Investing in the New Blue Economy: The Changing Role of International Development Organizations in Catalyzing Private Sector Investment in Support of Regional Strategic Action Programmes for the Sustainable Development of Coasts and Oceans

Over the last 20 years, governments sharing common coastal and ocean ecosystems have developed and agreed on concrete regional action programs to stop and, in some cases, reverse a trend of deteriorating coastal and ocean resources. Implementation of these action programs requires significant investments by the public and private sectors alike, with the potential for substantial economic growth and enhanced social well-being. For this to happen, new institutional arrangements, technologies, and financial vehicles and asset classes are needed to mainstream innovative “blue economy” projects that have the potential to transition economies and communities to more sustainable development paths. This paper proposes one such set of transformative approaches for private and public investments in the blue economy and the role of the international development community in catalyzing this transformation. It proposes using the government approved regional action programs as guides to investment, as strategic frameworks to prioritize action, and as tools to reduce private sector investment risks. Establishing regional pre-investment facilities supported by the international development and donor community could serve as a new institutional arrangement to help cultivate pipelines of sustainable and bankable projects for financing by specialized blue economy commercial funds. To finance these pre-investment facilities, success fees can be agreed upon by all stakeholders and leveraged on closed investment deals supported by the specialized blue economy commercial funds or by an ecosystem of emerging sustainable investment funds. These success fees can assist the pre-investment facilities in becoming donor independent over time. This paper examines the development of such a pre-investment facility to cultivate an ecosystem of sustainable blue economy investment projects for the Seas of East Asia and presents the lessons for development organizations, local and national governments, and investors from pilot investment cases in four ocean-related sectors: sustainable seafood, marine protected areas and sustainable tourism, wastewater management, and plastic pollution

Changes in Conflict Resolution Style over Time: The Risk for Persons with Alzheimer’s Dementia

Abstract Background: Elder mistreatment is a serious issue affecting between 300,000 and 800,000 older adults. Elder mistreatment has serious consequences for older adults and can include immunological dysfunction, increased mortality and emotional difficulties such as depression, feelings of inadequacy and self-contempt. Sub-groups such as persons with Alzheimer’s disease have heightened risk for elder mistreatment, but it is not clear whether this heightened risk represents life-long patterns of abuse between persons or whether they represent a change in conflict style over time as a result of changes associated with dementia. Methods: Data analyzed in this study were collected as part of the Aggression and Violence in Community Based Alzheimer’s Study [AV-CAD] and represents patient caregiver/dyads who received care at one of five state funded medical clinics or who belonged to one of three local chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association. Data were collected via in-person interview and mailed survey, and changes in conflict resolution style (reasoning, verbal aggression and violence) pre and post dementia were measured using the Conflict Tactic Scale (CTS) and analyzed using McNemar’s Test. Results: Reasoning was used as a conflict resolution style in 91.4% of caregivers and 89.3% of elders prior to the onset of dementia and in 66.3% of caregivers and 45.3% of elders in the past year (post dementia diagnosis). Reasoning in the post dementia period was significantly related to use of reasoning in the pre dementia period for caregivers (X2=7.47, p=.0032) and approached significance for elders (X2=6.00; p=.057). Use of verbal aggression (VA) and violence (V) as a conflict resolution style post dementia was higher for both caregivers (VA: 59.3%; V: 16.8%) and elders (VA: 68.7%; V: 24%), but was not significantly related to behaviors in the pre-dementia period for caregivers (V: X2=1.55, p=.536; VA: X2=0.67, p=.528) or elders (V: X2=0.54, p=.628; VA: X2=0.43, p=.621). Conclusions: This study lends support to the idea that elder abuse in a large number of persons with Alzheimer’s disease may be in part a result of the etiology of the disease and is susceptible over time. Implications for policy, practice and future research are discussed

Survey of the UK veterinary profession 2: sources of information used by veterinarians

Access to the most up-to-date evidence is an important cornerstone for veterinarians attempting to practice in an evidence-based manner; therefore, an understanding of what and how information is accessed is vital. The aim of this study was to identify what resources the UK veterinary profession access and regard as most useful. Based on questionnaires received from veterinarians, the Veterinary Times was nominated as most often read journal or magazine by respondents (n=3572, 79 per cent). In Practice (n=3224, 82 per cent) and the Veterinary Record (n=165, 34 per cent) were seen as most useful by clinicians, and non-clinicians, respectively. Google was the most often nominated electronic resource by all respondents (n=3076, 71 per cent), with Google (n=459, 23 per cent) and PubMed (n=60, 17 per cent) seen as most useful by clinicians and non-clinicians, respectively. The abstract and conclusion sections were the most read parts of scientific manuscripts nominated by all respondents. When looking for assistance with difficult cases, colleagues were the common information choice for clinicians. Different sections of the veterinary profession access information, and deem resources useful, in different ways. Access to good quality evidence is important for the practice of evidence-based veterinary medicine, and therefore, researchers should think about disseminating their findings in a targeted way for optimal use by the profession

Physical Mistreatment in Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease

Physical mistreatment has been estimated to affect 2 million older persons each year and dramatically affects health outcomes. While researchers have attempted to examine risk factors for specific forms of abuse, many have been able to focus on only victim or perpetrator characteristics, or a limited number of psychosocial variables at any one time. Additionally, data on risk factors for subgroups such as persons with Alzheimer’s disease who may have heightened and/or unique risk profiles has also been limited. This paper examines risk for physical violence in caregiver/patient dyads who participated in the Aggression and Violence in Community-Based Alzheimer’s Families Grant. Data were collected via in-person interview and mailed survey and included demographics as well as measures of violence, physical and emotional health, and health behaviors. Logistic regression analysis indicated that caregivers providing care to elders with high levels of functional impairment or dementia symptoms, or who had alcohol problems, were more likely to use violence as a conflict resolution strategy, as were caregivers who were providing care to elders who used violence against them. By contrast, caregivers with high self-esteem were less likely to use violence as a conflict resolution strategy. Significant interaction effects were also noted

Explosion of knowledge and of scientific information?: what should be changed in the education of veterinarians?

Veterinarians play an important role in five related fields of work: public health, bio-medical research, global food safety and security, ecosystem health as well as in the more traditional role of caring for animals. As a consequence of societal needs and expectations, external demands on the profession are increasingly critical and far-reaching. Explosion of knowledge and multiplication of scientific information sources change the context of education. The objective for learners is to develop competencies to be able to manage new, sometimes complex, professional situations while they do not have acquired the necessary knowledge at school. This situation has implies to design competency frameworks, to develop educational interventions focusing on the transfer of knowledge, to take into account the characteristics of a new generation of students, and to be trained to the use of scientific information. Actions are required from all stakeholders: researchers, editors, veterinary practitioners and teachers. Reduction in the amount of face-to-face teaching, increased active learning (Problem Based Learning, Team Based Learning), and increased connections with practice (Case Based Learning, implication of practitioners in teaching) are neededLa variété des missions du vétérinaire praticien, associée à une augmentation exponentielle des savoirs, modifie désormais le cadre de l’apprentissage. Il devient impossible de maîtriser tous les sujets d’une discipline avec la même profondeur. L’apprentissage de la médecine vétérinaire n’est plus tellement d’accumuler des savoirs disciplinaires, mais bien d’apprendre à gérer des situations complexes, souvent sans avoir formellement acquis les connaissances nécessaires au cours des études. Ce contexte implique de déterminer les compétences indispensables au métier de vétérinaire, de privilégier le transfert des connaissances, de former à l’utilisation de l’information scientifique et de tenir compte du nouveau profil des étudiants. Face à ces enjeux, des actions doivent être envisagées par les différents protagonistes : chercheurs, éditeurs, praticiens et enseignants. Une contraction des matières enseignées est indispensable pour s’assurer que les connaissances essentielles soient acquises et transférées. Les dispositifs permettant de s’entraîner aux situations professionnelles prototypes doivent être favorisés (Problem Based Learning, Team Based Learning). Pour motiver les étudiants et permettre l’application des connaissances, des activités pratiques doivent être privilégiées en milieu scolaire et en milieu professionnel. À ce titre le compagnonnage et l’alternance pourraient être développés moyennant une formation des praticiens au rôle de formateur. Plus que jamais, il semble utile que tous les protagonistes s’accordent pour participer à ce changement indispensable de l’apprentissage de la médecine vétérinair

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) applied to veterinary nutraceuticals

In veterinary medicine as in human medicine, practitioners are required to make complex diagnostic, therapeutic or preventive decisions. The concept of evidence-based medicine (EBM) was first developed in human medicine in the early 1990s to help the decision-making process, and refers to the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best research evidence for the care of patients. It was introduced in veterinary medicine in 2003, and has since been developed in French-speaking countries. Although recent studies indicate that EBM cannot be applied to veterinary medicine to the extent recommended in human medicine, veterinary practitioners are still ethically bound to make scientifically valid decisions. The promotion of EBM in veterinary medicine requires the development of specific tools, such as systematic reviews, as well as specific improvements in the standards of veterinary studies, with a particular emphasis on teaching a reflective approach to future veterinarians. The lack of scientific evidence on the efficacy of nutraceuticals illustrates both the difficulties to make fully informed decisions and the methodological pitfalls of veterinary researchEn médecine vétérinaire comme en médecine humaine, le praticien est amené à prendre des décisions diagnostiques, thérapeutiques ou préventives complexes. Le concept de la médecine fondée sur les preuves (evidence-based medicine ou EBM) est apparu pour la première fois au début des années 1990 en médecine humaine pour améliorer le processus de prise de décision, et consiste à intégrer de manière consciencieuse, explicite et judicieuse les meilleures preuves scientifiques (evidence) du moment dans la prise en charge du patient. Le concept fut introduit en médecine vétérinaire dans les pays anglo-saxons en 2003, et il a depuis été développé dans les pays francophones. Bien que des études récentes montrent que l’EBM ne peut être appliquée en médecine vétérinaire dans les mêmes termes qu’en médecine humaine, les praticiens vétérinaires sont tenus sur le plan éthique de prendre des décisions scientifiquement valides. La promotion de l’EBM en médecine vétérinaire requiert le développement d’outils adaptés, tels que des revues systématiques, ainsi que des améliorations spécifiques des études vétérinaires, avec en particulier l’enseignement d’une démarche de réflexion aux futurs praticiens. Le manque de preuves scientifiques de l’efficacité des nutraceutiques illustre à la fois les obstacles rencontrés pour la prise de décisions parfaitement informées et les faiblesses méthodologiques de la recherche en médecine vétérinair