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Existing Problems (existing + problem)
Selected AbstractsIndividual use of online-consulting for persons affected with eating disorders and their relatives,evaluation of an online consulting serviceEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 4 2006Martin Grunwald Abstract This paper describes an independent online consulting service for persons affected with eating disorders and their relatives (http://www.ab-server.de) which was developed by physicians and psychologists in Germany. This study aims to understand the individual use of the online consulting by affected persons and their relatives. In order to do this, two online questionnaires were developed: one for affected persons and one for their relatives. These questionnaires were sent digitally to those people who had posted an e-mail to the online consulting service between 1/1999 and 11/2003 (n,=,2760). Finally, 240 data sets of affected persons and 85 of relatives were included in the analysis. Respondents said that the online consulting had had important effects on their lives: (a) 22.5% of affected persons and 49.4% of relatives stated that the answers provided by the online consultants led to a better understanding of the disease; (b) 32.1% of affected persons and 52.9% of relatives experienced that they had been talking more about the disease since they had contacted the online consulting service; (c) 20% of affected persons went to see a therapist as a consequence of the online consultation. 55.4% of affected persons and 81.2% of relatives had not turned to professional help before they contacted the online service. The results of the evaluation sugest that people seeking help are made sensitive to their existing problem and that they have been encouraged by the online consultation to seek further professional help. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Raw materials: the importance of quality and safety.FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 5 2010A review. Abstract Aromatic plants and spices are used throughout the world for flavouring food and beverages, as well as for food supplements, novel foods and as a source of essential oils and aromatic extracts. The non-availability or inadequacy of standards for checking and assuring the quality of aromatic plants and spices is one of the main problems that arise for industry when using such raw materials. As many aromatic plants are harvested from the wild, standardization to assure their quality is important for their safe and effective utilization in food and beverage industries. On the other hand, there are numerous parameters that influence the chemical composition of plants, which play an important role in the final quality of the product and possibly in any risk arising to the consumer. Also, from a safety point of view, aromatic plants and spices should be free of undeclared contaminants and adulterants, such as toxic botanicals, pathogenic microorganisms and excessive levels of microbial toxins, pesticides or fumigation agents. We focus on these aspects and examine ways to assure their appropriate utilization from the quality and safety standpoint. The regulatory situation of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is very complicated; several differences in standards and regulations between countries can be found, a situation that can result in more health risks arising for consumers. To clarify some of the existing problems, the major regulations of the USA and the European Union (EU) and the borderlines between food supplements and medicines and other international standards, are briefly described and discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Design and implementation of Anycast communication model in IPv6INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NETWORK MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2009Xiaonan Wang The existing designs for providing Anycast services are either to confine each Anycast group to a preconfigured topological region or to distribute members of Anycast groups over global regions. The former brings an Anycast scalability problem and the latter causes the routing tables to grow proportionally to the number of all global Anycast groups in the entire Internet. Therefore, both of the above designs restrict and hinder the application and development of Anycast services. A new kind of Anycast communication model is proposed in this paper which solves some existing problems, such as scalability and communication errors between clients and servers. In this paper, the Anycast communication model is analyzed in depth and discussed, and the experimental data of this Anycast communication model demonstrate its feasibility and validity. [source] Current status and prospects of agricultural drainage in China,IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE, Issue S1 2007Wang Shaoli engorgement; salinisé alcalinisé; drainage agricole; environnement de l'eau Abstract Waterlogged and saline,alkali-affected soils are the main restrictions for agricultural production in many regions in China. Great efforts have been expended to conduct research on how to reclaim waterlogged and saline, alkali-affected soils for sustained agricultural productivity. Long-term practices have proved that agricultural drainage can be used to reduce the incidence of waterlogging and saline,alkali soil problems, as well as reclaim waterlogged and saline,alkali-affected soils, thus enhancing and sustaining agricultural productivity and national economic development. This paper describes the importance of agricultural drainage technology in China, reviews the current status of drainage technology, summarizing existing problems, and making some comparisons of drainage technologies from China and the USA. Future research needs in drainage technology for China are proposed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Les sols engorgés et salinisés ou alcalinisés sont les principaux freins à la production agricole dans de nombreuses régions de Chine. De grands efforts de recherche ont été déployés sur la façon de les récupérer pour améliorer la productivité agricole. Des pratiques de longue date ont montré que le drainage agricole peut être utilisé pour réduire l'incidence des problèmes posés par ces sols et pour les récupérer, favorisant de ce fait la productivité agricole et le développement économique national. Cet article décrit l'importance de la technologie du drainage agricole en Chine et passe en revue son état actuel, récapitulant les problèmes existants et comparant le drainage en Chine et aux Etats-Unis, pour terminer en proposant des efforts de recherche encore plus poussés en Chine. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Human,gelada baboon conflict in and around the Simien Mountains National Park, EthiopiaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2009Mesele Yihune Abstract The degree of conflict between gelada baboons and local communities in and around the Simien Mountains National Park was investigated and possible solutions for the existing problems are suggested. The study was carried out from September, 2005 to March, 2006 by means of questionnaire survey, direct observations on crop damage by gelada baboon and using faecal dropping analysis. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and responses were compared using chi-squared test and one-way ANOVA. Logistic regression model was used to determine factors that caused crop damage. The average annual crop loss by gelada baboon per household was 117 ± 10 kg. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.43, P < 0.001) between the type of crop grown and the type of crop damaged. Among the respondents, 47.3% reported serious loss of barley by gelada baboons. Analysis from the faecal droppings showed that 18% of the samples constituted barley although the extent of damage varied from village to village. Among the respondents, 60.3% cultivated only barley because of the cold weather and the type of soil in the study area. Distance from the Park and the frequency of crop damage were negatively correlated (,0.57, P < 0.001). Although farmers utilized various methods to protect their farms against gelada baboons, the most prominent method was direct watching (48.3%). To minimize the existing problems, local residents and the Park authorities should work together to identify alternative crops and land-use patterns that might not attract gelada baboons. Résumé Nous avons étudié l'importance des conflits entre les babouins geladas et les communautés locales dans et autour du Parc National des Simien Mountains, et nous suggérons d'éventuelles solutions pour les régler. L'étude a eu lieu de septembre 2005 à mars 2006, sous la forme d'une enquête par questionnaire, d'observations directes des dommages causés aux cultures par les geladas et d'analyses des excréments. Les données furent analysées au moyen de statistiques descriptives, et les réponses furent comparées par un test en ,² et une ANOVA à une voie. Un modèle de régression logistique fut utilisé pour déterminer les facteurs qui causent les dommages aux récoltes. La perte annuelle moyenne attribuée aux babouins était de 117 ± par ménage. Il y avait une corrélation positive (r = 0.43, P < 0.001) entre le type de culture pratiqué et celui qui était endommagé. 47.3% des participants à l'enquête ont rapporté de graves pertes d'orge à cause des babouins geladas. L'analyse des excréments a révélé que 18% des échantillons étaient composés d'orge mais la gravité des dommages variait d'un village à l'autre. 60.3% des participants ne cultivaient que de l'orge en raison du climat froid et du type de sol dans la zone étudiée. La distance par rapport au parc et la fréquence des dommages étaient négativement liées (,0.57, P < 0.001). Bien que les fermiers utilisent plusieurs méthodes pour protéger leurs fermes contre les geladas, la plus importante était de les surveiller directement (48.3%). Afin de minimiser les problèmes actuels, les résidants et les autorités du parc devraient travailler ensemble pour identifier des cultures alternatives et des schémas d'utilisation des sols qui puissent ne plus attirer les babouins. [source] Impact of land use changes on water resources and biodiversity of Lake Nakuru catchment basin, KenyaAFRICAN JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 2009Jackson Akama Raini Abstract Lake Nakuru, Kenya, is one of a series of saline,alkaline closed basin lakes in the eastern arm of the Rift Valley. The lake has been variously described as ,the lake of a million flamingos' and ,the Worlds greatest ornithological spectacle' and is bedrock to the areas' tourism. The lake was designated a bird sanctuary in 1960, a National Park in 1968, first rhino sanctuary in 1987, first Kenyan Ramsar site in 1990, an Important Bird Area in 1999 and a world-class national park in 2005. Over the last 40 years, its basin has been heavily settled, extensively cultivated, urbanized and industrialized. Environmental problems include poor agricultural practices, human encroachment, pollution, wildlife mortality/morbidity, human/wildlife conflicts, poverty, ethnic tensions and land clashes and lack of adequate legal and policy framework. Approaches to conservation have been initiated against identified existing problems and constraints. These approaches are (i) organizational and institutional development; (ii) hot spots and pollution loads management and (iii) catchment and park management. Constraints have been identified as unclear demarcation of responsibilities, lack of budget, skilled staff and know-how and lack of environmental standards and regulations. The impacts of ecosystem changes on people's lives and livelihoods are discussed. [source] Multi-national corporations and agricultural development: a study of contract farming in the Indian PunjabJOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2002Sukhpal Singh This paper examines the rationale, practice and implications of contract farming under the MNCs in vegetable crops in the Indian Punjab from the new institutional economics perspective. It is found that the MNCs deal with relatively large producers, their contracts are biased against the farmer, and the contract crops perpetuate many of the existing problems of the farming sector like high chemical input intensity, unstable future incomes, and social differentiation, though contracting has led to higher farm incomes and labour employment, especially for women. There is an inherent contradiction in the objectives of the contracting parties and that of the local economy and suitable institutions and organisations are not present in the state. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Predicting behavioral problems in craniopharyngioma survivors after conformal radiation therapyPEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 7 2009Eugenia P. Dolson BS Abstract Background Although radiation therapy is a primary treatment for craniopharyngioma, it can exacerbate existing problems related to the tumor and pre-irradiation management. Survival is often marked by neurologic deficits, panhypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus, cognitive deficiencies, and behavioral and social problems. Procedure The Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to evaluate behavioral and social problems during the first 5 years of follow-up in 27 patients with craniopharyngioma treated with conformal radiation therapy. Results All group averages for the CBCL scales were within the age-typical range at pre-irradiation baseline. Extent of surgical resection was implicated in baseline differences for the internalizing, externalizing, behavior problem and social scores. Significant longitudinal changes were found in internalizing, externalizing, behavior problem and school scores that correlated with tumor and treatment-related factors. Conclusions The most common variables implicated in post-irradiation behavioral and social problems were CSF shunting, presence of an Ommaya reservoir, diabetes insipidus, and low pre-irradiation growth hormone levels. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009;52:860,864. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] HEALTH AND THE 1999 REGIONAL AUSTRALIA SUMMITAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2000John S. Humphreys The Regional Australia Summit brought together 282 invited delegates from all parts of Australia. The aim of the Summit was to develop partnerships between the government, business and community sectors to deliver a better future for regional, rural and remote areas facing significant change. Health was one of 12 themes discussed at the Summit. Five key health priorities were identified; the need to change the dominant metropolitan mind-set, improve access to health-care services, improve service provision and workforce training, ensure equitable resource allocation, and adopt a population health approach. The ultimate success of the Regional Australia Summit will be gauged over time by the extent to which the health, wellbeing and prosperity of rural, remote and regional Australians has been improved, and existing problems and issues addressed. Nonetheless, the Summit is a significant event because it addresses issues at the highest level of government, emphasises coordination and the adoption of an intersectoral approach, and recognises the need to empower local communities and build partnerships between the government, corporate and community sectors. [source] The Abortion Debate in Mexico: Realities and Stalled Policy ReformBULLETIN OF LATIN AMERICAN RESEARCH, Issue 1 2007ANDRZEJ KULCZYCKI Over 500,000 clandestine abortions occur annually in Mexico, many under unfavourable health conditions. An uneasy silence about this situation has long prevailed. Since the 1970s, abortion has appeared periodically in public discourse and on the decision-making agenda, only for action to be repeatedly postponed. Mobilisation around the abortion issue grew slowly, but debate and controversy became nationwide as the country began to experience systemic change in 2000. Despite increasing political pluralism and growing awareness of the existing problems, for now in Mexico, as elsewhere in Latin America, the question of abortion is not judged sufficiently pressing to merit major policy change. However, improved contraceptive use and the institution of new technologies and post-abortion care are helping to make abortions safer and rarer. 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