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Little Progress (little + progress)
Selected AbstractsPublic Health Conditions and Policies in the Asia Pacific regionASIAN-PACIFIC ECONOMIC LITERATURE, Issue 2 2001Dennis A. Ahlburg Health has improved dramatically in Asia over the last 40 years. Infant mortality dropped over 60 per cent and life expectancy increased by 40 per cent. Despite these gains, health outcomes remain relatively low in many Asian countries, and vary tremendously by region, income level and demographic group. Little progress has been made, for example, in decreasing maternal mortality. Asia is experiencing an epidemiological transition from a high burden of communicable diseases to a high burden of non-communicable diseases. The pace of this transition varies across countries, and some countries will experience increasing incidence of non-communicable diseases before the level of communicable diseases has decreased. Ill-health imposes a heavy economic cost: HIV/AIDS may reduce economic growth in some countries. As incomes and expectations rise, the demand for health care also rises and one of the greatest challenges facing Asia is how to provide and finance this care. [source] Integrating DNA data and traditional taxonomy to streamline biodiversity assessment: an example from edaphic beetles in the Klamath ecoregion, California, USADIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 5 2006Ryan M. Caesar ABSTRACT Conservation and land management decisions may be misguided by inaccurate or misinterpreted knowledge of biodiversity. Non-systematists often lack taxonomic expertise necessary for an accurate assessment of biodiversity. Additionally, there are far too few taxonomists to contribute significantly to the task of identifying species for specimens collected in biodiversity studies. While species level identification is desirable for making informed management decisions concerning biodiversity, little progress has been made to reduce this taxonomic deficiency. Involvement of non-systematists in the identification process could hasten species identification. Incorporation of DNA sequence data has been recognized as one way to enhance biodiversity assessment and species identification. DNA data are now technologically and economically feasible for most scientists to apply in biodiversity studies. However, its use is not widespread and means of its application has not been extensively addressed. This paper illustrates how such data can be used to hasten biodiversity assessment of species using a little-known group of edaphic beetles. Partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I was sequenced for 171 individuals of feather-wing beetles (Coleoptera: Ptiliidae) from the Klamath ecoregion, which is part of a biodiversity hotspot, the California Floristic Province. A phylogram of these data was reconstructed via parsimony and the strict consensus of 28,000 equally parsimonious trees was well resolved except for peripheral nodes. Forty-two voucher specimens were selected for further identification from clades that were associated with many synonymous and non-synonymous nucleotide changes. A ptiliid taxonomic expert identified nine species that corresponded to monophyletic groups. These results allowed for a more accurate assessment of ptiliid species diversity in the Klamath ecoregion. In addition, we found that the number of amino acid changes or percentage nucleotide difference did not associate with species limits. This study demonstrates that the complementary use of taxonomic expertise and molecular data can improve both the speed and the accuracy of species-level biodiversity assessment. We believe this represents a means for non-systematists to collaborate directly with taxonomists in species identification and represents an improvement over methods that rely solely on parataxonomy or sequence data. [source] After Cancún: what next for agricultural subsidies?EUROCHOICES, Issue 3 2003Tim Josling Summary After Cancún: what next for agriculturalsubsidies? The collapse of the Ministerial in Cancún highlighted the enhanced role of the developing countries in the WTO and the reduced ability of the US and the EU to manage the trade system. One aspect of these changes has been that developing countries have taken much more interest in the level of domestic support in developed countries. Developed countries believe that the shift of support from production-linked to decoupled instruments has had a positive impact on trade. Developing countries maintain that this reform has not helped them, and has perpetuated inequities in the trade system. Research suggests that the output effect of decoupled support is limited, if not negligible. Such decoupling may be necessary to reform domestic polices. Additionally, domestic policies are being challenged by developing countries using the trade litigation of the WTO. But such challenges risk undermining support for the WTO. Until agreement is reached on these issues there will be little progress in further agricultural trade reform. A political solution must be found that continues the slow process of improvement of domestic farm policies and at the same time offers hope to developing countries that they will benefit from the improvement in the trade conditions for agricultural products. Après Cancún:quel avenir pour les subventions? L'échec de la conférence ministérielle de Cancun met en évidence !e rôle accru des pays en voie de développement à l'OMC, ainsi que la faible aptitude des Etats-Unis et de l'Europe à gérer le système des échanges internationaux. Ces changements impliquent que les pays en voie de développement s'intéressent de plus en plus aux niveaux de protection internes des pays développés. Les pays développés croient que le glissement des aides vers plus de découplage aura eu un effet positif sur les échanges. Mais les pays en voie de développement continuent à penser que ces réformes ne les ont pas aidés, et qu'elles ont perpétué les inégalités du commerce mondial. Le travail présenté ici semble montrer que l'effet du découplage sur l'offre est très faible, voire nul. Peut-être le decouplage est-il utile pour la réforme des politiques internes. Mais, au delà, ces politiques internes sont mises en cause par les pays en voie de développement, qui utilisent à leur encontre les ressources de procédure mises à leur disposition par l'OMC. De telles mises en cause sont de nature à détruire le soutien de l'opinion à l'OMC. II ne faut pas s'attendre à beaucoup de progrès dans les réformes du commerce international agricole tant qu'on n'aura pas trouve un accord sur ces questions. II est done necessaire d'élaborer des solutions qui confortent le lent progrès des politiques internes des pays developpes, tout en offrant aux pays en voie de développement 1, espoir de bénéficier de l'amélioration des conditions des échanges agricoles. Nach Cancún: Was geschieht als nächstes mitAgrarsubventionen? Das Scheitern des Ministerialtreffensin Cancún hob die verbesserte Position der Entwicklungsländer in der WTO und die verminderte Fähigkeit der USA und der EU hervor, das Handelssystem zu lenken. Finer der Aspekte dieser Veränderungen bestand darin, dass die Entwicklungsländer ein sehr viel größeres Interesse am Ausmaß der Inlandsstützung in Industrieländern gezeigt haben. Die Industrieländer glauben, dass sich der Schritt von einer produktionsgebundenen Inlandsstützung hin zu einer entkoppelten Inlandsstützung positiv auf den Handel ausgewirkt hat. Die Entwicklungsländer behaupten jedoch, dass ihnen diese Reform nicht geholfen habe und dass so Ungerechtigkeiten im Handelssystem aufrecht erhalten würden. Forschungsergebnisse legen es nahe, dass sich die entkoppelte Inlandsstützung sehr begrenzt, möglicherweise nur geringfügig, auf die Produktion auswirkt. Eine solche Entkopplung ist möglicherweise notwendig, urn inländische Politikmaßnahmen zu reformieren. Zusátzlich werden die inländischen Politikmaßnahmen von den Entwicklungsländern zur Zeit im Rahmen der WTO-Verfahren zur Beilegung von Handelsstreitigkeiten angefochten. Solche Anfechtungen bergen jedoch immer das Risiko einer abgeschwächten Unterstützung für die WTO. Bis in diesen Punkten Einigkeit herrscht, wird es nur geringe Fortschritte für die Agrarhandelsreformen geben. Es muss eine politische Lösung gefunden werden, welche den langsamen Verbesserungsprozess bei den inländischen Agrarpolitikmaßnahmen voran treibt und welche die Entwicklungsländer zugleich hoffen lässt, von der Verbesserung der Handelsbedingungen für landwirtschaftliche Erzeugnisse profitieren zu können. [source] Lifting the Curse: Overcoming Persistent Undernutrition in IndiaIDS BULLETIN, Issue 4 2009Lawrence Haddad With rapid economic growth and little progress in banishing undernutrition, India is an economic powerhouse and a nutritional weakling. This article surveys the others in this collection and concludes that such a situation represents a failure of governance at many levels. The article suggests a number of ways in which the state and civil society in India can strengthen the governance of nutrition in terms of capability, responsiveness and accountability. It also calls for more frequent data collection on nutrition service delivery and nutrition outcomes so that the state and civil society can sustain pressure on the need to improve nutrition. Finally, the outlines of a new research focus are described. [source] Lipid,nucleic acids interactions as base for organization and expression of cellular genomeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2010V. V. Kuvichkin Abstract Although lipid,nucleic acid interactions have been studied, with certain or little progress, for more than 30 years, it is only in recent years that the problem has received particular attention. It should, however, be noted that most studies deal with DNA-cationic surfactants interactions, whereas DNA-zwitterionic interactions, which are more complex and close to nature, are poorly investigated. The long-standing studies of the triple complexes: DNA,phosphatidylcholine liposomes,divalent metal cations allow us to confirm that these complexes are responsible for the formation of not only the structures existing in DNA,cationic liposome complexes but also some other cellular structures. The author proposed hypothesis about the involvement of direct DNA,lipid interactions in the nuclear pore assembly. Only taking into account interactions between DNA and lipids of cellular membrane, one can explain the origin of such structures as nucleoid, nuclear pore, and nuclear matrix. The formation of triple complexes was accompanied by the aggregation and partial fusion of liposomes as was shown by cryo-TEM technique. The author has presented new data on the structure of triple complexes, which were obtained by phase contrast cryo-TEM. Biophysical data on the liposomes fusion during triple complex formation and perspective of their computer simulation are also presented. DNA acts as a fusogen in this process and it unwinds in the region of liposomes fusion. The nuclear envelope and pore complexes assembly is provided by membrane vesicles fusion. Author has proposed that the DNA-induced fusion of zwitterionic liposomes in vitro may suggest the involvement of direct lipids,DNA interaction in nuclear envelope assembly. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010 [source] An examination of the intentional and unintentional aspects of medication non-adherence in patients diagnosed with hypertensionJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 4 2007Elaine Lehane MSc Aims., The primary aim of this study was to describe the unintentional and intentional aspects of non-adherence in patients diagnosed with hypertension. A secondary aim was to examine the relationships between medication adherence and purposeful actions (intentional non-adherence), patterned behaviours (unintentional non-adherence) and demographic questionnaire variables. Background., Non-adherence to medications continues to be a significant health-care issue, the extent and consequences of which have been well documented. Despite considerable research over the past five decades, little progress has been made in solving this healthcare problem. Recent literature indicates that this lack of progress can be attributed to the fact that past research has concentrated solely upon either the unintentional or the intentional aspects of non-adherence, instead of addressing both facets simultaneously. Methods., A quantitative, descriptive, correlation research design was employed using Johnson's (2002) Medication Adherence Model as a theoretical framework. A convenience sample of 73 participants with hypertension, attending the outpatients' clinics of two university hospitals was recruited. Data were collected by means of a researcher administered questionnaire and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results., High levels of medication adherence with a mean adherence score of 4·75 (maximum 5) were reported. Low and medium levels of purposeful actions and medium and high levels of patterned behaviours towards medication taking were found. Correlational analyses did not demonstrate statistically significant associations. Conclusions., Both the intentional and unintentional dimensions of medication-taking are simultaneously considered by patients to varying levels when adhering to therapeutic regimens. This is an important research area for nurses as it facilitates an increased understanding of non-adherence and, in so doing, aids the uncovering of more effective interventions aimed at sustaining lifelong pharmacotherapy. Relevance to clinical practice., By acknowledging a broader approach to patient medication-taking, nurses will be able more effectively to assess and intervene in non-adherent behaviours and actions. [source] Drought Preparedness and Response in the Context of Sub-Saharan AfricaJOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2000Donald A. Wilhite Although drought is a normal, recurring feature of climate, little progress has been made in drought management in most parts of the world. A United Nations study of selected Sub-Saharan African countries revealed that most states have little experience in proactive planning for drought. Only Botswana and South Africa have made serious efforts to develop drought preparedness and response. The lack of contingency planning for drought events in the region results from limited financial resources, inadequate understanding of drought impacts, and poor co-ordination among government agencies. A ten-step planning process, originally developed in 1991 for U.S. states, is suggested as an organizational tool for Sub-Saharan countries to use in the development of drought plans. The process, which emphasizes risk management rather than crisis management, is based on three primary components: (1) monitoring and early warning, (2) vulnerability and impact assessment, (3) mitigation and response. The steps in the process are generic; they can be adapted and applied to the various settings of Sub-Saharan Africa. [source] Evolutionary biology of starvation resistance: what we have learned from DrosophilaJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2007S. RION Abstract Most animals face periods of food shortage and are thus expected to evolve adaptations enhancing starvation resistance (SR). Most of our knowledge of the genetic and physiological bases of those adaptations, their evolutionary correlates and trade-offs, and patterns of within- and among-population variation, comes from studies on Drosophila. In this review, we attempt to synthesize the various facets of evolutionary biology of SR emerging from those studies. Heritable variation for SR is ubiquitous in Drosophila populations, allowing for large responses to experimental selection. Individual flies can also inducibly increase their SR in response to mild nutritional stress (dietary restriction). Both the evolutionary change and the physiological plasticity involve increased accumulation of lipids, changes in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and reduction in reproduction. They are also typically associated with greater resistance to desiccation and oxidative stress, and with prolonged development and lifespan. These responses are increasingly seen as facets of a shift of the physiology towards a ,survival mode', which helps the animal to survive hard times. The last decade has seen a great progress in revealing the molecular bases of induced responses to starvation, and the first genes contributing to genetic variation in SR have been identified. In contrast, little progress has been made in understanding the ecological significance of SR in Drosophila; in particular it remains unclear to what extent geographical variation in SR reflect differences in natural selection acting on this trait rather than correlated responses to selection on other traits. Drosophila offers a unique opportunity for an integrated study of the manifold aspects of adaptation to nutritional stress. Given that at least some major molecular mechanisms of response to nutritional stress seem common to animals, the insights from Drosophila are likely to apply more generally than just to dipterans or insects. [source] Harnessing Catastrophe to Promote Resource Recovery and Eco-industrial DevelopmentJOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Kristen B. Ardani Summary Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, causing widespread damage to industry, housing, and infrastructure. The area of New Orleans East was particularly devastated, including a cluster of industries, such as a major food-processing plant, manufacturing facilities, and bulk material and gas processors. Although this area was well suited for resource recovery and eco-industrial linkages, little progress has been made in implementation. This article explores New Orleans as a case study in the application of industrial ecology to disaster management. Hurricane Katrina's damage to New Orleans resulted in a significant increase in the amount of waste flowing into New Orleans East, which precipitated a massive expenditure of federal funds toward debris management. Those circumstances created an unprecedented opportunity to capitalize a resource recovery program and to establish eco-industrial relationships, both of which would have resulted in new jobs and environmental improvement. Yet straightforward opportunities for resource recovery and eco-industrial linkage were overlooked or dismissed, in spite of antilandfill activism from the environmental community and formal recommendations for recycling from scientists and other professionals. We describe the specific resource recovery and eco-industrial opportunities that were available to New Orleans East, especially those that were magnified by Hurricane Katrina, and analyze the barriers that prevented their actualization. We also provide recommendations for overcoming barriers to resource recovery and eco-industrial progress with the goal that future postcatastrophe scenarios may benefit from more effective use of relief and recovery funding. [source] A Non-Essentialist Version of Legal PluralismJOURNAL OF LAW AND SOCIETY, Issue 2 2000Brian Z. Tamanha The concept of legal pluralism has been touted by many socio-legal scholars as a key concept in the analysis of law. Yet, after almost twenty years of such claims, there has been little progress in the development of the concept. This article will argue that the underlying cause of this lack progress lies in the fact that promoters of the concept have relied upon function-based, essentialist concepts of law. It will describe the problems generated by such concepts and, following this general analysis, will review the versions of legal pluralism articulated by Boaventura de Sousa Santos and Gunther Teubner. The critique of their versions of legal pluralism will lead into the posing of a non-essentialist alternative which avoids the conceptual problems of prevailing versions of legal pluralism, and provides a better tool for purposes of research and analysis of the relationship between law and society. [source] A Five-Country Comparative Review of Accommodation Support Policies for Older People With Intellectual DisabilityJOURNAL OF POLICY AND PRACTICE IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 1 2010Christine Bigby Abstract International covenants and domestic social policies in most developed countries regard people with intellectual disability as citizens with equal rights, suggesting they should have the similar aspirations of a healthy and active old age as the general community, and an expectation of the necessary supports to achieve this. This article compares the development and implementation of accommodation support policies for people aging with intellectual disabilities in five liberal welfare states. It describes the limited development of policies in this area and suggests possible reasons why this is the case. A review of the peer reviewed and grey or unpublished advocacy and policy literature on aging policies for people with intellectual disability was conducted which covered Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the U.S. Despite consistent identification of similar broad policy issues and overarching goals, little progress has been made in the development of more specific policies or implementation strategies to address issues associated with accommodation support as people age. Policy debates have conceptualized the problem as aging in place and the shared responsibility of the aged-care and disability sectors. This may have detracted from either sector leading the development of, or taking responsibility for, formulating, implementing, and resourcing a strong policy framework. [source] Michael Polanyi and the discovery of co-catalysis: Discussion of an autobiographical letter from Michael Polanyi, FRS to Peter H. Plesch of 17 December 1963JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 7 2004P. H. Plesch Abstract The origin of this memoir was a letter from Michael Polanyi (M. P.) to the present writer (P. H. P.) about their researches in the mid-1940s into the mechanism of what are now called cationic polymerizations, at the University of Manchester (England). M. P. analyzes his tactics and the mistakes made in directing this research. When the Manchester-trained researchers made little progress with what was a very recalcitrant problem, M. P. thinking that scientists from a different background might be more sucessful, got P. H. P., from Cambridge, to work with an Oxford-trained chemist. They recognized that the likely cause of the irreproducibility of these polymerizations was the apparatus used which permitted access of atmospheric moisture to the reaction mixtures containing the moisture-sensitive catalytic metal halides. Because the only method for following the very fast polymerizations was by monitoring the accompanying temperature rise, and the reactions had to be done below ambient temperature, the reaction vessel needed to be adiabatic, that is a Dewar (Thermos) flask; hence the problem of how to cool its contents. The solution was P. H. P.'s invention of the pseudo-Dewar vessel, the Dewar space of which, instead of being evacuated permanently, could be filled with air or evacuated. This device permitted the reaction mixture to be made up and cooled, and the reactions to be started without contact with the atmosphere. Thus it was found that isobutene polymerizations, which had stopped unaccountably, could be restarted by water vapor. P. H. P. termed water a "co-catalyst". The consequent "Manchester" theory recognized the monohydrate of TiCl4 as a protonic acid and saw the initiation as due to the protonation of the monomer, with the formation of a tert -carbenium ion, and these ions, formed repetitively, became the propagating species. The Manchester theory was rapidly accepted because it could also explain observations on other related reactions. The involvement of ions established a link with non-aqueous electrochemistry. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1537,1546, 2004 [source] Experimental design and taxonomic scope of fragmentation studies on European mammals: current status and future prioritiesMAMMAL REVIEW, Issue 2 2010Alessio MORTELLITI ABSTRACT 1Habitat loss, habitat fragmentation and habitat degradation are the greatest threats to mammals in Europe and the rest of the world. Despite the fact that extensive literature exists, no comprehensive review or synthesis is available to date and this may slow down scientific progress and hamper conservation efforts. 2The goal of this study is to understand if and in what direction progress has been made in the study of the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on the spatial distribution of European terrestrial mammals. Firstly, we carry out a general synthesis which is structured around 11 key points. The aim of this point-by-point analysis is to identify trends, knowledge gaps and any significant bias in the available literature, and to highlight strengths and shortfalls of the different approaches which have to date been applied. Secondly, we follow a species-specific systematic approach: for each species, we synthesise key results. 3Our results show how substantial progress has been hampered for several reasons including: a large predominance of small-scale field studies of short duration, and a generalised lack of control of: (i) confounding variables; (ii) spatial autocorrelation; and (iii) false absences. Also, despite the relatively high number of studies, few were theoretical studies and even fewer were meta-analyses. The lack of meta-analyses is likely to be due to the small amount of crucial details included in the publications, such as model parameters or information on the landscape context (such as the amount of residual forest cover). 4We synthesise the main results for 14 species. The level of progress is highly variable: for some species, such as the red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris, a series of long-term, large-scale process-oriented studies has allowed an in-depth understanding of its ecology in fragmented landscapes. On the other hand, with other species such as the bank vole Myodes glareolus, despite a relatively large number of field studies, little progress has been made. [source] Genetics of personalities: no simple answers for complex traitsMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2010BARBARA TSCHIRREN Identifying the genes that underlie phenotypic variation in natural populations, and assessing the consequences of polymorphisms at these loci for individual fitness are major objectives in evolutionary biology. Yet, with the exception of a few success stories, little progress has been made, and our understanding of the link between genotype and phenotype is still in its infancy. For example, although body length in humans is largely genetically determined, with heritability estimates greater than 0.8, massive genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have only been able to account for a very small proportion of this variation (Gudbjartsson et al. 2008). If it is so difficult to explain the genetics behind relatively ,simple' traits, can we envision that it will at all be possible to find genes underlying complex behavioural traits in wild non-model organisms? Some notable examples suggest that this can indeed be a worthwhile endeavour. Recently, the circadian rhythm gene Clock has been associated with timing of breeding in a wild blue tit population (Johnsen et al. 2007; Liedvogel et al. 2009) and the Pgi gene to variation in dispersal and flight endurance in Glanville fritillary butterflies (Niitepold et al. 2009). A promising candidate gene for influencing complex animal personality traits, also known as behavioural syndromes (Sih et al. 2004), is the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) gene. Within the last decade, polymorphisms in this gene have been associated with variation in novelty seeking and exploration behaviour in a range of species, from humans to great tits (Schinka et al. 2002; Fidler et al. 2007). In this issue, Korsten et al. (2010) attempt to replicate this previously observed association in wild-living birds, and test for the generality of the association between DRD4 and personality across a number of European great tit populations. [source] R2: Identification of renal potential progenitor/stem cells that participate in the renal regeneration processes of kidney allograft fibrosisNEPHROLOGY, Issue 6 2008JI BAO SUMMARY: Aim: Many strategies are explored to ameliorate kidney allograft tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis (TA/IF), but little progress has been achieved. The latest evidence suggested that CD133+ cell in kidney represent a potential multipotent adult resident stem cell population that may contribute to the renal injury repair. Here we investigate whether the CD133+ cells exist in transplanted renal and exert a growth and self-repair procedure in TA/IF. Methods: Allografts from rat kidney transplant models were harvested at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks post transplantation. We performed immunohistochemistry to detect the CD133+ cells and immunofluorescence to detect the co-expression of CD133 or Pax-2 with Ki-67. We furthermore analysed the E-cadherin using serial sections. Results: CD133+ cells were seldom seen in control kidney, but distributed sporadically in the cortex parenchyma along with the deterioration of TA/IF. The number of CD133+ cell increased after 4 weeks and reached the peak at 8 weeks, then decreased at 12 weeks. From 8 weeks, some new tubules expressing E-cadherin were constructed with CD133+ cells. Almost all the CD133+ cells were Ki-67-positive, but not all the Ki-67+ cells expressed CD133. The rest Ki-67+ cells almost expressed Pax-2. Conclusion: Our study reveals that when majority of the tubules are damaged, a self-repair mechanism is evoked by potential adult stem cells to compensate the renal function. Thus, potential adult resident stem cells offer a new avenue for autologous cell therapies in TA/IF. [source] Some observations on the l2 convergence of the additive Schwarz preconditioned GMRES methodNUMERICAL LINEAR ALGEBRA WITH APPLICATIONS, Issue 5 2002Xiao-Chuan Cai Abstract Additive Schwarz preconditioned GMRES is a powerful method for solving large sparse linear systems of equations on parallel computers. The algorithm is often implemented in the Euclidean norm, or the discrete l2 norm, however, the optimal convergence result is available only in the energy norm (or the equivalent Sobolev H1 norm). Very little progress has been made in the theoretical understanding of the l2 behaviour of this very successful algorithm. To add to the difficulty in developing a full l2 theory, in this note, we construct explicit examples and show that the optimal convergence of additive Schwarz preconditioned GMRES in l2 cannot be obtained using the existing GMRES theory. More precisely speaking, we show that the symmetric part of the preconditioned matrix, which plays a role in the Eisenstat,Elman,Schultz theory, has at least one negative eigenvalue, and we show that the condition number of the best possible eigenmatrix that diagonalizes the preconditioned matrix, key to the Saad,Schultz theory, is bounded from both above and below by constants multiplied by h,1/2. Here h is the finite element mesh size. The results presented in this paper are mostly negative, but we believe that the techniques used in our proofs may have wide applications in the further development of the l2 convergence theory and in other areas of domain decomposition methods. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Achieving Health Equity on a Global Scale through a Community-Based, Public Health Framework for ActionTHE JOURNAL OF LAW, MEDICINE & ETHICS, Issue 3 2010Laura Anderko Despite good intentions and decades of discussion addressing the need for transformative changes globally to reduce poverty and improve health equity, little progress has been made. A fundamental shift in framing the current conversation is critical to achieve "health for all," moving away from the traditional approaches that use the more narrowly focused medical model, which is intent on treating and curing disease. A public health framework for action is needed, which recognizes and confronts the complex, and often-times difficult-to-achieve social determinants of health. A restructuring of global health policy development and implementation will be ineffective unless key areas are addressed including primary education and the environment, in addition to economic considerations. A public health framework that embraces a community-based participatory approach would provide a comprehensive platform for identifying critical components that impact health, and for developing effective strategies for change. A participatory approach would encourage dialogue and problem-solving for region-specific issues among those most affected by the broader health and social justice issues, with those who create policy. [source] Health Care Information Technology in Rural America: Electronic Medical Record Adoption Status in Meeting the National AgendaTHE JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 2 2008James A. Bahensky MS ABSTRACT:,Continuing is a national political drive for investments in health care information technology (HIT) that will allow the transformation of health care for quality improvement and cost reduction. Despite several initiatives by the federal government to spur this development, HIT implementation has been limited, particularly in the rural market. The status of technology use in the transformation effort is reviewed by examining electronic medical records (EMRs), analyzing the existing rural environment, identifying barriers and factors affecting their development and implementation, and recommending needed steps to make this transformation occur, particularly in rural communities. A review of the literature for HIT in rural settings indicates that very little progress has been made in the adoption and use of HIT in rural America. Financial barriers and a large number of HIT vendors offering different solutions present significant risks to rural health care providers wanting to invest in HIT. Although evidence in the literature has demonstrated benefits of adopting HIT such as EMRs, important technical, policy, organizational, and financial barriers still exist that prevent the implementation of these systems in rural settings. To expedite the spread of HIT in rural America, federal and state governments along with private payers, who are important beneficiaries of HIT, must make difficult decisions as to who pays for the investment in this technology, along with driving standards, simplifying approaches for reductions in risk, and creating a workable operational plan. [source] Historical aspects, current status and prospects of pejerrey aquaculture in South AmericaAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 7 2008Gustavo M Somoza Abstract The pejerrey Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835) is an inland water fish from the Pampas region comprising part of Argentina, Uruguay and the South of Brazil. Pejerrey is a very popular fish in this region and has a long history of domestic and international introductions, which attests to the high quality and market value of its flesh, as well as its attractiveness as a game fish. The desirable characteristics of pejerrey also make it a good candidate for aquaculture, and the first trials on pejerrey cultivation (atheriniculture) were started more than a century ago in Argentina. In spite of the considerable interest in its development, little progress has been made and atheriniculture is still restricted to propagation and stocking for sport fishing purposes. In this review, we summarize the history of atheriniculture and the biological, technological, scientific, cultural and infrastructural constraints to pejerrey aquaculture development thus far. We also suggest possible scenarios of pejerrey aquaculture development compatible with the socio,economic conditions of South American countries. Our projections also take into consideration recent scientific findings on the biology of pejerrey and technological advances in seafood processing, storage and transportation, as well as the latest trends of seafood consumption and international markets. The best production strategy remains to be determined by trial and error but it is likely that, initially, production should focus on a differentiated, high-quality fish for the premium or international markets rather than attempting to compete with the cheap fish from natural sources. An international cooperation project with Japan has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of breeding pejerrey in captivity and mass producing seeds efficiently in Argentina, and has provided the foundation for the development of intensive and extensive farming of this species. [source] A Short History Of Nitroglycerine And Nitric Oxide In Pharmacology And PhysiologyCLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 4 2000Neville Marsh SUMMARY 1. Nitroglycerine (NG) was discovered in 1847 by Ascanio Sobrero in Turin, following work with Theophile-Jules Pelouze. Sobrero first noted the ,violent headache' produced by minute quantities of NG on the tongue. 2. Constantin Hering, in 1849, tested NG in healthy volunteers, observing that headache was caused with ,such precision'. Hering pursued NG (,glonoine') as a homeopathic remedy for headache, believing that its use fell within the doctrine of ,like cures like'. 3. Alfred Nobel joined Pelouze in 1851 and recognized the potential of NG. He began manufacturing NG in Sweden, overcoming handling problems with his patent detonator. Nobel suffered acutely from angina and was later to refuse NG as a treatment. 4. During the mid-19th century, scientists in Britain took an interest in the newly discovered amyl nitrite, recognized as a powerful vasodilator. Lauder Brunton, the father of modern pharmacology, used the compound to relieve angina in 1867, noting the pharmacological resistance to repeated doses. 5. William Murrell first used NG for angina in 1876, although NG entered the British Pharmacopoeia as a remedy for hypertension. William Martindale, the pharmaceutical chemist, prepared ,. . . a more stable and portable preparation': 1/100th of a grain in chocolate. 6. In the early 20th century, scientists worked on in vitro actions of nitrate-containing compounds although little progress was made towards understanding the cellular mode of action. 7. The NG industry flourished from 1900, exposing workers to high levels of organic nitrites; the phenomena of nitrate tolerance was recognized by the onset of ,Monday disease' and of nitrate-withdrawal/overcompensation by ,Sunday Heart Attacks'. 8. Ferid Murad discovered the release of nitric oxide (NO) from NG and its action on vascular smooth muscle (in 1977). Robert Furchgott and John Zawadski recognized the importance of the endothelium in acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation (in 1980) and Louis Ignarro and Salvador Moncada identified endothelial-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) as NO (in 1987). 9. Glycerol trinitrate remains the treatment of choice for relieving angina; other organic esters and inorganic nitrates are also used, but the rapid action of NG and its established efficacy make it the mainstay of angina pectoris relief. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||