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Coming Decades (coming + decade)
Selected AbstractsImproving oral healthcare delivery systems through workforce innovations: an introductionJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 2010Elizabeth A. Mertz PhD Abstract The objective of this paper is to describe the purpose, rationale and key elements of the special issue, Improving Oral Healthcare Delivery Systems through Workforce Innovations. The purpose of the special issue is to further develop ideas presented at the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) workshop, Sufficiency of the U.S. Oral Health Workforce in the Coming Decade. Using the IOM discussions as their starting point, the authors evaluate oral health care delivery system performance for specific populations' needs and explore the roles that the workforce can play in improving the care delivery model. The contributing articles provide a broad framework for stimulating and evaluating innovation and change in the oral health care delivery system. The articles in this special issue point to many deficits in the current oral health care delivery system and provide compelling arguments and proposals for improvements. The issues presented and solutions recommended are not entirely new, but add to a growing body of work that is of critical importance given the context of wider health care reform. [source] OpenMP-oriented applications for distributed shared memory architecturesCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 4 2004Ami Marowka Abstract The rapid rise of OpenMP as the preferred parallel programming paradigm for small-to-medium scale parallelism could slow unless OpenMP can show capabilities for becoming the model-of-choice for large scale high-performance parallel computing in the coming decade. The main stumbling block for the adaptation of OpenMP to distributed shared memory (DSM) machines, which are based on architectures like cc-NUMA, stems from the lack of capabilities for data placement among processors and threads for achieving data locality. The absence of such a mechanism causes remote memory accesses and inefficient cache memory use, both of which lead to poor performance. This paper presents a simple software programming approach called copy-inside,copy-back (CC) that exploits the data privatization mechanism of OpenMP for data placement and replacement. This technique enables one to distribute data manually without taking away control and flexibility from the programmer and is thus an alternative to the automat and implicit approaches. Moreover, the CC approach improves on the OpenMP-SPMD style of programming that makes the development process of an OpenMP application more structured and simpler. The CC technique was tested and analyzed using the NAS Parallel Benchmarks on SGI Origin 2000 multiprocessor machines. This study shows that OpenMP improves performance of coarse-grained parallelism, although a fast copy mechanism is essential. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Adaptation, extinction and global changeEVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2008Graham Bell Abstract We discuss three interlinked issues: the natural pace of environmental change and adaptation, the likelihood that a population will adapt to a potentially lethal change, and adaptation to elevated CO2, the prime mover of global change. 1.,Environmental variability is governed by power laws showing that ln difference in conditions increases with ln elapsed time at a rate of 0.3,0.4. This leads to strong but fluctuating selection in many natural populations. 2.,The effect of repeated adverse change on mean fitness depends on its frequency rather than its severity. If the depression of mean fitness leads to population decline, however, severe stress may cause extinction. Evolutionary rescue from extinction requires abundant genetic variation or a high mutation supply rate, and thus a large population size. Although natural populations can sustain quite intense selection, they often fail to adapt to anthropogenic stresses such as pollution and acidification and instead become extinct. 3.,Experimental selection lines of algae show no specific adaptation to elevated CO2, but instead lose their carbon-concentrating mechanism through mutational degradation. This is likely to reduce the effectiveness of the oceanic carbon pump. Elevated CO2 is also likely to lead to changes in phytoplankton community composition, although it is not yet clear what these will be. We emphasize the importance of experimental evolution in understanding and predicting the biological response to global change. This will be one of the main tasks of evolutionary biologists in the coming decade. [source] Management of systemic lupus erythematosus in the coming decade: potentials and challengesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RHEUMATIC DISEASES, Issue 4 2006Hiok Hee CHNG Abstract The management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has improved in the past 50 years, but there is still a 3,5-fold increased mortality compared to the general population, with major organ failure due to active disease, infection and cardiovascular disease as the major challenges for the coming decade. Research advances at cellular, molecular and genetic levels enhance our understanding of the immunopathogenic mechanisms of SLE, leading to the development of drugs targeting specific sites of immune dysregulation , with therapies directed at cytokines, B- and T-cells, and their interactions showing promise. Advances are expected in the field of haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) as a therapeutic option for a subset of patients. Furthermore, some non-traditional immunomodulating therapies like statins, leflunomide and tacrolimus may prove useful as alternative or adjunct treatment in some patients. A better understanding of how current immunosuppressants act at the cellular and molecular level should guide the re-evaluation of the indications, doses and duration of therapy in clinical trials using these agents, many of which have not been subjected to proper double-blinded placebo-controlled studies. Research on triggers of SLE onset and flare of activity continues to yield information helpful in prevention. The evidence on the impact of psychosocial and economic factors on the outcome of SLE is overwhelming and the rheumatology community should enlist the assistance of other healthcare professionals, patient advocates and local health authorities to address these issues pertinent to good patient care and outcome. [source] Challenges and Options for the UK Agri-Environment: Presidential AddressJOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2000Martin Whitby After fifteen years of agri-environment policy it is now appropriate to take stock of these policies. This is important because these policies are scheduled to expand in the coming decade, their benefits are likely to continue growing and the demand for benefits is also likely to expand. This paper therefore reviews the current agri-environmental situation, isolating some of the current challenges to the schemes implemented in the UK, and compares main options for their amelioration. Finally it focuses particularly on the "end of contract problem" arising from the weak sustainability of the policy benefits from short-term voluntary contracts. [source] Who Are the Uninsured Elderly in the United States?JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 4 2004James W. Mold MD Because of the Medicare program, a common assumption is made that virtually all older Americans have health insurance coverage. Data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed to estimate the number of people aged 65 and older without health insurance; their stated reasons for being uninsured; and the associations between lack of insurance and sociodemographic variables, health status, and access to and use of healthcare services. In 2000, there were approximately 350,000 older Americans with no health insurance. Those without insurance were more likely to be younger, Hispanic, nonwhite, unmarried (widowed, divorced, or never married), poor, and foreign-born. They were less likely to hold U.S. citizenship. Despite relatively high rates of chronic medical conditions, they were unlikely to receive outpatient or home healthcare services. The most common reason given for lack of insurance was its cost. This study reveals important gaps in the availability of health insurance for the elderly, gaps that are likely to affect an increasing number of older Americans in the coming decade. [source] Natural Abundance 43Ca NMR Spectroscopy of Tobermorite and Jennite: Model Compounds for C,S,HJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 2 2009Geoffrey M. Bowers There are few effective methods for characterizing the molecular scale structural environments of Ca2+ in hydrated cements, which has limited our ability to understand the structure of, for example, Ca,silicate hydrate (C,S,H). 43Ca nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has long been considered too insensitive to provide useful data in this regard, but 43Ca magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectra reported here for synthetic tobermorite and jennite with naturally abundant levels of 43Ca demonstrate that this is a viable approach. We show that spectra with useful signal/noise ratios can be obtained in a reasonable acquisition period (,2 days) using an H0 field strength of 21.1 T, 5 mm rotors spinning at a frequency of 5 kHz, and a double frequency sweep preparatory pulse sequence. Tobermorite and jennite produce relatively broad resonances due to their complex structures and structural disorder, however, the chemical shift differences between six-coordinate 43Ca in jennite and seven-coordinate 43Ca in 11 Å tobermorite are large enough that the signals are entirely resolved at this field. These data suggest that signal from ideal tobermorite-like and jennite-like sites in cement C,S,H can most likely be distinguished by 43Ca NMR and that this method will be a powerful approach for studying cement-based ceramic materials in the coming decade. [source] Review article: Coagulation cascade and therapeutics update: Relevance to nephrology.NEPHROLOGY, Issue 5 2009Part 1: Overview of coagulation, history of anticoagulants, thrombophilias SUMMARY Coagulation involves the regulated sequence of proteolytic activation of a series of zymogens to achieve appropriate and timely haemostasis in an injured vessel, in an environment that overwhelmingly favours an anticoagulant state. In the non-pathological state, the inciting event involves exposure of circulating factor VII/VIIa to extravascularly expressed tissue factor, which brings into motion the series of steps which results in amplification of the initial stimulus, culminating in the conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin and clot formation. The precisely synchronized cascade of events is counter-balanced by a system of anticoagulant mechanisms, which serve to ensure that the haemostatic effect is regulated and does not extend inappropriately. Conversely, in pathological states, these events can escape normal control mechanisms, due to either inherited or acquired defects, which lead to thrombosis. Current anticoagulant therapy, although based on medications that have been in existence for upwards of 80 years, is moving towards targeted therapy for specific coagulation factors and events in the coagulation cascade, based on the current knowledge of the main triggers and key events within the series of reactions that culminates in haemostasis. It remains to be seen whether these newer medications will become first-line therapies for thrombosis in the coming decade. This review aims to elucidate the main events within the coagulation cascade as it is currently understood to operate in vivo, with a brief discussion focusing on hypercoagulable states, and also a short review of the history of anticoagulants as they relate to this model. [source] Middle East set to benefit as petrochemical demand growsOIL AND ENERGY TRENDS, Issue 8 2005Article first published online: 15 AUG 200 Strong worldwide demand for petrochemicals, particularly in China, is prompting many oil and petrochemical producers to build new ethylene capacity. China itself has extensive plans for capacity additions, as do some other Asian countries, but the largest increase looks set to come from the Middle East. Here, the growth will be based on access to abundant low-cost feedstocks, especially gas, which will give the region a considerable advantage over regions dependent on expensive oil-based feedstocks, including much of Asia. The exploitation of gas-based feedstocks has enabled the Middle East to build up a significant presence in world ethylene markets already. Since 2000, it has been the largest exporter of ethylene and its dominance could grow considerably over the coming decade, largely at the expense of the US. On present projections of demand and capacity, the Middle East is likely to account for well over 90% of the world's net trade in ethylene by 2010, with China as its principal market. [source] Preface: phys. stat. sol. (c) 1/6PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 6 2004Alexey Kavokin This volume contains some of the papers presented at the Third International Conference on Physics of Light,Matter Coupling in Nanostructures (PLMCN3) which took place in Acireale, Sicily, from 1 to 4 October 2003. This meeting was fourth in the series started by PLMCN (St. Nectaire, 2000) and continued by PLMCN1 (Rome, 2001) and PLMCN2 (Rithymnon, 2002). All four conferences had the same format (about 70 participants), similar subject scope (interface between fundamental physics of light,matter coupling phenomena and applied research on new semiconductor materials and low-dimensional structures), and the proceedings of all of them have been published in physica status solidi. During these four years, a huge progress has been achieved in the understanding of exciton,polariton effects in microcavities. From the discovery of stimulated scattering of polaritons in 1999 to the first experimental reports of polariton Bose condensation and lasing, attention to this rapidly developing research area has been increased drastically. It is clear now that realization of a new generation of opto-electronic devices, referred to as polariton devices, is a realistic task for the coming decade. To achieve this target, much work has to be done both in fundamental research on dynamics of exciton,polaritons in microcavities and experimental realization of high-quality microcavities presumably based on wide-band gap semiconductors like GaN, ZnO, ZnSe, suitable for the observation of strong exciton,light coupling at room temperature. Forty nine research teams from twelve European countries have created a Polariton Consortium aimed at integration of the European research effort towards fabrication of polariton devices. PLMCN3 was not only an international conference devoted, in particular, to the research on polariton devices, but also the first scientific meeting of this community. The PLMCN meetings since the very first one have been sponsored by the US Army European Research Office (ERO). This time, with the initiative of Jim Harvey from ERO, a special session has been organized on the devices of 21st century, where a number of intriguing ideas have been proposed on new light sources, polariton lasers, and quantum memory elements based on microcavities. A special prize for the most crazy but realizable idea has been won by Misha Portnoi (Exeter) for the concept of a white diode based on a microcavity. Each PLMCN meeting brings participants from new countries. This time, the traditionally strong participation from Japan, Russia, the European Union and the USA has been enforced by a representative delegation from Israel and two speakers from Mexico. We are looking forward for new-comers from other countries not yet involved in the PLMCN community, to join us for the next meeting to be held in St. Petersburg on 29 June,3 July 2004. Sergey Ivanov from the A. F. Ioffe Institute chairs the local Organizing Committee of this future conference. We are going to keep a unique informal and creative atmosphere being characteristic of the PLMCN meetings. We invite all those who wish to know more about light,matter coupling in solids or to present any new interesting results in this area and at the same time to enjoy the beautiful city of St. Petersburg, to contact Sergey Ivanov (ivan@beam.ioffe.rssi.ru) or myself (kavokin@lasmea.univ-bpclermont.fr). We are looking forward to welcoming you in St. Petersburg! [source] Consolidation of thin-film photovoltaic technology: the coming decade of opportunityPROGRESS IN PHOTOVOLTAICS: RESEARCH & APPLICATIONS, Issue 5 2006Martin A. Green Abstract The previous decade, particularly its latter half, has been an exhilarating period for photovoltaics. Companies have entered a new era of profitability with photovoltaic company stocks now some of the most eagerly sought. The challenge for the next decade is for the industry to take advantage of the increased resources made available by the recent boom to position photovoltaics for an onslaught into wholesale electricity markets. It is argued that only the best of the thin-film technologies are likely to be able to lead such a charge. Criteria for the success of thin-film technology in the long term are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] An overview of the heterogeneous telescope network system: Concept, scalability and operationASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 3 2008R.R. White Abstract In the coming decade there will be an avalanche of data streams devoted to astronomical exploration opening new windows of scientific discovery. The shear volume of data and the diversity of event types (Kantor 2006; Kaiser 2004; Vestrand & Theiler & Wozniak 2004) will necessitate; the move to a common language for the communication of event data, and enabling telescope systems with the ability to not just simply respond, but to act independently in order to take full advantage of available resources in a timely manner. Developed over the past three years, the Virtual Observatory Event (VOEvent) provides the best format for carrying these diverse event messages (White et al. 2006a; Seaman & Warner 2006). However, in order for the telescopes to be able to act independently, a system of interoperable network nodes must be in place, that will allow the astronomical assets to not only issue event notifications, but to coordinate and request specific observations. The Heterogeneous Telescope Network (HTN) is a network architecture that can achieve the goals set forth and provide a scalable design to match both fully autonomous and manual telescope system needs (Allan et al. 2006a;White et al. 2006b; Hessman 2006b). In this paper we will show the design concept of this meta-network and nodes, their scalable architecture and complexity, and how this concept can meet the needs of institutions in the near future. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Global use of alcohol, drugs and tobaccoDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 6 2006PETER ANDERSON Abstract Humans have always used drugs, probably as part of their evolutionary and nutritional heritage. However, this previous biological adaptation is unlikely to be so in the modern world, in which 2 billion adults (48% of the adult population) are current users of alcohol, 1.1 billion adults (29% of the adult population) are current smokers of cigarettes and 185 million adults (4.5% of the adult population) are current users of illicit drugs. The use of drugs is determined largely by market forces, with increases in affordability and availability increasing use. People with socio-economic deprivation, however measured, are at increased risk of harmful drug use, as are those with a disadvantaged family environment, and those who live in a community with higher levels of substance use. Substance use is on the increase in low-income countries which, in the coming decades, will bear a disproportionate burden of substance-related disability and premature death. [source] The operating costs of taxation: a review of the researchECONOMIC AFFAIRS, Issue 2 2001Chris Evans This paper considers key aspects of the literature on the operating costs of taxation, identifying the factors that have led to its development and evaluating its impact on policy responses to compliance and administrative costs issues. It starts by identifying the key components of the operating costs of the taxation system. The paper then identifies the main research trends over the past 60 years or so around the world, placing current concerns about taxation compliance and administrative costs within a broader - deregulatory - context and analyzing governmental responses to concerns about compliance costs highlighted by the literature. Finally, it offers some tentative views on the likely directions that research in the area may take in the coming decades. [source] Drought changes phosphorus and potassium accumulation patterns in an evergreen Mediterranean forestFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2007J. SARDANS Summary 1Climate models predict more extreme weather in Mediterranean ecosystems, with more frequent drought periods and torrential rainfall. These expected changes may affect major process in ecosystems such as mineral cycling. However, there is a lack of experimental data regarding the effects of prolonged drought on nutrient cycling and content in Mediterranean ecosystems. 2A 6-year drought manipulation experiment was conducted in a Quercus ilex Mediterranean forest. The aim was to investigate the effects of drought conditions expected to occur over the coming decades, on the contents and concentrations of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in stand biomass, and P and K content and availability in soils. 3Drought (an average reduction of 15% in soil moisture) increased P leaf concentration by 18·2% and reduced P wood and root concentrations (30·9% and 39·8%, respectively) in the dominant tree species Quercus ilex, suggesting a process of mobilization of P from wood towards leaves. The decrease in P wood concentrations in Quercus ilex, together with a decrease in forest biomass growth, led to an overall decrease (by approximately one-third) of the total P content in above-ground biomass. In control plots, the total P content in the above-ground biomass increased 54 kg ha,1 from 1999 to 2005, whereas in drought plots there was no increase in P levels in above-ground biomass. Drought had no effects on either K above-ground contents or concentrations. 4Drought increased total soil soluble P by increasing soil soluble organic P, which is the soil soluble P not directly available to plant capture. Drought reduced the ratio of soil soluble inorganic P : soil soluble organic P by 50% showing a decrease of inorganic P release from P bound to organic matter. Drought increased by 10% the total K content in the soil, but reduced the soil soluble K by 20·4%. 5Drought led to diminished plant uptake of mineral nutrients and to greater recalcitrance of minerals in soil. This will lead to a reduction in P and K in the ecosystem, due to losses in P and K through leaching and erosion, if the heavy rainfalls predicted by IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) models occur. As P is currently a limiting factor in many Mediterranean terrestrial ecosystems, and given that P and K are necessary for high water-use efficiency and stomata control, the negative effects of drought on P and K content in the ecosystem may well have additional indirect negative effects on plant fitness. [source] Climatology at Urban Long-Term Ecological Research Sites: Baltimore Ecosystem Study and Central Arizona,PhoenixGEOGRAPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2009Anthony J. Brazel The Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES) and Central Arizona,Phoenix (CAP) Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) programs, established in 1997, are part of an international National Science Foundation long-term ecology monitoring and research network. The study sites are excellent laboratories to integrate ideas on climate of urban areas and how climate change and local variability of climate relate to social, political, economic, and ecological processes over a long time period. A large variety of research data are available online from individual LTER Web sites and a combined database called CLIMDB/HYDRODB is available for climate and ecology researchers and others, to investigate climate and hydrology in LTER study regions including those of BES and CAP. The basic program, climate aspects of these two areas, selected past research, and current ongoing work is briefly reviewed. A large benefit of this National Science Foundation program is the maintenance of support over a very long period of time. With the advent of a National Ecological Observatory Network, continuing collection of climate and environmental information over the coming decades at the local and regional scales, and maintenance of protocols of measurement, it is hoped that a more meaningfully integrated urban climatology with urban ecology will emerge. This will better prepare scientists to gage the impending rapid global warming expected not only of natural environments, but also of burgeoning urban places around the world. [source] The response of heterotrophic activity and carbon cycling to nitrogen additions and warming in two tropical soilsGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 9 2010DANIELA F. CUSACK Abstract Nitrogen (N) deposition is projected to increase significantly in tropical regions in the coming decades, where changes in climate are also expected. Additional N and warming each have the potential to alter soil carbon (C) storage via changes in microbial activity and decomposition, but little is known about the combined effects of these global change factors in tropical ecosystems. In this study, we used controlled laboratory incubations of soils from a long-term N fertilization experiment to explore the sensitivity of soil C to increased N in two N-rich tropical forests. We found that fertilization corresponded to significant increases in bulk soil C concentrations, and decreases in C loss via heterotrophic respiration (P< 0.05). The increase in soil C was not uniform among C pools, however. The active soil C pool decomposed faster with fertilization, while slowly cycling C pools had longer turnover times. These changes in soil C cycling with N additions corresponded to the responses of two groups of microbial extracellular enzymes. Smaller active C pools corresponded to increased hydrolytic enzyme activities; longer turnover times of the slowly cycling C pool corresponded to reduced activity of oxidative enzymes, which degrade more complex C compounds, in fertilized soils. Warming increased soil respiration overall, and N fertilization significantly increased the temperature sensitivity of slowly cycling C pools in both forests. In the lower elevation forest, respired CO2 from fertilized cores had significantly higher ,14C values than control soils, indicating losses of relatively older soil C. These results indicate that soil C storage is sensitive to both N deposition and warming in N-rich tropical soils, with interacting effects of these two global change factors. N deposition has the potential to increase total soil C stocks in tropical forests, but the long-term stability of this added C will likely depend on future changes in temperature. [source] Global evidence that deforestation amplifies flood risk and severity in the developing worldGLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY, Issue 11 2007COREY J. A. BRADSHAW Abstract With the wide acceptance of forest-protection policies in the developing world comes a requirement for clear demonstrations of how deforestation may erode human well-being and economies. For centuries, it has been believed that forests provide protection against flooding. However, such claims have given rise to a heated polemic, and broad-scale quantitative evidence of the possible role of forests in flood protection has not been forthcoming. Using data collected from 1990 to 2000 from 56 developing countries, we show using generalized linear and mixed-effects models contrasted with information-theoretic measures of parsimony that flood frequency is negatively correlated with the amount of remaining natural forest and positively correlated with natural forest area loss (after controlling for rainfall, slope and degraded landscape area). The most parsimonious models accounted for over 65% of the variation in flood frequency, of which nearly 14% was due to forest cover variables alone. During the decade investigated, nearly 100 000 people were killed and 320 million people were displaced by floods, with total reported economic damages exceeding US$1151 billion. Extracted measures of flood severity (flood duration, people killed and displaced, and total damage) showed some weaker, albeit detectable correlations to natural forest cover and loss. Based on an arbitrary decrease in natural forest area of 10%, the model-averaged prediction of flood frequency increased between 4% and 28% among the countries modeled. Using the same hypothetical decline in natural forest area resulted in a 4,8% increase in total flood duration. These correlations suggest that global-scale patterns in mean forest trends across countries are meaningful with respect to flood dynamics. Unabated loss of forests may increase or exacerbate the number of flood-related disasters, negatively impact millions of poor people, and inflict trillions of dollars in damage in disadvantaged economies over the coming decades. This first global-scale empirical demonstration that forests are correlated with flood risk and severity in developing countries reinforces the imperative for large-scale forest protection to protect human welfare, and suggests that reforestation may help to reduce the frequency and severity of flood-related catastrophes. [source] The importance of rapid, disturbance-induced losses in carbon management and sequestrationGLOBAL ECOLOGY, Issue 1 2002David D. Breshears Abstract Management of terrestrial carbon fluxes is being proposed as a means of increasing the amount of carbon sequestered in the terrestrial biosphere. This approach is generally viewed only as an interim strategy for the coming decades while other longer-term strategies are developed and implemented , the most important being the direct reduction of carbon emissions. We are concerned that the potential for rapid, disturbance-induced losses may be much greater than is currently appreciated, especially by the decision-making community. Here we wish to: (1) highlight the complex and threshold-like nature of disturbances , such as fire and drought, as well as the erosion associated with each , that could lead to carbon losses; (2) note the global extent of ecosystems that are at risk of such disturbance-induced carbon losses; and (3) call for increased consideration of and research on the mechanisms by which large, rapid disturbance-induced losses of terrestrial carbon could occur. Our lack of ability as a scientific community to predict such ecosystem dynamics is precluding the effective consideration of these processes into strategies and policies related to carbon management and sequestration. Consequently, scientists need to do more to improve quantification of these potential losses and to integrate them into sound, sustainable policy options. [source] The perspectives of energy production from coal-fired power plants in an enlarged EUINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2004P. Grammelis Abstract The aim of this paper is to present the current status of the coal-fired power sector in an enlarged EU (EU-15 plus EU member candidate states) in relation with the main topics of the European Strategy for the energy production and supply. It is estimated that 731 thermoelectric units, larger than 100 MWe, are operating nowadays, and their total installed capacity equals to 200.7 GWe. Coal contribution to the total electricity generation with reference to other fuel sources, is by far more intensive in the non-EU part (EU member candidate states), compared to the EU member states. It is expected that even after the enlargement, the European Union will strongly being related to coal. Enlargement will bring additional factors into play in order to meet the requirements of rising consumption, growing demand for conventional fuels and increasing dependence on imports. Besides the technology, boiler size, efficiency, age and environmental performance will determine the necessities of the coal-fired power sector in each country. Depending on the case, lifetime extension measures in operating coal-fired power plants or clean coal technologies can play an important role towards the energy sector restructuring. Low efficiency values in the non-EU coal-fired units and heavily aged power plants in EU countries will certainly affect decisions in favour of upgrading or reconstruction. The overall increase of efficiency, the reduction of harmful emissions from generating processes and the co-combustion of coal with biomass and wastes for generating purposes indicate that coal can be cleaner and more efficient. Additionally, plenty of rehabilitation projects based on CCT applications, have already been carried out or are under progress in the EU energy sector. The proclamations of the countries' energy policies in the coming decades, includes integrated renovation concepts of the coal-fired power sector. Further to the natural gas penetration in the electricity generation and CO2 sequestration and underground storage, the implementation of CCT projects will strongly contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions in the European Union, according to the targets set in the Kyoto protocol. In consequence, clean coal technologies can open up new markets not only in the EU member candidate states, but also in other parts of the world. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Introduction: Role of the hospitalist in secondary stroke prevention care,JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL MEDICINE, Issue S4 2008David J. Likosky MD Abstract Stroke is a prevalent and often devastating condition that is likely to affect a growing proportion of the United States population in the coming decades. Individuals who have experienced a stroke or transient ischemic attack are at elevated risk for recurrent events, which are frequently more severe. Therefore, secondary prevention has become the focus of much clinical research and widespread initiatives to deliver evidence-based care. Hospitalists are in a unique position to contribute substantially to these efforts. The 4 articles in this supplement are a call to action for hospital-based physicians. They are based on the conclusions of a panel of hospitalists, neurohospitalists, vascular neurologists, and neurointensivists who met for a roundtable discussion in March 2007. This, the first of the 4 articles, discusses the opportunity for hospitalists to take a leadership role in creating stroke systems of care that integrate secondary stroke prevention with inpatient treatment of acute stroke. The articles that follow will summarize the consensus of roundtable participants on stroke care best practices and their implementation. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2008;3(4 Suppl):S1,S5. © 2008 Society of Hospital Medicine. [source] Review article: diagnosis and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 5 2008M. K. OH Summary Background, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an increasingly prevalent condition affecting adults and children, leading to significant morbidity. It is often associated with the metabolic syndrome, although multiple pathogenetic mechanisms have been suggested. In the coming decades, it promises to be the leading cause of liver disease in industrial countries. Aim, To provide a comprehensive, updated review of diagnosis and management of NAFLD and to appraise the evolution of new modalities in these areas. Methods, An Ovid MEDLINE search was performed to identify pertinent original research and review articles. Selected references in these articles were also evaluated. Results, The diagnosis of hepatic steatosis and steatohepatitis or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is not yet possible without liver biopsy. This is impractical given the large numbers affected by the condition. Current therapy has focused on improving insulin resistance and mediators of inflammation, factors probably associated with disease progression. Conclusions, There are no proven non-invasive diagnostic modalities to distinguish NAFLD and NASH, but new biomarker panels are approximating the liver biopsy in accuracy. Therapeutic targets of drug development are in early stages, but a multifaceted approach will probably yield several treatment options in the years to come. [source] Workshop summary on physical and chemical properties of potential Earth impactorsMETEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE, Issue 12 2002W. F. Huebner The goal was to develop a roadmap for determining the physical and chemical properties of NEOs in the coming decades to meet the scientific requirements for development of Earth collision avoidance technology. We identified many properties that are desired, but four measurements are needed most critically for any potentially hazardous NEO: (1) its mass, (2) its mass distribution, (3) its material strengths, and (4) its internal structure. Global (whole-body) properties, such as material strengths and internal structure, can be determined best from the analyses of permeating waves: artificially initiated seismology and multifrequency reflection and transmission radio tomography. Seismology provides the best geophysical (material strengths) data of NEOs composed of consolidated materials while radio tomography provides the best geological data (e.g., the state of fracture) of electrically nonconducting media. Thus, the two methods are complementary: seismology is most suitable for stony and metallic asteroids, while radio tomography is most appropriate for comet nuclei and carbonaceous asteroids. The three main conclusions are (1) remote sensing for physical characterization should be increased, (2) several dedicated NEO missions should be prepared for geophysical and geological investigations, and (3) that it is prudent to develop and prove the technology to make geophysical measurements on NEOs now. [source] The Clash of Civilizations RevisitedNEW PERSPECTIVES QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2007SAMUEL P. HUNTINGTON Harvard professor If ever proof were needed of Samuel Huntington's idea that "relations between societies in the coming decades are most likely to reflect their cultural commitments" it can be found in Ayaan Hirsi Ali's experience as a woman standing up against traditional Islamic culture while living in Europe. In this section, both Samuel Huntington and Ayaan Hirsi Ali discuss the continuing clash of cultures in what Hirsi Ali calls our "age of confrontation." [source] Social Policy Under One Country, Two Systems: Institutional Dynamics in China and Hong Kong since 1997PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW, Issue 3 2003Ian Holliday Hong Kong's 1997 reversion to Chinese sovereignty brought two hitherto distinctive social policy systems into one country. As Hong Kong is gradually assimilated into China in the coming decades, the two social policy systems will need to identify elements of convergence. In this article, we argue those elements can be found in parallel efforts to curtail the reach of the state, extend the role of the market, enhance individual responsibility, and in the development of a productivist social policy orientation in both societies. The social policy systems of the two societies remain strikingly different in many ways, reflecting their diametrically opposed starting points. But their reform trajectories appear to be pointing in similar directions. [source] A Model Under Siege: A Case Study of the German Retirement Insurance SystemTHE ECONOMIC JOURNAL, Issue 461 2000Axel Borsch-Supan This study evaluates the positive and negative features of the German public pension system and discusses three reasons for its increasing perceived and real difficulties: maturation, negative incentive effects, and the problems of demographic change. The German system in its current form may be able to limp through the coming decades but will cease to be the exemplary Bismarckian machine that has created generous retirement incomes at reasonable tax rates. Current policy proposals are insufficient and a few but incisive design changes and some degree of prefunding could rescue the many positive aspects of the German retirement insurance system. [source] Medicare and Medicaid: Conflicting Incentives for Long-Term CareTHE MILBANK QUARTERLY, Issue 4 2007DAVID C. GRABOWSKI The structure of Medicare and Medicaid creates conflicting incentives regarding dually eligible beneficiaries without coordinating their care. Both Medicare and Medicaid have an interest in limiting their costs, and neither has an incentive to take responsibility for the management or quality of care. Examples of misaligned incentives are Medicare's cost-sharing rules, cost shifting within home health care and nursing homes, and cost shifting across chronic and acute care settings. Several policy initiatives,capitation, pay-for-performance, and the shift of the dually eligible population's Medicaid costs to the federal government,may address these conflicting incentives, but all have strengths and weaknesses. With the aging baby boom generation and projected federal and state budget shortfalls, this issue will be a continuing focus of policymakers in the coming decades. [source] Integrating ecology with hydromorphology: a priority for river science and managementAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 1 2009I.P. Vaughan Abstract 1.The assessment of links between ecology and physical habitat has become a major issue in river research and management. Key drivers include concerns about the conservation implications of human modifications (e.g. abstraction, climate change) and the explicit need to understand the ecological importance of hydromorphology as prescribed by the EU's Water Framework Directive. Efforts are focusing on the need to develop ,eco-hydromorphology' at the interface between ecology, hydrology and fluvial geomorphology. Here, the scope of this emerging field is defined, some research and development issues are suggested, and a path for development is sketched out. 2.In the short term, major research priorities are to use existing literature or data better to identify patterns among organisms, ecological functions and river hydromorphological character. Another early priority is to identify model systems or organisms to act as research foci. In the medium term, the investigation of pattern,processes linkages, spatial structuring, scaling relationships and system dynamics will advance mechanistic understanding. The effects of climate change, abstraction and river regulation, eco-hydromorphic resistance/resilience, and responses to environmental disturbances are likely to be management priorities. Large-scale catchment projects, in both rural and urban locations, should be promoted to concentrate collaborative efforts, to attract financial support and to raise the profile of eco-hydromorphology. 3.Eco-hydromorphological expertise is currently fragmented across the main contributory disciplines (ecology, hydrology, geomorphology, flood risk management, civil engineering), potentially restricting research and development. This is paradoxical given the shared vision across these fields for effective river management based on good science with social impact. A range of approaches is advocated to build sufficient, integrated capacity that will deliver science of real management value over the coming decades. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Geophysical Archaeology Research Agendas for the Future: Some Ground-penetrating Radar ExamplesARCHAEOLOGICAL PROSPECTION, Issue 2 2010Lawrence B. Conyers Abstract Archaeological geophysics research and its applications to archaeology are today positioned to move in a number of directions, building on successes in the past few decades. The basics of data acquisition, processing and interpretation are now commonplace, and along with a variety of new geophysical tools and software, readily available to most dedicated practitioners. It is now time to move beyond the basics to develop new areas of research for the coming decades. Here, we propose some future avenues that can be followed, using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) as an example. One avenue is the application of these techniques to test ideas about culture and history in ways not possible using traditional archaeological methods. Another is the application of sophisticated new equipment and three-dimensional processing methods that can produce greater precision in the products produced, while simplifying data acquisition and revealing more information about buried archaeological features. While we discuss below our ideas with regard to the future of GPR, these basic concepts and future pathways are potentially applicable to the other commonly used near-surface geophysical methods. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Acute treatment costs of intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke in ArgentinaACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 4 2009M. C. Christensen Background and purpose,,, Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Argentina, yet little information exists on the acute treatment provided for stroke or its costs. This study estimates the national costs of the acute treatment of first-ever intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and ischemic stroke (IS) in Argentina. Methods,,, Retrospective hospital-based inception study design using data on resource use and costs from high-volume stroke centers in Argentina, and published population-based incidence data. Treatment provided at two large urban hospitals were evaluated in all patients admitted with a first-ever stroke between 1 January 2004 and 31 August 2006, and costs were assigned using appropriate unit cost data for all resource use. Cost estimates in Argentinian pesos were converted to US dollars ($) using the 2005 purchasing power parity index. National costs of acute treatment for incident strokes were estimated by extrapolation of average costs estimates to national incidence data. Assumptions of the average cost of stroke treatment on a national scale were examined in sensitivity analysis. Results,,, The acute care of 167 patients with stroke was thoroughly evaluated from hospital admission to hospital discharge. Mean length of hospital stay was 35.4 days for ICH and 13.0 days for IS. Ninety-one percent of the patients with ICH and 68% of the patients with IS were admitted to an ICU for a mean length of stay (LOS) of 12.9 ± 20.3 and 3.6 ± 5.9 days respectively. Mean total costs of initial hospitalization were $12,285 (SD ±14,336) for ICH and $3888 (SD ±4018) for IS. Costs differed significantly by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at admission, development of pneumonia and infections during hospitalization, and functional outcome at hospital discharge. Aggregate national healthcare expenditures for acute treatment of incident ICH were $194.2m (range 97.1,388.4) and $239.9m for IS (range 119.9,479.7). Conclusion,,, The direct hospital costs of incident ICH and IS in Argentina are substantial and primarily driven by stroke severity, in-hospital complications and clinical outcomes. With the expected increase in the incidence of stroke over the coming decades, these results emphasize the need for effective preventive and acute medical care. 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