chien; Chen, Kow-Tong

2015-11-01

Rotaviruses remain the major cause of childhood diarrheal disease worldwide and of diarrheal deaths of infants and children in developing countries. The huge burden of childhood rotavirus-related diarrhea in the world continues to drive the remarkable pace of vaccine development. Research articles were searched using terms "rotavirus" and "rotavirus vaccine" in MEDLINE and PubMed. Articles not published in the English language, articles without abstracts, and opinion articles were excluded from the review. After preliminary screening, all articles were reviewed and synthesized to provide an overview of current vaccines and vaccination programs. In this review of the global rotavirus vaccines and vaccination programs, the principles of rotavirus vaccine development and the efficacy of the currently licensed vaccines from both developed and developing countries were summarized. Rotavirus is a common cause of diarrhea in children in both developed and developing countries. Rotavirus vaccination is a cost-effective measure to prevent rotavirus diarrhea.

Development of Antibody Therapeutics against Flaviviruses

PubMed Central

Sun, Haiyan; Chen, Qiang; Lai, Huafang

2017-01-01

Recent outbreaks of Zika virus (ZIKV) highlight the urgent need to develop efficacious interventions against flaviviruses, many of which cause devastating epidemics around the world. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) have been at the forefront of treatment for cancer and a wide array of other diseases due to their specificity and potency. While mammalian cell-produced mAbs have shown promise as therapeutic candidates against several flaviviruses, their eventual approval for human application still faces several challenges including their potential risk of predisposing treated patients to more severe secondary infection by a heterologous flavivirus through antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). The high cost associated with mAb production in mammalian cell cultures also poses a challenge for the feasible application of these drugs to the developing world where the majority of flavivirus infection occurs. Here, we review the current therapeutic mAb candidates against various flaviviruses including West Nile (WNV), Dengue virus (DENV), and ZIKV. The progress of using plants for developing safer and more economical mAb therapeutics against flaviviruses is discussed within the context of their expression, characterization, downstream processing, neutralization, and in vivo efficacy. The progress of using plant glycoengineering to address ADE, the major impediment of flavivirus therapeutic development, is highlighted. These advancements suggest that plant-based systems are excellent alternatives for addressing the remaining challenges of mAb therapeutic development against flavivirus and may facilitate the eventual commercialization of these drug candidates. PMID:29295568

Earth Juts into World: An Earth Ethics for Ecologizing Philosophy of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joldersma, Clarence W.

2017-01-01

Philosophers of education often focus their critique on issues such as neoliberalism, consumerism, pluralism, and so on, and they typically turn for solutions to what we might call the political: democracy, the public, cosmopolitanism, dissent. These critiques and solutions remain firmly connected to what Heidegger calls "the world," and…

-Graphy: The Remains of a British Discipline

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Graham P.

2007-01-01

Within Britain, geography as a discipline has been criticized recently for failing either to add to or teach knowledge about the world at large. Instead it has concentrated first at university and then in schools on spatial social science, with examples drawn overwhelmingly from the white Western world. The recent history of geography is reviewed…

Research Universities and the Future of America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duderstadt, James J.

2012-01-01

The crucial importance of the research university as a key asset in achieving economic prosperity and security is widely understood, as evidenced by the efforts that nations around the globe are making to create and sustain institutions of world-class quality. Yet, while America's research universities remain the strongest in the world, they are…

3 CFR - Presidential Determination on Major Illicit Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Venezuela are vital to the national interests of the United States. Afghanistan remains the world's largest... major transit country for opiates and hashish for markets around the world and is a transit country for... proximity to southern Europe provides a natural gateway to European drug markets. Porous borders, inadequate...

The self, the psyche and the world: a phenomenological interpretation.

PubMed

Brooke, Roger

2009-11-01

This paper takes as its starting point Jung's definition of the self as the totality of the psyche. However, because the term psyche remains conceptually unclear the concept of the self as totality, origin and goal, even centre, remains vague. With reference to Heidegger's analysis of human being as Dasein, as well as Jung's writings, it is argued that Jung's concept of psyche is not a synonym for mind but is the world in which we live psychologically. An understanding of the psyche as existentially situated requires us to rethink some features of the self. For instance, the self as origin is thus not a pre-existential integrate of pure potentiality but the original gathering of existence in which, and out of which, personal identity is constituted. The ego emerges out of the self as the development and ownership of aspects of an existence that is already situated and gathered. Relations between the ego and the self are about what is known, or admitted, and its relation with what is already being lived within the gathering that is existence. The self as psyche, origin, and centre are discussed, as well as the meaning of interiority. Epistemological assumptions of object relations theory are critically discussed. The paper also includes critical discussions of recent papers on the self.

World oilseed situation and U. S. export opportunities, December 1983. Foreign agriculture circular

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

Not Available

1983-12-01

A slight increase in world oilseed production above last month's forecast, to 163.0 million tons, still leaves 1983/84 production over 9 percent below last year. Forecast utilization of oilseeds and products remain essentially unchanged from last month. Despite the relatively unchanged world oilseed and product balance, prices have weakened in recent weeks, raising expectations that additional price strength will be needed to bring about the required rationing of reduced world supplies. The other major element of uncertainty is Southern Hemisphere oilseed production, especially the Brazilian and Argentine 1984 soybean crops.

Rapid tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs): the way forward

PubMed Central

Peeling, R W; Holmes, K K; Mabey, D

2006-01-01

In the developing world, laboratory services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are either not available, or where limited services are available, patients may not be able to pay for or physically access those services. Despite the existence of national policy for antenatal screening to prevent congenital syphilis and substantial evidence that antenatal screening is cost‐effective, implementation of syphilis screening programmes remains unacceptably low because of lack of screening tools that can be used in primary health care settings. The World Health Organization Sexually Transmitted Diseases Diagnostics Initiative (SDI) has developed the ASSURED criteria as a benchmark to decide if tests address disease control needs: Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User‐friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment‐free and Deliverable to end‐users. Rapid syphilis tests that can be used with whole blood approach the ASSURED criteria and can now be deployed in areas where no previous screening has been possible. Although rapid tests for chlamydia and gonorrhoea lack sensitivity, more tests are in development. The way forward for STI diagnostics requires a continuing quest for ASSURED tests, the development of a road map for test introduction, sustainable programmes for quality assurance, and the creation of a robust infrastructure linked to HIV prevention that ensures sustainability of STI control efforts that includes viral STIs. PMID:17151023

Development of disulfiram-loaded vaginal rings for the localised treatment of cervical cancer.

PubMed

Boyd, Peter; Major, Ian; Wang, Weiguang; McConville, Christopher

2014-11-01

Cervical cancer is the third most prevalent cancer in women and disproportionately affects those in low resource settings due to limited programs for screening and prevention. In the developed world treatment for the disease in the non-metastasised state usually takes the form of surgical intervention and/or radiotherapy. In the developing world such techniques are less widely available. This paper describes the development of an intravaginal ring for the localised delivery of a chemotherapeutic drug to the cervix that has the potential to reduce the need for surgical intervention and will also provide a novel anti-cancer therapy for women in low resource settings. Disulfiram has demonstrated antineoplastic action against prostate, breast and lung cancer. Both PEVA and silicone elastomer were investigated for suitability as materials in the manufacture of DSF eluting intravaginal rings. DSF inhibited the curing process of the silicone elastomer, therefore PEVA was chosen as the material to manufacture the DSF-loaded vaginal rings. The vaginal rings had an excellent content uniformity while the DSF remained stable throughout the manufacturing process. Furthermore, the rings provided diffusion controlled release of DSF at levels well in excess of the IC50 value for the HeLa cervical cancer cell line. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs): the way forward.

PubMed

Peeling, R W; Holmes, K K; Mabey, D; Ronald, A

2006-12-01

In the developing world, laboratory services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are either not available, or where limited services are available, patients may not be able to pay for or physically access those services. Despite the existence of national policy for antenatal screening to prevent congenital syphilis and substantial evidence that antenatal screening is cost-effective, implementation of syphilis screening programmes remains unacceptably low because of lack of screening tools that can be used in primary health care settings. The World Health Organization Sexually Transmitted Diseases Diagnostics Initiative (SDI) has developed the ASSURED criteria as a benchmark to decide if tests address disease control needs: Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and robust, Equipment-free and Deliverable to end-users. Rapid syphilis tests that can be used with whole blood approach the ASSURED criteria and can now be deployed in areas where no previous screening has been possible. Although rapid tests for chlamydia and gonorrhoea lack sensitivity, more tests are in development. The way forward for STI diagnostics requires a continuing quest for ASSURED tests, the development of a road map for test introduction, sustainable programmes for quality assurance, and the creation of a robust infrastructure linked to HIV prevention that ensures sustainability of STI control efforts that includes viral STIs.

Baseflow recession analysis across the Eagle Ford shale play (Texas, USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arciniega, Saul; Brena-Naranjo, Agustin; Hernandez-Espriu, Jose Antonio; Pedrozo-Acuña, Adrian

2016-04-01

Baseflow is an important process of the hydrological cycle as it can be related to aquatic ecosystem health and groundwater recharge. The temporal and spatial dynamics of baseflow are typically governed by fluctuations in the water table of shallow aquifers hence groundwater pumping and return flow can greatly modify baseflow patterns. More recently, in some regions of the world the exploitation of gas trapped in shale formations by means of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has raised major concerns on the quantitative and qualitative groundwater impacts. Although fracking implies massive amounts of groundwater withdrawals, its contribution on baseflow decline has not yet been fully investigated. Furthermore, its impact with respect to other human activities or climate extremes such as irrigation or extreme droughts, respectively, remain largely unknown. This work analyzes baseflow recession time-space patterns for a set of watersheds located across the largest shale producer in the world, the Eagle Ford shale play in Texas (USA). The period of study (1985-2014) includes a pre-development and post-development period. The dataset includes 56 hydrometric time series located inside and outside the shale play. Results show that during the development and expansion of the Eagle Ford play, around 70 % of the time series displayed a significant decline wheras no decline was observed during the pre-development)

Impact of mycotoxins on human health in developing countries.

PubMed

Shephard, G S

2008-02-01

Adverse human health effects from the consumption of mycotoxins have occurred for many centuries. Although mycotoxin contamination of agricultural products still occurs in the developed world, the application of modern agricultural practices and the presence of a legislatively regulated food processing and marketing system have greatly reduced mycotoxin exposure in these populations. At the mycotoxin contamination levels generally found in food products traded in these market economies, adverse human health effects have largely been overcome. However, in the developing world, where climatic and crop storage conditions are frequently conducive to fungal growth and mycotoxin production, much of the population relies on subsistence farming or on unregulated local markets. The extent to which mycotoxins affect human health is difficult to investigate in countries whose health systems lack capacity and in which resources are limited. Aflatoxin B(1), the toxin on which major resources have been expended, has long been linked to liver cancer, yet its other effects, such as immune suppression and growth faltering previously observed in veterinary studies, are only now being investigated and characterized in human populations. The extent to which factors such as immune suppression contribute to the overall burden of infectious disease is difficult to quantify, but is undoubtedly significant. Thus, food safety remains an important opportunity for addressing current health problems in developing countries.

Synthetic cannabinoids 2015: An update for pediatricians in clinical practice

PubMed Central

Castellanos, Daniel; Gralnik, Leonard M

2016-01-01

Synthetic cannabinoids are a group of substances in the world of designer drugs that have become increasingly popular over the past few years. Synthetic cannabinoids are a chemically diverse group of compounds functionally similar to THC. Since first appearing on the world market a few years ago these compounds have evolved rapidly. Newer more potent analogues have been developed. Identifying youth who abuse these substances can be difficult. Newer forms of consumption have also evolved. These products are now manufactured in products that look like natural cannabis resin and in liquid cartridges used in electronic cigarettes. Synthetic cannabinoids appear to be associated with potentially dangerous health effects that are more severe than that of marijuana. Some synthetic cannabinoid compounds have been associated with serious physical consequences, such as, seizures, myocardial infarction and renal damage. In addition, psychoactive effects, such as aggression, confusion, anxiety and psychosis have also been reported. The diagnosis remains primarily clinical with toxicological confirmation difficult due to manufacturers constantly developing new analogues to avoid detection. Pediatricians are urged to familiarize themselves with these drugs and the typical presentations of patients who use them. PMID:26862498

The response to September 11: a disaster case study.

PubMed

Crane, Michael A; Levy-Carrick, Nomi C; Crowley, Laura; Barnhart, Stephanie; Dudas, Melissa; Onuoha, Uchechukwu; Globina, Yelena; Haile, Winta; Shukla, Gauri; Ozbay, Fatih

2014-01-01

The response to 9/11 continues into its 14th year. The World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), a long-term monitoring and treatment program now funded by the Zadroga Act of 2010, includes >60,000 World Trade Center (WTC) disaster responders and community members ("survivors"). The aim of this review is to identify several elements that have had a critical impact on the evolution of the WTC response and, directly or indirectly, the health of the WTC-exposed population. It further explores post-disaster monitoring efforts, recent scientific findings from the WTCHP, and some implications of this experience for ongoing and future environmental disaster response. Transparency and responsiveness, site safety and worker training, assessment of acute and chronic exposure, and development of clinical expertise are interconnected elements determining efficacy of disaster response. Even in a relatively well-resourced environment, challenges regarding allocation of appropriate attention to vulnerable populations and integration of treatment response to significant medical and mental health comorbidities remain areas of ongoing programmatic development. Copyright © 2014 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. All rights reserved.

"No one left abandoned": Cuba's national health system since the 1959 revolution.

PubMed

De Vos, Pol

2005-01-01

In spite of the economic hardships during the 1990s, Cuba has achieved health indicators that are among the best in the world. This article describes the development of the Cuban health system over more than four decades and analyzes its dynamics. Four stages can be identified. The system's foundations were laid during the first post-revolutionary decade (1959--1970) and consolidated during the succeeding decade (1970--1979). In the third stage, from 1980 onward, the system reached its full expansion with the development of family medicine. Following the crisis of the 1990s, a fourth stage began with reforms and adjustments to the new situation after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Today, health care continues to be of high quality and free for all Cubans. It remains exclusively in the hands of the public sector, and privatization is not an option. This is exactly the opposite of what is happening in other parts of the world where public services are underfunded and people are made to believe that privatization is the only way to ensure high-quality care.

Air Pollution, Disease Burden, and Health Economic Loss in China.

PubMed

Niu, Yue; Chen, Renjie; Kan, Haidong

2017-01-01

As the largest developing country in the world, China is now facing one of the severest air pollution problems. The objective of this section is to evaluate the disease burden and corresponding economic loss attributable to ambient air pollution in China. We reviewed a series of studies by Chinese or foreign investigators focusing on the disease burden and economic loss in China. These studies showed both the general air pollution and haze episodes have resulted in substantial disease burden in terms of excess number of premature deaths, disability-adjusted life-year loss, and years of life lost. The corresponding economic loss has accounted for an appreciable proportion of China's national economy. Overall, the disease burden and health economic loss due to ambient air pollution in China is greater than in the remaining parts of the world, for one of the highest levels of air pollution and the largest size of exposed population. Consideration of both health and economic impacts of air pollution can facilitate the Chinese government to develop environmental policies to reduce the emissions of various air pollutants and protect the public health.

The end of suburbia: what happens when all the cheap oil is gone and what are the health implications?

PubMed

Parker, Alan A

2005-04-01

In isolation, the depletion of the world's stocks of cheap oil is a risk management problem of global proportions. The risk would be manageable given an international agreement by all the developed nations to conserve much of the remaining cheap oil for essential purposes, but there is no such agreement nor is there any intent to create one. Evidence is presented to show that the synergetic interaction of oil depletion with other long-standing environmental problems will result in world food production peaking and then declining at a rapid rate. Australian Census data for the journey to work and the growth of car ownership are analysed. It reveals that car/ oil dependency is growing in outer suburbia, where most Australians live and where future population growth will be housed. It is argued that oil dependency, if not reduced, will develop into a serious threat to national security in a few years. Health promotion professionals have an important role in activating local, State and Commonwealth governments to implement 'travel smart' programs.

Impact and Effectiveness of the Quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus Vaccine: A Systematic Review of 10 Years of Real-world Experience

PubMed Central

Garland, Suzanne M.; Kjaer, Susanne K.; Muñoz, Nubia; Block, Stan L.; Brown, Darron R.; DiNubile, Mark J.; Lindsay, Brianna R.; Kuter, Barbara J.; Perez, Gonzalo; Dominiak-Felden, Geraldine; Saah, Alfred J.; Drury, Rosybel; Das, Rituparna; Velicer, Christine

2016-01-01

Prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programs constitute major public health initiatives worldwide. We assessed the global effect of quadrivalent HPV (4vHPV) vaccination on HPV infection and disease. PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for peer-reviewed articles from January 2007 through February 2016 to identify observational studies reporting the impact or effectiveness of 4vHPV vaccination on infection, anogenital warts, and cervical cancer or precancerous lesions. Over the last decade, the impact of HPV vaccination in real-world settings has become increasingly evident, especially among girls vaccinated before HPV exposure in countries with high vaccine uptake. Maximal reductions of approximately 90% for HPV 6/11/16/18 infection, approximately 90% for genital warts, approximately 45% for low-grade cytological cervical abnormalities, and approximately 85% for high-grade histologically proven cervical abnormalities have been reported. The full public health potential of HPV vaccination is not yet realized. HPV-related disease remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality in developing and developed nations, underscoring the need for HPV vaccination programs with high population coverage. PMID:27230391

A Physicist's Journey In The Nuclear Power World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starr, Chauncey

2000-03-01

As a participant in the development of civilian nuclear power plants for the past half century, the author presents some of his insights to its history that may be of interest to today's applied physicists. Nuclear power development has involved a mixture of creative vision, science, engineering, and unusual technical, economic, and social obstacles. Nuclear power programs were initiated during the euphoric era of public support for new science immediately following World War II -- a support that lasted almost two decades. Subsequently, nuclear power has had to face a complex mix of public concerns and criticism. The author's involvment in some of these circumstances will be anecdotally described. Although the physics of fission and its byproducts remains at the heart of all nuclear reactor designs, its embodiment in practical energy sources has been shaped by the limitations of engineering primarily and economics secondarily. Very influential has been the continuing interplay with the military's weapons and propulsion programs, and the government's political policies. In this respect, nuclear power's history provides a learning experience that may be applicable to some of the large scale demonstration projects that physicists pursue today.

Worldwide asbestos supply and consumption trends from 1900 to 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Virta, Robert L.

2003-01-01

The use of asbestos is one of the most controversial issues surrounding the industrial minerals industry. Its carcinogenic nature, an overall lack of knowledge of minimum safe exposure levels, its widespread use for more than 100 years, and the long latency for the development of lung cancer and mesothelioma are the main contributing factors to these controversies. Another factor is that, despite decades of research, the mechanisms responsible for its carcinogenic properties are still largely unknown. The United States has produced about 3.28 million metric tons of asbestos fiber and used approximately 31.5 million tons between 1900 and 2000. About half of this amount was used since 1960. Cumulative world production during that same time period was about 173 million tons. Assuming that unusually large stocks are not maintained and that world consumption roughly equals production, about half of the world production and consumption occurred since 1976. The United States and western European nations were the largest consumers of asbestos during the first two-thirds of the 20th century. They were surpassed by the collective production and consumption of States within the former Soviet Union by the 1970s. With the onset of the health issues concerning asbestos in the late 1960s and early 1970s, world production and consumption began to decline during the 1980s. In 2000, world consumption, estimated to be 1.48 million tons, was only 31% that of 1980. Countries in Asia, South America, and the former Soviet Union remain the largest users of asbestos. More specifically, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Russia, and Thailand are the only countries that consumed more than 60,000 tons of asbestos in 2000. These six countries accounted for more than 80% of world?s apparent consumption in 2000.

World citation and collaboration networks: uncovering the role of geography in science

PubMed Central

Pan, Raj Kumar; Kaski, Kimmo; Fortunato, Santo

2012-01-01

Modern information and communication technologies, especially the Internet, have diminished the role of spatial distances and territorial boundaries on the access and transmissibility of information. This has enabled scientists for closer collaboration and internationalization. Nevertheless, geography remains an important factor affecting the dynamics of science. Here we present a systematic analysis of citation and collaboration networks between cities and countries, by assigning papers to the geographic locations of their authors’ affiliations. The citation flows as well as the collaboration strengths between cities decrease with the distance between them and follow gravity laws. In addition, the total research impact of a country grows linearly with the amount of national funding for research & development. However, the average impact reveals a peculiar threshold effect: the scientific output of a country may reach an impact larger than the world average only if the country invests more than about 100,000 USD per researcher annually. PMID:23198092

The gender gap in sport performance: equity influences equality.

PubMed

Capranica, Laura; Piacentini, Maria Francesca; Halson, Shona; Myburgh, Kathryn H; Ogasawara, Etsuko; Millard-Stafford, Mindy

2013-01-01

Sport is recognized as playing a relevant societal role to promote education, health, intercultural dialogue, and the individual development, regardless of an individual's gender, race, age, ability, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic background. Yet, it was not until the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London that every country's delegation included a female competitor. The gender gap in sport, although closing, remains, due to biological differences affecting performance, but it is also influenced by reduced opportunity and sociopolitical factors that influence full female participation across a range of sports around the world. Until the cultural environment is equitable, scientific discussion related to physiological differences using methods that examine progression in male and female world-record performances is limited. This commentary is intended to provide a forum to discuss issues underlying gender differences in sport performance from a global perspective and acknowledge the influence of cultural and sociopolitical factors that continue to ultimately affect female performance.

[Perspectives of an existential interdisciplinary body theory].

PubMed

Kühn, R

1990-01-01

The existence analytical inquiry has developed corporal models that admit in their integrative-anthropological form fertile comparisons with a phenomenological radical immanence-philosophy of the constitution. The "body as partner" (W. Blankenburg) and the not objectivitical measurable connection of the "figure- and functionbody" contain estimates, to understand the body as living "I can" (Maine de Biran; Husserl) that means as really final subjectivity, ipseity or "soul", like the french phenomenologist Michel Henry from the creature of the not secularized affectivity has analyzed. With that the remained rests of the still from world categories imaginaried connection get powered (transcendence, sensuousness, settlement by Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Schütz for example) to conceive the body as not inferable absolute origin being. Seen interdisciplinary there from results a new foundation for an evidence as constitution-comprehension, that can psychological like therapeutical the pathogenous for instance theoretical world/constitution/soul-distortions help over-power.

Progress in global surveillance and response capacity 10 years after severe acute respiratory syndrome.

PubMed

Braden, Christopher R; Dowell, Scott F; Jernigan, Daniel B; Hughes, James M

2013-06-01

Ten years have elapsed since the World Health Organization issued its first global alert for an unexplained illness named severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the international response to this new global microbial threat. While global surveillance and response capacity for public health threats have been strengthened, critical gaps remain. Of 194 World Health Organization member states that signed on to the International Health Regulations (2005), <20% had achieved compliance with the core capacities required by the deadline in June 2012. Lessons learned from the global SARS outbreak highlight the need to avoid complacency, strengthen efforts to improve global capacity to address the next pandemic using all available 21st century tools, and support research to develop new treatment options, countermeasures, and insights while striving to address the global inequities that are the root cause of many of these challenges.

Atlantic consumption of French rum and brandy and economic growth in the seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Caribbean.

PubMed

Mandelblatt, Bertie

2011-01-01

Why did the production of rum in the French West Indies not achieve the same success within the French Atlantic as it did in the British Atlantic world? Surveying the history of rum production in the French Caribbean in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, this article contends that the reason why no regional trade in rum developed in French North America resulted from fierce industrial and institutional competition from brandy producers in metropolitan France. Rum, nevertheless, remained significant within the culture and economy of Native Americans and African Americans. This article seeks to add nuance to the wider debate of the ability of the trans-border diffusion of new ideas to stimulate and institutionalize industrial and economic growth in the Atlantic world. French entrepreneurs were no less ‘entrepreneurial’ than their British counterparts, but real constraints on consumption on both sides of the Atlantic created insufficient demand.

World citation and collaboration networks: uncovering the role of geography in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Raj Kumar; Kaski, Kimmo; Fortunato, Santo

2012-11-01

Modern information and communication technologies, especially the Internet, have diminished the role of spatial distances and territorial boundaries on the access and transmissibility of information. This has enabled scientists for closer collaboration and internationalization. Nevertheless, geography remains an important factor affecting the dynamics of science. Here we present a systematic analysis of citation and collaboration networks between cities and countries, by assigning papers to the geographic locations of their authors' affiliations. The citation flows as well as the collaboration strengths between cities decrease with the distance between them and follow gravity laws. In addition, the total research impact of a country grows linearly with the amount of national funding for research & development. However, the average impact reveals a peculiar threshold effect: the scientific output of a country may reach an impact larger than the world average only if the country invests more than about 100,000 USD per researcher annually.

Shift Work and Shift Work Sleep Disorder: Clinical and Organizational Perspectives.

PubMed

Wickwire, Emerson M; Geiger-Brown, Jeanne; Scharf, Steven M; Drake, Christopher L

2017-05-01

Throughout the industrialized world, nearly one in five employees works some form of nontraditional shift. Such shift work is associated with numerous negative health consequences, ranging from cognitive complaints to cancer, as well as diminished quality of life. Furthermore, a substantial percentage of shift workers develop shift work disorder, a circadian rhythm sleep disorder characterized by excessive sleepiness, insomnia, or both as a result of shift work. In addition to adverse health consequences and diminished quality of life at the individual level, shift work disorder incurs significant costs to employers through diminished workplace performance and increased accidents and errors. Nonetheless, shift work will remain a vital component of the modern economy. This article reviews seminal and recent literature regarding shift work, with an eye toward real-world application in clinical and organizational settings. Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Freedom to read: A personal account of the ‘book famine’

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Even in the digital age, access to literature and other information for people with print impairments remains extremely poor, especially in the developing world. Reading access holds cascading implications for education, economic empowerment, social participation and self-worth. In June 2013 member states of WIPO (the World Intellectual Property Organization) concluded a landmark treaty to reduce copyright impediments to the dissemination of literature to print impaired people. Its effectiveness is not yet clear. Meanwhile, critics hold that disability studies’ analyses have too often lacked insight into the personal and psychological ramifications of exclusion. This article provides an account of the ‘book famine’ from the perspective of a print impaired South African disability researcher, arguing that thorough investigation of the impressions of exclusion is necessary for change. The account highlights the personal, even malignant psychological reverberations of deprivations such as the ‘book famine’, which may carry traumatic effects which cement the status quo. PMID:28730006

Virulence factors of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex

PubMed Central

Forrellad, Marina A.; Klepp, Laura I.; Gioffré, Andrea; Sabio y García, Julia; Morbidoni, Hector R.; Santangelo, María de la Paz; Cataldi, Angel A.; Bigi, Fabiana

2013-01-01

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) consists of closely related species that cause tuberculosis in both humans and animals. This illness, still today, remains to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. The mycobacteria enter the host by air, and, once in the lungs, are phagocytated by macrophages. This may lead to the rapid elimination of the bacillus or to the triggering of an active tuberculosis infection. A large number of different virulence factors have evolved in MTBC members as a response to the host immune reaction. The aim of this review is to describe the bacterial genes/proteins that are essential for the virulence of MTBC species, and that have been demonstrated in an in vivo model of infection. Knowledge of MTBC virulence factors is essential for the development of new vaccines and drugs to help manage the disease toward an increasingly more tuberculosis-free world. PMID:23076359

Bushmeat hunting and extinction risk to the world's mammals

PubMed Central

Abernethy, Katharine; Betts, Matthew G.; Chapron, Guillaume; Dirzo, Rodolfo; Galetti, Mauro; Levi, Taal; Lindsey, Peter A.; Macdonald, David W.; Machovina, Brian; Peres, Carlos A.; Wallach, Arian D.

2016-01-01

Terrestrial mammals are experiencing a massive collapse in their population sizes and geographical ranges around the world, but many of the drivers, patterns and consequences of this decline remain poorly understood. Here we provide an analysis showing that bushmeat hunting for mostly food and medicinal products is driving a global crisis whereby 301 terrestrial mammal species are threatened with extinction. Nearly all of these threatened species occur in developing countries where major coexisting threats include deforestation, agricultural expansion, human encroachment and competition with livestock. The unrelenting decline of mammals suggests many vital ecological and socio-economic services that these species provide will be lost, potentially changing ecosystems irrevocably. We discuss options and current obstacles to achieving effective conservation, alongside consequences of failure to stem such anthropogenic mammalian extirpation. We propose a multi-pronged conservation strategy to help save threatened mammals from immediate extinction and avoid a collapse of food security for hundreds of millions of people. PMID:27853564

Status of floriculture in Europe.

PubMed

Van Huylenbroeck, Johan

2010-01-01

Europe is traditionally the largest producer of floricultural products in the world with an estimated production value of over 12 billion euro in 2006. The Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom and France are the main centres of production. More recently, a significant growth in production area was observed in Poland also. The Dutch auctions remain the world's largest trading system for flowers and plants. Looking at the intra-European trade, Belgium and Denmark are also major exporting countries. The consumption of floricultural products increased strongly within Europe during the last years. Especially, Eastern Europe has a big potential as a new market. In these countries, the demand for ornamentals will increase due to the rise of income and the level of prosperity. In spite of the positive developments in consumption and production, increasing energy costs, growing environmental concern and globalisation of production, trade and markets will form the major challenges European floricultural industry has to deal with in the near future.

[Primary health care and the millennium development goals].

PubMed

Faye, A; Bob, M; Fall, A; Fall, C

2012-01-01

Member countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) met in Alma Ata (8-12 September 1978) to define and advocate the implementation of primary health care (PHC) worldwide, above all, in developing countries, which had a real need to review their strategies for meeting the health needs of their populations. They did not suspect that 20 years later the vision they displayed would remain undeniably relevant. Here we examine the similarities and points of convergence of their declaration about PHC with the Millennium Development Goals that seek today to reduce poverty across the world. An exhaustive and analytic literature review was conducted to collect those similarities. Further analysis of the definitions, objectives, principles and recommendations of the Alma Ata Declaration and the Millennium Declaration reveals multiple dependencies and fundamental points of similarity between these two representations. Almost all states have pledged to achieve the eight MDG by 2015: to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability, and develop a global partnership for development. The Alma Ata conference defined primary health care as essential health care, based on practical methods and techniques that are both scientifically sound and socially acceptable, universally accessible to all individuals and all families of the community, through their full participation and at a cost that the community and countries can afford at all stages of their development in the spirit of self-reliance and self-determination. It is an integral part of economic and social development. The following principles are involved in the achievement of both primary health care and the MDG: social equity, community participation, and intersectorality. Public health is an essential condition of poverty eradication and MDG achievement. Public health issues are central to the problem of sustainable development and must therefore remain the focus of attention. It is increasingly urgent to break the vicious circle created by the close correlation between environmental degradation, poor health, and poverty.

Salt intakes around the world: implications for public health.

PubMed

Brown, Ian J; Tzoulaki, Ioanna; Candeias, Vanessa; Elliott, Paul

2009-06-01

High levels of dietary sodium (consumed as common salt, sodium chloride) are associated with raised blood pressure and adverse cardiovascular health. Despite this, public health efforts to reduce sodium consumption remain limited to a few countries. Comprehensive, contemporaneous sodium intake data from around the world are needed to inform national/international public health initiatives to reduce sodium consumption. Use of standardized 24-h sodium excretion estimates for adults from the international INTERSALT (1985-87) and INTERMAP (1996-99) studies, and recent dietary and urinary sodium data from observational or interventional studies--identified by a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and 'grey' literature--presented separately for adults and children. Review of methods for the estimation of sodium intake/excretion. Main food sources of sodium are presented for several Asian, European and Northern American countries, including previously unpublished INTERMAP data. Sodium intakes around the world are well in excess of physiological need (i.e. 10-20 mmol/day). Most adult populations have mean sodium intakes >100 mmol/day, and for many (particularly the Asian countries) mean intakes are >200 mmol/day. Possible exceptions include estimates from Cameroon, Ghana, Samoa, Spain, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda and Venezuela, though methodologies were sub-optimal and samples were not nationally representative. Sodium intakes were commonly >100 mmol/day in children over 5 years old, and increased with age. In European and Northern American countries, sodium intake is dominated by sodium added in manufactured foods ( approximately 75% of intake). Cereals and baked goods were the single largest contributor to dietary sodium intake in UK and US adults. In Japan and China, salt added at home (in cooking and at the table) and soy sauce were the largest sources. Unfavourably high sodium intakes remain prevalent around the world. Sources of dietary sodium vary largely worldwide. If policies for salt reduction at the population level are to be effective, policy development and implementation needs to target the main source of dietary sodium in the various populations.

Blood banking in China.

PubMed

Shan, Hua; Wang, Jing-Xing; Ren, Fu-Rong; Zhang, Yuan-Zhi; Zhao, Hai-Yan; Gao, Guo-Jing; Ji, Yang; Ness, Paul M

2002-11-30

While transfusion-transmissible diseases, including AIDS and viral hepatitis, continue to spread especially in developing countries, the issue of safeguarding the world's blood supply is of paramount importance. China houses more than 20% of the earth's population, and thus its blood supply has the potential to affect the global community. In recent years, Chinese blood centres have tried to improve the nation's blood safety. Although substantial progress has already been made, many daunting difficulties remain. Traditional cultural barriers need to be overcome to successfully mobilise volunteer blood donors. Gaps in information and technology still need to be closed. Insufficiency of economic resources also restrict the blood bank industry. Other developing countries face many of the same challenges as China.

Infectious diseases and securitization: WHO's dilemma.

PubMed

Jin, Jiyong; Karackattu, Joe Thomas

2011-06-01

The threat posed by infectious diseases has been increasingly framed as a security issue. The UN Security Council's Resolution 1308, which designated HIV/AIDS as a threat to international security, evidenced the securitization process. Using securitization theory as a theoretical tool, this article explores the securitization of infectious diseases in the World Health Organization (WHO). While WHO has tended to securitize infectious diseases since 2000, it has encountered a dilemma in the process because of the inherent asymmetry of interest between developed and developing countries. The act of securitization in WHO currently remains mostly a rhetorical device, since WHO's norms emblematic of securitization have not been backed by operational measures for verification or enforcement due to these asymmetric interests.

Smoking estimates from around the world: data from the first 17 participating countries in the World Mental Health Survey Consortium

PubMed Central

Storr, Carla L; Cheng, Hui; Alonso, Jordi; Angermeyer, Matthias; Bruffaerts, Ronny; de Girolamo, Giovanni; de Graaf, Ron; Gureje, Oye; Karam, Elie G; Kostyuchenko, Stanislav; Lee, Sing; Lepine, Jean-Pierre; Mora, Maria Elena Medina; Myer, Landon; Neumark, Yehuda; Posada-Villa, Jose; Watanabe, Makoto; Wells, J Elisabeth; Kessler, Ronald C; Anthony, James C

2014-01-01

Objective To contribute new multinational findings on basic descriptive features of smoking and cessation, based upon standardised community surveys of adults residing in seven low-income and middle-income countries and 10 higher-income countries from all regions of the world. Methods Data were collected using standardised interviews and community probability sample survey methods conducted as part of the WHO World Mental Health Surveys Initiative. Demographic and socioeconomic correlates of smoking are studied using cross-tabulation and logistic regression approaches. Within-country sample weights were applied with variance estimation appropriate for complex sample survey designs. Results Estimated prevalence of smoking experience (history of ever smoking) and current smoking varied across the countries under study. In all but four countries, one out of every four adults currently smoked. In higher-income countries, estimated proportions of former smokers (those who had quit) were roughly double the corresponding estimates for most low-income and middle-income countries. Characteristics of smokers varied within individual countries, and in relation to the World Bank's low-medium-high gradient of economic development. In stark contrast to a sturdy male-female difference in the uptake of smoking seen in each country, there is no consistent sex-associated pattern in the odds of remaining a smoker (versus quitting). Conclusion The World Mental Health Surveys estimates complement existing global tobacco monitoring efforts. The observed global diversity of associations with smoking and smoking cessation underscore reasons for implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provisions and prompt local adaptation of prevention and control interventions. PMID:19965796

Occupational exposure to municipal solid wastes and development of toxic neuropathies: possible role of nutrient supplementation, complementary and alternative medicines in chemoprevention.

PubMed

Ekor, Martins; Odewabi, Adesina O

2014-09-01

Achieving effective municipal solid waste (MSW) management remains a major challenge and waste generation and accumulation continue to constitute important environmental and public health concern, particularly in most developing countries. Although the general population is at risk of adverse health consequences and hazards associated with exposure to MSW, the waste management workers (WMWs) are the most vulnerable because of their direct involvement in the disposal of waste, with increasing evidence of work-related health and safety risks among these individuals. Among the numerous work-related health hazards prevalent in WMWs, development of toxic neuropathies following chronic occupational exposure remains poorly recognized. However, the risk or predisposition to toxic neuropathies is becoming evident considering the increasing recognition of large amount of neurotoxic heavy metals and hazardous industrial materials present in MSW in most parts of the world. The present review seeks to draw attention to the continuous vulnerability of the WMWs to developing toxic neuropathies. This is aimed at facilitating conscious efforts by relevant governmental and nongovernmental agencies towards promoting risk reduction and ensuring adequate protection against possible toxic polyneuropathies associated with occupational exposure to solid wastes. While continuous education of the WMWs on the need for adequate compliance to safety regulations and practice remains sacrosanct towards achieving significant reduction in toxic neuropathies and related adverse health consequences of waste handling, it is also our intention in this review to underscore the possible relevance of nutrient supplementation and alternative medicines in chemoprevention.

The World Summit on Sustainable Development: reaffirming the centrality of health

PubMed Central

von Schirnding, Yasmin

2005-01-01

The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was held in Johannesburg in 2002 to review progress since the Rio conference in 1992, and to agree a new global deal on sustainable development. Unlike its predecessor, it was primarily concerned with implementation rather than with new treaties and targets, although a number of new targets were agreed, for example one on sanitation. Failure to agree a target on renewable energy was regarded as a major disappointment of the conference. While relatively modest in its achievements, and with difficulties in achieving consensus in key areas such as energy, trade, finance and globalisation, WSSD nevertheless succeeded in placing sustainable development back on the political agenda, giving new impetus, in particular to the environment and development needs of Africa, with a strong focus on local issues like household energy, water and sanitation. Health was singled out as one of five priority areas, along with water, energy, agriculture and biodiversity, and was devoted a separate chapter in the resulting Plan of Implementation, which highlighted a range of environmental health issues as well as issues relating to health services, communicable and non-communicable diseases. A number of new partnerships were formed at WSSD, including the Healthy Environments for Children Alliance (HECA) launched by WHO, which will form an important platform for implementation. The Commission on Sustainable Development has been designated main responsibility for monitoring and follow up, with its programme of work reorganised to focus on thematic clusters of issues. From the perspective of health, WSSD must be seen as a reaffirmation of the central place of health on the sustainable development agenda, and in the broader context of a process which began in Rio and was given added impetus with the Monterrey Financing for Development conference and the World Trade Organisation meeting held in Doha. Translating policies into action at all levels- global to local – remains the single biggest challenge in the years that lie ahead. PMID:15953397

The World Summit on Sustainable Development: reaffirming the centrality of health.

PubMed

von Schirnding, Yasmin

2005-05-10

The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was held in Johannesburg in 2002 to review progress since the Rio conference in 1992, and to agree a new global deal on sustainable development. Unlike its predecessor, it was primarily concerned with implementation rather than with new treaties and targets, although a number of new targets were agreed, for example one on sanitation. Failure to agree a target on renewable energy was regarded as a major disappointment of the conference. While relatively modest in its achievements, and with difficulties in achieving consensus in key areas such as energy, trade, finance and globalisation, WSSD nevertheless succeeded in placing sustainable development back on the political agenda, giving new impetus, in particular to the environment and development needs of Africa, with a strong focus on local issues like household energy, water and sanitation. Health was singled out as one of five priority areas, along with water, energy, agriculture and biodiversity, and was devoted a separate chapter in the resulting Plan of Implementation, which highlighted a range of environmental health issues as well as issues relating to health services, communicable and non-communicable diseases. A number of new partnerships were formed at WSSD, including the Healthy Environments for Children Alliance (HECA) launched by WHO, which will form an important platform for implementation. The Commission on Sustainable Development has been designated main responsibility for monitoring and follow up, with its programme of work reorganised to focus on thematic clusters of issues. From the perspective of health, WSSD must be seen as a reaffirmation of the central place of health on the sustainable development agenda, and in the broader context of a process which began in Rio and was given added impetus with the Monterrey Financing for Development conference and the World Trade Organisation meeting held in Doha. Translating policies into action at all levels- global to local - remains the single biggest challenge in the years that lie ahead.

Global iodine nutrition: Where do we stand in 2013?

PubMed

Pearce, Elizabeth N; Andersson, Maria; Zimmermann, Michael B

2013-05-01

Dietary iodine intake is required for the production of thyroid hormone. Consequences of iodine deficiency include goiter, intellectual impairments, growth retardation, neonatal hypothyroidism, and increased pregnancy loss and infant mortality. In 1990, the United Nations World Summit for Children established the goal of eliminating iodine deficiency worldwide. Considerable progress has since been achieved, largely through programs of universal salt iodization. Approximately 70% of all households worldwide currently have access to adequately iodized salt. In 2013, as defined by a national or subnational median urinary iodine concentration of 100-299 μg/L in school-aged children, 111 countries have sufficient iodine intake. Thirty countries remain iodine-deficient; 9 are moderately deficient, 21 are mildly deficient, and none are currently considered severely iodine-deficient. Ten countries have excessive iodine intake. In North America, both the United States and Canada are generally iodine-sufficient, although recent data suggest pregnant U.S. women are mildly iodine-deficient. Emerging issues include discrepancies between urinary iodine status in pregnant women compared to school-aged children in some populations, the problem of re-emerging iodine deficiency in parts of the developed world, the importance of food industry use of iodized salt, regions of iodine excess, and the potential effects of initiatives to lower population sodium consumption on iodine intake. Although substantial progress has been made over the last several decades, iodine deficiency remains a significant health problem worldwide and affects both industrialized and developing nations. The ongoing monitoring of population iodine status remains crucially important, and particular attention may need to be paid to monitoring the status of vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and infants. There is also need for ongoing monitoring of iodized salt and other dietary iodine sources in order to prevent excess as well as insufficient iodine nutrition. Finally, it will be essential to coordinate interventions designed to reduce population sodium intake with salt iodization programs in order to maintain adequate levels of iodine nutrition as salt intake declines.

Cholera: current epidemiology.

PubMed

Crowcroft, N S

1994-12-09

Cholera remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its epidemiology has changed in the 1990s, with the spread of the seventh pandemic to the western hemisphere and the emergence of a new serogroup, Vibrio cholerae O139. The spread of cholera may be rapid and unpredictable because of aeroplane travel, international shipping, and the migration of people due to war or political unrest. Increasing amounts of largely untreated faeces from growing human populations favour cholera's survival. Most of the world has inadequate sanitation, and future prospects are undermined by the impact of international debt on ailing economies. Furthermore, because cholera is difficult to eradicate from water it is likely to remain a serious threat to public health for some time. Progress is being made in the development of oral vaccines against V. cholerae O1 and serogroup O139.

The World Spatiotemporal Analytics and Mapping Project (WSTAMP): Discovering, Exploring, and Mapping Spatiotemporal Patterns Across Heterogenous Space-Time Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morton, A.; Stewart, R.; Held, E.; Piburn, J.; Allen, M. R.; McManamay, R.; Sanyal, J.; Sorokine, A.; Bhaduri, B. L.

2017-12-01

Spatiotemporal (ST) analytics applied to major spatio-temporal data sources from major vendors such as USGS, NOAA, World Bank and World Health Organization have tremendous value in shedding light on the evolution of physical, cultural, and geopolitical landscapes on a local and global level. Especially powerful is the integration of these physical and cultural datasets across multiple and disparate formats, facilitating new interdisciplinary analytics and insights. Realizing this potential first requires an ST data model that addresses challenges in properly merging data from multiple authors, with evolving ontological perspectives, semantical differences, changing attributes, and content that is textual, numeric, categorical, and hierarchical. Equally challenging is the development of analytical and visualization approaches that provide a serious exploration of this integrated data while remaining accessible to practitioners with varied backgrounds. The WSTAMP project at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory has yielded two major results in addressing these challenges: 1) development of the WSTAMP database, a significant advance in ST data modeling that integrates 16000+ attributes covering 200+ countries for over 50 years from over 30 major sources and 2) a novel online ST exploratory and analysis tool providing an array of modern statistical and visualization techniques for analyzing these data temporally, spatially, and spatiotemporally under a standard analytic workflow. We report on these advances, provide an illustrative case study, and inform how others may freely access the tool.

Polymeric heart valves for surgical implantation, catheter-based technologies and heart assist devices.

PubMed

Bezuidenhout, Deon; Williams, David F; Zilla, Peter

2015-01-01

Efficient function and long-term durability without the need for anticoagulation, coupled with the ability to be accommodated in many different types of patient, are the principal requirements of replacement heart valves. Although the clinical use of valves appeared to have remained steady for several decades, the evolving demands for the elderly and frail patients typically encountered in the developed world, and the needs of much younger and poorer rheumatic heart disease patients in the developing world have now necessitated new paradigms for heart valve technologies and associated materials. This includes further consideration of durable elastomeric materials. The use of polymers to produce flexible leaflet valves that have the benefits of current commercial bioprosthetic and mechanical valves without any of their deficiencies has been held desirable since the mid 1950s. Much attention has been focused on thermoplastic polyurethanes in view of their generally good physico-chemical properties and versatility in processing, coupled with the improving biocompatibility and stability of recent formulations. Accelerated in vitro durability of between 600 and 1000 million cycles has been achieved using polycarbonate urethanes, and good resistance to degradation, calcification and thrombosis in vivo has been shown with some polysiloxane-based polyurethanes. Nevertheless, polymeric valves have remained relegated to use in temporary ventricular assist devices for bridging heart failure patients to transplantation. Some recent studies suggest that there is a greater degree of instability in thermoplastic materials than hitherto believed so that significant challenges remain in the search for the combination of durability and biocompatibility that would allow polymeric valves to become a clinical reality for surgical implantation. Perhaps more importantly, they could become candidates for use in situations where minimally invasive transcatheter procedures are used to replace diseased valves. Being amenable to relatively inexpensive mass production techniques, the attainment of this goal could benefit very large numbers of patients in developing and emerging countries who currently have no access to treatment for rheumatic heart disease that is so prevalent in these areas. This review discusses the evolution and current status of polymeric valves in wide-ranging circumstances.

Talent identification and development programmes in sport : current models and future directions.

PubMed

Vaeyens, Roel; Lenoir, Matthieu; Williams, A Mark; Philippaerts, Renaat M

2008-01-01

Many children strive to attain excellence in sport. However, although talent identification and development programmes have gained popularity in recent decades, there remains a lack of consensus in relation to how talent should be defined or identified and there is no uniformly accepted theoretical framework to guide current practice. The success rates of talent identification and development programmes have rarely been assessed and the validity of the models applied remains highly debated. This article provides an overview of current knowledge in this area with special focus on problems associated with the identification of gifted adolescents. There is a growing agreement that traditional cross-sectional talent identification models are likely to exclude many, especially late maturing, 'promising' children from development programmes due to the dynamic and multidimensional nature of sport talent. A conceptual framework that acknowledges both genetic and environmental influences and considers the dynamic and multidimensional nature of sport talent is presented. The relevance of this model is highlighted and recommendations for future work provided. It is advocated that talent identification and development programmes should be dynamic and interconnected taking into consideration maturity status and the potential to develop rather than to exclude children at an early age. Finally, more representative real-world tasks should be developed and employed in a multidimensional design to increase the efficacy of talent identification and development programmes.

Zombie projects, negative networks, and multigenerational science: The temporality of the International Map of the World.

PubMed

Rankin, William

2017-06-01

The International Map of the World was a hugely ambitious scheme to create standardized maps of the entire world. It was first proposed in 1891 and remained a going concern until 1986. Over the course of the project's official life, nearly every country in the world took part, and map sheets were published showing all but a few areas of the planet. But the project ended quite unceremoniously, repudiated by cartographers and mapping institutions alike, and it is now remembered as a 'sad story' of network failure. How can we evaluate this kind of sprawling, multigenerational project? In order to move beyond practitioners' (and historians') habit of summarizing the entire endeavor using the blunt categories of success and failure, I propose a more temporally aware reading, one that both disaggregates the (persistent) project from the (always changing) network and sees project and network as invertible, with the possibility of zombie projects and negative networks that can remain robust even when disconnected from their original goals. I therefore see the abandonment of the International Map of the World as resulting from vigorous collaboration and new norms in cartography, not from lack of cooperation or other resources. New categories are required for analyzing science over the long durée.

World Wide Webs: Crossing the Digital Divide through Promotion of Public Access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coetzee, Liezl

“As Bill Gates and Steve Case proclaim the global omnipresence of the Internet, the majority of non-Western nations and 97 per cent of the world's population remain unconnected to the net for lack of money, access, or knowledge. This exclusion of so vast a share of the global population from the Internet sharply contradicts the claims of those who posit the World Wide Web as a ‘universal' medium of egalitarian communication.” (Trend 2001:2)

Female sex work and international sport events - no major changes in demand or supply of paid sex during the 2010 Soccer World Cup: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Richter, Marlise; Luchters, Stanley; Ndlovu, Dudu; Temmerman, Marleen; Chersich, Matthew Francis

2012-09-11

Important unanswered questions remain on the impact of international sporting events on the sex industry. Speculation about increased demand and supply of sex work often generates significant attention, but also additional funding for HIV programmes. This study assessed whether changes occurred in the demand and supply of paid sex during the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa. Trained sex worker interviewers conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews among consenting female sex workers during May-September 2010. Using bivariate analyses we compared supply, demand, sexual risk-taking, and police and health services contact pre-World Cup, to levels during the World Cup and after the event. No increases were detected in indicators of sex work supply, including the proportion of sex workers newly arrived in the city (< 2.5% in each phase) or those recently entering the trade (≤ 1.5%). Similarly, demand for sex work, indicated by median number of clients (around 12 per week) and amount charged per transaction ($13) remained similar in the three study periods. Only a third of participants reported observing any change in the sex industry ascribed to the World Cup. Self-reported condom-use with clients remained high across all samples (> 92.4% in all phases). Health-care utilisation decreased non-significantly from the pre- to during World Cup period (62.4% to 57.0%; P = 0.075). Across all periods, about thirty percent of participants had interacted with police in the preceding month, two thirds of whom had negative interactions. Contrary to public opinion, no major increases were detected in the demand or supply of paid sex during the World Cup. Although the study design employed was unable to select population-based samples, these findings do not support the public concern and media speculation prior to the event, but rather signal a missed opportunity for public health action. Given the media attention on sex work, future sporting events offer strategic opportunities to implement services for sex workers and their clients, especially as health service utilisation might decrease in this period.

Female sex work and international sport events - no major changes in demand or supply of paid sex during the 2010 Soccer World Cup: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Important unanswered questions remain on the impact of international sporting events on the sex industry. Speculation about increased demand and supply of sex work often generates significant attention, but also additional funding for HIV programmes. This study assessed whether changes occurred in the demand and supply of paid sex during the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa. Methods Trained sex worker interviewers conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews among consenting female sex workers during May-September 2010. Using bivariate analyses we compared supply, demand, sexual risk-taking, and police and health services contact pre-World Cup, to levels during the World Cup and after the event. Results No increases were detected in indicators of sex work supply, including the proportion of sex workers newly arrived in the city (< 2.5% in each phase) or those recently entering the trade (≤ 1.5%). Similarly, demand for sex work, indicated by median number of clients (around 12 per week) and amount charged per transaction ($13) remained similar in the three study periods. Only a third of participants reported observing any change in the sex industry ascribed to the World Cup. Self-reported condom-use with clients remained high across all samples (> 92.4% in all phases). Health-care utilisation decreased non-significantly from the pre- to during World Cup period (62.4% to 57.0%; P = 0.075). Across all periods, about thirty percent of participants had interacted with police in the preceding month, two thirds of whom had negative interactions. Conclusions Contrary to public opinion, no major increases were detected in the demand or supply of paid sex during the World Cup. Although the study design employed was unable to select population-based samples, these findings do not support the public concern and media speculation prior to the event, but rather signal a missed opportunity for public health action. Given the media attention on sex work, future sporting events offer strategic opportunities to implement services for sex workers and their clients, especially as health service utilisation might decrease in this period. PMID:22967260

World Ships - Architectures & Feasibility Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hein, A. M.; Pak, M.; Putz, D.; Buhler, C.; Reiss, P.

A world ship is a concept for manned interstellar flight. It is a huge, self-contained and self-sustained interstellar vehicle. It travels at a fraction of a per cent of the speed of light and needs several centuries to reach its target star system. The well- known world ship concept by Alan Bond and Anthony Martin was intended to show its principal feasibility. However, several important issues haven't been addressed so far: the relationship between crew size and robustness of knowledge transfer, reliability, and alternative mission architectures. This paper addresses these gaps. Furthermore, it gives an update on target star system choice, and develops possible mission architectures. The derived conclusions are: a large population size leads to robust knowledge transfer and cultural adaptation. These processes can be improved by new technologies. World ship reliability depends on the availability of an automatic repair system, as in the case of the Daedalus probe. Star systems with habitable planets are probably farther away than systems with enough resources to construct space colonies. Therefore, missions to habitable planets have longer trip times and have a higher risk of mission failure. On the other hand, the risk of constructing colonies is higher than to establish an initial settlement on a habitable planet. Mission architectures with precursor probes have the potential to significantly reduce trip and colonization risk without being significantly more costly than architectures without. In summary world ships remain an interesting concept, although they require a space colony-based civilization within our own solar system before becoming feasible.

Discovering a "True" Map of the World--Learning Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hantula, James

"True" maps of the world, as seen from the perspective of the time in which they were produced, remain an ethnocentric visual language in modern times. Students can gain insight into such "true" maps by studying maps produced in the great traditions of the West and East. Teachers can determine a map's appropriateness by identifying its title,…

China’s Bureaucracy Hinders Environmental Recovery

Treesearch

Lixin Guan; Ge Sun; Shixiong Cao

2010-01-01

Ecosystem restoration efforts have become a booming business in China. Billions of dollars are being spent annually to restore polluted waterways and ecosystems that have been degraded, fragmented, or paved over (Fu et al. 2007; Wang et al. 2007). However, China’s environmental sustainability index remains among the lowest in the world (World Bank 2009; Liu 2010). For...

World History. Focus on Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldwell, Jean; Clark, James; Herscher, Walter

This book opens with an exploration of the first economic revolution, which set the stage for the dramatic unfolding of the role economics has played in world history. The lessons focus on two topics: (1) why some economies grew and prospered while others remained stagnant or declined; and (2) what causes people to make choices that help or hinder…

Preparing Student Teachers for a World History Curriculum in New York

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swansinger, Jacqueline

2009-01-01

In the era of globalization, American education remains committed to the idea that all citizens can and should be educated, though this goal may be more comforting than practical. But today's task lies in reaching for the quality standards that made American education the envy and model of the world. This challenge faces every discipline…

Preparing Tomorrow's Global Leaders: Honors International Education. National Collegiate Honors Council Monograph Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulvaney, Mary Kay, Ed.; Klein, Kim, Ed.

2013-01-01

In our diverse and interconnected world, expanding students' horizons beyond the classrooms and laboratories of home campuses is increasingly important. Even some of the brightest honors students remain naïve to the causes and ramifications of current world events and lack the necessary intercultural skills to become effective ethical leaders with…

What Does Global Migration Network Say about Recent Changes in the World System Structure?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zinkina, Julia; Korotayev, Andrey

2014-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the structure of the international migration system has remained stable through the recent turbulent changes in the world system. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology draws on the social network analysis framework--but with some noteworthy limitations stipulated by the specifics of…

Comments on John Willinsky's Learning to Divide the World: Education at Empire's End

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Tsung Juang

2006-01-01

John Willinsky's view that imperialism and its legacy remain the driving force that divides the world into "superior" and "inferior" cultures fails to take into account other forces that also encourage peoples of different cultures to emphasize the differences between themselves. He is correct in noting that imperialism led to much injustice and…

Seamless Connection between Learning and Assessment--Applying Progressive Learning Tasks in Mobile Ecology Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hung, Pi-Hsia; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Lin, Yu-Fen; Wu, Tsung-Hsun; Su, I-Hsiang

2013-01-01

Mobile learning has been recommended for motivating students on field trips; nevertheless, owing to the complexity and the richness of the learning resources from both the real-world and the digital-world environments, information overload remains one of the major concerns. Most mobile learning designs provide feedback only for multiple choice…

Advances and challenges in malaria vaccine development.

PubMed

Crompton, Peter D; Pierce, Susan K; Miller, Louis H

2010-12-01

Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum remains a major public health threat, especially among children and pregnant women in Africa. An effective malaria vaccine would be a valuable tool to reduce the disease burden and could contribute to elimination of malaria in some regions of the world. Current malaria vaccine candidates are directed against human and mosquito stages of the parasite life cycle, but thus far, relatively few proteins have been studied for potential vaccine development. The most advanced vaccine candidate, RTS,S, conferred partial protection against malaria in phase II clinical trials and is currently being evaluated in a phase III trial in Africa. New vaccine targets need to be identified to improve the chances of developing a highly effective malaria vaccine. A better understanding of the mechanisms of naturally acquired immunity to malaria may lead to insights for vaccine development.

Clinical trials and contract research organizations in India.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Shoibal

2012-06-01

Economics and demography are driving drug development to the developing world. India needs this opportunity to build research skills required to combat its enormous disease burden. A variety of global and local contract research organizations (CROs) that specialize in the execution of research to develop health care products operate in India today. CROs assure quality and compliance to regulations while coordinating with tertiary providers such as a site management organization and the central laboratory. Back room operations to manage, analyze, and report data form a bulk of the employment generated by clinical research, absorbing programmers, data managers, biostatisticians,and medical writers. Despite rapid growth and strong potential, India remains a minor contributor to global pharmaceutical research because of policy stagnation, regulatory gaps, and misinformed controversies in the media.

Trial application of oxygen and carbon isotope analysis in tooth enamel for identification of past-war victims for discriminating between Japanese and US soldiers.

PubMed

Someda, Hidetoshi; Gakuhari, Takashi; Akai, Junko; Araki, Yoshiyuki; Kodera, Tsutomu; Tsumatori, Gentaro; Kobayashi, Yasushi; Matsunaga, Satoru; Abe, Shinichi; Hashimoto, Masatsugu; Saito, Megumi; Yoneda, Minoru; Ishida, Hajime

2016-04-01

Stable isotope analysis has undergone rapid development in recent years and yielded significant results in the field of forensic sciences. In particular, carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios in tooth enamel obtained from human remains can provide useful information for the crosschecking of morphological and DNA analyses and facilitate rapid on-site prescreening for the identification of remains. This study analyzes carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios in the tooth enamel of Japanese people born between 1878 and 1930, in order to obtain data for methodological differentiation of Japanese and American remains from the Second World War. The carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios in the tooth enamel of the examined Japanese individuals are compared to previously reported data for American individuals (born post WWII), and statistical analysis is conducted using a discrimination method based on a logistic regression analysis. The discrimination between the Japanese and US populations, including Alaska and Hawaii, is found to be highly accurate. Thus, the present method has potential as a discrimination technique for both populations for use in the examination of mixed remains comprising Japanese and American fallen soldiers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Directing Environmental Science towards Disease Surveillance Objectives: Waterborne Pathogens in the Developed World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bridge, J. W.; Oliver, D.; Heathwaite, A.; Banwart, S.; Going Underground: Human Pathogens in The Soil-Water Environment Working Group

2010-12-01

We present the findings and recommendations of a recent UK working group convened to identify research priorities in environmental science and epidemiology of waterborne pathogens. Robust waterborne disease surveillance in the developed world remains a critical need, despite broad success of regulation and water treatment. Recent estimates suggest waterborne pathogens result in between 12 million and 19.5 million cases of illness per year in the US alone. Across the developed world, the value of preventing acute waterborne disease in 150 million people using small community or single-user supplies is estimated at above US$ 4,671 million. The lack of a high quality, reliable environmental knowledge base for waterborne pathogens is a key obstacle. Substantial improvements in understanding of pathogen survival and transport in soils, sediments and water are required both to aid identification of environmental aetiologies for organisms isolated in disease cases and to support novel mitigation responses directed towards specific exposure risks. However, the focus in monitoring and regulation on non-pathogenic faecal indicator organisms (easier and cheaper to detect in water samples) creates a lack of motivation to conduct detailed environmental studies of the actual pathogens likely to be encountered in disease surveillance. Robust disease surveillance may be regarded as an essential objective in epidemiology; but it constitutes a significant shift in perspective for the water industry. The health sector can play a vital role in changing attitudes by explicitly placing value on environmental water research which looks beyond compliance with water quality standards towards informing disease surveillance and influencing health outcomes. The summary of critical research priorities we outline provides a focus for developing and strengthening dialogue between health and water sectors to achieve a common goal - sophisticated management of waterborne diseases through sophisticated understanding of their environmental sources and dynamics.

Skeletal Remains from World War II Mass Grave: from Discovery to Identification

PubMed Central

Definis Gojanović, Marija; Sutlović, Davorka

2007-01-01

Aim To present the process of identification of skeletal remains from a mass grave found on a Dalmatian mountain-range in 2005, which allegedly contained the remains of civilians from Herzegovina killed in the World War II, including a group of 8 Franciscan monks. Methods Excavation of the site in Dalmatian hinterland, near the village of Zagvozd, was accomplished according to archeological procedures. Anthropological analysis was performed to estimate sex, age at death, and height of the individuals, as well as pathological and traumatic changes of the bones. Due to the lack of ante-mortem data, DNA typing using Y-chromosome was performed. DNA was isolated from bones and teeth samples using standard phenol/chloroform/isoamyl alcohol extraction. Two Y-chromosome short tandem repeats (STR) systems were used for DNA quantification and amplification. Typing of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products was performed on an ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer. PCR typing results were matched with results from DNA analysis of samples collected from the relatives of supposed victims – blood samples from the living relatives and bone samples collected during further exhumation of died parents or relatives of the supposed victims. Results The remains contained 18 almost complete skeletons, with considerable post-mortal damage. All remains were men, mainly middle-aged, with gunshot wounds to the head. DNA analysis and cross-matching of the results with relatives’ data resulted in three positive identifications using the Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) systems. All of the positively identified remains belonged to the Franciscan friars allegedly killed in Herzegovina and buried at the analyzed site. Conclusion Our analysis of remains from a mass grave from the World War II confirmed the value of patrilineal lineage based on Y-STRs, even when missing persons had left no offspring, as was the case with Franciscan monks. Although this report is primarily focused on the identification of remains from a mass grave, it also emphasizes the role of forensic approach in documenting human right violations. PMID:17696307

Structural violence: a barrier to achieving the millennium development goals for women.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Joia S; Barry, Donna J; Satti, Hind; Raymonville, Maxi; Marsh, Sarah; Smith-Fawzi, Mary Kay

2011-04-01

In 2000, all 191 United Nations member states agreed to work toward the achievement of a set of health and development goals by 2015. The achievement of these eight goals, the Millennium Development goals (MDGs) is highly dependent on improving the status of women, who play a key role in health and education in families and communities around the world. Yet structural violence, defined as the systematic exclusion of a group from the resources needed to develop their full human potential, remains a significant barrier against women's development and threatens the achievement of the MDGs. Although sound evidence has long existed for improving women's survival, the will to address women's health concretely and holistically is only recently gaining the advocacy needed to change policy. Concrete examples of the integration of approaches to mitigate structural violence within the delivery of health services do exist and should be incorporated into global advocacy for women's health.

Urban Environmental Education for Global Transformation Initiatives - Integrating Information and Communication Systems for Urban Sustainability in 2050.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhari, K.

2017-12-01

The Urban population of developing countries is predicted to rise from one third in 1990 to over 50% by 2025. In 1950 the world's total urban population was 734 million, of whom 448 million were living in developed countries and remaining 286 were in developing region. The total population on earth is predicted to increase by more than one billion people within the next 15 years, reaching 8.5 billion in 2030, and to increase further to 9.7 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion by 2100. Looking at the ever increasing urbanization.In 2016, an estimated 54.5 per cent of the world's populations inhabited in urban region. By 2030, urban areas are projected to shelter 60 per cent of people worldwide and one in every three people will live in cities with at least half a million inhabitants.On the basis of these figures and other global trends, it would appear that Africa and Asia will have the highest share of world's urban growth in next 25 years, resulting consideration rise of large number of metropolitan cities and towns. Therefore issues related to urban climate change will be important for socio economic development for urban transformation through environmental sustainability.The information and communication systems plays an important role in achieving the social sustainability through environmental sustainability for urban transformation. This presentation aims to start the Global initiatives on the problem identifications in environment education for global transformation, education for socio-economic and environmental sustainability due to urbanization in 2050 to investigate problems related to social-economic risks and management issues resulting from urbanization to aid mitigation planning in globalized world and to educate scientists and local populations to form a basis for sustainable solutions in environment learning.The presentation aims to assess the potential of information and communication technology for environment education,both within different societies and internationally for urban climate sustainability and global transformation for sustainable urban development. The presentation aims at building the global network of environment education organisations for effective application of information and communication technologies for Urban cliamte sustainability in 2050.

Taking forward the World TB Day 2016 theme 'Unite to End Tuberculosis' for the WHO Africa Region.

PubMed

Ntoumi, Francine; Kaleebu, Pontiano; Macete, Eusebio; Mfinanga, Sayoki; Chakaya, Jeremiah; Yeboah-Manu, Dorothy; Bates, Matthew; Mwaba, Peter; Maeurer, Markus; Petersen, Eskild; Zumla, Alimuddin

2016-05-01

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global emergency, with an estimated 9.6 million new TB cases worldwide reported in 2014. Twenty-eight percent of these cases were in the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Region, where the annual case detection rate was 281 per 100000 population-more than double the global average of 133 per 100000. Of the 9.6 million people who developed TB, an estimated 1.2 million (12%) were HIV-positive, and the Africa Region accounted for 74% of these cases. Three million people with TB remain undiagnosed and untreated. Globally, an estimated 480000 had multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Whilst of the African countries, only South Africa has reported a high prevalence of MDR-TB, it is likely that all of Sub-Saharan Africa has an unreported high load of drug-resistant TB. Tragically, in 2014, only 48% of individuals diagnosed with MDR-TB had successful treatment and an estimated 190000 people died of MDR-TB. Of the global TB funding gap of US$ 0.8 billion, the largest funding gap was in the Africa Region, amounting to US$ 0.4 billion in 2015. The MDR-TB pandemic in particular now threatens to devastate entire regions and may fundamentally alter the life-expectancy and demographic profile of many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The theme designated for this year's World TB Day, March 24, 2016, is 'Unite to End TB'. From the Africa Region, there is an urgent need to seriously address the political, economic, and social factors that influence host-Mycobacterium tuberculosis interactions and result in disease. Recent political and funder initiatives that provide renewed hope for the alleviation of Africa's TB and TB/HIV problems are discussed. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Agriculture in Africa: strategies to improve and sustain smallholder production systems.

PubMed

Jama, Bashir; Pizarro, Gonzalo

2008-01-01

Agricultural development lies at the heart of poverty reduction and increased food security of most developing nations. Sub-Saharan Africa (hereafter referred to as Africa) is, however, the only region in the world where per capita agricultural productivity has remained stagnant over the past 40 years. In Asia and Latin America, the use of tailored techniques and technologies has transformed agricultural practice and its productivity, leading to what has been called the "green revolution." The dissemination of uniquely African green revolution technologies has not occurred on the continent. This chapter will argue that the same results in increased productivity and food security can be achieved in Africa if the appropriate investments are made in key interventions: soil fertility improvement, improved seeds, water management, market access, extension services, access to credit, and improvements in weather forecasting. Where these have happened, even partially, the outcome has been remarkable. However, bringing them to scale in ways that sustainably increase agricultural productivity and alleviate poverty requires increased investments and innovative institutional arrangements. Fortunately, several research and development projects on the continent, including the Millennium Villages Project, are providing valuable insights. Finally, this chapter outlines the key remaining challenges.

Faculty and Administrators' Perceptions of Diversity in Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Valerie A. Townsend

2009-01-01

There has been much advancement regarding diversity in today's society, so much that that diversity can be found in many facets of institutions of higher learning throughout the world. However the gains, the fact remains that in today's society implementing diversity within higher education institutions remains a challenge. The purpose of this…

20 CFR 408.330 - How long will your application remain in effect?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false How long will your application remain in effect? 408.330 Section 408.330 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Filing Applications Filing Your Application § 408.330 How long will your...

20 CFR 408.330 - How long will your application remain in effect?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false How long will your application remain in effect? 408.330 Section 408.330 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Filing Applications Filing Your Application § 408.330 How long will your...

77 FR 59646 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Army Garrison, Redstone Arsenal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-28

... Indians in Oklahoma. History and Description of the Remains In March 1978, human remains representing, at... minimum, one individual were removed by New World Research, Inc. during a reconnaissance level cultural..., 18 fragmentary pieces of human bone representing one adult of indeterminate sex were recovered from a...

20 CFR 408.330 - How long will your application remain in effect?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false How long will your application remain in effect? 408.330 Section 408.330 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Filing Applications Filing Your Application § 408.330 How long will your...

20 CFR 408.330 - How long will your application remain in effect?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false How long will your application remain in effect? 408.330 Section 408.330 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Filing Applications Filing Your Application § 408.330 How long will your...

20 CFR 408.330 - How long will your application remain in effect?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false How long will your application remain in effect? 408.330 Section 408.330 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Filing Applications Filing Your Application § 408.330 How long will your...

Predicting the evolution of complex networks via similarity dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Tao; Chen, Leiting; Zhong, Linfeng; Xian, Xingping

2017-01-01

Almost all real-world networks are subject to constant evolution, and plenty of them have been investigated empirically to uncover the underlying evolution mechanism. However, the evolution prediction of dynamic networks still remains a challenging problem. The crux of this matter is to estimate the future network links of dynamic networks. This paper studies the evolution prediction of dynamic networks with link prediction paradigm. To estimate the likelihood of the existence of links more accurate, an effective and robust similarity index is presented by exploiting network structure adaptively. Moreover, most of the existing link prediction methods do not make a clear distinction between future links and missing links. In order to predict the future links, the networks are regarded as dynamic systems in this paper, and a similarity updating method, spatial-temporal position drift model, is developed to simulate the evolutionary dynamics of node similarity. Then the updated similarities are used as input information for the future links' likelihood estimation. Extensive experiments on real-world networks suggest that the proposed similarity index performs better than baseline methods and the position drift model performs well for evolution prediction in real-world evolving networks.

Global threat to agriculture from invasive species.

PubMed

Paini, Dean R; Sheppard, Andy W; Cook, David C; De Barro, Paul J; Worner, Susan P; Thomas, Matthew B

2016-07-05

Invasive species present significant threats to global agriculture, although how the magnitude and distribution of the threats vary between countries and regions remains unclear. Here, we present an analysis of almost 1,300 known invasive insect pests and pathogens, calculating the total potential cost of these species invading each of 124 countries of the world, as well as determining which countries present the greatest threat to the rest of the world given their trading partners and incumbent pool of invasive species. We find that countries vary in terms of potential threat from invasive species and also their role as potential sources, with apparently similar countries sometimes varying markedly depending on specifics of agricultural commodities and trade patterns. Overall, the biggest agricultural producers (China and the United States) could experience the greatest absolute cost from further species invasions. However, developing countries, in particular, Sub-Saharan African countries, appear most vulnerable in relative terms. Furthermore, China and the United States represent the greatest potential sources of invasive species for the rest of the world. The analysis reveals considerable scope for ongoing redistribution of known invasive pests and highlights the need for international cooperation to slow their spread.

Global threat to agriculture from invasive species

PubMed Central

Paini, Dean R.; Sheppard, Andy W.; Cook, David C.; De Barro, Paul J.; Worner, Susan P.; Thomas, Matthew B.

2016-01-01

Invasive species present significant threats to global agriculture, although how the magnitude and distribution of the threats vary between countries and regions remains unclear. Here, we present an analysis of almost 1,300 known invasive insect pests and pathogens, calculating the total potential cost of these species invading each of 124 countries of the world, as well as determining which countries present the greatest threat to the rest of the world given their trading partners and incumbent pool of invasive species. We find that countries vary in terms of potential threat from invasive species and also their role as potential sources, with apparently similar countries sometimes varying markedly depending on specifics of agricultural commodities and trade patterns. Overall, the biggest agricultural producers (China and the United States) could experience the greatest absolute cost from further species invasions. However, developing countries, in particular, Sub-Saharan African countries, appear most vulnerable in relative terms. Furthermore, China and the United States represent the greatest potential sources of invasive species for the rest of the world. The analysis reveals considerable scope for ongoing redistribution of known invasive pests and highlights the need for international cooperation to slow their spread. PMID:27325781

Piecing together the fragments: Elucidating edge effects on forest carbon dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutyra, L.; Smith, I. A.; Reinmann, A.; Marrs, J.; Thompson, J.

2017-12-01

Forest fragmentation is pervasive throughout the world's forests, impacting growing conditions and carbon dynamics through edge effects that produce gradients in microclimate, biogeochemistry, and stand structure. Despite the majority of the world's forests being <1km from an edge, our understanding of forest carbon dynamics is largely derived from intact forest systems. In the northeastern USA, we find that over 23% of the current forest area is just 30m from an agricultural or developed edge. Edge effects on the carbon cycle vary in their magnitude by biome, but current forest carbon accounting methods and ecosystem models largely do not include edge effects, highlighting an important gap in our understanding of the terrestrial carbon cycle. Characterizing the role of forest fragmentation in regional and global biogeochemical cycles necessitates advancing our understanding of how shifts in microenvironment at the forest edge interact with local prevailing drivers of global change and limitations to microbial activity and forest growth. This study synthesizes the literature related to edge effects and the carbon cycle, considering how fragmentation affects the growing conditions of the world's remaining forests based on risks and opportunities for forests near the edge.

A World of Competitors: Assessing the US High-Tech Advantage and the Process of Globalisation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglass, John Aubrey

2008-01-01

Research universities throughout the world are part of a larger effort by countries to bolster science and technological innovation and compete economically. The United States remains highly competitive as a source of high-tech innovation because of a number of market positions, many the results of long-term investments in institutions (such as…

Increasing the Number of African American Students in Undergraduate Level Classes of Chinese: A Call to Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Huiwen

2015-01-01

Chinese language is the only ideographic language remaining in the world (Osaka, 1976). It conveys affluent Chinese culture and has great influences on the East Asian countries (Miyake, 2013). In the economic globalization of the world, China's economy and international influence are expanding. For these reasons and many more the Chinese language…

Design Concerns in the Engineering of Virtual Worlds for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapanotti, Lucia; Hall, Jon G.

2011-01-01

The convergence of 3D simulation and social networking into current multi-user virtual environments has opened the door to new forms of interaction for learning in order to complement the face-to-face and Web 2.0-based systems. Yet, despite a growing user community, design knowledge for virtual worlds remains patchy, particularly when it comes to…

What Students Need to Know about World War l. Footnotes. Volume 13, Number 19

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neiberg, Michael

2008-01-01

This essay is based on the author's presentation at the Wachman Center's July 26-27, 2008 history institute, co-sponsored and hosted by the Cantigny First Division Foundation of the McCormick Tribune Foundation. For Europeans, World War I remains the epochal event of the twentieth century. For Americans, the war falls between two much larger and…

Refugees: Seeking a Safe Haven. Multicultural Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawyer, Kem Knapp

Millions of people around the world have lost the freedom to remain in their homes or choose where they want to live. In fact, 1 in every 125 people in this world is a refugee. For many refugees, finding a new home is a long, tedious, and painful process. Many host countries that receive refugees suffer from overpopulation, housing shortages, and…

Diarrhea and related factors among passengers on world cruises departing from Japan.

PubMed

Yamakawa, Michiyo; Sasai, Megumi; Kasai, Yosuke; Tsuda, Toshihide; Suzuki, Etsuji

2018-01-25

Despite growth in the number of cruises worldwide, evidence about diarrhea experienced by cruise ship passengers remains sparse. We investigated rates of diarrhea and related factors among passengers on world cruises departing from Japan. Targeting passengers on five world cruises (n = 4180) from 2012 to 2013 (85-103 travel days), we calculated rates of health seeking behavior for diarrhea by sex, age group, and number of roommates for each cruise. We estimated rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals, using the group aged 20-39 years, women, and 2-4 roommates as referent categories. We found 5.04-6.00 cases per 10,000 person-days in the five cruises, with an elevated number after calling at ports. Older passengers (>60 years) and passengers with fewer roommates had an elevated risk of health seeking behavior for diarrhea, although passengers aged <20 years had an elevated risk on one cruise. After controlling for covariates (including cruise), significant associations remained for passengers aged >60 years and without roommates. Older passengers and passengers with fewer roommates may be more likely to seek medical treatment for diarrhea during travel on a world cruise, and should take preventive measures. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Design, syntheses, and anti-tuberculosis activities of conjugates of piperazino-1,3-benzothiazin-4-ones (pBTZs) with 2,7-dimethylimidazo [1,2-a]pyridine-3-carboxylic acids and 7-phenylacetyl cephalosporins.

PubMed

Majewski, Mark W; Tiwari, Rohit; Miller, Patricia A; Cho, Sanghyun; Franzblau, Scott G; Miller, Marvin J

2016-04-15

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the most threatening diseases in the world and the need for development of new therapies is dire. Herein we describe the rationale for the design and subsequent syntheses and studies of conjugates between pBTZ and both the imidazopyridine and cephalosporin scaffolds. Overall some compounds exhibited notable anti-TB activity in the range of 2-0.2 μM in the Microplate Alamar Blue (MABA) Assay. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global notes: counting the world's poor--how do we define poverty?

PubMed

Vidyasagar, D

2006-06-01

Health professionals are in constant interaction with parents and infants who are victims of poverty and poor socioeconomic status. But an important question remains: do we know how to define poverty? Defining poverty accurately is important as the definition is the basis of policy development. The definition of poverty has changed during the last quarter century. In addition to economic considerations, it is broadened to include other dimensions of life such as literacy, health and longevity. This article attempts to provide national and international definitions of poverty, the magnitude and effects of poverty.

Developing self-regulation in early childhood☆

PubMed Central

Rothbart, Mary K.; Tang, Yiyuan

2014-01-01

Studies using fMRI at rest and during task performance have revealed a set of brain areas and their connections that can be linked to the ability of children to regulate their thoughts, actions and emotions. Higher self-regulation has also been related favorable outcomes in adulthood. These findings have set the occasion for methods of improving self-regulation via training. A tool kit of such methods is now available. It remains to be seen if educators will use these new findings and tools to forge practical methods for improving the lives of the world's children. PMID:24563845

Relapsing pneumonia due to a migrating intrathoracic foreign body in a World War II veteran shot 53 years ago.

PubMed

Langer, D; Petermann, C; Lübbers, H; Lankisch, P G

1999-04-01

In the great majority of cases of long-standing intrathoracic foreign bodies, patients are asymptomatic. However, symptoms may occur years later from the migration of the foreign body. We report on a 70-year-old patient who developed relapsing pneumonia due to obstruction of a bronchial branch of the left apical group by a migrating infantry bullet impacting 53 years ago. This was not diagnosed until the second attack of pneumonia in 1998. The bullet remains were removed bronchoscopically and the pneumonia resolved completely without further complications.

Traversing the mountaintop: world fossil fuel production to 2050

PubMed Central

Nehring, Richard

2009-01-01

During the past century, fossil fuels—petroleum liquids, natural gas and coal—were the dominant source of world energy production. From 1950 to 2005, fossil fuels provided 85–93% of all energy production. All fossil fuels grew substantially during this period, their combined growth exceeding the increase in world population. This growth, however, was irregular, providing for rapidly growing per capita production from 1950 to 1980, stable per capita production from 1980 to 2000 and rising per capita production again after 2000. During the past half century, growth in fossil fuel production was essentially limited by energy demand. During the next half century, fossil fuel production will be limited primarily by the amount and characteristics of remaining fossil fuel resources. Three possible scenarios—low, medium and high—are developed for the production of each of the fossil fuels to 2050. These scenarios differ primarily by the amount of ultimate resources estimated for each fossil fuel. Total fossil fuel production will continue to grow, but only slowly for the next 15–30 years. The subsequent peak plateau will last for 10–15 years. These production peaks are robust; none of the fossil fuels, even with highly optimistic resource estimates, is projected to keep growing beyond 2050. World fossil fuel production per capita will thus begin an irreversible decline between 2020 and 2030. PMID:19770156

Teachers Learning to Research Climate: Development of hybrid teacher professional development to support climate inquiry and research in the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odell, M. R.; Charlevoix, D. J.; Kennedy, T.

2011-12-01

The GLOBE Program is an international science and education focused on connecting scientists, teachers and students around relevant, local environmental issues. GLOBE's focus during the next two years in on climate, global change and understanding climate from a scientific perspective. The GLOBE Student Climate Research Campaign (SCRFC) will engage youth from around the world in understanding and researching climate through investigations of local climate challenges. GLOBE teachers are trained in implementation of inquiry in the classroom and the use of scientific data collection protocols to develop inquiry and research projects of the Earth System. In preparation for the SCRC, GLOBE teachers will need additional training in climate science, global change and communicating climate science in the classroom. GLOBE's reach to 111 countries around the world requires development of scalable models for training teachers. In June GLOBE held the first teacher professional development workshop (Learning to Research Summer Institute) in a hybrid format with two-thirds of the teachers participating face-to-face and the remaining teachers participating virtually using Adobe Connect. The week long workshop prepared teachers to integrate climate science inquiry and research projects in the classrooms in the 2011-12 academic year. GLOBE scientists and other climate science experts will work with teachers and their students throughout the year in designing and executing a climate science research project. Final projects and research results will be presented in May 2012 through a virtual conference. This presentation will provide the framework for hybrid teacher professional development in climate science research and inquiry projects as well as summarize the findings from this inaugural session. The GLOBE Program office, headquartered in Boulder, is funded through cooperative agreements with NASA and NOAA with additional support from NSF and the U.S. Department of State. GLOBE is supported in countries around the world through bi-lateral agreements between U.S. Department of state and national governments.

Civilians in World War II and DSM-IV mental disorders: results from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative.

PubMed

Frounfelker, Rochelle; Gilman, Stephen E; Betancourt, Theresa S; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Alonso, Jordi; Bromet, Evelyn J; Bruffaerts, Ronny; de Girolamo, Giovanni; Gluzman, Semyon; Gureje, Oye; Karam, Elie G; Lee, Sing; Lépine, Jean-Pierre; Ono, Yutaka; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Popovici, Daniela G; Ten Have, Margreet; Kessler, Ronald C

2018-02-01

Understanding the effects of war on mental disorders is important for developing effective post-conflict recovery policies and programs. The current study uses cross-sectional, retrospectively reported data collected as part of the World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative to examine the associations of being a civilian in a war zone/region of terror in World War II with a range of DSM-IV mental disorders. Adults (n = 3370) who lived in countries directly involved in World War II in Europe and Japan were administered structured diagnostic interviews of lifetime DSM-IV mental disorders. The associations of war-related traumas with subsequent disorder onset-persistence were assessed with discrete-time survival analysis (lifetime prevalence) and conditional logistic regression (12-month prevalence). Respondents who were civilians in a war zone/region of terror had higher lifetime risks than other respondents of major depressive disorder (MDD; OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 1.9) and anxiety disorder (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 2.0). The association of war exposure with MDD was strongest in the early years after the war, whereas the association with anxiety disorders increased over time. Among lifetime cases, war exposure was associated with lower past year risk of anxiety disorders (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2, 0.7). Exposure to war in World War II was associated with higher lifetime risk of some mental disorders. Whether comparable patterns will be found among civilians living through more recent wars remains to be seen, but should be recognized as a possibility by those projecting future needs for treatment of mental disorders.

Civilians in World War II and DSM-IV mental disorders: Results from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative

PubMed Central

Frounfelker, Rochelle; Gilman, Stephen E.; Betancourt, Theresa S.; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Alonso, Jordi; Bromet, Evelyn J.; Bruffaerts, Ronny; de Girolamo, Giovanni; Gluzman, Semyon; Gureje, Oye; Karam, Elie G.; Lee, Sing; Lépine, Jean-Pierre; Ono, Yutaka; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Popovici, Daniela G.; Have, Margreet ten; Kessler, Ronald C.

2018-01-01

Purpose Understanding the effects of war on mental disorders is important for developing effective post-conflict recovery policies and programs. The current study uses cross-sectional, retrospectively reported data collected as part of the World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative to examine the associations of being a civilian in a war zone/region of terror in World War II with a range of DSM-IV mental disorders. Methods Adults (n= 3,370)who lived in countries directly involved in World War II in Europe and Japan were administered structured diagnostic interviews of lifetime DSM-IV mental disorders. The associations of war-related traumas with subsequent disorder onset-persistence were assessed with discrete-time survival analysis (lifetime prevalence) and conditional logistic regression (12-month prevalence). Results Respondents who were civilians in a war zone/region of terror had higher lifetime risks than other respondents of major depressive disorder (MDD; OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 1.9) and anxiety disorder (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 2.0). The association of war exposure with MDD was strongest in the early years after the war, whereas the association with anxiety disorders increased over time. Among lifetime cases, war exposure was associated with lower past year risk of anxiety disorders. (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2, 0.7). Conclusions Exposure to war in World War II was associated with higher lifetime risk of some mental disorders. Whether comparable patterns will be found among civilians living through more recent wars remains to be seen, but should be recognized as a possibility by those projecting future needs for treatment of mental disorders. PMID:29119266

Neurosurgery at Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University in Augusta (1956-2013).

PubMed

Viers, Angela; Smith, Joseph; Alleyne, Cargill H; Allen, Marshall B

2014-09-01

: The neurosurgery service at the Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University at Augusta has a rich history spanning almost 6 decades. Here, we review the development of neurological surgery as a specialty in Augusta and the history of the Department of Neurosurgery at Georgia Regents University. This article describes some of the early neurosurgeons in the city and those who have contributed to the field and helped to shape the department. Our functional and stereotactic program is emphasized. Our surgical epilepsy program dates back more than a half-century and remains a highly experienced program. We also describe our affiliation with the medical illustration graduate program, which was the first to be accredited and remains 1 of 4 such programs in the world. Finally, we list our alumni, former faculty, and current faculty, as well as the major accomplishments in our first decade as a full department.

Why should disorders of the ear, nose and throat be treated by the same specialty? Can this situation persist?

PubMed

Yalamanchili, S

2009-04-01

The surgical specialty of otorhinolaryngology has its origins in the nineteenth century. Subsequently, the specialty also incorporated allied disciplines such as plastics and head and neck surgery. Following World War II, the survival of the specialty was threatened by the advent of antibiotics and the rise of the general surgeon. Despite this, the specialty of ENT was strengthened by strong post-war leadership and robust training.Today, with ENT knowledge ever increasing, the subspecialties have again begun to subdivide. Specialisation brings improved efficiency and outcomes; however, there remains a great need for the ENT generalist. Not all cases require subspecialist attention, and the generalist remains the basis of competent emergency cover. The natural development of otorhinolaryngology has brought the invaluable synergistic knowledge required to comprehensively treat disorders of the ear, nose and throat, knowledge that must not be overlooked when shaping the future of the specialty.

Preventive overhaul time for power transformers

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

Sarmadi, M.; Rouhi, J.; Fayyaz, A.

Power transformers are the major piece of equipment in high-voltage substations. A considerable number of these transformers exist in Iran`s integrated network. Due to the climate diversity and improper usage, many of these transformers age rapidly, suffer failure and are taken out of service before half their useful life. At the present time the utility companies have no specific time-frame and plan for preventive overhaul. Detection of preventive overhaul time will increase the remaining life of transformers and improve the reliability of substations. An exact check of the remaining lifetime of transformers is not yet possible by available diagnostic techniques.more » In this paper, the authors present a method of identifying the right time for preventive overhaul in 63 kV power transformers. This method is developed based on 25 year transformer performance records in Northern Iran (subtropical climate) and with the utilization of studies done by electrical engineering communities world-wide.« less

Human cataract: the mechanisms responsible; light and butterfly eyes.

PubMed

Truscott, R J W

2003-11-01

Age-related cataract is the leading cause of world blindness. Until recently, the biochemical mechanisms that result in human cataract formation have remained a mystery. In the case of nuclear cataract, it is becoming apparent that changes that take place within the lens at middle age may be ultimately responsible. The centre of the lens contains proteins that were synthesised prior to birth and while these crystallins are remarkably stable, it appears that an antioxidant environment may be necessary in order for them to remain soluble and for lens transparency. Once an internal barrier to the movement of small molecules, such as antioxidants, develops in the normal lens at middle age, the long-lived proteins in the lens centre become susceptible both to covalent attachment of reactive molecules, such as UV filters, and to oxidation. These processes of protein modification may, over time, lead inevitably to lens opacification and cataract.

The Importance of First Impressions: Early Events in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection Influence Outcome.

PubMed

Cadena, Anthony M; Flynn, JoAnne L; Fortune, Sarah M

2016-04-05

Tuberculosis remains a major health threat in much of the world. New vaccines against Mycobacterium tuberculosis are essential for preventing infection, disease, and transmission. However, the host immune responses that need to be induced by an effective vaccine remain unclear. Increasingly, it has become clear that early events in infection are of major importance in the eventual outcome of the infection. Studying such events in humans is challenging, as they occur within the lung and thoracic lymph nodes, and any clinical signs of early infection are relatively nonspecific. Nonetheless, clinical studies and animal models of tuberculosis have provided new insights into the local events that occur in the first few weeks of tuberculosis. Development of an effective vaccine requires a clear understanding of the successful (and detrimental) early host responses against M. tuberculosis, with the goal to improve upon natural immune responses and prevent infection or disease. Copyright © 2016 Cadena et al.

Innovations in capture fisheries are an imperative for nutrition security in the developing world.

PubMed

Hall, Stephen J; Hilborn, Ray; Andrew, Neil L; Allison, Edward H

2013-05-21

This article examines two strands of discourse on wild capture fisheries; one that focuses on resource sustainability and environmental impacts, another related to food and nutrition security and human well-being. Available data and research show that, for countries most dependent on fish to meet the nutritional requirements of their population, wild capture fisheries remain the dominant supplier. Although, contrary to popular narratives, the sustainability of these fisheries is not always and everywhere in crisis, securing their sustainability is essential and requires considerable effort across a broad spectrum of fishery systems. An impediment to achieving this is that the current research and policy discourses on environmental sustainability of fisheries and food security remain only loosely and superficially linked. Overcoming this requires adoption of a broader sustainability science paradigm to help harness synergies and negotiate tradeoffs between food security, resource conservation, and macroeconomic development goals. The way society chooses to govern fisheries is, however, an ethical choice, not just a technical one, and we recommend adding an ethical dimension to sustainability science as applied to fisheries.

Burden of surgical disease: does the literature reflect the scope of the international crisis?

PubMed

Taira, Breena R; Kelly McQueen, K A; Burkle, Frederick M

2009-05-01

Little is factually known about the burden of surgical disease and less is known about global surgical provision of care for diseases that may be treated, cured, or palliated by a surgical intervention. Despite the lack of information, surgical interventions are provided by a variety of agencies every day in the developing world. This literature review represents the first published comprehensive review of the global surgical literature. The primary goal was to collect and summarize what has been published on the current global burden of surgical disease and thereby encourage and promote the allocation of further research and resources. A systematic review of English language publications on Pubmed or Medline was performed. This report summarizes what little is known in terms of numeric estimates for the global burden of surgical disease. Globally, access and availability of surgical care in developing countries remains scarce, but the problem is receiving more attention for the first time in surgical circles. Much work remains in the effort to obtain reliable estimates of the global burden of surgical disease.

From diagnosis to treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: An epidemic problem for both developed and developing world

PubMed Central

Dimitroulis, Dimitrios; Damaskos, Christos; Valsami, Serena; Davakis, Spyridon; Garmpis, Nikolaos; Spartalis, Eleftherios; Athanasiou, Antonios; Moris, Demetrios; Sakellariou, Stratigoula; Kykalos, Stylianos; Tsourouflis, Gerasimos; Garmpi, Anna; Delladetsima, Ioanna; Kontzoglou, Konstantinos; Kouraklis, Gregory

2017-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary liver malignancy and the third cause of cancer-related death in the Western Countries. The well-established causes of HCC are chronic liver infections such as hepatitis B virus or chronic hepatitis C virus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, consumption of aflatoxins and tobacco smocking. Clinical presentation varies widely; patients can be asymptomatic while symptomatology extends from right upper abdominal quadrant paint and weight loss to obstructive jaundice and lethargy. Imaging is the first key and one of the most important aspects at all stages of diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of patients with HCC. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Staging System remains the most widely classification system used for HCC management guidelines. Up until now, HCC remains a challenge to early diagnose, and treat effectively; treating management is focused on hepatic resection, orthotopic liver transplantation, ablative therapies, chemoembolization and systemic therapies with cytotocix drugs, and targeted agents. This review article describes the current evidence on epidemiology, symptomatology, diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. PMID:28839428

From diagnosis to treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: An epidemic problem for both developed and developing world.

PubMed

Dimitroulis, Dimitrios; Damaskos, Christos; Valsami, Serena; Davakis, Spyridon; Garmpis, Nikolaos; Spartalis, Eleftherios; Athanasiou, Antonios; Moris, Demetrios; Sakellariou, Stratigoula; Kykalos, Stylianos; Tsourouflis, Gerasimos; Garmpi, Anna; Delladetsima, Ioanna; Kontzoglou, Konstantinos; Kouraklis, Gregory

2017-08-07

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary liver malignancy and the third cause of cancer-related death in the Western Countries. The well-established causes of HCC are chronic liver infections such as hepatitis B virus or chronic hepatitis C virus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, consumption of aflatoxins and tobacco smocking. Clinical presentation varies widely; patients can be asymptomatic while symptomatology extends from right upper abdominal quadrant paint and weight loss to obstructive jaundice and lethargy. Imaging is the first key and one of the most important aspects at all stages of diagnosis, therapy and follow-up of patients with HCC. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Staging System remains the most widely classification system used for HCC management guidelines. Up until now, HCC remains a challenge to early diagnose, and treat effectively; treating management is focused on hepatic resection, orthotopic liver transplantation, ablative therapies, chemoembolization and systemic therapies with cytotocix drugs, and targeted agents. This review article describes the current evidence on epidemiology, symptomatology, diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Innovations in capture fisheries are an imperative for nutrition security in the developing world

PubMed Central

Hall, Stephen J.; Hilborn, Ray; Andrew, Neil L.; Allison, Edward H.

2013-01-01

This article examines two strands of discourse on wild capture fisheries; one that focuses on resource sustainability and environmental impacts, another related to food and nutrition security and human well-being. Available data and research show that, for countries most dependent on fish to meet the nutritional requirements of their population, wild capture fisheries remain the dominant supplier. Although, contrary to popular narratives, the sustainability of these fisheries is not always and everywhere in crisis, securing their sustainability is essential and requires considerable effort across a broad spectrum of fishery systems. An impediment to achieving this is that the current research and policy discourses on environmental sustainability of fisheries and food security remain only loosely and superficially linked. Overcoming this requires adoption of a broader sustainability science paradigm to help harness synergies and negotiate tradeoffs between food security, resource conservation, and macroeconomic development goals. The way society chooses to govern fisheries is, however, an ethical choice, not just a technical one, and we recommend adding an ethical dimension to sustainability science as applied to fisheries. PMID:23671089

Genetics of human susceptibility to active and latent tuberculosis: present knowledge and future perspectives.

PubMed

Abel, Laurent; Fellay, Jacques; Haas, David W; Schurr, Erwin; Srikrishna, Geetha; Urbanowski, Michael; Chaturvedi, Nimisha; Srinivasan, Sudha; Johnson, Daniel H; Bishai, William R

2018-03-01

Tuberculosis is an ancient human disease, estimated to have originated and evolved over thousands of years alongside modern human populations. Despite considerable advances in disease control, tuberculosis remains one of the world's deadliest communicable diseases with 10 million incident cases and 1·8 million deaths in 2015 alone based on the annual WHO report, due to inadequate health service resources in less-developed regions of the world, and exacerbated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and emergence of multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Recent findings from studies of tuberculosis infection and of patients with Mendelian predisposition to severe tuberculosis have started to reveal human loci influencing tuberculosis outcomes. In this Review, we assess the current understanding of the contribution of host genetics to disease susceptibility and to drug treatment. Despite remarkable progress in technology, only a few associated genetic variants have so far been identified, strongly indicating the need for larger global studies that investigate both common and under-represented rare variants to develop new approaches to combat the disease. Pharmacogenomic discoveries are also likely to lead to more efficient drug design and development, and ultimately safer and more effective therapies for tuberculosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lessons Learned and Legacy of the Stop Transmission of Polio Program.

PubMed

Kerr, Yinka; Mailhot, Melinda; Williams, Alford A J; Swezy, Virginia; Quick, Linda; Tangermann, Rudolf H; Ward, Kirsten; Benke, Amalia; Callaghan, Anna; Clark, Kathleen; Emery, Brian; Nix, Jessica; Aydlotte, Eleanor; Newman, Charlotte; Nkowane, Benjamin

2017-07-01

In 1988, the by the World Health Assembly established the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which consisted of a partnership among the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United Nations Children's Fund. By 2016, the annual incidence of polio had decreased by >99.9%, compared with 1988, and at the time of writing, only 3 countries in which wild poliovirus circulation has never been interrupted remain: Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan. A key strategy for polio eradication has been the development of a skilled and deployable workforce to implement eradication activities across the globe. In 1999, the Stop Transmission of Polio (STOP) program was developed and initiated by the CDC, in collaboration with the WHO, to train and mobilize additional human resources to provide technical assistance to polio-endemic countries. STOP has also informed the development of other public health workforce capacity to support polio eradication efforts, including national STOP programs. In addition, the program has diversified to address measles and rubella elimination, data management and quality, and strengthening routine immunization programs. This article describes the STOP program and how it has contributed to polio eradication by building global public health workforce capacity. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Doing Science that Matters to Address India's Water Crisis.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasan, V.

2017-12-01

Addressing water security in developing regions involves predicting water availability under unprecedented rates of population and economic growth. India is one of the most water stressed countries in the world. Despite appreciable increases in funding for water research, high quality science that is usable by stakeholders remains elusive. The absence of usable research, has been driven by notions of what is publishable in the developed world. This can be attributed to the absence of problem driven research on questions that actually matter to stakeholders, unwillingness to transcend disciplinary boundaries and the demise of a field-work research culture in favour of computer simulation. Yet the combination of rapid change, inadequate data and human modifications to watersheds poses a challenge, as researchers face a poorly constrained water resources modelling problem. Instead, what India and indeed all developing regions need is to approach the problem from first principles, identifying the most critical knowledge gaps, then prioritizing data collection using novel sensing and modelling approaches to address them. This might also necessitate consideration of underlying social and governance drivers of hydrologic change. Using examples from research in the Cauvery Basin, a highly contentious inter-state river basin, I offer some insights into framing "use-inspired" research agenda and show how the research generates not just new scientific insights but may be translated into practice.

Small Nodules Localization on CT Images of Lungs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snezhko, E. V.; Kharuzhyk, S. A.; Tuzikov, A. V.; Kovalev, V. A.

2017-05-01

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) lung cancer remains the leading cause of death of men among all malignant tumors [1, 2]. One of the reasons of such a statistics is the fact that the lung cancer is hardly diagnosed on the yearly stages when it is almost asymptomatic. The purpose of this paper is to present a Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) software developed for assistance of early detection of nodules in CT lung images including solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN) as well as multiple nodules. The efficiency of nodule localization was intended to be as high as the level of the best practice. The software developed supports several functions including lungs segmentation, selection of nodule candidates and nodule candidates filtering.

The role of pharmacogenetics and advances in gene therapy in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

PubMed

Agarwal, Aniruddha; Ingham, Sally A; Harkins, Keegan A; Do, Diana V; Nguyen, Quan Dong

2016-02-01

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) and its complications such as diabetic macular edema continue to remain a major cause for legal blindness in the developed world. While the introduction of anti-tVEGF agents has significantly improved visual outcomes of patients with DR, unpredictable response, largely due to genetic polymorphisms, appears to be a challenge with this therapy. With advances in identification of various genetic biomarkers, novel therapeutic strategies consisting of gene transfer are being developed and tested for patients with DR. Application of pharmacogenetic principles appears to be a promising futuristic strategy to attenuate diabetes-mediated retinal vasculopathy. In this comprehensive review, data from recent studies in the field of pharmacogenomics for the treatment of DR have been provided.

Solar-energy production and energy-efficient lighting: photovoltaic devices and white-light-emitting diodes using poly(2,7-fluorene), poly(2,7-carbazole), and poly(2,7-dibenzosilole) derivatives.

PubMed

Beaupré, Serge; Boudreault, Pierre-Luc T; Leclerc, Mario

2010-02-23

World energy needs grow each year. To address global warming and climate changes the search for renewable energy sources with limited greenhouse gas emissions and the development of energy-efficient lighting devices are underway. This Review reports recent progress made in the synthesis and characterization of conjugated polymers based on bridged phenylenes, namely, poly(2,7-fluorene)s, poly(2,7-carbazole)s, and poly(2,7-dibenzosilole)s, for applications in solar cells and white-light-emitting diodes. The main strategies and remaining challenges in the development of reliable and low-cost renewable sources of energy and energy-saving lighting devices are discussed.

Pulmonary embolism in pregnancy. Consensus and controversies.

PubMed

Benson, M D

2012-10-01

Venous thrombotic events (VTE) occur 1-2 per 10,000 pregnancies and remain one of the leading causes of maternal mortality in the developed world. The two largest risk factors are a personal history of VTE and heritable thrombophilias. D-dimer tests for VTE in pregnancy have a high false positive rate and at least some false negatives have been reported. Compression ultrasound should be used to evaluate pregnant women for deep venous thrombosis followed by magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis for a negative test and strong remaining clinical suspicion. For pulmonary embolism, a chest x-ray should be used to triage the patient to either a ventilation/perfusion study after a normal X-ray or a CT pulmonary angiogram after an abnormal one. Treatment generally consists of low molecular weight heparin through a minimum of six weeks post-partum. Thombolysis might have merit in life-threatening, massive pulmonary embolism. VTE prophylaxis in at-risk populations remains a major area of uncertainty. Mechanical prophylaxis for all women undergoing cesarean, in particular, has a paucity of supportive evidence.

Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Strategic Communication

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

America’s interests and values. This view of the Defense Science Board remains unchanged in this, its third study on the topic of strategic...Science Board’s third report in a decade on strategic communication. The world has changed and so have our views. We remain steadfast in our belief that...Despite Progress, Much Remains to be Done In 2004, this task force found “tactical achievements” in strategic communication, notably in public affairs

Life events, social support and depression in childbirth: perspectives from a rural community in the developing world.

PubMed

Rahman, A; Iqbal, Z; Harrington, R

2003-10-01

High rates of depression associated with childbirth have been reported in many parts of the developing world. However, the prevalence and associations of antenatal and post-natal depression in the rural population remain unknown. Disability associated with depression and its impact on infant health and development could have important public health implications for many developing countries where large proportions of the population are rural. All women living in southern Kahuta, Pakistan, in their third trimester of pregnancy were interviewed at 6 weeks before delivery (N = 632) and again at 10-12 weeks after delivery (N = 541), using WHO Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN), Personal Information Questionnaire (PIQ) and Brief Disability Questionnaire (BDQ). The point prevalence of ICD-10 depressive disorder was 25% in the antenatal period and 28 % in the post-natal period. Depressed mothers were significantly more disabled, had more threatening life events, and poorer social and family support than non-depressed mothers. Vulnerable mothers were more likely to be depressed during pregnancy, rather than have an onset in the post-natal period. Over one-quarter of mothers in a rural sub-district of Pakistan suffer from depression shortly before and after childbirth. Rapidly changing traditional family structures and practices may be increasing the risk of depression in many women. Recognizing and treating depression should be initiated during the antenatal, rather than post-natal period.

Water quality guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area: a basis for development and preliminary values.

PubMed

Moss, Andrew; Brodie, Jon; Furnas, Miles

2005-01-01

The Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality (ANZECC Guidelines) provide default national guideline values for a wide range of indicators of relevance to the protection of the ecological condition of natural waters. However, the ANZECC Guidelines also place a strong emphasis on the need to develop more locally relevant guidelines. Using a structured framework, this paper explores indicators and regional data sets that can be used to develop more locally relevant guidelines for the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA). The paper focuses on the water quality impacts of adjacent catchments on the GBRWHA with the key stressors addressed being nutrients, sediments and agricultural chemicals. Indicators relevant to these stressors are discussed including both physico-chemical pressure indicators and biological condition indicators. Where adequate data sets are available, guideline values are proposed. Generally, data were much more readily available for physico-chemical pressure indicators than for biological condition indicators. Specifically, guideline values are proposed for the major nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and for chlorophyll-a. More limited guidelines are proposed for sediment related indicators. For most agricultural chemicals, the ANZECC Guidelines are likely to remain the default of choice for some time but it is noted that there is data in the literature that could be used to develop more locally relevant guidelines.

Index-based Crop Insurance for Climate Adaptation in the Developing World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, M. E.; Osgood, D. E.; Carriquiry, M. A.

2011-12-01

Weather has always presented a challenge to small-scale farmers, particularly in regions where poverty and lack of infrastructure has restricted the development of financial instruments to limit risk. New 'index' insurance innovations in agriculture are beginning to enable even the poorest farmers to unlock major productivity gains (e.g. insuring loans for improved seeds). Although index insurance has the potential to greatly improve productivity in developing country agriculture, the principal technical challenge to up-scaling this product is "data poverty," the absence of weather data in low-income areas needed to design robust and affordable insurance products. Earth science, particularly remote sensing, has the potential to ameliorate data poverty. However, raw use of earth science model output leads to non-optimal indexes and many obstacles remain to transform earth science products into insurance solutions. Estimation uncertainty, limited availability of consistent time series, and difficulties of predicting loses based on remote observations are reviewed in this article. The importance of multidisciplinary approaches addressing the needs of stakeholders in simple to understand indexes is highlighted. The successful use of Earth science data to support the index insurance industry in currently poor and isolated communities in the developing world would transform the ability of small farmers to increase yields, household incomes and regional economies, if the growing gap between earth science and index insurance can be closed.

Genetic evidence for an origin of the Armenians from Bronze Age mixing of multiple populations

PubMed Central

Haber, Marc; Mezzavilla, Massimo; Xue, Yali; Comas, David; Gasparini, Paolo; Zalloua, Pierre; Tyler-Smith, Chris

2016-01-01

The Armenians are a culturally isolated population who historically inhabited a region in the Near East bounded by the Mediterranean and Black seas and the Caucasus, but remain under-represented in genetic studies and have a complex history including a major geographic displacement during World War I. Here, we analyse genome-wide variation in 173 Armenians and compare them with 78 other worldwide populations. We find that Armenians form a distinctive cluster linking the Near East, Europe, and the Caucasus. We show that Armenian diversity can be explained by several mixtures of Eurasian populations that occurred between ~3000 and ~2000 bce, a period characterized by major population migrations after the domestication of the horse, appearance of chariots, and the rise of advanced civilizations in the Near East. However, genetic signals of population mixture cease after ~1200 bce when Bronze Age civilizations in the Eastern Mediterranean world suddenly and violently collapsed. Armenians have since remained isolated and genetic structure within the population developed ~500 years ago when Armenia was divided between the Ottomans and the Safavid Empire in Iran. Finally, we show that Armenians have higher genetic affinity to Neolithic Europeans than other present-day Near Easterners, and that 29% of Armenian ancestry may originate from an ancestral population that is best represented by Neolithic Europeans. PMID:26486470

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

Ghose, M.K.; Paul, B.

The global energy requirement has grown at a phenomenal rate and the consumption of primary energy sources has been a very high positive growth. This article focuses on the consumption of different primary energy sources and it identifies that coal will continue to remain as the prime energy in the foreseeable future. It examines energy requirement perspectives for India and demands of petroleum, natural gas, and coal bed methane in the foreseeable future. It discusses the state of present day petroleum and petrochemical industries in the country and the latest advances in them to take over in the next fewmore » years. The regional pattern of consumption of primary energy sources shows that oil remains as the largest single source of primary energy in most parts of the world. However, gas dominates as the prime source in some parts of the world. Economic development and poverty alleviation depend on securing affordable energy sources and for the country's energy security; it is necessary to adopt the latest technological advances in petroleum and petrochemical industries by supportive government policies. But such energy is very much concerned with environmental degradation and must be driven by contemporary managerial acumen addressing environmental and social challenges effectively. Environmental laws for the abatement of environmental degradation are discussed in this paper. The paper concludes that energy security leading to energy independence is certainly possible and can be achieved through a planned manner.« less

AIDS: new threat to the third world.

PubMed

Heise, L

1988-01-01

Acquired immuneodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) threatens to have a catastrophic historical impact on the 3rd world, undermining decades of progress toward improved health and sustained economic development. By 1986, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate between 5 and 10 million people worldwide were carriers. By 1990, WHO projects 50 to 100 million may be infected, leaving 15 to 30 million dead by 1995. The extent of AIDS cases in LDCs is most likely underreported as these countries already have limited access to health care. The infection rate could be 100 times higher in African cities than in the US as a whole. With an estimated 2 million infected, Africa is the hardest hit region in the world; Asia is the least affected with Japan having the highest number of reported cases at 43. Overall rate of transmission is likely to remain higher in the 3rd world for numerous reasons including the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases, lack of money to screen blood for transfusions, high number of sexual partners due to socio-economic conditions, chronic exposure to viral and parasitic infections, and unhygienic conditions. Unlike developed nations, LDCs do not have the health care budgets to care for the opportunistic infections of AIDS patients. Therefore they often are subject to triage, passed over in favor of patients with curable diseases. AIDS provides an even greater threat as a multiplier of existing but dormant diseases such as tuberculosis. AIDS will undermine the decades of progress in maternal and child health and may soon be significant factor in the mother/child survival quotient. Some African cities report that 8 to 14% of women attending prenatal clinics test positive. Since it strikes the most productive age group--those between 20 and 49-- AIDS threatens to undermine the economies of LDCs at a time when most LDCsa are already struggling. Meeting the global challenge of AIDS will requre unprecedented international cooperation. The fact that both 1st and 3rd world countries must face the problem could lead to the necessary efforts.

Build a Catastrophe: Using Digital World and Policy Models to Engage Political Science Students with Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horodyskyj, L.; Lennon, T.; Mead, C.; Anbar, A. D.

2017-12-01

Climate change is a problem that involves science, economics, and politics. Particularly in the United States, political resistance to addressing climate change has been exacerbated by a concerted misinformation campaign against the basic science, a negative response to how the proposed solutions to climate change intersect with values. Scientists often propose more climate science education as a solution to the problem, but preliminary studies indicate that more science education does not necessarily reduce polarization on the topic (Kahan et al. 2012). Is there a way that we can better engage non-science students in topics related to climate change that improve their comprehension of the problem and its implications, overcoming polarization? In an existing political science course, "Do You Want to Build a Nation?", we are testing a new digital world-building model based on resource development and consequent environmental and societal impacts. Students spend half the class building their nations based on their assigned ideology (i.e., socialist, absolute monarchy, libertarian) and the second half of the class negotiating with other nations to resolve global issues while remaining true to their ideologies. The course instructor, co-author Lennon, and ASU's Center for Education Through eXploration have collaborated to design a digital world model based on resources linked to an adaptive decision-making environment that translates student policies into modifications to the digital world. The model tracks students' exploration and justification of their nation's policy choices. In the Fall 2017 offering of the course, we will investigate how this digital world model and scenarios built around it affect student learning outcomes. Specifically, we anticipate improved understanding of the policy trade-offs related to energy development, better understanding of the ways that different ideologies approach solutions to climate change, and that both will result in more realistic diplomatic negotiations in the latter half of the course. We will report on the technical details of how the digital world model and scenarios are constructed as well as how students responded to the scenario.

Global epidemiology of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Taylor, Peter N; Albrecht, Diana; Scholz, Anna; Gutierrez-Buey, Gala; Lazarus, John H; Dayan, Colin M; Okosieme, Onyebuchi E

2018-05-01

Thyroid hormones are essential for growth, neuronal development, reproduction and regulation of energy metabolism. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are common conditions with potentially devastating health consequences that affect all populations worldwide. Iodine nutrition is a key determinant of thyroid disease risk; however, other factors, such as ageing, smoking status, genetic susceptibility, ethnicity, endocrine disruptors and the advent of novel therapeutics, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, also influence thyroid disease epidemiology. In the developed world, the prevalence of undiagnosed thyroid disease is likely falling owing to widespread thyroid function testing and relatively low thresholds for treatment initiation. However, continued vigilance against iodine deficiency remains essential in developed countries, particularly in Europe. In this report, we review the global incidence and prevalence of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, highlighting geographical differences and the effect of environmental factors, such as iodine supplementation, on these data. We also highlight the pressing need for detailed epidemiological surveys of thyroid dysfunction and iodine status in developing countries.

How Effective Have Thirty Years of Internationally Driven Conservation and Development Efforts Been in Madagascar?

PubMed

Waeber, Patrick O; Wilmé, Lucienne; Mercier, Jean-Roger; Camara, Christian; Lowry, Porter P

2016-01-01

Conservation and development are intricately linked. The international donor community has long provided aid to tropical countries in an effort to alleviate poverty and conserve biodiversity. While hundreds of millions of $ have been invested in over 500 environmental-based projects in Madagascar during the period covered by a series of National Environmental Action Plans (1993-2008) and the protected areas network has expanded threefold, deforestation remains unchecked and none of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) established for 2000-2015 were likely be met. Efforts to achieve sustainable development had failed to reduce poverty or deliver progress toward any of the MDGs. Cross-sectorial policy adjustments are needed that (i) enable and catalyze Madagascar's capacities rather than deepening dependency on external actors such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and donor countries, and that (ii) deliver improvements to the livelihoods and wellbeing of the country's rural poor.

75 FR 65696 - Cost-of-Living Increase and Other Determinations for 2011

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-26

... amount under title VIII of the Act for certain World War II veterans will remain $505.50 in 2011; (3) The... their 2010 levels: (1) The maximum Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) monthly benefit amounts for 2011, under title XVI of the Act, will remain $674 for an eligible individual, $1,011 for an...

The study of human Y chromosome variation through ancient DNA.

PubMed

Kivisild, Toomas

2017-05-01

High throughput sequencing methods have completely transformed the study of human Y chromosome variation by offering a genome-scale view on genetic variation retrieved from ancient human remains in context of a growing number of high coverage whole Y chromosome sequence data from living populations from across the world. The ancient Y chromosome sequences are providing us the first exciting glimpses into the past variation of male-specific compartment of the genome and the opportunity to evaluate models based on previously made inferences from patterns of genetic variation in living populations. Analyses of the ancient Y chromosome sequences are challenging not only because of issues generally related to ancient DNA work, such as DNA damage-induced mutations and low content of endogenous DNA in most human remains, but also because of specific properties of the Y chromosome, such as its highly repetitive nature and high homology with the X chromosome. Shotgun sequencing of uniquely mapping regions of the Y chromosomes to sufficiently high coverage is still challenging and costly in poorly preserved samples. To increase the coverage of specific target SNPs capture-based methods have been developed and used in recent years to generate Y chromosome sequence data from hundreds of prehistoric skeletal remains. Besides the prospects of testing directly as how much genetic change in a given time period has accompanied changes in material culture the sequencing of ancient Y chromosomes allows us also to better understand the rate at which mutations accumulate and get fixed over time. This review considers genome-scale evidence on ancient Y chromosome diversity that has recently started to accumulate in geographic areas favourable to DNA preservation. More specifically the review focuses on examples of regional continuity and change of the Y chromosome haplogroups in North Eurasia and in the New World.

From crystal to compound: structure-based antimalarial drug discovery.

PubMed

Drinkwater, Nyssa; McGowan, Sheena

2014-08-01

Despite a century of control and eradication campaigns, malaria remains one of the world's most devastating diseases. Our once-powerful therapeutic weapons are losing the war against the Plasmodium parasite, whose ability to rapidly develop and spread drug resistance hamper past and present malaria-control efforts. Finding new and effective treatments for malaria is now a top global health priority, fuelling an increase in funding and promoting open-source collaborations between researchers and pharmaceutical consortia around the world. The result of this is rapid advances in drug discovery approaches and technologies, with three major methods for antimalarial drug development emerging: (i) chemistry-based, (ii) target-based, and (iii) cell-based. Common to all three of these approaches is the unique ability of structural biology to inform and accelerate drug development. Where possible, SBDD (structure-based drug discovery) is a foundation for antimalarial drug development programmes, and has been invaluable to the development of a number of current pre-clinical and clinical candidates. However, as we expand our understanding of the malarial life cycle and mechanisms of resistance development, SBDD as a field must continue to evolve in order to develop compounds that adhere to the ideal characteristics for novel antimalarial therapeutics and to avoid high attrition rates pre- and post-clinic. In the present review, we aim to examine the contribution that SBDD has made to current antimalarial drug development efforts, covering hit discovery to lead optimization and prevention of parasite resistance. Finally, the potential for structural biology, particularly high-throughput structural genomics programmes, to identify future targets for drug discovery are discussed.

Women swell ranks of working poor.

PubMed

1996-01-01

Despite expanded global female employment (45% of women aged 15-64 years are economically active), women still comprise 70% of the world's 1 billion people living in poverty. Moreover, women's economic activities remain largely confined to low-wage, low-productivity forms of employment. A report by the International Labor Organization (ILO), prepared as a follow-up to the Fourth World Conference on Women and the World Summit for Social Development, identified discrimination in education as a central cause of female poverty and underemployment. Each additional year of schooling is estimated to increase a woman's earnings by 15%, compared to 11% for a man. At the workplace, women face inequalities in terms of hiring and promotion standards, access to training and retraining, access to credit, equal pay for equal work, and participation in economic decision making. In addition, even women in higher-level jobs in developing countries spend 31-42 hours per week in unpaid domestic activities. The ILO has concluded that increasing employment opportunities for women is not a sufficient goal. Required are actions to improve the terms and conditions of such employment, including equal pay for work of equal value, improved occupational safety and health, enhanced security in informal or atypical forms of work, guarantees of freedom of association and the right to organize and bargain collectively, and appropriate maternity protection and child care provisions. Finally, taxation and social welfare policies must be rewritten to accommodate the reality that women are no longer the dependent or secondary earner in families.

[Life expectancy at birth in Colombia, 2000-2009: inequalities by region and gender].

PubMed

Eslava-Schmalbach, Javier H; Rincón, Carlos Javier; Guarnizo-Herreño, Carol Cristina

2013-01-01

Life expectancy is one of the measurements that have been used to monitor socioeconomic development within and among countries. During the last 30 years, life expectancy has increased worldwide mainly due to medical and technological developments. However, access to health care, new technologies and social determinants remain unevenly distributed among regions and countries in the world. To assess inequalities in life expectancy by gender and regions (departments) in Colombia between 2000 and 2009. Ecological study. Life expectancy was estimated for each Colombian department using yearly life tables from 2000 to 2009. We used data from the death registries and the estimated population series, provided by the Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE). For the study period, estimates of life expectancy by departments were compared with those from Japan for the years 2000, 2006 and 2009, which is the country with the highest life expectancy in the world, and with the Colombian department with the highest life expectancy from 2000 to 2009. Compared with the highest life expectancy in the world, Colombian departments showed differences ranged between 5.7 and 21 years. We found significant differences between departments, with the largest difference being 15.3 years. Additionally, in some departments life expectancy decreased during the analyzed period. This study identified differences in life expectancy in Colombian departments suggesting inequalities in health and living conditions among them. These differences increased in some departments during the period 2000-2009.

Are We on Our Way to Achieving the 2020 Goals for Schistosomiasis Morbidity Control Using Current World Health Organization Guidelines?

PubMed

Toor, Jaspreet; Alsallaq, Ramzi; Truscott, James E; Turner, Hugo C; Werkman, Marleen; Gurarie, David; King, Charles H; Anderson, Roy M

2018-06-01

Schistosomiasis remains an endemic parasitic disease affecting millions of people around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set goals of controlling morbidity to be reached by 2020, along with elimination as a public health problem in certain regions by 2025. Mathematical models of parasite transmission and treatment impact have been developed to assist in controlling the morbidity caused by schistosomiasis. These models can inform and guide implementation policy for mass drug administration programs, and help design monitoring and evaluation activities. We use these models to predict whether the guidelines set by the WHO are on track for achieving their 2020 goal for the control of morbidity, specifically for Schistosoma mansoni. We examine whether programmatic adaptations; namely increases in treatment coverage and/or expansion to adult inclusion in treatment, will improve the likelihood of reaching the WHO goals. We find that in low-prevalence settings, the goals are likely to be attainable under current WHO guidelines, but in moderate to high-prevalence settings, the goals are less likely to be achieved unless treatment coverage is increased and expanded to at least 85% for school-aged children and 40% for adults. To improve the likelihood of reaching the WHO goals, programmatic adaptations are required, particularly for moderate- to high-prevalence settings. Furthermore, improvements in adherence to treatment, potential development of candidate vaccines, and enhanced snail control and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) measures will all assist in achieving the goals.

Challenging Characters: Learning to Reach Inward and Outward from Characters Who Face Oppression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Betina

2012-01-01

Throughout the author's 10 years in the middle school classroom, Anne Frank remains one of the most powerful figures that her students take away from their eighth-grade year. At first glance, her students don't think they share much more than their age with the World War II heroine. They are from almost every part of the world "except" Europe;…

Thinking Through Egyptian Tradition: The Potential of Pre-Colonial Craft Working Methods in Art Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shafer, Ann

2013-01-01

The January 25th 2011 Revolution in Egypt brought the eyes of the world to the "cradle of civilization" once more, as existing power structures toppled and hidden voices surfaced to forge a unified vision for the future. In many parts of the Middle East, and indeed all over the world, the visual arts embody cultural values and remain a…

Linking research to global health equity: the contribution of product development partnerships to access to medicines and research capacity building.

PubMed

Pratt, Bridget; Loff, Bebe

2013-11-01

Certain product development partnerships (PDPs) recognize that to promote the reduction of global health disparities they must create access to their products and strengthen research capacity in developing countries. We evaluated the contribution of 3 PDPs--Medicines for Malaria Venture, Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, and Institute for One World Health--according to Frost and Reich's access framework. We also evaluated PDPs' capacity building in low- and middle-income countries at the individual, institutional, and system levels. We found that these PDPs advance public health by ensuring their products' registration, distribution, and adoption into national treatment policies in disease-endemic countries. Nonetheless, ensuring broad, equitable access for these populations--high distribution coverage; affordability, particularly for the poor; and adoption at provider and end-user levels--remains a challenge.

Intensified Local Resource Mobilization for the Polio Eradication Initiative: The Experience of World Health Organization in Nigeria During 2008-2015.

PubMed

Yehualashet, Yared G; Horton, Janet; Mkanda, Pascal; Vaz, Rui G; Afolabi, Oluwole; Gashu, Sisay G; Banda, Richard; O'Malley, Helena; Nsubuga, Peter

2016-05-01

Since the World Health Assembly (WHA) resolved in 1988 to eradicate poliovirus, several rounds of immunization campaigns have been conducted by member states. By 2000, with the support of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners, the number of polio cases decreased by 99%. Eradicating the remaining 1% proved to be more challenging. Although the GPEI, being the largest public health project, required >$9 billion between 1988 and 2012, economic analysis showed the estimated incremental net benefits of $40 billion-$50 billion between 1988 and 2035. In 2012, the WHA declared that the completion of poliovirus eradication is a programmatic emergency for global public health. Nigeria, as one of 3 remaining polio-endemic countries, developed an emergency plan to interrupt the transmission of poliovirus. The plan included the introduction or scale-up of various new innovations and strategies, which had substantial financial implication. This is a retrospective study to document the intensified resource mobilization efforts made by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Nigeria to meet the increased financial requirements and bridge the remaining gap in funding. In addition to the established coordination platforms, the WHO Nigeria Country Office team directly engaged with national authorities, donors, and partners throughout the process of resource requirement analysis, project appraisals, proposal development, and implementation of activities, joint monitoring, and evaluation exercises. The office strengthened its capacity for direct funds disbursement and systematic implementation of a rigorous accountability framework. Between 2008 and May 2015, $538 million was mobilized locally, of which 82% was mobilized since 2012. The percentage of the total funding requirements that were locally mobilized averaged 31% between 2008 and 2011 and increased to 70% between 2012 and May 2015. During the same period, the WHO Nigeria Country Office team produced and submitted 102 grant reports and facilitated >20 joint project assessment exercises. The polio program in Nigeria has achieved unprecedented gains, despite prevailing security and operational challenges, with no case of wild poliovirus infection since July 2014. Through rigorous, transparent, and accountable funds management practice, the WHO country office in Nigeria gained donors' confidence. The locally mobilized funds have made a remarkable contribution to the successful implementation of the strategies set out in the polio emergency plan. We face the challenges of a narrow donor-base, donor fatigue, and competition among other emerging agencies joining the polio eradication initiative efforts over the last few years. We actively engage the national authorities and partners for effective coordination of the polio eradication initiative program and harmonization of resources, using the existing platforms at national, state, and local levels. We recommend strengthening the local resource mobilization machinery and broadening the donor base, to support the polio endgame strategy. Such efforts should also be adopted to support routine immunization, introduction of new vaccines, and strengthening of health systems in the country as part of polio legacy planning. © 2016 World Health Organization; licensee Oxford Journals.

Dengue vaccines: Are they safe for travelers?

PubMed

Halstead, Scott B; Aguiar, Maira

2016-01-01

The four dengue viruses (DENV) circulate among nearly one-half of the world's population in tropical and semitropical countries imposing a huge morbidity burden on travelers. Sanofipasteur has developed a tetravalent live-attenuated vaccine, Dengvaxia, recently approved by the World Health Organization and licensed in four dengue-endemic countries. An additional two dengue vaccines, developed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), USA and Takeda, are entering phase III testing. Dengvaxia is composed of four yellow fever 17D-DENV chimeras, the NIAID vaccine contains three mutagenized DENV and one DENV2/4 chimera while the Takeda vaccine contains an attenuated DENV 2 and three DENV 2-DENV chimeras. Which of these vaccines might be useful in protecting travelers against dengue infections and disease? Dengvaxia requires three doses administered over the course of one year but in addition has safety signals suggesting that susceptible individuals should not be vaccinated. The NIAID vaccine is promising as a travel vaccine as a single dose fully protected susceptible adults against live dengue 2 virus challenge. The protective efficacy and safety of the Takeda vaccine remain to be demonstrated. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk management for assuring safe drinking water.

PubMed

Hrudey, Steve E; Hrudey, Elizabeth J; Pollard, Simon J T

2006-12-01

Millions of people die every year around the world from diarrheal diseases much of which is caused by contaminated drinking water. By contrast, drinking water safety is largely taken for granted by many citizens of affluent nations. The ability to drink water that is delivered into households without fear of becoming ill may be one of the key defining characteristics of developed nations in relation to the majority of the world. Yet there is well-documented evidence that disease outbreaks remain a risk that could be better managed and prevented even in affluent nations. A detailed retrospective analysis of more than 70 case studies of disease outbreaks in 15 affluent nations over the past 30 years provides the basis for much of our discussion [Hrudey, S.E. and Hrudey, E.J. Safe Drinking Water--Lessons from Recent Outbreaks in Affluent Nations. London, UK: IWA Publishing; 2004.]. The insights provided can assist in developing a better understanding within the water industry of the causes of drinking water disease outbreaks, so that more effective preventive measures can be adopted by water systems that are vulnerable. This preventive feature lies at the core of risk management for the provision of safe drinking water.

Immune-Based Approaches to the Prevention of Mother-to-child-Transmission of HIV-1: Active and Passive Immunization

PubMed Central

Lohman-Payne, Barb; Slyker, Jennifer; Rowland-Jones, Sarah L.

2010-01-01

Synopsis Despite more than two decades of research, an effective vaccine that can prevent HIV-1 infection in populations exposed to the virus remains elusive. In the pursuit of an HIV-1 vaccine, does prevention of exposure to maternal HIV-1 in utero, at birth or in early life through breast-milk require special consideration? In this article we will review what is known about the immune mechanisms of susceptibility and resistance to mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1 and will summarise studies that have used passive or active immunisation strategies to interrupt -MTCT of HIV-1. We will also describe potentially modifiable infectious co-factors that may enhance transmission and/or disease progression (especially in the developing world). Ultimately an effective prophylactic vaccine against HIV-1 infection will need to be deployed as part of the Extended Programme of Immunisation (EPI) recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for use in developing countries, so it is important to understand how the infant immune system responds to HIV-1 antigens, both in natural infection and presented by candidate vaccines. PMID:21078451

Midwife-assisted planned home birth: an essential component of improving the safety of childbirth in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Dayyabu, Aliyu Labaran; Murtala, Yusuf; Grünebaum, Amos; McCullough, Laurence B; Arabin, Birgit; Levene, Malcolm I; Brent, Robert L; Monni, Giovanni; Sen, Cihat; Makatsariya, Alexander; Chervenak, Frank A

2018-05-29

Hospital births, when compared to out-of-hospital births, have generally led to not only a significantly reduced maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity but also an increase in certain interventions. A trend seems to be emerging, especially in the US where some women are requesting home births, which creates ethical challenges for obstetricians and the health care organizations and policy makers. In the developing world, a completely different reality exists. Home births constitute the majority of deliveries in the developing world. There are severe limitations in terms of facilities, health personnel and deeply entrenched cultural and socio-economic conditions militating against hospital births. As a consequence, maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity remain the highest, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Midwife-assisted planned home birth therefore has a major role to play in increasing the safety of childbirth in SSA. The objective of this paper is to propose a model that can be used to improve the safety of childbirth in low resource countries and to outline why midwife assisted planned home birth with coordination of hospitals is the preferred alternative to unassisted or inadequately assisted planned home birth in SSA.

Perceived social support among patients with burn injuries: A perspective from the developing world.

PubMed

Waqas, Ahmed; Turk, Marvee; Naveed, Sadiq; Amin, Atif; Kiwanuka, Harriet; Shafique, Neha; Chaudhry, Muhammad Ashraf

2018-02-01

Social support is among the most well-established predictors of post-burn psychopathology after burn. Despite a disproportionately large burden of burns in the developing world, the nature of social support among burn patients in this context remains elusive. We, therefore, seek to investigate social support and its biopsychosocial determinants among patients with burn injuries in Pakistan. A cross-sectional study of 343 patients presenting with burn injuries at four teaching hospitals in the Punjab province of Pakistan was conducted. Patient evaluation consisted of a multi-part survey of demographic status, clinical features, and social support as measured by the validated Urdu translation of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Multiple regression analysis was performed to evaluate associations between patient characteristics and MSPSS score. Mean overall MSPSS score was 57.64 (std dev 13.57). Notable positive predictors of social support include male gender, Punjabi ethnicity, burn surface area, and ego resiliency. Our study reveals a troubling pattern of inadequate social support among certain subgroups of Pakistani burn patients. Addressing these inequities in the provision of social support must be prioritized as part of the global burn care agenda. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Modelling ecological systems in a changing world

PubMed Central

Evans, Matthew R.

2012-01-01

The world is changing at an unprecedented rate. In such a situation, we need to understand the nature of the change and to make predictions about the way in which it might affect systems of interest; often we may also wish to understand what might be done to mitigate the predicted effects. In ecology, we usually make such predictions (or forecasts) by making use of mathematical models that describe the system and projecting them into the future, under changed conditions. Approaches emphasizing the desirability of simple models with analytical tractability and those that use assumed causal relationships derived statistically from data currently dominate ecological modelling. Although such models are excellent at describing the way in which a system has behaved, they are poor at predicting its future state, especially in novel conditions. In order to address questions about the impact of environmental change, and to understand what, if any, action might be taken to ameliorate it, ecologists need to develop the ability to project models into novel, future conditions. This will require the development of models based on understanding the processes that result in a system behaving the way it does, rather than relying on a description of the system, as a whole, remaining valid indefinitely. PMID:22144381

Cost and cost-effectiveness of tuberculosis treatment shortening: a model-based analysis.

PubMed

Gomez, G B; Dowdy, D W; Bastos, M L; Zwerling, A; Sweeney, S; Foster, N; Trajman, A; Islam, M A; Kapiga, S; Sinanovic, E; Knight, G M; White, R G; Wells, W A; Cobelens, F G; Vassall, A

2016-12-01

Despite improvements in treatment success rates for tuberculosis (TB), current six-month regimen duration remains a challenge for many National TB Programmes, health systems, and patients. There is increasing investment in the development of shortened regimens with a number of candidates in phase 3 trials. We developed an individual-based decision analytic model to assess the cost-effectiveness of a hypothetical four-month regimen for first-line treatment of TB, assuming non-inferiority to current regimens of six-month duration. The model was populated using extensive, empirically-collected data to estimate the economic impact on both health systems and patients of regimen shortening for first-line TB treatment in South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, and Tanzania. We explicitly considered 'real world' constraints such as sub-optimal guideline adherence. From a societal perspective, a shortened regimen, priced at USD1 per day, could be a cost-saving option in South Africa, Brazil, and Tanzania, but would not be cost-effective in Bangladesh when compared to one gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Incorporating 'real world' constraints reduces cost-effectiveness. Patient-incurred costs could be reduced in all settings. From a health service perspective, increased drug costs need to be balanced against decreased delivery costs. The new regimen would remain a cost-effective option, when compared to each countries' GDP per capita, even if new drugs cost up to USD7.5 and USD53.8 per day in South Africa and Brazil; this threshold was above USD1 in Tanzania and under USD1 in Bangladesh. Reducing the duration of first-line TB treatment has the potential for substantial economic gains from a patient perspective. The potential economic gains for health services may also be important, but will be context-specific and dependent on the appropriate pricing of any new regimen.

Essential components in developing public policy to control viral hepatitis: lessons from Taiwan.

PubMed

Wallace, Jack; Pitts, Marian; Locarnini, Stephen; Ellard, Jeanne; Carman, Marina; Chen, Ding-Shinn

2016-03-01

Over 500 million people are estimated to be infected with chronic viral hepatitis with an increasing burden resulting from the infections. In 2010, the World Health Organization recommended national governments develop effective strategies to reduce the global impact of viral hepatitis. Taiwan, to support the implementation of the world's first national vaccination program, developed the first of a series of 5-year national strategies in 1982. Our study sought to identify the essential constituents of the strategic response to chronic viral hepatitis in Taiwan, which could then be used by other governments to inform best practice in strategy development. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with key participants involved in the national response to viral hepatitis in Taiwan (n = 26) and a review of the literature. The development of a national strategic response is one of several factors in reducing the burden of viral hepatitis in Taiwan. Other critical factors are effective health services, a prioritization of disease prevention, government funding of science and technology, and sustained advocacy informed by a rigorous evidence base. While there has been significant policy, structural and financial commitment to reduce the burden of related to viral hepatitis, essential challenges remain. Taiwan's viral hepatitis policy response focuses on clinical interventions and would be strengthened by a broader involvement of interdisciplinary stakeholders, including people with viral hepatitis, and stronger coordination between the policy and government agencies responsible for their implementation.

Rapid population growth and environmental degradation: ultimate versus proximate factors.

PubMed

Shaw, R P

1989-01-01

This philosophical review of 2 arguments about responsibility for and solutions to environmental degradation concludes that both sides are correct: the ultimate and the proximal causes. Ultimate causes of pollution are defined as the technology responsible for a given type of pollution, such as burning fossil fuel; proximate causes are defined as situation-specific factors confounding the problem, such as population density or rate of growth. Commoner and others argue that developed countries with low or negative population growth rates are responsible for 80% of world pollution, primarily in polluting technologies such as automobiles, power generation, plastics, pesticides, toxic wastes, garbage, warfaring, and nuclear weapons wastes. Distortionary policies also contribute; examples are agricultural trade protection, land mismanagement, urban bias in expenditures, and institutional rigidity., Poor nations are responsible for very little pollution because poverty allows little waste or expenditures for polluting, synthetic technologies. The proximal causes of pollution include numbers and rate of growth of populations responsible for the pollution. Since change in the ultimate cause of pollution remains out of reach, altering the numbers of polluters can make a difference. Predictions are made for proportions of the world's total waste production, assuming current 1.6 tons/capita for developed countries and 0.17 tons/capita for developing countries. If developing countries grow at current rates and become more wealthy, they will be emitting half the world's waste by 2025. ON the other hand, unsustainable population growth goes along with inadequate investment in human capital: education, health, employment, infrastructure. The solution is to improve farming technologies in the 117 non-self-sufficient countries, fund development in the most unsustainable enclaves of growing countries, break institutionalized socio-political rigidity in these enclaves, and focus on educating and empowering women in these enclaves. Women are in charge of birth spacing and all aspects of management of energy, food, water and the local environment, more so than men, in most countries.

The water-energy-food nexus of biofuels in a globalized world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Odorico, P.; Rulli, M. C.

2016-12-01

New renewable energy policies, investment opportunities, and energy security needs, have recently led to an escalation in the reliance on first generation biofuels. This phenomenon is contributing to changes in land use, market dynamics, property rights, and systems of agricultural production, with important impacts on rural livelihoods. Despite these effects of biofuels on food security, their nexus with land and water use remains poorly understood. We investigate recent production trends of bioenergy crops, their patterns of trade, and evaluate the associated displacement of water and land use. We find that bioethanol is produced with domestic crops while biodiesel production relies also on international trade and large scale land acquisitions in the developing world, particularly in Southeast Asia. Altogether, biofuels account for about 2-3% of the global water and land use in agriculture, and 30% of the food required to eradicate malnourishment worldwide. We evaluate the food-energy tradeoffs of biofuels and their impact of the number of people the plant can feed.

The Italian corporate system in a network perspective (1952-1983)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bargigli, L.; Giannetti, R.

2018-03-01

We study the Italian network of boards in four benchmark years covering different decades, when important economic structural shifts occurred. We find that the latter did not significantly disturb its structure as a small world. At the same time, we do not find a strong peculiarity of the Italian variety of capitalism and its corporate governance system. Typical properties of small world networks are at levels which are not dissimilar from those of other developed economies. Even the steady decrease of density that we observe is recurrent in many other national systems. The composition of the core of the most connected boards remains also quite stable over time. Among the most central boards we always find those of banks and insurances, as well as those of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs). At the same time, the system underwent two significant dynamic adjustments in the Sixties (nationalization of electrical industry) and Seventies (financial restructuring after the "big inflation") which are revealed by modifications in the core and in the community structure.

Enduring consequences of terrorism: 7-month follow-up survey of reactions to the bombings in London on 7 July 2005.

PubMed

Rubin, G James; Brewin, Chris R; Greenberg, Neil; Hughes, Jamie Hacker; Simpson, John; Wessely, Simon

2007-04-01

Terrorist attacks can have psychological effects on the general public. To assess the medium-term effects of the July 2005 London bombings on the general population in London and to identify risk factors for persistent effects. We telephoned 1010 Londoners 11-13 days after the bombings to assess stress levels, perceived threat and travel intentions. Seven months later, 574 respondents were contacted again and asked similar questions, and questions concerning altered perceptions of self and the world. ;Substantial stress' (11%), perceived threat to self (43%) and reductions in travel because of the bombings (19%) persisted at a reduced level; other perceived threats remained unchanged. A more negative world view was common. Other than degree of exposure to the bombings, there were no consistent predictors of which people with short-term reactions would develop persistent reactions. A longer-term impact of terrorism on the perceptions and behaviour of Londoners was documented.

Social media and nursing practice: changing the balance between the social and technical aspects of work.

PubMed

Casella, Evan; Mills, Jane; Usher, Kim

2014-01-01

Modern communication methods are drastically changing the way people interact with each other. Professions such as nursing need to evolve to remain relevant as social infrastructure changes. In the 1960s, researchers developed a sociotechnical theory that stated workers were more motivated and productive if there was a good balance between the social and technical aspects of their work. Today's technology is blurring the boundaries between the social and the technical thereby transforming human contact and communication into a multi-method process. In Australia, people are adept at utilising social media technology to become more efficient, creative and connected; Australian nurses also need to embrace changing technology to capitalise on the professional opportunities offered by social media. This paper imagines a world where nurses integrate social media into assessing, diagnosing, planning, implementing and evaluating care. Discussion draws on a combination of real-world examples of best-practice and blue-sky thinking to demonstrate that evidence-based care must be combined with the adoption of future-forward technology.

COPD: epidemiology, prevalence, morbidity and mortality, and disease heterogeneity.

PubMed

Mannino, David M

2002-05-01

COPD continues to cause a heavy health and economic burden both in the United States and around the world. Some of the risk factors for COPD are well-known and include smoking, occupational exposures, air pollution, airway hyperresponsiveness, asthma, and certain genetic variations, although many questions, such as why < 20% of smokers develop significant airway obstruction, remain. Precise definitions of COPD vary and are frequently dependent on an accurate diagnosis of the problem by a physician. These differences in the definition of COPD can have large effects on the estimates of COPD in the population. Furthermore, evidence that COPD represents several different disease processes with potentially different interventions continues to emerge. In most of the world, COPD prevalence and mortality are still increasing and likely will continue to rise in response to increases in smoking, particularly by women and adolescents. Resources aimed at smoking cessation and prevention, COPD education and early detection, and better treatment will be of the most benefit in our continuing efforts against this important cause of morbidity and mortality.

[70 years of English-Yugoslav Children's Hospital for osteoarticular tuberculosis in Sremska Kamenica].

PubMed

Mikić, Zelimir; Lesić, Aleksandar

2004-01-01

The development of orthopedic surgery in Novi Sad and Voivodina is related to the name of Dr. Katherine MacPhail, a Scottish physician, who came to Serbia during the World War I, where she worked with her mission in Belgrade and Kragujevac. After the war, she remained in Serbia and, in 1921, founded the first children's, co-called English-Serbian Hospital; then, in 1934, established English-Yugoslav Children's Hospital for Treatment of Osteoarticular Tuberculosis in Sremska Kamenica, which was open until 1941. After the end of World War II, as early as in 1947, Dr. MacPhail returned to Sremska Kamenica, where she reactivated the hospital. After the nationalization of the hospital, she left for Scotland, but the hospital kept working, first under the supervision of the Belgrade Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, and then as a ward of the Clinic for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology of the Novi Sad School of Medicine, until 1992, when it was closed.

Habitable Worlds: Delivering on the Promises of Online Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horodyskyj, Lev B.; Mead, Chris; Belinson, Zack; Buxner, Sanlyn; Semken, Steven; Anbar, Ariel D.

2018-01-01

Critical thinking and scientific reasoning are central to higher education in the United States, but many courses (in-person and online) teach students information about science much more than they teach the actual process of science and its associated knowledge and skills. In the online arena specifically, the tools available for course construction exacerbate this problem by making it difficult to build the types of active learning activities that research shows to be the most effective. Here, we present a report on Habitable Worlds, offered by Arizona State University for 12 semesters over the past 6 years. This is a unique online course that uses an array of novel technologies to deliver an active, inquiry-driven learning experience. Learning outcomes and quantitative data from more than 3000 students demonstrate the success of our approach but also identify several remaining challenges. The design and development of this course offers valuable lessons for instructional designers and educators who are interested in fully capitalizing on the capabilities of 21st-century technology to achieve educational goals.

Climate forcing and infectious disease transmission in urban landscapes: integrating demographic and socioeconomic heterogeneity.

PubMed

Santos-Vega, Mauricio; Martinez, Pamela P; Pascual, Mercedes

2016-10-01

Urbanization and climate change are the two major environmental challenges of the 21st century. The dramatic expansion of cities around the world creates new conditions for the spread, surveillance, and control of infectious diseases. In particular, urban growth generates pronounced spatial heterogeneity within cities, which can modulate the effect of climate factors at local spatial scales in large urban environments. Importantly, the interaction between environmental forcing and socioeconomic heterogeneity at local scales remains an open area in infectious disease dynamics, especially for urban landscapes of the developing world. A quantitative and conceptual framework on urban health with a focus on infectious diseases would benefit from integrating aspects of climate forcing, population density, and level of wealth. In this paper, we review what is known about these drivers acting independently and jointly on urban infectious diseases; we then outline elements that are missing and would contribute to building such a framework. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

Conception of the Natural World.

PubMed

Bruno, Andy

2016-09-01

Thoroughly a product of imperial Russia’s aristocratic culture, the mineralogist and geochemist Aleksandr Fersman rose to the top of the country’s scientific establishment after the Bolsheviks took control. He then remained a staunch supporter of various industrial projects through much of the Stalinist period. This essay puts Fersman’s thinking about the natural world in conversation with a quite distinctive mode of intellectual inquiry that developed contemporaneously. Eurasianism was a philosophical doctrine of a group of Russian émigrés who emphasized Russia’s unique status straddling Europe and Asia. While Fersman did not belong to this group of thinkers, a number of his ideas drew on specific experiences in the environments of the Eurasian landmass. Indeed, the article argues that Fersman’s dualistic understanding of nature, his advocacy for the field of geochemistry, his definition of deserts, and a scheme he proposed for industrial operations owed much to the Eurasian settings of the science he practiced. Furthermore, this case of a Eurasian mineralogist illuminates novel aspects of the interplay between national and global sciences.

The Lvov-Warsaw School: The forgotten tradition of historical psychology.

PubMed

Citlak, Amadeusz

2016-05-01

This article is an attempt to reconstruct the psychological achievements of the representatives of the Lvov-Warsaw School of historical psychology, virtually forgotten and unknown in the world's psychological literature. Kazimierz Twardowski (1866-1938), founder of the school, developed a philosophical and psychological program on the basis of (among other things) the theory of actions and products, including the research program that is now included in the thread of historical psychology. His student, Wladyslaw Witwicki (1878-1948), developed the cratism theory (the theory of power) on the basis Twardowski's assumptions, providing an alternative to Alfred Adler's theory of striving for superiority while also declaring it a few years before Adler. The consequence of Witwicki's theory and the methodological assumptions was the creation of psychobiography: the first nonpsychoanalytical psychobiography of Socrates (Witwicki, 1909, 1922) and the psychobiography of Jesus Christ (Witwicki, 1958). The school's activities weakened for political reasons, particularly the outbreak of the First World War. The members of the school dispersed after 1918, and they lost international connections with the world of science. Their significant achievements in the field of psychology remained unknown to psychologists for nearly a century. In this article, I would like to present the school's unique but unfinished program of reconstructing mental life through the psychological interpretation of cultural products (literature, arts, diaries), and its value for the practice of research in historical psychology. This program required additional development, but because of the war this never happened. Some of the school's theoretical findings and the first attempts to apply them have still significant value and show us the originality of Lvov-Warsaw School psychology. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Primary care clinicians' recognition and management of depression: a model of depression care in real-world primary care practice.

PubMed

Baik, Seong-Yi; Crabtree, Benjamin F; Gonzales, Junius J

2013-11-01

Depression is prevalent in primary care (PC) practices and poses a considerable public health burden in the United States. Despite nearly four decades of efforts to improve depression care quality in PC practices, a gap remains between desired treatment outcomes and the reality of how depression care is delivered. This article presents a real-world PC practice model of depression care, elucidating the processes and their influencing conditions. Grounded theory methodology was used for the data collection and analysis to develop a depression care model. Data were collected from 70 individual interviews (60 to 70 min each), three focus group interviews (n = 24, 2 h each), two surveys per clinician, and investigators' field notes on practice environments. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed for analysis. Surveys and field notes complemented interview data. Seventy primary care clinicians from 52 PC offices in the Midwest: 28 general internists, 28 family physicians, and 14 nurse practitioners. A depression care model was developed that illustrates how real-world conditions infuse complexity into each step of the depression care process. Depression care in PC settings is mediated through clinicians' interactions with patients, practice, and the local community. A clinician's interactional familiarity ("familiarity capital") was a powerful facilitator for depression care. For the recognition of depression, three previously reported processes and three conditions were confirmed. For the management of depression, 13 processes and 11 conditions were identified. Empowering the patient was a parallel process to the management of depression. The clinician's ability to develop and utilize interactional relationships and resources needed to recognize and treat a person with depression is key to depression care in primary care settings. The interactional context of depression care makes empowering the patient central to depression care delivery.

Associations between quantitative measures of women's empowerment and access to care and health status for mothers and their children: A systematic review of evidence from the developing world.

PubMed

Pratley, Pierre

2016-11-01

Research on the association between women's empowerment and maternal and child health has rapidly expanded. However, questions concerning the measurement and aggregation of quantitative indicators of women's empowerment and their associations with measures of maternal and child health status and healthcare utilization remain unanswered. Major challenges include complexity in measuring progress in several dimensions and the situational, context dependent nature of the empowerment process as it relates to improvements in maternal and child health status and maternal care seeking behaviors. This systematic literature review summarizes recent evidence from the developing world regarding the role women's empowerment plays as a social determinant of maternal and child health outcomes. A search of quantitative evidence previously reported in the economic, socio-demographic and public health literature finds 67 eligible studies that report on direct indicators of women's empowerment and their association with indicators capturing maternal and child health outcomes. Statistically significant associations were found between women's empowerment and maternal and child health outcomes such as antenatal care, skilled attendance at birth, contraceptive use, child mortality, full vaccination, nutritional status and exposure to violence. Although associations differ in magnitude and direction, the studies reviewed generally support the hypothesis that women's empowerment is significantly and positively associated with maternal and child health outcomes. While major challenges remain regarding comparability between studies and lack of direct indicators in key dimensions of empowerment, these results suggest that policy makers and practitioners must consider women's empowerment as a viable strategy to improve maternal and child health, but also as a merit in itself. Recommendations include collection of indicators on psychological, legal and political dimensions of women's empowerment and development of a comprehensive conceptual framework that can guide research and policy making. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Future Oil and Gas Resources of the World: A Coming Supply Crisis?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahlbrandt, T. S.

2002-05-01

Is the world running out of oil? Where will future oil and gas supplies come from? To help answer these questions, the U.S. Geological Survey completed in 2000 a new assessment of the undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources and potential additions to reserves from field growth. One hundred and twenty-eight provinces were assessed in a 100 man-year effort from 1995-2000. The assessed provinces included 76 priority provinces containing 95 percent of the world's discovered oil and gas and an additional 52 "boutique" provinces, many of which may be highly prospective. Total Petroleum Systems (TPS) were identified and described for each of these provinces along with associated Assessment Units (AU) that are the basic units for assessing undiscovered petroleum. The assessment process coupled geologic analysis with a probabilistic methodology to estimate remaining potential. Within the 128 assessed provinces, were 159 TPS and 274 AU. For these provinces, the endowment of recoverable oil, which includes cumulative production, remaining reserves, reserve growth, and undiscovered resources is estimated at about 3 trillion barrels of oil (TBO). The natural gas endowment is estimated at 2.6 trillion barrels of oil equivalent (TBOE). Oil reserves are currently 1.1 TBO; world consumption is about .028 TBO per year. Natural gas reserves are about .8 TBOE; world consumption is about .014 TBOE. Thus, without any additional discoveries of oil, gas or natural gas liquids, we have about 2 TBOE of proved petroleum reserves. Of the oil and gas endowment of about 5.6 TBOE, we estimate that the world has consumed about 1 TBOE, or 18 percent leaving about 82 percent of endowment to be utilized or found. Half of the world's undiscovered potential is offshore. Arctic basins with about 25 percent of undiscovered petroleum resources make up the next great frontier. An additional 279 provinces contain some oil and gas and, if considered, would increase the oil and gas endowment estimates. While petroleum resources in the world appear to be significant, certain countries such as the U.S. may run into import deficits particularly oil imports from Mexico and natural gas from Canada. The new assessment has been used as the reference supply case in energy supply models by the International Energy Agency and the Energy Information Agency of the Department of Energy. Climate energy modeling groups such as Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and others have also used the estimates in global climate models. Many of these models using the USGS estimates, converge on potential oil shortfalls in 2036-2040. A transition to increased use of natural gas is expected, but gas in turn may experience similar supply concerns in the 2050-2060 time frame. A coal bridge-to-the-future model as well a realistic view of non-renewable resources in the future will be discussed. Non-conventional oil and gas are quite common in the petroleum provinces of the world and represent a significant resource yet to be fully studied and developed. Seventeen non-conventional AU, including coal-bed methane, basin-center gas, continuous oil, and gas hydrate occurrences, have been preliminarily identified for future assessment. Initial efforts to assess heavy oil deposits and other non-conventional oil and gas deposits are also underway. Digital products from the World Energy Project may be downloaded at (http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/energy/WorldEnergy/WEnergy.html).

Changes in Ideational Profiles of Women of Reproductive Age in Urban Nigeria: The Role of Health Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babalola, Stella

2017-01-01

Reproductive health indicators in Nigeria remain among the poorest in the world. Modern contraceptive prevalence rate has remained practically at the same level since 2003. Whereas contraceptive use is higher in urban compared with rural areas, the majority of urban women are not using a modern contraceptive method. Low contraceptive use in the…

Future Pacific Rim flows and prices of softwood logs, differentiated by grade.

Treesearch

Donald F. Flora; Andrea L. Anderson; Wendy J. McGInnls

1990-01-01

By 2000, prices are expected to rise significantly for medium-grade logs and modestly for low-grade logs. World economic cycles may obscure, however, the upward price trends. Exports from the United States of medium grades are expected to remain stable, while volumes of lower grades are projected to remain level through 1995 and then decline because of competition....

Teaching about the Moral Lessons of World War II and How to Integrate This into the Educational System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bykov, A. K.; Liuban, T. N.

2011-01-01

The Ninth of May 2010 marks the sixty-fifth anniversary of the Day of Victory in the Great War for the Fatherland (World War II). Although so much time has passed, the moral asset of this historical event remains large. The Russian people perceive this victory as a heroic symbol of the whole Fatherland, and its results and consequences are…

Peering Inside the Black Box of Undergraduate Study Habits: The Centrality of Self-Regulated Learning in a Digitized World. WCER Working Paper No. 2015-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hora, Matthew T.; Oleson, Amanda K.

2015-01-01

Research suggests which study strategies are effective but little descriptive research focuses on how undergraduate students study in real-world settings. Thus, the mechanisms of students' actual learning remain a black box for the field of higher education, with far more attention paid to inputs and outputs of the learning process. Using a…

Y2K: the moment of truth.

PubMed

Chepesiuk, R

1999-05-01

It remains to be seen whether the world will move in time to fix the Y2K bug, or whether computers around the world will shut down when the clock strikes midnight on 31 December 1999. Y2K could have a serious impact on environmental facilities, particularly given the extent to which computer software and microchips are now involved in pollution control and environmental monitoring and protection systems.

Y2K: the moment of truth.

PubMed Central

Chepesiuk, R

1999-01-01

It remains to be seen whether the world will move in time to fix the Y2K bug, or whether computers around the world will shut down when the clock strikes midnight on 31 December 1999. Y2K could have a serious impact on environmental facilities, particularly given the extent to which computer software and microchips are now involved in pollution control and environmental monitoring and protection systems. PMID:10210702

Nationalism, Mass Politics, and Sport: Cold War Case Studies at Seven Degrees

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

20 2. The Age of Imperialism.....................................................................23 3. The Twentieth Century...1896 games in the era of nationalism in the age of imperialism has remained an important feature of sports and politics since then. After World War...a horrible, dismal place. A world in which justice does not exist for large groups of people for no other reason than the color of their skin or

Mindmodeling@Home. . . and Anywhere Else You Have Idle Processors

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

the continuous growth rate of end-user processing capability around the world. The first volunteer computing project was SETI @Home. It was... SETI @Home remains the longest running and one of the most popular volunteer computing projects in the world. This actually is an impressive feat...volunteer computing projects available to those interested in donating their idle processor time to scientific pursuits. Most of them, including SETI

Modeling Studies of the Effects of Winds and Heat Flux on the Tropical Oceans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seager, R.

1999-01-01

Over a decade ago, funding from this NASA grant supported the development of the Cane-Zebiak ENSO prediction model which remains in use to this day. It also supported our work developing schemes for modeling the air-sea heat flux in ocean models used for studying climate variability. We introduced a succession of simple boundary layer models that allow the fluxes to be computed internally in the model and avoid the need to specify the atmospheric thermodynamic state. These models have now reached a level of generality that allows modeling of the global, rather than just tropical, ocean, including sea ice cover. The most recent versions of these boundary layer models have been widely distributed around the world and are in use by many ocean modeling groups.

Economic Measures of Pollination Services: Shortcomings and Future Directions.

PubMed

Breeze, Tom D; Gallai, Nicola; Garibaldi, Lucas A; Li, Xui S

2016-12-01

Over the past 20 years, there has been growing interest in the possible economic impacts of pollination service loss and management. Although the literature area has expanded rapidly, there remains ongoing debate about the usefulness of such exercises. Reviewing the methods and findings of the current body of literature, this review highlights three major trends: (i) estimated benefits are heterogeneous, even when using the same method, due to several often-neglected factors. (ii) The current body of literature focuses heavily on the developed world, neglecting the effects on developing countries. (iii) Very few studies are suitable for informing management and policy. The review highlights the need for fully interdisciplinary work that embeds stakeholders and economic impacts into primary ecological research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The development of World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies].

PubMed

Wang, Hong-cai; Deng, Liang-yue; Liu, Bao-yan

2014-10-01

From cooperation between World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies (WFAS) and World Health Organization, works of academics and standardization, acupuncture-moxibustion education, technique service, organization development, etc., the 27-year development of WFAS since 1987 was summarized and reviewed in details. The growth of WFAS witnesses and promotes the development of acupuncture and moxibustion in the world, so by learning the experience and lessons, WFAS could have a wider path, becoming a core organization for communicating and promoting the development of acupuncture, even the traditional medicine in the world.

The Oil Industries Fake Abundance Story: Is Distortion of the Truth Ever Appropriate?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, J. W.

2014-12-01

The oil industries and their cornucopian supporters (press, politicians, energy agencies) promote the story that in the oil is abundant and oil production will increase. The reality is that 1) World crude oil production has been on a plateau since 2005, in spite of new technology (fracking), record high prices (Brent Oil > 100 per barrel) and record spending on exploration and development (5.4 trillion over the past six years) and 2) The price of oil has risen steadily from 1999 to present. Typically when commodities are abundant the price tends to fall. How is this reality being distorted? 1) Resources are being equated with reserves (both are amounts), neither of which can be equated with each other or with production (a rate). 2) Crude oil (the price or which is rigorously defined by API density) has been redefined as total liquids, which includes substances (lease condensates, natural gas liquids, biofuels, refinery gains) which can not be used in the same way oil is or sold for the same price as oil. If what you are selling cannot be sold on the world market as crude oil, then it is not crude oil. 3) The demand for oil remains high, but World production is stagnant and World net-export production has been decreasing since 2005. Thus the price remains high and will only increase in the future. Growth in Global GDP is impacted by high-priced oil. How do you know unethical behavior when you see it? It has to do with intentionality and motivation. "Advocacy science" often reports data to support their cause. Is that unethical? Where is the divide between being an "Issue Advocate" and "Advocacy Science"? If data are reported poorly, is it unethical or just "bad science"? Do the same ethical standards apply to businesses (when profits are involved) and politicians (when elections are at stake)? Why would the definition of oil include NGL, condensates and refinery gains if not trying to inflate the numbers. The standards should be the same, but when there are no reliable independent sources of data, different definitions and uncertainty in the data allow a range of interpretations. Within these limits it allows some to bend the truth for their needs. What is the solution? With so much at stake, why have the uncertainties in these issues been so poorly examined by the academic community? Doing so will encourage alternative sources of energy to be developed.

Nikolay Ivanovich Pirogov (1810-1881): A pioneering Russian surgeon and medical scientist.

PubMed

Hendriks, Inge F; Bovill, James G; van Luijt, Peter A; Hogendoorn, Pancras Cw

2018-02-01

Nikolay Pirogov qualified as a physician from Moscow University in 1828 and then studied surgery and anatomy at University of Dorpat. He developed new surgical techniques, including the eponymous osteoplastic foot amputation. His application of scientifically based techniques extended surgery from a craft to a science. During the Crimean War he initiated the deployment of women as nurses and used triage for dealing with mass casualties. His textbook on field surgery became the standard reference on the subject and his principles remained virtually unchanged until the Second World War. Pirogov died on 5 December 1881 at his estate in Vishnya.

Predictors of outcome in myxoedema coma

PubMed Central

Beynon, Jennifer; Akhtar, Simeen; Kearney, Tara

2008-01-01

Myxoedema coma is a rare and life-threatening illness the outcome of which has not been robustly studied in large numbers, partly due to its low incidence. Dutta and colleagues have explored outcome predictors in a developing country where access to thyroid function tests is more limited than in the Western world. Cardiovascular instability, reduced consciousness, persistent hypothermia, and sepsis all contributed to a poorer outcome, as has been demonstrated before, but a generic outcome predictor model was shown to be useful in this group of patients. Unfortunately, this observational study was unable to show differences in outcome based on replacement treatment methods and the mortality remains at 40%. PMID:18254932

Predictors of outcome in myxoedema coma.

PubMed

Beynon, Jennifer; Akhtar, Simeen; Kearney, Tara

2008-01-01

Myxoedema coma is a rare and life-threatening illness the outcome of which has not been robustly studied in large numbers, partly due to its low incidence. Dutta and colleagues have explored outcome predictors in a developing country where access to thyroid function tests is more limited than in the Western world. Cardiovascular instability, reduced consciousness, persistent hypothermia, and sepsis all contributed to a poorer outcome, as has been demonstrated before, but a generic outcome predictor model was shown to be useful in this group of patients. Unfortunately, this observational study was unable to show differences in outcome based on replacement treatment methods and the mortality remains at 40%.

Management of Early Stage, High-Risk Endometrial Carcinoma: Preoperative and Surgical Considerations

PubMed Central

Pettigrew, Gaetan

2013-01-01

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the developed world. Most cases are diagnosed at an early stage and have low-grade histology, portending an overall excellent prognosis. There exists a subgroup of patients with early, high-risk disease, whose management remains controversial, as current data is clouded by inclusion of early stage tumors with different high-risk features for recurrence, unstandardized protocols for surgical staging, and an evolving staging system by which we are grouping these patients. Here, we present preoperative and intraoperative considerations that should be taken into account when planning surgical management for this population of patients. PMID:23878545

Development of the National Transplant Program Has Significantly Decreased but Not Ended Transplant Tourism in Montenegro.

PubMed

Ratkovic, M; Basic Jukic, N; Kastelan, Z; Radunovic, D; Kavaric, P; Brezak, J; Topalovic Grkovic, M; Hudolin, T; Prelevic, V

2018-06-01

Organ transplantation has prolonged and improved the lives of many patients around the world. However, a widespread shortage of donors remains the main factor that has led to organ trafficking and transplant tourism. To stop transplant tourism and to provide optimal treatment for its citizens with end-stage renal disease, Montenegro started performing renal transplantations in September 2012. Thirty-five transplantations have been performed since that time, 34 from living donors and only 1 from a deceased donor. This practice has significantly decreased but not ended transplant tourism in Montenegro. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fatal attraction: the intuitive appeal of GMO opposition.

PubMed

Blancke, Stefaan; Van Breusegem, Frank; De Jaeger, Geert; Braeckman, Johan; Van Montagu, Marc

2015-07-01

Public opposition to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) remains strong. By contrast, studies demonstrate again and again that GM crops make a valuable contribution to the development of a sustainable type of agriculture. The discrepancy between public opinion and the scientific evidence requires an explanation. We argue that intuitive expectations about the world render the human mind vulnerable to particular misrepresentations of GMOs. We explain how the involvement of particular intuitions accounts for the popularity, persistence, and typical features of GM opposition and tackle possible objections to our approach. To conclude, we discuss the implications for science education, science communication, and the environmental movement. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GWAS meta-analysis of 16 852 women identifies new susceptibility locus for endometrial cancer

PubMed Central

Chen, Maxine M.; O'Mara, Tracy A.; Thompson, Deborah J.; Painter, Jodie N.; Attia, John; Black, Amanda; Brinton, Louise; Chanock, Stephen; Chen, Chu; Cheng, Timothy HT; Cook, Linda S.; Crous-Bou, Marta; Doherty, Jennifer; Friedenreich, Christine M.; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Gaudet, Mia M.; Gorman, Maggie; Haiman, Christopher; Hankinson, Susan E.; Hartge, Patricia; Henderson, Brian E.; Hodgson, Shirley; Holliday, Elizabeth G.; Horn-Ross, Pamela L.; Hunter, David J.; Le Marchand, Loic; Liang, Xiaolin; Lissowska, Jolanta; Long, Jirong; Lu, Lingeng; Magliocco, Anthony M.; Martin, Lynn; McEvoy, Mark; Olson, Sara H.; Orlow, Irene; Pooler, Loreall; Prescott, Jennifer; Rastogi, Radhai; Rebbeck, Timothy R.; Risch, Harvey; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Schumacher, Frederick; Wendy Setiawan, Veronica; Scott, Rodney J.; Sheng, Xin; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Turman, Constance; Van Den Berg, David; Wang, Zhaoming; Weiss, Noel S.; Wentzensen, Nicholas; Xia, Lucy; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Yang, Hannah P.; Yu, Herbert; Zheng, Wei; Pharoah, Paul D.P.; Dunning, Alison M.; Tomlinson, Ian; Easton, Douglas F.; Kraft, Peter; Spurdle, Amanda B.; De Vivo, Immaculata

2016-01-01

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy in the developed world. Although there is evidence of genetic predisposition to the disease, most of the genetic risk remains unexplained. We present the meta-analysis results of four genome-wide association studies (4907 cases and 11 945 controls total) in women of European ancestry. We describe one new locus reaching genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10 −8) at 6p22.3 (rs1740828; P = 2.29 × 10 −8, OR = 1.20), providing evidence of an additional region of interest for genetic susceptibility to endometrial cancer. PMID:27008869

[Plasma fractionation in the world: current status].

PubMed

Burnouf, T

2007-05-01

From 22 to 25 million liters of plasma are fractionated yearly in about 70 fractionation plants, either private or government-owned, mainly located in industrialized countries, and with a capacity ranging from 50000 to three million liters. In an increasingly global environment, the plasma industry has recently gone through a major consolidation phase that has seen mergers and acquisitions, and has led to the closure of a number of small plants in Europe. Currently, some fifteen countries are involved into contract plasma fractionation programs to ensure a supply of plasma-derived medicinal products. The majority of the plasma for fractionation is obtained by automated plasmapheresis, the remaining (recovered plasma) being prepared from whole blood as a by-product of red cell production. Plasma for fractionation should be produced, and controlled following well established procedures to meet the strict quality requirements set by regulatory authorities and fractionators. The plasma fractionation technology still relies heavily on the cold ethanol fractionation process, but has been improved by the introduction of modern chromatographic purification methods, and efficient viral inactivation and removal treatments, ensuring quality and safety to a large portfolio of fractionated plasma products. The safety of these products with regards to the risk of transmission of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease seems to be provided, based on current scientific data, by extensive removal of the infectious agent during certain fractionation steps. The leading plasma product is now the intravenous immunoglobulin G, which has replaced factor VIII and albumin in this role. The supply of plasma products (most specifically coagulation products and immunoglobulin) at an affordable price and in sufficient quantity remains an issue; the problem is particularly acute in developing countries, as the switch to recombinant factor VIII in rich countries has not solved the supply issue and has even led to an increase of the mean price of plasma-derived factor VIII to the developing world. In the last few years, the plasma fractionation industry has improved greatly, and should remain essential in the years to come for the procurement of many essential medicines.

Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve: Protecting the World's Oldest Complex Macrofossils at a Newly Inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthews, Jack

2017-04-01

The late Ediacaran rocks of the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve, Newfoundland, record the oldest known assemblage of large, complex fossils anywhere. These fossils represent the transition in the history of life on earth to large, architecturally complex organisms, following nearly three billion years of a microbially-dominated world. In July 2016, the Reserve was inscribed on World Heritage List. Inscription has led to increased geotourism demands on the locality, a consequence welcomed by the local community who wish to develop the economy. This is potentially at odds with the interests of Government and Researchers whose inclination is often to prohibit all activity that may adversely impact a site. This presentation will outline several approaches being used to quantitatively measure potential historic and current damage to the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve from geotourism activity, as well as natural events. Technologies such as LiDAR scanning, photogrammetry, and time lapse cameras are compared and contrasted for their suitability to monitor the integrity of fossil sites. Footwear erosion of fossil surfaces remains a concern of policy makers at the Reserve; experimental work to test the benefits of various footwear erosion reduction protocols is discussed. The legislative and management framework for the Reserve is reviewed, and the importance of building academic-community-government relationships examined. The benefits of geoconservation are shared by all in society - as such the importance of presenting geoconservation research outcomes in ways specifically tailored to local communities and policy makes is highlighted.

Interrogating inclusive development in India's transition process.

PubMed

Chakrabarti, Anjan; Dhar, Anup

2012-12-01

This paper makes two related contributions. First, the dual economic structure underlying development is shown as producing a distinct conception of other comprising of a devalued third world which is foregrounded and world of the third which is excluded. This dyad of inclusion-exclusion of other is produced in relation to the centers of capitalism and modernism. The category of third world helps to displace the language-experience-logic-ethos of the other a la world of the third such that development works over and transforms world of the third, but via the trope of a devalued third world. We then use this framework to explore the relation of global capitalism with world of the third in the Indian context, a relation that is shown to be two fold. There is on one hand an attempt to dismantle world of the third as part of the development trope of overcoming the third world. On the other, through inclusive development, an attempt is made to directly intervene in the economy of world of the third so as to address the problems of income inequality and social exclusion, again under the trope of uplifting the devalued third world.

Age differences in the prevalence and comorbidity of DSM-IV major depressive episodes: Results from the WHO World Mental Health Survey Initiative

PubMed Central

Kessler, Ronald C.; Birnbaum, Howard; Shahly, Victoria; Bromet, Evelyn; Hwang, Irving; McLaughlin, Katie A.; Sampson, Nancy; Andrade, Laura Helena; de Girolamo, Giovanni; Demyttenaere, Koen; Haro, Josep Maria; Karam, Aimee N.; Kostyuchenko, Stanislav; Kovess, Viviane; Lara, Carmen; Levinson, Daphna; Matschinger, Herbert; Nakane, Yoshibumi; Browne, Mark Oakley; Ormel, Johan; Posada-Villa, Jose; Sagar, Rajesh; Stein, Dan J.

2011-01-01

Background Although depression appears to decrease in late life, this could be due to misattribution of depressive symptoms to physical disorders that increase in late life. Methods We investigated this issue by studying age differences in comorbidity of DSM-IV major depressive episodes (MDE) with chronic physical conditions in the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) surveys, a series of community epidemiological surveys carried out in 10 developed countries (n = 51,771) and 8 developing countries (n = 37,265). MDE and other mental disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Organic exclusion rules were not used to avoid inappropriate exclusion of cases with physical comorbidity. Physical conditions were assessed with a standard chronic conditions checklist. Results Twelve-month DSM-IV/CIDI MDE was significantly less prevalent among respondents ages 65+ than younger respondents in developed but not developing countries. Prevalence of comorbid mental disorders generally either decreased or remained stable with age, while comorbidity of MDE with mental disorders generally increased with age. Prevalence of physical conditions, in comparison, generally increased with age, while comorbidity of MDE with physical conditions generally decreased with age. Depression treatment was lowest among the elderly in developed and developing countries. Conclusions The weakening associations between MDE and physical conditions with increasing age argue against the suggestion that the low estimated prevalence of MDE among the elderly is due to increased confounding with physical disorders. Future study is needed to investigate processes that might lead to a decreasing impact of physical illness on depression among the elderly. PMID:20037917

The fatter are happier in Indonesia.

PubMed

Sohn, Kitae

2017-02-01

Although obesity and happiness are known to be negatively related in the developed world, little attention has been paid to this relationship in the developing world. We thus investigated the relationship in Indonesia and attempted to explain the underlying rationale. We considered about 12,000 respondents aged 15+ for each gender obtained from the Indonesian Family Life Survey 2007 by relating a measure of happiness to weight-related measures in ordered probit models. The relationship between obesity and happiness was positive in Indonesia, and this relationship was robust. Our evidence suggests that the contrasting results for the two worlds result from affordability of obesity. That is, while even low socioeconomic status (SES) individuals in the developed world can afford to be obese, only high SES individuals in the developing world can do. Our findings imply that obesity prevention in the developing world requires different measures than those used in the developed world.

Ecological Interventionist Causal Models in Psychosis: Targeting Psychological Mechanisms in Daily Life

PubMed Central

Reininghaus, Ulrich; Depp, Colin A.; Myin-Germeys, Inez

2016-01-01

Integrated models of psychotic disorders have posited a number of putative psychological mechanisms that may contribute to the development of psychotic symptoms, but it is only recently that a modest amount of experience sampling research has provided evidence on their role in daily life, outside the research laboratory. A number of methodological challenges remain in evaluating specificity of potential causal links between a given psychological mechanism and psychosis outcomes in a systematic fashion, capitalizing on longitudinal data to investigate temporal ordering. In this article, we argue for testing ecological interventionist causal models that draw on real world and real-time delivered, ecological momentary interventions for generating evidence on several causal criteria (association, time order, and direction/sole plausibility) under real-world conditions, while maximizing generalizability to social contexts and experiences in heterogeneous populations. Specifically, this approach tests whether ecological momentary interventions can (1) modify a putative mechanism and (2) produce changes in the mechanism that lead to sustainable changes in intended psychosis outcomes in individuals’ daily lives. Future research using this approach will provide translational evidence on the active ingredients of mobile health and in-person interventions that promote sustained effectiveness of ecological momentary interventions and, thereby, contribute to ongoing efforts that seek to enhance effectiveness of psychological interventions under real-world conditions. PMID:26707864

Scale free effects in world currency exchange network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Górski, A. Z.; Drożdż, S.; Kwapień, J.

2008-11-01

A large collection of daily time series for 60 world currencies' exchange rates is considered. The correlation matrices are calculated and the corresponding Minimal Spanning Tree (MST) graphs are constructed for each of those currencies used as reference for the remaining ones. It is shown that multiplicity of the MST graphs' nodes to a good approximation develops a power like, scale free distribution with the scaling exponent similar as for several other complex systems studied so far. Furthermore, quantitative arguments in favor of the hierarchical organization of the world currency exchange network are provided by relating the structure of the above MST graphs and their scaling exponents to those that are derived from an exactly solvable hierarchical network model. A special status of the USD during the period considered can be attributed to some departures of the MST features, when this currency (or some other tied to it) is used as reference, from characteristics typical to such a hierarchical clustering of nodes towards those that correspond to the random graphs. Even though in general the basic structure of the MST is robust with respect to changing the reference currency some trace of a systematic transition from somewhat dispersed - like the USD case - towards more compact MST topology can be observed when correlations increase.

Introduction. Information, knowledge and technology.

PubMed

MacFarlane, Alistair G J

2003-08-15

Technology is the sum of the ways in which social groups manipulate order in the world to achieve their ends. It enables our active engagement with the world. Technology is central to our present well-being and vital for our future survival. As such it needs a coherent world view, a conceptual framework which will enable the fundamental problems that it poses for society to be approached in an illuminating way. Furthermore, such an approach, while remaining convincing, must not be overwhelmed by an ever-increasing welter of specialization and diversity of application. It is the purpose of the set of papers presented here to examine some key aspects of such a conceptual framework; not in the sense of offering a fully worked out philosophy of technology--that would be a huge and complex undertaking--but rather by considering some key topics. Subsidiary aims are to survey important relevant areas, to identify key sources that can provide access points for further study, and to consider some possible future developments. Major, coherent domains of activity are characterized by a few, fundamental, extensively used and essentially unifying concepts. Technology is such a domain, and its fundamental concepts are information, knowledge and agency. The following sections give a synoptic overview of the material presented in this theme issue, and set it within a wider context.

Addressing the Human Resources for Health crisis in countries: How far have we gone? What can we expect to achieve by 2015?

PubMed

Dayrit, Manuel M; Dolea, Carmen; Dreesch, Norbert

2011-06-01

The World Health Report 2006 identified 57 countries world-wide whose health worker to population density fell below a critical threshold of 2.3 per 1,000 population. This meant that below this critical threshold, a country could not provide the basic health services to its population, defined here as 80% immunization coverage and 80% skilled birth attendance at delivery. Of the 57 countries, 36 are located in Africa. This article reviews the progress countries have made in addressing their health workforce crisis. It cites 3 of the most recent global studies and the indicators used to measure progress. It also features the experiences of 8 countries, namely Malawi, Peru, Ethiopia, Brazil, Thailand, Philippines, Zambia, Mali. Their situations provide a diverse picture of country efforts, challenges, and successes. The article asks the question of whether the target of 25% reduction in the number of crisis countries can be achieved by 2015. This was a goal set by the World Health Assembly in 2008. While the authors wish to remain optimistic about the striving towards this target, their optimism must be matched by an adequate level of investment in countries on HRH development. The next four years will show how much will really be achieved.

Threats to intact tropical peatlands and opportunities for their conservation.

PubMed

Roucoux, K H; Lawson, I T; Baker, T R; Del Castillo Torres, D; Draper, F C; Lähteenoja, O; Gilmore, M P; Honorio Coronado, E N; Kelly, T J; Mitchard, E T A; Vriesendorp, C F

2017-12-01

Large, intact areas of tropical peatland are highly threatened at a global scale by the expansion of commercial agriculture and other forms of economic development. Conserving peatlands on a landscape scale, with their hydrology intact, is of international conservation importance to preserve their distinctive biodiversity and ecosystem services and maintain their resilience to future environmental change. We explored threats to and opportunities for conserving remaining intact tropical peatlands; thus, we excluded peatlands of Indonesia and Malaysia, where extensive deforestation, drainage, and conversion to plantations means conservation in this region can protect only small fragments of the original ecosystem. We focused on a case study, the Pastaza-Marañón Foreland Basin (PMFB) in Peru, which is among the largest known intact tropical peatland landscapes in the world and is representative of peatland vulnerability. Maintenance of the hydrological conditions critical for carbon storage and ecosystem function of peatlands is, in the PMFB, primarily threatened by expansion of commercial agriculture linked to new transport infrastructure that is facilitating access to remote areas. There remain opportunities in the PMFB and elsewhere to develop alternative, more sustainable land-use practices. Although some of the peatlands in the PMFB fall within existing legally protected areas, this protection does not include the most carbon-dense (domed pole forest) areas. New carbon-based conservation instruments (e.g., REDD+, Green Climate Fund), developing markets for sustainable peatland products, transferring land title to local communities, and expanding protected areas offer pathways to increased protection for intact tropical peatlands in Amazonia and elsewhere, such as those in New Guinea and Central Africa which remain, for the moment, broadly beyond the frontier of commercial development. © 2017 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

Gut Microbiome and the Development of Food Allergy and Allergic Disease

PubMed Central

Prince, Benjamin T.; Mandel, Mark J.; Nadeau, Kari; Singh, Anne Marie

2015-01-01

The prevalence of food allergy and other allergic diseases continues to rise within the industrialized world, yet the cause of this epidemic remains elusive. Environmental factors such as microbial exposures have more recently been implicated as one possible driving factor behind the increasing burden of allergic disease. The impact of gut microbiome on human development, nutritional needs, and disease has become evident with advances in our ability to study these complex communities of microorganisms, and there is a growing appreciation for the role of the microbiome in immune regulation. Several studies have examined associations between changes in the commensal microbiota and the development of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and asthma, but far less have evaluated the impact of the microbiome on the development of food allergy. In this article we review the human gastrointestinal microbiome, focusing on the theory and evidence for its role in the development of IgE-mediated food allergy and other allergic diseases. PMID:26456445

Measles vaccination before the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.

PubMed

Hendriks, Jan; Blume, Stuart

2013-08-01

At the beginning of the 1960s, it was clear that a vaccine against measles would soon be available. Although measles was (and remains) a killer disease in the developing world, in the United States and Western Europe this was no longer so. Many parents and many medical practitioners considered measles an inevitable stage of a child's development. Debating the desirability of measles immunization, public health experts reasoned differently. In the United States, introduction of the vaccine fit well with Kennedy's and Johnson's administrations' political commitments. European policymakers proceeded cautiously, concerned about the acceptability of existing vaccination programs. In Sweden and the Netherlands, recent experience in controlling polio led researchers to prefer an inactivated virus vaccine. Although in the early 1970s attempts to develop a sufficiently potent inactivated vaccine were abandoned, we have argued that the debates and initiatives of the time during the vaccine's early history merit reflection in today's era of standardization and global markets.

Overview of pediatric oncology and hematology in Myanmar

PubMed Central

Halbert, Jay; Khaing, Aye Aye

2014-01-01

Myanmar is a country in southeast Asia in political, economic and healthcare transition. There are currently only two pediatric oncology centers serving a population of almost 19 million children. An estimated 85-92% of children with cancer are undiagnosed or not receiving treatment. Abandonment of treatment is as high as 60%. Although a number of chemotherapy agents are available, difficulties remain concerning treatment costs, quality control and the availability of supportive care. Radiotherapy services are also limited and not usually included in pediatric protocols. Healthcare professional training, improved diagnostics, strategies to tackle abandonment of treatment and the development of a parents’ support group are major priorities. Local and international partnerships including a recent partnership with world child cancer are essential in the interim to support the development of pediatric oncology and hematology in Myanmar. A unique opportunity exists to support the development of preventive, diagnostic, curative and palliative care for children's cancer in Myanmar from the outset. PMID:24665454

Single dose treatment of malaria - current status and perspectives.

PubMed

Mischlinger, Johannes; Agnandji, Selidji T; Ramharter, Michael

2016-07-01

Despite increased international efforts for control and ultimate elimination, malaria remains a major health problem. Currently, artemisinin-based combination therapies are the treatment of choice for uncomplicated malaria exhibiting high efficacy in clinical trial settings in sub-Saharan Africa. However, their administration over a three-day period is associated with important problems of treatment adherence resulting in markedly reduced effectiveness of currently recommended antimalarials under real world settings. Antimalarial drug candidates and antimalarial drug combinations currently under advanced clinical development for the indication as single dose antimalarial therapy. Expert commentary: Several new drug candidates and combinations are currently undergoing pivotal proof-of-concept studies or clinical development programmes. The development of a single dose combination therapy would constitute a breakthrough in the control of malaria. Such an innovative treatment approach would simultaneously close the effectiveness gap of current three-day therapies and revolutionize population based interventions in the context of malaria elimination campaigns.

Overview of pediatric oncology and hematology in Myanmar.

PubMed

Halbert, Jay; Khaing, Aye Aye

2014-01-01

Myanmar is a country in southeast Asia in political, economic and healthcare transition. There are currently only two pediatric oncology centers serving a population of almost 19 million children. An estimated 85-92% of children with cancer are undiagnosed or not receiving treatment. Abandonment of treatment is as high as 60%. Although a number of chemotherapy agents are available, difficulties remain concerning treatment costs, quality control and the availability of supportive care. Radiotherapy services are also limited and not usually included in pediatric protocols. Healthcare professional training, improved diagnostics, strategies to tackle abandonment of treatment and the development of a parents' support group are major priorities. Local and international partnerships including a recent partnership with world child cancer are essential in the interim to support the development of pediatric oncology and hematology in Myanmar. A unique opportunity exists to support the development of preventive, diagnostic, curative and palliative care for children's cancer in Myanmar from the outset.

The New Global Health

PubMed Central

Simone, Patricia M.; Davison, Veronica; Slutsker, Laurence

2013-01-01

Global health reflects the realities of globalization, including worldwide dissemination of infectious and noninfectious public health risks. Global health architecture is complex and better coordination is needed between multiple organizations. Three overlapping themes determine global health action and prioritization: development, security, and public health. These themes play out against a background of demographic change, socioeconomic development, and urbanization. Infectious diseases remain critical factors, but are no longer the major cause of global illness and death. Traditional indicators of public health, such as maternal and infant mortality rates no longer describe the health status of whole societies; this change highlights the need for investment in vital registration and disease-specific reporting. Noncommunicable diseases, injuries, and mental health will require greater attention from the world in the future. The new global health requires broader engagement by health organizations and all countries for the objectives of health equity, access, and coverage as priorities beyond the Millennium Development Goals are set. PMID:23876365

Deterrence 2035 - The Role of Transparency and Diversity in a World of Nanosats

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-17

accused by the UK 18 of jamming a London-based radio station and disrupting CNN and BBC World broadcasts claiming the content was terrorist propaganda...6 Space applications continue to be increasingly important in everyday life to the point that one cannot conceive broadcasting news or disaster...nations that diligently foster such growth will become and remain economic powers . US’ investment in advanced technology has paid handsomely in terms

Coordinating sensing and local navigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slack, Marc G.

1991-01-01

Based on Navigation Templates (or NaTs), this work presents a new paradigm for local navigation which addresses the noisy and uncertain nature of sensor data. Rather than creating a new navigation plan each time the robot's perception of the world changes, the technique incorporates perceptual changes directly into the existing navigation plan. In this way, the robot's navigation plan is quickly and continuously modified, resulting in actions that remain coordinated with its changing perception of the world.

Plague history: Yersin's discovery of the causative bacterium in 1894 enabled, in the subsequent century, scientific progress in understanding the disease and the development of treatments and vaccines.

PubMed

Butler, T

2014-03-01

The causative bacterium of plague was described and cultured by Alexandre Yersin in Hong Kong in 1894, after which transmission of bacteria from rodents by flea bites was discovered by Jean-Paul Simond in 1898. Effective treatment with antiserum was initiated in 1896, but this therapy was supplanted by sulphonamides in the 1930s and by streptomycin starting in 1947. India suffered an estimated 6 million deaths in 1900-1909, and Vietnam, during its war in 1965-1975, accounted for approximately 80% of the world's cases; since then, African countries have dominated, with >90% of the world's cases in the 1990s and early 21st century. Serological diagnosis with fraction 1 antigen to detect anti-plague antibodies was developed in the 1950s. Vaccine development started in 1897 with killed whole bacterial cells, and this was followed by a live attenuated bacterial vaccine, leading to millions of persons receiving injections, but the benefits of these vaccines remain clouded by controversy. Plasmid-mediated virulence was established in 1981, and this was followed by specific DNA methods that have allowed detection of plague genes in skeletal specimens from European graves of the sixth to 17th centuries. © 2014 The Authors Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Obstacles to developing vaccines for the Third World.

PubMed

Robbins, A; Freeman, P

1988-11-01

Despite the tremendous strides in global immunization in less developed countries (LDCs) in the last 25 years, much remains to be done and the momentum has slowed. Vaccination programs continue to prove that they are less expensive, easier to implement, and in some cases more effective than other public health programs. Therefore it is imperative to produce and deliver new or improved vaccines to LDCs to prevent many infectious diseases and save the lives of children. Yet economic and political obstacles impede the development of these vaccines, even though the scientific know-how already exists. Manufacturers of vaccines that have been around for a long time and used widely in developed nations have often sold these vaccines to international agencies, such as WHO, at production cost. They do this because they have already recouped research & development (R&D) costs. When it comes to R&D of new vaccines, however, manufacturers are generally unwilling to invest time and money into R&D since they may not recoup their costs and make a profit. International agencies do not have the money to pay the high prices charged by manufacturers. Instead of the public health community in LDCs deciding on the development of new vaccines, the decision is left almost entirely in the hands of a few institutes or commercial manufacturers in the developed world. Other than continuing with the status quo, however, possible solutions do exist. For example, the UN could create an institute to develop and manufacture its own vaccines. Another possibility is that R&D and production of vaccines for diseases prevalent in an LDC or region could take place within that specified area.

NATO Contributions to European Environmental Security

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-30

World Bank , World Development Report 1992: Development and the Environment, New York: Oxford University Press, 1992, p. 7. 33. Ibid., p. 32. 34. Ibid., p...Bureau of Mines, Interview, Washington, DC, September 2, 1993. 38. Directorate of Intelligence, p. 62. 39. The World Bank , The World Debt Tables, 1992...93: External Finance For Developing Countries, Vol. 1, Analysis and Summary Tables, Washington: The World Bank , 1993, p. 29. See also, Louis Uchitelle

The epidemiological modelling of dysthymia: application for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010.

PubMed

Charlson, Fiona J; Ferrari, Alize J; Flaxman, Abraham D; Whiteford, Harvey A

2013-10-01

In order to capture the differences in burden between the subtypes of depression, the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study for the first time estimated the burden of dysthymia and major depressive disorder separately from the previously used umbrella term 'unipolar depression'. A global summary of epidemiological parameters are necessary inputs in burden of disease calculations for 21 world regions, males and females and for the year 1990, 2005 and 2010. This paper reports findings from a systematic review of global epidemiological data and the subsequent development of an internally consistent epidemiological model of dysthymia. A systematic search was conducted to identify data sources for the prevalence, incidence, remission and excess-mortality of dysthymia using Medline, PsycINFO and EMBASE electronic databases and grey literature. DisMod-MR, a Bayesian meta-regression tool, was used to check the epidemiological parameters for internal consistency and to predict estimates for world regions with no or few data. The systematic review identified 38 studies meeting inclusion criteria which provided 147 data points for 30 countries in 13 of 21 world regions. Prevalence increases in the early ages, peaking at around 50 years. Females have higher prevalence of dysthymia than males. Global pooled prevalence remained constant across time points at 1.55% (95%CI 1.50-1.60). There was very little regional variation in prevalence estimates. There were eight GBD world regions for which we found no data for which DisMod-MR had to impute estimates. The addition of internally consistent epidemiological estimates by world region, age, sex and year for dysthymia contributed to a more comprehensive estimate of mental health burden in GBD 2010. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A real-world size organization of object responses in occipito-temporal cortex

PubMed Central

Konkle, Talia; Oliva, Aude

2012-01-01

SUMMARY While there are selective regions of occipito-temporal cortex that respond to faces, letters, and bodies, the large-scale neural organization of most object categories remains unknown. Here we find that object representations can be differentiated along the ventral temporal cortex by their real-world size. In a functional neuroimaging experiment, observers were shown pictures of big and small real-world objects (e.g. table, bathtub; paperclip, cup), presented at the same retinal size. We observed a consistent medial-to-lateral organization of big and small object preferences in the ventral temporal cortex, mirrored along the lateral surface. Regions in the lateral-occipital, infero-temporal, and parahippocampal cortices showed strong peaks of differential real-world size selectivity, and maintained these preferences over changes in retinal size and in mental imagery. These data demonstrate that the real-world size of objects can provide insight into the spatial topography of object representation. PMID:22726840

Giant Planets: Good Neighbors for Habitable Worlds?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgakarakos, Nikolaos; Eggl, Siegfried; Dobbs-Dixon, Ian

2018-04-01

The presence of giant planets influences potentially habitable worlds in numerous ways. Massive celestial neighbors can facilitate the formation of planetary cores and modify the influx of asteroids and comets toward Earth analogs later on. Furthermore, giant planets can indirectly change the climate of terrestrial worlds by gravitationally altering their orbits. Investigating 147 well-characterized exoplanetary systems known to date that host a main-sequence star and a giant planet, we show that the presence of “giant neighbors” can reduce a terrestrial planet’s chances to remain habitable, even if both planets have stable orbits. In a small fraction of systems, however, giant planets slightly increase the extent of habitable zones provided that the terrestrial world has a high climate inertia. In providing constraints on where giant planets cease to affect the habitable zone size in a detrimental fashion, we identify prime targets in the search for habitable worlds.

World TB Day 2018: The Challenge of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis.

PubMed

Gupta-Wright, Ankur; Tomlinson, Gillian S; Rangaka, Molebogeng X; Fletcher, Helen A

2018-01-01

On 24th March, the world commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Over 130 years later, tuberculosis (TB) continues to affect individuals, communities, and entire health systems and economies. Koch unsuccessfully tried to 'cure' TB, and despite major advances in other areas of medicine, control of TB remains elusive- in 2016 TB was the leading infectious cause of death. The STOP TB partnership and World Health Organization (WHO) have announced their theme for World TB Day 2018 "Wanted: Leaders for a TB-Free World. You can make history. End TB." This theme recognizes that TB is much larger than any one person, institute or discipline of research, and provides an opportunity for us to reflect on the major challenges and consider how we, as a scientific community, can work together and take the lead to address the global crisis of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB).

Global initiatives for improving hospital care for children: state of the art and future prospects.

PubMed

Campbell, Harry; Duke, Trevor; Weber, Martin; English, Mike; Carai, Susanne; Tamburlini, Giorgio

2008-04-01

Deficiencies in the quality of health care are major limiting factors to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals for child and maternal health. Quality of patient care in hospitals is firmly on the agendas of Western countries but has been slower to gain traction in developing countries, despite evidence that there is substantial scope for improvement, that hospitals have a major role in child survival, and that inequities in quality may be as important as inequities in access. There is now substantial global experience of strategies and interventions that improve the quality of care for children in hospitals with limited resources. The World Health Organization has developed a toolkit that contains adaptable instruments, including a framework for quality improvement, evidence-based clinical guidelines in the form of the Pocket Book of Hospital Care for Children, teaching material, assessment, and mortality audit tools. These tools have been field-tested by doctors, nurses, and other child health workers in many developing countries. This collective experience was brought together in a global World Health Organization meeting in Bali in 2007. This article describes how many countries are achieving improvements in quality of pediatric care, despite limited resources and other major obstacles, and how the evidence has progressed in recent years from documenting the nature and scope of the problems to describing the effectiveness of innovative interventions. The challenges remain to bring these and other strategies to scale and to support research into their use, impact, and sustainability in different environments.

Development and review of Euro 5 passenger car emission factors based on experimental results over various driving cycles.

PubMed

Fontaras, Georgios; Franco, Vicente; Dilara, Panagiota; Martini, Giorgio; Manfredi, Urbano

2014-01-15

The emissions of CO2 and regulated pollutants (NOx, HC, CO, PM) of thirteen Euro 5 compliant passenger cars (seven gasoline, six Diesel) were measured on a chassis dynamometer. The vehicles were driven repeatedly over the European type-approval driving cycle (NEDC) and the more dynamic WMTC and CADC driving cycles. Distance-specific emission factors were derived for each pollutant and sub-cycle, and these were subsequently compared to the corresponding emission factors provided by the reference European models used for vehicle emission inventory compilation (COPERT and HBEFA) and put in context with the applicable European emission limits. The measured emissions stayed below the legal emission limits when the type-approval cycle (NEDC) was used. Over the more dynamic cycles (considered more representative of real-world driving) the emissions were consistently higher but in most cases remained below the type-approval limit. The high NOx emissions of Diesel vehicles under real-world driving conditions remain the main cause for environmental concern regarding the emission profile of Euro 5 passenger cars. Measured emissions of NOx exceeded the type-approval limits (up to 5 times in extreme cases) and presented significantly increased average values (0.35 g/km for urban driving and 0.56 g/km for motorway driving). The comparison with the reference models showed good correlation in all cases, a positive finding considering the importance of these tools in emission monitoring and policy-making processes. © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Are there limits to swimming world records?

PubMed

Nevill, A M; Whyte, G P; Holder, R L; Peyrebrune, M

2007-12-01

The purpose of this article was to investigate whether swimming world records are beginning to plateau and whether the inequality between men and women's swimming performances is narrowing, similar to that observed in running world records. A flattened "S-shaped curve" logistic curve is fitted to 100-m, 200-m, and 400-m front-crawl world-record swimming speeds for men and women from 1 May 1957 to the present time, using the non-linear least-squares regression. The inequality between men and women's world records is also assessed using the ratio, Women's/Men's world record speeds. The results confirm that men and women's front-crawl swimming world-record speeds are plateauing and the ratio between women's and men's world records has remained stable at approximately 0.9. In conclusion, the logistic curves provide evidence that swimming world-record speeds experienced a period of "accelerated" growth/improvements during the 1960 - 1970s, but are now beginning to plateau. The period of acceleration corresponded with numerous advances in science and technology but also coincided with the anecdotal evidence for institutionalised doping. Also noteworthy, however, is the remarkably consistency in the women's/men's world record ratio, circa 0.9, similar to those observed in middle and long distance running performances. These finding supports the notion that a 10 % gender inequality exists for both swimming and running.

Nomophobia: the mobile phone in panic disorder with agoraphobia: reducing phobias or worsening of dependence?

PubMed

King, Anna Lucia S; Valença, Alexandre M; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2010-03-01

In this report, we present and discuss a hypothesis for the development, in individuals with panic disorder and agoraphobia, of dependence on his or her mobile phone (MP). This disorder, termed nomophobia, is a result of the development of new technologies. Nomophobia is considered a disorder of the modern world and refers to discomfort or anxiety caused by being out of contact with a MP or computer. It is the pathologic fear of remaining out of touch with technology. We present, the case report of a patient who has continuously kept his MP with him since 1995 because of his overwhelming need to feel safe and to be able to immediately call emergency services and people he trusts should he feel sick. The patient was treated with medication and cognitive-behavior psychotherapy. He has remained asymptomatic for 4 years. The patient showed significant medical improvement in his panic disorder and phobias, but there has been no change in his nomophobia. The case presented here illustrates the dependence of an individual with panic disorder on his MP. A specific approach for this dependence should be used in some panic disorder patients.

Adolescent Maturity and the Brain: The Promise and Pitfalls of Neuroscience Research in Adolescent Health Policy

PubMed Central

Johnson, Sara B.; Blum, Robert W.; Giedd, Jay N.

2010-01-01

Longitudinal neuroimaging studies demonstrate that the adolescent brain continues to mature well into the 20s. This has prompted intense interest in linking neuromaturation to maturity of judgment. Public policy is struggling to keep up with burgeoning interest in cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging. However, empirical evidence linking neurodevelopmental processes and adolescent real-world behavior remains sparse. Nonetheless, adolescent brain development research is already shaping public policy debates about when individuals should be considered mature for policy purposes. With this in mind, in this article we summarize what is known about adolescent brain development and what remains unknown, as well as what neuroscience can and cannot tell us about the adolescent brain and behavior. We suggest that a conceptual framework that situates brain science in the broader context of adolescent developmental research would help to facilitate research-to-policy translation. Furthermore, although contemporary discussions of adolescent maturity and the brain often use a deficit-based approach, there is enormous opportunity for brain science to illuminate the great strengths and potentialities of the adolescent brain. So, too, can this information inform policies that promote adolescent health and well-being. PMID:19699416

Global Synthesis of Drought Effects on Food Legume Production

PubMed Central

Daryanto, Stefani; Wang, Lixin; Jacinthe, Pierre-André

2015-01-01

Food legume crops play important roles in conservation farming systems and contribute to food security in the developing world. However, in many regions of the world, their production has been adversely affected by drought. Although water scarcity is a severe abiotic constraint of legume crops productivity, it remains unclear how the effects of drought co-vary with legume species, soil texture, agroclimatic region, and drought timing. To address these uncertainties, we collected literature data between 1980 and 2014 that reported monoculture legume yield responses to drought under field conditions, and analyzed this data set using meta-analysis techniques. Our results showed that the amount of water reduction was positively related with yield reduction, but the extent of the impact varied with legume species and the phenological state during which drought occurred. Overall, lentil (Lens culinaris), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) were found to experience lower drought-induced yield reduction compared to legumes such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and green gram (Vigna radiate). Yield reduction was generally greater when legumes experienced drought during their reproductive stage compared to during their vegetative stage. Legumes grown in soil with medium texture also exhibited greater yield reduction compared to those planted on soil of either coarse or fine texture. In contrast, regions and their associated climatic factors did not significantly affect legume yield reduction. In the face of changing climate, our study provides useful information for agricultural planning and research directions for development of drought-resistant legume species to improve adaptation and resilience of agricultural systems in the drought-prone regions of the world. PMID:26061704

Negotiation Support Systems for Facilitating International Water Conflicts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirchi, A.; Madani, K.; Rouhani, O. M.

2011-12-01

Two decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Caspian Sea -the largest inland body of water on earth- continues to be the subject of one of the world's most insurmountable disputes, involving Iran, Russia, and the new sovereign states of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. The conflict is over the legal status of this multinational water body, which supplies almost all of the world's black caviar, and holds about 10% and 4% of the world's oil and gas reserves, respectively. Typically, proposed division methods for sharing the Caspian Sea and its valuable resources focus either on the areal shares or on the oil and gas shares of the parties. As such, total gains of littoral states under different division methods have remained unclear. In this study, we have developed the Caspian Sea Negotiation Support System (NSS) to delineate optimal boundaries for sharing the sea. The Caspian Sea NSS facilitates simultaneous consideration of the countries' areal and resource shares from the sea under different sharing methods. The developed model is run under different division scenarios to provide insights into the sensitivity of the countries' gains and locations of nautical boundaries to the proposed division rules and the economic values of the Caspian Sea resources. The results are highly sensitive to the proposed division rules, and there is an indirect relationship between the allocated area and resource shares. The main policy implication of the study is that explicit quantification of the countries' resource and areal gains under any suggested legal regime for governing the Caspian Sea is a precursor the success of the negotiations.

The global burden of disabling hearing impairment: a call to action

PubMed Central

Neumann, Katrin J; Saunders, James E

2014-01-01

Abstract At any age, disabling hearing impairment has a profound impact on interpersonal communication, psychosocial well-being, quality of life and economic independence. According to the World Health Organization’s estimates, the number of people with such impairment increased from 42 million in 1985 to about 360 million in 2011. This last figure includes 7.5 million children less than 5 years of age. In 1995, a “roadmap” for curtailing the burden posed by disabling hearing impairment was outlined in a resolution of the World Health Assembly. While the underlying principle of this roadmap remains valid and relevant, some updating is required to reflect the prevailing epidemiologic transition. We examine the traditional concept and grades of disabling hearing impairment – within the context of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health – as well as the modifications to grading that have recently been proposed by a panel of international experts. The opportunity offered by the emerging global and high-level interest in promoting disability-inclusive post-2015 development goals and disability-free child survival is also discussed. Since the costs of rehabilitative services are so high as to be prohibitive in low- and middle-income countries, the critical role of primary prevention is emphasized. If the goals outlined in the World Health Assembly’s 1995 resolution on the prevention of hearing impairment are to be reached by Member States, several effective country-level initiatives – including the development of public–private partnerships, strong leadership and measurable time-bound targets – will have to be implemented without further delay. PMID:24839326

An open-access, mobile compatible, electronic patient register for rheumatic heart disease ('eRegister') based on the World Heart Federation's framework for patient registers.

PubMed

van Dam, Joris; Musuku, John; Zühlke, Liesl J; Engel, Mark E; Nestle, Nick; Tadmor, Brigitta; Spector, Jonathan; Mayosi, Bongani M

2015-01-01

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains a major disease burden in low-resource settings globally. Patient registers have long been recognised to be an essential instrument in RHD control and elimination programmes, yet to date rely heavily on paper-based data collection and non-networked data-management systems, which limit their functionality. To assess the feasibility and potential benefits of producing an electronic RHD patient register. We developed an eRegister based on the World Heart Federation's framework for RHD patient registers using CommCare, an open-source, cloud-based software for health programmes that supports the development of customised data capture using mobile devices. The resulting eRegistry application allows for simultaneous data collection and entry by field workers using mobile devices, and by providers using computer terminals in clinics and hospitals. Data are extracted from CommCare and are securely uploaded into a cloud-based database that matches the criteria established by the WHF framework. The application can easily be tailored to local needs by modifying existing variables or adding new ones. Compared with traditional paper-based data-collection systems, the eRegister reduces the risk of data error, synchronises in real-time, improves clinical operations and supports management of field team operations. The user-friendly eRegister is a low-cost, mobile, compatible platform for RHD treatment and prevention programmes based on materials sanctioned by the World Heart Federation. Readily adaptable to local needs, this paperless RHD patient register program presents many practical benefits.

Public health challenges for the 21st century: Convergence of demography, economics, environment and biology: Nalanda distinguished lecture.

PubMed

Narayan, K M Venkat

2017-01-01

The rapidly changing and interdependent world under the mega-force of globalization presents unique challenges and opportunities for public health. Focusing on the example of type 2 diabetes, I argue that an appreciation for the evolution of demographic and economic contexts is essential to appropriately address today's dynamic and complex health challenges. For the vast majority of the past 2000 years, India and China were the world's largest economies until the rise of western European nations in the 18th century and later the USA. In the case of India, inflation-adjusted per capita income remained flat between 1700 and 1950, while in the same period that of the UK grew more than 7-fold, although the population of the UK relatively grew 3-times faster than that of India in the same period. This 250-year gap in industrial and economic development may be central to understanding the large burden of diabetes among individuals of Indian descent, and should be taken into account in a wider context to understand the divergence in health development between India and parts of the world which benefited from early industrial progress and accompanying improvements in food supply, hygiene and living conditions. Lessons from high-income countries support a strong emphasis on public health to achieve important populationwide health gains, and offer insights into the broader determinants of health such as economic and food security, equity, urban infrastructure, health-promoting environments, and access to high-quality health systems. Critical to contemporary public health is also strong data systems and evidence-based decision-making.

Sustainable regulation of construction.

PubMed

2000-11-01

The seminar examined the role building codes and regulations can have in promoting a more sustainable approach to construction, particularly through their application to non-industrial building materials. A range of building materials such as straw, bamboo, rammed earth, adobe, and cob (a mixture of clay and chopped straw) were described and illustrated by slides to show their building potential. The current codes have a prime concern to protect the health and safety of people from the built environment. They have been developed almost exclusively for mainstream industrial materials and methods of construction, which makes them difficult to use with alternative, indigenous, or non-industrial building materials, even though those materials may be considered more sustainable. The argument was put forward that with only one-third of the world population living in modern industrial buildings today, it is not sustainable to re-house the remaining rapidly expanding population in high technology dwellings. Many of the low technology building materials and methods now used by the majority of people in the world need only incremental improvement to be equal or superior to many of their industrial replacements. Since these can be more sustainable methods of building, there needs to be an acceptance of the use of alternative materials, particularly in the developing parts of the world, where they are being rejected for less sustainable industrial methods. However, many codes make it difficult to use non-industrial materials; indeed, many of the industrial materials would not meet the demands that must be now met if they were now being introduced as new materials. Consequently, there is a need to develop codes to facilitate the use of a wider range of materials than in current use, and research is needed to assist this development. Sustainable regulation should take into account the full range of real impacts that materials and systems have in areas such as resource use and depletion, toxicity of the processes that produce them, and their potential for re-use and recyclability.

The Global Drought Information System - A Decision Support Tool with Global Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heim, R. R.; Brewer, M.

2012-12-01

Drought is a natural hazard which can cause famine in developing countries and severe economic hardship in developed countries. Given current concerns with the increasing frequency and magnitude of droughts in many regions of the world, especially in the light of expected climate change, drought monitoring and dissemination of early warning information in a timely fashion on a global scale is a critical concern as an important adaptation and mitigation strategy. While a number of nations, and a few continental-scale activities have developed drought information system activities, a global drought early warning system (GDEWS) remains elusive, despite the benefits highlighted by ministers to the Global Earth Observation System of System in 2008. In an effort to begin a process of drought monitoring with international collaboration, the National Integrated Drought Information System's (NIDIS) U.S. Drought Portal, a web-based information system created to address drought services and early warning in the United States, including drought monitoring, forecasting, impacts, mitigation, research, and education, volunteered to develop a prototype Global Drought Monitoring Portal (GDMP). Through integration of data and information at the global level, and with four continental-level partners, the GDMP has proven successful as a tool to monitor drought around the globe. At a recent meeting between NIDIS, the World Meteorological Organization, and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems, it was recommended that the GDMP form the basis for a Global Drought Information System (GDIS). Currently, GDIS activities are focused around incorporating additional drought monitoring information, especially from those areas without regional or continental-scale input, and incorporating drought-specific climate forecast information from the World Climate Research Programme. Additional GDIS pilot activities are underway with an emphasis on information and decision making, and how to effectively provide drought early warning. This talk will provide an update on the status of GDIS and its role in international drought monitoring.

The Global Drought Information System - A Decision Support Tool with Global Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arndt, D. S.; Brewer, M.; Heim, R. R., Jr.

2014-12-01

Drought is a natural hazard which can cause famine in developing countries and severe economic hardship in developed countries. Given current concerns with the increasing frequency and magnitude of droughts in many regions of the world, especially in the light of expected climate change, drought monitoring and dissemination of early warning information in a timely fashion on a global scale is a critical concern as an important adaptation and mitigation strategy. While a number of nations, and a few continental-scale activities have developed drought information system activities, a global drought early warning system (GDEWS) remains elusive, despite the benefits highlighted by ministers to the Global Earth Observation System of System in 2008. In an effort to begin a process of drought monitoring with international collaboration, the National Integrated Drought Information System's (NIDIS) U.S. Drought Portal, a web-based information system created to address drought services and early warning in the United States, including drought monitoring, forecasting, impacts, mitigation, research, and education, volunteered to develop a prototype Global Drought Monitoring Portal (GDMP). Through integration of data and information at the global level, and with four continental-level partners, the GDMP has proven successful as a tool to monitor drought around the globe. At a past meeting between NIDIS, the World Meteorological Organization, and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems, it was recommended that the GDMP form the basis for a Global Drought Information System (GDIS). Currently, GDIS activities are focused around providing operational global drought monitoring products and assessments, incorporating additional drought monitoring information, especially from those areas without regional or continental-scale input, and incorporating drought-specific climate forecast information from the World Climate Research Programme. Additional GDIS pilot activities are underway with an emphasis on information and decision making, and how to effectively provide drought early warning. This talk will provide an update on the status of GDIS and its role in international drought monitoring.