Suchergebnisse

Since the 1970s and 1980s, the vineyard areas in the Mediterranean region of north east Spain have undergone profound transformation to allow greater mechanization. This has involved land levelling, deep ploughing and the elimination of traditional soil conservation measures. Recently the EU Common Agricultural Policy encourages this through the vineyard restructuring and conversion plans (Commission Regulation EC No 1227 ⁄ 2000 of 31 May 2000) by subsidizing up to 50% of the cost of soil preparation such as soil movement and land levelling. A clear example of the problems that this causes is in the Penede`s vineyard region (Catalonia, north east Spain), and the present research analyses the changes in soil properties caused by erosion, deep ploughing and land levelling. The study was carried out in an area of 30 000 ha for which a Soil Information System at a scale of 1:50 000 was developed based on 394 field observations (89 soil profiles and 251 auger hole samples down to 120 cm). The results show that 74% of the described soil profiles are disturbed with evidence of soil mixing and ⁄ or profile truncation due to erosion, deep ploughing and ⁄ or land levelling. The evidence from the topsoils is mainly the presence of fragments of calcic or petrocalcic horizons, marls and sandstones. Other important properties for crops such as organic matter (OM) content and soil depth show statistically significant differences between disturbed soils and undisturbed soils (22.3-33.3% OM content depletion and 35.1% soil depth reduction). These results confirm that the soils of the region are significantly altered by mechanical operations which also influence soil erosion and contribute to global warming effect through depletion of soil OM.

Examines how organized group protests & boycotts influenced scientific practice in the research of an experimental drug (AZT) for the treatment of acquired immune deficiency syndrome in San Francisco, CA, & Miami, FL, in the late 1980s & 1990s. Leading gay rights movements in the US protested against pharmaceutical research that administered placebos to patients for the sake of control groups. The clinic boycotts & public attention forced researchers & pharmaceutical sponsors to engage more with society in general & to redesign their research procedures. Increased communication between the activists & researchers created a more tranquil & productive setting for the scientists & prompted a valuable exchange between researchers & patients. Activists in turn learned more about the scientific process involved in drug research & treatment. 19 References. Adapted from the source document.

The burden of cardiovascular (CV) disease is very high in China, due to highly prevalent and poorly controlled risk factors resulting from changing sociodemographic structure and lifestyles in its large population. Rapid economic development and urbanization have been accompanied by changing patterns, expression, and management of CV disease. However, the health care system in China lacks a hierarchical structure, with a focus on treating acute diseases in hospital while ignoring long-term management, and primary health care is too weak to effectively control CV risk factors. To address these challenges, the Chinese central government has ensured health is a national priority and has introduced reforms that include implementing policies for a healthy environment, strengthening primary care, and improving affordability and accessibility within the health system. Turning the inverted pyramid of the health care system is essential in the ongoing battle against CV disease.

Background: Authorizing health care providers other than physicians to prescribe medicines (i.e., non-medical prescribing, NMP) has been used to improve access to healthcare in many countries. This paper aimed to identify the scope of policies facilitating NMP worldwide and investigate the relationship of such policies with a country's physician to population ratio and economic status. Methods: A hierarchical search strategy was used. First, we compiled a list of countries and territories (n = 216) based upon World Bank record. Then, we collected relevant information for each country by using country name combined with key terms in PubMed, Google, and World Health Organization (WHO) country pharmaceutical profiles. Countries' socio-economic status and physician to population ratio were determined using data from the World Bank. Results: Legislation allowing NMP was found for 117 of 216 (54%) countries and territories. The most prevalent policy identified was that of autonomous prescribing authority (59%). Countries with low or high incomes and those with low or high physician to population ratios (3/1000) had the highest concentration of policies for NMP rights. Conclusion: Despite the varied scope of relevant policies, NMP has been implemented in countries of varied income levels and physician to population ratios. Future research is warranted to empirically examine its impact on access to care.