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AND EVALUATION (and + evaluation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

RESEARCH AND EVALUATION: The Rudd Government's Employment Services Agenda: Is it Post-NPM and Why is that Important?

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 3 2010
Gaby Ramia
Perhaps the most potent symbol of the Howard government's faith in New Public Management (NPM) was the Job Network. Interrogating the Rudd government's replacement package, this article assesses whether the recent restructuring of employment services constitutes a post-NPM environment. It is argued that there are major post-NPM elements, seen most clearly in: the softening of jobseeker sanctions; greater deliberation on policy direction and results; a more inclusive employment super-ministry and reliance on other ,horizontal' governance reforms; and enhanced government resources for multiple-disadvantage clients. However, categorising these changes as post-NPM is problematic because the steering mechanism remains the market-based contract, a central NPM characteristic. Theoretical difficulties in applying paradigmatic concepts to services provide additional barriers to conclusive assessments, though the Rudd government's employment services regime provides a basis for taking stock in the post-NPM debate. [source]

RESEARCH AND EVALUATION: WorkChoices and Howard's Defeat

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 3 2010
Dennis Woodward
This article seeks to perform two tasks. It seeks to first detail the changes to the industrial relations system entailed in WorkChoices (set against the background of previous Howard government policies in this field), analyse the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU's) campaign against it and the Australian Labor Party's (ALP's) industrial relations policy in response to it, and belated changes to WorkChoices. Second, it seeks to examine the extent to which WorkChoices (and the industrial relations issue) was decisive in Howard's defeat. This will be done by using Newspoll surveys to plot the revival of ALP electoral support against salient events leading up to the election, drawing upon early post election assessments and existing studies, and also examining the results of the Australian Election Study 2007 to see whether this new evidence confirms the importance of industrial relations in the election outcome. [source]

GA2LEN skin test study I: GA²LEN harmonization of skin prick testing: novel sensitization patterns for inhalant allergens in Europe

ALLERGY, Issue 10 2009
L. M. Heinzerling
Background:, Skin prick testing is the standard for diagnosing IgE-mediated allergies. However, different allergen extracts and different testing procedures have been applied by European allergy centres. Thus, it has been difficult to compare results from different centres or studies across Europe. It was, therefore, crucial to standardize and harmonize procedures in allergy diagnosis and treatment within Europe. Aims:, The Global Asthma and Allergy European Network (GA²LEN), with partners and collaborating centres across Europe, was in a unique position to take on this task. The current study is the first approach to implement a standardized procedure for skin prick testing in allergies against inhalant allergens with a standardized pan-European allergen panel. Methods:, The study population consisted of patients who were referred to one of the 17 participating centres in 14 European countries (n = 3034, median age = 33 years). Skin prick testing and evaluation was performed with the same 18 allergens in a standardized procedure across all centres. Results:, The study clearly shows that many allergens previously regarded as untypical for some regions in Europe have been underestimated. This could partly be related to changes in mobility of patients, vegetation or climate in Europe. Conclusion:, The results of this large pan-European study demonstrate for the first time sensitization patterns for different inhalant allergens in patients across Europe. The standardized skin prick test with the standardized allergen battery should be recommended for clinical use and research. Further EU-wide monitoring of sensitization patterns is urgently needed. [source]

Anesthetic considerations for the pediatric oncology patient , Part 3: pain, cognitive dysfunction, and preoperative evaluation

PEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA, Issue 6 2010
GREGORY J. LATHAM md
Summary In part three of this three-part review, we continue with discussion of the effects of tumor and its therapy as they impact neurocognitive functioning, psychosocial issues of the patient and family, and the mechanisms and experience of pain in the child with cancer. A discussion of preanesthetic testing and evaluation in this patient population is next presented for the reader, focusing on the factors which pose the commonest and greatest risks to the child undergoing surgery. Lastly, an algorithmic approach to evaluating and managing key components of the medical history of pediatric patients is presented. [source]