User Perspectives on the Implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Emergency Management Organizations: A Case Study

Recent natural and technological disasters have highlighted the need for a regional approach to emergency management. Technological advancements have the potential to increase both the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency planning, response, and recovery, while also supporting a regional approach. However, a number of factors suppress the diffusion of technologies, including varying access to resources and expertise. The purpose of this study is to identify end-user perspectives of barriers that exist associated with the implementation of GIS within emergency management. Comparative analysis of Lauderdale, Shelby, and Tipton Counties in Tennessee and Crittenden County in Arkansas form the basis of this effort. Data were collected from surveys, interviews, After Action Reports, and participant observations within the context of a regional GIS development project. Results reveal perceived benefits and limitations of utilizing GIS in the complex practice of emergency management and lead to recommendations for addressing perceived and actual barriers to implementation

Best of Intentions: The Historical Development of Education in Architectural Conservation

This thesis traces the origins, development and international spread of postgraduate architectural conservation education. Highlighting fundamental questions about the architect’s role in heritage conservation it also carefully considers the relationship between new design and the protection and care of historic buildings. It analyses the evolution of specific courses and the role of leading individual figures in light of intensifying discussion about principles and education at postwar conservation conferences. Based on historical archival material and interviews with participants, the thesis documents the educational backgrounds and roles of a series of key promoters of conservation education and underlines their subsequent influence on the field. The analysis of individual influence and the links between these actors constitutes a prosopography, or collective biography, for architectural conservation education. This collective biography crosses national borders and explains the common elements of postgraduate courses around the world. The network of relationships between key educators was particularly strong between those from Anglophone nations, facilitated by a common language and shared histories. By attending to conservation education the thesis documents the breadth and intensity of efforts to define the boundary between architectural education in the general sense and conservation specialisation. In doing so, it highlights the unstable boundary between architectural design and architectural conservation. Finally, taking this difficulty into consideration, the thesis examines the opportunities and the difficulties involved in establishing an accredited heritage conservation/historic environment profession

Investigation of air and soil climate across the latitudinal and altitudinal gradient of the Ross Sea region of Antarctica

A soil climate station network in the Ross Sea region of Antarctica comprises; Cape Hallett (72.19°S, 2 m asl), Granite Harbour (77°S, 6 m asl), Victoria Valley (77.19°S, 408 m asl), Marble Point (77.25°S, 55 m asl), Bull Pass East (77.30°S, 833 m asl), Wright Valley (77.31°S, 155 m asl), Mt Fleming (77.32°S, 1690 m asl), Scott Base (77.50°S, 51 m asl), Minna Bluff (78.30°S, 28 m asl), and Darwin Glacier (79.50°S, 333 m asl). Variables measured include air and soil temperatures to 1.2 m depth, and wind speed and direction. The overall objectives of this study were to; investigate the trends in air and soil temperatures across latitudinal and altitudinal gradients from Cape Hallett (72°S) to Darwin Glacier (79.5°S), and from sea level to the edge of the Polar Plateau; quantify the cumulative number of days when air and soil temperatures were ≥0°C; and to analyse the wind data to characterise the wind regime at each site and to investigate storm events and diurnal patterns. Mean annual air temperatures were, from warmest to coolest: Cape Hallett ( 15.3°C), Granite Harbour ( 16.6°C), Marble Point ( 17.6°C), Darwin Glacier ( 18.2°C), Minna Bluff ( 18.3°C), Scott Base ( 19.1°C), Wright Valley ( 19.6°C), and Victoria Valley ( 22.4°C). Two stations had a warming trend (P<0.05); Marble Point (in air, and in soil at 7.5 and 120 cm depth) and Granite Harbour (in soil at 5.5 cm depth). No significant trends of warming or cooling were observed at the Cape Hallett, Darwin Glacier, Minna Bluff, Scott Base, Wright Valley, Victoria Valley, or Mt Fleming sites. Shallow soil temperatures were warmer than air temperatures, apparently due to heating from solar radiation in summer, and snow insulation in winter. The mean cumulative days/summer with air temperature ≥0°C ranged from: Wright Valley (33.3), Victoria Valley (22.3), Granite Harbour (10.4), Marble Point (9.7), Minna Bluff (7.6), Darwin Glacier (7.3), Scott Base (4.2), to Mt Fleming (0.0). In shallow soil (~5 cm depth), the mean cumulative number of days/summer with T≥0°C were: Wright Valley (69.8), Granite Harbour (69.6), Marble Point (55.5), Minna Bluff (52.8), Victoria Valley (50.2), Scott Base (34.6), Cape Hallett (32.2), to Mt Fleming (0.0). At the mid-depth soil (~20 cm depth), the overall cumulative numbers of days with T≥0°C were: Granite Harbour (65.5), Wright Valley (52.0), Marble Point (44.7), Minna Bluff (31.6), Cape Hallett (22.5), Scott Base (13.9), Victoria Valley (1.8), and Mt Fleming (0.0). There was no increasing or decreasing trend in the days with air or soil T≥0°C over the record period. Mean annual wind speeds were: Darwin Glacier (45 kmhr-1), Minna Bluff (42 kmhr-1), Mt Fleming (29 kmhr-1), Scott Base (17 kmhr-1), Wright Valley (14 kmhr-1), Marble Point (12 kmhr-1), Victoria Valley (8 kmhr-1), and Granite Harbour (7 kmhr-1). The highest recorded mean hourly wind speed was 169 kmhr 1 at Minna Bluff in 2009. There was increasing wind speed with increased latitude (R2=0.59), but no relationship between wind speed and altitude. Controls on wind speed and direction were likely to be a combination of altitude, latitude, local topography, and cyclonic storms

Factors affecting luteinizing hormone releasing hormone and somatostatin release from rat hypothalami in virto

Conditions for the viable maintenance of the isolated rat hypothalamus in culture , have been investigated. Hank's and Earle's media were suitable for incubation but tissue necrosis occurred rapidly in Eagle 's Minimal Essential medium. Hypothalami were suspended in Hank's physiological buffer and factors affecting the release of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and immunoreactive somatostatin (IRS), investigated. The viability of the tissue was assessed by oxygen consumption and by the rate of protein synthesis. Protein synthesis continued for up to 60 min but declined rapidly during the next 60 min of incubation. Amino acid uptake, however, remained active for 90 min. The rate of LHRH release was constant for the first 60 min of incubation (140 pg/h), thereafter increasing to very high levels (250 pg/h,) concomitant with the decline in protein synthesis, suggestive of loss of cellular integrity and peptide leakage. Release of LHRH from the incubated hypothalamus was found to be a temperature dependent process

Movement-induced motor cortical excitability changes of upper limb representations during voluntary contraction of the contralateral limb: A TMS investigation of interhemispheric interactions

Humans possess the ability to generate an incredible degree of complex, highly skilled, and coordinated movements. Although much is known about the anatomical and physiological components of upper limb movement, the exact means by which these different areas coordinate is still far from understood. The ability to perform symmetrical, bimanual tasks with ease suggest a default coupling between mirror motor regions – a default coupling that is perceptible in unilateral movements. During intended unimanual movement in the upper limbs, bilateral changes to motor cortex output occur. The purpose of this study was to investigate the neural underpinnings of these bilateral changes and investigate the involvement of intracortical inhibitory circuits. Previous studies have shown that transcallosal connections between cortical representations of the intrinsic muscles of the hands are relatively sparser than the more proximal muscles of the upper limbs. It was hypothesized that differential responses in overall motor output or intracortical inhibition to ipsilateral muscle activation between the FDI and ECR could infer the involvement of transcallosal pathways; although interhemispheric transfer was not directly investigated in this thesis. Two studies used focal transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), specifically paired-pulse protocols, to investigate changes in short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI) in response to contraction of contralateral homologous muscle groups to the inactive test muscle. Also, the response to activation of a non-homologous, but spatially close, muscle was investigated. Lastly, two muscle groups were investigated, a distal, intrinsic muscle of the hand (first dorsal interosseous) and a relatively more proximal muscle of the upper limb (extensor carpi radialis). These studies revealed that at low levels of force generation, unilateral isometric contractions facilitate ipsilateral mirror motor representations and reduce local GABA¬A receptor mediated inhibition. Notably, while similar facilitation occurred in both the distal and proximal effectors, decreases in SICI were much more robust in the ECR. Findings from this thesis provides insight into the neural mechanisms governing bilateral changes with unilateral movement and is important in the guiding the focus of future research

IgG subclasses, specific antibodies and immunoglobulin allotypes in children with invasive Haemophilus influenzae type B and Staphylococcus aureus infections

OBJECTIVE: The principal objective of this study was to measure various aspects of immunity in children with invasive infections due to Haemophilus influenzae type b and Staphylococcus aureus. These serious infections are a significant cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in all populations and affect healthy as well as compromised children. Evidence suggests that imbalances or deficiencies in certain aspects of immunity such as IgG subclasses, the capacity to make specific subclass antibodies, antibody affinities, complement isotypes, immunoglobulin allotypes or mannose binding protein may place certain children at risk for developing invasive disease. Investigation of these factors in a group of children with infection necessitated that normal ranges be established for children of comparable ages from the same population. A secondary objective of this study has therefore been to establish normal percentiles for the IgG subclasses in age, race and sex matched healthy controls. METHODS: Patients admitted to the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital with septic meningitis due to Haemophilus influenzae type b and osteomyelitis/septic arthritis due to Haemophilus influenzae type b or Staphylococcus aureus formed the study population. Section A of this thesis describes the methods for establishing, validating and standardizing ELISAs for measuring the IgG subclasses (lgGl, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4) and subclass antibodies specific to Haemophilus influenzae polyribosylribitol phosphate, Staphylococcus aureus teichoic acid and tetanus toxoid. The relative affinity of antibodies in these ELISAs was determined by the incorporation of diethylamine (DEA). In order to determine the immunoglobulin allotypes ELISAs were developed to measure the G1m(f), G2m(n) and Km(3) allotypes. The frequency of these allotypic markers in the different ethnic groups was established. The relationship between immunoglobulin allotypes and IgG subclass values were investigated in both patient and control groups. RESULTS: ELISA assays to measure IgG subclasses; IgG, IgG 1 and IgG4 tetanus toxoid antibodies; IgG, IgG 1 and IgG2 H. influenzae type b polyribosylribitol phosphate capsular polysaccharide antibodies; IgG, IgG1 and IgG2 S. aureus teichoic acid antibodies and G1m(f), G2m(n) and Km(3) allotypes were successfully established. Where possible the assays were standardized with reference sera and specimens were exchanged with international laboratories. Age, race and sex related percentile charts and tables of normal ranges for IgG and IgG subclasses of Black and Coloured children were established. The IgG and IgG 1 values were higher than those previously reported for children in developed countries. Black children with H. influenzae meningitis had significantly lower IgG 1, IgG2 and IgG3 levels compared to the controls and although similar trends were seen for IgG and IgG4 levels they were not statistically significant. Coloured children with H. influenzae meningitis and Coloured and Black children with H. influenzae osteomyelitis/septic arthritis also showed a similar tendency of lower IgG and IgG subclass levels than the controls but these trends were also not significantly different. All patients responded to tetanus toxoid antigen suggesting normal immunocompetence to protein antigens. H. influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide antibodies were low in children with H. influenzae type b meningitis and osteomyelitis/septic arthritis and did not increase during the illness. IgG and IgG 1 teichoic acid antibodies were raised in patients with S. aureus osteomyelitis/septic arthritis although no further rise in these antibodies was seen when measured several weeks after the illness. The antibody affinity ELISAs showed that IgG 1 tetanus toxoid antibody had a greater affinity than IgG4 tetanus toxoid antibody, the IgG 1 and IgG2 H. influenzae capsular polysaccharide antibodies were of similar affinity and the IgG 1 teichoic acid antibody was of higher affinity than the IgG2 antibody. The G1m(f) and G2m(n) positive allotypes were uncommon in Black but common in the Coloured populations whereas Km(3) was common in both groups. There was a significantly decreased frequency of the G2m(n) positive allotype in Coloured patients with H. influenzae type b meningitis and H. influenzae type b osteomyelitis/septic arthritis which was not found in patients with S. aureus osteomyelitis/septic arthritis. In both Coloured and Black children with H. influenzae meningitis there was a significantly decreased frequency of the Km(3) allotype. No differences in C4 isotypes and mannose binding protein levels were evident in the patient and control groups. CONCLUSION: This study has developed simple, specific and reproducible ELISAs to measure IgG subclasses and subclass antibodies specific to tetanus toxoid, H. influenzae polyribosylribitol phosphate and S. aureus teichoic acid. Age, sex and race related normal ranges for IgG subclasses in the local Black and Coloured populations have been established. Black children with H. influenzae type b meningitis had significantly lower IgG 1, IgG2 and IgG3 levels compared to the controls. There was a clear association between a decrease of the G2m(n) allotype and the Km(3) allotype and susceptibility to invasive infections caused by H. influenzae

Identificación de riesgos asociados a trabajadores que instalan y realizan limpieza y mantenimiento de señalética en el proyecto Expansión del Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen

Este trabajo de grado está aplicado a una empresa encargada de la fabricación e instalación de la señalética en el proyecto de expansión del Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen. Las actividades de Práctica profesional tenían como objetivos identificar peligros y riesgos laborales asociados a la instalación de la señalética y capacitar a los trabajadores sobre las medidas preventivas y de control de incidentes, accidentes y enfermedades profesionales. Además, se aplicó una encuesta a 79 trabajadores para analizar aspectos personales, sociales, ambientales y de riesgos asociados a la instalación de señalética. Los resultados indican que el personal no está lo suficientemente capacitado y no es especialista en la actividad; sin embargo, se logra proporcionar las capacitaciones y así poder mitigar el riesgo, entre los que se detectan: lesiones por herramientas, lesiones por posturas forzadas y por movimientos repetitivos. Con base en estos resultados se diseñó como propuesta una guía de procedimiento de trabajo seguro con el propósito de implementar procedimientos enfocados a la prevención de accidentes y enfermedades en el trabajo

Public spending must improve health, not just healthcare : A narrow focus on the NHS neglects the much wider determinants of health

Last week’s budget held few surprises for the NHS because the “star bunnies”1 had already been released from the chancellor’s hat by the prime minister, whose summer announcement included a £20.5bn (€23bn; $27bn) “70th birthday present” for the NHS.2 But, as many have noted, the extra funding committed by 2023 (3.4% a year) is relatively low compared with historical trends—average annual increases since 1948 have been around 3.7%3— and it follows a long period of very modest growth. When adjusted for need, NHS spending has risen by only 0.1% a year since 2009-10 in real terms,4 and the spending pledge is widely viewed to be only enough to get the basics back on track.5 Top line figures also ignore what is happening to different funding streams. Increases are directed at only one part of the healthcare system—NHS England—ignoring NHS infrastructure such as training, IT, and buildings, all of which are under increasing pressure, as well as spending in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Despite the efforts of local authorities to protect social care spending, it has fallen by 1.5% a year between 2009-10 and 2016-17,4 and as the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers put it, “When social care is cut, the NHS bleeds."

Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership Project 3: Molecular approaches for routine soil-borne disease and soil health assessment – establishing the scope

This review is part of a suite of integrated projects (Soil Biology and Soil Health Partnership) specifically aimed at addressing the AHDB and BBRO Soils Programme call – “Management for Soil Biology and Soil Health”. This project is designated Project 3 within WP 1 (Benchmarking and Baselining; see Figure 1). This review specifically aimed to: Summarise available knowledge on procedures to sample field soils to undertake DNA analysis of the presence and composition of microbial communities and their functions to provide indicators of soil health. Evaluate standard tools for use in routine sampling and molecular analysis of soil quality so that their value can be demonstrated to growers and agronomists during and beyond the current Soil Biology and Soil Health Research Partnership. Establish full lists of molecular markers that can be used to quantify: (a) Soil-borne pathogens for use in prediction of crop disease; (b) Indicators of good soil health which can influence crop yield and value. Procedures for sampling soil and extracting DNA from the sample have been reviewed. There are no standardised sampling methods, but it is general practice to take composite samples by mixing multiple cores from the surface to 10-30 cm depth. Corers should be cleaned and flamed between collection of each separate set of composite samples. A sample size of at least 200-500g is recommended. The number and spatial arrangement of samples and sub-samples required depends on the expected distribution of the target. For unknown target distributions, it has been suggested that the area is divided into evenly-sized grids with at least 2 composite samples per grid. An internationally recognised standard (ISO 11063:2012) describes a procedure for direct isolation of DNA from soil, suitable for further analysis using qPCR and high throughput sequencing methods, but this does not include procedures for subsequent DNA purification and is only suitable for small soil samples. Procedures more suitable for direct extraction and purification of total DNA from composite soil samples of 200-500g are described in the Appendices to this report. Various molecular techniques have been used for analysis of soil quality, including methods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), microarrays, DNA fingerprinting (DGGE and T-RFLP) and DNA sequencing. Two approaches are considered most suitable for routine analysis of taxonomic or functional markers; quantitative PCR (qPCR) for detection and quantification of specific markers and next generation high throughput sequencing for analysis of whole soil communities. The range of molecular markers that have been used to investigate the taxonomy and function of individual target organisms and communities of organisms in soil are described in full. These include taxon-specific markers, mainly based on selected DNA sequences from within ribosomal (rDNA) or mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase) DNA loci. Functional markers in genes expressing key enzymes involved in 1 carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur cycling are also described. Markers are also listed that have been used to assess soils for presence and activity of other key bioindicators of soil health, including mycorrhizal fungi, nitrogen-fixing microorganisms, plant growth promoting bacteria, biocontrol agents, nematode assemblages and plant pathogens. Some technical challenges remain to be fully overcome in the application of these technologies to ensure a representative and unbiased analysis of soil microbiological communities and their function. These include further standardisation of procedures for sampling, extracting and purifying DNA from soils, improved consistency in the choice of markers to be used in the analyses and the use of appropriate internal controls that ensure accuracy of data interpretation. The high cost of molecular analysis also remains a constraint to its routine application