The Possibilities of Production Engineering in the Development of Smart Specialisations Illustrated with the Example of the Silesian Voivodeship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biały, Witold

2016-12-01

Smart specialisations, a new area of economy/science which constitutes a new, growing economic specialisation based on utilising the unique natural resources of a region, connecting various branches of the industry, applying innovative technological solutions. Each Polish voivodeship has a specific list of smart specialisations aimed at creating new markets for economic activity, modernisation and increasing the region's competitiveness. Using as an example the technical universities in the Silesian Voivodeship, the author considers the possibility of teaching future experts for Smart Specialisation implementation as part of the Production Engineering course. He signalises the potential and omissions.

Barriers and incentives for choosing to specialise in mammography: Qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Warren-Forward, H M; Taylor, J

2017-02-01

There is a projected shortage of radiographers working in breast screening and this study aimed to examine comments from open response questions from a mixed methods survey of current diagnostic radiography students on their perceptions of working in mammography. The survey asked three open ended questions: Justification of choice of modality in which they would want to specialise, why they believed there was a shortage of radiographers working in breast screening and any other comment about mammography. Reasons given for specialising in any modality was interest, feature of a modality, amount of clinical exposure during the degree program, personal issues and career prospects. Few current diagnostic radiography students indicated that they would be interested in specialising in breast imaging. They considered there to be a shortage of radiographers as breast imaging was seen to be repetitive, high pressure, intimate and gender biased. Lack of education, clinical exposure, limited career prospects and low pay were also discussed. Increasing education to the modality during the degree, allowing males to be involved in breast imaging and promoting part-time work in mammography while also working in other modalities may alter the perception that mammography offers a limited career pathway. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges and Strategies for Assessing Specialised Knowledge for Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orrill, Chandra Hawley; Kim, Ok-Kyeong; Peters, Susan A.; Lischka, Alyson E.; Jong, Cindy; Sanchez, Wendy B.; Eli, Jennifer A.

2015-01-01

Developing and writing assessment items that measure teachers' knowledge is an intricate and complex undertaking. In this paper, we begin with an overview of what is known about measuring teacher knowledge. We then highlight the challenges inherent in creating assessment items that focus specifically on measuring teachers' specialised knowledge…

Divergent functional isoforms drive niche specialisation for nutrient acquisition and use in rumen microbiome.

PubMed

Rubino, Francesco; Carberry, Ciara; M Waters, Sinéad; Kenny, David; McCabe, Matthew S; Creevey, Christopher J

2017-04-01

Many microbes in complex competitive environments share genes for acquiring and utilising nutrients, questioning whether niche specialisation exists and if so, how it is maintained. We investigated the genomic signatures of niche specialisation in the rumen microbiome, a highly competitive, anaerobic environment, with limited nutrient availability determined by the biomass consumed by the host. We generated individual metagenomic libraries from 14 cows fed an ad libitum diet of grass silage and calculated functional isoform diversity for each microbial gene identified. The animal replicates were used to calculate confidence intervals to test for differences in diversity of functional isoforms between microbes that may drive niche specialisation. We identified 153 genes with significant differences in functional isoform diversity between the two most abundant bacterial genera in the rumen (Prevotella and Clostridium). We found Prevotella possesses a more diverse range of isoforms capable of degrading hemicellulose, whereas Clostridium for cellulose. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in key metabolic processes indicating that isoform diversity plays an important role in maintaining their niche specialisation. The methods presented represent a novel approach for untangling complex interactions between microorganisms in natural environments and have resulted in an expanded catalogue of gene targets central to rumen cellulosic biomass degradation.

Divergent functional isoforms drive niche specialisation for nutrient acquisition and use in rumen microbiome

PubMed Central

Rubino, Francesco; Carberry, Ciara; M Waters, Sinéad; Kenny, David; McCabe, Matthew S; Creevey, Christopher J

2017-01-01

Many microbes in complex competitive environments share genes for acquiring and utilising nutrients, questioning whether niche specialisation exists and if so, how it is maintained. We investigated the genomic signatures of niche specialisation in the rumen microbiome, a highly competitive, anaerobic environment, with limited nutrient availability determined by the biomass consumed by the host. We generated individual metagenomic libraries from 14 cows fed an ad libitum diet of grass silage and calculated functional isoform diversity for each microbial gene identified. The animal replicates were used to calculate confidence intervals to test for differences in diversity of functional isoforms between microbes that may drive niche specialisation. We identified 153 genes with significant differences in functional isoform diversity between the two most abundant bacterial genera in the rumen (Prevotella and Clostridium). We found Prevotella possesses a more diverse range of isoforms capable of degrading hemicellulose, whereas Clostridium for cellulose. Furthermore, significant differences were observed in key metabolic processes indicating that isoform diversity plays an important role in maintaining their niche specialisation. The methods presented represent a novel approach for untangling complex interactions between microorganisms in natural environments and have resulted in an expanded catalogue of gene targets central to rumen cellulosic biomass degradation. PMID:28085156

The Focus Factor: A Dynamic Measure of Journal Specialisation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicolaisen, Jeppe; Frandsen, Tove Faber

2015-01-01

Introduction: We present a new bibliometric indicator to measure journal specialisation over time, named the focus factor. This new indicator is based on bibliographic coupling and counts the percentage of re-citations given in subsequent years. Method: The applicability of the new indicator is demonstrated on a selection of general science…

Academic Specialisation and Returns to Education: Evidence from India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saha, Bibhas; Sensarma, Rudra

2011-01-01

We study returns to academic specialisation for Indian corporate sector workers by analysing cross-sectional data on male employees randomly selected from six large firms. Our analysis shows that going to college pays off, as it brings significant incremental returns over and above school education. However, the increase in returns is more…

Technological Specialisation Courses in Portugal: Description and Suggested Improvements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

da Costa, Nilza Maria Vilhena Nunes; Simoes, Ana Raquel; Pereira, Giselia Antunes; Pombo, Lucia

2009-01-01

This study is a part of the "Post-secondary Vocational Training in Portugal Project: from a description through to suggestions to improve training quality", which ran from 2003 to 2006. This article, which makes use of data obtained from interviews with Directors of Schools which offer technological specialisation courses (CETs) and from…

Delayed colonisation of Acacia by thrips and the timing of host-conservatism and behavioural specialisation.

PubMed

McLeish, Michael J; Miller, Joseph T; Mound, Laurence A

2013-09-09

Repeated colonisation of novel host-plants is believed to be an essential component of the evolutionary success of phytophagous insects. The relative timing between the origin of an insect lineage and the plant clade they eat or reproduce on is important for understanding how host-range expansion can lead to resource specialisation and speciation. Path and stepping-stone sampling are used in a Bayesian approach to test divergence timing between the origin of Acacia and colonisation by thrips. The evolution of host-plant conservatism and ecological specialisation is discussed. Results indicated very strong support for a model describing the origin of the common ancestor of Acacia thrips subsequent to that of Acacia. A current estimate puts the origin of Acacia at approximately 6 million years before the common ancestor of Acacia thrips, and 15 million years before the origin of a gall-inducing clade. The evolution of host conservatism and resource specialisation resulted in a phylogenetically under-dispersed pattern of host-use by several thrips lineages. Thrips colonised a diversity of Acacia species over a protracted period as Australia experienced aridification. Host conservatism evolved on phenotypically and environmentally suitable host lineages. Ecological specialisation resulted from habitat selection and selection on thrips behavior that promoted primary and secondary host associations. These findings suggest that delayed and repeated colonisation is characterised by cycles of oligo- or poly-phagy. This results in a cumulation of lineages that each evolve host conservatism on different and potentially transient host-related traits, and facilitates both ecological and resource specialisation.

Essaying Purposes and Specialisations of Institutional Types in Knowledge Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ntshoe, Isaac

2015-01-01

This article deals with differentiation, diversification and dedifferentiation of purposes and specialisations of institutional types in the post-apartheid setting, using as examples universities of technology created 10 years ago. It examines differentiation, diversification and dedifferentiation in the global context, particularly the…

Patient perceptions of specialised hospital-based palliative home care: a qualitative study using a phenomenographical approach.

PubMed

Svensson, Gunilla; Wåhlin, Ingrid

2018-01-02

Specialised palliative care is given around the clock to palliative patients who have severe symptoms or special needs. The aim of this study was to describe patients' perceptions of what it is like to be cared for by a specialised palliative care team within hospital-based palliative home care (HPHC). A qualitative method with semi-structured interviews was used. Fourteen patients enrolled in HPHC at a unit for specialised palliative care linked to the hospital in the southeast of Sweden participated. The analysis was performed with a phenomenographical approach. Four description categories were identified: 'it is safe to receive care at home,' 'support and commitment', 'having access to a multiprofessional team', and 'how HPHC changes everyday life'. To be cared for by HPHC was perceived as safe, and the patients thought that having access to competent staff who supported them around the clock had improved their care and daily life. The need for specialised palliative care will likely grow with an ageing population and this form of care was perceived as functioning well.

Structure and mechanism of diet specialisation: testing models of individual variation in resource use with sea otters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tinker, M. Tim; Guimarães, Paulo R.; Novak, Mark; Marquitti, Flavia Maria Darcie; Bodkin, James L.; Staedler, Michelle; Bentall, Gena B.; Estes, James A.

2012-01-01

Studies of consumer-resource interactions suggest that individual diet specialisation is empirically widespread and theoretically important to the organisation and dynamics of populations and communities. We used weighted networks to analyze the resource use by sea otters, testing three alternative models for how individual diet specialisation may arise. As expected, individual specialisation was absent when otter density was low, but increased at high-otter density. A high-density emergence of nested resource-use networks was consistent with the model assuming individuals share preference ranks. However, a density-dependent emergence of a non-nested modular network for ‘core’ resources was more consistent with the ‘competitive refuge’ model. Individuals from different diet modules showed predictable variation in rank-order prey preferences and handling times of core resources, further supporting the competitive refuge model. Our findings support a hierarchical organisation of diet specialisation and suggest individual use of core and marginal resources may be driven by different selective pressures.

The Reasons and Motivation for Pre-Service Teachers Choosing to Specialise in Primary Physical Education Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spittle, Sharna; Spittle, Michael

2014-01-01

This study explored the reasons for pre-service teachers choosing to specialise in primary physical education and how these choices related to their motivation. Pre-service teachers who then elected to specialise in primary physical education (n = 248) completed the Attractors and Facilitators for Physical Education (AFPE) questionnaire and the…

Rarity and extinction risk in coral reef angelfishes on isolated islands: interrelationships among abundance, geographic range size and specialisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobbs, Jean-Paul A.; Jones, G. P.; Munday, P. L.

2010-03-01

Determining the species most vulnerable to increasing degradation of coral reef habitats requires identification of the ecological traits that increase extinction risk. In the terrestrial environment, endemic species often face a high risk of extinction because of an association among three traits that threaten species persistence: small geographic range size, low abundance and ecological specialisation. To test whether these traits are associated in coral reef fishes, this study compared abundance and specialisation in endemic and widespread angelfishes at the remote Christmas and Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean. The interrelationships among traits conferring high extinction risk in terrestrial communities did not apply to these fishes. Endemic angelfishes were 50-80 times more abundant than widespread species at these islands. Furthermore, there was no relationship between abundance and ecological specialisation. Endemic species were not more specialised than widespread congeners and endemics used similar resources to many widespread species. Three widespread species exhibited low abundance and some degree of specialisation, which may expose them to a greater risk of local extinction. For endemic species, high abundance and lack of specialisation on susceptible habitats may compensate for the global extinction risk posed by having extremely small geographic ranges. However, recent extinctions of small range reef fishes confirm that endemics are not immune to the increasing severity of large-scale disturbances that can affect species throughout their geographic range.

Unmet need for specialised rehabilitation following neurosurgery: can we maximise the potential cost-benefits?

PubMed

Singh, Rajiv; Sinha, Saurabh; Bill, Alan; Turner-Stokes, Lynne

2017-04-01

To identify the needs for specialised rehabilitation provision in a cohort of neurosurgical patients; to determine if these were met, and to estimate the potential cost implications and cost-benefits of meeting any unmet rehabilitation needs. A prospective study of in-patient admissions to a regional neurosurgical ward. Assessment of needs for specialised rehabilitation (Category A or B needs) was made with the Patient Categorisation Tool. The number of patients who were referred and admitted for specialised rehabilitation was calculated. Data from the unit's submission to the UK Rehabilitation Outcomes Collaborative (UKROC) national clinical database 2012-2015 were used to estimate the potential mean lifetime savings generated through reduction in the costs of on-going care in the community. Of 223 neurosurgical in-patients over 3 months, 156 (70%) had Category A or B needs. Out of the 105 patients who were eligible for admission to the local specialised rehabilitation service, only 20 (19%) were referred and just 11 (10%) were actually admitted. The mean transfer time was 70.2 (range 28-127) days, compared with the national standard of 42 days. In the 3-year sample, mean savings in the cost of on-going care were £568 per week. Assuming a 10-year reduction in life expectancy, the approximate net lifetime saving for post-neurosurgical patients was estimated as at least £600K per patient. We calculated that provision of additional bed capacity in the specialist rehabilitation unit could generate net savings of £3.6M/bed-year. This preliminary single-centre study identified a considerable gap in provision of specialised rehabilitation for neurosurgical patients, which must be addressed if patients are to fulfil their potential for recovery. A 5-fold increase in bed capacity would cost £9.3m/year, but could lead to potential net savings of £24m/year. Our findings now require confirmation on a wider scale through prospective multi-centre studies.

[Patients without DSM-IV-disorders and/or subclinical symptoms in generalistic and specialised mental health care].

PubMed

Kloos, M W; Tiemens, B G; Hutschemaekers, G J M

Our study was motivated mainly by the results from nemesis-2 which showed that four out of ten patients in ambulantory mental health care had not had any mental disorder in the previous 12 months. A dsm-iv classification of the symptoms of patients is required for receiving insured mental health care.
To find out whether patients who attended a mental health generalistic or specialised clinic had a dsm-classified mental disorder and to assess the severity of these patients' symptoms. We have given specific attention to the characteristics of patients with subclinical symptoms who turned up at the mental health care clinics.
dsm-iv disorders of patients in mental health care were studied by means of the mini 5.0.0 (n = 3072). The oq-45 was used to determine the severity of symptoms in both generalistic (n = 2255) and specialised mental health care (n = 5009). Logistical regression was used to determine the differences between the characteristics of patients who had clinical scores and those of patients who had subclinical scores. For this purpose we also used anonymised data from the personal health records.
During the intake procedure at specialised mental health care clinics only 14.3 % of patients failed to meet the diagnostic criteria of a dsm-iv disorder. Also, 56.5 % of patients seen by a mental health generalist and 70,9 % of patients seen by a mental health specialist had high or very high symptomatic distress, according the oq-45. The proportion of patients with a dsm-iv disorder varied from 52.9 % for patients with subclinical oq-45 scores to 94.8 % for patients with very high oq-45 scores. Predictors of patients with subclinical oq-45 scores were similar in generalistic and specialised mental health care.
Only a small number of patients in specialised care did not have an axis 1 dsm-iv diagnosis. Most patients in generalistic and specialised mental health care reported severe symptomatic distress. Symptoms mentioned by patients with

Intraguild interactions among specialised pollen feeders and generalist phytoseiids and their effect on citrus rust mite suppression.

PubMed

Maoz, Yonatan; Gal, Shira; Argov, Yael; Domeratzky, Sylvie; Coll, Moshe; Palevsky, Eric

2016-05-01

Antagonistic interactions among predators with shared prey are thought to hamper their ability to suppress herbivores. Our aim was to quantify intraguild interactions in omnivorous predatory mite assemblages in the presence of pollen, and assess their effect on pest populations. We focused on the following naturally occurring phytoseiid species in Israeli citrus orchards and their ability to suppress a key pest, the citrus rust mite (CRM) Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Eriophyidae): the generalists Amblyseius swirskii and Typhlodromus athiasae and the specialised pollen feeders Iphiseius degenerans, Euseius scutalis, E. stipulatus and E. victoriensis. Evaluations were performed on two spatial scales, tree seedlings and leaf discs. On seedlings, experiments were conducted to quantify the interactions between predators in the presence of pollen and its effects on CRM suppression. On leaf discs, intraguild interactions were studied between pairs of phytoseiid species in the presence of pollen without CRM. On seedlings, the specialised pollen predators were more effective at suppressing CRM populations than the generalist predators. In most cases, the more aggressive intraguild predator was the specialised pollen feeder. Similarly, leaf-disc experiments suggest that in these interactions the specialised pollen feeders tend to be the intraguild predators more often than the intraguild prey. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Learning Specialised Vocabulary through Facebook in a Massive Open Online Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ventura, Patricia; Martín-Monje, Elena

2016-01-01

This paper explores how the incorporation of a social network such as Facebook can enhance the acquisition of specialised vocabulary in the context of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Such initiative took place in the second edition of the MOOC Professional English, the first ever English for Specific Purposes (ESP) MOOC to be launched in…

Clinical outcomes of a specialised inpatient unit for adults with mild to severe intellectual disability and mental illness.

PubMed

Lunsky, Y; White, S E; Palucka, A M; Weiss, J; Bockus, S; Gofine, T

2010-01-01

Limitations of general psychiatric services have led to the development of specialised psychiatric programmes for patients with intellectual disability (ID) and mental health needs. Few studies have examined treatment outcomes of specialised inpatient units, and no studies have explored how the effects of intervention may differ for individuals at varying levels of cognitive ability. The present study examined clinical outcomes of inpatients with mild ID in contrast to inpatients with moderate to severe ID within the same service. Thirty-three patients (17 with mild ID and 16 with moderate to severe ID) discharged between 2006 and 2008 from a specialised inpatient unit in Canada for adults with ID and mental illness were studied. In addition to examining change in scores on clinical measures, outcomes with regard to length of stay, diagnostic change, residential change and re-admission to hospital were explored. Both groups demonstrated clinical improvement from admission to discharge. However, only patients with mild ID demonstrated improvements on the Global Assessment of Functioning. This study is one of the first to consider outcomes of higher and lower functioning individuals with ID on a specialised inpatient unit. Results suggest that outcomes may be different for these groups, and some clinical measures may be more sensitive to changes in patients with more severe disabilities.

[Withdrawal of a specialised diabetes education program in primary care: long term impact on the metabolic control outcomes].

PubMed

Jurado Campos, Jerónimo; Caula Ros, Jacint A; Hernández Anguera, Josep M; Juvinyà Canal, Dolors; Pou Torelló, José M

2009-12-01

To evaluate the possible relationships between a health policy decision, in relation to the diabetes education strategies and the metabolic control outcomes. Longitudinal prospective cohort study. A random cohort sample of 276 type II diabetes mellitus subjects. All primary care centres in three regions of Catalonia. Patients were classified as specialised (n=59) or non-specialised (n=217) groups, as regards whether having received previous diabetes education before the start of the study. HbA1c values were evaluated in all subjects at baseline and after 5 years after receiving only conventional education. Baseline evaluation showed a better metabolic control in the specialised group (P=0.009). The final evaluation showed no significant differences in outcomes between the two groups (P=0.679). When baseline and outcomes values were compared, significant differences were observed in all subjects (P=0.001), the specialised group showed significantly poorer metabolic control (P<0.001), but in the group with previous conventional education no significant differences were observed (P=0.058). Our results suggest that the withdrawal of higher levels of diabetes education may play a major role in poor metabolic control, and that conventional diabetes education does not improve outcomes. Health policy in Primary Care should consider improving the level of diabetes education.

Teacher Perspectives on Specialisation in the Elementary Classroom: Implications for Science Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poland, Susan; Colburn, Amanda; Long, David E.

2017-01-01

In the current educational climate of testing and accountability, many elementary teachers find they lack adequate time and confidence to enact reform-based science teaching due to pressure to perform in reading and mathematics. With this tension in mind, we explore the phenomenon of elementary teacher specialisation in comparison to the…

Gender similarities in doctors' preferences--and gender differences in final specialisation.

PubMed

Gjerberg, Elisabeth

2002-02-01

This article is based on a career history study of gender differences and similarities in recruitment to and transitions between specialities among Norwegian doctors. A questionnaire on career and family history was sent to all Norwegian doctors authorised in 1980-1983. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to describe and analyse completion of specialisation in the specialty in which they started their career. Survival analysis was used to analyse transitions between medical specialities. The findings clearly contradict the idea that the low proportion of women in male dominated areas of medicine reflects women's lack of interest in specialities like surgery and internal medicine. Women were as likely as men to start their career in these fields. The problem is their not completing specialist training. A far higher proportion of men than women completed their specialist training in surgery. The reasons for this are complex. Heavy work loads with duties and "nights on call" make it difficult for women to combine childcare and work and make them change to other specialities. Also, female specialists in surgery and internal medicine postpone having their first child compared to women in other medical specialities. However, the fact that some women change from surgery to gynaecology and obstetrics, a specialty which to a considerable extent are comparable with surgery with regard to duty and work loads, indicate that structural barriers in combining childcare and a hospital career do not fully explain the flux of women. The possible existence of other closure mechanisms in surgery, as indicated by some doctors in this and in other studies, have to be further explored.

"If You Have to Ask, You'll Never Know": Effects of Specialised Stylistic Expertise on Predictive Processing of Music.

PubMed

Hansen, Niels Chr; Vuust, Peter; Pearce, Marcus

2016-01-01

Musical expertise entails meticulous stylistic specialisation and enculturation. Even so, research on musical training effects has focused on generalised comparisons between musicians and non-musicians, and cross-cultural work addressing specialised expertise has traded cultural specificity and sensitivity for other methodological limitations. This study aimed to experimentally dissociate the effects of specialised stylistic training and general musical expertise on the perception of melodies. Non-musicians and professional musicians specialising in classical music or jazz listened to sampled renditions of saxophone solos improvised by Charlie Parker in the bebop style. Ratings of explicit uncertainty and expectedness for different continuations of each melodic excerpt were collected. An information-theoretic model of expectation enabled selection of stimuli affording highly certain continuations in the bebop style, but highly uncertain continuations in the context of general tonal expectations, and vice versa. The results showed that expert musicians have acquired probabilistic characteristics of music influencing their experience of expectedness and predictive uncertainty. While classical musicians had internalised key aspects of the bebop style implicitly, only jazz musicians' explicit uncertainty ratings reflected the computational estimates, and jazz-specific expertise modulated the relationship between explicit and inferred uncertainty data. In spite of this, there was no evidence that non-musicians and classical musicians used a stylistically irrelevant cognitive model of general tonal music providing support for the theory of cognitive firewalls between stylistic models in predictive processing of music.

Reframing the Principle of Specialisation in Legitimation Code Theory: A Blended Learning Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owusu-Agyeman, Yaw; Larbi-Siaw, Otu

2017-01-01

This study argues that in developing a robust framework for students in a blended learning environment, Structural Alignment (SA) becomes the third principle of specialisation in addition to Epistemic Relation (ER) and Social Relation (SR). We provide an extended code: (ER+/-, SR+/-, SA+/-) that present strong classification and framing to the…

Short-term prey field lability constrains individual specialisation in resource selection and foraging site fidelity in a marine predator.

PubMed

Courbin, Nicolas; Besnard, Aurélien; Péron, Clara; Saraux, Claire; Fort, Jérôme; Perret, Samuel; Tornos, Jérémy; Grémillet, David

2018-04-16

Spatio-temporally stable prey distributions coupled with individual foraging site fidelity are predicted to favour individual resource specialisation. Conversely, predators coping with dynamic prey distributions should diversify their individual diet and/or shift foraging areas to increase net intake. We studied individual specialisation in Scopoli's shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea) from the highly dynamic Western Mediterranean, using daily prey distributions together with resource selection, site fidelity and trophic-level analyses. As hypothesised, we found dietary diversification, low foraging site fidelity and almost no individual specialisation in resource selection. Crucially, shearwaters switched daily foraging tactics, selecting areas with contrasting prey of varying trophic levels. Overall, information use and plastic resource selection of individuals with reduced short-term foraging site fidelity allow predators to overcome prey field lability. Our study is an essential step towards a better understanding of individual responses to enhanced environmental stochasticity driven by global changes, and of pathways favouring population persistence. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Economic evaluations on centralisation of specialised healthcare services: a systematic review of methods

PubMed Central

Bhattarai, Nawaraj; McMeekin, Peter; Price, Christopher; Vale, Luke

2016-01-01

Objective To systematically review and appraise the quality of economic evaluations assessing centralisation of specialised healthcare services. Methods A systematic review to identify economic evaluations on centralisation of any specialised healthcare service. Full economic evaluations comparing costs and consequences of centralisation of any specialised healthcare service were eligible for inclusion. Methodological characteristics of included studies were appraised using checklists adapted from recommended guidelines. Results A total of 64 full-text articles met the inclusion criteria. Two studies were conducted in the UK. Most of the studies used volume of activity as a proxy measure of centralisation. The methods used to assess centralisation were heterogeneous. Studies differed in terms of study design used and aspect of centralisation they considered. There were major limitations in studies. Only 12 studies reported the study perspective. Charges which are not true representation of costs were used by 17 studies to assess cost outcomes. Only 10 reported the detailed breakdown of the cost components used in their analysis. Discounting was necessary in 14 studies but was reported only in 7 studies. Sensitivity analyses were included by less than one-third of the studies. The applicability of the identified studies to a setting other than the one they were conducted in is questionable, given variations in the organisation of services and healthcare costs. Centralisation as a concept has also been variably and narrowly defined as activity of specific services which may not reflect the wider aspects of centralisation. Conclusions Confounded and biased information coming from studies without standardised methods may mislead decision-makers towards making wrong decisions on centralisation. It is important to improve the methodology and reporting of economic evaluations in order to provide more robust and transferable evidence. Wider aspects of healthcare

"If You Have to Ask, You'll Never Know": Effects of Specialised Stylistic Expertise on Predictive Processing of Music

PubMed Central

Vuust, Peter; Pearce, Marcus

2016-01-01

Musical expertise entails meticulous stylistic specialisation and enculturation. Even so, research on musical training effects has focused on generalised comparisons between musicians and non-musicians, and cross-cultural work addressing specialised expertise has traded cultural specificity and sensitivity for other methodological limitations. This study aimed to experimentally dissociate the effects of specialised stylistic training and general musical expertise on the perception of melodies. Non-musicians and professional musicians specialising in classical music or jazz listened to sampled renditions of saxophone solos improvised by Charlie Parker in the bebop style. Ratings of explicit uncertainty and expectedness for different continuations of each melodic excerpt were collected. An information-theoretic model of expectation enabled selection of stimuli affording highly certain continuations in the bebop style, but highly uncertain continuations in the context of general tonal expectations, and vice versa. The results showed that expert musicians have acquired probabilistic characteristics of music influencing their experience of expectedness and predictive uncertainty. While classical musicians had internalised key aspects of the bebop style implicitly, only jazz musicians’ explicit uncertainty ratings reflected the computational estimates, and jazz-specific expertise modulated the relationship between explicit and inferred uncertainty data. In spite of this, there was no evidence that non-musicians and classical musicians used a stylistically irrelevant cognitive model of general tonal music providing support for the theory of cognitive firewalls between stylistic models in predictive processing of music. PMID:27732612

Comparison of Coping Strategies of Student Teachers Based on Their Subject of Specialisation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

P. M., Majitha; Sajan, K. S.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to find out the difference in the mean scores of coping strategies of student teachers based on their subject of specialisation. A total of 558 student teachers were selected for the study. Results indicate that there exists a significant difference in the mean scores of Coping Strategies of student teachers of Arts…

Selective olfactory attention of a specialised predator to intraspecific chemical signals of its prey.

PubMed

Cárdenas, Manuel; Jiroš, Pavel; Pekár, Stano

2012-08-01

Prey-specialised predators have evolved specific cognitive adaptations that increase their prey searching efficiency. In particular, when the prey is social, selection probably favours the use of prey intraspecific chemical signals by predatory arthropods. Using a specialised ant-eating zodariid spider, Zodarion rubidum, which is known to prey on several ant species and possesses capture and venom adaptations more effective on Formicinae ants, we tested its ability to recognise chemical cues produced by several ant species. Using an olfactometer, we tested the response of Z. rubidum towards air with chemical cues from six different ant species: Camponotus ligniperda, Lasius platythorax and Formica rufibarbis (all Formicinae); and Messor structor, Myrmica scabrinodis and Tetramorium caespitum (all Myrmicinae). Z. rubidum was attracted to air carrying chemical cues only from F. rufibarbis and L. platythorax. Then, we identified that the spiders were attracted to airborne cues coming from the F. rufibarbis gaster and Dufour's gland, in particular. Finally, we found that among several synthetic blends, the decyl acetate and undecane mixture produced significant attraction of spiders. These chemicals are produced only by three Formicine genera. Furthermore, we investigated the role of these chemical cues in the communication of F. rufibarbis and found that this blend reduces their movement. This study demonstrates the chemical cognitive capacity of Z. rubidum to locate its ant prey using chemical signals produced by the ants. The innate capacity of Z. rubidum to olfactory detect different ant species is narrow, as it includes only two ant genera, confirming trophic specialisation at lower than subfamily level. The olfactory cue detected by Zodarion spiders is probably a component of the recruitment or trail pheromone.

Selective olfactory attention of a specialised predator to intraspecific chemical signals of its prey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cárdenas, Manuel; Jiroš, Pavel; Pekár, Stano

2012-08-01

Prey-specialised predators have evolved specific cognitive adaptations that increase their prey searching efficiency. In particular, when the prey is social, selection probably favours the use of prey intraspecific chemical signals by predatory arthropods. Using a specialised ant-eating zodariid spider, Zodarion rubidum, which is known to prey on several ant species and possesses capture and venom adaptations more effective on Formicinae ants, we tested its ability to recognise chemical cues produced by several ant species. Using an olfactometer, we tested the response of Z. rubidum towards air with chemical cues from six different ant species: Camponotus ligniperda, Lasius platythorax and Formica rufibarbis (all Formicinae); and Messor structor, Myrmica scabrinodis and Tetramorium caespitum (all Myrmicinae). Z. rubidum was attracted to air carrying chemical cues only from F. rufibarbis and L. platythorax. Then, we identified that the spiders were attracted to airborne cues coming from the F. rufibarbis gaster and Dufour's gland, in particular. Finally, we found that among several synthetic blends, the decyl acetate and undecane mixture produced significant attraction of spiders. These chemicals are produced only by three Formicine genera. Furthermore, we investigated the role of these chemical cues in the communication of F. rufibarbis and found that this blend reduces their movement. This study demonstrates the chemical cognitive capacity of Z. rubidum to locate its ant prey using chemical signals produced by the ants. The innate capacity of Z. rubidum to olfactory detect different ant species is narrow, as it includes only two ant genera, confirming trophic specialisation at lower than subfamily level. The olfactory cue detected by Zodarion spiders is probably a component of the recruitment or trail pheromone.

Sex and species specific isotopic niche specialisation increases with trophic complexity: evidence from an ephemeral pond ecosystem

PubMed Central

Dalu, Tatenda; Wasserman, Ryan J.; Vink, Tim J. F.; Weyl, Olaf L. F.

2017-01-01

It is generally accepted that organisms that naturally exploit an ecosystem facilitate coexistence, at least partially, through resource partitioning. Resource availability is, however, highly variable in space and time and as such the extent of resource partitioning must be somewhat dependent on availability. Here we test aspects of resource partitioning at the inter- and intra-specific level, in relation to resource availability in an atypical aquatic environment using an isotope approach. Using closely related key organisms from an ephemeral pond, we test for differences in isotopic signatures between two species of copepod and between sexes within each species, in relation to heterogeneity of basal food resources over the course of the ponds hydroperiod. We show that basal food resource heterogeneity increases over time initially, and then decreases towards the end of the hydroperiod, reflective of the expected evolution of trophic complexity for these systems. Resource partitioning also varied between species and sexes, over the hydroperiod with intra- and inter-specific specialisation relating to resource availability. Intra-specific specialisation was particularly evident in the omnivorous copepod species. Our findings imply that trophic specialisation at both the intra- and inter-specific level is partly driven by basal food resource availability. PMID:28233858

Development of MBA with Specialisation in Sustainable Development: The Experience of Universiti Sains Malaysia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amran, Azlan; Khalid, Siti Nabiha Abdul; Razak, Dzulkifli Abdul; Haron, Hasnah

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to share the experience of the Graduate School of Business at Univeristi Sains Malaysia (USM) in developing the new MBA programme, specialising in sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach: This paper describes the urgency for a source of education for sustainable development, particularly in the…

Socio-Pedagogical Portrait of a Master's Degree Student in International Arbitration: Experience of Great Britain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagorna, Olga

2016-01-01

International arbitration as the efficient means of alternative dispute resolution has become, due to globalization, a highly specialised service rendered by professionals. Master's degree program (LLM) completion enables those interested to become competent and competitive specialists in arbitration on the international arena. Great Britain has…

[Specifics of working with chronic mentally ill patients in Specialised Social Help Services--experiences in training and supervision meetings].

PubMed

Paszko, Jolanta; Wnek, Beata; Załuska, Maria

2004-01-01

Information was presented on the development and efficiency of The Specialised Psychiatric Social Help Services for the mentally ill in Poland. It took into consideration the specifics of this work and formal requirements for special training of the staff. The experiences of the 3.5 years of work of the specialised services in the Warszawa Targówek district (October 1997 - June 2001) were discussed. Organisational solutions and basic data about clients and staff and establishments and experiences coming from training and supervision meetings were discussed. Problems and difficulties most often experienced by the staff workers at their work with chronic mentally ill patients were described. Consideration was put from one side on the big rotation of the staff and from the other on the need of the extension of the theoretical and practical knowledge as well as of supervision and support was often mentioned in the questionnaire. A need of elaborating the programme of training and professional courses for workers of the specialised psychiatric social help services was also pointed out.

Balancing the competing requirements of saltatorial and fossorial specialisation: burrowing costs in the spinifex hopping mouse, Notomys alexis.

PubMed

White, Craig R; Matthews, Philip G D; Seymour, Roger S

2006-06-01

Semi-fossorial animals (burrowing surface foragers) need to balance the competing morphological requirements of terrestrial and burrowing locomotion. These species rarely show the same degree of claw, forelimb and pectoral girdle structural development that fully fossorial forms (burrowing subterranean foragers) do, but nevertheless invest considerable amounts of energy in burrow systems. The compromise between terrestrial and burrowing locomotion was investigated by measuring net costs of burrowing and pedestrian transport in the spinifex hopping mouse, Notomys alexis, a species that forages in open areas in arid environments and is adapted for saltatorial locomotion. The net cost of transport by burrowing of hopping mice was found to be more expensive than for specialised fossorial species, and burrows were estimated to represent an energy investment equivalent to the terrestrial locomotion expected to be incurred in 17-100 days. A phylogenetically independent-contrasts approach revealed that morphological specialisation for burrowing was associated with low maximum running speeds in fossorial mammals and, for non-fossorial rodents and marsupials, maximum running speed was positively correlated with an index of habitat structure that ranged from arboreal to open desert. The high terrestrial speeds attainable by this semi-fossorial species by saltatory locomotion apparently outweigh the energetic savings that would be associated with burrowing specialisation.

Specialised Content Knowledge: Evidence of Pre-Service Teachers' Appraisal of Student Errors in Proportional Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinnappan, Mohan; White, Bruce

2015-01-01

That the quality of teachers' knowledge has direct impact on students' engagement and learning outcomes in mathematics is now well established. But questions about the nature of this knowledge and how to characterise that knowledge are important for mathematics educators. In the present study, we examine a strand of "Specialised Content…

The Effects of Centralised and Specialised Intervention in the Early Course of Severe Unipolar Depressive Disorder: A Randomised Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Hansen, Hanne Vibe; Christensen, Ellen Margrethe; Dam, Henrik; Gluud, Christian; Wetterslev, Jørn; Kessing, Lars Vedel

2012-01-01

Background Little is known on whether centralised and specialised combined pharmacological and psychological intervention in the early phase of severe unipolar depression improve prognosis. The aim of the present study was to assess the benefits and harms of centralised and specialised secondary care intervention in the early course of severe unipolar depression. Methods A randomised multicentre trial with central randomisation and blinding in relation to the primary outcome comparing a centralised and specialised outpatient intervention program with standard decentralised psychiatric treatment. The interventions were offered at discharge from first, second, or third hospitalisation due to a single depressive episode or recurrent depressive disorder. The primary outcome was time to readmission to psychiatric hospital. The data on re-hospitalisation was obtained from the Danish Psychiatric Central Register. The secondary and tertiary outcomes were severity of depressive symptoms according to the Major Depression Inventory, adherence to medical treatment, and satisfaction with treatment according to the total score on the Verona Service Satisfaction Scale-Affective Disorder (VSSS-A). These outcomes were assessed using questionnaires one year after discharge from hospital. Results A total of 268 patients with unipolar depression were included. There was no significant difference in the time to readmission (unadjusted hazard ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.60 to 1.32; log rank: χ2 = 0.3, d.f. = 1, p = 0.6); severity of depressive symptoms (mood disorder clinic: median 21.6, quartiles 9.7–31.2 versus standard treatment: median 20.2, quartiles 10.0–29.8; p = 0.7); or the prevalence of patients in antidepressant treatment (73.9% versus 80.0%, p = 0.2). Centralised and specialised secondary care intervention resulted in significantly higher satisfaction with treatment (131 (SD 31.8) versus 107 (SD 25.6); p<0.001). Conclusions Centralised and

Aspects of birth history and outcome in diplegics attending specialised educational facilities.

PubMed

Bischof, Faith; Rothberg, Alan; Ratcliffe, Ingrid

2012-03-21

We aimed to study functional mobility and visual performance in spastic diplegic children and adolescents attending specialised schools. Spastic diplegia (SD) was confirmed by clinical examination. Birth and related history were added to explore relationships between SD, birth weight (BW) and duration of pregnancy. Place of birth, BW, gestational age (GA) and length of hospital stay were obtained by means of parental recall. Outcome measures included the functional mobility scale (FMS) and Beery tests of visuomotor integration (VMI) and visual perception (VIS). Forty participants were included (age 7 years 5 months - 19 years 6 months). Term and preterm births were almost equally represented. Functional mobility assessments showed that 20 were walking independently in school and community settings and the remainder used walking aids or wheelchairs. There were no significant correlations between BW or GA and outcomes (FMS, VIS-Z scores or VMI-Z scores) and Z scores were low. VIS scores correlated significantly with chronological age (p=0.024). There were also significant correlations between VIS and VMI scores and school grade appropriateness (p=0.004;p=0.027 respectively). Both term and preterm births were represented, and outcomes were similar regardless of GA. VIS and VMI were affected in both groups. Half of the group used assistive mobility devices and three-fifths were delayed in terms of their educational level. These problems require specialised teaching strategies, appropriate resources and a school environment that caters for mobility limitations.

Are Imaging and Lesioning Convergent Methods for Assessing Functional Specialisation? Investigations Using an Artificial Neural Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Michael S. C.; Purser, Harry R. M.; Tomlinson, Simon; Mareschal, Denis

2012-01-01

This article presents an investigation of the relationship between lesioning and neuroimaging methods of assessing functional specialisation, using synthetic brain imaging (SBI) and lesioning of a connectionist network of past-tense formation. The model comprised two processing "routes": one was a direct route between layers of input and output…

The interplay of various sources of noise on reliability of species distribution models hinges on ecological specialisation.

PubMed

Soultan, Alaaeldin; Safi, Kamran

2017-01-01

Digitized species occurrence data provide an unprecedented source of information for ecologists and conservationists. Species distribution model (SDM) has become a popular method to utilise these data for understanding the spatial and temporal distribution of species, and for modelling biodiversity patterns. Our objective is to study the impact of noise in species occurrence data (namely sample size and positional accuracy) on the performance and reliability of SDM, considering the multiplicative impact of SDM algorithms, species specialisation, and grid resolution. We created a set of four 'virtual' species characterized by different specialisation levels. For each of these species, we built the suitable habitat models using five algorithms at two grid resolutions, with varying sample sizes and different levels of positional accuracy. We assessed the performance and reliability of the SDM according to classic model evaluation metrics (Area Under the Curve and True Skill Statistic) and model agreement metrics (Overall Concordance Correlation Coefficient and geographic niche overlap) respectively. Our study revealed that species specialisation had by far the most dominant impact on the SDM. In contrast to previous studies, we found that for widespread species, low sample size and low positional accuracy were acceptable, and useful distribution ranges could be predicted with as few as 10 species occurrences. Range predictions for narrow-ranged species, however, were sensitive to sample size and positional accuracy, such that useful distribution ranges required at least 20 species occurrences. Against expectations, the MAXENT algorithm poorly predicted the distribution of specialist species at low sample size.

The presence or absence of phenolglycosides in Salix (Salicaceae) leaves and the level of dietary specialisation of some of their herbivorous insects.

PubMed

Rowell-Rahier, Martine

1984-04-01

European Salix species fall into at least 2 groups on the nature of the secondary compounds in their leaves. Some species such as S. nigricans, S. purpurea and S. fragilis contain phenolglycosides in their leaves. Additionally, there are species such as S. alba, S. caprea and S. cinerea with leaves containing no phenolglycosides.Using published food plant list for the weevils, the sawflies and the caterpillars of the British moth, I tried to see if the presence or absence of phenolglycosides in the willow leaves is related to the degree of dietary specialisation of the insects feeding on these leaves.The results show that the Salix with phenolglycosides tend to be the food of the specialised herbivores and to be avoided by generalist. Conversely, Salix without phenolglycosides tend to be eaten by more generalist insects and are avoided by the more specialised.Moreover, the faunas of the different Salix species with phenolglycosides in their leaves are more similar to each other than to the faunas of the Salix species having no phenolglycosides in their leaves.

[How to convince the head of department and managing director of the importance of specialised headache clinics].

PubMed

Riesco, N; Garcia-Cabo, C; Martinez-Ramos, J; Pascual, J

2015-01-01

In spite that headache is, by far, the most frequent reason for neurological consultation and that the diagnosis and treatment of some patients with headache is difficult, the number of headache clinics is scarce in our country. In this paper the main arguments which should allow us, as neurologists, to defend the necessity of implementing headache clinics are reviewed. To get this aim we should first overcome our internal reluctances, which still make headache as scarcely appreciated within our specialty. The facts that more than a quarter of consultations to our Neurology Services are due to headache, that there are more than 200 different headaches, some of them actually invalidating, and the new therapeutic options for chronic patients, such as OnabotulinumtoxinA or neuromodulation techniques, oblige us to introduce specialised headache attendance in our current neurological offer. Even though there are no definite data, available results indicate that headache clinics are efficient in patients with chronic headaches, not only in terms of health benefit but also from an economical point of view.

Within-couple specialisation in paid work: A long-term pattern? A dual trajectory approach to linking lives.

PubMed

Langner, Laura Antonia

2015-06-01

Research on the division of labour has mainly focussed on transitions between individuals' labour market states during the first years of parenthood. A common conclusion has been that couples specialize--women in unpaid and men in paid work--either due to gender ideologies or a comparative advantage in the labour market. But what happens later in life? The German Socio-Economic Panel now provides researchers with a continuous measure of working hours across decades of couples' lives, enabling a dual trajectory analysis to explore couples' long-term specialisation patterns. I focus on the career trajectories of West German couples, and specifically, due to the relatively low institutional and normative support for female employment during its members' early years, on the 1956-65 female birth cohort. Even in this setting and with a conservative estimate, a surprisingly small number of couples--only a fifth--adopt full specialisation in later life. A sizable proportion--a third--moves into dual full-time employment. This trend is even more common among highly educated couples: half of those couples move into dual full-time employment. I find that highly educated women are not only less likely to permanently specialise but also more likely to try working full-time, possibly because their partners' comparative advantages are lower. But despite high opportunity costs, 45% of highly educated parents never try to pursue a dual career either because of a satiation of material wants or because of low societal support for maternal employment. The latter phenomenon is further underscored by the finding that many couples' increase in working hours occurs only when a youngest child is a teenager. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does Size Matter? The Multipolar International Landscape of Nanoscience

PubMed Central

Jensen, Pablo; Kreimer, Pablo

2016-01-01

How do different countries tackle nanoscience research? Are all countries similar except for a trivial size effect, as science is often assumed to be universal? Or does size dictate large differences, as large countries are able to develop activities in all directions of research, while small countries have to specialize in some specific niches? Alternatively, is size irrelevant, as all countries have followed different historical paths, leading to different patterns of specialisation? Here, we develop an original method that uses a bottom-up definition of scientific subfields to map the international structure of any scientific field. Our analysis shows that nanoscience research does not show a universal pattern of specialisation, homothetic of that of a single global leader (e.g., the United States). Instead, we find a multipolar world, with four main ways of doing nanosciences. PMID:27992439

Does Size Matter? The Multipolar International Landscape of Nanoscience.

PubMed

Levin, Luciano; Jensen, Pablo; Kreimer, Pablo

2016-01-01

How do different countries tackle nanoscience research? Are all countries similar except for a trivial size effect, as science is often assumed to be universal? Or does size dictate large differences, as large countries are able to develop activities in all directions of research, while small countries have to specialize in some specific niches? Alternatively, is size irrelevant, as all countries have followed different historical paths, leading to different patterns of specialisation? Here, we develop an original method that uses a bottom-up definition of scientific subfields to map the international structure of any scientific field. Our analysis shows that nanoscience research does not show a universal pattern of specialisation, homothetic of that of a single global leader (e.g., the United States). Instead, we find a multipolar world, with four main ways of doing nanosciences.

Time use and physical activity in a specialised brain injury rehabilitation unit: an observational study.

PubMed

Hassett, Leanne; Wong, Siobhan; Sheaves, Emma; Daher, Maysaa; Grady, Andrew; Egan, Cara; Seeto, Carol; Hosking, Talia; Moseley, Anne

2018-04-18

To determine what is the use of time and physical activity in people undertaking inpatient rehabilitation in a specialised brain injury unit. To determine participants' level of independence related to the use of time and physical activity. Design: Cross-sectional observation study. Fourteen people [mean (SD) age 40 (15) years] with brain injuries undertaking inpatient rehabilitation. Participants were observed every 12 minutes over 5 days (Monday to Friday from 7:30 am until 7:30 pm) using a behaviour mapping tool. Observation of location, people present, body position and activity engaged in (both therapeutic and nontherapeutic). Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores were determined for each participant. Participants spent a large part of their time alone (34%) in sedentary positions (83%) and in their bedrooms (48%) doing non-therapeutic activities (78%). There was a positive relationship between a higher level of independence (higher FIM score) and being observed in active body positions (r=0.60; p=0.03) and participating in physically active therapeutic activities (r=0.53; p=0.05). Similar to stroke units, inpatients in a specialised brain injury unit spend large parts of the day sedentary, alone and doing non-therapeutic activities. Strategies need to be evaluated to address this problem, particularly for people with greater physical dependence.

Overview and perspective of occupational health from the international viewpoint.

PubMed

Murray, R

1983-12-01

Occupational health can mean many different things, but fundamentally it is concerned with the effect of work on health and the effect of health on the capacity for work. Many disciplines are involved at the professional level, including medicine, nursing, hygiene, and ergonomics. These are brought together in an international organisation, the Permanent Commission and International Association on Occupational Health. Administratively the United Nations specialised agencies, the International Labour Organisation and the World Health Organization, provide an international forum for policy making. National patterns of occupational health reflect variations in industrial history, methods of administration and health resourses, which result in occupational health services becoming the responsibility, either of the Department of Health or the Department of Labour.

The Long and the Short of It: No Dietary Specialisation between Male and Female Western Sandpipers Despite Strong Bill Size Dimorphism

PubMed Central

Franks, Samantha E.; Fernández, Guillermo; Hodkinson, David J.; Kyser, T. Kurt; Lank, David B.

2013-01-01

Many bird species show spatial or habitat segregation of the sexes during the non-breeding season. One potential ecological explanation is that differences in bill morphology favour foraging niche specialisation and segregation. Western sandpipers Calidris mauri have pronounced bill size dimorphism, with female bills averaging 15% longer than those of males. The sexes differ in foraging behaviour and exhibit partial latitudinal segregation during the non-breeding season, with males predominant in the north and females in the south. Niche specialisation at a local scale might account for this broad geographic pattern, and we investigated whether longer-billed females and shorter-billed males occupy different foraging niches at 16 sites across the non-breeding range. We used stable-nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis of whole blood to test for dietary specialisation according to bill length and sex. Stable-nitrogen isotope ratios increase with trophic level. We predicted that δ15N values would increase with bill length and would be higher for females, which use a greater proportion of foraging behaviour that targets higher-trophic level prey. We used stable-carbon (δ13C) isotope analysis to test for habitat segregation according to bill length and sex. Stable-carbon isotope ratios vary between marine- and freshwater-influenced habitats. We predicted that δ13C values would differ between males and females if the sexes segregate between habitat types. Using a model selection approach, we found little support for a relationship between δ15N and either bill length or sex. There was some indication, however, that more marine δ13C values occur with shorter bill lengths. Our findings provide little evidence that male and female western sandpipers exhibit dietary specialisation as a function of their bill size, but indicate that the sexes may segregate in different habitats according to bill length at some non-breeding sites. Potential ecological factors underlying

Terrific Trichomes (and Other Specialised Cells) in African Violets: How to Get a Lot from One Plant in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cottrell, Vicki M.

2013-01-01

African violet (genus "Saintpaulia") was identified as a particularly suitable genus for the study of specialised plant cells in the classroom using microscopes. The techniques described here involve simple preparation without staining. The cells and structures that can be investigated include: trichomes (hairs); stomata; guard cells and…

Fabricating specialised orthopaedic implants using additive manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unwin, Paul

2014-03-01

It has been hypothesised that AM is ideal for patient specific orthopaedic implants such as those used in bone cancer treatment, that can rapidly build structures such as lattices for bone and tissues to in-grow, that would be impossible using current conventional subtractive manufacturing techniques. The aim of this study was to describe the adoption of AM (direct metal laser sintering and electron beam melting) into the design manufacturing and post-manufacturing processes and the early clinical use. Prior to the clinical use of AM implants, extensive metallurgical and mechanical testing of both laser and electron beam fabrications were undertaken. Concurrently, post-manufacturing processes evaluated included hipping, cleaning and coating treatments. The first clinical application of a titanium alloy mega-implant was undertaken in November 2010. A 3D model of the pelvic wing implant was designed from CT scans. Novel key features included extensive lattice structures at the bone interfaces and integral flanges to fix the implant to the bone. The pelvic device was implanted with the aid of navigation and to date the patient remains active. A further 18 patient specific mega-implants have now been implanted. The early use of this advanced manufacturing route for patient specific implants has been very encouraging enabling the engineer to produce more advanced and anatomical conforming implants. However, there are a new set of design, manufacturing and regulatory challenges that require addressing to permit this technique to be used more widely. This technology is changing the design and manufacturing paradigm for the fabrication of specialised orthopaedic implants.

Does Knowing More Advanced Mathematics Ensure Effectiveness of Working towards Demonstrating Specialised Mathematical Content Knowledge of Second-Year Pre-Service Teachers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livy, Sharyn

2012-01-01

The theoretical understanding that underpins a teacher's foundation knowledge draws on their common content knowledge (CCK) and influences their mathematics' teaching (Rowland, Turner, Thwaites, & Huckstep, 2009). Teachers who have specialised content knowledge (SCK) demonstrate a unique kind of content knowledge which is more than knowing the…

Examining the Average Citation Index of "Education in Rural Australia" (Now the "Australian and International Journal of Rural Education")

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drummond, Aaron; Halsey, R. John

2013-01-01

The journal "Education in Rural Australia" (now the "Australian and International Journal of Rural Education") has been in existence since 1991. During the Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) period, the journal maintained a B ranking, indicating that it was a quality journal within a specialised field. With the abolishment…

[Is there any correlation between the increase of knowledge and specialisation in medicine? Looking back on anaesthesia].

PubMed

Petermann, Heike

2011-04-01

Since the middle of the 19th century medical knowledge was increasing enormously. According to this differentiation medical specialisation was necessary and began at the Deutschen Ärztetag 1924. The recommendation for a specialist for anaesthesia was fulfilled with the introduction of the Facharzt für Anästhesie. The increasing knowledge stands in correlation to the specialization, but not with the slow installation of Anaesthesia as an independent speciality. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York.

Progress to extinction: increased specialisation causes the demise of animal clades.

PubMed

Raia, P; Carotenuto, F; Mondanaro, A; Castiglione, S; Passaro, F; Saggese, F; Melchionna, M; Serio, C; Alessio, L; Silvestro, D; Fortelius, M

2016-08-10

Animal clades tend to follow a predictable path of waxing and waning during their existence, regardless of their total species richness or geographic coverage. Clades begin small and undifferentiated, then expand to a peak in diversity and range, only to shift into a rarely broken decline towards extinction. While this trajectory is now well documented and broadly recognised, the reasons underlying it remain obscure. In particular, it is unknown why clade extinction is universal and occurs with such surprising regularity. Current explanations for paleontological extinctions call on the growing costs of biological interactions, geological accidents, evolutionary traps, and mass extinctions. While these are effective causes of extinction, they mainly apply to species, not clades. Although mass extinctions is the undeniable cause for the demise of a sizeable number of major taxa, we show here that clades escaping them go extinct because of the widespread tendency of evolution to produce increasingly specialised, sympatric, and geographically restricted species over time.

Progress to extinction: increased specialisation causes the demise of animal clades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raia, P.; Carotenuto, F.; Mondanaro, A.; Castiglione, S.; Passaro, F.; Saggese, F.; Melchionna, M.; Serio, C.; Alessio, L.; Silvestro, D.; Fortelius, M.

2016-08-01

Animal clades tend to follow a predictable path of waxing and waning during their existence, regardless of their total species richness or geographic coverage. Clades begin small and undifferentiated, then expand to a peak in diversity and range, only to shift into a rarely broken decline towards extinction. While this trajectory is now well documented and broadly recognised, the reasons underlying it remain obscure. In particular, it is unknown why clade extinction is universal and occurs with such surprising regularity. Current explanations for paleontological extinctions call on the growing costs of biological interactions, geological accidents, evolutionary traps, and mass extinctions. While these are effective causes of extinction, they mainly apply to species, not clades. Although mass extinctions is the undeniable cause for the demise of a sizeable number of major taxa, we show here that clades escaping them go extinct because of the widespread tendency of evolution to produce increasingly specialised, sympatric, and geographically restricted species over time.

Making Sense of the Information Seeking Process of Undergraduates in a Specialised University: Revelations from Dialogue Journaling on WhatsApp Messenger

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krubu, Dorcas Ejemeh; Zinn, Sandy; Hart, Genevieve

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: The research work investigated the information seeking process of undergraduates in a specialised university in Nigeria, in the course of a group assignment. Background: Kuhlthau's Information Search Process (ISP) model is used as lens to reveal how students interact with information in the affective, cognitive and physical realms.…

"The worst journey of our lives": parents' experiences of a specialised paediatric retrieval service.

PubMed

Colville, Gillian; Orr, Fiona; Gracey, David

2003-04-01

In this retrospective study, a sample of 233 parents were surveyed, by means of a postal questionnaire, about their experience of a specialised paediatric retrieval service (median time interval after child's retrieval=10 months). Although all parents were routinely provided with written information about the retrieval service, only 46% remember receiving it. Also, although generally high, satisfaction ratings relating to the period of the child's transit were significantly lower (P<0.005) than those relating to the other stages of the transfer. Two main reasons were given by parents for their dissatisfaction: distress at being separated from their critically ill child and logistic problems locating and parking at the new hospital. Implications for future service provision are considered.

Trophoblast specialisations during pregnancy in the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii: a morphological and lectin histochemical study.

PubMed

Jones, C J P; Skepper, J N; Renfree, M B; Aplin, J D

2014-07-01

The tammar wallaby has a short gestation (26.5 days) and vascular modifications to expedite transport during that brief pregnancy. Here we examine trophoblast structural attributes that would facilitate materno-fetal exchange. Four specimens of Macropus eugenii between days 23 and 26 gestation were examined using electron microscopy and 24 lectins to characterise glycosylated secretions and their internalisation. Two trophoblast phenotypes were found, flattened cells generally in contact with the underlying uterine epithelium and giant cells associated with histiotrophe. The latter appeared to penetrate uterine clefts, occasionally detach and become necrotic. Lectin histochemistry and ultrastructure indicated the presence of many lysosomes and residual bodies especially in trophoblast giant cells; these contained glycans, mainly apically, which were also detected in secretions and cell debris. Trophoblast basal membranes bore extensive filopodia. Giant cells were less common in vascular trilaminar areas and here the trophoblast barrier became thinner near term. Loss of Maackia amurensis agglutinin binding suggested cleavage of terminal sialic acid residues as an early post-internalisation event in the trophoblast. Lectin staining indicated degradation occurred in an apical-basal direction, and the heavily glycosylated basal membrane appeared specialised for transport out of the cell. Granules seen ultrastructurally and histochemically, particularly in giant trophoblast cells of the bilaminar area, suggest that internalised histiotrophe is broken down here and nutrients transferred to the embryo via the specialised basal plasma membrane. The trilaminar vascular area contained mostly flattened trophoblast cells, supporting the suggestion that gaseous exchange is its primary function. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metabolic specialisation on preferred prey and constraints in the utilisation of alternative prey in an ant-eating spider.

PubMed

Líznarová, Eva; Pekár, Stano

2016-10-01

Trophic specialists are expected to possess adaptations that increase the efficiency of handling preferred prey. Such adaptations may constrain the ability to utilise alternative prey. Here we tested whether the ant-eating spider Euryopis episinoides possesses metabolic specialisations with increased efficiency in utilising preferred prey and decreased efficiency in utilising alternative prey. In addition, we investigated the contribution of genetic variation via maternal effects. We reared E. episinoides spiders from the first instar on two different diets, either ants (preferred prey) or fruit flies (alternative prey). Spider survival rate and increases in body mass were significantly higher on the ant diet. The total development time did not differ between diet groups, nor did the number of egg sacs per female or the incubation period. However, the number of eggs per egg sac and hatching success were higher on the ant diet. There was a genetic variation in several offspring traits. Our data support the hypothesis that stenophagous ant-eating E. episinoides have a metabolic specialisation on ant utilisation indicated by higher efficiency in utilising ants than fruit flies. While most individuals of E. episinoides were able to capture fruit flies, only very few spiders were able to develop and reproduce on a pure fruit fly diet, suggesting the existence of within-species genetic variation regarding the tolerance to alternative prey. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Generalisation and specialisation in hoverfly (Syrphidae) grassland pollen transport networks revealed by DNA metabarcoding.

PubMed

Lucas, Andrew; Bodger, Owen; Brosi, Berry J; Ford, Col R; Forman, Dan W; Greig, Carolyn; Hegarty, Matthew; Neyland, Penelope J; de Vere, Natasha

2018-04-16

Pollination by insects is a key ecosystem service and important to wider ecosystem function. Most species-level pollination networks studied have a generalised structure, with plants having several potential pollinators, and pollinators in turn visiting a number of different plant species. This is in apparent contrast to a plant's need for efficient conspecific pollen transfer. The aim of this study was to investigate the structure of pollen transport networks at three levels of biological hierarchy: community, species and individual. We did this using hoverflies in the genus Eristalis, a key group of non-Hymenopteran pollinators. We constructed pollen transport networks using DNA metabarcoding to identify pollen. We captured hoverflies in conservation grasslands in west Wales, UK, removed external pollen loads, sequenced the pollen DNA on the Illumina MiSeq platform using the standard plant barcode rbcL, and matched sequences using a pre-existing plant DNA barcode reference library. We found that Eristalis hoverflies transport pollen from 65 plant taxa, more than previously appreciated. Networks were generalised at the site and species level, suggesting some degree of functional redundancy, and were more generalised in late summer compared to early summer. In contrast, pollen transport at the individual level showed some degree of specialisation. Hoverflies defined as "single-plant visitors" varied from 40% of those captured in early summer to 24% in late summer. Individual hoverflies became more generalised in late summer, possibly in response to an increase in floral resources. Rubus fruticosus agg. and Succisa pratensis were key plant species for hoverflies at our sites Our results contribute to resolving the apparent paradox of how generalised pollinator networks can provide efficient pollination to plant species. Generalised hoverfly pollen transport networks may result from a varied range of short-term specialised feeding bouts by individual insects. The

Five years of specialised early intervention versus two years of specialised early intervention followed by three years of standard treatment for patients with a first episode psychosis: randomised, superiority, parallel group trial in Denmark (OPUS II).

PubMed

Albert, Nikolai; Melau, Marianne; Jensen, Heidi; Emborg, Charlotte; Jepsen, Jens Richardt Mollegaard; Fagerlund, Birgitte; Gluud, Christian; Mors, Ole; Hjorthøj, Carsten; Nordentoft, Merete

2017-01-12

To compare the effects of five years of specialised early intervention (SEI) treatment for first episode schizophrenia spectrum disorder with the standard two years of SEI plus three years of treatment as usual. Randomised, superiority, parallel group trial with blinded outcome assessment. Randomisation was centralised and computerised with concealed randomisation sequence carried out at an external site. Participants were recruited from six OPUS teams in Denmark between 2009 and 2012. OPUS teams provide SEI treatment to all patients diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder in Denmark. 400 participants (51% women) with a mean age of 25.6 (standard deviation 4.3) were randomised to five years of SEI (experimental intervention; n=197) or to two years of SEI plus three years of treatment as usual (control; n=203). OPUS treatment consists of three core elements-modified assertive community treatment, family involvement, and social skill training-with a patient-case manager ratio of no more than 12:1. For participants randomised to five years of OPUS treatment, the treatment was largely unchanged. Participants randomised to the control group were mostly referred to community health centres after two years of SEI treatment. Follow-up assessments were conducted five years after start of OPUS treatment. Primary outcome was negative symptoms measured on the scale for assessment of negative symptoms (avolition-apathy, anhedonia, alogia, and affective blunting). Secondary outcomes were remission of both negative and psychotic symptoms, psychotic symptoms, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, compliance with medical treatment, adherence with treatment, client satisfaction, days in hospital care, and labour market affiliation. Levels of negative symptoms did not differ between the intervention group and control group (1.72 v 1.81 points; estimated mean difference -0.10 (95% confidence interval -0.33 to 0.13), P=0.39). Participants receiving five years of OPUS treatment

Implementing a Cancer Fast-track Programme between primary and specialised care in Catalonia (Spain): a mixed methods study

PubMed Central

Prades, J; Espinàs, J A; Font, R; Argimon, J M; Borràs, J M

2011-01-01

Background: The Cancer Fast-track Programme's aim was to reduce the time that elapsed between well-founded suspicion of breast, colorectal and lung cancer and the start of initial treatment in Catalonia (Spain). We sought to analyse its implementation and overall effectiveness. Methods: A quantitative analysis of the programme was performed using data generated by the hospitals on the basis of seven fast-track monitoring indicators for the period 2006–2009. In addition, we conducted a qualitative study, based on 83 semistructured interviews with primary and specialised health professionals and health administrators, to obtain their perception of the programme's implementation. Results: About half of all new patients with breast, lung or colorectal cancer were diagnosed via the fast track, though the cancer detection rate declined across the period. Mean time from detection of suspected cancer in primary care to start of initial treatment was 32 days for breast, 30 for colorectal and 37 for lung cancer (2009). Professionals associated with the implementation of the programme showed that general practitioners faced with suspicion of cancer had changed their conduct with the aim of preventing lags. Furthermore, hospitals were found to have pursued three specific implementation strategies (top-down, consensus-based and participatory), which made for the cohesion and sustainability of the circuits. Conclusion: The programme has contributed to speeding up diagnostic assessment and treatment of patients with suspicion of cancer, and to clarifying the patient pathway between primary and specialised care. PMID:21829194

Consensus pan-genome assembly of the specialised wine bacterium Oenococcus oeni.

PubMed

Sternes, Peter R; Borneman, Anthony R

2016-04-27

Oenococcus oeni is a lactic acid bacterium that is specialised for growth in the ecological niche of wine, where it is noted for its ability to perform the secondary, malolactic fermentation that is often required for many types of wine. Expanding the understanding of strain-dependent genetic variations in its small and streamlined genome is important for realising its full potential in industrial fermentation processes. Whole genome comparison was performed on 191 strains of O. oeni; from this rich source of genomic information consensus pan-genome assemblies of the invariant (core) and variable (flexible) regions of this organism were established. Genetic variation in amino acid biosynthesis and sugar transport and utilisation was found to be common between strains. Furthermore, we characterised previously-unreported intra-specific genetic variations in the natural competence of this microbe. By assembling a consensus pan-genome from a large number of strains, this study provides a tool for researchers to readily compare protein-coding genes across strains and infer functional relationships between genes in conserved syntenic regions. This establishes a foundation for further genetic, and thus phenotypic, research of this industrially-important species.

Specialising in radiology in Switzerland: still attractive for medical school graduates?

PubMed

Buddeberg-Fischer, B; Hoffmann, A; Christen, S; Weishaupt, D; Kubik-Huch, R A

2012-07-01

To gain insight into the professional characteristics of radiologists in Switzerland and to determine how to enhance the attractiveness of radiology to medical graduates as a specialty. Data from 262 members of the Swiss Society of Radiology (m:f = 76:24%) obtained in a questionnaire survey were analysed regarding socio-demographic variables, working status, specialty, main fields of interest, career success, mentoring and reasons for the shortage of radiologists. 35 (56.4%) female and 85 (45.5%) male radiologists were aged ≤ 45 years. 228 (87%) were board-certified; 44 (17.9%) had completed a sub-specialisation. Men worked part-time mostly just before retirement, while women worked part-time at a younger age. As reasons for specialty choice, the wide range of clinical work and the combination of technology and medicine were ranked highest. Women reported significantly less career success and support. To improve the attractiveness of radiology to graduates, radiology should be visible on medical school curricula. In Switzerland, more female radiologists work part-time than male ones, and there is less career success and support for women. In order to make radiology more attractive to medical graduates as a specialty, structured residency programmes and reliable gender-respecting career support are needed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Specialisation versus special interest - the Australian podiatry experience.

PubMed

Davies, Ainslie; Bennett, Paul; Nancarrow, Susan; Cuesta-Vargas, Antonio

2015-01-01

Ensuring efficient and effective delivery of health care to an ageing population has been a major driver for a review of the health workforce in Australia. As part of this process a National Registration and Accreditation Scheme (NRAS) has evolved with one goal being to improve workforce flexibility within a nationally consistent model of governance. In addition to increased flexibility, there have been discussions about maintaining standards and the role of specialisation. This study aims to explore the association between practitioners' self-perceptions about their special interest in musculoskeletal, diabetes related and podopaediatric foot care and the actual podiatry services they deliver in Australia. A cross sectional on-line survey was administered on behalf of the Australasian Podiatry Council and its' state based member associations. Self-reported data were collected over a 3-week interval and captured information about the practitioners by gender, years of clinical experience, area of work by state, work setting, and location. For those participants that identified with an area of special interest or specialty, further questions were asked regarding support for the area of special interest through education, and activities performed in treating patients in the week prior to survey completion. Queensland University of Technology Human Research Ethics approval was sought and confirmed exemption from review. 218 podiatrists participated in the survey. Participants were predominately female and worked in private practices. The largest area of personal interest by the podiatrists was related to the field of musculoskeletal podiatry (n = 65), followed closely by diabetes foot care (n = 61), and a third area identified was in the management of podopaediatric conditions (n = 26). Health workforce reform in Australia is in part being managed by the federal government with a goal to meet the health care needs of Australians into the future. The

Conducting non-commercial international clinical trials: the ICR-CTSU experience.

PubMed

Fox, Lisa; Toms, Christy; Kernaghan, Sarah; Snowdon, Claire; Bliss, Judith M

2017-09-26

Academic clinical trials play a fundamental role in the development of new treatments, the repurposing of existing treatments and in addressing areas of unmet clinical need. With cancer treatments increasingly targeted at molecular subtypes, and with priority placed on developing new treatments for rare tumour types, the need for international trial participation to access sufficient patient numbers for successful trial conduct is growing. However, lack of harmonisation of international legal, ethical and financial systems can make this challenging and the cost and effort of conducting trials internationally can be considered prohibitive, particularly where the sample size is comparatively small. The Institute of Cancer Research - Clinical Trials and Statistics Unit (ICR-CTSU) is a UK-based academic clinical trials unit that specialises in the design, conduct and analysis of clinical trials of cancer treatments with an expanding portfolio of trials in molecular subtypes of breast and urological cancers and in other rare cancer types. Implementing appropriate mechanisms to enable international participation has therefore been imperative. In this article, we explain how we have approached the challenges involved and describe examples of successful international trial conduct, achieved through robust collaborations with academic and industry partners. Conducting academic trials internationally is challenging but can and should be achieved through appropriate governance mechanisms and strong collaborations.

Parochialism or self-consciousness? Internationality in medical history journals 1997-2006.

PubMed

Steinke, Hubert; Lang, Yves

2011-10-01

Research councils, universities and funding agencies are increasingly asking for tools to measure the quality of research in the humanities. One of their preferred methods is a ranking of journals according to their supposed level of internationality. Our quantitative survey of seventeen major journals of medical history reveals the futility of such an approach. Most journals have a strong national character with a dominance of native language, authors and topics. The most common case is a paper written by a local author in his own language on a national subject regarding the nineteenth or twentieth century. American and British journals are taken notice of internationally but they only rarely mention articles from other history of medicine journals. Continental European journals show a more international review of literature, but are in their turn not noticed globally. Increasing specialisation and fragmentation has changed the role of general medical history journals. They run the risk of losing their function as international platforms of discourse on general and theoretical issues and major trends in historiography, to international collections of papers. Journal editors should therefore force their authors to write a more international report, and authors should be encouraged to submit papers of international interest and from a more general, transnational and methodological point of view.

A Case Study on Specialised Content Knowledge Development with Dynamic Geometry Software: The Analysis of Influential Factors and Technology Beliefs of Three Pre-Service Middle Grades Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zambak, Vecihi S.; Tyminski, Andrew M.

2017-01-01

This study characterises the development of Specialised Content Knowledge (SCK) with dynamic geometry software (DGS) throughout a semester. The research employed a single-case study with the embedded units of three pre-service middle grades mathematics teachers. Qualitative data were collected, and factors affecting these three teachers' SCK…

Parochialism or Self-Consciousness? Internationality in Medical History Journals 1997–2006

PubMed Central

Steinke, Hubert; Lang, Yves

2011-01-01

Research councils, universities and funding agencies are increasingly asking for tools to measure the quality of research in the humanities. One of their preferred methods is a ranking of journals according to their supposed level of internationality. Our quantitative survey of seventeen major journals of medical history reveals the futility of such an approach. Most journals have a strong national character with a dominance of native language, authors and topics. The most common case is a paper written by a local author in his own language on a national subject regarding the nineteenth or twentieth century. American and British journals are taken notice of internationally but they only rarely mention articles from other history of medicine journals. Continental European journals show a more international review of literature, but are in their turn not noticed globally. Increasing specialisation and fragmentation has changed the role of general medical history journals. They run the risk of losing their function as international platforms of discourse on general and theoretical issues and major trends in historiography, to international collections of papers. Journal editors should therefore force their authors to write a more international report, and authors should be encouraged to submit papers of international interest and from a more general, transnational and methodological point of view. PMID:22028500

Young female handball players and sport specialisation: how do they cope with the transition from primary school into a secondary sport school?

PubMed

Kristiansen, Elsa; Stensrud, Trine

2017-01-01

The aim of the present study was to examine how six young female handball players (aged 13-14 years) perceived the transition from primary school to a sport-specialised secondary school. Physical and physiological data as well as data from questionnaires were collected at baseline and after the first year at the sport school, and qualitative interviews were performed retrospectively after the first year at school. Evidence of competition-related stressors, organisational stressors (sport and school balance) and personal stressors (social life and sport balance, lack of sleep and severe injuries) was found. Three girls developed long-lasting musculoskeletal injuries (>3 months out of ordinary training) and one experienced repeated short periods (≤2 weeks out of ordinary training) of injuries during the first year. Onset of menarche and a length growth between 6 and 8 cm during the first year were characteristic traits of the four injured girls. From our small study, it appears that young athletes attending a specialised secondary sport school experienced many stressors due to a significant increase in training volume, reduction in sleeping time and development of severe and long-lasting injuries. Hence, trainers at sport schools, club trainers and parents need to communicate and support them in order to prevent this. 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/.

Living with chronic migraine: a qualitative study on female patients’ perspectives from a specialised headache clinic in Spain

PubMed Central

Palacios-Ceña, Domingo; Neira-Martín, Beatriz; Silva-Hernández, Lorenzo; Mayo-Canalejo, Diego; Florencio, Lidiane Lima; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César; García-Moreno, Héctor; García-Azorín, David; Cuadrado, María Luz

2017-01-01

Objectives The aim of this study was to explore the views and experiences of a group of Spanish women suffering from chronic migraine (CM). Setting Headache clinic at a university hospital in Madrid (Spain). Participants Purposeful sampling of patients that attended a specialised headache clinic for the first time between June 2016 and February 2017 was performed. The patients included were females aged 18–65 and with positive diagnoses of CM according to the International Classification of Headache disorders (third edition, beta version), with or without medication overuse. Accordingly, 20 patients participated in the study with a mean age of 38.65 years (SD 13.85). Design Qualitative phenomenological study. Methods Data were collected through in-depth interviews, researchers’ field notes and patients’ drawings. A thematic analysis was performed following appropriate guidelines for qualitative research. Results Five main themes describing the significance of suffering emerged: (a) the shame of suffering from an invisible condition; (b) treatment: between need, scepticism and fear; (c) looking for physicians’ support and sincerity and fighting misconceptions; (d) limiting the impact on daily life through self-control; and (e) family and work: between understanding and disbelief. The disease is experienced as an invisible process, and the journey to diagnosis can be a long and tortuous one. Drug prescription by the physician is greeted with distrust and scepticism. Patients expect sincerity, support and the involvement of their doctors in relation to their disease. Pain becomes the main focus of the patient’s life, and it requires considerable self-control. The disease has a strong impact in the work and family environment, where the patient may feel misunderstood. Conclusions Qualitative research offers insight into the way patients with CM experience their disease and it may be helpful in establishing a more fruitful relationship with these patients

Specialisation of spinal services: consequences for cervical trauma management in the district hospital

PubMed Central

Rethnam, Ulfin; Cordell-Smith, James; Sinha, Amit

2007-01-01

Background Specialisation in spinal services has lead to a low threshold for referral of cervical spine injuries from district general hospitals. We aim to assess the capability of a district general hospital in providing the halo vest device and the expertise available in applying the device for unstable cervical spine injuries prior to transfer to a referral centre. Methods The study was a postal questionnaire survey of trauma consultants at district general hospitals without on-site spinal units in the United Kingdom. Seventy institutions were selected randomly from an electronic NHS directory. We posed seven questions on the local availability, expertise and training with halo vest application, and transferral policies in patients with spinal trauma. Results The response rate was 51/70 (73%). Nineteen of the hospitals (37%) did not stock the halo vest device. Also, one third of the participants (18/51, 35%, 95% confidence interval 22 – 50%) were not confident in application of the halo vest device and resorted to transfer of patients to referral centres without halo immobilization. Conclusion The lack of equipment and expertise to apply the halo vest device for unstable cervical spine injuries is highlighted in this study. Training of all trauma surgeons in the application of the halo device would overcome this deficiency. PMID:18271985

Musculoskeletal Geometry, Muscle Architecture and Functional Specialisations of the Mouse Hindlimb.

PubMed

Charles, James P; Cappellari, Ornella; Spence, Andrew J; Hutchinson, John R; Wells, Dominic J

2016-01-01

Mice are one of the most commonly used laboratory animals, with an extensive array of disease models in existence, including for many neuromuscular diseases. The hindlimb is of particular interest due to several close muscle analogues/homologues to humans and other species. A detailed anatomical study describing the adult morphology is lacking, however. This study describes in detail the musculoskeletal geometry and skeletal muscle architecture of the mouse hindlimb and pelvis, determining the extent to which the muscles are adapted for their function, as inferred from their architecture. Using I2KI enhanced microCT scanning and digital segmentation, it was possible to identify 39 distinct muscles of the hindlimb and pelvis belonging to nine functional groups. The architecture of each of these muscles was determined through microdissections, revealing strong architectural specialisations between the functional groups. The hip extensors and hip adductors showed significantly stronger adaptations towards high contraction velocities and joint control relative to the distal functional groups, which exhibited larger physiological cross sectional areas and longer tendons, adaptations for high force output and elastic energy savings. These results suggest that a proximo-distal gradient in muscle architecture exists in the mouse hindlimb. Such a gradient has been purported to function in aiding locomotor stability and efficiency. The data presented here will be especially valuable to any research with a focus on the architecture or gross anatomy of the mouse hindlimb and pelvis musculature, but also of use to anyone interested in the functional significance of muscle design in relation to quadrupedal locomotion.

Meeting report from the 7th International Melanoma Congress, Sydney, November, 2010.

PubMed

Hersey, P; Smalley, K S M; Weeraratna, A; Bosenberg, M; Zhang, X D; Haass, N K; Paton, E; Mann, G; Scolyer, R A; Tüting, T

2011-02-01

The 2010 7th International Melanoma Congress sponsored by the Society for Melanoma Research and held in Sydney, Australia, was held together with the International Melanoma and Skin Cancer Centers group and the International Melanoma Pathology Study Group. As a consequence, there were over 900 registrants that included a wide range of clinicians (surgeons, medical oncologists, dermatologists) specialising in the management of melanoma as well as scientists and students carrying out laboratory-based research in melanoma. There was a general consensus that this grouping of clinicians, pathologists and scientists was mutually advantageous and plans are afoot to continue this grouping in future meetings. The meeting was dominated by the advances being made in treatment of melanoma with selective BRAF inhibitors but interest in epithelial mesenchymal transition and phenotypic changes in melanoma was apparent in many of the talks. The authors have attempted to capture many of the new developments in melanoma research but apologize to those speakers and poster presenters who had equally important findings not captured in these summaries. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Inter-rater variability in motor function assessment in Parkinson's disease between experts in movement disorders and nurses specialising in PD management.

PubMed

de Deus Fonticoba, T; Santos García, D; Macías Arribí, M

2017-05-23

In clinical practice, assessing patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex, time-consuming task. Our purpose is to provide a rigorous and objective evaluation of how motor function in PD patients is assessed by neurologists specialising in movement disorders, on the one hand, and by nurses specialising in PD management, on the other. We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, single-centre study of 50 patients with PD (52% men; mean age: 64.7 ± 8.7 years) who were assessed between 5 January 2016 and 20 July 2016. A neurologist and a nurse evaluated motor function in the early morning hours using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) parts III and IV and Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) scale. Tests were administered in the same PD periods (in 48 patients during the 'off' time and in 2 patients during the 'on' time). Inter-rater variability was estimated with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Forty-nine patients (98%) were classified in the same H&Y stage by both raters. Assessment times were similar for both raters. ICC for UPDRS-IV and UPDRS-III total scores were 0.955 (P<.0001) and 0.954 (P<.0001), respectively. The greatest variability was found for UPDRS-III item 29 (gait; ICC=0.746; P<.0001) and the lowest, for item 30 (postural stability; ICC=0.918; P<.0001). Motor function assessment of PD patients by a trained nurse is equivalent to that made by an expert neurologist and takes the same time to complete. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

How can general paediatric training be optimised in highly specialised tertiary settings? Twelve tips from an interview-based study of trainees.

PubMed

Al-Yassin, Amina; Long, Andrew; Sharma, Sanjiv; May, Joanne

2017-01-01

Both general and subspecialty paediatric trainees undertake attachments in highly specialised tertiary hospitals. Trainee feedback suggests that mismatches in expectations between trainees and supervisors and a perceived lack of educational opportunities may lead to trainee dissatisfaction in such settings. With the 'Shape of Training' review (reshaping postgraduate training in the UK to focus on more general themes), this issue is likely to become more apparent. We wished to explore the factors that contribute to a positive educational environment and training experience and identify how this may be improved in highly specialised settings. General paediatric trainees working at all levels in subspecialty teams at a tertiary hospital were recruited (n=12). Semistructured interviews were undertaken to explore the strengths and weaknesses of training in such a setting and how this could be optimised. Appreciative inquiry methodology was used to identify areas of perceived best practice and consider how these could be promoted and disseminated. Twelve best practice themes were identified: (1) managing expectations by acknowledging the challenges; (2) educational contracting to identify learning needs and opportunities; (3) creative educational supervision; (4) centralised teaching events; (5) signposting learning opportunities; (6) curriculum-mapped pan-hospital teaching programmes; (7) local faculty groups with trainee representation; (8) interprofessional learning; (9) pastoral support systems; (10) crossover weeks to increase clinical exposure; (11) adequate clinical supervision; and (12) rota design to include teaching and clinic time. Tertiary settings have strengths, as well as challenges, for general paediatric training. Twelve trainee-generated tips have been identified to capitalise on the educational potential within these settings. Trainee feedback is essential to diagnose and improve educational environments and appreciative inquiry is a useful tool for

Self-reported bruxism and temporomandibular disorders: findings from two specialised centres.

PubMed

Manfredini, D; Winocur, E; Guarda-Nardini, L; Lobbezoo, F

2012-05-01

The aims of this investigation were to report the frequency of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) diagnoses and the prevalence of self-reported awake and sleep bruxism as well as to describe the possible differences between findings of two specialised centres as a basis to suggest recommendations for future improvements in diagnostic homogeneity and accuracy. A standardised Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) assessment was performed on patients attending both TMD Clinics, viz., at the University of Padova, Italy (n=219; 74% women) and at the University of Tel Aviv, Israel (n=397; 79% women), to assign axis I physical diagnoses and to record data on self-reported awake and sleep bruxism. Significant differences were shown between the two clinic samples as for the frequency of TMD diagnoses (chi-square, P<0·001) and the prevalence of at least one positive response to bruxism items (chi-square, P<0·001). The more widespread use of TMJ imaging techniques in one clinic sample led to a higher prevalence of multiple diagnoses, and the higher prevalence of self-reported bruxism in patients with myofascial pain alone described in the other clinic sample was not replicated, suggesting that the different adoption of clinical and imaging criteria to diagnose TMD may influence also reports on their association with bruxism. From this investigation, it emerged that the features of the study samples as well as the different interpretation of the same diagnostic guidelines may have strong influence on epidemiological reports on bruxism and TMD prevalence and on the association between the two disorders. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Adoption of innovations by specialised nurses: personal, work and organisational characteristics.

PubMed

van der Weide, Marian; Smits, Jeroen

2004-04-01

To gain insight in the factors that influence the adoption of professional information by specialised nurses, we studied the effects of individual, work and organisational characteristics on the extent to which continence nurses gained knowledge and made use of a book on nursing diagnosis and interventions for patients with urinary incontinence, which they received as a present. Subjects were all members of the Dutch Association of Continence Nurses. Data collection took place via a postal questionnaire with closed questions. In total, 109 valid questionnaires (78%) were received back. Stepwise selected ordered logit models were estimated with reading the book and knowledge and use of five selected parts of it as dependent variables and individual, work and organisational characteristics as independent variables. The most important factors found to promote reading of the book and taking knowledge of the parts of it were a personal characteristic of the nurses called "information directedness" (or eagerness to acquire professional information from other sources), the presence of an "innovative atmosphere" at the department, and "relevance" of the information for daily nursing practice. The most important factors found to promote the use of the book are (again) information directedness, working at a (relatively) small department and having experience with nursing diagnosis. Results suggest that nurses differ in the degree to which they are open to innovations and that information directedness might be a useful indicator of this characteristic. In addition, the degree of innovativeness of the atmosphere at the department and the relevance of the innovation for nursing practice are important factors influencing the success or failure of innovations in nursing practice.

There's no place like home: seedling mortality contributes to the habitat specialisation of tree species across Amazonia.

PubMed

Fortunel, Claire; Paine, C E Timothy; Fine, Paul V A; Mesones, Italo; Goret, Jean-Yves; Burban, Benoit; Cazal, Jocelyn; Baraloto, Christopher

2016-10-01

Understanding the mechanisms generating species distributions remains a challenge, especially in hyperdiverse tropical forests. We evaluated the role of rainfall variation, soil gradients and herbivory on seedling mortality, and how variation in seedling performance along these gradients contributes to habitat specialisation. In a 4-year experiment, replicated at the two extremes of the Amazon basin, we reciprocally transplanted 4638 tree seedlings of 41 habitat-specialist species from seven phylogenetic lineages among the three most important forest habitats of lowland Amazonia. Rainfall variation, flooding and soil gradients strongly influenced seedling mortality, whereas herbivory had negligible impact. Seedling mortality varied strongly among habitats, consistent with predictions for habitat specialists in most lineages. This suggests that seedling performance is a primary determinant of the habitat associations of adult trees across Amazonia. It further suggests that tree diversity, currently mostly harboured in terra firme forests, may be strongly impacted by the predicted climate changes in Amazonia. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

How can general paediatric training be optimised in highly specialised tertiary settings? Twelve tips from an interview-based study of trainees

PubMed Central

Al-Yassin, Amina; Long, Andrew; Sharma, Sanjiv; May, Joanne

2017-01-01

Objectives Both general and subspecialty paediatric trainees undertake attachments in highly specialised tertiary hospitals. Trainee feedback suggests that mismatches in expectations between trainees and supervisors and a perceived lack of educational opportunities may lead to trainee dissatisfaction in such settings. With the ‘Shape of Training’ review (reshaping postgraduate training in the UK to focus on more general themes), this issue is likely to become more apparent. We wished to explore the factors that contribute to a positive educational environment and training experience and identify how this may be improved in highly specialised settings. Methods General paediatric trainees working at all levels in subspecialty teams at a tertiary hospital were recruited (n=12). Semistructured interviews were undertaken to explore the strengths and weaknesses of training in such a setting and how this could be optimised. Appreciative inquiry methodology was used to identify areas of perceived best practice and consider how these could be promoted and disseminated. Results Twelve best practice themes were identified: (1) managing expectations by acknowledging the challenges; (2) educational contracting to identify learning needs and opportunities; (3) creative educational supervision; (4) centralised teaching events; (5) signposting learning opportunities; (6) curriculum-mapped pan-hospital teaching programmes; (7) local faculty groups with trainee representation; (8) interprofessional learning; (9) pastoral support systems; (10) crossover weeks to increase clinical exposure; (11) adequate clinical supervision; and (12) rota design to include teaching and clinic time. Conclusions Tertiary settings have strengths, as well as challenges, for general paediatric training. Twelve trainee-generated tips have been identified to capitalise on the educational potential within these settings. Trainee feedback is essential to diagnose and improve educational environments and

Differences in clinical reasoning among nurses working in highly specialised paediatric care.

PubMed

Andersson, Nina; Klang, Birgitta; Petersson, Gunilla

2012-03-01

The aim of the study was to examine differences in clinical reasoning among novice, experienced and specialist paediatric nurses. Highly specialised paediatric care requires specific knowledge and ongoing skill performance of the nurses employed. There is a lack of research in how paediatric nurses manage the daily care problems they encounter and how they acquire the skills required to give patients the best possible care. More knowledge is needed about how paediatric nurses with different experience and education reason and communicate about paediatric patient situations. The study was based on six recorded group discussions of a fictitious, but realistic paediatric case. Three categories of nurses: novices (n = 7), experienced (n = 7) and specialists (n = 7) from a paediatric hospital participated. A qualitative content analysis approach was chosen to examine differences in clinical reasoning. Several themes were uncovered: child's social situation, child abuse and the child's illness, qualitative differences emerged in how the nurses discussed the case. Three approaches were identified: a task-oriented approach (novices and experienced), an action-oriented approach (novices and experienced) and hypothesis-oriented approach (specialists) while discussing the case. When comparing nurses in three competence groups, it was established that the groups with extensive experience and specialist education reasoned differently than the other groups. Between the novice and experienced groups, no obvious differences were found. Thus, the importance of experience alone for the development of competence is still an open question. Experience combined with further education appears important for developing professional competence in paediatric care. Nurses' reasoning in clinical paediatric care is related to experience and training. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Armoured spiderman: morphological and behavioural adaptations of a specialised araneophagous predator (Araneae: Palpimanidae).

PubMed

Pekár, Stano; Sobotník, Jan; Lubin, Yael

2011-07-01

In a predator-prey system where both intervenients come from the same taxon, one can expect a strong selection on behavioural and morphological traits involved in prey capture. For example, in specialised snake-eating snakes, the predator is unaffetced by the venom of the prey. We predicted that similar adaptations should have evolved in spider-eating (araneophagous) spiders. We investigated potential and actual prey of two Palpimanus spiders (P. gibbulus, P. orientalis) to support the prediction that these are araneophagous predators. Specific behavioural adaptations were investigated using a high-speed camera during staged encounters with prey, while morphological adaptations were investigated using electron microscopy. Both Palpimanus species captured a wide assortment of spider species from various guilds but also a few insect species. Analysis of the potential prey suggested that Palpimanus is a retreat-invading predator that actively searches for spiders that hide in a retreat. Behavioural capture adaptations include a slow, stealthy approach to the prey followed by a very fast attack. Morphological capture adaptations include scopulae on forelegs used in grabbing prey body parts, stout forelegs to hold the prey firmly, and an extremely thick cuticle all over the body preventing injury from a counter bite of the prey. Palpimanus overwhelmed prey that was more than 200% larger than itself. In trials with another araneophagous spider, Cyrba algerina (Salticidae), Palpimanus captured C. algerina in more than 90% of cases independent of the size ratio between the spiders. Evidence indicates that both Palpimanus species possesses remarkable adaptations that increase its efficiency in capturing spider prey.

Armoured spiderman: morphological and behavioural adaptations of a specialised araneophagous predator (Araneae: Palpimanidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pekár, Stano; Šobotník, Jan; Lubin, Yael

2011-07-01

In a predator-prey system where both intervenients come from the same taxon, one can expect a strong selection on behavioural and morphological traits involved in prey capture. For example, in specialised snake-eating snakes, the predator is unaffetced by the venom of the prey. We predicted that similar adaptations should have evolved in spider-eating (araneophagous) spiders. We investigated potential and actual prey of two Palpimanus spiders ( P. gibbulus, P. orientalis) to support the prediction that these are araneophagous predators. Specific behavioural adaptations were investigated using a high-speed camera during staged encounters with prey, while morphological adaptations were investigated using electron microscopy. Both Palpimanus species captured a wide assortment of spider species from various guilds but also a few insect species. Analysis of the potential prey suggested that Palpimanus is a retreat-invading predator that actively searches for spiders that hide in a retreat. Behavioural capture adaptations include a slow, stealthy approach to the prey followed by a very fast attack. Morphological capture adaptations include scopulae on forelegs used in grabbing prey body parts, stout forelegs to hold the prey firmly, and an extremely thick cuticle all over the body preventing injury from a counter bite of the prey. Palpimanus overwhelmed prey that was more than 200% larger than itself. In trials with another araneophagous spider, Cyrba algerina (Salticidae), Palpimanus captured C. algerina in more than 90% of cases independent of the size ratio between the spiders. Evidence indicates that both Palpimanus species possesses remarkable adaptations that increase its efficiency in capturing spider prey.

International medallists' and non-medallists' developmental sport activities - a matched-pairs analysis.

PubMed

Güllich, Arne

2017-12-01

The study examined developmental participation patterns of international top athletes. Pairs of 83 international medallists (including 38 Olympic/World Champions) and 83 non-medallists were matched by sport, age and gender. A questionnaire recorded their volume of organised (coach-led) practice/training in their respective main sport and in other sports through childhood, adolescence and adulthood, and also involvement in non-organised (peer-led) sport activity. Analyses revealed that the medallists started practice/training in their main sport at an older age than non-medallists and accumulated slightly, but significantly less main-sport practice/training through childhood/adolescence. But they participated in more practice/training in other sports, particularly before entering their main sport. The medallists also maintained engagement in other sports over more years and specialised later than the non-medallists. Other sports engaged in were mostly unrelated to an athlete's main sport. The results were robust across different types of sports. The observations are reflected against tenets of the "deliberate practice" and "Developmental Model of Sport Participation" frameworks. Early diversified practice and learning experiences are discussed relative to the expansion of youngsters' potential for future long-term learning. In elite athletes, interaction of sport-specific practice/training with early other-sports participation mostly facilitates long-term attainment of international senior medals.

Where technology does not go: specialised neonatal care in resource-poor and conflict-affected contexts

PubMed Central

van den Boogaard, W.; Van den Bergh, R.; Takarinda, K. C.; Martinez, P.; Bekouanebandi, J. G.; Javed, I.; Ndelema, B.; Lefèvre, A.; Khalid, G. G.; Zuniga, I.

2017-01-01

Setting: Although neonatal mortality is gradually decreasing worldwide, 98% of neonatal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where hospital care for sick and premature neonates is often unavailable. Médecins Sans Frontières Operational Centre Brussels (MSF-OCB) managed eight specialised neonatal care units (SNCUs) at district level in low-resource and conflict-affected settings in seven countries. Objective: To assess the performance of the MSF SNCU model across different settings in Africa and Southern Asia, and to describe the set-up of eight SNCUs, neonate characteristics and clinical outcomes among neonates from 2012 to 2015. Design: Multicentric descriptive study. Results: The MSF SNCU model was characterised by an absence of high-tech equipment and an emphasis on dedicated nursing and medical care. Focus was on the management of hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, feeding support and early identification/treatment of infection. Overall, 11 970 neonates were admitted, 41% of whom had low birthweight (<2500 g). The main diagnoses were low birthweight, asphyxia and neonatal infections. Overall mortality was 17%, with consistency across the sites. Chances of survival increased with higher birthweight. Conclusion: The standardised SNCU model was implemented across different contexts and showed in-patient outcomes within acceptable limits. Low-tech medical care for sick and premature neonates can and should be implemented at district hospital level in low-resource settings. PMID:28695092

Floral contrivances and specialised pollination mechanism strongly influence mixed mating in Wrightia tomentosa (Apocynaceae).

PubMed

Barman, C; Singh, V K; Das, S; Tandon, R

2018-05-01

Reproductive success of a plant species is largely influenced by the outcome of mating pattern in a population. It is believed that a significantly larger proportion of animal-pollinated plants have evolved a mixed-mating strategy, the extent of which may vary among species. It is thus pertinent to investigate the key contributors to mating success, especially to identify the reproductive constraints in depauperate populations of threatened plant species. We examined the contribution of floral architecture, pollination mechanism and breeding system on the extent of outcrossing rate in a near-threatened tree species, Wrightia tomentosa. The breeding system was ascertained from controlled pollination experiments. In order to determine outcrossing rate, 60 open-pollinated progeny were analysed using an AFLP markers. Although the trees are self-compatible, herkogamy and compartmentalisation of pollen and nectar in different chambers of the floral tube effectively prevent spontaneous autogamy. Pollination is achieved through specialised interaction with moths. Differential foraging behaviour of settling moths and hawkmoths leads to different proportions of geitonogamous and xenogamous pollen on the stigma. However, most open-pollinated progeny were the result of xenogamy (outcrossing rate, tm = 0.68). The study shows that floral contrivances and pollination system have a strong influence on mating pattern. The differential foraging behaviour of the pollinators causes deposition of a mixture of self- and cross-pollen to produce a mixed brood. Inbreeding depression and geitonogamy appear to play a significant role in sustaining mixed mating in this species. © 2018 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

How did international agencies perceive the avian influenza problem? The adoption and manufacture of the 'One World, One Health' framework.

PubMed

Chien, Yu-Ju

2013-02-01

Over the past few years, a 'One World, One Health' (OWOH) policy framework has become the guiding principle for international responses to avian influenza and other zoonotic infectious diseases. Several specialised inter-governmental agencies, including the World Health Organization, the Food and Agricultural Organization and World Organization for Animal Health, jointly endorsed and promoted this framework. This article attempts to explain why international agencies advocated OWOH despite its vagueness. By examining how these international agencies gradually reframed avian flu problems, this article illustrates the crucial roles of international agencies in constructing disease knowledge and relevant policy responses. It shows that the three agencies adopted an all-inclusive approach to reduce conflicts, defend their legitimacy, and facilitate commitment for collaboration. Not only has this new framework reduced tensions between agencies, it has also reshaped the interests and interactions of other global actors. The case thus illustrates how these organisational actors actively manufacture new cognitive frames and policy regimes that advance their own legitimacy and influence. © 2012 The Author. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2012 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

2018 International Olympic Committee consensus statement on prevention, diagnosis and management of paediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries

PubMed Central

Ekås, Guri Ranum; Grindem, Hege; Moksnes, Håvard; Anderson, Allen F; Chotel, Franck; Cohen, Moises; Forssblad, Magnus; Ganley, Theodore J; Feller, Julian A; Karlsson, Jón; Kocher, Minider S; LaPrade, Robert F; McNamee, Michael; Mandelbaum, Bert; Micheli, Lyle; Mohtadi, Nicholas; Reider, Bruce; Roe, Justin; Seil, Romain; Siebold, Rainer; Witvrouw, Erik; Engebretsen, Lars

2018-01-01

In October 2017, the International Olympic Committee hosted an international expert group of physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons who specialise in treating and researching paediatric ACL injuries. Representatives from the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society, European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery & Arthroscopy, International Society of Arthroscopy Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Artroscopia, Rodilla y Deporte attended. Physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons with clinical and research experience in the field, and an ethics expert with substantial experience in the area of sports injuries also participated. Injury management is challenging in the current landscape of clinical uncertainty and limited scientific knowledge. Injury management decisions also occur against the backdrop of the complexity of shared decision-making with children and the potential long-term ramifications of the injury. This consensus statement addresses six fundamental clinical questions regarding the prevention, diagnosis and management of paediatric ACL injuries. The aim of this consensus statement is to provide a comprehensive, evidence-informed summary to support the clinician, and help children with ACL injury and their parents/guardians make the best possible decisions. PMID:29478021

Ten-year audit of clients presenting to a specialised service for young people experiencing or at increased risk for psychosis.

PubMed

Conrad, Agatha M; Lewin, Terry J; Sly, Ketrina A; Schall, Ulrich; Halpin, Sean A; Hunter, Mick; Carr, Vaughan J

2014-11-18

Despite strong research interest in psychosis risk identification and the potential for early intervention, few papers have sought to document the implementation and evaluation of specialised psychosis related services. Assessment of Ultra High Risk (UHR) has been given priority, but it is equally as important to identify appropriate comparison groups and other baseline differences. This largely descriptive service evaluation paper focuses on the 'baseline characteristics' of referred clients (i.e., previously assessed characteristics or those identified within the first two months following service presentation). Data are reported from a 10-year layered service audit of all presentations to a 'Psychological Assistance Service' for young people (PAS, Newcastle, Australia). Baseline socio-demographic and clinical characteristics (N =1,997) are described (including clients' psychosis and UHR status, previous service contacts, hospitalisation rates, and diagnostic and comorbidity profiles). Key groups are identified and comparisons made between clients who received ongoing treatment and those who were primarily assessed and referred elsewhere. Clients averaged 19.2 (SD =4.5) years of age and 59% were male. One-tenth of clients (9.6%) were categorised as UHR, among whom there were relatively high rates of attenuated psychotic symptoms (69.1%), comorbid depression (62.3%), anxiety (42.9%), and attentional and related problems (67.5%). Overall, one-fifth (19.8%) experienced a recent psychotic episode, while a further 14.5% were categorised as having an existing psychosis (46.7% with a schizophrenia diagnosis), amongst whom there were relatively high rates of comorbid substance misuse (52.9%), psychosocial (70.2%) and physical health (37.7%) problems. The largest group presenting to PAS were those with non-psychotic disorders (43.7%), who provide a valuable comparison group against which to contrast the health trajectories of those with UHR and recent psychosis. Ongoing

Temperature influences habitat preference of coral reef fishes: Will generalists become more specialised in a warming ocean?

PubMed

Matis, Paloma A; Donelson, Jennifer M; Bush, Stephen; Fox, Rebecca J; Booth, David J

2018-07-01

Climate change is expected to pose a significant risk to species that exhibit strong behavioural preferences for specific habitat types, with generalist species assumed to be less vulnerable. In this study, we conducted habitat choice experiments to determine how water temperature influences habitat preference for three common species of coral reef damselfish (Pomacentridae) that differ in their levels of habitat specialisation. The lemon damselfish Pomacentrus moluccensis, a habitat specialist, consistently selected complex coral habitat across all temperature treatments (selected based on local average seasonal temperatures naturally experienced in situ: ambient winter 22°C; ambient summer 28°C; and elevated 31°C). Unexpectedly, the neon damselfish Pomacentrus coelestis and scissortail sergeant Abudefduf sexfasciatus, both of which have more generalist habitat associations, developed strong habitat preferences (for complex coral and boulder habitat, respectively) at the elevated temperature treatment (31°C) compared to no single preferred habitat at 22°C or 28°C. The observed shifts in habitat preference with temperature suggest that we may be currently underestimating the vulnerability of some habitat generalists to climate change and highlight that the ongoing loss of complex live coral through coral bleaching could further exacerbate resource overlap and species competition in ways not currently considered in climate change models. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Flower specialisation: the occluded corolla of snapdragons (Antirrhinum) exhibits two pollinator niches of large long-tongued bees.

PubMed

Vargas, P; Liberal, I; Ornosa, C; Gómez, J M

2017-09-01

Flower specialisation of angiosperms includes the occluded corollas of snapdragons (Antirrhinum and some relatives), which have been postulated to be one of the most efficient structures to physical limit access to pollinators. The Iberian Peninsula harbours the highest number of species (18 Iberian of the 20 species of Antirrhinum) that potentially share similar pollinator fauna. Crossing experiments with 18 Iberian species from this study and literature revealed a general pattern of self-incompatibility (SI) - failure in this SI system has been also observed in a few plants - which indicates the need for pollinator agents in Antirrhinum pollination. Field surveys in natural conditions (304 h) found flower visitation (>85%) almost exclusively by 11 species of bee (Anthophora fulvitarsis, Anthophora plumipes, Anthidium sticticum, Apis mellifera, Bombus hortorum, Bombus pascuorum, Bombus ruderatus, Bombus terrestris, Chalicodoma lefebvrei, Chalicodoma pyrenaica and Xylocopa violacea). This result covering the majority of Antirrhinum species suggests that large bees of the two long-tongued bee families (Megachilidae, Apidae) are the major pollinators of Antirrhinum. A bipartite modularity analysis revealed two pollinator systems of long-tongued bees: (i) the long-studied system of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) associated with nine primarily northern species of Antirrhinum; and (ii) a newly proposed pollinator system involving other large bees associated with seven species primarily distributed in southern Mediterranean areas. © 2017 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Is admittance to specialised palliative care among cancer patients related to sex, age and cancer diagnosis? A nation-wide study from the Danish Palliative Care Database (DPD).

PubMed

Adsersen, Mathilde; Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Jensen, Anders Bonde; Neergaard, Mette Asbjoern; Sjøgren, Per; Groenvold, Mogens

2017-03-23

Specialised palliative care (SPC) takes place in specialised services for patients with complex symptoms and problems. Little is known about what determines the admission of patients to SPC and whether there are differences in relation to institution type. The aims of the study were to investigate whether cancer patients' admittance to SPC in Denmark varied in relation to sex, age and diagnosis, and whether the patterns differed by type of institution (hospital-based palliative care team/unit, hospice, or both). This was a register-based study of adult patients living in Denmark who died from cancer in 2010-2012. Data sources were the Danish Palliative Care Database, Danish Register of Causes of Death and Danish Cancer Registry. The associations between the explanatory variables (sex, age, diagnosis) and admittance to SPC were investigated using logistic regression. In the study population (N = 44,548) the overall admittance proportion to SPC was 37%. Higher odds of overall admittance to SPC were found for women (OR = 1.23; 1.17-1.28), younger patients (<40 compared with 80+ years old) (OR = 6.44; 5.19-7.99) and patients with sarcoma, pancreatic and stomach cancers, whereas the lowest were for patients with haematological malignancies. The higher admission found for women was most pronounced for hospices compared to hospital-based palliative care teams/units, whereas higher admission of younger patients was more pronounced for hospital-based palliative care teams/units. Patients with brain cancer were more often admitted to hospices, whereas patients with prostate cancer were more often admitted to hospital-based palliative care teams/units. It is unlikely that the variations in relation to sex, age and cancer diagnoses can be fully explained by differences in need. Future research should investigate whether the groups having the lowest admittance to SPC receive sufficient palliative care elsewhere.

Exploring Internal Segregation in the South African Medical Profession

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wildschut, Angelique

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the motivations underlying the specialisation choices of six female specialist doctors working in Cape Town, South Africa and to investigate whether the specific gender work identity associated with that specialism resulted in their motivation to enter it. Design/methodology/approach: The research…

Australian Applied Linguistics in Relation to International Trends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldauf, Richard B., Jr.; Kaplan, Robert B.

2010-01-01

Applied Linguistics is a diverse field, comprising a substantial number of sub-fields, sub-specialisations and related fields. To see that this is the case one need only examine the various handbooks and encyclopaedic references that have been published in the last ten years to see the wide range of topics that have been covered. As with many…

Recommendations of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) on education in health and medical informatics.

PubMed

2000-08-01

The International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) agreed on international recommendations in health informatics/medical informatics education. These should help to establish courses, course tracks or even complete programs in this field, to further develop existing educational activities in the various nations and to support international initiatives concerning education in health and medical informatics (HMI), particularly international activities in educating HMI specialists and the sharing of courseware. The IMIA recommendations centre on educational needs for healthcare professionals to acquire knowledge and skills in information processing and information and communication technology. The educational needs are described as a three-dimensional framework. The dimensions are: 1) professionals in healthcare (physicians, nurses, HMI professionals, ...), 2) type of specialisation in health and medical informatics (IT users, HMI specialists) and 3) stage of career progression (bachelor, master, ...). Learning outcomes are defined in terms of knowledge and practical skills for healthcare professionals in their role (a) as IT user and (b) as HMI specialist. Recommendations are given for courses/course tracks in HMI as part of educational programs in medicine, nursing, healthcare management, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, health record administration, and informatics/computer science as well as for dedicated programs in HMI (with bachelor, master or doctor degree). To support education in HMI, IMIA offers to award a certificate for high quality HMI education and supports information exchange on programs and courses in HMI through a WWW server of its Working Group on Health and Medical Informatics Education (http:www.imia.org/wg1).

Publication rates of public health theses in international and national peer-review journals in Turkey.

PubMed

Sipahi, H; Durusoy, R; Ergin, I; Hassoy, H; Davas, A; Karababa, Ao

2012-01-01

Thesis is an important part of specialisation and doctorate education and requires intense work. The aim of this study was to investigate the publication rates of Turkish Public Health Doctorate Theses (PHDT) and Public Health Specialization (PHST) theses in international and Turkish national peer-review journals and to analyze the distribution of research areas. List of all theses upto 30 September 2009 were retrieved from theses database of the Council of Higher Education of the Republic of Turkey. The publication rates of these theses were found by searching PubMed, Science Citation Index-Expanded, Turkish Academic Network and Information Center (ULAKBIM) Turkish Medical Database, and Turkish Medline databases for the names of thesis author and mentor. The theses which were published in journals indexed either in PubMed or SCI-E were considered as international publications. Our search yielded a total of 538 theses (243 PHDT, 295 PHST). It was found that the overall publication rate in Turkish national journals was 18%. The overall publication rate in international journals was 11.9%. Overall the most common research area was occupational health. Publication rates of Turkish PHDT and PHST are low. A better understanding of factors affecting this publication rate is important for public health issues where national data is vital for better intervention programs and develop better public health policies.

Publication Rates of Public Health Theses in International and National Peer-Review Journals in Turkey

PubMed Central

Sipahi, H; Durusoy, R; Ergin, I; Hassoy, H; Davas, A; Karababa, AO

2012-01-01

Background: Thesis is an important part of specialisation and doctorate education and requires intense work. The aim of this study was to investigate the publication rates of Turkish Public Health Doctorate Theses (PHDT) and Public Health Specialization (PHST) theses in international and Turkish national peer-review journals and to analyze the distribution of research areas. Methods: List of all theses upto 30 September 2009 were retrieved from theses database of the Council of Higher Education of the Republic of Turkey. The publication rates of these theses were found by searching PubMed, Science Citation Index-Expanded, Turkish Academic Network and Information Center (ULAKBIM) Turkish Medical Database, and Turkish Medline databases for the names of thesis author and mentor. The theses which were published in journals indexed either in PubMed or SCI-E were considered as international publications. Results: Our search yielded a total of 538 theses (243 PHDT, 295 PHST). It was found that the overall publication rate in Turkish national journals was 18%. The overall publication rate in international journals was 11.9%. Overall the most common research area was occupational health. Conclusion: Publication rates of Turkish PHDT and PHST are low. A better understanding of factors affecting this publication rate is important for public health issues where national data is vital for better intervention programs and develop better public health policies. PMID:23193503

The International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH): reflecting on 60 years of contributions to groundwater science and water management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Struckmeier, Willi; Howard, Ken; Chilton, John

2016-08-01

The 60th anniversary of the founding of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) is an important milestone that allows pause for reflection on how the association has evolved over the years and the contributions it has made to groundwater science and water management. IAH was founded in 1956 at the 20th International Geological Congress and developed rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s in response to a growing global interest in groundwater mapping and in sound approaches to resource protection and sustainable aquifer management. Incorporated in 2000, IAH has now secured its position as the world's leading international association specialising in groundwater with over 4,100 members in 131 countries. Much credit for this success must go to members, past and present, whose individual efforts and collaboration with sister institutions are documented here. These members have shaped the association's goals and contributed selflessly to its scientific programmes, publications and educational and charitable activities. Looking ahead to the next 60 years, it is essential that IAH does not rest on past achievements but listens and adjusts to the needs of members while continuing to pursue its mission of furthering the understanding, wise use and protection of groundwater resources throughout the world.

Specialisation within the DWARF14 protein family confers distinct responses to karrikins and strigolactones in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Waters, Mark T; Nelson, David C; Scaffidi, Adrian; Flematti, Gavin R; Sun, Yueming K; Dixon, Kingsley W; Smith, Steven M

2012-04-01

Karrikins are butenolides derived from burnt vegetation that stimulate seed germination and enhance seedling responses to light. Strigolactones are endogenous butenolide hormones that regulate shoot and root architecture, and stimulate the branching of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Thus, karrikins and strigolactones are structurally similar but physiologically distinct plant growth regulators. In Arabidopsis thaliana, responses to both classes of butenolides require the F-box protein MAX2, but it remains unclear how discrete responses to karrikins and strigolactones are achieved. In rice, the DWARF14 protein is required for strigolactone-dependent inhibition of shoot branching. Here, we show that the Arabidopsis DWARF14 orthologue, AtD14, is also necessary for normal strigolactone responses in seedlings and adult plants. However, the AtD14 paralogue KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE 2 (KAI2) is specifically required for responses to karrikins, and not to strigolactones. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that KAI2 is ancestral and that AtD14 functional specialisation has evolved subsequently. Atd14 and kai2 mutants exhibit distinct subsets of max2 phenotypes, and expression patterns of AtD14 and KAI2 are consistent with the capacity to respond to either strigolactones or karrikins at different stages of plant development. We propose that AtD14 and KAI2 define a class of proteins that permit the separate regulation of karrikin and strigolactone signalling by MAX2. Our results support the existence of an endogenous, butenolide-based signalling mechanism that is distinct from the strigolactone pathway, providing a molecular basis for the adaptive response of plants to smoke.

A process evaluation of systematic risk and needs assessment for caregivers in specialised palliative care.

PubMed

Thomsen, Kia Toft; Guldin, Mai-Britt; Nielsen, Mette Kjærgaard; Ollars, Chaitali Laura; Jensen, Anders Bonde

2017-04-08

Caregiving is strenuous and it may be associated with adverse psychological outcomes. During the palliative care trajectory, there are unique opportunities for providing support and preventing poor bereavement outcome. However, the tasks of palliative care staff in relation to caregivers are often unclear in the daily practice. Assessment is recommended to establish risk and needs and standards for caregiver support are available. Still, the feasibility of applying these standards among caregivers in everyday clinical practice has not been tested so far. This study tested the feasibility of an intervention based on key elements of the "Bereavement support standards for specialist palliative care services" in a Danish specialised palliative home care team. We followed the UK Medical Research Council's guidelines for the process evaluation of complex interventions. The intervention consisted of: 1. Systematic risk and needs assessment for caregivers at care entry; 2. Interdisciplinary conference to prepare a support plan; 3. Targeted support; 4. The establishment of an electronic medical record for caregivers to document targeted support. Outcomes included the reach, fidelity and acceptability of the intervention as well as the assessment of contextual factors. The intervention reached 76 of 164 caregivers (46%). The interdisciplinary risk assessment and documentation of a support plan was conducted in 57 (75%) of the enrolled caregivers. Finally, a separate medical record was established according to the intervention blueprint for 62% of caregivers receiving targeted support. After managing initial challenges, palliative care staff reported that the intervention was useful and acceptable. The intervention proved feasible and useful. Still, we identified barriers to the implementation which should be taken into consideration when planning implementation of a systematic risk and needs assessment and in the establishment of medical records for caregivers.

The retention of lacosamide in patients with epilepsy and intellectual disability in three specialised institutions.

PubMed

Brenner, J; Majoie, H J M; van Beek, S; Carpay, J A

2017-11-01

We describe the effectiveness of lacosamide as adjunctive therapy in patients with epilepsy and an intellectual disability. This information is relevant, as few data exist pertaining to this population with a high prevalence of (intractable) epilepsy. We performed a retrospective study in three specialised institutions. Inclusion criteria were (1) focal onset or symptomatic generalized (2) therapy-resistant epilepsy, (3) intellectual disability and (4) residence in a care-facility for people with intellectual disabilities (PWID). The primary outcome variables were the retention rates of lacosamide, estimated through Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Secondary outcomes were reported seizure control, side effects and clinical factors influencing discontinuation. One hundred and thirty-two patients were included. The median retention time of lacosamide in our cohort was four years. The estimated one-, two- and three-year retention rates of lacosamide were 64%, 57% and 56% respectively. Severity of intellectual disability and seizure type did not influence whether lacosamide was continued. In 48.5% of patients, a reduction of seizure activity was reported. Side effects were at least part of the reason for discontinuing treatment in 26.5% of all patients. Common side effects were tiredness/somnolence (in 30.3%), aggression/agitation (24.2%), and instable gait (15.2%). Five deaths during follow-up were considered unlikely to be related to the use of lacosamide. One patient died unexpectedly within two months of treatment onset, probably this was a case of SUDEP. These retention rates of lacosamide in PWID are similar to rates of previously registered anti-epileptic drugs in PWID. Behavioural side effects were noted in a high proportion compared to the general literature on lacosamide. Other side effects were in line with this literature. Lacosamide seems effective and safe for PWID and refractory epilepsy. Copyright © 2017 British Epilepsy Association. Published by

Six decades of the chair of Internal Medicine at the Medical Faculty in Skopje.

PubMed

Chakalaroski, K

2013-01-01

The chair of internal medicine in Republic of Macedonia was created in 1947. The Department of Internal Medicine (CIM) is the most numerous at Skopje's medical faculty (currently 56 members). According to the archive material from the first session of the Scientific Teaching Council of the Faculty of Medicine (17.03.1947), Mr Mario Krmpotic (Professor of Internal Medicine) was proposed as the first Director of the Internal Clinic (1947). For reasons unknown, Mr Krmpotic never came to Skopje to accept the post. As a consequence of this fact, the real founder of the CIM was the Russian Professor Alexandar Ignjatovski (1875-1955). Mr Ignjatovski was elected as the first Director of the Clinic for Internal Medicine in 1948 for a period of 4 years (1948-1952). At the same time, he was the first Chief of the CIM in Skopje (Macedonia). Dr D. Arsov was elected as the first Assistant Professor of Medicine in 1947, and second (and last) Director of the Clinic for Internal Medicine (1952-1974). For the same period (22 years) he was Head of the CIM. Dr D. Arsov sequentially and successively became first associated and then ordinary professor of medicine in the years 1951 and 1958. The regular activities of the CIM are as follows: 1) Undergraduate education for students (Clinical Investigation, Internal Medicine, Clinical Pharmacy) in general medicine, dentistry, geriatrics, urgent and family medicine (ECKTS); Undergraduate educationfor nurses, speech therapists, physiotherapists, radiologists (high /three year/ nurses School, ECKTS); 2) Postgraduate education (candidates for specialisation in internal medicine, infectology, anaesthesiology, neurology and surgery; 3) Continual medical education (a traditional morning scientific meeting on Thursdays, 08 h; weekly meetings of all internal medicine subspecialists); Scientific meetings, symposiums, congresses of former internal medicine associations (cardiology, pulmoallergology, gastroenterology, nephrology, haematology

Recommendations of the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) on education in health and medical informatics.

PubMed

2004-01-01

The International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) agreed on international recommendations in health informatics / medical informatics education. These should help to establish courses, course tracks or even complete programs in this field, to further develop existing educational activities in the various nations and to support international initiatives concerning education in health and medical informatics (HMI), particularly international activities in educating HMI specialists and the sharing of courseware. The IMIA recommendations centre on educational needs for health care professionals to acquire knowledge and skills in information processing and information and communication technology. The educational needs are described as a three-dimensional framework. The dimensions are: 1) professionals in health care (physicians, nurses, HMI professionals, ...), 2) type of specialisation in health and medical informatics (IT users, HMI specialists) and 3) stage of career progression (bachelor, master, ...). Learning outcomes are defined in terms of knowledge and practical skills for health care professionals in their role (a) as IT user and (b) as HMI specialist. Recommendations are given for courses/course tracks in HMI as part of educational programs in medicine, nursing, health care management, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, health record administration, and informatics/computer science as well as for dedicated programs in HMI (with bachelor, master or doctor degree). To support education in HMI, IMIA offers to award a certificate for high quality HMI education and supports information exchange on programs and courses in HMI through a WWW server of its Working Group on Health and Medical Informatics Education (http://www.imia.org/wg1).

IMGT, the International ImMunoGeneTics database.

PubMed Central

Lefranc, M P; Giudicelli, V; Busin, C; Bodmer, J; Müller, W; Bontrop, R; Lemaitre, M; Malik, A; Chaume, D

1998-01-01

IMGT, the international ImMunoGeneTics database, is an integrated database specialising in Immunoglobulins (Ig), T cell Receptors (TcR) and Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) of all vertebrate species, created by Marie-Paule Lefranc, CNRS, Montpellier II University, Montpellier, France (lefranc@ligm.crbm.cnrs-mop.fr). IMGT includes three databases: LIGM-DB (for Ig and TcR), MHC/HLA-DB and PRIMER-DB (the last two in development). IMGT comprises expertly annotated sequences and alignment tables. LIGM-DB contains more than 23 000 Immunoglobulin and T cell Receptor sequences from 78 species. MHC/HLA-DB contains Class I and Class II Human Leucocyte Antigen alignment tables. An IMGT tool, DNAPLOT, developed for Ig, TcR and MHC sequence alignments, is also available. IMGT works in close collaboration with the EMBL database. IMGT goals are to establish a common data access to all immunogenetics data, including nucleotide and protein sequences, oligonucleotide primers, gene maps and other genetic data of Ig, TcR and MHC molecules, and to provide a graphical user friendly data access. IMGT has important implications in medical research (repertoire in autoimmune diseases, AIDS, leukemias, lymphomas), therapeutical approaches (antibody engineering), genome diversity and genome evolution studies. IMGT is freely available at http://imgt.cnusc.fr:8104 PMID:9399859

[Contribution of Anales de Pediatría to the international visibility of Spanish paediatric research in the Web of Science (2010-2014)].

PubMed

Abad-García, María Francisca; González-Teruel, Aurora; Solís Sánchez, Gonzalo

2016-12-01

To describe the role of Anales de Pediatría in highlighting Spanish paediatric research, and to identify the journals with which it competes internationally. Spanish paediatric articles, including those from Anales de Pediatría were identified using the Paediatrics category of the Science Citation Index (2010-2014), and their volume and document type was analysed. For original articles and review articles, the year, the citation and journal of publication was studied. The journals were classified as general and specialised. The productivity of general journals was analysed according to their language, JCR quartile, and article access. A total of 2,701 Spanish paediatric papers were identified, accounting for 2.8% of the paediatrics world output. More than two-thirds (68%) of papers were articles that received an average number of 4.97 citations per article. The 965 papers published in Anales de Pediatría accounted for 38.7% of the Spanish paediatric output, and for 1% of the paediatric world publications. A mean of 1.03 citations per article were received for 439 (45.4%) articles and reviews. Of the 106 journals identified, 82 were classified as specialised (1,196 articles) and 24 as general (741 articles). Anales de Pediatría published 60% of the articles in general journals. The rest of articles (309) were published in general journals published in English (82.8%), with a best position in the JCR ranking (83.4%) and mainly by subscription (73.8%). Anales de Pediatría plays an important role in providing international visibility to a large volume of Spanish scientific production in paediatrics. The results presented are a still only a snapshot of this role that could be used in the near future for assessing its evolution and the changes that could be made in order to improve its quality, positioning and competitiveness. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Learning styles and preferences for live and distance education: an example of a specialisation course in epidemiology

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Distance learning through the internet is increasingly popular in higher education. However, it is unknown how participants in epidemiology courses value live vs. distance education. Methods All participants of a 5-day specialisation course in epidemiology were asked to keep a diary on the number of hours they spent on course activities (both live and distance education). Attendance was not compulsory during the course and participants were therefore also asked for the reasons to attend live education (lectures and practicals). In addition, the relation between participants’ learning styles (Index of Learning Styles) and their participation in live and distance education was studied. Results All 54 (100%) participants in the course completed the questionnaire on attendance and 46 (85%) completed the questionnaire on learning styles. The number of hours attending live education was negatively correlated with the number of hours going studying distance learning materials (Pearson correlation −0.5; p < 0.001). The most important reasons to attend live education was to stay focused during lectures (50%), and to ask questions during practicals (50%). A lack of time was the most important reason not to attend lectures (52%) or practicals (61%). Learning styles were not association with the number of hours spent on live or distance education. Conclusion Distance learning may play an important role in epidemiology courses, since it allows participants to study whenever and wherever they prefer, which provides the opportunity to combine courses with clinical duties. An important requirement for distance learning education appears to be the possibility to ask questions and to interact with instructors. PMID:23819522

Learning styles and preferences for live and distance education: an example of a specialisation course in epidemiology.

PubMed

Groenwold, Rolf H H; Knol, Mirjam J

2013-07-02

Distance learning through the internet is increasingly popular in higher education. However, it is unknown how participants in epidemiology courses value live vs. distance education. All participants of a 5-day specialisation course in epidemiology were asked to keep a diary on the number of hours they spent on course activities (both live and distance education). Attendance was not compulsory during the course and participants were therefore also asked for the reasons to attend live education (lectures and practicals). In addition, the relation between participants' learning styles (Index of Learning Styles) and their participation in live and distance education was studied. All 54 (100%) participants in the course completed the questionnaire on attendance and 46 (85%) completed the questionnaire on learning styles. The number of hours attending live education was negatively correlated with the number of hours going studying distance learning materials (Pearson correlation -0.5; p < 0.001). The most important reasons to attend live education was to stay focused during lectures (50%), and to ask questions during practicals (50%). A lack of time was the most important reason not to attend lectures (52%) or practicals (61%). Learning styles were not association with the number of hours spent on live or distance education. Distance learning may play an important role in epidemiology courses, since it allows participants to study whenever and wherever they prefer, which provides the opportunity to combine courses with clinical duties. An important requirement for distance learning education appears to be the possibility to ask questions and to interact with instructors.

Hunting for agile prey: trophic specialisation in leptophryid amoebae (Vampyrellida, Rhizaria) revealed by two novel predators of planktonic algae.

PubMed

Hess, Sebastian

2017-09-01

Vampyrellid amoebae (Vampyrellida, Rhizaria) are widespread in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems and consume a wide range of eukaryotes, e.g. algae, fungi and micrometazoa. Environmental sequences indicate that only a small fraction of their genetic diversity is phenotypically characterised, emphasising the need to further explore unknown vampyrellids and their interactions with prey organisms. This study tests the prey range specificity of three vampyrellid amoebae with 49 strains of three common groups of freshwater algae (Zygnematophyceae, Euglenophyceae and Volvocales), and documents specific interactions by time-lapse microscopy. Two of the amoebae, here introduced as the novel genera Arachnomyxa and Planctomyxa based on morphology and SSU rRNA gene comparisons, display a complementary prey range and consume motile algae, namely Volvocales and Euglenophyceae, respectively. This reveals the existence of specialised 'plankton feeders' in the vampyrellid family Leptophryidae, contrasting with the strikingly broad prey range of Leptophrys vorax. The distinct autecological characteristics found in this group of morphologically rather indistinct amoebae contribute to our knowledge about the vastly understudied vampyrellid amoebae. Furthermore, time-lapse observations suggest that euglenoid movements exerted by the sluggish species of the 'Euglena deses group' as a reaction to vampyrellid contact may serve as an effective defence against microbial predators. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

2018 International Olympic Committee consensus statement on prevention, diagnosis and management of paediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.

PubMed

Ardern, Clare L; Ekås, Guri Ranum; Grindem, Hege; Moksnes, Håvard; Anderson, Allen F; Chotel, Franck; Cohen, Moises; Forssblad, Magnus; Ganley, Theodore J; Feller, Julian A; Karlsson, Jón; Kocher, Minider S; LaPrade, Robert F; McNamee, Michael; Mandelbaum, Bert; Micheli, Lyle; Mohtadi, Nicholas; Reider, Bruce; Roe, Justin; Seil, Romain; Siebold, Rainer; Silvers-Granelli, Holly J; Soligard, Torbjørn; Witvrouw, Erik; Engebretsen, Lars

2018-04-01

In October 2017, the International Olympic Committee hosted an international expert group of physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons who specialise in treating and researching paediatric ACL injuries. Representatives from the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society, European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery & Arthroscopy, International Society of Arthroscopy Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Artroscopia, Rodilla y Deporte attended. Physiotherapists and orthopaedic surgeons with clinical and research experience in the field, and an ethics expert with substantial experience in the area of sports injuries also participated. Injury management is challenging in the current landscape of clinical uncertainty and limited scientific knowledge. Injury management decisions also occur against the backdrop of the complexity of shared decision-making with children and the potential long-term ramifications of the injury. This consensus statement addresses six fundamental clinical questions regarding the prevention, diagnosis and management of paediatric ACL injuries. The aim of this consensus statement is to provide a comprehensive, evidence-informed summary to support the clinician, and help children with ACL injury and their parents/guardians make the best possible decisions. © 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.

Factors associated with Neospora caninum serostatus in cattle of 20 specialised Costa Rican dairy herds.

PubMed

Romero, J J; Perez, E; Dolz, G; Frankena, K

2002-04-15

Twenty-five specialised Costa Rican dairy farms (located in the Poás area) were used to determine neosporosis seroprevalence and the association of seropositivity with environmental and management factors. The farms involved were selected intentionally and all of them use VAMPP 5.1 (Veterinary Automated Management and Production Control Programme) as management-information system. Holstein-Friesian, Jersey and crosses between them were the most-frequent breeds in these herds. The number of females per farm varied from 41 to 296. Our cross-sectional study had two phases. In the first phase, we determined the presence or absence of seropositivity at herd level. For the second phase, all females in 20 seropositive farms were bled. Serum samples were tested for antibodies to Neospora caninum using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A questionnaire with factors mentioned in the literature was administered to the farmers. Logistic regression (LR with herd as random effect) was used to assess the relationships of the serostatus at the individual level with characteristics of the cows and environmental factors. In the first phase all herds had >20% seropositive females; therefore, all herds were eligible for the second phase. In the second phase, the overall prevalence was 39.7% (1191/3002), and within-herd prevalences were between 25.0 and 70.5%. Age 3-6 years, parity < or =2 of the dam of the cow, Jersey breed and lack of purposive sampling to diagnose abortive infectious disease were associated with positive serostatus; other management and environmental factors did not show significant associations. The lack of association between management and environmental factors with serostatus might be because all farms were exposed to a considerable number of potential factors. That all herds of this study were seropositive for neosporosis and the within-herd prevalence was considerable raises questions about how far the infection is spread in other dairy

International management platform for children's interstitial lung disease (chILD-EU).

PubMed

Griese, Matthias; Seidl, Elias; Hengst, Meike; Reu, Simone; Rock, Hans; Anthony, Gisela; Kiper, Nural; Emiralioğlu, Nagehan; Snijders, Deborah; Goldbeck, Lutz; Leidl, Reiner; Ley-Zaporozhan, Julia; Krüger-Stollfuss, Ingrid; Kammer, Birgit; Wesselak, Traudl; Eismann, Claudia; Schams, Andrea; Neuner, Doerthe; MacLean, Morag; Nicholson, Andrew G; Lauren, McCann; Clement, Annick; Epaud, Ralph; de Blic, Jacques; Ashworth, Michael; Aurora, Paul; Calder, Alistair; Wetzke, Martin; Kappler, Matthias; Cunningham, Steve; Schwerk, Nicolaus; Bush, Andy

2018-03-01

Children's interstitial lung diseases (chILD) cover many rare entities, frequently not diagnosed or studied in detail. There is a great need for specialised advice and for internationally agreed subclassification of entities collected in a register.Our objective was to implement an international management platform with independent multidisciplinary review of cases at presentation for long-term follow-up and to test if this would allow for more accurate diagnosis. Also, quality and reproducibility of a diagnostic subclassification system were assessed using a collection of 25 complex chILD cases. A web-based chILD management platform with a registry and biobank was successfully designed and implemented. Over a 3-year period, 575 patients were included for observation spanning a wide spectrum of chILD. In 346 patients, multidisciplinary reviews were completed by teams at five international sites (Munich 51%, London 12%, Hannover 31%, Ankara 1% and Paris 5%). In 13%, the diagnosis reached by the referring team was not confirmed by peer review. Among these, the diagnosis initially given was wrong (27%), imprecise (50%) or significant information was added (23%).The ability of nine expert clinicians to subcategorise the final diagnosis into the chILD-EU register classification had an overall exact inter-rater agreement of 59% on first assessment and after training, 64%. Only 10% of the 'wrong' answers resulted in allocation to an incorrect category. Subcategorisation proved useful but training is needed for optimal implementation. We have shown that chILD-EU has generated a platform to help the clinical assessment of chILD. Results, NCT02852928. © 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.

International patients with congenital heart disease: what brings them to India?

PubMed

Maheshwari, Sunita; Animasahun, B A; Njokanma, O F

2012-01-01

Factors that have led to the increasing popularity of medical travel include the high cost of healthcare, long wait times for certain procedures, the ease and affordability of international travel, and improvements in both technology and standards of care in many countries. The present study aims to elaborate the factors that attract international cardiac patients to India, to document the proportion of the admissions into the paediatric cardiac ward who are international patients, and to identify the sources of funding of the international patients. This was a prospective, cross-sectional, and analytical study carried out between May 2009 and October 2009 in the paediatric cardiac care unit of a large tertiary care cardiac centre in India paediatric wards. Structured questionnaires were administered. A total of 1372 patients were admitted during the study period, of which 155 (11.3%) were patients from countries outside India. Majority of the patients were from Malaysia (45%), Nigeria (23%), and Tanzania (15%). The age ranged from 1 month to 39 years with an average of 61 months. The male to female ratio was 1:1.4 and the majority of subjects (72.5%) were in social classes 3 and 4. cheaper cost and better expertise was the prominent reason for choosing India. More than half of the respondents were either sponsored by the government or self-funded. For patients from Nigeria 53% (9) were sponsored by self (parent), 29% (5) by non-governmental organisations (NGO), 12% (2) by the parent employer, and 6% (1) by the government. There is a need for local development of facilities and training of personnel in specialised areas of healthcare to provide succour for a significant number of nationals who might otherwise have suffered and possibly have even died of their ailment. There is also the added advantage that such facilities would save foreign currency and help boost our economy. Copyright © 2012 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights

International patients with congenital heart disease: what brings them to India?

PubMed Central

Maheshwari, Sunita; Animasahun, B.A.; Njokanma, O.F.

2012-01-01

Background Factors that have led to the increasing popularity of medical travel include the high cost of healthcare, long wait times for certain procedures, the ease and affordability of international travel, and improvements in both technology and standards of care in many countries. Aim The present study aims to elaborate the factors that attract international cardiac patients to India, to document the proportion of the admissions into the paediatric cardiac ward who are international patients, and to identify the sources of funding of the international patients. Methods This was a prospective, cross-sectional, and analytical study carried out between May 2009 and October 2009 in the paediatric cardiac care unit of a large tertiary care cardiac centre in India paediatric wards. Structured questionnaires were administered. Results A total of 1372 patients were admitted during the study period, of which 155 (11.3%) were patients from countries outside India. Majority of the patients were from Malaysia (45%), Nigeria (23%), and Tanzania (15%). The age ranged from 1 month to 39 years with an average of 61 months. The male to female ratio was 1:1.4 and the majority of subjects (72.5%) were in social classes 3 and 4. cheaper cost and better expertise was the prominent reason for choosing India. More than half of the respondents were either sponsored by the government or self-funded. For patients from Nigeria 53% (9) were sponsored by self (parent), 29% (5) by non-governmental organisations (NGO), 12% (2) by the parent employer, and 6% (1) by the government. Conclusion There is a need for local development of facilities and training of personnel in specialised areas of healthcare to provide succour for a significant number of nationals who might otherwise have suffered and possibly have even died of their ailment. There is also the added advantage that such facilities would save foreign currency and help boost our economy. PMID:22572426

Private Schooling Promotes Political and Economic Freedom? An International Fixed Effects Instrumental Variables Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeAngelis, Corey A.; Shakeel, M. Danish

2018-01-01

Specialised learning environments provided through private schooling may increase educational quality, which may increase the likelihood that citizens will pursue human rights through civic engagement. We employed 2-stage least squares year and country-level fixed effects and examined how private schooling could affect political rights, civil…

[Comparison of Patients and their Care in Urban and Rural Specialised Palliative Home Care - A Single Service Analysis].

PubMed

Heckel, M; Stiel, S; Frauendorf, T; Hanke, R M; Ostgathe, C

2016-07-01

Specialised outpatient palliative care teams (in Germany called SAPV) aim to ensure best possible end-of-life care for outpatients with complex needs. Information on the influence of living areas (rural vs. urban) on patient and care related aspects is rare. This study aims to explore differences between palliative care patients in urban and rural dwellings concerning their nursing and service characteristics. A retrospective data analysis of documentary data for 502 patients supplied by SAPV team from December 2009 to June 2012 was conducted. Patients and care characteristics were investigated by frequency analysis and were compared for both groups of urban and rural dwelling patients (T test, Chi², Fisher's exact test p < 0.05). 387 complete data sets could be included. Urban (n=197) and rural (n=190) dwelling patients were almost equally sized groups. The mean age of the whole sample was 74.5 years, 55.3% were female. Most patients were diagnosed with cancer (76.8%). No significant differences in urban and rural dwelling patients concerning most demographics, care, disease and service related aspects of palliative home care could be detected. An exception is that the rate of re-admittance to hospital is higher for rural dwelling patients (Fisher's exact test p=0.022). Although predominantly presumed, the single service analysis shows - except for the re-admittance rate to hospital - no considerable differences between palliative care patients regarding their living area. Our findings indicate that patients cared for in rural and urban settings have similar needs and impose similar requirements on palliative care teams. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Hemispheric specialisation for imitation of hand-head positions and finger configurations: a controlled study in patients with complete callosotomy.

PubMed

Lausberg, Hedda; Cruz, Robyn Flaum

2004-01-01

Several studies of patients with unilateral brain damage and a patient with spontaneous callosal disconnection [Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 61 (1996) 176; Neuropsychologia 37 (1999) 559; Neuropsychologia 39 (2001) 1432] suggest that the imitation of positions of the hand relative to the head is a strongly lateralised left hemispheric function. In contrast, the imitation of finger configurations draws on resources of both hemispheres with a predominance of the right hemisphere. While these findings suggest a specific pattern of imitation impairment in split-brain patients, thus far, no imitation deficits have been reported in split-brain patients. Three patients with complete callosotomy and two control groups, four patients with partial callosotomy and 10 healthy subjects, imitated hand-head positions and finger configurations with non-lateralised and tachistoscopic stimulus presentation. In addition, the influence of visual control on the imitation performance was examined. One split-brain patient showed the predicted dissociation as she had severe right hemispheric deficit in imitating hand-head positions, while finger configuration imitation was preserved. The other two split-brain patients had no impairment in hand-head position imitation. Withdrawal of visual control significantly deteriorated imitation of finger configurations in the split-brain group, but not in the controls, demonstrating that the split-brain patients relied heavily on visual control as a compensatory strategy indicating an imitation deficit in the separate hemispheres. The findings question the previously held belief that in split-brain patients both hemispheres are perfectly capable of imitating gestures and that imitation is not dependent on hemispherically specialised functions.

Database Development for Ocean Impacts: Imaging, Outreach and Rapid Response

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-18

Edds-Walton, R R. Fay Specialisation for underwater hearing in the red-eared slider turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans Association for Research in...hearing in the red-eared slider turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans . International Society for Neuroethology 2010 Ketten, D. R., Arruda, ,J., S

Psychometric properties of a sign language version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI).

PubMed

Øhre, Beate; Saltnes, Hege; von Tetzchner, Stephen; Falkum, Erik

2014-05-22

There is a need for psychiatric assessment instruments that enable reliable diagnoses in persons with hearing loss who have sign language as their primary language. The objective of this study was to assess the validity of the Norwegian Sign Language (NSL) version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The MINI was translated into NSL. Forty-one signing patients consecutively referred to two specialised psychiatric units were assessed with a diagnostic interview by clinical experts and with the MINI. Inter-rater reliability was assessed with Cohen's kappa and "observed agreement". There was 65% agreement between MINI diagnoses and clinical expert diagnoses. Kappa values indicated fair to moderate agreement, and observed agreement was above 76% for all diagnoses. The MINI diagnosed more co-morbid conditions than did the clinical expert interview (mean diagnoses: 1.9 versus 1.2). Kappa values indicated moderate to substantial agreement, and "observed agreement" was above 88%. The NSL version performs similarly to other MINI versions and demonstrates adequate reliability and validity as a diagnostic instrument for assessing mental disorders in persons who have sign language as their primary and preferred language.

E-Learning Adoption: The Role of Relative Advantages, Trialability and Academic Specialisation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsbollah, Hafizah Mohamad; Idris, Kamil Md.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate Universiti Utara Malaysia UUM lecturers' perception of the decision regarding adopting e-learning as a teaching tool. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 244 lecturers in Universiti Utara Malaysia. Internal consistency using Cronbach alpha and exploratory factor analysis with…

Strategic establishment of an International Pharmacology Specialty Laboratory in a resource-limited setting.

PubMed

Mtisi, Takudzwa J; Maponga, Charles; Monera-Penduka, Tsitsi G; Mudzviti, Tinashe; Chagwena, Dexter; Makita-Chingombe, Faithful; DiFranchesco, Robin; Morse, Gene D

2018-01-01

A growing number of drug development studies that include pharmacokinetic evaluations are conducted in regions lacking a specialised pharmacology laboratory. This necessitated the development of an International Pharmacology Specialty Laboratory (IPSL) in Zimbabwe. The aim of this article is to describe the development of an IPSL in Zimbabwe. The IPSL was developed collaboratively by the University of Zimbabwe and the University at Buffalo Center for Integrated Global Biomedical Sciences. Key stages included infrastructure development, establishment of quality management systems and collaborative mentorship in clinical pharmacology study design and chromatographic assay development and validation. Two high performance liquid chromatography instruments were donated by an instrument manufacturer and a contract research organisation. Laboratory space was acquired through association with the Zimbabwe national drug regulatory authority. Operational policies, standard operating procedures and a document control system were established. Scientists and technicians were trained in aspects relevant to IPSL operations. A high-performance liquid chromatography method for nevirapine was developed with the guidance of the Clinical Pharmacology Quality Assurance programme and approved by the assay method review programme. The University of Zimbabwe IPSL is engaged with the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Division of AIDS research networks and is poised to begin drug assays and pharmacokinetic analyses. An IPSL has been successfully established in a resource-limited setting through the efforts of an external partnership providing technical guidance and motivated internal faculty and staff. Strategic partnerships were beneficial in navigating challenges leading to laboratory development and training new investigators. The IPSL is now engaged in clinical pharmacology research.

Relationships and dependencies between different forms of concept representation: Study in three levels of specialisation of texts on aircraft fuel-system installations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monterde Rey, Ana Maria

In the area of terminology, one can find very little literature about the relationships and dependencies between linguistic and non-linguistic forms of concept representation. Furthermore, a large gap exists in the studies of non-linguistic forms. All of this constitutes the central problem in our thesis that we attempt to solve. Following an onomasiologic process of creating a terminological database, we have analysed and related, using three levels of specialisation (expert, student, and general public), the various linguistic forms (term, definition, and explanation) and a non-linguistic form (illustration) of concept representation in the area of aeronautical fuel-system installations. Specifically, of the aforementioned forms of conceptual representation, we have studied the adaptation of the level of knowledge of the material to those to whom the texts are addressed. Additionally, we have examined the formation, origin, etimology, foreign words, polysemy, synonymy, and typology of each term. We have also described in the following detail the characteristics of each type of illustration isolated in our corpus: the relationship to the object or to the concept, the existence of text and terms (linguistic media) within the illustrations, the degree of abstraction, the a priori knowledge necessary to interpret the illustrations, and, the existence of grafic symbols. Finally, we have related all linguistic and non-linguistic forms of conceptual representation.

Holocene re-colonisation, central-marginal distribution and habitat specialisation shape population genetic patterns within an Atlantic European grass species.

PubMed

Harter, D E V; Jentsch, A; Durka, W

2015-05-01

Corynephorus canescens (L.) P.Beauv. is an outbreeding, short-lived and wind-dispersed grass species, highly specialised on scattered and disturbance-dependent habitats of open sandy sites. Its distribution ranges from the Iberian Peninsula over Atlantic regions of Western and Central Europe, but excludes the two other classical European glacial refuge regions on the Apennine and Balkan Peninsulas. To investigate genetic patterns of this uncommon combination of ecological and biogeographic species characteristics, we analysed AFLP variation among 49 populations throughout the European distribution range, expecting (i) patterns of SW European glacial refugia and post-glacial expansion to the NE; (ii) decreasing genetic diversity from central to marginal populations; and (iii) interacting effects of high gene flow and disturbance-driven genetic drift. Decreasing genetic diversity from SW to NE and distinct gene pool clustering imply refugia on the Iberian Peninsula and in western France, from where range expansion originated towards the NE. High genetic diversity within and moderate genetic differentiation among populations, and a significant pattern of isolation-by-distance indicate a gene flow drift equilibrium within C. canescens, probably due to its restriction to scattered and dynamic habitats and limited dispersal distances. These features, as well as the re-colonisation history, were found to affect genetic diversity gradients from central to marginal populations. Our study emphasises the need for including the specific ecology into analyses of species (re-)colonisation histories and range centre-margin analyses. To account for discontinuous distributions, new indices of marginality were tested for their suitability in studies of centre-periphery gradients. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

The effectiveness of a specialised oral nutrition supplement on outcomes in patients with chronic wounds: a pragmatic randomised study.

PubMed

Bauer, J D; Isenring, E; Waterhouse, M

2013-10-01

Nutrition supplements enriched with immune function enhancing nutrients have been developed to aid wound-healing, although evidence regarding their effectiveness is limited and systematic reviews have lead to inconsistent recommendations. The present pragmatic, randomised, prospective open trial evaluated a wound-specific oral nutrition supplement enriched with arginine, vitamin C and zinc compared to a standard supplement with respect to outcomes in patients with chronic wounds in an acute care setting. Twenty-four patients [11 males and 13 females; mean (SD) age: 67.8 (22.3) years] with chronic wounds (14 diabetic or venous ulcers; 10 pressure ulcers or chronic surgical wounds) were randomised to receive either a wound-specific supplement (n = 12) or standard supplement (n = 12) for 4 weeks, with ongoing best wound and nutrition care for an additional 4 weeks. At baseline, and at 4 and 8 weeks, the rate of wound-healing, nutritional status, protein and energy intake, quality of life and product satisfaction were measured. Linear mixed effects modelling with random intercepts and slopes were fitted to determine whether the wound-specific nutritional supplement had any effect. There was a significant improvement in wound-healing in patients receiving the standard nutrition supplement compared to a wound-specific supplement (P = 0.044), although there was no effect on nutritional status, dietary intake, quality of life and patient satisfaction. The results of the present study indicate that a standard oral nutrition supplement may be more effective at wound-healing than a specialised wound supplement in this clinical setting. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Vulnerability of bridges to scour: insights from an international expert elicitation workshop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, Rob; Aspinall, Willy; Odbert, Henry; Wagener, Thorsten

2017-08-01

Scour (localised erosion) during flood events is one of the most significant threats to bridges over rivers and estuaries, and has been the cause of numerous bridge failures, with damaging consequences. Mitigation of the risk of bridges being damaged by scour is therefore important to many infrastructure owners, and is supported by industry guidance. Even after mitigation, some residual risk remains, though its extent is difficult to quantify because of the uncertainties inherent in the prediction of scour and the assessment of the scour risk. This paper summarises findings from an international expert workshop on bridge scour risk assessment that explores uncertainties about the vulnerability of bridges to scour. Two specialised structured elicitation methods were applied to explore the factors that experts in the field consider important when assessing scour risk and to derive pooled expert judgements of bridge failure probabilities that are conditional on a range of assumed scenarios describing flood event severity, bridge and watercourse types and risk mitigation protocols. The experts' judgements broadly align with industry good practice, but indicate significant uncertainty about quantitative estimates of bridge failure probabilities, reflecting the difficulty in assessing the residual risk of failure. The data and findings presented here could provide a useful context for the development of generic scour fragility models and their associated uncertainties.

Perceptions of medical students and their mentors in a specialised programme designed to provide insight into non-traditional career paths

PubMed Central

Josephson, Anna; Stenfors-Hayes, Terese

2011-01-01

Objectives This pilot study explores the perceptions of medical students and their individual mentors who advised them in a specialised programme where students gained insight into non-tradition career paths. Methods Twelve medical students in years 3-6 at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden were recruited to the Prominentia mentor programme where they were individually paired with mentors who met with them to discuss and advise them on non-traditional career paths. Application letters of students to join the programme as well as electronically distributed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to assess the perceptions of mentors and students to the programme. Both the questionnaire and the interview transcripts were thematised using content analysis. Results In terms of expectations and requests, the application letters showed that all students specified their career goals and the type of mentor they desired. Whereas mentors in general had fewer requests and some had no specific demands. In light of perceived effects, all mentors felt they discussed future careers with their students and the majority of students responded the same way, with some interesting deviations. Most discussed topics during meetings were: future career, medical education, combinations of private life and work, and work environment. Conclusions This pilot study revealed that students appreciated receiving inspiration and seeing career path opportunities outside academic medicine as well as receiving support in personal and professional development and guidance about the students’ role as a doctor. However, discrepancies were found regarding how mentors and students respectively perceived the mentor programme.

Measuring the migration of the components and polyethylene wear after total hip arthroplasty: beads and specialised radiographs are not necessary.

PubMed

Devane, P A; Horne, J G; Foley, G; Stanley, J

2017-10-01

This paper describes the methodology, validation and reliability of a new computer-assisted method which uses models of the patient's bones and the components to measure their migration and polyethylene wear from radiographs after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Models of the patient's acetabular and femoral component obtained from the manufacturer and models of the patient's pelvis and femur built from a single computed tomography (CT) scan, are used by a computer program to measure the migration of the components and the penetration of the femoral head from anteroposterior and lateral radiographs taken at follow-up visits. The program simulates the radiographic setup and matches the position and orientation of the models to outlines of the pelvis, the acetabular and femoral component, and femur on radiographs. Changes in position and orientation reflect the migration of the components and the penetration of the femoral head. Validation was performed using radiographs of phantoms simulating known migration and penetration, and the clinical feasibility of measuring migration was assessed in two patients. Migration of the acetabular and femoral components can be measured with limits of agreement (LOA) of 0.37 mm and 0.33 mm, respectively. Penetration of the femoral head can be measured with LOA of 0.161 mm. The migration of components and polyethylene wear can be measured without needing specialised radiographs. Accurate measurement may allow earlier prediction of failure after THA. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:1290-7. ©2017 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

The Odd Couple: The Australian NAPLAN and Singaporean PSLE

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenlees, Jane

2013-01-01

The use of high-stakes assessment to measure students' mathematical performance has become commonplace in schools all over the world. Such assessment instruments provide national or international comparisons of student (and potentially teacher performance). Each form of assessment is specialised in nature and is characteristic of the culture and…

Human resources for health in southeast Asia: shortages, distributional challenges, and international trade in health services.

PubMed

Kanchanachitra, Churnrurtai; Lindelow, Magnus; Johnston, Timothy; Hanvoravongchai, Piya; Lorenzo, Fely Marilyn; Huong, Nguyen Lan; Wilopo, Siswanto Agus; dela Rosa, Jennifer Frances

2011-02-26

In this paper, we address the issues of shortage and maldistribution of health personnel in southeast Asia in the context of the international trade in health services. Although there is no shortage of health workers in the region overall, when analysed separately, five low-income countries have some deficit. All countries in southeast Asia face problems of maldistribution of health workers, and rural areas are often understaffed. Despite a high capacity for medical and nursing training in both public and private facilities, there is weak coordination between production of health workers and capacity for employment. Regional experiences and policy responses to address these challenges can be used to inform future policy in the region and elsewhere. A distinctive feature of southeast Asia is its engagement in international trade in health services. Singapore and Malaysia import health workers to meet domestic demand and to provide services to international patients. Thailand attracts many foreign patients for health services. This situation has resulted in the so-called brain drain of highly specialised staff from public medical schools to the private hospitals. The Philippines and Indonesia are the main exporters of doctors and nurses in the region. Agreements about mutual recognition of professional qualifications for three groups of health workers under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Framework Agreement on Services could result in increased movement within the region in the future. To ensure that vital human resources for health are available to meet the needs of the populations that they serve, migration management and retention strategies need to be integrated into ongoing efforts to strengthen health systems in southeast Asia. There is also a need for improved dialogue between the health and trade sectors on how to balance economic opportunities associated with trade in health services with domestic health needs and equity issues. Copyright © 2011

Effects of Electromagnetic Noise and Interference on Performance of Military Radio Communication Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-01

December 1988 Copyright C AGARD 1988 All Rights Reserved ISBN 92-835-0487-9 b Printed by Specialised Printing Services Limited 40 Chigwell Lane...atmospheric radio noise, Report No. 322-3, International Telecommunication Union, Geneva, 1986. (6) Giordano, A. A., J. R. Herman, X. A. DeAngelis, K. F...tne CCIR Xth Plenary Assembly. Geneva, 1963, Report 322, International Telecommunications Union, Geneva, 1964. 5. Maxwell, E.L., D.L. Stone, R.D

A systematic review of clinician-rated instruments to assess adults' levels of functioning in specialised public sector mental health services.

PubMed

Burgess, Philip M; Harris, Meredith G; Coombs, Tim; Pirkis, Jane E

2017-04-01

Functioning is one of the key domains emphasised in the routine assessment of outcomes that has been occurring in specialised public sector mental health services across Australia since 2002, via the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection. For adult consumers (aged 18-64), the 16-item Life Skills Profile (LSP-16) has been the instrument of choice to measure functioning. However, review of the National Outcomes and Casemix Collection protocol has highlighted some limitations to the current approach to measuring functioning. A systematic review was conducted to identify, against a set of pre-determined criteria, the most suitable existing clinician-rated instruments for the routine measurement of functioning for adult consumers. We used two existing reviews of functioning measures as our starting point and conducted a search of MEDLINE and PsycINFO to identify articles relating to additional clinician-rated instruments. We evaluated identified instruments using a hierarchical, criterion-based approach. The criteria were as follows: (1) is brief (<50 items) and simple to score, (2) is not made redundant by more recent instruments, (3) relevant version has been scientifically scrutinised, (4) considers functioning in a contemporary way and (5) demonstrates sound psychometric properties. We identified 20 relevant instruments, 5 of which met our criteria: the LSP-16, the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales, the Illness Management and Recovery Scale-Clinician Version, the Multnomah Community Ability Scale and the Personal and Social Performance Scale. Further work is required to determine which, if any, of these instruments satisfy further criteria relating to their appropriateness for assessing functioning within relevant service contexts, acceptability to clinicians and consumers, and feasibility in routine practice. This should involve seeking stakeholders' opinions (e.g. about the specific domains of functioning covered by each instrument and the language used in

Molar incisor hypomineralisation: experience and perceived challenges among dentists specialising in paediatric dentistry and a group of general dental practitioners in the UK.

PubMed

Kalkani, M; Balmer, R C; Homer, R M; Day, P F; Duggal, M S

2016-04-01

To assess the views and experience of the UK dentists specialising in paediatric dentistry (trainees) about molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) and compare the findings with the responses from a group of UK general dental practitioners. A web-based questionnaire was sent to dentists undergoing specialist training in paediatric dentistry. The same questionnaire was completed by a group of general dentists who stated an interest in treating children, with various levels of experience. The questionnaire sought information on clinical experience and the views of the dentists on the impact of MIH on children and families. Specialty trainees (37) from different paediatric dental departments in the UK completed the online survey, giving a total response rate of 71%. The questionnaire was also completed by 31 general dental practitioners. There was difficulty in distinguishing MIH from other conditions for both groups. Increased sensitivity of affected teeth was the most frequently encountered problem with 51% of the trainees and 76% of the dentists saying this was often or always a challenge. The trainees were particularly concerned about the pain children experienced and about the appearance of the condition. Both groups felt that parental anxiety occurred in almost all cases. Both groups felt that MIH presents several clinical challenges and has a negative effect on the quality of life of the affected children and their families. There were significant differences in the views and perceptions between the two groups.

Framing Interculturality: A Corpus-Based Analysis of Online Promotional Discourse of Higher Education Intercultural Communication Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hua, Zhu; Handford, Michael; Young, Tony Johnstone

2017-01-01

This paper examines how intercultural communication (ICC) and the notion of culture are framed in on-line promotional discourse of higher education (HE) ICC courses. It analyses a specialised corpus comprised of 14,842 words from 43 course websites of master's programmes in ICC in the UK and the US--internationally, the two largest providers of…

Identifying research priorities for patient safety in mental health: an international expert Delphi study

PubMed Central

Murray, Kevin; Thibaut, Bethan; Ramtale, Sonny Christian; Adam, Sheila; Darzi, Ara; Archer, Stephanie

2018-01-01

Objective Physical healthcare has dominated the patient safety field; research in mental healthcare is not as extensive but findings from physical healthcare cannot be applied to mental healthcare because it delivers specialised care that faces unique challenges. Therefore, a clearer focus and recognition of patient safety in mental health as a distinct research area is still needed. The study aim is to identify future research priorities in the field of patient safety in mental health. Design Semistructured interviews were conducted with the experts to ascertain their views on research priorities in patient safety in mental health. A three-round online Delphi study was used to ascertain consensus on 117 research priority statements. Setting and participants Academic and service user experts from the USA, UK, Switzerland, Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore were included. Main outcome measures Agreement in research priorities on a five-point scale. Results Seventy-nine statements achieved consensus (>70%). Three out of the top six research priorities were patient driven; experts agreed that understanding the patient perspective on safety planning, on self-harm and on medication was important. Conclusions This is the first international Delphi study to identify research priorities in safety in the mental field as determined by expert academic and service user perspectives. A reasonable consensus was obtained from international perspectives on future research priorities in patient safety in mental health; however, the patient perspective on their mental healthcare is a priority. The research agenda for patient safety in mental health identified here should be informed by patient safety science more broadly and used to further establish this area as a priority in its own right. The safety of mental health patients must have parity with that of physical health patients to achieve this. PMID:29502096

Clinical management of patients with hypertension and high cardiovascular risk in specialised centers and in general practice. Analysis from an Italian Survey Questionnaire.

PubMed

Tocci, G; Palano, F; Battistoni, A; Citoni, B; Musumeci, M B; Ferrucci, A; Borghi, C; Volpe, M

2015-09-01

Hypertension control remains poorly achieved worldwide, despite the use of modern diagnostic tools and advanced therapeutic strategies. We aimed to evaluate the preferences expressed by either specialised physicians (SPs) or general practitioners (GPs) for the clinical management of hypertension and high cardiovascular risk in Italy. A predefined questionnaire was anonymously administered to a large community sample of physicians, stratified according to clinical expertise. From a total of 64 questions, 557 physicians (478 male, mean age 54.2 ± 7.1 years, average age of medical activity 28.0 ± 8.1 years), including 261 (46.9%) SPs and 296 (53.1%) GPs, provided 9564 answers to the survey questionnaire. Involved clinicians spent the majority of their time and practice for hypertension management and control. SPs aimed to achieve the recommended BP targets (<140/90 mmHg), whereas GPs tended to achieve more rigorous BP goals (<130/80 mmHg); nonetheless, they both reported a very high rate of BP control (about 70%). Concomitant presence of diabetes, organ damage, as well as comorbidities, was reported to be relatively frequent (26-50%), mostly by SPs. ESH/ESC 2007 risk score stratification was preferred by SPs compared to GPs, who favored a comprehensive clinical evaluation. ACE inhibitors or ARBs were considered the best pharmacological option to start antihypertensive treatment, thus adding diuretics or calcium-channel blockers, if needed. This predefined analysis of a survey questionnaire showed relatively different opinions with respect to recommended BP targets and distributions of cardiovascular risk profile, and similar diagnostic and therapeutic choices between GPs and SPs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[The most cited themes in the research in the field of Mental Health: analyses of six international nursing and medical journals].

PubMed

Cunico, Laura; Fredo, Susanna; Bernini, Massimo

2017-01-01

The review aimed to identify and analyse the future development on the topic by analysing the main themes discussed in number of scientific journal focused on Mental Health both by nurses and physicians.. 4 international journals focused on Mental health and psychiatry International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, American Journal of Psychiatry, Australian and New Zeland Journal of Psychiatry as well as two journal focused generically on health, Journal of Advanced Nursing and Lancet were scrutinized. We have analysed the papers of 2012-2015 for the specialised journals and last and first 6 months of 2012 and 2013 and 2014-2015 for the generic. Editorials, comments and contributions regarding theoretical models were exluded. From the analysis we identified 9 themes and for each theme the pertinent category. For the diagnostic grouping we used the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision. A trend in research about mood disorders, schizophrenia and addictions and comorbidity emerged according to the 2099 abstracts analysed. Within medical research antidepressants were the most studied psychotropic medication and cognitive behaviour therapy was the most studied psychotherapy. Within nursing research: the nurse-patient relationship, adherence and monitoring of pharmacological therapy, the treatment planning and the working environment, the nursing training and its efficacy. The clinical research trials were twice as frequent in the medical versus nursing research where qualitative research prevails. The research challenge will be to find a new paradigm fit for the future psychiatry having at its disposition the patient's genoma, and needing to routinely use biomarkers for a personalised therapy. A further challenge might be the promotion of interprofessional research between doctors and nurses and the acquisition of new competences of health professionals needed to tackle the

Transvaginal duplex ultrasonography appears to be the gold standard investigation for the haemodynamic evaluation of pelvic venous reflux in the ovarian and internal iliac veins in women.

PubMed

Whiteley, M S; Dos Santos, S J; Harrison, C C; Holdstock, J M; Lopez, A J

2015-12-01

To assess the suitability of transvaginal duplex ultrasonography to identify pathological reflux in the ovarian and internal iliac veins in women. A retrospective study of patients treated in 2011 and 2012 was performed in a specialised vein clinic. Diagnostic transvaginal duplex ultrasonography in women presenting with symptoms or signs of pelvic vein reflux were compared with the outcomes of treatment from pelvic vein embolisation. A repeat transvaginal duplex ultrasonography was performed 6 weeks later by a blinded observer and any residual reflux was identified. Results from 100 sequential patients were analysed. Mean age 44.2 years (32-69) with mode average parity of 3 (0-5 deliveries). Pre-treatment, 289/400 veins were refluxing (ovarian - 29 right, 81 left; internal iliac - 93 right, 86 left). Coil embolisation was successful in 86/100 patients and failed partially in 14/100 - 5 due to failure to cannulate the target vein. One false-positive diagnosis was made. Currently there is no accepted gold standard for pelvic vein incompetence. Comparing transvaginal duplex ultrasonography with the outcome from selectively treating the veins identified as having pathological reflux with coil embolisation, there were no false-negative diagnoses and only one false-positive. This study suggests that transvaginal duplex ultrasonography could be the gold standard in assessing pelvic vein reflux. © The Author(s) 2014.

Discursive Positioning in Norwegian Teacher Education: Shifting from Cross-Curricularity to Skills-Based Subject Specialisation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braathe, Hans Jorgen

2012-01-01

Late and limited organisational differentiation is a characteristic which has, until now, distinguished the structure of education -- including teacher education - in the Nordic countries from that of the rest of Europe. However, this tradition is now challenged by utilitarian ideologies, supported by international comparison tests such as PISA…

Testofen, a specialised Trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract reduces age-related symptoms of androgen decrease, increases testosterone levels and improves sexual function in healthy aging males in a double-blind randomised clinical study.

PubMed

Rao, Amanda; Steels, Elizabeth; Inder, Warrick J; Abraham, Suzanne; Vitetta, Luis

2016-06-01

This study examined the effect of Testofen, a specialised Trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract on the symptoms of possible androgen deficiency, sexual function and serum androgen concentrations in healthy aging males. This was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial involving 120 healthy men aged between 43 and 70 years of age. The active treatment was standardised Trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract at a dose of 600 mg/day for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the change in the Aging Male Symptom questionnaire (AMS), a measure of possible androgen deficiency symptoms; secondary outcome measures were sexual function and serum testosterone. There was a significant decrease in AMS score over time and between the active and placebo groups. Sexual function improved, including number of morning erections and frequency of sexual activity. Both total serum testosterone and free testosterone increased compared to placebo after 12 weeks of active treatment. Trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract is a safe and effective treatment for reducing symptoms of possible androgen deficiency, improves sexual function and increases serum testosterone in healthy middle-aged and older men.

The JASMIN Cloud: specialised and hybrid to meet the needs of the Environmental Sciences Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kershaw, Philip; Lawrence, Bryan; Churchill, Jonathan; Pritchard, Matt

2014-05-01

the entire UK environmental science community. Experience with the first phase demonstrated the range of user needs. A trade-off is needed between access privileges to resources, flexibility of use and security. This has influenced the form and types of service under development for the new phase. JASMIN will deploy a specialised private cloud organised into "Managed" and "Unmanaged" components. In the Managed Cloud, users have direct access to the storage and compute resources for optimal performance but for reasons of security, via a more restrictive PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) interface. The Unmanaged Cloud is deployed in an isolated part of the network but co-located with the rest of the infrastructure. This enables greater liberty to tenants - full IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) capability to provision customised infrastructure - whilst at the same time protecting more sensitive parts of the system from direct access using these elevated privileges. The private cloud will be augmented with cloud-bursting capability so that it can exploit the resources available from public clouds, making it effectively a hybrid solution. A single interface will overlay the functionality of both the private cloud and external interfaces to public cloud providers giving users the flexibility to migrate resources between infrastructures as requirements dictate.

Evaluation of a rabies ELISA as an alternative method to seroneutralisation tests in the context of international trade of domestic carnivores.

PubMed

Wasniewski, M; Labbe, A; Tribout, L; Rieder, J; Labadie, A; Schereffer, J L; Cliquet, F

2014-01-01

For several years, international movements with pets have greatly increased. Most countries have relaxed their quarantine measures and adopted a scheme combining vaccination of pets against rabies followed by a serological test to check the efficacy of vaccination. This new scheme has been strongly supported by the OIE, WHO and the European Commission to facilitate the free movement of people and pets around the world. Currently, only two reference methods are recognised and prescribed (the FAVN test and the RFFIT) to measure rabies antibody levels in serum samples for international trade. They are reliable and valuable methods of assessing the efficacy of rabies vaccination but they are time-consuming and require well-trained people and specialised laboratory facilities. A few years ago, an ELISA (Platelia™ Rabies II kit ad usum Veterinarium) was developed for domestic carnivores and wildlife. To our knowledge, this ELISA is the only one certified and prescribed by the OIE. Following its marketing, one task of the EURL for rabies serology was to evaluate the performance of laboratories using this new kit. The results revealed that 26% of the participants, which were already approved laboratories for rabies serology, failed the inter-laboratory trial. Such unsatisfactory results have never been observed during any of the previous proficiency tests organised annually since 2000 by the EURL for rabies serology using reference methods. More investigations were undertaken through internal and collaborative studies to assess the performance of this newly marketed ELISA kit. The results of the internal study revealed that even with a specificity of 100%, the sensitivity evaluated on 593 samples of domestic carnivores came to 78.2%. An issue regarding the underestimation of serum titres was also revealed during the study. The results of a collaborative study involving 23 international laboratories reinforced the preliminary conclusions regarding lack of sensitivity

Specialty preferences among medical students in Botswana.

PubMed

Rukewe, Ambrose; Abebe, W A; Fatiregun, A A; Kgantshang, M

2017-06-08

With the establishment of a new medical college in Botswana to train generalist-doctors and specialists, we set out to explore the career preferences of medical students, factors that influence their choices and attitude to local postgraduate training. A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among medical students in their third to fifth year, at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana. The structured, self-administered questionnaires which were hand-delivered covered demographic characteristics of responders, career choices, preferred location of specialisation and factors that influenced the choices. Of the 143 medical students approached, 116 (81.0%) returned completed questionnaires. Of the responders, 102 (87.9%) intend to pursue postgraduate specialisation against 2 (1.7%) who declined; 12 (10.3%) were undecided. The four most preferred specialties which constituted 68.1% were surgery (28.4%), paediatrics (19.0%), internal medicine (12.9%), obstetrics and gynaecology (7.2%). There was male preference for surgery (p = 0.04), while women were drawn more towards paediatrics and psychiatry (p = 0.04 and p = 0.01, respectively). Personal interest and aptitude was considered the most important factor among most responders (46.2%), followed by enjoyment of the posting (19.8%). A high proportion of responders 80 (69.0%) preferred to specialise abroad for better exposure/opportunities (48.3%), while for 15.5%, their preferred courses are not currently available locally. Our findings indicated that while four major specialties are preferred, significant gender differences exist with female students leaning towards non-surgical disciplines. Students prefer specialising abroad on the pretext that foreign centres offer better training opportunities, and many specialist programmes are unavailable locally.

Adaptive functional specialisation of architectural design and fibre type characteristics in agonist shoulder flexor muscles of the llama, Lama glama.

PubMed

Graziotti, Guillermo H; Chamizo, Verónica E; Ríos, Clara; Acevedo, Luz M; Rodríguez-Menéndez, J M; Victorica, C; Rivero, José-Luis L

2012-08-01

Like other camelids, llamas (Lama glama) have the natural ability to pace (moving ipsilateral limbs in near synchronicity). But unlike the Old World camelids (bactrian and dromedary camels), they are well adapted for pacing at slower or moderate speeds in high-altitude habitats, having been described as good climbers and used as pack animals for centuries. In order to gain insight into skeletal muscle design and to ascertain its relationship with the llama's characteristic locomotor behaviour, this study examined the correspondence between architecture and fibre types in two agonist muscles involved in shoulder flexion (M. teres major - TM and M. deltoideus, pars scapularis - DS and pars acromialis - DA). Architectural properties were found to be correlated with fibre-type characteristics both in DS (long fibres, low pinnation angle, fast-glycolytic fibre phenotype with abundant IIB fibres, small fibre size, reduced number of capillaries per fibre and low oxidative capacity) and in DA (short fibres, high pinnation angle, slow-oxidative fibre phenotype with numerous type I fibres, very sparse IIB fibres, and larger fibre size, abundant capillaries and high oxidative capacity). This correlation suggests a clear division of labour within the M. deltoideus of the llama, DS being involved in rapid flexion of the shoulder joint during the swing phase of the gait, and DA in joint stabilisation during the stance phase. However, the architectural design of the TM muscle (longer fibres and lower fibre pinnation angle) was not strictly matched with its fibre-type characteristics (very similar to those of the postural DA muscle). This unusual design suggests a dual function of the TM muscle both in active flexion of the shoulder and in passive support of the limb during the stance phase, pulling the forelimb to the trunk. This functional specialisation seems to be well suited to a quadruped species that needs to increase ipsilateral stability of the limb during the support

Adaptive functional specialisation of architectural design and fibre type characteristics in agonist shoulder flexor muscles of the llama, Lama glama

PubMed Central

Graziotti, Guillermo H; Chamizo, Verónica E; Ríos, Clara; Acevedo, Luz M; Rodríguez-Menéndez, J M; Victorica, C; Rivero, José-Luis L

2012-01-01

Like other camelids, llamas (Lama glama) have the natural ability to pace (moving ipsilateral limbs in near synchronicity). But unlike the Old World camelids (bactrian and dromedary camels), they are well adapted for pacing at slower or moderate speeds in high-altitude habitats, having been described as good climbers and used as pack animals for centuries. In order to gain insight into skeletal muscle design and to ascertain its relationship with the llama’s characteristic locomotor behaviour, this study examined the correspondence between architecture and fibre types in two agonist muscles involved in shoulder flexion (M. teres major – TM and M. deltoideus, pars scapularis – DS and pars acromialis – DA). Architectural properties were found to be correlated with fibre-type characteristics both in DS (long fibres, low pinnation angle, fast-glycolytic fibre phenotype with abundant IIB fibres, small fibre size, reduced number of capillaries per fibre and low oxidative capacity) and in DA (short fibres, high pinnation angle, slow-oxidative fibre phenotype with numerous type I fibres, very sparse IIB fibres, and larger fibre size, abundant capillaries and high oxidative capacity). This correlation suggests a clear division of labour within the M. deltoideus of the llama, DS being involved in rapid flexion of the shoulder joint during the swing phase of the gait, and DA in joint stabilisation during the stance phase. However, the architectural design of the TM muscle (longer fibres and lower fibre pinnation angle) was not strictly matched with its fibre-type characteristics (very similar to those of the postural DA muscle). This unusual design suggests a dual function of the TM muscle both in active flexion of the shoulder and in passive support of the limb during the stance phase, pulling the forelimb to the trunk. This functional specialisation seems to be well suited to a quadruped species that needs to increase ipsilateral stability of the limb during the

[Health care research within international normative frameworks and the literature : assessment, stakes and recommendations].

PubMed

Gogognon, Patrick; Godard, Béatrice

2017-05-22

Research in health occupies a central place in the elaboration of public policies and the interventions that aim to reduce inequality and make the right to health effective. However, research in health remains marked by inequalities which particularly affect developing countries. The objective of this critical recension of the international normative frameworks and the scientific literature is to present a summary of the assessment, underline the challenges and identify the main recommendations as well as the ethical principles that aim to reduce inequalities in the field of health research. The normative frameworks included in this recension have been adopted by the United Nations Organisation through its agencies specialised in the field of health and scientific research. Particular attention has also been given to the scientific literature concerned with the inequalities in health research. The results of this recension show us that inequalities in health research can be an impediment to the equitable distribution of healthcare services and to human development. With regard to this, these inequalities raise concerns about justice and equity for research institutions, researchers and communities in developing countries. The recommendations and ethical principles analysed here are therefore designed to reduce them and to promote access for developing countries to research and the consequent benefits. Finally, this recension emphasises the need to undertake research to understand the role of research practices in countries of the South in the emergence and persistence of these inequalities.

Identifying research priorities for patient safety in mental health: an international expert Delphi study.

PubMed

Dewa, Lindsay H; Murray, Kevin; Thibaut, Bethan; Ramtale, Sonny Christian; Adam, Sheila; Darzi, Ara; Archer, Stephanie

2018-03-03

Physical healthcare has dominated the patient safety field; research in mental healthcare is not as extensive but findings from physical healthcare cannot be applied to mental healthcare because it delivers specialised care that faces unique challenges. Therefore, a clearer focus and recognition of patient safety in mental health as a distinct research area is still needed. The study aim is to identify future research priorities in the field of patient safety in mental health. Semistructured interviews were conducted with the experts to ascertain their views on research priorities in patient safety in mental health. A three-round online Delphi study was used to ascertain consensus on 117 research priority statements. Academic and service user experts from the USA, UK, Switzerland, Netherlands, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore were included. Agreement in research priorities on a five-point scale. Seventy-nine statements achieved consensus (>70%). Three out of the top six research priorities were patient driven; experts agreed that understanding the patient perspective on safety planning, on self-harm and on medication was important. This is the first international Delphi study to identify research priorities in safety in the mental field as determined by expert academic and service user perspectives. A reasonable consensus was obtained from international perspectives on future research priorities in patient safety in mental health; however, the patient perspective on their mental healthcare is a priority. The research agenda for patient safety in mental health identified here should be informed by patient safety science more broadly and used to further establish this area as a priority in its own right. The safety of mental health patients must have parity with that of physical health patients to achieve this. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All

Safety incidents involving confused and forgetful older patients in a specialised care setting--analysis of the safety incidents reported to the HaiPro reporting system.

PubMed

Kinnunen-Luovi, Kaisa; Saarnio, Reetta; Isola, Arja

2014-09-01

To describe the safety incidents involving confused and forgetful older patients in a specialised care setting entered in the HaiPro reporting system. About 10% of patients experience a safety incident during hospitalisation, which causes or could cause them harm. The possibility of a safety incident during hospitalisation increases significantly with age. A mild or moderate memory disorder and acute confusion are often present in the safety incidents originating with an older patient. The design of the study was action research with this study using findings from one of the first-phase studies, which included qualitative and quantitative analysed data. Data were collected from the reporting system for safety incidents (HaiPro) in a university hospital in Finland. There were 672 reported safety incidents from four acute medical wards during the years 2009-2011, which were scrutinised. Seventy-five of them were linked to a confused patient and were analysed. The majority of the safety incidents analysed involved patient-related accidents. In addition to challenging behaviour, contributing factors included ward routines, shortage of nursing staff, environmental factors and staff knowledge and skills. Nurses tried to secure the patient safety in many different ways, but the modes of actions were insufficient. Nursing staff need evidence-based information on how to assess the cognitive status of a confused patient and how to encounter such patients. The number of nursing staff and ward routines should be examined critically and put in proportion to the care intensity demands caused by the patient's confused state. The findings can be used as a starting point in the prevention of safety incidents and in improving the care of older patients. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teaching International Law: Concepts in International Relations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starbird, Caroline; Pettit, Jenny; Singleton, Laurel

2004-01-01

This book is designed to introduce students to public international law. Topics covered include international public organizations, such as the United Nations and World Trade Organization, international courts, international human rights law, international trade law, and international environmental law. The goal of each study is to examine how…

Technical Vocabulary in Specialised Texts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Teresa Mihwa; Nation, Paul

2003-01-01

Describes two studies of technical vocabulary, one using an anatomy text and the other an applied linguistics text. Technical vocabulary was found by rating words in the texts on a four-step scale. Found that technical vocabulary made up a very substantial proportion of both the different words and the running words in texts. (Author/VWL)

French Dictionaries. Series: Specialised Bibliographies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klaar, R. M.

This is a list of French monolingual, French-English and English-French dictionaries available in December 1975. Dictionaries of etymology, phonetics, place names, proper names, and slang are included, as well as dictionaries for children and dictionaries of Belgian, Canadian, and Swiss French. Most other specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias,…

Case study: adapting the IAHSS curriculum in Thailand.

PubMed

Goss, Richard J

2009-01-01

In late 2007 Corporate Protective Solutions (CPS), headquartered in Langley, B.C. Canada, an independent security consulting company that specialises in healthcare security, approached the IAHSS concerning the adaptation of the Basic Training Manual and Study Guide for Healthcare Security Officers for one of their clients. In this article, its managing director for Asia Pacific outlines the challenges of this project from which other international healthcare security managers can learn to replicate the process for their own facilities.

Does neuroticism explain variations in care service use for mental health problems in the general population? Results from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS).

PubMed

ten Have, Margreet; Oldehinkel, Albertine; Vollebergh, Wilma; Ormel, Johan

2005-06-01

Little is known about the role of personality characteristics in service utilisation for mental health problems. We investigate whether neuroticism: 1) predicts the use of primary and specialised care services for mental health problems, independently of whether a person has an emotional disorder; and 2) modifies any association between emotional disorder and service use. Data were derived from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS) a prospective cohort study in the general population aged 18-64. Neuroticism was recorded at baseline, and emotional disorder and service use at 12-month follow-up, in a representative sample (N=7076), using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. People with high neuroticism were more likely to receive care in the specialised mental health sector, and after entry to care they made more visits to the services, whether or not they had an emotional disorder. If they had an emotional disorder, their likelihood of receiving specialised mental health care showed an additional increase. Neuroticism also predicted the use of primary care for mental health problems, but greater numbers of visits were made only by clients with both high neuroticism and an emotional disorder. It would be useful to incorporate personality characteristics into models to understand variations in service utilisation for mental health problems. The findings suggest that professionals would be wise to focus not just on their clients' emotional problems and disorders, but also on strengthening their problem-solving abilities through approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy.

Association between personality traits and future choice of specialisation among Swedish doctors: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Bexelius, Tomas S; Olsson, Caroline; Järnbert-Pettersson, Hans; Parmskog, Malin; Ponzer, Sari; Dahlin, Marie

2016-08-01

Medical students' choice of their future specialty is influenced by several factors, including working conditions and type of patient relations. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the choice of specialty and personality traits. This is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study of 399 alumni from Karolinska Institutet Medical School who were assumed to undergo specialty training at the time of the survey in 2013. The Big Five Inventory was used to assess the personality traits extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience. Medical specialties were categorised as primary care, psychiatry, internal medicine and surgical and hospital service specialties. Adjustments were made for demographic factors and the method of selection for medical school admission. The response rate was 72% (n=289, of which 262 were in training to become specialists). Among these, surgeons scored lower in agreeableness than physicians in primary care, internal medicine and hospital services. Psychiatrists and hospital service physicians showed lower conscientiousness compared with surgeons. We found distinctive differences in personality traits between medical specialties even after adjusting for other potential explanatory variables. Since there are differences between specialties, for example, surgeons and psychiatrists, this supports previous findings that personality may affect medical students' specialty choice also in a Swedish setting. 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/

Respiratory High-Dependency Care Units for the burden of acute respiratory failure.

PubMed

Scala, Raffaele

2012-06-01

The burden of acute respiratory failure (ARF) has become one of the greatest epidemiological challenges for the modern health systems. Consistently, the imbalance between the increasing prevalence of acutely de-compensated respiratory diseases and the shortage of high-daily cost ICU beds has stimulated new health cost-effective solutions. Respiratory High-Dependency Care Units (RHDCU) provide a specialised environment for patients who require an "intermediate" level of care between the ICU and the ward, where non-invasive monitoring and assisted ventilation techniques are preferentially applied. Since they are dedicated to the management of "mono-organ" decompensations, treatment of ARF patients in RHDCU avoids the dangerous "under-assistance" in the ward and unnecessary "over-assistance" in ICU. RHDCUs provide a specialised quality of care for ARF with health resources optimisation and their spread throughout health systems has been driven by their high-level of expertise in non-invasive ventilation (NIV), weaning from invasive ventilation, tracheostomy care, and discharging planning for ventilator-dependent patients. Copyright © 2011 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What depressive symptoms are associated with the use of care services? Results from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS).

PubMed

ten Have, Margreet; de Graaf, Ron; Vollebergh, Wilma; Beekman, Aartjan

2004-06-01

Depression is generally regarded as a serious, incapacitating illness. Although effective treatment strategies are available, timely recognition remains a stumbling block. We investigated the rates of health service uptake among depressed people and the specific depressive symptoms associated with service use, after adjustment for other illness characteristics and sociodemographic variables. In a representative sample (n=7076) of the Dutch adult population, we identified 1572 subjects with lifetime major or minor depression, using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The majority (73%) of subjects with depression had sought specialised mental health care, or to a lesser extent primary care. As expected, those with more severe (vegetative), complex (anxiety-comorbid) or dangerous symptoms (suicidal ideation) were more likely to be treated in the specialised mental health sector. However, subjects with comorbid substance use dependence were less likely to receive care, especially primary care, and those with more education were more likely to receive specialised care, even after adjustment for illness characteristics. The use of lifetime measures of depression and service use may have introduced slight recall bias, but it made the assessments less vulnerable to selection bias for chronic cases and to misclassification of subjects with some lifetime treatment experience. Although care for people with depression is readily accessible in the Netherlands, people with less education and people with comorbid substance use dependence remain unnecessarily out of reach of the care services. Primary care services need to be strengthened to enable the broad-scale application of stepped-care strategies. Copyright 2003 Elsevier B.V.

Introducing a Mobile-Connected Umbilical Doppler Device (UmbiFlow™) into a Primary Care Maternity Setting: Does This Reduce Unnecessary Referrals to Specialised Care? Results of a Pilot Study in Kraaifontein, South Africa.

PubMed

Mufenda, Josef; Gebhardt, Stefan; van Rooyen, Rita; Theron, Gerhard

2015-01-01

UmbiFlow™ is a mobile-connected Doppler device that utilises a continuous waveform to measure resistance in the umbilical artery. The main aim of this pilot study was to determine whether the use of UmbiFlow™ for umbilical artery Doppler in patients with a suspected decreased symphysis fundal (SF) growth could safely lead to a decreased number of patients requiring referral to a more specialised level of care. A secondary aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of UmbiFlow™ Doppler as a screening tool for concealed placental insufficiency in late bookers by using a single screening cut-off value that will be abnormal for any gestation >28 weeks. The cohort comprised two groups of patients: The first group included all follow-up patients with suspected intra-uterine growth restriction (a decreased symphysis-fundus measurement based on serial assessment) who underwent on-site UmbiFlow™Doppler testing performed by the midwife directly after the clinical examination. The second group included late bookers, where gestation was uncertain; but estimated >28 weeks based on clinical grounds. This group was comprised of unselected patients who report to antenatal care late for the first time and received an UmbiFlow™Doppler test for concealed placental insufficiency. UmbiFlow™Doppler could reduce the number of false referrals to hospital by 55%. A single UmbiFlow™Doppler test in late bookers appeared to identify a group of women at moderate risk of lower birth weight babies.

Diversity, Specialisation and Equity in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Chris; Fitza, John; Gorard, Stephen

2005-01-01

School diversity in the UK is not a new phenomenon. However, recent reforms to "modernise" the secondary school system towards greater diversity of provision, primarily in England, needs to be explored in more detail. The article begins by proposing three phases in the development of state-funded school diversity and provision between…

Quantifying Nanoparticle Internalization Using a High Throughput Internalization Assay.

PubMed

Mann, Sarah K; Czuba, Ewa; Selby, Laura I; Such, Georgina K; Johnston, Angus P R

2016-10-01

The internalization of nanoparticles into cells is critical for effective nanoparticle mediated drug delivery. To investigate the kinetics and mechanism of internalization of nanoparticles into cells we have developed a DNA molecular sensor, termed the Specific Hybridization Internalization Probe - SHIP. Self-assembling polymeric 'pHlexi' nanoparticles were functionalized with a Fluorescent Internalization Probe (FIP) and the interactions with two different cell lines (3T3 and CEM cells) were studied. The kinetics of internalization were quantified and chemical inhibitors that inhibited energy dependent endocytosis (sodium azide), dynamin dependent endocytosis (Dyngo-4a) and macropinocytosis (5-(N-ethyl-N-isopropyl) amiloride (EIPA)) were used to study the mechanism of internalization. Nanoparticle internalization kinetics were significantly faster in 3T3 cells than CEM cells. We have shown that ~90% of the nanoparticles associated with 3T3 cells were internalized, compared to only 20% of the nanoparticles associated with CEM cells. Nanoparticle uptake was via a dynamin-dependent pathway, and the nanoparticles were trafficked to lysosomal compartments once internalized. SHIP is able to distinguish between nanoparticles that are associated on the outer cell membrane from nanoparticles that are internalized. This study demonstrates the assay can be used to probe the kinetics of nanoparticle internalization and the mechanisms by which the nanoparticles are taken up by cells. This information is fundamental for engineering more effective nanoparticle delivery systems. The SHIP assay is a simple and a high-throughput technique that could have wide application in therapeutic delivery research.

Continental Drift: International Students Become International Alumni and Create International Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pulley, John

2009-01-01

No nation would entrust its foreign relations to ambassadors bereft of international experience. Nor would a global conglomerate ignore overseas markets and expect to prosper. Yet colleges and universities have frequently taken a remarkably unsophisticated and laissez faire approach to advancing their international interests--if they have bothered…

The care of adolescents and young adults with cancer: results of the ESMO/SIOPE survey.

PubMed

Saloustros, Emmanouil; Stark, Daniel P; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Mountzios, Giannis; Brugieres, Laurence; Peccatori, Fedro Alessandro; Jezdic, Svetlana; Essiaf, Samira; Douillard, Jean-Yves; Bielack, Stefan

2017-01-01

Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer require dedicated clinical management and care. Little is known about the training and practice of European healthcare providers in regard to AYA and the availability of specialised services. A link to an online survey was sent to members of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the European Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOPE). The link was also sent to ESMO National Representatives and circulated to other European oncology groups. Questions covered the demographics and clinical training of respondents, their definition of AYA, education about AYA cancer, access to specialised clinical and supportive care, research and further education. Data from Europe were analysed by region. Three hundred tweenty two questionnaires were submitted and we focused on data from the 266 European healthcare professionals. Responses revealed considerable variation both within and between countries in the definition of AYA. Over two-thirds of respondents did not have access to specialised centres for AYA (67%), were not aware of research initiatives focusing on AYA with cancer (69%) and had no access to specialist services for managing the late effects of treatment (67%). The majority of the respondents were able to refer AYA patients to professional psychological support and specialised social workers. However, more than half had no access to an age-specialised nurse or specialised AYA education. Overall, 38% of respondents reported that their AYA patients did not have access to fertility specialists. This figure was 76% in Eastern Europe. Lack of specialised AYA care was particularly evident in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. There is important underprovision and inequity of AYA cancer care across Europe. Improving education and research focused on AYA cancer care should be a priority.

Do previous sports experiences influence the effect of an enrichment programme in basketball skills?

PubMed

Santos, Sara; Mateus, Nuno; Sampaio, Jaime; Leite, Nuno

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an enrichment programme in motor, technical and tactical basketball skills, when accounting for the age of youth sport specialisation. Seventy-six college students (age: M = 20.4, SD = 1.9) were allocated according to three different paths: (i) non-structured (n = 14), (ii) early specialisation (n = 34), and (iii) late specialisation (n = 28), according to information previously provided by the participants about the quantity and type of sporting activities performed throughout their sporting careers. Then, the participants of each path were randomly distributed across control and experimental groups. Variables under study included agility, technical skills circuit, as well as tactical actions performed in a 4-on-4 full-court basketball game. The results indicated improvements in the early and late specialisation paths namely in the experimental training groups. However, the late specialisation path revealed larger benefits, in contrast with the non-structured path, which showed less sensitivity to the enrichment programme, mostly sustained in physical literacy and differential learning. Higher improvements were observed in agility, and also in reducing the number of unsuccessful actions performed during the game. Overall, this study provided evidence of how early sports experiences affect basketball skill acquisition and contribute to adapt to new contexts with motor and technical-tactical challenges. In addition, a path supported by late specialisation might present several advantages in sport performance achievement.

Defining International Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Holly Moran

2002-01-01

Discusses the three facets of international education: international studies, international education exchange, and technical assistance. Also explores the effects of internationalizing higher education and the present state of international education. (EV)

Internation Cooperation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheeder, Donna; And Others

1990-01-01

Special libraries abroad and international cooperative efforts are discussed in six articles. Topics covered include the international role of the Special Libraries Association; the Special Library Program of the U.S. Information Agency; the design of special libraries abroad; regional networks that cross international boundaries; and the…

Acute liver damage and ecstasy ingestion.

PubMed Central

Ellis, A J; Wendon, J A; Portmann, B; Williams, R

1996-01-01

Eight cases of ecstasy related acute liver damage referred to a specialised liver unit are described. Two patients presented after collapse within six hours of ecstasy ingestion with hyperthermia, hypotension, fitting, and subsequently disseminated intravascular coagulation with rhabdomyolysis together with biochemical evidence of severe hepatic damage. One patient recovered and the other with evidence of hyperacute liver failure was transplanted but subsequently died, histological examination showing widespread microvesicular fatty change. Four patients presented with acute liver failure without hyperthermia. All four fulfilled criteria for transplantation, one died before a donor organ became available, and two died within one month post-transplantation of overwhelming sepsis. Histological examination showed submassive lobular collapse. Two patients presented with abdominal pain and jaundice and recovered over a period of three weeks; histological examination showed a lobular hepatitis with cholestasis. Patients developing jaundice or with evidence of hepatic failure particularly encephalopathy and prolongation of the international normalised ratio, or both, whether or not preceded by hyperthermia, should be referred to a specialised liver unit as liver transplantation probably provides the only chance of recovery. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 PMID:8675102

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Public Health: Online and Integrated into Core Master of Public Health Subjects

PubMed Central

Angus, Lynnell; Ewen, Shaun; Coombe, Leanne

2016-01-01

The Master of Public Health (MPH) is an internationally recognised post-graduate qualification for building the public health workforce. In Australia, MPH graduate attributes include six Indigenous public health (IPH) competencies. The University of Melbourne MPH program includes five core subjects and ten specialisation streams, of which one is Indigenous health. Unless students complete this specialisation or electives in Indigenous health, it is possible for students to graduate without attaining the IPH competencies. To address this issue in a crowded and competitive curriculum an innovative approach to integrating the IPH competencies in core MPH subjects was developed. Five online modules that corresponded with the learning outcomes of the core public health subjects were developed, implemented and evaluated in 2015. This brief report outlines the conceptualisation, development, and description of the curriculum content; it also provides preliminary student evaluation and staff feedback on the integration project. Significance for public health This approach to a comprehensive, online, integrated Indigenous public health (IPH) curriculum is significant, as it ensures that all University of Melbourne Master of Public Health (MPH) graduates will have the competencies to positively contribute to Indigenous health status. A workforce that is attuned not only to the challenges of IPH, but also to the principles of self-determination, Indigenous agency and collaboration is better equipped to be comprised of ethical and judgment-safe practitioners. Additionally, the outlined approach of utilizing IPH content and examples into core MPH subjects ensures both the Australian relevance for an Australian-based health professional course and international appeal through the modules inclusion of International Indigenous case-studies and content. Furthermore, approaches learned in a challenging Indigenous Australian context are transferable and applicable to other IPH

Anatomical and physiological evidence for polarisation vision in the nocturnal bee Megalopta genalis.

PubMed

Greiner, Birgit; Cronin, Thomas W; Ribi, Willi A; Wcislo, William T; Warrant, Eric J

2007-06-01

The presence of a specialised dorsal rim area with an ability to detect the e-vector orientation of polarised light is shown for the first time in a nocturnal hymenopteran. The dorsal rim area of the halictid bee Megalopta genalis features a number of characteristic anatomical specialisations including an increased rhabdom diameter and a lack of primary screening pigments. Optically, these specialisations result in wide spatial receptive fields (Deltarho = 14 degrees ), a common adaptation found in the dorsal rim areas of insects used to filter out interfering effects (i.e. clouds) from the sky. In this specialised eye region all nine photoreceptors contribute their microvilli to the entire length of the ommatidia. These orthogonally directed microvilli are anatomically arranged in an almost linear, anterior-posterior orientation. Intracellular recordings within the dorsal rim area show very high polarisation sensitivity and a sensitivity peak within the ultraviolet part of the spectrum.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS: New International Standards for Quantities and Units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thor, A. J.

1994-01-01

Each coherent system of units is based on a system of quantities in such a way that the equations between the numerical values expressed in coherent units have exactly the same form, including numerical factors, as the corresponding equations between the quantities. The highest international body responsible for the International System of Units (SI) is the Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures (CGPM). However, the CGPM is not concerned with quantities or systems of quantities. That question lies within the scope of Technical Committee number twelve of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO/TC 12). Quantities, units, symbols, conversion factors. To fulfil its responsibility, ISO/TC 12 has prepared the International Standard ISO 31, Quantities and Units, which consists of fourteen parts. The new editions of the different parts of the International Standard are briefly presented here.

The Graduate School of Climate Sciences, University of Bern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, L.

2012-04-01

students in an ongoing research project and gives them the opportunity to collaborate with experienced scientists in a team. Alternatively, a short thesis (30 ECTS) may be combined with an internship (30 ECTS) at another university, in the private sector or in the administration. A bachelor degree in any field of science at university level (B.A. for specialisation in economics or history) or an equivalent degree is required for admission to the M.Sc. programme. The teaching language is English. The Ph.D. in Climate Sciences is research oriented and consists mainly of 3 to 4 years full time work in a project within one of the institutes involved in the Graduate School of Climate Sciences. The Ph.D. programme is research oriented and has a compulsory module of 12 ECTS credits containing workshops (professional skills), a summer school, an international conference, colloquia, seminars and optionally lectures. The compulsory module gives the Ph.D. students the opportunity to build up their own network in the local and international research community. The Ph.D. thesis is usually written in the form of research articles in international peer reviewed journals. A M.Sc. or an equivalent academic degree is conditional for admission to the Ph.D. programme.

Surgical intern survival skills curriculum as an intern: does it help?

PubMed

Todd, S Rob; Fahy, Bridget N; Paukert, Judy; Johnson, Melanie L; Bass, Barbara L

2011-12-01

The transition from medical student to surgical intern is fraught with anxiety. We implemented a surgical intern survival skills curriculum to alleviate this through a series of lectures and interactive sessions. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate its effectiveness. This was a prospective observational pilot study of our surgical intern survival skills curriculum, the components of which included professionalism, medical documentation, pharmacy highlights, radiographic interpretations, nutrition, and mock clinical pages. The participants completed pre-course and post-course surveys to assess their confidence levels in the elements addressed using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = unsatisfactory, 5 = excellent). A P value of less than .05 was considered significant. In 2009, 8 interns participated in the surgical intern survival skills curriculum. Fifty percent were female and their mean age was 27.5 ± 1.5 years. Of 33 elements assessed, interns rated themselves as more confident in 27 upon completion of the course. The implementation of a surgical intern survival skills curriculum significantly improved the confidence levels of general surgery interns and seemed to ease the transition from medical student to surgical intern. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

International Heliophysical Year

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davila, J. M.; Harrison, R.; Poland, A.; St.Cyr, O. C.; Thompson, B. J.; Rabin, Douglas (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

In 1957 a program of international research, inspired by the International Polar Years of 1882-83 and 1932-33, was organized as the International Geophysical Year (IGY) to study global phenomena of the Earth and geospace. The IGY involved about 60,000 scientists from 66 nations, working at thousands of stations, from pole to pole to obtain simultaneous, global observations on Earth and in space. There had never been anything like it before. The fiftieth anniversary of the International Geophysical Year will occur in 2007. We propose to organize an international program of scientific collaboration for this time period called the International Heliophysical Year (IHY). Like it predecessors, the IHY will focus on fundamental global questions of Earth science.

An evolutionary ecology of individual differences

PubMed Central

Dall, Sasha R. X.; Bell, Alison M.; Bolnick, Daniel I.; Ratnieks, Francis L. W.

2014-01-01

Individuals often differ in what they do. This has been recognised since antiquity. Nevertheless, the ecological and evolutionary significance of such variation is attracting widespread interest, which is burgeoning to an extent that is fragmenting the literature. As a first attempt at synthesis, we focus on individual differences in behaviour within populations that exceed the day-to-day variation in individual behaviour (i.e. behavioural specialisation). Indeed, the factors promoting ecologically relevant behavioural specialisation within natural populations are likely to have far-reaching ecological and evolutionary consequences. We discuss such individual differences from three distinct perspectives: individual niche specialisations, the division of labour within insect societies and animal personality variation. In the process, while recognising that each area has its own unique motivations, we identify a number of opportunities for productive ‘crossfertilisation’ among the (largely independent) bodies of work. We conclude that a complete understanding of evolutionarily and ecologically relevant individual differences must specify how ecological interactions impact the basic biological process (e.g. Darwinian selection, development and information processing) that underpin the organismal features determining behavioural specialisations. Moreover, there is likely to be covariation amongst behavioural specialisations. Thus, we sketch the key elements of a general framework for studying the evolutionary ecology of individual differences. PMID:22897772

[The Referral Field Hospital of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) of the German Red Cross].

PubMed

Schnabel, M; Munz, R; Bohe, M

2000-07-14

Emergency Response units (ERUs) have been developed as a part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies strategy to provide fast and effective medical and technical help to victims of disasters of any kind. ERUs provide timely, professional and organised response in a standardised and streamlined way by a balanced composition of professional staff and predesigned equipment. The German Red Cross ERUs "Referral Hospital" and "Specialised Water" took part in the world wide humanitarian help for refugees during the Kosovo war and actually for earthquake victims in Turkey. During the Kosovo-operation the ERU "Referral Hospital" and "Specialised Water" were situated in Macedonia close to the kosovarian boarder at refugee camp Stenkovec I. The Field-Hospital was responsible for all kind of medical emergencies, for a total number of more than 50,000 refugees. During the mission 6225 patients were treated in our Out Patient Department; 541 were hospitalised. Among those 102 medium and major surgical procedures and 105 deliveries were performed. Surprisingly there was no increased rate of infections or perinatal deaths. During the Kosovo war and actually in Turkey the ERU concept prove itself to be a powerful strategy to provide fast needed medical help to victims of different kind of disasters. Humanitarian work in situations of war, internal disorder and various states of emergency in foreign countries and cultures demand flexibility and the ability to improvise while working under such conditions. The confrontation with non-combatants injured by buried landmines is underlining the growing world-wide demand for a total ban on these vile weapons.

Challenges and Pitfalls Facing International Education in a Post-International World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tate, Nicholas

2012-01-01

Taking as its starting point that the adjective international is an inadequate, but unavoidable, label to describe the content of a contemporary international education, this article sets out to explore some of the issues facing international education in a post-international world. It draws mainly on writings in French as a deliberate…

The International School Industry: Examining International Schools through an Economic Lens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, James

2006-01-01

Based upon the results of a quantitative analysis of tuition revenues generated by international schools, it is argued that international schools can be examined in terms of a global multi-billion dollar industry and that business theory can be, and is being, applied in international schools today. This article proposes that international schools…

International Engagement Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-14

agreements and issue legal guidance on international law and intellectual property issues. ICPO will play an important role in realizing this vision and...through international cooperation under the auspices of its formal international agreements with partner states and the European Commission, as well...International Engagement Opportunities for Homeland Security Research 11 S&T maintains formal bilateral agreements that provide a framework for cooperative

Student Attraction to Engineering through Flexibility and Breadth in the Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alpay, E.

2013-01-01

Several European universities provide entry to general engineering studies prior to degree specialisation. The potential advantages of such entry include the provision of a broader foundation in engineering fundamentals, the option for students to defer specialisation until a greater awareness of the different engineering disciplines and the…

Waves: Internal Tides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Richard D.

1999-01-01

Oceanic internal tides are internal waves with tidal periodicities. They are ubiquitous throughout the ocean, although generally more pronounced near large bathymetric features such as mid-ocean ridges and continental slopes. The internal vertical displacements associated with these waves can be extraordinarily large. Near some shelf breaks where the surface tides are strong, internal displacements (e.g., of an isothermal surface) can exceed 200 meters. Displacements of 10 meters in the open ocean are not uncommon. The associated current velocities are usually comparable to or larger than the currents of the surface tide. On continental shelves internal tides can occasionally generate packets of internal solitons, which are detectable in remote sensing imagery. Other common nonlinear features are generation of higher harmonics (e.g., 6-hr waves) and wave breaking. Internal tides are known to be an important energy source for mixing of shelf waters. Recent research suggests that they may also be a significant energy source for deep-ocean mixing.

An International Model of World-Class Education: The International Baccalaureate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Ian

2012-01-01

This article posits that world-class education is international education, as defined by UNESCO, and presents International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes as examples of this phenomenon. It begins with the IB's 1960s origins in international schools, which educated the children of globally mobile parents who worked principally in the UN and its…

Teaching, Teacher Formation, and Specialised Professional Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hordern, Jim

2015-01-01

This paper starts by exploring the relevance of Bernstein's work on vertical and horizontal discourses and the constitution of professional knowledge for conceptualisation of the knowledge needed for teaching practice. Building on arguments for the differentiated nature of knowledge, and drawing on the work of Winch, Young and Muller on expertise,…

[The attitudes and behavior of the general primary-care physician towards the neurological patient].

PubMed

Casabella Abril, B; Pérez Sánchez, J

1995-04-15

1) To find the opinion of general practitioners working in primary care (GP in PC) regarding how they deal with neurological patients. 2) To find the effect on this question of intern training in family and community medicine (FCM). A survey filled out by a representative sample of GP in PC working at PC public clinics in 1991 in a health region in Catalonia. 56 GP in PC. A self-administered selection questionnaire (multiple choice and scale of 5 points). MEASUREMENTS, MAIN RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Less confidence handling neurological patients than patients with other common medical conditions. Greater need for recycling in neurology than in other basic areas of medicine. Positive impact of FCM intern training on doctors' approach to the examination of neurological patients and application of basic exploratory techniques (ophthalmoscope, reflex hammer, diapason and phonendoscope). The GP intern-trained in FCM lacks confidence in present out-patient specialised support (the area neuropsychiatrist).

Identifying Facial Emotions: Valence Specific Effects and an Exploration of the Effects of Viewer Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansari, Ashok; Rodway, Paul; Goncalves, Salvador

2011-01-01

The valence hypothesis suggests that the right hemisphere is specialised for negative emotions and the left hemisphere is specialised for positive emotions (Silberman & Weingartner, 1986). It is unclear to what extent valence-specific effects in facial emotion perception depend upon the gender of the perceiver. To explore this question 46…

What skills should new internal medicine interns have in july? A national survey of internal medicine residency program directors.

PubMed

Angus, Steven; Vu, T Robert; Halvorsen, Andrew J; Aiyer, Meenakshy; McKown, Kevin; Chmielewski, Amy F; McDonald, Furman S

2014-03-01

The transition from medical student to intern may cause stress and burnout in new interns and the delivery of suboptimal patient care. Despite a formal set of subinternship curriculum guidelines, program directors have expressed concern regarding the skill set of new interns and the lack of standardization in that skill set among interns from different medical schools. To address these issues, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Next Accreditation System focuses on the development of a competency-based education continuum spanning undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education. In 2010, the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine subinternship task force, in collaboration with the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine survey committee, surveyed internal medicine residency program directors to determine which competencies or skills they expected from new medical school graduates. The authors summarized the results using categories of interest. In both an item rank list and free-text responses, program directors were nearly uniform in ranking the skills they deemed most important for new interns-organization and time management and prioritization skills; effective communication skills; basic clinical skills; and knowing when to ask for assistance. Stakeholders should use the results of this survey as they develop a milestone-based curriculum for the fourth year of medical school and for the internal medicine subinternship. By doing so, they should develop a standardized set of skills that meet program directors' expectations, reduce the stress of transitions across the educational continuum, and improve the quality of patient care.

Reinventing US Internal Migration Studies in the Age of International Migration

PubMed Central

Ellis, Mark

2014-01-01

I argue that researchers have sidelined attention to issues raised by US internal migration as they shifted focus to the questions posed by the post-1960s rise in US immigration. In this paper, I offer some reasons about why immigration has garnered more attention and why there needs to be greater consideration of US internal migration and its significant and myriad social, economic, political, and cultural impacts. I offer three ideas for motivating more research into US internal geographic mobility that would foreground its empirical and conceptual connections to international migration. First, there should be more work on linked migration systems investigating the connections between internal and international flows. Second, the questions asked about immigrant social, cultural, and economic impacts and adaptations in host societies should also be asked about internal migrants. Third, and more generally, migration researchers should jettison the assumption that the national scale is the pre-eminent delimiter of migration types and processes. Some groups can move easily across borders; others are constrained in their moves within countries. These subnational scales and constraints will become more visible if migration research decentres the national from its theory and empirics. PMID:24839406

Reinventing US Internal Migration Studies in the Age of International Migration.

PubMed

Ellis, Mark

2012-03-01

I argue that researchers have sidelined attention to issues raised by US internal migration as they shifted focus to the questions posed by the post-1960s rise in US immigration. In this paper, I offer some reasons about why immigration has garnered more attention and why there needs to be greater consideration of US internal migration and its significant and myriad social, economic, political, and cultural impacts. I offer three ideas for motivating more research into US internal geographic mobility that would foreground its empirical and conceptual connections to international migration. First, there should be more work on linked migration systems investigating the connections between internal and international flows. Second, the questions asked about immigrant social, cultural, and economic impacts and adaptations in host societies should also be asked about internal migrants. Third, and more generally, migration researchers should jettison the assumption that the national scale is the pre-eminent delimiter of migration types and processes. Some groups can move easily across borders; others are constrained in their moves within countries. These subnational scales and constraints will become more visible if migration research decentres the national from its theory and empirics.

International Perspectives on the Profile of Highly Talented International Business Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Heugten, Petra; Heijne-Penninga, Marjolein; Robbe, Patricia; Jaarsma, Debbie; Wolfensberger, Marca

2017-01-01

There is a global demand for talented managers and leaders. To meet this demand, higher education institutions are developing talent programs. However, international perception of talent is diffuse. In this study, our profile of highly talented international business professionals was internationally validated by 172 participants, representing…

International Mindedness: Conceptualizations and Curriculum in an International School in Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewey, Nelson Peter

2017-01-01

This dissertation is a qualitative, single case study of an international school in Brazil that explores how school administrators and teachers conceptualize international mindedness, and how it is developed within the curriculum of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. I provide a rich description of the context, developing four themes…

Measuring International Service Outcomes: Implications for International Social Work Field Placements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lough, Benjamin J.; McBride, Amanda Moore; Sherraden, Margaret S.

2012-01-01

International field placements are a unique educational opportunity for social work students to develop the skills they need for social work practice in a globalized world; however, outcomes of international placements have not been rigorously studied. This article reports on the International Volunteer Impacts Survey (IVIS), a 48-item survey…

From the Western Alps across Central Europe: Postglacial recolonisation of the tufa stream specialist Rhyacophila pubescens (Insecta, Trichoptera)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Dispersal rates, i.e. the effective number of dispersing individuals per unit time, are the product of dispersal capacity, i.e. a species physiological potential for dispersal, dispersal behaviour, i.e. the decision to leave a habitat patch in favour of another, and connectivity of occupied habitat. Thus, dispersal of species that are highly specialised to a certain habitat is limited by habitat availability. Species inhabiting very stable environments may also adopt a sedentary life-style. Both factors should lead to strong genetic differentiation in highly specialised species inhabiting stable environments. These two factors apply to our model species Rhyacophila pubescens a highly specialised freshwater insect that occurs in tufa springs, a very stable habitat. Results We examined the genetic population structure and phylogeography using range-wide mtCOI sequence and AFLP data from 333 individuals of R. pubescens. We inferred the location of Pleistocene refugia and postglacial colonisation routes of R. pubescens, and examined ongoing local differentiation. Our results indicate intraregional differentiation with a high number of locally endemic haplotypes, that we attributed to habitat specificity and low dispersal rates of R. pubescens. We observed high levels of genetic diversity south of the Alps and genetic impoverishment north of the Alps. Estimates of migrants placed the refugium and the source of the colonisation in the Dauphiné Alps (SW Alps). Conclusions This is the first example of an aquatic insect with a colonisation route along the western margin of the Alps to the Central European highlands. The study also shows that specialisation to a stable environment may have promoted a behavioural shift to decreased dispersal rates, leading to stronger local population differentiation than in less specialised aquatic insects. Alternatively, the occurrence of highly specialised tufa spring habitats may have been more widespread in the past, leading

Benefits of International Collaboration on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hasbrook, Pete; Robinson, Julie A.; Brown Tate, Judy; Thumm, Tracy; Cohen, Luchino; Marcil, Isabelle; De Parolis, Lina; Hatton, Jason; Umezawa, Kazuo; Shirakawa, Masaki;

Why International?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falcetta, Frank M.

1993-01-01

Discusses the benefits of international programs at community colleges based on the example of Middlesex Community College in Bedford, Massachusetts. Indicates that international programs broaden the perspective of the campus, generate new revenue and positive media exposure, contribute to professional development of faculty and staff, and provide…

International Curriculums.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neal, Larry L.

This workshop presentation on international curriculums in the field of parks, recreation, leisure, cultural services, and travel/tourism comments that the literature is replete with articles addressing what the field is about, but not about curriculum issues, models, and structure. It reports an international survey of 12 college educators…

International programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Brief summaries are given of NASA's participation in international space programs. This participation can be categorized in five principal areas: manned space flight, space sciences, space applications, ground support of space operations, and cooperative international aeronautics research. All projects are carried out on a cooperative or reimbursable basis.

Neurology and international organizations.

PubMed

Mateen, Farrah J

2013-07-23

A growing number of international stakeholders are engaged with neurologic diseases. This article provides a brief overview of important international stakeholders in the practice of neurology, including global disease-specific programs, United Nations agencies, governmental agencies with international influence, nongovernmental organizations, international professional organizations, large private donors, private-public partnerships, commercial interests, armed forces, and universities and colleges. The continued engagement of neurologists is essential for the growing number of international organizations that can and should incorporate neurologic disease into their global agendas.

Processes of Internal and International Migration from Chitwan, Nepal.

PubMed

Bohra, Pratikshya; Massey, Douglas S

2009-01-01

In this study we examine which factors predict internal and international migration from Chitwan, a flat valley located in the South-Central region of Nepal, seeking to measure the effect of theoretically specified variables such as human capital, social capital, physical capital, and neighborhood socioeconomic conditions while controlling for demographic variables. We use data from the Chitwan Valley Family Study (CVFS) to estimate a series of discrete time event history models of first and repeat migration to three competing destinations: other locations within Chitwan, other districts within Nepal, and places outside of Nepal. Results support hypotheses derived from neoclassical economics, the theory of new economics of migration, social capital theory, and cumulative causation theory. Our results underscore the need for a synthetic theoretical model that incorporates factors operating at the individual, household, and community levels. The use of multiple explanatory models yields a clearer picture of the forces driving internal and international migration from rural districts in developing nations such as Nepal.

Processes of Internal and International Migration from Chitwan, Nepal

PubMed Central

Bohra, Pratikshya; Massey, Douglas S.

2011-01-01

In this study we examine which factors predict internal and international migration from Chitwan, a flat valley located in the South-Central region of Nepal, seeking to measure the effect of theoretically specified variables such as human capital, social capital, physical capital, and neighborhood socioeconomic conditions while controlling for demographic variables. We use data from the Chitwan Valley Family Study (CVFS) to estimate a series of discrete time event history models of first and repeat migration to three competing destinations: other locations within Chitwan, other districts within Nepal, and places outside of Nepal. Results support hypotheses derived from neoclassical economics, the theory of new economics of migration, social capital theory, and cumulative causation theory. Our results underscore the need for a synthetic theoretical model that incorporates factors operating at the individual, household, and community levels. The use of multiple explanatory models yields a clearer picture of the forces driving internal and international migration from rural districts in developing nations such as Nepal. PMID:21423821

Training ESP Students in Corpus Use--Challenges of Using Corpus-Based Exercises with Students of Non-Philological Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marinov, Sanja

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on planning a series of activities to train learners of undergraduate, non-philological studies in using a small specialised ad hoc corpus and the results they achieved in doing them. The procedure discussed in this paper is a part of a larger project which investigates the possibility of using a small specialised corpus with…

Neurology and international organizations

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

A growing number of international stakeholders are engaged with neurologic diseases. This article provides a brief overview of important international stakeholders in the practice of neurology, including global disease-specific programs, United Nations agencies, governmental agencies with international influence, nongovernmental organizations, international professional organizations, large private donors, private–public partnerships, commercial interests, armed forces, and universities and colleges. The continued engagement of neurologists is essential for the growing number of international organizations that can and should incorporate neurologic disease into their global agendas. PMID:23877795

Spanish urological schools (1880-1970).

PubMed

Pérez-Albacete, M

2018-05-11

We researched the start of urological specialisation in Spain, from the end of the 19th century to the institution of the education system (resident medical intern) to learn about the centres and individuals who created the urological teaching units and training schools in which the first Spanish urologists specialised their training. We extracted the references from books on the history of urology, from periodic urological publications and from the posters on history submitted to the congresses of the Spanish Urological Association and filled in the data and dates with the Historical Dictionary of Spanish Urologists. There are 30 urological specialization centres, 8 with official accreditation recognised by the corresponding ministry but whose official status is unknown. These centres are in the urology departments of large Spanish hospitals, university clinic hospitals and in private schools directed by notable urologists. There are 14 main centres, corresponding chronologically to the following cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, Cadiz, Santander, Valencia, Granada, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Oviedo, Zaragoza and Salamanca. Urological training in Spain from the end of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century was well-established, both in officially accredited centres and in the urology departments of the main hospitals, in university clinic hospitals and in private schools and clinics. The training was directed by experienced urologists who ensured proper teaching and training, a method that persisted until the institution of the resident medical intern system in 1970. Copyright © 2018 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Editorial quality, diffusion and bibliometric indicators of the Revista Espaãnola de Enfermedades Digestivas.

PubMed

López-Cózar, E D; Ruiz-Pérez, R; Jiménez-Contreras, E

1999-01-01

To evaluate the editorial quality, diffusion, relevance of the scientific content, and the publication practices of the specialised journal Revista Española de Enfermedades Digestivas. We checked 136 parameters based on ISO standards, the recommendations of scientific and editorial organisations, and studies of scientific editing and international publishing practices for biomedical journals. Diffusion was calculated using national and international databases, specialised libraries in Spain, and Internet sources. The analysis of the scientific content and publication practices was based on bibliometric indicators for the journal, authorship, and contributions. The sample for this study comprised six alternate issues of volume number 88 (1996), the last issue of this volume, and the first issue of volume 89 (1997). The samples used for the bibliometric analysis varied depending on the characteristics of specific indicators and the availability of information. The overall mean value for compliance with standards was 46.1%, while the real mean was calculated at 72.21%. The editorial procedures at the journal are similar to those of analogous international journals. The Revista Española de Enfermedades Digestivas is included in international databases of biomedical journals, and in the interdisciplinary international database SCI. It was found to be present in 70% of the medical libraries of Spanish universities, and in 73% of the hospital libraries studied. Bibliometric indicators showed co-authorship to be 5.5%; the origin of the authors grouped by province and by type of institutional affiliations showed 27.8% of all authors to be from Madrid, and that more were affiliated with general hospitals than with university hospitals. The mean delay between initial receipt of a manuscript and its publication was 300 days. Cocitation analysis gave the journal a central position amongst the 38 Spanish biomedical journals considered representative of the field. The journal

International Cooperation at NASA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tawney, Timothy; Feldstein, Karen

International cooperation is a cornerstone principle of NASA’s activities, especially within the activities of the Science Mission Directorate. Nearly two thirds of the flight missions in which NASA leads or participates involve international cooperation. Numerous ground based activities also rely on international cooperation, whether because of unique expertise, unique geography, or the need for a global response. Going forward, in an era of tighter budgets and a more integrated global perspective, NASA and the rest of the space agencies around the world will be forced to work more closely together, in a broader array of activities than ever before, in order to be able to afford to push the boundaries of space exploration. The goal of this presentation is to provide an overview of NASA’s current international science cooperative activities. It will include a discussion of why NASA conducts international cooperation and look at the mechanisms through which international cooperation can occur at NASA, including peer-to-peer development of relationships. It will also discuss some of the limiting factors of international cooperation, such as export control, and ways in which to manage those constraints. Finally, the presentation would look at some of the present examples where NASA is working to increase international cooperation and improve coordination. Case studies will be used to demonstrate these mechanisms and concepts. For example, NASA continues to participate in international coordination groups such as the International Mars Exploration Working Group (IMEWG) and International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG), but is expanding into new areas as well. NASA is one of the leaders in expanding and improving international coordination in the area of Near-Earth Object detection, characterization, and mitigation. Having participated in the first meetings of such groups as the International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) and Space Missions Planning

International Education: The International Baccalaureate, Montessori and Global Citizenship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunold-Conesa, Cynthia

2010-01-01

The International Baccalaureate (IB) programs and Montessori education both claim to promote values associated with global citizenship in order to help prepare students for new challenges presented by an increasingly globalized world. While the IB's secondary programs are widespread in international schools, Montessori programs at that level are…

Benefits of International Collaboration on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Julie A.; Hasbrook, Pete; Tate Brown, Judy; Thumm, Tracy; Cohen, Luchino; Marcil, Isabelle; De Parolis, Lina; Hatton, Jason; Umezawa, Kazuo; Shirakawa, Masaki;

Comparing International Curriculum Systems: The International Instructional Systems Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creese, Brian; Gonzalez, Alvaro; Isaacs, Tina

2016-01-01

This paper sets out the main findings of the International Instructional Systems Study (IISS), conducted by the UCL Institute of Education and funded by the Center on International Education Benchmarking (CIEB). The study examined the instructional systems and intended curricula of six "high performing" countries and two US states. The…

International University Freshmen's Perceptions on Culturally Diverse Community and Internal Stakeholders' Tactics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atabekova, Anastasia A.; Belousov, Alexander A.; Yastrebov, Oleg A.

2016-01-01

The paper explores first-year students' feelings about international university campus. Increasing globalisation of education raises a number of issues related not only to internationally accepted standards of qualifications and degrees, curriculum development, faculty competences, but also to domestic and international students' tolerance,…

International Telecommunication Control: International Law and the Ordering of Satellite and Other Forms of International Broadcasting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Delbert D.

The need for and the available alternatives for international telecommunication controls are examined, and a functional approach to this area of law is offered. Information from a number of areas is collected and examined as it relates to the basic problem. These areas include general principles of international law, the activities of the…

International Data Archive and Analysis Center. I. International Relations Archive. II. Voluntary International Coordination. III. Attachments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Warren; Tanter, Raymond

The International Relations Archive undertakes as its primary goals the acquisition, management and dissemination of international affairs data. The first document enclosed is a copy of the final machine readable codebook prepared for the data from the Political Events Project, 1948-1965. Also included is a copy of the final machine-readable…

Cultural Diversity among Heads of International Schools: Potential Implications for International Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slough-Kuss, Yvonne

2014-01-01

This article considers the influence that regional associations of international schools have on individual school members. The role of heads of international schools is explored in terms of their collective regional community influence on the fundamental school level. A revision of Thompson's model of international education is proposed…

Teaching International Economics and Trade--Concepts in International Relations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starbird, Caroline; DeBoer, Dale; Pettit, Jenny

2004-01-01

The purpose of this book is to introduce students to real-life issues in international economics. The sections of the book are: (1) The Advantages of Trade; (2) Judging NAFTA; (3) Does Globalization Benefit Poor Countries?; (4) Pocket Guide to International Financial Institutions; (5) What Do You Know about the WTO?; (6) Free Trade and Shifting…

International Perspectives on Plagiarism and Considerations for Teaching International Trainees

PubMed Central

Heitman, Elizabeth; Litewka, Sergio

2010-01-01

In the increasingly global community of biomedical science and graduate science education, many US academic researchers work with international trainees whose views on scientific writing and plagiarism can be strikingly different from US norms. Although a growing number of countries and international professional organizations identify plagiarism as research misconduct, many international trainees come from research environments where plagiarism is ill-defined and even commonly practiced. Two research-ethics educators consider current perspectives on plagiarism around the world and contend that US research-training programs should focus on trainees’ scientific writing skills and acculturation, not simply on preventing plagiarism. PMID:21194646

Innovation and International Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmonds, Edward L.

Objectives and realities of education for international understanding, cooperation, and peace are examined. Information is presented in six major sections. In Section I, various meanings of international education are explored. In addition, central concerns of international education are identified, including respect for human rights and…

A Realistic International Economics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culbertson, John M.

1987-01-01

Criticizes college textbooks for adopting a "party line" of laissez-faire economic doctrine which asserts the benefits of free trade. Offers an alternative interpretation of international trade, covering such topics as the effect of unregulated international trade on wage levels, and international lending. (JDH)

Preparing for the primary care clinic: an ambulatory boot camp for internal medicine interns

PubMed Central

Esch, Lindsay M.; Bird, Amber-Nicole; Oyler, Julie L.; Lee, Wei Wei; Shah, Sachin D.; Pincavage, Amber T.

2015-01-01

Introduction Internal medicine (IM) interns start continuity clinic with variable ambulatory training. Multiple other specialties have utilized a boot camp style curriculum to improve surgical and procedural skills, but boot camps have not been used to improve interns’ ambulatory knowledge and confidence. The authors implemented and assessed the impact of an intern ambulatory boot camp pilot on primary care knowledge, confidence, and curricular satisfaction. Methods During July 2014, IM interns attended ambulatory boot camp. It included clinically focused case-based didactic sessions on common ambulatory topics as well as orientation to the clinic and electronic medical records. Interns anonymously completed a 15-question pre-test on topics covered in the boot camp as well as an identical post-test after the boot camp. The interns were surveyed regarding their confidence and satisfaction. Results Thirty-eight interns participated in the boot camp. Prior to the boot camp, few interns reported confidence managing common outpatient conditions. The average pre-test knowledge score was 46.3%. The average post-test knowledge score significantly improved to 76.1% (p<0.001). All interns reported that the boot camp was good preparation for clinics and 97% felt that the boot camp boosted their confidence. Conclusions The ambulatory boot camp pilot improved primary care knowledge, and interns thought it was good preparation for clinic. The ambulatory boot camp was well received and may be an effective way to improve the preparation of interns for primary care clinic. Further assessment of clinical performance and expansion to other programs and specialties should be considered. PMID:26609962

The International Heliophysical Year

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Barbara J.

2007-01-01

In 1957 a program of international research, inspired by the International Polar Years of 1882 and 1932, was organized as the International Geophysical Year (IGY) to study global phenomena of the Earth and geospace. Fifty years later, the world s space science community will again come together for international programs of scientific collaboration: the International Heliophysical Year (IHY), the Electronic Geophysical Year (eGY), and the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007. This time, research will extend out into the Heliosphere to focus on solar-terrestrial-planetary interactions. The ambitious plans for the IHY, eGY and IPY incorporate the activities of scientists in 191 nations, as well as the IGY Gold Historical Preservation initiative, plus a series of coordinated campaigns involving more than 100 instruments and models, education and public outreach programs, a developing nations instrument development program, and opportunities for supported research worldwide. The presentation will focus on the efforts and operations which will make these activities possible.

Study on internal to surface fingerprint correlation using optical coherence tomography and internal fingerprint extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darlow, Luke Nicholas; Connan, James

2015-11-01

Surface fingerprint scanners are limited to a two-dimensional representation of the fingerprint topography, and thus, are vulnerable to fingerprint damage, distortion, and counterfeiting. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanners are able to image (in three dimensions) the internal structure of the fingertip skin. Techniques for obtaining the internal fingerprint from OCT scans have since been developed. This research presents an internal fingerprint extraction algorithm designed to extract high-quality internal fingerprints from touchless OCT fingertip scans. Furthermore, it serves as a correlation study between surface and internal fingerprints. Provided the scanned region contains sufficient fingerprint information, correlation to the surface topography is shown to be good (74% have true matches). The cross-correlation of internal fingerprints (96% have true matches) is substantial that internal fingerprints can constitute a fingerprint database. The internal fingerprints' performance was also compared to the performance of cropped surface counterparts, to eliminate bias owing to information level present, showing that the internal fingerprints' performance is superior 63.6% of the time.

Development of a comprehensive survey of sexuality issues including a self-report version of the International Spinal Cord Injury sexual function basic data sets.

PubMed

New, P W; Currie, K E

2016-08-01

Questionnaire development, validation and completion. Develop comprehensive survey of sexuality issues including validated self-report versions of the International Spinal Cord Injury male sexual function and female sexual and reproductive function basic data sets (SR-iSCI-sexual function). People with spinal cord damage (SCD) living in the community, Australia from August 2013 to June 2014. An iterative process involving rehabilitation medicine clinicians, a nurse specialising in sexuality issues in SCD and people with SCD who developed a comprehensive survey that included the SR-iSCI-sexual function. Participants recruitment through spinal rehabilitation review clinic and community organisations that support people with SCD. Surveys completed by 154 people. Most were male (n=101, 65.6%). Respondents' median age was 50 years (interquartile range (IQR) 38-58), and they were a median of 10 years (IQR 4-20) after the onset of SCD. Sexual problems unrelated to SCD were reported by 12 (8%) respondents, and 114 (n=75.5%) reported sexual problems because of SCD. Orgasms were much less likely (χ(2)=13.1, P=0.006) to be normal in males (n=5, 5%) compared with females (n=11, 22%). Males had significantly worse (χ(2)=26.0, P=0.001) psychogenic genital functioning (normal n=9, 9%) than females (normal n=13, 26%) and worse (χ(2)=10.8, P=0.013) reflex genital functioning. Normal ejaculation was reported in only three (3%) men. Most (n=26, 52%) women reported reduced or absent menstruation pattern since SCD. The SR-iSCI-sexual function provides a useful tool for researchers and clinicians to collect information regarding patient-reported sexual functioning after SCD and to facilitate comparative studies.

International Mindedness in Practice: The Evidence from International Baccalaureate Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hacking, Elisabeth Barratt; Blackmore, Chloe; Bullock, Kate; Bunnell, Tristan; Donnelly, Michael; Martin, Susan

2018-01-01

International Mindedness is an overarching construct related to multilingualism, intercultural understanding and global engagement (Hill, 2012). The concept is central to the International Baccalaureate (IB) and sits at the heart of its education policies and programmes. The aim of this research study was to examine systematically how schools…

International certification in developing countries: the role of internal and external institutional pressure.

PubMed

Fikru, Mahelet G

2014-11-01

This paper examines the different internal and external institutional factors that affect the decision of businesses in developing countries to adopt international certification (IC). Past studies focus on pressure from international laws, the role of multinationals, and businesses mimicking practices of their counterparts in developed countries. This paper finds that, in addition to these external factors, internal factors may have a significant role. Even though environmental regulation is weak in developing countries, governments do not ignore industrial pollution and casualties. They respond by increasing bureaucratic regulations for businesses and this can affect the decision to adopt IC. Furthermore, internal pressure may come from workers' unions that push for a safe and healthy working environment. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Unit III: International Conflict.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxey, Phyllis

1983-01-01

This lesson helps students understand the global network involved in international events. Students have an opportunity to examine the impact of international law and the role of international organizations, national governments, and private individuals in the effort to secure the release of United States hostages in Iran. (AM)

Reflections on international medical law.

PubMed

Wattad, Mohammed S; Hrevtsova, Radmyla Yu

2011-12-01

Does international medical law exist, in the first place, as an independent area of study? If so, is it urgently required in an era of comparative studies? Namely, to what extent, if at all, international studies differ from comparative ones? Besides, what are the particular characteristics of such international discipline? Namely, what are the particular features of this field that elaborate on our legal and scientific understanding in sketching possible definition for this notion of "international medical law?" In addition, how does international medical law correlate with health, ethics and health policies in our globalized world? And finally, what are the challenges that might face the international community, once the concept of "international medical law" is acknowledged? This papers aims at establishing the conceptual grounds for these questions, thus calling for the acknowledgment of a new field of study described as "international medical law".

International perspectives on plagiarism and considerations for teaching international trainees.

PubMed

Heitman, Elizabeth; Litewka, Sergio

2011-01-01

In the increasingly global community of biomedical science and graduate science education, many US academic researchers work with international trainees whose views on scientific writing and plagiarism can be strikingly different from US norms. Although a growing number of countries and international professional organizations identify plagiarism as research misconduct, many international trainees come from research environments where plagiarism is ill-defined and even commonly practiced. Two research-ethics educators consider current perspectives on plagiarism around the world and contend that US research-training programs should focus on trainees' scientific writing skills and acculturation, not simply on preventing plagiarism. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

International Relations. International Perspectives on Higher Education Research. Volume 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tight, Malcolm, Ed.

2005-01-01

This is the third volume of International Perspectives on Higher Education Research, a series which aims to feature something of the variety of research being undertaken into higher education systems and issues outside of North America. The theme of this volume is International Relations, or how students, academics, universities and higher…

New Initiatives for Electronic Scholarly Publishing: Academic Information Sources on the Internet

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-04-01

organizations/countries to participate in the development of the global knowledge base. The paper will outline the strategic factors that impact on -the...society proceedings, and the successful creation of more specialised journals, reflecting the fragmentation of knowledge into more specialised...Guedon (2001) - establishing "priority" over a particular scientific discovery or advance, and of "packing" current communication into an indexed and

International Business Education: Identifying the Emergent Topics in International Business and Their Relevance for Knowledge Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeoh, Poh-Lin

2001-01-01

Sampled faculty in international business (IB) to better understand emerging themes in that area. Seven major topical areas were uncovered: general knowledge of IB, international trade and institutions, cross-cultural issues, managing global operations, international ethics, international monetary systems, and international political/regulatory…

The European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics. Policy Statement No. 7.1: The roles, responsibilities and status of the medical physicist including the criteria for the staffing levels in a Medical Physics Department approved by EFOMP Council on 5th February 2016.

PubMed

Evans, Stephen; Christofides, Stelios; Brambilla, Marco

2016-04-01

This EFOMP Policy Statement is an amalgamation and an update of the EFOMP Policy Statements No. 2, 4 and 7. It presents guidelines for the roles, responsibilities and status of the medical physicist together with recommended minimum staffing levels. These recommendations take into account the ever-increasing demands for competence, patient safety, specialisation and cost effectiveness of modern healthcare services, the requirements of the European Union Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom laying down the basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, the European Commission's Radiation Protection Report No. 174: "Guidelines on medical physics expert", as well as the relevant publications of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The provided recommendations on minimum staffing levels are in very good agreement with those provided by both the European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Undertaking an International Assignment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitinoja, Lisa; And Others

Agricultural and extension educators interested in international agricultural development must answer several questions to become oriented within the field before undertaking an international assignment. The questions are as follows: (1) why do you want to work internationally? (2) what do you have to offer as a professional? and (3) what is your…

Standardized sign-out reduces intern perception of medical errors on the general internal medicine ward.

PubMed

Salerno, Stephen M; Arnett, Michael V; Domanski, Jeremy P

2009-01-01

Prior research on reducing variation in housestaff handoff procedures have depended on proprietary checkout software. Use of low-technology standardization techniques has not been widely studied. We wished to determine if standardizing the process of intern sign-out using low-technology sign-out tools could reduce perception of errors and missing handoff data. We conducted a pre-post prospective study of a cohort of 34 interns on a general internal medicine ward. Night interns coming off duty and day interns reassuming care were surveyed on their perception of erroneous sign-out data, mistakes made by the night intern overnight, and occurrences unanticipated by sign-out. Trainee satisfaction with the sign-out process was assessed with a 5-point Likert survey. There were 399 intern surveys performed 8 weeks before and 6 weeks after the introduction of a standardized sign-out form. The response rate was 95% for the night interns and 70% for the interns reassuming care in the morning. After the standardized form was introduced, night interns were significantly (p < .003) less likely to detect missing sign-out data including missing important diseases, contingency plans, or medications. Standardized sign-out did not significantly alter the frequency of dropped tasks or missed lab and X-ray data as perceived by the night intern. However, the day teams thought there were significantly less perceived errors on the part of the night intern (p = .001) after introduction of the standardized sign-out sheet. There was no difference in mean Likert scores of resident satisfaction with sign-out before and after the intervention. Standardized written sign-out sheets significantly improve the completeness and effectiveness of handoffs between night and day interns. Further research is needed to determine if these process improvements are related to better patient outcomes.

The International Mycological Association: its history in brief with summaries of its International Mycological Congresses and diverse international relationships.

PubMed

Simmons, Emory G

2010-06-01

This history presents a review of International Mycological Association activities, its international congresses, and its relationships with regional mycological associations as well as with international organizations of other scientific disciplines. The IMA was organized in 1971 during the First Mycological Congress (IMC-1) convened at Exeter, U.K. In the period 1971 to 2010, nine international congresses have been held, each with its own organizational structure but under the guidance of one of the successive inter-Congress management groups of IMA officers and executive committee members. The congress list includes Exeter, U.K.; Tampa, U.S.A.; Tokyo, Japan; Regensburg, Germany; Vancouver, Canada; Jerusalem, Israel; Oslo, Norway; Cairns, Australia; and Edinburgh, Scotland. Inter-congress activities of each IMA executive group are summarized. The characteristics of each congress are surveyed as to organization, programming, attendance numbers, finances, and satellite meetings.The IMA has sponsored the establishment of Regional Mycological Associations beginning in 1977 and has lent operational funding. Regional associations currently are functional and hold their own regional congresses in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and Latin America. The relationships of the IMA with other organizations recognized within the supra-national International Council of Scientific Unions are discussed.

What Is International about International Schools? An Institutional Legitimacy Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunnell, Tristan; Fertig, Michael; James, Chris

2016-01-01

In recent years, the number of International Schools around the world has increased rapidly largely as a result of growth of new forms of International Schools, which differ markedly from the traditional forms. These new forms: are often operated on a for-profit commercial basis; are usually for children from the local (indigenous), wealthy…

Meeting the support needs of persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning: still a long way to go.

PubMed

Nouwens, P J G; Smulders, N B M; Embregts, P J C M; van Nieuwenhuizen, C

2017-12-01

Among persons with a mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning, differences in their characteristics imply that a differentiated approach is required to meet their needs. This retrospective study examined whether the history of support/treatment programs and the type of healthcare providers involved matched the specific support needs of persons with a mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning. Five (previously identified) profiles of persons with a mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning were used to investigate to what extent the support needs of this group had been met. For the 250 persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning who matched these five profiles, data were collected retrospectively from their case files. Persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning received a very similar amount and type of support/treatment programs. Differences between the profiles were found for non-verbal therapy, residential treatment and contacts with social work. Regarding the type of healthcare providers involved, differences between the profiles emerged for specialised intellectual disability services, youth services and specialised addiction services. The support programs for a heterogeneous population of persons with mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning seem to be suboptimal, indicating that more differentiation is required in the services offered to these individuals. © 2017 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparing service use and costs among adolescents with autism spectrum disorders, special needs and typical development.

PubMed

Barrett, Barbara; Mosweu, Iris; Jones, Catherine Rg; Charman, Tony; Baird, Gillian; Simonoff, Emily; Pickles, Andrew; Happé, Francesca; Byford, Sarah

2015-07-01

Autism spectrum disorder is a complex condition that requires specialised care. Knowledge of the costs of autism spectrum disorder, especially in comparison with other conditions, may be useful to galvanise policymakers and leverage investment in education and intervention to mitigate aspects of autism spectrum disorder that negatively impact individuals with the disorder and their families. This article describes the services and associated costs for four groups of individuals: adolescents with autistic disorder, adolescents with other autism spectrum disorders, adolescents with other special educational needs and typically developing adolescents using data from a large, well-characterised cohort assessed as part of the UK Special Needs and Autism Project at the age of 12 years. Average total costs per participant over 6 months were highest in the autistic disorder group (£11,029), followed by the special educational needs group (£9268), the broader autism spectrum disorder group (£8968) and the typically developing group (£2954). Specialised day or residential schooling accounted for the vast majority of costs. In regression analysis, lower age and lower adaptive functioning were associated with higher costs in the groups with an autism spectrum disorder. Sex, ethnicity, number of International Classification of Diseases (10th revision) symptoms, autism spectrum disorder symptom scores and levels of mental health difficulties were not associated with cost. © The Author(s) 2014.

Internal and International Migration Across the Urban Hierarchy in Albania.

PubMed

Lerch, Mathias

2016-01-01

The interactions between the processes of urbanization and international migration in less developed and transition countries have important repercussions for socioeconomic development, but are not well understood. Based on the retrospective data from the Albanian Living Standards Measurement Survey 2008, we first assess the geography of migration in terms of the rural-urban continuum, the urban hierarchy and the outside world since 1990. We then investigate the spatio-temporal diffusion of rural-to-urban and international movements using survival models. Results reveal an immediate onset of large-scale rural exodus, despite the post-communist crisis. Internal migrants mainly moved to the capital, bypassing secondary cities, and were predominantly female. Initially, international migrants were primarily men who tended to originate from the main urban agglomerations. The diffusion of opportunities to emigrate down the urban hierarchy and across the sexes then redirected the rural exodus abroad, despite domestic economic development. This evolution in population mobility is related to the gendered patterns and interlinkages of the two flows, as well as to rising inequalities within the urban hierarchy.

International utilization and operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldberg, Stanley R.

1989-01-01

The international framework of the Space Station Freedom Program is described. The discussion covers the U.S. space policy, international agreements, international Station elements, overall program management structure, and utilization and operations management. Consideration is also given to Freedom's user community, Freedom's crew, pressurized payload and attached payload accommodations, utilization and operations planning, user integration, and user operations.

Internal Auditing for School Districts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuzzetto, Charles

This book provides guidelines for conducting internal audits of school districts. The first five chapters provide an overview of internal auditing and describe techniques that can be used to improve or implement internal audits in school districts. They offer information on the definition and benefits of internal auditing, the role of internal…

International Student Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Clayton

2016-01-01

This article, with a focus on North American postsecondary education, identifies international students as a strategic enrollment management institutional priority; presents themes in the international student retention, satisfaction, and success research literature; and describes related best practices. It also presents the findings from an…

Exploration of the perceptions of emergency physicians and interns regarding the medical documentation practices of interns.

PubMed

Isoardi, Jonathon; Spencer, Lyndall; Sinnott, Michael; Nicholls, Kim; O'Connor, Angela; Jones, Fleur

2013-08-01

The primary objective of the present study was to learn the factors that influence the documentation practices of ED interns. A second objective was to identify the expectations of emergency physicians (EPs) towards the medical record documentation of ED interns. A qualitative design was adopted using semi-structured interviews in convenience samples drawn from both groups. Eighteen interviews were conducted with intern volunteers and 10 with EP volunteers. One (5%) intern and two (20%) EPs had received medical documentation training. Factors that encouraged interns' documentation included: patient acuity (the more critical the condition, the more comprehensive the documentation) and the support of senior colleagues. Inhibiting factors included uncertainty about how much to write, and the shift being worked (interns indicated they wrote less at night). Factors of consequence to senior personnel included the apparent reluctance of interns to document management plans. They noted that interns frequently confine their notes to assessment, investigations and treatments, whereas EPs preferred records that demonstrated intern thought processes and included such matters as future actions to follow immediate treatment. A positive theme that emerged included the high level of support interns received from their senior colleagues. Another theme, the influence of patient acuity, held both positive and negative implications for intern writing practices. The lack of formal training is an impediment to the production of useful medical records by ED interns. One solution proposed by both interns and senior personnel was the introduction of the subject into intern education programmes. © 2013 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

The Student Internationals. An Analysis of International and Regional Student Organizations. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altbach, Philip G.

The work is a report of a historical study of several international student organizations in their political and educational contexts to learn whether they, in fact, constitute a real student movement on a world scale. After tracing the growth of such organizations as the International Union of Students and the International Student Conference and…

Training the intern: The value of a pre-intern year in preparing students for practice.

PubMed

Dare, Anna; Fancourt, Nicholas; Robinson, Elizabeth; Wilkinson, Tim; Bagg, Warwick

2009-08-01

To evaluate the clinical and professional development that occurs during a New Zealand trainee intern year in preparation for the first house officer role. A quantitative questionnaire was distributed to all trainee interns (year 6) and year 5 medical students in New Zealand at the end of the 2007 academic year. This survey assessed self-reported competency and performance across clinical, professional and role development domains. Response rate was 65% (457/702). Compared to year 5 students, trainee interns reported significantly greater competence and performance levels across all three domains. The greatest improvement occurred in the independent performance of procedural skills (trainee interns: 77%, year 5: 35%, p < 0.001) and clinical tasks (trainee interns: 94%, year 5: 56%, p < 0.001) and in the level of clinical responsibility taken (p < 0.001). At the end of the trainee intern year, 92% of students felt prepared to be a junior doctor, versus only 53% at the end of their 5th year (p < 0.0001). The trainee intern year is important in preparing graduates for the intern role. The year affords increased responsibility and practical experience, whilst retaining an educational focus, facilitating the move from competence towards performance. Preparedness for practice was substantially higher following the New Zealand trainee intern year than has been reported with other pre-intern placements.

78 FR 68853 - International Medical Device Regulators Forum; Medical Device Single Audit Program International...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-15

...] International Medical Device Regulators Forum; Medical Device Single Audit Program International Coalition Pilot... Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing participation in the Medical Device Single Audit Program International Coalition Pilot Program. The Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP) was designed and...

49 CFR 173.220 - Internal combustion engines, self-propelled vehicles, mechanical equipment containing internal...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... vehicles, mechanical equipment containing internal combustion engines, and battery powered vehicles or... equipment containing internal combustion engines, and battery powered vehicles or equipment. (a... internal combustion engine, or a battery powered vehicle or equipment is subject to the requirements of...

Interns at an International, Humanitarian Organization: Career Pathways and Meaning Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mather, Peter C.

2008-01-01

This qualitative study examined the career shaping experiences and related meaning making processes of 12 interns at The Carter Center, an international, humanitarian organization. Experiences shaping participants' careers were grouped into the following themes--academics and intellectual curiosity; travel abroad; religion; relationships--family,…

The successes and limitations of international law and the International Court of Justice.

PubMed

Suter, Keith

2004-01-01

The first two sections of this article deal with the irony that international law has severe limitations, yet it also has a good record for compliance. The third section introduces the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the fourth section deals specifically with the limitations of the ICJ. The article concludes with some ideas for action. Its main point is that international law is often a neglected topic, even by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). International law needs to be brought in from the cold, and there should be more support from the NGO community for the ICJ.

Internal connections and conversations: the internalized other interview in bereavement work.

PubMed

Moules, Nancy J

Much of the work of grief lies in the ways the bereaved learn to maintain connection to the deceased in their lives, while living alongside the physical absence of them. The theory of an Internalized Other Interview is that we carry within ourselves impressions, memories, beliefs, assessments, doctrines, and codes of those who have shaped our lives through relationship. This internalized community of commentators is active in our lives on a day-to-day basis, but when someone dies, their active voice in the dialogue is shifted to a perceived inactivity. However, I argue that, despite the physical absence of the other, the voice continues to resonate and interact in our formation of our worlds. How our loved ones live on inside us influences who we are in the world and in our bereavement. As a result of our research and clinical work, I have come to believe that the active interviewing of the deceased person as internalized in the bereaved can have powerful and healing effects. In this article, I share the results of the research related to this intervention, describe the history located in Internalized Other Interviewing, and offer a transcription of an Internalized Other Interview with a young man and his family who recently lost both his brother and father.

Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS): international standards for validation.

PubMed

Benedict, Ralph H B; Amato, Maria Pia; Boringa, Jan; Brochet, Bruno; Foley, Fred; Fredrikson, Stan; Hamalainen, Paivi; Hartung, Hans; Krupp, Lauren; Penner, Iris; Reder, Anthony T; Langdon, Dawn

2012-07-16

An international expert consensus committee recently recommended a brief battery of tests for cognitive evaluation in multiple sclerosis. The Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS (BICAMS) battery includes tests of mental processing speed and memory. Recognizing that resources for validation will vary internationally, the committee identified validation priorities, to facilitate international acceptance of BICAMS. Practical matters pertaining to implementation across different languages and countries were discussed. Five steps to achieve optimal psychometric validation were proposed. In Step 1, test stimuli should be standardized for the target culture or language under consideration. In Step 2, examiner instructions must be standardized and translated, including all information from manuals necessary for administration and interpretation. In Step 3, samples of at least 65 healthy persons should be studied for normalization, matched to patients on demographics such as age, gender and education. The objective of Step 4 is test-retest reliability, which can be investigated in a small sample of MS and/or healthy volunteers over 1-3 weeks. Finally, in Step 5, criterion validity should be established by comparing MS and healthy controls. At this time, preliminary studies are underway in a number of countries as we move forward with this international assessment tool for cognition in MS.

Individual support plans of people with intellectual disabilities in residential services: content analysis of goals and resources in relation to client characteristics.

PubMed

Herps, M A; Buntinx, W H E; Schalock, R L; van Breukelen, G J P; Curfs, L M G

2016-03-01

Goals and objectives as mentioned in Individual Support Plans (ISPs) were analysed to explore what domains of quality of life they are associated with, what support resources are referenced for achieving the goals, and how domains and resources are related to clients age, gender and intellectual disability (ID) level. A total of 209 ISPs for persons with ID from eight residential Dutch service provider organisations were analysed. Mixed linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the relations between client characteristics and the content of goals and support resources. Results showed that ISPs of people with mild and moderate ID had significantly more goals related to independence and social participation as compared to the ISPs of people with severe and profound ID. ISPs of clients with profound ID addressed quality of life factors related to 'well-being' more than ISPs of all other clients. ISPs of people aged 20-34 years had significantly more goals on independence than the two other age groups. ISPs of people under the age of 50 had significantly fewer goals with respect to well-being than found in ISPs of older people. Regarding the use of resources, 42.6% of the ISP goals were associated with resources from specialised services, 31.5% associated with natural resources and 25.9% associated with a combination of both natural and specialised services. In ISPs of people with mild ID, natural resources are more often mentioned, and specialised service-based resources are less often mentioned than for other people. This study offers empirical feedback on ISP practices in the field of ID in the Netherlands. In light of current ISP practices, results suggest that attention should be paid to: (1) distinguishing between a 'service contract' and an ISP; (2) keeping a focus on the whole person in all age groups and levels of functioning and (3) involving the service recipient in ISP development and implementation. © 2015 MENCAP and International Association

Understanding geographic variations in psychiatric inpatient admission rates: width of the variations and associations with the supply of health and social care in France.

PubMed

Gandré, Coralie; Gervaix, Jeanne; Thillard, Julien; Macé, Jean-Marc; Roelandt, Jean-Luc; Chevreul, Karine

2018-06-05

Inpatient care accounts for the majority of mental health care costs and is not always beneficial. It can indeed have detrimental consequences if not used appropriately, and is unpopular among patients. As a consequence, its reduction is supported by international recommendations. Varying rates of psychiatric inpatient admissions therefore deserve to draw attention of researchers, clinicians and policy makers alike as such variations can challenge quality, equity and efficiency of care. In this context, our objectives were first to describe variations in psychiatric inpatient admission rates across the whole territory of mainland France, and second to identify their association with characteristics of the supply of care, which can be targeted by dedicated health policies. Our study was carried out in French psychiatric sectors' catchment areas for the year 2012. Inpatient admission rates per 100,000 adult inhabitants were calculated using data from the national psychiatric discharge database. Their variations were described numerically and graphically. We then carried out a negative binomial regression to identify characteristics of the supply of care (public and private care, health and social care, hospital and community-based care, specialised and non-specialised care) which were associated with these variations while adjusting our analysis for other relevant factors, in particular epidemiological differences. Considerable variations in inpatient admission rates were observed between psychiatric sectors' catchment areas and were widespread on the French territory. Institutional characteristics of the hospital to which each sector was linked (private non-profit status, specialisation in psychiatry and participation to teaching activities and to emergency care) were associated with inpatient admission rates. Similarly, an increase in the availability of community-based private psychiatrists was associated with a decrease in the inpatient admission rate while an

Specialised sympathetic neuroeffector associations in rat iris arterioles

PubMed Central

SANDOW, SHAUN L.; WHITEHOUSE, DREW; HILL, CARYL E.

1998-01-01

Vascular sympathetic neuroeffector associations have been examined in rat iris arterioles using serial section electron microscopy and reconstruction techniques. Examination of random sections showed that, of all profiles of varicosities (199) seen to lie closer than 4 μm to vascular smooth muscle cells, only a small proportion (29/199) were found in close association with vascular smooth muscle cells, where adjacent membranes were separated by less than 100 nm. However, serial section examination, from intervaricose region to intervaricose region, of 79 varicosities similarly observed lying within 4 μm of vascular smooth muscle cells showed that 54 formed close associations with vascular smooth muscle cells. In serial sections, all these varicosities were also closely associated with melanocytes and of the 25 remaining varicosities, 22 formed close associations with melanocytes alone, whilst 3 did not come into close association with any effector cell. The increased observation of close associations with vascular smooth muscle cells in serial sections, compared with random sections, is consistent with the demonstration that the area of contact only occupies, on average, a small percentage (5%) of the total surface area of the varicosity as seen in the 3-dimensional reconstructions. In both random and serial sections, close associations were observed between varicosities and vascular smooth muscle cells or melanocytes irrespective of whether fibres were present singly or in small nerve bundles. Three-dimensional reconstruction of associations of varicosities and vascular smooth muscle cells demonstrated several common features, such as accumulations of synaptic vesicles and loss of Schwann cell covering at the region of membrane facing the effector cell. The similarity in the appearance of the neuroeffector association seen in this study and those described in previous studies provides evidence for the existence of a common sympathetic neuroeffector association, irrespective of the receptor subtype involved in neurotransmission. PMID:9568560

Contrastive Studies - Russian-English. Specialised Bibliography C13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Council, London (England). English-Teaching Information Centre.

This selective bibliography lists 8 books and articles dealing with Russian-English contrastive studies and 2 articles on general Slavic studies. The entries range in date from 1953 to 1967. The books cited are European or American publications and the articles appeared in well-known European or American pedagogical language journals. (TL)

Contrastive Studies--Czech-English. Specialised Bibliography C16.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Council, London (England). English-Teaching Information Centre.

This selective bibliography lists 10 books and articles dealing with Czech-English contrastive studies and 2 articles on general Slavic studies. The entries range in date from 1959 to 1972 with the majority published since 1965. The books cited are European or American publications, and the articles appeared in well-known European or American…

Benefits of International Collaboration on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hasbrook, Pete; Robinson, Julie A.; Cohen, Luchino; Marcil, Isabelle; De Parolis, Lina; Hatton, Jason; Shirakawa, Masaki; Karabadzhak, Georgy; Sorokin, Igor V.; Valentini, Giovanni

2017-01-01

The International Space Station is a valuable platform for research in space, but the benefits are limited if research is only conducted by individual countries. Through the efforts of the ISS Program Science Forum, international science working groups, and interagency cooperation, international collaboration on the ISS has expanded as ISS utilization has matured. Members of science teams benefit from working with counterparts in other countries. Scientists and institutions bring years of experience and specialized expertise to collaborative investigations, leading to new perspectives and approaches to scientific challenges. Combining new ideas and historical results brings synergy and improved peer-reviewed scientific methods and results. World-class research facilities can be expensive and logistically complicated, jeopardizing their full utilization. Experiments that would be prohibitively expensive for a single country can be achieved through contributions of resources from two or more countries, such as crew time, up- and down mass, and experiment hardware. Cooperation also avoids duplication of experiments and hardware among agencies. Biomedical experiments can be completed earlier if astronauts or cosmonauts from multiple agencies participate. Countries responding to natural disasters benefit from ISS imagery assets, even if the country has no space agency of its own. Students around the world participate in ISS educational opportunities, and work with students in other countries, through open curriculum packages and through international competitions. Even experiments conducted by a single country can benefit scientists around the world, through specimen sharing programs and publicly accessible "open data" repositories. For ISS data, these repositories include GeneLab, the Physical Science Informatics System, and different Earth data systems. Scientists can conduct new research using ISS data without having to launch and execute their own experiments

Internal audit consider the implications.

PubMed

Baumgartner, Grant D; Hamilton, Angela

2004-06-01

Internal audit can not only allay external and internal concerns about appropriateness of business operations, but also help improve efficiency and the bottom line. To get an internal audit function under way, healthcare organizations need to obtain board buy-in, form an audit committee of the board, determine resources needed, perform a risk assessment, and develop an internal audit plan.

Rotor internal friction instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bently, D. E.; Muszynska, A.

1985-01-01

Two aspects of internal friction affecting stability of rotating machines are discussed. The first role of internal friction consists of decreasing the level of effective damping during rotor subsynchronous and backward precessional vibrations caused by some other instability mechanisms. The second role of internal frication consists of creating rotor instability, i.e., causing self-excited subsynchronous vibrations. Experimental test results document both of these aspects.

Hanford internal dosimetry program manual

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

Carbaugh, E.H.; Sula, M.J.; Bihl, D.E.

1989-10-01

This document describes the Hanford Internal Dosimetry program. Program Services include administrating the bioassay monitoring program, evaluating and documenting assessments of internal exposure and dose, ensuring that analytical laboratories conform to requirements, selecting and applying appropriate models and procedures for evaluating internal radionuclide deposition and the resulting dose, and technically guiding and supporting Hanford contractors in matters regarding internal dosimetry. 13 refs., 16 figs., 42 tabs.

Australia and international treaties: population.

PubMed

Hugo, G

1995-05-01

"The separation of environmental and population issues globally is reflected in the fact that the setting of international agendas to tackle them was for all intents and purposes undertaken at separate international meetings--the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and the International Population Conference in Cairo in 1994. This paper presents an overview of Australia's international involvement in population issues and suggests that until recently Australia had played a minor political role in international population initiatives primarily, and perhaps ironically, because it has been a world leader in demographic research and teaching for several decades." excerpt

International Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charles, Richard F.

In response to global changes and a growing focus on international affairs, Foothill and De Anza Colleges have developed a number of international education programs. Since their beginnings, both colleges have hosted full-time students from other countries under the F-1 Visa Program. Another program, Campus Abroad, is a partnership arrangement…

International Pesticide Regulations

Science.gov Websites

; Environment Human Health Animal Health Safe Use Practices Food Safety Environment Air Water Soil Wildlife Ingredients Low-Risk Pesticides Organic Pesticide Ingredients Pesticide Incidents Human Exposure Pet Exposure - World Health Organization (WHO) International Agencies: International Websites on Pesticides - OECD

International Intelligence Forum 2002

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

International Intelligence Forum 2002 PCN 46737 Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for the collection...Intelligence Forum 2002 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f...Std Z39-18 INTERNATIONAL INTELLIGENCE FORUM -3 The Joint Military Intelligence College created the International Intelligence Fellows Program

Globalisation of international health.

PubMed

Walt, G

1998-02-07

40 years ago, activities in international health were the domain of WHO, governments (based on bilateral agreements), and non-governmental organisations. This has changed. Today, new players (such as the World Bank and, increasingly, the World Trade Organisation) have an influence on international health. As globalisation of trade and markets takes hold, new coalitions and alliances are forming to examine and deal with the direct and indirect consequences on health. This paper examines the changing context of cooperation in international health, and voices concerns about rising potential inequalities in health, both within and between countries. The question of how such changes will affect the actions of organisations working in international health is also addressed.

Transition to international classification of disease version 10, clinical modification: the impact on internal medicine and internal medicine subspecialties.

PubMed

Caskey, Rachel N; Abutahoun, Angelos; Polick, Anne; Barnes, Michelle; Srivastava, Pavan; Boyd, Andrew D

2018-05-04

The US health care system uses diagnostic codes for billing and reimbursement as well as quality assessment and measuring clinical outcomes. The US transitioned to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) on October, 2015. Little is known about the impact of ICD-10-CM on internal medicine and medicine subspecialists. We used a state-wide data set from Illinois Medicaid specified for Internal Medicine providers and subspecialists. A total of 3191 ICD-9-CM codes were used for 51,078 patient encounters, for a total cost of US $26,022,022 for all internal medicine. We categorized all of the ICD-9-CM codes based on the complexity of mapping to ICD-10-CM as codes with complex mapping could result in billing or administrative errors during the transition. Codes found to have complex mapping and frequently used codes (n = 295) were analyzed for clinical accuracy of mapping to ICD-10-CM. Each subspecialty was analyzed for complexity of codes used and proportion of reimbursement associated with complex codes. Twenty-five percent of internal medicine codes have convoluted mapping to ICD-10-CM, which represent 22% of Illinois Medicaid patients, and 30% of reimbursements. Rheumatology and Endocrinology had the greatest proportion of visits and reimbursement associated with complex codes. We found 14.5% of ICD-9-CM codes used by internists, when mapped to ICD-10-CM, resulted in potential clinical inaccuracies. We identified that 43% of diagnostic codes evaluated and used by internists and that account for 14% of internal medicine reimbursements are associated with codes which could result in administrative errors.

Mucosal polyamine metabolism in the columnar lined oesophagus.

PubMed Central

Gray, M R; Wallace, H M; Goulding, H; Hoffman, J; Kenyon, W E; Kingsnorth, A N

1993-01-01

Mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine content has been proposed as a possible marker for malignant potential in gastrointestinal mucosa. Polyamine content and histological findings were examined in 107 pairs of endoscopic biopsy specimens taken from gastric fundus, fundic and specialised Barrett's oesophagus and Barrett's adenocarcinoma. The content of putrescine (median nmol/mg protein, range) the primary product of ornithine decarboxylase showed a progressive increase from gastric fundus (0.41, 0.15-1.5); fundic (0.45, 0.01-4.08); specialised Barrett's oesophagus (0.54, 0.01-2.0); dysplastic columnar lined oesophagus (0.56, 0.31-3.1) to adenocarcinoma (1.23, 0.29-8.98). Adenocarcinoma putrescine content was significantly greater than gastric fundus (p < 0.018) and fundic (p < 0.03). Mucosal spermine, spermidine, and total polyamine values were greater in gastric fundus than fundic, specialised Barrett's oesophagus, and dysplastic columnar lined oesophagus (all p < 0.001) suggesting failure to further metabolise putrescine to its higher polyamines in the metaplastic epithelium. Although metaplastic columnar lined oesophagus shows significant differences in polyamine metabolic activity from the stomach the important distinction between specialised and dysplastic columnar lined oesophagus cannot be made by measuring the polyamine content. PMID:8504955

Is international junior success a reliable predictor for international senior success in elite combat sports?

PubMed

Li, Pingwei; De Bosscher, Veerle; Pion, Johan; Weissensteiner, Juanita R; Vertonghen, Jikkemien

2018-05-01

Currently in the literature, there is a dearth of empirical research that confirms whether international junior success is a reliable predictor for future international senior success. Despite the uncertainty of the junior-senior relationship, federations and coaches still tend to use junior success as a predictor for long-term senior success. A range of former investigations utilising a retrospective lens has merely focused on success that athletes attained at junior level competitions. Success that was achieved at senior-level competitions but at a junior age was relatively ignored. This study explored to what extent international senior success can be predicted based on success that athletes achieved in either international junior level competitions (i.e. junior medalists) or senior competitions at a junior age (i.e. early achievers). The sample contains 4011 international male and female athletes from three combat sports (taekwondo, wrestling and boxing), who were born between 1974 and 1990 and participated in both international junior and senior-level competitions between 1990 and 2016. Gender and sport differences were compared. The results revealed that 61.4% of the junior medalists and 90.4% of the early achievers went on to win international medals at a senior age. Among the early achievers, 92.2% of the taekwondo athletes, 68.4% of the wrestling athletes and 37.9% of the boxing athletes could be reliably "predicted" to win international senior medals. The findings demonstrate that specific to the three combat sports examined, international junior success appears to be an important predictor to long-term international senior success.

International Heliophysical Year

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davila, Joseph, M.

2005-01-01

The International Heliophysical Year (IHY), an international program of scientific collaboration to understand the external drivers of planetary environments, will be conducted in 2007. This will be a major international event of great interest to the member States. The M Y will involve the deployment of new instrumentation, new observations from the ground and in space, and an education component. The IHY 2007 will coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957. The IGY was organized to study global phenomena of the Earth and Geospace involving about 60,000 scientists from 66 nations, working at thousands of stations, around the world to obtain simultaneous, global observations from the ground and space. Building on results obtained during IGY 1957, the IHY will expand to the study of universal processes in the solar system that affect the interplanetary and terrestrial environments. The study of energetic events in the solar system will pave the way for safe human space travel to the Moon and planets in the future, and it will serve to inspire the next generation of space physicists.

NASA International Environmental Partnerships

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Pattie; Valek, Susan

2010-01-01

For nearly five decades, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been preeminent in space exploration. NASA has landed Americans on the moon, robotic rovers on Mars, and led cooperative scientific endeavors among nations aboard the International Space Station. But as Earth's population increases, the environment is subject to increasing challenges and requires more efficient use of resources. International partnerships give NASA the opportunity to share its scientific and engineering expertise. They also enable NASA to stay aware of continually changing international environmental regulations and global markets for materials that NASA uses to accomplish its mission. Through international partnerships, NASA and this nation have taken the opportunity to look globally for solutions to challenges we face here on Earth. Working with other nations provides NASA with collaborative opportunities with the global science/engineering community to explore ways in which to protect our natural resources, conserve energy, reduce the use of hazardous materials in space and earthly applications, and reduce greenhouse gases that potentially affect all of Earth's inhabitants. NASA is working with an ever-expanding list of international partners including the European Union, the European Space Agency and, especially, the nation of Portugal. Our common goal is to foster a sustainable future in which partners continue to explore the universe while protecting our home planet's resources for future generations. This brochure highlights past, current, and future initiatives in several important areas of international collaboration that can bring environmental, economic, and other benefits to NASA and the wider international space community.

Internal friction in enzyme reactions.

PubMed

Rauscher, Anna; Derényi, Imre; Gráf, László; Málnási-Csizmadia, András

2013-01-01

The empirical concept of internal friction was introduced 20 years ago. This review summarizes the results of experimental and theoretical studies that help to uncover the nature of internal friction. After the history of the concept, we describe the experimental challenges in measuring and interpreting internal friction based on the viscosity dependence of enzyme reactions. We also present speculations about the structural background of this viscosity dependence. Finally, some models about the relationship between the energy landscape and internal friction are outlined. Alternative concepts regarding the viscosity dependence of enzyme reactions are also discussed. Copyright © 2012 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Strategic business planning for internal medicine.

PubMed

Ervin, F R

1996-07-01

The internal medicine generalist is at market risk with expansion of managed care. The cottage industry of Academic Departments of internal medicine should apply more business tools to the internal medicine business problem. A strength, weakness, opportunity, threat (SWOT) analysis demonstrates high vulnerability to the internal medicine generalist initiative. Recommitment to the professional values of internal medicine and enhanced focus on the master clinician as the competitive core competency of internal medicine will be necessary to retain image and market share.

BPPD Internal Application Checklists

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA, Office of Pesticide Programs, BPPD internal application checklists for internal guidance to assist BPPD employees in their evaluation of applications submitted to BPPD by applicants and/or registrants.

Simulation in International Relations Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starkey, Brigid A.; Blake, Elizabeth L.

2001-01-01

Discusses the educational implications of simulations in international relations. Highlights include the development of international relations simulations; the role of technology; the International Communication and Negotiation Simulations (ICONS) project at the University of Maryland; evolving information technology; and simulating real-world…

The changing role of specialist care in NHS dentistry.

PubMed

Seward, M

1998-07-11

Specialisation and Specialist Training in Dentistry in the UK have been central issues for debate in the last few years. The profession has emerged stronger in understanding the respective roles of the generalist who should remain free to practise across the whole spectrum of dentistry and the specialist who can work in primary and secondary care. The overriding principle is that the patient remains the true beneficiary of a specialised service within the NHS.

FRAX® International Task Force of the 2010 Joint International Society for Clinical Densitometry & International Osteoporosis Foundation Position Development Conference.

PubMed

Cauley, Jane A; El-Hajj Fuleihan, Ghada; Luckey, Marjorie M

2011-01-01

Osteoporosis is a serious worldwide epidemic. FRAX® is a web-based tool developed by the Sheffield WHO Collaborating Center team, that integrates clinical risk factors and femoral neck BMD and calculates the 10 year fracture probability in order to help health care professionals identify patients who need treatment. However, only 31 countries have a FRAX® calculator. In the absence of a FRAX® model for a particular country, it has been suggested to use a surrogate country for which the epidemiology of osteoporosis most closely approximates the index country. More specific recommendations for clinicians in these countries are not available. In North America, concerns have also been raised regarding the assumptions used to construct the US ethnic specific FRAX® calculators with respect to the correction factors applied to derive fracture probabilities in Blacks, Asians and Hispanics in comparison to Whites. In addition, questions were raised about calculating fracture risk in other ethnic groups e.g., Native Americans and First Canadians. The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) in conjunction with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) assembled an international panel of experts that ultimately developed joint Official Positions of the ISCD and IOF advising clinicians regarding FRAX® usage. As part of the process, the charge of the FRAX® International Task Force was to review and synthesize data regarding geographic and race/ethnic variability in hip fractures, non-hip osteoporotic fractures, and make recommendations about the use of FRAX® in ethnic groups and countries without a FRAX® calculator. This synthesis was presented to the expert panel and constitutes the data on which the subsequent Official Positions are predicated. A summary of the International Task Force composition and charge is presented here. Copyright © 2011 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elite International Schools in the Global South: Transnational Space, Class Relationalities and the "Middling" International Schoolteacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarc, Paul; Mishra Tarc, Aparna

2015-01-01

The elite international school is a rich site for sociological inquiry in global times. In this paper, we conceptualize the international school as a transnational space of agonist social class-making given the dynamic positioning of the complement of international school actors. We position international schoolteachers in the middle of these…

International energy outlook, 2010

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-07-01

This report presents international energy projections through 2035, : prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, including outlooks : for major energy fuels and associated carbon dioxide emissions. The International Energy Outlook 2010 (...

Internal Audit Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-11-01

multilocation audits because of the significant amount of planning, resources, and time they require, coordination of all review efforts shall be the...similar to the multilocation audits of the internal audit activities. f. The Military Department audit agencies and the Military Department criminal...34 -.° -.- . . °- . .. ?.. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. :2 DOD 7600.7-M DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE( %INTERNAL AUDIT ~MANUAL Jq- OFFICE OF L- INSPECTOR GENERAL

Internal Motion Estimation by Internal-external Motion Modeling for Lung Cancer Radiotherapy.

PubMed

Chen, Haibin; Zhong, Zichun; Yang, Yiwei; Chen, Jiawei; Zhou, Linghong; Zhen, Xin; Gu, Xuejun

2018-02-27

The aim of this study is to develop an internal-external correlation model for internal motion estimation for lung cancer radiotherapy. Deformation vector fields that characterize the internal-external motion are obtained by respectively registering the internal organ meshes and external surface meshes from the 4DCT images via a recently developed local topology preserved non-rigid point matching algorithm. A composite matrix is constructed by combing the estimated internal phasic DVFs with external phasic and directional DVFs. Principle component analysis is then applied to the composite matrix to extract principal motion characteristics, and generate model parameters to correlate the internal-external motion. The proposed model is evaluated on a 4D NURBS-based cardiac-torso (NCAT) synthetic phantom and 4DCT images from five lung cancer patients. For tumor tracking, the center of mass errors of the tracked tumor are 0.8(±0.5)mm/0.8(±0.4)mm for synthetic data, and 1.3(±1.0)mm/1.2(±1.2)mm for patient data in the intra-fraction/inter-fraction tracking, respectively. For lung tracking, the percent errors of the tracked contours are 0.06(±0.02)/0.07(±0.03) for synthetic data, and 0.06(±0.02)/0.06(±0.02) for patient data in the intra-fraction/inter-fraction tracking, respectively. The extensive validations have demonstrated the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed model in motion tracking for both the tumor and the lung in lung cancer radiotherapy.

77 FR 39560 - International Joint Commission

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-03

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 7945] International Joint Commission International Joint Commission Invites Public Comment on Upper Great Lakes Report The International Joint Commission (IJC) announced today that it is inviting public comment on the final report of its International Upper Great...

International Education and (Dis)Embodied Cosmopolitanisms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sidhu, Ravinder Kaur; Dall'Alba, Gloria

2012-01-01

This article is a critical examination of practices and representations that constitute international education. While international education has provided substantial contributions and benefits for nation-states and international students, we question the discourses and practices which inform the international education export industry. The…

Project Management for International Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Axelrod, Valija M.; Magisos, Joel H.

A project developed a content model for international project management training. It also compiled a bibliography of project management references, identified specific project management training needs based upon a survey of international sponsors and contractor personnel, and documented the training needs of international project managers. Data…

Language and the International Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tonkin, Humphrey

1977-01-01

A discussion of the issue of unilinguism and linguistic pluralism on the international scene. The need for international communication where English is the dominant force and efforts to preserve cultural equality are seen as compelling reasons for promotion of an international language such as Esperanto. (AMH)

78 FR 18321 - International Code Council: The Update Process for the International Codes and Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-26

... for Residential Construction in High Wind Regions. ICC 700: National Green Building Standard The..., coordinated, and necessary to regulate the built environment. Federal agencies frequently use these codes and... International Codes and Standards consist of the following: ICC Codes International Building Code. International...

75 FR 19944 - International Code Council: The Update Process for the International Codes and Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-16

... for Residential Construction in High Wind Areas. ICC 700: National Green Building Standard. The... Codes and Standards that are comprehensive, coordinated, and necessary to regulate the built environment... International Codes and Standards consist of the following: ICC Codes International Building Code. International...

Interns_In_Their_Natural_Habitat

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-10

Discover internship opportunities at the NASA Johnson Space Center! This video shows some of the places interns work and some of the projects they contribute to. Interns work to make their mark and enjoy the entirety of the internship experience which includes touring laboratories and facilities, hearing lectures from astronauts and NASA’s leaders, participating in professional and social committees (like Video Committee) in spare time, and much more. Start your journey! For more on NASA internships: https://intern.nasa.gov/ https://nasajobs.nasa.gov/studentopps/default.htm For Johnson Space Center specific internships: https://pathways.jsc.nasa.gov/ https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/education/interns/index.html --------------------------------- FOLLOW JOHNSON SPACE CENTER INTERNS! Facebook: @NASA.JSC.Students https://www.facebook.com/NASA.JSC.Students/ Instagram: @nasajscstudents https://www.instagram.com/nasajscstudents/ Twitter: @NASAJSCStudents https://twitter.com/nasajscstudents FOLLOW NASA INTERNS! Facebook: @NASAInterns https://www.facebook.com/NASAInterns/ Twitter: @NASAInterns https://twitter.com/nasainterns

Do internal medicine interns practice etiquette-based communication? A critical look at the inpatient encounter.

PubMed

Block, Lauren; Hutzler, Lindsey; Habicht, Robert; Wu, Albert W; Desai, Sanjay V; Novello Silva, Kathryn; Niessen, Timothy; Oliver, Nora; Feldman, Leonard

2013-11-01

Etiquette-based communication may improve the inpatient experience but is not universally practiced. We sought to determine the extent to which internal medicine interns practice behaviors that characterize etiquette-based medicine. Trained observers evaluated the use of 5 key communication strategies by internal medicine interns during inpatient clinical encounters: introducing one's self, explaining one's role in the patient's care, touching the patient, asking open-ended questions, and sitting down with the patient. Participants at 1 site then completed a survey estimating how frequently they performed each of the observed behaviors. A convenience sample of 29 interns was observed on a total of 732 patient encounters. Overall, interns introduced themselves 40% of the time and explained their role 37% of the time. Interns touched patients on 65% of visits, asked open-ended questions on 75% of visits, and sat down with patients during 9% of visits. Interns at 1 site estimated introducing themselves and their role and sitting with patients significantly more frequently than was observed (80% vs 40%, P < 0.01; 80% vs 37%, P < 0.01; and 58% vs 9%, P < 0.01, respectively). Resident physicians introduced themselves to patients, explained their role, and sat down with patients infrequently during observed inpatient encounters. Residents surveyed tended to overestimate their own practice of etiquette-based medicine. © 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-09-21

Artist's concept of the final configuration of the International Space Station (ISS) Alpha. The ISS is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide an unprecedented undertaking in scientific, technological, and international experimentation.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-04-20

An artist's concept of a fully deployed International Space Station (ISS) Alpha. The ISS-A is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide an unprecedented undertaking in scientific, technological, and international experiments.

International energy outlook, 2000

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

The International Energy Outlook 2000 (IEO2000) presents : an assessment by the Energy Information Administration : (EIA) of the outlook for international energy : markets through 2020. The report is an extension of the : EIAs Annual Energy Outloo...

Birds of a Feather: Senior International Baccalaureate International Schools Leadership in Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner-McTaggart, Alexander

2018-01-01

This article presents original research into International Baccalaureate international schools' directors in Western Europe, based on multiphase contact with six director participants over two years and employing an aspect of critical-phenomenology. Successful leadership in this context responds to market demands with a commodification of Anglo…

International Opportunities and Programs at NSF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wodarczyk, F.

2006-05-01

The National Science Foundation's Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) promotes the development of an integrated, Foundation-wide international strategy for international science and engineering activities both inside and outside NSF and manages international programs that are innovative, catalytic, and responsive to a broad range of NSF interests. Specifically, OISE supports programs to expand and enhance leading-edge international research and education opportunities for U.S. scientists and engineers, especially at the early career stage. It works to build and strengthen effective institutional partnerships throughout the global science and engineering research and education community, and it supports international collaborations in NSF's priority research areas. This talk will highlight opportunities for international collaboration for individuals at all levels of their careers, from student to established researcher, with examples of supported programs. Some recent activities focus on bringing together researchers in scientific disciplines and experts in cyberinfrastructure to promote and enable international data collection, manipulation, storage, and sharing via high-speed networks.

A meta-analysis of the efficacy of fibromyalgia treatment according to level of care

PubMed Central

Garcia-Campayo, Javier; Magdalena, Jesus; Magallón, Rosa; Fernández-García, Esther; Salas, Montserrat; Andrés, Eva

2008-01-01

Introduction The aim of this paper was to compare the efficacy of the treatments for fibromyalgia currently available in both primary care and specialised settings. Methods Published reports of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) researching pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments in patients with fibromyalgia were found in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and PsychInfo databases. The most recent electronic search was undertaken in June 2006. Results We identified a total of 594 articles. Based on titles and abstracts, 102 full articles were retrieved, 33 of which met the inclusion criteria. These RCTs assessed 120 treatment interventions in 7789 patients diagnosed with primary fibromyalgia. Of them, 4505 (57.8%) were included in the primary care group of our study and 3284 (42.2%) in the specialised intervention group. The sample was mostly made up of middle-aged women, who have had fibromyalgia for a mean period of 6 to 10 years. The mean effect size of the efficacy of the 120 treatment interventions in patients with fibromyalgia compared with controls was 0.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.39 to 0.58; p < 0.001). In the primary care group it was 0.46 (95% CI = 0.33 to 0.58) while in specialised care it was 0.53 (95% CI = 0.38 to 0.69), with no statistical significance in the differences. We analysed the efficacy of treatments by comparing primary and specialised care in the different fibromyalgia groups and there were no significant differences. The variables of the studies that affected the improvements in the efficacy of fibromyalgia treatment were low quality of the studies and a shorter duration of treatment. However, both factors were biased by the heterogeneity of the studies. Other variables that also improved outcome and were not biased by the heterogeneity of the studies, were younger age of the patients and shorter duration of the disorder. On the contrary, gender and type of treatment

New International School Library Guidelines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberg, Dianne

2018-01-01

The publication in 2015 of new international school library guidelines was the culmination of a two-year process involving a wide network of contributors. The process was guided by the Joint Committee of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) School Libraries Section and the International Association of School Librarianship…

International images: business cards.

PubMed

Gaston, S; Pucci, J

1991-01-01

Nursing specialists engage in a variety of international professional activities. Business cards are an important aspect of establishing a professional image. This article presents recommended business card contents, international etiquette, card design and production, and cared innovations.

12 CFR 618.8430 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Internal controls. 618.8430 Section 618.8430 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS Internal Controls § 618.8430 Internal controls. Each Farm Credit institution's board of directors must adopt an internal...

12 CFR 618.8430 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Internal controls. 618.8430 Section 618.8430 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS Internal Controls § 618.8430 Internal controls. Each Farm Credit institution's board of directors must adopt an internal...

12 CFR 618.8430 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Internal controls. 618.8430 Section 618.8430 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS Internal Controls § 618.8430 Internal controls. Each Farm Credit institution's board of directors must adopt an internal...

12 CFR 618.8430 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Internal controls. 618.8430 Section 618.8430 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS Internal Controls § 618.8430 Internal controls. Each Farm Credit institution's board of directors must adopt an internal...

Learning in and from the West: International Students and International Women's Organisations in the Interwar Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandell, Marie

2015-01-01

This article explores the importance of higher education to international women's organisations such as the International Federation of University Women, the International Council of Women, the International Alliance of Women and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and asks how studying abroad contributed to the…

International law and communicable diseases.

PubMed Central

Aginam, Obijiofor

2002-01-01

Historically, international law has played a key role in global communicable disease surveillance. Throughout the nineteenth century, international law played a dominant role in harmonizing the inconsistent national quarantine regulations of European nation-states; facilitating the exchange of epidemiological information on infectious diseases; establishing international health organizations; and standardization of surveillance. Today, communicable diseases have continued to re-shape the boundaries of global health governance through legally binding and "soft-law" regimes negotiated and adopted within the mandate of multilateral institutions - the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Office International des Epizooties. The globalization of public health has employed international law as an indispensable tool in global health governance aimed at diminishing human vulnerability to the mortality and morbidity burdens of communicable diseases. PMID:12571722

International cooperation in water resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, J.R.; Beall, R.M.; Giusti, E.V.

1979-01-01

Advancements in hydrology proceeded slowly until the late 1800's when new ventures created a surge of interest and accomplishment. Progress waned again until the middle 20th century when an International Hydrological Decade was conceived, eventually receiving wide multinational support from governmental agencies and nongovernmental institutions. Organized by UNESCO, the Decade program was launched January 1, 1965. Participation included 107 nations, six United Nations agencies, and more than a dozen international scientific organizations. The initial program emphasized scientific research, and international cooperation; the second half of the Decade, emphasized technical assistance and technology transfer, largerly through education, training and demonstration. The success of the Decade led to the establishment of the International Hydrological Program, again under the aegis of UNESCO, to continue the work of the Decade indefinitely. The five major program activities, now involving about 90 countries and several international organizations, include: the scientific program, the promotion of education and training, the enhancement of information exchange, support of technical assistance, and the enlargement of regional cooperation. A significant amount of activity related to hydrological data networks and forecasting is carried on in an Operational Hydrology Programme by the WMO, chiefly through its Commission for Hydrology. Other international governmental organizations with a strong interest in water include the UN, the UN Development Programme, the FAO, the WHO, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN Environment Programme, the International Standardization Organization, and developmental institutions such as the World Bank. The specialized interests of researchers outside of the governmental structure, are met through association in various scientific and technical organizations which are world wide in scope and membership. Notwithstanding a sometimes

Improving International Assessment through Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutkowski, David

2018-01-01

In this article I advocate for a new discussion in the field of international large-scale assessments; one that calls for a reexamination of international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) and their use. Expanding on the high-quality work in this special issue I focus on three inherent limitations to international large-scale assessments noted by…

International Cancer Screening Network

Cancer.gov

The International Cancer Screening Network promotes evidence-based cancer screening implementation and evaluation with cooperation from multilateral organizations around the globe. Learn more about how ICSN aims to reduce the global burden of cancer by supporting research and international collaboration.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-04-17

International Cooperation Phase III: A Space Shuttle docked to the International Space Station (ISS) in this computer generated representation of the ISS in its completed and fully operational state with elements from the U.S., Europe, Canada, Japan, and Russia.

Internal shim

DOEpatents

Barth, Clyde H.; Blizinski, Theodore W.

2003-05-13

An internal shim used to accurately measure spaces in conjunction with a standard small probe has a shim top and a chassis. The internal shim is adjustably fixed within the space to be measured using grippers that emerge from the chassis and which are controlled by an arm pivotably attached to the shim top. A standard small probe passes through the shim along guides on the chassis and measures the distance between the exterior of the chassis and the boundary. By summing the measurements on each side of the chassis and the width of the chassis, the dimension of the space can be determined to within 0.001 inches.

12 CFR 618.8430 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Internal controls. 618.8430 Section 618.8430 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS Internal Controls § 618.8430 Internal controls. Each Farm Credit institution's board of directors must adopt an internal control policy, providing adequate direction to...

International Education, Values and Attitudes: A Critical Analysis of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Learner Profile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, John

2011-01-01

This article provides a critical review of the way that the International Baccalaureate (IB) promotes international education and international mindedness through the IB Learner Profile. While discussing theories of values and attitudes, and the teaching of values and theories of value acquisition, the paucity of such topics in IB texts is noted.…

Intersectionality of internalized HIV stigma and internalized substance use stigma: Implications for depressive symptoms

PubMed Central

Earnshaw, Valerie A; Smith, Laramie R; Cunningham, Chinazo O; Copenhaver, Michael M

2016-01-01

We adopted an intersectionality framework and examined whether the relationship between internalized HIV stigma and depressive symptoms is moderated by internalized substance use stigma. A total of 85 people living with HIV with a history of substance use in the Bronx, New York, completed a survey. Results revealed evidence of moderation: Participants who internalized HIV stigma experienced greater depressive symptoms only if they also internalized substance use stigma. Researchers should examine stigma associated with multiple socially devalued characteristics to best understand how stigma impacts mental health among people living with HIV. Healthcare providers should address stigma associated with the full range of socially devalued characteristics with which people living with HIV live. PMID:24170015

Intersectionality of internalized HIV stigma and internalized substance use stigma: Implications for depressive symptoms.

PubMed

Earnshaw, Valerie A; Smith, Laramie R; Cunningham, Chinazo O; Copenhaver, Michael M

2015-08-01

We adopted an intersectionality framework and examined whether the relationship between internalized HIV stigma and depressive symptoms is moderated by internalized substance use stigma. A total of 85 people living with HIV with a history of substance use in the Bronx, New York, completed a survey. Results revealed evidence of moderation: Participants who internalized HIV stigma experienced greater depressive symptoms only if they also internalized substance use stigma. Researchers should examine stigma associated with multiple socially devalued characteristics to best understand how stigma impacts mental health among people living with HIV. Healthcare providers should address stigma associated with the full range of socially devalued characteristics with which people living with HIV live. © The Author(s) 2013.

International. [SITE 2002 Section].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willis, Dee Anna, Ed.

This document contains the following papers on international issues from the SITE (Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education) 2002 conference: (1) "The Management of Technological Change within Faculties in International American Schools" (Martine Audeoud); (2) "Going Global: Using a Website Development Project To…

Migration in far west Nepal: intergenerational linkages between internal and international migration of rural-to-urban migrants.

PubMed

Poertner, Ephraim; Junginger, Mathias; Müller-Böker, Ulrike

2011-01-01

In Nepal, international labor migration to India and overseas, as well as internal migration to the rural Nepalese lowlands, is of high socioeconomic significance. Scholarly debates about migration in Nepal have gradually shifted from an economic to a more holistic perspective, also incorporating social dimensions. However, little evidence has been generated about internal migration to urban destinations and the potential linkages between international and internal migration. This article draws on Bourdieu's “Theory of Practice” and sees migration as a social practice. Accordingly, migration practice is regarded as a strategy social agents apply to increase or transfer capitals and ultimately secure or improve their social position. Evidence for this argument is based on a qualitative case study of rural to urban migrants in Far West Nepal conducted in July and August 2009. The study at hand addresses linkages between internal and international migration practices and provides insight about a social stratum that is often neglected in migration research: the middle class and, more precisely, government employees. The authors show that social relations are crucial for channeling internal migration to a specific destination. Furthermore, they unveil how internal migration is connected to the international labor migration of former generations. Finally, the authors examine how migration strategies adopted over generations create multi-local social networks rooted in the family's place of origin.

Impacts of Culture on International Negotiations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodin, James Ronald

2010-09-01

This paper provides practical suggestions for developing a healthy and complete working relationship between the system safety practitioner and international business partners, international vendors and international customers.

International Perspectives on General Internal Medicine and the Case for “Globalization” of a Discipline

PubMed Central

Ghali, William A; Greenberg, Peter B; Mejia, Raul; Otaki, Junji; Cornuz, Jacques

2006-01-01

General internal medicine (GIM) has flourished in the United States (U.S.). Unlike other subspecialties of internal medicine, however, GIM's evolution has not been global in scope, but rather appears to have occurred in isolation within countries. Here, we describe international models of GIM from Canada, Switzerland, Australia/New Zealand, Argentina, and Japan, and compare these with the U.S. model. There are notable differences in the typical clinical roles assumed by General Internists across these 7 countries, but also important overlap in clinical and academic domains. Despite this overlap, there has been a relative lack of contact among General Internists from these and other countries at a truly international GIM meeting; the time is now for increased international exchange and the “globalization” of GIM. PMID:16336623

Putting 'international' back in IPEC.

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

Veil, J. A.

During the previous six annual sessions of the International Petroleum Environmental Conference (IPEC), little attention has been given to international issues. Although the US is clearly a leader in oil field research and regulatory development information is available on interesting projects throughout the world Many participants in IPEC have little exposure to international oil and gas environmental problems and solutions. Beginning with the 7th IPEC, a stronger effort is being made to include international issues in the confidence. This paper describes some of the author's experiences in working with international oil and gas environmental issues in North America, Latin America,more » Europe, and Asia. Among the topics to be discussed are the issues that developing oil and gas-producing nations face and the need for sensitivity to other nation's cultures and legal systems.« less

History of the international societies in health technology assessment: International Society for Technology Assessment in Health Care and Health Technology Assessment International.

PubMed

Banta, David; Jonsson, Egon; Childs, Paul

2009-07-01

The International Society for Technology Assessment in Health Care (ISTAHC) was formed in 1985. It grew out of the increasing awareness of the international dimensions of health technology assessment (HTA) and the need for new communication methods at the international level. The main function of ISTAHC was to present an annual conference, which gradually grew in size, and also to generally improve in quality from to year. ISTAHC overextended itself financially early in the first decade of the 2000s and had to cease its existence. A new society, Health Technology Assessment international (HTAi), based on many of the same ideas and people, grew up beginning in the year 2003. The two societies have played a large role in making the field of HTA visible to people around the world and providing a forum for discussion on the methods and role of HTA.

The brain commission of the international association of academies: the first international society of neurosciences.

PubMed

Richter, J

2000-08-01

International associations of scientists, set up to organize cooperative scientific investigations in an international scope and to lay down global binding standards of research, are of great and still growing importance for the advancement of science. This was also recognized at the beginning of the 20th century by the community of researchers in basic and clinical neurological sciences, who created their first international organization following the trend initiated by scholars in astronomy and geophysics. Thus, the so-called "Brain Commission" of the International Association of Academies was founded in 1903 and was active until the outbreak of the First World War. The Brain Commission had no successor for nearly half a century, until the "International Brain Research Organization" (IBRO) was founded in 1961. Although the Brain Commission could exert an impact on neurosciences only for one decade, this international scientific association inspired and promoted the foundation of a series of Brain Research Institutes, which in part still exist in Europe, and long-lasting innovations in the neurosciences.

Internal-illumination photoacoustic computed tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mucong; Lan, Bangxin; Liu, Wei; Xia, Jun; Yao, Junjie

2018-03-01

We report a photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) system using a customized optical fiber with a cylindrical diffuser to internally illuminate deep targets. The traditional external light illumination in PACT usually limits the penetration depth to a few centimeters from the tissue surface, mainly due to strong optical attenuation along the light propagation path from the outside in. By contrast, internal light illumination, with external ultrasound detection, can potentially detect much deeper targets. Different from previous internal illumination PACT implementations using forward-looking optical fibers, our internal-illumination PACT system uses a customized optical fiber with a 3-cm-long conoid needle diffuser attached to the fiber tip, which can homogeneously illuminate the surrounding space and substantially enlarge the field of view. We characterized the internal illumination distribution and PACT system performance. We performed tissue phantom and in vivo animal studies to further demonstrate the superior imaging depth using internal illumination over external illumination. We imaged a 7.5-cm-deep leaf target embedded in optically scattering medium and the beating heart of a mouse overlaid with 3.7-cm-thick chicken tissue. Our results have collectively demonstrated that the internal light illumination combined with external ultrasound detection might be a useful strategy to improve the penetration depth of PACT in imaging deep organs of large animals and humans.

The patterns of organisation and structure of interactions in a fish-parasite network of a neotropical river.

PubMed

Bellay, Sybelle; Oliveira, Edson F de; Almeida-Neto, Mário; Abdallah, Vanessa D; Azevedo, Rodney K de; Takemoto, Ricardo M; Luque, José L

2015-07-01

The use of the complex network approach to study host-parasite interactions has helped to improve the understanding of the structure and dynamics of ecological communities. In this study, this network approach is applied to evaluate the patterns of organisation and structure of interactions in a fish-parasite network of a neotropical Atlantic Forest river. The network includes 20 fish species and 73 metazoan parasite species collected from the Guandu River, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. According to the usual measures in studies of networks, the organisation of the network was evaluated using measures of host susceptibility, parasite dependence, interaction asymmetry, species strength and complementary specialisation of each species as well as the network. The network structure was evaluated using connectance, nestedness and modularity measures. Host susceptibility typically presented low values, whereas parasite dependence was high. The asymmetry and species strength were correlated with host taxonomy but not with parasite taxonomy. Differences among parasite taxonomic groups in the complementary specialisation of each species on hosts were also observed. However, the complementary specialisation and species strength values were not correlated. The network had a high complementary specialisation, low connectance and nestedness, and high modularity, thus indicating variability in the roles of species in the network organisation and the expected presence of many specialist species. Copyright © 2015 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Decision procedures and international law].

PubMed

Mahiou, A

1992-01-01

This work examines the significance of international spaces in the ocean, the polar regions, the air, and beyond the atmosphere; the importance of their resources; and the prospects for communal management of them in the future. International spaces and resources are considered those over which 1 country cannot exercise any right of appropriation and over which all countries exercise exactly the same rights. International spaces are more extensive than national spaces, and their extension and potential richness of resources incite nations to attempt to exercise control over them. Concerns about the environment have contributed to development of the notion of a common patrimony of humanity and the consequent rejection of traditional concepts of total freedom of action of states in regard to common spaces and resources. The existing governance of international spaces and resources was guided by a few simple principles that assured free access, with only the problems of harmonizing the uses and interests of the concerned countries. The idea of a common patrimony of humanity is closely linked to development of the law of the sea, in which it received its most complete expression to date. The emergence and recognition of juridical principles relative to common spaces and resources has been a long and controversial process, and not all such principles have attracted the same degree of support among nations. Even when consensus has been achieved regarding 1 of the principles, divergent interpretations have been made concerning the content and scope of the principle or the regulations that should result from it. 6 principles can be identified concerning nonappropriation, the oldest and long the only principle regulating use of international spaces; peaceful utilization; rational utilization; equitable utilization; protection of spaces and resources; and joint international administration or management. An important question concerning the development of a structure for

Educational Administration: International Movement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Franklin D.

1978-01-01

The field of educational administration is achieving the status of an international movement. Although most voluntary educational administration organizations are not international, the exceptions are the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) and the Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration (CCEA). The UCEA was formed…

Internal waves, Andaman Sea

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-09-30

STS068-236-044 (30 September-11 October 1994) --- These internal waves in the Andaman Sea, west of Burma, were photographed from 115 nautical miles above Earth by the crew of the Space Shuttle Endeavour during the Space Radar Laboratory 2 (SRL-2) mission. The internal waves smooth out some of the capillary waves at the surface in bands and travel along the density discontinuity at the bottom of the mixed layer depth. There is little evidence of the internal waves at the surface. They are visible in the Space Shuttle photography because of sunglint, which reflects off the water.

Beyond health aid: would an international equalization scheme for universal health coverage serve the international collective interest?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

It has been argued that the international community is moving ‘beyond aid’. International co-financing in the international collective interest is expected to replace altruistically motivated foreign aid. The World Health Organization promotes ‘universal health coverage’ as the overarching health goal for the next phase of the Millennium Development Goals. In order to provide a basic level of health care coverage, at least some countries will need foreign aid for decades to come. If international co-financing of global public goods is replacing foreign aid, is universal health coverage a hopeless endeavor? Or would universal health coverage somehow serve the international collective interest? Using the Sustainable Development Solutions Network proposal to finance universal health coverage as a test case, we examined the hypothesis that national social policies face the threat of a ‘race to the bottom’ due to global economic integration and that this threat could be mitigated through international social protection policies that include international cross-subsidies – a kind of ‘equalization’ at the international level. The evidence for the race to the bottom theory is inconclusive. We seem to be witnessing a ‘convergence to the middle’. However, the ‘middle’ where ‘convergence’ of national social policies is likely to occur may not be high enough to keep income inequality in check. The implementation of the international equalization scheme proposed by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network would allow to ensure universal health coverage at a cost of US$55 in low income countries-the minimum cost estimated by the World Health Organization. The domestic efforts expected from low and middle countries are far more substantial than the international co-financing efforts expected from high income countries. This would contribute to ‘convergence’ of national social policies at a higher level. We therefore submit that the proposed

The International Reference Ionosphere 2012 - a model of international collaboration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilitza, Dieter; Altadill, David; Zhang, Yongliang; Mertens, Chris; Truhlik, Vladimir; Richards, Phil; McKinnell, Lee-Anne; Reinisch, Bodo

2014-02-01

The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) project was established jointly by the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and the International Union of Radio Science (URSI) in the late sixties with the goal to develop an international standard for the specification of plasma parameters in the Earth's ionosphere. COSPAR needed such a specification for the evaluation of environmental effects on spacecraft and experiments in space, and URSI for radiowave propagation studies and applications. At the request of COSPAR and URSI, IRI was developed as a data-based model to avoid the uncertainty of theory-based models which are only as good as the evolving theoretical understanding. Being based on most of the available and reliable observations of the ionospheric plasma from the ground and from space, IRI describes monthly averages of electron density, electron temperature, ion temperature, ion composition, and several additional parameters in the altitude range from 60 km to 2000 km. A working group of about 50 international ionospheric experts is in charge of developing and improving the IRI model. Over time as new data became available and new modeling techniques emerged, steadily improved editions of the IRI model have been published. This paper gives a brief history of the IRI project and describes the latest version of the model, IRI-2012. It also briefly discusses efforts to develop a real-time IRI model. The IRI homepage is at http://IRImodel.org.

15 CFR 740.11 - Governments, international organizations, and international inspections under the Chemical...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... use. The IAEA is an international organization that establishes and administers safeguards designed to.... Euratom establishes and administers safeguards designed to ensure that special nuclear materials and other... or Euratom international safeguards use provided that IAEA or Euratom maintains control of or...

The Evolution of General Internal Medicine (GIM)in Canada: International Implications.

PubMed

Card, Sharon E; Clark, Heather D; Elizov, Michelle; Kassam, Narmin

2017-05-01

General internal medicine (GIM), like other generalist specialties, has struggled to maintain its identity in the face of mounting sub-specialization over the past few decades. In Canada, the path to licensure for general internists has been through the completion of an extra year of training after three core years of internal medicine. Until very recently, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) did not recognize GIM as a distinct entity. In response to a societal need to train generalist practitioners who could care for complex patients in an increasingly complex health care setting, the majority of universities across Canada voluntarily developed structured GIM training programs independent of RCPSC recognition. However, interest amongst trainees in GIM was declining, and the GIM workforce in Canada, like that in many other countries, was in danger of serious shortfalls. After much deliberation and consultation, in 2010, the RCPSC recognized GIM as a distinct subspecialty of internal medicine. Since this time, despite the challenges in the educational implementation of GIM as a distinct discipline, there has been a resurgence of interest in this field of medicine. This paper outlines the journey of the Canadian GIM to educational implementation as a distinct discipline, the impact on the discipline, and the implications for the international GIM community.

7 CFR 51.1584 - Internal discoloration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Internal discoloration. Internal discoloration means discoloration such as is caused by net necrosis or any other type of necrosis, stem-end browning, internal brown spot, or other similar types of discoloration...

7 CFR 51.1584 - Internal discoloration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Internal discoloration. Internal discoloration means discoloration such as is caused by net necrosis or any other type of necrosis, stem-end browning, internal brown spot, or other similar types of discoloration...

Globalization, international law, and emerging infectious diseases.

PubMed Central

Fidler, D. P.

1996-01-01

The global nature of the threat posed by new and reemerging infectious diseases will require international cooperation in identifying, controlling, and preventing these diseases. Because of this need for international cooperation, international law will certainly play a role in the global strategy for the control of emerging diseases. Recognizing this fact, the World Health Organization has already proposed revising the International Health Regulations. This article examines some basic problems that the global campaign against emerging infectious diseases might face in applying international law to facilitate international cooperation. The international legal component of the global control strategy for these diseases needs careful attention because of problems inherent in international law, especially as it applies to emerging infections issues. PMID:8903206

Global climate change and international security.

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

Karas, Thomas H.

2003-11-01

This report originates in a workshop held at Sandia National Laboratories, bringing together a variety of external experts with Sandia personnel to discuss 'The Implications of Global Climate Change for International Security.' Whatever the future of the current global warming trend, paleoclimatic history shows that climate change happens, sometimes abruptly. These changes can severely impact human water supplies, agriculture, migration patterns, infrastructure, financial flows, disease prevalence, and economic activity. Those impacts, in turn, can lead to national or international security problems stemming from aggravation of internal conflicts, increased poverty and inequality, exacerbation of existing international conflicts, diversion of national andmore » international resources from international security programs (military or non-military), contribution to global economic decline or collapse, or international realignments based on climate change mitigation policies. After reviewing these potential problems, the report concludes with a brief listing of some research, technology, and policy measures that might mitigate them.« less

The importance of fixed costs in animal health systems.

PubMed

Tisdell, C A; Adamson, D

2017-04-01

In this paper, the authors detail the structure and optimal management of health systems as influenced by the presence and level of fixed costs. Unlike variable costs, fixed costs cannot be altered, and are thus independent of the level of veterinary activity in the short run. Their importance is illustrated by using both single-period and multi-period models. It is shown that multi-stage veterinary decision-making can often be envisaged as a sequence of fixed-cost problems. In general, it becomes clear that, the higher the fixed costs, the greater the net benefit of veterinary activity must be, if such activity is to be economic. The authors also assess the extent to which it pays to reduce fixed costs and to try to compensate for this by increasing variable costs. Fixed costs have major implications for the industrial structure of the animal health products industry and for the structure of the private veterinary services industry. In the former, they favour market concentration and specialisation in the supply of products. In the latter, they foster increased specialisation. While cooperation by individual farmers may help to reduce their individual fixed costs, the organisational difficulties and costs involved in achieving this cooperation can be formidable. In such cases, the only solution is government provision of veterinary services. Moreover, international cooperation may be called for. Fixed costs also influence the nature of the provision of veterinary education.

Coordination between a district hospital and a reference hospital: evaluation of chest disease care models.

PubMed

Verea-Hernando, Héctor; Valdés-Cuadrado, Luis; López-Campos, José María; Fandiño-Orgeira, José; Blanco-Ramos, Manuel

2011-06-01

Specialised medical care at district hospitals has not been thoroughly defined. Respiratory care data from 2008 in Barbanza and Cee hospitals (Galicia, Spain), were analysed to evaluate different approaches, as they are both similar. Barbanza hospital has a chest diseases clinic run by specialist doctors from the reference hospital three days per week, while Cee hospital is operated by the staff on site. In both cases hospitalisation is the responsibility of the Internal Medicine department. Data was provided by the administrative departments of each hospital and the regional government. Average CDM4 stays were similar for both district hospitals; however, they were lower than in the reference hospital. Charlson scores and re-admissions a month after discharge were similar in both. Barbanza's hospital carried out more functional explorations, both at the centre (957 spirometries vs 21; P<.0001) and at the reference hospital (214 volume/diffusion tests vs 99; P<.001). CPAP treatments were more prevalent in the Barbanza area (3.9 vs 2/1,000 habitants; P<.0001). No differences were found in oxygen therapy and home mechanical ventilation. Mortality due to respiratory disease in 2007 was similar in both regions. Data suggests that in a district hospital scheme supported by chest disease consultants and outpatient clinics gives easier access to specialised, comprehensive and probably, higher quality care than district hospitals without them. Copyright © 2010 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-07-20

An artist's conception of what the final configuration of the International Space Station (ISS) will look like when it is fully built and deployed. The ISS is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide an unprecedented undertaking in scientific, technological, and international experimentation.

Internal vibrations of a molecule consisting of rigid segments. I - Non-interacting internal vibrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

He, X. M.; Craven, B. M.

1993-01-01

For molecular crystals, a procedure is proposed for interpreting experimentally determined atomic mean square anisotropic displacement parameters (ADPs) in terms of the overall molecular vibration together with internal vibrations with the assumption that the molecule consists of a set of linked rigid segments. The internal librations (molecular torsional or bending modes) are described using the variable internal coordinates of the segmented body. With this procedure, the experimental ADPs obtained from crystal structure determinations involving six small molecules (sym-trinitrobenzene, adenosine, tetra-cyanoquinodimethane, benzamide, alpha-cyanoacetic acid hydrazide and N-acetyl-L-tryptophan methylamide) have been analyzed. As a consequence, vibrational corrections to the bond lengths and angles of the molecule are calculated as well as the frequencies and force constants for each internal torsional or bending vibration.

The US DOE EM international program

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

Elmetti, Rosa R.; Han, Ana M.; Roach, Jay A.

2013-07-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) conducts international collaboration activities in support of U.S. policies and objectives regarding the accelerated risk reduction and remediation of environmental legacy of the nations' nuclear weapons program and government sponsored nuclear energy research. The EM International Program supported out of the EM Office of the Associate Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary pursues collaborations with foreign government organizations, educational institutions and private industry to assist in identifying technologies and promote international collaborations that leverage resources and link international experience and expertise. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, the International Program awarded eightmore » international collaborative projects for work scope spanning waste processing, groundwater and soil remediation, deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) and nuclear materials disposition initiatives to seven foreign organizations. Additionally, the International Program's scope and collaboration opportunities were expanded to include technical as well as non-technical areas. This paper will present an overview of the on-going tasks awarded in FY 2012 and an update of upcoming international activities and opportunities for expansion into the remainder of FY 2013 and beyond. (authors)« less

Guidelines for international collaborative research.

PubMed

Rosser, W W; Culpepper, L; Lam, C L; Parkerson, G; Poon, V; Weel, C V

1997-08-01

As the global village becomes a reality, there is an increasing need to conduct international collaborative studies in family practice. A workshop at the WONCA meeting in Hong Kong used international attendees to produce a set of guidelines for international research. At the workshop four completed international projects, each using a different strategy, were presented so that common themes might become apparent. The themes were then discussed and guidelines emerged from the process. Seven guidelines emerged for consideration before embarking on an international collaborative research project in family medicine. The guidelines deal with the characteristics of the research question and the importance of communication. The need for simple, brief methods of data collection, funding and pilot testing were identified. The question must be relevant to all participants to maintain interest and measurement tools must be validated to understand the impact of cultural differences in understanding.

Internal displacement in Colombia

PubMed Central

Shultz, James M; Ceballos, Ángela Milena Gómez; Espinel, Zelde; Oliveros, Sofia Rios; Fonseca, Maria Fernanda; Florez, Luis Jorge Hernandez

2014-01-01

This commentary aims to delineate the distinguishing features of conflict-induced internal displacement in the nation of Colombia, South America. Even as Colombia is currently implementing a spectrum of legal, social, economic, and health programs for “victims of armed conflict,” with particular focus on internally displaced persons (IDPs), the dynamics of forced migration on a mass scale within this country are little known beyond national borders.   The authors of this commentary are embarking on a global mental health research program in Bogota, Colombia to define best practices for reaching the displaced population and implementing sustainable, evidence-based screening and intervention for common mental disorders. Presenting the defining characteristics of internal displacement in Colombia provides the context for our work and, more importantly, conveys the compelling and complex nature of this humanitarian crisis. We attempt to demonstrate Colombia’s unique position within the global patterning of internal displacement. PMID:28228997

International Maps | Geospatial Data Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

International Maps International Maps This map collection provides examples of how geographic information system modeling is used in international resource analysis. The images below are samples of

Solid rocket motor internal insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Twichell, S. E. (Editor); Keller, R. B., Jr.

1976-01-01

Internal insulation in a solid rocket motor is defined as a layer of heat barrier material placed between the internal surface of the case propellant. The primary purpose is to prevent the case from reaching temperatures that endanger its structural integrity. Secondary functions of the insulation are listed and guidelines for avoiding critical problems in the development of internal insulation for rocket motors are presented.

International Research Results and Accomplishments From the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruttley, Tara M.; Robinson, Julie A.; Tate-Brown, Judy; Perkins, Nekisha; Cohen, Luchino; Marcil, Isabelle; Heppener, Marc; Hatton, Jason; Tasaki, Kazuyuki; Umemura, Sayaka;

Internal Wave Generation by Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lecoanet, Daniel Michael

In nature, it is not unusual to find stably stratified fluid adjacent to convectively unstable fluid. This can occur in the Earth's atmosphere, where the troposphere is convective and the stratosphere is stably stratified; in lakes, where surface solar heating can drive convection above stably stratified fresh water; in the oceans, where geothermal heating can drive convection near the ocean floor, but the water above is stably stratified due to salinity gradients; possible in the Earth's liquid core, where gradients in thermal conductivity and composition diffusivities maybe lead to different layers of stable or unstable liquid metal; and, in stars, as most stars contain at least one convective and at least one radiative (stably stratified) zone. Internal waves propagate in stably stratified fluids. The characterization of the internal waves generated by convection is an open problem in geophysical and astrophysical fluid dynamics. Internal waves can play a dynamically important role via nonlocal transport. Momentum transport by convectively excited internal waves is thought to generate the quasi-biennial oscillation of zonal wind in the equatorial stratosphere, an important physical phenomenon used to calibrate global climate models. Angular momentum transport by convectively excited internal waves may play a crucial role in setting the initial rotation rates of neutron stars. In the last year of life of a massive star, convectively excited internal waves may transport even energy to the surface layers to unbind them, launching a wind. In each of these cases, internal waves are able to transport some quantity--momentum, angular momentum, energy--across large, stable buoyancy gradients. Thus, internal waves represent an important, if unusual, transport mechanism. This thesis advances our understanding of internal wave generation by convection. Chapter 2 provides an underlying theoretical framework to study this problem. It describes a detailed calculation of the

Issues in International Rehabilitation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nathanson, Jeanne H., Ed.

1991-01-01

Eight articles address issues and programs in international rehabilitation. The issue is introduced by a message from the Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of Education for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, Robert R. Davila. Next, "A History of International Rehabilitation" (Nora Ellen Groce)…

Gynaecology - Quo vadis? Situation Analysis, National and International Perspectives.

PubMed

Brucker, S Y; Simoes, E; Wallwiener, D

2014-12-01

In a large and heavily networked specialty like gynaecology it is a particular challenge with regard to future status to achieve excellent patient care, research and teaching. At the same time not only hospitals but also research facilities are experiencing increasing pressure from performance and competition sides in terms of survival and further development on the clinical, scientific and economic fronts. The numerous changes, including paradigm shifts, in medicine, society, the health-care system and scientific innovations present new challenges to the specialty. This leads to questions about priority, problem areas and weaknesses as well as to new opportunities for the field and the overall question if it will be possible to meet the paradigm shifts and problems by the creation of new structures. In the light of the need for and the potential of design measures, this article presents a SWOT analysis of the specialty's situation as a whole and in particular for gynaecology in German universities. One sees additional demands that add up to an expansion of the tasks. At the same time the shortage of new recruits becomes apparent. A broadening of the perspectives on women's health and individualised medicine come into focus. Partial solutions include new supporting structures, capacity measurements as well as even structural options. In particular, the department structure, that is common abroad, opens an opportunity for specialisation while maintaining unity for a broader further training and strengthened research. Chances and strengths of the specialty are especially effective in coordinated and concerted activities.

The Role of International Law: Formulating International Legal Instruments and Creating International Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szasz, Paul C.

1991-01-01

Using as a basis the threat of climatic change resulting from global warming, this article considers the functions that might be assigned to an international regime. For each function individually and collectively, the instruments and institutions that would be required for the various processes are examined. (SLD)

Professional International Service Learning as an International Service Learning Opportunity Appropriate for Graduate or Professional Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lightfoot, Elizabeth; Lee, Hee Yun

2015-01-01

Graduate and professional schools are increasingly using short-term international study abroad courses as one way for internationalizing their curriculum. While international service learning can be a means for improving students' engagement in international learning experiences and providing a structure for learning, it is difficult to design…

Internal noise estimates correlate with autistic traits.

PubMed

Vilidaite, Greta; Yu, Miaomiao; Baker, Daniel H

2017-08-01

Previous neuroimaging research has reported increased internal (neural) noise in sensory systems of autistic individuals. However, it is unclear if this difference has behavioural or perceptual consequences, as previous attempts at measuring internal noise in ASD psychophysically have been indirect. Here, we use a "gold standard" psychophysical double-pass paradigm to investigate the relationship between internal noise and autistic traits in the neurotypical population (n = 43). We measured internal noise in three tasks (contrast perception, facial expression intensity perception, and number summation) to estimate a global internal noise factor using principal components analysis. This global internal noise was positively correlated with autistic traits (r s  = 0.32, P = 0.035). This suggests that increased internal noise is associated with the ASD phenotype even in subclinical populations. The finding is discussed in relation to the neural and genetic basis of internal noise in ASD. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1384-1391. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Current developments in the French engineering education system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemaître, Denis

2017-03-01

The French engineering education system has been established in quite a different way from others in Europe, such as the German and British systems, for instance. Due to both the whole state system and the private initiatives during the industrial revolution, the engineering education system today is composed of a large number (nearly 200) of rather small and specialised institutions, which have historically mostly developed outside universities. In the last decades, this system has had to face a powerful internationalisation movement. This has had major consequences on the curricula design, regarding foreign language teaching, international exchanges, and links with research. Currently, the French engineering education system is facing new challenges, regarding innovation and environmental and social issues, in a very competitive higher education context.

Is international travel useful for general practitioners? A survey of international travel scholarships.

PubMed Central

Holden, J; Evans, P

1998-01-01

BACKGROUND: The Royal College of General Practitioners has offered international travel scholarships for the past decade. Each year a number of general practitioners travel from the UK to work or study assisted by the scheme, while others come to this country for similar purposes. AIM: To investigate the value of international scholarships for recipients and others. METHOD: All those receiving awards in 1988-94 were surveyed by postal questionnaire. RESULTS: Fifty-one out of 58 award winners (88%) replied. Almost all cited some of a wide variety of personal benefits from international travel, and some established continuing links with colleagues overseas. Many gave examples of useful results for others, both patients and colleagues. Scholarships appear to have made a significant contribution to careers, especially for those based outside Britain. CONCLUSION: Relatively modest travel scholarships were viewed both favourably in hindsight and produced a wide range of benefits to recipients, colleagues, and patients. International travel should probably be considered more widely in career planning. PMID:9624751

Publishing International Counseling Articles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohenshil, Thomas H.; Amundson, Norman E.

2011-01-01

This article begins with a rationale for including international articles in the "Journal of Counseling & Development." Then, 2 general categories of international articles are described. First are articles that provide a general overview of counseling in a particular country. The 2nd category is more general and might involve international…

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-12-16

Artist's concept of the International Space Station (ISS) Alpha deployed and operational. This figure also includes the docking procedures for the Space Shuttle (shown with cargo bay open). The ISS is a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide an unprecedented undertaking in scientific, technological, and international experimentation.

International Education (Working Paper).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gruson, Edward S.

The history, objectives, and funding patterns for international education are discussed. Attention is directed toward the language and area study centers of the U.S. Office of Education, undergraduate/graduate and scholarly exchange programs, and the support of advanced research in international studies. The main source of funds for language and…

78 FR 11699 - International Mail Contract

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-19

... additional International Business Reply Service (IBRS) Competitive Contract 3 negotiated service agreement... International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 3 Negotiated Service Agreement, February 11, 2013.... 684, Order Approving International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 3 Negotiated Service...

Charismatic authority in modern healthcare: the case of the 'diabetes specialist podiatrist'.

PubMed

Bacon, Dawn; Borthwick, Alan M

2013-09-01

Professional specialisation is broadly considered to result from increased complexity in professional knowledge and to be linked to specialist education, formalised credentials and registration. However, the degree of formal organisation may vary across professions. In healthcare, although medical specialisation is linked to rigorous selection criteria, formal training programmes and specialist registration, some forms of specialisation in the allied health professions are much less formal. Drawing on Weber's concept of charismatic authority, the establishment of a specialist role in podiatry, the 'diabetes specialist podiatrist', in the absence of codified or credentialed authority, is explored. 'Charismatic' leaders in podiatry, having attracted a following of practitioners, were able to constitute a speciality area of practice in the absence of established career pathways and acquire a degree of legitimacy in the medical field of diabetology. © 2012 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2012 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/JohnWiley & Sons Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Establishing specialty jurisdictions in medicine: the case of American obstetrics and gynaecology.

PubMed

Zetka, James R

2011-09-01

The profession of medicine has evolved into an extremely specialised occupation. Yet, recent research has neglected the intra-occupational processes influencing medical specialisation. This article aims to correct this oversight. It develops an historical account of intra-occupational factors influencing the decision to establish gynaecologic oncology as American ob/gyn's surgical subspecialty in 1972. Working within the framework initially developed by Everett C. Hughes and his students, the article examines this development as the outcome of a three-party relationship among gynaecologic oncologists, American ob/gyns, and gynaecologic pelvic surgeons. Aggressive movement by the gynaecologic pelvic surgeons challenging the established élite's identity definition for the ob/gyn specialty helped spur official recognition of gynaecologic oncology, a less threatening subspecialty. The article draws theoretical implications from the case regarding the role of a threatening other in influencing the specialisation process. © 2011 The Author. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2011 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Should I stay or should I go? Mycorrhizal plants are more likely to invest in long-distance seed dispersal than non-mycorrhizal plants.

PubMed

Correia, Marta; Heleno, Ruben; Vargas, Pablo; Rodríguez-Echeverría, Susana

2018-05-01

Seed dispersal and mycorrhizal associations are key mutualisms for the functioning and regeneration of plant communities; however, these processes have seldom been explored together. We hypothesised that obligatory mycorrhizal plants will be less likely to have long-distance dispersal (LDD) syndromes since the probability of finding suitable mycorrhizal partners is likely to decrease with distance to the mother plant. We contrasted the mycorrhizal status and LDD syndromes for 1960 European plant species, using phylogenetically corrected log-linear models. Contrary to our expectation, having specialised structures for LDD is more frequent in obligate mycorrhizal plants than in non-mycorrhizal plants, revealing that lack of compatible mutualists does not constrain investment in LDD structures in the European Flora. Ectomycorrhizal plants associated with wind-dispersing fungi are also more likely to have specialised structures for wind dispersal. Habitat specificity and narrower niche of non-mycorrhizal plants might explain the smaller investment in specialised structures for seed dispersal. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

INTERNAL HAZARDS ANALYSIS FOR LICENSE APPLICATION

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

R.J. Garrett

2005-02-17

The purpose of this internal hazards analysis is to identify and document the internal hazards and potential initiating events associated with preclosure operations of the repository at Yucca Mountain. Internal hazards are those hazards presented by the operation of the facility and by its associated processes that can potentially lead to a radioactive release or cause a radiological hazard. In contrast to external hazards, internal hazards do not involve natural phenomena and external man-made hazards. This internal hazards analysis was performed in support of the preclosure safety analysis and the License Application for the Yucca Mountain Project. The methodology formore » this analysis provides a systematic means to identify internal hazards and potential initiating events that may result in a radiological hazard or radiological release during the repository preclosure period. These hazards are documented in tables of potential internal hazards and potential initiating events (Section 6.6) for input to the repository event sequence categorization process. The results of this analysis will undergo further screening and analysis based on the criteria that apply to the performance of event sequence analyses for the repository preclosure period. The evolving design of the repository will be re-evaluated periodically to ensure that internal hazards that have not been previously evaluated are identified.« less

Astronomy and international science diplomacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madsen, Claus

2015-08-01

Since WW2, science has played an important, if sometimes overlooked, role in international relations and international diplomacy. The founding of CERN in 1954 and the more recent establishment of SESAME as a major research infrastructure in the Middle East are examples of this. The IAU has played its own role in the field of science diplomacy ranging from quietly fostering interaction between the antagonists of the Cold War period to the world-uniting initiative of the International Year of Astronomy. Beyond the IAU, yet still with clear links to it, we have seen ESO as an example as well as the more recent one of SKA as a vehicle for development and for strengthening international relations.

Innovative Ideas for Coordinating International Space Activities: International Center for Space Medicine, International Space Authority, and other Global Youth Space Initiatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, W.

2002-01-01

The Space Generation Forum SGF, at UNISPACE-III, as one of its ten formal recommendations to the United Nations in 1999, put forward the suggestion that the an international space authority should be created. Other recommendations were the establishment of an International Center for Space Medicine, creation of a global space exploration and development program, establishment of a global space (Nobel) prize, and a global space library. These projects are being further developed at the Space Generation Summit (SGS), an event at World Space Congress (WSC) which shall unite international students and young professionals to develop a youth vision and strategy for the peaceful uses of space. SGS, endorsed by the United Nations, will take place from October 11- 13th, during which the 200 delegates will discuss ongoing youth space activities, particularly those stemming from the UNISPACE-III/SGF and taken forward by the Space Generation Advisory Council. Delegates will address a variety of topics with the goal of devising new recommendations according to the theme, 'Accelerating Our Pace in Space'. The material presented here and in other technical sessions throughout WSC includes the findings of these discussions. In this paper, we present the International Space Authority idea together with recommendations on how that might be taken forward. The purpose of such an organization would be to allow: 1. Oversight and enforcement for the balanced regulation of multiple interests in space 2. Access for all peoples to the material benefits and knowledge and understanding enabled by the exploration and 3. Pooling of national and industry resources for the creation of space infrastructure, missions and enterprises for Operating principles: 1. The ISA regulatory regime would encourage commercialization and the harnessing of competitive market 2. Consistent with its charter to ensure access to all peoples, all UN member states and appropriate NGOs would 3. Close coordination with

International Humanitarian Award.

PubMed

2016-11-01

The International Humanitarian Award recognizes extraordinary humanitarian services and activism by psychologists, including professional and volunteer work conducted primarily in the field with underserved populations. Award recipients are psychologists who, by their extraordinary service at a difficult time, improve the lives and contribute to the well-being of people in a large or small geographic area anywhere in the world. The 2016 recipient of the APA International Humanitarian Award was selected by the 2015 Committee on International Relations in Psychology (CIRP). The members of the 2015 CIRP were Rehman Abdulrehman, PhD (Chair); Gonzalo Bacigalupe, EdD; Silvia S. Canetto, PhD; Amanda Clinton, PhD; Melissa L. Morgan Consoli, PhD; Chryse G. Hatzichristou, PhD; Arpana G. Inman, PhD; Lori Foster Thompson, PhD; and Danny Wedding, PhD. Dr. Abdulrehman, Dr. Morgan Consoli, Dr. Thompson, and Dr. Wedding were members of the subcommittee for the 2016 award. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

International Humanitarian Award.

PubMed

2017-12-01

The International Humanitarian Award recognizes extraordinary humanitarian services and activism by psychologists, including professional and volunteer work conducted primarily in the field with underserved populations. Award recipients are psychologists who, by their extraordinary service at a difficult time, improve the lives and contribute to the well-being of people in a large or small geographic area anywhere in the world. The 2017 recipient of the APA International Humanitarian Award was selected by the 2016 Committee on International Relations in Psychology (CIRP). The members of the 2016 CIRP were Melissa Morgan Consoli, PhD, and Arpana G. Inman, PhD (Co-chairs); Rehman Abdulrehman, PhD; Gonzalo Bacigalupe, EdD; Frederic Bemak, EdD; Brigitte Khoury, PhD; Susan Nolan, PhD; Nancy Sidun, PsyD; and Danny Wedding, PhD. Dr. Morgan Consoli, Dr. Inman, Dr. Nolan, and Doctor Sidun were members of the subcommittee for the 2017 award. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The International Standard for Oxytetracycline

PubMed Central

Humphrey, J. H.; Lightbown, J. W.; Mussett, M. V.; Perry, W. L. M.

1955-01-01

The first attempt to set up an international standard for oxytetracycline, using oxytetracycline hydrochloride, failed because of difficulties in obtaining a preparation whose moisture content was uniform after distribution into ampoules. A preparation of dihydrate of oxytetracycline base was obtained instead, and was compared in an international collaborative assay with a sample of oxytetracycline hydrochloride, which was the current working standard of Chas. Pfizer & Co., Inc., USA. The results of the collaborative assay showed that the potency of the dihydrate was uniform, and that it was a suitable preparation for use as the International Standard. Evidence was obtained, however, that the reference preparation at the time of examination was less potent than had been originally supposed, and that it was hydrated. The potency of the proposed international standard was recalculated after allowance for water in the reference preparation, and the resulting biological potency agreed well with that to be expected on the basis of the physicochemical properties of the preparation. It was agreed, therefore, that the recalculated values should be used, and the preparation of oxytetracycline base dihydrate used in the collaborative assay is established as the International Standard for Oxytetracycline with a potency of 900 International Units per mg. PMID:13284563

Intern Programs

Science.gov Websites

International Partnership) thumbnail For Italian physics & engineering grads PST - Pre-Service Teacher Internship (No longer active) thumbnail For STEM pre-service teachers Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

77 FR 76091 - International Mail Contract

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-26

... history. The Commission added International Business Reply Service Contract 1 to the competitive product... an expired International Business Reply Service (IBRS) competitive contract.\\1\\ The Postal Service... International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 1 Negotiated Service Agreement, December 14, 2012...

77 FR 16568 - International Mail Contract

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-21

...-filed Postal Service request to enter into an additional International Business Reply Service contract... additional International Business Reply Service (IBRS) contract.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that the... Service Filing of a Functionally Equivalent International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 3...

78 FR 54687 - International Mail Contract

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-05

... Service filing seeking to include a new International Business Reply Service (IBRS) agreement within the... Postal Service seeks to include a new International Business Reply Service (IBRS) agreement (Agreement... a Functionally Equivalent International Business Reply Service Competitive Contract 3 Negotiated...

77 FR 10577 - International Mail Contract

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-22

...-filed Postal Service request to enter into an additional International Business Reply Service contract... additional International Business Reply Service (IBRS) contract.\\1\\ The Postal Service asserts that the... United States Postal Service Filing of a Functionally Equivalent International Business Reply Service...

Postgraduate education in internal medicine in Europe.

PubMed

Cranston, Mark; Slee-Valentijn, Monique; Davidson, Christopher; Lindgren, Stefan; Semple, Colin; Palsson, Runolfur

2013-10-01

Limited information exists on the framework and content of postgraduate education in internal medicine in Europe. This report describes the results of a survey of postgraduate training in internal medicine in the European countries. Two online questionnaire-based surveys were carried out by the European Board of Internal Medicine, one on the practice of internists and the other on postgraduate training in internal medicine. The national internal medicine societies of all 30 member countries of the European Federation of Internal Medicine were invited to participate. The responses were reviewed by internal medicine residents from the respective countries and summaries of the data were sent to the national societies for approval. Descriptive analysis of the data on postgraduate training in internal medicine was performed. Twenty-seven countries (90%) completed the questionnaire and approved their datasets. The length of training ranged from four to six years and was commonly five years. The majority of countries offered training in internal medicine and a subspecialty. A common trunk of internal medicine was frequently a component of subspecialty training programmes. Hospital inpatient service was the predominant setting used for training. A final certifying examination was in place in 14 countries. Although some similarities exists, there appear to be significant differences in the organisation, content and governance of postgraduate training in internal medicine between the European countries. Our findings will prove invaluable for harmonisation of training and qualification in internal medicine in Europe. © 2013.

ILO - International Migration Programme.

PubMed

Boudraa, Miriam

2011-01-01

In a wide International Context characterised not only by the economical development but also by the social, cultural, political and individual development, we witness more and more to a exchange between the developed and the developing countries, which can be translated especially in the migration of the work force. In theory, all countries are either countries of origin either countries of transit or destination, and they are all responsible for the rights of migrant workers by promoting the rights, by monitoring and by preventing the abusive conditions. The process of migration of the workforce can be divided into three stages: the first coincides with the period prior to departure, the second is represented by the aftermath of the departure and the period of stay in the country of destination, the third stage corresponds to the return in the country of origin. The workers must be protected throughout this process by the international organizations that perform the catalytic role of communication and exchange between countries, for the only purpose of protecting the rights of immigrant and/or immigrants workers. The responsibility for the protection of workers is divided among the various players in the International Labour Organisation. Every country has to apply measures according to the international standards regarding workers' rights, standards that guide the various countries in the formulation and implementation of their policies and legislation. These standards are suggested by International Conventions, the ILO Conventions and other international instruments such as the human rights instrument. There has been a big step forward once the ILO Fundamental Conventions and Conventions on Migrant Workers where implemented and this implementation represented the use of the Guidelines "ILO Multilateral Framework on Labour Migration".

International Education and Institutional Accreditation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crow, Steven D.

1988-01-01

Questions whether voluntary self-regulation as practiced through institutional accreditation can adequately regulate expanding international education activities. Points to challenges related to legality, international linkages, curricula, and regionalism. (DMM)

78 FR 53504 - Internal Revenue Service

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-29

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Revenue Procedure 2007-37 AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury. ACTION: Notice and request for... Gerald J. Shields at Internal Revenue Service, room 6129, 1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC...

[Internal and external haemorrhoids].

PubMed

Schuurman, J P; Go, P M N Y H

2011-01-01

In this article, we present 3 cases of patients with different types of haemorrhoidal disease. The first patient is a 27-year-old woman who had been experiencing incidental rectal blood loss without pain during defecation for 3 months. The second patient is a 76-year-old woman who had been bothered by varying degrees of pain from a swelling nearby the anus for 1 year. The third case involves a 31-year-old man who had had continuous severe pain in the anal area for 3 consecutive days. The first patient appeared to have internal hemorrhoids, whereas different forms of external hemorrhoids affected the patients in the other 2 cases. Internal haemorrhoids develop from the intraluminal corpus cavernosum recti; external haemorrhoids from the perianal marginal veins. Patients with internal haemorrhoids present with symptoms that include blood loss and prolaps feeling during defecation. In patients with external haemorrhoids pain is the prominent symptom. Internal haemorrhoids are treated either conservatively or surgically, depending upon their severity. Considering external haemorrhoidal disease surgical treatment provides the most rapid and persistent relief of symptoms.

Internal displacement in Burma.

PubMed

Lanjouw, S; Mortimer, G; Bamforth, V

2000-09-01

The internal displacement of populations in Burma is not a new phenomenon. Displacement is caused by numerous factors. Not all of it is due to outright violence, but much is a consequence of misguided social and economic development initiatives. Efforts to consolidate the state by assimilating populations in government-controlled areas by military authorities on the one hand, while brokering cease-fires with non-state actors on the other, has uprooted civilian populations throughout the country. Very few areas in which internally displaced persons (IDPs) are found are not facing social turmoil within a climate of impunity. Humanitarian access to IDP populations remains extremely problematic. While relatively little information has been collected, assistance has been focused on targeting accessible groups. International concern within Burma has couched the problems of displacement within general development modalities, while international attention along its borders has sought to contain displacement. With the exception of several recent initiatives, few approaches have gone beyond assistance and engaged in the prevention or protection of the displaced.

International energy annual 1996

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

NONE

1998-02-01

The International Energy Annual presents an overview of key international energy trends for production, consumption, imports, and exports of primary energy commodities in over 220 countries, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty. Also included are population and gross domestic product data, as well as prices for crude oil and petroleum products in selected countries. Renewable energy reported in the International Energy Annual includes hydroelectric power, geothermal, solar, and wind electric power, biofuels energy for the US, and biofuels electric power for Brazil. New in the 1996 edition are estimates of carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of petroleum and coal,more » and the consumption and flaring of natural gas. 72 tabs.« less

Cnidarian internal stinging mechanism

PubMed Central

Schlesinger, Ami; Zlotkin, Eliahu; Kramarsky-Winter, Esti; Loya, Y.

2008-01-01

Stinging mechanisms generally deliver venomous compounds to external targets. However, nematocysts, the microscopic stinging organelles that are common to all members of the phylum Cnidaria, occur and act in both external and internal tissue structures. This is the first report of such an internal piercing mechanism. This mechanism identifies prey items within the body cavity of the sea anemone and actively injects them with cytolytic venom compounds. Internal tissues isolated from sea anemones caused the degradation of live Artemia salina nauplii in vitro. When examined, the nauplii were found to be pierced by discharged nematocysts. This phenomenon is suggested to aid digestive phagocytic processes in a predator otherwise lacking the means to masticate its prey. PMID:19129118

Learning Activities for International Business.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haynes, Thomas

1998-01-01

The National Standards for Business Education include nine areas relating to international business: awareness, communication, environmental factors, ethics, finance, management, marketing, import/export, and organizational structure of international business. (SK)

International Satellite Law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von der Dunk, Frans

2017-07-01

International space law is generally considered to be a branch of public international law. In that sense, it constitutes a "subset of rules, rights and obligations of states within the latter specifically related to outer space and activities in or with respect to that realm." Dealing with an inherently international realm, much of it had been developed in the context of the United Nations, where the key treaties are even adhered to by all major space-faring countries. In addition, other sources—including not only customary international law but also such disputed concepts as "soft law" and political guidelines and recommendations—also contributed to the development of a general framework legal regime for all of mankind's endeavors in or with respect to outer space. Originally, this predominantly included scientific and military/security-related activities, but with the ongoing development of technology and a more practical orientation, it increasingly came to encompass many more civilian and, ultimately, even commercial activities, largely through downstream applications originating from or depending on space technology and space activities. Important here are the overarching, usually more theoretical aspects of international space law, which include how it was developed or continues to be developed, what special roles do "soft law" or the military aspects of space activities play in this regard, and how do national space laws (also) serve as a tool for interpretation of international space law. Also important is the special category of launches and other space operations in the sense of moving space objects safely into, through and—if applicable—back from outer space. Without such operations, space activities would be impossible, yet they bring with them special concerns; for instance, in terms of liability, the creation of space debris and even the legal status and possible commercialization of natural resources produced from celestial bodies. Finally

First-Year International Students' Perceived Impact of the International Student Services Office

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chissoe, David H.

2017-01-01

As international student attendance on college campuses in the US continues to increase in record numbers, International Student Services (ISS) offices across the country are tasked with providing services to aid the growing number and variety of sojourners in their transition to life on campus in the United States. This dissertation is a…

5 CFR 950.201 - National/international eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false National/international eligibility. 950... PRIVATE VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS Eligibility Provisions § 950.201 National/international eligibility. (a... for inclusion in the National/International and International parts of the Charity List. (2) Determine...

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme: Examining College Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conley, David; McGaughy, Charis; Davis-Molin, Whitney; Farkas, Rachel; Fukuda, Erin

2014-01-01

The International Baccalaureate (IB) works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. This three-phase study prepared by the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC) on behalf of the International Baccalaureate Organization explored the impact…

[Geriatric health care structures in Germany. The cross-border cooperation in geriatric medicine as a needs-driven further development].

PubMed

van den Heuvel, D; Veer, A; Greuel, H-W

2014-01-01

To cover future needs of specialised geriatric patient-centred care, existing structures need to be developed further. Taking into account regional structures of providing care, the Federal Association of Geriatric Medicine in Germany developed the concept of Cross-Border Cooperation in Geriatric Medicine. This concept combines specific geriatric expertise provided by inpatient health care with specialised networking in ambulatory treatment of elderly with a typical geriatric profile. The objective is to provide geriatric patients with a holistic and specific care and case management that overcomes existing limitations.

International Students' Perceptions of University Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Cody J.; Lausch, David W.; Weatherford, Jenny; Goeken, Ryan; Almendares, Maria

2017-01-01

International students provide economic, cultural, and academic benefits to universities throughout the nation. However, many international students lack the support necessary to be successful and satisfied with their education. In order to determine international students' perceptions of their university experience, an online survey was emailed…

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

75 FR 29818 - Internal Revenue Service

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-27

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Internal Revenue Service Advisory Group to the Internal Revenue Service Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division (TE/GE); Meeting AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS..., Director, TE/GE Communications and Liaison; 1111 Constitution Ave., NW.; SE:T:CL--Penn Bldg; Washington, DC...

47 CFR 73.1650 - International agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false International agreements. 73.1650 Section 73... BROADCAST SERVICES Rules Applicable to All Broadcast Stations § 73.1650 International agreements. (a) The... States that have been established by or pursuant to treaties or other international agreements...

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

10 CFR 835.102 - Internal audits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Internal audits. 835.102 Section 835.102 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OCCUPATIONAL RADIATION PROTECTION Management and Administrative Requirements § 835.102 Internal audits. Internal audits of the radiation protection program, including examination of program...

Internal Evaluation, Historically Speaking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathison, Sandra

2011-01-01

The author analyzes the growth and nature of internal evaluation from the 1960s to the present and suggests that internal evaluation has been on the increase because of its perceived importance. Although the 1960s were characterized by a rich intellectual development of evaluation theory and practice, the fiscal conservatism of the 1980s ushered…

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-07-11

Artist's concept for Phase III of the International Space Station (ISS) as shown here in its completed and fully operational state with elements from the United States, Europe, Canada, Japan, and Russia. Sixteen countries are cooperating to provide a multidisciplinary laboratory, technology test bed, and observatory that will provide an unprecedented undertaking in scientific, technological, and international experimentation.

International Trade and Protectionism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanford Univ., CA. Stanford Program on International and Cross Cultural Education.

This unit is designed to investigate the reasons for international trade and the issue of trade protectionism by focusing on the case study of the U.S. trade relationship with Taiwan. The unit begins with a simulation that highlights the concepts of global interdependence, the need for international trade, and the distribution of the world's…

Canadian Policy Responses to International Comparison Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volante, Louis

2013-01-01

This paper examines policy responses across Canada to international student assessment programs such as the program for international student assessment, trends in international mathematics and science study, and progress in international reading and literacy study. Literature reviewed included refereed and non-refereed journal articles,…

22 CFR 41.24 - International organization aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false International organization aliens. 41.24... aliens. (a) Definition of international organization. “International organization” means: (1) Any public...)(27)(I), INTELSAT or any successor or separated entity thereof. (b) Aliens coming to international...

22 CFR 41.24 - International organization aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false International organization aliens. 41.24... aliens. (a) Definition of international organization. “International organization” means: (1) Any public...)(27)(I), INTELSAT or any successor or separated entity thereof. (b) Aliens coming to international...

22 CFR 41.24 - International organization aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false International organization aliens. 41.24... aliens. (a) Definition of international organization. “International organization” means: (1) Any public...)(27)(I), INTELSAT or any successor or separated entity thereof. (b) Aliens coming to international...

22 CFR 41.24 - International organization aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false International organization aliens. 41.24... aliens. (a) Definition of international organization. “International organization” means: (1) Any public...)(27)(I), INTELSAT or any successor or separated entity thereof. (b) Aliens coming to international...

22 CFR 41.24 - International organization aliens.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false International organization aliens. 41.24... aliens. (a) Definition of international organization. “International organization” means: (1) Any public...)(27)(I), INTELSAT or any successor or separated entity thereof. (b) Aliens coming to international...

5 CFR 9901.516 - Internal placement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Internal placement. 9901.516 Section 9901... PERSONNEL SYSTEM (NSPS) Staffing and Employment External Recruitment and Internal Placement § 9901.516 Internal placement. (a) Determining levels of work and movement within and across career groups. The...

International Students: A Vulnerable Student Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherry, Mark; Thomas, Peter; Chui, Wing Hong

2010-01-01

This study examines the experiences of international students at The University of Toledo, where international students comprise approximately 10% of the student population. It highlights problems international students experience such as adapting to a new culture, English language problems, financial problems and lack of understanding from the…

The International Responsibility of Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Washington, DC.

International education encompasses: (1) the international content of curricula; (2) the international movement of scholars and students concerned with training and research; and (3) the arrangements engaging United States education abroad in technical assistance and educational cooperation programs. Its purposes are to liberate the mind and to…

The Internationality Imperative in Academia. The Ascent of Internationality as an Academic Virtue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamann, Julian; Zimmer, Lena M.

2017-01-01

The paper investigates internationality as an academic virtue that is highly relevant for research biographies. The discursive trajectory of this virtue is assessed by comparing ascriptions of internationality in 216 academic obituaries from the US, UK and Germany, from physics, sociology and history, and from the 1960s, 1980s and 2000s. Our…

International ties. [international cooperation in the space sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

A historical overview of NASA's participation in international activities in space science is given. The Ariel, Alouette, Isis, and San Marco satellite programs are addressed along with sounding rocket and ground based projects. Relations and cooperation with the Soviet Union are also discussed.

49 CFR 193.2631 - Internal corrosion control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Internal corrosion control. 193.2631 Section 193... GAS FACILITIES: FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS Maintenance § 193.2631 Internal corrosion control. Each component that is subject to internal corrosive attack must be protected from internal corrosion by— (a...

International Health

MedlinePlus

... create refugee populations with immediate and long-term health problems. Some of the major diseases currently affecting ... also an international problem which can affect people's health. Many countries and health organizations are working together ...

International surgery: definition, principles and Canadian practice.

PubMed

Lett, Ronald

2003-10-01

This article is dedicated to the Canadian international surgeon, Norman Bethune (1890-1939). International surgery is defined as a humanitarian branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of bodily injuries or disorders by incision or manipulations, emphasizing cooperation and understanding among nations and involving education, research, development and advocacy. In this article I review the colonial past, the dark ages following the Declaration of Alma-Ata, the progress made and the present challenges in international surgery. I present a definition of international surgery that recognizes the current era of surgical humanitarianism, validates a global understanding of surgical issues and promotes cooperation among nations. Included are the principles of international surgery: education, research, infrastructure development and advocacy. International surgical projects are classified according to type (clinical, relief, developmental) and integration strategy (vertical or horizontal). Also reviewed are the Canadian practice of international surgery by nongovernmental, professional and academic organizations and the requirements of international and Canadian funding agencies, the development concepts basic to all projects, including results-based management and the cross-cutting themes of gender equity, environmental protection and human safety. I recommend formalizing international surgery into a discipline as a means of promoting surgical care in low-income countries. If international surgery is to be sustained in Canada, infrastructure and support from Canadian surgeons is particularly important. An understanding of the history, definition and classification of international surgery should promote surgical care in low-income countries.

International surgery: definition, principles and Canadian practice

PubMed Central

Lett, Ronald

2003-01-01

This article is dedicated to the Canadian international surgeon, Norman Bethune (1890–1939). International surgery is defined as a humanitarian branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of bodily injuries or disorders by incision or manipulations, emphasizing cooperation and understanding among nations and involving education, research, development and advocacy. In this article I review the colonial past, the dark ages following the Declaration of Alma-Ata, the progress made and the present challenges in international surgery. I present a definition of international surgery that recognizes the current era of surgical humanitarianism, validates a global understanding of surgical issues and promotes cooperation among nations. Included are the principles of international surgery: education, research, infrastructure development and advocacy. International surgical projects are classified according to type (clinical, relief, developmental) and integration strategy (vertical or horizontal). Also reviewed are the Canadian practice of international surgery by nongovernmental, professional and academic organizations and the requirements of international and Canadian funding agencies, the development concepts basic to all projects, including results-based management and the cross-cutting themes of gender equity, environmental protection and human safety. I recommend formalizing international surgery into a discipline as a means of promoting surgical care in low-income countries. If international surgery is to be sustained in Canada, infrastructure and support from Canadian surgeons is particularly important. An understanding of the history, definition and classification of international surgery should promote surgical care in low-income countries. PMID:14577711

Evolution of Education for International Mindedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Ian

2012-01-01

This article attempts to trace the evolution of the concept of international mindedness from the 17th century until the present, using four aspects to focus the discussion: education and other trends, ease of interaction across frontiers, determinants of international mindedness, and international mindedness in practice. Education trends start…

43 CFR 24.5 - International agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false International agreements. 24.5 Section 24... WILDLIFE POLICY: STATE-FEDERAL RELATIONSHIPS § 24.5 International agreements. (a) International conventions... boundaries. The authority to enter into such agreements is reserved to the President by and with the advice...

43 CFR 24.5 - International agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false International agreements. 24.5 Section 24... WILDLIFE POLICY: STATE-FEDERAL RELATIONSHIPS § 24.5 International agreements. (a) International conventions... boundaries. The authority to enter into such agreements is reserved to the President by and with the advice...

2 CFR 200.61 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 2 Grants and Agreements 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Internal controls. 200.61 Section 200.61 Grants and Agreements Office of Management and Budget Guidance for Grants and Agreements OFFICE OF... REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL AWARDS Acronyms and Definitions Acronyms § 200.61 Internal controls. Internal controls...

International photovoltaic program. Volume 2: Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Costello, D.; Koontz, R.; Posner, D.; Heiferling, P.; Carpenter, P.; Forman, S.; Perelman, L.

1979-01-01

The results of analyses conducted in preparation of an international photovoltaic marketing plan are summarized. Included are compilations of relevant statutes and existing Federal programs; strategies designed to expand the use of photovoltaics abroad; information on the domestic photovoltaic plan and its impact on the proposed international plan; perspectives on foreign competition; industry views on the international photovoltaic market and ideas about the how US government actions could affect this market;international financing issues; and information on issues affecting foreign policy and developing countries.

28 CFR 0.48 - International trade litigation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false International trade litigation. 0.48... Division § 0.48 International trade litigation. The Attorney-in-Charge, International Trade Field Office... and all other papers filed in the Court of International Trade, when the United States is an adverse...

28 CFR 0.48 - International trade litigation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false International trade litigation. 0.48... Division § 0.48 International trade litigation. The Attorney-in-Charge, International Trade Field Office... and all other papers filed in the Court of International Trade, when the United States is an adverse...

28 CFR 0.48 - International trade litigation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false International trade litigation. 0.48... Division § 0.48 International trade litigation. The Attorney-in-Charge, International Trade Field Office... and all other papers filed in the Court of International Trade, when the United States is an adverse...

28 CFR 0.48 - International trade litigation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false International trade litigation. 0.48... Division § 0.48 International trade litigation. The Attorney-in-Charge, International Trade Field Office... and all other papers filed in the Court of International Trade, when the United States is an adverse...

28 CFR 0.48 - International trade litigation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false International trade litigation. 0.48... Division § 0.48 International trade litigation. The Attorney-in-Charge, International Trade Field Office... and all other papers filed in the Court of International Trade, when the United States is an adverse...

ICCS 2009 User Guide for the International Database. Supplement 1: International Version of the ICCS 2009 Questionnaires

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brese, Falk; Jung, Michael; Mirazchiyski, Plamen; Schulz, Wolfram; Zuehlke, Olaf

2011-01-01

This document presents Supplement 1 of "The International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2009 International Database," which includes data for all questionnaires administered as part of the ICCS 2009 assessment. This supplement contains the international version of the ICCS 2009 questionnaires in the following seven…

[New global challenges: the role of international organizations].

PubMed

Nardi, L; Scaroni, E; Riccardo, F; De Rosa, A G; Pacini, A; Russo, G; Pacifici, L E

2007-01-01

Facing the numerous humanitarian emergencies that upset the international balances, the International Organisations (IO) who intervene are: the Agencies of the United Nations (UN), the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and NGOs. In the sector of international health cooperation, the World Health Organization (WHO) has elaborated a document, the International Health Regulations (IHR), that regulates the health workers' activity during a health emergency. In this paper different International Organizations employed in international humanitarian crisis are described.

Communications Satellites: A New Channel for International Communications, A New Source of International Tension.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mickelson, Sig

Communications satellites could be the subject of bitter and potentially dangerous international controversy. They threaten to upset the comfortable monopoly of internal national communications systems which have enrolled national governments to screen intrusions of unwanted information or ideas. The United Nations Working Committee on Direct…

43 CFR 24.5 - International agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2012-10-01 2011-10-01 true International agreements. 24.5 Section 24.5... WILDLIFE POLICY: STATE-FEDERAL RELATIONSHIPS § 24.5 International agreements. (a) International conventions... boundaries. The authority to enter into such agreements is reserved to the President by and with the advice...

40 CFR 262.58 - International agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false International agreements. 262.58... International agreements. Link to an amendment published at 75 FR 1253, Jan. 8, 2010. (a) Any person who exports...: § 262.58 International agreements. (a) Any person who exports or imports wastes that are considered...

International Academic Success: Institutional Planning & Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Kristen; Kennedy, Matthew; Crespin-Mueller, Dorys

2010-01-01

This study was requested by the Senate International Affairs Committee. The research questions included: (1) What factors affect the cumulative GPA (CGPA) of International students at TRU?; (2) What factors affect the retention of International students at TRU?; and (3) Are Student Success Courses among the significant factors for GPA and…

48 CFR 819.7112 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Internal controls. 819... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS VA Mentor-Protégé Program 819.7112 Internal controls. (a) OSDBU... Program objectives. OSDBU will establish internal controls as checks and balances applicable to the...

48 CFR 819.7112 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Internal controls. 819... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS VA Mentor-Protégé Program 819.7112 Internal controls. (a) OSDBU... Program objectives. OSDBU will establish internal controls as checks and balances applicable to the...

2 CFR 200.303 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 2 Grants and Agreements 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Internal controls. 200.303 Section 200.303... § 200.303 Internal controls. The non-Federal entity must: (a) Establish and maintain effective internal control over the Federal award that provides reasonable assurance that the non-Federal entity is managing...

48 CFR 819.7112 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Internal controls. 819... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS VA Mentor-Protégé Program 819.7112 Internal controls. (a) OSDBU... Program objectives. OSDBU will establish internal controls as checks and balances applicable to the...

48 CFR 819.7112 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Internal controls. 819... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS VA Mentor-Protégé Program 819.7112 Internal controls. (a) OSDBU... Program objectives. OSDBU will establish internal controls as checks and balances applicable to the...

Mechanisms of high-frequency song generation in brachypterous crickets and the role of ghost frequencies.

PubMed

Robillard, Tony; Montealegre-Z, Fernando; Desutter-Grandcolas, Laure; Grandcolas, Philippe; Robert, Daniel

2013-06-01

Sound production in crickets relies on stridulation, the well-understood rubbing together of a pair of specialised wings. As the file of one wing slides over the scraper of the other, a series of rhythmic impacts causes harmonic oscillations, usually resulting in the radiation of pure tones delivered at low frequencies (2-8 kHz). In the short-winged crickets of the Lebinthini tribe, acoustic communication relies on signals with remarkably high frequencies (>8 kHz) and rich harmonic content. Using several species of the subfamily Eneopterinae, we characterised the morphological and mechanical specialisations supporting the production of high frequencies, and demonstrated that higher harmonics are exploited as dominant frequencies. These specialisations affect the structure of the stridulatory file, the motor control of stridulation and the resonance of the sound radiator. We placed these specialisations in a phylogenetic framework and show that they serve to exploit high-frequency vibrational modes pre-existing in the phylogenetic ancestor. In Eneopterinae, the lower frequency components are harmonically related to the dominant peak, suggesting they are relicts of ancestral carrier frequencies. Yet, such ghost frequencies still occur in the wings' free resonances, highlighting the fundamental mechanical constraints of sound radiation. These results support the hypothesis that such high-frequency songs evolved stepwise, by a form of punctuated evolution that could be related to functional constraints, rather than by only the progressive increase of the ancestral fundamental frequency.

Host-driven diversification of gall-inducing Acacia thrips and the aridification of Australia

PubMed Central

McLeish, Michael J; Chapman, Thomas W; Schwarz, Michael P

2007-01-01

Background Insects that feed on plants contribute greatly to the generation of biodiversity. Hypotheses explaining rate increases in phytophagous insect diversification and mechanisms driving speciation in such specialists remain vexing despite considerable attention. The proliferation of plant-feeding insects and their hosts are expected to broadly parallel one another where climate change over geological timescales imposes consequences for the diversification of flora and fauna via habitat modification. This work uses a phylogenetic approach to investigate the premise that the aridification of Australia, and subsequent expansion and modification of arid-adapted host flora, has implications for the diversification of insects that specialise on them. Results Likelihood ratio tests indicated the possibility of hard molecular polytomies within two co-radiating gall-inducing species complexes specialising on the same set of host species. Significant tree asymmetry is indicated at a branch adjacent to an inferred transition to a Plurinerves ancestral host species. Lineage by time diversification plots indicate gall-thrips that specialise on Plurinerves hosts differentially experienced an explosive period of speciation contemporaneous with climatic cycling during the Quaternary period. Chronological analyses indicated that the approximate age of origin of gall-inducing thrips on Acacia might be as recent as 10 million years ago during the Miocene, as truly arid landscapes first developed in Australia. Conclusion Host-plant diversification and spatial heterogeneity of hosts have increased the potential for specialisation, resource partitioning, and unoccupied ecological niche availability for gall-thrips on Australian Acacia. PMID:17257412

Specialised sympathetic neuroeffector associations in immature rat iris arterioles

PubMed Central

SANDOW, SHAUN L.; HILL, CARYL E.

1999-01-01

Sympathetic nerve-mediated vasoconstriction in iris arterioles of mature rats occurs via the activation of α1B-adrenoceptors alone, while in immature rat iris arterioles, vasoconstriction occurs via activation of both α1- and α2-adrenoceptors. In mature rats the vast majority of sympathetic varicosities form close neuroeffector junctions. Serial section electron microscopy of 14 d iris arterioles has been used to determine whether restriction in physiological receptor types with age may result from the establishment of these close neuroeffector junctions. Ninety varicosities which lay within 4 μm of arteriolar smooth muscle were followed for their entire length. Varicosities rarely contained dense cored vesicles even after treatment with 5-hydroxydopamine. 47% of varicosities formed close associations with muscle cells and 88% formed close associations with muscle cells or melanocytes. Varicosities in bundles were as likely as single varicosities to form close associations with vascular smooth muscle cells, although the distribution of synaptic vesicles in single varicosities did not show the asymmetric accumulation towards the smooth muscle cells seen in the varicosities in bundles which were frequently clustered together. We conclude that restriction of physiological receptor types during development does not appear to correlate with the establishment of close neuroeffector junctions, although changes in presynaptic structures may contribute to the refinement of postsynaptic responses. PMID:10529061

Learners' Approaches to Solving Mathematical Tasks: Does Specialisation Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machaba, France; Mwakapenda, Willy

2016-01-01

This article emerged from an analysis of learners' responses to a task presented to learners studying Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy (ML) in Gauteng, South Africa. Officially, Mathematics and ML are two separate learning areas. Learners from Grade 10 onwards are supposed to take either one or the other, but not both. This means that by…

Contrastive Studies--Serbo-Croat-English. Specialised Bibliography C17.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Council, London (England). English-Teaching Information Centre.

This selective bibliography lists 8 books and articles dealing with Serbo-Croat-English contrastive studies and 2 articles on general Slavic studies. The entries range in date from 1963 to 1972. The books cited are European or American publications, and the articles appeared in well-known European or American pedagogical language journals. (TL)

Specialisation in Building of Third World Science and Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salam, Abdus

"To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe, struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves for whatever period is required, … not because we seek their votes, but because it is right…

Divergent thermal specialisation of two South African entomopathogenic nematodes.

PubMed

Hill, Matthew P; Malan, Antoinette P; Terblanche, John S

2015-01-01

Thermal physiology of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) is a critical aspect of field performance and fitness. Thermal limits for survival and activity, and the ability of these limits to adjust (i.e., show phenotypic flexibility) depending on recent thermal history, are generally poorly established, especially for non-model nematode species. Here we report the acute thermal limits for survival, and the thermal acclimation-related plasticity thereof for two key endemic South African EPN species, Steinernema yirgalemense and Heterorhabditis zealandica. Results including LT50 indicate S. yirgalemense (LT50 = 40.8 ± 0.3 °C) has greater high temperature tolerance than H. zealandica (LT50 = 36.7 ± 0.2 °C), but S. yirgalemense (LT50 = -2.4 ± 0 °C) has poorer low temperature tolerance in comparison to H. zealandica (LT50 = -9.7 ± 0.3 °C), suggesting these two EPN species occupy divergent thermal niches to one another. Acclimation had both negative and positive effects on temperature stress survival of both species, although the overall variation meant that many of these effects were non-significant. There was no indication of a consistent loss of plasticity with improved basal thermal tolerance for either species at upper lethal temperatures. At lower temperatures measured for H. zealandica, the 5 °C acclimation lowered survival until below -12.5 °C, where after it increased survival. Such results indicate that the thermal niche breadth of EPN species can differ significantly depending on recent thermal conditions, and should be characterized across a broad range of species to understand the evolution of thermal limits to performance and survival in this group.

Intern Programs

Science.gov Websites

, engineering and computing. Working with Fermilab scientists or engineers, interns have an opportunity to four quarters at Fermilab, alternating periods of full-time study at their schools with full-time

International CPR guidelines - perspectives in CPR.

PubMed

Nolan, Jerry P

2013-09-01

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) co-ordinates regular reviews of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) science and publishes consensus on science statements and treatment recommendations. These outputs are used by international resuscitation organisations to generate clinical guidelines. This review will outline the history behind the development of international CPR guidelines and will provide a detailed description of the current guideline generating process. A perspective is provided on the future of this process and the prospects for completely unified international CPR guidelines. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

46 CFR 42.05-45 - International voyage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... such country, or conversely. For this purpose, every territory for the international relations of which... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false International voyage. 42.05-45 Section 42.05-45 Shipping... Definition of Terms Used in This Subchapter § 42.05-45 International voyage. (a) The term international...

The Impact of Conflict on International Student Mobility: A Case Study of International Students Studying in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ben-Tsur, Dalia

2009-01-01

This paper explores the impact of conflict on international student mobility. Through an examination of undergraduate, international students studying in Israel, this case study questions how and if a situation of ongoing violent conflict affects international student travel decisions to study in a host country. Contrary to assumptions of…

International river basins of the world

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wolf, Aaron T.; Natharius, Jeffrey A.; Danielson, Jeffrey J.; Ward, Brian S.; Pender, Jan K.

1999-01-01

It is becoming acknowledged that water is likely to be the most pressing environmental concern of the next century. Difficulties in river basin management are only exacerbated when the resource crosses international boundaries. One critical aid in the assessment of international waters has been the Register of International Rivers a compendium which listed 214 international waterways that cover 47% of the earth's continental land surface. The Register, though, was last updated in 1978 by the now defunct United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The purpose of this paper is to update the Register in order to reflect the quantum changes that have taken place over the last 22 years, both in global geopolitics and in map coverage and technology. By accessing digital elevation models at spatial resolutions of 30 arc seconds, corroborating at a unified global map coverage of at least 1:1 000 000, and superimposing the results over complete coverage of current political boundaries, we are able to provide a new register which lists 261 international rivers, covering 45.3% of the land surface of the earth (excluding Antarctica). This paper lists all international rivers with their watershed areas, the nations which share each watershed,their respective territorial percentages, and notes on changes in or disputes over international boundaries since 1978.

International Energy: Subject Thesaurus. Revision 1

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

Not Available

The International Energy Agency: Subject Thesaurus contains the standard vocabulary of indexing terms (descriptors) developed and structured to build and maintain energy information databases. Involved in this cooperative task are (1) the technical staff of the USDOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) in cooperation with the member countries of the International Energy Agency`s Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDE) and (2) the International Atomic Energy Agency`s International Nuclear Information System (INIS) staff representing the more than 100 countries and organizations that record and index information for the international nuclear information community. ETDE member countries are also members of INIS.more » Nuclear information prepared for INIS by ETDE member countries is included in the ETDE Energy Database, which contains the online equivalent of the printed INIS Atomindex. Indexing terminology is therefore cooperatively standardized for use in both information systems. This structured vocabulary reflects thscope of international energy research, development, and technological programs. The terminology of this thesaurus aids in subject searching on commercial systems, such as ``Energy Science & Technology`` by DIALOG Information Services, ``Energy`` by STN International and the ``ETDE Energy Database`` by SilverPlatter. It is also the thesaurus for the Integrated Technical Information System (ITIS) online databases of the US Department of Energy.« less

50 CFR 404.12 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false International law. 404.12 Section 404.12... MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT § 404.12 International law. These regulations shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not a...

50 CFR 665.936 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 13 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false International law. 665.936 Section 665... National Monument § 665.936 International law. The regulations in this subpart shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not...

50 CFR 665.936 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 13 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false International law. 665.936 Section 665... National Monument § 665.936 International law. The regulations in this subpart shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not...

50 CFR 404.12 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 11 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false International law. 404.12 Section 404.12... MONUMENT § 404.12 International law. These regulations shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not a citizen, national, or...

50 CFR 665.906 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 13 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false International law. 665.906 Section 665... National Monument § 665.906 International law. The regulations in this subpart shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not...

50 CFR 665.906 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 13 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false International law. 665.906 Section 665... National Monument § 665.906 International law. The regulations in this subpart shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not...

50 CFR 404.12 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 11 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false International law. 404.12 Section 404.12... MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT § 404.12 International law. These regulations shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not a...

50 CFR 404.12 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 11 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false International law. 404.12 Section 404.12... MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT § 404.12 International law. These regulations shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not a...

50 CFR 404.12 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false International law. 404.12 Section 404.12... MARINE NATIONAL MONUMENT § 404.12 International law. These regulations shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not a...

Community College Presidents' Core Internal Metaphors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeBraak, LaRonna S.

2011-01-01

This study identified the core internal metaphors of 8 community college presidents, 4 females and 4 males. The participants of this study resided in both rural and metropolitan communities. Core internal metaphors were adopted due to a strong association to a primary conceptual metaphor, which the participants had internalized as a result of…

Internal Temperature Control For Vibration Testers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dean, Richard J.

1996-01-01

Vibration test fixtures with internal thermal-transfer capabilities developed. Made of aluminum for rapid thermal transfer. Small size gives rapid response to changing temperatures, with better thermal control. Setup quicker and internal ducting facilitates access to parts being tested. In addition, internal flows smaller, so less energy consumed in maintaining desired temperature settings.

International Space Station (ISS)

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-08

Designed by the STS-88 crew members, this patch commemorates the first assembly flight to carry United States-built hardware for constructing the International Space Station (ISS). This flight's primary task was to assemble the cornerstone of the Space Station: the Node with the Functional Cargo Block (FGB). The rising sun symbolizes the dawning of a new era of international cooperation in space and the beginning of a new program: the International Space Station. The Earth scene outlines the countries of the Station Partners: the United States, Russia, those of the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan, and Canada. Along with the Pressurized Mating Adapters (PMA) and the Functional Cargo Block, the Node is shown in the final mated configuration while berthed to the Space Shuttle during the STS-88/2A mission. The Big Dipper Constellation points the way to the North Star, a guiding light for pioneers and explorers for generations. In the words of the crew, These stars symbolize the efforts of everyone, including all the countries involved in the design and construction of the International Space Station, guiding us into the future.

Social Structures in the Economics of International Education: Perspectives from Vietnamese International Tertiary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pham, Lien

2013-01-01

Drawing on the findings from in-depth interviews with Vietnamese international students studying at Australian universities, this article presents insights into the sociological influences that stem from international students' social networks, at home and abroad, and how they impact on students' aspirations and engagement in international…

INTERNATIONAL LAW: HINDRANCE OR HELP?

EPA Science Inventory

As international Remote Sensing/Geographic Information Systems (RS/GIS)
organizations develop, legal issues are becoming an important factor in promoting or limiting international cooperation. We must keep legal considerations in mind during the creation, implementation, and ...

49 CFR 195.106 - Internal design pressure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Internal design pressure. 195.106 Section 195.106... PIPELINE Design Requirements § 195.106 Internal design pressure. (a) Internal design pressure for the pipe in a pipeline is determined in accordance with the following formula: P=(2St/D)×E×F P=Internal design...

49 CFR 195.106 - Internal design pressure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Internal design pressure. 195.106 Section 195.106... PIPELINE Design Requirements § 195.106 Internal design pressure. (a) Internal design pressure for the pipe in a pipeline is determined in accordance with the following formula: P=(2St/D)×E×F P=Internal design...

48 CFR 719.273-10 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Internal controls. 719.273-10 Section 719.273-10 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mentor-Protégé Program 719.273-10 Internal...

46 CFR 188.10-35 - International voyage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, does not apply to vessels “solely navigating the Great... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, i.e., International voyage means a voyage from a... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, such voyages are similar in nature and shall be...

46 CFR 188.10-35 - International voyage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, does not apply to vessels “solely navigating the Great... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, i.e., International voyage means a voyage from a... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, such voyages are similar in nature and shall be...

46 CFR 188.10-35 - International voyage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, does not apply to vessels “solely navigating the Great... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, i.e., International voyage means a voyage from a... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, such voyages are similar in nature and shall be...

46 CFR 188.10-35 - International voyage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, does not apply to vessels “solely navigating the Great... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, i.e., International voyage means a voyage from a... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, such voyages are similar in nature and shall be...

46 CFR 188.10-35 - International voyage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, does not apply to vessels “solely navigating the Great... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, i.e., International voyage means a voyage from a... International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, such voyages are similar in nature and shall be...

Measurement of hearing aid internal noise1

PubMed Central

Lewis, James D.; Goodman, Shawn S.; Bentler, Ruth A.

2010-01-01

Hearing aid equivalent input noise (EIN) measures assume the primary source of internal noise to be located prior to amplification and to be constant regardless of input level. EIN will underestimate internal noise in the case that noise is generated following amplification. The present study investigated the internal noise levels of six hearing aids (HAs). Concurrent with HA processing of a speech-like stimulus with both adaptive features (acoustic feedback cancellation, digital noise reduction, microphone directionality) enabled and disabled, internal noise was quantified for various stimulus levels as the variance across repeated trials. Changes in noise level as a function of stimulus level demonstrated that (1) generation of internal noise is not isolated to the microphone, (2) noise may be dependent on input level, and (3) certain adaptive features may contribute to internal noise. Quantifying internal noise as the variance of the output measures allows for noise to be measured under real-world processing conditions, accounts for all sources of noise, and is predictive of internal noise audibility. PMID:20370034

What Is the "International" in the International Baccalaureate?: Three Structuring Tensions of the Early Years (1962-1973)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tarc, Paul

2009-01-01

The International Baccalaureate (IB) emerged in the 1960s after a significant demand arose for an internationally recognized secondary school-leaving diploma among a subset of the international school community. In tension with the practical demands of producing and sustaining a mobile diploma were underlying liberal-humanist visions of a…

50 CFR 665.966 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 13 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false International law. 665.966 Section 665... Monument § 665.966 International law. The regulations in this subpart shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not a citizen, national...

50 CFR 665.966 - International law.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 13 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false International law. 665.966 Section 665... Monument § 665.966 International law. The regulations in this subpart shall be applied in accordance with international law. No restrictions shall apply to or be enforced against a person who is not a citizen, national...

48 CFR 519.7014 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Internal controls. 519... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS GSA Mentor-Protégé Program 519.7014 Internal controls. (a) The GSA Mentor-Protégé Program Manager will manage the Program. Internal controls will be established by...

48 CFR 519.7014 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Internal controls. 519... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS GSA Mentor-Protégé Program 519.7014 Internal controls. (a) The GSA Mentor-Protégé Program Manager will manage the Program. Internal controls will be established by...

48 CFR 519.7014 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Internal controls. 519... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS GSA Mentor-Protégé Program 519.7014 Internal controls. (a) The GSA Mentor-Protégé Program Manager will manage the Program. Internal controls will be established by...

48 CFR 519.7014 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Internal controls. 519... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS GSA Mentor-Protégé Program 519.7014 Internal controls. (a) The GSA Mentor-Protégé Program Manager will manage the Program. Internal controls will be established by...

48 CFR 519.7014 - Internal controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Internal controls. 519... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS GSA Mentor-Protégé Program 519.7014 Internal controls. (a) The GSA Mentor-Protégé Program Manager will manage the Program. Internal controls will be established by...

International Drug Control Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-24

Common illegal drugs include cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs. International trade in these drugs represents a lucrative and what...into effect, decriminalizing “personal use” amounts of marijuana , heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other internationally sanctioned drugs.15 While...President Calls for Legalizing Marijuana ,”CNN.com, May 13, 2009. 15 “Mexico Legalizes Drug Possession,” Associated Press, August 21, 2009. 16 In support

Criteria for internal auditing.

PubMed

Holder, W W; Clay, R J

1979-01-01

An effective, inclusive internal auditing endeavor should help assure hospital managements that (1) an adequate system of internal control exists to assure the safeguarding of assets and the reliability of data produced by the financial information system, (2) uneconomic operating practices are detected promptly so they can be remedied, and (3) program results and effectiveness levels are of sufficiently high quality to demonstrate managerial competence.

International institutions and China's health policy.

PubMed

Huang, Yanzhong

2015-02-01

This article examines the role of international institutional actors in China's health policy process. Particular attention is paid to three major international institutional actors: the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Through process tracing and comparative case studies, the article looks at how international institutions contribute to policy change in China and seeks to explain different outcomes in the relationship between international institutions and China's health policies. It finds that despite the opaque and exclusive authoritarian structure in China, international institutions play a significant role in the country's domestic health governance. By investing their resources and capabilities selectively and strategically, international institutions can change the preferences of government policy makers, move latent public health issues to the government's agenda, and affect the timing of government action and the content of policy design. Furthermore, the study suggests that different outcomes in the relationship between China's health policies and global health governance can be explained through the seriousness of the externalities China faces. Copyright © 2015 by Duke University Press.

INTERNAL CUTTING DEVICE

DOEpatents

Russell, W.H. Jr.

1959-06-30

A device is described for removing material from the interior of a hollow workpiece so as to form a true spherical internal surface in a workpiece, or to cut radial slots of an adjustable constant depth in an already established spherical internal surface. This is accomplished by a spring loaded cutting tool adapted to move axially wherein the entire force urging the tool against the workpiece is derived from the spring. Further features of importance involve the provision of a seal between the workpiece and the cutting device and a suction device for carrying away particles of removed material.

The cytotoxic T lymphocyte immune synapse at a glance.

PubMed

Dieckmann, Nele M G; Frazer, Gordon L; Asano, Yukako; Stinchcombe, Jane C; Griffiths, Gillian M

2016-08-01

The immune synapse provides an important structure for communication with immune cells. Studies on immune synapses formed by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) highlight the dynamic changes and specialised mechanisms required to facilitate focal signalling and polarised secretion in immune cells. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we illustrate the different steps that reveal the specialised mechanisms used to focus secretion at the CTL immune synapse and allow CTLs to be such efficient and precise serial killers. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Template-Based Geometric Simulation of Flexible Frameworks

PubMed Central

Wells, Stephen A.; Sartbaeva, Asel

2012-01-01

Specialised modelling and simulation methods implementing simplified physical models are valuable generators of insight. Template-based geometric simulation is a specialised method for modelling flexible framework structures made up of rigid units. We review the background, development and implementation of the method, and its applications to the study of framework materials such as zeolites and perovskites. The “flexibility window” property of zeolite frameworks is a particularly significant discovery made using geometric simulation. Software implementing geometric simulation of framework materials, “GASP”, is freely available to researchers. PMID:28817055

The international standard for colistin*

PubMed Central

Lightbown, J. W.; Bond, J. M.; Grab, B.

1973-01-01

An International Standard for Colistin has been established and the International Unit defined as the activity contained in 0.00004878 mg of this preparation. The unit was defined on the basis of a collaborative assay in which nine laboratories from six different countries participated. The material used to prepare the international standard had been manufactured in Japan; it was shown to have a composition similar to that of material produced in Europe and to be suitable for the assay of colistin from the existing sources of manufacture. PMID:4541149

Reflections on the Medical Library Association's international activities.

PubMed Central

Poland, U H

1982-01-01

An overview of the Medical Library Association's past international activities is given with emphasis on the international fellowship program, international exchange of materials, participation in the International Federation of Library Associations, and international congresses on medical librarianship. Problems presented by cultural and educational differences, as well as governmental, political, and economic influences affecting international activities are enumerated. Lastly, continuation of the association's current international activities is endorsed, especially the extension of bilateral agreements with health sciences library associations of other countries, and increased activity in comparative medical librarianship. PMID:7150824

International Cooperation in the Field of International Space Station (ISS) Payload Safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heimann, Timothy; Larsen, Axel M.; Rose, Summer; Sgobba, Tommaso

2005-01-01

In the frame of the International Space Station (ISS) Program cooperation, in 1998, the European Space Agency (ESA) approached the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with the unique concept of a Payload Safety Review Panel (PSRP) "franchise" based at the European Space Technology Center (ESTEC), where the panel would be capable of autonomously reviewing flight hardware for safety. This paper will recount the course of an ambitious idea as it progressed into a fully functional reality. It will show how a panel initially conceived at NASA to serve a national programme has evolved into an international safety cooperation asset. The PSRP established at NASA began reviewing ISS payloads approximately in late 1994 or early 1995 as an expansion of the pre-existing Shuttle Program PSRP. This paper briefly describes the fundamental Shuttle safety process and the establishment of the safety requirements for payloads intending to use the Space Transportation System and International Space Station (ISS). The paper will also offer some historical statistics about the experiments that completed the payload safety process for Shuttle and ISS. The paper 1 then presents the background of ISS agreements and international treaties that had to be taken into account when establishing the ESA PSRP. The detailed franchising model will be expounded upon, followed by an outline of the cooperation charter approved by the NASA Associate Administrator, Office of Space Flight, and ESA Director of Manned Spaceflight and Microgravity. The resulting ESA PSRP implementation and its success statistics to date will then be addressed. Additionally the paper presents the ongoing developments with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. The discussion will conclude with ideas for future developments, such to achieve a fully integrated international system of payload safety panels for ISS.

Current situation of International Organization for Standardization/Technical Committee 249 international standards of traditional Chinese medicine.

PubMed

Liu, Yu-Qi; Wang, Yue-Xi; Shi, Nan-Nan; Han, Xue-Jie; Lu, Ai-Ping

2017-05-01

To review the current situation and progress of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) international standards, standard projects and proposals in International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/ technical committee (TC) 249. ISO/TC 249 standards and standard projects on the ISO website were searched and new standard proposals information were collected from ISO/TC 249 National Mirror Committee in China. Then all the available data were summarized in 5 closely related items, including proposed time, proposed country, assigned working group (WG), current stage and classifification. In ISO/TC 249, there were 2 international standards, 18 standard projects and 24 new standard proposals proposed in 2014. These 44 standard subjects increased year by year since 2011. Twenty-nine of them were proposed by China, 15 were assigned to WG 4, 36 were in preliminary and preparatory stage and 8 were categorized into 4 fifields, 7 groups and sub-groups based on International Classifification Standards. A rapid and steady development of international standardization in TCM can be observed in ISO/TC 249.

International Competitiveness: A National Security Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

Maxwell AFB AL 36112-5532. International Competitiveness A National Security Perspective 0 C 0 Thank you for your assistance / , ’I RELSEARCJ RhINORT NO...AU-ARI-88-11 International Competitiveness A National Security Perspective RONALD H. DABROWSKI, Maj, USAF Research Fellow Airpower Research Institute...26 International Competition ......................... 26 Identification of Firms Involved ..................... 26 Continued Leadership in

The International Space University

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davidian, Kenneth J.

1990-01-01

The International Space University (ISU) was founded on the premise that any major space program in the future would require international cooperation as a necessary first step toward its successful completion. ISU is devoted to being a leading center for educating future authorities in the world space industry. ISU's background, goals, current form, and future plans are described. The results and benefits of the type of education and experience gained from ISU include technical reports describing the design projects undertaken by the students, an exposure to the many different disciplines which are a part of a large space project, an awareness of the existing activities from around the world in the space community, and an international professional network which spans all aspects of space activities and covers the globe.

International energy outlook 1994

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

Not Available

1994-07-01

The International Energy Outlook 1994 (IEO94) presents an assessment by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the outlook for international energy markets between 1990 and 2010. The report is provided as a statistical service to assist energy managers and analysts, both in government and in the private sector. These forecasts are used by international agencies, Federal and State governments, trade associations, and other planners and decisionmakers. They are published pursuant to the Depart. of Energy Organization Act of 1977 (Public Law 95-91), Section 205(c). The IEO94 projections are based on US and foreign government policies in effect on October 1,more » 1993-which means that provisions of the Climate Change Action Plan unveiled by the Administration in mid-October are not reflected by the US projections.« less

The Air Force Nurse Intern Program.

PubMed

Smith, R H

1991-08-01

The Air Force Nurse Intern Program is a 5-month-long introduction to Air Force nursing for BSN-prepared graduate nurses. The program is designed to facilitate the transition from civilian nursing student to practicing Air Force Nurse Corps Officer. After attending Military Indoctrination for Medical Service Officers, newly commissioned nurses attend the program at one of 10 Air Force medical centers before going to their permanent duty stations. Preceptors guide and instruct the interns at each of four clinical rotation sites. The author, a former nurse intern, describes some of the many opportunities available to nurse interns.

Global Floods and Droughts Simulation to Support International Flood Initiative and International Drought Initiative of the UNESCO International Hydrological Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gusyev, M.; Takeuchi, K.; Magome, J.; Masood, M.

2015-12-01

One of the main achievements of the IHD/IHP programs is the promotion and enhancement of hydrological data exchange within the global water community. World Catalogue of Very Large Floods, World Water Balance and Water Resources of the Earth are the great examples of some initial collaborative efforts and the FRIEND and Catalogue of Rivers for Southeast Asia and the Pacific are the more recent outcomes. Along with similar efforts by WMO, FAO, IGBP, CEOS and many other national and international institutes, the global hydrological monitoring and nowcast have made a considerable progress last decade and are about to put into practice. Such efforts include global streamflow alert system of U Maryland and GFAS-streamflow of ICHARM and U Yamanshi. Especially the recent achievements of GFAS-streamflow support the current efforts of IHP International Flood Initiative (IFI) and International Drought Initiatives (IDI) by global nowcasts and easily visible indicators in 20-km resolution.

Gynaecology – Quo vadis? Situation Analysis, National and International Perspectives

PubMed Central

Brucker, S. Y.; Simoes, E.; Wallwiener, D.

2014-01-01

In a large and heavily networked specialty like gynaecology it is a particular challenge with regard to future status to achieve excellent patient care, research and teaching. At the same time not only hospitals but also research facilities are experiencing increasing pressure from performance and competition sides in terms of survival and further development on the clinical, scientific and economic fronts. The numerous changes, including paradigm shifts, in medicine, society, the health-care system and scientific innovations present new challenges to the specialty. This leads to questions about priority, problem areas and weaknesses as well as to new opportunities for the field and the overall question if it will be possible to meet the paradigm shifts and problems by the creation of new structures. In the light of the need for and the potential of design measures, this article presents a SWOT analysis of the specialtyʼs situation as a whole and in particular for gynaecology in German universities. One sees additional demands that add up to an expansion of the tasks. At the same time the shortage of new recruits becomes apparent. A broadening of the perspectives on womenʼs health and individualised medicine come into focus. Partial solutions include new supporting structures, capacity measurements as well as even structural options. In particular, the department structure, that is common abroad, opens an opportunity for specialisation while maintaining unity for a broader further training and strengthened research. Chances and strengths of the specialty are especially effective in coordinated and concerted activities. PMID:25568466

America in Transition: The International Frontier. Report of the Task Force on International Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Governors' Association, Washington, DC.

More than ever, U.S. economic well-being is intertwined with that of other countries through expanding international trade, financial markets, and investments. National security, and even world stability, depend upon U.S. understanding of and communication with other countries. Therefore, international education must be an integral part of the…