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This research considers how public good characteristics of different types of research and development (R&D) and the motivations of different providers of R&D funding affect the relative advantages of alternative funding sources. We summarize the public good characteristics of R&D for agriculture in general and for commodity and subsistence crops in particular, as well as R&D for health in general and for neglected diseases in particular, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Finally, we present rationales for which funders are predicted to fund which R&D types based on these funder and R&D characteristics. We then compile available statistics on funding for agricultural and health R&D from private, public and philanthropic sources, and compare trends in funding from these sources against expectations. We find private agricultural R&D spending focuses on commodity crops (as expected). However contrary to expectations we find public and philanthropic spending also goes largely towards these same crops rather than staples not targeted by private funds. For health R&D private funders similarly concentrate on diseases with higher potential financial returns. However unlike in agricultural R&D, in health R&D we observe some specialization across funders – especially for neglected diseases R&D - consistent with funders’ expected relative advantages.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 12% of adults now report having a mobile money account, representing over a quarter of the share of those who have any kind of financial account at all. As mobile money expands, there is interest in how regulatory frameworks develop to support digital financial services (DFS) and also support broader financial inclusion. In theory, protecting consumers from risk, and ensuring that they have the information and understanding required to make informed decisions, may increase their confidence and trust in mobile money systems, leading to higher adoption and usage rates. However, consumer protection regulations may also carry certain trade-offs in terms of cost, usage, and innovation. The challenge, according to proponents of consumer protection, is to develop regulations that promote access and innovation, yet still offer an acceptable level of consumer protection. We review the literature on consumer protection institutions and regulatory documents for DFS (particularly mobile money) in 22 developing countries, and identify examples of specific consumer protection regulations relevant to mobile money in each country.
In this report, we analyze the evidence that improved and expanded access to financial services can be a pathway out of poverty in Bangladesh and Tanzania. A brief background review of finance and poverty reduction evidence at the country, household, and individual level emphasizes the importance of a functioning financial system and the need to remove individual and household barriers to capital accumulation. We follow with an in-depth literature review on studies that link poverty reduction in Bangladesh or Tanzania with one or more of five financial intervention categories: remittances; government subsidies; conditional and unconditional cash transfers; credit; and combination programs. The resulting empirical evidence from these sources reveal a high share (61%) of positive reported associations between a financial intervention and outcome measure related to our five chosen financial interventions. The remaining studies found insignificant or mixed associations, but very few (3 out of 56) indicate that access to a financial mechanism was associated with worsened poverty. The heterogeneity of study types and interventions makes it difficult to draw conclusions about the efficacy of one intervention over another, and more research is needed on whether such approaches constitute a durable, long-term exit from poverty.
Common aid allocation formulas incorporate measures of income per capita but not measures of poverty, likely based on the assumption that rising average incomes are associated with reduced poverty. If declining poverty is the outcome of interest, however, the case of Nigeria illustrates that such aid allocation formulas could lead to poorly targeted or inefficient aid disbursements. Using data from the World Bank and the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics, we find that while the relationship between economic growth and poverty in Nigeria varies depending on the time period studied, overall from 1992-2009 Nigeria’s poverty rate has only declined by 6% despite a 70% increase in per capita gross domestic product (GDP). A review of the literature indicates that income inequality, the prominence of the oil sector, unemployment, corruption, and poor education and health in Nigeria may help to explain the pattern of high ongoing poverty rates in the country even in the presence of economic growth. Our analysis is limited by substantial gaps in the availability of quality data on measures of poverty and economic growth in Nigeria, an issue also raised in the literature we reviewed, but our findings support arguments that economic growth should not be assumed to lead to poverty reduction and that the relationship between these outcomes likely depends on contextual factors.
Household survey data are a key source of information for policy-makers at all levels. In developing countries, household data are commonly used to target interventions and evaluate progress towards development goals. The World Bank’s Living Standards Measurement Study - Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) are a particularly rich source of nationally-representative panel data for six Sub-Saharan African countries: Ethiopia, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. To help understand how these data are used, EPAR reviewed the existing literature referencing the LSMS-ISA and identified 415 publications, working papers, reports, and presentations with primary research based on LSMS-ISA data. We find that use of the LSMS-ISA has been increasing each year since the first survey waves were made available in 2009, with several universities, multilateral organizations, government offices, and research groups across the globe using the data to answer questions on agricultural productivity, farm management, poverty and welfare, nutrition, and several other topics.
Water is a critical input for significantly enhancing smallholder farmer productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where less than 5% of farm land is irrigated, and in India where 42% of farm land is irrigated. For many years, donors have invested in human-powered treadle pump technologies as a point of entry for smallholder farmers unable to afford motorized pumps. In spite of some successes in treadle pump promotion, however, there is a widespread perception that as soon as smallholder farmers can afford to they quickly transition to motorized diesel- powered pumps. While diesel pumps substantially ease farmers’ workload, they pollute excessively (both in terms of local air quality and greenhouse gas emissions), pump excessive amounts of water, and put farmers at the mercy of cyclical spikes in fuel prices. This brief provides an overview of state-of-the-art alternative energy pumps, including technologies available and implementation lessons learned from China, India, Africa, South America and other regions. Through a literature review, written surveys and phone interviews with water pump producers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) we evaluate the availability, affordability, and adoption rates of alternative energy technologies in developing countries. Our findings suggest that no single alternative energy water pumping system is a “silver bullet” for rural smallholder irrigation needs. Biofuels may prove a successful short- to intermediate-term solution for farmers who already have access to diesel pumps, but other problems associated with diesel engines, including high maintenance costs and excessive water use remain even when biofuels are used. Solar systems eliminate pollution almost entirely, reduce water consumption, and eliminate the need to purchase fuels. However solar systems are typically prohibitively expensive for smallholder farmers. Wind powered pumping solutions have not proven successful to date, with high costs and irregular wind patterns (either too little or too much wind) proving substantial barriers to widespread adoption.
The purpose of this literature review is to examine research and decision-making tools that model the impacts of agricultural interventions. We begin with a short explanation of what model features are being described. We then review decision-support tools and user-end modeling tools (menu-driven tools with an interface designed for easy use), as well as academic and professional research models for assessing the potential impacts of agricultural interventions. This review also includes decision tools and models for analyzing agricultural and environmental policies outside of technology impacts in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The other tools mentioned here, for example a tool that considers nutritional intervention impacts, are included to help provide a broader understanding of the structure and availability of user-end, decision-making tools. In the final section of this brief, we review the most complex models used more in academic research than for in-field decision-making.
Market-oriented agricultural production can be a mechanism to increase smallholder farmer welfare, rural market performance, and contribute to overall economic growth. Cash crop production can allow households to increase their income by producing output with higher returns to land and labor and using the income generated from sales to purchase goods for consumption. However, in the face of missing and underperforming markets, African smallholder households are often unable to produce efficiently or obtain staple foods reliably and cheaply. This literature review summarizes the available literature on the impact of smallholder participation in cash crop and export markets on household welfare and rural markets. The review focuses exclusively on evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa regarding top and emerging export crops, with the addition of tobacco and horticulture due to the volume of research relevant to smallholder welfare gains from the production of these crops. It includes theoretical frameworks, case studies, empirical evidence, and historical analysis from 42 primary empirical studies and 112 resources overall.
Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems, such as provisioning of fresh water, food, feed, fiber, biodiversity, energy, and nutrient cycling. Agricultural production can substantially affect the functioning of ecosystems, both positively and negatively. The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the impacts of agricultural technologies and practices on ecosystem services such as soil fertility, water, biodiversity, air, and climate. The report describes the environmental impacts of different aspects of intensive cropping practices and of inputs associated with intensification. We further explore these impacts by examining intensive rice systems and industrial crop processing. Although this report focuses on the impacts of agricultural practices on the environment, many of the practices also have implications for plant, animal, and human health. Farmers and others who come in contact with air, water, and soils polluted by chemical fertilizers and pesticides may face negative health consequences, for instance. By impacting components of the ecosystem, these practices affect the health of plants and animals living within the ecosystem. We find that the unintended environmental consequences of intensive agricultural practices and inputs are varied and potentially severe. In some cases, sustaining or increasing agricultural productivity depends upon reducing impacts to the environment, such as maintaining productive soils by avoiding salinization from irrigation water. However, in other cases, eliminating negative environmental impacts may involve unacceptable trade-offs with food provision or other development goals. Determining the appropriate balance of costs and benefits from intensive agricultural practices is a location-specific exercise requiring knowledge of natural, economic, and social conditions.
Over the past several decades, donors, multilateral organizations and governments have invested substantial resources in developing and disseminating improved varieties of sorghum and millet in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Researchers believe that sorghum and millet have the ability to improve food security and mitigate the influence of climate change on food production for some of the most vulnerable populations. As a result, agricultural scientists have focused on developing improved cultivars to increase the relative benefits of these two crops and disseminate this technology to a larger number of farmers. This report provides an overview of the development and dissemination of improved sorghum and millet cultivars, factors that influence the adoption of improved cultivars among farmers in SSA, and examples of interventions designed to encourage adoption in SSA. We find that while national governments and international research institutes have successfully developed a number of improved sorghum and millet cultivars, adoption rates in SSA (particularly in West and Central Africa) are low. The literature suggests that overall efforts have increased adoption rates, but at varying costs. | https://evans.uw.edu/policy-impact/epar/research?amp%3Bf%5B1%5D=field_epar_research_topic%3A298&%3Bamp%3Bf%5B1%5D=field_epar_dataset%3A278&f%5B0%5D=field_epar_pub_year%3A315&f%5B1%5D=field_epar_research_topic%3A300&f%5B2%5D=field_epar_pub_year%3A321&f%5B3%5D=field_epar_research_topic%3A294&f%5B4%5D=field_epar_type_of_research%3A323 |
With Democratic nominee Joe Biden set to assume the US presidency in January, many supporters of sustainable investing and climate action have rejoiced. Biden has pledged to bring the US back into the Paris Agreement, re-joining almost 200 other countries. He has also outlined an ambitious green investment agenda that aims for the US to achieve a 100% clean energy economy and reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050. While this seems the direction of travel, how much he’ll be able to achieve – and how fast – will depend on how a likely ‘divided blue’ government manages to muster broader congressional support.
Companies aligned to a sustainable future and sustainable investing as an investment discipline are likely to benefit. We take this timely opportunity to outline a simple, yet effective, lifestyle and investment framework in pursuit of climate neutrality. Our work highlights investment opportunities in low-carbon equities and green bonds, as well as the value of verified emission certificates.
In recent years a raft of high-profile climate-related organisations and initiatives have been developed, including the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, the Paris Agreement and the forthcoming EU sustainable finance regulation. We think there are three strategies that individuals and investors can employ to reduce their emissions and support climate neutrality – reduce, transform and remove.
|Consume fewer resources, create less waste and substitute products and services||Innovate by adopting and funding new sources of energy, supporting new technologies and re-engineering supply chains through a circular economy||Actively remove CO2 from the earth’s atmosphere by ecological or engineering methods|
Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is a simple and effective concept. Consuming fewer resources, creating less waste, and making substitutions all contribute to reduced emissions.
As individuals, in terms of lifestyle, major CO2 contributions include our choice of ground transportation, propensity to utilise air travel and dietary habits.
From an investment perspective we can measure the carbon emissions from corporations and then compute an investors’ share of, or ‘responsibility’ for, them. Figures depend on the breadth of activities examined and are categorised with ‘scopes’ by the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.
Scope 1 emissions are emissions from sources owned or controlled by the company, typically direct combustion of fuel in a furnace or vehicle. Scope 2 emissions are broader and include those caused by the generation of electricity purchased by the company. Scope 3 emissions are broader still and include an array of indirect emissions from activities such as business travel, distribution of products by third parties, and downstream use of a company’s products (i.e. by customers and ‘end-of-life’/disposal activities). The investment industry often utilises Scope 1 and Scope 2 for its analysis.
Carbon calculations can contextualise emissions (as measured by tons of CO2) by comparing absolute figures to revenue – often called intensity – or by comparing absolute figures to the value of the firm (either market capitalisation or enterprise value) to ascertain the share of emissions that the investor is ‘responsible’ for (Figure 1).
Low-emission investment strategies draw on these methodologies and can be either unconstrained or optimised. Unconstrained strategies underweight high-emission industries without regard for the resulting sector and style biases. They posit that high-emission industries will underperform low-emission industries. Optimised strategies use quantitative techniques to limit sector and style biases, ensuring that a low-emission strategy can deliver comparable returns to conventional strategies while being “responsible” for significantly lower emissions. The popular MSCI Low Carbon Target family of indexes follows an optimised approach and has, historically, consistently delivered comparable returns to conventional strategies with a 60% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions (Figures 2 and 3).
An illustrative example of an investor’s ‘responsibility’ for carbon emissions
Source: Quintet
The path to climate neutrality requires our society and economy to transform. It’s essential to innovate with new sources of energy, fund new technologies and re-engineer supply chains through a circular economy.
As individuals, in terms of lifestyle, we can transform our economy through our choice of domestic energy source, our adoption of travel alternatives, such as video conferences, and support for business strategies, such as remote working.
From an investment perspective, we can fund transformative projects and technologies that are facilitating a low-emission future. Potential investments span the asset class spectrum, from venture capital to private equity and debt, as well as public markets.
Within the public markets, green bonds are an effective and transparent dedicated asset to finance transformation (Figure 4). Green bonds are debt instruments where the proceeds are exclusively used to fund green projects. Each entity issuing a green bond produces a report detailing how the money is spent and what solutions and impacts are. According to the climate bond initiative, the current size of the green bond market is almost USD1 trillion.
We believe that the green bond market is now deep enough to run a full investment grade credit portfolio, with suitable diversification across sectors and tenors. This is an important step in mainstreaming sustainable investing.
Optimised low-carbon indices typically deliver conventional performance (net performance, rebased to 100)
Source: Quintet, MSCI
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
Investing can make a difference when it’s targeted
USD 1 million invested in low-carbon equities produces circa 22t CO2/year
That is 57% less than conventional global diversifies equities
Source: MSCI Scope 1 and 2 emissions
Green bonds are one of the most efficient ways to invest sustainably
Source: Quintet, Climate Bonds Initiative
The emerging frontier in pursuit of climate neutrality is carbon removal. For individuals, the most accessible carbon removal technology is tree growing. During photosynthesis, trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, and use it to build new materials – such as trunks, stems and roots.
From an investment perspective a range of opportunities exist, predominantly in the private markets. They include carbon capture and storage (CCS), which seeks to capture carbon from large point sources, such as a cement factory or biomass power station, to the emerging direct air capture (DAC) technology that seeks to “suck” carbon out of ambient air.
At present the most scalable removal techniques are voluntary emission reductions (VERs), commonly called carbon credits. VERs represent a ton of carbon that is either removed from the atmosphere – for example, by tree planting – or avoided – for example, by funding more fuel-efficient wood-burning stoves. VERs operate within a robust system of project development and specification, independent verification and certification.
According to Forest Trends, the size of the VER market is more than USD320 million a year. University of Oxford research has strongly endorsed VERs that evidence additionality – removals that would not have occurred without the purchase of the VER – instead of VERs that rely on carbon avoided metrics and counterfactual analysis – such as funding stoves or paying to prevent or slow deforestation.
We believe using credible VERs is a valuable part of a climate neutral strategy.
We believe the investment industry has a large role to play in funding the firms and technologies that will reduce, transform and remove. With Democratic nominee Joe Biden seemingly set to assume the US presidency, sustainability and sustainable investing could potentially receive another welcome boost.
For those clients who have access to My Brown Shipley you can check your portfolio valuation online. If you have any questions, please contact your usual Brown Shipley adviser.
Authors
James Purcell
Group Head of ESG, Sustainable and Impact Investing
Daniele Antonucci
Chief Economist & Macro Strategist
Bill Street
Group Chief Investment Officer
How to Use this Information
This article contains general information only and is not intended to constitute financial or other professional advice or a recommendation that any recipient of this information should make any particular investment decision. Always consult a suitably qualified financial advisor on any specific financial matter or problem that you have.
Except insofar as liability under any statute cannot be excluded, neither Brown Shipley nor any employee or associate of them accepts any liability (whether arising in contract, tort, negligence or otherwise) for any error or omission in this article or for any resulting loss or damage whether direct, indirect, consequential or otherwise suffered by the recipient of this article.
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Copyright © 2018 Sucihatiningsih Dian Wisika Prajanti et al.
Food security has broader dimensions and involves many development sectors. The success in food security development is not only determined by the performance of one sector but also that of the others. Thus, synergies between sectors, academicians, agricultural business actors, governments and society are highly necessary as the key success of food security development.
This research aims to conduct an implementative study on integrating research planning which may result in sustainable food security improvement. Many researches have been repeatedly conducted, yet various results have not been implemented due to the lack of sufficient and accessible information. In addition, accesses to primary data tend to be expensive and difficult to obtain which result in relatively slow development of agriculture and food researches. Thus, this research is conducted in order to integrate all food security sectors through the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) by creating an Agricultural Research Information system (SIPP).
The results show that rapid and precise information in agricultural research integration may improve research information which may result in more responsive and accurate research implementation. Agricultural research information, such as planning, information mapping of agricultural product commodity prices that farmers may determine where they may sell their agricultural products to generate greater benefits. In addition, other information, such as weather conditions, seeds, post-harvest agricultural commodities, and etc, may also be easily obtained to support the agricultural development. The agricultural information integration may be obtained by establishing an agricultural research information system through Information Technology (IT) to connect researches with academicians, development, central government, local governments, and agricultural institutions as well. Capacity building through ICT in agricultural researches provides new areas in model implementations to improve researches through ICT technology for those researchers in the field of agriculture.
Food is an essential and strategic commodity for Indonesian people as food is human basic need that should be fulfilled by the government together with the community as mandated by Law No. 7 of 1996 on food. The law mentions that government is the one who organizes regulations, guidance, control and supervision, while community organizes production processes and supplies, trading, and distribution as well as has the function as consumers to generate food which is sufficient in quantity and quality, safe, nutritious, diverse, equal, and affordable by their purchasing power.
Government Regulation No. 68 of 2002 on Food Security as the implementing regulations of Law No. 7 of 1996 asserts that in order to fulfill the consumption needs which continuously increase over time, efforts on food supply availability are conducted by developing food production system based on resources, institution, and local culture; efficiency of food business system; food production technology; food production infrastructures and facilities; as well as maintaining and developing the productive lands.
Various studies in developing countries show that frequently research results may not be obtained by the farmers , including those in Indonesia [4,2]. There have been various technologies created by the public research institutions, yet those implementations are still relatively low obtained by farmers (Agricultural Research and Development Agency, 2004). The low adoption level of technologies created by those research institutes, is due to the following: a) the created technologies are not based on social and economic conditions or majority cultures of farmers' household, b). The created technology is not the main problems of majority farmers, c). Lack of pressures in order that researches may only focus on innovation needs to result in optimum added values, socially, economically and culturally reasonable, and highly required by the users, d). Lack of or even without supports required to adopt the recommended technologies, such as the required credit and production facilities , e). Less/ ineffective dissemination and transfer of technology made by the research institutions to the users (extension activities and stakeholders) as well as to farmers and other agribusiness actors [4,2].
The Research utilizing ICT performed in extension activities uses a qualitative method . A qualitative method is used to answer questions on ICT utilization to set-up ICT system in the research areas. In addition, a qualitative method is also used to assist establishing the ICT system institutional model to develop.
The research areas are in Central Java, especially in stakeholders' agricultural research institutions and involving researchers from various institutions such as BBTP, Bakorluh, Agricultural Office and academic researchers in agricultural field.
This research uses a qualitative analytical approach to complete and support the data on a quantitative analysis. To obtain information in a qualitative analysis focus group discussions and in-depth interviews are conducted. The FGD involves the extension agency, extension activity targets and regional governments.
Based on the research requirements in the field, qualitative and quantitative analytical method, as well as statistical instrument, an analysis is then conducted to organize Flowchart Programming with Web-based php and mysql. Criteria for Program Input and data processing should be "traceable, documented, and validated."
• Data collection and storage on research activities and data processing.
• Turning data processing into information used in decision making processes.
• Appropriately controlling organization assets.
Agricultural Research Information System Scheme.
SIPP sub-system processes various qualitative and qualitative data that directly influence data processing of agricultural researches. SIPP consists of three sub- systems: data collection, processing, and reporting.
• Providing accurate and immediate information that the main activities may be effectively and efficiently performed at the value chain.
Management Information System is an information system which generates output by using input (input) and various processes required to meet certain objectives within a management activity.
• Providing information used in sustainable planning, control, evaluation, and improvement.
• Providing information for decision making.
Users may use SIPP to managerially help them identify a problem, solve the problem, and evaluate the performance required and utilized in all management stages, including planning, controlling, and decision making.
Data sources are divided into two: (1) human; and (2) non-human. Human data sources have the function as subjects or key informants, while non-human data sources are from documents of implementer organizations and those of other related agencies. Informants are determined based on the following criteria: (1) subjects are engaged with the research field and its target activities; (2) subjects must be still active; (3) subjects have adequate time to provide information; (4) subjects have no special relationship with researchers. Due to the research objectives, informants are selected using a purposive sampling technique. This technique is used to direct data collection based on requirements and is conducted by selecting informants who really have factual information and understand the existing problems and are trustworthy. Purposive sampling technique gives researchers freedom from formal process boundaries. It means that researchers may determine samples required by the research objectives based on its subject matters. The samples are not those representing population, but based on the relevance and depth of the obtained information.
To obtain holistic and integrative data while considering data relevance with the research focus, problems and objectives, data are then collected though the following techniques: (1) in-depth interviews; (2) observations; (4) questionnaires; and (5) documentation studies. The obtained data are then digitized through SIPP inputs in such a way that interpretations, graphs, sample trends and data distribution may be immediately obtained, traceable, and documented from time to time.
The research results and studies on food security show that food security dimensions are extremely broad and involve many development sectors. The success of Food Security development is determined not only by the performance of one sector but also that of others. Thus, synergies between sectors, academicians, agricultural business actors, governments and society (including business world) are highly necessary as the key success of food security development. Rapid and precise information agricultural research integration may improve research information which may result in more responsive and accurate research implementation. Agricultural research information, such as planning, information mapping of agricultural product commodity prices that farmers may determine where they may sell their agricultural products to generate greater benefits. In addition, other information, such as weather conditions, seeds, post-harvest agricultural commodities, and etc, may also be easily obtained to support the agricultural development.
Acoba, E.P. 2001. Related issues to promote farmer participation in agricultural technology transfer. Paper presented at APEC-ATCEG Seminar on Agricultural Technology and Training. Yogyakarta, 21-22 Februari 2001.
Sulaiman,F. 2002. Assesment of Agricultural Innovation Transfer System in the Desentralization Era. Forum Penelitian Agro Ekonomi- Jurusan Sosial Ekonomi Pertanian.Vol 20 (2) Bogor.
Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Pertanian.2004. Rencana Strategis Badan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Pertanian 2005-2009.
Creswell, J.W. 2009. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Tradition. Sage Publications Inc. USA. | https://knepublishing.com/index.php/Kne-Social/article/view/3163/6707 |
Abstract and Introduction
Context: Physicians in the United States are only slowly adopting information technology (IT) tools, despite studies demonstrating their clinical benefits. More is known about IT use within institutional settings than by individual physicians.
Objectives: This study investigates physicians' current use of, future plans for, and perceived barriers to adopting electronic medical records (EMRs), computerized prescribing and order entry, clinical decision support systems, and electronic communication (email) with other physicians and with patients.
Design: Self-administered mail surveys were completed between March and May 2003 among a national random sample of physicians involved in direct patient care of adults. A total of 1837 surveys were returned for a response rate of 52.8%.
Results: Physicians most commonly use IT for billing. For clinical management, the most common tool is computerized access to laboratory results (59%). Other tools are less prevalent: Twenty-seven percent of respondents use EMRs routinely or occasionally; 27% prescribe or order tests electronically; and 12% receive electronic alerts about potential drug-prescribing problems. Only 24% of surveyed physicians practice in a "high-tech" office setting. Physicians in groups of 50 or more are significantly more likely to use any IT tools and to practice in a high-tech office, as compared with physicians in solo practice (odds ratio = 7.7). The top 3 barriers to adoption of IT are start-up costs (56%), lack of uniform standards (44%), and lack of time (39%).
Conclusion: Most physicians do not use EMRs and related technologies. Adoption is uneven, and a technologic divide exists between physicians depending on their practice environment and mode of compensation. Cost remains the most important barrier to adoption. Attention needs to be focused on policies and business models that will make IT tools accessible and affordable to all physicians.
The diffusion of information technology (IT) in healthcare has been modest, at best.[1,2,3] Few healthcare organizations use electronic medical records (EMRs), although they have become a highly sophisticated and powerful tool since the first rudimentary ones were trialed nearly 30 years ago.[4,5,6,7] The situation is similar for related technologies, such as clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) and computerized prescribing and order entry. Perhaps 90% to 96% of physicians make personal use of the Internet, yet less than 20% of physicians in office-based practices may use EMRs.[3,8,9]
IT can, however, improve healthcare's efficiency and quality.[10,11,12,13,14] Computerized drug order entry reduces costly and dangerous medication prescribing errors.[12,15,16,17] The benefits of CDSSs in preventive care[14,18] and management of chronic diseases[10,19] have also been documented. However, there is little published information about their actual or possible adoption by US physicians, and about the factors that may affect physicians' resistance or ability to adopt such tools. Financial and cultural factors are likely to play a role in physicians' attitudes and behaviors. Adopting various technologies requires an investment of resources for the tools themselves and time to learn how to use and then maintain these systems, which for clinicians translates in time away from direct patient care. Practice settings and mode of compensation could affect the degree to which physicians are willing or able to invest and adopt IT in their practices. Cultural issues may also affect their readiness to change. For example, compared with physicians who choose the independence of solo practice, those who practice in larger groups or institutional settings could be more likely to respond favorably to peer recommendations and to adopt practices similar to others in the group, thus becoming part of an early majority or even late majority of adopters, as opposed to lagging behind. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the extent to which physicians are using IT in their daily practices. We also explore the factors that are associated with physicians' use and attitudes toward IT. | https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/493210 |
In this report we analyze three waves nationally-representative household survey data from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia to explore sociodemographic and economic factors associated with mobile money adoption, awareness, and use across countries and over time. Our findings indicate that to realize the potential of digital financial services to reach currently unbanked populations and increase financial inclusion, particular attention needs to be paid to barriers faced by women in accessing mobile money. While policies and interventions to promote education, employment, phone ownership, and having a bank account may broadly help to increase mobile money adoption and use, potentially bringing in currently unbanked populations, specific policies targeting women may be needed to close current gender gaps.
An ongoing stream of EPAR research considers how public good characteristics of different types of research and development (R&D) and the motivations of different providers of R&D funding affect the relative advantages of alternative funding sources. For this project, we seek to summarize the key public good characteristics of R&D investment for agriculture in general and for different subsets of crops, and hypothesize how these characteristics might be expected to affect public, private, or philanthropic funders’ investment decisions.
Mobile technology is associated with a variety of positive development and social outcomes, and as a result reaching the “final frontier” of uncovered populations is an important policy issue. We use proprietary 2012 data on mobile coverage from Collins Bartholomew to estimate the proportion of the population living in areas without mobile coverage globally and in selected regions and countries, and use spatial analysis to identify where these populations are concentrated. We then compare our coverage estimates to data from previous years and estimates from the most recent literature to provide a picture of recent trends in coverage expansion, considering separately the trends for coverage of urban and rural populations. We find that mobile coverage expansion rates are slowing, as easier to reach urban populations in developing countries are now almost entirely covered and the remaining uncovered populations are more dispersed in rural areas and therefore more difficult and costly to reach. This analysis of mobile coverage trends was the focus of an initial report on mobile coverage estimates. In a follow-up paper prepared for presentation at the 2016 APPAM International Conference, we investigate the assumption that levels of mobile network coverage are related to the degree of market liberalization at the country level.
Household survey data are a key source of information for policy-makers at all levels. In developing countries, household data are commonly used to target interventions and evaluate progress towards development goals. The World Bank’s Living Standards Measurement Study - Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS-ISA) are a particularly rich source of nationally-representative panel data for six Sub-Saharan African countries: Ethiopia, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. To help understand how these data are used, EPAR reviewed the existing literature referencing the LSMS-ISA and identified 415 publications, working papers, reports, and presentations with primary research based on LSMS-ISA data. We find that use of the LSMS-ISA has been increasing each year since the first survey waves were made available in 2009, with several universities, multilateral organizations, government offices, and research groups across the globe using the data to answer questions on agricultural productivity, farm management, poverty and welfare, nutrition, and several other topics.
Water is a critical input for significantly enhancing smallholder farmer productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where less than 5% of farm land is irrigated, and in India where 42% of farm land is irrigated. For many years, donors have invested in human-powered treadle pump technologies as a point of entry for smallholder farmers unable to afford motorized pumps. In spite of some successes in treadle pump promotion, however, there is a widespread perception that as soon as smallholder farmers can afford to they quickly transition to motorized diesel- powered pumps. While diesel pumps substantially ease farmers’ workload, they pollute excessively (both in terms of local air quality and greenhouse gas emissions), pump excessive amounts of water, and put farmers at the mercy of cyclical spikes in fuel prices. This brief provides an overview of state-of-the-art alternative energy pumps, including technologies available and implementation lessons learned from China, India, Africa, South America and other regions. Through a literature review, written surveys and phone interviews with water pump producers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) we evaluate the availability, affordability, and adoption rates of alternative energy technologies in developing countries. Our findings suggest that no single alternative energy water pumping system is a “silver bullet” for rural smallholder irrigation needs. Biofuels may prove a successful short- to intermediate-term solution for farmers who already have access to diesel pumps, but other problems associated with diesel engines, including high maintenance costs and excessive water use remain even when biofuels are used. Solar systems eliminate pollution almost entirely, reduce water consumption, and eliminate the need to purchase fuels. However solar systems are typically prohibitively expensive for smallholder farmers. Wind powered pumping solutions have not proven successful to date, with high costs and irregular wind patterns (either too little or too much wind) proving substantial barriers to widespread adoption.
In recent years, product supply chains for agricultural goods have become increasingly globalized. As a result, greater numbers of smallholder farmers in South Asia (SA) and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) participate in global supply chains, many of them through contract farming (CF). CF is an arrangement between a farmer and a processing or marketing firm for the production and supply of agricultural products, often at predetermined prices. This literature review finds empirical evidence that demonstrates that the economic and social benefits of CF for smallholder farmers are mixed. A number of studies suggest that CF may improve farmer productivity, reduce production risk and transaction costs, and increase farmer incomes. However, critics caution that CF may undermine farmers’ relative bargaining power and increase health, environmental, and financial risk through exposure to monopsonistic markets, weak contract environments, and unfamiliar agricultural technologies. There is consensus across the literature that CF has the best outcomes for farmers when farmers have more bargaining power to negotiate the terms of the contract. In reviewing the literature on CF, we find a number of challenges to comparing studies and evaluating outcomes across contracts. This literature review summarizes empirical findings and analyses regarding contract models and best practices to increase farmers’ bargaining power and decrease contract default.
Introducing technology that is designed to be physically appropriate and valuable to women farmers can increase yields and raise income. But gender issues for agricultural technology projects in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are extremely complex. The EPAR series on Gender and Cropping in SSA offers examples of how these issues can affect crop production and adoption of agricultural technologies at each point in the crop cycle for eight crops (cassava, cotton, maize, millet, rice, sorghum, wheat, and yam). This executive summary highlights innovative opportunities for interventions that consider these dimensions of gender. We encourage readers to consult the crop specific briefs for more details. We find that involving both men and women in the development, testing, and dissemination of agricultural technology has been shown to be successful in helping both benefit. Nevertheless, a consistent finding throughout the Gender and Cropping in SSA series is that maximum benefits from technological innovations cannot be realized when upstream factors like education, power, and land tenure heavily influence outcomes. Addressing these more basic upstream causes of gender inequality may be even more important in helping households increase productivity and maximize the benefits of technological interventions.
A widely quoted estimate is that women produce 70 to 80 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) food. Increasing farmer productivity in SSA therefore requires understanding how these women make planting, harvesting, and other decisions that affect the production, consumption, and marketing of their crops. This brief provides an overview of the gender cropping series highlighting similar themes from the various crops studied, presenting an overarching summary of the findings and conclusion of the individual literature reviews. The studies reviewed suggest that differential preferences and access to assets by men and women can affect adoption levels and the benefits that accrue to men and women. Findings show that women have less secure access to credit, land, inputs, extension, and markets. Similarly, women’s multi-faceted role in household management gives rise to preferences that may very well be different from those of men. Participatory Breeding and Participatory Varietal Selection are two methods shown to be successful in developing technology that is more appropriate and more likely to avoid unintended consequences. Regularly collecting gender-disaggregated statistics can also result in a greater understanding of how technology has affected both men and women. Agricultural technology has the potential to enhance both men’s and women’s welfare and productivity, but unless gender is sufficiently integrated into every step of the development and dissemination process, efforts will only achieve a fraction of their total possible benefit. | https://evans.uw.edu/policy-impact/epar/research?amp%3Bf%5B1%5D=field_epar_research_topic%3A298&%3Bamp%3Bf%5B1%5D=field_epar_dataset%3A278&f%5B0%5D=field_epar_research_topic%3A302&f%5B1%5D=field_epar_research_topic%3A304&f%5B2%5D=field_epar_pub_year%3A322&f%5B3%5D=field_epar_pub_year%3A315&f%5B4%5D=field_epar_pub_year%3A321&f%5B5%5D=field_epar_geographic_focus%3A284&f%5B6%5D=field_epar_research_topic%3A298&f%5B7%5D=field_epar_research_topic%3A308&f%5B8%5D=field_epar_geographic_focus%3A280&f%5B9%5D=field_epar_research_topic%3A294 |
LIBOR: BETTER TO FADE AWAY THAN BURN OUT.
Dan Barnes looks at the different moving parts in LIBOR.
Like the Brent crude benchmark, interbank offered rates (IBORs) carry a huge notional burden based on ever-shrinking real-world underlying deals. The Financial Stability Board (FSB) and Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) have estimated that contracts with around $200tn in gross notional exposure were referencing US dollar London Interbank Offered Rate (USD LIBOR) by the end of 2016, including both derivatives and cash instruments such as floating rate bonds. Yet less than $1bn is traded each day in three-month funding transactions, with three-month LIBOR being the most heavily referenced tenor of USD LIBOR in contracts.
Meanwhile, the panel of banks providing input for the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (EURIBOR) panel decreased from 43 to 20 firms since 2013. At a time of rising interest rates floating rate notes become more popular, making certainty around the use of benchmarks more common.
If the benchmarks were ceased to be published tomorrow, there would be serious consequences. They not only underpin many existing financial contracts, but there are no alternative benchmarks that are used in contracts with sufficient liquidity to act as alternatives.
However, the manipulation of IBORs first proven in court during 2012, demonstrated that using a submission-based rate was too unreliable, and support for them has been dwindling ever since. The authorities need to shift these elephants onto the backs of something that can carry them forward. A move towards the use of alternative nearly risk-free rates (alternative RFRs) has been undertaken by major markets.
There are several key risks that might impact trading desks during the migration process. The first is the potential reduction of liquidity across contracts as a result of a patchy shift. “Not everybody is going to move at the same speed, which is where the risk lies in transition,” says Stuart Giles, managing director for strategy and business development at interdealer broker, Tradition.
The second is the lack of any fall-back language in long-term contracts that currently cite LIBOR, to support those contracts in the event LIBOR ceases to be published. “The absence of such language creates the potential for large-scale disorder in global financial markets should LIBOR go away,” said Bill Dudley, chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, speaking at the Bank of England’s Markets Forum on 24 May 2018.
The Federal Reserve Bank and Bank of England have since built roadmaps to support the shift to alternative rates while in other jurisdictions, existing IBORs are under review. These include the ICE Benchmark administered LIBOR, which is published in pound sterling (GBP), US dollar (USD), euro (EUR), Swiss franc (CHF) and Japanese yen (JPY).
Also on the list are the Tokyo interbank offered rate (TIBOR) which is offered in the Japan interbank market used for over $5tn in contracts and administered by the Japanese Bankers Association TIBOR Administration as well as the euro interbank offered rate (EURIBOR) which is found in the euro interbank market and run by the European Money Markets Institute (EMMI) underpinning more than $150tn in contracts.
The market-led, central bank-governed approach has led to both confusion and division over the RFRs being adopted. In the US the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC) which consists of market participants, chose the Secured Overnight Financing Rate as the alternative to US-dollar LIBOR. SOFR is the overnight rate for borrowing cash using US Treasury securities as collateral and is entirely based on transactions that are assessed by the Fed as having a daily volume of more than $700bn.
ARRC also developed the transition plan to facilitate the adoption of these rates in a voluntary programme.
The UK’s Working Group on Sterling Risk-Free Reference Rates determined that Sterling Overnight Index Average (SONIA), a benchmark now administered by the Bank of England since April 2018, should be used. It measures the rate at which interest is paid on sterling short-term wholesale funds, underpins the OIS market and is supported by £50bn average daily volume.
In Europe, the low volume of transactions to underpin EURIBOR has led to an alternative model being investigated, whilst the TIBOR administrator, JBATA which took over administration in 2014, became subject to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act in 2015. This involved rules regarding the calculation, publication and administration of the benchmark rate.
The expected drop off for LIBOR will occur in three years after which contributing banks will no longer automatically make submissions. Andrew Bailey, chief executive of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority said in 2017 that “the survival of LIBOR on the current basis… could not and would not be guaranteed” beyond 2021. That timeframe is giving firms room to breathe – in some cases the switch is not expected to take place until forced to by the risk that the rate will no longer be published.
Managing the switch for contracts has driven some firms towards an early migration to alternatives, especially where long-dated contracts need to be pinned down now.
Ann Battle, assistant general counsel at the International Swap Dealers Association (ISDA) believes the main issues at this point around adoption relate to the level of take-up for the alternative rates outside of the interdealer derivatives market.
“I think all signs are good that in the interdealer derivatives market we are going to see adoption of risk free rates (RFRs) as an alternative to LIBOR on a going forward basis and, as a result, you will see the notional value of derivatives that reference LIBOR in all of the currencies decline over the next 2½ years,” she says.
The concern that Dudley has noted is the risk that firms have not set up the measures needed to move contracts across from one rate to another, and that will require support from authorities. | https://www.bestexecution.net/regulation-compliance-libor-dan-barnes/ |
Public Healthcare Sector
Bangladesh has made significant socio-economic developments in recent years, with a decrease in mortality rates and an increase in average life expectancy. The country’s healthcare sector has yet to reach its full potential, with widespread deficiencies that impact the population. According to WHO, Bangladesh is one of the ten countries with the lowest health expenditure. 11% of the country’s GDP is estimated to be spent on healthcare. In contrast, the national budget 2020-21 has an allocation of 5% for the healthcare sector, which is less than 1% of GDP.
This low expenditure on healthcare is not a new phenomenon. The sector has the potential to grow significantly through the implementation of reforms coupled with investment in technological innovation and public-private partnerships.
The key challenge of Bangladesh’s healthcare sector remains to be the lack of investment. Public spending on healthcare has been increasing, but at a slower rate than the population’s growing demand for services. Meanwhile, there is a dearth of private funding.
The Dependency on Development Aid
One of the most important ways that the Bangladesh government has helped reduce healthcare costs for its citizens is through donor funds. Over the last five decades, various development organizations, including the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the United States Agency for International Development, and others, have made substantial contributions to Bangladesh’s health sector by providing financial and technical assistance as the inflow of foreign aid grew 550% from US$1.13 Bn (FY01) to US$7.37 Bn (FY19-20).
These contributions have helped address the immediate challenges of providing affordable healthcare services to all population segments. At the same time, they have provided the capital and expertise needed to develop independent strategies for the sustainable improvement of health infrastructure across the country.
As Bangladesh progresses towards LDC graduation by 2026 – the country would possibly receive less Overseas Development Assistance (ODAs). Additionally, low-cost loans that Bangladesh enjoys from bilateral and multilateral development partners would also be substituted with more expensive capital as the shift from aid to trade happens. Hence to bridge the gap private sector investments must play a role.
The Need for Blended Finance and Impact Oriented Capital in the Bangladesh Healthcare Sector
Blended finance is a relatively new concept that combines private sector capital with public funding to achieve development goals. The rationale behind blended finance is that it can reduce the risk of project failure and improve development initiatives’ overall efficiency and effectiveness.
In the healthcare sector, blended finance can be used to propel private sector healthcare service providers that have greater expertise, experience, or reach in delivering health services than the counterpart public sector. Thus, it can play an essential role in improving health outcomes and addressing emerging health issues in Bangladesh.
Key reasons why blended finance can be beneficial to healthcare service providers:
- It can provide them with more financing opportunities, enabling them to grow faster and launch their products/ services sooner.
- With additional concessional support, healthcare service providers can align their interests with their private investors, helping them to achieve their long-term goals more quickly and efficiently.
- Blended finance can increase the capacity of impact investors to invest effectively in promising healthcare service providers targeted toward a better quality of service for a disadvantaged population
Mobilizing Blended Capital
Mobilizing blended finance in the healthcare sector brings its challenges. For example, it can be difficult to identify and assess the appropriate mix of private and public funds. In addition, it can be politically challenging to mobilize adequate funding from both the public and private sectors.
In Bangladesh, there are several avenues through which the government could seek the support of private sector investors in promoting blended finance in the health sector. These include establishing a public-private partnership in healthcare management, implementing a program to reward private healthcare providers for promoting public health, and developing partnerships with multilateral organizations to coordinate efforts to improve healthcare infrastructure.
Blended Finance and Impact Fund Case Studies in Bangladesh
Catalytic capital from public or philanthropic foundations will help increase private sector investment in developing countries like Bangladesh to grasp the SDGs. Such philanthropic initiatives include ‘Mission Save Bangladesh’ and Bangladesh Cancer Aid Trust (BANCAT). Some notable blended finance and impact-oriented fund cases are as below.
The Shift From Development Aid
Given Bangladesh’s move to middle-income status, and the funding gap created by a reduction in aid from international agencies, innovative financing mechanisms are critical to continue Bangladesh’s current impressive trajectory on development goals. It is also vital to identify important sectors where blended finance might be most effective and have the most significant impact in spurring sectoral growth, including the healthcare sector.
New Trend in Donor Approach: Impact Investment and Blended Finance
In addition to sustainable development solutions, donors and implementers are looking forward to a new alternative green trend known as impact investment. Given Bangladesh’s upcoming LDC status graduation, it will be crucial for the businesses and stakeholders to jointly contribute to achieving the SDGs by 2030 with the Government of Bangladesh and look beyond the traditional profit maximization methods.
Impact investments generate promising financial returns coupled with quantifiable positive social and environmental impacts. This moderately new industry is evolving in Bangladesh, addressing the most persistent challenges of the country by supporting sectors such as sustainable agriculture, microfinance, and affordable and accessible essential services, including housing, healthcare, and education.
Nevertheless, alternative financing structures still remain very new to the market. For this reason, they are not yet well understood by many practitioners, entailing less clarity about their tax, accounting, and legal merits than traditional methods.
Case Study: The Open Doors African Private Healthcare Initiative
The Health Finance Coalition mobilized a US$19.7Mn loan guarantee facility unlocking US$35.5Mn in emergency loans for 1,600 small and medium enterprise (SME) healthcare providers in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda through the Medical Credit Fund. More than 5.1 million patients have benefited from this initiative, with 56% of patients reaching being in the low, or very low-income segment.
Recommendations
Blended finance can be a positive tool for creating investment opportunities and promoting tri-sector collaboration between public, private, and development organizations towards scaling impact for development. A couple of recommendations include:
- Improve impact management and measurement to promote transparency: The lack of transparency of blended finance operations severely hinders the further growth and improvement of the blended finance market. It is important to publicize impact management and measurement practices increasing the transparency of existing investments promoting collaboration and the sharing of knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned.
- Public advocacy to mobilize private sector CSR funds in healthcare: To unlock private capital, enabling regulations like provision to use Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds as risk capital or further enabling tax return incentives could potentially scale up the use of blended finance structures.
- Promotion of an Investor-friendly ecosystem: The government needs to ensure an investment-friendly environment in Bangladesh, reducing entry barriers, introducing TAX benefits, and easing the repatriation of profits of foreign investors to attract local and foreign private investments in the healthcare industry.
- Provide incentives to Startups in the healthcare sector: Over the last decade, startups have brought around US$800Mn investments in the country, while health-tech startups brought in US$30Mn+ only. Providing incentives to health-tech startups can significantly improve business performance and valuation to attract further investments in the sector.
Wayforward
Traditionally, most healthcare financing relies on debt financing, which is highly leveraged and generally consists of long-term loans with high-interest rates. By contrast, equity financing is typically used to support startups and ventures with little or no track record. While both forms of financing have their advantages and disadvantages, blended finance represents a more flexible option that provides borrowers with both debt and equity funding so they can combine the benefits of the two approaches.
Although an enormous funding gap still exists towards fulfilling the gap in SDG financing, there is growing momentum for blended finance, and positive signals are being received from the capital markets for greater adoption. Blended finance can be an essential tool for healthcare providers looking to expand their operations and support the development of new and innovative medical treatments and technologies in Bangladesh.
About Author:
Mehad ul Haque serves as a Project Manager @ LightCastle Partners as well as the Country Coordinator @ Biniyog Briddhi. He looks upon business development, projects, and research related to startups, entrepreneurship, and investment advisory. During leisure, he enjoys occasional traveling and unraveling startup financials and business models. | https://databd.co/reimagining-healthcare-in-bangladesh-through-blended-finance-and-impact-oriented-capital/ |
Australia has one of the best performing health systems in the world.
International evidence from the CONCORD-3 study, a global program which records world-wide cancer survival rates, repeatedly confirms that cancer survival in Australia outperforms many other countries, as does general life expectancy at birth and at age of 65.
And with estimated spending of about 10 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, or about A$5200 per capita per year, Australia also performs above average according to the annual health indicators report of the Organisation for Economic Development.
However, a more detailed analysis of Australia’s healthcare sector doesn’t justify complacency with the status quo. And the country’s three major political parties in the upcoming federal election provide interesting perspectives.
Firstly, while all three parties have different plans to further invest in healthcare, there’s little emphasis on improving the performance of the health system as a whole.
Second, all parties promote universal health coverage (UHC) but this requires more thought than simply who is paying the bill. UHC typically is about three questions: Who is covered? What is covered? And what share of the costs are covered by state and federal governments?
Finally, there are global concerns about the sustainability of healthcare systems that aren’t addressed by any of the three parties.
Specifically, the emergence of new technologies such as genomic testing and new expensive cancer drugs are placing increasing financial pressure on health systems globally.
These pressures have been referred to as a climate of financial toxicity and it is widely recognised that different approaches to health service financing and delivery will be required to achieve further and sustainable improvements in health outcomes.
Alongside concerns about the growing cost of healthcare are public concerns about equitable access to health services and an equal opportunity to achieve health. And one of the greatest disparities is experienced by Australians living in regional and remote areas.
So, what do the major parties have to say on these issues?
The Coalition
The current Coalition government provided significant investments in biomedical research fostering better treatments and stating that innovative healthcare should be accessible for all.
They also claim increases in public hospital funding and announced several new, expensive drugs listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), reducing out of pocket expenses to dollars instead of thousands of dollars. But these new drug approvals follow existing bipartisan protocols.
The Coalition promotes reform of the private health system, strengthening primary care, improving access to health services in remote areas and reducing disparities in minority populations.
Unfortunately, with these priorities identified, the Coalition fails to provide an overarching view on how to achieve this and how they will support a more equitable and accessible health system.
Also, the Coalition haven’t explicitly raised long-term sustainability of the health system as an issue. They neither refer to financial toxicity – not being able to pay for expensive cancer drugs – or acknowledge the increase in these drugs as a policy issue.
Financial toxicity is expected to become one of the most important problems in cancer policy and a recurring issue when it comes to the sustainability of health systems.
The Australian Labor Party
The ALP has a more comprehensive view of an equitable and accessible health system and have proposed several policies to implement UHC that ensure a transparent and affordable health system.
The ALP also propose governance arrangements to support integration and coordination of services at a regional level (including primary, community, acute, sub- acute, aged and disability).
To do so, the ALP says it will invest in research that addresses health systems efficiencies and promotes public reporting of hospital performance, sometimes referred to as value-based healthcare.
Interestingly, recent public debate has focused on the ALP’s $A2.3 billion package to improve cancer services, which includes additional public hospital outpatient funding to reduce waiting times, a new bulk-billing item for consultations and more funding for MRI machines for cancer diagnosis.
But the proposed investments cause some concern.
Firstly, what is the rationale of investing in a single disease when there are more pressing public health concerns? And why do we need an additional investment in MRI screens? This seems a rather isolated investment for which the public benefits aren’t clear if one is concerned with integrated cancer services.
For instance, there is quite a bit of evidence that more (and free) imaging also increases false-positive rates at an overall increased cost.
As part of its election promise, the ALP also proposes new cancer drugs are listed on the PBS once approved by experts.
But remember, listing pharmaceuticals is bipartisan, ongoing and subject to protocols unlikely to be changed by an election cycle. However, global experts expect cancer drugs and promising new treatments, like immunotherapy, will become unaffordable and other policies will be needed to control rising costs.
So, the policy to list cancer drugs is more of a signal of ALP’s general support for the PBS going forward.
The Australian Greens
Many policies of the Greens are similar to the ALP, but the Greens are keen on further investments in health prevention.
They also have more pronounced ideas about UHC, as well as investments in mental health programs and dental care. The Greens also promote incentives and policies for team coordination in the management of chronic diseases, although those details are thin.
But unlike the ALP, the Greens don’t specifically implement policies for cancer patients.
A SHARED VISION?
All three political parties have a shared vision related to their view of how a health system should be designed. UHC and reform for a more transparent health system are priorities for all parties.
This is essential because our ageing population, the growing burden of chronic disease and an increasing life expectancy will all put pressure on our health system, alongside escalating healthcare costs associated with new treatments.
But improving health care isn’t simply a matter of investing more dollars. It’s also a matter of investing wisely and ensuring our health system is improving health outcomes in the best possible and most efficient way.
Any further discussion about how Australia can move toward more transparent outcomes measurement promoting value-based healthcare should be encouraged.
All three parties are also committed to UHC, but the Greens and the ALP tick most of the boxes – they both propose investments in dental care and make explicit statements about transparency regarding outcomes, access for everyone, affordable and transparent out-of-pocket costs, availability of mental health programs and reform of the private health care.
LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY
Labor’s proposed investments in cancer services is good news for cancer patients but perhaps need to be thought in terms of justifying policies that improve integrated cancer services instead of single interventions and identifying just one condition.
And, while access to health care is a key-priority, long-term sustainability isn’t an issue that’s currently addressed as part of the election.
None of the parties have clear views about how to pay for additional investments, which will be the greatest issue for all health systems in the near future.
For instance, policies to implement new treatment and technologies (like dental care and new drugs on the PBS) should be followed by a discussion on how to disinvest in low-value health services.
A version of this article also appears on Election Watch. | https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/improving-australia-s-health-system-beyond-the-election |
1. Assessment and recommendations
The global pandemic has intensified the challenges of delivering public services across and within OECD countries. Whether seen through a prism of shortages of equipped and staffed hospitals treating disproportionately high numbers of vulnerable people or the difficulties faced by children accessing online learning when schools are closed, COVID-19 has put renewed focus on the importance of addressing longstanding challenges that OECD governments face in delivering critical services, especially in rural communities.
The challenges are even larger in remote rural regions with low population densities. With fewer people spread over a wider area, economies of scale are difficult to achieve. The physical infrastructure needed to provide good quality education and health services can be more complex and expensive in these areas and attracting highly skilled people poses an additional challenge.
Beyond the immediate crisis, the pressure to drive efficiencies in public spending is expected to last long after the virus has subsided. Public spending has risen in response to the pandemic and fuel recovery, while revenues have fallen, both for national and subnational governments. Looking ahead, a period of fiscal consolidation is likely, reinforcing the importance of efficient use of resources, especially in those regions and subnational governments that have been hit harder, for example, those with high dependencies on tourism.
Furthermore, acute ageing trends in many rural places and, in some cases, a shrinking population will require sustainable policy responses. OECD rural regions are at the forefront of this trend; their populations are older and ageing faster than other regions. Evidence for some OECD countries including Australia and the United States shows that rural residents also tend to have less healthy lifestyles and, in turn, higher incidences of chronic disease, raising pressure on rural health services. In addition, low fertility rates and a dwindling number of pupils are driving down school sizes below viable levels in many rural areas.
Taken together, the challenges of distance, demographic change and fiscal belt-tightening require effective policy responses to deliver services in rural communities. To maintain quality services in rural regions and close gaps further exposed by the pandemic, governments must develop innovative responses tailored to the specificities of rural places and the long-term challenges they face. These responses should identify economies of scale and scope, including synergies across administrative and policy silos and levels of government.
While many countries already have long-term strategies in place for education and health services, this report examines the nuances specific to their delivery in rural regions, offering recommendations on how to better adapt provision to the rural realities of today and the emerging realities of tomorrow. It complements this analysis with an examination of digital connectivity issues in rural regions, recognising the significant scope for digital delivery of services to mitigate challenges related to distance. Finally, the report looks at governance issues, including fiscal issues, through which the delivery of these critical services is administered and paid for.
Education
Quality, accessible educational services in rural regions are key to addressing local skills gaps both in the short and long terms. In the short term, good schools are a factor in the attractiveness of a community, one that can help retain and attract young families, including service professionals and supporting “brain circulation” over brain drain. Over the longer term, high-quality education ensures today’s children are ready for the opportunities of tomorrow, while life-long learning helps workers in displaced sectors retrain for the jobs that are available in rural regions.
Though equal access to education exists in the laws and constitutions of several OECD countries, issues relating to scale can impede access in rural areas. Rural schools are facing, or will soon face, declining student numbers, bringing consequently smaller schools and class sizes. While small size can bring opportunities, such as a greater teacher focus for each student, many of these schools are isolated from the wider educational community and are operating under capacity. Smaller schools may also offer a more limited educational curriculum, for example with fewer subjects for students to choose from at the secondary level and fewer specialised teachers. A more limited educational offering is a factor contributing to rural students having lower prospects of continuing education and, consequently, poorer career prospects.
Many principals and teachers need to adopt multiple roles when working in smaller rural schools. Principals in rural schools are often required to engage in direct teaching responsibilities in addition to their leadership role and teachers often have to provide classes to different age groups. In addition to performing multiple roles, more limited collaboration and peer support can weigh down on educational quality, professional learning and staff satisfaction.
Although rural schools typically suffer from a lack of resources, they often benefit from stronger community engagement. Research has shown that rural schools benefit from a larger share of parents participating in extracurricular, voluntary and fundraising activities. One motivation for this increased involvement is the heightened role that schools play in rural life, with the school often playing a central role, at the heart of the community, in social cohesion.
The forced shift to online learning in response to the pandemic has further highlighted inequities faced by rural communities in accessing digital services. Rural areas are less likely to have access to affordable, high-quality broadband connectivity and less likely to have the devices and skills needed to make use of it. For some children this meant being unable to continue lessons during lockdown periods, widening pre-existing inequalities with peers in better-serviced regions.
Health care
Rural dwellers are on average older, have shorter life spans, display worse health outcomes and demand more complex healthcare needs. Rural dwellers in many OECD countries are also more likely to live in poverty and experience unemployment and disruption to their careers, exacerbating challenges related to less healthy lifestyles and, in turn, higher incidence of chronic disease.
Rural areas face higher challenges in recruiting and retaining professionals in the health care system. Lower salaries, unappealing professional prospects, concerns about prestige and urban-centric medical education all make finding qualified staff particularly problematic for rural hospitals, which is likely to create skills mismatches. For example, emergency departments in rural hospitals in the United States are less likely to be staffed by emergency room doctors and more likely to be staffed by family doctors.
Cost reduction strategies following the 2008 financial crisis disproportionally affected the quality of and access to medical professionals and facilities in rural regions. Hospital bed rates have decreased in all types of rural regions since the 2008 global financial crisis at an average rate of -0.7% per year, while they increased slightly in metropolitan regions. The decrease was largest in rural regions far from large cities (between -1.5% and -2% per year). The gap in access to physicians between metropolitan and rural regions has been persistent since the crisis, especially in countries with significant territorial differences in access. The combination of reduced capacities, higher workloads and saturation of hospitals in several regions during the COVID-19 pandemic, has severely tested the ability of medical services to cope.
The provision of health care has a strong place-based dimension necessitating a balance between costs, quality and access all driven by density and distance. A low volume of patients and long distances between them means that, in order to stay accessible, healthcare facilities in rural areas tend to be small and scattered. Concentrating service provision in larger facilities in more densely populated places may raise the efficiency of the health care system but it also implies longer travel distances. At the same time, the higher quality of some specialised medical services provided at a larger scale can make a difference between life and death. Because of these trade-offs, the loss in accessibility for rural dwellers should be weighed against the quality and efficiency gains of increased scale.
Digital connectivity
Newer technologies and upgrades for broadband provision are more common in urban areas. Broadband technologies are continually improving, with network operators facing a never-ending investment cycle. Given the penalty of distance that exists in low-density areas, new technologies tend to be deployed first in more densely populated urban areas, where the upfront investment costs are more easily recouped. The latest fixed and mobile broadband technologies, like fibre optical cabling and 5G mobile technology, are currently being rolled out in OECD countries but these networks are more common in urban areas, while previous generation, slower, technologies remain dominant in low-density areas.
In 2016, just 56% of rural households had access to fixed broadband with a minimum speed of 30 Mbps, in comparison to over 85% of households in urban and other areas. Commonly used technologies in low-density areas have limitations that reduce the quality of the connection and, in turn, may impact on the ability and scope of services to be delivered. Geostationary satellites are often used in the most remote areas but their altitude in orbit brings a transmission delay (latency) that can create challenges for applications that depend on real-time transmission (such as wearable health care monitoring devices). In addition, both satellite and mobile network subscribers commonly face monthly usage caps, while digital subscriber lines (DSL), the most common technology in low-density regions, usually provide asymmetric connections, i.e. the download speed is much faster than the upload speed. In service delivery applications, for example, a two-way video consultation between a doctor and patient, limited upload speed might mean low-quality video and service provision.
OECD governments have deployed a variety of approaches to increase the availability and quality of broadband in low-density areas. This has included regulatory changes that enhance the efficiency of the market, as well as state support for network development through subsidy programmes. In many cases, local co-operatives and municipally-owned broadband networks have been developed. Each approach involves some trade-offs in terms of the level of public investment required, the timeline, the state’s risk exposure and the ownership structure of the networks developed. In some cases, broadband subsidies have flowed to dominant incumbents and have supported only incremental upgrades to existing networks. While these subsidies provide quick fixes for pressing needs, they may not address the underlying market failures that gave rise to the need for subsidies in the first place. Several of the OECD’s best-connected low-density areas have achieved successful outcomes through small-scale efforts at the local level and other innovative approaches, such as public-private partnerships, are showing promise at both the local and national scales.
Governance
The provision of health and education services has become increasingly decentralised. In recent decades, there has been a discernible trend towards decentralisation across many OECD countries with subnational governments playing an increasingly critical role in the delivery of many essential public services. This has affected how public services are delivered across different territories. While some view this as the “hollowing out” of the state, others describe it as public management efficiency and necessary reform. Debates about public services are thus fundamentally linked to debates about the role of the government.
Where public services have been decentralised, upper-level governments (national or regional depending on whether it is a unitary or federal state) generally continue to play a role in defining, monitoring and assessing the quality of public services. They are also concerned with addressing equity – this may include equity of access to public services for different populations (e.g. those that are deemed marginalised and at-risk) and equity of access and quality across different territories, where redistributive fiscal policies can play an important role.
Increase the place sensitivity of service delivery: While education and health care policy have never been spatially blind in placing schools, medical centres and hospitals within reasonable reach of populations, there remains scope to finetune these policies. This goes beyond catchment areas and driving radii, for example, and should increasingly consider the economic and social well-being of each community, their demographics, access to digital infrastructure and digital skills.
Tackle demographic challenges through innovation: While some governments are working to address demographic challenges by attracting newcomers to rural communities, for example through special incentives and targeted immigration programmes, for most rural communities the trend of population ageing and decline is likely here to stay. That means new approaches must be found to deliver quality services in a fiscally sustainable way over the long term. These approaches may include co-location, collaboration and co-production efforts across departments and levels of government to increase efficiency and leverage on the latest digital technologies to expand access.
Education
Take a flexible approach when considering class sizes and regulatory matters to benefit rural education: Minimum class sizes and funding rules that penalise small facilities can be counterproductive to schools in rural regions and it is necessary to introduce more flexibility in such cases. Governments can instead incentivise rural schools to actively participate in school network restructuring and to deploy innovative approaches to increase the scale of rural schools, such as multi-grade classrooms, to ensure adequate quality of education is maintained. Greater flexibility is also needed to permit rural schools to leverage the advantages of their close-knit communities, by providing flexibility in health and safety regulations that permit parents to volunteer as canteen staff or as cleaners for example. Policy should empower principals, teachers and local leaders to permit them to make use of the specific assets their community offers.
Place the attraction, retention and empowerment of teachers at the heart of rural service reform: Policies should focus on the development and support of educational professionals in rural communities, especially those that can make the most of local opportunities. Investments should be made in their training to ensure they have the digital skills necessary to facilitate online learning for students and to provide them with the competencies to manage multi-grade classrooms and other new learning environments. Monetary incentives can encourage teachers to take positions in rural and remote communities. Governments can incentivise the geographical mobility for teachers so that the option of teaching in rural schools is attractive for the career development of young teachers. Exchange programmes between teachers from urban and rural areas can provide rural teachers with a broader professional network, access to peer groups to support their development and help bridge urban-rural cultural divides.
Increase scale through the development of school clusters: School clusters, i.e. structures in which schools formally co-operate under a single leadership to allocate resources more flexibly and efficiently, can help maintain service provision in places that might otherwise be vulnerable to school closure. They can involve both horizontal (i.e. integrating schools with a similar educational offer) and vertical integration (i.e. integrating schools at different levels of education) and may be arranged with a lead or core school with satellite schools in other locations, or might simply mean the creation of schools split across different sites with a single management and budget.
Prepare rural schools for the future by redesigning approaches to education provision: For example, through service co-location, integrating schools with other public services, such as day care centres and kindergartens, to create a community hub, or by adding complementary services such as dormitories so that children from distant communities can attend all or part of the time, whilst also leveraging on digital distance learning.
Expand digital education through a comprehensive approach tailored to specific places: This approach should consider the availability and quality of digital infrastructure in target communities, student access to digital devices and digital literacy among teachers, students and parents. It should also include teachers in the design of the tools used.
Health care
Reinforce primary and integrated care provision in rural areas: Primary care is generally the first point of contact for the majority of patients’ needs. Providing regular, person-focused and preventative care, is the best way to deal with the higher levels of multi-morbidity and long-term chronic care in older populations, especially in rural communities. Integrated care, which aims to more comprehensively look after the needs of vulnerable populations, for example by co-ordinating between primary care physicians and social care providers, is an additional tool that can help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, thereby efficiently improving outcomes. Innovative approaches such as mobile clinic and testing facilities that make scheduled visits to rural and remote communities can help address gaps in the accessibility of these services to relatively immobile populations, including the elderly. Importantly, rural areas need to anticipate and address medical workforce gaps, for instance by expanding the roles of nurses and pharmacists and offering relocation packages that go beyond financial incentives to emphasise career prospects and furthering of skills.
Provide incentives for the establishment of multi-disciplinary health centres: Many OECD countries are reorganising primary care around multi-disciplinary teams. These teams include not only general medical practitioners but also often include family physicians, registered and advanced nurses, community pharmacists, psychologists, nutritionists, health counsellors and non-clinical support staff. This mix of expertise includes access to social services and is particularly important to patients dealing with multi-morbidity. Common elements of these multi-disciplinary teams are the focus on patient engagement in decision-making and the common use of sophisticated IT systems for risk stratification. The approach can deliver significant performance improvements, including economies of scale through shared inputs, such as equipment and human resources, and they can also lower rates of emergency department arrivals and hospitalisations for patients with chronic conditions.
Expand the use of telemedicine to improve the sustainability of rural health care provision: Telemedicine can be used to provide virtual consultations between doctors and patients, which may be useful for specific use cases such as follow-up appointments or mental health consultations but are clearly less useful in cases that benefit from a physical examination. However, other emerging forms of telemedicine, such as the real-time monitoring of patients’ health information through wearable devices may improve prevention and the quality and sustainability of health care as a result. These services are particularly useful for rural residents who may otherwise have limited access to mental health professionals or other specialties and may encounter significant travel costs to attend their nearest primary care clinic for regular monitoring.
Digital connectivity
Empower communities to solve local connectivity challenges: While national governments play an important role, for example in developing the competitive market place and ensuring territorial equity, some successful and complementary examples of broadband connectivity in low-density regions have come from the local level. Local governments are often highly motivated to connect their communities and can help simplify and lower the cost of the process through their oversight of planning permission, construction permits and other regulatory instruments necessary, for example, to dig trenches for fibre. In many OECD regions, locally-led initiatives have both lowered the cost of building networks and helped to achieve higher uptake of service once it is built. Non-profit co-operatives and mutual organisations also have a role to play and national governments can support these efforts by helping reduce regulatory barriers towards small-scale market entry and by offering funding support in ways that encourage local control.
Align financial support with the development of long-term solutions: A subsidy initiative that supports historical incumbents to upgrade existing networks but which does not address the underlying market failures that gave rise to the need for the subsidy in the first place may mean that further rounds of subsidy are needed to help communities keep pace with future improvements in technology. Alternative approaches that foster the development of new networks and the entry of new players to compete with the historical incumbents can lead to a more sustainable market-based solution. Broadband voucher schemes accessible to community-led broadband efforts are one such approach. Another alternative is a public-private partnership model, whereby public funding is combined with private investment to improve connectivity while also fundamentally changing the marketplace in a way that delivers long-term improvements in broadband provision and balancing the risks borne by taxpayers, with the potential to share in future revenue streams. These models have been applied successfully at both the national and local levels in OECD countries.
Governance
Align financial resources with devolved responsibilities: If the central government delegates or devolves education and healthcare responsibilities to subnational governments, the central government should also ensure that such mandates are financed. One of the most frequent challenges of decentralisation is the misalignment between responsibilities allocated to subnational governments and the actual resources available to them. Access to finances should be consistent with the costs associated with delivering the services and these costs should be calculated in a way that reflects the local conditions. Failure to account for these issues could result in an increase in the delivery efficiency of health and education services coming at the expense of higher territorial disparities in health and education outcomes.
Ensure fiscal transfer systems reflect both the local tax bases and delivery costs: A well-designed transfer system ensures that subnational governments can provide a comparable level of public services at comparable tax rates in all subnational units. The incentive to generate efficiencies in local administration is strengthened if a considerable share of local public services is financed with local taxes. However, many local governments in rural areas have small and shrinking tax bases and the delivery costs associated with health and education services in these areas are higher due to the distances involved and the greater service needs that exist in these areas. Transfer systems should especially support local governments with low own-source revenue potential while also taking into account the higher costs that rural areas face.
Maximise efficiency by exploring innovative structures to deliver health and education services across subnational boundaries: While the delivery of education and health services is commonly devolved, the most convenient access may be provided across administrative boundaries. For example, the closest hospital to rural residents living near a region border may be in their neighbouring region. In these cases, achieving economies of scale and consistent delivery of services may require co-operation across administrative boundaries. A variety of arrangements can be used to facilitate access in these cases:
Central governments can use earmarked transfers to subnational governments to encourage extended service delivery that takes into account non-resident users. For example, if a patient or student from a neighbouring jurisdiction benefits from health and education services paid by a jurisdiction’s taxpayers.
The government may, alternatively, facilitate municipal mergers. Such mergers can increase the scale of provision by augmenting the size of local service areas and reducing fragmentation. They can however be problematic if they create economies of scale for some services but diseconomies of scale in others.
A third option is to facilitate interjurisdictional co-operation agreements. These can be a more flexible alternative because they enable economies of scale where it is most beneficial and can be selectively applied to the areas of service where they will be most useful. | https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/128393f5-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/128393f5-en |
The COVID-19 pandemic has confronted countries with a wide range of new and increased economic risks, some of which may only become apparent with time. Ideally, governments would devise policies to address all areas in which the pandemic has revealed or exacerbated economic fragilities: financial sector stability, the legal insolvency framework for households and businesses, access to credit, and government debt sustainability. However, few if any governments have the resources and political leeway to tackle all these challenges at once. They will have to identify the risks that are the most immediate threats to an equitable recovery in their specific context and prioritize policy responses accordingly.
Managing domestic and global risks
As governments gradually withdraw stimulus measures, policy makers must balance equity and efficiency considerations. For example, support should be scaled back first for firms that are financially resilient and have access to credit and capital markets that can help bridge temporary liquidity problems. In supporting firms through the recovery, governments should resist the urge to target specific industries for aid based on their precrisis size and ensure that support policies do not trap resources in sectors that have become less viable as a result of the crisis. Similarly, for households support should be scaled back first for those that are financially resilient, whereas support that protects the incomes and livelihoods of vulnerable populations that have been especially hard-hit by income losses stemming from the pandemic should be kept in place until these populations’ recovery prospects have materially improved. Prioritizing disadvantaged groups in this way can help counteract the impacts of the pandemic on poverty and inequality.
Policy makers will also need to address global economic risks that may threaten a robust, equitable recovery. One such risk is the uneven pace of recovery of advanced and emerging economies. The more rapid recovery in advanced economies is likely to precipitate a rise in global interest rates, which will put pressure on borrowers through increases in the cost of servicing domestic debt (public and private). Loan defaults may result.
An additional external risk is private and public sector exposure to exchange rate risk and foreign currency debt. This is especially important in countries whose financial sectors rely on credit and capital markets for wholesale finance because financial institutions (including microfinance lenders) that face refinancing risks will have less capacity to supply credit during the recovery. Managing currency risk should also be a high priority in countries with dominant state-owned enterprises that have taken on significant amounts of foreign currency debt in the decade since the global financial crisis.
Tackling the most urgent sources of risks
One of the main themes of this Report is that the sectors of an economy are interconnected. These links create pathways along which risks can spill over from one sector to others. Along these same paths, well-designed fiscal, monetary, and financial policies can mitigate risks and generate positive outcomes that support economic recovery.
Governments that need to make difficult choices about the prioritization of resources to realize the recovery should therefore examine the specific nature of the risks confronting the economy and then identify areas where policy action is most likely to reduce economic fragilities worsened by the pandemic. This is not to say that governments facing a high degree of risk in one area should ignore other areas. Instead, they should emphasize the importance of urgent action in areas in which economic fragilities are greatest or in which allowing additional risks to accumulate is most likely to create spillover risks that could threaten the recovery.
Likely scenarios in low-income countries
A common scenario in low-income countries is that the formal banking sector primarily serves the wealthier, more resilient households and the larger, more well-established businesses, whereas the low-income households and small businesses most severely affected by the pandemic often lack access to bank credit. The possibility of rising loan defaults among private sector borrowers is therefore often a less pressing issue in these countries. However, because borrowers in low-income countries are typically more reliant on nonbank lenders such as microfinance institutions, they may benefit from efforts to regulate and support these institutions (see spotlights in chapters 2 and 3).
Meanwhile, in these countries deteriorating public finances threaten the ability of governments to support the most vulnerable and pose a risk to the domestic financial sector, which often holds large amounts of government debt. Low-income countries also tend to face greater external threats than middle- and high-income countries to an equitable recovery. As high-income countries begin to recover from the crisis, low-income countries that borrow in foreign currency face the risk that their debt payments and import costs will become more expensive as global interest rates rise and their local currencies depreciate. In this scenario, a focus on improved government debt management may help governments manage debt burdens and free up resources for the recovery (see chapter 5).
Likely risks in middle-income countries
Addressing financial sector fragilities is a more pressing policy priority for many middle-income countries. Because the financial sector in these countries is typically more developed, it is also more exposed to household and small business debt. Income losses arising from the pandemic have led to a dramatic deterioration in the financial health of households and firms and could precipitate a sharp rise in loan defaults once support policies are withdrawn. This situation could, in turn, threaten the capital position of many lenders. One important priority for policy makers in middle-income countries is therefore to ensure that the financial sector remains adequately capitalized and that regulators and financial institutions establish the proper frameworks for prompt, comprehensive recognition of financial sector risks (see chapter 2).
Overall, the governments of middle-income countries introduced larger and more encompassing fiscal and financial sector policies in response to the pandemic. These included cash transfers, debt moratoria for households and firms, and credit guarantee schemes for businesses. In these countries, policy makers need to ensure that support measures are scaled back in a careful and predictable manner to avoid a wave of insolvencies and loan defaults in the event that stimulus policies are withdrawn before economic activity has fully recovered (see chapter 3).
Finally, the continued impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the economic prospects of households and firms could inhibit new lending because of increased credit risk and persistent economic uncertainty. The risk that heightened economic uncertainty dampens the recovery by leading to a reduction of credit can be partly mitigated through improved credit market transparency and better recourse in the event of default. Bank supervisors can encourage banks to reassess credit models, responsibly adopt innovations in digital finance that rely on alternative data, and tailor loans to the borrower and the lending environment. Regulatory frameworks that foster innovation can support credit during the recovery, while ensuring that consumers and markets are protected from misuse of data (see chapter 4).
The crisis as an opportunity: Accelerating the transition to a sustainable world economy
Despite the numerous challenges posed by the pandemic, the COVID-19 crisis also presents an enormous opportunity to accelerate the transformation toward a more efficient and sustainable world economy. Climate change is a global phenomenon, but its impacts are felt most severely in low-income countries and among low-income communities, where it often compounds the existing vulnerabilities such as lack of access to clean water, low crop yields, food insecurity, and unsafe housing.
Governments and central banks have a variety of policy instruments at their disposal to support the transformation to a greener economy through the appropriate pricing of carbon emissions and support for green finance and sustainable technologies. Governments can, for example, revisit the tax code to incentivize green investment, while central banks and supervisors can mandate higher risk provisioning for loans to sectors engaged in unsustainable activities. The reforms necessitated by this once in a century crisis offer governments an opportunity to adapt their economies to the reality and the largely neglected risk of climate change. | https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2022/brief/chapter-6-policy-priorities-for-the-recovery |
Also called “mental anguish”, mental suffering refers to discomfort, dysfunction, or distress of the mind; usually the kind that results from physical pain or injury. It also refers to emotional pain and suffering (including highly unpleasant emotions like anxiety, depression, anguish, grief, fright, humiliation, or fury) that result from another person’s conduct.
It is important to note that regardless of whether the discomfort is mental or emotional, it is usually caused by some external source and, when severe enough, may provide a basis for recovering damages in tort. Physical injury is not generally required to recover damages for mental suffering, so long as it is reasonable to presume that mental trauma would naturally flow from the incident. The standard used to measure the reasonableness of such an assumption is an objective one and most states have compensation caps on noneconomic damages – between $250,000 and $500,000 for total noneconomic damages.
According to the Restatement Second of Torts § 46, emotional distress is to be expected as part of the price of living among people. The law is meant to intervene only when the distress inflicted is so severe that no reasonable man could be expected to endure it. To evaluate the severity of a claimant’s distress, judges will usually consider the intensity, duration, and character of the defendant’s conduct.
Relevant terms: | https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/mental_suffering |
Humor in the practice of medicine carries with it both benefits and inherent risks. Included within the risks are legal risks. Traditional causes of action involving the use of humor are breach of contract, defamation, trademark infringement, harassment or hostile work environment, and intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress. However, in the medical context, there is precedent for humor or jokes used during the patient-physician encounter serving as a basis for medical malpractice claims as well. Physicians should be aware of the potential legal liabilities of humor and approach its use with caution and mindfulness.
Introduction
Medical research underscores the value of humor in the practice of medicine—specifically, the use of humor between physician and patient. In the medical practice setting, the value of humor is recognized both for patients—“as a coping mechanism to reduce the anxiety and frustration associated with being in the hospital”— and for physicians—as a tool to “deal with the stress of caring for patients who are in pain” while also helping to foster “good working relationships among colleagues.”1 Despite these benefits, using humor in medical practice has real risks. From a legal standpoint, the risks of humor may manifest in the form of legal action or liability. Traditional forms of legal liability associated with jokes or humor are breach of contract (eg, was a statement a joke or a promise?), defamation, harassment (eg, sexual harassment or hostile work environment claims), trademark infringement cases (eg, parody of a protected mark), or intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress.2 In the medical context, another potential legal action remains possible: medical malpractice. Jokes or humor as the basis of a medical malpractice claim may seem, at first glance, to be outside the purview of what constitutes medical malpractice, as a claim must necessarily involve conduct stemming from the practice of medicine itself.3 Can humor or jokes ever be considered part of the practice of medicine? The answer is debatable and without a simple answer that covers all scenarios. However, there is legal precedent suggesting that, in certain instances, humor or jokes may be within the scope of medical practice and might be used to support medical malpractice claims. Such precedent is a reminder to physicians of the risks associated with using humor and that, depending on the circumstances, a joke has potential to become the basis of a medical malpractice claim-pushing the legal risk of humor into a sphere beyond traditional legal claims.
Traditional Legal Risks Associated With Humor
As noted above, legal risk associated with jokes and humor has traditionally taken the form of legal claims, such as breach of contract, defamation, trademark dilution or infringement, harassment, and infliction of emotional distress. Regulation of humor by law—as these causes of action allow—is a complicated and controversial subject. As Laura Little notes, “regulation of expression risks muting outlying values and tastes, which society might beneficially evaluate and debate.”2 Note that these causes of action are ones for which all members of society share risk of liability, not only medical professionals. However, while none of these claims are medically oriented in a general sense, physicians should still be mindful of them because—depending on the clinical situation involving humor between physician and patient—any of these claims may be possible in the medical context.
Breach of contract. With regard to humor, a breach of contract claim may arise from a dispute about whether a joke or jesting by one party was taken as a serious offer or acceptance by another party in order to establish an enforceable contract.3 A famous example was a Pepsi promotional campaign wherein consumers could redeem gifts by collecting Pepsi Points. The advertising campaign featured a teenager winning a Harrier fighter jet by amassing 7 million Pepsi Points. A lawsuit emerged when a plaintiff accumulated 7 million points and demanded a Harrier jet.2 The debate centered on whether the advertisement was a “joke” or whether it was a valid offer to win a Harrier jet; the court ultimately found in favor of Pepsi, deeming the advertisement as humor and not a valid contractual offer.2 However, a joke may sometimes form a contract; a Virginia court once held a “comedic exchange” of a contractual nature to be enforceable, as it found “persuasive evidence that the execution of the contract was a serious business transaction rather than a casual, jesting matter.”4
Defamation. Defamation is another cause of action often associated with humor or jokes. In US common law, a defamatory statement is one that harms the reputation of another; key elements of the claim are that the statement at issue be both defamatory and false.5 When evaluating the actionable defamatory nature of a humorous statement, the requirement of falsity brings complexity to the analysis. As Little notes, humor or jokes do “not fit easily into the paradigm of truth and falsity. Humor is by definition not ‘serious,’ thus suggesting that it operates outside the realm of anything one could verify.”5 There is recent precedent for defamation liability in the medical context, as occurred in D.B. vs Ingham, in which a Virginia anesthesiologist made disparaging and untrue statements about her patient undergoing a colonoscopy while he was under anesthesia.6 These remarks may have been intended to be jokes between colleagues; however, a jury awarded the patient a six-figure award for his defamation claim against the physician.6
Trademark infringement. Trademark cases are also relevant because humor, like parody, may be a defense against a claim of trademark infringement. Little notes that such claims are “designed to protect against harm both to consumers who may be misled into buying something they did not expect and to trademark owners who are deprived of sales.”2 She adds that with regard to “a true parody, an infringement cause of action will not succeed,” as consumers would understand the alleged infringement is merely parody and “would not likely confuse the protected product with the challenged product or communication [ie, the parody or joke].”2
Harassment or hostile work environment. Harassment and hostile work environment claims are particularly relevant in society, as there is greater recognition and awareness of these claims. There are many cases in which jokes, banter, and humor in the workplace amounted to legally cognizable claims of harassment or of a hostile work environment. As Robert Gregg notes, jokes in the workplace about “race, sex age, ethnicity, religion” are risky and generally “not appropriate.”7 Mindfully approaching such risks, Daniel Sokol recommends that physicians ask themselves before making any such jokes or banter in the workplace (either with patients or other colleagues): “‘Would a reasonable, impartial observer consider this remark to be inappropriate?’ If the question cannot be answered with conviction, it is best not to crystallise the potentially offensive thought into words.”8
There is reasonable debate over whether a medical practitioner’s joke validly falls within professional practice.
Intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress. The common law tort of infliction of emotional distress (either intentional or negligent), consists of 4 elements, summarized by Constance Anastopoulos and Daniel Crooks as “(1) intentional or reckless conduct that is (2) outrageous in nature, beyond the bounds of human decency, and intolerable in a civilized community, and that (3) causes emotional distress that is (4) severe such that no one should be expected to endure it.”9 In the context of humor and jokes, Richard Bernstein notes that “[c]ourts have already held that derisive humor, parody, unorthodox religious doctrine, and abhorrent political ideas can be found extreme and outrageous” and that “[j]udges and juries will be more likely to find the joke extreme and outrageous and impose liability when they find the speaker’s underlying point of view objectionable.”10Abadie vs Riddle Memorial Hospital, a Pennsylvania case, provides an example of an emotional distress claim arising in the context of humor and medicine, wherein a patient (Abadie) sued a hospital (Riddle) for intentional infliction of emotional distress when the patient was distressed by hospital employees’ loud and disruptive birthday celebration that included noisy laughter, vulgar language, and a hired stripper in a gorilla costume—all of which may have been humorous to hospital employees but were offensive to the patient.11 Although the hospital ultimately prevailed in the case because the plaintiff did not allege any physical injury (Pennsylvania requires an allegation and finding of physical injury to prevail on a claim of emotional distress),11 the case still serves as a cautionary reminder for medical professionals that jokes between colleagues may also cause emotional distress to patients.
Humor and Malpractice
While physicians (and all members of society) must be mindful of the traditional legal risks of humor outlined above, it is possible that a physician’s use of humor could give rise to a medical malpractice claim. When analyzing whether humor could be part of a medical malpractice claim, it is important first to understand the elements of the claim. The common law elements of medical malpractice are as follows: “(1) the existence of a duty running from the physician to the injured party; (2) the physician’s breach of this duty; (3) an injury to the patient that is proximately caused by the doctor’s breach of duty; and (4) damages arising from the injury.”12 Essential to the physician’s duty to the patient is that the physician “use reasonable skill in his or her professional practice,” thus requiring that “any negligence for medical malpractice must necessarily arise out of the practice of medicine and the physician’s treatment of the patient.”3 The key question then becomes what constitutes the practice of medicine such that it legally falls within the scope of the physician’s duty to the patient in a medical malpractice claim. For example, a “doctor’s sexual relationship with the patient’s spouse” would not allow for a valid claim of malpractice, as such conduct falls outside the practice of medicine.3
It may appear controversial to consider humor coming under the scope of what constitutes the practice of medicine, but there is some precedent for the notion and for allowing such a medical malpractice claim to be possible. D.B. vs Ingham is a prime example. In that case, as mentioned above, the patient (D.B.) was undergoing a colonoscopy and the anesthesiologist (Ingham) made several severely insulting comments about the patient to the gastroenterologist she was working with.6 Ingham’s statements regarding D.B. were vitriolic, mean-spirited, and extreme; she insulted the patient repeatedly and made false allegations about his sexual orientation and the presence of hemorrhoids. The jury found in favor of the plaintiff and awarded him 2 six-figure awards (along with punitive damages)—one award for a claim of defamation and the other for medical malpractice, presumably because such “jokes” between treating physicians were closely attuned enough to the patient’s medical procedure to be considered within the scope of practice for medical malpractice purposes.6
Another example of malpractice involving humor is the Washington State Supreme Court case, Woo vs Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co.13 While this case is technically one of insurance contract law, it has persuasive relevance for medical malpractice regarding what constitutes professional practice. In Woo, a surgical dentist (Woo) is suing his insurance carrier (Fireman’s) for failing to defend him against a professional malpractice claim. The malpractice case arose because Woo, during a dental surgical procedure, placed boar tusk flippers in the patient’s mouth as a “practical joke” at the patient’s expense. Fireman’s argued that it should not defend Woo, as such a “joke” clearly falls outside what constitutes the practice of dentistry under the policy. However, the Washington State Supreme Court concluded that “Fireman’s had a duty to defend under Woo’s professional liability provision because the insertion of boar tusk flippers in Alberts’ [the patient’s] mouth conceivably fell within the policy’s broad definition of the practice of dentistry,” reasoning that the “acts that comprised the practical joke were integrated into and inseparable from the overall procedure.”13 While this holding is technically an interpretation of the insurance contract, it clearly demonstrates the Washington State Supreme Court’s willingness to view such a practical joke as within the scope of professional practice.
However, there is reasonable debate over whether a medical practitioner’s joke may validly fall within professional practice. For example, the dissent in Woo made a strong argument against the notion of including jokes within the scope of medical practice. The dissenting opinion—drawing a distinction between the joke and dental practice—explained that “the actionable behavior [of Woo] was the unauthorized porcine ‘joke,’ not the eventual and separate proper replacement of Ms. Alberts’ [the patient’s] teeth,” concluding that “Woo was not practicing dentistry” while conducting his practical joke and that the joke itself “was not intended to treat any ‘disease, pain, injury, deficiency, deformity, or physical condition.’”13 The dissent in Woo demonstrates the controversial nature of allowing jokes or humor to be part of the basis of a medical malpractice claim, and, while not all instances of jokes involved in the practice of medicine may allow for a malpractice claim, practitioners should be mindful that, depending on the facts, potential for such liability exists.
Conclusion
The above discussion serves as a cautionary reminder to physicians and other health care practitioners that jokes or humor in medicine can carry legal risks. While some legal risks may be obvious (eg, sexual harassment claims), some legal risks are not so intuitive. One notable example is that of medical malpractice in which a joke may indeed be deemed within the scope of the practice of medicine and give rise to a claim of malpractice in the right set of circumstances.
While considering these legal risks, it is important to remember that humor in medicine can have noteworthy positive and therapeutic benefits for the physician, patient, and the patient-physician relationship.14,15 Jeffrey Berger et al note that “careful use of humor can humanize and strengthen physician-patient encounters” but that physicians “should be assiduously conservative in selecting the content and manner of humor.”15 Caution and mindfulness are key when employing humor in the physician-patient encounter. As May McCreaddie and Sheila Payne note, while initiating humor in the practice of medicine is a risk, it may just be “a risk worth taking.”16
References
- Bennett HJ. Humor in medicine. South Med J. 2003;96(12):1257-1261.
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Little LE. Regulating funny: humor and the law. Cornell Law Rev. 2009;94:1235-1292.
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1 Medical Malpractice §8.02 (2019).
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Lucy vs Zehmer, 84 SE 2d 516 (Va 1954)
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Little LE. Just a joke: defamatory humor and incongruity’s promise. South Calif Interdiscip Law J. 2011;21:95-166.
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Jackman T. Anesthesiologist trashes sedated patient—and it ends up costing her. Washington Post. June 23, 2015. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/anesthesiologist-trashes-sedated-patient-jury-orders-her-to-pay-500000/2015/06/23/cae05c00-18f3-11e5-ab92-c75ae6ab94b5_story.html. Accessed December 16, 2019.
- Gregg RE. It was just a joke: improper comments and practice liability. J Med Pract Manage. 2013;29(2):124-127.
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Sokol DK. No laughing matter. BMJ. 2012;344:e2119.
- Anastopoulos CA, Crooks DJ. Where’s the outrage: outrageous conduct in analyzing the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress in the wake of Snyder v Phelps. Tex Wesleyan Law Rev. 2003;19(3):667-710.
- Bernstein RD. First Amendment limits on tort liability for words intended to inflict severe emotional distress. Columbia Law Rev. 1985;85(8):1749-1785.
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Abadie vs Riddle Mem’l Hosp, 589 A2d 1143 (Pa Super 1991)
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1 Medical Malpractice §8.01 (2019).
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Woo vs Fireman’s Fund Ins Co, 164 P3d 454 (Wash 2007).
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Penson RT, Partridge RA, Rudd P, et al. Laughter: the best medicine? Oncologist. 2005;10(8):651-660.
- Berger JT, Coulehan J, Belling C. Humor in the physician-patient encounter. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164(8):825-830.
- McCreaddie M, Payne S. Humour in health-care interactions: a risk worth taking. Health Expect. 2014;17(3):332-344. | https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/could-humor-health-care-become-malpractice/2020-07 |
Description: Palliative Medicine is an exciting new specialty that focuses on palliation of physical symptoms and treatment of physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual suffering for individuals and families with serious illness. Medical students are exposed to many of these concepts during 3rd year clerkships. This course will provide the student with an in-depth exposure to how a palliative medicine team can make an impact on quality of life for patients and their families. The specialty focuses on physical symptoms such as pain management, including opioid and non-opioid regimens, non-pain symptoms such as nausea, dyspnea, agitation, delirium, anxiety, depression, intractable hiccoughs, and others. Through assessment of and attention to the complex emotional, spiritual, existential and ethical distress of patients and their families, students will gain a unique ‘cura personalis’ perspective of patients with advanced illness. Advanced communication skills are employed to ensure that patients receive appropriate and patient-centered care in a complex medical environment.
During the 4-week rotation, the medical student will participate in the inpatient consultation service, providing initial consultation and subsequent follow-up. The student will also participate in the evaluation and management of patients in the ambulatory palliative medicine clinic. Teaching is provided through direct patient, care, bedside teaching, daily rounds, interdisciplinary team meetings, and didactic conferences. The student will take histories, assess physical and emotional symptoms, and develop a plan for palliation of these symptoms. Observation of family meetings as a unique palliative intervention will be a focus for the learners. Assessment for this elective will be based on faculty observations of clinical skills (80%), and an oral presentation by the student (20%).
Internal Medicine Consultation: GMED-552
Department: Medicine
Instructor: Margot Wheeler, MD
Contact: Margot Wheeler, MD
Phone: (202) 444-8168
Location: MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
Reporting Time and Place: 6th PHC building (Dr. Wheeler’s Office) to meet the team
Duration: Four Week Elective
Max Number of Students: Two students/ block
Description: This elective gives fourth year students considerable experience in consultative medicine, including pre-operative evaluation and assessment, perioperative management of medical patients, and medical management of inpatients on surgical, ob/gyn, and psychiatry services. Small group sessions with a faculty member and two senior Medicine residents occur twice weekly. Students will evaluate new consults and present directly to senior faculty during afternoon teaching rounds. Students will also participate in General Internal Medicine conferences and morning report along with GIM residents on the consult service. This elective is available year round. No call or weekend duties. | https://som.georgetown.edu/medicine/ |
The aim of unit is to critically review some of the controversial issues and perspectives in key areas within special and inclusive education. The content of the unit, therefore, covers issues ranging from perspectives against 'full' inclusion, inclusion and raising standards, inclusion and educational support, inclusion and educational legislation, inclusion and educational practice, inclusion and 'marginalised groups', inclusion and identification/assessment, intervention and educational placement of range of pupils with special educational needs [such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia and emotional, behavioural and social difficulties (EBSD)]. The common theme that interrelates each topic that will be covered in the unit is that they all address recent theory, practice and research outcomes that shed a light on complex issues and as a result challenge the way in which practitioners/professionals, service providers, researchers and academics think and perceive such issues.
Aims:
The aim of this unit is to critically review some of the controversial issues in the field of special and inclusive education. The content therefore covers a wide range of topics that are relevant to stimulate critical thinking skills for participants to analyse and evaluate recent controversial issues and developments and their implications on education of all children. The unifying theme that links the topics covered on the unit is that they each address recent theory and research and throw light on the complexities of the issues and, therefore, challenge the thinking. The unit aims to raise awareness that one size does not fit all and, therefore, stimulates flexible, open and creative way of thinking among participants.
A variety of teaching strategies will be used to deliver this unit, which may include whole group lectures, visiting speakers, case studies, critical analysis of key readings, group discussions and student presentations.
The unit will enable students, who will be coming from a wide range of backgrounds, to share their knowledge and experience in the field via individual and/or group presentations including case studies.
Formative assessment will be provided by group discussion during which different ‘camps’ will debate a range of controversial issues in the field. Tutor and participant feedback will contribute to students’ preparation for the summative task.
For the summative assessment task, students are required to complete:
Ann Lewis & Brahm Norwich (Eds) (2005). Special Teaching for Special Children: A Pedagogy for Special Educational Needs Paperback: ISBN 0 335 21405 3.
Corbett, J. (2003). Supporting Inclusive education: A connective pedagogy. London: Routledge. | https://www.bris.ac.uk/unit-programme-catalogue/UnitDetails.jsa;jsessionid=E5F091E63CF59D32D57877F4DADF4935?ayrCode=18%2F19&unitCode=EDUCM5601 |
Do You Need to Be a Parent to Be a Good Teacher?
I’m not a parent, and I don’t want to be. That can be a controversial statement for any young woman, but it seems that it’s even more so for a teacher.
Why Teaching is Becoming a More Feminized Profession
Women make up the majority of the teaching workforce in the United States. So why is this happening? Is this a good thing, or something that needs adressing?
7 Ways to Look After Your Well-being as a Teacher.
Teachers are always on the go and working late into the night. This lifestyle can take a toll on your health, causing you to feel stressed and run down.
Why teacher well-being is the most important factor in student success.
Teachers know that you can’t do your best work when you are not looked after. Too many teachers can’t balance the demands of their job with their well-being.
What Can You Do When a Student Gives You a Gift that you Can’t Accept?
Teachers are often given gifts by their students, and it can be difficult to know what to do when you receive one. What if you don’t want or can’t accept it?
The best gifts to give your child’s teacher
For teachers, receiving gifts from their students is problematic. There are ethical and legal risks when they accept gifts which you might not be aware of.
5 reasons to join your teacher’s union today.
Unions have a long, proud history in Australia. They have ensured that Australian wages are amongst the highest in the world, and our teachers are no different.
What is emotional burnout and how does it impact teachers?
As teachers, we’re not witnessing deaths and grieving families like a lot of other professions, but many of us are experiencing emotional burnout.
How to get enough exercise as a teacher.
How do you get exercise as a teacher? You get to work while it’s dark and stay until after the students leave. The trick is to alter what you’re already doing.
How teaching online supports teachers with a disability.
When I started teaching online, I didn’t expect that I would also be working with a more complex range of students, but also teachers. | https://willtoteach.com/category/teacher-health-and-well-being/ |
refusing to identify one's self when requested to do so.
2. FAILURE TO ATTEND A SATURDAY SCHOOL
Failure to attend Saturday School will result in additional consequences including addition Saturday School leading to
a possible suspension.
3.FIGHTING / MUTUAL COMBAT*
Fighting, defined as physical and/or verbal abuse where all parties have contributed to the conflict, either verbally or
physically, is prohibited. Students are expected to seek nonviolent means in solving disputes. If physical confrontation
is anticipated, students are to seek assistance from an administrator, campus supervisor, teacher, or staff member.
The police will cite students who engage in fighting.
4. HARASSMENT / BULLYING / CYBERBULLYING / INTIMIDATION/HAZING*
Harassment is defined as any action which intentionally creates emotional, mental, or physical abuse, discomfort,
embarrassment, ridicule, or intimidation and is prohibited at LGHS. The intentional threatening, intimidating, or
harassing of another person by word, act, or deed is considered serious and will be handled according to Board
Policy 5145.3. Harassment of any kind; verbal, physical, or virtual, that creates a hostile educational environment will
be handled regardless of the location where it began and includes the protection and safety of any complainant or
witness.
5. HATE VIOLENCE*
Hate violence is an action(s) intended to hurt and intimidate someone because of his or her race, ethnicity, national
origin, religious, sexual orientation, or disability. Causing, attempting, threatening to cause, or being active or passive
observer of an act of hate violence will result in additional consequences including a form of required sensitivity and
tolerance education.
6. INAPPROPRIATE USE OF DISTRICT/SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY
Students are required to sign and abide by the District Technology User Agreement before they use LGHS
technology provided in their classroom, library or lab. Violations of this agreement will result in loss of technology
privileges. (See Tech Agreement)
7. POSSESSION OR USING TOBACCO PRODUCTS*
Possession or use of tobacco products and paraphernalia at any time on school grounds or at school sponsored
activities is prohibited. Students are also not allowed to smoke in a vehicle while it is on school grounds. For
complete policy on tobacco use see Board Policy 5131.62
8. REPEATED INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR THAT OTHER ATTEMPTS HAVE FAILED TO CORRECT
Depending on the nature of the offense and the number of interventions attempted to correct a Level I or II offense,
the offense will become a Level III.
9. USE OF HABITUAL INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE / GESTURES OR AN OBSCENE ACT
Use of habitual obscenity, obscene gestures, profanity, vulgarity, whether verbal or written, in an aggressive manner
is unacceptable. An obscene act is any physical enactment of obscene gestures, vulgarity, or profanity in any public
area either on campus during the school day or during any school sponsored activities.
10. VANDALISM*
The willful or malicious damage, destruction, or defacement of any property, whether school property or individual
private property. Restitution may be required if there is an expense for fixing or replacing the damaged property in
addition to other consequences.
CONSEQUENCES FOR LEVEL III OFFENSES:
FIRST OFFENSE: One to three day suspension
SECOND OFFENSE: Three to five day suspension
THIRD OFFENSE: Five day suspension and referred to the Director of Student Services for a discipline hearing.
*Denotes that Law Enforcement must be notified.
Depending on the nature of the violation and the number of previous interventions, the house principal may
increase the level of the offense. | https://lghs.net/cms/One.aspx?portalId=87457&pageId=2363081 |
13 Reasons Why, the Netflix TV series about a high school girl’s suicide, is popular with teen viewers, in spite of its dark, heavy, and controversial subject matter. Parents and mental health experts can’t agree on whether it’s appropriate for teens to watch: Does it encourage or discourage, even subliminally, self-harm and suicide?
In the series — based on the book of the same name — a girl named Hannah, who has recently taken her own life, leaves behind a series of tapes explaining the thirteen reasons she committed suicide. Turns out that each of those reasons is a person, someone who said and/or did something that hurt Hannah deeply enough to make her want to kill herself.
I first read the book Thirteen Reasons (on which the series is based) several years ago. With the recent media attention surrounding the TV series, I reread the book and watched the series. The series portrays, in graphic detail, painful events experienced by the main character and issues related to suicide, bullying, sexual assault, and other social issues.
Teenagers I talk to are saying, “It sounds like my school. This is what high school is like.” Maybe so, but mental health experts, including me, have concerns about the potential risks posed by the depiction of youth suicide. The series also highlights the main character’s struggles and the consequences of her decisions, including unintended consequences. It also depicts other characters’ life issues and struggles, and the impact of their decisions — on themselves and other people.
The central concern is that the series may be perceived as romanticizing suicide, while offering no alternatives to struggling children and teens. Children and teen viewers need support from adults to process the events and experiences depicted, and thoughts and emotions that may arise.
For children and teens who are vulnerable due to mental health issues, suicidal thoughts, or other trauma, I would urge them to not watch the show. That said, many have watched it — at home or at a friend’s — without their parents’ knowledge.
I urge parents to initiate open, nonjudgmental conversations with your kids about 13 Reasons Why. These can provide opportunities to discuss issues they may be facing, and to explore decision-making options and the consequences of choices. If needed, such conversations can lead to support and intervention. Help is available.
This is an opportunity for parents to truly listen, to take your child seriously and be willing to offer support and seek help. If your child has watched the show, here are some issues you may want to discuss:
- The importance of treating people with kindness
- Who students can talk to about emotional issues and suicide
- The importance of talking to an adult when things occur that are difficult to handle
Most teens who are thinking about suicide will tell at least one other person about their distress or plans. These communications are not always direct and may be hard to recognize, so it is vital to know some of the key warning signs of suicide:
- Suicidal threats, which can be direct (“I am going to kill myself”) or indirect (“I wish I could fall asleep and never wake up”). They can be either spoken or expressed through some other form of communication, often in online posts.
- Giving away possessions, especially if they hold special meaning.
- Preoccupation with death in conversation, art, or on social media.
- Changes in behavior, appearance, hygiene, sleep, mood, or feelings.
- Loss of or major changes in relationships and social activity.
Emotional distress — feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, or of being a burden to others.
If you or someone you know are considering suicide, please get help immediately. Call 911 if it’s an emergency. Or contact our 24-Hour Emergency Services at (239) 491-7602. | https://davidlawrencecenters.org/blog/need-know-13-reasons/ |
The Human Biology course gives students a chance to explore what it is to be human—how the human body works, the origins of human variation, inheritance in humans, the evolution of the human species and population genetics. Through their investigations, students research new discoveries that increase our understanding of human dysfunction, treatments and preventative measures. Practical tasks are an integral part of this course and develop a range of laboratory skills, for example, biotechnology techniques. Students learn to evaluate risks and benefits to make informed decisions about lifestyle and health topics such as diet, alternative medical treatments, use of chemical substances and the manipulation of fertility. Scientific evidence is used to make informed decisions about controversial issues, such as stem cell research, obesity and euthanasia.
Studying Human Biology is an advantage to students interested in Nursing, Physiotherapy, Science of Physical Education or Sports Science, Occupational Health, Medicine and Childcare. | http://duncraigshs.wa.edu.au/course-list/year-11/human-biology-units-1-2-atar |
As the prevalence of dementia in the UK increases, and researchers struggle to find concrete evidence for the possible causes of the disease, controversial studies have emerged hypothesising that dental X-rays could be the source of the infamous disorder. With no evidence to support this claim, however, and no indication that research can actually be conducted to prove such a theory, it would, perhaps, be more pertinent for professionals to reverse their concerns and focus instead on the effects diagnostic imaging can have on people currently living with dementia.
Presently, there is next to no research on how the experience of undergoing an X-ray can affect dementia patients both emotionally and psychologically, apart from one study funded by the Clinical Research Fellowship titled “Exploring the experiences of diagnostic imaging for people with dementia”, which has not yet published its findings.[i] The project hopes to improve understanding through interviews with patients and their carers as well as develop recommendations for practice change.
As it stands, there are advice pathways in place to steer professionals in the right direction – including Nice guidelines (CG42)[ii] and recommendations from the Society of Radiographers –[iii] with some consideration placed on support and intervention methods. However, it is also important to examine ways in which distress, confusion and discomfort can be minimised within the dental practice.
To do so, it is necessary to consider how the patient might feel before, during and after the process. Before the X-ray is taken, for instance, the patient is required to remove all jewellery, dentures, eyewear and any other metal objects or clothing that might interfere with the images, which can be an ordeal in itself for someone living with dementia. Indeed, depending on the level of their understanding, they might not be able to comprehend why you are removing their wedding ring, or why they aren’t allowed to have their glasses, without which, they cannot see.
That’s not to mention the confusion the patient might feel when the machine is positioned close to the body. Plus, if the equipment is big, bulky or intimidating in appearance, there is a possibility that the experience could induce anxiety or fear.
Emotional and psychological distress could occur during the process too, especially if the patient is unable to keep still and the images need to be retaken. Not only could this induce further feelings of anxiety in a situation that is already stressful for the patient, but it also puts the patient at risk of increased radiation exposure.
It is important to take into consideration the waiting time that is required after the examination is complete to check if all the necessary images have been obtained. If the equipment does not enable the user to view the images immediately, there is a chance that the patient could become impatient or agitated, which could lead to challenging behaviour.
To minimise such risks and create an experience that is as positive and comfortable as possible, there are several measures that could be implemented within the dental practice. One potential strategy could be to alter protocol and develop a specialist system specifically for patients with dementia – a service that is already being developed within innovative hospitals and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). The Mid Essex CCG, for instance, funds a service affiliated with the national charity Carers Trust, which has developed a pathway that enables patients with dementia who require an X-ray to have direct access to radiology services.[iv] If practices were to implement a similar protocol and allow patients to bypass the waiting room, it could help the patient to feel more relaxed and minimise the likelihood of agitation and distress from occurring.
A clinician’s understanding and attitude towards the disease could also affect patients’ overall X-ray experience. Indeed, one study found that the approach of participating radiographers towards people with dementia was largely of a negative nature, especially from staff with fewer than 10 years’ work experience.[v] With better training, and an increased awareness of the affects of dementia, clinicians could help minimise agitation and behavioural symptoms during the X-ray process.[vi]
Lastly, the machine itself can have a huge impact on the outcome of the appointment and the patient’s experience. By using an X-ray unit such as the RXDC Hypersphere+ from RPA Dental, that provides a larger source-to-skin distance, generates consistently sharp images and reduces the irradiated surface area – and therefore exposure – practices could improve negative elements of the experience.
While it is clear that evidence is needed to discover more on how an X-ray could affect patients with dementia both emotionally and psychologically, there are practical solutions that practices can implement that could help make a difference. Nobody can know for sure what the cause of dementia is, nor can they reverse its effects, but it’s not too late to change the way patients live with it. | https://www.gdpuk.com/blogs/guest-contributors/tags/911-rpa-dental |
Chesterfield County Public Schools has introduced a hybrid face-to-face model for students that choose to go back to school beginning with Cohort #4 on Nov. 9. Some students, parents and faculty deem this a controversial decision. One side of the argument believes that the reopening of schools is necessary in order for students to gain a proper education. Others believe that the school board should prioritize faculty and student health, rather than rushing the reopening process.
The hybrid plan gives students and their families the choice of whether to stay in online school or go “hybrid”. If they choose to do hybrid, they will spend two days out of the week in school, depending on their last name, and three days asynchronous at home. They will slowly start introducing students by cohorts. Cohort #1 began Sep. 29 and includes select special education students. Cohort #2 includes PreK to second grade. Cohort #3 includes third to fifth grade students, and Cohort #4 includes all secondary students, grades six through 12.
Although counties across the country have cases low enough to be able to support the reopening of their schools, Chesterfield County’s cases have slowly been rising and providing greater potential risks to all. According to WRIC, as of Oct. 19, Chesterfield County Public Schools has reported 32 cases of COVID-19 since teachers, staff and select students have returned. Some parents feel as though this is a forewarning as to what will happen if schools return to in person instruction so soon.
In order to prevent an outbreak, several safety precautions will be installed, including a mandatory mask policy in which masks will be a required part of the dress code. This is the absolute baseline for returning to the school building. Teachers should also be provided with the necessary sanitation products in order to properly keep their classrooms clean. According to Kristel Clayville of “The Atlantic”, teachers could be at a financial disadvantage if they are expected to pay for their classroom’s sanitary sprays and wipes out of pocket.
On the other hand, the Center for Disease Control argues that reopening schools is vital for the mental and emotional health of the students. School provides a breeding ground for the necessary development of the social and emotional skills of students. They also argue that reopening schools provide the most benefits for disadvantaged children by “creating a safe environment for learning, identifying and addressing neglect and abuse, fulfilling nutritional needs, and facilitating physical activity,” according to cdc.gov. Some will argue and say that those children are also likely to suffer the most if there were ever an outbreak within the school. If they were to contract COVID-19 then they would have a disadvantaged access to the proper healthcare in order to fight off the virus.
The Wall Street Journal has reported that schools in multiple states have already closed and gone into quarantine soon after reopening due to outbreaks of COVID-19. By returning to in-person instruction so soon, Chesterfield County Public Schools is ignoring the warning signs set by schools who have already tried and failed to reopen safely; thus, endangering the health of over 60,000 students and employees. | https://chhsnews.net/632/opinion/reopening-schools-should-indicate-strict-health-precautions/ |
This section explores the theme of Responding to bushfires, and is designed to support the learning needs of students in grades 4 to 6. It is aligned to Victorian Curriculum levels 5 and 6.
Students learn what to do in a fire emergency, when and how to make a Triple Zero (000) emergency call. They explore through bushfire scenarios what is involved when implementing a bushfire survival plan. Students also look at the history of firefighting, including present day approaches.
Please Note: All educators need to be aware that there is potential for discomfort or distress among some students when talking, viewing and reading about bushfires. Teachers need to preview, adapt and manage the teaching and learning activities and resources with respect to the particular needs and backgrounds of their students. | http://bushfireeducation.vic.edu.au/upper-primary/responding-to-bushfires/upper-primary-responding-to-bushfires.html |
This guest column is written through a partnership with the University of Alberta International Students’ Association and The Gateway.
Trigger Warning: This article discusses topics related to mental health and illness that some readers may find upsetting, such as suicide and depression. Resources are available at the end of the article.
The disruption and high stress the pandemic has brought to people are causing an increase in mental health problems. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, suicide is the second leading cause of death in people from 10 to 29 years old. For international students with little to no support, the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the burden we carry, exacerbating our vulnerability to mental health issues while isolating us from potential support mechanisms.
The economic impact of COVID-19 and the lack of part-time jobs has increased the financial insecurity among international students. Between the high tuition fees and struggling to pay for housing, despair has increased, leaving us prone to exploitation by unethical employers and landlords. Another cause of ongoing stress is the constant concern about the fate of loved ones at home with the rise of COVID-19 cases. The pandemic has been a perfect storm to impact our mental health. The overwhelming sources of distress, isolation, the intensified anxiety, depression, and loneliness are deeply related to suicide rates in international students.
Studies and polls made throughout the world to higher education students have shown that university and college students have reported a worsened mental health amid the pandemic. One of these studies found that Asian, Latinx, and Black students have lower rates of psychiatric diagnoses but similar or higher suicide attempts rates than Caucasian students. Furthermore, one in ten students reported seriously considering suicide, while one in fourteen stated self-injury as a way to cope with emotional pain.
There is an urgent need for increased mental health support for students. Waiting times for counselling are sometimes very long, and with everything moving to an online setting, the support services available are not enough. Considering the stigma and shame associated with mental distress for some international students, it’s vital to proactively normalize psychological well-being and facilitate seeking help. We also need culturally informed programs designed to enhance mental health awareness in students from minority groups.
If you are experiencing mental distress, suicidal ideation, or self-injury, please reach out for help. I know it’s scary, but know that there are people who want and can help. I’ve suffered major depression since I was a teenager, and I tried to commit suicide in the past, so I know how it is to feel alone, misunderstood, or a burden (spoiler alert! You’re not alone nor a burden.) However, once you get help in the form of therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, and learning to have self-compassion, the world won’t look as gray as it does now.
Being an international student is a big challenge. Being away from family, adjusting to a different culture, the academic and economic pressures, and the uncertainty of the pandemic, now more than ever, we need to find support and build a community to deal more efficiently with the intensified mental health hurdles. With this in mind, ISA has a discord called The Nest that aims to provide a place for international students to hang out, talk, meet new friends, and build a community, especially needed now.
If you’re concerned about a friend and think they might have suicidal thoughts, these are some of the warning signs to look for:
- Plan to or talk about harming or killing themselves or others
- Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide
- Increased substance use (alcohol or drug, including prescription medication)
- Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
- Feelings of being trapped, like there’s no way out
- Giving away possessions
- Withdrawal from friends, family, society
- Doing risky or dangerous things, such as drunk driving
Remember that despite the current situation with the pandemic, you are not alone. Try reaching out to a friend, a family member, or a mentor. You can also call the crisis line.
Edmonton and Northern Alberta Crisis Line (24/7):
1-800-232-7288, or (780) 482-HELP (4357)
Canada Suicide Prevention Service (24/7):
1-833-456-4566
The Addiction and Mental Health Help Line (24/7): | https://thegatewayonline.ca/2021/09/how-the-pandemic-is-creating-a-mental-health-crisis-among-international-students/ |
On September 8, 2022, the FDA warned healthcare providers of possible clip-lock malfunctions posed by the Abbott MitraClip Clip Delivery Systems. The alert was sent out in parallel with the company’s communication dated the same day.
A heart valve repair device designed to treat mitral regurgitation (MR), a kind of heart valve disease that prevents the valve between the left heart chambers from fully closing, the MitraClip Clip Delivery System was initially approved in 2013. It works to reduce MR in patients who exhibit major MR and heart failure symptoms due to abnormal mitral valves (i.e. primary or degenerative MR), as well as in patients whose health risks preclude mitral valve surgery.
A second indication of the device was approved in 2019 for treatment of patients whose mitral valves are structurally normal, but who have observable heart failure symptoms and “moderate-to-severe or severe MR due to left heart enlargement and diminished function” (i.e. secondary or functional MR), even after optimal medical therapy.
The FDA’s recent letter calls to attention “an increased rate of reports” of malfunctions observed in the clip-lock mechanism before and after deployment. Officials said the problem is detected in about 1.3% of all MitraClip procedures across all device models.
The risks presented by the malfunction may include ineffective treatment of MR, which could then require “additional interventions.” Such interventions increase a patient’s risks, including bleeding, complications with installing extra clips, and extended procedural times. Despite these risks, the FDA said the “majority” of clip-lock malfunction reports “have not been associated with adverse patient outcomes.” Citing current data, the FDA maintains that the “probable benefits” of the device still supersede the “probable risks” under approved use instructions.
Per the agency’s recommendations, healthcare providers are asked to read Abbott’s recall notice for all MitraClip Clip Delivery Systems and be informed of the clip lock’s potential malfunctions during the preparation and deployment of the device. Administrators are urged to follow the Instructions for Use outlined in Abbott’s communication. Any adverse events resulting from the malfunction should be reported to the FDA.
In response to the reports, the FDA continues to collaborate with Abbott to evaluate reports related to the clip-lock malfunction. It also works to identify other possible factors and develop methods to mitigate the problem.
If you believe you or a loved one has suffered injuries and/or emotional distress related to the malfunction of a medical device, your family deserves justice and fair compensation. A compassionate TruLaw attorney is ready to learn about your case and support you in the legal process. Contact us today or try our Instant Case Evaluation ℠. | https://trulaw.com/fda/fda-highlights-potential-problems-risks-with-mitraclip-device-by-abbott/ |
Through its prevalence and inherent risks, parental separation may fairly be regarded as a public health issue for children.
WHY THIS TOPIC MATTERS
The re-structuring of family life necessitated by separation and divorce involves multiple and complex adjustments for children. Often these combine to elevate risks of poor childhood outcomes across psychological, social, health and academic domains, reaching through to adulthood. Ongoing parenting conflict after separation and divorce further increases the nature and magnitude of developmental risk for children. The way in which family law practitioners intervene in parenting disputes can make a difference to family adjustment and children’s outcomes.
RESPONDING TO PARENTS’ SEPARATION
Separation and divorce for many children represents the collapse of a vital, archetypal structure in their world and in their experience of who they are. For infants and preschoolers separation brings substantial complexity. It is their ‘developmental response’ as much as their emotional response that concerns current researchers. Infants (even from a few weeks of age) recognise and react to parents’ distress, and to overt conflict between their parents.
Disruptions to primary attachment and patterns of care brought about by separation can de-stabilise important segments of an infant’s developmental pathway. Ongoing, inflammatory and poorly-contained conflict between parents can be developmentally overwhelming for the infant. Parents need to be supported to manage these risks, to continue to provide a nurturing, steady presence within developmentally appropriate care arrangements that evolve at the infant’s developmental pace.
DEVELOPMENTAL RISKS OF SEPARATION
Marital conflict and separation and divorce create risks for all children, and higher risk for those already vulnerable through other factors.
Unresolved parental conflict and diminished emotional availability impact children’s psychological growth.
Children and adolescents of divorced families are more likely to experience greater economic, social and health difficulties through childhood and early adulthood (for example, more likely to use alcohol, cigarettes and drugs; to give birth as a teenager; to drop out of school early; to receive psychological treatment; and to have earlier marriages, with increased propensity to divorce).
Co-parenting conflict is a significant predictor of ongoing distress for adolescents and adolescent antisocial behaviour (McIntosh, 2003).
TYPE OF CONFLICT THAT DAMAGES
High conflict typically includes significant levels of anger and distrust, verbal conflict, poor communication and cooperation over parenting, an ongoing negative attitude to the ex-partner or -spouse, lack of support for children’s relationships with their other parent, covert and overt hostility, allegations about the ex-partner’s behaviour and parenting practices, litigation and re-litigation. Frequent, intense, threatening or poorly-resolved conflict between parents poses the greatest risks to children.
HOW DOES CONFLICT IMPACT CHILDREN?
Children’s development is profoundly influenced by the quality of their caregiving relationships.
Children soak up their parents’ conflict by directly witnessing it and by bearing the brunt of how the conflict impacts their parents’ emotional availability.
The developmental tasks most vulnerable to ‘stressed’ parenting are the establishment of core trust, the development of attachment, regulating emotions, beliefs about oneself, understanding the social world, and learning (Crockenberg & Langrock, 2001).
Children who witness intense/frequent marital discord exhibit higher levels of emotional and physiological reactivity, associated with poor outcomes. For example, children of conflicted separation are more susceptible to stress-related health problems (Fabricius & Luecken, 2007).
In the case of domestic violence, a single exposure to parental violence can result in trauma.
MANAGING THE RISKS
Children’s distress is diminished as a direct function of whether separation conflicts are resolved, and the degree of resolution.
Parental warmth, supportive and responsive caretaking and overall ’emotional scaffolding’ of the child play vital roles in buffering the impact of conflict, as does an environment that reduces daily stress for the child, through consistency of rules, routines and expectations within the household, and quality of parental monitoring.
When parent conflict post separation is low, increased father involvement appears to be associated with better child outcome (Medina et al., 2000; Finkelhor & Kendall-Tackett, 1997).
CHILDREN’S ADJUSTMENT
An important current issue facing practitioners, courts and policymakers is whether shared physical parenting can be beneficial to children when there is high parent conflict. Transitions between warring parents unable to conceal their feelings require children to use considerable energy to ensure their emotional safety, actively and constantly monitoring their allegiances, loyalties and the general ’emotional weather’ they encounter in each parent’s home. The potential developmental difficulties for infants and young children who do this on an ongoing basis may be far reaching. The presence of active and unresolved conflict may require a cautious approach to shared arrangements, and significant support to enable parents to build and maintain the necessary foundations for substantially shared co-parenting. | https://www.svn.net.au/post/children-s-responses-to-parental-conflict-in-separation |
Additionally, different approaches to punctuality, , or dealing with conflict can prove an issue. Fortunately, the news is not all bad. Many indigenous groups are moved from their traditional territories in order to allow the Western tourist the greatest possible Safari experience. From the to and , organizations across industries are embracing the benefits of a diverse workforce. These jobs are usually manager, director, supervisor or engineering positions.
About the Author Victoria Gorski has been a freelance copywriter since 2005, producing articles for small businesses, newspapers and magazines, as well as creating marketing material. These negative aspects are observed in the context of cultural diversity, where trust among members of the same culture is higher than among members from different cultures. However, companies that slowly become diverse without a strategic plan may find more discrimination between managers and subordinates and between employees. According to the book Managing Diversity by Gardenswartz and Rowe 1998 , using affirmative action alone in today's economic situation is no longer an acceptable management style. Find and Retain More Employees More than 25 million people currently working in the U. Influences Globalization provides both positive and negative influences on cultural diversity which can have far reaching impacts.
This can cause quite a jolt to team harmony when disagreements on how to approach an issue or problem arise. This means that to maintain cultural diversity, allowances must be made for the multitude of local languages. With a successful diversity program in place, there is a chance for everybody to learn from colleagues. The efforts of Western conservation organizations have convinced many African nations to alter their conservation policies to the point where there is a direct impact on the abilities of indigenous groups to continue providing for their people in their traditional ways. It is difficult to monitor or control what is out on the Internet and therefore difficult to prevent and prosecute appropriately. When cultures are in control of their own public images they are better equipped to manage and represent their images appropriately without. As well, the main economic beneficiaries of the tourism industry in these nations are not necessarily the local indigenous workers but the wealthy elite.
Benefit: Diverse cultural perspectives can inspire creativity and drive innovation Our culture influences the way in which we see the world. Having worked in hispanic marketing, I understand the need for understanding of diversity. By offering a platform for the open exchange of ideas, businesses can reap the biggest benefits of diversity in the workplace. Differences in points of view may be interpreted as personal attacks or the promotion of hidden agendas, which may lead to reduced effort and commitment to the group. Positive Influences The global mecca can be empowering for various cultures as it allows self-representation and on a whole new level. For a list of click on this link. The risk of assimilation is extremely high in certain communities.
Cheers, Sahar Andrade hello there and thank you for your information — I have certainly picked up something new from right here. Retreived October 29, 2010, from Ketudat, S. Although not all stereotypes are necessarily negative—like the notion that Americans are confident or Asians are intelligent—all are simplifications that can prove limiting or divisive in the workplace. There are numerous that attempt to assist various cultures in economic, financial, education and health issues, while simultaneously maintaining their heritage, culture, beliefs and values. What is cultural diversity in the workplace? Adaptability means faster and more effective planning, development, and execution. Diversity of thought has been shown to and drive innovation, helping to solve problems and meet customer needs in new and exciting ways. .
Discrimination Issues Often, companies that intentionally hire a diverse workforce have human resources processes in place to manage diversity. It can provide a stronger collective identity, empower individual and group distinctiveness while at the same time provide a means for misrepresentation, disempowerment and an avenue for further colonization. See Also Short Stop-Motion Film by Kevin Tyner Stop Motion animation by Laila Andreucci References Allais, S. Solutions based upon different experiences and schools of thought. Those cultures and countries that cannot compete on a global level are left in the dust of the churning harvester of technology created by first-world countries.
Originally from Michigan in the U. However, shifting demographics have encouraged the need for cultural diversity in the workplace, increasing the value of speaking more than one language. Moreover, local connections, native language skills, and cultural understanding can boost international business development exponentially. Globalization has led to an increased ease in travel, making it possible for industries to grow outside of their own nations. Beyond visas, further accommodations for a recruiting and retaining a culturally diverse workforce should be taken into account. I have noticed that you are very active in LinkedIn, and are very helpful with your answers to many members. This can be a learning experiencing in itself, providing students with the opportunity to integrate and become more aware of other cultures.
Dauber has been writing since 2008. Insinuating Western culture on other societies diminishes global economic development and hampers the expression of individual cultural identity. Understanding local laws, regulations, and customs, as well as the competitive landscape, can help a business to thrive. This is far more advantageous than individual communities or groups coming forward to raise global or local concerns. Women in a diverse-friendly workplace can also experience a greater appreciation of their skills and talents. Performers in their area of expertise , are not able to contribute in relevant areas, cause they are holding themselves back.
Smith 2000 believes that globalization began in the , and therefore it is their ideas, , , and lifestyles that are promoted and evangelized throughout the rest of the world. Work environments were determined to be more positive and fair for promotions. By 2030, there will be no single ethnic group that holds a majority in the U. Global access to information has opened the gateway to acquiring cultural property and information. Different surveys talk about different numbers on market share, but what I can say is that the Latino population is rapidly growing in buying power. Retrieved February 14, 2007, from Dunklin, A. Second, diversity is generally assumed to be a good thing, and the positive aspects of diversity are often promoted by media, shareholders and regulators.
Retrieved February 16, 2007, from Daes, E. The adoption of and is seen as many computer-mediated technologies are developed, marketed and processed via western markets. A diverse working culture benefits companies in countless ways. The root cause must become addressed, not the symptoms. C Generational gaps: The new trend the trend of people living longer and retiring later, resulted in four distinct generations working side by side—conservatives, baby boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y or Millennials—each with its own mind-set, work habits, technology attitudes, and customs. However, classroom diversity can also raise several challenging issues within the classroom and create cultural barriers or learning disadvantages. Alternatively, brands that have become pegged as sexist, racist, homophobic, anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim, or anti-any-other group often experience negative repercussions. | http://gluedtomatoes.com/positive-effects-of-cultural-diversity.html |
Seeing as my last post about dealing with the cognitive extensions seemed to help, I thought I’d share this one. For some reason that I’m not too sure of, the new guide has got a trifecta of effects of cultural influences in the third topic: identities, attitudes and behaviours.
On the surface this appears to be somewhat of a problem. What if the examiners ask a really specific question addressing one of these things? And what about the other topics? There’s so much content, right? Not if we’re smart.
You could teach identities, attitudes and behaviours as separate entities. I find this problematic for a number of reasons, none more so than the fact that we only have ten hours. If it was simply a matter of just the effects of globalization on these three factors, that might be OK. But throw in the other topics like “the individual and the group” and “local and global factors” it begins to add up. I’d rather my students explored psychology’s depths instead of flying over its surface.
Another approach could be to just teach “behaviours.” In the IB Psychology world “behaviour” is an umbrella term that covers mental processes and observable actions. For example, if a student is asked about the influence of hormone/s on behaviour they can talk about how cortisol may affect memory. Memory is clearly a cognitive process, not an observable action (which is more in line with a traditional definition of “behaviour”), but this is acceptable in IB assessment world.
What this means for the soc/cult extensions is that you could teach to behaviour (and ignore identities or attitudes) and hope that this would be accepted, or that the term behaviour would be used in the exam question. But this might make some people nervous.
But if you were worried about the exam team asking a very specific question that addressed only “identities” and left out attitudes and behaviours, and you still wanted to reduce content to have more time to increase understanding, I would teach just the influence of globalization on “identities.” The reason for this is that an identity would fall under the umbrella definition of a “behaviour” so if a question asked specifically about behaviour, effects on identity would be OK. And identity could also be classified as a cognitive process, so that’d be OK on that grounds, too. And an identity is simply one’s attitude towards oneself, so if it asked about “attitudes” I think identity would be OK here, also. And remember, if we’re not asking students to distinguish between such an important distinction as “cognition” and “behaviour”, why would we ask them to make an even finer distinction between “identity” and “attitude?”
We can do what we did before as well by reducing overlaps in the topics and the extensions. The three topics are:
- the individual and the group
- cultural origins of behaviour and cognition
- cultural influences on individual identities, attitudes and behaviours
If we define “the group” as a cultural group, we can avoid worrying about topic 1 and merge it with “cultural origins/influences” because these imply an individual is within a group.
Similarly, cultural origins and influences are so similar we don’t need to distinguish them; it boils down to the same variable: cultural influences. As we said earlier, cognition falls under the umbrella term of “behaviour” in IB Psychology, so if you really wanted you could cut out behaviour. And as identity is a form of cognition but a very specific one, let’s just focus on identity.
This means we can condense the there “topics” into one core concept:
- belonging to a cultural group can influence our identity
Now we just need to connect this with the other HL extension concepts:
- How globalization may influence attitudes, identities and behaviour.
- The effect of the interaction of local and global influences on behaviour.
- Methods used to study the influence of globalization on behaviour.
First, let’s cut this down by crossing out attitudes and behaviour again and focusing on just identity, because as we’ve established an identity can be classed as an attitude or a behaviour, so there’s no need (and no time) to cover all three.
The “local and global influences” seems complex but it’s pretty straight forward. In fact, the effect of a local influence on identity could be studied when looking at enculturation, as enculturation is the process of learning cultural norms of one’s primary culture (i.e. their cultural group). So you’d just need to focus on how enculturation influences identity, and you’d be covered for that. That leaves the global influences on identity, which could be investigated by looking at acculturation: interacting with a secondary culture, perhaps as a result of immigration.
Research methods can just be focused on whatever method was used in the studies that show the above concepts.
To summarize, the core learning outcome for the sociocultural extension is:
- Discuss the effects of local and global influences on cultural identity.
- (including understanding research methods).
So here’s one possible way to cover the sociocultural extensions: by investigating the process of enculturation in Islamic communities and the development of identity as a result. Possibly even looking at gender identity and equality within these communities. You could extend this to looking at how this identity may influence behaviour, if you wanted (or could be good differentiation for extension).
Then one could focus on the influence of global factors on the identities of Islamic females and/or young males. For instance, looking at how acculturation may alienate some Islamic youth, pushing them towards extremist views (sample study) (this covers “attitudes” and “behaviours” as well). Or investigating gender issues in traditional Islamic communities, such as wearing the veil or note. Again, the link to behaviour would be easy to make here as well.
So by cutting out the faff and fluff we can get to the core concepts that students need to understand.
As always, the trouble with teaching Psychology is not how much content we have to teach, but how much content we don’t get to teach!
I don’t feel obliged to teach to the letter of the guide for a number of reasons, which is why I share my ideas on how to improve our teaching of the course. Firstly, there are a number of issues with the clarity of the guide, as we all know, so I’m not going to take it as gospel. I prefer to use my own professional judgement, common sense and curricula expertise when it comes to designing my course around the guide. And remember: it is just that – a guide.
Furthermore, this is such an interesting topic that I want students to explore by themselves, but I also need to ensure that they a solid grounding in the topic first. So I would like to teach the first 5 to 6 lessons (which isn’t much time) on the core concepts I’ve outlined above and let them explore issues of identity and globalization on their own for the remaining time.
Hope this helps?
Feel free to leave comments…
Travis. | https://www.themantic-education.com/ibpsych/2017/03/22/tip-for-cutting-content-3-identities-attitudes-and-behaviours/ |
Social Globalization: Characteristics, Advantages, and Disadvantages
The process of globalization can be understood from a fourfold perspective since it’s related to and has repercussions in the political and economic as well as in the social and cultural spheres. Hence, it’s also referred to as social globalization.
This term refers to a phenomenon, trend, or feature of contemporary civilization in which there is increasing interaction between individuals and groups, even those that are geographically distant. As a consequence, with social globalization, there’s an overall integration of human relations and, at the same time, an assimilation of patterns, habits, and lifestyles.
The characteristics of social globalization
Social globalization is a broad concept that relates to various issues, such as the struggle for human rights and the preservation of the environment, as well as identity, labor relations, education, the concept of family, religion, culture, and art.
A characteristic feature of globalization is the way in which social processes become worldwide phenomena, almost immediately and in a synchronized manner. In this dynamic, the exchange that occurs from and through the new information and communication technologies is essential. Initially, this was television, but now it also includes social networks.
In this way, there’s a gradual assimilation of other patterns, forms, and lifestyles. This may refer to the use of language, clothing, or gastronomy.
Beyond this, the media have also become the instrument of decision-making and the scenario in which the expression of the will of the majority takes place. On the other hand, with social globalization, people connect, identify and keep abreast of movements, events, and situations in different places. However, this is not always the case with those in their immediate environment.
We think you may also enjoy reading this article: Taking a Break From Social Networks: The Benefits and How to Do It
The advantages of social globalization
Social globalization means both advantages and challenges for individuals and collectives. Here are its main benefits.
Social reconciliation and inclusion
With the increase in communication and exchange, people become closer. Not only physically or geographically, but in terms of common interests, consolidating a globalized collaborative culture.
In this sense, today there are many virtual communities formed by members of different sites, around a topic or activity that interests them. Likewise, within the framework of social globalization, the sense of inclusion takes on a new dimension.
Enrichment of thought and culture
In learning about other ways of living, being, and thinking, social globalization confronts and questions the bases of traditions and ideas that are shared. This has repercussions on the assimilation of ideas that enrich one’s own values. As a result, idiosyncrasies are broadened or reconfigured, giving rise to new currents of ideas and trends.
Awareness and solidarity with global issues
Today, we’re more aware of the fact that we’re all part of the same planet and are all connected. In this way, we rediscover that the problems of others also affect us, even if they are apparently distant.
In some way, social networks and other spaces for exchange have kept common problems such as climate change, hunger, and poverty on the agenda of public opinion.
Social globalization has contributed to the visibility of struggles for rights. Various groups have found support in other people who identify with their cause, as seen in the movement of people with disabilities.
Improvements in productivity and work
Business organizations exchange information that makes it possible to improve ways of carrying out production processes. This can translate into savings in effort, time, and resources.
On the other hand, there’s the phenomenon of teleworking, which has arisen in the context of social globalization. This modality has become a great alternative for many people and companies.
Like this article? You may also like to read: 4 Tips to Help a Child Who Suffers from Social Anxiety
The disadvantages of social globalization
Although social globalization encourages interaction within the framework of respect, equality, tolerance, and coexistence, it also has its adverse side, as you will see below.
Individualism and isolation
The fact that people seek to relate to those who share their own tastes and interests is beneficial because we feel that we’re with others who understand and accept us. However, this can also lead us stop relating to those who have other affinities and points of view.
Sectarianism and conflict
The formation of closed groups around interests, like sects, can generate conflicts with others who have different positions or opinions, leading to psychological harassment. In addition, in this environment, derogatory, disqualifying, racist, xenophobic, or homophobic comments are often expressed.
There’s even a phenomenon known as “social sanctioning”.
Single-minded thinking
The term “GroupThink” was proposed by Schopenhauer and taken up by Ignacio Ramonet to refer to certain ideas that feed and sustain themselves. This single-minded form of thinking ends up becoming predominant in groups of people, threatening the diversity of ideas and promoting intolerance.
Although social globalization implies openness, paradoxically, the opposite effect can occur. This is especially the case when strong opinion matrixes emerge that monopolize public opinion.
Cultural uniformity and loss of tradition
One of the aspects that experts and scholars on the subject most question is related to the fact that a homogeneous culture has begun to appear. Fashions are adopted in relation to clothing, music, and language all around the world that are independent of an often even inappropriate to individual cultures.
This occurs to the detriment of cultural richness and diversity, including tradition. There’s therefore a loss of identity and values in some people.
Social globalization is part of the world we inhabit
There’s no doubt that the world we live in is very different from the one our parents and grandparents saw. We are in the era of social globalization, which is occurring equally in almost all countries and regions.
In turn, social globalization has brought with it a series of economic, political, social, and cultural changes. This is evident in the way we think and relate to others.
Now, in the face of any situation of change, human beings can opt for being “apocalyptic or integrated” as the renowned Italian thinker Umberto Eco said. Thus, we can come to believe that change is terrible and means the end of the world, or we can adapt to what is happening.
In short, social globalization is not the panacea that will solve all our problems. However, neither is it an apocalypse. It’s no more and no less than a distinctive feature of our culture, of our time, and of the world that we have inherited.It might interest you... | https://steptohealth.com/social-globalization-characteristics-advantages-and-disadvantages/ |
In the second half of June, the INLAND village hosted the participants of the Independent Studies Program (PEI) of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) and the first international meeting of Independent Art Spaces Campo-Ciudad SENDA.
The aim is to exchange and land several of the ideas and discourses with which we work at Inland, at the PEI and at the invited spaces in Latin America, in relation to case studies: the place where we are, the Picos de Europa region, and the other invited spaces, with the objective of thinking about ways of interaction with a social and ecological context, and the challenges that it presents.
Over the course of the week, people with different backgrounds (artists, researchers, curators, representatives of independent art spaces…) and from a variety of backgrounds tried to situate the decolonial perspective in which they usually work in the local context. This process involved reconciling political positions, cultural backgrounds and diverse identities in a space that is not very well known, while at the same time taking into account the multiple paradoxes involved not only in the contemporary rural space itself, but also in the cultural practices themselves, with a sense of emancipation and social transformation. Through this journey from the Latin American continent and from the Mediterranean to the Picos de Europa, through the encounter with the inhabitants of the village and the shepherds in the mountains or reflecting on their previous experiences in diverse rural environments, the meeting allowed to trace analysis on the nostalgias, identities, otherness, clashes between imaginaries and other forms of cultural construction linked to the territories, trying to point the way towards other possible forms of insertion and mediation in the local. | https://newcurriculum.inland.org/en/2019/06/07/iii-meeting-identities-forms-of-insertion-in-the-local-and-expanded-ecologies/ |
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Studies on cultural diversity can be framed in the context of post-colonial and cultural studies.
Concordamos com Dussel quando este afirma que:. A resposta de Samora Machel: Acesso em 17 jul. This is cultural hybridization that characterizes the urban culture of Mozambique.
Diversity, as well as inequality, are normal manifestations of human, social events, cultures and the responses of individuals toward the education in the classroom Diversity may appear more or less marked, but it is as normal as life itself, and we must accostumourselves with it and work from there.
For example, the illiterate in rural areas have a more ancient African culture and are poorer than the urban literate that have the most universal cultural values. It is through these cultural mixtures that appear tradiccional hybrid cultures. Cortez Editora,p. ABSTRACT From the start of the armed struggle against the Portuguese presence up until the independence of Mozambique June 25,the debates at the heart of the Frelimo Mozambique Liberation Front reflected the dilemma of “anticolonial nationalism” versus “socialism.
To Candaup. Today we often hear about the need to address diversity and to find ways to differentiate and diversify teaching.
Entrevista com Marcelino dos Santos. As says Hallin times of postmodernity and a world in which borders between countries are dissolved, globalization is leading to the strengthening of local identities and the educacai of new identities.
For such an undertaking is feasible we propose the creation and introduction of a discipline called “Teaching Diversity” in training courses for teachers, whose overall aim would be to reflect on the relationship between education, knowledge and culture. The African Communist Such studies are related to post-structuralism [Derrida and Foucault] which address the nature of social discourse; with the current post-modern [Lyotard], when addressing the overthrow of the narratives and contemporary subjects and also with the cultural studies [developed at the University of Birmingham], to focus its attention to issues of racism, gender and cultural identities.
Como citar esse texto: Different social classes can exhibit distinct cultural traits dependent on their socio-economic aspects. The question of difference recognition becomes the main focus of Multicultural Curriculum based on principles of multicultural tradivional.
To Gadottip. Pode-se considerar o actual sistema de misto ou de semi-descentralizado.
It is already been discussed with more openness about regional disparities, inequalities of opportunities for sex [gender] and social classes, the stigmatization of certain cultural practices [such as initiation rites, the practice of traditional medicine, the belief in the supernatural, etc.
Education and cultural hybridization Education in situations of multilingualism and multiculturalism as is the case of Mozambique lives in different voltages and faces many challenges, most notably the process of cultural hybridization, the tension between homogenization and cultural diversity and the tension between local knowledge and universal knowledge.
Sao Paulo, June The portuguese colonization [initiated in ] will bring European influences that will be added to the cultures of immigrant communities from India and China that are being set in various parts of Mozambique.
The idea of graduation becomes strongly adopted in curriculum and teaching becomes dependent of phases, courses, mental ages, normal and abnormal, early and late, successful and failed, etc. Encontro de educadores negros do MNU.
Para Candaup. Eis algumas das frases que ouvi em One can consider that Mozambique has curriculum in Basic Education hybrid the level of contents, as well as the level of curriculum theories and approaches.
Africa Today25 1: Mas a cultura ultrapassa tudo isso. Jordan, as cited in Candaup. De acordo com Costap.
Revista Brasileira de Estudos Urbanos e Regionais, vol. The great victory of the new educational and cultural view is that it seems that the Mozambican society faces the question of cultural differences with fewer taboos and subterfuges. In a society like Mozambique, despite having multiple ethnicities and languages, have experienced many cases of cultural “contamination” and are inevitably converging aspects between various cultures. The theme of diversity is brought to evidence since students were grouped according to their performances, this fact bring to the fore the issue of differences educscao students.
The fact that a commom curriculum exists should not annul the particularities and singularities. This author argues that cultural identities are declining, “giving rise to new identities and fragmenting the modern individual, hitherto seen as a subject unified” Hall,p.
Le cas des colonies portugaises et du Mozambique en particulier”. Teachers can not ignore the diversity and human and cultural wealth of their students. Era o habitual “estilo samoriano” de interpelar seus ouvintes e, a seguir, arremeter com a resposta: Children enter school, but the exclusion of such children is taking place “inside” because the right of access does not automatically guarantee success in school.
O caso de Belo Horizonte. Have content, goals, means and strategies for teaching different? All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. O espectro do “camarada Samora” parecia, assim, estar mais vivo do que nunca.
Intercultural perspective consider the relationships between different cultures and the interaction between them produces conflicts between different visions of the world; – respect to the subject in relation to intercultural education “as a relationship develops between people of different cultures.
Despite the pedagogical discourse advocating a politics of recognition and acceptance of diversity, cultural differences and respect each other, the actions effectively carried out have not been able to create a more egalitarian society free of prejudices and stigmatization ethnic, racialreligious, linguistic, etc.
A parte considerada de cimento manteve-se. The same author states that the hybrid cultures are a new type of identity produced in “late modernity”, people belonging to these cultures waive”the ambition of rediscovering any kind of cultural purity” lost “or educxcao absolutism [ Much of the ideas presented here derive from the findings of ethnographic educational research in Public Primary Schools in Mozambique. How to cite this article. | http://albatros-torrent.info/educacao-tradicional-em-mocambique-55/ |
As I waited for the elevator in the Vera List Center building earlier this week, I noticed a poster for Hyphenated Identities: Discourses, Questions, and Polemics, a conference presented jointly by The New School and Columbia University. Hyphenated identities have become an everyday fact woven into Canada’s social fabric; a norm established as part of Canada’s overarching narrative. Having been born to Taiwanese parents and lived in Canada for the majority of my life, the conference immediately piqued my curiosity regarding language, identity and citizenship.
Valentina Branada discusses in her blog how “language is a representation that identifies things and enables us to share them and discuss them.” It demonstrates the emergence of varying realities, and a richness in the range of stories and worldviews it presents. Language demonstrates both sameness and difference; through semantics it reveals polarities, operates on the concept of the “other,” and relies on the establishment of distinctions and belonging in the process of sense making. As a form of communication, it plays a key role in both connecting and separating people. In my experience I’ve found that a key tenet of what it means to be Canadian involves attempting (and not always succeeding in) separating and preserving the diverse voices and viewpoints that contribute to the country’s population.
In this respect, language is an integral part of who we are as people and is inherently linked to our cultural identities. As stated on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website:
“Multiculturalism ensures that all citizens can keep their identities, can take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging.”
It is for this reason that my youngest sister is able to attend Chinese school every Saturday as part of the government’s initiative to provide free, publicly funded minority language instruction to its citizens. It’s a right written into The Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In recognizing the movement of people, cultures and ideas, we can see what Neil Brenner describes as the dissolution of the construct of the traditional city, and how “urbanization is being generalized” to create a new form of citizenship. (Brenner 2014, 25)
In attempting to both acknowledge where we came from and where we are now, we craft hyphenated identities in order to bridge our associations and identities together. We are able to select and create imagined communities that exist separately from our geographic locations. While the hyphens within an identity acknowledge these facets and acts as a bridge between them, as constructs they simultaneously represents points of stress—degrees of separation between one side and the other. As Arjun Appadurai states, “the central problem of today’s global interactions is the tension between cultural homogenization and cultural heterogenization.” (Appadurai 1990, 32) As I’ve experienced first-hand, hyphenation represents the systemic multiplicity of identities that urban societies contend with as a part of their everyday lives.
As part of the Self, Society and Design course I took at York University during my undergraduate studies, Professor Robert Gill noted that one transferable skill that designers learn in design school would be “bridging the potential of the social.” In this respect, I believe that as designers, we have the power to initiate change by finding and activating these hyphenated, interstitial spaces as points of overlap, dialogue, empowerment and, most importantly, human connection. In changing our understanding of the citizenship that current social structures create, we can distribute design in order to allow citizens of these in-between spaces the agency to participate—to dream—on a larger, planetary scale.
So I pose the question: how can we begin to harness the hyphen?
Appadurai, Arjun. 1990. Disjuncture and difference in the global economy. Philadelphia: The Project, University of Pennsylvania. PDF.
Brenner, Neil. 2014. “Intro: urban theory without an outside” in Implosions/explosions: towards a study of planetary urbanization. PDF. | http://www.winniecreative.com/blog/2016/2/14/bridging-the-gap |
Peripherals is a piece of research that departs from the analysis of those cultural processes, whether global or local, extraordinary or periodic, which take place in public spaces and which are closely linked to the existing socioeconomic fabric in the contexts where they take place.
DATE 2019
LOCATION Sevilla. Spain
CLIENT WE MAKE CITIES
STATE In progress
PROGRAM Exhibition, Research
TEAM LUGADERO (Marta Morera, Javier Martínez, Antonio Figueroa, Elisa Monge, Tamara Fernández, Beatriz Pavón, Pablo Sendra)
SUPPORTED BY Ayuntamiento de Sevilla, Universidad de Sevilla
Culture has become a key element in sustainable urban development policies, whether associated with heritage assets or with those nodes of artistic production and creation.
This research focuses on urban transformations associated with these cultural actions, their diverse scales, and their relationships and forms of interaction with the city, which can offer new keys for policy-making. Cultural action offers the possibility of working with complex and changing identities that, through flows of relationships, generalized attitudes, patterns of repetition or spontaneity, locate their habitat in the city, giving rise to more dynamic forms of use and collective appropriation of public spaces, promoting the social construction of the identity of the street, the neighbourhood, the district and the city.
PERIPHERALS takes Seville – with its economic, cultural and political context – as a case study and how its cultural processes affect the construction of its identity, development and evolution. This project attempts to collectively record the cultural events that take place in the city, with special emphasis on those that involve the transformation – transitory or permanent – of its public spaces. | http://www.lugadero.com/en/portfolio/perifericas/ |
What is creolization in globalization?
Cohen(2007), defines creolization as a “process occurring when participants select specific elements from incoming or inherited cultures, endow these with meanings different from those they possessed in the original cultures and then creatively merge these to create new varieties that supersede the prior forms” (2).
What is an example of creolization?
Examples of creolization in languages are the varieties of French that emerged such as Haitian Creole, Mauritian Creole, and Louisiana Creole. The English language evolved into Gullah, Guyanese Creole, Jamaican Creole, and Hawaiian Creole.
What cultural phenomena did creolization bring about?
Culture. There are different processes of creolization have shaped and reshaped the different forms of one culture. For example, food, music, and religion have been impacted by the creolization of today’s world.
What is creolization and how does it work?
Creolization is a term referring to the process by which elements of different cultures are blended together to create a new culture. The word creole was first attested in Spanish in 1590 with the meaning ‘Spaniard born in the New World’.
What is creolization in contemporary?
Creolization, in that sense, is used to refer to a recombination of structures, practices and meanings: a case of ‘new meanings in old shells’ or ‘old meanings in new shells. ‘ From: International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2001.
Which of the following describes the process of creolization?
Creolization is the process of becoming a local. Creole in the British Caribbean means becoming black through music, religion and culture. Criollo in Spanish means a mix of different cultures.
What is creolisation in Caribbean studies?
The concept of ‘creolisation’, then, refers to those processes of cultural change that give rise to such distinctiveness. In common Caribbean usage, ‘Creole’ refers to a focal product which is. the result of a mixture or blending of various ingredients that originated in the. Page 2.
What is meant by creolization and how does it explain different cultural influences and patterns found in the Caribbean?
CREOLIZATION . The term creolization describes the process of acculturation in which Amerindian, European, and African traditions and customs have blended with each other over a prolonged period to create new cultures in the New World.
Why is creolization a function of Caribbean society?
In the Caribbean, creolization contributed to the creation of a wide array of musical forms, ranging from those closely resembling the European patterns, to “neo-African” forms. Each colony created its own music within this Euro-African array.
What is the best example of a cultural landscape?
Examples of cultural landscapes include designed landscapes (e.g., formal gardens and parks, such as Golden Gate Park), rural or vernacular landscapes (e.g., sheep ranches, dairy ranches), ethnographic landscapes (e.g., Mt.
What is Creolization in AP Human Geography?
Creolization. The process in which two or more languages converge and form a new language (used to describe languages in the Caribbean when slavery and colonization merged cultures.
What is creolization language? | https://www.worldsrichpeople.com/what-is-creolization-in-globalization/ |
How much culture lurks in common conversation? According to Craig Storti, so much that many of our most common, seemingly innocent exchanges-in social settings, on the job, in the world of business-are cultural minefields waiting to explode. These explosions-cultural misunderstandings-can cause confusion, irritation, even alienation. At the workplace and in the world of business these explosions undermine communication, threaten important relationships, and cost a great deal of time and money; away from work, they strain, even endanger, personal relations.
Globalization and Culture: Global Mélange
Description
Now in a fully revised and updated edition, this seminal text disputes the view that we are experiencing a “clash of civilizations” as well as the idea that globalization leads to cultural homogenization. Instead, Jan Nederveen Pieterse argues that we are witnessing the formation of a global mélange culture through processes of cultural mixing or hybridization. From this perspective on globalization, conflict may be mitigated and identity preserved, albeit transformed.In a new chapter on China, the author focuses on the key issue of agency and power in hybridization, which is important in emerging economies generally, with China a particularly momentous case.
Handbook of Multicultural Mental Health: Assessment and Treatment of Diverse Populations
Description
The Handbook of Multicultural Mental Health, Second Edition, discusses the impact of cultural, ethnic, and racial variables for the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, service delivery, and development of skills for working with culturally diverse populations. Intended for the mental health practitioner, the book translates research findings into information to be applied in practice.The new edition contains more than 50% new material and includes contributions from established leaders in the field as well as voices from rising stars in the area.
Qualitative Research and Intercultural Understanding
Description
This book makes an important contribution to the fields of multiculturalism and qualitative research methods.The first section of the book is a textbook on qualitative methodology. Beginning with a sketch of the historical roots of qualitative research and its place in the research landscape, the book then explores the notion of culture and our individual and collective experiences of culture. The second section of the book is comprised of five contributed chapters in which researchers describe their own challenges in conducting research in multicultural settings.
Solving the People Puzzle: Cultural Intelligence and Special Operations Forces
Description
The twenty-first century has brought the perfect storm of conditions to create substantive global instability. This contemporary operating environment (COE) is characterized by complexity, ambiguity, volatility, and constant danger. It is a human invention that requires a human solution. Solving the People Puzzle makes a convincing argument for the powerful union of the "force of choice" with the "tool of choice." This book will inspire and inform.
Cultural Agility: A Practical Guide for Putting Cultural Intelligence into Action
Description
Culture is a concept that’s not easily defined, but impacts all of us. Identifying cultural differences or preferences is an important part of cultural intelligence, but understanding how to effectively respond to these issues take cultural agility.Global cultural expert Tom Verghese draws from more than 25 years of experience working with a diverse range of multinational, national and local organizations to create a clear concise guide to becoming aware and agile at managing multicultural situations.
Doing Cross-Cultural Research: Ethical and Methodological Perspectives
Description
Conducting cross-cultural research is rife with methodological, ethical and moral challenges. Researchers are challenged with many issues in carrying out their research with people in cross-cultural arenas. In this book, I attempt to bring together salient issues for the conduct of culturally appropriate research. The task of undertaking cross-cultural research can present researchers with unique opportunities, and yet dilemmas. The book will provide some thought-provoking points so that our research may proceed relatively well and yet ethical in our approach.
Cross-Cultural Research Methods
Description
Without ethnography, cross-cultural comparison would not be possible. But without cross-cultural comparison, we would know nothing of what may be universal or variable across human cultures, or why variation exists. Cross-Cultural Research Methods is an introductory teaching tool that shows students and potential researchers how to describe, compare, and analyze patterns that occur in different cultures, that is, how to form and test anthropological, sociological, psychological, medical, or political hypotheses about cultural variation.
Multiculturalism as Multimodal Communication: A Semiotic Perspective (Numanities - Arts and Humanities in Progress)
Description
This highly readable book develops a numanistic, and specifically semiotic approach to multiculturalism. It reveals how semiotics provides fresh and valuable insights into multiculturalism: in contrast to the binary logic of dualistic philosophy, semiotic logic does not understand the value of truth in rigid terms of ‘true’ or ‘false’, ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ only. The value of truth resides in meaning, which is a dynamic, evolutionary phenomenon, rooted, nevertheless, in factuality.
Culture on the Edge of Chaos: Cultural Algorithms and the Foundations of Social Intelligence
Description
The author first introduces the basic framework for cultural algorithms and he then explains the social structure of a cultural system as a mechanism for the distribution of problem-solving information throughout a population. Three different models for social organizations are presented: the homogeneous (nuclear family), heterogeneous (expanded family), and subculture (descent groups) social models. The chapters that follow compare the learning capabilities of these social organizations relative to problems of varying complexity. The book concludes with a discussion of how the results can impact our understanding of social evolution.
Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics
Description
In this New York Times bestseller, updated for 2016, an award-winning journalist uses ten maps of crucial regions to explain the geo-political strategies of the world powers fans of geography, history, and politics (and maps) will be enthralled” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram). | https://inter-culturalintelligence.com/bookshelf/politics-and-social-sciences |
Implementing impact evaluations: trade-offs and compromises
In June this year, 3ie and the International Fund for Agricultural Development organised a workshop where we had several productive discussions around two key questions: Are impact evaluations answering policy-relevant questions and generating useful evidence? What are the challenges faced in designing and implementing impact evaluations of cash transfers and agricultural innovation programmes?
The workshop brought together a fairly diverse group of participants: researchers, implementing agencies and donors involved in impact evaluations of different kinds of development programmes. What was clear from the conversations at the workshop was that there are several stakeholders who are invested in impact evaluations. And many of them differ in their motivation for and expectation from impact evaluations. So, coordinating between several stakeholders to address different interests is a challenge at different stages of the impact evaluation cycle. There are several lessons to be learned.
Balancing rigour, feasibility and policy relevance
There are several trade-offs to be made when it comes to choosing the method and the research questions of an impact evaluation. How does one balance methodological rigour and implementation feasibility in an impact evaluation? And how does this balance get translated in the evaluation questions? Should an impact evaluation only answer sexy research questions or focus on only policy-relevant questions?
If we were to take the example of a farmer field school programme, it may well be that only farmers with basic knowledge or entrepreneurial skills end up participating in the programme. Selection bias is a threat to the quality of the impact evaluation. Controlling for such unobserved characteristics that affect the choice of participating in the programme can be more challenging when quasi-experimental methods are used in an impact evaluation. However, the use of experimental methods is not always feasible. For aligning the interests of researchers and implementers or for asking policy-relevant questions, impact evaluators may need to be flexible and choose methods other than randomised controlled trials. There are thus tough choices to be made about rigour, feasibility and policy relevance.
Balancing interests of stakeholders
The choice of evaluation method and research questions is a complex exercise as it requires aligning the interests of different stakeholders: researchers, implementing agencies, donors and so on. Interventions can also be very complex. They can have multiple components and different activities within these components. This means that at the time of designing an impact evaluation, the evaluation of the programme as a whole may not be feasible. For the purpose of the impact evaluation, particular components need to be chosen. This, in turn, imposes restrictions on the types of research questions that can be answered, and limits the evaluator’s ability to make recommendations about the scale-up of the programme.
Managing multiple timelines may come at a cost
The timeline for programme implementation may be subject to delays. This would naturally also lead to a change in the timeline of the evaluation. In the case of agricultural programmes, timelines also need to be adjusted with agricultural seasons. These sort of constraints could shorten the follow-up period of the impact evaluation, which could mean that the evaluators need to change the outcome measures being used to assess impact.
Short-term outcome measures may not give a true picture of the programme’s impact as several interventions tend to take time to produce results. Cash transfers, for instance, may improve children’s enrolment in schools in the short term. However, it is unclear whether the increase in enrolment will translate into improved learning and labour market outcomes in the long term.
Dealing with the challenge of measuring long-term impacts
While it may be important to assess the long-term impacts of programmes, this may not align with the priorities of donors or implementing agencies. Assessing long-term impacts can be costly and designing an impact evaluation that lasts longer than four years may not be appealing to donors or implementers. Sometimes evidence is needed quickly for informing development programmes. Another hurdle to assessing long-term impacts is the attrition of programme participants. In the case of conditional cash transfers, impact evaluations have often focussed on short-term impacts. A possible reason for this is the reluctance of evaluators to deal with high attrition rates. For example, in the case of the Mexican cash-transfer programme Oportunidades, the attrition rate after 10 years was 60 per cent. The attrition rate therefore needs to be an important consideration while assessing the impact of a programme.
Are impact evaluations still worth it?
Given the number of challenges outlined in this blog, are impact evaluations still worth the time and effort invested? The answer is yes. An impact evaluation can be challenging. It may take time and effort to align interests of stakeholders and reach an agreement among different parties involved. However, the evidence that impact evaluations generate can inform so many different aspects of policy and programme design. Impact evaluations can also improve the efficiency of projects, influence the scale-up of good projects and improve the quality of data systems. However, balancing the interests and expectations of implementers, researchers and donors requires effort, commitment and compromises. The engagement of implementers through the entire cycle of the impact evaluation is a decisive factor that influences not just the quality of the impact evaluation but also the relevance and the use of the evidence generated. | https://www.3ieimpact.org/blogs/implementing-impact-evaluations-trade-offs-and-compromises |
Seeding Grant Application
Through a ‘seeding grant’, short-term, exploratory research projects can be supported. The results will determine the potential and long-term feasibility of the research. A seeding grant allows young colleagues with ideas for new research initiatives, that may be high-risk projects, to start working on their research project with a seeding grant.
Last year, the EAU’s Research Foundation (EAU RF) announced the availability of new grants for short-term studies ‘seeding grants’. A final selection from the 30 submissions was made during the Annual EMUC Congress in Amsterdam, last November, following personal interviews with candidates. Two were funded with € 25,000 each.
The EAU RF is pleased to announce another opportunity for seeding grants, with the aim of supporting highly innovative and original research by a junior investigator. The call for applications is currently open, with deadlines closing on Wednesday February 19th, 2020 (notification) and February 26th, 2020 (grant application).
Applicants are invited to submit 1-year research projects with a total budget up to €25,000. These projects should be designed to collect or strengthen preliminary data and to help the start of clinical trials or other clinical research projects with, possible qualification for future external competitive funding. Preliminary data is not required in the application. Seeding grants will be awarded only in clinical research.
Funding for this Call for Application amounts to a maximum of € 50,000 in total for 2 projects. The applicant must be an academically active researcher/clinician and member of the EAU and be younger than 40 at submission deadline. The total project period is one year. Successful projects will start in May 2020 and will end on May 2021.
Budget
The maximum budget request is € 25,000. Funds can be spent on salaries (including the grant holder) and/or consumables/reagents/subcontracts. Payment of internal facilities/clinical costs is allowed up to € 5,000. The budget description must be accurate and every item must be justified in the appropriate section of the application form.
Ethical Issues
- Research involving human subjects and/or vertebrate animals must comply with the relevant European and national laws.
- All funded research must be conducted within the research ethics guidelines of the National Health and Medical Research Council.
- Institutional approval by the appropriate ethics committee(s) must be demonstrated prior to the release of funds.
- Certification that approval has been given should be forwarded with the application or as soon as available.
The Evaluation Process
Applications that are incomplete or do not comply with the requirements stated in this Call for Applications will not be accepted.
Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis. All accepted Applications will undergo a two-step selection process. The Review Panel will be composed of the members of the EAU Research Foundation Board and an external expert reviewer, if needed.
First Step
Each application will be independently scored by three reviewers. Assignments will be made in order to avoid potential bias (i.e. projects will be not reviewed by their own Division/Center/Institute affiliates).
The evaluation criteria for the first step of selection will be the following:
- Originality and innovation
- Feasibility of the proposed experiments
- Potential to be competitive for larger-scale funding
- Qualification and research experience of the Applicant
Reviewers will discuss the scoring results of individual applications and will reach a consensus ranking list.
Second Step
The top 3-4 applicants will be invited to a personal meeting with the Review Panel, consisting of a brief presentation of their proposal (10 minutes) and a question & answer session.
Reviewers will rank the candidates based on the following criteria:
- Ability of the Applicant to analyze expected results in the context of a future larger proposal
- Balance between innovation and feasibility
How to apply
Candidates are expected to submit:
- Completed application form (.docx)
- CV and list of publications
- Copy of passport
- Written Project Proposal specifying Background, aims and objectives, project description and a paragraph with future prospects, dissemination and impact. (written project proposal should be max. 2 pages)
- Specification of the costs / budget using headlines: laboratory costs, travel costs, personal hours, other expenses.
All details on submission can be found on the application form, linked above.
Necessary Steps to be taken by the applicant for the seeding grant:
- All scientists intending to apply must notify the EAU Research Foundation Central Research Office by email ([email protected]) no later than Wednesday February 19th, 2020. All applicants will receive a message of receipt.
- The above-listed documents must be completed according to the specifications above (i.e. project proposal of max. 2 pages) and sent to the EAU RF according to details on the form no later than Wednesday February 26th, 2020 at 24h Central European Summer Time by email ([email protected]). All applicants will receive a message of receipt.
If you miss one of these deadlines 1 or 2, your application can unfortunately not be accepted for evaluation this time.
The top 2-4 applicants will be invited for a personal meeting with the Review Panel on Thursday/Friday March 19/20, 2020 prior to the annual EAU congress in Amsterdam. | https://uroweb.org/research/seeding-grant-application/ |
£12m fund on way to ‘turbocharge innovation’ in farming
A new Farming Innovation Pathways funding competition to address the challenges of productivity, sustainability and net zero emissions in farming will launch on 1 March.
The competition will be open to UK-registered businesses and research organisations who need funding for either a feasibility study or to carry out collaborative industrial research.
Priorities for funding will include novel technological solutions, such as projects involving robotics and automation, which could include things like vision-guided robotic weeding systems, and novel food production systems, including vertical farming.
See also: Read more on grants from Farmers Weekly
The fund is a collaboration between UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Defra.
Projects can be based anywhere in the UK, but must be able to clearly demonstrate potential benefits to the English farming sector.
Long-term challenges
Any project must engage with farmers, growers or producers to explore farm-focused solutions that address their long-term challenges.
Applicants looking for financial support for a feasibility study must have total eligible project costs of between £75,000 and £250,000.
The project will need total eligible costs of between £250,000 and £750,000 for applications for support for industrial research.
Defra minister Victoria Prentis said: “We want to see farmers manage their businesses in a way that delivers profitable food production and the recovery of nature, using the best modern technology available today.
“Promising innovations such as robotics and automation and novel food production systems have the potential to transform business performance for our farmers and help them address some of the industry’s greatest challenges.”
The closing date for applications is Wednesday 28 April 2021.
Futures markets and commodity risk management online course: | https://www.fwi.co.uk/business/payments-schemes/12m-fund-on-way-to-turbocharge-innovation-in-farming |
The Product Manager is a strategist, analyst, customer evangelist, leader of business and technology execution, and professional relationship builder all rolled into a single dynamic package. Every product at T-Mobile is envisioned and created to achieve a specific business purpose or set of business results. In this role, you’ll work closely with engineering, design, operations, finance, and other internal stakeholders to deliver functionality related to market opportunities beyond the core smartphone business model. You’ll lead cross-functional teams from design to delivery of customer-centric digital experiences in an area of T-Mobile that’s dedicated to exploring new business opportunities that build on our company’s key strengths and making use of new technologies.
We want someone that’s passionate about delivering first-in-class products and feels strongly about delivering value continuously, measuring results, and achieving outcomes instead of pushing features. A successful candidate will be highly analytical, innovative, will have an entrepreneurial spirit, and will be adept at synthesizing a variety of technologies and capabilities into high-quality online experiences that customers love.
Responsibilities
Manages and is fully accountable for the day-to-day operations and key metrics of our digital properties: online customer experience, partner relationships, data tracking, strategic planning, ensuring successful deployments of new services and products, and site service levels
Ideates and evaluates recommendations on how to enhance customer online experience and develops strategies accordingly. Works closely with product leadership to develop a roadmap and prioritize features and projects based on resources and ROI impact. Leads cross-functional delivery, ensuring design, engineering, and other stakeholders are all aligned in delivering against the shared product vision
Conducts analysis of quantitative and qualitative data to identify product innovation opportunities or root cause of issues and assess opportunity size and impact
Anticipates industry trends, direction, innovation, analyses potential impacts or opportunities to customer/product, and incorporates analyses into the product process
Maintains current understanding of tech trends. Assesses how trends impact the roadmap or create opportunities for innovation of the product
Leverages customer insights for product vision, strategy, roadmap, priorities, actively looking for opportunities to delight or meet customer’s unmet needs
Translates product/platform strategy by writing detailed features and user stories consumable by Dev teams for highly complex products with multiple transactions and touchpoints
Owns and manages product backlog and priorities with our business and technology partners. Conducts ideation and specification development sessions to ensure alignment across stakeholder organizations
Collaborates with Architecture and Dev teams to ensure technical debt and long-term technology investment is factored into the roadmap
Ensures existing production defects are factored into regular backlog prioritization for resolution based on priority.
please let us know by emailing [email protected] or calling 1-844-873-9500. | https://hiremebiz.com/projects/product-manager/ |
The following blog post was written by America Forward Government Affairs Director Nicole Truhe and Third Sector Capital Partners Senior Associate Joshua Reed-Diawuoh.
With the launch of the Social Innovation Fund’s Pay for Success (SIF PFS) program, new funding was available to resource both feasibility assessment and project construction support activities (for more information on PFS feasibility, construction, and launch engagements, click here.) When the first eight organizations were chosen as SIF PFS grantees, and subsequently launched their competitions to identify subrecipients in 2014, the overwhelming majority of respondents were government jurisdictions; however, among the subrecipients chosen by Third Sector Capital Partners, Inc. (Third Sector) in its first cohort was a private, nonprofit service provider.
Year Up, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to close the opportunity divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education, raised their hand to receive support through Third Sector’s SIF PFS competition. They indicated they were motivated to explore if—and how—PFS could be used to scale one of their interventions and improve their evidence base.
The findings and insights from the feasibility assessment conducted by Third Sector have important implications for Year Up’s work and its ultimate engagement in a PFS contract. The lessons are also applicable to other providers and raise important considerations as they explore PFS as an approach for scaling and evaluating their programs.
Establish a Value Proposition
Providers and government stakeholders sometimes are not aligned on topics such as: which populations are underserved and to what degree, ways to address the needs of those populations, and if—and where—the resources are available to provide the interventions to improve outcomes for these individuals.
To make a PFS contract successful, service providers must have a clear and compelling value proposition that includes both the financial and broader social benefits of their intervention. A service provider’s value proposition in PFS engagements may focus on cost-savings in the form of decreased utilization of public assistance, new sales and income tax revenues from participants’ gains in employment, and decreased justice system costs from reductions in crime and recidivism, among others.
Disconnect between any parties involved, particularly the provider and government, with regards to the goals, outcomes, and fiscal incentives of the PFS approach, can delay or derail a potential project.
Focus on Outcomes and Data
PFS is an approach to contracting that aligns payment with the achievement of outcomes based on independent evaluations. As a result, it is critical for providers interested in exploring PFS to have some established evidence base associated with the program it is interested in engaging in a PFS arrangement.
Providers must also balance the opportunities and challenges that come with different evaluation approaches. For example, randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluations used in many PFS projects require a large group of eligible individuals and long observation periods to be statistically meaningful. RCTs can offer rigorous evaluations of program impact, but also introduce a great deal of complexity to PFS projects. Other simplified evaluation approaches without live control groups can dramatically simplify PFS evaluations, but still measure program success against historical baselines or negotiated targets.
Data also plays a key role in PFS, particularly in relation to the evaluation. During feasibility assessments, parties must access relevant databases for baseline data on their target population. These data determine outcome metrics and realistic performance goals for PFS projects. Many providers, however, identify accessing administrative data as a critical barrier that impedes their ability to adequately evaluate their program and pursue PFS arrangements.
Engage and Align with Government Stakeholders
Government stakeholders are critical to engage at the outset of a discussion about developing a PFS contract. Government is the most likely source of outcome payments, and thus, having their buy-in on the financial and social benefits upfront can help in securing the resources to fund the positive achievement of the outcomes determined by all parties. In addition, key government stakeholders are typically the ones who can overcome data access barriers. Building relationships with political leaders and generating excitement about the potential benefits associated with PFS can result in stronger contracts with more impactful outcomes. It can also set up the opportunity for engagement in other PFS contracts and create the opportunity for long-term change in the overall contracting environment for providers.
These insights are important for service providers to consider as they go through a similar process as Year Up to test the application of Pay for Success. Each individual effort to develop and execute a PFS contract is unique, but these lessons are cross-cutting and will help service providers be more successful in their efforts to engage in PFS contracting whether it is in order to scale one of their interventions, improve their evidence base, or for some other organizational goal.
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You must be logged in to post a comment. | https://www.americaforward.org/lessons-providers-interested-pay-success/ |
TORONTO, Oct. 29, 2012 /CNW/ - Canada's chronically low productivity and faltering innovation and competitiveness are important issues that have confounded analysts and politicians for some time. Yet, according to the results of Toronto Next: Return on Innovation, released today by George Brown College at an Empire Club of Canada speech, Toronto can anticipate more of the same unless steps are taken to address the relationship between talent, investments in technology and long-term planning as drivers of innovation.
The George Brown College report surveyed a wide cross section of GTA employers, including small, medium and large organizations operating in industries, including high tech, health care, commerce, communications and construction to name few. The survey reinforces Canada's well known reputation for a lack of private sector investment in innovation, with 50 per cent of respondents saying government bears the primary responsibility for driving investment in innovation. Only 21 per cent of respondents put the responsibility on the private sector. The full report is available at www.georgebrown.ca/releases/George_Brown_Toronto_Next_Report_2012.pdf
There is some good news. Ranking the importance of productivity, innovation and creativity to their business, more than 90 per cent of GTA employers said productivity was the most important. However, 50 per cent perceive a modest to no tangible return on an investment in new technologies, innovation skills training, development of new products and services or fostering R&D partnerships with academic institutions — all of which have been aggressively promoted by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney as key ingredients in enhancing Canada's productivity scores.
"We anticipated employers would take a pragmatic view with a bias towards tangible, short-term returns on innovation," says Anne Sado, President, George Brown College. "But we did not expect to see such a profound deference to government as the primary innovation engine nor the lack of strategic investment in new technologies and R&D partnerships that enable strong productivity. Clearly the more than 1400 GTA employers we partner with on a host of applied research and employment initiatives understand the value of strategic investments in technology and skills to drive innovation, competitiveness and productivity. For those who do not, a research partnership with a college that has a bias for action could help them realize the potential for concrete returns."
Although a large majority of respondents acknowledge the positive correlation between innovation and the competitiveness of an organization and a regional economy, few see an explicit link between innovation and productivity. When asked if they strongly agree, somewhat agree or disagree with a series of statements on innovation, 76 per cent strongly agreed that innovation is an effective tool in gaining a competitive advantage over the competition. Yet, only 41 per cent strongly agreed that gains in productivity are a direct result of a culture of innovation.
"Our findings raise the legitimate concern that GTA businesses may not be seeing the productivity benefits that can be generated by embracing innovation as a business strategy," said Anne Sado, President of George Brown College. "This study also validates our mandate to ensure we demonstrate these connections with our students and continue to encourage greater innovation and risk acceptance as they enter the workforce and consider forming new companies."
Examining criteria that would motivate GTA businesses to invest in innovation for the benefit of productivity or long-term profitability, Toronto Next: Return on Innovation uncovered a gap between small business owners and companies in the mid-to-large category. Larger businesses were very likely to invest in innovation if it helped make an existing process more efficient and effective - at 66 per cent - while small business - at only 56 per cent - were very likely to invest when presented with the same this scenario.
When presented with the premise that investment in innovation would increase long-term profitability but reduce profits in the short-term, 36 per cent of mid-to-large businesses said they would be very likely to invest. Small business owners were much less motivated by long-term gains with only 24 per cent saying they would be very likely to invest.
"There is a common perception that small businesses and start-ups tend to have a higher risk threshold and see the explicit value of spending money to make money. But GTA businesses we surveyed are proving to be the exception," said Robert Luke, Assistant Vice President, Research and Innovation, George Brown College. "We are seeing a considerable level of risk aversion and focus on short-term gains amongst small businesses, which given the huge influence of small business on our regional employment and economic condition may be a key barrier to long-term innovation and enhanced productivity."
This focus on short-term gains at the expense of long-term growth is further corroborated when looking at the primary barriers to innovation. Difficulty sourcing innovative employees and concerns that up-front investments will not deliver long-term gains were the top two barriers to innovation at 72 and 74 per cent respectively.
However, when asked to identify reasons for Canada's lagging innovation record, the number one response for one third of respondents was that Canada is too dependent on "old economy" industries. One quarter blamed a lack of private sector venture capital investment. Despite this factor, less than a third of businesses had solicited any third party support — be it from an investor or the research support of a college or university — when introducing a new product in the last two years.
"We clearly need to view these results in the context of a sluggish regional and global economy that would give any organization reservations about investing long-term," said Sado. "But the low value placed on innovation as a driver of productivity, coupled with dependence on government to spark our collective innovation potential may pose the biggest risk to productivity and growth. For our part, we will continue to prepare graduates with innovation skills and instill an exemplary work ethic, problem solving skills and a capacity in our students to learn quickly and over the long term so employers will have access to innovative employees. We will also continue to partner with employers, linking them to third party funding and the rich research and commercialization potential we offer at George Brown. "
Toronto Next: Return on Innovation was conducted by NorthStar Research Partners between August 15 and September 13, 2012. NorthStar surveyed 314 businesses in a range of sectors in the GTA via telephone. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 5.6 per cent.
A full copy of the report is available at www.georgebrown.ca/releases/George_Brown_Toronto_Next_Report_2012.pdf
About George Brown College
Toronto's George Brown College has established a reputation for equipping students with the skills, industry experience and credentials to pursue the careers of their choice. From its three main campuses located across the downtown core, George Brown offers nearly 160 programs across a wide variety of professions to a student body of 60,000 (including those enrolled in full-time, part-time and continuing education programs). Students can earn diplomas, post-graduate certificates, industry accreditations, apprenticeships and four-year bachelor degrees.
SOURCE: George Brown College
For further information: | https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/business-responds-to-innovation-challenge-no-thank-you-511057981.html |
** Please note, this position in Omaha, NE. Thank you.
Due to high volume projects and growth in demand, We are looking for a Supply Chain Manager, to join an elite team at the edge of ag-tech innovation!
The main 2 functions of the Supply Chain manager role is to master the technological procurement status at all times- working with internal and external suppliers, and to implement and run the ERP on a timely basis, to better forecast the supply needs, and manage it's scheduling in a productive manner.
This position also plays a key role in decision making on future projects and developments .
Responsibilities:
What will you do?
- Oversee all aspects of Supply chain to ensure reliable, compliant, cost effective, and on time supply of product.
- Manage the distribution of the supply product to its final destination, while supporting the deployment plan.
- Interpret material and manufacturing plans and sales/usage history, to better forecast scope of requirements and needs- eventually creating and adjusting the ERP/MRP master schedule and monthly operations plans.
- Oversee product purchasing and planning at contract manufacturing.
- Managing Supply Agreements and Contracts with vendors and partners.
- Coordinate and execute purchase orders for final products once approved and agreed.
- Establish a strong partnership with the Hardware Engineering team to ensure that their NPI process is successfully implemented within the manufacturing environment.
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field OR Associate’s degree with 3+ years of experience OR 5+ years of relevant experience
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel
- High interpersonal and communication skills- in oral and in writing
- An ability to work and thrive in a high paced environment
- Ability to learn things fast, and implement conclusions in parallel.
- Strong attention to details and quality of work
- Ability to work independently
- Skilled in prioritize and balances short-term and long-term requirements
- Skilled with setting priorities and balance short-term and long-term requirements
An Advantage: | https://builtin.com/job/operations/supply-chain-manager-omaha/590240 |
IFC has appointed Rana Karadsheh as Regional Director for Europe. Based in Vienna, she will play a key role in leading IFC's response to the war in Ukraine and bolstering efforts to increase private sector participation and creating jobs in Central and Eastern Europe, IFC told APA-Economics.
Alfonso Garcia Mora, IFC's Vice President for Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, said: “Karadsheh’s extensive knowledge and experience will be a huge asset at a time when Europe, already weakened by COVID-19, is facing multiple shocks—the war in Ukraine, energy crisis, tightening financial conditions, and others. We are confident that under her leadership, IFC will be able to accelerate its response to the private sector’s immediate needs and grow program to support green, resilient and inclusive development of the region.”
Karadsheh, an American and Jordanian national, has over 25 years of experience in international finance. She most recently served as Regional Industry Director, Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services (MAS), Asia and Pacific. Prior to this, Karadsheh was Country Manager for Singapore.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts in International Economics and Master of Business Administration from George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
As Regional Director, Karadsheh will prioritize high-impact projects that can help the region focus on several key areas—from green growth and innovation to digital technology and financial inclusion.
Commenting on her new role, Karadsheh said: “In the face of a war leading to significant economic losses in Europe along with the lingering impacts of COVID-19, it will be key for IFC to ramp up efforts to engage with all stakeholders including the private sector, government, and partners. The goal is to help the region’s economies recover from the crises with a focus on sustainability and inclusion, protecting and creating jobs while building resilience for sustainable economic pathways.”
She added: “IFC stands to support small businesses including women-led ones, the backbone of the region’s economy, by improving their access to finance. Climate investments, too, is a focus area to unlock short-term gains—jobs and economic growth—as well as to deliver long-term benefits, including decarbonization and resilience.”
Amid unprecedented challenges in Central and Eastern Europe, IFC supported the region's private sector with over $1 billion in investments in fiscal year (FY) 2022, ending June 30. Climate finance represented a record-high 74 percent of IFC's own account long-term investments in the region. IFC also provided advisory and upstream services with a portfolio of more than $128 million across 62 projects aimed at improving the investment climate and market creation in the region. | https://apa.az/en/finance/response-to-war-in-ukraine-key-focus-area-for-ifcs-new-regional-director-for-europe-386216 |
Most organizations today have a large number of projects to be completed to meet both short-term and long-term strategic goals. The most effective organizations, however, prioritize their projects, based on prioritization factors that make sense for them, in order to ensure that they work on the right projects, at the right time, to meet organizational goals.
Projects may be prioritized using any or all of the following criterion (this is just a partial list of potential criterion for prioritizing – each organization will have different crtieria important to them):
- Alignment to organizational strategic goals
- Risk tolerance (vs. project benefit)
- Significant financial investment required (project cost high)
- Alignment to customer expectations/enables for increased customer satisfaction
- Enables for improved competition (competitive advantage)
- Significant revenue, profitability or cost reduction impact
- Does it make sense given other projects in the works
- Technology requirements of project
When you use a variety of criterion to prioritize projects, be sure to determine a weighting factor for each criteria. There is likely some criteria more important than others. Rate the more important criteria higher – for example, using a scale of 1 = least important to 5 = most important. Rate individual projects against those criterion using a similar 1 – 5 scale with 1 = least impactful to criteria and 5 = most impactful to criteria. Multiply the rating by the weight to determine priority. Of course there will be outliers that may need further consideration. However, whenever possible be sure to stick to using the criterion and selection process to ensure fairness in projects selected. The better developed the criterion used for prioritizing projects, the better the process overall.
For example:
|
|
PROJECT
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|
CRITERIA
|
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RATING
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|
WEIGHT
|
|
SCORE
|
|
A
|
|
Aligned to org strategy
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|
5
|
|
5
|
|
25
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|
Technology requirements
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4
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3
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12
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|
Profitability impact
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5
|
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4
|
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20
|
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Total Score
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57
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B
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|
Aligned to org strategy
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|
5
|
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3
|
|
15
|
|
Technology requirements
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|
4
|
|
5
|
|
20
|
|
Profitability impact
|
|
5
|
|
4
|
|
20
|
|
Total Score
|
|
55
This is a simplistic example certainly; but in this example, if we have to choose between the two projects, we may choose Project A over Project B because it scores higher overall. However, other considerations may come into play in prioritizing projects. For example, Project B has more technology requirements which may be an issues if we are working on other projects with heavy technology requirements. Since both projects have the same profitability impact, we may decide that Project A may be the one we move forward with due to the lesser technology requirements. While prioritizing projects is essential for organizations, it does not mean that this is the only selection process used. But it is effective for managing projects to be completed in a given time period.
Prioritizing projects reduces the risk of the wrong projects being done and also reduces the risk of “pet projects” being launched to meet individual goals. Of course this doesn’t mean that your list of projects to be completed won’t change during the year. Changes within the organization (such as loss of customers, increased competition, mergers and acquisitions) may require going back to the drawing board to re-prioritize projects.
As another benefit, when projects are prioritized, organizations find they are able to better manage their projects with fewer resources and reduced budgets and complete them in shorter timeframes, all while finding time to fit in other project initiatives that may present opportunities for the organization. | https://www.ginaabudi.com/prioritizing-projects/ |
By:
Allie Choate, MA
Updated April 28, 2021
As the world struggles to gain control of the COVID-19 pandemic, the development and distribution of an effective vaccine has become a globally prioritized initiative. While the initial focus surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine was centered on efficacy, and production logistics, discussions have broadened toward affordability, pricing, and allocation now that several vaccines are available (Figure 1). Determining a fair pricing strategy that incentivizes development while ensuring value and access for patients, however, has remained a difficult process exacerbated by the unique demands of a global health crisis. During initial approvals of the vaccine, pricing and distributions were subject to heavy negotiations between manufacturers, governing bodies, and multilateral entities such as the World Health Organization. Consequently, preliminary vaccination efforts have largely consisted of short-term, pre-purchasing agreements between manufacturers and government entities, allowing vaccines to be obtained at below-market costs. In several cases, manufacturers have pledged to sell vaccine doses on a not-for-profit basis during the pandemic, yet how these prices might change post pandemic is still unclear.
Figure 1. Building blocks of an effective global vaccination program against COVID-19
Key: WHO – World Health Organization.
Defining the value of vaccines
Compared to the value appraisal and pricing approaches for other health technologies and interventions, the value assessment and pricing of vaccines requires unique considerations. For example, traditional economic evaluations used to assess the value of drug therapeutics (eg, incremental cost-utility analysis) often overlook broader societal and individual benefits that are uniquely associated with vaccines, such as herd immunity or decreased severity of disease.
Even without formal assessment, the value of the COVID-19 vaccine is objectively high due to the seriousness of the disease and the extending impact the virus has had on the global economy and healthcare systems. Nonetheless, aligning the value and price of a vaccine remains an important endeavor for COVID-19 as well as future vaccine developments overall. Furthermore, given the uncertainty of vaccine pricing in an endemic stage as well as the likelihood for COVID-19 vaccines to require booster immunizations to maintain effectiveness, an informed pricing strategy will be crucial for allocating resources over the coming years.
Assessing the value and associated costs of vaccines
The pricing of new vaccines under normal circumstances is subject to several factors across markets, including competitions, cost of production, price-demand curves, and incremental value of the vaccine among other factors. Although several vaccine pricing strategies have been proposed or used in the past (Table 1), each approach carries different advantages and limitations that must be weighed carefully by stakeholders.
Table 1. Pricing approaches for novel vaccines
Key: R&D – research and development.
Cost-effectiveness (CE) analyses remain one of the most widely used assessments to inform the pricing of vaccines for payers and health authorities. A recent CE analysis evaluated the CE of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which was concluded to be cost-effective (up to $150 per dose) in US adults based on the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-years gained. This study measured benefits to vaccinated individuals, though secondary societal gains (eg, possible reductions in transmission) or societal costs of the pandemic (eg, damage to the economy) were not considered. Despite the pervasiveness of this type of CE analysis for therapeutics, not sufficiently capturing the societal costs of the pandemic and benefits of immunization can lead to underestimating the true value of the vaccine. CE and value assessments in a pandemic thus differ from conventional practices, necessitating the consideration of a wider range of individual and societal factors that extend beyond the healthcare system.
The role of HTAs in pricing the COVID-19 vaccine
In terms of pricing COVID-19 vaccines, common themes across health technology assessment (HTA) agencies have emphasized the need for cooperation between public and private entities in order to prioritize a pricing strategy that continues to foster novel therapeutic developments at an accessible cost. Given the challenges associated with defining the value of the COVID-19 vaccine, HTA organizations have raised key questions as to which broader effects may be most critical to include when conducting value and CE assessments to inform pricing. Considering the feasibility issues of compiling an exhaustive list of variables worth examining in value and CE assessments, identifying practical constraints as well as variables that are most relevant can still offer a systematic framework for deliberating the cost and value of the vaccine.
Conclusions
The COVID-19 pandemic underscores pressures between balancing affordability, access, value, and ethics of healthcare technologies and other services. Policy makers have an obligation to ensure efficient use of resources and aligning price with the value. HTAs and national health services have an important role in evaluating the costs associated with different vaccines (eg, costs per dose and implementation costs), identifying barriers to efficient manufacturing and distribution, assisting with monitoring long-term safety and efficacy, and helping to determine the most ideal and cost-effective vaccination strategy from both societal and healthcare points of view. While debates surrounding the cost and value of the COVID-19 vaccine are unlikely to end anytime soon, ensuring appropriate utilization of resources to balance affordability while supporting innovation will be beneficial for ending the current pandemic and preventing future pandemics in the years to come.
The article should be referenced as follows:
Choate A. Assessing the value of vaccines: Considerations from the HTA perspective. HTA Quarterly. Summer 2021. https://www.xcenda.com/insights/htaq-summer-2021-value-vaccines-hta-perspective
Sources:
- Bright J, Willke R, Garrison L, et al. Value Assessment in the Age of COVID-19: 8 Takeaways From the ISPOR—IVI COVID Webinar Series. ISPOR. Published 2021. Accessed April 4, 2021. https://www.ispor.org/docs/default-source/publications/value-outcomes-spotlight/january-february-2021/ispor_vos_february-2021_online33c78da704b04f9c81a66db04ecfb2cd.pdf?sfvrsn=5a77c2f6_0
- Doria-Rose N, Suthar MS, Makowski M, et al. Antibody persistence through 6 months after the second dose of mRNA-1273 vaccine for COVID-19. NEJM. 2021.
- Drake T, Shan H, McDonnell A, et al. Who Gets a COVID-19 Vaccine and Who Pays? The Need for Economic Analysis. Published 2021. Accessed April 8, 2021. https://www.cgdev.org/blog/who-gets-covid-19-vaccine-and-who-pays-need-economic-analysis
- Emond S, Pearson S. Alternative Policies for Pricing Novel Vaccines and Drug Therapies for COVID-19. ICER. Published 2020. Accessed March 23, 2021. https://34eyj51jerf417itp82ufdoe-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Alternative-Policies-for-Pricing-Novel-Vaccines-and-Drug-Therapies-for-COVID-19-_-ICER-White-Paper.pdf
- HTA’s Critical Role in the (Early) Assessment of (potential) Vaccines to prevent the spread of COVID-19 globally. HTAi COVID-19 Response. HTAi. Accessed April 3, 2021. https://htai.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/HTAi_Position-Statement-Evidence-Standards_20200620.pdf
- Kohli M, Maschio M, Becker D, Weinstein MC. The potential public health and economic value of a hypothetical COVID-19 vaccine in the United States: use of cost-effectiveness modeling to inform vaccination prioritization. Vaccine. 2021;39(7):1157-1164.
- Lee BY, McGlone SM. Pricing of new vaccines. Hum Vaccin. 2010;6(8):619-626.
- Neumann P, Cohen JT, Kim DD, Ollendorf DA. Consideration of value-based pricing for treatments and vaccines is important, even in the COVID-19 pandemic: study reviews alternative pricing strategies (cost-recovery models, monetary prizes, advanced market commitments) for COVID-19 drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics. Health Aff. 2021;40(1). https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01548
- Padula W, Reid N, Tierce J. Health technology assessment for COVID-19 treatments and vaccines: will cost-effectiveness analysis serve our needs? Signal. 2021:01.
- Standaert B, Rappuoli R. Towards a more comprehensive approach for a total economic assessment of vaccines? 1. The building blocks for a health economic assessment of vaccination. J Mark Access Health Policy. 2017;5(1):1335162.
- Timmis JK, Black S, Rappuoli R. Improving accountability in vaccine decision-making. Expert review of vaccines. 2017;16(11):1057-1066.
- Towse A, Chalkidou K, Firth I, Kettler H, Silverman R. How Should the World Pay for a Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Vaccine? Value Health. 2021.
- Wouters OJ, Shadlen KC, Salcher-Konrad M, et al. Challenges in ensuring global access to COVID-19 vaccines: production, affordability, allocation, and deployment. Lancet. 2021. | https://www.xcenda.com/insights/htaq-summer-2021-value-vaccines-hta-perspective |
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/jspui/handle/lib/10611
|Title:||Основні інститути інноваційного інвестування|
|Other Titles:||Major institutions of innovative investment|
|Authors:||Варналій, З.С.|
Зянько, В.В.
|Keywords:||венчурні фонди, інвестиції, інновації, інноваційна діяльність, інноваційне підприємництво, фінансові інститути, фінансово-кредитна діяльність|
|Issue Date:||2015|
|Publisher:||Видавництво УжНУ "Говерла"|
|Citation:||Варналій, З. С. Основні інститути інноваційного інвестування [Текст] / З. С. Варналій, В. В. Зянько // Науковий вісник Ужгородського університету : Серія: Економіка / редкол.: В.П. Мікловда (голов. ред.), В.І. Ярема , Н.Н. Пойда-Носик та інші. – Ужгород: Вид-во УжНУ «Говерла», 2015. – Вип.2 (46). – С. 297–304. – Бібліогр. : с. 303–304 (17 назв).|
|Series/Report no.:||Економіка;|
|Abstract:||У статті досліджено ефективність механізму використання кредитних і фінансових ресурсів для стимулювання інвестиційної й інноваційної активності суб’єктів підприємницької діяльності в Україні, проаналізовано досвід високорозвинених країн у фінансовому забезпеченні наукомістких і високотехнологічних розробок, обґрунтовано заходи щодо заохочення участі комерційних банків та венчурних фондів у довгостроковому кредитуванні інноваційних проектів стратегічно важливих для вітчизняної економіки підприємств.
Ключові слова: венчурні фонди, інвестиції, інновації, інноваційна діяльність, інноваційне підприємницт-во, фінансові інститути, фінансово-кредитна діяльність.|
One of the main causes of the deepening economic crisis in Ukraine is reaching the critical level of pro-ductive capital aging. This article outlines that this pro-cess can be overcome only through innovation and technological modernization of national economy. The features of investment in innovative projects, which are subjected to heightened risk and require large-scale and long-term investments were examined. Also it was determined that support and encouragement of innova-tion activity require the usage of different sources, methods and tools of financial assistance. The main financial sources of innovative projects should be state aid, commercial bank loans and venture capital invest-ments. The authors noticed that there are no effective mechanisms of credit and financial resources usage for encouraging investment and innovation activities of business entities. So, cash flows are mainly concentrat-ed in the national economy sectors, which provides short-term gains, reproduce economic stagnation and loss of competitiveness. Absence of capital movements from low-tech to high-tech segments continuing the trend of short-term gains and hinders innovation activi-ty. The experience of well-developed countries in the financial support of high-tech economy sector has been analyzed. In these countries, in contrast with the Ukrainian government, the state actively uses various forms of stimulation and provides significant funding for support innovation activity. Stimulations of actions for long-term crediting of innovation projects in the strategy for the national economy enterprises by com-mercial banks and venture capital funds were ex-plained. In particular, authors offer to actively involve venture capital for financial support and development of high-tech sector and to encourage commercial banks participation in long-term crediting for innovation pro-jects in the strategy for the national economy enterpris-es. The basic forms of such incentives for crediting were justified. The necessity of encouraging and de-veloping scientific and technological innovation and new legislative instruments for regulation of venture capital market, innovation risk insurance and encour-agement of commercial banks participation in financ-ing innovation were given in the article. Keywords: venture capital funds, investment, in-novation, innovation activity, innovative entrepreneur-ship, financial institutions, financial and credit activi-ties.
|Type:||Text|
|Publication type:||Стаття|
|URI:||https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/jspui/handle/lib/10611|
|Appears in Collections:||Науковий вісник УжНУ Серія: Економіка. Випуск 2 (46) - 2015|
Files in This Item:
|File||Description||Size||Format|
|ОСНОВНІ ІНСТИТУТИ ІННОВАЦІЙНОГО ІНВЕСТУВАННЯ.pdf||440.49 kB||Adobe PDF||View/Open|
Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. | https://dspace.uzhnu.edu.ua/jspui/handle/lib/10611 |
Consumer health care spending is sensitive to cash flow fluctuations, causing patients to defer health care. Improved savings tools could ensure that consumers receive health care when they need it rather than when they have the cash to pay for it.
What's the Issue?
A large body of literature documents the relationship between health care spending and consumer finance, including the impact of such spending on long-term debt, poverty, and use of health services. Two earlier Health Policy Briefs added to that conversation with an examination of the impact of two specific economic policies on health—the Earned Income Tax Credit and the minimum wage.
In this brief, researchers highlight the health care-finance connection from a different angle by exploring how short-term changes in household cash flow influence consumer decisions about whether and when to seek medical care. The JPMorgan Chase Institute brings to these questions new empirical evidence based on high-frequency banking transaction data for large samples of Chase checking account customers.
These data show that consumers immediately increase their use of health services after they receive large infusions of cash. This finding suggests that consumers make health decisions—some of which have long-term consequences—based on short-term financial factors. Far from affecting only low-income people, immediate cash shortages cause people at all income levels to delay care. This behavior is especially concerning in the context of rising out-of-pocket health care spending, debt, and health care use.
The authors conclude that policy tools that encourage people to save may have a positive impact on health by reducing the extent to which health care consumption decisions are influenced by short-term cash flow, rather than by clinical need.
What's Next?
The trend toward increased consumer cost sharing for health care shows no signs of slowing. It has substantial support from both government regulators and health care payers, based largely on the belief that asking consumers to pay for more of the cost of their health care will cause them to seek care only when they need it, evaluate providers using price as one consideration, and avoid unnecessary treatments. Yet that is not what these researchers see. Instead, their findings suggest that health care consumers are rationalizing consumption, but not in the ways that stakeholders expected.
Consumers are making decisions based on whether they have cash in their pocket right now, not based on a longer-term view of what they could afford over time. Assuming that at least some of the delays in care are for necessary services, which is consistent with the findings of others, these delays have the potential to increase long-term costs for the entire health care system, since poorly managed chronic conditions often result in health care costs many times higher than well-managed conditions do. Their findings also point to the importance of tools that encourage people to save.
People who have cash reserves fare better when faced with an extraordinary expense, in that their finances do not show the same persistent adverse consequences of large payments. The health savings accounts and other savings vehicles that are often paired with consumer-driven health plans are a positive innovation in that regard. Yet consumers clearly do not have enough savings in them to cope with health costs. If they did, they would put cash into them when they had a cash infusion and spend money in them when they had a health need, which means that we wouldn’t see as large health care spending spikes as we do.
There are many reasons why families don’t save. They may not have the financial slack, or there may be a mismatch in timing between when they have a reserve and when they have a health need. In addition, health savings and reimbursement accounts can be used only for health expenses, which may discourage their use among people who need more flexibility.
For these reasons, consumers need savings tools that are automatic, low risk, and uncomplicated. Front-line providers also have a role to play in addressing these problems. In designing patient care plans, providers are often unable to take costs into account. They may not know what care will cost patients and are often uncomfortable discussing finances with them.
The persistence of fee-for-service income models creates mixed incentives for physicians. That should change. Still, providers can help consumers understand how to prioritize elements of their health care planning. They can offer clear medical advice about the consequences of delay so that less urgent care gets pushed into the 75-day period after a patient receives a tax refund, and necessary care is received sooner. | https://www.rwjf.org/en/library/research/2018/12/cash-flow-dynamics-and-family-health-care-spending.html |
Ryan is a principal analyst based in San Francisco serving customer experience professionals. He focuses primarily on CX strategy, prioritization, and design-led innovation. Branding, organizational transformation, localization, and experience design principles inform his research in the context of international markets.
Ryan has over 18 years of experience in advising multinational corporations on customer acquisition and experience strategies. His career spans corporate banking at the Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ in China to sales and strategy roles in the private wealth space for HSBC in Japan. Diverse consulting projects thereafter have taken him across the globe, affording deep customer behavior insight into insurance, travel, transportation, and telecom, among other verticals.
Prior to joining Forrester, Ryan spearheaded digital transformation for Infosys Lodestone and led the financial services practice for SapientNitro in Asia Pacific.
He is fluent in Japanese and speaks Mandarin Chinese, Nepali, and bits and pieces of a handful of other languages in the region.
Ryan earned his degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder where he studied neurobiology. Additionally, he has completed postgraduate study in innovation at the National University of Singapore and the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.
For a customer experience (CX) transformation to take hold and drive sustainable gains, CX pros need to proactively prioritize and manage multiple projects. That's a challenge given multiple stakeholder interests, limited budgets, and constrained resources. This report, part of the CX transformation playbook, helps CX pros create a prioritization mechanism that they can use to vet CX improvement projects based on a structured approach that drives positive changes for the customer and the business. It also links to additional reports that provide more depth. Forrester refreshes this report regularly based on new research.
Once customer experience (CX) pros and their organizations have established a beginner-level prioritization framework for understanding and assessing CX initiatives based on customer impact, business impact, and feasibility of implementation, they're ready to advance the prioritization competency to the next level. An intermediate-level prioritization framework adds more granularity in its criteria and introduces weighting at two levels. This report, part of the CX transformation playbook, explains how. It also links to additional reports that provide more depth. Forrester refreshes this report regularly based on new research.
Getting experience design right is essential to customer experience (CX) transformation — it means performing specific activities required for defining and refining experiences based on your vision and research-based customer understanding. This report is for CX transformation leaders whose organizations perform these activities but with insufficient rigor. It explains how to achieve the beginner level of maturity in the design competency. Forrester refreshes this report regularly based on new research.
Some of the most admired, innovative, and valuable companies in the world have embraced the practice of design — not simply to differentiate their products in the market, but also to improve the way they operate as an organization. This report examines how customer-obsessed companies that embrace design thinking are winning in today's business world and how they have organized themselves around a human-centered design mindset. Customer experience (CX) pros can use this insight to scale their own design thinking capabilities. | https://www.forrester.com/Ryan-Hart?objectid=BIO8984 |
What we do.
Impact assessments.
Moving from a long experience in the field, we co-design tailor-made impact assessment frameworks for different innovation fields so as to make evident the social, economic and political benefits achieved by innovative processes.
Co-design and participatory practices.
We support innovators in developing socio-technical solutions that answer the real needs of their final users and that are embedded in socio-cultural and organisational practices of target stakeholders. By doing so we help to maximise the uptake of innovations and promote science-citizens dialogues.
Stakeholder engagement and ecosystem building in current R&D domains.
By developing ad-hoc strategies for stakeholder engagement for research and innovation actions and thematic networks we maximise and boost ecosystem building and achievement of groups’ results.
Policy dialogues design and recommendations for emerging topics.
We structure and implement participatory processes to support policy discussions and to facilitate reaching consensus on specific topics to inform public decision-makers and regulatory authorities.
Communication & dissemination for research and innovation.
We develop and implement strategies, tools and campaigns for ensuring an efficient outreach to identified target audiences of research projects and innovation actions, including brand development, online presence and social media, dissemination materials as well as planning, organising and facilitating events.
Exploitation and technology transfer of R&D results.
We offer the development of exploitation strategies of your research and innovation projects’ results, to benefit of an early understanding of project potential economic value. The analysis will help in understanding the economic and financial feasibility of your research and innovation project and set up exploitation and IPR strategies.
Get in touch. | https://www.den-institute.org/what-we-do/ |
The American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce is pleased to see the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee attention to strengthening important relationships in Central Asia and its appreciation of the geopolitical context. While the AUCC has a varying view on some of the issues, it applauds the overall effort in preparing a Comprehensive Report on Central Asia and the Transition in Afghanistan that was released on Monday, December 19, 2011. The AUCC and its members believe that the engaging role by the U.S. in Central Asia, as outlined in the report and its recommendations, advances our country's national security agenda and improves the AUCC members' efforts to create more jobs and expand export market opportunities.
Specifically, the AUCC members share the reports' recognition of the importance of Central Asian states in the stabilization of Afghanistan and that "...Washington should repeatedly stress that its engagement is not ending". Furthermore, the AUCC supports the recommendation that calls for the U.S. to: "Communicate intentions clearly: The United States should be mindful of creating expectations that cannot be fulfilled. A strategic communications strategy should clearly articulate how NSR will be implemented, what role the United States and other donors will play, what steps regional governments must take, how projects are being prioritized, the timeframe for implementation, and how the private sector is engaged. This strategy should also take into account the most effective means of communicating in these countries". The AUCC will continue to support the U.S. Government and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan in their bilateral efforts to deal with challenging issues. We encourage plans, outreach policies and forward-looking vision for Central Asia that are successful and attainable.
The AUCC also welcomes the efforts by the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan to ensure that the important bilateral issues are dealt in a constructive way.
Monday, December 19, 2011
CONTACT: Jennifer Berlin or 202-224-3468
Foreign Relations Committee Releases Comprehensive Report on Central Asia and the Transition in Afghanistan
Link to report: http://www.foreign.senate.gov/publications/
Washington, DC - As part of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's ongoing oversight of U.S engagement in Afghanistan and the broader region, Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today released a report examining Central Asia's critical role in Afghanistan.
"Central Asia matters. Its countries are critical to the outcome in Afghanistan and play a vital role in regional stability. As we reassure our partners that our relationships and engagement in Afghanistan will continue after the military transition in 2014, we should underscore that we have long-term strategic interests in the broader region," said Chairman Kerry. "Pakistan's internal dynamics may have the most profound impact on the conflict, but Central Asian countries provide military supply routes for non-lethal cargo and participate actively in reconstruction. The Obama Administration has advanced a comprehensive regional agenda to build on these cooperative efforts. As the United States enters a new phase of engagement in Afghanistan, we must lay the foundation for a long-term strategy that sustains our security gains and protects U.S. interests. This long-term strategy is dependent upon striking a balance between meeting our security needs and promoting political and economic reform in Central Asia and the region."
Central Asia and the Transition in Afghanistan is based on an October 2011 field visit by the Committee's majority staff to Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan as well as extensive staff meetings with experts and policymakers. It provides several important statistics and offers three overarching recommendations for the Administration as it prepares for the 2014 transition in Afghanistan and continues to engage with countries in the region.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
1) Strike a balance between security and political priorities in Central Asia. As the United States increases security cooperation with the countries of Central Asia to support efforts in Afghanistan, it must also lay the foundation for a long-term strategy that sustains these gains and protects U.S. interests in the region. Security assistance has an important role to play, but the United States should continue promoting political and economic reform by making greater investments in democracy and governance, public health, economic assistance, and English language training. Given the tight fiscal climate, the Administration should consider using existing Afghanistan resources on cross-border projects that promote regional stability. It should also prioritize and increase assistance to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, given their fragility and importance for broader regional stability.
2) Translate the New Silk Road (NSR) vision into a working strategy for the broader region beyond Afghanistan. This will require identifying needs, available resources, U.S. comparative advantages, and the economic reforms regional governments must take to support increased trade and investment. Connecting Central to South Asia via Afghanistan will be challenging in light of the barriers to continental transport and trade, including the lack of regional cooperation. NSR will not be a panacea for Afghanistan's economic woes, but it offers a vision for the region that has the potential to foster private sector investment if projects are prioritized and steps are taken to create an enabling environment. The United States can play a vital role by supporting political and economic reform and leveraging its resources.
3) Link the regional Central Asia Counternarcotics Initiative (CACI) with bilateral initiatives that offer traction, given the constraints on regional cooperation. CACI provides an important vision for reform and information sharing to tackle narcotics trafficking in the region. While there is demand for such an initiative among local agencies with a mandate to combat the drug trade, significant challenges remain. Regional cooperation has a checkered history in this part of the world. Corruption is widespread and prospects for the task forces remain unclear, given the lack of political will. The Administration should consider piloting the task forces in countries where they stand the greatest chance of success, which will require a comparative regional assessment of efforts to combat the drug trade. It should also scale up cross-border operations between Central Asian and Afghan law enforcement and military officials, including joint training activities. | http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs008/1103850501106/archive/1108998216899.html |
Submissions are now open for the 2019 Radical Innovation, which challenges designers, architects, hoteliers and students to pioneer compelling ideas in travel and hospitality. New in 2019, the competition will distinguish between built and unbuilt projects, in addition to honoring a select individual who challenges the hospitality community through the art of invention with the Innovator Award.
A panel of jurors leading the fields of hospitality, design, and investment evaluate all entries based on their originality, creativity, design, and potential impact on the industry. Feasibility is key. While Radical Innovation seeks brave ideas, the program requires achievable visions with a clear, compelling brief accompanied by a high-level presentation that illustrates how the concept could be achieved in the next 3-5 years with design renderings and video pitch.
The extended deadline for submissions is April 30, 2019. | https://www.dexigner.com/news/31785 |
The genesis of The Concept Group was initially borne from a functional and structural approach, simply delivering better effectiveness through shared services of back office functions for its more market facing organizations. As the organization grew, the Group along with its member subsidiaries have evolved to embody much more. As a tested guiding light, our core values which we passionately uphold give us a sense of purpose and direction not only in our professional but in our private lives also. These values summarized are based on three pillars; (Great) People, (Continuous) Innovation and the (Ideal) Culture.
Job title: Lead, Transformation Officer
Job Description
- Translate the strategic direction and business objectives into holistic change management strategies.
- Articulate the company’s mission in a clear and concise way that can speak to customers and employees at all levels.
- Create actionable goals that make it possible to turn that mission into tangible results.
- Assess the company’s many different projects from the products down to the daily administrative activities to make
- sure they align with the company’s goals.
- Analyze the success of products, projects, and activities.
- Manage economic and financial viability of the company by using management strategies, financial accounting, human
- resource planning, customer relations, and implementation of new technologies.
- Discover ways to increase revenue by eliminating wasteful practices and expediting product delivery.
- Lead and support management in application and implementation of new policies and procedures.
- Develop new business opportunities by leveraging contacts, pursuing new product development, and improving
- project efficiency.
- Assess trends and technology that hinder/boost the transformation, identify processes that need to be changed and
- re-design processes that support transformation.
- Drive fundamental changes in the value proposition/way services are delivered and the market served.
- Strike the right balance between carrot and stick, between short-term improvement and long-term value, and between
- making sure line managers themselves take responsibility for change and personally ensuring they deliver results
- quickly and with suitably high ambition.
- Lead multiple projects and support project managers in the design and implementation phases. Confirms deliverables,
- resource needs, and work plans on new assignments.
- Ensure operational transparency & governance, strategy integration and streamlined customer processes.
- Effectively mitigate risks and resolve complex challenges.
- Develop the Business model design and Business architecture.
- Foster a culture of TCG Values.
- Achieve profitable growth and deliver on TCG's growth, sales strategy and targets including new and existing accounts. | https://www.erecnigeria.com/lead-transformation-officer/ |
The province has begun implementing the advice from a report that identifies ways to improve flood resilience in Calgary and better manage water throughout the Bow River basin.
Based on the report’s findings, the province is working with TransAlta and other stakeholders to begin implementing some of the short-term solutions identified. These include:
- Discussions with TransAlta to extend and expand the current agreement on modified operations, including the addition of Spray Lake and Lake Minnewanka to the agreement and using Barrier Lake for flood mitigation purposes rather than drought mitigation.
- Discussions with Irrigation Districts to improve water retention for agricultural use downstream of Calgary.
- A feasibility study on increasing the drawdown rate at Ghost Reservoir.
- Initiating feasibility studies for potential long-term projects identified in the report.
The following link details the plans:
Bow River Flood Mitigation Report
All good news for the Bow River and those who enjoy a very valuable recreation resource. | https://bowrivertrout.org/2017/08/11/bow-river-water-management-report/ |
BioEngineering from first principles.
Lead Research Organisation: University of Sheffield
Department Name: Kroto Research Institute
Abstract
Planned Impact
The main area of impact will be economic and commercial. However, due to the broad potential for application in areas such as environmental remediation, water technology and medicine, there is strong potential for long-term social impacts through a cleaner environment, better drinking water quality and advances in healthcare, and through better scientific evidence to inform and develop government and company policy in these fields. There will be specific areas of impact achieved on much shorter time-scales; potentially within 1-3 years of the start of the Feasibility Account. Ongoing activities that we will draw on from the very beginning are current links with commercial partners. These include Maersk Oil and Gas, Accelerys (computational chemistry software), JEOL, Proctor and Gamble, and the Pfizer Institute, Cambridge U. Results on cell attachment will be of interest to these companies in the area of hydrocarbon and process water pipeline biofouling, bioprocessing, computational chemistry methods and advanced microscopy techniques. Computational methods and results will also be of immediate interest for software development and testing on cell and macromolecular chemistry. Additional activities are through a Knowledge Transfer Manager (KTM) for Water who is affiliated with the TSB Knowledge Transfer Network for Environmental Sustainability. Results on mechanisms and controls on cell attachment and biofilm formation will be of interest to water utilities and their supply chain involved in biofouling, process engineering and water quality We have recently been awarded U. Sheffield cross-faculty seed funding to translate work on biomolecule binding on surfaces to understand how cells adhere to scaffolds and skin and to develop new biological glues for tissue engineering. This Feasibility Account will be able to contribute important molecular understanding and data for this translation into medical application. Investigators also currently hold a proof-of-concept award from the Northern 8 (N8) Universities to assess with the potential for delivery of functionalised colloid particles to soil. Understanding the bio-uptake of nanomaterials by soil microbes and plant roots will draw on the concepts and data developed in the Feasibility Account on cell-surface interactions. There are number of mechanisms to achieve longer-term impact. We are already linked to the KTN for Environmental Sustainability. We will raise awareness of our expertise and its promise for commercial impact, via the KTN web portal, potentially through KTN-affiliated training activities, and via the KTN monthly newsletter to its membership. This same approach will be used via the full range of KTNs; specifically targeting those for Biosciences, Chemistry Innovation, Health Tech and Medicines and Industrial Mathematics. We have a track record in providing Continuing Professional Development training via our industry-facing MSc courses, and we will target these for impact delivery in computational methods, potentially as stand-alone training or contributing content to a broader course. The U. Sheffield KTA provides access to a Knowledge Exploitation Manager and KT mechanisms that include the Development Hot House for short-term commercial feasibility studies, Proof-of-Concept funding to take a an approach or product further towards market, the possibility to bid for KTA Industrial Fellowship funding, for outgoing/incoming secondment of from/to the university with a commercial partner. Starting with current partners, will identify commercial partners to help develop and steer future research funding applications. This is to establish strategic partnerships that design impact pathways from the very beginning. The long-term result of this approach is the establishment of a strong and highly innovative university-industry community that will help develop and join future major bids such as programme grants and EPSRC strategic partnerships. | https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI016589%2F1 |
Speak of eco-innovation and people immediately think of electric cars and solar power. But the shift to a post-carbon economy depends on much more than technological improvements. It requires a sea change on many levels, from individual lifestyles to commercial investment to international governance.
As of 2012 almost all nations have created policies to stimulate innovation. These are based on two theoretical rationales: a market failure rationale that says that because of the danger of imitation companies will underinvest in innovation, and a system failure rationale that says that the source of underinvestment may lie outside the company (lack of venture capital, barriers to entry).
The latter perspective sees innovation activities as part of a system of knowledge generation, diffusion and use. Here national innovation capacity is shaped by education and training systems, the macroeconomic and regulatory context.
Both perspectives provide general rationales to stimulate innovation but the policies are often mistaken or unnecessary. In many cases they create windfall profits for recipients, providing push when pull is needed and, by being technology-blind (but not neutral), favour incumbents instead of challengers.
We face a double bind. Those who argue for policy coordination usually don’t say much about how this is to be done; while those who favour generic policies turn a blind eye to the need for specific policy to deal with specific barriers (in market entry, regulation, costs).
I wanted to write about this because discussions about eco-innovation are in many cases highly superficial or unnecessarily abstract. This blog is based on a longer article for S.A.P.I.E.NS, where I presented 10 key themes for eco-innovation. Of these I will now focus on six.
Theme 1: Eco-innovation policies should be based on identified barriers
To be effective and not wasteful, innovation policy should be based on identified barriers to particular types of eco-innovation instead of on abstract notions of market failure and system failure. Here are some examples from a 2011 Eurobarometer survey (click to enlarge):
Theme 2: Preventing windfall profits
A drawback of financial support policies is that projects receiving support would also be undertaken in the absence of support. An evaluation in 2002 of the Dutch WBSO fiscal scheme consisting of a subsidy on researcher costs revealed that in 72 per cent of the cases where companies with more than 200 employees use the WBSO, the scheme had no impact on the carrying out of a project. For 4 per cent only it was a deciding factor. For smaller companies the results are more favourable but still not very positive. For all class categories the deciding impact was below 25 per cent.
Theme 3: Specific versus general support
Specific support for R&D has a bad name amongst economists, much more than the generic fiscal support policies, for the reason that ‘government cannot pick winners’. Whilst there is an element of truth in this contention, we have just seen that blind innovation support can be wasteful too. Specific technologies such as algae-based fuels and organic solar cells suffer from specific barriers that no general support scheme can successfully address, which is why we need specific policies. Specific support for specific technologies is not about picking winners but about dealing with specific barriers.
Theme 4: Balance of policy measures and timing
While R&D policy can help facilitate the creation of new environmentally friendly technologies, it provides little incentive to adopt these technologies. Adoption, so important for post-innovation improvements, calls for demand-side measures. Pull policies do not make push policies unnecessary. The need for a balance between supply and demand measures is illustrated by the experiences with the EU emissions trading system (ETS) for carbon emissions. The ETS is the cornerstone of European climate policy, covering 10,800 industrial installations across Europe in four energy-intensive sectors. The total value of carbon trade amounted to 100.5 billion USD in 2008 and 118.5 billion USD in 2009. It was introduced in part because it was believed to stimulate innovation in low-carbon technologies but largely failed to have this effect according to evaluations.
Theme 6: Missions for system innovation
Among innovation experts there is a discussion of whether persistent problems such as global warming warrant mission-oriented programmes. Superficially, the attention to missions seems like a return to the emphasis in the 1950s and 1960s on public goals to guide science and technology development. There is however a big difference between the old missions about space and military technology and the new mission for environmentally sustainable development: the older projects developed radically new technologies through government procurement projects that were largely isolated from the economy.
Mission-oriented projects for sustainable development require the adoption of new technologies and practices across a wide range of sectors as well as changes in consumer demand and behaviour. This brings many actors into the process and will require a range of policies and customized solutions to deal with the many barriers. Innovation missions require policy coordination across sectors and levels of government. Much of the current attention is on high tech options such as advanced batteries for cars. But CO2 reductions can also be achieved through policies to reduce car-based mobility, through improved public transport, organized car sharing and intermodal systems of transport with an important role for bicycles. Innovation policy should be more concerned with system changes than it currently is. Instead of being concerned with technologies, policies should be concerned with innovation, especially innovations that require a long period of development and long-term investment, which require the involvement of many actors for their development, creating problems of coordination of interdependent activities and problems of appropriating the benefits.
Theme 8: Innovation portfolio
For sustainable development and green growth it is advisable that government support be given to a broad portfolio of options: to widen the search process, which often is unduly narrow. There should also be a good mix between low-risk and high-risk projects. By relying on adaptive portfolios, two possible mistakes of sustainable energy policy may be prevented: 1) the promotion of short-term options resulting from the use of technology-blind generic support policies such as carbon taxes or cap and trade systems (which despite being ‘technology-blind’ are not technology neutral at all because they favour low-hanging fruit and regime-preserving change, and 2) picking losers (technologies and system configurations which are suboptimal) through technology–specific policies.
Conclusions
The case for eco-innovation policy is particularly strong: first because the benefits are undervalued in the market place, and second because power supply and transport are ‘locked in’ to old technologies.
Markets rarely help eco-innovation because prices do not reflect environmental costs; and this is especially the case for green energy, hampered by the low cost of fossil fuels, long development ‘lead’ times, and grid connection issues. I therefore recommend specific support policies for green innovation beyond existing technological paradigms.
However different types of eco-innovation require different policies. Incremental improvements of commercial products rarely need special support, as firms are normally able to produce and fund these. By contrast radical and system innovations need much more support, especially radical transformative innovations. So I advocate strong support for transformative innovation, embracing not only financial but also institutional change in the economic and social world.
Regarding climate change and energy security, EU policy makers have broadly welcomed the concept of ‘mission’ policies (without specifically using the word mission). There is indeed a need for mission policies but the goal of such policies should not be about developing technologies but much more about ensuring the adoption of innovations. To avoid lock-in, these missions should be based on a portfolio of technologies backed up by adaptive policy making, evolving with experience and critical self-evaluation.
To design and roll out effective policies, government officials need to fully understand eco-innovation barriers and innovation dynamics. Blind technology support, favoured by economists, generates little more than windfall profits and rarely sparks radical change. Meanwhile the case for fiscal policies seems weaker than the case for specific focused innovation policies.
In my opinion, much more support should be given to transformative innovation. The above mentioned themes — which are clearly interlinked — help focus attention on relevant policy issues. Effective policy depends on effective governance, both of which depend on policy learning and building long-term strategic perspectives. | https://www.merit.unu.edu/six-key-themes-for-eco-innovation/ |
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© 2022 MJH Life Sciences™ and Pharmaceutical Commerce. All rights reserved.
Pact between CPI and Cambridge Design Partnership aims to streamline the innovation-to-commercialization journey
CPI, which works with companies to turn inventions into products and processes that help increase health and wellbeing, and Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP), a technology and product design partner, have established a global alliance focused on extending the potential of diagnostic and healthcare technologies. They will hope to achieve this by providing commercial readiness and offering UK leadership in medical technologies.
UK-based CPI is an independent deep-tech innovation center. Its objective is to guide organizations through their innovation journey by connecting them to a personalized group of experts, innovation development facilities, funding support and specialty innovation tools, with the aim of contributing ideas and research into the market.
The partnership enhances the competences of both businesses. CDP gains access to CPI’s specialist expertise and capabilities in development and business scale-up. As a result, it can accelerate its client projects to market-seeding volumes, the parties note. Projects at CPI benefit from CDP's GMP (good manufacturing practice) and ISO 13485 certified quality management system, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and standards.
The two groups plan to shape early stage innovation into investment-ready business cases and market-ready products. This will potentially help speed up the development of products and technologies, providing value to patients within clinical areas, including infectious disease and oncology. One specific goal is to expand upon the impact of the UK’s scientific and technology research base, improving the path to not only commercialization but the clinic as well. | https://www.pharmaceuticalcommerce.com/view/cpi-cambridge-design-partnership-team-up-for-technological-innovation-support |
Are you a Development Manager who enjoys technical challenges and wants to work in an environment where you can make an impact? Are you passionate about technology and do you want to work with high-calibre, talented developers?
Our client is looking for a Development Manager for a permanent position. We love this company because the employees can influence the success of the company and are able to work with like-minded, smart people.
Here is what you'll be doing on a day to day basis:
Recruitment, performance management and coaching/mentoring of all developers within assigned team.
Ensure development methodologies, standards, practices, templates, and governance are maintained to industry standards. Educate and influence the development organization to continuously improve key project and development processes.
Ensure code reviews are done and oversee creation of and compliance with development standards and processes.
Work closely with Architects to develop and monitor technical strategies. Identify root causes relating to development processes and methodologies and escalate to the enterprise architect.
Provide oversight on high-risk or complex projects. Maintain day-to-day in-depth awareness of projects and technical issues. Facilitate project completion by removing roadblocks and working through solutions with the management team.
Help prioritize feasibility analysis for potential projects. Work alongside the Client Delivery Manager and Operations Manager by assisting with estimation and resource planning high-risk or complex projects.
Help create and define the outsourcing teams' structure and ability, ensuring alignment of work to roadmap.
Review lessons learned and project and portfolio metrics, looking for trends and areas of improvement.
Here is the type of person we are looking for:
10+ years' experience and a successful track-record in the delivery of software applications as an individual, team leader &/or development manager (design, development, release cycle, and delivering software products to market).
5+ years in a team management position, plus demonstrated leadership skills and a proven track record of successfully mentoring other developers in .NET technology and code quality.
5+ years' experience with large design efforts, enterprise level deployment, and n-tier architecture.
5+ years working in an Agile / SCRUM development environment.
Excellent English communication skills. Experienced in dealing directly with an executive team, and strong presentation skills.
Willing to dive into software environments and technical issues
Keen attention to detail and great organizational skills.
7+ years' experience in web application development utilizing C#.NET in Visual Studio.
7+ years' experience in relational database development utilizing Microsoft SQL Server
7+ years' experience with software version management systems (e.g. Perforce) and task / bug tracking software (e.g. JIRA)
Experience with technologies such as MVC, ORM, IOC, etc.
Excellent understanding of and some experience using Test Driven Development.
Deep understanding of object-oriented design patterns and pragmatic programming principles.
Expertise with MSMQ a strong asset.
Experience with high-performance, scalable enterprise systems a strong asset.
If you are interested in exploring this position, please apply now!
Our client is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at their company.
People are our passion. People are our profession.
Since 2010, SIGnature Recruiting has been pairing exceptional people with short-term contracts and long-term careers in Vancouver’s flourishing IT industry. We are specialists in IT Recruiting and pride ourselves in making valuable contributions to our clients and candidates. | https://sigrecruiting.com/job/1729/Development-Manager/ |
Revamping existing hydrogen plants can provide a significant and lasting impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions towards net zero.
Ken Chlapik, Dominic Winch and Chris Murkin
Johnson Matthey
Viewed : 200
Article Summary
Today’s energy and fuel market is uncertain and volatile. Balancing the need to reduce fossil fuel use and meet climate targets while ensuring energy security and fuel supply is a complex task. Long-term, fossil fuel use will decline and be substituted by renewable fuels, such as green H₂, e-fuels, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).1 Energy produced from renewables is projected to be 50% by 2030, rising to 85% by 2050. However, the path through the energy transition is less clear, and renewable-produced energy is not enough to reach net zero targets and limit global warming to 1.5ºC.
With pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, progress towards GHG reduction targets and goals will become increasingly scrutinised by investors, customers, and other stakeholders. This level of scrutiny adds pressure to demonstrate concrete actions and plans to tackle emissions. Carbon pricing mechanisms and policies in regions like Europe provide motivation to tackle existing CO₂ emissions, while instruments such as carbon border taxes will offer incentives to producers in regions without domestic pricing to reduce GHG emissions.
Innovation will create new technology options that enable hard-to-abate industries like refining to hit their net zero targets in 2050. However, as these developing technologies take time to demonstrate, scale up, and deploy, reducing GHG emissions to meet 2030 commitments will rely on using existing technology and solutions applied to existing fossil fuel-based production.¹
Decarbonisation requires navigating a complex set of choices that balance technical and financial feasibility while ensuring a genuine, measurable climate benefit. However, assuming funding and incentives are available, and technology risk can be minimised using existing technology, the next challenge will become one of scale and number, moving from small demonstration projects and on to executing enough ‘velocity’ to decarbonise the installed asset base of over 700 refineries.2
Navigating refinery decarbonisation
Figure 1 shows the many routes to reduce GHG emissions from fossil fuel use across a refinery. Initial gains are likely to come from low investment energy efficiency and process improvements that save energy and reduce fuel usage. However, easily attainable efficiency gains in some markets have already been realised but making significant GHG emissions improvements requires substantial capital investment.
These investments could be focused on either replacing fossil fuels in a process or facility or reducing emissions coming out of the process, or a mix of the two, as illustrated in Figure 1. Replacing fossil carbon could be done through adopting biofuels, renewable energy, and electrification, or fuels created through green hydrogen or green hydrogen and captured CO₂. There will ultimately be limitations to the availability of renewable energy or biomass and bio-feeds, which are already commonly utilised for blending into fuels.
Growing biofuel supply by 2030 will rely on newer, advanced biofuels, which are currently expensive.³ An alternative path is to reduce existing fossil-based carbon emissions. A refinery could revamp or retrofit an existing process by using carbon capture on existing individual units or attaching carbon capture to a hydrogen plant to produce a low carbon H₂ fuel for use across the refinery. With these, a refinery is relying on access to carbon storage or usage of nearby infrastructure. This path enables significant emissions reductions, but technology and implementation choices impact the cost and complexity of this route.
Traditionally capital investments for revamps and retrofits are relatively small, low-risk projects with a short payback time and high return on investment (ROI). Decarbonising existing industrial processes will require a different perspective. There are unlikely to be many solutions that provide the necessary climate benefit, which can meet all the outlined criteria. Projects need to be considered on climate payback time, and technology solutions, which carry some risk, will need to be included. Clearly, though, without the necessary financial incentives to execute projects, either from government policy, subsidy or market demand, few decarbonisation projects will be executed, and net zero goals will struggle to be met.
De-risking decarbonisation
Carbon pricing, either through a direct tax or an emissions trading system (ETS), is being deployed more widely as a mechanism to drive decarbonisation.⁴ One frequently discussed, the EU ETS, has seen carbon prices consistently rise above €80/t CO₂ throughout 2022.⁵ Although, so far, the impact of these prices has been softened for industries like refining through free allowances deployed to prevent carbon leakage.
However, the EU is intending to implement a carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) as part of its fit-for-55 proposals set out by the commission.⁶ A CBAM fulfils a key role in enabling free allowances to be reduced in the domestic market by adding a corresponding carbon price to imported products from the same industry. This will increase pressure on refineries, previously protected, to decarbonise as they face a larger carbon burden. At the same time, exporters in other regions may also face pressure to decarbonise operations to be competitive. This is not just a policy unique to the EU; other regions and countries, such as Canada, are also considering a carbon border tax or CBAM-type instrument. In the US, tax credits, such as 45Q, will enable decarbonisation projects without applying the same direct pressure on emissions.
One of the key issues for creating projects that rely on a market-based carbon price is that prices are typically volatile. As decarbonisation projects are long-term investments, creating price certainty can help de-risk a business case. One mechanism for this is a carbon contract for difference (CCFD) that creates a set price versus an ETS price, building long-term price stability. One example of a CCFD scheme available today is the SDE++ in the Netherlands, which will be used by participants in the Porthos project.⁷
Aggregator projects such as the Porthos project, Northern Lights, and HyNet have all benefited from government support and funding. These projects are key to creating the necessary infrastructure, which can be used by nearby industry. It is telling that Porthos and Northern Lights, as storage projects, are oversubscribed, demonstrating that where infrastructure is available and there is an incentive to decarbonise, there is significant demand to do so.7
Where to start?
Early focus in refineries has been on carbon replacement strategies replacing fossil fuel with hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) biogenic feed processing creating biofuels. This biofuel production to biodiesel and SAF receives incentives in many regulatory environments, which makes strong business cases for these projects. More sustainable cellulosic-based sources of biogenic feeds are being developed along with their processing techniques to meet the high volume of renewable fuels projected in the next few decades. In the near term, the availability of HVO feeds is reaching its peak as the volume of projects progresses, limiting the decarbonisation potential of this approach.
Burning fossil fuels in furnaces and combined heat and power plants across the refinery is responsible for most emissions across a refinery but is a hard area to tackle due to high energy demand, low CO₂ concentrations, and a high number of distributed point sources. Substantially reducing emissions from power will take a green grid, which is still some time away. Green hydrogen solutions at existing electrolyser scales are only 5-10% of the size needed for energy replacement in a refinery, and it will take the rest of this decade to create the 300-500 MW scale needed to replace the main energy source of existing refineries.
Grassroots hydrogen production with carbon capture, such as the LCH technology, can meet this energy scale and address not only the hydroprocessing hydrogen required but also provide additional hydrogen as a low-carbon fuel for the refinery.
These grassroots energy scale plants are two to three times the size of current world-scale hydrogen plants for hydroprocessing clean fuels. They require large capital investment, substantial supporting infrastructure, and processing of the off-gases that have become a significant part of the fuel used in refinery process heaters as an alternative to flaring.
Sponsor:
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It is critical for food systems and community development for an agreed upon vision, mission, core values, name recognition, and accountability. The development of a coalition assists in this process as well as confirming what the coalition and community would like to see happen. The first year of the program focuses on coalition development, building trust, and identifying the mission, vision and core values of the local group. Work is also conducted on assessing current infrastructure and assets, meeting with local stakeholders and finding potential partnerships and opportunities.
The first year also entails researching and understanding existing infrastructure and assets. In order to know what a coalition or community would like to see happen, it is critical to understand what already exists. The Food and Health Assessment evaluates the existing conditions of the community-based food system sectors (production, transformation, distribution, consumption, and resource management) and how those aspects relate to community food system program values (education, policy, public health, built and natural environment, and the economy).
Many meetings are conducted with local stakeholders to find potential partnerships and opportunities. Within this process, public input sessions are held to allow for all community members to have a voice in the decision making-process for priority projects.
Based on the report and community input, the coalition determines priority projects at the end of year one. Projects are selected based on feasibility and capacity for implementation, impact on the community, relevance to core values, and innovation. Priority projects could include any variation or combination from the food system sectors. Within each of these sectors, numerous tactics have been researched by the Agricultural Urbanism Program and range from community gardens to community supported agriculture, urban farms to a food cooperative, and more.
Once priority projects are determined, project teams form from community stakeholders interested in the successful implementation of that specific goal. Additionally, projects determine the scope of work and timeline, with the goal that there is a range of short-term, quick-win projects, intermediate and long-term economic development project potential.
In partnership with the Community Design Lab, project teams develop scopes of work and collectively move the project toward implementation.Quarterly coalition meetings are still held. These meetings allow project teams to share with the larger group on successes and challenges as well as provide an opportunity to share general food system/ health updates that have occurred in the community.
For more information about the Iowa State University Agricultural Urbanism Program, contact Courtney Long, Program Coordinator. | https://pleasanthilliowa.org/631/Our-Process |
Current disruption in geopolitics, trade, the environment, technology and consumer preferences is increasing the urgency to transform.
More than a year since the pandemic began, many countries are still affected by restrictions that are significantly curtailing business activity. But even in those countries and industries where economies are beginning to rebound, the pandemic has left an indelibly changed business environment. COVID-19 has shifted how businesses are viewed by their customers, employees, investors, and regulators, as well as wider society.
Over the past year, several transformative forces have intensified and converged to ignite a burning platform that’s forcing businesses to redefine how they create, deliver, and communicate value. These include:
- Geopolitics. A rapidly changing geopolitical, trade and regulatory landscape, with many governments moving to a more interventionist policy position.
- Environmental concerns. The increased focus on the climate emergency and environmental impact wrought by businesses themselves, has led many institutional investors to change their portfolio inclusion criteria. Assets under management with a focus on ESG impact (environmental, social and governance) are projected to climb to US$53tn by 2025. The figure already stands at US$37.8tn, up from US$22.8tn in 2016.
- Changing customers. A growing consumer trust deficit has also surfaced, driven by rising customer expectations around business transparency and sustainability.
- Talent. Companies are facing increased competition to attract and retain a skilled workforce, exacerbated by employees campaigning on issues such as health and safety, and issues of diversity and inclusiveness.
- Technology. Continuous technological disruption and convergence, which cuts across industries, is here to stay.
The accelerated impact of these trends has created a strategic imperative for you to re-evaluate your organization’s purpose and create long-term value by addressing the expectations of a broader range of stakeholders.
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Reset, realign, restart
EY’s Global Capital Confidence Barometer found evidence that a strategic reset is currently underway. The vast majority of executives surveyed – 86% – had conducted comprehensive strategy and portfolio reviews during the pandemic. As companies move from recasting their strategic vision to activation, leaders want to fundamentally pivot their businesses so that they can capitalize on long-term, sustainable growth in a new environment – a strategy that can be defined as ‘reset, realign, restart’.
In this environment, understanding your stakeholders’ demands and delivering value for your employees, customers, shareholders, and broader society will ultimately position your company to better adapt to changing market dynamics and drive greater financial value.
Reimagine, with purpose
There is a growing body of evidence that becoming a purpose-led organization – one that puts a purpose beyond financial profit and at the center of its decision-making – helps attract and retain customers, and empowers employees to be more engaged and innovative. Furthermore, companies that score highly on ESG metrics can lower their cost of capital, as well as encourage longer-term investment.
To seize those competitive advantages, you will need a robust, consistent, and clearly articulated purpose-led strategy for sustainable growth. Laying the right foundations for that strategy to succeed will be crucial.
Chapter 2
The cornerstones of purposeful, sustainable growth
Laying the foundations of a purpose-led growth strategy and transformation.
While sector impact varies, from our conversations with many decision-makers, five industry-wide themes emerge as critical constituents of a purpose-led growth strategy. Focusing on these five themes will help leaders overcome the current challenges they face and propel their companies to the forefront of the economic rebound and onwards to long-term, sustained value creation. These themes are trust, trade, technology, and sustainability – with people firmly at the center of every aspect of the business and your decision making.
Trust – the fundamental currency of business
Trust has long been a key asset for any transaction or relationship. In a hyper-connected, increasingly virtual environment, trust matters more than ever. People want to have trust in the organizations they buy from, work for, and invest in. Trust is also an important currency in a world where value is increasingly intangible – where brand equity, innovation and employee engagement are, in many cases, more valuable than physical assets. A recent study highlighted that intangible assets now make up over 90% of the market capitalization of the S&P 500, a five-fold increase from 17% in 1975.
Edelman Trust Barometer80%
of people expect brands to solve “society’s problems”.
According to Edelman’s 2020 Trust Barometer, 80% of people expect brands to “solve society’s problems.” Meanwhile, in the United States, JUST Capital found that 89% of Americans agreed that the COVID-19 crisis “is an opportunity for large companies to hit reset and focus on doing right by their workers, customers, communities and the environment.” In response, CEOs have been under increasing pressure to spearhead a re-evaluation of the point and purpose of business.
According to research by EY, 66% of European C-suite leaders and board members believe that COVID-19 has increased stakeholders’ expectations that companies will drive societal impact, environmental sustainability, and inclusive growth and the need to measure and report on these issues.
The importance of trust highlights the need for CEOs and CFOs to reconsider corporate reporting: greater transparency now goes to the heart of how companies can build and strengthen trust with their stakeholders. While the nature of corporate reporting has not fundamentally changed for decades, the world has changed considerably in that time. Today, businesses are under pressure from their stakeholders to be more transparent about what they do and how they do it. Yet, stakeholders do not necessarily trust that corporate reporting provides them with all the information they require. This is forcing a shift in focus from short-term profit to a positive long-term impact on people, planet, and prosperity – measured by a wider set of standardized non-financial metrics, not just bottom-line figures.
It should be said, an organization's ability to create long-term value cannot be disclosed by its balance sheet alone. Long-term value is also created from its culture, intellectual assets and use of technology - all non-financial assets. Non-financial data that is clearly tied to the organization’s strategic priorities, and communicated cohesively, can help you address the trust gap that exists between current financial reporting and your stakeholders’ expectations.
Companies need to find a more strategic way to measure their performance to meet the changing demands of a broader set of stakeholders. Currently, CEOs are under significant pressure from regulators, investors, and other stakeholders to increase disclosure around stakeholder impact and ESG issues. Yet, you also need to consider how this reporting can be integrated into your strategy, how it affects operations, and what transformation projects might be required to reset the focus on a broad range of measures for success — financial and nonfinancial – while remaining agile and adaptive. It is crucial to be robust about measuring performance against targets that are connected to your strategy, while using a range of metrics that encompass environmental, social, fairness and sustainability targets, as well as peer benchmarking.
By ensuring that those targets are defined with a purpose-led strategy in mind, CEOs can cohesively articulate the value they are creating (or protecting) for stakeholders and elevate the business above mere adherence to minimum regulatory compliance. It also provides the mechanism for scrutinizing internal behaviors and holding yourself and your leadership team to account. This creates an iterative cycle of strategy, transformation, reporting and communication that leads to value creation or protection, while allowing you to be attuned to changing stakeholder behaviors and preferences that serve as inputs for the next round of strategy execution. By using purpose as the lens through which to view all decisions, all assessments of value creation, and all reporting, you will help grow that most fragile and valuable commodity for your organization – trust.
CEO imperatives to foster greater trust in your business:
- Be ambitious – integrate reporting on a wider range of non-financial metrics into your strategy. Reporting that merely meets standards of compliance will not be enough.
- Listen – understanding the changing needs and expectations of stakeholders is critical to the reset of your strategic foundations.
- Be transparent – articulate purpose-led near- and longer-term targets to stakeholders, linking them to strategy and performance, assigning clear lines of responsibility and accountability.
Trade – flows and patterns are changing
While turbulent geopolitics are creating an imperative to develop ever more strategic approaches to managing risk, CEOs still have an inescapable need to operate globally. The challenge is to navigate complexities that are not in your immediate control.
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Current geopolitical tensions
Some notable examples of current geopolitical tensions include the relationship between the US and China and the post-Brexit disagreements between the UK and the EU. The tension between the US and China is manifesting itself in an acrimonious trade relationship, technological competition, and rival industrial policies. Meanwhile, the UK and the EU have clashed over Northern Ireland, the implementation of new trading arrangements and the distribution of vaccines. The EU is also asserting its position as a global regulatory leader through its ambition to shape global norms and standards while moving toward strategic autonomy.
Geopolitical tensions – and the uncertainty they create – put pressure on CEOs and their leadership teams to constantly re-evaluate supply chains, talent decisions and approaches to building enterprise resilience.
Much has been written about the rolling back of globalization. But it is not ending, just changing. New trade flows are developing on a regional basis all the time, and many companies are reconfiguring their supply chains based on their experience of the pandemic.
Similarly, countries are encouraging reshoring or investment in certain activities, for example, in semiconductor manufacturing. There is also an emerging desire for self-sufficiency and localized capabilities in other critical industries, such as basic pharmaceuticals, vaccines, steel and industrial materials, and renewables infrastructure manufacturing. Many countries are also adopting more restrictive foreign direct investment (FDI) rules due to national security reasons, with governments imposing tighter review processes for potential foreign investors.
You should prioritize the management of supplier risk, both operationally and from an ethical point of view. Many companies are looking to increase near-shoring or on-shoring to reduce the length of their supply chains.
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Barriers around trade and FDI may also encourage the development of fragmented and geographically dispersed supply chains, rather than globally integrated ones. Companies are also looking at the need for smart adaptation of their supply chains to enhance resilience to shocks and changes applying the lessons from the early days of the pandemic.
As economies reopen, and take off at different rates, companies focused on their purpose-led growth strategies will adapt both their organic and inorganic strategies to capture emerging opportunities. At the same time, many sectors are undergoing a major transformation. Asset bases have to become lighter, which may lead to consolidation opportunities for others. There are sectors which are thriving in the crisis and present investment opportunities. Changing consumer expectations also lead to interesting new potential avenues to growth. But you still need to make a fine judgement call on whether it’s better to invest in existing operations with a view to moving into new markets or to acquire assets to achieve fast-track market entry.
CEO imperatives to help navigate today’s trade issues:
- Understand the trends — globalization, technology, demographics, and environment, and monitor how these forces will impact across the organization.
- Define risk more holistically – understand the impact on different areas of the organization (finance, operations, strategy, reputational, etc.).
- Test the geostrategy — develop a strategy to mitigate risks – and revisit it dynamically, the days of yearly updates are over.
Technology – the revolution is only just beginning
Moving to a virtual, socially distanced existence in 2020 forced many companies into a live, real-time resiliency test: would their existing digital infrastructure be robust enough to enable business continuity? While many thrived, others struggled to operate effectively. The experience of a sudden shift to mass remote working has led many companies to renew their focus on agility and resilience, especially in relation to technology and workforce.
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Future working patterns
Many millions of the global workforce suddenly found themselves unexpectedly working from home during the pandemic and the majority no longer sees the need to go back to the old way of working, now that the technology infrastructure has been built up to enable virtual work. The workplace of the future will most likely be a hybrid model involving both office and remote working, with subsidiarity the basis for fast, flexible, and effective decision-making. A clearly defined corporate purpose, which reinforces and builds upon a strong corporate culture, will allow employees based both at home and in the office to make decisions that align with the organization’s long-term goals and boost agility and resilience; while providing the flexibility needed to retain a skilled workforce.
The pandemic catapulted us into the ‘digital first’ era overnight. Many studies show that the desire for technological acceleration is one of the most significant drivers of transformation. A majority of CEOs (68%) surveyed for the global EY CEO Imperative survey are planning a major investment in data and technology over the next year. Furthermore, 63% revealed that accelerating technology and digital innovation is having the greatest impact on their company.
Another result of the pandemic is that traditional B2B businesses are looking at B2C models – often with a focus on customization and personalization. The number one issue for many B2B companies is creating better customer experiences. But significant investment is required to build the technology infrastructure that supports this level of digitalization.
Whatever the motivation for technology investment, you should carefully consider one issue above all others before widescale implementation: The pandemic catapulted the human impact of every technology you deploy. The human-technology interface will be decisive for future success in light of growing public awareness around the ethical, privacy and security risks of technology. Only 34% of CEOs say customers trust them with their data. This lack of trust stands in the way of many priorities, from business model reimagination to supply chain visibility and new customer propositions. In particular, you should focus on building trust with stakeholders to enable your businesses to reap the full benefits of deploying AI and data science.
If you are to successfully harness technology at speed, you need to upskill and reskill your people. You must also embed a transformative mindset across the entire organization – at all levels. To fully realize the value of technology and improve human experiences in an increasingly virtual world, you will also need your risk management practices to be more forward-looking and strengthened cybersecurity capabilities.
CEO imperatives for harnessing technology to accelerate purpose-led growth:
- Imagine a full digital enterprise – production, back-office, customer experience and a tech enabled workforce.
- Understand tech and people transformation – provide employees with the resources and training required to utilize new technologies to enhance productivity, spur innovation and boost role satisfaction, fostering continuous learning as technologies evolve.
- Look beyond efficiency – reassess the potential social impact of adopted technologies, including ensuring the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) is fair and unbiased.
Sustainability – in all its meanings
There is no doubt that companies can be a driving force in addressing global societal and environmental challenges. To do so, they must continue to make profit and optimize their operations. But doing just that is not enough.
Companies’ stakeholders are paying increasing attention to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, and CEOs are listening. According to EY's 2021 CEO Imperative Study, 80% of CEOs believe it’s likely “companies will take significant new steps to take responsibility for the social and environmental impacts of their operations” over the next five years.
CEO Imperative study80%
of CEOs believe it’s likely companies will take more responsibility for socio-environmental impact in the next five years.
Sustainability is one of the defining challenges of our lifetime. It is also the innovation opportunity of a generation – a chance to create long-term financial, consumer, human and societal value for all stakeholders. CEOs are increasingly embracing the business case for sustainability, where they protect and create value by accelerating their business toward a more sustainable future. The initiatives you choose to prioritize must closely align with the purpose of your business, the context in which it operates and your ambition for competitive advantage for the long-term.
Becoming a purpose-driven business can require you to make difficult trade-offs. These can be around prioritizing long-term investments over short-term returns or moving from a focus on the bottom line to creating long-term value measured by other means. Yet purpose also brings some important payoffs:
- Engagement – purpose-driven companies have employees who are more engaged, committed and intrinsically motivated.
- Lower risk – by purposefully working with partners and suppliers that have similar values, businesses are less exposed to reputational risk that can destroy company value.
- Better performance – companies that both define and act with a sense of purpose outperform the market by 5% – 7% per year.
- Market differentiation – consumers are four times more likely to buy from companies with a strong purpose.
But what does long-term, sustainable value really mean? As a term, sustainability is often used in the context of a company’s compliance with environmental regulations and its policies on decarbonization; but companies need to think about sustainability more broadly.
A sustainable business embraces long-term value and growth in the widest sense. To do this, it usually has a long-term strategy with a broad range of objectives, including both financial and non-financial goals. It also measures its progress against those goals.
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Measuring sustainable value: WEF-IBC Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics
There are a number of metrics and frameworks for measuring sustainable value creation, including the World Economic Forum’s Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics.
Such metrics and disclosures oriented around ESG are becoming a necessary consideration for every CEOs overall long-term strategy – the question is how it can be integrated The WEF-IBC project has called on the participation of experts from different functions within organizations – including the CEO, Chief Sustainability Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Risk Officer and Chief Strategy Officer to contribute in development of the framework, a sign that ESG disclosure is core to overall strategy, not marginal. Importantly, even if the disclosures are the correct first step, each function should spend some time taking a fresh look at how the company delivers value across their workforce, customers, society, and shareholders.
Each CxO in your organization has an important role to play, and the integration of ESG into corporate strategy presents an opportunity to drive differentiation in how your company delivers long-term value to all stakeholders.
Looking at value creation beyond the financial aspect is difficult, but necessary if you are serious about achieving sustainable, long-term value creation for all your stakeholders. Critically, you must be willing to transform aspects of your business and potentially take bold action in areas of your operations that are not currently aligned with your purpose-led strategy – before you get pushed to do so by investors. To instill change, you need to ensure that all stakeholder groups – including customers, employees, investors, partners, and suppliers – understand the reasons why change is necessary, the benefits of doing so and how their actions are aligned to the purpose of the business.
The buy-in of employees is particularly important since, without their commitment, the organization’s purpose risks remaining in the realms of rhetoric, rather than reality. Unfortunately, employees can quickly become disengaged if they do not genuinely experience their organization’s purpose. Research by EY found that more than a third of employees (35%) observed a “say/do” disconnect between their organization’s stated purpose and its day-to-day actions.
There are many ways to embed sustainability within your operations. You can actively seek out partners and suppliers that share your organization’s purpose and values around sustainability. You can also implement responsive supply chain risk management procedures based on your business purpose. Once the immediate audit has been completed, you can review ongoing third-party risk through monitoring and testing, and adapt your business integrity controls to ensure compliance.
Leading purpose-driven companies communicate their purpose and its connection to their sustainability strategies clearly, candidly, and consistently to their customers and make it a central part of the overall customer experience. As a result, they are able to attract and retain customers – and not only customers who prioritize sustainability.
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The rise of the ethical consumer
While ethical shopping was on the rise prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, the experience of the pandemic has shifted consumer expectations further. EY surveyed over 14,000 respondents for our Future Consumer Index and found that 33% of consumers believe that the way they shop will change in the long term as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. More than a quarter (29%) of respondents indicated that they would pay more for local products, 26% for trusted brands and 20% for ethical products.
The journey toward sustainability is not always smooth – particularly when there is a gap between your stakeholder’s expectations and the reality of your plans. This gap is most likely to occur in the early phase of activating such a strategy when expectations have been raised but the process of embedding the pursuit of purpose in all the company’s activities has only just started. To make progress, and prevent pressure rising from activist shareholders still focused on quick returns, you should ensure you understand evolving stakeholder expectations and pivot as those expectations change. Some demands will be easier and quicker to reconcile than others, but all must be understood.
It is important to remember that the purpose-led approach is not intended to replace a focus on profit. Rather it is a complementary addition to the company’s value-measurement framework – one which should increase the likelihood of higher levels of profitability in the long-term. A well-balanced strategy recognizes that companies create long-term value for shareholders by creating value for stakeholders – it is an “and”, not an “or”.
CEO imperatives for embedding sustainability at the heart of your decision making:
- Strengthen governance around stakeholder capitalism commitments – prioritize strategic goals with a stakeholder assessment while accounting for the business and sociopolitical context.
- Make it real – link executive and firmwide compensation packages to a broader set of metrics, with clear targets and behavioral standards aligned to a purpose-led strategy’ reinforcing commitments to all stakeholders so that risks and rewards are distributed more equitably.
- Excel at it – build a more robust approach to analyzing the risks and opportunities from social and environmental change and instill discipline into nonfinancial performance management and reporting processes as a basis for continued adaptation.
People – at the center of everything
The four cornerstones of sustainable, purpose-led growth – trust, trade, technology, and sustainability – are connected by a theme, which runs like a stabilizing steel cable through each: the importance of viewing every decision and action in relation to its impact on people. A key lesson from the pandemic is that businesses and markets cannot be disassociated from the individuals who are their employees, customers, partners, consumers, and other stakeholders. There is no such thing as a virtual business. Even companies born in the digital space, with few physical assets, rely on the ingenuity and custom of real people.
The best-laid strategies will come to nothing without the right talent and mindset to execute them. And the most advanced innovations, or cutting-edge technologies, can fail if they lose sight of human values. The disruption caused by the pandemic seems to have dispelled long-held myths about productivity and collaboration, and it showed how quickly companies can adapt.
The challenge of establishing a path to creating sustainable, long-term value requires decisive yet empathetic leadership. You should lead with emotional intelligence, based on shared values, and encourage continuous development for leaders and workers alike.
You should also focus on how your company can make or deliver products and services that differentially engage customers. This involves understanding that personalized experiences are major drivers of consumption, requiring a different approach to innovation and customer engagement compared with more generic alternatives.
So, when you advance your strategy for the economic rebound, you must reframe every decision, every technology implementation, and every product or service innovation, through the human-focused lens.
Conclusion
Business and society are preparing to rebound into a world beyond COVID-19, one that has gone and is going through dramatic hardship, but also offers a wealth of opportunities as governments and companies look to rebuild a more sustainable future. As you look to reframe the future of your organization, you have a mandate from investors, customers, employees and wider society to become a more purpose-led organization that creates long-term value for a broader set of stakeholders.
This transformation will require you to build trust, adjust trade strategies, invest in technology, and prioritize sustainability – while putting humans firmly at the center of decision-making. This difficult journey will be worth the effort, for the destination is a stronger market position, accelerated yet sustainable growth, and a better working world for all stakeholders.
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Summary
A purpose-led strategy is the path to growth in the post COVID-19 environment – a strategy built on trust, trade, technology, sustainability and putting people at the center of every decision you make. | https://www.ey.com/en_my/ceo/the-ceo-imperative-rebound-to-more-sustainable-growth |
Map and evaluate possible actions based on: 1) effort and cost required to implement, 2) potential impact (long-term vs. short-term payoff).
👥 From 3 to 10 participants | ⏰ between 30 and 60 minutes
Objectives
In this exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas in this way is a useful technique in making decisions, as it requires everyone in the group to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.
As you place your ideas into the matrix, the group may openly discuss the position of elements. An idea can be bolstered by the group, moving it up in potential impact or down in effort. The category of high impact, low effort will often hold the set of ideas that your group most agrees upon and is committed to.
Instructions
Given a goal, a group may have a number of ideas for how to achieve it.
To open the exercise, frame the goal in terms of a “What to do” or “What we need” question. This may sound as simple as “What do we need to reach our goal?” Ask the group to generate ideas individually on sticky notes.
Then, using Post-Up, ask them to present their ideas back to the group by placing them within a 2×2 matrix that is organized by impact and effort: Impact: The potential payoff of the action, vs. Effort: The cost of taking the action.
Source: | https://pdmethods.com/impact-effort-matrix/ |
The project produces 2 intellectual outputs: E-learning platform and E-book.
The e-learning platform address a critical need with a global impact, such as the global crises involving Europe and many other countries, as well as the impact and education issues caused by the crises on individuals. It increases the demand for and support for adult education by allowing them to see, internalize, and discover that each individual can be a solution tool for global problems.
The e-learning platform includes information resources comprised of 12 training modules for individuals to assist them in recognizing the de facto rules within their personal, regional, national, and international contexts, raising awareness, and acquiring the necessary behavioral skills in the crisis management process. At the end of each module, there will be teaching methods, technology-supported methods, and applied activities and skills for adult educators to use. In this context, the e-learning platform plays an important role in educators’ professional and personal development, as well as in expanding their academic knowledge and benefiting their trainees and themselves through the training they will provide in this field.
The e-book serves as a guidebook to promote active citizenship in a variety of fields by gaining behavior management skills for global crises, contributing to society, and gaining knowledge and skills that will promote individuals’ personal development. The e-book contain information on lifelong learning approaches for adult educators based on 21st century skills, various educational topics and information notes, production and technology-oriented activities, modern teaching strategies for adults based on age, development types, and subjects, and technological teaching tools for using and managing digital tools.
The guide e-book assists educators and users in creating a dynamic learning environment by increasing the external motivation of individuals participating in adult education, learning and using teaching methods from various disciplines, gaining technology skills, and understanding how to create educational environments based on experiment and observation in skill teaching. | https://www.marsproject.eu/outputs/ |
The purpose of this chapter is, as a self-regulated learning tool, to focus on digital storytelling by uncovering relationship between digital storytelling and self-regulated learning process/based on research findings made in the its field. Within this focus, firstly, concept of digital storytelling was theoretically addressed; researches made in learning-teaching for use have been presented; later, self-regulated learning processes and strategies have been defined and given examples. Finally, research findings on the use of digital stories as self-regulated learning tools have been shared.
With the use of information and communication technologies in educational environments, there are various opportunities for individuals to express themselves better, to recognize their own potential and to develop themselves in different fields. In today's society, new skills and competences required students to prepare their work environment and life is the focal point of both the education and business world. Because in real life and business environments, using competencies such as communication, problem-solving and critical thinking, creativity and collaboration is an obligation. These skills and competences associated with knowledge management and technology, including selection, integration, analysis, sharing and achievement of knowledge, are also important in terms of 21st century skills. The 21st century skills of learning and innovation skills, knowledge, media and technology skills and life and professional skills require individuals to be critical thinkers, creative thinkers, individuals who use technology effectively and efficiently in these thinking processes and practices. In this context, different learning-teaching approaches, methods, techniques and technologies are used in the training of individuals who have these skills and competences. When the literature is examined, it is emphasized that self-regulated learning and digital storytelling process can be effective in bringing these skills and competences to the students (Jakes & Brennan, 2005a, Robin, 2008, Wolters, 2010, Yuksel, Robin, & McNeil, 2011, Lüftenegger, Schober, de Schoot, Wagner, & Finsterwald, 2012, Yang & Wu, 2012, Karakoyun, 2014, Kotluk & Kocakaya, 2015, Niemi & Multisilta, 2016, Karlen, Compagnoni, Hirt, Suter, & Maag Merki, 2016).
Simple or complex, stories, used to describe real life or fantastic events and situations, both because they have a fun structure and because they make the emotions move it uses from communication to instruction in many area, are used in many area (Kearney, 2011; Kocaman Karoğlu, 2015, Turgut & Kışla, 2015, Yüksel Arslan, 2016, Bedir Erişti, 2016). Digital stories in terms of education have the possibility of using in different discipline such as technology integration, literacy studies, teacher education, creative writing and thinking, social and cultural studies, health education, language teaching, history teaching, science and technology (Meyer & Bogdan, 2001, McLellan, 2007, Gakhar, 2007, Oppermann, 2008, Robin, 2008, Kahraman, 2013, Turgut & Kışla, 2015). Despite the fact that storytelling is an old approach, digital storytelling is seen as a new form of this old approach that has been revised and adapted to the learning features of the 21st century (Jakes & Brennan, 2005a, Sadik, 2008). Digital storytelling differs from traditional storytelling not only keep listeners in the position of listeners, but also to shape their stories and interact with their stories, on the other hand as a storytelling tool, using of information and communication technologies (Dörner, Grimm & Abawi, 2002).
Self-Efficacy: Judgments of one’s own ability to perform specific behaviors and attain desired levels of performance.
Self-Regulated Learning: Learning that comes from a student’s self-generated thoughts, feelings, strategies, and behaviors aimed at attaining expectations and goals.
Digital Storytelling: Digital storytelling is the practice of combining narrative with digital content, including images, sound, and video, to create a short movie, typically with a strong emotional component.
Motivation: The process of instigating and sustaining goal-directed activities.
Self-Regulated Learners: Individuals who choose to participate cognitively, affectively, and behaviorally in their own learning process.
Digital Story: Digital story is multimedia movie that combine photographs, video, animation, sound, music, text, and often a narrative voice.
Learning: A process that results in stable and persisting changes in a person’s abilities, attitudes, beliefs, knowledge, mental models, and skills.
Creativity: Statements, projects, or actions by students or teachers that express something new or out of the ordinary.
Rubrics: Known-in-advance criteria for work given to students as part of the assessment process.
Reflection: Process whereby an individual evaluates their personal learning goals and outcomes. | https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/digital-storytelling-as-a-self-regulated-learning-tool/207430 |
The world is changing all the time. We live in an era of rapid development in modern times. The labor market is obviously not immune to all changes, especially when the spiral of technological advancement is at stake. In such a world, owning potential skills for surviving merely in the future is highly important.
5 skills every student needs to possess in the future workforce
- Education revolving around digital world
Technology is no doubt an important part of society today. It’s important for people to have the skills to help them to navigate technology successfully from business to personal communication. Certain skills are derived from the regular use of technology, but other skills must be taught to students to prepare them for the next job.
Schools in Ras Al Khaimah, US and many other countries are moving ahead with digital classrooms to advance students’ presence in the digital world.
Digital Literacy enables students to use technology at work, including the ability to integrate new technologies as they are developed, as a basis for knowledge and skills. Knowledge of technology and technology devices helps prepare students for workforce responsibilities.
2. Emotional intelligence
In companies it is often a stereotype that successful people have to be cold and emotionless, with a focus on companies alone. Emotions, however, help make you who you are. It is important that rather than cut off from emotion, people are able to face their emotions and control them so that they are properly expressed in a workplace.
Furthermore, people need to be able to communicate with others and foster relationships between themselves. That is why emotional intelligence is important for students. Emotional intelligence equips them with the knowledge and skills they need to manage their emotions and others in the workplace.
3. Entrepreneurship
In today’s society, there is a growing trend towards small companies. The Internet facilitates the start-up and reach of individuals with a broad demographic. Entrepreneurship demands innovation, a strong understanding of the market or industry, and adaptability in organization. All these skills are for future jobs particularly useful in any career path.
It is vital to students to understand business and use entrepreneurial skills and strategies to achieve career goals in order to prepare for a successful career. It does not mean that individuals start their own companies, but gives people a strong basis for business navigation knowledge and skills.
Students coming from schools in Ras Al Khaimah or from anywhere across the world may end up at any place in the future. Hence, having crucial skills that keeps a shelter on top of their heads is a must!
4. Information evaluation and analysis
Much of the information and data is used in the business to achieve objectives, thanks to technology. The information is utilized in building strategies and decision making for the business, from key performance indicators (called KPIs) to the big data analysis.
Ras Al Khaimah schools, such as Ras Al Khaimah Academy prioritize skills over anything else for students to have a brighter future. This is why it is important to be able to evaluate and analyze information in future for jobs. Once data are assessed and analyzed, business decision-makers use this information to develop a strategy and to make operational decisions. If students have these qualifications, they know that they participate in this decision-making process.
5. Cognitive Flexibility
Even with detailed business planning and events, things can change, and adjustments must be made. Being able, when challenges arise or situations change, to adapt strategies and actions means that people can continue to succeed.
Future employees need important skills in adaptability and cognitive flexibility so that students can adjust their working methods when barriers arise or business needs change unexpectedly. These skills are not only useful when dealing with unexpected conditions, they show the employers that people are ready to do anything to fulfill their tasks. | https://limericknewswire.com/five-vital-skills-students-need-for-their-future/ |
It will impact the two organizational structures, cultures and compensation systems, which could generate issues. In order to keep the issues minimal many different tools can be implemented to control employee stress, such as keeping the employees informed. In order to inform the employee’s information must be shared internally. This can be done in many different way by taking advantage of current technology. To determine how the merger is going an evaluation process will need to be implemented.
How Should You Prioritize Your Stakeholders Working in a global organization gives us the opportunity to interact with various sorts and varieties of stakeholders, the actions we take and the projects we run will affect more and more people. The people we affect are those who can contribute to our overall growth or fail the projects. If we can prioritize correctly, they can provide industry insight, highest commitment or even powerful outcome that can help our organization achieve the goals. To clarify, a stakeholder is any individual or group of people who will be impacted by changes resulting from the business initiative, and can influence the success of the business initiative. An organization has a variety of key groups, different group will bring different expectations due to their relationship with the organization.
It is a world marked by rapid changes, deep conflicts, tensions and social divisions, as well as by increasing concerns about the destructive impact of human societies on the natural environment. Yet we also have new opportunities for controlling our destiny and shaping our lives for the better that would have been unimaginable to earlier generations. This has been enhanced by sociological imaginative. Sociological imaginative helps us assess the truth of common sense in every situation like in studies, and in our entire daily doing. It helps us assess both opportunities and constraints in our lives.
Technology Challenges Another significant consideration in the cross-cultural deployment of talent assessment tools is the adaptation of the software systems that deliver them. In addition to the assessment content, the user interface with online assessment systems must also be adapted and translated when these systems are intended to operate across cultures. Cross-cultural assessment raises some complex issues, which if addressed, can help assure the successful deployment of company staffing system in today ’ s diverse talent markets. Careful attention must be paid to adapting assessments to target markets in such a way that the quality of measurement information is preserved and wise staffing decisions can be made in any language. Not all of our employees will have the desire or the ability to learn as quickly.
Request for products and services will act on the number of people needed in certain departments. Businesses can look to move into new markets if the business grows. Technology change can also act on the inside working arrangements, equipment leads to redundancies, new training may be needed and so on (Internet getting things at store and self-scan checkouts). If we look at Morrison their plans are that dependent workers will help define and deliver the organizations of vision and values to all Morrisons. Skills requirements: Evaluating the skills of the current workers is an essential part of human resources planning as it helps a business to build up a profile of the training, experience and qualifications that employees already have.
Trust is a key component in business world, particularly because supervisor and management do not hire, nor keep in employment those that they do not trust. Unfortunately, because of this, the violation of trust is an occurrence that many companies are susceptible to. By keeping up with employees and understanding their personal life to some extent, without breaching privacy, management can adjust their views of an employee, giving the proper access involve with their job tasks. Supervisor should require
203) remarked that a tendency start to emerge where members start to behave, contribute and interrelate in particular ways. These team pressures often influence members in different ways to conform to team roles either through normative conformity (to fit in or to be liked), Informational Conformity (to be correct and to seek expert knowledge from other members on policies and procedures), Ingratiation conformity (to seek favour or for acceptance) or simply for Identification by conforming to the expectation and pressures of the team
Many organizations are moving toward or are already practising strategic staffing as opposed to traditional staffing. With strategic staffing careful planning is putted into the process in an effort for the organization to have a healthy business structure. When staffing strategically, there is a targeted labor market that an organization will aim toward because they know the type of talent that they seek. It is also aligned with other areas in human resource to ensure that the business strategy is kept throughout the process. As such when a firm seeks to staff its workforce strategically, then there are some characteristics that the individual should have or meet in order to ensure that the right individual is chosen or hired to fit both the
TRAINING: DEVELOPMENT: Training is the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competencies as a result of teaching. Training is a program organized by the organization to develop knowledge and skills in the employees as per the requirement of the job. Development teaches how to become more productive and effective at work and at the company. Since Tesco aims to expand and diversify, that required the business to select the right people, in the right place, because customers’ needs and wants are different and the culture of each area varies. Tesco need to have flexible employee who are able to adapt the change in order to satisfy the customer.
The use of technologies can change the world. One would suppose that these tools would be used to gain an understanding of cultures, meet individuals everywhere on the planet, have relationships with family and friends, communicate effectively with others, and facilitate individuals to become more social. However, some technological advances can cause individuals to be distracted and stressed. It seems like technology is affecting us in good and bad ways. How is technology changing
With these three main point in mind the ideal course used in order to fix this situation with have to go as plan. First, step is for Dave to notify upper management of this new Marco program that was developed and “tested” while relaying the message to the upper management that a lot of employees don 't feel that the money reward has equal value for the amount achieved with any new innovations. With the possibility of increasing to the money reward being settled the next step would be to make the employees feel that their jobs are secured which would be by show the company how important the work preformed by this team benefits the company and terminating anyone from this team will result in demising the company in the long run. This may result in the team being motivated. Lastly, the last step would be for Dave the manager and the programers to build a deeper communication/relationship level with each other.
This competency requirement would ensure if the person is hired for the position they would be able to interact with a team successfully. They would also have the skills for other positions with teams. Identifying the competencies model for each position would need to be determined prior to the hiring processing. In the interview process it would be important to identify if they hold the competency required. Question 4 – Evaluate the job analysis procedure used in this case. | https://www.ipl.org/essay/Advantage-Of-Collaborative-Advantage-FC9UVKWAQU |
Job Summary:
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) will report directly to the CEO of ICNA Relief and will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and overall direction to the IT, Marketing and Communication departments. The CIO will develop, plan, and implement an information technology (IT) strategy that meets the company’s business needs, delivers optimal return on investment, and maintains utmost security.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Proven leader with clear vision in the field of IT, Marketing and Communications
- Strong track record of managing KPIs and delivering robust solutions to large organizations
- Build strong and unified team culture and supervise all staff members under CIO’s department including: IT, marketing and communications
- Proven proficiency with online marketing and social media strategy for large organization
- Supervise all IT related staff projects including: Websites/Web hosting, Mobile Development, Salesforce Management, Reporting, Zakat Disbursement Software, Google G-Suite Management, Pardot and others
- Proven marketing skills in guiding organizations digital marketing strategy
- Supervise the IT, marketing & communications department to provide resources and guidance
- Develop the technical aspects of ICNA Relief’s online strategy to ensure alignment with its goals
- Establishes long-term IT needs and plans and develops strategies for developing systems and acquiring software and hardware necessary to meet those needs
- Lead the execution of marketing programs from start to finish, leveraging internal support and driving collaboration
- Provides overall direction for all information technology activities for the organization
- Represent the technological agenda in executive and general organizational meetings
- Collaborates with members of the executive team to identify ways CIO department can assist the company in achieving business and financial goals
- Coordinating with all departments and offices and help support them with solutions to their technology needs
- Ensures that IT and network infrastructure adequately support the company’s computing, data processing, and overall organizational needs
- Develops and implements the over budget for the various CIO departments
- Ensures compliance with government regulations that apply to systems operations
- Manage network security of all the inter and intra building networks in ICNA Relief offices
- Manage Monthly letter, ROBO Calls, Mass mailing and e-mailing.
- Responsible for Donor Management, Volunteer Management, donor database, Salesforce and softwares currently in organizational use.
- Responsible for the development and administration of policies & procedures related to the CIO’s departments
- Demonstrated ability to make timely decisions. establish priorities for staff and successfully carry out multiple assignments and meeting critical deadlines
- Familiarity with ICNA or ICNA Relief culture
- Analyze donor date insights, donation trends, different donation platforms, market analysis, and marketing best practices to build successful strategies
- Vendor management skills and successfully negotiating contracts
Supervisory Responsibility:
- High level of supervisory experience required. Oversees all projects and assignments within the IT, marketing & communications department
- Leads efficient operation of the team so that prompt modernization and upgrades of IT marketing and communications are performed as needed
Required Education and Experience:
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or Information Technology
- Minimum 7 years of experience in IT for a US based organization, with administration of information systems and technology, with increasing level of responsibility over the years
Required Skills/Competencies:
- Expertise in software/website development, in-depth knowledge of programming languages, security and IT system administration
- Excellent ability to conceptualize long-term business goals and develop orderly processes to accomplish those goals
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Excellent proven managerial skills, leading a large team of remote staff
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, G-suite, and related software
Work Authorization:
The individual must be a;
- US citizen, or
- Green cardholder, or
- Have an immigration status that allows to work in United States.
Other Duties:
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
ICNA Relief offers competitive compensation and benefits package. | https://www.icnarelief.org/position-chief-information-officer-cio/ |
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Transcription
1 3TU. School for Technological Design STAN ACKERMANS INSTITUTE Chemical Product Design Post-MSc programme
2 Dr. Ir. Gabrie M.H. Meesters Formulation expert at DSM Biotechnology Center Delft - The Netherlands The educational system in chemical engineering has in the past been focusing mainly on process design. In the last years the attention of product design has increasingly been given much more attention. The recent start of the new Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) traineeship Chemical Product Design was a logical and necessary addition. Integration of product and process design is in many cases the best approach. Many refer to this as product driven process design. It means that a product is developed starting from the product characteristics, the needs of the customers, and the translation of these needs in to physical properties of the product. From that starting point a process design can be started. Since product design and process design need different approaches and also require different expertise, separate design projects are developed with chemical engineering, whereby during the product design project the core of the work deals with product specification development, customer needs integration and translation, whereas with the process design project, these items are most of the time already there. In the end a total design should be an integration of the two into a conceptual product and process design. In the PDEng design projects that were done at DSM we have seen many different, mainly process design, passing by. We have experience with a few product designs done in the last few years. We can say that in general these design projects run well and give us many insights using the knowledge of the PDEng trainees which they acquired during their first year of the design programme. Clearly, the product thinking is new to many but mastered well by the trainees following the PDEng design programme. It is the aim of the PDEng organization to strengthen their Chemical Product Design which is much more a reflection of the real work in many industries. In my opinion, industries have to support this effort and make the product design a success for the year to come. Dr. Cristhian Almeida-Rivera Global Supply Chain Manager, Food Solutions at Unilever, Vlaardingen - The Netherlands Dr. Cristiane Fozzatti Global Process Technology Manager, R&D, Skin bars GDC at Unilever, Valinhos-Brazil With the spirit of leveraging strengths and turn challenges into opportunities, we have set-up a design and research collaboration with Delft University of Technology s (bio)chemical product & process design oriented Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng) Programmes. The innovation scope of both individual design projects (12 months) and group design projects (3 months) has been around design assignments that required strong technical skills, sound strategic approach and, last but not least, a realistic sense of on-time delivery of Unilever s fast moving consumer goods. The quality of the outcome has exceeded expectations in view of the short time frame of the assignments and the intrinsic level of uncertainty of the design activity. The achieved results have easily justified any associated investment. From a professional development perspective, an additional benefit is derived from this collaboration. The PDEng trainees are hosted in one of our R&D centers and from day-1 fully embarked on the dynamics of an industrial environment. This exposure to real day-to-day business certainly calls for the strengthening of soft and hard skills. This period will positively contribute to rounding off the trainee s education and allowing for a head start in his/her promising career. Dr. Cristhian Almeida-Rivera
3 Kick-start your career in industry The PDEng programme Chemical Product Design focuses on the development of structured materials, formulations, and devices for the specialty chemicals, personal care, health care, food, semiconductor, and energy sectors. The extensive and rapid developments in chemical, molecular, materials, and nano engineering have made the development of a whole new range of functionalised and specialised products possible. Examples of such products include self-healing materials, high precision catalysts, functional membranes, high performance fibre composites, smart materials, self-assembling layers, rheological complex formulations, and photovoltaic materials. In this traineeship programme you deepen your domain knowledge in specific areas, strengthen your engineering skills, and acquire know-how about designing these innovative products as well as bringing them to the market. Throughout several design projects you are coached by experienced design engineers and industrial partners to design implementable applications. The traineeship is fulltime, takes two years, and you receive a salary as a TU Delft employee. When you successfully complete the programme, you will receive a certified diploma and be entitled to use the academic degree Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng). This gives you a head start for a challenging career in the high-tech and chemical product-oriented industry. Programme structure Most of the introductory year is dedicated to advanced training and workshops in engineering design, social-economic aspects of design, as well as professional and business skills. The emphasis will be placed on the technical integration of disciplines, engineering design in an industrial context, and the recognition of the role technological product design plays in society. Besides the core programme you can select elective training modules in one of the five different profiles: Energy conversion & storage systems Nano-structured materials Optical materials Polymers & composites Surfaces & coatings Group Design Project The first year also features the Group Design Project, in which you work in a team with other PDEng trainees on a design project from the industry. You are guided by an industrial principal, an academic coach, and an experienced design engineer. In this project you take on different roles, such as project manager, project secretary, or product designer, and get acquainted with the industrial view on product design and development. In the Group Design Project you integrate knowledge, skills, and know-how of the various training modules in order to develop solutions to the challenges in the relevant industry sectors. Individual Design Project In the second year of the traineeship you work on an Individual Design Project. Your project is performed in, or in collaboration with, the product development department of an industrial partner, or you work as a developer in a high-tech product-oriented company. The design may provide a solution for a specific problem, but it may also cover aspects of the entire product design process, from idea via feasibility and development to manufacturing. A detailed design has to be delivered, in which creative design alternatives are generated, analysed, and evaluated and promising design(s) chosen based on a systematic and quantitative argumentation. Career perspective Upon graduation, you receive a certified diploma and earn the degree Professional Doctorate in Engineering (PDEng). You will be registered as a Technological Designer in the Dutch register kept by the Royal Institution of Engineers of the Netherlands (KIVI). The quality of the programmes is guaranteed by
4 an assessment and certification procedure on behalf of the Dutch Certification Committee (CCTO). The product oriented industries in the specialty chemicals, personal care, health care, food, semiconductor, and energy appreciate the added value of this PDEng degree, which makes it highly relevant for your future career. In many cases the PDEng graduates have already obtained job offers during the traineeship and make a steep career path in the industry. Application To apply for the programme it is required that one holds an MSc degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering or Nano Engineering or combinations, or comparable, with very good results. Furthermore, we expect a demonstrated interest in product design and development, sense of application of technology in industry, and an interdisciplinary attitude. The application procedure for the Chemical Product Design programme consists of three stages. 1. Submission of your on-line application form Evaluation of the candidate based on the information that is provided through the application form on 2. Evaluation of documents The candidate is evaluated based on the letter of application, curriculum vitae, content and performance in BSc and MSc education and references. 3. Interview Evaluation of the candidate through a presentation and an interview. After a positive outcome of the strict selection procedure you are hired as a salaried (approximately 1,750 a month) employee of Delft University of Technology. TU Delft offers you two sequential, temporary contracts, both valid for one year. After the first year, the Programme Committee assesses your progress. It is mandatory that you successfully complete all first-year modules, before admission to the second year of the programme is granted.
5 Dinesh Badloe Dinesh Badloe During my final year as a chemical engineering masters student at the Delft University of Technology, I was looking for my next career step. I gained interest in joining the PDEng programme from information sessions during one of the master courses as well as from contact with PDEng trainees. My motivation to join the programme was to advance my engineering skills while at the same time broaden my design capabilities by working on industrial relevant projects. Looking back, I can say that I certainly have developed myself as a professional designer. Having done the TU-Delft chemical engineering masters programme, I can also say that, the PDEng programme prepared me for the professional industry at a completely different level. The knowledge I acquired from the variety of advanced and other relevant courses was all new, and they taught me to work result oriented and efficiently towards the goals, from working on real life examples and exercises. However, I obtained actual hands-on work experience from working on two large industrial projects. The three-month Group Design Project (GDP) for Unilever was challenging, as it required to apply all aspects of product, process and equipment design. But above all, during this project I could improve my organization, management and communication skills, as working in a group of trainees with an international and diverse background demanded this. I performed the one-year Individual Design Project also within Unilever, which I enjoyed a lot. Working as a part of a big multinational with stakeholders from different countries was a unique experience. The PDEng programme was a memorable experience. I not only completed the programme with bags of new knowledge and skills, but also with many new friends. | http://docplayer.net/14540434-Chemical-product-design.html |
- 1.3 • Factors that determine the training method:
- 1.4 • Training methods:
Training skills
• Training is the planned human activity aimed at providing trainees with the necessary convictions, skills, and knowledge in order to effect a change in the activities of individuals and the organization in order to achieve intended goals.
Training goalsThe training objectives are divided into three main groups:
1. Traditional goals:
(A) Training new employees and informing them of the organization's policy and activities in which they will work.
(B) Providing the employee during the service with certain information or skills when introducing amendments to work methods and methods or to the regulations and laws.
2. Problems of solving problems: When the employees of the establishment face problems that need to be solved, then the role of training comes in searching for the best methods that help workers to overcome these problems.
3. Creative goals: They are aimed at achieving high levels of work performance , through the use of advanced scientific methods, and distinct elements capable of innovation, innovation and creativity.
The importance of training for individualsTraining is a strategic option for any party looking to prepare human cadres able to meet the needs of work, developments and rapid changes that occur in the areas of work. Keeping up with and on-the-job training is of great importance given the training that the employee creates of new knowledge and skills required by his profession, or by knowing the best solutions to the problems he faces during the exercise of his profession, which increases him in the performance of his work and helps him avoid mistakes, bringing him to the desired level that is sought Any party seeking progress and progress.
The accelerating change in all areas of life is the distinguishing feature of our time, but the rate of speed of this change almost shocked many, whether at the level of individuals or institutions. As a result of these changes, it was necessary to respond to them by changing the functions of institutions of all kinds, shapes and sizes, and training institutions in any society considered to be the first of any other institutions by changing the fields of the nature of the times and responding to the transformations that sweep different areas of life.
Among the great changes that characterize our contemporary world are the enormous technological revolution and the tremendous technological progress that we are witnessing at all levels. And the training methods had to respond to this technical revolution on the one hand that its programs, decisions and activities reflect the elements of this technology and thus transmit it to the fields of work to contemporary the uses of modern technology so that its users can adapt to the nature of the work assigned to it and therefore the training responds from the inventions and products of that technological revolution in Activating its activities and facilitating and achieving its goals.
In view of the great changes taking place in the global community with the entry of the information age and the revolution in communications, the urgent need at this particular time is to develop the programs of training institutions in order to keep pace with these changes, and therefore the cries came here and there to reconsider the content of the training process and its goals and means to allow the trainee at all levels Education Maximum benefit from contemporary technological tools and tools in benefiting from training so that it can acquire knowledge and skills that are consistent with the nature of the age in which we live. The computer is considered one of the most prominent results of the contemporary technological revolution, which can be used as a benefit in the training field. This technology has already been invested from many angles in developing many aspects of the training process and facilitating many tasks.
Training is the focus of the development and development process, and institutions are currently competing with the importance that they give to training in their work system in terms of the quality of training programs and their levels, and in relation to the percentage of the budget that they allocate to train their human resources, as the human name in the contemporary world of work has shifted from the employee worker to the human resource, for this Specialists are racing to maximize the value of that person in his work as economists call him human capital, and accountants call him (human assets), and contemporary and renewed management scholars (knowledge capital) define it.
Thus, these trends evolved with scientific and technological progress, and the information and communication revolution in the beginning of the twenty-first century changed the approach of work, so the focus on creativity and dealing with continuous changes became such that management became keeping pace with the processes of change to reach the comprehensive quality led by distinguished administrators. Institutions with clear and specific goals and a flexible network organizational structure, managed in the manner of project management, as well as leadership transformationAdministrative to strategic leadership that moves from development to continuous improvement, but to evolutionary preventive management, which means training, which is one of the pillars of continuous development, bypassing conducting training courses and granting attendance certificates and has become a strategic choice in the human resources investment and development system. Or how to prepare a training course. So that the practice of these realistic and important scientific and rational. The
idea
Mr. Bassam Jablawi, Director of the Central Trade Union Institute of the General Federation of Trade Unions, indicated in an interview with him that the steps for preparing a training course, for example, start with the fact that the course is an idea that appears and then continues through preparing the basic documents for it and the arrangements to help it take place so that it ends with the conclusion of the course, its evaluation and the issuance of documents Regarding the preparation of the training system, it includes defining training goals, approved methods and components of the training process, whether the course is derived from the general plan of the administrative unit or from the workforce training and qualification plan and programs ... or it meets Of the state of emergency ... the basic steps that can be performed somewhat similar and stems from a scientific logic in terms of objectives and methods of training system in terms of identifying training needs such as the organization 's needs and work teams and the person working.
Needs analysis
In addition to collecting and analyzing training needs, meaning the main actor is responsible for coordinating the overall arrangements related to the training process.
The other issue is the opinion of Jablawi, based on an analysis of the collective needs aimed at gathering information on the progress of work and the competencies currently available in the departments, directorates or structures concerned about their projects in the medium term, and about their needs for competencies and capabilities to complete their work and the diversity in the required competencies. It is that individuals with departments, that is, educational structures and authority qualified to define goals and preferences related to the department, structure, training instructor and responsible for individuals in the final stage, participate in it.
Parallel to collective needs
As for the analysis of individual needs, it must take place in parallel with the collective needs, and in a way in which each person expresses his personal or professional project, and that it is analyzed and taken into account within the framework of a comprehensive strategy that allows its implementation through the evaluation interview, and an agreement results from that interview on the personal orientations of the individual that It is about improving his competencies, preparing for promotions, gaining new qualifications, or perhaps changing the jurisdiction.
Factors that determine the training method:
• Trainees: The age, gender, level of education, and trainees ’experiences must be considered.
• Taking into account the training conditions: training time, location of training, facilities and materials available, number of trainees.
• The topic of training.
• Coach features.
Training Methods: | https://www.medoutloud.com/2020/01/effective-training-skills.html |
Why internship is important?
Why internship is important? Internship is a process primarily aimed at acquiring the experiences and the knowledge that a person needs, obtaining the information and data that are lacking, valid trends in power and work, appropriate skills and behavioral patterns,
In addition to the necessary habits to increase his efficiency in performance,
It can be defined as a continuous and regular process.
Throughout the life of individuals, it mainly aims to stimulate the capabilities of individuals to achieve a high degree in professional growth and performance, by providing them with the skills and information related to their field of specialization or work.
?Why internship is important
Let’s go on a tour to learn about the most important types of internship and why internship is important.
Types of internship
Practical or technical internship
This type of internship is concerned with developing technical skills and capabilities closely related to the practical or applied aspect of work, i.e.
It related to methods of how to perform the work, and examples of it are skills related to calculating financial budgets or calculating the salaries of employees in an organization or company certain.
Behavioral internship
Behavioral internship is the intentionally changing behavioral patterns.
Examples include internship related to ways of interacting with others, understanding personalities, and increasing awareness about the importance of adherence to the general core values and the extent to which this affects the work environment among employees.
Fields of internship
Firstly
Knowledge: It is the trainee obtaining of learning, understanding and remembering facts, information and principles.
Secondly:
Skills: This includes the actions or actions of the trainee.
Thirdly:
Methods: They mean the application of knowledge and skills in an actual situation
Fourthly:
Attitudes: It refers to the behavior that can be modified.
Fifthly:
Experience: It is the product of practice and practical application of knowledge, skill, and style in different situations and over long periods of time.
The importance of internship for the employee
Reducing mistakes
One of the most important things a company can get when training its employees is getting fewer errors.
Mistakes occur largely if the employee lacks the skills and abilities required to do the work entrusted to him, but if the employee has the adequate and required training, the percentage of mistakes he made will be less,
And he can become more skilled and efficient in his work, and he becomes more qualified than others to obtain to upgrade.
Increasing productivity
Employee internship is of great importance in increasing productivity and improving his level of efficiency,
As well- trained employee can improve the level of performance in terms of product quantity and quality,
In addition to acquire the skill of well investing time, money, and resources, and this is only achieved if the employee has been trained in the required and correct manner.
Contribution to technological development
It is the impact and influence of training with technology, so training be viewed as a process that continues to evolve.
By relying on many new means and methods
Employee retention
One of the reasons that may lead to employees withdrawal from their work is hating the manager.
Or their feeling of fear of lack of career development and proper guidance, or not training them properly, or their lack of additional knowledge or acquisition of additional skills in their field of work,
So, an internship is helped to address all these issues, and to keep employees in the company, and not to leave it,
When internship the employee in some areas related to work such as finance, interviewing method, and other matters, this will raise his morale and enhance the efficiency of the company in which he works.
Providing human competencies
the internship provides the human competencies that any organization needs to achieve its goals, and it works to provide them with the best qualification in line with the requirements of modern work,
And it achieves the required stability in production, as the presence of an optimally trained group in the organization guarantees the continuation of the operational process in the required manner.
Development of administrative behaviors
The internship is dependent on developing and expanding for managerial behaviors related to flexibility at work organized thinking and dealing,
The ability to solve and deal with various problems, the ability to adapt to changes and new work conditions, absorb the anger of others,
Develop listening skills, innovation, communication, communication, relationships, and supervision, motivate employees, and invest their abilities to benefit all parties to the interest.
Benefits of employee internship for the organization
- Efficient management of equipment and machinery used within the organization and governmental institution, in addition to reducing the cost of repair and maintenance.
- Developing the career path for employees and achieving themselves, specifically those with ambitions.
- Achieving the needs of the organization and the organization in terms of resources and Manpower, in addition to reducing the time required to perform the activity or work effectively.
- Promote and motivate trainees in the institution.
- Adaptation to existing technical changes in the field of management.
- Creating positive developments and changes in the attitudes and behavior of trainees, providing them with new knowledge,
- Developing their capabilities and refining their skills, in addition to its contribution to know more about the methods and habits that they use to excel and succeed at work.
- Promote effective work implementation and strive to resolve gaps between the specified standards and the actual performance of employees.
- Supporting employees’ affiliation with their jobs
- Improving employees’ skills, and supporting them to obtain the appropriate qualifications for promotion in their jobs.
Stages of internship
1. Determine the objectives of the training program.
2. Discover the type of skills to be developed through training.
3. Designing the training curriculum.
4. Choose the training method.
5. select trainee.
Stages of internship evaluation
The evaluation before Internship
It is done by adopting the results of evaluating the programs that have been previously implemented,
In addition, investigating the trainees and trainers in advance and managing them, in addition choosing the attitudes and skills of people who have been previously trained, and it must be said that this process aims to choose the approach.
And the appropriate and best training method to achieve the best results.
Evaluation during Internship
It is possible to evaluate the progress of the training process and the objectives of the program according to the objectives set, the appropriate means and methods to achieve the goals,
The extent of compatibility of the place and time, the compatibility of the designed design with the program, the inclusion of topics and the integration of their components,
And the evaluation of the final results achieved by the concepts, program, trends, and information Which enables the program to develop and provide trainees with it through continuous training sessions.
Evaluation after the end of the training after the end of the Internship
The amount of learning and reaction is measured by means of a survey list distributed to the trainees.
Following up on training results, at this stage, the performance of the trainee and his behavior in his job are evaluated,
That is immediately after the end of the training, in order to identify the continuity of the impact of development and training over time.
Following up Internship results
At this stage, the performance of the trainee and his behavior in his job are evaluated, and that is immediately after the end of the training,
In order to identify the continuity of the impact of development and training over time, and the results of development and training can be measured through two elements.
How many internships should I do?
Practical training is a form of work that is restricted to a specific period of time, provided by institutions or organizations,
The duration of which ranges from one week to 3 months, and it is either paid or unpaid, part-time or full-time.
Internship methods
There are many different training methods
By relying on the different objectives of each of them, the following is information about the most important types of training methods:
The lectures method: it is a speech based on writing and these lectures are presented by a person with experience in a field to a group of people. With the aim of transferring knowledge and ideas to them.
Discussions method: It is the gathering of a limited number of participants in a discussion seminar, whether by relying on a structured method or using brainstorming, and then each participant gets the opportunity to participate in the topic of the discussion presented.
Case study method: It is the trainer’s use of real-world problems or situations related to the discussion of the topic on which the training performance depends; In order to formulate it in a systematic manner in order to discuss it and this method is an important method in training.
How many internships should I do?
Practical training is a form of work that is restricted to a specific period of time, provided by institutions or organizations,
the duration of which ranges from one week to 12 months, and it is either paid or unpaid, part-time or full-time.
Responsibility of the Internship
1- Drawing up and coordinating the policy, staff training, and coordination in order to raise standards and competence
2- Setting standards for evaluation and rehabilitation to measure the need for employee training
3- Determining the training needs of workers and determining the training capabilities that must be available to meet those needs (human and material capabilities)
4- Contact with the various training agencies and centers
5- Establishing a plan for the distribution of grants, scholarships, and training incentives, while achieving the principle of equal imposition among workers
6- Follow-up and evaluation of the training activity by contacting the heads of state to determine the extent of the benefit that has been achieved
7- Supervising the implementation of training programs and reviewing their evaluation
Contents
- ?Why internship is important
- Types of internship
- Fields of internship
- The importance of internship for the employee
- Benefits of employee internship for the organization
-
- Stages of internship
- Stages of internship evaluation
- How many internships should I do? | https://intstaffing.net/why-the-internship-is-important/ |
Completion of 80 percent of the construction work at the University of Galala. The university includes many colleges and majors serving the community.
Overview
Vision
The Faculty’s vision is to meet local and global standards for excellence in engineering education, scientific research and community service. It aims to produce outstanding graduates and effectively contribute to enhancing its surrounding environment.
Mission
The Faculty aims to prepare excellent engineers, on the professional and the personal levels, who are not only capable of keeping pace with scientific and technological developments, but also ready to take part in community development through conducting scientific research that satisfies community needs and matches the requirements of local and global markets. To this aim, the Faculty adopts the latest learning strategies and provides the research facilities and administrative flexibility needed for developing educational programs, establishing research centers and consultancies and achieving sustainable institutional growth.
Strategic Objectives
- Preparation of an integrated theoretical and practical engineer in the specialties of the college.
- Conduct research and studies in the fields of specialization in the faculty.
- Exchange of experiences and information with bodies and institutions concerned with Egyptian, Arab and international technology and help in dealing with common issues.
- Providing expertise and advice in the fields of specialization in the faculty.
- Solving and developing technology problems.
- Contribute to the service and development of the surrounding environment.
- Inclusiveness of knowledge in different areas of specialization to allow for technological developments.
- Logical thinking, the ability to take views and different alternatives, and act decisively and confidently, the ability to innovate and innovate, and to work together.
- Demonstrate high verbal and written communication skills and skills in acquiring, organizing and presenting information, especially using information technology.
- Always search for the best solutions, take initiative, and participate in social and cultural change
- Motivation for lifelong learning, continuous cultural development.
Governing Values
- Excellence: The Faculty strives to excel in all aspects of the Faculty's work on education, research community service and academic program development.
- Creativity: The Faculty fosters creativity and innovation with the purpose of achieving academic excellence.
- Integration: The Faculty engages with community problems and cooperates with other local and regional institutions, as well as international universities, through cooperation and teamwork
- Personality Development: The Faculty adopts a comprehensive approach to building the personality of students including their attitude, knowledge and ability to interact positively with other individuals and respect values of dignity, justice and cultural diversity.
- Sustainable Learning: The Faculty believes that searching for knowledge and meaning and attempting to develop oneself personally and professionally are lifelong pursuits that do not stop at a certain age.
The Education Framework
- Education and learning: The educational components of the Faculty of Engineering are integrated from the departments, laboratories, workshops and human resources existing in all the above in the undergraduate or postgraduate level. The Faculty of Engineering offers specialized programs and interfaces to be relevant to economic and industrial activities in the surrounding geographical area. Through the center of education, the College seeks to fill the educational gaps measured for students as well as to meet the needs of programs in certain areas.
- Quality: The process of education and learning ensure the quality on all educational activities of the study and research and management and provide options for management intervention to improve performance.
- Curriculum: The programs are dynamic to meet the needs of the society at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Quality system tools should be integrated with their questionnaires and feedback measures from stakeholders on the decision to establish or maintain the program.
- Diversity and choice: The educational track based on the student's credit hours allows for several choices in one of the fields to focus on one of his specialization tracks. The teaching track of the faculty of Engineering ends with a bachelor's degree or a master's degree
- Interdependence: The programs offered by the Faculty of Engineering are in line with the requirements of the Supreme Council of Universities and the Engineering Sector regarding the credit hours. These programs are also calibrated with ECTS
Topics
News
The candidate for the position of Rector has been opened. The position is available to both Egyptians and foreigners. The online submission service will be available within days. | http://www.gu.edu.eg/faculties/engineering |
At Choice Schools Associates, we partner with school communities, empowering and equipping them to fulfill their unique mission.
ABOUT US:
Our local, full-service management company excels at turning around schools who may be having issues with finances, human resources, or recruitment. Our dedicated team will customize our company's services to fit every school's needs and will always be on-site to provide support. We work in conjunction with School Boards and make decisions based on the visions of Board members who have struggled to implement their goals. We are truly committed to fulfilling each Board's mission and will always make decisions based on the best interests of the children.
We are a family-owned company that has been operating in Michigan for more than two decades. Our team members are passionate about helping the children and schools they serve to achieve their dreams. Together, we provide services to children, parents, and families at every school we have been chosen to manage. This recognition, coupled with our emphasis on the achievement of Academy Board goals and Choice standards, makes us truly unique. Choice Schools was rated "Top Work Places" in 2017, 2018, and 2019 by Detroit Free Press.
OUR CORE VALUES:
- Student Focused
- Expecting Greatness
- Teamwork
- Open Communication
- Servant Leadership
Director of Technology, Data & Online Solutions
To lead and support the integration of technology and data in our 16 schools to achieve educational excellence for all children.
ESSENTIAL PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:
School Technology Support
- Ensures each academy has the technology they need to implement their instructional model and maintain smooth operations. This includes the internet, computers, phones, copiers, security systems, etc.
- Maintains knowledge of and communicates current research findings and forecasts related to the effective use of technology at each academy.
- Evaluates software needs at each academy for effectiveness and consistency with strategic plans, continuous improvement plans (formerly school improvement plans), and the instructional model.
- Lead manager and integrator of the Learning Management Systems used by schools, such as Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, etc.
- In collaboration with school leaders, area superintendents, and school-based technology staff, oversees professional development on the integration of technology into the curriculum.
- In collaboration with school leaders, area superintendents, and school-based technology staff, isolates, researches, and resolves complex issues involving technology at academies.
- Leads schools in the full implementation of behavior management systems (MTSS).
- Responsible for compliance with the Children Internet Protection Act (CIPA) at each academy.
- Oversees technology asset inventories at each academy and ensures proper protocols are in place for technology distribution.
- Prepares recommendations for the replacement of technology at the end of its lifecycle for each academy, and works with school finance committees to prioritize its funding.
- Works with school-based technology staff, school leaders, area superintendents, and finance committees to develop annual instructional technology and technology operations budgets.
- Assists schools in using REMC for tech purchasing and the REMC Rebate programs.
- Leads E-Rate technology discount program implementation.
- Ensures school device readiness for all online assessments.
- Ensures schools have hotspots and other mobile devices for virtual learning.
- Manages relationships with third-party tech vendors on the school's behalf. This includes vendor performance management and contract negotiations.
- Works with each school leader, area superintendent, and school-based technology staff to identify required technological skills, and either recommend training or train staff as appropriate.
- Ensures two-factor authentication and other safety protocols are implemented at each academy.
- Coordinates the ongoing and full implementation of device filtering software for staff and student computers. Examples include Securly, IBoss, and GoGuardian.
- Assists the school in managing their Google Admin account.
School Information Systems (SIS) Support
- Oversees the SIS contract renewals, maintenance, and development.
- Leads the full implementation of the SIS at each academy (ex: PowerSchool and MiStar).
- Trains school-based staff on the various components of their SIS.
- Ensures accurate PowerSchool Special Programs and other special education software connects with the appropriate School Information System and Learning Management Systems,
- Ensures Individual Reading Improvement Plan (IRIP) data connects to the appropriate SIS.
- Assists the school staff with assigning classes and building class lists in their SIS.
- Assists the school staff with setting up their Grading System within their School Information System (SIS).
- Assists the school staff with End of Year and Start of Year tasks and set up in their School Information System (SIS). This includes but not limited to calendars, schedules, attendance, grading, reporting, etc.
- Mentors & trains staff in their Student Information Systems.
- Provides SIS troubleshooting and support.
- Leads the full implementation of School Messenger and other various messaging systems.
Data Leadership
- Serves as the in-house expert for Tableau integration and ensures implementation throughout the company.
- Manages and supports all school data integration and use of the MiDataHub.Org online system.
- Makes recommendations for improvement based on data from sources such as NWEA, M-Step, MI-Access, Index, and A-F report card scores.
- Uses data to track progress toward authorizer goals and communicates with the appropriate stakeholders when improvements are needed.
- Tracks and analyzes data to support key performance indicator achievement for schools and the central office.
- Responsible for survey creation, implementation, and analysis across all departments and schools.
- Leads the survey workgroups at the central office and our academies.
- Keeps a watchful eye on competitor growth, academic data, and new initiatives.
- Assists with compiling data for development initiatives.
- Gathers demographic information for comparison to draw conclusions on effective parent engagement and marketing tactics.
Central Office Tech Support
- Responsible for central office technology purchasing and replacement strategy including computers, mobile devices, copiers, phones, etc.
- Negotiates all central office technology-related contracts.
- Maintains central office device asset inventory.
- Serves as front-line support for central office technology needs.
- Manages relationships with outsourced vendors.
- When applicable, ensures employees are properly equipped with technology for travel or home office use.
- Oversees server maintenance, replacement, etc.
- Ensures the central office is equipped with proper internet for efficient operations.
- Orients new staff members to technology, server filing systems, etc.
- Applies positive customer service to the role and is perceived as a team member by staff and Academy employee
- Assists with other duties upon request and approval of the Chief Academic Officer and Chief Financial Officer.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Pursues social justice and leads with a lens of diversity, inclusion, and equity.
- Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
- Network Administrator Degree and/or related field preferred. Candidates that have experience working in a K-12 environment preferred.
- Proven record of accomplishment in technology planning and technology personnel management, ideally in a K-12 academic setting.
- Knowledge of Student Information Systems preferred (such as Powerschool and MIStar).
- Broad knowledge of industry standards and best practices in the use of technology in schools, including NAIS Principles of Good Practice on Technology and International Society for Technology in Education National Technology Standards (ISTE NETS).
- Ability to effectively and creatively implement solutions.
- Proven track record of effective project management.
- Strong interpersonal skills and adept at establishing and maintaining good rapport and working relationships at all organizational levels.
- Highly organized; ability to meet stringent deadlines, prioritize work, operate in a fast-paced work environment, and coordinate projects; good time management.
- Ability to work collaboratively with individuals and groups and maintain effective working relationships.
- Ability to independently use various forms of electronic communications (email, web, text, etc.); technologically independent, with effective use of Microsoft Office. | https://choice.workbrightats.com/jobs/495687.html |
Personal development is a approach in which persons develop independently by finding out additional skills, seeking a way of self applied-uncovering, acquiring approaches to grow their assurance, self applied-understanding, commitment, and adaptability, along with chance to dwell their resides in a stable way. Personal growth is really a life long endeavor, and features different elements. Increase in itself isn’t an objective by itself, but instead an easy way to a stop, and there are many procedures included in personal growth. These methods incorporate home-representation, individual expansion, environment goals and goals, establishing personalized prices and conduct, establishing social connections, being familiar with and confessing your and other peoples’ desires and motives, utilizing other people, studying and making use of innovative tactics, sustaining and building goals and objectives, doing the job together representative and undertaking assignments effectively, creating a foundation for upcoming results, improving upon connection expertise, improving occupation overall performance and inspiring and inspiring subordinates, and understanding new knowledge and improving knowledge and skills.
The fact of private improvement is its continuous personal-advancement. It may well range between predicament to problem, depending on what the intention is, which are the established obstructions, and just how passionately each one is operated to achieve their own targets. The purpose of self improvement is always to recognize one’s personal weak spots, unveiling the barriers to success, and choosing the right steps to conquer individuals obstacles. To guarantee improvement in direction of self improvement, you might want to ascertain the purpose for which you prefer to see improvement, it requires the investment of the latest knowledge and skills, setting up a superior work environment, acquiring new techniques kind of progress, employing wholesome behaviors and regular activities, raising knowing of abilities and failings, strengthening particular prices and utilizing, thinking and looking at creative techniques, goal setting tips and goals, strengthening occupation effectiveness and stimulating subordinates, and much more.
. When managing your personal development ambitions, it is crucial that you set achievable aims, which needs to be accomplished from the recommended time frame. You may use these as the inspiration to proceed with the approach. In addition, you ought to collection key events inside personal development prepare, such as the realization of an art and craft-collection, or even the realization of a certain activity.
Cons, together with difficulties, may occur after you build up to your very own progress aims. To avoid difficulties and humps inside path, it is necessary that you set standards per main step, together with goals, which show the highway that you are currently journeying on. It appears easy, but you will be pleasantly surprised the number of individuals undergo lifestyle without having notion of in which they may be planning. Having a perfectly-identified map will help keep you on track and give you a feeling of path you need to attain your purpose.
In addition to environment objectives and desired goals, you must also incorporate personal growth routines inside your personal growth program. These activities might include fitness and well-being activities, provide routines, social progress and competencies things to do, inventive pastimes along with public strategies. It is vital that you determine what your likes and dislikes are so you take part in routines related to these pursuits. It is possible to make use of the in various regions you have ever had whilst enriching your skills and knowledge.
Accomplishing targets and receiving self improvement goals requires that you be open to learning new stuff, in so doing. It is because that you are constantly in the process of being familiar with your and by yourself capacities. This will assist you to keep towards the top of your recreation. To ensure confident that you are always following better numbers of results, you ought to discover ways to take up an accommodating method toward your primary goal. For instance, you should not placed a target to complete a definite process you need to as an alternative established a goal to become a far better man or women.
In addition, you must focus on acquiring your primary goal in an efficient manner. To accomplish this, you must recognize what decreases you along and you ought to also decide the standards that ascertain your effectiveness. By way of example, in case you are stimulated by fearfulness, you may have large prices of failure on the flip side, in case you are motivated by the entire prospective, you’ll have excessive rates of achievement. As a result, it is essential that you establish what urges it’s also advisable to work with this being a sign to make sure you are competent to finish your entire ambitions.
Finally, self improvement is critical for various good reasons. It’s very important in your growth and perfectly-being and for the overall development of your well being. You must require time seem to determine your personal improvement targets and utilize them in a positive fashion. It’s also sensible to combine the same strategies into your daily routine so that you can grow your skill sets in addition to your self confidence quantities. Ultimately, you must just remember to get suitable activity. If you take the ideal steps, you may just be sure you are on the road to having the achievements that you want.
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Had you been keen on the material in this short article, here are several more webpages with a similar content material: | https://ebreakingnews.website/how-you-can-achieve-entire-possibilities-value-of-personal-development/ |
Scope:
This position is responsible for the support of the KDC US-Central Sites SCM SAP functionality. The ability to analyze, design, test and implement systems & modules, which enable the business to achieve their goals and objectives, is critical to the success of this role. This position requires an individual with an understanding of the SCM and operational processes/functions in SAP and key integration points with Purchasing, Order Management, and Finance.
Primary Responsibilities/Accountabilities:
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Experience and an understanding of the following SAP functionality and the associated configuration is a must:
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Support the existing SAP design, SAP application configuration, and custom system enhancements / integration points
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Document requirements for new functionality as required in support of the Supply Chain processes, which may include SAP application configuration, custom enhancements and custom reports
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Develop procedures, processes and guidelines that are efficient and focused on the quality of the process or end state deliverable
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Develop functional design specifications in support of existing and new application requirements
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Collaborate with various technical teams to evaluate design alternatives, optimize design solution and minimize impact to performance
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Develop and execute functional unit test cases in support of new application requirements
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Collaborate with cross functional teams to perform test activities (e.g. string, integration, performance, user acceptance)
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Responsible for aiding in design issue/defect resolution
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Support the deployment of production applications and provide post-production support related to the custom system enhancements, and integration points
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Interact with users from various functional areas (production, purchasing, logistics, truck routing, material master etc.)
Education and Experience:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
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Bachelor’s degree in management information systems, computer science, and/or business, or equivalent work experience
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1-2 years’ experience in an Information Technology systems analysis function, working with end-users to translate business requirements into system specifications
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1-2 years of SAP configuration experience with the MM, SD, PM, or QM modules
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Preferred but not required to have full life-cycle SAP implementations.
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Excellent written and oral communications skills; ability to lead discussions, present ideas to audiences of all sizes, and interact with all levels of the organization
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Demonstrated understanding of all aspects of a full life cycle implementation and production support
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Knowledge of SAP structures, configuration standards, object dependencies and tables
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Ability to research and assess potential SAP solutions in support of new business requirements
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Ability to translate functional requirements into technical terms relevant to SAP to coordinate and assist with detailed technical design
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Ability to analyze and provide effective problem solving, assessing whether standard functionality can be used and identifying reasonable custom solutions where needed
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Excellent analytical skills
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Ability and flexibility to quickly learn new applications and software
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Ability to work with teams or independently
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Experienced leading specific projects of work, people and/or deliverables
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Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite
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Solid organization, time management, and project estimating skills
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Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines, both as an individual contributor and as a team member.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: | https://www.sap-planet.org/jobs/analyst-business-sap-scm-columbus-information-technology/ |
Job Background/Context:
The position is based in Jersey City reporting to the CPB O&T – Global PMO Head
The position will be individual contributor role working with PMO team across CPB team globally
As part of large, geographically distributed team(s), PMO Lead Analyst will manage stakeholders across multiple functional areas
The position requires strong interpersonal, communication & analytical skills in order to engage, negotiate & prioritize the actions during the complex & multi-faced situations to pursue the best outcome for CPB
Key Responsibilities:
Subject Matter Expert – PMO, Portfolio Management, Program Management, Project Management, SDLC tools & processes
Execution – Apply the SME knowledge towards the CPB’s strategic goals to pursue & drive them to the closure
Leadership – Lead PMOs, Program Managers and Projects Managers towards the standard tools & processes
Influence – Engage stakeholders and guide them towards the respective goals completion
Quality – Oversee efforts to improve the delivery quality. Also ensure KPIs and Status reporting is accurate
Prioritization – Help prioritize during the various scope or resources or schedule situations
Cooperation – Facilitate cross-organizational collaboration across various teams
Flexibility – Encourage creative and innovation solution adoption
Training – Mentor PMOs, Program Managers and Project Managers towards the required skills to help improve their performance
Skills Required
An expert in 3Ps – Portfolio, Program and Project Management along with PMO knowledge around setting up and guiding large teams on standard tools and processes around IT projects SDLC
Through understanding of various SDLCs – Agile – Scrum & Kanban, Iterative, Waterfall
Experience in using PPM (Project Portfolio Management) tools (E.g. Clarity PPM, Citi’s PTS), Agile delivery tools (E.g. JIRA) and collaborative tools (E.g. Confluence)
Good know-how of the technical & functional aspects of the tech projects delivery to work with the various Tech stakeholders at varied level during the SDLC
Experience in global IT organization setup working across multiple functional areas and teams
Excellent execution focused attitude to see through organization vision & strategic goals are commonly shared, understood and met using various execution strategy actions
Excellent in engaging with various tech & business stakeholders at varied level to align them towards the common objectives
Experience as strategy & communication expert in creating presentations for senior stakeholders consumption
Excellent in managing & mitigating the risks, issues, dependencies and assumptions throughout the various stages of programs & projects
Excellent in defining and tracking the business benefits getting delivered via. various tech projects’ deliverables
Excellent understanding of budget management – programs & projects budget forecast, forecast v/s actual tracking and relevant adjustments
Excellent in defining and generating various KPIs / metrics, its measures and reporting
Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills
Strong analytics and problem solving skills in complex multi-faced conflicting situations
Ability to perform vendor and contracts management related actions
Ability to take on the work with minimum guidance and lead as own initiatives
Ability to work under pressure and manage conflicting priorities
Flexible and adaptable
Preferred Skills
Experience as MS excel functionalities (macros, vlookups etc.) to traverse through various data / information and summarize it for better consumption and allowing it to take required decisions
Experience in the financial services industry - global IT team setup
Qualification:
Bachelor’s degree (in science, computers, information technology or engineering)
15+ years of total experience in large IT organizations preferably in financial services industry
6+ years of experience as PMO or Program Manager in large IT organizations preferably in financial services industry
Preferred professional certifications: PMI – Portfolio Management Professional, PMI – Program Management Professional, Agile – Scaled Agile Framework, Any PMO related professional learning
This job description provides a high-level review of the types of work performed. Other job-related duties may be assigned as required.
Job Family Group:
Technology
Job Family:
Technology Project Management
Time Type:
Full time
Citi is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
Citigroup Inc. and its subsidiaries ("Citi”) invite all qualified interested applicants to apply for career opportunities. If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review Accessibility at Citi (https://www.citigroup.com/citi/accessibility/application-accessibility.htm) .
View the "EEO is the Law (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf) " poster. View the EEO is the Law Supplement (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/OFCCP_EEO_Supplement_Final_JRF_QA_508c.pdf) .
View the EEO Policy Statement (http://citi.com/citi/diversity/assets/pdf/eeo_aa_policy.pdf) .
View the Pay Transparency Posting (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf)
Citi is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Minority/Female/Veteran/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity. | https://studentveteransofamerica.jobs/tampa-fl/pmo-strategy-communication-vp-citi-private-bank-cpb-technology/A83734D05E8844C1A87B6A3262033661/job/?vs=28 |
Position Type:
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Functions:IT / Information Technology
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Experience:10-12 years
Job Description:66 people have viewed this job
Architect and design cybersecurity for an Intelligence Community customer.
• Design solutions for managed Cybersecurity services.
• Lead strategic conversations with multiple project stakeholders to clarify scope and direction on multiple simultaneous implementation efforts.
• Assess existing agency architecture and current solution capabilities, define and design system specifications, and input/output processes and working parameters for solution compatibilities.
• Provide thought leadership and strategic guidance on overall solution direction, present at project briefings, and facilitate large group technical discussions.
• Provide expert level consultation and technical services on all aspects of cybersecurity.
• Create project-deliverable documents in support of the Software/System Development Lifecycle (SDLC) and System Engineering Life Cycle (SELC).
• Evaluate security products already in use and those proposed for use, including an analysis of the individual product, its integration into the overall architecture, its interaction with other products, and its interaction with known products external to which will interface with.
Position Requirements:
• Minimum Education: or relevant in related field.
• Minimum/General : 10-12 of cybersecurity services . shall be in a related security technology or discipline such as Identity and Access Management, Cross Domain Solution, Cybersecurity Operations, Cybersecurity Engineering, IT Security Audit, and Information Assurance.
• 2 of the 8-10 ’ shall be in a lead security design or technical task/program leadership position.
• Must possess network security architecture expertise.
• Functional expertise in two or more cybersecurity technologies such as privileged access management, identity governance, PKI or HSPD-12, intrusion detection/prevention, SIEM, endpoint security, GRC.
• Must possess implementing large-scale cybersecurity solutions and engaging with multiple stakeholders.
• Must possess managing the implementation of systems through a Systems Engineering Life Cycle (SELC/SDLC).
Demonstrated technical :
• Proficient in Windows and Linux operating systems
• Working knowledge of current COTS Cybersecurity technologies
• Detailed technical knowledge of database and operating system security
• Thorough understanding of latest security principles, techniques, and protocols
• Ability to function in a fast-paced environment and effectively manage multiple tasks simultaneously; coordinating resources and ensuring scheduled goals are met.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
• Ability to effectively interact with various levels of senior management is necessary. Candidates must possess strong client interfacing and interpersonal skills.
• Proven problem management skills with the ability to think critically. Must be able to leverage technology and apply critical thinking to gather, aggregate, and analyze data, and present results to senior clients.
• Ability to make decisions and resolve problems effectively – Seek out information and data to evaluate, prioritize and formulate best solution or practice.
• Must be able to multi-task, work independently and as part of a team, share workloads, and deal with sudden shifts in project priorities.
• Demonstrate leadership and foster collaborative team approach – interacts well with front line and senior management providing consultation and expert advice on information security related topics.
• Strong presentation and consulting skills.
• Technical writing (required)
Desired required certifications include:
• Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP)
• Strong verbal and written communication skills are highly preferred. It is highly desirable that candidates possess strong interpersonal skills
Clearance Requirement:
• Must possess an active TS/SCI w/ a CI polygraph. | https://www.ivyexec.com/job-opening/chief-architect-enterprise-cybersecurity/chantilly/virginia/usa?job_id=6571379&ref=flist |
“Unfortunately we will not be recruiting any volunteers until further notice.”
We will be updating this page, please check again at a later date.
Refugee Mentor Volunteer
Volunteer Post at Barnet Refugee Service: Refugee Integration Mentor/Befriender
Going through this hard time does not mean you can’t be of any help. There are individuals with refugee status living in the UK who are in a more vulnerable situation then they were before. So if you think you can spare an hour or two once or twice a month to mentor a refugee via video conferencing then please apply to become a volunteer mentor at Barnet Refugee Service. If your application is successful, we will give you a call and conduct all related allocation process, including training and induction by means of online video conferencing.
Purpose of the role :
We are looking for someone who is passionate about helping refugees integrate into their host society in the UK. You will offer one-to-one support as appropriate through anything they might require in their integration including:
•Emotional Support
•Language development
•Confidence building
•Increasing access to services
•Soft skills (time management, organizational skills, IT, Microsoft Office)
•Professional advice or educational enrollment advice
Each mentor will provide support and assistance to one refugee mentee to build a positive connection with them and motivate them to pursue personal development. A mentor will also help their mentee improve their sense of self-worth and value the contribution they make to society.
Time commitment required is for a minimum of one session a month using video conferencing. You will be required to commit once a month for a period of 6 months. This Mentoring Programmed by Barnet Refugee Service is part of an AMIF Integration scheme, which aims to support the integration of refugees who need support to find out about various issues related to their integration in the UK.
Skills required:
• Enthusiasm, dedication and a genuine commitment to helping refugees with their integration.
• Ability to motivate others to set their own goals and to achieve them.
• Capacity for planning; setting long- and short-term objectives.
• A positive, flexible, non-judgemental and patient attitude towards individuals with complex
needs.
• Good social and communication skills – particularly listening and motivation.
• A respectful attitude towards people of different educational, economic, cultural and
racial backgrounds.
• An ability to handle personal information sensitively.
• Basic knowledge of Arabic, Pashto, or Farsi desirable.
Benefits:
• Personal fulfillment through contribution to community and an individual.
• Satisfaction in helping others improve their situation and achieve their goals.
• Personal support and supervision to improve mentoring techniques.
Please send your inquiries to [email protected] or call 07983437491.
Come to work at Barnet Refugee Service and you’ll be working every day to help Refugees and Asylum Seekers rebuild their lives!
Come to work at Barnet Refugee Service and you’ll be working every day to help Refugees and Asylum Seekers rebuild their lives! | http://www.b-r-s.org.uk/about-us/jobs/ |
Crowd Sensing Network (CSN) uses sensor embedded mobile phones for the collection of data for some specific task which can effectively save cost and time. The quality of collected data depends on the participation level from all entities of CSN, i.e., service provider, service consumers and data collectors. In comparison with the centralized traditional incentive mechanisms devised for CSN, we have proposed a decentralized system model where incentives are used to stimulate the involvement among data collectors and motivate the participants to join the network. Moreover, the issue of privacy leakage is tackled by using AES128 technique. Furthermore, the system is evaluated through analyzing the gas consumption of all the smart contracts, whereas, the encryption technique is validated through comparing the execution time with base paper methods. | https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-030-33509-0_53 |
The intelligent treatment of urban garbage is an important component of creating a smart city and also solves several problems associated with urban garbage. Many traditional garbage cans are widely distributed, resulting in a waste of human and material resources, untimely government. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an intelligent system based on edge computing and the narrow-band Internet of things (NB-IoT) for monitoring smart trash cans (STCs). The deployed intelligent garbage cans are distributed throughout the city and are equipped with a variety of sensors, including a compression sensor, a location sensor, an infrared sensor, and an alarm sensor. The data sent from the smart bins are preprocessed through edge nodes for data classification and priority transmission, which reduces the required network transmission bandwidth and the computational tasks at the centralized data center. The NB-IoT is a narrow-band communication technology with low power consumption, wide coverage, low cost, and large capacity. The experimental results show that the proposed STC system shows good system performance, and allows for intelligent management of garbage in smart cities. - 2019 IEEE. | https://qspace.qu.edu.qa/handle/10576/15004 |
Data mining is similar word for mining where in mines you are extracting useful content.
Due to recent advancement in electronics industry, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are used for various applications such as security, agriculture and environmental monitoring. WSN may contain hundreds of tiny, low-cost, battery-powered devices that monitor physical attributes (humidity, temperature, and light) and that self-organize into networks that can make autonomous decisions (turn on/off actuators), and are part of a larger distributed management and control system (e.g. irrigation system). As each node is a data source, a sensor network can possibly generate large sets of data, which are ideal candidates for data mining techniques. However, sensor networks are constrained in their ability to communicate their data to a centralized processing server where data mining would normally take place. Sensors are limited in terms of available energy for transmission, computational power, memory, and communications bandwidth. Distributed data mining (DDM) methods provide solutions to these constraints by placing aspects of the data mining process such as data sampling, aggregation, and modeling on individual sensors, as well as clusters of sensors. These activities and placement in the sensor network vary by the type of data mining being undertaken such as classification, prediction, time series analysis, clustering, and anomaly detection. The focus of this workshop is to share the lessons learned from previous successful applications of DDM for WSNs and to discuss new theories to distribute the data mining process over large sensor networks. We are particularly interested in approaches that have solved global network data mining problems through localized and distributed computation. | https://www.engpaper.com/data-mining-in-wireless-networks.htm |
The results are strikingly different from past clinical trials that progressed through disparate systems linked by manual interventions causing delays, data quality issues, or cost overruns.
The EDCPro Clinical Trial Data Centre promotes streamlined data gathering, facilitating site performance management, which in turn results in effective centralized data control, through a comprehensive single system data management process.
Therefore, the EDCPro Clinical Trial Data Centre represents an evolutionary step forward, enabling prudent and continuous oversight for drug developers, which in essence is an insurance policy in the context of containing drug development costs and investor pressures for risk mitigation.
When all data systems, processes and staff integrate seamlessly in multi-layered coordination of a clinical trial, then the study is said to be managed by a Clinical Trial Data Centre − EDCPro. | http://edcpro.com/about-edcpro/ |
Abstract: 研究期間：10205~10304;This subproject will design an advanced interface system for smart sensors, and integrate the results of other sub-projects, to complete a prototype of green sensor networks which can be applied to the smart life/care. For low-power, low data rate wireless sensor network applications, in the first year, we will design a digital PTZ imaging controller to provide back-end intelligent video analysis and decision-making system to take real-time variable resolution, image block, movement, scaling control. The second year, we will design hardwired Modbus master/slave controllers. With the Modbus controller, the smart sensors can be added to the bus or be deleted from the bus at any time. Finally, we will achieve a Smart Sensor Management Engine(SSME), which is used to replace traditional RTOS in wireless sensor network node. This engine provides the intelligent power management mechanism that can significantly reduce the power consumption of wireless sensing node. | http://ir.lib.ncu.edu.tw/handle/987654321/63038 |
Avise Foresite is a visualization, analytics, and control platform supporting centralized facility management. Applications include capital allocation support, energy/operational site comparisons and scorecards, and asset management/monitoring. Map view allows visualization of facility status and alert management, with the ability to drill down into specific facility information directly from the interface.
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FEATURES:
- BIM Software As A Facility Management Tool
- CMMS: The Benefits of Maintenance Management Software
- Facility Maintenance Software: Finding The Right CMMS Solution
- Making a CMMS Software System Work Over the Long Term
- What Is A CMMS? A Concise CMMS Definition
- How to Integrate a CMMS with Building Automation
- Maximizing Data To Streamline Operations
- Tips for Selecting the Right CMMS
QUICK READS: | https://www.facilitiesnet.com/buildingproducts/details/Energy-Management-Software-Blue-Pillar-Blue-Pillar--7908 |
Seizures in dogs can range from infrequent and mild to prolonged and severe. While seizures themselves are generally easy to recognize, it is not always easy to determine the cause of the seizure. Canine seizures rarely occur in the absence of some other condition. The first step toward diagnosing seizures in dogs is to recognize the signs. Having noted the symptoms associated with the seizure, you and your veterinarian can work together to determine the source.
Signs of a Canine Seizure
Seizures are caused by abnormal electrical flow in the brain and typically occur in four stages. During the initial stages of the seizure, called the prodome and the aura, your dog will experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Changes in behavior or mood (often preceding the seizure itself by several days)
- Extreme nervousness
- Hiding
- Frantic running
- Drooling or unusual salivation
- Mild aggression
The ictal is the primary seizure event. It can last for just a few seconds or for as long as several minutes, and typically presents symptoms from the following group:
- Paralysis
- Falling
- Drooling
- Shaking
- Gnashing or biting
- Movement of feet
- Loss of bowel and bladder control
- Spasms
- Rolling eyes
- Unusual vocalizations
Following the ictal, your dog will experience a period of recovery, during which he can continue to be confused, and might drink and eat excessively.
Diagnosing a Dog Seizure
After you notice that your pet has had a seizure, make a note of his behavior before, during and after the episode. Note also the foods that he ate prior to the seizure and the frequency of his episodes. This information is helpful to a veterinarian as he attempts to diagnose the underlying cause of the seizures, as different conditions result in seizures of various types and severity.
Having recorded this information, take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible. The vet will examine him for signs of overall damage to his health and will also take a series of blood tests. These tests help to identify any abnormal chemicals or unusual chemical levels in the blood, and can be crucial in identifying the source of your dog's seizures.
If blood tests are inconclusive, your vet might recommend a number of additional tests. These typically include urinalysis exams, cerebrospinal fluid tests and brain imaging exams. The tests that your vet will administer depend upon his preliminary examination of your pet and the blood exam results, and are used to provide further information about the underlying cause of the seizures. Urinalysis is a simple procedure, but the other exams may require anesthesia and brief hospital stays.
Having diagnosed the cause of your pet's seizures, you and your veterinarian can work together to formulate a treatment plan. In some cases, you'll be able to treat your dog's seizures directly, but this will not generally address the underlying cause. The better option is to address the cause of the seizures directly, as this will help to ensure fewer seizures in the future, as well as fewer related complications and adverse effects. | https://www.vetinfo.com/diagnosing-seizures-in-dogs.html |
Poodles are one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the world. They’re known for their long, silky hair and their bright eyes, which makes them a favorite among many people.
But poodles also face a lot of health problems that are specific to their breed, so it’s important that you know what they are—and how to treat them—if you want to keep your poodle happy and healthy.
In this article, we’ll discuss 15 different health issues that poodles can face, what causes each problem, how to diagnose it, and how much it will cost you if you need treatment.
15 Most Common Health Issues in Poodles
Poodles are one of the most popular breeds of dogs in the United States, and they’re also one of the longest-lived. That’s why it’s so important to be aware of common poodle health issues and how to watch out for them.
Here are 15 of the most common poodle health issues:
- Addison’s Disease
- Atrial Septal Defects in Standard Poodles
- Bloat
- Chronic Active Hepatitis
- Cushing’s Disease
- Epilepsy
- Hip Dysplasia
- Hypothyroidism
- Legg-Calve-Perthes
- Neonatal Encephalopathy
- Patellar Luxation
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Optic Nerve Hypoplasia
- Sebaceous Adenitis
- Von Willebrand’s Disease
Like all breeds of dogs, poodles may suffer from various health problems. Some are common in all dogs, while others are more specific to certain varieties—or even one individual animal.
Today’s exciting era of DNA technology is making it possible to test breeding stock for abnormal genes, and health tests already allow us to screen animals with these problems.
Let us explore each of these issues in detail, including treatment options and costs, as well as various ways to prevent them.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the advice of your veterinarian, who is best suited to diagnose and treat your poodle’s specific health problems. Please consult a licensed veterinarian if you have questions or concerns about your poodle’s health or the treatment options discussed in this article.
Addison’s Disease in Poodles
- Severity: Serious
- Occurrence: Uncommon
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Autoimmune Disease
- Symptoms: Lethargy, Reduced/Lack of Appetite, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Dehydration, Weight Loss, Increased Thirst, Frequent Urination, Shivering, Abdominal Pain, Irregular Heart Rate, Weak Pulse, Low Body Temperature
- Cause: Infection, Physical Trauma, Cancer, Adrenal Gland Failure, Genetic, Drug Therapy, Abnormal Blood Supply to Adrenal Glands
- Treatment Cost Range: $250 to $300
- Average Treatment Cost: $350
What is Addison’s Disease in Poodles?
Addison’s disease—also known as hypoadrenocorticism—is a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough adrenal hormones. Because these hormones are critical to life, Addison’s Disease is considered an extremely serious illness and must be treated accordingly.
Most dogs with Addison’s disease will initially have gastrointestinal disturbances, such as vomiting and diarrhea followed by poor appetite. Lethargy is also a common early indicator.
These are vague symptoms, and it is easy to overlook this disease if you don’t know what to look for.
If your poodle is stressed or has high potassium levels, he may develop more severe symptoms of hypoadrenocorticism. Severe symptoms can interfere with your dog’s normal heart functions.
Dogs with Addison’s disease may suffer shock symptoms when stressed that can lead to rapid death.
High levels of potassium in your poodle can cause dangerous irregularities in the heartbeat or even a complete stop.
At times, this disease is difficult to differentiate from renal failure because the symptoms and even blood work can be similar. The ACTH response test may therefore be necessary to definitively diagnose Addison’s disease in these cases.
A diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism may be suspected when a veterinarian examines a dog showing the typical clinical signs, and can be confirmed by blood tests.
The definitive test for hypoadrenocorticism is an ACTH stimulation blood test (a measure of the adrenal glands’ ability to produce hormones in response to stimulation).
What To Do if My Poodle Has Addison’s Disease?
Once Addison’s disease has been diagnosed, most dogs can be treated effectively.
Desoxycorticosterone pivalate, or DOCP (brand names: Percorten®-V or Zycortal®), is an injectable medication that has been FDA approved for use in dogs to treat Addison’s disease.
It is injected every 3–4 weeks, depending on the patient’s needs. It replaces aldosterone, which controls electrolyte and fluid balance in the body.
It is often supplemented by an oral glucocorticoid. With a little training, DOCP injections can be given at home and are relatively easy to administer.
DOCP is not a good option for all Addison’s patients, and some do well with fludrocortisone (Florinef®), which replaces both the mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid hormones.
A dog’s diet and activity levels can remain unchanged after an Addisonian crisis, and most dogs resume normal lives.
Your veterinarian will discuss with you which treatment would be best for your dog and then administer it.
How Common Is Addison’s Disease in Poodles?
In one survey conducted on 1722 Standard Poodles, it was found that 8.6% of Standard poodles showed low levels of adrenal hormones – a condition known as hypoadrenocorticism or Addison’s disease.
This condition, which is caused by an abnormality in a poodle’s genetic makeup, has been found to be highly heritable (i.e. an affected parent is likely to pass it on) and causes a variety of metabolic disturbances.
What Age Do Poodles Get Addison’s Disease?
Studies have found that 75% to 80% of dogs diagnosed with Addison’s disease are females, and their age at the time is often around four to seven years.
Lower than average production of hormones required to control salt, blood cell activity, and more will significantly affect the day-to-day function of a dog with Addison’s disease.
In general, the symptoms of Addison’s disease come on quickly over a period of days or weeks; however, it can also develop more slowly.
Most owners report that their pet develops a number of problems at about the same time.
How To Prevent Addison’s Disease in Poodles?
Standard poodles are not currently the subject of any organized breeding programs designed to reduce the number of cases in which they develop hypoadrenocorticism.
Researchers should be able to make better progress toward reducing the incidence and suffering of dogs with hypoadrenocorticism once genetic factors are more fully understood.
Is Addison’s Disease Hereditary?
The genetics of hypoadrenocorticism have been studied by Famula and their colleagues in 2003.
They found that the condition has a very high heritability of 0.75—meaning that three-fourths (or more) of factors influencing whether or not a dog develops hypoadrenocorticism are genetic.
Genetic testing is not available for hypoadrenocorticism in poodles, and the gene responsible has not been identified yet.
Atrial Septal Defects
- Severity: Could Be Serious
- Occurrence: Uncommon
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Congenital Heart Defect
- Symptoms: Coughing, Troubled Breathing, Fainting, Lethargy, Reduced/Lack of Appetite, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Dehydration, Weight Loss, Increased Thirst, Frequent Urination, Shivering, Abdominal Pain, Irregular Heart Rate, Weak Pulse, Low Body Temperature
- Cause: Genetic
- Treatment Cost Range: $2500 to $7000
- Average Treatment Cost: $4500
What is Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) in Poodles?
Atrium Septal Defects in Poodles refer to a hole in the wall between the left and right atrial chambers of a heart causing blood to flow abnormally from one side of that chamber directly through to another. It is rare in dogs, accounting for less than 4% of the total. Some poodles have few or no symptoms of heart disease, but others with more severe symptoms will develop congestive heart failure.
Certain breeds of dogs—such as Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, and Samoyeds—are more likely to develop ASD.
This type of malformation has recently been recognized among Standard Poodles, and it seems to run in families. This suggests a genetic cause for the disease.
If the hole is too small to allow a somewhat normal blood flow, a dog may not show any symptoms.
However, a larger hole disrupts the blood flow a lot more than a small one and makes it harder for the dog to maintain normal levels of oxygen. As the heart weakens, it may fail to adequately circulate blood through the body.
ASD is a genetic condition present from birth.
Severe defects are typically evident by the time a dog is three.
Dogs with ASD will have trouble breathing and may be too tired to exercise.
Are Atrial Septal Defects Hereditary?
The mode of inheritance for atrial septal defects (ASD) is not yet known. However, ASD is a genetic disorder that is believed to be caused by the interaction of several genes.
How Is Atrial Septal Defect Diagnosed?
Heart murmurs can be detected even on dogs that are asymptomatic.
Heart murmurs are sometimes diagnosed during a routine visit to the veterinarian, who can hear abnormal heart sounds while listening with a stethoscope.
Heart murmurs that occur over the left-heart base are often associated with atrial septal defect.
If a veterinarian notices a significant heart murmur while listening to your pet’s chest with a stethoscope, further testing may be recommended.
Many dogs show symptoms of respiratory difficulty and lack of stamina with exercise.
In puppies with a severe defect, growth is often stunted.
When a heart murmur is heard along with symptoms of ASD, it suggests the possibility that a dog has this condition.
The veterinarian will thoroughly examine the dog or puppy and perform blood tests as well as urine tests to check for other diseases that may be causing the symptoms to rule out other diseases.
The veterinarian may order an echocardiogram if he suspects that a dog has ASD. A veterinarian will consider your dog’s age, breed, family history, and any other known medical conditions when diagnosing a problem.
The size of the holes may be diagnosed on a two-dimensional echocardiogram, while Doppler echocardiography will identify an abnormal pattern in the way blood flows through them. Ultrasounds and X-rays can also show how severe your condition is.
In cases where symptoms are present, enlargement of the right side of the heart and pulmonary arteries is seen.
Fluid may be visible in the abdomen and lungs of a dog developing congestive heart failure.
How Is Atrial Septal Defect Treated?
Most veterinarians don’t recommend treating dogs for symptoms of ASD unless the dog is showing severe signs.
In humans, surgery is routine for many conditions involving atrial septal defect; however, in dogs, the procedure is less common and only used to treat life-threatening illnesses.
The veterinarian may recommend frequent check-ups to determine if the problem is getting worse.
Dogs with mild symptoms will be given medications to stabilize their heart function and reduce the severity of congestive heart failure.
A sodium-restricted diet and limited exercise may help reduce fluid build-up.
In some cases, surgery may be necessary to save the patient’s life. It is more effective if performed before your dog develops congestive heart failure (CHF). If you have not already done so, it would be a good idea for you to get him referred by your regular vet either way as he’ll likely need an expert opinion on his condition.
Surgery for all types of ASD in dogs has been successful, but the procedure carries a risk of fatal complications. Before surgery is performed, the chances that it will be effective should be discussed with your vet; extensive recovery time will likely follow after any operation.
Bloat (GDV)
- Severity: Serious
- Occurrence: Common
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Metabolic Syndrome
- Symptoms: Distressed, Stretching Frequently, Stomach Looks Distended or Bloated, Drooling Excessively, Labored Breathing, Rapid Breathing, Panting, Elevated Heart Rate, Retching
- Cause: Gas Accumulation, Dry Diet High in Fat and Oil, Genetic, Deep Chest, Eating Too Quickly, Eating a Single Meal With Excessive Water, Exercising Soon After Eating, Stress, Age, Inhaling Excessive Air, Nervous or Aggressive Personality
- Treatment Cost Range: $500 to $10000
- Average Treatment Cost: $5000
What Is Bloat in Poodles?
Bloat is a health condition that affects many dog breeds, including Poodles. It occurs when the stomach fills with gas and then twists on itself.
Large and giant breeds with narrow, deep chests such as the standard poodle are at an increased risk of developing GDV.
This can be life-threatening and progresses very quickly, so it’s important for any dog owner to know what signs to look for and act quickly.
Bloating is documented to increase with age. There appears not to be a sex predisposition toward the condition.
Gastric dilatation-volvulus can cause shock in dogs due to how widespread its effects are on the body. Quick and aggressive treatment is vital if your dog develops a gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV).
Are Poodles Prone to Bloat?
Poodles are especially susceptible to bloat because they have deep chests and narrow abdomens. If their stomachs fill up with gas, they may suffer from bloat.
Bloat usually strikes after eating or drinking too much water too quickly, but other factors such as stress can also contribute to it.
What Causes Bloat in Poodles?
Bloat is a serious condition that can affect dogs of many breeds, but it’s common in poodles.
There are many different causes of bloat. The first is gas accumulation, which happens when the stomach fills up with gas and can’t expand anymore. This happens when your dog eats too quickly or eats a single large meal throughout the day rather than smaller meals 2-3 times.
A dry diet high in fat and oil is another cause. Some poodle owners choose to feed their poodles dry food because it’s convenient for them; however, this can lead to bloat if the dog eats too much at once or exercises soon after eating.
Stress, age, and inhaling excessive air can also play a role in bloat. Finally, nervous or aggressive personalities have been linked to an increased risk of bloat.
How is Bloat in Poodles Diagnosed?
Many diagnostic tools can help your veterinarian determine whether or not your pet is suffering from bloat.
During the physical examination, your doctor may find that your dog’s abdomen is enlarged and firm to the touch—and this could mean he is experiencing pain.
The veterinary team will keep your pet’s pulse under continuous observation since it is likely to be weak.
Testing might include the following: blood glucose levels, coagulation assays (testing to determine whether a patient’s blood clots properly), complete blood count (a test that examines red and white cells in the body), and blood electrolytes and serum chemistry tests.
These tests will provide valuable information for diagnosing the problem.
The veterinarian may do a urinalysis as well as a blood gas analysis to check the health of your pet’s respiratory system.
An electrocardiogram will reveal what is going on in the heart and whether it’s functioning properly. More importantly, a radiogram will show if the stomach has been distended and help determine if it’s rotated its position.’
How is Bloat in Poodles Treated?
The constant monitoring of your poodle’s blood pressure, heart rate, and other vital signs will be a priority.
The prompt administration of oxygen and intravenous therapy can help increase the volume of blood circulating in the body, correct electrolyte imbalances, and help stabilize the patient.
After your dog has been stabilized, gastric decompression will be performed.
A tube will be placed down the throat so that fluid and air can be released.
A lavage, or “washing out” of the stomach with a solution to empty it completely of all contents. A needle may be used by inserting it into the patient’s stomach through which air and fluids can escape freely.
After decompression, surgery may be performed to determine whether other organs have been affected by the condition, and also to restore normal stomach positioning if volvulus has occurred.
To prevent the recurrence of the volvulus, the stomach will be attached to the abdominal wall (gastropexy) after surgery. If damage to blood vessels in the intestines or pancreas is severe enough, a doctor may have to perform gastric resectioning.
If the vet suspects that your pet is infected with bacteria, antibiotics will be prescribed and food withheld for 48 hours.
The veterinary team will monitor your pet’s condition closely and be prepared to treat any complications that could arise after surgery.
How to Prevent Poodle Bloat?
Bloating in poodles can be a common problem, but it can be prevented. Here are some tips to keep your poodle from getting bloated:
1. Feed him more than two meals per day.
2. add canned food to his daily diet.
3. Discourage your dog from running around with a full stomach.
4. Parasites such as roundworms and heartworms, among many others, can be prevented by visiting the veterinarian every three months.
5. To keep your dog from poisoning himself, you should keep toxic chemicals, food (including chocolate), and other dangerous items away from him.
Chronic Active Hepatitis
- Severity: Mild to Serious
- Occurrence: Common
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Autoimmune
- Symptoms: Lethargy, Loss of Appetite, Weight Loss, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Poor Coat Quality, Bleeding Gums, Seizures, Nose Bleeds, Excessive Thirst, Frequent Urination, Swollen Belly, Yellow-ish skin, gums, and ears
- Cause: Exposure to toxins, Environmental, Drug-related, Immune-Mediated, Genetic, High Levels of Copper in the Liver Tissues
- Treatment Cost Range: $500 to $5000
- Average Treatment Cost: $1800
What is Chronic Active Hepatitis in Poodles?
Chronic hepatitis is the progressive deterioration of liver tissue that occurs over an extended period. The inflammation or necrosis may be caused by any number of factors, such as exposure to toxins or drug (medication) related.
The cause is often unknown, and it may stem from a combination of factors.
Genetic predisposition is a major factor in some types of liver disease, particularly when high levels of copper are found in the tissues. Certain breeds have been shown to be at risk for developing this condition.
Because the symptoms of chronic hepatitis are often subtle, it is easy to miss them until serious liver damage has already occurred. If your pet is exhibiting any signs of this disease, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Breed-specific chronic hepatitis is a disease involving inflammation and possible tissue death of the liver that occurs more often in certain breeds of dogs than others.
Is Chronic Active Hepatitis Deadly?
Certain breeds of dogs are predisposed to chronic hepatitis, a condition believed to be caused by a genetic defect in the way that they metabolize copper.
Median survival duration of 18.3 to 36.4 months have been reported for patients with this condition.
However, patients with hypoalbuminemia (a low level of albumin in the blood), hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels), prolonged clotting times, bridging fibrosis (scar tissue that builds up between healthy liver cells and more damaged ones) and ascites (distension of the abdomen due to accumulation of fluid when there is no other cause such as heart failure or kidney disease ) have a lower survival rate.
Many patients with chronic hepatitis can live with minimal clinical signs and good quality of life for extended periods if they receive proper treatment and monitoring.
Treatment of dogs with chronic hepatitis should begin as early in the course of illness as possible because patients who receive treatment at an advanced stage tend to do worse than those treated earlier.
How to Diagnose Chronic Active Hepatitis in Poodles?
The early symptoms of chronic hepatitis can be vague and may indicate that the patient is suffering from another condition.
Your veterinarian will evaluate your dog’s physical condition by palpating (touching) the abdomen. If she feels an abnormally swollen liver, that could be a sign of disease.
In very advanced cases of liver damage, the organ may shrink to the point where it is difficult or impossible to feel with a hand.
It is possible for standard blood tests to reveal elevated liver enzymes, regenerative anemia, or coagulation disorders before a patient experiences any symptoms of liver disease.
Ultrasound imaging can help determine the size and shape of the liver, whether it’s healthy or not. It may also reveal abnormalities such as nodules on the organ itself.
A liver biopsy is necessary in order to correctly diagnose the condition.
The biopsy may be taken by ultrasound-guided needle biopsy, laparoscopic biopsy, or a wedge excision. Fine-needle aspiration is insufficient for accurate diagnosis because it fails to obtain sufficient cells.
How to Treat Chronic Active Hepatitis in Poodles?
By the time most symptoms of liver disease develop, substantial damage may already have been done to the organ. Treatment is aimed at stopping further progress and providing support to damaged tissues.
If excessive fluid has accumulated in the abdominal cavity, it first must be drained by a procedure called abdominocentesis. In this process, a needle is inserted directly into the cavity to remove excess fluid.
Diuretic medications may be prescribed to dogs who are at risk of developing further fluid buildup.
Doctors generally hospitalize dogs who suffer from acute symptoms so that they can receive intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration and correct any imbalances in their blood chemistry.
Where the blood is not clotting properly, plasma or whole-blood transfusions may be required. Medicines to protect the stomach from irritation may also be prescribed.
Chelating agents, or chemicals that bind to and remove heavy metals from the body, may be used in conjunction with zinc supplements to help prevent copper levels from rising too high.
Cushing’s Disease
- Severity: Serious
- Occurrence: Rare
- Hereditary: Possible
- Type: Endocrinological Disorder
- Symptoms: Increased Appetite, Increased Water Consumption, Frequent Urination, Hair Loss/Thinning, Excessive Panting, Skin Infections, Weakness, Poor Coat Condition, Pot-like Belly Appearance, Lethargy, Recurring UTIs,
- Cause: Pituitary tumor/damage, Adrenal tumor/damage, High-Dose Use of the Cortisol-Like Glucocorticoids
- Treatment Cost Range: $350 to $3000
- Average Treatment Cost: $2000
What Is Cushing’s Disease in Poodles?
Cushing’s disease is caused by an overproduction of cortisol in your pup’s body. Cortisol is a hormone that helps regulate blood pressure, heart function, and stress response; it also helps control inflammation in the body.
While there are several reasons why this can happen (such as tumors or infections), the most common cause is a tumor on the pituitary gland called an adenoma.
Excessive levels of cortisol have been shown to negatively impact health and well-being, resulting in a number of side effects including liver damage, hair loss/ thinning, skin irritation (including bruising/acne), obesity, and recurrent urinary tract infections.
Because Cushing’s disease is more common in older dogs and can mimic natural aging, it may go undetected for some time.
Only a veterinarian can determine if your dog’s symptoms are indicative of age-related deterioration or the onset of disease. Diagnosis and treatment can add years to your pet’s life.
Is Canine Cushing’s Disease Fatal?
Yes, Canine Cushing’s Disease is Fatal. According to the AKC, most dogs diagnosed with Cushing’s disease are elderly. Although the average survival time for these animals is about two years, 10 percent of them live beyond four years and their condition can be managed through medication or surgery.
How is Canine Cushing’s Disease Diagnosed?
Diagnosing Cushing’s disease is a complicated process because there is no single definitive lab test and many conditions—including other illnesses that present similar symptoms—can be confused with it.
A dog’s owner can help identify Cushing’s disease by being observant of the dog’s habits and noticing changes in its appearance, as well as seeking out a veterinarian for analysis as soon as possible.
The veterinarian will probably examine your dog thoroughly, looking for signs of an enlarged liver and checking the skin. Then he or she may send urine and blood to a lab to be tested.
A urine test measuring the ratio of cortisol to creatinine is a good way to diagnose Cushing’s disease in a dog that has no other health problems, but it can also return positive results if your pet suffers from an additional condition.
Once Cushing’s disease is suspected, a number of tests can be performed to confirm the diagnosis and determine whether it’s caused by an abnormality in the pituitary gland or elsewhere (such as in the adrenal glands).
Once a doctor diagnoses Cushing’s disease, he or she may use medical imaging to determine whether an abnormal growth (tumor) is causing the symptoms.
For examination of the pituitary gland, MRI is used; for adrenal glands, ultrasound is preferred. This method also can be easily performed at your veterinarian’s office to screen animals suspected of having Cushing’s disease before more invasive procedures are done.
How to Treat Canine Cushing’s Disease?
Most veterinarians who treat Cushing’s disease use medication to control symptoms caused by either the adrenal or pituitary gland.
Treatment for Cushing’s disease involves removing the adrenal tumor if it is causing symptoms and hasn’t spread.
Because of the risks and complications, most dogs with Cushing’s disease are treated with medication rather than surgery.
Surgical techniques to remove pituitary tumors from dogs are being researched, but surgery is not commonly available.
Although Cushing’s is a lifelong condition, the disease can be managed with medications. It’s important for a veterinarian to see how your dog responds to treatment and do blood tests regularly.
Blood tests and a patient’s response to treatment are used to determine the right dose of medication, which may need adjusting periodically.
Depending on the dog’s tolerance to and response to the medication, frequent blood tests and veterinary checkups may be required for several months after starting treatment.
Epilepsy
- Severity: Serious
- Occurrence: Common
- Hereditary: Possible
- Type: Neurological Disease
- Symptoms: Abnormal Behavior (Panic, Hiding, Clinging, Confusion), Collapse, Stiffness, Teeth Grinding, Drooling, Paddling Legs, Jerking Movement, Shivering Movement, Uncontrolled Urination/Defecation
- Cause: Head Trauma, Liver Disease, Stroke, Anemia, Exposure to Toxic Substances, Kidney Disease, High/Low Blood Glucose, Hyperthermia, Genetic
- Treatment Cost Range: $500 to $6000
- Average Treatment Cost: $3000
What is Epilepsy in Poodles?
Dogs can experience epileptic seizures, just like people. But what is a seizure? A seizure occurs when there is a sudden change in how the brain’s nerve cells behave.
The normal electrical activity of the brain becomes disturbed, and this may cause involuntary movements, changes in awareness or behavior, or other symptoms.
Seizures are most commonly caused by abnormal firing of neurons from groups of brain cells that have become too excited.
Seizures may occur individually, but they can also be repeated in a pattern. For example, some dogs have one seizure and never have another, while others have frequent seizures throughout their lives.
Seizures can occur in any dog, regardless of its breed. However, certain breeds are more likely to suffer from epilepsy than others, including Standard Poodles, Beagles, Belgian Tervurens, and Labrador Retrievers.
Dogs with epilepsy usually live normal lives unless the seizures become severe enough to interfere with daily activities.
Seizures can become more frequent, prolonged, and severe if not treated.
There are many potential causes of seizures in dogs. These include trauma, toxins such as heavy metals or chemicals, diseases that affect the brain (such as tumors or infections), and an overabundance of certain chemicals produced by organs including your dog’s liver or kidneys.
Don’t be alarmed if your vet is unable to identify the cause; some cases of this condition are idiopathic, meaning that the underlying cause is unknown.
When Does Epilepsy Start in Dogs?
The majority of epileptic dogs have their first seizure between 1 and 5 years of age, with the likelihood that a dog will be diagnosed as having idiopathic epilepsy being greatest within that time frame.
How is Epilepsy in Poodles Diagnosed?
If you feel that your pet may be having a seizure, take her to the vet for an examination.
Because seizure episodes are so brief, your pet may be over the episode by the time you reach a clinic, video recording of the seizure activity can help your veterinarian to see what is happening firsthand.
A medical exam can still be important to identify the cause of a seizure, even if it is not immediately life-threatening.
When a veterinarian diagnoses epilepsy, they will ask you for the following information: when your pet first had seizures (age of onset), what happened during each seizure (its duration and type), and how many times he has experienced convulsions before coming to the hospital.
Make note of the exposure your pet may have had to toxins, whether or not they have been recently vaccinated, changes in behavior (such as aggression or depression), and any recent injuries.
A number of laboratory tests are performed to eliminate possible causes for the pet’s symptoms. These include a complete blood cell count, blood chemistry, and urinalysis.
The tests will look at liver and kidney function, as well as blood sugar levels.
A CT or MRI scan may be used to examine the brain of a pet with seizures.
If a cause for the seizure cannot be identified, the condition is labeled as primary idiopathic epilepsy (epilepsy of unknown origin).
How is Epilepsy in Poodles Treated?
If the veterinarian can determine what caused your pet’s seizure, he or she will treat it accordingly.
If this is your pet’s first seizure, and no cause of the seizures has been identified, it is likely that a veterinarian would ask you to continue monitoring your pet for future seizures. If another occurs, report back to him or her immediately.
An epileptic dog is not treated for his condition until he has had several seizures or suffers from particularly severe ones.
The veterinarian should be notified as soon as possible when a seizure occurs. This will help the vet determine what course of treatment to follow.
If your pet’s seizure lasts longer than a few minutes or if you have any other concerns for the animal’s safety, it is very important that you take him to see the veterinarian.
Here are a few things you should note down in case your poodle has a seizure:
- Time of onset
- Duration
- Video (if possible)
- Specific seizure behaviors (paddling legs, shivering, jerking motion, vocalization, etc)
Hip Dysplasia
- Severity: Could Be Serious
- Occurrence: Common
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Hip Joint Disorder
- Symptoms: Decreased Activity, Difficulty Getting Up, Limping, Decreased Range of Hip Motion, Difficulty Climbing Stairs
- Cause: Obesity, Injury, Malnutrition, Genetic
- Treatment Cost Range: $1500 to $15000
- Average Treatment Cost: $2500
What is Hip Dysplasia in Poodles?
Hip dysplasia is a condition that affects the hip joints of dogs and other animals. It results in the head of the thigh bone not being able to fit properly into the hip socket. This causes pain and loss of mobility.
Hip dysplasia is one of the most common hereditary orthopedic diseases in dogs.
The most common symptom is pain while walking or running—your dog may limp or experience stiffness after activity, especially if they’ve been laying down for a while before getting up again.
The good news is that hip dysplasia can be treated with medication, surgery, weight loss/management, and physical therapy; however, if you notice any symptoms of hip dysplasia early on you should take your dog to see their vet immediately so that they can begin treatment as soon as possible.
The disorder is inherited in a manner similar to many other genetic diseases and can result from an inheritance, environmental factors (e.g., diet), or both.
The onset of dog hip problems can occur at any age, causing pain and restricted movement—not to mention a decreased quality of life for both the poodle and its owner.
How is Hip Dysplasia in Poodles Diagnosed?
If you notice that your pet is showing signs of hip dysplasia, or if you have concerns about possible injury to the joint, contact a veterinarian.
A pet’s genetic parentage information can be helpful in diagnosing hip dysplasia.
A physical exam will check for evidence of joint pain and determine whether your pet has a normal range of motion in its hips.
Radiographs can provide clear evidence if a dog has hip dysplasia by showing the severity of the condition and how it affects bone growth.
How is Hip Dysplasia in Poodles Treated?
Diet and Weight Management
Proper nutrition and weight control are the first line of defense in treating hip dysplasia in dogs.
It is important to keep track of the progression of hip dysplasia so that preventative measures can be taken.
To prevent joint degeneration, large and fast-growing breeds should be fed a proper diet and participate in low-impact exercise programs.
The veterinarian will give you suggestions for weight management and exercise, tailored to your pet’s age and breed.
Oral supplements
Osteoarthritis patients can safely take glucosamine and chondroitin to help maintain their joints.
The cartilage-building blocks in supplements can take 6 weeks to kick in, but once they do the results are beneficial.
Physiotherapy
Low-impact physical therapy, such as swimming, can help loosen joints and develop muscle mass—both beneficial for patients with hip dysplasia.
NSAIDS
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
They are not intended for prolonged use, and liver function should be monitored at regular intervals when taking these medications.
Surgery
Hip dysplasia is a condition that may be treated with hip replacement surgery in dogs, depending on the individual animal’s age and other factors such as size, level of activity, and degree of degradation of the hips.
Hypothyroidism
- Severity: Could Be Serious
- Occurrence: Common
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Thyroid Disease
- Symptoms: Lethargy, Weakness, Rapid Weight Gain, Excessive Hair Shedding, Skin Infections, Ear Infections, Infertility, Lack of Muscle Coordination, Dry Eyes, Mental Dullness, Slowed Breathing, Low Blood Pressure, Low Heart Rate, Gastrointestinal Issues
- Cause: Thyroid Cancer, Idiopathic Thyroid Gland Atrophy, Lymphocytic Thyroiditis, Iodine Deficiency/Overabundance
- Treatment Cost Range: $500 to $2000
- Average Treatment Cost: $1300
What is Hypothyroidism in Poodles?
Hypothyroidism in poodles is most common in standard poodles, but it some rare cases it can also afflict toy and miniature poodles as well.
There are several reasons for hypothyroidism to develop, the most common being an underactive thyroid (sometimes caused by a decrease in hormone production), and destruction of the thyroid gland.
While easily treated, sometimes it can be difficult to diagnose hypothyroidism because the symptoms of the condition are similar to those experienced by dogs with other diseases.
Once hypothyroidism has been diagnosed, your dog’s symptoms can usually be treated so that he can live a fairly healthy and normal life.
The thyroid gland, in conjunction with the pituitary gland, produces hormones that help regulate all of your body’s systems.
Hypothyroidism occurs when there is an imbalance in the thyroid, which slows down the metabolism and affects every organ. Symptoms include weight gain, lethargy, and skin problems—often blamed on old age.
Severe hypothyroidism can lead to several serious symptoms, including paralysis and coma.
How is Hypothyroidism in Poodles Diagnosed?
Because hypothyroidism can mimic other diseases, a correct diagnosis is difficult unless symptoms and test results are carefully observed.
Your veterinarian may run a variety of blood and urine tests to identify the cause.
If a doctor suspects hypothyroidism, he or she may order tests to measure the levels of thyroid hormone in your blood.
An underactive thyroid gland can be indicated by low levels of a hormone called thyroxine.
Additional tests will be performed to confirm the diagnosis. These may include further hormone testing, such as a TSH stimulation test (which measures thyroid function under conditions of low iodine intake) and free T4 test; equilibrium dialysis (measures the amount of bio-available thyroid hormone in relation to total protein levels); or imaging by ultrasonography, scintigraphy—the use radioactive material for detection—or sonography
A thyroid hormone supplementation test can be used to confirm a diagnosis of hypothyroidism.
Health-care practitioners often order tests to rule out or diagnose other disorders that can be responsible for symptoms of hypothyroidism.
How is Hypothyroidism in Poodles Treated?
Although there is no cure for hypothyroidism, it can be managed.
Thyroxine is typically given once a day throughout your dog’s life. The initial dosage of the hormone will vary based on your dog’s weight, but it will likely be adjusted over time.
The dose of the supplement may be increased gradually, then reduced to a single daily dose.
Blood samples to check the hormone levels of your dog are taken one month after beginning treatment.
After a while, your dog’s body may become accustomed to the thyroid hormone replacement and the dose will need to be adjusted. You should have your dog’s hormone levels checked every six months.
Excessive doses of hormone replacement can cause health problems, so be sure to follow your veterinarian’s instructions about administering the medication. In case of overdose, get in touch with your vet as soon as you can.
A hormone overdose can cause symptoms similar to those of hyperthyroidism, such as weight loss, increased thirst, reduced sleep, and hyperactivity.
Legg-Calve-Perthes
- Severity: Could Be Serious
- Occurrence: Rare
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Hip Joint Disorder
- Symptoms: Limping, Pain During Physical Examination, Increased Joint Space, Collapse of Femur Bone Head, Muscle Atrophy, Inability to Walk at Times, Difficulty Putting on Weight on the Diseased Leg
- Cause: Vascular Issue, Rickets, Infective Degenerative Arthritis, Endocrine System Disorder, Genetic, Limited Supply of Blood Reaching the Femur Bone Region
- Treatment Cost Range: $300 to $5000
- Average Treatment Cost: $2500
What is Legg-Calve-Perthes in Poodles?
Legg-Calvé-Perthes (LCP) disease is a condition that affects the hip joint of dogs. The femur bone degenerates and causes severe arthritis in the hind leg.
It usually shows up in toy poodles and miniature poodles when they’re between 4 months old and 1 year, but is most likely to happen during their 7th month.
The disease can affect a poodle’s mobility and cause inflammation, stiffness, pain—even paralysis.
The condition affects one hip rather than both and occurs in equal numbers among male and female poodles.
Certain breeds of dogs, such as the Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier, and Pug are more likely to develop Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease than others. Many other breeds are also at risk.
The Legg-Calvé-Perthes (LCP) disease was named after three physicians (Legg, Calvé, and Perthes) who are credited with discovering this hip disorder that can affect children.
Poodles can be afflicted with the disease, especially very young ones. In some cases, dogs become so physically impaired by the disease that they are unable to walk.
How is Legg-Calve-Perthes in Poodles Diagnosed?
If you notice any symptoms of pain or discomfort in your pet, such as limping or lameness, contact your veterinarian and try to get an appointment as soon as you can.
A veterinarian will perform a physical examination at the first appointment if he or she suspects that your poodle has LCP.
They will perform a series of tests on the dog’s hip, including trying to extend its joint while they are examining it.
They may also perform X-rays to get a better look at the problem.
How is Legg-Calve-Perthes in Poodles Treated?
In most cases, a veterinarian will combine the results of X-rays and physical examinations in order to devise an appropriate treatment plan.
The severity of LCP disease is a factor in determining the appropriate treatment.
If a dog’s case of LCP is mild, placing restrictions on his or her activity and allowing the animal to rest can help ease symptoms.
Caging a dog and carrying it out of its cage to take him outside for bathroom breaks is sometimes the most effective treatment.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may also be prescribed to treat the condition. The limited movement paired with NSAIDs is sometimes the only treatment that is needed.
If, however, the femoral head collapses at any time during this type of treatment, surgery would most likely be required.
If the LCP is advanced to a point that even slight movement causes pain and muscle atrophy, then your vet may recommend more invasive treatment options.
Cases of LCP that do not respond to treatment may require hip replacement surgery.
Surgery sometimes provides the best treatment for LCP, as opposed to less invasive options such as limiting movements and NSAIDs.
Hydrocephalus
- Severity: Serious
- Occurrence: Rare
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Progressive Neurodegenerative Disease
- Symptoms: Domed-Shaped Skull, Wide Set Eyes, Difficulty Training, Blindness, Seizures, Decreased Awareness, Lack of Response, Abnormal Vocalization, Overly Excited, Drowsiness, Pacing and Circling, Weak Hind Legs, Slow Growth
- Cause: Genetic, Prenatal Infection, Brain Hemorrhage, Inflammatory Brain Disease, Prenatal Vitamin Deficiency, Trauma, Exposure to Toxic Substances to a Developing Fetus
- Treatment Cost Range: $500 to $3000
- Average Treatment Cost: $1400
What is Hydrocephalus in Poodles?
Hydrocephalus in poodles is caused by an excess of cerebrospinal fluid that has leaked into the skull, causing brain swelling.
It is generally believed that increased pressure in the skull will press on the brain tissues and can cause permanent damage or death.
Smaller poodles, miniature poodles, and toy poodles to be precise are more likely to be affected by hydrocephalus than standard poodles.
How is Hydrocephalus in Poodles Diagnosed?
To diagnose hydrocephalus in young dogs, your veterinarian will look at the symptoms to determine the severity of the condition.
If the vet spots a large, open fontanel and notes that your puppy is uncoordinated when walking or trying to stand up, he will probably want to investigate further.
During an exam, the vet may take x-rays to check for signs of hydrocephalus—such as open plates and other formations in the skull that would indicate fluids in the brain.
The veterinarian will perform an ultrasound to examine the dilated chambers within your dog’s brain if your poodle has an open fontanelle.
Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests can provide conclusive evidence of hydrocephalus because they can offer information about the brain’s structure that cannot be obtained in any other way.
How is Hydrocephalus in Poodles Treated?
For veterinarians diagnosing young dogs for hydrocephalus, the clinical symptoms help indicate the severity of this condition.
If your veterinarian notices that your poodle has an unusually large open fontanel (the soft spot on the head of young poodles) and walks clumsily, he/she will know what to look for if they suspect hydrocephalus.
Evaluation of the fontanel bulge will reveal dilation of brain ventricles during an ultrasound examination.
A CT or MRI scan can identify the source of the fluid buildup.
The various scans will reveal whether tumors or other abnormalities are present.
Patellar Luxation
- Severity: Could be Serious
- Occurrence: Rare
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Congenital/Developmental Disorder
- Symptoms: Inability to Stand, Shaking the Affected Leg, Lameness, Arthritis, Pain, Limping, Refusing to Exercise, Refusing to Jump or Run, Weak Legs, Pulling Up the Affected Leg Multiple Steps at a Time, Inability to Bend the Knee
- Cause: Genetic, Trauma, Injury, Accident
- Treatment Cost Range: $300 to $3000
- Average Treatment Cost: $2000
What Is Patellar Luxation in Poodles?
Patellar luxation in poodles occurs when the kneecap is displaced or dislocated from its normal location in the knee joint.
This is a condition that may be present from birth (congenital), or it may develop during the course of the dog’s life (acquired).
Although trauma to the knee is a leading cause of patellar luxation, this condition, in most cases, is hereditary and affects toy poodles more often than standard or miniature breeds.
An injury to the leg, such as a fracture or sprain, can cause patellar luxation that is apparent right away.
Depending on the severity of your dog’s luxation, she may experience mild or severe pain.
The severity of the condition varies from 1 (mild) to 4 (severe). This condition gets worse with time if left untreated.
Depending on the severity of the injury, a tendon rupture can be classified by any grade.
Patellar luxation is almost always in the rear legs, and if left untreated will cause lameness. This causes a skipping gait where the poodle’s legs do not touch the ground when walking or trotting.
Congenital patellar luxation might not be noticed in young dogs until about six weeks of age, when it can look like the puppy is still learning to walk properly.
How Is Patellar Luxation in Poodles Diagnosed?
If this is a congenital condition, your puppy will most likely be diagnosed at his first appointment with the veterinarian.
In the case of patellar luxation caused by heredity or injury, symptoms will be apparent when they reach a certain level in severity.
A physical examination will likely include auscultation (listening) of the heart and lungs, palpation (feeling for abnormalities on the skin or underlying muscles), taking vital signs like blood pressure, examining lameness in different gaits by using feel to see if there are abnormalities with a walking pattern which can reveal what joints may be causing problems.
Make sure to tell the veterinarian about any illnesses your pet has had recently and about any medications or herbal supplements you have given it.
Some medications can affect a pet’s symptoms and how well they respond to treatment, so it is important that your veterinarian knows what drugs you are giving them and if you feel like the medication is not sitting well with your poodle.
A veterinarian will perform blood tests and other diagnostic procedures on the poodle patient to determine the cause of their symptoms.
How Is Patellar Luxation in Poodles Treated?
If your poodle has patellar luxation, the grade of the defect and his or her overall health will determine how the vet will decide the course of the treatment.
Surgery is commonly used as a treatment, but the veterinarian may also try other methods, such as putting your pet in a leg brace or bandage, restricting its activity until the bone heals on its own—or giving the patient medication.
Surgery
The technique used to treat patellar luxation depends on the severity of the condition, and no single treatment is appropriate for all cases.
Medication
Steroids, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and narcotics may be given for pain relief. In addition, supplements such as glucosamine, vitamin C, and E can help with the pain.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- Severity: Serious
- Occurrence: Common
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Degenerative Disease
- Symptoms: Night Blindness, Daytime Blindness, Cloudy Eyes, Progressive Loss of Vision Until Blindness, Bumping Into Walls and Objects, Reluctance to Climb Down Stairs
- Cause: Genetic
- Treatment Cost Range: $1000 to $3000
- Average Treatment Cost: $2000
What Is Progressive Retinal Atrophy in Poodles?
Progressive retinal atrophy, or PRA for short, is a condition that causes the retina of your dog’s eye to progressively lose vision until complete blindness. This condition is not painful at all but does degrade the quality of your poodle’s life.
It causes degeneration of both eyes and begins with night blindness followed by daytime blindness. The condition progresses to cause total vision loss.
The gradual loss of vision in both the eyes will enable your dog to adjust, using other senses to get around the best they can.
The progression of this disease is gradual, and you may not even notice that your dog’s vision is failing.
How Is Progressive Retinal Atrophy in Poodles Diagnosed?
You may notice that your dog is less confident about jumping down from high places and hesitates to do so. Or you might see him bump into things around the house—especially if you’ve recently moved the furniture.
The disease usually progresses to an advanced stage before you notice any changes in behavior.
As the dog’s day vision deteriorates, you will notice that its pupils have become cloudy and opaque. This is a sign of cataracts forming in both eyes, further reducing your canine friend’s ability to see clearly during the day.
If you suspect that your dog is losing his vision, it’s important to see a veterinarian right away. The vet will refer the dog to an ophthalmologist—a specialist in eye disease and surgery—for further testing.
The most common method to check your dog’s retinas for abnormalities is by using an electroretinogram (ERG). The test can prove conclusively that your dog has this disease by measuring the response of the retina to light.
Because there is no pain involved, your pet will just need some time to get used to moving around again.
You can help your poodle by making sure the gates are closed so that your poodle does not run outside. Also, make sure there are no sharp objects such as a statue or table edges that your poodle could bump in and get hurt.
How Is Progressive Retinal Atrophy in Poodles Treated?
Progressive retinal atrophy can greatly affect your dog’s eyesight, but if you keep your pet’s surroundings consistent (don’t rearrange furniture or move objects), he will learn to adapt with time.
Researchers have developed treatments that use antioxidants to slow the rate of retinal degeneration, although tests are still being conducted on this method.
Because PRA is a slow-moving disease that does not manifest obvious symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage, your dog will usually be diagnosed with the condition at a late stage of the disorder.
Optic Nerve Hypoplasia
- Severity: Serious
- Occurrence: Rare
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Neurological Disease
- Symptoms: Genetic, Dilated Pupils, Fixated Pupils, Visual Impairment, Pupils Unresponsive to Light
- Cause: Unknown
- Treatment Cost Range: $500 to $3500
- Average Treatment Cost: $2200
What Is Optic Nerve Hypoplasia in Poodles?
Optic nerve hypoplasia is a condition in which the optic nerve fails to develop properly.
In Miniature Poodles, optic nerve hypoplasia can be inherited.
The condition may occur in only one eye, or it can affect both eyes. It can also be accompanied by other abnormalities of the eye.
If the optic nerves of both eyes do not develop during infancy, blindness will occur.
The involvement of only one of the optic nerves often goes unnoticed or is not discovered until late in life, if the other eye acquires a blinding disease.
How Is Optic Nerve Hypoplasia in Poodles Diagnosed?
Statistics show that most of these congenital conditions are detected during routine ophthalmoscopic examinations, but some symptoms might not be visible if the owner has noticed them.
This condition does not seem to have an inflammatory component, and so blood work is not likely to be needed unless something vascular (related to the veins or arteries) is noted during this examination.
If a veterinarian needs to determine how much vision is impaired, specialized testing can be done to ascertain the degree of vision loss.
In contrast, dogs are not as responsive to the stimuli that this test uses, making it less accurate for them than for humans.
How Is Optic Nerve Hypoplasia in Poodles Treated?
Because of the cause of optic nerve hypoplasia is genetic underdevelopment of retinal/neurologic tissue, no treatment exists.
There is no inflammation associated with optic nerve hypoplasia, so there isn’t anything to treat the underlying cause of what’s causing his vision loss.
Optic nerve hypoplasia occurs more frequently in certain dog breeds, such as poodles.
If your breeding pool contains a Poodle with this condition, it would be best not to breed the dog so their offspring don’t inherit this genetic trait.
Sebaceous Adenitis
- Severity: Could be Serious
- Occurrence: Uncommon
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Autoimmune Disease
- Symptoms: Hair Loss, Musty, Matted Hair, Poor Coat Condition, Itching, Scabs and Sores, Bacterial Infection
- Cause: Genetic
- Treatment Cost Range: $200 to $800
- Average Treatment Cost: $400
What Is Sebaceous Adenitis in Poodles?
Sebaceous adenitis (SA) in poodles is a genetic skin disease that causes hair loss and changes to the texture and color of your pet’s coat. Several breeds carry the gene for SA, including Standard Poodle, Akita, and Samoyed.
The symptoms of SA will usually appear first on a dog’s head and neck and then spread to the rest of their body.
Scaly, crusty skin, and excessive dandruff are visible symptoms. Over time your dog’s hair will thin as the glands that produce it malfunction—making their skin itch and giving off a musky odor.
Although SA does not affect one sex over the other, it tends to occur more often among Standard Poodles as compared to Miniature or Toy Poodles.
The disease has been documented in patients ranging from 1 year old to as old as 12.
Because the symptoms of SA vary according to breed and type, it is a diagnostic challenge. Many dogs are initially diagnosed with hypothyroidism—a thyroid condition that can be confused for SA—or an immune disorder such as food or environmental allergies.
A veterinarian can confirm an SA diagnosis by performing a skin biopsy.
How Is Sebaceous Adenitis in Poodles Diagnosed?
If you notice changes in your pet’s hair coat, such as patchiness or complete loss of hair, along with skin irritation (in the form of scales or lesions), then a visit to the veterinarian is in order.
Your veterinarian will want to rule out other possible underlying causes—such as hormonal imbalances or mite infestations—that may present themselves in the same way but could lead to further consequences if left untreated.
The veterinarian will diagnose the skin condition based on a sample of tissue that she takes.
A test to determine if a fungal or bacterial infection is present may be needed, in addition to the microscopic exam of skin and hair samples.
How Is Sebaceous Adenitis in Poodles Treated?
There is no cure for SA, so treatment must be tailored to the specific needs of each poodle and the severity of their condition.
The disease can affect poodles in different ways, and the extent to which it affects a dog depends on that particular dog’s response.
While some dogs will have to be euthanized in cases of severe SA, most can live normal lives with proper treatment and management.
Since Sebaceous Adenitis is a lifelong condition, pet owners play an important role in the treatment of their dogs.
The success or failure of any given therapy depends on how well the owner adheres to that protocol and administers medication at proper intervals
To treat dry dog skin, a veterinarian may prescribe topical therapy such as keratolytic shampoos and emollient rinses or humectants applied every 3-5 days.
Poodle owners who want to improve their dog’s coat and skin may consider giving him an oil bath or oil spray.
The most popular oils for treating this condition are mineral oil-based products, such as baby oil or Alpha-Keri.
It is recommended that you leave the oil on your dog for 1-2 hours, depending on how much they try to lick it off. Monitoring your pet’s behavior throughout treatment is important because ingesting too much of the medicine could be harmful.
Vitamins A, E, and C are all antioxidants that may help to reduce inflammation. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have been shown to be anti-inflammatory in studies on humans as well as animals.
Depending on your dog’s condition, your vet will recommend which (if any) vitamins or supplements should be administered daily or only when needed.
In some instances, dogs with SA will develop a bacterial or yeast infection. In these cases, symptoms can be treated with antibiotics and steroid medications. Proper grooming can minimize the incidence of infections.
Von Willebrand’s Disease
- Severity: Serious
- Occurrence: Common
- Hereditary: Yes
- Type: Neurological Disease
- Symptoms: Excessive Bleeding From Minor Injuries, Continuous Bleeding After Surgery, Pain, Nausea, Weakness, Collapse
- Cause: Genetic
- Treatment Cost Range: $500 to $3000
- Average Treatment Cost: $850
What Is Von Willebrand’s Disease in Poodles?
Von Willebrand’s disease, an inherited bleeding disorder common to poodles, can cause prolonged bleeding and may be fatal if left untreated.
It is more commonly found in Standard Poodles than in Miniature or Toy varieties.
Von Willebrand disease is a genetic disorder. It is caused by a mutation in a single gene and passed down through generations via one of the parents’ chromosomes (autosomal inheritance).
In dogs who have two copies of the mutant gene responsible for Von Willebrand’s disease, symptoms are severe. Dogs with only one copy sometimes show no clinical signs at all.
Some dogs that appear perfectly healthy when young may later develop symptoms. On the flip side, some pet parents say that their poodle’s symptoms have gotten better with time.
Because dogs can carry a mutant gene without showing any clinical symptoms, pedigree history is needed to determine whether the dog should be used in a breeding program or not.
How Is Von Willebrand’s Disease in Poodles Diagnosed?
There are tests that can aid in the diagnostic process for Von Willebrand disease. The buccal mucosal screening time test indicates prolonged bleeding is used to evaluate clotting ability.
Furthermore, a blood test will show the presence of Von Willebrand Factor (vWF), which can be verified at the laboratory.
If you have a poodle, it is highly suggested that he or she undergoes VWF testing before having even minor surgery.
Genetic testing can also be used to identify the disease.
Veterinarians often diagnose VWF by noticing abnormal bleeding after surgery.
If the situation is severe enough, it’s possible that the team won’t be able to stop the bleeding and your dog could die from blood loss.
How Is Von Willebrand’s Disease in Poodles Treated?
There is no cure for Von Willebrand disease, so pet parents must carefully manage their pets’ symptoms.
Blood-coagulation agents can be used as a precaution, before performing surgery.
A blood transfusion may be required. The donating dog can receive a substance called coagulants that makes it easier to accept the new blood.
Owners of poodles with Von Willebrand’s disease should be aware that certain precautions are needed in order to manage the condition.
It is important for you to understand that there are associated risks when undergoing treatment. Certain medications can cause more harm than good, and stress may contribute to them as well (ibuprofen and antihistamines in particular). | https://poodlego.com/15-poodle-health-issues-every-owner-needs-to-know/ |
What are Peripheral Neuropathies?
This network of nerves is responsible for coordination, digestion and physical responses. When the peripheral nerves are damaged they are not able to properly transmit. There can be many causes for the condition including neoplasia, inherited disease, diabetes, and toxin exposure. Not all peripheral neueopathies can be treated to complete resolution. The veterinarian will be an integral part of the well being of your pet; consultation is essential in this case.
Peripheral neuropathies are neurological diseases or disorders which cause the reduction of motor function in the peripheral nerves. Peripheral nerves are located outside the brain and spinal cord. Peripheral nerves form a network of nerves, which are a link between the brain and spinal cord to communicate with the body.
Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathies in Dogs
Symptoms may vary depending on the underlying condition and the severity of the disorder:
- Muscle tremors
- Atrophy of the muscles
- Weak reflexes
- Lameness
- Abnormal gait
- Unable to climb stairs
- Tires easily
- Lack of coordination
- Weight gain
- Increased thirst
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Causes of Peripheral Neuropathies in Dogs
Damage to the peripheral nerves may be caused by:
- Toxins such as chemicals or insecticides
- Arthritis - inflammation of one or more joints
- Age related - senior dog
- Diabetes mellitus - a condition which causes the pancreas to produce little or no insulin
- Hypothyroidism - underactive thyroid gland
- Neoplasia - formation of abnormal tissue growth
- Nutritional deficiency – lack of B12, Vitamin E
- Inherited diseases such as dancing Doberman disease, idiopathic polyneuropathy, and laryngeal paralysis
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Diagnosis of Peripheral Neuropathies in Dogs
The veterinarian will want to go over the patient’s medical history. He will want to know what symptoms you have observed. The veterinarian may want to evaluate the patient’s gait during walking. He will then perform a neurologic examination which may include pupil light reflex, palpate muscles for atrophy, and check spinal, pelvic and thoracic limb reflexes. He may also check the patient’s weight, temperature, pulse and blood pressure. He will evaluate your dog’s overall condition, such as skin, fur, muscle tone and color of inner eyelids and gums.
The veterinarian may recommend a complete blood count (CBC), which will evaluate platelets, red and white cell count and thyroid and glucose levels. A serum chemistry panel may also be recommended; this test checks the serum and can determine organ function. The serum is obtained by spinning whole blood in a centrifuge. The solids go to the bottom of the vial; the liquid on the upper part of the vial is serum. Other diagnostic tests that may be recommended for degenerative conditions like sensory neuropathies or laryngeal paralysis are an electromyogram (to test nerve conduction in the muscles) and a muscle biopsy.
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Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathies in Dogs
Peripheral nerve disease in dogs may be treated with an anti-inflammatory such as prednisone. Additional treatment for peripheral neuropathies will depend on the underlying conditions. Patients exposed to toxins may need to receive vitamin K, blood transfusions and hospitalization. Arthritis may be treated with steroids, nutrition and weight control. Supplements and vitamins such as omega 3, vitamin E and vitamin C may be recommended. There are also herbal therapies, which may help your dog. Physical therapy, acupuncture and massage therapy may be beneficial to dogs diagnosed with arthritis.
Diabetes may be treated with daily insulin injections. Your dog’s diet may be changed to low-fat content. Patients with hypothyroidism may be treated with daily synthetic thyroid hormone such as levothyroxine. Once thyroid medication is started, the treatment will need to be for the rest of his life. An abnormal growth will need to be removed by a veterinarian surgeon. Nutritional deficiency may be treated with a high protein diet, vitamins and supplements.
Dogs that experience lameness may need to be fitted for a wheelchair/cart or lifting harness. For canines who have degenerative peripheral neuropathies associated with inheritance there is no specific treatment available; depending on the condition dogs may die within months, experience remission, or have functional abilities for years. The veterinarian can give a prognosis based on the severity of the disease, the type, and your pet’s health status at the time of the diagnosis.
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Worried about the cost of Peripheral Neuropathies treatment?
Pet Insurance covers the cost of many common pet health conditions. Prepare for the unexpected by getting a quote from top pet insurance providers.
Recovery of Peripheral Neuropathies in Dogs
Recovery of peripheral neuropathies in dogs will depend on the underlying disorder that was diagnosed. Most of these disorders must be treated for life. Follow up visits will be necessary to monitor the patient’s progress. Periodical blood test will be needed to monitor glucose and thyroid levels. Patients with arthritis may need to continue physical therapy and steroid medications. Patients that underwent surgery will receive post-operative instructions from the veterinary surgeon. The patient will need to wear a cone so he does not lick or bite at the incision. The dog will be restricted to minimal activity/exercise. It will be important to keep the incision area dry and clean. The sutures will need to be removed by the veterinarian. Patients that ingested toxins have a guarded prognosis.
Patients that have had damage to the peripheral nerves may benefit from regular visits to massage, manual and/or aquatic therapy. Some patients that suffered severe damage to the peripheral nerves may need to remain on steroid medication. Steroid medications must be closely monitored for side effects. The side effects may suppress the immune system, increased thirst and hunger. Canines with a degenerative peripheral neuropathy will need regular monitoring and observance as to quality of life.
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Peripheral Neuropathies Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Tommy
Golden Retreiver
11 Years
4 found helpful
4 found helpful
Has Symptoms
Hello I have an 11 year old golden retriever,Tommy,and one side of his head has caved in. The eyeball in that side seems to be getting smaller as well. He has also had bloody stools a few times in past couple of months, although I don't know if that is relevant in any way. Other than that he is quite the energetic and gets excited about food, walks and playtime. The vet,without running any tests, informed us it is peripheral neuropathy that has occurred because of his age and that there is nothing that can be done about it. My question is do you think the vet's diagnosis is accurate and if yes is there really nothing that can help Tommy's condition?
Nov. 16, 2017
Tommy's Owner
4 Recommendations
It is really difficult to weigh in on these cases when I am unable to examine Tommy; there are various different causes for this which may include injury to the nerve supplying the temporal muscle, myositis among other issues. It would be valuable to visit another Veterinarian for their opinion on Tommy’s head and for a general examination. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Nov. 16, 2017
Thank for your advice
Nov. 19, 2017
Tommy's Owner
Was this experience helpful? | https://wagwalking.com/condition/peripheral-neuropathies |
Renal cystadenocarcinoma and nodular dermatofibrosis
This is a condition in German shepherd dogs in which lumps (nodules) form on the skin, generally on the head and legs. In most affected dogs, the condition is associated with cancer of the kidneys (renal cystadenocarcinoma), or of the uterus in females that have not been spayed.
The mode of inheritance is autosomal dominant with complete penetrance.
Skin lesions are generally first seen in dogs over 5 years of age. You will notice small, firm, usually painless bumps or nodules on your dog's limbs and/or head. Over time these will increase in size and number. The lesions themselves cause few problems, although they may become ulcerated and painful as they grow larger. Most important however, is the fact that they are usually associated with cancer of the kidneys (or of the uterus in unspayed females). The signs that you may see if your dog has kidney disease include increased drinking and urination, loss of appetite and weight loss, a swollen abdomen (due to fluid retention or tumour size), depression, and vomiting.
Your veterinarian will surgically remove one of the skin nodules (a simple procedure done with local anesthetic) for examination by a veterinary pathologist. The biopsy will show changes characteristic of this condition. Your veterinarian will also look for signs of kidney disease. S/he may be able to feel that the kidneys are enlarged or you may have already noticed some of the typical clinical signs listed above. Your veterinarian will also take blood and urine samples to look for indications of kidney disease, and likely also recommend radiography or an ultrasound.
There is no specific treatment for this condition. The nodules can be surgically removed if they are large or painful, and generally do not grow back if excised fully (although new ones will continue to appear). Unspayed females should be spayed, to remove the potential of cancer in the uterus and also because these dogs definitely should not be bred. Your veterinarian will carefully monitor your dog's kidney function - both kidneys are usually affected. Your veterinarian will discuss with you supportive care for your dog as kidney disease progresses, such as a special diet and fluid therapy when needed.
Affected animals should not be bred, and siblings and parents should be carefully examined for nodules. Because nodular dermatofibrosis has an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance, all dogs with the defective gene will develop the condition. Theoretically it should be possible to eradicate this problem. However because signs do not appear until the dogs are over 5 years of age, it is quite possible that they have already been used for breeding. The best course is to discontinue breeding lines in which there are affected dogs. Although there are no screening tests, computed tomography (a radiographic technique) is the best way to detect early cases.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DISORDER, PLEASE SEE YOUR VETERINARIAN.
Moe L, Lium B. Hereditary multifocal renal cystadenocarcinomas and nodular dermatofibrosis in 51 German shepherd dogs. Journal of Small Animal Practice. 1997 38:498-505.
Pressler B. Cancer and the kidney. In: Bonagura JD, Twedt DC, eds. Kirk's Current Veterinary Therapy XIV. Missouri: Saunders Elsevier, 2009:928.
Sargan DR. Renal cystadenocarcinoma and.... In IDID - Inherited diseases in dogs:web-based information for canine inherited disease genetics.
- (Disorder) related terms:
- Disorder Type: | https://cidd.discoveryspace.ca/disorder/renal-cystadenocarcinoma-and-nodular-dermatofibrosis.html |
Your pet’s kidneys are critical for normal bodily functions, such as the removal of toxic metabolic waste products from the blood, and regulation of bodily fluids and hormones. What does acute kidney injury mean? It refers to an abrupt decline in the kidneys’ ability to function, often due to a major event such as severe dehydration, blood loss from surgery or injury, or a reaction to medication.
Because the kidneys impact other areas of the body, the changes that occur as a result of acute kidney injury impact many other bodily systems, as well. When kidney function is reduced over a long period of time it can become chronic, as chronic kidney disease. Sadly, kidney disease typically goes undetected until approximately 70% of the kidney is no longer functioning.
Risk
Acute kidney injury is not a breed-specific condition, but does seem to occur more often in older animals. It can be the result of trauma, medications, poisoning, infection or blockage of the urinary tract due to stones, crystals, or tumors. One of the most common poisons to be aware of is antifreeze because it contains ethylene glycol, which is highly toxic to the kidneys.
Signs
It’s crucial to notice the signs of acute kidney injury, which include:
- Lethargy
- Disorientation
- Problems with coordination
- Weakness
- Increased or decreased thirst
- Increased or decreased urination
- Lack of appetite
- Straining when urinating
- Vomiting
If you notice any of these symptoms in your best friend, you should contact your veterinarian immediately! These symptoms are indicators of many serious diseases and conditions, and your veterinarian can perform tests that will identify why your dog or cat is sick.
Test/Treat
Your veterinarian may recommend some or all of the following tests to identify why your pet is sick:
- Urine tests to rule out urinary tract infections and to evaluate the kidney’s ability to concentrate urine
- Chemistry tests to check for increased values that indicate kidney dysfunction
- A complete blood count (CBC) to evaluate if there are enough red blood cells
- Electrolyte tests to evaluate hydration status and choose proper fluid supplements, if your pet is dehydrated
- Radiographs (x-rays) and ultrasound to visually evaluate the structure of the kidneys and check for blockage
Treatment can be very intensive as acute kidney injury is a serious and life-threatening disease. Pets are often hospitalized, and treatment is dependent on the underlying cause of the kidney injury. Your veterinarian will discuss treatment options that are tailored to the specific needs of your best friend.
Prevention
Being a vigilant pet owner is key to the prevention of acute kidney injury. If you notice that your pet has any of the common signs of AKI, contact your veterinarian immediately.
If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets. | http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/acute-renal-failure |
The vestibular system is the part of the body responsible for maintaining balance. Vestibular disease means a problem with the balance system. Balance problems in dogs are relatively common. Head tilt, incoordination, and abnormal eye movements are common clinical signs. Owners may state that their dog has vertigo, is off balance or had a stroke.
There are two parts of the vestibular system: the peripheral vestibular system and the central vestibular system. The peripheral vestibular system is made up of the parts of the vestibular system that are outside of the brain (the inner ear and the nerve). The central vestibular system is the part of the balance system inside the brain (vestibular nuclei and their connections to other parts of the brain and spinal cord).
Could my dog have vestibular disease?
Signs of vestibular disease include head tilt (the head is cocked to one side so that one ear is closer to the ground than the other), a drunken walk characterized by leaning, falling or rolling to the side, abnormal jerking eye movements (called nystagmus) or strange position of the eyes (called strabismus).
There are other reasons that a dog or cat may hold the head funny or walk wobbly, so it’s always best to ask a veterinarian or see a neurologist.
How is Vestibular Disease Diagnosed?
A thorough neurological examination can tell us if your pet is suffering from vestibular disease. There are many causes of vestibular disease. In general, causes of vestibular disease affecting the inner ear (peripheral vestibular system) are less worrisome than causes inside the brain. Our neurologists will perform a thorough neurological examination to help find out if the symptoms are more likely to be coming from the inner ear or the brain.
While both inner ear and brain causes of vestibular disease can cause head tilt, wobbly walking, and abnormal eye movements, there are certain symptoms that make it more likely that the problem is within the brain. Some of the symptoms our neurologists look for that are more suggestive of a brain problem include changes in the level of alertness, dragging of the paws on one side of the body, high-stepping or jerky movements of the limbs and certain other findings.
Causes of peripheral vestibular disease include ear infections, idiopathic geriatric vestibular disease, toxins, hypothyroidism, cancer, and others.
Causes of central vestibular disease include encephalitis, brain tumors, strokes, certain toxicities, and others.
It is very important to determine the cause, as the treatment is different depending on the cause. Also, certain conditions such as ear infections are easier to treat than brain tumors.
What Tests are Needed to Diagnose Vestibular Disease in Dogs and Cats?
In general, there are three main steps to determining the cause of vestibular disease. At Southeast Veterinary Neurology, we take a step-wise approach.
First, a thorough history and general physical examination are performed. A neurological examination may determine if the problem is localized to the peripheral or central vestibular system.
Second, blood tests, X-rays, and sometimes a blood pressure measurement are performed. This does several things. It screens for the general health status of your pet, screens for underlying causes of vestibular disease, screens for cancer or infection in the lungs and helps determine if they are healthy enough to undergo anesthesia.
Third, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis are performed. Typically, an MRI is necessary to determine the cause of vestibular disease. Computed tomography (CT) scans are not sensitive enough to evaluate the central vestibular system.
How Do You Treat Vestibular Disease and What is the Outlook?
Treatment and prognosis can vary widely. Since many different conditions can lead to vestibular disease, the treatment and prognosis depend on coming to an accurate diagnosis. For example, a brain tumor causing vestibular disease is treated differently than a stroke. An ear infection is treated differently than intoxication. This is why a consultation with your veterinarian or a neurologist is recommended if you notice signs of vestibular disease. Many causes of vestibular disease carry an excellent prognosis and/or can be managed with medications.
Why should I bring my dog or cat with suspected Vestibular Disease to Southeast Veterinary Neurology?
Southeast Veterinary Neurology is South Florida’s most experienced and trusted name in veterinary neurology when it comes to vestibular disease in dogs and cats. We are the only team of board-certified neurologists in South Florida.
Additionally, we were the first neurologists in South Florida to use a high-field MRI. Our state-of-the-art hospitals are equipped with the latest technology, most advanced techniques, and a compassionate team of humble experts. Our neurologists have helped over 20,000 patients recover the ability to walk. | https://sevneurology.com/veterinarians/learning-center/vestibular-disease/ |
Uveitis in dogs is a condition where parts of the uvea become inflamed. A dog’s uvea consists of the iris, the choroid, and the ciliary body, all of which are parts of the dog’s eye.
There are many causes of the condition, with some of the most common being viral and parasitic infections, eye tumors, and trauma to the eye area. A dog might show symptoms like squinting, reddening of the eye, or cloudiness of the eye.
If you see signs that your dog might have uveitis, then you must consult your veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and course of treatment. Here’s what you should know about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for uveitis in dogs.
Symptoms Of Uveitis In Dogs
Uveitis can produce a number of symptoms in dogs.
Some of the common symptoms include:
- Cloudy eyes
- Red eyes
- Watery eyes
- Squinting
- Avoiding bright lights
Causes Of Uveitis In Dogs
The cause of uveitis in dogs could be any of a number of things. In many cases, the precise cause is never confirmed.
Some of the most common causes include:
- Viral infections
- Fungal infections
- Bacterial infections
- Trauma to the eye area
- Immune-mediated diseases
- Diabetes
- Eye tumors
Treatments For Uveitis In Dogs
If your veterinarian suspects your dog has uveitis, they’ll carry out a number of tests, including a full physical examination. They’ll measure the intraocular pressure of your dog’s affected eye as part of this testing.
In some cases, vets may carry out further tests, including X-rays, blood tests, and urine tests in order to rule out certain root causes of the condition.
Once the vet confirms the diagnosis, they’ll take steps to deal with the inflammation of the eye. This could involve topical medications and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Depending on the cause of the condition, your vet might recommend various courses of action, including repairing any damage to the eye that might have been caused by a trauma. In some cases, your vet might also suggest that your dog see an eye specialist.
Has your dog ever had uveitis? How did your vet help treat the issue? Tell us all about it in the comments below! | https://dogtime.com/dog-health/89636-uveitis-dogs-symptoms-causes-treatments |
As humans, most of us are familiar with the dangers of pneumonia. The life-threatening disease is so much more than a cough and shortness of breath. Therefore, it is incredibly scary when your precious pup begins developing symptoms of respiratory distress.
In this article, we hope to provide ample information about the disease and ways that pet owners can ensure they are staying on top of their dog’s health and well-being.
What is Pneumonia in Dogs
In the simplest terms, pneumonia is a condition which refers to the inflammation of the lungs. There are three common types of pneumonia in dogs including bacterial pneumonia, aspiration pneumonia, and fungal pneumonia. Moreover, the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis of pneumonia in dogs are dependent on the type that your veterinarian diagnosis.
Pneumonia vs Bronchopneumonia
Two divided parts make up the respiratory system.
The nose, nasal sinuses, throat, and trachea (or windpipe) make up the upper part of the respiratory tract.
The lower part of the respiratory tract is comprised of ‘small airways’ (which include the bronchi and bronchioles) and the alveoli, the small air sacs under the lung tissue where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place.
Technically speaking, bronchopneumonia occurs when there is inflammation in both the lungs as well as the small airways. Pneumonia is simply the inflammation of the lower respiratory tract. However, pneumonia and bronchopneumonia are often used interchangeably.
Types of Pneumonia in Dogs
There are three types of pneumonia in dogs which will dictate the best way to treat the condition once diagnosed. For this reason, it is important for dog owners to be able to recognize the three types of pneumonia, the symptoms, and the causes in order to identify the condition before it gets worse.
Bacterial Pneumonia
Bacterial pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs due to disease-related bacteria. It is characterized by cells and fluid accumulating in the lungs, alveoli, and airways. Bacterial pneumonia is what most people are referring to when they speak about pneumonia in general terms. In dogs, most cases of pneumonia are caused by a bacterial infection.
Bacterial pneumonia in dogs (and people) can become extremely serious, very quickly and it is imperative for pet owners to seek medical help as soon as any clinical signs arise.
What Causes Pneumonia | Bacterial Pneumonia Causes
In the vast majority of cases, inflammation is a response to injury, infection, or irritation of the cells. The most common bacteria that cause bacterial pneumonia are the following:
- Bordetella bronchiseptica
- Streptococcus zooepidemicus
- Pasteurella multocida
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
- E. coli
- Mycoplasma species
Symptoms of Bacterial Pneumonia
Generally speaking, the clinical signs of pneumonia caused by bacteria are typically seen as:
- Coughing
- Fever
- Wheezing
- Lethargy
- Difficulty breathing
- Nasal discharge
- Weight loss
- Easily tired
- Shallow rapid breathing
- Panting
Is Pneumonia Contagious
Bordetella bronchiseptica is highly infectious and can spread quickly to other dogs. Bordetella bronchiseptica typically develops into kennel cough, which is an infection of the bronchi and trachea (windpipe).
However, most of the other bacterium that cause bacterial pneumonia are not nearly as contagious as that of Bordetella bronchiseptica.
How is Canine Pneumonia Spread
Bacterial pneumonia caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica is typically spread when an infected dog contaminates common objects in close quarters of other dogs. For example, water bowls at the dog kennel.
Causes of Aspiration Pneumonia
Additionally, another form of pneumonia that your veterinarian may diagnose in your pup is aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia is also referred to as inhalation pneumonia. It occurs when a dog inhales a liquid or solid foreign substance into the lungs. As a result, the inhalation causes an inflammatory condition thus causing a lung infection.
Studies show that dogs that develop aspiration pneumonia commonly have a medical history of the following:
- Recent anesthesia or sedation
- Vomiting
- An underlying medical condition that biases the dog toward chronic aspiration
- Neurologic issues
Furthermore, experts have found a direct correlation between the following medical conditions and dogs that develop aspiration pneumonia:
- Laryngeal paralysis
- Megaesophagus
- Persistent right aortic arch (seen in puppies)
- Congenital esophagus problems
- Gastrointestinal disease
Additionally, aspiration pneumonia can also directly result from a neuromuscular disorder which causes the dog to have difficulty swallowing.
Aspiration Pneumonia in Brachycephalic Dogs
Dogs with short noses, flat faces, and wide heads are known as brachycephalic breeds. Aspiration pneumonia is incredibly common in these breeds which include dogs such as Bulldogs, Pugs, and Boston Terriers.
Aspiration Pneumonia Symptoms
The common clinical signs of aspiration pneumonia include:
- Decreased appetite or not eating (anorexia)
- Coughing
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Panting
- Stretching of the neck out to breath
- An increased respiratory rate
- Exercise intolerance
- Open mouth breathing
- Wet breathing
- Difficulty breathing
- Blue-colored gums
- Weakness
- Collapse
Causes of Fungal Pneumonia
Fungal pneumonia is caused by a deep fungal lung infection. You may hear your veterinarian refer to the fungal lung infection as a mycotic infection.
Symptoms of Fungal Pneumonia
Typical symptoms of fungal pneumonia include:
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Eye conditions
Pneumonia Diagnosis
If your veterinarian believes that your dog may have pneumonia they will run a series of tests in order to accurately diagnose pneumonia and determine the type and cause.
Complete Blood Count
A CBC (or complete blood count) is a blood test that allows your vet to recognize abnormalities in your dog’s blood. A complete blood count will also allow for the vet to rule out heartworm, lungworm, and other parasitic diseases.
Chest X-Rays (Thoracic radiography)
Chest x-rays will allow the veterinarian to identify changes in the lungs. The chest x-ray will help to diagnose pneumonia but is also helpful in detecting additional heart and lung diseases.
Bronchoscopy
Additionally, it is possible that your veterinarian may recommend a bronchoscopy. In these situations, the dog will have to go under anesthesia in order for the vet to examine the inner surfaces of the airways.
Tracheal Wash
The only definite way to diagnose fungal pneumonia is a transtracheal wash. In these cases, the transtracheal wash is used to gather cells and fluids from the tracheal lining for examination.
Blood Gas Analysis
Additionally, it is possible that your vet may recommend a blood gas analysis. A blood gas analysis measures the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen concentrations in the dog’s blood.
Fluoroscopy
Furthermore, your vet may suggest performign a flurosocopy. A fluoroscopy is an internal, fluorescent video X-ray. The fluoroscopy will be able to determine if the muscles of the esophagus are functioning properly and are able to move food from the mouth to the stomach.
Pneumonia Treatment
Treating canine pneumonia will depend on the type of pneumonia that your veterinarian diagnoses. Regardless of the type, dogs with pneumonia will need able amounts of rest and proper nutrition in order recover from the disease. Furthermore, with each type of pneumonia, a timely diagnosis is imperative.
Bronchial Pneumonia Treatment
Bronchial pneumonia will often be treated with antibiotics. Depending on the severity of bacterial pneumonia and how long it has been developing before a diagnosis is made, intravenous (IV) fluid therapy and/or oxygen therapy may also be necessary.
Additionally, if secondary conditions arise such as anorexia or severe weight loss, hospitalization may be necessary to stabilize the dog while receiving treatment.
Aspiration Pneumonia Treatment
Treating aspiration pneumonia will often involve:
- Oxygen therapy
- Intravenous (IV) catheter access
- IV fluids
- IV antibiotics
- Anti-vomiting medication (such as maropitant)
- Nebulization
- Lung expanders (such as bronchodilators)
Fungal Pneumonia Treatment
Sadly, many dogs and cats are unresponsive to treatment for fungal pneumonia. Likewise, treatment will vary depending on the type of fungus causing the pneumonia but will often consist of heavy antibiotics and fluids to help stabilize the dog while treating them for the disease.
Moreover, treatment for fungal pneumonia can be extremely expensive and be necessary for up to six months or longer.
Pneumonia in Dogs: The Bottom Line
By and large, hearing that your fur baby may have any type of pneumonia can be incredibly scary for dog owners. Luckily, pneumonia can be avoidable and when caught early, has a positive prognosis for most dogs.
With that said, when pneumonia (regardless of whether it is bacterial, aspiration, or fungal) is not caught early, it can be a life-threatening disease. Furthermore, even if your dog survives a progressed stage of pneumonia, permanent, irreversible damage may have already been caused to their internal organs. For these reasons, among others, a timely diagnosis is incredibly important for the well-being of your pup.
Again, by making sure you’re aware of the clinical signs of the disease you can ensure that your pup receives the necessary treatment as soon as possible. | https://simplewag.com/pneumonia-in-dogs/ |
The eyes are an important part of the dog’s health, and they can dramatically affect a Bull Terrier’s quality of life. Many of these dogs are susceptible to various eye conditions, some of which can be painful and even cause blindness. Veterinarians will evaluate the eyes of your pet during each annual exam, and they may suggest treatment if they find any of these problems. Entropion is another common condition, and it can affect any dog breed. In severe cases, the condition may require surgery.
The main health concerns of a Bull Terrier are allergies. These allergies include dust, mold, and pollens. Your dog may also be allergic to various substances, including dust and mildew. As a result, you should keep a close eye on your dog’s diet and avoid feeding them any additives. A daily amount of 15/8 to four-quarter cups of high-quality dog food is recommended, divided into two meals.
If your Bull Terrier is bred for breeding, it is recommended that it be heart tested at a young age. A few breeds have heart murmurs, which will disappear as the dog grows older. However, if you want to have your dog tested for breeding purposes, you should make sure your puppy has a heart murmur when he’s at least a year old. A veterinarian will be able to determine if this condition is present in your Bull Terrier.
The most common health problems for a Bull Terrier include heart and kidney diseases.
These are very common among the breed, but not as common as the diseases that affect most dogs. The heart and kidneys are two of the most important organs in a dog, and they are often the cause of heart problems in Bull Terriers. Your vet will be able to detect these conditions through urine or EKG testing. There are other health issues specific to your dog that you should know about.
The first issue is the cherry eye. If your Bull Terrier has a sore gland, you need to treat it immediately. This is a serious problem and will require surgical treatment. You must visit your veterinarian for any medical attention. The doctor will also perform a BAER test. The veterinarian will examine your dog’s eyes and tell you if your Bull Terrier has any heart defects. If they have any heart problems, you should take your dog to a vet right away.
The second major problem is heart disease. While other breeds are more susceptible to heart problems, Bull Terriers have higher rates of the disease. If you notice a murmur in your Bull Terrier’s heart, you should visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. If you find a murmur in your dog, he or she may be suffering from a heart disease called lymphosarcoma. If this occurs, you should consult a veterinarian immediately.
The second major issue is heart disease. Some breeds have more than one kidney, which is a very common cause of kidney failure.
While this disease is not common in most breeds, it is a potentially serious problem for your Bull. A veterinarian will recommend that your Bull Terrier undergo a complete blood count twice a year to prevent any complications. The results will help you understand what the condition is and how it can affect your dog’s health.
Lethal acrodermatitis, which is a genetic disorder, can be inherited in your Bull Terrier. DNA tests can help identify carriers of this disease. Other blood tests can detect kidney and heart valve problems. Atopy is an allergy condition that can cause itchy skin and ear infections. Atopy is a genetic disease that causes your Bull Terrier to itch. Your dog may not know that it has allergies, but it will try to tell you if you’re a carrier of the disease.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Bull Terriers in their golden years. A weakened heart valve causes blood to leak back around the valve, straining the heart. If this happens, the dog may experience cardiac arrest. If not, the deafness can lead to other problems, such as a limp or a shortened life. A special veterinary diet can help these animals stay healthy and happy. It can improve their quality of life. | https://anythingterrier.com/bull-terrier-health-issues/ |
Overview of Canine Hemoabdomen & Hemoperitoneum: Abdominal Bleeding in Dogs
Hemoperitoneum (also commonly called hemoabdomen) is defined as blood within the peritoneal (abdominal) cavity. Most veterinarians use the term hemoabdomen in dogs. The blood accumulates in the space between the inner lining of the abdominal wall and the internal abdominal organs. Abdominal bleeding can occur in dogs that suffer from traumatic injuries, tumors, and hematomas.
Causes of Abdominal Bleeding in Dogs
- Traumatic injuries – these are most common
- Intra-abdominal tumors or tumors within the abdomen – these can rupture, slowly bleed, or invade into a blood vessel causing blood to enter the abdominal cavity
- Hematomas – these are organized, local collections of blood that can rupture and bleed
- Coagulopathies – these are clotting disorders that can cause bleeding within the abdomen as well as in other sites
Depending on the degree of blood loss, and how rapidly the blood is lost, a hemoperitoneum may be an emergency situation.
What to Watch For
- Weakness
- Collapse
- Abdominal distension
- Subcutaneous (under the skin) bruising
- Increased respiratory effort
- Pale mucus membranes (the best place to check is the gums or inner lining of the lips)
Other signs that might indicate a more chronic (longer term or gradual) blood loss include anorexia, lethargy, intermittent weakness, and weight loss.
Diagnosis of Hemoabdomen & Hemoperitoneum in Dogs
A thorough history and physical exam are critical for a prompt, and accurate diagnosis. Your veterinarian may also recommend:
- Abdominal radiographs (x-rays)
- Abdominocentesis (inserting a needle and syringe into the abdominal cavity) to obtain a sample for diagnostic evaluation
- Fluid analysis of the retrieved sample is required for definitive evaluation
- Complete blood count
Depending on your pet’s condition and initial test results, additional tests that may be required. These may include:
- Biochemical profile
- Coagulation panel
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Treatment of Hemoabdomen & Hemoperitoneum in Dogs
The general approach to treatment varies on the clinical condition of the patient and the cause of the hemoperitoneum. Therapy generally includes:
- Intravenous fluid therapy
- Blood transfusions
- Belly wrap
- Oxygen therapy
- Analgesic therapy (pain medication)
- Vitamin K administration
- Emergency exploratory surgery
Home Care
A hemoperitoneum may be an emergency situation. Veterinary care should be given as soon as possible. Keep your pet calm and comfortable. Minimize stress until you can get to a veterinary hospital. Keep your pet warm. If a traumatic injury is suspected, be careful moving your pet, as fractures may be present.
In-depth Information on Canine Hemoabdomen
A hemoperitoneum is a potential life-threatening situation. The peritoneal or abdominal cavity is a potentially large space that could contain a significant amount of blood. If a large amount of blood is lost into this space, the abdominal wall musculature is stretched and abdominal distension will be noted. Abdominal distension also may cause discomfort and pain, leading to increased agitation and stress. The rapid expansion of the abdomen may also cause pressure on the diaphragm, and thus, a decreased ability to breath comfortably.
Rapid blood loss into the abdomen will also lead to a decrease in blood pressure and tissue perfusion. This may lead to shock. As continued blood is lost, the decrease in circulating red blood cells may lead to acute (sudden) anemia. Pale mucus membranes are commonly observed. If veterinary care is not immediately available, rapid blood loss may lead to death. A slower blood loss is more common and will allow for more time to seek veterinary care.
Chronic (long standing) or intermittent blood loss generally occurs more slowly, and more subtle clinical signs might be present. If the blood loss is slow, the body can reabsorb (auto transfuse) the free blood in the abdomen. Thus, dogs may only have a small amount of blood present in the abdominal cavity. These dogs may not present as an emergency, but they still may have a serious underling disease process. Making the diagnosis of a hemoperitoneum is critical in establishing an underling cause.
If the dog has normal clotting parameters the bleeding into the abdomen will, many times, stop on it’s own. Blood clots form that stop the bleeding. Sometimes, an animal will collapse due to the acute blood loss, and then slowly recover due to clot formation, and the body’s own compensatory mechanisms. These animals will appear pale and weak initially, but with time, slowly become stronger and their mucus membranes will again become pink. Owners may describe intermitted episodes of weakness followed by spontaneous recovery. Blood clots can, however, be dislodged especially with increased movement or manipulations. If blood clots are dislodged, the bleeding may start again. In many cases of hemoperitoneum due to abdominal trauma, the bleeding will stop on its own.
Causes of Bleeding
There are several main causes of a hemoperitoneum. Probably the most common of hemoperitoneum in dogs cause is trauma. A lacerated blood vessel within the abdomen or internal organ trauma may lead to rapid or slow bleeding depending on the amount of organ or tissue damage. Outdoor dogs are at significantly greater risk then indoor animals. Younger dogs are more likely to be injured as well.
In young dogs with a hemoperitoneum and no history of trauma, a coagulopathy (bleeding disorder) should be suspected. In these animals, the bleeding usually does not stop on its own, unless vitamin K and other appropriate therapy is administered.
In older dogs with a hemoperitoneum and no history of trauma, a bleeding tumor within the abdomen is often the cause. Bleeding tumors may cause a rapid blood loss or be chronic, having intermittent smaller bleeding events.
Specific causes of hemoperitoneum include:
- Trauma. The most common traumatic injury causing a hemoperitoneum occurs when a car has hit an animal. Severe abdominal trauma may cause a rapid death if the bleeding is significant. Most of the time, bleeding occurs more slowly and there is time to seek emergency care. The spleen and liver are common internal organs that may be traumatized, and cause a hemoperitoneum. Less commonly, the bladder or kidneys may bleed into the abdomen, but this is generally also associated with an uroabdomen (urine within the peritoneal cavity). The bleeding may be mild or severe, but most of the time will stop without intervention. Other cause of trauma include gun and knife wounds.
- Tumors. Tumors in the abdomen may erode a blood vessel or simply rupture causing an acute bleed. Tumors located on the peritoneal surface of the abdomen, or more commonly associated with abdominal organs, may cause bleeding into the abdomen. The most common tumor to cause intra-abdominal bleeding is a hemangiosarcoma (a tumor of blood vessels). These tumors are aggressive and malignant. They are commonly found on the spleen or liver. Golden retrievers and German shepherd dogs are two breeds at increased risk of getting this tumor. A hemangioma is the benign form, but it is not as commonly seen. Hemangiosarcoma is a very common tumor in dogs.
- Hematomas. Hematomas are formed by broken blood vessels that cause blood to accumulate in a tissue, organ or space. They are a common cause of hemoperitoneum, and usually are associated with the spleen. They may be caused by previous trauma, or more commonly nodular regeneration (excessive production of splenic tissue). Hematomas may be quite large and are indistinguishable from hemangiosarcomas at surgery.
- Coagulopathies. Rodenticide poisoning with products containing anticoagulants is a very common cause of bleeding disorders in animals. The bleeding may be exclusively within the abdomen, or may involve other sites (e.g. under the skin). Products containing the following active ingredients may cause a hemoperitoneum: warfarin, fumarin, chlorophacinone, diphacinone, pindone, bromadiolone, or brodaficoum.
Diagnosis In-depth
The order of diagnostic tests depends on the clinical condition of the pet. In an emergency situation, the pet would be stabilized prior to significant diagnostic procedures. A rapid but thorough veterinary evaluation is critical to prioritizing appropriate diagnostic procedures.
- Abdominal radiographs are a good test to see if fluid is present in the abdominal cavity. Although they are a good initial diagnostic, they cannot discern the type of the fluid type. Abdominal radiographs also may identify mass lesions (tumors or hematomas). Unfortunately, a large volume of fluid in the abdomen will often make the radiographic visualization of masses more difficult.
- Abdominocentesis – A small sample of fluid is withdrawn from the abdominal cavity and the fluid submitted for microscopic analysis. The bloody fluid withdrawn should not clot, since blood in the peritoneal space rapidly becomes defibrinated (loses it’s ability to form a clot). When a hemorrhagic (bloody) fluid is obtained that does clot, it usually means that a blood vessel was inadvertently aspirated. The fluid analysis will show mainly red blood cells with some white blood cells, in quantities similar to peripheral blood. The hematocrit (red blood cell count) should be similar to that of the peripheral blood.
- The complete blood count – The CBC is an important test since it evaluates the red and white blood cell lines. When a hemoperitoneum is suspected, a hematocrit is used to evaluate the degree of blood loss (anemia). The CBC also provides information on if the bleeding was acute or chronic. Red blood cell morphology (shape) changes may suggest that hemangiosarcoma or other malignancy is present.
- The biochemical profile is a useful test to evaluate if any other organ systems are affected. Animals with traumatic injuries (and sometimes, cancer) will often have elevated liver enzymes. Kidney function is also evaluated.
- Full clotting tests are especially important in young animals with no trauma history. If trauma and intra-abdominal (within the abdominal cavity) tumors are ruled out, or if the bleeding is not stopping, a clotting panel is indicated.
- An abdominal ultrasound is used to determine if there is an abdominal tumor or hematoma present. Unlike radiographs, fluid in the abdomen does not inhibit the visualization of masses. An ultrasound- guided biopsy may be considered if a mass is found; however, many times the biopsy is non-diagnostic since some masses are mostly blood. Care must be taken when these masses are biopsied, as they do tend to bleed. Animals with splenic masses have the highest incidence of these potential problems.
- CT or MRI – Rarely a mass may be too small to be visualized on ultrasound. A CT or MRI available at specialty hospitals may identify these difficult to visualize masses.
Treatment In-depth
One or more of the diagnostic tests described above may be recommended by your veterinarian. In the meantime, treatment of the symptoms might be needed, especially if the problem is severe. The following nonspecific (symptomatic) treatments may be applicable to some, but not all pets with hemoperitoneum. These treatments may reduce severity of symptoms or provide relief for your pet. However, nonspecific therapy is not a substitute for treatment of the underlying disease responsible for your pet’s condition.
If possible immediate veterinary care should be sought. A hemoperitoneum may be a life threatening condition requiring immediate intervention.
- Intravenous fluids are given if there is significant or rapid blood loss. Intravenous fluids maintain blood pressure and improve tissue perfusion. With trauma or bleeding abdominal masses, animals are commonly in shock, and may have multiple organ systems affected. Fluid therapy is critical in these patients, and animals often respond to treatment dramatically.
- Blood transfusions may also be required if there is a significant amount of blood loss causing anemia. Blood loss may be only within the abdomen, or be present elsewhere in the body.
- A belly wrap is a pressure bandage placed around an animal’s abdomen. It causes an increased intra-abdominal pressure that will sometimes slow or stop an abdominal bleed.
- Oxygen therapy may be needed in animals that have lost a large volume of blood. It is especially useful early in treatment, while initial fluids or blood products are being administered. Oxygen is administered via oxygen cage, mask or nasal oxygen canula.
- Analgesic medication – Keeping the patient still and calm is very important. If an animal is painful, they will have increased stress and be more likely to re-injure themselves. Bleeding that has previously stopped may start again. Treatment with narcotics or other pain medications helps keep animals more comfortable, and potentially more stable.
- Vitamin K is sometimes given if anticoagulant intoxication is suspected, even prior to getting test results back. The treatment has few side effects and rapid therapy improves prognosis.
- Exploratory surgery – If there is an abdominal mass, an exploratory may be the only way to obtain a diagnosis and treat the condition. If the clotting panel is normal, and abdominal bleeding is continuing, an exploratory might be recommended to stop the bleeding surgically and to discover the cause of the problem. | https://www.petplace.com/article/dogs/pet-health/hemoabdomen-hemoperitoneum-abdominal-bleeding-in-dogs/ |
Blastomycosis is a potentially deadly disease that is caused by a fungus found in damp soil where mold is present. This fungus likes wet or damp areas near swamps and lakes; dogs (and humans) who spend a lot of time in areas such as these are most at risk.
A dog can get blastomycosis simply by inhaling the fungus that is hidden in the soil. The fungus travels to the lungs and can then spread to the rest of the body.
Symptoms
It is important to bring your dog to your veterinarian as quickly as possible if you suspect she has blastomycosis.
Some of the most common signs are:
- Loss of appetite
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Blindness and other eye problems
- Draining skin lesions
Diagnosis
Not every dog that is exposed to this nasty fungus is infected, but those that do become infected need treatment in order to get better. An important aspect in diagnosing this infection is to understand if your pet frequents the type of place that harbors the fungal organism, so providing your veterinarian with a detailed history is important.
Additionally, your veterinarian may recommend running the following tests:
- A skin biopsy (if your dog has skin sores), or a biopsy of other affected tissues/organs, to identify the causative agent
- Urine tests to rule out urinary tract infection and to evaluate the ability of the kidneys to concentrate urine
- Chemistry tests to evaluate kidney, liver, and pancreatic function, as well as sugar levels
- A complete blood count to rule out blood-related conditions
- Electrolyte tests to evaluate hydration status and choose proper fluid supplements, if your pet is dehydrated
- Chest radiographs (x-rays) to evaluate the lungs and heart
Treatment
If your pet has been diagnosed with blastomycosis, your veterinarian will discuss treatment options with you. This may include antifungal medications and other supportive treatment. Some antifungal drugs have the potential to cause kidney and liver damage, so your veterinarian will want to monitor your dog’s chemistry, urinalysis, and other laboratory values during treatment.
Prevention
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine or effective way to remove the fungus that causes blastomycosis. If you spend time in damp areas, keep an eye on your best friend; if she acts sick or you see any signs that may indicate a fungal infection, contact your veterinarian right away.
If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian – they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.
An Overview of Blastomycosis in Dogs From a Vet’s Perspective
Blastomycosis is a fungal infection in dogs that can be life-threatening in some cases. It can also affect humans and other animals. Blastomycosis in dogs is the disease caused by being infected by a fungus called Blastomyces dermatitidis.
What is Blastomyces? It is a dimorphic fungus when it infects dogs, it morphs into a yeast infection at the dog’s warm body temperature and spreads throughout the body, affecting different organs.
Blastomyces is most commonly found in sandy, acidic soil near fresh water such as lakes and streams. It can also be found in decaying plant material and animal waste, common in wooded areas, forests, and farmland. The fungus requires a specific environment to develop and is located in specific pockets rather than being widespread.
The fungus Blastomyces is native to North America and has a wide distribution, such as the USA states Mississippi, Missouri, and Canadian regions such as Saskatchewan, Quebec, and Ontario.
Can Fungal Infections be Prevented?
You won’t find a vaccine or preventative medication that can keep your dog from developing a fungal infection. However, a dog in good health is much less likely to become ill with a systemic fungal infection. The best way to keep your dog healthy is to feed a well-balanced diet, get plenty of exercise and see a veterinarian for regular check-ups.
If you live in an area where certain types of fungal infections are more common, you may wish to keep your dog from digging around in damp soil. Always do your best to prevent your pet from stirring up bird or bat droppings and stay out of areas where there are large quantities of fecal matter.
You may not be able to prevent a fungal infection, but you can be aware of the symptoms and seek medical care without delay if you suspect your dog may be infected. Rapid weight loss, coughing that lasts more than a few days and fever are all symptoms that should be checked by a qualified veterinarian.
What is Fungal Infection ?
Blastomycosis is a fungal infection that occurs predominately in young dogs that live near a body of water, which is where the fungal organism thrives. If left untreated, the infection may spread to the lungs, eyes, and other organs, resulting in blindness, lameness, or death. Antifungal medications may clear out the infection entirely if the organisms are identified early, so the sooner your dog is diagnosed, the better the chance of a full recovery.
Blastomycosis is a serious fungal infection that requires immediate treatment for a better prognosis. This condition is rare and can easily be misdiagnosed, as it shares symptoms with a variety of other canine illnesses. If you suspect your dog has been exposed to Blastomyces dermatitidis, let the veterinarian know and request that your dog be tested for a fungal infection.
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Blastomycosis is diagnosed based on history, symptoms, radiographs, blood tests and identification of the organism under a microscope. The safest and most effective way to treat Blasto is oral administration of the anti-fungal drug Itraconazole. Other drugs may be given if Itraconazole is not effective. Treatment must usually be given for 60-90 days. Prognosis depends on the organs affected, the health of the animal and the severity of the disease when treatment is started.
There is currently no vaccine available to protect against Blastomycosis. It is difficult to determine where the source of most infections comes from and avoidance is almost impossible. Limiting the amount of time a dog spends in the woods, particularly near water sources, may help reduce the incidence of this disease. Blasto can only be acquired from exposure to the Blastomycosis spores either through inhalation or a puncture wound.
Knowing if Blastomycosis occurs in your area, recognizing the symptoms, seeking prompt veterinary attention and following through with the treatment are the best ways to deal with this disease. | https://ie.forstx.org/8020-blastomycosis-in-dogs.html |
Overview of Melena (Bloody Stools) in Dogs
Melena, in dogs, is the presence of digested blood in the feces and makes the stools appear black and tarry. Melena is different from fresh blood in the stool (hematochezia). Melena may represent a severe, life-threatening illness, and should not be ignored. It must especially be addressed if it persists or worsens.
Melena develops when bleeding occurs into the stomach or small intestines. The bleeding must be high in the intestinal tract in order for the blood to be digested and become discolored. Bleeding into the colon or rectum (hematochezia) appears as fresh blood in the stool.
General Causes
- Infectious agents
- Certain drugs
- Cancer
- Foreign bodies in the stomach or intestines
- Infiltrative and inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases
- Ingestion of blood
- Coagulopathies (bleeding disorders)
- Metabolic and other diseases that cause gastrointestinal ulceration
- Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE)
- Perioperative hemorrhage (bleeding associated with surgery on the intestinal tract)
- Gastrointestinal ischemia (lack of blood supply)
- Ingestion of heavy metals (uncommon causes)
What to Watch For
- Dark, almost black stools
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Pale gums
- Other areas of bleeding or bruising on the body
- Weight loss
- Poor appetite
- Excessive drinking or urinating
- Excessive urinating
Diagnosis of Melena in Dogs
A thorough history and physical examination are often helpful in determining if melena is present and in suggesting an underlying cause. To determine the exact cause of melena in dogs, additional tests are usually necessary and include the following:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Biochemical profile
- Urinalysis
- Fecal examination
- Abdominal and chest radiographs (X-rays)
- Serology for certain infectious diseases
- Coagulation profile
- Abdominal ultrasonography
- Upper gastrointestinal barium series
- Endoscopy
Treatment of Melena in Dogs
There are several things your veterinarian might prescribe to treat your dog symptomatically while results of diagnostic tests are pending:
- Individuals with melena may be treated as outpatients if there are minimal systemic signs, especially if there is a known cause that can be removed immediately.
- Dietary recommendations vary depending on the cause; however, a bland diet that is easy to digest may be recommended.
- Avoid all gastrointestinal irritants like corticosteroids, aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Drugs that block the production of stomach acid and coat the stomach may be recommended.
- In severe cases, hospitalization is warranted for intravenous fluid therapy, blood transfusions, and supportive care.
Home Care
Administer any prescribed medications and follow all dietary recommendations as directed by your veterinarian. Observe your dog’s general activity and appetite, and watch closely for the recurrence of melena, and/or presence of blood in any vomitus. Additionally, report any other signs to your veterinarian.
In-depth Information on Melena in Dogs
Melena usually indicates the presence of significant upper gastrointestinal disease, although occasionally other diseases (such as clotting disorders, ingestion of blood, etc.) unrelated to the gastrointestinal tract may present with melena. The classic appearance of melena is black, shiny, sticky, foul-smelling feces with a tarry consistency. Melena may be seen as the only clinical sign, although other systemic signs often accompany it.
Ingestion of blood must be ruled out, including swallowing blood from the oral cavity or respiratory tract, and licking blood from a wound. A careful history and thorough physical examination of these patients is essential. The presence of melena generally warrants hospitalization, extensive diagnostic testing, and supportive care. It is best to determine the underlying cause and treat the specific problem.
Causes of Melena in Dogs
There are many potential causes for melena. The most common causes are usually diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that create ulcerations or cause bleeding into the tract. Ingestion of blood or bleeding from clotting abnormalities can also cause melena. It is important to determine a cause, as specific treatment is necessary to successfully treat patients with melena.
- Infectious disorders such as intestinal parasites, viral, bacterial, and/or fungal infections should be ruled out.
- Intestinal irritation and ulceration may occur with the administration of certain drugs, particularly corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs).
- Gastrointestinal ulcerations or erosions commonly produce melena. Such ulcers may occur following acute gastric dilatation and volvulus (twisting of the stomach), heat stroke, overwhelming body infections, the overproduction of stomach acid, shock, anaphylaxis, and as a side effect of some cancers.
- Gastrointestinal tumors or foreign bodies can cause bleeding and melena.
- Certain metabolic diseases, such as kidney and liver failure, pancreatitis and hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease) can cause bleeding into the intestinal tract.
- Inflammation of the walls of the intestines (inflammatory bowel disease) can be associated with melena.
- Ingested blood should be considered as a cause when bleeding is present in the oral cavity or respiratory tract, or when the animal has been witnessed licking a bleeding wound.
- Coagulopathies (abnormalities in blood clotting) should also be considered, especially if there is evidence of bleeding from other body sites.
- Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) is a syndrome seen in dogs whose cause is unknown. It usually causes acute diarrhea with fresh blood in it, and vomiting, hematemesis (vomiting blood), and melena can also be seen.
- Any time surgery is performed on the upper gastrointestinal tract, bleeding may occur into the tract. Melena can then appear 12-72 hours after surgery. This form of melena should be very transient.
- Gastrointestinal ischemia (lack of blood supply) secondary to shock, volvulus (torsion), intussusception (telescoping of the bowel into itself), or infarction (blockage of circulation to an area) can cause death of the lining of the intestines and bleeding into the intestines with subsequent melena.
- Heavy metal toxicity including arsenic, lead, and zinc are uncommon causes of melena in the dog.
Diagnosis In-depth
Obtaining a complete medical history, and performing a thorough physical examination are necessary in order to create an appropriate diagnostic plan for the patient with melena. An extensive battery of tests is often required to identify or isolate the specific cause, and such tests may include:
- A complete blood count (CBC) to evaluate for the presence of infection, inflammation and anemia associated with some diseases that cause melena
- A biochemical profile to rule out metabolic causes of melena, and to evaluate electrolyte and protein levels
- A urinalysis to evaluate the kidneys, the hydration status of the patient, and the presence of blood in the urine
- Fecal tests for parasites and fecal culture for bacteria
- A coagulation profile and platelet count to assess blood clotting
- Abdominal radiographs (X-rays) to evaluate the abdominal organs and possibly identify foreign material or a tumor
- Chest radiographs to evaluate for the presence of fluid (blood) or metastasis (spread of tumor) in the lungs
Your veterinarian may recommend additional tests to ensure optimal medical care. These are selected on a case-by-case basis:
- Serologic tests for certain infectious diseases that may cause melena
- An ACTH stimulation test to rule out hypoadrenocorticism (Addison’s disease)
- Bile acids tests if liver disease was identified on the biochemistry test
- A blood lead assay if there has been exposure to lead, or if there is material that looks like lead visible on abdominal x-rays
- Abdominal ultrasonography to evaluate the size, shape and texture of abdominal organs and help assess the presence of tumors and foreign bodies
- An upper gastrointestinal (GI) barium (dye) series of x-rays, especially when the above tests fail to reveal the cause of melena
- Upper GI endoscopy, which involves the insertion of a flexible viewing scope into the stomach and upper small intestines
- Exploratory surgery of the abdomen for undiagnosed disease or cases requiring corrective surgery
Therapy In-depth
As the above diagnostic tests are underway, your veterinarian may start symptomatic therapy, especially if the problem is severe. The following nonspecific (symptomatic) treatments may be applicable to some pets with melena. These treatments may reduce the severity of symptoms and provide some relief to your pet. However, nonspecific therapy is not a substitute for definitive treatment of the underlying disease responsible for your pet’s condition.
- Temporarily discontinue all oral liquids and food, especially if the animal is also vomiting. This allows the GI tract to rest and may facilitate healing of the lining of the GI tract. Gradual reintroduction of small amounts of bland food may then be instituted if the clinical signs have subsided.
- Subcutaneous or intravenous fluid and electrolyte therapy may be necessary in some patients with melena to correct dehydration, acid-base, and electrolyte abnormalities.
- Blood transfusions may be indicated in the patient that becomes anemic from the melena.
- Plasma transfusions and vitamin K therapy may be indicated in patients with coagulopathies.
- Drugs that decrease acid production by the stomach such as Tagamet® (cimetidine), Pepcid® (famotidine), Zantac® (ranitidine), and Prilosec® (omeprazole) may expedite the resolution of melena, especially if it is secondary to gastrointestinal ulcers.
- Gastrointestinal protectants and adsorbents (bind harmful substances) may be considered. Protectants that may be tried include sucralfate (Carafate®) and misoprostol (Cytotec®). Protectants containing bismuth should be avoided because they often turn the stools black and can make it difficult to determine whether the melena has resolved.
- In some cases surgical intervention is recommended, especially when a bleeding ulcer, gastrointestinal tumor, foreign body, or malpositioning of the stomach/intestines is diagnosed.
Optimal treatment for your pet requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Follow-up can be critical, especially if your pet does not rapidly improve.
- Administer all prescribed medications exactly as directed. Alert your veterinarian if you are experiencing problems treating your pet.
- Discontinue or avoid any medication or substance that may be irritating to the stomach lining.
- Return to your veterinarian for follow-up testing as directed. Monitoring for anemia, electrolyte problems, and blood clotting ability may be indicated depending on the underlying cause of melena in your pet. | https://www.petplace.com/article/dogs/pet-health/melena-blood-in-stool-in-dogs/ |
Deficiency of Amino Acid Taurine in Dogs
Amino acids are critical to life. With over 20 types of amino acids present in the body, they act as the building blocks for proteins and are essential to the proper functioning of the body. One such amino acid, taurine, is distributed throughout the body with high concentration in certain tissues including heart wall muscles, in the retina of the eye, and brain. The exact function of taurine in these tissues remains elusive even while it is known to be essential.
Essential, or indispensable amino acids are a group of amino acids that cannot be synthesized in the body and are thus required to be taken in through diet. This is a well known nutritional defect that is known to affect the health of cats when they are lacking taurine in their diet, but does not affect dogs in the same way, as dogs are able to synthesize taurine in their bodies. This is why taurine is usually not added to dog foods but is added to cat foods.
However, some dogs may suffer from taurine deficiency in relation to certain diseases and may need to have taurine added to their diets. If dealing with heart disease, the deficiency can leads to enlarged heart size (dilated cardiomyopathy). Certain breeds of dogs appear to be predisposed to taurine deficiency: American cocker spaniels and giant breed dogs like the Newfoundland, amongst others.
Symptoms and Types
There are no symptoms specifically related to taurine deficiency. However, as taurine deficiency causes dilated cardiomyopathy, the symptoms are usually related to this disease.
Causes
- Breed predisposition
- An inherited disease called cystinuria, which leads to formation of stones in the kidneys, ureter and bladder
Diagnosis
You will need to give a thorough history of your dog's health, including a background history of symptoms. After taking a detailed history, your veterinarian will conduct a complete physical examination on your dog. During the physical examination, the attending veterinarian will thoroughly examine your dog's heart.
Routine laboratory tests will include a complete blood count (CBC), biochemistry profile, and urinalysis. The results of these tests are usually found to be normal in these patients unless some other disease or condition is also present.
The urinalysis may reveal abnormal changes in the urine due to a concurrent condition called cystinuria, a disorder of the amino acid transporter which has as a main symptom of stones in the bladder, kidneys or ureter, may also be present. This is more commonly seen in certain breeds, such as Newfoundlands, Scottish terriers, Basenjis, bassets, Chihuahuas, and Australian Shepherds. The stones/crystals may not be passed from the urinary tract, but may cause additional health problems such as pain and blood in the urine and will need to be treated on its own.
If cystinuria is a cause of the taurine deficiency in your dog, your veterinarian will send the blood sample to the laboratory for the evaluation of blood taurine levels, which are often found to be low in dogs affected with cystinuria. If heart disease is also present, chest X-rays, electrocardiogram (ECG), and other diagnostic measures can be used to evaluate and diagnose the severity of the disease. Retinal damage in patients with taurine deficiency is also common. Therefore, your veterinarian will also perform a detailed eye examination to see if any retinal damage has occurred. | https://m.petmd.com/dog/conditions/cardiovascular/c_dg_taurine_deficiency |
Entropion is a common eye problem in dogs and usually is clinically obvious, even in young puppies. However, there are several diagnostic procedures that are used by veterinarians to differentiate entropion from other eye or eyelid disorders, such as distichiasis (the presence of a double row of eyelashes, one or both of which are turned inward against the eyeball, causing friction, irritation and severe, chronic damage to the eye) and trichiasis (where normally placed lashes or facial hair are ingrown, irritating the cornea and conjunctiva).
By definition, entropion is a rolling inward of all or part of an eyelid edge. Diagnosis is not difficult and normally is based simply upon the dog’s breed, history and clinical presentation, without further testing. Of course, the veterinarian still will perform a thorough physical examination of the dog to be sure that the diagnosis of entropion is correct.
In order to distinguish entropion from other conditions, and to help determine the cause of the condition in non-predisposed breeds, the attending veterinarian will perform a complete ophthalmic examination. This involves a Schirmer tear test, application of fluorescein dye, assessment of intraocular pressures and a thorough examination of the physical structure of the eyelids, eyelashes, cornea and conjunctiva. The best way to distinguish entropion from blepharospasm, which is severe squinting and spasms of the muscles around the eye, is to apply anesthetic eye drops. The eyelids of dogs with blepharospasm caused by pain will return to normal, because the anesthetic drops will temporarily relieve eye pain. The eyelids of dogs with entropion will not be corrected by topical anesthetics.
These various eye examinations will be done while the dog is in a relaxed state. Excessive restraint or manipulation of the dog’s head can exaggerate the degree of entropion when it is present. Ophthalmic tests are not particularly invasive and do not require general anesthesia; application of topical anesthetic drops are usually all that is necessary to ensure the dog’s comfort. Depending upon the examination results, the veterinarian may recommend advanced testing and may refer the patient to a veterinary eye specialist.
Special Notes
Routine blood work (a complete blood count [CBC] and a serum chemistry panel), along with a urinalysis (UA), may be suggested as well, as part of a thorough work-up of the dog’s health. However, the results of these tests will not disclose the cause of entropion in any particular dog. | https://anasazivet.com/diagnosing-entropion-in-dogs/ |
Pseudo-pregnancy in Female Cats
A hormonal imbalance is thought to play a central role in the development of a false pregnancy, or pseudopregnancy, in which a non-pregnant female cat shows such symptoms as lactation or nursing without producing kittens. The affected female cat shows these symptoms about a month or two after her estrus (heat) is over. Depending on the severity of problem, the symptoms may last for more than a month.
Symptoms and Types
- Behavioral changes
- Non-pregnant female cat may show symptoms of mothering activity, nesting, and self-nursing
- Restlessness
- Abdominal distention
- Enlargement of mammary glands
- Vomiting
- Depression
- Loss of appetite (anorexia)
- Brownish watery fluid or water secretion from mammary glands
Causes
The exact cause for this condition is unknown. However, hormonal imbalances, especially of progesterone and prolactin, are thought to play an important role in its development. Some female cats have been found to show such abnormal symptoms within three to four days after after an ovariohysterectomy (surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus).
Diagnosis
You will need to give a detailed history of your cat's health, and the onset and nature of the symptoms. Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam to evaluate all body systems, and to evaluate the overall health of your cat. Routine blood tests will include a complete blood count, biochemistry profile and urinalysis, all of which usually reveal normal results, unless an underlying disease is present. And diagnostic imaging such as abdominal X-rays and ultrasound is used to rule out infection of the uterus or normal pregnancy.
Treatment
Unless symptoms persist, treatment is typically unnecessary. Otherwise, your veterinarian may recommend hormonal supplementation or ovariohysterectomy (removal of ovaries and uterus) to prevent further episodes.
Living and Management
To reduce mammary gland secretions, your veterinarian will advise you on using cold or warm packs to minimize the stimulation that promotes lactation. An Elizabethan collar (cone) can also help prevent the self-nursing or licking behavior that can stimulate lactation. In some patients, reducing the daily food intake can help to reduce the production of milk.
For those owners who are not planning to breed their cat, and do not want their female cats to reproduce in the future, ovariohysterectomy is a good solution for the prevention of future false pregnancy episodes. The overall prognosis is good and most cats improve within two to three weeks, even without treatment. | https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/reproductive/c_ct_false_pregnancy |
I am broadly interested in the role of locomotion, posture, growth, and development on the evolution of the hominin head and neck.
For my doctoral dissertation, I am studying integration within and between the head and neck in humans, chimpanzees, and a variety of mammalian bipedal and non-bipedal taxa. Humans display reduced integration within the head relative to other hominoids, and this has been suggested as a characteristic that facilitated change to the brain and masticatory apparatus of hominins generally and of genus Homo specifically. I hypothesize that the massive changes associated with bipedalism and with its adaptation to long-distance, endurance travel resulted in reduced integration within the head and between the head and neck in hominins. The broader goal is to elucidate the mechanisms of evolution of hominin diversity and hominin cranial form, and to understand how restructuring of the bauplan affects subsequent evolution.
This research is supported by the Global Research Initiative, Margaret and Herman Sokol Travel/Research Award and the Antonina S. Ranieri International Scholars Fund at New York University, and by the Wenner-Gren Foundation (Gr. 9110).
I also have a small ongoing project investigating the three-dimensional shape of the second cervical vertebra (the axis) and its relationship to locomotion, posture, and body size. This vertebra is unique in acting as a pivot that allows rotation of the head, and serves as a bridge between the specialized first cervical vertebra (C1/atlas) and more ‘standard’ cervical vertebrae (C3-C7). Preliminary results suggest that most variation in C2 morphology is due to size variation, with humans as a clear outlier.
Peer-reviewed publications
- In review. Villamil CI. Locomotion and basicranial anatomy in primates and marsupials. J Hum Evol.
- In prep. Villamil CI. Integration of the head and neck in hominoids. | https://civillamil.com/research/headneck/ |
What does the C2 nerve control?
C1, C2, and C3 (the first three cervical nerves) help control the head and neck, including movements forward, backward, and to the sides. The C2 dermatome handles sensation for the upper part of the head, and the C3 dermatome covers the side of the face and back of the head.
Can you herniate C2?
Conclusion: C2-C3 disc herniation is rare but may result with severe myelopathy. This kind of herniations tend to be central and large.
What happens when C2 is out of alignment?
If the spinal cord becomes compressed at the C2 level, it can cause pain, tingling, numbness, and/or weakness in the arms or legs, loss of bowel and/or bladder control, and other problems. Severe cases of spinal cord injury at C2 can be fatal because breathing and other critical body functions may be impaired or stop.
What does C2 affect?
The C2 nerves affect sensation at the top and back of the scalp, ear lobes, and front of the neck. They also affect the muscles used for neck flexion (nodding).
What causes C2 misalignment?
A misalignment at C0-C1-C2 can also come from sitting at a desk with poor posture, birth trauma, or falling out of a tree when you are a child. However, the most common way we see large trauma produced is from a concussion from either sports or work related injuries, or a car accident.
How do I get my C2 back in place?
Some common nonsurgical treatments for C1-C2 include:
- Medication.
- Immobilization.
- Physical therapy.
- Chiropractic manipulation.
- Traction refers to stretching and/or realigning the spine to relieve direct nerve pressure and stress on the vertebral levels.
How do you sleep with a C2 fracture?
How to sleep with a cervical collar
- Make sure your mattress offers good support.
- Try to keep your neck in a neutral position, not bent forward, backward, or to the side.
- Don’t sleep in a twisted position.
- Try sleeping on your back with a thin pillow.
- To get out of bed, first roll gently onto your side.
What is C2 known as?
C2 (cervical vertebra): C2 is the symbol for the second cervical vertebra, which is also called the axis. It is so-named because the uppermost cervical vertebra (called the atlas) rotates about the odontoid process of the second cervical vertebra. The joint between the axis and atlas is a pivot type of joint. | https://turningtooneanother.net/2020/11/01/what-does-the-c2-nerve-control/ |
The neck contains many vital structures, including blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatics, as well as organs like the thyroid and parathyroid glands, parts of the airway like the larynx and trachea, and parts of the digestive tract like the pharynx and esophagus. All these structures are protected by the bones, fascia and muscles of the neck.
The skeleton of the neck is formed by the cervical spine, the hyoid bone, the manubrium of the sternum, and the clavicles. All of these structures are prone to injuries, so hopefully learning about them in this video won't be too much of a pain in the neck!
Let's get started! First, let’s look at cervical spine fractures. The cervical spine is the most flexible and mobile part of the vertebral column. But that flexibility comes with a price, making the cervical spine vulnerable to injury. Now, cervical spine fractures can be stable, meaning the spinal cord is at minimal to no risk of injury due to the fracture pattern, or unstable, meaning the spinal cord is at a much greater risk of injury due to the fracture pattern.
Let’s take a look at some important types of cervical fractures. Let’s start from the C1, or atlas, vertebra. These fractures are also called Jefferson or burst fractures. As you might remember, C1 is a ring shaped bone that has paired wedge shaped lateral masses connected by thin anterior and posterior arches and a transverse ligament.
The C1 vertebra sustains the weight of the cranium, kind of like how the God Atlas of Greek mythology bore the weight of the world on his shoulders. Now, because the taller side of the lateral mass is directed laterally, when there are vertical forces that compress the lateral masses between the occipital condyles above, and the C2 or axis below, this compressive force drives the two lateral masses of the C1 vertebrae apart, which can lead to fractures in either the anterior arch, the posterior arch, or both.
A classic example of this is striking the bottom of the pool with the top of your head when diving. If the force is really strong, it could even rupture the transverse ligament. These fractures don’t necessarily cause a spinal cord injury, because the diameter of the vertebral ring actually increases. However, spinal cord injuries could happen if the transverse ligament ruptures, potentially resulting in compression of the spinal cord by the dens of the C2 vertebra, also called the odontoid process.
On a CT-scan, a C1 fracture looks something like this. You can see where the bone has been broken and how the lateral mass shifts laterally. Now, the C2 vertebra, or the axis, can also be fractured. C2 is called the axis because it has a bony protrusion called the dens of the axis that fits within the atlas ring, so this articulation allows rotation of the neck from side to side.
One of the most common injuries to the cervical vertebrae is a fracture of the vertebral arch of the axis. The fracture usually occurs in the bony part formed by the superior articular process and inferior articular processes of the axis, also known as a traumatic spondylolysis of C2. This happens as a result of hyperextension of the head on the neck; so, in the past, this fracture pattern was often seen in people who were executed by hanging. Therefore, it has also been referred to as a ‘hangman’s fracture’.
In more severe injuries, the body of C2 is displaced anteriorly. Regardless of whether there is anterior displacement of the body, injury of the spinal cord can occur, which can cause paralysis in all four limbs and even death. You can recognize a C2 fracture on x-ray in the area of the lamina and pedicles. The dens of the axis can also be fractured, usually because of forced flexion or extension in the anterior posterior plane.
There are three types of dens fractures. Type I is the most uncommon type, and it’s when the fracture occurs above the transverse ligament resulting in a relatively stable fracture. Type II is the most common fracture pattern, and it’s usually located at the base of the dens, where it attaches to C2. These fractures tend to be unstable and can be complicated by nonunion, which is when a fracture won’t heal properly because of poor blood supply, excessive movement at the fracture site, or infection.
Finally, type III fractures occur below type II fractures, at the vertebral body inferior to the base of the dens. These fractures heal faster, because the fragments retain their blood supply. However, they are mechanically unstable as this fracture moves with the occiput as one unit. Dens fractures are best seen on an open mouth radiograph. You can see the bone discontinuation at the base of the dens. It is easier to distinguish on a coronal CT-scan, and a sagittal CT-scan.
Okay, now, if the force causing a C1 or C2 fracture is really strong, for example during a car crash that causes extreme flexion or extension, it can rupture the transverse ligament. This can result in anterior dislocation of the atlas on the axis, or atlantoaxial subluxation. Additionally, if there’s an associated fracture of the dens and preservation of the transverse ligament, the dens dislocates, moving together with the atlas.
Other than trauma, some other conditions can also cause atlantoaxial subluxation. First, there can be pathological softening or loosening of the transverse ligament, leading to an incompetent transverse ligament that’s unable to maintain the position of the atlantoaxial joint. This typically results from connective tissue disorders, like rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and ankylosing spondylitis. Second, there is laxity of the transverse ligament, which is often associated with congenital disorders like Marfan syndrome, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, or Down syndrome. Finally, there can be transverse ligament agenesis, which is when an individual is born without the transverse ligament, and this can also be associated with Down syndrome.
Pathology to the transverse ligament is significant because the spinal cord can become impinged between the posterior arch of the atlas and the dens. Even though most individuals with atlantoaxial subluxation are asymptomatic or just experience mild neck pain, a sudden or large movement may lead to compression and injury of the spinal cord. This can result in sensory loss and paralysis in all four limbs, or even injury to the brainstem leading to death.
Initial management is to place the individual in spinal precautions and immobilize the cervical spine, and depending on the stability of the injury the patient may need a halo which is a rigid structure that is secured to the frontal and parietal skull bones with metal pins, or a cervical spine collar. Stable fractures can be managed conservatively however more severe injury may require surgery.
All right, that was a lot of info! Feel free to pause the video and see if you can recognize these three images and recall the three types of odontoid process fracture.
Okay! Now, remember - the vertebrae are not the only bones of the neck! There’s also the U shaped hyoid bone. The hyoid bone is a mobile bone located in the anterior part of the neck at the level of C3 vertebra, which serves as an attachment for anterior neck muscles and functions to help keep the airway open. | https://www.osmosis.org/learn/Anatomy_clinical_correlates:_Bones,_fascia_and_muscles_of_the_neck?from=/md/organ-systems/musculoskeletal-system/anatomy/back/anatomy |
Flashcards in Back and Vertebral Column Deck (41):
1
How many vertebrae total in an adult?
26 (comes down from 33 after fusion of certain areas)
2
Number of cervical vertebrae?
7 (breakfast at 7)
3
Number of thoracic vertebrae?
12 (lunch at 12)
4
Number of lumbar vertebrae?
5 (dinner at 5)
5
How many sacral vertebrae?
5
6
How many coccygeal vertebrae?
3-4
7
Name the seven common processes on any given vertebra?
1 spinous process
2 transverse processes
4 articular processes (2 superior/2 inferior)
8
The pedicles are found where?
They are found connecting the vertebral arch to the body of the vertebra
9
The lamina are found where?
The lamina connect the spinous process to the transverse processes
10
The spinal cord is housed where?
In the vertebral CANAL formed by the stacking of vertebrae and lining up of their vertebral FORAMEN
11
Name the 2 Atypical Vertebrae
Atlas - C1
Axis - C2
12
Special features of atlas?
Foramen in transverse processes for passage of vertebral arteries
No body and no spinous processes
Lateral masses that articulate with occipital condyles of skull
13
Special features of axis?
Odontoid process = dens
14
C1 and the skull articulate at which joint?
Atlanto-occipital joint (Flexion/Extension = yes)
15
C2 and C1 articulate and which joint?
Atlanto-axial joint (Rotation = no)
16
Cervical vertebrae notable for?
Foramen in transverse processes (passageway for vertebral arteries to the brain)
17
Thoracic vertebra notable for..?
Costal facets - articulations with ribs
18
Lumbar vertebrae are distinguished by?
Massive vertebral body w/ short spinous processes
19
Primary curvatures of the spine occur in which (2) regions?
Thoracic and Sacral/coccygeal = kyphotic = flexed forward
20
Secondary curvatures?
Cervical and Lumbar region - Lordotic
21
Hunchback = excessive forward curvature
Kyphosis (in a sagittal plane)
22
Lateral curvature of the spine
Scoliosis (in a coronal plane)
23
(4) movements of the vertebral column?
Flexion (bend forward), Extension (backwards), Lateral flexion and Rotation
24
Name the (2) types of joints found in the vertebral column?
Intervertebral joints - between the bodies; symphysis
Zygapophyseal joints - between the articular processes; synovial joints = facet joint
25
Describe two components of intervertebral Discs?
Nucleus pulposus (inner jelly) and anulus fibrosus (outer rings)
26
Name the 5 ligaments associated with vertebral column?
Anterior longitudinal ligament - anterior surface of body
Posterior longitudinal ligament - posterior surface of body
Ligamentum flavum - connects lamina of adj. vertebrae
Supraspinous and Interspinous
27
Supraspinous ligament known as what in the cervical region?
Ligamentum nuchae
28
There are 33 vertebrae but how many spinal segments?
31 (8C, 12T, 5L, 5S, 1C)
29
Where does the spinal cord end?
Conus medullaris @ L1-L2 (why you can do a LP at L4-L5)
30
Where do spinal nerves exit from?
Intervertebral foramen
31
Cervical spinal nerves (C1-C7) exit where wrt their corresponding vertebra?
Rostrally (above)
32
All other spinal nerves exit where wrt their corresponding vertebra?
Caudally (below)
33
Disc herniations occur commonly in which portion of the IV disc? | https://www.brainscape.com/flashcards/back-and-vertebral-column-5401623/packs/8135909 |
The atlas is the first cervical vertebra and the part of the spine closest to the skull. For this reason it bears the load of the entire skull. It is also called “nodding” because its structure and the muscles that attach to it enable nodding.
Anatomy
Due to its special position and its special function, the atlas, like the second cervical vertebra (axis), has a different structure than all other vertebral bodies. The atlas forms a functional unit with the axis and consists of a small anterior (ventral) and a large posterior (dorsal) vertebral arch. These vertebral arches each have a small bony attachment, the smaller tubercle anterius and the larger tubercle posterius.
On the inside of the anterior vertebral arch is a small pit, the fovea dentis. This serves as a joint connection to the second cervical vertebra, the dens axis. On each side there is a thickened bony structure, the lateral mass.
These have a concave articular surface at the top (Facies articularis superior), which serves as a joint connection to the occipital bone. Two further articular surfaces, the inferior articular facets, are located on the lower side of the lateral mass. These serve as the connection to the axis.
In the middle there is a large hole, the Foramen vertebrale. This serves the passage of the spinal cord. On each side there is a small bony protrusion, the Processus transversus.
In this there is a small hole, the Foramen transversarium. It leads the arteria vertebralis, which enters the head through the occipital hole (foramen magnum). The various bony protrusions serve as the origin and starting point for the prevertebral musculature and thus enable the head to move.
Joints
The atlas is the central element of the two head joints. On the one hand, it forms the atlantooccipital joint, which is the connection between the skull bone and the cervical spine. This joint enables flexion, extension and lateral movement of the head.
The atlantoaxial joint represents the articulated connection between the first and second cervical vertebrae. It enables the rotation of the head. | https://sanomedica.com/atlas/ |
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