Public health training in Europe. Development of European masters degrees in public health.

BACKGROUND: Changing political and economic relations in Europe mean that there are new challenges for public health and public health training. There have been several attempts to develop training at the master's level in public health which is focused on meeting the new needs. These have failed due to being too inflexible to allow participation by schools of public health. METHODS: A project funded by the European Union involving public health trainers has developed a new approach which allows participating schools to retain their national differences and work within local rules and traditions, but which aims to introduce the European dimension into public health training. This paper reports the conclusions of this project. CONCLUSIONS: A network of schools wishing to develop European Master's degrees is being established and other schools offering good quality programmes will be able to join

Local government investment expenditure in Poland’s voivodships: 2007–2013 financial perspective

Jednym z wskaźników świadczących o rozwoju gospodarczym są wydatki na inwestycje. Im więcej wydatków jednostka gospodarująca przeznacza na inwestycje, tym bardziej można mówić o jej rozwoju. Środki na fi nansowanie tych inwestycji mogą pochodzić z oszczędności, kredytów lub dotacji. Od 2004 r. dodatkowym źródłem pozyskiwania środków fi nansowych na cele inwestycyjne stały się fundusze Unii Europejskiej. Co prawda niektóre podmioty już w ciągu kilku wcześniejszych lat korzystały z tzw. funduszy przedakcesyjnych, ale na dużą skalę pieniądze unijne zaczęły być wykorzystywane od 2004 r. Celem artykułu jest wykazanie, jak przystąpienie naszego kraju do Unii Europejskiej i związana z tym możliwość pozyskiwania dotacji zagranicznych wpłynęły na zakres podejmowanych inwestycji przez samorządy województw. Artykuł omawia wydatki inwestycyjne samorządów województw w okresie 2002-2014. W wyniku analizy danych stwierdzono m.in., że we wszystkich województwach w 2009 r. nastąpił wyjątkowo wysoki wzrost wydatków ogółem oraz wydatków inwestycyjnych, co można wiązać z rozpoczęciem projektów dofi nansowanych z UE w ramach perspektywy 2007-2013. Przez cały badany okres utrzymywał się dość wysoki udział wydatków inwestycyjnych w ogólnej kwocie wydatków województw, średnio od około 30% do prawie 50%, a w poszczególnych jednostkach bywał jeszcze wyższy. Największe kwoty w przeliczeniu na 1 mieszkańca przeznaczyły na inwestycje województwa z grupy najmniejszych (lubuskie, warmińsko-mazurskie, świętokrzyskie, opolskie). Największym odsetkiem wydatków inwestycyjnych w ogólnej kwocie wydatków budżetowych może się wykazać województwo śląskie – średniorocznie ponad 43%

A very special EPW sextic and two IHS fourfolds

We show that the Hilbert scheme of two points on the Vinberg $K3$ surface has a 2:1 map onto a very symmetric EPW sextic $Y$ in $\mathbb{P}^5$. The fourfold $Y$ is singular along $60$ planes, $20$ of which form a complete family of incident planes. This solves a problem of Morin and O'Grady and establishes that $20$ is the maximal cardinality of such a family of planes. Next, we show that this Hilbert scheme is birationally isomorphic to the Kummer type IHS fourfold $X_0$ constructed in [DW]. We find that $X_0$ is also related to the Debarre-Varley abelian fourfold.Comment: 32 page

A framework for use in modelling the modal choice decision making process in North West England’s Atlantic Gateway

The task of producing a generic model of the modal choice decision making process is a challenging one. Modal choice is strongly influenced by the infrastructure limitations and geographical constraints of the area in which the decision is being made. With this in mind, addressing modal choice on an individual basis for each region may be the optimal solution. This is the approach adopted in this paper. The creation of a modal choice model is a multistage process of which this paper addresses the first stage, the production a framework of the decision making process. Firstly, a number of criteria that are commonly used in modal choice models are identified. Then a number of gaps in the criteria utilized in previous papers are established. Subsequently, the method used to produce a framework of the decision making process within North West England’s Atlantic Gateway is outlined. Through consultation with transport industry experts in North West England, an initial list of sixty eight papers was reduced to thirty six that were considered to be of specific relevance to modern day freight transportation within their region. The criteria used in each of these papers were then, along with further industry input, used to create the foundation on which a modal choice framework specific to the Atlantic Gateway could be built. A greater understanding of what influences modal choice within this region will allow informed decisions to be made by policy makers on how to more efficiently utilize the available modes of freight transport. Having established this, future work can then go on to build upon these findings. This paper recommends that future work is performed to establish the weights of each criteria and sub-criteria within the framework. This should then be followed by establishing industry’s perceptions of the best and worst alternatives for moving freight within the Atlantic Gateway

Big Hole (41TV2161): Two Stratigraphically Isolated Middle Holocene Components in Travis County, Texas Volume I

During April and May 2006, an archeological team from the Cultural Resources Section of the Planning, Permitting and Licensing Practice of TRC Environmental Corporation’s (TRC) Austin office conducted geoarcheological documentation and data recovery excavations at prehistoric site 41TV2161 (CSJ: 0440-06-006). Investigations were restricted to a 70 centimeter (cm) thick target zone between ca. 220 and 290 cm below surface (bs) on the western side of site 41TV2161 – the Big Hole site in eastern Travis County, Texas. This cultural investigation was necessary under the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the implementing regulations of 36CRF Part 800 and the Antiquities Code of Texas (Texas Natural Resource Code, Title 9, Chapter 191 as amended) to recover a sample of the significant cultural materials prior to destruction by planned construction of State Highway 130 (SH 130). The latter by a private construction firm – Lone Star Infrastructure. This necessary data recovery was for Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Environmental (ENV) Affairs Division under a Scientific Services Contract No. 577XXSA003 (Work Authorization No. 57701SA003). Over the years since the original award, multiple work authorizations between TxDOT and TRC were implemented and completed towards specific aspects of the analyses and reporting. The final analyses and report were conducted under contract 57-3XXSA004 (Work Authorization 57-311SA004). All work was under Texas Antiquities Committee Permit No. 4064 issued by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) to J. Michael Quigg. Initially, an archeological crew from Hicks & Company encountered site 41TV2161 during an intensive cultural resource inventory conducted south of Pearce Lane along the planned construction zone of SH 130 in the fall of 2005. Following the initial site discovery, archeologists expanded their investigations to the west across the SH 130 right-of-way, and completed excavation of 10 backhoe trenches, 13 shovel tests, and 11 test units at site 41TV2161. The investigations encountered at least seven buried cultural features and 1,034 artifacts, some in relatively good context. The survey and testing report to TxDOT presented their findings and recommendations (Campbell et al. 2006). The ENV Affairs Division of TxDOT and the THC reviewed the initial findings and recommendations, and determined site 41TV2161 was eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and as State Antiquities Landmark as the proposed roadway development was to directly impact this important site and further excavations were required. Subsequently, TRC archeologists led by Paul Matchen (Project Archeologist) and J. Michael Quigg (Principal Investigator) initiated data recovery excavations through the mechanical-removal of between 220 and 250 cm of sediment from a 30-by-40 meter (m) block area (roughly 3,000 m3). This was conducted to allow hand-excavations to start just above the deeply buried, roughly 70 cm thick targeted zone of cultural material. Mechanical stripping by Lone Star Infrastructure staff created a large hole with an irregular bottom that varied between 220 and 260 cmbs. To locate specific areas to initiate hand-excavations within the mechanically stripped area, a geophysical survey that employed ground penetrating radar (GPR) was conducted by Tiffany Osburn then with Geo-Marine in Plano, Texas. Over a dozen electronic anomalies were detected through the GPR investigation. Following processing, data filtering, and assessment, Osburn identified and ranked the anomalies for investigation. The highest ranked anomalies (1 through 8) were thought to have the greatest potential to represent cultural features. Anomalies 1 through 6 were selected and targeted through hand-excavations of 1-by-1 m units that formed continuous excavation blocks of various sizes. Blocks were designated A, B, C, D, E, and F. The type, nature, quantity, and context of encountered cultural materials in each block led the direction and expansion of each excavation block as needed. In total, TRC archeologists hand-excavated 38.5 m3 (150 m2) from a vertically narrow target zone within this deep, multicomponent and stratified prehistoric site. Hand-excavation in the two largest Blocks, B and D (51 m2 and 62 m2 respectively), revealed two vertically separate cultural components between roughly 220 and 290 cmbs. The younger component was restricted to Block B and yielded a Bell/Andice point and point base, plus a complete Big Sandy point. These points were associated with at least eight small burned rock features, one cluster of ground stone tools, limited quantities of lithic debitage, few formal chipped and ground stone tools, and a rare vertebrate faunal assemblage. Roughly 20 to 25 cm below the Bell/Andice component in Block B and across Block D was a component identified by a single corner-notched Martindale dart point. This point was associated with a scattered burned rocks, three charcoal stained hearth features, scattered animal, bird, and fish bones, mussel shells, and less than a dozen formal chipped and ground stone tools. Both identified components contained cultural materials in good stratigraphic context with high spatial integrity. Significant, both were radiocarbon dated by multiple charcoal samples to a narrow 200-year period between 5250 and 5450 B.P. during the middle Holocene. With exception of the well-preserved faunal assemblages, perishable materials were poorly preserved in the moist silty clay loam. Charcoal lacked structure and was reduced to dark stains. Microfossils (e.g., phytoliths and starch gains) were present, although in very limited numbers and deteriorated conditions. The four much smaller Blocks (A, C, E, and F) yielded various quantities of cultural material and features, but these blocks also lacked sufficient charcoal dates and diagnostic artifacts Those artifacts and samples were left unassigned and analyzed separately from the Bell/Andice and Martindale components. The two well-defined components in Blocks B and D are the focus of this technical report. The components provide very significant data towards understanding rare and poorly understood hunter-gatherer populations during late stages of the Altithermal climate period. This final report builds upon the interim report submitted to TxDOT (Quigg et al. 2007) that briefly described the methods, excavations, preliminary findings, initial results from six feasibility studies, and proposed an initial research design for data analyses. Context and integrity of the cultural materials in the two identified components was excellent. This rare circumstance combined with detailed artifact analyses, solid documentation of their ages through multiple radiocarbon dates, and multidisciplinary approach to analyses, allowed significant insights and contributions concerning the two populations involved. Results provide a greater understanding of human behaviors during a rarely identified time in Texas Prehistory. The cultural materials and various collected samples were temporarily curated at TRC’s Austin laboratory. Following completion of analyses and acceptance of this final report, the artifacts, paper records, photographs, and electronic database were permanently curated at the Center for Archaeological Studies (CAS) at Texas State University in San Marcos

Apparent Predation by Gray Jays, Perisoreus canadensis, on Long-toed Salamanders, Ambystoma macrodactylum, in the Oregon Cascade Range

We report observations of Gray Jays (Perisoreus canadensis) appearing to consume larval Long-toed Salamanders (Ambystoma macrodactylum) in a drying subalpine pond in Oregon, USA. Corvids are known to prey upon a variety of anuran amphibians, but to our knowledge, this is the first report of predation by any corvid on aquatic salamanders. Long-toed Salamanders appear palatable to Gray Jays, and may provide a food resource to Gray Jays when salamander larvae are concentrated in drying temporary ponds

Éducation thérapeutique du patient. Modèles, pratiques et évaluation

International audienceIssu d’une collaboration entre l’Inpes et des acteurs de l’éducation thérapeutique du patient, cet ouvrage rassemble des analyses d’interventions d’éducation thérapeutique mises en place en France et au Québec, dans le cadre de huit maladies chroniques : diabète, obésité, maladies cardio-vasculaires, VIH/sida, asthme, cancer, polyarthrite rhumatoïde et lombalgie. En rendant compte des modèles théoriques qui sous-tendent l’éducation thérapeutique et des démarches mises en œuvre, les contributions mettent au jour une large diversité de pratiques. Qu’il soit professionnel de santé, formateur ou chercheur, le lecteur trouvera ainsi des pistes pour démarrer, développer et évaluer ses actions éducatives. Il trouvera aussi matière à éprouver ses conceptions de la santé et de l’éducation, notamment à travers la découverte de pratiques qui produisent des résultats très encourageants alors qu’elles se réfèrent à des cadres théoriques diversifiés et à des voies différenciées pour penser l’action éducative.Parce qu’elles ne montrent pas l’excellence d’une voie plutôt qu’une autre, ces analyses invitent au développement de nouvelles perspectives d’action et de recherche. L’ouvrage offre ainsi une ouverture précieuse dans un contexte général où l’éducation thérapeutique s’inscrit dans le Code de santé publique, notamment à travers la loi Hôpital, patients, santé et territoires du 21 juillet 2009, qui en reconnaît l’importance pour l’amélioration de l’état de santé des personnes, en particulier de celles atteintes d’une maladie chronique

Sustained pupil responses are modulated by predictability of auditory sequences

The brain is highly sensitive to auditory regularities and exploits the predictable order of sounds in many situations, from parsing complex auditory scenes, to the acquisition of language. To understand the impact of stimulus predictability on perception, it is important to determine how the detection of predictable structure influences processing and attention. Here we use pupillometry to gain insight into the effect of sensory regularity on arousal. Pupillometry is a commonly used measure of salience and processing effort, with more perceptually salient or perceptually demanding stimuli consistently associated with larger pupil diameters.In two experiments we tracked human listeners' pupil dynamics while they listened to sequences of 50ms tone pips of different frequencies. The order of the tone pips was either random, contained deterministic (fully predictable) regularities (experiment 1, n = 18, 11 female) or had a probabilistic regularity structure (experiment 2, n = 20, 17 female). The sequences were rapid, preventing conscious tracking of sequence structure thus allowing us to focus on the automatic extraction of different types of regularities. We hypothesized that if regularity facilitates processing by reducing processing demands, a smaller pupil diameter would be seen in response to regular relative to random patterns. Conversely, if regularity is associated with heightened arousal and attention (i.e. engages processing resources) the opposite pattern would be expected. In both experiments we observed a smaller sustained (tonic) pupil diameter for regular compared with random sequences, consistent with the former hypothesis and confirming that predictability facilitates sequence processing.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe brain is highly sensitive to auditory regularities. To appreciate the impact that the presence of predictability has on perception, we need to better understand how a predictable structure influences processing and attention. We recorded listeners' pupil responses to sequences of tones that followed either a predictable or unpredictable pattern, as the pupil can be used to implicitly tap into these different cognitive processes. We found that the pupil showed a smaller sustained diameter to predictable sequences, indicating that predictability eased processing rather than boosted attention. The findings suggest that the pupil response can be used to study the automatic extraction of regularities, and that the effects are most consistent with predictability helping the listener to efficiently process upcoming sounds