Updates in Feline Diabetes Mellitus and Hypersomatotropism

Flash glucose monitoring is a novel, non-invasive monitoring technique, which is increasingly used in the management of small animal diabetes. This chapter provides guidance on the use of flash glucose monitoring in cats and demonstrates how this technique can be utilized in a range of feline diabetic cases, including those in which management is proving challenging. Other aspects of complicated feline diabetes cases are also discussed, including management of the sick diabetic cat, potassium depletion myopathy and treatment options for cats with hypersomatotropism-associated diabetes mellitus. The use of Toujeo® insulin glargine as a promising new long-acting insulin for diabetic cats is also discussed

Process and impact evaluation of the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy Health Impact Assessment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>despite health impact assessment (HIA) being increasingly widely used internationally, fundamental questions about its impact on decision-making, implementation and practices remain. In 2005 a collaboration between public health and local government authorities performed an HIA on the Christchurch Urban Development Strategy Options paper in New Zealand. The findings of this were incorporated into the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy;</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>using multiple qualitative methodologies including key informant interviews, focus groups and questionnaires, this study performs process and impact evaluations of the Christchurch HIA including evaluation of costs and resource use;</p> <p>Results</p> <p>the evaluation found that the HIA had demonstrable direct impacts on planning and implementation of the final Urban Development Strategy as well as indirect impacts on understandings and ways of working within and between organisations. It also points out future directions and ways of working in this successful collaboration between public health and local government authorities. It summarises the modest resource use and discusses the important role HIA can play in urban planning with intersectoral collaboration and enhanced relationships as both catalysts and outcomes of the HIA process;</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>as one of the few evaluations of HIA that have been published to date, this paper makes a substantial contribution to the literature on the impact, utility and effectiveness of HIA.</p

Technologies for Future Precision Strike Missile Systems

NATO Lecture Series, Tbilisi, Georgia; Bucharest, Romania; Madrid, Spain; Stockholm, Sweden, June 18-29, 2001.This report documents the results of NATO Research and Technology Organization (RTO) lectu series number 221, entitled Technologies for Future Precision Strike Missile Systems. The primary purpose of the lecture series was the disseminating of state-of-the-art scientific and technical knowledge among a wide audience. The lecture series identified significant developments in the enabling technologies and provided examples of the advancements. It also addressed the challenging requirements in areas such as adverse weather capability, time critical targets, high kill probability, no collateral damage, high survivability light-weight expeditionary warfare weapons, and affordability. Emerging technologies for precision strike missile systems that were addressed in the lecture series included: Mission planning technology. Assessments included off-board sensor integration, near-real-time mission planning, flight altitude, terrain following, and missile data links for in-flight targeting. Missile aeromechanics technology. Assessments included hypersonic airframes, low cost/high temperature structure, and ramjet propulsion. Guidance and control technology. An overview of existing guidance and control was given. Assessments included precision guidance and optimal guidance laws. Missile GPS/INS sensor technology. Assessments included low cost INS and GPS/INS integration. Missile design technology. An overview of the missile design process was given. Assessments included computer programs and electronic spreadsheets for conceptual design and missile deign criteria. Seeker technology. Assessments included active and passive imaging infrared and radar seekers. Missile/aircraft integration technology. Assessments included high firepower weapon concepts, reduced observables, and insensitive munitions. Simulation/validation technology. Assessments included hardware-in-the-loop and design validation. Automatic target recognition technology. Assessments included robust algorithms and hardware/algorithm optimization. The material in this publication was assembled to support a Lecture Series under the sponsorship of the Systems Concepts and Integration (SCI) Panel and the Consultant and Exchange programme of RTO. The lectures were first held March 23-24, 2000 in Atlanta Georgia USA, at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Following the lectures at Georgia Tech, the lectures were held April 3-4, 2000 in Turin, Italy and April 6-7, 2000 in Ankara, Turkey. Due to the interest in the lectures, they were reprised in 2001. Updated lectures were presented in Tbilisi, Georgia (18-19 June 2001), Bucharest, Romania (21-22 June 2001), Madrid, Spain (25-26 June 2001), and Stockholm, Sweden (28-29 June 2001)