A simplified multi-criteria evaluation model for landfill site ranking and selection based on AHP and GIS

This study used GIS based Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach for evaluating the most environmentally suitable landfill sites in the study area. The weights of relative importance of the factors guiding landfill siting were estimated using pair-wise comparisons in AHP. The maps showing suitable landfill sites were generated applying a weighted linear combination (WLC) in GIS using a comparison matrix to aggregate different significant scenarios associated with environmental and economic objectives. To determine the appropriate areas where landfill sites can be located, thematic maps for all the criteria were generated using GIS. A final map was produced showing suitability for the location of the landfill sites. The suitable sites having an area equal to or above 4 ha at one place and 90% of which is barren land were considered suitable for landfill. The selected candidate sites were ranked to get the most desirable sites for landfill

広島県内介護保険施設・病院等における給食施設の食中毒発生時の食事提供マニュアルの整備状況

介護保険施設・病院等の給食施設では、食中毒が発生した場合においても入所者、入院患者への食事提供を継続しなければならず、被害拡大防止対策や再発防止対策を講じなければならない中で、この責務を果たすことは施設にとって大きな課題である。そこで、広島県内A保健所管内における介護保険施設・病院等の53給食施設を対象として、食中毒発生時における食事提供マニュアルの整備状況を調査し、危機管理対策が適正に講じられているかどうかを把握することを目的とした。食中毒対応体制を確立するための施設からの課題としては、組織・人材管理項目では「代行従事者の確保」が、食事管理項目では「一般食以外の提供先」が、施設・設備管理項目では「盛り付け場所の確保」「洗浄場所の確保」が挙げられた。食中毒発生時の食事提供マニュアルを作成していた施設は介護老人福祉施設・介護老人保健施設の39.3%、病院の64.0%であった。食中毒発生時の食事提供に関する保健衛生行政に対する要望は「食事提供マニュアルの作成指針(チェックリスト)の提示」、「模擬訓練の実施」、「食事提供を支援する組織づくり(地域協議会など)」の順に多かった。これらのことから、食中毒発生時において入所者・入院患者の食事提供が円滑に行えるよう平時より介護保険施設・病院等の給食施設と保健所、地域が連携して食事提供マニュアルを作成し、模擬訓練を定期的に実施することが必要であると考えられた。"In case food poisoning breaks out at welfare facilities for the elderly or hospitals, a major priority is to limit the damage by ensuring that the outbreak spreads no further and to secure substitute food for residents. In 2003 and 2004, we conducted investigations as to whether manuals were available for coping with food poisoning. This was done using questionnaires and personal interviews at 28 welfare facilities and 25 hospitals within a specific area of Hiroshima Prefecture. The figures are as follows: 39.3% of the facilities and 64.0% of the hospitals had manuals for coping with food poisoning. Problems in making out manuals in the facilities are as follows: ""to secure agent staff"", ""to secure a place to serve food"", and ""to secure substitute special food"". Problems in making out manuals in the hospitals are as follows: ""to secure agent staff"" and ""to secure substitute special food"". We formed ""check lists"" of those who had manuals readily available for coping with food poisoning and distributed the result all those involved. Check lists are comprised of 13 units such as ""how to establish a system for dealing with the outbreak of food poisoning"", ""distribution of substitute food"", ""to secure a place to serve food"", and ""to secure agent staff"". It is important that the manual defines exactly what is involved in case of an outbreak of food poisoning. We make a point of conducting a practical verification for the purpose of improving the ability of staff members to cope with the outbreak of food poisoning, and revising the manuals more effectively."原著Original国立情報学研究所で電子

Sea level variability in the Arctic Ocean from AOMIP models

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2007. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research 112 (2007): C04S08, doi:10.1029/2006JC003916.Monthly sea levels from five Arctic Ocean Model Intercomparison Project (AOMIP) models are analyzed and validated against observations in the Arctic Ocean. The AOMIP models are able to simulate variability of sea level reasonably well, but several improvements are needed to reduce model errors. It is suggested that the models will improve if their domains have a minimum depth less than 10 m. It is also recommended to take into account forcing associated with atmospheric loading, fast ice, and volume water fluxes representing Bering Strait inflow and river runoff. Several aspects of sea level variability in the Arctic Ocean are investigated based on updated observed sea level time series. The observed rate of sea level rise corrected for the glacial isostatic adjustment at 9 stations in the Kara, Laptev, and East Siberian seas for 1954–2006 is estimated as 0.250 cm/yr. There is a well pronounced decadal variability in the observed sea level time series. The 5-year running mean sea level signal correlates well with the annual Arctic Oscillation (AO) index and the sea level atmospheric pressure (SLP) at coastal stations and the North Pole. For 1954–2000 all model results reflect this correlation very well, indicating that the long-term model forcing and model reaction to the forcing are correct. Consistent with the influences of AO-driven processes, the sea level in the Arctic Ocean dropped significantly after 1990 and increased after the circulation regime changed from cyclonic to anticyclonic in 1997. In contrast, from 2000 to 2006 the sea level rose despite the stabilization of the AO index at its lowest values after 2000.This research is supported by the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs (under cooperative agreements OPP- 0002239 and OPP- 0327664) with the International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and by the Climate Change Prediction Program of the Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The development of the UW model is also supported by NASA grants NNG04GB03G and NNG04GH52G and NSF grants OPP-0240916 and OPP-0229429

Which medical error to disclose to patients and by whom? Public preference and perceptions of norm and current practice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Disclosure of near miss medical error (ME) and who should disclose ME to patients continue to be controversial. Further, available recommendations on disclosure of ME have emerged largely in Western culture; their suitability to Islamic/Arabic culture is not known.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We surveyed 902 individuals attending the outpatient's clinics of a tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. Personal preference and perceptions of norm and current practice regarding which ME to be disclosed (5 options: don't disclose; disclose if associated with major, moderate, or minor harm; disclose near miss) and by whom (6 options: any employee, any physician, at-fault-physician, manager of at-fault-physician, medical director, or chief executive director) were explored.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Mean (SD) age of respondents was 33.9 (10) year, 47% were males, 90% Saudis, 37% patients, 49% employed, and 61% with college or higher education. The percentage (95% confidence interval) of respondents who preferred to be informed of harmful ME, of near miss ME, or by at-fault physician were 60.0% (56.8 to 63.2), 35.5% (32.4 to 38.6), and 59.7% (56.5 to 63.0), respectively. Respectively, 68.2% (65.2 to 71.2) and 17.3% (14.7 to 19.8) believed that as currently practiced, harmful ME and near miss ME are disclosed, and 34.0% (30.7 to 37.4) that ME are disclosed by at-fault-physician. Distributions of perception of norm and preference were similar but significantly different from the distribution of perception of current practice (P < 0.001). In a forward stepwise regression analysis, older age, female gender, and being healthy predicted preference of disclosure of near miss ME, while younger age and male gender predicted preference of no-disclosure of ME. Female gender also predicted preferring disclosure by the at-fault-physician.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We conclude that: 1) there is a considerable diversity in preferences and perceptions of norm and current practice among respondents regarding which ME to be disclosed and by whom, 2) Distributions of preference and perception of norm were similar but significantly different from the distribution of perception of current practice, 3) most respondents preferred to be informed of ME and by at-fault physician, and 4) one third of respondents preferred to be informed of near-miss ME, with a higher percentage among females, older, and healthy individuals.</p

Transgenesis in Animal Agriculture: Addressing Animal Health and Welfare Concerns

The US Food and Drug Administration’s final Guidance for Industry on the regulation of transgenesis in animal agriculture has paved the way for the commercialization of genetically engineered (GE) farm animals. The production-related diseases associated with extant breeding technologies are reviewed, as well as the predictable welfare consequences of continued emphasis on prolificacy at the potential expense of physical fitness. Areas in which biotechnology could be used to improve the welfare of animals while maintaining profitability are explored along with regulatory schema to improve agency integration in GE animal oversight

Manual on Scientific Writing

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