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Pilot Project (pilot + project)
Selected AbstractsUsing Technology to Teach Health: A Collaborative Pilot Project in AlabamaJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 10 2002Brian F. Geiger ABSTRACT: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified six adolescent risk behaviors that contribute to chronic diseases and disorders, including poor dietary habits, sedentary lifestyle, and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. This project pilot-tested a "train-the-trainer" model to diffuse an interactive health education software program into Alabama middle schools during a school year. Developmentally appropriate content included nutrition, physical activity, and prevention of substance use. Twenty-four site facilitators selected from 18 public school systems trained 364 colleagues and 2,249 students to use the software. During a school year, facilitators created 150 student assignments; they reported increased interest among students in health instruction. An essential feature of the project involved an active partnership among the funder, state department of education, university, and public schools. Planners provided technical assistance through face-to-face interaction, distance learning, telephone and e-mail communications, and a Web site. Planners and facilitators worked together to overcome barriers to the use of technology for health instruction. [source] An Evaluation of a Volunteer-Support Program for Families At RiskPUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 4 2004Larni Kelleher R.N., MHPEd, MSc. (Hons.) Abstract A descriptive comparative design was used to evaluate the Cottage Community Care Pilot Project, a family support/child protection initiative linking trained volunteers with "vulnerable" first-time parents. Fifty-eight eligible and consenting families enrolled in the program and formed the intervention group. A further 35 eligible families consented to participate in the evaluation and received assessments only and formed the comparison group. No differences were evident between the intervention and comparison groups on parenting readiness. For the intervention group (n = 25), improvements occurred in seven aspects of family functioning (items on the Scale of Family Functioning) when contrasted to the comparison group (n = 24). Two areas of family functioning were found to be statistically significant: access to social support (p = 0.02) and age appropriate expectations of infants (p < 0.001). Participants reported satisfaction with the program, and the study emphasized the need to include all families, not just those at risk. This evaluation supports the continued development of volunteer-support programs and the active role that public health nurses play in the growth and development of children in our communities. [source] Stoffliche und konstruktionsbezogene Besonderheiten beim Einsatz von UHFB im Brückenbau am Beispiel von drei PilotprojektenBETON- UND STAHLBETONBAU, Issue 9 2009Michael Reichel Dipl.-Ing. Brückenbau; Entwurf und Konstruktion Abstract Seit 1997 wurden weltweit ca. 30 Brücken aus UHFB (Ultrahochfester Beton) gebaut. Wegen der hohen Leistungsfähigkeit von UHFB, vor allem in Bezug auf seine Festigkeits- und Dauerhaftigkeitseigenschaften, ist er geradezu prädestiniert für Ingenieurbauwerke und damit auch für Brücken. Übliche Konstruktionsprinzipien des Betonbaus lassen sich jedoch nicht einfach auf den neuen Werkstoff übertragen. Die konsequente Einbeziehung der Eigenschaften und Besonderheiten des neuen Werkstoffes sowie die Berücksichtigung der Forderungen der Nachhaltigkeit führen zu filigranen, modularen und flexiblen Bauweisen, die sich ihrem Konstruktionsprinzip nach zwischen Beton- und Stahlkonstruktionen einordnen lassen. Bei Betrachtung der gesamten Lebenszykluskosten sind mit solchen Bauweisen wirtschaftliche Bauwerke mit eminentem Nutzen für die Volkswirtschaft möglich. Nach einer allgemeinen Betrachtung werden anhand der Erfahrungen bei Konstruktion, Bemessung und Ausführung von drei verschiedenen Pilotprojekten in Österreich die Besonderheiten und neuen Erkenntnisse beispielhaft erläutert. Special Features of Material and Structure in the Application of UHPC for Bridge Construction exemplified by three Pilot Projects Since 1997 nearly 30 bridges have been built worldwide using UHPC (Ultra High Performance Concrete). Due to the high performance of UHPC, especially owing to its strength and durability properties, this material is predestined for engineering structures and as a result also for bridges. Common design philosophies in concrete construction can not easily be adapted to this new material. The consistent incorporation of the properties and special features of this new material as well as the demands for sustainability lead to filigree, flexible and modular buildings. Therefore the design philosophy can be classified between concrete and steel constructions. Considering the complete life-cycle costs, such constructions permit economical buildings with an eminent benefit for the national economy. After general consideration, the special properties and the new insights gained are exemplified based on experiences during construction, dimensioning and implementation of three different pilot projects in Austria. [source] Flagship regeneration project as a tool for post-disaster recovery planning: the Zeytinburnu caseDISASTERS, Issue 2 2009Ozlem Ozcevik Sustainable redevelopment following disasters has been a main policy objective of post-disaster recovery efforts over the past few decades. Yet, nine years after the 1999 Marmara earthquake in Turkey, the redevelopment of risky housing areas is still a point of debate on the urban planning and disaster mitigation agenda. However, planning studies on mildly and moderately damaged areas located in the centre of Istanbul are ongoing. This article presents the evidence of a pilot project undertaken by Zeytinburnu Municipality, Istanbul, four years after the Marmara earthquake., The aim is to generate a debate on the preconditions required for a sustainable urban regeneration approach in the post-disaster recovery phase. The results of the pilot project underline the importance of capacity building in sustaining social capital, strengthening the legal framework, restructuring planning regulations, and managing the housing redevelopment process by taking advantage of a window of opportunity afforded by the disaster recovery period. [source] Tearing Down the Walls: Environmental Performance Improvement in a Maquiladora FacilityENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2001Walter Platkus A pilot project in Tijuana brings together government, industry, and the community to identify and solve environmental problems. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] Digital Imaging: A Promising Tool for Mushroom IdentificationACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 7 2003Connie B. Fischbein BA Mushroom poisoning is a diagnostic and treatment dilemma for health care professionals. Decisions regarding treatment following ingestions are usually made without a firm identification of the fungus and tend to be more aggressive than necessary. The identification of mushrooms is beyond the scope of health care professionals, and a mycologist is essential to make an accurate identification. Telemedicine and digital imaging is an emerging technology that can assist in mushroom identification and facilitate patient care. The efficacy of using digital images sent over the Internet was tested in a pilot project. This article describes three cases in which digital images and verbal descriptions assisted in mushroom identification. When the actual specimen was sent to a mycologist, a definitive identification was obtained and compared with the presumptive identification. Digital images alone do not permit definitive identification; however, they often contain sufficient information to help the clinician rule out the possibility of a severely toxic species. Data accumulated to date indicate that digital imaging can be an important tool in the diagnosis and treatment of mushroom ingestion, and possibly other biologicals such as plants, insects, and reptiles. [source] Using spatial models and kriging techniques to optimize long-term ground-water monitoring networks: a case studyENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 5-6 2002Kirk Cameron Abstract In a pilot project, a spatial and temporal algorithm (geostatistical temporal,spatial or GTS) was developed for optimizing long-term monitoring (LTM) networks. Data from two monitored ground-water plumes were used to test the algorithm. The primary objective was to determine the degree to which sampling, laboratory analysis, and/or well construction resources could be pared without losing key statistical information concerning the plumes. Optimization of an LTM network requires an accurate assessment of both ground-water quality over time and trends or other changes in individual monitoring wells. Changes in interpolated concentration maps over time indicate whether ground-water quality has improved or declined. GTS separately identifies temporal and spatial redundancies. Temporal redundancy may be reduced by lengthening the time between sample collection. Spatial redundancy may be reduced by removing wells from the network which do not significantly impact assessment of ground-water quality. Part of the temporal algorithm in GTS involves computation of a composite temporal variogram to determine the least redundant overall sampling interval. Under this measure of autocorrelation between sampling events, the lag time at which the variogram reaches a sill is the sampling interval at which same-well measurements lack correlation and are therefore non-redundant. The spatial algorithm assumes that well locations are redundant if nearby wells offer nearly the same statistical information about the underlying plume. A well was considered redundant if its removal did not significantly change: (i) an interpolated map of the plume; (ii) the local kriging variances in that section of the plume; and (iii) the average global kriging variance. To identify well redundancy, local kriging weights were accumulated into global weights and used to gauge each well's relative contribution to the interpolated plume map. By temporarily removing that subset of wells with the lowest global kriging weights and re-mapping the plume, it was possible to determine how many wells could be removed without losing critical information. Test results from the Massachusetts Military Reserve (MMR) indicated that substantial savings in sampling, analysis and operational costs could be realized by utilizing GTS. Annual budgetary savings that would accrue were estimated at between 35 per cent and 5 per cent for both LTM networks under study.Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Alternative Pathways to Community and Economic Development: The Latrobe Valley Community Partnering ProjectGEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2005JENNY CAMERON Abstract Conventional approaches to development in areas that are experiencing economic decline invariably focus on business growth through interventions such as incentives, infrastructure development and job readiness training. This paper reports on a pilot project aimed at developing an alternative approach to community and economic development in the context of the Latrobe Valley, Victoria, a resource region that has experienced downsizing and privatisation of its major employer, the state-owned power industry. The project was shaped by a poststructuralist concern with the effects of representation. It sought to challenge familiar understandings of disadvantaged areas, the economy, community and the research process in order to open up new ways of addressing social and economic issues. The resulting four-stage research project was informed by the techniques of asset-based community development and action research, as well as by discourses of the diverse economy and communities of difference. During the two-year span of the project, four community enterprises were developed. The varying degrees of success they have met with in the four years since the project concluded highlight the critical role of local agencies such as the council in providing ongoing support for such endeavours. [source] Application of Six Sigma Methods for Improving the Analytical Data Management Process in the Environmental IndustryGROUND WATER MONITORING & REMEDIATION, Issue 2 2006Christopher M. French Honeywell applied the rigorous and well-documented Six Sigma quality-improvement approach to the complex, highly heterogeneous, and mission-critical process of remedial site environmental data management to achieve a sea change in terms of data quality, environmental risk reduction, and overall process cost reduction. The primary focus was to apply both qualitative and quantitative Six Sigma methods to improve electronic management of analytical laboratory data generated for environmental remediation and long-term monitoring programs. The process includes electronic data delivery, data QA/QC checking, data verification, data validation, database administration, regulatory agency reporting and linkage to spatial information, and real-time geographical information systems. Results of the analysis identified that automated, centralized web-based software tools delivered through Software as a Service (SaaS) model are optimal to improve the process resulting in cost reductions, while simultaneously improving data quality and long-term data usability and perseverance. A pilot project was completed that quantified cycle time and cost improvements of 50% and 65%, respectively. [source] A decision support methodology for increasing public investment efficiency in Brazilian agrarian reformINTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS IN OPERATIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Leonardo Melgarejo Abstract The Brazilian Agrarian Reform Program has subsidized the settlement of over 425,000 destitute families on previously unproductive land in what has become a very effective vehicle for social inclusion and productivity growth for those settlers who reach the final stage of the process and receive definitive title to the land. Unfortunately, there is a large difference in efficiency and productivity between more and less successful settlements , fewer than 10% of relocated families have received title and over 25% of them have abandoned the property to which they were assigned. This paper presents a decision support methodology for increasing the efficiency of public investments in agrarian reform that includes a data envelopment analysis model and a mechanism for building consensus among the various constituencies of the agrarian reform process, who not infrequently have conflicting objectives. The OR model described herein uses principal component analysis and data envelopment analysis to identify the most important success factors for relocated families leading to an increase in the chance of both autonomous integration with the market economy and definitive entitlement by these displaced families as well as an increase in the predictability of future settlement success. The model was implemented successfully in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil, and was partially used in a pilot project for the countrywide agrarian reform accelerated consolidation program. [source] Globalizing Ethics: Social Technologies of Private Regulation and the South African Wine IndustryJOURNAL OF AGRARIAN CHANGE, Issue 3 2002Andries Du Toit This paper discusses of some key issues arising from South African experience of the UK-based Ethical Trading Initiative's (ETI) pilot project in the monitoring of compliance codes of conduct for product sourcing. The paper argues that the experience of ,local stakeholder participation' in the ETI's pilot project in the South African wine industry raises serious questions about the appropriateness and efficacy of ,ethical sourcing' as a vehicle for creative global,local engagement. It explores key elements of the globalizing ,technologies of ethics' deployed by projects like the ETI, and argues that these may simply normalize and regularize power relations in trade between North and South. These limitations are particularly serious in light of the course of labour market restructuring in South Africa, which has reshaped agricultural employment in ways that limit the ability of employment standards to address real difficulties faced by agricultural workers. This does not render ,ethical sourcing' irrelevant, nor does it mean that it can be read as simply securing retailer interests. It does mean, however, that a key question facing ,Southern' organizations and their allies is how to increase the scope for engagement and contestation around the implementation of such initiatives. [source] MAPK-pathway activity, Lrrk2 G2019S, and Parkinson's diseaseJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 6 2007Linda R. White Abstract The 6055G>A mutation in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene results in a G2019S substitution in the mixed-lineage kinase domain of Lrrk2, causing autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease (PD). We hypothesized the mutation alters cellular mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling cascades, and might be detectable in tissues other than in the brain. We therefore compared total levels and activation of the signalling proteins Src, HSP27, p38 MAPK, JNK, and ERK, in extracts of leukocytes isolated from patients with PD carrying the G2019S mutation, healthy mutation carriers, patients with idiopathic PD, and healthy controls. Phosphorylation of Src, HSP27, and JNK was reduced significantly in cell extracts from patients with G2019S-associated PD compared to healthy controls. Similarly, phosphorylation was reduced significantly in Src and HSP27 in the group of healthy carriers of the mutation, as well as in patients with idiopathic PD. Significant reductions in total Src were also observed in these three groups compared to the controls. The results of this pilot project therefore indicate significant alterations in key signalling proteins in leukocytes from patients with PD, and were most pronounced in G2019S-associated PD. Changes in MAPK-signalling may thus be common to PD pathophysiology, regardless of aetiology. Such changes may also be shown in blood samples during the preclinical stage of LRRK2 -associated PD, which could be particularly important for the development of neuroprotective strategies to delay onset, or slow progression of PD. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The King County (Washington) Systems Integration Initiative: A First Look at the Kent District Dual System Youth Pilot ProgramJUVENILE AND FAMILY COURT JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009Gene Siegel ABSTRACT King County is one of five counties in Washington State participating in the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change juvenile justice reform initiative. One key aspect of King County's Models for Change participation involves ongoing "systems integration" work intended to improve how youth who have cross-over involvement in multiple systems,e.g., juvenile justice, child welfare, education, mental health, and/or others,are handled. These cross-over cases often present a range of challenges to juvenile courts including substantial risk factors that increase their likelihood of continuing system involvement. This article provides a first look at an emerging pilot project in King County that is intended to improve how cross-over cases are handled by child welfare and juvenile probation with the longer term goal of improving outcomes for these difficult cases. [source] Early bioavailability of paracetamol after oral or intravenous administrationACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 7 2004P. Holmér Pettersson Background:, Paracetamol is a peripherally acting analgesic commonly used in multimodal post-operative pain management to reduce the need for more potent analgesics with their unwanted side-effects. The dose and optimal galenical form for achieving analgesic concentrations is not well defined. The primary aim of this pilot project was to study the early bioavailability for two fixed doses of orally administrated paracetamol and one dose of intravenous propacetamol, all of which were given after minor surgery. Methods:, Thirty-five patients undergoing day surgery were divided into five groups, seven patients each. Groups received either 1 g of an ordinary paracetamol tablet, 2 g of an ordinary paracetamol tablet, 1 g of a bicarbonate paracetamol tablet, 2 g of a bicarbonate paracetamol tablet or 2 g intravenously of prodrug propacetamol. We studied the plasma concentration of paracetamol during the first 80 min after administration. Results:, Within 40 min, intravenous propacetamol gave a median plasma paracetamol concentration of 85 µmol/l (range 65,161) and decreased thereafter. After oral administration, median plasma paracetamol concentration increased with increasing dose and time, but there were huge inter-individual differences at all time points studied. At 80 min after oral paracetamol the median plasma concentrations were 36 and 129 µmol/l for the 1- and 2-g groups, respectively, with an overall range between 0 and 306 µmol/l. Conclusion:, Oral administration of paracetamol as part of multimodal pain management immediately post-operatively resulted in a huge and unpredictable variation in plasma concentration compared with the intravenous administration. [source] Virtual Shop Clusters: A New Layout Concept for a Ship Repair and Maintenance FacilityNAVAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL, Issue 2 2008BRIAN MAYER Organic ship maintenance facilities and depots of the Navy are mostly organized as trade-specific shops rather than by product (or process) families. For example, welders are in the weld shop, machinists are in the machine shop, pipe-fitters are in the pipe shop, etc. There is a belief that this guild-type organizational structure is what enables a repair facility to do almost anything, albeit at the cost of moving product all over the "factory." This skill-based organizational structure is identical to the functional (or department) layout that is preferred by most jobshops in the commercial manufacturing sectors. But, any company that has successfully implemented Lean Thinking has almost always replaced a Functional (or Process Village) Layout by a Cellular Layout. At the Navy's Southeast Regional Maintenance Center (SERMC), a typical repair job must visit multiple shops that pass work back and forth between them. For example, a pipe job may be sent by the pipe shop to the machine shop for re-threading, then routed to the weld shop where it is welded to a frame, after which the welded sub-assembly returns to the pipe shop for inspection and final assembly. Thereby, significant delays and operational wastes occur because people have to walk between the shops, discuss matters at daily production meetings, and e-mail/phone each other to make sure that their schedules match. If activities are not completed as per schedule, the jobs get further delayed because they queue at the shops, waiting to be served. This lack of detailed (and accurate) planning and scheduling, combined with poor schedule visibility and shop floor control, is the curse of the Functional Layout that currently exists at SERMC. This paper will describe a pilot project to assess the feasibility of cellular manufacturing at SERMC. The fundamental hypothesis that was tested is that even in a repair and maintenance facility there could exist several families of repair jobs where jobs grouped into a family require similar combinations of processes, equipment, materials, etc. that can be provided by a small group of shops. In fact, several potential families of repair jobs, and the appropriate cluster of shops for each family of repair jobs, were identified using the Production Flow Analysis and Simplification Toolkit (PFAST) software. Based on these results, it was decided to implement a shop cluster (or focused factory, or repair cell) to complete any repair jobs done by the dive shop. It was recommended that the dive shop be merged with a few other shops, and be provided the necessary tools, cross-trained personnel, equipment, and other support systems to become an autonomous multi-function shop. Simulation using the SimCAD software from CreateAsoft Inc. (http://www.createasof.com) was used to verify the results expected from making the proposed changes. The primary analysis was intended to evaluate the benefits of implementing a focused factory in the dive shop. The secondary analysis was intended to evaluate the advantages of implementing a virtual shop cluster (or focused factory, or repair cell) in any ship repair facility like SERMC. The simulation results showed that implementing either physical cells or virtual cells based on the different families of repair jobs identified by PFAST could improve job turnaround times at any Navy ship repair facility like SERMC. Both the types of delays as well as the time values of these delays differed significantly across the existing and alternative shop configurations that were proposed. [source] Complementary and alternative medicine use among long-term lymphoma survivors: A pilot study,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY, Issue 12 2009Thomas M. Habermann No published survey has specifically addressed the beliefs, knowledge, and usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in long-term (5,20 years) lymphoma survivors alone. In this pilot project, 95 subjects were randomly selected from a population of 2,475 long-term lymphoma survivors and mailed a questionnaire. The median time from lymphoma diagnosis to completion of the questionnaire was 11 years (range 6,20). Overall, 68% (95% CI: 54,80%) of the long-term lymphoma survivors reported that they have used CAM, a rate higher than the estimated usage rate reported for the general population The most commonly used modalities were chiropractic (39%, 95% CI: 27,53%) and massage therapy (21%, 95% CI: 12,34%). Less than 10% used meditation (5%, 95% CI: 1,15%) and relaxation (7%, 95% CI: 2,17%). In terms of common herbal usage, 5% (95% CI: 1,15%) had used St. John's Wort and 7% (95% CI: 2,17%) had used shark cartilage. Although none of the patients reported that CAM usage was directed specifically towards treating their lymphoma, 4% (95% CI: 0,12%) of patients reported that CAM could cure cancer, and 14% (95% CI: 6,26%) reported that CAM could increase their feeling of control over their health. This pilot study suggests that long-term lymphoma survivors appear to use CAM at a rate higher than the general population. The use of potential agents of risk by the survivors and the lack of access to potentially beneficial modalities highlights the need for further study of CAM in this population. Am. J. Hematol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Developing tools for the safety specification in risk management plans: lessons learned from a pilot project,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 5 2008Andrew J. P. Cooper BSc Abstract Purpose Following the adoption of the ICH E2E guideline, risk management plans (RMP) defining the cumulative safety experience and identifying limitations in safety information are now required for marketing authorisation applications (MAA). A collaborative research project was conducted to gain experience with tools for presenting and evaluating data in the safety specification. This paper presents those tools found to be useful and the lessons learned from their use. Methods Archive data from a successful MAA were utilised. Methods were assessed for demonstrating the extent of clinical safety experience, evaluating the sensitivity of the clinical trial data to detect treatment differences and identifying safety signals from adverse event and laboratory data to define the extent of safety knowledge with the drug. Results The extent of clinical safety experience was demonstrated by plots of patient exposure over time. Adverse event data were presented using dot plots, which display the percentages of patients with the events of interest, the odds ratio, and 95% confidence interval. Power and confidence interval plots were utilised for evaluating the sensitivity of the clinical database to detect treatment differences. Box and whisker plots were used to display laboratory data. Conclusions This project enabled us to identify new evidence-based methods for presenting and evaluating clinical safety data. These methods represent an advance in the way safety data from clinical trials can be analysed and presented. This project emphasises the importance of early and comprehensive planning of the safety package, including evaluation of the use of epidemiology data. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A Preventive Pilot Project Addressing Multiethnic Tensions in the Wake of the Iraq WarAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHOPSYCHIATRY, Issue 4 2005Cécile Rousseau MD This article describes a school-based preventive pilot project for recent immigrant children, designed to decrease anxiety and intergroup tensions associated with the Iraq war. Results suggest that clinicians should address the multiplicity of meanings associated with international events when planning a prevention program in multiethnic schools to help children to cope with the increasingly common gap between the ways traumatic events covered by the media are understood at home and at school. [source] PROSPECT lost: when a pilot project does not look to learnPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2008Michael Mattingly Abstract If a development project is destined to reach only a selection of its intended beneficiaries or to give them only momentary or uncertain benefits, there is a strong rationale for making it instead a project of trials from which lessons can be taken for obtaining the impact that it may not otherwise have. Because the fundamental problems and opportunities of development are very complex by their nature, interventions that seek to test practice knowledge and to learn above all else may have the greatest potential for benefit in the long term. A project that wishes to create experience from which others can learn will engage in research, so it must be conceived, led and conducted as such. This means it must be designed with knowledge of research. It must be led with an appreciation and understanding of research method. Specific research activities must be conducted that produce knowledge and promote its up-take, so that learning is a principle project outcome. The large urban anti-poverty project, PROSPECT, conducted in Lusaka, Zambia, illustrates this argument. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Savings from integrating administrative systems for social assistance programmes in RussiaPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2003L. Jerome Gallagher Russian local governments now have primary responsibility for the administration of social assistance programmes thanks to a combination of decentralization of some responsibilities from higher levels of government and the transfer of certain administrative functions from state enterprises to municipalities. Over the past few years, there has also been a distinct shift to means-testing of social assistance. This article reports on the results of a pilot project undertaken to improve the efficiency of programme administration conducted in the city of Arzamas (pop. 110,000). The municipal administration promotes it as a programme to ease client burden and improve access to benefits. Specifically, the pilot introduced a unified application form for all the major social assistance programmes in the city and required, regardless of how many programmes are applied for, that applicants visit only one office and supply one set of documents verifying their eligibility for assistance. Benefit processing is also consolidated. Staff efficiency improvements are substantial: under the one-window system, 127 benefits are processed per month per staff member, while 85 benefits were processed per month per staff member under the old administrative system. Impressive time savings for clients were also observed: the statistically average client saves between 1.3 and 2.4 hours, depending on the degree to which a client was able to coordinate documentation collection and trips to the benefit agencies under the old system. The total potential time saved by clients as a result of the one-window reforms is between 4100 and 7600 person hours per month. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Modelling Operational Losses: A Bayesian ApproachQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2004Paolo Giudici Abstract The exposure of banks to operational risk has increased in recent years. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (known as Basel II) has established a capital charge to cover operational risks other than credit and market risk. According to the advanced methods defined in ,The New Basel Capital Accord' to quantify the capital charge, in this paper we present an advanced measurement approach based on a Bayesian network model that estimates an internal measure of risk of the bank. One of the main problems faced when measuring the operational risk is the scarcity of loss data. The methodology proposed solves this critical point because it allows a coherent integration, via Bayes' theorem, of different sources of information, such as internal and external data, and the opinions of ,experts' (process owners) about the frequency and the severity of each loss event. Furthermore, the model corrects the losses distribution by considering the eventual relations between different nodes of the network that represent the losses of each combination of business line/event type/bank/process and the effectiveness of the corresponding internal and external controls. The operational risk capital charge is quantified by multiplying the value at risk (VaR) per event, a percentile of the losses distribution determined, by an estimate of the number of losses that may occur in a given period. Furthermore, it becomes possible to monitor the effectiveness of the internal and external system controls in place at the bank. The methodology we present has been experimented as a pilot project in one of the most important Italian banking groups, Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Improving the Quality of Workers' Compensation Health Care Delivery: The Washington State Occupational Health Services ProjectTHE MILBANK QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2001Thomas M. Wickizer Researchers and health policy analysts in Washington State set out to determine the extent to which administrative process changes and delivery system interventions within workers' compensation affect quality and health outcomes for injured workers. This research included a pilot project to study the effects of providing occupationally focused health care through managed care arrangements on health outcomes, worker and employer satisfaction, and medical and disability costs. Based on the results, a new initiative was developed to incorporate several key delivery system components. The Washington State experience in developing a quality improvement initiative may have relevance for health care clinicians, administrators, policymakers, and researchers engaged in similar pursuits within the general medical care arena. [source] Secondary initiation of multiple bands of cumulonimbus over southern Britain.THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 617 2006I: An observational case-study Abstract Special observing facilities have been assembled in southern England as part of the Convective Storm Initiation Project (CSIP) to study the mesoscale and convective-scale processes that determine precisely where warm-season convective showers will break out. This paper reports the results of a case-study during the pilot field campaign of CSIP in July 2004. One purpose of the pilot project was to demonstrate the value of various observational facilities and to evaluate the usefulness of a variety of analysis and synthesis techniques. Amongst other things, the case-study demonstrates the utility of high-resolution imagery from the Meteosat Second Generation satellite for tracking the early stages of the convective clouds, and of a new clear-air scanning radar at Chilbolton for mapping both the top of the boundary layer and the initial growth of the convective cells that penetrate it. The particular event studied involved the triggering of convection that developed into three parallel arcs of showers and thunderstorms. The first arc was triggered along the leading edge of the outflow (density current) from an earlier cluster of showers, but the convection in the second and third arcs was triggered by a different mechanism. The paper describes in detail the way in which this convection broke through the stable layer, or lid, at the top of a boundary layer of variable depth. The strength of the lid decreased and the depth of the boundary layer increased with time as a result of diurnal heating, but the precise locations where convection finally broke through were determined by the spatial variability in boundary-layer depth. The analysis suggests that a wave-like modulation of the boundary-layer depth of amplitude 150 m, perhaps due to a gravity-wave disturbance from the earlier cluster of showers, had a greater influence on where the convection was triggered than the modest hills (typically 200 m high) in southern England. © Royal Meteorological Society, 2006. Contributions by P. A. Clark and M. E. B. Gray are Crown Copyright. [source] The feasibility of recruiting young men in rural areas from community football clubs for STI screeningAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 3 2007Judy Gold Abstract Objective: To investigate the feasibility of recruiting young men from rural football clubs for screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Methods: Young men aged 16 to 29 were recruited from four football clubs outside of metropolitan areas in Victoria, Australia, and completed a questionnaire about sexual activity, knowledge and history of STIs, and alcohol and drug use, and provided a urine sample for STI testing. Results: One hundred and eight participants completed the questionnaire and 92 (85.2%) also provided a urine sample. More than 90% of eligible players present at the clubs on the night of the study participated. Eighty-seven participants (80.6%) had ever had penetrative sex, with 33 (39.3%) reporting a new sexual partner in the past three months. Among those who had ever had sex, the prevalence of chlamydia was 3.9% (95% CI 0.8-11.0). While the majority of participants visited their doctor in the past year (78.7%) and were comfortable with the idea of an annual STI screen, few had ever discussed sex or STIs with their doctor or had a previous STI test. Conclusion: Young men from rural areas may be at considerable risk of STIs and many have not been previously tested. However, most are willing to participate in screening programs and the high participation rate achieved in this pilot project demonstrates the potential for screening to be successfully extended into non-medical settings such as sporting clubs. Implications: Young people at risk of STIs can be successfully recruited for STI screening from community settings. [source] Evaluation of the rural South Australian Tri-division Adolescent Health ProjectAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2003Lucio Naccarella ABSTRACT:The Adolescent Health Project (AHP) was a rural pilot project aimed at strengthening the relationship between general practitioners (GPs) and adolescents within three Divisions of general practice. The evaluation assessed the implementation of the AHP model and strategies and their impact. The AHP used a centralised management/support and local delivery model. The AHP improved GP relationships and comfort with dealing with young people, and improved GP relationships with school counsellors. Divisional relationships with local schools improved. Students reported increased knowledge about GPs, increased confidence and comfort with accessing GPs. The AHP delivered a popular project to GPs, GP clinics, schools, school counsellors and students, which built the capacity of divisions, GPs, and schools to improve adolescent health care provision. Further research questions have emerged: What are the patterns of relationships between GPs and adolescents, and between GPs and school counsellors, and what strategies work best to sustain such relationships? [source] EVALUATION OF THE RURAL SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TRI-DIVISION ADOLESCENT HEALTH PROJECTAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2003Lucio Naccarella ABSTRACT: The Adolescent Health Project (AHP) was a rural pilot project aimed at strengthening the relationship between general practitioners (GPs) and adolescents within three Divisions of general practice. The evaluation assessed the implementation of the AHP model and strategies and their impact. The AHP used a centralised management/support and local delivery model. The AHP improved GP relationships and comfort with dealing with young people, and improved GP relationships with school counsellors. Divisional relationships with local schools improved. Students reported increased knowledge about GPs, increased confidence and comfort with accessing GPs. The AHP delivered a popular project to GPs, GP clinics, schools, school counsellors and students, which built the capacity of divisions, GPs, and schools to improve adolescent health care provision. Further research questions have emerged: What are the patterns of relationships between GPs and adolescents, and between GPs and school counsellors, and what strategies work best to sustain such relationships? [source] STRUCTURES OF PREVENTION: A SAFE-SEX/SAFE-INJECTING AUDIT OF MOUNT ALEXANDER SHIRE, A METHODOLOGICAL PILOTAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2000Anton Mischewski ABSTRACT: This paper reports the findings of a methodological pilot project that examined the availability of safe-sex and safe-injecting products in a rural shire in central Victoria. The study mapped the distribution and audited the availability of condoms, water-based lubricants, needles/syringes and needle disposal units to provide baseline data on access to and the availability of products that are directly related to the prevention of the human immunodeficiency virus, sexually transmissible infections and blood-borne viruses. Clear disparities were observed in the availability and pricing of safe sex/safe use materials between regional centres and outlying areas in the Shire. The findings make it clear that an emphasis on overcoming structural impediments to the adoption of safe sex/safe injecting practices is required. [source] Emergency Medicine Clerkship Encounter and Procedure Logging Using Handheld ComputersACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2007CCFP(EM), Rick Penciner MD BackgroundTracking medical student clinical encounters is now an accreditation requirement of medical schools. The use of handheld computers for electronic logging is emerging as a strategy to achieve this. ObjectivesTo evaluate the technical feasibility and student satisfaction of a novel electronic logging and feedback program using handheld computers in the emergency department. MethodsThis was a survey study of fourth-year medical student satisfaction with the use of their handheld computers for electronic logging of patient encounters and procedures. The authors also included an analysis of this technology. ResultsForty-six students participated in this pilot project, logging a total of 2,930 encounters. Students used the logs an average of 7.6 shifts per rotation, logging an average of 8.3 patients per shift. Twenty-nine students (63%) responded to the survey. Students generally found it easy to complete each encounter (69%) and easy to synchronize their handheld computer with the central server (83%). However, half the students (49%) never viewed the feedback Web site and most (79%) never reviewed their logs with their preceptors. Overall, only 17% found the logging program beneficial as a learning tool. ConclusionsElectronic logging by medical students during their emergency medicine clerkship has many potential benefits as a method to document clinical encounters and procedures performed. However, this study demonstrated poor compliance and dissatisfaction with the process. In order for electronic logging using handheld computers to be a beneficial educational tool for both learners and educators, obstacles to effective implementation need to be addressed. [source] The day fostering scheme: a service for children in need and their parentsCHILD & FAMILY SOCIAL WORK, Issue 4 2000L. Steele This paper summarizes a new scheme, set up initially as a pilot project, which has now become Children and Families Social Services provision, in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. The pilot project ran for a 6-month period, in order to establish whether a day fostering service would be a useful and effective way of working in partnership with birth families. The paper discusses the philosophy behind the Children Act 1989 (England and Wales), and some research findings on the consequences of poor parenting for children, to examine the need for a day fostering scheme. Finally, the scheme itself is described, with an evaluation of the referrals for the 6-month pilot period, and a discussion of the future of the project. [source] Parental substance misuse and child care social work: research in a city social work department in EnglandCHILD ABUSE REVIEW, Issue 1 2004Carol Hayden Abstract This research set out to establish evidence about the scale and impact of and response to parental substance misuse in child care social work teams in a city social services department in England. The article draws on some aspects of the data collected in the research, which includes: a snapshot survey of all child care social work caseloads in the city; group interviews with practitioners and parents in recovery; individual interviews with parents using a pilot project that focused on parental substance misuse. The research provides evidence of parental substance misuse as a key factor that needs greater consideration within child care social work assessments and as an issue to target in developing preventative responses to child welfare concerns. Child care social workers are shown to need specialist support in undertaking this task to best effect. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||