‘In a Mere Shirt and Capless’: The Uniform Crisis of the Polish Army During the Polish-Ukrainian-Bolshevik War 1918–21

This article presents issues relating to the uniforms of the Polish Army during the wars of 1918–21 in the context of the severe economic and epidemic crisis plaguing both the country and the region. Drawing on the accounts of participants and eyewitnesses of the war, and also by making recourse to the largely unpublished documents of the Sanitary Headquarters of the Polish Army Command-in-Chief, I look at the causes, scale and effects of the severe shortage of uniforms and equipment – shortages that would beset and plague Polish soldiers. The second part of the article presents institutional, top-down attempts to improve the situation involving substantial foreign procurements. Asking whether the crisis was ever truly resolved, the findings here offer ultimately a negative assessment of what ultimately transpired. The article’s final section indicates the relationship between the catastrophic situation regarding supplies and the threats posed by the Spanish flu and typhus.

MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL DURING COVID-19 NEED OF THE HOUR

As declared by WHO COVID-19 is a pandemic. Till date more than 34 million people are infected and more than 4.5 lakh died in India only. Such types of viral pandemics place us at a sustained demand of healthcare infrastructure for providing better health services to patients. Such demands lead to the development of situation where we need to be innovative and ready to work in limited resources setting for long duty hours. The purpose of makeshift COVID hospitals is to solve the severe shortage of hospital beds in India and providing good health care services to patients.

Evapotranspiration Components Dynamic of Highland Barley Using PML ET Product in Tibet

Highland barley is the unique germplasm resource and dominant crop in Tibet with low-level precipitation and a severe shortage of available water resources. Understanding the characteristics and dynamics of evapotranspiration (ET) components (vegetation transpiration (Ec), soil evaporation (Es), and canopy interception evaporation (Ei)) of highland barley can help better optimize water management practices. The seasonal and interannual variations in ET components of highland barley were investigated using the PML-V2 ET product during 2001–2020. The results suggested that Es was the most important ET component and accounted for 77% of total ET for highland barley in Tibet. ET components varied obviously over the altitude, Es, and Es/ET ratio; a decreasing trend was observed with the increase in altitude from 3500 m to 3800 m and then this changed to an increasing trend until reaching the altitude of 4100 m, while Ec, Ei, and their ratios presented an opposite changing pattern to that of Es. Seasonal variation in daily ET components of highland barley displayed a parabolic pattern, peaked in August, while the temporal distributions differed considerably among different ET component ratios. The seasonal variations in ET components were correlated significantly with air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation, while ET components ratios were more influenced by the environment, irrigation practice, and management rather than meteorological variables. Es and its ratio in highland barley decreased significantly during 2001–2020, while the Ec/ET ratio generally showed an opposite trend to the Es/ET ratio, and Ei and its ratio presented an insignificantly decreasing trend. The interannual variations in ET components were not correlated significantly with meteorological variables, while Ei was more influenced by meteorological variables, especially the precipitation characteristics.

Support for independence: Cross-generational Housing for Elderly & Millennial Students

<p>Statistics New Zealand estimates that by 2031, one in four Canterbury residents will be aged 65+ (Canterbury City Council). Accelerated ‘baby boomer’ population growth has shifted Christchurch’s current age distribution into a period of demographic transition. The implications of this shift means a likely increase in demand for “future proof” housing as dependency ratios accelerate beyond historic records (Davey 1). The term “future proof” factors in the rise in demand for accessible housing and potential for social isolation once an individual is widowed or physically impaired. Housing suitability is equally problematic for today’s millennial cohort. Rising rental prices and limited choice have also become a problem for Christchurch’s student population. Within this group, students at Christchurch’s main polytechnic (ARA) are of greatest concern due to a severe shortage of student accommodation. The institute currently offers 192 beds, a 267 per cent increase than what was available a year ago but an overflow of demand remains (Lee A1). This research proposes the establishment of an aged care facility, which incorporates student accommodation. Following a design-led research approach, this body of work has been developed by first identifying the problems faced by the client cohorts and then actively exploring possible solutions through design. These solutions are supplemented by a process of participatory observation. This involved moving in with my Nan for a period of 6 months. I actively recorded our experiences including the challenges and benefits found within this form of living. Designing an alternative that recognises the needs and wants of the baby boomer generation, could delay the need for social welfare intervention, while providing an option for students facing the harsh reality of New Zealand’s housing market.</p>

Support for independence: Cross-generational Housing for Elderly & Millennial Students

<p>Statistics New Zealand estimates that by 2031, one in four Canterbury residents will be aged 65+ (Canterbury City Council). Accelerated ‘baby boomer’ population growth has shifted Christchurch’s current age distribution into a period of demographic transition. The implications of this shift means a likely increase in demand for “future proof” housing as dependency ratios accelerate beyond historic records (Davey 1). The term “future proof” factors in the rise in demand for accessible housing and potential for social isolation once an individual is widowed or physically impaired. Housing suitability is equally problematic for today’s millennial cohort. Rising rental prices and limited choice have also become a problem for Christchurch’s student population. Within this group, students at Christchurch’s main polytechnic (ARA) are of greatest concern due to a severe shortage of student accommodation. The institute currently offers 192 beds, a 267 per cent increase than what was available a year ago but an overflow of demand remains (Lee A1). This research proposes the establishment of an aged care facility, which incorporates student accommodation. Following a design-led research approach, this body of work has been developed by first identifying the problems faced by the client cohorts and then actively exploring possible solutions through design. These solutions are supplemented by a process of participatory observation. This involved moving in with my Nan for a period of 6 months. I actively recorded our experiences including the challenges and benefits found within this form of living. Designing an alternative that recognises the needs and wants of the baby boomer generation, could delay the need for social welfare intervention, while providing an option for students facing the harsh reality of New Zealand’s housing market.</p>

Regenerating Former Military Sites in Italy. The Dichotomy between ‘Profit-Driven Spaces’ and ‘Urban Commons’

Within the last decades, the reorganisation of the Armed Force left many voids in the territories. Being located in highly lucrative and desirable locations, former military sites can be redeveloped into either profit-driven spaces or proper urban commons. This paper focuses the attention on the Italian case and scrutinises former military barracks in the dichotomies between the generation of profit-driven spaces and urban commons. Also, the analysis questions the actual role of these voids in guaranteeing the right to the city, especially in times of severe shortage of public resources to undertake urban regeneration processes.

Understanding the factors that affect the appropriateness of rheumatology referrals

Background Reducing inappropriate referrals to specialists is a challenge for the healthcare system as it seeks to transition from volume to value-based healthcare. Given the projection of a severe shortage of rheumatologists in the near future, innovative strategies to decrease demand for rheumatology services may prove more fruitful than increasing the supply of rheumatologists. Efforts to increase appropriate utilization through reductions in capacity may have the unintended consequence of reducing appropriate care as well. This highlights the challenges in increasing the appropriate use of high cost services as the health system transitions to value based care. The objective of this study was to analyze factors affecting appropriateness of rheumatology services. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of patients receiving Rheumatology services between November 2013 and October 2019. We used a proxy for “appropriateness”: whether or not there was any follow-up care after the first appointment. Results from regression analysis and physicians’ chart reviews were compared using an inter-rater reliability measure (kappa). Data was drawn from the EHR 2013–2019. Results We found that inappropriate referrals increased 14.3% when a new rheumatologist was hired, which increased to 14.8% after wash-out period of 6 months; 15.7% after 12 months; 15.5% after 18 months and 16.7% after 18 months. Other factors influencing appropriateness of referrals included severity of disease, gender and insurance type, but not specialty of referring provider. Conclusions Given the projection of a severe shortage of rheumatologists in the near future, innovative strategies to decrease demand for rheumatology services may prove more fruitful than increasing the supply of rheumatologists. Innovative strategies to decrease demand for rheumatology services may prove more fruitful than increasing the supply of rheumatologists. These findings may apply to other specialties as well. This study is relevant for health care systems that are implementing value-based payment models aimed at reducing inappropriate care.

Exploring the issue of asymmetry in analysing educational poverty using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)

This article discusses the issue of conceptual asymmetry and associated analytical challenges, with the concept of educational poverty serving as an empirical example. The notion of educational poverty has been introduced by Allmendinger to describe, analogously to material poverty, a severe shortage or complete lack of educational qualifications. Poverty may be considered to be the opposite of wealth, but absence of poverty is not so obviously the same thing as wealth – in fact, it almost certainly is not. Neither is absence of wealth the same thing as poverty. However, both poverty and wealth are measured using the same raw measure, monetary resources in the case of material poverty or wealth and educational certificates in the case of educational poverty or wealth. This asymmetry and related issues lead to interesting conceptual and methodological challenges in analysing factors contributing to the twin outcomes of educational poverty and wealth, as well as the absence of each. These conceptual or methodological challenges are the focus of this article. Given that both poverty and wealth are experienced by only a minority of individuals, the article also addresses the question of whether explaining relatively rare events requires a different approach than explaining more commonly occurring events or outcomes. The analysis of asymmetry requires the use of a method which is able to distinguish between the presence of an outcome and its absence. This capability is one of the features of Qualitative Comparative Analysis, making it an eminently suitable method for this issue. The empirical example draws on the German National Educational Panel Study. The analyses focus on the four outcomes of educational poverty and its absence and educational wealth and its absence, demonstrating that different pathways are associated with each.

Treatment administered to newborns with congenital syphilis during a penicillin shortage in 2015, Fortaleza, Brazil

Background Between 2014 and 2016, Brazil experienced a severe shortage in penicillin supply, resulting in a lack of treatment among some pregnant women and newborns with syphilis and the use of non-evidence-based regimens. This study evaluated all live births in Fortaleza reported with CS in 2015 in order to identify the different therapeutic regimens used in newborns during this period of penicillin shortage. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study design was conducted using manually extracted data from medical chart review of maternal and infant cases delivered in 2015 from all public maternity hospitals in the city of Fortaleza. Data collection occurred from June 2017 to July 2018. Results A total of 575 congenital syphilis cases were reported to the municipality of Fortaleza during 2015 and 469 (81.5%) were analyzed. Of these, only 210 (44.8%) were treated with a nationally-recommended treatment. As alternative therapeutic options, ceftriaxone was used in 65 (13.8%), Cefazolin in 15 (3.2%) and the combination of more than one drug in 179 (38.2%). Newborns with serum VDRL titers ≥1:16 (p = 0.021), who had some clinical manifestation at birth (p = 0.003), who were born premature (p < 0.001), with low birth weight (p = 0.010), with jaundice indicative of the need for phototherapy (p = 0.019) and with hepatomegaly (p = 0.045) were more likely to be treated with penicillin according to national treatment guidelines compared to newborns treated with other regimens. Conclusion During the period of shortage of penicillin in Fortaleza, less than half of the infants reported with CS were treated with a nationally-recommended regimen, the remaining received treatment with medications available in the hospital of birth including drugs that are not part of nationally or internationally-recommended treatment recommendations.

Understanding the Factors that Affect the Appropriateness of Rheumatology Referrals

Background: Reducing inappropriate referrals to specialists is a challenge for the healthcare system as it seeks to transition from volume to value-based healthcare. Given the projection of a severe shortage of rheumatologists in the near future, innovative strategies to decrease demand for rheumatology services may prove more fruitful than increasing the supply of rheumatologists. Efforts to increase appropriate utilization through reductions in capacity may have the unintended consequence of reducing appropriate care as well. This highlights the challenges in increasing the appropriate use of high cost services as the health system transitions to value based care. The objective of this study was to analyze factors affecting appropriateness of rheumatology services.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of patients receiving Rheumatology services between November 2013 and October 2019. We used a proxy for “appropriateness”: whether or not there was any follow-up care after the first appointment. Results from regression analysis and physicians’ chart reviews were compared using an inter-rater reliability measure (kappa). Data was drawn from the EHR 2013-2019. Results: We found that inappropriate referrals increased 14.3% when a new rheumatologist was hired, which increased to 14.8% after wash-out period of 6 months; 15.7% after 12 months; 15.5% after 18 months and 16.7% after 18 months. Other factors influencing appropriateness of referrals included severity of disease, gender and insurance type, but not specialty of referring provider. Conclusions: Given the projection of a severe shortage of rheumatologists in the near future, innovative strategies to decrease demand for rheumatology services may prove more fruitful than increasing the supply of rheumatologists. Innovative strategies to decrease demand for rheumatology services may prove more fruitful than increasing the supply of rheumatologists. These findings may apply to other specialties as well. This study is relevant for health care systems that are implementing value-based payment models aimed at reducing inappropriate care.