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Right Direction (right + direction)
Selected AbstractsT-cell subset counting and the fight against AIDS: Reflections over a 20-year struggleCYTOMETRY, Issue 2 2002Francis Mandy Abstract The story of T-lymphocyte subset immunophenotyping technology is reviewed on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of CD4 T-cell enumeration. Over time, immunophenotyping has evolved into precise, reliable, but complicated and expensive technology requiring fresh blood samples. The gating technologies that were universally adapted for clinical flow cytometry for the past decade relied on rapidly deteriorating morphological scatter characteristics of leukocytes. This special issue dedicated to CD4 T-cell enumeration features most of the available new options that will have a significant impact on how this technology will be implemented within the first decade of the 21st century. In a series of original publications, including the new NIH guideline for T-cell subset enumeration, contemporary gating protocols that use immunologically logical parameters are presented as part of the more reliable and affordable immunophenotyping alternative. Some of the improvements addressed here include the costs of the assays and the capacity to monitor interlaboratory and intralaboratory performances. It is clear that an effective attack on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic has to embrace resource-poor regions. Reducing the cost of the assay while improving reliability and durability is a move in the right direction. Cytometry (Clin. Cytometry) 50:39,45, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] CAP Reform in the Dairy Sector: Remove Export Subsidies and Retain Milk QuotaEUROCHOICES, Issue 2 2004Zohra Bouamra-Mechemache Summary CAP Reform in the Dairy Sector: Remove Export Subsidies and Retain Milk Quota The reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy of June 2003 introduced major policy changes, In the dairy sector the aim is to decrease price distortions between the EU and world dairy markets through successive reductions in milk intervention prices. However, the milk quota system is still in place and successive increases in milk quotas are planned. The question is whether these dairy reforms are going in the right direction given the three main characteristics of the EU dairy sector. First the price inelasticity of both milk supply (due to quota) and domestic demand means that price distortion mainly affects the distribution of economic surplus between consumers and producers but does not generate significant net losses in economic welfare. Second, the ,large country' position of the EU on the world market means that the EU should remove all export subsidies, which will reduce EU exports and increase world prices. Third, the projected increase in EU aggregate demand for milk favours a reduction in all subsidies. The CAP is going in the right direction in the dairy sector. But to reduce price distortions all subsidies should be removed as soon as possible and the milk production quota should be retained. La réforme de la PAC laitiére: supprimer les subventions aux exportations et conserver les quotas La réforme de la PAC en juin 2003 est un changement majeur. En ce qui concerne le secteur laitier, l'idée consiste à diminuer les distorsions entre les prix européens et ceux du marché mondial par une série de réductions progressives du prix d'intervention. En même temps, le système des quotas reste en place et des accroissements progressifs sont envisageés pour les droits à produire. La question. est alors de savoir si une telle politique est bien orientée, compte tenu des trois caractéristiques principales du secteur laitier européen. En premier lieu, la faible élasticité-prix aussi bien de l'offre (à cause des quotas) que de la demande, implique que les distorsions, si elies affectent la répartition des bénéfices entre producteurs et consommateurs, ne génèrent pas de très grandes pertes sociales au niveau du bien-être global. Ensuite, l'importance de l'Union européenne sur les marchés mondiaux implique que l'UE doive réduire ses subventions à l'exportation, ce qui diminuera le volume des exportations et en fera remonter le prix, Enfin, l'accroissement prévisible de la demande globale européenne en produits laitiers devrait conduire G une réduction des subventions de toute sorte. La PAC est done sur la bonne voie en matière laitière. Mais pour réduire les distorsions, il faut le plus vite possible supprimer les subventions et conserver les quotas laitiers. Reform der GAP im Milchsektor: Abschaffung der Exportsubventionen und Beibehaltung der Milchquoten Die Reform der Gemeinsamen Agrarpolitik vom Juni 2003 führt zu erheblichen Politikänderungen. Im Milchsektor ist das Ziel, die Preisverzerrungen zwischen der EU und den Weltmärkten für Milchprodukte durch eine sukzessive Reduzierung der Milchinterventionspreise zu verringern. Das Milchquotensystem bleibt jedoch weiter bestehen und sukzessive Erhöhungen der Milchquoten sind geplant. Es ergibt sich die Frage, ob die Reform bei den vorhandenen drei Charakteristika im EU Milchsektor in die richtige Richtung geht. Erstens bedeuten das gegebene preisunelastische Angebot von Milch (wegen der Quotierung) und die Nachfrage im Inland, dass die Preisverzerrung sich vomehmlich auf die Verteilung der ökonomischen Rente zwischen Konsumenten und Produzenten auswirkt, nicht aber zu bedeutenden Wohlfahrtsverlusten führt. Zweitens fuhrt die Abschaffung aller Exporterstattungen für Milch und Milchprodukte dazu, dass die EU Exporte sinken und damit wegen der EU als relative großes Land die Weltmarktpreise für Milch steigen werden. Drittens begünstigt die vorausgesagte Zunahme in der aggregierten Milchnachfrage in der EU eine Reduzierung aller Subventionen. Die GAP entwickelt sich im Milchsektor in die richtige Richtung. Es sollten aber alle Subventionen so schnell wie möglich abgebaut und die Milchquote sollte aufrechterhalten werden, um Preisverzerrungen zu reduzieren. [source] Why imperfect steps in the right direction attract criticismEVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2001Wallace Arthur [source] China's health system and its reform: a review of recent studiesHEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue S2 2009Adam Wagstaff Abstract This paper provides a survey of the recent empirical research on China's ,old' health system (i.e. prior to the spate of reforms beginning in 2003). It argues that this research has enhanced our understanding of the system prior to 2003, in some cases reinforcing conclusions (e.g. the demand-inducement associated with perverse incentives) while in other cases suggesting a slightly less clear storyline (e.g. the link between insurance and out-of-pocket spending). It also concludes that the research to date points to the importance of careful evaluation of the current reforms, and its potential to modify policies as the rollout proceeds. Finally, it argues that the research on the pre-2003 system suggests that while the recently announced further reforms are a step in the right direction, the hoped-for improvements in China's health system will far more likely occur if the reforms become less timid in certain key areas, namely provider payments and intergovernmental fiscal relations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Addressing a systematic vibration artifact in diffusion-weighted MRIHUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 2 2010Daniel Gallichan Abstract We have identified and studied a pronounced artifact in diffusion-weighted MRI on a clinical system. The artifact results from vibrations of the patient table due to low-frequency mechanical resonances of the system which are stimulated by the low-frequency gradient switching associated with the diffusion-weighting. The artifact manifests as localized signal-loss in images acquired with partial Fourier coverage when there is a strong component of the diffusion-gradient vector in the left,right direction. This signal loss is caused by local phase ramps in the image domain which shift the apparent k-space center for a particular voxel outside the covered region. The local signal loss masquerades as signal attenuation due to diffusion, severely disrupting the quantitative measures associated with diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI). We suggest a way to improve the interpretation of affected DTI data by including a co-regressor which accounts for the empirical response of regions affected by the artifact. We also demonstrate that the artifact may be avoided by acquiring full k-space data, and that subsequent increases in TE can be avoided by employing parallel acceleration. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A discourse on cancer cell chemotaxis: Where to from here?IUBMB LIFE, Issue 2 2007Lilian L. Soon Abstract The study of cancer cell chemotaxis on two-dimensional surfaces in vitro has relevance to the diverse migratory behaviours exhibited in vivo that involve a directed path. These may include translocation along collagen fibres, invasion into the basement membrane and across stroma, intravasation and extravasation to arrive at a secondary destination designated for cancer cell colonization. Chemotaxis invariably denotes the ability of cells to sense gradients, polarize, adhere and deadhere to substrate, and translocate in the right direction. Amongst these, the sensing function is perhaps the unifying aspect of different migration styles, permitting the cells to resolve its orientation and path. This review examines the decision-making processes that take place during chemotaxis and illustrates that a universal mechanism is involved. In various cell types from Dictyostelium to neutrophils, there are some unifying principles that dictate sensing and how the putative leading edge and trailing end of cells are determined. Some of these principles have recently been applied in the study of cancer cell chemotaxis albeit different pathways are substituted. In amoeboid-like cancer cells, local excitation of the EGFR/PLC,/cofilin pathway and parallel, global inhibition of cofilin by LIMK occur to promote the asymmetric distribution and amplification of these internal signals in response to an external EGF gradient. IUBMB Life, 59: 60-67, 2007 [source] Attributed disability: a spot of local difficultyJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 1 2006George Peat PhD MCSP Abstract There has been an exponential growth of publications relating to the development and application of health measurement instruments. Condition-specific measures have formed a large part of this trend. This article questions the rationale behind the concept of condition-specific disability, a common domain in such measures, taking musculoskeletal medicine as an example. It argues that physical functions are seldom unique to a specific condition and that measurement specificity therefore relies on attributing functional consequences to the health condition of interest. The presence of multi-morbidity (musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal), and the influence of personal and environmental factors, pose problems for attribution that have seldom been empirically investigated. Furthermore, attributing disability to a specific health condition of interest potentially limits insights into important interventions such as managing co-morbid interactions and targeting barriers in the physical, social, and attitudinal environment. Efforts to identify regionally relevant item content and to measure participation in daily life are a step in the right direction. Attribution is not needed for either. [source] Use of CsCl to Enhance the Glass Stability Range of Tellurite Glasses for Er3+ -Doped Optical Fiber DrawingJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 6 2007Carmen Rosa Eyzaguirre Tellurite glasses are important as a host of Er3+ ions because of their good solubility and because they present broadband optical gain compared with Er3+ -doped silica, with the potential to increase the bandwidth of communication systems. However, the small glass stability range (GSR) of tellurite glasses compromises the quality of the optical fibers. We show that the addition of CsCl to tellurite glasses can increase their GSR, making it easier to draw good-quality optical fibers. CsCl acts like a network modifier in glass systems, weakening the network by forming Te,Cl bonds. We show that the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch is in the right direction for optical fiber fabrication purposes and that the Bi2O3 content can be used to control the refractive index of clad and core glasses. Single-mode and multi-mode Er3+ -doped optical fibers were produced by the rod-in-tube method using highly homogeneous TeO2,ZnO,Li2O,Bi2O3,CsCl glasses. [source] A step in the right directionACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 3 2000A. Larsson No abstract is available for this article. [source] Types of article published in physiotherapy journals: a quantitative analysisPHYSIOTHERAPY RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2009Matteo Paci Abstract Background and Purpose.,The aim of this study was to quantify and assess the types of research and review articles published in physiotherapy professional journals with international circulations.,Method.,Selected articles from nine physiotherapy journals in a period of five years were classified according to their study design.,Results.,A total number of 1627 articles were included in this study of which 205 (12.60%) were randomized controlled trial (RCT). Articles published with the highest frequency were ,observational/descriptive studies' (n = 305, 18.75%), whereas ,meta-analyses' were the rarest ones (n = 21, 1.29%). Many articles were validation studies (n = 216, 13.28%) and articles classified as ,others' (n = 217, 13.34%). High heterogeneity was found in terms of distribution over years and journals with an improvement of the number of RCTs among years.,Conclusion.,The distribution of different types of article in physiotherapy journals is similar to other disciplines. The improvement of RCTs represents an important move in the right direction for evidence-based physiotherapy research. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] China's regional income disparity An alternative way to think of the sources and causes1THE ECONOMICS OF TRANSITION, Issue 1 2008Ding Lu Factor mobility; regional income inequality; China Abstract Using data on China's provincial economies for the period 1978,2005, we decomposed the causes and factors that have contributed to inter-regional per capita income disparity. Variance in capital per employee and variance in capital elasticity are found to be the two main sources of income disparity while the employment,labour force ratio is shown to be an important factor in containing the rise of income disparity. An analysis on inter-regional factor reallocation effects reveals their relatively small and insignificant contributions to overall growth performance. It is also discovered that capital has in most years flowed in the right direction to pursue higher marginal productivity across provincial economies. Inter-provincial labour movement, on the other hand, had not displayed significant equilibrating effects until institutional reforms started to allow freer inter-regional labour mobility in later years. Generally, we conclude that market-oriented factor mobility has played a crucial role in equalizing factor returns as well as enhancing growth efficiency across regions. [source] Rural Hospital Patient Safety Systems Implementation in Two StatesTHE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 3 2007Daniel R. Longo ScD ABSTRACT:,Context and Purpose:With heightened attention to medical errors and patient safety, we surveyed Utah and Missouri hospitals to assess the "state of the art" in patient safety systems and identify changes over time. This study examines differences between urban and rural hospitals.Methods:Survey of all acute care hospitals in Utah and Missouri at 2 points in time (2002 and 2004). Factor analysis was used to develop 7 latent variables to summarize the data, comparing rural and urban hospitals at each point in time and on change between the 2 survey times.Findings:On 3 of the 7 latent variables, there was a statistically significant difference between rural and urban hospitals at the first survey, with rural hospitals indicating lower levels of implementation. The differences remained present on 2 of those latent variables at the second survey. In both cases, 1 of those variables was computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems. Rural hospitals reported more improvement in systems implementation between the 2 survey times, with the difference statistically significant on 1 of the 7 latent variables; the greatest improvement was in implementation of "root cause analysis."Conclusions:Adoption of patient safety systems overall is low. Although rates of adoption among rural versus urban hospitals appear lower, most differences are not statistically significant; the gap between rural and urban hospitals relative to quality measures is narrowing. Change in rural and urban hospitals is in the right direction, with the rate of change higher in rural hospitals for many systems. [source] Making sense of emergency surgery in New South Wales: a position statementANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 3 2010Stephen A. Deane Abstract Background:, Emergency surgery is a major component of the provision of surgical services and makes up a substantial volume of the workload of surgeons in many hospitals. It is often more complex and surgically challenging than elective surgery. However, little attention has been concentrated on the management or resource requirements of emergency surgery. Method:, This article identifies principles for models of emergency surgery care and describes how they can be incorporated into a redesign of emergency surgery. They have been developed and are endorsed by experienced surgical staff routinely coping with the challenges of emergency surgery. Results:, The benefits of redesigning emergency surgery will be realized by an active partnership between managers, surgeons and surgical teams. The anticipated clinical benefits include improved patient outcomes, enhanced patient and surgical team satisfaction, and increased trainee supervision in emergency surgery. Significant management benefits will ensue from high rates of emergency operating theatre utilization, reduced patient cancellations and reduction in after-hours costs. This unplanned but predictable workload will be managed in a planned and predictable fashion. Conclusion:, Reform of emergency surgery services is a necessity and not a choice. The development of the emergency surgery guidelines for New South Wales is a step in the right direction. The principles identified in the guidelines should be adapted and implemented across Australia if sustainable, safe and efficient emergency surgery services are to be provided. Patients will expect nothing less. [source] Next Steps in right directionASTRONOMY & GEOPHYSICS, Issue 4 2006Article first published online: 24 JUL 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] Bringing Ethical Investment to AccountAUSTRALIAN ACCOUNTING REVIEW, Issue 34 2004Geoff Frost As the ethical investment industry in Australia matures there is a need for greater scrutiny and understanding of the potential investor's personal beliefs, the investment products on offer and the processes by which the investment universe is determined. The recent introduction of regulation requiring additional information in product disclosure statements is a step in the right direction. However, further disclosure by funds and public exposure is necessary to create a transparent and accountable investment industry. [source] | ||||||||||||||||