New Zealand Guidelines for cyanobacteria in recreational fresh waters: Interim Guidelines

This document is divided into four main sections, plus 14 appendices. Section 1. Introduction provides an overview of the purpose and status of the document as well as advice on who should use it. Section 2. Framework provides a background to the overall guidelines approach, recommendations on agency roles and responsibilities, and information on the condition of use of this document. Section 3. Guidelines describes the recommended three-tier monitoring and action sequence for planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria. Section 4. Sampling provides advice on sampling planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria. The appendices give further background information and include templates for data collection and reporting, including: • background information on known cyanotoxins and their distribution in New Zealand • information on the derivation of guideline values • photographs of typical bloom events • a list of biovolumes for common New Zealand cyanobacteria • templates for field assessments • suggested media releases and warning sign templates. A glossary provides definitions for abbreviations and terms used in these guidelines

Guidelines Resolve soil restoration techniques ENGLISH

Resolve project aimed to restore soil functionality in vineyards that show areas with reduced vine growth, disease resistance, grape yield and quality. The project individuated in five European country (Italy, France, Spain, Slovenia, and Turkey) the main causes of the soil functionality loss and tested different organic recovering methods : compost, green manure and dry mulching. Main outcomes about the selected strategies are presented

Guidelines for etching silicon MEMS structures using fluorine high-density plasmas at cryogenic temperatures

This paper presents guidelines for the deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of silicon MEMS structures, employing SF/sub 6//O/sub 2/-based high-density plasmas at cryogenic temperatures. Procedures of how to tune the equipment for optimal results with respect to etch rate and profile control are described. Profile control is a delicate balance between the respective etching and deposition rates of a SiO/sub x/F/sub y/ passivation layer on the sidewalls and bottom of an etched structure in relation to the silicon removal rate from unpassivated areas. Any parameter that affects the relative rates of these processes has an effect on profile control. The deposition of the SiO/sub x/F/sub y/ layer is mainly determined by the oxygen content in the SF/sub 6/ gas flow and the electrode temperature. Removal of the SiO/sub x/F/sub y/ layer is mainly determined by the kinetic energy (self-bias) of ions in the SF/sub 6//O/sub 2/ plasma. Diagrams for profile control are given as a function of parameter settings, employing the previously published "black silicon method". Parameter settings for high rate silicon bulk etching, and the etching of micro needles and micro moulds are discussed, which demonstrate the usefulness of the diagrams for optimal design of etched features. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that in order to use the oxygen flow as a control parameter for cryogenic DRIE, it is necessary to avoid or at least restrict the presence of fused silica as a dome material, because this material may release oxygen due to corrosion during operation of the plasma source. When inert dome materials like alumina are used, etching recipes can be defined for a broad variety of microstructures in the cryogenic temperature regime. Recipes with relatively low oxygen content (1-10% of the total gas volume) and ions with low kinetic energy can now be applied to observe a low lateral etch rate beneath the mask, and a high selectivity (more than 500) of silicon etching with respect to polymers and oxide mask materials is obtained. Crystallographic preference etching of silicon is observed at low wafer temperature (-120/spl deg/C). This effect is enhanced by increasing the process pressure above 10 mtorr or for low ion energies (below 20 eV)

Guidelines for structuring learning and teaching opportunities relevant to educators’ open educational resource (OER) engagement

Six guidelines for structuring learning and teaching opportunities relevant to educators’ open educational resource (OER) engagement are proposed in this document. The guidelines are designed to provide information and guidance to facilitate the design and construction of professional learning opportunities to support educators in building new learning practices around OER. In determining how best to support educators’ learning with and from OER, it is necessary to consider not only the nature and structure of learning opportunities they require but also the knowledge and content these opportunities should encompass. Six areas of knowledge that need to be targeted are proposed by these guidelines

Clinical practice guidelines for the foot and ankle in rheumatoid arthritis: a critical appraisal

Background: Clinical practice guidelines are recommendations systematically developed to assist clinical decision-making and inform healthcare. In current rheumatoid arthritis (RA) guidelines, management of the foot and ankle is under-represented and the quality of recommendation is uncertain. This study aimed to identify and critically appraise clinical practice guidelines for foot and ankle management in RA. Methods: Guidelines were identified electronically and through hand searching. Search terms 'rheumatoid arthritis', 'clinical practice guidelines' and related synonyms were used. Critical appraisal and quality rating were conducted using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument. Results: Twenty-four guidelines were included. Five guidelines were high quality and recommended for use. Five high quality and seven low quality guidelines were recommended for use with modifications. Seven guidelines were low quality and not recommended for use. Five early and twelve established RA guidelines were recommended for use. Only two guidelines were foot and ankle specific. Five recommendation domains were identified in both early and established RA guidelines. These were multidisciplinary team care, foot healthcare access, foot health assessment/review, orthoses/insoles/splints, and therapeutic footwear. Established RA guidelines also had an 'other foot care treatments' domain. Conclusions: Foot and ankle management for RA features in many clinical practice guidelines recommended for use. Unfortunately, supporting evidence in the guidelines is low quality. Agreement levels are predominantly 'expert opinion' or 'good clinical practice'. More research investigating foot and ankle management for RA is needed prior to inclusion in clinical practice guidelines

Guidelines on fibrinogen assays

No abstract available

Adaptation of international guidelines on assessment and management of cancer pain for the Australian context

Aim: To develop clinical practice guidelines for screening, assessing and managing cancer pain in Australian adults. Methods: This three phase project utilised the ADAPTE approach to adapt international cancer pain guidelines for the Australian setting. A Working Party was established to define scope, screen guidelines for adaptation, and develop recommendations to support better cancer pain control through screening, assessment, pharmacological and non-pharmacological management, and patient education. Recommendations with limited evidence were referred to Expert Panels for advice before the draft guidelines were opened for public consultation via the Cancer Council Australia Cancer Guidelines Wiki platform in late 2012. All comments were reviewed by the Working Party and the guidelines revised accordingly. Results: Screening resulted in six international guidelines being included for adaptation - those developed by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (2008), National Health Service Quality Improvement Scotland (2009), National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2012), European Society of Medical Oncology (2011), European Association for Palliative Care (2011, 2012) and National Institute of Clinical Excellence (2012). Guideline adaptation resulted in 55 final recommendations. The guidelines were officially launched in November 2013. Conclusion: International guidelines can be efficiently reconfigured for local contexts using the ADAPTE approach. Availability of the guidelines via the Cancer Council Australia Wiki is intended to promote uptake and enable recommendations to be kept up to date. Resources to support implementation will also be made available via the Wiki if found to be effective by a randomised controlled trial commencing in 2015

Implementation of anaphylaxis management guidelines

Anaphylaxis management guidelines recommend the use of intramuscular adrenaline in severe reactions, complemented by antihistamines and corticoids; secondary prevention includes allergen avoidance and provision of self-applicable first aid drugs. Gaps between recommendations and their implementation have been reported, but only in confined settings. Hence, we analysed nation-wide data on the management of anaphylaxis, evaluating the implementation of guidelines. Within the anaphylaxis registry, allergy referral centres across Germany, Austria and Switzerland provided data on severe anaphylaxis cases. Based on patient records, details on reaction circumstances, diagnostic workup and treatment were collected via online questionnaire. Report of anaphylaxis through emergency physicians allowed for validation of registry data. 2114 severe anaphylaxis patients from 58 centres were included. 8% received adrenaline intravenously, 4% intramuscularly; 50% antihistamines, and 51% corticoids. Validation data indicated moderate underreporting of first aid drugs in the Registry. 20% received specific instructions at the time of the reaction; 81% were provided with prophylactic first aid drugs at any time. There is a distinct discrepancy between current anaphylaxis management guidelines and their implementation. To improve patient care, a revised approach for medical education and training on the management of severe anaphylaxis is warranted