Appropriate indicators for injury control?

Indicators are valuable tools used to measure progress towards a desired health outcome. Increased awareness of the public health burden due to injury has lead to a concomitant interest in monitoring the impact of national initiatives that aim to reduce the size of the burden. Several injury indicators have now been proposed. This study examines the ability of each of the suggested indicators to reflect the nature and extent of the burden of non-fatal injury. A criterion validity, population-based, prospective cohort study was conducted in Brisbane, a sub-tropical Metropolitan City on the eastern seaboard of Australia, over a 12-month period between 1 January and 31 December 1998. Neither the presence of a long bone fracture nor the need for hospitalisation for 4 or more days were sensitive or specific indicators for 'serious' or major injury as defined by the 'Gold Standard' Injury Severity Score (ISS). Subsequent analysis, using other public health outcome measures demonstrated that the major component of the illness burden of injury was in fact due to 'minor' not serious injury. However, the suggested indicators demonstrated low sensitivity and specificity for these outcomes as well. The results of the study support the need to include at least all hospitalisations in any population-based measure of injury and not attempt to simplify the indicator to a more convenient measure aimed at identifying just those cases of,serious' injury.

Testing landscape metrics as indicators of habitat loss and fragmentation in continuous eucalypt forests (Queensland, Australia)

Landscape metrics are widely applied in landscape ecology to quantify landscape structure. However, many are poorly tested and require rigorous validation if they are to serve as reliable indicators of habitat loss and fragmentation, such as Montreal Process Indicator 1.1e. We apply a landscape ecology theory, supported by exploratory and confirmatory statistical techniques, to empirically test landscape metrics for reporting Montreal Process Indicator 1.1e in continuous dry eucalypt forests of sub-tropical Queensland, Australia. Target biota examined included: the Yellow-bellied Glider (Petaurus australis); the diversity of nectar and sap feeding glider species including P. australis, the Sugar Glider P. breviceps, the Squirrel Glider P. norfolcensis, and the Feathertail Glider Acrobates pygmaeus; six diurnal forest birds species; total diurnal bird species diversity; and the density of nectar-feeding diurnal bird species. Two scales of influence were considered: the stand-scale (2 ha), and a series of radial landscape extents (500 m - 2 km; 78 - 1250 ha) surrounding each fauna transect. For all biota, stand-scale structural and compositional attributes were found to be more influential than landscape metrics. For the Yellow-bellied Glider, the proportion of trace habitats with a residual element of old spotted-gum/ironbark eucalypt trees was a significant landscape metric at the 2 km landscape extent. This is a measure of habitat loss rather than habitat fragmentation. For the diversity of nectar and sap feeding glider species, the proportion of trace habitats with a high coefficient of variation in patch size at the 750 m extent was a significant landscape metric. None of the landscape metrics tested was important for diurnal forest birds. We conclude that no single landscape metric adequately captures the response of the region's forest biota per se. This poses a major challenge to regional reporting of Montreal Process Indicator 1.1e, fragmentation of forest types.

Sitting time and work patterns as indicators of overweight and obesity in Australian adults

BACKGROUND: Increasing levels of physical inactivity and sedentariness are contributing to the current overweight and obesity epidemic. In this paper, the findings of two recent studies are used to explore the relationships between sitting time ( in transport, work and leisure), physical activity and body mass index (BMI) in two contrasting samples of adult Australians. METHODS: Data on sitting time, physical activity, BMI and a number of demographic characteristics were compared for participants in two studies-529 women who were participants in a preschool health promotion project ('mothers'), and 185 men and women who were involved in a workplace pedometer study ('workers'). Relationships between age, number of children, physical activity, sitting time, BMI, gender and work patterns were explored. Logistic regression was used to predict the likelihood of being overweight or obese, among participants with different physical activity, sitting time and work patterns. RESULTS: The total reported time spent sitting per day ( across all domains) was almost 6 h less among the mothers than the workers (P

Appraisal of urban rehabilitation literature and projects, including a glossary of terms and a preliminary set of indicators characterising LUDA

LUDA is a research project of Key Action 4 "City of Tomorrow & Cultural Heritage" of the programme "Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development" within the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission

Gest��o integrada de res��duos de constru����o e demoli����o: an��lise de estudo

A actividade de constru����o civil �� respons��vel por grande parte dos res��duos produzidos, nomeadamente em obras de constru����o, demoli����es de edif��cios ou derrocadas, opera����es de manuten����o, restauro, remodela����o e reabilita����o de constru����es. A gest��o dos res��duos deste sector, abreviadamente designada por res��duos de constru����o e demoli����o (RCD), passou a estar regulada, atrav��s de regime de opera����es de gest��o de RCD. Este diploma, define entre outras, a responsabilidade dos v��rios intervenientes no processo de gest��o de res��duos, fase de projecto, execu����o, transporte e recep����o. Com a evolu����o das preocupa����es ambientais da popula����o e maior envolv��ncia das empresas na contribui����o para uma gest��o integrada de res��duos, existe um crescente desenvolvimento de estudos no ��mbito de caracteriza����o de quantidades e tipos de res��duos produzidos pelo sector. Neste contexto, e por ser importante uma economia integrada com a gest��o de res��duos, os principais desafios passam pelo planeamento e prepara����o de Obra desde da fase de projecto �� fase de execu����o, com vista �� preven����o, redu����o, reutiliza����o e valoriza����o dos RCD. O presente trabalho pretende contribuir para este desenvolvimento do sector, mais concretamente na obten����o de indicadores de res��duos de constru����o (RC), res��duos de demoli����o (RD) e caracteriza����o da tipologia destes. Para tanto, foi feita uma avalia����o dos estudos desenvolvidos no ��mbito de caracteriza����o dos tipos de res��duos e indicadores de RC e RD, como m��todo comparativo. Os indicadores deste estudo foram obtidos com base na an��lise de dados de casos de estudo, no caso concreto RC, de obras de estruturas, e RD de edif��cios com execu����o de demoli����o selectiva. Na parte final deste estudo apresentam-se algumas conclus��es e recomenda����es.

Training control centers' operators in incident diagnosis and power restoration using intelligent tutoring systems

The activity of Control Center operators is important to guarantee the effective performance of Power Systems. Operators��� actions are crucial to deal with incidents, especially severe faults like blackouts. In this paper, we present an Intelligent Tutoring approach for training Portuguese Control Center operators in tasks like incident analysis and diagnosis, and service restoration of Power Systems. Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) approach is used in the training of the operators, having into account context awareness and the unobtrusive integration in the working environment. Several Artificial Intelligence techniques were criteriously used and combined together to obtain an effective Intelligent Tutoring environment, namely Multiagent Systems, Neural Networks, Constraint-based Modeling, Intelligent Planning, Knowledge Representation, Expert Systems, User Modeling, and Intelligent User Interfaces.

Inexact restoration approaches to solve mathematical program with complementarity constraints

Mathematical Program with Complementarity Constraints (MPCC) finds applica- tion in many fields. As the complementarity constraints fail the standard Linear In- dependence Constraint Qualification (LICQ) or the Mangasarian-Fromovitz constraint qualification (MFCQ), at any feasible point, the nonlinear programming theory may not be directly applied to MPCC. However, the MPCC can be reformulated as NLP problem and solved by nonlinear programming techniques. One of them, the Inexact Restoration (IR) approach, performs two independent phases in each iteration - the feasibility and the optimality phases. This work presents two versions of an IR algorithm to solve MPCC. In the feasibility phase two strategies were implemented, depending on the constraints features. One gives more importance to the complementarity constraints, while the other considers the priority of equality and inequality constraints neglecting the complementarity ones. The optimality phase uses the same approach for both algorithm versions. The algorithms were implemented in MATLAB and the test problems are from MACMPEC collection.

A New Approach to Monitoring Touristic and Cultural Routes: The Challenge of Development and Use of Indicators-Based Systems

The present paper results of an ongoing research project were it is expected to develop an information system to monitoring a cultural-touristic route. The route to monitor is the Romanesque Route of T��mega. This Route is composed of 58 monuments located in the region of T��mega in the North of Portugal. Due to the particular location of this region, that is between coastal zone, but not yet in the inland, it has a weak political influence, and it is reflected in the low levels of development at several levels, observed. The Romanesque Route was implemented in a part of this region in 1998, and enlarged to the all-region in 2010. In order to evaluate the socio-ecomonic impact of this route in the region a research project is being developed. The main goal of this paper is to open a discussion on the elements that must be taken into consideration to evaluate the economic and social impact of a touristic cultural route within a region and this one in particular.

Surveillance of mother-to-child HIV transmission: socioeconomic and health care coverage indicators

OBJECTIVE: To identify clustering areas of infants exposed to HIV during pregnancy and their association with indicators of primary care coverage and socioeconomic condition. METHODS: Ecological study where the unit of analysis was primary care coverage areas in the city of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, in 2003. Geographical Information System and spatial analysis tools were used to describe indicators of primary care coverage areas and socioeconomic condition, and estimate the prevalence of liveborn infants exposed to HIV during pregnancy and delivery. Data was obtained from Brazilian national databases. The association between different indicators was assessed using Spearman's nonparametric test. RESULTS: There was found an association between HIV infection and high birth rates (r=0.22, p<0.01) and lack of prenatal care (r=0.15, p<0.05). The highest HIV infection rates were seen in areas with poor socioeconomic conditions and difficult access to health services (r=0.28, p<0.01). The association found between higher rate of prenatal care among HIV-infected women and adequate immunization coverage (r=0.35, p<0.01) indicates that early detection of HIV infection is effective in those areas with better primary care services. CONCLUSIONS: Urban poverty is a strong determinant of mother-to-child HIV transmission but this trend can be fought with health surveillance at the primary care level.

Avalia����o e a Qualidade das Pr��ticas de Inclus��o para Alunos com PEA: Escala LAQI (Louisiana Autism Quality Indicators)

Disserta����o apresentada �� Escola Superior de Educa����o de Lisboa para obten����o de grau de mestre em Educa����o Especial, dom��nio Cogni����o e Multidefici��ncia

Contextual and individual indicators associated with the presence of teeth in adults

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to analyze whether socioeconomic conditions and the period of availability of fluoridated water are associated with the number of teeth present.METHODSThis cross-sectional study analyzed data from 1,720 adults between 20 and 59 years of age who resided in Florian��polis, SC, Southern Brazil, in 2009. The outcome investigated was the self-reported number of teeth present. The individual independent variables included gender, age range, skin color, number of years of schooling, and per capita household income. The duration of residence was used as a control variable. The contextual exposures included the period of availability of fluoridated water to the households and the socioeconomic variable for the census tracts, which was created from factor analysis of the tract&#8217;s mean income, education level, and percentage of households with treated water. Multilevel logistic regression was performed and inter-level interactions were tested.RESULTS Residents in intermediate and poorer areas and those with fluoridated water available for less time exhibited the presence of fewer teeth compared with those in better socioeconomic conditions and who had fluoridated water available for a longer period (OR = 1.02; 95%CI 1.01;1.02). There was an association between the period of availability of fluoridated water, per capita household income and number of years of education. The proportion of individuals in the poorer and less-educated stratum, which had fewer teeth present, was higher in regions where fluoridated water had been available for less time.CONCLUSIONS Poor socioeconomic conditions and a shorter period of availability of fluoridated water were associated with the probability of having fewer teeth in adulthood. Public policies aimed at reducing socioeconomic inequalities and increasing access to health services such as fluoridation of the water supply may help to reduce tooth loss in the future.

Quality indicators in the education of children with profound Intellectual and multiple disabilities

Todas as crian��as, independentemente das suas necessidades, deveriam ter acesso a uma educa����o de qualidade e a serem inclu��das nas suas fam��lias e comunidades. Esta afirma����o inclui as crian��as mais vulner��veis, em particular as crian��as com dificuldades intelectuais e multidefici��ncia. Os resultados da investiga����o sobre a educa����o de crian��as com dificuldades intelectuais e multidefici��ncia ainda n��o produziram at�� ao momento informa����o suficiente que possa ser usada para desenvolver indicadores de qualidade para a avalia����o das pr��ticas e dos servi��os. A investiga����o nesta ��rea �� limitada por constrangimentos ��ticos, dificuldades na determina����o de amostras e desafios metodol��gicos, sendo reduzido o n��mero de estudos capaz de produzir a informa����o necess��ria. Este artigo tem como objetivo discutir fatores que contribuam para a qualidade do envolvimento de crian��as com dificuldades intelectuais e multidefici��ncia em atividades educativas, com base na experi��ncia das autoras e na informa����o dispon��vel que tem sido publicada sobre este assunto. Com base nesta discuss��o �� sugerido um conjunto de indicadores que poder��o ajudar os profissionais a dirigir as suas observa����es para a qualidade da oferta educativa e para aspetos significativos dos desempenhos das crian��as quando envolvidas em atividades curriculares.

Business micro-location: factors, preferences and indicators to assess the influence factors

The paper presents a study on business micro-location behaviour as well as corresponding factors of in���uence, conducted in two metropolitan areas, Bucharest-Ilfov (Romania) and Greater Porto (Portugal). By business micro-location we refer to a speci���c site such as a building or facility, accommodating a business within a small, compact geographical area (e.g. metropolitan area). At this geographical scale, the macroeconomic layer factors were excluded, applicable when discern between regions or countries. The factors derived from location theory and previous empirical studies were surveyed, completing a cross-sectional analysis in order to ���nd out the speci���c weights of the location factors and preferences, by region and by industry. Based on already established ���rms��� feedback on location, the speci���c weights were granted by each industry to the main location factors, types of areas, and types of accommodation facilities. The authors also suggested a model to integrate these results into a Geographical Information System (GIS).

Acqusition and data analysis of the eco-efficiency for the establishment of indicators parameters for industrial environmental sustainability

The industrial activity is inevitably associated with a certain degradation of the environmental quality, because is not possible to guarantee that a manufacturing process can be totally innocuous. The eco-efficiency concept is globally accepted as a philosophy of entreprise management, that encourages the companies to become more competitive, innovative and environmentally responsible by promoting the link between its companies objectives for excellence and its objectives of environmental excellence issues. This link imposes the creation of an organizational methodology where the performance of the company is concordant with the sustainable development. The main propose of this project is to apply the concept of eco-efficiency to the particular case of the metallurgical and metal workshop industries through the development of the particular indicators needed and to produce a manual of procedures for implementation of the accurate solution.