Educational aspects of SFP977231 - Spreading the insight

Continuing technical education updates knowledge so that the engineer can face the challenge of technical change. Engineering research always provides spin-off for application in training and distance learning. However, the absence of a suitable nexus between producers and consumers of know-how results in vast areas of expertise remaining unexploited. Timely transmission of research results in digestible form to engineers must be ensured. Information from NATO Project SfP977231 is being processed and disseminated to the technical community in user - friendly formats to increase preparedness against future disasters

Bringing to buildings the healing touch - A challenging task for engineers

Civilization and civil engineering are intimately connected, and few animate inanimate relationships are more enduring than those between human beings and their built environment. This interactive relationship goes back thousands of years. The assessment of how a building will react to a natural disaster like an earthquake requires a detailed examination of the architectural features and engineering design. Structural damage can always be investigated after it has occurred, but the challenge is to pre-empt such damage by suitably equipping a building in advance to resist the onslaught of disaster

Structural rehabilitation of damaged RC buildings after the 1 october 1995 Dinar earthquake

This paper contains technical information related to the Dinar project for the rehabilitation of moderately damaged reinforced concrete buildings after the 1 October 1995 Dinar earthquake. The structural appraisal of the damaged buildings, analytical studies leading to decisions regarding structural rehabilitation or demolition, the supervision on site of the rehabilitation and the overall coordination of the project was entrusted to the Middle East Technical University Earthquake Engineering Research Center [METU-EERC] by the Turkish Ministry of Public Works and Settlement. The project involved the rehabilitation of 35 moderately damaged RC buildings with a total floor plan area of 22 000 square metres

Barriers and facilitators of adherence to antiretroviral drug therapy and retention in care among adult HIV-positive patients: A qualitative study from Ethiopia

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been life saving for hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians. With increased availability of ART in recent years, achievement of optimal adherence and patient retention are becoming the greatest challenges in the management of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. However, few studies have explored factors influencing medication adherence to ART and retention in follow-up care among adult Ethiopian HIV-positive patients, especially in the Amhara region of the country, where almost one-third of the country's ART is prescribed. The aim of this qualitative study was to collect such data from patients and healthcare providers in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 patients, of whom 11 had been lost to follow-up and were non-persistent with ART. In addition, focus group discussions were performed with 15 ART nurses and 19 case managers. All interviews and focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded for themes and patterns in Amharic using a grounded theory approach. The emergent concepts and categories were translated into English. Results: Economic constraints, perceived stigma and discrimination, fasting, holy water, medication side effects, and dissatisfaction with healthcare services were major reasons for patients being non-adherent and lost to follow-up. Disclosure of HIV status, social support, use of reminder aids, responsibility for raising children, improved health on ART, and receiving education and counseling emerged as facilitators of adherence to ART. Conclusions: Improving adherence and retention requires integration of enhanced treatment access with improved job and food security. Healthcare providers need to be supported to better equip patients to cope with the issues associated with ART. Development of social policies and cooperation between various agencies are required to facilitate optimal adherence to ART, patient retention, and improved patient outcomes. © 2014 Bezabhe et al