Advanced Technology Support for Information Management at Friends of the Earth

We report early results from a project to study the application of advanced technology to enhance information management in a medium sized enterprise where the collection, analysis and dissemination of information are key business processes. Our two-year TCD-funded project is a collaboration between University College London (UCL) and Friends of the Earth (FOE), a research and campaigning organisation with 65 full time employees and a turnover of about 3.5 million pounds. We explain our strategy for re-engineering information management at FOE and present three example projects which demonstrate the application of innovative IT solutions to problems associated with fundamental working practices

Rhinoviruses

Picornaviruses, which include the human rhinoviruses (HRVs) and enteroviruses (EVs), are the most frequent cause of acute human illness worldwide. HRVs are the most prevalent cause of acute respiratory tract illnesses (ARIs) which usually commence in the upper respiratory tract (URT). ARIs are the leading cause of morbidity in children under 5 years and occur in all seasons. ARIs linked to HRV infections are associated with excessive and perhaps inappropriate antibiotic prescribing and with significant direct and indirect healthcare expenditure. ARI incidence is highest in the first 2 years of life, with up to thirteen episodes per year including up to six positive for an HRV, and it is not uncommon to average one infection per child-month