Otolaryngology residents' objectives in entering the workforce.

PubMed

Kay, David J; Lucente, Frank E

2002-10-01

To determine the priorities of current otolaryngologists-in-training in considering their first employment opportunities. Twenty-one-item survey measuring the importance of various first job issues, with all items scored on a five-point Likert-type ordinal scale. The resident membership of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery was anonymously surveyed by means of mail-in questionnaires. Results were stratified by years of training. Responses from 242 of 1174 mail-in surveys (21% response rate) exhibited a wide distribution of responses for all 21 questions. The availability of free time to spend with one's family was regarded by more than half of the respondents to have the highest overall importance. As years of training increased, priorities shifted toward geographic location, away from issues such as the on-call schedules. The availability of research time and resources received the overall lowest priority, with more than half of the respondents ranking it as only somewhat important or lower. Otolaryngologists-in-training feel strongest about the availability of free time to spend with their families as they finish formal training and consider employment opportunities. By acknowledging the concerns of graduating residents, including the ability to pursue their primary interests when they start working, we can better adapt conditions to create a more comfortable and stable entry into the workforce.

32 CFR 79.6 - Procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the qualifying children of eligible patrons. (1) Priority 1. The highest priority for full-time care... residing with the child are employed outside the home. (2) Priority 2. The second priority for full-time... must be verified every 90 days. (3) Priority 3. The third priority for full-time care shall be given...

Social and Economic Concern of Supply Chain Sustainability (SCS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faiz Mokhtar, Mohd; Omar, Badrul; Hisyamudin Muhd Nor, Nik; Fazlinda Mohd Pauzi, Nur; Hassan, Sulaiman; Mohamed, W. A. Wan

2016-11-01

Sustainability issues will provide impact on the environment, social and economy. The importance of these three aspects of sustainability must be look at in tandem. Some issues of these three pillars getting more attention by companies since they are more interested to identify issues that may affect performances related to their people or profit. Through CSRs report released by various international companies, this paper identified the value which companies place for social and economic sustainability. Result shows that human right and, occupational and safety have highest concern by companies while Product Utilities is less concern from other social issues. From an economic aspect, sales and net profit are the most influencing factors of sustainability while the raw material cost is shown as of the least concern. Based on the results, companies should consider the issues on social and economic aspects following these priorities.

Trends and priorities in occupational health research and knowledge transfer in Italy.

PubMed

Rondinone, Bruna Maria; Boccuni, Fabio; Iavicoli, Sergio

2010-06-01

In 2000-2001, the Italian National Institute for Occupational Safety and Prevention (ISPESL) carried out a survey to identify the research priorities in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH). The present study, carried out in 2007-2008, was a follow-up designed to (i) review the themes identified earlier, (ii) detect emerging issues linked to new risks and forms of work, and (iii) look for any shifts in focus. The survey was extended to cover not only research but also the concept of knowledge transfer. In the first round, ISPESL distributed questionnaires to the heads of both university occupational medicine departments and prevention departments in local national health units (known as ASL in Italy) asking respondents to identify OSH priority themes. In the latest survey covering both research and the need for knowledge transfer, the same experts were asked to rank the importance of the earlier-identified topics and list any emerging issues in the OSH field. The two most important themes identified were "work accidents" and "occupational carcinogenesis". In the overall sample and among ASL experts, they received the 1st and 2nd highest mean scores. The university respondents also prioritized them but in reverse order. Some of the new priority topics included: risks associated with nanotechnologies; assessment of psychosocial and organizational risks; migration and work; and cost-benefit analysis of prevention. In light of the findings, efforts are urgently needed to identify research and knowledge transfer priorities related to workers' health and safety on an international scale using a standardized method in order to obtain comparable results, avoid wasteful duplication of resources, and reduce occupational accidents and illness.

Newborn health: everybody's business.

PubMed

Darmstadt, Gary L; Munar, Wolfgang; Henry, Sarah K

2014-01-01

Despite advances in issue-attention and in evidence of what works to save newborn lives (e.g., kangaroo mother care, antenatal corticosteroids, immediate and exclusive breastfeeding), we are still falling short on impact. To advance the unfinished newborn survival agenda, newborns must become an integral priority in developing countries where the burden of neonatal mortality is highest. Interventions must be adapted to local contexts and cultures and integrated into packages along the continuum of care delivered through the primary health-care systems that countries have at their disposal.

Quality-of-Life Priorities in Patients with Thyroid Cancer: A Multinational European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Phase I Study.

PubMed

Singer, Susanne; Husson, Olga; Tomaszewska, Iwona M; Locati, Laura D; Kiyota, Naomi; Scheidemann-Wesp, Ulrike; Hofmeister, Dirk; Winterbotham, Melanie; Brannan, Christine; Araújo, Cláudia; Gamper, Eva M; Kulis, Dagmara; Rimmele, Harald; Andry, Guy; Licitra, Lisa

2016-11-01

The objectives of this study were to determine quality of life (QoL) issues that are relevant to thyroid cancer patients cross-culturally, and to identify those with highest relevance to them in addition to the more general issues covered by the core European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). A systematic literature search provided a list of potentially relevant QoL issues to supplement the core questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30, which is widely used in research and in care and addresses QoL issues relevant to all groups of cancer patients. A panel of experts revised this list, and thyroid cancer patients rated the issues regarding their relevance for QoL by selecting the 25 issues that they would include in a thyroid cancer-specific QoL module. The literature search and expert discussion provided a list of 71 QoL issues that was rated by thyroid cancer patients (n = 110) from seven countries. All issues were of high priority to at least some of the patients. The most frequently selected issues were sudden attacks of tiredness, exhaustion, quality of sleep, employment, social support, fear of cancer progression, fear of second operation, difficulties swallowing, and globus sensation. Thyroid cancer patients cross-culturally rate fatigue-related issues as highly important for their QoL, calling for increased efforts to find successful treatments for this problem. Vocational rehabilitation is also highly relevant for them and should therefore be an important aim of multidisciplinary care. The third important area of concern is psychological issues, especially fear of progression and of additional treatments.

Tongues on the EDGE: language preservation priorities based on threat and lexical distinctiveness

PubMed Central

Davies, T. Jonathan

2017-01-01

Languages are being lost at rates exceeding the global loss of biodiversity. With the extinction of a language we lose irreplaceable dimensions of culture and the insight it provides on human history and the evolution of linguistic diversity. When setting conservation goals, biologists give higher priority to species likely to go extinct. Recent methods now integrate information on species evolutionary relationships to prioritize the conservation of those with a few close relatives. Advances in the construction of language trees allow us to use these methods to develop language preservation priorities that minimize loss of linguistic diversity. The evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered (EDGE) metric, used in conservation biology, accounts for a species’ originality (evolutionary distinctiveness—ED) and its likelihood of extinction (global endangerment—GE). Here, we use a similar framework to inform priorities for language preservation by generating rankings for 350 Austronesian languages. Kavalan, Tanibili, Waropen and Sengseng obtained the highest EDGE scores, while Xârâcùù (Canala), Nengone and Palauan are among the most linguistically distinct, but are not currently threatened. We further provide a way of dealing with incomplete trees, a common issue for both species and language trees. PMID:29308253

Research priorities for conservation and natural resource management in Oceania's small-island developing states.

PubMed

Weeks, R; Adams, V M

2018-02-01

For conservation science to effectively inform management, research must focus on creating the scientific knowledge required to solve conservation problems. We identified research questions that, if answered, would increase the effectiveness of conservation and natural resource management practice and policy in Oceania's small-island developing states. We asked conservation professionals from academia, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations across the region to propose such questions and then identify which were of high priority in an online survey. We compared the high-priority questions with research questions identified globally and for other regions. Of 270 questions proposed by respondents, 38 were considered high priority, including: What are the highest priority areas for conservation in the face of increasing resource demand and climate change? How should marine protected areas be networked to account for connectivity and climate change? What are the most effective fisheries management policies that contribute to sustainable coral reef fisheries? High-priority questions related to the particular challenges of undertaking conservation on small-island developing states and the need for a research agenda that is responsive to the sociocultural context of Oceania. Research priorities for Oceania relative to elsewhere were broadly similar but differed in specific issues relevant to particular conservation contexts. These differences emphasize the importance of involving local practitioners in the identification of research priorities. Priorities were reasonably well aligned among sectoral groups. Only a few questions were widely considered answered, which may indicate a smaller-than-expected knowledge-action gap. We believe these questions can be used to strengthen research collaborations between scientists and practitioners working to further conservation and natural resource management in this region. © 2017 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

Beyond cost-effectiveness: Using systems analysis for infectious disease preparedness.

PubMed

Phelps, Charles; Madhavan, Guruprasad; Rappuoli, Rino; Colwell, Rita; Fineberg, Harvey

2017-01-20

Until the recent outbreaks, Ebola vaccines ranked low in decision makers' priority lists based on cost-effectiveness analysis and (or) corporate profitability. Despite a relatively small number of Ebola-related cases and deaths (compared to other causes), Ebola vaccines suddenly leapt to highest priority among international health agencies and vaccine developers. Clearly, earlier cost-effectiveness analyses badly missed some factors affecting real world decisions. Multi-criteria systems analysis can improve evaluation and prioritization of vaccine development and also of many other health policy and investment decisions. Neither cost-effectiveness nor cost-benefit analysis can capture important aspects of problems such as Ebola or the emerging threat of Zika, especially issues of inequality and disparity-issues that dominate the planning of many global health and economic organizations. Cost-benefit analysis requires assumptions about the specific value of life-an idea objectionable to many analysts and policy makers. Additionally, standard cost-effectiveness calculations cannot generally capture effects on people uninfected with Ebola for example, but nevertheless affected through such factors as contagion, herd immunity, and fear of dread disease, reduction of travel and commerce, and even the hope of disease eradication. Using SMART Vaccines, we demonstrate how systems analysis can visibly include important "other factors" and more usefully guide decision making and beneficially alter priority setting processes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

QoS mapping algorithm for ETE QoS provisioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jian J.; Foster, Gerry

2002-08-01

End-to-End (ETE) Quality of Service (QoS) is critical for next generation wireless multimedia communication systems. To meet the ETE QoS requirements, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) requires not only meeting the 3GPP QoS requirements [1-2] but also mapping external network QoS classes to UMTS QoS classes. There are four Quality of Services (QoS) classes in UMTS; they are Conversational, Streaming, Interactive and Background. There are eight QoS classes for LAN in IEEE 802.1 (one reserved). ATM has four QoS categories. They are Constant Bit Rate (CBR) - highest priority, short queue for strict Cell Delay Variation (CDV), Variable Bit Rate (VBR) - second highest priority, short queues for real time, longer queues for non-real time, Guaranteed Frame Rate (GFR)/ Unspecified Bit Rate (UBR) with Minimum Desired Cell Rate (MDCR) - intermediate priority, dependent on service provider UBR/ Available Bit Rate (ABR) - lowest priority, long queues, large delay variation. DiffServ (DS) has six-bit DS codepoint (DSCP) available to determine the datagram's priority relative to other datagrams and therefore, up to 64 QoS classes are available from the IPv4 and IPv6 DSCP. Different organisations have tried to solve the QoS issues from their own perspective. However, none of them has a full picture for end-to-end QoS classes and how to map them among all QoS classes. Therefore, a universal QoS needs to be created and a new set of QoS classes to enable end-to-end (ETE) QoS provisioning is required. In this paper, a new set of ETE QoS classes is proposed and a mappings algorithm for different QoS classes that are proposed by different organisations is given. With our proposal, ETE QoS mapping and control can be implemented.

Global Conservation Priorities for Marine Turtles

PubMed Central

Wallace, Bryan P.; DiMatteo, Andrew D.; Bolten, Alan B.; Chaloupka, Milani Y.; Hutchinson, Brian J.; Abreu-Grobois, F. Alberto; Mortimer, Jeanne A.; Seminoff, Jeffrey A.; Amorocho, Diego; Bjorndal, Karen A.; Bourjea, Jérôme; Bowen, Brian W.; Briseño Dueñas, Raquel; Casale, Paolo; Choudhury, B. C.; Costa, Alice; Dutton, Peter H.; Fallabrino, Alejandro; Finkbeiner, Elena M.; Girard, Alexandre; Girondot, Marc; Hamann, Mark; Hurley, Brendan J.; López-Mendilaharsu, Milagros; Marcovaldi, Maria Angela; Musick, John A.; Nel, Ronel; Pilcher, Nicolas J.; Troëng, Sebastian; Witherington, Blair; Mast, Roderic B.

2011-01-01

Where conservation resources are limited and conservation targets are diverse, robust yet flexible priority-setting frameworks are vital. Priority-setting is especially important for geographically widespread species with distinct populations subject to multiple threats that operate on different spatial and temporal scales. Marine turtles are widely distributed and exhibit intra-specific variations in population sizes and trends, as well as reproduction and morphology. However, current global extinction risk assessment frameworks do not assess conservation status of spatially and biologically distinct marine turtle Regional Management Units (RMUs), and thus do not capture variations in population trends, impacts of threats, or necessary conservation actions across individual populations. To address this issue, we developed a new assessment framework that allowed us to evaluate, compare and organize marine turtle RMUs according to status and threats criteria. Because conservation priorities can vary widely (i.e. from avoiding imminent extinction to maintaining long-term monitoring efforts) we developed a “conservation priorities portfolio” system using categories of paired risk and threats scores for all RMUs (n = 58). We performed these assessments and rankings globally, by species, by ocean basin, and by recognized geopolitical bodies to identify patterns in risk, threats, and data gaps at different scales. This process resulted in characterization of risk and threats to all marine turtle RMUs, including identification of the world's 11 most endangered marine turtle RMUs based on highest risk and threats scores. This system also highlighted important gaps in available information that is crucial for accurate conservation assessments. Overall, this priority-setting framework can provide guidance for research and conservation priorities at multiple relevant scales, and should serve as a model for conservation status assessments and priority-setting for widespread, long-lived taxa. PMID:21969858

Understanding perceptions of stakeholder groups about Forestry Best Management Practices in Georgia.

PubMed

Tumpach, Chantal; Dwivedi, Puneet; Izlar, Robert; Cook, Chase

2018-05-01

Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) are critical in ensuring sustainable forest management in the United States because of their effectiveness in protecting water quality, reducing soil erosion, maintaining riparian habitat, and sustaining site productivity. The success of forestry BMPs depends heavily on coordination among primary stakeholder groups. It is important to understand perceptions of such groups for a successful forest policy formulation. We used the SWOT-AHP (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis with the Analytical Hierarchy Process) framework to assess perceptions of three stakeholder groups (loggers, landowners, agency foresters) about forestry BMPs in Georgia, the largest roundwood producing state in the United States. The agency and logger stakeholder groups gave the highest priority to improved reputation under the strength category, whereas the landowner stakeholder group perceived sustainable forestry as the highest priority under the same category. Lack of landowner education was the highest priority under the weakness category for landowner and agency stakeholder groups, whereas the logger stakeholder group selected lack of trained personnel as the highest priority under the same category. Agency and landowner stakeholder groups gave the highest priority to training and education while loggers indicated maintenance of forest-based environmental benefits as their highest priority under the opportunity category. Finally, landowners and agency stakeholder groups perceived more regulations and restrictions as most significant in the threat category whereas the logger stakeholder group was most concerned about the insufficient accounting of cost sharing under the same category. Overall, selected stakeholder groups recognize the importance of forestry BMPs and had positive perceptions about them. A collaborative approach based on continuous feedback can streamline expectations of stakeholder groups about forestry BMPs in Georgia and several other states that are interested in maintaining high compliance rate of forestry BMPs for ensuring sustainable forest management. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

47 CFR Appendix B to Part 64 - Priority Access Service (PAS) for National Security and Emergency Preparedness (NSEP)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... leadership; (iii) Disaster shelter coordination and management; and (iv) Critical Disaster Field Office... telecommunications management and response functions during emergency/disaster situations. 3. Initiate PAS requests... priorities, priority one being the highest. The five priority levels are: 1. Executive Leadership and Policy...

Global research priorities for interpersonal violence prevention: a modified Delphi study.

PubMed

Mikton, Christopher R; Tanaka, Masako; Tomlinson, Mark; Streiner, David L; Tonmyr, Lil; Lee, Bandy X; Fisher, Jane; Hegadoren, Kathy; Pim, Joam Evans; Wang, Shr-Jie Sharlenna; MacMillan, Harriet L

2017-01-01

To establish global research priorities for interpersonal violence prevention using a systematic approach. Research priorities were identified in a three-round process involving two surveys. In round 1, 95 global experts in violence prevention proposed research questions to be ranked in round 2. Questions were collated and organized according to the four-step public health approach to violence prevention. In round 2, 280 international experts ranked the importance of research in the four steps, and the various substeps, of the public health approach. In round 3, 131 international experts ranked the importance of detailed research questions on the public health step awarded the highest priority in round 2. In round 2, "developing, implementing and evaluating interventions" was the step of the public health approach awarded the highest priority for four of the six types of violence considered (i.e. child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, armed violence and sexual violence) but not for youth violence or elder abuse. In contrast, "scaling up interventions and evaluating their cost-effectiveness" was ranked lowest for all types of violence. In round 3, research into "developing, implementing and evaluating interventions" that addressed parenting or laws to regulate the use of firearms was awarded the highest priority. The key limitations of the study were response and attrition rates among survey respondents. However, these rates were in line with similar priority-setting exercises. These findings suggest it is premature to scale up violence prevention interventions. Developing and evaluating smaller-scale interventions should be the funding priority.

Global research priorities for interpersonal violence prevention: a modified Delphi study

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Masako; Tomlinson, Mark; Streiner, David L; Tonmyr, Lil; Lee, Bandy X; Fisher, Jane; Hegadoren, Kathy; Pim, Joam Evans; Wang, Shr-Jie Sharlenna; MacMillan, Harriet L

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective To establish global research priorities for interpersonal violence prevention using a systematic approach. Methods Research priorities were identified in a three-round process involving two surveys. In round 1, 95 global experts in violence prevention proposed research questions to be ranked in round 2. Questions were collated and organized according to the four-step public health approach to violence prevention. In round 2, 280 international experts ranked the importance of research in the four steps, and the various substeps, of the public health approach. In round 3, 131 international experts ranked the importance of detailed research questions on the public health step awarded the highest priority in round 2. Findings In round 2, “developing, implementing and evaluating interventions” was the step of the public health approach awarded the highest priority for four of the six types of violence considered (i.e. child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, armed violence and sexual violence) but not for youth violence or elder abuse. In contrast, “scaling up interventions and evaluating their cost–effectiveness” was ranked lowest for all types of violence. In round 3, research into “developing, implementing and evaluating interventions” that addressed parenting or laws to regulate the use of firearms was awarded the highest priority. The key limitations of the study were response and attrition rates among survey respondents. However, these rates were in line with similar priority-setting exercises. Conclusion These findings suggest it is premature to scale up violence prevention interventions. Developing and evaluating smaller-scale interventions should be the funding priority. PMID:28053363

Research Priorities in Networking and Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Science Foundation, Washington, DC.

A workshop focused on major research issues in networking and communications. This report defines the context for research priorities and initiatives and deals with issues in networking and communications. Fifteen major research priorities and four research specific initiatives were identified by participants as areas that should be pursued over…

Global change technology architecture trade study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrett, L. Bernard (Editor); Hypes, Warren D. (Editor); Wright, Robert L. (Editor)

1991-01-01

Described here is an architecture trade study conducted by the Langley Research Center to develop a representative mix of advanced space science instrumentation, spacecraft, and mission orbits to assist in the technology selection processes. The analyses concentrated on the highest priority classes of global change measurements which are the global climate changes. Issues addressed in the tradeoffs includes assessments of the economics of scale of large platforms with multiple instruments relative to smaller spacecraft; the influences of current and possible future launch vehicles on payload sizes, and on-orbit assembly decisions; and the respective roles of low-Earth versus geostationary Earth orbiting systems.

Priority Questions and Horizon Scanning for Conservation: A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Kark, Salit; Sutherland, William J.; Shanas, Uri; Klass, Keren; Achisar, Hila; Dayan, Tamar; Gavrieli, Yael; Justo-Hanani, Ronit; Mandelik, Yael; Orion, Nir; Pargament, David; Portman, Michelle; Reisman-Berman, Orna; Safriel, Uriel N.; Schaffer, Gad; Steiner, Noa; Tauber, Israel; Levin, Noam

2016-01-01

Several projects aimed at identifying priority issues for conservation with high relevance to policy have recently been completed in several countries. Two major types of projects have been undertaken, aimed at identifying (i) policy-relevant questions most imperative to conservation and (ii) horizon scanning topics, defined as emerging issues that are expected to have substantial implications for biodiversity conservation and policy in the future. Here, we provide the first overview of the outcomes of biodiversity and conservation-oriented projects recently completed around the world using this framework. We also include the results of the first questions and horizon scanning project completed for a Mediterranean country. Overall, the outcomes of the different projects undertaken (at the global scale, in the UK, US, Canada, Switzerland and in Israel) were strongly correlated in terms of the proportion of questions and/or horizon scanning topics selected when comparing different topic areas. However, some major differences were found across regions. There was large variation among regions in the percentage of proactive (i.e. action and response oriented) versus descriptive (non-response oriented) priority questions and in the emphasis given to socio-political issues. Substantial differences were also found when comparing outcomes of priority questions versus horizon scanning projects undertaken for the same region. For example, issues related to climate change, human demography and marine ecosystems received higher priority as horizon scanning topics, while ecosystem services were more emphasized as current priority questions. We suggest that future initiatives aimed at identifying priority conservation questions and horizon scanning topics should allow simultaneous identification of both current and future priority issues, as presented here for the first time. We propose that further emphasis on social-political issues should be explicitly integrated into future related projects. PMID:26815653

Setting priorities for non-regulatory animal health in Ireland: results from an expert Policy Delphi study and a farmer priority identification survey.

PubMed

More, Simon J; McKenzie, Ken; O'Flaherty, Joe; Doherty, Michael L; Cromie, Andrew R; Magan, Mike J

2010-07-01

Agriculture is a very important contributor to the Irish economy. In Ireland, national animal health services have been a government, rather than an industry, responsibility. In 2009, Animal Health Ireland (AHI) was established to provide a partnership approach to national leadership of non-regulatory animal health issues (those not subject to national and/or EU regulation). The objectives of this study were to elicit opinion from experts and farmers about non-regulatory animal health issues facing Irish livestock industries, including prioritisation of animal health issues and identification of opportunities to maximise the effective use of AHI resources. The study was conducted with experts using Policy Delphi methodology over three rounds, and with farmers using a priority identification survey. Non-regulatory bovine diseases/conditions were prioritised by both experts and farmers based on impact and international competitiveness. For each high-priority disease/condition, experts were asked to provide an assessment based on cost, impact, international perception, impediment to international market access and current resource usage effectiveness. Further information was also sought from experts about resource allocation preferences, methods to improve education and coordination, and innovative measures to improve prevention and management. There was close agreement between responses from experts and dairy farmers: each gave highest priority to 3 diseases with a biosecurity risk (subsequently termed 'biosecure diseases') (bovine viral diarrhoea [BVD], infectious bovine rhinotracheitis [IBR], paratuberculosis) and 4 diseases/conditions generally without a biosecurity risk ('non-biosecure diseases/conditions') (fertility, udder health/milk quality, lameness, calf health). Beef farmers also prioritised parasitic conditions and weanling pneumonia. The adverse impact of biosecure diseases is currently considered relatively minor by experts, but would increase substantially in time. There are already substantial costs to farms and agribusiness from non-biosecure diseases/conditions. Experts preferred an equal allocation of resources between these biosecure and non-biosecure diseases/conditions, with emphasis on adopting/adapting international models, education and awareness-raising. The results from this study provide robust insights about non-regulatory animal health priorities in Ireland, as perceived by experts and farmers, using methodologies that are both transparent and inclusive. They have already been extremely influential in shaping national policy, as a foundation for interdisciplinary (and multi-agency) cooperation, as a contribution to efforts to encourage stakeholder responsibility-taking, and to ongoing development of postgraduate and undergraduate veterinary education in Ireland. Copyright (c) 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

38 CFR 61.32 - Ranking non-capital grant recipients for per diem.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Availability will be reviewed and grouped in categories according to the funding priorities set forth in the... available, within highest priority funding category if applicable, will be conditionally selected for eligibility to receive per diem payments in accordance with their ranked order. If funding priorities have...

Prison health service directors' views on research priorities and organizational issues in conducting research in prison: outcomes of a national deliberative roundtable.

PubMed

Simpson, Paul Leslie; Guthrie, Jill; Butler, Tony

2017-06-12

Purpose Given that prisoners have significant health needs across most areas, the paucity of prisoner health research, and the difficulties involved in the conduct of research in this setting, there is a need to develop research priorities that align with key stakeholder groups. One such group are those responsible for health service provision in prisons - prison health service directors. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Prison health service directors in each Australian state and territory were invited to participate in a national (deliberative) roundtable where the consensus building nominal group technique was utilized. This involved the identification of research priorities and organizational issues in conducting research with prisoners, and ranking research priorities. A thematic analysis was conducted on organizational issues. Findings In total, 13 participants attended the roundtable. Participants identified 28 research priorities and 12 organizational issues. Top ranked research priorities were mental health, cognitive and intellectual disability, post-release health maintenance, ageing prisoners, chronic health conditions and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. Themes identified from the organizational issues included prisoner access to research participation, health and research literacy of custodial staff, and institutional protectionism in response to research that may discover negative information about the custodial setting. Research limitations/implications These findings should inform future efforts to improve research infrastructures to undertake research to improve the health of people in Australian prisons, and help to align researchers' efforts with those of a key organizational stakeholder. Originality/value This is the first paper to determine the research priorities and organizational issues in conducting research in prisons of prison health service directors.

Neonatal survival in complex humanitarian emergencies: setting an evidence-based research agenda

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Over 40% of all deaths among children under 5 are neonatal deaths (0–28 days), and this proportion is increasing. In 2012, 2.9 million newborns died, with 99% occurring in low- and middle-income countries. Many of the countries with the highest neonatal mortality rates globally are currently or have recently been affected by complex humanitarian emergencies. Despite the global burden of neonatal morbidity and mortality and risks inherent in complex emergency situations, research investments are not commensurate to burden and little is known about the epidemiology or best practices for neonatal survival in these settings. Methods We used the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) methodology to prioritize research questions on neonatal health in complex humanitarian emergencies. Experts evaluated 35 questions using four criteria (answerability, feasibility, relevance, equity) with three subcomponents per criterion. Using SAS 9.2, a research prioritization score (RPS) and average expert agreement score (AEA) were calculated for each question. Results Twenty-eight experts evaluated all 35 questions. RPS ranged from 0.846 to 0.679 and the AEA ranged from 0.667 to 0.411. The top ten research priorities covered a range of issues but generally fell into two categories– epidemiologic and programmatic components of neonatal health. The highest ranked question in this survey was “What strategies are effective in increasing demand for, and use of skilled attendance?” Conclusions In this study, a diverse group of experts used the CHRNI methodology to systematically identify and determine research priorities for neonatal health and survival in complex humanitarian emergencies. The priorities included the need to better understand the magnitude of the disease burden and interventions to improve neonatal health in complex humanitarian emergencies. The findings from this study will provide guidance to researchers and program implementers in neonatal and complex humanitarian fields to engage on the research priorities needed to save lives most at risk. PMID:24959198

Understanding Perceptions of Climate Change, Priorities, and Decision-Making among Municipalities in Lima, Peru to Better Inform Adaptation and Mitigation Planning.

PubMed

Siña, Mariella; Wood, Rachel C; Saldarriaga, Enrique; Lawler, Joshua; Zunt, Joseph; Garcia, Patricia; Cárcamo, César

2016-01-01

Climate change poses multiple risks to the population of Lima, the largest city and capital of Peru, located on the Pacific coast in a desert ecosystem. These risks include increased water scarcity, increased heat, and the introduction and emergence of vector-borne and other climate sensitive diseases. To respond to these threats, it is necessary for the government, at every level, to adopt more mitigation and adaptation strategies. Here, focus groups were conducted with representatives from five Lima municipalities to determine priorities, perception of climate change, and decision-making processes for implementing projects within each municipality. These factors can affect the ability and desire of a community to implement climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. The results show that climate change and other environmental factors are of relatively low priority, whereas public safety and water and sanitation services are of highest concern. Perhaps most importantly, climate change is not well understood among the municipalities. Participants had trouble distinguishing climate change from other environmental issues and did not fully understand its causes and effects. Greater understanding of what climate change is and why it is important is necessary for it to become a priority for the municipalities. Different aspects of increased climate change awareness seem to be connected to having experienced extreme weather events, whether related or not to climate change, and to higher socioeconomic status.

HIV and Alcohol Research Priorities of City, State, and Federal Policymakers: Results of a Delphi Study

PubMed Central

Li, Lingfeng; Braithwaite, Ronald Scott

2015-01-01

We identified the research areas related to HIV and alcohol consumption that were of highest priority to city, state, and federal policymakers. From June to July 2014, we conducted a 3-round Delphi study to elicit from experts a list of alcohol- and HIV-related clinical trial research questions that were important to fund and rank order the list to identify questions of highest priority. Translating evidence into practice must be improved because some questions that have been extensively studied with results published in peer-reviewed journals were identified by the panel as areas needing additional research. PMID:26180968

HIV and Alcohol Research Priorities of City, State, and Federal Policymakers: Results of a Delphi Study.

PubMed

Uyei, Jennifer; Li, Lingfeng; Braithwaite, Ronald Scott

2015-09-01

We identified the research areas related to HIV and alcohol consumption that were of highest priority to city, state, and federal policymakers. From June to July 2014, we conducted a 3-round Delphi study to elicit from experts a list of alcohol- and HIV-related clinical trial research questions that were important to fund and rank order the list to identify questions of highest priority. Translating evidence into practice must be improved because some questions that have been extensively studied with results published in peer-reviewed journals were identified by the panel as areas needing additional research.

Method and apparatus for granting processors access to a resource

DOEpatents

Blumrich, Matthias A.; Salapura, Valentina

2010-03-16

An apparatus and method for granting one or more requesting entities access to a resource in a predetermined time interval. The apparatus includes a first circuit receiving one or more request signals, and implementing logic for assigning a priority to the one or more request signals, and, generating a set of first_request signals based on the priorities assigned. One or more priority select circuits for receiving the set of first_request signals and generating corresponding one or more fixed grant signals representing one or more highest priority request signals when asserted during the predetermined time interval. A second circuit device receives the one or more fixed grant signals generates one or more grant signals associated with one or more highest priority request signals assigned, the grant signals for enabling one or more respective requesting entities access to the resource in the predetermined time interval, wherein the priority assigned to the one or more request signals changes each successive predetermined time interval. In one embodiment, the assigned priority is based on a numerical pattern, the first circuit changing the numerical pattern with respect to the first_request signals generated at each successive predetermined time interval.

Potential High Priority Subaerial Environments for Mars Sample Return

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

iMOST Team; Bishop, J. L.; Horgan, B.; Benning, L. G.; Carrier, B. L.; Hausrath, E. M.; Altieri, F.; Amelin, Y.; Ammannito, E.; Anand, M.; Beaty, D. W.; Borg, L. E.; Boucher, D.; Brucato, J. R.; Busemann, H.; Campbell, K. A.; Czaja, A. D.; Debaille, V.; Des Marais, D. J.; Dixon, M.; Ehlmann, B. L.; Farmer, J. D.; Fernandez-Remolar, D. C.; Fogarty, J.; Glavin, D. P.; Goreva, Y. S.; Grady, M. M.; Hallis, L. J.; Harrington, A. D.; Herd, C. D. K.; Humayun, M.; Kleine, T.; Kleinhenz, J.; Mangold, N.; Mackelprang, R.; Mayhew, L. E.; McCubbin, F. M.; Mccoy, J. T.; McLennan, S. M.; McSween, H. Y.; Moser, D. E.; Moynier, F.; Mustard, J. F.; Niles, P. B.; Ori, G. G.; Raulin, F.; Rettberg, P.; Rucker, M. A.; Schmitz, N.; Sefton-Nash, E.; Sephton, M. A.; Shaheen, R.; Shuster, D. L.; Siljestrom, S.; Smith, C. L.; Spry, J. A.; Steele, A.; Swindle, T. D.; ten Kate, I. L.; Tosca, N. J.; Usui, T.; Van Kranendonk, M. J.; Wadhwa, M.; Weiss, B. P.; Werner, S. C.; Westall, F.; Wheeler, R. M.; Zipfel, J.; Zorzano, M. P.

2018-04-01

The highest priority subaerial environments for Mars Sample Return include subaerial weathering (paleosols, periglacial/glacial, and rock coatings/rinds), wetlands (mineral precipitates, redox environments, and salt ponds), or cold spring settings.

Rural Communities and Rural Social Issues: Priorities for Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Alan; Duff, John; Saggers, Sherry; Baines, Patricia

This report recommends priorities for research into rural communities and rural social issues in Australia, based on an extensive literature review, surveys of policymaking agencies and researchers, and discussion at a national workshop in May 1999. Chapters 1-2 outline the study's background, purpose, and methodology; discuss issues in the…

A uniform management approach to optimize outcome in fetal growth restriction.

PubMed

Seravalli, Viola; Baschat, Ahmet A

2015-06-01

A uniform approach to the diagnosis and management of fetal growth restriction (FGR) consistently produces better outcome, prevention of unanticipated stillbirth, and appropriate timing of delivery. Early-onset and late-onset FGR represent two distinct clinical phenotypes of placental dysfunction. Management challenges in early-onset FGR revolve around prematurity and coexisting maternal hypertensive disease, whereas in late-onset disease failure of diagnosis or surveillance leading to unanticipated stillbirth is the primary issue. Identifying the surveillance tests that have the highest predictive accuracy for fetal acidemia and establishing the appropriate monitoring interval to detect fetal deterioration is a high priority. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Big Rocks: Priority Management for Principals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Kim

2008-01-01

How can a dedicated principal work really, really hard but fail to get significant gains in student achievement? The answer is obvious: by spending too much time on the wrong things and not enough on the right things. The principal's number-one priority is zeroing in on the highest-priority activities for bringing all students to high levels of…

A research agenda for gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery.

PubMed

Urbach, D R; Horvath, K D; Baxter, N N; Jobe, B A; Madan, A K; Pryor, A D; Khaitan, L; Torquati, A; Brower, S T; Trus, T L; Schwaitzberg, S

2007-09-01

Development of a research agenda may help to inform researchers and research-granting agencies about the key research gaps in an area of research and clinical care. The authors sought to develop a list of research questions for which further research was likely to have a major impact on clinical care in the area of gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery. A formal group process was used to conduct an iterative, anonymous Web-based survey of an expert panel including the general membership of the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES). In round 1, research questions were solicited, which were categorized, collapsed, and rewritten in a common format. In round 2, the expert panel rated all the questions using a priority scale ranging from 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest). In round 3, the panel re-rated the 40 questions with the highest mean priority score in round 2. A total of 241 respondents to round 1 submitted 382 questions, which were reduced by a review panel to 106 unique questions encompassing 33 topics in gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery. In the two successive rounds, respectively, 397 and 385 respondents ranked the questions by priority, then re-ranked the 40 questions with the highest mean priority score. High-priority questions related to antireflux surgery, the oncologic and immune effects of minimally invasive surgery, and morbid obesity. The question with the highest mean priority ranking was: "What is the best treatment (antireflux surgery, endoluminal therapy, or medication) for GERD?" The second highest-ranked question was: "Does minimally invasive surgery improve oncologic outcomes as compared with open surgery?" Other questions covered a broad range of research areas including clinical research, basic science research, education and evaluation, outcomes measurement, and health technology assessment. An iterative, anonymous group survey process was used to develop a research agenda for gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery consisting of the 40 most important research questions in the field. This research agenda can be used by researchers and research-granting agencies to focus research activity in the areas most likely to have an impact on clinical care, and to appraise the relevance of scientific contributions.

Global Health and Foreign Policy

PubMed Central

Feldbaum, Harley; Lee, Kelley; Michaud, Joshua

2010-01-01

Health has long been intertwined with the foreign policies of states. In recent years, however, global health issues have risen to the highest levels of international politics and have become accepted as legitimate issues in foreign policy. This elevated political priority is in many ways a welcome development for proponents of global health, and it has resulted in increased funding for and attention to select global health issues. However, there has been less examination of the tensions that characterize the relationship between global health and foreign policy and of the potential effects of linking global health efforts with the foreign-policy interests of states. In this paper, the authors review the relationship between global health and foreign policy by examining the roles of health across 4 major components of foreign policy: aid, trade, diplomacy, and national security. For each of these aspects of foreign policy, the authors review current and historical issues and discuss how foreign-policy interests have aided or impeded global health efforts. The increasing relevance of global health to foreign policy holds both opportunities and dangers for global efforts to improve health. PMID:20423936

Global health and foreign policy.

PubMed

Feldbaum, Harley; Lee, Kelley; Michaud, Joshua

2010-01-01

Health has long been intertwined with the foreign policies of states. In recent years, however, global health issues have risen to the highest levels of international politics and have become accepted as legitimate issues in foreign policy. This elevated political priority is in many ways a welcome development for proponents of global health, and it has resulted in increased funding for and attention to select global health issues. However, there has been less examination of the tensions that characterize the relationship between global health and foreign policy and of the potential effects of linking global health efforts with the foreign-policy interests of states. In this paper, the authors review the relationship between global health and foreign policy by examining the roles of health across 4 major components of foreign policy: aid, trade, diplomacy, and national security. For each of these aspects of foreign policy, the authors review current and historical issues and discuss how foreign-policy interests have aided or impeded global health efforts. The increasing relevance of global health to foreign policy holds both opportunities and dangers for global efforts to improve health.

Setting the global health agenda: The influence of advocates and ideas on political priority for maternal and newborn survival.

PubMed

Smith, Stephanie L; Shiffman, Jeremy

2016-10-01

This study investigates a puzzle concerning global health priorities-why do comparable issues receive differential levels of attention and resources? It considers maternal and neonatal mortality, two high-burden issues that pertain to groups at risk at birth and whose lives could be saved with effective intrapartum care. Why did maternal survival gain status as a global health priority earlier and to a greater degree than newborn survival? Higher mortality and morbidity burdens among newborns and the cost-effectiveness of interventions would seem to predict that issue's earlier and higher prioritization. Yet maternal survival emerged as a priority two decades earlier and had attracted considerably more attention and resources by the close of the Millennium Development Goals era. This study uses replicative process-tracing case studies to examine the emergence and growth of political priority for these two issues, probing reasons for unexpected variance. The study finds that maternal survival's grounding as a social justice issue spurred growth of a strong and diverse advocacy network and aligned the issue with powerful international norms (e.g. expectations to advance women's rights and the Millennium Development Goals), drawing attention and resources to the issue over three decades. Newborn survival's disadvantage stems from its long status as an issue falling under the umbrellas of maternal and child survival but not fully adopted by these networks, and with limited appeal as a public health issue advanced by a small and technically focused network; network expansion and alignment with child survival norms have improved the issue's status in the past few years. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Establishing Priorities for Oncology Nursing Research: Nurse and Patient Collaboration.

PubMed

Cox, Anna; Arber, Anne; Gallagher, Ann; MacKenzie, Mairead; Ream, Emma

2017-03-01

To obtain consensus on priorities for oncology nursing research in the United Kingdom.
. A three-round online Delphi survey.
. Oncology nurses were invited via the United Kingdom Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS) database. Patient participation was invited through patient organizations.
. 50 oncology nurses and 18 patients.
. Eligible and consenting individuals reported five priorities for oncology nursing research (round 1), rated their level of agreement with them (round 2), and restated and revised their responses in light of the group's responses (round 3). Consensus was defined as 80% agreement.
. Research priorities for oncology nursing as reported by oncology nurses and patients. 
. Consensus was reached on 50 of 107 research priorities. These priorities reflected the entire cancer pathway, from diagnosis to palliative care. Highest agreement was reached within and across groups on the need for research relating to prevention, screening, early diagnosis, and psychological care across the cancer trajectory. Little consensus was reached regarding symptoms and side effects. Some evident divergence existed. Oncology nurses and patients do not necessarily prioritize the same research areas. Prevention, screening, and early diagnosis are of the highest priority for future research among oncology nurses and patients. 
. Patients usually play little part in priority setting for research. This study provided the opportunity for meaningful patient and nurse involvement in setting a research agenda for oncology nursing that is relevant and beneficial to oncology nurses and patients.

Life satisfaction across nations: the effects of women's political status and public priorities.

PubMed

York, Richard; Bell, Shannon Elizabeth

2014-11-01

Feminist scholars suggest that improving the quality of life of individuals living in nations around the world may be more readily achieved by increasing women's political power and by reorienting public-policy priorities, than by focusing primarily on economic growth. These considerations raise the question of which characteristics of societies are associated with the quality of life of the people in those societies. Here, we address this issue empirically by statistically analyzing cross-national data. We assess the effects of gender equality in the political sphere, as well as a variety of other factors, on the subjective well-being of nations, as indicated by average self-reported levels of life satisfaction. We find that people report the highest levels of life satisfaction in nations where women have greater political representation, where military spending is low, and where health care spending is high, controlling for a variety of other factors. GDP per capita, urbanization, and natural resource exploitation are not clearly associated with life satisfaction. These findings suggest that nations may be able to improve the subjective quality of life of people without increasing material wealth or natural resource consumption by increasing gender equality in politics and changing public spending priorities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preventing delayed diagnosis of cancer: clinicians’ views on main problems and solutions

PubMed Central

Car, Lorainne Tudor; Papachristou, Nikolaos; Urch, Catherine; Majeed, Azeem; El–Khatib, Mona; Aylin, Paul; Atun, Rifat; Car, Josip; Vincent, Charles

2016-01-01

Background Delayed diagnosis is a major contributing factor to the UK’s lower cancer survival compared to many European countries. In the UK, there is a significant national variation in early cancer diagnosis. Healthcare providers can offer an insight into local priorities for timely cancer diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to identify the main problems and solutions relating to delay cancer diagnosis according to cancer care clinicians. Methods We developed and implemented a new priority–setting approach called PRIORITIZE and invited North West London cancer care clinicians to identify and prioritize main causes for and solutions to delayed diagnosis of cancer care. Results Clinicians identified a number of concrete problems and solutions relating to delayed diagnosis of cancer. Raising public awareness, patient education as well as better access to specialist care and diagnostic testing were seen as the highest priorities. The identified suggestions focused mostly on the delays during referrals from primary to secondary care. Conclusions Many identified priorities were feasible, affordable and converged around common themes such as public awareness, care continuity and length of consultation. As a timely, proactive and scalable priority–setting approach, PRIORITZE could be implemented as a routine preventative system for determining patient safety issues by frontline staff. PMID:28028437

Beef cattle welfare in the USA: identification of priorities for future research.

PubMed

Tucker, Cassandra B; Coetzee, Johann F; Stookey, Joseph M; Thomson, Daniel U; Grandin, Temple; Schwartzkopf-Genswein, Karen S

2015-12-01

This review identifies priorities for beef cattle welfare research in the USA. Based on our professional expertise and synthesis of existing literature, we identify two themes in intensive aspects of beef production: areas where policy-based actions are needed and those where additional research is required. For some topics, considerable research informs best practice, yet gaps remain between scientific knowledge and implementation. For example, many of the risk factors and management strategies to prevent respiratory disease are understood, but only used by a relatively small portion of the industry. This is an animal health issue that will require leadership and discussion to gain widespread adoption of practices that benefit cattle welfare. There is evidence of success when such actions are taken, as illustrated by the recent improvements in handling at US slaughter facilities. Our highest priorities for additional empirical evidence are: the effect of technologies used to either promote growth or manage cattle in feedlots, identification of management risk factors for disease in feedlots, and management decisions about transport (rest stops, feed/water deprivation, climatic conditions, stocking density). Additional research is needed to inform science-based recommendations about environmental features such as dry lying areas (mounds), shade, water and feed, as well as trailer design.

Understanding Perceptions of Climate Change, Priorities, and Decision-Making among Municipalities in Lima, Peru to Better Inform Adaptation and Mitigation Planning

PubMed Central

Saldarriaga, Enrique; Lawler, Joshua; Zunt, Joseph; Garcia, Patricia; Cárcamo, César

2016-01-01

Climate change poses multiple risks to the population of Lima, the largest city and capital of Peru, located on the Pacific coast in a desert ecosystem. These risks include increased water scarcity, increased heat, and the introduction and emergence of vector-borne and other climate sensitive diseases. To respond to these threats, it is necessary for the government, at every level, to adopt more mitigation and adaptation strategies. Here, focus groups were conducted with representatives from five Lima municipalities to determine priorities, perception of climate change, and decision-making processes for implementing projects within each municipality. These factors can affect the ability and desire of a community to implement climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. The results show that climate change and other environmental factors are of relatively low priority, whereas public safety and water and sanitation services are of highest concern. Perhaps most importantly, climate change is not well understood among the municipalities. Participants had trouble distinguishing climate change from other environmental issues and did not fully understand its causes and effects. Greater understanding of what climate change is and why it is important is necessary for it to become a priority for the municipalities. Different aspects of increased climate change awareness seem to be connected to having experienced extreme weather events, whether related or not to climate change, and to higher socioeconomic status. PMID:26808087

Development of vaccines for bio-warfare agents.

PubMed

Rosenthal, S R; Clifford, J C M

2002-01-01

There is a recognized need for the development of new vaccines (as well as other biologicals and drugs) to counteract the effects of a potential bio-terrorist or bio-warfare event in the U.S. domestic population and military forces. Regulation of products to protect against potential bio-warfare agents poses unique challenges since the usual measures of efficacy that require exposure to natural disease may not currently be possible, for epidemiological and ethical reasons. To help to address this issue, the FDA has published and requested comments on a proposed animal rule intended to address certain efficacy issues for new agents for use against lethal or permanently disabling toxic substances. Recent product development activity has focused on Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) and variola major (smallpox), agents that are regarded as highest priority in posing a risk to national security. FDA resources exist to assist vaccine developers with regard to the novel challenges posed in the dinical development of these products.

Ethics and equity in research priority-setting: stakeholder engagement and the needs of disadvantaged groups.

PubMed

Bhaumik, Soumyadeep; Rana, Sangeeta; Karimkhani, Chante; Welch, Vivian; Armstrong, Rebecca; Pottie, Kevin; Dellavalle, Robert; Dhakal, Purushottam; Oliver, Sandy; Francis, Damian K; Nasser, Mona; Crowe, Sally; Aksut, Baran; Amico, Roberto D

2015-01-01

A transparent and evidence-based priority-setting process promotes the optimal use of resources to improve health outcomes. Decision-makers and funders have begun to increasingly engage representatives of patients and healthcare consumers to ensure that research becomes more relevant. However, disadvantaged groups and their needs may not be integrated into the priority-setting process since they do not have a "political voice" or are unable to organise into interest groups. Equitable priority-setting methods need to balance patient needs, values, experiences with population-level issues and issues related to the health system.

Patient safety priorities in mental healthcare in Switzerland: a modified Delphi study.

PubMed

Mascherek, Anna C; Schwappach, David L B

2016-08-05

Identifying patient safety priorities in mental healthcare is an emerging issue. A variety of aspects of patient safety in medical care apply for patient safety in mental care as well. However, specific aspects may be different as a consequence of special characteristics of patients, setting and treatment. The aim of the present study was to combine knowledge from the field and research and bundle existing initiatives and projects to define patient safety priorities in mental healthcare in Switzerland. The present study draws on national expert panels, namely, round-table discussion and modified Delphi consensus method. As preparation for the modified Delphi questionnaire, two round-table discussions and one semistructured questionnaire were conducted. Preparative work was conducted between May 2015 and October 2015. The modified Delphi was conducted to gauge experts' opinion on priorities in patient safety in mental healthcare in Switzerland. In two independent rating rounds, experts made private ratings. The modified Delphi was conducted in winter 2015. Nine topics were defined along the treatment pathway: diagnostic errors, non-drug treatment errors, medication errors, errors related to coercive measures, errors related to aggression management against self and others, errors in treatment of suicidal patients, communication errors, errors at interfaces of care and structural errors. Patient safety is considered as an important topic of quality in mental healthcare among experts, but it has been seriously neglected up until now. Activities in research and in practice are needed. Structural errors and diagnostics were given highest priority. From the topics identified, some are overlapping with important aspects of patient safety in medical care; however, some core aspects are unique. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Patient safety priorities in mental healthcare in Switzerland: a modified Delphi study

PubMed Central

Mascherek, Anna C

2016-01-01

Objective Identifying patient safety priorities in mental healthcare is an emerging issue. A variety of aspects of patient safety in medical care apply for patient safety in mental care as well. However, specific aspects may be different as a consequence of special characteristics of patients, setting and treatment. The aim of the present study was to combine knowledge from the field and research and bundle existing initiatives and projects to define patient safety priorities in mental healthcare in Switzerland. The present study draws on national expert panels, namely, round-table discussion and modified Delphi consensus method. Design As preparation for the modified Delphi questionnaire, two round-table discussions and one semistructured questionnaire were conducted. Preparative work was conducted between May 2015 and October 2015. The modified Delphi was conducted to gauge experts' opinion on priorities in patient safety in mental healthcare in Switzerland. In two independent rating rounds, experts made private ratings. The modified Delphi was conducted in winter 2015. Results Nine topics were defined along the treatment pathway: diagnostic errors, non-drug treatment errors, medication errors, errors related to coercive measures, errors related to aggression management against self and others, errors in treatment of suicidal patients, communication errors, errors at interfaces of care and structural errors. Conclusions Patient safety is considered as an important topic of quality in mental healthcare among experts, but it has been seriously neglected up until now. Activities in research and in practice are needed. Structural errors and diagnostics were given highest priority. From the topics identified, some are overlapping with important aspects of patient safety in medical care; however, some core aspects are unique. PMID:27496233

75 FR 34520 - The Future of Aviation Advisory Committee (FAAC) Aviation Safety Subcommittee; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-17

... of the global economy. The Aviation Safety Subcommittee will develop a list of priority safety issues...-- 1. Develop a list of priority safety issues to be referred to the full committee for deliberation. 2...

Priority Queues for Computer Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinman, Jeffrey S. (Inventor)

1998-01-01

The present invention is embodied in new priority queue data structures for event list management of computer simulations, and includes a new priority queue data structure and an improved event horizon applied to priority queue data structures. ne new priority queue data structure is a Qheap and is made out of linked lists for robust, fast, reliable, and stable event list management and uses a temporary unsorted list to store all items until one of the items is needed. Then the list is sorted, next, the highest priority item is removed, and then the rest of the list is inserted in the Qheap. Also, an event horizon is applied to binary tree and splay tree priority queue data structures to form the improved event horizon for event management.

Particle astrophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadoulet, Bernard; Cronin, James; Aprile, Elena; Barish, Barry C.; Beier, Eugene W.; Brandenberger, Robert; Cabrera, Blas; Caldwell, David; Cassiday, George; Cline, David B.

1991-01-01

The following scientific areas are reviewed: (1) cosmology and particle physics (particle physics and the early universe, dark matter, and other relics); (2) stellar physics and particles (solar neutrinos, supernovae, and unconventional particle physics); (3) high energy gamma ray and neutrino astronomy; (4) cosmic rays (space and ground observations). Highest scientific priorities for the next decade include implementation of the current program, new initiatives, and longer-term programs. Essential technological developments, such as cryogenic detectors of particles, new solar neutrino techniques, and new extensive air shower detectors, are discussed. Also a certain number of institutional issues (the funding of particle astrophysics, recommended funding mechanisms, recommended facilities, international collaborations, and education and technology) which will become critical in the coming decade are presented.

Defining a global research agenda for breast cancer

PubMed Central

Love, Richard R.

2008-01-01

In contrast to western high income nations, the incidence and mortality from breast cancer are increasing in most low and middle income countries worldwide. Current approaches to breast cancer control developed for populations of high income societies should not be directly transferred without evaluation. A relevant research agenda includes population differences in tumor biology and metabolization of systemic therapies; cultural and psychosocial issues; and operations in health care systems. Highest priority should be given to assessments of clinical downstaging and basic systemic treatment effectiveness in low and middle income populations. Partnerships of existing organizations in high income nations with those in low and middle income countries are currently the most feasible sources of research support. PMID:18837032

Environmental health science at the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buxton, Herbert T.; Bright, Patricia R.

2013-01-01

USGS environmental health science focuses on the environment-health interface. Research characterizes the processes that affect the interaction among the physical environment, the living environment, and people, as well as the factors that affect ecological and human exposure to disease agents and the resulting toxicologic or infectious disease. The mission of USGS in environmental health science is to contribute scientific information to environmental, natural resource, agricultural, and public-health managers, who use that information to support sound decisionmaking. Coordination with partners and stakeholders will enable USGS to focus on the highest priority environmental health issues, to make relevant, timely, and useable contributions, and to become a “partner of first choice” for environmental health science.

Global health priorities – priorities of the wealthy?

PubMed Central

Ollila, Eeva

2005-01-01

Health has gained importance on the global agenda. It has become recognized in forums where it was once not addressed. In this article three issues are considered: global health policy actors, global health priorities and the means of addressing the identified health priorities. I argue that the arenas for global health policy-making have shifted from the public spheres towards arenas that include the transnational for-profit sector. Global health policy has become increasingly fragmented and verticalized. Infectious diseases have gained ground as global health priorities, while non-communicable diseases and the broader issues of health systems development have been neglected. Approaches to tackling the health problems are increasingly influenced by trade and industrial interests with the emphasis on technological solutions. PMID:15847685

Allocating a scarce mental health treatment to the underweight and overweight.

PubMed

Gajre, Meera; McClelland, Alastair; Furnham, Adrian

2017-09-05

This is one of a number of programmatic studies on the allocation of scarce medical resources. This study investigated whether certain characteristics about patients influence the priority they are assigned for a scarce mental health treatment. Similar studies for physical treatments have found that young, poor, and mentally healthy patients are given the highest priority. Each participant completed one questionnaire where they ranked a list of eight hypothetical patients in order of priority for treatment for anorexia or obesity. The patients varied on three dimensions: age, social class and mental health history. This involved a ranking of prioritisation for treatment. Participants gave the young patients, from a low social class background, who had a mental health history the highest priority for treatment. This is in contrast to previous studies indicating that the mentally unwell are discriminated against. Participants seemed to be using social class as a proxy measure of ability to pay which they weighted very highly.

Patient needs and research priorities in the enteral nutrition market - a quantitative prioritization analysis.

PubMed

Weenen, T C; Jentink, A; Pronker, E S; Commandeur, H R; Claassen, E; Boirie, Y; Singer, P

2014-10-01

A quantitative systematic identification and prioritization of unmet needs and research opportunities in relation to enteral nutrition was conducted by means of a tailor-made health research prioritization process. The research objectives were reached by conducting qualitative interviews followed by quantitative questionnaires targeting enteral nutrition key opinion leaders (KOLs). (1) Define disease areas that deserve more research attention; (2) Rank importance of product characteristics of tube feeding (TF) and oral nutritional supplements (ONS); (3) Assess involvement of KOLs in enteral nutrition R&D process. KOLs ranked three product characteristics and three disease areas that deserve additional research attention. From these, overall priority scores were calculated by multiplying ranks for both product characteristics and disease areas. 17 qualitative interviews were conducted and 77 questionnaires (response rate 35%) were completed and returned. (1) Disease areas in ONS and TF with highest priorities are: ONS: general malnutrition & geriatrics, TF: intensive care. (2) TF product characteristics with highest priorities are: composition and clinical evidence from a KOL perspective; tolerance and ease of use from a patient perspective. ONS product characteristics with highest priorities are: composition, clinical evidence and taste from a KOL perspective; taste from a patient perspective. We find a high discrepancy between product characteristic prioritization from a KOL and patient perspective. (3) Although 62% of all KOLs give advice to enteral nutrition companies on patient needs, they under-influence the setting of research priorities by enteral nutrition companies. This study provides a systematic approach to achieve research prioritization in enteral nutrition. In addition to providing new directions for enteral nutrition research and development, this study highlights the relevance of involving KOLs in the identification of research priorities as they have the ability to provide a balanced view of the unmet patient needs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Trends in municipal-well installations and aquifer utilization in southeastern Minnesota, 1880-1980

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodward, D.G.

1985-01-01

Water appropriation in Minnesota is regulated through a permit system based on five water-use priorities. Domestic water supply, excluding industrial and commercial uses of a municipal water supply, is the highest priority (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 105.41). Under the regulations, uses of a lower priority are not permitted to adversely affect uses of a higher priority. Identification of the aquifer(s) used for municipal supplies is also necessary to safeguard these supplies from adverse effects of competing water users and contamination, and to evaluate the consequences of each.

Priorities of Legislatively-Active Veteran Services Organizations: A Content Analysis and Review for Health Promotion Initiatives

PubMed Central

Jahnke, Sara A.; Haddock, Christopher K.; Carlos Poston, Walker S.; Jitnarin, Nattinee

2014-01-01

Military and Veterans Service Organizations (MVSOs) have a unique opportunity to influence legislation and advocate for the interests of their members. However, little is known about what legislative priorities MVSOs see as important. Understanding the legislative priorities of MVSOs can inform efforts by health scientists to promote policy and laws designed to improve the health of our nation’s veterans. Using a mixed methods approach, we conducted a thematic analysis of legislative priorities MVSOs promote with their legislative agendas. Most commonly, MVSOs addressed issues related to disability evaluations and ratings with the Veterans Administration (VA) and access to VA services. Other common themes identified as priorities include benefits such as retirement, education, housing assistance for veterans, and TRICARE benefits. Findings highlight the broad range of topics MVSOs identify as legislative priorities as well as some health issues that receive relatively limited attention. PMID:25373063

Community views and public health priority setting: how do health department priorities, community views, and health indicator data compare?

PubMed

Earle-Richardson, Giulia; Scribani, Melissa; Wyckoff, Lynae; Strogatz, David; May, John; Jenkins, Paul

2015-01-01

New York, like many other states, provides county-level health statistics for use in local priority settings but does not provide any data on public views about priority health issues. This study assessed whether health department priorities are notably different from community concerns about health, and how both groups' priorities compare with local health statistics. Data from a 2009 rural survey on community health concerns were compared to priorities named by the seven area county health departments, and to local health indicator data. Health care/insurance cost (60%), obesity (53%), and prescription cost (41%) were leading community concerns, regardless of age, education, sex, or Internet in the home. Six of seven county health departments selected access to quality health care (which includes health care/insurance cost) as a leading public health priority, but only three identified obesity. The following leading local health issues were suggested by health indicators: Physical activity and nutrition, Smoking, and Unintentional injury. Health departments diverged from community priorities, from health indicator data, and from one another in choosing priorities. Adding a question about community health priorities to existing state telephone surveys on health behavior and lifestyle would provide an important tool to local health departments. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

1989 Environmental Issues and Priorities Survey, Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

HRN Co., Philadelphia, PA.

This survey was designed to target approximately 7,000 leaders in business, education, media, environmental advocacy, and government in ten regional areas throughout the United States. The survey was designed to accomplish the following: identify the environmental priorities, determine leaders' perceptions on a range of policy-related issues, and…

PRIORITIES FOR HEALTH ECONOMIC METHODOLOGICAL RESEARCH: RESULTS OF AN EXPERT CONSULTATION.

PubMed

Tordrup, David; Chouaid, Christos; Cuijpers, Pim; Dab, William; van Dongen, Johanna Maria; Espin, Jaime; Jönsson, Bengt; Léonard, Christian; McDaid, David; McKee, Martin; Miguel, José Pereira; Patel, Anita; Reginster, Jean-Yves; Ricciardi, Walter; Rutten-van Molken, Maureen; Rupel, Valentina Prevolnik; Sach, Tracey; Sassi, Franco; Waugh, Norman; Bertollini, Roberto

2017-01-01

The importance of economic evaluation in decision making is growing with increasing budgetary pressures on health systems. Diverse economic evidence is available for a range of interventions across national contexts within Europe, but little attention has been given to identifying evidence gaps that, if filled, could contribute to more efficient allocation of resources. One objective of the Research Agenda for Health Economic Evaluation project is to determine the most important methodological evidence gaps for the ten highest burden conditions in the European Union (EU), and to suggest ways of filling these gaps. The highest burden conditions in the EU by Disability Adjusted Life Years were determined using the Global Burden of Disease study. Clinical interventions were identified for each condition based on published guidelines, and economic evaluations indexed in MEDLINE were mapped to each intervention. A panel of public health and health economics experts discussed the evidence during a workshop and identified evidence gaps. The literature analysis contributed to identifying cross-cutting methodological and technical issues, which were considered by the expert panel to derive methodological research priorities. The panel suggests a research agenda for health economics which incorporates the use of real-world evidence in the assessment of new and existing interventions; increased understanding of cost-effectiveness according to patient characteristics beyond the "-omics" approach to inform both investment and disinvestment decisions; methods for assessment of complex interventions; improved cross-talk between economic evaluations from health and other sectors; early health technology assessment; and standardized, transferable approaches to economic modeling.

The Role of Needs Assessment for Faculty Development Initiatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behar-Horenstein, Linda S.; Garvan, Cynthia W.; Catalanotto, Frank A.; Hudson-Vassell, Charisse N.

2014-01-01

In this study, the authors assessed the need for faculty development among faculty in one dental school by determining their highest priorities in teaching, scholarship, and administrative and leadership skills; the relationships among their knowledge and priorities for additional training; their satisfaction with current faculty development…

Market segmentation using perceived constraints

Treesearch

Jinhee Jun; Gerard Kyle; Andrew Mowen

2008-01-01

We examined the practical utility of segmenting potential visitors to Cleveland Metroparks using their constraint profiles. Our analysis identified three segments based on their scores on the dimensions of constraints: Other priorities--visitors who scored the highest on 'other priorities' dimension; Highly Constrained--visitors who scored relatively high on...

U.S. Foreign Policy Priorities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pell, Claiborne

1983-01-01

The three highest priorities for American foreign policy are avoiding nuclear war by working with the Soviet leadership to alter our present collision course, demonstrating our commitment to human rights throughout the world, and ensuring American economic prosperity by strengthening exports and ensuring the stability of the international monetary…

Discussion of Priorities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The Microgravity Science Division identifies four priority ratings for microgravity research and technology issues: 1) Critical; 2) Severely Limiting; 3) Enhancements; 4) Communication. Reduced gravity instabilities are critical, while severely limiting issues include phase separation, phase change, and flow through components. Enhancements are listed for passive phase separation and phase change. This viewgraph presentation also classifies microgravity issues as spaceflight, ground-based, or other for the time periods 2003-2008, 2009-2015, and beyond.

Patient priorities and needs for diabetes care among urban African American adults.

PubMed

Batts, M L; Gary, T L; Huss, K; Hill, M N; Bone, L; Brancati, F L

2001-01-01

This study was conducted to determine diabetes care priorities and needs in a group of urban African American adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. One hundred nineteen African American adults with type 2 diabetes, aged 35 to 75, received behavioral/educational interventions from a nurse case manager, a community health worker, or both. Priorities and needs were assessed during 3 intervention visits. The most frequently reported priorities for diabetes care were glucose self-monitoring (61%), medication adherence (47%), and healthy eating (36%). The most frequently addressed diabetes needs were glucose self-monitoring and medication adherence. Most of the intervention visits (77%) addressed non-diabetes-related health issues such as cardiovascular disease (36%) and social issues such as family responsibilities (30%). Participants' self-reported priorities for diabetes care directly reflected the diabetes needs addressed. Needs beyond the focus of traditional diabetes care (social issues and insurance) are important to address in urban African Americans with type 2 diabetes. Interventions designed to address comprehensive health and social needs should be included in treatment and educational plans for this population.

Public Opinion Poll on Community Priorities: Sacramento

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sierra Health Foundation, 2009

2009-01-01

The primary goal of this study was to measure public perceptions, opinions and priorities as they pertain to youth issues in Sacramento for the purposes of further developing public and private youth programming and public policy in the Sacramento region. By presenting a "statistically reliable" profile of public opinion on youth issues,…

Selection and Evaluation of Priority Domains in Global Energy Internet Standard Development Based on Technology Foresight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Yang; Ciwei, Gao; Jing, Zhang; Min, Sun; Jie, Yu

2017-05-01

The selection and evaluation of priority domains in Global Energy Internet standard development will help to break through limits of national investment, thus priority will be given to standardizing technical areas with highest urgency and feasibility. Therefore, in this paper, the process of Delphi survey based on technology foresight is put forward, the evaluation index system of priority domains is established, and the index calculation method is determined. Afterwards, statistical method is used to evaluate the alternative domains. Finally the top four priority domains are determined as follows: Interconnected Network Planning and Simulation Analysis, Interconnected Network Safety Control and Protection, Intelligent Power Transmission and Transformation, and Internet of Things.

Data Analyses and Modelling for Risk Based Monitoring of Mycotoxins in Animal Feed

PubMed Central

van der Fels-Klerx, H.J. (Ine); Adamse, Paulien; Punt, Ans; van Asselt, Esther D.

2018-01-01

Following legislation, European Member States should have multi-annual control programs for contaminants, such as for mycotoxins, in feed and food. These programs need to be risk based implying the checks are regular and proportional to the estimated risk for animal and human health. This study aimed to prioritize feed products in the Netherlands for deoxynivalenol and aflatoxin B1 monitoring. Historical mycotoxin monitoring results from the period 2007–2016 were combined with data from other sources. Based on occurrence, groundnuts had high priority for aflatoxin B1 monitoring; some feed materials (maize and maize products and several oil seed products) and complete/complementary feed excluding dairy cattle and young animals had medium priority; and all other animal feeds and feed materials had low priority. For deoxynivalenol, maize by-products had a high priority, complete and complementary feed for pigs had a medium priority and all other feed and feed materials a low priority. Also including health consequence estimations showed that feed materials that ranked highest for aflatoxin B1 included sunflower seed and palmkernel expeller/extracts and maize. For deoxynivalenol, maize products were ranked highest, followed by various small grain cereals (products); all other feed materials were of lower concern. Results of this study have proven to be useful in setting up the annual risk based control program for mycotoxins in animal feed and feed materials. PMID:29373559

How Schools Can Promote Healthy Development for Newly Arrived Immigrant and Refugee Adolescents: Research Priorities.

PubMed

McNeely, Clea A; Morland, Lyn; Doty, S Benjamin; Meschke, Laurie L; Awad, Summer; Husain, Altaf; Nashwan, Ayat

2017-02-01

The US education system must find creative and effective ways to foster the healthy development of the approximately 2 million newly arrived immigrant and refugee adolescents, many of whom contend with language barriers, limited prior education, trauma, and discrimination. We identify research priorities for promoting the school success of these youth. The study used the 4-phase priority-setting method of the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative. In the final stage, 132 researchers, service providers, educators, and policymakers based in the United States were asked to rate the importance of 36 research options. The highest priority research options (range 1 to 5) were: evaluating newcomer programs (mean = 4.44, SD = 0.55), identifying how family and community stressors affect newly arrived immigrant and refugee adolescents' functioning in school (mean = 4.40, SD = 0.56), identifying teachers' major stressors in working with this population (mean = 4.36, SD = 0.72), and identifying how to engage immigrant and refugee families in their children's education (mean = 4.35, SD = 0.62). These research priorities emphasize the generation of practical knowledge that could translate to immediate, tangible benefits for schools. Funders, schools, and researchers can use these research priorities to guide research for the highest benefit of schools and the newly arrived immigrant and refugee adolescents they serve. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Recommended Priorities for NASA's Gamma Ray Astronomy Program 1999-2013

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carol, Ladd

1999-01-01

The Gamma-Ray Astronomy Program Working Group (GRAPWG) recommends priorities for the NASA Gamma-Ray Astronomy Program. The highest priority science topic is nuclear astrophysics and sites of gamma ray line emission. Other high priority topics are gamma ray bursts, hard x-ray emission from accreting black holes and neutron stars, the Advanced Compton Telescope (ACT), the High-resolution Spectroscopic Imager (HSI), and the Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope (EXIST). The recommendations include special consideration for technology development, TeV astronomy, the ultra-long duration balloon (ULDB) program, the International Space Station, optical telescope support, and data analysis and theory.

Priorities of legislatively active veteran services organizations: a content analysis and review for health promotion initiatives.

PubMed

Jahnke, Sara A; Haddock, Christopher K; Carlos Poston, Walker S; Jitnarin, Nattinee

2014-11-01

Military and Veterans Service Organizations (MVSOs) have a unique opportunity to influence legislation and advocate for the interests of their members. However, little is known about what legislative priorities MVSOs see as important. Understanding the legislative priorities of MVSOs can inform efforts by health scientists to promote policy and laws designed to improve the health of our nation's veterans. Using a mixed methods approach, we conducted a thematic analysis of legislative priorities MVSOs promote with their legislative agendas. Most commonly, MVSOs addressed issues related to disability evaluations and ratings with the Veterans Administration and access to Veterans Administration services. Other common themes identified as priorities include benefits such as retirement, education, housing assistance for veterans, and TRICARE benefits. Findings highlight the broad range of topics MVSOs identify as legislative priorities as well as some health issues that receive relatively limited attention. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

75 FR 70670 - Final Vehicle Safety Rulemaking and Research Priority Plan 2010-2013

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

... management tool as well as a means to communicate to the public NHTSA's highest priorities to meet the Nation's motor vehicle safety challenges. Among them are programs and projects involving rollover crashes... in this plan. This plan lists the programs and projects the agency anticipates working on even though...

40 CFR 131.38 - Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.38 Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State... Concentration (CMC) equals the highest concentration of a pollutant to which aquatic life can be exposed for a...

40 CFR 131.38 - Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.38 Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State... Concentration (CMC) equals the highest concentration of a pollutant to which aquatic life can be exposed for a...

40 CFR 131.38 - Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.38 Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State... Concentration (CMC) equals the highest concentration of a pollutant to which aquatic life can be exposed for a...

40 CFR 131.38 - Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.38 Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State... Concentration (CMC) equals the highest concentration of a pollutant to which aquatic life can be exposed for a...

40 CFR 131.38 - Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Federally Promulgated Water Quality Standards § 131.38 Establishment of Numeric Criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State... Concentration (CMC) equals the highest concentration of a pollutant to which aquatic life can be exposed for a...

Strategic Issues: Priorities for the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alamo Community Coll. District, San Antonio, TX.

Strategic priorities for the Alamo Community College District (ACCD) are identified based on conclusions drawn by the ACCD Community Advisory Council from studies of: (1) Bexar County population characteristics and trends; (2) community economic and social priorities; (3) college enrollment potential; (4) needs and characteristics of the ACCD's…

Environmental Programs: Status of Work and Current Priorities for FY13

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

Jones, Patricia

2012-08-17

Presentation outline is: Mission/overview, Regulatory framework, Current status of cleanup, Shift in priorities to address highest risk, Removal of above-ground waste, Continued focus on protecting water resources, and Priorities for fiscal year 2013. LANL's Environmental Mission is to: (1) Repack and ship legacy transuranic waste containers; (2) Investigate and remediate Cold War (legacy) hazardous and radioactive waste areas; (3) Demolish unused buildings; (4) Disposition solid waste from Laboratory operations; and (5) Lifecycle cost nearly $3 billion.

Key priorities in the prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection: a survey of European and other international infection prevention experts.

PubMed

Dettenkofer, Markus; Humphreys, Hilary; Saenz, Henri; Carlet, Jean; Hanberger, Håkan; Ruef, Christian; Widmer, Andreas; Wolkewitz, Martin; Cookson, Barry

2016-12-01

Prevention and control of healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) are important within and beyond Europe. However, it is unclear which areas are considered important by HCAI prevention and control professionals. This study assesses the priorities in the prevention and control of HCAI as judged by experts in the field. A survey was conducted by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases focussing on seven topics using SurveyMonkey ® . Through a newsletter distributed by email, about 5000 individuals were targeted throughout the world in February and March 2013. Participants were asked to rate the importance of particular topics from one (low importance) to ten (extraordinary importance), and there was no restriction on giving equal importance to more than one topic. A total of 589 experts from 86 countries participated including 462 from Europe (response rate: 11.8 %). Physicians accounted for 60 % of participants, and 57 % had ten or more years' experience in this area. Microbial epidemiology/resistance achieved the highest priority scoring with 8.9, followed by surveillance 8.2, and decolonisation/disinfection/antiseptics with 7.9. Under epidemiology/resistance, highly resistant Gram-negative bacilli scored highest (9.0-9.2). The provision of computerised healthcare information systems for the early detection of outbreaks was accorded the top priority under surveillance. The prevention of surgical site and central line infections ranked highest under the category of specific HCAI and HCAI in certain settings. Differences between regions are described. These findings reflect the concerns of experts in HCAI prevention and control. The results from this survey should inform national and international agencies on future action and research priorities.

Communicable Diseases Prioritized for Surveillance and Epidemiological Research: Results of a Standardized Prioritization Procedure in Germany, 2011

PubMed Central

Balabanova, Yanina; Gilsdorf, Andreas; Buda, Silke; Burger, Reinhard; Eckmanns, Tim; Gärtner, Barbara; Groß, Uwe; Haas, Walter; Hamouda, Osamah; Hübner, Johannes; Jänisch, Thomas; Kist, Manfred; Kramer, Michael H.; Ledig, Thomas; Mielke, Martin; Pulz, Matthias; Stark, Klaus; Suttorp, Norbert; Ulbrich, Uta; Wichmann, Ole; Krause, Gérard

2011-01-01

Introduction To establish strategic priorities for the German national public health institute (RKI) and guide the institute's mid-term strategic decisions, we prioritized infectious pathogens in accordance with their importance for national surveillance and epidemiological research. Methods We used the Delphi process with internal (RKI) and external experts and a metric-consensus approach to score pathogens according to ten three-tiered criteria. Additional experts were invited to weight each criterion, leading to the calculation of a median weight by which each score was multiplied. We ranked the pathogens according to the total weighted score and divided them into four priority groups. Results 127 pathogens were scored. Eighty-six experts participated in the weighting; “Case fatality rate” was rated as the most important criterion. Twenty-six pathogens were ranked in the highest priority group; among those were pathogens with internationally recognised importance (e.g., Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Influenza virus, Hepatitis C virus, Neisseria meningitides), pathogens frequently causing large outbreaks (e.g., Campylobacter spp.), and nosocomial pathogens associated with antimicrobial resistance. Other pathogens in the highest priority group included Helicobacter pylori, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Varicella zoster virus and Hantavirus. Discussion While several pathogens from the highest priority group already have a high profile in national and international health policy documents, high scores for other pathogens (e.g., Helicobacter pylori, Respiratory syncytial virus or Hantavirus) indicate a possible under-recognised importance within the current German public health framework. A process to strengthen respective surveillance systems and research has been started. The prioritization methodology has worked well; its modular structure makes it potentially useful for other settings. PMID:21991334

Environmental traditional knowledge in a natural protected area as the basis for management and conservation policies.

PubMed

Pío-León, Juan Fernando; Delgado-Vargas, Francisco; Murillo-Amador, Bernardo; León-de-la-Luz, José Luís; Vega-Aviña, Rito; Nieto-Garibay, Alejandra; Córdoba-Matson, Miguel; Ortega-Rubio, Alfredo

2017-10-01

Ethnobotany is an adequate tool to identify the most import wild edible plants used by local people and to develop strategies for its sustainable use and policy making. This research records the wild edible plants used by the inhabitants of the Sierra la Laguna Biosphere Reserve, in Mexico, and identified priority species for sustainable development. The employed quantitative approach included the application of a food-oriented index named Food Significance Index (FSI), which integrated cultural, agricultural and food parameters; moreover, it used multivariate analysis to identify priority edible species for use and/or conservation. Fifty taxa were identified as the most important wild edible plants in the reserve, integrated into five priority groups. Foods in priority group 1 had the highest culinary diversity by grouping three fruits (Ficus petiolaris, Stenocereus thurberi, and Cyrtocarpa edulis), one almond-like seed (Cnidoscolus maculatus), one vegetable (Matelea cordifolia), and one condiment (Capsicum annuum). Priority groups 2-5 were selective for one or two types of food, such as fruits, teas, or seeds. Since group 1 was the most diverse, the FSI and the employed strategy permitted to identify the priority wild edible plant species with the highest potential for food security. The selected six species should be included in the future management program of the reserve as the priority wild edible plants to develop strategies for conservation, sustainable use, and improvement of the local population income. General policies to manage the selected six species are outlined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing the priority of access to food and their effects on the carcass traits for Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle.

PubMed

Takanishi, N; Oishi, K; Kumagai, H; Uemura, M; Hirooka, H

2015-12-01

The factors influencing the priority of access to food and the effects of the priority of access to food on their carcass traits were analyzed for Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle in a semi-intensive fattening production system. The records of 96 clinically healthy steers and heifers were analyzed. The calves at ∼3 to 4 months of age were allocated to pens with four animals per pen; all four animals in the same pen were of the same sex and of similar body size. The ranking of the animals' priority of access to food (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th), which was determined by the farm manager, was used as an indicator of social dominance in the present study. Four models including sire line, maternal grandsire line and the difference in the animals' birth dates as fixed effects were used to analyze factors influencing the priority of access to food. Ranking was represented by ordinal scores (highest=4, lowest=1) in Model 1, and the binary scores were assigned in Model 2 (highest=1; 2nd, 3rd and 4th=0), Model 3 (1st and 2nd=1; 3rd and 4th=0) and Model 4 (1st, 2nd and 3rd=1; lowest=0). The results showed that the difference in the animals' birth dates had a significant effect on the establishment of the priority of access to food in Model 3 (P<0.05), suggesting that animals born earlier may become more dominant in the pen. The maternal grandsire line tended to affect the social rank score in Models 2 and 3 (P<0.10). Our results indicated that the maternal grandsire line may affect the temperament of calves through their mothers' genetic performance and thereby more aggressive calves may be more dominant and have higher priority of access to food. On the other hand, there was a significant effect of the priority of access to food on beef marbling score (BMS; P<0.05), and the priority of access to food also tended to influence the carcass weight (P=0.09). The highest BMS was observed for animals with the first rank of the priority of access to food (P<0.05), and the higher-ranking animals had the tendency to be heavier carcass than the lower-ranking animals. Our findings emphasized the importance of information about the priority of access to food determined by farmers' own observation on implementing best management practices in small-scaled semi-intensive beef cattle production systems.

Policy in Transition: The Emergence of Tackling Early School Leaving (ESL) as EU Policy Priority

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillies, Donald; Mifsud, Denise

2016-01-01

This paper explores, from a Foucauldian perspective, the emergence and nature of the current EU education policy priority issue of "early school leaving". The paper suggests that a number of problematisations developing from the failure to secure Lisbon Strategy objectives have served to create a much stronger focus on the issue of young…

Science-based Region-of-Interest Image Compression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagstaff, K. L.; Castano, R.; Dolinar, S.; Klimesh, M.; Mukai, R.

2004-01-01

As the number of currently active space missions increases, so does competition for Deep Space Network (DSN) resources. Even given unbounded DSN time, power and weight constraints onboard the spacecraft limit the maximum possible data transmission rate. These factors highlight a critical need for very effective data compression schemes. Images tend to be the most bandwidth-intensive data, so image compression methods are particularly valuable. In this paper, we describe a method for prioritizing regions in an image based on their scientific value. Using a wavelet compression method that can incorporate priority information, we ensure that the highest priority regions are transmitted with the highest fidelity.

Identification of priorities for medication safety in neonatal intensive care.

PubMed

Kunac, Desireé L; Reith, David M

2005-01-01

Although neonates are reported to be at greater risk of medication error than infants and older children, little is known about the causes and characteristics of error in this patient group. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a technique used in industry to evaluate system safety and identify potential hazards in advance. The aim of this study was to identify and prioritize potential failures in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) medication use process through application of FMEA. Using the FMEA framework and a systems-based approach, an eight-member multidisciplinary panel worked as a team to create a flow diagram of the neonatal unit medication use process. Then by brainstorming, the panel identified all potential failures, their causes and their effects at each step in the process. Each panel member independently rated failures based on occurrence, severity and likelihood of detection to allow calculation of a risk priority score (RPS). The panel identified 72 failures, with 193 associated causes and effects. Vulnerabilities were found to be distributed across the entire process, but multiple failures and associated causes were possible when prescribing the medication and when preparing the drug for administration. The top ranking issue was a perceived lack of awareness of medication safety issues (RPS score 273), due to a lack of medication safety training. The next highest ranking issues were found to occur at the administration stage. Common potential failures related to errors in the dose, timing of administration, infusion pump settings and route of administration. Perceived causes were multiple, but were largely associated with unsafe systems for medication preparation and storage in the unit, variable staff skill level and lack of computerised technology. Interventions to decrease medication-related adverse events in the NICU should aim to increase staff awareness of medication safety issues and focus on medication administration processes.

Generation of global political priority for early childhood development: the challenges of framing and governance.

PubMed

Shawar, Yusra Ribhi; Shiffman, Jeremy

2017-01-07

Despite progress, early childhood development (ECD) remains a neglected issue, particularly in resource-poor countries. We analyse the challenges and opportunities that ECD proponents face in advancing global priority for the issue. We triangulated among several data sources, including 19 semi-structured interviews with individuals involved in global ECD leadership, practice, and advocacy, as well as peer-reviewed research, organisation reports, and grey literature. We undertook a thematic analysis of the collected data, drawing on social science scholarship on collective action and a policy framework that elucidates why some global initiatives are more successful in generating political priority than others. The analysis indicates that the ECD community faces two primary challenges in advancing global political priority. The first pertains to framing: generation of internal consensus on the definition of the problem and solutions, agreement that could facilitate the discovery of a public positioning of the issue that could generate political support. The second concerns governance: building of effective institutions to achieve collective goals. However, there are multiple opportunities to advance political priority for ECD, including an increasingly favourable political environment, advances in ECD metrics, and the existence of compelling arguments for investment in ECD. To advance global priority for ECD, proponents will need to surmount the framing and governance challenges and leverage these opportunities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR Appendix E to Part 300 - Oil Spill Response

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., other waters of the high seas subject to the NCP, and the land surface or land substrata, ground waters... response equipment; and a district response advisory team. Contiguous zone means the zone of the high seas... of the discharge. 2.2Priorities. (a) Safety of human life must be given the highest priority during...

The Next Linear Collider Program-News

Science.gov Websites

The Next Linear Collider at SLAC Navbar The Next Linear Collider In The Press The Secretary of Linear Collider is a high-priority goal of this plan. http://www.sc.doe.gov/Sub/Facilities_for_future/20 -term projects in conceputal stages (the Linear Collider is the highest priority project in this

Prioritizing Surgical Care on National Health Agendas: A Qualitative Case Study of Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone

PubMed Central

Dare, Anna J.; Lee, Katherine C.; Bleicher, Josh; Elobu, Alex E.; Kamara, Thaim B.; Liko, Osborne; Luboga, Samuel; Danlop, Akule; Kune, Gabriel; Hagander, Lars; Leather, Andrew J. M.; Yamey, Gavin

2016-01-01

Background Little is known about the social and political factors that influence priority setting for different health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet these factors are integral to understanding how national health agendas are established. We investigated factors that facilitate or prevent surgical care from being prioritized in LMICs. Methods and Findings We undertook country case studies in Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, using a qualitative process-tracing method. We conducted 74 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in health agenda setting and surgical care in these countries. Interviews were triangulated with published academic literature, country reports, national health plans, and policies. Data were analyzed using a conceptual framework based on four components (actor power, ideas, political contexts, issue characteristics) to assess national factors influencing priority for surgery. Political priority for surgical care in the three countries varies. Priority was highest in Papua New Guinea, where surgical care is firmly embedded within national health plans and receives significant domestic and international resources, and much lower in Uganda and Sierra Leone. Factors influencing whether surgical care was prioritized were the degree of sustained and effective domestic advocacy by the local surgical community, the national political and economic environment in which health policy setting occurs, and the influence of international actors, particularly donors, on national agenda setting. The results from Papua New Guinea show that a strong surgical community can generate priority from the ground up, even where other factors are unfavorable. Conclusions National health agenda setting is a complex social and political process. To embed surgical care within national health policy, sustained advocacy efforts, effective framing of the problem and solutions, and country-specific data are required. Political, technical, and financial support from regional and international partners is also important. PMID:27186645

Patients' Expectations and Perceptions of Service Quality in the Selected Hospitals.

PubMed

Nadi, Aliasghar; Shojaee, Jalil; Abedi, Ghassem; Siamian, Hasan; Abedini, Ehsan; Rostami, Farideh

2016-04-01

Hospital's success depends on patients' expectations, perceptions, and judgment on the quality of services provided by hospitals. This study was conducted to assess the patients' perceptions and expectations from the quality of inpatient health care in Vali-Asr hospital, Ghaemshahr, and Imam Khomeini and Shafa Hospitals, Sari. This study is applied regarding the objective of the study. Considering the research methodology, it is a descriptive - analytical study. The sample of this study consists of 600 patients with at least 24 hours of being hospitalized in internal, surgery, women, and children sectors of Vali-Asr, Ghaemshahr, Imam Khomeini, and Shafa Hospitals. Using random sampling method, the classifications relevant to the size of each class were selected. The data required was collected through the standard SERVQUAL questionnaire and then it was analyzed using the SPSS software. The overall mean value and standard deviation of expectations were equal to 10.4 and 28, respectively. The mean value for the field of perception was 69.2 and the relevant standard deviation was 26. In terms of patients and hospital visits in concrete cases, the highest priority is related to empathy. The second priority is related to physical appearance, the third priority is related to responsiveness, the fourth priority is related to assurance, and the lowest priority is related to the reliability of the SERVQUAL approach. Examining the gap between patients' perceptions and expectations, the widest gap was observed in the Vali-Asr Hospital with the mean and SD (-92.0±39.0) and the lowest gap was observed in Shafa Hospital with the mean value of (-39.9±44.0). According to The Kruskal-Wallis test, the difference observed in these three hospitals were significant. The results showed that patients' expectations had not been met in any of the examined dimensions and their consent has not been achieved. It seemed that necessary for managers and relevant authorities to plan and pay special attention to this important issue.

Uses of research evidence among US state legislators who prioritize behavioral health issues

PubMed Central

Purtle, Jonathan; Dodson, Elizabeth A.; Brownson, Ross C.

2016-01-01

Objective Disseminating behavioral health (BH) research to legislators (i.e., elected policy makers) is widely acknowledged as a priority, but little is known about how research evidence is used and sought by this audience. The primary aim of this exploratory study was to identify the research dissemination preferences and research seeking practices of legislators who prioritize BH issues and describe the role research plays in determining their policy priorities. The secondary aim was to assess if these legislators differ from legislators who do not prioritize BH issues. Methods A telephone-based survey was conducted with 862 US state legislators (response rate 50%). A validated survey instrument was used to assess legislators’ priorities and the factors that determine them, research dissemination preferences, and research seeking practices. Bivariate analyses were conducted to characterize the study population and compare legislators who prioritized BH issues to legislators who did not. Results Legislators who prioritized BH issues were significantly more likely to identify research evidence as a factor that determined policy priorities than legislators who did not prioritize these issues (odds ratio=1.91, 95% CI=1.25–2.90, p=.002). Legislators who prioritized BH issues also attributed more importance to 10-of-12 features of disseminated research (e.g., research being unbiased [p=.014], research telling a story [p=.033]) and engaged in 8-of-11 research seeking and utilization practices (e.g., attending research presentations [p=.012]) more often. Conclusions Legislators who prioritize BH issues actively seek, have distinct preferences for, and are particularly influenced by research evidence. Testing legislator-focused BH research dissemination strategies is an area for future research. PMID:27364817

Attitudes of Policy Makers in Hawaii toward Public Health and Related Issues before and after an Economic Recession in the United States.

PubMed

Maddock, Jay E; McGurk, Meghan; Lee, Thomas

2015-01-01

Legislation and regulation at the state and local level can often have a greater impact on the public's health than individual-based approaches. Elected and appointed officials have an essential role in protecting and improving public health. Despite this important role, little systematic research has been done to assess the relative importance of public health issues compared to other policy issues in times of economic hardship. This study assessed attitudes of elected and appointed decision makers in Hawaii in 2007 and 2013 to determine if priorities differed before and after the economic recession. Elected and appointed state and county officials were mailed surveys at both time points. Respondents rated the importance of 23 specified problems, of which 9 asked about specific public health issues. The survey was completed by 126 (70.4%) respondents in 2007 and 117 (60.9%) in 2013. Among the public health issues, five saw significant mean decreases. These variables included climate change, pedestrian safety, government response to natural disasters, access to healthcare, and pandemic influenza. Obesity was the only public health issue to increase in importance across the two time points. In terms of relative ranking across the time points, only drug abuse and obesity were among the top 10 priorities. Lack of public health training, pandemic influenza, and government response to natural disasters were among the bottom five priorities. After the economic recession, many public health issues have a lower priority among Hawaii's policy makers than before the downturn. Additional education and advocacy is needed to keep public health issues on the minds of decision makers during tough economic times.

Setting health priorities in a community: a case example

PubMed Central

Sousa, Fábio Alexandre Melo do Rego; Goulart, Maria José Garcia; Braga, Antonieta Manuela dos Santos; Medeiros, Clara Maria Oliveira; Rego, Débora Cristina Martins; Vieira, Flávio Garcia; Pereira, Helder José Alves da Rocha; Tavares, Helena Margarida Correia Vicente; Loura, Marta Maria Puim

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To describe the methodology used in the process of setting health priorities for community intervention in a community of older adults. METHODS Based on the results of a health diagnosis related to active aging, a prioritization process was conceived to select the priority intervention problem. The process comprised four successive phases of problem analysis and classification: (1) grouping by level of similarity, (2) classification according to epidemiological criteria, (3) ordering by experts, and (4) application of the Hanlon method. These stages combined, in an integrated manner, the views of health team professionals, community nursing and gerontology experts, and the actual community. RESULTS The first stage grouped the identified problems by level of similarity, comprising a body of 19 issues for analysis. In the second stage these problems were classified by the health team members by epidemiological criteria (size, vulnerability, and transcendence). The nine most relevant problems resulting from the second stage of the process were submitted to expert analysis and the five most pertinent problems were selected. The last step identified the priority issue for intervention in this specific community with the participation of formal and informal community leaders: Low Social Interaction in Community Participation. CONCLUSIONS The prioritization process is a key step in health planning, enabling the identification of priority problems to intervene in a given community at a given time. There are no default formulas for selecting priority issues. It is up to each community intervention team to define its own process with different methods/techniques that allow the identification of and intervention in needs classified as priority by the community. PMID:28273229

Recent Reform and Perspectives in Higher Education: Report of the Seminar Including a Range of Countries from Asia-Pacific and Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Inst. for Educational Research, Tokyo (Japan).

This report describes a 1998 seminar held to review the situation of higher education reform in Asia and the Pacific region, as well as in some Western nations, and to identify common issues and priorities, and then develop a collaborative framework for addressing these issues and setting priorities. Seventeen participants from 16 countries…

Survey report; health needs of the 21st century.

PubMed

Raymond, S U

1989-01-01

Sustainability of development assistance programs depends greatly on the perceptions of priorities by recipient countries. A written survey was sent by the Catholic University of America's Institute for International Health and Development to 66 ministers of health in low-income and middle-income countries to assess their views of priority problems in health sector development. Response rate was 33%, coming from countries with highly diverse gross national products (GNPs), growth rates, mortality rates and life expectancies. Nevertheless, there was widespread agreement about priorities: 1) meeting costs of health care; 2) improving health care management and administration; and 3) extending communicable disease control. Communicable disease control and child health programs were more important to low-income countries than to middle-income countries. Costs, management and administration and the control of noncommunicable diseases were predicted to increase in importance. In demographics, urbanization, overall population growth and shift of workers from agriculture to industry and services were seen as the major problems of the past, and urbanization and the aging of populations accompanied by increasing life expectancies the major challenges of the future. Highest predicted training needs were for system managers and paramedical personnel. Government budgets, user fees and donor agencies were seen as the most important sources of past funding, with social security systems and fee-based payments increasing in importance in the future. The role of donor agencies would increase as would the need for more responsiveness. Future uncertainties include national economic growth, environmental problems, issues in ethics and changes in disease and technology.

A strategy to improve priority setting in developing countries.

PubMed

Kapiriri, Lydia; Martin, Douglas K

2007-09-01

Because the demand for health services outstrips the available resources, priority setting is one of the most difficult issues faced by health policy makers, particularly those in developing countries. Priority setting in developing countries is fraught with uncertainty due to lack of credible information, weak priority setting institutions, and unclear priority setting processes. Efforts to improve priority setting in these contexts have focused on providing information and tools. In this paper we argue that priority setting is a value laden and political process, and although important, the available information and tools are not sufficient to address the priority setting challenges in developing countries. Additional complementary efforts are required. Hence, a strategy to improve priority setting in developing countries should also include: (i) capturing current priority setting practices, (ii) improving the legitimacy and capacity of institutions that set priorities, and (iii) developing fair priority setting processes.

A unique funding opportunity for public health in Texas.

PubMed

Schlenker, Thomas; Huber, Carol A

2015-01-01

In addition to the Affordable Care Act, states are more frequently turning to Medicaid waivers to achieve the "Triple Aim" goals of improving the experience of care, improving population health, and reducing per capita costs. These demonstration waivers provide opportunities to test innovative ways to finance and deliver care. Texas is currently implementing a waiver known as the Transformation and Quality Improvement Program. Its inclusion of public health agencies is a unique approach to a system typically limited to traditional providers. San Antonio Metropolitan Health District is one public health agency taking advantage of this new funding opportunity to implement 6 new or expanded programs targeting health issues of highest priority in this south Texas region. This article discusses the use of Medicaid waivers and the advantages and challenges of public health agency participation.

Information technology and hospice palliative care: social, cultural, ethical and technical implications in a rural setting.

PubMed

Kuziemsky, Craig; Jewers, Heather; Appleby, Brenda; Foshay, Neil; Maccaull, Wendy; Miller, Keith; Macdonald, Madonna

2012-01-01

There is a need to better understand the specific settings in which health information technology (HIT) is used and implemented. Factors that will determine the successful implementation of HIT are context-specific and often reside not at the technical level but rather at the process and people level. This paper provides the results of a needs assessment for HIT to support hospice palliative care (HPC) delivery in rural settings. Roundtable discussions using the nominal group technique were done to identify priority issues regarding HIT usage to support rural HPC delivery. Qualitative content analysis was then used to identify sociotechnical themes from the roundtable data. Twenty priority issues were identified at the roundtable session. Content analysis grouped the priority issues into one central theme and five supporting themes to form a sociotechnical framework for patient-centered care in rural settings. There are several sociotechnical themes and associated issues that need to be considered prior to implementing HIT in rural HPC settings. Proactive evaluation of these issues can enhance HIT implementation and also help to make ethical aspects of HIT design more explicit.

[Hydrotherapy equipment].

PubMed

Tsibikov, V B; Ragozin, S I; Mikheeva, L V

1985-01-01

A flow-chart is developed demonstrating the relation between medical and prophylactic institutions within the organizational structure of the rehabilitation system and main types of rehabilitation procedures. In order to ascertain the priority in equipping rehabilitation services with adequate hardware the special priority criterion is introduced. The highest priority is assigned to balneotherapeutic and fangotherapeutic services. Based on the operation-by-operation analysis of clinical processes related to service and performance of balneologic procedures the preliminary set of clinical devices designed for baths, basins and showers in hospitals and rehabilitation departments is defined in a generalized form.

Developing a research agenda for the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons: results of a delphi approach.

PubMed

Burt, Caroline G; Cima, Robert R; Koltun, Walter A; Littlejohn, Charles E; Ricciardi, Rocco; Temple, Larissa K; Rothenberger, David A; Baxter, Nancy N

2009-05-01

By use of a systematic approach, the aim of this project was to survey a group of colorectal specialists and reach a consensus on the research questions of highest importance in terms of clinical care. A modified Delphi process was performed. In Round 1 research questions were solicited from members of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. A review group categorized the results, combined similar questions, and presented them to The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons membership in Round 2 for prioritizing according to importance. In Round 3 the 50 questions with the highest scores in Round 2 were reranked by The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons membership to produce the 20 highest-priority research questions. A total of 203 respondents in Round 1 submitted 746 questions. The review team reduced these to 105 individual questions encompassing 21 topics in colorectal surgical practice. In Rounds 2 and 3, 399 and 360 respondents, respectively, prioritized the questions presented. The final 20 items included 14 questions related to colorectal cancer, and 6 were on benign disease topics. The research agenda produced by this study reflects the clinical issues of greatest importance to colorectal surgeons. The results are of potential benefit to researchers, funding organizations, medical journals, and ultimately, patients.

Sexual Violence in America: Public Funding and Social Priority.

PubMed

Waechter, Randall; Ma, Van

2015-12-01

We compared lifetime risk, annual incidence, and annual economic burden of sexual violence with other major public health issues in the United States: cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS. With public funding data from 2013, we examined how much public funding is allocated to these public health issues as a proxy of the social priority of addressing each of them. Although sexual violence is as prevalent as and more costly than are these other major public health issues, it receives a fraction of the public funds that they receive.

Physiotherapy Research Priorities in Switzerland: Views of the Various Stakeholders.

PubMed

Nast, Irina; Tal, Amir; Schmid, Stefan; Schoeb, Veronika; Rau, Barbara; Barbero, Marco; Kool, Jan

2016-09-01

Research priorities, defined by multiple stakeholders, can proximally facilitate the coordination of research projects and national and international cooperation and distally further improve the quality of physiotherapy practice. The aim of this study was therefore to establish physiotherapy research priorities in Switzerland considering multiple stakeholders' opinions. A mixed methods design was chosen. For a qualitative identification of physiotherapy research topics, 18 focus group discussions and 23 semi-structured interviews/written commentaries were conducted. For the quantitative analysis, 420 participants prioritized research topics using a two-round Delphi questionnaire survey. The following stakeholder groups were surveyed in the German-speaking, French-speaking and Italian-speaking regions of Switzerland: physiotherapy researchers, practitioners and educators, representatives of patient organizations, public health organizations, health insurers, physicians, nurses, occupational therapists and other health professionals, as well as physical educators. The top five overall physiotherapy research priorities identified were as follows: physiotherapy treatment, physiotherapy assessment and diagnosis, prevention, physiotherapist-patient interaction and physiotherapy professional education at the bachelor level. With regard to diagnostic groups, the highest priorities were placed on musculoskeletal disorders, neurology, orthopaedics, geriatrics and ergonomics/occupational health. Consensus was moderate to high, and only few differences between stakeholder groups were revealed. Research directly related to physiotherapy treatment is of highest priority. It should focus on diagnostic groups related to chronicity in anticipation of demographic changes. Multidisciplinary networks for research and practice, alongside sound coordination of research projects, should increase the impact of physiotherapy research. An accurate dissemination of research priorities, defined and supported by multiple stakeholder groups, might strengthen their impact on research and practice. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

African Language Resource Handbook: A Resource Handbook of the Eighty-two Highest Priority African Languages. Prepublication Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwyer, David J.; Yankee, Everyl

A directory of the 82 African languages given high priority for instruction in the United States contains a profile for each language that includes its classification and where it is spoken, the number of speakers, dialect situation, usage, orthography status, and listings of related human and institutional resources for the purpose of…

Multi-Material Recycling Manual. The Keep America Beautiful System. Revised Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1987

Solid waste management ranks third after schools and roads in most municipal budgets in the United States. Maximizing the separation of recyclable materials that can be reused may offer the highest priority and best use of our waste and should receive high priority in a solid waste management plan. This manual deals with the recycling of material…

Identification of Crew-Systems Interactions and Decision Related Trends

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Sharon Monica; Evans, Joni K.; Reveley, Mary S.; Withrow, Colleen A.; Ancel, Ersin; Barr, Lawrence

2013-01-01

NASA Vehicle System Safety Technology (VSST) project management uses systems analysis to identify key issues and maintain a portfolio of research leading to potential solutions to its three identified technical challenges. Statistical data and published safety priority lists from academic, industry and other government agencies were reviewed and analyzed by NASA Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) systems analysis personnel to identify issues and future research needs related to one of VSST's technical challenges, Crew Decision Making (CDM). The data examined in the study were obtained from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Aviation Accident and Incident Data System, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Accident/Incident Data System and the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). In addition, this report contains the results of a review of safety priority lists, information databases and other documented references pertaining to aviation crew systems issues and future research needs. The specific sources examined were: Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) Safety Enhancements Reserved for Future Implementation (SERFIs), Flight Deck Automation Issues (FDAI) and NTSB Most Wanted List and Open Recommendations. Various automation issues taxonomies and priority lists pertaining to human factors, automation and flight design were combined to create a list of automation issues related to CDM.

Transit signal priority research tools

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-05-01

This report presents the results of a research project that addresses Transit Signal Priority (TSP) deployment issues. The report reviews National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol (NTCIP) 1211 Signal Control and Prioritization (SCP) sta...

Setting and meeting priorities in Indigenous health research in Australia and its application in the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal health.

PubMed

Monk, Johanna M; Rowley, Kevin G; Anderson, Ian Ps

2009-11-20

Priority setting is about making decisions. Key issues faced during priority setting processes include identifying who makes these decisions, who sets the criteria, and who benefits. The paper reviews the literature and history around priority setting in research, particularly in Aboriginal health research. We explore these issues through a case study of the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (CRCAH)'s experience in setting and meeting priorities.Historically, researchers have made decisions about what research gets done. Pressures of growing competition for research funds and an increased public interest in research have led to demands that appropriate consultation with stakeholders is conducted and that research is of benefit to the wider society. Within Australian Aboriginal communities, these demands extend to Aboriginal control of research to ensure that Aboriginal priorities are met.In response to these demands, research priorities are usually agreed in consultation with stakeholders at an institutional level and researchers are asked to develop relevant proposals at a project level. The CRCAH's experience in funding rounds was that scientific merit was given more weight than stakeholders' priorities and did not necessarily result in research that met these priorities. After reviewing these processes in 2004, the CRCAH identified a new facilitated development approach. In this revised approach, the setting of institutional priorities is integrated with the development of projects in a way that ensures the research reflects stakeholder priorities.This process puts emphasis on identifying projects that reflect priorities prior to developing the quality of the research, rather than assessing the relevance to priorities and quality concurrently. Part of the CRCAH approach is the employment of Program Managers who ensure that stakeholder priorities are met in the development of research projects. This has enabled researchers and stakeholders to come together to collaboratively develop priority-driven research. Involvement by both groups in project development has been found to be essential in making decisions that will lead to robust and useful research.

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

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

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

78 FR 18933 - Proposed Priority-National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research-Advanced...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-28

... techniques may include ``identifying changing future compliance costs that might result from technological innovation or anticipated behavioral changes.'' We are issuing this proposed priority only upon a reasoned...

Education for 2001 and Beyond: Imperatives and Possibilities. Outcomes from the ACE "Education 2000" International Conference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unicorn: Journal of the Australian College of Education, 2000

2000-01-01

This issue of "Unicorn," the journal of the Australian College of Education (ACE), contains extracts and summaries of 13 presentations given at the international ACE conference, "Education 2000: Priorities for the New Millennium." The papers not only address the five themes of the conference (priorities for learning, priorities for supporting…

Reaching for the Horizon: Enabling 21st Century Antarctic Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogan-Finnemore, M.; Kennicutt, M. C., II; Kim, Y.

2015-12-01

The Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs' (COMNAP) Antarctic Roadmap Challenges(ARC) project translated the 80 highest priority Antarctic and Southern Ocean scientific questionsidentified by the community via the SCAR Antarctic Science Horizon Scan into the highest prioritytechnological, access, infrastructure and logistics needs to enable the necessary research to answer thequestions. A workshop assembled expert and experienced Antarctic scientists and National AntarcticProgram operators from around the globe to discern the highest priority technological needs includingthe current status of development and availability, where the technologies will be utilized in the Antarctic area, at what temporal scales and frequencies the technologies will be employed,and how broadly applicable the technologies are for answering the highest priority scientific questions.Secondly the logistics, access, and infrastructure requirements were defined that are necessary todeliver the science in terms of feasibility including cost and benefit as determined by expected scientific return on investment. Finally, based on consideration of the science objectives and the mix oftechnologies implications for configuring National Antarctic Program logistics capabilities andinfrastructure architecture over the next 20 years were determined. In particular those elements thatwere either of a complexity, requiring long term investments to achieve and/or having an associated cost that realistically can only (or best) be achieved by international coordination, planning and partnerships were identified. Major trends (changes) in logistics, access, and infrastructure requirements were identified that allow for long-term strategic alignment of international capabilities, resources and capacity. The outcomes of this project will be reported.

NASA funding opportunities for optical fabrication and testing technology development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stahl, H. Philip

2013-09-01

NASA requires technologies to fabricate and test optical components to accomplish its highest priority science missions. The NRC ASTRO2010 Decadal Survey states that an advanced large-aperture UVOIR telescope is required to enable the next generation of compelling astrophysics and exo-planet science; and, that present technology is not mature enough to affordably build and launch any potential UVOIR mission concept. The NRC 2012 NASA Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities Report states that the highest priority technology in which NASA should invest to `Expand our understanding of Earth and the universe' is next generation X-ray and UVOIR telescopes. Each of the Astrophysics division Program Office Annual Technology Reports (PATR) identifies specific technology needs. NASA has a variety of programs to fund enabling technology development: SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research); the ROSES APRA and SAT programs (Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science; Astrophysics Research and Analysis program; Strategic Astrophysics Technology program); and several Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) programs.

NASA Funding Opportunities for Optical Fabrication and Testing Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H. Philip

2013-01-01

NASA requires technologies to fabricate and test optical components to accomplish its highest priority science missions. The NRC ASTRO2010 Decadal Survey states that an advanced large-aperture UVOIR telescope is required to enable the next generation of compelling astrophysics and exo-planet science; and, that present technology is not mature enough to affordably build and launch any potential UVOIR mission concept. The NRC 2012 NASA Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities Report states that the highest priority technology in which NASA should invest to 'Expand our understanding of Earth and the universe' is next generation X-ray and UVOIR telescopes. Each of the Astrophysics division Program Office Annual Technology Reports (PATR) identifies specific technology needs. NASA has a variety of programs to fund enabling technology development: SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research); the ROSES APRA and SAT programs (Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science; Astrophysics Research and Analysis program; Strategic Astrophysics Technology program); and several Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) programs

NASA Funding Opportunities for Optical Fabrication and Testing Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stahl, H. Philip

2013-01-01

Technologies to fabricate and test optical components are required for NASA to accomplish its highest priority science missions. For example, the NRC ASTRO2010 Decadal Survey states that an advanced large-aperture UVOIR telescope is required to enable the next generation of compelling astrophysics and exo-planet science; and that present technology is not mature enough to affordably build and launch any potential UVOIR mission concept. The NRC 2012 NASA Space Technology Roadmaps and Priorities report states that the highest priority technology in which NASA should invest to 'Expand our understanding of Earth and the universe' is a new generation of astronomical telescopes. And, each of the Astrophysics division Program Office Annual Technology Reports (PATR), identifies specific technology needs. NASA has a variety of programs to fund enabling technology development: SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research); the ROSES APRA and SAT programs (Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science; Astrophysics Research and Analysis program; Strategic Astrophysics Technology program); and several Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) technology development programs.

20 CFR 1010.220 - How are recipients required to implement priority of service?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... COVERED PERSONS Understanding Priority of Service § 1010.220 How are recipients required to implement...) memoranda of understanding or other service provision agreements, issued or executed by qualified job...

Crime in woods: role of law enforcement officers in national forests

Treesearch

Joanne F. Tynon; Deborah J. Chavez; Joshua W. R. Baur

2010-01-01

This first nationwide study of US Forest Service (USFS) law enforcement officers (LEOs) examined respondents’ roles in the USFS, what they perceived as their highest work priority, and what their relationship with the rest of the USFS should be. Results show that LEOs believe they have a high priority for protecting forest users and they believe that National Forest...

How to select the best tree planting locations to enhance air pollution removal in the MillionTreesNYC initiative

Treesearch

Arianna Morani; David J. Nowak; Satoshi Hirabayashi; Carlo Calfapietra

2011-01-01

Highest priority zones for tree planting within New York City were selected by using a planting priority index developed combining three main indicators: pollution concentration, population density and low canopy cover. This new tree population was projected through time to estimate potential air quality and carbon bene!ts. Those trees will likely remove more than 10...

Assessing political priority for reproductive health in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Prata, Ndola; Summer, Anna

2015-11-01

Ethiopia is among the top six countries contributing to the highest numbers of maternal deaths globally. The Ethiopian total fertility rate was estimated at 4.8 in 2011, and the use of contraceptives by married women was 29%. Lack of knowledge, cultural stigma surrounding abortion, and barriers to access of services contribute to persistently high rates of unsafe abortion and abortion-related mortality. This study seeks to assess the generation and institutionalization of political priority for reproductive health within the political systems of Ethiopia. Interviews with key policy makers, government ministers, academics, and leaders of prominent non-governmental organizations in Ethiopia between July 2010 and January 2011 were conducted, using Shiffman and Smith's Framework, to analyse the key actors and ideas behind the shift towards prioritization of reproductive health in Ethiopia, as well as the political context and primary characteristics of the issues that propelled progressive action in reproductive health in that country. Some of the key lessons point to the readiness of the Ethiopian government to reform and to improve the socio-economic status of the population. The role of civil society organizations working alongside the government was crucial to creating a window of opportunity in a changing political climate to achieve gains in reproductive health. To our knowledge, this is the first time Shiffman and Smith's Framework has been used for reproductive health policies. We conclude that Ethiopian experience fits well within this framework for understanding prioritization of global health issues and may serve as a model for other sub-Saharan African countries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning essentials: what graduates of mental health nursing programmes need to know from an industry perspective.

PubMed

McAllister, Margaret; Happell, Brenda; Flynn, Trudi

2014-12-01

To explore the perspectives of nursing directors in mental health in Queensland, Australia, regarding the skills and attributes of graduates of comprehensive nursing programme to provide an industry perspective and thus augment knowledge from theoretical and professional dimensions. There is a worldwide shortage of appropriately qualified nurses with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to work effectively in mental health services. Within Australia, this has been well documented since the introduction of comprehensive nursing education. The underrepresentation of mental health content in undergraduate curricula has been identified as the primary reason for nursing graduates not being adequately prepared for practice in this field. To date, this issue has primarily been addressed from the perspective of university academics, with the voice of industry relatively silent in the published literature. Qualitative exploratory. In-depth telephone interviews with Director of Nursing (Mental Health) in Queensland, Australia. The concerns of participants were expressed in six main themes: (1) foundational knowledge of mental health and disorders, (2) recovery-oriented skills, (3) physical as well as mental health skills, (4) therapeutic strategies, (5) resilience and self-development and (6) advanced knowledge and skills. The education of comprehensive nursing education needs to be reviewed as a matter of priority to ensure graduates with the attributes required to provide high-quality care for consumers of mental health services. A skilled and knowledgeable workforce is an essential component of high-quality mental health services. Research highlighting the current deficits and issues is therefore of the highest priority. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Development of a novel regulatory pharmacovigilance prioritisation system: an evaluation of its performance at the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

PubMed

Seabroke, Suzie; Wise, Lesley; Waller, Patrick

2013-10-01

The prioritisation of drug safety issues for further evaluation or regulatory action is critical to ensure that acceptable timelines and appropriate resource allocation are defined to meet public health and regulatory obligations. Our objective was to develop, pilot and implement a novel tool for prioritising pharmacovigilance issues within the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). An initial system was developed empirically and then piloted over a 10-month period in the pharmacovigilance signal management meeting at the MHRA that discusses potential pharmacovigilance issues, and determines, through consensus, their priority and a timescale for action. The priority assigned by the tool was compared with the priority decided by collective judgement at the meeting. Once an acceptable level of concordance between the tool and the meeting had been achieved, the finalised tool was implemented into routine use at the MHRA, with an evaluation of its performance conducted after the first year. The Regulatory Pharmacovigilance Prioritisation System (RPPS) tool prioritises pharmacovigilance issues according to the following four broad categories, each with four inputs: strength of evidence, public health implications, agency regulatory obligations and public perceptions. A weighted scoring system links the inputs to a pre-defined number of points where if a threshold is reached then the points are awarded. The overall priority is determined by the sum of all points obtained from each of the inputs. The pilot study included a total of 73 pharmacovigilance issues during the 10-month study period, with an overall exact agreement between the RPPS priority and the collective judgement of the meeting of 60.3 %. Where exact agreement was not obtained, the RPPS generally prioritised the issues slightly higher than the meeting. Over the first year following implementation, the RPPS achieved an overall exact agreement of 82.2 %. Following the pilot study and implementation at the UK MHRA, the RPPS has provided a systematic approach to drug safety issue prioritisation that should help to reduce the subjectivity of reliance on individual judgement.

75 FR 70752 - Reliability Monitoring, Enforcement and Compliance Issues; Announcement of Panelists for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

... the Regional Entities set priorities of what to audit, and are they doing a good job setting priorities? Do audits focus too much on documentation? Would alternative auditing methods also demonstrate...

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

Koniges, A.E.; Craddock, G.G.; Schnack, D.D.

The purpose of the workshop was to assemble workers, both within and outside of the fusion-related computations areas, for discussion regarding the issues of dynamically adaptive gridding. There were three invited talks related to adaptive gridding application experiences in various related fields of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and nine short talks reporting on the progress of adaptive techniques in the specific areas of scrape-off-layer (SOL) modeling and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability. Adaptive mesh methods have been successful in a number of diverse fields of CFD for over a decade. The method involves dynamic refinement of computed field profiles in a waymore » that disperses uniformly the numerical errors associated with discrete approximations. Because the process optimizes computational effort, adaptive mesh methods can be used to study otherwise the intractable physical problems that involve complex boundary shapes or multiple spatial/temporal scales. Recent results indicate that these adaptive techniques will be required for tokamak fluid-based simulations involving the diverted tokamak SOL modeling and MHD simulations problems related to the highest priority ITER relevant issues.Individual papers are indexed separately on the energy data bases.« less

High Priority Research Needs for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Robinson, Karen A.; Saldanha, Ian J.; Wilson, Lisa M.; Nicholson, Wanda K.

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective Identification of unanswered research questions about the management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is necessary to focus future research endeavors. We developed a process for elucidating the highest priority research questions on GDM. Methods Using a systematic review on GDM as a starting point, we developed an eight-step process: (1) identification of research gaps, (2) feedback from the review's authors, (3) translation of gaps into researchable questions using population, intervention, comparators, outcomes, setting (PICOS) framework, (4) local institutions' stakeholders' refinement of research questions, (5) national stakeholders' use of Delphi method to develop consensus on the importance of research questions, (6) prioritization of outcomes, (7) conceptual framework, and (8) evaluation. Results We identified 15 high priority research questions for GDM. The research questions focused on medication management of GDM (e.g., various oral agents vs. insulin), delivery management for women with GDM (e.g., induction vs. expectant management), and identification of risk factors for, prevention of, and screening for type 2 diabetes in women with prior GDM. Stakeholders rated the development of chronic diseases in offspring, cesarean delivery, and birth trauma as high priority outcomes to measure in future studies. Conclusions We developed an eight-step process using a multidisciplinary group of stakeholders to identify 15 research questions of high clinical importance. Researchers, policymakers, and funders can use this list to direct research efforts and resources to the highest priority areas to improve care for women with GDM. PMID:22747422

Setting priorities for a research agenda to combat drug-resistant tuberculosis in children.

PubMed

Velayutham, B; Nair, D; Ramalingam, S; Perez-Velez, C M; Becerra, M C; Swaminathan, S

2015-12-21

Numerous knowledge gaps hamper the prevention and treatment of childhood drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Identifying research priorities is vital to inform and develop strategies to address this neglected problem. To systematically identify and rank research priorities in childhood drug-resistant TB. Adapting the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) methodology, we compiled 53 research questions in four research areas, then classified the questions into three research types. We invited experts in childhood drug-resistant TB to score these questions through an online survey. A total of 81 respondents participated in the survey. The top-ranked research question was to identify the best combination of existing diagnostic tools for early diagnosis. Highly ranked treatment-related questions centred on the reasons for and interventions to improve treatment outcomes, adverse effects of drugs and optimal treatment duration. The prevalence of drug-resistant TB was the highest-ranked question in the epidemiology area. The development type questions that ranked highest focused on interventions for optimal diagnosis, treatment and modalities for treatment delivery. This is the first effort to identify and rank research priorities for childhood drug-resistant TB. The result is a resource to guide research to improve prevention and treatment of drug-resistant TB in children.

A Unique Funding Opportunity for Public Health in Texas

PubMed Central

Schlenker, Thomas; Huber, Carol A.

2015-01-01

In addition to the Affordable Care Act, states are more frequently turning to Medicaid waivers to achieve the “Triple Aim” goals of improving the experience of care, improving population health, and reducing per capita costs. These demonstration waivers provide opportunities to test innovative ways to finance and deliver care. Texas is currently implementing a waiver known as the Transformation and Quality Improvement Program. Its inclusion of public health agencies is a unique approach to a system typically limited to traditional providers. San Antonio Metropolitan Health District is one public health agency taking advantage of this new funding opportunity to implement 6 new or expanded programs targeting health issues of highest priority in this south Texas region. This article discusses the use of Medicaid waivers and the advantages and challenges of public health agency participation. PMID:25423061

Clean Water Act (CWA) Action Plan Implementation Priorities: Changes to Improve Water Quality, Increase Compliance and Expand Transparency

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Clean Water Act (CWA) Action Plan Implementation Priorities describes the new approaches to revamp the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting, compliance and enforcement program.Issued May 11, 2011

Priorities for Water Quality Criteria and Standards Programs FY 2017-2018

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document recommends priorities for states and authorized tribes as they plan WQS actions and updates in the upcoming two fiscal years. The document addresses new regulatory requirements in 40 CFR part 131 issued in August 2015.

Involvement of stakeholders in determining health priorities of adolescents in rural South Africa.

PubMed

Twine, Rhian; Kahn, Kathleen; Scholtz, Alexandra; Norris, Shane A

2016-01-01

When developing intervention research, it is important to explore issues from the community perspective. Interventions that promote adolescent health in South Africa are urgently needed, and Project Ntshembo ('hope') aims to improve the health of young women and their offspring in the Agincourt sub-district of rural northeast South Africa, actively using stakeholder involvement throughout the research process. This study aimed to determine adolescent health priorities according to key stakeholders, to align stakeholder and researcher priorities, and to form a stakeholder forum, which would be active throughout the intervention. Thirty-two stakeholders were purposefully identified as community members interested in the health of adolescents. An adapted Delphi incorporating face-to-face discussions, as well as participatory visualisation, was used in a series of three workshops. Consensus was determined through non-parametric analysis. Stakeholders and researchers agreed that peer pressure and lack of information, or having information but not acting on it, were the root causes of adolescent health problems. Pregnancy, HIV, school dropout, alcohol and drug abuse, not accessing health services, and unhealthy lifestyle (leading to obesity) were identified as priority adolescent health issues. A diagram was developed showing how these eight priorities relate to one another, which was useful in the development of the intervention. A stakeholder forum was founded, comprising 12 of the stakeholders involved in the stakeholder involvement process. The process brought researchers and stakeholders to consensus on the most important health issues facing adolescents, and a stakeholder forum was developed within which to address the issues. Stakeholder involvement as part of a research engagement strategy can be of mutual benefit to the researchers and the community in which the research is taking place.

Generation of national political priority for surgery: a qualitative case study of three low-income and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Dare, Anna J; Bleicher, Josh; Lee, Katherine C; Elobu, Alex E; Kamara, Thaim B; Liko, Osborne; Luboga, Samuel; Danlop, Akule; Kune, Gabriel; Hagander, Lars; Leather, Andrew J M; Yamey, Gavin

2015-04-27

Surgical conditions exert a major health burden in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet surgery remains a low priority on national health agendas. Little is known about the national factors that influence whether surgery is prioritised in LMICs. We investigated factors that could facilitate or prevent surgery from being a health priority in three LMICs. We undertook three country case studies in Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and Sierra Leone, using a qualitative process-tracing method. In total 72 semi-structured interviews were conducted between March and June, 2014, in the three countries. Interviews were designed to query informants' attitudes, values, and beliefs about how and why different health issues, including surgical care, were prioritised within their country. Informants were providers, policy makers, civil society, funders, and other stakeholders involved with health agenda setting and surgical care. Interviews were analysed with Dedoose, a qualitative data analysis tool. Themes were organised into a conceptual framework adapted from Shiffman and Smith to assess the factors that affected whether surgery was prioritised. In all three countries, effective political and surgical leadership, access to country-specific surgical disease indicators, and higher domestic health expenditures are facilitating factors that promote surgical care on national health agendas. Competing health and policy interests and poor framing of the need for surgery prevent the issue from receiving more attention. In Papua New Guinea, surgical care is a moderate-to-high health priority. Surgical care is embedded in the national health plan and there are influential leaders with surgical interests. Surgical care is a low-to-moderate health priority in Uganda. Ineffectively used policy windows and little national data on surgical disease have impeded efforts to increase priority for surgery. Surgical care remains a low health priority in Sierra Leone. Resource constraints and competing health priorities, such as infectious disease challenges, prevent surgery from receiving attention. Priority for surgery on national health agendas varies across LMICs. Increasing dialogue between surgical providers and political leaders can increase the power of actors who advocate for surgical care. Greater emphasis on the importance of surgical care in achieving national health goals can strengthen internal and external framing of the issue. Growing political recognition of non-communicable diseases provides a favourable political context to increase attention for surgery. Lastly, increasing internally generated issue characteristics, such as improved tracking of national surgical indicators, could increase the priority given to surgery within LMICs. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, King's Health Partners/King's College London, and Lund University. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A prioritization of generic safety issues. Supplement 19, Revision insertion instructions

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

None

1995-11-01

The report presents the safety priority ranking for generic safety issues related to nuclear power plants. The purpose of these rankings is to assist in the timely and efficient allocation of NRC resources for the resolution of those safety issues that have a significant potential for reducing risk. The safety priority rankings are HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW, and DROP, and have been assigned on the basis of risk significance estimates, the ratio of risk to costs and other impacts estimated to result if resolution of the safety issues were implemented, and the consideration of uncertainties and other quantitative or qualitative factors.more » To the extent practical, estimates are quantitative. This document provides revisions and amendments to the report.« less

Evaluation of concurrent priority queue algorithms. Technical report

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

Huang, Q.

1991-02-01

The priority queue is a fundamental data structure that is used in a large variety of parallel algorithms, such as multiprocessor scheduling and parallel best-first search of state-space graphs. This thesis addresses the design and experimental evaluation of two novel concurrent priority queues: a parallel Fibonacci heap and a concurrent priority pool, and compares them with the concurrent binary heap. The parallel Fibonacci heap is based on the sequential Fibonacci heap, which is theoretically the most efficient data structure for sequential priority queues. This scheme not only preserves the efficient operation time bounds of its sequential counterpart, but also hasmore » very low contention by distributing locks over the entire data structure. The experimental results show its linearly scalable throughput and speedup up to as many processors as tested (currently 18). A concurrent access scheme for a doubly linked list is described as part of the implementation of the parallel Fibonacci heap. The concurrent priority pool is based on the concurrent B-tree and the concurrent pool. The concurrent priority pool has the highest throughput among the priority queues studied. Like the parallel Fibonacci heap, the concurrent priority pool scales linearly up to as many processors as tested. The priority queues are evaluated in terms of throughput and speedup. Some applications of concurrent priority queues such as the vertex cover problem and the single source shortest path problem are tested.« less

Research Priorities for NCD Prevention and Climate Change: An International Delphi Survey.

PubMed

Colagiuri, Ruth; Boylan, Sinead; Morrice, Emily

2015-10-16

Climate change and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are arguably the greatest global challenges of the 21st Century. However, the confluence between them remains under-examined and there is little evidence of a comprehensive, systematic approach to identifying research priorities to mitigate their joint impact. Consequently, we: (i) convened a workshop of academics (n = 25) from the Worldwide Universities Network to identify priority areas at the interface between NCDs and climate change; (ii) conducted a Delphi survey of international opinion leaders in public health and relevant other disciplines; and (iii) convened an expert panel to review and advise on final priorities. Three research areas (water security; transport; conceptualising NCD harms to support policy formation) were listed among the top 10 priorities by >90% of Delphi respondents, and ranked among the top 12 priorities by >60% of respondents who ranked the order of priority. A fourth area (reducing the carbon footprint of cities) was ranked highest by the same >60% of respondents. Our results are consistent with existing frameworks on health and climate change, and extends them by focusing specifically on NCDs. Researching these priorities could progress understanding of climate change and NCDs, and inform global and national policy decisions for mitigating associated harms.

Detecting Kerogen as a Biosignature Using Co-located UV Time-Gated Raman and Fuorescence Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shkolyar, S.; Eshelman, E.; Farmer, J. D.; Hamilton, D.; Daly, M. G.; Youngbull, C.

2017-12-01

The Mars 2020 mission will analyze samples in situ and identify any that could have preserved biosignatures in ancient habitable environments for later return to Earth. Highest-priority targeted samples include aqueously formed sedimentary lithologies containing fossil biosignatures as aromatic carbon (kerogen). In this study, we analyze non-extracted, naturally preserved kerogen in a diverse suite of realistic Mars analogs using combined UV excitation time-gated (UV-TG) Raman and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. We interrogated kerogen and its host matrix in samples to: (1) explore the capabilities of UV-TG Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy for detecting kerogen in high-priority targets in the search for a Martian fossil record; (2) assess the effectiveness of time-gating and UV laser wavelength in reducing fluorescence; and (3) identify sample-specific issues which could challenge rover-based identifications of kerogen using UV-TG Raman spectroscopy. We found that ungated UV Raman is suited to identify diagnostic kerogen Raman bands without interfering fluorescence and that fluorescence features indicating kerogen are detectable. These data highlight the value of using both co-located Raman and fluorescence data sets together to strengthen the confidence of kerogen detection as a potential biosignature and are obtainable by SHERLOC onboard Mars 2020.

A Content Analysis of Hospitals' Community Health Needs Assessments in the Most Violent U.S. Cities.

PubMed

Fischer, Kyle R; Schwimmer, Henry; Purtle, Jonathan; Roman, Daniel; Cosgrove, Shannon; Current, J J; Greene, Michael B

2018-04-01

The emergence of evidence-supported interventions allows hospitals the opportunity to reduce future reinjury among patients who are violently injured. However, hospital knowledge of these interventions and their perceived role in violence prevention is unknown. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act created new legal requirements for non-profit hospitals to conduct community health needs assessments (CHNA) every three years to maintain not-for-profit status. In turn, this allows an empiric evaluation of hospital recognition and response to community violence. To do so, this study performed a content analysis of hospital CHNAs from the 20 U.S. cities with the highest violent crime rates. A total of 77 CHNAs were examined for specific violence-related keywords as well as whether violence prevention was listed as a priority community need. Overall, 74% of CHNAs mentioned violence-related terms and only 32% designated violence prevention as a priority need. When discussed, 88% of CHNAs referenced community violence, 42% intimate partner or sexual violence, and 22% child abuse. This study suggests that hospitals may lack awareness of violence as an actionable, preventable public health issue. Further, evidence-based program models are available to hospitals that can reduce the recurrence of assaultive injuries.

Binge Eating among Women Veterans in Primary Care: Comorbidities and Treatment Priorities.

PubMed

Rosenbaum, Diane L; Kimerling, Rachel; Pomernacki, Alyssa; Goldstein, Karen M; Yano, Elizabeth M; Sadler, Anne G; Carney, Diane; Bastian, Lori A; Bean-Mayberry, Bevanne A; Frayne, Susan M

2016-01-01

Little is known about the clinical profile and treatment priorities of women with binge eating disorder (BED), a diagnosis new to the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. We identified comorbidities and patients' treatment priorities, because these may inform implementation of clinical services. Data were collected from women veteran primary care patients. Analyses compared those who screened positive for BED (BED+), and those without any binge eating symptoms (BED-). Frequencies of comorbid medical and psychological disorders were high in the BED+ group. The BED+ group's self-identified most common treatment priorities were mood concerns (72.2%), weight loss (66.7%), and body image/food issues (50%). Among those with obesity, a greater proportion of the BED+ group indicated body image/food issues was their top treatment priority (12.9% vs. 2.8%; p < .01), suggesting that these patients may be more apt to seek treatment beyond weight management for their problematic eating patterns. Women primary care patients with BED demonstrate high medical and psychological complexity; their subjective treatment priorities often match objective needs. These findings may inform the development of targeted BED screening practices for women with obesity in primary care settings, and the eventual adoption of patient-centered BED treatment resources. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Patients' desire for information about anaesthesia. Scottish and Canadian attitudes.

PubMed

Lonsdale, M; Hutchison, G L

1991-05-01

Patients in Canada and Scotland were asked to complete a pre-operative questionnaire examining their desire for information relating to anaesthesia. In both Canada and Scotland, patients under the age of 50 years had a greater wish to receive information than those who were older (p less than 0.0001). In Canada, female patients were found to be more keen to receive pre-operative information than males of the same age group (p less than 0.05). The priority given to individual pieces of information was remarkably similar in both countries. Details of dangerous complications of anaesthesia and surgery were consistently rated of low priority, with high priority going to postoperative landmarks such as eating and drinking. Both countries rated meeting the anaesthetist before surgery as the highest priority of all.

Climate policy: Uncovering ocean-related priorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barkemeyer, Ralf

2017-11-01

Given the complexity and multi-faceted nature of policy processes, national-level policy preferences are notoriously difficult to capture. Now, research applying an automated text mining approach helps to shed light on country-level differences and priorities in the context of marine climate issues.

Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Cleanup Plan for Fort Devens, Fort Devens, Massachusetts

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-07

Landfill (AOCs 4, 5, 18, and 40) were identified in the MEP as the highest priority (Priority 1A) for remediation. As such, these sites proceeded...Spring Brook Landfills OUs, etc. 4.1.4 Environmental Restoration Early Actions Strategy The Site Investigation (SI) Data Package concept was developed...Approach for the Shepley’ s Hill and Cold Spring Brook Landfill Sites . Fort Devens. Massachusetts, prepared for USAEC; February. Ecology & Environment

Traditional Chinese medicine research in the post-genomic era: good practice, priorities, challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Uzuner, Halil; Bauer, Rudolf; Fan, Tai-Ping; Guo, De-An; Dias, Alberto; El-Nezami, Hani; Efferth, Thomas; Williamson, Elizabeth M; Heinrich, Michael; Robinson, Nicola; Hylands, Peter J; Hendry, Bruce M; Cheng, Yung-Chi; Xu, Qihe

2012-04-10

GP-TCM is the 1st EU-funded Coordination Action consortium dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research. This paper aims to summarise the objectives, structure and activities of the consortium and introduces the position of the consortium regarding good practice, priorities, challenges and opportunities in TCM research. Serving as the introductory paper for the GP-TCM Journal of Ethnopharmacology special issue, this paper describes the roadmap of this special issue and reports how the main outputs of the ten GP-TCM work packages are integrated, and have led to consortium-wide conclusions. Literature studies, opinion polls and discussions among consortium members and stakeholders. By January 2012, through 3 years of team building, the GP-TCM consortium had grown into a large collaborative network involving ∼200 scientists from 24 countries and 107 institutions. Consortium members had worked closely to address good practice issues related to various aspects of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and acupuncture research, the focus of this Journal of Ethnopharmacology special issue, leading to state-of-the-art reports, guidelines and consensus on the application of omics technologies in TCM research. In addition, through an online survey open to GP-TCM members and non-members, we polled opinions on grand priorities, challenges and opportunities in TCM research. Based on the poll, although consortium members and non-members had diverse opinions on the major challenges in the field, both groups agreed that high-quality efficacy/effectiveness and mechanistic studies are grand priorities and that the TCM legacy in general and its management of chronic diseases in particular represent grand opportunities. Consortium members cast their votes of confidence in omics and systems biology approaches to TCM research and believed that quality and pharmacovigilance of TCM products are not only grand priorities, but also grand challenges. Non-members, however, gave priority to integrative medicine, concerned on the impact of regulation of TCM practitioners and emphasised intersectoral collaborations in funding TCM research, especially clinical trials. The GP-TCM consortium made great efforts to address some fundamental issues in TCM research, including developing guidelines, as well as identifying priorities, challenges and opportunities. These consortium guidelines and consensus will need dissemination, validation and further development through continued interregional, interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations. To promote this, a new consortium, known as the GP-TCM Research Association, is being established to succeed the 3-year fixed term FP7 GP-TCM consortium and will be officially launched at the Final GP-TCM Congress in Leiden, the Netherlands, in April 2012. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Competing priorities that rival health in adults on probation in Rhode Island: substance use recovery, employment, housing, and food intake.

PubMed

Dong, Kimberly R; Must, Aviva; Tang, Alice M; Beckwith, Curt G; Stopka, Thomas J

2018-02-27

Individuals on probation experience economic disadvantage because their criminal records often prohibit gainful employment, which compromises their ability to access the basic components of wellbeing. Unemployment and underemployment have been studied as distinct phenomenon but no research has examined multiple determinants of health in aggregate or explored how these individuals prioritize each of these factors. This study identified and ranked competing priorities in adults on probation and qualitatively explored how these priorities impact health. We conducted in-depth interviews in 2016 with 22 adults on probation in Rhode Island to determine priority rankings of basic needs. We used Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory and the literature to guide the priorities we pre-selected for probationers to rank. Within a thematic analysis framework, we used a modified ranking approach to identify the priorities chosen by participants and explored themes related to the top four ranked priorities. We found that probationers ranked substance use recovery, employment, housing, and food intake as the top four priorities. Probationers in recovery reported sobriety as the most important issue, a necessary basis to be able to address other aspects of life. Participants also articulated the interrelatedness of difficulties in securing employment, food, and housing; these represent stressors for themselves and their families, which negatively impact health. Participants ranked healthcare last and many reported underinsurance as an issue to accessing care. Adults on probation are often faced with limited economic potential and support systems that consistently place them in high-risk environments with increased risk for recidivism. These findings emphasize the need for policies that address the barriers to securing gainful employment and safe housing. Interventions that reflect probationer priorities are necessary to begin to mitigate the health disparities in this population.

Personal needs versus national needs: public attitudes regarding health care priorities at the personal and national levels.

PubMed

Kaplan, Giora; Baron-Epel, Orna

2015-01-01

Many stakeholders have little or no confidence in the ability of the public to express their opinions on health policy issues. The claim often arises that lay people prioritize according to their own personal experiences and may lack the broad perspective necessary to understand the needs of the population at large. In order to test this claim empirically, this study compares the public's priorities regarding personal insurance to their priorities regarding allocation of national health resources. Thus, the study should shed light on the extent to which the public's priorities at the national level are a reflection of their priorities at the personal level. A telephone survey was conducted with a representative sample of the Israeli adult population aged 18 and over (n = 1,225). The public's priorities were assessed by asking interviewees to assume that they were the Minister of Health and from this point of view allocate an additional budget among various health areas. Their priorities at the personal level were assessed by asking interviewees to choose preferred items for inclusion in their personal supplementary health insurance. Over half of the respondents (54%) expressed different personal and national priorities. In multivariable logistic analysis, "population group" was the only variable found to be statistically significant; Jews were 1.8 times more likely than Arabs to give a similar response to both questions. Income level was of borderline significance. At least half of the population was able to differentiate between their personal needs and national policy needs. We do not advocate a decision-making process based on polls or referendums. However, we believe that people should be allowed to express their priorities regarding national policy issues, and that decision-makers should consider these as one of the factors used to determine policy decisions.

Setting research priorities across science, technology, and health sectors: the Tanzania experience.

PubMed

de Haan, Sylvia; Kingamkono, Rose; Tindamanyire, Neema; Mshinda, Hassan; Makandi, Harun; Tibazarwa, Flora; Kubata, Bruno; Montorzi, Gabriela

2015-03-12

Identifying research priorities is key to innovation and economic growth, since it informs decision makers on effectively targeting issues that have the greatest potential public benefit. As such, the process of setting research priorities is of pivotal importance for favouring the science, technology, and innovation (STI)-driven development of low- and middle-income countries. We report herein on a major cross-sectoral nationwide research priority setting effort recently carried out in Tanzania by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) in partnership with the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) and the NEPAD Agency. The first of its type in the country, the process brought together stakeholders from 42 sub-sectors in science, technology, and health. The cross-sectoral research priority setting process consisted of a 'training-of-trainers' workshop, a demonstration workshop, and seven priority setting workshops delivered to representatives from public and private research and development institutions, universities, non-governmental organizations, and other agencies affiliated to COSTECH. The workshops resulted in ranked listings of research priorities for each sub-sector, totalling approximately 800 priorities. This large number was significantly reduced by an expert panel in order to build a manageable instrument aligned to national development plans that could be used to guide research investments. The Tanzania experience is an instructive example of the challenges and issues to be faced in when attempting to identify research priority areas and setting an STI research agenda in low- and middle-income countries. As countries increase their investment in research, it is essential to increase investment in research management and governance as well, a key and much needed capacity for countries to make proper use of research investments.

Applying a global justice lens to health systems research ethics: an initial exploration.

PubMed

Pratt, Bridget; Hyder, Adnan A

2015-03-01

Recent scholarship has considered what, if anything, rich people owe to poor people to achieve justice in global health and the implications of this for international research. Yet this work has primarily focused on international clinical research. Health systems research is increasingly being performed in low and middle income countries and is essential to reducing global health disparities. This paper provides an initial description of the ethical issues related to priority setting, capacity-building, and the provision of post-study benefits that arise during the conduct of such research. It presents a selection of issues discussed in the health systems research literature and argues that they constitute ethical concerns based on their being inconsistent with a particular theory of global justice (the health capability paradigm). Issues identified include the fact that priority setting for health systems research at the global level is often not driven by national priorities and that capacity-building efforts frequently utilize one-size-fits-all approaches.

Diarrhoeal diseases and the global health agenda: measuring and changing priority.

PubMed

Bump, Jesse B; Reich, Michael R; Johnson, Anne M

2013-12-01

We investigate priority setting and the global health agenda by analysing the control of diarrhoeal diseases (CDD). CDD was one of the 'twin engines' of the 1980s' child survival movement, but now has a low priority on the global health agenda, even though diarrhoeal diseases still claim around 1.5 million children annually. In this article, we develop a framework and four indicators of priority to measure CDD's overall prominence on the global health agenda over the last three decades: trends in treatment coverage, changes in perceived priority, changes in financial support and institutional involvement and bibliographic trends. We find that CDD's priority is now one-sixth to one-third of its level in 1985. We then use political analysis to suggest strategies for reframing CDD as an issue and promoting its priority on the global health agenda.

Patient-Centred Care in Canada: Key Components and the Path Forward.

PubMed

Montague, Terrence; Gogovor, Amédé; Aylen, John; Ashley, Lisa; Ahmed, Sara; Martin, Lesli; Cochrane, Bonnie; Adams, Owen; Nemis-White, Joanna

2017-01-01

Canadians' health and its care continue to evolve. Chronic diseases affect more than 50% of our aging population, but the majority of public and professional stakeholders retain a sense of care quality. An emergent issue, however, is generating an increasingly wide debate. It is the concept of patient-centred care, including its definition of key components, and efficacy. To advance the evidence base, the 2013-2014 and 2016 Health Care in Canada (HCIC) surveys measured pan-stakeholder levels of support and implementation priorities for frequently proposed components of patient centricity in healthcare. The public's highest rated component was timely access to care, followed by perceived respect and caring in its delivery, with decisions made in partnership among patients and professional providers, and within a basic belief that care should be based on patients' needs versus their ability to pay. Health professionals' levels of support for key components largely overlapped the public's levels of support for key components, with an additional accent on care influenced by an evidence base and expert opinion. In terms of priority to actually implement enhanced patient-centred care options, timely access was universally dominant among all stakeholders. Caring, respectful care, also retained high implementation priority among both the public and professionals, as did care decisions made in partnership, and, among professionals, care driven by research and expert opinion. Low priorities, for both the public and professionals, were the actual measurements of patient-centred care delivery and its impact on outcomes. In summary, there is remarkable concordance among all stakeholders in terms of favoured interventions to enhance patient-centred care, namely, timely access, caring, partnering and communicative delivery of evidence-based care. Unfortunately, the lack of contemporary imperative around the value of measuring and reporting actual use and outcomes of favoured interventions means uncertainty of their efficacy will persist for the foreseeable future. Things can be better.

Generation of political priority for global surgery: a qualitative policy analysis.

PubMed

Shawar, Yusra Ribhi; Shiffman, Jeremy; Spiegel, David A

2015-08-01

Despite the high burden of surgical conditions, the provision of surgical services has been a low global health priority. We examined factors that have shaped priority for global surgical care. We undertook semi-structured interviews by telephone with members of global surgical networks and ministries of health to explore the challenges and opportunities surgeons, anaesthesiologists, and other proponents face in increasing global priority for surgery. We did a literature review and collected information from reports from organisations involved in surgery. We used a policy framework consisting of four categories-actor power, ideas, political contexts, and characteristics of the issue itself-to analyse factors that have shaped global political priority for surgery. We did a thematic analysis on the collected information. Several factors hinder the acquisition of attention and resources for global surgery. With respect to actor power, the global surgery community is fragmented, does not have unifying leadership, and is missing guiding institutions. Regarding ideas, community members disagree on how to address and publicly position the problem. With respect to political contexts, the community has made insufficient efforts to capitalise on political opportunities such as the Millennium Development Goals. Regarding issue characteristics, data on the burden of surgical diseases are limited and public misperceptions surrounding the cost and complexity of surgery are widespread. However, the community has several strengths that portend well for the acquisition of political support. These include the existence of networks deeply committed to the cause, the potential to link with global health priorities, and emerging research on the cost-effectiveness of some procedures. To improve global priority for surgery, proponents will need to create an effective governance structure that facilitates achievement of collective goals, generate consensus on solutions, and find an effective public positioning of the issue that attracts political support. None. Copyright © 2015 Shawar et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY-NC-ND. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[Comparison of different moxibustion techniques in clinical treatment of diseases based on data mining].

PubMed

Zhu, Xue-liang; Tan, Zhan-na; Li, Bo-ying; Wang, Jian-ling; Shi, Jing; Sun, Yan-hui; Li, Xiao- feng; Xu, Jing; Zhang, Xuan-ping; Zhang, Xin; Du, Yu-zhu; Jia, Chun-shieng

2014-09-01

To explore the specific efficacy of different moxibustion techniques in treatment of common diseases and clinical indications, and compare the specificity in clinical indications and efficacy among different moxibustion techniques so as to guide clinical practice better. The modern computerization and data mining technology were adopted to set up moxibustion literature database. The relevant literature of moxibustion techniques in recent 60 years were collected, screened, examined, extracted and analyzed statistically so as to explore the advantages of different moxibustion techniques in clinical treatment. (1) Of 2,516 literature, moxa stick, moxe cone and moxa device were used in the highest frequency in internal medicine department, for 730 times, 278 times and 102 times respectively. The warm needling technique was used in the highest frequency, for 70 times in the surgical department. (2) In the dermatology department, the curative rate with moxa cone was the highest, 75%. In the ear-nose-throat department, the warm needing technique and moxa device achieved the highest curative rate, 49% for both of them. In the internal medicine department and surgical department, the curative rate of warm needling technique was 53% and 58% respectively. In the gynecology department, the curative rate of moxa device was the highest, 59%. In the pediatrics department, the curative rate of moxa cone was the highest, 80%. (3) The numbers of priority disorders, frequency ≥20 times: 24 kinds of disease for moxa stick, five kinds of disease for moxa cone, 2 kinds of disease for warm needling technqiue and one disorder for moxa device. Facial paralysis, diarrhea, lumbar and leg pain and elbow and knee swelling pain were of the highest priority, treated with these 4 moxibustion techniques, with a certain of literature research values. (4) The warm needling technique achieved the better efficacy on elbow and knee swelling pain, lumbar and leg pain and diarrhea compared with the other three techniques and the curative rate was higher. The moxa device tecnique achieved the higher curative rate for facial paralysis compared with the other three techniques. Through the comparison of application frequency, curative rate, clinical application frequency in disorders and the efficacy of priority disorders in the treatment with different moxibustion techniques, it is found that moxa stick, moxa cone and moxa device are simple in manipulation, safe and effective. Hence, they can be extensively used in the treatment of common disorders in every department in clinic. The warm needling technique acts on the body by the co-work of needling and warming stimulation of mugwort. It achieves the particular effect on the disorders with complicated etiologies compared with the other three techniques. It can be chosen in priority for the disorders caused by blockage in meridian and collateral and stagnation of qi and blood.

Landscape level reforestation priorities for forest breeding landbirds in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Twedt, D.J.; Uihlein, W.B.; Fredrickson, L.H.; King, S.L.; Kaminski, R.M.

2005-01-01

Thousands of ha of cleared wetlands are being reforested annually in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Despite the expansive and long-term impacts of reforestation on the biological communities of the MAV, there is generally a lack of landscape level planning in its implementation. To address this deficiency we used raster-based digital data to assess the value of forest restoration to migratory landbirds for each ha within the MAV. Raster themes were developed that reflected distance from 3 existing forest cover parameters: (1) extant forest, (2) contiguous forest patches between 1,012 and 40,000 ha, and (3) forest cores with contiguous area 1 km from an agricultural, urban, or pastoral edge. Two additional raster themes were developed that combined information on the proportion of forest cover and average size of forest patches, respectively, within landscapes of 50,000, 100,000, 150,000, and 200,000 ha. Data from these 5 themes were amalgamated into a single raster using a weighting system that gave increased emphasis to existing forest cores, larger forest patches, and moderately forested landscapes while deemphasizing reforestation near small or isolated forest fragments and within largely agricultural landscapes. This amalgamated raster was then modified by the geographic location of historical forest cover and the current extent of public land ownership to assign a reforestation priority score to each ha in the MAV. However, because reforestation is not required on areas with extant forest cover and because restoration is unlikely on areas of open water and urban communities, these lands were not assigned a reforestation priority score. These spatially explicit reforestation priority scores were used to simulate reforestation of 368,000 ha (5%) of the highest priority lands in the MAV. Targeting restoration to these high priority areas resulted in a 54% increase in forest core - an area of forest core that exceeded the area of simulated reforestation. Bird Conservation Regions, developed within the framework of the Partners in Flight: Mississippi Alluvial Valley Bird Conservation Plan, encompassed a large proportion (circa 70%) of the area with highest priority for reforestation. Similarly, lands with high reforestation priority often were enrolled in the Wetland Reserve Program.

Fundamentals of Gas Turbine combustion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gerstein, M.

1979-01-01

Combustion problems and research recommendations are discussed in the areas of atomization and vaporization, combustion chemistry, combustion dynamics, and combustion modelling. The recommendations considered of highest priority in these areas are presented.

Liver transplant center variability in accepting organ offers and its impact on patient survival

PubMed Central

Goldberg, David S.; French, Benjamin; Lewis, James D.; Scott, Frank I; Mamtani, Ronac; Gilroy, Richard; Halpern, Scott D.; Abt, Peter L

2015-01-01

Background & Aims Despite an allocation system designed to give deceased-donor livers to the sickest patients, many transplantable livers are declined by U.S. transplant centers. It is unknown whether centers vary in their propensities to decline organs for the highest-priority patients, and how these decisions directly impact patient outcomes. Methods We analyzed Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) data from 5/1/07-6/17/13, and included all adult liver-alone waitlist candidates offered an organ that was ultimately transplanted. We evaluated acceptance rates of liver offers for the highest-ranked patients and their subsequent waitlist mortality. Results Of the 23,740 unique organ offers, 8,882 (37.4%) were accepted for the first-ranked patient. Despite adjusting for organ quality and recipient severity of illness, transplant centers within and across geographic regions varied strikingly (p<0.001) in the percentage of organ offers they accepted for the highest-priority patients. Among all patients ranked first on waitlists, the adjusted center-specific organ acceptance rates ranged from 15.7% to 58.1%. In multivariable models, there was a 27% increased odds of waitlist mortality for every 5% absolute decrease in a center’s adjusted organ offer acceptance rate (adjusted OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.20–1.32). However, the absolute difference in median 5-year adjusted graft survival was 4% between livers accepted for the first-ranked patient, compared to those declined and transplanted at a lower position. Discussion There is marked variability in center practices regarding accepting livers allocated to the highest-priority patients. Center-level decisions to decline organs substantially increased patients’ odds of dying on the waitlist without a transplant. PMID:26626495

7 CFR 1415.8 - Establishing priority for enrollment of properties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... conversion to uses other than grazing; (3) Plant and animal biodiversity; and (4) In ranking parcels offered... Directors may establish separate ranking pools to address, for example, specific conservation issues raised by State, regional, and national conservation priorities. (f) The NRCS State Conservationist and FSA...

40 CFR 47.125 - Eligible and priority projects and activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... environmental pollution problems; (3) Projects to understand and assess a specific environmental issue or a... activities. 47.125 Section 47.125 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT GRANTS § 47.125 Eligible and priority projects and...

40 CFR 47.125 - Eligible and priority projects and activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... environmental pollution problems; (3) Projects to understand and assess a specific environmental issue or a... activities. 47.125 Section 47.125 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT GRANTS § 47.125 Eligible and priority projects and...

40 CFR 47.125 - Eligible and priority projects and activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... environmental pollution problems; (3) Projects to understand and assess a specific environmental issue or a... activities. 47.125 Section 47.125 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT GRANTS § 47.125 Eligible and priority projects and...

40 CFR 47.125 - Eligible and priority projects and activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... environmental pollution problems; (3) Projects to understand and assess a specific environmental issue or a... activities. 47.125 Section 47.125 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT GRANTS § 47.125 Eligible and priority projects and...

40 CFR 47.125 - Eligible and priority projects and activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... environmental pollution problems; (3) Projects to understand and assess a specific environmental issue or a... activities. 47.125 Section 47.125 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT GRANTS § 47.125 Eligible and priority projects and...

2013 Workplace and Equal Opportunity Survey of Active Duty Members: Administration, Datasets, and Codebook

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

and Kroeger (2002) provide details on sampling and weighting. Following the summary of the survey methodology is a description of the survey analysis... description of priority, for the ADDRESS file). At any given time, the current address used corresponded to the address number with the highest priority...types of address updates provided by the postal service. They are detailed below; each includes a description of the processing steps. 1. Postal Non

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis for Delivery of Lung Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

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

Perks, Julian R., E-mail: julian.perks@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu; Stanic, Sinisa; Stern, Robin L.

2012-07-15

Purpose: To improve the quality and safety of our practice of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), we analyzed the process following the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) method. Methods: The FMEA was performed by a multidisciplinary team. For each step in the SBRT delivery process, a potential failure occurrence was derived and three factors were assessed: the probability of each occurrence, the severity if the event occurs, and the probability of detection by the treatment team. A rank of 1 to 10 was assigned to each factor, and then the multiplied ranks yielded the relative risks (risk priority numbers).more » The failure modes with the highest risk priority numbers were then considered to implement process improvement measures. Results: A total of 28 occurrences were derived, of which nine events scored with significantly high risk priority numbers. The risk priority numbers of the highest ranked events ranged from 20 to 80. These included transcription errors of the stereotactic coordinates and machine failures. Conclusion: Several areas of our SBRT delivery were reconsidered in terms of process improvement, and safety measures, including treatment checklists and a surgical time-out, were added for our practice of gantry-based image-guided SBRT. This study serves as a guide for other users of SBRT to perform FMEA of their own practice.« less

Listening for Prescriptions: A National Consultation on Pharmaceutical Policy Issues

PubMed Central

Morgan, Steve; Cunningham, Colleen M.

2010-01-01

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

Building on the Cornerstone: Destinations for Nearside Sample Return

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawrence, S. J.; Jolliff, B. L.; Draper, D.; Stopar, J. D.; Petro, N. E.; Cohen, B. A.; Speyerer, E. J.; Gruener, J. E.

2016-01-01

Discoveries from LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) have transformed our knowledge of the Moon, but LRO's instruments were originally designed to collect the measurements required to enable future lunar surface exploration. Compelling science questions and critical resources make the Moon a key destination for future human and robotic exploration. Lunar surface exploration, including rovers and other landed missions, must be part of a balanced planetary science and exploration portfolio. Among the highest planetary exploration priorities is the collection of new samples and their return to Earth for more comprehensive analysis than can be done in-situ. The Moon is the closest and most accessible location to address key science questions through targeted sample return. The Moon is the only other planet from which we have contextualized samples, yet critical issues need to be addressed: we lack important details of the Moon's early and recent geologic history, the full compositional and age ranges of its crust, and its bulk composition.

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Integrated Roadmap Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metcalf, Jordan L.; Carrasquillo, Robyn; Bagdigian, Bob; Peterson, Laurie

2011-01-01

This white paper documents a roadmap for development of Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) Systems (ECLSS) capabilities required to enable beyond-Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Exploration missions. In many cases, the execution of this Exploration-based roadmap will directly benefit International Space Station (ISS) operational capability by resolving known issues and/or improving overall system reliability. In addition, many of the resulting products will be applicable across multiple Exploration elements such as Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), Multi-Mission Space Exploration Vehicle (MMSEV), Deep Space Habitat (DSH), and Landers. Within the ECLS community, this white paper will be a unifying tool that will improve coordination of resources, common hardware, and technologies. It will help to align efforts to focus on the highest priority needs that will produce life support systems for future human exploration missions that will simply run in the background, requiring minimal crew interaction.

Municipal solid waste management in Malaysia: practices and challenges.

PubMed

Manaf, Latifah Abd; Samah, Mohd Armi Abu; Zukki, Nur Ilyana Mohd

2009-11-01

Rapid economic development and population growth, inadequate infrastructure and expertise, and land scarcity make the management of municipal solid waste become one of Malaysia's most critical environmental issues. The study is aimed at evaluating the generation, characteristics, and management of solid waste in Malaysia based on published information. In general, the per capita generation rate is about 0.5-0.8 kg/person/day in which domestic waste is the primary source. Currently, solid waste is managed by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, with the participation of the private sector. A new institutional and legislation framework has been structured with the objectives to establish a holistic, integrated, and cost-effective solid waste management system, with an emphasis on environmental protection and public health. Therefore, the hierarchy of solid waste management has given the highest priority to source reduction through 3R, intermediate treatment and final disposal.

Consumer design priorities for upper limb prosthetics.

PubMed

Biddiss, Elaine; Beaton, Dorcas; Chau, Tom

2007-11-01

To measure consumer satisfaction with upper limb prosthetics and provide an enumerated list of design priorities for future developments. A self-administered, anonymous survey collected information on participant demographics, history of and goals for prosthesis use, satisfaction, and design priorities. The questionnaire was available online and in paper format and was distributed through healthcare providers, community support groups, and one prosthesis manufacturer; 242 participants of all ages and levels of upper limb absence completed the survey. Rates of rejection for myoelectric hands, passive hands, and body-powered hooks were 39%, 53%, and 50%, respectively. Prosthesis wearers were generally satisfied with their devices while prosthesis rejecters were dissatisfied. Reduced prosthesis weight emerged as the highest priority design concern of consumers. Lower cost ranked within the top five design priorities for adult wearers of all device types. Life-like appearance is a priority for passive/cosmetic prostheses, while improved harness comfort, wrist movement, grip control and strength are required for body-powered devices. Glove durability, lack of sensory feedback, and poor dexterity were also identified as design priorities for electric devices. Design priorities reflect consumer goals for prosthesis use and vary depending on the type of prosthesis used and age. Future design efforts should focus on the development of more light-weight, comfortable prostheses.

Research Priorities for NCD Prevention and Climate Change: An International Delphi Survey

PubMed Central

Colagiuri, Ruth; Boylan, Sinead; Morrice, Emily

2015-01-01

Climate change and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are arguably the greatest global challenges of the 21st Century. However, the confluence between them remains under-examined and there is little evidence of a comprehensive, systematic approach to identifying research priorities to mitigate their joint impact. Consequently, we: (i) convened a workshop of academics (n = 25) from the Worldwide Universities Network to identify priority areas at the interface between NCDs and climate change; (ii) conducted a Delphi survey of international opinion leaders in public health and relevant other disciplines; and (iii) convened an expert panel to review and advise on final priorities. Three research areas (water security; transport; conceptualising NCD harms to support policy formation) were listed among the top 10 priorities by >90% of Delphi respondents, and ranked among the top 12 priorities by >60% of respondents who ranked the order of priority. A fourth area (reducing the carbon footprint of cities) was ranked highest by the same >60% of respondents. Our results are consistent with existing frameworks on health and climate change, and extends them by focusing specifically on NCDs. Researching these priorities could progress understanding of climate change and NCDs, and inform global and national policy decisions for mitigating associated harms. PMID:26501301

15 CFR 700.63 - Letters of Understanding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Letters of Understanding. 700.63... DEFENSE PRIORITIES AND ALLOCATIONS SYSTEM Official Actions § 700.63 Letters of Understanding. (a) A Letter of Understanding is an official action which may be issued in resolving special priorities assistance...

37 CFR 2.96 - Issue; burden of proof.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Issue; burden of proof. 2.96... COMMERCE RULES OF PRACTICE IN TRADEMARK CASES Interferences and Concurrent Use Proceedings § 2.96 Issue; burden of proof. The issue in an interference between applications is normally priority of use, but the...

Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanser, Steven E.; Manier, Daniel J.

2013-01-01

The condition of the sagebrush ecosystem has been declining in the Western United States, and greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a sagebrush-obligate species, has experienced concurrent decreases in distribution and population numbers. This has prompted substantial research and management over the past two decades to improve the understanding of sage-grouse and its habitats and to address the observed decreases in distribution and population numbers. The amount of research and management has increased as the year 2015 approaches, which is when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is expected to make a final decision about whether or not to protect the species under the Endangered Species Act. In 2012, the Sage-Grouse Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) of the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) requested that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) lead the development of a Greater Sage-Grouse National Research Strategy (hereafter Research Strategy). This request was motivated by a practical need to systematically connect existing research and conservation plans with persisting or emerging information needs. Managers and researchers also wanted to reduce redundancy and help focus limited funds on the highest priority research and management issues. The USGS undertook the development of this Research Strategy, which addresses information and science relating to the greater sage-grouse and its habitat across portions of 11 Western States. This Research Strategy provides an outline of important research topics to ensure that science information gaps are identified and documented in a comprehensive manner. Further, by identifying priority topics and critical information needed for planning, research, and resource management, it provides a structure to help coordinate members of an expansive research and management community in their efforts to conduct priority research.

Proceedings of the International Conference on Defense Cooperation (5th) Held in Washington, DC on 31 January-1 February 1980.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-01

weighted according to priorities. Based on the military mission, priorities should be set where the use of advanced technology promises the highest defense...particular sizes, weights , capabilities should be assigned and which particular company should take the lead. It is a rather wider picture than just...directed at competi- tion, as such, but at the loss of time and money and the failure to achieve the requisite level of interoperability in Europe. I

Toward an understanding of global change: Initial priorities for US contributions to the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

A limited number of high-priority research initiatives are recommended for early implementation as part of the U.S. contribution to the preparatory phase of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program. The recommendations are based on the committee's analysis of the most critical gaps in the scientific knowledge needed to understand the changes that are occurring in the earth system not being addressed by existing programs. The report articulates a number of important key issues and interactions that characterize global change in the geosphere-biosphere system on time scales of decades to centuries; identifies the knowledge that is the most urgently needed to improve understanding of those issues and interactions; and formulates initial priorities for initial U.S. contributions to the IGBP, recognizing the contributions of other ongoing and proposed programs.

Providing health information for culturally and linguistically diverse women: priorities and preferences of new migrants and refugees.

PubMed

Lee, Susan K; Sulaiman-Hill, Cheryl M R; Thompson, Sandra C

2013-08-01

Preferences for topics and means of access to health information among newly arrived, culturally and linguistically diverse women in Perth, Western Australia, were explored. A mixed-methods approach was adopted. Qualitative material obtained from focus groups and interviews with 22 service providers and 26 migrant women was used to develop a questionnaire, which was then administered to 268 newly arrived migrant and refugee women from 50 countries. Participants' information and support priorities were ascertained from a ranking exercise conducted in a non-threatening context. Responses of migrant and refugee women were compared quantitatively. Women's top priorities for information and support included employment advice, as well as information regarding mental health issues, women's health, exercise and nutrition, family violence and alcohol and other drug issues. Their preferred methods for receiving information were interactive talks or presentations, with written material support. Audiovisual and Web-based material were also considered useful. There were differences between refugee women's and other migrants' preferences for means of receiving information and topics of most concern. The use of a non-threatening ranking process encouraged women to prioritise sensitive topics, such as family violence, and revealed a need for such topics to be incorporated within general health information presentations. Internet-based technologies are becoming increasingly important methods for disseminating information to migrant women. SO WHAT? Differences between migrant and refugee women's priority health issues and their preferred methods for receiving information highlight the desirability of tailoring information to particular groups. Although advice on employment pathways and mental health concerns were top priorities, the study revealed a need for more discussion on other sensitive topics, such as family violence and alcohol-related issues, and that ideally these should be incorporated into general information sessions to destigmatise attendance The increasing relevance of computer technology and social media for information dissemination was also of note.

The setting of standards for agricultural nitrogen emissions: a case study of the Delphi technique.

PubMed

Angus, A J; Hodge, I D; McNally, S; Sutton, M A

2003-12-01

The Delphi technique is a means of aggregating the judgement of a panel of experts in order to improve the quality of decision-making. This paper provides a case study of the technique by undertaking a three-round Delphi study to determine a package of best available techniques to reduce nitrogen emissions from a poultry unit under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (IPPC). Forms of nitrogen addressed included ammonia (NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O) nitrogen oxides (NOx), dusts and nitrate (NO3-), with the study providing a means to prioritise the pollution concerns on different spatial scales. The priority pollutant issues were the contribution of NH3 to eutrophication, the global cooling effect of NH4+ aerosol, the role of NH4+ as a vector for atmospheric transport of NOx and SO2, the contribution of N2O to global warming, and NO3- leaching. Reduced nitrogen (NHx) was rated as a priority on all scales, while N2O and NO3- were rated as priorities only on global and local scales, respectively. The study indicated the need for abatement techniques at each stage of poultry rearing and waste management, with particular attention to reduce NH3 emissions, reflecting the priority pollutant concerns. Measures identified by the panel include maintenance of dry litter, low emission removal of litter from housing and storage of litter under cover. Once the litter has left the farm, this should either be used as a biofuel for electricity generation or rapidly incorporated into agricultural soils. The amounts and timing of manure application should be tuned to crop needs. Uncertainties in the Delphi technique limit its suitability as a stand-alone decision making tool. However, the Delphi technique proved useful in identifying priority pollutant issues, areas of agreement, disagreement and where information is lacking. This demonstrates its use when dealing with the complex issues of prioritising pollution issues and abatement approaches.

The relationship between budget allocated and budget utilized of faculties in an academic institution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziz, Wan Noor Hayatie Wan Abdul; Aziz, Rossidah Wan Abdul; Shuib, Adibah; Razi, Nor Faezah Mohamad

2014-06-01

Budget planning enables an organization to set priorities towards achieving certain goals and to identify the highest priorities to be accomplished with the available funds, thus allowing allocation of resources according to the set priorities and constraints. On the other hand, budget execution and monitoring enables allocated funds or resources to be utilized as planned. Our study concerns with investigating the relationship between budget allocation and budget utilization of faculties in a public university in Malaysia. The focus is on the university's operations management financial allocation and utilization based on five categories which are emolument expenditure, academic or services and supplies expenditure, maintenance expenditure, student expenditure and others expenditure. The analysis on financial allocation and utilization is performed based on yearly quarters. Data collected include three years faculties' budget allocation and budget utilization performance involving a sample of ten selected faculties of a public university in Malaysia. Results show that there are positive correlation and significant relationship between quarterly budget allocation and quarterly budget utilization. This study found that emolument give the highest contribution to the total allocation and total utilization for all quarters. This paper presents some findings based on statistical analysis conducted which include descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.

Exploring key factors in online shopping with a hybrid model.

PubMed

Chen, Hsiao-Ming; Wu, Chia-Huei; Tsai, Sang-Bing; Yu, Jian; Wang, Jiangtao; Zheng, Yuxiang

2016-01-01

Nowadays, the web increasingly influences retail sales. An in-depth analysis of consumer decision-making in the context of e-business has become an important issue for internet vendors. However, factors affecting e-business are complicated and intertwined. To stimulate online sales, understanding key influential factors and causal relationships among the factors is important. To gain more insights into this issue, this paper introduces a hybrid method, which combines the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) with the analytic network process, called DANP method, to find out the driving factors that influence the online business mostly. By DEMATEL approach the causal graph showed that "online service" dimension has the highest degree of direct impact on other dimensions; thus, the internet vendor is suggested to made strong efforts on service quality throughout the online shopping process. In addition, the study adopted DANP to measure the importance of key factors, among which "transaction security" proves to be the most important criterion. Hence, transaction security should be treated with top priority to boost the online businesses. From our study with DANP approach, the comprehensive information can be visually detected so that the decision makers can spotlight on the root causes to develop effectual actions.

Improving effectiveness of systematic conservation planning with density data.

PubMed

Veloz, Samuel; Salas, Leonardo; Altman, Bob; Alexander, John; Jongsomjit, Dennis; Elliott, Nathan; Ballard, Grant

2015-08-01

Systematic conservation planning aims to design networks of protected areas that meet conservation goals across large landscapes. The optimal design of these conservation networks is most frequently based on the modeled habitat suitability or probability of occurrence of species, despite evidence that model predictions may not be highly correlated with species density. We hypothesized that conservation networks designed using species density distributions more efficiently conserve populations of all species considered than networks designed using probability of occurrence models. To test this hypothesis, we used the Zonation conservation prioritization algorithm to evaluate conservation network designs based on probability of occurrence versus density models for 26 land bird species in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. We assessed the efficacy of each conservation network based on predicted species densities and predicted species diversity. High-density model Zonation rankings protected more individuals per species when networks protected the highest priority 10-40% of the landscape. Compared with density-based models, the occurrence-based models protected more individuals in the lowest 50% priority areas of the landscape. The 2 approaches conserved species diversity in similar ways: predicted diversity was higher in higher priority locations in both conservation networks. We conclude that both density and probability of occurrence models can be useful for setting conservation priorities but that density-based models are best suited for identifying the highest priority areas. Developing methods to aggregate species count data from unrelated monitoring efforts and making these data widely available through ecoinformatics portals such as the Avian Knowledge Network will enable species count data to be more widely incorporated into systematic conservation planning efforts. © 2015, Society for Conservation Biology.

Setting priorities for surveillance, prevention, and control of zoonoses in Bogotá, Colombia.

PubMed

Cediel, Natalia; Villamil, Luis Carlos; Romero, Jaime; Renteria, Libardo; De Meneghi, Daniele

2013-05-01

To establish priorities for zoonoses surveillance, prevention, and control in Bogotá, Colombia. A Delphi panel of experts in veterinary and human medicine was conducted using a validated prioritization method to assess the importance of 32 selected zoonoses. This exercise was complemented by a questionnaire survey, using the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) methodology, administered in 19 districts of Bogotá from September 2009 to April 2010 to an at-risk population (workers at veterinary clinics; pet shops; butcher shops; and traditional food markets that sell poultry, meat, cheese, and eggs). A risk indicator based on level of knowledge about zoonoses was constructed using categorical principal component and logistic regression analyses. Twelve experts participated in the Delphi panel. The diseases scored as highest priority were: influenza A(H1N1), salmonellosis, Escherichia coli infection, leptospirosis, and rabies. The diseases scored as lowest priority were: ancylostomiasis, scabies, ringworm, and trichinellosis. A total of 535 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Respondents claimed to have had scabies (21%), fungi (8%), brucellosis (8%), and pulicosis (8%). Workers with the most limited knowledge on zoonoses and therefore the highest health risk were those who 1) did not have a professional education, 2) had limited or no zoonoses prevention training, and 3) worked in Usme, Bosa, or Ciudad Bolívar districts. According to the experts, influenza A(H1N1) was the most important zoonoses. Rabies, leptospirosis, brucellosis, and toxoplasmosis were identified as priority diseases by both the experts and the exposed workers. This is the first prioritization exercise focused on zoonoses surveillance, prevention, and control in Colombia. These results could be used to guide decision-making for resource allocation in public health.

High Priority Future Research Needs for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Diagnosis and Treatment

PubMed Central

Patel, Kamal; Moorthy, Denish; Chan, Jeffrey A.; Concannon, Thomas W.; Ratichek, Sara J.; Chung, Mei; Balk, Ethan M.

2013-01-01

Study Objectives: To identify and prioritize future research needs (FRN) topics for diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods: Twenty-one panel members represented six stake-holder categories: patients and the public, providers; purchasers of health care, payers, policymakers, and principal investigators. Building on a recently completed comparative effectiveness review, stakeholders nominated and discussed potential FRN topics. Stakeholders then nominated their top priority FRN topics based on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Effective Health Care Program Selection Criteria. From these nominations, the highest priority FRN topics were determined and were elaborated upon to include possible study designs to address the topics. Results: Thirty-seven topics were discussed and prioritized. The nine highest priority FRN topics included: cost-effectiveness of management strategies, defining age- and sex-specific criteria for OSA, evaluating routine preoperative screening for OSA, evaluating involvement of a sleep medicine specialist in diagnosis of OSA, evaluating clinical prediction rules, assessing the effect of treating sleep disordered breathing and long-term clinical outcomes, comparing treatments for patients who do not tolerate positive airway pressure, evaluating strategies to improve treatment compliance, and evaluating the association between sleep apnea severity and long-term clinical outcomes. Conclusions: While there are numerous specific research questions with low or insufficient strength of evidence for OSA management, OSA patients, their healthcare providers, and society at large would benefit from refocusing research efforts into the prioritized research questions and away from simple comparisons of short-term outcomes between specific interventions. Citation: Patel K; Moorthy D; Chan JA; Concannon TW. High priority future research needs for obstructive sleep apnea diagnosis and treatment. J Clin Sleep Med 2013;9(4):395-402. PMID:23585757

Assessment of perceived injury risks and priorities among truck drivers and trucking companies in Washington State.

PubMed

Spielholz, Peregrin; Cullen, Jennifer; Smith, Caroline; Howard, Ninica; Silverstein, Barbara; Bonauto, David

2008-01-01

The trucking industry experiences one of the highest work-related injury rates. Little work has been conducted previously in the United States to assess the hazards, needs, and injury prevention priorities in trucking. Two separate industry-wide surveys of 359 trucking companies and 397 commercial truck drivers were conducted in Washington State. Trucking companies and drivers both ranked musculoskeletal and slip, trip, fall injuries as the top two priorities. Controlling heavy lifting, using appropriate equipment, and addressing slippery surfaces were frequently listed as solutions. There appears to be a gap in safety climate perception between workers and employers. However, driver and company priorities agreed with industry workers' compensation claims. There is room for safety program management improvement in the industry. The study findings detail opportunities for prioritizing and reducing injuries. This information can be used to focus and design interventions for the prevention of work-related injuries while improving industry competitiveness.

Health policy and systems research agendas in developing countries.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Block, Miguel A

2004-08-05

BACKGROUND: Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is an international public good with potential to orient investments and performance at national level. Identifying research trends and priorities at international level is therefore important. This paper offers a conceptual framework and defines the HPSR portfolio as a set of research projects under implementation. The research portfolio is influenced by factors external to the research system as well as internal to it. These last include the capacity of research institutions, the momentum of research programs, funding opportunities and the influence of stakeholder priorities and public opinion. These dimensions can vary in their degree of coordination, leading to a complementary or a fragmented research portfolio. OBJECTIVE: The main objective is to identify the themes currently being pursued in the research portfolio and agendas within developing countries and to quantify their frequency in an effort to identify current research topics and their underlying influences. METHODS: HPSR topics being pursued by developing country producer institutions and their perceived priorities were identified through a survey between 2000 and 2002. The response to a call for letters of intent issued by the Alliance in 2000 for a broad range of topics was also analyzed. The institutions that were the universe of this study consisted of the 176 institutional partners of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research producing research in low and middle income countries outside Europe. HPSR topics as well as the beneficiaries or issues and the health problems addressed were content analyzed. Topics were classified into 19 categories and their frequency analyzed across groups of countries with similar per capita income. Agendas were identified by analyzing the source of funding and of project initiation for projects under implementation. RESULTS: The highest ranking topic at the aggregate level is "Sector analysis", followed by "Disease burden" and "Management and organization". Categories at the bottom of this ranking are "Equity", "Policy process", "Economic policy and health" and "Information systems". "Disease burden" is more often funded than other topics for which there is more demand or perceived priority. Analysis suggests few although important differences across priorities, demand for funding and actual project funding. The donors' agenda coincides most with the ranking of research topics overall.Ranking across country income groups shows important differences. Topics that gain prominence in low income countries are "Disease burden" and "Accessibility". In lower middle income countries "Insurance" gains prominence. In upper middle income countries "Decentralization/local health systems", "Equity" and "Policy process" are more prominent. "Program evaluation" is the most consistently ranked topic across income regions, showing a neutral influence by donors, governments or researchers. CONCLUSIONS: The framework proposed offers a basis to identify and contrast research needs, projects and products at the international level and to identify the actor agendas and their influence. Research gaps are suggested when comparing topic ranking against the challenges to health system strengthening and scaling up of disease control programs. Differences across per capita income groups suggests the need for differentiated priority setting mechanisms guiding international support. Data suggests that stakeholders have different agendas, and that donors predominate in determining the research portfolio. High-level consensus building at the national and international levels is necessary to ensure that the diverse agendas play a complementary role in support of health system objectives.The Ministerial Summit for Health Research to be held in Mexico in November 2004 should be an opportunity to analyze further data and to commit funding for priorities identified through sharing and discussion of agendas.

"Critical Issues, Essential Priorities." Conference Papers. Australian Council for Adult Literacy National Conference (18th, Bundoora, Victoria, November 23-25, 1995).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palfreeman, Annabel, Ed.

These proceedings contain the following papers: "Linking Industry Training with Language and Literacy" (Cassandra Parkinson); "Numeracy: Essential and a Priority? An ANT's (Adult Numeracy Teacher's) Journey" (Dave Tout); "Teaching, Learning and Assessment: An Essential Symbiosis" (David Clarke); "The Politics of…

A Survey of Public Policy Priorities at Independent Two-Year Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelham, Peter; Fadil, Virginia

The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities conducted a survey to determine the priority of public policy issues at independent two-year colleges. A questionnaire was sent to presidents of 171 accredited institutions, with a 68% response return. Major findings included the following: (1) Basic Grants, College Work-Study…

12 CFR 627.2750 - Priority of claims-banks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... accordance with priorities of applicable Federal or State law. (g) All claims of holders of bonds issued by... claims of holders of consolidated and System-wide bonds and all claims of the other Farm Credit banks arising from their payments on consolidated and System-wide bonds pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 2155 or pursuant...

12 CFR 627.2750 - Priority of claims-banks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... accordance with priorities of applicable Federal or State law. (g) All claims of holders of bonds issued by... claims of holders of consolidated and System-wide bonds and all claims of the other Farm Credit banks arising from their payments on consolidated and System-wide bonds pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 2155 or pursuant...

12 CFR 627.2750 - Priority of claims-banks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... accordance with priorities of applicable Federal or State law. (g) All claims of holders of bonds issued by... claims of holders of consolidated and System-wide bonds and all claims of the other Farm Credit banks arising from their payments on consolidated and System-wide bonds pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 2155 or pursuant...

Incorporating Global Information Security and Assurance in I.S. Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Garry L.; Hewitt, Barbara; Kruck, S. E.

2013-01-01

Over the years, the news media has reported numerous information security incidents. Because of identity theft, terrorism, and other criminal activities, President Obama has made information security a national priority. Not only is information security and assurance an American priority, it is also a global issue. This paper discusses the…

75 FR 21006 - Town Hall Discussion With the Director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

... Radiological Health (CDRH) fiscal year (FY) 2010 priorities. In addition, FDA is interested in engaging in... information and discuss issues of importance to the medical device industry. CDRH is specifically interested... through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background CDRH has announced four priority areas of...

75 FR 40844 - Town Hall Discussion With the Director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-14

... Radiological Health (CDRH) Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Priorities. In addition, FDA is interested in engaging in... and discuss issues of importance to the medical device industry. CDRH is specifically interested in... through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background CDRH has announced four priority areas of...

Burden of Disease Study and Priority Setting in Korea: an Ethical Perspective

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

When thinking about priority setting in access to healthcare resources, decision-making requires that cost-effectiveness is balanced against medical ethics. The burden of disease has emerged as an important approach to the assessment of health needs for political decision-making. However, the disability adjusted life years approach hides conceptual and methodological issues regarding the claims and value of disabled people. In this article, we discuss ethical issues that are raised as a consequence of the introduction of evidence-based health policy, such as economic evidence, in establishing resource allocation priorities. In terms of ethical values in health priority setting in Korea, there is no reliable rationale for the judgment used in decision-making as well as for setting separate and distinct priorities for different government bodies. An important question, therefore, is which ethical values guiding the practice of decision-making should be reconciled with the economic evidence found in Korean healthcare. The health technology assessment core model from the European network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) project is a good example of incorporating ethical values into decision-making. We suggest that a fair distribution of scarce healthcare resources in South Korea can be achieved by considering the ethical aspects of healthcare. PMID:27775247

Research priorities in occupational health in Italy

PubMed Central

Iavicoli, S; Marinaccio, A; Vonesch, N; Ursini, C; Grandi, C; Palmi, S

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To find a broad consensus on research priorities and strategies in the field of occupational health and safety in Italy.
METHODS—A two phase questionnaire survey was based on the Delphi technique previously described in other reports. 310 Occupational safety and health specialists (from universities and local health units) were given an open questionnaire (to identify three priority research areas). The data obtained from respondents (175, 56.4%) were then used to draw up a list of 27 priority topics grouped together into five macrosectors. Each of these was given a score ranging from 1 (of little importance) to 5 ( extremely important). With the mean scores obtained from a total of 203 respondents (65.4%), it was possible to place the 27 topics in rank order according to a scale of priorities.
RESULTS—Among the macrosectors, first place was given to the question of methodological approach to research in this field, and for individual topics, occupational carcinogenesis and quality in occupational medicine were ranked first and second, respectively. The question of exposure to low doses of environmental pollutants and multiple exposures ranked third among the priorities; the development of adequate and effective approaches and methods for worker education and participation in prevention was also perceived as being an important issue (fourth place).
CONCLUSIONS—This study (the first of its kind in Italy) enabled us to achieve an adequate degree of consensus on research priorities related to the protection of occupational health and safety. Disparities in the mean scores of some of the issues identified overall as being research priorities, seem to be linked both to geographical area and to whether respondents worked in local health units or universities. This finding requires debate and further analysis.


Keywords: research priorities; occupational health; strategies PMID:11303082

Community-university partnerships: achieving the promise in the face of changing goals, changing funding patterns, and competing priorities.

PubMed

Silka, Linda; Toof, Robin; Turcotte, David; Villareal, Julie; Buxbaum, Laura; Renault-Caragianes, Paulette

2008-01-01

An important challenge that community-university partnerships face is how to maintain themselves in the face of changing goals, priorities, and funding. Partnerships often form as a result of some sort of "spark:" an incident, perhaps, or the identification of a shared need or common concern. Often, external funding is sought to provide the majority of resources for the establishment of a partnership and for the implementation of the partnership's action plan. Whatever external funding is obtained is typically of short duration. The funding will not continue over time. And usually the funding comes with stipulations about allowable partnership approaches; inevitably the priorities of one funder will differ from those of another. These issues of the maintenance of partnership in the face of shifting funding and priorities are ones that confront most community-university partnerships. This article examines these issues through the lens of an environmental justice partnership that has existed for nearly a decade, has undergone many changes in who is involved, and has operated with funding from many different sources, including the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, the entities in the partnerships, while they share certain environmental objectives, are sometimes at odds on particular goals when the needs of the agencies differ. Further complicating this issue of continuity is the reality that partners, on occasion, must shift priorities after partnership goals are established. The experiences of this environmental justice partnership shed light on the kinds of struggles community-university partnerships face when they hope to avoid being undermined by the larger concerns of the funders or by the power brokers in their individual organizations. This article examines approaches that community-university partnerships might take to remain resilient in the face of changing goals, priorities and funding.

Emergency medical dispatch priority in chest pain patients due to life threatening conditions: A cohort study examining circadian variations and impact of the education.

PubMed

Rawshani, Araz; Rawshani, Nina; Gelang, Carita; Andersson, Jan-Otto; Larsson, Anna; Bång, Angela; Herlitz, Johan; Gellerstedt, Martin

2017-06-01

We examined the accuracy in assessments of emergency dispatchers according to their education and time of the day. We examined this in chest pain patients who were diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening condition (LTC) or died within 30days. Among 2205 persons, 482 died, 1631 experienced an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 1914 had a LTC. Multivariable logistic regression was used to study how time of the call and the dispatcher's education were associated with the risk of missing to give priority 1 (the highest). Among patients who died, a 7-fold increase in odds of missing to give priority 1 was noted at 1.00pm, as compared with midnight. Compared with assistant nurses, odds ratio for dispatchers with no (medical) training was 0.34 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.77). Among patients with an ACS, odds ratio for calls arriving before lunch was 2.02 (95% CI 1.22 to 3.43), compared with midnight. Compared with assistant nurses, odds ratio for operators with no training was 0.23 (95% CI 0.13 to 0.40). Similar associations were noted for those with any LTC. Dispatcher's education was not associated with the patient's survival. In this group of patients, which experience substantial mortality and morbidity, the risk of not obtaining highest dispatch priority was increased up to 7-fold during lunchtime. Dispatch operators without medical education had the lowest risk, compared with nurses and assistant nurses, of missing to give priority 1, at the expense of lower positive predictive value. What is already known about this subject? Use of the emergency medical service (EMS) increases survival among patients with acute coronary syndromes. It is unknown whether the efficiency - as judged by the ability to identify life-threatening cases among patients with chest pain - varies according to the dispatcher's educational level and the time of day. What does this study add? We provide evidence that the dispatcher's education does not influence survival among patients calling the EMS due to chest discomfort. However, medically educated dispatchers are at greatest risk of missing to identify life-threatening cases, which is explained by more parsimonious use of the highest dispatch priority. We also show that the risk of missing life-threatening cases is at highest around lunch time. How might this impact on clinical practice? Dispatch centers are operated differently all over the world and chest discomfort is one of the most frequent symptoms encountered; we provide evidence that it is safe to operate a dispatch center without medically trained personnel, who actually miss fewer cases of acute coronary syndromes. However, non-medically trained dispatchers consume more pre-hospital resources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Revised Risk Priority Number in Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Model from the Perspective of Healthcare System

PubMed Central

Rezaei, Fatemeh; Yarmohammadian, Mohmmad H.; Haghshenas, Abbas; Fallah, Ali; Ferdosi, Masoud

2018-01-01

Background: Methodology of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is known as an important risk assessment tool and accreditation requirement by many organizations. For prioritizing failures, the index of “risk priority number (RPN)” is used, especially for its ease and subjective evaluations of occurrence, the severity and the detectability of each failure. In this study, we have tried to apply FMEA model more compatible with health-care systems by redefining RPN index to be closer to reality. Methods: We used a quantitative and qualitative approach in this research. In the qualitative domain, focused groups discussion was used to collect data. A quantitative approach was used to calculate RPN score. Results: We have studied patient's journey in surgery ward from holding area to the operating room. The highest priority failures determined based on (1) defining inclusion criteria as severity of incident (clinical effect, claim consequence, waste of time and financial loss), occurrence of incident (time - unit occurrence and degree of exposure to risk) and preventability (degree of preventability and defensive barriers) then, (2) risks priority criteria quantified by using RPN index (361 for the highest rate failure). The ability of improved RPN scores reassessed by root cause analysis showed some variations. Conclusions: We concluded that standard criteria should be developed inconsistent with clinical linguistic and special scientific fields. Therefore, cooperation and partnership of technical and clinical groups are necessary to modify these models. PMID:29441184

Research Priorities for Economic Analyses of Prevention: Current Issues & Future Directions

PubMed Central

Crowley, D. Max; Hill, Laura Griner; Kuklinski, Margaret R.; Jones, Damon E.

2013-01-01

In response to growing interest in economic analyses of prevention efforts, a diverse group of prevention researchers, economists, and policy analysts convened a scientific panel, on “Research Priorities in Economic Analysis of Prevention” at the 19th annual conference of the Society for Prevention Research. The panel articulated four priorities that, if followed in future research, would make economic analyses of prevention efforts easier to compare and more relevant to policymakers, and community stakeholders. These priorities are: (1) increased standardization of evaluation methods, (2) improved economic valuation of common prevention outcomes, (3) expanded efforts to maximize evaluation generalizability and impact, as well as (4) enhanced transparency and communicability of economic evaluations. In this paper we define three types of economic analyses in prevention, provide context and rationale for these four priorities as well as related sub-priorities, and discuss the challenges inherent in meeting them. PMID:23963624

Long-term bridge performance high priority bridge performance issues.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-10-01

Bridge performance is a multifaceted issue involving performance of materials and protective systems, : performance of individual components of the bridge, and performance of the structural system as a whole. The : Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP)...

Civil Aviation Research and Development /CARD/ Policy Study.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Syvertson, C. A.

1971-01-01

The results of the study lead to a number of conclusions regarding priority areas for R and D. It was found that aircraft noise abatement deserves highest priority because of widespread concern for the environment and because the success of the noise-abatement program will affect the solutions to other problems. Congestion is next on the list of priority problems. Its solution will involve an organized effort directed at the combination of air traffic control, runway capacity, ground control of aircraft, terminal processing, access and egress, parking, and airport location, acquisition, and development. A new short-haul system could help relieve congestion at existing airports. Constant improvements in technology for long-haul vehicles and their propulsion systems are essential to continued U.S. leadership.

Priority-setting for achieving universal health coverage

PubMed Central

Chalkidou, Kalipso; Glassman, Amanda; Marten, Robert; Vega, Jeanette; Tritasavit, Nattha; Gyansa-Lutterodt, Martha; Seiter, Andreas; Kieny, Marie Paule; Hofman, Karen; Culyer, Anthony J

2016-01-01

Abstract Governments in low- and middle-income countries are legitimizing the implementation of universal health coverage (UHC), following a United Nation’s resolution on UHC in 2012 and its reinforcement in the sustainable development goals set in 2015. UHC will differ in each country depending on country contexts and needs, as well as demand and supply in health care. Therefore, fundamental issues such as objectives, users and cost–effectiveness of UHC have been raised by policy-makers and stakeholders. While priority-setting is done on a daily basis by health authorities – implicitly or explicitly – it has not been made clear how priority-setting for UHC should be conducted. We provide justification for explicit health priority-setting and guidance to countries on how to set priorities for UHC. PMID:27274598

DEVELOPMENT OF A METHOD TO DESIGN A LOW-CARBON SOCIETY IN SMALL COMMUNITY AND ITS APPLICATION TO PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Yuri; Simson, Janice. J.; Gomi, Kei; Matsuoka, Yuzuru

In this study, we developed the method to design Low-carbon society for small communities almost without industry, with regarding of costs for countermeasures. Then we applied it to Putrajaya, Malaysia, and estimate Socio-economic indicators, energy demand, CO2 emission in year 2007 and 2025. For countermeasure case in 2025, we set three cases according to their priority; Transport, Renewable energy, Building, and calculated costs for countermeasures also. As a result, it was shown that it is possible to reduce 45% of CO2 emission by 2025 compared to 2007 level. Renewable energy priority case needs the highest cost, and Building and Transport was estimated to be the second and third highest. C-ExSS will help more realistic discussion on the policy and countermeasures for developing low-carbon society based on their costs.

Modernizing sports facilities

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

Dustin, R.

Modernization and renovation of sports facilities challenge the design team to balance a number of requirements: spectator and owner expectations, existing building and site conditions, architectural layouts, code and legislation issues, time constraints and budget issues. System alternatives are evaluated and selected based on the relative priorities of these requirements. These priorities are unique to each project. At Alexander Memorial Coliseum, project schedules, construction funds and facility usage became the priorities. The ACC basketball schedule and arrival of the Centennial Olympics dictated the construction schedule. Initiation and success of the project depended on the commitment of the design team tomore » meet coliseum funding levels established three years ago. Analysis of facility usage and system alternative capabilities drove the design team to select a system that met the project requirements and will maximize the benefits to the owner and spectators for many years to come.« less

A human reliability based usability evaluation method for safety-critical software

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

Boring, R. L.; Tran, T. Q.; Gertman, D. I.

2006-07-01

Boring and Gertman (2005) introduced a novel method that augments heuristic usability evaluation methods with that of the human reliability analysis method of SPAR-H. By assigning probabilistic modifiers to individual heuristics, it is possible to arrive at the usability error probability (UEP). Although this UEP is not a literal probability of error, it nonetheless provides a quantitative basis to heuristic evaluation. This method allows one to seamlessly prioritize and identify usability issues (i.e., a higher UEP requires more immediate fixes). However, the original version of this method required the usability evaluator to assign priority weights to the final UEP, thusmore » allowing the priority of a usability issue to differ among usability evaluators. The purpose of this paper is to explore an alternative approach to standardize the priority weighting of the UEP in an effort to improve the method's reliability. (authors)« less

Results from a workshop on research needs for modeling aquifer thermal energy storage systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drost, M. K.

1990-08-01

A workshop an aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) system modeling was conducted by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). The goal of the workshop was to develop a list of high priority research activities that would facilitate the commercial success of ATES. During the workshop, participants reviewed currently available modeling tools for ATES systems and produced a list of significant issues related to modeling ATES systems. Participants assigned a priority to each issue on the list by voting and developed a list of research needs for each of four high-priority research areas; the need for a feasibility study model, the need for engineering design models, the need for aquifer characterization, and the need for an economic model. The workshop participants concluded that ATES commercialization can be accelerated by aggressive development of ATES modeling tools and made specific recommendations for that development.

Occupational health research priorities in Malaysia: a Delphi study.

PubMed

Sadhra, S; Beach, J R; Aw, T C; Sheikh-Ahmed, K

2001-07-01

As part of a consultancy project on occupational health, the Delphi method was used to identify research priorities in occupational health in Malaysia. Participation was sought from government ministries, industry, and professional organisations, and university departments with an interest in occupational and public health. Two rounds of questionnaires resulted in a final list of priorities, with noticeable differences between participants depending on whether they worked in industry or were from government organisations. The participation rate of 71% (55 of 78) was obtained for the first questionnaire and 76% (72 of 95) for the second questionnaire. The participants identified occupational health problems for specific groups and industries as the top research priority area (ranked as top priority by 25% of participants). Ministry of Health participants placed emphasis on healthcare workers (52% ranking it as top priority), whereas those from industry identified construction and plantation workers as groups, which should be accorded the highest priority. Evaluation of research and services was given a low priority. The priorities for occupational health determined with the Delphi approach showed differences between Malaysia, a developing country, and findings from similar European studies. This may be expected, as differences exist in stages of economic development, types of industries, occupational activities, and cultural attitudes to occupational health and safety. Chemical poisonings and workplace accidents were accorded a high priority. By contrast with findings from western countries, workplace psychosocial problems and musculoskeletal injuries were deemed less important. There also seemed to be greater emphasis on adopting interventions for identified problems based on experience in other countries rather than the need to evaluate local occupational health provisions.

Factors explaining priority setting at community mental health centres: a quantitative analysis of referral assessments.

PubMed

Grepperud, Sverre; Holman, Per Arne; Wangen, Knut Reidar

2014-12-14

Clinicians at Norwegian community mental health centres assess referrals from general practitioners and classify them into three priority groups (high priority, low priority, and refusal) according to need where need is defined by three prioritization criteria (severity, effect, and cost-effectiveness). In this study, we seek to operationalize the three criteria and analyze to what extent they have an effect on clinical-level priority setting after controlling for clinician characteristics and organisational factors. Twenty anonymous referrals were rated by 42 admission team members employed at 14 community mental health centres in the South-East Health Region of Norway. Intra-class correlation coefficients were calculated and logistic regressions were performed. Variation in clinicians' assessments of the three criteria was highest for effect and cost-effectiveness. An ordered logistic regression model showed that all three criteria for prioritization, three clinician characteristics (education, being a manager or not, and "guideline awareness"), and the centres themselves (fixed effects), explained priority decisions. The relative importance of the explanatory factors, however, depended on the priority decision studied. For the classification of all admitted patients into high- and low-priority groups, all clinician characteristics became insignificant. For the classification of patients, into those admitted and non-admitted, one criterion (effect) and "being a manager or not" became insignificant, while profession ("being a psychiatrist") became significant. Our findings suggest that variation in priority decisions can be reduced by: (i) reducing the disagreement in clinicians' assessments of cost-effectiveness and effect, and (ii) restricting priority decisions to clinicians with a similar background (education, being a manager or not, and "guideline awareness").

Climate and Anthropogenic Change in Aquatic Environments: A Cross Ecosystem Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

1009.1004]. Kleypas, J. A., R. A. Feely, V. J. Fabry, C. Langdon, C. L. Sabine, and L. L. Robbins. 2006. Impacts of ocean acidification on coral reefs ...deep sea, coastal oceans , and rocky intertidal) researchers ranked climate-related impacts (i.e., temperature and ocean acidification ) as the highest...related impacts (i.e., temperature and ocean acidification ) as the highest priority threats whereas estuarine, marsh, wetland, stream, and lake

78 FR 55326 - Notice of Public Meeting of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Scientific...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-10

... Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the PEPFAR Scientific Advisory Board (hereinafter referred to as ``the Board... the global response to HIV/AIDS. These issues will be of concern as they influence the priorities and... priorities for the PEPFAR portfolio. The public may attend this meeting as seating capacity allows...

Improving Learning and Reducing Costs: Fifteen Years of Course Description

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twigg, Carol A.

2015-01-01

Recognizing that tuition increases can no longer be used as a safety valve to avoid dealing with the underlying issues of why costs increase so much, campuses have begun the hard work of cost containment. After sharpening priorities, sometimes making tough choices in light of those priorities, campuses are still groping for ways to wrestle costs…

Health, safety, and environmental risk assessment of steel production complex in central Iran using TOPSIS.

PubMed

Jozi, S A; Majd, N Moradi

2014-10-01

This research was carried out with the aim of presenting an environmental management plan for steel production complex (SPC) in central Iran. Following precise identification of the plant activities as well as the study area, possible sources of environmental pollution and adverse impacts on the air quality, water, soil, biological environment, socioeconomic and cultural environment, and health and safety of the employees were determined considering the work processes of the steel complex. Afterwards, noise, wastewater, and air pollution sources were measured. Subsequently, factors polluting the steel complex were identified by TOPSIS and then prioritized using Excel Software. Based on the obtained results, the operation of the furnaces in hot rolling process with the score 1, effluent derived from hot rolling process with the score 0.565, nonprincipal disposal and dumping of waste at the plant enclosure with the score 0.335, walking beam process with the score 1.483 respectively allocated themselves the highest priority in terms of air, water, soil and noise pollution. In terms of habitats, land cover and socioeconomic and cultural environment, closeness to the forest area and the existence of four groups of wildlife with the score 1.106 and proximity of villages and residential areas to the plant with the score 3.771 respectively enjoyed the highest priorities while impressibility and occupational accidents with the score 2.725 and cutting and welding operations with score 2.134 had the highest priority among health and safety criteria. Finally, strategies for the control of pollution sources were identified and Training, Monitoring and environmental management plan of the SPC was prepared.

Everyday value conflicts and integrative complexity of thought.

PubMed

Myyry, Liisa

2002-12-01

This study examined the value pluralism model in everyday value conflicts, and the effect of issue context on complexity of thought. According to the cognitive manager model we hypothesized that respondents would obtain a higher level of integrative complexity on personal issues that on professional and general issues. We also explored the relations of integrative complexity to value priorities, measured by the Schwartz Value Survey, and to emotional empathy. The value pluralism model was not supported by the data collected from 126 university students from social science, business and technology. The cognitive manager model was partially confirmed by data from females but not from males. Concerning value priorities, more complex respondents had higher regard for self-transcendence values, and less complex respondents for self-enhancement values Emotional empathy was also significantly related to complexity score.

Occupational health research priorities in Malaysia: a Delphi study

PubMed Central

Sadhra, S; Beach, J; Aw, T; Sheikh-Ahmed, K

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES—As part of a consultancy project on occupational health, the Delphi method was used to identify research priorities in occupational health in Malaysia.
METHODS—Participation was sought from government ministries, industry, and professional organisations, and university departments with an interest in occupational and public health. Two rounds of questionnaires resulted in a final list of priorities, with noticeable differences between participants depending on whether they worked in industry or were from government organisations.
RESULTS—The participation rate of 71% (55 of 78) was obtained for the first questionnaire and 76% (72 of 95) for the second questionnaire. The participants identified occupational health problems for specific groups and industries as the top research priority area (ranked as top priority by 25% of participants). Ministry of Health participants placed emphasis on healthcare workers (52% ranking it as top priority), whereas those from industry identified construction and plantation workers as groups, which should be accorded the highest priority. Evaluation of research and services was given a low priority.
CONCLUSIONS—The priorities for occupational health determined with the Delphi approach showed differences between Malaysia, a developing country, and findings from similar European studies. This may be expected, as differences exist in stages of economic development, types of industries, occupational activities, and cultural attitudes to occupational health and safety. Chemical poisonings and workplace accidents were accorded a high priority. By contrast with findings from western countries, workplace psychosocial problems and musculoskeletal injuries were deemed less important. There also seemed to be greater emphasis on adopting interventions for identified problems based on experience in other countries rather than the need to evaluate local occupational health provisions.


Keywords: occupational health; research priorities; Malaysia PMID:11404445

The 1986 NASP Survey: Comparison of Practitioners, NASP Leadership, and University Faculty on Key Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reschly, Daniel J.; And Others

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) practitioner members (N=600), all recent members of the NASP leadership (N=139), and college faculty (N=166) responded to surveys on a variety of topics and issues including current demographic information, NASP priorities, credentialing, job satisfaction, issues related to learning disabilities…

Global Priorities for Marine Biodiversity Conservation

PubMed Central

Selig, Elizabeth R.; Turner, Will R.; Troëng, Sebastian; Wallace, Bryan P.; Halpern, Benjamin S.; Kaschner, Kristin; Lascelles, Ben G.; Carpenter, Kent E.; Mittermeier, Russell A.

2014-01-01

In recent decades, many marine populations have experienced major declines in abundance, but we still know little about where management interventions may help protect the highest levels of marine biodiversity. We used modeled spatial distribution data for nearly 12,500 species to quantify global patterns of species richness and two measures of endemism. By combining these data with spatial information on cumulative human impacts, we identified priority areas where marine biodiversity is most and least impacted by human activities, both within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). Our analyses highlighted places that are both accepted priorities for marine conservation like the Coral Triangle, as well as less well-known locations in the southwest Indian Ocean, western Pacific Ocean, Arctic and Antarctic Oceans, and within semi-enclosed seas like the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. Within highly impacted priority areas, climate and fishing were the biggest stressors. Although new priorities may arise as we continue to improve marine species range datasets, results from this work are an essential first step in guiding limited resources to regions where investment could best sustain marine biodiversity. PMID:24416151

Global priorities for marine biodiversity conservation.

PubMed

Selig, Elizabeth R; Turner, Will R; Troëng, Sebastian; Wallace, Bryan P; Halpern, Benjamin S; Kaschner, Kristin; Lascelles, Ben G; Carpenter, Kent E; Mittermeier, Russell A

2014-01-01

In recent decades, many marine populations have experienced major declines in abundance, but we still know little about where management interventions may help protect the highest levels of marine biodiversity. We used modeled spatial distribution data for nearly 12,500 species to quantify global patterns of species richness and two measures of endemism. By combining these data with spatial information on cumulative human impacts, we identified priority areas where marine biodiversity is most and least impacted by human activities, both within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ). Our analyses highlighted places that are both accepted priorities for marine conservation like the Coral Triangle, as well as less well-known locations in the southwest Indian Ocean, western Pacific Ocean, Arctic and Antarctic Oceans, and within semi-enclosed seas like the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas. Within highly impacted priority areas, climate and fishing were the biggest stressors. Although new priorities may arise as we continue to improve marine species range datasets, results from this work are an essential first step in guiding limited resources to regions where investment could best sustain marine biodiversity.

Unlikely (but perfect) partners in the fight for the green energy and fair trade economy.

PubMed

Redmond, Fred

2009-01-01

A priority for the United Steelworkers the last several years has been its work with the Sierra Club as part of the Blue Green Alliance. By working with our unconventional allies, we impacted the most important general election in any of our lifetimes. Now, smart investments in renewable energy and fuel-efficient cars are cornerstones of the Obama administration's economic recovery plan. The other priority issue when we began the Blue Green Alliance was fair trade. It still is a priority.

Two-Phase Flow Research on the ISS for Thermal Control Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Motil, Brian J.

2013-01-01

With the era of full utilization of the ISS now upon us, this presentation will discuss some of the highest-priority areas for two-phase flow systems with thermal control applications. These priorities are guided by recommendations of a 2011 NRC Decadal Survey report, Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration, Life and Physical Sciences for a New Era as well as an internal NASA exercise in response to the NRC report conducted in early 2012. Many of these proposals are already in various stages of development, while others are still conceptual.

MANUAL: ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR FLUID DELIVERY AND RECOVERY

EPA Science Inventory

Controlling subsurface fluids is among the highest priorities in rnanaging sites with in situ contamination. Some applications direct fluid movement continually inward towards the site, whereas others attempt to recover contaminants and, ultimately, close the site. Both these...

Integer programming methods for reserve selection and design

Treesearch

Robert G. Haight; Stephanie A. Snyder

2009-01-01

How many nature reserves should there be? Where should they be located? Which places have highest priority for protection? Conservation biologists, economists, and operations researchers have been developing quantitative methods to address these questions since the 1980s.

Optical/IR from ground

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strom, Stephen; Sargent, Wallace L. W.; Wolff, Sidney; Ahearn, Michael F.; Angel, J. Roger; Beckwith, Steven V. W.; Carney, Bruce W.; Conti, Peter S.; Edwards, Suzan; Grasdalen, Gary

1991-01-01

Optical/infrared (O/IR) astronomy in the 1990's is reviewed. The following subject areas are included: research environment; science opportunities; technical development of the 1980's and opportunities for the 1990's; and ground-based O/IR astronomy outside the U.S. Recommendations are presented for: (1) large scale programs (Priority 1: a coordinated program for large O/IR telescopes); (2) medium scale programs (Priority 1: a coordinated program for high angular resolution; Priority 2: a new generation of 4-m class telescopes); (3) small scale programs (Priority 1: near-IR and optical all-sky surveys; Priority 2: a National Astrometric Facility); and (4) infrastructure issues (develop, purchase, and distribute optical CCDs and infrared arrays; a program to support large optics technology; a new generation of large filled aperture telescopes; a program to archive and disseminate astronomical databases; and a program for training new instrumentalists)

Priority setting of ICU resources in an influenza pandemic: a qualitative study of the Canadian public's perspectives.

PubMed

Silva, Diego S; Gibson, Jennifer L; Robertson, Ann; Bensimon, Cécile M; Sahni, Sachin; Maunula, Laena; Smith, Maxwell J

2012-03-26

Pandemic influenza may exacerbate existing scarcity of life-saving medical resources. As a result, decision-makers may be faced with making tough choices about who will receive care and who will have to wait or go without. Although previous studies have explored ethical issues in priority setting from the perspective of clinicians and policymakers, there has been little investigation into how the public views priority setting during a pandemic influenza, in particular related to intensive care resources. To bridge this gap, we conducted three public town hall meetings across Canada to explore Canadian's perspectives on this ethical challenge. Town hall discussions group discussions were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Six interrelated themes emerged from the town hall discussions related to: ethical and empirical starting points for deliberation; criteria for setting priorities; pre-crisis planning; in-crisis decision-making; the need for public deliberation and input; and participants' deliberative struggle with the ethical issues. Our findings underscore the importance of public consultation in pandemic planning for sustaining public trust in a public health emergency. Participants appreciated the empirical and ethical uncertainty of decision-making in an influenza pandemic and demonstrated nuanced ethical reasoning about priority setting of intensive care resources in an influenza pandemic. Policymakers may benefit from a better understanding the public's empirical and ethical 'starting points' in developing effective pandemic plans.

Implications of Public Opinion for Space Program Planning, 1980 - 2000

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Overholt, W.; Wiener, A. J.; Yokelson, D.

1975-01-01

The effect of public opinion on future space programs is discussed in terms of direct support, apathy, or opposition, and concern about the tax burden, budgetary pressures, and national priorities. Factors considered include: the salience and visibility of NASA as compared with other issues, the sources of general pressure on the federal budget which could affect NASA, the public's opinions regarding the size and priority of NASA'S budget, the degree to which the executive can exercise leverage over NASA's budget through influencing or disregarding public opinion, the effects of linkages to other issues on space programs, and the public's general attitudes toward the progress of science.

Stresses and satisfactions of the two-pharmacist relationship.

PubMed

Stanton, A L; Berger, B A

1987-12-01

Potential advantages and disadvantages of dual-career relationships are identified, and strategies for addressing common issues encountered by dual-career couples are presented. With regard to career issues, clarification of expectations and discussion between partners regarding career commitment, job selection and mobility, and maintenance of professional identity is emphasized. Benefits of dual-career relationships include shared occupational interests, financial rewards, and respect for each partner's professional expertise. Strategies for managing domestic responsibilities include modifying standards, setting priorities, and distributing tasks evenly among family members. Pharmacist couples who are parents have chosen several routes in managing child-care issues, including postponing childbearing until each adult's career is established, decreasing one partner's career involvement, and hiring community or in-home caretakers. Sharing equally in child care can help prevent an excessive workload for one parent. Progressive family-oriented employment practices may also aid dual-career couples with children. Striking a balance between career and family is identified as perhaps the most challenging task facing the dual-career couple; time distribution must be adjusted according to the couple's priorities. Identifying realistic priorities, negotiating honestly regarding attainment of mutual and individual goals, and maintaining flexibility are key in achieving success in the professional and private lives of two-pharmacist couples.

A rainfall risk analysis thanks to an GIS based estimation of urban vulnerability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renard, Florent; Pierre-Marie, Chapon

2010-05-01

The urban community of Lyon, situated in France in the north of the Rhône valley, comprises 1.2 million inhabitants within 515 km ². With such a concentration of issues, policy makers and local elected officials therefore attach great importance to the management of hydrological risks, particularly due to the inherent characteristics of the territory. If the hazards associated with these risks in the territory of Lyon have been the subject of numerous analyses, studies on the vulnerability of greater Lyon are rare and have common shortcomings that impair their validity. We recall that the risk is seen as the classic relationship between the probability of occurrence of hazards and vulnerability. In this article, this vulnerability will be composed of two parts. The first one is the sensitivity of the stakes facing hydrological hazards as urban runoff, that is to say, their propensity to suffer damage during a flood (Gleize and Reghezza, 2007). The second factor is their relative importance in the functioning of the community. Indeed, not all the stakes could provide the same role and contribution to the Greater Lyon. For example, damage to the urban furniture such as bus shelter seems less harmful to the activities of the urban area than that of transport infrastructure (Renard and Chapon, 2010). This communication proposes to assess the vulnerability of Lyon urban area facing to hydrological hazards. This territory is composed of human, environmental and material stakes. The first part of this work is to identify all these issues so as to completeness. Then, is it required to build a "vulnerability index" (Tixier et al, 2006). Thus, it is necessary to use methods of multicriteria decision aid to evaluate the two components of vulnerability: the sensitivity and the contribution to the functioning of the community. Finally, the results of the overall vulnerability are presented, and then coupled to various hazards related to water such as runoff associated with heavy rains, to locate areas of risk in the urban area. The targets that share the same rank of this vulnerability index do not possess the same importance, or the same sensitivity to the flood hazard. Therefore, the second part of this work is to define the priorities and sensitivities of different targets based on the judgments of experts. Multicriteria decision methods are used to prioritize elements and are therefore adapted to the modelling of the sensitivity of the issues of greater Lyon (Griot, 2008). The purpose of these methods is the assessment of priorities between the different components of the situation. Thomas Saaty's analytic hierarchy process (1980) is the most frequently used because of its many advantages. On this basis, the formal calculations of priorities and sensitivities of the elements have been conducted. These calculations are based on the judgments of experts. Indeed, during semi-structured interview, the 38 experts in our sample delivered a verdict on issues that seem relatively more important than others by binary comparison. They carry the same manner to determine sensitivity's stakes to hazard flooding. Finally, the consistency of answers given by experts is validated by calculating a ratio of coherence, and their results are aggregated to provide functions of priority (based on the relative importance of each stakes), and functions of sensitivity (based on the relative sensitivity of each stakes). From these functions of priority and sensitivity is obtained the general function of vulnerability. The vulnerability functions allow defining the importance of the stakes of Greater Lyon and their sensitivity to hydrological hazards. The global vulnerability function is obtained from sensitivity and priority functions and shows the great importance of human issues (75 %). The vulnerability factor of environmental targets represents 12 % of the global vulnerability function, as much as the materials issues. However, it can be seen that the environmental and material stakes do not represent the same weight into the priority and sensitivity functions. Indeed, the environmental issues seem more important than the material ones (17 % for the environmental stakes whereas only 5 % for the material stakes in the priority function), but less sensitive to an hydrological hazard (6 % for the environmental issues while 20 % for the material issues in the sensitivity function). Similarly, priority functions and sensitivity are established for all stakes at all levels. The stakes are then converted into a mesh form (100 meters wide). This will standardize the collection framework and the heterogeneous nature of data to allow their comparison. Finally, it is obtained a detailed, consistent and objective vulnerability of the territory of Greater Lyon. At the end, to get a direct reading of risk, combination of hazard and vulnerability, it is overlaid the two maps.

Priority setting partnership to identify the top 10 research priorities for the management of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Deane, Katherine H O; Flaherty, Helen; Daley, David J; Pascoe, Roland; Penhale, Bridget; Clarke, Carl E; Sackley, Catherine; Storey, Stacey

2014-12-14

This priority setting partnership was commissioned by Parkinson's UK to encourage people with direct and personal experience of the condition to work together to identify and prioritise the top 10 evidential uncertainties that impact on everyday clinical practice for the management of Parkinson's disease (PD). The UK. Anyone with experience of PD including: people with Parkinson's (PwP), carers, family and friends, healthcare and social care professionals. Non-clinical researchers and employees of pharmaceutical or medical devices companies were excluded. 1000 participants (60% PwP) provided ideas on research uncertainties, 475 (72% PwP) initially prioritised them and 27 (37% PwP) stakeholders agreed a final top 10. Using a modified nominal group technique, participants were surveyed to identify what issues for the management of PD needed research. Unique research questions unanswered by current evidence were identified and participants were asked to identify their top 10 research priorities from this list. The top 26 uncertainties were presented to a consensus meeting with key stakeholders to agree the top 10 research priorities. 1000 participants provided 4100 responses, which contained 94 unique unanswered research questions that were initially prioritised by 475 participants. A consensus meeting with 27 stakeholders agreed the top 10 research priorities. The overarching research aspiration was an effective cure for PD. The top 10 research priorities for PD management included the need to address motor symptoms (balance and falls, and fine motor control), non-motor symptoms (sleep and urinary dysfunction), mental health issues (stress and anxiety, dementia and mild cognitive impairments), side effects of medications (dyskinesia) and the need to develop interventions specific to the phenotypes of PD and better monitoring methods. These research priorities identify crucial gaps in the existing evidence to address everyday practicalities in the management of the complexities of PD. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Exploring Citizen Infrastructure and Environmental Priorities in Mumbai, India

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

Sperling, Joshua; Romero-Lankao, Patricia; Beig, Gufran

Many cities worldwide seek to understand local policy priorities among their general populations. This study explores how differences in local conditions and among citizens within and across Mumbai, India shape local infrastructure (e.g. energy, water, transport) and environmental (e.g. managing pollution, climate-related extreme weather events) policy priorities for change that may or may not be aligned with local government action or global environmental sustainability concerns such as low-carbon development. In this rapidly urbanizing city, multiple issues compete for prominence, ranging from improved management of pollution and extreme weather to energy and other infrastructure services. To inform a broader perspective ofmore » policy priorities for urban development and risk mitigation, a survey was conducted among over 1200 citizens. The survey explored the state of local conditions, the challenges citizens face, and the ways in which differences in local conditions (socio-institutional, infrastructure, and health-related) demonstrate inequities and influence how citizens perceive risks and rank priorities for the future design and implementation of local planning, policy, and community-based efforts. With growing discussion and tensions surrounding the new urban sustainable development goal, announced by the UN in late September 2015, and a new global urban agenda document to be agreed upon at 'Habitat III', issues on whether sustainable urbanization priorities should be set at the international, national or local level remain controversial. As such, this study aims to first understand determinants of and variations in local priorities across one city, with implications discussed for local-to-global urban sustainability. Findings from survey results indicate the determinants and variation in conditions such as age, assets, levels of participation in residential action groups, the health outcome of chronic asthma, and the infrastructure service of piped water provision to homes are significant in shaping the top infrastructure and environmental policy priorities that include water supply and sanitation, air pollution, waste, and extreme heat.« less

Priority setting partnership to identify the top 10 research priorities for the management of Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Deane, Katherine H O; Flaherty, Helen; Daley, David J; Pascoe, Roland; Penhale, Bridget; Clarke, Carl E; Sackley, Catherine; Storey, Stacey

2014-01-01

Objectives This priority setting partnership was commissioned by Parkinson's UK to encourage people with direct and personal experience of the condition to work together to identify and prioritise the top 10 evidential uncertainties that impact on everyday clinical practice for the management of Parkinson's disease (PD). Setting The UK. Participants Anyone with experience of PD including: people with Parkinson's (PwP), carers, family and friends, healthcare and social care professionals. Non-clinical researchers and employees of pharmaceutical or medical devices companies were excluded. 1000 participants (60% PwP) provided ideas on research uncertainties, 475 (72% PwP) initially prioritised them and 27 (37% PwP) stakeholders agreed a final top 10. Methods Using a modified nominal group technique, participants were surveyed to identify what issues for the management of PD needed research. Unique research questions unanswered by current evidence were identified and participants were asked to identify their top 10 research priorities from this list. The top 26 uncertainties were presented to a consensus meeting with key stakeholders to agree the top 10 research priorities. Results 1000 participants provided 4100 responses, which contained 94 unique unanswered research questions that were initially prioritised by 475 participants. A consensus meeting with 27 stakeholders agreed the top 10 research priorities. The overarching research aspiration was an effective cure for PD. The top 10 research priorities for PD management included the need to address motor symptoms (balance and falls, and fine motor control), non-motor symptoms (sleep and urinary dysfunction), mental health issues (stress and anxiety, dementia and mild cognitive impairments), side effects of medications (dyskinesia) and the need to develop interventions specific to the phenotypes of PD and better monitoring methods. Conclusions These research priorities identify crucial gaps in the existing evidence to address everyday practicalities in the management of the complexities of PD. PMID:25500772

Precision in the Teaching, Learning, and Communication of Elementary School Mathematics: A Reply to Wilson's "Elementary School Mathematics Priorities"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maher, Carolyn; Weber, Keith

2009-01-01

In "Elementary School Mathematics Priorities," Wilson (2009 [this issue]) presents a list of five core concepts that students should master in elementary school so that they can succeed in algebra. As researchers in mathematics education, the authors enthusiastically endorse Wilson's recommendations. Learning algebra is key to further study of…

75 FR 2862 - Public Comment on Candidate National Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Priorities for Fiscal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-19

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OECA-2009-0986; FRL-9098-3] Public Comment on Candidate National Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Priorities for Fiscal Years 2011-2013 Correction In notice document E9-31042 beginning on page 146 in the issue of Monday, January 4, 2010 make the following corrections: On page 147, in the first column,...

Priorities for implementing nutritional science into practice to optimize military performance.

PubMed

Elfenbaum, Pamela; Crawford, Cindy; Enslein, Viviane; Berry, Kevin

2017-06-01

The Metabolically Optimized Brain study explores nutritional science believed to be ready to place into practice to help improve US service member mission-readiness and performance. To this end, an implementation expert panel considered how the US Department of Defense Subsistence Food Service Program, which is operated by each branch of the military in dining facilities within the continental United States, could apply the best nutritional science in a cost-effective manner. The work of this panel was facilitated through a series of thematic conversations guided by evidence generated through systematic reviews, which were performed to identify systems and process gaps and propose possible solutions. The expert panel used a Delphi method of multiple voting, and ultimately proposed 11 systems changes, of which 6 were ranked as highest priority. The proposed highest priority changes were then discussed by the participants with additional stakeholders. The process described here highlights how experts from different sectors operating in a complex system of subsystems can come together to cross talk, identify gaps, and propose mutually beneficial system and process changes to improve the alignment of nutritional science and institutional food-service practice. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluating the operational risks of biomedical waste using failure mode and effects analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Ying-Chu; Tsai, Pei-Yi

2017-06-01

The potential problems and risks of biomedical waste generation have become increasingly apparent in recent years. This study applied a failure mode and effects analysis to evaluate the operational problems and risks of biomedical waste. The microbiological contamination of biomedical waste seldom receives the attention of researchers. In this study, the biomedical waste lifecycle was divided into seven processes: Production, classification, packaging, sterilisation, weighing, storage, and transportation. Twenty main failure modes were identified in these phases and risks were assessed based on their risk priority numbers. The failure modes in the production phase accounted for the highest proportion of the risk priority number score (27.7%). In the packaging phase, the failure mode 'sharp articles not placed in solid containers' had the highest risk priority number score, mainly owing to its high severity rating. The sterilisation process is the main difference in the treatment of infectious and non-infectious biomedical waste. The failure modes in the sterilisation phase were mainly owing to human factors (mostly related to operators). This study increases the understanding of the potential problems and risks associated with biomedical waste, thereby increasing awareness of how to improve the management of biomedical waste to better protect workers, the public, and the environment.

Development of Statewide Guidelines for Implementing Leading Pedestrian Intervals in Florida

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-12-01

Pedestrian safety is an ongoing major concern throughout the United States and is one of the highest priorities for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Vehicles often fail to yield to pedestrians at intersections, especially when pedestr...

Priorities for research in miscarriage: a priority setting partnership between people affected by miscarriage and professionals following the James Lind Alliance methodology

PubMed Central

Bagness, Carmel; Brewin, Jane; Coomarasamy, Arri; Easthope, Lucy; Hepworth-Jones, Barbara; Hinshaw, Kim; O'Toole, Emily; Orford, Julie; Regan, Lesley; Raine-Fenning, Nick; Shakespeare, Judy; Small, Rachel; Thornton, Jim; Metcalf, Leanne

2017-01-01

Objectives To identify and prioritise important research questions for miscarriage. Design A priority setting partnership using prospective surveys and consensus meetings following methods advocated by the James Lind Alliance. Setting UK. Participants Women and those affected by miscarriage working alongside healthcare professionals. Results In the initial survey, 1093 participants (932 women who have experienced miscarriage, 8 partners, 17 family members, friends or colleagues, 104 healthcare professionals and eight charitable organisations) submitted 3279 questions. A review of existing literature identified a further 64. Non-questions were removed, and the remaining questions were categorised and summarised into 58 questions. In an interim electronic survey, 2122 respondents chose their top 10 priorities from the 58 summary questions. The 25 highest ranked in the survey were prioritised at a final face-to-face workshop. In summary, the top 10 priorities were ranked as follows: research into preventative treatment, emotional aspects in general, investigation, relevance of pre-existing medical conditions, emotional support as a treatment, importance of lifestyle factors, importance of genetic and chromosomal causes, preconception tests, investigation after different numbers of miscarriage and male causal factors. Conclusions These results should be the focus of future miscarriage research. Presently, studies are being conducted to address the top priority; however, many other priorities, especially psychological and emotional support, are less well researched areas. We hope our results will encourage both researchers and funders to focus on these priorities. PMID:28838896

Consensus and contention in the priority setting process: examining the health sector in Uganda.

PubMed

Colenbrander, Sarah; Birungi, Charles; Mbonye, Anthony K

2015-06-01

Health priority setting is a critical and contentious issue in low-income countries because of the high burden of disease relative to the limited resource envelope. Many sophisticated quantitative tools and policy frameworks have been developed to promote transparent priority setting processes and allocative efficiency. However, low-income countries frequently lack effective governance systems or implementation capacity, so high-level priorities are not determined through evidence-based decision-making processes. This study uses qualitative research methods to explore how key actors' priorities differ in low-income countries, using Uganda as a case study. Human resources for health, disease prevention and family planning emerge as the common priorities among actors in the health sector (although the last of these is particularly emphasized by international agencies) because of their contribution to the long-term sustainability of health-care provision. Financing health-care services is the most disputed issue. Participants from the Ugandan Ministry of Health preferentially sought to increase net health expenditure and government ownership of the health sector, while non-state actors prioritized improving the efficiency of resource use. Ultimately it is apparent that the power to influence national health outcomes lies with only a handful of decision-makers within key institutions in the health sector, such as the Ministries of Health, the largest bilateral donors and the multilateral development agencies. These power relations reinforce the need for ongoing research into the paradigms and strategic interests of these actors. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

Political Issues in Education. A Report of the 1978 Chief State School Officers Summer Institute.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Israel, William I., Ed.

Collected in this volume are the papers presented at the 1978 Chief State School Officers Summer Institute. The program was devoted to political issues in education and focused on a number of current educational problems. Political issues were discussed in relation to a number of areas, including federal education priorities, federal-state…

ZBB--a new skill for the financial manager.

PubMed

Thompson, G B; Pyhrr, P A

1979-03-01

Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is a management decision-making tool currently gaining wide acceptance. ZBB is a budgeting approach which is useful for planning, controlling and coordinating financial and human resources. It involves the re-evaluation of all budgeted activities in terms of priorities established by the management. The traditional process of incremental budgeting differs from ZBB in that only the planned changes are evaluated in the former. In incremental budgeting, the base budget is considered authorized and required little attention. The ZBB process focuses on the whol budget. This is accomplished by: (1) identifying decision units; (2) evaluating each decision unit in terms of performance, costs, benefits, and alternate means of accomplishiing the objectives; (3) ranking the decision packages; and (4) preparing a budget for the highest priority decision packages. The effect of the ZBB approach is that new high priority programs may be funded by eliminating or reducing existing lower-priority programs. ZBB is viewed as a logical process which can combine many of the elements of good management.

Proportional fair scheduling algorithm based on traffic in satellite communication system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Cheng-Sheng; Sui, Shi-Long; Liu, Chun-ling; Shi, Yu-Xin

2018-02-01

In the satellite communication network system, in order to solve the problem of low system capacity and user fairness in multi-user access to satellite communication network in the downlink, combined with the characteristics of user data service, an algorithm study on throughput capacity and user fairness scheduling is proposed - Proportional Fairness Algorithm Based on Traffic(B-PF). The algorithm is improved on the basis of the proportional fairness algorithm in the wireless communication system, taking into account the user channel condition and caching traffic information. The user outgoing traffic is considered as the adjustment factor of the scheduling priority and presents the concept of traffic satisfaction. Firstly,the algorithm calculates the priority of the user according to the scheduling algorithm and dispatches the users with the highest priority. Secondly, when a scheduled user is the business satisfied user, the system dispatches the next priority user. The simulation results show that compared with the PF algorithm, B-PF can improve the system throughput, the business satisfaction and fairness.

Selection of sustainable seaweed and grouper aquaculture development strategy: a case of Pulau Panjang, Serang Regency Banten Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soejarwo, P. A.; Fitriyanny, W. P.; Heriati, A.; Hakim, A. R.

2018-03-01

Due to their high-income contribution, seaweed and grouper aquacultures are important activities in Pulau Panjang community. Determining alternative strategies in developing sustainable aquaculture for seaweed and grouper and their priority factors from theses aquaculture activities are done using TOPSIS and AHP analysis. It was found that the development strategy that must be taken is the option to maintain aquaculture activities, while, environment factor is the highest priority to maintain seaweed and grouper aquaculture in Pulau Panjang. Then three priorities are obtained from environment factor. The first is to maintain the water quality by the growth requirements of seaweed and grouper by encouraging the formation of “Environmental Community Awareness” that involved the active participation of the community to maintain quality and carrying capacity of the environment. Second is to use of natural or artificial coastal protectors (soft structure). The third priority strategy is integration and real implementation of heavy metal pollution control between government, industry sector and society.

Research Priorities in Spasmodic Dysphonia

PubMed Central

Ludlow, Christy L.; Adler, Charles H.; Berke, Gerald S.; Bielamowicz, Steven A.; Blitzer, Andrew; Bressman, Susan B.; Hallett, Mark; Jinnah, H. A.; Juergens, Uwe; Martin, Sandra B.; Perlmutter, Joel S.; Sapienza, Christine; Singleton, Andrew; Tanner, Caroline M.; Woodson, Gayle E.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE To identify research priorities for increasing understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and improved treatment of spasmodic dysphonia. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING A multidisciplinary working group was formed including both scientists and clinicians from multiple disciplines, otolaryngology, neurology, speech pathology, genetics and neuroscience, to review currently available information on spasmodic dysphonia and to identify research priorities. RESULTS Operational definitions for spasmodic dysphonia at different levels of certainty were recommended for diagnosis and recommendations made for a multi-center multidisciplinary validation study. CONCLUSIONS The highest priority is to characterize the disorder and identify risk factors that may contribute to its onset. Future research should compare and contrast spasmodic dysphonia with other forms of focal dystonia. Development of animal models is recommended to explore hypotheses related to pathogenesis. Improved understanding of the pathophysiology of SD should provide the basis for developing new treatment options and exploratory clinical trials. SIGNIFICANCE This document should foster future research to improve the care of patients with this chronic debilitating voice and speech disorder by otolaryngology, neurology, and speech pathology. PMID:18922334

Wavelength assignment algorithm considering the state of neighborhood links for OBS networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Yu; Hirota, Yusuke; Tode, Hideki; Murakami, Koso

2005-10-01

Recently, Optical WDM technology is introduced into backbone networks. On the other hand, as the future optical switching scheme, Optical Burst Switching (OBS) systems become a realistic solution. OBS systems do not consider buffering in intermediate nodes. Thus, it is an important issue to avoid overlapping wavelength reservation between partially interfered paths. To solve this problem, so far, the wavelength assignment scheme which has priority management tables has been proposed. This method achieves the reduction of burst blocking probability. However, this priority management table requires huge memory space. In this paper, we propose a wavelength assignment algorithm that reduces both the number of priority management tables and burst blocking probability. To reduce priority management tables, we allocate and manage them for each link. To reduce burst blocking probability, our method announces information about the change of their priorities to intermediate nodes. We evaluate its performance in terms of the burst blocking probability and the reduction rate of priority management tables.

A consensus exercise identifying priorities for research into clinical effectiveness among children's orthopaedic surgeons in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Perry, D C; Wright, J G; Cooke, S; Roposch, A; Gaston, M S; Nicolaou, N; Theologis, T

2018-05-01

Aims High-quality clinical research in children's orthopaedic surgery has lagged behind other surgical subspecialties. This study used a consensus-based approach to identify research priorities for clinical trials in children's orthopaedics. Methods A modified Delphi technique was used, which involved an initial scoping survey, a two-round Delphi process and an expert panel formed of members of the British Society of Children's Orthopaedic Surgery. The survey was conducted amongst orthopaedic surgeons treating children in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Results A total of 86 clinicians contributed to both rounds of the Delphi process, scoring priorities from one (low priority) to five (high priority). Elective topics were ranked higher than those relating to trauma, with the top ten elective research questions scoring higher than the top question for trauma. Ten elective, and five trauma research priorities were identified, with the three highest ranked questions relating to the treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis (mean score 4.6/ 5), Perthes' disease (4.5) and bone infection (4.5). Conclusion This consensus-based research agenda will guide surgeons, academics and funders to improve the evidence in children's orthopaedic surgery and encourage the development of multicentre clinical trials. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:680-4.

Human-tracking strategies for a six-legged rescue robot based on distance and view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Yang; Gao, Feng; Qi, Chenkun; Chai, Xun

2016-03-01

Human tracking is an important issue for intelligent robotic control and can be used in many scenarios, such as robotic services and human-robot cooperation. Most of current human-tracking methods are targeted for mobile/tracked robots, but few of them can be used for legged robots. Two novel human-tracking strategies, view priority strategy and distance priority strategy, are proposed specially for legged robots, which enable them to track humans in various complex terrains. View priority strategy focuses on keeping humans in its view angle arrange with priority, while its counterpart, distance priority strategy, focuses on keeping human at a reasonable distance with priority. To evaluate these strategies, two indexes(average and minimum tracking capability) are defined. With the help of these indexes, the view priority strategy shows advantages compared with distance priority strategy. The optimization is done in terms of these indexes, which let the robot has maximum tracking capability. The simulation results show that the robot can track humans with different curves like square, circular, sine and screw paths. Two novel control strategies are proposed which specially concerning legged robot characteristics to solve human tracking problems more efficiently in rescue circumstances.

Rehabilitation priorities for individuals with Prader-Willi Syndrome.

PubMed

Pituch, Keenan A; Green, Vanessa A; Didden, Robert; Lang, Russell; O'Reilly, Mark F; Lancioni, Giulio E; Whittle, Lisa; Hodis, Flaviu; Sigafoos, Jeff

2010-01-01

To identify rehabilitation priorities that parents have for their children, including their adult-aged children, with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) and to determine the relation between these priorities and the child's levels of adaptive behaviour functioning. Parents involved in organisations related to PWS were invited to complete an online survey. The survey listed 54 skills/behaviours (e.g. toileting, expresses wants and needs and tantrums) representing 10 adaptive functioning domains (e.g. self-care, communication and problem behaviour). Parents rated their child's current level of ability/performance with respect to each skill/behaviour and indicated the extent to which training/treatment was a priority. Fifty-eight surveys were completed during the 4-month data collection period. Parents identified nine high-priority skills/behaviours from five different adaptive functioning domains. For most domains, parent priorities showed a significant linear relation to the children's adaptive behaviour deficits, in that priorities reflected areas where the child had the greatest deficits and the most problematic behaviours. Rehabilitation professionals should focus on the eating issues that arise in PWS and identify the adaptive functioning deficits of these individuals because such deficits are high-priority areas for parents.

Political priority in the global fight against non-communicable diseases.

PubMed

Maher, Anthony; Sridhar, Devi

2012-12-01

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) - such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic respiratory diseases - is surging globally. Yet despite the availability of cost-effective interventions, NCDs receive less than 3% of annual development assistance for health to low and middle income countries. The top donors in global health - including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the US Government, and the World Bank - together commit less than 2% of their budgets to the prevention and control of NCDs. Why is there such meagre funding on the table for the prevention and control of NCDs? Why has a global plan of action aimed at halting the spread of NCDs been so difficult to achieve? This paper aims to tackle these two interrelated questions by analysing NCDs through the lens of Jeremy Shiffman's 2009 political priority framework. We define global political priority as 'the degree to which international and national political leaders actively give attention to an issue, and back up that attention with the provision of financial, technical, and human resources that are commensurate with the severity of the issue'. Grounded in social constructionism, this framework critically examines the relationship between agenda setting and 'objective' factors in global health, such as the existence of cost-effective interventions and a high mortality burden. From a methodological perspective, this paper fits within the category of discipline configurative case study. We support Shiffman's claim that strategic communication - or ideas in the form of issue portrayals - ought to be a core activity of global health policy communities. But issue portrayals must be the products of a robust and inclusive debate. To this end, we also consider it essential to recognise that issue portrayals reach political leaders through a vast array of channels. Raising the political priority of NCDs means engaging with the diverse ways in which actors express concern for the global proliferation of these diseases. Ultimately, our political interactions amount to struggles for influence, and determining which issues to champion in the midst of these struggles - and which to disregard - is informed by subjectively held notions of the right, the good, and the just. Indeed, the very act of choosing which issues to prioritise in our daily lives forces us to evaluate our values and aspirations as individual agents against the shared values that structure the societies in which we live.

Multivariate Models for Prediction of Skin Sensitization Hazard in Humans

EPA Science Inventory

One of ICCVAM’s highest priorities is the development and evaluation of non-animal approaches to identify potential skin sensitizers. The complexity of biological events necessary for a substance to elicit a skin sensitization reaction suggests that no single alternative me...

Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco Bay area : developing regional objectives and performance measures to improve system operations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-04-01

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) uses an objectives-driven, performance-based approach in its transportation planning for the San Francisco Bay Area. This approach focuses attention on transportation investments of highest priority. T...

Implementation of Zuerich's transit priority program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-10-01

Zrich is famous for the quality of its public transit system and it has one of the highest levels of per capita transit ridership in the world. This is because its transit service is fast, frequent, reliable, and inexpensive, due in large part to i...

Evaluation of Kentucky's "You Drink and Drive. You Lose" campaign

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-10-01

Alcohol and drug related crashes continue to be one of the highest priority problem identification areas and considerable emphasis is being placed on programs to impact those types of crashes. Various types of campaigns have been used over the years ...

Creating Customer Delight.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Jim

1995-01-01

This article proposes that college admissions officers interested in improving service should focus on creating customer delight rather than simply satisfaction, studying the system when things go wrong rather than placing blame, establishing employee well-being as the highest priority of the organization, providing necessary tools and training…

3 CFR - Implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... status updates on achieving specific quantitative targets established by the Strategy, with relevant...-departmental coordination and collaboration on HIV/AIDS care, research, and prevention services. (b... and research priorities in the areas of highest impact. (c) Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS...

Analysis of conservation priorities of Iberoamerican cattle based on autosomal microsatellite markers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Determining the value of livestock breeds is essential to define conservation priorities, manage genetic diversity and allocate funds. Within- and between-breed genetic diversity need to be assessed to preserve the highest intra-specific variability. Information on genetic diversity and risk status is still lacking for many Creole cattle breeds from the Americas, despite their distinct evolutionary trajectories and adaptation to extreme environmental conditions. Methods A comprehensive genetic analysis of 67 Iberoamerican cattle breeds was carried out with 19 FAO-recommended microsatellites to assess conservation priorities. Contributions to global diversity were investigated using alternative methods, with different weights given to the within- and between-breed components of genetic diversity. Information on Iberoamerican plus 15 worldwide cattle breeds was used to investigate the contribution of geographical breed groups to global genetic diversity. Results Overall, Creole cattle breeds showed a high level of genetic diversity with the highest level found in breeds admixed with zebu cattle, which were clearly differentiated from all other breeds. Within-breed kinships revealed seven highly inbred Creole breeds for which measures are needed to avoid further genetic erosion. However, if contribution to heterozygosity was the only criterion considered, some of these breeds had the lowest priority for conservation decisions. The Weitzman approach prioritized highly differentiated breeds, such as Guabalá, Romosinuano, Cr. Patagonico, Siboney and Caracú, while kinship-based methods prioritized mainly zebu-related breeds. With the combined approaches, breed ranking depended on the weights given to the within- and between-breed components of diversity. Overall, the Creole groups of breeds were generally assigned a higher priority for conservation than the European groups of breeds. Conclusions Conservation priorities differed significantly according to the weight given to within- and between-breed genetic diversity. Thus, when establishing conservation programs, it is necessary to also take into account other features. Creole cattle and local isolated breeds retain a high level of genetic diversity. The development of sustainable breeding and crossbreeding programs for Creole breeds, and the added value resulting from their products should be taken into consideration to ensure their long-term survival. PMID:24079454

Ocean Research Priorities: Similarities and Differences among Scientists, Policymakers, and Fishermen in the United States

PubMed Central

Mason, Julia G.; Rudd, Murray A.; Crowder, Larry B.

2017-01-01

Abstract Understanding and solving complex ocean conservation problems requires cooperation not just among scientific disciplines but also across sectors. A recently published survey that probed research priorities of marine scientists, when provided to ocean stakeholders, revealed some agreement on priorities but also illuminated key differences. Ocean acidification, cumulative impacts, bycatch effects, and restoration effectiveness were in the top 10 priorities for scientists and stakeholder groups. Significant priority differences were that scientists favored research questions about ocean acidification and marine protected areas; policymakers prioritized questions about habitat restoration, bycatch, and precaution; and fisheries sector resource users called for the inclusion of local ecological knowledge in policymaking. These results quantitatively demonstrate how different stakeholder groups approach ocean issues and highlight the need to incorporate other types of knowledge in the codesign of solutions-oriented research, which may facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration. PMID:28533565

Ocean Research Priorities: Similarities and Differences among Scientists, Policymakers, and Fishermen in the United States.

PubMed

Mason, Julia G; Rudd, Murray A; Crowder, Larry B

2017-05-01

Understanding and solving complex ocean conservation problems requires cooperation not just among scientific disciplines but also across sectors. A recently published survey that probed research priorities of marine scientists, when provided to ocean stakeholders, revealed some agreement on priorities but also illuminated key differences. Ocean acidification, cumulative impacts, bycatch effects, and restoration effectiveness were in the top 10 priorities for scientists and stakeholder groups. Significant priority differences were that scientists favored research questions about ocean acidification and marine protected areas; policymakers prioritized questions about habitat restoration, bycatch, and precaution; and fisheries sector resource users called for the inclusion of local ecological knowledge in policymaking. These results quantitatively demonstrate how different stakeholder groups approach ocean issues and highlight the need to incorporate other types of knowledge in the codesign of solutions-oriented research, which may facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration.

Psychosocial factors and adherence to drug treatment in patients on chronic haemodialysis.

PubMed

Huertas-Vieco, María P; Pérez-García, Rafael; Albalate, Marta; de Sequera, Patricia; Ortega, Mayra; Puerta, Marta; Corchete, Elena; Alcázar, Roberto

2014-11-17

The daily pill burden in hemodialysis patients is one of the highest reported to date in any chronic disease. The adherence to prescribed treatment has implications on the quality of life, the survival of patients, and the economic cost of their treatment, this being a priority public health issue. To evaluate the adherence to pharmacological treatment examining, among the possible causes of non-adherence, psychosocial factors such as depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment and social support. Transversal-observational study of thirty five patients that suffer from chronic renal disease and who are on manteinance hemodialysis, evaluated by self-reported measures. Non-adherent patients have significant higher depression index than adherent patients. Anxiety, cognitive impairment and social support do not show a significant relation with the degree of adherence or compliance with farmacological treatment. These results suggest that psychological intervention in chronic haemodialysis patients with a severe depression index could increase the degree of fulfillment and general well-being of renal patients.

Reconciling traditional knowledge, food security, and climate change: experience from Old Crow, YT, Canada.

PubMed

Douglas, Vasiliki; Chan, Hing Man; Wesche, Sonia; Dickson, Cindy; Kassi, Norma; Netro, Lorraine; Williams, Megan

2014-01-01

Because of a lack of transportation infrastructure, Old Crow has the highest food costs and greatest reliance on traditional food species for sustenance of any community in Canada's Yukon Territory. Environmental, cultural, and economic change are driving increased perception of food insecurity in Old Crow. To address community concerns regarding food security and supply in Old Crow and develop adaptation strategies to ameliorate their impact on the community. A community adaptation workshop was held on October 13, 2009, in which representatives of different stakeholders in the community discussed a variety of food security issues facing Old Crow and how they could be dealt with. Workshop data were analyzed using keyword, subject, and narrative analysis techniques to determine community priorities in food security and adaptation. Community concern is high and favored adaptation options include agriculture, improved food storage, and conservation through increased traditional education. These results were presented to the community for review and revision, after which the Vuntut Gwitchin Government will integrate them into its ongoing adaptation planning measures.

Cost benefit analysis of space communications technology: Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, L. D.; Sassone, P. G.; Gallagher, J. J.; Robinette, S. L.; Vogler, F. H.; Zimmer, R. P.

1976-01-01

The questions of (1) whether or not NASA should support the further development of space communications technology, and, if so, (2) which technology's support should be given the highest priority are addressed. Insofar as the issues deal principally with resource allocation, an economics perspective is adopted. The resultant cost benefit methodology utilizes the net present value concept in three distinct analysis stages to evaluate and rank those technologies which pass a qualification test based upon probable (private sector) market failure. User-preference and technology state-of-the-art surveys were conducted (in 1975) to form a data base for the technology evaluation. The program encompassed near-future technologies in space communications earth stations and satellites, including the noncommunication subsystems of the satellite (station keeping, electrical power system, etc.). Results of the research program include confirmation of the applicability of the methodology as well as a list of space communications technologies ranked according to the estimated net present value of their support (development) by NASA.

Families and Professionals as Collaborators in Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crais, Elizabeth R.

1993-01-01

This paper considers issues affecting collaboration of professionals and family members in assessing children with special needs. Issues include process versus outcome, the balance of power between families and professionals, choices available to families, sequencing of services, formal versus informal assessment, family concerns and priorities,…

The Achiever. Volume 4, Number 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashby, Nicole, Ed.

2005-01-01

"The Achiever" is published semi-monthly during the school year for parents and community leaders. Each issue contains news and information about school improvement in the United States. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) "Spellings Calls High School Reform a 'National Priority'"; (2) "Leading…

Recommendations and Proposed Strategic Plan: Water Sector Decontamination Priorities

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

safety and health issues of the utility personnel that may be exposed to treatment processes down stream from the treatment Conducting research on...Government Coordinating Council (GCC). This letter serves as our official transmittal of the Work Group’s final product . As the Co-Chairs...Priorities Page xv LIST OF ACRONYMS ACEIH American Council of Education on Industrial Hygiene AMWA Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies ANSI

Detecting Kerogen as a Biosignature Using Colocated UV Time-Gated Raman and Fluorescence Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Shkolyar, Svetlana; Eshelman, Evan J; Farmer, Jack D; Hamilton, David; Daly, Michael G; Youngbull, Cody

2018-04-01

The Mars 2020 mission will analyze samples in situ and identify any that could have preserved biosignatures in ancient habitable environments for later return to Earth. Highest priority targeted samples include aqueously formed sedimentary lithologies. On Earth, such lithologies can contain fossil biosignatures as aromatic carbon (kerogen). In this study, we analyzed nonextracted kerogen in a diverse suite of natural, complex samples using colocated UV excitation (266 nm) time-gated (UV-TG) Raman and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopies. We interrogated kerogen and its host matrix in samples to (1) explore the capabilities of UV-TG Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies for detecting kerogen in high-priority targets in the search for possible biosignatures on Mars; (2) assess the effectiveness of time gating and UV laser wavelength in reducing fluorescence in Raman spectra; and (3) identify sample-specific issues that could challenge rover-based identifications of kerogen using UV-TG Raman spectroscopy. We found that ungated UV Raman spectroscopy is suited to identify diagnostic kerogen Raman bands without interfering fluorescence and that UV fluorescence spectroscopy is suited to identify kerogen. These results highlight the value of combining colocated Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies, similar to those obtainable by SHERLOC on Mars 2020, to strengthen the confidence of kerogen detection as a potential biosignature in complex natural samples. Key Words: Raman spectroscopy-Laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy-Mars Sample Return-Mars 2020 mission-Kerogen-Biosignatures. Astrobiology 18, 431-453.

Curricular priorities for business ethics in medical practice and research: recommendations from Delphi consensus panels.

PubMed

DuBois, James M; Kraus, Elena M; Gursahani, Kamal; Mikulec, Anthony; Bakanas, Erin

2014-11-15

No published curricula in the area of medical business ethics exist. This is surprising given that physicians wrestle daily with business decisions and that professional associations, the Institute of Medicine, Health and Human Services, Congress, and industry have issued related guidelines over the past 5 years. To fill this gap, the authors aimed (1) to identify the full range of medical business ethics topics that experts consider important to teach, and (2) to establish curricular priorities through expert consensus. In spring 2012, the authors conducted an online Delphi survey with two heterogeneous panels of experts recruited in the United States. One panel focused on business ethics in medical practice (n = 14), and 1 focused on business ethics in medical research (n = 12). Panel 1 generated an initial list of 14 major topics related to business ethics in medical practice, and subsequently rated 6 topics as very important or essential to teach. Panel 2 generated an initial list of 10 major topics related to business ethics in medical research, and subsequently rated 5 as very important or essential. In both domains, the panel strongly recommended addressing problems that conflicts of interest can cause, legal guidelines, and the goals or ideals of the profession. The Bander Center for Medical Business Ethics at Saint Louis University will use the results of the Delphi panel to develop online curricular resources for each of the highest rated topics.

The Evaluation of Screening Process and Local Bureaucracy in Determining the Priority of Urban Roads Maintenance and Rehabilitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendhratmoyo, Andri; Syafi'i; Pungky Pramesti, Florentina

2017-11-01

Due to the limited budget of urban roads maintenance and rehabilitation, its prioritizationis inevitable. Many models have been developed to solve these problems. That is the reason why the purpose of this study was to evaluate the screening process in the decision making of the urban roads maintenance and rehabilitation priority. The prioritization that have to be taken into account on the effect of important criteria are road condition, traffic volume, budget processing and land use. 30 stakeholders were asked to fill in the questionnaires. The object of this case study are 188 urban roads sections at Ponorogo in order to examine the priorities. The researchers collected the data from Surface Distress Index (SDI), traffic volume, budget processing and land use of these road sections. Based on analysis, the weights of the criteria were: road condition (W1) = 0,411; traffic volume (W2) = 0,122; budget processing (W3) = 0,363 and land use (W4) = 0,105. The result of this study by the comparison of the index values of the alternatives priorities, Nyi Ageng Serang Street, was revealed to have the highest priority over the other streets regarding of maintenance and rehabilitation activities.

Discrete Event Simulation Models for CT Examination Queuing in West China Hospital.

PubMed

Luo, Li; Liu, Hangjiang; Liao, Huchang; Tang, Shijun; Shi, Yingkang; Guo, Huili

2016-01-01

In CT examination, the emergency patients (EPs) have highest priorities in the queuing system and thus the general patients (GPs) have to wait for a long time. This leads to a low degree of satisfaction of the whole patients. The aim of this study is to improve the patients' satisfaction by designing new queuing strategies for CT examination. We divide the EPs into urgent type and emergency type and then design two queuing strategies: one is that the urgent patients (UPs) wedge into the GPs' queue with fixed interval (fixed priority model) and the other is that the patients have dynamic priorities for queuing (dynamic priority model). Based on the data from Radiology Information Database (RID) of West China Hospital (WCH), we develop some discrete event simulation models for CT examination according to the designed strategies. We compare the performance of different strategies on the basis of the simulation results. The strategy that patients have dynamic priorities for queuing makes the waiting time of GPs decrease by 13 minutes and the degree of satisfaction increase by 40.6%. We design a more reasonable CT examination queuing strategy to decrease patients' waiting time and increase their satisfaction degrees.

Discrete Event Simulation Models for CT Examination Queuing in West China Hospital

PubMed Central

Luo, Li; Tang, Shijun; Shi, Yingkang; Guo, Huili

2016-01-01

In CT examination, the emergency patients (EPs) have highest priorities in the queuing system and thus the general patients (GPs) have to wait for a long time. This leads to a low degree of satisfaction of the whole patients. The aim of this study is to improve the patients' satisfaction by designing new queuing strategies for CT examination. We divide the EPs into urgent type and emergency type and then design two queuing strategies: one is that the urgent patients (UPs) wedge into the GPs' queue with fixed interval (fixed priority model) and the other is that the patients have dynamic priorities for queuing (dynamic priority model). Based on the data from Radiology Information Database (RID) of West China Hospital (WCH), we develop some discrete event simulation models for CT examination according to the designed strategies. We compare the performance of different strategies on the basis of the simulation results. The strategy that patients have dynamic priorities for queuing makes the waiting time of GPs decrease by 13 minutes and the degree of satisfaction increase by 40.6%. We design a more reasonable CT examination queuing strategy to decrease patients' waiting time and increase their satisfaction degrees. PMID:27547237

DOE Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee (ASCAC) Report: Exascale Computing Initiative Review

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

Reed, Daniel; Berzins, Martin; Pennington, Robert

On November 19, 2014, the Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee (ASCAC) was charged with reviewing the Department of Energy’s conceptual design for the Exascale Computing Initiative (ECI). In particular, this included assessing whether there are significant gaps in the ECI plan or areas that need to be given priority or extra management attention. Given the breadth and depth of previous reviews of the technical challenges inherent in exascale system design and deployment, the subcommittee focused its assessment on organizational and management issues, considering technical issues only as they informed organizational or management priorities and structures. This report presents the observationsmore » and recommendations of the subcommittee.« less

The effects of sexual orientation on state legislators' behavior and priorities.

PubMed

Herrick, Rebekah

2009-01-01

This article explores whether sexual orientation, surrogate representation, and political factors affect legislators' work on gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) interests, and whether the latter explains away the influence of sexual orientation. A survey of openly GLB state legislators and their colleagues was conducted to measure legislators' campaign issues, legislative priorities, surrogate representation, and ambition. This information is supplemented with bill introduction and district data. The results indicate that legislators' sexual orientation strongly influences their work on GLB issues and although surrogate representation and electoral considerations also affect GLB work, they do not explain away the importance of sexual orientation. The implications of this for the relationship between descriptive and substantive representation are explored.

Martian Multimedia: The Agony and Ecstasy of Communicating Real-Time, Authentic Science During the Phoenix Mars Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bitter, C.; Buxner, S. R.

2009-03-01

The Phoenix Mars Mission faced robust communication challenges requiring real-time solutions. Managing the message from Mars and ensuring the highest quality of science data and news releases were our top priorities during mission surface operations.

Priorities for Research in Agricultural Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silva-Guerrero, Luis; Sutphin, H. Dean

1990-01-01

Twenty agricultural education experts identified research topics and categories, which were then rated by 34 research experts (92 percent) and 49 department heads (79 percent). Highest ratings went to biotechnology, high technology, and agribusiness; agricultural education curriculum; and long-term impact and cost effectiveness of agricultural…

Toward a New Habitat.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Speranza, Vicente

1983-01-01

When planning for development in third world countries, the highest priority should be given to (1) the degree to which traditional patterns of land occupation meet inhabitants' needs, and (2) the possibilities of alternative settlement patterns guaranteeing better living conditions and more efficiency in the population's interrelated activities.…

Migrant Health Issues. Monograph Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Farmworker Health, Inc., Austin, TX.

This document contains 10 short monographs on priority issues relevant to the health and well-being of migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families. An introduction by Daniel Hawkins discusses the important role of migrant health centers in providing primary and preventive health care services to this disadvantaged and underserved…

Development of a large truck safety data needs study plan. Vol. 1, Summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1986-02-01

This report discusses the results of a study to determine the data needs necessary to address truck safety issues and to develop a data collection and analysis plan. Priority truck safety issues that are amenable to truck accident data analyses were ...

The Combat Medic Aid Bag: 2025. CoTCCC Top 10 Recommended Battlefield Trauma Care Research, Development, and Evaluation Priorities for 2015.

PubMed

Butler, Frank K; Blackbourne, Lorne H; Gross, Kirby

2015-01-01

While the list presented here is by no means a comprehensive list of all of the research areas of interest in battlefield trauma care, much less a list of research needs across the entire continuum of combat casualty care, it does provide the collective judgment of the CoTCCC about the highest priorities for RDT&E that relate to battlefield trauma care. Two additional observations should be made regarding that point: (1) As the landmark Eastridge et al. 2012 study convincingly documented, most combat fatalities occur in the prehospital phase of care, so research efforts that enable Combat medics, corpsmen, and PJs to care for their casualties more effectively will convey the highest probability of further reducing the case fatality rate and preventable deaths among US Combat casualties; and (2) inasmuch as the mission of the CoTCCC is to update the TCCC Guidelines as needed, this group has excellent visibility of the most important current research questions in battlefield trauma care.

Priority setting of ICU resources in an influenza pandemic: a qualitative study of the Canadian public's perspectives

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Pandemic influenza may exacerbate existing scarcity of life-saving medical resources. As a result, decision-makers may be faced with making tough choices about who will receive care and who will have to wait or go without. Although previous studies have explored ethical issues in priority setting from the perspective of clinicians and policymakers, there has been little investigation into how the public views priority setting during a pandemic influenza, in particular related to intensive care resources. Methods To bridge this gap, we conducted three public town hall meetings across Canada to explore Canadian's perspectives on this ethical challenge. Town hall discussions group discussions were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Six interrelated themes emerged from the town hall discussions related to: ethical and empirical starting points for deliberation; criteria for setting priorities; pre-crisis planning; in-crisis decision-making; the need for public deliberation and input; and participants' deliberative struggle with the ethical issues. Conclusions Our findings underscore the importance of public consultation in pandemic planning for sustaining public trust in a public health emergency. Participants appreciated the empirical and ethical uncertainty of decision-making in an influenza pandemic and demonstrated nuanced ethical reasoning about priority setting of intensive care resources in an influenza pandemic. Policymakers may benefit from a better understanding the public's empirical and ethical 'starting points' in developing effective pandemic plans. PMID:22449119

Setting practical conservation priorities for birds in the Western Andes of Colombia.

PubMed

Ocampo-Peñuela, Natalia; Pimm, Stuart L

2014-10-01

We aspired to set conservation priorities in ways that lead to direct conservation actions. Very large-scale strategic mapping leads to familiar conservation priorities exemplified by biodiversity hotspots. In contrast, tactical conservation actions unfold on much smaller geographical extents and they need to reflect the habitat loss and fragmentation that have sharply restricted where species now live. Our aspirations for direct, practical actions were demanding. First, we identified the global, strategic conservation priorities and then downscaled to practical local actions within the selected priorities. In doing this, we recognized the limitations of incomplete information. We started such a process in Colombia and used the results presented here to implement reforestation of degraded land to prevent the isolation of a large area of cloud forest. We used existing range maps of 171 bird species to identify priority conservation areas that would conserve the greatest number of species at risk in Colombia. By at risk species, we mean those that are endemic and have small ranges. The Western Andes had the highest concentrations of such species-100 in total-but the lowest densities of national parks. We then adjusted the priorities for this region by refining these species ranges by selecting only areas of suitable elevation and remaining habitat. The estimated ranges of these species shrank by 18-100% after accounting for habitat and suitable elevation. Setting conservation priorities on the basis of currently available range maps excluded priority areas in the Western Andes and, by extension, likely elsewhere and for other taxa. By incorporating detailed maps of remaining natural habitats, we made practical recommendations for conservation actions. One recommendation was to restore forest connections to a patch of cloud forest about to become isolated from the main Andes. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Setting stroke research priorities: The consumer perspective.

PubMed

Sangvatanakul, Pukkaporn; Hillege, Sharon; Lalor, Erin; Levi, Christopher; Hill, Kelvin; Middleton, Sandy

2010-12-01

To test a method of engaging consumers in research priority-setting using a quantitative approach and to determine consumer views on stroke research priorities for clinical practice recommendations with lower levels of evidence (Level III and Level IV) and expert consensus opinion as published in the Australian stroke clinical practice guidelines. Survey Urban community Eighteen stroke survivors (n = 12) and carers (n = 6) who were members of the "Working Aged Group - Stroke" (WAGS) consumer support group. Phase I: Participants were asked whether recommendations were "worth" researching ("yes" or "no"); and, if researched, what potential impact they likely would have on patient outcomes. Phase II: Participants were asked to rank recommendations rated by more than 75% of participants in Phase I as "worth" researching and "highly likely" or "likely" to generate research with a significant effect on patient outcomes (n = 13) in order of priority for future stroke research. All recommendations were rated by at least half (n = 9, 50%) of participants as "worth" researching. The majority (67% to 100%) rated all recommendations as "highly likely" or "likely" that research would have a significant effect on patient outcomes. Thirteen out of 20 recommendations were ranked for their research priorities. Recommendations under the topic heading Getting to hospital were ranked highest and Organization of care and Living with stroke were ranked as a lower priority for research. This study provided an example of how to involve consumers in research priority setting successfully using a quantitative approach. Stroke research priorities from the consumer perspective were different from those of health professionals, as published in the literature; thus, consumer opinion should be considered when setting research priorities. Copyright © 2010 Society for Vascular Nursing, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

1988 Delphi survey of nursing research priorities for New York State.

PubMed

Shortridge, L; Doswell, W; Evans, M E; Levin, R F; Millor, G K; Carter, E

1989-09-01

In order to inform decisions about nursing research and health care policy, the Council on Nursing Research of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) conducted a Delphi survey to identify the priorities for nursing research in New York state. The Delphi technique is a method of eliciting judgements from experts for the purpose of short-term forecasting and planning. The survey was conducted by mail in three rounds during 1988. Round I required participants to identify three primary research priorities for the nursing profession. In Round II participants ranked the 37 most frequently identified categories from Round I. The highest 16 categories from Round II were ranked by participants in Round III to provide the final 10 nursing research priority categories for New York state. All members of the New York State Nurses Association holding a minimum of a master's degree in nursing were invited to participate. The response rates were: Round I, 34% (N = 872); Round II, 38% (N = 985); Round III 37% (N = 974). Of the 10 nursing research priority categories identified in the final round, 5 relate to nurses, 2 relate to nursing, and 3 relate to clients. None of the high-risk conditions or populations with whom nurses work appear in the top 10, and only 2 of these are ranked in the top 15 priority categories. These priority categories will be used by the NYSNA Council on Nursing Research to influence its future agenda and activities. They can be used by the nursing profession and others for planning, policy making, and establishing nursing research funding priorities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Priorities for research in miscarriage: a priority setting partnership between people affected by miscarriage and professionals following the James Lind Alliance methodology.

PubMed

Prior, Matthew; Bagness, Carmel; Brewin, Jane; Coomarasamy, Arri; Easthope, Lucy; Hepworth-Jones, Barbara; Hinshaw, Kim; O'Toole, Emily; Orford, Julie; Regan, Lesley; Raine-Fenning, Nick; Shakespeare, Judy; Small, Rachel; Thornton, Jim; Metcalf, Leanne

2017-08-23

To identify and prioritise important research questions for miscarriage. A priority setting partnership using prospective surveys and consensus meetings following methods advocated by the James Lind Alliance. UK. Women and those affected by miscarriage working alongside healthcare professionals. In the initial survey, 1093 participants (932 women who have experienced miscarriage, 8 partners, 17 family members, friends or colleagues, 104 healthcare professionals and eight charitable organisations) submitted 3279 questions. A review of existing literature identified a further 64. Non-questions were removed, and the remaining questions were categorised and summarised into 58 questions. In an interim electronic survey, 2122 respondents chose their top 10 priorities from the 58 summary questions. The 25 highest ranked in the survey were prioritised at a final face-to-face workshop. In summary, the top 10 priorities were ranked as follows: research into preventative treatment, emotional aspects in general, investigation, relevance of pre-existing medical conditions, emotional support as a treatment, importance of lifestyle factors, importance of genetic and chromosomal causes, preconception tests, investigation after different numbers of miscarriage and male causal factors. These results should be the focus of future miscarriage research. Presently, studies are being conducted to address the top priority; however, many other priorities, especially psychological and emotional support, are less well researched areas. We hope our results will encourage both researchers and funders to focus on these priorities. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Identifying educational priorities for occupational therapy students to prepare for mental health practice in Australia and New Zealand: Opinions of practising occupational therapists.

PubMed

Scanlan, Justin Newton; Pépin, Geneviève; Haracz, Kirsti; Ennals, Priscilla; Webster, Jayne S; Meredith, Pamela J; Batten, Rachel; Bowman, Siann; Bonassi, Marianne; Bruce, Rosie

2015-10-01

The effective preparation of occupational therapy students for mental health practice is critical to facilitate positive consumer outcomes, underpin optimal practice and support new graduates' professional identity. This project was established to determine a set of 'educational priorities' for occupational therapy students to prepare them for current (and future) entry-level practice in mental health, from the perspective of mental health occupational therapists in Australia and New Zealand. The study included two phases. In Phase One, participants identified what they considered to be important educational priorities for occupational therapy students to prepare them for practice in mental health. For Phase Two, an 'expert panel' was assembled to review and rank these using a Policy Delphi approach. Eighty-five participants provided educational priorities in Phase One. These were grouped into a total of 149 educational themes. In Phase Two, the expert panel (consisting of 37 occupational therapists from diverse locations and practice settings) prioritised these themes across three Delphi rounds. A final priority list was generated dividing educational themes into three prioritised categories: 29 'Essential', 25 'Important' and 44 'Optional' priorities. Highest-ranked priorities were: clinical reasoning, client-centred practice, therapeutic use of self, functional implications of mental illness, therapeutic use of occupation and mental health fieldwork experience. The priority list developed as part of this project provides additional information to support the review of occupational therapy curricula across Australia and New Zealand to ensure that new graduates are optimally prepared for mental health practice. © 2015 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Generating political priority for regulatory interventions targeting obesity prevention: an Australian case study.

PubMed

Baker, Phillip; Gill, Timothy; Friel, Sharon; Carey, Gemma; Kay, Adrian

2017-03-01

Effective obesity prevention requires a synergistic mix of population-level interventions including a strong role for government and the regulation of the marketing, labelling, content and pricing of energy-dense foods and beverages. In this paper we adopt the agenda of the Australian Federal Government (AFG) as a case study to understand the factors generating or hindering political priority for such 'regulatory interventions' between 1990 and 2011. Using a theoretically-guided process tracing method we undertook documentary analysis and conducted 27 interviews with a diversity of actors involved in obesity politics. The analysis was structured by a theoretical framework comprising four dimensions: the power of actors involved; the ideas the actors deploy to interpret and portray the issue; the institutional and political context; and issue characteristics. Despite two periods of sustained political attention, political priority for regulatory interventions did not emerge and was hindered by factors from all four dimensions. Within the public health community, limited cohesion among experts and advocacy groups hampered technical responses and collective action efforts. An initial focus on children (child obesity), framing the determinants of obesity as 'obesogenic environments', and the deployment of 'protecting kids', 'industry demonization' and 'economic costs' frames generated political attention. Institutional norms within government effectively selected out regulatory interventions from consideration. The 'productive power' and activities of the food and advertising industries presented formidable barriers, buttressed by a libertarian/neolibertarian rhetoric emphasizing individual responsibility, a negative view of freedom (as free from 'nanny-state' intervention) and the idea that regulation imposes an unacceptable cost on business. Issue complexity, the absence of a supportive evidence base and a strict 'evidence-based' policy-making approach were used as rationales to defer political priority. Overcoming these challenges may be important to future collective action efforts attempting to generate and sustain political priority for regulatory interventions targeting obesity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Workshop on Technology Development Issues for the Large Deployable Reflector (LDR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nishioka, Kenji (Editor)

1986-01-01

The results of the 2nd Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) Technology Review Workshop held at Asilomar, California, March 17 to 22, 1985, are summarized. The workshop was convened to update LDR Technology status and to revise as necessary the results for the first LDR Workshop held in June 1982. There were some 100 participants representing government agencies, industry, and universities. This Workshop's goal was to assess, identify, and set priorities for the LDR technology issues based on requirements identified in the first workshop. Four high-priority technology areas were identified: (1) mirror materials and construction; (2) sensing and controls; (3) system-simulation and modeling capability; and (4) submillimeter instruments. The results of the workshop were used to provide a list of technolgy issues for the development of a technology initiatives plan for the LDR by NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology.

Discovery, research, and development of new antibiotics: the WHO priority list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and tuberculosis.

PubMed

Tacconelli, Evelina; Carrara, Elena; Savoldi, Alessia; Harbarth, Stephan; Mendelson, Marc; Monnet, Dominique L; Pulcini, Céline; Kahlmeter, Gunnar; Kluytmans, Jan; Carmeli, Yehuda; Ouellette, Marc; Outterson, Kevin; Patel, Jean; Cavaleri, Marco; Cox, Edward M; Houchens, Chris R; Grayson, M Lindsay; Hansen, Paul; Singh, Nalini; Theuretzbacher, Ursula; Magrini, Nicola

2018-03-01

The spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a substantial threat to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Due to its large public health and societal implications, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis has been long regarded by WHO as a global priority for investment in new drugs. In 2016, WHO was requested by member states to create a priority list of other antibiotic-resistant bacteria to support research and development of effective drugs. We used a multicriteria decision analysis method to prioritise antibiotic-resistant bacteria; this method involved the identification of relevant criteria to assess priority against which each antibiotic-resistant bacterium was rated. The final priority ranking of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria was established after a preference-based survey was used to obtain expert weighting of criteria. We selected 20 bacterial species with 25 patterns of acquired resistance and ten criteria to assess priority: mortality, health-care burden, community burden, prevalence of resistance, 10-year trend of resistance, transmissibility, preventability in the community setting, preventability in the health-care setting, treatability, and pipeline. We stratified the priority list into three tiers (critical, high, and medium priority), using the 33rd percentile of the bacterium's total scores as the cutoff. Critical-priority bacteria included carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and carbapenem-resistant and third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. The highest ranked Gram-positive bacteria (high priority) were vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Of the bacteria typically responsible for community-acquired infections, clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori, and fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter spp, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Salmonella typhi were included in the high-priority tier. Future development strategies should focus on antibiotics that are active against multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and Gram-negative bacteria. The global strategy should include antibiotic-resistant bacteria responsible for community-acquired infections such as Salmonella spp, Campylobacter spp, N gonorrhoeae, and H pylori. World Health Organization. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Establishing national priorities for Australian occupational health and safety research.

PubMed

Smith, Derek R

2010-01-01

This study aimed to identify current and emerging issues relevant to Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) research in Australia, and to formulate strategic research directions and strategies for the future. A national research forum was held which included leading OHS academics, employer and employee representative groups, as well as executives from state (New South Wales) and national (Safe Work Australia) representative bodies. A modified Delphi technique was used for collecting data in three phases. When ranked according to group consensus, the top three priorities for future OHS research in Australia were identified as being psychosocial and soft tissue injury hazards, work/life issues, and the impact of multiple, long-term exposures. Strategies to enhance collaboration despite limited research funding included the need to focus on complementary skills, to make the best use of Safe Work Australia's role (particularly to link with strategic and operational plans), and to foster closer engagement with research communities. While certain research priorities appear to be similar to those of other countries, the current study did identify some unique characteristics within an Australian context. High quality investigations of these issues should now be considered, in conjunction with greater cooperation between governments, regulators, employers and employee groups for the more effective facilitation of applied OHS research in the coming years.

Current Practices and Priority Issues Regarding Nutritional Assessment and Patient Satisfaction with Hospital Menus.

PubMed

Greig, Susan; Hekmat, Sharareh; Garcia, Alicia C

2018-06-01

Patient satisfaction with hospital food enhances consumption and adequate intake of nutrients required for recovery from illness/injury and maintenance of health; accordingly, the nutrient content of the menu must balance patient preferences. This study of Ontario hospital foodservice departments collected data on current practices of analyzing the nutritional adequacy and assessing patient satisfaction with menus, and it explored perceptions of priority issues. Foodservice managers/directors from 57 of 140 (41%) hospitals responded to cross-sectional in-depth telephone interviews. Deductive analysis of responses to open-ended questions supplemented quantitative data from closed-ended questions. The hospitals without long-term care facilities (LTCFs) assessed regular (58%), therapeutic (53%), and texture-modified (47%) menus for nutritional adequacy. This differed from hospitals governing LTCFs where there was a higher frequency of assessment of regular (75%), therapeutic (75%), and textured-modified (66%) menus. Most departments (86%-94%) obtained patient satisfaction feedback at the departmental/corporate levels. Many identified budget and labour issues as priorities rather than assessing menus for nutritional adequacy and patient satisfaction. Hospital menus were not consistently assessed for nutritional adequacy and patient satisfaction; common assessment methodologies and standards were absent. Compliance standards seem to increase the frequency of menu assessment as demonstrated by hospitals governing LTCFs.

Mental health research priorities in low- and middle-income countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

PubMed

Sharan, P; Gallo, C; Gureje, O; Lamberte, E; Mari, J J; Mazzotti, G; Patel, V; Swartz, L; Olifson, S; Levav, I; de Francisco, A; Saxena, S

2009-10-01

Studies suggest a paucity of and lack of prioritisation in mental health research from low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries. To investigate research priorities in mental health among researchers and other stakeholders in LAMI countries. We used a two-stage design that included identification, through literature searches and snowball technique, of researchers and stakeholders in 114 countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean; and a mail survey on priorities in research. The study identified broad agreement between researchers and stakeholders and across regions regarding research priorities. Epidemiology (burden and risk factors), health systems and social science ranked highest for type of research. Depression/anxiety, substance use disorders and psychoses; and children and adolescents, women, and people exposed to violence/trauma were prioritised among the disorders and population groups respectively. Important criteria for prioritising research were burden of disease, social justice, and availability of funds. Stakeholder groups differed in the importance they gave to the personal interest of researchers as a criterion for prioritising research. Researchers' and stakeholders' priorities were consistent with burden of disease estimates, however suicide was underprioritised compared with its burden. Researchers' and stakeholders' priorities were also largely congruent with the researchers' projects. The results of this first ever conducted survey of researchers and stakeholders regarding research priorities in mental health suggest that it should be possible to develop consensus at regional and international levels regarding the research agenda that is necessary to support health system objectives in LAMI countries.

Dreissenid mussel research priorities workshop

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sytsma, Mark; Phillips, Stephen; Counihan, Timothy D.

2015-01-01

Currently, dreissenid mussels have yet to be detected in the northwestern part of the United States and western Canada. Infestation of one of the jurisdictions within the mussel-free Pacific Northwest would likely have significant economic, soci­etal and environmental implications for the entire region. Understanding the biology and environmental tolerances of dreissenid mussels, and effectiveness of various man­agement strategies, is key to prevention.On November 4-5, 2015, the Aquatic Bioinvasion Research and Policy Institute and the Center for Lakes and Reservoirs at Portland State University, the US Geological Survey, and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, convened a Dreissenid Mussel Research Priorities Workshop funded by the Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative. The purpose of the workshop was to review dreissenid research priorities in the 2010 Quagga-Zebra Mussel Action Plan for Western U.S. Waters, reassess those priorities, incorporate new information and emerging trends, and develop priorities to strategically focus research efforts on zebra and quagga mussels in the Pacific Northwest and ensure that future research is focused on the highest priorities. It is important to note that there is some repetition among dreissenid research priority categories (e.g., prevention, detection, control, monitoring, and biology).Workshop participants with research experience in dreissenid mussel biology and management were identified by a literature review. State and federal agency managers were also invited to the workshop to ensure relevancy and practicality of the work­shop outcomes. A total of 28 experts (see sidebar) in mussel biology, ecology, and management attended the workshop.

Introduction: priority setting, equitable access and public involvement in health care.

PubMed

Weale, Albert; Kieslich, Katharina; Littlejohns, Peter; Tugendhaft, Aviva; Tumilty, Emma; Weerasuriya, Krisantha; Whitty, Jennifer A

2016-08-15

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue on improving equitable access to health care through increased public and patient involvement (PPI) in prioritization decisions by discussing the conceptualization, scope and rationales of PPI in priority setting that inform the special issue. Design/methodology/approach - The paper employs a mixed-methods approach in that it provides a literature review and a conceptual discussion of the common themes emerging in the field of PPI and health priority setting. Findings - The special issue focuses on public participation that is collective in character, in the sense that the participation relates to a social, not personal, decision and is relevant to whole groups of people and not single individuals. It is aimed at influencing a decision on public policy or legal rules. The rationales for public participation can be found in democratic theory, especially as they relate to the social and political values of legitimacy and representation. Originality/value - The paper builds on previous definitions of public participation by underlining its collective character. In doing so, it develops the work by Parry, Moyser and Day by arguing that, in light of the empirical evidence presented in this issue, public participatory activities such as protests and demonstrations should no longer be labelled unconventional, but should instead be labelled as "contestatory participation". This is to better reflect a situation in which these modes of participation have become more conventional in many parts of the world.

Study of Using Excess Stock to Reduce Naval Aviation Depot-Level Repairable Piece Part Backorders

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

Designator Code, may get involved to ensure timely receipt. When a high-priority (Issue Priority Group 1) requisition is backordered, a CAS...alternative source for acquiring bit-piece parts is Navy excess material. Excess material is inventory designated by Navy organizations as meeting...potential alternative source for acquiring bit-piece parts is Navy excess material. Excess material is inventory designated by Navy organizations as

Reducing the Number of Uninsured Children: Outreach and Enrollment Efforts. Testimony of Donna Cohen Ross, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, before the Senate Finance Committee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Donna Cohen

This testimony of Donna Cohen Ross describes the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities' work to reduce the number of uninsured children. The Center specializes in programs and policies affecting low- and moderate-income families, including issues related to health coverage for the uninsured. It works with many groups on strategies to identify…

GREAT (Groundwater Resources & Educational Activities for Teaching). An Iowa Project for Earth/Life/General Science, 7th-9th Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

George, Gail, Ed.

These resource materials are a part of a larger plan for groundwater education, as detailed in the Iowa Groundwater Education Strategy. The six units are arranged in priority order. The first unit covers the basics of groundwater and hydrogeology in Iowa. The other five units cover Iowa's groundwater issues in priority order, as outlined in the…

Using exercises to identify Veterans Health Administration priorities for disaster response: findings from the New Madrid Earthquake training exercise.

PubMed

Gin, June L; Chan, Edward W; Brewster, Pete; Mitchell, Michael N; Ricci, Karen A; Afable, Melissa K; Dobalian, Aram

2013-01-01

Emergency managers are often charged with prioritizing the relative importance of key issues and tasks associated with disaster response. However, little work has been done to identify specific ways that the decision-making process can be improved. This exercise was conducted with 220 employees of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, who were asked to assign priority rankings to a list of possible options of the most important issues to address after a hypothetical disaster scenario impacting a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. We found that groups that were assigned to represent perspectives farther from the impacted site had less agreement in their identification of the top priorities than those assigned to the impacted facility. These findings suggest that greater geographic and administrative proximity to the impacted site may generate greater clarity and certainty about priority setting. Given the complex structure of many organizations, and the multiple levels of group decision making and coordination likely to be needed during disasters, research to better understand training needs with respect to decision making is essential to improve preparedness. Relatively simple modifications to exercises, as outlined here, could provide valuable information to better understand emergency management decision making across multiple organizational levels.

Policy Options for Education Reform: A Policy Analysis Paper. Discussion Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Kenneth H.

This document examines approaches to educational reform currently under consideration in the Pacific Northwest and discusses policy issues involved with these reform efforts. The introduction discusses broad-scale policy issues, including the setting of priorities amid the diversity of reforms, the clarifying of beliefs and selection of changes…

Computing and Engineering in Afterschool. Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 62

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2013

2013-01-01

This Afterschool Alert Issue Brief explores how afterschool programs are offering innovative, hands-on computing and engineering education opportunities. Both these subjects have emerged as priority areas within the "STEM" fields. Computing is one of the fastest growing industries, and yet current rates of college graduation in computer…

Evaluation of data from test application of optical speed bars to highway work zones

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-08-01

The proximity of traffic and workers in highway work zones demand that safety be a high priority. : The issue of traffic speeds in highway work zones has long been an issue receiving much attention. Over the : past three decades, many different measu...

Major Threats to Environmental Quality in North America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogl, Robert; And Others

1986-01-01

Reports study findings of environmental educators' opinions on issues which pose threats to environmental quality in North America and the status of the availability of educational materials for the issues. Identified as priority items were hazardous wastes management, water contamination, and acid deposition. Compares responses of American and…

Organizational Considerations for Advanced Manufacturing Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeRuntz, Bruce D.; Turner, Roger M.

2003-01-01

In the last several decades, the United States has experienced a decline in productivity, while the world has seen a maturation of the global marketplace. Nations have moved manufacturing strategy and process technology issues to the top of management priority lists. The issues surrounding manufacturing technologies and their implementations have…

Issues in Planning for the Eighties.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Postsecondary Education Commission, Sacramento.

A review of issues in California postsecondary education in the 1980's begins with an overview: what postsecondary education is, who it serves, how it is funded, state priority goals, and identifying important policy questions in the near future. The coming environment for postsecondary education is analyzed according to population trends, college…

Global Environmental Priorities of Engineering Students in Krakow Poland.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Michael; Bowen, William M.

2000-01-01

Reports and interprets the rankings of Rodger Bybee's 12 global-environmental issues/threats by first and second year engineering students (n=175) at the Technical University of Krakow, Poland. Results indicate that personal experience with local environmental issues are the most important determinant for ranking global environmental threats.…

Transsexualism: An Issue of Sex-Role Stereotyping.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raymond, Janice

Transsexualism offers a unique perspective on gender identity, sex-role stereotyping, and sex differences in a patriarchal society. It is also an important medical ethical issue which raises questions of bodily mutilation and integrity, nature versus technology, medical research priorities, unnecessary surgery, and the medical model, as well as…

Suspect screening and non-targeted analysis of drinking water using point-of-use filters.

PubMed

Newton, Seth R; McMahen, Rebecca L; Sobus, Jon R; Mansouri, Kamel; Williams, Antony J; McEachran, Andrew D; Strynar, Mark J

2018-03-01

Monitored contaminants in drinking water represent a small portion of the total compounds present, many of which may be relevant to human health. To understand the totality of human exposure to compounds in drinking water, broader monitoring methods are imperative. In an effort to more fully characterize the drinking water exposome, point-of-use water filtration devices (Brita ® filters) were employed to collect time-integrated drinking water samples in a pilot study of nine North Carolina homes. A suspect screening analysis was performed by matching high resolution mass spectra of unknown features to molecular formulas from EPA's DSSTox database. Candidate compounds with those formulas were retrieved from the EPA's CompTox Chemistry Dashboard, a recently developed data hub for approximately 720,000 compounds. To prioritize compounds into those most relevant for human health, toxicity data from the US federal collaborative Tox21 program and the EPA ToxCast program, as well as exposure estimates from EPA's ExpoCast program, were used in conjunction with sample detection frequency and abundance to calculate a "ToxPi" score for each candidate compound. From ∼15,000 molecular features in the raw data, 91 candidate compounds were ultimately grouped into the highest priority class for follow up study. Fifteen of these compounds were confirmed using analytical standards including the highest priority compound, 1,2-Benzisothiazolin-3-one, which appeared in 7 out of 9 samples. The majority of the other high priority compounds are not targets of routine monitoring, highlighting major gaps in our understanding of drinking water exposures. General product-use categories from EPA's CPCat database revealed that several of the high priority chemicals are used in industrial processes, indicating the drinking water in central North Carolina may be impacted by local industries. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-30

The Electrostatic Levitator (ESL) Facility established at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) supports NASA's Microgravity Materials Science Research Program. NASA materials science investigations include ground-based, flight definition and flight projects. Flight definition projects, with demanding science concept review schedules, receive highest priority for scheduling experiment time in the Electrostatic Levitator (ESL) Facility.

14 CFR 1215.109 - Scheduling user service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2011-01-01 2010-01-01 true Scheduling user service. 1215.109 Section 1215.109 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION TRACKING AND DATA RELAY... highest priority: (i) Launch, reentry, landing of the STS Shuttle, or other NASA launches. (ii) NASA...

14 CFR 1215.109 - Scheduling user service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Scheduling user service. 1215.109 Section 1215.109 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION TRACKING AND DATA RELAY... highest priority: (i) Launch, reentry, landing of the STS Shuttle, or other NASA launches. (ii) NASA...

14 CFR 1215.109 - Scheduling user service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Scheduling user service. 1215.109 Section 1215.109 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION TRACKING AND DATA RELAY... highest priority: (i) Launch, reentry, landing of the STS Shuttle, or other NASA launches. (ii) NASA...

Tire wear emissions for asphalt rubber and Portland cement concrete pavement surfaces.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-04-01

Since 1990, it has been the policy of the State of Arizona that the recycling and reuse of : waste tires are the highest priority. The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) : has long supported the use of recycled waste tire rubber in asphalt r...

Atlantic salmon and eastern oyster breeding programs at the National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA-ARS National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC) focuses on the coldwater marine aquaculture industry's highest priority research needs including development of improved genetic stocks. Coldwater aquaculture production has potential for expansion, and both Atlantic salmon and East...

Methodological Quality of National Guidelines for Pediatric Inpatient Conditions

PubMed Central

Hester, Gabrielle; Nelson, Katherine; Mahant, Sanjay; Eresuma, Emily; Keren, Ron; Srivastava, Rajendu

2014-01-01

Background Guidelines help inform standardization of care for quality improvement (QI). The Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings (PRIS) network published a prioritization list of inpatient conditions with high prevalence, cost, and variation in resource utilization across children’s hospitals. The methodological quality of guidelines for priority conditions is unknown. Objective To rate the methodological quality of national guidelines for 20 priority pediatric inpatient conditions. Design We searched sources including PubMed for national guidelines published 2002–2012. Guidelines specific to one organism, test or treatment, or institution were excluded. Guidelines were rated by two raters using a validated tool (AGREE II) with an overall rating on a 7-point scale (7–highest). Inter-rater reliability was measured with a weighted kappa coefficient. Results 17 guidelines met inclusion criteria for 13 conditions, 7 conditions yielded no relevant national guidelines. The highest methodological quality guidelines were for asthma, tonsillectomy, and bronchiolitis (mean overall rating 7, 6.5 and 6.5 respectively); the lowest were for sickle cell disease (2 guidelines) and dental caries (mean overall rating 4, 3.5, and 3 respectively). The overall weighted kappa was 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.78–0.87). Conclusions We identified a group of moderate to high methodological quality national guidelines for priority pediatric inpatient conditions. Hospitals should consider these guidelines to inform QI initiatives. PMID:24677729

A research agenda for the European Association for Endoscopic Surgeons (EAES).

PubMed

Francis, Nader; Kazaryan, Airazat M; Pietrabissa, Andrea; Goitein, David; Yiannakopoulou, Eugenia; Agresta, Ferdinando; Khatkov, Igor; Schulze, Svend; Arulampalam, Tan; Tomulescu, Victor; Kim, Young-Woo; Targarona, Eduardo Mª; Zaninotto, Giovanni

2017-05-01

The European Association of Endoscopic Surgeons (EAES) conducted this study aiming to identify the top research questions which are relevant to surgeons in Minimal Access Surgery (MAS). This is in order to promote and link research questions to the current clinical practice in MAS in Europe. Using a systematic methodology, (modified Delphi), the EAES members and leadership teams were surveyed to obtain consensus on the top research priorities in MAS. The responses were categorized and redistributed to the membership to rate the level of importance of each research question. The data were reported as the weighted average score with a scale from 1 (lowest agreement) to 5 (highest agreement). In total, 324 of 2580 (12.5%) of the EAES members and the leaders responded to the survey and contributed to the final consensus. The ranked responses over the 80th percentile identified 39 research priorities with rating ranged from 4.22 to 3.67. The top five highest ranking research priorities in the EAES were centered on improving training in MAS, laparoscopic surgery for benign upper gastrointestinal conditions, integration of novel technology in OR, translational and basic science research in bariatric surgery and investigating the role of MAS in rectal cancer. An EAES research agenda was developed using a systematic methodology and can be used to focus MAS research. This study was commissioned by the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES).

Developments in Surge Research Priorities: A Systematic Review of the Literature Following the Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference, 2007-2015.

PubMed

Morton, Melinda J; DeAugustinis, Matthew L; Velasquez, Christina A; Singh, Sonal; Kelen, Gabor D

2015-11-01

In 2006, Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) published a special issue summarizing the proceedings of the AEM consensus conference on the "Science of Surge." One major goal of the conference was to establish research priorities in the field of "disasters" surge. For this review, we wished to determine the progress toward the conference's identified research priorities: 1) defining criteria and methods for allocation of scarce resources, 2) identifying effective triage protocols, 3) determining decision-makers and means to evaluate response efficacy, 4) developing communication and information sharing strategies, and 5) identifying methods for evaluating workforce needs. Specific criteria were developed in conjunction with library search experts. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases were queried for peer-reviewed articles from 2007 to 2015 addressing scientific advances related to the above five research priorities identified by AEM consensus conference. Abstracts and foreign language articles were excluded. Only articles with quantitative data on predefined outcomes were included; consensus panel recommendations on the above priorities were also included for the purposes of this review. Included study designs were randomized controlled trials, prospective, retrospective, qualitative (consensus panel), observational, cohort, case-control, or controlled before-and-after studies. Quality assessment was performed using a standardized tool for quantitative studies. Of the 2,484 unique articles identified by the search strategy, 313 articles appeared to be related to disaster surge. Following detailed text review, 50 articles with quantitative data and 11 concept papers (consensus conference recommendations) addressed at least one AEM consensus conference surge research priority. Outcomes included validation of the benchmark of 500 beds/million of population for disaster surge capacity, effectiveness of simulation- and Internet-based tools for forecasting of hospital and regional demand during disasters, effectiveness of reverse triage approaches, development of new disaster surge metrics, validation of mass critical care approaches (altered standards of care), use of telemedicine, and predictions of optimal hospital staffing levels for disaster surge events. Simulation tools appeared to provide some of the highest quality research. Disaster simulation studies have arguably revolutionized the study of disaster surge in the intervening years since the 2006 AEM Science of Surge conference, helping to validate some previously known disaster surge benchmarks and to generate new surge metrics. Use of reverse triage approaches and altered standards of care, as well as Internet-based tools such as Google Flu Trends, have also proven effective. However, there remains significant work to be done toward standardizing research methodologies and outcomes, as well as validating disaster surge metrics. © 2015 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Future Directions for Cardiovascular Disease Comparative Effectiveness Research

PubMed Central

Hlatky, Mark A; Douglas, Pamela S; Cook, Nakela L; Wells, Barbara; Benjamin, Emelia J; Dickersin, Kay; Goff, David C; Hirsch, Alan T; Hylek, Elaine M; Peterson, Eric; Roger, Véronique L; Selby, Joseph V; Udelson, James E; Lauer, Michael S

2012-01-01

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) aims to provide decision-makers the evidence needed to evaluate the benefits and harms of alternative clinical management strategies. CER has become a national priority, with considerable new research funding allocated. Cardiovascular disease is a priority area for CER. This workshop report provides an overview of CER methods, with an emphasis on practical clinical trials and observational treatment comparisons. The report also details recommendations to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute for a new framework for evidence development to foster cardiovascular CER, and specific studies to address eight clinical issues identified by the Institute of Medicine as high priorities for cardiovascular CER. PMID:22796257

DG's New Year's presentation

ScienceCinema

Heuer, R.-D.

2018-05-22

CERN general staff meeting. Looking back at key messages: Highest priority: LHC physics in 2009; Increase diversity of the scientific program; Prepare for future projects; Establish open and direct communication; Prepare CERN towards a global laboratory; Increase consolidation efforts; Financial situation--tight; Knowledge and technology transfer--proactive; Contract policy and internal mobility--lessons learned.

Saving Democratic Education from Itself: Why We Need Homeschooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glanzer, Perry L.

2013-01-01

We need homeschooling to save education in a liberal democracy from taking a religious form--what I call Democratic Education. Democratic Education emerges when the democratic identity and narrative become elevated to the highest priority when thinking about educating human beings. This elevation becomes particularly dangerous when other…

Modeling vegetation mosaics in sub-alpine Tasmania under various fire regimes

Treesearch

Gabriel I. Yospin; Samuel W. Wood; Andres Holz; David M. J. S. Bowman; Robert E. Keane; Cathy Whitlock

2015-01-01

Western Tasmania, Australia contains some of the highest levels of biological endemism of any temperate region in the world, including vegetation types that are conservation priorities: fire-sensitive rainforest dominated by endemic conifer species in the genus Athrotaxis; and firetolerant buttongrass moorlands. Current management focuses on fire suppression,...

Clinical Utility and "DSM-V"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullins-Sweatt, Stephanie N.; Widiger, Thomas A.

2009-01-01

The construction of the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic manual has been guided primarily by concerns of construct validity rather than of clinical utility, despite claims by its authors that the highest priority has in fact been clinical utility. The purpose of this article was to further articulate the concept and importance of…

Conservation: evolutionary values for all 10,000 birds.

PubMed

Lovette, Irby J

2014-05-19

Many biologists and conservation practitioners believe that preserving evolutionary diversity should be a priority. An innovative new study measures the evolutionary distinctness of all the world's birds and identifies the species and locations that capture the highest fraction of avian evolutionary history. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 66826 - Prior Label Approval System: Generic Label Approval

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-07

... container of a misleading form or size.\\1\\ FSIS has interpreted these provisions as requiring that the...-evaluating-labeling . Labels submitted as an extraordinary circumstance are given the highest priority for... submissions to FSIS headquarters, thus increasing the availability of FSIS labeling staff. Upon publication of...

76 FR 74849 - Fund Availability Under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-01

... may focus on providing the following supportive services: housing counseling; assisting participants... requirements described in Sec. 62.21 of the Final Rule. 2. Group applications within the applicable funding... highest funding priority group. To the extent funding is available and subject to the considerations noted...

Momentum toward Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Inst. (DHHS/NIH), Bethesda, MD. Div. of Lung Diseases.

Important new medical findings and advances in heart, lung, and blood research with goals of encouraging practical applications are presented in this supplement to the 12th report of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council. The findings are the result of a 10-year research program directed to the highest identified priorities in…

Atlantic salmon and eastern oyster breeding programs at the National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA-ARS National Cold Water Marine Aquaculture Center (NCWMAC) focuses on the coldwater marine aquaculture industry’s highest priority research needs including development of improved genetic stocks. Coldwater aquaculture production has potential for expansion, and both Atlantic salmon and Eas...

I Have a Dream: School Principals as Entrepreneurs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yemini, Miri; Addi-Raccah, Audrey; Katarivas, Keren

2015-01-01

Most policymakers and academics agree that entrepreneurship is indispensable to society's development and well-being. Fostering entrepreneurship has become a matter of highest priority in public policy worldwide. Given the growing pressures of decentralization and competitiveness that schools have faced over the last 20 years, the role of school…

Schools Get Smart about Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoff, Randy

2011-01-01

Regardless of size or community served, school districts across California and the nation face one common challenge--a reduction in funding. Becoming more efficient in managing precious taxpayer dollars has become the highest priority for districts in order to minimize or avoid staff reductions or the elimination of student programs. Dozens of…

Remote Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolch, Matt

2008-01-01

Imagine school district staff inputting school data and sharing it in real time, managing teacher absences and arranging substitutes from the comfort of home, or deploying IT personnel to the right site at the right time to tackle the highest-priority jobs first. The concept of managing applications from anywhere with a network connection, known…

20 CFR 725.545 - Underpayments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

.... (b) Underpaid individual is living. If an individual to whom an underpayment was made is living, the... representing payment of the deficit, such payment shall be distributed to the living person (or persons) in the highest order of priority as follows: (1) The deceased individual's surviving spouse who was either: (i...

Joint Commission president outlines top strategic priorities to aid QI efforts.

PubMed

2001-06-01

At the top of the list of strategic priorities at the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is patient safety. But Dennis O'Leary, MD, president of JCAHO, says his organization faces numerous challenges beyond that, including the value of accreditation itself. According to O'Leary, the underlying issue is that only about 15% of the 150,000 health care entities currently eligible for accreditation are actually accredited.

Threats from urban expansion, agricultural transformation and forest loss on global conservation priority areas.

PubMed

Veach, Victoria; Moilanen, Atte; Di Minin, Enrico

2017-01-01

Including threats in spatial conservation prioritization helps identify areas for conservation actions where biodiversity is at imminent risk of extinction. At the global level, an important limitation when identifying spatial priorities for conservation actions is the lack of information on the spatial distribution of threats. Here, we identify spatial conservation priorities under three prominent threats to biodiversity (residential and commercial development, agricultural expansion, and forest loss), which are primary drivers of habitat loss and threaten the persistence of the highest number of species in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and for which spatial data is available. We first explore how global priority areas for the conservation of vertebrate (mammals, birds, and amphibians) species coded in the Red List as vulnerable to each threat differ spatially. We then identify spatial conservation priorities for all species vulnerable to all threats. Finally, we identify the potentially most threatened areas by overlapping the identified priority areas for conservation with maps for each threat. We repeat the same with four other well-known global conservation priority area schemes, namely Key Biodiversity Areas, Biodiversity Hotspots, the global Protected Area Network, and Wilderness Areas. We find that residential and commercial development directly threatens only about 4% of the global top 17% priority areas for species vulnerable under this threat. However, 50% of the high priority areas for species vulnerable to forest loss overlap with areas that have already experienced some forest loss. Agricultural expansion overlapped with ~20% of high priority areas. Biodiversity Hotspots had the greatest proportion of their total area under direct threat from all threats, while expansion of low intensity agriculture was found to pose an imminent threat to Wilderness Areas under future agricultural expansion. Our results identify areas where limited resources should be allocated to mitigate risks to vertebrate species from habitat loss.

Threats from urban expansion, agricultural transformation and forest loss on global conservation priority areas

PubMed Central

Moilanen, Atte; Di Minin, Enrico

2017-01-01

Including threats in spatial conservation prioritization helps identify areas for conservation actions where biodiversity is at imminent risk of extinction. At the global level, an important limitation when identifying spatial priorities for conservation actions is the lack of information on the spatial distribution of threats. Here, we identify spatial conservation priorities under three prominent threats to biodiversity (residential and commercial development, agricultural expansion, and forest loss), which are primary drivers of habitat loss and threaten the persistence of the highest number of species in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and for which spatial data is available. We first explore how global priority areas for the conservation of vertebrate (mammals, birds, and amphibians) species coded in the Red List as vulnerable to each threat differ spatially. We then identify spatial conservation priorities for all species vulnerable to all threats. Finally, we identify the potentially most threatened areas by overlapping the identified priority areas for conservation with maps for each threat. We repeat the same with four other well-known global conservation priority area schemes, namely Key Biodiversity Areas, Biodiversity Hotspots, the global Protected Area Network, and Wilderness Areas. We find that residential and commercial development directly threatens only about 4% of the global top 17% priority areas for species vulnerable under this threat. However, 50% of the high priority areas for species vulnerable to forest loss overlap with areas that have already experienced some forest loss. Agricultural expansion overlapped with ~20% of high priority areas. Biodiversity Hotspots had the greatest proportion of their total area under direct threat from all threats, while expansion of low intensity agriculture was found to pose an imminent threat to Wilderness Areas under future agricultural expansion. Our results identify areas where limited resources should be allocated to mitigate risks to vertebrate species from habitat loss. PMID:29182662

Research Gaps in Protecting Healthcare Workers From SARS and Other Respiratory Pathogens: An Interdisciplinary, Multi-Stakeholder, Evidence-Based Approach

PubMed Central

Yassi, Annalee; Moore, David; FitzGerald, J. Mark; Bigelow, Philip; Hon, Chun-Yip; Bryce, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Objective To identify priorities for further research in protecting healthcare workers (HCWs) from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and other respiratory pathogens by summarizing the basic science of infectious bioaerosols and the efficacy of facial protective equipment; the organizational, environmental, and individual factors that influence the success of infection control and occupational health programs; and factors identified by HCWs as important. Method An extensive literature review was conducted and 15 focus groups held, mostly with frontline HCWs in Toronto. Critical gaps in knowledge were identified and prioritized. Results Highest priority was given to organizational factors that create a climate of safety. Other priority areas included understanding aerosolization risks and practical measures to control bioaerosols at the source. Conclusions Further research is warranted to improve safety climate in health care and, specifically, to provide greater protection against respiratory pathogens. PMID:15643158

Defense Modeling and Simulation Initiative

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-01

project solicitation and priority ranking process, and reviewing policy issues . The activities of the DMSO and MSWG are also supported by a series of... issues have been raised for discussion, including: *Proumulgation of standards for the interoperability of models and simulations " Modeling and...have been completed or will be completed in the near term. The policy issues should be defined at a high level in the near term, although their

Education, Training and Assistance: An Issue but Not a Priority. The White House Conference on Small Business (Washington, D.C. January 13-17, 1980).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downing, Diane E.

This paper describes one of the key issue areas addressed by the White House Conference on Small Business, January 13-17, 1980. This issue area of Education, Training and Assistance was one of twelve major conference themes, which included Capital Formation and Retention; Minority Business Development; Economic Policy and Government Programs;…

Issue Priorities and Trends in State Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coulter, Tricia

The State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) periodically surveys its members about the most important higher education issues of the day. In January 2002, the most recent version of the survey was sent to the chief executive officers of statewide coordinating and governing boards in 49 states, the District of Columbia and…

Stop the Pediatric Obesity Epidemic: Is the EMR a Solution to Alert Providers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Kim

2016-01-01

Introduction: Weight management is an unrelenting issue affecting people of all ages. Addressing weight management is among the priority health concerns in the United States. Evidence suggests that some health providers are not recognizing or managing patients' weight management issues. The electronic medical record and automation may help…

Governors' Top Education Issues: State of the States 2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomsen, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Education issues were again at the forefront when the leaders of 42 states and the District of Columbia outlined their priorities in their 2014 State of the State addresses. Governors outlined their plans for increasing the quality and availability of education--from preschool through postsecondary--to spur economic growth and enhance the quality…

Southern California Mountains and Foothills Assessment: Habitat and Species Conservation Issues

Treesearch

John R. Stephenson; Gena M. Calcarone

1999-01-01

The Southern California Mountains and Foothills Assessment: Habitat and Species Conservation Issues provides detailed information about current conditions and trends for ecological systems and species in the region. This information can be used by land managers to develop broad land management goals and priorities and provides the context for decisions specific to...

Understanding the Undertow: Innovative Responses to Labour Market Disadvantage and VET

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bretherton, Tanya

2011-01-01

An Australian Government priority is to increase productivity by moving people from welfare into employment. Policy on this issue is difficult to develop because of the complexities surrounding both under- and unemployment. This report considers underutilisation from two different perspectives. Not only does it contemplate the issue from the…

Food, Nutrition and Development in Ecuador.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masse-Raimbault, Anne-Marie, Ed.

1995-01-01

This purpose of this journal is to document advances in the fields of health, education, food, diet, and development. Each issue contains an overview of a high-priority subject touching the everyday life of children, mothers, and families. This double issue describes the Andes project, a food, diet, nutrition, and development program conducted in…

Priorities for clinical research in intracerebral hemorrhage: report from a National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke workshop.

PubMed

2005-03-01

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most lethal stroke types. In December 2003, a National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) workshop was convened to develop a consensus for ICH research priorities. The focus was clinical research aimed at acute ICH in patients. Workshop participants were divided into 6 groups: (1) current state of ICH research; (2) basic science; and (3) imaging, (4) medical, (5) surgical, and (6) clinical methodology. Each group formulated research priorities before the workshop. At the workshop, these were discussed and refined. Recent progress in management of hemorrhage growth, intraventricular hemorrhage, and limitations in the benefit of open craniotomy were noted. The workshop identified the importance of developing animal models to reflect human ICH, as well as the phenomena of rebleeding. More human ICH pathology is needed. Real-time, high-field magnets and 3-dimensional imaging, as well as high-resolution tissue probes, are ICH imaging priorities. Trials of acute blood pressure-lowering in ICH and coagulopathy reversal are medical priorities. The exact role of edema in human ICH pathology and its treatment requires intensive study. Trials of minimally invasive surgical techniques including mechanical and chemical surgical adjuncts are critically important. The methodologic challenges include establishing research networks and a multi-specialty approach. Waiver of consent issues and standardizing care in trials are important issues. Encouragement of young investigators from varied backgrounds to enter the ICH research field is critical. Increasing ICH research is crucial. A collaborative approach is likely to yield therapies for this devastating form of brain injury.

HIV prevention among diverse young MSM: Research needs, priorities, and opportunities

PubMed Central

Rhodes, Scott D.; Wong, Frank Y.

2016-01-01

There remains a profound need for innovative and effective interventions designed for young men who have sex with men (YMSM) generally; and racial and ethnic minority YMSM, YMSM living in rural communities, and low-income YMSM, particularly, to prevent HIV and improve health outcomes in the United States. This introduction to this theme issue identifies some of the research needs, priorities, and opportunities that emerged during a seminal NIMHD-sponsored workshop on HIV prevention behavioral interventions for diverse YMSM. It provides researchers, practitioners, and federal partners guidance in next steps to reduce the impact of the HIV epidemic among YMSMS. The needs, priorities, and opportunities identified serve as a foundation to push both the science and the practice of HIV prevention forward. We recognize that considerably more research is needed, and this issue highlights intervention research – where we have been and where we should go. With the disparities faced by YMSM, we must act rapidly to do the work it will take to meet their prevention needs, reduce infections, and save lives. PMID:27244188

HIV Prevention Among Diverse Young MSM: Research Needs, Priorities, and Opportunities.

PubMed

Rhodes, Scott D; Wong, Frank Y

2016-06-01

There remains a profound need for innovative and effective interventions designed for young men who have sex with men (YMSM) generally, and racial and ethnic minority YMSM, YMSM living in rural communities, and low-income YMSM, particularly, to prevent HIV and improve health outcomes in the United States. This introduction to this theme issue, "Behavioral HIV Prevention Interventions for Diverse YMSM," of AIDS Education and Prevention identifies some of the research needs, priorities, and opportunities that emerged during a seminal NIMHD-sponsored workshop on HIV prevention behavioral interventions for diverse YMSM. It provides researchers, practitioners, and federal partners guidance in next steps to reduce the impact of the HIV epidemic among YMSM. The needs, priorities, and opportunities identified serve as a foundation to push both the science and the practice of HIV prevention forward. We recognize that considerably more research is needed, and this issue highlights intervention research-where we have been and where we should go. With the disparities faced by YMSM, we must act rapidly to do the work it will take to meet their prevention needs, reduce infections, and save lives.

Understanding public preferences for prioritizing health care interventions in England: does the type of health gain matter?

PubMed

Mason, Helen; Baker, Rachel; Donaldson, Cam

2011-04-01

Health care budgets are finite and decisions must be made about which interventions to provide and, by implication, which will not be provided. The aim of this study was to investigate what features of health care interventions, including the type of health gain, are important to members of the public in England in making priority-setting decisions and to understand why. Q methodology was used with 52 members of the public in north east England. Respondents rank ordered 36 health care interventions from those they would give highest priority to through to those they would give lowest priority to. A form of factor analysis was used to reveal a small number of shared viewpoints. Five factors emerged: 'life saving to maximize the size of the health gain', 'everyone deserves a chance at life', '(potential for) own benefit', 'maximum benefit for (perceived) lowest cost' and 'quality of life and social responsibility'. There were different views about which interventions should be given priority. Respondents considered not only the type of health gain received from an intervention as important, but also the size of the health gain, who received the health gain and an individual's personal responsibility. Aspects other than health gain need to be considered when soliciting the public's views of priorities for health care interventions.

Identification of priority health conditions for field-based screening in urban slums in Bangalore, India.

PubMed

Abdi, Sarah; Wadugodapitiya, Avanti; Bedaf, Sandra; George, Carolin Elizabeth; Norman, Gift; Hawley, Mark; de Witte, Luc

2018-03-02

Urban slums are characterised by unique challenging living conditions, which increase their inhabitants' vulnerability to specific health conditions. The identification and prioritization of the key health issues occurring in these settings is essential for the development of programmes that aim to enhance the health of local slum communities effectively. As such, the present study sought to identify and prioritise the key health issues occurring in urban slums, with a focus on the perceptions of health professionals and community workers, in the rapidly growing city of Bangalore, India. The study followed a two-phased mixed methods design. During Phase I of the study, a total of 60 health conditions belonging to four major categories: - 1) non-communicable diseases; 2) infectious diseases; 3) maternal and women's reproductive health; and 4) child health - were identified through a systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews conducted with health professionals and other relevant stakeholders with experience working with urban slum communities in Bangalore. In Phase II, the health issues were prioritised based on four criteria through a consensus workshop conducted in Bangalore. The top health issues prioritized during the workshop were: diabetes and hypertension (non-communicable diseases category), dengue fever (infectious diseases category), malnutrition and anaemia (child health, and maternal and women's reproductive health categories). Diarrhoea was also selected as a top priority in children. These health issues were in line with national and international reports that listed them as top causes of mortality and major contributors to the burden of diseases in India. The results of this study will be used to inform the development of technologies and the design of interventions to improve the health outcomes of local communities. Identification of priority health issues in the slums of other regions of India, and in other low and lower middle-income countries, is recommended.

Temporal trends and regional variations in gastrointestinal cancer mortality in Peru, 2005-2014.

PubMed

Hernández-Vásquez, Akram; Bendezú-Quispe, Guido; Azañedo, Diego; Huarez, Bertha; Rodríguez-Lema, Belén

2016-01-01

To estimate and analyze the evolution of mortality rates of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in Peru and its regions between 2005-2014. We performed a nationwide secondary analysis of Peru's Health Ministry registry of deaths during the period 2005-2014, with a focus on regional differences. Deaths registered with codes C15 to C25 (malignant neoplasms of digestive organs) from the ICD-10 were included. Calculation of age-standarized mortality rates and years of life lost (YLL) due to GI cancer per 100,000 habitants were also performed. Data of 67,527 deaths from GI cancers was analyzed, 35,055 (51.91%) were women. In 2005, the number of GI cancer deaths was 6,484, for 2014, 7,532 cases were recorded. The GI cancer age-standarized mortality rates at the country level showed a decrease of 12.70% between 2005-2014. Stomach cancer presented the highest age-standarized mortality rate despite showing a downward trend in the last years, equal for gallbladder, liver and biliary tract, and esophagus cancer. Colorectal, small intestine and anus cancer show a progressive increase. In 2014, Callao (48.8), Huancavelica (48.5), La Libertad (39.6), Lambayeque (40.5) and Huanuco (38.9) had the highest rates. The three types of GI cancers with the highest rates of YLL in 2014 were stomach cancer (118.51), followed by liver and biliary tract cancer (58.68) and colorectal (44.86). GI cancer mortality in Peru is high and a priority issue in regions like Huancavelica, Huanuco, Callao, La Libertad and Lambayeque. Stomach cancer remains the most frequent GI cancer, but with a downward trend in the study period.

Identification of arsenic resistant endophytic bacteria from Pteris vittata roots and characterization for arsenic remediation application.

PubMed

Tiwari, Sarita; Sarangi, Bijaya Ketan; Thul, Sanjog T

2016-09-15

Mitigation of arsenic (As) pollution is a topical environmental issue of high R&D priority. The present investigation was carried out to isolate As resistant endophytes from the roots of Indian ecotype Pteris vittata and characterize their As transformation and tolerance ability, plant growth promoting characteristics and their role to facilitate As uptake by the plant. A total of 8 root endophytes were isolated from plants grown in As amended soil (25 mg As kg(-1)). These isolates were studied for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), arsenite As(III) - arsenate As(V) transformation ability, plant growth promoting (PGP) characteristics through siderophore, indole acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphatase, ACC deaminase activity, and presence of arsenite oxidase (aox) and arsenite transporter (arsB) genes. On the basis of 16S rDNA sequence analysis, these isolates belong to Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes families under the genera Bacillus, Enterobacter, Stenotrophomonas and Rhizobium. All isolates were found As tolerant, of which one isolates showed highest tolerance up to 1000 mg L(-1) concentration in SLP medium. Five isolates were IAA positive with highest IAA production up to 60 mg/L and two isolates exhibited siderophore activity. Phosphatase activity was shown by only one isolate while ACC deaminase activity was absent in all the isolates. The As transformation study by silver nitrate test showed that only two strains had dual characteristics of As(III) oxidation and As (V) reduction, four strains exhibited either of the characteristics while other two didn't confirmed any of the two characteristics. Presence of aox gene was detected in two strains and arsB gene in six isolates. The strain with highest As tolerance also showed highest IAA production and occurrence of arsB gene. Present investigation may open up further scope of utilizing these endophytes for up gradation of phytoextraction process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Setting healthcare priorities in hospitals: a review of empirical studies

PubMed Central

Barasa, Edwine W; Molyneux, Sassy; English, Mike; Cleary, Susan

2015-01-01

Priority setting research has focused on the macro (national) and micro (bedside) level, leaving the meso (institutional, hospital) level relatively neglected. This is surprising given the key role that hospitals play in the delivery of healthcare services and the large proportion of health systems resources that they absorb. To explore the factors that impact upon priority setting at the hospital level, we conducted a thematic review of empirical studies. A systematic search of PubMed, EBSCOHOST, Econlit databases and Google scholar was supplemented by a search of key websites and a manual search of relevant papers’ reference lists. A total of 24 papers were identified from developed and developing countries. We applied a policy analysis framework to examine and synthesize the findings of the selected papers. Findings suggest that priority setting practice in hospitals was influenced by (1) contextual factors such as decision space, resource availability, financing arrangements, availability and use of information, organizational culture and leadership, (2) priority setting processes that depend on the type of priority setting activity, (3) content factors such as priority setting criteria and (4) actors, their interests and power relations. We observe that there is need for studies to examine these issues and the interplay between them in greater depth and propose a conceptual framework that might be useful in examining priority setting practices in hospitals. PMID:24604831

The Marc Dax (1770-1837)/Paul Broca (1824-1880) Controversy over Priority in Science: Left Hemisphere Specificity for Seat of Articulate Language and for Lesions that Cause Aphemia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckingham, Hugh W.

2006-01-01

One of the most fascinating and frustrating issues in the priority of discovery in science is over just who, for the first time, went on record in the public forum, either orally at a conference or through a published communication, proclaiming that the faculty of articulate human speech was located in the left, not the right, cortical hemisphere.…

Consensus-based Recommendations for Research Priorities Related to Interventions to Safeguard Patient Safety in the Crowded Emergency Department

PubMed Central

Fee, Christopher; Hall, Kendall; Morrison, J. Bradley; Stephens, Robert; Cosby, Karen; Fairbanks, Rollin (Terry) J.; Youngberg, Barbara; Lenehan, Gail; Abualenain, Jameel; O’Connor, Kevin; Wears, Robert

2012-01-01

This article describes the results of the Interventions to Safeguard Safety breakout session of the 2011 Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM) consensus conference entitled “Interventions to Assure Quality in the Crowded Emergency Department.” Using a multistep nominal group technique, experts in emergency department (ED) crowding, patient safety, and systems engineering defined knowledge gaps and priority research questions related to the maintenance of safety in the crowded ED. Consensus was reached for seven research priorities related to interventions to maintain safety in the setting of a crowded ED. Included among these are: 1) How do routine corrective processes and compensating mechanism change during crowding? 2) What metrics should be used to determine ED safety? 3) How can checklists ensure safer care and what factors contribute to their success or failure? 4) What constitutes safe staffing levels / ratios? 5) How can we align emergency medicine (EM)-specific patient safety issues with national patient safety issues? 6) How can we develop metrics and skills to recognize when an ED is getting close to catastrophic overload conditions? and 7) What can EM learn from experts and modeling from fields outside of medicine to develop innovative solutions? These priorities have the potential to inform future clinical and human factors research and extramural funding decisions related to this important topic. PMID:22168192

Research, Practice, and Policy Perspectives on Issues of Children without Permanent Parental Care

PubMed Central

McCall, Robert B.

2013-01-01

This chapter presents conclusions, trends, conceptual analyses, hypotheses, and speculations regarding some fundamental issues of research, practice, and policy that are largely unsettled or controversial. As such, the chapter is not a summary of Chapters 1-8, but rather contains interpretations and opinions of the author intended to elevate the priority of certain issues, suggest hypotheses to be studied, and propose practice and policy steps to be considered. PMID:25018566

Northwest Climate Science Center: Integrating Regional Research, Conservation and Natural Resource Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mote, P.; Bisbal, G.

2012-12-01

The Northwest Climate Science Center (NW CSC) was established in 2010, among the first three of eight regional Climate Science Centers created by the Department of the Interior (DOI). The NW CSC is supported by an academic consortium (Oregon State University, University of Idaho, and the University of Washington), which has the capacity to generate and coordinate decision-relevant science related to climate, thus serving stakeholders across the Pacific Northwest region. The NW CSC has overlapping boundaries with three Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs): the Great Northern, the Great Basin, and the North Pacific. Collaboration between the NW CSC and these three LCCs addresses the highest priority regional climate science needs of Northwest natural and cultural resource managers. Early in 2012, the NW CSC released its first Strategic Plan for the period 2012-2015. The plan offers a practical blueprint for operation and describes five core services that the NW CSC provides to the Northwest community. These core services emphasize (a) bringing together the regional resource management and science communities to calibrate priorities and ensure efficient integration of climate science resources and tools when addressing practical issues of regional significance; (b) developing and implementing a stakeholder-driven science agenda which highlights the NW CSC's regional leadership in generating scenarios of the future environment of the NW; (c) supporting and training graduate students at the three consortium universities, including through an annual 'Climate science boot camp'; (d) providing a platform for effective climate-change-related communication among scientists, resource managers, and the general public; and (e) national leadership in data management and climate scenario development.

An Autonomous Instrument Package for Providing 'Pathfinder' Network Measurements on the Surface of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banerdt, W. B.; Lognonne, Ph.

2003-01-01

The investigations of the interior and atmosphere of Mars have been identified as high scientific priorities in most planetary exploration strategy document since the time of Viking. Most recently, the National Academy of Sciences has recommended a long-lived Mars network mission as its second highest scientific priority for Mars (after sample return) for the purpose of performing seismological investigations of the interior and studying the activity and composition of the atmosphere. Despite consistent recommendations by advisory groups, Mars network missions (MESUR, Marsnet, InterMarsnet, NetLander/MSR 05, NetLander/Premier 07, NetLander/?? 09) have undergone a strikingly consistent 'Phoenix' cycle of death and rebirth over the past 15 years, and there are still no confirmed plans to address the interior and atmosphere of Mars. The latest attempt is the NetLander mission. The objective of NetLander is to place a network of four landers on Mars to perform detailed measurements of the seismicity and atmospheric pressure, temperature, wind, humidity, and opacity (as well as provide images, subsurface radar sounding profiles, and electric/magnetic field measurements). However, this mission has recently encountered major programmatic difficulties within CNES and NASA. NASA has already cancelled its participation and the mission itself is facing imminent cancellation if CNES cannot solve programmatic issues associated with launching the mission in 2009. In this presentation we will describe an approach that could move us closer to realizing the goals of a Mars network mission and will secure at least one geophysical and meteorological observatory in 2009.

An electronic delphi study to establish pediatric intensive care nursing research priorities in twenty European countries*.

PubMed

Tume, Lyvonne N; van den Hoogen, Agnes; Wielenga, Joke M; Latour, Jos M

2014-06-01

To identify and to establish research priorities for pediatric intensive care nursing science across Europe. A modified three-round electronic Delphi technique was applied. Questionnaires were translated into seven different languages. European PICUs. The participants included pediatric intensive care clinical nurses, managers, educators, and researchers. In round 1, the qualitative responses were analyzed by content analysis and a list of research statements and domains was generated. In rounds 2 and 3, the statements were ranked on a scale of one to six (not important to most important). Mean scores and SDs were calculated for rounds 2 and 3. None. Round 1 started with 90 participants, with round 3 completed by 64 (71%). The seven highest ranking statements (≥ 5.0 mean score) were related to end-of-life care, decision making around forgoing and sustaining treatment, prevention of pain, education and competencies for pediatric intensive care nurses, reducing healthcare-associated infections, identifying appropriate nurse staffing levels, and implementing evidence into nursing practice. Nine research domains were prioritized, and these were as follows: 1) clinical nursing care practices, 2) pain and sedation, 3) quality and safety, 4) respiratory and mechanical ventilation, 5) child- and family-centered care, 6) ethics, 7) professional issues in nursing, 8) hemodynamcis and resuscitation, and 9) trauma and neurocritical care. The results of this study inform the European Society of Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care's nursing research agenda in the future. The results allow nurse researchers within Europe to encourage collaborative initiatives for nursing research.

Selecting Appropriate Training Goals and Objectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zane, Thomas; Thvedt, John E.

The authors propose a system for determining which goals and target behaviors are of highest priority for handicapped students. In a meeting of the interdisciplinary treatment team, goals are set forth and ranked according to answers to a series of questions: (1) will acquiring the behavior increase the probability of the client living, being…

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…

Youth Activists: Be Proud of Who You Are, and Never Stop Fighting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carabello, Licelot; Donahue, Aidan; Merlain, Thaina

2017-01-01

This article presents an interview with three high school seniors who discuss the highest priorities for their activism, advice they would give to other student and adult activists, and what they would like to pass on to younger student activists right now as they look toward the next four years.

The Role of the University in the Development Process of Less Developed Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tinbergen, J.

1978-01-01

The role of the university in the development process must be dealt with in an environment of widespread great poverty characteristic of the larger part of the developing world. Focuses on development policy and the satisfaction of human basic needs as the highest priority for the university. (Author/RK)

76 FR 77985 - Applications for New Awards; Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-15

... Opportunity Description Purpose of Program: The GAANN program provides grants to academic departments and... excellent academic records who demonstrate financial need and plan to pursue the highest degree available in... this program (34 CFR 648.33(a) and Appendix to part 648--Academic Areas). Absolute Priority: For FY...

76 FR 80905 - TRICARE Evaluation of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Approved Laboratory Developed...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-27

... potential high utilization and potential high clinical impact on TRICARE beneficiaries. If no submission is... reviewed in numerical order beginning with the test listed as having the highest priority. Those selected... laboratories that use LDTs as well as FDA approved tests. Laboratories performing moderate or high complexity...

Challenges and Opportunities for State Systems of Community Colleges: A Document Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salinas, Cristobal; Friedel, Janice Nahra

2016-01-01

From their very beginnings, the community colleges have demonstrated a commitment to their founding principles of access, affordability, and quality. However, following February 2009, when President Obama set forth the agenda for U.S. postsecondary education to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020, priority shifted…

Relational Resources of a University as a Source of Education Quality Assurance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagdasaryan, Irina; Vasilyeva, Zoya; Almabekova, Olga

2015-01-01

This paper considers high quality educational services provided by a university being the highest priority and assumes relational resources as valuable sources that can facilitate and enhance quality assurance. Each university with a unique resource base is connected with a variety of entities--other universities, non-profit and for-profit…

The Importance of Technology Usage in the Classroom, Does Gender Gaps Exist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mims-Word, Marsha

2012-01-01

A decade ago, access to technology was limited and wiring schools was one of the nation's highest education priorities (NCREL, 2005). Ten years of substantial investments have vastly improved this picture. According to the Secretary's Fourth Annual Report on Teacher Quality, virtually every school with access to computers has Internet access…

78 FR 53764 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

... days of this notice. Proposed Project Examining Traumatic Brain Injury in Youth--NEW--National Center...). Background and Brief Description Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the highest priorities in public... penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. The severity of a TBI may range from...

U.S. EPA (ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY) WASTEWATER DISINFECTION RESEARCH PROGRAM EVOLUTION TO A DESIGN MANUAL

EPA Science Inventory

The paper presents the history of the EPA wastewater disinfection research program from the early 1970's until it culminated with the publication of the Process Design Manual in September 1986. The program was elevated to the highest Agency research priority in 1976 with the infu...

Determination of ISRA Framework Using Delphi Methodology for Small and Midsized Enterprises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Ashish

2017-01-01

Unfathomable a few decades ago, the velocity of revolution in information technology (IT) security is accelerating. Small and midsized enterprises (SMEs) continue to make IT security a highest priority and foster security controls to safeguard their environments from adverse effects. Information technology security professionals must rely on one…

Human Values and Educational Goals: Addressing the Cult of Efficiency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Patten, James J.

Modern educational philosophy too often considers product-oriented efficiency the highest priority of the educational system, to the great detriment of the actual learning process. This situation could be altered by a shift in public and administrative attitudes towards the professional teacher. A more sympathetic approach to the problems of…

Public Information; The Plan, Its Execution, the Results. Satellite Technology Demonstration, Technical Report No. 0132.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mott, Robert A.; Lauck, Helen

The Satellite Technology Demonstration (STD) is an attempt to use new satellite technology and low-cost ground terminals to deliver community service broadcast to rural areas. Since community involvement was one of the projects highest priorities, clear communication between local, state, national, and international agencies was imperative. The…

Public awareness, concerns, and priorities about anthropogenic impacts on marine environments.

PubMed

Gelcich, Stefan; Buckley, Paul; Pinnegar, John K; Chilvers, Jason; Lorenzoni, Irene; Terry, Geraldine; Guerrero, Matias; Castilla, Juan Carlos; Valdebenito, Abel; Duarte, Carlos M

2014-10-21

Numerous international bodies have advocated the development of strategies to achieve the sustainability of marine environments. Typically, such strategies are based on information from expert groups about causes of degradation and policy options to address them, but these strategies rarely take into account assessed information about public awareness, concerns, and priorities. Here we report the results of a pan-European survey of public perceptions about marine environmental impacts as a way to inform the formation of science and policy priorities. On the basis of 10,106 responses to an online survey from people in 10 European nations, spanning a diversity of socioeconomic and geographical areas, we examine the public's informedness and concern regarding marine impacts, trust in different information sources, and priorities for policy and funding. Results show that the level of concern regarding marine impacts is closely associated with the level of informedness and that pollution and overfishing are two areas prioritized by the public for policy development. The level of trust varies greatly among different information sources and is highest for academics and scholarly publications but lower for government or industry scientists. Results suggest that the public perceives the immediacy of marine anthropogenic impacts and is highly concerned about ocean pollution, overfishing, and ocean acidification. Eliciting public awareness, concerns, and priorities can enable scientists and funders to understand how the public relates to marine environments, frame impacts, and align managerial and policy priorities with public demand.

IMPORTANCE OF MULTIPLE CRITERIA FOR PRIORITY SETTING OF HIV/AIDS INTERVENTIONS.

PubMed

Tromp, Noor; Prawiranegara, Rozar; Siregar, Adiatma; Sunjaya, Deni; Baltussen, Rob

2015-01-01

This study describes the views of various stakeholders on the importance of different criteria for priority setting of HIV/AIDS interventions in Indonesia. Based on a general list of criteria and a focus group discussion with stakeholders (n = 6), a list was developed of thirty-two criteria that play a role in priority setting in HIV/AIDS control in West-Java province. Criteria were categorized according to the World Health Organization's health system goals and building block frameworks. People living with HIV/AIDS (n = 49), healthcare workers (HCW) (n = 41), the general population (n = 43), and policy makers (n = 22) rated the importance of thirty-two criteria on a 5-point Likert-scale. Thereafter, respondents ranked the highest rated criteria to express more detailed preferences. Stakeholders valued the following criteria as most important for the priority setting of HIV/AIDS interventions: an intervention's impact on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, reduction of stigma, quality of care, effectiveness on individual level, and feasibility in terms of current capacity of the health system (i.e., HCW, product, information, and service requirements), financial sustainability, and acceptance by donors. Overall, stakeholders' preferences for the importance of criteria are similar. Our study design outlines an approach for other settings to identify which criteria are important for priority setting of health interventions. For Indonesia, these study results may be used in priority setting processes for HIV/AIDS control and may contribute to more transparent and systematic allocation of resources.

Public awareness, concerns, and priorities about anthropogenic impacts on marine environments

PubMed Central

Gelcich, Stefan; Buckley, Paul; Pinnegar, John K.; Chilvers, Jason; Lorenzoni, Irene; Terry, Geraldine; Guerrero, Matias; Castilla, Juan Carlos; Valdebenito, Abel; Duarte, Carlos M.

2014-01-01

Numerous international bodies have advocated the development of strategies to achieve the sustainability of marine environments. Typically, such strategies are based on information from expert groups about causes of degradation and policy options to address them, but these strategies rarely take into account assessed information about public awareness, concerns, and priorities. Here we report the results of a pan-European survey of public perceptions about marine environmental impacts as a way to inform the formation of science and policy priorities. On the basis of 10,106 responses to an online survey from people in 10 European nations, spanning a diversity of socioeconomic and geographical areas, we examine the public’s informedness and concern regarding marine impacts, trust in different information sources, and priorities for policy and funding. Results show that the level of concern regarding marine impacts is closely associated with the level of informedness and that pollution and overfishing are two areas prioritized by the public for policy development. The level of trust varies greatly among different information sources and is highest for academics and scholarly publications but lower for government or industry scientists. Results suggest that the public perceives the immediacy of marine anthropogenic impacts and is highly concerned about ocean pollution, overfishing, and ocean acidification. Eliciting public awareness, concerns, and priorities can enable scientists and funders to understand how the public relates to marine environments, frame impacts, and align managerial and policy priorities with public demand. PMID:25288740

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

PubMed

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

2014-01-01

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

Toward an Informatics Research Agenda

PubMed Central

Kaplan, Bonnie; Brennan, Patricia Flatley; Dowling, Alan F.; Friedman, Charles P.; Peel, Victor

2001-01-01

As we have advanced in medical informatics and created many impressive innovations, we also have learned that technologic developments are not sufficient to bring the value of computer and information technologies to health care systems. This paper proposes a model for improving how we develop and deploy information technology. The authors focus on trends in people, organizational, and social issues (POI/OSI), which are becoming more complex as both health care institutions and information technologies are changing rapidly. They outline key issues and suggest high-priority research areas. One dimension of the model concerns different organizational levels at which informatics applications are used. The other dimension draws on social science disciplines for their approaches to studying implications of POI/OSI in informatics. By drawing on a wide variety of research approaches and asking questions based in social science disciplines, the authors propose a research agenda for high-priority issues, so that the challenges they see ahead for informatics may be met better. PMID:11320068

Don't Let Legal Issues Put You in Hot Water! A Safety and Liability Primer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zirkle, Chris

2013-01-01

Providing a safe classroom and laboratory environment should be the first priority of any career-technical and technology/engineering education instructor. Doing so not only increases the opportunity for student learning, but it also keeps instructors "out of hot water" with respect to legal issues of liability. In today's litigious…

Tribal wilderness research needs and issues in the United States and Canada

Treesearch

Dan McDonald; Tom McDonald; Leo H. McAvoy

2000-01-01

This paper represents a dialogue between tribal wilderness managers and researchers on the primary research needs of tribal wilderness in the United States and Canada. The authors identify a number of research priorities for tribal wildlands. The paper also discusses some major issues and challenges faced by researchers conducting research in areas that are culturally...

Examining Thought Processes to Understand the Impact of Water Conservation Messages on Attitude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rumble, Joy N.; Lamm, Alexa J.; Martin, Emmett T.; Warner, Laura A.

2017-01-01

Water availability issues have plagued many regions around the world and is viewed as the top issue facing the world. As a result, encouraging water conservation has become a priority for agricultural communicators. Previous research suggests strategically framed messages can impact attitudes about water conservation, but whether this change is a…

Fit, Healthy, and Ready To Learn: A School Health Policy Guide. Part I: Physical Activity, Health Eating, and Tobacco-Use Prevention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bogden, James F.

This policy guide reflects the concerns and priorities of education policymakers and administrators, addressing broad policy issues and focusing on physical activity, healthy eating, and tobacco use prevention. Section 1, "Overview," reviews the issue and presents sample policies. Section 2, "The Art of Policymaking," discusses…

The Development Mechanism of Financial Resources of the Housing Mortgage Lending in Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savinova, Valentina A.; Solodilova, Marija N.; Zgegalova, Elena V.; Tershukova, Marina B.; Rutkauskas, Tatiana K.

2016-01-01

The urgency of the analyzed issue is due to the priority of state issues of providing the population with affordable and comfortable housing. The purpose of research is to develop the main provisions of the development mechanism of financial resources of the housing mortgage lending and to develop practical recommendations for its implementation.…

Honoring Progress: An Update on the NGA Center Honor States. Volume 1, Issue 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shawe, Torrey, Ed.

2006-01-01

This bimonthly newsletter provides information about the progress of the Honor States Grant Program, a governor-led effort to improve college- and work-ready graduation rates. This issue explores science, technology, engineering, and math education (STEM), a priority for governors as they try to enhance workforce competitiveness in a global…

Bus accident analysis of routes with/without bus priority.

PubMed

Goh, Kelvin Chun Keong; Currie, Graham; Sarvi, Majid; Logan, David

2014-04-01

This paper summarises findings on road safety performance and bus-involved accidents in Melbourne along roads where bus priority measures had been applied. Results from an empirical analysis of the accident types revealed significant reduction in the proportion of accidents involving buses hitting stationary objects and vehicles, which suggests the effect of bus priority in addressing manoeuvrability issues for buses. A mixed-effects negative binomial (MENB) regression and back-propagation neural network (BPNN) modelling of bus accidents considering wider influences on accident rates at a route section level also revealed significant safety benefits when bus priority is provided. Sensitivity analyses done on the BPNN model showed general agreement in the predicted accident frequency between both models. The slightly better performance recorded by the MENB model results suggests merits in adopting a mixed effects modelling approach for accident count prediction in practice given its capability to account for unobserved location and time-specific factors. A major implication of this research is that bus priority in Melbourne's context acts to improve road safety and should be a major consideration for road management agencies when implementing bus priority and road schemes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Priority setting in healthcare: towards guidelines for the program budgeting and marginal analysis framework.

PubMed

Peacock, Stuart J; Mitton, Craig; Ruta, Danny; Donaldson, Cam; Bate, Angela; Hedden, Lindsay

2010-10-01

Economists' approaches to priority setting focus on the principles of opportunity cost, marginal analysis and choice under scarcity. These approaches are based on the premise that it is possible to design a rational priority setting system that will produce legitimate changes in resource allocation. However, beyond issuing guidance at the national level, economic approaches to priority setting have had only a moderate impact in practice. In particular, local health service organizations - such as health authorities, health maintenance organizations, hospitals and healthcare trusts - have had difficulty implementing evidence from economic appraisals. Yet, in the context of making decisions between competing claims on scarce health service resources, economic tools and thinking have much to offer. The purpose of this article is to describe and discuss ten evidence-based guidelines for the successful design and implementation of a program budgeting and marginal analysis (PBMA) priority setting exercise. PBMA is a framework that explicitly recognizes the need to balance pragmatic and ethical considerations with economic rationality when making resource allocation decisions. While the ten guidelines are drawn from the PBMA framework, they may be generalized across a range of economic approaches to priority setting.

FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING AMBIENT WATER ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Currently, Ambient Water Quality Criteria (AWQC) for aquatic life protection are derived according to the Guidelines for Derivation of Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Aquatic Life and Their Uses, published in 1985. To ensure that AWQC are derived from the best available science, Office of Water assessed the need to update the Guidelines and identified issues that should be addressed in the revisions. In December 2002, EPA's Science Advisory Board concurred with EPA's assessment of the need to update the Guidelines as well as with the issues EPA identified to address. Updating the Guidelines is a Priority Strategic Action included in OST's Strategy for Water Quality Standards and Criteria (Next Priority Strategic Action #1). To revise existing methodology for deriving ambient water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life.

Violence: a priority for public health? (part 2)

PubMed Central

Rutherford, Alison; Zwi, Anthony B; Grove, Natalie J; Butchart, Alexander

2007-01-01

Violence continues to grow as a priority for public health practitioners, particularly as its causes and consequences become better understood and the potential roles for public health are better articulated. This article provides the context to “Violence: a glossary (part 1)” published in the last issue of this journal, and updates some of the data, concepts and population approaches presented in the 2002 World report on violence and health. The paper addresses the following questions: What is the magnitude and global burden of injury from violence? What causes violence? Is resilience important? What is the role for public health? What are the key challenges and opportunities? We aim to engage the general reader and to increase understanding of violence as a potentially preventable issue. PMID:17699529

An analysis of the health status of the United Arab Emirates: the 'Big 4' public health issues.

PubMed

Loney, Tom; Aw, Tar-Ching; Handysides, Daniel G; Ali, Raghib; Blair, Iain; Grivna, Michal; Shah, Syed M; Sheek-Hussein, Mohamud; El-Sadig, Mohamed; Sharif, Amer A; El-Obaid, Yusra

2013-02-05

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a rapidly developing country composed of a multinational population with varying educational backgrounds, religious beliefs, and cultural practices, which pose a challenge for population-based public health strategies. A number of public health issues significantly contribute to morbidity and mortality in the UAE. This article summarises the findings of a panel of medical and public health specialists from UAE University and various government health agencies commissioned to report on the health status of the UAE population. A systematic literature search was conducted to retrieve peer-reviewed articles on health in the UAE, and unpublished data were provided by government health authorities and local hospitals. The panel reviewed and evaluated all available evidence to list and rank (1=highest priority) the top four main public health issues: 1) Cardiovascular disease accounted for more than 25% of deaths in 2010; 2) Injury caused 17% of mortality for all age groups in 2010; 3) Cancer accounted for 10% of all deaths in 2010, and the incidence of all cancers is projected to double by 2020; and 4) Respiratory disorders were the second most common non-fatal condition in 2010. The major public health challenges posed by certain personal (e.g. ethnicity, family history), lifestyle, occupational, and environmental factors associated with the development of chronic disease are not isolated to the UAE; rather, they form part of a global health problem, which requires international collaboration and action. Future research should focus on population-based public health interventions that target the factors associated with the development of various chronic diseases.

Environmental improvement of product supply chains: proposed best practice techniques, quantitative indicators and benchmarks of excellence for retailers.

PubMed

Styles, David; Schoenberger, Harald; Galvez-Martos, Jose-Luis

2012-11-15

Retailers are strategically positioned to leverage environmental improvement over product supply chains through actions targeted at suppliers and consumers. Informed by scientific evidence on environmental hotspots and control points across 14 priority product groups, and a review of 25 major European retailers' actions, this paper proposes a framework to guide and assess retailer best practice in supply chain environmental improvement. Commonly used product standards and improvement measures are classified into "basic" or "good" levels of environmental protection. A hierarchy of eight Best Environmental Management Practices (BEMPs) is proposed to systematically identify and improve the most environmentally damaging supply chains across retail assortments. Widespread third party environmental certification is the most transparent and verifiable mechanism of improvement but may not be appropriate for some supply chains. The enforcement of retailer-defined environmental requirements, and supplier improvement programmes based on performance benchmarking and dissemination of better management practices, are alternative BEMPs that may be used in combination with third party certification. Facilitating consumer selection of frontrunner ecological products is a lower priority BEMP owing to the well documented limitations of this approach. From available data, the highest current or credible-target sales shares of products improved according to the highest priority BEMP and environmental protection level were used to derive "benchmarks of excellence" for each of the 14 product groups. The assessment framework is demonstrated through application to three retailers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fuel Cell Development for NASA's Human Exploration Program: Benchmarking with "The Hydrogen Economy"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, John H.

2007-01-01

The theoretically high efficiency and low temperature operation of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells has motivated them to be the subject of much study since their invention in the 19th Century, but their relatively high life cycle costs kept them as a "solution in search of a problem" for many years. The first problem for which fuel cells presented a truly cost effective solution was that of providing a power source for NASA's human spaceflight vehicles in the 1960 s. NASA thus invested, and continues to invest, in the development of fuel cell power plants for this application. This development program continues to place its highest priorities on requirements for minimum system mass and maximum durability and reliability. These priorities drive fuel cell power plant design decisions at all levels, even that of catalyst support. However, since the mid-1990's, prospective environmental regulations have driven increased governmental and industrial interest in "green power" and the "Hydrogen Economy." This has in turn stimulated greatly increased investment in fuel cell development for a variety of commercial applications. This investment is bringing about notable advances in fuel cell technology, but, as these development efforts place their highest priority on requirements for minimum life cycle cost and field safety, these advances are yielding design solutions quite different at almost every level from those needed for spacecraft applications. This environment thus presents both opportunities and challenges for NASA's Human Exploration Program

Report of the WHO technical consultation on the effect of maternal influenza and influenza vaccination on the developing fetus: Montreal, Canada, September 30-October 1, 2015.

PubMed

Fell, Deshayne B; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A; Hutcheon, Jennifer A; Karron, Ruth A; Knight, Marian; Kramer, Michael S; Monto, Arnold S; Swamy, Geeta K; Ortiz, Justin R; Savitz, David A

2017-04-25

In 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a position paper on influenza vaccination recommending that pregnant women have the highest priority for seasonal vaccination in countries where the initiation or expansion of influenza immunization programs is under consideration. Although the primary goal of the WHO recommendation is to prevent influenza illness in pregnant women, the potential benefits of maternal immunization in protecting young infants are also recognized. The extent to which maternal influenza vaccination may prevent adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth or small-for-gestational-age birth, however, is unclear as available studies are in disagreement. To inform WHO about the empirical evidence relating to possible benefits of influenza vaccination on birth outcomes, a consultation of experts was held in Montreal, Canada, September 30-October 1, 2015. Presentations and discussions covered a broad range of issues, including influenza virus infection during pregnancy and its effect on the health of the mother and the fetus, possible biological mechanisms for adverse birth outcomes following maternal influenza illness, evidence on birth outcomes following influenza illness during pregnancy, evidence from both observational studies and randomized controlled trials on birth outcomes following influenza vaccination of pregnant women, and methodological issues. This report provides an overview of the presentations, discussions and conclusions. Copyright © 2017.

Remediation technologies for heavy metal contaminated groundwater.

PubMed

Hashim, M A; Mukhopadhyay, Soumyadeep; Sahu, Jaya Narayan; Sengupta, Bhaskar

2011-10-01

The contamination of groundwater by heavy metal, originating either from natural soil sources or from anthropogenic sources is a matter of utmost concern to the public health. Remediation of contaminated groundwater is of highest priority since billions of people all over the world use it for drinking purpose. In this paper, thirty five approaches for groundwater treatment have been reviewed and classified under three large categories viz chemical, biochemical/biological/biosorption and physico-chemical treatment processes. Comparison tables have been provided at the end of each process for a better understanding of each category. Selection of a suitable technology for contamination remediation at a particular site is one of the most challenging job due to extremely complex soil chemistry and aquifer characteristics and no thumb-rule can be suggested regarding this issue. In the past decade, iron based technologies, microbial remediation, biological sulphate reduction and various adsorbents played versatile and efficient remediation roles. Keeping the sustainability issues and environmental ethics in mind, the technologies encompassing natural chemistry, bioremediation and biosorption are recommended to be adopted in appropriate cases. In many places, two or more techniques can work synergistically for better results. Processes such as chelate extraction and chemical soil washings are advisable only for recovery of valuable metals in highly contaminated industrial sites depending on economical feasibility. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Quitting like a Turk:" How political priority developed for tobacco control in Turkey.

PubMed

Hoe, Connie; Rodriguez, Daniela C; Üzümcüoğlu, Yeşim; Hyder, Adnan A

2016-09-01

In recent years, tobacco control emerged as a political priority in Turkey and today the country is widely regarded as one of the global leaders in tackling tobacco use. Although political priority is considered a facilitating factor to the success of addressing public health issues, there is a paucity of research to help us understand how it is developed in middle-income countries. The primary aim of this study is to understand the process and determinants of how tobacco control became a political priority in Turkey using the Multiple Streams Framework. A mixed-methods case study approach was used whereby data were gathered from three different sources: in-depth interviews (N = 19), document reviews (N = 216), and online self-administered surveys (N = 61). Qualitative data were collected for the purpose of understanding the processes and determinants that led to political prioritization of tobacco control and were analyzed using deductive and inductive coding. Quantitative data were collected to examine the actors and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and network nominations. Data were triangulated. Findings revealed that tobacco control achieved political priority in Turkey as a result of the development and convergence of multiple streams, including a fourth, separate global stream. Findings also shed light on the importance of Turkey's foreign policy in the transformation of the political stream. The country's desire for European Union accession and global visibility helped generate a political environment that was receptive to global norms for tobacco control. A diverse but cohesive network of actors joined forces with global allies to capitalize on this opportunity. Results suggest (1) the importance of global-agenda setting activities on political priority development, (2) the utility of aligning public health and foreign policy goals and (3) the need to build a strong global incentive structure to help entice governments to take action on public health issues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Why do neighbors have different environmental priorities? Analysis of environmental risk perception in a Beirut neighborhood.

PubMed

El-Zein, Abbas; Nasrallah, Rola; Nuwayhid, Iman; Kai, Lea; Makhoul, Jihad

2006-04-01

Differences in environmental priorities within an urban neighborhood of Beirut are analyzed. The explanatory capabilities of five categories of contextual variables are compared: socioeconomic status, locality, health, behavior, and environmental beliefs. Semi-structured interviews with key individuals in the community and residents were first conducted. Four environmental issues of concern were identified. A survey was carried out to identify the relative priority accorded by respondents to these four issues, and to measure variables likely to explain differences of opinion. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted for each of the four problems. The 99% confidence interval (CI) of the odds ratio (OR) was used as a test of significance. Respondents suffering from a respiratory disease (OR = 6.94, 99%CI = 1.54-31.25), those living in less crowded houses (OR = 4.88, 99%CI = 1.38-17.24), and those not living close to the neighborhood's industrial street (OR=5.26, 99%CI = 1.01-27.78) are significantly more likely to rank poor air quality first. Significant associations are found between poor water quality as first priority and nonpresence of a smoker in the household (OR = 6.12, 99%CI = 1.84-20.32) and perception of water salinity as a problem (OR = 7.46, 99%CI = 1.50-37.03). Males (OR = 6.94, 99%CI = 1.02-47.62) and tenants versus owners (OR = 10.49, 99%CI = 1.36-80.61) are significantly more likely to rank the residential-industrial mix first. Socioeconomic variables retain their explanatory capability in the studied neighborhood, despite relatively small income disparities. Behavioral variables, such as smoking, may be causative factors of priorities. Analyzing relative priorities, rather than "concern" or lack of it, reveals more complex patterns of association. Identifying environmental-perception divide lines can help develop a more inclusive and effective participatory environmental management.

Identification of priorities for improvement of medication safety in primary care: a PRIORITIZE study.

PubMed

Tudor Car, Lorainne; Papachristou, Nikolaos; Gallagher, Joseph; Samra, Rajvinder; Wazny, Kerri; El-Khatib, Mona; Bull, Adrian; Majeed, Azeem; Aylin, Paul; Atun, Rifat; Rudan, Igor; Car, Josip; Bell, Helen; Vincent, Charles; Franklin, Bryony Dean

2016-11-16

Medication error is a frequent, harmful and costly patient safety incident. Research to date has mostly focused on medication errors in hospitals. In this study, we aimed to identify the main causes of, and solutions to, medication error in primary care. We used a novel priority-setting method for identifying and ranking patient safety problems and solutions called PRIORITIZE. We invited 500 North West London primary care clinicians to complete an open-ended questionnaire to identify three main problems and solutions relating to medication error in primary care. 113 clinicians submitted responses, which we thematically synthesized into a composite list of 48 distinct problems and 45 solutions. A group of 57 clinicians randomly selected from the initial cohort scored these and an overall ranking was derived. The agreement between the clinicians' scores was presented using the average expert agreement (AEA). The study was conducted between September 2013 and November 2014. The top three problems were incomplete reconciliation of medication during patient 'hand-overs', inadequate patient education about their medication use and poor discharge summaries. The highest ranked solutions included development of a standardized discharge summary template, reduction of unnecessary prescribing, and minimisation of polypharmacy. Overall, better communication between the healthcare provider and patient, quality assurance approaches during medication prescribing and monitoring, and patient education on how to use their medication were considered the top priorities. The highest ranked suggestions received the strongest agreement among the clinicians, i.e. the highest AEA score. Clinicians identified a range of suggestions for better medication management, quality assurance procedures and patient education. According to clinicians, medication errors can be largely prevented with feasible and affordable interventions. PRIORITIZE is a new, convenient, systematic, and replicable method, and merits further exploration with a view to becoming a part of a routine preventative patient safety monitoring mechanism.

Managing Contention and Timing Constraints in a Real-Time Database System

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-01-01

In order to realize many of these goals, StarBase is constructed on top of RT-Mach, a real - time operating system developed at Carnegie Mellon...University [ll]. StarBase differs from previous RT-DBMS work [l, 2, 31 in that a) it relies on a real - time operating system which provides priority...CPU and resource scheduling pro- vided by tlhe underlying real - time operating system . Issues of data contention are dealt with by use of a priority

A study of clinical nursing research priorities in aged care: a Hong Kong perspective.

PubMed

Chang, Esther; Ho, Carey Kit Bing; Yuen, Anders Chi Man; Hatcher, Deborah

2003-10-01

The aim of this study was to identify clinical research priorities in aged care from the perspectives of rehabilitation aged care nurses in Hong Kong. The Delphi method was used whereby 33 registered nurses working in an aged care rehabilitation ward identified 28 research questions pertaining to areas in which nurses could take a leadership role: clinical research that is of highest value to patients and nurse specialists; clinical research which would provide improved community care; facilitate health promotion and disease prevention and be of value to the professional needs of clinical nurses. Study findings have implications and provide direction for clinical nursing research in aged care.

Plantar fasciitis

PubMed Central

Tahririan, Mohammad Ali; Motififard, Mehdi; Tahmasebi, Mohammad Naghi; Siavashi, Babak

2012-01-01

Heel pain, mostly caused by plantar fasciitis (PF), is a common complaint of many patients who requiring professional orthopedic care and are mostly suffering from chronic pain beneath their heels. The present article reviews studies done by preeminent practitioners related to the anatomy of plantar fasciitis and their histo-pathological features, factors associated with PF, clinical features, imaging studies, differential diagnoses, and diverse treatment modalities for treatment of PF, with special emphasis on non-surgical treatment. Anti-inflammatory agents, plantar stretching, and orthosis proved to have highest priority; corticosteroid injection, night splints and extracorporeal shock wave therapy were of next priority, in patients with PF. In patients resistant to the mentioned treatments surgical intervention should be considered. PMID:23798950

Political priority in the global fight against non–communicable diseases

PubMed Central

Maher, Anthony; Sridhar, Devi

2012-01-01

Background The prevalence of non–communicable diseases (NCDs) – such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic respiratory diseases – is surging globally. Yet despite the availability of cost–effective interventions, NCDs receive less than 3% of annual development assistance for health to low and middle income countries. The top donors in global health – including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the US Government, and the World Bank – together commit less than 2% of their budgets to the prevention and control of NCDs. Why is there such meagre funding on the table for the prevention and control of NCDs? Why has a global plan of action aimed at halting the spread of NCDs been so difficult to achieve? Methods This paper aims to tackle these two interrelated questions by analysing NCDs through the lens of Jeremy Shiffman’s 2009 political priority framework. We define global political priority as ‘the degree to which international and national political leaders actively give attention to an issue, and back up that attention with the provision of financial, technical, and human resources that are commensurate with the severity of the issue’. Grounded in social constructionism, this framework critically examines the relationship between agenda setting and ‘objective’ factors in global health, such as the existence of cost–effective interventions and a high mortality burden. From a methodological perspective, this paper fits within the category of discipline configurative case study. Results We support Shiffman’s claim that strategic communication – or ideas in the form of issue portrayals – ought to be a core activity of global health policy communities. But issue portrayals must be the products of a robust and inclusive debate. To this end, we also consider it essential to recognise that issue portrayals reach political leaders through a vast array of channels. Raising the political priority of NCDs means engaging with the diverse ways in which actors express concern for the global proliferation of these diseases. Conclusion Ultimately, our political interactions amount to struggles for influence, and determining which issues to champion in the midst of these struggles – and which to disregard – is informed by subjectively held notions of the right, the good, and the just. Indeed, the very act of choosing which issues to prioritise in our daily lives forces us to evaluate our values and aspirations as individual agents against the shared values that structure the societies in which we live. PMID:23289078

The environment becomes a political issue. Highlights of the Brundtland Commission Report.

PubMed

1988-03-01

The Report of the Brundtland Commission (World Commission on Environment and Development) has been released by the UN. The Report points out that environmental survival requires development and development is only possible if the resources of the global environment are conserved. Although the UN and the World Bank must make commitments to development, each nation must devise its own strategy because development is inextricably linked to political, economic, and social factors such as poverty, overpopulation and the status of women. The Report makes 3 specific recommendations: 1) An independent body should be set up to assess global risks; 2) A universal declaration on environment and development should be made and followed by a convention; and 3) The UN General Assembly should set up a UN Program on Sustainable Development. The highest priority should be given to finding alternatives to nuclear energy as well as making the use of nuclear energy safer. Other major environmental problems include desertification, acid rain, the "greenhouse effect" and its impact on global climate and sea levels, and the destruction of the ozone layer with concomitant increase in cancer.

Instrument study of the Lunar Dust eXplorer (LDX) for a lunar lander mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yanwei; Srama, Ralf; Henkel, Hartmut; Sternovsky, Zoltan; Kempf, Sascha; Wu, Yiyong; Grün, Eberhard

2014-11-01

One of the highest-priority issues for a future human or robotic lunar exploration is the lunar dust. This problem should be studied in depth in order to develop an environment model for a future lunar exploration. A future ESA lunar lander mission requires the measurement of dust transport phenomena above the lunar surface. Here, we describe an instrument design concept to measure slow and fast moving charged lunar dust which is based on the principle of charge induction. LDX has a low mass and measures the speed and trajectory of individual dust particles with sizes below one micrometer. Furthermore, LDX has an impact ionization target to monitor the interplanetary dust background. The sensor consists of three planes of segmented grid electrodes and each electrode is connected to an individual charge sensitive amplifier. Numerical signals were computed using the Coulomb software package. The LDX sensitive area is approximately 400 cm2. Our simulations reveal trajectory uncertainties of better than 2° with an absolute position accuracy of better than 2 mm.

Findings from the ISMP Medication Safety Self-Assessment for hospitals.

PubMed

Smetzer, Judy L; Vaida, Allen J; Cohen, Michael R; Tranum, Diane; Pittman, Mary A; Armstrong, Carl W

2003-11-01

Hospital medication practices should be assessed, awareness of the characteristics of a safe medication system heightened, and baseline data to identify national priorities established. A cross-sectional survey of U.S. hospitals (N = 6,180) was conducted in May 2000. The survey instrument contained 194 self-assessment items organized into 20 core characteristics and 10 larger domains. Hospitals were asked to voluntarily submit their confidential assessment data to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) for aggregate analysis. A weighting structure was applied to the individual items and used to calculate core characteristic scores, domain scores, and overall self-assessment scores. These scores were then compared to identify areas most in need of improvement. The 1,435 participating hospitals scored highest in domains related to drug storage and distribution; environmental factors; infusion pumps; and medication labeling, packaging, and nomenclature issues. These hospitals scored lowest in domains related to accessible patient information, communication of medication orders, patient education, and quality processes such as double-check systems and organizational culture. Enormous opportunities exist to improve medication safety, especially in domains related to culture, information management, and communication.

ADA members weigh in on critical issues.

PubMed

Burgess, Karen; Ruesch, Jon D; Mikkelsen, Matthew C; Wagner, Karen Schaid

2003-01-01

Science, new technology, patient care, dental reimbursement and government regulations all affect today's dental practitioners. To find out more about how such challenges may affect current private practitioners, the American Dental Association conducted the 2000 Membership Needs and Opinions Survey. A questionnaire was sent to 6,310 ADA members in January 2000 with follow-up mailings in February, March and April 2000. Data collection was completed in July 2000. The survey included questions on critical professional issues, and on perceptions of the ADA and ADA priorities. A total of 3,558 completed surveys were received for an adjusted response rate of 59.5 percent. Members rated the identified issues' level of importance to them. The top three issues included "maintaining my ability to recommend the treatment option I feel is most appropriate for my patients," "receiving fair reimbursement for the dental services I provide," and "protecting myself, my staff and my patients from communicable diseases." New dentists found other items to be more significant to them compared with members overall. Although ADA members as a whole had similar views on critical issues facing dentistry and ADA priorities, there were significant differences regarding some issues. New dentists were far more concerned about securing funds for their practice and paying off debt than were all ADA members. Minority dentists expressed greater levels of concern about certain issues than did all ADA members. When planning and implementing ADA activities, the Association should continue to take into account members' relative rankings of professional issues and note issues of special interest to selected membership subgroups.

Barriers to vocational effectiveness in ACT: staff perspectives.

PubMed

Waynor, William R; Pratt, Carlos W

2011-01-01

Assertive community treatment (ACT), for persons with serious mental illness, includes a vocational focus as an important aspect of community integration. Nevertheless, research suggests that ACT does not assist significant numbers of consumers in achieving employment goals. A two-step survey of New Jersey ACT team members was designed to identify the key issues that hinder ACT staff members in assisting consumers with obtaining employment. Survey items were categorized into three sections: (a) staff attitudes, (b) consumer barriers, and (c) staff barriers to working on employment. The initial survey asked staff members to rate items in each of these categories. Highly rated items were used in a subsequent paired comparison survey to determine the relative importance of each. This method highlighted the following issues: four staff attitude items-(a) returning to work is positive, (b) employment is key to recovery, (c) abstinence from substance abuse is needed to work, and (d) consumers are too ill to work; four consumer barrier items-(a) fear of loss of Social Security Administration benefits, (b) symptoms related to the illness, (c) lack of motivation, and (d) poor social skills; and three barriers to working on employment issues items-(a) clinical issues take priority, (b) other case management issues takes priority, and (c) too many emergencies. The implications for staff training are discussed.

Establishing research priorities for patient safety in emergency medicine: a multidisciplinary consensus panel.

PubMed

Plint, Amy C; Stang, Antonia S; Calder, Lisa A

2015-01-01

Patient safety in the context of emergency medicine is a relatively new field of study. To date, no broad research agenda for patient safety in emergency medicine has been established. The objective of this study was to establish patient safety-related research priorities for emergency medicine. These priorities would provide a foundation for high-quality research, important direction to both researchers and health-care funders, and an essential step in improving health-care safety and patient outcomes in the high-risk emergency department (ED) setting. A four-phase consensus procedure with a multidisciplinary expert panel was organized to identify, assess, and agree on research priorities for patient safety in emergency medicine. The 19-member panel consisted of clinicians, administrators, and researchers from adult and pediatric emergency medicine, patient safety, pharmacy, and mental health; as well as representatives from patient safety organizations. In phase 1, we developed an initial list of potential research priorities by electronically surveying a purposeful and convenience sample of patient safety experts, ED clinicians, administrators, and researchers from across North America using contact lists from multiple organizations. We used simple content analysis to remove duplication and categorize the research priorities identified by survey respondents. Our expert panel reached consensus on a final list of research priorities through an in-person meeting (phase 3) and two rounds of a modified Delphi process (phases 2 and 4). After phases 1 and 2, 66 unique research priorities were identified for expert panel review. At the end of phase 4, consensus was reached for 15 research priorities. These priorities represent four themes: (1) methods to identify patient safety issues (five priorities), (2) understanding human and environmental factors related to patient safety (four priorities), (3) the patient perspective (one priority), and (4) interventions for improving patient safety (five priorities). This study established expert, consensus-based research priorities for patient safety in emergency medicine. This framework could be used by researchers and health-care funders and represents an essential guiding step towards enhancing quality of care and patient safety in the ED.

Toward a comprehensive strategy for effective practitioner-scientist partnerships and larger-scale community health and well-being.

PubMed

Spoth, Richard L; Greenberg, Mark T

2005-06-01

This article articulates joint priorities for the fields of prevention science and community psychology. These priorities are intended to address issues raised by the frequent observation of natural tensions between community practitioners and scientists. The first priority is to expand the knowledge base on practitioner-scientist partnerships, particularly on factors associated with positive outcomes within communities. To further articulate this priority, the paper first discusses the rapid growth in community-based partnerships and the emergent research on them. Next described is an illustrative research project on a partnership model that links state university extension and public school delivery systems. The article then turns to the second, related priority of future capacity-building for diffusion of effective partnership-based interventions to achieve larger-scale health and well-being across communities. It outlines two salient tasks: clarification of a conceptual framework and the formulation of a comprehensive capacity-building strategy for diffusion. The comprehensive strategy would require careful attention to the expansion of networks of effective partnerships, partnership-based research agendas, and requisite policy-making.

Research priority setting for health policy and health systems strengthening in Nigeria: the policymakers and stakeholders perspective and involvement.

PubMed

Uneke, Chigozie Jesse; Ezeoha, Abel Ebeh; Ndukwe, Chinwendu Daniel; Oyibo, Patrick Gold; Onwe, Friday; Aulakh, Bhupinder Kaur

2013-01-01

Nigeria is one of the low and middle income countries (LMICs) facing severe resource constraint, making it impossible for adequate resources to be allocated to the health sector. Priority setting becomes imperative because it guides investments in health care, health research and respects resource constraints. The objective of this study was to enhance the knowledge and understanding of policymakers on research priority setting and to conduct a research priority setting exercise. A one-day evidence-to-policy research priority setting meeting was held. The meeting participants included senior and middle level policymakers and key decision makers/stakeholders in the health sector in Ebonyi State southeastern Nigeria. The priorities setting meeting involved a training session on priority setting process and conduction of priority setting exercise using the essential national health research (ENHR) approach. The focus was on the health systems building blocks (health workforce; health finance; leadership/governance; medical products/technology; service delivery; and health information/evidence). Of the total of 92 policymakers invited 90(97.8%) attended the meeting. It was the consensus of the policymakers that research should focus on the challenges of optimal access to health products and technology; effective health service delivery and disease control under a national emergency situation; the shortfalls in the supply of professional personnel; and the issues of governance in the health sector management. Research priority setting exercise involving policymakers is an example of demand driven strategy in the health policymaking process capable of reversing inequities and strengthening the health systems in LMICs.

The APIC research agenda: results from a national survey.

PubMed

Wright, Marc-Oliver; Carter, Eileen; Pogorzelska, Monika; Murphy, Cathryn; Hanchett, Marilyn; Stone, Patricia W

2012-05-01

Research is an integral component of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Strategic Plan 2020. As the role of the infection preventionist (IP) has evolved toward consumers and implementers of research, it becomes increasingly necessary to assess which topics require further evidence and how best APIC can assist IPs. In 2010, APIC determined that the research priorities first described in 2000 needed to be re-evaluated. A 33-question Web-based survey was developed and distributed via e-mail to APIC members in March 2011. The survey contained sections inquiring about respondents' demographics, familiarity with implementation science, and infection prevention research priorities. Priorities identified by a Delphi study 10 years ago were re-ranked, and open-ended items were used to identify new research priorities and understand how APIC could best serve its members in relation to research. Seven hundred one members responded. Behavioral management science, surveillance standards, and infection prevention resource optimization were the highest ranked priorities and relatively unchanged from 2000. Proposed additional research topics focused on achieving standardization in infection prevention practices and program resource allocation. The majority of respondents described APIC's role in the field of research as a disseminator of low-cost, highly accessible education to its members. This report should be used as a roadmap for APIC leadership as it provides suggestions on how APIC may best direct the association's research program. The major research priorities described and ranked in 2000 continue to challenge IPs. APIC can best serve its members by disseminating research findings in a cost-effective and easily accessed manner. Recurrent assessments of research priorities can help guide researchers and policy makers and help determine which topics will best support successful infection prevention processes and outcomes. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Health promotion through sport: international sport federations' priorities, actions and opportunities.

PubMed

Mountjoy, Margo; Costa, A; Budgett, R; Dvorak, J; Engebretsen, L; Miller, S; Moran, J; Foster, J; Carr, J

2018-01-01

To identify areas of priority and activity for international sportsfederations (IFs) with respect to athlete health and safety, and global health. Results serve to direct the work of the Association of Summer Olympic IF Medical and Scientific Consultative Group, the International Olympic Committee and to influence IFs' planning and priorities. The 28 IFs participating in the Summer Olympic Games (2016) were asked to rank the relative importance of 11 health-related topics and to report their activities or research initiatives on 27 identified topics using an electronic survey. A comparison with a similar survey (2012) was made. The response rate was 100%. In general, the ' fight against doping ' had the highest priority followed by 'image as a safe sport '. The topics with the lowest importance ratings were ' increasing the number of elite athletes ', and ' health of the general population '. Despite ranking ' health of your athletes ,' as a top priority, IFs are not addressing all aspects of athlete health. In comparison with 2012, there was a significant decrease in priority for IFs is ' health of the general population '. Despite the widespread knowledge of the importance of the promotion of physical activity (sport) on global health, the decreasing priority and programming of the IFs on physical activity promotion is concerning. Although IFs have prioritised the protection of the health of elite athletes, there are gaps in programming demonstrating that IFs are missing important areas of athlete health. Improving recreational athlete health programming could also benefit population health as well as improve IF fan base and sport participation. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Setting priorities for space research: An experiment in methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

In 1989, the Space Studies Board created the Task Group on Priorities in Space Research to determine whether scientists should take a role in recommending priorities for long-term space research initiatives and, if so, to analyze the priority-setting problem in this context and develop a method by which such priorities could be established. After answering the first question in the affirmative in a previous report, the task group set out to accomplish the second task. The basic assumption in developing a priority-setting process is that a reasoned and structured approach for ordering competing initiatives will yield better results than other ways of proceeding. The task group proceeded from the principle that the central criterion for evaluating a research initiative must be its scientific merit -- the value of the initiative to the proposing discipline and to science generally. The group developed a two-stage methodology for priority setting and constructed a procedure and format to support the methodology. The first of two instruments developed was a standard format for structuring proposals for space research initiatives. The second instrument was a formal, semiquantitative appraisal procedure for evaluating competing proposals. This report makes available complete templates for the methodology, including the advocacy statement and evaluation forms, as well as an 11-step schema for a priority-setting process. From the beginning of its work, the task group was mindful that the issue of priority setting increasingly pervades all of federally supported science and that its work would have implications extending beyond space research. Thus, although the present report makes no recommendations for action by NASA or other government agencies, it provides the results of the task group's work for the use of others who may study priority-setting procedures or take up the challenge of implementing them in the future.

Recent progress and future directions for reduction, refinement, and replacement of animal use in veterinary vaccine potency and safety testing: a report from the 2010 NICEATM-ICCVAM International Vaccine Workshop.

PubMed

Stokes, W S; Kulpa-Eddy, J; Brown, K; Srinivas, G; McFarland, R

2012-01-01

Veterinary vaccines contribute to improved animal and human health and welfare by preventing infectious diseases. However, testing necessary to ensure vaccine effectiveness and safety can involve large numbers of animals and significant pain and distress. NICEATM and ICCVAM recently convened an international workshop to review the state of the science of human and veterinary vaccine potency and safety testing, and to identify priority activities to advance new and improved methods that can further reduce, refine and replace animal use. Rabies, Clostridium sp., and Leptospira sp. vaccines were identified as the highest priorities, while tests requiring live viruses and bacteria hazardous to laboratory workers, livestock, pets, and wildlife were also considered high priorities. Priority research, development and validation activities to address critical knowledge and data gaps were identified, including opportunities to apply new science and technology. Enhanced international harmonization and cooperation and closer collaborations between human and veterinary researchers were recommended to expedite progress. Implementation of the workshop recommendations is expected to advance new methods for vaccine testing that will benefit animal welfare and ensure continued and improved protection of human and animal health.

Reprioritizing current research trends in medical education: a reflection on research activities in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Obeidat, Akef S; Alhaqwi, Ali Ibrahim; Abdulghani, Hamza Mohammad

2015-04-01

There are numerous national efforts to determine and develop research priorities of medical education in Saudi Arabia. These priorities were first proposed in 2010 by "Dr Al-Khuli's Chair for Developing Medical Education in Saudi Arabia". The proposed priority domains were: curriculum, students, faculty, and quality assurance and accreditation. To investigate publications in medical education at the national and international levels in areas relating to these proposed priorities. Electronic search within PubMed database for papers relating to each domain of priority was conducted at national and international levels in the last three years, using the same keywords as the priority domains, but only confined to undergraduate medical education. Out of 3145 articles retrieved when searching with keyword as broad as "undergraduate medical curriculum" only 81 articles worldwide and 3 articles from Saudi Arabia were dealing with curriculum related issues as a whole. Further search on the sub-domains "effective strategies to manage undergraduate curriculum" and "undergraduate medical education models", resulted in the retrieval of few articles worldwide and none from Saudi Arabia. At the national level, there were 63 publications from Saudi Arabia that were either course (topic)-specific or could not be classified under the four domains specified by Dr Al-Khuli's Chair. Research activities in medical education in Saudi Arabia in the last 3 years showed diversity and lack of focus in the research priorities. Efforts of academic and research centers should continue to monitor and encourage these activities toward achieving the recommended priorities.

Setting healthcare priorities in hospitals: a review of empirical studies.

PubMed

Barasa, Edwine W; Molyneux, Sassy; English, Mike; Cleary, Susan

2015-04-01

Priority setting research has focused on the macro (national) and micro (bedside) level, leaving the meso (institutional, hospital) level relatively neglected. This is surprising given the key role that hospitals play in the delivery of healthcare services and the large proportion of health systems resources that they absorb. To explore the factors that impact upon priority setting at the hospital level, we conducted a thematic review of empirical studies. A systematic search of PubMed, EBSCOHOST, Econlit databases and Google scholar was supplemented by a search of key websites and a manual search of relevant papers' reference lists. A total of 24 papers were identified from developed and developing countries. We applied a policy analysis framework to examine and synthesize the findings of the selected papers. Findings suggest that priority setting practice in hospitals was influenced by (1) contextual factors such as decision space, resource availability, financing arrangements, availability and use of information, organizational culture and leadership, (2) priority setting processes that depend on the type of priority setting activity, (3) content factors such as priority setting criteria and (4) actors, their interests and power relations. We observe that there is need for studies to examine these issues and the interplay between them in greater depth and propose a conceptual framework that might be useful in examining priority setting practices in hospitals. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2014; all rights reserved.

Establishing health systems financing research priorities in developing countries using a participatory methodology.

PubMed

Ranson, Kent; Law, Tyler J; Bennett, Sara

2010-06-01

Donor funding for health systems financing (HSF) research is inadequate and often poorly aligned with national priorities. This study aimed to generate consensus about a core set of research issues that urgently require attention in order to facilitate policy development. There were three key inputs into the priority setting process: key-informant interviews with health policy makers, researchers, community and civil society representatives across twenty-four low- and middle-income countries in four regions; an overview of relevant reviews to identify research completed to date; and inputs from 12 key informants (largely researchers) at a consultative workshop. Nineteen priority research questions emerged from key-informant interviews. The overview of reviews was instructive in showing which health financing topics have had comparatively little written about them, despite being identified as important by key informants. The questions ranked as most important at the consultative workshop were: It is hoped that this work on HSF research priorities will complement calls for increased health systems research and evaluation by providing specific suggestions as to where new and existing research resources can best be invested. The list of high priority HSF research questions is being communicated to research funders and researchers in order to seek to influence global patterns of HSF research funding and activity. A "bottom up" approach to setting global research priorities such as that employed here should ensure that priorities are more sensitive to user needs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping environmental land use conflict potentials and ecosystem services in agricultural watersheds.

PubMed

Kim, Ilkwon; Arnhold, Sebastian

2018-07-15

In mountainous watersheds, agricultural land use cause changes in ecosystem services, with trade-offs between crop production and erosion regulation. Management of these watersheds can generate environmental land use conflicts among regional stakeholders with different interests. Although several researches have made a start in mapping land use conflicts between human activities and conservation, spatial assessment of land use conflicts on environmental issues and ecosystem service trade-offs within agricultural areas has not been fully considered. In this study, we went further to map land use conflicts between agricultural preferences for crop production and environmental emphasis on erosion regulation. We applied an agricultural land suitability index, based on multi-criteria analysis, to estimate the spatial preference of agricultural activities, while applying the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) to reflect the environmental importance of soil erosion. Then, we classified the agricultural catchment into four levels of land use conflicts (lowest, low, high and highest) according to preference and importance of farmland areas, and we compared the classes by crop type. Soil loss in agricultural areas was estimated as 45.1thayr, and agricultural suitability as 0.873; this indicated that land use conflicts in the catchment could arise between severe soil erosion (environmental importance) and agricultural suitability (land preferences). Dry-field farms are mainly located in areas of low land use conflict level, where land preference outweighs environmental importance. When we applied farmland management scenarios with consideration of services, conversion to highest-conflict areas (Scenario 1) as 7.5% of the total area could reduce soil loss by 24.6%, while fallow land management (Scenario 2) could decrease soil loss 19.4% more than the current scenario (Business as usual). The result could maximize land management plans by extracting issues of spatial priority and use-versus-conservation conflicts as ecosystem service trade-offs from arguments over land use policy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preventing blood transfusion failures: FMEA, an effective assessment method.

PubMed

Najafpour, Zhila; Hasoumi, Mojtaba; Behzadi, Faranak; Mohamadi, Efat; Jafary, Mohamadreza; Saeedi, Morteza

2017-06-30

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a method used to assess the risk of failures and harms to patients during the medical process and to identify the associated clinical issues. The aim of this study was to conduct an assessment of blood transfusion process in a teaching general hospital, using FMEA as the method. A structured FMEA was recruited in our study performed in 2014, and corrective actions were implemented and re-evaluated after 6 months. Sixteen 2-h sessions were held to perform FMEA in the blood transfusion process, including five steps: establishing the context, selecting team members, analysis of the processes, hazard analysis, and developing a risk reduction protocol for blood transfusion. Failure modes with the highest risk priority numbers (RPNs) were identified. The overall RPN scores ranged from 5 to 100 among which, four failure modes were associated with RPNs over 75. The data analysis indicated that failures with the highest RPNs were: labelling (RPN: 100), transfusion of blood or the component (RPN: 100), patient identification (RPN: 80) and sampling (RPN: 75). The results demonstrated that mis-transfusion of blood or blood component is the most important error, which can lead to serious morbidity or mortality. Provision of training to the personnel on blood transfusion, knowledge raising on hazards and appropriate preventative measures, as well as developing standard safety guidelines are essential, and must be implemented during all steps of blood and blood component transfusion.

Political priority of global oral health: an analysis of reasons for international neglect.

PubMed

Benzian, Habib; Hobdell, Martin; Holmgren, Christopher; Yee, Robert; Monse, Bella; Barnard, Johannes T; van Palenstein Helderman, Wim

2011-06-01

Global Oral Health suffers from a lack of political attention, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This paper analyses the reasons for this political neglect through the lens of four areas of political power: the power of the ideas, the power of the issue, the power of the actors, and the power of the political context (using a modified Political Power Framework by Shiffman and Smith. Lancet370 [2007] 1370). The analysis reveals that political priority for global oral health is low, resulting from a set of complex issues deeply rooted in the current global oral health sector, its stakeholders and their remit, the lack of coherence and coalescence; as well as the lack of agreement on the problem, its portrayal and possible solutions. The shortcomings and weaknesses demonstrated in the analysis range from rather basic matters, such as defining the issue in an agreed way, to complex and multi-levelled issues concerning appropriate data collection and agreement on adequate solutions. The political priority of Global Oral Health can only be improved by addressing the underlying reasons that resulted in the wide disconnection between the international health discourse and the small sector of Global Oral Health. We hope that this analysis may serve as a starting point for a long overdue, broad and candid international analysis of political, social, cultural, communication, financial and other factors related to better prioritisation of oral health. Without such an analysis and the resulting concerted action the inequities in Global Oral Health will grow and increasingly impact on health systems, development and, most importantly, human lives. © 2011 FDI World Dental Federation.

The Evaluation of Less-Lethal Weapons

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-12-01

following contractor personnel made mijor contributions: W. Busty (Experimental Pathology Laboratories, Inc) A. Tiedemann. I r (AAI, Inc) L. Wiliiams ...matter, participated. The objectives of tile conference were: a. To review the problems and policy issues concerning nonlethal weapons for law enforcement...and related uses, and, b. to develop recommendations for research and development priorities for addressing these technical and policy issues . The

Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Public Policy Issues. A Citizen's and Administrator's Guide to the New Cultural Struggle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swan, Wallace K., Ed.

The essays in this collection portray the cultural struggle that is taking place in the United States between those who support a variety of high-priority gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender initiatives and those who strongly oppose them. These issues revolve around the workplace, youth and education, relationships and legal rights, and…

[White House Conference on Aging, 1981. Research in Aging. Report and Executive Summary of the Technical Committee.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birren, James E.; And Others

This Technical Committee Report provides an overview and historical sketch of research in aging and proposes a need for new knowledge. An examination of key issues notes the difficulty in assigning priority to research topics, and identifies emerging issues of public concern including: (1) physical health (alcohol and drugs, falls and accidents,…

A Survey of UK University Web Management: Staffing, Systems and Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Andrew; Emmott, Stephen

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to summarize the findings of a survey of UK universities about how their websites are managed and resourced, which technologies are in use, and what are seen as the main issues and priorities. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on a web-based questionnaire distributed in summer 2006, which received…

Master's Program Module "Environmental Issues--Decision Making Experience" as Precondition for Implementation of Education for Sustainable Development for Professional Training of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vinokurova, Natalia Fedorovna; Martilova, Natalia Viktorovna; Krivdina, Irina Yurievna; Badin, Mikhail Mikhailovich; Efimova, Olga Evgenyevna

2016-01-01

The article discusses current issues related to the implementation of the UNESCO roadmap implementing Global action programme on education for sustainable development. In the context of increasing the professional level of pedagogical workers is a priority area in the implementation of education for sustainable development. Therefore, we believe…

Integrated Resources and Training Facilitation--A Strategic Priority When Promoting ICT in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalid, Saifuddin; Islam, Kamrul; Nyvang, Tom

2013-01-01

In a rural context in a developing country purchasing a computer and connecting it to the Internet is in itself difficult, even when the lack of money is a minor issue. These issues prevent individuals in rural communities from familiarizing themselves with educational technology and ICT in general. The present study investigates the specific…

International scientists' priorities for research on pharmaceutical and personal care products in the environment.

PubMed

Rudd, Murray A; Ankley, Gerald T; Boxall, Alistair B A; Brooks, Bryan W

2014-10-01

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are widely discharged into the environment via diverse pathways. The effects of PPCPs in the environment have potentially important human and ecosystem health implications, so credible, salient, and legitimate scientific evidence is needed to inform regulatory and policy responses that address potential risks. A recent "big questions" exercise with participants largely from North America identified 22 important research questions around the risks of PPCP in the environment that would help address the most pressing knowledge gaps over the next decade. To expand that analysis, we developed a survey that was completed by 535 environmental scientists from 57 countries, of whom 49% identified environmental or analytical chemistry as their primary disciplinary background. They ranked the 22 original research questions and submitted 171 additional candidate research questions they felt were also of high priority. Of the original questions, the 3 perceived to be of highest importance related to: 1) the effects of long-term exposure to low concentrations of PPCP mixtures on nontarget organisms, 2) effluent treatment methods that can reduce the effects of PPCPs in the environment while not increasing the toxicity of whole effluents, and 3) the assessment of the environmental risks of metabolites and environmental transformation products of PPCPs. A question regarding the role of cultural perspectives in PPCP risk assessment was ranked as the lowest priority. There were significant differences in research orientation between scientists who completed English and Chinese language versions of the survey. We found that the Chinese respondents were strongly orientated to issues of managing risk profiles, effluent treatment, residue bioavailability, and regional assessment. Among English language respondents, further differences in research orientation were associated with respondents' level of consistency when ranking the survey's 15 comparisons. There was increasing emphasis on the role of various other stressors relative to PPCPs and on risk prioritization as internal decision making consistency increased. Respondents' consistency in their ranking choices was significantly and positively correlated with SETAC membership, authors' number of publications, and longer survey completion times. Our research highlighted international scientists' research priorities and should help inform decisions about the type of hazard and risk-based research needed to best inform decisions regarding PPCPs in the environment. Disciplinary training of a scientist or engineer appears to strongly influence preferences for research priorities to understand PPCPs in the environment. Selection of participants and the depth and breadth of research prioritization efforts thus have potential effects on the outcomes of research prioritization exercises. Further elucidation of how patterns of research priority vary between academic and government scientists and between scientists and other government and stakeholders would be useful in the future and provide information that helps focus scientific effort on socially relevant challenges relating to PPCPs in the environment. It also suggests the potential for future collaborative research between industry, government, and academia on environmental contaminants beyond PPCPs. © 2014 SETAC.

Deaf community analysis for health education priorities.

PubMed

Jones, Elaine G; Renger, Ralph; Firestone, Rob

2005-01-01

Deaf persons' access to health-related information is limited by barriers to spoken or written language: they cannot overhear information; they have limited access to television, radio, and other channels for public information; and the average reading level of Deaf adults is at a 3rd to 4th grade level. However, literature searches revealed no published reports of community analysis focusing specifically on health education priorities for Deaf communities. A seven-step community analysis was conducted to learn the health education priorities in Arizona Deaf communities and to inform development of culturally relevant health education interventions in Deaf communities. The word "Deaf" is capitalized to reflect the cultural perspective of the Deaf community. A 14-member Deaf Health Committee collected data using multimethods that included review of state census data, review of national health priorities, key informant interviews, discussions with key community groups, a mail survey (n = 20), and semistructured interviews conducted in sign language with 111 Deaf adults. The community diagnosis with highest priority for health education was vulnerability to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Following completion of the community analysis, a heart-health education intervention (The Deaf Heart Health Intervention) was developed using a train-the-trainer, community health worker model. If this model proves to be effective in addressing vulnerability to CVD, then a similar protocol could be employed to address other health concerns identified in the Deaf community analysis.

Development of maintenance composite priority index for buildings in Palestine: A pilot case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Issa, Amjad; Awad, Riyad

2017-11-01

The current building maintenance practices in Palestine are not based on scientific systematic methods. Most of the municipalities use one criterion to define the maintenance priorities, which is the "worst-first" criterion. Therefore, the current practices in defining buildings maintenance plans are not dealing with the known phases that are generally followed, including those in establishing building inventories, building condition survey, detailed visual inspection, identification of the proper maintenance and rehabilitation measures, and setting priorities. Accordingly, the recent preparation of the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Manual for Palestinian municipalities is an important step to guide them towards preparing and implementing their O&M priority-based plans, considering scare resources. During the course of preparation of the Manual, the proposed procedures were applied at ten pilot municipalities. This study aims to explore the outcome of the implementation of the 2014/2015 O&M buildings maintenance priorities at these municipalities through the development of maintenance composite priority index (PI). The new proposed priority index is a scientific tool that will identify the priority of maintenance buildings through using a systematic procedure instead of first worst one. To achieve this, analyses of the outcome of a questionnaire designed to collect relevant information from these municipalities was conducted. The maintenance priority index for buildings is calculated considering different indicators among them building status (condition), classification and importance of the building, number of beneficiaries (users), safety aspects (severity level in the building), and people complaints. The main component of the PI is the building condition index (BCI) which forms about 40% of the total weight. The physical inspection, which is the main input for calculating the BCI, is conducted on two levels; the primary level, and the secondary level. The buildings are ranked in descending order based on the PI values for each public building. The buildings that have the highest values of PI take the most priority till the specified asset maintenance budget for the targeted year is achieved. Finally, the results indicate that most of the maintenance works are funded by municipalities own budgets and not by the government.

Exploring end of life priorities in Saudi males: usefulness of Q-methodology.

PubMed

Hammami, Muhammad M; Al Gaai, Eman; Hammami, Safa; Attala, Sahar

2015-11-26

Quality end-of-life care depends on understanding patients' end-of-life choices. Individuals and cultures may hold end-of-life priorities at different hierarchy. Forced ranking rather than independent rating, and by-person factor analysis rather than averaging may reveal otherwise masked typologies. We explored Saudi males' forced-ranked, end-of-life priorities and dis-priorities. Respondents (n = 120) rank-ordered 47 opinion statements on end-of-life care following a 9-category symmetrical distribution. Statements' scores were analyzed by averaging analysis and factor analysis (Q-methodology). Respondents' mean age was 32.1 years (range, 18-65); 52% reported average religiosity, 88 and 83% ≥ very good health and life-quality, respectively, and 100% ≥ high school education. Averaging analysis revealed that the extreme five end-of-life priorities were to, be at peace with God, be able to say the statement of faith, maintain dignity, resolve conflicts, and have religious death rituals respected, respectively. The extreme five dis-priorities were to, die in the hospital, not receive intensive care if in coma, die at peak of life, be informed about impending death by family/friends rather than doctor, and keep medical status confidential from family/friends, respectively. Q-methodology classified 67% of respondents into five highly transcendent opinion types. Type-I (rituals-averse, family-caring, monitoring-coping, life-quality-concerned) and Type-V (rituals-apt, family-centered, neutral-coping, life-quantity-concerned) reported the lowest and highest religiosity, respectively. Type-II (rituals-apt, family-dependent, monitoring-coping, life-quantity-concerned) and Type-III (rituals-silent, self/family-neutral, avoidance-coping, life-quality & quantity-concerned) reported the best and worst life-quality, respectively. Type-I respondents were the oldest with the lowest general health, in contrast to Type-IV (rituals-apt, self-centered, monitoring-coping, life-quality/quantity-neutral). Of the extreme 14 priorities/dis-priorities for the five types, 29, 14, 14, 50, and 36%, respectively, were not among the extreme 20 priorities/dis-priorities identified by averaging analysis for the entire cohort. 1) Transcendence was the extreme end-of-life priority, and dying in the hospital was the extreme dis-priority. 2) Quality of life was conceptualized differently with less emphasize on its physiological aspects. 3) Disclosure of terminal illness to family/close friends was preferred as long it is through the patient. 4) Q-methodology identified five types of constellations of end-of-life priorities and dis-priorities that may be related to respondents' demographics and are partially masked by averaging analysis.

Poverty and the Underclass. Changing Domestic Priorities Discussion Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawhill, Isabel V.

The United States has one of the highest poverty rates in the industrialized world, especially among its children and the working poor. The underclass is comprised of a group of 2.5 million chronically poor people who live in inner-city communities where crime, drug abuse, teenage childbearing, dropping out of school, and welfare dependency are…

Service to the Nation, Strength for the Future. Fiscal Year 2013 United States Army Corps of Engineers - Civil Works Annual Financial Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

only the highest priorities and most immediate responsibilities in land, water and cultural resources protections. Under the healthy and sustainable ... performance measure, the basic protection of land and water resources is expected to continue to remain relatively flat. Threats from invasive

78 FR 75629 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Miami International Securities Exchange LLC; Notice of Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-12

... Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change To Amend the MIAX Fee Schedule December 6, 2013. Pursuant to the... Priority Customer Rebate Program (the ``Program'') to (i) lower the volume thresholds of the four highest... thresholds in a month as described below. The volume thresholds are calculated based on the customer average...

Setting the Stage for Strong Standards: Elements of a Safe and Orderly School. Item Number 39-0235

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Federation of Teachers, 2003

2003-01-01

In poll after poll, parents, teachers and school staff say that school safety and order are their highest school priorities. Educators know that other efforts to improve schools will not be effective without an orderly and safe learning environment. Disorderly schools severely compromise opportunities to learn. Teachers cannot teach, children…

40 CFR 131.38 - Establishment of numeric criteria for priority toxic pollutants for the State of California.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative Criteria Documents for the Protection of Aquatic Life in Ambient... water quality criteria to protect against acute effects in aquatic life and is the highest instream... any aquatic life or human health use classifications in the Water Quality Control Plans for the...

20 CFR 410.586 - Use of benefits for beneficiary in institution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969- ) Payment of Benefits § 410.586 Use of... certified on behalf of the beneficiary shall give highest priority to expenditure of the payments for the... § 410.584) in providing care and maintenance. It is considered in the best interest of the beneficiary...

20 CFR 410.586 - Use of benefits for beneficiary in institution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT OF 1969, TITLE IV-BLACK LUNG BENEFITS (1969- ) Payment of Benefits § 410.586 Use of... certified on behalf of the beneficiary shall give highest priority to expenditure of the payments for the... § 410.584) in providing care and maintenance. It is considered in the best interest of the beneficiary...

A School-Wide Attack on Reading Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuman, R. Baird

2006-01-01

The teaching of reading has come to be regarded as one of the highest priority areas in modern education because schools have been failing to teach reading effectively to large numbers of students who progress to secondary school without having achieved a working competency in this basic skill. Much of the burden of reading instruction has fallen…

Building Special Education Teacher Capacity in Rural Schools: Impact of a Grow Your Own Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sutton, Joe P.; Bausmith, Shirley C.; O'Connor, Dava M.; Pae, Holly A.; Payne, John R.

2014-01-01

Rural education has a legacy of unique challenges, with highest priority needs in the South. Chief among these challenges are the conditions of poverty associated with many rural districts and the education of students with disabilities. Compared with their urban and suburban counterparts, rural teachers experience higher rates of turnover, and…

Women Speak: Healing the Wounds of Homelessness through Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Karen Anne; And Others

1997-01-01

The Women Speak writing project explored the use of writing as therapy for homeless women at an urban drop-in center. By sharing experiences, a sense of empowerment began. Nursing students and faculty were challenged to rethink the traditional clinical relationship that gives highest priority to the needs of students and faculty rather than the…

College Attainment: Throwing a Complete Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Stan; Soo, David

2010-01-01

The U.S. once had the world's highest percentage of adults with a college degree, but has now dropped to 10th, according to the OECD. In an attempt to reverse this slide, a number of policymakers and foundations have sought to make increased degree attainment a national priority. President Obama has articulated the goal that America will regain…

77 FR 10724 - Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries; American Samoa Longline Limited Entry Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-23

... size class falls below the maximum allowed. Six permits are available, as follows: Four in Class A (vessels less than or equal to 40 ft in overall length); and Two in Class D (over 70 ft in overall length... the highest priority to the applicant (for any vessel size class) with the earliest documented...

Refugee Education: The State of Nigeria's Preparedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obashoro-John, Oluwayemisi A.; Oni, Gbolabo J.

2017-01-01

The spate of insurgences and conflicts in the country and around the sub-region has led to the increased presence of refugees and Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Nigeria. This has resultant challenges on the basic needs of refugees and IDPs at different levels. One of the highest priorities of refugees and IDPs communities is education.…

Decision Making on Regional Landfill Site Selection in Hormozgan Province Using Smce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majedi, A. S.; Kamali, B. M.; Maghsoudi, R.

2015-12-01

Landfill site selection and suitable conditions to bury hazardous wastes are among the most critical issues in modern societies. Taking several factors and limitations into account along with true decision making requires application of different decision techniques. To this end, current paper aims to make decisions about regional landfill site selection in Hormozgan province and utilizes SMCE technique combined with qualitative and quantitative criteria to select the final alternatives. To this respect, we first will describe the existing environmental situation in our study area and set the goals of our study in the framework of SMCE and will analyze the effective factors in regional landfill site selection. Then, methodological procedure of research was conducted using Delphi approach and questionnaires (in order to determine research validity, Chronbach Alpha (0.94) method was used). Spatial multi-criteria analysis model was designed in the form of criteria tree in SMCE using IL WIS software. Prioritization of respective spatial alternatives included: Bandar Abbas city with total 4 spatial alternatives (one zone with 1st priority, one zone with 3rd priority and two zones with 4thpriority) was considered the first priority, Bastak city with total 3 spatial alternatives (one zone with 2nd priority, one zone with 3rdpriorit and one zone with 4th priority) was the second priority and Bandar Abbas, Minab, Jask and Haji Abad cities were considered as the third priority.

To what extent do community members' personal health beliefs and experiences impact what they consider to be important for their community-at-large?

PubMed Central

Yeary, Karen Hye-cheon Kim; Ounpraseuth, Songthip T.; Kuo, Dennis Z.; Harris, Kimberly; Stewart, M. Kathryn; Bryant, Keneshia; Haynes, Tiffany; Turner, Jerome; Smith, Johnny; McCoy, Stephanie; Sullivan, Greer

2016-01-01

Background Health assessments are used to prioritize community-level health concerns, but the role of individuals' health concerns and experiences is unknown. We sought to understand to what extent community health assessments reflect health concerns of the community-at-large versus a representation of the participants sampled. Methods We conducted a health assessment survey in 30 rural African American churches (n = 412). Multivariable logistic regression produced odds ratios examining associations between personal health concern (this health concern is important to me), personal health experience (I have been diagnosed with this health issue) and community health priorities (this health concern is important to the community) for 20 health issues. Results Respondents reported significant associations for 19/20 health conditions between personal health concern and the ranking of that concern as a community priority (all P < 0.05). Inconsistent associations were seen between personal health experience of a specific health condition and the ranking of that condition as a community priority. Conclusions Personal health concerns reported by individuals in a study sample may impact prioritization of community health initiatives. Further research should examine how personal health concerns are formed. PMID:26359314

2006 Annual Report of the American Psychological Association

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Norman B.

2007-01-01

This report is designed to keep you up-to-date on APA's priorities, ongoing activities, and annual special events. This issue contains APA Directorate reports, the President's report, and the Treasurer's report.

Future Missions for Space Weather Specifications and Forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onsager, T. G.; Biesecker, D. A.; Anthes, R. A.; Maier, M. W.; Gallagher, F. W., III; St Germain, K.

2017-12-01

The progress of technology and the global integration of our economic and security infrastructures have introduced vulnerabilities to space weather that demand a more comprehensive ability to specify and to predict the dynamics of the space environment. This requires a comprehensive network of real-time space-based and ground-based observations with long-term continuity. In order to determine the most cost effective space architectures for NOAA's weather, space weather, and environmental missions, NOAA conducted the NOAA Satellite Observing System Architecture (NSOSA) study. This presentation will summarize the process used to document the future needs and the relative priorities for NOAA's operational space-based observations. This involves specifying the most important observations, defining the performance attributes at different levels of capability, and assigning priorities for achieving the higher capability levels. The highest priority observations recommended by the Space Platform Requirements Working Group (SPRWG) for improvement above a minimal capability level will be described. Finally, numerous possible satellite architectures have been explored to assess the costs and benefits of various architecture configurations.

Priorities for research to take forward the health equity policy agenda.

PubMed Central

Ostlin, Piroska; Braveman, Paula; Dachs, Norberto

2005-01-01

Despite impressive improvements in aggregate indicators of health globally over the past few decades, health inequities between and within countries have persisted, and in many regions and countries are widening. Our recommendations regarding research priorities for health equity are based on an assessment of what information is required to gain an understanding of how to make substantial reductions in health inequities. We recommend that highest priority be given to research in five general areas: (1) global factors and processes that affect health equity and/or constrain what countries can do to address health inequities within their own borders; (2) societal and political structures and relationships that differentially affect people's chances of being healthy within a given society; (3) interrelationships between factors at the individual level and within the social context that increase or decrease the likelihood of achieving and maintaining good health; (4) characteristics of the health care system that influence health equity and (5) effective policy interventions to reduce health inequity in the first four areas. PMID:16462988

Salud America! Developing a National Latino Childhood Obesity Research Agenda.

PubMed

Ramirez, Amelie G; Chalela, Patricia; Gallion, Kipling J; Green, Lawrence W; Ottoson, Judith

2011-06-01

U.S. childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions, with one third of children overweight or obese. Latino children have some of the highest obesity rates, a concern because they are part of the youngest and fastest-growing U.S. minority group. Unfortunately, scarce research data on Latinos hinders the development and implementation of evidence-based, culturally appropriate childhood obesity interventions. In response, the Salud America! network conducted a national Delphi survey among researchers and stakeholders to identify research priorities to address Latino childhood obesity and compare differences by occupation and race or ethnicity. The resulting first-ever National Latino Childhood Obesity Research Agenda provides a framework to stimulate research and collaboration among investigators, providers, and communities, and inform policy makers about the epidemic's seriousness and specific needs for priority funding. The agenda ranks family as the main ecological level to prevent Latino childhood obesity--followed by community, school, society, and individual-and ranks top research priorities in each level.

Public involvement in health priority setting: future challenges for policy, research and society.

PubMed

Hunter, David James; Kieslich, Katharina; Littlejohns, Peter; Staniszewska, Sophie; Tumilty, Emma; Weale, Albert; Williams, Iestyn

2016-08-15

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the findings of this special issue and discusses the future challenges for policy, research and society. The findings suggest that challenges emerge as a result of legitimacy deficits of both consensus and contestatory modes of public involvement in health priority setting. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws on the discussions and findings presented in this special issue. It seeks to bring the country experiences and case studies together to draw conclusions for policy, research and society. Findings - At least two recurring themes emerge. An underlying theme is the importance, but also the challenge, of establishing legitimacy in health priority setting. The country experiences suggest that we understand very little about the conditions under which representative, or authentic, participation generates legitimacy and under which it will be regarded as insufficient. A second observation is that public participation takes a variety of forms that depend on the opportunity structures in a given national context. Given this variety the conceptualization of public participation needs to be expanded to account for the many forms of public participation. Originality/value - The paper concludes that the challenges of public involvement are closely linked to the question of how legitimate processes and decisions can be generated in priority setting. This suggests that future research must focus more narrowly on conditions under which legitimacy are generated in order to expand the understanding of public involvement in health prioritization.

Impact of legal regulations and administrative policies on persons with SCI: identifying potential research priorities through expert interviews.

PubMed

Trezzini, Bruno; Phillips, Barbara

2014-01-01

To identify research gaps and potential research priorities regarding the impact that legal regulations and administrative policies might have on people with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in Switzerland. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 healthcare professionals working for or being associated with the largest SCI clinic in Switzerland. The transcribed interviews were content analyzed, involving qualitative description, and thematic analysis techniques. Four interrelated clusters of issues were corroborated: (1) social insurance, (2) caregiving, (3) work integration, and (4) aging. In addition, two overarching themes were identified: (1) fairness considerations and (2) unavailability of systematic empirical evidence. Work capacity assessment and family caregiving were deemed to be the most pressing research priority areas. Legal frameworks do play both a direct and an indirect role in the lives of people with SCI in Switzerland. This is particularly true with regard to various issues related to the social insurance system, such as family caregiving and work capacity assessment. The salience of these topics is closely related to major sociodemographic and political driving forces, i.e. aging and social insurance reforms. Research directly involving people with SCI is needed to further substantiate and refine the findings of this study. When dealing with issues related to work reintegration, aging, social insurance, and caregiving, rehabilitation professionals should take existing legal frameworks into account. Eligibility criteria for disability benefits may influence the therapy motivation of rehabilitation clients.

Identifying Continuous Quality Improvement Priorities in Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting.

PubMed

Preskitt, Julie; Fifolt, Matthew; Ginter, Peter M; Rucks, Andrew; Wingate, Martha S

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article was to describe a methodology to identify continuous quality improvement (CQI) priorities for one state's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program from among the 40 required constructs associated with 6 program benchmarks. The authors discuss how the methodology provided consensus on system CQI quality measure priorities and describe variation among the 3 service delivery models used within the state. Q-sort methodology was used by home visiting (HV) service delivery providers (home visitors) to prioritize HV quality measures for the overall state HV system as well as their service delivery model. There was general consensus overall and among the service delivery models on CQI quality measure priorities, although some variation was observed. Measures associated with Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting benchmark 1, Improved Maternal and Newborn Health, and benchmark 3, Improvement in School Readiness and Achievement, were the highest ranked. The Q-sort exercise allowed home visitors an opportunity to examine priorities within their service delivery model as well as for the overall First Teacher HV system. Participants engaged in meaningful discussions regarding how and why they selected specific quality measures and developed a greater awareness and understanding of a systems approach to HV within the state. The Q-sort methodology presented in this article can easily be replicated by other states to identify CQI priorities at the local and state levels and can be used effectively in states that use a single HV service delivery model or those that implement multiple evidence-based models for HV service delivery.

Setting priorities for research in medical nutrition education: an international approach.

PubMed

Ball, Lauren; Barnes, Katelyn; Laur, Celia; Crowley, Jennifer; Ray, Sumantra

2016-12-14

To identify the research priorities for medical nutrition education worldwide. A 5-step stakeholder engagement process based on methodological guidelines for identifying research priorities in health. 277 individuals were identified as representatives for 30 different stakeholder organisations across 86 countries. The stakeholder organisations represented the views of medical educators, medical students, doctors, patients and researchers in medical education. Each stakeholder representative was asked to provide up to three research questions that should be deemed as a priority for medical nutrition education. Research questions were critically appraised for answerability, sustainability, effectiveness, potential for translation and potential to impact on disease burden. A blinded scoring system was used to rank the appraised questions, with higher scores indicating higher priority (range of scores possible 36-108). 37 submissions were received, of which 25 were unique research questions. Submitted questions received a range of scores from 62 to 106 points. The highest scoring questions focused on (1) increasing the confidence of medical students and doctors in providing nutrition care to patients, (2) clarifying the essential nutrition skills doctors should acquire, (3) understanding the effectiveness of doctors at influencing dietary behaviours and (4) improving medical students' attitudes towards the importance of nutrition. These research questions can be used to ensure future projects in medical nutrition education directly align with the needs and preferences of research stakeholders. Funders should consider these priorities in their commissioning of research. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Strategic Priorities for Increasing Physical Activity Among Adults Age 50 and Older: The National Blueprint Consensus Conference Summary Report

PubMed Central

Sheppard, Lisa; Senior, Jane; Park, Chae Hee; Mockenhaupt, Robin; Bazzarre, Terry; Chodzko-Zajko, Wojtek

2003-01-01

On May 1, 2001, a coalition of national organizations released a major planning document designed to develop a national strategy for the promotion of physically active lifestyles among the mid-life and older adult population. The National Blueprint: Increasing Physical Activity Among Adults Age 50 and Older was developed with input from 46 organizations with expertise in health, medicine, social and behavioral sciences, epidemiology, gerontology/geriatrics, clinical science, public policy, marketing, medical systems, community organization, and environmental issues. The Blueprint notes that, despite a wealth of evidence about the benefits of physical activity for mid-life and older persons, there has been little success in convincing age 50+ Americans to adopt physically active lifestyles. The Blueprint identifies barriers in the areas of research, home and community programs, medical systems, public policy and advocacy, and marketing and communications. In addition to identifying barriers, the Blueprint proposes a number of concrete strategies that could be employed in order to overcome the barriers to physical activity in society at large. This report summarizes the outcome of the National Blueprint Consensus Conference that was held in October 2002. In this conference, representatives of more than 50 national organizations convened in Washington, D.C. with the goal of identifying high priority and high feasibility strategies which would advance the National Blueprint and which could be initiated within the next 12 to 24 months. Participants in the consensus conference were assigned to one of five breakout groups: home and community, marketing, medical systems, public policy, and research. Each breakout group was charged with identifying the three highest priority strategies within their area for effectively increasing physical activity levels in the mid-life and older adult population. In addition to the 15 strategies identified by the breakout groups, three "cross-cutting" strategies were added which were considered to be broad-based in scope and which applied to more than one of the breakout themes. A national organization was identified to take the lead in planning and implementing each strategy. A summary of the 18 strategies and lead organizations is presented. The National Blueprint Consensus Conference has identified an ambitious agenda of strategies and tactics that will need to be implemented in order to overcome societal barriers to physical activity among the mid-life and older adult population. More than 50 national organizations have expressed a commitment to work towards the implementation of the Blueprint agenda. Eighteen priority strategies have been identified in the areas of home and community, marketing, medical systems, public policy, and research. The organizations charged with the task of implementing the high priority strategies will use professional networks and established delivery channels and communication systems to translate this plan into action. PMID:24688279

Strategic priorities for increasing physical activity among adults age 50 and older: the national blueprint consensus conference summary report.

PubMed

Sheppard, Lisa; Senior, Jane; Park, Chae Hee; Mockenhaupt, Robin; Bazzarre, Terry; Chodzko-Zajko, Wojtek

2003-12-01

On May 1, 2001, a coalition of national organizations released a major planning document designed to develop a national strategy for the promotion of physically active lifestyles among the mid-life and older adult population. The National Blueprint: Increasing Physical Activity Among Adults Age 50 and Older was developed with input from 46 organizations with expertise in health, medicine, social and behavioral sciences, epidemiology, gerontology/geriatrics, clinical science, public policy, marketing, medical systems, community organization, and environmental issues. The Blueprint notes that, despite a wealth of evidence about the benefits of physical activity for mid-life and older persons, there has been little success in convincing age 50+ Americans to adopt physically active lifestyles. The Blueprint identifies barriers in the areas of research, home and community programs, medical systems, public policy and advocacy, and marketing and communications. In addition to identifying barriers, the Blueprint proposes a number of concrete strategies that could be employed in order to overcome the barriers to physical activity in society at large. This report summarizes the outcome of the National Blueprint Consensus Conference that was held in October 2002. In this conference, representatives of more than 50 national organizations convened in Washington, D.C. with the goal of identifying high priority and high feasibility strategies which would advance the National Blueprint and which could be initiated within the next 12 to 24 months. Participants in the consensus conference were assigned to one of five breakout groups: home and community, marketing, medical systems, public policy, and research. Each breakout group was charged with identifying the three highest priority strategies within their area for effectively increasing physical activity levels in the mid-life and older adult population. In addition to the 15 strategies identified by the breakout groups, three "cross-cutting" strategies were added which were considered to be broad-based in scope and which applied to more than one of the breakout themes. A national organization was identified to take the lead in planning and implementing each strategy. A summary of the 18 strategies and lead organizations is presented. The National Blueprint Consensus Conference has identified an ambitious agenda of strategies and tactics that will need to be implemented in order to overcome societal barriers to physical activity among the mid-life and older adult population. More than 50 national organizations have expressed a commitment to work towards the implementation of the Blueprint agenda. Eighteen priority strategies have been identified in the areas of home and community, marketing, medical systems, public policy, and research. The organizations charged with the task of implementing the high priority strategies will use professional networks and established delivery channels and communication systems to translate this plan into action.

Priorities for family building among patients and partners seeking treatment for infertility.

PubMed

Duthie, Elizabeth A; Cooper, Alexandra; Davis, Joseph B; Sandlow, Jay; Schoyer, Katherine D; Strawn, Estil; Flynn, Kathryn E

2017-04-05

Infertility treatment decisions require people to balance multiple priorities. Within couples, partners must also negotiate priorities with one another. In this study, we assessed the family-building priorities of couples prior to their first consultations with a reproductive specialist. Participants were couples who had upcoming first consultations with a reproductive specialist (N = 59 couples (59 women; 59 men)). Prior to the consultation, couples separately completed the Family-Building Priorities Tool, which tasked them with ranking from least to most important 10 factors associated with family building. We describe the highest (top three) and lowest (bottom three) priorities, the alignment of priorities within couples, and test for differences in prioritization between men and women within couples (Wilcoxon signed rank test). Maintaining a close and satisfying relationship with one's partner was ranked as a high priority by majorities of men and women, and in 25% of couples, both partners ranked this factor as their most important priority for family building. Majorities of men and women also ranked building a family in a way that does not make infertility obvious to others as a low priority, and in 27% of couples, both partners ranked this factor as the least important priority for family building. There were also differences within couples that involved either men or women ranking a particular goal more highly than their partners. More women ranked two factors higher than did their partners: 1) that I become a parent one way or another (p = 0.015) and 2) that I have a child in the next year or two (p < 0.001), whereas more men ranked 4 factors higher than their partners: 1) that our child has [woman's] genes (p = 0.025), 2) that our child has [man's] genes (p < 0.001), 3) that I maintain a close relationship with my partner (p = 0.034), and 4) that I avoid side effects from treatment (p < 0.001). Clinicians who support patients in assessing available family-building paths should be aware that: (1) patients balance multiple priorities as a part of, or beside, becoming a parent; and (2) patients and their partners may not be aligned in their prioritization of achieving parenthood. For infertility patients who are in relationships, clinicians should encourage the active participation of both partners as well as frank discussions about each partner's priorities for building their family.

Watershed Academy Webcast: Understanding Nutrient Issues Affecting Ohio’s Inland Lakes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page contains a description and documentation associated with the webcast on how USDA’s NWQI is working in priority watersheds to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners improve water quality.

Assisted Repeated Reading with an Advanced-Level Japanese EFL Reader: A Longitudinal Diary Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taguchi, Etsuo; Gorsuch, Greta; Takayasu-Maass, Miyoko; Snipp, Kirsten

2012-01-01

Reading fluency has attracted the attention of reading researchers and educators since the early 1970s and has become a priority issue in English as a first language (L1) settings. It has also become a critical issue in English as a second or foreign language (L2) settings because the lack of fluency is considered a major obstacle to developing…

National occupational health research priorities, agenda and strategy of Japan: invited report in NORA symposium 2001, USA.

PubMed

Araki, Shunichi; Tachi, Masatomo

2003-01-01

An invited report on national occupational health research priorities, agenda and strategy of Japan was delivered in the NORA (National Occupational Research Agenda) Symposium 2001, USA. The third NORA Symposium was held by the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Washington DC on June 27, 2001. The national conference in Japan entitled "Conference on Occupational Health Research Strategies in the 21st Century" was organized by the Japanese Ministry of Labour (Currently, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) in the years 1998-2001, and the national occupational health research agenda and strategy for the next decade in Japan was identified. A total of 50 Conference members, i.e., representatives from various fields of occupational health in Japan, ranked 58 comprehensive research topics, yielding short-term (5-year) and long-term (6-10 year) priority research topics. Overall (10-year) priority research topics were calculated by combining the short-term and long-term priority scores. Together with the ranking by 145 extramural occupational health specialists, it was identified that work stress (i.e., one of the 58 research topics) was the first overall priority research topic for the next 10 years in Japan. Three other topics, i.e., elderly workers, women workers and maternity protection, and mental health and quality of work and life, were the second group of priority topics; and hazard and risk assessment and biological effect index were the third priority group. Based on the scores for the short-term and long-term priority research topics, all 58 research topics were classified into three key research areas with 18 key research issues (National Occupational Health Research Agenda, NOHRA). Finally, eight implementation measures of national strategy for the Japanese Government to promote occupational health research were introduced.

Multiscale Modeling in Computational Biomechanics: Determining Computational Priorities and Addressing Current Challenges

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

Tawhai, Merryn; Bischoff, Jeff; Einstein, Daniel R.

2009-05-01

Abstract In this article, we describe some current multiscale modeling issues in computational biomechanics from the perspective of the musculoskeletal and respiratory systems and mechanotransduction. First, we outline the necessity of multiscale simulations in these biological systems. Then we summarize challenges inherent to multiscale biomechanics modeling, regardless of the subdiscipline, followed by computational challenges that are system-specific. We discuss some of the current tools that have been utilized to aid research in multiscale mechanics simulations, and the priorities to further the field of multiscale biomechanics computation.

Workshop on the Thermophysical Properties of Molten Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

The role of accurate thermophysical property data in the process design and modeling of solidification processes was the subject of a workshop held on 22-23 Oct. 1992 in Cleveland, Ohio. The workshop was divided into three sequential sessions dealing with (1) industrial needs and priorities for thermophysical data, (2) experimental capabilities for measuring the necessary data, and (3) theoretical capabilities for predicting the necessary data. In addition, a 2-hour panel discussion of the salient issues was featured as well as a 2-hour caucus that assessed priorities and identified action plans.

20 years of cleft lip and palate missions

PubMed Central

Lambrecht, J. Thomas; Kreusch, Thomas; Marsh, Jeff L.; Schopper, Christian

2014-01-01

Volunteer missions for cleft lip and palate (CLP) care in Indonesia (1991-1992), India (1994-2003), Bhutan (2005-2010), and Kenya (2011), took place always at the same Hospital in each country. Altogether over a thousand patients were operated using a conservative protocol: Safety first - no experiments. Five months and 5 kg were the basic rules. For the native doctors, training help for self-help was priority. In the announcements, patients with CLP were primarily addressed. Burns, contractions, tumors, and trauma-cases were the second priority. Fresh trauma was done in night shifts with the local surgeons in order not to interfere. Besides facial esthetics speech was the number one issue, following priorities fell into place. Cultural aspects played a certain role in the different countries and continents. PMID:25593861

77 FR 59793 - Prioritization and Allocation Authority Exercised by the Secretary of Transportation Under the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-01

...This final rule clarifies the priorities and allocation authorities exercised by the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) under title I of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (Defense Production Act), and establishes the administrative procedures by which the Secretary will exercise this authority. In addition, in this final rule the Department is seeking comments on certain revised definitions found in section 33.20. This rule complies with the requirement in the Defense Production Act Reauthorization of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-67) to issue final rules establishing standards and procedures by which the priorities and allocations authority is used to promote the national defense, under both emergency and nonemergency conditions, and is part of a multi-agency effort that forms the Federal Priorities and Allocations System.

Thrombosis in Cancer: Research Priorities Identified by a National Cancer Institute/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Strategic Working Group.

PubMed

Key, Nigel S; Khorana, Alok A; Mackman, Nigel; McCarty, Owen J T; White, Gilbert C; Francis, Charles W; McCrae, Keith R; Palumbo, Joseph S; Raskob, Gary E; Chan, Andrew T; Sood, Anil K

2016-07-01

The risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) is increased in cancer and particularly with chemotherapy, and it portends poorer survival among patients with cancer. However, many fundamental questions about cancer-associated VTE, or Trousseau syndrome, remain unanswered. This report summarizes the proceedings of a working group assembled by the NCI and NHLBI in August 2014 to explore the state of the science in cancer-associated VTE, identify clinically important research gaps, and develop consensus on priorities for future research. Representing a convergence of research priorities between the two NIH Institutes, the workshop addressed epidemiologic, basic science, clinical, and translational issues in cancer-associated VTE. Cancer Res; 76(13); 3671-5. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Research priorities on ending child marriage and supporting married girls.

PubMed

Svanemyr, Joar; Chandra-Mouli, Venkatraman; Raj, Anita; Travers, Ellen; Sundaram, Lakshmi

2015-09-03

Over the past few years the issue of child marriage has received growing political and programmatic attention. In spite of some progress in a number of countries, global rates have not declined over the past decade. Knowledge gaps remain in understanding trends, drivers and approaches to ending child marriage, especially to understand what is needed to achieve results on a large scale. This commentary summarizes the outcomes of an Expert Group Meeting organized by World Health Organization to discuss research priorities on Ending Child Marriage and Supporting Married Girls. It presents research gaps and recommends priorities for research in five key areas; (i) prevalence and trends of child marriage; (ii) causes of child marriage (iii) consequences of child marriage; (iv) efforts to prevent child marriage; (v) efforts to support married girls.

20 years of cleft lip and palate missions.

PubMed

Lambrecht, J Thomas; Kreusch, Thomas; Marsh, Jeff L; Schopper, Christian

2014-01-01

Volunteer missions for cleft lip and palate (CLP) care in Indonesia (1991-1992), India (1994-2003), Bhutan (2005-2010), and Kenya (2011), took place always at the same Hospital in each country. Altogether over a thousand patients were operated using a conservative protocol: Safety first - no experiments. Five months and 5 kg were the basic rules. For the native doctors, training help for self-help was priority. In the announcements, patients with CLP were primarily addressed. Burns, contractions, tumors, and trauma-cases were the second priority. Fresh trauma was done in night shifts with the local surgeons in order not to interfere. Besides facial esthetics speech was the number one issue, following priorities fell into place. Cultural aspects played a certain role in the different countries and continents.

PWFQ: a priority-based weighted fair queueing algorithm for the downstream transmission of EPON

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Sunjuan; Ye, Jiajun; Zou, Junni

2005-11-01

In the downstream direction of EPON, all ethernet frames share one downlink channel from the OLT to destination ONUs. To guarantee differentiated services, a scheduling algorithm is needed to solve the link-sharing issue. In this paper, we first review the classical WFQ algorithm and point out the shortcomings existing in the fair queueing principle of WFQ algorithm for EPON. Then we propose a novel scheduling algorithm called Priority-based WFQ (PWFQ) algorithm which distributes bandwidth based on priority. PWFQ algorithm can guarantee the quality of real-time services whether under light load or under heavy load. Simulation results also show that PWFQ algorithm not only can improve delay performance of real-time services, but can also meet the worst-case delay bound requirements.

Prioritizing medication safety in care of people with cancer: clinicians' views on main problems and solutions.

PubMed

Car, Lorainne Tudor; Papachristou, Nikolaos; Urch, Catherine; Majeed, Azeem; Atun, Rifat; Car, Josip; Vincent, Charles

2017-06-01

Cancer care is liable to medication errors due to the complex nature of cancer treatment, the common presence of comorbidities and the involvement of a number of clinicians in cancer care. While the frequency of medication errors in cancer care has been reported, little is known about their causal factors and effective prevention strategies. With a unique insight into the main safety issues in cancer treatment, frontline staff can help close this gap. In this study, we aimed to identify medication safety priorities in cancer patient care according to clinicians in North West London using PRIORITIZE, a novel priority-setting approach. The project steering group determined the scope, the context and the criteria for prioritization. We then invited North West London cancer care clinicians to identify and prioritize main causes for, and solutions to, medication errors in cancer care. Forty cancer care providers submitted their suggestions which were thematically synthesized into a composite list of 20 distinct problems and 22 solutions. A group of 26 clinicians from the initial cohort ranked the composite list of suggestions using predetermined criteria. The top ranked problems focused on patients' poor understanding of treatments due to language or education difficulties, clinicians' insufficient attention to patients' psychological distress, and inadequate information sharing among health care providers. The top ranked solutions were provision of guidance to patients and their carers on what to do when unwell, pre-chemotherapy work-up for all patients and better staff training. Overall, clinicians considered improved communication between health care providers, quality assurance procedures (during prescription and monitoring stages) and patient education as key strategies for improving cancer medication safety. Prescribing stage was identified as the most vulnerable to medication safety threats. The highest ranked suggestions received the strongest agreement among the clinicians. Clinician-identified priorities for reducing medication errors in cancer care addressed various aspects of cancer treatment. Our findings open up an opportunity to assess the congruence between health care professional suggestions, currently implemented patient safety policies and evidence base.

Using evaluation theory in priority setting and resource allocation.

PubMed

Smith, Neale; Mitton, Craig; Cornelissen, Evelyn; Gibson, Jennifer; Peacock, Stuart

2012-01-01

Public sector interest in methods for priority setting and program or policy evaluation has grown considerably over the last several decades, given increased expectations for accountable and efficient use of resources and emphasis on evidence-based decision making as a component of good management practice. While there has been some occasional effort to conduct evaluation of priority setting projects, the literatures around priority setting and evaluation have largely evolved separately. In this paper, the aim is to bring them together. The contention is that evaluation theory is a means by which evaluators reflect upon what it is they are doing when they do evaluation work. Theories help to organize thinking, sort out relevant from irrelevant information, provide transparent grounds for particular implementation choices, and can help resolve problematic issues which may arise in the conduct of an evaluation project. A detailed review of three major branches of evaluation theory--methods, utilization, and valuing--identifies how such theories can guide the development of efforts to evaluate priority setting and resource allocation initiatives. Evaluation theories differ in terms of their guiding question, anticipated setting or context, evaluation foci, perspective from which benefits are calculated, and typical methods endorsed. Choosing a particular theoretical approach will structure the way in which any priority setting process is evaluated. The paper suggests that explicitly considering evaluation theory makes key aspects of the evaluation process more visible to all stakeholders, and can assist in the design of effective evaluation of priority setting processes; this should iteratively serve to improve the understanding of priority setting practices themselves.

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1960-01-01

The Saturn Project was approved on January 18, 1960 as a program of the highest national priority. The formal test program to prove out the clustered-booster concept was well underway at Redstone Arsenal. This photograph depicts a mockup of the Saturn booster (S-I stage) being transported to the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) test stand, to check mating of the booster and stand and servicing methods.

National facilities study. Volume 2: Task group on aeronautical research and development facilities report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

The Task Group on Aeronautics R&D Facilities examined the status and requirements for aeronautics facilities against the competitive need. Emphasis was placed on ground-based facilities for subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic aerodynamics, and propulsion. Subsonic and transonic wind tunnels were judged to be most critical and of highest priority. Results of the study are presented.

Leading from the Front of the Classroom: A Roadmap to Teacher Leadership That Works

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aspen Institute, 2014

2014-01-01

In this paper, Leading Educators and the Aspen Institute propose a roadmap to empower teachers to lead from the front of the classroom. This paper outlines key phases that system administrators will need to consider as they build teacher leadership systems that address their highest priorities. For each phase, the Aspen Institute offers a…

Which Lifelong Activities Are Held in Highest Regard by Physical Education Stakeholders in Michigan: Can Stakeholders Agree? A Delphi Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Ray; Mackey, Marcia J.; Rollenhagen, Benjamin R.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify what lifelong activities stakeholders agree upon as most important to include in physical education programs. Little research has been conducted regarding which lifelong activities are most important to include in the curriculum and if there is consensus in priorities across program stakeholders. Consensus…

Protection of Hardware: Powering Systems (Power Converter, Normal Conducting, and Superconducting Magnets)

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

Pfeffer, H.; Flora, B.; Wolff, D.

2016-01-01

Along with the protection of magnets and power converters, we have added a section on personnel protection because this is our highest priority in the design and operation of power systems. Thus, our topics are the protection of people, power converters, and magnet loads (protected from the powering equipment), including normal conducting magnets and superconducting magnets.

Synthesis Study of a 6-Element Non-Uniform Array with Tilted Elements for CLARREO Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jamnejad, Vahraz; Hoorfar, Ahmad

2012-01-01

This paper presents the results of a preliminary study of the gain/pattern properties of a 6-element Radio Occultation (RO) array for the proposed CLARREO (Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Project. CLARREO is one of the 4 highest priority missions recommended in the National Research Council Earth Science Decadal Survey.

Strategic and Performance Planning for the Office of the Chancellor for Education and Professional Development in the Department of Defense

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

the quality of that workforce is one of its highest priorities. In October 1998, DoD established the Office of the Chancellor for Education and...instruction that serve DoD civilian workers. The office , which exists and operates within the organizational hierarchy of the Office of the Secretary of

Choosing to Learn or Chosen to Learn: The Experience of "Skills for Life" Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Grady, Anne; Atkin, Chris

2006-01-01

It has been estimated that as many as one in five adults in England have difficulties with literacy or numeracy skills. Raising the standards of language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills amongst all adults of working age in England has become one of the government's highest priorities. Following the launch of the "Skills for Life"…

Evaluation of health care service quality in Poland with the use of SERVQUAL method at the specialist ambulatory health care center.

PubMed

Manulik, Stanisław; Rosińczuk, Joanna; Karniej, Piotr

2016-01-01

Service quality and customer satisfaction are very important components of competitive advantage in the health care sector. The SERVQUAL method is widely used for assessing the quality expected by patients and the quality of actually provided services. The main purpose of this study was to determine if patients from state and private health care facilities differed in terms of their qualitative priorities and assessments of received services. The study included a total of 412 patients: 211 treated at a state facility and 201 treated at a private facility. Each of the respondents completed a 5-domain, 22-item SERVQUAL questionnaire. The actual quality of health care services in both types of facilities proved significantly lower than expected. All the patients gave the highest scores to the domains constituting the core aspects of health care services. The private facility respondents had the highest expectations with regard to equipment, and the state facility ones regarding contacts with the medical personnel. Health care quality management should be oriented toward comprehensive optimization in all domains, rather than only within the domain identified as the qualitative priority for patients of a given facility.

Balancing tradeoffs: Reconciling multiple environmental goals when ecosystem services vary regionally

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O’Connell, Christine S.; Carlson, Kimberly M.; Cuadra, Santiago; Feeley, Kenneth J.; Gerber, James; West, Paul C.; Polasky, Stephen

2018-06-01

As the planet’s dominant land use, agriculture often competes with the preservation of natural systems that provide globally and regionally important ecosystem services. How agriculture impacts ecosystem service delivery varies regionally, among services being considered, and across spatial scales. Here, we assess the tradeoffs between four ecosystem services—agricultural production, carbon storage, biophysical climate regulation, and biodiversity—using as a case study the Amazon, an active frontier of agricultural expansion. We find that the highest values for each of the ecosystem services are concentrated in different regions. Agricultural production potential and carbon storage are highest in the north and west, biodiversity greatest in the west, and climate regulation services most vulnerable to disruption in the south and east. Using a simple optimization model, we find that under scenarios of agricultural expansion that optimize total production across ecosystem services, small increases in priority for one ecosystem service can lead to reductions in other services by as much as 140%. Our results highlight the difficulty of managing landscapes for multiple environmental goals; the approach presented here can be adapted to guide value-laden conservation decisions and identify potential solutions that balance priorities.

Identification of human-carnivore conflict hotspots to prioritize mitigation efforts.

PubMed

Broekhuis, Femke; Cushman, Samuel A; Elliot, Nicholas B

2017-12-01

Human-carnivore conflict is a primary driver of carnivore declines worldwide and resolving these conflicts is a conservation priority. However, resources to mitigate conflicts are limited and should be focused on areas of highest priority. We conducted 820 semistructured interviews with community members living within Kenya's Maasai Mara ecosystem. A multiscale analysis was used to determine the influence of husbandry and environmental factors on livestock depredation inside livestock enclosures (bomas). Areas with a high proportion of closed habitat and protected areas had the highest risk of depredation. Depredation was most likely to occur at weak bomas and at households where there were fewer dogs. We used the results to identify potential conflict hotspots by mapping the probability of livestock depredation across the landscape. 21.4% of the landscape was classified as high risk, and within these areas, 53.4% of the households that were interviewed had weak bomas. Synthesis and applications . With limited resources available to mitigate human-carnivore conflicts, it is imperative that areas are identified where livestock is most at risk of depredation. Focusing mitigation measures on high-risk areas may reduce conflict and lead to a decrease in retaliatory killings of predators.

Creating political priority for micronutrient deficiencies: a qualitative case study from Senegal

PubMed Central

Balarajan, Yarlini

2014-01-01

Objectives To examine what factors influence the agenda-setting process and level of political priority afforded to micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs). Design Qualitative case study employing process tracing, informed by primary data collected from semistructured interviews with policymakers. Setting Dakar, Senegal. Results Several facilitating and impeding factors affecting the level of political prioritisation for MNDs were identified. Facilitating factors included multiple stakeholders using aligned framing to collectively advocate for MNDs; availability of indicators to quantify issue severity and raise awareness; and transnational advocacy activities around micronutrients. Impeding factors included lack of awareness among policymakers and civil society about MNDs; issue complexity, with the need for coordinated multisectoral response to deliver a complex package of solutions; lack of resources trapping the issue in a ‘low-priority’ cycle; lack of a policy champion to advocate for the issue and the challenge of demonstrating the effectiveness of interventions to support advocacy efforts. Conclusions This study gives insight into the political prioritisation process for MNDs from the perspective of key stakeholders working at the national level in Senegal. In doing so, the study offers some explanation as to why the issue of MNDs has struggled to gain political attention and make it onto the national policy agenda. Moving forward, greater awareness of the factors affecting agenda setting for MNDs may help to devise political strategies to champion this development issue in countries with high burdens of micronutrient deficiencies. PMID:25107435

Prioritizing strategies for comprehensive liver cancer control in Asia: a conjoint analysis.

PubMed

Bridges, John F P; Dong, Liming; Gallego, Gisselle; Blauvelt, Barri M; Joy, Susan M; Pawlik, Timothy M

2012-10-30

Liver cancer is a complex and burdensome disease, with Asia accounting for 75% of known cases. Comprehensive cancer control requires the use of multiple strategies, but various stakeholders may have different views as to which strategies should have the highest priority. This study identified priorities across multiple strategies for comprehensive liver cancer control (CLCC) from the perspective of liver cancer clinical, policy, and advocacy stakeholders in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Concordance of priorities was assessed across the region and across respondent roles. Priorities for CLCC were examined as part of a cross-sectional survey of liver cancer experts. Respondents completed several conjoint-analysis choice tasks to prioritize 11 strategies. In each task, respondents judged which of two competing CLCC plans, consisting of mutually exclusive and exhaustive subsets of the strategies, would have the greatest impact. The dependent variable was the chosen plan, which was then regressed on the strategies of different plans. The restricted least squares (RLS) method was utilized to compare aggregate and stratified models, and t-tests and Wald tests were used to test for significance and concordance, respectively. Eighty respondents (69.6%) were eligible and completed the survey. Their primary interests were hepatitis (26%), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (58%), metastatic liver cancer (10%) and transplantation (6%). The most preferred strategies were monitoring at-risk populations (p<0.001), clinician education (p<0.001), and national guidelines (p<0.001). Most priorities were concordant across sites except for three strategies: transplantation infrastructure (p=0.009) was valued lower in China, measuring social burden (p=0.037) was valued higher in Taiwan, and national guidelines (p=0.025) was valued higher in China. Priorities did not differ across stakeholder groups (p=0.438). Priorities for CLCC in Asia include monitoring at-risk populations, clinician education, national guidelines, multidisciplinary management, public awareness and centers of excellence. As most priorities are relatively concordant across the region, multilateral approaches to addressing comprehensive liver cancer would be beneficial. However, where priorities are discordant among sites, such as transplantation infrastructure, strategies should be tailored to local needs.

Current situation and future prospects for the Australian beef industry.

PubMed

Greenwood, Paul Leo; Ferguson, Drewe M

2018-04-12

Beef production extends over almost half of Australia, with about 47,000 cattle producers that contribute about 20% ($A12.7 billion GVP) of the total value of farm production in Australia. Australia is one of the world's most efficient producers of cattle and was the world's third largest beef exporter in 2016. The Australian beef industry had 25 million head of cattle in 2016-17, with a national beef breeding herd of 11.5 million head. Australian beef production includes pasture based cow-calf systems, a backgrounding or grow-out period on pasture, and feedlot or pasture finishing. Feedlot finishing has assumed more importance in recent years to assure the eating quality of beef entering the relatively small Australian domestic market, and to enhance the supply of higher value beef for export markets. Maintenance of Australia's preferred status as a quality assured supplier of high value beef produced under environmentally sustainable systems from 'disease-free' cattle is of highest importance. Stringent livestock and meat quality regulations and quality assurance systems, and productivity growth and efficiency across the supply chain to ensure price competiveness, are crucial for continued export market growth in the face of increasing competition. Major industry issues, that also represent research, development and adoption priorities and opportunities for the Australian beef industry have been captured within exhaustive strategic planning processes by the red meat and beef industries. At the broadest level, these issues include consumer and industry support, market growth and diversification, supply chain efficiency, productivity and profitability, environmental sustainability, and animal health and welfare. This review provides an overview of the Australian beef industry including current market trends and future prospects, and major issues and opportunities for the continued growth, development and profitability of the industry.

An analysis of the health status of the United Arab Emirates: the ‘Big 4’ public health issues

PubMed Central

Loney, Tom; Aw, Tar-Ching; Handysides, Daniel G.; Ali, Raghib; Blair, Iain; Grivna, Michal; Shah, Syed M.; Sheek-Hussein, Mohamud; El-Sadig, Mohamed; Sharif, Amer A.; El-Obaid, Yusra

2013-01-01

Background The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a rapidly developing country composed of a multinational population with varying educational backgrounds, religious beliefs, and cultural practices, which pose a challenge for population-based public health strategies. A number of public health issues significantly contribute to morbidity and mortality in the UAE. This article summarises the findings of a panel of medical and public health specialists from UAE University and various government health agencies commissioned to report on the health status of the UAE population. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted to retrieve peer-reviewed articles on health in the UAE, and unpublished data were provided by government health authorities and local hospitals. Results The panel reviewed and evaluated all available evidence to list and rank (1=highest priority) the top four main public health issues: 1) Cardiovascular disease accounted for more than 25% of deaths in 2010; 2) Injury caused 17% of mortality for all age groups in 2010; 3) Cancer accounted for 10% of all deaths in 2010, and the incidence of all cancers is projected to double by 2020; and 4) Respiratory disorders were the second most common non-fatal condition in 2010. Conclusion The major public health challenges posed by certain personal (e.g. ethnicity, family history), lifestyle, occupational, and environmental factors associated with the development of chronic disease are not isolated to the UAE; rather, they form part of a global health problem, which requires international collaboration and action. Future research should focus on population-based public health interventions that target the factors associated with the development of various chronic diseases. PMID:23394856

Students' opinions on welfare and ethics issues for companion animals in Australian and New Zealand veterinary schools.

PubMed

Degeling, C; Fawcett, A; Collins, T; Hazel, S; Johnson, J; Lloyd, J; Phillips, Cjc; Stafford, K; Tzioumis, V; McGreevy, P

2017-06-01

To determine what veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand consider important competences in companion animal welfare and ethics (AWE) required on their first day of practice, and to explore how their priorities relate to gender and stage of study. Undergraduate students at all veterinary schools in Australia and New Zealand were sent an online survey. A subset of questions required participants to rank the importance of preselected AWE topics pertaining to companion animals. Data were analysed to determine differences in the way students of different gender or academic stage prioritised each of these AWE topics. Of 3220 currently enrolled students, 851 participated in the survey: 79% were female, 17% male, 4% unspecified. Ranking of the AWE topics, from highest to lowest importance, was: neutering, companion animal husbandry, euthanasia, behaviour and training, animal breeding, over-servicing in relation to animal needs and cosmetic surgery. Female students consistently ranked competency in AWE issues surrounding neutering more highly than male students (P = 0.006). Students in senior years of study ranked the importance of competency in animal abuse/hoarding (P = 0.048), shelter medicine (P = 0.012) and animal breeding (P = 0.002) less highly than those in junior years. Australasian veterinary students placed more importance on competency in AWE issues associated with clinical practice (such as neutering and euthanasia) than on professional behaviours (such as over-servicing and animal breeding). However, we consider that emphasis should still be placed on developing graduate competency in the latter categories to reflect growing societal concerns about companion animal over-supply and inappropriate professional conduct. © 2017 Australian Veterinary Association.

The importance of assessing priorities of reproductive health concerns among adolescent and young adult patients with cancer.

PubMed

Murphy, Devin; Klosky, James L; Reed, Damon R; Termuhlen, Amanda M; Shannon, Susan V; Quinn, Gwendolyn P

2015-08-01

Visions for the future are a normal developmental process for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with and without cancer, and these visions often include expectations of sexual and romantic relationships. AYA cancer survivors indicate reproductive health is an issue of great importance and more attention is needed in the health care setting throughout the cancer experience, beginning at diagnosis. Various practice guidelines are predominately focused on fertility; are intended to influence survivorship care plans; and do not encompass the broad scope of reproductive health that includes romantic partnering, friendships, body image, sexuality, sexual identity, fertility, contraception, and more. Although interventions to reduce reproductive health-related sequelae from treatment are best approached as an evolving process, practitioners are not certain of the priorities of these various reproductive health content areas. Strategies incongruent with the reproductive health priorities of AYAs will likely thwart adequate follow-up care and foster feelings of isolation from the treatment team. Research is needed to identify these priorities and ensure discussions of diverse content areas. This review explored various domains of reproductive health and emphasized how understanding the priorities of the AYA cancer cohort will guide future models of care. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

PHARMACEUTICALS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS: ISSUES REGARDING HUMAN EXPOSURE

EPA Science Inventory

Since the 1970s, the impact of chemical pollution has focused almost exclusively on conventional "priority pollutants", especially on those collectively referred to as "persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic" (PBT) pollutants, persistent organic pollutants" (POPs) or "bioaccumulative...

Priority technique for general aviation airport investments in Tennessee

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-01-01

One issue state departments of transportation must address is the allocation of funds among competing general aviation airport projects. For example, the Tennessee Aeronautics Division administers an annual program for funding projects at airports th...

Implementation plan and cost analysis for Oregon's online crash reporting system.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-07-01

Federal, state and local transportation agencies, law enforcement, the legislature, consulting firms, safety advocates and the : public use crash data to quantify emerging traffic safety issues and problems, determine priorities, support decision-mak...

78 FR 64194 - Revocation of Statement of Policy on Public Participation in Rulemaking

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-28

... assertion with respect to the meat purchasing activities of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). In... legal or policy issue arising out of legal mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles set...

The Future of Personalized Medicine | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... please turn Javascript on. The Future of Personalized Medicine, From NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins Past Issues / ... five priorities for NIH is to advance personalized medicine. What does this mean for the average American? ...

75 FR 61143 - Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-04

... Health on a range of policy issues that includes (1) definition of public health parameters around safety...: ``Mobilizing Leadership in Science and Prevention for a Healthier Nation'' and strategic priorities: Creating...

Research priorities in Maternal, Newborn, & Child Health & Nutrition for India: An Indian Council of Medical Research-INCLEN Initiative.

PubMed

Arora, Narendra K; Swaminathan, Soumya; Mohapatra, Archisman; Gopalan, Hema S; Katoch, Vishwa M; Bhan, Maharaj K; Rasaily, Reeta; Shekhar, Chander; Thavaraj, Vasantha; Roy, Malabika; Das, Manoja K; Wazny, Kerri; Kumar, Rakesh; Khera, Ajay; Bhatla, Neerja; Jain, Vanita; Laxmaiah, Avula; Nair, M K C; Paul, Vinod K; Ramachandran, Prema; Ramji, Siddharth; Vaidya, Umesh; Verma, I C; Shah, Dheeraj; Bahl, Rajiv; Qazi, Shamim; Rudan, Igor; Black, Robert E

2017-05-01

In India, research prioritization in Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) themes has traditionally involved only a handful of experts mostly from major cities. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-INCLEN collaboration undertook a nationwide exercise engaging faculty from 256 institutions to identify top research priorities in the MNCHN themes for 2016-2025. The Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method of priority setting was adapted. The context of the exercise was defined by a National Steering Group (NSG) and guided by four Thematic Research Subcommittees. Research ideas were pooled from 498 experts located in different parts of India, iteratively consolidated into research options, scored by 893 experts against five pre-defined criteria (answerability, relevance, equity, investment and innovation) and weighed by a larger reference group. Ranked lists of priorities were generated for each of the four themes at national and three subnational (regional) levels [Empowered Action Group & North-Eastern States, Southern and Western States, & Northern States (including West Bengal)]. Research priorities differed between regions and from overall national priorities. Delivery domain of research which included implementation research constituted about 70 per cent of the top ten research options under all four themes. The results were endorsed in the NSG meeting. There was unanimity that the research priorities should be considered by different governmental and non-governmental agencies for investment with prioritization on implementation research and issues cutting across themes.

Assessing the performance of mental health service facilities for meeting patient priorities and health service responsiveness.

PubMed

Bramesfeld, A; Stegbauer, C

2016-10-01

The World Health Organisation has defined health service responsiveness as one of the key-objectives of health systems. Health service responsiveness relates to the ability to respond to service users' legitimate expectations on non-medical issues when coming into contact with the services of a healthcare system. It is defined by the areas showing respect for persons and patient orientation. Health service responsiveness is particularly relevant to mental health services, due to the specific vulnerability of mental health patients but also because it matches what mental health patients consider as good quality of care as well as their priorities when seeking healthcare. As (mental) health service responsiveness applies equally to all concerned services it would be suitable as a universal indicator for the quality of services' performance. However, performance monitoring programs in mental healthcare rarely assess health service performance with respect to meeting patient priorities. This is in part due of patient priorities as an outcome being underrepresented in studies that evaluate service provision. The lack of studies using patient priorities as outcomes transmits into evidence based guidelines and subsequently, into underrepresentation of patient priorities in performance monitoring. Possible ways out of this situation include more intervention studies using patient priorities as outcome, considering evidence from qualitative studies in guideline development and developing performance monitoring programs along the patient pathway and on key-points of relevance for service quality from a patient perspective.

Research priorities in Maternal, Newborn, & Child Health & Nutrition for India: An Indian Council of Medical Research-INCLEN Initiative

PubMed Central

Arora, Narendra K.; Swaminathan, Soumya; Mohapatra, Archisman; Gopalan, Hema S.; Katoch, Vishwa M.; Bhan, Maharaj K.; Rasaily, Reeta; Shekhar, Chander; Thavaraj, Vasantha; Roy, Malabika; Das, Manoja K.; Wazny, Kerri; Kumar, Rakesh; Khera, Ajay; Bhatla, Neerja; Jain, Vanita; Laxmaiah, Avula; Nair, M.K.C.; Paul, Vinod K.; Ramachandran, Prema; Ramji, Siddharth; Vaidya, Umesh; Verma, I.C.; Shah, Dheeraj; Bahl, Rajiv; Qazi, Shamim; Rudan, Igor; Black, Robert E.

2017-01-01

In India, research prioritization in Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) themes has traditionally involved only a handful of experts mostly from major cities. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-INCLEN collaboration undertook a nationwide exercise engaging faculty from 256 institutions to identify top research priorities in the MNCHN themes for 2016-2025. The Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative method of priority setting was adapted. The context of the exercise was defined by a National Steering Group (NSG) and guided by four Thematic Research Subcommittees. Research ideas were pooled from 498 experts located in different parts of India, iteratively consolidated into research options, scored by 893 experts against five pre-defined criteria (answerability, relevance, equity, investment and innovation) and weighed by a larger reference group. Ranked lists of priorities were generated for each of the four themes at national and three subnational (regional) levels [Empowered Action Group & North-Eastern States, Southern and Western States, & Northern States (including West Bengal)]. Research priorities differed between regions and from overall national priorities. Delivery domain of research which included implementation research constituted about 70 per cent of the top ten research options under all four themes. The results were endorsed in the NSG meeting. There was unanimity that the research priorities should be considered by different governmental and non-governmental agencies for investment with prioritization on implementation research and issues cutting across themes. PMID:28948951

Payload advisory panel recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Berrien, III

1991-01-01

The Payload Advisory Panel proposes a restructured Earth Observing System (EOS) mission to address high-priority science and environmental policy issues in Earth System Science. These issues have been identified through studies conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES). The restructured EOS defers efforts to improve the understanding of the middle and upper stratosphere and solid earth geophysics. The strategy of the mission combines high priority new measurements with continuation of critical data sets begun by missions which precede EOS. Collaborative arrangements with international partners are an essential part of the program and additional arrangements are posed. The need for continuity in Earth observations and the urgency of environmental questions require launch of some EOS elements as soon as possible. They further require maintenance of the EOS objective of obtaining consistent 15-year measurement records.

Payload advisory panel recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Berrien, III

1991-11-01

The Payload Advisory Panel proposes a restructured Earth Observing System (EOS) mission to address high-priority science and environmental policy issues in Earth System Science. These issues have been identified through studies conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Committee on Earth and Environmental Sciences (CEES). The restructured EOS defers efforts to improve the understanding of the middle and upper stratosphere and solid earth geophysics. The strategy of the mission combines high priority new measurements with continuation of critical data sets begun by missions which precede EOS. Collaborative arrangements with international partners are an essential part of the program and additional arrangements are posed. The need for continuity in Earth observations and the urgency of environmental questions require launch of some EOS elements as soon as possible. They further require maintenance of the EOS objective of obtaining consistent 15-year measurement records.

A review of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) Public Dialogue Pilot (2015) for new nuclear build in the UK: lessons for engagement theory and practice.

PubMed

Whitton, John; Parry, Ioan; Grundy, Colette; Lillycrop, Annabelle; Ross, David

2016-06-01

We have discussed previously that a community-based, asset-based approach is required to achieve any sense of how social sustainability can be defined in a community setting within the context of energy developments. Our approach aims to initiate a lasting change within 'energy' communities through building social capital; focusing on community assets not deficits to define their social priorities. Through deliberation, we develop an understanding of social sustainability so that a community is well placed to enter discussions with government and industry regarding large energy developments that will directly affect them. We review the 2015 Generic Design Assessment (GDA) Public Dialogue Pilot process for potential new nuclear reactors in the UK. We examine the aims of the dialogue, giving particular attention to a comparison between the national sampling of citizens for the GDA and the local community-based, deliberative approach we have proposed previously. We find an ongoing tension between 'national' engagement processes (such as the GDA Public Dialogue Pilot process) and the specific requirements of those energy communities that live adjacent or close to energy infrastructure, manifested here by a conflict between the requirements of the convenor and those of participants regarding priority issues for discussion. We also reveal a paradox; despite participant preference for a remote, internet-based engagement process, they agreed that face to face contact is a priority to encourage trust building between participants and the convenor of the process-a desired outcome of the process. The GDA Public Dialogue Pilot process has demonstrated that stakeholders are willing to engage with and be more directly involved in local energy-related decisions that affect them directly, provided there is opportunity to discuss locally-relevant and site-specific issues in addition to those of a broader nature. There exists a disparity and conflict between 'national' engagement processes and the 'local' priorities of those energy communities that are adjacent or close to energy infrastructure. In this process and others, we have seen an imbalance between the requirements of the convenor and those of participants regarding priority issues for discussion. This continues to be a persistent challenge for those convening stakeholder engagement events where the scope and context is not primarily site-specific. However, it is encouraging that convenors and participants alike continue to be willing to work towards resolving this.

Health Research and Millennium Development Goals: Identifying the Gap From Public Health Perspective.

PubMed

El Lawindi, Mona I; Galal, Yasmine S; Khairy, Walaa A

2015-08-23

Assessing the research output within the universities could provide an effective means for tracking the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) progress. This analytical database study was designed to assess the trend of research theses conducted by the Public Health Department (PHD), Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University during the period 1990 to 2014 as related to the: MDGS, Faculty and department research priority plans and to identify the discrepancies between researchers' priorities versus national and international research priorities. A manual search of the theses was done at the Postgraduate Library using a specially designed checklist to chart adherence of each thesis to: MDGs, Faculty and department research plans (RPs). The theses' profile showed that the highest research output was for addressing the MDGS followed by the PHD and Faculty RPs. Compliance to MDGs 5 and 6 was obvious, whereas; MDGs 2, 3, and 7 were not represented at all after year 2000. No significant difference was found between PH theses addressing the Faculty RPs and those which were not before and after 2010. A significantly lower percent of PH theses was fulfilling the PHD research priorities compared to those which were not after 2010. This study showed a definite decline in research output tackling the MDGS and PHD research priorities, with a non-significant increase in the production of theses addressing the Faculty RPs. The present study is a practical model for policy makers within the universities to develop and implement a reliable monitoring and evaluation system for assessment of research output.

Hospital administrator's perspectives regarding the health care industry.

PubMed

McDermott, D R; Little, M W

1988-01-01

Based on responses from 52 hospital administrators, four areas of managerial concern have been addressed, including: (1) decision-making factors; (2) hospital service offerings: current and future; (3) marketing strategy and service priorities; and (4) health care industry challenges. Of the total respondents, 35 percent indicate a Director of Marketing has primary responsibility for making marketing-related decisions in their hospital, and 19 percent, a Vice-President of Marketing, thus demonstrating the increased priority of the marketing function. The continued importance of the physician being the primary market target is highlighted by 70 percent of the administrators feeling physician referrals will be more important regarding future admissions than in the past, compared to only two percent feeling the physicians' role will be less important. Of primary importance to patients selecting a hospital, as perceived by the administrators, are the physician's referral, the patient's previous experience, the hospital's reputation, and the courtesy of the staff. The clear majority of the conventional-care hospitals surveyed offer out-patient surgery, a hospital pharmacy, obstetrics/maternity care, and diabetic services. The future emphasis on expanding services is evidenced by some 50 percent of the hospital administrators indicating they either possibly or definitely plan to offer long-term nursing care, out-patient substance abuse programs, and cancer clinics by 1990. In addition, some one-third of the respondents are likely to expand their offerings to include wellness/fitness centers, in-patient substance abuse programs, remote or satellite primary care clinics, and diabetic services. Other areas having priority for future offerings include services geared specifically toward women and the elderly. Perceived as highest in priority by the administrators regarding how their hospital can achieve its goals in the next three years are market development strategies, followed by product/service development and finally, market penetration strategies. Clearly, the role of marketing will increase as new targets and new offerings dominate future, strategic decision-making. Specific hospital services having the highest future priority include out-patient services, in-patient care, cardiology, cancer/oncology, obstetrics, and services geared specifically to women and the elderly. Finally, when asked to identify the three most significant challenges facing the health care/hospital industry over the next five years, 12 challenges emerged, with five being mentioned by the majority of the administrators and seven by the minority.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Defining, Describing, and Categorizing Public Health Infrastructure Priorities for Tropical Cyclone, Flood, Storm, Tornado, and Tsunami-Related Disasters.

PubMed

Ryan, Benjamin J; Franklin, Richard C; Burkle, Frederick M; Watt, Kerrianne; Aitken, Peter; Smith, Erin C; Leggat, Peter

2016-08-01

The study aim was to undertake a qualitative research literature review to analyze available databases to define, describe, and categorize public health infrastructure (PHI) priorities for tropical cyclone, flood, storm, tornado, and tsunami-related disasters. Five electronic publication databases were searched to define, describe, or categorize PHI and discuss tropical cyclone, flood, storm, tornado, and tsunami-related disasters and their impact on PHI. The data were analyzed through aggregation of individual articles to create an overall data description. The data were grouped into PHI themes, which were then prioritized on the basis of degree of interdependency. Sixty-seven relevant articles were identified. PHI was categorized into 13 themes with a total of 158 descriptors. The highest priority PHI identified was workforce. This was followed by water, sanitation, equipment, communication, physical structure, power, governance, prevention, supplies, service, transport, and surveillance. This review identified workforce as the most important of the 13 thematic areas related to PHI and disasters. If its functionality fails, workforce has the greatest impact on the performance of health services. If addressed post-disaster, the remaining forms of PHI will then be progressively addressed. These findings are a step toward providing an evidence base to inform PHI priorities in the disaster setting. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:598-610).