995 research outputs found
Nonparametric construction of probability maps under local stationarity
The environmental contamination risk can be evaluated in a specific area by approximating the probability
that the pollutant under study exceeds a critical value. This issue requires the estimation of the distribution function
involved, which can be addressed by applying the indicator kriging methodology or by approximating the sill of
the variogram of the underlying indicator process. These approaches demand an appropriate characterization of the
indicator variogram, which in turn requires a previous specification of the trend function, if the latter is suspected
to be non-constant. Since accuracy of the results will be strongly dependent on the adequate approximation of both
functions, we suggest proceeding in a different way to avoid these requirements. Thus, in the current paper, two kerneltype
estimators are proposed, based on first approximating the distribution at the sampled sites and then obtaining
a weighted average of the resulting values, to derive a valid estimator at each (sampled or unsampled) location.
Consistency of the kernel approaches is proved under rather general conditions, such as local stationarity and the
existence of derivatives up to the second order of the distribution function. Numerical studies have been carried out
to illustrate the performance of our proposals when compared to those procedures requiring the approximation of the
indicator variogram. In a final step, the kernel-type estimation of the distribution function has been applied to map
the risk of contamination by arsenic in the Central Region of Portugal. With this aim, biomonitoring data of arsenic
concentrations were used to detect those zones with higher risk of arsenic accumulation, which is mainly located on
the northern part of the region.The authors would like to thank the helpful suggestions and
comments from the Editor, the Associate Editor, and the
Reviewers. The authors are also grateful to Karen J. Duncan
for her contribution in the language revision. The first
authorâs work has been partially supported by the Spanish
National Research and Development Program project
[TEC2015-65353-R], by the European Regional Development
Fund (ERDF), and by the Galician Regional Government
under project GRC 2015/018 and under agreement for
funding AtlantTIC (Atlantic Research Center for Information
and Communication Technologies). The second author
acknowledges financial support from the Portuguese Funds
through FCT-âFundação para a CiĂȘncia e a Tecnologia,â
within the Project UID/MAT/00013/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Three-Dimensional FDTD Simulation of Biomaterial Exposure to Electromagnetic Nanopulses
Ultra-wideband (UWB) electromagnetic pulses of nanosecond duration, or
nanopulses, have been recently approved by the Federal Communications
Commission for a number of various applications. They are also being explored
for applications in biotechnology and medicine. The simulation of the
propagation of a nanopulse through biological matter, previously performed
using a two-dimensional finite difference-time domain method (FDTD), has been
extended here into a full three-dimensional computation. To account for the UWB
frequency range, a geometrical resolution of the exposed sample was ,
and the dielectric properties of biological matter were accurately described in
terms of the Debye model. The results obtained from three-dimensional
computation support the previously obtained results: the electromagnetic field
inside a biological tissue depends on the incident pulse rise time and width,
with increased importance of the rise time as the conductivity increases; no
thermal effects are possible for the low pulse repetition rates, supported by
recent experiments. New results show that the dielectric sample exposed to
nanopulses behaves as a dielectric resonator. For a sample in a cuvette, we
obtained the dominant resonant frequency and the -factor of the resonator.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure
Problem gambling: a suitable case for social work?
Problem gambling attracts little attention from health and social care agencies
in the UK. Prevalence surveys suggest that 0.6% of the population are
problem gamblers and it is suggested that for each of these individuals,
10â17 other people, including children and other family members, are
affected. Problem gambling is linked to many individual and social problems
including: depression, suicide, significant debt, bankruptcy, family conflict,
domestic violence, neglect and maltreatment of children and offending.
This makes the issue central to social work territory. Yet, the training of
social workers in the UK has consistently neglected issues of addictive
behaviour. Whilst some attention has been paid in recent years to substance
abuse issues, there has remained a silence in relation to gambling
problems. Social workers provide more help for problems relating to addictions
than other helping professions. There is good evidence that treatment,
and early intervention for gambling problems, including psycho-social and
public health approaches, can be very effective. This paper argues that
problem gambling should be moved onto the radar of the social work profession,
via inclusion on qualifying and post-qualifying training programmes
and via research and dissemination of good practice via institutions such as
the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).
Keywords: problem gambling; addictive behaviour; socia
Generic drug competition: The pharmaceutical industry âgamingâ controversy
Among American adults 20 years and older, 59 percent take at least one prescription drug on a regular basis. Unlike most branded drugs, which are generally drugs that have a trade name and are protected by a patent, offâpatent generic drugs make up approximately 90 percent of prescriptions annually filled in the United States; yet in 2017, generic drugs made up only 23 percent of total drug costs in the U.S. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has taken the lead in encouraging increased competition in the nationâs prescription drug marketplace, most recently with its release of the agencyâs Drug Competition Action Plan, but also with its regulatory guidance and enforcement efforts to eliminate âgamingâ of the regulatory process by both branded and generic pharmaceutical manufacturers. Such âgamingâ activities include âpayâforâdelayâ agreements involving financial compensation between branded and generic pharmaceutical manufacturers to forestall the emergence into the market of generic pharmaceuticals to compete against a formerly patentâprotected branded drug. A combination of new enabling legislation, federal judicial guidance, and agency regulatory activities show promise in encouraging increased competition in the prescription drug marketplace, with the American consumer the ultimate beneficiary of lower health care costs and improved overall personal health.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152498/1/basr12186_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152498/2/basr12186.pd
The Governance of Corporate Responses to Climate Change: An International Comparison
In response to pressures from governments, investors, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders, many large corporations have adopted a variety of carbon and energy management practices, taken action to reduce their emissions and set targets to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Using the case of international retailers, this article examines whether, and under what conditions, non-state actors might be capable of assuming the governance roles that have historically been played by national governments. This article concludes that external governance pressures can, if they are aligned, robust and of sufficient duration, have a significant influence on internal governance processes and on corporate strategies and actions. However, the specific actions that are taken by companies â in particular those that require significant capital investments â are constrained by the âbusiness caseâ. That is, companies will generally only invest capital in situations when there is a clear financial case (i.e. where the benefits outweigh the costs, when the rate of return meets or exceeds company targets) for action. That is, the extent to which external governance pressures can force companies to take action, in particular challenging or transformative actions that go beyond the boundaries of the business case, is not at all clear. This is particularly the case if the business case weakens, or if the opportunities for incremental change are exhausted. In that context, the power of non-state actors to force them to consider radical changes in their business processes and their use of energy therefore seems to be very limited
Corporation tax as a problem of MNC organisational circuits: The case for unitary taxation
The tax practices of multinational corporations have become a matter of significant public and political concern. The underlying issues are rooted in the capacity of multinational corporations (MNCs) to construct organisational circuits that shift where sales, revenue and profit are reported. This capacity in turn becomes a focus because of the way MNCs are treated as a series of separate entities, subject to the armâs length principle. This has become a classic example of a system whose current form and consequences were not foreseen when the original principles were set out. The continued existence of that system owes more to specific interests and inertia than it does to the absence of a viable alternative. Unitary taxation based on formula apportionment clearly resolves the underlying issues and unitary taxation may well ultimately emerge as a new generalised basis for corporate taxation. However, for it to do so, the problems of the current system and the advantages of the alternative need to be more clearly understood within academia, business and on a societal basis. This paper is a contribution to such an understanding
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"Who's actually gonna read this?" An evaluation of staff experiences of the value of information contained in written care plans in supporting care in three different dementia care settings
BACKGROUND: Reports of increased healthcare bureaucracy and concerns over care plan quality have emerged from research and surveys into staff and service user experiences. Little is known of mental health staff perspectives on the value of written care plans in supporting dementia care.
AIM: To investigate the experiences and views of staff in relation to care planning in dementia services in one National Health Service (NHS) provider Trust in England.
METHOD: Grounded Theory methodology was used. A purposive sample of 11 multidisciplinary staff were interviewed across three sites in one NHS Trust. Interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed using the constant comparative method.
FINDINGS: Five themes were identified and are explored in detail below: 1) Repetition; 2) the impact of electronic records on practice; 3) ambivalence about the value of paperwork; 4) time conflicts; and 5) alternative sources of information to plan care.
DISCUSSION: Participants perceived that written care plans did not help staff with good practice in planning care or to support dementia care generally. Staff were frustrated by repetitive documentation, inflexible electronic records and conflicting demands on their time.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Frontline staff should be involved in designing new information systems including care plans. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
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The HumanâNature Relationship and Its Impact on Health: A Critical Review
Within the past four decades, research has been increasingly drawn toward understanding whether there is a link between the changing humanânature relationship and its impact on peopleâs health. However, to examine whether there is a link requires research of its breadth and underlying mechanisms from an interdisciplinary approach. This article begins by reviewing the debates concerning the humanânature relationship, which are then critiqued and redefined from an interdisciplinary perspective. The concept and chronological history of âhealthâ is then explored, based on the World Health Organizationâs definition. Combining these concepts, the humanânature relationship and its impact on humanâs health are then explored through a developing conceptual model. It is argued that using an interdisciplinary perspective can facilitate a deeper understanding of the complexities involved for attaining optimal health at the humanâenvironmental interface
Contributions to conservation outcomes by natural history museum-led citizen science: Examining evidence and next steps
publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Contributions to conservation outcomes by natural history museum-led citizen science: Examining evidence and next steps journaltitle: Biological Conservation articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.08.040 content_type: article copyright: © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.The file attached is the published version of the article
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