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Long-term Sustainability (long-term + sustainability)
Selected AbstractsTowards effective nutritional management of waste outputs in aquaculture, with particular reference to salmonid aquaculture operationsAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 5 2010Dominique P Bureau Abstract Long-term sustainability of many fish culture operations may be dependent on their ability to reduce their waste outputs. The release of solid wastes is mainly a function of the digestibility of various dietary components, and the release of dissolved wastes is mainly a function of the metabolism of nutrients by the fish. Consequently, simple principles of nutrition and models have been effectively used to describe, predict and manage the excretion of wastes by fish. Nutritional strategies offer a direct and effective way of managing waste output by aquaculture operations. Very significant reduction in waste outputs per unit of fish produced, notably in terms for solid and phosphorus wastes, have been achieved over the past few decades by commercial fish culture operations. Further reduction in waste outputs could be achieved through fine-tuning of feed formulations, judicious use of feed additives and processing/refining of ingredients. A better understanding of the basis of the effect of various endogenous (biological) and exogenous (dietary, environmental) factors on nutrient utilization by fish could also contribute to the development of strategies for reducing waste outputs. The present paper provides a brief overview of issues and challenges related to potential environmental impacts of wastes, and of recent progresses relative to nutritional strategies aimed at better management of the release of wastes by aquaculture operations. [source] Technological Maturity and Development without Research: The Challenge for Malaysian ManufacturingDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 2 2000Suresh Narayanan Propelled largely by direct investment via multinationals, Malaysia's manufacturing sector has grown rapidly and is changing its output-mix. In 1992, the share of high-tech products in Malaysian manufacturing exceeded that of Japan, Korea or Taiwan. However, this ,maturity' was acquired without a strong research base. This article provides a framework which looks at the role of research and development (R&D) in conferring technological maturity and assesses the progress Malaysian manufacturing has made in this regard. The authors find that while multinationals have transferred many aspects of production, they have been slow in transferring R&D expertise. Neither has indigenous innovation filled this gap. Consequently, the long-term sustainability of the industrial transformation process in Malaysia is in jeopardy. The article concludes with suggestions for corrective policies. [source] The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Discourse, Policy Controversies and the Role of Science in the Politics of Shrimp Farming DevelopmentDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 5 2005Christophe Béné This article revisits through a policy analysis the ongoing debate on shrimp farming aquaculture. It describes the changes in policy orientations that have taken place in recent years, and tries to relate them to the advocacy strategies developed by different networks and policy communities. The analysis reveals in particular the crucial contribution of the ,power of expertise' and shows how it has been instrumentalised by certain advocacy networks to depoliticise the debate. While this has allowed a number of key stakeholders to refocus the debate on technical solutions, it has prevented other groups concerned with more intractable social and political issues from engaging successfully in the policy process, thus leaving the long-term sustainability of aquaculture still a contentious issue. [source] From Disaster to Sustainable Civil Society: The Kobe ExperienceDISASTERS, Issue 1 2004Rajib Shaw Nine years after the Kobe earthquake in Japan, social issues are still prominent, and the rehabilitation process is still ongoing. The earthquake caused two major changes in Japanese society: an increase in voluntary and non-government activities, and the enhancement of cooperation between local government and the residents' association. People's participation in the decision-making process was a significant achievement. To sustain the efforts generated after the earthquake, the Kobe Action Plan was formulated and tested in different disaster scenarios. The current study suggests that civil societies in urban areas are sustainable if, first, the activities related to daily services are provided by the resident's associations; and second, these are linked to economic incentives. Leadership plays a crucial role in collective decision-making. Creation of the support system is essential for long-term sustainability of civil-society activities. These observations are exemplified in the case study in Nishi Suma, one of the worst-affected areas in the Kobe city. [source] SYNTHESIS: Evolutionary consequences of fishing and their implications for salmonEVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2008Jeffrey J. Hard Abstract We review the evidence for fisheries-induced evolution in anadromous salmonids. Salmon are exposed to a variety of fishing gears and intensities as immature or maturing individuals. We evaluate the evidence that fishing is causing evolutionary changes to traits including body size, migration timing and age of maturation, and we discuss the implications for fisheries and conservation. Few studies have fully evaluated the ingredients of fisheries-induced evolution: selection intensity, genetic variability, correlation among traits under selection, and response to selection. Most studies are limited in their ability to separate genetic responses from phenotypic plasticity, and environmental change complicates interpretation. However, strong evidence for selection intensity and for genetic variability in salmon fitness traits indicates that fishing can cause detectable evolution within ten or fewer generations. Evolutionary issues are therefore meaningful considerations in salmon fishery management. Evolutionary biologists have rarely been involved in the development of salmon fishing policy, yet evolutionary biology is relevant to the long-term success of fisheries. Future management might consider fishing policy to (i) allow experimental testing of evolutionary responses to exploitation and (ii) improve the long-term sustainability of the fishery by mitigating unfavorable evolutionary responses to fishing. We provide suggestions for how this might be done. [source] Wind erosion and intensive prehistoric agriculture: A case study from the Kalaupapa field system, Moloka'i Island, Hawai'iGEOARCHAEOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 5 2007Mark D. McCoy Wind erosion is a major problem for modern farmers, a key variable affecting nutrient levels in ecosystems, and a potentially major force impacting archaeological site formation; however, it has received scant consideration in geoarchaeological studies of agricultural development compared with more easily quantifiable environmental costs, such as vegetation change or fluvial erosion. In this study, soil nutrient analysis is used in the Kalaupapa field system, Moloka'i Island, Hawai'i, to detect an increase in wind erosion attributable to intensive agriculture following the burning of endemic forest. This practice began on a small scale in the 13th century A.D., expanded around cal A.D. 1450,1550, and continued until the near total abandonment of the fields after European contact in the 18th century. Nutrients that naturally occur in high amounts in coastal windward areas due to the long-term, cumulative effect of sea spray were especially impacted. However, thanks to the unique landform of the Kalaupapa Peninsula, nutrient depletion in windward areas was offset by downwind enrichment and likely contributed to the long-term sustainability of the system as a whole. Future research on tropical and arid agriculture should consider the cumulative environmental cost of increased eolian erosion attributable to anthropogenic landscape modification. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Sustainable development of a suggestion system: Factors influencing improvement activities in a confectionary companyHUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 1 2007Cecilia Rapp Although the use of continuous improvement (CI) is widespread today, many organizations face problems maintaining high and sustained employee involvement in such programs. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing employee involvement in submitting suggestions within a suggestion system in a Swedish production company. The company had maintained a successful suggestion system for about 10 years. The study builds on a database containing all the suggestions submitted (2343 in number) within the suggestion system. The following factors were identified to influence employee involvement in submitting suggestions and hence the sustainability of the suggestion system as well: (a) Situations when the employees had a personal benefit from submitting suggestions, e.g., concerning their own work environment, contributed to long-term sustainability of the system; (b) campaigns emphasizing different themes encouraged employees to become more active within the suggestion system; (c) employees having some of their suggestions rejected were more active in submitting suggestions than employees having most suggestions rejected or accepted; (d) a high monetary reward (80 euros and above) was not found favorable for submitting new suggestions, compared to lower rewards; (e) increased support of group suggestions contributed to a sustained and high level of activity of the suggestion system. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 17: 79,94, 2007. [source] Domestic and Transnational Perspectives on DemocratizationINTERNATIONAL STUDIES REVIEW, Issue 3 2004Hans Peter Schmitz The disciplinary separation between comparative politics and international relations is regularly challenged but persists as a result of institutional inertia and hiring practices. This essay uses the issue of democratization in an attempt to go beyond rhetoric and to develop a framework that integrates the role of transnational activism into the analysis of domestic regime change. Comparative research on democratization confirms that underlying socioeconomic conditions affect the long-term sustainability of democratic reforms. The initiation of such reforms, as well as the process they take, can best be understood using an agency-based framework that links domestic and transnational forces. Outside interventions are a potent factor in challenging authoritarian practices, but they do not simply displace existing domestic practices and conditions. Although transnational activists and scholars often celebrate the empowering role of networking and mobilization, the long-term effects of such interventions are still poorly understood. Transnational ties may distract domestic activists from building effective coalitions at home or undermine their legitimacy overall. Transnational scholars and activists can learn from comparative research how different domestic groups use outside interventions to promote their interests at home. [source] Irrigation Externalities and Agricultural Sustainability in South-eastern NigeriaJOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 3 2004Kevin C. Urama Agricultural intensification by irrigation is increasingly regarded as the key to solving food supply problems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Conversely, mounting empirical evidence suggests that irrigation externalities might preclude long-term sustainability of arable agriculture. Choosing between intensive irrigation schemes and less intensive farming systems is therefore, problematic. The paper examines the implications of irrigation intensification in south-eastern Nigeria using adjacent rain-fed farms as the counterfactual. The analyses found mixed results. When first introduced, the irrigation scheme increased marginal factor productivity and gross margins but this has subsequently declined to the extent that the marginal factor product of land has become negative. The annual yields of the irrigated farms were also less stable than those of the less intensive rain-fed farms. These results indicate the dilemma that irrigation externalities present to sustainable agricultural policy and suggest a need to look again at the potential for developments in rain-fed systems. [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] Modelling the long-term sustainability of indigenous hunting in Manu National Park, Peru: landscape-scale management implications for AmazoniaJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Taal Levi Summary 1. ,Widespread hunting throughout Amazonia threatens the persistence of large primates and other vertebrates. Most studies have used models of limited validity and restricted spatial and temporal scales to assess the sustainability. 2. ,We use human-demographic, game-harvest and game-census data to parameterize a spatially explicit hunting model. We explore how population growth and spread, hunting technology and effort, and source,sink dynamics impact the density of black spider monkeys Ateles chamek over time and space in the rainforests of south-eastern Peru. 3. ,In all scenarios, spider monkey populations, which are vulnerable to hunting, persist in high numbers in much of Manu National Park over the next 50 years. Nonetheless, shotguns cause much more depletion than traditional bow hunting by Matsigenka (Machiguenga) indigenous people. 4. ,Maintenance of the current indigenous lifestyle (dispersed settlements, bow hunting) is unlikely to deplete spider monkeys and, by extension, other fauna, despite rapid human population growth. This helps explain why large, pre-Colombian human populations did not drive large primates to extinction. When guns are used, however, spider monkeys quickly become depleted around even small settlements, with depletion eventually reversing the short-term harvest advantage provided by shotgun hunting. Thus, our models show that when guns are used, limits on settlement numbers can reduce total depletion. 5. ,Synthesis and applications. Our framework lets us visualize the future effects of hunting, population growth, hunting technology and settlement spread in tropical forests. In Manu Park, the continued prohibition of firearms is important for ensuring long-term hunting sustainability. A complementary policy is to negotiate limits on new settlements in return for development aid in existing settlements. The advantage of the latter approach is that settlement numbers are more easily monitored than is hunting effort or technology. Similar policies could help to reduce landscape-scale depletion of prey species in human-occupied reserves and protected areas throughout the Amazon. [source] Cordia millenii: on the risk of local extinction?AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Fred Babweteera Abstract Selective logging of valuable tropical timber trees is a conservation concern because it threatens the long-term sustainability of forests. However, there is insufficient information regarding the postlogging recovery of harvested species. Here, I assessed the seed dispersal patterns, recruitment and abundance of Cordia millenii, a valuable timber tree in two Ugandan tropical rain forests that have been subjected to varying disturbance regimes. The aim was to determine the vulnerability of Cordia in these forests. The rate of seed dispersal was lower in the heavily disturbed Mabira Forest compared with the less disturbed Budongo Forest. Frugivores in Mabira were small-bodied individuals that spat seeds beneath fruiting trees, whereas 90% of the fruit in Budongo was consumed by large-bodied chimpanzees that disperse seeds over long distances. Juveniles of Cordia were not found in the closed forest, although they were found in forest gaps in Budongo but not Mabira. Mature tree density was higher in Budongo compared with Mabira. Lack of effective seed dispersal coupled with the inability of seedlings of Cordia to establish under closed canopy account for the arrested recruitment in Mabira. Enrichment planting in felling gaps is necessary to avoid local extinction of Cordia in forests without large vertebrates. Résumé L'abattage sélectif des espèces précieuses d'arbres tropicaux inquiète le milieu de la conservation parce qu'il menace la durabilité des forêts à long terme. Cependant, il n'y a pas assez d'informations au sujet de la restauration des espèces prélevées après l'abattage. Ici, j'ai évalué les schémas de dispersion des semences, le recrutement et l'abondance de Cordia millenii, une espèce d'arbre prisée, dans deux forêts tropicales pluviales d'Ouganda qui ont été soumises à des régimes de perturbation variables. Le but était de déterminer la vulnérabilité de Cordia dans ces forêts. Le taux de dispersion des graines était plus faible dans la forêt très perturbée de Mabira que dans la forêt de Budongo, moins dérangée. Les frugivores de Mabira étaient des individus de petite taille qui recrachaient les graines sous les arbres producteurs des fruits alors que 90% des fruits de Budongo étaient consommés par des chimpanzés qui peuvent disperser les semences sur le longues distances. On n'a pas trouvé de juvénile de Cordia dans la forêt fermée; on en trouvait dans des clairières dans la forêt de Budongo, mais pas dans celle de Mabira. La densité des arbres matures était plus haute à Budongo qu'à Mabira. Le manque de dispersion efficace des graines, coupléà l'incapacité des semences de Cordia de s'établir sous une canopée fermée, intervient dans l'arrêt du recrutement à Mabira. Il est nécessaire de pratiquer un enrichissement des plantations dans les clairières déboisées pour éviter l'extinction locale des Cordia dans les forêts qui n'abritent pas de grands vertébrés. [source] Effects of exploitation on reproductive capacity of blackspot snapper, Lutjanus fulviflamma (Pisces: Lutjanidae) in Mafia Island, TanzaniaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2004A. T. Kamukuru Abstract There is paucity of information on the effects of exploitation on reproductive characteristics of blackspot snapper, Lutjanus fulviflamma (Forsskål 1775) in Tanzanian coastal waters. We compared size at first sexual maturity (LM50), sex ratio, fecundity, and breeding season of L. fulviflamma in least fished Mafia Island Marine Park (MIMP) and intensively fished areas (IFA) between May 1999 and April 2001. Fish in MIMP matured at significantly smaller size (female: LM50 = 206.3 mm; male: LM50 = 195.5 mm) than in IFA (female: LM50 = 216.7 mm; male: LM50 =212.1 mm) total body length. Sex ratio was balanced at 1.03 : 1 (female : male) in MIMP, but it was skewed 0.9 : 1 (female : male) in IFA. Size-related differences in sex ratio were observed with males predominating in the smaller sizes and females in the larger sizes. Total fecundity of fish in MIMP was determined at 45,200,430,200 oocytes in females of between 207 and 293 mm total length. Lutjanus fulviflamma in MIMP has a prolonged spawning season lasting from September to March peaking in December. None of the fish from IFA were in breeding state, suggesting recruitment overfishing is an added matter of concern for the long-term sustainability of the fishery at the current exploitation level. Résumé Il existe très peu d'informations sur les effets de l'exploitation sur les caractéristiques de la reproduction de Lutjanus fulviflamma (Forsskål 1775) dans les eaux côtières de Tanzanie. Nous avons comparé la taille au début de la maturité sexuelle (LM50), le sex-ratio, la fécondité et la saison de reproduction de L. fulviflamma dans le Parc Marin de l'Ile de Mafia (MIMP) où la pêche est moins intense et dans des eaux intensément exploitées (IFA) entre mai 1999 et avril 2001. Les poissons du MIMP deviennent mâtures tout en ayant une longueur totale significativement plus petite (femelles: LM50 = 206,3 mm; mâles: LM50 = 195,5 mm) que dans les IFA (femelles: LM50 = 216,7 mm; mâles: LM50 = 212,1 mm). Le sex-ratio est équilibréà 1,03/1 (femelles/mâles) dans le MIMP, mais il est de 0,9/1 (femelles/mâles) dans les IFA. On a observé des différences du sex-ratio liées à la taille, avec les mâles qui prédominent dans les plus petites tailles et les femelles dans les plus grandes. On a déterminé la fécondité totale dans le MIMP, entre 45.200,430.000 ovocytes à l'intérieur des femelles comprises entre 207 et 293 mm de longueur totale. Dans le MIMP, Lutjanus fulviflamma a une saison de frai prolongée, allant de septembre à mars avec un pic en décembre. Aucun des poissons des IFA n'était en période de reproduction, ce qui signifie une sur-pêche du potentiel reproducteur, ce qui est un motif d'inquiétude pour la durabilitéà long terme de la pêche à son niveau actuel. [source] The Question of Sustainability for Microfinance Institutions,JOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2007J. Jordan Pollinger Microentrepreneurs have considerable difficulty accessing capital from mainstream financial institutions. One key reason is that the costs of information about the characteristics and risk levels of borrowers are high. Relationship-based financing has been promoted as a potential solution to information asymmetry problems in the distribution of credit to small businesses. In this paper, we seek to better understand the implications for providers of "microfinance" in pursuing such a strategy. We discuss relationship-based financing as practiced by microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the United States, analyze their lending process, and present a model for determining the break-even price of a microcredit product. Comparing the model's results with actual prices offered by existing institutions reveals that credit is generally being offered at a range of subsidized rates to microentrepreneurs. This means that MFIs have to raise additional resources from grants or other funds each year to sustain their operations as few are able to survive on the income generated from their lending and related operations. Such subsidization of credit has implications for the long-term sustainability of institutions serving this market and can help explain why mainstream financial institutions have not directly funded microenterprises. We conclude with a discussion of the role of nonprofit organizations in small business credit markets, the impact of pricing on their potential sustainability and self-sufficiency, and the implications for strategies to better structure the credit market for microbusinesses. [source] Farmers' perception of treated paper mill effluent irrigationLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2010P. N. Rekha Abstract The utilization of treated paper mill effluents for irrigation offers many benefits such as conservation of water resources, conversion of barren land into irrigated area, addition of nutrients to the soil and plant and above all the reduction of pollution of inland water bodies. However, the utility of this effluent irrigation programme depends mainly on farmers' acceptability, adoption and management of the scheme. Knowledge about the farmers' perception is thus very much imperative for further advocacy of the effluent irrigation programme. The determinants of farmers' perception of treated paper mill effluent irrigation is a pre-requisite for the formulation of better programmes and strategies for the support of an unobstructed adoption and for the long-term sustainability of effluent irrigation schemes. The present study was conducted to assess the farmers' perception and the determinants that influence the adoption of treated paper mill effluent irrigation by interviewing a random sample of 120 farmers, using a well-structured interview schedule in paper mill effluent irrigated area in Tamil Nadu in India. The study revealed that there exists positive significant correlation between the perception and the characteristics of the farmers viz. educational status, farm size, annual income, mass media exposure, innovativeness and risk orientation. The response analysis of the perception revealed that treated paper mill effluent as alternative assured supply of irrigation water, conversion of elevated dry lands to irrigated land, changing of cropping pattern to sugarcane, increase in socioeconomic status of the farmers, incentives and technical inputs by the paper mill authorities and above all farmers' participation in planning, implementation and management of the effluent irrigation schemes influenced the farmers to form positive perception. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Sustainability of the dimension stone industry in Zimbabwe,challenges and opportunitiesNATURAL RESOURCES FORUM, Issue 3 2001Oliver Maponga Abstract The rapid expansion of the dimension stone and black granite industry in Zimbabwe in the 1990s, a result of increasing domestic and international demand for black granite, has ushered in new challenges and opportunities for producers and beneficiaries alike. This article investigates the social, environmental and economic challenges emanating from the export boom, the economic opportunities presented by the expanding market and the potential role the robust industry could play in regional economic development and poverty alleviation. The article evaluates the long-term sustainability of the dimension stone industry and recommends the reinvestment of revenues into diversification of the regional economic base, upgrading of local infrastructure, further processing of rough stone before export and encouragement of micro-businesses to enhance sustainability. The author argues for modification of economic incentives to incorporate environmental and social objectives in order to enhance sustainability. The need for a holistic approach to policies affecting the exploitation, processing and marketing of granite resources and their products is recognized. More research on the operations of the industry is called for. [source] Considerations in establishing an oral disease clinical research centerORAL DISEASES, Issue 7 2010ML Barnett Oral Diseases (2010) 16, 586,591 High quality clinical research is necessary to improve oral health and translate research findings to the practice of dentistry. This has led many academic institutions to consider establishing a formal clinical research center. This is not a trivial undertaking and requires that the center have an appropriate physical infrastructure, trained investigators with recognized expertise in the planning and conduct of high quality clinical research, and very importantly, a financial plan to assure its long-term sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to provide some guidance and practical advice with respect to factors that should be considered in developing and maintaining a successful oral disease clinical research center. [source] The Politics of Connectivity: The Role of Big Business in UK Education Technology PolicyPOLICY STUDIES JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001Neil Selwyn Since 1997, the United Kingdom (UK) government has embarked upon a series of education policy initiatives based around the increased role of private interests in both policy formulation and implementation. This article takes a detailed look at private sector involvement in education policymaking and implementation using the current "National Grid for Learning" (NGfL) technology policy drive as a contemporary form. Based on a series of in-depth interviews with key public and private actors in the NGfL the article covers the role of business in the origins, policy formation, and eventual implementation of the initiative. It concludes by discussing the function big business can be said to be playing in UK education policy and the bearing this may have on the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of such policies. [source] Growth Effects of Free Trade under Increasing ReturnsTHE JAPANESE ECONOMIC REVIEW, Issue 4 2002Ilaria Ossella-Durbal This paper addresses the long-term sustainability of the growth effects from trade, within the context of a dynamic optimization model where the investment sector exhibits an initial phase of increasing returns. It is proved that the qualitative properties of trade and growth remain valid, even for decreasing, rather than constant, returns to scale in the consumption sector. That is, trade enables an economy to escape a "poverty trap" and enjoy unbounded growth. Moreover, the asymptotic long-run growth rate of the optimal consumption levels with trade is determined, establishing that trade has a beneficial effect on long-run growth. JEL Classification Numbers: O41, F12. [source] Comparative Effectiveness Research and Evidence-Based Health Policy: Experience from Four CountriesTHE MILBANK QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2009KALIPSO CHALKIDOU Context: The discussion about improving the efficiency, quality, and long-term sustainability of the U.S. health care system is increasingly focusing on the need to provide better evidence for decision making through comparative effectiveness research (CER). In recent years, several other countries have established agencies to evaluate health technologies and broader management strategies to inform health care policy decisions. This article reviews experiences from Britain, France, Australia, and Germany. Methods: This article draws on the experience of senior technical and administrative staff in setting up and running the CER entities studied. Besides reviewing the agencies' websites, legal framework documents, and informal interviews with key stakeholders, this analysis was informed by a workshop bringing together U.S. and international experts. Findings: This article builds a matrix of features identified from the international models studied that offer insights into near-term decisions about the location, design, and function of a U.S.-based CER entity. While each country has developed a CER capacity unique to its health system, elements such as the inclusiveness of relevant stakeholders, transparency in operation, independence of the central government and other interests, and adaptability to a changing environment are prerequisites for these entities' successful operation. Conclusions: While the CER entities evolved separately and have different responsibilities, they have adopted a set of core structural, technical, and procedural principles, including mechanisms for engaging with stakeholders, governance and oversight arrangements, and explicit methodologies for analyzing evidence, to ensure a high-quality product that is relevant to their system. [source] Freshwater prawn farming in Bangladesh: history, present status and future prospectsAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 8 2008Nesar Ahmed Abstract Within the overall agro-based economy in Bangladesh, freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) farming is currently one of the most important sectors of the national economy. During the last two decades, its development has attracted considerable attention for its export potential. Freshwater prawn farming offers diverse livelihood opportunities for a large number of rural poor. Although the prospects for prawn farming are positive, it requires some research and development activities for long-term sustainability. This paper provides an overview of freshwater prawn farming in Bangladesh. [source] What Should the Weights of the Three Major Currencies be in a Common Currency Basket in East Asia?,ASIAN ECONOMIC JOURNAL, Issue 1 2006Kentaro Kawasaki F31; F33; F36; F42 We consider what type of regional common currency should be introduced in East Asia in the future. The common currency basket is, in itself, more desirable as an anchor currency. In this paper we define two types of currency basket and investigate the long-term sustainability of adopting a common currency basket in East Asia. From our empirical results, a larger weight (but less than 100 percent) for the US dollar in the common currency basket tends to make bilateral exchange rates among East Asian countries stable in the long run. [source] Standardizing care in medical oncologyCANCER, Issue 23 2009Are Web-based systems the answer? Abstract BACKGROUND: Medical oncology is embracing information technology to standardize care and improve patient outcomes, with a range of Web-based systems used internationally. The authors' aim was to determine the factors affecting the uptake and use of a Web-based protocol system for medical oncology in the Australian setting. METHODS: The authors conducted 50 interviews and observed medical oncology physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in their treatment setting at 6 hospitals in different geographic locations. RESULTS: The Web-based system plays a major role in guiding oncology treatment across participating sites. However, its use varies according to hospital location, clinician roles, and experience. A range of issues impact on clinicians' attitudes toward and use of the Web-based system. Important factors are clinician,specific (eg, their need for autonomy and perceptions of lack of time) or environmental (eg, hospital policy on protocol use, endorsement of the system, and the availability of appropriate infrastructure, such as sufficient computers). The level of education received regarding the system was also found to be integral to its ongoing use. CONCLUSIONS: Although the provision of high-quality evidence-based resources, electronic or otherwise, is essential for standardizing care and improving patient outcomes, the authors' findings demonstrate that this alone does not ensure uptake. It is important to understand end-users, the environment in which they operate, and the basic infrastructure required to implement such a system. Implementation must also be accompanied by continuing education and endorsement to ensure both long-term sustainability and use of the system to its full potential. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society. 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