Individual Requirements (individual + requirement)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Cash-based interventions: lessons from southern Somalia

DISASTERS, Issue 3 2006
Hanna Mattinen
Abstract Commodity distributions, the predominant relief response, are subject to growing criticism, while donors and humanitarian actors are increasingly viewing cash-based interventions as a viable alternative. This paper aims to contribute to the current debate on cash-based interventions by drawing on the experience of Action Contre la Faim in southern Somalia, where it has implemented cash for work programmes since 2004. The authors conclude that cash-based interventions are a feasible option in complex emergencies as well as in highly insecure environments as long as appropriate modalities are employed and objectives are clearly set in accordance with the needs and the context. Cash as a relief response offers wide-reaching possibilities for the future from both the perspective of the donor/agency and the standpoint of the beneficiary. It enables the beneficiaries to take control of the relief themselves and to adapt it to their individual requirements in a timely manner. [source]


Portfolios of mobility: the movement of expertise in transnational corporations in two sectors , aerospace and extractive industries

GLOBAL NETWORKS, Issue 1 2008
JANE MILLAR
Abstract This article is about how UK-based transnational corporations source expertise and move highly skilled people among their sites. TNCs rely heavily on their internal labour markets for skills. We examine patterns and trends in the ways that TNCs in two sectors, aerospace and extractives, dynamically orchestrate and deploy their networks of expertise internationally to address the demands of different markets. We chart the types of mobility that exist, identify how and why they are used, and explore some of the institutional, industrial, organizational and technological factors that influence these trends. We show that different types of mobility play distinct roles in organizations. Companies respond to mobility calls from diverse stimuli by linking together mobility options into portfolios of moves that represent negotiated responses to industrial and individual requirements. [source]


Service based CAC with QoS guarantee in mobile wireless cellular networks

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, Issue 9 2005
Robert G. Fry
Abstract The increasing variety and complexity of traffic in today's mobile wireless networks means that there are more restrictions placed on a network in order to guarantee the individual requirements of the different traffic types and users. Call admission control (CAC) plays a vital role in achieving this. In this paper, we propose a CAC scheme for multiple service systems where the predicted call usage of each service is used to make the admission decision. Our scheme enables real-time traffic to be transmitted using shared bandwidth without quality of service (QoS) requirements being exceeded. This ensures that the utilization of the available wireless bandwidth is maximized. Information about the channel usage of each service is used to estimate the capacity of the cell in terms of the number of users that can achieve a certain bit error rate (BER). Priorities assigned to each service are used to allocate the network capacity. An expression for the handoff dropping probability is derived, and the maximum acceptance rate for each service that results in the estimated dropping probability not exceeding its QoS requirements is calculated. Each call is then accepted with equal probability throughout the duration of a control period. Achieved QoS during the previous control period is used to update the new call acceptance rates thus ensuring the dropping probability remains below the specified threshold. Simulations conducted in a wideband CDMA environment with conversational, streaming, interactive and background sources show that the proposed CAC can successfully meet the hard restraint on the dropping probability and guarantee the required BER for multiple services. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Visual ergonomics of head-mounted displays

JAPANESE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2000
Marino Menozzi
Head-mounted displays (HMDs) are increasingly used in the field and in the laboratory. Prolonged use of HMDs requires their ergonomics to be optimized in order to reduce discomfort. Among factors causing visual load are the physical/optical properties of eyepieces used in HMDs. Many HMD eyepieces are adjusted manually to fit the individual requirements of the user. Proper adjustment of the eyepieces requires some knowledge of visual ergonomics. Additionally, in order to enable comfortable viewing, restrictions on the visual information presented in HMDs, such as the motion of objects in virtual depth, must be considered. Visual performance and therefore visual load depends on the display technology used in HMDs. [source]


Improving clinical outcome in patients with intestinal failure using individualised nutritional advice

JOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 4 2009
A. Culkin
Abstract Background: Patients with intestinal failure are required to adhere to a complex regimen. Written information may increase knowledge leading to improvements in clinical outcomes. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition advice incorporating the use of a booklet. Methods: Each patient completed a questionnaire evaluating their knowledge of the regime and quality of life and kept a diet and gastrointestinal output diary. The diary was assessed and they were given the booklet with a verbal explanation tailored to individual requirements. The booklet explained the causes of intestinal failure, diet and fluid recommendations in relation to intestinal anatomy, information on medications and long-term monitoring. Patients were reassessed at their next appointment using the same tools. The primary endpoint was an improvement in knowledge. Secondary endpoints were an improvement in oral nutritional intake, nutritional status, quality of life and the content of home parenteral nutrition. Results: Forty-eight patients completed the study. Knowledge improved significantly after dietetic intervention in association with the provision of the booklet (P < 0.001). Oral energy (P = 0.04) and fat (P = 0.003) intake increased with an improvement in body mass index (P = 0.02). Patients on home parenteral nutrition showed a reduction in parenteral energy (P = 0.02), nitrogen (P = 0.003), volume (P = 0.02) and frequency (P = 0.003). Conclusions: A booklet for patients with intestinal failure in conjunction with personalised dietary counselling improves knowledge and clinical outcomes. [source]


Caring for patients with allergic rhinitis

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 6 2007
AE-C Nurse Practitioner, APRN-C, Certified Asthma Educator, Clinical Assistant Professor2), Mary Lou Hayden MS
Abstract Purpose: Allergic rhinitis (AR) affects up to 40 million Americans, with an estimated cost of $2.7 billion per annum. This review discusses several therapeutic options that reduce the symptoms of AR, including allergen avoidance, antihistamines, intranasal corticosteroids (INS), leukotriene receptor antagonists, and immunotherapy. Data sources: The articles included in this review were retrieved by a search of Medline literature on the subjects of AR, antihistamines, INS, leukotriene antagonists, and immunotherapy, as well as current published guidelines for the treatment of AR. Conclusions: Allergen avoidance is recommended for all patients prior to pharmacologic therapy. Oral and nasal H1 -antihistamines are recommended to alleviate the mild and intermittent symptoms of AR, and INS are recommended as the first-line treatment choice for mild persistent and more moderate-to-severe persistent AR. Implications for practice: There are a number of different types of therapy for the management of AR; with so many options available, successful tailoring of treatment to suit individual requirements is realistically achievable. [source]


Equivalence of hydroxyethyl starch HES 130/0.

ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 9 2003
HES 200/0.
Background:, Hydroxyethyl starch solutions (HES) are increasingly used for the compensation of surgical blood loss. The objective of this clinical trial was to compare a novel 6% HES 130/0.4 solution with a favourable pharmacological profile and a standard 6% HES 200/0.5 solution for maintenance of haemodynamic stability in major gynaecological surgery. Methods:, Sixty female patients aged 18,80 years undergoing major gynaecological surgery with indication for perioperative colloidal volume replacement were enrolled in this prospective, randomized double-blinded clinical study. The administration of study medication was dependent on individual requirements to maintain haemodynamic stability. The amount of study medication required from induction of anaesthesia until 6 h postoperatively served as the primary investigative parameter. Results:, The two one-sided test procedure by Westlake demonstrated equivalence of mean infused volumes between HES 130/0.4 and HES 200/0.5 during the study period (1224 ± 544 ml and 1389 ± 610 ml, respectively, P < 0.05). Perioperatively, haemodynamics did not differ significantly between treatment groups. While none of the mean values of coagulation parameters shifted outside the normal range, the degree of haemodilution revealed reduced haematocrit values in HES 200/0.5 treated patients at 6 h postoperatively (P < 0.05). Moreover, prothrombin time (PT) was higher and consequently international normalized ratio (INR) was lower at the same time point for patients who received HES 130/0.4 (P < 0.05). Conclusion:, This clinical trial demonstrated therapeutic equivalence of this novel low-substituted HES 130/0.4 solution and a standard HES 200/0.5 solution for perioperative volume replacement. Moreover, both HES preparations were equally well-tolerated and safe. [source]


Using Reference Models within the Enterprise Resource Planning Lifecycle

AUSTRALIAN ACCOUNTING REVIEW, Issue 22 2000
MICHAEL ROSEMANN
ERP-specific reference models describe on a conceptual level the structure and functionality of enterprise resource planning solutions. However, these models focus on depicting executable processes and do not take into account tasks related to business engineering, system selection, implementation or change. This paper discusses how reference process models can be used within the entire ERP lifecycle. All phases of the ERP lifecycle have individual requirements for the management of the relevant knowledge. It will be shown how extended reference models can serve as a knowledge repository for enterprise resource planning. This paper includes several pragmatic recommendations for managers involved in ERP projects. [source]