Organic Certification in the iPOPY Countries and Germany – Current Status and Future Challenges

The paper is part of the proceedings of an iPOPY seminar. Organic production has to be certified and labeled along the supply chain in order to maintain trust in organic premium products. Since January 1st 2009, organic certification in Europe is subject to the new Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 of 28 June 2007. This regulation specifically excludes so-called mass catering operations. It is up to EU member states to apply national rules or private standards insofar as these comply with community law. The paper presents the state of the art and upcoming changes of organic certification of out-of-home catering in Germany with regard to Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Italy

Organic Certification of Hotels, Restaurants and Catering in Germany

iPOPY ist ein Forschungsprojekt des CORE Organic I Programms, das untersucht, wie die Integration von Biolebensmitteln in der Verpflegung von Kindern und Jugendlichen mittels entsprechender Strategien und Instrumente erhöht werden kann. Ein Teil des Systems dem speziellen Fokus gegeben wird, ist der der Bio-Zertifizierung. Deutschland dient als Fallbeispiel und wird mit den iPOPY Ländern Dänemark, Finnland, Italien und Norwegen verglichen. Um zu untersuchen, wie iPOPY Länder mit Hotels, Restaurants und Cateringunternehmen verfahren, die angeben, Bio-Produkte im Verpflegungsangebot anzubieten, werden Öko-Kontrollstellen interviewt. Da Deutschland diesen Bereich deutlich geregelt hat, analysiert eine erste Studie den gegenwärtigen Status Quo unter allen deutschen Kontrollstellen. Ein Fragebogen wurden entwickelt, um Anzahl und Größe der zertifizierten Außer-Haus-Betriebe in Erfahrung zu bringen. Mit allen 23 Öko-Kontrollstellen wurden Telefoninterviews geführt. Die Erhebung wurde von Januar bis März 2009 durchgeführt. DieTeilnahme war freiwillig. Die größten Segmente des Außer-Haus-Marktes, die ein Bio-Zertifiziert haben, sind Restaurants, Gemeinschaftsverpflegungsbetriebe und Hotels. Die meist genannte Beschriftung des Angebots ist eine Bio-Linie, gefolgt von Bio-Komponenten, Bio-Zutaten (-Rohstoffe) und eine Kombinationen von diesen Nennungen. In den kommenden Monaten wird dieser Überblick in Dänemark, Finnland, Italien und Norwegen ebenfalls durchgeführt

Prevalence of dosing errors in elderly patients with impaired renal function: a survey in ambulatory patients [meeting abstract]

Meeting Abstract : Gesellschaft für Arzneimittelanwendungsforschung und Arzneimittelepidemiologie e.V. (GAA). 17. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Arzneimittelanwendungsforschung und Arzneimittelepidemiologie. Osnabrück, 25.-26.11.2010. ntroduction: Several drugs require dose adjustment in patients with impaired renal function, which however, often goes undetected. Serum creatinine may be normal in patients while renal function is already reduced. The estimated GFR (eGFR) allows a more precise evaluation of the renal function. This study was carried out in a group practice for family medicine, in Frankfurt/ Main, Germany. The exploration aimed at investigating if patients with renal insufficiency were recognised and if their prescriptions were appropriate in terms of dose adjustment or contra-indications. Methods: In patients (>65yrs) with renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance <60 ml/min), their prescribed medication was retrospectively explored (Observation period 1.1.2008 to 1.4.2009). The Cockroft-Gault formula was used as estimate for the eGFR, using a creatinine value from the patient’s charts. In 90 patients, a second eGFR could be estimated from a second creatinine value obtained within 3-6 months. The recommended dose of each prescription in the SmPC (Fachinformation“) was compared to the dose that had been actually prescribed. Results: Out of 232 consecutively patients >65 yrs, 102 had an eGFR <60 ml/min, 16 of these had an eGFR <30 ml/min. The eGFR was closely correlated (r2=0.81) with an independent second eGFR. Out of these 102 patients, 48 had a serum creatinine level within the normal range. Renal adjustment was required in 263 of a total of 613 prescriptions. 72 prescriptions in a total of 45 patients were not appropriately adjusted (32) or prescribed despite a contraindication (40). For chronic prescriptions, metformin, ramipril, enalapril, HCTZ, and spironolactone accounted for 70% of inappropriate dosing; the magnitude of misdosing was 1.5 to 4 fold (median 2). 9 temporary prescriptions (of a total of 60 prescriptions) in 8 patients were not adjusted (cefuroxim, cefpodoxim, levofloxacin). We could not prove that patients with normal serum creatinine had a higher rate of inappropriate dosing than those with already elevated creatinine. Discussion and conclusion: In this GP practice, we have demonstrated a considerable prevalence of inappropriate dosing in patients with impaired renal function. It remains to be elucidated whether surveillance of appropriate dosing in renal impairment can be optimized e.g. with CPOE

EXAMINING INSTRUCTIONAL SHIFTS WITHIN DIALOGIC INTERACTION IN JAPANESE UNIVERSITY EFL EDUCATION

This dissertation presents a study aimed at exploring the influences on language learners\u27 contributions to dialogic classroom interaction in a Japanese university EFL (English as a foreign language) classroom context. Dialogic approaches to teacher discourse rely on the contributions of students to classroom interaction as well as the interpretive skills of teachers to facilitate understanding and co-construction of knowledge. However, the contemporary literature has reported on challenges involved in fostering mutual classroom dialogue with language learners, owing to challenges with linguistic and academic resources and differences in culturally informed perceptions regarding academic roles and expectations. This paper explores the need for teachers and researchers to identify (1) shifts in pedagogical practices that occur during the course of discrete episodes of classroom discourse, (2) the possible causes that prompt such shifts, and (3) the power dynamics surrounding such shifts. The study engages in observations of an EFL classroom and interviews with classroom participants. In conjunction with discourse analysis and critical discourse analysis, this study will employ discussions of instructional conversation (Goldenberg, 1992), challenges to dialogic interaction (Engin, 2017), and bases of social power (French & Raven, 1959) to understand how an L1 English-speaking teacher adjusts their pedagogical practices in response to L1 Japanese students\u27 contributions to classroom discourse. The findings of this study indicate that the teacher\u27s instructional shifts take advantage of various interactional resources, opportunities for co-constructing meaning, and validation of students\u27 knowledge and sociocultural identities in order to build a productive dialogue within the classroom. Ultimately, this dynamic classroom environment provides pathways for fostering rapport with and agency in students, two qualities that the contemporary research has associated with positive learning outcomes. Discussion of the discursive practices explored in this study should prompt researchers of and practitioners in language classroom contexts to transcend formulaic approaches of teacher talk and elicitation of language for its own sake. Instead, the attribution of rapport and mediated agency to dialogic interaction realized through instructional shifts necessitates a paradigm shift in the contemporary empirical research in language education toward a more sociocultural approach to understanding mediation between classroom interactants across differences of language and culture

Communicating the Need for Continued Funding to Non-Profit Stakeholders: The Impact of Education on School-Aged Girls in Senegal

Where would you be without an education? A safe place to call home? Or rather, where do you want your education to take you? These questions were asked to female students in Tambacounda, Senegal upon receiving funding for a newly built hostel wall and classroom resources. This portfolio describes the development of a Senegal program presentation that reflects the impact that Sisters Rising Worldwide (SRW) funding has on vulnerable communities and further the need for continued funding from donors to support these programs. This also includes the creation of student and Sister surveys as well as a SRW donor survey. The Senegal presentation includes a glimpse of the positive impact before and after funding occurred, two articulated main themes of safety and education, and compelling contributions from 11 students in Tambacounda. This project suggests the importance of advocacy to address areas of injustice and serve in-need communities. Implications of this project include opportunities for advocacy at the community and patient level

Cloud Based IoT Architecture

The Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing have grown in popularity over the past decade as the internet becomes faster and more ubiquitous. Cloud platforms are well suited to handle IoT systems as they are accessible and resilient, and they provide a scalable solution to store and analyze large amounts of IoT data. IoT applications are complex software systems and software developers need to have a thorough understanding of the capabilities, limitations, architecture, and design patterns of cloud platforms and cloud-based IoT tools to build an efficient, maintainable, and customizable IoT application. As the IoT landscape is constantly changing, research into cloud-based IoT platforms is either lacking or out of date. The goal of this thesis is to describe the basic components and requirements for a cloud-based IoT platform, to provide useful insights and experiences in implementing a cloud-based IoT solution using Microsoft Azure, and to discuss some of the shortcomings when combining IoT with a cloud platform

Assumption of Risk: Application of the Doctrine in Montana

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