225 research outputs found

    Needs Assessment Surveys: Do They Predict Attendance at Continuing Education Workshops?

    Get PDF
    Extension educators regularly conduct needs assessment surveys to identify their clients\u27 education preferences. This study compared data from a continuing education needs assessment survey of NYS forest resource managers with attendance records from workshops to learn if survey respondents attended programs that they indicated a preference for. Our findings suggest that, although educators can rely on these surveys to assess program feasibility, only a small percentage of survey respondents who indicate an interest in a topic will actually attend a program on that topic. Our results illustrate why educators should consider using additional tools to assess their clients\u27 education needs

    The New York City Watershed Model Forests Revisited Five Years Later: An Assessment of Successes, Failures, and Challenges for the Future

    Get PDF
    The New York City Watershed Model Forests were established to demonstrate that working forested landscapes can be compatible with water quality. The Model Forests were designed to integrate education, research, and demonstration to a wide audience. Two of the four Model Forests are successful, serving the outreach and continuing education needs of forest stewards in the watershed. The other two Model Forests have confronted challenges stemming from the negative public perception of forest management. Explanations on successes and shortcomings, coupled with a survey analysis of model forest users, provide insight into the project\u27s progression over the last 7 years

    Does Landowner Awareness and Knowledge Lead to Sustainable Forest Management? A Vermont Case Study

    Get PDF
    Family forest owners control 40% of forestland in the United States. Timber harvesting on family forests represents a critical component of the nation\u27s wood supply. We examined how awareness and knowledge translated into actual forest management practices. We conducted field surveys on 59 family forest properties, coupled with a landowner survey designed to measure landowner engagement. We determined that engaged landowners implemented silviculture and Best Management Practices at a higher level than their less engaged counterparts. Improvement was needed across the board. Forestry Extension professionals should continue to promote and re-enforce awareness and knowledge among landowners

    Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Get PDF
    BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

    Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

    Get PDF
    Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

    Centrality evolution of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density over a broad pseudorapidity range in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76TeV

    Get PDF
    Peer reviewe

    Assessing Extension\u27s Ability to Promote Family Forests as a Woody Biomass Feedstock in the Northeast United States

    Get PDF
    The study reported here surveyed Extension educators\u27 awareness and knowledge of woody biomass energy and assessed their desire and ability to reach out to family forest owners—a critical feedstock source. The results indicate Extension educators are aware of the potential of woody biomass to serve as a renewable source of energy. Respondents representing forestry/natural resources disciplines registered higher awareness and willingness to diffuse scores than agriculture, horticulture, and community development educators. The study provides a baseline measurement of awareness and knowledge of woody biomass as an energy source, and desire to promote forest management for woody biomass to FFO

    Quantifying forest loss and forest degradation in Myanmar's "Home of Teak"

    No full text
    The Bago Mountain Range in Myanmar is known as the “home of teak” (Tectona grandis L. f.) because of its bountiful, naturally growing teak-bearing forests. Accelerating forest loss and degradation are threatening the sustainable production of teak in the region. Changes in land cover between 2000 and 2017 in four reserved forests of the Bago Mountain Range were mapped using supervised classification of Landsat imagery and training data collected in the field. A stratified random sample was used to collect reference data to assess accuracy of the maps and estimate area. Based on the reference sample, it was estimated that the forest area declined from 71 240 ha (standard error (SE) = 1524 ha) in 2000 to 40 891 ha (SE = 4404 ha) in 2017, whereas the area of degraded forests increased from 88 797 ha (SE = 1694 ha) to 97 013 ha (SE = 5395 ha). The annualized rates of gross forest loss and gross forest degradation were 1.03% and 0.97%, respectively, indicating that forest degradation paralleled forest loss. In many degraded areas, there is an opportunity to ameliorate the situation through silviculture. The 2017 map identifies bamboo-dominated degraded forests where enrichment planting or reforestation is recommended.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

    Metalothionein - imunohistochemický biomarker rakoviny: Meta-analýza

    Get PDF
    Metallothionein (MT) has been extensively investigated as a molecular marker of various types of cancer. In spite of the fact that numerous reviews have been published in this field, no meta-analytical approach has been performed. Therefore, results of to-date immunohistochemistry-based studies were summarized using meta-analysis in this review. Web of science, PubMed, Embase and CENTRAL databases were searched (up to April 30, 2013) and the eligibility of individual studies and heterogeneity among the studies was assessed. Random and fixed effects model meta-analysis was employed depending on the heterogeneity, and publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Eggers tests. A total of 77 studies were included with 8,015 tissue samples (4,631 cases and 3,384 controls). A significantly positive association between MT staining and tumors (vs. healthy tissues) was observed in head and neck (odds ratio, OR 9.95; 95% CI 5.82– 17.03) and ovarian tumors (OR 7.83; 1.09–56.29), and a negative association was ascertained in liver tumors (OR 0.10; 0.03–0.30). No significant associations were identified in breast, colorectal, prostate, thyroid, stomach, bladder, kidney, gallbladder, and uterine cancers and in melanoma. . However, a high degree of inconsistence was observed in several tumor types, including colorectal, kidney and prostate cancer. Despite the ambiguity in some tumor types, conclusive results are provided in the tumors of head and neck, ovary and liver and in relation to the tumor grade and patient survival.Metalothionein (MT) byl rozsáhle zkoumán jako molekulární marker různých typů rakoviny. Navzdory tomu, že v této oblasti byly zveřejněny četné hodnocení , byl proveden meta-analytický postup. Proto výsledky na aktuální studie imunohistochemické bázi byly shrnuty pomocí meta-analýzy v této recenzi. Web of Science, PubMed, Embase a centrálních databází byly vyhledávány (až do 30.dubna 2013) a způsobilosti jednotlivých studií a heterogenity mezi studiích byla hodnocena. Náhodné a fixní efekty modelu meta-analýza byla použita v závislosti na různorodosti, a publikace zaujatost byla hodnocena pomocí trychtýř pozemky a testy Eggers.Celkem 77 studií bylo zahrnuto s 8015 vzorky tkání (4631 případů a 3384 kontrol).Významně pozitivní asociace mezi MT barvení a nádorů (vs. zdravých tkání) byl pozorován v oblasti hlavy a krku (poměr šancí, OR 9,95; 95% CI 5.82- 17,03) a ovariální nádory (OR 7,83, 1,09 - 56,29), a negativní asociace byla zjištěna v jaterních nádorů (OR 0,10; 0,03 - 0,30). Žádné významné asociace byly identifikovány v prsu, tlustého střeva, prostaty, štítné žlázy, žaludku, močového měchýře, ledvin, žlučníku, a rakoviny dělohy a melanomu. , Nicméně, vysoký stupeň nesouladu byl pozorován u několika typů nádorů, včetně tlustého střeva, ledvin a prostaty. Navzdory nejednoznačnosti některých typů nádorů, průkazné výsledky jsou uvedeny v nádorů hlavy a krku, vaječníků a jater a ve vztahu ke stupni nádoru a přežití pacienta
    corecore