Beyond the Conventional Wisdom: Rural Development As If Australia's Rural People Really Mattered. Background Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sher, Jonathan; Sher, Katrina Rowe

This paper proposes a framework for developing a national rural development policy in Australia. Some common relevant misconceptions are that rural Australia and rural Australians are peripheral to the national economy and the nation's future, that farmers and farming communities are the alpha and omega of rural Australia, and that whatever is…

U.N. climate convention goals may be out of reach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakefield, J.

The chief goal of the 1992 Rio climate convention may be unobtainable, recent reports indicate, as nations are gearing up for the first conference on the U.N. framework in Geneva, August 22—September 2. And even if the convention goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000 is reached, some experts say, little would actually be accomplished to stabilize global climate change.For starters, reports earlier this month revealed that Japan and Australia, to name a couple, may be off the target. On a national level, Japan is projected to come in about 3% above the mark. Australia may even withdraw from the convention for economic reasons, according to Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans.

75 FR 17989 - Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental Scientific Affairs; Climate Action Report

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-08

... opportunity to submit comments to the draft fifth National Communication on U.S. climate change actions for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In June 1992, the United States... addressing climate change. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for instructions on accessing the electronic version...

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

Silverman, L.

This paper outlines the following: United Nations` framework convention on climatic change; the United States` climate change action plan; current issues to be resolved (targets/timetables, policies, advancing commitments of all parties, and compliance); and implications for clean coal technologies.

The climate change convention and human health.

PubMed

Rowbotham, E J

1995-01-01

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, signed at Rio in June 1992, is intended to minimize climate change and its impact. Much of its text is ambiguous and it is not specifically directed to health considerations. It is, however, recognized that adverse effects of climate change on health are a concern of humankind, and health is an integral part of the Convention. The Convention includes commitments by the developed countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and to increase public awareness of these commitments. The significance of the Convention in these respects is discussed critically and future developments considered.

The U.S. forest carbon accounting framework: stocks and stock change, 1990-2016

Treesearch

Christopher W. Woodall; John W. Coulston; Grant M. Domke; Brian F. Walters; David N. Wear; James E. Smith; Hans-Erik Andersen; Brian J. Clough; Warren B. Cohen; Douglas M. Griffith; Stephen C. Hagen; Ian S. Hanou; Michael C. Nichols; Charles H. (Hobie) Perry; Matthew B. Russell; Jim Westfall; Barry T. (Ty) Wilson

2015-01-01

As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United States annually prepares an inventory of carbon that has been emitted and sequestered among sectors (e.g., energy, agriculture, and forests). For many years, the United States developed an inventory of forest carbon by comparing contemporary forest inventories to inventories that...

Waste electrical and electronic equipment management and Basel Convention compliance in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) nations.

PubMed

Ghosh, Sadhan Kumar; Debnath, Biswajit; Baidya, Rahul; De, Debashree; Li, Jinhui; Ghosh, Sannidhya Kumar; Zheng, Lixia; Awasthi, Abhishek Kumar; Liubarskaia, Maria A; Ogola, Jason S; Tavares, André Neiva

2016-08-01

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) nations account for one-quarter of the world's land area, having more than 40% of the world's population, and only one-quarter of the world gross national income. Hence the study and review of waste electrical and electronic equipment management systems in BRICS nations is of relevance. It has been observed from the literature that there are studies available comparing two or three country's waste electrical and electronic equipment status, while the study encompassing the BRICS nations considering in a single framework is scant. The purpose of this study is to analyse the existing waste electrical and electronic equipment management systems and status of compliance to Basel convention in the BRICS nations, noting possible lessons from matured systems, such as those in the European Union EU) and USA. The study introduced a novel framework for a waste electrical and electronic equipment management system that may be adopted in BRICS nations and revealed that BRICS countries have many similar types of challenges. The study also identified some significant gaps with respect to the management systems and trans-boundary movement of waste electrical and electronic equipment, which may attract researchers for further research. © The Author(s) 2016.

How can we restrict the sale of sports and energy drinks to children? A proposal for a World Health Organization-sponsored framework convention to restrict the sale of sports and energy drinks.

PubMed

Jean, G

2017-12-01

High-sugar drinks, including fruit drinks, soft drinks, sports drinks and energy drinks, are of no nutritional value and contribute to the burden of dental disease in all age groups. The manufacturers of sports and energy drinks have elected to target children in their marketing campaigns and promote a misleading association between their products, healthy lifestyles and sporting prowess. The World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged that strategies aimed at prevention of dental disease are the only economically viable options for managing the oral health of children in low- and middle-income countries. Developed nations will also be advantaged by preventive programmes given that the cost of providing dental care to those who cannot pay draws valuable resources away from more pressing health issues. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) obligates governments to develop legislation to protect the health of children. A framework convention modelled on the existing Framework Convention for Tobacco Control, supported by the WHO, would assist governments to proactively legislate to restrict the sale of sports and energy drinks to children. This article will consider how a framework convention would be an advantage with reference to the strategies used by sports and energy drink manufacturers in Australia. © 2017 Australian Dental Association.

The Resilience Assessment Framework: a common indicator for land management?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowie, Annette; Metternicht, Graciela; O'Connell, Deborah

2015-04-01

At the Rio+20 conference in June 2013, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reinforced their mutual interests in building linkages between biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. The UNCCD sees building resilience of agro-ecosystems as a common interest that could strengthen linkages between the conventions and deliver synergies in progressing goals of each of the conventions. Furthermore, enhancing resilience of productive agro-ecosystems is fundamental to food security and sustainable development, and thus aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Global Environment Facility (GEF) shares the interest of the conventions in building resilience in agro-ecosystems. Indicators of resilience are required for monitoring progress in these endeavors, application of a common indicator between the UNCCD, UNFCCC and CBD as a measure of both land-based adaptation and ecosystem resilience, could strengthen links between the conventions and increase attention to the broad benefits of improved land management. Consequently, the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) to the GEF commissioned the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to produce a report reviewing the conceptual basis for resilience, and proposing an indicator approach that could meet the needs of the Conventions and the GEF for an indicator of agro-ecosystem resilience and land-based adaption. The paper presents a synthesis of scientific understanding of resilience in agro-ecosystems, reviews indicators that have been proposed, and, having concluded that none of the extant indicator approaches adequately assesses resilience of agro-ecosystems, proposes a new approach to the assessment of resilience. Recognizing that no single indicator of resilience is applicable to all agro-ecosystems, and that involvement of stakeholders is critical to discerning the critical variables to be assessed, the proposed framework uses an iterative participatory approach to characterise the system, considering also interactions across and within scales; identify the controlling variables, and assess proximity to thresholds, and adaptive capacity. The framework consists of four elements: Element A: System description; Element B Assessing the system; Element C Adaptive governance and management; Element D Participatory process. Element D is intended as a cross-cutting element, applying across Elements A to C, although Elements A and B can be applied as a desktop activity in a preliminary assessment. The results of the assessment are synthesised in "Resilience action indicators", that summarise the state of the system with respect to the need to adapt or transform. The presentation will summarise the framework and the responses of expert reviewers who identified strengths of the approach, and challenges for implementation, particularly at program and national scales. The presentation will emphasise the conceptual basis for the approach, and the role of scientists in testing, refining and operationalizing the approach.

Eligibility, the ICF and the UN Convention: Australian perspectives

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in Australia, acts as a philosophical and moral statement and framework guiding integrated and strategic policy across the nation. Broad policy agreement has been reached by governments, and both the government and non-government sectors are developing strategies for implementation or evaluation. There is however a need for a more integrated approach to disability policy and information, reflecting all three components of the Italian project: • legislation and a high level philosophical framework and policy guide; • a technical framework that can underpin specific policies and programs aiming to achieve the major goals; and , • a language and set of tools, relating to both the above, that provide infrastructure for assessment methods and information systems. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is the ideal tool to support the latter two components, consistent with the UN Convention. While the ICF has been used as the basis for national data standards, in population surveys and in the national data collection on disability support services, there is considerable scope for greater use of it, including using all domains of the Activities and Participation and the Environmental Factors component for policy, information and service provision, to advance a disability-inclusive society. Information available from the income support system and from generic services could be enhanced by reference to the ICF components. It would be of significant national value in Australia, especially as a ‘continuum of care’ is desired, if consistency of concepts and information were expanded across health and social welfare sectors. It would then be possible to obtain consistent data from health, aged care, disability and community services systems about key aspects of health and functioning, building a consolidated picture of access and experience across these sectors. Without attention to all three components of the Italian project and continuing effort to meet the challenges identified in this paper, it will not be possible to determine whether the goals of Australia’s National Disability Agreement or the ambitions of the Convention are achieved. PMID:21624192

Child Rights as a Framework for Advancing Professional Standards for Practice, Ethics, and Professional Development in School Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nastasi, Bonnie Kaul; Naser, Shereen

2014-01-01

The United Nations (1989) Convention on the Rights of the Child was designed to promote and protect the survival, development, and well-being of children, thus extending human rights to individuals from birth to age 18. This article examines the consistency of the Articles of the Convention with the professional standards for school psychology, as…

An approach for verifying biogenic greenhouse gas emissions inventories with atmospheric CO2 concentration data

Treesearch

Stephen M Ogle; Kenneth Davis; Thomas Lauvaux; Andrew Schuh; Dan Cooley; Tristram O West; Linda S Heath; Natasha L Miles; Scott Richardson; F Jay Breidt; James E Smith; Jessica L McCarty; Kevin R Gurney; Pieter Tans; A Scott Denning

2015-01-01

Verifying national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories is a critical step to ensure that reported emissions data to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are accurate and representative of a country's contribution to GHG concentrations in the atmosphere. Furthermore, verifying biogenic fluxes provides a check on estimated...

Caring Economics: A New Framework for Conceptualizing and Measuring Economic Activity.

PubMed

Ghosh, Indradeep

2015-01-01

This article introduces the reader to a new framework for conceptualizing and measuring economic activity called caring economics. Going beyond the conventional understanding of economic activity as that which unfolds in markets, caring economics highlights the work of care and caregiving that occurs within households and is often unpaid. This article also unveils a new set of measures based on the framework of caring economics that are urgently needed by policymakers and business leaders to foster personal, business, and national economic success.

A carbon inventory for Mexico

Treesearch

Wood; L.; Hughell; D. A.; Lund; H. G.; Torres; V. E.; Pérez-Chavéz; Mario

2006-01-01

Treaties such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognize the link between changes in vegetation cover and impacts on the global climate. The UNFCCC specifies guidelines for monitoring land use changes and for including such changes in the “equation” for evaluating a nation’s compliance with efforts to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2)...

Managed forest carbon estimates for the US greenhouse gas inventory, 1990-2008

Treesearch

Linda S. Heath; James E. Smith; Kenneth E. Skog; David J. Nowak; Christopher W. Woodall

2011-01-01

Land-use change and forestry is the major category featuring carbon sequestration in the annual US Greenhouse Gas Inventory, required by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. We describe the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory and present the sources of our data and methods and the most recent results. Forests and forest products in the United States...

The WHO Tobacco Convention: A New Dawn in the Implementation of International Health Instrument? Comment on "The Legal Strength of International Health Instruments - What It Brings to Global Health Governance?"

PubMed

Durojaye, Ebenezer

2017-07-05

The Tobacco Convention was adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2003. Nikogosian and Kickbusch examine the five potential impacts of the Tobacco Convention and its Protocol on public health. These include the adoption of the Convention would seem to unlock the treaty-making powers of WHO; the impact of the Convention in the global health architecture has been phenomenal globally; the Convention has facilitated the adoption of further instruments to strengthen its implementation at the national level; the Convention has led to the adoption of appropriate legal framework to combat the use of tobacco at the national level and that the impact of the Convention would seem to go beyond public health but has also led to the adoption of the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco. However, the article by Nikogosian and Kickbusch would seem to overlook some of the challenges that may militate against the effective implementation of international law, including the Tobacco Convention, at the national level. © 2018 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Estonian greenhouse gas emissions inventory report

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

Punning, J.M.; Ilomets, M.; Karindi, A.

1996-07-01

It is widely accepted that the increase of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere due to human activities would result in warming of the Earth`s surface. To examine this effect and better understand how the GHG increase in the atmosphere might change the climate in the future, how ecosystems and societies in different regions of the World should adapt to these changes, what must policymakers do for the mitigation of that effect, the worldwide project within the Framework Convention on Climate Change was generated by the initiative of United Nations. Estonia is one of more than 150 countries, which signedmore » the Framework Convention on Climate Change at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. In 1994 a new project, Estonian Country Study was initiated within the US Country Studies Program. The project will help to compile the GHG inventory for Estonia, find contemporary trends to investigate the impact of climate change on the Estonian ecosystems and economy and to formulate national strategies for Estonia addressing to global climate change.« less

Children's Television in the Twenty-First Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browne, Dina

1997-01-01

Discusses the state of children's television in Australia and considers possibilities for the future. Topics include regulatory frameworks and requirements for children's programs; imported programming, including animated material; the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child; and values promoted to children. (LRW)

Accounting for density reduction and structural loss in standing dead trees: Implications for forest biomass and carbon stock estimates in the United States

Treesearch

Grant M. Domke; Christopher W. Woodall; James E. Smith

2011-01-01

Standing dead trees are one component of forest ecosystem dead wood carbon (C) pools, whose national stock is estimated by the U.S. as required by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Historically, standing dead tree C has been estimated as a function of live tree growing stock volume in the U.S.'s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Initiated...

Delineating managed land for reporting national greenhouse gas emissions and removals to the United Nations framework convention on climate change

Treesearch

Stephen M. Ogle; Grant Domke; Werner A. Kurz; Marcelo T. Rocha; Ted Huffman; Amy Swan; James E. Smith; Christopher Woodall; Thelma Krug

2018-01-01

Land use and management activities have a substantial impact on carbon stocks and associated greenhouse gas emissions and removals. However, it is challenging to discriminate between anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic sources and sinks from land. To address this problem, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change developed a managed land proxy to determine which...

Toward inventory-based estimates of soil organic carbon in forests of the United States

Treesearch

G.M. Domke; C.H. Perry; B.F. Walters; L.E. Nave; C.W. Woodall; C.W. Swanston

2017-01-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest terrestrial carbon (C) sink on Earth; this pool plays a critical role in ecosystem processes and climate change. Given the cost and time required to measure SOC, and particularly changes in SOC, many signatory nations to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change report estimates of SOC stocks and stock changes...

Carbon storage in harvested wood products for Ireland 1961-2009

Treesearch

Jennifer Donlan; Kenneth Skog; Kenneth A. Byrne

2012-01-01

Forests are significant stores of carbon (C). This has been recognised by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and forests are one of the sectors which are included in national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories. Some of this C pool remains in wood after harvest and can remain in use for long periods of time. Accounting for the C stored in harvested...

Recommendations on chemicals management policy and legislation in the framework of the Egyptian-German twinning project on hazardous substances and waste management.

PubMed

Wagner, Burkhard O; Aziz, Elham Refaat Abdel; Schwetje, Anja; Shouk, Fatma Abou; Koch-Jugl, Juliane; Braedt, Michael; Choudhury, Keya; Weber, Roland

2013-04-01

The sustainable management of chemicals and their associated wastes-especially legacy stockpiles-is always challenging. Developing countries face particular difficulties as they often have insufficient treatment and disposal capacity, have limited resources and many lack an appropriate and effective regulatory framework. This paper describes the objectives and the approach of the Egyptian-German Twinning Project under the European Neighbourhood Policy to improve the strategy of managing hazardous substances in the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) between November 2008 and May 2011. It also provides an introduction to the Republic of Egypt's legal and administrative system regarding chemical controls. Subsequently, options for a new chemical management strategy consistent with the recommendations of the United Nations Chemicals Conventions are proposed. The Egyptian legal and administrative system is discussed in relation to the United Nations' recommendations and current European Union legislation for the sound management of chemicals. We also discuss a strategy for the EEAA to use the existing Egyptian legal system to implement the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, the Stockholm Convention and other proposed regulatory frameworks. The analysis, the results, and the recommendations presented may be useful for other developing countries in a comparable position to Egypt aspiring to update their legislation and administration to the international standards of sound management of chemicals.

Carbon offsets from improved swine manure management using aerobic treatment technology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aerobic treatment of manure is an accepted manure management system under protocols adopted through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Our objectives were to determine greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions from replacement of anaerobic lagoons with aerobic treatme...

The need for a regional framework for marine scientific research in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

PubMed

Oral, Nilufer

2014-10-01

One of the important contributions of the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS) is Part XIII on Marine Scientific Research (MSR). UNCLOS recognizes the general rule that all states have the right to conduct MSR subject to rights and duties of other states under the convention and in addition, the obligation to promote and facilitate MSR. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strategies to compensate for the effects of nonresponse on forest carbon baseline estimates from the national forest inventory of the United States

Treesearch

Grant M. Domke; Christopher W. Woodall; Brian F. Walters; Ronald E. McRoberts; Mark A. Hatfield

2014-01-01

Forest ecosystem carbon (C) stocks and stock change in the United States (US) have been documented using Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) procedures and guidance with 1990 as a baseline reference for all United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change reports. In the US, estimates of forest C stocks and stock change are obtained from data...

Illicit Drug Trafficking in West Africa -- Primary Surveillance Radar Introduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

States Party. All West African countries are Party to the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic ...efforts against illicit drug trafficking and related crimes by Member States at the regional and national levels, especially within the framework of...Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Cape Verde, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal.29 14 Effective airspace management not only aids in countering illicit drug

An Independent Review and Accountability Mechanism for the Sustainable Development Goals: The Possibilities of a Framework Convention on Global Health.

PubMed

Friedman, Eric A

2016-06-01

The Framework Convention on Global Health (FCGH), a proposed global treaty to be rooted in the right to health and aimed at health equity, could establish a nuanced, layered, and multi-faceted regime of compliance with, and accountability to, the right to health. In so doing, it would significantly strengthen accountability for the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which it would encompass. Legally binding, the FCGH could facilitate accountability through the courts and catalyze comprehensive domestic accountability regimes, requiring national strategies that include transparency, community and national mechanisms for accountability and participation and an enabling environment for social empowerment. A "Right to Health Capacity Fund" could ensure resources to implement these strategies. Inclusive national processes could establish targets, benchmarks, and indicators consistent with FCGH guidance, with regular reporting to a treaty body, which could also hear individual cases. State reports could be required to include plans to overcome implementation gaps, subjecting poorly complying states to penalties and targeted capacity building measures. Regional special rapporteurs could facilitate compliance through regular country visits, while also responding to serious violations. And reaching beyond government compliance, from capacity building to the courts and contractual obligations, the FCGH could establish nationally enforceable right to health obligations on the private sector.

Ellul and the Weather

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrne, John; Glover, Leigh

2005-01-01

Global climate change may result in a wide array of social and environmental harms, and this prospect has given rise to an international treaty, the 1992 "UN Framework Convention on Climate Change." Scientific uncertainties, nation state politics, and economic resistance had to be addressed before this landmark environmental agreement could be…

International marine environmental governance: A review.

PubMed

Grip, Kjell

2017-05-01

Impressive numbers of global and regional governmental and non-governmental organizations are working in the field of the marine environment and its resources. Many of these organizations operate within international legal frameworks ranging from comprehensive global conventions, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to regional agreements aiming at protection and development of regional seas. Characteristic for the management of these seas, both at the national and international level, is that sectoral approaches predominate. Over time, several initiatives have been taken to improve cooperation, coordination and integration to achieve greater coherence of policies and strategies between different organizations dealing with marine and maritime management, within and outside the United Nation system. However, the success has been limited. The weaknesses of international organizations depend fundamentally on problems at the national level. The international organizations are no stronger than their Contracting Parties allow them to be.

In Brief: Kyoto Protocol moves forward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2004-10-01

The Russian cabinet's 30 September endorsement of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) likely clears the way for the treaty's ratification by that country's parliament and for its entry into force. The protocol enters into force when not less than 55 Parties to the Convention, including industrialized countries (so called ``Annex I Parties'') which accounted in total for at least 55 % of the total carbon dioxide emissions for 1990 from that group, officially have agreed to the treaty.

36 CFR 73.13 - Protection of U.S. World Heritage properties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... source of funding and appropriate management framework, in the event of any proposed sale, succession...) Requirements. (1) Article 5 of the Convention mandates that each participating nation shall take, insofar as... management plans, that would ensure continued satisfactory maintenance of the property and its environment...

75 FR 12232 - Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2008

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-15

... Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and reported in a format consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting guidelines. The Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas...: Comments should be submitted to Mr. Leif Hockstad at: Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change...

77 FR 11533 - Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2010; Notice of Availability and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-27

... recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and reported in a format consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting guidelines. The Inventory... of Atmospheric Programs, Climate Change Division, (202) 343-9432, [email protected

78 FR 12310 - Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2011

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-22

... Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and reported in a format consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting guidelines. The Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas...: Comments should be submitted to Mr. Leif Hockstad at: Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change...

76 FR 10026 - Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2009

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-23

... Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and reported in a format consistent with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting guidelines. The Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas...: Comments should be submitted to Mr. Leif Hockstad at: Environmental Protection Agency, Climate Change...

FOREST HARVESTS AND WOOD PRODUCTS: SOURCES AND SINKS OF ATMOSPHERIC CARBON DIOXIDE

EPA Science Inventory

Changes in the net carbon(c)sink-source balance related to a country's forest harvesting and use of wood products is an important component in making country-level inventories of greenhouse gas emissions,a current activity within many signatory nations to the UN Framework Convent...

76 FR 28954 - International Conservation and Management Measures Recognized by the United States

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-19

... concluded under the framework of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals... International Conservation and Management Measures Recognized by the United States AGENCY: National Marine... international conservation and management measures recognized by the United States. To fulfill this requirement...

Whither tobacco product regulation?

PubMed

McNeill, Ann; Hammond, David; Gartner, Coral

2012-03-01

Despite decades of industry innovation and regulatory efforts, the harmfulness of conventional cigarettes has not changed. There are several pitfalls in this area, including the long time lag before health impacts of product regulatory changes become apparent, the danger of consumers deriving false reassurance of lesser harm in the interim period, the lack of relevant expertise and the lack of an internationally agreed and evidence-based strategic approach. Articles 9 and 10 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provide the potential for such a global strategy, and knowledge and research has increased significantly over recent years. However, there are huge opportunity costs in implementing product disclosure and regulatory strategies: most national regulators have very limited human and financial resources, which should be focused on other evidence-based tobacco control interventions. We believe therefore that it is now time to abandon the notion of safe or safer cigarettes while moving consumers towards cleaner nicotine products as soon as possible. In parallel to this, we recommend a number of other strategies be implemented including: reducing the appeal of all tobacco products, forbidding new tobacco products or brand variants being marketed without evidence of reduced harm, appeal or addictiveness, and developing a tobacco industry resourced, but industry independent, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control global repository to assist national regulators in understanding and regulating the products on their markets.

Globalization of environmental regulations for offshore E & P operations

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

Shannon, B.E.

1995-12-31

One of the enduring legacies of the Rio Environmental Summit of 1992 (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, UNCED) is Agenda 21 (Chapter 17 - Protection of the Oceans), which among other things called for the assessment of the need for a global authority to regulate offshore Exploration & Production (E&P) discharges, emissions and safety. Despite advice to the contrary from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), interest is building within the European community for the standardization of regulations for offshore E&P activities. Several international of regulations for offshore E&P activities. Several international frameworks or forums have been mentioned asmore » possible candidates. These include the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982 (UNCLOS); London Convention 1972 (LC 1972) and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL) 73/78. International offshore oil and gas operators operate within requirements of regional conventions under the United Nations Environmental Program`s (UNEP) - Regional Seas Program. Domestic offshore operations are undertaken under the auspices of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Minerals Management Service.« less

The Dynamics of Climate Change: A Case Study in Organisational Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasdell, David

2011-01-01

Purpose: Based in the discipline of applied consultancy-research, this paper seeks to present a synthesis-review of the social dynamics underlying the stalled negotiations of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Its aim is to enhance understanding of the processes involved, to offer a working agenda to the organizational…

Every Child Mattered in England: But What Matters to Children?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meehan, Catherine

2016-01-01

"Every Child Matters" under New Labour provided a framework for services for young children's care and education. It was pushed aside by the Conservative-led coalition and replaced by "More Great Childcare". The UK as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, therefore has obligations for…

Sequestration of carbon in harvested wood products for the United States

Treesearch

Kenneth E. Skog

2008-01-01

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides guidelines for countries to report greenhouse gas removals by sinks and emissions from sources. These guidelines allow use of several accounting approaches when reporting the contribution of harvested wood products (HWP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Using extensions of...

United Nations convention on the rights of persons with disabilities: a roadmap for change.

PubMed

Stuart, Heather

2012-09-01

This study considers the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a tool for promoting the full social inclusion of people with a mental or intellectual disability. The United Nations Convention has ushered in a new era of discourse that moves beyond a consideration of individual impairments, to focus on the social and environmental barriers that prevent full and effective social participation of people with disabilities. It provides an important social justice framework to guide and integrate disability policy within and across countries. In order to realize its potential, the mental health community must now actively develop a new disability discourse - one that moves beyond the traditional focus on negative protections, such as against forced confinement or coercive treatment, to one that examines the services and supports that are needed to allow people who have a mental illness to become fully functioning members of society. To meet the monitoring requirements of the Convention, the mental health community must actively seek population data to assess the nature of prejudice and discrimination experienced by people with a mental illness. An approach used by Statistics Canada is provided as one such example. The United Nations Convention is an important roadmap for change, which can be used to shift current mental health discourse from a discussion emphasizing the protection of negative rights, such as from involuntary detention or coerced treatment, to one emphasizing social rights and civic participation.

The Tasman Spirit oil spill: implications for regulatory change in Pakistan.

PubMed

Mian, Saima; Bennett, Suzan

2009-07-01

An oil spill in July 2003 from the tanker Tasman Spirit attracted considerable public and media attention in Pakistan. This paper focuses on the experience of a developing country such as Pakistan in dealing with a major oil spill and its impact on bringing about change in the national regulatory framework. A major outcome has been the ratification of the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1992, which came into force in March 2006 in Pakistan. The convention provides a compensation mechanism for victims incurring oil pollution damages from maritime casualties involving oil laden ships. Several additional changes are still required to improve the country's ability to cope with marine oil spills. These include the development of a comprehensive domestic regulatory framework, implementation of an effective contingency plan, and capacity building of all relevant agencies.

Costa Rica’s implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Overcoming decades of industry dominance

PubMed Central

Crosbie, Eric; Sosa, Patricia; Glantz, Stanton A

2016-01-01

Objective To analyze the passage of Costa Rica’s 2012 tobacco control law. Materials and methods Review of legislation, newspaper articles, and key informant interviews. Results Tobacco control advocates, in close collaboration with international health groups, recruited national, regional and international experts to testify in the Legislative Assembly, implemented grassroots advocacy campaigns, and generated media coverage to enact strong legislation in March 2012 consistent with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, despite tobacco industry lobbying efforts that for decades blocked effective tobacco control legislation. Conclusion Costa Rica’s experience illustrates how with resources, good strategic planning, aggressive tactics and perseverance tobacco control advocates can overcome tobacco industry opposition in the Legislative Assembly and Executive Branch. This determined approach has positioned Costa Rica to become a regional leader in tobacco control. PMID:26879509

Changing Arctic: A Strategic Analysis of United States Arctic Policy and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

States must ratify UNCLOS and use it as the foundation for its greater Arctic national strategy. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT For the completion of... Using this document as a framework for future operations, the Coast Guard and Navy are conducting assessments of their own capabilities to operate...is impossible to exclude politics from the argument. Politicians in America use climate change either as a rallying cry for radical change or try

There’s carbon in them thar hills: But how much? Could Pacific Northwest forests store more?

Treesearch

Andrea Watts; Andrew Gray; Thomas Whittier

2017-01-01

As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United States annually compiles a report on the nation’s carbon flux—the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere compared to the amount stored by terrestrial landscapes. Forests store vast amounts of carbon, but it’s not fully understood how a forest’s storage capacity fluctuates as...

Mitigation activities in the forest sector to reduce emissions and enhance sinks of greenhouse gases

Treesearch

Richard Birdsey; Ralph Alig; Darius Adams

2000-01-01

In June 1992, representatives from 172 countries gathered at the "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro to discuss environmental issues. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) was adopted to achieve ". . . stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic...

Advancement of Children's Rights in Africa: A Social Justice Framework for School Psychologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pillay, Jace

2014-01-01

The United Nations Convention on Children's Rights and the subsequent African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child together with the Bill of Children's Rights and numerous other policies and regulations in many African countries have set the precedent for children's rights to be respected and implemented across the African Continent.…

Where did the US forest biomass/carbon go?

Treesearch

Christopher William Woodall

2012-01-01

In Apr. 2012, with the submission of the 1990-2010 US Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the official estimates of aboveground live tree carbon stocks within managed forests of the United States will drop by approximately 14%, compared with last year's inventory. It does not stop there, dead wood...

On Dangerous Anthropogenic Interference and Climate Change Risk (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, M. E.

2009-12-01

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) commits signatory nations (which includes all major nations including the United States) to stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations at levels short of Dangerous Anthropogenic Interference (“ DAI”) with the climate. To properly define DAI, one must take into account issues that are not only scientific, but, economic, political, and ethical in nature. Defining DAI is furthermore complicated by the inter-generational and regionally-disaggregated nature of the risks associated with climate change. In this talk, I will explore the nature of anthropogenic climate change risks and the notion of DAI.

The decision-making process in Brazil's ratification of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

PubMed

Rangel, Erica Cavalcanti; Pereira, Andre; Cavalcante, Tania Maria; Oliveira, Egléubia Andrade; Silva, Vera Luiza da Costa E

2017-09-21

Tobacco consumption is a leading cause of various types of cancer and other tobacco-related diseases. In 2003, the World Health Assembly adopted the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC), which aims to protect citizens from the health, social, environmental, and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke. The Convention was to be ratified by the Member States of the WHO; in Brazil's case, ratification involved the National Congress, which held public hearings in the country's leading tobacco growing communities (municipalities). The current study analyzes this decision-making process according to the different interests, positions, and stakeholders. In methodological terms, this is a qualitative study based on document research, drawing primarily on the shorthand notes from the public hearings. We analyze the interests and arguments for and against ratification. The article shows that although preceded by intense debates, the final decision in favor of ratification was made by a limited group of government stakeholders, characterizing a decision-making process similar to a funnel.

Clinical research with children: the European legal framework and its implementation in French and Italian law.

PubMed

Altavilla, Annagrazia

2008-07-01

According to the International Convention of the Rights of the Child, an improvement of the protection of the rights of children in Europe should be accomplished by inserting the principle of best interests and evolving capacities in the legal framework related to paediatric clinical research. In this article, an overview is given of the European legal framework governing clinical research on minors in a comparative approach. The lack of coordination between different International and European ethical/ legal statements and its impact on national legislations is evaluated by analyzing provisions that have been foreseen in Italy and in France as a result of the ratification/implementation process. A presentation of the perspectives of paediatric research in Europe is provided.

Technical aspects of the forest carbon inventory of the United States: recent past and near future

Treesearch

Christopher W. Woodall; James E. Smith; Grant M. Domke; Sean P. Healey; John W. Coulston; Andrew N. Gray

2012-01-01

The Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the U.S. Forest Service has explicitly assumed responsibility for providing an inventory of the U.S. forests' carbon stocks and stock change to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for numerous years to meet obligations to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Recent improvements, plans for the...

Definitions in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Treesearch

Sandra Brown

2013-01-01

In relation to REDD+ implementation, two key steps are needed: (1) establishing a reference emission level or reference level (RL) and (2) monitoring performance against the RL. The RL is based on historic emissions and this can serve as a key starting point for designing any system for future monitoring. A monitoring system must be able to monitor the performance of...

Comparing field- and model-based standing dead tree carbon stock estimates across forests of the US

Treesearch

Chistopher W. Woodall; Grant M. Domke; David W. MacFarlane; Christopher M. Oswalt

2012-01-01

As signatories to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change, the US has been estimating standing dead tree (SDT) carbon (C) stocks using a model based on live tree attributes. The USDA Forest Service began sampling SDTs nationwide in 1999. With comprehensive field data now available, the objective of this study was to compare field- and model-based...

Earth Summit Science, policy discussed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leath, Audrey T.

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, the “Earth Summit,” convenes in Rio de Janeiro on June 3. President Bush has pledged to attend part of the 2-week conference. The highlight of the summit will be the signing of an international framework convention to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. The final elements of the agreement were negotiated in New York last week by representative of 143 countries. In anticipation of the Rio conference, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held two standing-roomonly hearings, reviewing the scientific basis for global warming due to greenhouse gases and discussing the details of the proposed convention.

Studying ocean acidification in the Arctic Ocean

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robbins, Lisa

2012-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard Ice Breaker Healey and its United Nations Convention Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) cruises has produced new synoptic data from samples collected in the Arctic Ocean and insights into the patterns and extent of ocean acidification. This framework of foundational geochemical information will help inform our understanding of potential risks to Arctic resources due to ocean acidification.

A World Fit for Children: Millennium Development Goals; Special Session on Children Documents; The Convention on the Rights of the Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY.

In May 2002, participants at the United Nations General Assembly's Special Session on Children committed to a set of specific goals for children and youth and a basic framework for meeting these goals. This report compiles the commitments that were part of the Special Session: (1) the Millennium Development Goals, earlier pledged to by all 189…

Genetic Testing for Minors: Comparison between Italian and British Guidelines

PubMed Central

Tozzo, Pamela; Caenazzo, Luciana; Rodriguez, Daniele

2012-01-01

Genetic testing in children raises many important ethical, legal, and social issues. One of the main concerns is the ethically inappropriate genetic testing of minors. Various European countries established professional guidelines which reflect the different countries perspectives regarding the main ethical issues involved. In this paper, we analyze the Italian and the British guidelines by highlighting differences and similarities. We discuss presymptomatic, predictive, and carrier testing because we consider them to be the more ethically problematic types of genetic testing in minors. In our opinion, national guidelines should take into account the different needs in clinical practice. At the same time, in the case of genetic testing the national and supranational protection of minors could be strengthened by approving guidelines based on a common framework of principles and values. We suggest that the Oviedo Convention could represent an example of such a common framework or, at least, it could lead to articulate it. PMID:22567400

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the adoption of domestic tobacco control policies: the Ecuadorian experience.

PubMed

Albuja, S; Daynard, R A

2009-02-01

The present work concerns the adoption of domestic tobacco control legislation in Ecuador after ratification of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Analysis of legislation, and data collection via interviews with key actors involved in the adoption and implementation of domestic legislation passed purportedly to implement the FCTC and research of the Ecuadorian Congressional Archives. While the FCTC helped raise awareness about tobacco's imminent and future threats to public health, paradoxically, it had the effect of further entrenching tobacco-friendly norms. Philip Morris, with 87% dominance over the Ecuadorian tobacco market, subtly harnessed the FCTC to protect its interests. This outcome was also influenced by poor governmental readiness and intervention, lack of legislative technical capabilities and weak civil society involvement. The Ecuadorian experience suggests that more support should be provided to health ministries, legislatures and local tobacco control organisations to offset the power of the tobacco industry as developing nations get ready to adopt domestic tobacco control legislation.

Farming Approaches for Greater Biodiversity, Livelihoods, and Food Security.

PubMed

Garibaldi, Lucas A; Gemmill-Herren, Barbara; D'Annolfo, Raffaele; Graeub, Benjamin E; Cunningham, Saul A; Breeze, Tom D

2017-01-01

Scientists and policy-makers globally are calling for alternative approaches to conventional intensification of agriculture that enhance ecosystem services provided by biodiversity. The evidence reviewed here suggests that alternative approaches can achieve high crop yields and profits, but the performance of other socioeconomic indicators (as well as long-term trends) is surprisingly poorly documented. Consequently, the implementation of conventional intensification and the discussion of alternative approaches are not based on quantitative evidence of their simultaneous ecological and socioeconomic impacts across the globe. To close this knowledge gap, we propose a participatory assessment framework. Given the impacts of conventional intensification on biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions, such evidence is urgently needed to direct science-policy initiatives, such as the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring disability and monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: the work of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The Washington Group on Disability Statistics is a voluntary working group made up of representatives of over 100 National Statistical Offices and international, non-governmental and disability organizations that was organized under the aegis of the United Nations Statistical Division. The purpose of the Washington Group is to deal with the challenge of disability definition and measurement in a way that is culturally neutral and reasonably standardized among the UN member states. The work, which began in 2001, took on added importance with the passage and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities since the Convention includes a provision for monitoring whether those with and without disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in society and this will require the identification of persons with disabilities in each nation. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) developed by the World Health Organization provided a framework for conceptualizing disability. Operationalizing an ICF-based approach to disability has required the development of new measurement tools for use in both censuses and surveys. To date, a short set of six disability-related questions suitable for use in national censuses has been developed and adopted by the Washington Group and incorporated by the United Nations in their Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses. A series of extended sets of questions is currently under development and some of the sets have been tested in several countries. The assistance of many National and International organizations has allowed for cognitive and field testing of the disability questionnaires in multiple languages and locations. This paper will describe the work of the Washington Group and explicate the applicability of its approach and the questions developed for monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. PMID:21624190

Measuring disability and monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: the work of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics.

PubMed

Madans, Jennifer H; Loeb, Mitchell E; Altman, Barbara M

2011-05-31

The Washington Group on Disability Statistics is a voluntary working group made up of representatives of over 100 National Statistical Offices and international, non-governmental and disability organizations that was organized under the aegis of the United Nations Statistical Division. The purpose of the Washington Group is to deal with the challenge of disability definition and measurement in a way that is culturally neutral and reasonably standardized among the UN member states. The work, which began in 2001, took on added importance with the passage and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities since the Convention includes a provision for monitoring whether those with and without disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in society and this will require the identification of persons with disabilities in each nation. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) developed by the World Health Organization provided a framework for conceptualizing disability. Operationalizing an ICF-based approach to disability has required the development of new measurement tools for use in both censuses and surveys. To date, a short set of six disability-related questions suitable for use in national censuses has been developed and adopted by the Washington Group and incorporated by the United Nations in their Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses. A series of extended sets of questions is currently under development and some of the sets have been tested in several countries. The assistance of many National and International organizations has allowed for cognitive and field testing of the disability questionnaires in multiple languages and locations. This paper will describe the work of the Washington Group and explicate the applicability of its approach and the questions developed for monitoring the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Space Commercialization and the Development of Space Law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yun, Zhao

2017-05-01

Shortly after the launch of the first manmade satellite in 1957, the United Nations (UN) took the lead in formulating international rules governing space activities. The five international conventions (i.e., the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the 1968 Rescue Agreement, the 1972 Liability Convention, the 1975 Registration Convention, and the 1979 Moon Agreement) within the UN framework constitute the nucleus of space law; laying a solid legal foundation for securing the smooth development of space activities over the next few decades. Outer space was soon found to be a place with abundant opportunities for commercialization: with telecommunications services the first and most successful commercial application followed by remote sensing and global navigation services. In the last decade, the rapid development of space technologies brought space tourism and space mining to the forefront as well. With more and more commercial activities taking place on a daily basis from the 1980s on, existing space law faces severe challenges. The five conventions, which were enacted at a time when space was monopolized by two superpowers—the United States and the former Soviet Union—also failed to take into account the commercial aspect of space activities. Although there are urgent needs for new rules to deal with the ongoing trend of space commercialization, the international society faces difficulties in adopting new rules due to diversified national interests. As a result, it adjusts legislative strategies by enacting soft laws. In view of the difficulty in adopting binding rules at the international level, states are encouraged to enact their own national space legislation providing sufficient guidance for their domestic space commercial activities. It is expected that the development of soft laws and national space legislation will be the mainstream regulatory activities in the space field for the foreseeable future.

Linking Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) data to the WHO framework convention on tobacco control: the case for India.

PubMed

Sinha, Dhirendra Narain; Reddy, K Srinath; Rahman, Khalilur; Warren, Charles W; Jones, Nathan R; Asma, Samira

2006-01-01

India ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) on February 27, 2005. The WHO FCTC is the world's first public health treaty that aims to promote and protect public health and reduce the devastating health and economic impacts of tobacco. Post ratification, each member state as part of general obligation has agreed to develop, implement, periodically update and review comprehensive multisectoral national tobacco control strategies, plans and programmes in accordance with this Convention and the protocols to which it is a Party. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) was developed to track tobacco use among young people across countries and the GYTS surveillance system intends to enhance the capacity of countries to design, implement, and evaluate tobacco control and prevention programs. The South-East Asia Region of WHO has developed the "Regional Strategy for Utilization of the GYTS" to meet this need for countries in the Region. In 2003, India has passed its national tobacco control legislation (India Tobacco Control Act [ITCA]), which includes provisions designed to reduce tobacco consumption and protect citizens from exposure to second hand smoke. Data in the GYTS (India) report can be used as a baseline measure for future evaluation of the tobacco control programs implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. India has to upscale some provisions of its National Law to accommodate all of the requirements of FCTC. Using determinants measured by GYTS in India, the government can monitor the impact of enforcing various provisions of the ITCA and the progress made in achieving the goals of the WHO FCTC and the Regional Strategies. Effective enforcement of the provisions of ITCA will show in the receding numbers of tobacco use prevalence figures and reduction in the expenditures associated with tobacco use in India.

Origins of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

PubMed Central

Roemer, Ruth; Taylor, Allyn; Lariviere, Jean

2005-01-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control originated in 1993 with a decision by Ruth Roemer and Allyn Taylor to apply to tobacco control Taylor’s idea that the WHO should utilize its constitutional authority to develop international conventions to advance global health. In 1995, Taylor and Ruth Roemer proposed various options to WHO, recommending the framework convention-protocol approach conceptualized by Taylor. Despite initial resistance by some WHO officials, this approach gained wide acceptance. In 1996, the World Health Assembly voted to proceed with its development. Negotiations by WHO member states led the World Health Assembly in May 2003 to adopt by consensus the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control—the first international treaty adopted under WHO auspices. The treaty formally entered into force for state parties on February 27, 2005. PMID:15914812

From Manaus to Maputo: toward a public health and biodiversity framework.

PubMed

Romanelli, Cristina; Corvalan, Carlos; Cooper, H David; Manga, Lucien; Maiero, Marina; Campbell-Lendrum, Diarmid

2014-09-01

The linkages between human health, biodiversity, ecosystems, and the life-supporting services that they provide are varied and complex. The traditional neglect of this nexus by policy-makers perpetuates threats posed to ecosystems with potentially critical impacts on global health. The Convention on Biological Diversity and the World Health Organization recently co-convened two regional workshops on these intricate but vital linkages. From discussions held with policy-makers and experts in the biodiversity and health sectors, spanning some 50 countries in Africa and the Americas, we derive a broad framework for the development of national and regional public health and biodiversity strategies relevant to strategic planning processes in the emerging post-2015 development context.

European emissions of the powerful greenhouse gases hydrofluorocarbons inferred from atmospheric measurements and their comparison with annual national reports to UNFCCC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graziosi, F.; Arduini, J.; Furlani, F.; Giostra, U.; Cristofanelli, P.; Fang, X.; Hermanssen, O.; Lunder, C.; Maenhout, G.; O'Doherty, S.; Reimann, S.; Schmidbauer, N.; Vollmer, M. K.; Young, D.; Maione, M.

2017-06-01

Hydrofluorocarbons are powerful greenhouse gases developed by industry after the phase-out of the ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons required by the Montreal Protocol. The climate benefit of reducing the emissions of hydrofluorocarbons has been widely recognised, leading to an amendment of the Montreal Protocol (Kigali Amendment) calling for developed countries to start to phase-down hydrofluorocarbons by 2019 and in developing countries to follow with a freeze between 2024 and 2028. In this way, nearly half a degree Celsius of warming would be avoided by the end of the century. Hydrofluorocarbons are also included in the basket of gases controlled under the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Annex I parties to the Convention submit annual national greenhouse gas inventories based on a bottom-up approach, which relies on declared anthropogenic activities. Top-down methodologies, based on atmospheric measurements and modelling, can be used in support to the inventory compilation. In this study we used atmospheric data from four European sites combined with the FLEXPART dispersion model and a Bayesian inversion method, in order to derive emissions of nine individual hydrofluorocarbons from the whole European Geographic Domain and from twelve regions within it, then comparing our results with the annual emissions that the European countries submit every year to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as with the bottom-up Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research. We found several discrepancies when considering the specific compounds and on the country level. However, an overall agreement is found when comparing European aggregated data, which between 2008 and 2014 are on average 84.2 ± 28.0 Tg-CO2-eq·yr-1 against the 95.1 Tg-CO2-eq·yr-1 reported by UNFCCC in the same period. Therefore, in agreement with other studies, the gap on the global level between bottom-up estimates of Annex I countries and total global top-down emissions should be essentially due to emissions from non-reporting countries (non-Annex I).

How far are we from full implementation of health promoting workplace concepts? A review of implementation tools and frameworks in workplace interventions.

PubMed

Motalebi G, Masoud; Keshavarz Mohammadi, Nastaran; Kuhn, Karl; Ramezankhani, Ali; Azari, Mansour R

2018-06-01

Health promoting workplace frameworks provide a holistic view on determinants of workplace health and the link between individuals, work and environment, however, the operationalization of these frameworks has not been very clear. This study provides a typology of the different understandings, frameworks/tools used in the workplace health promotion practice or research worldwide. It discusses the degree of their conformity with Ottawa Charter's spirit and the key actions expected to be implemented in health promoting settings such as workplaces. A comprehensive online search was conducted utilizing relevant key words. The search also included official websites of related international, regional, and national organizations. After exclusion, 27 texts were analysed utilizing conventional content analyses. The results of the analysis were categorized as dimensions (level or main structure) of a healthy or health promoting workplaces and subcategorized characteristics/criteria of healthy/health promoting workplace. Our analysis shows diversity and ambiguity in the workplace health literature regarding domains and characteristics of a healthy/health promoting workplace. This may have roots in lack of a common understanding of the concepts or different social and work environment context. Development of global or national health promoting workplace standards in a participatory process might be considered as a potential solution.

Should tobacco and alcohol companies be allowed to influence Australia's National Drug Strategy?

PubMed

Freeman, Becky; MacKenzie, Ross; Daube, Mike

2017-04-27

Formation of Australia's National Drug Strategy (NDS) included an extensive consultation process that was open not only to community and public health stakeholders, but also to representatives of the tobacco and alcohol industries. Australia is bound by the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which requires governments to protect tobacco control measures from interference by the tobacco industry. NDS consultation submissions made by these conflicted industries are not publicly available for scrutiny. The NDS goals are at odds with the commercial agenda of industries that support regulatory stagnation, oppose and undermine effective action, ignore and distort evidence, and prioritise profits over health.

Global Health Governance and the Commercial Sector: A Documentary Analysis of Tobacco Company Strategies to Influence the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

PubMed Central

Weishaar, Heide; Collin, Jeff; Smith, Katherine; Grüning, Thilo; Mandal, Sema; Gilmore, Anna

2012-01-01

Background In successfully negotiating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the World Health Organization (WHO) has led a significant innovation in global health governance, helping to transform international tobacco control. This article provides the first comprehensive review of the diverse campaign initiated by transnational tobacco corporations (TTCs) to try to undermine the proposed convention. Methods and Findings The article is primarily based on an analysis of internal tobacco industry documents made public through litigation, triangulated with data from official documentation relating to the FCTC process and websites of relevant organisations. It is also informed by a comprehensive review of previous studies concerning tobacco industry efforts to influence the FCTC. The findings demonstrate that the industry's strategic response to the proposed WHO convention was two-fold. First, arguments and frames were developed to challenge the FCTC, including: claiming there would be damaging economic consequences; depicting tobacco control as an agenda promoted by high-income countries; alleging the treaty conflicted with trade agreements, “good governance,” and national sovereignty; questioning WHO's mandate; claiming the FCTC would set a precedent for issues beyond tobacco; and presenting corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an alternative. Second, multiple tactics were employed to promote and increase the impact of these arguments, including: directly targeting FCTC delegations and relevant political actors, enlisting diverse allies (e.g., mass media outlets and scientists), and using stakeholder consultation to delay decisions and secure industry participation. Conclusions TTCs' efforts to undermine the FCTC were comprehensive, demonstrating the global application of tactics that TTCs have previously been found to have employed nationally and further included arguments against the FCTC as a key initiative in global health governance. Awareness of these strategies can help guard against industry efforts to disrupt the implementation of the FCTC and support the development of future, comparable initiatives in global health. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:22745607

Global health governance and the commercial sector: a documentary analysis of tobacco company strategies to influence the WHO framework convention on tobacco control.

PubMed

Weishaar, Heide; Collin, Jeff; Smith, Katherine; Grüning, Thilo; Mandal, Sema; Gilmore, Anna

2012-01-01

In successfully negotiating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the World Health Organization (WHO) has led a significant innovation in global health governance, helping to transform international tobacco control. This article provides the first comprehensive review of the diverse campaign initiated by transnational tobacco corporations (TTCs) to try to undermine the proposed convention. The article is primarily based on an analysis of internal tobacco industry documents made public through litigation, triangulated with data from official documentation relating to the FCTC process and websites of relevant organisations. It is also informed by a comprehensive review of previous studies concerning tobacco industry efforts to influence the FCTC. The findings demonstrate that the industry's strategic response to the proposed WHO convention was two-fold. First, arguments and frames were developed to challenge the FCTC, including: claiming there would be damaging economic consequences; depicting tobacco control as an agenda promoted by high-income countries; alleging the treaty conflicted with trade agreements, "good governance," and national sovereignty; questioning WHO's mandate; claiming the FCTC would set a precedent for issues beyond tobacco; and presenting corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an alternative. Second, multiple tactics were employed to promote and increase the impact of these arguments, including: directly targeting FCTC delegations and relevant political actors, enlisting diverse allies (e.g., mass media outlets and scientists), and using stakeholder consultation to delay decisions and secure industry participation. TTCs' efforts to undermine the FCTC were comprehensive, demonstrating the global application of tactics that TTCs have previously been found to have employed nationally and further included arguments against the FCTC as a key initiative in global health governance. Awareness of these strategies can help guard against industry efforts to disrupt the implementation of the FCTC and support the development of future, comparable initiatives in global health.

Legislating tolerance: Spain's national public smoking law.

PubMed

Muggli, Monique E; Lockhart, Nikki J; Ebbert, Jon O; Jiménez-Ruiz, Carlos A; Riesco Miranda, Juan Antonio; Hurt, Richard D

2010-02-01

While Spain's national tobacco control legislation prohibits smoking in many indoor public places, the law provides for an exception to the prohibition of smoking by allowing separate seating sections and ventilation options in certain public places such as bars and restaurants, hotels and airports. Accordingly, Spain's law is not aligned with Article 8 Guidelines of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which requires parties to ensure universal protection against secondhand smoke exposure in all enclosed public places, workplaces and on all means of public transport. Spain's law is currently being promoted by the tobacco companies in other countries as a model for smoke-free legislation. In order to prevent weakening of smoke-free laws in other countries through industry-supported exceptions, we investigated the tactics used by the tobacco companies before the implementation of the new law and assessed the consequences of these actions in the hospitality sector. Internal tobacco industry documents made public through US litigation settlements dating back to the 1980s were searched in 2008-9. Documents show that tobacco companies sought to protect hospitality venues from smoking restrictions by promoting separate seating for smokers and ineffective ventilation technologies, supporting an unenforceable voluntary agreement between the Madrid local government and the hospitality industry, influencing ventilation standards setting and manipulating Spanish media. The Spanish National Assembly should adopt comprehensive smoke-free legislation that does not accommodate the interests of the tobacco industry. In doing so, Spain's smoke-free public places law would be better aligned with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Hague climate talks collapse, new round called for next year

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

When it comes to global greenhouse gas emissions, the U.S. slice of the pie amounts to roughly one-fourth.For one moment on November 22, though, the U.S. chief negotiator to the Sixth Conference of the Parties (COP 6) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change wore the entire (custard) pie on his face and suit coat, courtesy of a protester pushing for stronger U.S. support to cut industrial emissions.

The benefits from complying with the framework convention on tobacco control: a SimSmoke analysis of 15 European nations.

PubMed

Levy, David T; Huang, An-Tsun; Currie, Laura M; Clancy, Luke

2014-12-01

This article compares the predicted impact of tobacco tax increases alone and as part of a comprehensive tobacco control strategy on smoking prevalence and smoking-attributable deaths (SADs) across 15 European countries. Country-specific population, smoking prevalence and policy data with modified parameter values have been applied to the previously validated SimSmoke model for 10 high-income and 5 middle-income European nations. The impact of past and potential future policies is modelled. Models generally validated well across the 15 countries, and showed the impact of past policies. Without stronger future policies, 44 million lives would be lost due to smoking across the 15 study countries between 2011 and 2040, but effective policies could avert 7.7 million of those premature deaths. Results suggest that past policies have been effective in reducing smoking rates, but there is also a strong potential for future policies consistent with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. When specific taxes are increased to 70% of retail price, strong smoke-free air laws, youth access laws and marketing restrictions are enforced, stronger health warnings are implemented, and cessation treatment and media campaigns are supported, smoking prevalence and SADs will fall substantially in European countries. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

The U.S. climate change action plan: Challenges and prospects

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

Darmstadter, J.

1995-07-01

In 1992, the United States and 154 other countries signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, an international accord outlining measures for dealing with the threat of global warming. The following year, the Clinton administration released its Climate Change Action Plan for meeting the convention`s goal of stabilizing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases at 1990 levels by the year 2000. Evaluation of the plan`s prospects for success must necessarily be speculative at this point, but already several of the assumptions on which the plan is predicated appear questionable. Moreover, even if the emissions stabilization goalmore » is met, the problem of global warming will persist. Therefore, the greatest contribution of the plan might be to raise consciousness about the need for sustained measures to address climate change and its attendant socioeconomic consequences.« less

Strengthening the human rights framework to protect breastfeeding: a focus on CEDAW.

PubMed

Galtry, Judith

2015-01-01

There have been recent calls for increased recognition of breastfeeding as a human right. The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, 1979 (CEDAW) is the core human rights treaty on women. CEDAW's approach to breastfeeding is considered from an historical perspective. A comparison is drawn with breastfeeding protection previously outlined in the International Labour Organization's Maternity Protection Convention, 1919 (ILO C3), and its 1952 revision (ILO C103), and subsequently, in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 (CRC). Despite breastfeeding's sex-specific significance to an international human rights treaty on women and CEDAW's emphasis on facilitating women's employment, CEDAW is, in reality, a relatively weak instrument for breastfeeding protection. In both its text and subsequent interpretations explicit recognition of breastfeeding is minimal or nonexistent. Explanations for this are proposed and contextualised in relation to various political, social and economic forces, especially those influencing notions of gender equality. During the mid to late 1970s -when CEDAW was formulated - breastfeeding posed a strategic challenge for key feminist goals, particularly those of equal employment opportunity, gender neutral childrearing policy and reproductive rights. Protective legislation aimed at working women had been rejected as outdated and oppressive. Moreover, the right of women to breastfeed was generally assumed, with choice over infant feeding practices often perceived as the right NOT to breastfeed. There was also little awareness or analysis of the various structural obstacles to breastfeeding's practice, such as lack of workplace support, that undermine 'choice'. Subsequent interpretations of CEDAW show that despite significant advances in scientific and epidemiological knowledge about breastfeeding's importance for short-term and long-term maternal health, breastfeeding continues to be inadequately addressed in international human rights law on women. A comparison is made with CRC and its subsequent elaborations. Increasing recognition of the need to protect, promote and support breastfeeding within the framework of CRC but not that of CEDAW suggests that breastfeeding is regarded primarily as a children's rights issue but only minimally as a women's rights issue. The human rights framework requires strengthening in every direction to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Discussion is needed regarding whether a separate strengthening of the international human rights framework on women is required with regard to breastfeeding.

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

PubMed Central

Mamudu, Hadii M; Hammond, Ross

2008-01-01

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

Computational modeling of pitching cylinder-type ocean wave energy converters using 3D MPI-parallel simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freniere, Cole; Pathak, Ashish; Raessi, Mehdi

2016-11-01

Ocean Wave Energy Converters (WECs) are devices that convert energy from ocean waves into electricity. To aid in the design of WECs, an advanced computational framework has been developed which has advantages over conventional methods. The computational framework simulates the performance of WECs in a virtual wave tank by solving the full Navier-Stokes equations in 3D, capturing the fluid-structure interaction, nonlinear and viscous effects. In this work, we present simulations of the performance of pitching cylinder-type WECs and compare against experimental data. WECs are simulated at both model and full scales. The results are used to determine the role of the Keulegan-Carpenter (KC) number. The KC number is representative of viscous drag behavior on a bluff body in an oscillating flow, and is considered an important indicator of the dynamics of a WEC. Studying the effects of the KC number is important for determining the validity of the Froude scaling and the inviscid potential flow theory, which are heavily relied on in the conventional approaches to modeling WECs. Support from the National Science Foundation is gratefully acknowledged.

Collateral biodiversity benefits associated with 'free-market' approaches to sustainable land use and forestry activities.

PubMed

Koziell, Izabella; Swingland, Ian R

2002-08-15

Concern over the ever more rapid and widespread losses of biodiversity has instigated various remedial actions: whether in situ conservation, such as the establishment of protected areas, or ex situ, such as the conservation of germplasm in gene banks. In the past, such activities were funded and managed by the public sector; however, in recent years, public support has declined and this has spawned a growing interest in conservation opportunities that might arise from 'free-market' approaches to sustainable land use and management. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the key framework for articulating policies and actions on biodiversity; however, progress in developing suitable economic and market incentives for biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use has been slow, with activities such as bioprospecting and ecotourism making some, albeit limited, headway. Given the United Nations Framework for Climate Change or United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's (UNFCCC's) high profile within the public and private sectors, there is some potential for using it to help advance CBD objectives and provide the much-needed economic incentives for conservation, through some of the market-based mechanisms presented under the Kyoto Protocol. Significant potential lies in the fact that many 'natural' forests and certain other ecosystems are both major stores of carbon and areas of valuable biodiversity. Thus, any attempt at conserving these areas has the potential to yield both carbon and biodiversity benefits. So far, however, the conservation of natural forests is not included in the Kyoto Protocol's definition of sinks. Instead the creation of sinks - through the establishment of fast-growing monocultures - may well lead to biodiversity losses, especially if partly degraded lands are cleared for this purpose. If real progress is to be made, our understanding of the relationship between land use and biodiversity benefits needs to be improved, and more appropriate proxies for biodiversity need to be developed. At the same time, we need to have a clear understanding of the precise nature of the potential synergies and be more able to identify possible jointaction opportunities that exist between the UNFCCC, the CBD and the Convention on Combating Desertification and other international trade and economic agreements.

Advancing US GHG Inventory by Incorporating Survey Data using Machine-Learning Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alsaker, C.; Ogle, S. M.; Breidt, J.

2017-12-01

Crop management data are used in the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory that is compiled annually and reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Emissions for carbon stock change and N2O emissions for US agricultural soils are estimated using the USDA National Resources Inventory (NRI). NRI provides basic information on land use and cropping histories, but it does not provide much detail on other management practices. In contrast, the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) survey collects detailed crop management data that could be used in the GHG Inventory. The survey data were collected from NRI survey locations that are a subset of the NRI every 10 years. Therefore, imputation of the CEAP are needed to represent the management practices across all NRI survey locations both spatially and temporally. Predictive mean matching and an artificial neural network methods have been applied to develop imputation model under a multiple imputation framework. Temporal imputation involves adjusting the imputation model using state-level USDA Agricultural Resource Management Survey data. Distributional and predictive accuracy is assessed for the imputed data, providing not only management data needed for the inventory but also rigorous estimates of uncertainty.

Precision Fit of Screw-Retained Implant-Supported Fixed Dental Prostheses Fabricated by CAD/CAM, Copy-Milling, and Conventional Methods.

PubMed

de França, Danilo Gonzaga; Morais, Maria Helena; das Neves, Flávio D; Carreiro, Adriana Fonte; Barbosa, Gustavo As

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of fabrication methods (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture [CAD/CAM], copy-milling, and conventional casting) in the fit accuracy of three-unit, screw-retained fixed dental prostheses. Sixteen three-unit implant-supported screw-retained frameworks were fabricated to fit an in vitro model. Eight frameworks were fabricated using the CAD/CAM system, four in zirconia and four in cobalt-chromium. Four zirconia frameworks were fabricated using the copy-milled system, and four were cast in cobalt-chromium using conventional casting with premachined abutments. The vertical and horizontal misfit at the implant-framework interface was measured using scanning electron microscopy at ×250. The results for vertical misfit were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The horizontal misfits were categorized as underextended, equally extended, or overextended. Statistical analysis established differences between groups according to the chi-square test (α = .05). The mean vertical misfit was 5.9 ± 3.6 μm for CAD/CAM-fabricated zirconia, 1.2 ± 2.2 μm for CAD/CAM-fabricated cobalt-chromium frameworks, 7.6 ± 9.2 μm for copy-milling-fabricated zirconia frameworks, and 11.8 (9.8) μm for conventionally fabricated frameworks. The Mann-Whitney test revealed significant differences between all but the zirconia-fabricated frameworks. A significant association was observed between the horizontal misfits and the fabrication method. The percentage of horizontal misfits that were underextended and overextended was higher in milled zirconia (83.3%), CAD/CAM cobaltchromium (66.7%), cast cobalt-chromium (58.3%), and CAD/CAM zirconia (33.3%) frameworks. CAD/CAM-fabricated frameworks exhibit better vertical misfit and low variability compared with copy-milled and conventionally fabricated frameworks. The percentage of interfaces equally extended was higher when CAD/CAM and zirconia were used.

European information on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jol, A.; Isoard, S.

2010-09-01

Vulnerability to natural and technological disasters is increasing due to a combination of intensifying land use, increasing industrial development, further urban expansion and expanding infrastructure and also climate change. At EU level the European Commission's White Paper on adaptation to climate change (published in 2009) highlights that adaptation actions should be focused on the most vulnerable areas and communities in Europe (e.g. mountains, coastal areas, river flood prone areas, Mediterranean, Arctic). Mainstreaming of climate change into existing EU policies will be a key policy, including within the Water Framework Directive, Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Nature protection and biodiversity policies, integrated coastal zone management, other (sectoral) policies (agriculture, forestry, energy, transport, health) and disaster risk prevention. 2010 is the international year on biodiversity and the Conference of Parties of the biodiversity convention will meet in autumn 2010 (Japan) to discuss amongst other post-2010 strategies, objectives and indicators. Both within the Biodiversity Convention (CBD) and the Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) there is increasing recognition of the need for integration of biodiversity conservation into climate change mitigation and adaptation activities. Furthermore a number of European countries and also some regions have started to prepare and/or have adopted national adaptation plans or frameworks. Sharing of good practices on climate change vulnerability methods and adaptation actions is so far limited, but is essential to improve such plans, at national, sub national and local level where much of the adaptation action is already taking place and will be expanding in future, also involving increasingly the business community. The EU Clearinghouse on CC impacts, vulnerability and adaptation should address these needs and it is planned to be operational end of 2011. The EEA is expected to have a role in its development in 2010 and is likely to manage the system after 2011. The European Commission in its Communication in 2009 on disaster risk prevention also calls for improving and better sharing of data on disasters, disaster risk mapping and disaster risk management, in the context of the EU civil protection mechanism. Such information might also be linked to the planned EU Clearinghouse on climate change adaptation. The activities of EEA on climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation (including disaster risk reduction) include indicators of the impacts of climate change; a regularly updated overview of national assessments and adaptation plans on the EEA web site and specific focused reports, e.g. on adaptation to the challenges of changing water resources in the Alps (2009) and on analysis of past trends in natural disasters (due in 2010) and regular expert meetings and workshops with EEA member countries. The ECAC presentation will include the latest developments in the EU Clearinghouse on adaptation and progress in relevant EEA activities.

The Conventional and Unconventional about Disability Conventions: A Reflective Analysis of United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umeasiegbu, Veronica I.; Bishop, Malachy; Mpofu, Elias

2013-01-01

This article presents an analysis of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in relation to prior United Nations conventions on disability and U.S. disability policy law with a view to identifying the conventional and also the incremental advances of the CRPD. Previous United Nations conventions related to…

Toward a coherent account of pediatric decision making.

PubMed

Iltis, Ana S

2010-10-01

Within and among societies, there are competing understandings of the status of children, including debates over whether they can bear rights and, if so, which rights they bear and against whom, and their capacity to make decisions and be held responsible and accountable for actions. There also are different understandings of what constitutes a family; what authority parents have over and regarding their children; and what should happen to children who are without parents because of death, desertion, or imprisonment. These and other related debates reflect deep differences in worldviews, in how one understands the legitimate role of the state, in how one comes to know the proper way to raise children, and so on. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child purports to reflect international convergence on the rights of children, on how decisions concerning children should be made, and on how children ought to be treated by the state and by their parents. This paper examines whether the Convention's framework for decision making concerning children is an appropriate framework for pediatric bioethics. Questions about how to make health care decisions for children ultimately are questions of who is in authority to make and judge such decisions. Establishing who is in authority, determining whether there are any limits to that authority and, if so, defining those limits should be the focus of efforts to develop and implement a pediatric decision-making framework.

Global action to prevent war: a programme for government and grassroots efforts to stop war, genocide and other forms of deadly conflict.

PubMed

Dean, J; Forsberg, R C; Mendlovitz, S

2000-01-01

At the end of history's bloodiest century and the outset of a new millennium, we have an opportunity to fulfil one of humanity's oldest dreams: making the world largely free of war. Global changes make this goal achievable. Nuclear weapons have shown the folly of war. For the first time, there is no war and no immediate prospect of war among the main military powers. For the first time, many proven measures to prevent armed conflict, distilled in the crucible of this century's wars, are available. If systematically applied, these measures can sharply decrease the frequency and violence of war, genocide, and other forms of deadly conflict. To seize the opportunity, nations should adopt a comprehensive programme to reduce conventional armaments and armed conflict. This programme will complement and strengthen efforts to eliminate nuclear arms. To assure its ongoing worldwide implementation, the conventional reduction programme should be placed in a treaty framework. We propose a four-phased process, with three treaties, each lasting five to ten years, to lay the groundwork for the fourth treaty, which will establish a permanent international security system. The main objectives of the treaties are to achieve: 1. A verified commitment to provide full transparency on conventional armed forces and military spending, not to increase forces during negotiations on arms reductions, and to increase the resources allocated to multilateral conflict prevention and peacekeeping. 2. Substantial worldwide cuts in national armed forces and military spending and further strengthening of United Nations and regional peacekeeping and peace-enforcement capabilities. 3. A trial of a watershed commitment by participating nations, including the major powers, not to deploy their armed forces beyond national borders except in a multilateral action under UN or regional auspices. 4. A permanent transfer to the UN and regional security organizations of the authority and capability for armed intervention to prevent or end war, accompanied by further substantial cuts in national armed forces and increases in UN and regional forces. This programme offers many valuable features: a global framework for conventional forces that parallels the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty; a verified no-increase commitment for national armed forces based on full data exchange; a commitment to undertake prescribed confidence-building measures, including limits on force activities and deployments; a commitment to a specified plan for increased funding of UN and regional peacekeeping capabilities; a commitment to strengthen international legal institutions; and after a trial period, a lasting commitment by each participant not to unilaterally deploy its armed forces beyond its borders, but instead to give the responsibility for peacekeeping and peace enforcement to international institutions. This programme of phased steps to reduce armed forces and strengthen peacekeeping institutions will make war rare. It will foster the spread of zones of peace like those in North America and Western Europe where, after centuries of violence, international and civil war have given way to the peaceful settlement of disputes.

Clinical experiences with laser-welded titanium frameworks supported by implants in the edentulous mandible: a 5-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Ortorp, A; Linden, B; Jemt, T

1999-01-01

The purpose of this study was to report the 5-year clinical performance of implant-supported prostheses with laser-welded titanium frameworks and to compare their performance with that of prostheses provided with conventional cast frameworks. On a routine basis, a consecutive group of 824 edentulous patients were provided with fixed prostheses supported by implants in the edentulous mandible. In addition to conventional gold-alloy castings, patients were at random provided with 2 kinds of laser-welded titanium frameworks. In all, 155 patients were included in the 2 titanium framework groups. A control group of 53 randomly selected patients with conventional gold-alloy castings was used for comparison. Clinical and radiographic 5-year data was collected for the 3 groups. All followed patients still had fixed prostheses in the mandible after 5 years. The overall cumulative success rates were 95.9% and 99.7% for titanium-framework prostheses and implants, respectively. The corresponding success rates for the control group were 100% and 99.6%, respectively. Bone loss was 0.5 mm on average during the 5-year follow-up period. The most common complications for titanium frameworks were resin or tooth fractures, gingival inflammation, and fractures of the metal frames (10%). One of the cast frameworks fractured and was resoldered. Loose and fractured implant screw components were few (< 1%). Even though the cast frameworks had a higher success rate, the overall titanium framework treatment result was well in accordance with the result of the control group. The test groups performed better after clinicians had gained some experience with the technique, and laser-welded titanium frameworks seem to be a viable alternative to conventional castings in the edentulous mandible.

Reclaiming Indigenous identities: Culture as strength against suicide among Indigenous youth in Canada.

PubMed

Barker, Brittany; Goodman, Ashley; DeBeck, Kora

2017-06-16

In Canada, Indigenous youth suicide represents one of several health disparities burdening Indigenous populations, and like many other of these disparities, can be understood as an expression of societal, historical, cultural and familial trauma. As the number of Indigenous youth who take their own lives every year in Canada continues to far exceed national averages, it appears that conventional suicide prevention efforts remain ineffective among this population. A growing body of research argues that conventional interventions, largely rooted in Western individual-level behavioural change frameworks, are culturally discordant with Indigenous paradigms. In response, some Indigenous communities are turning to cultural revitalization as a holistic community-driven response to suicide prevention and treatment. The following commentary explores the emerging evidence base for "culture as treatment" - a novel approach to suicide that emphasizes the significance of interconnectedness in healing, alongside the revitalization of traditional values to reclaim community wellness. In doing so, we seek to contribute to a changing discourse surrounding Indigenous youth suicide by acknowledging culture as strength against this national crisis.

Global warming at the summit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

During the recent summit meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Bill Clinton, the two leaders reaffirmed their concerns about global warming and the need to continue to take actions to try to reduce the threat.In a June 4 joint statement, they stressed the need to develop flexibility mechanisms, including international emissions trading, under the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. They also noted that initiatives to reduce the risk of greenhouse warming, including specific mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol, could potentially promote economic growth.

Comparison of marginal and internal fit of 3-unit ceramic fixed dental prostheses made with either a conventional or digital impression.

PubMed

Su, Ting-Shu; Sun, Jian

2016-09-01

For 20 years, the intraoral digital impression technique has been applied to the fabrication of computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). Clinical fit is one of the main determinants of the success of an FDP. Studies of the clinical fit of 3-unit ceramic FDPs made by means of a conventional impression versus a digital impression technology are limited. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the internal fit and marginal fit of CAD-CAM, 3-unit ceramic FDP frameworks fabricated from an intraoral digital impression and a conventional impression. A standard model was designed for a prepared maxillary left canine and second premolar and missing first premolar. The model was scanned with an intraoral digital scanner, exporting stereolithography (STL) files as the experimental group (digital group). The model was used to fabricate 10 stone casts that were scanned with an extraoral scanner, exporting STL files to a computer connected to the scanner as the control group (conventional group). The STL files were used to produce zirconia FDP frameworks with CAD-CAM. These frameworks were seated on the standard model and evaluated for marginal and internal fit. Each framework was segmented into 4 sections per abutment teeth, resulting in 8 sections per framework, and was observed using optical microscopy with ×50 magnification. Four measurement points were selected on each section as marginal discrepancy (P1), mid-axial wall (P2), axio-occusal edge (P3), and central-occlusal point (P4). Mean marginal fit values of the digital group (64 ±16 μm) were significantly smaller than those of the conventional group (76 ±18 μm) (P<.05). The mean internal fit values of the digital group (111 ±34 μm) were significantly smaller than those of the conventional group (132 ±44 μm) (P<.05). CAD-CAM 3-unit zirconia FDP frameworks fabricated from intraoral digital and conventional impressions showed clinically acceptable marginal and internal fit. The marginal and internal fit of frameworks fabricated from the intraoral digital impression system were better than those fabricated from conventional impressions. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toward Consistent Methodology to Quantify Populations in Proximity to Oil and Gas Development: A National Spatial Analysis and Review.

PubMed

Czolowski, Eliza D; Santoro, Renee L; Srebotnjak, Tanja; Shonkoff, Seth B C

2017-08-23

Higher risk of exposure to environmental health hazards near oil and gas wells has spurred interest in quantifying populations that live in proximity to oil and gas development. The available studies on this topic lack consistent methodology and ignore aspects of oil and gas development of value to public health-relevant assessment and decision-making. We aim to present a methodological framework for oil and gas development proximity studies grounded in an understanding of hydrocarbon geology and development techniques. We geospatially overlay locations of active oil and gas wells in the conterminous United States and Census data to estimate the population living in proximity to hydrocarbon development at the national and state levels. We compare our methods and findings with existing proximity studies. Nationally, we estimate that 17.6 million people live within 1,600m (∼1 mi) of at least one active oil and/or gas well. Three of the eight studies overestimate populations at risk from actively producing oil and gas wells by including wells without evidence of production or drilling completion and/or using inappropriate population allocation methods. The remaining five studies, by omitting conventional wells in regions dominated by historical conventional development, significantly underestimate populations at risk. The well inventory guidelines we present provide an improved methodology for hydrocarbon proximity studies by acknowledging the importance of both conventional and unconventional well counts as well as the relative exposure risks associated with different primary production categories (e.g., oil, wet gas, dry gas) and developmental stages of wells. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1535.

Water safety in healthcare facilities. The Vieste Charter.

PubMed

Bonadonna, L; Cannarozzi de Grazia, M; Capolongo, S; Casini, B; Cristina, M L; Daniele, G; D'Alessandro, D; De Giglio, O; Di Benedetto, A; Di Vittorio, G; Ferretti, E; Frascolla, B; La Rosa, G; La Sala, L; Lopuzzo, M G; Lucentini, L; Montagna, M T; Moscato, U; Pasquarella, C; Prencipe, R; Ricci, M L; Romano Spica, V; Signorelli, C; Veschetti, E

2017-01-01

The Study Group on Hospital Hygiene of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health (GISIO-SItI) and the Local Health Authority of Foggia, Apulia, Italy, after the National Convention "Safe water in healthcare facilities" held in Vieste-Pugnochiuso on 27-28 May 2016, present the "Vieste Charter", drawn up in collaboration with experts from the National Institute of Health and the Ministry of Health. This paper considers the risk factors that may affect the water safety in healthcare facilities and reports the current regulatory frameworks governing the management of installations and the quality of the water. The Authors promote a careful analysis of the risks that characterize the health facilities, for the control of which specific actions are recommended in various areas, including water safety plans; approval of treatments; healthcare facilities responsibility, installation and maintenance of facilities; multidisciplinary approach; education and research; regional and national coordination; communication.

Mainstreaming biodiversity and wildlife management into climate change policy frameworks in selected east and southern African countries

PubMed Central

Nhamo, Godwell

2016-01-01

The Rio+20 outcomes document, the Future We Want, enshrines green economy as one of the platforms to attain sustainable development and calls for measures that seek to address climate change and biodiversity management. This paper audits climate change policies from selected east and southern African countries to determine the extent to which climate change legislation mainstreams biodiversity and wildlife management. A scan of international, continental, regional and national climate change policies was conducted to assess whether they include biodiversity and/or wildlife management issues. The key finding is that many climate change policy–related documents, particularly the National Adaptation Programme of Actions (NAPAs), address threats to biodiversity and wildlife resources. However, international policies like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol do not address the matter under deliberation. Regional climate change policies such as the East African Community, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and African Union address biodiversity and/or wildlife issues whilst the Southern African Development Community region does not have a stand-alone policy for climate change. Progressive countries like Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia have recently put in place detailed NAPAs which are mainstream responsive strategies intended to address climate change adaptation in the wildlife sector.

Vertical marginal gap evaluation of conventional cast and computer numeric controlled-milled titanium full-arch implant-supported frameworks.

PubMed

Alfadda, Sara A

2014-01-01

To use a novel approach to measure the amount of vertical marginal gap in computer numeric controlled (CNC)-milled titanium frameworks and conventional cast frameworks. Ten cast frameworks were fabricated on the mandibular master casts of 10 patients. Then, 10 CNC-milled titanium frameworks were fabricated by laser scanning the cast frameworks. The vertical marginal gap was measured and analyzed using the Contura-G2 coordinate measuring machine and special computer software. The CNC-milled titanium frameworks showed an overall reduced mean vertical gap compared with the cast frameworks in all five analogs. This difference was highly statistically significant in the distal analogs. The largest mean gap in the cast framework was recorded in the most distal analogs, and the least amount was in the middle analog. Neither of the two types of frameworks provided a completely gap-free superstructure. The CNCmilled titanium frameworks showed a significantly smaller vertical marginal gap than the cast frameworks.

A comparison of laser-welded titanium and conventional cast frameworks supported by implants in the partially edentulous jaw: a 3-year prospective multicenter study.

PubMed

Jemt, T; Henry, P; Lindén, B; Naert, I; Weber, H; Bergström, C

2000-01-01

The purpose of this prospective multicenter study was to evaluate and compare the clinical performance of laser-welded titanium fixed partial implant-supported prostheses with conventional cast frameworks. Forty-two partially edentulous patients were provided with Brånemark system implants and arranged into 2 groups. Group A was provided with a conventional cast framework with porcelain veneers in one side of the jaw and a laser-welded titanium framework with low-fusing porcelain on the other side. The patients in group B had an old implant prosthesis replaced by a titanium framework prosthesis. The patients were followed for 3 years after prosthesis placement. Clinical and radiographic data were collected and analyzed. Only one implant was lost, and all prostheses were still in function after 3 years. The 2 framework designs showed similar clinical performance with few clinical complications. Only one abutment screw (1%) and 9 porcelain tooth units (5%) fractured. Four prostheses experienced loose gold screws (6%). In group A, marginal bone loss was similar for both designs of prostheses, with a mean of 1.0 mm and 0.3 mm in the maxilla and mandible, respectively. No bone loss was observed on average in group B. No significant relationship (P > 0.05) was observed between marginal bone loss and placement of prosthesis margin or prosthesis design. The use of laser-welded titanium frameworks seems to present similar clinical performance to conventional cast frameworks in partial implant situations after 3 years.

Barriers to the Entry of Biofield Healing Into “Mainstream” Healthcare

PubMed Central

Sprengel, Meredith; Ives, John A.; Jonas, Wayne

2015-01-01

In this article, we describe barriers to the entry of biofield healing into mainstream contemporary science and clinical practice. We focus on obstacles that arise from the social nature of the scientific enterprise, an aspect of science highlighted by the influential work of Thomas Kuhn (1922-1996), one of the most important— and controversial—philosophers of science in the 20th century. Kuhn analyzed science and its revolutionary changes in terms of the dynamics within scientific communities. Kuhn's approach helps us understand unconventional medical theories and practices such as biofield healing. For many years, these were called “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM). However, because most people use nonmainstream approaches in conjunction with conventional treatments, the National Institutes of Health and many practitioners now prefer “Complementary and Integrative Medicine” (CIM) where integrative implies “bringing conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way.”1 Biofield healing fits the integrative model well, provides a novel approach to therapeutic intervention, and is developing in a manner that can integrate with current medical science in simple ways. Yet, it still remains outside the conventional framework because of its conceptual bases, which contrast sharply with conventional assumptions regarding the nature of reality. PMID:26665046

Counterproliferation strategy: The influence of technology, budget, and arms control on theater missile defenses. Strategic research project

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

Parlier, G.H.

1996-05-20

This paper describes the historical evolution of the theater missile threat during World War II and the Persian Gulf War, and analyzes current technological challenges, budgetary pressures, and arms control restraints which constrain the development and deployment of effective theater missile defenses. The impact of these trends on strategic concepts as outlined in the National Military Strategy and their implications for attaining national policy objectives is assessed. A systems approach is used to described analyze, and evaluate the effectiveness of emerging counterproliferation strategy within the framework of an ends-ways-means strategy formulation paradigm. I conclude that current trends will lead tomore » a self-deterring strategy: resources are inadequate to support the ways we intend to achieve our national objectives. Recommendations are made to eliminate unacceptable risk and enhance the concept of `extended conventional deterrence` consistent with U.S. national values and security interests for our role in a new world order.« less

A feasibility study of the destruction of chemical weapons by photocatalytic oxidation

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

Hitchman, M.L.; Spackman, A.R.; Yusta, F.J.

1997-01-01

The destruction of existing arsenals or deposits of chemical weapons is an important obstacle on the way to the successful implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention which was opened for signature in 1993. Many approaches have been proposed and none can be seen as panacea. Each has its merits and shortcomings. In this paper we review the different technologies and propose a new one, photocatalytic oxidation, which has the potential to fill an important gap; a cheap, small, mobile facility for chemical warfare agents which are difficult to transport or are deposited in a remote area. We report some relevantmore » experimental results with this technology for the destruction of chemical weapons. After many years of negotiation, a convention banning the production, possession and use of chemical weapons was opened for signature in Paris on January 13, 1993. The convention, once it is ratified, will provide a framework and a program for the destruction of chemical weapons by the nations party to it. The framework will cover such topics as definitions of terminology, general rules of verification and verification measures, level of destruction of chemical weapons, activities not prohibited under the convention, and investigations in cases of alleged use of chemical weapons. The program will require that countries with chemical weapons shall start their destruction not later than one year after they have ratified the convention, and that they shall complete it within a ten year period. For this period involved countries are required to declare their plans for destruction. These plans have to include a time schedule for the destruction process, an inventory of equipment and buildings to be destroyed, proposed measures for verification, safety measures to be observed during destruction, specification of the types of chemical weapons and the type and quantity of chemical fill to be destroyed, and specification of the destruction method. 38 refs.« less

Engaging the public on climate change issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bean, Alice

2016-03-01

As a Jefferson Science Fellow from August 2014-August 2015, Alice Bean worked with the Office of Religion and Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of State on climate change and environmental issues. The Office of Religion and Global Affairs works to implement the National Strategy on Religious Leader and Faith Community Engagement which includes building partnerships on environmental issues. With the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties meeting 21 in December, 2015 in Paris, there were and continue to be great opportunities for physicists to interact with policy makers and the general public. As an experimental particle physicist, much was learned about climate change science, how the public views scientists, how science can influence policy, but most especially how to communicate about science.

Smokefree Policies in Latin America and the Caribbean: Making Progress

PubMed Central

Sebrié, Ernesto M.; Schoj, Verónica; Travers, Mark J.; McGaw, Barbara; Glantz, Stanton A.

2012-01-01

We reviewed the adoption and implementation of smokefree policies in all Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) countries. Significant progress has been achieved among LAC countries since the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was adopted in 2005. Both national and sub-national legislation have provided effective mechanisms to increase the fraction of the population protected from secondhand tobacco smoke. Civil society has actively promoted these policies and played a main role in enacting them and monitoring their enforcement. The tobacco industry, while continuing to oppose the approval and regulation of the laws at legislative and executive levels, has gone a step further by litigating against them in the Courts. As in the US and elsewhere, this litigation has failed to stop the legislation. PMID:22754484

Applying a systems approach to assess carbon emission reductions from climate change mitigation in Mexico’s forest sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olguin, Marcela; Wayson, Craig; Fellows, Max; Birdsey, Richard; Smyth, Carolyn E.; Magnan, Michael; Dugan, Alexa J.; Mascorro, Vanessa S.; Alanís, Armando; Serrano, Enrique; Kurz, Werner A.

2018-03-01

The Paris Agreement of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change calls for a balance of anthropogenic greenhouse emissions and removals in the latter part of this century. Mexico indicated in its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution and its Climate Change Mid-Century Strategy that the land sector will contribute to meeting GHG emission reduction goals. Since 2012, the Mexican government through its National Forestry Commission, with international financial and technical support, has been developing carbon dynamics models to explore climate change mitigation options in the forest sector. Following a systems approach, here we assess the biophysical mitigation potential of forest ecosystems, harvested wood products and their substitution benefits (i.e. the change in emissions resulting from substitution of wood for more emissions-intensive products and fossil fuels), for policy alternatives considered by the Mexican government, such as a net zero deforestation rate and sustainable forest management. We used available analytical frameworks (Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector and a harvested wood products model), parameterized with local input data in two contrasting Mexican states. Using information from the National Forest Monitoring System (e.g. forest inventories, remote sensing, disturbance data), we demonstrate that activities aimed at reaching a net-zero deforestation rate can yield significant CO2e mitigation benefits by 2030 and 2050 relative to a baseline scenario (‘business as usual’), but if combined with increasing forest harvest to produce long-lived products and substitute more energy-intensive materials, emissions reductions could also provide other co-benefits (e.g. jobs, illegal logging reduction). We concluded that the relative impact of mitigation activities is locally dependent, suggesting that mitigation strategies should be designed and implemented at sub-national scales. We were also encouraged about the ability of the modeling framework to effectively use Mexico’s data, and showed the need to include multiple sectors and types of collaborators (scientific and policy-maker communities) to design more comprehensive portfolios for climate change mitigation.

Legal responses to HIV and AIDS: lessons from Swaziland.

PubMed

Shongwe, Musa N

2017-12-01

Since 1999, the HIV and AIDS epidemic in Swaziland has been declared a national disaster, and today HIV and AIDS still pose a great threat to the survival and development of Swaziland and its people. The impact of the pandemic necessitated a multi-faceted response from the government. This paper critically evaluates the Swaziland legal response to HIV and AIDS. The objective is to assess whether and to what extent Swazi law addresses human rights issues related to HIV and AIDS. Through the application of a human rights based theory, the paper analyses the domestication of Swaziland's treaty commitments, and the constitutional and the statutory frameworks. The paper advances the importance of "law" as a tool that can create an enabling environment for a national response to HIV and AIDS. It analyses how the government has successfully crafted the normative framework so as to make it responsive to the fight against HIV and AIDS, and the shortcomings of the Swaziland legal system in this fight. The paper argues that even though a credible legal and policy environment is in place, some laws still need to be supplemented, reviewed and amended so that the legal system adequately addresses the human rights issues related to HIV and AIDS. The paper suggests improvements to the legal system which mainly relate to aligning the legal framework with the Constitution of Swaziland and international conventions to which Swaziland is party.

Bringing 'Light, Life and Happiness': British American Tobacco and musicsponsorship in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Patel, Preeti; Okechukwu, Cassandra A; Collin, Jeff; Hughes, Belinda

This article aims to provide a review of music sponsorship to market cigarettes in sub-Saharan Africa. Using analysis of previously secret corporate documents from British American Tobacco (BAT) and focusing on two separate case studies of sponsorship in Africa, Nigeria and South Africa, the paper illustrates how tobacco companies have sought to undermine health legislation from 1990 to 2001. Both case studies suggest that music is an important marketing tool in Africa because it can effectively target young consumers; has a universal appeal; transcends barriers to communication imposed by limited literacy and language barriers; has a long-term appeal and can be successful in undermining tobacco control measures. The case studies highlight the limitations of national regulatory efforts and reinforce the significance of the implementation of the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Africa, a critical region for the convention's success.

Delineating managed land for reporting national greenhouse gas emissions and removals to the United Nations framework convention on climate change.

PubMed

Ogle, Stephen M; Domke, Grant; Kurz, Werner A; Rocha, Marcelo T; Huffman, Ted; Swan, Amy; Smith, James E; Woodall, Christopher; Krug, Thelma

2018-05-29

Land use and management activities have a substantial impact on carbon stocks and associated greenhouse gas emissions and removals. However, it is challenging to discriminate between anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic sources and sinks from land. To address this problem, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change developed a managed land proxy to determine which lands are contributing anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and removals. Governments report all emissions and removals from managed land to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change based on this proxy, and policy interventions to reduce emissions from land use are expected to focus on managed lands. Our objective was to review the use of the managed land proxy, and summarize the criteria that governments have applied to classify land as managed and unmanaged. We found that the large majority of governments are not reporting on their application of the managed land proxy. Among the governments that do provide information, most have assigned all area in specific land uses as managed, while designating all remaining lands as unmanaged. This designation as managed land is intuitive for croplands and settlements, which would not exist without management interventions, but a portion of forest land, grassland, and wetlands may not be managed in a country. Consequently, Brazil, Canada and the United States have taken the concept further and delineated managed and unmanaged forest land, grassland and wetlands, using additional criteria such as functional use of the land and accessibility of the land to anthropogenic activity. The managed land proxy is imperfect because reported emissions from any area can include non-anthropogenic sources, such as natural disturbances. However, the managed land proxy does make reporting of GHG emissions and removals from land use more tractable and comparable by excluding fluxes from areas that are not directly influenced by anthropogenic activity. Moreover, application of the managed land proxy can be improved by incorporating additional criteria that allow for further discrimination between managed and unmanaged land.

Strategic forum. Number 70. Regional deterrence strategies for new proliferation threats

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

Kahan, J.H.

1996-04-01

The deterrence of armed aggression against the United States, its vital national interests, or its allies has moved beyond the requirements of conventional force deterrence. The proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons requires a new strategy to ensure effective deterrence against their use by regional states that could not win in a conventional conflict with the United States. Because proliferation has expanded to a number of regional actors, a single strategy is unlikely to be sufficient in deterring states with varied motivations, and social, economic, religious, cultural, and political backgrounds. The Unified Commands-principally the Pacific, Central and Europeanmore » Commands- provide a ready-made framework in which general U.S. deterrence strategies can be tailored to each proliferant state While the Unified Commands would shape the individual deterrence strategies, the national command authority (NCA) would retain control of key decisions. Guidelines for NBC regional deterrence should include developing credible counterproliferation postures, profiling potential adversaries, tailoring our military capabilities to specific threats, integrating NBC preparedness into exercises and warplans, and actively pursuing coalitions designed to deter regional proliferators from threatening to use or using NBC weapons.« less

Results of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey and implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries.

PubMed

Usmanova, Gulnoza; Mokdad, Ali H

2013-12-01

We used Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) data collected over time to monitor articles of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). The GYTS is a school-based survey, conducted in 23 countries in WHO EMR countries from 1999-2008. The prevalence of current smokeless tobacco use was high compared to cigarette use in all countries. In general, the following changes were observed between baseline and repeated surveys: in five countries fewer youth supported a ban on smoking in public places. In four countries more youth saw actors smoking on TV and were exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) outside of home. Fewer youth were offered free cigarettes in ten countries; in eight countries youth saw less advertisement on TV; in seven countries youth had fewer items with a tobacco logo, discussed more reasons for smoking and dangers of smoking, and were less exposed to SHS at home; in six countries youth saw less advertisement at sports events. The GYTS data can be used for monitoring, evaluation of national tobacco control plans and defining future directions for tobacco control. Copyright © 2013 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in the Brazilian political agenda, 2003-2005.

PubMed

Teixeira, Luiz Antônio da Silva; Paiva, Carlos Henrique Assunção; Ferreira, Vanessa Nolasco

2017-09-21

This study analyses the development of a tobacco-control agenda in Brazil following the country's participation in the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC). This process started with the diplomatic negotiations for the participation of Brazil in the treaty, in 2003, and its ratification by the National Congress, in 2005, and was marked by substantial controversies between public health players, who are accountable for tobacco-control actions, and the high echelon of Brazilian diplomacy, emissaries of the tobacco industry, representatives of small tobacco farmers from the Southern region of the country, congress representatives, senators and ministers. The study is based on the contributions of John W. Kingdon on the development of an agenda for the formulation of public policies. It took into account secondary references, legislative and institutional sources from the 1995 to 2005 period. It concluded that the association of tobacco-related healthcare actions by technically skilled officials, the involvement of the high echelon of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (policy flow), the initiative for the establishment of the WHO-FCTC (problem flow), and the existence of a favorable environment in both, executive and legislative (political flow), opened a window of opportunity for WHO-FCTC ratification and its inclusion in the government decision agenda.

Global Inventory of Regional and National Qualifications Frameworks. Volume II: National and Regional Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, 2015

2015-01-01

This second volume of the "Global Inventory of Regional and National Qualifications Frameworks" focuses on national and regional cases of national qualifications frameworks for eighty- six countries from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan and seven regional qualifications frameworks. Each country profile provides a thorough review of the main…

Tobacco control efforts in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: achievements and challenges.

PubMed

Hassounah, S; Rawaf, D; Khoja, T; Rawaf, S; Hussein, M S; Qidwai, W; Majeed, A

2014-08-19

This paper reports a review into the current state of tobacco use, governance and national commitment for control, and current intervention frameworks in place to reduce the use of tobacco among the populations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states and Yemen. It further reviews structured policy-oriented interventions (in line with the MPOWER package of 6 evidence-based tobacco control measures) that represent government actions to strengthen, implement and manage tobacco control programmes and to address the growing epidemic of tobacco use. Our findings show that tobacco control in the GCC countries has witnessed real progress over the past decades. These are still early days but they indicate steps in the right direction. Future investment in implementation and enforcement of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, production of robust tobacco control legislation and the establishment of universally available tobacco cessation services are essential to sustain and strengthen tobacco control in the GCC region.

Assessing Inter-Sectoral Climate Change Risks: The Role of ISIMIP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Arnell, Nigel W.; Ebi, Kristie L.; Lotze-Campen, Hermann; Raes, Frank; Rapley, Chris; Smith, Mark Stafford; Cramer, Wolfgang; Frieler, Katja; Reyer, Christopher P. O.;

Toward Consistent Methodology to Quantify Populations in Proximity to Oil and Gas Development: A National Spatial Analysis and Review

PubMed Central

Czolowski, Eliza D.; Santoro, Renee L.; Srebotnjak, Tanja

2017-01-01

Background: Higher risk of exposure to environmental health hazards near oil and gas wells has spurred interest in quantifying populations that live in proximity to oil and gas development. The available studies on this topic lack consistent methodology and ignore aspects of oil and gas development of value to public health–relevant assessment and decision-making. Objectives: We aim to present a methodological framework for oil and gas development proximity studies grounded in an understanding of hydrocarbon geology and development techniques. Methods: We geospatially overlay locations of active oil and gas wells in the conterminous United States and Census data to estimate the population living in proximity to hydrocarbon development at the national and state levels. We compare our methods and findings with existing proximity studies. Results: Nationally, we estimate that 17.6 million people live within 1,600m (∼1 mi) of at least one active oil and/or gas well. Three of the eight studies overestimate populations at risk from actively producing oil and gas wells by including wells without evidence of production or drilling completion and/or using inappropriate population allocation methods. The remaining five studies, by omitting conventional wells in regions dominated by historical conventional development, significantly underestimate populations at risk. Conclusions: The well inventory guidelines we present provide an improved methodology for hydrocarbon proximity studies by acknowledging the importance of both conventional and unconventional well counts as well as the relative exposure risks associated with different primary production categories (e.g., oil, wet gas, dry gas) and developmental stages of wells. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1535 PMID:28858829

Bayesian-MCMC-based parameter estimation of stealth aircraft RCS models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Wei; Dai, Xiao-Xia; Feng, Yuan

2015-12-01

When modeling a stealth aircraft with low RCS (Radar Cross Section), conventional parameter estimation methods may cause a deviation from the actual distribution, owing to the fact that the characteristic parameters are estimated via directly calculating the statistics of RCS. The Bayesian-Markov Chain Monte Carlo (Bayesian-MCMC) method is introduced herein to estimate the parameters so as to improve the fitting accuracies of fluctuation models. The parameter estimations of the lognormal and the Legendre polynomial models are reformulated in the Bayesian framework. The MCMC algorithm is then adopted to calculate the parameter estimates. Numerical results show that the distribution curves obtained by the proposed method exhibit improved consistence with the actual ones, compared with those fitted by the conventional method. The fitting accuracy could be improved by no less than 25% for both fluctuation models, which implies that the Bayesian-MCMC method might be a good candidate among the optimal parameter estimation methods for stealth aircraft RCS models. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61101173), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 613206), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2012AA01A308), the State Scholarship Fund by the China Scholarship Council (CSC), and the Oversea Academic Training Funds, and University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC).

Supporting Operational Data Assimilation Capabilities to the Research Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, H.; Hu, M.; Stark, D. R.; Zhou, C.; Beck, J.; Ge, G.

2017-12-01

The Developmental Testbed Center (DTC), in partnership with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and other operational and research institutions, provides operational data assimilation capabilities to the research community and helps transition research advances to operations. The primary data assimilation system supported currently by the DTC is the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) system and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) system. GSI is a variational based system being used for daily operations at NOAA, NCEP, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and other operational agencies. Recently, GSI has evolved into a four-dimensional EnVar system. Since 2009, the DTC has been releasing the GSI code to the research community annually and providing user support. In addition to GSI, the DTC, in 2015, began supporting the ensemble based EnKF data assimilation system. EnKF shares the observation operator with GSI and therefore, just as GSI, can assimilate both conventional and non-conventional data (e.g., satellite radiance). Currently, EnKF is being implemented as part of the GSI based hybrid EnVar system for NCEP Global Forecast System operations. This paper will summarize the current code management and support framework for these two systems. Following that is a description of available community services and facilities. Also presented is the pathway for researchers to contribute their development to the daily operations of these data assimilation systems.

Clinical experiences of implant-supported prostheses with laser-welded titanium frameworks in the partially edentulous jaw: a 5-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Ortorp, A; Jemt, T

1999-01-01

Titanium frameworks have been used in the endentulous implant patient for the last 10 years. However, knowledge of titanium frameworks for the partially dentate patient is limited. To report the 5-year clinical performance of implant-supported prostheses with laser-welded titanium frameworks in the partially edentulous jaw. A consecutive group of 383 partially edentulous patients were, on a routine basis, provided with fixed partial prostheses supported by Brånemark implants in the mandible or maxilla. Besides conventional frameworks in cast gold alloy, 58 patients were provided with titanium frameworks with three different veneering techniques, and clinical and radiographic 5-year data were collected for this group. The overall cumulative survival rate was 95.6% for titanium-framework prostheses and 93.6% for implants. Average bone loss during the follow-up period was 0.4 mm. The most common complications were minor veneering fractures. Loose and fractured implant screw components were fewer than 2%. An observation was that patients on medications for cardiovascular problems may lose more implants than others (p < .05). The clinical performance of prostheses with implant-supported laser-welded titanium frameworks was similar to that reported for conventional cast frames in partially edentulous jaws. Low-fusing porcelain veneers also showed clinical performance comparable to that reported for conventional porcelain-fused-to-metal techniques.

Transportation management and security during the 2004 Democratic National Convention

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-05

The transportation operations plan for the 2004 Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Boston, Massachusetts, was not a typical transportation plan driven by goals such as mobility and air quality. The DNC was the first national political convention...

Globalization of public health law and ethics.

PubMed

Sohn, Myongsei

2012-09-01

The Constitution of the World Health Organization (1946) states that the "enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social position." The international legal framework for this right was laid by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and reaffirmed in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (1966) and the Declaration of Alma-Ata (1978). In recent years, the framework has been developed on 10 key elements: national and international human rights, laws, norms, and standards; resource constraints and progressive realization; obligations of immediate effect; freedoms and entitlements; available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality; respect, protect, and fulfill; non-discrimination, equality, and vulnerability; active and informed participation; international assistance and cooperation; and monitoring and accountability. Whereas public health law plays an essential role in the protection and promotion of the right to health, the emergence of SARS (2003) highlighted the urgent need to reform national public health laws and international obligations relating to public health in order to meet the new realities of a globalized world, leading to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2003) and the revision of the WHO International Health Regulations (2005). The Asian Institute for Bioethics and Health Law, in conjunction with the Republic of Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare and the WHO International Digest of Health Legislation, conducted a comparative legal analysis of national public health laws in various countries through a project entitled Domestic Profiles of Public/Population Health Legislation (2006), which underscored the importance of recognizing the political and social contexts of distinct legal cultures, including Western, Asian, Islamic, and African.

Options for sampling and stratification for national forest inventories to implement REDD+ under the UNFCCC

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Developing countries that are willing to participate in the recently adopted (16th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP) in Cancun) mitigation mechanism of Reducing emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation - and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks (REDD+) - will have to establish a national forest monitoring system in order to assess anthropogenic forest-related greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sinks. Such a system should support the Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) requirement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as the REDD+ mechanism is results-based. A national forest inventory (NFI) is one potential key component of such an MRV system. Following the Decision adopted during the 15th Session of the COP in Copenhagen, the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidance and Guidelines should be used as a basis for estimating anthropogenic forest-related greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sinks and changes in forest carbon stocks and area. Results First, we present the key indispensable elements of the IPCC Guidance and Guidelines that have been developed to fulfil the UNFCCC reporting requirements. This is done in order to set the framework to develop the MRV requirement in which a NFI for REDD+ implementation could be developed. Second, within this framework, we develop and propose a novel scheme for the stratification of forest land for REDD+. Finally, we present some non-exhaustive optional elements within this framework that a country could consider to successfully operationalise and implement its REDD+ NFI. Conclusion Evidently, both the methodological guidance and political decisions on REDD+ under the UNFCCC will continue to evolve. Even so, and considering that there exists decades of experience in setting up traditional NFIs, developing a NFI that a country may use to directly support REDD+ activities under the UNFCCC represents the development of a new challenge in this field. It is therefore important that both the scientific community and national implementing agencies acquaint themselves with both the context and content of this challenge so that REDD+ mitigation actions may be implemented successfully and with environmental integrity. This paper provides important contributions to the subject through our proposal of the stratification of forest land for REDD+. PMID:21187009

Climate change and food security in East Asia.

PubMed

Su, Yi-Yuan; Weng, Yi-Hao; Chiu, Ya-Wen

2009-01-01

Climate change causes serious food security risk for East Asian countries. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has recognized that the climate change will impact agriculture and all nations should prepare adaptations to the impacts on food security. This article reviews the context of adaptation rules and current policy development in East Asian region. The UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol have established specific rules for countries to develop national or regional adaptation policies and measurements. The current development of the ASEAN Strategic Plan on food security is inspiring, but the commitments to implementation by its members remain an issue of concern. We suggest that the UNFCCC enhances co-operation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other international organizations to further develop methodologies and technologies for all parties. Our findings suggest that agriculture is one of the most vulnerable sectors in terms of risks associated with climate change and distinct programmatic initiatives are necessary. It's imperative to promote co-operation among multilateral organizations, including the UNFCCC, FAO, World Health Organization, and others.

How a national vegetation classification can help ecological research and management

USGS Publications Warehouse

Franklin, Scott; Comer, Patrick; Evens, Julie; Ezcurra, Exequiel; Faber-Langendoen, Don; Franklin, Janet; Jennings, Michael; Josse, Carmen; Lea, Chris; Loucks, Orie; Muldavin, Esteban; Peet, Robert K.; Ponomarenko, Serguei; Roberts, David G.; Solomeshch, Ayzik; Keeler-Wolf, Todd; Van Kley, James; Weakley, Alan; McKerrow, Alexa; Burke, Marianne; Spurrier, Carol

2015-01-01

The elegance of classification lies in its ability to compile and systematize various terminological conventions and masses of information that are unattainable during typical research projects. Imagine a discipline without standards for collection, analysis, and interpretation; unfortunately, that describes much of 20th-century vegetation ecology. With differing methods, how do we assess community dynamics over decades, much less centuries? How do we compare plant communities from different areas? The need for a widely applied vegetation classification has long been clear. Now imagine a multi-decade effort to assimilate hundreds of disparate vegetation classifications into one common classification for the US. In this letter, we introduce the US National Vegetation Classification (USNVC; www.usnvc.org) as a powerful tool for research and conservation, analogous to the argument made by Schimel and Chadwick (2013) for soils. The USNVC provides a national framework to classify and describe vegetation; here we describe the USNVC and offer brief examples of its efficacy.

Global carbon stocks and potential emissions due to mangrove deforestation from 2000 to 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, Stuart E.; Friess, Daniel A.

2018-03-01

Mangrove forests store high densities of organic carbon, which, when coupled with high rates of deforestation, means that mangroves have the potential to contribute substantially to carbon emissions. Consequently, mangroves are strong candidates for inclusion in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and payments for ecosystem services (PES) programmes that financially incentivize the conservation of forested carbon stocks. This study quantifies annual mangrove carbon stocks from 2000 to 2012 at the global, national and sub-national levels, and global carbon emissions resulting from deforestation over the same time period. Globally, mangroves stored 4.19 Pg of carbon in 2012, with Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea accounting for more than 50% of the global stock. 2.96 Pg of the global carbon stock is contained within the soil and 1.23 Pg in the living biomass. Two percent of global mangrove carbon was lost between 2000 and 2012, equivalent to a maximum potential of 316,996,250 t of CO2 emissions.

The deep ocean under climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levin, Lisa A.; Le Bris, Nadine

2015-11-01

The deep ocean absorbs vast amounts of heat and carbon dioxide, providing a critical buffer to climate change but exposing vulnerable ecosystems to combined stresses of warming, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and altered food inputs. Resulting changes may threaten biodiversity and compromise key ocean services that maintain a healthy planet and human livelihoods. There exist large gaps in understanding of the physical and ecological feedbacks that will occur. Explicit recognition of deep-ocean climate mitigation and inclusion in adaptation planning by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) could help to expand deep-ocean research and observation and to protect the integrity and functions of deep-ocean ecosystems.

Regulation and policy: International trends and issues

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

Griffin, W S

As offshore oil and gas resources become exhausted, the associated production platforms and facilities will be decommissioned. The world-wide oil and gas industry is strictly regulated by global, regional and national guidelines which have been developed by governments to find the most responsible framework to perform the decommissioning. In the summer of 1995, the Brent Spar incident brought uncertainty to decommissioning world-wide. In June of 1995, a moratorium prohibiting sea disposal within the North East Atlantic was imposed by the Oslo Commission, and an unsuccessful attempt was made in December of 1995 to impose a world-wide moratorium on sea disposalmore » at the London Convention.« less

[Evaluation of the effect of modified wet particle erosion on bond strength between 3Y-TZP zirconia framework and veneering porcelain].

PubMed

Guo, Jing; Zhu, Jia; Liu, Hon-Guang; Zhu, Hong-Shui

2017-02-01

To evaluate the effect of bond strength between 3mol% yttrium-stabilized tetragonal zirconium polycrystal (3Y-TZP) zirconia framework after modified wet particle erosion and veneering porcelain. A total of 174 [8 mm× 8 mm× 3 mm (±0.02)] specimens were prepared and then randomly divided into different groups according to different particle size, sandblasting pressure, sandblasting time through conventional sandblasting (experimental groups); specimens in the control group were not sandblasted. The bond strength between 3Y-TZP zirconia framework and veneering porcelain was measured using a universal testing machine. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS17.0 software package. The bond strength of specimens treated by two methods-conventional sandblasting and modified wet particle erosion under the same condition (150 μm, 0.6 MPa, 30 s) were acquired, while the surface was analyzed microscopically before the specimens were veneered with the veneering ceramic under scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The bond strength of conventional sandblasting group under the condition (110 μm, 0.4 MPa,30 s) was maximal, and significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05). The bond strength of modified wet particle erosion group was significantly higher than the conventional sandblasting group and control group (P<0.01); SEM showed that the surface of specimen with modified wet particle erosion was homogeneously rough; the surface specimen with conventional sandblasting was heterogeneously rough, some microcracks were seen in some areas. Sandblasting can slightly enhance the bond strength between 3Y-TZP zirconia framework and veneering porcelain, modified wet particle erosion is recommended for 3Y-TZP zirconia framework surface treatment.

50 CFR 86.101 - What is the Service schedule to adopt the National Framework?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false What is the Service schedule to adopt the National Framework? 86.101 Section 86.101 Wildlife and Fisheries UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE... schedule to adopt the National Framework? The Secretary of the Interior adopted the National Framework on...

Influence of Diamondlike Carbon Coating of Screws on Axial Tightening Force and Stress Distribution on Overdenture Bar Frameworks with Different Fit Levels and Materials.

PubMed

dos Santos, Mateus Bertolini Fernandes; Bacchi, Atais; Consani, Rafael Leonardo Xediek; Correr-Sobrinho, Lourenço

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the axial tightening force applied by conventional and diamondlike carbon (DLC)-coated screws and to verify, through three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA), the stress distribution caused by different framework materials and prosthetic screws in overdenture frameworks with different misfit levels. The axial tightening force applied by the screw was evaluated by means of a titanium matrix connected to a load cell. Conventional titanium or DLC-coated screws were tightened with a digital torque wrench, and the load values were recorded. The values were applied in an FEA to a bar-clip attachment system connected to two 4.0 × 11-mm external-hexagon titanium implants placed in an anterior edentulous arch. DLC-coated and conventional screws were modeled with their respective axial forces obtained on the experimental evaluation for three bar framework materials (titanium, nickel-chromium, and cobalt-chromium) and three levels of misfit (100, 150, and 200 μm). Von Mises stresses for prosthetic components and maximum principal stress and microstrains (maximum principal strains) for bone tissue were measured. The mean force applied by the conventional screw was 25.55 N (± 1.78); the prosthetic screw coated with a DLC layer applied a mean force of 31.44 N (± 2.11), a statistically significant difference. In the FEA, the DLC screw led to higher stresses on the framework; however, the prosthetic screw suffered lower stress. No influence of screw type was seen in the bone tissue. Titanium frameworks reduced the stress transmitted to the bone tissue and the bar framework but had no influence on the screws. Higher misfit values resulted in an increased stress/strain in bone tissue and bar framework, which was not the case for retention screws.

Civil society and the negotiation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

PubMed Central

MAMUDU, H. M.

2008-01-01

Tobacco control civil society organisations mobilised to influence countries during the negotiation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) between 1999 and 2003. Tobacco control civil society organisations and coalitions around the world embraced the idea of an international tobacco control treaty and came together as the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA), becoming an important non-state actor within the international system of tobacco control. Archival documents and interviews demonstrate that the FCA successfully used strategies including publication of a newsletter, shaming, symbolism and media advocacy to influence policy positions of countries during the FCTC negotiation. The FCA became influential in the negotiation process by mobilising tobacco control civil society organisations and resources with the help of the Internet and framing the tobacco control discussion around global public health. PMID:19333806

The Impact of Afforestation on the Carbon Stocks of Mineral Soils Across the Republic of Ireland.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wellock, M.; Laperle, C.; Kiely, G.; Reidy, B.; Duffy, C.; Tobin, B.

2009-04-01

At the beginning of the twentieth century forests accounted for only 1% of the total Irish land cover (Pilcher & Mac an tSaoir, 1995). However, due to the efforts of successive governments there has been rapid afforestation since the 1960s resulting in a 10.0% forest land cover as of 2007 (The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, 2007). A large proportion of this afforestation took place after the mid-1980s and was fueled by government grant incentive schemes targeted at private landowners (Renou & Farrell 2005). Consequently, 54% of forests are less than 20 years old (Byrne, 2006). This specific land use change provides an opportunity for Ireland to meet international obligations set forth by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, 1992). These obligations include the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions to 13% above 1990 levels. In order to promote accountability for these commitments, the UNFCCC treaty and the Kyoto Protocol (Kyoto Protocol, 1997) mandate signatories to publish greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories for both greenhouse gas sources and removals by sinks. Article 3.3 of the Kyoto Protocol allows changes in C stocks due to afforestation, reforestation, and deforestation since 1990 to be used to offset inventory emissions. Therefore, due to the rapid rate of afforestation and its increased carbon sequestration since 1990, Ireland has the potential to significantly offset GHG emissions. There is little known as to the impacts of afforestation on the carbon stocks in soils over time, and even less known about the impact on Irish soils. The FORESTC project aims to analyse this impact by undertaking a nationwide study using a method similar to that of the paired plot method in Davis and Condron, 2002. The study will examine 42 forest sites across Ireland selected randomly from the National Forest Inventory (National Forest Inventory, 2007). These 42 sites will be grouped based on the forest type which includes conifer, broadleaf, and mixed (broadleaf and conifer) and soil type: brown earth, podzol, brown podzolic, gley and brown earth. The paired plot method involves selecting a second site that represents the same soil type and physical characteristics as the forest site. The only difference between the two sites should be the current land-use of the pair site, which should represent the pre-afforestation land-use of the forest site. Each forest site and its pair site will be sampled in the top 30 cm of soil for bulk density and organic carbon %, while litter and F/H layer samples will be taken and analysed for carbon. This data should provide an analysis of the carbon stocks of the soil and litter of both the forest site and its pair site allowing for comparison and thus the impact of afforestation on carbon stocks. References. Byrne, K.A., & Milne, R. (2006). Carbon stocks and sequestration in plantation forests in the Republic of Ireland. Forestry, 79, no. 4: 361. Davis, M.R., & Condron, L.M. (2002). Impact of grassland afforestation on soil carbon in New Zealand: a review of paired-site studies. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 40, no. 4: 675-690. Kyoto Protocol. 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. FCCC/CP/1997/7/Add.1, Decision 1/CP.3, Annex 7. UN. National Forest Inventory: NFI Methodology. (2007). Forest Service, The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, Wexford, Ireland. Pilcher, J.R. & Mac an tSaoir, S. (1995). Wood, Trees and Forests in Ireland. (Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. Renou, F. & Farrell, E.P. (2005). Reclaiming peatlands for forestry: the Irish experience. In: Stanturf, J.A. and Madsen, P.A. (eds.). Restoration of boreal and temperate forests. CRC Press, Boca Raton. p.541-557. UNFCCC. 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Palais des Nations, Geneva. http://www.unfccc.de/index.html

Tobacco control in the Russian Federation--a policy analysis.

PubMed

Lunze, Karsten; Migliorini, Luigi

2013-01-23

The Russian Federation (Russia) has one of the highest smoking rates in the world. The purpose of this study is to analyze past and current trends of the tobacco epidemic in the Russian Federation, review current tobacco control policy responses, and identify areas of opportunity for policy priorities. We used a policy triangle as analytical framework to examine content, context, and processes of Russian tobacco control policy. The analysis was based on secondary data on supply and demand sides of the Russian tobacco epidemic, tobacco-related economic and health effects during Russia's economic transition, and compliance of Russian tobacco policy with international standards and regulations. Tobacco-promoting strategies have specifically targeted women and youth. Russia's approval of a "National Tobacco Control Concept" and draft for a comprehensive tobacco control bill increasingly align national legislature with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). However, several structural and cultural factors represent substantial barriers to the policy process. The influence of transnational tobacco companies on policy processes in Russia has so far impeded a full implementation of the FCTC mandates. Several strategies have been identified as having the potential to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use in Russia and decrease tobacco-related national health and economic burden: adjusting national tobacco policy by raising tobacco tax from the current lowest level in Europe to at least 70%; consequent enforcement of a complete smoking ban in public places; marketing restrictions; and smoking cessation interventions integrated into primary care. Russia's tobacco control efforts need to target women and youths specifically to efficiently counter industry efforts.

Tobacco control in the Russian Federation- a policy analysis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The Russian Federation (Russia) has one of the highest smoking rates in the world. The purpose of this study is to analyze past and current trends of the tobacco epidemic in the Russian Federation, review current tobacco control policy responses, and identify areas of opportunity for policy priorities. Methods We used a policy triangle as analytical framework to examine content, context, and processes of Russian tobacco control policy. The analysis was based on secondary data on supply and demand sides of the Russian tobacco epidemic, tobacco-related economic and health effects during Russia’s economic transition, and compliance of Russian tobacco policy with international standards and regulations. Results Tobacco-promoting strategies have specifically targeted women and youth. Russia’s approval of a “National Tobacco Control Concept” and draft for a comprehensive tobacco control bill increasingly align national legislature with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). However, several structural and cultural factors represent substantial barriers to the policy process. The influence of transnational tobacco companies on policy processes in Russia has so far impeded a full implementation of the FCTC mandates. Conclusions Several strategies have been identified as having the potential to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use in Russia and decrease tobacco-related national health and economic burden: adjusting national tobacco policy by raising tobacco tax from the current lowest level in Europe to at least 70%; consequent enforcement of a complete smoking ban in public places; marketing restrictions; and smoking cessation interventions integrated into primary care. Russia’s tobacco control efforts need to target women and youths specifically to efficiently counter industry efforts. PMID:23339756

Russian military in the year 2000. Master's thesis

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

McIlmail, J.F.; Jaworski, J.L.

Through the use of content analysis, this paper attempts to paint a picture of the Russian military in the year 2000 and its impact on the US national security strategy. The research begins by defining the origin of Russian national security policy and how that translates into military policy and doctrine. A framework for evaluating Russian military doctrines is provided with a chronology of the military reform process and the related doctrinal reforms that has its birth in the 1987 announcement of a defensive-defense. Following from the doctrinal variant framework the new strategic missions of the 1992 draft military doctrinemore » are presented with an analysis that shows they are a clear departure from the past and truly represent a defensive-defense type doctrine. Additionally, a comparison is made with the current military reform ongoing in Russia with the historical precedent of the Russian military reform of 1924-25. A rough outline of the separate branches of the Russian military both present and future is provided based on the ongoing trends in the reform process. This thumbnail sketch of the Russian military then assists in the analysis and conclusion that even after a possible 50% cutback in US military spending, in the year 2000 the Russian military will not pose a threat to US national security. The major caveat to this conclusion is in the realm of nuclear weapons and this issue is therefore discussed in some length....Former Soviet Union, Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Conventional Forces in Europe treaty (CFE), European Security, New National Security Strategy, Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Strategy.« less

CO{sub 2} Emission Calculations and Trends

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Boden, T. A.; Marland, G.; Andres, R. J.

1995-06-01

Evidence that the atmospheric CO{sub 2}concentration has risen during the past several decades is irrefutable. Most of the observed increase in atmospheric CO{sub 2} is believed to result from CO{sub 2} releases from fossil-fuel burning. The United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), signed in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, reflects global concern over the increasing CO{sub 2} concentration and its potential impact on climate. One of the convention`s stated objectives was the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Specifically, the FCCC asked all 154 signing countries to conduct an inventory of their current greenhouse gas emissions, and it set nonbinding targets for some countries to control emissions by stabilizing them at 1990 levels by the year 2000. Given the importance of CO{sub 2} as a greenhouse gas, the relationship between CO{sub 2} emissions and increases in atmospheric CO{sub 2} levels, and the potential impacts of a greenhouse gas-induced climate change; it is important that comprehensive CO{sub 2} emissions records be compiled, maintained, updated, and documented.

Child Rights. The Convention: Child Rights and UNICEF Experience at the Country Level. Innocenti Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madinger, Edward; And Others

The most revolutionary element of UNICEF's approach to the implementation of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child is the integration of the principles of the Convention into individual countries' programs for children. The convention has impacted UNICEF by broadening it's framework for analyzing the situation of children. This…

Climate: Policy, Modeling, and Federal Priorities (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koonin, S.; Department Of Energy Office Of The Under SecretaryScience

2010-12-01

The Administration has set ambitious national goals to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The US and other countries involved in the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change continue to work toward a goal of establishing a viable treaty that would encompass limits on emissions and codify actions that nations would take to reduce emissions. These negotiations are informed by the science of climate change and by our understanding of how changes in technology and the economy might affect the overall climate in the future. I will describe the present efforts within the U.S. Department of Energy, and the federal government more generally, to address issues related to climate change. These include state-of-the-art climate modeling and uncertainty assessment, economic and climate scenario planning based on best estimates of different technology trajectories, adaption strategies for climate change, and monitoring and reporting for treaty verification.

The United Nations and Climate Change: Legal and Policy Developments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunn, Isabella D.

2009-07-01

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has declared that climate change is "the defining challenge of our times." Climate change trends indicate increasingly severe negative impacts on the majority of countries, with disproportionate effects on poor and vulnerable populations. The scientific reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as well as the negotiations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), have placed the issue on the forefront of the international agenda. This article examines how climate change is shaping legal and policy developments in five key areas of UN responsibility: international law, humanitarian affairs, human rights, development, and peace and security. It concludes with some observations about high-level efforts to coordinate the response of multilateral institutions, the changing stance of the US government, and the role of environmental protection in addressing the current global economic crisis.

Complicity in contraband: British American Tobacco and cigarette smuggling in Asia

PubMed Central

Collin, J; LeGresley, E; MacKenzie, R; Lawrence, S; Lee, K

2004-01-01

Objectives: To examine the complicity of British American Tobacco (BAT) in cigarette smuggling in Asia, and to assess the centrality of illicit trade to regional corporate strategy. Methods: Analysis of previously confidential documents from BAT's Guildford depository. An iterative strategy combined searches based on geography, organisational structure, and key personnel, while corporate euphemisms for contraband were identified by triangulation. Results: BAT documents demonstrate the strategic importance of smuggling across global, regional, national, and local levels. Particularly important in Asia, contraband enabled access to closed markets, created pressure for market opening, and was highly profitable. Documents demonstrate BAT's detailed oversight of illicit trade, seeking to reconcile the conflicting demands of control and deniability. Conclusions: BAT documents demonstrate that smuggling has been driven by corporate objectives, indicate national measures by which the problem can be addressed, and highlight the importance of a coordinated global response via WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. PMID:15564212

Brazil: balance of the National Tobacco Control Policy in the last decade and dilemmas.

PubMed

Cavalcante, Tânia Maria; Pinho, Mariana Coutinho Marques de; Perez, Cristina de Abreu; Teixeira, Ana Paula Leal; Mendes, Felipe Lacerda; Vargas, Rosa Rulff; Carvalho, Alexandre Octávio Ribeiro de; Rangel, Erica Cavalcanti; Almeida, Liz Maria de

2017-09-21

Since 2005, Brazil has been a Party of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, an international treaty whose measures are the foundation of the National Tobacco-Control Policy (NTCP), of Brazil. The results evidence a significant decrease in the prevalence of smokers and in tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. These results, however, could have been even better if there wasn't the interference of the tobacco supply chain (TSC), controlled by transnational corporations, which has become more intense over the last 10 years. These companies made Brazil not only a repository for tobacco, but also for economic and political power capable of threatening NTCP achievements. This Essay recounts the development of NTCP and the tobacco supply chain modus operandi to hamper it, and discusses how the strengthening of policies to promote alternative crops for tobacco could shield NTCP from such interference.

Energy efficiency procedures for agricultural machinery used in onion cultivation (Allium fistulosum) as an alternative to reduce carbon emissions under the clean development mechanism at Aquitania (Colombia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ochoa, K.; Carrillo, S.; Gutierrez, L.

2014-06-01

Climate change has both causes and consequences over agriculture. This paper focuses on the first element and presents scenarios for ASOLAGO -an onion cropper's association in Colombia with 250 members- to reduce their carbon footprint. It evaluates a case study at "La Primavera" farm using a methodology approved by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Land preparation and crop irrigation were analyzed as stages in order to propose energy efficiency alternatives for both the farm and the association. They include field efficiency, fuel economy and energy efficiency from biofuels for the first stage as well as solar and wind energy supply for the second. A cost-benefit analysis to generate additional income selling additional power produced by the system to the National Grid was done.

ERICA plans for winter storms field study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadlock, Ron

The Experiment on Rapidly Intensifying Cyclones over the Atlantic (ERICA) field study will be conducted between December 1, 1988, and February 28, 1989. The oceanic area that is approximately bounded by t he Gulf Stream and North America, from coastal Carolina to just east of Newfoundland, will be the region for special observations obtained by recently developed measurement systems, including high-resolution and safe Loran-C dropwindsondes, CLASS rawinsondes, an array of drifting data buoys, and multiple airborne Doppler radars. The special observations will be acquired within a framework of all conventional operational data available for the eastern United States and Canada, including that from the National Weather Service's land sites (plus supplemental rawinsonde observations), ocean platforms, U.S. Air Force WC-130 National Winter Storms Operations Plan reconnaissance flights, and civilian and military weather satellites. Satellite imagery and soundings willl be available in real time and archived through facilities of NOAA and the military.

Complicity in contraband: British American Tobacco and cigarette smuggling in Asia.

PubMed

Collin, J; Legresley, E; MacKenzie, R; Lawrence, S; Lee, K

2004-12-01

To examine the complicity of British American Tobacco (BAT) in cigarette smuggling in Asia, and to assess the centrality of illicit trade to regional corporate strategy. Analysis of previously confidential documents from BAT's Guildford depository. An iterative strategy combined searches based on geography, organisational structure, and key personnel, while corporate euphemisms for contraband were identified by triangulation. BAT documents demonstrate the strategic importance of smuggling across global, regional, national, and local levels. Particularly important in Asia, contraband enabled access to closed markets, created pressure for market opening, and was highly profitable. Documents demonstrate BAT's detailed oversight of illicit trade, seeking to reconcile the conflicting demands of control and deniability. BAT documents demonstrate that smuggling has been driven by corporate objectives, indicate national measures by which the problem can be addressed, and highlight the importance of a coordinated global response via WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Legislative Framework for Landscape Planning in Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nitavska, Natalija; Zigmunde, Daiga

2017-10-01

With the adoption and the ratification of the European Landscape Convention a legally justified need for a clear landscape policy was grounded in the European countries. It includes the elaboration of the new and the improvement of the existing legislative documents on landscape planning, protection and management. The aim of the particular study is to analyse the existing legislative documents in Latvia influencing landscape planning on different scales / and the implementation of the European Landscape Convention. The study emphasizes the complex structure of the Latvian legislative framework affected by the distribution of the normative documents under the various ministries. Therefore, the main problem is unclear responsibility levels and organizational system for solving the issues regarding landscape planning, protection and management. Thus the various discussions between the involved disciplines and responsible institutions are arising. Two groups of the legislative documents influencing the implementation of the landscape policy in Latvia are detected within the study. The first group is strategic documents determining main landscape planning principles and directions at European, national, regional and professional or sectoral level. The second group is operational documents providing a set of actions for the landscape planning, protection and management at the local or the municipality level. The study concludes that operational documents developed by the municipalities are in high importance because of their direct influence on the landscape planning in Latvia. This often leads to the different landscape planning requirements included in the normative documents of the neighbouring municipalities, although the spatial and ecological borders of the visual landscape do not fit with the formal borders of the municipalities. Thus, it is essential to develop the common principles and actions that would be incumbent on all municipalities to provide the landscape integrity and to protect its values according to the main principles defined in the European Landscape Convention.

Development of physiotherapy inherent requirement statements - an Australian experience.

PubMed

Bialocerkowski, Andrea; Johnson, Amanda; Allan, Trevor; Phillips, Kirrilee

2013-04-16

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities promotes equal rights of people with a disability in all aspects of their life including their education. In Australia, Disability Discrimination legislation underpins this Convention. It mandates that higher education providers must demonstrate that no discrimination has occurred and all reasonable accommodations have been considered and implemented, to facilitate access and inclusion for a student with a disability. The first step to meeting legislative requirements is to provide students with information on the inherent requirements of a course. This paper describes the steps which were taken to develop inherent requirement statements for a 4-year entry-level physiotherapy program at one Australian university. Inherent requirement statements were developed using an existing framework, which was endorsed and mandated by the University. Items which described inherencies were extracted from Australian physiotherapy professional standards and statutory regulatory requirements, and units contained in the physiotherapy program. Data were integrated into the 8 prescribed domains: ethical behaviour, behavioural stability, legal, communication, cognition, sensory abilities, strength and mobility, and sustainable performance. Statements for each domain were developed using a 5-level framework (introductory statement, description of the inherent requirement, justification for inherency, characteristics of reasonable adjustments and exemplars) and reviewed by a University Review Panel. Refinement of statements continued until no further changes were required. Fifteen physiotherapy inherent requirement statements were developed. The eight domains identified in the existing framework, developed for Nursing, were relevant to the study of physiotherapy. The inherent requirement statements developed in this study provide a transparent, defensible position on the current requirements of physiotherapy study at one Australian university. These statements are transferable to other physiotherapy programs in Australia due to standardised physiotherapy accreditation requirements. The model and framework could be applied to other health professional courses and used to explore the physiotherapy inherent requirements from an international perspective.

Development of physiotherapy inherent requirement statements – an Australian experience

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities promotes equal rights of people with a disability in all aspects of their life including their education. In Australia, Disability Discrimination legislation underpins this Convention. It mandates that higher education providers must demonstrate that no discrimination has occurred and all reasonable accommodations have been considered and implemented, to facilitate access and inclusion for a student with a disability. The first step to meeting legislative requirements is to provide students with information on the inherent requirements of a course. This paper describes the steps which were taken to develop inherent requirement statements for a 4-year entry-level physiotherapy program at one Australian university. Case presentation Inherent requirement statements were developed using an existing framework, which was endorsed and mandated by the University. Items which described inherencies were extracted from Australian physiotherapy professional standards and statutory regulatory requirements, and units contained in the physiotherapy program. Data were integrated into the 8 prescribed domains: ethical behaviour, behavioural stability, legal, communication, cognition, sensory abilities, strength and mobility, and sustainable performance. Statements for each domain were developed using a 5-level framework (introductory statement, description of the inherent requirement, justification for inherency, characteristics of reasonable adjustments and exemplars) and reviewed by a University Review Panel. Refinement of statements continued until no further changes were required. Fifteen physiotherapy inherent requirement statements were developed. The eight domains identified in the existing framework, developed for Nursing, were relevant to the study of physiotherapy. Conclusions The inherent requirement statements developed in this study provide a transparent, defensible position on the current requirements of physiotherapy study at one Australian university. These statements are transferable to other physiotherapy programs in Australia due to standardised physiotherapy accreditation requirements. The model and framework could be applied to other health professional courses and used to explore the physiotherapy inherent requirements from an international perspective. PMID:23590219

Fracture behavior of metal-ceramic fixed dental prostheses with frameworks from cast or a newly developed sintered cobalt-chromium alloy.

PubMed

Krug, Klaus-Peter; Knauber, Andreas W; Nothdurft, Frank P

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the fracture behavior of metal-ceramic bridges with frameworks from cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo), which are manufactured using conventional casting or a new computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) milling and sintering technique. A total of 32 metal-ceramic fixed dental prostheses (FDPs), which are based on a nonprecious metal framework, was produced using a conventional casting process (n = 16) or a new CAD/CAM milling and sintering process (n = 16). Eight unveneered frameworks were manufactured using each of the techniques. After thermal and mechanical aging of half of the restorations, all samples were subjected to a static loading test in a universal testing machine, in which acoustic emission monitoring was performed. Three different critical forces were revealed: the fracture force (F max), the force at the first reduction in force (F decr1), and the force at the critical acoustic event (F acoust1). With the exception of the veneered restorations with cast or sintered metal frameworks without artificial aging, which presented a statistically significant but slightly different F max, no statistically significant differences between cast and CAD/CAM sintered and milled FDPs were detected. Thermal and mechanical loading did not significantly affect the resulting forces. Cast and CAD/CAM milled and sintered metal-ceramic bridges were determined to be comparable with respect to the fracture behavior. FDPs based on CAD/CAM milled and sintered frameworks may be an applicable and less technique-sensitive alternative to frameworks that are based on conventionally cast frameworks.

Maximum Likelihood Reconstruction for Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting

PubMed Central

Zhao, Bo; Setsompop, Kawin; Ye, Huihui; Cauley, Stephen; Wald, Lawrence L.

2017-01-01

This paper introduces a statistical estimation framework for magnetic resonance (MR) fingerprinting, a recently proposed quantitative imaging paradigm. Within this framework, we present a maximum likelihood (ML) formalism to estimate multiple parameter maps directly from highly undersampled, noisy k-space data. A novel algorithm, based on variable splitting, the alternating direction method of multipliers, and the variable projection method, is developed to solve the resulting optimization problem. Representative results from both simulations and in vivo experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach yields significantly improved accuracy in parameter estimation, compared to the conventional MR fingerprinting reconstruction. Moreover, the proposed framework provides new theoretical insights into the conventional approach. We show analytically that the conventional approach is an approximation to the ML reconstruction; more precisely, it is exactly equivalent to the first iteration of the proposed algorithm for the ML reconstruction, provided that a gridding reconstruction is used as an initialization. PMID:26915119

Maximum Likelihood Reconstruction for Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting.

PubMed

Zhao, Bo; Setsompop, Kawin; Ye, Huihui; Cauley, Stephen F; Wald, Lawrence L

2016-08-01

This paper introduces a statistical estimation framework for magnetic resonance (MR) fingerprinting, a recently proposed quantitative imaging paradigm. Within this framework, we present a maximum likelihood (ML) formalism to estimate multiple MR tissue parameter maps directly from highly undersampled, noisy k-space data. A novel algorithm, based on variable splitting, the alternating direction method of multipliers, and the variable projection method, is developed to solve the resulting optimization problem. Representative results from both simulations and in vivo experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach yields significantly improved accuracy in parameter estimation, compared to the conventional MR fingerprinting reconstruction. Moreover, the proposed framework provides new theoretical insights into the conventional approach. We show analytically that the conventional approach is an approximation to the ML reconstruction; more precisely, it is exactly equivalent to the first iteration of the proposed algorithm for the ML reconstruction, provided that a gridding reconstruction is used as an initialization.

Can reducing black carbon emissions counteract global warming?

PubMed

Bond, Tami C; Sun, Haolin

2005-08-15

Field measurements and model results have recently shown that aerosols may have important climatic impacts. One line of inquiry has investigated whether reducing climate-warming soot or black carbon aerosol emissions can form a viable component of mitigating global warming. We review and acknowledge scientific arguments against considering aerosols and greenhouse gases in a common framework, including the differences in the physical mechanisms of climate change and relevant time scales. We argue that such a joint consideration is consistent with the language of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. We synthesize results from published climate-modeling studies to obtain a global warming potential for black carbon relative to that of CO2 (680 on a 100 year basis). This calculation enables a discussion of cost-effectiveness for mitigating the largest sources of black carbon. We find that many emission reductions are either expensive or difficult to enact when compared with greenhouse gases, particularly in Annex I countries. Finally, we propose a role for black carbon in climate mitigation strategies that is consistent with the apparently conflicting arguments raised during our discussion. Addressing these emissions is a promising way to reduce climatic interference primarily for nations that have not yet agreed to address greenhouse gas emissions and provides the potential for a parallel climate agreement.

50 CFR 86.100 - What is the National Framework?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... (BIG) PROGRAM Service Completion of the National Framework § 86.100 What is the National Framework? The... your State. Through a State survey, you must conduct a boating access needs assessment or data...

50 CFR 86.100 - What is the National Framework?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... (BIG) PROGRAM Service Completion of the National Framework § 86.100 What is the National Framework? The... your State. Through a State survey, you must conduct a boating access needs assessment or data...

Impacts of nationally determined contributions on 2030 global greenhouse gas emissions: uncertainty analysis and distribution of emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benveniste, Hélène; Boucher, Olivier; Guivarch, Céline; Le Treut, Hervé; Criqui, Patrick

2018-01-01

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), submitted by Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change before and after the 21st Conference of Parties, summarize domestic objectives for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions for the 2025-2030 time horizon. In the absence, for now, of detailed guidelines for the format of NDCs, ancillary data are needed to interpret some NDCs and project GHG emissions in 2030. Here, we provide an analysis of uncertainty sources and their impacts on 2030 global GHG emissions based on the sole and full achievement of the NDCs. We estimate that NDCs project into 56.8-66.5 Gt CO2eq yr-1 emissions in 2030 (90% confidence interval), which is higher than previous estimates, and with a larger uncertainty range. Despite these uncertainties, NDCs robustly shift GHG emissions towards emerging and developing countries and reduce international inequalities in per capita GHG emissions. Finally, we stress that current NDCs imply larger emissions reduction rates after 2030 than during the 2010-2030 period if long-term temperature goals are to be fulfilled. Our results highlight four requirements for the forthcoming ‘climate regime’: a clearer framework regarding future NDCs’ design, an increasing participation of emerging and developing countries in the global mitigation effort, an ambitious update mechanism in order to avoid hardly feasible decarbonization rates after 2030 and an anticipation of steep decreases in global emissions after 2030.

Global frameworks, local strategies: Women's rights, health, and the tobacco control movement in Argentina.

PubMed

Muñoz Martínez, Hepzibah; Pederson, Ann

2018-02-23

The article examines how civil society organisations in Argentina used the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to frame the country's failure to enact strong national tobacco control legislation as a violation of women's rights in the late 2000s. We analyze this case study through the politics of scale, namely the social processes that produce, reproduce, and contest the boundaries of policies and socio-economic relations. This approach understands how multiple scales overlap and connect to obstruct or enhance the right to health in Latin America. In Argentina, the global organisation of tobacco companies, the reach of international financial institutions and the national dynamics of economic austerity and export-orientation promoted the local production and use of tobacco (leaf and cigarettes) and reproduced health inequalities in the country throughout the 1990s and the early 2000s. Yet, the visible legacy of local and national human rights struggles in the adoption of international human rights treaties into Argentina's national constitution allowed the tobacco control movement to link the scale of women's bodies to the right to health through the use of CEDAW to change national legislation, tackling the social determinants of the tobacco epidemic.

Network Approach to Disease Diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Amitabh; Bashan, Amir; Barabasi, Alber-Laszlo

2014-03-01

Human diseases could be viewed as perturbations of the underlying biological system. A thorough understanding of the topological and dynamical properties of the biological system is crucial to explain the mechanisms of many complex diseases. Recently network-based approaches have provided a framework for integrating multi-dimensional biological data that results in a better understanding of the pathophysiological state of complex diseases. Here we provide a network-based framework to improve the diagnosis of complex diseases. This framework is based on the integration of transcriptomics and the interactome. We analyze the overlap between the differentially expressed (DE) genes and disease genes (DGs) based on their locations in the molecular interaction network (''interactome''). Disease genes and their protein products tend to be much more highly connected than random, hence defining a disease sub-graph (called disease module) in the interactome. DE genes, even though different from the known set of DGs, may be significantly associated with the disease when considering their closeness to the disease module in the interactome. This new network approach holds the promise to improve the diagnosis of patients who cannot be diagnosed using conventional tools. Support was provided by HL066289 and HL105339 grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Applying the Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) framework to cultural resources in the national parks

Treesearch

William Valliere; Robert Manning

2003-01-01

The National Park Service has developed the Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) framework for addressing carrying capacity in the National Parks. This framework has been successfully applied to natural and recreational resources in diverse units of the National Park System. However, most units of the National Park System also contain significant cultural...

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting agricultural management for climate change in developing countries: providing the basis for action.

PubMed

Ogle, Stephen M; Olander, Lydia; Wollenberg, Lini; Rosenstock, Todd; Tubiello, Francesco; Paustian, Keith; Buendia, Leandro; Nihart, Alison; Smith, Pete

2014-01-01

Agriculture in developing countries has attracted increasing attention in international negotiations within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for both adaptation to climate change and greenhouse gas mitigation. However, there is limited understanding about potential complementarity between management practices that promote adaptation and mitigation, and limited basis to account for greenhouse gas emission reductions in this sector. The good news is that the global research community could provide the support needed to address these issues through further research linking adaptation and mitigation. In addition, a small shift in strategy by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and ongoing assistance from agricultural organizations could produce a framework to move the research and development from concept to reality. In turn, significant progress is possible in the near term providing the basis for UNFCCC negotiations to move beyond discussion to action for the agricultural sector in developing countries. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nanoporous films: From conventional to the conformal

DOE PAGES

Allendorf, Mark D.; Stavila, Vitalie

2015-12-14

Here, thin and continuous films of porous metal-organic frameworks can now be conformally deposited on various substrates using a vapor-phase synthesis approach that departs from conventional solution-based routes.

Progress in implementation of WHO FCTC Article 14 and its guidelines: a survey of tobacco dependence treatment provision in 142 countries.

PubMed

Nilan, Kapka; Raw, Martin; McKeever, Tricia M; Murray, Rachael L; McNeill, Ann

2017-11-01

To (1) estimate the number of Parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) providing tobacco dependence treatment in accordance with the recommendations of Article 14 and its guidelines; (2) assess association between provision and countries' income level; and (3) assess progress over time. Cross-sectional study. Online survey from December 2014 to July 2015. Contacts in 172 countries were surveyed, representing 169 of the 180 FCTC Parties at the time of the survey. A 26-item questionnaire based on the Article 14 recommendations including tobacco treatment infrastructure and cessation support systems. Progress over time was assessed for those countries that also participated in our 2012 survey and did not change country income level classification. We received responses from contacts in 142 countries, an 83% response rate. Overall, 54% of respondents reported that their country had an officially identified person responsible for tobacco dependence treatment, 32% an official national treatment strategy, 40% official national treatment guidelines, 25% a clearly identified budget for treatment, 17% text messaging, 23% free national quitlines and 26% specialized treatment services. Most measures were associated positively and significantly with countries' income level (P < 0.001). Measures not associated significantly with income level included mandatory recording of tobacco use (30% of countries), offering help to health-care workers (HCW) to stop using tobacco (44%), brief advice integrated into existing services (44%), and training HCW to give brief advice (81%). Reporting having an officially identified person responsible for tobacco cessation was the only measure with a statistically significant improvement over time (P = 0.0351). Fewer than half of countries that are Parties to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control have implemented the recommendations of Article 14 and its guidelines, and for most measures, provision was greater the higher the country's income. There was little improvement in treatment provision between 2012 and 2015 in all countries. © 2017 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

Functionalizing Conflict: Jesse Jackson's Rhetorical Strategy at the 1984 Democratic National Convention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Di Mare, Lesley A.

1987-01-01

Examines Jesse Jackson's rhetorical strategy of functionalizing conflict among divisive Democrats during the 1984 national convention. Applies conflict theory to Jackson's convention address, which serves as the basis for this rhetorical analysis. (JD)

The deep ocean under climate change.

PubMed

Levin, Lisa A; Le Bris, Nadine

2015-11-13

The deep ocean absorbs vast amounts of heat and carbon dioxide, providing a critical buffer to climate change but exposing vulnerable ecosystems to combined stresses of warming, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and altered food inputs. Resulting changes may threaten biodiversity and compromise key ocean services that maintain a healthy planet and human livelihoods. There exist large gaps in understanding of the physical and ecological feedbacks that will occur. Explicit recognition of deep-ocean climate mitigation and inclusion in adaptation planning by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) could help to expand deep-ocean research and observation and to protect the integrity and functions of deep-ocean ecosystems. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Applying the conservativeness principle to REDD to deal with the uncertainties of the estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grassi, Giacomo; Monni, Suvi; Federici, Sandro; Achard, Frederic; Mollicone, Danilo

2008-07-01

A common paradigm when the reduction of emissions from deforestations is estimated for the purpose of promoting it as a mitigation option in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is that high uncertainties in input data—i.e., area change and C stock change/area—may seriously undermine the credibility of the estimates and therefore of reduced deforestation as a mitigation option. In this paper, we show how a series of concepts and methodological tools—already existing in UNFCCC decisions and IPCC guidance documents—may greatly help to deal with the uncertainties of the estimates of reduced emissions from deforestation.

Institutions and the implementation of tobacco control in Brazil.

PubMed

Lencucha, Raphael; Drope, Jeffrey; Bialous, Stella Aguinaga; Richter, Ana Paula; Silva, Vera Luiza da Costa E

2017-10-19

This research examines the institutional features of Brazil's National Commission for the Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (CONICQ) and how these institutional features have facilitated and hindered its ability to foster intersectoral tobacco control. In particular, we evaluate the key institutional features of CONICQ starting from when it was one of the key drivers of change and improvements in early tobacco control policies, which helped to make Brazil a world leader in this area. We also examine how the committee has evolved, as tobacco control has improved and particularly elucidate some of the major challenges that it faces to bring together often disparate government sectors to generate public health policies.

Enhancing climate Adaptation Capacity for Drinking Water ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Journal article This paper considers the adaptation capacity of conventional water treatment systems. A modeling framework is used to illustrate climate adaptation mechanisms that could enable conventional treatment systems to accommodate water quality impairments.

Current medical research funding and frameworks are insufficient to address the health risks of global environmental change.

PubMed

Ebi, Kristie L; Semenza, Jan C; Rocklöv, Joacim

2016-11-11

Three major international agreements signed in 2015 are key milestones for transitioning to more sustainable and resilient societies: the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction; and the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Together, these agreements underscore the critical importance of understanding and managing the health risks of global changes, to ensure continued population health improvements in the face of significant social and environmental change over this century. BODY: Funding priorities of major health institutions and organizations in the U.S. and Europe do not match research investments with needs to inform implementation of these international agreements. In the U.S., the National Institutes of Health commit 0.025 % of their annual research budget to climate change and health. The European Union Seventh Framework Programme committed 0.08 % of the total budget to climate change and health; the amount committed under Horizon 2020 was 0.04 % of the budget. Two issues apparently contributing to this mismatch are viewing climate change primarily as an environmental problem, and therefore the responsibility of other research streams; and narrowly framing research into managing the health risks of climate variability and change from the perspective of medicine and traditional public health. This reductionist, top-down perspective focuses on proximate, individual level risk factors. While highly successful in reducing disease burdens, this framing is insufficient to protect health and well-being over a century that will be characterized by profound social and environmental changes. International commitments in 2015 underscored the significant challenges societies will face this century from climate change and other global changes. However, the low priority placed on understanding and managing the associated health risks by national and international research institutions and organizations leaves populations poorly prepared to cope with changing health burdens. Risk-centered, systems approaches can facilitate understanding of the complex interactions and dependencies across environmental, social, and human systems. This understanding is needed to formulate effective interventions targeting socio-environmental factors that are as important for determining health burdens as are individual risk factors.

Academic Recognition: Status and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergan, Sjur

2009-01-01

The Council of Europe/UNESCO Recognition Convention (also known as the Lisbon Recognition Convention) provides the legal framework for academic recognition in Europe, and it serves a double purpose: as a legal text and as a guide to good practice. The ENIC and NARIC Networks promote the implementation of the Convention and seek to develop a better…

Analysing compliance of cigarette packaging with the FCTC and national legislation in eight former Soviet countries.

PubMed

Mir, Hassan; Roberts, Bayard; Richardson, Erica; Chow, Clara; McKee, Martin

2013-07-01

To analyse compliance of cigarette packets with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and national legislation and the policy actions that are required in eight former Soviet Union countries. We obtained cigarette packets of each of the 10 most smoked cigarette brands in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. The packets were then analysed using a standardised data collection instrument. The analysis included the placing, size and content of health warning labels and deceptive labels (eg, 'Lights'). Findings were assessed for compliance with the FCTC and national legislation. Health warnings were on all packets from all countries and met the FCTC minimum recommendations on size and position except Azerbaijan and Georgia. All countries used a variety of warnings except Azerbaijan. No country had pictorial health warnings, despite them being mandatory in Georgia and Moldova. All of the countries had deceptive labels despite being banned in all countries except Russia and Azerbaijan where still no such legislation exists. Despite progress in the use of health warning messages, gaps still remain-particularly with the use of deceptive labels. Stronger surveillance and enforcement mechanisms are required to improve compliance with the FCTC and national legislation.

Elephants, people, parks and development: the case of the Luangwa Valley, Zambia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abel, Nick; Blaikie, Piers

1986-11-01

New ideas about conserving wildlife are emerging to compete with conventional national park policies. But methods of analyzing wildlife conservation problems in Africa are inadequate for the analysis of complex issues of policy. Much of the analysis of conservation policy attempts to be ‘apolitical’ on issues charged with social conflict. Analyses are too often ahistorical when history can say a great deal about the origins of present-day ecological problems. Further-more, problems are commonly analyzed within narrow discilinary frameworks which predetermine the nature of conclusions and lead to professionally biased proposals. This case study of the Luangwa Valley, Zambia, is used to demonstrate a method which attempts to remedy these weaknesses, In the first part of the article we examine the role of the Luangwa National Parks in the context of the Zambian political economy, and identify social groups which compete for the resources of the national parks. Next we trace the historical origins of present-day ecological changes. These analyses lead toward a model of the Parks and some of their relationships with the national economy. We end with a proposal for communal use of wildlife which attempts to resolve some of the contradictions inherent in current policy.

Transnational social movement theory and the waning war on drugs: Case studies from UNGASS 2016.

PubMed

Mostyn, Ben; Gibbon, Helen

2018-01-01

The United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs 1988 ("1988 Convention") expresses a strong normative preference for criminalising drug possession. Historically, the United Nations offices responsible for overseeing the treaties have held that decriminalisation of drug possession is contrary to the treaties. Leading up to and during UNGASS 2016, however, rather than emphasise criminalisation, the high-ranking officials from the drug control offices emphasised the treaties' allowance of alternatives to punishment for drug possession offences. This paper applies transnational social movement theory to analyse the political opportunity structure for drug law reform at the UN. Data was collected from documents created by important United Nations agencies in the lead up to UNGASS 2016. By analysing the statements of prominent UN officials within a social movement theory framework, we can assess whether those responsible for administering global drug policy are offering concession to drug law reform social movement and whether a political opportunity structure is opening up for drug law reformers to pursue further reforms. from the United Nations documents demonstrated significant reference to local drug law reforms and the benefits of non-punitive treatment of drug users. However, given the strong normative preference and mandatory language ("shall") in the 1988 Convention, policy leaders at the UN can only offer very moderate concessions to drug law reformers - primarily the advocacy of alternatives to incarceration. Such policies still suffer many problems caused by using the criminal justice system to funnel people into treatment. Indeed, many other offices at the UN explicitly drew attention to the problem of pre-trial punishment in their contributions to UNGASS 2016. A schism is developing at the UN as other UN offices are pointing out that advocating for alternatives to punishment is inadequate due to the many problems of "pre-trial punishment". Social movement theory suggests that this schism represents an opening of the political opportunity structure as advocates for drug law reform can now more forcefully criticise, and even breach, the treaties and will have high-level support at the UN. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Survey and Recording Technologies in Italian Underwater Cultural Heritage: Research and Public Access Within the Framework of the 2001 UNESCO Convention

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Secci, Massimiliano

2017-08-01

The 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage is slowly but peremptorily becoming a standard reference tool for underwater archaeology and underwater cultural heritage management. The many provisions included within the Convention touch on many aspects that are key to an effective protection and promotion of the underwater cultural heritage. Within the web of these provisions many aspects are gaining consideration and driving research in underwater archaeology worldwide. These provisions, when seen within a wider frame of social, economical and technological dynamics, pinpoint many aspects requiring further scrutiny from the disciplinary circle. In the framework of the 2001 UNESCO Convention, this article will analyze the path traveled in technological acquisition in the practice of Italian underwater archaeology and how this has affected the approach to underwater cultural heritage management, particularly highlighting how this process has been further influenced by the adoption in 2001 of the Convention and Italy's ratification of it in 2010.

Health adaptation policy for climate vulnerable groups: a 'critical computational linguistics' analysis.

PubMed

Seidel, Bastian M; Bell, Erica

2014-11-28

Many countries are developing or reviewing national adaptation policy for climate change but the extent to which these meet the health needs of vulnerable groups has not been assessed. This study examines the adequacy of such policies for nine known climate-vulnerable groups: people with mental health conditions, Aboriginal people, culturally and linguistically diverse groups, aged people, people with disabilities, rural communities, children, women, and socioeconomically disadvantaged people. The study analyses an exhaustive sample of national adaptation policy documents from Annex 1 ('developed') countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: 20 documents from 12 countries. A 'critical computational linguistics' method was used involving novel software-driven quantitative mapping and traditional critical discourse analysis. The study finds that references to vulnerable groups are relatively little present or non-existent, as well as poorly connected to language about practical strategies and socio-economic contexts, both also little present. The conclusions offer strategies for developing policy that is better informed by a 'social determinants of health' definition of climate vulnerability, consistent with best practice in the literature and global policy prescriptions.

Unpacking the concept of land degradation neutrality and addressing its operation through the Rio Conventions.

PubMed

Akhtar-Schuster, Mariam; Stringer, Lindsay C; Erlewein, Alexander; Metternicht, Graciela; Minelli, Sara; Safriel, Uriel; Sommer, Stefan

2017-06-15

The world's commitment towards land degradation neutrality (LDN) became enshrined in various international agreements and decisions throughout the year 2015. The challenge now becomes one of addressing its operation, in order to achieve these new policy goals and targets by the year 2030. Advancing LDN demands attention to what the concept seeks to achieve, as well as unravelling the perspectives of the key multi-lateral environmental agreements through which progress can be made. The three Rio Conventions (the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)) all play key roles in shaping the international LDN governance and implementation context. Their different but related foci create a number of challenges and opportunities for advancing LDN. In this paper we critically analyze the literature to elucidate potential challenges and opportunities in moving LDN towards implementation, considering the mandates and objectives of all three Rio Conventions. We first unpack the concept of LDN's aspirations. We highlight the importance of the definitions and terminology used, and the relationships between those definitions, terms and the actors using them, as well as their implications in framing the range of policy actions and synergies that could benefit progress towards multiple Sustainable Development Goals. We then examine the LDN pilot project spearheaded by the UNCCD to identify key lessons for LDN implementation. Synthesizing these lessons, we present a portfolio of blended interventions that seeks to address the aspirations of the UNCCD, UNFCCC and CBD in the LDN space, identifying synergistic options for national actions to move towards LDN. Overall, our analysis provides insights in advancing LDN from its current position as a policy target, towards synergetic action. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identifying the key concerns of Irish persons with intellectual disability.

PubMed

García Iriarte, Edurne; O'Brien, Patricia; McConkey, Roy; Wolfe, Marie; O'Doherty, Siobhain

2014-11-01

Internationally, people with intellectual disability are socially marginalized, and their rights under the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) are often ignored. This paper aims to define the key concerns of adults with an intellectual disability in relation to their participation in society using an inclusive research strategy for both data gathering and data analysis. A national study involving 23 focus groups and 168 persons was conducted on the island of Ireland with people with intellectual disability as co-facilitators. A thematic content analysis was undertaken of the verbatim transcripts initially by university co-researchers, and 19 themes were identified. Co-researchers with intellectual disability joined in identifying the eight core themes. These were as follows: living options, employment, relationships, citizenship, leisure time, money management, self-advocacy, and communication. The concerns are discussed within the framework of the CRPD, and implications for transforming service policy are drawn. Why we did the research In many countries, people with intellectual disability have difficulties doing things other people without disabilities do, for example to study, to get a job or to live independently. They also find that their rights are not respected under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Convention). We did this study to Learn what are the main issues for adults with intellectual disability in Ireland. Do research with people with intellectual disability. How we did the research People with intellectual disability and their supporters worked with university researchers to plan and do the research. We met with people in groups and 168 people told us about things important to them. What we found out We found that there were very important things that people talked about in the groups. We chose the most important: living options, employment, relationships, rights, leisure, money, self-advocacy, and communication. We talk about the Convention and why things people told us are important for services. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Guide to Black Politics 1976, Part II: The Republican National Convention, Kansas City, Missouri, August 16-19, 1976.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joint Center for Political Studies, Washington, DC.

This guide was designed to assist black delegates attending the 1976 Republican National Convention. The guide is divided into four main parts. The first part contains information on convention procedures, convention committees, and various aspects of black participation in politics. The second and third parts include the names of delegates to the…

Comparing the Climate Agendas of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephenson, S. R.; Oculi, N.

2016-12-01

Effective mitigation of and adaptation to climate change requires multilateral coordination of numerous political and scientific activities and priorities. Since its inception in 1992, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has sought a comprehensive international response to the climate threat, culminating most recently in December 2015 at COP 21. The Paris Agreement was lauded as a landmark step toward global climate action as it represented a consensus of 196 countries to limit global warming to 2° C above pre-industrial levels with an additional stated goal to "pursue efforts" to limit the increase to 1.5° C. However, taken in a vacuum, the global Agreement masks important differences among its signatory countries in capabilities and priorities for tackling climate change, and obscures pathways for place-specific scientific research and intervention. Here we present a quantitative content analysis of official UNFCCC documents including COP transcripts, meeting agendas, and mitigation commitments outlined in pledged Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) to reveal areas of alignment and divergence among UNFCCC stakeholders. Textual cluster analysis illustrates the relative salience of key climate-related discourses (e.g. vulnerability; loss and damage; decarbonization; technology transfer) in the agendas of negotiating parties, and the degree to which the interests of some parties are over- or under-represented in the final "consensus" agreement. Understanding these disparities, and their potential to promote cooperation and/or disagreement among stakeholders, will be critical to scientists' efforts to develop equitable and sustainable long-term climate solutions.

[Medical educational evaluation of the German Pain Congress 2012. In the context of the CanMEDS physician competency framework].

PubMed

Dusch, M; Bräscher, A-K; Kopf, A; Treede, R D; Benrath, J

2014-10-01

Professionals in the medical field are expected to participate in continuing medical education in the sense of lifelong learning. The authors took this occasion to evaluate the most important national convention in pain medicine concerning its role in medical education. The participants of the 37th German Pain Congress (17-20 October 2012 in Mannheim) were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning content and design of the convention. The aim of this study was to analyze the distribution of different physician competencies in the program. For this purpose the congress program was analyzed with respect to the various medical role models as defined in the Canadian medical education directions for specialists (CanMEDS) framework. The participants considered the quality of the different sessions of the German Pain Congress to be good. The poster sessions were considered to be the second most important educational format in the congress following the live sessions. Concerning the content of the congress the participants wished more emphasis on the role of interprofessional partners, such as nursing and psychotherapy. The CanMEDS physician roles of manager, communicator, health advisor and professional paragon were underrepresented in the congress program in this study. Regarding content and educational value, the congress design could benefit from additional Praktikerseminaren (practical seminars). The role of interprofessional partners should be more emphasized. In addition the program could become more attractive through a more balanced distribution of the CanMEDS roles.

An Open-Book Modular Watershed Modeling Framework for Rapid Prototyping of GPM- based Flood Forecasting in International River Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katiyar, N.; Hossain, F.

2006-05-01

Floods have always been disastrous for human life. It accounts for about 15 % of the total death related to natural disasters. There are around 263 transboundary river basins listed by UNESCO, wherein at least 30 countries have more than 95% of their territory locked in one or more such transboundary basins. For flood forecasting in the lower riparian nations of these International River Basins (IRBs), real-time rainfall data from upstream nations is naturally the most critical factor governing the forecasting effectiveness. However, many upstream nations fail to provide data to the lower riparian nations due to a lack of in-situ rainfall measurement infrastructure or a lack of a treaty for real-time sharing of rainfall data. A potential solution is therefore to use satellites that inherently measure rainfall across political boundaries. NASA's proposed Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission appears very promising in providing this vital rainfall information under the data- limited scenario that will continue to prevail in most IRBs. However, satellite rainfall is associated with uncertainty and hence, proper characterization of the satellite rainfall error propagation in hydrologic models for flood forecasting is a critical priority that should be resolved in the coming years in anticipation of GPM. In this study, we assess an open book modular watershed modeling approach for estimating the expected error in flood forecasting related to GPM rainfall data. Our motivation stems from the critical challenge in identifying the specific IRBs that would benefit from a pre-programmed satellite-based forecasting system in anticipation of GPM. As the number of flood-prone IRBs is large, conventional data-intensive implementation of existing physically-based distributed hydrologic models on case-by-case IRBs is considered time-consuming for completing such a global assessment. A more parsimonious approach is justified at the expense of a tolerable loss of detail and accuracy. Through assessment of our proposed modular modeling framework, we present our initial understanding in resolving the fundamental question - Can a parsimonious open-book watershed modeling framework be a physically consistent proxy for rapid and global identification of IRBs in greater need of a GPM-based flood forecasting system?

Deep-sea genetic resources: New frontiers for science and stewardship in areas beyond national jurisdiction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harden-Davies, Harriet

2017-03-01

The deep-sea is a large source of marine genetic resources (MGR), which have many potential uses and are a growing area of research. Much of the deep-sea lies in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), including 65% of the global ocean. MGR in ABNJ occupy a significant gap in the international legal framework. Access and benefit sharing of MGR is a key issue in the development of a new international legally-binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in ABNJ. This paper examines how this is relevant to deep-sea scientific research and identifies emerging challenges and opportunities. There is no internationally agreed definition of MGR, however, deep-sea genetic resources could incorporate any biological material including genes, proteins and natural products. Deep-sea scientific research is the key actor accessing MGR in ABNJ and sharing benefits such as data, samples and knowledge. UNCLOS provides the international legal framework for marine scientific research, international science cooperation, capacity building and marine technology transfer. Enhanced implementation could support access and benefit sharing of MGR in ABNJ. Deep-sea scientific researchers could play an important role in informing practical new governance solutions for access and benefit sharing of MGR that promote scientific research in ABNJ and support deep-sea stewardship. Advancing knowledge of deep-sea biodiversity in ABNJ, enhancing open-access to data and samples, standardisation and international marine science cooperation are significant potential opportunity areas.

Persistent Socioeconomic and Political Dilemmas to the Implementation of the 1989 United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child in Sub-Saharan Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulinge, Munyae M.

2010-01-01

Objective: The aim of this article is to revisit the subject of the implementation of the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in Africa. Specifically, the article is an update to a previous article titled "Implementing the 1989 United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child in sub-Saharan Africa: The Overlooked…

Developing human rights based indicators to support country monitoring of rehabilitation services and programmes for people with disabilities: a study protocol.

PubMed

Skempes, Dimitrios; Bickenbach, Jerome

2015-09-24

Rehabilitation care is fundamental to health and human dignity and a human right enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The provision of rehabilitation is important for reducing the need for formal support and enabling persons with disabilities to lead an independent life. Increasingly scholars and advocacy groups voice concerns over the significant barriers facing people with disabilities in accessing appropriate and quality rehabilitation. A growing body of research highlights a "respond-need" gap in the provision of rehabilitation and assistive technologies and underscore the lack of indicators for assessing performance of rehabilitation systems and monitoring States compliance with human rights standards in rehabilitation service planning and programming. While research on human rights and health monitoring has increased exponentially over the last decade far too little attention has been paid to rehabilitation services. The proposed research aims to reduce this knowledge gap by developing a human rights based monitoring framework with indicators to support human rights accountability and performance assessment in rehabilitation. Concept mapping, a stakeholder-driven approach will be used as the core method to identify rights based indicators and develop the rehabilitation services monitoring framework. Concept mapping requires participants from various stakeholders groups to generate a list of the potential indicators through on line brainstorming, sort the indicators for conceptual similarity into clusters and rate them against predefined criteria. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster data analysis will be performed to develop the monitoring framework while bridging analysis will provide useful insights about patterns of agreement or disagreement among participants views on indicators. This study has the potential to influence future practices on data collection and measurement of compliance with human rights standards in rehabilitation service delivery and organization. The development of a valid and universally applicable set of indicators will have a profound impact on the design and implementation of evidence informed disability policies and programs as it can support countries in strengthening performance measurement through documentation of comparative information on rehabilitation care systems. Most importantly, the resulting indicators can be used by disabled people's organizations as well as national and international institutions to define a minimal standard for monitoring and reporting progress on the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the area of rehabilitation.

50 CFR 86.102 - How did the Service design the National Framework?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... design the National Framework? The Framework divides the survey into two components: boater survey, and boat access provider survey. (a) The purpose of the boater survey component is to identify boat user... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false How did the Service design the National...

50 CFR 86.102 - How did the Service design the National Framework?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... design the National Framework? The Framework divides the survey into two components: boater survey, and boat access provider survey. (a) The purpose of the boater survey component is to identify boat user... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 8 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false How did the Service design the National...

50 CFR 86.102 - How did the Service design the National Framework?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... design the National Framework? The Framework divides the survey into two components: boater survey, and boat access provider survey. (a) The purpose of the boater survey component is to identify boat user... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false How did the Service design the National...

50 CFR 86.102 - How did the Service design the National Framework?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... design the National Framework? The Framework divides the survey into two components: boater survey, and boat access provider survey. (a) The purpose of the boater survey component is to identify boat user... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false How did the Service design the National...

50 CFR 86.102 - How did the Service design the National Framework?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... design the National Framework? The Framework divides the survey into two components: boater survey, and boat access provider survey. (a) The purpose of the boater survey component is to identify boat user... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false How did the Service design the National...

Estimation of soil organic carbon in forests of the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domke, G. M.; Perry, C. H.; Walters, B. F.; Woodall, C. W.; Nave, L. E.; Swanston, C.

2015-12-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest terrestrial carbon (C) sink on earth and management of this pool is a critical component of global efforts to mitigate atmospheric C concentrations. Soil organic carbon is also a key indicator of soil quality as it affects essential biological, chemical, and physical soil functions such as nutrient cycling, water retention, and soil structure maintenance. Much of the SOC on earth is found in forest ecosystems and is thought to be relatively stable. That said, there is growing evidence that SOC may be sensitive to disturbance and global change drivers. In the United States (US), SOC in forests is monitored by the national forest inventory (NFI) conducted by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program within the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The FIA program currently uses SOC predictions based on SSURGO/STATSGO data to populate the NFI. Most of estimates of SOC in forests from the SSURGO/STATSGO data are based primarily upon expert opinion and lack systematic field observations. The FIA program has been consistently measuring soil attributes as part of the NFI since 2001 and has amassed an extensive inventory of SOC in forests in the conterminous US and coastal Alaska. Here we present estimates of SOC obtained using data from the NFI and International Soil Carbon Network and describe the modeling framework used to compile estimates for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change reporting.

Human rights and child health.

PubMed

Raman, Shanti; Woolfenden, Susan; Williams, Katrina; Zwi, Karen

2007-09-01

Human rights are those basic standards without which people cannot live in dignity. Children are at risk of human rights violations because of their vulnerability in society. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a United Nations (UN) treaty acknowledges that addressing children's human rights requires special attention. In Australia groups such as children seeking asylum, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children with disabilities, children in care and children living in poverty are identified to be at particular risk. As individuals and collectively, we have had a long history of gathering information, advocacy and tailoring training to improve children's health and well-being. A human rights approach and the use of the CRC provide an additional framework to do this.

Alternative financial institutions? Sustainability, development, social reproduction, and gender analysis.

PubMed

Kidder, T

1999-08-01

This paper proposes a conceptual framework for alternative financial institutions in Nicaragua. The article includes a discussion on innovative services and policies, which differentiate CARUNA (National Savings and Credit Cooperative ¿Caja Rural¿), and other financial institutions from conventional banks. It further examines theories that have altered the way development practitioners think about the economy, poverty reduction, and the positions of men and women in the society. These theories are the feminist economic theory and alternative development theories. Specific ways to incorporate the concepts of alternative and feminist economic theories in the design of financial institutions include open credit, savings, and remittance mechanisms, and coordinating councils. The gender analysis approach was used to evaluate the design of financial institutions.

Toward equality of biodiversity knowledge through technology transfer.

PubMed

Böhm, Monika; Collen, Ben

2015-10-01

To help stem the continuing decline of biodiversity, effective transfer of technology from resource-rich to biodiversity-rich countries is required. Biodiversity technology as defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a complex term, encompassing a wide variety of activities and interest groups. As yet, there is no robust framework by which to monitor the extent to which technology transfer might benefit biodiversity. We devised a definition of biodiversity technology and a framework for the monitoring of technology transfer between CBD signatories. Biodiversity technology within the scope of the CBD encompasses hard and soft technologies that are relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, or make use of genetic resources, and that relate to all aspects of the CBD, with a particular focus on technology transfer from resource-rich to biodiversity-rich countries. Our proposed framework introduces technology transfer as a response indicator: technology transfer is increased to stem pressures on biodiversity. We suggest an initial approach of tracking technology flow between countries; charting this flow is likely to be a one-to-many relationship (i.e., the flow of a specific technology from one country to multiple countries). Future developments should then focus on integrating biodiversity technology transfer into the current pressure-state-response indicator framework favored by the CBD (i.e., measuring the influence of technology transfer on changes in state and pressure variables). Structured national reporting is important to obtaining metrics relevant to technology and knowledge transfer. Interim measures, that can be used to assess biodiversity technology or knowledge status while more in-depth indicators are being developed, include the number of species inventories, threatened species lists, or national red lists; databases on publications and project funding may provide measures of international cooperation. Such a pragmatic approach, followed by rigorous testing of specific technology transfer metrics submitted by CBD signatories in a standardized manner may in turn improve the focus of future targets on technology transfer for biodiversity conservation. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

SIMS(DAIRY): a modelling framework to identify sustainable dairy farms in the UK. Framework description and test for organic systems and N fertiliser optimisation.

PubMed

Del Prado, A; Misselbrook, T; Chadwick, D; Hopkins, A; Dewhurst, R J; Davison, P; Butler, A; Schröder, J; Scholefield, D

2011-09-01

Multiple demands are placed on farming systems today. Society, national legislation and market forces seek what could be seen as conflicting outcomes from our agricultural systems, e.g. food quality, affordable prices, a healthy environmental, consideration of animal welfare, biodiversity etc., Many of these demands, or desirable outcomes, are interrelated, so reaching one goal may often compromise another and, importantly, pose a risk to the economic viability of the farm. SIMS(DAIRY), a farm-scale model, was used to explore this complexity for dairy farm systems. SIMS(DAIRY) integrates existing approaches to simulate the effect of interactions between farm management, climate and soil characteristics on losses of nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon. The effects on farm profitability and attributes of biodiversity, milk quality, soil quality and animal welfare are also included. SIMS(DAIRY) can also be used to optimise fertiliser N. In this paper we discuss some limitations and strengths of using SIMS(DAIRY) compared to other modelling approaches and propose some potential improvements. Using the model we evaluated the sustainability of organic dairy systems compared with conventional dairy farms under non-optimised and optimised fertiliser N use. Model outputs showed for example, that organic dairy systems based on grass-clover swards and maize silage resulted in much smaller total GHG emissions per l of milk and slightly smaller losses of NO(3) leaching and NO(x) emissions per l of milk compared with the grassland/maize-based conventional systems. These differences were essentially because the conventional systems rely on indirect energy use for 'fixing' N compared with biological N fixation for the organic systems. SIMS(DAIRY) runs also showed some other potential benefits from the organic systems compared with conventional systems in terms of financial performance and soil quality and biodiversity scores. Optimisation of fertiliser N timings and rates showed a considerable scope to reduce the (GHG emissions per l milk too). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Linking Regulation of Practitioner School Psychology and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: The Need to Build a Bridge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Kevin; Bond, Caroline

2014-01-01

In 2014, the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child presents an opportunity for school psychology to evaluate its achievements relevant to the Convention, as well as its current and future strategic adherence to the Convention's principles. With analysis of key school psychology documentation from the UK, it…

An approach for verifying biogenic greenhouse gas emissions inventories with atmospheric CO 2 concentration data

DOE PAGES

Ogle, Stephen; Davis, Kenneth J.; Lauvaux, Thomas; ...

2015-03-10

Verifying national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories is a critical step to ensure that reported emissions data to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are accurate and representative of a country’s contribution to GHG concentrations in the atmosphere. Verification could include a variety of evidence, but arguably the most convincing verification would be confirmation of a change in GHG concentrations in the atmosphere that is consistent with reported emissions to the UNFCCC. We report here on a case study evaluating this option based on a prototype atmospheric CO2 measurement network deployed in the Mid-Continent Region of themore » conterminous United States. We found that the atmospheric CO2 measurement data did verify the accuracy of the emissions inventory within the confidence limits of the emissions estimates, suggesting that this technology could be further developed and deployed more widely in the future for verifying reported emissions.« less

In Brief: Science academies' statement on climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2009-06-01

“It is essential that world leaders agree on emissions reductions needed to combat negative consequences of anthropogenic climate change,” national science academies from 13 countries declared in a joint statement issued on 11 June. The statement, issued by the academies of the G8 countries—including England, France, Russia, and the United States—and five other countries (Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa), came in advance of a G8 meeting in Italy in July and prior to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations in Denmark in December. “The G8+5 should lead the transition to an energy-efficient and low-carbon world economy, and foster innovation and research and development for both mitigation and adaptation technologies,” the statement noted. The academies urged governments to agree at the UNFCCC negotiations to adopt a long-term global goal and short-term emissions reduction targets so that by 2050 global emissions would be reduced by about 50% from 1990 levels.

Paris INDCs: will they achieve the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tribett, W. R.; Salawitch, R. J.; Hope, A. P.; Bennett, B.; Canty, T. P.

2016-12-01

We provide an overview of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted prior to the 21st meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which are the backbone of the Paris Climate Agreement. Two flavors of INDCs were submitted: unconditional (i.e., firm commitments) and conditional (commitments contingent on financial flow and/or technology transfer). Generally, the Paris INDCs extend to year 2030. However, achievement of either the target (1.5 °C warming) or upper limit (2.0 °C warming) of the Paris Agreement requires consideration of emissions out to 2060, due to the projected rise in energy demand, growing populations, and rising standards of living. We therefore project global carbon emissions out to year 2060, and compare to various RCP scenarios of IPCC (2013). These projections will be used to assess whether the target (1.5 °C warming) or upper limit (2.0 °) of the Paris Climate Agreement will be met.

Options for accounting carbon sequestration in German forests

PubMed Central

Krug, Joachim; Koehl, Michael; Riedel, Thomas; Bormann, Kristin; Rueter, Sebastian; Elsasser, Peter

2009-01-01

Background The Accra climate change talks held from 21–27 August 2008 in Accra, Ghana, were part of an ongoing series of meetings leading up to the Copenhagen meeting in December 2009. During the meeting a set of options for accounting carbon sequestration in forestry on a post-2012 framework was presented. The options include gross-net and net-net accounting and approaches for establishing baselines. Results This article demonstrates the embedded consequences of Accra Accounting Options for the case study of German national GHG accounting. It presents the most current assessment of sequestration rates by forest management for the period 1990 – 2007, provides an outlook of future emissions and removals (up to the year 2042) as related to three different management scenarios, and shows that implementation of some Accra options may reverse sources to sinks, or sinks to sources. Conclusion The results of the study highlight the importance of elaborating an accounting system that would prioritize the climate convention goals, not national preferences. PMID:19650896

Controlling Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in solid liner implosions with rotating magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmit, P. F.; McBride, R. D.; Robertson, G. K.; Velikovich, A. L.

2016-10-01

We report calculations demonstrating that a remarkable reduction in the growth of the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRTI) in initially solid, cylindrical metal shells can be achieved by applying a magnetic drive with a tilted, dynamic polarization, forming a solid-liner dynamic screw pinch (SLDSP). Using a self-consistent analytic framework, we demonstrate that MRTI growth factors of the most detrimental modes may be reduced by up to two orders of magnitude relative to conventional z-pinch implosions. One key application of this technique is to enable increasingly stable, higher performance liner implosions to achieve fusion. We weigh the potentially dramatic benefits of the SLDSP against the practical tradeoffs required to achieve the desired drive field history and identify promising target designs for future experimental and computational investigations. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. DoE's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Options for accounting carbon sequestration in German forests.

PubMed

Krug, Joachim; Koehl, Michael; Riedel, Thomas; Bormann, Kristin; Rueter, Sebastian; Elsasser, Peter

2009-08-03

The Accra climate change talks held from 21-27 August 2008 in Accra, Ghana, were part of an ongoing series of meetings leading up to the Copenhagen meeting in December 2009. During the meeting a set of options for accounting carbon sequestration in forestry on a post-2012 framework was presented. The options include gross-net and net-net accounting and approaches for establishing baselines. This article demonstrates the embedded consequences of Accra Accounting Options for the case study of German national GHG accounting. It presents the most current assessment of sequestration rates by forest management for the period 1990 - 2007, provides an outlook of future emissions and removals (up to the year 2042) as related to three different management scenarios, and shows that implementation of some Accra options may reverse sources to sinks, or sinks to sources. The results of the study highlight the importance of elaborating an accounting system that would prioritize the climate convention goals, not national preferences.

Migration Related to Climate Change: Impact, Challenges and Proposed Policy Initiatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, A.

2015-12-01

Migration of human population possesses a great threat to human development and nation building. A significant cause for migration is due to change in climatic conditions and vulnerabilities associated with it. Our case study focuses on the consequent reason and impact of such migration in the coastal areas of West Bengal, India. The changes in rainfall pattern and the variation of temperature have been considered as parameters which have resulted in migration. It is worthy to note that the agricultural pattern has subsequently changed over the last two decades due to change in rainfall and temperature. India being an agriculture oriented economy, the changes in the meteorological variables have not only altered the rate of agricultural pattern but also the rate of migration. A proposed framework depicting relationship between changes in meteorological variables and the migration pattern, and an estimate of how the migration pattern is expected to change over the next century by utilizing the downscaled values of future rainfall and temperature has been analyzed. Moreover, various public policy frameworks has also been proposed through the study for addressing the challenges of migration related to climate change. The proposed public policy framework has been streamlined along the lines of various international treaties and conventions in order to integrate the policy initiatives through universalization of law and policy research.

A new framework for integrated climate finance and inclusive responses to sustainable development in Malaysia

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

Ibrahim, Kamarulazizi; Shabudin, Ahmad Firdaus Ahmad; Chacko Koshy, Kanayathu

With Malaysia's commitment to both mitigation and adaptation, the 21st Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change in Paris, 2015, will be both an opportunity to showcase best practices and a forum to promote international ownership of climate challenge before it becomes a catastrophe. Our experience with weather extremes is that the best time to intervene is at the risk level via prevention and preparedness, compared to any wait-and-see approach. As the Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak, elaborated during the recent 11th Malaysia Plan presentation to the parliament, ‘suchmore » an approach has to be seen as part of adopting green growth and increasing our commitment to long-term sustainability’. Malaysia is also aware that this requires policy support, technological interventions and financial commitment. It is for this reason the Malaysia's pledge at the Copenhagen COP-15 was to reduce its carbon emission by 40% from 2005 levels by 2020, subject to technology transfer and financial support by developed countries. Having achieved a 33% reduction in the last five years, Malaysia is convinced that it can reach the 40% target following an inclusive partnership framework for action.« less

Hydrometry's classical and Innovative methods and tools comparison for Stara river flows at Agios Germanos monitoring station in north-west Greece.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filintas, Agathos, , Dr; Hatzigiannakis, Evagellos, , Dr; Arampatzis, George, , Dr; Ilias, Andreas; Panagopoulos, Andreas, , Dr; Hatzispiroglou, Ioannis

2015-04-01

The aim of the present study is a thorough comparison of hydrometry's conventional and innovative methods-tools for river flow monitoring. A case study was conducted in Stara river at Agios Germanos monitoring station (northwest Greece), in order to investigate possible deviations between conventional and innovative methods-tools on river flow velocity and discharge. For this study, two flowmeters were used, which manufac-tured in 2013 (OTT Messtechnik Gmbh, 2013), as follows: a) A conventional propeller flow velocity meter (OTT-Model C2) which is a me-chanical current flow meter with a certification of calibration BARGO, operated with a rod and a relocating device, along with a digital measuring device including an elec-tronic flow calculator, data logger and real time control display unit. The flowmeter has a measurement velocity range 0.025-4.000 m/s. b) An innovative electromagnetic flowmeter (OTT-Model MF pro) which it is con-sisted of a compact and light-weight sensor and a robust handheld unit. Both system components are designed to be attached to conventional wading rods. The electromag-netic flowmeter uses Faraday's Law of electromagnetic induction to measure the process flow. When an electrically conductive fluid flows along the meter, an electrode voltage is induced between a pair of electrodes placed at right angles to the direction of mag-netic field. The electrode voltage is directly proportional to the average fluid velocity. The electromagnetic flowmeter was operated with a rod and relocating device, along with a digital measuring device with various logging and graphical capabilities and vari-ous methods of velocity measurement (ISO/USGS standards). The flowmeter has a measurement velocity range 0.000-6.000 m/s. The river flow data were averaged over a pair measurement of 60+60 seconds and the measured river water flow velocity, depths and widths of the segments were used for the estimation of cross-section's mean flow velocity in each measured segment. Then it was used the mid-section method for the overall discharge calculation of all segments flow area. The cross-section characteristics, the river flow velocity of segments and the mean water flow velocity and discharge total profile were measured, calculated and an-notated respectively. A series of concurrent conventional and innovative (electromag-netic) flow measurements were performed during 2014. The results and statistical analysis showed that Froude number during the measurement period in all cases was Fr<1 which means that the water flow of the Stara river is classified as subcritical flow. The 12 months' study showed various advantages for the elec-tromagnetic sensor that is virtually maintenance-free because there are no moving parts, no calibration was required in practice, and it can be used even in the lowest water ve-locities from 0.000 m/s. Moreover, based on the concurrent hydromeasurements of the Stara River, on the velocity and discharge modelling and the statistical analysis, it was found that there was not a significant statistical difference (α=0.05) between mean velocity measured with a) conventional and b) electromagnetic method which seems to be more accurate in low velocities where a significant statistical difference was found. Acknowledgments Data in this study are collected in the framework of the elaboration of the national water resources monitoring network, supervised by the Special Secretariat for Water-Hellenic Ministry for the Environment and Climate Change. This project is elaborated in the framework of the operational program "Environment and Sustainable Development" which is co-funded by the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) and the Public Investment Program (PIP).

Combining machine learning and matching techniques to improve causal inference in program evaluation.

PubMed

Linden, Ariel; Yarnold, Paul R

2016-12-01

Program evaluations often utilize various matching approaches to emulate the randomization process for group assignment in experimental studies. Typically, the matching strategy is implemented, and then covariate balance is assessed before estimating treatment effects. This paper introduces a novel analytic framework utilizing a machine learning algorithm called optimal discriminant analysis (ODA) for assessing covariate balance and estimating treatment effects, once the matching strategy has been implemented. This framework holds several key advantages over the conventional approach: application to any variable metric and number of groups; insensitivity to skewed data or outliers; and use of accuracy measures applicable to all prognostic analyses. Moreover, ODA accepts analytic weights, thereby extending the methodology to any study design where weights are used for covariate adjustment or more precise (differential) outcome measurement. One-to-one matching on the propensity score was used as the matching strategy. Covariate balance was assessed using standardized difference in means (conventional approach) and measures of classification accuracy (ODA). Treatment effects were estimated using ordinary least squares regression and ODA. Using empirical data, ODA produced results highly consistent with those obtained via the conventional methodology for assessing covariate balance and estimating treatment effects. When ODA is combined with matching techniques within a treatment effects framework, the results are consistent with conventional approaches. However, given that it provides additional dimensions and robustness to the analysis versus what can currently be achieved using conventional approaches, ODA offers an appealing alternative. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantifying uncertainty in national forest carbon stocks: challenges and opportunities for the United States National Greenhouse Gas Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clough, B.; Russell, M.; Domke, G. M.; Woodall, C. W.

2016-12-01

Uncertainty estimates are needed to establish confidence in national forest carbon stocks and to verify changes reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Good practice guidance from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stipulates that uncertainty assessments should neither exaggerate nor underestimate the actual error within carbon stocks, yet methodological guidance for forests has been hampered by limited understanding of how complex dynamics give rise to errors across spatial scales (i.e., individuals to continents). This talk highlights efforts to develop a multi-scale, data-driven framework for assessing uncertainty within the United States (US) forest carbon inventory, and focuses on challenges and opportunities for improving the precision of national forest carbon stock estimates. Central to our approach is the calibration of allometric models with a newly established legacy biomass database for North American tree species, and the use of hierarchical models to link these data with the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database as well as remote sensing datasets. Our work suggests substantial risk for misestimating key sources of uncertainty including: (1) attributing more confidence in allometric models than what is warranted by the best available data; (2) failing to capture heterogeneity in biomass stocks due to environmental variation at regional scales; and (3) ignoring spatial autocorrelation and other random effects that are characteristic of national forest inventory data. Our results suggest these sources of error may be much higher than is generally assumed, though these results must be understood with the limited scope and availability of appropriate calibration data in mind. In addition to reporting on important sources of uncertainty, this talk will discuss opportunities to improve the precision of national forest carbon stocks that are motivated by our use of data-driven forecasting including: (1) improving the taxonomic and geographic scope of available biomass data; (2) direct attribution of landscape-level heterogeneity in biomass stocks to specific ecological processes; and (3) integration of expert opinion and meta-analysis to lessen the influence of often highly variable datasets on biomass stock forecasts.

Global regulatory framework for production and marketing of crops biofortified with vitamins and minerals.

PubMed

Mejia, Luis A; Dary, Omar; Boukerdenna, Hala

2017-02-01

Biofortification of crops is being introduced in several countries as a strategy to reduce micronutrient deficiencies. Biofortified products, with increased contents of micronutrients, are currently produced by conventional plant breeding, genetic modification, or nutrient-enhanced fertilization. Corn, rice, wheat, beans, pearl millet, sweet potato, and cassava have been biofortified with increased contents of provitamin A carotenoids, iron, or zinc. However, regulatory considerations are rare or nonexistent. The objective of this paper is to review the regulatory framework for production and marketing of biofortified crops in countries that have adopted this strategy. The information was identified using Internet search engines and websites of health and nutrition organizations and nongovernmental organizations and by consulting scientists and government authorities. Thus far, biofortified products introduced in Latin America, Africa, and Asia have been produced only by conventional breeding. Cultivars using other techniques are still under testing. The production and marketing of these products have been conducted without regulatory framework and under limited government control or regulatory guidance. Nevertheless, some countries have integrated biofortified crops into their nutrition agendas. Although improvements by conventional breeding have not been subject to regulations, when biofortification becomes expanded by including other techniques, an appropriate regulatory framework will be necessary. © 2016 New York Academy of Sciences.

8 CFR 204.306 - Classification as an immediate relative based on a Convention adoption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Classification as an immediate relative based on a Convention adoption. 204.306 Section 204.306 Aliens and Nationality DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS IMMIGRANT PETITIONS Intercountry Adoption of a Convention Adoptee § 204...

Weaponisation of Space - Some Legal Considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jolly, C.

2002-01-01

This paper will examine a current national initiative from the United States of America to achieve greater national security through the `weaponisation' of extra-atmospheric space. We will propose a synthesis of the current international legal framework pertaining to military activities in space. Based on the analysis of the legal regime and on some current national and regional political initiatives, we will make some practical recommendations to prevent an arms race in space. Civil remote sensing, telecommunications, and launchers launch vehicle technologies have all benefited from a military heritage. They are dual use technologies, in other words, technologies that have both military and civilian applications. In fact, space has always been militarised, ever since the first satellites were put in orbit for reconnaissance missions. But recently, some national policies and technological advances are making the militarisation of space less `discrete'. Military assets from different countries are already stationed in orbit (e.g. reconnaissance and navigation satellites), but they might soon be joined by new `space weapons' with lethal strike capabilities. Currently, in the United States, military and civilian space activities are being closely intertwined. A typical example is the call of the NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, a former Secretary of the Navy, for closer cooperation on research and development between NASA and the Department of Defense. Concerning plans to station weapons in space, the American Air Force Space Command issued, in February 2000, its `Strategic Master Plan for FY02 and Beyond'. It states that the United States "...future Air Force Space Command capabilities will enable a fully integrated Aerospace Force to rapidly engage military forces worldwide. [...] Full spectrum dominance in the space medium will be achieved through total space situational awareness, protection of friendly space assets, prevention of unauthorized use of those assets, negation of adversarial use of space and a fully-capable National Missile Defense (NMD). [American] ICBMs will continue to provide a credible strategic deterrence, while advanced, conventional weapons operating in or through space will provide our National Command Authorities (NCA) with formidable and flexible options for prompt, global, conventional strike." As we will see in this paper, the current international legal framework restricting the stationing and use of weapons in space is composed mainly of three treaties. They are: the Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (1972), called commonly the `ABM treaty', the `Outer Space Treaty' (1967) and the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water (1963). We will also see that - contrary to public opinion - those current legal instruments, even coupled with other international legal texts, do not prohibit the `weaponisation' of space. For instance, The Article Four of the Outer Space Treaty is often cited as the main legal argument against militarisation of space. This article does indeed prohibit the installation or stationing of "any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction", "in orbit around the Earth", "on celestial bodies", "in outer space" and "in any other manner". But, aside from the weapons identified (nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction), nothing prohibits a government signatory to the Outer Space Treaty, to actually station other types of weapons in space, such as laser-based systems. In this paper, the current situation of potential `weaponisation' of space, the international impacts of such a policy and the gaps of the international legal framework concerning the militarisation of space, will prompt some comments and practical recommendations.

41 CFR 102-173.65 - What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.65 What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations? To register any second-level domain in dot-gov, Native Sovereign Nations (NSN) may... suffix of “-NSN.gov” (case insensitive). ...

41 CFR 102-173.65 - What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.65 What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations? To register any second-level domain in dot-gov, Native Sovereign Nations (NSN) may... suffix of “-NSN.gov” (case insensitive). ...

41 CFR 102-173.65 - What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.65 What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations? To register any second-level domain in dot-gov, Native Sovereign Nations (NSN) may... suffix of “-NSN.gov” (case insensitive). ...

41 CFR 102-173.65 - What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.65 What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations? To register any second-level domain in dot-gov, Native Sovereign Nations (NSN) may... suffix of “-NSN.gov” (case insensitive). ...

41 CFR 102-173.65 - What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... TELECOMMUNICATIONS 173-INTERNET GOV DOMAIN Registration § 102-173.65 What is the naming convention for Native Sovereign Nations? To register any second-level domain in dot-gov, Native Sovereign Nations (NSN) may... suffix of “-NSN.gov” (case insensitive). ...

The Framework for the National Assessment of Educational Progress in Civics. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patrick, John J.

This digest briefly summarizes the contents of the "Civics Framework for the 1998 National Assessment of Educational Progress" in terms of the Framework's development and components including civic knowledge, civic skills, and civic dispositions. The framework may be used to inform and guide curriculum development projects in civics and…

Space debris mitigation - engineering strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, E.; Hammond, M.

The problem of space debris pollution is acknowledged to be of growing concern by space agencies, leading to recent activities in the field of space debris mitigation. A review of the current (and near-future) mitigation guidelines, handbooks, standards and licensing procedures has identified a number of areas where further work is required. In order for space debris mitigation to be implemented in spacecraft manufacture and operation, the authors suggest that debris-related criteria need to become design parameters (following the same process as applied to reliability and radiation). To meet these parameters, spacecraft manufacturers and operators will need processes (supported by design tools and databases and implementation standards). A particular aspect of debris mitigation, as compared with conventional requirements (e.g. radiation and reliability) is the current and near-future national and international regulatory framework and associated liability aspects. A framework for these implementation standards is presented, in addition to results of in-house research and development on design tools and databases (including collision avoidance in GTO and SSTO and evaluation of failure criteria on composite and aluminium structures).

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

Saenz, Juan A.; Chen, Qingshan; Ringler, Todd

Recent work has shown that taking the thickness-weighted average (TWA) of the Boussinesq equations in buoyancy coordinates results in exact equations governing the prognostic residual mean flow where eddy–mean flow interactions appear in the horizontal momentum equations as the divergence of the Eliassen–Palm flux tensor (EPFT). It has been proposed that, given the mathematical tractability of the TWA equations, the physical interpretation of the EPFT, and its relation to potential vorticity fluxes, the TWA is an appropriate framework for modeling ocean circulation with parameterized eddies. The authors test the feasibility of this proposition and investigate the connections between the TWAmore » framework and the conventional framework used in models, where Eulerian mean flow prognostic variables are solved for. Using the TWA framework as a starting point, this study explores the well-known connections between vertical transfer of horizontal momentum by eddy form drag and eddy overturning by the bolus velocity, used by Greatbatch and Lamb and Gent and McWilliams to parameterize eddies. After implementing the TWA framework in an ocean general circulation model, we verify our analysis by comparing the flows in an idealized Southern Ocean configuration simulated using the TWA and conventional frameworks with the same mesoscale eddy parameterization.« less

Perspectives on Tobacco Product Waste: A Survey of Framework Convention Alliance Members' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs.

PubMed

Javadian, Sanas; Stigler-Granados, Paula; Curtis, Clifton; Thompson, Francis; Huber, Laurent; Novotny, Thomas E

2015-08-18

Cigarette butts (tobacco product waste (TPW)) are the single most collected item in environmental trash cleanups worldwide. This brief descriptive study used an online survey tool (Survey Monkey) to assess knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among individuals representing the Framework Convention Alliance (FCA) about this issue. The FCA has about 350 members, including mainly non-governmental tobacco control advocacy groups that support implementation of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Although the response rate (28%) was low, respondents represented countries from all six WHO regions. The majority (62%) have heard the term TPW, and nearly all (99%) considered TPW as an environmental harm. Most (77%) indicated that the tobacco industry should be responsible for TPW mitigation, and 72% felt that smokers should also be held responsible. This baseline information may inform future international discussions by the FCTC Conference of the Parties (COP) regarding environmental policies that may be addressed within FCTC obligations. Additional research is planned regarding the entire lifecycle of tobacco's impact on the environment.

C4ISR Architecture Working Group (AWG), Architecture Framework Version 2.0.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-12-18

Vision Name Name/identifier of document that contains doctrine, goals, or vision Type Doctrine, goals, or vision Description Text summary description...e.g., organization, directive, order) Description Text summary of tasking •Rules, Criteria, or Conventions Name Name/identifier of document that...contains rules, criteria, or conventions Type One of: rules, criteria, or conventions Description Text summary description of contents or

Key principles for a national clinical decision support knowledge sharing framework: synthesis of insights from leading subject matter experts.

PubMed

Kawamoto, Kensaku; Hongsermeier, Tonya; Wright, Adam; Lewis, Janet; Bell, Douglas S; Middleton, Blackford

2013-01-01

To identify key principles for establishing a national clinical decision support (CDS) knowledge sharing framework. As part of an initiative by the US Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) to establish a framework for national CDS knowledge sharing, key stakeholders were identified. Stakeholders' viewpoints were obtained through surveys and in-depth interviews, and findings and relevant insights were summarized. Based on these insights, key principles were formulated for establishing a national CDS knowledge sharing framework. Nineteen key stakeholders were recruited, including six executives from electronic health record system vendors, seven executives from knowledge content producers, three executives from healthcare provider organizations, and three additional experts in clinical informatics. Based on these stakeholders' insights, five key principles were identified for effectively sharing CDS knowledge nationally. These principles are (1) prioritize and support the creation and maintenance of a national CDS knowledge sharing framework; (2) facilitate the development of high-value content and tooling, preferably in an open-source manner; (3) accelerate the development or licensing of required, pragmatic standards; (4) acknowledge and address medicolegal liability concerns; and (5) establish a self-sustaining business model. Based on the principles identified, a roadmap for national CDS knowledge sharing was developed through the ONC's Advancing CDS initiative. The study findings may serve as a useful guide for ongoing activities by the ONC and others to establish a national framework for sharing CDS knowledge and improving clinical care.

76 FR 69755 - National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-09

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID FEMA-2010-0004] National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION... Framework (NRF) to provide organizing constructs and principles solely focused on disaster recovery...

Forest biodiversity monitoring for REDD+: a case study of actors' views in Peru.

PubMed

Entenmann, Steffen K; Kaphegyi, Thomas A M; Schmitt, Christine B

2014-02-01

The climate change mitigation mechanism Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in developing countries (REDD+) is currently being negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Integrating biodiversity monitoring into REDD+ facilitates compliance with the safeguards stipulated by the UNFCCC to exclude environmental risks. Interviews with actors engaged in REDD+ implementation and biodiversity conservation at the national and sub-national level in Peru (n = 30) and a literature review (n = 58) were conducted to pinpoint constraints and opportunities for monitoring effects of REDD+ management interventions on biodiversity, and to identify relevant biodiversity data and indicators. It was found that particularly sub-national actors, who were frequently involved in REDD+ pilot projects, acknowledge the availability of biodiversity data. Actors at both the national and sub-national levels, however, criticized data gaps and data being scattered across biodiversity research organizations. Most of the literature reviewed (78 %) included indicators on the state of certain biodiversity aspects, especially mammals. Indicators for pressure on biodiversity, impacts on environmental functions, or policy responses to environmental threats were addressed less frequently (31, 21, and 10 %, respectively). Integrating biodiversity concerns in carbon monitoring schemes was considered to have potential, although few specific examples were identified. The involvement of biodiversity research organizations in sub-national REDD+ activities enhances monitoring capacities. It is discussed how improvements in collaboration among actors from the project to the national level could facilitate the evaluation of existing information at the national level. Monitoring changes in ecosystem services may increase the ecological and socioeconomic viability of REDD+.

An Independent Review and Accountability Mechanism for the Sustainable Development Goals

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Abstract The Framework Convention on Global Health (FCGH), a proposed global treaty to be rooted in the right to health and aimed at health equity, could establish a nuanced, layered, and multi-faceted regime of compliance with, and accountability to, the right to health. In so doing, it would significantly strengthen accountability for the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which it would encompass. Legally binding, the FCGH could facilitate accountability through the courts and catalyze comprehensive domestic accountability regimes, requiring national strategies that include transparency, community and national mechanisms for accountability and participation and an enabling environment for social empowerment. A “Right to Health Capacity Fund” could ensure resources to implement these strategies. Inclusive national processes could establish targets, benchmarks, and indicators consistent with FCGH guidance, with regular reporting to a treaty body, which could also hear individual cases. State reports could be required to include plans to overcome implementation gaps, subjecting poorly complying states to penalties and targeted capacity building measures. Regional special rapporteurs could facilitate compliance through regular country visits, while also responding to serious violations. And reaching beyond government compliance, from capacity building to the courts and contractual obligations, the FCGH could establish nationally enforceable right to health obligations on the private sector. PMID:27781005

Comparability of outcome frameworks in medical education: Implications for framework development.

PubMed

Hautz, Stefanie C; Hautz, Wolf E; Feufel, Markus A; Spies, Claudia D

2015-01-01

Given the increasing mobility of medical students and practitioners, there is a growing need for harmonization of medical education and qualifications. Although several initiatives have sought to compare national outcome frameworks, this task has proven a challenge. Drawing on an analysis of existing outcome frameworks, we identify factors that hinder comparability and suggest ways of facilitating comparability during framework development and revisions. We searched MedLine, EmBase and the Internet for outcome frameworks in medical education published by national or governmental organizations. We analyzed these frameworks for differences and similarities that influence comparability. Of 1816 search results, 13 outcome frameworks met our inclusion criteria. These frameworks differ in five core features: history and origins, formal structure, medical education system, target audience and key terms. Many frameworks reference other frameworks without acknowledging these differences. Importantly, the level of detail of the outcomes specified differs both within and between frameworks. The differences identified explain some of the challenges involved in comparing outcome frameworks and medical qualifications. We propose a two-level model distinguishing between "core" competencies and culture-specific "secondary" competencies. This approach could strike a balance between local specifics and cross-national comparability of outcome frameworks and medical education.

The ILO and the new UN convention on migrant workers: the past and future.

PubMed

Bohning, R

1991-01-01

Migrant workers are less protected than nationals against the actions of states and employers. These workers therefore require special global protection of their rights while employed in countries other than their own. Accordingly, the UN International Labor Organization (ILO) is constitutionally charged with developing international measures to protect the interests of migrant workers from developing countries. The ILO, however, had little involvement in molding the International Convention on the protection of the Rights of All Migrants Workers and Members of their Families, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1990. Instead, final adoption of the Convention stems largely from developing state dissatisfaction with the former 1975 ILO Migrant Workers Convention No. 143, and Mexican and Moroccan government machinations outside of the ILO in support of modifications. Convention No. 143 threatened to sever employment opportunities and hard foreign exchange remittances in North America and western Europe from illegally employed immigrant workers from developing countries. By working in the UN outside of the ILO, developing nations would enjoy automatic majority, and greater potential for success in reforming the Convention. Soon, developing nations squelched a delay tactic proffered by the Swedes, and succeeded in bringing the UN General Assembly to adopt resolution 34/172 in December 1979, which led to the establishment of an Open-Ended Working Group. This group then elaborated the 1990 Convention over 19 sessions. At the expense of the ILO and more developed nations, developing nations successfully challenged and changed the international order to benefit their peoples and national economies. Finally, the paper considers the interests of immigrant businesspeople and asylum seekers during or immediately upon entry to a foreign country, who are not specifically covered by the Convention. While the university of international humanitarian law suggests that businesspeople be included in the Convention, changes to the Convention will probably not be forthcoming. As for asylum seekers waiting for either refugee status or an interim-term engagement for work, the sensitive nature of this topic in certain countries precludes the adoption of inclusive documentation.

Why the South African NQF Failed: Lessons for Countries Wanting to Introduce National Qualifications Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allais, Stephanie Matseleng

2007-01-01

This article examines the South African National Qualifications Framework as a case study of a particular approach to the design of qualifications frameworks, which revolves around the specification of learning outcomes separate from educational institutions or programmes. It shows how an outcomes-led qualifications framework was seen as a…

Challenges for Sustainable Land Management through Climate-Smart Agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dougill, Andrew; Stringer, Lindsay

2017-04-01

There are increasing pushes for agricultural land management to be both sustainable and climate-smart (in terms of increasing productivity, building resilience to climate change and enhancing carbon storage). Climate-smart agriculture initiatives include conservation agriculture, based on minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotation, and agroforestry. Such efforts address key international goals of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), but as yet have not seen widespread uptake. Based on analyses of different project interventions from across a range of southern African countries, we outline the inter-related challenges that are preventing adoption of climate-smart agriculture initiatives. We then identify routes to building multi-stakeholder partnerships and empowering communities through participatory monitoring with the aim of increasing uptake of such sustainable land management practices. Good practice examples remain largely restricted to local-level project interventions with significant donor (or private-sector) support, aligned to short-term community priorities relating to access to inputs or reduced labour requirements. Scaling-up to district- and national-level initiatives is yet to be widely successful due to problems of: limited policy coherence; a lack of communication between stakeholders at different levels; and limited understanding of long-term benefits associated with changes in agricultural practices. We outline opportunities associated with improved communication of climate information, empowerment of district-level adaptation planning and diversification of agricultural livelihood strategies as key routes to guide farmers towards more sustainable, and climate-smart, land management practices. Recent experiences in Malawi, which has experienced significant floods and an El Niño drought year in the last two years, are used to empirically illustrate the extent of the remaining challenges in moving from 'win-win' conceptualisations to implementing significant changes in land management practices.

11 CFR 9008.7 - Use of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... convention committee employees, volunteers and similar personnel, whose responsibilities involve planning... services related to the convention; (iv) Expenses of national committee employees, volunteers or other... convention committee employees, consultants, volunteers and convention officials in recognition of convention...

11 CFR 9008.7 - Use of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... convention committee employees, volunteers and similar personnel, whose responsibilities involve planning... services related to the convention; (iv) Expenses of national committee employees, volunteers or other... convention committee employees, consultants, volunteers and convention officials in recognition of convention...

11 CFR 9008.7 - Use of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... convention committee employees, volunteers and similar personnel, whose responsibilities involve planning... services related to the convention; (iv) Expenses of national committee employees, volunteers or other... convention committee employees, consultants, volunteers and convention officials in recognition of convention...

11 CFR 9008.7 - Use of funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... convention committee employees, volunteers and similar personnel, whose responsibilities involve planning... services related to the convention; (iv) Expenses of national committee employees, volunteers or other... convention committee employees, consultants, volunteers and convention officials in recognition of convention...

Blueprint for Bologna: University of Prishtina and the European Union

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epp, Juanita Ross; Epp, Walter

2010-01-01

Countries hoping to demonstrate an adequate educational infrastructure need a national framework that meets Bologna requirements, a national accreditation agency which sets out the approved framework, and national accreditation processes by which individual institutions can be measured against the standards set by the national accreditation…

Global Health: A Pivotal Moment Of Opportunity And Peril.

PubMed

Gostin, Lawrence O; Friedman, Eric A

2017-01-01

A growing tide of populism in Europe and the United States, combined with other factors, threatens the solidarity upon which the global health movement is based. The highest-profile example of the turn toward populism is US president-elect Donald Trump, whose proposals would redefine US engagement in global health, development, and environmental efforts. In this challenging landscape, three influential global institutions-the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank-are undergoing leadership transitions. This new global health leadership should prioritize global health security, including antimicrobial resistance, health system strengthening, and action on mass migration and climate change. They will need to work as a team, leveraging the World Health Organization's technical competence and mandate to set health norms and standards, the United Nations' political clout, and the World Bank's economic strength. Human rights, including principles of equality, participation, and accountability, should be their foremost guide, such as holding a United Nations special session on health inequities and advancing the Framework Convention on Global Health. The need for predictable and innovative financing and high ethical standards to prevent conflicts of interest can further guide global health leaders. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Assessing impacts of the WHO FCTC on national legislations: A case study of the Republic of Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Sun Goo

2017-06-01

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is an international treaty that was adopted in 2003 with the aim of addressing public health problems related to tobacco. The treaty is expected to bring substantial changes to global tobacco control because it has legally binding power over its signatory countries. However, its actual impact on national legislative processes, to date, has not been thoroughly examined. This article assesses the effect of the WHO FCTC on national tobacco legislation, with the Republic of Korea as a case study. This article also reviews whether and how lawmakers and government officials actually refer to the WHO FCTC as a justification for amending tobacco law after Korea ratified the WHO FCTC in 2005. This review shows that the WHO FCTC served as an important ground upon which to amend laws to strengthen tobacco control in Korea. The legally binding power of the WHO FCTC compelled lawmakers to comply with international standards. Furthermore, various tobacco control measures listed in the treaty have provided practical tips for Korean policymakers to refer to in designing tobacco control laws. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

WHO FCTC as a Pioneering and Learning Instrument Comment on "The Legal Strength of International Health Instruments - What It Brings to Global Health Governance?"

PubMed

Puska, Pekka

2017-05-23

The World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is a unique global health instrument, since it is in the health field the only instrument that is international law. After the 10 years of its existence an Independent Expert Group assessed the impact of the FCTC using all available data and visiting a number of countries interviewing different stakeholders. It is quite clear that the Treaty has acted as a strong catalyst and framework for national actions and that remarkable progress in global tobacco control can be seen. At the same time FCTC has moved tobacco control in countries from a pure health issue to a legal responsibility of the whole government, and on the international level created stronger interagency collaboration. The assessment also showed the many challenges. The spread of tobacco use, as well as of other risk lifestyles, is related to globalization. FCTC is a pioneering example of global action to counteract the negative social consequences of globalization. A convention is not an easy instrument, but the FCTC has undoubtedly sparked thinking and development of other stronger public health instruments and of needed governance structures. © 2018 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

SEATCA Tobacco Industry Interference Index: a tool for measuring implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 5.3

PubMed Central

Assunta, Mary; Dorotheo, E Ulysses

2016-01-01

Objective To measure the implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3 at country level using a new Tobacco Industry Interference Index and to report initial results using this index in seven Southeast Asian countries. Methods Score sheet based on WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines sent to correspondents in seven Southeast Asian countries, using a scoring system designed with the help of tobacco control experts and validated through focused group discussions. Results The seven countries ranked from the lowest level of interference to the highest are Brunei, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Countries that face high levels of unnecessary interaction with the tobacco industry also face high levels of tobacco industry influence in policy development. Most governments do not allow any tobacco industry representatives on their delegation to sessions of the Conference of the Parties or its subsidiary bodies nor accept their sponsorship for delegates, but most governments still accept or endorse offers of assistance from the tobacco industry in implementing tobacco control policies. Most governments also receive tobacco industry contributions (monetary or in kind) or endorse industry corporate social responsibility activities. Governments do not have a procedure for disclosing interactions with the tobacco industry, but Lao PDR, Philippines and Thailand have instituted measures to prevent or reduce industry interference. Conclusions This Tobacco Industry Interference Index, based on the WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines, is a useful advocacy tool for identifying both progress and gaps in national efforts at implementing WHO FCTC Article 5.3. PMID:25908597

Review on the Implementation of the Islamic Republic of Iran about Tobacco Control, Based on MPOWER, in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control by the World Health Organization.

PubMed

Alimohammadi, Mahmood; Jafari-Mansoorian, Hossein; Hashemi, Seyed Yaser; Momenabadi, Victoria; Ghasemi, Seyed Mehdi; Karimyan, Kamaladdin

2017-07-01

Smoking is the largest preventable cause of death in the world, killing nearly 6 million people annually. This article is an investigation of measures implemented laws in the Iran to study the proposed strategy of control and reduce tobacco use based on the monitor, protect, offer, warn, enforce and raise (MPOWER) policy. All laws approved by the Parliament along with the instructions on tobacco control prepared by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade were collected and studied. Moreover, practical steps of Ministry of Health and other organizations were examined in this regard. Iranian Parliament after the adoption of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) acts to create a comprehensive and systematic program for tobacco control legislation as a first step towards comprehensive national tobacco control and combat. In this law and its implementing guidelines and based on the strategy of MPOWER, specific implement is done to monitor tobacco use and prevention policies, protect people from tobacco smoke, offer help to quit tobacco use, warn about the dangers of tobacco, enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and raise taxes on tobacco. However, the full objectives of the legislation have not achieved yet. According to Iran's membership in the FCTC and executive producer of tobacco control laws and regulations, necessary infrastructure is ready for a serious fight with tobacco use. In Iran, in comparison with developed countries, there is a huge gap between ratified laws and performing of laws.

Converging research needs across framework convention on tobacco control articles: making research relevant to global tobacco control practice and policy.

PubMed

Leischow, Scott J; Ayo-Yusuf, Olalekan; Backinger, Cathy L

2013-04-01

Much of the research used to support the ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was conducted in high-income countries or in highly controlled environments. Therefore, for the global tobacco control community to make informed decisions that will continue to effectively inform policy implementation, it is critical that the tobacco control community, policy makers, and funders have updated information on the state of the science as it pertains to provisions of the FCTC. Following the National Cancer Institute's process model used in identifying the research needs of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's relatively new tobacco law, a core team of scientists from the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco identified and commissioned internationally recognized scientific experts on the topics covered within the FCTC. These experts analyzed the relevant sections of the FCTC and identified critical gaps in research that is needed to inform policy and practice requirements of the FCTC. This paper summarizes the process and the common themes from the experts' recommendations about the research and related infrastructural needs. Research priorities in common across Articles include improving surveillance, fostering research communication/collaboration across organizations and across countries, and tracking tobacco industry activities. In addition, expanding research relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), was also identified as a priority, including identification of what existing research findings are transferable, what new country-specific data are needed, and the infrastructure needed to implement and disseminate research so as to inform policy in LMIC.

The Chicago 8 Trial, 40 Years Later: A Case Study in Teaching "U.S. v. Dellinger" (1969)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, Jeanne Polk

2009-01-01

Growing up in an era when protest at national political conventions is carefully contained in "free-speech zones" (often physically removed from the site of the official conventions), students today may have a difficult time conceptualizing the tumultuous scene that was the 1968 Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago. Fueled by…

From public health to international law: possible protocols for inclusion in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

PubMed Central

Joossens, L.

2000-01-01

Faced with a difficult business environment in the United States and the falling demand for cigarettes in industrialized countries, multinational tobacco companies have been competing fiercely to expand their sales in developing countries. Because of the worldwide threat posed by smoking to health and the emphasis being placed by international tobacco companies on marketing in developing countries, an international regulatory strategy, such as the WHO proposed Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, is needed. This review describes from a public health perspective the possible scope and key considerations of protocols that should be included in the convention. The key international areas that should be considered in tobacco control are: prices, smuggling; tax-free tobacco products; advertising and sponsorship; the Internet; testing methods; package design and labelling; agriculture; and information sharing. PMID:10994267

Key principles for a national clinical decision support knowledge sharing framework: synthesis of insights from leading subject matter experts

PubMed Central

Hongsermeier, Tonya; Wright, Adam; Lewis, Janet; Bell, Douglas S; Middleton, Blackford

2013-01-01

Objective To identify key principles for establishing a national clinical decision support (CDS) knowledge sharing framework. Materials and methods As part of an initiative by the US Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) to establish a framework for national CDS knowledge sharing, key stakeholders were identified. Stakeholders' viewpoints were obtained through surveys and in-depth interviews, and findings and relevant insights were summarized. Based on these insights, key principles were formulated for establishing a national CDS knowledge sharing framework. Results Nineteen key stakeholders were recruited, including six executives from electronic health record system vendors, seven executives from knowledge content producers, three executives from healthcare provider organizations, and three additional experts in clinical informatics. Based on these stakeholders' insights, five key principles were identified for effectively sharing CDS knowledge nationally. These principles are (1) prioritize and support the creation and maintenance of a national CDS knowledge sharing framework; (2) facilitate the development of high-value content and tooling, preferably in an open-source manner; (3) accelerate the development or licensing of required, pragmatic standards; (4) acknowledge and address medicolegal liability concerns; and (5) establish a self-sustaining business model. Discussion Based on the principles identified, a roadmap for national CDS knowledge sharing was developed through the ONC's Advancing CDS initiative. Conclusion The study findings may serve as a useful guide for ongoing activities by the ONC and others to establish a national framework for sharing CDS knowledge and improving clinical care. PMID:22865671

Assessing dangerous climate change through an update of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) "reasons for concern".

PubMed

Smith, Joel B; Schneider, Stephen H; Oppenheimer, Michael; Yohe, Gary W; Hare, William; Mastrandrea, Michael D; Patwardhan, Anand; Burton, Ian; Corfee-Morlot, Jan; Magadza, Chris H D; Füssel, Hans-Martin; Pittock, A Barrie; Rahman, Atiq; Suarez, Avelino; van Ypersele, Jean-Pascal

2009-03-17

Article 2 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [United Nations (1992) http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf. Accessed February 9, 2009] commits signatory nations to stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that "would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference (DAI) with the climate system." In an effort to provide some insight into impacts of climate change that might be considered DAI, authors of the Third Assessment Report (TAR) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified 5 "reasons for concern" (RFCs). Relationships between various impacts reflected in each RFC and increases in global mean temperature (GMT) were portrayed in what has come to be called the "burning embers diagram." In presenting the "embers" in the TAR, IPCC authors did not assess whether any single RFC was more important than any other; nor did they conclude what level of impacts or what atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases would constitute DAI, a value judgment that would be policy prescriptive. Here, we describe revisions of the sensitivities of the RFCs to increases in GMT and a more thorough understanding of the concept of vulnerability that has evolved over the past 8 years. This is based on our expert judgment about new findings in the growing literature since the publication of the TAR in 2001, including literature that was assessed in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), as well as additional research published since AR4. Compared with results reported in the TAR, smaller increases in GMT are now estimated to lead to significant or substantial consequences in the framework of the 5 "reasons for concern."

Assessing dangerous climate change through an update of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) “reasons for concern”

PubMed Central

Smith, Joel B.; Schneider, Stephen H.; Oppenheimer, Michael; Yohe, Gary W.; Hare, William; Mastrandrea, Michael D.; Patwardhan, Anand; Burton, Ian; Corfee-Morlot, Jan; Magadza, Chris H. D.; Füssel, Hans-Martin; Pittock, A. Barrie; Rahman, Atiq; Suarez, Avelino; van Ypersele, Jean-Pascal

2009-01-01

Article 2 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [United Nations (1992) http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf. Accessed February 9, 2009] commits signatory nations to stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that “would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference (DAI) with the climate system.” In an effort to provide some insight into impacts of climate change that might be considered DAI, authors of the Third Assessment Report (TAR) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified 5 “reasons for concern” (RFCs). Relationships between various impacts reflected in each RFC and increases in global mean temperature (GMT) were portrayed in what has come to be called the “burning embers diagram.” In presenting the “embers” in the TAR, IPCC authors did not assess whether any single RFC was more important than any other; nor did they conclude what level of impacts or what atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases would constitute DAI, a value judgment that would be policy prescriptive. Here, we describe revisions of the sensitivities of the RFCs to increases in GMT and a more thorough understanding of the concept of vulnerability that has evolved over the past 8 years. This is based on our expert judgment about new findings in the growing literature since the publication of the TAR in 2001, including literature that was assessed in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), as well as additional research published since AR4. Compared with results reported in the TAR, smaller increases in GMT are now estimated to lead to significant or substantial consequences in the framework of the 5 “reasons for concern.” PMID:19251662

Getting to low-cost algal biofuels: A monograph on conventional and cutting-edge harvesting and extraction technologies

DOE PAGES

Coons, James E.; Kalb, Daniel M.; Dale, Taraka; ...

2014-08-31

Among the most formidable challenges to algal biofuels is the ability to harvest algae and extract intracellular lipids at low cost and with a positive energy balance. Here, we construct two paradigms that contrast energy requirements and costs of conventional and cutting-edge Harvesting and Extraction (H&E) technologies. By application of the parity criterion and the moderate condition reference state, an energy–cost paradigm is created that allows 1st stage harvesting technologies to be compared with easy reference to the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) target of $0.013/gallon of gasoline equivalent (GGE) and to the U.S. DOE's Bioenergy Technologiesmore » Office 2022 cost metrics. Drawing from the moderate condition reference state, a concentration-dependency paradigm is developed for extraction technologies, making easier comparison to the National Algal Biofuels Technology Roadmap (NABTR) target of less than 10% total energy. This monograph identifies cost-bearing factors for a variety of H&E technologies, describes a design basis for ultrasonic harvesters, and provides a framework to measure future technological advancements toward reducing H&E costs. Finally, we show that ultrasonic harvesters and extractors are uniquely capable of meeting both NAABB and NABTR targets. Ultrasonic technologies require further development and scale-up before they can achieve low-cost performance at industrially relevant scales. But, the advancement of this technology would greatly reduce H&E costs and accelerate the commercial viability of algae-based biofuels.« less

A Kernel-Based Low-Rank (KLR) Model for Low-Dimensional Manifold Recovery in Highly Accelerated Dynamic MRI.

PubMed

Nakarmi, Ukash; Wang, Yanhua; Lyu, Jingyuan; Liang, Dong; Ying, Leslie

2017-11-01

While many low rank and sparsity-based approaches have been developed for accelerated dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI), they all use low rankness or sparsity in input space, overlooking the intrinsic nonlinear correlation in most dMRI data. In this paper, we propose a kernel-based framework to allow nonlinear manifold models in reconstruction from sub-Nyquist data. Within this framework, many existing algorithms can be extended to kernel framework with nonlinear models. In particular, we have developed a novel algorithm with a kernel-based low-rank model generalizing the conventional low rank formulation. The algorithm consists of manifold learning using kernel, low rank enforcement in feature space, and preimaging with data consistency. Extensive simulation and experiment results show that the proposed method surpasses the conventional low-rank-modeled approaches for dMRI.

The Common Ground Preparedness Framework: A Comprehensive Description of Public Health Emergency Preparedness

PubMed Central

Theadore, Fred; Jellison, James B.

2012-01-01

Currently, public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) is not well defined. Discussions about public health preparedness often make little progress, for lack of a shared understanding of the topic. We present a concise yet comprehensive framework describing PHEP activities. The framework, which was refined for 3 years by state and local health departments, uses terms easily recognized by the public health workforce within an information flow consistent with the National Incident Management System. To assess the framework's completeness, strengths, and weaknesses, we compare it to 4 other frameworks: the RAND Corporation's PREPARE Pandemic Influenza Quality Improvement Toolkit, the National Response Framework's Public Health and Medical Services Functional Areas, the National Health Security Strategy Capabilities List, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's PHEP Capabilities. PMID:22397343

Achievement Evaluation within a Non-Conventional Framework: Some Experiences in Physics and Humour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Worner, C. H.; Romero, A.; Bustamante, G.

2010-01-01

An achievement evaluation of a non-conventional physics course for liberal arts students is presented. The theoretical ground for this course focuses on the use of humour as a teaching tool. Preliminary evidence shows that a learning process is accomplished. (Contains 1 table and 3 figures.)

Exploring the Role of Conventionality in Children's Interpretation of Ironic Remarks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnett, Debra L.

2015-01-01

Irony comprehension in seven- and eight-year-old children with typically developing language skills was explored under the framework of the graded salience hypothesis. Target ironic remarks, either conventional or novel/situation-specific, were presented following brief story contexts. Children's responses to comprehension questions were used to…

36 CFR 219.3 - Overview.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... System Land and Resource Management Planning The Framework for Planning § 219.3 Overview. (a) The planning framework. Land and resource management planning is a flexible process for fitting solutions to... responsible for national planning. National planning includes the Forest Service national strategic plan...

Guide to Black Politics 1976, Part I: The Democratic National Convention, Madison Square Garden, New York, July 12-15, 1976.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joint Center for Political Studies, Washington, DC.

This guide was designed to assist black delegates attending the 1976 Democratic National Convention. The guide is divided into four main parts. The first part contains information on convention procedures, standing committees, and various aspects of black participation in politics. The second and third parts lists the names of alternates as well…

National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

This document is a revised version of the National Consumer and Financial Literacy Framework (the Framework) originally developed in 2005. It articulates a rationale for consumer and financial education in Australian schools; describes essential consumer and financial capabilities that will support lifelong learning; and provides guidance on how…

National Qualification Frameworks: Developing Research Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernie, Scott; Pilcher, Nick

2009-01-01

Arguments for National Qualification Frameworks (NQF) are compelling. Indeed, such frameworks are now an international phenomenon. Yet, few studies take a critical perspective and challenge the broad assumptions underpinning NQF. Arguments presented in this paper attempt to open a debate within the higher education community that draws attention…

Framing the Framework: Discourses in Australia's National Values Education Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Tiffany Mary

2009-01-01

In the past, many Australian state schools avoided teaching about values explicitly. However, the Australian government released Australia's first official values education policy in 2005: the "National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools" (NFVEAS). This framework represents a local manifestation of the recent…

75 FR 20980 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Framework...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

..., evaluate, and enforce fishery regulations. Framework Adjustment 1 (FW1) to the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Framework Adjustment I AGENCY: National...

75 FR 19356 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Framework...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-14

..., evaluate, and enforce fishery regulations. Framework Adjustment 1 (FW1) to the Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Atlantic Surfclam and Ocean Quahog Framework Adjustment I AGENCY: National...

Do national drug control laws ensure the availability of opioids for medical and scientific purposes?

PubMed Central

Brown, Marty Skemp; Maurer, Martha A

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To determine whether national drug control laws ensure that opioid drugs are available for medical and scientific purposes, as intended by the 1972 Protocol amendment to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Methods The authors examined whether the text of a convenience sample of drug laws from 15 countries: (i) acknowledged that opioid drugs are indispensable for the relief of pain and suffering; (ii) recognized that government was responsible for ensuring the adequate provision of such drugs for medical and scientific purposes; (iii) designated an administrative body for implementing international drug control conventions; and (iv) acknowledged a government’s intention to implement international conventions, including the Single Convention. Findings Most national laws were found not to contain measures that ensured adequate provision of opioid drugs for medical and scientific purposes. Moreover, the model legislation provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime did not establish an obligation on national governments to ensure the availability of these drugs for medical use. Conclusion To achieve consistency with the Single Convention, as well as with associated resolutions and recommendations of international bodies, national drug control laws and model policies should be updated to include measures that ensure drug availability to balance the restrictions imposed by the existing drug control measures needed to prevent the diversion and nonmedical use of such drugs. PMID:24623904

Prognostic residual mean flow in an ocean general circulation model and its relation to prognostic Eulerian mean flow

DOE PAGES

Saenz, Juan A.; Chen, Qingshan; Ringler, Todd

2015-05-19

Recent work has shown that taking the thickness-weighted average (TWA) of the Boussinesq equations in buoyancy coordinates results in exact equations governing the prognostic residual mean flow where eddy–mean flow interactions appear in the horizontal momentum equations as the divergence of the Eliassen–Palm flux tensor (EPFT). It has been proposed that, given the mathematical tractability of the TWA equations, the physical interpretation of the EPFT, and its relation to potential vorticity fluxes, the TWA is an appropriate framework for modeling ocean circulation with parameterized eddies. The authors test the feasibility of this proposition and investigate the connections between the TWAmore » framework and the conventional framework used in models, where Eulerian mean flow prognostic variables are solved for. Using the TWA framework as a starting point, this study explores the well-known connections between vertical transfer of horizontal momentum by eddy form drag and eddy overturning by the bolus velocity, used by Greatbatch and Lamb and Gent and McWilliams to parameterize eddies. After implementing the TWA framework in an ocean general circulation model, we verify our analysis by comparing the flows in an idealized Southern Ocean configuration simulated using the TWA and conventional frameworks with the same mesoscale eddy parameterization.« less

Integrating forest management for wildlife and fish: 1987 Society of American Foresters national convention; 1987 October 18-21; Minneapolis, MN.

Treesearch

USDA FS

1988-01-01

Papers from a technical session working group of the 1987 Society of American Foresters national convention. Topics include ecological and economic considerations of integrated forest resource management.

On fair, effective and efficient REDD mechanism design

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

The issues surrounding 'Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation' (REDD) have become a major component of continuing negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This paper aims to address two key requirements of any potential REDD mechanism: first, the generation of measurable, reportable and verifiable (MRV) REDD credits; and secondly, the sustainable and efficient provision of emission reductions under a robust financing regime. To ensure the supply of MRV credits, we advocate the establishment of an 'International Emission Reference Scenario Coordination Centre' (IERSCC). The IERSCC would act as a global clearing house for harmonized data to be used in implementing reference level methodologies. It would be tasked with the collection, reporting and subsequent processing of earth observation, deforestation- and degradation driver information in a globally consistent manner. The IERSCC would also assist, coordinate and supervise the computation of national reference scenarios according to rules negotiated under the UNFCCC. To overcome the threats of "market flooding" on the one hand and insufficient economic incentives for REDD on the other hand, we suggest an 'International Investment Reserve' (IIR) as REDD financing framework. In order to distribute the resources of the IIR we propose adopting an auctioning mechanism. Auctioning not only reveals the true emission reduction costs, but might also allow for incentivizing the protection of biodiversity and socio-economic values. The introduced concepts will be vital to ensure robustness, environmental integrity and economic efficiency of the future REDD mechanism. PMID:19943927

Framing Retention for Institutional Improvement: A 4 Ps Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalsbeek, David H.

2013-01-01

A 4 Ps framework for student retention strategy is a construct for reframing the retention discussion in a way that enables institutional improvement by challenging some conventional wisdom and prevailing perspectives that have characterized retention strategy for years. It opens new possibilities for action and improvement by suggesting that…

Australian Recognition Framework Arrangements. Australia's National Training Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian National Training Authority, Brisbane.

This document explains the objectives, principles, standards, and protocols of the Australian Recognition Framework (ARF), which is a comprehensive approach to national recognition of vocational education and training (VET) that is based on a quality-assured approach to the registration of training organizations seeking to deliver training, assess…

National Congress on Rural Education Proceedings (3rd, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, October 14-18, 1994). Organized and Conducted in Conjunction with the Annual Convention of the National Rural Education Association (85th).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gammon, Mary Lou, Comp.

This report summarizes the findings of the third National Congress on Rural Education, held during the 1994 convention of the National Rural Education Association (NREA). The Congress considered the following question: What infrastructure is necessary to provide an environment conducive to the effective use of available and emerging technologies…

National water, food, and trade modeling framework: The case of Egypt.

PubMed

Abdelkader, A; Elshorbagy, A; Tuninetti, M; Laio, F; Ridolfi, L; Fahmy, H; Hoekstra, A Y

2018-10-15

This paper introduces a modeling framework for the analysis of real and virtual water flows at national scale. The framework has two components: (1) a national water model that simulates agricultural, industrial and municipal water uses, and available water and land resources; and (2) an international virtual water trade model that captures national virtual water exports and imports related to trade in crops and animal products. This National Water, Food & Trade (NWFT) modeling framework is applied to Egypt, a water-poor country and the world's largest importer of wheat. Egypt's food and water gaps and the country's food (virtual water) imports are estimated over a baseline period (1986-2013) and projected up to 2050 based on four scenarios. Egypt's food and water gaps are growing rapidly as a result of steep population growth and limited water resources. The NWFT modeling framework shows the nexus of the population dynamics, water uses for different sectors, and their compounding effects on Egypt's food gap and water self-sufficiency. The sensitivity analysis reveals that for solving Egypt's water and food problem non-water-based solutions like educational, health, and awareness programs aimed at lowering population growth will be an essential addition to the traditional water resources development solution. Both the national and the global models project similar trends of Egypt's food gap. The NWFT modeling framework can be easily adapted to other nations and regions. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The uncertainty of atmospheric processes in planning a hybrid renewable energy system for a non-connected island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniil, Vasiliki; Pouliasis, George; Zacharopoulou, Eleni; Demetriou, Evangelos; Manou, Georgia; Chalakatevaki, Maria; Parara, Iliana; Georganta, Xristina; Stamou, Paraskevi; Karali, Sophia; Hadjimitsis, Evanthis; Koudouris, Giannis; Moschos, Evangelos; Roussis, Dimitrios; Papoulakos, Konstantinos; Koskinas, Aristotelis; Pollakis, Giorgos; Gournari, Panagiota; Sakellari, Katerina; Moustakis, Yiannis

2017-04-01

Non-connected islands to the electric gird are often depending on oil-fueled power plants with high unit cost. A hybrid energy system with renewable resources such as wind and solar plants could reduce this cost and also offer more environmental friendly solutions. However, atmospheric processes are characterized by high uncertainty that does not permit harvesting and utilizing full of their potential. Therefore, a more sophisticated framework that somehow incorporates this uncertainty could improve the performance of the system. In this context, we describe several stochastic and financial aspects of this framework. Particularly, we investigate the cross-correlation between several atmospheric processes and the energy demand, the possibility of mixing renewable resources with the conventional ones and in what degree of reliability, and critical financial subsystems such as weather derivatives. A pilot application of the above framework is also presented for a remote island in the Aegean Sea. Acknowledgement: This research is conducted within the frame of the undergraduate course "Stochastic Methods in Water Resources" of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). The School of Civil Engineering of NTUA provided moral support for the participation of the students in the Assembly. *The "Stochastics in Energy Resources Management (NTUA)" Team: Nikos Mamasis, Andreas Efstratiadis, Hristos Tyralis, Panayiotis Dimitriadis, Theano Iliopoulou, Georgios Karakatsanis, Katerina Tzouka, Ilias Deligiannis, Vicky Tsoukala, Panos Papanicolaou and Demetris Koutsoyiannis

Annual Proceedings of Selected Research and Development Papers Presented at the National Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (29th, Dallas, Texas, 2006). Volume 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonson, Michael, Ed.; Crawford, Margaret, Ed.

2006-01-01

For the twenty-ninth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Orlando, Florida. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

Annual Proceedings of Selected Research and Development Papers Presented at the National Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (29th, Dallas, Texas, 2006). Volume 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonson, Michael, Ed.; Crawford, Margaret, Ed.

2006-01-01

For the twenty-ninth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Orlando, Florida. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

Annual Proceedings of Selected Research and Development Papers Presented at the National Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (28th, Orlando, Florida, 2005). Volume 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonson, Michael, Ed.; Crawford, Margaret, Ed.

2005-01-01

For the twenty-eighth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Orlando, Florida. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

Annual Proceedings of Selected Research and Development Papers Presented at the National Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (28th, Orlando, Florida, 2005). Volume 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonson, Michael, Ed.; Crawford, Margaret, Ed.

2005-01-01

For the twenty-eighth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Orlando, Florida. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two…

A Review of Children's Rights Literature since the Adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynaert, Didier; Bouverne-de-Bie, Maria; Vandevelde, Stijn

2009-01-01

Children's rights have become a significant field of study during the past decades, largely due to the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989. Today, scholarly work on children's rights is almost inconceivable without considering the Convention as the bearer of the children's rights debate. The goal of…

National and international conservation efforts and their relevance to plant conservation in the Southwest

Treesearch

Nancy R. Morin

2001-01-01

Plant conservation in the United States benefits directly and indirectly from national and international conservation initiatives. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which began in December 1993, serves as a guiding force for conservation in the United States even though the U.S. is not a party to the convention. An international meeting in 1998 of...

Developing a national framework for safe drinking water--case study from Iceland.

PubMed

Gunnarsdottir, Maria J; Gardarsson, Sigurdur M; Bartram, Jamie

2015-03-01

Safe drinking water is one of the fundaments of society and experience has shown that a holistic national framework is needed for its effective provision. A national framework should include legal requirements on water protection, surveillance on drinking water quality and performance of the water supply system, and systematic preventive management. Iceland has implemented these requirements into legislation. This case study analyzes the success and challenges encountered in implementing the legislation and provide recommendations on the main shortcomings identified through the Icelandic experience. The results of the analysis show that the national framework for safe drinking water is mostly in place in Iceland. The shortcomings include the need for both improved guidance and control by the central government; and for improved surveillance of the water supply system and implementation of the water safety plan by the Local Competent Authorities. Communication to the public and between stakeholders is also insufficient. There is also a deficiency in the national framework regarding small water supply systems that needs to be addressed. Other elements are largely in place or on track. Most of the lessons learned are transferable to other European countries where the legal system around water safety is built on a common foundation from EU directives. The lessons can also provide valuable insights into how to develop a national framework elsewhere. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Smuggling Authentic Learning into the School Context: Transitioning from an Innovative Elementary to a Conventional High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DePalma, Renee; Matusov, Eugene; Smith, Mark

2009-01-01

Context: What Varenne and McDermott described as "conventional schooling" is characterized by underlying values of competition and credentialism implicit in an unconscious, cultural framework for U.S. institutional schooling. Schools that define themselves in opposition to this cultural heritage consider themselves innovative schools and…

A rapid microwave-assisted synthesis of a sodium-cadmium metal-organic framework having improved performance as a CO2 adsorbent for CCS.

PubMed

Palomino Cabello, Carlos; Arean, Carlos Otero; Parra, José B; Ania, Conchi O; Rumori, P; Turnes Palomino, G

2015-06-07

We report on a facile and rapid microwave-assisted method for preparing a sodium-cadmium metal-organic framework (having coordinatively unsaturated sodium ions) that considerably shortens the conventional synthesis time from 5 days to 1 hour. The obtained (Na,Cd)-MOF showed an excellent volumetric CO2 adsorption capacity (5.2 mmol cm(-3) at 298 K and 1 bar) and better CO2 adsorption properties than those shown by the same metal-organic framework when synthesized following a more conventional procedure. Moreover, the newly prepared material was found to display high selectivity for adsorption of carbon dioxide over nitrogen, and good regenerability and stability during repeated CO2 adsorption-desorption cycles, which are the required properties for any adsorbent intended for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration (CSS) from the post-combustion flue gas of fossil fuelled power stations.

The National Competency Framework for Registered Nurses in Adult Critical Care: An overview

PubMed Central

Baldwin, Andrea; Donnelly, Karen A; Freeman, Pauline; Himsworth, Angela P; Kinoulty, Sheila M; Kynaston, Melanie; Platten, Julie; Price, Ann M; Rumsby, Neville; Witton, Nicola

2017-01-01

In the years following the abolition of the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting in 2002, concerns were raised within the Critical Care nursing community about a lack of consistency in post-registration education programmes. In response to this, the Critical Care Network National Nurse Leads (CC3N) formed a sub-group, the Critical Care Nurse Education Review Forum (CCNERF) to address these concerns. A review of UK course provision confirmed marked inconsistency in the length, content and associated academic award. The CCNERF commenced a two-phase project, first developing national standards for critical care nurse education such as length of course and academic credit level, followed by the development of a national competency framework. Following significant review and revision, version two of the National Competency Framework for Registered Nurses in Adult Critical Care was published by CC3N in 2015. This paper introduces the National Competency Framework and provides an overview of its background, development and implementation. It then considers the future direction of UK post-registration Critical Care nurse education. PMID:28979563

The National Competency Framework for Registered Nurses in Adult Critical Care: An overview.

PubMed

Deacon, Kate S; Baldwin, Andrea; Donnelly, Karen A; Freeman, Pauline; Himsworth, Angela P; Kinoulty, Sheila M; Kynaston, Melanie; Platten, Julie; Price, Ann M; Rumsby, Neville; Witton, Nicola

2017-05-01

In the years following the abolition of the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting in 2002, concerns were raised within the Critical Care nursing community about a lack of consistency in post-registration education programmes. In response to this, the Critical Care Network National Nurse Leads (CC3N) formed a sub-group, the Critical Care Nurse Education Review Forum (CCNERF) to address these concerns. A review of UK course provision confirmed marked inconsistency in the length, content and associated academic award. The CCNERF commenced a two-phase project, first developing national standards for critical care nurse education such as length of course and academic credit level, followed by the development of a national competency framework. Following significant review and revision, version two of the National Competency Framework for Registered Nurses in Adult Critical Care was published by CC3N in 2015. This paper introduces the National Competency Framework and provides an overview of its background, development and implementation. It then considers the future direction of UK post-registration Critical Care nurse education.

Ethical considerations of research policy for personal genome analysis: the approach of the Genome Science Project in Japan.

PubMed

Minari, Jusaku; Shirai, Tetsuya; Kato, Kazuto

2014-12-01

As evidenced by high-throughput sequencers, genomic technologies have recently undergone radical advances. These technologies enable comprehensive sequencing of personal genomes considerably more efficiently and less expensively than heretofore. These developments present a challenge to the conventional framework of biomedical ethics; under these changing circumstances, each research project has to develop a pragmatic research policy. Based on the experience with a new large-scale project-the Genome Science Project-this article presents a novel approach to conducting a specific policy for personal genome research in the Japanese context. In creating an original informed-consent form template for the project, we present a two-tiered process: making the draft of the template following an analysis of national and international policies; refining the draft template in conjunction with genome project researchers for practical application. Through practical use of the template, we have gained valuable experience in addressing challenges in the ethical review process, such as the importance of sharing details of the latest developments in genomics with members of research ethics committees. We discuss certain limitations of the conventional concept of informed consent and its governance system and suggest the potential of an alternative process using information technology.

Can human rights standards help protect children and youth from the detrimental impact of alcohol beverage marketing and promotional activities?

PubMed

Chapman, Audrey R

2017-01-01

The alcohol industry in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region promotes demand for alcohol products actively through a number of channels, including advertising and sponsorship of sports and other events. This paper evaluates whether human rights instruments that Latin American countries have ratified can be used to limit children's exposure to alcohol advertising and promotion. A review was conducted of the text of, and interpretative documents related to, a series of international and regional human rights instruments ratified by most countries in the LAC region that enumerate the right to health. The Convention on the Rights of the Child has the most relevant provisions to protect children and youth from alcohol promotion and advertising. Related interpretive documents by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child affirm that corporations hold duties to respect and protect children's right to health. Human rights norms and law can be used to regulate or eliminate alcohol beverage marketing and promotional activities in the Latin American region. The paper recommends developing a human rights based Framework Convention on Alcohol Control to provide guidance. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

A framework for evaluating national space activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Danielle; Weigel, Annalisa

2012-04-01

Space technology and resources are used around the world to address societal challenges. Space provides valuable satellite services, unique scientific discoveries, surprising technology applications and new economic opportunities. Many developing countries formally recognize the advantages of space resources and pursue national level activity to harness them. There is limited data or documentation on the space activities of developing countries. Meanwhile, traditional approaches to summarize national space activity do not necessarily capture the types of activity that developing countries pursue in space. This is especially true if they do not have a formal national space program or office. Developing countries pursue national space activity through activities of many types—from national satellite programs to commercial use of satellite services to involvement with international space institutions. This research aims to understand and analyze these trends. This paper introduces two analytical frameworks for evaluating space activity at the national level. The frameworks are specifically designed to capture the activity of countries that have traditionally been less involved in space. They take a broad view of space related activity across multiple societal sectors and disciplines. The discussion explains the approach for using the frameworks as well as illustrative examples of how they can be applied as part of a research process. The first framework is called the Mission and Management Ladders. This framework considers specific space projects within countries and ranks them on "Ladders" that measure technical challenge and managerial autonomy. This first method is at a micro level of analysis. The second framework is called the Space Participation Metric (SPM). The SPM can be used to assign a Space Participation score to countries based on their involvement in various space related activities. This second method uses a macro level of analysis. The authors developed both frameworks as part of a long term research program about the space activities of developing countries. This aspect of the research focuses on harnessing multiple techniques to summarize complex, multi-disciplinary information about global space activity.

Cumulative carbon as a policy framework for achieving climate stabilization

PubMed Central

Matthews, H. Damon; Solomon, Susan; Pierrehumbert, Raymond

2012-01-01

The primary objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that will avoid dangerous climate impacts. However, greenhouse gas concentration stabilization is an awkward framework within which to assess dangerous climate change on account of the significant lag between a given concentration level and the eventual equilibrium temperature change. By contrast, recent research has shown that global temperature change can be well described by a given cumulative carbon emissions budget. Here, we propose that cumulative carbon emissions represent an alternative framework that is applicable both as a tool for climate mitigation as well as for the assessment of potential climate impacts. We show first that both atmospheric CO2 concentration at a given year and the associated temperature change are generally associated with a unique cumulative carbon emissions budget that is largely independent of the emissions scenario. The rate of global temperature change can therefore be related to first order to the rate of increase of cumulative carbon emissions. However, transient warming over the next century will also be strongly affected by emissions of shorter lived forcing agents such as aerosols and methane. Non-CO2 emissions therefore contribute to uncertainty in the cumulative carbon budget associated with near-term temperature targets, and may suggest the need for a mitigation approach that considers separately short- and long-lived gas emissions. By contrast, long-term temperature change remains primarily associated with total cumulative carbon emissions owing to the much longer atmospheric residence time of CO2 relative to other major climate forcing agents. PMID:22869803

Invisible to Visible: Mapping the Continuum of Literacy Learning Experiences in an Early Years Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kervin, Lisa; Turbill, Jan; Harden-Thew, Kathryn

2017-01-01

The face of early childhood education continues to change. In Australia, the national early childhood guidelines, "Early Years Learning Framework" (2009) and the "National Quality Framework" have articulated and defined the work of early years' educators in a range of areas, including literacy. Both frameworks state that their…

Exploring the Practical Adequacy of the Normative Framework Guiding South Africa's National Curriculum Statement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotz-Sisikta, Heila; Schudel, Ingrid

2007-01-01

This article examines the practical adequacy of the recent defining of a normative framework for the South African National Curriculum Statement that focuses on the relationship between human rights, social justice and a healthy environment. This politically framed and socially critical normative framework has developed in response to…

"EU-on-Demand": Developing National Qualifications Frameworks in a Multi-Level Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elken, Mari

2016-01-01

The development of comprehensive national qualifications frameworks (NQFs) across Europe has been sparked by the introduction of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in 2008. Taking an institutional perspective, this article examines the development of NQFs in three countries, in light of developments that have taken place at the European…

All New and All Outcome-Based? The German Qualifications Framework and the Persistence of National Governance Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gössling, Bernd

2016-01-01

This article analyses the development of the first national qualifications framework in Germany ("Deutscher Qualifikationsrahmen" or "DQR"). In this case, a qualifications framework, which is supposedly outcome-based, had to be adapted to a highly input-oriented qualification system. This raises the question, how clashing…

The Impact and Implementation of National Qualifications Frameworks: A Comparison of 16 Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allais, Stephanie M.

2011-01-01

This article provides some of the key findings of a comparative study commissioned by the International Labour Organization (ILO), which attempted to understand more about the impact and implementation of national qualifications frameworks (NQFs). Sixteen case studies were produced, on qualifications frameworks in Australia; Bangladesh; Botswana;…

Global Inventory of Regional and National Qualifications Frameworks. Volume I: Thematic Chapters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deij, Arjen; Graham, Michael; Bjornavold, Jens; Grm, Slava Pevec; Villalba, Ernesto; Christensen, Hanne; Chakroun, Borhene; Daelman, Katrien; Carlsen, Arne; Singh, Madhu

2015-01-01

The "Global Inventory of Regional and National Qualifications Frameworks," the result of collaborative work between the European Training Foundation (ETF), the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] and UIL [UNESCO Institute for…

Optical Response of Warm Dense Matter Using Real-Time Electron Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baczewski, Andrew; Shulenburger, Luke; Desjarlais, Michael; Magyar, Rudolph

2014-03-01

The extreme temperatures and solid-like densities in warm dense matter present a unique challenge for theory, wherein neither conventional models from condensed matter nor plasma physics capture all of the relevant phenomenology. While Kubo-Greenwood DFT calculations have proven capable of reproducing optical properties of WDM, they require a significant number of virtual orbitals to reach convergence due to their perturbative nature. Real-time TDDFT presents a complementary framework with a number of computationally favorable properties, including reduced cost complexity and better scalability, and has been used to reproduce the optical response of finite and ordered extended systems. We will describe the use of Ehrenfest-TDDFT to evolve coupled electron-nuclear dynamics in WDM systems, and the subsequent evaluation of optical response functions from the real-time electron dynamics. The advantages and disadvantages of this approach will be discussed relative to the current state-of-the-art. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

"Asian yuppies...are always looking for something new and different": creating a tobacco culture among young Asians.

PubMed

Knight, J; Chapman, S

2004-12-01

To identify and analyse the themes employed by the Asian based transnational tobacco companies to construct a tobacco culture among Asian young men and women. Systematic review of relevant tobacco industry documents made public through the Master Settlement Agreement. The industry utilised six vehicles and themes to construct a tobacco culture in Asia: music, entertainment (including nightclubs, discos, and movies), adventure, sport (including motorsports, soccer, and tennis), glamour (beauty and fashion), and independence. The tobacco industry set about constructing a tobacco culture that sought to make smoking desirable, even normal, for young men and women. Understanding the way industry constructed this culture provides insights into ways that culture might now be challenged. Countering the transnational nature of many activities will require coordinated effort at the international, regional, and national levels. Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) will be a powerful tool in this process. All nations throughout Asia are encouraged to support the FCTC and its broad protocols addressing advertising and sponsorship. Measures are also required to disassociate smoking from progress in sex equality.

Adapting a compact confocal microscope system to a two-photon excitation fluorescence imaging architecture.

PubMed

Diaspro, A; Corosu, M; Ramoino, P; Robello, M

1999-11-01

Within the framework of a national National Institute of Physics of Matter (INFM) project, we have realised a two-photon excitation (TPE) fluorescence microscope based on a new generation commercial confocal scanning head. The core of the architecture is a mode-locked Ti:Sapphire laser (Tsunami 3960, Spectra Physics Inc., Mountain View, CA) pumped by a high-power (5 W, 532 nm) laser (Millennia V, Spectra Physics Inc.) and an ultracompact confocal scanning head, Nikon PCM2000 (Nikon Instruments, Florence, Italy) using a single-pinhole design. Three-dimensional point-spread function has been measured to define spatial resolution performances. The TPE microscope has been used with a wide range of excitable fluorescent molecules (DAPI, Fura-2, Indo-1, DiOC(6)(3), fluoresceine, Texas red) covering a single photon spectral range from UV to green. An example is reported on 3D imaging of the helical structure of the sperm head of the Octopus Eledone cirrhosa labelled with an UV excitable dye, i.e., DAPI. The system can be easily switched for operating both in conventional and two-photon mode. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Science, Ethics and the Climate Responsibilities of Industrial Carbon Producers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frumhoff, P. C.

2014-12-01

The question of responsibility for climate change lies at the heart of societal debate over actions to curb greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for now unavoidable climate impacts. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change established the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" among nations, signaling the recognition that industrialized nations who had produced the lion's share of historic emissions bore particular responsibility for avoiding dangerous interference with the climate system. But climate responsibilities can be distributed in other ways as well. This talk focuses on the scientific, historical and ethical basis for considering the climate responsibilities of the major fossil energy companies that have produced and marketed the coal, oil and natural gas whose use largely drives global warming, often while investing in efforts to discredit the scientific evidence and prevent policies that would encourage a transition to low-carbon energy. Earth scientists and scientific societies who rely on financial support from these companies have an opportunity to consider what ethical stance they might take to align their research, scientific understanding and values.

The road to effective tobacco control in China.

PubMed

Yang, Gonghuan; Wang, Yu; Wu, Yiqun; Yang, Jie; Wan, Xia

2015-03-14

The non-communicable disease burden in China is enormous, with tobacco use a leading risk factor for the major non-communicable diseases. The prevalence of tobacco use in men is one of the highest in the world, with more than 300 million smokers and 740 million non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke. In the past decade public awareness of the health hazards of tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke has grown, social customs and habits have changed, aggressive tactics used by the tobacco industry have been revealed, and serious tobacco control policies have been actively promoted. In 2014, national legislators in China began actively considering national bans on smoking in public and work places and tobacco advertising. However, tobacco control in China has remained particularly difficult because of interference by the tobacco industry. Changes to the interministerial coordinating mechanism for implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control are now crucial. Progress towards a tobacco-free world will be dependent on more rapid action in China. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring the impact of energy consumption and air quality indicators on climate change: evidence from the panel of UNFCC classified countries.

PubMed

Ozturk, Ilhan

2015-10-01

This study examines the relationship between energy consumption, air pollution, and climate change in the panel of six economically diversified countries classified by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) as industrialized countries and economies in transition nations by using the panel econometric techniques for the period of 1990-2012. The results of pooled least square regression show that both the energy consumption and air quality indicators have a positive and significant relationship with the climate change, i.e., 1 % increase in energy consumption increases greenhouse gas emissions by 0.124 %, carbon dioxide emissions increase by 0.652 %, methane emissions increase by 0.123 %, and nitrous oxide emissions increase greenhouse gas emissions by 0.105 % age points. The results of fixed-effect regression and random-effect regression confirmed the deteriorating impact of air quality indicators on climate change; however, the results failed to show any significant association between energy consumption and climate change when absorbing country-specific shocks and time-variant shocks during the study time period.

A conceptual framework for assessing impacts of roads on aquatic biota

Treesearch

Paul L. Angermeier; Andrew P. Wheeler; Amanda E. Rosenberger

2004-01-01

Roads are pervasive in modern landscapes and adversely affect many aquatic ecosystems. Conventional environmental assessments of roads focus on construction impacts but ignore subsequent impacts. A comprehensive framework for considering all impacts of roads would enable scientists and managers to develop assessment tools that more accurately inform stakeholders and...

Improved analyses using function datasets and statistical modeling

Treesearch

John S. Hogland; Nathaniel M. Anderson

2014-01-01

Raster modeling is an integral component of spatial analysis. However, conventional raster modeling techniques can require a substantial amount of processing time and storage space and have limited statistical functionality and machine learning algorithms. To address this issue, we developed a new modeling framework using C# and ArcObjects and integrated that framework...

Management filters and species traits: Weed community assembly in long-term organic and conventional systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Community assembly theory provides a useful framework to assess the response of weed communities to agricultural management systems and to improve the predictive power of weed science. Under this framework, weed community assembly is constrained by abiotic and biotic "filters" that act on species tr...

32 CFR 621.1 - Loan of Army/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) owned property for use at national and State...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Loan of Army/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) owned... of Army/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) owned property for use at national and State conventions. (a... will be submitted to the appropriate CONUS Army Commander of the area in which the convention will be...

32 CFR 621.1 - Loan of Army/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) owned property for use at national and State...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2012-07-01 2009-07-01 true Loan of Army/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) owned... of Army/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) owned property for use at national and State conventions. (a... will be submitted to the appropriate CONUS Army Commander of the area in which the convention will be...

32 CFR 621.1 - Loan of Army/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) owned property for use at national and State...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Loan of Army/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) owned... of Army/Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) owned property for use at national and State conventions. (a... will be submitted to the appropriate CONUS Army Commander of the area in which the convention will be...

The right to appropriate and meaningful education for children with ASD.

PubMed

Marshall, David; Goodall, Craig

2015-10-01

This paper will explore from a 'child's rights perspective' the 'right' of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) to appropriate and meaningful education. Human 'rights' principles within international law will be evaluated in relation to how they have been interpreted and applied in relation to achieving this 'right'. The International Convention of the Rights of the Child (United Nations in Convention on the rights of the child, office of the high commissioner, United Nations, Geneva, 1989) and the convention on the rights of the person with disability (United Nations in Convention on the rights of person's with disabilities and optional protocol, office of the high commissioner, United Nations, Geneva, 2006) amongst others will be utilised to argue the case for 'inclusive' educational opportunities to be a 'right' of every child on the autistic spectrum. The efficacy of mainstream inclusion is explored, identifying the position that a 'one size fits all' model of education is not appropriate for all children with ASD.

Applying a Systems Approach to Monitoring and Assessing Climate Change Mitigation Potential in Mexico's Forest Sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olguin-Alvarez, M. I.; Wayson, C.; Fellows, M.; Birdsey, R.; Smyth, C.; Magnan, M.; Dugan, A.; Mascorro, V.; Alanís, A.; Serrano, E.; Kurz, W. A.

2017-12-01

Since 2012, the Mexican government through its National Forestry Commission, with support from the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, the Forest Services of Canada and USA, the SilvaCarbon Program and research institutes in Mexico, has made important progress towards the use of carbon dynamics models ("gain-loss" approach) for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions monitoring and projections into the future. Here we assess the biophysical mitigation potential of policy alternatives identified by the Mexican Government (e.g. net zero deforestation rate, sustainable forest management) based on a systems approach that models carbon dynamics in forest ecosystems, harvested wood products and substitution benefits in two contrasting states of Mexico. We provide key messages and results derived from the use of the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector and a harvested wood products model, parameterized with input data from Mexicós National Forest Monitoring System (e.g. forest inventories, remote sensing, disturbance data). The ultimate goal of this tri-national effort is to develop data and tools for carbon assessment in strategic landscapes in North America, emphasizing the need to include multiple sectors and types of collaborators (scientific and policy-maker communities) to design more comprehensive portfolios for climate change mitigation in accordance with the Paris Agreement of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (e.g. Mid-Century Strategy, NDC goals).

Setting the stage for school health-promoting programmes for deaf children in Spain.

PubMed

Munoz-Baell, Irma M; Alvarez-Dardet, Carlos; Ruiz, M Teresa; Ferreiro-Lago, Emilio; Aroca-Fernandez, Eva

2008-12-01

Implementing health-promoting programmes for the most excluded and at-risk social groups forms a key part of any efforts to address underserved populations and reduce health inequalities in society. However, many at-risk children, particularly children in deaf communities, are not reached, or are poorly served, by health-promoting programmes within the school setting. This is so because schools are effective as health-promoting environments for d/Deaf children only to the extent that they properly address their unique communication needs and ensure they are both able and enabled to learn in a communication-rich and supportive psycho-social environment. This article examines how the usually separate strands of school health promotion and d/Deaf education might be woven together and illustrates research with deaf community members that involves them and gives their perspective. The primary objective of this study was to map deaf pilot bilingual education programmes in Spain-one of the first countries to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations. (2006) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Resolution A/RES/61/106.)-with particular attention to their compliance to the Convention's article 24. Following pre-testing, 516 key informants were surveyed by mail (response rate: 42.08%) by using a snow-ball key-informant approach, within a Participatory Action Research framework, at a national, regional and local level. The results show that although some schools have achieved recommended standards, bilingual programmes are in various stages of formulation and implementation and are far from being equally distributed across the country, with only four regions concentrating more than 70% of these practices. This uneven geographical distribution of programmes probably reflects more basic differences in the priority given by regions, provinces, and municipalities to the deaf community's needs and rights as an important policy objective and may reinforce or widen inequalities by favouring or discriminating rather than achieving access and equity for this noticeably overlooked community.

US conventional arms transfer policy. Strategy research project

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

Langhorst, R.H.

1996-04-15

Millions of people around the world have been killed by conventional arms since the end of World War II. If increasing access to conventional arms is partly responsible for political and military aggression in post-Cold War Europe, what should be the United States` response. This study explores the new US Conventional Arms Transfer Policy of February 1995 in terms of ends1 ways and means and its linkages to US National Security and National Military Strategies. Analysis focuses mainly on post- Cold War Europe, providing examples of multilateral arms control successes and recommendations for US policy implementation.

Aligning Learning Outcomes Descriptors in National and Meta-Frameworks of Qualifications--Learning from Irish Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maguire, Bryan; Mernagh, Edwin; Murray, Jim

2008-01-01

In this paper, the issues involved in aligning national and meta-frameworks are explored and analysed. The exploration is timely, given that two qualifications meta-frameworks are currently being developed and implemented in Europe: the question is now how relationships should be established between these new reference tools and national…

Unit Standards Catalogue. Unit Standards and Qualifications Registered on the National Qualifications Framework to March 1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Wellington.

This booklet includes the latest list of unit standards and qualifications registered on the New Zealand National Qualifications Framework to April 1994. Unit standards registered on the framework can be offered by private and government training establishments, polytechnics, colleges of education, and schools. This list of registered unit…

SEATCA Tobacco Industry Interference Index: a tool for measuring implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 5.3.

PubMed

Assunta, Mary; Dorotheo, E Ulysses

2016-05-01

To measure the implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3 at country level using a new Tobacco Industry Interference Index and to report initial results using this index in seven Southeast Asian countries. Score sheet based on WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines sent to correspondents in seven Southeast Asian countries, using a scoring system designed with the help of tobacco control experts and validated through focused group discussions. The seven countries ranked from the lowest level of interference to the highest are Brunei, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Countries that face high levels of unnecessary interaction with the tobacco industry also face high levels of tobacco industry influence in policy development. Most governments do not allow any tobacco industry representatives on their delegation to sessions of the Conference of the Parties or its subsidiary bodies nor accept their sponsorship for delegates, but most governments still accept or endorse offers of assistance from the tobacco industry in implementing tobacco control policies. Most governments also receive tobacco industry contributions (monetary or in kind) or endorse industry corporate social responsibility activities. Governments do not have a procedure for disclosing interactions with the tobacco industry, but Lao PDR, Philippines and Thailand have instituted measures to prevent or reduce industry interference. This Tobacco Industry Interference Index, based on the WHO FCTC Article 5.3 Guidelines, is a useful advocacy tool for identifying both progress and gaps in national efforts at implementing WHO FCTC Article 5.3. 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/

Implementation of the framework convention on tobacco control in Africa: current status of legislation.

PubMed

Tumwine, Jacqueline

2011-11-01

To describe, as of July 2011, the status of tobacco control legislation in Africa in three key areas of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)-(1) Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, (2) Packaging and labelling of tobacco products, and (3) Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Review and analysis of tobacco control legislation in Africa, media reports, journal articles, tobacco industry documents and data published in the 2011 WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic. Modest progress in FCTC implementation in Africa with many countries having legislation or policies on the protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, however, only a handful of countries meet the standards of the FCTC Article 8 and its Guidelines particularly with regards to designated smoking areas. Little progress on packaging and labelling of tobacco products, with few countries having legislation meeting the minimum standards of the FCTC Article 11 and its Guidelines. Mauritius is the only African country with graphic or pictorial health warnings in place and has the largest warning labels in Africa. Slightly better progress in banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship has been shown by African countries, although the majority of legislation falls short of the standards of the FCTC Article 13 and its Guidelines. Despite their efforts, African countries' FCTC implementation at national level has not matched the strong regional commitment demonstrated during the FCTC treaty negotiations. This study highlights the need for Africa to step up efforts to adopt and implement effective tobacco control legislation that is fully compliant with the FCTC. In order to achieve this, countries should prioritise resources for capacity building for drafting strong FCTC compliant legislation, research to inform policy and boost political will, and countering the tobacco industry which is a major obstacle to FCTC implementation in Africa.

Review on the Implementation of the Islamic Republic of Iran about Tobacco Control, Based on MPOWER, in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control by the World Health Organization

PubMed Central

Alimohammadi, Mahmood; Jafari-Mansoorian, Hossein; Hashemi, Seyed Yaser; Momenabadi, Victoria; Ghasemi, Seyed Mehdi; Karimyan, Kamaladdin

2017-01-01

Background Smoking is the largest preventable cause of death in the world, killing nearly 6 million people annually. This article is an investigation of measures implemented laws in the Iran to study the proposed strategy of control and reduce tobacco use based on the monitor, protect, offer, warn, enforce and raise (MPOWER) policy. Methods All laws approved by the Parliament along with the instructions on tobacco control prepared by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade were collected and studied. Moreover, practical steps of Ministry of Health and other organizations were examined in this regard. Findings Iranian Parliament after the adoption of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) acts to create a comprehensive and systematic program for tobacco control legislation as a first step towards comprehensive national tobacco control and combat. In this law and its implementing guidelines and based on the strategy of MPOWER, specific implement is done to monitor tobacco use and prevention policies, protect people from tobacco smoke, offer help to quit tobacco use, warn about the dangers of tobacco, enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship and raise taxes on tobacco. However, the full objectives of the legislation have not achieved yet. Conclusion According to Iran’s membership in the FCTC and executive producer of tobacco control laws and regulations, necessary infrastructure is ready for a serious fight with tobacco use. In Iran, in comparison with developed countries, there is a huge gap between ratified laws and performing of laws. PMID:29657699

Tobacco Companies’ Use of Developing Countries’ Economic Reliance on Tobacco to Lobby Against Global Tobacco Control: The Case of Malawi

PubMed Central

Otañez, Martin G.; Mamudu, Hadii M.

2009-01-01

Transnational tobacco manufacturing and tobacco leaf companies engage in numerous efforts to oppose global tobacco control. One of their strategies is to stress the economic importance of tobacco to the developing countries that grow it. We analyze tobacco industry documents and ethnographic data to show how tobacco companies used this argument in the case of Malawi, producing and disseminating reports promoting claims of losses of jobs and foreign earnings that would result from the impending passage of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). In addition, they influenced the government of Malawi to introduce resolutions or make amendments to tobacco-related resolutions in meetings of United Nations organizations, succeeding in temporarily displacing health as the focus in tobacco control policymaking. However, these efforts did not substantially weaken the FCTC. PMID:19696392

Great expectations for the World Health Organization: a Framework Convention on Global Health to achieve universal health coverage.

PubMed

Ooms, G; Marten, R; Waris, A; Hammonds, R; Mulumba, M; Friedman, E A

2014-02-01

Establishing a reform agenda for the World Health Organization (WHO) requires understanding its role within the wider global health system and the purposes of that wider global health system. In this paper, the focus is on one particular purpose: achieving universal health coverage (UHC). The intention is to describe why achieving UHC requires something like a Framework Convention on Global Health (FCGH) that have been proposed elsewhere,(1) why WHO is in a unique position to usher in an FCGH, and what specific reforms would help enable WHO to assume this role. Copyright © 2013 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Concentric Electrode Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Photodetectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Towe, Elias

1996-01-01

A new metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodetector geometry is proposed. The new device has concentric metal electrodes which exhibit a high degree of symmetry and a design flexibility absent in the conventional MSM device. The concentric electrodes are biased to alternating potentials as in the conventional interdigitated device. Because of the high symmetry configuration, however, the new device also has a lower effective capacitance. This device and the conventional MSM structure are analyzed within a common theoretical framework which allows for the comparison of the important performance characteristics.

Children's Rights: Crisis and Challenge. A Global Report on the Situation of Children in View of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nurkse, Dennis, Ed.; Castelle, Kay, Ed.

The global situation of children is reported in light of the U.N. General Assembly's November, 1989 adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international treaty for the protection of children. The report is divided into three parts, the first of which includes an overview of the U.N. Convention, and essays on the…

Implementing a National Qualifications Framework in Lithuania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tutlys, Vidmantas; Spudyte, Irma

2011-01-01

The design of the national qualifications framework (NQF) in Lithuania started in 2006. The NQF was officially approved by the government decree in May 2010. This article explores the influence of the processes of institutional change on the reform of the national system of qualifications in Lithuania through the implementation of the NQF, looking…

Improving Earth Science Metadata: Modernizing ncISO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, K.; Schweitzer, R.; Neufeld, D.; Burger, E. F.; Signell, R. P.; Arms, S. C.; Wilcox, K.

2016-12-01

ncISO is a package of tools developed at NOAA's National Center for Environmental Information (NCEI) that facilitates the generation of ISO 19115-2 metadata from NetCDF data sources. The tool currently exists in two iterations: a command line utility and a web-accessible service within the THREDDS Data Server (TDS). Several projects, including NOAA's Unified Access Framework (UAF), depend upon ncISO to generate the ISO-compliant metadata from their data holdings and use the resulting information to populate discovery tools such as NCEI's ESRI Geoportal and NOAA's data.noaa.gov CKAN system. In addition to generating ISO 19115-2 metadata, the tool calculates a rubric score based on how well the dataset follows the Attribute Conventions for Dataset Discovery (ACDD). The result of this rubric calculation, along with information about what has been included and what is missing is displayed in an HTML document generated by the ncISO software package. Recently ncISO has fallen behind in terms of supporting updates to conventions such updates to the ACDD. With the blessing of the original programmer, NOAA's UAF has been working to modernize the ncISO software base. In addition to upgrading ncISO to utilize version1.3 of the ACDD, we have been working with partners at Unidata and IOOS to unify the tool's code base. In essence, we are merging the command line capabilities into the same software that will now be used by the TDS service, allowing easier updates when conventions such as ACDD are updated in the future. In this presentation, we will discuss the work the UAF project has done to support updated conventions within ncISO, as well as describe how the updated tool is helping to improve metadata throughout the earth and ocean sciences.

Venezuelan policies and responses on climate change and natural hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caponi, Claudio; Rosales, Anibal

1992-06-01

Venezuela is an intertropical country which has the fortune not to suffer the severities of natural hazards which are usual in other countries of this region. It is a developing country, whose economy is heavily dependent on oil production and exports. Its greenhouse gas emissions are relatively low, but it is expected that the planned industrialization development will bring an associated increase in emissions. As a nation, Venezuela has a highly developed environmental consciousness. The Ministry of environment, the first in Latin America, was created in 1977, and has been the main contributor to the national policy of Disaster Prevention and Reduction. As in many developing countries actions and responses in this regard have been rather limited in scope, and even though legislation has been developed, many problems arise for its enforcement. Several local warning systems, civil defense procedures, and infrastructural protection measures are operational, however they have not been designed, revised, or planned taking into consideration the potential impacts of climate change. Presently Venezuela is an active participant state in the negotiation for a framework convention on climate change. That is a very difficult negotiation for our country. Here we have to conciliate enviromental principles with national economic interests. The elements of our position in this contex are presented in this statement.

The political economy of tobacco and poverty alleviation in Southeast Asia: contradictions in the role of the state.

PubMed

Barraclough, Simon; Morrow, Martha

2010-03-01

Of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), all but Indonesia have embraced the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and all endorse some form of tobacco control policy. Nevertheless, except for Brunei, all these states are, to varying degrees, complicit in investing in or promoting the tobacco industry, often using the justification of poverty alleviation. Tobacco use is the major preventable cause of illness and death among the populations of these countries. Claims that tobacco alleviates poverty in developing countries have increasingly been discredited: thus continuing state support for the industry represents a fundamental paradox. Using primary documents from governments and the tobacco industry, and published studies investigating tobacco and poverty, this article explores the contradictions inherent in the state seeking to prevent tobacco use in the interests of health, while actively promoting tobacco for the economic benefit of its citizens. These contradictions result in both symbolic and substantial harm to tobacco control efforts: tobacco production is legitimized, rational policy principles are violated, direct cooperation between the state and multinational tobacco corporations is made possible with associated opportunities for mollifying control policies, and different state agencies work at cross purposes. Although tobacco exports within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also threaten the group's health solidarity, it is argued that divestiture of state ownership of capital in tobacco corporations and a commitment by states not to promote tobacco are urgently required if the Convention is to have full effect both in the countries of the region and in other states that have ratified it.

11 CFR 9008.12 - Repayments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... committee. (b) Bases for repayment. The Commission may determine that the national committee of a political... payments to the national committee or convention committee under 11 CFR 9008.6(b) was in excess of the... committee or convention committee under 11 CFR 9008.6(b) was used for any purposes other than the purposes...

11 CFR 9008.12 - Repayments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... committee. (b) Bases for repayment. The Commission may determine that the national committee of a political... payments to the national committee or convention committee under 11 CFR 9008.6(b) was in excess of the... committee or convention committee under 11 CFR 9008.6(b) was used for any purposes other than the purposes...

11 CFR 9008.12 - Repayments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... committee. (b) Bases for repayment. The Commission may determine that the national committee of a political... payments to the national committee or convention committee under 11 CFR 9008.6(b) was in excess of the... committee or convention committee under 11 CFR 9008.6(b) was used for any purposes other than the purposes...

Limits of Military Power for National Security.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melman, Seymour

1981-01-01

Reviews the post World War II nuclear-military arms race and claims that it is possible to define significant limits of military power for national security. Topics discussed include public opinion regarding the arms race, constraints on military power, conventional forces, checkmating conventional strategy, and the seriousness of nuclear false…

8 CFR 204.300 - Scope of this subpart.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Scope of this subpart. 204.300 Section 204.300 Aliens and Nationality DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS IMMIGRANT PETITIONS Intercountry Adoption of a Convention Adoptee § 204.300 Scope of this subpart. (a) Convention adoptees. This...

Unreasonable Expectations: The Dilemma for Pedagogues in Delivering Policy Objectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moloney, Mary

2010-01-01

Internationally, early childhood care and education policy is increasingly informed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (1989). In the Republic of Ireland, the importance of this convention was reflected in the National Children's Strategy (2000), espousing a "whole child perspective". This strategy served…

Impacts of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution on air quality in Europe.

PubMed

Bull, Keith; Johansson, Matti; Krzyzanowski, Michal

2008-01-01

The Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution has been one of the main ways of protecting the environment in Europe from air pollution. This convention has successfully bridged different political systems even through times of political change, and is a prime example of what can be achieved through intergovernmental cooperation. Through creating an effective framework for controlling and reducing the damage to human health and the environment from transboundary air pollution, this convention has proved successful. This article considers the development of the convention and its work on adverse air pollution effects, in particular on activities related to quantifying effects on human health as carried out by the convention's joint (with WHO) Task Force on the Health Effects of Air Pollution (Task Force on Health), and concludes with some indications of the convention's future priorities.

National Action Plan Vision for 2025: A Framework for Change

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The National Action Plan Vision establishes a goal of achieving all cost-effective energy efficiency by 2025 and presents 10 implementation goals as a framework for advancing its five key policy recommendations.

NHDPlusHR: A national geospatial framework for surface-water information

USGS Publications Warehouse

Viger, Roland; Rea, Alan H.; Simley, Jeffrey D.; Hanson, Karen M.

2016-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is developing a new geospatial hydrographic framework for the United States, called the National Hydrography Dataset Plus High Resolution (NHDPlusHR), that integrates a diversity of the best-available information, robustly supports ongoing dataset improvements, enables hydrographic generalization to derive alternate representations of the network while maintaining feature identity, and supports modern scientific computing and Internet accessibility needs. This framework is based on the High Resolution National Hydrography Dataset, the Watershed Boundaries Dataset, and elevation from the 3-D Elevation Program, and will provide an authoritative, high precision, and attribute-rich geospatial framework for surface-water information for the United States. Using this common geospatial framework will provide a consistent basis for indexing water information in the United States, eliminate redundancy, and harmonize access to, and exchange of water information.

First Nations, Metis and Inuit Education Policy Framework: Progress Report, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Education, 2008

2008-01-01

This progress report describes the work currently underway toward improving the success of First Nations, Metis and Inuit (FNMI) students in Alberta. It provides an update on the progress made since the release of the Framework in 2002 and the 2004 Progress Report up to December 31, 2007. Since the release of the Framework, a new Ministry of…

A Comparative Analysis of International Frameworks for 21st Century Competences: Implications for National Curriculum Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voogt, Joke; Roblin, Natalie Pareja

2012-01-01

National curricula need to change drastically to comply with the competences needed for the 21st century. In this paper eight frameworks describing 21st century competences were analysed. A comprehensive search for information about 21st century competences was conducted across the official websites of the selected frameworks, resulting in 32…

Assessing Advanced Airway Management Performance in a National Cohort of Emergency Medical Services Agencies.

PubMed

Wang, Henry E; Donnelly, John P; Barton, Dustin; Jarvis, Jeffrey L

2018-05-01

Although often the focus of quality improvement efforts, emergency medical services (EMS) advanced airway management performance has few national comparisons, nor are there many assessments with benchmarks accounting for differences in agency volume or patient mix. We seek to assess variations in advanced airway management and conventional intubation performance in a national cohort of EMS agencies. We used EMS data from ESO Solutions, a national EMS electronic health record system. We identified EMS emergency responses with attempted advanced airway management (conventional intubation, rapid sequence intubation, sedation-assisted intubation, supraglottic airway insertion, and cricothyroidotomy). We also separately examined cases with initial conventional intubation. We determined EMS agency risk-standardized advanced airway management and initial conventional intubation success rates by using mixed-effects regression models, fitting agency as a random intercept, adjusting for patient age, sex, race, cardiac arrest, or trauma status, and use of rapid sequence or sedation-assisted intubation, and accounting for reliability variations from EMS agency airway volume. We assessed changes in agency advanced airway management and initial conventional intubation performance rank after risk and reliability adjustment. We also identified high and low performers (reliability-adjusted and risk-standardized success confidence intervals falling outside the mean). During 2011 to 2015, 550 EMS agencies performed 57,209 advanced airway management procedures. Among 401 EMS agencies with greater than or equal to 10 advanced airway management procedures, there were a total of 56,636 procedures. Median reliability-adjusted and risk-standardized EMS agency advanced airway management success was 92.9% (interquartile range 90.1% to 94.8%; minimum 58.2%; maximum 99.0%). There were 56 advanced airway management low-performing and 38 high-performing EMS agencies. Among 342 agencies with greater than or equal to 10 initial conventional intubations, there were a total of 37,360 initial conventional intubations. Median reliability-adjusted and risk-standardized EMS agency initial conventional intubation success was 77.3% (interquartile range 70.9% to 83.6%; minimum 47.1%; maximum 95.8%). There were 64 initial conventional intubation low-performing and 45 high-performing EMS agencies. In this national series, EMS advanced airway management and initial conventional intubation performance varied widely. Reliability adjustment and risk standardization may influence EMS airway management performance assessments. Copyright © 2017 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Translating National Level Forest Service Goals to Local Level Land Management: Carbon Sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNulty, S.; Treasure, E.

2017-12-01

The USDA Forest Service has many national level policies related to multiple use management. However, translating national policy to stand level forest management can be difficult. As an example of how a national policy can be put into action, we examined three case studies in which a desired future condition is evaluated at the national, region and local scale. We chose to use carbon sequestration as the desired future condition because climate change has become a major area of concern during the last decade. Several studies have determined that the 193 million acres of US national forest land currently sequester 11% to 15% of the total carbon emitted as a nation. This paper provides a framework by which national scale strategies for maintaining or enhancing forest carbon sequestration is translated through regional considerations and local constraints in adaptive management practices. Although this framework used the carbon sequestration as a case study, this framework could be used with other national level priorities such as the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) or the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Clinical experiences with laser-welded titanium frameworks supported by implants in the edentulous mandible: a 10-year follow-up study.

PubMed

Ortorp, Anders; Jemt, Torsten

2006-01-01

Long-term follow-up studies for more than 5 years are not available on laser-welded titanium frameworks. To report and compare 10-year data on implant-supported prostheses in the edentulous mandible provided with laser-welded titanium frameworks and conventional gold alloy frameworks. Altogether, 155 patients were consecutively treated with prostheses at abutment level with two generations of fixed laser-welded titanium frameworks (test groups). A control group of 53 randomly selected patients with conventional gold alloy castings was used for comparison. Clinical and radiographic 10-year data were collected for the three groups. All patients followed-up for 10 years (n=112) still had fixed prostheses in the mandible (cumulative success rate [CSR] 100%). The overall 10-year cumulative success rate (CSR) was 92.8 and 100.0% for titanium and gold alloy frameworks, respectively. Ten-year implant cumulative survival rate (CSR) was 99.4 and 99.6% for the test and control groups, respectively. Average 10-year bone loss was 0.56 (SD 0.45) mm for the titanium group and 0.77 (SD 0.36) mm for the control group (p < 0.05). The most common complications for titanium frameworks were resin or veneer fractures, soft tissue inflammation, and fractures (12.9%) of the metal frame. Loose and fractured implant screw components were below 3%. Excellent overall long-term results with 100% CSR could be achieved with the present treatment modality. Fractures of the metal frames and remade prostheses were more common for the laser-welded titanium frameworks, and the first generation of titanium frameworks worked poorly when compared with gold alloy frameworks during 10 years (p < 0.05). However, on average more bone loss was observed for implants supporting gold alloy frameworks during 10 years. The reasons for this difference are not clear.

Cement replacement by sugar cane bagasse ash: CO2 emissions reduction and potential for carbon credits.

PubMed

Fairbairn, Eduardo M R; Americano, Branca B; Cordeiro, Guilherme C; Paula, Thiago P; Toledo Filho, Romildo D; Silvoso, Marcos M

2010-09-01

This paper presents a study of cement replacement by sugar cane bagasse ash (SCBA) in industrial scale aiming to reduce the CO(2) emissions into the atmosphere. SCBA is a by-product of the sugar/ethanol agro-industry abundantly available in some regions of the world and has cementitious properties indicating that it can be used together with cement. Recent comprehensive research developed at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro/Brazil has demonstrated that SCBA maintains, or even improves, the mechanical and durability properties of cement-based materials such as mortars and concretes. Brazil is the world's largest sugar cane producer and being a developing country can claim carbon credits. A simulation was carried out to estimate the potential of CO(2) emission reductions and the viability to issue certified emission reduction (CER) credits. The simulation was developed within the framework of the methodology established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The State of São Paulo (Brazil) was chosen for this case study because it concentrates about 60% of the national sugar cane and ash production together with an important concentration of cement factories. Since one of the key variables to estimate the CO(2) emissions is the average distance between sugar cane/ethanol factories and the cement plants, a genetic algorithm was developed to solve this optimization problem. The results indicated that SCBA blended cement reduces CO(2) emissions, which qualifies this product for CDM projects. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

8 CFR 204.311 - Convention adoption home study requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Convention adoption home study requirements... IMMIGRANT PETITIONS Intercountry Adoption of a Convention Adoptee § 204.311 Convention adoption home study requirements. (a) Purpose. For immigration purposes, a home study is a process for screening and preparing an...

8 CFR 204.311 - Convention adoption home study requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Convention adoption home study requirements... IMMIGRANT PETITIONS Intercountry Adoption of a Convention Adoptee § 204.311 Convention adoption home study requirements. (a) Purpose. For immigration purposes, a home study is a process for screening and preparing an...

8 CFR 204.311 - Convention adoption home study requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Convention adoption home study requirements... IMMIGRANT PETITIONS Intercountry Adoption of a Convention Adoptee § 204.311 Convention adoption home study requirements. (a) Purpose. For immigration purposes, a home study is a process for screening and preparing an...

Configurable analog-digital conversion using the neural engineering framework

PubMed Central

Mayr, Christian G.; Partzsch, Johannes; Noack, Marko; Schüffny, Rene

2014-01-01

Efficient Analog-Digital Converters (ADC) are one of the mainstays of mixed-signal integrated circuit design. Besides the conventional ADCs used in mainstream ICs, there have been various attempts in the past to utilize neuromorphic networks to accomplish an efficient crossing between analog and digital domains, i.e., to build neurally inspired ADCs. Generally, these have suffered from the same problems as conventional ADCs, that is they require high-precision, handcrafted analog circuits and are thus not technology portable. In this paper, we present an ADC based on the Neural Engineering Framework (NEF). It carries out a large fraction of the overall ADC process in the digital domain, i.e., it is easily portable across technologies. The analog-digital conversion takes full advantage of the high degree of parallelism inherent in neuromorphic networks, making for a very scalable ADC. In addition, it has a number of features not commonly found in conventional ADCs, such as a runtime reconfigurability of the ADC sampling rate, resolution and transfer characteristic. PMID:25100933

A phase space model of Fourier ptychographic microscopy

PubMed Central

Horstmeyer, Roarke; Yang, Changhuei

2014-01-01

A new computational imaging technique, termed Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM), uses a sequence of low-resolution images captured under varied illumination to iteratively converge upon a high-resolution complex sample estimate. Here, we propose a mathematical model of FPM that explicitly connects its operation to conventional ptychography, a common procedure applied to electron and X-ray diffractive imaging. Our mathematical framework demonstrates that under ideal illumination conditions, conventional ptychography and FPM both produce datasets that are mathematically linked by a linear transformation. We hope this finding encourages the future cross-pollination of ideas between two otherwise unconnected experimental imaging procedures. In addition, the coherence state of the illumination source used by each imaging platform is critical to successful operation, yet currently not well understood. We apply our mathematical framework to demonstrate that partial coherence uniquely alters both conventional ptychography’s and FPM’s captured data, but up to a certain threshold can still lead to accurate resolution-enhanced imaging through appropriate computational post-processing. We verify this theoretical finding through simulation and experiment. PMID:24514995

Law of the sea, the continental shelf, and marine research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hutchinson, Deborah R.; Rowland, Robert W.

2007-01-01

The question of the amount of seabed to which a coastal nation is entitled is addressed in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This treaty, ratified by 153 nations and in force since 1994, specifies national obligations, rights, and jurisdiction in the oceans, and it allows nations a continental shelf out to at least 200 nautical miles or to a maritime boundary. Article 76 (A76) of the convention enables coastal nations to establish their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles and therefore to control, among other things, access for scientific research and the use of seabed resources that would otherwise be considered to lie beyond national jurisdiction. To date, seven submissions for extended continental shelves (ECS) have been filed under UNCLOS (Table 1). These submissions have begun to define the ambiguities in A76. How these ambiguities are resolved into final ECS boundaries will probably set important precedents guiding the future delimitation of the ECS by the United States, which has not ratified the convention, and other coastal nations. This report uses examples from the first three submissions—by the Russian Federation, Brazil, and Australia—to identify outstanding issues encountered in applying A76 to ECS delimitation.

76 FR 68271 - To Modify the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-03

.... The USTR also asked the Commission to consider whether, in response to requests made by interested... the Convention and do not run counter to the national economic interest of the United States. I have... United States obligations under the Convention and do not run counter to the national economic interest...

77 FR 41688 - Security Zones; 2012 Republican National Convention, Captain of the Port St. Petersburg Zone...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-16

...-AA87 Security Zones; 2012 Republican National Convention, Captain of the Port St. Petersburg Zone... prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg or a designated representative. DATES... temporary final rule, call or email Marine Science Technician First Class Nolan L. Ammons, Sector St...

77 FR 19970 - Security Zones; 2012 Republican National Convention, Captain of the Port St. Petersburg Zone...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-03

...-AA87 Security Zones; 2012 Republican National Convention, Captain of the Port St. Petersburg Zone... Marine Science Technician First Class Nolan L. Ammons, Sector St. Petersburg Prevention Department, Coast... proposed rule would establish seven temporary security zones in the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg Zone...

Reconceptualising Childhood: Children's Rights and Youth Participation in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnny, Leanne

2006-01-01

Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child holds that young people have a right to participate in matters affecting them. While all members of the United Nations have ratified the Convention (with the exception of the United States and Somalia), there are numerous challenges associated with implementing the…

[National Art Education Association Convention Caucus Program Papers (Chicago, Illinois, April 1981).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Cathy, Ed.

1982-01-01

The "Bulletin of the Caucus on Social Theory and Art Education" is an annual publication, with each issue devoted to a unified theme. This issue features 12 papers from the National Art Education Association Convention Caucus: "Participant Observer as Critic" (Robin R. Alexander); "Why Art Education Lacks Social Relevance:…

Requiem for Liberalism: The Therapeutic and Deliberative Functions of Nostalgic Appeals in Edward Kennedy's Address to the 1980 Democratic National Convention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Depoe, Stephen P.

1990-01-01

Describes the emotion of nostalgia and the strategies and functions of nostalgic rhetorical appeals in order to analyze Edward Kennedy's major policy address during the 1980 Democratic national convention. Suggests that Kennedy used nostalgic appeals to serve therapeutic and deliberative functions. (KEH)

Techniques for Submitting Successful Proposals for SHAPE America National Conventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens-Smith, Deborah

2016-01-01

This article covers the basic components of the submission process before submitting a proposal for the SHAPE America national convention. The article discusses various techniques specific to the process, including the unique discipline areas. Other issues addressed include an understanding of the SHAPE America review process and how it works,…

When Rhetoric Meets Reality. Issues Confronting the National Framework for the Recognition of Training. A Paper Prepared for the Review of the ANTA Agreement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawke, Geof; McDonald, Rod

The National Framework for the Recognition of Training (NFROT) is one of the key structures underpinning training reform in Australia. NFROT's basic principles and fundamental purposes are supported by almost everyone involved with the framework, and there is strong evidence that NFROT has provided considerable benefits to providers and learners…

Visitor experience and resource protection framework in the National Park System: rationale, current status, and future direction

Treesearch

Marilyn Hof; David W. Lime

1997-01-01

The Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP) framework was developed by the National Park Service to address carrying capacity questions associated with visitation-related resource impacts and impacts to the quality of visitor experiences. The framework can be applied as part of a park’s general management planning process (general management plans, GMPs), to...

National Strategic Planning: Linking DIMEFIL/PMESII to a Theory of Victory

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

theoretical and one practical, and both are interlinked, The theoretical problem is the lack of a mental framework tying the desired end state...mental framework tying the desired end state (usually broadly stated) to the activities undertaken with the instruments of national power. This is a... FRAMEWORK TO DIMEFIL/PMESII ............ 39 CHAPTER 4. HOLY GRAIL OR WITCHES’ BREW? RECORDING REASONING IN SOFTWARE

The Australian Integrated Marine Observing System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proctor, R.; Meyers, G.; Roughan, M.; Operators, I.

2008-12-01

The Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is a 92M project established with 50M from the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) and co-investments from 10 operators including Universities and government agencies (see below). It is a nationally distributed set of equipment established and maintained at sea, oceanographic data and information services that collectively will contribute to meeting the needs of marine research in both open oceans and over the continental shelf around Australia. In particular, if sustained in the long term, it will permit identification and management of climate change in the marine environment, an area of research that is as yet almost a blank page, studies relevant to conservation of marine biodiversity and research on the role of the oceans in the climate system. While as an NCRIS project IMOS is intended to support research, the data streams are also useful for many societal, environmental and economic applications, such as management of offshore industries, safety at sea, management of marine ecosystems and fisheries and tourism. The infrastructure also contributes to Australia's commitments to international programs of ocean observing and international conventions, such as the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention that established the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Global Ocean Observing System and the intergovernmental coordinating activity Global Earth Observation System of Systems. IMOS is made up of nine national facilities that collect data, using different components of infrastructure and instruments, and two facilities that manage and provide access to data and enhanced data products, one for in situ data and a second for remotely sensed satellite data. The observing facilities include three for the open (bluewater) ocean (Argo Australia, Enhanced Ships of Opportunity and Southern Ocean Time Series), three facilities for coastal currents and water properties (Moorings, Ocean Gliders and HF Radar) and three for coastal ecosystems (Acoustic Tagging and Tracking, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle and a biophysical sensor network on the Great Barrier Reef). The value from this infrastructure investment lies in the coordinated deployment of a wide range of equipment aimed at deriving critical data sets that serve multiple applications. Additional information on IMOS is available at the website (http://www.imos.org.au). The IMOS Operators are Australian Institute of Marine Science, James Cook University, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Geoscience Australia, Bureau of Meteorology, South Australia Research and Development Institute, University of Western Australia, Curtin University of Technology, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Tasmania.

Framework legislation for non-communicable diseases: and for the Sustainable Development Goals?

PubMed Central

Magnusson, Roger S

2017-01-01

‘Framework legislation’ refers to legislation that sets out structures for governance and accountability or other processes for guiding the decisions and actions taken by government or the executive. Framework legislation for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) provides the opportunity for countries to focus their political commitment, to set national targets, and a time-frame for achieving them, and to create cross-sectoral governance structures for the development and implementation of innovative policies. Although they extend well beyond NCDs, the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) create similar demands for effective national governance. A similar case might, therefore, be made for framework legislation for the health-related SDGs or for legislation to govern particular aspects, such as managing commercial relationships with the private sector or managing conflicts of interest. This article considers the possible benefits of framework legislation, including what issues might be appropriate for inclusion in a framework law. The absence of framework legislation should neither be seen as an excuse for inaction, nor is framework legislation a substitute for detailed regulation of areas such as sanitation and water quality, tobacco and alcohol control, food safety, essential medicines or poisons. The ultimate test for framework legislation will be its capacity to provide a catalyst for action and to accelerate progress towards national and global health goals. PMID:29082017

75 FR 6681 - National Disaster Recovery Framework

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-10

... DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [Docket ID FEMA-2010-0004] National Disaster Recovery Framework AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments. SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination...

The rise of global health diplomacy: An interdisciplinary concept linking health and international relations.

PubMed

Chattu, Vijay Kumar

2017-01-01

Global health diplomacy (GHD) is relatively a very new field that has yet to be clearly defined and developed though there are various definitions given by different experts from foreign policy, global health, diplomacy, international relations, governance, and law. With the intensification of globalization and increasing gaps between countries, new and reemerging health threats such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome, Ebola, and Zika and a gradual rethinking on security concepts framed a new political context. The health problems addressed diplomatically have also become diverse ranging from neglected tropical diseases, infectious diseases, sale of unsafe, counterfeit drugs to brain drain crisis. We see that global health has become more diverse as the actors widened and also the interests appealing not only to the traditional humanitarian ideals associated with health but also to the principles grounded in national and global security. Recently, we are witnessing the increased priority given to the GHD because the issue of health is discussed by various actors outside the WHO to shape the global policy for health determinants. In fact, the area of health has become the part of UN Summit Diplomacy involving the G8, G20, BRICS, and the EU. The recent WHO Pandemic Influenza Framework, UN High Level Framework on Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control are some of the examples of long-term negotiation processes for agreements that took place.

Simulation and experimental studies of operators` decision styles and crew composition while using an ecological and traditional user interface for the control room of a nuclear power plant

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

Meshkati, N.; Buller, B.J.; Azadeh, M.A.

1995-04-01

The goal of this research is threefold: (1) use of the Skill-, Rule-, and Knowledge-based levels of cognitive control -- the SRK framework -- to develop an integrated information processing conceptual framework (for integration of workstation, job, and team design); (2) to evaluate the user interface component of this framework -- the Ecological display; and (3) to analyze the effect of operators` individual information processing behavior and decision styles on handling plant disturbances plus their performance on, and preference for, Traditional and Ecological user interfaces. A series of studies were conducted. In Part I, a computer simulation model and amore » mathematical model were developed. In Part II, an experiment was designed and conducted at the EBR-II plant of the Argonne National Laboratory-West in Idaho Falls, Idaho. It is concluded that: the integrated SRK-based information processing model for control room operations is superior to the conventional rule-based model; operators` individual decision styles and the combination of their styles play a significant role in effective handling of nuclear power plant disturbances; use of the Ecological interface results in significantly more accurate event diagnosis and recall of various plant parameters, faster response to plant transients, and higher ratings of subject preference; and operators` decision styles affect on both their performance and preference for the Ecological interface.« less

EU Water Framework Directive and Stockholm Convention: can we reach the targets for priority substances and persistent organic pollutants?

PubMed

Fuerhacker, Maria

2009-08-01

Water is a renewable resource and acceptable quality is important for human health, ecological and economic reasons, but human activity can cause great damage to the natural aquatic environment. Managing the water cycle in a sustainable way is the key to protect natural resources and human health. On a global level, the microbiological contamination of water sources is a major problem in connection with poverty and the United Nations Millennium Development Declaration is an important initiative to handle this problem. In terms of environmental health, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) circulate globally; as they travel long distances, they are found in remote areas far from their original source of application and can cause damage wherever they move to. On a global scale, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) issued the Stockholm Convention to reduce POPs; in the European Union (EU), one intention of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is to reach the good chemical status of waters; beside these regulations, there are other directives in support of these goals. The aim of this paper is to discuss whether the Stockholm Convention and the WFD allows meeting the targets of protection of human and environmental health, which are established in the different directives and how could we approach the targets. The aims and scopes of different directives are compiled and compared with the actual quality of water, different approaches of standard settings are compared and potential treatment options are discussed. Under the Stockholm Convention on POPs, which came into force in May 2004, governments are required to develop a National Implementation Plan (NIP) setting out how they will address their obligations under the convention and how they will take measures to eliminate or reduce the release of POPs into the environment by the use of best available techniques (BAT) and application of best environmental practices (BEP). On a European level, the WFD has been in place as the main European legislation to protect our water resources and the water environment of Europe since 2000. It requires managing river basins so that the quality and quantity of water does not affect the ecological services of any specific water body. Nevertheless, the goals of other directives as for drinking water, bathing water and urban wastewater treatment are not yet harmonised mainly concerning microbiological, priority substances and priority hazardous substances (PS/PHS) contamination. Following the detection of substances, a risk assessment with sound effect data needs to be performed also for regulatory decisions and priorisation of measures to remove emerging contaminants. Beside personal care products and industrial contaminants, faecal pollution of recreational waters is one of the major hazards facing users, although microbial contamination from other sources as well as chemical and physical aspects also affects the suitability of water for recreation. As in arid and semiarid areas, wastewater is considered for irrigation with regulatory needs of hygienic and chemical parameters-health-based targets-to avoid the contamination of crops and food. In surface waters, currently, the relationships between physical and chemical properties and the biological state of surface waters were quite well-understood to enable the management of catchments and rivers to achieve ecological quality. Nevertheless, more work is needed to find out the actual impact of the regulations for single chemicals and complex mixtures, in terms of environmental quality standards to achieve a 'good chemical status', on the good biological status. In a next step after the adoption of the list of PS/PHS substances, which also includes the POPs, the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD) needs to be adjusted and existing or new treatment options (BATs) should comply with the new requirements of the different directives. Relevant substances threaten human health and the environment by new effects such as CMR, endocrine-disrupting effects or neurotoxicity which are not yet considered in an adequate way by assessment methods and regulatory standards and the application of abatement technologies. The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals helps to control the sources, but WFD, the Stockholm Convention and UWWTD need to be harmonised and a rolling revision process should react on new developments. Finally, to answer the question if the Stockholm Convention and the WFD (2000/60/EC) could reach the target-I would state that they provide a very valuable frame to approach the targets, but there is still way to go to reach them on an EU level and on a global scale, also under the aspects of the Stockholm Convention and the Millennium Development Goals. The compilation of the goals of different regulations and combined actions will save a lot of administrative efforts and money.

Dark sides of the proposed Framework Convention on Global Health's many virtues: A systematic review and critical analysis.

PubMed

Hoffman, Steven J; Røttingen, John-Arne

2013-06-14

The costs of any proposal for new international law must be fully evaluated and compared with benefits and competing alternatives to ensure adoption will not create more problems than solutions. A systematic review of the research literature was conducted to categorize and assess limitations and unintended negative consequences associated with the proposed Framework Convention on Global Health (FCGH). A critical analysis then interpreted these findings using economic, ethical, legal, and political science perspectives. Of the 442 documents retrieved, nine met the inclusion criteria. Collectively, these documents highlighted that an FCGH could duplicate other efforts, lack feasibility, and have questionable impact. The critical analysis reveals that negative consequences can result from the FCGH's proposed form of international law and proposed functions of influencing national budgets, realizing health rights and resetting global governance for health. These include the direct costs of international law, opportunity costs, reducing political dialogue by legalizing political interactions, petrifying principles that may have only contemporary relevance, imposing foreign values on less powerful countries, forcing externally defined goals on countries, prioritizing individual rights over population-wide well-being, further complicating global governance for health, weakening the World Health Organization (WHO), reducing participation opportunities for non-state actors, and offering sub-optimal solutions for global health challenges. Four options for revising the FCGH proposal are developed to address its weaknesses and strengthen its potential for impact. These include: 1) abandoning international law as the primary commitment mechanism and instead pursuing agreement towards a less formal "framework for global health"; 2) seeking fundamental constitutional reform of WHO to address gaps in global governance for health; 3) mobilizing for a separate political platform that completely bypasses WHO; or 4) narrowing the scope of sought changes to one particular governance issue such as financing for global health needs. Copyright © 2013 Hoffman and Rottingen. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Crystal Symmetry Algorithms in a High-Throughput Framework for Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Richard

The high-throughput framework AFLOW that has been developed and used successfully over the last decade is improved to include fully-integrated software for crystallographic symmetry characterization. The standards used in the symmetry algorithms conform with the conventions and prescriptions given in the International Tables of Crystallography (ITC). A standard cell choice with standard origin is selected, and the space group, point group, Bravais lattice, crystal system, lattice system, and representative symmetry operations are determined. Following the conventions of the ITC, the Wyckoff sites are also determined and their labels and site symmetry are provided. The symmetry code makes no assumptions on the input cell orientation, origin, or reduction and has been integrated in the AFLOW high-throughput framework for materials discovery by adding to the existing code base and making use of existing classes and functions. The software is written in object-oriented C++ for flexibility and reuse. A performance analysis and examination of the algorithms scaling with cell size and symmetry is also reported.

Waterpipe product packaging and labelling at the 3rd international Hookah Fair; does it comply with Article 11 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control?

PubMed

Jawad, Mohammed; Darzi, Andrea; Lotfi, Tamara; Nakkash, Rima; Hawkins, Ben; Akl, Elie A

2017-08-01

We assessed compliance of waterpipe product packaging and labelling with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control's Article 11. We evaluated samples collected at a trade fair against ten domains: health warning location, size, use of pictorials, use of colour, and packaging information on constituents and emissions. We also evaluated waterpipe accessories (e.g., charcoal) for misleading claims. Ten of 15 tobacco products had health warnings on their principal display areas, covering a median of 22.4 per cent (interquartile range 19.4-27.4 per cent) of those areas. Three had pictorial, in-colour health warnings. We judged all packaging information on constituents and emissions to be misleading. Eight of 13 charcoal products displayed environmentally friendly descriptors and/or claims of reduced harm that we judged to be misleading. Increased compliance with waterpipe tobacco regulation is warranted. An improved policy framework for waterpipe tobacco should also consider regulation of accessories such as charcoal products.

[Reinforcement for overdentures on abutment teeth].

PubMed

Osada, Tomoko

2006-04-01

This study investigated the effect of the position of reinforcement wires, differences in artificial teeth, and framework designs on the breaking strength of overdentures. The basal surfaces of composite resin teeth and acrylic resin teeth were removed using a carbide bur. A reinforcement wire or a wrought palatal bar was embedded near the occlusal surface or basal surface. Four types of framework structures were designed : conventional skeleton (skeleton), housing with skeleton (housing), housing plus short metal backing (metal backing), and housing plus long metal backing (double structure). After the wires, bars, and frameworks were sand-blasted with 50 microm Al(2)O(3) powder, they were primed with a metal primer and embedded in a heat-polymerized denture base resin. The breaking strengths (N) and maximum stiffness (N/mm) of two-week aged (37 degrees C) specimens were measured using a bending test (n=8). All data obtained at a crosshead speed of 2.0 mm/min were analyzed by ANOVA/Tukey's test (alpha=0.01). There were no statistical differences between the two kinds of artificial teeth (p>0.01). The wrought palatal bar had significantly higher strength than the reinforcement wire (p<0.01). Greater strengths were found for specimens with frameworks than those without frameworks (p<0.01). The breaking strength of the wrought palatal bar embedded near the occlusal surface was higher than that on the basal surface (p>0.01). The breaking strength and maximum stiffness of the double structure framework were significantly greater (p<0.01) than those of the conventional frameworks. The breaking strengths of overdentures were influenced by the size and position of the reinforcement wires. Double structure frameworks are recommended for overdentures to promote a long-term prognosis without denture breakage.

Human Cognition and a Pile of Sand: A Discussion on Serial Correlations and Self-Organized Criticality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan; Farrell, Simon; Ratcliff, Roger

2005-01-01

Recently, G. C. Van Orden, J. G. Holden, and M. T. Turvey (2003) proposed to abandon the conventional framework of cognitive psychology in favor of the framework of nonlinear dynamical systems theory. Van Orden et al. presented evidence that "purposive behavior originates in self-organized criticality" (p. 333). Here, the authors show that Van…

Explicit optimization of plan quality measures in intensity-modulated radiation therapy treatment planning.

PubMed

Engberg, Lovisa; Forsgren, Anders; Eriksson, Kjell; Hårdemark, Björn

2017-06-01

To formulate convex planning objectives of treatment plan multicriteria optimization with explicit relationships to the dose-volume histogram (DVH) statistics used in plan quality evaluation. Conventional planning objectives are designed to minimize the violation of DVH statistics thresholds using penalty functions. Although successful in guiding the DVH curve towards these thresholds, conventional planning objectives offer limited control of the individual points on the DVH curve (doses-at-volume) used to evaluate plan quality. In this study, we abandon the usual penalty-function framework and propose planning objectives that more closely relate to DVH statistics. The proposed planning objectives are based on mean-tail-dose, resulting in convex optimization. We also demonstrate how to adapt a standard optimization method to the proposed formulation in order to obtain a substantial reduction in computational cost. We investigated the potential of the proposed planning objectives as tools for optimizing DVH statistics through juxtaposition with the conventional planning objectives on two patient cases. Sets of treatment plans with differently balanced planning objectives were generated using either the proposed or the conventional approach. Dominance in the sense of better distributed doses-at-volume was observed in plans optimized within the proposed framework. The initial computational study indicates that the DVH statistics are better optimized and more efficiently balanced using the proposed planning objectives than using the conventional approach. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Linking environment-productivity trade-offs and correlated uncertainties: Greenhouse gas emissions and crop productivity in paddy rice production systems.

PubMed

Hayashi, Kiyotada; Nagumo, Yoshifumi; Domoto, Akiko

2016-11-15

In comparative life cycle assessments of agricultural production systems, analyses of both the trade-offs between environmental impacts and crop productivity and of the uncertainties specific to agriculture such as fluctuations in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and crop yields are crucial. However, these two issues are usually analyzed separately. In this paper, we present a framework to link trade-off and uncertainty analyses; correlated uncertainties are integrated into environment-productivity trade-off analyses. We compared three rice production systems in Japan: a system using a pelletized, nitrogen-concentrated organic fertilizer made from poultry manure using closed-air composting techniques (high-N system), a system using a conventional organic fertilizer made from poultry manure using open-air composting techniques (low-N system), and a system using a chemical compound fertilizer (conventional system). We focused on two important sources of uncertainties in paddy rice cultivation-methane emissions from paddy fields and crop yields. We found trade-offs between the conventional and high-N systems and the low-N system and the existence of positively correlated uncertainties in the conventional and high-N systems. We concluded that our framework is effective in recommending the high-N system compared with the low-N system, although the performance of the former is almost the same as the conventional system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reframing Early Childhood Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stamopoulos, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Rapid changes in Australian education have intensified the role of early childhood leaders and led to unprecedented challenges. The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011), mandated Australian "National Quality Framework" (NQF) for Early Childhood Education & Care (DEEWR, 2010b) and the "National Early Years Learning Framework"…

National Multimodal Freight Analysis Framework Research Workshop: Workshop Summary Report, December 11, 2013.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-01-01

This report summarizes a 1-day workshop held to discuss national multimodal freight analysis framework (FAF) research. Participants discussed the state of the art, primary gaps in current capabilities, and strategies for addressing these gaps, partic...

The global governance of human cloning: the case of UNESCO.

PubMed

Langlois, Adèle

2017-03-21

Since Dolly the Sheep was cloned in 1996, the question of whether human reproductive cloning should be banned or pursued has been the subject of international debate. Feelings run strong on both sides. In 2005, the United Nations adopted its Declaration on Human Cloning to try to deal with the issue. The declaration is ambiguously worded, prohibiting "all forms of human cloning inasmuch as they are incompatible with human dignity and the protection of human life". It received only ambivalent support from UN member states. Given this unsatisfactory outcome, in 2008 UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) set up a Working Group to investigate the possibility of a legally binding convention to ban human reproductive cloning. The Working Group was made up of members of the International Bioethics Committee, established in 1993 as part of UNESCO's Bioethics Programme. It found that the lack of clarity in international law is unhelpful for those states yet to formulate national regulations or policies on human cloning. Despite this, member states of UNESCO resisted the idea of a convention for several years. This changed in 2015, but there has been no practical progress on the issue. Drawing on official records and first-hand observations at bioethics meetings, this article examines the human cloning debate at UNESCO from 2008 onwards, thus building on and advancing current scholarship by applying recent ideas on global governance to an empirical case. It concludes that, although human reproductive cloning is a challenging subject, establishing a robust global governance framework in this area may be possible via an alternative deliberative format, based on knowledge sharing and feasibility testing rather than the interest-based bargaining that is common to intergovernmental organizations and involving a wide range of stakeholders. This article is published as part of a collection on global governance.

The global governance of human cloning: the case of UNESCO

PubMed Central

Langlois, Adèle

2017-01-01

Since Dolly the Sheep was cloned in 1996, the question of whether human reproductive cloning should be banned or pursued has been the subject of international debate. Feelings run strong on both sides. In 2005, the United Nations adopted its Declaration on Human Cloning to try to deal with the issue. The declaration is ambiguously worded, prohibiting “all forms of human cloning inasmuch as they are incompatible with human dignity and the protection of human life”. It received only ambivalent support from UN member states. Given this unsatisfactory outcome, in 2008 UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) set up a Working Group to investigate the possibility of a legally binding convention to ban human reproductive cloning. The Working Group was made up of members of the International Bioethics Committee, established in 1993 as part of UNESCO’s Bioethics Programme. It found that the lack of clarity in international law is unhelpful for those states yet to formulate national regulations or policies on human cloning. Despite this, member states of UNESCO resisted the idea of a convention for several years. This changed in 2015, but there has been no practical progress on the issue. Drawing on official records and first-hand observations at bioethics meetings, this article examines the human cloning debate at UNESCO from 2008 onwards, thus building on and advancing current scholarship by applying recent ideas on global governance to an empirical case. It concludes that, although human reproductive cloning is a challenging subject, establishing a robust global governance framework in this area may be possible via an alternative deliberative format, based on knowledge sharing and feasibility testing rather than the interest-based bargaining that is common to intergovernmental organizations and involving a wide range of stakeholders. This article is published as part of a collection on global governance. PMID:28382210

The National Response Plan and the Problems in the Evaluation and Assessment of the Unconventional Modes of Terrorism

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

LeMone, David V.; Gibbs, Shawn G.; Winston, John W. Jr.

In the wake of the events of 9/11, a presidential mandate ordered the development of a master plan to enable governmental agencies to not only seamlessly cooperate but also rapidly react to disasters. The National Response Plan (NRP) is the document in force (December 2004). It was developed to provide a framework for response to catastrophic events whether those events are natural or man-made. Homeland Security, the coordinating entity, is an integral and critical part of that plan. The NRP is a direct outgrowth of the Initial National Response Plan and operates in tandem with the National Incident Management Systemmore » (NIMS). NIMS was the first real attempt to amalgamate the capabilities and resources of some 22 governmental entities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector. The effectiveness of this system's response to natural disasters has been tested with reference to its performance during the 2005 late summer-early fall series of catastrophic hurricanes (Katrina, Rita, and Wilma). Ongoing evaluation of the response by the system indicates that there are significant lessons to be learned from system errors that occurred from the federal to local levels of government. Nevertheless, the conclusion would seem to be that Homeland Security's organizational structure of NIMS combined with protocols developed in the NRP represents an excellent response to both natural and man-made catastrophes. The lessons learned in these natural occurrences (chain of command failures and missteps from first responders to national level, periodic inaccurate and irresponsible news reporting, evacuation capabilities, quarantine problems, etc.) are directly applicable to potential man-made disaster events. In the yet largely untested areas of man-made disasters, the NRP document forms the basis for responding to terrorism as well as accidental man-made related incidents. There are two major categories of terrorism: conventional and unconventional. Conventional terrorism would include such acts as: assassination, kidnapping, hostage taking, non-nuclear explosive devices, etc. The two NRP categories of catastrophic events and oil and hazardous materials contain sections considered to be in the area of conventional terrorism. Of potentially greater immediate concern are the four major modes of unconventional terrorism that are recognized: cyber-, biological (including agro-), chemical, and nuclear. The problem is to arrive at a mutually agreed upon order of importance of both conventional and unconventional terrorism categories. Consequent ranking of these modes enables the prioritization of those areas in which our limited national human and financial resources are to be expended and allocated (funding of research and development, commitment and selection of personnel, costs distribution, operational time-frame, information distribution level, etc.). Ranking of the terror modes will at best be difficult because of a lack of understanding of the potential impacts of each mode as well as the inherent vested bureaucratic and non-bureaucratic interests and biases. All cases of radiation-related incidents may be considered to be manmade with a potentially significant majority of those incidents assigned to a terrorism origin. Man-made accidental occurrences would be handled with a similar NRP response as would be expected in the case of a terrorist event. Radiation-related devices include the RDDs (Radioactive Dispersal Devices) and nuclear fission and fusion weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Pragmatically, the most likely scenario to develop would involve RDD utilization. This conclusion would seem to be reasonable in view of the current apparent capabilities and sophistication required to construct, transport, and deliver a nuclear WMD. (authors)« less

[Human rights, maternal mortality and reproductive health].

PubMed

Cook, R J

1993-06-01

This work examines reproductive health within the framework of human rights assured by various international conventions, and analyzes the high maternal mortality rates of developing countries as a violation of several guaranteed rights. The 1st of 3 main sections of the report discusses the failure of governments to make protection of women's reproductive health a priority. Historically, women's principal role has been to bear children, and no recognition was given to the cost in health of accomplishing this duty. Women's reproductive health has created controversies in many traditional juridical systems because of its relation to human sexuality and morals. WHO has estimated that some 500,000 maternal deaths occur each year, with 25-50% resulting from unsafe abortions. The causes of maternal mortality often have their roots in the poor nutrition or inadequate health care provided to the woman long before the 1st pregnancy. Early and frequent pregnancies and heavy physical labor are among the many factors that contribute to maternal death. Laws to protect women's health may be lacking or may not be applied. For example, many countries have no legal minimum age for marriage. To combat the traditional negligence, a new viewpoint is emerging which views women's reproductive health as a condition in which childbearing occurs in a state of physical, mental, and social wellbeing. It implies that women have the capacity to reproduce, regulate their fertility, and enjoy sexual relations. Laws that deny access to reproductive health services or place obstacles or conditions in the way are coming under question as violations of basic human rights of women protected by international conventions. The main such convention discussed in this article is the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, although several other conventions are relevant to protecting women's reproductive health. If international law on human rights is to become truly universal, it is necessary to require that nations take preventive and curative measures to protect women's reproductive health and provide women with the capacity for reproductive self-determination. International human rights treaties require that national and international laws guarantee the rights of women to be free from discrimination; enjoy the rights to marriage and formation of a family; rights to private and family life; rights to information and education; and access to medical attention and to the benefits of scientific progress. The 2nd major section of this work discusses interpretations of these treaties using empirical evidence and feminist juridical principles. The 3rd section discusses international protection of women's reproductive rights, including the reporting system and specific categories of clearly differentiable rights.

Who's Afraid Now? Reconstructing Canadian Citizenship Education through Transdisciplinarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Richard C.

2010-01-01

Viewed through the lenses of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), this article critically evaluates the growing controversy surrounding the teaching of human rights in Canada. In line with critiques and with previous empirical studies on the implementation of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child…

Rights of the Child in South Africa: Violence against Girls in South Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benninger-Budel, Carin

This report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child contains observations of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) concerning the application of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child by the nation of South Africa. Noting that the Convention is the only "mainstream" human rights instrument that…

Welcome to Team PTA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wharton, Krista

2012-01-01

Local PTAs may see their state PTA and National PTA as just a group to which they have to pay membership dues without getting anything in return. They may not see the state PTA as a resource. Perhaps they are not attending their state convention or the National PTA convention because they do not perceive any value. The author has learned from…

"What's New in Camping Research?" Abstracts. 1982 American Camping Association National Convention (New York City, NY, March 1-6, 1982).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Karla A., Comp.; Bialeschki, M. Deborah, Comp.

Abstracts are presented of twelve presentations made at the March 1982 National Convention of the American Camping Association: (1) the operations and environment of a summer residential camp serving individuals with disabilities, and the relationships among staff members' perceptions of the organizational climate, acceptance of self, acceptance…

Traditional/alternative medicines and the right to health: Key elements for a convention on global health.

PubMed

Mpinga, Emmanuel Kabengele; Kandolo, Tshimungu; Verloo, Henk; Bukonda, Ngoyi K Zacharie; Kandala, Ngianga-Bakwin; Chastonay, Philippe

2013-06-14

Little has been done to investigate and promote the importance of non-conventional medicines (NCMs) in the realization of the right to health, yet all over the world people regularly resort to NCMs to secure healing or to prevent or mitigate the occurrence of a wide range of morbidities. This study aims to elucidate the theoretical framework of the role of NCMs in realizing the right to health, to identify the potential manifestations and causes of violations of the right to health in their practice, and to propose the practice of NCMs that could be included in a Framework Convention on Global Health. We use both the documentary analysis and the violation of rights approaches. Through a non-directive review of the literature, we have tried to clarify the concepts and uniqueness of NCMs. We have also tried to unveil the challenges facing NCMs in a context where conventional medicines assume extensive power. The human rights approach has enabled us to bring to light the potential challenges to the rights of the various stakeholders that NCMs create. We argue that NCMs can contribute to realizing the right to health through their availability, accessibility, acceptability, and relative quality. The Framework Convention on Global Health could contribute to the effective realization of this right by integrating basic principles to ensure the recognition, protection, promotion, and conservation of NCMs-at least of those NCMs that have shown evidence of efficacy-as well as catalyzing increased international cooperation in this area. Copyright © 2013 Mpinga, Kandolo, Verloo, Bukonda, Kandala, Chastonay. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Child development in developing countries: child rights and policy implications.

PubMed

Britto, Pia Rebello; Ulkuer, Nurper

2012-01-01

The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey was used to provide information on feeding practices, caregiving, discipline and violence, and the home environment for young children across 28 countries. The findings from the series of studies in this Special Section are the first of their kind because they provide information on the most proximal context for development of the youngest children in the majority world using one of the only data sets to study these contexts across countries. Using the framework of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in particular the Rights to Survival, Development and Protection, findings are explained with implications for international and national-level social policies. Implications are also discussed, with respect to policy makers and the larger international community, who have the obligation to uphold these rights. © 2012 The Authors. Child Development © 2012 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Linking Regional Satellite Observations with Coupled Human-Ecological Systems in Global Drylands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchinson, C.; Reynolds, J. F.

2009-12-01

The African Sahel has attracted consistent attention since a series of droughts in the 1970s and 1980s caused widespread famine and land degradation (desertification). These events spawned international conventions and sustained development efforts to increase food security and reverse poverty for the local populations, and to arrest environmental degradation. Since 1985, several studies using satellite data have described a general “greening” in response to increased rainfall trends. However, some areas show more greening while others less greening than can be explained by precipitation alone (Glob. Env. Change 15- 2005). The debated question is how to explain the residual changes: management, policy, human adaptation, or something else? Placing results in an human-ecological framework could help answer this question. Providing a meaningful assessment will allow national and international agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative approaches to poverty alleviation and environmental restoration in drylands at regional and global scales.

The global tobacco disease pandemic: nature, causes, and cures.

PubMed

Warner, K E; Mackay, J

2006-01-01

Tobacco use kills 5 million citizens globally every year. The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that the number of deaths will double just 15 years from now. Tobacco will then constitute the leading cause of death in the developing world, as it already is in developed countries today. This paper describes the nature and extent of the tobacco pandemic, characteristics of the global tobacco industry, and national and international efforts to diminish the toll of tobacco. The review includes examination of the economic and political strategies employed by the multinational tobacco industry to increase cigarette consumption, as well as the policies that governments have adopted to combat smoking. The most promising development is the new Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, WHO's first-ever international health treaty. While aggressive tobacco control policies can and will diminish the toll of tobacco, the prospects for the foreseeable future appear grim.

Changes in tropical cyclones under stabilized 1.5 and 2.0°C global warming scenarios as simulated by the Community Atmospheric Model under the HAPPI protocols

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

Wehner, Michael F.; Reed, Kevin A.; Loring, Burlen

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) invited the scientific community to explore the impacts of a world in which anthropogenic global warming is stabilized at only 1.5°C above preindustrial average temperatures. In this paper, we present a projection of future tropical cyclone statistics for both 1.5 and 2.0°C stabilized warming scenarios with direct numerical simulation using a high-resolution global climate model. As in similar projections at higher warming levels, we find that even at these low warming levels the most intense tropical cyclones become more frequent and more intense, while simultaneously the frequency of weaker tropical stormsmore » is decreased. We also conclude that in the 1.5°C stabilization, the effect of aerosol forcing changes complicates the interpretation of greenhouse gas forcing changes.« less

Women and tobacco: moving from policy to action.

PubMed Central

Ernster, V.; Kaufman, N.; Nichter, M.; Samet, J.; Yoon, S. Y.

2000-01-01

A gender perspective contributes to a better understanding of the epidemiological trends, social marketing strategies, economic policies, and international actions relating to women and the tobacco epidemic. Evidence is provided in this article for the negative impact of tobacco use by women and of passive smoking on the health of women and children. Use of tobacco by women is increasing and this is related to the tobacco industry's aggressive advertising, sponsorship and promotion strategies. Policy directions are proposed in this article. At all levels, a multi-pronged strategy--including changes in legislation and fiscal policies, improvements in gender-sensitive health services, and cessation programmes--should be considered. Much more gender-specific research on tobacco use is needed, particularly in developing countries. Women's empowerment and leadership should be at the centre of all tobacco control efforts and are essential for the success of national programmes and the recently introduced Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. PMID:10994262

Mitigation options for the industrial sector in Egypt

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

Gelil, I.A.; El-Touny, S.; Korkor, H.

1996-12-31

Though its contribution to the global Greenhouse gases emission is relatively small, Egypt has signed and ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC) and has been playing an active role in the international efforts to deal with such environmental challenges. Energy efficiency has been one of the main strategies that Egypt has adopted to improve environmental quality and enhance economic competitiveness. This paper highlights three initiatives currently underway to improve energy efficiency of the Egyptian industry. The first is a project that has been recently completed by OECP to assess potential GHG mitigation options available inmore » Egypt`s oil refineries. The second initiative is an assessment of GHG mitigation potential in the Small and Medium size Enterprises (SME) in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. The third one focuses on identifying demand side management options in some industrial electricity consumers in the same city.« less

Changes in tropical cyclones under stabilized 1.5 and 2.0 °C global warming scenarios as simulated by the Community Atmospheric Model under the HAPPI protocols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wehner, Michael F.; Reed, Kevin A.; Loring, Burlen; Stone, Dáithí; Krishnan, Harinarayan

2018-02-01

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) invited the scientific community to explore the impacts of a world in which anthropogenic global warming is stabilized at only 1.5 °C above preindustrial average temperatures. We present a projection of future tropical cyclone statistics for both 1.5 and 2.0 °C stabilized warming scenarios with direct numerical simulation using a high-resolution global climate model. As in similar projections at higher warming levels, we find that even at these low warming levels the most intense tropical cyclones become more frequent and more intense, while simultaneously the frequency of weaker tropical storms is decreased. We also conclude that in the 1.5 °C stabilization, the effect of aerosol forcing changes complicates the interpretation of greenhouse gas forcing changes.

Climate change: The 2015 Paris Agreement thresholds and Mediterranean basin ecosystems.

PubMed

Guiot, Joel; Cramer, Wolfgang

2016-10-28

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Paris Agreement of December 2015 aims to maintain the global average warming well below 2°C above the preindustrial level. In the Mediterranean basin, recent pollen-based reconstructions of climate and ecosystem variability over the past 10,000 years provide insights regarding the implications of warming thresholds for biodiversity and land-use potential. We compare scenarios of climate-driven future change in land ecosystems with reconstructed ecosystem dynamics during the past 10,000 years. Only a 1.5°C warming scenario permits ecosystems to remain within the Holocene variability. At or above 2°C of warming, climatic change will generate Mediterranean land ecosystem changes that are unmatched in the Holocene, a period characterized by recurring precipitation deficits rather than temperature anomalies. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Bringing ‘Light, Life and Happiness’:1 British American Tobacco and musicsponsorship in sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

PATEL, PREETI; OKECHUKWU, CASSANDRA A; COLLIN, JEFF; HUGHES, BELINDA

2010-01-01

This article aims to provide a review of music sponsorship to market cigarettes in sub-Saharan Africa. Using analysis of previously secret corporate documents from British American Tobacco (BAT) and focusing on two separate case studies of sponsorship in Africa, Nigeria and South Africa, the paper illustrates how tobacco companies have sought to undermine health legislation from 1990 to 2001. Both case studies suggest that music is an important marketing tool in Africa because it can effectively target young consumers; has a universal appeal; transcends barriers to communication imposed by limited literacy and language barriers; has a long-term appeal and can be successful in undermining tobacco control measures. The case studies highlight the limitations of national regulatory efforts and reinforce the significance of the implementation of the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Africa, a critical region for the convention’s success. PMID:25737602

Methane Ebullition in Temperate Hydropower Reservoirs and Implications for US Policy on Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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

Miller, Benjamin L.; Arntzen, Evan V.; Goldman, Amy E.

The United States is home to more than 87,000 dams, 2,198 of which are actively used for hydropower production. With the December 2015 consensus adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Paris Agreement, it is imperative for the U.S. to accurately quantify greenhouse gas fluxes from its hydropower reservoirs. Methane ebullition, or methane bubbles originating from river or lake sediments, can account for nearly all of a reservoir’s methane emissions to the atmosphere. However, methane ebullition in hydropower reservoirs has been studied in only three temperate locations, none of which are in the United States. This studymore » measures high ebullitive methane fluxes from two hydropower reservoirs in eastern Washington, synthesizes the known information about methane ebullition from tropical, boreal, and temperate hydropower reservoirs, and investigates the implications for U.S. hydropower management and growth.« less

Women and tobacco: moving from policy to action.

PubMed

Ernster, V; Kaufman, N; Nichter, M; Samet, J; Yoon, S Y

2000-01-01

A gender perspective contributes to a better understanding of the epidemiological trends, social marketing strategies, economic policies, and international actions relating to women and the tobacco epidemic. Evidence is provided in this article for the negative impact of tobacco use by women and of passive smoking on the health of women and children. Use of tobacco by women is increasing and this is related to the tobacco industry's aggressive advertising, sponsorship and promotion strategies. Policy directions are proposed in this article. At all levels, a multi-pronged strategy--including changes in legislation and fiscal policies, improvements in gender-sensitive health services, and cessation programmes--should be considered. Much more gender-specific research on tobacco use is needed, particularly in developing countries. Women's empowerment and leadership should be at the centre of all tobacco control efforts and are essential for the success of national programmes and the recently introduced Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Waste management CDM projects barriers NVivo 10® qualitative dataset.

PubMed

Bufoni, André Luiz; de Sousa Ferreira, Aracéli Cristina; Oliveira, Luciano Basto

2017-12-01

This article contains one NVivo 10® file with the complete 432 projects design documents (PDD) of seven waste management sector industries registered as Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Kyoto Protocol Initiative from 2004 to 2014. All data analyses and sample statistics made during the research remain in the file. We coded PDDs in 890 fragments of text, classified in five categories of barriers (nodes): technological, financial, human resources, regulatory, socio-political. The data supports the findings of author thesis [1] and other two indexed publication in Waste Management Journal: "The financial attractiveness assessment of large waste management projects registered as clean development mechanism" and "The declared barriers of the large developing countries waste management projects: The STAR model" [2], [3]. The data allows any computer assisted qualitative content analysis (CAQCA) on the sector and it is available at Mendeley [4].

The impact of tobacco advertising bans on consumption in developing countries.

PubMed

Blecher, Evan

2008-07-01

Tobacco advertising bans have become commonplace in developed nations but are less prevalent in developing countries. The importance of advertising bans as part of comprehensive tobacco control strategies has been emphasised by the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which calls for comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising. The empirical literature suggests that comprehensive advertising bans have played a role in reducing consumption in developed countries but that limited policies have not. This paper extends this analysis to include 30 developing countries and finds that bans do play an important role in reducing tobacco consumption in these countries. It finds that both comprehensive as well as limited policies are effective in reducing consumption although comprehensive bans have a far greater impact than limited ones. Furthermore, it finds that advertising bans may be even more effective in the developing world than they are in the developed world.

Changes in tropical cyclones under stabilized 1.5 and 2.0°C global warming scenarios as simulated by the Community Atmospheric Model under the HAPPI protocols

DOE PAGES

Wehner, Michael F.; Reed, Kevin A.; Loring, Burlen; ...

2018-02-28

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) invited the scientific community to explore the impacts of a world in which anthropogenic global warming is stabilized at only 1.5°C above preindustrial average temperatures. In this paper, we present a projection of future tropical cyclone statistics for both 1.5 and 2.0°C stabilized warming scenarios with direct numerical simulation using a high-resolution global climate model. As in similar projections at higher warming levels, we find that even at these low warming levels the most intense tropical cyclones become more frequent and more intense, while simultaneously the frequency of weaker tropical stormsmore » is decreased. We also conclude that in the 1.5°C stabilization, the effect of aerosol forcing changes complicates the interpretation of greenhouse gas forcing changes.« less

The National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association Research Framework for Alzheimer's disease: Perspectives from the Research Roundtable.

PubMed

Knopman, David S; Haeberlein, Samantha Budd; Carrillo, Maria C; Hendrix, James A; Kerchner, Geoff; Margolin, Richard; Maruff, Paul; Miller, David S; Tong, Gary; Tome, Maria B; Murray, Melissa E; Nelson, Peter T; Sano, Mary; Mattsson, Niklas; Sultzer, David L; Montine, Thomas J; Jack, Clifford R; Kolb, Hartmuth; Petersen, Ronald C; Vemuri, Prashanthi; Canniere, Megan Zoschg; Schneider, Julie A; Resnick, Susan M; Romano, Gary; van Harten, Argonde Corien; Wolk, David A; Bain, Lisa J; Siemers, Eric

2018-04-01

The Alzheimer's Association's Research Roundtable met in November 2017 to explore the new National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association Research Framework for Alzheimer's disease. The meeting allowed experts in the field from academia, industry, and government to provide perspectives on the new National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association Research Framework. This review will summarize the "A, T, N System" (Amyloid, Tau, and Neurodegeneration) using biomarkers and how this may be applied to clinical research and drug development. In addition, challenges and barriers to the potential adoption of this new framework will be discussed. Finally, future directions for research will be proposed. Copyright © 2018 the Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

General flat four-dimensional world pictures and clock systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, J. P.; Underwood, J. A.

1978-01-01

We explore the mathematical structure and the physical implications of a general four-dimensional symmetry framework which is consistent with the Poincare-Einstein principle of relativity for physical laws and with experiments. In particular, we discuss a four-dimensional framework in which all observers in different frames use one and the same grid of clocks. The general framework includes special relativity and a recently proposed new four-dimensional symmetry with a nonuniversal light speed as two special simple cases. The connection between the properties of light propagation and the convention concerning clock systems is also discussed, and is seen to be nonunique within the four-dimensional framework.

Creating an agricultural world order: regional plant protection problems and international phytopathology, 1878-1939.

PubMed

Castonguay, Stéphane

2010-01-01

Beginning in 1878 with the International Phylloxera Convention of Berne, international conventions have sought to relieve national agricultural industries from two specific burdens. First, by defining phytosanitary practices to be enforced by national plant protection services, these conventions attempted to prevent the introduction of plant diseases and pests into national territories from which they were previously absent. Second, by standardizing these practices - especially through the design of a unique certificate of inspection - the conventions attempted to eliminate barriers such as quarantines affection international agricultural trade. The succession of phytopathological conventions seemed to epitomize the coalescence of an international community against agricultural pests. What actually coalesced was bio-geopolitics wherein plant pathologists and economic entomologists from North America and the British Empire questioned the so-called internationality of the environmental and economic specificities of continental European agriculture, embodied in "international" conventions. Although an international phenomenon, the dissemination of agricultural pests provided opportunities for cooperation on a strictly regional albeit transnational basis that pitted bio-geopolitical spaces against each other. This article retraces the formation of these spaces by analyzing the deliberations of committees and congresses that gathered to define an international agricultural order based on the means to prevent the spread of plant diseases and pests.

An Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework for Australia

PubMed Central

Jackson, Shane; Martin, Grant; Bergin, Jennifer; Clark, Bronwyn; Stupans, Ieva; Yeates, Gilbert; Nissen, Lisa; Marty, Stephen; Gysslink, Paul; Matthews, Andrew; Kirsa, Sue; Deans, Kerry; Sorimachi, Kay

2015-01-01

The need to develop An Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework for Australia (the “APPF”) was identified during the 2010 review of the competency standards for Australian pharmacists. The Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework Steering Committee, a collaborative profession-wide committee comprised of representatives of ten pharmacy organisations, examined and adapted existing advanced practice frameworks, all of which were found to have been based on the Competency Development and Evaluation Group (CoDEG) Advanced and Consultant Level Framework (the “CoDEG Framework”) from the United Kingdom. Its competency standards were also found to align well with the Domains of the National Competency Standards Framework for Pharmacists in Australia (the “National Framework”). Adaptation of the CoDEG Framework created an APPF that is complementary to the National Framework, sufficiently flexible to customise for recognising advanced practice in any area of professional practice and has been approved by the boards/councils of all participating organisations. The primary purpose of the APPF is to assist the development of the profession to meet the changing health care needs of the community. However, it is also a valuable tool for assuring members of the public of the competence of an advanced practice pharmacist and the quality and safety of the services they deliver. PMID:28975900

Adapting public policy theory for public health research: A framework to understand the development of national policies on global health.

PubMed

Jones, Catherine M; Clavier, Carole; Potvin, Louise

2017-03-01

National policies on global health appear as one way that actors from health, development and foreign affairs sectors in a country coordinate state action on global health. Next to a burgeoning literature in which international relations and global governance theories are employed to understand global health policy and global health diplomacy at the international level, little is known about policy processes for global health at the national scale. We propose a framework of the policy process to understand how such policies are developed, and we identify challenges for public health researchers integrating conceptual tools from political science. We developed the framework using a two-step process: 1) reviewing literature to establish criteria for selecting a theoretical framework fit for this purpose, and 2) adapting Real-Dato's synthesis framework to integrate a cognitive approach to public policy within a constructivist perspective. Our framework identifies multiple contexts as part of the policy process, focuses on situations where actors work together to make national policy on global health, considers these interactive situations as spaces for observing external influences on policy change and proposes policy design as the output of the process. We suggest that this framework makes three contributions to the conceptualisation of national policy on global health as a research object. First, it emphasizes collective action over decisions of individual policy actors. Second, it conceptualises the policy process as organised interactive spaces for collaboration rather than as stages of a policy cycle. Third, national decision-making spaces are opportunities for transferring ideas and knowledge from different sectors and settings, and represent opportunities to identify international influences on a country's global health policy. We discuss two sets of challenges for public health researchers using interdisciplinary approaches in policy research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

East Meet West? U.S. and China: Strategies for Global Leadership

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

construct to serve as a broader framework for this research project to describe instruments of national power in a constantly changing, resource...construct to serve as a broader framework for this research project to describe instruments of national power in a constantly changing, resource...for this research project to describe instruments of national power in a constantly changing, resource-constrained, geopolitical environment. This

Can Children and Young People "Learn from" Atheism for Spiritual Development? A Response to the National Framework for Religious Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Jacqueline

2008-01-01

The new National Framework for Religious Education (RE) suggests, for the first time in national advice on agreed syllabuses, that atheism can be included in the curriculum alongside world religions. This article counters objections to the inclusion of atheism in RE and argues that children and young people can learn from atheistic beliefs and…

An international comparison of legal frameworks for supported and substitute decision-making in mental health services.

PubMed

Davidson, Gavin; Brophy, Lisa; Campbell, Jim; Farrell, Susan J; Gooding, Piers; O'Brien, Ann-Marie

2016-01-01

There have been important recent developments in law, research, policy and practice relating to supporting people with decision-making impairments, in particular when a person's wishes and preferences are unclear or inaccessible. A driver in this respect is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD); the implications of the CRPD for policy and professional practices are currently debated. This article reviews and compares four legal frameworks for supported and substitute decision-making for people whose decision-making ability is impaired. In particular, it explores how these frameworks may apply to people with mental health problems. The four jurisdictions are: Ontario, Canada; Victoria, Australia; England and Wales, United Kingdom (UK); and Northern Ireland, UK. Comparisons and contrasts are made in the key areas of: the legal framework for supported and substitute decision-making; the criteria for intervention; the assessment process; the safeguards; and issues in practice. Thus Ontario has developed a relatively comprehensive, progressive and influential legal framework over the past 30 years but there remain concerns about the standardisation of decision-making ability assessments and how the laws work together. In Australia, the Victorian Law Reform Commission (2012) has recommended that the six different types of substitute decision-making under the three laws in that jurisdiction, need to be simplified, and integrated into a spectrum that includes supported decision-making. In England and Wales the Mental Capacity Act 2005 has a complex interface with mental health law. In Northern Ireland it is proposed to introduce a new Mental Capacity (Health, Welfare and Finance) Bill that will provide a unified structure for all substitute decision-making. The discussion will consider the key strengths and limitations of the approaches in each jurisdiction and identify possible ways that further progress can be made in law, policy and practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic time warping-based averaging framework for functional near-infrared spectroscopy brain imaging studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Li; Najafizadeh, Laleh

2017-06-01

We investigate the problem related to the averaging procedure in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) brain imaging studies. Typically, to reduce noise and to empower the signal strength associated with task-induced activities, recorded signals (e.g., in response to repeated stimuli or from a group of individuals) are averaged through a point-by-point conventional averaging technique. However, due to the existence of variable latencies in recorded activities, the use of the conventional averaging technique can lead to inaccuracies and loss of information in the averaged signal, which may result in inaccurate conclusions about the functionality of the brain. To improve the averaging accuracy in the presence of variable latencies, we present an averaging framework that employs dynamic time warping (DTW) to account for the temporal variation in the alignment of fNIRS signals to be averaged. As a proof of concept, we focus on the problem of localizing task-induced active brain regions. The framework is extensively tested on experimental data (obtained from both block design and event-related design experiments) as well as on simulated data. In all cases, it is shown that the DTW-based averaging technique outperforms the conventional-based averaging technique in estimating the location of task-induced active regions in the brain, suggesting that such advanced averaging methods should be employed in fNIRS brain imaging studies.

Curriculum Framework (CF) Implementation Conference. Report of the Regional Educational Laboratory Network Program and the National Network of Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Regional Consortia (Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, January 26-27, 1995).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Jackie; Powell, Mary Jo

The Laboratory Network Program and the National Network of Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Regional Consortia, operating as the Curriculum Frameworks Task Force, jointly convened a group of educators involved in implementing state-level mathematics or science curriculum frameworks (CF). The Hilton Head (South Carolina) conference had a dual…

National protocol framework for the inventory and monitoring of bees

USGS Publications Warehouse

Droege, Sam; Engler, Joseph D.; Sellers, Elizabeth A.; Lee O'Brien,

2016-01-01

This national protocol framework is a standardized tool for the inventory and monitoring of the approximately 4,200 species of native and non-native bee species that may be found within the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). However, this protocol framework may also be used by other organizations and individuals to monitor bees in any given habitat or location. Our goal is to provide USFWS stations within the NWRS (NWRS stations are land units managed by the USFWS such as national wildlife refuges, national fish hatcheries, wetland management districts, conservation areas, leased lands, etc.) with techniques for developing an initial baseline inventory of what bee species are present on their lands and to provide an inexpensive, simple technique for monitoring bees continuously and for monitoring and evaluating long-term population trends and management impacts. The latter long-term monitoring technique requires a minimal time burden for the individual station, yet can provide a good statistical sample of changing populations that can be investigated at the station, regional, and national levels within the USFWS’ jurisdiction, and compared to other sites within the United States and Canada. This protocol framework was developed in cooperation with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the USFWS, and a worldwide network of bee researchers who have investigated the techniques and methods for capturing bees and tracking population changes. The protocol framework evolved from field and lab-based investigations at the USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland starting in 2002 and was refined by a large number of USFWS, academic, and state groups. It includes a Protocol Introduction and a set of 8 Standard Operating Procedures or SOPs and adheres to national standards of protocol content and organization. The Protocol Narrative describes the history and need for the protocol framework and summarizes the basic elements of objectives, sampling design, field methods, training, data management, analysis, and reporting. The SOPs provide more detail and specific instructions for implementing the protocol framework. A central database, for managing all the resulting data is under development. We welcome use of this protocol framework by our partners, as appropriate for their bee inventory and monitoring objectives.

Biosafety and biosecurity as essential pillars of international health security and cross-cutting elements of biological nonproliferation

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

The critical aspects of biosafety, biosecurity, and biocontainment have been in the spotlight in recent years. There have also been increased international efforts to improve awareness of modern practices and concerns with regard to the safe pursuit of life sciences research, and to optimize current oversight frameworks, thereby resulting in decreased risk of terrorist/malevolent acquisition of deadly pathogens or accidental release of a biological agent, and increased safety of laboratory workers. Our purpose is to highlight how the World Health Organization’s (WHO) revised International Health Regulations (IHR[2005]), the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), and the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1540 overlap in their requirements with regard to biosafety and biosecurity in order to improve the understanding of practitioners and policymakers and maximize the use of national resources employed to comply with internationally-mandated requirements. The broad range of goals of these international instruments, which are linked by the common thread of biosafety and biosecurity, highlight their significance as essential pillars of international health security and cross-cutting elements of biological nonproliferation. The current efforts of the Republic of Georgia to enhance biosafety and biosecurity in accordance with these international instruments are summarized. PMID:21143822

"Asian yuppies...are always looking for something new and different": creating a tobacco culture among young Asians

PubMed Central

Knight, J; Chapman, S

2004-01-01

Objective: To identify and analyse the themes employed by the Asian based transnational tobacco companies to construct a tobacco culture among Asian young men and women. Methods: Systematic review of relevant tobacco industry documents made public through the Master Settlement Agreement. Results: The industry utilised six vehicles and themes to construct a tobacco culture in Asia: music, entertainment (including nightclubs, discos, and movies), adventure, sport (including motorsports, soccer, and tennis), glamour (beauty and fashion), and independence. Conclusions: The tobacco industry set about constructing a tobacco culture that sought to make smoking desirable, even normal, for young men and women. Understanding the way industry constructed this culture provides insights into ways that culture might now be challenged. Countering the transnational nature of many activities will require coordinated effort at the international, regional, and national levels. Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) will be a powerful tool in this process. All nations throughout Asia are encouraged to support the FCTC and its broad protocols addressing advertising and sponsorship. Measures are also required to disassociate smoking from progress in sex equality. PMID:15564216

New use of global warming potentials to compare cumulative and short-lived climate pollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Myles R.; Fuglestvedt, Jan S.; Shine, Keith P.; Reisinger, Andy; Pierrehumbert, Raymond T.; Forster, Piers M.

2016-08-01

Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have requested guidance on common greenhouse gas metrics in accounting for Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to emission reductions. Metric choice can affect the relative emphasis placed on reductions of `cumulative climate pollutants' such as carbon dioxide versus `short-lived climate pollutants' (SLCPs), including methane and black carbon. Here we show that the widely used 100-year global warming potential (GWP100) effectively measures the relative impact of both cumulative pollutants and SLCPs on realized warming 20-40 years after the time of emission. If the overall goal of climate policy is to limit peak warming, GWP100 therefore overstates the importance of current SLCP emissions unless stringent and immediate reductions of all climate pollutants result in temperatures nearing their peak soon after mid-century, which may be necessary to limit warming to ``well below 2 °C'' (ref. ). The GWP100 can be used to approximately equate a one-off pulse emission of a cumulative pollutant and an indefinitely sustained change in the rate of emission of an SLCP. The climate implications of traditional CO2-equivalent targets are ambiguous unless contributions from cumulative pollutants and SLCPs are specified separately.

Building Capacity for Earth Observations in Support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blevins, B.; Prados, A. I.; Hook, E.

2017-12-01

The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) looks to build a future where the international community uses Earth observations to make better, informed decisions. This includes application in international agreements such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. To do this, decision makers first need to build the necessary skills. NASA's Applied Remote Sensing Training program (ARSET) seeks to build capacity through remote sensing training. In-person and online trainings raise awareness, enable data access, and demonstrate applications of Earth observations. Starting in 2017, ARSET began offering training focused on applying Earth data to the UN SDGs. These trainings offer insight into applications of satellite data in support of implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the SDGs. This presentation will provide an overview of the use of NASA satellite data to track progress towards increased food security, disaster risk reduction, and conservation of natural resources for societal benefit. It will also include a discussion on capacity building best practices and lessons learned for using Earth observations to meet SDG targets, based on feedback from engaging over 800 participants from 89 nations and 580 organizations in ARSET SDG trainings.

Water resources planning in a strategic context: Linking the water sector to the national economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, Peter; Hurst, Christopher; Harshadeep, Nagaraja

1993-07-01

In many parts of the developing world investment in water resources takes a large proportion of the available public investment funds. As the conflicts for funds between the water and other sectors become more severe, the traditional ways of analyzing and planning water investments has to move away from project-by-project (or even a river basin-by-river basin) approaches to include the relationships of water investments to other sectors and to overall national development policies. Current approaches to water resources investments are too narrow. There is a need for ways to expand the strategic thinking of water sector managers. This paper develops a water resources planning methodology with the primary objective of giving insights into the linking of water sector investments and macroeconomic policies. The model optimizes the present value of investments for water resources development, while embedding a macroeconomic model into the framework to allow for an examination of the interactions between water investments, the growth in the agricultural sector, and the performance of the overall economy. A case study of Bangladesh is presented which shows how strategic thinking could lead to widely differing implications for water investments than would conventional water resources systems planning models.

A survey of tobacco dependence treatment guidelines in 121 countries

PubMed Central

Piné-Abata, Hembadoon; McNeill, Ann; Raw, Martin; Bitton, Asaf; Rigotti, Nancy; Murray, Rachael

2013-01-01

Aims To report progress among Parties to the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in developing national tobacco treatment guidelines in accordance with FCTC Article 14 guideline recommendations. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Electronic survey from December 2011 to August 2012; participants were asked to complete either an online or attached Microsoft Word questionnaire. Participants One hundred and sixty-three of the 173 Parties to the FCTC at the time of our survey. Measurements The 51-item questionnaire contained 30 items specifically on guidelines. Questions covered the areas of guidelines writing process, content, key recommendations and other characteristics. Findings One hundred and twenty-one countries (73%) responded. Fifty-three countries (44%) had guidelines, ranging from 75% among high-income countries to 11% among low-income countries. Nearly all guidelines recommended brief advice (93%), intensive specialist support (93%) and medications (96%), while 66% recommended quitlines. Fifty-seven percent had a dissemination strategy, 76% stated funding source and 68% had professional endorsement. Conclusion Fewer than half of the Parties to the WHO FCTC have developed national tobacco treatment guidelines, but, where guidelines exist, they broadly follow FCTC Article 14 guideline recommendations. PMID:23437892

Regulating Nation-State Cyber Attacks in Counterterrorism Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

24 e. The 1973 United Nations Convention to Prevent and Punish Acts of Terrorism in the Form of Crimes Against...International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism ......................28 n. The 1998 Rome Statute and the Crime of Aggression...Intelligence Agency, https://www.cia.gov/news-information/ speeches -testimony/2000/cyberthreats_022300.html. 3 Peter Brookes, “The Cyberspy Threat

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Participation in Aotearoa New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moriarity, L.; Dew, K.

2011-01-01

The involvement of persons with disabilities in formal decision-making processes is thought to have a range of benefits. However, research suggests that participatory processes may fail to match normative ideals. This study examines the participation of persons with disabilities in the development of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of…

Project Cerberus: tobacco industry strategy to create an alternative to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

PubMed

Mamudu, Hadii M; Hammond, Ross; Glantz, Stanton A

2008-09-01

Between 1999 and 2001, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris, and Japan Tobacco International executed Project Cerberus to develop a global voluntary regulatory regime as an alternative to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). They aimed to develop a global voluntary regulatory code to be overseen by an independent audit body and to focus attention on youth smoking prevention. The International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards announced in September 2001, however, did not have the independent audit body. Although the companies did not stop the FCTC, they continue to promote the International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards youth smoking prevention as an alternative to the FCTC. Public health civil society groups should help policymakers and governments understand the importance of not working with the tobacco industry.

China's position in negotiating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the revised International Health Regulations.

PubMed

Huang, Y

2014-02-01

This paper examines China's position in the negotiations of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the revised International Health Regulations. In particular, it explores three sets of factors shaping China's attitudes and actions in the negotiations: the aspiration to be a responsible power; concerns about sovereignty; and domestic political economy. In both cases, China demonstrated strong incentives to participate in the negotiation of legally binding international rules. Still, the sovereignty issue was a major, if not the biggest, concern for China when engaging in global health rule making. The two cases also reveal domestic political economy as an important factor in shaping China's position in international health negotiations. Copyright © 2013 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Project Cerberus: Tobacco Industry Strategy to Create an Alternative to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

PubMed Central

Mamudu, Hadii M.; Hammond, Ross; Glantz, Stanton A.

2008-01-01

Between 1999 and 2001, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris, and Japan Tobacco International executed Project Cerberus to develop a global voluntary regulatory regime as an alternative to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). They aimed to develop a global voluntary regulatory code to be overseen by an independent audit body and to focus attention on youth smoking prevention. The International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards announced in September 2001, however, did not have the independent audit body. Although the companies did not stop the FCTC, they continue to promote the International Tobacco Products Marketing Standards youth smoking prevention as an alternative to the FCTC. Public health civil society groups should help policymakers and governments understand the importance of not working with the tobacco industry. PMID:18633079

Grand Challenges and Future Opportunities for Metal–Organic Frameworks

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) allow compositional and structural diversity beyond conventional solid-state materials. Continued interest in the field is justified by potential applications of exceptional breadth, ranging from gas storage and separation, which takes advantage of the inherent pores and their volume, to electronic applications, which requires precise control of electronic structure. In this Outlook we present some of the pertinent challenges that MOFs face in their conventional implementations, as well as opportunities in less traditional areas. Here the aim is to discuss select design concepts and future research goals that emphasize nuances relevant to this class of materials as a whole. Particular emphasis is placed on synthetic aspects, as they influence the potential for MOFs in gas separation, electrical conductivity, and catalytic applications. PMID:28691066

Grand Challenges and Future Opportunities for Metal–Organic Frameworks

DOE PAGES

Hendon, Christopher H.; Rieth, Adam J.; Korzyński, Maciej D.; ...

2017-06-06

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) allow compositional and structural diversity beyond conventional solid-state materials. Continued interest in the field is justified by potential applications of exceptional breadth, ranging from gas storage and separation, which takes advantage of the inherent pores and their volume, to electronic applications, which requires precise control of electronic structure. In this Outlook we present some of the pertinent challenges that MOFs face in their conventional implementations, as well as opportunities in less traditional areas. Here the aim is to discuss select design concepts and future research goals that emphasize nuances relevant to this class of materials as amore » whole. Particular emphasis is placed on synthetic aspects, as they influence the potential for MOFs in gas separation, electrical conductivity, and catalytic applications.« less

Semantic framework for mapping object-oriented model to semantic web languages

PubMed Central

Ježek, Petr; Mouček, Roman

2015-01-01

The article deals with and discusses two main approaches in building semantic structures for electrophysiological metadata. It is the use of conventional data structures, repositories, and programming languages on one hand and the use of formal representations of ontologies, known from knowledge representation, such as description logics or semantic web languages on the other hand. Although knowledge engineering offers languages supporting richer semantic means of expression and technological advanced approaches, conventional data structures and repositories are still popular among developers, administrators and users because of their simplicity, overall intelligibility, and lower demands on technical equipment. The choice of conventional data resources and repositories, however, raises the question of how and where to add semantics that cannot be naturally expressed using them. As one of the possible solutions, this semantics can be added into the structures of the programming language that accesses and processes the underlying data. To support this idea we introduced a software prototype that enables its users to add semantically richer expressions into a Java object-oriented code. This approach does not burden users with additional demands on programming environment since reflective Java annotations were used as an entry for these expressions. Moreover, additional semantics need not to be written by the programmer directly to the code, but it can be collected from non-programmers using a graphic user interface. The mapping that allows the transformation of the semantically enriched Java code into the Semantic Web language OWL was proposed and implemented in a library named the Semantic Framework. This approach was validated by the integration of the Semantic Framework in the EEG/ERP Portal and by the subsequent registration of the EEG/ERP Portal in the Neuroscience Information Framework. PMID:25762923

Semantic framework for mapping object-oriented model to semantic web languages.

PubMed

Ježek, Petr; Mouček, Roman

2015-01-01

The article deals with and discusses two main approaches in building semantic structures for electrophysiological metadata. It is the use of conventional data structures, repositories, and programming languages on one hand and the use of formal representations of ontologies, known from knowledge representation, such as description logics or semantic web languages on the other hand. Although knowledge engineering offers languages supporting richer semantic means of expression and technological advanced approaches, conventional data structures and repositories are still popular among developers, administrators and users because of their simplicity, overall intelligibility, and lower demands on technical equipment. The choice of conventional data resources and repositories, however, raises the question of how and where to add semantics that cannot be naturally expressed using them. As one of the possible solutions, this semantics can be added into the structures of the programming language that accesses and processes the underlying data. To support this idea we introduced a software prototype that enables its users to add semantically richer expressions into a Java object-oriented code. This approach does not burden users with additional demands on programming environment since reflective Java annotations were used as an entry for these expressions. Moreover, additional semantics need not to be written by the programmer directly to the code, but it can be collected from non-programmers using a graphic user interface. The mapping that allows the transformation of the semantically enriched Java code into the Semantic Web language OWL was proposed and implemented in a library named the Semantic Framework. This approach was validated by the integration of the Semantic Framework in the EEG/ERP Portal and by the subsequent registration of the EEG/ERP Portal in the Neuroscience Information Framework.

Digital versus conventional techniques for pattern fabrication of implant-supported frameworks

PubMed Central

Alikhasi, Marzieh; Rohanian, Ahmad; Ghodsi, Safoura; Kolde, Amin Mohammadpour

2018-01-01

Objective: The aim of this experimental study was to compare retention of frameworks cast from wax patterns fabricated by three different methods. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six implant analogs connected to one-piece abutments were divided randomly into three groups according to the wax pattern fabrication method (n = 12). Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) milling machine, three-dimensional printer, and conventional technique were used for fabrication of waxing patterns. All laboratory procedures were performed by an expert-reliable technician to eliminate intra-operator bias. The wax patterns were cast, finished, and seated on related abutment analogs. The number of adjustment times was recorded and analyzed by Kruskal–Wallis test. Frameworks were cemented on the corresponding analogs with zinc phosphate cement and tensile resistance test was used to measure retention value. Statistical Analysis Used: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc Tukey tests were used for statistical analysis. Level of significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The mean retentive values of 680.36 ± 21.93 N, 440.48 ± 85.98 N, and 407.23 ± 67.48 N were recorded for CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, and conventional group, respectively. One-way ANOVA test revealed significant differences among the three groups (P < 0.001). The post hoc Tukey test showed significantly higher retention for CAD/CAM group (P < 0.001), while there was no significant difference between the two other groups (P = 0.54). CAD/CAM group required significantly more adjustments (P < 0.001). Conclusions: CAD/CAM-fabricated wax patterns showed significantly higher retention for implant-supported cement-retained frameworks; this could be a valuable help when there are limitations in the retention of single-unit implant restorations. PMID:29657528

Digital versus conventional techniques for pattern fabrication of implant-supported frameworks.

PubMed

Alikhasi, Marzieh; Rohanian, Ahmad; Ghodsi, Safoura; Kolde, Amin Mohammadpour

2018-01-01

The aim of this experimental study was to compare retention of frameworks cast from wax patterns fabricated by three different methods. Thirty-six implant analogs connected to one-piece abutments were divided randomly into three groups according to the wax pattern fabrication method ( n = 12). Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) milling machine, three-dimensional printer, and conventional technique were used for fabrication of waxing patterns. All laboratory procedures were performed by an expert-reliable technician to eliminate intra-operator bias. The wax patterns were cast, finished, and seated on related abutment analogs. The number of adjustment times was recorded and analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test. Frameworks were cemented on the corresponding analogs with zinc phosphate cement and tensile resistance test was used to measure retention value. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc Tukey tests were used for statistical analysis. Level of significance was set at P < 0.05. The mean retentive values of 680.36 ± 21.93 N, 440.48 ± 85.98 N, and 407.23 ± 67.48 N were recorded for CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, and conventional group, respectively. One-way ANOVA test revealed significant differences among the three groups ( P < 0.001). The post hoc Tukey test showed significantly higher retention for CAD/CAM group ( P < 0.001), while there was no significant difference between the two other groups ( P = 0.54). CAD/CAM group required significantly more adjustments ( P < 0.001). CAD/CAM-fabricated wax patterns showed significantly higher retention for implant-supported cement-retained frameworks; this could be a valuable help when there are limitations in the retention of single-unit implant restorations.

Assessment and the National Languages Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Neil

2007-01-01

The Languages Ladder--a new framework for accrediting language proficiency--is a core element of the National Languages Strategy. This paper presents Asset Languages, the system being developed by Cambridge Assessment to implement the Languages Ladder, aiming to set it apart from existing qualification frameworks by accrediting clearly defined…

Developing Inclusive Practice in Scotland: The National Framework for Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Louise; Beaton, Mhairi; Head, George; McAuliffe, Lisa; Moscardini, Lio; Spratt, Jennifer; Sutherland, Margaret

2015-01-01

This paper reports on the collaborative development of a "National Framework for Inclusion" under the auspices of the Scottish Teacher Education Committee by a working party representing each of the Scottish Universities providing initial teacher education. Recent research, international legislation and Scottish education policy have…

Development of an economic framework to evaluate resilience in recovering from major port disruptions : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-03

Ports play a critical role in a nations economic system. The impact of a major port disruption can reverberate across the entire economy through regional and national supply-chains. This study develops an operational framework to evaluate the effe...

Kyoto-Related Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emission Totals (1990 - 2009) (Version 2012) (Updated 01/16/2013)

DOE Data Explorer

Marland, Greg [Appalachian State University, Boone, NC (USA); Boden, Thomas A. [Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN

2013-01-16

This table shows the total of CO2 emissions from fossil-fuel use and cement manufacture for those countries listed in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol and for those countries not listed in Annex B. In keeping with the convention of the IPCC methodology for calculating national greenhouse gas emissions, emissions from international bunker fuels (fuels used in international commerce) are not included in the country totals but are shown separately under the country group in which final fuel loading occurred. Note, that the list of countries in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol differs from the list of countries in Annex I of the Framework Convention on Climate Change by the addition of Croatia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Slovenia and the removal of Belarus and Turkey. We have estimated emissions for 1990 and 1991 from the republics that were formerly part of the USSR and of Yugoslavia by taking total emissions from the USSR (and Yugoslavia) for 1990 and 1991 and distributing them among the new republics in the same ratio as emissions from those republics in 1992. Because of minor differences in the method of estimating the global total of emissions and the national totals of emissions, the sum of emissions from all countries produces a number that is less than the global total by about 2%. Consequently we have inflated the sum of emissions from all Annex B countries and the sum of emissions from all non-Annex B countries by about 2% (the value differs from year to year) so that the sum of the two values plus emissions from bunker fuels is equal to our best estimate of the global total of emissions.

NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, Barron; Moran, M. Susan; Escobar, Vanessa; Brown, Molly E.

2014-05-01

The launch of the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission in 2014 will provide global soil moisture and freeze-thaw measurements at moderate resolution (9 km) with latency as short as 24 hours. The resolution, latency and global coverage of SMAP products will enable new applications in the fields of weather, climate, drought, flood, agricultural production, human health and national security. To prepare for launch, the SMAP mission has engaged more than 25 Early Adopters. Early Adopters are users who have a need for SMAP-like soil moisture or freeze-thaw data, and who agreed to apply their own resources to demonstrate the utility of SMAP data for their particular system or model. In turn, the SMAP mission agreed to provide Early Adopters with simulated SMAP data products and pre-launch calibration and validation data from SMAP field campaigns, modeling, and synergistic studies. The applied research underway by Early Adopters has provided fundamental knowledge of how SMAP data products can be scaled and integrated into users' policy, business and management activities to improve decision-making efforts. This presentation will cover SMAP applications including weather and climate forecasting, vehicle mobility estimation, quantification of greenhouse gas emissions, management of urban potable water supply, and prediction of crop yield. The presentation will end with a discussion of potential international applications with focus on the ESA/CEOS TIGER Initiative entitled "looking for water in Africa", the United Nations (UN) Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) which carries a specific mandate focused on Africa, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which lists soil moisture as an Essential Climate Variable (ECV), and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) which reported a food and nutrition crisis in the Sahel.

Seasonal-Scale Optimization of Conventional Hydropower Operations in the Upper Colorado System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bier, A.; Villa, D.; Sun, A.; Lowry, T. S.; Barco, J.

2011-12-01

Sandia National Laboratories is developing the Hydropower Seasonal Concurrent Optimization for Power and the Environment (Hydro-SCOPE) tool to examine basin-wide conventional hydropower operations at seasonal time scales. This tool is part of an integrated, multi-laboratory project designed to explore different aspects of optimizing conventional hydropower operations. The Hydro-SCOPE tool couples a one-dimensional reservoir model with a river routing model to simulate hydrology and water quality. An optimization engine wraps around this model framework to solve for long-term operational strategies that best meet the specific objectives of the hydrologic system while honoring operational and environmental constraints. The optimization routines are provided by Sandia's open source DAKOTA (Design Analysis Kit for Optimization and Terascale Applications) software. Hydro-SCOPE allows for multi-objective optimization, which can be used to gain insight into the trade-offs that must be made between objectives. The Hydro-SCOPE tool is being applied to the Upper Colorado Basin hydrologic system. This system contains six reservoirs, each with its own set of objectives (such as maximizing revenue, optimizing environmental indicators, meeting water use needs, or other objectives) and constraints. This leads to a large optimization problem with strong connectedness between objectives. The systems-level approach used by the Hydro-SCOPE tool allows simultaneous analysis of these objectives, as well as understanding of potential trade-offs related to different objectives and operating strategies. The seasonal-scale tool will be tightly integrated with the other components of this project, which examine day-ahead and real-time planning, environmental performance, hydrologic forecasting, and plant efficiency.

Optimizing Higgs factories by modifying the recoil mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Jiayin; Li, Ying-Ying

2018-02-01

It is difficult to measure the WW-fusion Higgs production process ({{{e}}}+{{{e}}}-\\to {{ν }}\\bar{{{ν }}}{{h}}) at a lepton collider with a center of mass energy of 240-250 GeV due to its small rate and the large background from the Higgsstrahlung process with an invisible Z ({{{e}}}+{{{e}}}-\\to {{hZ}},{{Z}}\\to {{ν }}\\bar{{{ν }}}). We construct a modified recoil mass variable, {m}{{recoil}}p, defined using only the 3-momentum of the reconstructed Higgs particle, and show that it can separate the WW-fusion and Higgsstrahlung events better than the original recoil mass variable m recoil. Consequently, the {m}{{recoil}}p variable can be used to improve the overall precisions of the extracted Higgs couplings, in both the conventional framework and the effective-field-theory framework. We also explore the application of the {m}{{recoil}}p variable in the inclusive cross section measurements of the Higgsstrahlung process, while a quantitive analysis is left for future studies. JG is Supported by an International Postdoctoral Exchange Fellowship Program between the Office of the National Administrative Committee of Postdoctoral Researchers of China (ONACPR) and DESY. YYL is Supported by Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (HKPFS) and the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) (HUKST4/CRF/13G)

Mitigation/adaptation and health: health policymaking in the global response to climate change and implications for other upstream determinants.

PubMed

Wiley, Lindsay F

2010-01-01

The time is ripe for innovation in global health governance if we are to achieve global health and development objectives in the face of formidable challenges. Integration of global health concerns into the law and governance of other, related disciplines should be given high priority. This article explores opportunities for health policymaking in the global response to climate change. Climate change and environmental degradation will affect weather disasters, food and water security, infectious disease patterns, and air pollution. Although scientific research has pointed to the interdependence of the global environment and human health, policymakers have been slow to integrate their approaches to environmental and health concerns. A robust response to climate change will require improved integration on two fronts: health concerns must be given higher priority in the response to climate change and threats associated with climate change and environmental degradation must be more adequately addressed by global health law and governance. The mitigation/adaptation response paradigm developing within and beyond the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change provides a useful framework for thinking about global health law and governance with respect to climate change, environmental degradation, and possibly other upstream determinants of health as well. © 2010 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Regulation of Ocean Iron Fertilization (OIF): a Model for Balancing Research, Environmental and Policy Concerns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leinen, M.; Lamotte, R.

2008-12-01

The potential of enhancing carbon sequestration by the biosphere for climate mitigation often raises questions of offsetting effects. These questions become more important as the scale of the enhancement increases. Ocean iron fertilization is accompanied by additional questions related to use of the ocean commons. The London Convention (LC) and London Protocol (LP), international treaties adopted in 1972 and 1996 respectively, were designed to prevent use of the ocean for disposal of toxic, harmful and radioactive pollutants. Recently the LC/LP has been called upon to decide whether climate mitigation activities, such as subseafloor injection of CO2 and OIF, are legal under the framework and, if so, how they should be regulated. The broad consultation with the science community by the LC/LP in developing their perspective, and the involvement of the NGO community in these deliberations, provides a model for the process that the international policy community can use to develop science-based regulatory guidelines for carbon mitigation projects involving the commons. And the substance of that emerging regulatory framework -- built on a national-level permitting process informed by internationally agreed guidelines and standards -- may also serve as a model for the oversight of other emerging technologies that take place in the global commons.

Child Safety Reference Frameworks: a Policy Tool for Child Injury Prevention at the Sub-national Level.

PubMed

Scholtes, Beatrice; Schröder-Bäck, Peter; Mackay, Morag; Vincenten, Joanne; Brand, Helmut

2017-06-01

The aim of this paper is to present the Child Safety Reference Frameworks (CSRF), a policy advice tool that places evidence-based child safety interventions, applicable at the sub-national level, into a framework resembling the Haddon Matrix. The CSRF is based on work done in previous EU funded projects, which we have adapted to the field of child safety. The CSRF were populated following a literature review. Four CSRF were developed for four domains of child safety: road, water and home safety, and intentional injury prevention. The CSRF can be used as a reference, assessment and comparative tool by child safety practitioners and policy makers working at the sub-national level. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2017

Development of a National Digital Geospatial Data Framework

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1995-01-01

This proposal of a data framework to organize and enhance the activities of the geospatial data community to meet needs for basic themes of data was developed in response to a request in Executive Order 12906, Coordinating Geographic Data Acquisition and Access: The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (U.S. Executive Office of the President, 1994). The request stated: in consultation with State, local, and tribal governments and within 9 months of the date of this order, the FGDC shall submit a plan and schedule to OMB [U.S. Office of Management and Budget] for completing the initial implementation of a national digital geospatial data framework ("framework") by January 2000 and for establishing a process of ongoing data maintenance. The framework shall include geospatial data that are significant, in the determination of the FGDC, to a broad variety of users within any geographic area or nationwide. At a minimum, the plan shall address how the initial transportation, hydrology, and boundary elements of the framework might be completed by January 1998 in order to support the decennial census of 2000. The proposal was developed by representatives of local, regional, State, and Federal agencies under the auspices of the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). The individuals are listed in the appendix of this report. This Framework Working Group identified the purpose and goals for the framework; identified incentives for participation; defined the information content; developed preliminary technical, operational, and business contexts; specified the institutional roles needed; and developed a strategy for a phased implementation of the framework.Members of the working group presented the concepts of the framework for discussion at several national and regional public meetings. The draft of the report also was provided for public, written review. These discussions and reviews were the source of many improvements to the report.The FGDC approved the report for submission to the Office of Management and Budget on March 31, 1995.

From Old to New: The Australian Qualifications Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheelahan, Leesa

2011-01-01

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a "first generation" qualifications framework that was established in 1995. Its purpose was to create "a comprehensive, nationally consistent yet flexible framework for all qualifications in post-compulsory education and training." It encompasses all post-compulsory…

Carbon Balance and Contribution of Harvested Wood Products in China Based on the Production Approach of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

PubMed

Ji, Chunyi; Cao, Wenbin; Chen, Yong; Yang, Hongqiang

2016-11-12

The carbon sequestration of harvested wood products (HWP) plays an important role in climate mitigation. Accounting the carbon contribution of national HWP carbon pools has been listed as one of the key topics for negotiation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. On the basis of the revised Production Approach of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2013) (IPCC), this study assessed the accounting of carbon stock and emissions from the HWP pool in China and then analyzed its balance and contribution to carbon mitigation from 1960 to 2014. Research results showed that the accumulated carbon stock in China's HWP carbon pool increased from 130 Teragrams Carbon (TgC) in 1960 to 705.6 TgC in 2014. The annual increment in the carbon stock rose from 3.2 TgC in 1960 to 45.2 TgC in 2014. The category of solid wood products accounted for approximately 95% of the annual amount. The reduction in carbon emissions was approximately twelve times that of the emissions from the HWP producing and processing stage during the last decade. Furthermore, the amount of carbon stock and emission reduction increased from 23 TgC in 1960 to 76.1 TgC in 2014. The annual contribution of HWP could compensate for approximately 2.9% of the national carbon dioxide emissions in China.

Carbon Balance and Contribution of Harvested Wood Products in China Based on the Production Approach of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

PubMed Central

Ji, Chunyi; Cao, Wenbin; Chen, Yong; Yang, Hongqiang

2016-01-01

The carbon sequestration of harvested wood products (HWP) plays an important role in climate mitigation. Accounting the carbon contribution of national HWP carbon pools has been listed as one of the key topics for negotiation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. On the basis of the revised Production Approach of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2013) (IPCC), this study assessed the accounting of carbon stock and emissions from the HWP pool in China and then analyzed its balance and contribution to carbon mitigation from 1960 to 2014. Research results showed that the accumulated carbon stock in China’s HWP carbon pool increased from 130 Teragrams Carbon (TgC) in 1960 to 705.6 TgC in 2014. The annual increment in the carbon stock rose from 3.2 TgC in 1960 to 45.2 TgC in 2014. The category of solid wood products accounted for approximately 95% of the annual amount. The reduction in carbon emissions was approximately twelve times that of the emissions from the HWP producing and processing stage during the last decade. Furthermore, the amount of carbon stock and emission reduction increased from 23 TgC in 1960 to 76.1 TgC in 2014. The annual contribution of HWP could compensate for approximately 2.9% of the national carbon dioxide emissions in China. PMID:27845760

Tracking sustainable development with a national barometer for South Africa using a downscaled “safe and just space” framework

PubMed Central

Cole, Megan J.; Bailey, Richard M.; New, Mark G.

2014-01-01

Nations in the 21st century face a complex mix of environmental and social challenges, as highlighted by the on-going Sustainable Development Goals process. The “planetary boundaries” concept [Rockström J, et al. (2009) Nature 461(7263):472–475], and its extension through the addition of social well-being indicators to create a framework for “safe and just” inclusive sustainable development [Raworth K (2012) Nature Climate Change 2(4):225–226], have received considerable attention in science and policy circles. As the chief aim of this framework is to influence public policy, and this happens largely at the national level, we assess whether it can be used at the national scale, using South Africa as a test case. We developed a decision-based methodology for downscaling the framework and created a national “barometer” for South Africa, combining 20 indicators and boundaries for environmental stress and social deprivation. We find that it is possible to maintain the original design and concept of the framework while making it meaningful in the national context, raising new questions and identifying priority areas for action. Our results show that South Africa has exceeded its environmental boundaries for biodiversity loss, marine harvesting, freshwater use, and climate change, and social deprivation is most severe in the areas of safety, income, and employment. Trends since 1994 show improvement in nearly all social indicators, but progression toward or over boundaries for most environmental indicators. The barometer shows that achieving inclusive sustainable development in South Africa requires national and global action on multiple fronts, and careful consideration of the interplay between different environmental domains and development strategies. PMID:25294930

Tracking sustainable development with a national barometer for South Africa using a downscaled "safe and just space" framework.

PubMed

Cole, Megan J; Bailey, Richard M; New, Mark G

2014-10-21

Nations in the 21st century face a complex mix of environmental and social challenges, as highlighted by the on-going Sustainable Development Goals process. The "planetary boundaries" concept [Rockström J, et al. (2009) Nature 461(7263):472-475], and its extension through the addition of social well-being indicators to create a framework for "safe and just" inclusive sustainable development [Raworth K (2012) Nature Climate Change 2(4):225-226], have received considerable attention in science and policy circles. As the chief aim of this framework is to influence public policy, and this happens largely at the national level, we assess whether it can be used at the national scale, using South Africa as a test case. We developed a decision-based methodology for downscaling the framework and created a national "barometer" for South Africa, combining 20 indicators and boundaries for environmental stress and social deprivation. We find that it is possible to maintain the original design and concept of the framework while making it meaningful in the national context, raising new questions and identifying priority areas for action. Our results show that South Africa has exceeded its environmental boundaries for biodiversity loss, marine harvesting, freshwater use, and climate change, and social deprivation is most severe in the areas of safety, income, and employment. Trends since 1994 show improvement in nearly all social indicators, but progression toward or over boundaries for most environmental indicators. The barometer shows that achieving inclusive sustainable development in South Africa requires national and global action on multiple fronts, and careful consideration of the interplay between different environmental domains and development strategies.

Companion piece: Convention on the Rights of the Child special protection measures: overview of implications and value for children in the United States.

PubMed

Svevo-Cianci, Kimberly; Velazquez, Sonia C

2010-01-01

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an international treaty that commits ratifying states parties to uphold the rights of all children under the age of 18. This article discusses the issues of highest relevance to the United States and reviews the pros and cons of ratifying, from the perspective of the convention's intent and potential, sovereignty of states, and national public policies, and regarding the special protection recommended for particularly vulnerable children. Specific implementation issues discussed include training, accountability, and monitoring.

Developing a Qualifications Structure for the Finance Services Industry in Malaysia and Beyond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manshor, Amat Taap; Chong, Siong Choy; Cameron, Roslyn

2014-01-01

The development of qualifications systems and frameworks assists in promoting lifelong learning and work-based recognition systems. Several nations in the Asian Pacific region have established national qualifications frameworks across their respective educational sectors (e.g., Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Philippines),…

NCEO Framework for Educational Accountability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ysseldyke, Jim; Krentz, Jane; Elliott, Judy; Thurlow, Martha; Erickson, Ronald; Moore, Michael

This report describes how the National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) Framework for Educational Accountability, which specifies outcomes and indicators for six developmental levels (ages three and six, grades four, eight, and twelve, and post-school), can be used to implement parts of the National Association of State Directors of Special…

National Framework of Professional Standards for Change Leadership in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffy, Francis M.

2009-01-01

The ten professional standards form what Francis Duffy refers to as a "National Framework of Professional Standards for Change Leadership in Education." Each standard has examples of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that the research suggests are important for effective change leadership. Duffy's hope is that this proposed…

Assessing Scientific Practices Using Machine-Learning Methods: How Closely Do They Match Clinical Interview Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beggrow, Elizabeth P.; Ha, Minsu; Nehm, Ross H.; Pearl, Dennis; Boone, William J.

2014-01-01

The landscape of science education is being transformed by the new "Framework for Science Education" (National Research Council, "A framework for K-12 science education: practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas." The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2012), which emphasizes the centrality of scientific…

National Qualification Frameworks: From Policy Borrowing to Policy Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chakroun, Borhene

2010-01-01

This article takes up the issue of the internationalisation of Vocational Education and Training (VET) reforms, expressed in the way policy instruments such as National Qualifications Frameworks (NQF) are introduced in the European Training Foundation's (ETF) partner countries. There is an international debate and different perspectives regarding…

Global National Qualifications Framework Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bjornavold, Jens; Pevec-Grm, Slava; Graham, Michael; Deij, Arjen; Singh, Madhu; Charkoun, Borhène; Agrawal, Shivani

2013-01-01

This publication is a global, country-by-country, inventory of National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs). It is a copublication, prepared by two EU agencies, the European Training Foundation (ETF) and the Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop); and UNESCO's Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and the Section for TVET at…

Meeresschutzgebiete für den Nordost-Atlantik und die ostsee im Rahmen der Oslo-Paris-und der Helsinki-Übereinkommen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Nordheim, Henning

1999-12-01

It has been common practice for decades, especially since the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted in Rio (1992), to protect certain marine areas, and the possibilities and scope of such marine protection measures have been widely discussed. The Helsinki and Oslo-Paris Conventions for the protection of the marine environment, which are relevant for Germany, provide a framework for the establishment of marine protected areas. As early as 1993, the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), in its Recommendation 15/5, decided to create a system of “Baltic Sea Protected Areas (BSPA)”, starting with 62 areas. More protected areas are being added to the system. The Oslo-Paris Commission (OSPARCOM), within the framework of the new 1998 Annex V of the Convention on the Protection and Conservation of the Ecosystems and Biological Diversity of the Maritime Area, has initiated the establishment of a system of protected areas in the North-East Atlantic under the guidance of Germany. Information on the current status of both marine environmental protection systems is provided in this paper.

Inkjet Printing of Lanthanide-Organic Frameworks for Anti-Counterfeiting Applications.

PubMed

da Luz, Leonis L; Milani, Raquel; Felix, Jorlandio F; Ribeiro, Igor R B; Talhavini, Márcio; Neto, Brenno A D; Chojnacki, Jaroslaw; Rodrigues, Marcelo O; Júnior, Severino A

2015-12-16

Photoluminescent lanthanide-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) were printed onto plastic and paper foils with a conventional inkjet printer. Ln-MOF inks were used to reproduce color images that can only be observed under UV light irradiation. This approach opens a new window for exploring Ln-MOF materials in technological applications, such as optical devices (e.g., lab-on-a-chip), as proof of authenticity for official documents.

Challenges of the Harmonization and Ratification of Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities by Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osamu, Nagase

2013-01-01

There are 130 ratifications by national governments around the world of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), adopted by the United Nations in December 2006. However, Japan has yet to ratify the CRPD. The author examined the social, political, and legal context in Japan, affecting the ratification of the CRPD and…

Verification and accreditation schemes for climate change activities: A review of requirements for verification of greenhouse gas reductions and accreditation of verifiers—Implications for long-term carbon sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roed-Larsen, Trygve; Flach, Todd

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of existing national and international requirements for verification of greenhouse gas reductions and associated accreditation of independent verifiers. The credibility of results claimed to reduce or remove anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) is of utmost importance for the success of emerging schemes to reduce such emissions. Requirements include transparency, accuracy, consistency, and completeness of the GHG data. The many independent verification processes that have developed recently now make up a quite elaborate tool kit for best practices. The UN Framework Convention for Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol specifications for project mechanisms initiated this work, but other national and international actors also work intensely with these issues. One initiative gaining wide application is that taken by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development with the World Resources Institute to develop a "GHG Protocol" to assist companies in arranging for auditable monitoring and reporting processes of their GHG activities. A set of new international standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provides specifications for the quantification, monitoring, and reporting of company entity and project-based activities. The ISO is also developing specifications for recognizing independent GHG verifiers. This chapter covers this background with intent of providing a common understanding of all efforts undertaken in different parts of the world to secure the reliability of GHG emission reduction and removal activities. These verification schemes may provide valuable input to current efforts of securing a comprehensive, trustworthy, and robust framework for verification activities of CO2 capture, transport, and storage.

Challenges faced by cervical cancer prevention programs in developing countries: a situational analysis of program organization in Argentina.

PubMed

Arrossi, Silvina; Paolino, Melisa; Sankaranarayanan, Rengaswamy

2010-10-01

to carry out a situational analysis of cervical cancer prevention activities in Argentina, specifically regarding (a) the organizational framework of cervical cancer prevention activities; (b) Pap-smear coverage; (c) cytology laboratory organization; and (d) follow-up/treatment of women with abnormal lesions. a situational analysis of provincial cervical cancer programs using data from an ad-hoc questionnaire sent to the leaders of cervical cancer prevention programs in Argentina's 24 provinces. In addition, the provinces' program guidelines, statistical reports, laws, and program regulations were reviewed and certain key leaders were personally interviewed. data were obtained for 19 of Argentina's 24 provinces. Four of the 19 provinces had no formal program framework. Conventional cytology was the most commonly used screening test. Screening was mainly opportunistic. The recommended interval between normal tests was 3 years in most provinces. The eligible age for screening ranged from 10-70 years of age; however, annual or biannual screening was the usual practice after becoming sexually active. None of the provincial programs had data available regarding Pap-smear coverage. Most of the cytology laboratories did not have a quality control policy. The number of smears read varied greatly by laboratory (650-24 000 per year). A log of events related to screening and treatment did not exist in most provinces. screening in Argentina is mainly opportunistic, characterized by an estimated low coverage, coexisting with over-screening of women with access to health services, and an absence of quality control procedures. Policies for cervical cancer screening in the provinces vary and, most often, deviate from the national recommendation of one Pap smear every 3 years for women 35-64 years of age. Ensuring compliance with national program guidelines is an essential step toward significantly reducing the burden of cervical cancer.

Using Magnetic Helicity Diagnostics to Determine the Nature of Solar Active-Region Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgoulis, Manolis K.

Employing a novel nonlinear force-free (NLFF) method that self-consistently infers instantaneous free magnetic-energy and relative magnetic-helicity budgets from single photospheric vector magnetograms, we recently constructed the magnetic energy-helicity (EH) diagram of solar active regions. The EH diagram implies dominant relative helicities of left-handed or right-handed chiralities for the great majority of active regions. The amplitude (budget) of these helicities scales monotonically with the free magnetic energy. This constructive, strongly preferential accumulation of a certain sense of magnetic helicity seems to disqualify recently proposed mechanisms relying on a largely random near-surface convection for the formation of the great majority of active regions. The existing qualitative formation mechanism for these regions remains the conventional Omega-loop emergence following a buoyant ascension from the bottom of the convection zone. However, exceptions to this rule include even eruptive active regions: NOAA AR 11283 is an obvious outlier to the EH diagram, involving significant free magnetic energy with a small relative magnetic helicity. Relying on a timeseries of vector magnetograms of this region, our methodology shows nearly canceling amounts of both senses of helicity and an overall course from a weakly left-handed to a weakly right-handed structure, in the course of which a major eruption occurs. For this and similarly behaving active regions the latest near-surface formation scenario might conceivably be employed successfully. Research partially supported by the EU Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement No. PIRG07-GA-2010-268245 and by the European Union Social Fund (ESF) and Greek national funds through the Operational Program "Education and Lifelong Learning" of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) - Research Funding Program: Thales. Investing in knowledge society through the European Social Fund.

Present status of titanium removable dentures--a review of the literature.

PubMed

Ohkubo, C; Hanatani, S; Hosoi, T

2008-09-01

Although porcelain and zirconium oxide might be used for fixed partial dental prostheses instead of conventional dental metals in the near future, removable partial denture (RPD) frameworks will probably continue to be cast with biocompatible metals. Commercially pure (CP) titanium has appropriate mechanical properties, it is lightweight (low density) compared with conventional dental alloys, and has outstanding biocompatibility that prevents metal allergic reactions. This literature review describes the laboratory conditions needed for fabricating titanium frameworks and the present status of titanium removable prostheses. The use of titanium for the production of cast RPD frameworks has gradually increased. There are no reports about metallic allergy apparently caused by CP titanium dentures. The laboratory drawbacks still remain, such as the lengthy burn-out, inferior castability and machinability, reaction layer formed on the cast surface, difficulty of polishing, and high initial costs. However, the clinical problems, such as discoloration of the titanium surfaces, unpleasant metal taste, decrease of clasp retention, tendency for plaque to adhere to the surface, detachment of the denture base resin, and severe wear of titanium teeth, have gradually been resolved. Titanium RPD frameworks have never been reported to fail catastrophically. Thus, titanium is recommended as protection against metal allergy, particularly for large-sized prostheses such as RPDs or complete dentures.

Impact of the Europeanisation of Education: Qualifications Frameworks in Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikulec, Borut

2017-01-01

This article examines the influence of the European qualifications framework--a key European lifelong learning policy instrument for improving employability, comparability and mobility in the European educational space--on the establishment of national qualifications frameworks in Europe. The European qualifications framework and national…

Sustainable Water Management & Satellite Remote Sensing

EPA Science Inventory

Eutrophication assessment frameworks such as the Australian National Water Quality Management Strategy, Oslo Paris (OSPAR) Commission Common Procedure, Water Framework Directive (WFD) of the European Union, Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) from the European Commission, ...

A national framework for disaster health education in Australia.

PubMed

FitzGerald, Gerard J; Aitken, Peter; Arbon, Paul; Archer, Frank; Cooper, David; Leggat, Peter; Myers, Colin; Robertson, Andrew; Tarrant, Michael; Davis, Elinor R

2010-01-01

Recent events have heightened awareness of disaster health issues and the need to prepare the health workforce to plan for and respond to major incidents. This has been reinforced at an international level by the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine, which has proposed an international educational framework. The aim of this paper is to outline the development of a national educational framework for disaster health in Australia. The framework was developed on the basis of the literature and the previous experience of members of a National Collaborative for Disaster Health Education and Research. The Collaborative was brought together in a series of workshops and teleconferences, utilizing a modified Delphi technique to finalize the content at each level of the framework and to assign a value to the inclusion of that content at the various levels. The framework identifies seven educational levels along with educational outcomes for each level. The framework also identifies the recommended contents at each level and assigns a rating of depth for each component. The framework is not intended as a detailed curriculum, but rather as a guide for educationalists to develop specific programs at each level. This educational framework will provide an infrastructure around which future educational programs in Disaster Health in Australia may be designed and delivered. It will permit improved articulation for students between the various levels and greater consistency between programs so that operational responders may have a consistent language and operational approach to the management of major events.

Framework for continuous palliative sedation therapy in Canada.

PubMed

Dean, Mervyn M; Cellarius, Victor; Henry, Blair; Oneschuk, Doreen; Librach Canadian Society Of Palliative Care Physicians Taskforce, S Lawrence

2012-08-01

Canada does not have a standardized ethical and practice framework for continuous palliative sedation therapy (CPST). Although a number of institutional and regional guidelines exist, Canadian practice varies. Given the lack of international and national consensus on CPST, the Canadian Society for Palliative Care Physicians (CSPCP) formed a special task force to develop a consensus-based framework for CPST. Through a preliminary review of sedation practices nationally and internationally, it was determined that although considerable consensus was emerging on this topic, there remained both areas of contention and a lack of credible scientific evidence to support a definitive clinical practice guideline. This led to the creation of a framework to help guide policy, practice, and research. This framework was developed through the following steps: 1) literature review; 2) identification of issues; 3) preparation of a draft framework; 4) expert consultation and revision; 5) presentation at conferences and further revision; and 6) further revision and national consensus building. A thorough literature review, including gray literature, of sedation therapy at the end of life was conducted from which an initial framework was drafted. This document was reviewed by 30 multidisciplinary experts in Canada and internationally, revised several times, and then submitted to CSPCP members for review. Consensus was high on most parts of the framework. The framework for CPST will provide a basis for the development of safe, effective, and ethical use of CPST for patients in palliative care and at the end of life.

Policy implementation in practice: the case of national service frameworks in general practice.

PubMed

Checkland, Kath; Harrison, Stephen

2004-10-01

National Service Frameworks are an integral part of the government's drive to 'modernise' the NHS, intended to standardise both clinical care and the design of the services used to deliver that clinical care. This article uses evidence from qualitative case studies in three general practices to illustrate the difficulties associated with the implementation of such top-down guidelines and models of service. In these studies it was found that, while there had been little explicit activity directed at implementation overall, the National Service Framework for coronary heart disease had in general fared better than that for older people. Gunn's notion of 'perfect implementation' is used to make sense of the findings.

Implementing the 1989 United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child in sub-Saharan Africa: the overlooked socioeconomic and political dilemmas.

PubMed

Mulinge, Munyae M

2002-11-01

The aim of this article is to identify and profile some often overlooked socioeconomic and political factors that render the protection of the rights of the child, as guaranteed through the 1989 United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child, a distant dream in most African countries. It is argued that, in most African countries, there are other major impediments to the protection of the child's rights in addition to the frequently cited lack of adequate legislation and of political will. The paper is a review essay and utilizes existing literature from varied sources to advance its main arguments. It draws from such documents to profile the socioeconomic and political barriers to the protection of children's rights in Africa both at the family and at the national levels. CORE ARGUMENT: The ratification of the United Nation's 1989 Convention and the passing of supportive legislation by most state governments, has not resulted in major improvements in the well-being of children. This is as a result of prevailing socioeconomic and political conditions such as social transformations within the family unit, poverty, and rampant corruption. The emergence of HIV/AIDS, civil wars and armed conflicts is a major impediment to the protection of children's rights across most of Africa. The effective implementation of the 1989 United Nations' Convention by African governments requires more than the ratification of the Convention. Governments require the political will to implement its prescriptions by passing supportive legislation. To create the necessary enabling environments, equal emphasis should be placed on the eradication of poverty, corruption and disease; and to ending armed conflicts where they exist.

22 CFR 103.3 - Requirement to provide a sample.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION AND THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 1998... accordance with the applicable provisions contained in the Chemical Weapons Convention and the CWCIA. (d... for personal safety; (6) The taking of a sample does not pose a threat to the national security...

22 CFR 103.3 - Requirement to provide a sample.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION AND THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 1998... accordance with the applicable provisions contained in the Chemical Weapons Convention and the CWCIA. (d... for personal safety; (6) The taking of a sample does not pose a threat to the national security...

Inclusive Education--A Sustainable Approach?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jokinen, Markku

2018-01-01

Full participation is one of the general principles in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) for enabling the enjoyment of human rights. This concept cuts across all issues in the Convention, and is a specific obligation of states/parties that have ratified the Convention document. Other general principles…

The Modern Design of Experiments: A Technical and Marketing Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLoach, R.

2000-01-01

A new wind tunnel testing process under development at NASA Langley Research Center, called Modern Design of Experiments (MDOE), differs from conventional wind tunnel testing techniques on a number of levels. Chief among these is that MDOE focuses on the generation of adequate prediction models rather than high-volume data collection. Some cultural issues attached to this and other distinctions between MDOE and conventional wind tunnel testing are addressed in this paper.

Complementing or Conflicting Human Rights Conventions? Realising an Inclusive Approach to Families with a Young Person with a Disability and Challenging Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Kristy; Goldblatt, Beth

2011-01-01

United Nation's conventions exist to help facilitate and protect vulnerable people's human rights: including people with disabilities (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2006) and children (Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989). However, for some families where a family member has a disability, there may be inherent…

22 CFR 103.12 - Reporting a violation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION AND THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION IMPLEMENTATION ACT OF 1998 ON THE TAKING OF... person may notify: United States National Authority, Office of Chemical and Biological Weapons...

International validation of quality indicators for evaluating priority setting in low income countries: process and key lessons.

PubMed

Kapiriri, Lydia

2017-06-19

While there have been efforts to develop frameworks to guide healthcare priority setting; there has been limited focus on evaluation frameworks. Moreover, while the few frameworks identify quality indicators for successful priority setting, they do not provide the users with strategies to verify these indicators. Kapiriri and Martin (Health Care Anal 18:129-147, 2010) developed a framework for evaluating priority setting in low and middle income countries. This framework provides BOTH parameters for successful priority setting and proposes means of their verification. Before its use in real life contexts, this paper presents results from a validation process of the framework. The framework validation involved 53 policy makers and priority setting researchers at the global, national and sub-national levels (in Uganda). They were requested to indicate the relative importance of the proposed parameters as well as the feasibility of obtaining the related information. We also pilot tested the proposed means of verification. Almost all the respondents evaluated all the parameters, including the contextual factors, as 'very important'. However, some respondents at the global level thought 'presence of incentives to comply', 'reduced disagreements', 'increased public understanding,' 'improved institutional accountability' and 'meeting the ministry of health objectives', which could be a reflection of their levels of decision making. All the proposed means of verification were assessed as feasible with the exception of meeting observations which would require an insider. These findings results were consistent with those obtained from the pilot testing. These findings are relevant to policy makers and researchers involved in priority setting in low and middle income countries. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the few initiatives that has involved potential users of a framework (at the global and in a Low Income Country) in its validation. The favorable validation of all the parameters at the national and sub-national levels implies that the framework has potential usefulness at those levels, as is. The parameters that were disputed at the global level necessitate further discussion when using the framework at that level. The next step is to use the validated framework in evaluating actual priority setting at the different levels.

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources: Permian and Palo Duro Basins and Bend Arch-Fort Worth Basin: Chapter K in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merrill, Matthew D.; Slucher, Ernie R.; Roberts-Ashby, Tina L.; Warwick, Peter D.; Blondes, Madalyn S.; Freeman, P.A.; Cahan, Steven M.; DeVera, Christina A.; Lohr, Celeste D.; Warwick, Peter D.; Corum, Margo D.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has completed an assessment of the potential geologic carbon dioxide storage resource in the onshore areas of the United States. To provide geological context and input data sources for the resources numbers, framework documents are being prepared for all areas that were investigated as part of the national assessment. This report is the geologic framework document for the Permian and Palo Duro Basins, the combined Bend arch-Fort Worth Basin area, and subbasins therein of Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. In addition to a summarization of the geology and petroleum resources of studied basins, the individual storage assessment units (SAUs) within the basins are described and explanations for their selection are presented. Though appendixes in the national assessment publications include the input values used to calculate the available storage resource, this framework document provides only the context and source of inputs selected by the assessment geologists. Spatial files of boundaries for the SAUs herein, as well as maps of the density of known well bores that penetrate the SAU seal, are available for download with the release of this report.

Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources—Southern Rocky Mountain Basins: Chapter M in Geologic framework for the national assessment of carbon dioxide storage resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merrill, Matthew D.; Drake, Ronald M.; Buursink, Marc L.; Craddock, William H.; East, Joseph A.; Slucher, Ernie R.; Warwick, Peter D.; Brennan, Sean T.; Blondes, Madalyn S.; Freeman, Philip A.; Cahan, Steven M.; DeVera, Christina A.; Lohr, Celeste D.; Warwick, Peter D.; Corum, Margo D.

2016-06-02

The U.S. Geological Survey has completed an assessment of the potential geologic carbon dioxide storage resources in the onshore areas of the United States. To provide geological context and input data sources for the resources numbers, framework documents are being prepared for all areas that were investigated as part of the national assessment. This report, chapter M, is the geologic framework document for the Uinta and Piceance, San Juan, Paradox, Raton, Eastern Great, and Black Mesa Basins, and subbasins therein of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. In addition to a summary of the geology and petroleum resources of studied basins, the individual storage assessment units (SAUs) within the basins are described and explanations for their selection are presented. Although appendixes in the national assessment publications include the input values used to calculate the available storage resource, this framework document provides only the context and source of the input values selected by the assessment geologists. Spatial-data files of the boundaries for the SAUs, and the well-penetration density of known well bores that penetrate the SAU seal, are available for download with the release of this report.

Education for All in South Africa: Developing a National System for Quality Assurance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, William J.; Ngoma-Maema, Wendy Yolisa

2003-01-01

Draws on international research, policy, and practice relevant to quality assurance systems to analyze the development of a national framework for educational quality assurance in South Africa. Describes an emerging framework for quality assurance that encompasses evaluation of student achievement, quality audits and reviews, program and service…

The Impact of National Qualifications Frameworks: By Which Yardstick Do We Measure Dreams?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pilcher, Nick; Fernie, Scott; Smith, Karen

2017-01-01

National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) are a global phenomenon. This is evidenced by their scale, coverage and intrinsic link with education policy across Europe and beyond. Research into their impact has encompassed a number of perspectives; theoretical, practical and evaluative. Yet, despite the existence of critical literature related to the…

Expanding the Frontiers of National Qualifications Frameworks through Lifelong Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owusu-Agyeman, Yaw

2017-01-01

The adoption of a national qualifications framework (NQF) by some governments in all world regions has shown some success in the area of formal learning. However, while NQFs continue to enhance "formal" learning in many countries, the same cannot be said for the recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) of "non-formal"…

The Trajectory of Perpetrators' Trauma: Mnemonic Politics around the Asia-Pacific War in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsutsui, Kiyoteru

2009-01-01

This study proposes a theoretical framework to understand how nations deal with collective memories of perpetration of severe human rights violations, which do not ft comfortably in any national master narrative but have become increasingly difficult to ignore. Building on studies of collective memory, the framework explicates how initial…

Decision Regulation Impact Statement for Changes to the National Quality Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Council, 2017

2017-01-01

The purpose of this Decision Regulation Impact Statement (Decision RIS) is to recommend preferred options for improving the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care. The Decision RIS follows the public release of the Consultation RIS and incorporates stakeholders' views and comments received during the ten week stakeholder…

Arguing with Stephanie Allais. Are National Qualifications Frameworks Instruments of Neoliberalism and Social Constructivism?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackmur, Douglas

2015-01-01

National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) are a principal means by which governments seek to assure the quality of higher education. A body of critical scholarship has, however, emerged in the last two decades that challenges their philosophical and practical foundations. Stephanie Allais is prominent amongst the critics. She has published…

Unintended Revelations in History Textbooks: The Precarious Authenticity and Historical Continuity of the Slovak Nation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Šulíková, Jana

2016-01-01

Purpose: This article proposes an analytical framework that helps to identify and challenge misconceptions of ethnocentrism found in pre-tertiary teaching resources for history and the social sciences in numerous countries. Design: Drawing on nationalism studies, the analytical framework employs ideas known under the umbrella terms of…

Flexible Delivery. Will a Client Focus System Mean Better Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misko, Josie

This paper outlines and examines the implications of the main points of the national framework for flexible delivery of vocational education in Australia's technical and further education (TAFE) colleges. Endorsed by the National TAFE Chief Executives Committee in 1992, the framework establishes specific plans of action to be achieved by 1995. The…

Professional Conversations: A Collaborative Approach to Support Policy Implementation, Professional Learning and Practice Change in ECEC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irvine, Susan; Price, Julie

2014-01-01

In 2012, Australia introduced a new "National Quality Framework" (NQF), comprising enhanced quality expectations for early childhood education and care services, two national learning frameworks and a new assessment and rating system spanning childcare centres, kindergartens and preschools, family day care and outside school hours care.…

How Are Links between a National Qualifications Framework, Job Roles and Pay Mediated by Industrial Relations Institutions in Manufacturing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Damian; Walpole, Kurt

2017-01-01

National Qualifications Frameworks (NQFs) are intended to promote stronger linkages between education institutions and the labour market. This paper examines how industrial relations institutions mediate the relationship between formal qualifications, job classifications and pay outcomes in Australian manufacturing. In Australia a tribunal sets…

The European Qualifications Framework: A Technical Critique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lester, Stan

2015-01-01

The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) was introduced in 2008 as a "meta-framework" or common reference point for national qualifications frameworks in Europe, a function for which, with some caveats, it has been pragmatically successful. It has also been used with variable success to support the development or referencing of…

Qualifications Frameworks in Europe: Forging the Right Links. Briefing Note

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, 2013

2013-01-01

As national qualifications frameworks in Europe move closer to operation, policy integration becomes a key challenge. Introducing qualifications frameworks based on learning outcomes is now a global phenomenon. According to the recent joint publication by Cedefop, ETF and Unesco, frameworks are either established or being developed in 142…

Improving National Capability in Biogeochemical Flux Modelling: the UK Environmental Virtual Observatory (EVOp)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnes, P.; Greene, S.; Freer, J. E.; Bloomfield, J.; Macleod, K.; Reaney, S. M.; Odoni, N. A.

2012-12-01

The best outcomes from watershed management arise where policy and mitigation efforts are underpinned by strong science evidence, but there are major resourcing problems associated with the scale of monitoring needed to effectively characterise the sources rates and impacts of nutrient enrichment nationally. The challenge is to increase national capability in predictive modelling of nutrient flux to waters, securing an effective mechanism for transferring knowledge and management tools from data-rich to data-poor regions. The inadequacy of existing tools and approaches to address these challenges provided the motivation for the Environmental Virtual Observatory programme (EVOp), an innovation from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). EVOp is exploring the use of a cloud-based infrastructure in catchment science, developing an exemplar to explore N and P fluxes to inland and coastal waters in the UK from grid to catchment and national scale. EVOp is bringing together for the first time national data sets, models and uncertainty analysis into cloud computing environments to explore and benchmark current predictive capability for national scale biogeochemical modelling. The objective is to develop national biogeochemical modelling capability, capitalising on extensive national investment in the development of science understanding and modelling tools to support integrated catchment management, and supporting knowledge transfer from data rich to data poor regions, The AERC export coefficient model (Johnes et al., 2007) has been adapted to function within the EVOp cloud environment, and on a geoclimatic basis, using a range of high resolution, geo-referenced digital datasets as an initial demonstration of the enhanced national capacity for N and P flux modelling using cloud computing infrastructure. Geoclimatic regions are landscape units displaying homogenous or quasi-homogenous functional behaviour in terms of process controls on N and P cycling, underpin this approach (Johnes & Butterfield, 2002). Ten regions have been defined across the UK using GIS manipulation of spatial data describing hydrogeology, runoff, topographical slope and soil parent material. The export coefficient model operates within this regional modelling framework, providing mapped, tabulated and statistical outputs at scales from 1km2 grid scale to river catchment, WFD river basin district, major coastal drainage units to the North Sea, North Atlantic and English Channel, to the international reporting units defined under OSPAR, the International Convention for the protection of the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic. Here the geoclimatic modelling framework is presented together with modelled fluxes for N and P for each scale of reporting unit, together with scenario analysis applied at regional scale and mapped at national scale. The ways in which the results can be used to further explore the primary drivers for spatial variation and identify waterbodies at risk, especially in unmonitored and data-poor catchments are discussed, and the technical and computational support of a cloud-based infrastructure is evaluated as a mechanism to explore potential water quality impacts of future mitigation strategies applied at catchment to national scale.

Looking at the formulation of national biosecurity education action plans

PubMed Central

Sture, J.; Minehata, M.; Shinomiya, N.

2015-01-01

In order for states to be assured of their compliance with the requirements of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, it is necessary that all those science and policy stakeholders working within that state should be aware of their responsibilities under the Convention. This can only be achieved through a comprehensive national biosecurity education programme. We propose that each state should produce a national biosecurity action plan, with accompanying resources and materials to achieve this. A number of resources are already available online to support states in this challenge. We present a model for a national biosecurity action plan and propose a number of ways in which this may be achieved. PMID:22606763

Framework for Considering Productive Aging and Work.

PubMed

Schulte, Paul A; Grosch, James; Scholl, Juliann C; Tamers, Sara L

2018-05-01

The U.S. population is experiencing a demographic transition resulting in an aging workforce. The objective of this article is to elucidate and expand an approach to keep that workforce safe, healthy, and productive. This article elucidates the framework for the National Center for Productive Aging at Work of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Subject matter experts used a snowball method to review published literature to substantiate elements in the framework. Evidence-based literature supports a productive aging framework for the workforce involving the following elements: 1) life span perspective; 2) comprehensive and integrated approaches to occupational safety and health; 3) emphasis on positive outcomes for both workers and organizations; and 4) supportive work culture for multigenerational issues. The productive aging framework provides a foundational and comprehensive approach for addressing the aging workforce.

Rights of the Child in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosandey, Olivier

This report to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child contains observations of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) concerning the application of the Convention by Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The report's introductory summary asserts that although the DRC has ratified the Convention and other international…

Implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Africa: Current Status of Legislation

PubMed Central

Tumwine, Jacqueline

2011-01-01

Objective To describe, as of July 2011, the status of tobacco control legislation in Africa in three key areas of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)—(1) Protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, (2) Packaging and labelling of tobacco products, and (3) Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship. Methods Review and analysis of tobacco control legislation in Africa, media reports, journal articles, tobacco industry documents and data published in the 2011 WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic. Results Modest progress in FCTC implementation in Africa with many countries having legislation or policies on the protection from exposure to tobacco smoke, however, only a handful of countries meet the standards of the FCTC Article 8 and its Guidelines particularly with regards to designated smoking areas. Little progress on packaging and labelling of tobacco products, with few countries having legislation meeting the minimum standards of the FCTC Article 11 and its Guidelines. Mauritius is the only African country with graphic or pictorial health warnings in place and has the largest warning labels in Africa. Slightly better progress in banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship has been shown by African countries, although the majority of legislation falls short of the standards of the FCTC Article 13 and its Guidelines. Despite their efforts, African countries’ FCTC implementation at national level has not matched the strong regional commitment demonstrated during the FCTC treaty negotiations. Conclusion This study highlights the need for Africa to step up efforts to adopt and implement effective tobacco control legislation that is fully compliant with the FCTC. In order to achieve this, countries should prioritise resources for capacity building for drafting strong FCTC compliant legislation, research to inform policy and boost political will, and countering the tobacco industry which is a major obstacle to FCTC implementation in Africa. PMID:22163209

The role of non-governmental organizations in global health diplomacy: negotiating the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

PubMed

Lencucha, Raphael; Kothari, Anita; Labonté, Ronald

2011-09-01

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is an exemplar result of global health diplomacy, based on its global reach (binding on all World Health Organization member nations) and its negotiation process. The FCTC negotiations are one of the first examples of various states and non-state entities coming together to create a legally binding tool to govern global health. They have demonstrated that diplomacy, once consigned to interactions among state officials, has witnessed the dilution of its state-centric origins with the inclusion of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the diplomacy process. To engage in the discourse of global health diplomacy, NGO diplomats are immediately presented with two challenges: to convey the interests of larger publics and to contribute to inter-state negotiations in a predominantly state-centric system of governance that are often diluted by pressures from private interests or mercantilist self-interest on the part of the state itself. How do NGOs manage these challenges within the process of global health diplomacy itself? What roles do, and can, they play in achieving new forms of global health diplomacy? This paper addresses these questions through presentation of findings from a study of the roles assumed by one group of non-governmental actors (the Canadian NGOs) in the FCTC negotiations. The findings presented are drawn from a larger grounded theory study. Qualitative data were collected from 34 public documents and 18 in-depth interviews with participants from the Canadian government and Canadian NGOs. This analysis yielded five key activities or roles of the Canadian NGOs during the negotiation of the FCTC: monitoring, lobbying, brokering knowledge, offering technical expertise and fostering inclusion. This discussion begins to address one of the key goals of global health diplomacy, namely 'the challenges facing health diplomacy and how they have been addressed by different groups and at different levels of governance' (Kickbusch et al. 2007a: 972).

[Intellectual property rights in Costa Rica in the light of the Biodiversity Convention].

PubMed

Salazar, R; Cabrera, J A

1996-04-01

This report analyzes intellectual property rights and acquisition of biological samples in light of the Biological Diversity Convention, with emphasis on Costa Rica. It examines the legal framework which exists for the protection of biological resources in this country, especially evaluating the law regarding protection of biota, which was approved in 1992. This includes information regarding access to genetic resources, and regulation for the aforementioned law. It examines the Biological Diversity Convention which was signed at the Rio Summit in 1992, whose objectives and goals, above all, emphasize the subject of distribution of benefits to be derived from the utilization of biological resources.

CF Metadata Conventions: Founding Principles, Governance, and Future Directions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, K. E.

2016-12-01

The CF Metadata Conventions define attributes that promote sharing of climate and forecasting data and facilitate automated processing by computers. The development, maintenance, and evolution of the conventions have mainly been provided by voluntary community contributions. Nevertheless, an organizational framework has been established, which relies on established rules and web-based discussion to ensure smooth (but relatively efficient) evolution of the standard to accommodate new types of data. The CF standard has been essential to the success of high-profile internationally-coordinated modeling activities (e.g, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project). A summary of CF's founding principles and the prospects for its future evolution will be discussed.

Key performance indicators for Australian mental health court liaison services.

PubMed

Davidson, Fiona; Heffernan, Ed; Greenberg, David; Butler, Tony; Burgess, Philip

2017-12-01

The aim of this paper is to describe the development and technical specifications of a framework and national key performance indicators (KPIs) for Australian mental health Court Liaison Services (CLSs) by the National Mental Health Court Liaison Performance Working Group (Working Group). Representatives from each Australian State and Territory were invited to form a Working Group. Through a series of national workshops and meetings, a framework and set of performance indicators were developed using a review of literature and expert opinion. A total of six KPIs for CLSs have been identified and a set of technical specifications have been formed. This paper describes the process and outcomes of a national collaboration to develop a framework and KPIs. The measures have been developed to support future benchmarking activities and to assist services to identify best practice in this area of mental health service delivery.

The Implementation, Evolution and Impact of New Zealand's National Qualifications Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strathdee, Robert

2011-01-01

This article outlines some of the major factors leading to the introduction of the New Zealand National Qualifications Framework (NQF). It also describes the NQF's design, outlines changes that were introduced following its introduction in 1991, and explores its impact to date. The New Zealand case is interesting, as the agency responsible for the…

E-Competent Australia: Report on the Impact of E-Commerce on the National Training Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, John

The impact of electronic commerce (e-commerce) on Australia's National Training Framework (NTF) was studied for the purpose of forecasting future demand for training in areas related to e-commerce and identifying appropriate responses by the NTF committee. The following were among the study's main data collection activities: reviews of the…

The Reliability of Evidence Contained in the National Qualifications Framework Impact Study: A Critical Reflection--Research Article

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgs, Philip; Keevy, James

2007-01-01

This article reflects on the reliability of the evidence contained in the National Qualifications Framework Impact Study, a longitudinal comparative study conducted by the South African Qualifications Authority since 2002. In so doing, the veracity of evidence-based research in determining the impact of the South African Qualifications Framework…

Economics Framework for the 2006 National Assessment of Educational Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckles, Stephen; Melican, Claire

2006-01-01

This document provides a guide for the development of the 2006 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Economics Assessment. The framework is designed to assess the outcomes of student education in and understanding of economics in grade 12 as part of NAEP. Economic literacy is defined as the ability to identify, analyze, and evaluate…

Resourcing the National Goals for Schooling: An Agreed Framework of Principles for Funding Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (NJ1), 2012

2012-01-01

Funding for school education in Australia should be on the basis of clear and agreed policy principles for achieving effectiveness, efficiency, equity and a socially and culturally cohesive society. On the basis of these principles a national framework for funding schools will be supported by complementary State and Commonwealth models for funding…

A Bolman and Deal Framework of Science Teachers' Beliefs on Teacher Preparation and Reform Practices for Diverse Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitmyer, Charnita P.

2016-01-01

This dissertation uses Bolman and Deal's Four Framework approach to reframing an organization to examine science teachers' beliefs on teacher preparation and reform practices for diverse learners. Despite the national emphasis on "science for all students" in the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 2011), some traditionally…

Working for Industry. An Introduction to Workplace Assessment and the National Qualifications Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Wellington.

This booklet explains the operation of New Zealand's National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and its relationship to workplace assessment. Discussed first is the NQF's mission of encouraging people to continue their education and training after secondary school and permitting flexibility in where and how people train. The role of the NQF in…

The Foundations of Learning Framework: A Model for School Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sorrels, Barbara

2012-01-01

Since the National Education Goals Panel was convened in 1991, school readiness for all children has remained a high priority across our nation. The Foundations of Learning Framework is a tool to understand what it means for a child to be "ready." Preparation for educational success requires two key ingredients--relationships and play. In the…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2009 Trial Urban District Snapshot Report. Baltimore City Public Schools. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Guided by a new framework, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment was updated in 2009 to keep the content current with key developments in science, curriculum standards, assessments, and research. The 2009 framework organizes science content into three broad content areas. Physical science includes concepts…