Roundtable discussion: reflection on twenty years of bank regulatory reform

In 1986 the American Bankers Association asked five banking academics to assess and recommend policy options to improve the banking system's efficiency, performance, and safety. The report these five economists produced, Perspectives on Safe and Sound Banking: Past, Present, and Future, has in many ways served as a roadmap for ensuing bank regulatory reforms. In this roundtable discussion, each of the five authors reflects on the past twenty years and the current status of the banking industry and, in some cases, shares thoughts about the industry's future direction.Banks and banking ; Bank supervision

TRACEABILITY AND CERTIFICATION IN MEAT SUPPLY CHAINS

Food safety problems such as the BSE and dioxin crises focused attention on traceability systems and the certification of such systems. This study analyzes the status and perspectives of traceability systems and certification schemes, and reviews their potential costs and benefits. Results indicate that traceability and certification in meat supply chains comprise a very dynamic area with an increasing impact. Necessary transparency, control of livestock epidemics, increasing due diligence, and a declining role for governments are critical factors. Findings also reveal there is a general focus on the technical characteristics of traceability and certification, and there is a lack of economic considerations. Therefore, specific topics are emphasized for an economic research agenda, such as an analysis of the break-even point for the level of detail of traceability systems, the reconsideration of liability and recall insurance schemes, and regulatory incentives to motivate adoption by free-riders.certification, cost-benefit analysis, livestock production, supply chain, traceability, Industrial Organization, Livestock Production/Industries,

Herbal products: Marketing strategies and legislation

Marketing of herbal products in the European Union (EU) has been regulated under national legislation for years, leading to differences in legal status of these herbal products. In one member state, a product may be regulated as a food supplement, while in the other member state the same product is considered a medicinal product, thereby subjected to medicinal law. To provide free movement of these products in the inner market, new legislation has been set to improve harmonization. This raises the question what the appropriate positioning and marketing strategy for a herbal product will be under this new EU legislation. This review describes the legal status and registration procedures of different categories of herbal products, taking into account technical requirements and interesting market perspectives . Information was collected from legislation, guidance and official documents published by the European Commission, European Food Safety Authority and the European Medicines Agency. In addition, information was found in conference presentations and the scientific literature from Medline and Scopus. The EU market of herbal products will change considerably in the near future. Many products now marketed as food supplements will be expected to be registered as traditional herbal medicinal product in the future. However, it will take years for the EU to fully implement the new rules for harmonizatio

Factors contributing to the patient safety culture in Saudi Arabia: a systematic review

Background: Patient safety, concerned with the prevention of harm to patients, has become a fundamental component of the global healthcare system. The evidence regarding the status of the patient safety culture in Arab countries in general shows that it is at a suboptimal level due to a punitive approach to errors and deficits in the openness of communications. Objectives: To identify factors contributing to the patient safety culture in Saudi Arabia. Design: Systematic review. Methods: A systematic search was carried out in May 2018 in five electronic databases and updated in July 2020—MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Relevant journals and reference lists of included studies were also hand-searched. Two independent reviewers verified that the studies met the inclusion criteria, assessed the quality of studies and extracted their relevant characteristics. The Yorkshire Contributory Factors Framework (YCFF) was used to categorise factors affecting safety culture in the included papers. Results: 14 papers were included and the majority of studies were appraised as being of good quality. Strength and weakness factors that contribute to patient safety culture were identified. Ineffective leadership, a blame culture, workload/inadequate staffing and poor communication are reported as the main factors hindering a positive patient safety culture in Saudi Arabia. Conversely, ‘strength’ factors contributing to a positive patient safety culture included supportive organisational attitudes to learning/continuous improvement, good teamwork within units and support from hospital management for patient safety. There is an absence of patient perspectives regarding patient safety culture in Saudi Arabia. Conclusion: Policymakers in the Saudi healthcare system should pay attention to the factors that may contribute to a positive patient safety culture, especially establishing a blame-free culture, improving communications and leadership capacity, learning from errors and involving patient perspectives in safety initiatives. Further research is required to understand in depth the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of a positive patient safety culture in Saudi Arabia

Use of a comprehensive patient safety tool in primary care practices

Purpose To present a tool that can be used to evaluate patient safety in both nurse‐led and physician‐led practices. Data source This article describes our experience with the Physician Practice Patient Safety Assessment (PPPSA) tool in six safety net practices—three of which were primary care nurse‐managed health centers and three were physician‐led federally qualified health centers. The information provided is from the tool itself and how it might be used in clinical settings, especially primary care. Conclusions The PPPSA is a tool to measure the extent to which patient safety practices are rigorously and systematically implemented throughout a health center. The tool's methodology requires discussion and consensus, incorporating a team approach with multiple perspectives within a center. It is designed to promote changes in practices that would improve patient safety. Implications for practice The tool has enormous relevance for primary care settings, especially those preparing themselves for patient‐centered medical home status and meaningful use. But most important, it has relevance as we create healthcare environments that promote patient safety and a practice culture that is truly patient centered.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99022/1/jaan12021.pd

Report of the expert meeting on food safety for seaweed – Current status and future perspectives

The world production of marine macroalgae, or seaweed, has more than tripled since the turn of the millennium, increasing from 10.6 million tonnes in 2000 to 32.4 million tonnes in 2018. Increased cultivation and utilization of seaweed are expected to be important pillars of sustainable food security and a robust aquatic economy in the coming years. It is important, therefore, to consider the food safety implications of (increased) seaweed use for food. Many factors can affect the presence of hazards in seaweed, including: the type of seaweed, its physiology, the season in which it is produced, production waters, harvesting methods and processing. Several hazards such as heavy metals and marine biotoxins have been reported to be (potentially) associated with seaweed. However, legislation and guidance documents on the production and utilization of seaweed are generally still lacking. FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) have therefore developed this report to identify food safety hazards (microbiological, chemical and physical) linked to the consumption of seaweed and aquatic plants. The present analysis could therefore provide a basis for undertaking further work in this area. Moreover, both FAO and WHO believe that there would be a value in developing relevant Codex guidance on this subject

Report of the expert meeting on food safety for seaweed – Current status and future perspectives

The world production of marine macroalgae, or seaweed, has more than tripled since the turn of the millennium, increasing from 10.6 million tonnes in 2000 to 32.4 million tonnes in 2018. Increased cultivation and utilization of seaweed are expected to be important pillars of sustainable food security and a robust aquatic economy in the coming years. It is important, therefore, to consider the food safety implications of (increased) seaweed use for food. Many factors can affect the presence of hazards in seaweed, including: the type of seaweed, its physiology, the season in which it is produced, production waters, harvesting methods and processing. Several hazards such as heavy metals and marine biotoxins have been reported to be (potentially) associated with seaweed. However, legislation and guidance documents on the production and utilization of seaweed are generally still lacking. FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO) have therefore developed this report to identify food safety hazards (microbiological, chemical and physical) linked to the consumption of seaweed and aquatic plants. The present analysis could therefore provide a basis for undertaking further work in this area. Moreover, both FAO and WHO believe that there would be a value in developing relevant Codex guidance on this subject.publishedVersio

Physical Activity and Mental Health Status As Moderated by Activity Promotive Environment

Physical activity continues to show potential for improving treatment of an array of mental health disorders and mental well-being. Several studies show that physical activity relates to overall decrease in symptoms of mental distress, lower rates of anxiety, and several other mental health conditions. The nature of the relationship between physical activity and mental health is reviewed including the relationship of environmental factors to physical activity and mental health. The review supports the aims of further adding to research on environmental variables moderating effect on health and presenting historical perspectives of concepts of health and key methodological limitations. The present study of a 4,391-sized sample of Texas residents investigated the relationship between physical activity (as measured by mean days per week) and perceived mental health status (as measured by mean healthy days reported in past month) and evaluates the moderating effects of environment (e.g. social cues, social connectivity, traffic safety, and crime safety) on the relationship between physical activity and perceived mental health status. Results indicated physical activity and perceived mental health status were positively correlated associated, however, statistical strength of this relationship was small. Further, despite no moderation effect was supported by current study, findings do indicate that environmental variables used in this study did play a confounding role regarding the relationship between physical activity and perceived mental health status

\u3ci\u3eCollegiate Aviation Research and Education Solutions to Critical Safety Issues\u3c/i\u3e

UNOAI Report 2001-5 This document contains four papers concerning collegiate aviation research and education solutions to critical safety issues. “Panel Proposal Titled Collegiate Aviation Research and Education Solutions to Critical Safety Issues for the Tim Forte Collegiate Aviation Safety Symposium” (Brent Bowen) presents proposals for panels on the following topics: geographic north versus magnetic north to provide enhanced national airspace system safety; weather safety training for general aviation pilots through computer flight simulation; identification of human behavior and aircraft maintenance safety issues; disaster preparedness, emergency response, and curriculum development; the collegiate aviation emergency response checklist; and systemic initiatives in aviation safety research. “Current Regulatory Status in Regard to Maintenance Resource Management” (Chien-tsung Lu, Brent Bowen) explores documents, evidence, and perspectives on maintenance resource management training. “Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Response, and Curriculum Development” (Michaela M. Schaaf, Brent D. Bowen) discusses a new upper-level aviation course at the University of Nebraska at Omaha that grew out of research in the area of safety, disaster preparedness, and emergency response. “The Collegiate Aviation Emergency Response Checklist: Fundamental Pre-crisis Planning” (Mary M. Fink, Michael K. Larson) discusses and presents the University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute’s emergency response checklist, which is designed for use is a flight student is involved in an aircraft accident or incident.https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/facultybooks/1170/thumbnail.jp

Targeting Inflammatory Mediators in Epilepsy: A Systematic Review of Its Molecular Basis and Clinical Applications

Introduction: Recent studies prompted the identification of neuroinflammation as a potential target for the treatment of epilepsy, particularly drug-resistant epilepsy, and refractory status epilepticus. This work provides a systematic review of the clinical experience with anti-cytokine agents and agents targeting lymphocytes and aims to evaluate their efficacy and safety for the treatment of refractory epilepsy. Moreover, the review analyzes the main therapeutic perspectives in this field. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted on MEDLINE database. Search terminology was constructed using the name of the specific drug (anakinra, canakinumab, tocilizumab, adalimumab, rituximab, and natalizumab) and the terms “status epilepticus,” “epilepsy,” and “seizure.” The review included clinical trials, prospective studies, case series, and reports published in English between January 2016 and August 2021. The number of patients and their age, study design, specific drugs used, dosage, route, and timing of administration, and patients outcomes were extracted. The data were synthesized through quantitative and qualitative analysis. Results: Our search identified 12 articles on anakinra and canakinumab, for a total of 37 patients with epilepsy (86% febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome), with reduced seizure frequency or seizure arrest in more than 50% of the patients. The search identified nine articles on the use of tocilizumab (16 patients, 75% refractory status epilepticus), with a high response rate. Only one reference on the use of adalimumab in 11 patients with Rasmussen encephalitis showed complete response in 45% of the cases. Eight articles on rituximab employment sowed a reduced seizure burden in 16/26 patients. Finally, one trial concerning natalizumab evidenced a response in 10/32 participants. Conclusion: The experience with anti-cytokine agents and drugs targeting lymphocytes in epilepsy derives mostly from case reports or series. The use of anti-IL-1, anti-IL-6, and anti-CD20 agents in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy and refractory status epilepticus has shown promising results and a good safety profile. The experience with TNF inhibitors is limited to Rasmussen encephalitis. The use of anti-α4-integrin agents did not show significant effects in refractory focal seizures. Concerning research perspectives, there is increasing interest in the potential use of anti-chemokine and anti-HMGB-1 agents