Project Summary: Preservation Plan for Warren, RI

This document summarizes the project that created a historical preservation plan for the Town of Warren, RI by the students in Professor Arnold Robinson’s graduate-level course: Historical Preservation Planning

CGIAR Consortium - Consultancy Service to Support Shared Location Services Strategy - Key Findings and Recommendations

Results of analysis on implementing shared service models in both Addis Ababa and Dhaka and recommendations on how to scale those models to other locations

Measuring pathways to care in first-episode psychosis : a systematic review

Background Adequately understanding and measuring pathways to care is a prerequisite for early detection and effective treatment of first-episode psychosis. Method We conducted a systematic review of studies on pathways to care in first-episode psychosis to establish what measures currently exist to assess pathways in first-episode psychosis and to compare these measures. Results We identified 15 studies which had used six different measures of pathways to care. Differences in aims, methodology and lack of psychometric data did not allow a direct comparison of pathways measures but certain common themes emerged. Discussion Pathways to care in first-episode psychosis are diverse and varied. There is no measure with established psychometric properties that has been devised on a well-developed theoretical or conceptual framework and had its psychometric properties established. The conflict between exploring the patient's narrative and journey through the healthcare system and developing an empirical measure of pathways with optimal outcomes has hindered the development of such a measure

Using decision analysis: connecting "classroom" and "field"

This paper reports on the findings of a small-scale research project investigating the views of social work students on the use of decision analysis. After giving the context of the research, the article reports on what was found when students, who had just completed a Decision Making and Risk module, were asked for their opinions on the component parts of decision analysis, its use as a practice tool and their attitudes to using it on placement. The research found that the respondents in general took a critical and supportive stance towards the use of decision analysis in social work and, with extra teaching and a positive approach from their practice assessor, would be happy to use decision analysis. When the same group of students completed a follow-up questionnaire on a placement recall day, half of them had thought about using decision analysis but only three had gone on to discuss this with their practice assessors. Some issues in relation to connecting 'classroom' and 'field' are identified and the paper concludes that a number of further steps would be necessary to realise the potential of decision analysis to help students be more systematic and analytical in their approach to decision makin

Coital frequency and condom use in monogamous and concurrent sexual relationships in Cape Town, South Africa

Introduction: A decreased frequency of unprotected sex during episodes of concurrent relationships may dramatically reduce the role of concurrency in accelerating the spread of HIV. Such a decrease could be the result of coital dilution - the reduction in per-partner coital frequency from additional partners - and/or increased condom use during concurrency. To study the effect of concurrency on the frequency of unprotected sex, we examined sexual behaviour data from three communities with high HIV prevalence around Cape Town, South Africa. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey from June 2011 to February 2012 using audio computer-assisted self-interviewing to reconstruct one-year sexual histories, with a focus on coital frequency and condom use. Participants were randomly sampled from a previous TB and HIV prevalence survey. Mixed effects logistic and Poisson regression models were fitted to data from 527 sexually active adults reporting on 1210 relationship episodes to evaluate the effect of concurrency status on consistent condom use and coital frequency. Results: The median of the per-partner weekly average coital frequency was 2 (IQR: 1 - 3), and consistent condom use was reported for 36% of the relationship episodes. Neither per-partner coital frequency nor consistent condom use changed significantly during episodes of concurrency (aIRR = 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99-1.24 and aOR = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.38-2.68, respectively). Being male, coloured, having a tertiary education, and having a relationship between 2 weeks and 9 months were associated with higher coital frequencies. Being coloured, and having a relationship lasting for more than 9 months, was associated with inconsistent condom use. Conclusions: We found no evidence for coital dilution or for increased condom use during concurrent relationship episodes in three communities around Cape Town with high HIV prevalence. Given the low levels of self- reported consistent condom use, our findings suggest that if the frequency of unprotected sex with each of the sexual partners is sustained during concurrent relationships, HIV-positive individuals with concurrent partners may disproportionately contribute to onward HIV transmission

Education for sustainable development in Malta

This paper is a 2004 revised version of the case study prepared for the 2003 Expert Meeting on Capacity Development for Sustainable Development in SIDS: Building Partnerships for Sustainable development through Education, Public Awareness and Training.This paper is intended to make a case for mainstreaming Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in school and University curricula in Malta. It identifies gaps in ESD and proposes a plan of action to put ESD on a strong footing in Malta.peer-reviewe

Application of environmental performance analysis for urban design with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and EcoTect tools: the case of Cao Fei Dian eco-city, China

This paper suggests a type of quantitative research method with the application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and EcoTect tools for a sustainable urban design project. This paper is part of a funded research study and was completed in 2010. This study is part of the larger project for planning and development of Cao Fei Dian eco-city development in North-Eastern China; one of the first eco-city development projects in the first batch of pilot eco-cities in China. The research programme addresses the main aspects of good practice in terms of eco-design and sustainability. These aspects include wind flow analysis around buildings, insolation analysis of open spaces, pollutant dispersion in water systems and noise control on urban highways. This study aims to explore a range of research methods in order to enhance the performance of integrated design with a comprehensive planning stage. The integration in evaluation across professions and subject boundaries is emphasised to identify the key gaps between sustainability and design. The main method of this study is the application of CFD and EcoTect tools for environmental performance of a larger urban area than the common use for architectural interventions or immediate outdoor spaces of a project. This study suggests an integrated urban design model with the application of computational tools (i.e. CFD and EcoTect in here) and how these could inform, from a technical dimension, a more comprehensive approach to executing best practice in design and planning. The paper concludes by suggesting an integrated model of urban design to achieve urban sustainability