scholarly journals An evidence- and risk-based approach to a harmonized laboratory alert list in Australia and New Zealand

2018 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig A. Campbell ◽  
Que Lam ◽  
Andrea R. Horvath
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Working Party ◽  
Worked Example ◽  
Decision Points ◽  
Risk Result ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Assessing Method ◽  
Alert Threshold

Abstract Individual laboratories are required to compose an alert list for identifying critical and significant risk results. The high-risk result working party of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) and the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB) has developed a risk-based approach for a harmonized alert list for laboratories throughout Australia and New Zealand. The six-step process for alert threshold identification and assessment involves reviewing the literature, rating the available evidence, performing a risk analysis, assessing method transferability, considering workload implications and seeking endorsement from stakeholders. To demonstrate this approach, a worked example for deciding the upper alert threshold for potassium is described. The findings of the worked example are for infants aged 0–6 months, a recommended upper potassium alert threshold of >7.0 mmol/L in serum and >6.5 mmol/L in plasma, and for individuals older than 6 months, a threshold of >6.2 mmol/L in both serum and plasma. Limitations in defining alert thresholds include the lack of well-designed studies that measure the relationship between high-risk results and patient outcomes or the benefits of treatment to prevent harm, and the existence of a wide range of clinical practice guidelines with conflicting decision points at which treatment is required. The risk-based approach described presents a transparent, evidence- and consensus-based methodology that can be used by any laboratory when designing an alert list for local use. The RCPA-AACB harmonized alert list serves as a starter set for further local adaptation or adoption after consultation with clinical users.

scholarly journals Post-earthquake co-ordination of technical resources

1996 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 280-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Brunsdon ◽  
A. W. Charleson ◽  
A. B. King ◽  
D. A. Middleton ◽  
R. D. Sharpe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Safety Evaluation ◽  
Working Party ◽  
The Body ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Group Activities ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Critical Issues

During 1996, the Management Committee of the Society considered where emphasis should be placed in the future in terms of its study group activities. This strategic review highlighted the important role that the Society and its members will be asked to play following a major earthquake in New Zealand. However the effective response of Society members, many of whom have gained valuable "real" post-earthquake experience from the Society's reconnaissance visits, would be severely limited by the current absence of an effective co-ordination framework. The Post-earthquake Response of Structural Engineers Study Group has made a significant contribution in this area, culminating in its recent draft building safety evaluation procedures for territorial authorities. However a wide range of additional procedures and frameworks have also been identified as being required, many of which are outside the customary scope of study group activities. This paper outlines the formation of a Working Party on Integrated Planning for Earthquake Preparedness by the Society, and backgrounds the critical issues associated with the post-earthquake co-ordination of scarce technical resources. Proposals for participation by the Society in a concerted approach to addressing these problems are presented. The body of this paper has been circulated to a wide range of involved agencies, including all territorial authorities in New Zealand and central government representatives.

Natural enemies of bridal creeper Asparagus asparagoides in New Zealand

2008 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 362-367
Author(s):  
H.M. Harman ◽  
N.W. Waipara ◽  
C.J. Winks ◽  
L.A. Smith ◽  
P.G. Peterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Invertebrate Fauna ◽  
Classical Biocontrol ◽  
Wide Range

Bridal creeper is a weed of natural and productive areas in the northern North Island of New Zealand A classical biocontrol programme was initiated in 20052007 with a survey of invertebrate fauna and pathogens associated with the weed in New Zealand Although bridal creeper was attacked by a wide range of generalist invertebrates their overall damage affected

scholarly journals What Is New in the Treatment of Smoldering Multiple Myeloma?

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 421
Author(s):  
Niccolo’ Bolli ◽  
Nicola Sgherza ◽  
Paola Curci ◽  
Rita Rizzi ◽  
Vanda Strafella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Myeloma ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Early Treatment ◽  
Individual Case ◽  
Symptomatic Disease ◽  
Plasma Cell Neoplasm ◽  
Smoldering Multiple Myeloma ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Critical Issues

Smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM), an asymptomatic plasma cell neoplasm, is currently diagnosed according to the updated IMWG criteria, which reflect an intermediate tumor mass between monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and active MM. However, SMM is a heterogeneous entity and individual case may go from an “MGUS-like” behavior to “early MM” with rapid transformation into symptomatic disease. This wide range of clinical outcomes poses challenges for prognostication and management of individual patients. However, initial studies showed a benefit in terms of progression or even survival for early treatment of high-risk SMM patients. While outside of clinical trials the conventional approach to SMM generally remains that of close observation, these studies raised the question of whether early treatment should be offered in high-risk patients, prompting evaluation of several different therapeutic approaches with different goals. While delay of progression to MM with a non-toxic treatment is clearly achievable by early treatment, a convincing survival benefit still needs to be proven by independent studies. Furthermore, if SMM is to be considered less biologically complex than MM, early treatment may offer the chance of cure that is currently not within reach of any active MM treatment. In this paper, we present updated results of completed or ongoing clinical trials in SMM treatment, highlighting areas of uncertainty and critical issues that will need to be addressed in the near future before the “watch and wait” paradigm in SMM is abandoned in favor of early treatment.

scholarly journals Problem-Orientated Antenatal Notekeeping: A Useful Primary Health Care Tool

Curationis ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
J.V. Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Obstetric Care ◽  
Antenatal Screening ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Risk Patients

It has recently been demonstrated that about 56 percent of patients delivering in a rural obstetric unit had significant risk factors, and that 85 percent of these could have been detected by meticulous antenatal screening before the onset of labour. These figures show that the average rural obstetric unit in South Africa is dealing with a large percentage of high risk patients. In this work, it is hampered by: 1. Communications problems: i.e. bad roads, long distances. and unpredictable telephones. 2. A serious shortage of medical staff resulting in primary obstetric care being delivered by midwives with minimal medical supervision.

scholarly journals O2B.3 Work related stress for new zealand workers in high risk sectors: what can we learn from a demographic analysis?

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A15.1-A15
Author(s):  
Kirsten Lovelock ◽  
Trang Khieu
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
Work Related Stress ◽  
Safety Attitudes ◽  
Work Related ◽  
High Staff Turnover ◽  
Related Stress

The physical and psychological outcomes of work related stress place a burden on individuals, their families, workplaces and communities. Work related stress is a health and socio-economic and political problem. It reduces work performance; drives higher rates of absenteeism or sick leave; can increase rates of injury; prompt high staff turnover; and, can prompt poor health behaviours such as excessive drinking or taking of drugs. The research record focussing on work related stress in New Zealand (NZ) is small and uneven, but growing. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of work-related stress among workers by a set of demographic characteristics. The study used data from the Health and Safety Attitudes and Behaviour Survey (HSABS) 2016. A total of 2190 workers in the four high risk industries (agriculture, forestry, construction and manufacturing) were interviewed about their perceptions towards work-related stress. Weighting was conducted to control inherent biases. Differences between workers were examined by age, sex, ethnicity, qualifications and migrant factors (e.g. being born in NZ or arriving in NZ within five years). Overall, 11% of workers responded that they had experienced with work-related stress in the last 12 months. Work-related stress was more statistically prevalent among people from 25 to 34 years of age or those having a bachelor’s degree. Also, people being females or Maori or not born in NZ or first arrived in NZ in the last five years were more likely to have work-related stress. Findings from the study could allow better targeted and informed psychosocial health interventions to be implemented at workplace.

scholarly journals Risk Factors and Prediction Models for Venous Thromboembolism in Ambulatory Patients with Lung Cancer

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 778
Author(s):  
Ann-Rong Yan ◽  
Indira Samarawickrema ◽  
Mark Naunton ◽  
Gregory M. Peterson ◽  
Desmond Yip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Venous Thromboembolism ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Risk Models ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Ambulatory Patients

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of mortality in patients with lung cancer. Despite the availability of a wide range of anticoagulants to help prevent thrombosis, thromboprophylaxis in ambulatory patients is a challenge due to its associated risk of haemorrhage. As a result, anticoagulation is only recommended in patients with a relatively high risk of VTE. Efforts have been made to develop predictive models for VTE risk assessment in cancer patients, but the availability of a reliable predictive model for ambulate patients with lung cancer is unclear. We have analysed the latest information on this topic, with a focus on the lung cancer-related risk factors for VTE, and risk prediction models developed and validated in this group of patients. The existing risk models, such as the Khorana score, the PROTECHT score and the CONKO score, have shown poor performance in external validations, failing to identify many high-risk individuals. Some of the newly developed and updated models may be promising, but their further validation is needed.

The State of the Art of Rubber-Seal Technology

1987 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. S. Nau
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Test Procedure ◽  
Working Party ◽  
The State ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Lip Seals ◽  
Alternative Hypotheses ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
Range Of Values

Abstract The understanding of the engineering fundamentals of rubber seals of all the various types has been developing gradually over the past two or three decades, but there is still much to understand, Tables V–VII summarize the state of the art. In the case of rubber-based gaskets, the field of high-temperature applications has scarcely been touched, although there are plans to initiate work in this area both in the U.S.A. at PVRC, and in the U.K., at BHRA. In the case of reciprocating rubber seals, a broad basis of theory and experiment has been developed, yet it still is not possible to design such a seal from first principles. Indeed, in a comparative series of experiments run recently on seals from a single batch, tested in different laboratories round the world to the same test procedure, under the aegis of an ISO working party, a very wide range of values was reported for leakage and friction. The explanation for this has still to be ascertained. In the case of rotary lip seals, theories and supporting evidence have been brought forward to support alternative hypotheses for lubrication and sealing mechanisms. None can be said to have become generally accepted, and it remains to crystallize a unified theory.

The Australia and New Zealand v Japan Southern Bluefin Tuna (Jurisdiction and Admissibility) Award of the First Law of the Sea Convention Annex VII Arbitral Tribunal

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Kwiatkowska
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Bluefin Tuna ◽  
Fundamental Principle ◽  
Law Of The Sea ◽  
Arbitral Tribunal ◽  
Compulsory Arbitration ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Future ◽  
Questions And Answers ◽  
Southern Bluefin Tuna

AbstractThe Southern Bluefin Tuna (Jurisdiction and Admissihilily) Award of 4 August 2000 marked the first instance of the application of compulsory arbitration under Part XV, Section 2 of the 1982 UN Law of the Sea Convention and of the exercise by the Annex VII Tribunal of la compétence de la compétence pursuant to Article 288(4) over the merits of the instant dispute. The 72-paragraph Award is a decision of pronounced procedural complexity and significant multifaceted impacts of which appreciation requires an in-depth acquaintance with procedural issues of peaceful settlement of disputes in general and the-law-of-the-sea-related disputes in particular. Therefore, the article surveys first the establishment of and the course of proceedings before the five-member Annex VII Arbitral Tribunal, presided over by the immediate former ICJ President, Judge Stephen M. Schwebel, and also comprising Judges Keith, Yamada. Feliciano and Tresselt. Subsequently, the wide range of specific paramount questions and answers of the Tribunal are scrutinised against the background of arguments advanced by the applicants (Australia and New Zealand) and the respondent (Japan) during both written and oral pleadings, including in reliance on the extensive ICJ jurisprudence and treaty practice concerned. On this basis, the article turns to an appraisal of the impacts of the Arbitral Tribunal's paramount holdings and its resultant dismissal of jurisdiction with the scrupulous regard for the fundamental principle of consensuality. Amongst such direct impacts as between the parties to the instant case, the inducements provided by the Award to reach a successful settlement in the future are of particular importance. The Award's indirect impacts concern exposition of the paramount doctrine of parallelism between the umbrella UN Convention and many compatible (fisheries, environmental and other) treaties, as well as of multifaceted, both substantial and procedural effects of that parallelism. All those contributions will importantly guide other courts and tribunals seised in the future under the Convention's Part XV, Section 2.

Ustilago hypodytes. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].

1984 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. M. Mordue
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
North America ◽  
South America ◽  
Root System ◽  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Meristematic Tissue ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Vegetative Multiplication ◽  
Established Infection

Abstract A description is provided for Ustilago hypodytes. Information is included on the disease caused by the organism, its transmission, geographical distribution, and hosts. HOSTS: A wide range of grasses, including species of Agropyron (many), Ammophila, Brachypodium, Bromus, Calamagrostis, Diplachne, Distichlis, Elymus (many), Festuca, Glyceria, Hilaria, Hordeum, Haynaldia, Lygeum, Melica, Orysopsis, Panicum, Phalaris, Phleum, Poa (many), Puccinellia, Secale, Sitanion, Sporobolus, Stipa (many), and Trisetum. DISEASE: Stem smut of grasses. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: Chiefly a temperate species found in Europe (including Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USSR, Yugoslavia) and North America (Canada, USA) and extending to central and South America (Argentina, Peru, Uruguay), N. Africa (Libya, Morocco, Tunisia), Japan, Australia and New Zealand. TRANSMISSION: Not fully understood, though inoculation experiments have demonstrated that infection occurs in mature vegetative plants (possibly through meristematic tissue), not seeds or flowers (22, 240; 24, 511). Once established, infection is systemic, probably overwintering in the root system and spreading by vegetative multiplication of host plants as well as from plant to plant (24, 511; 19, 720).

scholarly journals Polyamine Metabolism and Gene Methylation in Conjunction with One-Carbon Metabolism

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 3106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuniyasu Soda
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Carbon Metabolism ◽  
Methylation Status ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Dna Methyltransferases ◽  
Polyamine Metabolism ◽  
Methyl Group ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
One Carbon Metabolism

Recent investigations have revealed that changes in DNA methylation status play an important role in aging-associated pathologies and lifespan. The methylation of DNA is regulated by DNA methyltransferases (DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b) in the presence of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), which serves as a methyl group donor. Increased availability of SAM enhances DNMT activity, while its metabolites, S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine (SAH) and decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine (dcSAM), act to inhibit DNMT activity. SAH, which is converted from SAM by adding a methyl group to cytosine residues in DNA, is an intermediate precursor of homocysteine. dcSAM, converted from SAM by the enzymatic activity of adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, provides an aminopropyl group to synthesize the polyamines spermine and spermidine. Increased homocysteine levels are a significant risk factor for the development of a wide range of conditions, including cardiovascular diseases. However, successful homocysteine-lowering treatment by vitamins (B6, B12, and folate) failed to improve these conditions. Long-term increased polyamine intake elevated blood spermine levels and inhibited aging-associated pathologies in mice and humans. Spermine reversed changes (increased dcSAM, decreased DNMT activity, aberrant DNA methylation, and proinflammatory status) induced by the inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase. The relation between polyamine metabolism, one-carbon metabolism, DNA methylation, and the biological mechanism of spermine-induced lifespan extension is discussed.

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