Report Of Expert Group Research Articles

Health Sector Development in India: An Account from Bhore Committee 1946 to National Health Policy 2017

Many ideas were implemented to protect the health of Indian citizens and refugees, rural and urban population, young and old, and men and women over several decades. Some of the policies are translated to programmes in the ground level and help improve the measurable rates and ratios of the health system successfully. There is an improvement in life expectancy at birth, reduction of child mortality and maternal mortality, control, and reduction of epidemics over a period spanning more than seven decades post-independence. However, the comparison of the health achievement of India with the global south and north brings much disparity in the achievement rates, of which India clearly belongs to the global south. This article highlights many salient features of relevant healthcare policies and the progress thereof in the crucible of time. The article discusses the key historical developments in the Bhore Committee report 1946, Planning Commission of India, Alma Atta Declaration 1978, Health for All by 2000, National health policy 2002, High-Level Expert Group Report 2011, National Health Policy 2017, Astana Declaration 2017, and Prime Ministers Jan Arogya Yojna 2018, along with other policy documents having a strong bearing on the healthcare system of India.

Совет экономической взаимопомощи в поисках путей развития сельского хозяйства Монголии: доклад экспертной группы от 12 сентября 1963 г.

Introduction. By the time Mongolia joined the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, it was a remarkably agriculture-oriented economy, which made it logical that Mongolian representatives would raise the problems of their national agriculture at meetings and sessions of the Council’s bodies. Goals. The study aims to investigate some specific decisions that facilitated the compilation of the CMEA expert group report dated 12 September 1963, and attempts an analysis of its key provisions. Materials and methods. The paper focuses on archival materials contained in Collections 561 (‘CMEA Secretariat’) and 302 (‘Permanent Mission of the USSR to the CMEA’) of the Russian State Archive of the Economy, as well as files from Collection 10 (‘International Conferences and Meetings’) of the Russian State Archive of Contemporary History. The main research methods employed are the historical-descriptive and historical-genetic ones. Results. The report was prepared by a group of agricultural experts representing CMEA member countries which worked in Mongolia from 13 August to 12 September 1963. The experts’ departure was a consequence of a change in the initial procedure for developing proposals aimed at improving Mongolia’s agricultural production. Conclusions. The CMEA expert group report of 12 September 1963 had a complicated and ornate background be traced back to the 16th Session of the CMEA which admitted Mongolia to the organization. Structurally, it consists of 7 same-type sections describing various areas of assistance to Mongolia’s agriculture. In the course of the works, the expert group reviewed the list and scope of positions for the proposed assistance, and at the same time — most importantly — expert support was provided to meet the requests of Mongolia’s representatives, while the latter were still to defend the implementation of the measures recorded in the Report in the course of coordinating the national economic plans of the CMEA member countries.

The influence of expert groups: a citation analysis

ABSTRACT Decision-makers rely extensively on expert groups and commissions for policy advice. Many see in this a growing technocracy or expertization of decision-making. Yet, we know little about the actual influence of these expert bodies in policy-making. When does expert group advice shape policy-making rather than being brushed aside? The article goes beyond existing research by measuring and explaining variation in expert group influence. Using the number of citations to expert group reports in government white papers and later expert group reports as measures of influence, the article analyzes citations to 1545 Norwegian advisory commission reports published 1972–2017. It concentrates on three dimensions of the organization of expert groups as potential determinants of influence: member composition, appointing ministry and resources. The results suggest that expert groups have greater influence when they include more politicians and have a bigger secretariat. The article contributes empirically and methodologically to research on expertise and policy-making.

Making use of climate information for sustainable preservation of cultural heritage: applications to the KERES project

According to the final report of the European Union OMC expert group on strengthening cultural heritage resilience for anthropogenic climate change, the impacts of climate change, particularly extreme weather events, on cultural heritage in Europe have become increasingly evident in recent years and are progressing at an unprecedented speed and scale. Archaeological sites, museum collections, and historical buildings and structures are affected, among others, by rising temperatures or by heavy storms and precipitation events. Deep scientific knowledge about future climate projections is required to develop appropriate preservation strategies and measures to protect and adapt cultural heritage. In this paper we present the first set of results of the KERES project. The project focuses on the impacts of future extreme climate events on the built heritage and historic gardens. An ensemble of climate simulations is used to analyze changes in both climatology and extreme events for several climate variables at two cultural heritage sites in Germany. In this study, a methodology was developed to guide climate scientists on how to better tailor climate information for the needs of stakeholders in the cultural heritage sector. It would help the stakeholders to integrate the results of climate projections into the prevention and emergency management, in particular for the risk assessment of extreme events. The effects of interpolation from a model grid to a location of cultural heritage site and advantages of an ensemble approach have been demonstrated in the study.

Making Better Informed, More Confident COVID-19 Decisions: Vaccine Hesitancy, Its Barriers and Impact Studies: Taking Bayelsa State as an Example

Background: Health care practitioners are recognized to have a large influence in shaping uptake of vaccine in new borns, children, adolescents, as well as adults. Parents remain more secure in their decisions when health care practitioners communicate successfully with them about vaccine dangers and benefits, the value as well as necessity for vaccinations, as well as vaccine safety. Thus, immunization remain the foundation of the primary health care system, an indisputable human right as well as a global health and development success story, saving millions of lives yearly. Recently, we have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life threatening diseases, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives. Yet despite tremendous progress, far too many people around the world, including nearly 20 million infants yearly have insufficient access to vaccines. In some countries, progress has stalled or even reversed, and there is a real risk that complacency will undermine past achievements. Purpose: The current study aimed to explores vaccine hesitancy, its barriers and impact studies regarding COVID-19 decision impacts. Also, to provides policy and decision makers and operational staff with evidence to inform decisions to promote vaccine uptake across Bayelsa State. Methods: A literature review tried to do a deep dive by using a variety of search engines such as Scopus, Research Gate, Mendeley, Summon, PubMed, Google Scholar, Hinari, Dimension, Academia, CAB Abstract, OARE Abstract, SSRN search strategy to retrieve research publications, “grey literature” and expert working group reports, including author’s field experience. Findings: Absence of uniform methods of organization in the various health care facilities upon which we were obliged to rely. Thus affecting the overall immunization programme and health system. Hence policy must urgently address these challenges with emphasis on policy clarity while continuously improving infrastructure. Conclusions: Bayelsa State is categorized as low/poor performing as the findings suggest that the involvement of community based leaders can improve community participation and acceptance, while enhancing and strengthening integrated disease surveillance and Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) monitoring and reporting systems; and conducting integrated advocacy and communications activities to promote demand for vaccination as part of increasing overall demand and acceptability of all essential Primary Health Centers (PHC) services, thus, breaking barriers of vaccine hesitancy.

Real-time continuous glucose monitoring systems in patients with type 1 diabetes. Expert group report

The beginning of the 21st century saw the arrival of continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMS). For over a decade they were seen as an excellent tool providing data on the daily glucose profile patterns in patients with diabetes, but confined to research. Over 20 years ago hardly anyone expected CGMS to become an extremely useful device in everyday life with diabetes as the cost, the burdensome design and accuracy were at the time the main concerns. However, in the last few years CGMS has become available to the entire diabetic population, and it is affordable to many of them. During this time, the technology developed immensely, and patients can now use reliable systems to give them instant, online insight into their blood glucose excursions 24/7. Moreover, the accumulated evidence indicates that arming patients with knowledge of their current glucose value and the trends of its variability translates into significant improvement in overall glucose management. The patients who benefit most, as research data and clinical experience show, are those who are treated with insulin, in particular individuals with type 1 diabetes. Progress in glucose monitoring – the journey from measuring urine glucose through portable glucose meters to CGMS – has also changed the metrics that are used to assess metabolic control of diabetes. In recent years the concept of time in range (TIR) has been introduced, which is now being widely adopted into clinical guidelines and practice. In 2021 the use of real-time CMGS in patients with type 1 diabetes was recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) as a main tool for self-monitoring of blood glucose. The article is a state-of-the-art review presenting current evidence-based knowledge and views on the practical use of CGMS in this group of patients, with clinical implications and opportunities discussed in detail.

Development and evaluation of a new method to combine clinical impression survey data with existing laboratory data for veterinary syndromic surveillance with the Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network (CWSHIN)

The Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network (CWSHIN) is a surveillance system imbedded in an intelligence network. It has been conducting syndromic surveillance in the four western provinces of Canada since 2012. The quarterly activities include repeated clinical impression surveys, compilation of laboratory data, discussion of trends with an expert group (practitioners, laboratory diagnosticians) and swine health reports for producers and swine practitioners. However, due to the lack of standardized population identifiers across data sources usual methods of combining data could not be applied and the collated data were not being fully utilized and analysed. Therefore in 2019, CWSHIN underwent a substantial review resulting in the “Next Generation CWSHIN”.The objectives of this study were to develop and evaluate a new data merging method to combine CWSHIN’s clinical impression survey and laboratory data; and to provide examples of analyses and modeling based on these data.The data for analysis were restricted to repeated clinical impression surveys (2019–2020) from veterinary practitioners and laboratory diagnostic data (2016–2020). Merging surveillance data from existing sources can be challenging. Therefore, as an alternative to merge data using a hierarchy of population identifiers, we developed a Disease Map to link surveillance data from all our data-sources. The resulting Data Repository allowed monitoring of temporal trends of syndromes, clinical diseases, and laboratory identified organisms, but it cannot provide estimates of disease occurrence. Two main reasons were the lack of denominators and using existing data on routine diagnostic tests. Therefore, discussion in the expert group (veterinary practitioners, laboratory diagnosticians, swine health experts) was critical to the system’s success. Based on repeated clinical impression surveys a stochastic scenario tree model for freedom from Foot and Mouth Disease (CWSHIN Blister model) was also developed.In conclusion, the method to link existing data systems from multiple divergent sources by means of a Disease Map improved CWSHIN’s veterinary syndromic surveillance. Together the Data Repository and Disease map provided flexibility to monitor temporal trends, define populations and diseases, and allow analysis. However, it is critical that the surveillance is coupled with a good intelligence network that can help interpret the results and disseminate knowledge to veterinarians and producers.

The ethical debate about the gig economy: A review and critical analysis

The gig economy is a phenomenon that is rapidly expanding, redefining the nature of work and contributing to a significant change in how contemporary economies are organised. Its expansion is not unproblematic. This article provides a clear and systematic analysis of the main ethical challenges caused by the gig economy. Following a brief overview of the gig economy, its scope and scale, we map the key ethical problems that it gives rise to, as they are discussed in the relevant literature. We map them onto three categories: the new organisation of work (what is done), the new nature of work (how it is done), and the new status of workers (who does it). We then evaluate a recent initiative from the EU that seeks to address the challenges of the gig economy. The 2019 report of the European High-Level Expert Group on the Impact of the Digital Transformation on EU Labour Markets is a positive step in the right direction. However, we argue that ethical concerns relating to algorithmic systems as mechanisms of control, and the discrimination, exclusion and disconnectedness faced by gig workers require further deliberation and policy response. A brief conclusion completes the analysis. The appendix presents the methodology underpinning our literature review.

EU Paris-Aligned and Climate Transition-Benchmarks: A Case Study

This article presents the results of a study examining the construction of Paris-aligned Benchmarks (PAB) and Climate Transition Benchmarks (CTB). Such portfolios are intended to satisfy the requirements for EU Paris-aligned and Climate Transition Benchmarks as laid out by the EU Commission Delegated Regulation of July 12, 2020, adopting the findings from <i>EU Technical Expert Group Report on Climate Transition and Paris Aligned Benchmarks</i> (TEG Report). We construct these portfolios using the tilt-based exposure targeting framework over the 10-year period between 2009 and 2019. The simulated results show that the proposed method is able to construct portfolios that satisfy all the requirements set out in the delegated regulation, including the requirements on emissions, exclusions, and sector constraints, in addition to incorporating forward-looking Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI) metrics. The requirements are also exceeded through increasing exposure to green economy sectors using green revenues data. <b>TOPICS:</b>ESG investing, information providers/credit ratings, portfolio construction, performance measurement <b>Key Findings</b> ▪ EU minimum requirements on Paris-aligned and Climate Transition Benchmarks are achievable and can be specified as feasible benchmark and portfolio construction objectives. ▪ A tilt based exposure targeting framework is a suitable option for constructing a portfolio that meets the PAB or CTB requirements. ▪ Forward-looking climate objectives using TPI metrics complement reported historic emission-based measures, prioritize allocations to companies that align their business models with international climate goals, and can reinforce investor-corporate engagement.

The European Commission’s Expert Group Report on SEP Licensing and Valuation: What Did We Achieve? What Did We Miss?

The European Commission just released its expert group Report on SEP licensing and valuation. As a member of that expert group, this short paper share some personal thoughts about the content of the Report, the way it was made, its achievements, but also its limits. The paper is divided in four parts. Part I contains some general observations regarding the way the Report was drafted, the role played by the Commission, and the structure/content of the Report. Part III discusses some of the main themes of the Report. Part IV focuses on a small subset of issues that I consider particularly important for the future of SEP licensing in the EU. Finally, Part V contains a short conclusion.

The Scientific Basis for Occupational Exposure Limits for Hydrogen Sulphide—A Critical Commentary

Objectives: Occupational exposure limits for hydrogen sulphide (H2S) vary considerably; three expert group reports, published from 2006 to 2010, each recommend different limits. Some jurisdictions are considering substantial reductions. Methods: This review assesses the scientific evidence used in these recommendations and presents a new systematic review of human studies from 2006–20, identifying 33 studies. Results: The three major reports all give most weight to two sets of studies: of physiological effects in human volunteers, and of effects in the nasal passages of rats and mice. The human studies were done in one laboratory over 20 years ago and give inconsistent results. The breathing style and nasal anatomy of rats and mice would make them more sensitive than humans to inhaled agents. Each expert group applied different uncertainly factors. From these reports and the further literature review, no clear evidence of detrimental health effects from chronic occupational exposures specific to H2S was found. Detailed studies of individuals in communities with natural sources in New Zealand have shown no detrimental effects. Studies in Iceland and Italy show some associations; these and various other small studies need verification. Conclusions: The scientific justification for lowering occupational exposure limits is very limited. There is no clear evidence, based on currently available studies, that lower limits will protect the health of workers further than will the current exposure limits used in most countries. Further review and assessment of relevant evidence is justified before exposure limits are set.

Comments to Jean-Claude Burgelman's article Politics and Open Science: How the European Open Science Cloud Became Reality (the Untold Story) —“EOSC is a bigger ME” and the Dunning Kruger effect

Comments to Jean-Claude Burgelman's article <i>Politics and Open Science: How the European Open Science Cloud Became Reality (the Untold Story)</i> —“EOSC is a bigger ME” and the Dunning Kruger effect

The Ethical Debate about the Gig Economy: A Review and Critical Analysis

The gig economy is a phenomenon that is rapidly expanding, redefining the nature of work and contributing to a significant change in how contemporary economies are organised. Its expansion is not unproblematic. This article provides a clear and systematic analysis of the main ethical challenges caused by the gig economy. Following a brief overview of the gig economy, its scope and scale, we map the key ethical problems that it gives rise to, as they are discussed in the relevant literature. We map them onto three categories: the new organisation of work (what is done), the new nature of work (how it is done), and the new status of workers (who does it). We then evaluate a recent initiative from the EU that seeks to address the challenges of the gig economy. The 2019 report of the European High-Level Expert Group on the Impact of the Digital Transformation on EU Labour Markets is a positive step in the right direction. However, we argue that ethical concerns relating to algorithmic systems as mechanisms of control, and the discrimination, exclusion and disconnectedness faced by gig workers require further deliberation and policy response. A brief conclusion completes the analysis. The appendix presents the methodology underpinning our literature review.

DATA PROCESSING ARCHITECTURES FOR MONITORING FLOODS USING SENTINEL-1

Abstract. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images acquired by Earth observation satellites often constitute the only source of information for monitoring the progression of flood events over larger regions. Particularly attractive are the SAR data acquired by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites because they are free and open, and combine a short revisit time with a good spatial and radiometric resolution. In this contribution, we discuss how a Sentinel-1 data processing system should be designed to optimally benefit from the dense Sentinel-1 time series and advanced algorithms such as change detection or machine learning methods. This was one of the questions addressed by an expert group tasked by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission to investigate the feasibility of an automated, global, satellite-based flood monitoring product for the Copernicus Emergency Management Service. Drawing from the expert group report, we distinguish three broad categories of data processing architectures, namely single-image, dual-image, and data cube processing architectures. While the latter architecture is the most demanding in terms of large storage and compute capacities, it is also the most promising to derive high-quality Sentinel-1 flood maps comprised not just of the flood mask but also of data fields describing the retrieval uncertainty and masks showing where Sentinel-1 cannot detect floods due to physical reasons. Therefore, we recommend to use data cube processing architectures and showcase the use of the Austrian Data Cube for monitoring a small-scale flood event that occurred in Austria in November 2019.

A review of environmental, social and health impact assessment (Eshia) practice in Nigeria: a panacea for sustainable development and decision making

Local participation is always beneficial for sustainable action and environmental problems resulting from urban implementation due to the failure of social and institutional change necessary for a successful transformation of rural life to urban life ahead of the rapid movement of the population. Despite good legal practice and comprehensive guidelines, evidence suggests that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or more broadly Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) have not yet been found satisfactory in Nigeria, as the current system amounts to duplication of efforts and cost. However, ESHIA has been developed and integrated to help manage project activities, facilities, and operations sustainably, so that both economic and ecological profits are accrued (sustainable development) or ensure that any development project does not result in excessive deterioration of and/or the irreversible adverse effect on any component of the environment – a recite for sustainable development. A literature review was done by using a variety of search engines including Research Gate, Google Scholar, Academia, Mendeley, SSRN search strategy to retrieve research publications, “grey literature” and expert working group reports. The thrust of this study is to evaluate the potential benefits of ESHIA as a tool for sustainable environmental development. The evaluation and implementation of EIA are one of the strengths of these tools. Indeed, EIA is the first and foremost management tool employed to help mitigate adverse, potential, and associated impacts of proposed major developments in our environment. EIA is a regulatory requirement that is efficiently used to improve performance, project design, enhancing decision-making, and facilitating policy programs in a sustainable environment. An evaluation of the EIA systems reveals several weaknesses of the EIA system. These include the inadequate capacity of EIA approval authorities, deficiencies in screening and scoping, poor EIA quality, insufficient public participation, and weak monitoring and erratic government policies. Overall, most EIA study rarely meets the objectives of being a project planning tool to contribute to achieving sustainable development and mitigate the impact of the development project. The study recommends some directions for the future to ensure that entire content of the EIA are religiously implemented, review the existing EIA act, increase the expertise of EIA consultants, create a liaison office with an international organisation and with sister agency, ESHIA must enjoy Improved budgetary provision, time latitude, spatial contexts and methodological improvements for outcome measures to achieve results that are relevant to sustainable development by improving project design, enhancing decision making and facilitating policy programs.

Key enabling technologies in the European Union and in Poland

Purpose – To analyse the situation in Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) in the European Union and in Poland.Research method – Desk research and the analysis of available literature. The sources of data used were, among others: European Patent Office, Central Statistical Office, IMD World Competitiveness Centre and High Level Expert Group reports as well as the reports and data of the European Commission. KETs’ analysis in Poland was conducted based on the published CSO data. The article presents selected variables characterising the activity of enterprises operating in the field of biotechnology and nanotechnology, and the analyses of research and development activities as part of the executive sectors in both of the analysed fields. In addition, data on the number of registered patents in Poland and the share of the number of registered patents in the field of biotechnology in relation to their total number were presented. Results – The article covers topics connected with the measurement of KETs’ competitiveness, describes the situation of KETs in Europe and in Poland, not being a very innovative EU country. Originality / value – The problem of KETs and their importance for the EU and its members’ sustainable development is recognized in a limited scope. There is not much literature on the topic. There is no strategy for KETs at the national level in Poland.

Outcome of the European initiative for radiation protection research and future perspectives.

In 2009, the European Commission published the report of the high-level expert group that had been mandated to consider the scientific challenges posed by the issues of low dose effects of ionising radiation, and to formulate proposals for research policy evolution in this field at European level. This report formulated a first draft of a strategic research agenda. International scientific cooperation and an integrated approach are essential for the further development and enhancement of the international framework of radiation protection. This paper reflects on the results which have been gained through this integration approach: strategic research agendas have been established, policies and action plans have been developed for infrastructures and training education, several ambitious research projects have been launched, and a first draft of a European 'joint road map' for radiation protection research will be published. Reflecting on the challenges that lie ahead, this paper also presents the initiatives that the five European research platforms (MELODI: low dose research; ALLIANCE: radioecology; EURADOS: dosimetry; NERIS: emergency preparedness; EURAMED: radiation protection in medical applications) have jointly presented to the European Commission and Euratom member states to further enhance radiation protection research.

NEW PROBLEMS, OLD SOLUTIONS? A CRITICAL LOOK ON THE REPORT OF THE HIGH LEVEL EXPERT GROUP ON FAKE NEWS AND ON-LINE DISINFORMATION

This article discusses the actual contemporary problems of the spread of fake news, information wars and disinformation campaigns. The authors analyze recent European initiatives in the field of opposing disinformation on the Internet, among which are the report of the High level expert group of the European Commission on fake news and online disinformation (HLEG) and the “Act to improve law enforcement in social networks” (NetzDG). Based on a wide range of political theories and approaches to the problem of fake news, the authors propose to enhance and amend the key principles of HLEG 5.

The approach to assessing integrated care: taking stock and looking ahead. Experiences from the EU Expert Group on Health Systems Performance Assessment

In autumn 2014, the EU expert group on health systems performance assessment (HSPA) was formed with the main goals to: provide participating members with a forum for exchange of experience on the use of HSPA at national level, and to support national policy makers by identifying and methodologies for developing HSPA. Currently, all EU Member States and Norway take part in the group. It is co-chaired by Belgium and the European Commission and supported by experts from the WHO European Office, the OECD and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. In 2016, the expert group started working on the topic of integrated care, with the aim of identifying and methodologies to assess the performance of integrated care. A report is expected in the beginning of 2017, composed of the following main parts: Review of national and regional experiences in implementation and evaluation of integrated care. This part will highlight success factors and transferable elements from good practices; and will analyse the factors that strengthen the readiness of care authorities for successful integration of care. Suggestions and recommendations for a framework (dimensions and indicators) for performance assessment of integrated care. The aim of the session would be to share experience and to promote policy dialogue on assessment of integrated care. It fits under Theme 5, subtheme Measurements, indicators and evaluation tools of the ICIC 2017 programme. The session would present the findings of the expert group's report, coupled with examples of approaches applied in assessing the integration of care and the outcomes of integrated care. The session would use these elements as input to invite discussion about possible frameworks for performance assessment of integrated care. The speakers (possibly 3 or 4) would be members of the expert group who are experienced in the area of HSPA and integrated care, as well as representatives of health systems (national or regional) where assessment of integrated care is currently applied.

Recommended practices for wind farm data collection and reliability assessment for O&M optimization

The paper provides a brief overview of the aims and main results of IEA Wind Task 33. IEA Wind Task 33 was an expert working group with a focus on data collection and reliability assessment for O&M optimization of wind turbines. The working group started in 2012 and finalized the work in 2016. The complete results of IEA Wind Task 33 are described in the expert group report on recommended practices for "Wind farm data collection and reliability assessment for O&M optimization" which will be published by IEA Wind in 2017. This paper briefly presents the background of the work, the recommended process to identify necessary data, and appropriate taxonomies structuring and harmonizing the collected entries. Finally, the paper summarizes the key findings and recommendations from the IEA Wind Task 33 work.