bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Typology of Needs Assessment Definitions in Adult Education
Authors: Scissons Edward H.
Published: June 2008

The purposes of this paper are to present a typology for differentiating between varying definitions of educational need and to outline a research study designed to assess the degree of interrelationship between the varying elements of the typology. The typology is based on the assessment of learner competence, motivation to learn, and relevance of the learning activity. The research study, conducted in a business setting, investigated the degree of independence of these elements in the assessment of learner need. Significant differences between the estimates of learner need, dependent on the elements of the typology used, are noted and implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.
A Developmental Approach To Research and Practice In Adult And Continuing Education
Authors: Kenny William R. , Harnisch Delwyn L.
Published: June 2008

The issue of applicability of research and theory to the practice of adult and continuing education is addressed. Particular attention is given to what researchers can do to improve the applicability of their research. Three basic areas are discussed: variables and the role of practitioner-nominated alterable variables, external validity and the role of site-specific data collection, and general conceptualizations of the research process. The idea of methodological pragmatism is introduced and critically applied to theory-focused and practice problem-focused research approaches. A third approach, a developmental model, is introduced. A case example of its use is provided through a discussion of the Participation Reasons Scale. Its practical utility is discussed and demonstrated with data collected from a multi-week residential executive development program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Future Issues in Adult Education: A Review of the Literature of the Seventies
Authors: Hoare Carol H.
Published: June 2008

The adult education and related literature was reviewed for the decade of 1970 in order to delineate the predominant future issues that emerge from that period. Based on conference proceedings, surveys, action-inquiry forums, investigations and informed opinion, the predominant program areas that included significant future issues were those of education for work and leisure, education for aging, health education, continuing professional education, education for social and civic responsibility, education for personal adaptation, education for functional competency and education for teachers of adults. Substantive issues also emerged regarding future delivery modalities. Reflected throughout was a view of adult learning ventures as potential vehicles for solving complex individual and social problems.

The following conclusions were drawn: (1) Denial of the deleterious effects of change is apparent; (2) A consideration of global issues, as appropriate content for adult education intervention, is limited; (3) Although new roles for adult learning programs and professionals were forecast, there is a notable absence of specific strategies for meeting the educational needs projected during the seventies.
Characteristics of Adult Education Research Reported At the Adult Education Research Conference, 1971-1980
Authors: Long Huey B.
Published: June 2008

The investigator analyzed the abstracts of all research papers and classified them according to predetermined criteria following the work of Long and Agyekum. Findings indicate that 355 papers were presented by 347 different individuals including faculty from 83 post-secondary education institutions in the U.S.A. and 13 Canadian Colleges and Universities. Some 65 individuals made two or more presentations during the period.

Nine different types of research papers were presented; 55 percent of the papers were based on descriptive research procedures. Four different kinds of descriptive research data collection procedures were identified and analyzed.

Ten kinds of content were reported; 28% of the papers reported on research that focused on program areas and 24% of the papers were concerned with program planning and administration. The categories of program areas, program planning and administration and adult education as a field of study accounted for 68% of the papers, by content.

Representatives from seven higher education institutions accounted for 127 papers. Four of these institutions are from the U.S.A. and three are from Canada. The University of Wisconsin at Madison is the leading institution according to number of papers and individuals. Other analyses and conclusions are reported.
Determining the Learning Needs of the Older Adult In A Rural Community: Perceptions of the Service Provider
Authors: Nelson Gordon K.
Published: June 2008

Perception of learning needs of older adults is examined on a community-wide basis. Two hundred seventy-five service providers in a rural location with a high concentration of older people (age 60+) were queried about types of needs, obstacles to learning, and program development. While it was found that instrumental needs are generally recognized among service providers, perception of those needs and associated aspects of learning are based on occupational orientation. Age of the service provider and number of contact hours were not related to perceived needs and problems of learning. The findings are discussed in terms of an expanding context of community involvement in providing educational services to the elderly.
Mandatory Continuing Education for Professionals: Trends and Issues
Authors: Rockhill Kathleen
Published: June 2008

Voluntarism, historically a fundamental principle and characteristic of adult education, is at risk with the development of mandated continuing professional education. Education is mandated by (1) direct regulation in state licensure laws; (2) indirect regulation through professional membership, employment requirements, and specialized certificates; and (3) informal social sanctions. While there are some signs of a halt in direct regulation, indirect and informal controls are on the upsurge, typically in order to avert threatened external regulation. Central is the concern for competence, which reflects broader social concerns with accountability, as well as a new moralism with respect to adult education participation. Economic incentives for continuing education providers are also an important factor. One outcome is the formalization of control as manifest in efforts to measure learning outcomes and the development of accreditation standards. More professionals are challenging the quality of mandated offerings and their potential in meeting accountability concerns.
Determining The Importance of Community-Wide Adult Education Needs1
Authors: Kemerer Richard W. , Schroeder Wayne L.
Published: June 2008

The purpose of this research was to develop and test an explicit set of procedures for determining the relative importance of community-wide needs in adult education. Two dimensions of meaning of the term importance were conceptualized: qualitative which refers to the values placed on certain broad goals and needs relating to those goals, and quantitative which refers to the amount of magnitude of need in the community. The procedures developed ultimately result in clusters of needs assigned priority according to their qualitative and quantitative importance.

Results revealed a .80 Spearman rank correlation between two sets of rankings derived through use of the procedures. This value is significant at the .01 level. The data suggest that the procedures may provide a reliable way to integrate both the qualitative and the quantitative bases for judging importance.
Some Observations On Telecourse Research and Practice
Authors: Wiesner Peter
Published: June 2008

This review of the literature focuses on distance learning. It devotes particular attention to the telecourse and the role two-way communication plays in distance learning effectiveness. It is concluded that a broad theoretical framework that can be applied to distance learning is both lacking and needed. Suggestions for needed research are discussed.
The Lecture: An Update on Research
Authors: Oddi Lorys
Published: June 2008

This paper provides an update and follow-through of Verner and Dickinson's extensive review of literature on the lecture method of teaching published in Adult Education in 1967. In reviewing research on the lecture in the ensuing 14 years, one finds little effort directed to the effectiveness of the lecture in adult education, especially in non-classroom settings. The previous clear dichotomy between lecture and other methods no longer exists but has evolved into a consideration of collaborative learning approaches versus self-directed study. The limitations in the extant research highlight the need for renewed efforts to examine the appropriate use of the lecture in adult learning situations.
Perspectives of Business and Industry on Cooperative Programming With Educational Institutions
Authors: Darkenwald Gordon G.
Published: June 2008

As the role of business and industry in the continuing education of the workforce has grown, so too have opportunities for cooperation between employers and educational institutions. However, research has been lacking to sensitize educators to the education- related needs and perspectives of business and industry. Using factor analysis, this study explored the attitudes and perceptions of 85 training managers concerning their educational priorities, the costs and benefits actually experienced in cooperative programming, high priority areas for education-industry collaboration, and barriers to effective cooperation. For most of these analyses, the resulting factor structures were clear and revealing. For example, benefits of collaboration were found to comprise two factors: resource acquisition and outcome benefits. Benefits to business and industry were perceived as far greater than costs. A "three-track curriculum" exists in business and industry, with prospects for cooperative programming apparently greatest in the areas of management development and vocational upgrading. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are noted.
A comparison of non-musicians' and musicians' aesthetic response to music experienced with and without video
Authors: Lychner John A.
Published: June 2008

The purpose of this study was to examine aesthetic response to music experienced with and without video — in this case a video produced with a variety of images and not a video of a live performance. The participants (N = 64) were undergraduate and graduate students at a comprehensive university. The aural-only and aural with visual conditions were isolated to determine whether there would be a greater aesthetic response to the aural component when video was paired with it. In addition, the response of musicians or students majoring in music (n =32) was compared to the response of non-musicians or students not majoring in music (n = 32). Results indicated that non-musicians had a stronger response to the stimuli than musicians, particularly when the music was coupled with the video. However, video added to an audio stimulus did not appear to enhance participants' aesthetic response. In addition, musicians and non-musicians demonstrated notable differences in their aesthetic response to the stimulus, in this case a piece of country music.
Lullaby light shows: everyday musical experience among under-two-year-olds
Authors: Young Susan
Published: June 2008

This article reports on information gathered from a set of interviews carried out with 88 mothers of under-two-year-olds. The interviews enquired about the everyday musical experiences of their babies and very young children in the home. From the process of analysis, the responses to the interviews were grouped into three main areas: musical resources; recorded music from audio and mixed-media sources; and singing and song repertoire. The interviews sought not only to gather information about equipment, media use and musical activity, but also to uncover something of the social contexts within which music is being used and incorporated into domestic settings and family life. The accumulated information suggests that technological advances that enable the digitization of music are resulting in changes in the nature of music and musical practices in the home for very young children. A case is made for understandings of everyday musical activity among young children to be incorporated into revised versions of children's musical development.
Factors affecting the motivation of Hong Kong primary school students in composing music
Authors: Bo Wah Leung
Published: June 2008

This study reports students' motivation changes after they were guided to compose. A total of 582 students in five primary schools responded to a set of pre- and post-activity questionnaires before and after participating in composing activities. A univariate ANOVA and a series of repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare the mean scores before and after the composing activities to measure the different levels of student perception towards music composition. Results suggested that students' gender and their instrumental learning experience were two factors that significantly affected the motivational changes. In general, boys and non-instrumentalists had a significantly lower level of motivation than girls and instrumentalists. However, after experiencing the composing activities, boys had significantly elevated their self-efficacy, while non-instrumentalists had increased their self-efficacy, intrinsic value, utility value and expectancy.
Measuring emotional responses to music within a classroom setting
Authors: Napoles Jessica , Madsen Clifford K.
Published: June 2008

Investigating the emotional impact of music listening has a long history. Indeed, reactions to subtle as well as obvious changes in music, whether inadvertent or deliberate, occupy a good deal of interest for the music researcher as well as the music educator. Regardless of the extremely subtle acoustic changes that are perceptible within almost all studies from an electronic digital perspective, it is the total overall effect that most occupies the attention of the individual listener/student. While newer listening devices offer a plethora of music selections that can be presented and studied, often the educator does not have access to the advanced equipment used by researchers and has very limited resources other than their own performance and/or using various recording/playback units. The study investigated a `paper and pencil' drawing compared with the much more advanced Continuous Response Digital Interface (CDRI) using high-school students. Results indicated that subjects approximate the same emotional responses with a drawing when compared to the sophisticated graphic analysis of the CRDI. These findings indicate that a teacher using only a simple paper and pencil representation might be able to elicit and document an `overall emotional effect' that provides as much musical information as using more sophisticated measuring devices.
Informing music teaching and learning using movement analysis technology
Authors: Visentin Peter , Shan Gongbing , Wasiak Edwin B.
Published: June 2008

This study explores the utility of movement analysis technology as a means of contributing to a performance pedagogy informed in part by science. Two research questions were investigated: Can biomechanical skills needed for performance on the violin be accurately and objectively characterized and generalized? Can these data be used to inform performance pedagogy to maximize efficiencies and minimize injury? Movement analysis technology was used to study biomechanical phenomena associated with legato bowing on the violin. Results identified and described generalizable characteristics or markers among expert violinists, interactions between right shoulder and elbow, and three discrete tempo-dependent phases of motor control. Such markers may provide new ways of accurately identifying, assessing, and communicating when teaching. Results hold implications for factors related to overuse injuries and underscore the need for more systematic collaborative inquiry into performance pedagogy.
A gendered study of the working patterns of classical musicians: implications for practice
Authors: Bennett Dawn
Published: June 2008

Despite an increase in participation at all levels of the music profession, women continue to experience fewer opportunities to forge careers in music and are less likely than men to apply for leadership positions. This article presents results from a study in which 152 instrumental musicians reflected upon their professional practice and career aspirations. The study examined differences in the professional practice of male and female musicians and found female musicians to be more likely to teach, and less likely to sustain performance positions because of the difficulties associated with managing family and other commitments whilst maintaining an uninterrupted career in music. It is proposed that educators have a crucial role to play in the development of curricula reflective of the realities of professional practice in a profession where interrupted careers can result in a loss of technical skills and in outdated curricular and methodological knowledge.
β-Adrenoceptors in human pineal glands are unaltered in depressed suicides
Authors: De Paermentier Freddy , Lowther Sandra , Crompton M. Rufus , Katona Cornelius L.E. , Horton Roger W
Published: June 2008

We have measured β-adrenoceptor binding in pineal glands obtained at post mortem from suicides with a firm retrospective diagnosis of depression, and from age and gender-matched controls. In both antidepressant-free and antidepressant-treated suicides there were no significant differences in the number or affinity of β- adrenoceptors compared to controls. Within the total group of subjects we found no variation in β- adrenoceptor binding in relation to time of death or season of death. There was a significant negative correlation between the number of β-adrenoceptors and age in controls, but not in suicides. These results suggest that pineal β-adrenoceptors are not altered either in depression or as a result of antidepressant treatment.
Kamin blocking is not disrupted by amphetamine in human subjects
Authors: Gray N.S. , Pickering A.D. , Gray J.A. , Jones S.H. , Abrahams S. , Hemsley D.R.
Published: June 2008

The effect of oral amphetamine administration on the Kamin-blocking effect in healthy volunteer subjects was investigated. Against predictions, Kamin blocking was not disrupted by either a high or low oral dose of D-amphetamine under conditions which have, in previous studies, led to disruption of a related learning phenomenon (latent inhibition). This lack of effect of amphetamine administration upon Kamin blocking weakens hypotheses that this cognitive process is mediated by the same changes in dopaminergic activity which affect latent inhibition. Currently, the only data which show strong comparative associations between Kamin blocking and latent inhibition are when they are applied to schizophrenic populations. These results may suggest that Kamin blocking and latent inhibition may be measuring different aspects of schizophrenic cognitive dysfunction.
Effects of alcohol and hypnosedative drugs on digit-symbol substitution: comparison of two different computerized tests
Authors: Mattila M.J. , Mattila-Evenden M.E.
Published: June 2008

Computerized symbol-digit substitution tests (SDSTs) and 'yes/no' digit-symbol substitution tests (YNDSTs), together with a digit-digit copying test (DDCT) were compared in a double-blind crossover study for hypnosedative and alcohol effects in 12 young healthy subjects. The tests were carried out before and 1, 3.5 and 5 h after intake of 15 mg diazepam, 30 mg oxazepam, 7.5 mg zopiclone,15 mg zolpidem or 0.65+0.35 g/kg ethanol, these impaired performance by varying extents. The drug-induced decrements were similar in the YNDSTs and SDSTs; the errors were subject-related and increased with alcohol intake in the YNDSTs but not in the SDSTs. Pooled baseline values in YNDSTs correlated well (Pearson) with those in the SDSTs. The SDSTs also correlated well with the DDCTs.The same correlations were seen when comparing absolute performances after ethanol and hypnosedatives. When using the Δ-values (changes from baseline), the correlation betweenYNDSTs and SDSTs was high after placebo but low after alcohol and hypnosedatives. When using ANCOVA to measure the responses to drugs (Δ-drug - Δ-placebo), the correlation between YNDSTs and SDSTs was fairly significant after most but not all active drugs. Subjective visual analogue variables did not correlate with objective performances. By comparing absolute performances with hypnosedatives we conclude that YNDSTs and SDSTs are similar, with the Δ-values indicating differences between them.
Caffeine and the common cold
Authors: Smith Andrew , Thomas Marie , Perry Kate , Whitney Helen
Published: June 2008

An experiment was carried out to determine whether caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee removed the malaise (reduced alertness, slower psychomotor performance) associated with having a common cold. One hundred volunteers were tested when healthy and 46 returned to the laboratory when they developed colds. Those subjects who remained healthy were then recalled as a control group. On the second visit subjects carried out two sessions, one pre-drink and another an hour after the drink. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following three conditions, caffeinated coffee (1.5 mg/kg caffeine/body weight), decaffeinated coffee or fruit juice. Subjects with colds reported decreased alertness and were slower at performing psychomotor tasks. Caffeine increased the alertness and performance of the colds subjects to the same level as the healthy group and decaffeinated coffee also led to an improvement. These results suggest that drugs which increase alertness can remove the malaise associated with the common cold, and that increased stimulation of the sensory afferent nerves may also be beneficial.
Lack of sedative and cognitive effects of diphenhydramine and cyclobenzaprine in elderly volunteers
Authors: Lines C. , Traub M. , Raskin S. , Mant T. , Reines S.
Published: June 2008

A double-blind, in-clinic, placebo-controlled, randomized, three-period crossover study was undertaken to investigate the potential sedative and cognitive effects of diphenhydramine 50 mg, p.o. and cyclobenzaprine 5 mg, p.o. in elderly volunteers. Subjects were given 10 doses of each treatment over a 4-day period according to a t.i.d. schedule. A battery of cognitive tests was administered 2 h after the first and last dose of each treatment period and subjects also completed visual analogue scale subjective ratings at regular intervals. There was no evidence that either drug caused drowsiness or affected cognitive test performance. These findings contrast with previous data using similar assessments in young volunteers, which indicated clear diphenhydramine- induced impairments. Contrary to commonly held belief, the elderly appear to be less sensitive than the young to the central nervous system effects of oral diphenhydramine.
Effects of (-)eticlopride and 7-OH-DPAT on the tail-suspension test in mice
Authors: Ferrari F. , Giuliani D.
Published: June 2008

The dopamine (DA) D 2/D3 antagonist (-)eticlopride (0.02, 0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg), dose-dependently increased immobility in the mouse tail-suspension test. Chronic treatment with the same compound (0.05, 0.1 mg/kg, x 14 days) produced a different effect, decreasing immobility when animals were tested 24 h after the last injection. The DA D3 agonist, 7-OH-DPAT, acutely administered before the same test, behaved biphasically, increasing and decreasing mice immobility at low (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg) and high (1 and 2 mg/kg) doses, respectively. Chronically administered 7-OH-DPAT reduced the immobility time at 2 mg/kg but not at 0.1 mg/kg. These effects, coupled with measurements of locomotor activity and evaluation of mice behaviour in different conditions, are discussed in the light of putative DA involvement in depressive states and are considered as predicting antidepressant potential.
Changes in plasma prolactin during SSRI treatment: evidence for a delayed increase in 5-HT neurotransmission
Authors: Cowen P.J. , Sargent P.A.
Published: June 2008

We studied the effect of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), paroxetine, on basal plasma prolactin concentrations in 11 healthy subjects. Subjects were tested before paroxetine, and after 1 and 3 weeks of treatment (20 mg daily). On each test occasion prolactin levels were sampled before and following administration of a placebo capsule, for a total of 4 h. After 3 weeks paroxetine treatment plasma prolactin levels were significantly higher than those seen either pre-treatment or after 1 week of treatment. In contrast, 1 week of paroxetine treatment did not significantly increase prolactin concentrations over pre-treatment values. Plasma concentrations of paroxetine did not differ between 1 and 3 weeks of treatment. The secretion of plasma prolactin is, in part, under the tonic regulation of serotonergic pathways and the present results therefore support animal experimental data suggesting that SSRIs produce a delayed increase in some aspects of brain serotonin neurotransmission.
A study of enhanced management in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia
Authors: Mercer Gavin , Finlayson Alan , Johnstone Eve C. , Murray Claire , Owens David G. C.
Published: June 2008

The clinical efficacy of two intensive treatment packages (one including the new antipsychotic risperidone and the other not doing so) was compared with that of standard management in 43 patients with long-standing treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Significant differences between the groups in terms of total positive or total negative symptoms were not demonstrated, but the pattern of change between the treatment groups differed, so that benefit in positive symptomatology was seen in both intensive treatment groups and in negative symptomatology in the intensive treatment/risperidone group and the standard group. Changes in general psychopathology were most marked in the risperidone group and were compatible with a relatively non-sedative profile. Using the Disability Assessment Schedule, substantial significant advantages for the intensive treatment groups were found.
The assessment of residual effects of a single dose of diazepam on visually defined EEG patterns
Authors: Sierra J.C. , Luna-Villegas G. , Buela-Casal G. , Fernández-Guardiola A.
Published: June 2008

The aim of this single-blind study was to evaluate the residual effects of a 10-mg dose of diazepam on cortical activation 11 h after oral intake. The electroencephalographic segments (from O1-O2) delimited by a sequence of photic stimuli presented every 10 sec during a simple reaction-time task (36 min duration) were arbitrarily classified into nine cerebral patterns (EEGP). EEGP segment classifications were grouped into six peri- stimulus transitions expressed in percentages: α-blockade; α-persistence; β-persistence; α-induction; activation and deactivation. A sample of 42 young healthy university students (21 females and 21 males) each underwent three counterbalanced experimental conditions (control, placebo and diazepam). Diazepam affected all the subjects, although the women showed a greater number of EEGP transitions which indicated deactivation, than did the men. The results show that this type of visual EEG analysis is a useful technique for detecting the residual effects of benzodiazepines.
Reviews : Treatment-outcome research in panic disorder: dilemmas in reconciling the demands of pharmacological and psychological methodologies
Authors: Sharp Donald M. , Power Kevin G.
Published: June 2008

Panic disorder with or without agoraphobia has been the subject of sustained treatment-outcome research. Studies have been conducted by both pharmacologically- and psychologically-oriented researchers each employing their own methodologies. Problems arise in attempting to reconcile the demands of these two treatment-outcome methodologies, whilst at the same time ensuring that research designs reflect the reality of wider clinical practice. In the following discussion a series of studies comparing pharmacological and psychological treatments for panic disorder and agoraphobia are reviewed. The review highlights areas where the competing demands of research design and clinical applicability lead to dilemmas for the researcher. Attempts to overcome such dilemmas are described and alternative solutions discussed.
Rapid depletion of plasma tryptophan: a review of studies and experimental methodology
Authors: Reilly J.G. , McTavish S.F.B. , Young A.H.
Published: June 2008

Evidence that the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) plays a role in the pathophysiology of mood disorders has been accumulating over the past three decades. Recent studies on this neurotransmitter have extended across the spectrum of psychiatric disorder, suggesting a role for 5-HT in psychosis, aggression, eating disorders and addiction. However, much of the evidence has come from post-mortem examination of the brain or measures of peripheral rather than central 5-HT function. The technique of tryptophan depletion allows investigation of brain 5-HT function in living subjects by examining the behavioural responses to this pharmacological challenge. This review considers the current status of tryptophan depletion as an experimental technique and discusses the implications of findings both in affective disorders and in a range of other psychiatric syndromes. MEDLINE and PSYCHLIT searches were completed for the years 1966 to November 1996 using the key words 'serotonin', '5-hydroxytryptamine', 'tryptophan' and 'depletion'. In addition relevant journals were hand-searched for the period from 1980 to December 1996. Forty-four double-blind studies in humans and three clinical case reports were identified; these cover a range of psychiatric disorders including mood disorders and psychoses, anxiety and eating disorders and specific behaviours such as appetite, aggression and craving. The studies reviewed utilized a variety of differing methodologies reducing the extent to which results can be generalized. A series of studies in depressed patients (before and after treatment with antidepressants) and their first-degree relatives have shown the importance of an intact 5-HT system in the action of antidepressants and offer new insights into the biology of affective disorder. The mood change induced by tryptophan depletion may predict those patients likely to respond to 5-HT-specific drugs. Rapid tryptophan depletion has also been reported to exacerbate both panic and aggression in vulnerable individuals. Effects in other disorders are conflicting and further research is needed to clarify these findings.
Resolving complexities in healthcare waste management: a goal programming approach
Authors: Chaerul Mochammad , Tanaka Masaru , Shekdar Ashok V.
Published: June 2008

The wide variety of activities at healthcare facilities generates different types of waste. There is always a danger of spreading infection due to mishandling of infectious waste or sharps. Hence, a variety of policies and actions have been taken to improve healthcare waste management systems. A large body of literature is available which suggests methods for tackling different problematic situations but management is confronted with a variety of complex problems, such as the choice of technological options to control infection, legal and budget restrictions and the timely removal of waste, which can, at times, conflict with each other. Hence, a planning model is presented that is based on a trans-shipment goal programming approach wherein the waste flow is optimized for multiple objectives under different priority structures or with different relative importance (weights). The use of the model is demonstrated as a decision-making tool that would help the management to understand the effects of their policies on the system performance. The model is validated for a case application representing a real-life situation. It can be easily seen that, in the case in which the management is biased toward a higher level of safety protection towards infection control, they have to compromise on cost control and to some extent on environmental pollution control.
Report: Medical students for monitoring biomedical waste segregation practices — why and how? Experience from a medical college
Authors: Nataraj Gita , Baveja Sujata , Kuyare Sunil , Poojary Aruna , Mehta Preeti , Kshirsagar Nilima , Gogtay Nithys
Published: June 2008

The cornerstone for an effective biomedical waste (BMW) management is appropriate waste segregation. Improper waste segregation practices can have an adverse impact on public health and increase the cost of treatment. Deficiencies in waste segregation practices can be corrected by continuous monitoring and education. Manpower for monitoring waste segregation in a large teaching hospital is scanty. We utilized the undergraduate medical students as monitors and studied the impact on waste segregation practices. A prospective observational study was carried out from August 2004 to January 2005. For monitoring waste segregation, the different areas of the hospital were divided amongst the II M.B.B.S students. They were provided with an observation sheet wherein the status of waste segregation and overall hygiene was recorded on a scale of 1—5. The impact of this programme was then analysed over the study period. The results indicated that a statistically significant improvement in waste segregation practices occurred in all areas. Thus, a large hospital with a medical college can identify students or a similar group for monitoring waste segregation or other aspects of biomedical waste management. This will improve their understanding of good practice in BMW management in future.
Utilizing a `systems' approach to improve the management of waste from healthcare facilities: best practice case studies from England and Wales
Authors: Tudor Terry L. , Woolridge Anne C. , Bates Margaret P. , Phillips Paul S. , Butler Sharon , Jones Keith
Published: June 2008

Changes in environmental legislation and standards governing healthcare waste, such as the Hazardous Waste Regulations are expected to have a significant impact on healthcare waste quantities and costs in England and Wales. This paper presents findings from two award winning case study organizations, the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust and the Cornwall NHS Trust on `systems' they have employed for minimizing waste. The results suggest the need for the development and implementation of a holistic range of systems in order to develop best practice, including waste minimization strategies, key performance indicators, and staff training and awareness. The implications for the sharing of best practice from the two case studies are also discussed.
Metal leachability, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls in fly and bottom ashes of a medical waste incineration facility
Authors: Valavanidis Athanasios , Iliopoulos Nikiforos , Fiotakis Konstantinos , Gotsis George
Published: June 2008

Medical waste from hospitals and other healthcare institutions has become an imperative environmental and public safety problem. Medical waste in Greece has become one of the most urgent environmental problems, because there are 14 000 tons produced annually, of which only a small proportion is incinerated. In the prefecture of Attica there is only one modern municipal medical waste incinerator (started 2004) burning selected infectious hospital waste (5—6 tons day— 1). Fly and bottom residues (ashes) are collected and stored temporarily in barrels. High values of metal leachability prohibit the landfilling of these ashes, as imposed by EU directives. In the present study we determined quantitatively the heavy metals and other elements in the fly and bottom ashes of the medical waste incinerator, by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP) and by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). Heavy metals, which are very toxic, such as Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, Cu and Zn were found in high concentrations in both fly and bottom ashes. Metal leachability of fly and bottom ashes by water and kerosene was measured by ICP and the results showed that toxic metals in both ashes, such as Pb, Cr, Cd, Cu and Zn, have high leaching values. These values indicate that metals can become soluble and mobile if ash is deposited in landfills, thus restricting their burial according to EU regulations. Analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fly and bottom ashes showed that their concentrations were very low. This is the first known study in Greece and the results showed that incineration of medical waste can be very effective in minimizing the most hazardous and infectious health-care waste. The presence of toxic metals with high leachability values remains an important draw back of incineration of medical waste and various methods of treating these residues to diminish leaching are been considered at present to overcome this serious technical problem.
Production of biologically safe digested manure for land application by a full-scale biogas plant with heat-inactivation
Authors: Uemura Shigeki , Ohashi Akiyoshi , Harada Hideki , Hoaki Toshihiro , Tomozawa Takashi , Ohara Takahiko , Ojima Reiichi , Ishida Tetsuya
Published: June 2008

Inactivation of indigenous indicator micro-organisms such as faecal coliforms, coliphages, and faecal streptococci was investigated in a full-scale biogas plant that mainly digested cow manure. The biogas plant consisted principally of a feed reservoir, fermentation tank (37 °C), heat-inactivation process (70 °C), and five reservoirs for the heat-inactivated, digested manure that was used by a local livestock farmer as liquid fertilizer. Although all the indicators tended to exhibit stepwise decreases with each stage of treatment, coliphages were found to be more capable of surviving than faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci under mesophilic anaerobic conditions as well as high temperature conditions (heat-inactivation at 70 °C). Liquid fertilizer produced at the biogas plant had faecal coliform densities less than the stipulations of the US EPA 40 CFR 503 Class A limits. Heat-inactivation tests indicated that although coliphages exhibited more tolerance than other bacterial indicators between 37 and 70 °C, they were more sensitive to continuous temperature increase than faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci.
Report: Healthcare waste characterization in Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh
Authors: Md Maksud Alam  , Sujauddin Mohammad , Gazi Mohammed Asif Iqbal  , Syed Mohammed Shamsul Huda
Published: June 2008

Healthcare waste management (HCWM) options are inconsistent in Bangladesh. One of the first critical steps in the process of developing a reliable waste management plan requires a comprehensive understanding of the quantities and characteristics of the waste that needs to be managed. This study took into consideration both the quantity and quality of the generated waste to determine the generation rates and physical properties of healthcare waste (HCW) in Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) and also to estimate the amount of infectious and non-infectious waste generated in different wards. CMCH, the second largest hospital in Bangladesh, comprises 34 wards, 12 of which were selected randomly. Waste materials were collected from these wards and then segregated and weighed. Waste generation per day was found to be 73.22 kg/ward, 1.28 kg/bed and 0.57 kg/patient. A total of 2490 kg of HCW was produced each day in CMCH (37% being infectious and the rest being non-infectious waste). Infectious waste was 27.07 kg per ward, 0.47 kg per bed and 0.21 kg per patient and the non-infectious waste was 46.15 kg per ward, 0.81 kg per bed and 0.36 kg per patient per day. HCW comprised eight categories of waste materials with vegetable/food waste being the largest component (50.21%) and varied significantly ( P < 0.05) among the 12 different wards studied. The greatest amount of HCW was recorded (154 kg) in Orthopaedics followed by 96.66 kg in the Medicine Unit-3 and the smallest amount was recorded in Casualty (8.79 kg). The amount of HCW was positively correlated with the number of occupied beds ( rxy = 0.79, P < 0.01). There is no structured form of medical waste treatment in CMCH and most waste materials are dumped in open areas for natural degradation or re-sold by scavengers. It is essential to develop a national policy and implement a comprehensive action plan for HCWM that will provide environmentally sound technological measures to improve HCWM in Bangladesh.
Report: Hospital waste management — awareness and practices: a study of three states in India
Authors: Hanumantha Rao P.
Published: June 2008

The study was conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh in India. Hospitals/nursing homes and private medical practitioners in urban as well as rural areas and those from the private as well as the government sector were covered. Information on (a) awareness of bio-medical waste management rules, (b) training undertaken and (c) practices with respect to segregation, use of colour coding, sharps management, access to common waste management facilities and disposal was collected. Awareness of Bio-medical Waste Management Rules was better among hospital staff in comparison with private medical practitioners and awareness was marginally higher among those in urban areas in comparison with those in rural areas. Training gained momentum only after the dead-line for compliance was over. Segregation and use of colour codes revealed gaps, which need correction. About 70% of the healthcare facilities used a needle cutter/destroyer for sharps management. Access to Common Waste Management facilities was low at about 35%. Dumping biomedical waste on the roads outside the hospital is still prevalent and access to Common Waste facilities is still limited. Surveillance, monitoring and penal machinery was found to be deficient and these require strengthening to improve compliance with the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules and to safeguard the health of employees, patients and communities.
Report: The assessment of hospital waste management: a case study in Tehran
Authors: Arab Mohammad , Rouhollah Askari Baghbani  , Tajvar Maryam , Pourreza Abolghasem , Tajvar Maryam , Omrani Ghasemali , Mahmoudi Mahmoud
Published: June 2008

Hospital waste management is an important process that must be dealt with diligently. The management of hazardous waste material requires specific knowledge and regulations and it must be carried out by specialists in the field. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the main stages of hospital waste management including separation, containment, removal and disposal of waste materials in public hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). We selected 108 units of six hospitals (three general hospitals and three subspecialty hospitals) from those hospitals supervised by TUMS using the cluster sampling method. The measurement was conducted through a questionnaire and direct observation by researchers. Association analysis was done by statistical tests; Fisher exact test and chi-squared using SPSS software. According to the results obtained by the questionnaire, most of the studied wards scored moderately in terms of quality of their performance in all stages of waste management. About one-fifth of the wards were suffering from poor management of their medical waste and only a minority of wards obtained good scores for managing their waste materials. The findings also revealed significant associations between temporary waste storage and collection and the level of education of the managers ( P = 0.040, P = 0.050, respectively). In summary, the study indicated a moderate management in all processes of separation, collection, containment, removal and disposal of waste materials in hospitals with several observed problems in the process.
Report: Treatment of medical waste in Nišava and Toplica districts, Serbia
Authors: Stanković Aleksandra , Nikić Dragana , Nikolić Maja
Published: June 2008

If there are no clearly defined management procedures, medical waste may represent a source of serious health hazards. Medical waste management was evaluated at the three hospitals in the Nisava and Toplica district, in Serbia. All the stages of existing waste management (segregation, collection, storage, transportation and disposal of waste) were examined by interviewing the personnel involved in the management of waste. The generated waste was a mixture of hazardous and non-hazardous waste. The study found that waste management performance in this district was poor and that there were problems in every stage of management. The results indicate that the waste generation rate was 1.92 kg bed— 1 day—1 and consisted of 98.7% general waste and 1.3% sharps. Inappropriate segregation practices were the biggest problem and led to increased quantities of general waste. There were no specific regulations for the segregation of the medical waste. None of the surveyed hospitals have a system to refine wastewater and there were no training courses about hospital waste management.
On the road to self-destruction
Authors: Barnett Steven
Published: June 2008

Professor Steven Barnett reports that a new BJR survey shows public confidence in journalism is still falling. "What ought to worry all journalists is the massive slide in trust, relative to other organisations or groups, since this question was first asked five years ago", he writes. The poll reveals that print journalism's performance is not quite as bad as the commercial broadcasters' but is on a par with the BBC. The trust figures for broadsheet journalists have declined 22 per cent over five years; those for local journalists are down 20 per cent and those for the mid-market titles down 18 per cent. This last group is the biggest loser in terms of the relative decline: while five years ago journalists on the mid-market titles were being ranked just below the middle of the table, their trust rating now languishes just above their red-top colleagues. The decline in trust extends beyond journalism to virtually every group in the list shown to those taking part in the survey, in particular public sector occupations such as police, teachers and NHS managers. Journalism's decline cannot, therefore, be seen in isolation from a more widespread phenomenon of declining faith. For an occupation that is supposed to deal in truth, however, and for which accuracy lies at the heart of the various codes of professional conduct, the scale and speed of the decline in trust is a serious issue.
In a different league
Authors: Collins Patrick
Published: June 2008

The fiftieth anniversary of the Munich air crash recalled journalist giants of the past. But today is a true golden age for football writers, claims a star columnist. Comparing the football writers of today with those of past decades, he writes: "The football specialist writers of today have a desperately difficult job. They are faced with the competition of wall-to-wall, forelock-tugging, blissfully uncritical satellite television coverage. Instead of living in the same streets as the people they cover, the football reporter barely exist on the same planet, since £5m a year buys a privileged place in a gated community or on a country estate. They have to contend with the concepts of product placement and copy approval, as well as the odious machinations of a platoon of grasping agents. By and large, they have little contact with the players unless they happen to write a major star's life story, which itself will be sanitised in the interests of commercial blandness. And yet, in this writer's opinion, they cope superbly; perhaps better than their predecessors could have imagined. Aware that television will inevitably set the tone, they work harder on difficult issues, they explore different avenues, they search for the reality behind the manufactured image."