MTDPNA in non-Oil International Organisations in Libyan Post Crisis

This paper investigates how non-oil international organisations (NOIO) in Libyan post-crisis assess management training and development programme (MTDP) needs. The current situation of MTDP needs assessment and factors that may influence MTDP are investigated. Questionnaire was distributed to (150) managers from nineteen NOIO. We find that performance and experience were the most common MTDPNA measures. Likewise, poor performance, lack of knowledge, and introduction of new work methods were the most common MTDPNA indicators. Customer dissatisfaction, poor service quality, low profitability, and lack of knowledge were also found that have a positive or negative influence on MTDPNA such as; organisational sectors, size, and ownership. Customer dissatisfaction, poor service quality, low profitability, and lack of knowledge were the most used positive indications for the hotel sector, services, manufacturing, and joint venture organisations. Our findings suggested that MTDPNA should be conducted at different times, and different methods should be used.Also, MTDPNA decisions have to be based in a systematic way rather than targeting single or a group of individuals, and have to be delivered equall

Forever Changed: The Transformation of Rural America through Immigration

This qualitative case study reveals the impact of immigration on one rural Midwestern community and its longtime residents. The 123 phone interviews and sessions conducted with two focus groups provide compelling insights into residents’ perceptions of immigration and immigrants as well as their ensuing personal and collective struggle with and adaptation to an immigration process that forever changed the community. The residents offer prudent insights for policy makers, immigrants, and other communities facing similar challenges. While the focus of the study is on the macro conversion of the community through the eyes of its residents, the author stresses the need for social workers to refresh their professional roots in community organization and highlights the vital role they play in helping communities adapt effectively while negotiating the needs of residents and immigrants alike

Use of Global Sensitivity Analysis and Polynomial Chaos Expansion for Interpretation of Non-reactive Transport Experiments in Laboratory-Scale Porous Media

International audienceIn this work, we show how the use of global sensitivity analysis (GSA) in conjunction with the polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) methodology can provide relevant information for the interpretation of transport experiments in laboratory-scale heterogeneous porous media. We perform GSA by calculating the Sobol indices, which provide a variance-based importance measure of the effects of uncertain parameters on the output of a chosen interpretive transport model. The choice of PCE has the following two benefits: (1) it provides the global sensitivity indices in a straightforward manner, and (2) PCE can serve as a surrogate model for the calibration of parameters. The coefficients of the PCE are computed by probabilistic collocation. The methodology is applied to two nonreactive transport experiments available in the literature, while considering both transient and pseudo steady state transport regimes. This method allows a rigorous investigation of the relative effects and importance of different uncertain quantities, which include boundary conditions as well as porous medium hydraulic and dispersive parameters. The parameters that are most relevant to depicting the system's behavior can then be evaluated. In addition, one can assess the space-time distribution of measurement points, which is the most influential factor for the identifiability of parameters. Our work indicates that these methods can be valuable tools in the proper design of model-based transport experiments

Chemotherapy versus best supportive care in stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, non metastatic to the brain

Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer is a fatal disease, with a median survival of 14 months. Systemic chemotherapy is the most common approach. However the impact in overall survival and quality of life still a controversy. OBJECTIVES: To determine differences in overall survival and quality of life among patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer non-metastatic to the brain treated with best supportive care versus systemic chemotherapy. PATIENTS: From February 1990 through December 1995, 78 eligible patients were admitted with the diagnosis of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer . Patients were divided in 2 groups: Group A (n=31 -- treated with best supportive care ), and Group B (n=47 -- treated with systemic chemotherapy). RESULTS: The median survival time was 23 weeks (range 5 -- 153 weeks) in Group A and 55 weeks (range 7.4 -- 213 weeks) in Group B (p=0.0018). In both groups, the incidence of admission for IV antibiotics and need of blood transfusions were similar. Patients receiving systemic chemotherapy were also stratified into those receiving mytomycin, vinblastin, and cisplatinum, n=25 and those receiving other combination regimens (platinum derivatives associated with other drugs, n=22). Patients receiving mytomycin, vinblastin, and cisplatinum, n=25 had a higher incidence of febrile neutropenia and had their cycles delayed for longer periods of time than the other group. These patients also had a shorter median survival time (51 versus 66 weeks, p=0.005). CONCLUSION: In patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer, non-metastatic to the brain, chemotherapy significantly increases survival compared with best supportive care.O câncer de pulmão de células não pequenas em estádio IV é uma doença fatal, com uma sobrevida mediana de seis meses. Quimioterapia é a abordagem mais freqüente, apresentando um impacto na sobrevida controverso e questionável alteração na qualidade de vida. OBJETIVOS: Comparar o impacto na sobrevida global e na qualidade de vida em pacientes portadores de câncer de pulmão de células não pequenas, estádio IV, tratados com suporte clínico ou quimioterapia. PACIENTES: Entre fevereiro de 1990 e dezembro de 1995, 78 pacientes (pts) portadores de câncer de pulmão de células não pequenas estádio IV foram admitidos. Os pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos: grupo A (n=31 -- tratados com suporte clínico) e grupo B (n=47, tratados com quimioterapia). RESULTADOS: A sobrevida mediana no grupo tratado com suporte clínico foi de 23 semanas (variando de 5-153 semanas) e de 55 semanas no grupo tratado com quimioterapia (variando de 7,4 a 213 semanas), p= 0,0018 -- Qui-quadrada. Em ambos grupos, a incidência de internações hospitalares para a administração intravenosa de antibióticos e hemoderivados foi similar. Pacientes recebendo quimioterapia, foram estratificados entre àqueles que receberam mitomicina, vinblastina e cisplatina, n=25 e àqueles recebendo outros regimes (derivados de platina, associados à outras drogas, n= 22). Pacientes recebendo mitomicina, vinblastina e cisplatina, n=25 apresentaram uma incidência mais alta de neutropenia febril e tiveram atrasos mais longos entre os ciclos de quimioterapia, quando comparados aos pacientes do outro grupo. Pacientes recebendo mitomicina, vinblastina e cisplatina, n=25, também apresentaram uma pior sobrevida mediana (51 versus 66 semanas, p= 0,005 -- Qui-quadrado). CONCLUSÕES: Em pacientes com câncer de pulmão de células não pequenas, estádio IV, não metastático para os pulmões, o uso de quimioterapia aumenta a sobrevida de maneira estatisticamente significativa, quando comparado aos cuidados de suporte

MTDP needs assessment in Libya. A case of international and joint venture organisation

The purpose of this article is to examine how international and joint venture organisations in all sectors rather than oil in Libya assess MTDP. This article will outline the recent situation in regards to MTDP needs assessment. Questionnaires were distributed to over 140 mangers from different sectors. SPSS software was applied, different tests were used, and significant-non significant findings were presented. The results of this research indicated that, experience and performance were the only MTDP needs assessment measurement used by many organisations. Also, the most common MTP needs assessment indicators used by some organisations were lack of knowledge, new methods introduced, and poor performance. Internal factors such as sector, size, and ownership of the organisations were also recognised to influence MTDP needs assessment whether positively or negatively. Only the hotel sector positively used poor service, low profit, customer satisfaction, and lastly, lack of knowledge as indicators for MTDP needs assessment. International and joint venture organisations in Libya advised to conduct MTDP needs assessment to all managers equally at different stages, time and used different methods

Anatomie du nerf laryngé externe et ses applications chirurgicales

Objectif : La lésion de la branche externe du nerf laryngé supérieur (BeNLS) , non rare lors de la chirurgie thyroïdienne, est responsable de modifications de la voix et de troubles de la déglutition. Mais ses différentes variantes anatomiques ainsi que les faibles taux de son identification ont découragé les chirurgiens de son repérage systématique.Le but de notre travail est de faire une description anatomique des variantes de la BeNLS , d’estimer la fréquence des nerfs à risque et de décrire les techniques chirurgicales de son identification pour proposer une approche systématique de sa préservation.Matériel et méthodes: Il s’agit d’une étude prospective portant sur 10 patients ayant eu une chirurgie thyroïdienne et chez qui on a procédé à un repérage systématique de la BeNLS dans l’espace avasculaire de Reeve. On a utilisé la classification de Cernea pour regrouper les variations anatomiques rencontrées.Résultats : On a procédé à la dissection de 13 nerfs. Le taux  d’identification de la BeNLS était de 84% , 38% sont de Type 2a , 46% sont de Type 2b. Des complications ont été notées chez 3 patients dont 2 qui présentent une BeNLS de Type Ni.Conclusion : On pense que la variante anatomique de la BeNLS de type 2 présente un risque de blessure car le chirurgien manipule le pédicule supérieur au niveau du centimètre critique situé au-dessus du pôle supérieur de la thyroïde. Le sous-type 2b , le plus fréquent dans notre série , est une variante à haut risque. L’identification du nerf lors de la chirurgie thyroïdienne est la solution de choix.Mots-clés : Branche externe du nerf laryngé supérieur, anatomie, muscle crico-thyroïdien, chirurgie thyroïdienne, voix

Maximum Sauter Mean Diameter and Terminal Velocity of Drops in a Liquid-liquid Spray Extraction Column

The effect of holdup on Sauter mean drop diameter, d32 and the effect of d32 on terminal velocity have been investigated in a spray extraction column. There are two different zones for the dependence of d32 on holdup. d32 increased with an increase in holdup at low holdup levels and decreased with increasing holdup at high holdup levels. Variations in the terminal velocity of drops were similar to the dependence of d32 on holdup. Furthermore, empirical correlations have been derived to predict d32max and terminal velocity and were in a good agreement with the experimental data. The derived correlations were compared with other researchers work and the results were in a satisfactory conformity