Asthma management: an ecosocial framework for disparity research

Background: Asthma management disparities (AMD) between African and White Americans are significant and alarming. Various determinants have been suggested by research frameworks that affect the unfair distribution of resources for asthma management to groups who are more or less advantaged socially. Ecosocial models organize determinants into individual/family, healthcare, community, and sociocultural levels. Multilevel interventions can affect AMD through simultaneous actions on different levels and pathways between determinants. Objective: Provide a comprehensive summary of the known determinants of AMD. Method: Peer reviewed research frameworks of AMD from 1998-2009 were retrieved from PubMed/ Web of Science databases using (“Socioeconomic Factors”[Mesh] OR (“Healthcare Disparities”[Mesh] OR “Health Status Disparities”[Mesh])) AND “Asthma”[Mesh] AND “African Americans”[Mesh] OR “Ethnic Groups”[Mesh]). Abstracts assessed for a focus on AMD, and determinants. Articles were analyzed for ecosocial levels and determinants. Results: 13 research frameworks described 34 determinants. Compared to other levels, Individual/family levels had the most emphasis, and frameworks using healthcare and community levels were the most narrow in focus. Stress, poverty, violence/crime, quality of care, healthcare access, and indoor air quality were well described determinants. Conclusions: Multilevel investigations should include those well described determinants of AMD and increase knowledge of pathway interactions between healthcare and community levels

Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) system concept and technology definition study. Volume 2: Technology assessment and technology development plan

A study was conducted to define reasonable and representative LDR system concepts for the purpose of defining a technology development program aimed at providing the requisite technological capability necessary to start LDR development by the end of 1991. This volume presents thirteen technology assessments and technology development plans, as well as an overview and summary of the LDR concepts. Twenty-two proposed augmentation projects are described (selected from more than 30 candidates). The five LDR technology areas most in need of supplementary support are: cryogenic cooling; astronaut assembly of the optically precise LDR in space; active segmented primary mirror; dynamic structural control; and primary mirror contamination control. Three broad, time-phased, five-year programs were synthesized from the 22 projects, scheduled, and funding requirements estimated

Effectiveness of continence promotion for older women via community organisations: A cluster randomised trial

This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 3.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/Objectives: The primary objective of this cluster randomised controlled trial was to compare the effectiveness of the three experimental continence promotion interventions against a control intervention on urinary symptom improvement in older women with untreated incontinence recruited from community organisations. A second objective was to determine whether changes in incontinence-related knowledge and new uptake of risk-modifying behaviours explain these improvements. Setting: 71 community organisations across the UK. Participants: 259 women aged 60 years and older with untreated incontinence entered the trial; 88% completed the 3-month follow-up. Interventions: The three active interventions consisted of a single 60 min group workshop on (1) continence education (20 clusters, 64 women); (2) evidence-based self-management (17 clusters, 70 women); or (3) combined continence education and self-management (17 clusters, 61 women). The control intervention was a single 60 min educational group workshop on memory loss, polypharmacy and osteoporosis (17 clusters, 64 women). Primary and secondary outcome measures: The primary outcome was self-reported improvement in incontinence 3 months postintervention at the level of the individual. The secondary outcome was change in the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ) from baseline to 3-month follow-up. Changes in incontinence-related knowledge and behaviours were also assessed. Results: The highest rate of urinary symptom improvement occurred in the combined intervention group (66% vs 11% of the control group, prevalence difference 55%, 95% CI 43% to 67%, intracluster correlation 0). 30% versus 6% of participants reported significant improvement respectively (prevalence difference 23%, 95% CI 10% to 36%, intracluster correlation 0). The number-needed-to-treat was 2 to achieve any improvement in incontinence symptoms, and 5 to attain significant improvement. Compared to controls, participants in the combined intervention reported an adjusted mean 2.05 point (95% CI 0.87 to 3.24) greater improvement on the ICIQ from baseline to 3-month follow-up. Changes in knowledge and self-reported risk-reduction behaviours paralleled rates of improvement in all intervention arms. Conclusions: Continence education combined with evidence-based self-management improves symptoms of incontinence among untreated older women. Community organisations represent an untapped vector for delivering effective continence promotion interventions.Canadian Institutes of Health Research – Institute on Aging and the Economic and Social Research Council (UK

“Baixa” geopolítica: agências de qualificação de risco

El reciente colapso de la economía mundial nos recuerda cómo el mundo se ha convertido en rehén de una serie de agentes cuyas actividades raramente han formado parte de los debates sobre geopolítica mundial. Uno de los aspectos más controvertidos ha sido el papel de las Tres Grandes agencias de calificación crediticia, que utilizan su influencia en términos de posesión de información como medio para ejercer autoridad, no solo en términos de poder coercitivo en la economía mundial, sino también sobre la deuda soberana estatal. Ya no podemos pretender desde un punto de vista empírico que los Estados monopolizan la autoridad soberana sin asociar e involucrar a otros actores públicos y privados de varios tipos. La apropiación de tierras ya no constituye el centro de las relaciones geopolíticas, sino que está siendo reemplazada por el control sobre productos y flujos financieros.The recent global economic meltdown serves as a salutary reminder of the ways in which the world has become hostage to the activities of a range of agents whose activities have rarely figured in discussions about global geopolitics. One of the most controversial aspects has been the role of the Big Three creditrating agencies, whose informational leverage is the way in which have come to exercise authority not simply coercive power within the world economy and over state sovereign debt. We can no longer pretend empirically that states monopolize sovereign authority without engaging and enrolling other private and public actors of various types and vintages. The expropriation of land no longer lies at the center of geopolitical relations but is being replaced by control over financial products and flows.O recente colapso da economia mundial nos lembra como o mundo tornou-se refém de uma série de agentes cujas atividades raramente têm sido parte dos debates sobre geopolítica mundial. Um dos aspectos mais polêmicos tem sido o papel das três grandes agências de qualificação de risco, que utilizam sua influência em termos de posse de informações como meio para exercer a autoridade, não só em termos de poder coercitivo na economia mundial, mas também sobre a dívida soberana estatal. Já não podemos esperar, partindo de um ponto de vista empírico, que os Estados monopolizem a autoridade soberana sem associar e envolver outros atores públicos e privados de vários tipos. A apropriação de terras já não constitui o centro das relações geopolíticas: está sendo substituída pelo controle sobre produtos e fluxos financeiros

The survival of witchcraft prosecutions and witch belief in South West Scotland

During the era of the Scottish witch-hunts, Dumfries and Galloway was one of the last regions to initiate witch prosecutions, but it was also one of the most reluctant to completely surrender all belief in witches until a comparatively late date. In the late seventeeth and early eighteenth centuries south-west Scotland, better known for the persecution of covenanters, took the practice of witchcraft and charming very seriously indeed, and for perhaps longer than other parts of Scotland, though the area has received surprisingly little scholarly investigation. The trial evidence is not incompatible with that found elsewhere though there is less demonic content. Accusations of witchcraft in this region were mostly concerned with the troubles of everyday life, agricultural problems, family tensions and disagreements between neighbours. From 1670 to about 1740, the very decades that were giving birth to the Scottish Enlightenment, learned interest in the supernatural was actually on the increase and the topic received an unprecedented level of questioning, investigation, and scrutiny. Ironically, the ‘superstitions’ that both church and state had been attempting to eradicate for some two hundred years were now being used to defend religion against the growing threat of atheism. The zeal of the ministers does seem to have contributed to the endurance of witch beliefs in the South West, as elsewhere. Against this backdrop, the survival of witch belief and the continued prosecution of witches in southwest Scotland is examined, thus contributing to our understanding of the individualistic nature of witch persecution and the various dynamics at play within the Scottish witch-hunting experience

The Lugard plant collection

Volume: XXVII

A Model for Energy Supply Systems Alternatives and their General Environmental Impact

The overall objective of the energy strategies modelling effort within IIASA's Energy Systems Program is to construct a set of multiregional models of the world to assist in the analysis and evaluation of regional and global energy strategies for the next 15 to 50 years. The energy system of each world region is characterized by a set of interrelated models, each dealing with a different aspect of energy systems analysis. These include (1) models of the macroeconomy; (2) inter-industry product flows; (3) energy demand; (4) primary energy resources; (5) energy supply technologies and their environmental impact; and of (6) the direct and indirect investment and operational requirements of energy systems. A global balance model of interregional trade in energy resources is under preparation for linking the set of regional models together. The present paper is concerned with item 5 above, namely the model MESSAGE, a Model for Energy Supply System Alternatives and Their General Environmental Impact. MESSAGE is formulated as a dynamic linear program for the comparison of new and existing supply technologies for the primary, secondary and end-use conversion and distribution of energy to satisfy each of the different components of a given energy demand. Constraints are imposed by the availability of primary energy resources and the carrying capacity of the environment. MESSAGE is an instrument designed to compare different energy supply and end-use technologies and to explore the consequences of pursuing a wide range of possible energy supply strategies under various assumptions concerning: the availability of primary energy supply; future energy conversion technologies; different levels of energy demand and end-use patterns; environmental control; and conservation of energy. The purpose of MESSAGE in particular, and of the modelling effort of the Energy Systems Program in general, is not to make predictions or forecasts but to clarify some of the major worldwide consequences of taking alternative energy policy choices at the regional and global levels. Although the model described here was conceived as an integral part of the multiregional energy study of the Energy Systems Program, it is a consistent entity which could be used independently of the other models in evaluating the energy supply strategies of individual nations

Rsr1 Palmitoylation and GTPase Activity Status Differentially Coordinate Nuclear, Septin, and Vacuole Dynamics in Candida albicans

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Research in space commercialization, technology transfer, and communications, volume 2

Spectrum management, models for evaluating communication systems, the communications regulatory environment, expert prediction and consensus, remote sensing, and manned space operations research are discussed

Research in space commercialization, technology transfer and communications, vol. 2

Spectrum management, models for evaluating communications systems, and implications of communications regulations for NASA are considered as major parts of communications policy. Marketing LANDSAT products in developing countries, a political systems analysis of LANDSAT, and private financing and operation of the space operations center (space station) are discussed. Investment requirements, risks, government support, and other primary business and management considerations are examined