To see the other types of publications on this topic, follow the link: United States. Office of Independent Counsel.
Journal articles on the topic 'United States. Office of Independent Counsel'
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 journal articles for your research on the topic 'United States. Office of Independent Counsel.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse journal articles on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
1
Zangeneh, Parisa. "‘The Gloves Came Off’: Torture and the United States after September 11, 2001." International Human Rights Law Review 2, no. 1 (2013): 82–119. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/22131035-00201003.
Full textAbstract:
This article examines the use of ‘enhanced interrogation techniques’ in the context of international legal obligations under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 1984 (CAT) and the domestic implementation of the international prohibition of torture into United States (US) law under 18 United States Code Sections 2340-2340A. The legal basis for the interrogation programme was a series of contentious legal memoranda written by Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel lawyers.1 This article examines whether the memo drafters ought to be investigated for incurring criminal liability for the consequences of their memoranda, namely under CAT and Sections 2340-2340A and what has unfolded under President Obama’s administration.
2
Mann, Kenneth. "Miscarriage of Justice and the Right to Representation." Israel Law Review 31, no. 1-3 (1997): 612–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0021223700015429.
Full textAbstract:
In modern criminal procedure it is generally held that reliability of results and basic fairness in criminal trials require that a defendant have legal counsel. Prevention of miscarriage of justice is tied closely, in the minds of policy makers and judges, with vigorous representation by competent counsel. As against these presuppositions how should one understand a modern system of criminal procedure, such as that in Israel, that does not have a broad right of representation for suspects or defendants in criminal cases?It is by now axiomatic in England and the United States that nearly all defendants in criminal cases have a right to representation. This right encompasses not just the opportunity to bring one's privately retained counsel to court, but also an irrebuttable claim by indigents to have the counsel's bill paid by the state or other public entity. The right to counsel is a broad right, entailing a principle of equality in which representation by counsel is independent of the defendant's ability to pay. In Israel, in contrast, the right to representation in criminal cases is significantly narrower.
3
Yang, Tseming. "The Emerging Practice of Global Environmental Law." Transnational Environmental Law 1, no. 1 (March 16, 2012): 53–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s2047102511000069.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractSince the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, ecological pressures on our planet have grown more acute. Yet, modern environmental law has also continued to evolve and spread within international as well as among national legal systems. With the paths of international and national environmental law becoming increasingly intertwined over the years, international environmental legal norms and principles are now penetrating deeper into national legal systems, and environmental treaties are increasingly incorporating or referencing national legal norms and practices. The shifting legal landscape is also changing contemporary environmental law practice, creating greater needs for domestic environmental lawyers to be informed by international law and vice versa. This essay describes how domestic environmental law practice is increasingly informed by international legal norms, while the effective practice of international environmental law more and more requires enhanced awareness, and even understanding, of national environmental regulatory and governance systems. It illustrates these trends with the historical role and work of the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of General Counsel.
4
Loescher, Gil. "The UNHCR and World Politics: State Interests vs. Institutional Autonomy." International Migration Review 35, no. 1 (March 2001): 33–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7379.2001.tb00003.x.
Full textAbstract:
This article situates the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) within the context of world politics. States remain the predominant actors in the international political system. But this does not mean that international organizations like the UNHCR are completely without power or influence. Tracing the evolution of the agency over the past half century, this article argues that while the UNHCR has been constrained by states, the notion that it is a passive mechanism with no independent agenda of its own is not borne out by the empirical evidence of the past 50 years. Rather UNHCR policy and practice have been driven both by state interests and by the office acting independently or evolving in ways not expected nor necessarily sanctioned by states.
5
Johnson, Tricia J., Jaymie S. Youngquist, Andy N. Garman, Samuel Hohmann, and Paola R. Cieslak. "Factors influencing medical travel into the United States." International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing 9, no. 2 (June 1, 2015): 118–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijphm-02-2013-0004.
Full textAbstract:
Purpose – This paper aims to evaluate the potential of 24 country-level measures for predicting the number of outbound international medical travelers into the USA, including health and healthcare system, economic, social and diplomatic and travel pattern factors. Medical travel is recognized as a growing global market and is an important subject of inquiry for US academic medical centers, hospitals and policy makers. Few data-driven studies exist to shed light on efficient and effective strategies for attracting international medical travelers. Design/methodology/approach – This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of the 194 member and/or observer countries of the United Nations. Data for medical traveler volume into the USA between 2008 and 2010 were obtained from the USA Department of Commerce, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, Survey of International Air Travelers. Data on country-level factors were collected from publicly available databases, including the United Nations, World Bank and World Health Organization. Linear regression models with a negative binomial distribution and log link function were fit to test the association between each independent variable and the number of inbound medical travelers to the USA. Findings – Seven of the 24 country-level factors were significantly associated with the number of outbound medical travelers to the USA These factors included imports as a per cent of gross domestic product, trade in services as a per cent of gross domestic product, per cent of population living in urban areas, life expectancy, childhood mortality, incidence of tuberculosis and prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus. Practical implications – Results of this model provide evidence for a data-driven approach to strategic outreach and business development for hospitals and policy makers for attracting international patients to the USA for medical care. Originality/value – The model developed in this paper can assist US hospitals in promoting their services to international patients as well as national efforts in identifying “high potential” medical travel markets. Other countries could also adapt this methodology for targeting the international patient market.
6
Braaten, Claire Nolasco, and Daniel Braaten. "Suffer the Little Children to Come: The Legal Rights of Unaccompanied Alien Children under United States Federal Court Jurisprudence." International Journal of Refugee Law 31, no. 1 (March 2019): 55–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ijrl/eez017.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract This article analyses United States (US) federal court jurisprudence to determine the legal rights of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) in various stages of immigration enforcement proceedings. After briefly discussing statistics on UAC in the US, it explains the legal context of US laws governing unaccompanied minors. Through examining 40 cases decided by the 12 US Circuit Courts of Appeals and various federal district courts, the article specifies how these courts interpreted and expanded on the procedural legal rights of UAC upon apprehension by immigration officials, during placement or detention decisions of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), prior to voluntary departure, during asylum proceedings, when rearrested after release, and while released pending immigration proceedings. According to the US federal courts, the government must grant unaccompanied minors procedural due process if it denies their release to the custody of an available and willing legal custodian. Case law examining the rights of UAC prior to voluntary departure emphasizes the need to grant them the opportunity to consult with a responsible adult, including a lawyer from a free legal services list that should be provided to them. Federal courts have also tackled various procedural issues concerning asylum claims filed by UAC. These include the right of third parties to custody of the unaccompanied minor, the minority age at the time of the asylum application, and the right of UAC to request consent for a state juvenile court’s jurisdiction prior to applying for Special Immigrant Juvenile status. In removal proceedings against UAC, federal courts have elaborated on the scope and meaning of the right to counsel and the right to a bond rehearing upon their rearrest because of allegations of gang membership. Finally, federal courts have also examined issues concerning the rights of UAC while detained in ORR facilities and while in US territory. These include the right of an unaccompanied alien child to terminate a pregnancy while in ORR custody and the right not to be subjected to physical and sexual abuse while placed in a detention facility.
7
رشيد, م. د. صدام عبد الستار. "Independent government agencies in Iraq / Integrity Commission a model." مجلة العلوم السياسية, no. 52 (February 20, 2019): 245–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.30907/jj.v0i52.74.
Full textAbstract:
The state did not witness the emergence of independent bodies because of the nature of the ruling regimes that were characterized by political tyranny represented by the king at the time, as is the case with Greece and the Greeks and Persia and the Romans and others. As for the Islamic state, which emerged later, it saw the emergence of what looks like independent bodies that we see today, There was the so-called Diwan Al-Hesba and the Ombudsman's Office as an independent body from the Islamic State, which operated independently to support the oppressed and the equitable distribution of financial resources, even though it was headed by well-known governors of justice and honesty. A state in the modern era, many countries, especially in Europe, have seen the emergence of independent bodies in them and have become models to be emulated in many countries of the world as in France, the United States and Britain.
8
Nishizaki, Sumiyo. "The United Arab Emirates and Japan: Diversifying Bilateral Relationships and Challenges in the Context of Japan’s New Foreign Policy Focus and US-Japan Relation." Comparative Islamic Studies 7, no. 1-2 (September 20, 2012): 269–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1558/cis.v7i1-2.269.
Full textAbstract:
In this article, I analyze the Japan-Middle East-U.S. triangle relationship. Japan’s Middle East policies, the author contends, have been influenced by its energy needs and relationship with the United States. Fully aware of its status as a country with hardly any energy resources, Japan has engaged in energy diplomacy and investment in oil fields in the Middle East. This article describes how, despite pursuing an energy strategy largely independent of the United States, Japan has constantly needed to take into account its relationship with the Americans, and Japan has slowly shifted toward more frequent support for American policy especially after the Gulf War in 1990. At the same time, Japan’s Middle East policies have been influenced by its domestic politics. For example, former Prime Minister Koizumi’s post-September 11 plan to let Japan’s military forces play a more prominent role in the War on Terror was crushed by his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). This article explains that LDP politicians were afraid that supporting the war would undermine Japan’s economic interests in the Muslim world and how the Democratic Party of Japan which took office this September has attempted to pursue a more independent position in its relations with the United States. This article also explores the shifts in Japan’s Middle East policies under the new administration and their implications on US-Japan relations.
9
Fortin-Camacho, Cielo. "Red-Handed Without a Defense." Texas A&M Journal of Property Law 3, no. 2 (March 2016): 91–119. http://dx.doi.org/10.37419/jpl.v3.i2.1.
Full textAbstract:
Lawful marijuana tenants (“LMT”), or tenants who lease property for the purpose of operating a marijuana-related business in compliance with the applicable marijuana provisions of their state, are demanding property and offering big bucks—leaving property owners in a precarious situation. This Article discusses the problem faced by property owners wishing to lease premises to growers, processors, and sellers of marijuana in states that have adopted marijuana provisions and established regulatory frameworks. In these states, marijuana provisions do not alter the respective state’s landlord-tenant statutes, despite the various property-related requirements marijuana businesses must adhere to for licensure to operate. Licensing requirements in states with regulatory frameworks in place have lured marijuana-related businesses from the shadows, leaving property owners unable to meet the requirements of any statutory or common law defense to civil forfeiture. Part II of this Article discusses the history of civil forfeiture, focusing on the origin of the guilty property model and its introduction to America. Part III will introduce modern civil forfeiture statutes, their legislative history, and rationalize the government’s use of civil proceedings over criminal proceedings before explaining the forfeiture process. Part IV briefly narrates marijuana’s long history of legality in the United States before discussing its controlling federal statutes. Part V of this Article reveals the possible consequences of leasing property to marijuana-related businesses; the focus then turns to the unavailability of suitable defenses for real property owners who lease to LMTs. Part VI briefly describes the inadequacies of boilerplate provisions currently in standard lease agreements and suggests respective lease modifications property owners should be prepared to discuss with counsel and negotiate with prospective LMTs. Lastly, this Article concludes by reminding property owners that despite marijuana prohibition’s significant progress over the last few years, it could all be undone when the next president takes office in 2017.
10
Brinks, Jenna, Amy Fowler, Barry A. Franklin, and Jassu Dulai. "Lifestyle Modification in Secondary Prevention." American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 11, no. 2 (July 8, 2016): 137–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1559827616651402.
Full textAbstract:
Despite significant advances in medical technology and pharmacology, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major contributor to health care expenses and the leading cause of death in the United States. Patients with established CVD and their health care providers are challenged with achieving cardiovascular risk reduction to decrease the likelihood of recurrent cardiovascular events. This “secondary prevention” can be achieved, in part, through adherence to prescribed pharmacotherapies that favorably modify major coronary risk factors (ie, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and obesity). However, lifestyle modification can also be helpful in this regard, providing independent and additive benefits to the associated reductions in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, physicians and other health care providers should routinely counsel their coronary patients to engage in structured exercise and increased lifestyle physical activity, consume a heart-healthy diet, quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, and purposefully address psychosocial stressors that may elevate cardiovascular risk. These lifestyle interventions, either as an adjunct to medication therapy or independently in those patients where medications may be poorly tolerated, cost prohibitive, or ineffective, can significantly decrease cardiovascular mortality and the risk of recurrent cardiac events.
11
Smith, Paul Julian. "Screenings." Film Quarterly 73, no. 1 (2019): 64–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/fq.2019.73.1.64.
Full textAbstract:
FQ Columnist Paul Julian Smith explores the latest trends in Mexican cinema, which encompasses such divergent genres as the rom-com and horror. Illustrating the former is the office comedy Mirreyes vs. Godinez (dir. Chava Cartas, 2019), which pits the spoiled offspring of the leisured class against the workers at their family company, a class conflict that predictably resolves through romantic alliances. In stark contrast is Belzebuth (dir. Emilio Portes, 2017), a disturbing film about the Satanic murder of children set in the tense and traumatic territory of Mexico's border with the United States. Finally, Smith looks at two productions—one an independent film, the other a televised sit-com—that use narratives about house shares to explore the theme of national reconciliation.
12
Khalid, Muhammad Munib, Uzma Naz, and Sajida Begum. "‘EMPOWERED IRAN’ IN A COMPLEX REGION (MIDDLE EAST): TEHRAN’S FOREIGN POLICY CHALLENGES AND DIMENSIONS IN THE 21ST CENTURY." Global Political Review V, no. I (March 30, 2020): 234–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.31703/gpr.2020(v-i).26.
Full textAbstract:
Foreign policy is a serious module in the lives, behaviour, of all nation-states. Recently foreign policy study has acquired new dimensions as a result of a paradigm shift in Iranian foreign policy. Iran has moved away from began camp follower of the United States to an independent political actor with its independent foreign policy. Tehran, from a loyal U.S. collaborator, turned out to be a stalwart opponent. In this backdrop, the study investigates the geo-strategic importance of Iran in the Middle East and Asia as a whole. In fact, because of Tehran’s natural resources like natural gas and oil, etc., this region has always been the centre of attraction for major actors. But since Iran has changed her foreign policy roles, from western to Islamic, the region has confronted numerous security issues because of its strong Islamic history. Besides, the data for the study has incorporated from primary source taken from the official website of the foreign office of Iran, and Overall, the study examines why this alteration of the conceptual, political framework in Iran, from nationalism to Islam, has led to assume Iranian foreign policy conferring to Islamic vision.
13
Shafie, Aminath Asfa, and Shamrahayu A. Aziz. "A Comparative Analysis on the Parliament’s Role in the Appointment of Justices to the Supreme Court in the USA and the Maldives." International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Invention 6, no. 2 (February 28, 2019): 5282–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/ijsshi/v6i2.04.
Full textAbstract:
The politics involved in the appointment of Judges to the Supreme Court impacts everyone; the policy making Executive, the lawmaking Legislature and the people who elected the aforementioned two branches of Government. In Maldives, the parliament plays a huge role in the appointment of Justices to the Supreme Court of Maldives. However, the parliamentary procedure in place regarding providing approval to selected candidates to the highest authority in the judiciary of Maldives seems to lack a vital part of any job interview; the assessing of the candidate’s eligibility to take on the responsibilities of the office. Whereas in the United States of America, confirmation hearings are held to not only assess the candidate’s eligibility but also to determine the character of the candidate. The main purpose of this article is to entail the role of the parliament in both jurisdictions in the appointment of Justices to the Supreme Court Therefore, taking a doctrinal approach, this article analyses the constitutional and parliamentary procedures of the United States of America and Maldives regarding the appointment of Justices to the Supreme Court. This article reveals the imperative necessity to reform the constitutional and parliamentary procedures of appointing Justices, to ensure an independent, impartial and effective judiciary in the Maldives.
14
Schoenhoff, Deborah D., Timothy W. Lane, and Charles J. Hansen. "Primary Prevention and Rubella Immunity: Overlooked Issues in the Outpatient Obstetric Setting." Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology 18, no. 09 (September 1997): 633–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/647688.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractObjective:To determine the knowledge of rubella immune status among practicing obstetrician-gynecologists in the United States and of rubella immunity policies covering healthcare workers in the obstetric-care office setting.Design:Mailed survey questionnaire, August through December 1994.Setting:Physicians from multiple-practice sites including private office, public institution, university or teaching hospital, and closed panel health maintenance organization settings.Participants:3,302 practicing obstetrician-gynecologists, chosen by a systematic random sample from the AMA national physician database.Main Outcome Measures:Participants were defined as rubella immune if they reported knowledge of prior rubella vaccination or positive antibody titer. Knowledge of a policy for documenting rubella immunity among employees in the office-based practice setting also was assessed.Results:Questionnaires were returned from 50% (1,666) of the 3,302 surveyed, and 96% (1,599) were evaluable. Approximately 20% (304/1,599) of the responding obstetrician-gynecologists did not have knowledge of documented rubella immunity, and the majority of office-based practices did not require documentation of rubella immunity in the following groups: physicians, 66% (723/1,094); office nurses, 62% (666/1,070); and other office staff, 69% (728/1,063). Sixty-two percent (993/1,599) of responding physicians had individual rubella serologies performed, with 916 known to be positive, 53 reported negative, and 24 reported unknown. Fifty-seven percent (918/1,599) reported receiving monovalent rubella vaccine or trivalent measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed the following to be independent predictors of positive immune status among respondents: female gender (odds ratio [OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 1.8-3.1), medical school graduation since 1980 (OR, 2.6; CI95, 2.0-3.3), providing obstetric or fertility services (OR, 1.5; CI95, 1.2-1.9), and group practice setting ≥5 physicians; OR, 1.2; CI95, 1.1-14).Conclusions:Nationally, nearly one of every five practicing obstetricians may not have documented rubella immunity, and the majority of office-based practices have no system for assuring such immunity. Rubella immunity should extend beyond the hospital setting, with consideration for requiring rubella immunity as a condition for employment. Methods for effective implementation and documentation of current guidelines need to be addressed, particularly in the office setting.
15
Wiley, William H. "THE CASE OF TAHA YASEEN RAMADAN BEFORE THE IRAQI HIGH TRIBUNAL: AN INSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE." Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law 9 (December 2006): 181–243. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1389135906001814.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractTaha Yaseen Ramadan was a long-time ally of Saddam Hussein and Vice-President of Iraq at the time of the United States-led invasion in 2003; he was captured by American forces in 2004 and, in 2005-2006, tried before the Iraqi High Tribunal (IHT), alongside Saddam Hussein. The Trial Chamber hearing the case found Taha Yaseen guilty of,inter alia, the crime against humanity of wilful killing; he was handed a sentence of life imprisonment in November 2006. This sentence was appealed by the IHT Prosecutor; the IHT Appellate Chamber responded several days later with an order that the Trial Chamber award Taha Yaseen a capital sentence. The process of re-sentencing, which ultimately led to the execution of Taha Yaseen in March 2007, was, like many other key phases of the trial of Saddam Hussein and Taha Yaseen, undermined by Iraqi political interference emanating, in the main, from the office of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The fairness of the proceedings against Taha Yaseen and his co-accused was further undermined throughout by the near total ignorance of the those involved in the case (i.e., the Iraqi Judges, Prosecutors and Defence counsel) of the substantive law that they were meant to be applying, in particular, International Criminal Law, which had been received into Iraqi law almostverbatimin 2004 from the Statute of the International Criminal Court. This combination of professional ignorance and political interference gave rise to a travesty of justice that cannot be reversed, that is, the execution of a man who was manifestly not guilty of the crime for which he was hanged.
16
HALL, CHRISTOPHER KEITH. "The Powers and Role of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in the Global Fight against Impunity." Leiden Journal of International Law 17, no. 1 (March 2004): 121–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0922156504001633.
Full textAbstract:
On 16 June 2003, the first Prosecutor of the newly established International Criminal Court (Court), Luis Moreno Ocampo, was inaugurated. He faces enormous challenges ahead in the short term, including the need to increase the number of states ratifying and implementing the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and to demonstrate that criticisms of the Court and his powers made by the current administration of the United States of America in the course of its campaign to undermine the Court are unwarranted. This article describes the background to the establishment of a permanent independent Prosecutor within the Court, able to open, subject to extensive statutory and judicial constraints, investigations on the Prosecutor's own initiative. It then describes the statutory provisions establishing the post and defining the powers and duties of the Prosecutor. The article concludes with a discussion of the imaginative way in which he is setting up the Office of the Prosecutor and his innovative overall strategy as a leader in the global fight against impunity. As the Prosecutor demonstrates his independence, impartiality, fairness, and effectiveness in conducting trials, and his ability to inspire states to fulfil their obligations to complement his efforts by investigating and prosecuting these crimes themselves, the long-term prospects for the Court will become increasingly promising.
17
MALIUTA, Olha. "WESTERN UKRAINIAN PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC: FOREIGN AND ECONOMIC BASIS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF UKRAINIAN STATEHOOD." Contemporary era 6 (2018): 119–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.33402/nd.2018-6-119-142.
Full textAbstract:
In the scientific article based on a comparative study, it was traced how the economic potential of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic, which was to become the basis of Ukrainian Statehood, was distributed and used in geopolitics by the world leaders. The main purpose of the study is to analyze the development and use of the economic potential of the Western Ukrainian lands to ensure the independence and unity of the Ukrainian state. The natural resources of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic did not contribute to the establishment of a united and independent Ukraine. Instead, they became statistics and grounds for the reasoning of independence of the Western Ukrainian lands in diplomatic documents at the Paris Peace Conference. The Unification Act between the Ukrainian People's Republic and the Western Ukrainian People's Republic did not become the basis for the final unification of two parts of Ukraine. Events of the Ukrainian-Polish war, the decision of Council of Ten at the Paris Peace Conference, Warsaw Treaty assisted intruding and claim of Polish power in East Galicia. Since it was to proceed in the dictator of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic Yevhen Petrushevych regardless of Western Ukrainian People's Republic, a diplomatic action, it is created 14 emergency diplomatic representations and legations, in separate countries strategic interests of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic presented the financially-trade representative offices of Western Ukrainian People's Republic. Fight of government Western Ukrainian People's Republic in exile and President of Ukrainian National Advice Yevhen Petrushevych during 1919 - 1924 were sent to proceeding in the independence of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic. The effort of that time building the Ukrainian state system in different parts of Ukraine became a headstone for the revival of the newest Ukrainian state. Western Ukrainian People's Republic's natural resources were attractive in world geopolitics. The economic potential of Galicia allowed bringing ratings at the foreign market. That is why an international association interest was folded by resources, but not unity and independence of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic. Including of Western Region to the Ukrainian People's Republic, which had considerable potential too, was pre-condition to the prosperity of the well-educated state. Fight for a claim of the own state system for the Western Ukrainian People's Republic (Western Region of Ukrainian People's Republic) quickly grew into a fight for survival. Statesmen of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic often were inconsistent in the decision of the "Galician question," and they were connected by a general fight for proceeding in the independence of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic. The diplomatic representations of the Ukrainian People's Republic and the Western Ukrainian People's Republic organized powerful activity for the maintenance of Ukrainian collegiality and independent status, though the international state of affairs was not on a benefit to the young state. The current Ukrainian collegiality and statehood have the durable historical tradition stopped up previous building the states, payment of every fighter for the Ukrainian statehood provided its revival and continued the persistence in the development of the newest Ukrainian state. Keywords legation, diplomatic representation, economic potential, natural resources, Western Ukrainian People’s Republic, Ukrainian statehood.
18
Robertson, D. Osei. "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: The Persistent Complexities of Race and Politics in the US." Review of Politics 73, no. 2 (2011): 305–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0034670511003408.
Full textAbstract:
Although the United States has elected an African American president, since that election there have been numerous indicators that racism remains a persistent, and complex, issue in America. Shortly after President Obama took office, for example, renowned Harvard University professor Henry “Skip” Gates was arrested for being uncooperative with the responding officer when police mistook him for a burglar at his own home. This incident served as a small reminder of the resilient nature of racism in the United States. More importantly, there has been an increase in the number of hate groups since 2008, and the proposed plans for an Islamic cultural center near the site of the former World Trade Center have initiated a wave of anti-Islamic sentiment. Despite the hope that Barack Obama would usher in a new era in race relations, it seems as though his election has brought to the surface tensions that some people assumed had disappeared. Among scholars of black politics, race serves as the central construct. In some cases, race serves as a lens through which other variables such as class and gender are filtered. In other cases, race serves as the key independent variable explaining a number of factors that influence the lives of blacks. Each of the texts reviewed in this essay examines issues of race to varying degrees, and each one reveals the complex nature and long-lasting impact of race on American society.
19
Connolly, EdD, Maureen. "Aligning Institutions of Higher Education emergency preparedness plans with the National Response Framework." Journal of Emergency Management 10, no. 4 (July 1, 2012): 241. http://dx.doi.org/10.5055/jem.2012.0102.
Full textAbstract:
Colleges and universities must be prepared to respond to events that could compromise the safety of any person in a classroom, residence hall, office, or any other campus facility as well as for any event that could jeopardize the continuation of use of any campus facility. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) states, “Higher education institutions ... are realizing that improving their campus’ resistance to disaster will not only protect their own lives and those of their students, it will also safeguard their campus’ instruction, research, and public service.” The US Department of Homeland Security, FEMA developed the overarching strategy, the National Response Framework (NRF), for emergency preparedness for “government executives, private-sector and nongovernmental organization leaders.” FEMA and the Department of Education (DOE) developed specific guidelines for emergency preparedness for colleges and universities. This study linked these guidelines to the five principles of the NRF. Most institutions have an emergency preparedness plan, but just how effective are these plans? Do community colleges, state, independent, and proprietary institutions differ in terms of their level of emergency preparedness? The target population for this study is colleges and universities in the United States. This quantitative study measured how aligned the emergency preparedness plans of these colleges and universities are to the recommendations of FEMA and the US DOE, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. The data suggest that much more needs to be done to bring college and university emergency plans into alignment with the government recommendations. Alignment with the government documents for this sample of US colleges and universities is extremely low for each principle of the NRF.
20
Goss, Thomas F., Agota Szende, Jane Brueckner, Michael Wang, Caroline Schaefer, and Alan F. List. "Cost-Effectiveness of Lenalidomide in the Treatment of Patients with Transfusion-Dependent Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) in the United States." Blood 106, no. 11 (November 16, 2005): 1338. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood.v106.11.1338.1338.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Background: Effective treatment for patients with low- or intermediate-1 (IPSS) risk MDS with transfusion-dependent anemia is limited, forcing reliance upon red blood cell (RBC) transfusions and chelation therapy with attendant complications and adverse impact on quality of life (QOL) and health care costs. Lenalidomide is a new immunomodulatory drug, which received fast track designation from the FDA for the treatment of transfusion-dependent MDS associated with chromosome 5q31 deletion. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of lenalidomide therapy for transfusion-dependent patients with MDS. Methods: A comprehensive decision analytic model was developed to evaluate and compare the costs and health benefits of lenalidomide with best supportive care (BSC) versus BSC with blood transfusions only over a 1-year period. Data on efficacy and blood transfusion requirements before and after the administration of lenalidomide were estimated from a phase II clinical trial (MDS-003). Health outcome measure used was rate and duration of response as manifested in transfusion-independent time gained, which is associated with important clinical and QOL benefits. The model incorporated direct medical costs related to medication, transfusions (blood components, iron chelation therapy, laboratory procedures, administration of transfusions), diagnostic tests, office visits and other medical resource use. Unit costs were taken from Medicare fee schedules that are standardized and closely reflect provider costs across the US. All costs were expressed in 2005 US dollars. Results: Major and minor response was observed in 66% and 9% of patients treated with lenalidomide. Time to response was 4.1 weeks. The median duration of response was reached beyond one year (78 weeks). After excluding assessments beyond the 1-year timeframe of the model, the mean duration of transfusion independence among responders was 41.8 weeks. Previous QOL studies in MDS suggest that transfusion-independence is associated with 33% better QOL as measured by the QOL-E. In the first year, an average of 56 % reduction in RBC transfusion requirements was also observed in the lenalidomide group compared to BSC. The costs of lenalidomide therapy were largely offset by savings in blood transfusion costs. Multi-way sensitivity analyses on model parameter estimates showed that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of lenalidomide versus BSC is between $1,137 and $9,076 per transfusion-independent year gained. Based on a range of assumptions on QOL associated with living in transfusion independence versus transfusion-dependency, this translates into an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio between $3,240 to $38,799 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained, well within usual acceptable ranges of cost-effectiveness for new technologies. Conclusions: These results suggest that, through its oral drug administration, reduced transfusion requirements, and increased efficacy, lenalidomide is a cost-effective treatment option in transfusion-dependent MDS associated with chromosome 5q31 deletion in the US. Further research is warranted to confirm these results as longer-term comparative data on efficacy, QOL, and medical resource utilization become available from currently ongoing phase III randomized trials.
21
Sekeres, Mikkael A., Hagop Kantarjian, Alan List, Marieke Schoonen, Jon Fryzek, Ronald Paquette, and Jaroslaw P. Maciejewski. "Characteristics of Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) in the United States from 4528 Physician Surveys." Blood 110, no. 11 (November 16, 2007): 2462. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood.v110.11.2462.2462.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract The estimated incidence of MDS in the United States is 3.6 per 100,000 people, or approximately 10,000 new cases per year. Few published studies about the characteristics of incident and prevalent cases exist. This study analyzes MDS patient (pt) demographics, classification, cytopenias, and treatment options as reported in surveys of AMA-listed hematology and/or medical oncology specialists. Physicians completed 6 distinct surveys on their 4 to 10 most recently seen MDS pts. Surveys were collected in June and Oct 2005; Jan, Apr, and Sept 2006; and Jan 2007. Data included information about demographics, disease information, hematologic status, transfusion dependency, and type and rationale for treatment given. Results are presented as minimum and maximum percentages observed across surveys. Per survey, 100 specialists were contacted; 77 to 97 physicians per survey returned information for at least one MDS pt, resulting in a total of 4528 pt surveys (621 to 827 per survey). Most (67–76%) had office-based practices; others were university, community, or VA hospital-based. Across surveys, 51-57% of pts were male. The median age was 72-74 years, with no marked difference between males and females. Median duration of MDS at the time of survey was 26-36 months. Secondary MDS was seen in 8-13% of pts, most following chemo (64-81%) or radiation therapy (10-22%). Lower-risk MDS was more common in follow-up (prevalent) MDS pts than in newly-diagnosed (incident) pts (Table). Cytogenetics were available on approximately 90% of all pts, with 68-71% classified (per IPSS) as low risk, 14-21% intermediate, and 11-16% poor. The most commonly reported abnormality was 5q- (7-9% of primary MDS cases). Platelet data were collected in the final 2 surveys: 37-42% of pts had counts <100,000mm3, and 15-18% <50,000mm3; the median transfusion trigger value was 15,000mm3. Low/Int-1 MDS pts were less dependent than Int-2/High-risk pts on both red blood cell transfusions (17–29% vs 52–67%) and platelet transfusions (3–10% vs 21–34%). Erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs, such as erythropoietin or darbepoetin) were used by the majority of pts (68–74%), independent of IPSS risk. Most incident pts (57–65%) received supportive care with ESAs, and there was a trend towards increased use of non-ESA therapy over time (28% in 2005 to 40% in 2007). Among all pts, lenalidomide use was similar for Low/Int-1 vs Int-2/High-risk pts (0–12% vs 0–12%), as was use of azacitidine (41–53% vs 41–57%) and decitabine (12–60% vs 0-80%). Only a minority of MDS pts (1.5–4.2%) either had or were being considered for bone marrow transplantation. The proportion of MDS pts in clinical trials was also low (0.7–3.7%), and 14–18% of pts were categorized as watch and wait. In conclusion, the majority of MDS pts have lower-risk disease, and few have secondary MDS. Transfusion needs were greater, but ESA use similar, in higher-risk MDS compared to lower-risk pts. Transplantation, and clinical trial involvement, continues to be an option for only a minority of MDS pts. Figure Figure
22
Sivalal, Sadasivan. "History of health technology assessment: A commentary." International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care 25, S1 (July 2009): 285–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266462309090771.
Full textAbstract:
I have long felt the need for documentation on the global development—I could probably pin it to the moment I was visiting health technology assessment (HTA) institutions in the United States in 1995, and was looking forward to a trip to the Office of Technology Assessment, only to be told it had just been shut. Instead, I visited the Office of Health Technology Assessment in Washington. In addition, I have observed that some regular attendees of annual meetings of International Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care (ISTAHC) and then Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi), have been slowly dropping out, so that a lot of the history as well as their valuable experiences and expertise have been lost. To be fair, studies have been written about specific HTA institutions, programs, countries, and even regions. Attempts have also been made to chart the history of HTA, but these have, however, fizzled out. Why is this important? Going back to my personal experience, when I first set out to establish HTA in Malaysia, I was plagued with several questions—apart from the obvious one about what HTA really meant, there were others like what organization structure should it have, what should be the work process, how could HTA be used, to name a few. I needed to know what the options were, for example, in coming up with an organizational structure, and to understand these options I would need to look at organizational models in other countries—should it be a national office with regional offices like the Canadian model, or a fully public agency but not within the department of health, like the Swedish model, or an almost independent agency like the Catalan agency in Barcelona. In the absence of a detailed account with the information I sought, I actually had to physically visit various agencies to study their organizational structure, work process, and application, to hear of the challenges they faced, and to learn from their experiences of what could work and what may not.
23
Newman, James, James Chan, Z. Paul Lorenc, Braden C. Stridde, and David James Russell. "Multicenter Efficacy Trial of a Percutaneous Radiofrequency System for the Reduction of Glabellar Lines." Aesthetic Surgery Journal 40, no. 6 (June 10, 2019): 650–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjz172.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Background Bipolar percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) is an established method for ablation of distal peripheral branches of the facial nerve to produce weakness of the corrugator muscle. Recent developments to the Serene RF system (Serene Medical, Inc., Pleasanton, CA) allowing for safer and more predictable results highlighted a need for prospective clinical data. Objectives The authors sought to assess the ability of percutaneous RF to safely improve the appearance of dynamic glabellar lines for a minimum of 3 months and up to 1 year. Methods This prospective study enrolled 78 patients across 5 centers in the United States. The most distal branches of the medial and lateral facial nerve innervation to the brow depressor/corrugator complex were treated. Follow-up was at 3 days by telephone and in-office at 7 days and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months posttreatment. Patients were evaluated employing the Merz scale for dynamic glabellar lines. Results At 3 months, 93.6% of patients had a ≥1-point Merz scale improvement in dynamic glabellar lines based on independent, blinded review. Sustained ≥2-point improvement was present in 60% and 20% of patients at 3 and 12 months, respectively. Overall satisfaction remained >60% through 6 months and >50% at 12 months. All device- or procedure-related adverse events were mild (90%) or moderate (10%) and resolved without medical intervention. Conclusions Bipolar percutaneous RF may be adopted in conjunction with surgery or as an office-based procedure where it can serve as a minimally invasive alternative to, or in concert with, Botulinum Toxin A therapy. Level of Evidence: 4
24
Rosso, Matthew T., and Akshay Sharma. "Willingness of Adults in the United States to Receive HIV Testing in Dental Care Settings: Cross-Sectional Web-Based Study." JMIR Public Health and Surveillance 6, no. 3 (July 21, 2020): e17677. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/17677.
Full textAbstract:
Background The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV and 1 in 8 are estimated to be unaware of their serostatus. Little is known about whether individuals would consider being tested for HIV in nontraditional health care settings such as a dentist’s office. Studies in selected US cities have indicated high acceptability of receiving an HIV test among people attending dental clinics. However, we are not aware of studies that have assessed willingness to receive HIV testing in dental care settings at a national level. Objective Using a web-based sample of adult residents of the United States, we sought to assess the self-reported willingness to receive any type of HIV testing (ie, oral fluid rapid testing, finger-stick blood rapid testing, or venipuncture blood testing) in a dental care setting and evaluate independent associations of willingness with the extent to which dental care providers were perceived as knowledgeable about HIV and how comfortable participants felt discussing HIV with their dental care providers. Methods Participants were recruited using banner advertisements featured on social networking platforms (Facebook and Instagram) from December 2018 to February 2019. Demographic and behavioral data including information on sexual behaviors in the past 6 months, HIV testing history, and dental/health care–seeking history were collected using an anonymous web-based survey. Willingness to receive any type of HIV testing in a dental care setting was assessed on 4-point scale from very willing to very unwilling. Factors independently associated with participants’ willingness were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results Of the 421 participants in our study aged 18 to 73 years, 271 (64.4%) reported having oral sex, 197 (46.8%) reported having vaginal sex, and 136 (32.3%) reported having anal sex in the past 6 months. Approximately one-third had never been tested for HIV (137/421, 32.5%), and the same proportion had not been tested in the past year (137/421, 32.5%). Most participants had dental insurance coverage (356/421, 84.6%), and more than three-fourths reported being very or somewhat willing (326/421, 77.4%) to receive any type of HIV testing in a dental care setting. Higher levels of willingness were associated with being 18 to 24 years versus ≥35 years (aOR 3.22, 95% CI 1.48-6.98), 25 to 34 years versus ≥35 years (aOR 5.26, 95% CI 2.52-10.98), believing that one’s dental care provider is knowledgeable about HIV (aOR 2.04, 95% CI 1.06-3.92), and feeling comfortable discussing HIV with one’s dental care provider (aOR 9.84, 95% CI 3.99-24.27). Conclusions Our data indicate high acceptability of receiving HIV testing in a dental care setting, especially among those who report having a positive patient-provider relationship. Future research should focus on assessing dental care providers’ attitudes, self-efficacy, and beliefs about whether HIV testing fits into the scope of dentistry.
25
Zhang, Jian, Kenneth Howard, Carrie Langston, Steve Vasiloff, Brian Kaney, Ami Arthur, Suzanne Van Cooten, et al. "National Mosaic and Multi-Sensor QPE (NMQ) System: Description, Results, and Future Plans." Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 92, no. 10 (October 1, 2011): 1321–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/2011bams-d-11-00047.1.
Full textAbstract:
The National Mosaic and Multi-sensor QPE (Quantitative Precipitation Estimation), or “NMQ”, system was initially developed from a joint initiative between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Severe Storms Laboratory, the Federal Aviation Administration's Aviation Weather Research Program, and the Salt River Project. Further development has continued with additional support from the National Weather Service (NWS) Office of Hydrologic Development, the NWS Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services, and the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan. The objectives of NMQ research and development (R&D) are 1) to develop a hydrometeorological platform for assimilating different observational networks toward creating high spatial and temporal resolution multisensor QPEs for f lood warnings and water resource management and 2) to develop a seamless high-resolution national 3D grid of radar reflectivity for severe weather detection, data assimilation, numerical weather prediction model verification, and aviation product development. Through about ten years of R&D, a real-time NMQ system has been implemented (http://nmq.ou.edu). Since June 2006, the system has been generating high-resolution 3D reflectivity mosaic grids (31 vertical levels) and a suite of severe weather and QPE products in real-time for the conterminous United States at a 1-km horizontal resolution and 2.5 minute update cycle. The experimental products are provided in real-time to end users ranging from government agencies, universities, research institutes, and the private sector and have been utilized in various meteorological, aviation, and hydrological applications. Further, a number of operational QPE products generated from different sensors (radar, gauge, satellite) and by human experts are ingested in the NMQ system and the experimental products are evaluated against the operational products as well as independent gauge observations in real time. The NMQ is a fully automated system. It facilitates systematic evaluations and advances of hydrometeorological sciences and technologies in a real-time environment and serves as a test bed for rapid science-to-operation infusions. This paper describes scientific components of the NMQ system and presents initial evaluation results and future development plans of the system.
26
Fric-Shamji, E., and M. Shamji. "13. The impact of government regulation of ambulatory surgical facilities on access to elective surgical procedures." Clinical & Investigative Medicine 30, no. 4 (August 1, 2007): 34. http://dx.doi.org/10.25011/cim.v30i4.2773.
Full textAbstract:
Advances in medical technology have made free-standing ambulatory surgery centres a cost-effective method of delivering health care in the United States. One: Rapid expansion of such centres and duplication of services have raised concerns over rising health care costs, two: leading to government regulation of facilities via a Certificate of Need (CON) law in many states. Three: Such regulation may decrease access to elective procedures.
This study investigates access to elective surgical procedures in selected states with and without CON laws. Results of the Health Care Utilization Project were analyzed. Per capita rates of elective carpal tunnel release (CTR) and lumbar discectomy were evaluated in 16 states with CON laws and 5 states without CON laws over the years 2004-2005. Distribution of CTR and lumbar discectomy were analyzed by facility ownership and teaching status, using rates of emergent procedures as a control. Student’s t-tests compared rates of CTR and discectomy as a function of CON legislation. Two-factor ANOVA extended this analysis to account for teaching environment and facility ownership.
Fewer CTR cases were performed in states with CON laws (p=0.014), specifically in government-owned (p=0.012) and non-teaching facilities (p=0.01). No difference was observed in lumbar discectomy rates in states with respect to CON regulation. Distribution of both procedures among teaching and non-teaching centers was independent of CON laws. Facility ownership predicts fraction of these cases performed at an institution,(p < 0.01) and this distribution is influenced by CON regulation, increasing fractions of both types of procedures performed at private, not-for-profit centers (p=0.001, p=0.003 respectively).
We conclude that CON laws restrict access to certain procedures, specifically in government-owned and non-teaching facilities. These laws may limit the supply of surgical care, notably by redistributing away from government and for-profit centres. Potential solutions include reinvestigating the need for CON laws, or examining the CON methodology to accurately reflect need.
Small NC, Bert JM. Office Ambulatory Surgery Centers: Creation and Management. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2003; 11:157-62.
Casalino LP, Devers KJ, Brewster LR. Focused Factories? Physician-Owned Specialty Facilities. Health Affairs 22(6):56-67.
Lanning JA, Morrisey MA, Ohsfeldt RL. “Endogenous hospital regulation and it’s effects on hospital and non-hospital expenditures” Journal of Regulatory Economics1991 (June); 3(2):137-54.
27
Carrigan, Martin D. "The Supreme Courts Decision On The Affordable Care Act: Abrogating Article III Of The Constitution." Journal of Business Case Studies (JBCS) 9, no. 1 (December 26, 2012): 79–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.19030/jbcs.v9i1.7548.
Full textAbstract:
In National Federation of Independent Business v. Katherine Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Case No. 11393, the Supreme Court of the United States affirmed most of the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA). In holding the ACA as valid (constitutional), Chief Justice Roberts reasoned that the taxing power in the U.S. Constitution was the reason that the law was enforceable. Although a strong dissent on such reasoning was written by four other Justices, Roberts also wrote that laws are entrusted to our nations elected leaders, who can be thrown out of office if the people disagree with them. [1]Roberts also wrote that the Commerce Clause in the U.S. Constitution did not give Congress authority to pass the ACA. Moreover, Congress could not impose unfunded mandates on the States to expand Medicaid. In so writing, Roberts disposed of the chief arguments of those in favor of the law and provided a bone to those who opposed it. But, by then holding that Congress taxing power was sufficient to uphold the law, Roberts ignored the Federal Anti-Injunction statute and called into question the ability of the Supreme Court to hold a law passed by Congress entirely unconstitutional. By writing that, in effect, the Court should defer to Acts of Congress, Roberts attempted a finesse first exercised by Chief Justice John Marshall in Marbury v. Madison in 1803. While it may seem as if he intended to demonstrate the same legal adroitness of Marbury, instead he deferred to the wishes of Congress, going through legal gymnastics to uphold a law that many scholars saw as indefensible, and damaged the power of the Supreme Court given to it in Article III immeasurably.
28
Wei, Li. "Towards Economic Decoupling? Mapping Chinese Discourse on the China–US Trade War." Chinese Journal of International Politics 12, no. 4 (2019): 519–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cjip/poz017.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Tremendous changes have occurred in China–US relations since Donald J. Trump took office in the White House, but the most significant event is the outbreak of the China–US trade war, whose unprecedented scale and impact has drawn wide attention in China and sparked considerable debate. This article aims to review the four main stages of this great debate on the China–US trade war among China’s influential intellectuals and prominent thinkers. It covers the three-year period since beginning of the Trump administration. The initial argument among Chinese academics was whether or not there could ever be a trade war, which led to a dividing line between optimists and pessimists. Soon after, when China-US relations took a sharp downturn and a trade war seemed inevitable, Chinese scholars shifted their focus to reasons why the United States should wage a trade war against China. This culminated in three different perspectives embodied respectively in the structural conflict theory, institutional conflict theory, and the theory on exporting domestic problems. After China and the United States began slapping additional tariffs on one another’s exported goods, and with the flare-up of the Zhongxing Telecommunication Equipment Corporation (ZTE) and Huawei incidents, the debate on how to respond to a trade war cleaved between the ‘whole nation system school’ and the ‘market reform school’. As to coping with the technology war, Chinese intellectuals were divided between the paths of ‘independent innovation’ and ‘open innovation’. More recently, in view of the many signs that the China–US trade war could continue indefinitely, and an economic decoupling of the two nations is no longer unimaginable, a fierce debate has arisen between those that advocate full preparations for such economic decoupling and those who insist on further links with the US economy. Although the main themes of the four stages of the debate differ somewhat, they share a certain degree of consistency as regards the conceptual pedigree of the debating parties. Their divergence derives, in essence, from different perspectives on such issues as state power versus market force, independence versus interdependence, and zero-sum competition of power versus win-win economic cooperation. This also exemplifies the competing views in Chinese academia on classical political economy.
29
Simmering, Jacob E., Linnea A. Polgreen, Joseph E. Cavanaugh, and Philip M. Polgreen. "Are Well-Child Visits a Risk Factor for Subsequent Influenza-Like Illness Visits?" Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology 35, no. 3 (March 2014): 251–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/675281.
Full textAbstract:
Objective.To determine whether well-child visits are a risk factor for subsequent influenza-like illness (ILI) visits within a child's family. DESIGN. Retrospective cohort.Methods.Using data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from the years 1996-2008, we identified 84,595 families. For each family, we determined those weeks in which a well-child visit or an ILI visit occurred. We identified 23,776 well-child-visit weeks and 97,250 ILI-visit weeks. We fitted a logistic regression model, where the binary dependent variable indicated an ILI clinic visit in a particular week. Independent variables included binary indicators to denote a well-child visit in the concurrent week or one of the previous 2 weeks, the occurrence of the ILI visit during the influenza season, and the presence of children in the family in each of the age groups 0–3, 4–7, and 8–17 years. Socioeconomic variables were also included. We also estimated the overall cost of well-child-exam-related ILI using data from 2008.Results.We found that an ILI office visit by a family member was positively associated with a well-child visit in the same or one of the previous 2 weeks (odds ratio, 1.54). This additional risk translates to potentially 778,974 excess cases of ILI per year in the United States, with a cost of $500 million annually.Conclusions.Our results should encourage ambulatory clinics to strictly enforce infection control recommendations. In addition, clinics could consider time-shifting of well-child visits so as not to coincide with the peak of the influenza season.
30
Melnick, David, Nayiri Baljian, Akash Jain, and Katherine Sulham. "1691. Pre- and Post-Hospitalization Resource Utilization and Costs Associated with Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in both Commercial and Medicare Populations." Open Forum Infectious Diseases 7, Supplement_1 (October 1, 2020): S829. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofaa439.1869.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Background In the United States, urinary tract infections (UTIs) result in an estimated 7 million office visits, 1 million emergency department visits, and over 500,000 hospitalizations with an associated annual cost of $1.6 billion. Little is known regarding pre- and post-hospitalization resource use. Here, we quantify resource utilization and costs associated with both commercially insured and Medicare patients hospitalized for UTI. Methods A retrospective multi-center study using data from the MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare Supplemental Databases was performed. Inclusion criteria: (1) inpatient hospital admission with a primary ICD-10 diagnosis for UTI between October 1, 2015 and December 31, 2017 (index hospitalization), (2) at least 6 months of continuous enrollment and pharmacy benefits prior to the index date, (3) at least 12 months of continuous enrollment and pharmacy benefits after the index date, (4) patient age < 64 (Commercial) or ≥65 (Medicare) on the index date. Demographics, hospitalization characteristics, antibiotic use, and resource utilization/costs in the pre- and post-index periods were examined. Results 5,248 Commercial and 7,791 Medicare patients were eligible for analysis. 29.7% and 24.1% of Medicare and Commercial patients, respectively, were male. 5.9% of Medicare patients had a claim for skilled nursing facilities (SNF) in the 14 days pre-index admission (1.0% Commercial), 9.1% had emergency department claims (13.1% Commercial), and 39.8% had office visit claims (49.9% Commercial). Post-hospitalization, 20.3% (1.3% Commercial) were discharged to SNF and 15.4% (4.7%) were discharged to home health services. Mean insurer UTI-related costs were $8,677 (Commercial) and $5,358 (Medicare) in the 6 months pre-index hospitalization. Similarly, costs were $21,135 (Commercial) and $22,342 (Medicare) in the 12 months post hospitalization ($3,944 and $2,988 in the first 30 days post-discharge, respectively). Conclusion UTI is associated with substantial costs and resource utilization to insurers in both pre- and post-hospitalization settings. Understanding total costs of care and location of service may aid in cost-reduction strategies for treating UTI. Disclosures David Melnick, MD, Spero Therapeutics (Employee)Spero Therapeutics (Employee) Nayiri Baljian, n/a, Spero Therapeutics (Employee) Akash Jain, PhD, Spero Therapeutics (Employee) Katherine Sulham, MPH, Spero Therapeutics (Independent Contractor)
31
Lopez, Abigail, Monideepa B. Becerra, and Benjamin J. Becerra. "Maternal Mental Illness Is Associated with Adverse Neonate Outcomes: An Analysis of Inpatient Data." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 21 (October 27, 2019): 4135. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16214135.
Full textAbstract:
Objective: Addressing mental illness and associated outcomes is a major public health priority in the United States. In this study, our goal was to assess the role of maternal mental illness and its association to poor fetal growth and preterm delivery in one of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas of California. Methods: Data were obtained from the public database of California inpatient data from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). OSHPD provides de-identified data on all inpatient department visits within California, to ensure confidentially of patients. Each variable was dichotomized into a binary variable of presence or absence of diagnosis status. The primary independent variable was clinical diagnosis of any mental illness. The dependent variables were pregnancy birth outcomes defined as poor fetal growth and preterm delivery. We specifically focused on inland Southern California due to its higher socioeconomic burden and poor maternal–child outcomes. Results: In the inland Southern California area, which is generally a geographic location with high poverty, maternal mental illness was associated with 79% higher odds of poor fetal growth and 64% higher odds of preterm delivery. Increasing numbers of co-morbidities were also associated with poor fetal growth. On the other hand, being older, being on Medicaid or other insurance status, being non-Hispanic Black, as well as increasing co-morbidities were associated with increased odds of preterm delivery. Conclusions: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the immediate birth outcomes associated with maternal mental illness. Given the empirical evidence of the study, addressing maternal mental health status is a key public health issue, especially in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
32
Fallatah, Mahmoud Ibrahim. "Does value matter? An examination of the impact of knowledge value on firm performance and the moderating role of knowledge breadth." Journal of Knowledge Management 22, no. 3 (April 9, 2018): 678–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jkm-08-2016-0355.
Full textAbstract:
Purpose The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between the value of created knowledge and financial performance. It also assesses how knowledge breadth moderates the aforementioned relationship. Design/methodology/approach Focusing on the US biotechnology industry, the study matches patents data from the National Bureau of Economic Research and the United States Patent and Trademark Office with firms’ data from COMPUSTAT. Generalized least squares estimation is used as an analytical technique, and random-effects models are used to evaluate effects of the independent variables based on both within- and between-organization variances. Findings The findings reveal that biotechnological firms that create knowledge of higher values are likely to have higher financial performance than those creating knowledge of less value. Moreover, knowledge breadth is shown to positively moderate the relationship between knowledge value and firm performance. Research limitations/implications Some of the limitations include not controlling for more firm-related and environmental factors that might have influenced firm performance. Practical implications The study provides evidence that the quality of knowledge should be significantly considered when creating new knowledge. That is, managers should prioritize the creation of highly valuable knowledge, even if it occasionally results in creating fewer numbers of patents. The paper also suggests that creating valuable knowledge that is broad and flexible should be an important objective for managers as it provides more opportunities to generate future rents. Originality/value The study emphasizes how the value of created knowledge impacts the financial performance of firms. It also illustrates how knowledge breadth moderates that relationship. The paper contributes to a stream of research that links knowledge management abilities and firm performance.
33
Brotman, Billie Ann. "The impact of corporate tax policy on sustainable retrofits." Journal of Corporate Real Estate 19, no. 1 (April 3, 2017): 53–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jcre-02-2016-0011.
Full textAbstract:
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether energy retrofits need to be directed by public policy intervention or can be encouraged through tax relief that harnesses profit incentives. Existing office space potentially has an economic life of 25 to 40 years. It may be operating inefficiently compared to newer buildings for many years. Designing a market-based incentive system that encourages periodic remodeling which lowers energy usage and carbon emissions would have social benefits. Design/methodology/approach An owner/user case study is developed to test financial feasibility. The empirical study uses publicly available information to examine whether the variables modeled react as anticipated. The regression model incorporates variables of importance to an owner/user. Tax credits and energy deductions, interest rates associated with borrowing and likely electricity and natural gas rate changes are independent variables used to predict the dependent variable new non-residential private construction spending. Findings Investment tax credits (ITCs) coupled with lending has a positive impact on new non-residential commercial construction spending. The value of these benefits is not sufficient to encourage total building energy retrofits, but would encourage low-cost system upgrades. The interest rates associated with borrowing and the debt-service coverage ratio need to be kept low for existing building energy retrofits to be stimulated. Practical implications The case study provides a template that a business can use to determine the financial feasibility of a proposed energy upgrade. It enables the comparison of the marginal cost associated with an update to the present value of the financial benefits likely to be generated. Local real estate tax reductions linked to specific energy upgrades offered by many municipalities can be added to the expected energy savings generated by doing the retrofit. Social implications Tax systems designed to solve environmental pollution problems do not require regulators, inspections or court case decisions and are inherently less intrusive to businesses. Coupling private financial incentives with public policy goals cause energy-saving technologies to be adopted more quickly and with less public outcry. Originality/value The paper specifically considers the factors that influence an owner/user of the property. Rental rates and vacancy losses do not influence a property owner/user. Prior studies looked at revenue enhancements and lower-vacancy rates possibly associated with a green compared to a non-green office building. These studies did not focus on the owner/user paradigm. They reported financial benefits accruing to property owners who lease the office building. Many retrofit studies tended to use CoStar Group’s data, which are collected by a for-profit company and sold to users. The data used in this study come from survey data collected by the Federal Government of the United States of America (USA). It is publicly available to all researchers.
34
James, Terry, David Pertuz, Billy Powell, and Gary Stankovich. "Mexus Gulf Exercise: Making it Count." International Oil Spill Conference Proceedings 2003, no. 1 (April 1, 2003): 1257–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.7901/2169-3358-2003-1-1257.
Full textAbstract:
ABSTRACT In May 2002, an oil spill exercise was led by Unocal Corporation - a major US based independent energy company, the U. S. Coast Guard, The Mexican Navy and members of several U.S. and Mexican government agencies. The objective of the exercise was to test the recently signed joint contingency plan between Mexico and the United States regarding pollution of the environment by discharges of hydrocarbons or other hazardous materials (MEXUS) and one of the associated geographic annexes; the MEXUS-Gulf. Participants and exercise design team members included representatives from U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Minerals Management Service, the Texas General Land Office, Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Unocal Corporation, ERST/O'Brien's Inc., 1st Naval Zone of Mexico, Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente (PROFEPA) and Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX). This paper will describe the many lessons learned as the exercise was planned, conducted and evaluated. The exercise resulted in an exemplary show of cooperation between industry, U.S. and Mexican government officials in the desire to learn and understand the issues associated with hydrocarbon spills that cross or have the potential to cross the U.S./Mexico borders. Communications, language barriers, acceptable practices and standards for oil spill cleanup were all challenges faced by the teams in this unique exercise. Gaining a better understanding of these challenges and many other issues was invaluable and it was the consensus of all involved that this type of cooperative effort is the key to a successful cross-border response. Joint planning and training should continue in order to assure an effective implementation of the MEXUS plan should a real event ever occur.
35
North, Frederick, Sarah J. Crane, Jon O. Ebbert, and Sidna M. Tulledge-Scheitel. "Do primary care providers who prescribe more opioids have higher patient panel satisfaction scores?" SAGE Open Medicine 6 (January 1, 2018): 205031211878254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2050312118782547.
Full textAbstract:
Objectives: Opioid prescribing in the United States has tripled since 1999. At the same time, there has been increasing attention to patient satisfaction. It has been suggested that providers concerned about patient satisfaction may be more likely to treat pain with opioids. We examined primary care providers’ opioid prescribing practices to determine if higher provider opioid prescribing was associated with higher patient satisfaction. Methods: For 77 primary care providers, we compared each provider’s opioid prescription count and amount prescribed to each provider’s patient panel satisfaction measures. Satisfaction measures were obtained from surveys following office visits and consisted of Likert-type scale answers concerning satisfaction for pain management and other provider satisfaction domains. Satisfaction surveys were generated independent of patient complaint of pain and had the aim of overall assessment of patient satisfaction with the provider and the healthcare system. We assessed the correlation between opioid prescribing and patient panel pain management satisfaction using linear regression models with and without adjustment for patient complexity. Results: We observed no statistically significant correlation between patient panel satisfaction with their provider and the quantity of opioids that the provider prescribed (R2 = 0.006; p = 0.52). There was also no correlation between patient panel satisfaction and the number of opioid prescriptions written by their provider (R2 = 0.005; p = 0.54). Additional multivariate analysis after adjusting for patient complexity also demonstrated no correlation of pain management satisfaction with opioids prescribed. Although the quantity of opioid prescriptions was not correlated with pain management satisfaction, several other patient satisfaction measures correlated significantly with pain management satisfaction. Conclusion: Primary care providers with a greater rate of opioid prescribing did not have higher patient panel satisfaction scores for pain management. In primary care, providers who want to improve patient satisfaction should focus on other components of patient care besides opioid-based pain management.
36
Wills, Siobhán. "Continuing Impunity of Peacekeepers: The Need For a Convention." Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies 4, no. 1 (September 24, 2013): 47–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18781527-00401001.
Full textAbstract:
Since the end of the Cold War United Nations (UN) authorised peacekeeping missions have tended to be not only more complex, but also much more interventionist and more robust than could ever have been imagined in the early days of peacekeeping.1 However, because peacekeeping is not explicitly provided for under the UN Charter, and has developed ad hoc in response to changing perceptions as to the nature of the role and responsibilities of peacekeeping missions, it is often unclear what laws are applicable to peacekeeping missions and when those laws apply. This paper explores the implications of that lack of clarity, focusing in particular on gaps in the international law regulating the conduct of peacekeepers. The author argues that the current approach, whereby prosecution for crimes committed by peacekeepers is dealt with primarily through the domestic law of the Troop Contributing State, is unsatisfactory, and is likely to remain unsatisfactory despite efforts to persuade Contributing States’ to establish the legal and administrative frameworks necessary to prosecute and punish their troops for crimes committed outside their territorial borders. A convention based regime specifically tailored to ensuring that peacekeepers are held accountable to internationally agreed standards would be the most effective way of enabling the UN to comply with the rule of law standards it itself espouses.2 Such a regime would enable the UN to retain legitimacy internationally and in the eyes of the communities where missions are deployed. In addition the UN should expand its Office of Internal Oversight Services to encompass a dedicated fully resourced criminal justice unit.3 Arguably the accountability gap in relation to non-military personnel is even greater than for military personnel since, although troops generally have complete immunity from prosecution in the host State under a Status of Forces Agreement, they are normally covered by their home State’s military justice system; whereas non-military personnel have functional immunity in the Host State, under the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations,4 but may not be subject to the jurisdiction of their home State at all whilst they are deployed abroad.5 However not all Troop Contributing States have independent codes of military justice operating in peacetime, and in those countries that do not, responsibility for punishing any wrong-doing by military personnel falls to the ordinary courts and disciplinary bodies.6 In addition some countries have removed serious crimes that violate human rights from the jurisdiction of military courts.7 But even where military personnel are subject to their home State’s military justice system, and it covers the crime in question, Troop Contributing States are often reluctant to prosecute.8 Since the track record on holding UN troops accountable for crimes and other serious misconduct remains poor; and since the majority of allegations of crimes and misconduct reported in the press continues to be against soldiers; and since soldiers outnumber other personnel in UN operations by a wide margin,9 this paper focuses in particular on military personnel.
37
Wienold, J., T. Iwata, M. Sarey Khanie, E. Erell, E. Kaftan, RG Rodriguez, JA Yamin Garreton, et al. "Cross-validation and robustness of daylight glare metrics." Lighting Research & Technology 51, no. 7 (March 14, 2019): 983–1013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1477153519826003.
Full textAbstract:
This study evaluates the performance and robustness of 22 established and newly proposed glare prediction metrics. Experimental datasets of daylight-dominated workplaces in office-like test rooms were collected from studies by seven research groups in six different locations (Argentina, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Japan and the United States). The variability in experimental setups, locations and research teams allowed reliable evaluation of the performance and robustness of glare metrics for daylight-dominated workplaces. Independent statistical methods were applied to individual datasets and also to one combined dataset to evaluate the performance and robustness of the 22 glare metrics. As performance and robustness are not established in literature, we defined performance as: (1) the ability of the metric value to describe the glare scale (evaluated by Spearman rank correlation), and (2) the ability of the metric to distinguish between disturbing and non-disturbing situations (evaluated by diagnostic receiver operating characteristic curve analysis tests). Furthermore, we defined robustness as the ability of a metric to deliver meaningful results when applied to different datasets and to fail as few as possible statistical tests. Average Spearman rank correlation coefficients in the range of 0.55–0.60 as well as average prediction rates to distinguish between disturbing and non-disturbing glare of 70–75% for several of the metrics indicate their reliability. The results also show that metrics considering the saturation effect as a main input in their equation perform better and are more robust in daylight-dominated workplaces than purely contrast-based metrics or purely empirical metrics. In this study, the daylight glare probability (DGP) delivered the highest performance amongst the tested metrics and was also found to be the most robust. Future research should aim to optimise the terms of glare equations which combine contrast and saturation effects, such as DGP, PGSV or UGRexp, to achieve metrics that also perform reliably in dimmer lighting conditions than the ones explored in this study.
38
Davis, K. L., A. Gusarov, T. C. Unruh, P. Calderoni, B. J. Heidrich, K. M. Verner, A. Al Rashdan, A. A. Lambson, S. Van Dyck, and I. Uytdenhouwen. "Evaluation of Low Dose Silicon Carbide Temperature Monitors." EPJ Web of Conferences 225 (2020): 04002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202022504002.
Full textAbstract:
Thermocouples are generally used to provide real-time temperature indications in instrumented tests performed at materials and test reactors. Melt wires or paint spots are often included in such tests as an independent technique of detecting peak temperatures incurred during irradiation. In addition, less expensive static capsule tests, which have no leads attached for real-time data transmission, often rely on melt wires and paint spots as a post-irradiation technique for peak temperature indication. Unfortunately, these techniques are limited in that they can only detect whether a single temperature is or is not exceeded. Silicon carbide (SiC) monitors are advantageous because a single monitor can be used to determine the peak temperature reached within a relatively broad range (200 – 800°C). Although the use of SiC monitors was proposed more than five decades ago, the ultimate performance limits of this technique are not fully understood. The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) is the United States Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's only designated nuclear energy user facility. Its mission is to provide nuclear energy researchers access to world-class capabilities and to facilitate the advancement of nuclear science and technology. This mission is supported by providing access to state-of-the-art experimental irradiation testing, post irradiation examination facilities, and high performance computing capabilities as well as technical and scientific assistance for the design and execution of projects. As part of an NSUF project, low dose silicon carbide monitors were irradiated in the Belgian Reactor 2 and were then evaluated both at the SCK•CEN and at Idaho National Laboratory’s High Temperature Test Laboratory to determine their peak temperature achieved during irradiation. The technical significance of this work was that the monitors were irradiated to a dose that was significantly less than recommended in published literature. This paper will discuss the evaluation process, the irradiation test, and the performance of the low dose silicon carbide temperature monitors.
39
Kaari, Jennifer. "Academic Library Patrons Value Personalized Attention and Subject Matter Expertise in Reference Consultations." Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 14, no. 2 (June 18, 2019): 122–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.18438/eblip29540.
Full textAbstract:
A Review of:
Rogers, E., & Carrier, H. S. (2017). A qualitative investigation of patrons’ experiences with academic library research consultations. Reference Services Review, 45(1), 18–37. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-04-2016-0029
Abstract
Objective – To examine the experiences of patrons with one-on-one reference consultation services.
Design – Qualitative analysis of open-ended interviews.
Setting – Academic library at a public university in the Southern United States.
Subjects – Students who attended a consultation with a reference librarian.
Methods – All students who attended a reference consultation with a librarian were invited to participate in an interview. Open-ended interviews were conducted after informed consent was collected. Interviewers were provided with prompts to help participants discuss their experiences but were not intended to guide the conversation. The interviews were recorded and then transcribed line-by-line. The transcripts were then analyzed using a conventional, inductive model of content analysis. Transcripts were first analyzed in an initial phase to identify basic themes, and then further examined in an advanced analysis in light of these themes.
Main Results – 10 students agreed to participate for a response rate of 38%. Most participants became aware of the reference consultation service by receiving library instruction as part of their course or through word-of-mouth recommendations from peers or faculty. No participants were aware of consultations through library marketing efforts or the library website. The major theme that emerged from the analysis was that patrons chose a reference consultation because it allowed them one-on-one attention from the librarian and because of the librarian’s perceived subject expertise. The primary problems participants identified with the service were that it was not adequately marketed to the students and that students were not aware of the service. Participants intended to use the skills and information gathered from the consultation to continue their independent research and they also largely intended to use librarian’s services as they continue working on their projects.
Conclusion – The authors found that the reference consultation is a valuable service for academic libraries and that consultation with a librarian in their office provides unique perceived benefits to the patrons compared to a traditional reference desk interaction. Further research is suggested to determine the value of consultations for distance or online students, to ensure that reference consultations services are sustainable, and to further examine student’s emotive reactions to the consultation experience.
40
Bohaievsky, Yurii, and Ihor Turianskyi. "His Contribution to the Development of Ukrainian Diplomacy should not be forgotten." Diplomatic Ukraine, no. XX (2019): 161–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.37837/2707-7683-2019-10.
Full textAbstract:
The article is dedicated to Heorhiy H. Shevel, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Soviet Ukraine from August of 1970 to November of 1980.The authors presented sincere recollections about this well known person, under whose leadership they began their diplomatic service that lasted for several decades. The decision to share those memories with readers of Diplomatic Ukraine was prompted by the fact that on May 9 this year was Mr. Shevel`s 100 anniversary. Unfortunately, neither the researchers of the history of Ukrainian diplomacy, nor those in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diplomatic Academy paid the necessary tribute to this event. The authors of the article focus on the fact that with no previous experience in foreign policy matters Mr. Shevel managed in the conditions of a totalitarian Soviet system to realize important ideas in the interests of the Ukrainian diplomatic service and its development. From the very start of his duties as Minister of Foreign Affairs he undertook many practical steps to promote and improve the professional skills of his subordinates, to ensure their perfect command of foreign languages and to provide the Ministry`s staff and Ukraine`s permanent missions at the United Nations in New York, UNESCO in Paris and at other international organizations with a skilled personnel. Moreover, despite essential dependence on the policy of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Shevel also succeeded in ensuring more visible results of participation of the Ukrainian SSR in the activities of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and in the International Labour Organization. During his term as Minister for Foreign Affairs, representatives of the Ukrainian SSR were elected 37 times to the governing bodies of various international organizations, their sessions and conferences. As an evidence of substantial resurgence of Ukrainian diplomacy of the said period is the fact that the Ukrainian SSR also signed and ratified 64 multilateral international documents. Minister Shevel also paid particular attention to establishing Ukraine`s image abroad as one of the original members of the United Nations, by promoting its achievements in scientific, cultural and humanitarian fields, as well as to strengthening ties with Ukrainian communities in various foreign countries. This very important component of its work the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accomplished in close cooperation with two public organizations – the Society for ties with Ukrainians abroad (Society Ukraina) and the Ukrainian Society for friendship and cultural relations with foreign countries. Minister H. Shevel was also the initiator of the construction in Kyiv of several buildings to locate Consulates–General of Eastern-European states. Nowadays, these buildings are used by diplomatic missions of respective foreign states accredited in independent Ukraine. The authors of the reviewed article are confident that despite various fabricated and often unfounded conclusions about the Ukrainian diplomacy of the Soviet period the irrefutable fact is that during Minister Shevel`s years it acquired and strengthened the necessary practical experience and professional diplomatic skills. Therefore, they support as indisputable the conclusion made several years ago by one of the researchers of the history of National diplomacy that “it would be incorrect to consider the 1970s of the past century as such that passed off in vain for the Ukrainian foreign-policy office”.30 years have passed since the untimely death of Heorhiy H. Shevel on July 17, 1989. Being a man of his times and performing highly responsible duties of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in actually limited framework, he was at the same time a peculiar and extraordinary personality. And as such a figure he will always remain in the memory of all who knew him well and had the opportunity to work under his management. Because memory, emphasize the authors of the noted article, means first and foremost the ability not to forget the past. And this, they remark, is what the present generation of Ukrainian diplomats must keep in view and never forget. Keywords: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukrainian diplomacy, foreign policy, international organizations, diplomatic service, memory.
41
Topchiy, Vasyl, Maksym Zabarniy, and Nataliya Lugina. "APPLICATION OF THE METHOD OF SWOT-ANALYSIS AS A MEANS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING DURING THE INVESTIGATION OF CRIMINAL CASES IN THE FIELD OF ECONOMICS IN BORDERS." Baltic Journal of Economic Studies 6, no. 3 (August 5, 2020): 166–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.30525/2256-0742/2020-6-3-166-170.
Full textAbstract:
A cooperation between states in criminal cases is carried out in order to achieve the goals of justice and may exist at the stage of pre-trial investigation, trial, as well as after the entry into force of a court decision (sentence, ruling). Forms of international cooperation in the investigation of criminal cases are quite diverse. The main ones are: providing legal assistance, which consists in carrying out procedural actions, because during the investigation and trial of criminal cases there is often a need to gather evidence abroad by questioning defendants, victims, witnesses, experts, conducting searches, examinations, court inspections, seizure and transfer of items, delivery, and forwarding of documents, etc.; extradition of persons for criminal prosecution or for the execution of a court sentence; arrest, search and confiscation of proceeds of crime (states undertake to cooperate in the investigation of money laundering; assist in the investigation and take appropriate measures: to freeze bank accounts, seize property to prevent its concealment; confiscate proceeds of crime or property, value of which corresponds to the value of income, etc.). The normative basis for the international cooperation in the investigation of criminal cases is the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters dated April 20, 1959; the Criminal procedural code of Ukraine; Methodical recommendations of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine; Order No. 223 “On the organization of the work of the Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine in the field of international legal cooperation” dated September 18, 2015. The legal basis for international cooperation in criminal matters is the current bilateral and multilateral international treaties of Ukraine, the binding nature of which has been approved by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Among the multilateral international agreements, there should be noted the European conventions on criminal justice: the European Convention on the Extradition with two additional protocols to it, the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters with an additional protocol to it, the European Convention on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters, The Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons with an additional protocol, The European Convention on the Supervision of Conditionally Sentenced or Conditionally Released Offenders, the Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure, and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and the European Convention on the International Validity of Criminal Judgements. In addition, the Commonwealth of Independent States has the 1993 Convention on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family and Criminal Matters and its 1997 Protocol; within the framework of the United Nations, there is the Convention on Transnational Crime of 2000, together with two Protocols thereto. These multilateral international agreements establish a uniform sphere of cooperation between law enforcement and judicial authorities in relation to all European countries. Today, the most effective is the method of “SWOT-analysis”, which is currently recognized in the scientific community as one of the most popular tools in strategic planning of social processes, including in the investigation of criminal cases. Although the type of analysis is still considered by most scientists as Bohomolova Ye., (2004) a method of marketing research of enterprises in the market in the context of business practice, the object of “SWOT-analysis” can be as legislation, the practice of its application and prospects of their improvement, and materials of criminal cases. Methodology. Achieving the purpose of this publication is ensured by the use of cognitive philosophical, general scientific and special methods, among which the main are analysis and synthesis, comparative law method, which allow to identify prospects for the use in criminal cases of the method of “SWOT-analysis”, which is currently recognized in the scientific community as one of the most popular tools in strategic planning of social processes. Methods of grammatical review and interpretation of legal norms have helped to identify gaps in the legislation governing the investigation of criminal cases, in particular in the field of economics, and to develop proposals for its improvement. Practical importance. International cooperation in criminal proceedings is an organizationally complex process, which requires the use of effective and efficient methods to perform the tasks of criminal proceedings, respect for the rights and freedoms of all participants in the process, including not violating a reasonable time in the investigation. To date, science has developed many methods of analyzing the law, the practice of their application, and identifying ways to improve legislation, taking into account the results of forecasting the prospects for society and the state. To ensure a high level of quality of criminal investigations in the framework of international cooperation, it is necessary to choose the one that will give the most effective results and allow to formulate the most optimal proposals in a particular criminal case and the practice of their application. An attempt to solve this problem is presented in this study.
42
Satyanarayana, Kanikaram, and Sadhana Srivastava. "Patent Pooling for Promoting Access to Antiretroviral Drugs (ARVs) – A Strategic Option for India." Open AIDS Journal 4, no. 1 (January 19, 2010): 41–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874613601004020041.
Full textAbstract:
The current HIV/AIDS scenario in India is quite grim with an estimated 2.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in 2008, just behind South Africa and Nigeria. The anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) remain the main stay of global HIV/AIDS treatment. Over 30 ARVs (single and FDCs) available under six categories viz., NRTIs (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors), NNRTIs (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors), Protease inhibitors, the new Fusion inhibitors, Entry inhibitors-CCR5 co-receptor antagonists and HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitors. The major originator companies for these ARVs are: Abbott, Boehringer Ingelheim (BI), Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Merck, Pfizer, Roche, and Tibotec. Beginning with zidovidine in 1987, all the drugs are available in the developed countries. In India, about 30 ARVs are available as generics manufactured by Aurobindo, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh; Cipla Limited, Goa; Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Pune, Maharashtra; Hetero Drugs, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh; Macleods Pharmaceuticals, Daman; Matrix Laboratories, Nashik, Maharashtra; Ranbaxy, Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh; and Strides Arcolab, Bangalore, Karnataka. The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) set up in 1992 by the Govt. of India provides free ARVs to HIV positive patients in India since 2004. The drugs available in India include both single drugs and FDCs covering both first line and second line ARVs. Even while there are claims of stabilization of the disease load, there is still huge gap of those who require ARVs as only about 150,000 PLHA receive the ARVs from the Govt. and other sources. Access to ARVs therefore is still a cause of serious concern ever since India became fully Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)-complaint in 2005. Therefore, the Indian pharmaceutical companies cannot make generics for those for drugs introduced post-2005 due to product patent regime. Other concerns include heat stable, other better formulations and second line ARVs for adults and more drugs and formulations for paediatric groups, that are still to be widely available in India and other developing countries. To examine whether strong intellectual property (IP) protection systems are to be considered important barriers for the limited or lack of access to ARVs, we studied the patent profile of the ARVs of the originator companies within and outside India. We could record 93 patents in the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO). The originator companies have been also aggressively filing and enforcing patents in India. There have been a few efforts by companies like Gilead and GSK to grant licenses to generic manufacturers in developing countries, ostensibly to promote access to ARVs through lower (two-tier) pricing. These steps are considered as too little and too late. There is an urgent need to look for alternative strategies to promote access to ARVs both linked to and independent of IPRs. Patent pooling as a viable strategy mooted by the UNITAID should be seriously explored to promote access to ARVs. India is ideally suited for trying out the patent pool strategy as most of the global requirement of affordable ARV drugs for HIV/AIDS treatment is sourced from Indian generic companies.
43
Popoola, Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson. "Preface to the Volume 2 Issue 2 of Indian Pacific Journal of Accounting and Finance." Indian-Pacific Journal of Accounting and Finance 2, no. 2 (April 1, 2018): 1–3. http://dx.doi.org/10.52962/ipjaf.2018.2.2.44.
Full textAbstract:
It is a great pleasure to introduce the second volume second issue of our journal into the global community yearning for high-quality, impactful papers. IPJAF continues to seek and provide readers throughout the world with technology supported peer-reviewed scholarly articles on a broad range of established and emergent areas of accounting, finance, business, economics, and social sciences.
I am resolute to maintain the high-quality standard of research and publication which is anchored on the exemplary service and dedication of our editorial board, editorial review and the editorial office. This volume 2, issue 2 comprises five manuscripts dealing with financial accounting, taxation, and auditing.
The first article entitled “Examining the independent audit committee, managerial ownership, independent board member and audit quality in listed banks” by Dr. Hisar Pangaribuana (Adventist University of Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia), Dr. Jenny Sihombinga (Adventist University of Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia), and Dr. Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia) examines the effects of the independent audit committee on the relationship between managerial ownership and independent board member on audit quality in the Indonesian listed banks. The unit of analysis is companies carrying on the banking business and listed on the Indonesian stock exchange (IDX) between the period of 2010 to 2015. This study is explanatory (i.e., causal predictive), and uses the second generation structural equation modelling statistical analysis tools, PLS-SEM and PROCESS Partial Least Square for hypotheses testing. The results show that the independent board member has a significant impact on the independent audit committee and the audit quality. The study reveals that managerial ownership does not influence audit quality. The adoption of the independent audit committee with a long tenure of years can be potentially risky and less creative. As a result, their oversight functions may be in jeopardy, impaired or reduced performances. The research findings reveal no significant indirect effects of the independent audit committee on the relationship between managerial ownership, independent board member and audit quality in the banks listed in IDX. Independent board members need to renew the appointment of the independent audit committee members to improve the quality of the oversight functions undertaken by the audit committee, and hence, enhance audit quality. The authors suggest further research on the ideal level of managerial ownership and number of an independent board member to produce a good audit quality in the Indonesian listed banks.
The second article titled “Salaried taxpayers’ internal states and assessment performance under self-assessment system: a quasi-experimental evaluation” by Dr. Noraza Mat Udin (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia) takes a look at the first reform that impacts taxpayers, that is, the implementation of self-assessment system (SAS) to replace the old assessment system in 2004. The perception is that SAS had entirely changed the taxpayers’ responsibilities from being assessed by the tax authority to a person who is responsible for assessing own income tax liability. Her study explores the public fora debates on whether taxpayers can perform their responsibilities that were previously handled by trained tax personnel in Malaysia. Her paper reports the findings of a quasi-experimental evaluation of salaried individual taxpayers’ in the early stage of SAS implementation. She argues that a lot needs to be done, notwithstanding SAS had been implemented for more than a decade, the problem of taxpayer performance is continuing due to the dynamic nature of taxation in reality. The data were collected using a quasi-experimental method known as posttest-only no-treatment control group design. The sample comprised post-graduate students, who were actual taxpayers. Among the elements of the taxpayer’s internal states considered in this study, tax knowledge was found to have a significant relationship with assessment performance. Further analysis was conducted which showed that the majority of tax knowledge dimensions had a significant relationship with taxpayer assessment performance. The findings of this study have contributed to the body of knowledge because there is a general dearth of published research, particularly in Malaysia that investigates taxpayer assessment performance especially using an experimental approach.
The third article with a caption, “Working capital management and firm performance: lessons learnt during and after the financial crisis of 2007-2008 in Nigeria” by Mr. Sunday Simon (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Dr. Norfaiezah Sawandi (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), and Prof. Dr. Mohamad Ali Abdul-Hamid (Department of Accounting, College of Business Administration, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirate) examines the relationship between working capital management (WCM) and firm performance during and after the financial crisis of 2007-2008 in Nigeria. The authors argue that the financial crisis could be attributable to the deterioration and ultimate failure of WCM performance that affected many Nigerian firms. During the crisis, lending conditions were deeply affected, and financing operations became challenging for firms. Although research findings on the causes and effects of the crisis on the economy are known, what remains unknown is whether the financial crisis had a significant impact on WCM performance. The differences between the two periods, the crisis period and then after the crisis period, is operationalised through two analyses. The findings indicate that WCM variables have more explanatory power (R2) in the period after the crisis than during the crisis. Also, the results of the Cramer Z-statistic, which examined between sample comparisons of the R2, revealed that the Z-scores are significant, implying that a significant difference existed between the two periods. It suffices to say that WCM was affected during the financial crisis and led to low profitability, whereas, during the after-crisis period, WCM associates with higher profitability. These findings have implications for managers and policymakers because access to financing has become a global problem and adequate WCM management increases a company’s resilience to financial and external shocks.
The fourth article entitled “The Influence of Technology Readiness on Information Technology Competencies and Civil Conflict Environment” by Prof. Dr. Kamil Md. Idris (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Associate Prof. Dr. Akilah Abdullah (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Haetham H. Kasem Alkhaffaf (OYA Graduate School of Business, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), and Al-Hasan Al-Aidaros (Islamic Business School, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia). Their study confirms prior findings that the Technology Readiness scale can capture the association among technology readiness and technology usage behaviours. The study also expands earlier research by investigating the impact of technology readiness on individual competency among accountants to using IT in a workplace under the intensity of civil conflict in Iraqi environment. The result shows that there is a positive significant relationship between technology readiness and the IT competencies of Iraqi accountants. It implies that the technology readiness regarding willingness, enthusiasm, and motivation of accountants using IT has an impact on their IT competencies. In other words, the higher the readiness of the accountants in making use of technology, the higher their competence in the use of IT. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in terms of theory, method and practice in Iraq especially and developing countries in general.
The fifth article titled “Mediating effect of Quality-differentiated Auditor on the relationship between Managerial ownership and Monitoring mechanisms” and authored by Dr. Rachael Oluyemisi Arowolo (Chrisland University, Nigeria), Prof. Dr. Ayoib Che-Ahmad (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Dr. Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia) and Dr. Hisar Pangaribuana (Adventist University of Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia) examines the relationship between Managerial Ownership (MO) and MMs with quality-differentiated auditors (QDA) as the channel for the relationship. Over the past decade, most studies in corporate governance and audit market emphasised the importance of monitoring mechanisms (MM), especially after the global economic meltdown resulting from the Enron saga. The literature on MM continues growing as many countries especially the Sub-Saharan Africa are still struggling to come out of the effect of the economic meltdown and businesses continues to fail or merge. The study used data from non-financial listed companies in Nigeria providing empirical supports that MO significantly associates with MMs in the right direction. Likewise, QDA also influences the MMs in the right direction suggesting that QDA is necessarily required to enhance adequate MMs. The findings of this study provide support for the association of MO and MMs with the intervention of QDA for solutions to agency problems. Companies should, therefore, motivate the management to own shares within the reasonable range that aligns the interest of the management with that of the shareholders. This paper adds to knowledge especially in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa by examining a mediating effect to depict the relationship between MO and MM, which are not evident in prior studies
It is my conviction that in the coming year, the vision of IPJAF to publish high-quality manuscripts in the established and emergent areas of accounting and finance from academic and professional researchers will be sustained and appreciated.
As you read throughout this volume 2, issue 2 of IPJAF, I would like to remind you that the success of our journal depends on you, your friends and colleagues as stakeholder through the submission of high-quality articles for review and publication.
Once again, I acknowledge with gratitude your continued support as we strive to make IPJAF the most authoritative journal on accounting and finance for the community of academic, professional, industry, society and government.
Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
popoola@omjpalpha.com
44
Hayman, Richard. "Students and Libraries May Benefit from Late Night Hours." Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 10, no. 1 (March 6, 2015): 85. http://dx.doi.org/10.18438/b8h60g.
Full textAbstract:
A Review of:
Scarletto, E. A., Burhanna, K. J., & Richardson, E. (2013). Wide awake at 4 AM: A study of late night user behavior, perceptions and performance at an academic library. Journal of Academic Librarianship, 39(5), 371-377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2013.02.006
Abstract
Objective – To assess late night library usage, including a demographic profile of students benefitting from late night hours, with an analysis of the services and resources they used, and whether the use of late hours is connected to student success.
Design – A mixed-methods approach including quantitative demographic information alongside qualitative user feedback collected using a web-based survey.
Setting – A large, public research university library in the United States of America using late night operating hours (11 P.M. to 7:30 A.M.) to create 24-hour library availability 5 days per week.
Subjects – Undergraduate and graduate students.
Methods – Using the university’s building monitoring database (BMD), researchers collected data on which students were using the library building when late night hours were in effect for fall and spring semesters. Along with the date and time of entry, the BMD collected the university ID number of the students and their email address. Using student ID numbers, information from the BMD was cross-referenced with anonymized demographic information from the university’s institutional planning office, enabling comparisons across a range of other data, including students’ discipline, GPA, and other information.
Researchers emailed students the web-based survey, directly targeting users who had made use of the library’s late night operating hours. Survey questions investigated when students used the library, explored student aims when in the library, and asked students to rank the tasks they were trying to accomplish while in the library. In addition, researchers sought student feedback on what services and resources they used during late hours, asking students to identify services and resources they would have liked to use but which were not offered during late night hours, and inquiring about students’ sense of safety and security when using the library late at night.
Main Results – In total, researchers report that 5,822 students, representing approximately 21% of the campus population, visited the library during the late hours, for 22,383 visits. Researchers report that 57% of late night users took advantage of the extended hours on more than one occasion, with 39% returning three or more times. Sundays were the most popular day, while Thursdays were least popular. Researchers also tracked entry times, with the most popular entry times occurring between 11 P.M. to 2 A.M., accounting for 80% of all late night visits. While survey respondents were drawn entirely from the late night users, 63% preferred using the library late at night versus standard daytime operating hours.
The overall survey response rate was less than 5%. Survey respondents (n=243) reported participating in a variety of activities while visiting during late night library hours, with quiet study (87%), working on projects or papers (72%), and group study (42%) as the most frequently reported activities. Respondents also ranked the top three activities they hoped to accomplish while in the library: quiet study (50%) and work on projects and papers (34%) remained top activities, though group study (20%) fell to fourth place, slightly behind the third-ranked activity of printing or copying documents (22%).
Respondents reported their use of services during late night hours, indicating use of the university’s wireless Internet access, library printers, computers, and online databases and electronic resources. The only staff service point available to students during overnight hours, circulation services, was used by 16% of respondents. Regarding student responses about what services were not offered that they would have liked to have available, the researchers reveal that “[f]ood and drink were overwhelmingly the most frequently requested services” (p. 374), followed by a desire for more comfortable furniture and spaces. Some respondents also requested that late night hours be extended to seven days a week. Overall, 96% of those submitting user feedback reported a sense of security, an important consideration for late night hours.
Regarding the sample, researchers found that the population of late night library users closely reflected the overall university population. An independent samples t-test comparing the differences between the average GPA of late night users to the average GPA of the overall university population was statistically insignificant. For undergraduates only, there exists a small difference between the retention rate of students using late night hours (84.6%) versus overall university retention rate (80.2%). A Pearson’s chi-squared test revealed a statistically significant association between late night library use and retention rates for both undergraduate and graduate populations when compared to the retention rates of non-late night users across the same student groups.
Conclusion – This study reveals that undergraduate students in particular make use of late night hours for studying or other academic activities, and positions the late night model as a successful customer service offering at Kent State University. Although researchers do conclusively connect the availability of late night hours to student retention and academic success, their study points to the need for further research exploring this question.
45
"INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSAL ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL." Journal of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Series "Law", no. 27 (2019). http://dx.doi.org/10.26565/2075-1834-2019-27-12.
Full textAbstract:
The article analyzes the legal and institutional framework for the United Nations in the field of disarmament and arms control. The competence of the main institutional organs of the United Nations – the General Assembly, the Security Council and the specially created structures that deal with disarmament and arms control issues – are identified, in particular: the Committee on Disarmament and International Security (First Committee), the Disarmament Commission, the Disarmament Advisory Council , Disarmament Office, 1540 Committee for the Prevention of the Proliferation of Nuclear, Chemical, or Biological Weapons and their means of delivery. The importance of international forums is highlighted, in particular the Conference on Disarmament, which focuses on the following aspects: the cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament; the prevention of nuclear war, including all related issues; preventing the arms race in space and so on. The functions of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research responsible for carrying out independent research on security, disarmament and development at the national, regional and global levels are considered as interrelated aspects of human security in general. The attention is paid to the UN programs, which are a platform that combines the various instruments and approaches of the Organization in the field of comprehensive security, in particular Joint UNDP-DPA Programmes “Strengthening National Capacity for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding” and “Coordinating Action on Small Arms” are disclosed. Taking into account the fact that great importance for the achievement of progress in the field of disarmament and the strengthening of the stability and security of its member states plays the role of the United Nations at the regional level, the agreements concluded by the Organization in this area and the regional centers established under its auspices and the ways of improving their work.
46
Posner, Eric A. "Deference to the Executive in the United States after 9/11: Congress, the Courts, and the Office of Legal Counsel." SSRN Electronic Journal, 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1932393.
Full text
47
GEORGE, Erika. "Racism as a Human Rights Risk: Reconsidering the Corporate ‘Responsibility to Respect’ Rights." Business and Human Rights Journal, September 13, 2021, 1–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/bhj.2021.41.
Full textAbstract:
Darnella Frazer, a teenage witness to a fatal police encounter, used social media to share her cell phone video footage capturing a white police officer casually kneeling on the neck of a handcuffed Black man named George Floyd for nearly nine minutes. Her video rapidly went viral, sparking civil unrest across the United States (US) and protests around the world.1 Independent experts of the Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council came together to issue a joint statement condemning ‘systemic racism’ and ‘state sponsored racial violence’ in the US.2 George Floyd was not the first unarmed Black person to die in police custody under questionable circumstances,3 but his murder motivated many to confront the reality of racism in American society. A broad section of the business community reacted to the civil unrest in the immediate aftermath of the murder of George Floyd with solidarity statements denouncing racism and pledges to promote racial equality.4 Brands rushed to embrace the previously untouchable #BlackLivesMatter movement in marketing campaigns. Business leaders expressed interested in evaluating how particular policies and practices operate in ways that serve to promote racial discrimination or perpetuate racial inequality.5
48
Axon, David R., Marion Slack, Leila Barraza, Jeannie K. Lee, and Terri Warholak. "Nationally Representative Health Care Expenditures of Community-Based Older Adults with Pain in the United States Prescribed Opioids vs Those Not Prescribed Opioids." Pain Medicine, May 1, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnaa114.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract Objective To compare health care expenditures between older US adults (≥50 years) with pain who were prescribed opioid medications and those who were not. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Community-based adults in the 2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Subjects Nationally representative sample of US adults alive for the calendar year, aged 50 years or older, who reported having pain in the past four weeks. Methods Older US adults (≥50 years) with pain in the 2015 MEPS data were identified. The key independent variable was opioid prescription status (prescribed opioid vs not prescribed opioid). Hierarchical linear regression models assessed health care expenditures (inpatient, outpatient, office-based, emergency room, prescription medications, other, and total) in US dollars for opioid prescription status from a community-dwelling US population perspective, adjusting for covariates. Results The 2015 study cohort provided a national estimate of 50,898,592 noninstitutionalized US adults aged ≥50 years with pain in the past four weeks (prescribed opioid N = 16,757,516 [32.9%], not prescribed opioid N = 34,141,076 [67.1%]). After adjusting for covariates, individuals prescribed an opioid had 61% greater outpatient (β = 0.477, P < 0.0001), 69% greater office-based (β = 0.524, P < 0.0001), 14% greater emergency room (β = 0.131, P = 0.0045), 63% greater prescription medication (β = 0.486, P < 0.0001), 29% greater other (β = 0.251, P = 0.0002), and 105% greater total (β = 0.718, P < 0.0001) health care expenditures. There was no difference in opioid prescription status for inpatient expenditures (P > 0.05). Conclusions This study raises awareness of the economic impact associated with opioid use among US older adults with pain. Future research should investigate these variables in greater depth, over longer time periods, and in additional populations.
49
Shimbo, Daichi, Nancy T. Artinian, Jan N. Basile, Lawrence R. Krakoff, Karen L. Margolis, Michael K. Rakotz, and Gregory Wozniak. "Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home: A Joint Policy Statement From the American Heart Association and American Medical Association." Circulation 142, no. 4 (July 28, 2020). http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/cir.0000000000000803.
Full textAbstract:
The diagnosis and management of hypertension, a common cardiovascular risk factor among the general population, have been based primarily on the measurement of blood pressure (BP) in the office. BP may differ considerably when measured in the office and when measured outside of the office setting, and higher out-of-office BP is associated with increased cardiovascular risk independent of office BP. Self-measured BP monitoring, the measurement of BP by an individual outside of the office at home, is a validated approach for out-of-office BP measurement. Several national and international hypertension guidelines endorse self-measured BP monitoring. Indications include the diagnosis of white-coat hypertension and masked hypertension and the identification of white-coat effect and masked uncontrolled hypertension. Other indications include confirming the diagnosis of resistant hypertension and detecting morning hypertension. Validated self-measured BP monitoring devices that use the oscillometric method are preferred, and a standardized BP measurement and monitoring protocol should be followed. Evidence from meta-analyses of randomized trials indicates that self-measured BP monitoring is associated with a reduction in BP and improved BP control, and the benefits of self-measured BP monitoring are greatest when done along with cointerventions. The addition of self-measured BP monitoring to office BP monitoring is cost-effective compared with office BP monitoring alone or usual care among individuals with high office BP. The use of self-measured BP monitoring is commonly reported by both individuals and providers. Therefore, self-measured BP monitoring has high potential for improving the diagnosis and management of hypertension in the United States. Randomized controlled trials examining the impact of self-measured BP monitoring on cardiovascular outcomes are needed. To adequately address barriers to the implementation of self-measured BP monitoring, financial investment is needed in the following areas: improving education and training of individuals and providers, building health information technology capacity, incorporating self-measured BP readings into clinical performance measures, supporting cointerventions, and enhancing reimbursement.
50
Washburn, Kevin K. "What's at Stake for Tribes? – The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel Opinion on Internet Gaming, Testimony of Dean Kevin K. Washburn, Oversight Hearing Before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, 112th Congress, Second Session." SSRN Electronic Journal, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1999813.
Full text