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Growing Interest (growing + interest)
Selected AbstractsGrowing Interest in Complementary and Alternative Cancer TherapiesCA: A CANCER JOURNAL FOR CLINICIANS, Issue 6 2004Article first published online: 31 DEC 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] Immediate and Midterm Complications of Sclerotherapy: Report of a Prospective Multicenter Registry of 12,173 Sclerotherapy SessionsDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 2 2005FACPH, Jean-Jérôme Guex MD Background Growing interest in sclerotherapy has emphasized the need for complete knowledge of all aspects of this method. Objective To precisely delineate the actual incidence of immediate and delayed untoward events of daily sclerotherapy. Methods A multicenter prospective registry was established in 22 phlebology clinics to report their activity and complications. Results During the study period, 12,173 sessions of sclerotherapy were carried out, 5,434 with liquid, 6,395 with foam, and 344 using both. Four thousand eighty-eight (33.9%) sessions were carried out with ultrasound guidance. Forty-nine incidents or accidents (0.4%) occurred, of which 12 were with liquid and 37 with foam. These were reported during the time of the study and an additional 1-month follow-up. Most numerous were 20 cases of visual disturbances (in 19 cases, foam or air block was used); all resolved shortly, without any after-effects. A femoral vein thrombosis was the only severe adverse event in this study. Conclusions This study demonstrates that sclerotherapy is a safe technique. FUNDING FOR RESEARCH WAS PROVIDED BY THE FRENCH SOCIETY OF PHLEBOLOGY, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION. [source] Colloidal soft matter as drug delivery systemJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2009Giulia Bonacucina Abstract Growing interest is being dedicated to soft matter because of its potential in delivering any type of drugs. Since hydrophilic, lipophilic, small and big molecules can be loaded into these colloidal systems and administered through the parenteral or nonparenteral route, soft matter systems have been used to solve many biomedical and pharmaceutical problems. In fact, they make possible to overcome difficulties in the formulation and delivery of poorly water-soluble drug molecules, settle some stability issues typical of biological drug molecules, design parenteral sustained release forms and provide functionalized soft particles that are very effective in drug targeting. This review deals with the important role that colloids play in the drug delivery and targeting, with particular attention to the more currently used systems such as microemulsions, organogels, liposomes, micelles, and dendrimers. Though significant progress has been made in drug targeting, some challenges still remain. Further efforts will be required to better understand the characteristics of targets and to discover new ones. In-depth knowledge of the physico-chemical structure and properties of the systems used for targeting is fundamental for understanding the mechanism of interaction with the biological substrate and the consequent drug release. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 98:1,42, 2009 [source] Deposition and taphonomy of earthworm granules in relation to their interpretative potential in Quaternary stratigraphy,JOURNAL OF QUATERNARY SCIENCE, Issue 2 2007M. G. Canti Calcium carbonate granules up to 2.5,mm in size are commonly found in Quaternary soils and sediments but have only rarely been used for any form of interpretation. Growing interest in recent years has focused on the concentration patterns in stratigraphy containing buried land surfaces, and the possibility of dating the granules. Making sense of either of these approaches requires a basic understanding of granule types, together with their modes of accumulation and destruction in stratigraphy. Details of the formation, morphology, deposition and post-depositional changes are discussed along with the necessary ecological and pedological information on earthworm behaviour and effects, then summarised into a framework for interpretations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Parallel processing of remotely sensed hyperspectral imagery: full-pixel versus mixed-pixel classificationCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 13 2008Antonio J. Plaza Abstract The rapid development of space and computer technologies allows for the possibility to store huge amounts of remotely sensed image data, collected using airborne and satellite instruments. In particular, NASA is continuously gathering high-dimensional image data with Earth observing hyperspectral sensors such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's airborne visible,infrared imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS), which measures reflected radiation in hundreds of narrow spectral bands at different wavelength channels for the same area on the surface of the Earth. The development of fast techniques for transforming massive amounts of hyperspectral data into scientific understanding is critical for space-based Earth science and planetary exploration. Despite the growing interest in hyperspectral imaging research, only a few efforts have been devoted to the design of parallel implementations in the literature, and detailed comparisons of standardized parallel hyperspectral algorithms are currently unavailable. This paper compares several existing and new parallel processing techniques for pure and mixed-pixel classification in hyperspectral imagery. The distinction of pure versus mixed-pixel analysis is linked to the considered application domain, and results from the very rich spectral information available from hyperspectral instruments. In some cases, such information allows image analysts to overcome the constraints imposed by limited spatial resolution. In most cases, however, the spectral bands collected by hyperspectral instruments have high statistical correlation, and efficient parallel techniques are required to reduce the dimensionality of the data while retaining the spectral information that allows for the separation of the classes. In order to address this issue, this paper also develops a new parallel feature extraction algorithm that integrates the spatial and spectral information. The proposed technique is evaluated (from the viewpoint of both classification accuracy and parallel performance) and compared with other parallel techniques for dimensionality reduction and classification in the context of three representative application case studies: urban characterization, land-cover classification in agriculture, and mapping of geological features, using AVIRIS data sets with detailed ground-truth. Parallel performance is assessed using Thunderhead, a massively parallel Beowulf cluster at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The detailed cross-validation of parallel algorithms conducted in this work may specifically help image analysts in selection of parallel algorithms for specific applications. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] THE MIRACLE OF THE CELLS: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF INTERVENTIONS TO INCREASE PAYMENT OF COURT-ORDERED FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS,CRIMINOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY, Issue 1 2008DAVID WEISBURD Research Summary: In this article, we present findings from an experimental study of an innovative program in fine enforcement developed by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) of New Jersey, termed Project MUSTER (MUST Earn Restitution). The project was initiated by the New Jersey AOC as a response to concerns among probation personnel that probationers sentenced to monetary penalties often failed to meet their financial obligations. The program sought to increase payment of court-ordered financial obligations among probationers who are seriously delinquent in paying fines, penalties, and restitution, and was designed to "strengthen the effectiveness of restitution and fine sanctions by forcing those offenders who have the ability to make regular payments to do so." Project MUSTER relied on a combination of intensive probation, threats of violation to court and incarceration, and community service. We find that probationers sentenced to Project MUSTER were significantly more likely to pay court-ordered financial obligations than were those who experienced regular probation supervision. However, probationers sentenced to a second treatment group, in which the only intervention was violation of probation (one part of the MUSTER program), had similar outcomes to the MUSTER condition. These findings suggest that the main cause of fine payment was a deterrent threat of possible incarceration, which is often termed the "miracle of the cells." Policy Implications: Our study shows that it is possible to gain greater compliance with court-ordered financial obligations and that such compliance may be gained with a relatively simple and straightforward criminal justice intervention. Threats of violation of probation are an effective tool for gaining compliance with financial obligations. Given the growing interest in monetary penalties as an alternative to incarceration, these findings have particular policy importance. [source] Clinical supervision in the alcohol and other drugs field: an imperative or an option?DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 3 2007ANN M. ROCHE Abstract There is a growing interest in Clinical Supervision (CS) as a central workforce development (WFD) strategy. This paper provides a definition of and rationale for CS, characterises its various forms, identifies selection and training issues, and advises on policy and implementation issues central to redressing shortcomings in supervision practice within the alcohol and other drugs (AOD) field. Relevant selective literature is reviewed. Key conceptual issues were identified, and strategies developed to address implementation barriers and facilitate relevant policy. There is a common conceptual confusion between administrative supervision and CS. Clarification of the role, function and implementation of CS is required. Priority issues for the AOD field include: enhancing belief in CS; ensuring adequate resource allocation; developing evaluation protocols; and addressing specific arrangements under which supervision should occur. CS has been underutilised to date but holds considerable potential as a WFD strategy. It is fundamental to workers' professional development, can contribute to worker satisfaction and retention, and may improve client outcomes. Critical next steps are to establish the generalisability to the AOD field of the benefits observed from CS in other disciplines, and evaluate longer-term gains of CS programs. [source] The Rise of a Global Infrastructure Market through Relational InvestingECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2009Morag Torrance abstract Infrastructure assets around the world are shifting from public to private ownership. This article investigates how institutional investors are investing beyond their traditional financial and geographic borders and are increasingly serving as owners of infrastructure assets. It shows how infrastructure assets have specific geographies of information embedded in their investment returns and discusses the growing interest of institutional investors in investing in the infrastructure landscape. While infrastructure investments are considered globally, opportunities depend on the availability of specialist information in the region of investment. The article demonstrates that the low-risk, geographically varied returns match the diversification objectives of pension fund portfolios. Relational investing is important in implementing strategies for investing in the infrastructure, since the bidding on and ensuing ownership and management of infrastructure assets around the world require a combination of financial, legal, and technical expertise. The article addresses three distinct economic geography literatures: the geography of finance, pension fund research, and emerging debates on "relational geometries." [source] Signaling, solidarity, and the sacred: The evolution of religious behaviorEVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 6 2003Richard Sosis Abstract Anthropologists have repeatedly noted that there has been little theoretical progress in the anthropology of religion over the past fifty years.1,7 By the 1960s, Geertz2 had pronounced the field dead. Recently, however, evolutionary researchers have turned their attention toward understanding the selective pressures that have shaped the human capacity for religious thoughts and behaviors, and appear to be resurrecting this long-dormant but important area of research.8,19 This work, which focuses on ultimate evolutionary explanations, is being complemented by advances in neuropsychology and a growing interest among neuroscientists in how ritual, trance, meditation, and other altered states affect brain functioning and development.20,26 This latter research is providing critical insights into the evolution of the proximate mechanisms responsible for religious behavior. Here we review these literatures and examine both the proximate mechanisms and ultimate evolutionary processes essential for developing a comprehensive evolutionary explanation of religion. [source] Trans-species hair growth induction by human hair follicle dermal papillaeEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2001C. A. B. Jahoda Abstract: A series of experimental bioassays has shown that the dermal papilla of the adult rodent vibrissa hair follicle retains unique inductive properties. In view of the many phenotypic and functional differences between specific hair follicle types, and the growing interest in hair follicle biology and disease, it remains important to establish that the human hair follicle dermal papilla has equivalent capabilities. In this study we tested the ability of human hair follicle papillae to induce hair growth when implanted into transected, athymic mouse vibrissa follicles. The implanted papillae that interacted with mouse follicle epithelium created new fibre-producing follicle end bulbs. The origin of the papillae in the recombinant structures was confirmed using laser capture microdissection and human specific gender determination by PCR. The demonstration that intact adult human dermal papillae can induce hair growth has implications for molecular analysis of basic hair growth mechanisms, particularly since the study involved common epithelial,mesenchymal signalling and recognition properties across species. It also improves the prospects for a cell-based clinical approach to hair follicle disorders. [source] Multiscale modelling of human gastric electric activity: can the electrogastrogram detect functional electrical uncoupling?EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006M. L. Buist During recent years there has been a growing interest in the assessment of gastric electrical health through cutaneous abdominal recordings. The analysis of such recordings is largely limited to an inspection of frequency dynamics, and this has raised doubts as to whether functional gastric electrical uncoupling can be detected using this technique. We describe here a computational approach to the problem in which the equations governing the underlying physics of the problem have been solved over an anatomically detailed human torso geometry. Cellular electrical activity was embedded within a stomach tissue model, and this was coupled to the torso using an equivalent current source approach. Simulations were performed in which normal and functionally uncoupled (through the introduction of an ectopic antral pacemaker) gastric slow wave activity was present, and corresponding cutaneous electrogastrograms were produced. These were subsequently analysed using the currently recommended techniques, and it was found that the functionally uncoupled situation was indistinguishable from normal slow wave activity using this approach. [source] The Distribution of Wealth of Older Self-Employed BritonsFISCAL STUDIES, Issue 1 2003Simon C. Parker Abstract Little is known about the wealth of older self-employed people, despite growing interest in this labour market group. This paper utilises the British Retirement Survey to fill the gap by providing novel estimates of their lifetime wealth. The findings dispel the idea that the self-employed live in poverty; indeed, they seem to be a relatively wealthy group, holding a broad spread of assets and subject to moderate lifetime wealth inequality. These findings may help inform modelling of retirement behaviour of this group, as well as pension policy design. [source] Effects of Phonon Confinement on Anomalous Thermalization, Energy Transfer, and Upconversion in Ln3+ -Doped Gd2O3 NanotubesADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 4 2010Andreia G. Macedo Abstract There is a growing interest in understanding how size-dependent quantum confinement affects the photoluminescence efficiency, excited-state dynamics, energy-transfer and thermalization phenomena in nanophosphors. For lanthanide (Ln3+)-doped nanocrystals, despite the localized 4f states, confinement effects are induced mostly via electron,phonon interactions. In particular, the anomalous thermalization reported so far for a handful of Ln3+ -doped nanocrystals has been rationalized by the absence of low-frequency phonon modes. This nanoconfinement may further impact on the Ln3+ luminescence dynamics, such as phonon-assisted energy transfer or upconversion processes. Here, intriguing and unprecedented anomalous thermalization in Gd2O3:Eu3+ and Gd2O3:Yb3+,Er3+ nanotubes, exhibiting up to one order of magnitude larger than previously reported for similar materials, is reported. This anomalous thermalization induces unexpected energy transfer from Eu3+C2 to S6 crystallographic sites, at 11,K, and 2H11/2,,,4I15/2 Er3+ upconversion emission; it is interpreted on the basis of the discretization of the phonon density of states, easily tuned by varying the annealing temperature (923,1123,K) in the synthesis procedure, and/or the Ln3+ concentration (0.16,6.60%). [source] Decentralization, Local Government, and the Welfare StateGOVERNANCE, Issue 4 2007JEFFEREY M. SELLERS Despite growing interest in decentralized governance, the local government systems that comprise the most common element of decentralization around the world have received little systematic attention. This article, drawing on the first systematic index of decentralization to local government in 21 countries, demonstrates a close relation between Social Democratic welfare states and an intergovernmental infrastructure that in important respects ranks as the most decentralized among advanced industrial countries. This empowerment of local government in these countries was less an outgrowth of Social Democratic welfare state development than a preexisting condition that helped make this type of welfare state possible. [source] Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori InfectionHELICOBACTER, Issue 2006Katarzyna Dzier, anowska-Fangrat Abstract A growing interest in non-invasive tests for the detection of Helicobacter pylori has been observed recently, reflecting a large number of studies published this year. New tests have been validated, and the old ones have been used in different clinical situations or for different purposes. Stool antigen tests have been extensively evaluated in pre- and post-treatment settings both in adults and children, and the urea breath test has been studied as a predictor of bacterial load, severity of gastric inflammation, and response to eradication treatment. Several studies have also explored the usefulness of some serologic markers as indicators of the gastric mucosa status. With regard to invasive tests, molecular methods are being used more and more, but the breakthrough this year was the direct in vivo observation of H. pylori during endoscopy. [source] Single-trial analysis of oddball event-related potentials in simultaneous EEG-fMRIHUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 7 2007Christian-G. Abstract There has recently been a growing interest in the use of simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) and functional MRI (fMRI) for evoked activity in cognitive paradigms, thereby obtaining functional datasets with both high spatial and temporal resolution. The simultaneous recording permits obtaining event-related potentials (ERPs) and MR images in the same environment, conditions of stimulation, and subject state; it also enables tracing the joint fluctuations of EEG and fMRI signals. The goal of this study was to investigate the possibility of tracking the trial-to-trial changes in event-related EEG activity, and of using this information as a parameter in fMRI analysis. We used an auditory oddball paradigm and obtained single-trial amplitude and latency features from the EEG acquired during fMRI scanning. The single-trial P300 latency presented significant correlation with parameters external to the EEG (target-to-target interval and reaction time). Moreover, we obtained significant fMRI activations for the modulation by P300 amplitude and latency, both at the single-subject and at the group level. Our results indicate that, in line with other studies, the EEG can bring a new dimension to the field of fMRI analysis by providing fine temporal information on the fluctuations in brain activity. Hum Brain Mapp, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Bacterial population analysis of human colon and terminal ileum biopsies with 16S rRNA-based fluorescent probes: Commensal bacteria live in suspension and have no direct contact with epithelial cellsINFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASES, Issue 10 2005Laurens A van der Waaij PhD Abstract Background: The commensal intestinal microflora has important metabolic and perhaps also immune modulatory functions. Evidence has accumulated that the microflora plays a role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. Therefore, there is a growing interest in the intestinal microflora and its interaction with the host. Presumably, this interaction takes place at the mucus layer. In this study, we investigated the microflora that is present at the mucus layer and addressed the following questions. Does a specific mucus-adherent microflora exist? Is there direct contact between commensal bacteria and epithelial cells? Methods: Snap-frozen biopsies were taken of 5 colon regions and of the terminal ileum in 9 subjects with a normal colon. Fecal samples were also collected. Bacteria were detected in cryosections with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with 16S ribosomal (r)RNA-targeted probes for all bacteria and specific probes for the major representatives of anaerobic microflora (bifidobacteria, Bacteroides, clostridia, atopobia) and aerobic microflora (Enterobacteriaceae, enterococci, streptococci, lactobacilli). Results: With this sensitive technique, bacteria were only observed at the luminal side of the intestinal mucus layer. Very few microcolonies were present at the mucus layer, and the composition of the bacterial microflora present in the feces was similar to that at the mucus layer of the terminal ileum and colon regions. Conclusions: We did not observe direct contact between bacteria and epithelial cells. The equal distribution of bacterial species suggests that intestinal commensal bacteria live in suspension in the lumen and that there is no specific mucus-adherent microflora. [source] Testing the effect of individual color morphology on immune response in bush-cricketsINSECT SCIENCE, Issue 5 2010Åsa Berggren Abstract, Despite the growing interest in how an individual's immune response is correlated to morphological and ecological factors, little empirical data has been available from wild insect populations. Many insects have different color morphs and exhibit differences in immune responses. Links are expected to exist between body colors and immune function in insects, because the same biochemical precursors involved in the immune response are responsible for melanin-based color markings. In this study, I assay the immune response of two different color morphs of 377 wild-caught bush-crickets, Metrioptera roeseli, from 20 populations by measuring individual encapsulation responses to a surgically implanted nylon monofilament. There was no difference between green and brown bush-cricket morphs (low melanin vs high melanin investment in cuticula color respectively) and their ability to mount an immune response to the implant. Further study is needed on the relationship between color morphology and immune response in wild insects, and whether trade-offs occur between factors during an insect's development phase and long-term health. [source] Efficient packet classification on network processorsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, Issue 1 2008Koert Vlaeminck Abstract Always-on networking and a growing interest in multimedia- and conversational-IP services offer an opportunity to network providers to participate in the service layer, if they increase functional intelligence in their networks. An important prerequisite to providing advanced services in IP access networks is the availability of a high-speed packet classification module in the network nodes, necessary for supporting any IP service imaginable. Often, access nodes are installed in remote offices, where they terminate a large number of subscriber lines. As such, technology adding processing power in this environment should be energy-efficient, whilst maintaining the flexibility to cope with changing service requirements. Network processor units (NPUs) are designed to overcome these operational restrictions, and in this context this paper investigates their suitability for wireline and robust packet classification in a firewalling application. State-of-the-art packet classification algorithms are examined, whereafter the performance and memory requirements are compared for a Binary Decision Diagram (BDD) and sequential search approach. Several space optimizations for implementing BDD classifiers on NPU hardware are discussed and it is shown that the optimized BDD classifier is able to operate at gigabit wirespeed, independent of the ruleset size, which is a major advantage over a sequential search classifier. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Public partnerships, governance and user involvement: a service user perspectiveINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 5 2010Peter Beresford Abstract This paper explores public partnerships and governance from a service user perspective, drawing both on the author's own involvement in service user organizations and movements and on material associated with and produced by these organizations and movements. It addresses the ambivalent relationship between service user organizations and movements and the idea and practice of ,partnerships', and explores their preference for ideas of ,alliance'. It charts the different approaches to and ideologies underpinning user involvement and their implications for partnership between state and service users and their organizations. It offers a set of components for improving such partnerships as well as highlighting the growing interest of service users' organizations and movements in developing and extending alliances. [source] Fining of red wines with gluten or yeast extract proteinINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Nerea Iturmendi Abstract Due to a growing interest in alternatives to substitute gelatin as clarifying agent, this work investigates the use of yeast extracts and glutens. Physico-chemical characteristics of proteins were analysed. Fining experiments were carried out on young red wines. Turbidity reduction, lees volume and effects on polyphenolic content and colour characteristics were determined. The results indicated that glutens and yeast extracts turbidity reduction is comparable to gelatin. Lees production was considerably reduced by non-animal proteins: yeast extracts produced 44%, wheat glutens 60% and maize gluten 92% less than gelatin. Lees volume is highly correlated (R = ,0.720) with the absolute superficial charge density value (SCD) and with the pI (0.936) when clarifier was used in combination with bentonite. Treatments with glutens reduced less the polyphenolic content (between 0.6 and 8.7 units) than gelatin did. There were slight differences on the modification of colour intensity. [source] Mapping capacity in the health sector: a conceptual frameworkINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2002Anne K. LaFond Abstract Capacity improvement has become central to strategies used to develop health systems in low-income countries. Experience suggests that achieving better health outcomes requires both increased investment (i.e. financial resources) and adequate local capacity to use resources effectively. International donors and non-governmental agencies, as well as ministries of health, are therefore increasingly relying on capacity building to enhance overall performance in the health sector. Despite the growing interest in capacity improvement, there has been little consensus among practitioners and academics on definitions of ,capacity building' and how to evaluate it. This paper aims to review current knowledge and experiences from ongoing efforts to monitor and evaluate capacity building interventions in the health sector in developing countries. It draws on a wide range of sources to develop (1) a definition of capacity building and (2) a conceptual framework for mapping capacity and measuring the effects of capacity building interventions. Mapping is the initial step in the design of capacity building interventions and provides a framework for monitoring and evaluating their effectiveness. Capacity mapping is useful to planners because it makes explicit the assumptions underlying the relationship between capacity and health system performance and provides a framework for testing those assumptions. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Electoral Impact of Direct-Democratic PracticesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2008EVA ANDUIZA Abstract In recent years there has been a growing interest in the integration of mechanisms of direct citizen participation in the institutional structure of representative democracy, particularly at the local level. This essay examines the electoral impact of mechanisms of direct citizen participation. Although it is often considered that participatory schemes can be a means to achieve electoral success in the hands of politicians seeking re-election, quantitative analyses of 65 Spanish municipalities demonstrate that electoral success is far from being an immediate consequence of direct democratic practices (DDPs). The qualitative analysis of four cases shows that electoral consequences directly attributable to participatory devices depend on their design and on how they fit into the whole political process. Participatory processes that are too rigid and those, especially, that generate expectations that cannot be translated into real policies may end up having a negative effect. On the other hand, DDPs may account for network-building and improved information among citizens that, in turn, may have electoral consequences. DDPs are thus neither a blessing nor a cure per se in their electoral effects. Instead, as with representative democracy, their consequences and success will ultimately depend upon their procedural dimension. Résumé Ces dernières années ont connu un intérêt croissant pour l'intégration de mécanismes de participation directe des citoyens dans le cadre institutionnel de la démocratie participative, notamment au niveau local. Cet article examine l'impact électoral des mécanismes de participation directe. Même si on estime souvent que les systèmes participatifs peuvent permettre la victoire d'hommes politiques en quête de réélection, des analyses quantitatives sur 65 municipalités espagnoles montrent que le succès électoral est loin de résulter automatiquement des pratiques de démocratie directe (PDD). L'analyse qualitative de quatre cas révèle que les incidences électorales imputables directement aux dispositifs participatifs dépendent du concept utilisé et de la manière dont ceux-ci s'intègrent dans le processus politique global. Si les démarches participatives sont trop rigides, et notamment si elles suscitent des attentes qui ne peuvent se traduire dans des politiques publiques concrètes, elles sont susceptibles d'avoir, en fin de compte, un effet négatif. En revanche, les PDD peuvent expliquer la construction de réseaux et l'amélioration de l'information entre les citoyens, ce qui peut influer sur des élections. Les PDD ne sont donc ni une bénédiction ni une malédiction en termes d'incidences électorales. A l'instar de celles de la démocratie représentative, leurs conséquences et leur réussite vont finalement dépendre de leur dimension procédurale. [source] A Clinical Review of Infected Wound Treatment with Vacuum Assisted Closure® (V.A.C.®) Therapy: Experience and Case SeriesINTERNATIONAL WOUND JOURNAL, Issue 2009Allen Gabriel ABSTRACT Over the last decade Vacuum Assisted Closure® (KCI Licensing, Inc., San Antonio, TX) has been established as an effective wound care modality for managing complex acute and chronic wounds. The therapy has been widely adopted by many institutions to treat a variety of wound types. Increasingly, the therapy is being used to manage infected and critically colonized, difficult-to-treat wounds. This growing interest coupled with practitioner uncertainty in using the therapy in the presence of infection prompted the convening of an interprofessional expert advisory panel to determine appropriate use of the different modalities of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) as delivered by V.A.C.® Therapy and V.A.C. Instill® with either GranuFoamÔ or GranuFoam SilverÔ Dressings. The panel reviewed infected wound treatment methods within the context of evidence-based medicine coupled with experiential insight using V.A.C.® Therapy Systems to manage a variety of infected wounds. The primary objectives of the panel were 1) to exchange state-of-practice evidence, 2) to review and evaluate the strength of existing data, and 3) to develop practice recommendations based on published evidence and clinical experience regarding use of the V.A.C.® Therapy Systems in infected wounds. These recommendations are meant to identify which infected wounds will benefit from the most appropriate V.A.C.® Therapy System modality and provide an infected wound treatment algorithm that may lead to a better understanding of optimal treatment strategies. [source] Mind Reading, Deception and the Evolution of Kantian Moral AgentsJOURNAL FOR THE THEORY OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, Issue 2 2004ALEJANDRO ROSAS Classical evolutionary explanations of social behavior classify behaviors from their effects, not from their underlying mechanisms. Here lies a potential objection against the view that morality can be explained by such models, e.g. Trivers'reciprocal altruism. However, evolutionary theory reveals a growing interest in the evolution of psychological mechanisms and factors them in as selective forces. This opens up perspectives for evolutionary approaches to problems that have traditionally worried moral philosophers. Once the ability to mind-read is factored-in among the relevant variables in the evolution of moral abilities and counted among the selection pressures that have plausibly shaped our nature as moral agents, an evolutionary approach can contribute, so I will argue, to the solution of a long-standing debate in moral philosophy and psychology concerning the basic motivation for moral behavior. [source] HIV disclosure among HIV positive individuals: a concept analysisJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 9 2010Rosemary W. Eustace eustace r.w. & ilagan p.r. (2010) HIV disclosure among HIV positive individuals: a concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(9), 2094,2103. Abstract Aim., This paper is a report of an analysis of the concept of HIV disclosure. Background., There is a growing interest among healthcare providers and researchers in HIV disclosure as an effective HIV prevention and early disease management initiative. However, the concept still remains unclear. Conceptual clarity is important for providing an expanded theoretical definition and understanding of attributes of HIV disclosure. This information is useful in constructing better HIV disclosure measures in HIV/AIDS nursing practice and research. Data sources., A computer search of the following databases was conducted to capture the meaning and processes of HIV disclosure among HIV-positive individuals: PubMed, CINAHL and PSYCINFO. Only English language journals were used. Publication dates of the literature review ranged from 1999 to 2009. The following key words were used: HIV disclosure, self-disclosure, disclosure and serostatus disclosure. Methods., The Walker and Avant (2005) concept analysis model (Strategies for Theory Construction in Nursing, Pearson Prentice Hall, River, NJ, 2005) was used to guide the analysis process, which was completed in 2009. Results., The concept analysis revealed that HIV disclosure is a complex process characterized by the following attributes: experiencing an event, communicating something, timing, and contextual environment, protecting someone, relationship status and improving something or being therapeutic. In addition, the process of HIV disclosure varies across time. Conclusion., The proposed HIV disclosure attributes provide nursing scholars and researchers with new directions on how to reframe research questions, develop measurement tools to reflect better the diversity and fluidity of the process of HIV disclosure among HIV-positive individuals. Policy implications include the need to develop approaches that protect individual and public rights. [source] Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium and Calcium Removal by Brown Midrib Sorghum Sudangrass in the Northeastern USAJOURNAL OF AGRONOMY AND CROP SCIENCE, Issue 6 2006Q. M. Ketterings Abstract For the long-term sustainability of the dairy industry in the Northeastern USA, manure nutrient application rates should not exceed crop nutrient removal once above-optimum soil fertility levels are reached. Dairy producers have shown a growing interest in brown midrib (BMR) forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.) × sudangrass (Sorghum sudanense Piper) hybrids (S × S) as a more environmentally sound alternative to maize (Zea mays L.) but data on S × S nutrient removal rates are scant. Our objectives were to determine N, P, K, Ca and Mg removal with harvest as impacted by N application rate, using six N rate studies in New York. One of the six sites had a recent manure history. Although site-to-site differences existed, N application tended to decrease P and K and increase N, Ca and Mg concentrations in BMR S × S forage. Nutrient removal and yield were highly correlated for all sites except one location that showed a K deficiency. The crop removed large amounts of P and K in the manured site, suggesting that BMR S × S is an excellent scavenger of these nutrients. If manure is applied mid-season, forage K levels are likely too high for feeding to non-lactating cows. [source] Scattering from laterally heterogeneous vesicles.JOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2007Despite growing interest in the formation of domains or `rafts' in cell and model membranes, there have been relatively few attempts to characterize such systems via scattering techniques. Previously [Pencer et al. (2006). J. Appl. Cryst.39, 293,303], it was demonstrated that the Porod invariant, Q, could be used to detect lateral segregation. Here, the general theory for scattering from laterally heterogeneous vesicles is outlined and form factors are derived for vesicles containing either single circular or annular domains. These form factors are then applied to the analysis of neutron scattering data from heterogeneous vesicles. Potential advantages and limitations of this technique are also discussed. [source] Recovery from bark harvesting of 12 medicinal tree species in Benin, West AfricaJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Claire Delvaux Summary 1The growing interest in medicinal plants from both international industry and local markets requires management of tree bark harvesting from natural forests in order to prevent inappropriate exploitation of target species. This study was designed to determine the bark re-growth response of a selected number of medicinal tree species as a basis for the development of an optimal bark harvesting method. 2In 2004, bark was harvested from 925 trees belonging to 12 species in 38 sites in a dry forest in Benin, West Africa. Two years later, the response of trees to bark harvesting was examined with respect to re-growth (edge or sheet), development of vegetative growth around the wound, and the sensitivity of the wound to insect attack. 3Two species, Khaya senegalensis and Lannea kerstingii, showed complete wound recovery by edge growth. At the other extreme, Afzelia africana, Burkea africana and Maranthes polyandra had very poor edge growth. M. polyandra showed good sheet growth, whereas the other 11 species had none or poor sheet growth after total bark harvesting. In contrast, partial bark removal allowed better sheet growth in all 12 species studied. 4Insect sensitivity was species-specific. Insect attacks were negatively correlated with non-recovered wound area, but there was a marked species effect for the same rate of regeneration. L. kerstingii and K. senegalensis had very good and similar re-growth, but L. kerstingii was very susceptible to insect attack, whereas K. senegalensis appeared to be very resistant. Only a few individuals developed vegetative growth, and each tree usually developed only one or two agony shoots, but there was no significant difference between species. 5Synthesis and applications. This is the first study to provide data on the ability of trees to close wounds after bark harvesting in West Africa. We report large variability in the response of different species to our bark harvesting technique, and identify just two out of the 12 study species as suitable for sustainable bark harvesting. Based on our results, we developed a decisional step method to help forest managers select the best techniques for managing medicinal tree species as an alternative to bark harvesting, for example, coppice management, harvesting leaves instead of bark, stand establishment, and collaboration with timber companies. [source] Recovery of bird populations after clearfelling of tall open eucalypt forest in Western AustraliaJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2001M.R. Williams Summary 1Increasing concern over the sustainable management of forested landscapes and the extent of forest clearance world-wide has led to a growing interest in the impacts of logging and associated habitat disturbance on biodiversity. 2We conducted an experimental study of the impact of clearfelling on birds of the karri Eucalyptus diversicolor forest in south-west Western Australia over a 17-year period, and a retrospective study of both clearfelled and naturally regenerated karri stands aged from 0 to 146 years. 3One-third of species still had significantly reduced abundance 14 years after disturbance ceased, although all affected species made limited use of regenerating forest. 4Multivariate analysis of changes in bird community structure showed that the effects of disturbance were still evident 14 years after clearfelling. Clearfelling may also have produced some temporary changes in community structure in adjacent unlogged forest. 5Species richness and total abundance of birds declined by 58% and 96%, respectively, in the first year after clearfelling, and 14 years after logging were still 17% and 55% below levels in adjacent undisturbed forest. During this early successional phase both measures increased as a simple function of stand age. Species richness of regrowth reached that of old-growth at 30,50 years and total abundance of all bird species in regrowth was similar to that of old-growth after approximately 70 years. 6Several bird species offer potential as indicators of the ecological sustainability of karri forest management. These species nest in large hollows in standing live trees (two cockatoo species) or have been slow to recolonize immature regrowth karri forests (six species). 7Post-hoc power analysis showed that even the long-term and intensive sampling employed in this study failed to detect declines in abundance of less than 80,90% for most bird species. For many uncommon species, trying to estimate changes in abundance is problematic and likely to require replication which is difficult to achieve in field situations where logged and unlogged forests are compared. Despite this, the present study identified some key impacts of forest clearfelling on bird communities, with implications both for the consequences of clearfelling of forests and the criteria for sustainable forest management. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||