scholarly journals Policy and objectives of the New Zealand Arthropod Collection

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darren Ward ◽  
Sarah Tassell

The New Zealand Arthropod Collection (NZAC) is the world’s largest taxonomic collection of terrestrial invertebrates from New Zealand. The NZAC policy is presented that defines the vision for the collection of being managed to the highest international standards, connected through a global infrastructure, and providing high quality, authoritative, and trusted information. The policy also provides context and guidelines for collection activities, and twenty-two objectives are outlined that will be completed over the next 5 years.

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Lang

Abstract Background High quality health promotion (HP) depends on a competent workforce for which professional development programmes for practitioners are essential. The “CompHP Core Competencies Framework in HP” defines crucial competency domains but a recent review concluded that the implementation and use of the framework is lacking. The aim was to develop and validate a self-assessment tool for HP competencies, which should help evaluate training courses. Methods A brief self-assessment tool was employed in 2018 in Austria. 584 participants of 77 training courses submitted their post-course assessment (paper-pencil, RR = 78.1%). In addition, longitudinal data are available for 148 participants who filled in a pre-course online questionnaire. Measurement reliability and validity was tested by single factor, bifactor, multigroup, and multilevel CFA. A SEM proved for predictive and concurrent validity, controlling gender and age. Results A bifactor model (X2/df=3.69, RMSEA=.07, CFI=.95, sRMR=.07) showed superior results with a strong general CompHP factor (FL>.65, wH=.90, ECV=.85), configurally invariant for two training programmes. On course level, there was only minimal variance between trainings (ICC<.08). Structurally, there was a significant increase in HP competencies when comparing pre- and post-course measurements (b=.33, p<.01). Participants showed different levels of competencies due to prior knowledge (b=.38, p<.001) and course format (b=.16, p<.06). The total scale had good properties (m = 49.8, sd = 10.3, 95%-CI: 49.0-50.7) and discriminated between groups (eg by training length). Conclusions The results justify the creation of an overall scale to assess core HP competencies. It is recommended to use the scale for evaluating training courses. The work compensates for the lack of empirical studies on the CompHP concept and facilitates a broader empirical application of a uniform competency framework for HP in accordance with international standards in HP and public health. Key messages The self-assessment tool provides a good and compact foundation for assessing HP competencies. It provides a basis for holistic, high quality and sustainable capacity building or development in HP.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Claire Sweetman

<p>Although birth is a fundamental part of the life process, competing factions within the health profession struggle to agree on the best way to deliver maternity services. Despite this long-standing tension, the midwifery-led model has dominated New Zealand’s maternity system for more than two decades with the majority of consumers expressing satisfaction with the care provided. Unfortunately for a small number of mothers and babies the pregnancy and birth experience is not a positive one and families are left suffering life-long, and often tragic, consequences. As one of the main consumer watchdogs in New Zealand, the Health and Disability Commissioner is charged with investigating claims of poor quality healthcare. This paper examines the central themes in the Commissioner’s reports on substandard midwifery practice and proposes a number of regulatory solutions to the issues involved. Working in unison, these amendments have the potential to ease the pressure placed on midwives; enhance interprofessional relationships; improve practitioner competence; and increase overall compliance with the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights. By implementing these changes, the New Zealand Government could safeguard valuable midwifery-based principles whilst still ensuring that high quality maternity care is provided to all of the country’s mothers and babies.</p>


2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Calver

Only those truly cryptozoic for all of 2010 could have missed the bustle and concern created by the Australian Commonwealth?s Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative (http://www.arc.gov.au/era/default.htm). In common with other national research assessment exercises such as the RAE (UK) and PBRF (New Zealand), ERA is designed to assess research quality within the Australian higher education sector, identifying and rewarding those institutions and departments producing high-quality research. The linkages between achievement, recognition and reward have the potential to shape the research priorities and agendas of institutions and individual researchers.


2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Gibbons

Content analysis results show that investment strategies and newspaper quality vary between companies in New Zealand. Indeed, Allied Press’ Otago Daily Times prints considerably more news than Fairfax papers with similar circulations, and almost as much news as the Christchurch Press. The results also provide some support for the theory that produc­ing a relatively high quality newspaper, when quality is measured by the quantity of news published and number of journalists employed, is as­sociated with relatively high readership. Vigorous competition between companies for dominance in the Queenstown newspaper market suggests that less concentrated newspaper ownership could increase competition and benefit consumers in other parts of New Zealand. Although the results are from 2006, strong similarities between the newspapers surveyed and more recent issues of these titles means the results and policy lessons drawn are still relevant.


10.2196/13903 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e13903
Author(s):  
Nune Truzyan ◽  
Zaruhi Grigoryan ◽  
Lusine Musheghyan ◽  
Byron Crape ◽  
Varduhi Petrosyan

Background The quality of care for tuberculosis (TB) is deficient in high-burden countries and urgently needs improvement. However, comprehensively identifying the required improvements is challenging. Providing high-quality TB care is an important step toward improving patients’ quality of life and decreasing TB morbidity and mortality. Effective tools for assessing the quality of TB services using international standards and guidelines can identify existing gaps in services and inform improvements to ensure high-quality inpatient TB services. Objective This study aimed to develop evaluation instruments for defining the quality of provision of TB services. Methods To assess quality of services in the largest TB hospital in Armenia, we developed instruments based on the Joint Commission International Accreditation Standards for Hospitals, International Standards for TB Care, TB Laboratories Bio-Safety Standards, and the World Health Organization framework for conducting TB program reviews. A mixed methods approach was utilized, triangulating quantitative (checklists) and qualitative (in-depth interviews) results. A scoring system and strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and treats analysis was applied to detail results for each of the 122 standards assessed. A scaling approach was used to present overall performances of inpatient services for eight patient-centered functions and five organization management functions. Results Overall, 40 in-depth interviews and 91 checklists (21 observations, 16 policy papers, 20 staff qualification documents, and 34 medical records) were developed, utilized, and analyzed to explore practices of health care professionals, assess inpatient treatment experience of patients and their family members, evaluate facility environmental conditions, and define the degree of compliance to standards. Conclusions The effective comprehensive evaluation instruments and methods developed in this study for quality of inpatient TB services support the implementation of similar effective assessments in other countries. It may also become a platform to develop similar approaches for assessing ambulatory TB services in resource-limited countries. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/13903


2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 374-378
Author(s):  
L. V. Domotenko ◽  
T. P. Morozova ◽  
A. P. Shepelin ◽  
A. Yu. Mironov

The aim of the study is to assess the effectiveness of quality control of transport environments in accordance with the requirements of domestic and international standards using aerobic and optional anaerobic microorganisms. The results of a comparative assessment of the survival of 10 strains of aerobic and optional anaerobic microorganisms after storage in the semi-liquid transport environment of Ames for 24 and 48 hours at temperatures (4-8)0 C and (20-25)0 C in accordance with the requirements of domestic and international standards are presented. The methodology described in ICC 4.2.2316 causes a number of technical difficulties leading to non-reproducible results. The survival rate of microorganisms in semi-liquid transport environments under ISO 11133-2016 is of high quality. The quantitative assessment is based on two Swab Elution and Roll Plate methods recommended by the CLSI M40-A2 standard.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. 82-83
Author(s):  
Sergey Malakhov ◽  
◽  
Evgenia Repina

A joint bilingual Russian-Dutch publication “The Samara Yard” is presented - the result of the work of a group of architects who managed to unite into one research team and win a grant from the Dutch Foundation for Creative Industries. Similar grants in 2019 were provided to two more author’s projects from other countries. The rationale prepared by us at the stage of the competitive competition of applicants for a grant from more than 100 countries made it possible to attract the attention of international expert groups, the Foundation’s management and, as a result, to achieve a high-quality research and publication at the level of international standards. The central theme of the research and publication is a unique urban planning phenomenon - “Samara Yard”, a historically formed architectural and planning unit that translates into the modern discourse of urban practices the most important features of a sustainable urban environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (18) ◽  
pp. 2164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte F. Bolwell ◽  
Chris W. Rogers ◽  
Erica K. Gee ◽  
Sarah M. Rosanowski

The present review examines the commercial production of racing and sport horses in New Zealand, describing the size and scope of the industries, the management and feeding, and the training and wastage of race (Thoroughbred and Standardbred) and sport horses. The number of horses per head of population in New Zealand (30/1000 people) is high by international standards and the main equine industries generate ~2% of national gross domestic product. In New Zealand the Thoroughbred breeding and racing industry dominates organised equestrian activity (economically and numerically). Furthermore, this Thoroughbred bias has an influence on equestrian culture and may explain, in part, the high proportion of Thoroughbred sport horses registered for eventing in New Zealand, which is in contrast to other international sport-horse populations. An understanding of the production, management and structure of the racing and sport industries in New Zealand is paramount to ensure the health and welfare of the equine athlete and the continuing success of the industries.


Author(s):  
José Soares Ferreira Neto

In general, European and North American countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand, have already eradicated or reached good levels of control of brucellosis and tuberculosis in cattle. In the rest of the world, however, the epidemiological situation of these two diseases is frequently poorly understood. In this review article, quantified data on these diseases in the South American countries are presented. Initially, the aspects that led the continent to host 25% of the world cattle population are presented, in addition to the aspects that placed the continent at a prominent position in the international meat market. Subsequently the continent was divided into three country groups, considering the size of the cattle population and how well the epidemiological situation of brucellosis and tuberculosis in cattle is quantified. It is argued that countries that do not generate high-quality quantitative epidemiological data on these diseases have serious limitations in outlining and managing control or eradication strategies. Thus, for successful outcomes, at least methodologies to estimate the prevalence of infected herds should be employed.


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