Multinational Task Force Research Articles

BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY AND NIGERIA’S FOREIGN POLICY: A FAILURE OF DIPLOMACY, MULTILATERALISM AND SECURITY APPARATUS?

International terrorism became a major concern to Nigeria with the emergence of the Boko Haram Islamist group from around 2009, and the escalation of attacks on the country by the sect. The group has bases in neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. This made the governments of Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Mohammadu Buhari to be involved in negotiations, dialogues, shuttle diplomacy, and the usage of other tools of foreign relations with these contiguous countries. The Multinational Task Force (MNTF) was established in 1993 by Lake Chad Basin Commission and had to be resuscitated and invigorated by the governments of Jonathan and Buhari. However, the insurgency lingered despite these concerted efforts. This paper attempts to investigate why several foreign and security policy initiatives of the Nigerian government have failed to find lasting solutions to the insurgency. Secondary data, qualitative research methods, and content analysis were used as a methodology in this research. Findings showed that inefficiencies of government, poverty, and porous borders made it easier for Boko Haram terrorists to recruit members from these neighbouring countries. It was also revealed that this insurgency has made Nigeria lose foreign direct investment (FDI) because some Multinational Corporations (MNCs) relocated from the country. Therefore, the study advocates a wider approach that incorporates economic programs that would reduce poverty among the local populace and stronger border controls, among others.

COVID-19: Interim Guidance on Rehabilitation in the Hospital and Post-Hospital Phase from a European Respiratory Society and American Thoracic Society-coordinated International Task Force.

BackgroundPatients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or post-COVID-19 will probably have a need for rehabilitation during and directly after the hospitalisation. Data on safety and efficacy are lacking. Healthcare professionals cannot wait for published randomised controlled trials before they can start these rehabilitative interventions in daily clinical practice, as the number of post-COVID-19 patients increases rapidly. The Convergence of Opinion on Recommendations and Evidence process was used to make interim recommendations for rehabilitation in the hospital and post-hospital phases in COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 patients, respectively.Methods93 experts were asked to fill out 13 multiple-choice questions. Agreement of directionality was tabulated for each question. ≥70% agreement on directionality was necessary to make consensus suggestions.Results76 (82%) experts reached consensus on all questions based upon indirect evidence and clinical experience on the need for early rehabilitation during the hospital admission, the screening for treatable traits with rehabilitation in all patients at discharge and 6–8 weeks after discharge, and around the content of rehabilitation for these patients. It advocates for assessment of oxygen needs at discharge and more comprehensive assessment of rehabilitation needs, including physical as well as mental aspects 6–8 weeks after discharge. Based on the deficits identified, multidisciplinary rehabilitation should be offered with attention on skeletal muscle and functional as well as mental restoration.ConclusionsThis multinational task force recommends early, bedside rehabilitation for patients affected by severe COVID-19. The model of pulmonary rehabilitation may suit as a framework, particularly in a subset of patients with long-term respiratory consequences.

COVID-19: guidance on palliative care from a European Respiratory Society international task force.

BackgroundMany people are dying from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but consensus guidance on palliative care in COVID-19 is lacking. This new life-threatening disease has put healthcare systems under pressure, with the increased need of palliative care provided to many patients by clinicians who have limited prior experience in this field. Therefore, we aimed to make consensus recommendations for palliative care for patients with COVID-19 using the Convergence of Opinion on Recommendations and Evidence (CORE) process.MethodsWe invited 90 international experts to complete an online survey including stating their agreement, or not, with 14 potential recommendations. At least 70% agreement on directionality was needed to provide consensus recommendations. If consensus was not achieved on the first round, a second round was conducted.Results68 (75.6%) experts responded in the first round. Most participants were experts in palliative care, respiratory medicine or critical care medicine. In the first round, consensus was achieved on 13 recommendations based upon indirect evidence and clinical experience. In the second round, 58 (85.3%) out of 68 of the first-round experts responded, resulting in consensus for the 14th recommendation.ConclusionThis multi-national task force provides consensus recommendations for palliative care for patients with COVID-19 concerning: advance care planning; (pharmacological) palliative treatment of breathlessness; clinician–patient communication; remote clinician–family communication; palliative care involvement in patients with serious COVID-19; spiritual care; psychosocial care; and bereavement care. Future studies are needed to generate empirical evidence for these recommendations.

The quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) identifies septic patients in the out-of-hospital setting

BackgroundRecently a multispecialty, multinational task force convened to redefine the criteria for organ dysfunction, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. The study recommended the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score to identify sepsis patients. The qSOFA is felt to be the initial screen to prompt a more in-depth sepsis workup. This may be particularly true in resource-limited environments such as the prehospital arena. ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to identify whether emergency medical services (EMS) patients who met all three qSOFA criteria correlated with an emergency department (ED) identification of sepsis. MethodsThis was a retrospective chart review of adult patients≥18years of age, meeting qSOFA criteria and presenting to the emergency department between 1/01/2014 and 6/30/2016. Subjects were identified through an electronic query of the EMS record repository. Results72 subjects were included in the final analysis. Subjects in the septic group tended to be older with a mean age of 72years vs 64years. There was no observed discrepancy relating to gender. 48 of the subjects (67%) were identified as septic and 24 (33%) were identified as non-septic after review of the ED chart. This yielded a positive predictive value of the prehospital qSOFA as 66.67% (95% CI 55.8–77.6). ConclusionsEMS patients with positive qSOFA screens were more likely to be septic upon disposition to the ED.

Sestavení databáze požadavků na schopnosti - Úvodní fáze procesu hodnocení vojenských schopností

The article describes an approach to development of a national military capability requirements database and its relationship with reference units which will be finally used for assessing capabilities of existing force units. Outcomes from recently completed analyses lead to the conclusion that the single set of capability requirements as specified in the Bi-SC Agreed Capability Codes and Capability Statements, can be taken as a key stone for developing a national database of capability requirements. A due adaptation of this document to the Czech MOD allows getting a complex frame of capabilities which force units shall manage to achieve given operational tasks both in the context of a national or multinational task force group. Consequently such a database can be exploited for setting up a mechanism for capability assessment.

Pain Management by Pharmacotherapy in Inflammatory Arthritis. Systematic Literature Reviews of the 3e Initiative 2010

The 3e Initiative (Evidence, Expertise, Exchange) is a multinational task force devoted to producing evidence-based recommendations for daily clinical practice in Rheumatology. It is a combination of systematically generated evidence and expert opinions of an international panel of rheumatologists. Since 2006, the 3e initiative has addressed successively the management of Ankylosing Spondylitis1, the use of Methotrexate in Rheumatoid Arthritis2, and the management of patients with Undifferentiated Peripheral Inflammatory Arthritis (UPIA)3, resulting in multinational recommendations on these topics. The 2010 3e collaboration’s objective was to elaborate recommendations on how to manage musculoskeletal pain by pharmacotherapy in inflammatory arthritis, which …

SOUTH AFRICA'S FLYING CHEETAHS IN KOREA

On 25 June 1950, the army of North Korea crossed the thirty-eighth parallel to attack their southern neighbours. Western Powers responded quickly and despatched a multinational task force, under a United Nations banner, to the conflict area. The United Nations Forces (UNF) included a South African contingent of one fighter bomber squadron (No 2 Squadron SAAF), a liaison headquarters and ten army officers attached to 1st Commonwealth Division. By October, the North Koreans were routed. However, the intervention of Communist China resulted in a prolonged war which eventually ended in a stalemate at Panmunjom on 27 July 1953.

E&C industry tackles global corruption

Leading members of the engineering and construction industry, who make up the World Economic Forum’s Governors for Engineering & Construction (E&C), have established a multinational task force to develop anti-corruption principles to guide companies that participate in engineering and construction procurements around the world. This is a short news story only. Visit www.worldpumps.com for the latest pump industry news.

E&C industry tackles global corruption

Leading members of the engineering and construction industry, who make up the World Economic Forum’s Governors for Engineering & Construction (E&C), have established a multinational task force to develop anti-corruption principles to guide companies that participate in engineering and construction procurements around the world. Visit www.filtsep.com for the latest filtration industry news

Software engineering code of ethics and professional practice

The Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, intended as a standard for teaching and practicing software engineering, documents the ethical and professional obligations of software engineers. The code should instruct practitioners about the standards society expects them to meet, about what their peers strive for, and about what to expect of one another. In addition, the code should also inform the public about the responsibilities that are important to the profession. Adopted in 2000 by the IEEE Computer Society and the ACM--two leading international computing societies--the code of ethics is intended as a guide for members of the evolving software engineering profession. The code was developed by a multinational task force with additional input from other professionals from industry, government posts, military installations, and educational professions.