scholarly journals Improving Disaster Data Systems to Inform Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building in Australia: A Comparison of Databases

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 511-518
Author(s):  
Joseph Cuthbertson ◽  
Frank Archer ◽  
Andy Robertson ◽  
Jose M. Rodriguez-Llanes
Keyword(s):  
Research Policy ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Disaster Prevention ◽  
Data Systems ◽  
Substantial Variation ◽  
Disaster Data ◽  
Emergency Events ◽  
Response Policy

AbstractObjective:Disaster impact databases are important resources for informing research, policy, and decision making. Therefore, understanding the underpinning methodology of data collection used by the databases, how they differ, and quality indicators of the data recorded is essential in ensuring that their use as reference points is valid.Methods:The Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub (AIDRKH) is an open-source platform supported by government to inform disaster management practice. A comparative descriptive review of the Disaster Mapper (hosted at AIDRKH) and the international Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) was undertaken to identify differences in how Australian disasters are captured and measured.Results:The results show substantial variation in identification and classification of disasters across hazard impacts and hazard types and a lack of data structure for the systematic reporting of contextual and impact variables.Conclusions:These differences may have implications for reporting, academic analysis, and thus knowledge management informing disaster prevention and response policy or plans. Consistency in reporting methods based on international classification standards is recommended to improve the validity and usefulness of this Australian database.

Discriminating arboviral species

2021 ◽  
Vol 102 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiyuan Li ◽  
Angela C. O’Donnell ◽  
Howard Ochman
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Species Concept ◽  
International Committee ◽  
Biological Species ◽  
Biological Species Concept ◽  
Substantial Variation ◽  
Artificial Boundaries ◽  
Human Infections

Mosquito-borne arboviruses, including a diverse array of alphaviruses and flaviviruses, lead to hundreds of millions of human infections each year. Current methods for species-level classification of arboviruses adhere to guidelines prescribed by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV), and generally apply a polyphasic approach that might include information about viral vectors, hosts, geographical distribution, antigenicity, levels of DNA similarity, disease association and/or ecological characteristics. However, there is substantial variation in the criteria used to define viral species, which can lead to the establishment of artificial boundaries between species and inconsistencies when inferring their relatedness, variation and evolutionary history. In this study, we apply a single, uniform principle – that underlying the Biological Species Concept (BSC) – to define biological species of arboviruses based on recombination between genomes. Given that few recombination events have been documented in arboviruses, we investigate the incidence of recombination within and among major arboviral groups using an approach based on the ratio of homoplastic sites (recombinant alleles) to non-homoplastic sites (vertically transmitted alleles). This approach supports many ICTV-designations but also recognizes several cases in which a named species comprises multiple biological species. These findings demonstrate that this metric may be applied to all lifeforms, including viruses, and lead to more consistent and accurate delineation of viral species.

Family-Focused Services for TANF Participants Facing Acute Barriers to Work: Pathways to Implementation

2018 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Stanczyk ◽  
Sarah Carnochan ◽  
Evelyn Hengeveld-Bidmon ◽  
Michael J. Austin
Keyword(s):  
Program Design ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Context ◽  
Structure Alignment ◽  
Welfare To Work ◽  
Human Service Agencies ◽  
Service Agencies ◽  
Temporary Assistance

In 2014, California implemented the Family Stabilization (FS) program within its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs). FS fills two key service gaps in TANF that have been identified in the literature—namely, addressing participant barriers to work and supporting child well-being. Research on programs addressing these gaps in TANF remains limited. This qualitative policy implementation study describes FS program design and implementation in 11 California county human service agencies and explores links to agency and community context. We find that state-encouraged flexibility resulted in three distinct approaches to FS services, staffing, and structure. Alignment between agency context and program design emerged as central to implementation decisions. These findings yield implications for research, policy, and management practice among welfare-to-work administrators.

scholarly journals Cutoff points of BMI for classification of nutritional status using bioelectrical impedance analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-30
Author(s):  
Mirele S. Mialich ◽  
Bruna R. Silva ◽  
Alceu A. Jordao
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis ◽  
Bioelectrical Impedance ◽  
Impedance Analysis ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
North India ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Cutoff Points

Abstract The objective of this study was to improve the cutoff points of the traditional classification of nutritional status and overweight / obesity based on the BMI in a Brazilian sample. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1301 individuals of both genders aged 18 to 60 years. The subjects underwent measurement of weight and height and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Simple linear regression was used for statistical analysis, with the level of significance set at p < 0.05. The sample consisted of 29.7% men and 70.3% women aged on averaged 35.7 ± 17.6 years; mean weight was 67.6 ± 16.0 kg, mean height was 164.9 ± 9.5 cm, and mean BMI was 24.9 ± 5.5 kg/m2. As expected, lower cutoffs were found for BMI than the classic reference points traditionally adopted by the WHO for the classification of obesity, i.e., 27.15 and 27.02 kg/m2 for obesity for men and women, respectively. Other authors also follow this tendency, Romero-Corral et al. (2008) suggested 25.8 to 25.5 kg/m2 for American men and women as new values for BMI classification of obesity. Gupta and Kapoor (2012) proposed 22.9 and 28.8 kg/m2 for men and women of North India. The present investigation supports other literature studies which converge in reducing the BMI cutoff points for the classification of obesity. Thus, we emphasize the need to conduct similar studies for the purpose of defining these new in populations of different ethnicities.

scholarly journals A Comparative Study of Plasma Proteins from Twenty-Nine Species of Albatrosses And Petrels (Order Procellariiformes)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Peter C Harper
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Proteins ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Evolutionary Significance ◽  
Group Level ◽  
Family Level ◽  
Phylogenetic Conservatism ◽  
History Of ◽  
Biochemical Research

<p>The plasma proteins of 29 species of albatrosses and petrels were electrophoretically separated in acrylamide gels to clarify relationships at the species-group to family-group levels. Little in the resulting data from 472 birds seriously contests the present classification of the Procellariiformes; much of the biochemical evidence supports, confirms, and clarifies the proposals of conventional taxonomic methodology. The biochemical data give fresh insights into the interrelationships of procellariiform taxa, and highlight intriguing new problems. Sex, season, age, and other sources of non-genetic protein variation are insignificant for taxonomic purposes. Proteins of comparable value include the transferrins, some α and β globulins, albumins, prealbumins, and non-specific esterases. Genetic variations in the mobility of these proteins are useful at the genus-group level and below. Other proteins are monomorphic at genus and family level, and three are monomorphic in both number and mobility throughout the Procellariiformes; these are useful reference points for calibrating samples on different gels. One conspicuous α protein is absent in the Hydrobatidae but present in all other families; the implications of this are discussed. Polymorphic proteins at the population or species level were not detected; this conspicuous phylogenetic conservatism is discussed with regard to its possible evolutionary significance. Following a summary of the protein data; three categories of, defined probability statements, based on the biochemical and other evidence, allow speculative comment on the evolutionary relationships and history of the taxa within the Procellariiformes. The value of further biochemical research into the marine birds is emphasised.</p>

Issues Involved in the Definition and Classification of Chronic Health Conditions

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 787-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen C. Perrin ◽  
Paul Newacheck ◽  
I. Barry Pless ◽  
Dennis Drotar ◽  
Steven L. Gortmaker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Use Of Medical Services

The need for a widely applicable definition of chronic conditions for research, policy, and program development has led to an extensive review of the development of such definitions, the considerations involved in their use, and some recommendations for a new approach. This paper examines some of the methodologic and conceptual issues related to defining and classifying chronic conditions and describes some consequences resulting from decisions made about these issues. While most examples are taken from child health applications, the basic concepts apply to all age groups. The dominant method for identifying and classifying children as having a chronic condition has relied on the presence of an individual health condition of lengthy duration. This condition-specific or "categorical" approach has increasingly seemed neither pragmatically nor conceptually sound. Thus, the development of a "generic" approach, which focuses on elements that are shared by many conditions, children, and families, is recommended. Such a definition might reflect the child's functional status or ongoing use of medical services over a specified time period. In addition, it is suggested that conditions be classified based on the experience of individual children, thus emphasizing the tremendous variability in expression of seemingly similar conditions.

Considering Context: An Integrative Concept for Promoting Outcomes in the Intellectual Disability Field

2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karrie A. Shogren
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Rapid Evolution ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Consensus Definition ◽  
Individuals With Disabilities ◽  
Diagnosis And Classification ◽  
Integrative Concept ◽  
Definition Of

Abstract In light of the rapid evolution of research, policy, and practice in the intellectual disability (ID) field resulting from shifts in our conceptualization of disability and in frameworks for the diagnosis and classification of ID, systematic consideration of the multiple, interrelated contextual factors that impact research, policy, and practice are necessary to achieve valued outcomes for individuals with disabilities, their families, and society. The purpose of this article is to introduce a recently developed consensus definition of context and elaborate on application of this definition to research, practice, and policy in the ID field, with a specific focus on how context may be able to serve as an integrative concept to support the attainment of valued outcomes in the disability field for individuals with disabilities, their families, and society.

scholarly journals Big Data System for Medical Images Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janusz Bobulski ◽  
Mariusz Kubanek
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Medical Images ◽  
Processing System ◽  
Large Data ◽  
Data Systems ◽  
Computer Data ◽  
Fast Processing ◽  
Big Data Systems

Big Data in medicine contains conceivably fast processing of large data volumes, alike new and old in perseverance associate the diagnosis and treatment of patients’ diseases. Backing systems for that kind activities may include pre-programmed rules based on data obtained from the medical interview, and automatic analysis of test diagnostic results will lead to classification of observations to a specific disease entity. The current revolution using Big Data significantly expands the role of computer science in achieving these goals, which is why we propose a computer data processing system using artificial intelligence to analyse and process medical images. We conducted research that confirms the need to use GPUs in Big Data systems that process medical images. The use of this type of processor increases system performance.

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