Kind Of Assistance Research Articles

Chapter Three: Darfur: The First Modern Climate-Change Conflict

Climate change has been a key factor in the rise and fall of societies and states from prehistory to the recent fighting in the Sudanese state of Darfur. It drives instability, conflict and collapse, but also expansion and reorganisation. The ways in which cultures have met the climate challenge provide object lessons for how the modern world can handle the new security threats posed by unprecedented global warming. Combining historical precedents with current thinking on state stability, internal conflict and state failure suggests that overcoming cultural, social, political and economic barriers to successful adaptation to a changing climate is the most important factor in avoiding instability in a warming world. The countries which will face increased risk are not necessarily the most fragile, nor those which will suffer the greatest physical effects of climate change. The global security threat posed by fragile and failing states is well known. It is in the interest of the world's more affluent countries to take measures both to reduce the degree of global warming and climate change and to cushion the impact in those parts of the world where climate change will increase that threat. Neither course of action will be cheap, but inaction will be costlier. Providing the right kind of assistance to the people and places it is most needed is one way of reducing the cost, and understanding how and why different societies respond to climate change is one way of making that possible.

Introduction

Climate change has been a key factor in the rise and fall of societies and states from prehistory to the recent fighting in the Sudanese state of Darfur. It drives instability, conflict and collapse, but also expansion and reorganisation. The ways in which cultures have met the climate challenge provide object lessons for how the modern world can handle the new security threats posed by unprecedented global warming. Combining historical precedents with current thinking on state stability, internal conflict and state failure suggests that overcoming cultural, social, political and economic barriers to successful adaptation to a changing climate is the most important factor in avoiding instability in a warming world. The countries which will face increased risk are not necessarily the most fragile, nor those which will suffer the greatest physical effects of climate change. The global security threat posed by fragile and failing states is well known. It is in the interest of the world's more affluent countries to take measures both to reduce the degree of global warming and climate change and to cushion the impact in those parts of the world where climate change will increase that threat. Neither course of action will be cheap, but inaction will be costlier. Providing the right kind of assistance to the people and places it is most needed is one way of reducing the cost, and understanding how and why different societies respond to climate change is one way of making that possible.

“The Kind Cooperation of Many Local Friends”: Deemster J. F. Gill's Search for Manx Folk Singers (1895–1898)

The activities of the Gill brothers—W. H. Gill (1839–1923) and Deemster J. F. Gill (1842–99)—as folksong collectors and editors in the Isle of Man in the 1890s have been largely overlooked to date. Instead, it is the other collectors of folksong in this period, namely Dr John Clague (1842–1908) and A. W. Moore (1853–1909), who have received the greater attention and acclaim. However, the recently released private papers of Deemster J. F. Gill allow for a reassessment of the work of both brothers in the area of folksong collecting and publishing. This paper deals with the preparations the brothers made for their collecting trips about the island in 1895 and 1898. It is evident from Deemster Gill's correspondence discussed here that he built up a network of helpers who were willing to find potential singers for him and his brother, besides affording them other kinds of assistance in the work of collecting. The members of the Demester's circle of helpers can all be clearly identified, allowing us to see just who was supporting folksong collecting in this period in the Isle of Man.

Acknowledgments

The editors would simply like to conclude our second issue, Archaeology and Ethnography of Cultural Heritage Management, by thanking the people who were instrumental in putting this issue together. Special thanks go to Paul Shackel and David Gadsby of the University of Maryland for recruiting experts in cultural heritage research and practice among their colleagues, and for prodding them along as needed. We also offer sincere thanks to Antoinette Jackson of the University of South Florida for providing the same kind of assistance with her students. This was truly a cooperative venture between two universities that are dedicated to promoting cooperation between archaeologists and cultural anthropologists in the protection and management of cultural resources and, as Cheryl White points out in her article, ultimately protecting people whose cultural integrity and lives are threatened. At a time when anthropology is increasingly threatened by division and fragmentation, it is nice to be reminded that ethnographers and archaeologists can come together to work on both scholarly, humanitarian and practical issues of great importance. Thirdly, we offer special thanks to Erve Chambers for providing an excellent overview of cultural heritage studies in his introduction to this issue. As always, thanks to Neil Hann for keeping us on track, dealing with last minute substitutions and getting everything to fit together.

Role of Clinical Ethicists in Making Decisions About Levels of Care in the Intensive Care Unit

Role of Clinical Ethicists in Making Decisions About Levels of Care in the Intensive Care Unit

A comparison of information needs and information seeking behaviour of students of the Open University of Tanzania and those of Sokoine University of Agriculture

This study was carried out to examine awareness and use of different sources of information for course-work and research by students of the Open University of Tanzania and those of Sokoine University of Agriculture. Specifically, the study sought to understand students use of the information sources, why they visited the university library, the type of assistance they had received in using the library as well as the type of instruction they would like to receive in the future. A questionnaire was designed and administered to Open University students in the Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment who were attending their summer studies in July 2005 at Sokoine University of Agriculture and students of Sokoine University of Agriculture who were on campus during vacation. The objective was to compare the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of these students. The study highlights the positive aspects of seeking information from the students perspective as well as the kind of assistance they require when seeking information in the library. The findings show that there are differences in the extent to which students of the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) and those of Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) use sources of information in the library. The OUT students rely mainly on the use of print books and journals as opposed to electronic information resources, where as SUA students use both print books and electronic resources at varying degrees. The results further show that many of the information services offered in the library are not used effectively due to lack of awareness on availability of these resources among many students. It is recommended that a thorough and intensive training is carried out to both SUA and OUT students to help them use library resources more effectively and efficiently.University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal Vol. 8 (1&2) 2006: pp. 60-72

ICT in E-Business and SMEs in Developing Countries: Status and Barriers

With the continuous spread of the Internet and its related applications, the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by enterprises has grown considerably over the past few years. New e-business practices are more and more integrated into existing business processes of large enterprises. Business firms use ICTs for their internal automation like office and production processes, customer relations and supply chain management, and for the management of distribution and logistics networks. Internet use, for instance, may range from simple website presence to tire complete integration of business functions. As a result, e-business practices are being increasingly considered for evaluating the impact of ICTs on economic growth and business performance. The adoption of ICTs by enterprises through connecting to the Internet is a major step for small enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries. It requires management and technical skills, as well as organisational changes and investments that are often not affordable. Further, although SMEs have been found to have the greatest potential for productivity gains through e-business, ICT usage usually increases with the size of companies. E-business firms need to have good managerial capacities, technical skills and innovation, which may be harder to afford for SMEs in developing countries. On the other hand, importantly, ICT usage by SMEs in the developing countries of Asia and Africa has enabled many firms to adopt internet connectivity and its active use for communicating with suppliers and customers. This is particularly true of companies in urban areas, whereas the urban- rural digital divide excludes many SMEs located outside the major cities. Several instances have demonstrated the correlation between ICT adoption and profitability/productivity of firms; however, from the point of view of the company owner, one of the major reasons for not using ICTs is the perceived limited impact on business profitability, often coupled with the argument that few suppliers and customers are online. On the other hand, if companies experience a positive impact on their business - for example, an increase in the number of customers, they would be wi lling to invest in hardware and connectivity. In other words, the readiness of SMEs to invest in ICTs is not necessarily a cost factor. In fact, studies by UNCTAD (2004) reveal that the availability of personal computers (PCs), the Internet and ICTs is high among companies located in urban areas, and there are no significant differences between small and medium sized companies as regards basic access to and use of the Internet (such as e-mail). However, the more complex tasks, in particular automating and integrating the business processes, are carried out much less frequently by SMEs. E-commerce is still rare and small companies use more e-marketplaces, whereas medium-sized companies use company websites (of third parties or their own) for selling online. Service companies are the most active users of ICTs and the Internet, followed by trade and manufacturing (the least active). This corresponds to findings in other developing regions and is partly explained by the fact that functions such as marketing and selling services online require basic Internet access and website presence, and less system integration related to, for example, supply and value chain management, as is the case in manufacturing. This paper will focus on the adoption of ICTs by SMEs in three developing country regions. It will investigate which companies use ICTs according to sector, size, location or target markets (foreign or domestic); the costs and benefits of using ICTs from the point of view of SMEs; the specific circumstances faced by SMEs which may impact ICT usage, such as access, quality, costs, skills or finance; and the kind of assistance they may need to enhance their e-business activities. Most of the existing knowledge about the use of ICTs in enterprises or e-business, and its impact on business performance in the developing world is based on anecdotal and case study evidence, and little statistical data on e-business are available. The paper looks at the potential and the current adoption of ICTs by enterprises, using available data mainly from developed countries, and discusses

O COTIDIANO DA CUIDADORA NO DOMICÍLIO: DESAFIOS DE UM FAZER SOLITÁRIO

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o trabalho de cuidadoras no domicílio. Estudo qualitativo, descritivo-exploratório, no qual os dados empíricos foram obtidos por meio de entrevistas e registros das atividades de cuidado no Diário da Cuidadora. Os resultados revelaram que o cuidado domiciliar é realizado principalmente por mulheres cujas características são de capacidade de entrega e de dedicação. A ação cuidadora está permeada de dificuldades nas atividades básicas de manutenção da vida, realizadas concomitantemente ao cuidado da casa resultando numa jornada contínua e solitária de um integrante da família. Para superar o desgaste e a solidão, as cuidadoras buscam a rede de apoio e solidariedade mas esta se revela provisória e com pouca capacidade de atender às carências constantes do cuidado. Concluiu-se que o cotidiano da cuidadora no domicílio apresenta desafios de diversas ordens concretizando-se como uma prática que necessita de discussão no âmbito das políticas públicas.

Awareness of Illness in Schizophrenia: Associations With Multiple Assessments of Executive Function

Awareness of Illness in Schizophrenia: Associations With Multiple Assessments of Executive Function

Zimbabwe's Drought Relief Programme in the 1990s: A Re‐Assessment Using Nationwide Household Survey Data

Zimbabwe's Drought Relief Programme was hailed in the 1980s and 1990s as an effective response to a food crisis in a poor country. International observers in particular credited the Programme with preventing famine and protecting livelihoods. Even before the current political turmoil and the ensuing politicisation of Drought Relief that have afflicted Zimbabwe since 2000, Zimbabwean authors were more sceptical about the effectiveness of Drought Relief. Both sides in the debate, however, failed to substantiate their arguments with national household survey data on who got what kind of assistance from Drought Relief, but rather relied on administrative data, qualitative interviews or sub‐national surveys. Drawing its inspiration from WHO's minimum evaluation procedure, this article uses data from four nationwide household surveys in 1992–1993 and 1995–1996 and various definitions of poverty to ask whether Drought Relief provided poor people with relevant, timely and adequate assistance in the 1990s. The analysis suggests that Drought Relief was effective in supporting drought‐affected smallholders during the 1990s. Drought Relief generally had a slight pro‐poor bias. Unfortunately, Drought Relief since 2000 has a very different character.

大規模水田農業地域の経営予測と資源保全施策の意義―北海道鷹栖町北野地区を事例として―

The local resource conservation program for rural areas was currently established and is going to start from the fiscal year of 2007. In this research, we analyzed the effectiveness of the labor contribution by the non-farmers to the sustainable agricultural development applying the ASMAP (Agent-based Simulation Model for Agricultural Planning). The study area we chose is the Kitano district, Takashu town, in Hokkaido. As the result, we made clear that the cooperation between the farmers and non-farmers must be effective on the farm land management in part, and that a kind of assistance by the local government will be indispensable to keep the agricultural income of the farmers at higher level.

AAC for hypothesis testing and treatment of aphasic language production: Lessons from a “processing prosthesis”

Background : The design of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology for aphasic individuals must be informed by a theory of the underlying disorder in order to determine what kind of assistance will be most effective. AAC devices may therefore serve to test competing theories, each predicting the efficacy of a different kind of support for language production. They may also serve as heuristic tools, affording the opportunity to observe language production under radically altered conditions. A communication system that we have termed a “processing prosthesis” was directly inspired by the performance hypothesis, the view that processing factors rather than loss of linguistic knowledge underlie aphasic language production disorders. Unlike AAC technology, which focuses on the provision of direct linguistic support in the form of vocabulary items and pre-stored utterances, this system (referred to here and in previous literature as the “CS”) emphasises indirect support to allow the user to more fully exploit his or her retained language production capabilities. If the CS is effective in facilitating aphasic sentence construction, this may be taken as evidence in support of the performance hypothesis embodied in its design. Aims : We illustrate the interplay between AAC technology and psycholinguistic theory by reviewing studies of the CS, and describe some approaches to language remediation that have emerged from this work. Contributions : We review three published studies and preliminary data from a fourth. These studies demonstrate the efficacy of the CS through “aided” effects (i.e., the extent to which utterances produced on the system are more structured and/or informative than those produced without the system) and treatment effects (i.e., the impact of a period of CS use on the aphasic individual's spontaneous, unaided speech). Conclusions : The CS data suggest that “indirect” support may play an important role in facilitating and treating aphasic sentence production; and, more generally, they demonstrate the bidirectional flow of insight between assistive technology and the psycholinguistic analysis of aphasic disorders.

Alarm Processing in Support of Operators of Power Systems

Despite today's increased use of automation, human operators still play a significant role in modern energy management systems. However, the operators' tasks tend to become harder as the complexity of the system increases. For instance, under fault conditions, the operators are overloaded by alarm messages generated by the system. In this context the operators require some kind of assistance. This article considers an alarm processing system in support of the operators of a large control centre. The developed system, called Expert Alarm Processor for Energy Networks (EXPAPEN), is a knowledge-based system with real-time performance characteristics that comprises two modules. The first module acts quickly on the incoming message stream and has a permanent effect on the alarm messages, and the second, which involves more complex reasoning, relates the messages to the network topology. Consequently, the system operator is presented with fewer messages of increased semantic content, while access to the raw messages is still maintained. The process of building the system, its architecture, functional characteristics, and its performance during experimental use are presented. Methodological issues concerning the design of intelligent applications for the power industry are also discussed.

Help Seeking for AOD Misuse among Social Workers: Patterns, Barriers, and Implications

Social workers experience alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems, yet little is known about how they deal with these issues. To begin to address this gap in knowledge, this study presents data from a sample of NASW members and describes how frequently social workers seek support for AOD problems, the kinds of assistance they typically obtain, how helpful they find the assistance, the barriers that discourage them from seeking help, and the relationship between help seeking and impairment. The data suggest that social workers do not frequently seek help, even when they are high-risk AOD users. Respondents reported a number of personal reasons for not obtaining assistance, but when they sought help, they found both peer support and formal treatment beneficial. Help seeking was also related to a variety of professional impairments. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Cuidado domiciliar intensivo: uma possível realidade do Sistema Único de Saúde?

Investigação de abordagem qualitativa que se enquadra como um estudo exploratório de caso individual. Cuja questão norteadora configurou-se em indagar como o Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) disponibiliza o cuidado domiciliar intensivo. Os objetivos do estudo foram: analisar como é disponibilizado este suporte de saúde: qual o tipo de assistência prestada e como é a manutenção e garantia dos equipamentos; visibilizar como o sujeito deste estudo obteve este serviço: como o mesmo chegou até ele e quanto tempo demora. Os resultados revelam que os caminhos para se obter um suporte à vida são cercados de obstáculos e que este trajeto percorrido em busca de uma assistência domiciliar pela dinâmica do SUS envolve burocracia, profissionais e equipamentos que em muitas situações dificultam o acesso da população.

O-nucleophilic features of amidoximes in acyl group transfer reactions

Analysis of kinetic behavior of isomeric Z-amidoximes and their Z-ions in reactions with 4-nitrophenyl-4-toluenesulfonate, diethylphosphate, and diethylphosphonate was performed in the framework of Bronsted relationship. The reactivity of amidoximate anions with respect to the mentioned substrates is comparable to that of typical α-nucleophiles, oximate ions. The α-effect decreased with the growing basicity of amidoximate ions, and for compounds with pKa>12.0 it was totally lacking. The high nucleophilic activity of neutral amidoximes and their anionic forms was ascribed to the cyclic structure of the transition state involving two kinds of assistance: general acidic, and basic catalysis. A unique feature of amidoximes as α-nucleophiles consists in their ability to perform efficient cleavage of ecotoxic substrates in a wide pH range, from basic to acid media.

Casual Labour in a Nigerian Urban Center

Rapid population growth and rural-urban migration in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) have combined to result in serious unemployment problems in urban centers. The formal sector is not growing fast enough to absorb to labour force. The informal sector which would have absorbed the excess is incapacitated because of inadequate governmental policy framework which has thwarted its growth and expansion. The end result is a pool of the unemployed who gather daily at urban road junctions for daily paid casual jobs. Unfortunately this group seems to have been neglected not only by policy makers but also by researchers. The Sabo road junction in Ile-Ife town in Oshun state where about 150-200 casual labourers gather every morning has been looked into closely in this work in an attempt to bridge this knowledge gap on issues of unemployment and rural - urban migration in Nigeria. The investigation covered the groups socio-economic background immigration status and attitude to self-employment and the kind of assistance they require from the Government. Interviews were conducted for fifty members of the group two landlords in the neighborhood and two local government officials. The findings revealed that many of the group were educated highly skilled and very vocal. The wasting away of knowledge and skill by the roadside should be regarded as a colossal national ailment which deserves the attention of policy makers. There is need to put in place a policy whereby this neglected grass root sector can be harnessed into the main stream of national development through job creation and/or self-employment orientation. (authors)

The emergency department as an effective environment for addressing interpersonal/domestic violence

Study objectives: Domestic violence is a significant pathology. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women aged 15 to 44 years, more common than automobile accidents, muggings, and rapes combined (Office of the US Surgeon General; January 1994). Despite this pathology, literature reports that as few as 1.5% of women victims of domestic violence are screened in the primary care setting. We survey a population of domestic abuse victims in transitional housing about their experiences in emergency department (ED) that either helped or hindered their success. Methods: This was an observational study conducted though the 19 domestic violence agencies that provide transitional housing services in Pennsylvania. The study population was individuals successfully leaving the abusive environment, as evidenced by completing a shelter stay and subsequent participation in transitional housing. A survey was developed in conjunction with the domestic violence agencies. The survey was administered by a single agent within each organization. Those in shelter housing were not surveyed, and those who intended to return to the original environment were excluded. Results: One hundred forty-one surveys were returned. Of individuals successfully leaving the domestic violence environment who needed medical care and sought that care in the ED (N=48), 79.1% (N=38) were asked about abuse by some member of the ED staff. Twenty-one (55%) of 38 were asked about their abuse by more than 1 individual. Of those specifying the results of ED screening (n=39), 89% (n=35) received assistance; 65% (n=25) received more than 1 kind of assistance. Seventy-nine percent of those who received help in the ED thought that the help was adequate. Conclusion: In a population selected for success in leaving the domestic violence environment who sought care in EDs, high numbers of individuals were queried about their abuse, a majority were offered more than 1 type of assistance, and most believed that the help they received was adequate. The ED can be an effective environment for uncovering and addressing domestic violence.

SUPPORTING EFFECT OF ARTIFICIAL MYOCARDIUM ON CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

Recently, cardiovascular events including ischemic heart diseases have been on the rise in Japan. What kind of assistance can be provided to patients with congestive heart failure? This assistance should focus on the contraction of myocardium. To achieve this objective, we have initiated the ARTIFICIAL MYOCARDIUM development project. In the first step, the satisfactory cardiac supporting effect of the pneumatic artificial myocardium was confirmed by the animal experiment. Next, the development of an implantable type device commenced. The artificial myocardium development using a ball screw motor was completed. We also planned the development of an electrohydraulic driving system. The drive system was equipped between ribs. Energy was supplied by a transcutaneous energy transmission system from the outside of the body. In this study, the supporting effect of an electrohydraulic artificial myocardium (EHAM) was evaluated in an experimental heart failure model. Ischemic heart failure was experimentally induced by the coronary ligation based on the Korean group. Firstly, we ligated the left anterior descending artery, and subsequently the 1st diagonal was ligated. EHAM was started for providing assistance after the induction of the ischemic heart failure. EHAM was attached to the left ventricle and fixed with banding. The results showed that a satisfactory supporting effect was observed during the EHAM assistance. Hemodynamic parameters returned to their normal range during the EHAM assistance. The results suggested the clinical feasibility of our devices.

Parenting and social capital: Accessing help and support from informal social networks

This paper explores the resources and support that parents in the UK are able to access through their social networks, and analyses how these networks are organized and sustained. Concern over a perceived demise in community relations and trust have driven many recent UK family policy initiatives and have underpinned proposals to increase parenting support services. However drawing on data from the project "Resources in Parenting: Access to Capitals" it will be suggested that parents remain tightly connected to a social network from which they derive help, advice and reassurance. Based on data from 35 in-depth interviews with parents from 24 households across a range of social backgrounds, the paper will provide an insight into the levels of practical, financial and emotional help received by mothers and fathers from family members, friends and acquaintances. Particular attention will be given to significance of gender and class in enabling and delimiting access to various kinds of assistance. In contrast to commonly voiced claims about the fracturing of traditional support systems it will be argued that parenting is characterized by resourceful engagement with a variety of personal and social relationships.