Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Independent Experts (independent + expert)
Selected AbstractsThe Fall and Renewal of the Commission: Accountability, Contract and Administrative OrganisationEUROPEAN LAW JOURNAL, Issue 2 2000Paul Craig The fall of the Santer Commission, prompted by the Report of the Committee of Independent Experts, sent shock waves throughout the entire Community. This article seeks to examine the nature of the problems which beset the Commission, to place these within the broader context of decision-making by public bodies, and to consider also the responsibilities of the Council and European Parliament for the delivery of agreed Community policies. The article analyses in detail the Reports of the Committee of Independent Experts, and the subsequent reforms initiated by the Prodi Commission, in order to assess the prospects for improved service delivery in the future. [source] The Audit Commission: guiding, steering and regulating local governmentPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 3 2003Josie Kelly How does the non-executant state ensure that its agents are fulfilling their obligations to deliver nationally determined policies? In the case of elected local government in England and Wales, this function is carried out by the Audit Commission (AC) for Local Authorities and the Health Service for England and Wales. Since being established in 1983, it is the means by which local authorities are held to account by central government, both for its own purposes and on behalf of other interested stakeholders. Although the primary function of the AC is to ensure that local authorities are fulfilling their obligations, it does so by using different methods. By acting as a regulator, an independent expert, an opinion former and a mediator, the AC steers local authorities to ensure that they are compliant with the regulatory regime and are implementing legislation properly. [source] Multicenter, noncomparative study of caspofungin in combination with other antifungals as salvage therapy in adults with invasive aspergillosisCANCER, Issue 12 2006Johan Maertens MD Abstract BACKGROUND. Caspofungin inhibits synthesis of ,-1,3-glucan, an essential component of the Aspergillus cell wall. This echinocandin has demonstrated efficacy (45% success) as salvage monotherapy of invasive aspergillosis (IA). Interest remains as to whether caspofungin, in combination with other antifungal classes, can improve the efficacy against IA. METHODS. The study involved 53 adults with documented IA who were refractory to or intolerant of standard antifungal therapy and received caspofungin and 1 other mold-active antifungal agent (at the investigator's discretion). Efficacy was assessed by signs, symptoms, and radiographs at the end of combination therapy and Day 84 after combination therapy initiation. Favorable (complete or partial) responses required significant clinical and radiographic improvement. Diagnoses and outcomes were assessed by an independent expert. RESULTS. Among the 53 patients enrolled the most common underlying diseases were acute leukemia (53%), lymphoma (11%), and chronic leukemia (6%). Pulmonary aspergillosis (81%) was the most common site, and most patients (87%) were refractory to prior therapy. Success at the end of combination therapy and Day 84 was 55% (29/53) and 49% (25/51), respectively. Fifty-seven percent of patients with neutropenia and 54% who received an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant responded favorably. Survival at Day 84 was 55%. Combination therapy, dosed on average for 31.3 days, was well tolerated. Two (4%) serious drug-related adverse events, both attributed to voriconazole, occurred. None of the patients discontinued caspofungin due to toxicity. CONCLUSIONS. Caspofungin in combination with a triazole or polyene was an effective alternative as salvage therapy for patients with recalcitrant Aspergillus infections. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society. [source] Is growth hormone a radioprotective agent?JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 3 2006SB Tekin Abstract There is currently substantial clinical interest in growth hormone (GH) as a protective agent against radiation-related normal tissue injury. To further assess the potential radiation injury-preventive effects of GH, these effects were studied in rats by using a radiation-induced skin injury model. Group 1 received neither GH nor irradiation (control group). Group 2 received 30 Gy of gamma irradiation as a single dose to the right hind legs of the rats (radiation group). Group 3 and 4 received the same irradiation plus either 0.01 U/kg/day GH (RT + 0.01 GH group) or 0.02 U/kg/day GH (RT + 0.02 GH group) subcutaneously. Clinically and histopathologically, acute skin reactions were assessed by two independent experts in radiation oncology and pathology, respectively. Irradiation increased dermatitis in rats when compared with the control group. The severity of radiodermatitis in the rats in the RT + 0.01 GH and RT + 0.02 GH groups was significantly lower than that in the RT group; radiodermatitis developed earlier in the RT group than in the other groups. GH was efficacious in preventing epidermal atrophy, dermal degeneration such as oedema and collagen fibre loss, and hair follicle atrophy, but not better than in the control group. These results are preliminary to studies that will be performed with higher doses of GH in radiation-treated cancer patients, with the aim of reducing radiation-induced toxicity. [source] Evaluation of the newly established acne severity classification among Japanese and Korean dermatologistsTHE JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Nobukazu HAYASHI ABSTRACT Recently, we established an acne severity classification that is based on scientific evidence. Our classification allows three different methods for grading, which include general impression of consulted dermatologist, photograph-based estimation by independent experts, and grading by lesion counting. In our classification, we proposed standard photographs for the estimation of general severity to adjust the basis of judgments. In this study, we evaluated the validity of our classification. We made questionnaires of acne severity using acne patients' photographs, which were selected from the collection of representative photographs of our classification. Participants answered these questionnaires before and after our presentations about our classification of acne severity. We identified the conformity rate with our consensus decision. The results revealed that average conformity rates were raised from 67.0% to 88.9% among Japanese dermatologists and from 68.0% to 79.8% among Korean ones. These data show the adequacy of both our grading system itself and its presentation. We believe our classification will be one of the most effective and reasonable grading systems to classify acne severity. [source] Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection in intravenous drug usersACTA NEUROPSYCHIATRICA, Issue 5 2006Matthew L Cowan Background:, Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common among intravenous drug users, and because of the long latent period, HCV liver disease is set to increase. Objectives:, We sought to examine practice guidelines regarding treatment of HCV in drug users and to review the evidence for current practices. Methods:, A structured search of the Pubmed database, websites of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and national and international expert groups and opinion of independent experts in the field. Results and Conclusions:, All those infected with HCV need to be assessed to ascertain whether they have active ongoing viral replication and the extent of liver damage. HCV-infected individuals should be educated about the modes of transmission and means of reducing the risk of infecting others. They should also be advised to avoid cofactors (especially alcohol) that accelerate the progression of liver disease. Specific treatment with antivirals can cause viral clearance and prevent the progression of liver disease. Therapy is effective in those on opiate-replacement treatments and also in motivated individuals who continue to use intravenous drugs. The decision whether to treat drug users should be made jointly by specialists in the management of viral hepatitis and addiction on a case-by-case basis. Current combination drug regimens are expensive but are claimed to be cost-effective, and are certainly much less costly than managing end-stage liver disease. In addition to satisfactory sustained viral response rates, other benefits such as a beneficial effect on drug habit, self-esteem and rehabilitation have been reported. Encouraging suitable drug users to take-up and comply with treatment seems to be more easily achieved in supportive drug dependency unit settings (rather than the more formal surroundings of a hospital clinic). [source] | ||||||||||