437 research outputs found
Thresholds to the Imaginary
No abstract availableThis article was originally published by Parallel Press, an imprint of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries, as part of The International Journal of Screendance, Volume 3 (2013), Parallel Press. It is made available here with the kind permission of Parallel Press
HIV as a chronic disease considerations for service planning in resource-poor settings
This paper reviews the healthcare issues facing nations which have a substantial caseload of chronic HIV cases. It considers the challenges of extending antiretroviral coverage to an expanding caseload as supplier price rises and international trade agreements come into force to reduce the availability of affordable antiretrovirals just as the economic downturn restricts donor funding. It goes on to review the importance in this context of supporting adherence to drug regimens in order to preserve access to affordable antiretrovirals for those already on treatment, and of removing key barriers such as patient fees and supply interruptions. The demands of those with chronic HIV for health services other than antiretroviral therapy are considered in the light of the fearful or discriminatory attitudes of non-specialist healthcare staff due to HIV-related stigma, which is linked with the weakness of infection control measures in many health facilities. The implications for prevention strategies including those involving criminalisation of HIV transmission or exposure are briefly summarised for the current context, in which the caseload of those whose chronic HIV infection must be controlled with antiretrovirals will continue to rise for the foreseeable future
Not Up for Discussion: Applying Lukesâ Power Model to the Study of Health System Corruption; Comment on âWe Need to Talk About Corruption in Health Systemsâ
This companion paper suggests the potential benefits of applying Steven Lukesâ dimensions of power model tothe study of corruption in health systems. Lukesâ model sets out three âfaces of powerâ classified by their influence on political discourse, resulting in overt, covert and latent discussion of issues depending on the degree of their alignment with the agenda of dominant power interests.His concept that differential access to public discourse varies according to this alignment implies the potential for identifying more serious forms of corruption by the mismatch between their practical importance and the amount of open debate addressing them. These two variables are in practice inversely related, and do not, as might be expected, correlate, with more important topics receiving more public attention. Lukesâ model would predict and can explain such inversion of public priorities, which tells us that observed suppression of public debate might efficiently direct the interest of researchers and the efforts of those seeking to further the public good on to the key issues needing discussion and resolution. The commentary goes on to examine whether the most serious and dangerous forms of corruption might therefore also be the most invisible, and suggests that whistleblower reports should be considered a key data source for research into high-level corruption in health systems, including redirection of policy decisions away from those which are in the public interest
Organised crime and the efforts to combat it: a concern for public health
This paper considers the public health impacts of the income-generating activities of organised crime. These range from the traditional vice activities of running prostitution and supplying narcotics, to the newer growth areas of human trafficking in its various forms, from international supply of young people and children as sex workers through deceit, coercion or purchase from family, through to smuggling of migrants, forced labour and the theft of human tissues for transplant, and the sale of fake medications, foodstuffs and beverages, cigarettes and other counterfeit manufactures. It looks at the effect of globalisation on integrating supply chains from poorly-regulated and impoverished source regions through to their distant markets, often via disparate groups of organised criminals who have linked across their traditional territories for mutual benefit and enhanced profit, with both traditional and newly-created linkages between production, distribution and retail functions of cooperating criminal networks from different cultures. It discusses the interactions between criminals and the structures of the state which enable illegal and socially undesirable activities to proceed on a massive scale through corruption and subversion of regulatory mechanisms. It argues that conventional approaches to tackling organised crime often have deleterious consequences for public health, and calls for an evidence-based approach with a focus on outcomes rather than ideology
A 3D Monte Carlo Photoionization Code for Modeling Diffuse Ionized Gas
We have developed a three dimensional Monte Carlo photoionization code
tailored for the study of Galactic H II regions and the percolation of ionizing
photons in diffuse ionized gas. We describe the code, our calculation of
photoionization, heating & cooling, and the approximations we have employed for
the low density H II regions we wish to study. Our code gives results in
agreement with the Lexington H II region benchmarks. We show an example of a 2D
shadowed region and point out the very significant effect that diffuse
radiation produced by recombinations of helium has on the temperature within
the shadow.Comment: MNRAS accepte
Environmental effects of aircraft operations and airspace charging regimes. Final report
Project aim and outline:
There has been anecdotal evidence that differences in airspace charging
regimes influence airlinesâ preferred routes and flight plans through European
airspace. Routing aircraft over longer distances in order to reduce direct
operating costs has a range of fuel burn and greenhouse gas emission
consequences that have yet to be adequately quantified.
The aim of this project is to study the environmental costs of different
airspace charging regimes in Europe to ascertain whether the level of route
charges that are levied for performing a flight affects the route that is flown
between specific origin/destination pairs. Through a strategic assessment of a
sample of airline flight plans and discussion with stakeholders, the study
investigates the drivers of these apparently inefficient flight plans, quantifies
the proportion of European routes that are affected (and the additional
distances that are travelled) and identifies the greenhouse gas emission
(focussing on carbon dioxide) implications of the observed behaviours
Climate related air traffic management. Final report. Assessing the role of air traffic management in reducing environmental impacts of aviation
Climate related air traffic management. Final report. Assessing the role of air traffic management in reducing environmental impacts of aviatio
Deconvolution of whole blood transcriptomics identifies changes in immune cell composition in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) treated with mycophenolate mofetil
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