Action in the Community Environment

Mortality among adults admitted to hospital with community acquired pneumonia in resource-limited settings is high. Recent studies conducted in high-income settings have demonstrated beneficial effects of low-dose corticosteroids in reducing mortality in patients with severe community acquired pneumonia. It is unknown whether these findings apply to low-income settings such as sub-Saharan Africa.This pragmatic randomized-controlled open-label trial will determine the effect of adjunctive low-dose corticosteroids in the management of adults admitted to hospital with community acquired pneumonia on mortality 30-days post-randomization. We will enroll and randomize 2180 patients admitted with a diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia into two arms: the control and intervention arm. Those in the control arm will receive standard care for the treatment of community acquired pneumonia i.e., combination therapy with a beta-lactam and macrolide antibiotic. Those in the intervention arm will receive up to 10-days treatment with low-dose oral corticosteroids in addition to standard care. All participants will be followed up to 30- days post randomization and their final status recorded (alive or dead). If adjunctive low-dose oral corticosteroids are found to be beneficial, this easily scalable intervention would significantly reduce the currently high mortality associated with community acquired pneumonia.Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry: PACTR202111481740832; ISRCTRN registry: ISRCTN36138594.

Agriculture plays a critical role in the entire life of a given economy. Choosing the wrong crop for the farmer based on the soil needs results in significant losses. Therefore, the problem with this approach is addressed to agricultural accuracy. Precision agriculture is the science that helps increase yields and make management decisions using advanced technology and new tools. It is a new concept adopted globally to increase productivity, reduce labor time, and provide effective fertilizer management and irrigation systems. This can help the farmer by choosing the right crop according to the needs of the soil.

ABSTRACTThe VIA Classification of Character Strengths has broken important ground for measuring character strengths across cultures. Because the VIA Classification is a closed system of abstract strengths, however, it is unknown how end-users engage strengths in particular cultural and practical contexts, define strengths for themselves, or identify additional strengths. In this study, residential care directors (n = 18) and other caregivers (n = 64) for orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) in five distinct global locations prioritized with a card-sort the VIA Character Strengths most important for the work of caregiving, defined these strengths, and proposed additional strengths. Supervisors were then asked how caregivers embodied their prioritized strengths. Participants most frequently prioritized Love, Honesty, Forgiveness, and Kindness as important for caregiving; demonstrated high concordance but also some deviation from the definitions of the VIA Classification; and proposed additional strengths (e.g. Caring, Self-drive, and Initiative) that were perceived not to overlap with existing VIA Character Strengths.

Le rapport d’étape suivant résume les activités et les réalisations de Portage du deuxième trimestre de 2018 qui correspondent aux objectifs décrits dans le Plan d’entreprise de Portage; on y fait le point sur les activités et les communications de Portage pendant cette période.

El propósito de este estudio es evaluar la relación entre factores socio-demográficos y del evento con la sintomatología postraumática (SPT) y el crecimiento postraumático (CPT) en personas que perdieron su hogar en el terremoto de Chile del 27 de febrero de 2010. Con este fin, se seleccionaron 351 personas adultas, entre 18 y 84 años, de las cuales 63,2% eran mujeres. Se aplicó el Inventario de Crecimiento Postraumático y la Escala de Impacto de Evento Revisada, además de un cuestionario socio-demográfico. Se evidencia en el estudio la relación significativa con la SPT o el CPT de elementos tales como sexo, edad, ingresos económicos, cambio de comuna tras el sismo y la razón de la pérdida de la vivienda Se presentan los resultados y argumenta su alcance para la promoción y prevención de salud en sobrevivientes de desastres naturales.

El presente trabajo trata de favorecer la reflexión, desde la psicología educacional, sobre la respuesta a las necesidades específicas de apoyo educativo de los alumnos y alumnas con Altas Capacidades Intelectuales. Tras una breve exposición sobre las características de este tipo de alumnado, se realiza un análisis de caso con el que establecer la relación entre la evaluación psicoeducativa y la intervención psicopedagógica. Desde la labor de los psicólogos de la educación (interviniendo en todos los procesos psicológicos que afectan al aprendizaje o que se derivan de este) y otros colegas que actúan en el ámbito educativo, se buscaría, en última instancia, relacionar los objetivos de cualquier intervención psicoeducativa: la valoración diagnóstica y la planificación de la intervención pedagógica dentro de la atención a la diversidad desarrollada en el sistema educativo español.

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">In heavy duty diesel engines, the waste heat recovery has attracted much attention as one of the technologies to improve fuel economy further. In this study, the available energy of the waste heat from a high boosted 6-cylinder heavy duty diesel engine which is equipped with a high pressure loop EGR system (HPL-EGR system) and low pressure loop EGR system (LPL-EGR system) was evaluated based on the second law of thermodynamics. The maximum potential of the waste heat recovery for improvement in brake thermal efficiency and the effect of the Rankine combined cycle on fuel economy were estimated for each single-stage turbocharging system (single-stage system) and 2-stage turbocharging system (2-stage system). As a result of estimation, the maximum brake thermal efficiency by the waste heat recovery is theoretically 55.0 % (single-stage turbocharging system) and 53.3% (2-stage turbocharging system) at full load operating condition (Ne=1600rpm), if the available energy of the waste heat in the high boosted diesel engine is converted into the effective work unless considering actual losses. On the other hand, the conversion efficiency from the waste heat to effective work by using the Rankine combined cycle was predicted fairly low. The estimated improvement in fuel consumption by the Rankine combined cycle was 2.7% in single-stage system and 2.9% in 2-stage system, on the condition of the highway cruising at constant speed of 80km/h with a full payload for the heavy duty vehicle (GVW=24980kg).</div></div>

La regeneración urbana ha sido uno de los principales retos afrontados por las ciudades europeas desde el último cuarto del siglo XX. Mientras que, la ciudad europea postindustrial ha experimentado una etapa de consolidación sobre los métodos de reforma urbana con el cambio de milenio, los espacios turísticos maduros mediterráneos, tras más de treinta años de intentos, todavía tienen pendiente encontrar los mecanismos para su regeneración. La presente investigación explora los nuevos caminos para repensar los destinos turísticos maduros, a través del caso paradigmático de Platja de Palma, en la isla de Mallorca. Las particularidades intrínsecas del destino son exploradas a partir de las características morfológicas del espacio construido y del paisaje litoral. La evolución del nivel de accesibilidad, del tipo de producto turístico desarrollado, así como de los instrumentos de planeamiento aplicados en cada etapa, permite reconocer los principales factores que han catalizado su desarrollo. Por otro lado, el análisis de los valores y fragilidades experimentadas en el paisaje litoral nos permite repensar las potencialidades del principal recurso del turismo. El espacio turístico de Platja de Palma se ha conformado mediante una planificación discontinua, aplicando diferentes modelos de construcción del espacio turístico así como de transformación del paisaje preexistente. El reconocimiento de sus valores intrínsecos nos aporta nuevas herramientas para llevar a cabo una regeneración, basada en la economía de medios, la potenciación de la identidad así como de la diversidad de recursos que conforman el destino, factores clave para su regeneración futura. La regeneració urbana ha estat un dels principals reptes encarats per les ciutats europees des del darrer quart del segle XX. Mentre que la ciutat europea postindustrial ha experimentat una etapa de consolidació sobre la metodologia de reforma urbana amb el canvi de mil·lenni, els espais turístics madurs mediterranis, després de més de trenta anys d’intents, encara tenen pendent trobar els mecanismes per a la seva regeneració. La present investigació explora els nous camins per a repensar les destinacions turístiques madures, a través del cas paradigmàtic de Platja de Palma, en la illa de Mallorca. Les particularitats intrínseques de la destinació són explorades a partir de les característiques morfològiques de l’espai construït i del paisatge litoral. L’evolució del nivell d’accessibilitat, del tipus de producte turístic desenvolupat, així com dels instruments de planejament aplicats en cada etapa, permet reconèixer els principals factors que han catalitzat el seu desenvolupament. A part, l’anàlisi dels valors i fragilitats experimentades en el paisatge litoral ens permet repensar les potencialitats del principal recurs del turisme. L’espai turístic de Platja de Palma s’ha conformat mitjançant una planificació discontínua, aplicant diferents models de construcció de l’espai turístic així com de transformació de l’espai existent. El reconeixement dels seus valors intrínsecs ens aporta noves eines per a dur a terme una regeneració, basada en l’economia de mitjans, la potenciació de la identitat així com de la diversitat de recursos que conformen la destinació, factors claus per a la seva regeneració futura. Urban regeneration has been one of the main challenges faced by European cities during the last quarter of the 20th Century. While postindustrial European cities have experimented one consolidation stage over the methodology of urban reform with the turn of the millennium, Mediterranean mature touristic spots, over more than thirty years of trying, still have to discover their regeneration mechanisms. This research explores new ways to rethink mature tourist destinations in connection with the paradigmatic case of Platja de Palma in Mallorca. Intrinsic destination characteristics are explored from the morphological constructed space characteristics and the shore landscape. The accessibility level evolution, the developed kind of touristic product, as well as the town-planning tools applied to each stage, lets recon which principal factors have catalyzed its development. Besides, the analysis of the values and fragilities experimented in the landscape shore allow us to rethink the potentialities of the first tourist source. The tourist spot of Platja de Palma has been shaped by a discontinuous planning, applying different models of tourist space construction as well as preexisting landscape transformation. Identifying its intrinsic values provides us with new tools for accomplishing a regeneration based on the economy of means and the strengthening of its identity, as well as the resources diversity that configures the destiny, which are key factors for its future regeneration.

This study set out to investigate how Lubukusu borrows words from English and yet the two differ widely in terms of phonemic inventories. Borrowing of words form English to Lubukusu required assimilation processes to enable the transfer of characteristics of one language into the other. The study identified and described the morphophonological change that the loan words from English go through to fit into Lubukusu speech system and established morphophonological rules that account for the changes. The study adopted the theory Natural Generative phonology (NGP) which was propagated by Hopper (1976) as the theoretical framework. Sampling procedure was used to arrive at the fields most affected and sample population. Eighty speakers of Lubukusu from Bumula Division, Bungoma district were interviewed, ten respondents from each field of Education, Police, Health, Mechanics, commerce, Building and Construction, Religion and domestic. An interview schedule was used in data collection. The loan words were also recorded on a magnetic tape during articulation for the sake of analysis to get a clear picture of their morphophonological structure. The Loan words were transcribed for Morphophonological analysis. It was evident that there were lot of consonantal changes like consonant insertion, consonant deletion and consonant substitution among others. There were also vowel changes that were observed such as vowel deletion, vowel substitution and vowel insertion. No single loan word was found to maintain its original morphophonological structure when it moved from English to Lubukusu in both singular and Plural form. The study contributes to linguistic scholarship in the area of Lubukusu Morphophonemics. The knowledge acquired could be utilized by institutions of higher learning and translation centres. It was recommended that more studies like the current study should be conducted in the rest of the remaining dialects of Luhyia to give a clear picture of how Luhyia borrows words from English and also the suprasegmental level should be considered.   Keywords: Lubukusu, English, higher learning and translation, languages, communication.

Abstract The Greater Vanza Longui Area (GVLA) field is located in Area B of the offshore Cabinda, Angola Block 0 concession. GVLA is a multi field development and will target hydrocarbon resources in the Cretaceous Pinda formation that contain reservoirs with rich gas condensates and underlying volatile oil rims. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the rigorous subsurface evaluation process employed for developing a large offshore gas condensate field. The strength of the reservoir evaluation is the large amount of good quality appraisal data gathered and used to benchmark subsurface inputs. There have been 6 reservoir penetrations, 4 DSTs and 3 full reservoir cores and multiple fluid samples. A structured workflow was followed to identify and incorporate the uncertainties in the subsurface assessment. Probabilistic forecasts helped to fully characterize and realistically assess the uncertainties. The uncertainties were grouped mainly into static and dynamic categories. The impact of the static uncertainties was assessed using 3-D geological models. Geologic models were built upon a core-based sequence stratigraphic framework for the Pinda formation. The facies, petrophysical properties and top depth of reservoir were varied to capture the uncertainty ranges seen in the GVLA wells and analogue fields. These models captured the net-to-gross uncertainty which has the largest impact on hydrocarbons in-place and connectivity. The dynamic uncertainties were assessed using statistical design of experiments. Monte Carlo simulations were employed to generate the probabilistic estimates. Reservoir simulation with the compositional formulation was used as the primary forecasting method. Robust equation-of-state models were built to appropriately quantify natural gas liquids (LPGs) which were value drivers for the project. Various development alternatives (primary depletion, gas injection) were evaluated and detailed economic analysis were performed for concept selection. The production forecasts were verified with material balance models, analogues.